Berndorf Bäderbau (production of baths)
Strong through standards
When people hear the name “Berndorf”, they usually think of cutlery. A subsidiary of the Lower Austrian steel processing company, however, has specialised in quite a different field: pool construction. Standards open up the door to the East. Customers demand certificates and high quality, and that is the focus of the corporate philosophy.
- Credit: Berndorf Bäderbau
[2008-03-14] Standards are our theme every day,“ says Dipl.-Ing. Peter Jauschowetz. The technical director of Berndorf Bäderbau knows exactly what he is talking about. The Lower Austrian company constructed around 5,000 swimming pools in the past thirty years.
The stainless steel pools that will last for 2,000 years comply with applicable standards and even offer more than that: Rounded steps under water, punched knobs to prevent slipping and tested drainage devices and heads.
The stricter, the better
After all, building and selling is not enough. Peter Jauschowetz, who is a trained facility and mechanical engineer with a special focus on energy technology, gives priority to standards. At the Austrian Standards Institute, he contributes to standardisation because “Berndorf traditionally prefers strict standards. Whenever there is a German and an Austrian standard on a specific topic, we opt for the stricter one.”
There are approximately 40 standards for the construction, planning and operation of swimming pools. They give top priority to safety and hygiene, which is regulated in the Act on Hygiene at Swimming Pools and Bathing Waters in Austria.
In black and white
Safety and hygiene are not just a legal requirement, but also a demand made by the customers. “The customers call for certificates and confirmations,” explains Mr. Jauschowetz with regard to his core markets in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Southern Tyrol and Luxembourg.
In Eastern Europe, the situation is quite different. There, standards are not a matter of course and not as well integrated into everyday life as in Austria. “In the new markets, we set the standard and thereby define the quality level when we build municipal or hotel pools,” states Mr. Jauschowetz. From Slovakia to Lithuania. Russia and Latvia, the stainless swimming pools made by Berndorf are in high demand and Peter Jauschowetz counts on standards there.
- Credit: Berndorf Bäderbau
Managed with quality
Standards not only prevail in the spacious production hall, but also in the offices. The company has been certified according to the quality management standard ISO 9001 since 1995. “Our employees do not notice the standards any more as they are practiced day by day,” explains Dieter Gruber, Quality Manager of Berndorf Bäderbau.
Drawing up project descriptions and documenting processes are a matter of course. In parallel to moving to new offices on the company’s premises, an administrative innovation was introduced: an internal logistics programme that is based on ISO 9001. Quality Manager Gruber much appreciates the high transparency of the processes. Errors can be identified in a targeted way and processes can be optimised with pinpoint accuracy.
Formerly, irregularities occurred when the stainless steel panels were cut. “We checked the process and found that the dimensions had been correctly scanned, but discovered that one of the cutters did not wear his glasses at the most important moment.” The issue was resolved very quickly.
When it comes to criticising standards, Gruber has to think a while before one thing comes to his mind: He would like to be able to copy and distribute standards bought in the company.
European trend to more safety
Let us come back to pool construction proper: Current standards contain many aspects of safety, quality and hygiene. However, there is still work for Mr. Jauschowetz in the standardisation committees: “A gap relates to play equipment at swimming pools.”
Ropes, high bars, parallel bars as well as climbing walls and towers are not covered by standards yet. The guests usually feel safer above water and therefore experts have to give further thought to this equipment. Mr. Jauschowetz expects that a preliminary draft will be available in 2009. This project could also provide an impetus for standardisation at the European level.
The next priorities
Before that, basic requirements will change in Austria. In April 2008, the Act on Hygiene at Swimming Pools was amended and, as a result, the related standards had to be revised as well. There is a trend to higher safety. This can also be seen in European standardisation: Risk analysis will become a routine element of safety engineering.
“We do not want be taken by surprise. Therefore, we prefer to contribute to the development of standards,” says Mr. Jauschowetz out of conviction. He can only identify potential for improvements in the case of standardised requirements that are not fully understandable. Such cases are seldom, but they still exist, e.g. impact testing for installed parts whereas two different materials do not come into contact in stainless steel structures.
Success record
For Berndorf Bäderbau, standards pave the way to success. Since 1990, the number of employees has risen from 70 to 200 plus 50 additional ones in subsidiaries. “By actively participating in standardisation, we can have a positive influence on developments and know about new focal issues before other competitors,” says Peter Jauschowetz looking at his strong brand.
