Streamlining Testing for Consumer Products: UL Solutions’ New Facility Supports Manufacturers
The new UL Solutions facility expands testing capabilities in the region and supports product innovation for retail and consumer product manufacturers in a dynamic market. Image: Courtesy of UL Solutions
Applied safety science company UL Solutions has unveiled its new 58,000-sf Retail and Consumer Products Laboratory in Ningbo, China—an advanced facility designed to support manufacturers with faster, more localized testing services that enhance product safety, quality, and innovation in a rapidly evolving market. The new Ningbo facility centralizes safety, quality, performance, and chemical testing for a range of consumer products—including textiles, footwear, furniture, and electronics packaging—streamlining the path from design to market. With expanded capabilities like furniture flammability testing and real-time collaboration from on-site experts, UL Solutions aims to support compliance, innovation, and sustainable growth for manufacturers in the Greater China region.
Lab Design News interviewed Josh Warren, vice president and general manager of the UL Solutions Retail and Consumer Products group, to gain insights into the development of the new facility.
Q: What were the primary design and construction considerations when developing the new laboratory in Ningbo, particularly to enhance efficiency and response times for manufacturers in Greater China?
A: The primary design and construction considerations for our new 58,000-sf Retail and Consumer Products Laboratory in Ningbo, China, were centered on creating a highly efficient and responsive testing facility specifically tailored to the needs of manufacturers in Greater China. A key consideration was the strategic location within Ningbo, a major manufacturing hub, to ensure proximity and easy access for local businesses. The facility was designed with a strong emphasis on streamlined workflows to comprehensively address global retailers’ research and development testing requirements across various product categories, including hardline, softline, chemical and transit.
To achieve enhanced efficiency, the layout design of our testing areas aligned the physical arrangement with the sequence of value creation rather than “function-by-function” silos. This approach aims to reduce customer turnaround times significantly. Before finalizing the layout, extensive process mapping was conducted to identify and eliminate unnecessary transportation and motion within the facility.
Q: How does the design of the Ningbo laboratory support UL Solutions’ broader strategic goals of providing localized expertise and collaboration within the Yangtze River Delta region?
A: In the nearby Caohejing Hi-Tech Park in Shanghai, UL Solutions also serves the sector with its Retail and Consumer Test Laboratory. This 65,000-sf facility provides a comprehensive suite of safety, quality and performance testing services for retail and consumer products. Together, the Ningbo and Shanghai laboratories directly support UL Solutions' broader strategic goals of providing localized expertise and fostering collaboration within the Yangtze River Delta region by establishing a significant operational presence closer to the manufacturing base. By strategically locating a testing facility in Ningbo, we are enhancing our accessibility and responsiveness to local manufacturers. Maintaining a Shanghai entity in addition to the Ningbo location provides crucial regional flexibility.
Q: What specific architectural and infrastructural features were integrated into the Ningbo laboratory to accommodate the comprehensive testing capabilities for textiles, footwear, furniture, and electronics packaging?
A: The Ningbo laboratory incorporated specific architectural and infrastructural features to accommodate comprehensive testing capabilities across diverse product categories like textiles, footwear, furniture, and electronics packaging. Here, we adopted an all-in-one design with clearly defined testing zones distributed across different floors. For instance, one floor was designated for the bulky packaging and furniture testing requirements. Another floor was specifically designed for textile and footwear testing, including integrating a precision conditioning room to maintain environmental controls for accurate material testing. Chemical testing was strategically located on the top floor, a design choice that facilitates optimal ventilation. This top-floor placement also enhances safety by isolating chemical processes. The layout further considered material handling efficiency by testing furniture on the easily accessible first floor. Recognizing the Ningbo facility as a cohesive unit, the design integrated softline and hardline flammability testing in a combined space, leading to better space utilization and reduced ventilation piping costs. These architectural and infrastructural choices were implemented to allow efficient workflows and optimize resource utilization within the laboratory.
Q: Can you elaborate on the newly added furniture flammability testing capability? How did the facility’s design and construction adapt to support this enhancement?
A: The newly added furniture flammability testing capability at the Ningbo laboratory directly addresses the increasing demand from global retailers due to stringent regulatory requirements in numerous countries concerning the upholstered materials used in items like sofas and office chairs. This expansion allows customers to verify that their materials meet flammability standards and address potential toxicity concerns through combined flame-retardant testing. Notably, the furniture flammability testing capability was integrated with the existing flammability testing for textiles. This co-location allowed for a more efficient and cost-effective infrastructure while prioritizing safety for personnel and the facility.
Q: How did the proximity to the existing UL Solutions laboratory in Shanghai influence the design and operational planning of the Ningbo facility?
A: The proximity of the existing UL Solutions laboratory in Shanghai significantly influenced the design and operational planning of the Ningbo facility by allowing for the leveraging of established expertise based on prior experience. To help enhance knowledge transfer, new hires for the Ningbo laboratory underwent training at the Shanghai facility, and experienced employees from Shanghai were strategically transferred to Ningbo. This facilitated the seamless adoption of established best practices and allowed us to deliver high-level technical competency from Day 1 in the new location.
Q: What sustainability considerations, if any, were incorporated into the construction and operation of the Ningbo laboratory to support UL Solutions’ commitment to safety and innovation?
A: Sustainability was considered for the Ningbo laboratory, including selecting energy-efficient lighting systems to minimize energy consumption and reduce the facility’s carbon footprint. The construction process also prioritized the use of green products across various aspects, such as the selection of low-VOC (volatile organic compound) lacquers, flame-retardant materials with environmentally preferable properties, and anti-explosion glass chosen with consideration for both safety and material sustainability.
Q: How does the laboratory’s design facilitate collaboration between on-site subject matter experts and customers, and what role did this collaborative focus play in the facility’s architectural planning?
A: The design of the Ningbo laboratory helps us facilitate collaboration between on-site subject matter experts and customers through several key site and design elements. Its location within the Menovo Industrial Park among top-tier companies helps foster a broader ecosystem for knowledge exchange. Within the laboratory building itself, the design incorporates dedicated on-site advisory and education spaces that enable direct interaction and engagement between UL Solutions experts and visiting customers. This integration of collaborative spaces throughout the facility demonstrates the importance of direct engagement with an interior design that supports seamless interaction, knowledge sharing and stronger collaborations between UL Solutions and our customers.
