In July 2016, DEKRA, the largest automotive inspection company in Germany, have certified a range of ECVA’s side-curtain parts to adhere to the stringent European standards EN12641-2, EN12642 Code XL and Daimler load securing 9.5:2014. ECVA believe they are the first UK Company to pass these tests on individual curtain parts. This will therefore increase the options available for both UK curtain manufacturers and UK trailer builders when manufacturing commercial vehicles to EN12642 XL specifications.

The testing applied to the components is relentless. To achieve the certification, the components are put through rigorous dynamic and static testing to check the performance of the parts, in particular the strength of the parts and the slippage of the webbing through the curtainsider buckle. ECVA wanted certification to be for both the EN12641-2 and the EN12642 Code XL standards so had to make some adjustments to their components; for example to increase the effectiveness of the internal brake within the curtain buckle.

Mark Loan, Director for ECVA, stated: “We knew that achieving the EN12642 Code XL rating would be challenging and involve considerable investment; but as we believe that we are the only UK Company to offer such type of certified side-curtain parts, we expect to have a lot of interest which has so far proven to be the case.”

Curtainsiders built to the EN12642 Code XL standard have gained in popularity in recent years, partticularly since the DVSA changed their policy in 2014.  The change in policy at the DVSA means the agency now accepts that loads carried inside curtainsiders built to the European Standard EN 12642-XL do not need internal load restraint, as the body and curtains are strong enough to contain the load.

To view the Dekra certified parts,  please follow this link —>  http://www.ecva.eu/part-no-114901.html