INNOVATION THAT SAVES LIVES

On April 2nd, 2014 the Association of Walls and Ceilings Industries awarded the Vellrath Group (then doing business as Vellrath Engineering) of Pequabuck, CT their highest award for construction innovation. The award was presented at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas to Tim Vellrath in front of several hundred of the nation’s leading interior construction leaders and specialists.

The Vellrath Group developed the unique patch kit, Universal Fireproofing Patch (UFP), specifically for the repair of damaged fireproofing.

Fireproofing is a cementitious or fibrous material typically sprayed on a building’s steel structure to protect it from the ravages of a high heat presumably from a fire. Often during construction, renovation, and through service upgrades, the sprayed material is knocked off.

These areas of exposure have to be repaired. In the past this repair had to be completed by a licensed fireproofing contractor. The UFP material, designed specifically for these repairs, changes all of that because it can be applied by any tradesman on a DIY basis.

Tim’s vision was to create a unique formulation that would resolve the decades long industry wide problem of fireproofing patching. Some of the motivation to create UFP came from what he learned about the role fireproofing played in the World Trade Center collapse. Some was based on his personal observations as an applicator for 38 years. And some was based on the engineering study of passive fire protection issues. His vision eventually became Universal Fireproofing Patch (UFP).

The key was to develop a product that was easy to apply, simple to use, lower in cost than traditional methods, compatible with all existing fireproofing products and met all regulations. UFP is Classified by UL for as a SFRM for use in UL's Design Y737 (Product IQ) and fully vetted by VTEC and ITS laboratories as a trowel applied patch.