Platform on window, door, frame technology, hardware, roof and facade technology, security
In each of these areas, the federation has achieved great results and created added value for its members through various initiatives in recent years. FAC Director Ilse Claeys explains some concrete actions below.
One of your goals at FAC is to represent the collective interests of your members (and by extension, the entire industry). Can you give an example of that?
A nice recent advocacy success to which we have contributed is the decision by the Flemish educational authorities to give aluminum joinery a full place in the curricula of technical courses. We are extremely happy about this. For years, we have been working to change the content of the exterior joinery training, which today focuses almost exclusively on wood. Due to the absence of aluminum in the curricula, our companies lack a pool of graduates who are well versed in the material. This makes vacancies for qualified carpenters - for workshop or placement services - difficult to fill. A major problem for an industry in full expansion. The new curricula will contribute to a solution.
In addition to the definition of the Professional Qualification File Exterior Joiner Aluminum/Metal, the standard pathway for Exterior Joiner Aluminum/Metal dual (Specialization Year bso - Se-n-Se after OK3) was approved in early May. Specifically, from September 2022, schoolchildren will be able to train as an Exterior Joiner aluminum/metal through dual learning - combination of school and practice in a company - and from September 2024, there will be a 7th year specialization year aluminum/metal in vocational education.
Your members can also count on the federation to defend their views on certain topics in committees, working groups or before official bodies.
That's right. A recent example concerns CE marking, for which the Federal Public Service (FPS) Economy is currently carrying out inspections of joiners and manufacturers of windows and doors, including FAC members. In this regard, the FPS Economy is using an interpretation of the Construction Products Directive that does not correspond to the legal advice we have obtained, which says that companies that do both production and installation do not have to comply with the Construction Products Directive. In order to guide our members in this matter, we are holding discussions with the Bouwunie, the Confederatie Bouw and the WTCB to arrive at a common position and enter into consultation with the FPS Economy, with hopefully a positive outcome.
One of the basic activities of FAC remains the follow-up and pooling of knowledge for the industry, which you share with your members through the Quality Handbook, among others.
In January 2022, we will indeed publish the fifth, revised version of our Quality Manual, which contains a wealth of up-to-date information, standards and advice on the various aspects of aluminum joinery and facade construction. The manual has since become a real reference work for architects, structural engineers and suppliers, from the design office to the construction site, and is increasingly prescribed in specifications. It supports us in our belief that our work adds value, for our members and for the sector in general.
FAC compiles all the latest information on standards in its biennial Quality Handbook, which can be downloaded at www.fac-belgium.eu
