With construction now complete and the handover finalised, Warringtonfire’s premier fire resistance testing facility has entered its final phase. In this Q&A, Leigh Hill, Director of Built Environment Europe at Warringtonfire, shares insights on what to expect from the cutting-edge laboratory set to open in January 2025.
Leigh, can you give us an overview of the timeline that has led up to this point?
We are thrilled to be just weeks away from opening our new large-scale Warringtonfire laboratory. It has been a long journey, requiring immense effort, but I’m delighted to announce that our $30m fire resistance testing laboratory is on track to officially open in January 2025.
With construction completed, our focus shifted to UKAS validation and accreditation for our five furnaces and operations. This marks the culmination of years of planning and hard work. The testing process concluded at the end of November, ensuring the laboratory is ready to accept test specimens upon opening.
What’s happening with Warringtonfire’s previous laboratory?
As the new Birchwood site nears completion, our resistance testing team will gradually transition from the Holmesfield Road laboratory. As part of our expansion, we have already filled 50 new positions, including maintenance engineers, technical officers, and technical assistants. Our technical and certification teams, which were based at a third site, moved into the new facility in the first week of December.
This transition offers numerous benefits to our clients and colleagues, who will now be able to collaborate under one roof, enhancing the entire end-to-end process from initial enquiry to certification decision. This setup allows us to provide higher standards of service with the latest technology and collaborative processes, while fostering multidisciplinary teams with expertise across the testing and certification spectrum.
How does the capacity at the Birchwood laboratory compare to the Holmesfield Road site?
As the demand for fire testing grows, so does the need for increased capacity. The new Birchwood Park laboratory is designed to double the capacity of the Holmesfield Road site, with plans to triple it in the future.
We’ve seen tremendous interest in testing at the new site, with clients already booking slots. We’re excited about the positive response and look forward to welcoming everyone soon.
What are some of the standout features the new laboratory has to offer?
We are proud that the laboratory, in partnership with Tilbury Douglas, received a Bronze Award and a perfect score of 45 out of 45 under the Considerate Constructors Scheme earlier this year. This scheme recognises construction sites, organisations, and suppliers committed to raising environmental and community social value standards.
From the project's inception, we aimed to incorporate sustainable principles at every stage, from energy-efficiency and air quality measures to our ongoing commitment to sustainable operations. New abatement systems ensure that fumes from the fire testing process have minimal environmental impact. The laboratory is also ready to use a blend of clean hydrogen and natural gas as soon as local infrastructure supports it.
In addition to sustainability, client confidentiality is a top priority. The facility features seven confidential spray booths, each with its own temperature-controlled environment, and custom-made steel screens to protect intellectual property. Dedicated client viewing areas and strict workflows ensure privacy. We are also trialling full blank screens in front of the furnaces as an additional confidentiality measure during tests.
Have you received any early feedback from your colleagues or customers on how the new site is shaping up?
Our team has already been very positive about how the new site could speed up responses and resolutions to queries and open new career pathways.
Client feedback has been extremely encouraging too, with customers at our recent customer open day highlighting the scale of the operation and improved facilities for installation, welfare, and testing. The return to a single site with the technical team nearby has been well-received.
In mid-October, UKAS visited the site to witness a timber door test on the vertical furnace. The assessor’s feedback was reassuring, and they were impressed with the laboratory and the scale of fire resistance testing at Birchwood Park.
Thanks Leigh. Finally, can you share what you’re most excited about ahead of the new facility opening?
While many things are changing for the better, our priority remains the same: to provide a safe, healthy workplace that protects our environment. Fire resistance testing facilities are often perceived as dim, dusty, and smoky, but we are committed to proving otherwise. Our facility offers a clean, state-of-the-art environment for our customers and employees.
I’m particularly excited about making our clients and colleagues feel at home at Birchwood Park. We want the site to be more than just a testing facility; we envision it as a versatile space for meetings and team growth. Once open, the Birchwood Park laboratory will be known as a world-leading fire resistance testing facility, setting a high benchmark for others to follow.
For more information about our new Birchwood Park laboratory, or to book for 2025, please visit our dedicated page.
If you are unsure of bookings already scheduled for 2025 or have a question regarding booking for 2025, please contact your account manager. If you are unsure of who your account manager is, please contact Matthew Ruff via matthew.ruff@element.com who will be able to assist.