IMS Nederland B.V., a well-known name in the steel trade is the first Dutch organisation to be awarded the BSI Kitemark™ certification for Protective Barrier Systems (widely referred to as balustrades). The Kitemark™ for balustrades is a certification scheme for manufacturers and suppliers of glass and/or metal systems for use in or around building developments, demonstrating compliance with the latest safety requirements. IMS Nederland also becomes the first company in the Benelux to achieve this BS 6180:2011 Kitemark™ certification.
Kitemark certified products include all UNIQ profiles for the clamping of glass balustrades. Glass balustrades can be used inside and outside buildings, in utility, housing and renovation projects.
The Kitemark™ for Balustrades, developed by BSI in December 2016, demonstrates that UNIQ balustrade profiles meet the requirements of BS 6180:2011 (Barriers in and about buildings Code of practice) and that the company has the quality control procedures and processes in place that guarantee the products have been manufactured to a consistently high standard.
“Glass balustrades fit perfectly in the current architecture of light and transparency but they are first and foremost a fall-through protection“, commented Bert Wijbenga, product developer at IMS Nederland. “BSI is a worldwide renowned institute. The BSI Kitemark for balustrades proves the quality and safety of our product. We distinguish ourselves from suppliers who are not allowed to use this symbol of trust, which makes it easy for users to choose the best product“, added Wijbenga.
IMS Nederland has successfully completed a factory audit and an onsite test audit and invested in independent testing to verify the design and manufacturing integrity of their UNIQ product range. An annual interim audit will be conducted by BSI to verify compliance.
“The BSI Kitemark is respected in the UK and many other countries as a quality mark. Therefore it is an important support for our market access and sales activities“, concluded Wijbenga.
Dave Hagenaars, BSI’s country manager in The Netherlands added: “We congratulate IMS Nederland with their achievement. The dangers of an unsafe balustrades are both financial and life threatening. Certification can therefore offer true value to consumer, businesses and to the entire supply chain“.