Warringtonfire invests in new SBI testing equipment for construction products

SBI testing is a key test method for assessing a given product’s reaction to fire performance. The process measures lateral flame spread, the rate of heat release, propensity for the production of flaming droplets and the rate (and amount) of smoke production.

The new equipment, which was commissioned by Warringtonfire last month, can be used to test various construction products – including wall and ceiling coverings and linear pipe insulation – in line with BS EN 13823.

As part of the testing procedure, a 30 kW propane-powered sandbox burner is used to simulate a wastepaper basket or small chair fire, with the test specimens mounted on two vertically oriented walls arranged to form a 90° open corner.

Warringtonfire’s Holmesfield Road laboratory is one of a select few UKAS-accredited sites to offer SBI testing in the UK.

Major investments

The new testing rig is the latest in a series of major investments by parent company Element Materials Technology in Warrington and follows the announcement of a brand new fire resistance facility at Birchwood Park, which is due to open in January 2025.

Following the opening of the Birchwood Park laboratory, which will triple current testing capacity in Warrington, the company’s Holmesfield Road laboratory will become a Centre of Excellence for reaction to fire testing, while in parallel continuing to operate small-scale testing for the spread of flame and heat release.

Leigh Hill, director at Warringtonfire, explained: “Single-burning item testing is a critical stage in bringing a new construction product to market in a safe and responsible way. It can help stakeholders make informed decisions on fire safety and material selection armed with the knowledge that the product in question will perform as expected if a fire does occur.”

Hill concluded: “The additional SBI testing facility at our Holmesfield Road laboratory will provide much-needed UKAS-accredited capacity for the manufacturers of construction products, while also proving to be a key milestone in our long-term plan for transforming the site into a Centre of Excellence for reaction to fire testing here in the UK.”

*For more information on Warringtonfire’s SBI testing capacity visit https://www.warringtonfire.com/testing-services/reaction-to-fire-testing/single-burning-item-testing