Awarded with European Quality Trademark

The Unior hand tools programme has been officially approved as a European manufacturer of hand tools

Unior has been committed to quality and innovation since its inception, and we have recently reached a new milestone on our path. The Unior hand tools programme has received the European Quality Trademark (EQTM), which is the first certificate of its kind to certify the quality of European trademarks.

Nowadays, many manufacturers like to boast that their products are European, but the origin of the material from which the products are made is often questionable. For this reason, the European Organization for Quality (EOQ) has introduced an innovation, namely a certificate that verifies the quality of European trademarks (called EQTM). This certificate can only be obtained for products of European origin, and the acquisition process is professionally managed and supervised by the Commission.

The certificate is intended for European manufacturers, which guarantees that their products are of excellent quality and that more than 60% of the product material and services is of European origin, thus adding value to these products. Recently, this certificate has also been awarded to Unior for its hand tools programme, as 86% of the basic and auxiliary raw materials, as well as the production of finished products, originates from Europe. The advantage of this is that Unior can trace the entire supply chain and environmental protection, which is also based on lowering the carbon footprint. The newly obtained certificate provides the Unior hand tools programme with visibility in the 120 markets in which it is present and places it alongside other strong brands. Many of Unior competitors' products are imported, so it is important that Unior is a true European manufacturer that also takes care of the local environment, as well as the development and health of employees. It is also important that customers and users themselves can recognise products of a high and lasting quality with the help of the certificate.

“Numerous ISO certificates have already proven that we act responsibly, both within Unior and within the hand tools programme, and that we ensure consistent quality control. We were very happy for the opportunity to receive a certificate that would verify the European origin of our hand tools trademark. The criteria for this certificate were of utmost importance to us, and obtaining the certificate was a confirmation that we are on the right path. We are aware that the long-term quality of products and services will always be rewarded. The EQTM certificate has added an additional seal of approval on the basis of our own development and production, customer satisfaction, and our social responsibility and commitment to sustainable development,” as emphasised by the Unior hand tools department.

Zoran Lekič, honorary member of the European Organization for Quality and representative for Slovenia, said: “At the European Organization for Quality, we contribute greatly to making product quality an important value. I am very pleased that Slovenian companies are also aware of the importance of quality and European origin of their products. The awarding of the certificate to Unior is of particular significance to me, as in 1994, when Unior received the first ISO 9001 certificate, I led the certification audit in this company. I am glad that Unior continues to realise its manufacturing vision and follows its set goals.”

This year, Unior has started activities for obtaining the European Quality Trademark as one of the first companies in Slovenia. Candidates for the EQTM must meet ten conditions, five related to the company and five to the product/product family. They must provide information on the business performance of the company, the necessary production licenses and authorisations obtained, the European origin of the product, compliance with regards to environmental aspects, health and safety, financial obligations, a certified quality management system, the presence of continuous improvements, intellectual property, and customer satisfaction.

The certificate will be valid for three years. If business conditions of the company and the production conditions of the certified product/product family remain unchanged, we will also try to extend the validity of the certificate for the Unior hand tool programme.