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History of Fire Protection at Hilti

Posted by Christina Hamiltonalmost 3 years ago

Saving Lives through Innovation and Education

Fire Protection Engineering

2.8K

Helping save lives through innovation and education has always been the heart of the Hilti Fire Protection team. The department was first established in 1990 with a single Product Manager who was responsible for the two firestop products at the time, CS 240 sealant and the CS 2420 wrap strip. The Product Manager was also responsible for preparing engineering judgments (EJs). In 1994, the department made great progress by expanding the product line to include three sealants, one mortar and one firestop collar. That year, the team also grew to a total of 8 members and hired the first official Fire Protection Engineer (FPE) and Computer Aided Drafter (CAD). The “Original Firestop Engineering Judgment Form” was developed to be filled out in ink and those requests were sent in mostly by mail with developed pictures. They received an average of approximately eighteen EJ requests per week.

Over the next four years the team made great strides. The second Fire protection Engineer was hired in 1996 and the team more than doubled the average weekly number of engineering judgments . Two very popular firestop products, FS-ONE and Fireblocks, also made their debut.  In 1998, the installation of Hilti’s own firestop furnace in Tulsa, OK allowed for major advancements in firestop testing. The team continued to grow, with four FPEs and two CADs and averaging 70 EJ Requests per week.

On the cusp of the 21st century, the Hilti Fire Protection Team launched the Hilti Accredited Firestop Specialty Contractors Program in 1999, which was the first of its kind for any firestop manufacturer. The engineering team grew yet again, with five FPEs and three CADs with an average of 90 EJ Requests per week. During this period, email was quickly becoming the fastest way to request a drawing with digital pictures from expensive cameras.

In 2015, Hilti constructed a new state of the art Testing and Development Facility in Irving, Tx. Upon completion, the entire Fire Protection Engineering Team officially relocated to Texas to begin operations within the Irving facility. The engineering team, consisting of 13 team members (FPE & CAD), process an average of 450+ EJ requests per week. That same year FS-ONE MAX firestop intumescent sealant was introduced and replaced its predecessor FS-ONE. The launch of Hilti Intumescent steel protection coating was only two short years later in 2017, with two additional engineers hired and dedicated to supporting the product line.

As of the beginning of 2021, the Fire Protection Design Team (FPDT) consists seventeen FPEs, twelve CADs, a Coordinator and a Technical Services Manager. There are graduates from 13 different universities represented by the Fire Protection Engineers. In addition, some team members are recognized by NFPA as Certified Fire Protection Specialists. The primary focus of the team continues to be producing engineering judgments and conducting firestop testing to develop and demonstrate the capabilities of Hilti’s innovative solutions. The Fire Protection Design Team is also very involved in the local community and has supported initiatives such as the Texas Ramp Project, North Texas Food Bank and Salvation Army Angel Tree to name a few.

Of the original four Fire Protection Engineers. all are still Hilti employees working closely with fire protection products and applications. Among the three Fire Protection Engineers responsible for testing since 1994, more than 2,900 actual tests have been designed, constructed and witnessed, producing well over 1,500 individual listed systems. Engineering Judgments and Fire Tests have been produced and conducted using 37 different listed products and their variations. The demand for new innovations, simple and correct installation of firestop systems and the importance of life safety are the driving forces for the Hilti Fire Protection Team.

Visit our Firestop Design Center:


US: https://www.hilti.com/content/hilti/W1/US/en/engineering/design-centers/firestop.html

Canada: https://www.hilti.ca/content/hilti/W1/CA/en/engineering/design-centers/firestop-design-center.html

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