Tighter building safety standards mean there is an increasing need for real estate investors to use reliable and tested construction solutions to protect both people and property. Manufacturers of building materials consequently need to perform more stringent product tests and to update product information accordingly.

The revised European-wide standard EN 15254-5:2018 tightened the requirements for the validity of fire test results for different span lengths in October 2018. This affected all sandwich panel manufacturers. The standard also required separate testing for horizontally and vertically installed wall panels.

Approved worldwide by FM Approvals

In June 2019, FM Approvals organization confirmed that only a few sandwich panel producers could guarantee the highest level of safety. Ruukki is one of the few and mineral wool and X-PIR core sandwich panels manufactured in Ruukki’s Oborniki factory in Poland were granted FM Approvals global certification.

Ruukki’s results in the fire and strength tests were very good and highly competitive. A certificate received based on 4880 and 4881 norms allows the use of panels as both internal and external walls, as well as ceilings in accordance with FM Approvals requirements. 

Ruukki’s panels were awarded the widest possible scope of application, which places no limitations on permitted building height. Additionally, panels designed for external walls can provide longer spans and withstand the accompanying high loads caused by wind pressure and suction. 

Unique results again for span longer than 7.5 m in fire resistance class EI 60

In September 2020, Ruukki received a compliant test result for the SPB180WEF panel type in a long-span fire resistance test. The result can also be applied to several other panel types as a horizontally mounted wall panel.

The sandwich panel wall structure tested meets the requirements so that the test result obtained can be applied to a 10 m span in fire resistance class EI 60.

The test result obtained for spans longer than 7.5 is unique.