Introducing Birchwood Park – our new world-leading fire resistance testing facility in Warrington
Here, you can learn more about our new facility, access information about our build progress and explore our latest blogs and videos. We are pleased to report that construction is advancing smoothly and remains on schedule for completion in Q3 2024, with the first day of business in Q1 2025. Contact us to book your fire resistance testing in our new industry-leading facility in Birchwood Park.
What do you need to know?
- Our fire resistance capabilities are relocating to a 101,000sqft facility 4 miles northeast of our current site. We will be doubling capacity in the short term, with the potential to triple capacity in the medium term.
- Our existing facility at Holmesfield Road is undergoing a significant transformation to become our UK centre of excellence for Reaction to Fire Testing, with a complete transformation planned in 2026.
- This move and redevelopment represents the largest single capital investment in Element’s history and is in response to customer feedback and industry challenges.
- Over 50 new jobs will be created in our testing, technical and certification teams. The 200-strong team will be one of the world’s largest and most skilled teams of fire technical experts.
We’ve been listening to you, our customers, and taking time to understand your challenges.
Demand for testing is continuing to grow, due to:
- Increasing regulatory requirements
- The rising importance of third-party certification
- Greater emphasis on product assurance
- The need for shorter testing lead times.
Our new facility unites the latest technology, increased capacity and technical expertise to create a world-leading fire resistance testing service.
- New and unique capabilities, to eventually comprise eight state-of-the-art fire resistance testing furnaces, including three horizontal, three vertical, and two indicative.
- Increased space and number of specimen preparation areas to enhance installation space and confidentiality, and improve workflow.
- Temperature controlled space with increased number of confidential spray booths.
- Autofed shot blast booth with an abrasive recovery system for improved efficiency.
- Higher quality and more accessible customer reception and viewing areas.
- An almost 80% increase in size over our existing facility in the region.
- Employing 50 new experts across testing, technical and certification, with a commitment to train and upskill new and existing employees.
View the latest developments at our Birchwood Park facility
Construction is advancing smoothly at our new fire resistance testing facility in Birchwood Park, Warrington, and we are excited to share the following video update with you.
The new laboratory will offer fire resistance testing for doors, glass and glazing, fire stopping, suspended ceilings, floors, structural steelwork protection, smoke curtains and components, walls and partitions, and much more.
Services and Capabilities at our new Birchwood Park facility
- Doorset and hardware testing
- Structural steelwork protection testing
- Fire stopping product testing
- Floor and suspended ceiling testing
- Glass and glazing systems testing
- Smoke curtains and component testing
- Wall and partition systems testing
- Fire product and personnel certification
- Non-fire product and personnel certification
- Marine certification.
Enhanced Customer Experience
Our facility offers enhanced customer experience and welfare amenities for both clients and colleagues, including an increased number of specimen preparation areas to expand installation space, and improve confidentiality and workflow.
Clients and colleagues will have access to more showers and toilets, including accessible options for both, as well as improved client meeting rooms, viewing areas and social spaces such as canteen areas, and plentiful parking (including 10 disabled and 10 EV charging spots).
Sustainability and Growth are Top of the Agenda
In line with Warringtonfire’s commitment to be more sustainable, the new facility will implement extensive measures to maintain air quality as well as reduce energy use and environmental impacts.
These measures include built-in recycling systems, smoke and odour capture and treatment, and energy-efficient fans.
Why Choose Warringtonfire
Our engaged experts are leading technical authorities in their fields, with many sitting on committees for government and industry associations, helping to shape the future of the industry.
As well as this, our certification schemes have been serving the industry for decades, with our installer scheme FIRAS recently celebrating its 30-year anniversary.