Sherwin-Williams brings home the bacon for Danish Crown

Set to produce more than 900 tonnes of bacon and gammon a week to UK welfare and food safety standards, the 30,500 sqm facility will use highly automated manufacturing equipment and the latest processing technology.

The cutting-edge facility is being constructed using 1,500 tonnes of internal prefabricated structural steelwork from Cambridgeshire based SDM Fabrication. "In addition to the design, fabrication, painting, and on-site installation of the steelwork at the Danish Crown plant, we are also responsible for making sure that its integrity is maintained in the event of a fire," said the company's MD, Richard Melton. "Already aware of the company’s market leading range of intumescent coatings, I contacted Sherwin-Williams to find out if it could assist in meeting the project’s fire protection requirements."

"Our Fire Engineering and Estimating Team (FEET) carried out a structural analysis of the steelwork under fire loading. After FEET had crunched the numbers, it recommended that SDM Fabrication use FIRETEX FX6002 for the prefabricated steel, along with FIRETEX C69 primer," stated Colin Hepworth, area sales manager at Sherwin-Williams.

Sherwin-Williams is actively developing coatings that reduce emissions and FIRETEX FX6002 features volatile organic content (VOC) levels that are comparable with many of today’s water based intumescent products. This is particularly important, as it is typically applied as a relatively thick film compared to ‘normal’ paints such as decorative or corrosion protection systems.

"FIRETEX FX6002 can be used in environments up to C5 category, as per ISO 12944-2, and is primarily designed for off-site application," Hepworth continued. "Ultra-fast drying and durable, it gives the shortest possible time from application to handling for fire resistance periods up to two hours. It can be handled in as little as one hour, providing a highly durable and aesthetically pleasing finish, while its excellent mechanical durability minimises transport and installation damage."

Although the majority of the steelwork coating is being applied off-site by SDM Fabrication, some if it is being carried out while the bare metal is in-situ. For this purpose, and to avoid exposure to VOCs, Sherwin-Williams recommended its FIRETEX FX5090 water based intumescent coating with Macropoxy 400 primer. FIRETEX FX5090 is designed for application by airless spray to provide fire resistance for periods of up to 120 minutes on structural steel. 

FEET’s unique blend of experience and expertise means it can offer fire engineering information and solutions as early as concept stage. By using Sherwin-Williams’ FIRETEX Design Estimator (FDE) software, complex fire calculations can be made for both cellulosic and hydrocarbon fire preparedness, while making it possible to calculate the exact quantity of intumescent coating needed to provide fire protection to a specifically sized steel section.

"Intumescent coatings are designed to expand when exposed to fire, forming a thick, insulating layer that helps to protect the underlying steel from the heat created," explained Bob Glendenning, Fire Engineering and Estimating Team (FEET) manager. "Depending on a building’s design and structure, intumescent paint has the ability to protect steelwork for 30, 60, 90 or 120 minutes, as required by the designer and building regulations."

As it enters the final stages of construction, the new Danish Crown facility is due to begin production in late 2023 and will create around 300 specialised jobs once fully operational.

"Any food production environment has to be built to the highest possible specifications to ensure the safety of those working in it. Sherwin-Williams has offered us a great deal of valuable advice and support in making sure that the building is protected from the potentially devastating effects of fire. As well as offering the highest levels of passive fire protection, FIRETEX FX6002 is hardwearing, easy to apply and quick drying 9 qualities that make it a pleasure to use and ideal for this project," Melton concluded. 

industrial.sherwin-williams.com