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Following recent events, it’s really important to know the fire standards of the cladding you’re using on buildings. By law, all buildings above 18 metres in height need to have cladding which is fire rated. Most cladding has some sort of protection built in, but only those which are FR should be used on these taller buildings. 

These ratings range from an A1 to a D in accordance with European Standards EN-13501-1.

What does A1 and A2 Rated mean?

Class A1 – Products are described as having no contribution to fire at any stage. BS EN 13501 sets several thresholds for combustion performance when tested to both EN ISO 1716 and EN ISO 1182. One of these thresholds is a maximum heat of combustion of 2MJ/kg. Typical products meeting this classification include most inorganic materials such as metal and stone.

Class A2, s3, d2 – Products are described as having no significant contribution to fire at any stage. BS EN 13501 sets several thresholds for combustion when tested to EN ISO 1182, or both EN ISO 1716 and EN 13823. One of these thresholds is a maximum heat of combustion of 3MJ/kg. A typical product meeting this classification is plasterboard.For comparison, Wood has a typical value of 15 MJ/Kg.

Some products use a slightly different fire classification known as the BR 135 standard, set by the BRE (Building Research Establishment). When using a cladding product that is classified using this method, a full classification report must be supplied to prove compliance with BR 135.

For full information on the fire rating of a specific product, get in touch with us. We’d be more than happy to help. 

Manufacturing Sheet Metal Façade Cassettes

In our industrial warehouse, façade cassettes are manufactured through a controlled, precision-driven process designed to achieve high-quality, durable, and visually consistent metal cladding panels. Our production combines advanced machinery with skilled craftsmanship to meet architectural and performance standards.

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Material Preparation
The process begins with selecting premium-grade sheet metal such as aluminum, galvanized steel, or zinc, typically between 1.5 mm and 3 mm thick. Sheets are inspected for flatness, coating integrity, and surface quality before cutting.
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Cutting
Using a CNC laser cutter or guillotine shear, metal sheets are cut to the exact dimensions required for each cassette design. Laser cutting ensures clean edges, tight tolerances, and minimal heat distortion. Each cut sheet includes additional material on all sides to accommodate bending flanges.
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Corner Notching
To prepare for bending, the corners of each blank are precisely removed using a hydraulic corner notcher. This allows the edges to fold neatly without overlapping. For special designs or perforated panels, a CNC turret punch press may also be used to notch and perforate in a single operation.
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Bending and Folding
The prepared sheets are transferred to the CNC press brake or CNC panel bender, which forms the panel’s flanges and returns. Our programmable press brakes ensure consistent angles and tight bend radii across all panels. Flange depths typically range from 25 to 40 mm, providing both structural rigidity and a clean architectural profile. The sequence usually starts with bending the long sides, followed by the short edges to complete the cassette shape.
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Corner Assembly and Reinforcement
After folding, corners are reinforced using pneumatic rivet guns or clinching machines depending on the cassette type. In some cases, TIG welding is used for steel or aluminum panels requiring seamless corners. Mounting brackets or Z-profiles are attached to the back of each cassette to enable precise installation on the building substructure.
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Surface Finishing
Finished cassettes undergo edge deburring using rotary grinders or deburring machines to remove sharp edges and ensure safety. The panels are then cleaned and transferred to our powder coating line for a durable, weather-resistant finish. For aluminum cassettes, anodizing may be used to enhance corrosion resistance and achieve a metallic aesthetic.
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Quality Control and Packaging
Each cassette is inspected for dimensional accuracy, surface finish, and color uniformity. Any imperfections are corrected or reworked before packaging. Panels are wrapped with protective film and stacked with spacers to prevent scratches during transport.
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Storage and Dispatch
Finally, completed façade cassettes are labelled, stored in designated racks, and prepared for dispatch to site.
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This systematic process ensures every façade cassette leaving our facility meets strict quality and aesthetic standards, ready for seamless integration into modern architectural façades.

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