NEWS
5
Spanish flew and other cures
No, it was spelt correctly. With the SABS doing its best to cripple an entire industry,
it was the Spanish certification agency AENOR that flew in to our rescue and became
the first entity able to offer valid certification to local South African National
Standards, says Ken Patrick, chairman of PHACT.
By a happy coincidence, trading in Europe brings these
manufacturers into contact with AENOR, where many
companies have already had their products/systems tested
and certified to ISO standards. Since our South African
National Standards (SANS) for polymer hot and cold water
systems are almost identical to the ISO standards used
in Europe, testing to South African requirements was not
the laborious, time-consuming, and prohibitively expensive
process that the SABS had decreed.
Both certification processes are entirely valid in South
Africa, as acknowledged by SANAS (South African
National Accreditation System), which represents the
authority under which the SABS used to operate as a
monopoly in this sector.
At a recent meeting of PHACT (Polymer Hot and Cold
Technology Association), members were addressed by
Ricardo Pascual Galán, AENOR’s assistant manager
for construction products, who gave a talk on AENOR’s
background, policies, and its plans for the South African
market. Galán has been instrumental over the past year
in getting AENOR’s certification process recognised in
South Africa. PA
The result is that we already have polymer piping systems
proudly certified to SANS by AENOR, and the first of these
was Rifeng, who markets a multi-layer piping system
certified to SANS/ISO 21003. More companies are in
the process of completing their certification through this
channel, while South African manufacturers will soon have
the opportunity to certify their products/systems via a local
test house and certification process under the auspices of
SATAS (South African Technical Auditing Services).
From left: Ricardo Pascual
Galán (AENOR), Ken Patrick
(PHACT chairman), Charles
Jerome (Rifeng Southern Africa
managing director), and Malcolm
Harris (PHACT vice-chairman).
On the strength of their
certification from AENOR, Rifeng
was welcomed as the latest
member to join the ranks of the
PHACT association.
One of the advantages of not being at the cutting
edge of technological development is that you get to
ride on the coat tails of other pioneers. Thus it has
been for the South African piping industry, especially
when it comes to hot and cold water systems. Most
systems were developed and continue to be manu-
factured overseas, with a predominance towards
Europe and China.
Another new branch for Plumblink
Plumblink recently opened a branch in Edenvale.
Positioned strategically in the ‘building
services shops’ of Meadowdale,
Plumblink’s new branch boasts a
comprehensive showroom, as well as
a Plumber’s Corner where plumbers
can sit with access to Wi-Fi and enjoy
refreshments while waiting for their order.
Emily Ramasodi is the branch manager and
has many years with Plumblink. PA
www.plumbingafrica.co.za
A look inside Plumblink’s new showroom
in Edenvale.
Gareth Vermaak (regional GM inland at Plumblink)
and Emily Ramasodi (branch manager).
May 2017 Volume 23 I Number 3