A2 Fire-Rated Aluminium Composite Panel: A Sourcing Guide
A2 is the grade most facade codes are written around, and it is the grade buyers most often get wrong — usually because a supplier sells “fireproof” panels that are not A2 at all. This guide explains what A2 actually means, which standard applies to your market, and the specifications worth putting in writing before you place an order.
What “A2” actually means
Fire performance is not a yes-or-no property. It is a position on a classification scale. In Europe, EN 13501-1 ranks reaction to fire from A1 (non-combustible) through A2 (limited combustibility), then B, C, D, E and F. A2 is the second-highest class a composite panel can realistically reach.
The decisive difference is the core. A standard ACP uses a polyethylene (PE) core. Panels sold as “FR” or “B1” use a flame-retardant PE core — they resist ignition, but the core is still a combustible polymer. An A2 panel replaces that core with a mineral filler, so the panel contributes very little fuel to a fire in the first place. That is why A2 is normally the grade specified for high-rise and public-building facades.
Three standards, one idea
Different markets express the same requirement on different scales. Know which one your project is written against before you request documents.
- Europe and most export markets — EN 13501-1. Look for A2-s1,d0: A2 for limited combustibility, s1 for the lowest smoke production, and d0 for no flaming droplets.
- China — GB 8624, where the equivalent grade is simply A2.
- United States — ASTM E84 for surface burning characteristics, and for exterior wall assemblies, NFPA 285. NFPA 285 is an assembly test rather than a product test: it depends on how the whole wall is built, not on the panel alone.
These classification documents are not interchangeable. A supplier who only offers one certificate may simply be quoting the market they sell to most, so ask for the report that matches your destination.
What to specify
Write these into the enquiry. Vague enquiries get vague quotes, and “fireproof” is not a specification.
- Reaction-to-fire class — A2-s1,d0 (EN 13501-1) or A2 (GB 8624).
- Panel thickness — 4 mm is standard for facades; 3 mm, 5 mm and 6 mm are available for other applications.
- Aluminium skin thickness — 0.5 mm is common; state it explicitly, because the total panel thickness does not tell you the skin.
- Coating — PVDF (fluorocarbon) for exterior facades, polyester for interior and signage work.
- Sheet size — 1220 × 2440 mm is standard; wider sheets reduce the number of vertical joints.
- Colour and finish — solid, metallic, wood, mirror or brushed.
Six questions to ask any supplier
- Is the fire test report for this panel, or only for the mineral core you buy in?
- Do you run your own A2 composite line, or do you buy A2 panels and resell them?
- Where do the aluminium coil and the coating come from?
- What is your MOQ for a stock colour, and for a custom colour?
- What is the lead time after deposit, in writing?
- Can you send a sample in the exact thickness and colour before we commit to a container?
A trader can answer the first question and few of the rest. A factory can answer all six, and will usually offer a factory video or a remote tour without being pushed.
About Jinxiang
Zhejiang Jinxiang Panel Industry Co., Ltd. manufactures A2 fire-rated aluminium composite panel on a dedicated 2-metre-wide A2 line — among the widest A2 sheets made in China, which lets you reduce the number of vertical joints across a facade. Panels are produced at our 18,000 m² factory in Jinhua, Zhejiang, where we also run 5 automatic coil coating lines and 3 continuous multi-coat/bake coil lines, so the coil, the coating and the composite panel stay under one roof. We have manufactured aluminium composite panel since 1998 and export to more than 70 countries. MOQ is one standard container for stock colours, with a 500 sqm minimum per colour for custom colours, and lead time is 10–15 days after deposit.
Tell us your destination market and we will send the fire test documentation that applies to it. See the A2 fireproof aluminium composite panel range, compare it with our full aluminium composite panel range, or contact us for a sample kit, a test report, or a factory tour — remote or in person.