Certification databases can reveal the real manufacturer behind a brand name. In this article, I demonstrate how I used Australia's EESS to confirm that Tamura Corporation manufactures Makita's battery charger, complete with step-by-step screenshots.
"This product has a brand name on it, but who actually makes it?"
If you work in procurement or supply chain management, you encounter this question frequently. Searching the product name on Google only returns the brand's official website and retailer listings. You never reach the actual manufacturer.
There is, in fact, a way to solve this. It's the product safety certification databases maintained by each country.
Electrical products and safety equipment cannot be sold in a country without meeting its safety standards. The entity that obtains certification is not the brand company but the company that actually designs and manufactures the product. This means certification databases contain the real manufacturer's name, address, and certification number — hidden behind the brand name.
In this article, I walk through the actual process of using Australia's EESS certification database to identify the manufacturer of Makita's battery charger, with screenshots of every step.
(Note: If you are interested in supply chain research for overseas manufacturers, see the service details at the end of this article.)
Why Certification Databases Reveal OEM Relationships
Product safety certifications are obtained by the actual manufacturer, not the brand company. As a result, certification databases record the manufacturer's name and address.
To sell electrical products in any country, compliance with that country's safety standards is required. AS/NZS standards in Australia, UL standards in the U.S., EN standards in Europe.
The certification applicant is the company responsible for the product's design and manufacture. Even for a battery charger sold under the Makita brand, if the OEM supplier is a different company, that OEM company is the certification applicant.
Certification bodies in each country make this information available through public databases. Anyone can search them for free.
Certification Databases Exist in Multiple Countries
Public product safety certification databases exist in the U.S., U.K., Australia, and through international bodies. Search capability and data richness vary by country.
Here is a summary of the major certification databases:
| Country/Region | Database | Mandatory Standard | Searchability | Feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. | UL Product iQ | UL Standards | High | Bulk search by product category code (CCN) |
| U.K. | BSI Certification Database | BS Standards | Medium | Certification data for products sold in the U.K. market |
| Australia/NZ | EESS | AS/NZS Standards | Medium | Exact match search by Trade Name + Model |
| International | IECEE CB Scheme | IEC Standards | High | International cross-border search by IEC standard number |
Among these, Australia's EESS is particularly useful for OEM identification because the Certification Applicant's company name and address appear on each certificate.
Case Study — Identifying the Manufacturer of Makita's Charger DC18RC
The certification applicant for Makita's battery charger DC18RC is Tamura Corporation, headquartered in Sakado City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan.
Here is the step-by-step process I followed using the EESS database.
Step 1 — Open EESS Advanced Search
Access the EESS public search page:
Select the Advanced Search tab at the top, and set the search target to Certificates.
Step 2 — Enter Trade Name and Model
- Trade Name: MAKITA
- Model: DC18RC
Enter these two fields and press the Search button.
Step 3 — Review the Search Results
Five certificates were returned:
| Certificate No. | Status | Certification Applicant | Expiry Date | Certifier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| V110086 | Expired | Tamura Corporation | 2016/03/16 | ESV |
| ESV160076 | Expired | Tamura Corporation | 2021/03/01 | ESV |
| ESV210063 | Expired | Tamura Corporation | 2022/02/23 | ESV |
| ESV210143 | Approved | Tamura Corporation | 2026/05/07 | ESV |
| SAA-191453-EA | Expired | Lovens United Development Ltd | 2024/07/08 | SAA |
The brand name is "MAKITA," but the Certification Applicant Company is Tamura Corporation. Four certificates have been issued continuously since 2011.
Another company, Lovens United Development Ltd, also holds SAA certification for the same product. This reveals that multiple OEM suppliers exist for the same product.
(Note: If you are interested in company list building using certification databases, see the service details at the end of this article.)
The Certificate Details Include the Full Address
The detailed view of certificate ESV210143 shows Tamura Corporation's Sakado office address: "5-5-30 Chiyoda, Sakado-shi, Saitama 350-0214."
Clicking the certificate number in the search results opens the Certificate of Conformity detail page.
| Field | Content |
|---|---|
| Certificate no. | ESV210143/00 |
| Certificate holder business name | Tamura Corporation |
| Certificate holder address | 5-5-30 Chiyoda, Sakado-shi, Saitama 350-0214 |
| Equipment type | Power supply or charger |
| Equipment sub-type | Battery Charger |
| Date first issued | 2021/05/07 |
| Date of expiry | 2026/05/07 |
| Relevant standards | AS/NZS 60335.2.29:2017 & AS/NZS 60335.1:2020 |
| Certifier | Energy Safe Victoria (ESV) |
Opening the Equipment tab reveals additional product specifications.
| Field | Content |
|---|---|
| Model | DC18RC |
| Trade name | Makita |
| Input | 220-240V~, 240W, 50-60Hz |
| Output | 7.2V-18V DC, 9A |
Putting together the information from the certification database, the following picture emerges:
- Brand: Makita
- Product: DC18RC Battery Charger
- Actual manufacturer: Tamura Corporation, Sakado City, Saitama, Japan
- Second OEM supplier: Lovens United Development Ltd
Searching "Makita DC18RC manufacturer" on Google does not surface this information.
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Important Difference Between Simple Search and Advanced Search
EESS Simple Search only displays the "Supplier Name," which does not reveal the OEM manufacturer. You must use Advanced Search with Certificates to see this information.
EESS has multiple search modes. If you use the Simple Search — the first one you see — results look like this:
| Trade Name | Model | Supplier Name |
|---|---|---|
| Makita | DC18RC | lovens united development ltd |
| Makita | DC18RC | MAKITA (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD |
| Makita | DC18RC | MAKITA (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD |
The "Supplier Name" in Simple Search refers to the Responsible Supplier in Australia. "MAKITA (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD" is Makita's Australian subsidiary — not the manufacturer. "lovens united development ltd" may also be an importer.
In contrast, the "Certification Applicant Company" in Advanced Search > Certificates refers to the entity that applied for certification — the company responsible for designing and manufacturing the product. This is where Tamura Corporation appears.
Be aware that the information you see depends entirely on which search mode you use.
Combining Multiple Databases Improves Discovery Accuracy
EESS requires exact model number matching, making it unsuitable for broad exploration. Combining it with UL Product iQ and IECEE CB Scheme allows you to survey an entire industry.
Each certification database has its strengths and limitations. No single one is sufficient.
| Database | Strength | Weakness |
|---|---|---|
| EESS (Australia) | Reveals OEM manufacturer's name and address | Requires exact model number. No category search |
| UL Product iQ (U.S.) | Bulk search by product category code (CCN) or keyword. Example: "battery charger" returns 1,553 results | Shows only company name and certification data. No address |
| IECEE CB Scheme (International) | International cross-border search by IEC standard number. Example: IEC 60335-2-29 returns 13,047 results | Certificate-by-certificate display makes list building labor-intensive |
The recommended approach:
1. To survey an entire industry — Search UL Product iQ by keyword
2. To investigate OEM relationships for a specific company — Check EESS for the certification applicant
3. To identify companies with international presence — Search IECEE CB Scheme by IEC standard number
Below, I show actual screenshots from UL Product iQ and IECEE CB Scheme.
UL Product iQ — Bulk Search for Battery Charger Manufacturers
Searching "battery charger" on UL Product iQ returns 1,553 certification records. Companies like VARTA, Phoenix Contact, Delta Electronics, and TDK Lambda appear in a single list.
UL Product iQ is the product safety certification database operated by UL Solutions (formerly UL). It is free and accessible without login.
Type "battery charger" into the search bar and press Search:
"1553 Results :: Keyword: 'battery charger'" is displayed, with certified companies listed in a table.
Each row in the results table shows:
| Column | Content | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Document | Certification file number (CCN.file number) | NMTR.E198865 |
| Company Name | Certified company name | PULS GmbH |
| Product Description | Product category description | Power Circuit and Motor-mounted Apparatus |
Here are some of the companies found in the results:
| Company Name | Country | Note |
|---|---|---|
| VARTA MICROBATTERY PTE LTD | Germany/Singapore | Major European battery manufacturer |
| PHOENIX CONTACT GmbH & Co. KG | Germany | Industrial power supply and charger manufacturer |
| Delta Electronics Inc. | Taiwan | One of the world's largest power supply manufacturers |
| TDK-Lambda Corporation | Japan | TDK Group's power supply division |
| BEL FUSE INC | U.S. | Power module manufacturer |
| Lianzheng Electronic (Shenzhen) Co Ltd | China | Shenzhen-based charger OEM manufacturer |
| ABB Power Electronics Inc. | U.S. | ABB Group |
This demonstrates UL Product iQ's strength: a single keyword gives you an overview of all certified companies in that product category. It is an effective starting point for company list-building research.
Note that because this is a keyword search, results may include entries from other categories (UPS, power supplies, etc.). To refine further, check the Product Description column for the specific product category.
IECEE CB Scheme — Search Manufacturers Worldwide by IEC Standard Number
Searching IEC 60335-2-29 (the international safety standard for battery chargers) on IECEE CB Scheme returns 13,047 CB Test Certificates. Battery charger manufacturers from countries around the world can be identified.
IECEE CB Scheme is the database for the international mutual recognition system operated by the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission). It allows cross-border searching of CB Test Certificates issued by certification bodies in 50+ countries.
Enter "IEC 60335-2-29" in the search bar. IEC 60335-2-29 is the international version of AS/NZS 60335.2.29, the standard listed on the EESS certificate for Makita's DC18RC charger.
The left panel offers powerful filters for narrowing results:
| Filter | Content | Key Values |
|---|---|---|
| NCB | Certification body | DEKRA (1,638), Intertek Semko (1,222), Intertek Singapore (997), Eurofins (260), CQC (71), CSA Group (24), JET (13), etc. |
| Type | Certificate type | CB Test Certificate, etc. |
| Status | Status | Valid / Cancelled |
| Category | Product category | HOUS (household appliances), etc. |
| Scopes | Applicable standards | IEC 60335-2-29, IEC 60335-1, etc. |
Scrolling down the results reveals details for each certificate:
Each certificate contains the following information:
| Field | Content | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Status | VALID / Cancelled | VALID |
| Issue date | Certificate issue date | 2010-09-15 |
| NCB | Issuing certification body | SGS Belgium NV - Division SGS-CEBEC |
| Certificate number | Linked (navigates to detail page) | BE-2190/M2 |
| Trademark | Brand name | MAKITA, etc. |
| Product | Product name | Battery charger |
| Manufacturer | Manufacturer company name | Ningbo Zhenhe Electric Co. Ltd. |
| IEC Standard(s) | Applicable standards | IEC 60335-1:2001, IEC 60335-2-29:2002, etc. |
The 13,047 certificates include multiple products from the same company, so the actual number of unique manufacturers is lower. Still, the ability to search battery charger manufacturers worldwide using a single IEC standard number is a unique strength of IECEE CB Scheme.
The NCB filter also reveals the number of certificates issued by each certification body. DEKRA (Netherlands) leads with 1,638, followed by Intertek Semko (Sweden) with 1,222, and Intertek Singapore with 997. Because battery chargers are manufactured worldwide, certification bodies across Asia, Europe, and North America are broadly involved.
Industries and Products Where This Method Works
OEM identification through certification databases is effective for product categories that require mandatory certification. Electrical products, medical devices, and fire safety equipment are the primary examples.
This method does not apply to all products. It is limited to product categories where mandatory certification is required under national safety standards.
| Product Category | Representative Certifications | Certification Database |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical products (general) | UL, CE, CCC | UL Product iQ, EESS |
| Battery chargers | IEC 60335-2-29, UL 1564 | UL Product iQ, IECEE, EESS |
| Medical devices | FDA 510(k), CE (MDR) | FDA MAUDE, EUDAMED |
| Telecommunications equipment | FCC | FCC OET Equipment Authorization |
| Automotive parts | ECE regulations | UNECE Type Approval |
Conversely, this method does not work for products where certification is voluntary (general consumer goods, food, clothing, etc.).
Summary — Certification Databases Are the Definitive Tool for OEM Research
Here is a recap of what this article covered:
- Certification databases contain information about the actual manufacturer, not just the brand
- Using EESS Advanced Search > Certificates, you can confirm the certification applicant's company name and address
- Makita's battery charger DC18RC is manufactured by Tamura Corporation (Sakado City, Saitama, Japan)
- The same product has multiple OEM suppliers (Tamura Corporation and Lovens United Development Ltd)
- Combining UL Product iQ, IECEE CB Scheme, and other databases improves research accuracy
Certification databases are a treasure trove of information that Google and ChatGPT cannot provide. However, each database has different search methods and data fields, so some familiarity is needed to use them effectively.
If you need help with overseas manufacturer list building or OEM supplier identification:
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