The BF451A/CX/SW Compact C-3-8 Ceiling VAD c/w 90dB(A) Sounder
Speaking to IFSEC Global Andy Green also addresses the challenges of surmounting regulatory hurdles in the fire-safety market, among other things.
IFSEC Global: Please tell us a bit about your latest products…
Andy Green: We’re about to release our first addressable ceiling VAD which is a C-3-8-rated visual alarm device and we have a wall-rated W-3-8 device coming to market early in the new year.
Both will work with our XFP and ZFP Discovery compatible fire panels. We’ve also got a new EN54-13 conventional fire alarm solution in the final throes of certification and we’re putting the finishing touches to our own addressable fire alarm system protocol, CAST, and its associated devices. As always, all have been designed in the UK and will be manufactured in the UK.
IG: Were I an end user, why should I buy these products?
AG: With regard to our EN54 part 13 ‘system’ offering, although EN54 part 13 is not a harmonised standard as yet, having a certified system proves all devices in it are ‘compatible’.
Faults are monitored down to a very low level so that creeping and partial faults are flagged before devices become inoperable. Although, as already flagged, EN54 part 13 is not yet a mandated standard, having a conventional fire system certified to it is a good thing as certain European territories we sell into are demanding compliance now.
The CAST protocol is not available yet, but when it is we believe it will be one of the most flexible and powerful addressable fire alarm protocols in the world. It will facilitate 256devices per loop and have lots of power available on the loop to address the needs of more power hungry devices such as EN54 part 23 VADs.
We’ve designed it to be future proof, so anybody who wants a fire alarm system that’s ready for the future should, in our opinion, be using CAST. To this end, we will be letting the market know about its many features in the coming months.
The CFP 2-8 Zone LPCB Fire Panel
IG: To what extent do regulatory hurdles make life difficult for you in this industry?
AG: It makes things very difficult from a financial point of view. We’ve already invested millions of pounds developing our CAST protocol and now we’ve got to put all of our CAST compatible devices through the certification process.
It can cost tens of thousands of pounds to approve just one product so with panels, detectors, call points and interface modules all forming part of the system, it’s a massive investment for us.
We have to build such costs into all projects right from the start. Fortunately, as we already have multiple certifications from the likes of the LPCB, VdS, BSI and Intertek we have lots of experience in this area.
Ultimately, we manufacture life safety products so it’s right they should be fit for purpose.
Certification is the way we can prove this. It takes a lot of time and money but once you come out the other end and you’ve got your certificate, it reassures the customer that what you’re selling is a quality piece of kit.
IG: And you have to account for differences in international regulations…
AG: Absolutely, and another issue is that although EN standards and certifications are supposed to be accepted European-wide, in certain countries, such as Germany for example, it’s difficult to sell anything without VDS certification. Plus there are many other territory-specific requirements that need to be borne in mind.
IG: How does your relationship with installers work?
AG: We’ve got numerous routes to market, but in the UK we typically sell through specialist fire alarm installers or distribution companies. We have a great relationship with both sets of customers and have two dedicated teams of sales and support staff, one servicing the needs of our specialist installers and the other supporting our distribution customers.
We do a lot of free product training courses and last year we trained about 800 installers at our manufacturing plant in Wigan or out on the road. They give us a lot of feedback on our products which we always take on board and relay back to our 20-strong R&D department.
IG: If I was an installer, why would I want to install your products?
AG: C-TEC’s motto is ‘You’re safe with C-TEC’. We make products that are easy to installand compliant with all relevant standards, hence people can rest-assured they are safe dealing with us.
If there’s a new product development on the go we talk to our customersabout it. Our new ZFP touchscreen-controlled fire panel for instance has lots of working space inside its cabinet.
It includes a brass earth bar which installers love, plus they like its modular construction as they can build a panel that suits their exact requirements. It was designed with the installer in mind.
That’s not to say we don’t take the needs of end userson board. The end user experience is just as important to us, and ultimately how easy a product is to use reflects on the installer. If the panel they install isn’t straightforward to operate, it’s they who will get the complaints.
IG: What are your USPs (unique selling points) over your competition?
AG: One of the things we are good at is holding stock: Around 95% of our product lines are on our shelves ready to ship. We typically despatch orders within 24 hours of receiving them, so if somebody wants something quickly, they know to call C-TEC.
We’re very proud that all of our products are manufactured in the UK, and that’s not just a big selling point in the UK; it’s a big selling point across the world. The UK is regarded highly for its fire legislation and fire products.
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