Saint-Gobain's First Fire Testing Center in North America Opens

Saint-Gobain North America announced the opening of a state-of-the-art fire testing lab on its newly branded Innovation Hub North America (formerly known as Saint-Gobain Research North America) which spans 26 acres across Northborough and Marlborough, Mass.

The fire lab, which features one of the most advanced emissions control systems available, will be used to safely and sustainably test Saint-Gobain’s construction materials for compliance with fire certification standards. Bringing this capability in-house enables Saint-Gobain to be more nimble in its R&D and innovation, offer customers solutions more quickly, and provide additional opportunities for collaboration and customization.

“Resiliency, passive fire protection, and occupant safety in building materials are more important in construction than ever, and we are committed to having the resources and capabilities in place to help customers meet those demands,” said Todd DiNoia, Vice President, Innovations and R&D, Saint-Gobain. “This new, state-of-the-art fire lab will enable us to meet the demand to bring safer, more innovative products to the market faster than ever before, while utilizing advanced emission control systems to align with Saint-Gobain’s path to carbon neutrality. As we open this new facility here at Saint-Gobain's Innovation Hub in North America, it is yet another tool, along with the cutting-edge research taking place here every day, that allows us to offer solutions to our customers for every type of light and sustainable construction project.”

This is the latest major investment on the campus, which is in the midst of a decade-long transformation and modernization into a best-in-class innovation hub, supporting Saint-Gobain's business operations in North America. This 15,000 square foot project, which broke ground in October 2024, represents a nearly $30 million investment in the region. Construction of the fire lab involved more than forty local trade partners and subcontractors. The facility joins a campus where more than 400 permanent employees will work every day.

This facility was designed to meet the industry leading ANSI/UL and CAN/ULC standards for measuring the fire resistance of construction materials, with the goal of earning the ability to offer essential product certification credentials. The testing that occurs at fire labs plays a crucial role in the manufacturing process, ensuring that products are safe and effective at meeting fire safety standards.

This facility was designed to assess fire resistance on internal and external wall and floor systems and products, in both loaded and unloaded conditions, as well as structural steel fire protection coating materials. In addition to testing resistance to high temperatures, the lab also conducts hose stream testing to simulate how materials withstand the pressure of a fire hose in a “real-life” scenario.

The fire lab features two cutting-edge furnaces, equipped with fully electronic controls for maximum temperature precision and industry-leading emissions control systems, drastically reducing the carbon emissions released by a traditional furnace. The state-of-the-art emissions system far exceeds regulatory requirements and ensures the lab is aligned with Saint-Gobain’s commitment to be carbon neutral by 2050.

Being a good neighbor is a priority for the new facility and these investments in environmental controls also eliminate any odors or impacts on the surrounding community.

The introduction of in-house fire lab testing further differentiates Saint-Gobain’s commercial construction offerings, advancing a key component of the company’s “Lead and Grow” strategy, announced last October. When combined with the existing large-scale acoustic and weather testing capabilities available at Northborough, Saint-Gobain will be able to offer large-scale, on-demand customizable testing to meet a wide range of commercial construction needs.