A total of 77% of respondents believe that testing new products takes too long, according to a survey of manufacturers by WRAS Approvals.
Nearly 50% of respondents reported lab testing for new products taking up to six months, 34% said it took 6 to 9 months, and for 10% it took over 12 months.
The survey also found that 63% of respondents would like more choice of testing labs, while 38% said where their chosen testing lab is located matters to them.
Mechanical laboratory recognition has recently grown to nine laboratories and there are currently two materials laboratories.
In response to the survey findings, WRAS is working on improvements to help manufacturers. It is sharing customer feedback with its recognised test laboratories and introducing a fast-track service to help applicants achieve certification faster, once testing is complete.
It is also introducing a new streamlined process so WRAS issues test requirements up front. This will be rolled out by product type and water storage was the first category, with WC’s being the next later this year.
Ian Hughes, approvals manager at WRAS, said: “We appreciate the feedback and insights provided by the survey respondents. WRAS is driven to find solutions to reduce testing times, which is why we are constantly looking for more laboratories to recognise.
“By broadening our network of recognised laboratories, manufacturers gain a wider range of testing options. This should increase testing capacity and improve time to test.
“We would also like to thank our team at WRAS, who have worked tirelessly over the past year to provide excellent services to our customers and constantly strive to improve.”