Industry experts suggest this hesitation often stems from outdated perceptions. Early GRP products lacked the published technical data and consistent manufacturing quality seen today.
Modern GRP is manufactured to BS EN 13706 for pultruded profiles and BS EN 4592 for industrial flooring, achieves tensile strengths up to 240 MPa, meets Class 2 fire performance under BS 476 Part 7, and can deliver service lives exceeding 50 years with minimal maintenance.
A Material That Answers Modern Design Challenges
Designers face increasing pressure to deliver solutions that balance performance, cost, sustainability, and safety. GRP offers a combination of properties that directly address these requirements:
Durability in Harsh Environments — Resistant to corrosion, UV exposure, moisture, and a wide range of chemicals, GRP can outperform metals and timber in coastal, industrial, and high-contamination settings.
Safety in Use — Its non-conductive properties make GRP valuable in live electrical environments, rail infrastructure, and telecoms applications. Slip-resistant surfaces can be engineered to meet BS 7976, reducing risk in public access areas.
Lightweight but Strong — Up to 75% lighter than steel, GRP reduces load on supporting structures, simplifies transport, and allows for faster, less equipment-intensive installation.
Sustainability and Lifecycle Value — Long service life and negligible maintenance demands reduce both environmental impact and total cost of ownership.
Integration into Existing Design Workflows
One barrier to wider adoption has been the assumption that GRP is difficult to integrate into established CAD and BIM workflows. In reality, GRP is now supported by comprehensive digital resources — from CAD-ready product files to BIM-compatible data sets containing mechanical performance, compliance ratings, and maintenance schedules.
This enables accurate modelling, clash detection, and lifecycle planning at the earliest design stages. By embedding GRP data alongside steel, aluminium, and concrete in design software, project teams can make direct, evidence-based comparisons between materials based on load capacity, environmental performance, and compliance.
Evidence in Practice
Two recent projects illustrate GRP’s role in long-term, safety-critical applications without being the sole focus of its capability.
In Scotland, the Alyth Substation required fencing that could meet electrical safety standards, withstand high winds, and remain maintenance-free for decades. GRP palisade fencing was selected for its non-conductive properties, corrosion resistance, and compliance with structural standards — reducing operational interventions and lifecycle costs.
At Copenhagen Kastrup Airport, a blast wall needed to resist coastal weather and saline air while meeting strict aviation safety regulations. GRP structural profiles were chosen over steel to prevent corrosion, eliminate magnetic interference, and remove the need for repainting. The installation integrated into the airport’s long-term safety infrastructure, minimising maintenance without compromising performance.
An Informed Decision
For designers, the question is not whether GRP can meet the requirements of permanent works — it is whether those requirements have been matched against the latest GRP capabilities during the specification stage. The evidence shows that modern GRP can deliver strength, safety, compliance, and longevity in equal measure, making it a material worthy of inclusion in any shortlist.
Accurate performance data, verified test results, and real-world case studies are now readily available to support decision-making. Reviewing this information early in the design process can open opportunities for reduced maintenance, lighter structures, and enhanced safety in ways that traditional materials may not offer.