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Acquisition captures largest share of fire appliance market
AssetCo plc has announced the acquisitions of TVAC – The Vehicle Application Centre Limited and UV Modular Limited. TVAC is a leading manufacturer of a full range of fire engineered equipment, vehicle appliances and vehicle conversions to the UK Fire and Rescue Service. The company is the UK franchise holder for Plastisol, the composite body, and has been involved in the build of vehicles for the majority of fire and rescue authorities in the country. In 2007 TVAC were awarded national framework agreements for the supply of pumping appliances to both English and Scottish fire and rescue services.
As well as assembling fire appliances, TVAC has a long and successful tri-partite development partnership with AssetCo and the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority to supply the most advanced fire appliances to the London Fire Brigade. The acquisition will bring a complementary set of technologies and expertise to enhance the design, engineering and build capability offered by the Group’s Papworth Specialist Vehicles subsidiary. This acquisition will make AssetCo the largest provider of fire appliances to the UK fire and rescue market. UVM is the UK’s largest specialist designer and manufacturer of ambulances for the emergency and local authority sectors. Since its formation in 2002, UVM has achieved a strong reputation for the build quality of its vehicles and gained a significant share of the market for box conversion ambulances in the UK.
In addition to manufacturing ambulances, UVM also builds mobility vehicles primarily for delivery to UK local authorities. Two types of coach built ambulances are sold by UVM: the modular (aluminium) and the premia (fibreglass). In addition, UVM also supplies a small number of van conversion ambulances and ‘hybrid’ ambulances (a cross between a patient transport services vehicle and an ambulance). Combining the market leading design and innovation of UVM with AssetCo’s existing ambulance conversion expertise at Papworth Specialist Vehicles will consolidate UVM’s position as the largest provider of ambulances to the UK.
John Shannon, Chief Executive Officer, commented: “We continue to evolve our engineering solutions to the emergency services and are pleased to have recently completed these important acquisitions. This is consistent with our stated strategy of establishing a more stable and secure supply chain for our core Fire and Rescue Service clients and of expanding our operation in the NHS sector where our managed service offering is receiving increasing interest.
“The market leading design, innovation, capacity and state of the art systems of our enlarged business of TVAC, UVM and Papworth Specialist Vehicles will offer our clients an unrivalled suite of design, build, conversion and assembly options from one, dedicated operation. It is our aim to build on these unique strengths to develop a recognised centre of excellence for the emergency services. This will provide them with wider choice, greater innovation, and a more robust, financially secure, supply chain when choosing where to place their major investment programmes. We recognise this is an issue of long-term concern for public sector clients.”
For further information contact Sue Alsop on tel: +44(0) 7870 270840.
PPE demonstration DVD released
On release now, Bristol Uniforms’ new corporate DVD has been produced to provide customers and the company’s growing network of overseas distributors with the opportunity to see, and learn about, all aspects of its business without having to visit its Bristol offices. Given the global nature of its firefighter PPE business, the directors of the company felt the need to find additional ways to inform specifiers, customers and distributors of the many different facets of the business. A DVD video showing every stage of the process from product design through manufacturing, performance testing, distribution and use by firefirefighters was seen as the best format for conveying the story in narrative and moving pictures. It is planned to use the DVD as an additional training resource for the sales team and its distributors abroad.
The DVD, which also includes some archive footage, has been filmed and produced by Commstar of Bristol and has been Actively supported by Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service who Have collaborated in the making of the video by working with Bristol to capture live footage of PPE in use. It includes a section involving a member of Bristol Care’s™ external technical service delivery team taking firefighter measurements for sizing personal protective equipment including a correctlyfitting helmet. The filming took place at Chippenham Fire Station whose firefighters provide specialist water rescue crews with their Pioneer Multi rigid boat. In addition, the firefighters demonstrated specialist extrication from a road traffic collision. Essex Fire and Rescue Service has also been actively involved in the project providing additional material and pictures. Wiltshire’s Chief Fire Officer Andy Goves, said: “I was very pleased to support this request for Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service to provide assistance. Bristol Uniforms is one of our suppliers and the correct procurement of PPE is a vital component of firefighter safety. It was an ideal opportunity to further publicise the service, especially in the growing arena of specialist rescue techniques. The Chippenham firefighters were more than willing to be involved and the occasion provided another valuable opportunity to practise and enhance their media handling skills.” Roger Startin, Bristol’s joint MD, commented: “With many of our customers and distributors, especially those in South America, Africa and Asia, unable to visit us in Bristol we hope this DVD will give them an insight into what goes into the firefighter clothing supplied to them and will help to reinforce the reputation we have as one of the world’s leading manufacturers of firefighter PPE.”
Gold position for hard of hearingDeaf Alerter plc has hit record numbers with 90 per cent of customers opting for fully comprehensive Gold maintenance. This contract provides the customer with the piece of mind that the system will be fully checked every six months and any faults occurring on Deaf Alerter equipment are covered. There are no charges out fees, any labour costs or parts and repair costs. If the system cannot be fixed on-site, loan equipment will be provided. Deaf Alerter® is a vital life saving system, but just like any similar system it will deteriorate without effective preventative maintenance visits, which are a requirement for compliance with Health and Safety legislation and also the ‘British Standard BS5839 – Fire Detection and Alarm Systems for Buildings, Part1 Code of Practice System Design, Installation Commissioning and Maintenance’. As each customer’s requirements are different, Deaf Alerter plc will endeavour to tailor a maintenance package to their specific needs and requirements. Many employees have a qualification in British Sign Language, including quality inspectors, who are more than happy to support communication and training for Deaf and hard of hearing Deaf Alerter users.
Sarah Morland, Customer Support Consultant, commented: “Our existing customers are extremely important to us. We are pleased that this comprehensive level of support is being chosen by our installed customer base; not only does it demonstrate their commitment to the product but the ongoing safety of deaf or hard of hearing people that use the Deaf Alerter® system.”
For more information contact; Joanne Kusinski on tel: 01332 363981; fax: 01332 293267; email:
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Fire company staff in the money after lottery win
A 16-strong syndicate of factory workers from Hale Products Europe is celebrating after winning £7,603,209 on a Lotto Rollover jackpot (December 1, 2007). The syndicate members, who are all factory-floor staff at Hale Products Europe, based in Warwick, have walked away with a staggering £475,200 share of the jackpot. Syndicate leader, Phil Harrhy (49), says the big win is still sinking in. Phil was at home on the Saturday night of the win, when his boss called saying he thought they had hit the jackpot. After nervously checking numbers and calling Camelot the big win was confirmed.
The 16 syndicate members have been playing Lotto every Saturday since 2000 and have an unusual way of picking their numbers. Every three months each member picks three ‘banker’ numbers, which are then added to the other three numbers which they have chosen. The result is 16 different lines and in this instance, one lucky ticket! But despite the big money all the winners have decided to continue working at Hale for the foreseeable future. Hale Products Europe is the manufacturer of the Godiva Fire Pump. As a vehicle mounted or portable model the Godiva pump is in operation with virtually all UK fire services and over 100 countries worldwide. The Godiva has a ‘unique’ reputation for innovation and reliability with frontline firefighters, said a company spokesperson.
For further information tel: 01926 623614; fax: 01926 623689; email:
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; web:www.haleeurope.com Quick look at new fire safety company
PEEPs is the trading name of Personal Emergency Evacuation Planning Ltd, a company that has been born out of the experience of its two directors, Alan Stoker and Bob Docherty. Alan and Bob both run their own successful fire consultancies (and will continue to do so) but have seen the need to combine their own very special knowledge, talents, skills and experience to meet the specific demands of the Building Regulations, Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) and the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRFSO). The company focus is primarily on the provision of consultation and creation of Personal Emergency Escape Plans (PEEPs) for both individuals and groups, ie standard PEEPs and individual PEEPs
Personal Emergency Evacuation Planning Ltd can provide employers, service providers and any other organisations with a full consultancy service to advise on PEEPs as well as provide standard and individual PEEPs together with an integrated package of emergency and evacuation planning. The provision of a framework that organisations can utilise throughout their premises can also be tailored to identified needs and also to the fire risk assessment for the premises.
For any further information contact Alan or Bob on tel: 01204305176 or 07831 289877; web: www.peepsltd.co.uk
Alan and Bob can also provide through their own individual companies, Flamerisk Safety Solutions Ltd and Fire Needs Ltd, a full range of fire safety risk assessments, fire training, fire engineering solutions and legislative (fire) advice. Royal Berks opts for Command Support System
Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service has chosen VectorCommand’s Command Support System as the command and control system for managing its new incident command vehicles and fire appliance fleet. The Command Support System is a new generation of command, control, communications, computing and information (C4I) system developed specifically for supporting emergency services and emergency management organisations. As well as being used on the service’s two new high tech mobile incident command vehicles and front line pumps, the Command Support System will also be used throughout the command hierarchy. The Command Support System allows fire and rescue service commanders and managers to access incident information at high speed, create and view a comprehensive, joined up picture of all activities associated with a major incident, and communicate command decisions clearly and effectively.
Data and imagery accessed by the system (including live CCTV and TV footage), advanced GIS mapping, asset management database information and risk information are among some of the many different types of data that can be displayed on touch screen displays, desktops and wireless-linked mobile data terminals.
These data and imagery sources are integrated through the Command Support System, providing commanders at all levels (and, if required, in different multi-agencies) with a clear comprehensive picture of an incident, thereby improving command decision-making. The unique Command Support System user interface allows nontechnical users to follow an easyto- use, intuitive, touch screenbased decision-making model (DMM) based on nationally agreed Fire and Rescue Service command doctrine. All command decisions – made on electronic whiteboard sketch maps, using asset icons and GIS mapping, emails, video conferencing and voice commands – can be easily communicated to all relevant parties (and stored for later analysis or enquiry purposes). One of the most innovative aspects of Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s use of the Command Support System is the fact that, in addition to deployment on mobile incident command units, it will be deployed on mobile data terminals on all 24 of the service’s front line pumps. This will allow all incident commanders to receive more detailed incident and command information. Olaf Baars, Director of Service Delivery for Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “This year Royal Berkshire Fire Authority has invested heavily in the provision of state-of-the-art incident support assets. Our current Incident Command Unit is to be replaced by one large Incident Command Vehicle and a smaller Multi Role Command Vehicle that will, together, provide the environment and facilities to support incident command at the multi-agency level. VectorCommand’s Command Support System (CSS) is the application that breathes life into the technology in order to support our incident commanders in the field.
“I am particularly pleased that the fire authority has had the foresight to enable the CSS to be rolled out across the fleet, thereby supporting effective incident command at all levels, but also enabling the seamless sharing and transfer of critical information in dynamic, escalating situations. In the current environment facing the Fire and Rescue Service, I am pleased to be able to give incident commanders the best available technology to assist with their decision-making, recording and post-incident analysis that will improve the service that we can deliver to the public and improve firefighter safety.” One of the strengths of the Command Support System is the fact that it integrates with other products within VectorCommand’s Emergency Command System range of products: the Tactical Command Trainer – Fire and the Training and Exercising System. This integrated approach allows commanders to be trained within a common user interface and for the service’s personnel and systems to be exercised robustly to prepare for a wide range of common fire and rescue service threats. In addition to the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service installation, the Command Support System is currently being installed on all of London Fire Brigade’s mobile command vehicles and throughout the entire command hierarchy. It is also being used for co-ordinating multi-national, multi-agency flood response by partners involved in the pan-European European Union coastal flooding project EU FloodCommand – the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Irish Coast Guard and the Swedish Rescue Services Agency.
For further information contact: Stephen Prendergast on tel: 02392 410400; email: pressoffice@vector command.com; web: www.emergencycommandsystem.com Global enterprise celebrates 50 years of ‘innovation’
WL Gore and Associates Inc is celebrating 50 years of innovation in 2008. Gore, which began in Delaware, USA, in 1958 as a wire and cable manufacturer, is now a multibillion dollar global leader in the fabrics, medical, industrial and electronic products markets. Established in the UK since 1964, W L Gore and Associates (UK) Ltd now employs around 500 associates across two sites in Livingston and one in Dundee.
W L Gore and Associates (UK) Ltd last year topped The Sunday Times ‘100 Best Companies to Work For’ list for the fourth year in a row and also achieved the number one position in Esquire magazine’s inaugural list of the best places to work in the UK. Perhaps best known for its GORE-TEX® fabrics and ELIXIR® guitar strings, Gore manufactures thousands of products and employs more than 8,000 associates in 45 facilities around the world. Despite its tremendous growth over the past 50 years, the enterprise is deeply tied to its roots and the unique business practices established a half-century ago by the late Wilbert L ‘Bill’ and Genevieve Gore. UK Business Leader John Kennedy said: “Our 50th anniversary is an ideal time to reflect on the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit of Bill and Vieve, and the principles on which this enterprise was founded.
“Their dedication, passion and commitment to excellence created a culture that fosters creativity, and a company that prides itself in providing unique, highly valuable products for our customers.” W L Gore and Associates’ modest beginnings date back to January 1, 1958, when Bill and Vieve celebrated the New Year — and their 23rd wedding anniversary — by launching a business in the basement of their home. With five children to support, Bill had surprised many by leaving behind a successful 12-year career as a chemist with the DuPont Company to explore new uses for the synthetic material polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). In the company’s early years, Gore discovered how to apply PTFE tape to insulate wire and cables. These products were in high demand by the mainframe manufacturers of a fledgling computer industry. This successful venture, along with others like it, sparked the company’s growth from a modest household business to an international enterprise. However, it was not until 1969 — when Bill and Vieve’s oldest son, Bob, found a way to expand PTFE — that the company began to fully realise its potential.
With its unique chemical properties, expanded PTFE (ePTFE) opened up a whole new world of product application possibilities for the enterprise, including windproof, waterproof and breathable fabrics; lifeenhancing cardiovascular devices; energyefficient fuel cell assemblies; pollutionreducing filtration systems; and much more. Today, W L Gore and Associates Inc is recognised as often for its unique culture as for its innovative products. With the goal of fostering creativity and personal responsibility, the company has evolved with a lattice management structure driven by direct, person-to-person communication. Decisions are made based on knowledge and experience, rather than by title or particular position. And all associates are encouraged to grow in knowledge, skill and responsibility and to make their own commitments. With its pioneering corporate culture and market-leading products, W L Gore and Associates Inc has been cited in every selection of the ‘100 Best Companies to Work For in America’ since the list began in 1984, and the enterprise has received similar honours in Europe.
For Bob Gore — chairman of the company’s board of directors since 1986 — it is amazing to see how much the company has accomplished since its inception in his childhood home.
“Today, I can say with confidence that we have surpassed even my parents’ wildest dreams,” he said. “We have created thousands of valuable, life enhancing products, achieved enviable growth, and have been recognised around the world as a great workplace. I am tremendously proud of the associates’ accomplishments, enthusiasm and creativity, as I know my parents would be.”
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