Press release

Bureau Veritas Buffalo Offers Conformance Assessment Testing to BIFMA Compliant Program

Aug. 27 2020

BIFMA Compliant is a new program aimed at communicating conformance with the BIFMA mechanical standards. By meeting the requirements of the program, companies would be allowed use the BIFMA Compliant logo on their products and marketing materials to clearly advertise that the product meets this high level of performance.  In addition, BIFMA will be maintaining a website registry to compile all of the companies and products that meet this program’s expectations.  

Although BIFMA has delayed the launch of the program slightly, companies can begin testing now to start the process required.  BIFMA plans to begin executing agreements with manufacturers in November 2020 and the online registry is set to go live to the public on March 1, 2021. 

Product must be evaluated by a lab that is ISO 17025 accredited for the appropriate BIFMA standards.  Bureau Veritas Buffalo is ISO 17025 accredited with BIFMA testing under the scope of our accreditation allowing us to offer this service. 

The program covers the nine mechanical standards that focus on safety and durability: 
• ANSI/BIFMA X5.1 – General Purpose Office Chairs
• ANSI/BIFMA X5.4 – Lounge & Public Seating
• ANSI/BIFMA X5.5 – Desk / Table Products
• ANSI/BIFMA X5.6 – Panel Systems
• ANSI/BIFMA X5.9 – Storage Units
• ANSI/BIFMA X5.11 – General Purpose Large Occupant Office Chairs
• ANSI/BIFMA X6.1 – Educational Seating
• BIFMA X6.4 – Occasional Use Seating
• ANSI/SOHO S6.5 – Small Office / Home Office 

The BIFMA Compliant mark can offer you a competitive market advantage over your competitors. Compliance can be a distinguishing factor in a customer’s purchasing process. 

This program also includes the ability for competitors to challenge the validity of compliance for your products. This is why it’s critical to work with BV Buffalo to ensure proper procedures are followed per the BIFMA Compliant Scheme. 

Why BV? Aggressive turnaround times, extensive lab capacity, competitive pricing including price matching and project discounts, ISO 17025 Accreditation (standard and customized), experience with testing and participation on the BIFMA committee, and our grouping process minimizing testing while offering compliance over a large population of products from similar families. 

conference table

Case Study 1: BV Buffalo recently assisted a customer with a collection of 120 different styles of conference room tables. Upon a technical review of the collection BV was able to suggest testing one particular style to represent the entire collection.

small chair

Case Study 2: BV Buffalo recently assisted a customer with a collection of 77 different styles of stools, other seating products, and tables. Upon a technical review of the collection BV was able to suggest testing 28 styles to represent the entire collection.

For more information on the BIFMA Compliant Program, contact Christopher Sidote in our Buffalo Lab: christopher.sidote@bureauveritas.com