diff --git a/cfunits/test/test_Units.py b/cfunits/test/test_Units.py
index cc3d005..98a55cb 100644
--- a/cfunits/test/test_Units.py
+++ b/cfunits/test/test_Units.py
@@ -140,6 +140,24 @@ def test_Units_equivalent(self):
         self.assertFalse(Units(" ").equivalent(Units(1)))
         self.assertFalse(Units("1").equivalent(Units(1)))
 
+    def test_Units_new_unit(self):
+        """Test the `new_unit` class method on `Units`."""
+        
+        # can create a custom unit
+        u_pebbles = Units("pebbles")
+        
+        self.assertIsNotNone(u_pebbles)
+        self.assertIsTrue(u_pebbles.isvalid)
+        self.assertEqual(u_pebbles.formatted(), "pebbles")
+        
+        # use composed unit of a custom unit and an udunits unit 
+        u_pebbles_m = Units("pebbles/m")
+    
+        self.assertIsNotNone(u_pebbles_m)
+        self.assertIsTrue(u_pebbles.isvalid)
+        # Note: formatting does not work currently
+        # self.assertEqual(u_pebbles.formatted(), "pebbles")
+    
     def test_Units_conform(self):
         """Tests the `conform` class method on `Units`."""
         self.assertEqual(Units.conform(0.5, Units("km"), Units("m")), 500)
diff --git a/cfunits/units.py b/cfunits/units.py
index b1e4058..84ffbc5 100644
--- a/cfunits/units.py
+++ b/cfunits/units.py
@@ -185,6 +185,7 @@
 _cv_free.restype = None
 
 _UT_ASCII = 0
+_UT_UTF8 = 2
 _UT_NAMES = 4
 _UT_DEFINITION = 8
 
@@ -344,6 +345,46 @@ def add_unit_alias(definition, symbol, singular, plural):
 #      [-99, 31, 29, 31, 30, 31, 30, 31, 31, 30, 31, 30, 31]])
 
 
+# --------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Function to decode Udunits status codes to text
+# --------------------------------------------------------------------
+def _decode_status(status):
+    match status:
+        case 0:
+            return "success"
+        case 1:
+            return "bad argument" 
+        case 2:
+            return "already exists"
+        case 3:
+            return "no such unit"
+        case 4:
+            return "os error, see errno"
+        case 5:
+            return "units belong to different unit-systems"
+        case 6:
+            return "operation on the unit(s) is meaningless"
+        case 7:
+            return "unit-system doesn't have a unit named 'second'"
+        case 8:
+            return "error occurred while visiting a unit"
+        case 9:
+            return "unit can't be formatted in the desired manner"
+        case 10:
+            return "string unit representation contains syntax error"
+        case 11:
+            return "string unit representation contains unknown word"
+        case 12:
+            return "cannot open argument-specified unit database"
+        case 13:
+            return "cannot open environment-specified unit database"
+        case 14:
+            return "cannot open installed, default, unit database"
+        case 15:
+            return "error parsing unit specification"
+        case _:
+            return f"unknown error {status}!"
+
 # --------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Function to control Udunits error messages
 # --------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -2043,7 +2084,7 @@ def formatted(self, names=None, definition=None):
         if _ut_format(ut_unit, _string_buffer, _sizeof_buffer, opts) != -1:
             out = _string_buffer.value
         else:
-            raise ValueError(f"Can't format unit {self!r}")
+            raise ValueError(f"Cannot format unit {self!r} cause: {_decode_status(_ut_get_status())}")
 
         if self.isreftime:
             out = str(out, "utf-8")  # needs converting from byte-string
@@ -2052,6 +2093,32 @@ def formatted(self, names=None, definition=None):
 
         return out.decode("utf-8")
 
+
+    @classmethod
+    def new_unit(cls, name):
+        """Creates a new custom unit in the unit system.
+
+        Returns the new unit.
+
+        :Parameters:
+           name: str
+               name of the new unit.
+
+        Returns
+           the newly created unit.
+
+        **Examples**
+        >>> pebbles = Units.new_unit("pebbles")
+
+        """
+        base = _ut_new_base_unit(_ut_system)
+
+        assert 0 == _ut_map_unit_to_name(base, name.encode("utf-8"), _UT_UTF8)
+        assert 0 == _ut_map_name_to_unit(name.encode("utf-8"), _UT_UTF8, base)
+
+        return base
+
+
     @classmethod
     def conform(cls, x, from_units, to_units, inplace=False):
         """Conforms values to equivalent values in a compatible unit.
diff --git a/docs/source/contributing.rst b/docs/source/contributing.rst
index d1612f4..4b4151d 100644
--- a/docs/source/contributing.rst
+++ b/docs/source/contributing.rst
@@ -115,3 +115,5 @@ ideas, code, and documentation to the cfunits library:
 * Jonathan Gregory
 * Lars Bärring
 * Sadie Bartholomew  
+* Reiner Jung
+