B-Post

Innovation overview and development

An overview of the product

B-Post: A Standardised Structural Opening System for Drywall Construction

B-Post is a patented structural opening system developed by Betan to replace the traditional use of bespoke hot-rolled steel posts within drywall partitions.

For decades, structural openings for large door sets, fire doors and builders’ work openings have relied on project-specific steel solutions. Whilst structurally effective, these systems are often heavy, carbon intensive, difficult to install and rarely tested as part of a complete partition assembly. They can also introduce variability in design, installation and fire compartmentation details, creating some of the highest-risk interfaces within drywall construction.

Manufactured from engineered laminated veneer lumber (LVL), B-Post provides a tested, repeatable and lower-carbon alternative. The system combines structural posts, proprietary fixing cleats and dedicated deflection head brackets to create a complete solution specifically designed for drywall construction.

Unlike traditional steel supports, B-Post has been developed and tested as part of an integrated partition system. It supports large openings, accommodates service integration, improves buildability and significantly reduces manual handling requirements while maintaining robust structural and fire performance.

B-Post transforms a traditionally bespoke process into a standardised system that improves quality, consistency and compliance across a wide range of partition applications.

How the new product was developed, including effective collaboration, knowledge transfer and partnership along the project team

B-Post was developed through Betan’s extensive involvement in partition testing, defect investigations and compartmentation compliance assessments.

Through repeated testing programmes and project reviews, Betan identified that many partition failures occur not within the wall itself but at interfaces around doors, structural openings and service penetrations. Traditional steel supports often solved structural requirements but created additional challenges relating to fire compartmentation, installation complexity, coordination between trades and overall buildability.

Recognising these recurring industry issues, Betan worked closely with drylining contractors, manufacturers, designers and fire safety specialists to understand the root causes of failures and identify opportunities for improvement.

The development process involved extensive knowledge transfer between testing, design and construction disciplines. Insights gained through robustness testing, fire performance testing and real-world project experience were used to develop a standardised opening system capable of addressing structural, fire and installation requirements simultaneously.

The product was refined through iterative testing and collaboration with industry partners, ensuring the final solution not only met technical requirements but also addressed the practical needs of installers, project teams and building owners.

This collaborative approach ensured B-Post was developed in response to genuine industry challenges rather than theoretical design assumptions.

How might this product have an influence on the specification

B-Post has the potential to influence specification by providing a tested and standardised alternative to bespoke hot-rolled steel supports within drywall partitions.

Traditionally, structural opening details are developed on a project-by-project basis, often requiring bespoke engineering, fabrication and coordination. This approach can create variability in quality, increase programme risk and make compliance more difficult to demonstrate.

B-Post offers specifiers a repeatable solution with known performance characteristics. Rather than creating new steel details for each project, designers can specify a tested system that has been developed specifically for partition openings, compartmentation requirements and service integration.

The product aligns particularly well with current industry priorities, including:

• Improved quality assurance and compliance.
• Standardisation of critical construction details.
• Reduced embodied carbon.
• Improved health and safety.
• Increased productivity and programme certainty.

As clients increasingly seek lower-carbon solutions and more demonstrable routes to compliance, B-Post provides a practical alternative that can support both sustainability objectives and improved building performance.

The system is particularly relevant to healthcare, commercial and public-sector projects where compartmentation, quality assurance and operational resilience are critical.

How the product improved productivity in the process and/or quality and performance of the interior system

B-Post delivers measurable improvements in productivity, quality and performance when compared with traditional structural steel solutions.

Productivity

A typical 5m B-Post weighs approximately 13kg compared with approximately 60kg for an equivalent hot-rolled steel section, representing a weight reduction of around 78%.

This significantly reduces manual handling requirements and allows installation by one or two dryliners without specialist lifting equipment.

Unlike traditional steel solutions, which often require project-specific design, fabrication and coordination, B-Post is supplied as a standardised system that can be integrated directly into partition installation programmes. This reduces lead times, simplifies procurement and improves programme certainty.

The product has also demonstrated cost savings of between 40% and 75% when compared with equivalent steel solutions.

Quality

One of the primary objectives behind the development of B-Post was to reduce defects and improve consistency around structural openings.

The standardised system reduces reliance on site-developed details and project-specific modifications, helping to improve installation quality and reduce variability between projects.

The system also accommodates service distribution holes within tested jamb and head sections, reducing the need for ad hoc modifications and improving coordination between trades.

Performance

B-Post has achieved Severe Duty classification under BS 5234 testing and has been incorporated into fire-tested partition assemblies achieving 60 minutes integrity and insulation performance.

Testing included a 2m-wide opening supporting a 130kg fire door together with builders’ work openings above the door, demonstrating suitability for demanding real-world applications.

By providing a tested, repeatable and integrated solution, B-Post improves confidence in compliance, enhances robustness and delivers consistent performance across a wide range of partition applications.