TRADA Technology has appointed Dr Keerthi Ranasinghe as principal consultant – Eurocodes, to assist timber manufacturers and suppliers to understand the impact Eurocode 5 (EC5) could have on their business.
His services will be available to both TRADA members and non-members.
Dr Ranasinghe, who as senior structural engineer has been running EC5 workshops attended by more than 1,000 engineers to date, as well as TRADA in the Regions events for members, said that some key players in the timber supply chain had little idea what EC5 meant for them and their customers. “Even if they know what needs to be done, they do not necessarily know how to go about doing it,” he said.
While many suppliers have been familiar with the former British design code BS 5268, they may not be aware that the co-existence period with EC5 ended on March 31 last year.
TRADA Technology managing director Andrew Abbott said the appointment of a Eurocodes consultant reflected “TRADA Technology’s business strategy to take the lead in technical issues which have strong commercial ramifications for industry”.
Another driver, he said, was the Construction Products Regulation, which is expected to come into force, superseding the Construction Products Directive, in 2013, making CE marking compulsory for construction products. This “offers a major opportunity for manufacturers and suppliers. Where it could take months if not years to have new products accepted under BS 5268, EC5 can embrace them if they are CE marked”, said Mr Abbott.
For more information, contact Dr Ranasinghe on kranasinghe@trada.co.uk.
