TECHNICAL excellence combined with innovative designs, materials of the highest standards and meticulous attention to detail have long been seen as the defining characteristics of Germany manufacturing quality around the world. It is precisely these characteristics that architects, consultants, and contractors are recognising in EJOT fasteners and specifying them for some of the most prestigious and iconic construction projects in the region including King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah, King Abdullah Petroleum Research and Studies Centre (Kapsarc) in Riyadh, King Abdullah Sports City (KASC) near Jeddah (all in Saudi Arabia, New Doha International Airport (Hamad International Airport) in Qatar, Cleveland Clinic in Abu Dhabi, UAE, according to Dirk Homrighausen, managing director of EJOT Middle East.

Indeed, Homrighausen is particularly pleased about having secured Kapsarc and KASC as both these projects are being developed under the aegis of Saudi Aramco, an organisation which has “always bought the highest quality products and systems for its projects”, he notes.

However, EJOT goes well beyond the ‘guarantee’ implied by its German engineering excellence and even the generic warranties offered by its competitors by giving explicit, real world, project-specific warranties for all its products.

Homrighausen points out that the demands placed on construction products and the utilisation of lighter, leaner structural components with increasing diversity in modern methods of construction, all add up to give the designer a greater need for quality connections.

Kapsarc ... prestigious order for EJOT.

“That means reassurance of performance from ‘pre’ and ‘post’ sales support, technical back-up from performance data and specific application testing, both in the laboratory and on site,” he says.

The relevance and effectiveness of warranties is sometimes questioned but at EJOT, its philosophy is to provide the best possible warranty that is project-specific and endorsed by years of experience. This point is key – as one of Europe’s leading manufacturers it means that tried-and-tested components it uses can be traced back to the raw materials, with the knowledge that every process is carefully monitored.

But why should EJOT offer a project specific warranty and not just a generic warranty?

Homrighausen is quick to answer: “Generic warranties have their place and can give exceptional cover for products and services when used as the manufacturer/provider intended, and this is covered in the terms of the guarantee. But fastening components require a different approach because the component acts in conjunction with the materials being secured in a wide range of applications and environments; it is virtually impossible to cover these variances within a generic warranty and so we offer our project-specific warranties.”

Documented guidance of the life expectancy of fasteners is available within the NFRC (National Federation of Roofing Contractors) Blue Book and detailed in the MCRMA (Metal Cladding and Roofing Manufacturers Association) technical paper 12, which highlight the differing performance criteria for a wide range of fastener and application materials and environments, Homrighausen explains. However, while that is good up to a certain extent, it is not sufficient to completely cover the complexity of the projects and applications that EJOT undertakes on a regular basis, he points out.

“Warranties need to reflect these documents to maintain industry standards and to be able to offer guarantees that are suitable for the building applications, building usage and environmental conditions that can vary dramatically,” Homrighausen continues. “The project-specific warranty also gives reassurance that it reflects the changing construction methods, performance and environmental conditions as an endemic part of the warranty application process, rather than waiting for a periodic review that would be required for a generic warranty.”

Homrighausen also indicates that the other aspect to be considered by any warranty is access to the full spectrum of support processes, and the evaluation expertise required to back up the document. Without the knowledge that this support is in place, the full force of the warranty cannot be accessed.

“The knowledge that replacement fasteners are available on the shelf is one thing but you also have to have good access to site services, analytical and laboratory testing and access to a wealth of experience not only of the fastening product and its manufacturing processes, but of industry and application knowledge,” he explains. “Batch traceability is another important aspect of any warranty. An understanding of the full manufacturing process from raw materials to final product and being able to access the information and route of any product through this system, is not just important to locate any potential problem, but to improve and evolve products. This needs to be a fundamental part of any guarantee as a continued process of improvement especially when – as is the case with EJOT – it is backed up with EN ISO 9001:2008 quality management systems, Deutsches Institute für Bautechnik (German Institute for Building) Zulassung and ETA (European Technical Approvals).

In order to ensure ‘the quality connection’, EJOT has Applitec testing laboratories in Germany, France, Turkey and the UK. The new purpose-built Applitec Centre in the UK now forms part of a complete conference and hospitality suite at the company’s base at Sherburn-in-Elmet, near Leeds.

These facilities play a key role in ensuring the integrity of its fastening products, as Homrighausen says: “Technical excellence is at the heart of EJOT’s policy worldwide and every year, thousands of assembly solutions for globally recognised products are tested by Applitec – both at the UK, France and Turkey sites and at its parent facilities at Bad Laasphe and Bad Berleburg, Germany. This work provides valuable data on strengths and fastener capability for a multitude of sectors: automotive, pharmaceuticals, white goods, security and defence... and of course building and construction.”

The application areas in all EJOT Applitec centres boast an impressive array of machinery that will assist in ascertaining the forces exhibited during the construction of an engineered joint. These facilities offer performance and installation testing across both construction, engineering and automotive areas. This equipment supports Applitec’s ‘human’ knowledge base, which is tasked to develop fastener technology and support customers with their existing, current and future fastening systems.

Experience gained from application testing is paramount in understanding the physical and environmental performance of connections, which is essential in the development of new fastening techniques. A typical example of this development work is the EJOT Opticore fastener range, which was developed primarily for the securing of Kingspan’s Topdek membrane-faced composite panels. In this instance, performance, thermal and installation testing were key factors in producing a solution to meet the rigorous demands and design criteria that met the UK-based company’s own portfolio of products and associated components.

“Working closely with OEMs, engineers and system suppliers – together with the unique EJOT Applitec testing laboratories throughout Europe – make that quality connection between the support and the warranty document.

“In other words, we believe it is time to recognise that the true value of a warranty is the key to long-term support and commitment. In our case, that means giving the customer a promise that is backed by German engineering and ingenuity,” Homrighausen concludes.