In response to Building’s article on the technical background to problems at the Bath Spa project (18 March, page 58), RIW Toughseal, the maker of the paint used on the project, issued the following statement.

“In the past RIW has chosen not to make specific comments related to the Bath Spa project and the involvement of RIW Limited with RIW Toughseal. However, the references to RIW Toughseal in your article of 18 March 2005 necessitate a response.

We have expressed our concern to you that you appear to suggest that RIW Limited were entirely to blame for the problems mentioned. Thank you for confirming that your article was not intended to imply this.

“RIW Toughseal has been successfully marketed for over 10 years to ‘do what it says on the tin’.

“Like many manufacturers RIW Limited offers technical advice concerning the use of its products for specific applications. If a product is not suitable we do not recommend it. If we have no experience of the proposed use then we make this clear and advise the specifier to undertake the necessary research before making a product selection decision.

“Any building product will only work successfully if applied or used in the correct manner. Like all products, if RIW Toughseal is applied incorrectly to a badly prepared substrate it will fail.

“RIW Limited has not been given full access to the reports commissioned by the parties in the Bath Spa Project so we cannot comment in detail on the matters mentioned in your article other than to say that we are not aware of anything to suggest that RIW Toughseal was faulty in any way.

“We are not aware of any reports that contradict the fact that RIW Toughseal ‘does what it says on the tin’.

“RIW Toughseal remains a well established and respected product and we welcome sales and technical enquiries from our customers.”