MMC Magazine examines the potential of a proven fire-stopping product range to help offsite manufacturers protect their systems against the spread of flame and other products of combustion.
Prefabrication is viewed by many in the industry as the best means of ensuring new properties match up to their target performance standards in terms of insulation and airtightness, but the controlled conditions of a factory environment also offer the opportunity to optimize the fire engineering of structures. And this is an area where Manchester based Tenmat UK can offer its considerable experience and expertise.
The company whose Firefly range of Ventilated Fire Barriers, Fire Sleeves and other intumescent products are widely used on sites around the country, is also specified by some of the UK’s largest offsite specialists. Furthermore, the company has the development facilities and the resources to take a new concept from a client and develop it into a fully tested product solution.
Mark Davies is Product Manager for Tenmat and recounts: “We provide viable, installer friendly fire protection products to clients right across the building industry, including the trade contractors such as bricklayers and electricians who want products which are quick and easy to fit. Our range enables areas such as cavities and service penetrations to be protected while we are also used to catering for the differences in building regulations.
“In terms of the offsite sector, we are seeing our products used extensively in projects such as the construction of high-rise student accommodation blocks in locations throughout the UK. On some contracts the products will be employed both during the factory fabrication process and also when installing the mechanical and electrical services on site.”
The options employed include Ventilated Fire Barriers which can provide compartmentalisation in the external wall for up to 2 hours. Other products include Penetration Seals for Pipes & Ducting, as well as fire protection for Downlights and Electrical Services.
Tenmat also supplies bespoke intumescent barriers to the manufacturers of electrical consumer units and offers a solution to not only protect the area where switches have been recessed into a wall, but also prevent them being a path for air leakage.
Mark Davies continued: “Our wide range of products are accredited to all the latest British and European standards and are independently tested by BM TRADA to ensure they will perform in practice. Fire protection products should meet the most stringent standards and be made under strictly controlled production processes. This is achieved by Tenmat through rigorous internal and external auditing; which is why we are regularly invited to take part in fire safety committees and stakeholder groups.”
