Whether they’re selling cars or cheeseburgers, companies like to toss around words like quality and value, but they don’t always say what those words mean. Instead, they expect the audience to bring their own definitions.
When we talk about the quality and value of our FSorb sound panels, we want people to know exactly what we mean. We want people to know because defining our panels’ quality and value is the best way to define our panels.
Our unique recipe for quality and value includes recycled materials that are free from volatile organic compounds. It includes sound panels that integrate seamlessly with other building materials and panels that can be recycled after their life.
It also includes compliance with local building codes and the Buy American designation, the two values we’d like to define today.
The Quality of ‘Buy American’
Unless they sell products directly to the U.S. government, manufacturers don’t need a Buy American designation. We wanted one anyway. All our customers deserve the quality that comes along with the Buy American designation.
We make all FSorb panels in our Woodinville, WA factory. The materials in our panels come from the U.S. or from South Korea. Source materials from South Korea qualify for the Buy American label because the nation has a Free Trade Agreement with the United States. (South Korea happens to be the world’s premier source of PET plastic fibers, one of the key materials in our panels.)
According to the Buy American Act, 50% to 55% of the cost of a product must come from the United States. FSorb systems range well above this – from 65.5% to 91.7% of the value coming from our location in the U.S., with an overall average of 72.2% American Made.
Our Buy American label means our sound panels:
Include materials only from nations where strict manufacturing controls prevail.
Support our local community by creating jobs and providing jobs with fair wages and better labor standards.
Have higher environmental standards than many of our competitors.
The finished product doesn’t require ocean travel to reach the North American market, allowing for faster and more environmentally friendly shipping to customers.
Include craftsmanship from people who can benefit when they visit buildings with FSorb installations.
Can be backed up 100 percent by our customer service staff, who know the nuances of the products.
Earning the Buy American designation means we’re sourcing, creating, and shipping a product that benefits our national economy at every level — from labor and raw materials to sales and shipping.
The Value of Code Compliance
As a veteran of the construction industry, FSorb founder Doug Bixel knows the value of local building codes, which make buildings safer for everyone. Doug volunteers with several of the organizations that set standards for seismic construction techniques.
So naturally, Doug wanted to ensure, from the very beginning, that FSorb panels comply with local building and fire codes. This is one reason our panels fit so seamlessly within best practices for building.
Building codes vary by location. We encourage customers to share specifics about their needs when they place their order with the agent in their area. Whether or not codes require ceilings to be braced from seismic movement, we can provide panels that fit the building’s structure.
We commonly recommend using an Acoustical Suspension System that is engineered to support materials like FSorb, as these systems bear the ASTM approvals for construction and are integral in meeting the code requirements within the International Building Code (IBC). It results in a smoother process, as these systems are understood by the contractors that are building them and the inspectors that are signing off on them.
In our experience, contractors and interior designers appreciate having such a simple way to adhere to building codes while simultaneously creating the best acoustic environments in the market.
In addition, FSorb panels feature Class-A fire-rated materials throughout the product line, including in our 2-inch panel thickness. Most panels struggle to achieve Class-A protection in panels of this size.
For us, the fire rating isn’t theoretical. We conduct real fire tests to ensure this rating delivers in practice. We have spent over a decade refining and improving our products to be the safest and most dependable in the market.
FSorb is Code Compliant, ‘Buy American,’ and Customizable
There’s an additional huge benefit to buying a building product that’s engineered from the inside out to be code-compliant and Buy American. It’s the ability to customize the product while still maintaining code compliance and economically friendly qualities.
Whether your interior design features FSorb panels as a design element or seeks to minimize their presence, we can customize our panels to match the designer’s vision. Since our panels are so easy to cut, shape, and cluster together, the options for a designer are endless.
FSorb panels can even serve as a blank canvas for printed customized designs, which removes even more barriers that sound panels often create for designers. Coupling this design freedom with FSorb’s ease of installation helps add even more value to your FSorb panels.
Our local agents will be glad to discuss your building’s design needs and help meet any challenge you face — while providing a product that meets your local building codes and re-invests in local and domestic economies.
Peace of Mind at Every Step
Sound absorption creates a more peaceful environment for everyone who spends time in a building. Properly shaping a building’s auditory experience increases productivity and encourages visitors to spend more time in the space.
From our inception in 2009, our goal with FSorb sound panels was to give builders and designers everything they need in a sound panel: customization, the best sound shaping in the market, integration with other building materials, compliance with local building codes, and a way to buy American.
As you create or renovate your next interior space, we invite you to reach out and share your vision for the space with us. We can deliver the best sound absorption technology in the market while embracing your project’s nuances and challenges — while providing the peace of mind that comes with code-compliant building products.
Start the Conversation Today
When you need the best acoustic technology that enhances your unique construction and design needs, FSorb should be your first call. We’ll send out samples and brochures to help you get acquainted with our products.
Or you can skip ahead and get in touch with your local FSorb rep, who will explain in even more detail how our products can align with your unique needs.
Find your area rep on this page. We look forward to hearing from you!
At FSorb, we are motivated by improving human health and do so by creating eco-friendly acoustic products. Our mission is to help designers build beautiful spaces that reduce excess ambient noise while calming the human nervous system. With over 25 years in the acoustic business we stand behind FSorb as a durable, environmentally friendly, and low-cost product. If you want an acoustic solution that is safe to human health at an affordable price, then we are your resource.
(844) 313-7672