Expert Roundtable with Alfio Marrello: How the TÜV SÜD Mark Helps Manufacturers Gain a Cutting Edge

Gain an Advantage with the TÜV SÜD Mark

Tuesday, March 30, 2021

Jasmine Martirossian, Vice President of Marketing at TÜV SÜD America, sat down with industry veteran, Alfio Marrello, who is the Director of Industrial and Consumer Products at TÜV SÜD America, to discuss the value of TÜV SÜD Mark and how it can help manufacturers gain a cutting edge.

Please share a bit about your career and your views on the value of the TÜV SÜD Mark.
It’s amazing that I’ve been here for 15 years, it seems to have passed so quickly, and I’ve come to value what the contribution of this industry means to the manufacturers and the marketplace.

I started out as an engineer, and what I’ve come to value being at TÜV SÜD is that our work is not just about providing that service to issue a mark, but the expertise that we share along the way. We learn our customers’ journeys, and we share our own knowledge with the customers to help facilitate their progress.

It’s that valuable exchange to ensure that we not only meet their timelines, but we each learn things from one another in the process. That is something that has impressed me about who we are as an organization. And our TÜV SÜD Mark signifies all of that.

Our expertise is what stands behind the TÜV SÜD Mark. And the Mark, in turn, confers confidence to manufacturers about the safety of their products. This has a ripple effect, and spreads to consumers.

So having a team of cross-disciplinary experts reviewing and evaluating all the product elements for various safety needs makes a difference. Our experts evaluate products against regulatory and standards requirements, and conduct the tests that are needed, be it for electrical safety, functional safety, and the like.

Talk a little bit about what the TÜV SÜD Mark means to you personally, what makes you so proud of it?
What makes me proud of our TÜV SÜD Mark is the fact that it’s not just something you get off the shelf, it’s not a pay-for-play situation. The presence of the TÜV SÜD Mark is evidence that a rigorous testing process has been undertaken, and our engineering team stands behind the Mark.

Does the TÜV SÜD Mark have global recognition, and how is it perceived internationally?
TÜV SÜD is over 150 years old, and it is a global organization with over 1,000 locations in over 100 countries. This global reach and recognition fully extend to the TÜV SÜD Mark.

Does this global recognition and presence of TÜV SÜD help manufacturers with getting their products to global markets?
We have extensive expertise about the requirements for entering various global markets, be it in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Asia, or Australia. Our Global Market Access (GMA) offering, in fact, is precisely designed to guide manufacturers on the requirements needed to bring their products to specific markets.  And, of course, we have the accreditations and expertise to test to the needed regulatory standards and requirements.  There are instances when regulations call for in-country testing, and we can do that as well.

Do you have any additional thoughts that you might like to share about the TÜV SÜD Mark?
In the United States, we are an NRTL (Nationally Registered Testing Laboratory designation issued by the US government’s OSHA), which ensures that the TÜV SÜD Mark stands possible standards in the industry.

I also want to touch on innovation. We have dedicated engineers and experts who evolve their expertise in step with market developments, be it robotics, cybersecurity, IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things, aka Industry 4.0), AI, renewable energy markets, self-driving vehicles, and the like.

We take pride in our people, and it’s our people that truly bring value to our customers. As smart connected products become smarter, we have to continue evolving to stay current. So, we invest in our people and our resources to service for those markets and needs in the future, and will continue serving our customers in the best possible way.