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EN 1090: CE marking for steel and aluminium structures

Without CE marking under EN 1090, a metal structure often cannot be placed on the European market at all.

What EN 1090 is

EN 1090 is the harmonised standard governing the CE marking of structural steel and aluminium components, within the framework of Regulation (EU) 305/2011 on construction products (CPR). Marking has been mandatory since 1 July 2014: without it, a structural metal component cannot be placed on the European market.

The series runs to several parts: EN 1090-1 sets out conformity assessment and CE marking; EN 1090-2 lays down the technical requirements for the execution of steel structures; EN 1090-3, EN 1090-4 and EN 1090-5 deal with aluminium and cold-formed members. In Italy, CE marking under EN 1090-1 replaced the old qualification route for steel processing centres.

Who needs it

  • Steel fabricators and workshops producing structural members in steel or aluminium.
  • Builders of industrial buildings, mezzanines, staircases, canopies and prefabricated modules with a load-bearing structure.
  • Manufacturers of components for bridges, footbridges and civil infrastructure.
  • Anyone placing structural metal components on the European market.

Execution classes (EXC)

The technical core of the standard is the execution classes, EXC1 to EXC4, with progressively tighter requirements. The manufacturer does not choose the class: the designer sets it, on the basis of a risk analysis weighing the consequences of failure, the type of loading (static or dynamic), the material and the intended use of the works. The higher the class, the stricter the controls in production. That is why the execution class has to be stated in the design documents or in the component specification.

Production control and welding

To CE mark its products, the manufacturer has to put factory production control (FPC) in place and have it certified by a Notified Body. Welding, being a special process, calls for conformity with the EN ISO 3834 series on the quality of welding processes: which level applies (3834-2, -3 or -4) depends on the execution class.

This is where EN 1090 becomes genuine engineering rather than paperwork: FPC, welding qualifications, personnel competence, material traceability.

EN 1090 connects with ISO 3834 on welding quality, which we can handle inside a management system. CE marking for machinery and plant, by contrast, follows a different route governed by the Machinery Regulation: that is covered on the Structural and mechanical engineering page.

How the cost breaks down

There are two items and they stay separate: our consulting fee and the fee of the Notified Body that certifies factory production control. The variables are the execution class, the size of the workshop, the welding processes in use and the point you are starting from. We discuss it openly at the first contact, on your case.

Why BS & Partners

  • Real structural expertise: we design structures, so we come at EN 1090 understanding the structure, not just the procedure. On a standard this technical, that is an advantage few can offer.
  • The link with welding and management systems: we tie CE marking to ISO 3834 and to quality, within a single picture.
  • Ten years in business, 117 projects, work in 9 countries.
  • The firm and the way we work: the BS & Partners profile.

Frequently asked questions

Is EN 1090 CE marking mandatory?

Yes. Since 1 July 2014 it has been mandatory in order to place structural steel and aluminium components on the European market, under Regulation (EU) 305/2011. Without CE marking, those components cannot be sold.

Who sets the execution class (EXC)?

The designer sets it, not the manufacturer, on the basis of a risk analysis considering the consequences of failure, the type of load and the intended use of the works. It must be stated in the design documents or in the component specification.

How do EN 1090 and ISO 3834 relate?

For welding, EN 1090 requires conformity with the EN ISO 3834 series on the quality of welding processes. Which ISO 3834 level applies depends on the execution class. The two standards are managed together.

Does EN 1090 also cover CE marking for machinery?

No. CE marking for machinery and plant follows a different route, governed by the Machinery Regulation. EN 1090 covers structural steel and aluminium components under the Construction Products Regulation.

Who issues the FPC certification, and why is a consultant needed?

Factory production control (FPC) is certified by a Notified Body, which by law must remain independent and cannot advise on the products it assesses. Our role is to prepare the company to pass that assessment: we build the FPC, set up welding and traceability, and stand alongside the manufacturer through to the marking.

The firm in numbers

  • 10 years in business
  • 117 projects completed
  • 9 countries we have worked in

Do you need to CE mark your metal structures?

We start from where you are: what you manufacture, in which execution class, and what is missing to reach CE marking. The preliminary assessment is free.

Request a free preliminary assessment

Or write to direzione@bs-partners.ch or call +41 76 731 16 99.