SFS Strengthens Commitment To Product Clarity And Compliance Under CCPI

Here Gordon Hines, UK Technical Manager at SFS Group Fastening Technology Ltd, discusses how the company is aligning its technical services and product information with the expectations of the Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI).

Since the publication of the Hackitt Review in 2018, the construction industry has been on a journey of cultural and procedural change. The subsequent Building Safety Act has brought greater definition to those requirements by placing a clear responsibility on manufacturers and main contractors to ensure accurate, transparent, and traceable product data throughout every stage of a project.

As a leading producer of advanced fixings and cladding support systems, SFS has embedded these principles at the heart of its Technical Services function. The team has been fully engaged on refining the company’s product information systems and internal processes to ensure customers, partners, and specifiers can access consistent, verified data that supports compliance with the CCPI 

There is, undoubtedly, still a level of confusion amongst some specifiers, many of whom are still encountering the Building Safety Act for the first time as they take on buildings over 18 metres high. Despite having extensive product data online and within our databases, the challenge remains helping design professionals manage the breadth of expertise now required from roof and thermal building envelope performance and fire safety to architectural quality.

Gordon leads a national team of ten technicians based in both Leeds and Welwyn Garden City, and field technicians operating across the UK. Together, they work closely with customers and design consultants to provide guidance, not only on product performance, durability, and compliance, but also on how project-specific requirements can be met.

“Our work is often reactive, especially around rainscreen system design where projects are highly bespoke,” continues Gordon. “We also perform extensive in-house testing of new roofing and façade systems from OEM's using our Leeds facility, while our site technicians routinely carry out pull-out tests and structural investigations across the country. The results we collect allows us to deliver fixing calculation proposal that help to meet performance standards.”

Amongst my other roles, I represent SFS on industry committees and bodies including the Metal Cladding & Roofing Manufacturers Association (MCRMA). Within the MCRMA, I contribute to ongoing initiatives that promote improved competency, training, and installation standards within the sector.

“Building safety starts with knowledge,” he concludes. “We fully support the industry’s focus on training and competency development not just on visible aspects of façade and roofing systems but on the subtleties, such as designing for movement and tolerances. It’s those details that make the difference between compliance and risk, and our role is to help ensure every project gets it right.” For further information, call 0330 0555888 or visit https://uk.sfs.com