24 Mar 2009

The FIA will see many of their members exhibiting at International Firex 2009 in May
Staged at the NEC, Birmingham, UK from 11-14 May, 2009, International Firex will see more than 120 leading suppliers of fire protection products and services exhibiting, many of whom are members of the Fire Industry Association (FIA).

The FIA's own stand will offer all the latest information from the Association and an opportunity for member companies to use a designated seating area for informal meetings, with internet access from the stand allowing members to send and receive e-mails, sign up for the FIA's newsletter or book one of the Association's many training courses.

Also, for the first time, the FIA stand is the location for the exhibition's seminar theatre - the home of the FIA Learning Zone. This will ensure the stand is a focal point of the show with a series of free seminars and presentations. Companies already operating within the fire protection industry will find useful information and guidance on a wide range of issues within the Learning Zone, while those increasing numbers of installers who are looking to move into the fire alarm sector will be able to find out about the codes and standards necessary to make the transition.

There will also be much for end users, particularly those from the sectors identified by the FIA as particularly affected by the changes in fire safety legislation brought about by the Fire Safety Order, including residential care homes, factories and warehouses, hotels, education and healthcare.

The FIA is also sponsoring two of the 12 Fire Excellence Awards to be presented at the Awards dinner on 12 May at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel: the FIA Product Innovation Award and the FIA Export Innovation Award. The FIA's Chief Executive Officer, Graham Ellicott, will be one of the Awards judges.

An area within the FIA stand will be given over to showcasing all of the products shortlisted for the 2009 Product Innovation Award, with the overall winner receiving a special presentation on the exhibition floor on 13 May.

Becky Reid, FIA Marketing Manager, commented: "We have a very active export initiative within the Association and we know how important product innovation is as a driver for the industry and for fire safety in general. We are therefore delighted to be sponsoring the awards and look forward to offering the shortlisted manufacturers a very effective platform from which to launch their products from an area which will undoubtedly attract a lot of interest from visitors to the show."