Nigel Blacklock, Technical Director at Bauder talks about confidence in construction products information

How confident can you really be in the product information you’re relying on? It’s a question that has haunted our industry for too long. If contractors, specifiers, and clients can’t trust what’s written in brochures, datasheets, or websites, then how can they make informed decisions? This is exactly where the Code for Construction Products Information (CCPI) comes in and why it represents such an important shift for all of us.

The CCPI is the construction products industry way of demonstrating that it is putting its own house in order. One of the major benefits for both manufacturers and government is having accurate information, without hyperbole, that people can genuinely rely on. There’s a clear advantage for manufacturers who follow CCPI rules as this can strengthen their reputation, while customers and specifiers have the reassurance that the information provided is reliable.

Of course, compliance doesn’t come without its challenges. Set up by the Construction Products Association, CCPI sets out 11 rules that manufacturers must meet to show they have been properly assessed. At Bauder, we were one of the early adopters. We took part in the pilot scheme and were among the very first to achieve a CCPI mark.

The key to this success was ensuring all our staff understood the requirements for accuracy and product safety. We also had to tighten up the way we described products, removing exaggerated claims and embedding clearer language throughout our collateral. Once everyone in the business was on board, it became much easier to apply the code consistently.

To be verified, information must be clear, accurate, up-to-date, accessible, unambiguous.  Verification is not about the brand as a whole but focuses on a product-by-product approach.  Having access to accurate, upfront information simplifies the specification process.

Awareness is just as important as compliance. It’s one thing for manufacturers to have CCPI-accredited products, but another for the wider industry to ask for it.  Main contractors and architects can now sign up as CCPI supporters, and the more they do, the stronger the momentum becomes. When more people demand it, those manufacturers who have not got involved and sat on the sidelines will come under pressure to step up.

One of the most positive outcomes of CCPI has been the way it has engaged trade associations. The code has created a strong requirement for associations to develop collateral, guidance, and practical ways of demonstrating competence.

Competence is, in my view, one of the most important rules of the eleven and what better way to demonstrate it than through your trade association? By providing independent frameworks and collateral, associations such as IMA can help members show they have gone through the right processes, and that builds confidence across the entire supply chain.

CCPI is more than a compliance exercise. It’s a mark of trust that will become increasingly important. It is about creating a cultural shift in the way we present, share, and rely on product information. Manufacturers must embrace it, specifiers and contractors need to demand it, and trade associations should continue to champion it.  Only by doing so will we reach a point where product information is consistently transparent, reliable, and trusted.  This will give everyone in the industry the confidence they need to make the right decisions.

23 October 2025

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