In the end it's all about quality

Rick Odink is lead engineer at Kawneer, a systems house in the aluminum sector. The Organisation provides facade systems and components that their customers use to assemble the final product. In this interview, Rick talks about how standards play a central role in their day-to-day operations, product development and customer relationships.

What sector are you active in and what exactly do you do?

'We work in the aluminium sector and supply facade components. Our customers use them to build their facades: doors, windows, curtain walls, etc. You can compare it a bit with an Ikea system: we ensure that all components meet the standards, so that the customer can get started with them. That is what we do as a system house.'

How big is the organisation and what is your role within the Organisation ?

'In the Netherlands we have around 150 employees. With that we serve the entire Benelux. I am a lead engineer and work in the project department. Together with my colleague I manage the standards. Because we are very technically involved in projects and have a lot of customer contact, we have taken on that management. If a project-specific solution is needed, we can immediately check whether it meets the right standard.'

Which standards do you use and for what purposes?

'We mainly use product standards. Think of standards for fire resistance, burglary resistance, air tightness, water tightness, test methods … Both European and country-specific standards. We hardly use management standards. Everything revolves around the performance of our products and how they are tested and certified.

Standards play a role in our product development, certification and quality control. For example, in the case of regulations on joinery or curtain walls, we check whether our systems meet the most recent performance requirements. Test protocols are also woven into these standards.'

Who within the organisation uses standards?

'Various departments work with standards. For example, product management examines whether existing products still meet the latest requirements. Our department does the technical research, and our European development department also uses many standards. The use of standards is therefore widely supported within the Organisation .'

How did you come into contact with standards?

'Partly because it is legally required. But also because customers, especially for larger buildings or government projects, ask to work according to specific standards. In addition, my colleague is a real standards guru. He used to work at SKG-IKOB in the Netherlands and knows the standards world inside and out. And we also come into contact with new standards via suppliers and sector organizations.'

What are the most important reasons for you to work with standards?

'Quality and conformity are the most important reasons for us. If something is tested according to a standard and it meets the requirements, then you just know: it's good. Customers really appreciate that. It reduces risks and increases trust. For us, it's a way to offer guarantees. It's a clear foundation that you can build on together with the customer.'

Are there any challenges or obstacles when using standards?

'Certainly. A good example is the fire resistance standard that has been tightened in Europe. As a result, we had to redo about forty tests. That was quite a shock. Fortunately, we were prepared for it, but for many other companies it came as a surprise. You then notice that the knowledge is not the same everywhere, which makes implementing such a new standard more complex.'

Do you expect to use more standards in the future?

'Yes, absolutely. Especially when you see how well the fire resistance standard is now organised. We have made clear agreements with our customers: “You are allowed to build that in that way. We have tested and validated it that way.” In this way, we ensure together that the end product meets the requirements. You notice that the quality in such a process is guaranteed – exactly what the standard aims for.

I believe that we are increasingly moving in that direction: working together, coordinating and clearly recording how something should be produced. The entire chain is becoming more transparent and better controlled. I expect that standards will increasingly be applied in this way in the future, as a joint framework for quality and cooperation.'

What is your experience of using the NBN standards platform?

'Very positive. I search for a standard, type it in, it appears, I download it and can continue. Super user-friendly! The search function works well and you can see immediately whether you have already downloaded something or whether an update is available. Very handy.'

Have you already contacted NBN employees?

'Yes, I once had a login problem. I called and was helped quickly and well. They stayed with it until it was solved. That was a pleasant experience.'

Do you have any suggestions for NBN to support SMEs even better?

'I was thinking of training courses like the SKG-IKOB in the Netherlands. They explain how to apply a standard in practice. Because sometimes you read a standard and you don't understand it right away. When you discuss it together, everything falls into place. The differences between Belgian and Dutch standards also require some explanation.'

How important is sustainability to you? organisation ?

'Sustainability is very important. We perform analyses such as the LCA (life cycle analysis) to calculate the environmental impact of our products. These figures are important, for example to map the CO2 emissions. In addition, we adapt our ATG (declaration of suitability for use) in Belgium and include all updates. Thanks to standards, you know exactly how to calculate the environmental impact and you can compare products fairly.'

Are you also involved in standards development?

'In the Netherlands, yes, via the VMRG, the trade association. If a new standard is being developed, we are allowed to read it and provide feedback. In Belgium, this is done via the FAAC, but we are no longer part of it.'

How do you see the role of standards in the future?

'That will only get bigger. Customers want to see in black and white that a product meets the standards. It is a guarantee. And that need will only increase. Standards ensure that you can guarantee quality, and that is ultimately what it is all about.'

‍