Gulf Construction Online - SFI pioneers UL certified ventilators

Manufacturers & Procurement

Saudi Fan Industries manufactures and markets 24 types of ventilation products.

SFI pioneers UL certified ventilators

Refrigeration House Group says its subsidiary Saudi Fan Industries (SFI) has been recognised as the first manufacturer in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region to offer UL-certified power ventilators for smoke control systems.

01 February 2022

Leading Saudi-based HVAC specialist Refrigeration House Group says its subsidiary Saudi Fan Industries (SFI) has been recognised as the first manufacturer in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region to offer UL-certified power ventilators for smoke control systems (ZAXH).

“Our smoke fans have achieved certification in the category of power ventilators for smoke control systems by UL, the global safety science leader. These systems conform to UL 793, the internationally recognised standard for automatically operated roof vents for smoke and heat,” Majed Al Khalaf, Group Executive Director, tells Gulf Construction.

Elaborating on the certification, he says: “UL examined Saudi Fan Industries’ centrifugal single-width single inlet smoke fan (HRE) and centrifugal roof-mounted up blast smoke extract fans (DV/DVW) with respect to their operation during exposure to elevated temperatures. Following the completion of these tests, which demonstrated the products’ compliance with UL 705 and time/temperature rating, these products can carry the certification mark of UL, providing assurance to customers and end-users that they have been tested to globally recognised safety and performance standards.”

A 3D model of the Ecology unit.

According to him, the tested products met UL 705 standard for power ventilators with additional ratings at 300 deg C for F300 mild steel models and 400 deg C for F400 stainless steel models.

The testing and certification by UL found that the HRE and DV/DVW products comply with the requirements of American National Standards Institute (ANSI), Source Classification Codes (SCC), United Arab Emirates Fire and Life Safety Code of Practice and the Saudi Building Codes.

“These products meet stringent construction and performance criteria set by authorities and customers. In the case of a fire, they offer life-saving benefits by increasing the evacuation time and decreasing the risk of smoke inhalation for a building’s occupants, in addition to improving visibility for fire-fighters by removing smoke and reducing the risk of secondary ignitions and fire spread. Products that have achieved UL 705 standard and time/temperature rating also help to protect a building, its occupants and contents from poisonous fumes and heat damage,” he stresses.

The new certifications from UL and BSI/BSRIA were among the major milestones of 2021 for Saudi Fan Industries, which was set up in 1995 by Refrigeration House Group, a major player in the HVAC sector which also has other subsidiaries including Klimatechnik and National Factory for Grilles & Filters.

However, the group does not intend to rest on its laurels and has embarked on plans to launch a fire testing laboratory, which will be accredited by UL USA to become the first laboratory in the MEA to achieve this coveted feat, says Al Khalaf.

The company’s products meet stringent construction and performance criteria.

Saudi Fan Industries manufactures and markets as many as 24 types of ventilation products. These comprise a wide range of direct and belt-driven ventilation fans including: centrifugal systems such as SWSI and DWDI blowers, roof exhaust and roof supply systems and in-line axial flow fans; and axial products such as tube axial inline, wall axial, circulation, agricultural, Jet and smoke fans which are designed to meet the customer’s expectations.

SFI’s products comply with AMCA test procedures and ISO requirements. All its products are produced in accordance with AMCA, UL and under DIN standards like 24163, DIN 45635 part 38. The company has a technical collaboration with Rosenberg Ventilatoren (Germany).

Saudi Fan Industries has a 400-sq-m aerodynamics testing laboratory which had been designed and constructed according to AMCA standard 210, which plays a pivotal role in product development.

Among the new products launched recently by the company is the 315-1250 smoke fan range, which has been tested and certified for smoke operations of F400 for two hours as per EN12101-3:2015 from BSRIA/BSI-UK, according to Al Khalaf.

“Refrigeration House Group is now gearing up to launch its latest innovations including a new tubular inline axial fan and a centrifugal smoke fan which has a very high capacity,” he says. “We also plan to introduce a new Ecology unit for commercial kitchen applications.”

“This apart, SFI offers a comprehensive range of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analyses for car-park ventilation/new product development. CFD is a computational technology that uses numerical methods to solve and analyse the problems that involve fluid flows and thermal issues,” Al Khalaf adds.

With its headquarters in Al Khobar, Refrigeration House Group caters to the requirements of the entire Gulf region. The head office serves as the group’s nerve centre, forwarding any enquiries received from the region directly to its factories and the group has a network of sales personnel to provide customer support.

Refrigeration House Group aims to be a leading HVAC company in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, active in the trading, contracting, manufacturing and maintenance sectors. Through its subsidiaries and affiliates and in partnership with local and international groups, it has established a particularly significant presence in the region serving a wide range of business sectors including wholesale and retail of HVAC and refrigeration items, HVAC electro-mechanical contracting manufacturing and distribution of air distribution devices and industrial and commercial fans, among other interests.

Al Khalaf is optimistic about growth prospects for this year, given its track record over the recent past. “Our sales value is improving year by year. We are expecting a 30 per cent growth during this year,” he says.

In view of the increase in demand for its products, Refrigeration House Group has procured a number of new machines.

The company serves a wide range of clients which mainly include electro-mechanical and HVAC contractors, petrochemical companies, the Ministry of Defence, hotels, factories, hospitals etc.

Some of the major projects handled by Refrigeration House Group during 2021 were Hilton Hotel, the futuristic Neom city and Al Salama Hospital, among others.

The company has also supplied to a number of Saudi Aramco developments including three packages of the King Salman International Complex for Maritime Industries and Services project and the Safaniyah project; industrial developments such as Petronash Arabia and Renewable Energy Petrochemical Factory; educational institutes such as Al Ghad Medical College and King Saud University in Riyadh; and retail facilities such as Hyper Panda at Dhahran Mall and Huna Coffee Society at Panorama Mall, among others.