The Full Works!

C-TEC’s CAST ZFP systems and CAST-PRO combined fire devices specified for £250m development

A network of C-TEC’s CAST ZFP systems and its award-winning CAST-PRO combined fire detection and alarm devices have been installed in Phase One of an ambitious £250m development in Wigan.

Masterminded by property development experts, The Heaton Group, the 6-year project is set to convert the disused 17-acre Eckersley Mills site into the Cotton Works, a fabulous complex featuring 817 new-build apartments, a hotel, offices, shops, a new pub (The Three Mills) and restaurants.

The first phase of the project is nearing completion. Mill One, comprising a food hall featuring six independent restaurants, office spaces and co-working area (Weave Coworking) topped by a rooftop bar, is set to open shortly – with The Three Mills pub now open to the public.

The magnificent 5-storey building has been equipped with a network of C-TEC’s ZFP CAST fire panels connected to multiple integrated CAST-PRO devices by leading life safety specialists Solid State.

With heat, smoke and CO fire detection plus a tone or voice sounder and a visual alarm device in just one unit, CAST-PRO is proven to reduce installation times, a fact which Paul Turner, Solid State’s Installation Manager, attests to.

Paul said: “CAST-PRO is excellent and using it has cut our second fix installation times substantially – that’s important when you have tight deadlines to meet on site. Performance wise, the devices are powerful and designed to offer the highest levels of protection from false fire alarms which is an essential feature in a mixed-use building of this size.”

“As a local company, we were delighted to secure this very prestigious project as it represents a special step forward for the town. It is exciting to know that we’ve played a part in creating something that’s going to contribute to the future prosperity of Wigan and its people.”

About CAST-PRO

Fully compatible with C-TEC’s ZFP CAST and XFP CAST addressable fire panels and ENVISION Cloud-based monitoring system, CAST-PRO is a British designed and built, fully EN 54 parts 3, 5, 7, 17, 23, 29 and 31 certified heat, smoke and CO fire detector with a tone or voice sounder and onboard visual alarm device. Recently named Fire Innovation of the Year at the FSM Awards, CAST-PRO doesn’t just reduce installation costs, it reduces false alarms effectively, detects real fires reliably and indicates true alarm conditions decisively.

At the heart of its design is the MASC™ miniature advanced smoke detection chamber. Featuring computer designed airflow layers and a revolutionary non-focal non-linear prismatic angular bandpass filter, it has been specifically designed to allow space for reliable Heat and CO detection, a 92 dB(A) tone or 86 dB(A) voice sounder AND a C-3-9.4 visual alarm device – all in the same attractive, compact device.

CAST-PRO’s benefits include:

Less wiring and lower installation costs – advanced CAST-PRO single device detection and alarm solution provides multiple on-site engineer and end user benefits. All this functionality in one device means significant cost and time savings on installation, commissioning and maintenance over systems with separate detection and alarm devices. There’s only one wiring point instead of two and common bases across the range.

Increased functionality/efficiency - CAST-PRO isn’t just a fire detector – it is an alarm device too. Customers can choose from a 92dB(A) tone or 86dB(A) voice sounder with or without a C-3-9.4 white VAD or an O-C-1.9-4 red VAD. With 32 tones or 6 synchronised voice messages to choose from, CAST-PRO uses just one address and is very efficient from a current consumption point of view even when in full alarm.

False alarm rejection - CAST-PRO’s powerful false alarm rejection algorithms recognise non-fire events but still track real fire signals. This means false alarms are massively reduced whilst ensuring real alarms are acknowledged quickly, especially if CAST-PRO’s additional fire sensing functions are utilised. As a result, CAST-PRO is a game-changer for sites prone to false alarms, including, for example, industrial sites, hotels or houses of multiple occupation.

Environmentally-friendly - CAST-PRO’s highly efficient integrated single device solution means less plastic and a lower carbon footprint.