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Company curbs sale of panels used on burned London high-rise

Workers remove cladding from Whitebeam Court, in Pendleton, Manchester, Monday June 26, 2017. The list of high-rise apartment towers in Britain that have failed fire safety tests grew to 60, officials said Sunday, revealing the mounting challenge the government faces in the aftermath of London's Grenfell Tower fire tragedy. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)
Workers remove cladding from Whitebeam Court, in Pendleton, Manchester, Monday June 26, 2017. The list of high-rise apartment towers in Britain that have failed fire safety tests grew to 60, officials said Sunday, revealing the mounting challenge the government faces in the aftermath of London's Grenfell Tower fire tragedy. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP) Workers remove cladding from Whitebeam Court, in Pendleton, Manchester, Monday June 26, 2017. The list of high-rise apartment towers in Britain that have failed fire safety tests grew to 60, officials said Sunday, revealing the mounting challenge the government faces in the aftermath of London's Grenfell Tower fire tragedy. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)

By Associated Press 3 min read

LONDON (AP) – American cladding maker Arconic said Monday it is discontinuing global sales of one type of composite paneling for use on high-rise buildings following the deadly fire at a London apartment tower as Britain’s government sought to manage a burgeoning fire safety crisis.

Arconic said in a statement that Reynobond PE would no longer be sold for use in high-rise buildings. The company also makes another style of cladding – Reynobond FR – which is fire-resistant.

“We believe this is the right decision because of the inconsistency of building codes across the world and issues that have arisen in the wake of the Grenfell Tower,” Arconic said in a statement. “We will continue to fully support the authorities as they investigate this.”

The cladding – panels widely used to insulate buildings and improve their appearance – may have been a factor in rapidly spreading the June 14 blaze that killed at least 79 people trapped in the 24-story Grenfell Tower.

The U.K. government is scrambling to test panels similar to those used at the destroyed tower, hoping to better understand the national fire safety implications.