In the July edition of Fastener + Fixing Magazine (Issue 106) TECFI SpA focused on the design of anchorages for concrete in seismic hazard zones. Here the Italian-based company talks about why it believes ETAs are an essential part of the construction market.
A European Technical Assessment/Approval is a third party accredited technical evaluation for use of a product, released only after the fulfilment of many essential requirements. These technical compliances are the mandatory requirements in order to complete the process for CE Marking.
CE Marking guarantees the performance consistency of a construction product and its conformity with a European harmonised standard or a European Technical Assessment. With the new CPR (Construction Product Regulation), each company must issue a Declaration of Performance (DoP) – a document that summarises
the main details, characteristics and performances of the product.
The main objective of the CPR, CE Marking and DoP are to make the characteristics of the product more precise, stable and clear in order to increase the safety in the field of the construction industry.
In the last 5 years, the importance of a DoP/ETA in the construction sector has stunningly increased and this trend will continue further in the coming years. Every day we receive clear evidence with the continuous demand of products with ETA from our customers, as well as the increase of products with ETA in the market. Today, the demand for ETAs is also increasing in the hardware market and even in the DIY sector there is a requirement for products with ETA.
Of course, the percentage of demand for ETAs in Europe is much higher in richer countries, but the trend is growing everywhere.
Out of Europe, the situation is much different. In the hardware sector the demand for ETAs is really poor, while in heavy construction ETAs are a must. This is true above all in the Middle and Far East, where the demand is very strong due to the influence of European designers, architects and engineers in the construction field.
Users know that the main benefits of ETAs today are safety and reliability, and more and more end users are entrusting the responsibility to qualified manufacturers. The reason is that the tests for ETA certification are performed by an accredited laboratory, while the issuing of an ETA is the responsibility of a Technical Assessment Body. By achieving the ETA, a company is subject to annual inspections by a third party, a Notified Body, in order to ensure that the product is manufactured in accordance with the samples tested and that it is subjected to a constant control process, following the basic principles of quality.
For several years Tecfi SpA has offered a wide range of ETA certified products, constantly increasing the responses to the requests and needs of its customers, and driven by the potential of the European and non-European markets.
The products available from Tecfi include:
Will joined Fastener + Fixing Magazine in 2007 and over the last 15 years has experienced every facet of the fastener sector - interviewing key figures within the industry and visiting leading companies and exhibitions around the globe.
Will manages the content strategy across all platforms and is the guardian for the high editorial standards that the Magazine is renowned.
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