2016: a year of communication

The ACERMI website is getting more content to provide the most comprehensive possible source of information about certification and certified products.

Standout new features include: the search engine with a thermal resistance search option, the insulation certification process video, and two functions to receive automatic updates listing the most recently awarded certificates.

The search engine available from the ACERMI homepage by clicking on the 'Search certified product' tab now offers the option to search by thermal resistance, which is the benchmark most commonly used by trade professionals and users. Simply set the minimum level required by moving the cursor of a rule graduated from 0 to 10 to display the list of corresponding products. The search can be narrowed down by selecting a product family and/or manufacturer.

To receive regular news updates and the list of recently awarded certificates, website users can register for newsletters and the RSS feed directly from the homepage. This allows web users to subscribe to whichever resource best meets their needs, and receive it as frequently as they wish: quarterly for the ACERMI & Professionals newsletter and recently awarded certificates, or daily for the RSS feed.

The ACERMI insulation certification process video explains every stage of the ACERMI procedure, from application to award, to highlight why certification is important for insulation products, and the independence, transparency and objectivity of certification awarded by a third-party specialist. It also provides a reminder of the ACERMI organizational structure (governance details are also provided elsewhere on the website: http://www.acermi.com/qui-sommes-nous/gouvernance/). Available in French and English, its clear message offers Acermi mark holders a communication resource they can link to from their own websites.

Acermi mark holders will also be offered other banners they can use to link to the Acermi thermal resistance search engine from their own websites. These resources will help to raise the profile of Acermi among specifiers, at the same time as promoting manufacturers.

Continual progress

2015 saw an increase in the total number of ACERMI valid certificates from 683 in 2014 to 749 in 2015. During the year, the number of certificate-holding companies rose to 118 (39 of them outside France), compared with 100 in 2014 (41 outside France), and the number of certified production plants increased to 144 from the previous year's 141 (74 outside France).

The influx of biosourced insulation materials (which now account for 13% of certificates and have increased in importance year-on-year since 2006) and insulation materials certified under the Springboard Guidelines (2.4% in 2015, compared with 0.3 in 2013) has changed the breakdown. Traditional insulation materials continue to be developed through innovation, with the number of certificates remaining unchanged or increasing slightly, despite voluntary withdrawals of some products in these families. An uncompromisingly dynamic benchmark that covers all insulation products.

There were no suspensions or compulsory withdrawals of certificates during the year, and those that were withdrawn were discontinued at the request of the manufacturers concerned. The number of additional audits fell to 19 in 2015, compared with 21 in 2014, reflecting the serious approach to certification adopted by manufacturers.

The ACERMI 2015 Annual Report is available online from www.acermi.com in the Publications / Annual Reports section of the website.