New year, new fire rated glass game-changer: Introducing SuperClear 45-HS-LI

SAFTI FIRST started the new year with a bang announcing its newest patent-pending SuperClear 45-HS-LI (hose stream, low-iron) product - a revolutionary, 45-minute, fire rated glazing product that is set to disrupt the market – in a good way. Here’s why:

SuperClear 45-HS-LI is the only choice for 45-minute glazing because wire glass, ceramics (filmed and laminated), and 45-minute fire resistive glazing all have drawbacks. Wire glass does not meet any safety requirements, unless it is filmed and the embedded wires are aesthetically unappealing.  Ceramics also have to be filmed or laminated to meet safety requirements, and will always have a noticeable tint no matter how much polishing is done to the product. All of which, filming or laminating and/or polishing, only adds to its already expensive price tag. Fire resistive 45-minute glazing like Superlite II-XL 45, although clearer and more affordable than ceramics, has a longer lead time.

SuperClear 45-HS-LI is a vast improvement to all the products above because for the first time, we now have an affordable, 45 minute glass product that meets all the fire, safety and hose stream requirements of 45 minute doors, sidelites, transoms and openings.  It does not have any wires, tints, films or laminates.  It is listed and labeled by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and is available in large sizes up to 3,880 square inches.  Proudly USA-made, it is available in days (not weeks) and is approximately half the price of imported filmed or laminated ceramics, and it has superior aesthetics and performance than either:

— Optical clarity: SuperClear 45-HS-LI incorporates low-iron glass and has an approximate visible light transmission of 90%, compared to 88% for premium filmed ceramic and 85% for premium laminated ceramic. This makes SuperClear 45-HS-LI the clearest 45-minute fire protective glazing product in the market today.

— Acoustical performance: SuperClear 45-HS-LI performed better in an independent, third-party acoustical lab test against filmed and laminated ceramic in standard hollow metal frames. SuperClear 45-HS-LI has a 37 STC/35 OITC rating in standard hollow metal framing. This compared to a 29 STC/28 OITC for filmed ceramic in the same framing and testing configuration or 31 STC/30 OITC for laminated ceramic.

— SAFETY WITH DURABILITY: SuperClear 45-HS-LI is extremely durable as it undergoes a special manufacturing process that give it a higher impact rating, with a better chance of surviving any type of impact compared to filmed wire or filmed and laminated ceramics. This characteristic significantly reduces replacement and the costs due to breakage or scratching over time as SuperClear 45-HS-LI  does not have any film needing to be replaced due to scratching.   

SAFTI FIRST developed this new patented product  for the 45-minute market – because architects, door manufacturers, specifiers and building owners needed to have an affordable, clear glazing product for 45-minute applications that met all the code requirements and blend seamlessly with other clear glass in their building.  This is specifically attractive for elementary schools, healthcare facilities and other projects where budgets can be tight.  The money saved by choosing SuperClear 45-HS-LI , with its affordable pricing, durability and maintenance-free design, can be allocated to other aspects of the projects.  Architects and building owners do not have to sacrifice superior optical clarity, clear views, fire and impact safety and acoustical performance when they can get an all-in-one, affordable, USA-made product like SuperClear 45-HS-LI .

SuperClear 45-HS-LI is listed and labeled by UL in large sizes for use in 45 minute doors, sidelites, transoms and openings.

In bringing this product to market it is only one of the innovative products that we have been working on.  We plan on further product additions for framing as our R&D and testing continues for SuperClear 45-HS-LI.  We are confident that soon we will be debuting a much more affordable, easy-to-install, fire rated aluminum framing system that can replace hollow metal and mesh perfectly with SuperClear 45-HS-LI.   Stay tuned!