Contego Selected as one of the Top 100 Products for Construction by Hanley-Wood

Contego Passive Fire Barrier Latex coating has been selected as one of the Top 100 Products & Technologies For Architecture & Construction by Hanley-Wood Publications. The winning selections were based on reader response from thousands of products and technologies that were considered. Contego was the only coating or paint honored by Hanley-Wood, outperforming scores of Fortune 500 companies with important, cutting-edge developments and product announcements of their own.

The award was presented in a ceremony in Indianapolis and will carry forward through the 2003 publishing year. Hanley-Wood is the premier publisher in the architectural and building market with 42 publications that are closely followed by the industry. Visit Hanley-Wood Publishing at www.hanleywood.com.
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RESEARCH UPDATE: Contego Performs
Life-Saving Ignition Barrier Testing

There has been a great deal of interest recently in finding an ignition barrier coating to protect Spray Polyurethane Foam. This focus is due in large measure to the tragic Rhode Island nightclub fire and the near disastrous fire in one of the Big Dig tunnels. As Contego proved to be the barrier of choice by LL McDonald and the Big Dig subcontractors to protect the SPF material used on the tunnel walls, we were the logical choice for foam applicators and manufacturers wanting to minimize the risk of another tragic fire from spot ignition. As there is no "ignition -barrier standard", we were asked to perform some in-house ignition barrier tests in our Silver Lake Indiana Test Facility. We used a UBC-26.3 burn chamber identical to those used by every recognized, certified fire testing laboratory. The test configuration was 8' walls and ceiling covered with Class 2 Spray Polyurethane Foam. The foam surfaces were primed with a bonding agent then covered with two (10 mil wet) coats of our Contego Passive Fire Barrier Intumescent coating.
 

For the test, we used a battery of four pyrotechnic devices that were designed to shoot out a high intensity shower of sparks with eight fireballs discharged periodically throughout the burn. The pyrotechnics were 12" long and 2" in diameter with a nominal projection of 15 feet. Two of the devices were placed 2' from the center surface of the vertical wall and aimed directly at it. The other two were shot at the ceiling at an angle, placing the point of impact 7.5' from the surface of the ceiling foam. All of the devices were fired simultaneously and the results recorded.



The Intumescent reacted immediately and protected the underlying foam from ignition with no visible ignition and no evidence of a breach of the barrier at the conclusion of the test. It was not possible to observe smoke production since the pyrotechnic devices generated a great deal of smoke. However, focused burning with a propane torch showed negligible burning consistent with our ASTM E-84 test results from SGS/US Testing. The results were most impressive. Based on our observations, the concept of an ignition barrier has tremendous merit and should be pursued vigorously. Major foam manufacturers are moving immediately to adopt the ignition barrier concept into building codes.
 
These digital still photos captured each image at 1/2000th second. The digital video footage (available on request) shows just how intense the pyrotechnic assault was. This is now being designed into a formal test protocol.

PLEASE NOTE: THE ABOVE INFORMATION IS PROVIDED TO THE READER AS A REPORT ON RESEARCH ACTIVITIES. WE MAKE NO CLAIM OR IMPLICATION REGARDING THE USE OF CONTEGO PASSIVE FIRE BARRIER LATEX APPLIED TO POLYURETHANE FOAM OTHER THAN CERTIFIED LABORATORY TEST RESULTS PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED THAT CONFORM TO SPECIFIC BUILDING AND FIRE CODE REQUIREMENTS.
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Big Problem at the Big Dig

The "Big Dig" is the largest , most complex and technologically challenging highway project in American History. In March the Boston Globe reported that the Polyurethane foam used to insulate the Big Dig tunnel walls at Fort Point near Channel A and Necco streets was set ablaze when a wooden ballast tank was ignited by sparks from a welding or cutting torch. The fire forced the evacuation of work crews. No injuries were reported although the danger from toxic poly-fumes cannot be underestimated.

To prevent further, potentially life threatening incidents, the project contractor immediately called ContegoGlobal for a rush order of its Latex Intumescent (Thin film) Primer to treat the polyurethane tunnel coatings. Contego was selected because it's the only "intumescent" to have passed the stringent ASTM E 84 Certification specifically designed for poly substrates.

(Photo: Welder working next to Polyurethane foam coated tunnel walls in the Big Dig)

Dan French Founder and CEO of Contego said "The Big Dig order is probably the largest -next day air- shipment ever made of any type of paint let alone an intumescent. The project management felt so strongly about preventing another fire in the tunnels they authorized a rush shipment for close to a ton of Contego Latex Intumescent".

To learn more about one of Americas most incredible civil engineering projects go to bigdig.com.
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CONTEGO PASSES THE CRITICAL UBC26-2 THERMAL BARRIER TEST WITH A 23 MINUTE RATING!

THIS QUALIFIES CONTEGO PASSIVE BARRIER THIN FILM LATEX FOR MOST NATIONAL CODES ON OSB INCLUDING HUD.

Contego Passive Fire Barrier Latex recently passed the rigorous UBC26- 2 Thermal Barrier Test at Omega Point Labs. The chosen substrate was 7/16 Oriented Strand Board. The test ran for 23 minutes to cover the standard requirement of 15 minutes as well as the more demanding 20 minute requirement for HUD applications.  Contego had zero flame and smoke spread rating and the temperature on the back of the test board never exceeded the critical 250 degree F benchmark.

Contego also passed the UBC 26-3 Corner Room Test (see below) with minimal smoke and Flame spread without flashover in the chamber. Backside temp did not exceed 175 degree F.

 This battery of difficult and important tests, especially when combined with Contego's NFPA 286 room burn and ASTM E84 burn data, qualifies Contego Thin-film Intumescent Latex as an ideal alternative to drywall as a fire barrier in situations where a decorative finish is not required. Contego applies and cleans up just like normal latex primer. A Contego barrier of two coats costs roughly 50% less than a drywall barrier.  Contego products are environmentally friendly and completely non-toxic. Contego PFB reduces the cost of using OSB as well as SIPs panels while offering superior fire protection.


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Contego Passive Fire Barrier passes the rigorous UBC 26-3 Corner room burn test.

On November 4th at OmegaPoint Labs out side of San Antonio Texas Contego Internationals Passive Fire Barrier Latex was put to the ultimate test to see if it could protect Oriented Strand Board (OSB) from the ravages of fire. Contego met all requirements set out in the rigorous test protocol. The importance of this event cannot be underestimated as it qualifies the use of this thin Film Intumescent for use on OSB as well as on Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) the fastest growing segment of the building industry. Currently a layer of 1/2" drywall over SIP's or OSB is required to meet most building codes. Based on the results of the UBC 26-3 Contego has been demonstrated to be an acceptable alternative at a much lower cost per square foot.

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Contego Latex Fire Barrier Intumescent Passes Critical NFPA Test

With the increased awareness and attention to the cause of fires and fire spread within structures NFPA developed a new test measuring the contribution that non fabric wall treatments make to the spread of fire from the room of origination to adjacent rooms. This is determined by measuring the heat contribution and flame spread within an enclosed space over a 15 minute period. Contego's Fire Barrier Intumescent Paint performed perfectly. This test insures users that that Contego's Thin Film Passive Barrier will not contribute to the spread of fire within a structure and indeed will reduce if not eliminate fire spread via any surface treated with Contego.






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