November 16, 2016, China – United Insulation is an international exporter of high-end thermal insulation materials. It officially announced that its full range of rock wool products-including rock wool boards, rock wool felts, rock wool pipe shells, and industrial rock wool-have passed US FM Approved certification, or FM certification for short, thereby gaining the most stringent fire protection and performance recognition from the property insurance industry around the world. The certificate number has been officially included in the FM official Approval Guide database.

What is FM? To which country/organization does it belong?

FM certification is issued by FM Global (Factory Mutual Global), headquartered in Rhode Island, USA, one of the world's largest commercial and industrial property insurance companies. The FM Approved mark is considered the "gold standard" for global building fire protection and property loss prevention. To date, over 80 countries and regions around the world-including North America, Europe, the Middle East, Australia, and Southeast Asia-directly mandate insurers, owners, and design institutes to adopt the same.

What does FM certification test for in rock wool, exactly?

FM approval is much more stringent than the traditional A1 non-combustible test and mainly involves two basic requirements:

1.FM 4880 – Fire resistance of interior wall/ceiling insulation materials:

25-foot corner test

No flame spread, no dripping, and no excessive smoke density.

Corresponds to small-scale, reality-like simulated fire conditions.

2.FM 4881 – Exterior wall insulation materials (rock wool sandwich panels):

50ft Large Corner Test

Stringently controls heat release rate and smoke growth.

It also assesses:

Corrosion resistance (FM 4471 corrosion test):

Does not support mold growth.

Dimensional stability and structural integrity.

The rock wool that had passed FM certification could be directly labeled "FM Approved", and global insurers regard it as the "lowest fire risk material", which could remarkably reduce insurance premiums, even waiving some fire-resistant additional clauses.

Why do high-end industrial and commercial projects worldwide consider FM certification as a "must-have" requirement?

North America: In the U.S. and Canada, over 90% of logistics warehouses, cold chain centers, data centers and automotive factories must use FM Approved rock wool, otherwise they cannot be insured or approved by the owners.

Middle East: Countries such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar have made FM certification compulsory for all airports, high-rise buildings, and exterior wall systems.

Europe: In the UK, Germany and the Netherlands, more and more insurers follow the FM standard.

Australia and Southeast Asia: FM 4880 is generally specified in large commercial roofing projects in Singapore, Malaysia, and Australia.

In 2024, the global demand for FM-certified rock wool was up 28% year-on-year, mainly for the rock wool sandwich panels used for exterior walls. Chinese rock wool, without FM certification, can hardly enter the high-end industrial and commercial building markets of these countries.

Why was United Insulation rock wool able to pass the most stringent FM tests on its entire product line in one go?

United Insulation rock wool, which has now passed FM certification, significantly outperforms the industry in the following key performance indicators:

Density range: 80-200 kg/m³. All densities meet FM 4880 & FM 4881 standards and do not require differentiation by batch.

Melting point: >1150℃, fire rating: A1(non-combustible ).

The corner tests at 25 and 50 feet yielded "zero flame spread, zero dripping, and extremely low smoke density."

Water repellency: ≥99.8%, temporary water absorbency: ≤0.5 kg/ m².

Being produced with advanced low slag ball rate less than 3% technology, the fibers are fine and uniform, avoiding pulverization or settling in use over time.

These properties meet not only FM requirements but also provide the world's most discerning insurers and homeowners with the most insurable rock wool solutions.

Commitment to Our Clients

“FM certification is the highest commitment United Insulation can make to the safety of our global clients' properties,” said the Technical Director of United Insulation. “By choosing United Insulation FM rock wool, you can enjoy the lowest fire risk, the lowest insurance cost, and a smooth project approval process.”

The FM-certified rock wool is now exported in bulk to the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, and other countries and is widely applied to high-end projects such as logistics warehouses, data centers, automobile factories, airports, and high-rise residential building exteriors.

About United Insulation

United Insulation is a top Chinese exporter of glass wool and rock wool. Its products hold multiple top global certifications, including CE, KS, UL, FM, USGBC, and GREENGUARD Gold, and are exported to over 80 countries in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Australia, and Southeast Asia.

Website: www.unitedinsulation.com

FM Project Inquiry Email: info@unitedinsulation.cn