Fortress Protec
Challenge
The standard steel door typically has a low security offering and low-level fire certificate. It lacks thermal insulation and sound attenuation properties which have become big drivers for door specifiers and architects. Fortress aimed to develop the next generation, sustainable, 'Hybrid' steel/polymer door solution which would not only enhance security attack and fire safety performance, but would also integrate new thermal and acoustic performance features. To achieve a commercially viable product, an innovative leap from traditional design and manufacture methods was required.
Solution
This KTP facilitated a collaboration with Ulster University and Fortress Protec to develop:
- A new market-ready range of hybrid security doors to meet industry standard security credentials, aligning fire retardant performance with acoustic characteristics and thermal conductivity properties far in advance of anything else on the market.
- Technical innovation in relation to new materials and construction techniques.
- New knowledge in technical innovation in design, materials and manufacture.
- Increased turnover through sales growth in markets outside Northern Ireland.
Company Impact
We designed, developed and tested a new next generation suite of high-performance doors, with thermal, fire-proof, sound-proof and security ratings not achieved by any product in the market, whilst establishing a new in-house design capability.