About UML
Depth of expertise
United Moulders Limited (UML) is a global leader in the design and manufacture of lifejacket inflation systems and safety components. With over 45 years of innovation and reliability, UML products are trusted by the world’s top marine safety brands, serving leisure, commercial, and military markets. The company is renowned for its precision-engineered automatic and manual inflation mechanisms, including its industry-standard Pro-Sensor Elite in either manual or automatic. Dedicated to safety, quality, and compliance, UML continues to set the benchmark for life-saving technology on water.
The demanding and exacting standards of these sectors mean that UML is the preferred choice for lifejacket manufacturers the world over, and the company’s responsibilities and duty of care remit includes supporting these manufacturers, distributors, chandlers, and service centres with the latest information, downloads, and parts they require, including spares or complete inflation systems.
With over 45 years of experience, UML is the preferred inflator choice for the best lifejacket manufacturers worldwide.
Our History
United Moulders Limited (UML) a brand of Ocean Signal Ltd. 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 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, 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 focuses on upgrading the functionality and performance of existing products while developing new devices to ensure the UML range of lifesaving products benefits from continuous, world-class improvements. This continuous product development program is fully supported by all new products being approved to ISO:12402 Part 7.
UML was acquired by The ACR Group in August 2017, and the brand is currently managed by Ocean Signal Limited.
Ocean Signal offers exceptional value and world-class customer support. Our range of products provides 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 and 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 and PLB3, the rescueME MOB2, the rescueME EPIRB1, EPIRB2, EPIRB3 and the rescueME EDF1 and EDF2 electronic distress flares, plus the AIS Alarm Box, and the SafeSea range of GMDSS products, including the V100 VHF Survival Radio, and S100 SART, as well as the M200 professional MSLD. They provide recreational and commercial outdoor/maritime users with intuitive, compact, affordable life-saving solutions. www.oceansignal.com
Quality
UML operates a quality management system which complies with BS EN ISO 9001:2015, which is accredited by The British Standards Institution.
Rigid Quality Assurance procedures are followed from the initial product development concept to final delivery to our customers. This includes pre-production testing and subsequent approval at Fleetwood Testing Laboratory 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 incorporate specific customer 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.
R&D
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.
Become a UML Partner
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 contact us.