CE Marking and the importance of Topciment products having it

The decorative systems and products we manufacture that require CE Marking have it. A badge that legitimises that we make and sell what we claim to make and sell. A seal without which we would not be able to market our products with full guarantees within the European territory.

A distinction that is compatible with the ISO 9001:2015 certificate and that has recently been given to us by the same company that has ratified the documents and tests required to obtain the CE Marking. Below, we explain what this symbol consists of, its purpose and use, the mechanism for obtaining it and the Topciment® products that have it.

What is CE Marking and what is it for?

The CE Marking is a symbol that certifies that the product marketed, or to be marketed in the future, has passed an exhaustive evaluation procedure and that it satisfies a series of requirements regarding manufacture, design, safety and health set out in a safety regulation established by the European Union.

These conditions are set by the European Union for certain products in the construction sector, but not all of them, and without complying with them, their distribution is totally illegal. For this reason, it is essential to obtain the CE Marking before these products are marketed and put into service. Not all companies comply with these regulations, but Topciment® systems do. This is the best guarantee for customers that we only develop and sell products of the highest performance that meet the criteria stipulated by the EU. A seal that is complemented by the ISO 9001:2015 certificate, because one cannot be given without the other, which is why we can proudly say that we hold both.

A label that must be visible to the recipient of the product or customer at all times. It must be present on the product or on a label attached to it; sometimes it can also be on the packaging itself or on the accompanying documents. In terms of the information to be revealed by the CE marking, beyond data on the manufacturer and the product itself, there is the reference number of the applied DoP, ENh or EAD.

Which products are CE marked?

Not all products are obliged to meet the demands of the European Union and obtain CE marking, only those that are affected in one way or another by a specific regulation or directive. The responsibility for checking whether or not the product in question is CE marked rests solely with the manufacturer. In this respect, we at Topciment® are fully aware of this competence and assume and exercise it as such.

It is important to note that, in the hypothetical case of a product consisting of several components or individual parts that have their own CE marking, an overall CE marking is not automatically acquired. For this, it will be necessary to go through the relevant evaluation process by the manufacturer or laboratory that is so accredited and can corroborate that the product complies with European safety regulations. An analysis that will be much quicker when using products that have previously passed this examination.

How to obtain CE Marking: procedure to follow

There are sometimes several regulations and options available to the manufacturer to acquire one type of CE marking or another. Once the type of CE marking has been chosen, the product(s) must be subjected to an assessment procedure by an external company qualified to do so.

This company, which is competent to do so because it has been stipulated by the European Commission, carries out all the relevant tests and checks. Afterwards, another equally competent organisation, authorised by the European institutions, certifies whether or not the requirements for obtaining the CE marking have been met.

Types of CE Marking in the construction sector

Since 1 July 2013, it has been compulsory for manufacturers and importers to apply the CE marking to products in the construction sector that are covered by any of the following standards: either by a harmonised standard (ENH) drawn up by the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) or by a European Technical Assessment (ETA) carried out by the bodies authorised to carry out this task.

This is mandatory under the Construction Products Regulation (CPR) No. 305/2011. A regulation that aims to remove any technical barriers to the marketing of construction products by ensuring that publicly available information on the performance of construction products is fully practicable.

1. Declaration of Performance (DoP)

The Declaration of Performance is a document in which the manufacturer of the construction product in question assures, thus assuming responsibility, that the declared performance of the product is true. A document that grants transparency and that is essential to be able to place the product on the market, since the CE marking can only be affixed to those products for which such a declaration of performance has been issued in accordance with articles 4 and 6 of the Construction Regulation No. 305/2011. In other words, if the DoP is not packaged, the CE marking cannot be affixed.

It is important to note that there are some exceptions to compliance with the DoP and CE marking:

When it is a single product, not manufactured in series, for a specific work and is subject to national standards and laws.

When the product has been manufactured on the same site where it is to be applied.

When the construction product does not require an industrial process to be manufactured and therefore does not endanger heritage conservation.

2. European Technical Assessment (ETA)

On the other hand, there is the European Technical Assessment (ETA). A document that informs about the performance of a construction product, linked to its main characteristics. The ETA can be issued in either of two cases: if the product is not, or at least not fully, covered by a harmonised standard at European level (ENh); and when the evaluation mechanisms and criteria are already reflected in the European Assessment Document (EAD).

The certification of the performance of a construction product can be of up to four types:

1. System 1+: manufacturer and certification and control body verify the product and each batch.

2. System 1: as above but the certified body will not carry out tests by testing samples taken before the product is placed on the market.

3. System 2+: as above but without the determination of the product type on the basis of type testing (including sampling), type calculations, product descriptive documentation, etc.

4. System 3: the manufacturer will carry out an on-site production control and the testing laboratory will carry out the determination of the product-type on the basis of type testing. That is to say, based on samples of the product manufactured by the manufacturer.

5. System 4: Same as above with one variation; the validation tests will be carried out by the manufacturer himself and not by a notified external laboratory.

In the case of Topciment®, our CE Marking and the DoP are carried out according to System 3. Tecnalia, a leading Research and Technological Development Centre in Europe, has been the company in charge of carrying out the relevant tests with samples of our products in its laboratories. Tests with satisfactory results that Bureau Veritas, leaders in testing, inspection and certification services, have validated by granting CE marking to the decorative systems and related products that we manufacture.

CE Marking: the best guarantee of quality for Topciment products

Very few companies can prove that they are innovative SMEs, that their products have the CE Marking and that all the internal processes they carry out comply with the standards set by ISO 9001:2015. We do, and that is the best guarantee of the quality of our products.

Due to the particularity of the decorative systems we manufacture, and as there is no specific standard to which they adhere, we classify them within the framework of Standard 1504-2:2005 as it is the one that best suits the application process of our continuous decorative coatings.

A Standard that includes in detail the elaboration of a series of compulsory tests to determine the performance of the same, specifically for the protection of concrete:

Permeability to water vapour (UNE EN ISO 7783:2019).

Permeability to liquid water (UNE EN 1062-3:2008)

Permeability to CO2 (UNE EN 1062-6:2003)

Adhesion by direct traction (UNE EN 1542:2000)

Abrasion resistance (UNE EN ISO 5470-1-2017)

Resistance to impact (UNE EN ISO 6272-1:2012)

As an extra, other tests on compression, bending, fire resistance, etc. can be carried out. Tests that are not compulsory as they are not included in the applicable standard, but which contribute to the credibility and guarantees of the product or system.

At Topciment® we have tested all the decorative systems, obtaining CE Marking for Sttandard, Efectto Quartz, Evoluttion; Industtrial and Natture, the two latest additions, are currently being analysed in order to follow in the footsteps of the previous ones. Other related products such as Presealer, Topsealer, Acricem and Primapox, among others, are also available.