MetFlam ceased production last year as a result of key personnel leaving the company, but negotiations in recent months resulted in an amicable solution that has enabled D R Services to re-float the company as an independent business.
MetFlam is best known for creating a 60/60 fire rated door with a 25mm jamb at anything up to 2.5m in height. (60/60 means 60 minutes of integrity from a fire as well as 60 minutes insulation, during which time the fire will not breach the door).
MetFlam??s main assets included the BS476: Part 22 or BS EN 1634-1 test results achieved at the Warrington and Cambridge Fire Research laboratories for a range of doors offering from 30 minute integrity right through to the 60/60 minute door. The technical difference between integrity and insulation is easy to explain, but quite difficult to achieve. Integrity refers to a screen that will stand there and stop any fire going across, but it doesn??t necessarily hold back high temperatures. So the surface of the side where there is no fire may be almost as hot as the side facing the blaze.
Insulation, according to current regulations, means doors have a temperature of no more than 180°C (spike or 140°C average) above ambient during the rated fire proof time. As a result people can get very close but feel only a minimal effect from the fire. The system could be used in areas where there are escape routes because it holds back the temperature sufficiently to enable people to egress safely.
D R Services?? Julie Jarvis says: ?What we are talking about is an absolutely minimally framed glass range of fire doors that provide up to 60 minutes integrity and 60 minute insulation. Yet the mullion, the vertical edge, of these glass doors is 20mm for integrity doors and 25mm for insulating doors – we believe that the closest alternative available is 70mm.
“All specifications are individual and the time frames on projects of this kind tend to be fairly lengthy. For instance, if somebody needs two fire doors we could create them to the certificate level now,?? said Julie Jarvis. ?They could place the order tomorrow and have them in about three weeks. If there was a high rise office building that required 300 doors that would take longer but we could be rolling out the first assemblies (subject to the specialist glass availability) within three weeks.”
For more information telephone 0121 511 2236 or visit www.drservices.co.uk
