Evolution of a Product

Unprotected Glass		With Anchored Film System

Culminating with the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, the Federal Government concluded that flying shards of window glass was the largest contributor to injury and death other than the blast itself. The GSA immediately began to search for solutions to keep glass in place even during a blast.
Laminated glass with a deep recess and a wet glazing system to hold it to the frame is the answer to new construction, and security film with a window attachment system is the answer for existing windows. The film bonds to the glass holding it together even when broken. The attachment system binds the glass/film combination to the window frame preventing glass from flying into the structure and causing damage or injury. The U. S. government today is the largest consumer of security film with installations exceeding fifty million dollars in the last two years.

The same properties that make film and attachment systems blast resistant also make them storm resistant and an effective deterrent to forced entry. Security film with an attachment system is the only product available for retrofit that offers clear (invisible) 24-hour-a-day passive protection against a variety of situations that would normally result in catastrophic damage to your existing windows, the loss of property within, and potential injury to employees.

The products that we represent, which include Madico’s Safetyshield 800 in use with “FrameGard” mechanical attachment or structural silicone attachment system, are the products most often chosen by governments for their projects.

By staying current with the changes in our industry and our customer’s needs, Enpro provides innovative solutions to problems relating to glass. Whether it is blast, storm, or forced entry protection, one way visibility, solar control, or complete blackout, Enpro has the products and the manpower network to get the job done.

Enpro has created a strong reputation in the window security retrofit industry by providing the most technically advanced and cost effective products to meet our customers needs. This industry market includes both government and private industry and is focused on the savings generated by minimizing loss of property and potential injury from blast, windstorm, earthquakes, and forced entry. Our experience in the installation of these mitigation systems allows Enpro to assist our clients in project management to insure a satisfactory outcome. Enpro Distributing has partnered with the finest manufacturers and consultants in the industry to provide the best products and most accurate interpretation of our client’s requirements.

Madico Inc., the leading manufacturer of safety and security window films, has provided more security film to the U.S. Government than any other manufacturer. Madico has completed the most extensive blast testing in the industry identifying variables in glass and reinforcement systems to show their ability to protect against the dangers of flying glass in a blast event. Madico is the exclusive marketer of FrameGard in the United States.

FrameGard Anchoring Systems, designed to prevent filmed glass from erupting from its frame under blast load conditions. These systems were developed in the U.K to protect government and private facilities from the destructive forces of civil violence, specifically terrorist bombs. FrameGard systems have been in development for over ten years and today are the most tested and technically sophisticated designs on the market.

ABS/EQE International is a leading provider of risk assessment services for commercial, industrial, and governmental clients. Their expertise includes blast, seismic, windstorm, and flood hazard modeling for hazard determination and mitigation. EQE, formerly and independent group and now part of ABS Consulting, also specializes in assessment of terrorist threats including explosions, chemical dispersion and biological releases. They use specialized tools for blast load prediction, structural response and vulnerability assessment. EQE develops hazard mitigation solutions including structural upgrades, barrier design, and window hazard mitigation. EQE provides explosion testing services to government agencies and hazard mitigation product evaluation. Check out their web site at www.absconsulting.com to find out more about their capabilities.

Enpro Distributing is not a qualified blast engineering firm or consultant. It is our recommendation that EQE International be consulted prior to beginning work on any project to provide a professional review of each window type, expected blast loads, and the various reinforcement systems being offered. Enpro Distributing will not except responsibility for the performance of these systems.

Force 12 Protection: High impact wind screens are brand new to the hurricane protection industry and fill a need previously thought to be impractical or impossible. The screens are designed to protect large areas where shutters can’t accommodate. Fire station doors, building entrances, lanais in homes, walkways in shelters, and long expanses of first floor glass. This product has completed and passed all testing for large missile impact, and coastal construction requirements including Dade County Large Missile Impact Testing.

The Force 12 Protection system is custom made for each project by Hendee Enterprises in Houston. Hendee has specialized in flexible wind abatement systems for over 30 years. The Force 12 system is unique and may represent the only solution available for large area protection. Primary customers include condominiums, hospitals, government and military, community shelters, hotels and restaurants located near the coast.

Photos courtesy of Madico, inc. 2000 copyright protected.

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