BOSS Fire and Safety – changing the way passive fire protection is delivered to the market
BOSS’s FyreBox reduces fire risks, improves safety, and is more cost-effective for developers.
Company Profile
Company: BOSS Fire and Safety
Sector: Construction
Location: Caringbah, NSW
Profile: BOSS Fire and Safety has more than 30 years’ experience in building, construction and fire protection products. The company wants to innovate a stagnant industry by fireproofing all services entering a property in a single location.
Why R&D is needed
BOSS Fire and Safety’s managing director, Mark Prior, said that the traditional approach to passive fire protection is complicated and expensive. He said it jeopardises the fireproof integrity of a building. This is what motivated BOSS to pursue R&D in passive fire protection.
Another reason for BOSS’s involvement in R&D is building codes. These hold developers, not subcontractors, responsible for fireproofing buildings. Developers need some way of controlling fireproofing and managing risk.
Through intensive R&D, Mr Prior developed the BOSS FyreBox™ system. This system allows all services, which breach a fireproof wall, to do so through a single fire-rated device. The system makes sure the building maintains its fireproof integrity.
The FyreBox is simple and quick to install, and fully fire-tested. It helps developers save time and money, while making sure they are compliant with regulations.
Before BOSS’s innovation, many ways of fireproofing were expensive to install. Manufacturers had licenced their products to only a few installers.
BOSS knew that many people in the construction industry would have the skills to install fireproofing products. People only needed the right training and a product that wasn’t too complicated.
Mr Prior said that before the FyreBox, the industry was not progressing or innovating. Because of these two factors, BOSS needed to do a lot of R&D to develop and test their product. They also had to ensure designs met current building codes.
Although the FyreBox is on the market, BOSS will continue its R&D to make improvements to the product. BOSS wants to make the product more efficient and to help developers save money. Having had some success with its R&D, BOSS plans on innovating in other areas of the passive fire safety industry.
“Some of the products we are developing are making fire protection safer, less complicated and faster,” Mr Prior said.
How the Research and Development Tax Incentive helps
BOSS has been registered for the R&D tax incentive program since 2013. Mr Prior said the program has helped BOSS experiment with innovative ways of making passive fire protection products. They are exploring 6 new products and hope that each one will revolutionise the industry.
Mr Prior is passionate about innovation. He said that the R&DTI, the program was very important to BOSS. The R&DTI gave BOSS the resources it needed to take risks and conduct new types of R&D activities.
“The R&DTI has allowed us to focus our research and development activity. I wouldn’t have been able to afford an engineer full time if it was just my inquisitiveness about if something is going to work,” Mr Prior said.
The R&DTI has helped BOSS address a serious safety issue. Before BOSS created the FyreBox, a building’s passive fire protection could be compromised by services.
The solution BOSS created helps developers to control the risk surrounding passive fire protection. It makes compliance easier and gives developers better oversight.
The FyreBox also saves time and money, the installer can fireproof each service entering a property at the same time. Each FyreBox unit is easier to install than the traditional fireproofing services. This makes scheduling easier for developers.
In a typical high-rise apartment, the installation time for the BOSS FyreBox is 3 hours faster than the time it takes to fire proof services individually.
More efficient installation can save some projects hundreds of thousands of dollars. Building occupants and home owners benefit from these labour cost savings and improved safety.
Mr Prior said that the R&DTI has been important to his company’s growth. BOSS hired a full-time R&D employee who specialises in engineering and design. This extra skill has helped the company to present itself in a more professional way, and to build its reputation as an innovator within the industry.
During the past 4 years, the R&DTI has helped BOSS grow by more than 50% a year. The company is considering taking the FyreBox to international markets beyond Australia and New Zealand.
“Doing the R&D supported by the R&D Tax Incentive has meant growth for my business,” Mr Prior said.
The R&DTI has allowed us to focus our research and development activity. I wouldn’t have been able to afford an engineer full time if it was just my inquisitiveness about if something is going to work.
R&DTI Impact Facts
- The FyreBox has replaced the most common area of fire proof failure in apartment buildings
- On average, each FyreBox reduced passive fire protection installation labour by 209 minutes
- By using the FyreBox, developers can ensure their buildings comply with the Australian National Construction Code’s fire regulations
- Future building occupants and home owners benefit from cost savings passed on to them
- Because building regulations are similar in countries such as New Zealand and the UK, the FyreBox can be exported to overseas markets
- 6 products are being developed by BOSS under the R&DTI program
- During the past 4 years, BOSS has grown by about 50% a year
- BOSS has hired 1 new full-time employee
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