Following the final report by Dame Judith Hackitt in May 2018, a consultation paper was issued in January 2021 by the Marketing Integrity Group of the Construction Products Association (CPA) entitled ‘Construction Product Information (Better Data, Safer Building)’. This valuable document is available in full online on the Building Safely website https://buildingsafely.co.uk.
The CPA has now set out a Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI), containing 11 clauses, which sets out that manufacturers’ product and performance information must be clear, accurate, up-to-date, accessible and unambiguous, in order to be trusted.
Here we’ve recapped the main points and their positive impact on both manufacturers and merchants, based on our experience with our clients, to show the immense value and opportunity of supporting the Code:
Information creation relating to construction products
Manufacturers and suppliers must have a documented sign-off process in place to create product information, as well as a formal version control process, and to use and embrace plain English.
For specifiers and architects as well as merchants and their PIM’s, the need to provide product information to help them specify the correct building products is paramount. With strong version control, upgrades to products and the process of superseding products and managing the stock levels will be clearer, as will the benefits of the new products being introduced.
Core information to support construction products
The need to provide specific information regarding compliance to/achievement of certification, classification or industry standards, in addition to providing verifiable product performance claims is set out in detail within the Code.
To support this, the descriptive and physical characteristics of the construction product should be made available on the manufacturer’s website and the product information should be consistent with the product being supplied.
For specification teams, this will allow even greater transparency of the product’s features and benefits to be seen by architects, resulting in the correct products being used. It also creates an opportunity to address the current challenge of having to provide product information multiple times to multiple parties.
For merchants, this will allow consistent product information to be provided over an omni-channel approach using PIM to ensure that trade counter, internal and external staff have the same consistent information available for their valued customers to help them find the right solution.
Associated information for construction products
Clear information on the handling, installation, operation and maintenance and disposal of construction products must be easily accessible and published on manufacturers’ websites.
The Code also sets out the need for information relating to guarantees and warranties to be shown on the manufacturer’s website, including what is covered or excluded, in a format recognised by the industry.
This creates the opportunity for manufacturers to be proactive in addressing potential returns and for merchants to help support their customers, typically alongside manufacturers’ reps, with understanding how to best use the product including its handling, installation and, for Facilities Managers, to better understand the operation, maintenance and disposal within their CAFM (computer aided facilities management) systems.
Support and competence for construction products
Technical helpline contact details must be visible on a manufacturer’s website, and there must be a robust training programme (for existing and new personnel) to ensure that anyone conveying product information is competent to the level required for their role.
For manufacturers, this creates the opportunity to leverage existing technical product training and e-learning schemes (as well as creating new ones) and provide a channel to reach installers and end users to help them understand the technical aspects of their products.
Similarly, for merchants, it will provide the opportunity to partner even closer with their manufacturers, to help their customers to understand and use construction products more fully.
For both manufacturers and merchants, the CCPI will ensure that as an industry, we deliver the aims set out in the Building a Safer Future report and improve the communication of construction product information to both our industry peers and our customers.
If you would like to talk to us, informally and in confidence, to understand how we can help you and develop your business, please contact info@moorgatemanagement.com or call Chris Maityard on 07767 291379.