Making Waves: SFIA Expands Its Proprietary Structural Products Certification Program

The Steel Framing Industry Association (SFIA) is making waves once again in the construction industry with the expansion of its Stud Code Compliance Certification Program (CCCP). This time, however, the spotlight is on the inclusion of proprietary structural products in the program, marking a significant advancement for the cold-formed steel (CFS) framing industry. 

“The program is designed to propel the industry forward and advocate for the widespread adoption of cold-formed steel framing products,” says Greg Ralph, vice president at ClarkDietrich, an SFIA member, and chair of the SFIA Code Compliance Committee, about the potential impact of the SFIA’s expanded program on the steel framing landscape.

ENROLL YOUR PRODUCT(S)

Proprietary structural steel framing products, such as these studs from SFIA member Wies Drywall Construction Corp.’s Wies Offsite division, can now qualify for SFIA certification.

Why Include ‘Proprietary Structural’ Products?

Code compliance of CFS framing products has always been a cornerstone of the SFIA’s mission, and with the spread of proprietary structural products in the market, it became imperative to evolve SFIA certification accordingly.

Traditionally, SFIA’s code compliance program has focused on standard steel framing members — traditional structural CFS products, traditional nonstructural CFS products and proprietary EQ nonstructural CFS products.

However, as the industry witnessed a surge in proprietary structural steel framing systems — through the spread of steel roll-forming machines, enabling contractor manufacturers to create their own studs and track — the need arose to accommodate these products within the SFIA’s certification framework. This was especially important to achieve since quality assurance is becoming a major thrust of many building codes. 

Ralph says the expansion of the SFIA Code Compliance Certification Program presented a challenge. The SFIA program would have to administer compliance of many innovative and unique steel stud shapes.

“It seemed like a simple thing to just add a ‘proprietary structural’ option to our program, but when you have so many product shapes, and you don’t know every shape, function and capacity, or whether the product has notches, holes or swages that affect capacity, you have something very complicated to administer,” Ralph says.

The SFIA’s Compliance Committee invested a year crafting the guidelines for the program so that the program administrator, Intertek, can effectively evaluate and approve the proprietary products while upholding SFIA’s rigorous standards.

SFIA Members: Comply by January 1

With the enhanced program now officially open, SFIA members must submit applications and test data for their proprietary structural products.

Companies who are not yet SFIA members should contact Holly Mellinger, SFIA manager of programs and operations, to join SFIA. Thereafter, they can submit their proprietary structural products for review.

• Mandate for compliance for existing SFIA members: January 1, 2025
• There is no deadline for companies new to SFIA’s CCCP
• Enroll your product(s) by contacting Susan Deller, program manager at Intertek

ENROLL YOUR PRODUCT(S)

Since the program expansion was announced, several companies have applied for certification of their proprietary structural products, demonstrating the pent-up demand among companies seeking SFIA certification for a broader range of products.

Of course, the impact of SFIA’s new Proprietary Structural Products Certification Program extends beyond individual companies, as it promises to foster greater unity within the industry. 

“It expands the opportunity for virtually every player in the cold-formed steel business to be a part of SFIA’s mission,” Ralph says.

Architects, engineers and building code officials also stand to benefit from the assurance that SFIA-certified products — including certified proprietary structural products — are of high quality and compliant with industry standards.

Greg Ralph, vice president at ClarkDietrich and chair of the SFIA Compliance Committee, worked on the new SFIA Proprietary Structural Products Certification Program.

Quality Assurance: An IBC Priority

A pivotal aspect of the SFIA Code Compliance Certification Program is its alignment with evolving regulatory requirements. 

As building codes increasingly emphasize quality assurance and quality control, SFIA’s certification program provides a preemptive solution. By adhering to SFIA’s standards, members can navigate the latest regulatory hurdles with ease, complying with the QA/QC measures being favored by the International Building Code and International Code Council.

The SFIA’s compliance program is currently the only industry program that certifies quality assurance for steel framing products. The addition of more proprietary products to the program makes SFIA certification “bigger, broader and better,” says Larry Williams, SFIA executive director.

“SFIA’s proprietary structural program heralds a new era of innovation and collaboration within the steel framing industry,” Williams says. “By embracing proprietary structural products in our certification process, SFIA is poised to elevate the industry’s standards, promote unity and drive further innovation.”

“The future of cold-formed steel framing,” he adds, “looks brighter than ever.”

Additional Resources

• Sorting Apples from Oranges — Comparing Evaluation Services with Third-Party Certification
• SFIA Releases Guide to the Performance-Based Nonstructural Partition Selection of Metal Framing
• SFIA Releases Updated Technical Guide with the Most Up-to-Date CFS Load and Span Tables in the Industry
• 5 Need-to-Knows about Building Codes and Cold-Formed Steel