Three of the 11 softwood plywood mills in the Canadian Plywood Association (CANPLY) are now able to CE mark their products for export to Europe, barely nine months since the association signed a support agreement with BM TRADA Certification. More will come on stream soon.

BM TRADA has been working closely with CANPLY inspectors, who pay monthly visits to the member mills. These visits have been extended to cover the requirements for CE marking. On these trips we have helped identify ways of streamlining operational procedures to avoid duplication. It is important that CE marking should not become a burden, but a real marketing asset.

We have also been in discussion with the Québec Forest Industry Council and the Québec Wood Export Bureau (Q-Web). Louis Poliquin, Q-Web’s director of engineered wood and prefabricated homes, says that CE marking is important to his members, “not only as a means of demonstrating compliance with European standards but also to reassure clients about the suitability and performance of our products in European markets”.

European attitudes

He is concerned about European attitudes to timber frame. “The so-called traditional and predominant technology for new residential construction in Europe is concrete block and brick, so builders, home owners and indeed insurance companies often want to be reassured that wood frame construction provides equal performance. In many regards, the performance is actually better than brick and block construction, but this can be difficult for potential buyers to understand and accept.”

In France, for example, some insurance companies have been reluctant to provide cover “without some form of verification of code conformance, even though the kit homes supplied were built well above the minimum code requirements. CE marking seems to us, therefore, a logical step to be able to sell on this market”.

While some manufacturers might view the pursuit of CE marking as a millstone, producers and exporters within Q-Web regard it as quite the opposite. “Our members are pursuing it to demonstrate that they are serious business partners,” said Mr Poliquin. “They build quality into all of their products and CE marking will underline that they are able to meet the requirements of the new European standards.”

Sophisticated operations

Having visited some of the Q-Web members involved in the CE marking project facilities, some of the factories were among the most sophisticated we had seen. However, not all producers are able to offer this level of sophistication. Many Q-Web members offer a high degree of prefabrication. They might also have broad experience of gathering test evidence for export markets, but this is not true across the board. With the support of Q-Web, however, it will be possible for those who are serious about selling in Europe to achieve CE marking.

CANPLY members are in a similar position but, as a body, members are perhaps a little further along the CE marking route. Their agreement with BM TRADA, they believe, builds on the association’s varied recognitions in Europe, North America, and Japan, including existing recognition by the Standards Council of Canada and the American National Standards Institute as an accredited certification body under ISO Guide 65 criteria.

To achieve CE marking mills might have to adjust their testing programmes and add a different stamp to products, but much of the groundwork has been done.

Technical assessments

As a result of BM TRADA’s visit, the company will be working with a major I-beam producer to pursue CE marking and will be undertaking technical assessments for other engineered wood products, as well as timber frame house kits. Our Canadian partners have appreciated our support – so much so that they have recommended BM TRADA as the notified body for the CE marking of North American structural lumber.

Although application of the CE mark is not mandatory in the UK, the Canadians feel that applying the mark will be the most straightforward way to prove their compliance with the Construction Products Directive, something they must do to comply with UK law.