Fairgrieves’ Firewall Bracket Base Hat-trick of Short-Listings at Industry Awards

A product developed by Fairgrieve Compression Moulding which is helping improve fire safety within new construction developments has been recognised for its innovation and impact with a hat-trick of short-listings at industry awards.

The North East manufacturing company’s Matrix Firewall Bracket Base has been shortlisted in the Innovation Category in the North East, Yorkshire & Humberside region of the 2024 Make UK Awards, with the winners to be announced in an event at Ramside Hall, Durham, in October.

This follows Fairgrieves also being shortlisted at the national 2024 Engineering and Manufacturing Awards (EMA) in the Design Team category, about the development of the product.

The business, in Washington, Tyne & Wear, has also been named winner of the ‘Made in the North East’ award for the Durham, Sunderland and South Tyneside region at the North East Business Awards, with the company now a finalist in the same category for the entire North East region.

Again, judges were impressed by the Matrix Firewall Bracket Base, which was specifically designed, developed and manufactured to help improve fire safety within new developments.

Made from a specially developed raw material which took many months of research and development, it is capable of withstanding intense heat, fire and smoke for up to two hours, helping significantly improve the resistance and integrity of firewalls.

Fairgrieves worked in partnership with customers and compound solutions specialists to develop the product, which needed to be put through the most rigorous testing before it could be compression moulded to perfection.

The product is now being used in its thousands in firewalls on new developments across the UK.

‘Incredible recognition for an outstanding product’

Barry Davidson, managing director of Fairgrieve Compression Moulding, said: “The recognition we have had for our firewall bracket base at awards events across the manufacturing and engineering sectors over the past few months has been incredible, but it is an outstanding product.

“I think people have been impressed not only with the standard of the product, which is helping to make buildings safer and could ultimately save lives but also by how we went about designing, developing, improving and manufacturing the project alongside our partners.

“This was a genuine collaboration between ourselves, our end customer and one of our materials suppliers, with close communication required between all parties throughout all stages from concept through development, modifications, testing and manufacturing production.

“It was a project not ever dictated by timeframes, but by reaching milestones in product design and development, material research, development and production, with modifications made to ensure the best quality product was produced at the most efficient cost.

“Given the recent publication of the final findings of the Grenfell Inquiry, which did not make good reading for the construction industry with regards to profits being put before safety and compliance, we are proud to have worked so hard to bring this product to market.

“In fact, we are currently working hard to make it even more cost-effective for our current customers by working on some modifications.”

Product was put through rigorous testing

During product development the team at Fairgrieves had to carry out extensive work to ensure it could be manufactured in the most efficient manner, whilst still meeting the demanding performance requirements.

It put then through rigorous testing, with the Fairgrieves team using their decades of combined experience of compression moulding to suggest modifications to deliver cost savings.

This included reducing the amount of material used on each bracket brace, and also improving the production process to increase outputs.

“The product has far exceeded the expectations of our client and is now being used in their thousands of new developments across the UK,” said Mr Davidson.

“There is obviously a significant market for these products in the development of residential complexes, where any extra escape time in the event of a fire is crucial, but also for construction companies and on sites where the business tenants are considered a greater risk, such as those using or manufacturing potentially highly flammable materials.

“We feel it’s a market-leading product and it is one we are certainly very proud of. It is fantastic to see it gaining much-deserved recognition as part of these various awards events.”

Read more from Fairgrieve Compression Moulding here.

Fairgrieve Compression Moulding
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