FPInnovations and Benchmark Holdings, LLC team up to offer you comprehensive expertise and full-service certification support in one setting
As you may know, in 2023, all composite wood products either manufactured or imported into Canada will require a new certification. That can create a lot of confusion. For that reason, Benchmark Holdings, LLC and FPInnovations reached across the border with the ultimate goal in mind: give clients a complete solution for the best peace of mind.
Ultimately here’s what it means:
- Right now, US manufacturers and importers of composite wood products including hardwood and decorative plywood, medium density fiberboard and particleboard must conform to the formaldehyde emissions standards and certification requirements specified in CARB ATCM 93120 and EPA TSCA Title VI (40 CFR Part 770) regulations
- Beginning January 7, 2023, any composite wood products manufactured or imported into Canada will also need to meet CANFER regulations (Canada Formaldehyde Emissions from Composite Wood Products Regulation)
- Manufacturers of composite wood panels and laminated products can now take advantage of a best-in-class, one-stop-shop with country-specific expertise for the best possible outcomes.
Here are the details:
Benchmark Holdings, LLC (BMH) of Eugene, Oregon and FPInnovations in Canada have entered into a cooperative agreement to provide product certification, laboratory testing, and third-party inspection services to Canadian manufacturers of composite wood panels and laminated products according to CANFER, EPA TSCA Title VI and CARB ATCM 93120 regulations.
Together, it’s a win-win. The partnership between BMH and FPInnovations means Canadian manufacturers get access to Benchmark’s extensive product certification and laboratory testing services. It also means they get FPInnovations’ Canadian-based technical resources, auditing staff, and expertise for responsive, local, and cost-effective certification support. In addition, FPInnovations’ ISO/IEC 17025-accredited testing laboratory in Quebec City, Canada will offer formaldehyde quality control test services to Canadian manufacturers according to ASTM E1333, ASTM D6007, or ASTM D5582, thus saving manufacturers time and expense establishing costly on-site quality control test capabilities while helping to further expedite the certification process.
The benefit? The combination of Benchmark’s simple, cost-effective EPA, CARB, and CANFER product certification and qualification test program and FPInnovations expertise minimizes the time, effort, and cost needed for Canadian producers to achieve compliance. It also means producers can ensure their composite wood panels and laminated products are eligible for manufacture, import, and sale – both in Canada and the United States.
About FPInnovations
FPInnovations is a private, not-for-profit organization that specializes in the creation of solutions in support of the Canadian forest sector’s global competitiveness. It is ideally positioned to perform state-of-the-art research, develop advanced technologies, and deliver innovative solutions to complex problems for every area of the sector’s value chain, from forest operations to consumer and industrial products. FPInnovations’ R&D laboratories are located in Montréal, Quebec City, and Vancouver, and it has technology transfer offices across Canada. FPInnovations laboratories are accredited by Standards Council of Canada (SCC) under the ISO 17025:2017 Standard to perform testing using a wide variety of standardized test methods.
About Benchmark Holdings, LLC
Benchmark Holdings, LLC (BMH) is the leading provider of globally recognized product certification, laboratory test, and third-party inspection services to manufacturers of composite wood panels and laminated products located worldwide. BMH is accredited by International Accreditation Service (IAS) in accordance with ISO/IEC 17065, ISO/IEC 17025, and ISO/IEC 17020 according to CANFER, EPA TSCA Title VI, and CARB ATCM 93120 regulations, and is an EPA- and CARB-recognized Third-Party Certifier (TPC-2).
For more information regarding the BMH/FPInnovations EPA, CARB, and CANFER certification program or to receive a proposal for certification services, please contact either:
Jean-Francois Bouffard
Manager, Advanced Wood Materials at FPInnovations
418 781-6723
or
Chris Battin
Chief Technical Officer at Benchmark Holdings, LLC
541 484-9212
Source: FPInnovations
