Promat Research and Technology Centre NV is the main R&D centre of the Fire Protection and Thermal Insulation Division of the Etex Group, as well as an independent laboratory providing state-of-the-art scientific testing facilities aimed at optimising fire and security standards in the built environment. It secures a strong cooperation between Marketing and Operations and has a high involvement in the decision making process and the definition and application of the Promat strategy.

Promat Fire Laboratory, part of the Research & Technology Centre, investigates partitions, ceilings, ducts, metal structures as well as tunnel structures protected against fire in extreme conditions, and many other systems on real scale, in view to propose to the markets safer and most competitive solutions.

A highly qualified, multiple skill team develops new products, new generations of existing products and improves the quality of products manufactured in the different factories around the world for the leadership in Fire Protection and High Temperature Insulation markets. Products engineered and designed for Fire Protection and High Temperature Insulation are industrialised together with production engineers on best technologies for the highest competitive price/performance ratio.

Well equipped laboratories allow not only materials development work, properties evaluation and behaviour investigations of products in fire as well as high temperature applications simulated conditions, but also investigations on products in given systems for fire protection.

A specific approach in product development was introduced since end '70s: mineral engineering, the concept of controlling (during the manufacturing processes) the crystal growth of selected mineral phases that are used to build textures by matrix engineering for high performance products.

Promat's approach in respect to mineral matrix engineering :

• Mineral : selected mineral phases are synthesised by controlled crystal nucleation and crystal growth - Mineral Engineering technology 
• Matrix : controlled assemblages of engineered mineral phases to realise products with designed physical and chemical performances targeting a given
  application - Matrix Engineering technology. 

At the very heart of PRTC are first class testing laboratories located in Tisselt, Belgium.

X-Ray Diffraction at our laboratory in Tisselt, Belgium

The primary objective of PRTC is to provide customers with value added services in the development of new products, systems and applications for use in a continually evolving fire protection industry.

PRTC undertakes considerable research into the behaviour of materials and systems exposed to extreme high and/or low temperatures including regular benchmark and retesting of products and systems to ensure performance remains unimpaired. Such testing generally ensures that protection systems and applications deliver their promise, while remaining fully compliant with new and existing construction trends and regulatory agency expectations.

Responding energetically to market demands and commercial opportunities that continually occur in most dynamic markets, PRTC also integrates a materials research and analysis facility with its fire testing laboratory. These complementary One Stop Services provide customers with numerous and competitive value added benefits.

C-analysis at our laboratory in Tisselt, Belgium

Thermal Mechanical Analysis at our laboratory in Tisselt, Belgium