Power Adhesives are the only UK glue gun and glue stick manufacturer. Their TEC brand of glue guns are built to the safety standard: BS EN 60335-2-45. They have chosen to design and build their tools to this general standard (specifically relating to portable electrical heating tools), in order to demonstrate compliance with the so-called Low Voltage Directive.
TEC glue guns display the CE mark, these tools have to comply with several other standards relating to any electrical interference that their tools might generate, and relating to their tools’ susceptibility to any external electrical interference. This is to comply with the so-called EMC Directive – Electro-Magnetic Compatibility.
All Tec glue guns manufactured and supplied by Power Adhesives carry the CE mark
Being in the EU means TEC glue guns have to comply with various standards relating to the materials which their tools are constructed from (the so called RoHS Directive – Restrictions of Hazardous Substances). Currently this legislation is part of the WEEE Directive – Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment. However from next year (2013) the legislation moves up a notch; it will not be possible to ‘CE mark’ any item if the materials and components used to build those items are not compliant with the so-called RoHS2 standards.
One reason why UK built TEC glue guns appear more expensive than imported glue guns !
We see many imported glue guns arriving in the UK market under many different brand names and codes. Pitfalls from purchasing overseas glue guns is there are no ramifications for the overseas manufacturer if they choose to simply affix a CE label to a glue gun without actually building and testing tools to ensure compliance. Amazing, but true. The onus is ENTIRELY on the importer (into the UK / EU) to satisfy themselves that the tools are compliant and labelled correctly, as it would only be they who are pursued through UK/EU courts if something went wrong. Apparently some Far Eastern suppliers are prepared to simply add CE labels to their goods simply ‘because that has been requested by the customer in the UK / EU’!
Another fairly obvious pitfall of these imported tools, is the lack of response when a subsequent problem occurs with the glue gun. On checking with an Far Eastern manufacturer delivery to the UK was approx. 6 weeks by sea, no warranty was given and spares where not readily available.
If you are in the UK or EU and want a glue gun, buy a British built TEC glue gun, you get a 12 month warranty from the date of purchase, a trade-in option for when the glue gun is out of warranty and you know it’s been built to the highest safety standards.
Visit our Tec 12mm glue gun range, click here
Visit our Tec 15mm glue gun range, click here
Visit our Tec 43mm glue gun range, click here
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