Quelfire spells out fire stopping value proposition for customer base

First, it’s crucial to understand that our aim has never been to provide the cheapest products on the market, but rather to ensure the industry enjoys the benefits of high-quality and tested products alongside all of the required support to underpin those solutions.

With a robust testing programme in place, we have grown into a brand that’s renowned for its scope of application within the construction industry, providing fire stopping solutions for real-life scenarios that are based on valued customer feedback and trends apparent in the market.

An ever-growing library of tested details ensures that the industry is able to benefit from primary test evidence over and above engineering judgements. That being so, the value lies in the cost of the tested system, not in the cost of each individual product.

We strongly believe that any given building needs to be designed around tested details. To achieve this, we work in partnership with all parties involved in the design and management of the installation of fire stopping systems to ensure they have all the tools and information needed to benefit them when making an informed decision about which solutions to use and how to install them.

Further, we go ‘above and beyond’ when educating the industry about the importance of fire safety and use every platform available to us to do so, whether that be panel discussions at trade exhibitions, Continuing Professional Development-accredited webinars or one-to-one consultations about early engagement in fire stopping.

Greater expense

Why is it worth paying that little bit extra for the more expensive products supplied with all of these benefits? The answer is simple. The cost of not making sure everything’s right the first time around is potentially far greater than choosing to work with a competent manufacturer underpinned by tested details and all of the necessary technical support along the way.

Any issues that arise during the design and installation stage will inevitably cause extra costs and delays, thereby extending the projected completion date. For example, if there’s no tested solution at the design stage, a redesign is going to be required. If products are installed incorrectly, these mistakes will have to be rectified. In addition, if issues are found at the inspection stage, then it’s not simply a case of having to rethink the installation of the fire stopping products, but also their design.

Ultimately, and imagining the worst case scenario, if errors are not identified during the final inspection stage and a fire breaks out when the building is already occupied, the risking of lives will be the price of cutting corners and not taking building safety as seriously as is necessary.

Using the right product, supported by suitable test evidence and the guidance of the manufacturer involved, will see fire stopping designed and installed on a correct footing. It may well seem more expensive in the initial stages. However, money will be saved in the long run by choosing competency over cost and wanting to do it right the first time around.

The industry needs to start prioritising life safety over and above the use of cheaper products and the drive to save on expenditure.

Rebecca Croton is Content Marketing Executive at Quelfire Limited (www.quelfire.co.uk)