2026 Expo Preview: Stev to Showcase Next-Gen Fireproof Materials.
Fire performance is moving back up the specification agenda. Stricter compartmentation rules, taller timber-hybrid buildings, and denser urban plots are all pushing designers toward materials with documented, repeatable fire behaviour. Stev will present its next generation of fireproof systems at 2026 industry exhibitions.
1. Why Fire Performance Is Back on the Agenda in 2026
Two forces are converging. First, building codes in several markets now require evidence of performance for the assembled system, not just the individual board. Second, insurers increasingly ask for documentation that shows how a wall or ceiling behaves as a complete construction.
The practical consequence is that a product certificate alone is no longer sufficient. Specifiers need assembly data: which board, which framing, which fastening pattern, and which test standard.
2. What Will Be on Display
| System | Core Material | Typical Application |
|---|---|---|
| Fire-rated partition | Calcium silicate board on light steel keel | Shafts, stair cores, corridors |
| Fire-rated ceiling | Mineral fibre or gypsum board in metal grid | Commercial interiors, transport hubs |
| High-density barrier | Cement or magnesium oxide board | Plant rooms, industrial separation |
| Exterior sheathing | Fiber cement board | Facade build-ups, service risers |
Each assembly is presented with its framing arrangement, fixing schedule and the standard it was tested against, so the information can be transferred directly into a specification.
3. A Closer Look at the Material Range
Class A1 non-combustible boards: Mineral-based composition with no combustible organic content, suited to escape routes and high-rise cores.
Fire-rated gypsum board: Engineered core that releases bound water under heat, delaying temperature rise on the unexposed face.
Calcium silicate board: Dimensionally stable under fire exposure and resistant to moisture, which matters in wet-area compartments.
Light steel keel: Galvanised framing that keeps its section at elevated temperature long enough for the board layer to do its work.
4. Live Demonstration Areas
Assembly build-up: Step-by-step construction of a fire-rated partition, showing board staggering and joint treatment.
Section samples: Cut sections that reveal layer sequence, stud spacing and insulation placement.
Documentation desk: Test reports and declarations of conformity available for review on site.
5. Meeting the Technical Team
Exhibitions are most useful when they answer a specific question. If you bring a wall height, a required fire period, or an acoustic target, the technical team can work back from those constraints to a complete assembly recommendation during the meeting.
6. Summary for Specifiers
Confirm whether your market requires product-level or assembly-level fire evidence.
Ask for the test standard and the exact build-up that was tested, not just the board.
Check that the proposed framing and fixing pattern match the tested configuration.
Request the documentation package early, so approval is not delayed at tender stage.
If you would like to review fire-rated assemblies before the show season begins, our technical team can provide section drawings and test documentation for your project conditions.