Testing plays key role
By ERA.
ERA’s Ukas-accredited testing laboratory plays an important role in the company’s new product development. It also offers an invaluable service to ERA customers developing their own new products.
The facility demonstrated its credentials recently as part of a UK first for the fenestration industry that involved collaboration involving Veka UK and Modplan.
The outcome of this collaboration between PVCU systems house, trade fabricator and security hardware expert is a four-pane patio door that achieved PAS24 2016 accreditation without the need for additional locking devices or points. The PAS24 2016 standard is more onerous than previous iterations and is therefore more difficult to achieve. Veka’s Imagine four-pane patio door was fitted with ERA’s Fab&Fix Pembroke locking patio door handle and its Fortress 3-Star Euro Cylinder. The project saw Modplanmake the test frames that were required. Both two-pane and three-pane versions of this product have now also been tested and have achieved the same accreditation.
Steve Bakewell, head of product management at Veka UK, said: “We have been very pleased with the service we have received from ERA in this project. We believe this to be the first four-pane patio door to be physically tested to PAS24 2016.”
Modplan’sengineering and compliance team said:“The close collaboration on this project has resulted in accreditation that will help us to differentiate ourselves from our competitors going forwards. Teamwork was the key here.”
ERA’s testing laboratory is completely autonomous, and is fully equipped to test windows and doors to the most stringent and up-to-date industry standards, providing accurate data on window and door endurance and lifespan. The company can test casement windows, sash windows, and single or double doors to British Standards, providing full Ukas-accredited reports or an initial indicative report,depending on requirements.
Head of product management at ERA Kerry Blackford said:“Fabricators and installers need to know that their hardware supplier is not only providing solutions for today’s market, but that it is keeping a close eye on that of the future. Future-proofing fabricators’ and installers’ businesses means being able to identify coming market trends and being agile enough to respond to them in a timely fashion.
“This is why being in contact with all relevant regulatory bodies is so important, and not only being in contact with them, but also having members of staff who actually sit on the bodies’ committees too.This results in prior knowledge of what is going to be required when pulling together a new product specification, and is also invaluable when enhancing new products.
“In the current financial climate, value for money is important for fabricators and installers. Here at ERA we are continually looking at ways to modify and enhance our 10,000 product lines to try to offer improved value for money and ways in which our customers can find positive differentials.”
ERA’s purpose-built premises on the i54 business park just outside Wolverhamptondoes not only house its Ukas-accredited testing facility. The135,625ft2 site is also home to the company’s state-of-the-art research and product development hub, design team, manufacturing, warehousing and training facilities.Having all of the disciplines under one roof makes collaboration among them easier.
