CE Marking Journey

WHAT IS CE MARKING?

In accordance with 89/106/EEC Construction Materials Directive, CE marking on windows is a marking attached on the product under defined rules so as to enable free and convenient movement of goods in Turkey and European Union as the responsibility remains completely with producer

According to TS EN 14351-1:2006 standard published and became effective in 2006, CE marking is mandatory on the goods produced by windows and door system producers and applications started in 2007 and transition period is terminated in February 2010.

POSITION AND FUNCTIONS OF FIRAT

FIRAT is the party which produces PVC profile and also determines and designs the performance features of windows and door systems to be produced in accordance with legislation, customer demands and marketing policy.

European Union authorized Windows and Door System Producer Resellers and Distributor Resellers which had first type tests performed in Certified Laboratories in the subject of utilization of first type results.

It determined the rules of factory production supervision system that will provide constantly same performance feature of windows and door systems produced in Windows and Door System Producer Resellers and Distributor Resellers and had their implementations performed.

Activity Carried out in Fırat and System Producer Resellers

  • Fırat had mandatory First Type Tests for all own-design windows systems conducted in European Union certified laboratories in United Kingdom and Germany.
  • Since 2007 that CE standard became effective, Fırat provided collective seminars to producer resellers on the subject at 16 times
  • In June 2008, outsourcing service agreement was concluded for establishment of Factory Production Supervision in producer resellers. Under agreement, separate works lasted 5-6 months which details presented below were carried out in the premises of resellers
  • Under the scope of this work, as of 01.05.2009, training is conveyed to 1890 individual/day for our resellers All over Turkey, on-site training on 5 different subjects was supported to 2500 personnel of our resellers As of this date, total training number received by reseller personnel is 12.500. The objective is to double this number until the end of 2009
  • Sample audits carried out in resellers included in the project by T.R. Ministry of Public Works and Settlement concluded successfully.
  • For the first time in Turkey, our resellers received Q-MARK product quality certificates for windows produced by them according to TS EN 14351-1.
  • Under this scope, all of our resellers separately processed through audits and subjects such as factory production conditions, accountability, customer complaints vs. were supervised. For the continuity and development of quality succeeded, these audits will be repeated constantly on annual basis.

1) WINDOWS TESTS CONDUCTED

Though it is required to test 2 features under CE scope in our country, having the understanding of product quality, customer expectation and satisfaction and being a corporation selling all over the world, FIRAT had total 7 different features of on-site designed windows tested in EU certified laboratories.

TESTS CONDUCTED BY FIRAT THE TESTS REQUIRED IN TURKEY
Resistance against wind load
Water impermeability
Driving forces
Load-carrying capacity of safety mechanisms X
Acoustics performance
Thermal Conductivity X
Air permeability

In these tests, it is aimed to test features such as thermal insulation, power saving, noise insulation and long usage term.  These properties directly provide benefits such as health and saving to our customers.

2) PRACTICES PERFORMED BY FIRAT AS A SYSTEM OWNER

  • Product designs were carried out according to conditions of country which product will be introduced,
  • Tests for designed window were conducted in certified laboratory,
  • By evaluating test results, the widest product range that CE marking can be processed was determined.
  • Product catalogues and CE labels were designed
  • As being the system owner, production system was designed to have test results being used
  • For every product range, General Valuation and Production Manuals were issued,
  • Installation Manuals were issued,
  • Conditions were determined for Factory Production Supervision system to be implemented in production place of resellers.
  • Training and implementation activities which are separate for each reseller lasted for 6 months were organized; in these trainings, training and implementations related with the jobs being exclusively under responsibility of each employee of the reseller were conducted.
    • “CE” Marking on Windows Legislation Training
    • Factory Production Supervision and Implementation Training
    • System Reengineering
    • Production management, record system and accountability according to General Valuation Manual
    • Customer Order and Complaints Management
    • Storage, packaging and shipment management
    • Assembly system
  • Implementations of calibration of measurement equipments used in reseller were certified,
  • Rules on withdrawing inappropriate product from markets were determined,
  • Conduct of interim/periodical tests related with goods produced by resellers in defined periods were planned and implemented,
  • License agreements were composed with producer reseller, subcontractor and installer/subsidiary reseller as they would complete whole chain,

3) ACTIVITIES PERFORMED UNDER CE MARKING BY PRODUCER RESELLERS

According to rules defined by FIRAT, it is the party which produces as to provide constantly same performance properties, keeps SUBSIDIARY/INSTALLER RESELLERS being contracted with under control and constantly protects the image of the brand represented. PRODUCER RESELLERS established and implemented Factory Production Supervision system complying with rules specified by FIRAT PLASTİK A.Ş. with the aim of maintaining production of goods having same features (performance) all the time.

WORKS;

  • Determination of quality control methods related with intermediate product and finished products, documentation of their periods and constant implementation of them,
  • Assigning traceability number to the windows produced; establishment and maintenance of continuity of system that will enable to access traceability records of good in the cases of complaint or investigation by Ministry which is authorized institution,
  • Calibration or verification of equipment used in quality control in internationally traceable system,
  • Documentation of production instructions in order to maintain quality to make production have same quality constantly,
  • Documentation of capacity, authority and responsibilities of employees,
  • Establishment and implementation of system in order to carry out periodical maintenance of equipment used in production,
  • Establishment of incompatible product system, determination and implementation of method related with withdrawing the product from market, if it is introduced into market, removal of inconveniences (correction),
  • Documentation of factory production supervision system in the manner of procedure, or instructions, or handbooks,
  • Appointment of competent person that will maintain constant implementation of factory production supervision system,
  • Establishment of system for definition, retaining and maintaining accessibility of records composed with implementation of Factory production supervision system.

4) BENEFITS OBTAINED

  • Applicable simple traceability system- to access retrospectively information such as production date, input materials, utilized workforce of each product
  • Saving from test costs – effective use of dealer financial resources
  • Reduction of dealer equipment calibration costs
  • Providing implementation easiness in dealers with software
  • Accessing customer details
  • Installation follow-up
  • Job Failures Follow up
  • Cost analysis of job failures
  • Automatic issuance of agreement
  • Automatic issuance of measurement job orders
  • Machine maintenance and calibration follow up
  • Product quality follow up
  • Improvement of installation system
  • Constant notification about legislation
  • Utilization of accurate and applicable “CE” labels