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CKCA certification program continues to grow

By Richard Lipman
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CKCA by Caroline Castrucci
Caroline Castrucci is CP/Owner of Laurysen Kitchens Ltd. & President of Canadian Kitchen Cabinet Association. For more info email ccastrucci@laurysenkitchens.com

How do manufacturers differentiate their kitchen and bath cabinets from the range of imported products that vary in quality but consistently offer lower pricing? How confident are architects, designers and consumers when selecting cabinets for their bath, kitchen, closet or built-in wall system project?

In the past, no resource existed to allow cabinet manufacturers to back up their guarantees of quality, and the large selection of imported cabinets created a level of inconsistency that made it difficult for those involved to have confidence in their cabinet choices. Consumers look for quality assurance across the majority of large purchases, and this should be no different for their new kitchen.

The Construction and Material Testing Standard for Kitchen Cabinets and Vanities is a Canadian Kitchen Cabinet Association program that has set a national standard for cabinetmakers across the country. The program fills an industry need to differentiate Canadian-made cabinets from imported cabinetry, and is available to all active CKCA members in Canada.

Developed by a technical committee of key stakeholders with the Canadian kitchen industry, the standard is a result of the collective work of manufacturers, suppliers, housing authorities, environmental agencies, consultants and other experts in the field. This industry-led initiative has established a minimum standard that Canadian cabinet manufacturers can rely on.

The program offers manufacturers the opportunity to test and certify their cabinets, establishing a certification that will be recognized by architects, designers, builders and cabinet distributors. Cabinets will be tested in a Standards Council of Canada-recognized testing facility and certified as conforming to the minimum standards of quality under the Construction and Material Standards for Kitchen Cabinets and Vanities, 2008. Among other criteria, the program will certify to minimum standards the chemical resistance, joint integrity, static load, coating adhesion and closing impact of a member’s products.

The standards are published by the CKCA and are available for manufacturers to review. The standard applies to kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities and is used to gauge the performance of the construction and materials. Test methods outlined in this standard will simulate conditions when cabinets are installed as per manufacturer’s specifications. Minimum requirements for type and usage of raw materials and fasteners are also outlined. The test methods described in the standard simulate the ambient conditions and normal use, wear and maintenance of cabinets when used in normal application as specified by the manufacturer. This standard is not to be used to measure or certify safety requirements for kitchen cabinets and vanities.

The standard covers the scope, normative references, terms and definitions, general requirements and appearance, hardware requirements, general test conditions, structural tests, coatings and chemicals and installation, application and maintenance, as well as environmental requirements.

As a national trade association, we understand the need to deliver products to consumers in a timely and efficient manner. We want to help cabinet manufacturers achieve this goal in a way that will allow them to differentiate their products from the confusion of cabinets being sold across the country. National standards are an accepted measure of performance and product quality, encompassing practically every product or service that today’s consumer encounters. The CKCA standard provides consumers with information to make informed, confident decisions when renovating or purchasing a new home. Similar to other well-established certification programs, the program offers Canadian cabinet producers the opportunity to build consumer confidence with the promise of consistent quality products they can trust.

The benefits of the program include: building public trust and proving performance claims, raising market expectations for cabinet quality, creating a distinct image for certified cabinets with marketing tools that will include point-of-purchase identity materials, and selling more kitchens, vanities and wall and closet systems.

This made-in-Canada standard provides a new benchmark for the Canadian kitchen and vanity cabinet industry, developed as a homegrown solution to the problem of differentiating the proven quality of Canadian-made cabinets from the confusing array of varying imports. Filling this industry need, the program sets a recognized national standard for Canadian cabinetmakers. By participating in the certification program, CKCA members will have access to a new and effective marketing tool to boost consumer confidence and purchasing convenience.

For more information on the program and how to become a member, go to www.ckca.ca. There you will find certification guidelines, examples, engineering drawings and the program’s registration forms. You will also find the certified products list, which features a growing number of products manufactured by companies from British Columbia to Atlantic Canada.

 

Richard Lipman is president of the Wood Manufacturing Council

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