Key Points
- Pennsylvania updated its ENDS Pending Certifications list on June 26, with 23 manufacturers currently under review.
- Chinese manufacturers Shenzhen Smoore, Shenzhen IVPS and YME Technology appear as certification applicants in their capacity as manufacturers.
- Boulder International represents a cross-border operating model combining U.S. commercial operations with China-based R&D and manufacturing.
- Pennsylvania’s ENDS Directory regulates manufacturers rather than only consumer-facing brands.
- U.S. vape regulation is gradually evolving toward a dual framework combining FDA authorization and state-level market access requirements.
2Firsts
July 6, 2026
Pennsylvania has updated its Pending Certifications list for electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), placing 23 manufacturers under state certification review. Among them are Chinese manufacturers Shenzhen Smoore Technology, Shenzhen IVPS Technology and YME Technology Limited, together with Boulder International, a company with substantial research and manufacturing operations in Shenzhen.
Beyond a routine regulatory update, the latest list provides one of the earliest public snapshots of Pennsylvania’s implementation of Act 57 of 2025. It also reflects a broader shift in U.S. vape regulation, where state oversight is increasingly directed at manufacturers rather than solely at consumer-facing brands. For Chinese manufacturers participating in the U.S. market, state-level directory systems are becoming an additional compliance consideration alongside FDA requirements.
Pennsylvania’s ENDS Directory moves into implementation
Act 57 of 2025 established Pennsylvania’s Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS) Directory, requiring manufacturers seeking to market vaping products in the state to submit certifications to the Office of Attorney General before their products can be listed in the official directory.
The Office of Attorney General launched the ENDS Directory webpage on June 20 and simultaneously published a Pending Certifications list identifying manufacturers whose applications remain under review. As of the June 26 update, state officials said no manufacturer had yet been approved for inclusion in the official directory, while certifications from 23 manufacturers were still being evaluated.
Under Pennsylvania’s implementation schedule, products not included in the official ENDS Directory will become subject to state enforcement beginning October 19, 2026. As a result, the Pending Certifications list provides an important indicator of which manufacturers are currently progressing through the state’s certification process.
Unlike the FDA’s scientific premarket review, Pennsylvania’s directory functions as a state-level market access mechanism. Manufacturers must therefore satisfy both federal regulatory requirements and the state’s certification process in order to maintain market access within Pennsylvania.
Chinese-linked manufacturers enter Pennsylvania’s certification system
Among the 23 manufacturers listed are Shenzhen Smoore Technology Limited, Shenzhen IVPS Technology Co., Ltd., and YME Technology Limited, all participating in Pennsylvania’s certification process in their capacity as manufacturers rather than consumer-facing brands. The structure of the ENDS Directory reflects Pennsylvania’s manufacturer-based regulatory framework.
In Pennsylvania’s Pending Certifications list, Japan Tobacco’s Logic brand identifies Shenzhen Smoore Technology Limited as its manufacturer, bringing the brand into the state’s certification process through its manufacturing entity.
SWFT identifies Shenzhen IVPS Technology Co., Ltd. as its manufacturer. The brand, which has expanded rapidly in the North American vape market in recent years, is now undergoing Pennsylvania’s state-level certification review.
For OXBAR, the listed manufacturer is YME Technology Limited. Public records identify the company as a Hong Kong-registered entity, while the Yemvape website identifies Shenzhen Yem Biotechnology Co., Ltd. as its operating company. YME Technology Limited has also appeared as the responsible manufacturer for OXBAR products in European Union TPD notification documents, indicating its role in regulatory filings across multiple jurisdictions.
The Boulder and Rock brands are listed under Boulder International. Publicly available information indicates that the company combines U.S. commercial operations with research and manufacturing activities in Shenzhen, and has previously pursued FDA PMTA applications for tobacco- and menthol-flavored products. Rather than operating solely as an OEM manufacturer, Boulder integrates product development, manufacturing, commercialization and regulatory strategy across both the United States and China.
Regulation is moving upstream
Historically, regulatory attention in the U.S. vape market has focused primarily on consumer brands such as JUUL, Vuse and NJOY, with public discussion centering on whether individual products had obtained FDA marketing authorization.
Pennsylvania’s ENDS Directory reflects a different regulatory philosophy by placing manufacturers at the center of the certification process. Instead of regulating only products appearing on retail shelves, the framework brings manufacturing entities directly into the state’s compliance system.
For Chinese manufacturers, the implications extend beyond Pennsylvania. Companies participating in the U.S. market are increasingly required to monitor not only FDA regulatory developments but also the growing number of state-level directory programs. As more states establish similar market access systems, state compliance is becoming an increasingly important component of U.S. regulatory strategy.
Why It Matters
Pennsylvania’s latest Pending Certifications list is significant not simply because it identifies manufacturers currently undergoing certification review, but because it illustrates how U.S. vape regulation is evolving.
Over the past several years, a growing number of states have introduced ENDS directory systems, adding state-level market access requirements alongside federal regulation. As one of the newest and largest states to implement such a framework, Pennsylvania offers an early indication of how this regulatory model may develop.
The appearance of several Chinese manufacturers as certification holders further suggests that overseas manufacturers are becoming increasingly visible within U.S. state regulatory systems. If similar directory programs continue to expand across the country, manufacturers may increasingly need to navigate a dual regulatory framework combining FDA scientific review with state-specific market access requirements.
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