Comprehensive fire protection solutions for Saica Group

At PEFIPRESA, we carried out a complex and innovative fire protection project at the SAICA PACK facility in Barcelona. The project, executed between February 2024 and May 2025, involved a wide range of systems designed to ensure maximum safety at this industrial plant.

Here is a summary of the installed systems, the technical challenges faced, and the solutions implemented to complete this major project.

Installed systems: a comprehensive fire protection solution for industrial plants

The scope of this project included the implementation of the following fire protection systems:

1- Firewater supply system

• Installation of an FM-approved water storage tank with a capacity of 1,517 m³.
• Pumping unit consisting of two diesel engines (579.79 m³/h at 10.5 bar) with FM, NFPA20, CE Mark, and UNE 23500/2018 certifications.

2- Fire hydrant system

• FM-approved DN 355 mm HDPE piping, configured as an 800-meter underground ring main.
• Installation of 7 dry-barrel hydrants (100 mm) and 4 underground hydrants (each with two 70 mm outlets), zoned using FM-approved gate valves and indicator posts.

3- Automatic sprinkler suppression system

FM Global-approved systems designed to protect:

• Main production hall.
• WIP areas and racking (a special case requiring additional approval).
• Offices and industrial machinery, including offset/flexo printers and corrugators.

4- System of equipped fire hose reels (BIE)

DN 80 (3″) main network serving:

• 101 units with an additional 45 mm outlet in the warehouse area.
• 12 additional units in the offices.
• Supply to irrigated fire-compartmentation curtains strategically located throughout the facility.

5- Fire detection and alarm system

• -Installation of 2 networked NOTIFIER ID3000 control panels with TG graphic systems.
• -Point detectors in offices and aspirating smoke detection (ASD) systems in industrial zones, in compliance with standard UNE 23007-14.

6- Fixed gaseous fire suppression system

• Protection of the server room using a small-scale gas system based on FM1230 (FK5-1-12 extinguishing agent).

7- Smoke and heat control system (SCTEH)

• Installation of 174 CE-marked smoke vents in compliance with standard UNE-EN 12101-2.
• Units constructed from corrosion-resistant aluminum, featuring a thermal fuse calibrated to 94°C.
• Controls managed via two 4-zone electro-pneumatic panels.

8- Fire extinguishers and photoluminescent signage

• As part of the comprehensive solution, portable fire suppression equipment and signage systems were included to ensure effective evacuation in the event of an emergency.

Key technical aspects

The design and implementation of systems at the SAICA PACK facility required an advanced technical approach due to the wide variety of areas requiring protection. The following aspects were particularly notable:

1. Customized solutions: The design of the sprinkler system for the WIP storage and machinery areas …industrial facility posed a particular challenge, given that these areas required additional approvals and extensive coordination to meet FM Global standards.
2. Efficient zoning: Both hydrants and equipped fire hose stations were strategically designed and distributed to ensure a rapid response to any incident.
3. Smoke and temperature control integration: The installation of smoke vents connected via electro-pneumatic systems was designed with airflow and effective smoke evacuation during an emergency in mind.

This project is an excellent example of how Pefipresa combines experience, innovation, and strong technical capabilities to develop systems tailored to the client’s needs. The SAICA PACK, S.L. plant, equipped with state-of-the-art solutions, represents a model of industrial safety that complies with the most stringent regulations.