This is from their support center in IL. Thanks Meredith Ottery!
I don't know about manufacturing differences and am not here to discuss but am selling a canopy right now and wanted to help others if they were not sure how to identify what Safire they had and where it was made.
"Generally, canopies built in Spain have 8 digits in the SN. NZA will have 5 or 6 digits. Back in the day, there were some 4 digit SNs, produced by both, so we would have to look those up on a case by case basis."
Hope this helps Rigger Please OUT!!! Chuck Marshall
Owner & Operator
Rigger Please LLC
Parachute rigging with a passion!