A fire curtain is a crucial safety device designed to prevent the spread of fire and smoke within a building.

Typically installed in large public spaces, such as theatres, auditoriums, and atriums,

Fire curtains are constructed from a fabric made of heavyweight glass fibre, reinforced with stainless steel wire and coated with a formulated fire retardant aluminium pigmented polyurethane coating.

Fire curtains operate with the aid of heat or smoke detectors, and their deployment can be manually triggered as well.

As well as a control panel which gives the fire curtain the ability for single descent or descend partially hold and continue descent, additional functionality can be achieved with the installation of egress switches, access switches, and single and double beam obstruction warnings. Light curtain obstruction warnings are also available. All of these ancillary products are tested in accordance with BS 8524-1, specifically Annex H. Relevant standards for a fire curtain are BS EN 1634-1 (2014) under testing as active fire barriers or BS 8524-1 which adds to the fire performance standards of BS 1634.

A fire curtain automatically descends from the ceiling to create a barrier, compartmentalising the affected area and restricting the fire's movement. This containment helps to protect occupants by allowing them to evacuate safely while also aiding firefighters in controlling a fire.

A1S has completed 16 separate tests under BS 8524. A fire curtain can be horizontal or more commonly vertical. A fire curtain can be either face fixed or reveal fixed but the structure into which a fire curtain is fitted cannot have a fire rating of less than the fire curtain.

A1S group fire curtains provide 120 minutes integrity against flaming and hot gases and can achieve radiation ratings of either 85 minutes at 15kw/m2 or 120 minutes at 15 kw/m2 and as such are classified as either EW 60 or EW 120.

Given their critical role in fire safety, building codes and regulations often mandate the installation of fire curtains in specific types of structures, ensuring that occupants and property remain as protected as possible in the event of a fire.

As a company A1S Group strives to provide industry leading product performance and customer service for fire curtains, fire shutters, smoke curtains and industrial shutters.

Despite the commercial challenges caused by Covid 19, 2020 has seen consistent business volumes across all company departments – UK supply and installation, UK trade and export, with particularly strong growth and demand for our Flameshield BS 8524 fire curtain range since the launch of our price promise. Quite simply we will provide the lowest cost of any bona fide supply and installation of a fire curtain tested to every required performance section of BS 8524-1.

A friendly and compliance savvy team awaits all your enquiries. We will firstly analyse any architectural specification and critically, where relevant, review any fire strategy documentation to ensure that the products we quote are fully compliant for your project. The A1S team has significant experience in decoding such documentation and will always collaborate with your wider design team in a timely and informative manner. Fire strategies, particularly when involving fire curtains can be notoriously complex and an experienced and thorough approach to quoting is paramount when life safety critical equipment is being specified. A1S Group products are increasingly being specified by UK architects and our sales team welcomes direct contact for illustrative drawings and product specifications.

We regularly seek and react to feedback from all of our clients and the company continues to exceed internal targets for quotation speed and short manufacturing lead times. Our commitment to 100% compliance, exemplary customer service, and low costs have catapulted us to the forefront of the UK fire barrier marketplace. Financial strength and a world class product range, with ongoing research and development have ensured a strong long-term pipeline and the A1S Group continues to set new standards for product performance. We are now manufacturing the world’s first 120-minute integrity AND radiation fire curtain, with cyclic testing to BS 8524-1. All of our products are fully tested and third party certified by either Warrington Element or International Fire Consultants.

Contact us today to find out why we are the company of choice for UK main contractors and our long-standing UK and export trade partners.

Browse the website for more fire curtain, smoke curtain and fire shutter information or contact us now at sales@a1sgroup.com for friendly, prompt advice.