Baldwin Boxall, a manufacturer of life safety sound systems, have appointed Anthony Morgan to the role of Technical Director. Anthony has been with the company for over six years now and leads a strong R&D team, alongside Dave Boxall, who has been confirmed as the new Founding Director.
Dave previously worked as Technical Director before moving on to his new role. As an active member of many board committees in the industry, Anthony is well versed in the multitude of aspects of life safety and is well placed to continue Dave’s hard work.
Sales and Marketing Director, Nick Baldwin said: “We are very pleased to welcome Anthony to the board of directors and we know he is the perfect fit for this role”.
Anthony added: “I thoroughly enjoy coming to work every single day. It is the people at Baldwin Boxall that make it so great, we truly have a fantastic, friendly and professional team.”
Telgian Fire Safety have announced the appointment of Vincent Joven, CPA, CISA as Vice President Finance / Controller. In this position, Joven will be responsible for the preparation of operating budgets, overseeing financial reporting and performing essential duties relating to payroll and operations.
A highly accomplished accountant and risk professional who possesses an extensive accounting background and deep knowledge of risk and internal audit practices, Joven brings more than 20 years of finance management experience to Telgian. His proven skills in project management, project implementation and cross-organisational coordination will be an invaluable asset in the company’s high-energy, fast-paced environment.
Prior to joining Telgian, Joven served as Director of Internal Audit for Ports America. There, he led the internal audit team to deploy best-in-class audit methodologies appropriate to company’s business operations, leveraging relevant frameworks and professional standards, while ensuring a continuous connection between business strategy and operational execution.
He has also served in numerous advisory and leadership roles for PwC, Andersen LLP, and Interactive Corp.
Joven is a graduate of George Mason University and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA), Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) and Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE).
Since 1985, Telgian Fire Safety has served as a trusted partner to clients around the globe, providing innovative solutions and keeping facilities safe, compliant and on budget. Telgian’s expertise includes testing, inspections and repair of Fire Life Safety Systems including Fire Sprinkler Systems, Fire Alarm Systems, Fire Extinguishers, Kitchen Hood Suppression Systems, Backflow Systems, Emergency/Exit Lights, Special Hazards, Clean Agent Systems and Fire Alarm Monitoring.
The company specialises in service to multi-location properties, as well as large single-campus facilities. Telgian Fire Safety services approximately 50,000 locations annually throughout the US and abroad, providing a centralised approach and standardised way for clients to manage their FLS program including Inventory Tracking, Capital Replacement Programs, Budgeting and Forecasting.
Four staff have been recognised in the Queen’s New Year Honours for their service to London Fire Brigade.
Principal Fire Engineer, Lynsey Seal has been awarded the Queen’s Fire Service Medal, Harry Aquilina from Orpington Fire Station, Lisa Barker from West Norwood and Ashley Gordon from Lambeth Fire Station will receive British Empire Medals (BEM) for their services to the community during the Covid-19 response.
In a year that has seen prolonged isolation and uncertainty, Brigade staff have worked tirelessly to ensure they are there to serve Londoners. Recognised at the start of the pandemic for delivering a critical service to the public, crews have been supporting the London Ambulance Service as part of the Pandemic Multi-Agency Response Team (PMART), ensuring they are always there to serve the capital in any way they can.
Upon hearing about her award, Lynsey said: “I’m truly overwhelmed to have been nominated for such a prestigious award and I’m extremely proud to accept this on behalf of my team and Fire Safety as a whole. To have the work of fire safety and fire engineering recognised in this way is very much appreciated. There are so many individuals within the fire service that work tirelessly and have dedicated themselves to improve fire safety for others, and each and every one deserves recognition.”
On receiving their awards, Lisa and Harry said: “We are incredibly honoured to be awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) in HM Queen’s New Year’s Honours List. As part of the Pandemic Multi-Agency Response Team (PMART) we had the privilege to serve alongside brilliant firefighters, police officers, paramedics and clinicians. We couldn’t be any prouder to have worked with them to deliver the sad, but unfortunately necessary role of responding to Covid-19 deaths in homes across London. The professionalism, compassion, physical and moral courage shown by everyone in PMART was second-to-none and this medal really is for them all.”
“These amazing people have adapted to the challenges we have faced throughout the pandemic”
Andy Roe, London Fire Commissioner said: “We have so many incredible staff that give their time to help people with such care and compassion. These amazing people have adapted to the challenges we have faced throughout the pandemic, going above and beyond to ensure they are available for people facing difficulties across London. I am incredibly proud to see four members of the Brigade receive awards for their services in the Queen’s Honours – taken in combination with Deputy Assistant Commissioner David O’Neill being awarded a MBE and Station Commander Wayne Horlock receiving a BEM in the Queen’s Birthday Honours earlier in the year, this truly reflects support you have all given to London communities over this most challenging year.
“Huge congratulations to Lynsey, Lisa, Harry and Ashley for being recognised for their exceptional contribution to the Brigade. I would like to thank them for their dedication over the years, and all the support they have given people.”
The full New Year Honours list for 2021 celebrates the achievements and service of people across the UK with hundreds of volunteers being recognised for their amazing efforts.
KME Fire Apparatus, a subsidiary of REV Group®, and a leading manufacturer of fire apparatus, is pleased to announce Chris McClung has joined as the Director of Sales. Chris brings a successful 20-year track record in sales leadership within various industries. He will report to Mike Virnig, Vice President of Sales, REV Fire Group.
Before joining the company, Chris served as Southeast Region Director for Blue Bird Bus Company, a leading independent designer and manufacturer of school buses. Prior to this, Chris held senior roles with other organizations serving municipal markets via dealer networks.
“Chris’ success within his previous sales roles as well as his understanding of operational practices will be a great addition to KME,” says Mike Virnig, Vice President of Sales. “We look forward to Chris’ contribution to KME’s continued growth.”
Fire-Dex have appointed Amber Mcloud as their new ERP Administrator. Within this newly created position, she will work together with the ERP software provider, internal stakeholders, and third-party contributors, to build on the functionality of an ERP software package. Amber’s vast experience incorporates the skills required to deliver successful results for the Fire-Dex Family!
“Amber’s versatile and strategic thinking will help continuously improve and build upon our relationship between the ERP software provider and system users,” states Dan Goble. “With 17 years of working operational experience, knowledge of policies, and systems related to integrated technology, Amber is the perfect candidate to ensure success within our existing platforms.”
This year, we were recognised with the Cascade Capital Business Growth Award for the fourth consecutive year and seventh time overall as one of the fastest growing businesses in Northeast Ohio and received the NorthCoast99 Best Workplaces Award for the fifth time! As we prepare for another triumphant year in 2021, we will continue to focus on building a successful team.
Victaulic have announced the appointment of Rick Bucher as Chief Executive Officer, succeeding John F. Malloy, effective January 31, 2021. Dr. Bucher was named President in April of 2020, following a June 2019 appointment as Chief Operating Officer.
Prior to joining Victaulic in 2009 as Vice President of Engineering, Dr. Bucher worked for 15 years for W.L. Gore, a manufacturer of technologically advanced composite materials. Dr. Bucher received a B.S. and M.S. in engineering from Rice University and a Ph.D. in material science from Virginia Tech.
Dr. Malloy, who will remain Chairman of Victaulic’s Board, commented, “Rick has consistently demonstrated the intelligence, judgement and courage to make wise and sometimes difficult decisions while preserving the compassion and concern for everyone associated with Victaulic – employees, customers, shareholders and our community.
Since joining the company in 2009, Rick has reinforced Victaulic’s long-standing commitment to innovation. Under his leadership Victaulic’s patent portfolio has grown substantially with the issuance of over 3,200 patents globally while our research and development organisation has doubled in size.
Since its first patent was received in 1919, the company has grown to be the world’s leading producer of mechanical pipe joining solutions. Victaulic systems are at work in more than 140 countries in diverse businesses including oil and gas extraction and processing, chemical processing, mining, power generation, water and wastewater treatment, military facilities, shipbuilding and shipping, plumbing, heating, air conditioning and fire protection systems.
Last year, they celebrated its Centennial Anniversary as a family owned company, adding close to one million square feet to the company’s manufacturing operations. These investments included a new, 400,000 square foot state-of-the-art manufacturing center in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, as well as investments and expansion of the company’s facilities in Dalian, China; Drezdenko, Poland; and Ontario, Canada.
In response to the continued demand for Advanced Targeted Fire Suppression Systems (ATFS) throughout 2020 and 2021, Helios Fire Systems has appointed Helen Sinton as Operations Manager, to further bolster the team’s success
Helen’s background in operations within both wood recycling and chipboard manufacturing industries means her existing knowledge of fire prevention and suppression alongside procedural expertise makes her the perfect fit for Helios.
Helen joins the team to continue operational excellence for Helios during this growth period and will oversee installations of systems on waste and recycling sites across the UK. She holds COTC level 4TMH, CPC National Road Haulage, IOSH Managing Safely, ISO 9001 internal Auditor and ILM management certification.
Helen adds: “I’ve worked in the wood industry for 20+ years, implementing and monitoring fire protection plans and seeing the number of fires the waste industry sadly faces. That’s partly down to inefficient outdated detection, which peaked my interested to work with Helios on the latest fire suppression technologies and their rollout to waste and recycling sites. I’ll be making sure things are always in the right place at the right time, that on-site procedures are 100% and making sure our customers experience the best possible install that then protects their business!”
Helen will oversee projects from initial consultation through to commissioning and staff training, alongside Adie Mason. Adie has been promoted to Head of Operations, after joining Helios from its inception six years’ ago. Before this, he gained a wealth of industry knowledge from a career in waste and recycling operations, including wood disposal and global waste management companies. His promotion will allow the team to expand its project capacity and continue to offer the best in fire suppression systems and products.
Adie adds: “I’m very pleased to welcome Helen to the Helios team, having known her for around 20 years with both of our backgrounds as members of the Wood Recycling Association. We’re working together managing Helios installs across the country and communicate with our on-site contractors to make sure there are no issues. I’m delighted to welcome her to the Helios team.”
Garry Adey, Managing Director at Helios adds: “This growth of our Operations Team means that we can ensure the smoothest installs of large complex site projects, and effectively communicate with our on-site engineers to make sure we’re providing top level service. Helen and Adie make the dream ops team!”
SVI Trucks is officially announcing the retirement of Bob Sorensen, the company’s Vice President of Sales. After 35 years with SVI Trucks, one of the nation’s leading custom fire apparatus manufacturers, Sorensen will retire on Jan. 27, 2021.
Joel Konecky, currently SVI’s Western Regional Sales Manager, will be promoted to VP of Sales, and in anticipation of his move, SVI Trucks has hired Jay Adams to fulfill western sales.
SORENSEN’S RETIREMENT
On Jan. 27, Sorensen will not only celebrate his retirement, but his 35th anniversary with the company. Sorensen began working at SVI Trucks drawing rescue trucks, which became instrumental in custom truck sales.
Eventually, Sorensen transitioned into a sales manager role, holding the VP Sales title for 25 years. In 2003, Sorensen became a joint owner of Super Vacuum Manufacturing, the parent company of SVI Trucks and the family owned and operated business. Sorensen will retain ownership duties in retirement.
“I will be forever grateful to Erv Weinmeister for providing me with the opportunity to work here,” Sorensen said. “My family and I have been blessed to watch SVI Trucks grow, both in business and our dealer network.
“When I transitioned into sales, we were producing roughly 10 trucks a year, and we probably only had 10 dealers then. Now, we build 40-50 trucks a year, and we have 35 dealers.
“This growth is truly a testament to not only our apparatus line but to the many great relationships built over the last several decades. In the end, I feel confident knowing I will pass the torch onto Joel, who not only brings leadership and experience but the exact same relationships to the table.
“And not only that, Ron Weinmeister will continue to oversee all truck sales and operations, so I fully believe the team is ready to take SVI to the next level.”
KONECKY’S PROMOTION
Joel Konecky joined SVI Trucks in April 2020, bringing 30 years of volunteer firefighting experience and 17 years of fire truck sales from Smeal Fire Apparatus and Spartan Motors to his original western regional role and now to the VP Sales role. Konecky also has a firm grasp on the internal workings of engineering, production, purchasing and overall, satisfied customers.
“When we hired Joel, we were excited because he brought a wealth of knowledge to SVI Trucksthat is hard to match. Not only has he helped countless departments navigate the truck building process, but his drive to develop internal processes also struck a chord with us,” Sorensen said.
Konecky will make the full transition to the VP Sales role on Jan. 27. Konecky can be reached via email at joelk@svitrucks.com or via cell phone at 402-443-9659.
ADAMS’ SALES ADDITION
In anticipation for Sorensen’s retirement and Konecky’s promotion, SVI Trucks hired Jay Adams, who brings 25 years of firefighting experience and 12 years of fire apparatus sales to his new western sales role. A former firefighter with the Charlotte Fire Department with a Bachelor’s in Fire Science, Adams retired from the department in July of 2019 as acting Battalion Chief / Captain with expertise in extrication, technical rescue and live burn training.
Meanwhile, in sales, Adams has represented multiple brands, including Ferrara and Seagrave, throughout the southeast. “I’m eager to work with Joel to expand the many great relationships he has in the western region,” Adams said. “But more than anything, I’m excited to represent the SVI Trucks brand. I’ve been a fan of this company for 20 years before I ever thought about working here. Not only is SVI the best truck manufacturer in the industry, but the company is family owned, and they care a lot about their employees and customers.”
Adams prides himself in his Lean Six Sigma Black Belt designation, championing for lean, high-quality manufacturing standards wherever he works. “Any process in a factory can be defined, measured, analyzed, implemented and controlled to create a standard that meets and exceeds the needs of the mission-critical industries we serve, and it’s also important to take the waste of material, time, engineering and effort to deliver on the timelines and budgets of our customers.”
Adams also sat on the Scott Safety advisory council, serving as the voice of the customer. “At SVI Trucks, I hope to continue to be the voice of my customers,” Adams said.
Adams can be reached at jaya@svitrucks.com or via cell phone at 970-617-0984.
The company philosophy of MSA can be traced right back to its roots. A little over 105 years ago, as a result of a devastating mine explosion, two mine engineers started to build innovations to make the mining industry safer.
This ethos has developed over the years, and the company have expanded services to other sectors such as construction and gas, but one thing remains the same; the products are being built to make the end users experience better, whether that is in terms of protection or comfort.
A mission – to protect life – that’s remained unchanged for more than 100 years and it’s something MSA are extremely proud of. They don’t build innovative products for the sake of it, they do it to improve safety in each sector and provide technological leadership.
MSA have strong presence worldwide
As a result of this, they offer a range of products that help keep workers across the world safe. From a fire fighter perspective, they have established a strong North American base, unsurprisingly.
However, they now have a strong presence within the European and International markets, helped by the acquisitions of Cairns and Gallet, both market leading companies in their respective fields.
Jason Traynor, General Manager, Global Respiratory Protection and Fire Helmets for MSA Safety has been one of the many members of the MSA team who had an important part to play in the expansion of the company.
In his role, Jason is responsible for establishing the global vision, strategy and growth initiatives for his product groups. Upon joining MSA in 2012, Jason revolutionised MSA’s approach to Fire Service Marketing and was critical to the successful launch of the G1 and M1 SCBA platforms.
Tell us about what MSA do within the fire industry?
We have been in the industry a long time, since 1914 in fact. Some of the early products we produced back then still feel relevant to what we do today.
One of our early conceptions was the breathing apparatus, and while this has then developed over the years to modern day updated versions, the reasons for producing them remain the same.
For us, the fire industry is something we believe to be a critically important market, and we are continuing to invest in innovation. It is really about understanding the needs of the individual that has to wear the gear.
We’re not just driving innovation for the sake of change, it is all about making the end users experience better, whether that is in terms of protection or comfort, those things always go into our product development pipeline, and in terms of our core fire products right now, I would say they are the fire helmets and SCBA. However, in the US I would say we have a head to toe solution. We sell boots, breathing apparatus, helmets and a lot more.
You have described the M1 as MSA’s most advanced, ergonomic and modular and SCBA system, what were the ideas behind the system?
In 2014 we released a product called MSA G1, and that was the culmination of about five or six years of product development work. We spent roughly $50m on the platform, but the approach that we took was about understanding the requirements of the NFPA standard and working with end users fire fighters to understand the limitations of our products.
It was very successful and formed the basis of the M1 that we released 2 years ago in Europe. When coming up with the thesis, field of view was really important, but it also had to be lightweight and offer some comfort.
The other pieces of the system that are important are the modularity of the product. Because Europe is such a heterogeneous market every country will want something different from the system, so we wanted to make the product customisable. With regards to the ergonomics, the weight is low and close to the back so there is no added strain for the user.
I also think it was important that we made it accessible in terms of functionality and budget, and we have made sure its upgradable over time. We understand that these products are going to be used to 12-15 years, so if you’re buying it now it needs to still be relevant in 2030.
That’s why we’ve put things in like Bluetooth and IoT that may not be heavily used today, but we anticipate that the technology of the future will make it very relevant. When making the product, we were looking at it as a platform for the future.
To what extent have end users been involved in the M1 features?
From the beginning of the project we were talking with people who were using competitor SCBA. In fact, 75% of people we interviewed and worked with aren’t even MSA users! We spoke to people all over Europe and asked them about their experience with the SCBA they use. One concern that came up was cleanability.
The design took in to account how they clean it and ensured that it was easier to clean. I would say the feedback on the product has been really positive. In general, there was a lot that we were able to demonstrate that we took action and listened.
For example, we are going to England, Scotland and Ireland just to find out what the needs are, and I’ve probably been there personally 12 times since 2017! Throughout those trips we have been able to develop bespoke features that are only available within the UK market.
How will the safety aspects change the way end users work?
One of the most important aspects is understanding the air that is in your system and having the ability to transmit data from the SCBA. We’ve been able to do this for a while but the M1 takes this to another level. We also have a feature that is specific to the UK market.
The Entry Control Board (ECB) that helps us to understand the air situation of the fire fighter. They can also send evacuation notices and communicate two way through the control module and have the peace of mind that the evacuation was received and acknowledged.
A lot of technology has gone into that as we saw that was a specific need within the UK. A good example of that would be the Grenfell Tower tragedy, that was extremely complex. We have had conversations with people that were sorting through that data, and it was a complicated process. We can simplify that and help people understand how we could do this differently.
So, will all the data collected be centralised to the MSA Hub?
Typically, the HUB will be installed on a fire truck, but we do have a portable version. In scenarios where you can’t get the truck near to the scene of the fire the portable HUB can take over.
The SCBA has a long radio transmitter that sends the data to the hub via a data radio signal. The HUB then processes it and sends it to the cloud where it is available from anywhere in the world. The HUB is important because it takes the local data and makes it remotely accessible.
Tell us a bit more about the modularity features?
A basic system would be one that would just deliver and measure the air. By that I mean it would have a needle that would show you how much air you have left. What we have done is given the option of swapping out the analogue gauge.
So if you decide that three years down the line you want to have an electronic system that would have an LED screen that would calculate the air left in your system and the time remaining based on your breathing rate. When we talk about modularity it is really about how configurable the product is and being able to assess what is important to you at the time, and offering upgradability in the future.
Have you found a need in the UK market for the product?
When we look at the UK market it is very much driven by technology. This sense of data has been around for a while but when we speak to the UK fire departments we get the feeling that they only have one choice, and they were encouraged that we could provide them with another option. If we had found that they were telling us that they loved the competitors and they weren’t going to look at an alternative then we may have taken another path, but that’s not what we got at all. Our system is extremely competitive with other systems that have been in the UK for a while.
How important are the changes you have made to communications?
The headset has been well received. When we were doing market research, communications was the one area that fire fighters say can be improved so we are making investments in that area. We have another project that I can’t go in to too much detail about, but it is focusing on communications. Not only in terms of talking, also in terms of transmitting data across to others.
What would you say was the driving force behind M1?
I think that our approach to developing new products and driving innovation starts with and is designed for the end users. We drive technology leadership and excellence, but it starts with the question, how does this make a fire fighters life easier? We are dealing with people who are passionate about what they do and producing the vital technology they need is really rewarding.
As we move toward a more digitally connected generation, it is hardly a surprise that MSA are at the forefront of the industry. Especially with a concept that allows fire fighters to remain connected, share data and above all, stay safe. And with AI, IoT and machine learning ushering in a new way of working, future updates to the MSA systems could well bring further benefits for the industry
Susan will join BSI in January, and benefit from a progressive handover from current Chief Executive Howard Kerr who leaves the business in 2021 after leading it for 12 years.
During Howard’s tenure as Chief Executive, BSI has had an uninterrupted period of resilient growth, more than trebling its revenues from £179 million in 2007 to £548 million in 2019 and expanding its client base from 124 to 179 countries.
John Hirst, Chairman of BSI said: “Howard can be immensely proud of the achievements he has made during his tenure at BSI. He leaves the company in great shape to tackle the challenges of the future.
“His leadership has enabled BSI to develop into the purpose driven, successful and globally relevant organization it is today. We are fortunate to have Susan joining us as Chief Executive to maintain our growth, and to support businesses and governments worldwide at this critical juncture as we all look to build back better post-pandemic.”
Susan has led a range of information, publishing and software businesses, first at Reuters and then at Thomson Reuters. Most recently she served as President of its Global Legal Business, based in New York, where she led the transformation of its online information service into an AI-enabled suite of digital and SaaS offerings.
She has experience of the consumer, leisure and hospitality sector, as an independent non-executive director of Whitbread plc since 2012 and is a former Chair of the London Council of the Confederation of British Industry.
Howard Kerr, Chief Executive said: “It is with great pride that I move on, leaving the organization in Susan’s capable hands. BSI has many opportunities as it enters its 120th year and I am confident that the next chapter of BSI’s long history will continue to be successful, true to our purpose and values to inspire trust for a more resilient world”.
Susan Taylor Martin, Chief Executive Designate said: “I am excited to be joining BSI at a pivotal stage in its evolution. I have been hugely impressed by the power of the mission, the expertise of the team and the quality of the brand.
“I have also been struck by the opportunity we have – as a team – to work together and leverage BSI’s talent, knowledge and insights for an even greater impact for all our stakeholders. There was never a more important time to lead an organization which shapes and maintains the standards that help businesses improve performance, reduce risk and grow sustainably.”
