Styrodur® receives the Q mark as a seal of quality
The new certification mark is awarded to products that meet the high quality requirements such as moisture resistance, weathering resistance and pressure resistance. Styrodur® thus meets the highest quality standards for XPS insulation materials.
The cooperation and quality criteria
In order to ensure the high quality of extruded foam on the German market, BASF, together with other XPS manufacturers, has entered into a cooperation of the Forschungsinstitut für Wärmeschutz und e.V. München (FIW). The cooperation agreement was already signed on 22.01.20. The aim is to replace the obsolete surveillance mark (Ü mark) with a voluntary quality seal. The newly registered certification mark "Q-Mark" will only be awarded after extensive product testing. FIW is an accredited and thus independent partner that tests and certifies the quality criteria.
After passing the initial test, the certification body issues certificates confirming compliance with the requirements of the type approvals and the underlying ETA. This entitles the manufacturer to use the Q mark on its labels and product documentation for the corresponding products and type approvals. For Styrodur®, the suitability and reliability as an insulation material could be established, which is why the product labels may bear the Q mark in the future.
The test procedure
A prerequisite for the use of the Q mark is a certification of the XPS insulation materials that includes a partially unannounced inspection of the manufacturing plants at least twice a year. During these factory inspections, products are taken for product testing. This means that the certification body randomly selects samples from the stock and marks them with a tamper-proof seal. At the accredited testing centre, these samples are subjected to extensive testing.
Styrodur® has successfully undergone this test procedure and will therefore in future bear the Q mark on its labels, which ensures the trustworthiness of the product performance.