Vehicle floors require strength and durability. With its superior strength properties, WISA birch plywood is an excellent material for the manufacturing of durable floor structures with various coatings. The performance of all WISA plywood products is precisely defined and documented, ensuring they work exactly as planned. Manufacturing and quality control processes are always checked and approved by a certified third party, forming an outstanding starting point for ensuring the reliability of plywood.
Strength values for structural-use CE-marked and S-stamped products must be declared in a comparable manner in the DoP. This applies to European importers and manufacturers. In the UK, the UKCA mark (UK Conformity Assessed) corresponds to the CE marking, and the DoC marking (Declaration of Conformity) corresponds to the DoP.
In addition to structural products, UPM Plywood also declares the performance levels of required product properties for non-structural products.
"At UPM, we have also created DoP documents for NS-stamped, non-structural WISA plywood products. Reliable information is available for each product and thickness separately so that users can ensure the strength properties of the product when constructing vehicle floors," emphasises Senior Researcher Simo Koponen from UPM Plywood.
Check strength properties in the declaration
Vehicle floors are subject to heavy use, especially during loading. The wheel load of forklifts crucially determines the required strength properties. In addition to the size of the forklift used for loading, the frame structure of the trailer defines what properties are required of the plywood.
Vehicle designers and manufacturers have several ways to verify the strength properties of plywood. On the page Industrial End Uses | WISA PLYWOOD, you can find brochures, product catalogues, and WISA dealer information all in one place. By using official WISA dealers, you avoid counterfeits. On the same page, you will find recommendations for products suitable for trailers, trucks, refrigerated trucks and lighter vehicles. On each product page, there is a link to the performance declaration where you can see the strength properties. The DoP number for WISA plywood can be found on the panel or packaging or in the delivery documents.
Product Manager Harri Nieminen, who is responsible for WISA birch plywood products, explains how the bending strength of strength-oriented plywood can be reinforced in a certain direction by changing the direction of the veneers. Comprehensive strength data is also available for these WISA products in the DoP.
“UPM Plywood has a long tradition of testing and assuring the quality according to the standards, so you can trust the figures. If necessary, we advise on choosing the correct plywood product, panel structure and thickness. For more special applications and large batches, we can, if needed, test or simulate different applications,” Nieminen informs.
How to ensure the strength of plywood
- Use plywood that has a product-specific performance declaration, i.e., a DoP in accordance with the CE marking or DoC in accordance with the UKCA marking.
- Buy from well-known resellers who sell genuine WISA products.
- Choose a knowledgeable designer and check the DoP to verify the product’s strength.
- If unsure, the UPM Plywood product support team can help determine the adequate strength.