The letters 'CE' appear on many products that are traded on the single market in the European Economic Area (EEA), consisting of the 27 member states of the EU and European Free Trade Association countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. CE marking is required for many products and attests the verification by a manufacturer that these products meet EU safety, health or environmental requirements.
CE marking is a key indicator of a product's compliance with EU legislation and enables the free movement of products within the European market. By affixing the CE marking on a product, a manufacturer is declaring, on his sole responsibility, conformity with all of the legal requirements to achieve CE marking and therefore ensuring validity for that product to be sold throughout the EEA.
The CE mark is specified by the EU but refers to the relevant country’s regulations. Within the UK this enforces compliance with Building Regulations (Part L), which is applicable for all external windows and doors covered by the legislation. Within the UK the legislation is enforced by Trading Standards, NOT building regulations.
On 1st July 2013 CE Marking was introduced for manufacturing of windows and doors.
The CE label references:
CE marking is mandatory, but only for those products which are covered by the scope of one or more of the New Approach Directives. Even if your product is manufactured outside the EEA, you must ensure the product bears CE marking if your product comes under the scope of a Directive requiring CE Marking. Bespoke joinery falls under the category of 'eco-design of energy related products'. This includes external windows & doors, however if there are no building regulations to comply with, i.e. outside building regulations e.g. conservation item, you will not be required to CE mark the window or door.
Simply this means ANY window or door which falls within building control. If an item requires a U-value then it also needs a CE mark.
Some joinery companies are still not providing u-values or the correct u-value, which relate to building regulations – Part L. This stipulates (since October 2010) that external windows need to have a u-value of 1.6 for a renovation project (or 2 in a new build) and external doors require a u-value of 1.8. If you are currently just calling the local glazing company for the u-value of the glass this is not the same as the overall u-value. The overall u-value is based on the following; type of timber, centre pane u-value and the Psi value of the spacer bars.
If a u-value is not required due to conservation exclusion then CE marking will not be required either.
Most ‘Bespoke’ windows WILL require a u-value as they are not truly bespoke. (Truly bespoke windows will be exempt from requiring u-value and therefore CE marking.)
Most joinery companies use standard section sizes. If the manufacturer has used the same section size before then the item is NOT bespoke and if the manufacturer uses the same section size again then subsequent windows of that section size are not bespoke either.
No -- However very few windows are truly bespoke.
Just because it is a one off window does not mean it is a bespoke window unless it clearly has not used the same section sizes of a previous window or door. If the manufacturer has used the same section size before then the item is NOT bespoke and if the manufacturer uses the same section size again then subsequent windows of that section size are not bespoke either. Most joinery companies use standard section sizes. This means that almost all windows will not be considered to be bespoke. Each window style will require a DOP, which JMS provides.
Most ‘Bespoke’ windows WILL require a u-value as they are not truly bespoke
Truly bespoke windows will be exempt from requiring u-value and therefore CE marking.
The CE labelling is the easy part however the following will be required:
Please note: It isn’t only those manufacturers with more than 10 employees that need to CE mark – it affects all joinery manufacturers from the one man band up.
There are a number of bodies that enforce CE marking legislation to prevent misuse of the CE mark and to ensure that product safety is maintained to a high standard.
Enforcement, or market surveillance, is undertaken by nominated public authorities (Market Surveillance Authorities) in each member state, and each state has separate ways of enforcing the legislation once it has been implemented into national law.
The following bodies, amongst others, are responsible for CE marking enforcement in the UK:
If an enforcement body finds your product does not meet CE marking requirements, they will often provide you with an opportunity to ensure it is correctly CE marked. If you fail to comply with this, you will be obliged to take your product off the market.
You may also be liable for a 5,000 Euro fine or imprisonment.
The plastic industry will be complying with the new regulation and if timber window and door manufacturers do not comply sales opportunities and market share will be lost to the plastic industry.
The ability to comply with legislation, whether enforced or not, is a key sales tool for joinery manufacturers to compete and sell their products.
It isn’t as hard as you think... But the situation shouldn't be ignored.
There are various trade bodies who can provide help and advice in how to comply in practice.
Want an even easier solution? Speak to Joinerysoft about how our Joinery Management Software (JMS) provides you with a complete factory control system AND complies with both u-value and CE marking regulations. Our design, quoting and manufacturing software provides all the evidence and documentation you need for u-values, DOP and CE labels.
If you have Joinerysoft's JMS and are up to date with your maintenance and support simply speak to us about how to set up CE marking.
If you have joinerysoft's JMS, but have not paid for maintenance and support -- You need to reactivate your maintenance and support contract and you may also be subject to an upgrade fee.
Please call Joinerysoft for more information on +44(0) 1608 643302.
If you do not have JMS ---The Joinerysoft team would be delighted to provide a demo of JMS and how it can help with CE marking compliance and other features such as estimating, quoting, cutting lists, glass sizes etc.
Visit the Joinerysoft website www.joinerysoft.com or call 01608 643302
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