Steel & Tube is fully confident that the welded wire reinforcing mesh products supplied to customers is in full compliance with appropriate standards, and the test certificates are not misleading.
Steel & Tube CEO Dave Taylor says Steel & Tube follow a robust testing regime that ensures a compliant product that satisfies the requirements of the seismic code.
Steel & Tube is reiterating its confidence in its products following media suggestions that Steel & Tube has been selling earthquake reinforcing mesh falsely certified as having been tested by a top testing laboratory.
In recent days, Steel & Tube has become aware that the name of an independent building product testing laboratory, Holmes Solutions, has appeared at the very bottom of batch testing certificates.
“The Holmes Solutions logo sits underneath the names of two Steel & Tube employees – our factory manager and our compliance tester, who take responsibility for the validation of our test results,” says Mr Taylor.
He says Steel & Tube fully accepts the retention of the Holmes Solutions logo on the bottom of the test certificates was an oversight, and that the company has since acknowledged the mistake and apologised to Holmes Solutions.
Mr Taylor says Holmes Solutions helped Steel & Tube set up the testing regime and set up the test certificate templates when the company originally developed the testing programme for welded wire reinforcing mesh four years ago.
“Steel & Tube in no way intended to mislead customers, and has acknowledged the error, and has removed the logo from the test certificate template.”
“We firmly stand by our product and are fully confident in our in house testing results,” says Mr Taylor.
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About Steel & Tube
Steel & Tube is New Zealand’s leading supplier of steel products and services. It has a nationwide service and distribution network in 56 locations and is listed among the top 50 companies on the New Zealand Stock Exchange. It caters to numerous sectors across the New Zealand economy including commercial and residential construction, manufacturing, rural and heavy and light engineering. Its product range includes the Hurricane, Atlas, ComFlor and Fortress brands.
For more information: Tanya Katterns, S&T Communications Manager: 021 573 874