Machinery & Manufacturing
DHF Calls for Clarity in light of Government ’ s CE Mark Recognition Extension
» THE DEPARTMENT FOR Business and Trade ( DBT ) recently announced the indefinite extension of CE mark recognition for products covered by their domain , including machinery , low voltage electrical equipment , pressure equipment , radio equipment , and EMC . This move is expected to reduce business costs and streamline the product placement process , benefiting consumers . However , the Department for Levelling Up , Housing , and Communities ( DLUHC ) has issued a clarification stating that this extension does not apply to construction products , as their recognition of the CE mark will continue only until June 30th , 2025 .
The Paul Morrell report , “ Testing for a Safer Future : An Independent Review of the Construction Products Testing Regime ,” highlights the complexities surrounding safety-critical construction products not adequately covered by the Construction Products Regulations ( CPR ), which was primarily designed to eliminate trade barriers in the EU ’ s internal market . Although the aims of the CPR have expanded , the European Commission remains focused on “ making the internal market work properly for construction products by laying down harmonised conditions for their marketing .”
Michael Skelding , General Manager & Secretary at DHF , expresses concern regarding the lack of clarity surrounding the purpose of the UKCA marking in a post-EU alignment scenario . He supports the suggestion in the Morrell Report that the UKCA mark should signify the quality and safety of products rather than being tied to the chance of harmonised standards negotiated and endorsed in the EU .
DHF calls on the government to provide a clear roadmap for reforming the construction products regime . DHF emphasises the need for a single category of safety-critical products , subject to defined criteria and higher scrutiny throughout the assessment and life cycle process . It suggests retaining the connection between statutory regulation and marking for products under the AVCP system to confirm their adherence to standards .
The Building Safety Act empowers the Secretary of State to define and list “ safety-critical products ” that pose a risk of causing death or serious injury . DLUHC advises that this list will not comprise a single category but aims to bring additional products not covered by the existing framework into the regulatory fold .
www . dhfonline . org . uk
Cutting-edge machine technology investment
» ALUMINIUM FABRICAtor Prestige Aluminium has just invested in a Fom Industrie FMC 120 Machining Centre from Haffner to support its rapid expansion .
The cutting-edge machine was delivered at the beginning of August and was up and running just 48 hours later , so is already helping the company to increase its manufacturing output and improve efficiencies .
Prestige Aluminium was founded less than twelvemonths ago . This is the second machine the team has purchased from Haffner underscoring its commitment to delivering the best in aluminium manufacturing processes .
Gavin Taylor , Managing Director of Prestige Aluminium , said : “ We purchased a double mitre saw from Haffner when we began manufacturing earlier this year . We were impressed with the quality and support of the Haffner team , especially Bryan Dando , so we didn ’ t hesitate to turn to Haffner for our latest purchase .”
The FMC 120 Machining Centre is a state-of-the-art solution offering advanced features , including high speed machining and precision drilling . It features three controlled axis and a worktable with pneumatic positioning at 0 °, 90 ° and 180 °. Its automated capabilities reduce manual intervention and significantly accelerate production output , helping Prestige Aluminium manage the increase in demand for its products .
Prestige Aluminium , which is based in Bishop ’ s Stortford , manufactures the multi-award-winning Stellar aluminium system from Epwin Window Systems .
Bryan Dando , Commercial Director at Haffner , commented : “ We were delighted to hear from the Prestige Aluminium team so soon after their first investment . Expansion is always noteworthy but investing for the second time in 10 months demonstrates the strength of Prestige and the quality of their Stellar products .”
As market demand for high-end aluminium products continues to rise , the new Fom Industrie FMC 120 Machining Centre is already adding value to Prestige Aluminium ’ s operation and further positions the company for sustained business growth .
www . haffnerltd . com
96 OCTOBER 2023 CLEARVIEW-UK . COM