Specifiers

There are many benefits for specifiers who utilize the Plant Certification Program in their specifications. These benefits include:

• Greater assurance of quality and durability
  Precast concrete components delivered to the job site have been produced in a plant that is certified as a high-quality manufacturer. Higher quality leads to greater durability of the precast units, resulting in reduced life cycle costs.
• No additional cost to use the program
  This program is funded completely by the application fees collected from precast plants. While this could indirectly lead to higher prices for precast products, DOTs and other specifying agencies that require certification have reported little or no change in their prices from certified plants. Assuming the average precast plant sells $1 million in product each year, the cost of Plant Certification would be 0.3 percent of annual sales, a minor amount.
• Reduced field plant inspections by agencies
  By pushing responsibility for inspections and quality assurance back on the precast plants and the industry, some DOT's and other specifying agencies have been able to reduce the frequency of their own plant inspections. NPCA does not recommend that agencies eliminate their inspections entirely because the program's annual inspections and certification cannot guarantee the quality of every piece of precast leaving a plant. However, agencies can save money while still maintaining a presence in the plants when they reduce the number of plant inspections they conduct.
• Industry self-regulates quality issues
  As mentioned in the previous paragraph, self-regulation by the industry takes some of the burden and cost off of the agencies. This also forces the companies and associations representing the industry to constantly strive to improve in the eyes of the specifying community.
• Pre-qualified list of quality producers
  By certifying more than 130 plants across the United States, NPCA has built a substantial list of producers who meet a stringent quality control program. Therefore, we can offer specifiers a list of precast plants that have made the conscious effort to be among the best quality producers in the country.
• Inspections made by an independent engineering consulting firm
  A plant certification program is only as good as the quality control standards provided to producers and the inspectors who grade their conformance to the standards. Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates is a well known and respected engineering and consulting firm that performs inspections of various types throughout the world. With the involvement of such a third party to conduct inspections, specifiers can be assured that precast companies who become certified truly are following the "NPCA Quality Control Manual for Precast Plants" and capable of producing high quality precast units.