Fire industry asset management and software specialist FireMate has enjoyed rapid growth in the year since its acquisition by industry conglomerate Halma plc, and is now aiming for further expansion in 2022-23, spurred by growing demand for its products resulting from changes in UK legislation and best practice.
Specialising in fire protection maintenance software and remote fire alarm management, the Australian business and its UK subsidiary were acquired in 2020 as part of Halma’s ambition to offer a full spectrum of fire systems and services through its various subsidiaries, including Ampac, Apollo, Advanced, FFE and Hyfire. FireMate is now seeking to capitalise on the rapid evolution of the UK marketplace, where the Fire Safety Act 2021 and PAS 9980 have placed onerous new obligations on fire installers, building owners and Responsible Persons (RPs), especially in the multi-unit residential sector.
“The UK market is going through a challenging period of adjustment, yet it is also exciting as we already have a stable of products that can help to meet the challenges presented by changes to legislation, regulation and best practice,” said Rob Thomas, Managing Director of FireMate. “In particular, our products allow FireMate clients to effectively keep track of fire system maintenance and testing while simultaneously creating a digital record of all actions, from routine service activities and defect management to invoicing and compliance reporting.”
FireMate offers two distinct product ranges, its eponymous fire protection maintenance software and the Nimbus remote fire alarm management platform, which can be used independently or as a mutually beneficial suite of tools. In essence, both products are designed to make life simpler and stress-free for fire installers, maintenance engineers and end users, while ensuring that all compliance obligations are met, replacing multiple channels, such as spreadsheets, whiteboards, calendars and job sheets etc., with a simple, automated online solution.
Mr Thomas added: “While many of the new rules in the UK have been driven by the Grenfell fire, many of them are sensible and logical developments that take advantage of the opportunities offered by digital technology. When regulations become more complex and their fulfilment becomes a fundamental legal requirement, the old ways are no longer fit for purpose. RPs need a way to monitor all fire system maintenance, and keep track, often from an office hundreds of miles away. This is an opportunity for FireMate, but also a welcome discovery for many of our clients and end users.”
As part of its ambitious expansion plans, FireMate is working closely with its sister companies within the Halma stable. As an example, FireMate partnered with Ampac, FFE and Hyfire at the recent FIREX tradeshow in London, where the group demonstrated the synergy between each company’s solutions to hundreds of prospective customers. Additional synergies and partnering opportunities are currently under development.
Founded in Australia, FireMate exists to fulfil a pressing, and often legally mandated, requirement for enhanced asset management, monitoring and reporting in the fire sector. Developed by industry experts with a passion for effective fire safety, the company’s fire protection maintenance software and remote fire alarm management represent a seismic change in the approach taken by many fire installers and their clients, giving them greater oversight, awareness and reassurance than ever before.
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