OREANDA-NEWS. OAO Gomelstroymaterialy is the first Belarusian civil engineering company to acquire a European quality certificate for its merchandise (mineral cotton insulating boards) and the right to use CE labels, head of the company’s technical inspection department Igor Starostenko told media on May 15.

After it was verified that the products are compliant with modern requirements and their physical and mechanical qualities match those of foreign competitors, a decision was taken to acquire a European compliance certificate and the right to use CE labelling, said the source. The compliance with European standards is one of the conditions for using CE labels.

The company has done a lot of retooling, introducing testing methods in line with European standards, has bought the lab equipment it lacked, has taken measures to increase inspection effectiveness, with test results registered at all stages from raw stock to ready-made products. The company uses a quality management system compliant with STB ISO 9001 as well as the ecological management system compliant with STB ISO 14001.

Since 2006 following an instruction of the Architecture and Construction Ministry Stroitekhnorm company has been transferring and gradually introducing international and European standards for construction materials and products the company makes. In particular, all tests outlined by the standard EN 13162 “Mineral wool products” have been performed.

The technical examination and auditing of the products was carried out by the Czech Technical and Testing Building Institute in Prague. The institute tested all samples, arranged an onsite inspection of the manufacturing technology and the quality management system. Samples of Belarusian mineral wool boards were taken for similar tests at Czech centres. The results proved the competitive ability of the products one more time. Fire response tests granted the top A1 class to the Belarusian boards. The products have been tested successfully and the company has been issued a compliance certificate.

The European certificate will allow boosting the company’s export, stressed Igor Starostenko.