An update for Alco Material Suppliers in relation to Britain leaving the EU

As you will be aware the Brexit transition period ends on the 31st December this year. This means that from 1st January 2021, Alco will have to approach its compliance of the Pressure Equipment Directive (PED) differently. Most of these changes do not affect you.

However, there are some important changes to material certification requirements. The PED requirement is that material manufacturers of main pressure-bearing parts certifying material with 3.1 certificates must have an appropriate quality-assurance system (i.e. ISO 9001) certified by a competent body established within the Union. This means that the issuer of their ISO 9001 certificate must be a legal entity within the EU. This has not changed. However, as the UK will no longer be in the EU, any competent bodies (Lloyds, BV, DNV etc) based in the UK will no longer fulfil this requirement.

In most cases these competent bodies have established a legal presence in the EU and the change is simple. If you are a material manufacturer, please ensure that your quality system certificates meet these requirements, at the latest by 1 January 2021. If you purchase materials to be used on main pressure-bearing parts (generally bodies, adaptors (aka flanges), ends, bonnets, covers and bolting) to be used on valves above DN25, please ensure that the material manufacturer has a compliant ISO 9001 certificate for any parts that we receive after 1 January 2021.

We will be carrying out checks during our goods-receiving process to ensure that certification meets the requirements in full. This includes ISO certificates certified by a competent body based in the EU.

If you have any queries or would like to discuss any details, please do not hesitate to contact us here, or contact me directly via ron.strang@alco-valves.com

 

Eur Ing

Ron Strang

CEng FlMechE MBA

Group Technical Director
Alco Valves Group