Glass & Sealed Units
More good news on UKCA marking
but are we still ignoring the obvious solution ?
» AT EDGETECH , WE ’ RE DELIGHTED THAT common sense has prevailed for a second time regarding product safety regulations and the UK ’ s exit from the EU – but we still have some concerns .
We ’ ve been closely following the government ’ s plans for replacing the CE mark : the symbol that , for decades , has indicated whether a product complies with EU health , safety and environmental protection laws .
When the UK voted to leave the EU , it was inevitable that system would have to change - but in the early stages , the government ’ s handling of the process was far from satisfactory .
Ministers suddenly announced that businesses would have to start complying with its new UKCA mark by January 2022 – leaving extremely little time for thousands of companies to get vast numbers of products retested .
Faced with a backlash from industry and lobbying from trade bodies , the government reconsidered , recognised the challenges faced by industry , and extended the deadline to 1st January 2023 .
Now , they ’ ve gone further . One of the biggest challenges preventing businesses from certifying their products to the new UK standard was the lack of a mutual recognition agreement that would allow them to use test data from EU recognised notified test houses to support their certification .
This has changed . The government has made it clear that AVCP System 3 testing data from an EU recognised notified body will be accepted until the 31st December 2022 .
This makes things significantly easier for UK businesses to achieve UKCA marking and is therefore an extremely positive move .
However , one of the core difficulties still remains . Even now that data from EU notified bodies will be accepted , there are still only a relatively small number of test centres to go around – and thousands of businesses from multiple sectors rushing to get their products tested .
Our fear is that this is only going to provide short term relief , and many of these tests take many months to complete in test centres already backed up .
So there ’ s the question of what happens in the long-term . After we reach the 1st January 2023 deadline , if testing is delayed or incomplete , or if recertification is required as a result of product introduction or changes , what happens then ?
If the only test resources are UK approved bodies , how does the industry cope , particularly when not all certification required is even available from a UK approved body ?
Currently there ’ s a lack of UK Approved Bodies capable of testing IGUs to certain specific requirements in EN1279 or WA17 / 1 thermal testing in the UK .
And then there ’ s the extremely complicated situation in Northern Ireland – where businesses are faced with the costly and challenging prospect of having to meet CE , UKCA , and the territory ’ s own UKNI marks all at once , potentially having to gain duplicate certification from different regional test bodies .
Rather than a succession of quick fixes , none of which deal with the core issue , we hope we ’ ll see ministers in the UK and the EU agree on the most pragmatic solution – an ongoing Mutual Recognition Agreement , that sees EU body test certificates accepted in the UK and vice versa .
Yours sincerely , Gary Shoesmith Head of Technical & Quality , Edgetech UK
www . edgetechig . co . uk
Automation and sustainability
» AUTOMATION , INNOVATION AND sustainability was among the key themes highlighted by Edgetech , a Quanex company , at this year ’ s Fensterbau Frontale ; returning after a four-year absence .
Thousands of glass and glazing professionals gathered in Nuremberg to see cutting-edge technology , meet colleagues , and discuss the sector ’ s challenges and opportunities .
Edgetech is eager to take part in those discussions as Head of Marketing Charlotte Hawkes explains :
“ After an incredibly disruptive and unpredictable few years , our sector still faces many challenges . However , it ’ s also shown its ability to react and adapt to rapidly changing circumstances .
“ The climate crisis is one such threat . Meeting hugely ambitious international net zero targets will require sweeping changes to the way we construct and renovate buildings - and the sort of outstanding energy efficiency that Edgetech ’ s warmedge products provide .
“ Another major obstacle is the worsening skills shortage . In countries like Britain , an ageing population means that thousands of the most experienced construction and manufacturing professionals are set to retire over the next twenty years .
“ While governments need to be doing much more to encourage and support new recruits , at Edgetech , we believe we ’ ll see much wider adoption of automation technology .”
www . edgetechig . co . uk
66 AUGUST 2022 CLEARVIEW-UK . COM