Whether you’re a manufacturer, importer or distributor of pressure equipment, it’s crucial to stay on top of the latest in international industry standards—especially if you’re looking to expand your customer base overseas. Less than a year ago, for example, the European Union (EU) replaced its Pressure Equipment Directive (PED), which outlines the standards for the design and fabrication of pressure equipment on the EU market.

Here’s what you need to know about it:

What it is: This new directive, 2014/68/EU, replaces 97/23/EC and aims to guarantee the free movement of pressure equipment products in the internal market.

How it differs: 2014/68/EU aligns with the New Legal Framework (NLF). NLF is a larger EU initiative that aims to simplify the rules for getting pressure equipment to market. It also lowers the cost for businesses to comply with the legislation.

Products and industries affected: PED 2014/68/EU covers a wide range of pressure equipment, including steam boilers, pressure vessels, piping, safety valves and other components and assemblies subject to pressure loading. Products are generally over one liter in volume and have a maximum pressure over 0.5 bar gauge. They are typically used in process industries, including oil and gas, pharmaceutical and food and beverage applications, as well as in high-temperature process industries and energy production.

How it affects you: Existing certificates are still valid under this new directive (article 48). Most of the changes involve rewording, reordering and renumbering documentation and don’t affect the PED’s Scope or Conformity Assessment. But that being said, all members of the supply chain—and not just the manufacturer—must play a role in ensuring safe, compliant products reach market. 2014/68/EU outlines the legal responsibilities of each player, including authorized representatives, importers and distributors.

Here at HandyTube, we implement quality control through our entire production process, ensuring our stainless-steel tubing meets PED 2014/68/EU and other stringent industry standards. Using our built-in quality checks, we can assure compliance with all manufacturing guidelines and customer requirements.

To learn more, contact our qualified sales team at sales@handytube.com