Tire Manufacturer – Code Analysis and Negotiation of Alternatives

A Tire Manufacturer (Client) requested fire protection services from Harrington Group, Inc. to provide assistance with fire code issues at a new manufacturing plant in Reno, Nevada.  The client converted 160,000 square feet of an existing 800,000 square foot tire storage warehouse to manufacturing space.  The A/E on the project had made mistakes in the design, which caused the local building and fire officials to become concerned about the explosion hazard of some of the ingredients in tires, specifically carbon black and sulfur.  The fire marshal ultimately determined that carbon black was potentially a high explosion hazard.  As a result, the building code, UBC, would not allow the facility to be constructed as the client proposed.  Alterations to satisfy the building code would cost them over $100,000, if the facility could even be built at all.

This project was on a fast track schedule, and was on the verge of being seriously jeopardized.  Because this plant was the first full scale production facility using a new technical process, its success was critical for the client.

Harrington Group brought in one of the country’s premier explosion experts as a consultant.  We were able to analyze the code and the hazards, correct the A/E’s design mistakes, conduct explosion testing of the carbon black, and develop a strategy for negotiations with the building and fire officials.  We developed an approach which allowed the plant to be built exactly as it was originally proposed and worked out some fall back positions that were acceptable to the tire manufacturer.

Finally, Harrington Group met with the local fire marshal and gained acceptance of our approach without modification.  With our fire protection services, the Client’s project was saved, and over $100,000 in unnecessary modifications were been prevented.

By Jeff Harrington, CEO and Founder of Harrington Group, Inc.