A new fire safety solution developed by long established manufacturer Ritherdon & Co is receiving strong endorsement from a leading UK supplier, which has described the product as a potential game changer and “possibly the best on the market.”
“No one wants to see another Grenfell incident,” said Shane Porter, Managing Director of Comyn Ching Architectural Components.
“Ritherdon’s Mark lll FireSeal product is the only one we know of currently available that has undergone such rigorous testing, including penetration testing.
“Ritherdon does a fantastic job as a responsible supplier in the way they manufacture and market their products.”
Ritherdon, the historic Darwen based manufacturer, launched its latest range of passive fire safety products earlier this year. The new range has attracted praise from Comyn Ching Architectural Components, a leading supplier of fire protection products and equipment to the house building sector.
The 131 year old company is widely recognised for manufacturing high quality electrical enclosures and engineering solutions. Its expanding fire safety range now includes the new to market Mark lll FireSeal Fire Rated Access Panel.
Designed in house, the panel cover has been developed to improve the fire performance of an existing panel or wall opening. It creates a seal designed to provide protection against smoke and fire from both internal and external sources.
Shane, whose company is based in Bury St. Edmunds, said: “This product is manufactured and designed to such a high standard that it should stand the test of time.
“In an evolving market such as the fire sector, you need to understand what may be required in the future as regulations continue to change.
“Ritherdon has future proofed its new Mark lll Fire cabinet by subjecting it to rigorous testing against the highest standards and accreditations.
“It is more than likely to remain viable in five years’ time, which is exactly what our customers want.”
Ritherdon Operations Director Brian Derbyshire has overseen the project for several years, including the latest fire safety testing carried out earlier this year.
Brian said: “All of our FireSeal products have been smoke sealed and extensively fire tested.
“Some manufacturers test access panels in only one direction. We wanted to ensure our products provided fire and smoke resistance from both sides, so every one of our FireSeals has been smoke sealed and tested in both directions.”
This detailed approach to product development and testing is particularly valued by customers seeking reassurance about fire safety standards in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire.
Shane Porter added: “Testing and accreditations are vital to the success and longevity of any product.
“No one wants to see another Grenfell Tower disaster.
“The rules and regulations have become increasingly stringent.
“Many of the major fire companies we supply are closely monitoring legislative changes.
“The market has been crying out for a product that has undergone penetration testing in both directions.
“Ritherdon is very cautious about making claims about what the cabinet can and cannot do.
“They have the testing evidence to support what the new fire cabinet is capable of, and that is what makes it so special.”
The Ritherdon design team originally developed the product more than 15 years ago and has since reworked the original design to further improve the safety of the latest FireSeal range. Recent testing demonstrated that fire was unable to breach the access panel following more than an hour of exposure to temperatures of 1,000 degrees Celsius in a testing furnace
FireSeal Fire Rated Access Panels can be installed wherever an opening from outside a property leads into the building. Their primary application, however, is within buildings where multiple access panels are required between internal walls.
Brian said: “Traditionally, a fireproof board is placed at the back of electrical boxes, but we recognised that this did not provide enough protection, particularly because standard units do very little to prevent the spread of smoke.
“Our products incorporate fireproof glands and intumescent seals to create an airtight barrier that prevents flames and smoke from passing through the access panel covers.
“Our FireSeal Fire Rated Access Panels can be installed on external walls, but their principal application is inside blocks of flats and office buildings, where they are designed to prevent fire and smoke from breaching an internal wall in the event of a fire.”
The FireSeal Fire Rated Access Panel was tested at Element PFP in High Wycombe, Bucks. It successfully withstood the hour long fire and smoke test, followed by an additional 12 minutes.
Ritherdon has already secured a number of significant orders from commercial construction companies and house builders.
Managing Director Ben Ritherdon said: “We are constantly looking for ways to provide our customers with the highest quality products across all of our ranges.
“As far as we are aware, there are no other products like the Mark lll FireSeal currently available on the market.
“Achieving the highest standards of testing and accreditation was particularly important during development, and we were not prepared to launch the product until those standards had been met.
“We are delighted to receive such positive feedback from a respected and long standing customer such as Comyn Ching Architectural Components. It is greatly appreciated.
“FireSeal is the latest in a long succession of innovative products that we have developed in house.
“From our world first Passively Safe Cabinet to the world’s first PVC external electrical enclosure, we have designed our products around specific purposes with wide ranging applications, while recognising that they do not remove the need for standard access panels.”
