The market for pipe fixing systems is characterized by a wide and often confusing variety of different technical specifications. And the job of comparing the technical information provided by different national and international producers is an extremely complex one due to the different assessment processes applied. Often it is only possible to make a direct comparison of performances using exact know-how of the producer-specific assessment process and complicated conversion methods -simply comparing numbers tells us too little.

Because of the vast range of products available on the market and the thus ensuing number of published test procedures and load profile data - often the producer's own - it had become essential and a matter of urgency to have a set of standard procedures with which to determine technical load profile data and to allow the only truly objective, simple and efficient comparison of products.

The representatives of eight reputed makers of pipe fixing systems therefore got together in 2002 to form a syndicate whose aim was to define suitable specifications and test guidelines for pipe fixing elements.