Sherwin-Williams, the leading global paint and coatings manufacturer, has announced that its innovative solutions are being used in the construction of a £100m government office building in Blackpool. The 215,000ft2, seven storey structure is being built on King Street and will accommodate over 3,000 civil servants. This development from main contractor, Vinci Building, forms a key part of the £350m Talbot Gateway regeneration project, which aims to expand footfall in Blackpool town centre and enhance job prospects for local residents.
The building is constructed around a prefabricated steel frame, which is protected with passive fire protection solutions by Sherwin-Williams. Formulated to expand when subjected to fire, intumescent coatings create a substantial, insulating layer that increases the amount of time it takes for steel to get too hot in order to lose its load capacity and thus its static stability. The steel frame was produced by Leach Structural Steelwork, which is responsible for applying FIRETEX® FX6002 to the external areas, while JM Passive Fire Protection has been tasked with configuring the passive fire protection and will be using FIRETEX® FX1003 and FIRETEX® FX6010 for the internal steelwork.
The correct level of protection could only be ascertained by gaining a thorough understanding of the structure. Sherwin-Williams’ Fire Engineering and Estimating Team (FEET) analysed the design scope of the building and provided product solutions and estimates that met the project requirements. FEET determined that the required 90-minute fire rating could be achieved by using FIRETEX FX6002.
Buildings in Blackpool are exposed to significant humidity and an aggressive atmosphere, with high levels of condensation and salt. FIRETEX FX6002 has been formulated for use in environments up to the C5 category and is primarily designed for off-site application. This product offers the briefest timelapse between application and handling for fire resistance periods of up to two hours, while its mechanical durability reduces the risk of damage during transportation and installation. It also features volatile organic content (VOC) levels that are comparable with many of today’s water based intumescent products.
The ultra-fast drying benefits of FIRETEX FX6002 are recognised by Leach Structural Steelwork’s production manager, Jonathan Leach, who said, ‘Obviously the external structure is a vital part of the initial stages of any project. We were given a tight deadline to get the steelwork to Blackpool and the fast curing of FIRETEX FX6002 enabled rapid throughput at our production facility, which helped us to achieve the specified timeframes.’
FEET recommended that JM Passive Fire Protection apply a combination of FIRETEX FX1003 thin-film and FIRETEX FX6010 rapid curing intumescent coatings to all the internal steelwork sections. Once cured, Sherwin-Williams’ high solids, tin free polyurethane Acrolon® 7300 will be applied as a fast-drying topcoat. Acrolon 7300 has excellent resistance to atmospheric exposures and maintains gloss and colour, even in highly corrosive environments such as those found in Blackpool.
The building is scheduled for completion in March 2025, when staff from the Department for Work and Pensions will transfer from existing sites in a move estimated to boost the town centre economy by up to £8m a year. Nathan Mangnall, business development manager at Sherwin-Williams, concluded, ‘We’re delighted to have been able to supply our market leading coatings for use in this state-of-the-art building, which will make a big difference to the people of Blackpool. This project was won by demonstrating our technical expertise to Vinci Build, Leach Structural Steelwork and JM Passive Fire Protection in what was real team effort from all areas of Sherwin-Williams.’
For more information visit the Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine website.
About the Author
Dave Staddon - Publisher
Co-Founder of MDM Publishing Ltd. He has worked in fire publishing for close to 30 years. The company's portfolio includes International Fire Protection, International Fire Fighter, Asia Pacific Fire, Gulf Fire & UK Fire.
