ClarkDietrich obtains third-party certification for rigid connectors, expanding design data for blast and seismic applications

West Chester, Ohio - May 4, 2026 – ClarkDietrich, the nation’s largest manufacturer of cold-formed steel framing products, has received a third-party evaluation report for its series of rigid connectors. The report, IAPMO ER-731, certifies that the connectors meet specific performance standards and code requirements—and notably permits the use of ClarkDietrich rigid connectors on state-funded projects in California, which require third-party testing.

“Third-party verification through IAPMO builds trust and reduces liability for specifiers, architects, engineers and building officials alike,” said Janine Dallies, category manager for ClarkDietrich. “This evaluation report includes blast design limit states, which is critical for Department of Defense projects and other high-security, high-performance building types.”

The evaluation report confirms that ClarkDietrich’s rigid connectors comply with the following building codes:

• 2024, 2021, and 2018 International Building Code® (IBC)
• 2024, 2021, and 2018 International Residential Code® (IRC)
• 2025 California Building Code (CBC), including Division of State Architect (DSA) and Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI)
• 2025 California Residential Code (CRC)
• 2023 Florida Building Code—Building
• 2023 Florida Building Code—Residential 

In addition to this evaluation report, ClarkDietrich will have the data available to calculate both blast and seismic design. For these rigid connectors, the company will provide the following:

• Allowable Stress Design (ASD)
• Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD)  
• Nominal Strength 

The evaluation report covers several products within ClarkDietrich’s portfolio of rigid connectors, including Uni-Clip™ End Clip, Extended Uni-Clip™, Extended Uni-Clip™ with Anchor Holes, SwiftClip™ (LA-, LE-, and LS-Series), EasyClip™ S-Series™ and E-Series™, and a Universal Strut Connector. The Universal Strut Connector, coming soon, combines long-reach stand-off capability with a rigid, high-strength clip in a single, universal high-performance curtain-wall connection system. 

To learn more about ClarkDietrich’s entire range of products and services, visit clarkdietrich.com.