Our History
United Moulders Limited (UML) a brand of ACR Electronics, Inc started manufacturing plastic injection mouldings in Hampshire, England over 45 years ago. The company originally specialised in the conversion of high performance engineering polymers into advanced technology products for the aerospace and defence sectors. Added value assembly and testing processes became firmly established in the company's culture.
The original MK3 Automatic Lifejacket Inflator was developed for the Ministry of Defence to provide lifesaving assistance for naval military personnel. After the product was launched in 1964, the MK3 inflator was subsequently adopted by the leading commercial and leisure inflatable lifejacket manufacturer, Crewsaver of Gosport, Hampshire.
In 1998 the MK5 Automatic Inflation unit was launched along with a Manual Inflator, Oral Inflator and Manifold Adaptor. The product range, having been originally approved in accordance with the requirements of the CEN lifejacket Standards, was quickly adopted by most European lifejacket manufacturers.
All the manufacturing and assembly processes are closely controlled by the company's Quality Management System which is certified in accordance with the accreditation requirements of ISO 9001.
Today, our professional design team focus on upgrading the functionality and performance of existing products, whilst developing new devices to ensure the UML range of lifesaving products benefit from continuous, world class improvements. This continuous product development program is fully supported through all new products being approved to ISO:12402 Part 7.
ACR Electronics, Inc., acquired UML in August 2017. ACR Electronics, along with Ocean Signal and ARTEX, provide safety and survival equipment to the maritime and aviation markets including Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRB), Personal Locator Beacons (PLB), Search and Rescue Transponders (SART), AIS Man Overboard Beacons, Lifejacket Strobe Lights, Searchlights and VHF radios.
ACR Electronics, Inc., consolidates leading development centres for Satellite Emergency Rescue beacons for the brands ACR, Ocean Signal, ARTEX and NAL Research that are designed with one purpose in mind of Saving Lives. Through our technology expertise in the marine, aviation, outdoor and military markets, ACR design and manufacture cutting edge rescue beacons and survival gear for boaters, pilots, hunters, hikers and combat troops, and the many of the leading boat builders and aircraft manufacturers in the industry.
Available products include Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs), Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs), ARTEX Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELTs), Search and Rescue Transponders (SARTs), Strobe Lights, Life Jacket Lights, Boat Search Lights, and other associated safety accessories. ACR’s facility Quality Management System (QMS) is certified by TUV USA and is certified in accordance with AS9100C / ISO 9001:2008 standards. Recognized as a world leader in safety and survival technologies for over 60 years, ACR has provided life-saving equipment to the marine, outdoor, aviation industries as well as to various government agencies worldwide. www.acrartex.com
Ocean Signal offers exceptional value and world class customer support, our range of products provide Commercial Marine, Leisure Marine, Governmental/Military and Land/Recreational users the confidence that their equipment will work to, and beyond, their expectations when it is required the most. Ocean Signal customers are its highest priority. Using the latest technologies available and paying meticulous attention to detail throughout the manufacturing process, Ocean Signal products offer the best in class and will provide the highest standards of communication, safety on Land or at sea; in conjunction with our key commitment of saving lives.
Ocean Signal’s product portfolio consists of the rescueME range of products, including the rescueME PLB1, the rescueME MOB1, the rescueME EPIRB1 and the rescueME EDF1 electronic distress flare, plus the AIS Alarm Box, and the SafeSea range of GMDSS products, including the E100 and E100G EPIRB, S100 SART and V100 handheld VHF radio, as well as the M100 and M100X professional MSLD and E101V float-free EPIRB with integrated voyage data record memory capsule. They provide both recreational and commercial outdoor/maritime users with intuitive, compact and affordable life-saving solutions. www.oceansignal.com
UML operates a quality management system which complies with BS EN ISO 9001:2015, which is accredited by The British Standards Institution.
From the initial product development concept through to final delivery to our customers, rigid Quality Assurance procedures are followed. This includes pre-production testing and subsequent approval at Fleetwood Testing Laboratory www.blackpool.ac.uk/fosc to the relevant CEN and/or SOLAS requirements. In production clear and concise work instructions are displayed for the assembly technicians, with various sign off stages, to ensure the components are to standard and incorporating specific customers test requirements. The main body of the Inflation System is 100% function tested using automated testing equipment to ensure you can depend on our products and a percentage of finished products are test fired to ensure the optimum performance is maintained.
The range of automatic and manual inflation devices are individually serial numbered anddate coded which enables UML to maintain complete batch traceability, from the raw materials through the manufacturing process, test results and delivery history.
A copy of the UML Quality Management System Certificate of Registration is available on request.
A substantial commitment to practical testing of UML products, provides the stimulus for product upgrades and improvements. Combine these ongoing product developments with meeting the demands of the latest ISO Standard (12402 part 7) for Personal Flotation Devices and Inflatable Lifejacket Components and the result is that UML products remain at the leading edge of industry performance.
UML product improvements or new product ideas are documented and developed by our professional team of Design Engineers and Project Managers who take the individual projects through concept, prototype and then onto the tooling and production stages.
If you are currently acquiring your inflation system solution from us and need to discuss new requirements or support issues, please use contact form below to arrange a suitable date and time for a discussion. Equally, if you don't use UML and would like to discuss the details in greater depth and in person, please complete the form below.
