What Does Concrete Being ‘Accredited’ Mean?
At Madmix, all the ready-mix concrete which we produce at our Cambridgeshire base is accredited. But who by, and what does it mean? Here we explain the background to the system of accreditation – and why it means all our admixtures have to be of the same high quality.
What are Our Accreditations?
At Madmix, we have three accreditations – two for the concrete itself, and one for our management processes. These are as follows:
BS EN 206 – this relates to following best practice regarding the specification of the concrete we produce. This means it has to follow certain rules regarding its ingredients, and its resulting properties once these have been mixed together. BS EN 206 also covers other areas such as quality control and delivery. This certification is also recognised across Europe.
BS 8500-2 – This is a complementary standard to BS EN 206, covering much of the same ground, and applies to the UK only. It is in the process of being updated to accommodate admixtures which are more eco-friendly and help to reduce the UK’s carbon emissions. For instance, it will allow the concrete to contain more SCMs (supplementary cementitious materials) such as fly ash instead of Portland cement.
ISO 90001 – This accreditation applies to our management systems. Our factory production control, including our plant, personnel and equipment, and production processes all meet required quality standards.
It’s An Ongoing Process
Possession of these accreditations mean that we are allowed to use the BSI kitemark; but we, and our admixtures, are constantly being independently tested to ensure that our standards don’t slip, and that we can still supply kitemarked concrete. Specifically, the equipment we use (such as our weighing scales) as well as the quality of our ingredients are regularly checked.
In relation to ISO 90001, our management processes are also carefully checked, so independent experts will monitor an order all the way through – from the initial phone call to final delivery. Our staff training and record-keeping are also analysed.
For more details of what happens during the various testing processes, check out our previous blog here. If we fail to meet these high standards, then we run the risk of losing our accreditations.
What This Means for Our Concrete
Possession of these accreditations mean you can be sure that all the concrete you get from us will be of a consistently high quality – whether you want waterproof concrete, reinforced concrete, or a pumpable admixture. Put simply, it means that you can rely on our concrete to be strong and durable, and you won’t have any structural issues with your concrete many years down the line. This applies whether you need a base for a garden shed or patio, or for a major commercial project such as a housing development.
There are legal reasons why it is important, too – the National House Building Council insist that any concrete used in the construction of new homes must be accredited and meet the appropriate BSI standards. This rule applies to new Government buildings too.
Accredited Concrete in Cambridge from Madmix
If you would like to know more about any of our accredited concrete admixtures, follow this link and fill in the online form. You can also call us on 01954 212212 or email info@madmix.co.uk.
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