Official launch
On October 22nd 2024 the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, visited our Headquarters in Irlam to officially open our state-of-the-art F-Lab Fire Test Centre & Training Academy.
Emblematic of our dedication to furthering R&D in fire protection, the new testing and training centre signals Tenmat’s growth and continued commitment to the Greater Manchester region.
The F-Lab
Our new F-Lab facility is split into two parts:
The state-of-the-art Fire Testing laboratory specialises in the development and testing of Tenmat’s cavity fire barriers and service penetration products. The lab’s calibrated indicative scale furnace can simulate the pressures and temperatures experienced in real fire scenarios and can reach temperatures in excess of 1200 degrees centigrade. The lab performs fire resistance testing adhering to the general principles of relevant international standards, ensuring the reliability and effectiveness of Tenmat’s passive fire protection products in the most challenging applications.
In our dedicated Training Academy we provide detailed and comprehensive training programmes focusing on instructing participants on the correct installation of our cavity barriers and service penetration products. This training is designed to equip installers and product specifiers with essential knowledge and skills to ensure optimal safety in real-world scenarios – from the architectural design stage through to the final project build.
Dr. Daniel Reid
Technical Director
GOOD FOR IRLAM AND GREATER MANCHESTER
Visiting Tenmat’s facility and new labs today, it’s clear that this is a long-term investment which will only be good for Irlam and Greater Manchester as a whole.
There’s not only the economic benefit that the investment brings, but a huge social benefit here as well. It’s fantastic that some of these materials will be used in the construction of homes in Salford, improving their safety. The more we can encourage the uptake of this material, the more we can help prevent fires here and across the UK.
Andy Burnham
Mayor of Greater Manchester
MAking buildings throughout the uk safer
It was an honour to welcome the Mayor to our site and celebrate this significant milestone for the company. With our expanding international headquarters based in Irlam we are continuing to invest in the Greater Manchester region and having the support of the Mayor in our endeavours means a great deal.
We are very proud to be involved in making buildings throughout Greater Manchester and the UK safer; this new lab will enable us to do that on an even greater scale.
Dr. Kapil Chopra
CEO, Tenmat
developing the best solutions
The work we are able to carry out in our testing and training facility means we can continue to develop the best solutions as well as fully train professionals involved in selecting and installing fire protection measures in buildings across the country – from architects to contractors on site.
In light of the terrible Grenfell tragedy and the fact that 7 years on there are still over 2,500 buildings identified as needing replacement cladding systems, we at Tenmat are committed to helping the government accelerate this process and ensure standards are raised across the industry.
Ed Peltor
Fire Protection Managing Director
Our Manchester heritage
Tenmat is a leading international passive fire protection manufacturer and has been in the Greater Manchester area for over 100 years. Indeed, from 1914 until 2023 Tenmat was based at its original factory site just down the road in Trafford Park.
Our storied association with Greater Manchester endures with our Irlam headquarters, employing over 200 skilled employees on a 24-hour shift basis. Our brands also extend into the wider world, with PFC Corofil based in Chessington, London, BrandGuard Vents based in California USA, and Tenmat Inc based in Delaware USA.
Continuing our legacy, Tenmat remains a key part of the community, bringing jobs, technical apprenticeships, and investment into the area, while delivering essential products and services to local, national, and global building projects.
Our range of passive fire protection products is also widely specified by housebuilders within affordable new build housing to ensure the next generation of homes are optimised for fire safety.
“The materials I’ve seen demonstrated today are clearly highly effective in preventing the spread of fires within buildings, and actually should have been fitted in the past…if this material is properly fitted, the amount of fires that would be prevented, and the amount of lives that would be saved, is enormous.”
Andy Burnham
Mayor of Greater Manchester
Read more about the Mayor’s visit and the issue of recladding in Greater Manchester in the Manchester Evening News article.
