Endorsed work for a product that is always certified
Italvalvole® is perfecting its management system in the belief that improving organisation, reducing costs and maximising time are the most valuable tools for keeping up with new targets set by increasing competitiveness over the last few years. Italvalvole® felt it appropriate to provide its customers with some essential guarantees, subjecting its Quality Management System to the necessary tests and obtaining official recognition. Achieving this goal is a source of satisfaction but is not its end goal; Italvalvole® aspires to continuous improvement in every single business area to ensure complete customer satisfaction.
The UNI EN ISO 9001 Quality Management System is a certificate recognised internationally as the best standard in terms of organisational efficiency that is obtained from a notified body, which approves and monitors the quality system, carrying out inspections and performing product tests and controls.
The prerequisites of the standard apply to all business processes, from sales to purchase management, to production, etc. The processes must be recorded using appropriate documentation (quality manual, procedures, instructions) and all of the "quality" results in the company are recorded on designated forms (quality records).
The PED 2014/68/EU Directive applies to the design, construction and compliance testing of all equipment under pressure (subject to a maximum permissible pressure PS greater than 0.5 bar) and safety devices, such as safety valves, intended to protect the systems.
By virtue of their exceptionally important function, safety valves are classified as "Category IV" i.e. the highest risk category and the procedure for verification of compliance with the essential safety requirements (modules), described in detail in Annex III of the Directive, involves the application of Modules B +D where:
MODULE B (EC TYPE-EXAMINATION)
Having examined the technical documentation of the valves, and after taking part in the experimental tests, the notified body ascertains and declares that the safety valves assessed meet the requirements of the Pressure Equipment Directive which apply to them by issuing an EC type certificate.
MODULE D (QUALITY PRODUCTION WARRANTY)
The Management System for Quality, besides complying with the UNI EN ISO 9001 International Standard, must also guarantee that the product complies with the model under examination. The notified body approves and monitors the quality system by carrying out inspections without prior warning. Tests and inspections on the product are carried out on such occasions. Only after having successfully passed these checks can our safety valves be given the CE marking followed by the identification number of the notified body (Pascal Consortium no. 1115).
The 2014/34/EU Directive aims to guarantee free movement throughout the European Union of products intended for use in explosive atmospheres (ATEX). The Directive applies to equipment and protective methods intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres due to the presence of flammable substances in the form of gases, steam, mist or dust. As is foreseen in the Directive, the technical file is produced and deposited with the ICIM notified body.
Italvalvole® is the first company in Biella in the engineering industry that manufactures valves to have received FULL AEO certification (with high level of reliability "AA"), the status of Authorised Economic Operator created by the European Commission to facilitate the implementation of supply chain processes and trade flows and issued in Italy by the Customs Agency.
This recognition of exceptional reliability, achieved thanks to a specific inspection, allows for incoming and outgoing customs clearance to be streamlined, with subsequent benefits in terms of time and costs for EU and Non-EU customers and suppliers, as well as being a further solvency and security guarantee. In effect, Full AEO certification combines the features of the AEO Customs (customs simplifications) and AEO Security (security) certificates. This results in better relations with customs authorities, faster shipments, better communication between the parties in the logistics chain and fewer security issues. The AEOF certification is recognised at EU level and is the result of an agreement between the EU and the US that later included other countries (including Japan, Switzerland, Norway, Canada and China).
Italvalvole® received Authorised Exporter status (with customs authorisation no. IT/004/BI/15) from the Customs Agency. Thanks to this result, the company can continue with its goal of providing the best possible service in terms of savings. To this end, it can also issue a statement of long-term preferential origin (in accordance with Regulation (EC) no.1207/2001) that allows for reductions on customs duties.