Sherwin-Williams has acquired Leighs Paints, an industrial fire protection coatings company. 

Leighs Paints manufactures a comprehensive line of intumescent Passive Fire Protection products for the hydrocarbon market and will join the protective and marine coatings business of Sherwin-Williams. Its Firetex brand has been used on more than 400 projects around the world protecting offshore platforms, refineries and chemical plants.

The Firetex technology, consisting of epoxy intumescent coatings, helps achieve the fire resistance ratings necessary for a passive fire protection system. It is engineered to achieve this with a lower required film thickness than alternatives, according to the company. Intumescent coatings react to fire by rapidly swelling, forming a thick char barrier that protects a steel substrate from structural failure.

With the acquisition, Sherwin-Williams gains a team of structural engineers who specialize in fire science and assist project owners and engineers with specification and compliance.

Leighs Paints’ sales and technical support centers are located in the U.K., Canada, India, Germany and United Arab Emirates. Products are currently distributed across 47 countries worldwide.