Clearview National March 2020 - Issue 220 | Page 26

INDUSTRYNEWS
Always check your Ts and Cs
(but maybe not the way you think…)
Wintech Testing and Certification by UL is a UKAS-accredited
testing house and certification body based in Telford, UK. For the
past 25 years it has been specialising in building envelope testing and
certification of windows, doors, glass and facades. Clearview caught
up with the team to find out what’s been happening recently at the
Telford HQ, in this month’s Testing & Certification special feature…
T E S T I N G & C E R T I F I C AT I O N
by UL
Please can you update us on the
last few months since we last
heard from you in Clearview?
In July 2019, global safety experts, UL,
acquired Wintech Testing with the aim to
combine our services to create best-in-class
offerings to the built environment industry. The
past few months have been extremely busy for us
from not only a testing perspective, but also an
integration perspective. Our team have worked
tirelessly to continue providing high levels of
customer service throughout this busy time.
Can you highlight some team members
that go above and beyond when it
comes to experience and expertise?
All our teams go above and beyond in every
aspect of their job. From the department
managers booking in and arranging testing,
our test engineers staying late or travelling to
our customers to test at their facilities, and our
technical team filling out reports. We all work
cohesively to give the best possible customer
experience.
When it comes to Testing & Certification
- please can you define each and say
how they differ from each other...
The main difference that many who are new
to product testing do not realise, is that a product
test report is not the same as a product certificate.
During the product certification process there are
aspects of product testing involved; but aligned
to this, manufacturers must also undergo audits
of their facilities and processes before receiving
third-party certification.
26 » M AR 2020 » CL EARVI E W- UK . C O M
Then please explain the benefits
of having the T & C facilities and
capabilities in one place - to the 1)
the customer / 2) the industry...
The ability to have combined testing and
certification facilities means the customer
does not need to shop around or have the
hassle of communicating between separate
test houses and certification bodies. This
can all be done in-house by our testing and
certification teams.
When it comes to Wintech/UL,
what are the most common tests/
certifications that are carried out?
Our most popular testing service is
security testing to PAS 24:2016, which
makes up part of our WinMark Certification
Scheme for the Enhanced Security
Performance of Windows and Doors. The
testing alone is needed for compliance
with Approved Document Q - Security in
Dwellings of the building regulations. To be
compliant with the requirements of Secured
by Design, a customer will also need to have
their product certified under our WinMark
scheme.
How long does a ‘typical’ test take
and the corresponding certification?
Our lead times for our testing lab are
around four to six weeks but the actual testing
is dependent on the product and the scale
of testing asked for by the customer. The
certification process is different. We can have
your products certified within six months, but
every customer is individual, and we try to
accommodate for their needs.
Are there some short term/long term
forecasts for Testing & Certification
that you can make/explain?
Building regulators have cracked down on
Approved Document Q compliance, meaning
windows and doors must be tested to PAS
24:2016 before being installed on residential
properties, and increasingly products certified to
the requirements Secured by Design are required.
Specifiers and building regulators are increasingly
asking for certified products to be installed on
buildings, and now we’ve joined forces with UL,
we can offer further building envelope testing
and certification services to ensure customers’
products have the documentation they need to
access their key markets.
wintechtesting.com