The four figure number after the CE logo is the unique identification number for the Notified Body who audits the quality control procedures (?QMS?) for the production of the device. These ascenders are ?category 3 PPE? which means that the manufacturer must have an audited quality control procedure and must also have the product type tested by a Notified Body to show it meets the essential performance requirements of the Directive (generally this means showing it meets the applicable standards).
The NoBo which does the QMS audit may be different to the one which does the type test (although they are usually the same for commercial reasons). The number after the CE mark only refers to the NoBo which did the QMS audit - if there is no mandatory requirement for a QMS audit by a NoBo then there should be no number after the CE logo even if a NoBo is required to type test the product.
The number tells you nothing about what the rating of the device is, who made it, where it was made or what standards were applied in the design and manufacture.
NoBo?s must be based in Europe, or another country where there is a specific Mutual Recognition Agreement with the EU. However, it is perfectly possible for a NoBo to have an office in an EEA country but to also have offices in other countries (e.g. China) where most of its business activity actually takes place. All the big ones have offices in China, and many of them have multiple offices in different parts of China.
NoBo 0082 is the French company APAVE who have offices in many countries. The 0082 number will be applied to any NoBo activity they undertake in any of those offices and for any type of product.
For the purposes of CE marking, the ?manufacturer? of the product is the company whose name is on the product. Frequently this will be the name of the company which imports the product into Europe, but it does not have to be - only medical devices are required to have an EEA based ?manufacturer?, other products which are not medical devices can be sold direct from outside the EU.
Different importers may source products from the same factory and put their own brand on them. They may get their own certification done by different NoBos to the ones used by other importers, or they may rely on the certifications provided by the factory. It?s fairly easy to check if any certification is valid if you have a copy of it so importers who know what they are doing (a minority, in my experience) can easily ensure they are getting properly certified products.
It?s not uncommon for different Chinese manufacturers to produce products which are visibly identical, so just because a product appears to be the same as an other differently branded one does not necessarily means that it?s been made in the same place, although equally, that is entirely possible.
There is no requirement for country of origin marking in Europe, the only requirement is that if country of origin is given then it must not be ?misleading?. It should identify the country in which the last significant manufacturing operation took place, but as an example, if you buy two parts from different factories in China, import them separately into the UK and assemble them into a single product then that counts as a ?significant manufacturing operation? even if all you are doing is packing them together into a bundle.
Having said all this about importing from China, I've read nothing so far which confirms that these ascenders are not made in Europe.
It's also worth saying that many of the major outdoor gear brands are owned by a fairly small number of large companies who promote different brands in different places for different reasons. For example, Rab and Lowe Alpine are both owned by the same company, although their manufacturing mostly takes place in different factories. I have no idea whether or not any of the brands mentioned above are owned by the same company but it's entirely possible.
Finally, (for now at least) we are not out of the EU yet, and even when we leave, it?s very unlikely that the CE mark will disappear as a requirement in the UK since it?s integral to the EU single market in goods which the Brexiteers want to preserve our access to.
