ARA Fire News

As of 1st of May 2019, the ARA Group acquired Thermoscan, a nationwide thermal imaging service provider dedicated to preventative maintenance. Edward Federman, Managing Director and Executive Chair of ARA, welcomes the Thermoscan team to the ARA Group. “We look forward to integrating Thermoscan’s thermal imaging capabilities into our Building Services, Mechanical, Fire and Electrical divisions as part of our property management and preventative maintenance service contracts,”...

The Historical Novel Society Australasia, in collaboration with the ARA Group, proudly announced the winners of the 2024 ARA Historical Novel Prize at a celebratory event, held at NSW Parliament House, on Wednesday, October 23, 2024. 2024 ARA Historical Novel Prize This prestigious award, boasting the largest individual literary prize in Australasia with a total prize pool of $150,000, honors the exceptional talents of novelists who bring historical narratives to life, offering insights into t...

ARA made two strategic acquisitions to increase its presence in the insurance building repair and restoration industry during the financial year 2024 and one major acquisition in early July 2024, immediately after the conclusion of the financial year. With increased climate events such as floods and fires, it was determined that this aspect of the building industry is an appropriate space to invest and grow ARA’s capabilities. Vendor's commitment to ARA Vendors took approximately half t...

ARA has bucked the trend of a declining manufacturing industry in Australia and New Zealand since the start of the ARA business in 2001. Manufacturing was once a major economic contributor in Australia from a peak of 25% of the gross domestic product in the 1960’s to under 6%. Manufacturing employment as a percent of total Australian employment has declined from 25% in the 1960s to approximately 6%. manufacturing sector A similar, but not quite as pronounced trend during the past 60 yea...

ARA Electrical has been engaged by South32 Illawarra Metallurgical Coal to design, supply, and install a 66kV/11kV electrical supply and distribution network. The main purpose of this project is to provide additional ventilation capacity and communication infrastructure to support the development of the mining operation. package and deliverables The contract is scheduled to be completed by December 2024. The project site is approximately 35km North-West of Wollongong, 8km North-West of Appin,...

There’s a chance users will have come across these at least once in their life, at the bakery, butchery, or perhaps local supermarket, but never given it much thought until now. PVC curtains are versatile and durable, typically used to separate different areas. These can be used anywhere users see fit. Let’s look at the top 7 benefits of using PVC Strip Curtains: Energy Efficiency and Temperature Control These curtains work as a barrier to help maintain a consistent, desired...

Establishing a strong foundation from the start is crucial to ensure the project runs smoothly throughout the entire project. Planning and addressing these key stages early on means users can set clear objectives, allocate resources efficiently, and foresee any potential challenges along the way. navigating stages Below are the crucial stages and how Metalbilt can help users navigate them: Planning and Design Phase: Engaging a Metalbilt Sales and Project Manager in the early stages of the...

Preventative maintenance is the routine inspection and servicing of equipment to prevent unexpected failures and costly downtime for businesses. Unlike reactive maintenance, which addresses issues after they occur, preventative maintenance is proactive, focusing on preventing problems before they arise. Maintaining the Metalbilt door is crucial to ensuring its reliable operation and keeping its warranty valid. Benefits of preventative maintenance Cost Savings: Completing regular mainte...

TRU-DOCK™️ Automated Loading Pods are a pioneering-edge solution to increase productivity, enhance safety, and streamline dock loading processes. Incorporating a wide range of Metalbilt’s door products. These pods are designed for ease of access, high turnaround, and complete environmental control for high-volume container loading and unloading. Let’s take a closer look at what makes Metalbilt’s TRU-DOCK™️ Automated Loading Pod (ALP) stand out and how they are chan...

The Cessnock Wastewater Treatment Works was originally built in 1932 and was typical of facilities of the time, with a nominal capacity of 23,000 Equivalent Persons (EP) as a trickling filter plant. The plant has had several minor upgrades between 1978 and 1995 to include other infrastructure, such as sludge lagoons, maturation ponds, wetlands, and chemical phosphorus removal to achieve the ultimate capacity of the existing plant to service approximately 32,000 people in the areas of Cessnock,...

This acquisition will help establish a national footprint within New Zealand and is a significant leap forward in ARA’s strategic positioning and service offering. The acquisition complements the capabilities and products that ARA Shelters & Structures has to offer. Sign On has established itself as an award-winning signage specialist, delivering innovative and customized solutions for a range of brands across New Zealand. Their comprehensive end-to-end service, supported by quality m...

ARA Fire’s expertise extends to a wide range of fire safety equipment, including fire hose reels, fire extinguishers, and pump rooms, ensuring that they are fully operational, compliant with regulations, and ready to respond in the event of a fire emergency. The maintenance and servicing of these critical assets are crucial for providing immediate firefighting capabilities and safeguarding lives and property.  Fire Hose Reels Fire hose reels are essential for the initial fighting o...

ARA Fire is proud to be celebrating 14 years since the establishment of the ARA Endowment Fund. The ARA Endowment Gala Event was held on the 20th of October at the Ivy Ballroom in Sydney. The Gala Event generated donations of approximately $450,000. The principal balance in the ARA Endowment Fund is almost $3.5 million.  principal balance The principal balance in the ARA Endowment Fund remains in the Fund in perpetuity, while the income earned by the Fund is donated to the Partner Founda...

ARA Indigenous Services, in conjunction with ARA Electrical, is nearing completion of the regional rail project at the Mindyarra Maintenance Center. Many of ARA’s customers are looking for meaningful Indigenous engagement in Australia. ARA works to integrate the various services and installation capabilities with ARA Indigenous Services, which has delivered many major contracts in conjunction with ARA Divisions. Mindyarra Maintenance Center The Mindyarra Maintenance Center is being buil...

Effective from the 2nd of October 2023, ARA Building Services acquired Urban Building Solutions (UBS). This acquisition has helped ARA Building Services establish a national footprint within the insurance building industry. The acquisition has also helped ARA Building Services expand within the residential and commercial sectors. areas of service Urban Building Solutions works across the following areas of service: Residential Strata Make-safe & Restoration Large Loss & Commercia...

Two recent acquisitions have made a very positive impact in the past year and will continue to have a positive impact in the future, on the ARA Group. The positive impact is both strategic and financial. In May 2022, the BM Doors Group (BM Doors) was acquired as an additional business in the Products Division. The financial year 2023 was the first full year of BM Doors, as part of the ARA Group. BM Doors designs, manufactures, and installs a bespoke range of security and fire doors. BM Doors...

ARA Fire have not always got it right, but each time they missed the mark, they learned from it, and they did better in the future. They are continuously getting better and better as a business and as an organization.  Fortunately, the current year's financial results demonstrate the continuous improvement they have achieved. Operating Results  2023 was the eighth consecutive year of record operating earnings. EBITDA increased from USD 50.5 million in 2022 to USD 67.2 million in 202...

On the 3rd of April 2023, ARA Fire acquired Sicada Fire & Safety (Sicada). This acquisition has helped ARA Fire establish a national footprint for the mobile fire suppression business. Sicada is located in the Hunter Valley in New South Wales, South-eastern Queensland, and Central Queensland. Combining Sicada with Fire Suppression Services in Western Australia and Sheridan Fire Solutions in Queensland, two other companies recently acquired by ARA, provides ARA Fire with a strong national fo...

The Sydney Metro project is a large-scale public transport infrastructure project in Sydney, Australia. This project involves the construction of a new metro system comprising multiple lines and stations. The project is aimed at improving public transport connectivity and reducing traffic congestion in the city. ARA Electrical has been responsible for the installation of the platform screen doors for the Sydney Metro Southwest line, which is the first stage of the project to be completed. Pub...

The ARA Fire branch in Western Australia, in conjunction with ARA Indigenous Services, has secured the BHP Nickel West (BHP NiW) fire protection services contract for the BHP NiW mine sites and refineries in the Goldfields and Perth. fire protection services contract The fire protection services contract is for the inspection and testing of all the fire protection assets. These assets are the fire sprinkler systems, the fire alarm systems, the fire extinguishers and hose reels, and the passive...

On the first of February this year, ARA Group Limited (ARA) acquired all the outstanding shares of OceanLink Marine Services Pty Ltd (OceanLink). This is a strategic acquisition for ARA. During the past year, ARA has built a formidable ocean and off-shore service business as a result of other strategic acquisitions.  In May 2021, ARA acquired Wiltrading STACE, based in Henderson, WA. Wiltrading STACE has a long history of service and inspection of life safety systems for the marine and off...

On the 1st of February, ARA Group NZ Limited (ARA), completed the acquisition of Sopersmac, one of the largest distributors of architectural door hardware in New Zealand. Sopersmac offers a full-service value proposition to their clients and in addition to the supply of architectural hardware, they also offer specification, project management, master keying and installation services for commercial, custodial, industrial and high-end residential properties. Door hardware industry Sopersmac pri...

Leda Security has been a part of the ARA Group for over two years now and is an important product line within the ARA Manufacture Division. Offering products including bollards, gates, hostile vehicle mitigation (HVM) products, turnstiles and commercial bicycle racks, the alignment between Leda Security and ARA Manufacture allows for significant manufacturing efficiencies around Australia and New Zealand. Physical security systems Leda Security systems have been installed on government projec...

On the 1st of October 2021, ARA Fire Protection Services (ARA Fire) purchased the Fire Suppression Services (FSS) business from Steve Howard. FSS designs, installs, and services vehicle suppression systems. Located in Perth, FSS principally services vehicles used in the mines in Western Australia. Founded 25 years ago by Steve Howard, FSS has a strong reputation in the vehicle suppression market in Western Australia. With the expertise of Steve Howard and FSS, ARA Fire is in a good position to...

Consistent with the various governments’ requests all around Australia and New Zealand, ARA has encouraged the employees to receive the COVID vaccination. The various state and federal governments have been telling them the best way out of the pandemic and to start living a normal life is to get all of them vaccinated. Many, if not all, of customers, are requiring them to be fully vaccinated to work on construction sites and visit their premises.  Vaccination lottery ARA has establ...

While they all hoped 2020 would see the end of lockdowns in Australia, 2021 has brought on new pandemic-driven challenges as the COVID-19 Delta variant continues to affect the majority of states across the nation. New South Wales and Victoria are experiencing some of the harshest lockdowns Australia has seen in an effort to ‘stop the spread’ of the highly contagious Delta variant. Impact on the local businesses These frequent and prolonged lockdowns are having a significant impact...

Wiltrading STACE will expand the offerings of the ARA Fire, increasing ARA capabilities across Australia.  Effective as of the 1st of May 2021, Mr. Edward Federman, ARA Executive Chair and Managing Director, announced the acquisition of Wiltrading STACE, “I am pleased to announce the acquisition of Wiltrading STACE, a service provider for life safety systems with branches in Perth, Karratha, Darwin, Cairns and Sydney. Wiltrading STACE will become an important part of the ARA Fire and...

JBM Power will expand the offerings of the ARA Electrical division, increasing ARA capabilities across Australia. As at 1 April 2021, the ARA Group acquired JBM Power, designer and manufacturer of switch boards and switch rooms. Mr Edward Federman, ARA Executive Chairman and Managing Director stated: “The acquisition of JBM Power completes our turnkey offering and truly does make ARA Electrical a one stop shop in the market. The switch room business will also provide opportuniti...

ARA Fire has extensive experience in providing innovative and reliable solutions for all aspects of fire protection & prevention. Access to this ground-breaking remote monitoring technology is available through CLARAFY®. CLARAFY® Remote Monitoring places connectivity at the heart of fire safety systems, providing real-time visibility to drive timely, accurate decision making. Enhanced visibility fuels intelligence, harnessing the power of data for safer, compliant and more efficient...

Servcore will expand the offerings of the ARA Security division, increasing ARA capabilities across Australia and New Zealand.  Effective as of the 1st February 2021, Mr Edward Federman, ARA Executive Chair and Managing Director, announced the acquisition of Servcore, “I am very pleased to welcome Servcore and Wayne Furneyvall, the founder, to the ARA Group. Servcore comes to ARA with a great work force, great customers, and terrific management. The people-centred and...