EN 1090 – without this certificate, your welding shop cannot legally sell steel structures

If you manufacture steel or aluminium structures for the European market – industrial buildings, bridges, staircases, machine bases, load-bearing building components – the EN 1090 standard is not an option for you. It is a legal obligation. Without EN 1090 certification and CE marking, you cannot legally place your products on the EU market. Full stop.

But EN 1090 is not just a formality. It is also a signal to customers, investors and main contractors: this company knows what it is doing and can be trusted.

What is EN 1090 and who does it apply to?

EN 1090 is a European standard setting out the requirements for the execution of steel structures (EN 1090-2) and aluminium structures (EN 1090-3). It applies to all manufacturers who produce load-bearing or structural components intended for incorporation into construction works.

This means that certification is required not only of large manufacturing plants – it also applies to small and medium-sized welding firms, subcontractors and manufacturers of assembly components. If your product forms part of a building or structure, EN 1090 applies to you.

→ Failure to display the CE marking required by EN 1090 is not just a risk of a fine. It is a valid ground for your products to be rejected on the building site or upon project handover.

hat does EN 1090 certification offer beyond legal compliance?

Legal compliance is the bare minimum. Companies that have obtained EN 1090 certification soon notice something more – a change in how they are perceived by customers and business partners.

• Access to public tenders and major infrastructure projects, which require full technical documentation and CE marking.
• Greater trust from main contractors – EN 1090 certification shortens the supplier qualification process and eliminates the need for additional audits.
• The opportunity to export to Western markets – Germany, France and Scandinavia require CE marking as a condition for product acceptance.
• Streamlined internal processes – standardisation of welding and quality control translates into fewer defects and complaints.

EN 1090 – Your selling point when the competition is playing the price game

The welding market can be cut-throat. Customers compare quotes, push for discounts and take their orders elsewhere if it’s cheaper. In this game, EN 1090 certification changes the rules.

A certified company does not have to win on price alone. It has something that cheaper competitors cannot offer: documented quality, CE marking and full legal liability for the product. For a construction client responsible for the safety of a building, this is the difference that determines their choice of supplier – even if your quote is higher.

→ EN 1090 certification moves you from the ‘cheap welding shop’ category to the ‘trusted technical partner’ category. These are two completely different conversations to have with a client.

What’s more, certified companies are more likely to act as subcontractors to large main contractors, who are themselves held accountable for quality and documentation. EN 1090 certification becomes your ticket to market segments where margins are higher and relationships are long-term.

What are the risks of selling without EN 1090 certification?

This is a question worth asking yourself before a building control inspector or a client does so following a failed project handover.

• Prohibition on placing products on the market – products without CE marking may be withdrawn from the market by decision of the market surveillance authorities.
• Full civil and criminal liability – if an uncertified component fails and causes damage, the manufacturer is liable without being able to claim compliance with the standard.
• Loss of contracts without warning – an increasing number of clients are rejecting tenders without EN 1090 certification as early as the formal verification stage, before anyone even sees the price.
• A reputation that is difficult to rebuild – a single incident involving a non-compliant product can close the door on clients you have spent years building relationships with.

✓ The risk of working without EN 1090 certification is growing in line with the market. The more of your competitors obtain the certificate, the more conspicuous your lack of it becomes.