INDUSTRY NEWS
THE CMA IS ON TRACK The Concrete Manufacturers’ Association (CMA) NPC recently conducted a number of well-attended member feedback sessions and quality assurance workshops around the country.
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The meetings were presented by CMA executive director Frans Minnaar and Christo van Zyl, general manager of the newly-formed precast concrete quality assurance certification company, CMA Certification Services. In introducing Van Zyl, Minnaar said there was huge interest in CMA Certification Services, and although the company has only begun operating, he mentioned that several applications for the CMA product certification had already been received and that he anticipated rapid growth as soon as the new company was officially launched. New company CMA Certification Services will be run as an entirely separate entity, focusing solely on certification audits. The CMA’s normal promotion of precast concrete will not be affected in any way. Apart from informing members about the CMA Certification Services of fering, the workshops were held to answer questions and address members’ concerns. Minnaar advised that the CMA mark is not exclusive to CMA members, which means any precast concrete manufacturer can ap-
and the revision of existing
has applied to the South African National
standards in close collabora-
Standards Authority (SANAS) for SANS
tion with associations such as
17065 accreditation. Although SANS
the CMA. SABS also provides its
17065 accreditation is only required by
own certification services.
certification entities which audit regulated products such as cement, the fact
ply for certification. However, CMA Certification Services activities will
Quality certification
that CMA Certification Services will be
be restricted to the precast concrete
In providing an alternative certification
SANS 17065-accredited lends consider-
industry and CMA members will qualify
service, CMA Certification Services will
able weight to its auditing competency
for fee discounts.
comply with SANS 17065, the national
and impartiality.
Van Zyl explained that all national
standard for certification bodies and it
Moreover, tender requirements will
specifications belong to SA and are re-
not be affected by the new CMA Product
ferred to as SANS specifications, as op-
Certification Mark, as it will comply with
posed to the period prior to 1994, when
all the requirements for a certification
all specifications were owned by the SA
body. There will be no difference between
Bureau of Standards and were referred
the CMA Mark of Approval and those of
to as SABS specifications. However, the
other certification providers and it will
bureau is still used by the Department of
enjoy the same level of competence as
Trade & Industry as a publisher of SANS
any other certification body.
specifications and a service provider.
Van Zyl advised that CMA Certifi-
For example, although it no longer owns
cation Services will be conducting an
the standards, SABS is still very much involved in the drafting of new standards
PRECAST | ISSUE TWO | 2016
(Above): CMA executive director Frans Minnaar during his feedback presentation in Cape Town.
extensive marketing strategy to alert all precast concrete role-players and