As 2019 draws to a close, it has been fascinating to look back on a quite remarkable year for Premier Security & Fire Consultants Ltd.
We kicked off 2019 with a small but significant brand change adding the word FIRE to our company name. It was done to reflect an increasing demand for our fire-safety products, particularly Premier’s range of fire-rated steel doors and louvres.
Meeting Britain’s most powerful police officer
In February, we scored a marketing coup when Metropolitan Police Chief Commissioner Cressida Dick visited our stand at the Secured by Design ATLAS 19 exhibition for Design out Crime Officers in Cirencester, the only stand she visited. The commissioner isa strong advocate of Secured by Design and was full of praise for Premier’s products and commitment to the crime-beating scheme. And our photograph of Commissioner Dick and Premier MD Neil Johns certainly helped us gain plenty of marketing traction.
Premier’s portfolio of tested doors, louvres and gates continues to increase. In 2019, we carried out no less than 11 separate tests with the BRE, the world’s leading test organization.
Partnering Champions
Away from the cut and thrust of engineering, Premier became the principal sponsor of Rob Guiver, the Ducati TriOptions motorcycle champion. The bike, resplendent in Premier’s livery, was unveiled at the MCN Motorcycle Show at went on to finish second in the season’s championship which was covered extensively by both EuroSport and Channel 4 television.
Investing in the Future
March saw us invest heavily in a major upgrade of our workshop welding stations with the installation of a new, state of the art LEV (local exhaust ventilation system). Obviously, not the most exciting of projects to write about but vital to our commitment to Heath & Safety regulations.
Improvement through training
Spring also saw Premier host a fascinating training seminar led by Nick Perkins from the Door & Hardware Federation. The event, which was attended by a number of Premier Security & Fire Ltd’s associates and partners including Openview Security Solutions, Jessella Ltd, Alphatrack Systems, Secured by Design DOCO officers and London Borough of Hackney, left us with a far greater understanding of the legislation affecting supply, gate installation, maintenance and repair.
Testing fire products with the BRE
The summer heralded our most exciting testing project to date, namely a series of fire tests with the BRE (British Research Establishment) at Watford.
Premier added to their portfolio of fire-rated doors, screens and louvres with independent third-party fire-testing in controlled conditions reaching temperatures exceeding 1000 degrees Celsius.
Our fully glazed doors achieved LPS1175 SR2 (EI60, E90) fire rating while a new-design tenants’ steel street door passed an EI- 60-EI-120 rating.
A steel door with two 600X600 louvres achieved LPS1175 SR2 E90 minutes while our full steel louvre 2400X1200 passed an E60- minute rating.
Exciting stats, indeed.
Forging partnerships with market leaders
Throughout 2019, Premier continually tested new designs with the BRE where we collaborated with third-party companies to help bring new Secured by Designs products to the market. That thinking allows us to offer certificated SBD doors and louvre designs incorporating door entry and locking systems produced by such companies as ISM, Urmet, NACD,
Comelit and Surelock McGill.
Changing faces and new arrivals
April and May were months when we said hello to four new office staff, Jess Porter, James Orrin, Julio Mihali and Harry Langdon.
We also bade a temporary farewell to the lovely Jazz Johns who left us for a while due to the imminent arrival of her first baby.
On May 13th, Jazz gave birth to Winnie Matilta Sinclair who weighed in at 5lb 13ozs. And what a little cracker she was.
Making our mark at Security Expo2019
Premier brought the curtain down on 2019 by exhibiting at the International Security Expo at Olympia. Not only did we engage with old and potentially new customers, we were one of the star attractions in the BRE Testing Zone which attracted the exhibition’s largest crowds.
Four of Premier’s steel and glass doors/louvres were put through the most stringent tests by the BRE’s team wielding an assortment of assault items. We are glad to report that they all came through with flying colours.
So that’s 2019 summed up in a few words. We’re promising more of the same in 2020. Watch this space for updates.