Walter Lumley, president of the Society of Glass and Ceramic Decorators, brings us up to speed on ceramic decorating news.
SGCD Changes Name/Expands Focus
Effective January 1, the Society of Glass and
Ceramic Decorators (SGCD) became the Society of Glass and Ceramic Decorated
Products (SGCDpro). The new name reflects the growing number of members who do
not actually decorate but who import and/or manufacture ceramic and glass
products for sale.
The name change recommendation was made by the society’s Long Range Planning
Committee at its meeting in August, and was approved by the entire board at its
November meeting. A new mission statement and logo have also been adopted; both
can be viewed on the society’s website.
Spence Named Legislative and Regulatory Liaison
Former SGCD Executive Director Sandy Spence has joined the society
as liaison for legislative and regulatory issues. Spence was instrumental in
helping establish many of the voluntary guidelines the industry works with
today, and she worked closely during her tenure with Richard Jacobs of the U.S.
Food & Drug Administration (FDA).
CPSIA Fact Sheet Available
SGCDpro Legislative Issues Liaison Sandra Spence has completed a
fact sheet for members explaining the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act
of 2008 (CPSIA). The fact sheet also details the CPSC Certificate of
Conformity. Members can download the information from the society’s website.
"Ask the Experts" Session Added to Deco '09
SGCDpro has added an “Ask the Experts” session to the Deco ’09
program. The session will feature a panel of experts, including Sandra Spence,
Richard Jacobs, Wayne Zitkus (former SGCD president and recently retired from
Libbey), Walter Lumley and Paul Duffer (former SGCD president and recently
retired from PPG).
Spence, Jacobs and Zitkus were all instrumental in adopting FDA standards still
used in the industry today. The panelists will present information on new
legislation (including CPSIA and California
packaging law); discuss importing issues, including new country of origin
marking regulations; and review compliance, reporting and test method
requirements. Deco ’09 will be held March 29-30 at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas, Nev.
Country of Origin Markings Clarified
A rumor was reported to SGCDpro in December suggesting that new
federal rules would require permanent marking of country of origin (COO) on
mugs. This is true for products intended for use by children age 12 and under.
To improve tracking and identification of recalled products, the CPSIA requires
permanent labels on children’s products to track source, production date and
batch information.
This rule applies to products offered for
sale beginning on August 14, 2009. No changes in labeling are required for
other products, according to Heather Pinnock of the Customs Bureau.
FDA Updates List of Certified Chinese Ceramicware Factories
The FDA has published an updated list of 641
ceramicware factories in China
that China
has certified under terms of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the
FDA and the China National Certification and Accreditation (CNCA) agency. Under
the terms of the MOU, the CNCA instituted a certification system for ceramic
tableware production facilities to provide the FDA with reasonable assurance
that ceramicware produced in these facilities and exported to the U.S. will
satisfy FDA action levels for leachable lead and cadmium.
The FDA uses the list to ease its inspection
process for Chinese tableware at U.S. ports. The FDA publishes the
list and updates it periodically. (Updates primarily indicate the scores of
companies whose names and/or addresses have changed in recent years.) Three of
the 641 firms were delisted and later reinstated after correcting the problem
or discontinuing problem patterns. One factory, Yuzhou Kunye Ceramics Co., Ltd.
in Henan
province, was delisted in 2005 and has not been reinstated.
Visit
www.cfsan.fda.gov/~comm/ceramic.html to view the updated list.
Jacobs to Receive Frank S. Child Award
At its November meeting, the SGCDpro board voted to present
Richard Jacobs with the Frank S. Child award, which is presented annually to an
individual who has made significant contributions to the business of glass and
ceramic decorating. Jacobs worked with SGCD throughout the 1990s to help
establish voluntary guidelines for glass and ceramic decoration.
Links
