Inauguration:
New fire research centre
“The new Minimax research centre is an investment in the future,” praised Karin Wiedemann, State Secretary in the Schleswig-Holstein Department of Trade and Industry. Around 160 invited guests from politics, industry and the fire protection sector attended the official inauguration celebration at the Minimax corporate head office in Bad Oldesloe. In recognition of his lifetime achievements in Minimax Research & Development, the research centre was named after longstanding technical director Wolf-Thomas Jetzlaff. “Minimax will profit for many years to come from the impetuses given to research by Wolf-Thomas Jetzlaff,” stated Klaus Hofmann, Chairman of the Management Board.
Thanks to new technical possibilities even more tests can now be carried out than ever before in the research centre at 1:1 scale: Among other uses, a mobile, intermediate ceiling in the largest fire testing room (320 square metres) consisting of two variable halves can lower the room height of 15 metres to two metres. This makes it possible to simulate different room heights and to even build two different testing superstructures parallel to one another.
In accordance with the motto of “it’s all on fire at our place so that it won’t be at yours” fire trials have been carried out in Bad Oldesloe since 1968. It provides the practical proof of the theoretical fire protection research. Customer-specific fire protection concepts are also tested. Collaborations with insurance companies, testing centres, building authorities and standards organisations and the development of new solutions often provide the foundation for international fire protection guidelines and test methods for construction components and systems. The new Minimax research centre will in future contribute towards even better strengthening research and development.
