Announcement: Graver-mach max smith: no longer CE approved and cannot be sold or bought in Europe

[Arnaud Van Tilburgh]

One of my favorite tool websites gesswein.com says about the Graver-mach max smith:

THIS PRODUCT DOES NOT MEET CE REQUIREMENTS AND IS NOT FOR SALE OR USE IN THE EU MEMBER COUNTRIES
including the 27 Member States of the EEA (European Economic Area; EFTA countries including Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein; Switzerland by virtue of the mutual recognition agreement with the EU; or to Turkey by virtue of the EU-Turkey Customs Union.


Here is the link: http://www.gesswein.com/p-9742-grs-gravermax-g8.aspx

I contacted Maxim in Antwerp to find out if GRS quit selling products in EU and more particular Antwerp.

Seems only US citizens are allowed to use the GRS engraving tools!


Ordering directly from the GRS website I tried in the past, but they do not ship to private customers in Europe, so that is why I had to order all GRS tools in the Alexandre toolshop.

arnaud

 

[Willem Parel]

Since when is this? if it's true is is a serious problem for many engravers and ofcourse for GRS.

Arnaud, I did send a mail to Leo Bode from Bijou Moderne, they are GRS dealer to.
I will keep you informed about what they say about this.

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Well, someone has their wires crossed on this one.

GRS equipment is alive, well, readily available and for sale in all the EU countries. Same with Turkey.

I know this because I've met many of the dealers, demonstrated the product in their countries, and met a huge amount of people that use the equipment.........oh yeah, and their accents were definitely not American

So something isn't quite right with this one.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[Arnaud Van Tilburgh]

Since when is this? if it's true is is a serious problem for many engravers and ofcourse for GRS.

I do not know yet since when, I asked Maxim in Antwerp.

We EU citizens are not allowed to have guns, knives seeds and now there is the GRS engraving tools.

Curious what will be next on the list "not allowed"

arnaud

 

[Arnaud Van Tilburgh]

Andrew, yes there is GRS equipment for sale in Antwerp and I bought them too, but couldn't it just be a recent decision as it say "no longer" ?


arnaud

 

[Willem Parel]

But it are dangerous tools, they engrave faster then your shadow.....

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Hi Arnaud

If Belgium ever figures out how to ban politicians.......please let us all know

It doesn't say "no longer" on the Gesswein site......not that I can see anyway

I looked at the link you provided on the Gesswein web site...........And something is't quite right with all of this because the units are for sale in the EU. So there is a missing piece of the puzzle somewhere.

My best advise is to keep calm and carry on.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[Newton Pens]

I do not know yet since when, I asked Maxim in Antwerp.

We EU citizens are not allowed to have guns, knives seeds and now there is the GRS engraving tools.

Curious what will be next on the list "not allowed"

arnaud

Not allowed to have knives and seeds? How do you cut your meals up?
And why no seeds? No vegetable gardens are allowed?

 

[rayf24]

I have just check Gesswein site and it does clearly state it there the following is copied direct from the site

THIS PRODUCT DOES NOT MEET CE REQUIREMENTS AND IS NOT FOR SALE OR USE IN THE EU MEMBER COUNTRIES
including the 27 Member States of the EEA (European Economic Area; EFTA countries including Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein; Switzerland by virtue of the mutual recognition agreement with the EU; or to Turkey by virtue of the EU-Turkey Customs Union.
the following web address see for your self.

www.gesswein.com/p-9742-grs-gravermax-g8.aspx

Ray

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Hi Ray

Yes, it does say that. No disputing that as I looked it up as well.......my response was to Arnaud about the phrase "no longer"

Cheers
Andrew

 

[rayf24]

update on this post I have just spoken to suttons tools here in the uk what they have told me is as follows
The machines are still being sold and are CE approved but people in the EU can now only buy from eu dealers and not from the US suppliers or import a unit for themselves.
Sounds like the EU and Uk agents have closed ranks to try and protect their patch truth be known the machine is the same and it's just dealers closing doors so much for globel trade and fair trade this will also allow dealers here to set the price as they see fit ??? current price for gravermax g8 without hand peice is £958.33 plus vat this will be interesting to watch over the next year.
Ray

 

[Arnaud Van Tilburgh]

Not allowed to have knives and seeds? How do you cut your meals up?
And why no seeds? No vegetable gardens are allowed?

The EU is gonna forbid the use and possession of your own vegetables seeds, they want you to buy Monsanto stuff.

arnaud

 

[mitch]

just curious, what does, or does not, constitute "CE Approval" in the case of engraving equipment? in other words, what bureaucratic pile of bovine excrement has yet another company run afoul of this time???

 

[mrthe]

I think that is something normal, all equipments that have electric or electronic components , had to have the CE approval Mark, i'm sure that all the machine from the European Dealer of GRS have this Mark, Units detinated to USA market can't have it heare we gave 220/230V in USA not, for this reason can't go well, and have the CE approval, but well you can buy a GRS unit in Europe , but only from official dealers.

 

[Arnaud Van Tilburgh]

Paolo's, so that could mean when your studio gets on fire caused by a graversmach, no insurance for that.

I do not see a CE label on my graversmith, it just tells made in the USA, patent pending.

arnaud

 

[mrthe]

This can be a great problem for you if you have a security inspection, i don't know in Belfium but in Spain if you have something without this Mark in your workshop can be a serious problem

 

[Arnaud Van Tilburgh]

Hi Ray

Yes, it does say that. No disputing that as I looked it up as well.......my response was to Arnaud about the phrase "no longer"

Cheers
Andrew

Andrew, yes the website doesn't say no longer, but if I remember well there was never that remark on their website that you couldn't order one in Europe.
So it seems you can still buy GRS tools in Europe from local dealers, but not directly from the US.

arnaud

 

[Gemsetterchris]

I wouldn't bother trying to buy from GRS direct from Europe anyway..too much hassle.
There is always the equipment you need available in the EU somewhere which is a lot easier & beneficial tax wise

 

[ahenson]

GRS products are now and will continue be for sale in the European Community.

The main issue was to make CE-approved equipment in line with import and other regulations for countries in the European Community. Because sales have been continually increasing, GRS now offers several special versions for sale in Europe that meet those requirements.

For example, the GraverMach AT now has a version that is available for sale in the USA (and several other countries) but not for sale in the European Community since that version does not meet all the CE requirements.

A "CE Approved" version is now available in the European Community. Dealers who are not authorized to sell GRS products in the EC will not have access to any "CE Approved" models. This means some European customers will not be able to legally buy one of the "non-CE approved" versions from a US dealer.

What constitutes as "CE Approval" for engraving equipment is the same that applies to all other electric and pneumatic equipment per the EU directives. The rules are complex, but the issue of GRS machines being available in Europe is simple: yes, they are.

 

[Arnaud Van Tilburgh]

ahenson, seems you are an insider at GRS as you have so much information on this problem. Am I right that you are a GRS informant (spokesman) ?

arnaud