Warringtonfire, a provider of fire testing, inspection, and certification services, has launched the facility, worth $30 million (£24 million), at Birchwood Park.
The 101,000 sq ft facility officially opened on January 2.
To mark the launch, the company, which is part of the Element Materials Technology group, is inviting fire safety and construction professionals to attend a grand opening event on January 31.
The event will feature a welcome address by Jo Wetz, CEO of Element Materials Technology; and a keynote speech from Paul Morrell OBE, former chief construction adviser to the UK Government.
There will also be an official ribbon-cutting ceremony, as well as a guided tour of the premises.
Leigh Hill, director of built environment at Element Materials Technology, said: “Fire safety continues to be a pressing priority for all stakeholders working in the construction industry.
“We took the decision many years ago to invest in this new facility to better serve the fire safety industry, knowing that regulations, standards, and legislation would continue to tighten in the built environment, while products and materials would become more sophisticated.
“Most importantly, we wanted to provide a sustainable and future-proof solution to the well-known capacity issue across the testing, inspection, and certification industry.
“It’s with great pride that we can say this facility is one of the best in Europe, if not the world, and represents a significant advancement in fire safety testing, offering cutting-edge technology and enhanced capabilities to better serve our clients and the industry.
“We have doubled our testing capacity through our new laboratory and expect to treble it by the end of 2026, with more investment in this laboratory on the way.”
The new laboratory currently houses five furnaces, with plans to install two more by the end of 2026.
The facility can test a variety of products, including fire doorsets, intumescent coatings on structural steelwork, fire stopping and passive fire protection products, floor and ceiling materials, and glass and glazing systems.
Construction of the laboratory began in July 2023, led by principal contractors Tilbury Douglas.
During the construction phase, Warringtonfire and Tilbury Douglas were awarded a Considerate Constructors Scheme Bronze Award.
The expansion has also created 50 new positions, including for maintenance engineers, technical officers, and technical assistants.
Mr Hill added: “We are looking forward to welcoming our colleagues, customers, and industry peers to our official launch ceremony.
“It is a time not just to celebrate, as it’s taken a lot of hard work to get here, but also to look forward.
“Our core purpose at Element Materials Technology is ‘Making Tomorrow Safer Than Today’, and on the day, we hope to not only show how we fulfil this promise, but to also take everyone’s views and feedback to further improve our own services and offering.”
For more information about the event and Warringtonfire’s new laboratory, please visit https://www.warringtonfire.com/about-warringtonfire/warrington-site-relocation-and-expansion