Fire door manufacturers seeking to eliminate the risk of inappropriate or unproven materials inadvertently creeping into their supply chain can take advantage of a range of technically advanced materials and expert passive fire protection support under one roof from Promat UK.

With so much confusion and uncertainty prevailing about how to deliver assured fire protection, it is worth remembering that two factors matter more than most when making design and specification choices – product testing and traceability.

Ian Cowley, Regional Director at fire, thermal and acoustic specialist Promat UK, explains why scrutinising the origin of components and raw materials and how they are produced, combined with a thorough understanding of where any supply chain risks lie, is crucial to delivering assurance and peace of mind to fire door customers.

Fire resistant glazing plays a key role in creating buildings that give occupiers or users safe routes of escape in the event of an emergency, But as the spotlight falls on the fundamental question of how effective passive fire protection products actually are, it is vitally important that what we think we know is correct in terms of designing and installing fire resistant glazing.

Considering how many stages are involved in the design, manufacture and installation of fire resistant glazing, how confident can we be that the end result lives up to the original design intent?

Dame Judith Hackitt’s assertion that the building industry routinely puts cost before quality will come as no surprise to architects and contractors who often see their specifications being challenged, and ultimately changed, just to save a few pounds. Whilst this ‘value engineering’ can deliver what it promises for clients – better value from their investment – it has become synonymous with an industry obsessed seeking to do everything at the lowest possible cost.