MORE than 100 fire safety professionals and customers were given an exclusive preview of Warringtonfire's new testing laboratory before its official opening.

Warringtonfire, part of Element Materials Technology, is set to open its new flagship fire facility in Birchwood Park on January 2.

The £24million, 101,000 square foot lab is now complete and will become fully operational at the start of next year.

Construction of the lab has now been completed and the handover from the contractors is done.

The lab is set to be one of Europe’s largest fire testing laboratories.

Ahead of the official launch, more than 100 visitors attended four sessions over November 12 and 13 to see the lab, which has been described as a "world-class facility right here in the north nest."

The visitors were given a guided tour, shown presentations, and attended a networking event to meet Warringtonfire's team of technical experts.

They were also able to see the testing equipment and furnaces, as well as the client amenities.

Peter Barker, technical policy manager at Warringtonfire, spoke to the visitors about the evolution of Warringtonfire's services and how the new legislation is reshaping the regulatory landscape for construction products.

Leigh Hill, director of Element’s Built Environment Europe division, said: "The customer open days have been a fantastic success.

"It was a great opportunity for our customers to meet the team and learn more about our operations, and to really showcase the scale and efficiency of the Birchwood Park site.

"In true demonstration of our broad service offering and multidisciplinary expertise, our testing, technical, and certification experts provided collaborative answers to customer questions.

"This is something our clients can continue to benefit from, since the three teams are now located under one roof.

"This gives us the ability to deliver a streamlined end-to-end process to a higher standard with the latest technology."

(Image: Supplied) The construction is now finished, and the team will focus on UKAS validation and accreditation for its five furnaces and operations, which should be completed by the end of November.

While this takes place, the fire resistance team will gradually transition from the Holmesfield Road laboratory to Birchwood Park.

As part of the expansion, 50 jobs have been filled, including maintenance engineer, technical officer, and technical assistant positions.

Feedback from the open days was positive.

Shaun Davidson, director at SGD Fire Protection Ltd, a passive fire protection specialist, said: "We're incredibly lucky to have such a world-class facility right here in the North West."

Similarly, Tom Owen, technical engineer at Etex, said: "First impressions of the new facility overall are very positive.

"The sheer scale of the site was impressive, and the layout was very intuitive.

"I didn’t expect that three tests could run simultaneously and the possible maximum number of tests that can be done is staggering."

Leigh Hill expressed his satisfaction with the positive response, adding that the new laboratory had been meticulously designed with clients as the top priority.

He said: "We have intentionally incorporated confidential spray booths, each with its own temperature-controlled environment, as well as custom-made steel screens that can be attached to test preparation bays to protect intellectual property.

"We have also opted for dedicated client viewing areas to ensure privacy and are in the process of trialling additional confidentiality measures to further safeguard sensitive information."

To ensure the laboratory acts not just as a testing site but also an environment where meetings can be conducted, Warringtonfire has incorporated numerous amenities for employees and customers.

These include 175 parking bays and 10 EV charging stations.

The site also features accessible welfare facilities like shower and locker rooms, five meeting rooms, three conference rooms, and a lift to platform viewing areas.