After multiple rounds of rigorous sample testing and on‑site audits of the entire plant’s production system, Tianjin Baolai Industry and Trade Co., Ltd. successfully passed both UL and FM international safety certifications for its American‑standard series of fire protection steel pipes, making it one of the few domestic pipe manufacturers that simultaneously holds both core certifications for fire sprinkler piping. The attainment of these dual certifications lays a solid compliance foundation for the company’s high‑end fire protection pipes to enter the North American market and other high‑standard overseas engineering markets worldwide.

UL and FM are the most highly recognised third‑party safety evaluation systems in the global fire piping sector, and they are also mandatory verification indicators for fire protection projects in North American buildings, commercial complexes, and high‑rise towers. Unlike general industry standards, these two certifications cover the entire chain of product material, mechanical properties, pressure‑bearing capacity, corrosion resistance and durability, and production control. Their test standards are aligned with ASTM A795, the dedicated specification for fire‑protection piping, and the installation requirements of NFPA fire protection systems. The entire audit process is lengthy and strictly judged. In addition to dozens of extreme‑condition tests such as hydrostatic burst testing, high‑temperature stability, and zinc coating adhesion, the certification bodies also conduct ongoing annual factory inspections covering raw material intake, welding forming, hot‑dip galvanising, epoxy coating, and the finished‑product full‑inspection process, ensuring that mass‑produced products maintain consistent performance with the submitted samples over the long term.

For a long time, tenders for large overseas fire protection projects, local construction regulatory authorities, and insurance company acceptances have all treated UL and FM certifications as mandatory prerequisites for pipe material access. Fire steel pipes lacking the corresponding certifications cannot enter mainstream infrastructure projects in the North American market, and high‑end commercial buildings and island high‑salt‑fog projects in many South American and Middle Eastern countries also generally prioritise dual‑certified pipes. Previously, Baolai Industry and Trade’s exports of fire pipes to the Latin American region had been growing steadily, and local purchasers had repeatedly raised the need for complete international safety certification packages. This market‑driven demand became an important impetus for the company to tackle the dual‑certification challenge.

To meet the stringent requirements of the certifications, the company upgraded its raw material standardisation, adopting dedicated base materials for American‑standard fire pipes with tight control over steel chemical composition and wall thickness tolerances. It optimised the process parameters of its five fully automatic hot‑dip galvanising production lines, stabilising the zinc coating thickness on fire pipes above the US standard requirements. A dedicated independent epoxy powder electrostatic spraying workshop was added, forming a dual‑layer composite anti‑corrosion process combining galvanising and epoxy powder coating. In the quality control segment, a full‑process inspection mechanism was established: every fire pipe undergoes an individual hydrostatic pressure test before leaving the factory. This entire standardised production and quality inspection system successfully passed the on‑site verification by the audit team.

Leveraging its complete production line facilities and mature domestic‑and‑foreign trade operation system, Baolai Industry and Trade has developed a full‑category supply capability covering welded pipes, square and rectangular tubes, and American‑standard fire sprinkler steel pipes, and it can customise anti‑corrosion solutions for different working conditions such as coastal, high‑temperature, and high‑salt‑fog environments. With the acquisition of both UL and FM certifications, the company’s products can now be directly applied to fire sprinkler system projects in commercial real estate, industrial parks, hotels, and high‑rise residential buildings across North America, South America, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia, effectively reducing compliance risks during overseas customer project acceptance and lowering subsequent rectification costs.

A representative of the company stated that obtaining UL and FM dual certifications is not a phased goal, but rather a normal starting point for the company’s deep engagement in the global fire piping sector. In the next stage, Baolai Industry and Trade will continue to comply with the annual surveillance audit requirements of the certification bodies, maintain consistent product quality in mass production, and, building on Tianjin’s port location advantages, improve one‑stop supporting services including export documentation, customised processing, and full‑container logistics. With domestically produced fire pipes that meet the world’s top safety standards, the company will continue to expand into overseas physical infrastructure markets and contribute to the high‑quality internationalisation of China’s steel pipe manufacturing industry.