The International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) is a set of federal rules that American manufacturers must follow if they make certain products that are to be sold to customers outside the United States. An understanding of ITAR is essential to any manufacturing operation to avoid significant federal penalties.
The Basics of ITAR
ITAR was drafted over 30 years ago as the government tried to slow the export of technology to nations allied with the Soviet Union. It stated that any products or services on the United States Munitions List (USML) could not be exported unless the manufacturer registered with the US Department of State and followed certain procedures.
Many companies, particularly smaller operations, had not heard of ITAR until more recently because the government was not aggressive about enforcing it. However within the last eighteen years, federal authorities have been pursuing breaches of ITAR vigorously. What some manufacturers are discovering is that even if they are ITAR compliant, they can still be in danger if their suppliers are not.
With the growth of global trade comes the responsibility of merchants, distributors and manufacturers to make sure that they are in compliance with the US government’s International Traffic in Arms (ITAR) regulations every step of the way in the supply chain, while still providing a usable and technically sound product. At SiTECH, we take ITAR very seriously. We are a registered manufacturer of ITAR certified rubber keyboard components. We understand the importance of record-keeping and supplying our customers with the necessary paperwork they need to remain ITAR compliant themselves. We keep track of the proper category and subset numbers and document everything as required by ITAR regulations.
One area where we find ITAR compliance especially important to our customers is for their manufacture of military products. Silicone keypads are used for any number of purposes on military equipment. If you have a simple or complex component with keypad capabilities, we can make the necessary military silicone rubber molding that will fit in with your design. When you have a piece with removable parts or controls, we use ITAR certified rubber molding to conform to your design. We offer backlit controls and abrasion resistant coding. If you have questions or concerns over how to make your design conform to the strict government specification, we can help you with our experience in what works and what doesn’t. We can produce a prototype for you to work with for samples.
SiTECH is an American-owned company incorporated under the laws of our nation. Our custom silicone keypads are manufactured at our plant in Newport News Virginia and are fully ITAR compliant. Don’t put your company at risk by using foreign parts. Buy American components to ensure you are meeting all ITAR regulations. If you want to find out more about what makes SiTECH different from our competitors, give us a call today at 757-887-8488.
