Plumis' aim is to help introduce affordable home fire protection into the mainstream and bring active fire protection to homes where previously it was cumbersome or impractical. We are honoured to have received numerous awards for design, innovation, business, and research and development. A selection of news stories which celebrate our successes are featured here, alongside our latest insights and articles.
PLUMIS ARI BEST PRACTICE AWARD WINNERS 2024 REVEALED
Plumis recently welcomed our Authorised Automist Reseller Installer Network to celebrate their achievements at our annual ARI Conference and Awards ceremony in London.
Read on to find out the winners of our ARI Best Practice Awards 2024.
PLUMIS ACHIEVES UL CERTIFICATION FOR AUTOMIST: A BREAKTHROUGH IN HOME FIRE SAFETY
Plumis proudly announce that Automist has become the world’s first targeted residential water mist fire protection system to gain third-party certification under UL2167A.
This achievement for Automist represents a new era in residential fire protection, following seven years of dedicated research and development, plus an investment of $6 million from Plumis.
Read the full story about Automist achieving UL Certification and what this means.
KELLY GARDINER WINS PRESTIGIOUS WOMEN IN FIRE SAFETY AWARD FOR PLUMIS
Plumis are delighted to announce that their Business Development Manager, Kelly Gardiner has won ‘Business Manager of the Year’ at the prestigious Women in Fire Safety Awards. The awards celebrate women who have made significant strides in promoting fire safety, and Kelly’s achievement is testament to her ongoing drive and dedication both to Plumis, and the fire safety industry generally.
Read more - Kelly Gardiner wins Women in Fire Safety Award
PLUMIS ANNOUNCE EXCLUSIVE US DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT WITH FERGUSON
Plumis are delighted to announce a landmark distribution agreement with Ferguson, the largest value-added distributor serving fire protection contractors and engineers. Ferguson Fire & Fabrication associates offer a vast supply of fire protection products and industry-leading fabrication quality services. Together, both companies will be launching Automist to the US market at the 43rd Annual American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) Convention & Exhibition on the 18th September.
Read the full story - Automist to Launch in United States
PLUMIS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER SHORTLISTED FOR TOP INDUSTRY AWARD
We are excited to announce that our Business Development Manager, Kelly Gardiner, has been named a finalist in this year’s Women in Fire Safety Awards.
Kelly, who joined us just four years ago, has been shortlisted for ‘Business Manager of the Year’ in recognition of her exceptional contribution to the business and wider sector.
Read more about Kelly's WIFS award nomination.
AUTOMIST WINS GOLD AT EDISON AWARDS
Plumis is celebrating again after Automist won gold at the 37th Edison Awards in the Products for Home Use category. Showcasing excellence in human-centred design, engineering and new product and service development, winning an Edison Award is one of the highest accolades a company can receive in the name of innovation and business success.
Read more about our Edison Award win.
AUTOMIST NAMED AS FINALIST IN EDISON AWARDS 2024
Automist has been revealed as one of the finalists in the 2024 Edison Awards, alongside some of the most innovative businesses and products from across the globe.
The award, which was established in 1987 and inspired by iconic inventor Thomas A. Edison, recognises excellence in new product and service development across numerous industries.
Read more about Automist's shortlisting as a Edison Awards Finalist.
TIME FOR A FRESH APPROACH TO PREVENT FIRE-RELATED DEATHS
Despite growing awareness of the importance of fire safety measures in the home, the number of people who died in UK fires is on the rise.
There were 33,390 accidental fires reported in the UK in 2021/22, with 334 fire-related deaths – a 7% rise on the previous year.
This worrying increase highlights the need to take a fresh look at how we protect people in their homes and reduce the risk of fire. Continue reading.
AUTOMIST TO FEATURE AS PART OF QSI CPD SERIES
Plumis is partnering with Quantity Surveyors International (QSi) to deliver a CPD webinar next month at 8am on Thursday 1 February 2024.
The free online session is part of the QSi’s ‘First Thursday CPD Club’ series and is open to anyone working across the commercial aspects of construction and the built environment.
WINNERS ANNOUNCED OF PLUMIS INSTALLER BEST PRACTICE AWARDS 2023
We were delighted to welcome many of our Authorised Automist Installers to Wolverhampton recently for our annual Installer Conference & Best Practice Awards.
Find out who were the winners and runners up for each category.
AUTOMIST SCOOPS PRESTIGIOUS DESIGN AWARD AS PLUMIS SETS ITS SIGHTS ON THE US
Plumis has been honoured on a global stage after scooping a silver accolade at the New York Product Design Awards for its intelligent fire suppression system, Automist, which it is preparing to launch in the US during 2024 – coinciding with the grant of its International Approval for NFPA 13D.
Read the full story on Automist's New York Product Design Awards win.
PLUMIS’ AUTOMIST NAMED ON TIME'S LIST OF BEST INVENTIONS
We are delighted to announce that TIME has included Automist in its prestigious annual list of the Best Inventions, which features 200 extraordinary innovations changing lives.
Read more about our inclusion in TIME's Best Inventions 2023.
HOTEL INSPECTOR HIGHLIGHTS WHY FIRE REGULATIONS MUST BE A CONSIDERATION
Earlier this week popular Channel 5 series, The Hotel Inspector returned to our screens with expert hotelier Alex Polizzi coming to the rescue of a hotel in Redcar, North Yorkshire, that had fallen foul of building regulations.
REDUCING FIRE DEATHS MUST BE OUR PRIORITY
Plumis has partnered with the National Social Housing Fire Strategy Group (NSHFG) to bring together fire safety officers and engineers, as well as housing managers and care providers to discuss some of the challenges facing UK housing providers.
As part of a back to basics campaign, the half-day Fire Safety Event taking place on Monday 9 October at The Building Centre in London will focus on preventing fire-related fatalities – shining a light on the need to take a person-centred approach to fire safety. Read more.
FAQ: ADDRESSING COMMON ELECTRICAL FIRE SAFETY CONCERNS
Household fires can be caused by home electrical goods malfunctioning. From faulty sockets to outdated wiring, this FAQ addresses common electrical fire safety concerns.
FIRE HAZARDS IN THE HOME: FAULTY WIRING
Around a quarter of accidental domestic electrical fires in England are due to faulty appliances and leads, with damaged wiring being a common fire risk in the home. To help prevent electrical fires from starting, it is important to know what to look out for and to have a plan in place.
Read our advice on faulty wiring in the home.
FIRE HAZARDS IN THE HOME: ELECTRICAL FIRE SAFETY
Every year faulty electrics are responsible for 4,000 dwelling fires in England, according to government figures, with 71% of those fires started by appliances. Electrical fires are a growing problem in the home, but they can often be prevented if appropriate measures are taken.
Read our advice on electrical fire safety in your home.
PLUMIS SECURES INVESTMENT FROM INTERNATIONAL MARKET LEADER
Plumis has secured investment from Aqua+, as part of a bridge funding round. Aqua+ is a Dutch family business with a strong reputation for reliability, expertise, and excellent customer service. The company has been providing high-quality fire safety solutions, including fire suppression systems, for over 45 years.
The funding has been raised to support Plumis’ continual capital spending in product development, international certification, and to launch its latest product this autumn. Read the full story.
AUTOMIST'S COMPLIANCE TO BS 8458 VERIFIED - UPDATED BSI CERTIFICATE ISSUED
Through extensive fire engineering research, testing and engagement with BSi, we have now confirmed that Automist Smartscan complies with all the requirements of BS 8458. This supersedes our previous understanding that it could only meet the performance requirements, as evidenced by BSi's recently issued verification certificate (VC 780009).
For further information and supporting documentation please click the following link - About Automist's BS 8458 Compliance.
ANNOUNCING PLUMIS' NEW INSTALLER COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK
Plumis have launched a new training suite to demonstrate the competency of our installers.
Now each individual installer will be required to complete our learning management modules providing us with a golden thread of data about the skills and competency of each installer. Read more about our new installer training framework.
FIRE SAFETY WEBINAR: ARE WE DOING ENOUGH?
Following demand at the 2022 HOMES conference, Plumis brought together its expert panel, once again, to continue the discussion on how the housing sector can ensure history does not repeat itself and best practices around fire safety are implemented.
Find out how you can watch the session.
AUTOMIST INSTALLERS ACHIEVE PLATINUM TRUSTED SERVICE AWARD 2023
Two of Plumis’ Automist-approved installers have been awarded a Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award, an independent seal of excellence, which recognises businesses that consistently deliver a world-class customer experience.
PLUMIS PICKED FOR INNOVATION AWARDS SHORTLIST
Fire suppression specialist, Plumis, has been shortlisted in the Housing Digital Innovation Awards for the best fire safety innovation category.
The manufacturer has been recognised for its collaborative work with the Disruptive Innovators Network (DIN), which facilitated a 12 week DINLab discovery programme earlier this year.
The DINLab enabled four social housing providers to install Automist, Plumis’ watermist suppression system, at a reduced cost in order to provide feedback that will influence the company’s future life-saving solutions as well as sharing learnings from across the sector.
Read the full story here.
JOIN US AND TALK FIRE SAFETY AT HOMES 2022
Thousands of buildings across the country still have serious fire safety issues that need to be remediated. With inflation hitting double digits and a potential rent cap on the horizon, how can the sector ensure history does not repeat itself and best practices around fire safety are implemented?
On Wednesday 23rd November 2022 at 11:45am, our strategic housing adviser Jan Taranczuk will be chairing an expert panel at Homes 2022 exploring exactly this in our session Fire safety: Are we doing enough? Find out more about the session and how you can attend here.
AUTHORISED INSTALLER BEST PRACTICE AWARDS 2022 WINNERS REVEALED
Last week Plumis' Authorised Automist Installers gathered in London for our annual meeting and awards ceremony. We were delighted to come together and reflect on some of the fantastic work and achievements of our installers over the past year.
We are pleased to announce the winners of each category.
HAT-TRICK FOR PLUMIS IN AWARDS SHORTLIST
Plumis has been announced as finalists in both the 2022 Build It Awards and Security & Fire Excellence Awards.
The fire suppression manufacturer has been shortlisted in the Security & Fire Excellence Awards, Fire Innovation of the Year category in recognition of its DINLab discovery programme with the Disruptive Innovators Network (DIN).
In addition, Plumis and its Automist-approved installer Vapourmist has been shortlisted for Active/Passive Fire Project of the Year for its work to protect Fifield Barn – a Grade II listed building that was being converted into a contemporary five-bedroom home across two-storeys. Read more about the shortlisted projects.
PLUMIS NAMED AS QBE ACCELICITY RESILIENCE CHALLENGE FINALIST
Plumis has been announced as one of ten finalists in the QBE AcceliCITY Resilience Challenge, a virtual accelerator programme for the world’s foremost urban technology start-ups.
The innovative fire engineering company was selected from over 550 entrants spanning 70 countries in recognition of its Automist fire suppression system that detects fire earlier and activates faster than traditional sprinkler systems. Read more.
DINLAB: TESTING INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE FIRE SAFETY AND FUTURE-PROOF HOMES
We recently teamed up with the Disruptive Innovators Network to undertake a DINLab discovery programme exploring how innovation can improve resident safety, make asset management more efficient, improve resident safety and health, as well as reduce operating costs.
With this project, we wanted to discover how our Automist technology – which involves temperature-detecting sensors activating targeted misting sprayheads – could help housing providers solve these modern-day problems. So, in July 2021, we installed Automist in two homes for four social housing providers.
To see what they found, read more about our DINLabs project.
NEW RESEARCH SHOWCASES THE VALUE OF ELECTRONIC ACTIVATION IN FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS
New research finds that concealed fire sprinklers activate two to 13 times slower than electronically controlled automatic watermist fire suppression systems (AWFSS).
Due to be published next month, the research undertaken by Plumis, Ashton Fire and OFR Consultants has been partially funded by an Innovate UK Smart Grant.
The research is part of a wider project that is examining the performance of electronically controlled nozzle watermist suppression systems in comparison to traditional sprinkler systems to reduce the number of fire-related fatalities and injuries.
You can download the full report free until 1st June 2022. Read more.
ORBIT'S WATERMIST FIRE SAFETY PROJECT MAKES NATIONAL SHORTLIST
Plumis has been named a finalist in the Fire and Security Matters Awards for its fire safety work with leading housing provider, Orbit.The announcement comes just months after the fire suppression specialist’s recent success with Swindon Borough Council.
Last year, Orbit identified that 17 flats at one of its independent living schemes in Kent required additional fire suppression to comply with the building’s latest fire safety strategy. To find out more about the project and why it has been shortlisted for a national award, read the full story.
PLUMIS WINS PLACE ON NEW SEC FIRE SAFETY FRAMEWORK
We’re pleased to kickstart 2022 by winning a place on the South East Consortium’s (SEC) newly launched fire safety framework – fire suppression, for the installation of our watermist technology.
The SEC, which is owned by 48 member organisations comprising of housing associations and local authorities, has replaced its fire consultancy and fire remedial works frameworks with the new model.
The new framework aims to provide public sector procurement teams with a compliant route to appointing experienced contractors. As the manufacturer of our award-winning watermist fire suppression system, Automist, procurement teams will have even greater confidence in appointing Plumis to deliver on their fire safety projects.
Read the full article to find out more about Plumis on the SEC's fire safety framework.
PLUMIS AND MCFP SCOOP NATIONAL AWARD FOR FIRE SAFETY PROJECTS
Plumis and Automist approved installer MCFP scooped a top national award in recognition of its fire safety work with Swindon Borough Council and Walls & Futures.
In a joint entry the pair took gold in the ‘Active/Passive Fire Project of the Year’ category, at the Security & Fire Excellence Awards, at an in-person ceremony on Wednesday 23 November 2021.
PLUMIS SELECTED AS FINALISTS FOR ACTIVE FIRE PROJECT OF THE YEAR
Plumis and authorised Automist installer MC Fire Protection (MCFP) are delighted to have been shortlisted in this year’s Security and Fire Excellence Awards for ‘Active Fire Project of the Year.’
The nomination was received to recognise their work on two projects which both involved improving fire protection at developments housing vulnerable individuals - one for Swindon Borough Council and the other for ethical housing developer, Walls & Futures. Read more.
WINNERS OF AUTHORISED INSTALLER BEST PRACTICE AWARDS 2021 ANNOUNCED
Last week at our ARI Awards we were delighted to shine a spotlight on some of the fantastic projects delivered by our installers and give recognition for their superb efforts over the past twelve months.
You can read the full list of winners for each category here.
NEW INITIATIVE HIGHLIGHTS THOSE MOST AT RISK FROM FIRE
We’re launching a new initiative at Housing 2021 to raise awareness around the most common types of fires and those at greatest risk from fire-related injury or fatality.
Fire Risk: It’s Not Just About the Building is a sector-wide initiative highlighting what housing providers can do to tackle changing fire safety challenges, whilst also future-proofing their homes to ensure residents are adequately protected. The initiative serves as a reminder that, although recent failures in building and fire safety practices have rightly taken centre stage, fire safety is not just about the construction and fabric of a building.
Using research published by the BRE and our own experience in the fire safety sector, we’ve created seven risk profiles to demonstrate the personas of vulnerable individuals who may need further preventative solutions in place.
You can read about our new fire safety initiative here: Fire Risk: It’s Not Just About the Building
JOIN US AT EVENTS THIS AUTUMN TO SEE AUTOMIST IN ACTION
Events are back and we're pleased to be taking the Plumis demo van out on the road to events across the UK. If you'd like to know more about fire suppression and see a demo of the Automist system, why not come along and visit us? You’ll also have the chance to get a sneak peek at our new Personal Protection System.
From the 7th to the 9th September we’ll be in Birmingham at The Fire Safety Event and at Housing 2021 in Manchester, and later in the month we’ll be at Offsite Expo illustrating why Automist is ideal for factory-built homes.
PLUMIS AND DIN OFFERING 12-WEEK AUTOMIST PILOT SCHEME FOR SOCIAL HOUSING PROVIDERS
Plumis are excited to be collaborating with the Disruptive Innovators Network to offer a special 12 week DINLab discovery programme, ideal for social housing providers who’d like to explore how Automist, our innovative alternative to sprinklers could improve fire safety for their residents.
This is a unique opportunity for those involved to install our award-winning fire suppression system at a reduced cost and share their input towards helping shape new life-saving technology.
If you’re interested in taking part, register now for a free online event at 2pm, this Wednesday, 26th May to learn more. Read the full story here.
WEBINAR: WHY WE DECIDED TO RE-THINK THE SPRINKLER
Whilst sprinklers are suitable for many situations, and have undoubtedly saved lives, they have limitations. To coincide with the National Fire Chief Council's #ThinkSprinkler week, Plumis CDO, Yusuf Muhammad hosted a special webinar on Thursday 20th May, exploring why we developed Automist to overcome the constraints associated with traditional sprinklers and save more lives.
He looked at the key features of our award-winning watermist suppression system and what makes us different.
Listen to the recording here to find out why we believe it's time to re-think the sprinkler.
UNVEILING PLUMIS' AUTOMIST DEMO VAN
We are excited to reveal our brand new demonstration vehicle which will hopefully be coming to a town near you in the not too distant future. The van has been kitted out with Automist Smartscan Hydra, allowing us to show how our award-winning fire suppression system works in action.
PLUMIS WIN ‘INNOVATION OF THE YEAR’ AT MAKE UK NATIONAL MANUFACTURING AWARDS
We were honoured to take Gold in the ‘Innovation of the Year’ category at the national finals of the Make UK Manufacturing Awards in January. This latest accolade follows Plumis’ success at the southern regional finals in October, where we were named ‘SME of the Year’ and won ‘Innovation of the Year’ for our groundbreaking Automist fire suppression system. Read more
SCOTTISH AUTOMATIC FIRE SUPPRESSION REGULATION CHANGES ON 1 MARCH - JOIN OUR WEBINAR ON 23 FEBRUARY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CHANGES MEAN FOR YOU
Regulation in Scotland around Automatic Fire Supppressoin (AFSS) is changing on 1 March 2021. From this date AFSS will be required in all new build social homes, flats, and shared multi-occupied residential buildings. Join an expert panel at 10am on Tuesday 23 February to ensure you understand the new regulations and what they mean for you. Chaired by Stuart Macdonald, managing director of See Media and a past editor of Inside Housing magazine, speakers will include; Brian Hughes, watch commander and member of Wheatley Group Community Improvement Partnership, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Henry Coyle, director of customer services, Scottish Borders Housing Association and Yusuf Muhammad, chief design officer, Plumis.
If you missed the webinar, a recording is available here.
WEBINAR IMPROVING ELECTRICAL FIRE SAFETY 25 NOVEMBER
Over half of all accidental house fires are caused by electricity. And nine out of ten electrical fires are caused by electrical products. In this webinar, supporting Electrical Fire Safety Week, our panel of experts will explore how to mitigate the risks and look at what else can be done. Panelists include: Lisa Roberts, Riverside Housing Association, Charlie Pugsley, London Fire Brigade, Anthony Gushman, London Borough or Hammersmith and Fulham and our very own Yusuf Muhammad.
If you missed the webinar you can listen to the debate as a podcast. You may also find the handouts that were available to attendees of interest including the ESR Code of Practice and the BRE white paper on The causes of fire fatalities and serious fire injuries in Scotland and potential solutions to reduce them.
ACCREDITED INSTALLER BEST PRACTICE AWARD WINNERS REVEALED
At our annual Accredited Reseller Installer (ARI) last week, we were delighted to recognise and reward some of the great projects our installers have delivered over the last year. Find out who the winners were here
PLUMIS AWARDED SMART GRANT FROM INNOVATE UK
We are delighted to have been awarded a Smart Grant of £349,526 from Innovate UK to further enhance the functionality of Automist. We will be funding 30% of this half a million pound R&D project, which will add further value to the Automist® system by making it smarter and even more cost-effective for housing providers. Read more
PLUMIS CELEBRATE TWO WINS AT THE MAKE UK MANUFACTURING AWARDS SOUTH
We were delighted to win two awards at the Make UK Manufacturing Awards South, winning the Innovation and SME of the Year categories. Revealed in an online awards ceremony on 20th October, winners from the Southern region, will now join winners from the other regions to compete in the national finals. Read more
PLUMIS SHORTLISTED FOR FIRE PROJECT OF THE YEAR
Plumis and accredited Automist installer Vapourmist Solutions have been named a finalist in this year’s Security & Fire Excellence Awards for ‘Fire Project of the Year’. The accolade recognises the part played by the trailblazing British companies to help conserve West Horsley Place, in Surrey. The 15th century building is frequently used as a filming location and was the set for the recent BBC hit series, Ghosts. Read more
INTERNATIONAL WATER MIST ASSOCIATION FREE WEBINARS
In October, the International Water Mist Association is offering free webinars exploring water mist technology. Autumn is usually the time of year that the water mist community gathers at the international water mist conference (IWMC). In 2020, this is obviously not possible. However, this first series of webinars will hopefully fill this gap. The first three webinars will take place on 15th, 22nd and 29th October. Each webinar will be a 90-minute event and will include information on how water mist works, the history of water mist, an update on standards and guidelines as well as case studies.
HEAR PLUMIS' CHIEF DESIGN OFFICER AT AGEING IN PLACE CONFERENCE
We’re delighted that Yusuf, our chief design officer and co founder will be joining the speaker line up at Inside Housing’s Ageing in Place virtual conference taking place on Thursday 24th September. Joining the panel at 15.05 to look at designing accommodation where people can age in place, he will share what drove us to develop Automist, namely, the need for more sophisticated fire safety solutions offering better protection for elderly and vulnerable residents.
PLUMIS SHORTLISTED FOR TWO UK MANUFACTURING AWARDS
We’re delighted to have reached the regional finals, South, for this year’s Make UK Manufacturing Awards. We have been shortlisted for ‘SME of the Year’ and ‘Innovation of the Year’ for our ground-breaking Automist fire suppression system. Read more
RESIDENTS SUPPORT AUTOMIST PILOT
We were delighted to receive overwhelmingly positive feedback about Automist, from residents on the Lancaster West Estate in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, earlier this year. 108 residents attended an open house event in Upper Camelford Walk, where Automist Smartscan Hydra has been installed as a pilot... read more
WEBINAR 1 JULY: IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE BUILDING - THE ROLE OF PERSON-CENTRED FIRE RISK ASSESSMENTS
The Government has recently announced plans for significant changes to the building regulatory framework, following the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety. Whilst there is little doubt that changes to the fabric of buildings, construction methods and fire safety provisions are needed, fire risk is not just about the building. In this webinar we’ll explore how a more holistic, person-centred approach can improve safety. Hosted by Jan Taranczuk, panellists Include: Sarah Stevenson-Jones, Vice Chair, National Social Housing Fire Strategy Group, plus London Fire Brigade's Tracey Hall, Deputy Manager Community Safety Policy and Projects and Marvin Ikua, Senior Community Safety Development Officer, plus Plumis chief design officer, Yusuf Muhammad.
If you missed the webinar you can listen to it as a podcast here
INNOVATION IN FIRE SAFETY WEBINAR: PODCAST AVAILABLE NOW
Following the success of our first innovation in fire safety webinar, we're running a follow up to continue exploring the issues and to respond to questions posted by the audience that we ran out of time to answer. We'll be welcoming back an expert panel including: Ian Moore, chief executive officer of the Fire Industry Association, Tom Gilbert, head of fire safety at Lendlease, Tony Hanley, managing director of FirePro UK and housing consultant, Jan Taranczuk, to explore prescriptive versus performance-based regulation, the competencies and enforcement regime that will be needed for an outcomes-based framework to work, and more.
If you missed the webinar you can listen to it as a podcast.
AUTOMIST, THE FUTURE OF FIRE SAFETY IN SOCIAL HOUSING - FREE WEBINAR 10AM WEDNESDAY 20 MAY
The flexibility and proven performance of Automist, has seen a growing number of local authorities and housing associations installing it to protect their most vulnerable residents. To help landlords and their fire safety partners understand the benefits of watermist suppression and the Automist Smartscan system we are running a free webinar at 10am on Wednesday 20th May. Find out more and sign up.
PLUMIS JOINS BAFSA
We are delighted to announce that Plumis is now a member of The British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association (BAFSA). Commening on the news, Plumis ceo, William Makant said, ‘To improve life safety, technology and practices need to evolve as the fire challenges change. As the designer and manufacturer of an innovative pre-engineered watermist suppression system, we’re looking forward to working with BAFSA to improve awareness and understanding of watermist and the applications where it is most effective’.
IS INNOVATION IMPROVING FIRE SAFETY? FREE WEBINAR, 5 MAY
We are delighted to be hosting a free webinar at 10am on Tuesday 5 May, exploring innovation in fire safety. William our CEO will be joined by guest speakers; Ian Moore, CEO of the Fire Industry Association, Tom Gilbert, Head of Fire Safety at Lendlease, Tony Hanley, Managing Director, FirePro UK and Director, Fire Industry Association and housing consultant, Jan Taranczuk. In the webinar we'll explore whether innovation should be encouraged in building and fire safety and why, how the performance and reliability of new products and approaches can be assessed and much more. If you missed the webinar, you can listen to a recording here.
MISTING TECHNOLOGY OUTPERFORMS SPRINKLERS
Tests at the FPA recently undertaken by Plumis, show that sprinklers can take up to a minute longer than Automist to activate in response to certain fires. In the latest detailed analysis of fires attended by fire and rescue services, published by the Home Office, figures show that cooking appliances were by far the largest ignition category for accidental dwelling fires and non-fatal casualties from accidental dwelling fires. To understand how better to tackle these types of incidents, Plumis conducted tests at the Burn Hall at the Fire Protection Association (FPA) to see how different fire suppression technologies measure up - see how sprinklers preform in comparison to Automist Smartscan against a challenging oil fire.
AUTOMIST SMARTSCAN HYDRA SHORTLISTED FOR THE SAFETY AND HEALTH EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2020
We’re delighted that Automist Smartscan Hydra has been shortlisted for The Innovation of the Year for Fire Award at this year’s Safety and Health Excellence Awards. It looks like the category attracted lots of entries, as we’re one of twelve finalists. Good luck to all the others on the shortlist, but fingers crossed we’ll be celebrating a well-earned win at the awards ceremony on 22nd September.
PLUMIS EXHIBIT AT FIREX INTERNATIONAL THE UKS PREMIER FIRE SAFETY EVENT 2018
Plumis will be exhibiting at Booth A630 at the London Excel. Come and learn more about how more and more people are using Automist to meet building regulations when traditional fire sprinklers are not practical. FIREX International welcomes over 17,000 fire safety professionals from across the globe to share best practice and remain up to date on changes in legislation.
PLUMIS CO-FOUNDER SPEAKING AT INSURETECH CONNECT 2017
Plumis Co-founder Yusuf Muhammad is speaking at Insuretech Connect 2017, held in Las Vegas, presented by Oliver Wyman. InsureTech Connect is the world’s largest insurtech event — offering unparalleled access to the largest and most comprehensive gathering of tech entrepreneurs, investors and insurance industry incumbents from across the globe.
PLUMIS PRESENT TECHNICAL PAPER AT SUPDET 2017
William Makant of Plumis presented a paper on 'Smoke plus infrad-red sensors as an alternative fire detection for activation of a residential fire suppression appliance' at SUPDET 2017, held in Maryland, organized by the NFPA. Since 1997 NFPA has organized SupDet, an annual workshop which brings together leading experts in the field of fire protection engineering for the purpose of sharing recent research and development on techniques used for fire suppression, detection, and signaling.
AUTOMIST SMARTSCAN WINS A SILVER AT THE IDSA INTERNATIONAL DESIGN EXCELLENCE AWARD 2017
Automist Smartscan, designed by Plumis, won a Silver in the Home & Bath catergory in the International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA®) 2017 hosted by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA). The award was announced on Aug. 19 at the IDEA Ceremony—open to the public at Rich Theater in Atlanta GA and followed by a ticketed Gala at the High Museum. “IDSA IDEA 2017 winners demonstrate how designers are able to capture what’s invisible to others and inspire beauty through the smallest of details within the simplest of artifacts,” said IDEA 2017 Jury Chair Owen Foster, IDSA. “Winners go beyond the tangible that we are so accustomed to seeing—to cultivate amazing, holistic ecosystems.”
PLUMIS BECOME MEMBERS OF THE FIRE INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION
The FIA is the largest fire protection trade association in the UK. Only companies that have third party certification and credibility can become members. Their main objectives is to promote, improve and perfect fire protection methods, devices, services and apparatus. They achieve this through the representation of their members and provision of technical support, guidance and opportunities for professional advancement through education and regulation. All FIA members are promoted in a business directory and have use of the nationally recognised logo.
AUTOMIST SMARTSCAN FEATURED IN SOUTH CORNWALL GRAND DESIGN
Tom and his wife Danielle have long dreamed of being able to live and work amongst the trees and after two years of hard work and creative exploration they finished their biggest project to date. Aired on Channel 4's Grand Designs on Wednesday 5 October 2016, Kevin McCloud and his team document the process and join them in their journey from frivolous idea to the realisation of their dream.
AUTOMIST WINS BEST HOME TECHNOLOGY PRODUCT 2016
Automist Smartscan has been awarded the Build It Awards 2016 - Best Home Technology Product, in association with BuildStore. Each year the Build It Awards celebrates all aspects of self build and renovation, including completed projects, services and suppliers. Look out for our special Build It Awards 2016 supplement in the December issue of the magazine and learn more about the victors.
PLUMIS PRESENT TECHNICAL PAPER AT THE 16TH IWMA CONFERENCE
William Makant of Plumis presented the company's new Automist Smartscan technology to a packed and captivated audience at the 16th Annual International Water Mist Conference, held in Vienna September 21-22, 2016, organized by the International Water Mist Association (IWMA). The Automist Smartscan presentation was given a special mention by the Chairman Ragnar Wighus who confirmed the admission of Automist to the exclusive "Archimedes Club" for wise use of watermist technology. Plumis were honoured with the mention.
PLUMIS ACHIEVE BRE GLOBAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM CERTIFICATION: APPROVAL TO ISO 9001:2008
Third Party Certification by BRE Global have established Plumis Limited have complied with the Quality Management Systems requirements of ISO 9001:2008 for the design, manufacture and supply of water mist fire suppression systems. Quality Management System certification enables us to demonstrate our commitment to quality and customer satisfaction, as well as continuously improving our company's operations. The internationally recognised quality management system standard is the preferred solution for organisations worldwide.
BSI ISSUE CERTIFICATE OF VERIFICATION TO BS 8458:2015 PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS
Independent third party confirmation (BSi Verification Certificate - VC 656504) issued that Automist Smartscan meets the performance requirements of BS 8458:2015 as verified in the Exova Warrington test report. As a fully UKAS Accredited Certification Body, BSI has always been at the vanguard of the testing and certification industry.
SMARTSCAN GRANTED LABC REGISTERED SOLUTION STATUS
Automist Smartscan is an LABC Registered Solution (EW534) for BS 8458:2015 sprinkler applications. LABC Registered Details enables developers, architects, designers, technical specifies and contractors to minimise the Building control checking and approvals process in the knowledge that the product has been rigorously checked by LABC members.
PLUMIS RECEIVES QUEENS AWARD FOR ENTERPISE IN INNOVATION
Plumis Ltd has been awarded a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation – the UK’s highest accolade for business success - in recognition of outstanding innovative achievements by demonstrating commercial success through innovative products.
AUTOMIST SMARTSCAN RECEIVES HIGHEST DISTINCTION IN THE RED DOT AWARD: PRODUCT DESIGN 2016
Automist Smartscan is one of this year’s outstanding products: The Red Dot jury was enthused, and awarded Automist Smartscan a Red Dot: Best of the Best. In 2016, this highest single distinction in the international competition goes to only 1.5% of all entries. Manufacturers and designers from 57 nations had registered about 5,200 products and sent them to the Ruhr area in Germany – Automist Smartscan impressed with highest design quality and makes Plumis one of the leaders in an international comparison.
PLUMIS EXHIBIT AT IAFC'S ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND EXPO
Plumis Exhbit at Fire-Rescue International (FRI), the annual conference and expo of the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC). It has provided senior-level leadership training to fire chiefs for 140 years. As an organization, the IAFC represents the world's leading experts in the first responder community.
PLUMIS SELECTED FOR SILICON VALLEY PROGRAMME
Plumis beat thousands of start-ups to be selected for the prestigious Blackbox Connect accelerator programme in Silicon Valley, California. The residential programme is designed to immerse international founders into Silicon Valley culture, and host 15 international companies in Palo Alto to meet investors, develop relationships in Silicon Valley and launch into the wider US market.
PLUMIS DEMONSTRATE AUTOMIST SMARTSCAN AT MARYLAND FIRE & RESCUE INSTITUTE
Plumis supported by Qdot Engineering and Sonny Scarff performed a series of fire tests on Automist Smartscan using MFRI's world-class facilities.
PLUMIS EXHIBIT AT BIRMINGHAM HOMEBUILDING & RENOVATING SHOW
Plumis are exhibiting at the London Homebuilding & Renovating and Home Improvement Show at NEC, Birmingham (Stand D114) from 26 – 28 March 2015. Demonstrating examples of how homeowners and architects alike can create the layouts they desire whilst conforming with fire building regulations and keeping their homes safe.
PLUMIS AWARDED AS INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR IN THE GROWING BUSINESS AWARDS 2014
Plumis have been awarded at the Growing Business Awards – Innovator of the Year, Britain's most established recognition of entrepreneurial success. The winners were announced at a sparkling awards ceremony at the London Marriott Grosvenor Square on the 25th November.
CO-FOUNDER OF PLUMIS HIGHLY COMMENDED IN THE GREAT BRITISH ENTREPRENEUR AWARDS 2014
Recognising an innovative approach and dedication to developing and delivering a unique fire suppression solution, Design Director Yusuf Muhammad, has been acknowledged in the ‘Small Business Entrepreneur of the Year’ Category at the 2014 Great British Entrepreneur Awards.
PLUMIS EXHIBIT AT LONDON HOMEBUILDING & RENOVATING SHOW
Plumis exhibited at the London Homebuilding & Renovating and Home Improvement Show at Olympia, London (Stand D125) from 26 – 28 Sept 2014. Demonstrating examples of how homeowners and architects alike can create the layouts they desire whilst conforming with fire building regulations and keeping their homes safe.
PLUMIS SECURE KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER PARTNERSHIP
Plumis secure KTP project with the University of Greenwich Fire Safety Engineering Group (FSEG) worth £48,550. FSEG are the UK's largest University based fire/evacuation modelling research team and specialises in computational fire engineering. FSEG expertise and modelling tools are used all over the world to help solve fire safety problems.
AUTOMIST PREVENTS ARSON DAMAGE
Exeter City Council installed Automist from Plumis in the flat of a vulnerable resident who had already set fire to his flat 3 times. The resident went on to attempt arson a fourth time and deliberately damaged the Automist heads. Nevertheless, the units were activated, effectively preventing a serious fire.
PLUMIS SELECTED IN THE SMARTA 100
Plumis was selected in the Most Innovative Business Category as a company that make thinking outside the box part of their daily routine with the aim of growing their business and improving lives. The Smarta 100 is an annual celebration of the most resourceful, inspiring and disruptive small businesses in the UK.
PLUMIS AWARDED TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY BOARD FUNDING
Plumis has won a major award from the Technology Strategy Board to fund the development of a next-generation fire suppression system. The SMART funding represents an injection of £100,000 out of a total project size of £160,000, allowing world-class partners to make major contributions to the project through CFD modelling, development of new mist configurations, and live fire testing.
PLUMIS EXHIBIT AT NFPA CONFERENCE & EXPO
NFPA is this year’s largest and most important event for the fire protection, life safety, and electrical industries is the NFPA Conference & Expo, widely regarded as the most comprehensive event in the industry.
AUTOMIST GRANTED LABC REGISTERED SOLUTION STATUS
Automist is an LABC Registered Solution (EW171) for loft conversions. LABC Registered Details enables developers, architects, designers, technical specifies and contractors to minimise the Building control checking and approvals process in the knowledge that the product has been rigorously checked by LABC members.
PLUMIS SELECTED IN THE PITCH FINAL
BusinessZone.co.uk, have selected Plumis as one of the UK’s 80 most innovative small businesses to compete for business support worth £50,000 in The Pitch 2012. The Pitch 80 were chosen from the hundreds of entries from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. After two days of fierce competition Plumis was selected as one of the 22 wildcard contestants, who competed for 2 places in the Grand Final of the Pitch 2012 – a search for Britain’s top new business.
AUTOMIST APPEARS ON THE HOME OF THE FUTURE
What happens if you ask a normal family to boldly go where no-one has gone before - to live in the future? This five-part Channel 4 Series, co-funded by one of the UK’s leading energy companies E.ON, and produced by Twofour, transforms the lives of a family, filling their home from top-to-bottom with futuristic technology and gadgets.
PLUMIS WIN ‘BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE’ INNOVATION AWARD
Plumis are working with specialists at the University of Sheffield to undertake a collaborative R&D project to develop their innovative products, processes and technologies on the theme of ‘Building for the Future’. Funding for the awards is provided by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) through the University's Knowledge Transfer Account.
PLUMIS EXHIBIT AT INTERNATIONAL FIREX
Plumis exhibited at International Firex, the UK’s largest dedicated fire safety event and one of the largest in the world, on the 16th- 19th of May 2011.
AUTOMIST FEATURED IN AN ECOBUILD INNOVATION ZONE
The Technology Strategy Board, EPSRC and the Modern Built Environment KTN joined forces to present the Innovation Future Zone at Ecobuild 2011. Automist was selected as one of 24 new technologies that have the potential to make a difference to our future built environment.
PLUMIS WIN STARTUPAWARDS BUSINESS PLAN OF THE YEAR
The Judges felt the Plumis concept was exciting, innovative and easy to understand. The business plan was clearly structured, had real technical merit, and clearly identified where demand lay for a product with huge potential. Its market research, SWOT analysis and execution plan for its fire safety product Automist filled judges with confidence that it represents an attractive investment proposition.
PLUMIS PRESENT TECHNICAL PAPER AT THE 10TH IWMA CONFERENCE
More than 100 delegates of 19 countries all around the world met from November 3 - 4 in Prague for the 10th International Water Mist Conference. The event has underlined the increasing interest in Water Mist Systems for Fire-Fighting. The meeting has been held for the first time in a water mist protected building.
AUTOMIST EXHIBITED AT THE BRITISH LIBRARY
The British Library has named Automist one of the top 15 inventions of the last decade! Thank you British Library. Automist and 15 other inventions will be on display from Mon 6 Sep 2010 to Sun 28 Nov 2010 at the Folio Society Gallery in the British Library. In a celebration of British ingenuity, the exhibition explores the stories behind some of the most iconic inventions from this century’s first decade. Admission is free. Automist’s Co-inventor, Yusuf Muhammad, was interviewed about the invention and exhibition on You&Yours on BBC Radio 4 on Friday 10th of September at 12:00pm.
THIRD PARTY FIRE TESTING AT THE BRE
The system has begun comprehensive third party testing at the Building Research Establishment (BRE) Burn Hall in Watford. Over the next eight weeks the system will be tested in two different room sizes (both 4m x 4m and 8m x 4m) and in a number of different fire scenarios. The project was completed with the aid of Knowledge Connect.'Throughout this project BRE has found the business to be highly professional, communicative and willing to engage in open discussion about the test programme. This has lead to the most appropriate tests possible being performed within the confines of time and funding, and thus one of the most complete sets of data BRE has been able to produce in recent years.’
AUTOMIST RECOGNISED BY BBC FOCUS MAGAZINE
BBC Focus Magazine recognised Automist as one of the best British innovations of 2009. According to the magazine, Automist is a project that is likely to have great impact on the world within the next few years. An article with a brief overview about the project was included at the BBC Focus Magazine, Issue 210, December 2009.
AUTOMIST AWARDED THE JAMES DYSON AWARD 2009
The project survived four rounds of judging, beat over 400 projects from 21 countries, and was chosen by James Dyson as the best project in the Award. James Dyson said: “This simple but clever device should become a permanent safety feature in the home. Smoke alarms are essential part of modern life but have remained fundamentally unchanged for forty years. Automist not only detects a fire but can put it out as well."
AWARDED A DESIGN FOR OUR FUTURE SELVES AWARDS 2008
The Lord Snowdon Award is a special award for disability projects across all categories, personally made by Lord Snowdon, former Provost of the Royal College of Art. Lord Snowdon is a longtime supporter of the rights of disabled people and works actively in the field of design for disability. Judges Comment: "Disabled people are particularly vulnerable in fires. This project makes an ingenious and well-resolved use of existing water mist technology to create a system for all types of environment."
