Firefly showcases new products at NEC event

Held at Birmingham’s NEC over three days in April, The Fire Safety Event drew almost 50,000 professionals from various sectors, eager to explore the latest products and service solutions offered by the 1076 exhibitors.

Fire barrier specialist Firefly reported strong interest at its stand from both established colleagues and new contacts.

The company showcased a range of fire-stopping solutions, particularly its new Ablative Batt products, launched at the end of 2023.

The products aim to address the increased focus on fire safety standards since the publication of the Hackitt Report.

New fire safety products launched

Firefly’s new Ablative Batt products, developed over three years, address wall, floor, and roof voids.

The FIREFLY FB180 Ablative Batt 60mm Wall System provides a single layer EI60, fire-rated compartmentation wall that can be installed free-standing or within timber and plasterboard partitions.

Additionally, the FIREFLY FB180 Ablative Batt 60mm Floor System creates single layer EI60

compartmentation, suitable for installation above ceilings or between existing joists.

The Roof Cavity Closer combines Ablative Batt and Intumescent Graphite to close off the void between roof membrane and tile along the compartment edges.

Presentation on roof void safety

The event also featured a well-attended 45-minute presentation by Dr. Karthick Govarthanam, Firefly’s General Manager, titled “Decoding Roof Void”.

Dr. Govarthanam discussed the challenges of protecting difficult-to-access roof zones, referencing the 627,553 incidents and 67,014 primary fires the UK fire and rescue services responded to in the year ending 2022.

He noted that between 2006 and 2008, 10,000 of these fires originated from attics or roof spaces.

Dr. Govarthanam’s technical overview included roof hazards, fire standards, and legislative requirements such as the Regulatory System, Approved Document 7, ADB – Volume 1 & 2, and NHBC Guidance.

He also examined the various types of cavity barriers manufactured by Firefly, providing real-world examples of their installation.

Importance of compartmentation

Dr. Govarthanam emphasised the importance of compartmentation, particularly in multistorey buildings where different standards of fire resistance apply.

He highlighted cases where walls separate one flat from another part of the building or enclose a refuse chute, as well as other complex situations.

He remarked: “It was a great turnout and only one person actually left midway through – so, I must not have bored anyone to death.”