Glass Technology Services Ltd (GTS) has achieved Notified Testing Laboratory status for CE Marking glass construction products.
The independent testing specialist is one of only a few providers in this sector to hold the accreditation, which means it can work with glass manufacturers, tougheners, laminators and processors across the supply chain to provide Initial Type Testing (ITT) under the new Construction Products Regulation (CPR, Regulation (EU) 305/2011) which became compulsory on July 1st 2013.
GTS Technical Director Dr Nick Kirk said: "The CPR has now fully replaced the Construction Products Directive (CPD, Council Directive 89/106/EEC) and means that glass used in construction or road markings within the European Economic Area, must now be performance assessed (initial type tested) by a legally and technically independent notified testing laboratory.
"It is enforceable across the European Union and applies to all construction products that are covered by a harmonised European Standard (hEN). Previously, manufacturers and processors were able to self-certify or simply opt out, but now legal action can be taken against manufacturers, their agents and notified bodies if a product does not have the appropriate declaration of conformity for its intended use and the CE mark."
How CE marking will be applied and who will police it is still a matter of debate in the industry.
