Sydney NSW, 25 October 2024: A unique partnership between a leading university and an innovative Australian start-up that led to the development and launch of the world’s first BAL-40-rated fire-resistant paint has won international recognition for the power of collaboration.
Flame Security International (FSI) and the UNSW Sydney won ‘Best Industry- Research Collaboration’ at Knowledge Commercialisation Australasia’s 2024 Australasian Research Commercialisation Awards, announced on 16 October in Queenstown, New Zealand.
Their 6-year partnership took a vision for real fire protection from concept to market, through product research, development, testing, funding, marketing, sales and distribution. The result is FIRECOAT, a range of commercially available, highly fire-resistant coatings for structures and built assets.
“FSI has collaborated with Professor Guan Yeoh and his team from the School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering to create a range of world-first fire protection products,” said Tony Overstead, CEO and Co-Founder of FSI. “The first products released are FIRECOAT Interior and Exterior paints.
“FIRECOAT Exterior is the first coating to achieve a bushfire attack level rating of BAL-40, and both have achieved a long list of global fire certifications relating to both built environments and bushfire scenarios.”
FIRECOAT Interior and Exterior paints are available through Bunnings in Australia and ACE Hardware in the US. More products, including a unique bushfire home protection kit and water-dispersed containment line spray, are expected to hit the market in 2025. The social, environmental and economic benefits will be huge.
Prof. Yeoh said he was thrilled that his team’s collaboration with FSI was recognised at the KCA Awards. “I’m very proud of my team, and I am very thankful to our wonderful partners at FSI who have helped us get this potentially life-changing innovation to market.”
These revolutionary products would not be available to property owners without the unusually longstanding industry-research partnership. Joining FSI’s drive for innovation and environmental safety together with UNSW Sydney’s long-established reputation in research and development was key to developing effective, affordable solutions for fire damage and loss.
“A successful R&D partnership is a combination of intellectual expertise, excellent infrastructure, adaptability and market intelligence to not only solve the problem but facilitate the commercial execution,” said FSI’s Managing Director and Co-Founder, Justin Rooney.
“Collaborating with UNSW Sydney significantly enhanced our research capabilities and provided access to the best brains, cutting-edge developments and facilities in material science.”
Professor Stephen Rodda, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Industry & Innovation) at UNSW Sydney, said, “This award is a well-deserved recognition of the hard work and ingenuity of both FSI and Professor Guan Yeoh’s team at UNSW Sydney.
“Seeing FIRECOAT not only hit the shelves in Australia via Bunnings but also expand into the US through ACE Hardware is a proud moment for everyone involved in this project.”
Photo L-R: Julia Frith - Manager Engagement & Communications (Industry & Innovation), Garth McKinley, Head of Marketing, Tony Overstead, CEO and Co-Founder, Justin Rooney, Managing Director and Co-Founder, Shayon Sanjoy Dasgupta, R&D Engineer, Dr Arslan Khalid, Senior R&D Engineer, Hengqi Chen, R&D Engineer, Grace Holland - Business Development Associate (Industry & Innovation), Alex Galkin, PhD, MRACI CChem, Principal Consultant, Professor Stephen Rodda – Pro Vice-Chancellor (Industry & Innovation), Hongyang Li, R&D engineer. Absent, Ka Wai Fan, Senior R&D Engineer (Team Leader)
About FSI: Flame Security International is dedicated to developing highly innovative products and services that solve major problems, especially the increasing threat of fire to humans and the environment.
Read more about the Australasian Research Commercialisation Awards
Read more about FIRECOAT
Media enquiries:
Brett Osmond
0408 069 861
brett@leadinghand.com.au