COMPANY FOCUS: VJT SAFETY IN NUMBERS
As part of the industry’s ongoing push for higher product safety standards, Oliver Stanley visited VJ Technology’s UKAS accredited independent testing facility to get a first-hand look at what the company is doing to support safer construction.
V
JT, the Ashford based Fixings specialist and distributor, began operating 32 years ago and has since established itself as an expert in fixings and fastenings, supplying tier 1 – 4 construction companies and contractors. It’s main distribution point in Ashford has a trade counter, and keeps 14000 items in stock, ranging from wood screws to brick ties. The testing facility was set up to test VJT’s products by providing hand-arm vibration data, aided by two lab experts from the University of Southampton.
Since then, it has continued to collect data for use with both its own tools and those of its competitors, to make sure the necessary data was available to anyone wanting to make sure they had the right tool for the right job. The Southampton facility is overseen by technical director Steve Line, and leads the company’s ongoing push to improve product safety across the market.
Testing for Product safety The facility is set up for testing steel, various types of metals, timber, concrete, masonry, and other base materials, they specialise in testing fastenings on base materials for which test data has yet to be collected.
The lab is accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) as an on and off-site test house for concrete and masonry only, and the lab’s equipment, like the lab’s tensometer, is calibrated in accordance with testing obligations.
“Various contractors can approach us to obtain data where a product has not been assessed, and so we will agree on a testing method with the customer and test to ensure the fastener is appropriate for their project, ensuring its use will be safe within the engineers design methods” Line explains. “For concrete and masonry applications, the laboratory is UKAS accredited and testing is conducted in accordance with the ISO / IEC 17025 international standard, ensuring technical competence and impartiality.” The lab tests both national and international brands, testing against British & international standards in untested base materials to assure all testing is in line with said standards. Not all products are supplied with data appropriate for its intended use and this new information, makes sure products are suitable for a given load or structure.
The lab runs two main forms of test; testing for allowable resistance, and proof testing, which is used to test an installed fastening which may help identify any flaws in a planned installation. This Data is then made publicly available in a projects Construction (Design and Management) Document ensuring all Information is publicly available.
Certification
“Our facility plays a key role in developing on our vision of de-risking the construction and infrastructure supply chain.” Line Says, “We are proud members of the Builders Merchants Federation, early adopters and distributors under the Code for Construction Products Information, and an Active Technical Committee Member of the Construction Fixings Association, ensuring our practices align with the latest industry standards and innovations.“
The CCPI was developed by the Above: Steve Line and the team
Construction Products Association’s Marketing Integrity Group, and the core tenants are to ensure testing data is clear, accurate, up to date, unambiguous and accessible. VJT tests fasteners compliant to CFA guidance notes, and employs 28 CFA accredited testers.
August 2025
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net
Above: Nizar El-hag laboratory technician using the Tensometer to find a fixings allowable resistance.
Above:Steve Line sets up the Tensiometer for another test for an ongoing project.
Above:The Lab Team use a Tensiometer to find the maximum resistance of a fixing in concrete.
Line continues: “With over 50 years of collective experience, our team brings extensive expertise in testing fasteners, construction consumables, and non- assessed construction products, supporting quality assurance and product compliance. VJT invests significantly in employee training and development, reinforcing a culture that is committed, knowledgeable and passionate.” BMJ
Seasonal Trials
The Lab also partakes in seasonal challenges to test their testing methods in new ways, such as testing Christmas Crackers, party poppers and tinsel to see who can guess closest to the allowable resistance, and crushing Easter eggs under varying pressure, finding the peak of their pressure tolerance.
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