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Why holding our own Kitemark matters and what it means for you

10 October 2025
Simon Gibson
Simon Gibson

Technical Director

We believe standards are there to be built upon, not simply met.

The designers responsibility

We believe standards are there to be built upon, not simply met.

It’s important to know that the name on a manhole cover may not match the company holding the Kitemark. In those cases, the visible brand is only a supplier. The certification remains with the foundry that designed and controls the product. Under BSI rules, the Kitemark applies to the design owner, not the distributor.

BSI Kitemark rules stipulate, that the covers themselves should display:

  • The European Standard number EN 124-2
  • Appropriate class (e.g. D400)
  • Name and/or identification mark of the manufacturer 
  • Factory of manufacture which may be in code 
  • Date or week and year of manufacture (coded or not coded)

When a supplier does not hold the Kitemark in their own name, it means they are not responsible for the design or ongoing compliance of the product they sell. Their products are designed by someone else, usually to meet the bare minimum requirements of BS EN 124, with little or no scope to improve or innovate.

We take a different approach

We believe it's critical that we hold the Kitemark ourselves, as the designer. Every manhole cover, gully grate and surface box we produce is designed, developed and manufactured under our own control. This gives us complete responsibility for quality and performance from concept to installation.

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Why that matters

Because we design our own products, we’re free to think beyond the basic requirements of the standards, such as BS EN 124 or CD 534. We design solutions that address the real challenges faced by contractors, local authorities and utilities every day.

Our engineers and technical teams work closely directly in the market with our customers to understand what’s truly required, not just what the standard demands. That collaboration and feedback are built into every design we produce.

We don’t just design in the UK, we design for the UK. Our ironwork is developed specifically for British roads, traffic conditions and climate. Each design is created in partnership with our network of customers, engineers and contractors, shaped by decades of real-world experience. That connection simply can’t be replicated, it’s what makes Wrekin products more reliable in service and more cost-effective across their full life.

It allows us to deliver whole-life cost savings for our customers and drive down the true cost of ownership across the network. We understand where failures happen, why they happen, and how to engineer them out.

That is how we continue to improve safety, durability and whole-life value across our ranges. For example, our Unite, Highway and Tristar ranges have been tailored to handle the issues of the environment they were designed for. But it’s not just about overcoming failures, we work closely across the supply chain to innovate and solve problems, to make our customers' lives easier.

When the design is owned by the foundry, that level of collaboration and innovation is impossible. The foundry designs only to meet the minimum requirement of the standard, not the specific needs of the market.

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Wrekin innovation Celebrating 30 Years of Kitemark excellence

Built on trust and quality

We have been working closely with BSI for decades. This year marked our 30th consecutive year of BSI 9001 certification, proof of the consistency, quality and integrity that underpin everything we do.

Holding the Kitemark directly means we are regularly audited and tested to ensure that every product leaving our facility meets the same high level of performance and safety.

Make every day better

Our brand promise - Make every day better - is about more than just products. It’s our promise to go above and beyond for our customers. It means engineering solutions that outperform expectations, providing service that is straightforward and reliable, and maintaining quality that has been proven over decades.

Our customers know that when they specify Wrekin, they are choosing ironwork that is designed in Britain for the needs of the British market. They are choosing covers, grates and access solutions that have been tested to exceed conformity requirements, not just meet them. They are choosing to work with a company that takes full responsibility for every part of the process.

A standard others should follow

Holding the Kitemark as the designer is not just a technical detail, it’s a commitment to doing things the right way. It gives our customers confidence that what they buy from Wrekin is designed to last, manufactured to the highest standard, and supported by people who understand the industry inside out.

For us, it’s all part of making every day better.

That’s the Wrekin way.

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