How Grenfell cladding firm Celotex 'manipulated' fire safety test results to 'break into market'
4 September 2024, 12:45 | Updated: 4 September 2024, 15:22
An insulation firm involved in the construction of the Grenfell Tower has been criticised for "manipulating" fire safety test results in the run up to the disaster, an inquiry has found.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
Celotex was one of seven companies to face strong criticism as part of the Grenfell Inquiry's near-1,700 page report.
The devastating Grenfell Tower fire which killed 72 people was the result of "decades of failure" by government and the construction industry to act on the dangers of flammable materials on high-rise buildings.
Celotex's insulation product, known as RS5000, was used to clad nearly 95 per cent of the high-rise building, with the report finding those in positions of power had not heeded stark warnings or learned lessons from earlier fires.
It also revealed the firm attempted to "mislead its customers and the wider market” in an attempt to break into the industry, which had previously been dominated by rival Kingspan.
The 2019 report concluded the “principal reason” the flames shot up the building at such speed was due to the combustible cladding - which contains the highly flammable insulation.
Released as part of Wednesday's report, Sir Martin Moore-Bick, Chairman of the Grenfell Inquiry, revealed the firm had rigged a key safety test that ensured the material would pass inspection for use in construction.
The report revealed the firm “embarked on its own campaign to break into the market by dishonest means”.
Sir Martin concluded the company's "dishonest scheme" ultimately led to profit being placed ahead of people.
The report contained damning details of Celotex's attempt to dominate the market, labelling its cladding the "first" to "successfully" pass the test.
The test in question involved “two sets of fire-resistant magnesium oxide boards placed in critical positions to ensure that it passed”.
Read more: LIVE: Grenfell Tower Report says blaze was caused by 'decades of failure' by those in power
The test report was found to have “omitted any reference to the magnesium oxide boards, thereby rendering it materially incomplete and misleading”.
Celotex then marketed RS5000 as “acceptable for use in buildings above 18 metres in height”.
However, only later did it transpire that these results had been widely manipulated.
Cladding firm Arconic also came under fire as part of the report, with insulation firms Kingspan and Celotex confronted with heavy criticism.
The report found that while Kingspan could not be blamed for the dishonesty, “it did create the conditions that encouraged it and in which it was able to flourish”.
It found that the manipulation had been “facilitated, albeit inadvertently” by the British Board of Agrément and Local Authority Building Control.
The two boards cleared the products for use - however, both seemingly failed to properly examine the product materials which ultimately contributed to the speed with which fire engulfed the tower block.
“Both those bodies, although supposedly independent, compromised their independence by entering into negotiations with Kingspan over the wording of their certificates and agreeing to include language that was inappropriate and in some cases misleading,” the report stated.
It concluded the west London tower block was covered in combustible products because of the "systematic dishonesty" of firms who made and sold the cladding and insulation.
Following the report, Celotex said in a statement "we are considering its contents with care".
"Our business’ response to what happened started immediately after the fire in June 2017. We conducted our own review to interrogate the circumstances in which the RS5000 product had been tested, launched and marketed.
"This review was a significant and thorough undertaking, and the results of that work were disclosed promptly and proactively to relevant stakeholders, including the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.
"Independent testing commissioned following the review demonstrated that the cladding system described in the Celotex RS5000 marketing literature met the relevant safety criteria.
"That system was substantially different to that used at Grenfell Tower. Decisions about design, construction and the selection of materials for the Tower were made by construction industry professionals.
"Since the fire, we reviewed and improved process controls, quality management and the approach to marketing within the Celotex business to meet industry best practice. Celotex Limited continues to cooperate fully with all official investigations into the Grenfell Tower fire.
Adding: "We reiterate our sympathies to everyone affected by the fire."
The comments come as an architect and panel member for the Grenfell Tower Inquiry became emotional as she addressed bereaved relatives and survivors of the fire and told of her "profound shock" when she flew over the burning block seven years ago.
Grenfell United, which represents some of the families, said Sir Martin Moore-Bick's findings made it clear their lawyers were correct to tell the inquiry that corporate bodies, such as Kingspan, Celotex and Arconic, were "little better than crooks and killers".
They criticised previous governments who they said "aided corporations, facilitating them to profit and dictate regulation" and called on some of the firms involved to be banned from government contracts.
