The American Composites Manufacturers Association (ACMA), the American Concrete Institute (ACI), and NEx: An ACI Center of Excellence for Nonmetallic Building Materials (NEx) have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop and deploy a new plant certification program.
The agreement sets the framework of an important partnership to establish certification for producers of fiber-reinforced polymer composite bars and tendons for use in concrete.
The program should comply with applicable requirements from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials’ (AASHTO’s) National Transportation Product Evaluation Program (NTPEP). It should also be developed under the auspices of a Standards Development Organization. This new certification program aims to accelerate the adoption and use of fiber-reinforced polymer composite bars and tendons.
“This endeavor challenges our industry to certify manufacturers to standards which future nonmetallic building materials can abide by,” said Jerzy Zemajtis, executive director of NEx. “NEx, ACMA, and ACI are committed to improving the protection of the health, safety, and welfare of the public at large and to facilitate the needs of the market, and this agreement is a major step in that direction.”
ACMA president and chief executive officer, Cindy L. Squires, Esq., added, “The plant certification program will expand opportunities for composites and establish clear standards for producers across the composites manufacturing industry.”
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