International Barrier Technology, Inc. (Barrier) develops, manufactures and markets proprietary fire retardant building materials designed to protect people and property from fire. Barrier owns the patent-protected Pyrotite Technology and has received “patent pending” status on the new $3.2 million manufacturing line process.
Its Pyrotite Technology, including building materials branded as Blazeguard®, uses a patented, non-toxic, non-combustible coating with an extraordinary capability: it releases water when exposed to the high temperatures of a fire. Pyrotite™ has potential applications in engineered wood products, paint, plastics, and expanded polystyrene. With over fifteen years of sales history and established brand identity, Barrier is leveraging its reputation and experience to pursue new applications, new regional US and international markets, and licensing opportunities.
The Blazeguard panels exceed “model” building code requirements in every targeted fire test and application, and are unique in combining properties that increase panel strength and minimize environmental and human impact. Blazeguard provides Barrier’s customers a premium material choice, which meets an increasingly challenging combination of requirements in residential and commercial building construction. Barrier completed the certification and received its International Code Congress Report ICC-ESR 1365 in the Fall of 2005. The publication of this report has expanded the market for Blazeguard panels to the entire region west of the Mississippi.
Blazeguard® provides Barrier’s customers – developers and builders of residential, commercial, and institutional buildings, and pre-fabricated building manufacturers – with a premium material choice that meets an increasingly challenging combination of financial and technical performance requirements for many applications. Blazeguard customers already include many of the top multifamily homebuilders and commercial modular building manufacturers in the United States. Lowe’s Companies, Stock Building Supply, Builders Firstsource, 84 Lumber, and ABC Supply, Co. are distributors.
Blazeguard® products use a patented material known as Pyrotite. Originally, the company licensed Pyrotitere™ and refined its products and manufacturing processes that used this material. In April 2004, Barrier announced an agreement to acquire the Pyrotite technology to pursue identified emerging opportunities. This acquisition was an important step in providing access to global markets, additional product applications, and new business relationships (such as Barrier licensing the Pyrotite technology to other companies).
Pyrotite
Pyrotite, is a proprietary chemical formulation that has fire retardant properties. When applied to plywood or other building material substrates, such as oriented strand board (OSB) or particle board, the end product, (Blazeguard), prevents ignition and inhibits the spread of flames and smoke. Blazeguard is a “green” product as it is a non-toxic, noncombustible, inorganic chemical formulation and does not mold or mildew. What is most important is that the substance contains molecularly bound water, which is released and vaporizes when exposed to high temperatures such as in a fire. Pyrotite exceeds building code fire retardant standards by a wide margin. Pyrotite is an arguably a superior product to traditional fire retardant solutions, and is competitively priced.
The company’s principal product is a roof deck panel sold to builders of multifamily housing. Recently the company has offered multifamily builders structural insulated panels (SIPs). The company is developing other applications such as wall assemblies, field applied paint and fire retardant, and field applied mold/mildew/termite resistant paint.
The company’s existing and potential customers are multifamily builders located primarily in growth markets that include Florida, Southern California, Arizona and Texas. The company has a smaller presence in New England, the Midwest and the mid-Atlantic.
Barrier first acquired its rights to the Pyrotite technology in 1986, and currently owns and operates a manufacturing plant in Watkins, Minnesota. Barrier is an experienced company with a long sales history and markets that are measured in hundreds of millions of square feet, and is expanding its role and increasing its market share in the fire safety industry.
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