Aluminium profile manufacturer, Beaufort Secure has been accredited with the world famous BSI Kitemark for quality on all its window products.

As part of the process of establishing its product credentials, Beaufort has taken steps to be accredited with BS 7950 (the specification for enhanced security performance for domestic windows), which has to be supported by BS 4873 accreditation specifically for aluminium alloy windows.

In being awarded the Kitemark, Beaufort joins a select group which are prepared to voluntarily subject their companies and products to scrutiny by the British Standards Institute, acting as a third party testing and certification authority.

Meanwhile, the Kitemark is not a ‘licence for life’ far from it, to ensure retention of the Kitemark, regular assessments are carried out to check all the company’s original high standards are being adhered to. Failure can mean loss of the licence.

Commenting on this latest Beaufort success, Technical Manager, Russell Yates, said: “The benefits of Kitemarking accrue to our fabricator customers as well, of course. Their customers know that the profiles they are using are already amongst the best in the industry, but the credibility of the Kitemark puts this beyond doubt.”

This is no idle boast. Research carried out by the BSI indicates that 91% of those who are aware of the Kitemark Standard feel reassured of the quality of kitemarked products, whilst 69% are prepared to pay more for a Kitemarked product.

“Those figures alone indicate the high standing in which the Kitemark is held,” says Russell Yates, “and it confirms the correctness of our decision to put ourselves forward for accreditation.”

Beaufort’s initiative goes further than this, however. The company has set up a group scheme, whereby their fabricators have to prove they can manufacture their windows to the same standards Beaufort did when applying for the Kitemark licence. They can do this by duplicating Beaufort’s submissions, thus massively reducing the administrative burden. As a result, fabricators can become Kitemark licensees for a mere £2,000, compared with the £15,000 it cost Beaufort.

Kitemark licensees like Beaufort can make use of the Kitemark in a variety of ways, and these are set out on a CD called ‘Kitemark assets’. This contains a series of files that can be used to reinforce the brand message at every point of contact.

Whilst products marked with the Kitemark are the most obvious method of getting the message out into the market, the logo can be used on corporate stationery, point of sale and packaging, as well as in all other areas of publicity.

Welcoming Beaufort as new licence holder, Kevin Frewin, Product Specialist Construction Products at the BSI, said: “The Kitemark licence that Beaufort has received shows a determined commitment by them to benchmark themselves to the highest levels, and I’m confident it will help to grow their business even further. The highly stringent testing and assessment methods utilised by BSI, certify that their processes and products measure up to the standards that specifiers are increasingly looking for.”

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