Dubai-based Interglass, a UAE distributor for Pilkington UK, has launched Pyroshield Plus, a special laminated variant of Pilkington's Pyroshield in the region. 

Pyroshield Plus, a special laminated glass variant of Pilkington's well-known Pyroshield uses a special plastic interlayer, which does not burn, and is tough enough to meet CPSC's category 1 impact safety requirements. The overall thickness of the product is approximately 10.5 mm, which will allow it to be used in the majority of frame systems employed in the market. The stock size is 1,985 mm by 1,250 mm.

'The product has the same excellent fire performance as Pyroshield. It has been tested on numerous occasions at our internal test laboratories and most recently at Omega Point, Texas,' says a spokesman for Interglass. 'It easily achieves a 45-minute-plus hose stream rating from either direction. In our own UK accredited impact test rig (essentially the same as ANSI and CPSC) the product achieves an 18-inch drop height performance (category 1) from either direction. Official testing has also been undertaken in the US.'

'Pyroshield Plus can be cut in the field,' he says. 'Although it will be clearly more difficult to cut a laminated wired glass product than standard wired glass, an experienced glasscutter should have no difficulties in cutting glass.

'In our experience the best method is to score and run the glass on both sides (as normal laminated glass), then break out the cut against the float glass. This is the preferred orientation as there is a lower tendency for the glass edges to shell on the float glass side.'

Pilkington, considered to be the world's technology leader in glass, and as one of the world's largest manufacturers of glass and glazing products for building, automotive and related technical markets, says it has launched Pyroshield Plus in response to a demand for a fire product that has a higher impact performance.

Founded in 1826, Pilkington Group, which has manufacturing operations in 24 countries on five continents and sales in 130 countries, has annual revenues of œ2.8 billion ($4.6 billion) and employs around 25,200 people worldwide.

With its associates, Pilkington has the widest geographical reach and market leadership positions in the building products and automotive OE (original equipment) and automotive AGR (glass replacement) sectors, claims the company.