About Fire Protection
Transparent solutions for protection of human life
Thanks to the continuous development and refinement of fire-resistant glass products modern glass architecture can implement its "democratic" values and principles of transparency and openness consistently both on the outer façades as well as in building interiors. Pilkington Deutschland AG has played a major role in this development with its market-leading product lines Pilkington Pyrostop®, Pilkington Pyrodur® and Pilkington Pyroclear®. Today the company looks back on more than three decades of innovation, product development, testing and expertise.
Milestones in product development and application
1978
Market launch of the world's first glass for EI glazing: Pilkington Pyrostop®, simultaneously with publication of DIN 4102, Part 5 as the first standard for fire-resistant glazing.
1979-1985
Strong participation in system developments for fire-resistant partitions, door systems and façades with various framing materials; fire resistance classes EI 30 and EI 90; first major project: Aachen hospital with 3,000 m² Pilkington Pyrostop®.
1988
Market launch of Pilkington Pyrodur®, the first fire-resistant glass for EW glazing that provides protection from fire and smoke whilst additionally reducing the transfer of radiant heat reliably.
1989-1995
Development of glass types for the first transparent fire-resistant roof systems; construction of efficient production facilities on the Gelsenkirchen site; combinations of functional glass products for additional properties, such as safety, solar control and thermal insulation; major projects: "Bundestag" parliament buildings in Bonn, Hamburg publishers Gruner & Jahr and Terminal 2 at Frankfurt airport.
1996-2001
Considerable reductions in the thickness and weight of fire-resistant glass with consistently high fire safety properties; continuous increase in the maximum pane dimensions in close cooperation with system partners; new functional glass combinations for the façade; development of glass types for European and global requirements. Major projects: more than 5,000 m² Pilkington Pyrostop® and Pilkington Pyrodur® in the renovated "Reichstag" German Parliament Building in Berlin; 3,700 m² in Terminal B at Dusseldorf International Airport.
2002-2008
Pilkington Pyrostop® and Pilkington Pyrodur® become part of more than 200 globally tested and approved system designs; further extension of the production facillities in Gelsenkirchen; new in-house test furnace for fire tests with glazings up to 4 x 4 m; first fire-resistant glazing with barrier loading properties as per TRAV (by DIBt); special solution: first EI 120 loaded floor glazing successfully tested (USA); CE marking of Pilkington's entire fire-resistant glass range.
2009
Product lines and fire-resistance classes rounded off with the market launch of the new fire-resistant glass for E glazing, Pilkington Pyroclear®; kick-off of system developments in close cooperation with partners using Pilkington Pyroclear®.