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For Immediate Release
December 8, 2008


Ferguson Fire and Fabrication provides fire suppression solution for Continental Airlines

NEWPORT NEWS, VA — Ferguson Fire and Fabrication’s fire protection solutions are bringing the highest standards of performance to a new aircraft hangar for global airline Continental.  Located at the Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, the hangar measures 268' x 250' x 94' high and has been built to house Boeing 777 aircraft for a new inspection regime introduced by the Federal Aviation Administration.

The Hi-Expansion foam system installed in the hangar is more environmentally acceptable than many alternatives.  It is biodegradable, requires less water and has less of an impact than low expansion foam, from a corrosion standpoint.  All piping and equipment for the foam systems, pre-action systems, sprinkler system and hose reel system were fabricated and supplied by Ferguson Fire and Fabrication. The company provided all of the piping for the manifolds and to tie-in the fire pumps, water tanks, as well as pump room piping drawings and all of the pipe spool and support drawings.

The finished project was tested at night with 20-25 knot winds. Twelve-foot scaffolds were positioned beneath the generators to gauge the height of the foam. The test was witnessed by more than a hundred Continental employees, risk management personnel, Houston Fire officials, and numerous environmental personnel.  The project for Continental is just one of Ferguson Fire and Fabrication’s abilities in the special hazards field. 

“Increasingly, our skills are being used in the aircraft industry, where new regulations demand that some aspects of aircraft testing are now carried out inside hangars instead of on the tarmac,” said George DiMatteo, central area manager for Ferguson Fire and Fabrication.  “This creates a need for very specialized equipment, which Ferguson Fire and Fabrication is able to provide.”

Ferguson Fire and Fabrication is also active in facilities for the new fuels sector, including locations where ethanol is stored and processed and the market is being driven by regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency.

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For further information, contact: communications@ferguson.com

Ferguson
Headquartered in Newport News, Va., Ferguson is the largest wholesale distributor of plumbing supplies in the U.S. and a major distributor of HVAC/R equipment, waterworks and fire protection products, and industrial pipes, valves and fittings. Ferguson is committed to the growth of their business, their people, and their support of the communities in which they do business. Ferguson has sales of $8.1 billion and approximately 17,000 associates in 1,350 service centers located in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Mexico and the Caribbean. For more information, visit www.ferguson.com.

Ferguson is part of Wolseley plc, the world's largest specialist trade distributor of plumbing and heating products to professional contractors. Group revenue for the year ended July 31, 2010, was $20.7 billion. Wolseley has around 47,000 employees operating in 25 countries and is listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: WOS) and is in the FTSE 100 index of listed companies.


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