FM Approvals

What FM Approvals does

FM Approvals is a private, third-party testing and certification organization that evaluates property loss prevention products and services for industrial and commercial use. Founded in 1886 as the Factory Mutual Laboratories by John R. Freeman, the company operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Factory Mutual Insurance Company and traces its origins to the first permanent laboratories in the United States dedicated to testing fire-protection devices. Its core offering is the FM APPROVED certification mark, issued after a five-step testing process against 200+ internally developed examination standards. The company runs the FM Research Campus in West Glocester, Rhode Island, which houses fire, hazards, and hydraulics laboratories, and maintains a global footprint of 16 offices across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.

The company's product portfolio centers on three digital platforms and a broad certification catalog. The Approval Guide is a real-time online database listing 130,000+ FM Approved products and services; RoofNav catalogs 1.1M FM Approved roofing assemblies with 92,000+ tested roofing products; and the AIM (Approvals Information Management) customer portal manages proposals, projects, and certification programs. Certification categories span fire protection equipment, electrical equipment, building materials, roofing, cleanroom materials, equipment for explosive atmospheres, flood mitigation, functional safety (SIL), combustion control, condition monitoring, and cybersecurity of connected equipment. The company also holds accreditations from over 30 international organizations including ATEX, IECEx, CPR, and Standards Council of Canada.

FM Approvals generates revenue primarily through quote-based professional services fees for certification testing, application processing, and ongoing surveillance audits, structured as multi-year contracts. A secondary revenue stream comes from licensing and royalties tied to additional international certifications that give manufacturers single-source access to global markets. The go-to-market motion is sales-led and B2B, targeting manufacturers of fire protection, electrical, and building material products; downstream customers include specifiers, contractors, insurance underwriters, and facility owners and operators (including data centers). Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is determined by product complexity, testing requirements, and certification scope.

Name

FM Approvals

Legal name

FM Approvals LLC

Website

https://fmapprovals.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1886

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

FM Approvals provides third-party testing and certification services for property loss prevention products, serving manufacturers of fire protection, electrical equipment, and building materials across 16 global offices under 200+ examination standards.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Third-Party Testing and Certification

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (541380), Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Inspection, Audit & Compliance Management (Regulator/Third-Party Oversight) (EUAKAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Testing, Commissioning & Electrical Safety (NFPA 70E/Arc Flash) (EDAOABAM)

Keywords

• Product certification services
• Third-party testing
• Property loss prevention
• Fire protection certification
• Building materials testing

Headquarters

HQ city

Chepachet

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices16 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Product Certification Services: Third-party testing and certification services for manufacturers of fire protection equipment, electrical equipment, and building materials. Revenue is generated through certification application fees, testing fees, and ongoing surveillance audits of certified products. The company offers a five-step certification process leading to the FM APPROVED certification mark.
2. Additional Certifications: Accredited testing and certification to additional international standards including ATEX, IECEX, CPR, and Standards Council of Canada, providing manufacturers with single source access to global markets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

FM Approvals is an international third-party testing and certification organization that evaluates and certifies products used for property loss prevention. Operating since 1886 as a subsidiary of Factory Mutual Insurance Company, it subjects products to scientific-based testing against proprietary standards and grants the FM APPROVED certification mark to products that pass its multi-step examination process. Its services span fire protection equipment, electrical equipment, building materials, roofing systems, cleanroom materials, flood mitigation products, equipment for explosive atmospheres, functional safety, and other loss-prevention product categories.

Product overview

FM Approvals is a third-party testing and certification organization that provides international certification services for property loss prevention products and services. The company's core offerings center on the FM APPROVED certification mark, backed by scientific research and testing. The product portfolio includes three primary digital tools: the Approval Guide (a searchable online database of 130,000+ FM Approved products and services), RoofNav (access to 92,000+ FM Approved roofing assemblies and related products), and the Customer Portal/AIM (Approvals Information Management for managing proposals and projects). FM Approvals certifies products across numerous categories including fire protection equipment, electrical equipment, building materials, cleanroom materials, roofing systems, flood mitigation products, combustion control equipment, condition monitoring equipment, cybersecurity of connected equipment, and equipment for explosive atmospheres. The company is accredited and recognized by over 30 global organizations including ATEX, IECEx, CPR, and the Standards Council of Canada.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• FM APPROVED Certification
• Fire Protection Equipment Certification
• Electrical Equipment Certification
• Building Materials Certification
• Roofing and Associated Equipment Certification
• Cleanroom Materials Certification
• Cybersecurity of Connected Equipment Certification
• Flood Mitigation Products Certification
• Equipment for Explosive Atmospheres Certification
• Functional Safety (SIL) Certification
• Combustion Control Equipment Certification
• Condition Monitoring Equipment Certification
• Approval Guide
• RoofNav
• Customer Portal (AIM)

Quantifiable outcome

• 130,000+ products certified and listed in real-time Approval Guide database
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• 30+ International Accreditation BodiescoreOthersFM Approvals holds accreditations from over 30 global organizations worldwide. These mutual recognition agreements enable FM Approved products to gain acceptance in international markets. Organizations include Standards Council of Canada and other national and international regulatory bodies.
• Global Inter-Laboratory Testing PartnerscoreTechnology or IntegrationFM Approvals holds mutual testing agreements with laboratories around the world, enabling consistent testing standards and global acceptance of certification results across different geographic regions.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• SGS: SGS is the world's largest TIC company, offering testing, inspection, and certification across a much broader portfolio than FM Approvals including industrial, consumer goods, agricultural, and environmental testing. It overlaps with FM Approvals in fire protection and electrical equipment certification but is a much more diversified incumbent.
• Bureau Veritas: Bureau Veritas is a global TIC leader providing testing, inspection, and certification services across marine, offshore, industrial, building, and infrastructure. It is a broader incumbent that overlaps with FM Approvals in building materials, fire protection, and industrial equipment certification as part of a much wider service portfolio.

Direct peers

• Intertek: Intertek is a major global TIC company providing testing, inspection, and certification across electrical, building, fire protection, and industrial products. It directly competes with FM Approvals in manufacturer certification and offers the ETL mark as a parallel certification alternative to FM APPROVED and UL Listed.
• DNV: DNV is a global TIC company with strong presence in industrial, maritime, and energy certification. It directly competes with FM Approvals in industrial equipment and fire protection certification, particularly for oil and gas, power, and process industry manufacturers seeking third-party approval.
• CSA Group: CSA Group is a major North American TIC organization offering testing and certification for electrical, plumbing, gas, and building products. It is a direct peer in fire protection and electrical equipment certification and is explicitly named in FM Approvals' accreditations (Standards Council of Canada) as a partner/competitor in the North American market.
• TÜV Rheinland: TÜV Rheinland is a global TIC services company offering testing and certification for fire protection, electrical equipment, building materials, and industrial products. It directly competes with FM Approvals in international certification programs (ATEX, IECEx) and offers comparable accreditation footprint for manufacturers seeking global market access.
• UL Solutions: UL Solutions is the closest direct peer to FM Approvals, providing third-party safety testing and certification (UL Listed mark) for fire protection, electrical, and building products. It competes head-to-head with FM Approvals in manufacturer certification and is recognized alongside the FM APPROVED mark as one of the two dominant North American safety certification brands.
• TÜV SÜD: TÜV SÜD is one of the world's leading TIC providers, with services spanning fire protection, electrical safety, building products, and functional safety. It competes with FM Approvals for manufacturer certification work and shares the same international accreditation footprint for ATEX, IECEx, and similar regulatory regimes.
• DEKRA: DEKRA is a leading global TIC organization specializing in testing and certification for automotive, industrial, and consumer products. It directly competes with FM Approvals in electrical safety and explosion-proof (ATEX/IECEx) equipment certification, particularly serving European manufacturers.

Emerging players

• LPCB (BRE Group): LPCB is the certification arm of BRE Group, specializing in fire and security product certification. It is a direct competitor in fire protection certification, particularly in the UK and Europe, and offers an alternative certification mark to FM APPROVED for loss-prevention products.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fmapprovals
• Xx.com/fmapprovals

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about FM Approvals