KONGENS LYNGBY Denmark - Global coatings company Hempel announced that it is investing in a new research and development center focused solely on passive fire protection coatings. Located just outside Barcelona in Spain, the center is due to open towards the end of 2018. The investment demonstrates Hempel's commitment to further developing its range of life saving fire protection coatings as well as expanding its unique global R&D network.
Passive fire protection (PFP) coatings are increasingly important in the construction and oil and gas industries. Applied to structural steel in large buildings and industrial oil and gas installations, the coatings expand to form an insulating layer of carbon char when exposed to high temperatures. This enables the steel to maintain its load-bearing capacity for up to four hours longer during a fire, giving people valuable time to escape the building and for fire fighters to put the fire out.