Anonymised examples of real compliance projects we have coordinated — the product, the applicable requirement, the problem that came up during certification, how we resolved it and the outcome. Client and manufacturer names are withheld.
Each case follows the same structure: product and HS code, country of manufacture, the SABER requirement, the documents the exporter provided, the problem encountered, our solution, the certification route used and the result. Details are anonymised and figures are indicative. If your situation looks similar, send us your product details and we will tell you the likely route.
Fire Safety Equipment
Fire Extinguisher — portable dry powder
Product
Portable dry powder fire extinguisher, 6 kg, five model variants
HS Code
8424.10
Country of manufacture
India
Requirement
Regulated under the Technical Regulation for fire fighting equipment. PCoC required per model, with type testing against the applicable GCC / SASO standard and a valid factory assessment.
Documents received
Company registration, product photos, bill of materials, an older test report from a national lab and a filled product information form.
Problem encountered
The existing test report was more than three years old, did not cover two of the five variants, and was issued against a superseded standard edition. The certification body would not accept it.
Solution
We grouped the five variants into two test families based on charge weight and body construction, so only two full test series were needed instead of five. We arranged testing with an accredited laboratory and coordinated a remote-supported factory assessment to keep travel cost down.
Certification route
Type 5 style scheme — product testing plus factory assessment — PCoC issued per model, SCoC raised per shipment.
Result
All five models certified in roughly seven weeks from test booking. First container cleared Jeddah customs without a conformity hold.
Electrical & Electronics
Electrical Equipment — LED panel drivers & control gear
Product
LED drivers and lighting control gear, 12 SKUs across three power ratings
HS Code
8504.40
Country of manufacture
China
Requirement
Low-voltage electrical equipment Technical Regulation — safety testing (IEC 61347 series), EMC evidence and RoHS declaration. PCoC per model.
Documents received
CB test certificates and reports for most SKUs, EMC reports, a RoHS report and the manufacturer ISO 9001 certificate.
Problem encountered
The CB reports listed a different factory address from the commercial invoice, and three SKUs had no EMC evidence at all. SABER registration was blocked at the product-details stage because of the address mismatch.
Solution
We obtained a manufacturer declaration and a production agreement linking the two addresses, had the CB reports amended for the address, and arranged EMC testing only for the three uncovered SKUs. IEC CB reports were accepted in lieu of fresh safety testing.
Certification route
PCoC based on accepted CB scheme reports plus supplementary EMC testing; no factory audit required for this regulation tier.
Result
All 12 SKUs registered and PCoC issued in about four weeks. The client now renews annually and adds new SKUs to the same file.
Machinery
Pumps — centrifugal water pumps
Product
Single-stage centrifugal water pumps, 0.5–3 kW, domestic and light agricultural use
HS Code
8413.70
Country of manufacture
Italy
Requirement
Covered by the low-voltage equipment and the machinery Technical Regulations depending on model; energy-efficiency marking also applies to some ratings. PCoC per model family.
Documents received
EU Declaration of Conformity, CE test file, motor safety reports, performance curves and an energy-efficiency index calculation.
Problem encountered
The exporter assumed the CE file was sufficient and had already shipped. The consignment was held at customs pending a valid SCoC, with demurrage accruing.
Solution
We ran an emergency assessment, confirmed the CE reports mapped to the accepted standards, fast-tracked PCoC for the two model families in the shipment and immediately raised the SCoC against the held consignment. Remaining models were certified afterwards on a normal timeline.
Certification route
PCoC on the strength of existing EU test reports; expedited SCoC for the in-transit shipment.
Result
Consignment released within nine working days of engagement. The exporter moved all future orders to advance certification.
Personal Protective Equipment
PPE — industrial safety gloves
Product
Cut-resistant and general-handling industrial gloves, nine articles
HS Code
6116.10 / 3926.20
Country of manufacture
Pakistan
Requirement
Personal protective equipment Technical Regulation — testing to the EN 388 / EN 420 family, PPE category assessment, PCoC per article.
Documents received
EN 388 test reports from a European notified body, product datasheets, size charts and photographs.
Problem encountered
Reports covered the glove material but not the finished articles as sold, and the importer had classified all nine articles under a single HS code, two of which were wrong. This risked the wrong regulation being applied.
Solution
We re-checked HS classification article by article, split the file into the correct codes, and confirmed with the certification body that the existing material-level EN 388 reports were acceptable for the finished gloves with a manufacturer traceability declaration. No retesting was needed.
Certification route
PCoC per article using existing notified-body reports plus supplier declaration; SCoC per shipment.
Result
Nine articles certified in about three weeks. Corrected HS codes also reduced the duty rate on two articles.
Furniture & Furnishings
Furniture — upholstered seating & wooden units
Product
Upholstered sofas, dining chairs and wooden storage units for a retail contract
HS Code
9401.61 / 9403.60
Country of manufacture
Vietnam
Requirement
Furniture Technical Regulation — formaldehyde emission limits for wood-based parts, flammability for upholstery, heavy-metal limits on coatings. PCoC per product group.
Documents received
A formaldehyde test report for one board type, a generic coating safety datasheet and production photos.
Problem encountered
No flammability testing on the upholstery, formaldehyde data covered only one of three board suppliers, and the coating datasheet was not a test report. The file could not support a PCoC.
Solution
We built a test matrix covering each board supplier and each foam / fabric combination, consolidated where materials were shared, and arranged testing through one accredited lab to keep the schedule aligned with the retail delivery date. We also prepared the technical construction file.
Certification route
PCoC per product group after full test programme; factory assessment not required for this tier.
Result
All groups certified two weeks ahead of the retailer's cut-off. The technical file is reused for the next season's range.
Automotive
Automotive Parts — brake pads & filters
Product
Aftermarket brake pad sets and oil / air filters for passenger vehicles
HS Code
8708.30 / 8421.23
Country of manufacture
Turkey
Requirement
Automotive products Technical Regulation — brake friction material testing and marking (ECE R90 basis), filter performance evidence, PCoC per part range.
Documents received
ECE R90 approval documentation for part of the brake range, IATF 16949 certificate and internal filter test data.
Problem encountered
ECE R90 approvals covered around 60% of the brake part numbers; the remainder were newer references. Filter evidence was internal only, not from an accredited lab.
Solution
We mapped every part number against the held approvals, arranged R90 testing for the uncovered references through an accredited technical service, and had a representative sample of filters tested externally to validate the internal data for the whole range.
Certification route
PCoC using existing ECE approvals plus supplementary accredited testing; SCoC per consignment.
Result
Full brake and filter range certified in about eight weeks. Ongoing new part numbers are added under the same PCoC file at renewal.
Industrial Machinery
Industrial Machinery — packaging line equipment
Product
Automatic filling and capping machines, project supply of four units
HS Code
8422.30
Country of manufacture
Germany
Requirement
Machinery Technical Regulation — safety of machinery assessment, electrical safety of the control panel, risk assessment and technical file. Certification per machine (project goods).
Documents received
Full CE technical file, machinery risk assessment, control panel test report and operation manuals in English.
Problem encountered
Documentation was strong, but the goods were project / one-off machines rather than a catalogue product, and the importer was unsure whether PCoC or a shipment-only route applied. Manuals also needed Arabic safety content.
Solution
We confirmed with the certification body that these qualified for a shipment-based conformity route given the CE file quality and one-off nature, so no full PCoC scheme was needed. We arranged Arabic translation of the safety and warning sections and compiled the conformity dossier.
Certification route
Shipment-based conformity assessment (SCoC route) supported by the existing CE technical file; no separate PCoC.
Result
Certificate issued in about two weeks; all four machines shipped together and cleared without inspection hold.
Individual case studies
More detailed write-ups will be published for specific products where they help exporters facing the same situation — for example /case-studies/fire-extinguisher-saber-certification.html. If you would like your (anonymised) project considered for a detailed write-up, mention it when you contact us.
Send us your product name, HS code and country of manufacture. We will tell you the applicable Technical Regulation, the likely certification route and what documents you already have that can be reused.
