Warringtonfire counting down to fire resistance test laboratory opening

Located at Birchwood Park, the site was handed over by principal contractor Tilbury Douglas to the testing, inspection and certification leaders on 16 September, six weeks ahead of schedule. The official opening is set for 2 January.

During this final phase, Warringtonfire’s team will be focusing on UKAS validation and accreditation for its five furnaces and operations. This process is expected to be completed by the end of November, duly ensuring that the laboratory is fully ready to accept test specimens when it opens its doors.

Meanwhile, Warringtonfire’s fire resistance testing team will gradually transition from the Holmesfield Road laboratory as they prepare for the launch. As part of the expansion, 50 new jobs have already been filled, including all maintenance engineer and technical officer positions. The maintenance engineers now form a newly created team of highly skilled experts from diverse backgrounds, in turn ensuring smooth, safe and reliable operations.

Aligned with parent company Element Materials Technology Group’s ethos of ‘Making Tomorrow Safer Than Today’, the laboratory has been recognised with a Bronze Award and a perfect score of 45 out of 45 under the Considerate Constructors Scheme. This achievement is due to the energy efficiency and air quality measures integrated into the build programme, as well as the company’s continuing commitment to sustainable operation of the site.

Among the initiatives in operation is advanced smoke cleaning technology. For example, the abatement systems clean the smoke to ensure that fumes from the fire testing process have negligible environmental impact. In addition, the laboratory is prepared to use a blend of clean hydrogen and natural gas as soon as the local infrastructure supports it.

Enhancements to building safety

Dafydd Llewelyn-Jones, senior project manager for Warringtonfire, has led the construction project since its inception in August 2023. Llewelyn-Jones explained: “It’s with great pride and excitement that I can announce our new laboratory is on track to open at the start of next year. As we strive to enhance building safety, the importance of fire testing continues to grow, driven as it is by numerous industry factors that will increase the need for fire testing capacity in the near future.”

Llewelyn-Jones continued: “Our new laboratory is poised to address this growing demand by tripling the capacity of our current Holmesfield Road site. Further, we’ve future-proofed our operations with a range of sustainable solutions designed to minimise environmental impact, while in parallel delivering safety-critical services. The facility features integrated recycling systems, advanced smoke and odour capturing and treatment technologies and energy-efficient ventilation solutions. With these innovations, our new laboratory is set to be at the forefront of sustainable fire resistance testing.”

Warringtonfire’s laboratory is meticulously designed with client confidentiality in mind. It features custom-made module spray booths, each with its own temperature-controlled environment, as well as test preparation areas designed to protect intellectual property. Dedicated client viewing areas are also in place to ensure privacy. In anticipation of the launch, the laboratory is also trialling additional confidentiality measures and has established strict confidentiality workflows to further safeguard sensitive information.

Added value for customers

Warringtonfire has made significant investments in a bid to enhance value for both clients and employees. The new facility offers ample visitor parking with 175 bays, including ten disabled bays, as well as ten electric vehicle charging stations. It also features secure double-tier bike lock-ups, accessible welfare facilities (including shower and locker rooms), five meeting rooms, three conference rooms and lifts to platform viewing areas.

Llewelyn-Jones concluded: “We want our clients and colleagues to feel truly at home in our new facility. It was important for us that the laboratory serves not only as a testing site, but also as a versatile environment wherein meetings can be conducted and where our team can excel.”

Once the Birchwood Park laboratory is fully operational, Warringtonfire’s Holmesfield Road facility will be transformed into a ‘Centre of Excellence’ for ‘Reaction to Fire’-focused testing, building on the significant investment already made to increase the company’s construction, rail and marine testing services with the introduction of upgraded equipment and expanded capacity for single burning item and roof testing.

*Further information concerning Warringtonfire’s Birchwood Park laboratory is available online at https://www.warringtonfire.com/about-warringtonfire/warrington-site-relocation-and-expansion