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Lucideon Awards First V-MARQ Certification to Steelite International

22 April 2016

Lucideon, the independent sustainability assurance provider, is pleased to announce that it has awarded its first V-MARQ, the certification of manufacturing origin, to Steelite International. 

The scheme, believed to be the first of its kind in the world, audits where a product is manufactured, whether that be a country, a region or a city/town.  It was introduced by Lucideon in late 2015 to provide transparency to the numerous ‘made in’ badges that exist and to support manufacturers’ product claims.

Lucideon audited 44 of Steelite’s patterns, comprising a total of 1820 products, and awarded the company the certification in April.  All the products certified were manufactured in the UK, in Stoke-on-Trent.

Shaun Bainbridge, Director at Lucideon, said:

“We set up the V-MARQ certification scheme following a call from UK ceramics companies looking to signpost national and international customers to their products’ place of production, so it was fitting that the first company we audited was a UK tableware manufacturer.

“Having the V-MARQ will help Steelite to distinguish its products from those of competitors, giving its clients confidence that its products are manufactured not only in the UK but also in Stoke-on-Trent, the home of the Potteries.”

David Clarke, Technical Manager at Steelite, said:

“Steelite International’s customers see a real value in the Made in England back-stamp. It’s not just about the quality and design of our products, it’s about the integrity of the business as a whole – the service we offer and the fact that we stand by our products and our values. Obtaining the V-MARQ provides independent confirmation that our products are made, from start to finish, in England.”    

All successfully audited products are entered onto the V-MARQ online register of certifications, a facility which allows purchasers and consumers to search for products that are made in a certain country or region.  The register can be found at https://www.v-marq.com.

The V-MARQ scheme is currently being rolled out across the ceramics industry, as well as a range of manufacturing sectors including leather, cosmetics, fragrance, clothing, homeware, carpets and flooring.