Fire extinguisher specialist Britannia Fire reports surge in production

With demand for Britannia’s P50 outstripping supply, the company made the transition in July last year. Customers were crying out for more cost-effective and environmentally friendly fire extinguishers. That being so, the business decided to focus solely on manufacturing its P50 range. One year on, helped by a recent factory refurbishment and a doubling of production capacity, production is now up and, in the last quarter alone, Britannia has manufactured more P50 units than it did in the whole of 2020.

The switch to composite fire extinguishers has significantly reduced Britannia Fire’s environmental impact as the manufacturing process is much less energy intensive and powered in part by solar sources. Low-energy production means that the P50 range boasts a smaller carbon footprint when compared to metal alternatives. It’s also PFAS free, lasts twice as long and is 100% recyclable or reusable. Nothing goes to waste.

With sales on the up, Britannia has taken on eight more members of staff, bringing its total workforce to 54. As well as investing heavily in new machinery and equipment, the company has also recently expanded its fleet of delivery vans. More expansion plans are underway, including the addition of a new Administration Centre.

Unprecedented demand

Andy Spence, joint managing director of Britannia Fire, said: “The decision to focus solely on our P50 range was an easy one. It’s what customers wanted and has been a win-win for the environment. One year on and the business continues to go from strength to strength. The switch and subsequent £1 million factory upgrade has enabled us to double capacity, reduce delivery times and keep up with unprecedented demand.”

Spence added: “This move was as much about future-proofing our business as it was becoming more sustainable and supporting the circular economy. The benefits of embracing new technology and doing things differently were also a big draw, but the industry has been slow to catch-up. As PFAS regulations come into force and awareness grows, the shift towards more sustainable fire safety is a ‘must’. We have a real opportunity to reduce our environmental impact without compromising on protection.”

Customers on board

Cost-effective, easy to maintain, offering a carbon footprint which is half that of a metal fire extinguisher and also realising fewer servicing requirements, the P50 is reaping rewards for customers of the product.

Fire safety manager Nick Greenwood from the University of Brighton explained: “Our previous fire extinguishers were non-recyclable and inferior imports from abroad that required costly servicing. Sustainability is one of the university’s core values. We opted for the P50 due to its impressive environmental credentials. Its carbon footprint is less than steel alternatives and it’s also suitable for a multitude of fires, including electrical fires, meaning that we only needed one at every fire point rather than two. This streamlines matters considerably and now makes it far easier for the end user.”

Billy Cunningham, director of fire safety at Landsec (one of the UK’s leading real estate companies, whose vast and diverse portfolio includes 20.7 million square feet of prime commercial, leisure and retail space including the Trinity Leeds and Bluewater Shopping Centres) was impressed when he saw the cost and environmental savings that could be made with the P50.

“For a large company like Landsec, the benefit of switching to the P50 was huge. The fact that the water mist P50 is so versatile and can be used to tackle all types of fires experienced in office and public spaces, including live electrical equipment fires, means that we’re typically halving the number of fire extinguishers needed at sites and cutting costs considerably.”

Cunningham continued: “We’re always looking for innovative solutions to reduce our carbon footprint. The P50 meets all of our requirements thanks to its low-carbon, low-waste manufacturing process and servicing requirements. It’s also long-lasting, non-toxic and recyclable. The switch to P50 also means that we’re ahead of the game and ready for the impending PFAS ban.”