Fluorine-Free Foam Pioneers

June 14, 2024

FDIC International had a plethora of products on display, but no foams came close to the SOLBERG 3% MIL-SPEC SFFF, find out why from Craig McDonnell of Perimeter Solutions

During FDIC International 2024, Fire Buyer caught up with Craig McDonnell, VP Americas Fire Suppression, at Perimeter Solutions for a video interview to discover more about the SOLBERG 3% MIL-SPEC SFFF.

What is the biggest product that you are showcasing at FDIC this year?

This year it’s been all around our new SOLBERG® 3% MIL-SPEC Synthetic Fluorine-Free Foam (SFFF). It’s a product that we introduced last September. We were the first to be on the Qualified Products List to meet the US MIL-SPEC part number 32725. We’ve been active in transitioning commercial airports and DOD facilities.

Can you give us a detailed insight into SOLBERG® 3% MIL-SPEC Synthetic Fluorine-Free Foam (SFFF)?

One of the key certifications that we’ve recently received is the GreenScreen certification. It really is an eco-label for the product. What that means is that all the raw materials, all the impurities in the product have been evaluated to ensure they’re not on some kind of restricted use list and that they meet all the environmental fate and responsible care initiatives. This product went through rigorous testing in the MIL-SPEC 32725, and exceeded all performance requirements, including expansion ratios, drain times, and extinguishment time. The 3% MIL-SPEC foam is designed for aircraft rescue firefighting, and it specifically is used to separate the fuselage of an aircraft from the fuel and to provide an egress path for anyone that wanted to exit the aircraft or those going on to the aircraft to help. So that’s the key. And the key in applying this foam really is a gentle application.

Three techniques are used: roll the foam onto the surface, rain it down, or bounce off the structure, including the fuselage or wings, whatever structure there might be. This product’s been well accepted in the marketplace. We have currently converted a lot of the Department of Defence facilities and over 50 commercial airports across the United States. So, great response by the marketplace, and we’re doing a great job getting it out there.

So, now that we’ve taken a closer look at the SOLBERG® 3% MIL-SPEC Synthetic Fluorine-Free Foam (SFFF), I am interested to know what the reception has been from visitors at the show today?

The reception’s been great. The market’s been waiting for a new fluorine-free foam that meets the MIL-SPEC. We’ve launched this product back in September, and the reception has been great. The Department of Defence and a lot of commercial airports in the United States and across other parts of the globe have already converted to the new fluorine-free. It’s been fantastic. We continue to see people asking questions all day today. Our sales team is promoting the product, and we’re doing a great job. So, it’s been really good.

If anybody wants to find out more about Perimeter Solutions or Solberg, where can they find you?

You can find us on our website, Perimeter-Solutions.com. Of course, we’ll be here again next year at FDIC. Already this year, we’ve conducted eight different training sessions across the United States—Dallas Fort Worth.