UL Solutions Opens First Motor Energy Efficiency Testing Laboratory in Japan

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UL Solutions Inc. (NYSE: ULS), a global leader in applied safety science, unveiled its new motor energy efficiency laboratory, marking the company’s first facility in Japan dedicated to performance testing services for electric motors, such as those used in motor-operated appliances, robotics and industrial automation.

The new accredited¹ laboratory is located at the UL Solutions Ise campus and will offer streamlined testing and Japanese-language support for complex test setups and customer-witnessed evaluations. With this facility, UL Solutions allows domestic producers to utilize local testing services to demonstrate their products meet both local and international efficiency standards, while minimizing overseas shipping costs.

“Opening our new Ise laboratory represents a major milestone for UL Solutions and Japan’s electric motor manufacturing industry,” said Hidehiko Yamajo, regional vice president of Japan, UL Solutions. “By providing accredited, locally based testing, we’re meeting our customers where they are and helping manufacturers meet stringent regulatory requirements more efficiently while advancing global efforts toward energy conservation and emissions reduction.”

According to the International Energy Agency, electric motors account for roughly half of all electricity consumption in industrialized economies,² making efficiency improvements essential for reducing carbon emissions, conserving resources and improving air quality. Regulations, such as the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) October 2022 Final Rule, now require efficiency testing of a broader array of motor types, including servo motors used in robotics and inverter-duty designs used in pumps, fans, blowers and HVAC systems.

UL Solutions is an ISO/IEC 17065–accredited certification body and is recognized by the DOE as a third-party certifier for product testing and certification. Its new facility is the first independent DOE-accredited motor-testing laboratory in Japan.

According to Allied Market Research, the energy-efficient motor market was valued at $48.5 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow at a 9.5 % compound annual growth rate to reach $119.1 billion by 2032. By offering performance testing to DOE and IEC energy-efficiency standards for adjustable-speed power drive systems, motor losses and efficiency, and three-phase induction and small motors, the new facility is positioned to meet growing demand in the motor performance market.

The Ise laboratory becomes UL Solutions’ fourth global center for motor energy-efficiency testing, joining established facilities in the United States, China and Taiwan.