ASTM International Celebrates 125 Years!
ASTM is celebrating an anniversary milestone in 2023 – 125 years as a global leader!
ASTM International, formerly the American Society for Testing and Materials, is an organization where consensus standards are created by volunteers and used around the globe. The organization comprises over 30,000 volunteer members from more than 145 countries, and there are more than 13,000 technical standards spanning 150 committees.
As you may know, the Vinyl Siding Institute (VSI) has participated in ASTM for over 20 years with focused attention on the following committees:
• ASTM D20 (Plastics)
• ASTM E05 (Fire)
• ASTM E60 (Sustainability)
The VSI team works collaboratively with other ASTM members to ensure that standards remain relevant and current. For example, projects within VSI’s Technical Committee often utilize ASTM standards, and VSI is responsible for several ASTM standards under the D20 Committee. Revisions, renewals or editorial changes are channeled through the ASTM ballot system based on VSI member input.
VSI’s Product Certification Program includes testing, verification and certification for vinyl siding, insulated vinyl siding and polypropylene siding that meet or exceed ASTM standards. In addition, the building codes require certain ASTM fire testing standards, which VSI’s Product Certification Program also now verifies.
The program is backed by over two decades of experience, with products tested and validated by an independent ISO/IEC 17065 accredited third-party certification body. As the first and only cladding product certified by an industry-sponsored cladding program, certified products are rigorously tested per program requirements to product standards like ASTM D3679 (vinyl siding), ASTM D7254 (polypropylene siding), and ASTM D7793 (insulated vinyl siding). With these ASTM product standards, there are performance requirements to test methods such as ASTM D4226 (impact) and ASTM D5206 (wind load).
Looking Ahead
VSI is proud to be involved with an organization like ASTM and recognizes the impact it’s had on society over the last 125 years. The future looks bright for the built environment and VSI looks forward to continued collaboration!
Click here to learn more about meeting standards with VSI’s Product Certification Program.
