The Ubuilt cladding system ZX Panel, also developed by Helms, was recently launched as an easy to install non-combustible system aimed at overcoming what the company said were the limitations of some other commercial cladding systems. ZX Panel has a world-wide design registration and pending global patents.
ZX Panel said its system offered a global solution for preventing exterior fires to buildings, because it was pure aluminium, and did not contain any composite. Currently many apartments and medium-rise buildings in New Zealand use composite claddings, which ZX Panel said were potentially flammable.
National manager Tony Longhurst said ZX Panel was the only fire-resistant cladding product of its kind in New Zealand.
“The ZX Panel® has been thoroughly tested and passed all of the relevant independent tests to ensure maximum safety and product preference, including fire,” he said.
Golden Homes founder Len Helms had spent the past five years working on creating this system. .
“We have spent thousands of hours dreaming, researching, debating, tinkering, assembling and testing our product,” said Helms.
“Our end goal has always been to help the person building a house or a medium-rise, to try and bring down the cost while offering an aesthetic design look, ensure weather-tightness and be non-combustible – and we have definitely achieved that.”
It is designed for our country’s weather conditions and brilliant news for coastal buildings, as aluminium doesn’t rust.”
– Tony Longhurst
ZX Panel has been approved for residential homes up to 10m high, and approvals were pending for medium rises up to 25m.
Designed from the ground up, the ZX Panel system was made up of a two mm thick powder coated aluminium panel, which was clipped into specially engineered aluminium extrusions to create what the company said was a reliable, robust cladding system.
“It is designed for our country’s weather conditions and brilliant news for coastal buildings, as aluminium doesn’t rust,” said Longhurst.
The ZX Panel system was made from 100 percent recyclable aluminium, he said.
Altus, a company located in Hamilton, extruded and produced all of the products then powder coated the necessary exposed items and carried a New Zealand Made trademark, said Longhurst.
People can order online or through Carters, Placemakers and ITM New Zealand. ZX Panel said it could also arrange installation solutions through a network of approved installers.
