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07 July 2003 N&U; Wins Stamp of Approval From New Quality... City glass and glazing specialist Norman & Underwood has achieved a coveted accreditation which is soon to mark a universal quality standard for the whole of Europe. EN1279 has been introduced to ensure recognisable and verifiable quality standards for materials and workmanship in glazed sealed units (double glazing) and the task of gaining recognised compliance with the specific parts of the standard demands that rigorous criteria are adhered to, as Norman & Underwood’s quality assurance manager, Mick Duff explains: “EN1279 is far more wide reaching than the BS5713 standard it replaces and is spilt into six parts covering everything from long term testing of moisture vapour penetration on sealed units, to evaluation of conformity of manufacturing processes and procedures.” In order to meet the standards laid down in EN1279, companies must have stringent quality management systems in place such as ISO 9001:2000 which can ensure traceability along every stage of production; including materials used and all manufacturing techniques. External UKAS accredited test labs are used to periodically carry out rigorous type testing to the required EN1279 standards. “EN1279 is good news for our industry and ultimately the end customer,” continues Mick. “As part of the standard, our sealed glazed units will be stamped inside with information including our licence number and details of the unit’s construction in case a product trace is ever needed.” In addition to offering peace of mind to customers, EN1279 also offers major benefits to glazing companies dealing in European markets, says Mick: “At the moment glass industry standards are country specific, so a unit that meets one country’s legislation might fail another’s. EN1279 is one facet of the impending Construction Products Directive (CPD) that will see CE marking adopted in the insulated glazing unit industry. The CE mark will be instantly recognisable across all European Union countries and will remove barriers to trade. He continues: “By purchasing from a company that has recognised compliance with a specific part of EN1279 the customer knows that he is getting the best possible levels of craftsmanship, materials and a guarantee of the quality of the product. It is expected that the new regulations will become mandatory for manufacturers of sealed unit manufacturers within the next two years.” view article as word document back to top back to previous page   11-27 Freeschool Lane, Leicester LE1 4FX, England tel: 0116 251 5000 fax: 0116 253 2669 e-mail: [email protected]