LET’S TURN “SILLY SEASON” INTO “SENSIBLE SEASON”.
If you have worked in UK construction for a few years, you are probably familiar with the phrase “silly season”.
What is “silly season?”
PRONOUNCED \ SIL-ee-SEE-zun\ noun
Silly Season is the time around late July/August when the newspapers are full of unimportant or silly news stories because there is not much political news to report.
[British English]
Well not at the A1S Group. “Silly season” for us, is when nearly every main UK contractor and most of our 250 trade partners are screaming for their fire curtains, smoke curtains, fire shutters and insulated shutters to come out of production from mid-July through to late August and even early September so that their school, college, and university projects can be completed during the summer holiday. The increased demand spike within the educational sector during such a small window effectively disrupts the entire construction industry, It is the time when our factory is absolutely flat out and when we have unprecedented demand for our installation teams. It is the time when clients are ringing and throwing accelerated payments around to try and obtain an impossible turnaround on packages because they are so up against practical completion.
And it never changes. Over the years we have tried limiting holidays (where possible), provisioned overtime, and put on additional shifts. And July to August is always hectic. Last year, we further invested in a CNC punch system to produce millimetre perfect head boxes, guides, end plates, joining strips and bracketry in a fraction of the usual time, and helped to keep fire and smoke curtain lead times around the three-to-four-week timeframe; but the truth is there are no guarantees. Lead times are always contingent on demand, but there are 2 things you can do which will definitely help us to maintain the best possible service for you and your project team.
1) Get your project on our radar as soon as possible, by emailing by return that our quote is of interest.
2) Let us know if you anticipate a production requirement of fire and smoke curtains, fire shutters and industrial shutters for July August or early September, thus allowing us to better plan.
Of course, we will always do our utmost to maintain what we think are the UK’s best lead times, and if you get truly stuck, we are here to be as accommodating as possible, but with your help and a little planning, we might well be able to look back in September 2023 and complement ourselves on how well “Sensible season” went.
To discuss forthcoming orders and installations for July/August/September 2023
FOR UK TRADE SALES CONTACT DAMIAN LAWSON
damianlawson@a1sgroup.com 01204 383839 ext 110
FOR UK SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION SALES CONTACT ANDY MARTIN
andy@a1sgroup.com 01204 383839 ext 104
The Difference Between A1S Group Fire and Smoke Curtains and Fire Shutters.
The Difference Between A1S Group Fire and Smoke Curtains and Fire Shutters.
For those not used to procuring these two distinct fire rated products, we thought it would be helpful to post a simple guide. Of course, procurement of fire curtains, fire and smoke curtains, smoke curtains and fire shutters can be a complex area. We advise that guidance is always taken from your Building Control, Design Team, and Fire Strategist – and of course with our significant project experience, we are always here to help.
1) Components
The first obvious difference between fabric fire curtains, fire and smoke curtains, smoke “only” curtains and fire shutters is the component build. Whilst both product ranges share commonalities, particularly as both are motorised and are generally activated by an alarm signal and generally descend within guide channels, a fire shutter is manufactured from, in our case 76mm curved solid galvanised steel lath. Curtains are manufactured from a range of tested fabrics, usually a heavyweight glass fabric which is reinforced with stainless steel wire, coated with a formulated fire-retardant aluminium pigmented polyurethane or intumescent fire-retardant silicon elastomer .
A1S Group fire curtain and fire shutter specifications and drawings are available at https://a1sgroup.com/specifications-and-drawings
2) Performance
Fire shutters are available with 1-, 2-, and 4-hour integrity and have been fire tested to BSEN 1634-1. Fire curtains are available with 1- and 2-hour integrity and additionally our Flameshield fire curtain range provides 85 minutes before breaching 15 kw/m2 radiation for the unexposed side of a curtain. Neither product is sold with insulating properties. Fire curtains provide smoke compliance to BS EN 1634-3 with the inclusion of specialist smoke seals and as such make the product suitable for protecting means of escape. Smoke seals are burnt as part of the fire testing to confirm integrity of the whole product. Smoke compliance is not available with a fire shutter range because of ingress between the curved lath section. A fire shutter can provide a degree of physical security when in the closed position. Fire and smoke curtains are designed to sit within their headbox and only become operable during fire conditions or on receipt of an alarm signal. For more detail, please see :
Link: https://firecurtain.co.uk/
Link: https://fireshutter.co.uk/
3) Standards
It is a legal requirement that fire shutters are manufactured under harmonised European standard BS EN 16034 and BS EN 13241. Our Flameshield range benefits from being the first tested to multiple substrates in the UK under this now required CE markable, and is approved for masonry, blockwork, structural steel and flexible stud systems.
Our Flameshield fire curtains are offered to BS 8524-1, BS EN 1634-1 as well as BS EN 1634-3 and we are finalising CE marking as despite preference for BS 8524 by many Building Controls in the UK the general direction of travel is for a CE marked fire curtain under BS EN 16034. Smoke “only” curtains are offered under the harmonised European Standard BS EN 12101. All of our fire testing is carried out by Warrington Fire, and we hold third party certification for both manufacture of fire curtains and installation of fire and smoke curtains under International Fire Consultants SDI 05 and SDP -11 02 Scheme.
4) Design
We host all indicative drawings across our product range at : https://a1sgroup.com/specifications-and-drawings
Both fire curtains and fire shutters benefit from internal tubular motors contained neatly within the head box. Fire shutters can also have external motors, generally where larger sizes are required. It is readily noticeable that fire shutters have larger head boxes which give fire curtains the edge when headroom is restricted. Permissible parameters for both ranges are available above. Likewise, both product ranges are available to be fitted to your structure either face fix or reveal fix. Indicative product weights are 22kg per linear metre for single vertical fire curtains, 36kg per linear metre for overlapping systems, and 35kg/m2 for fire shutters. Our testing documentation requires that all designed structures are load bearing to the above and have a fire performance equal to or greater than the performance required by our product. Fire curtains are also available as “horizontal” products to protect atria, light wells, escalators, and stairs from fire. Extended applications to BS 15269-10 and BS 15269-11 as well as product assessments from Warrington give further detail on structural requirements.
5) Applications
Fire and smoke curtains and fire shutters should be specified by trained and competent professionals. Broadly speaking fire shutters are used to provide integrity when there are openings in walls, for boundary protection and for compartmentation. Smoke only curtains are used to channel smoke, usually in conjunction with a ventilation system. Fire and smoke curtains can be used for, protected means of escape, egress and corridor separation, boundary protection, compartmentation, openings in walls and lift and lift lobbies.
For further information on our range of fire curtains, fire and smoke curtains and fire shutters, or any costing requirements, please contact :
info@a1sgroup.com
A1 Shutters Limited assume no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of this site. The information contained in this site is provided on an "as is" basis with no guarantees of completeness, accuracy, usefulness or timeliness. Analysis of product properties and their suitability for any given application should always be undertaken and confirmed by competent professionals.
Still punching above our weight as A1S Invests In a C N C Punch System
Continuing our 2022 production investment, and targeted campaign to maintain the best fire and smoke curtain lead times in the UK.
A1S Invests In a C N C Punch System in Push to Maintain Sparkling Lead Times
Continuing our 2022 production investment, and targeted campaign to maintain the best fire curtain and smoke curtain lead times in the UK, the A1S Group has invested in an Amada Vipros 2510 King. Working in conjunction with Jetcam programming software we are now able to produce millimetre perfect head boxes, end guides, end plates, joining strips and a plethora of bracketry in an unlimited range of batch sizes, all with countersinking options. The state of the art punch system is to be utilised to manufacture metal works for third party certified Flameshield fire curtain and smoke curtains to BS 8524-1, Flameshield fire and smoke curtains to BSEN 1634-1, CE marked fire curtains to BS EN 16034 and our range of Smokeshield smoke curtains to BS EN 12101-1+A1:2005.
For information on our complete range of Flameshield fire curtains, fire and smoke curtains, and Smokeshield smoke curtains please email Paul Caldwell-Jones on paul@a1sgroup.com
High End Student Accommodation Benefits From Flameshield Fire Curtains
High-End Student Accommodation Benefits From Flameshield Fire Curtains
A stone’s throw from the attractively named digital hub of “Silicon Roundabout” and next to London’s Old Street Tube Station sits IQ Shoreditch. Michael Brady Limited the main contractor on this high end £8.5 million student accommodation scheme for IQ chose the A1S Group to manufacture, install and commission six Flameshield fire curtains and smoke curtains to EN BS 1634-1 and EN BS 1634-3 in accordance with BS 8524-1.
A1S Group Flies High With Airbus Fire and Smoke Curtain Installation
The Welsh Government invested £20m to develop the first phase of its Advanced Manufacturing Research Facility in Broughton which will be operated by AMRC and used by Airbus for wing testing. Galliford Try were awarded the construction works as part of their ongoing North Wales Framework Agreement and after a smooth design process, chose the A1S Group for the supply and installation of 7 smoke control curtains to BS EN 12101 and 17 fire curtains tested in accordance with BS EN 1634-1 as required by BS 8524-1 2013 with 120 minutes integrity.
The photographs and video perfectly illustrate the physical differences between fire and smoke curtains and smoke curtains (only). The smoke only video displays curtains which do not descend within guides. Their purpose is primarily to channel smoke and as per their testing standard EN BS 12101-1, gaps are permissible and can be seen on the video. Permitted tolerances are as follows.
Up to 20mm when the curtain is less than 2 metres high
Up to 40mm when the curtain is between 2 and 6 metres high
Up to 60mm when the curtain is less than 6 metres high
The fire and smoke curtains on the two photos descend within guides and provide smoke leakage compliance to ENBS 1634-3 as well as their fire integrity to ENBS 1634-1 as required by BS 8524-1.
For any information about the A1S Group Flameshield fire and smoke curtain range, contact enquiries@a1shutters.co.uk for prompt customer and project support
