The Water Regulations Approval Scheme (WRAS) has appointed Jamie Lynch as Business Development manager.
He brings over 12 years’ experience of working in the water industry to WRAS, having joined Bristan Group as a graduate mechanical engineer back in 2011. Since then, he has progressed through various roles with the shower, bath, and tap manufacturer as Supplier Quality engineer, Technical manager, and – most recently – as Bristan’s Product Compliance and Data manager, for which he managed a team responsible for obtaining all product approvals.
The Water Regulations Approval Scheme is an independent UK certification body for plumbing products and materials, that aims to help businesses and consumers choose compliant products that keep water safe. Gaining WRAS approval enables manufacturers to demonstrate compliance with water fittings regulations. WRAS certifies plumbing products and materials in the UK following rigorous tests in accredited laboratories.
WRAS has been focusing on improvements to customer experience, using customer feedback as part of its work in promoting compliance with water fittings regulations. Jamie Lynch said: “Having known WRAS as a customer for many years, I’m excited to join the team, and to have the opportunity to draw upon my experience to make meaningful changes and improvements that will hopefully enhance the scheme for others.”
The new appointee says his immediate priority will be the communication of planned updates to several approval submission processes, including direct submission to the application assessing team, which are due to be launched in 2024, and will improve tap and shower applications.
Jamie adds: “As WRAS prepares to implement these changes in 2024, I will be supporting customers to address any issues, and to guide them through the new process, and gain the necessary testing and WRAS approvals. The new process will benefit all customers by giving them early feedback direct from WRAS about their application and test requirements. This will help resolve any issues identified early on.”
In a recent WRAS survey of British manufacturers, 63 per cent of respondents answered they would like more choice of testing labs. In the newly created role, Jamie Lynch will support WRAS with the ongoing roll-out of its lab recognition programme, ensuring more laboratories are added to the Laboratory Recognition scheme, ‘offering more freedom of choice for clients and customers’.
