Peter Farnell is the Managing Director at Knight Fire & Security in Southport, Merseyside. Areas of expertise for the NSI Gold certified company include the design, installation and maintenance of fire detection and security systems.
What would be a typical project for you?
Typical projects would be the design, installation and commissioning of a fire detection system and/or security systems, CCTV, access control and intruder alarm system.
This may be through one of several engineering or building services consultants, who we collaborate with to assist in designing the above systems for their clients or through one of several M&E or civil engineering organisations that we provide support to in delivering our services on their behalf for their existing or potential clients.
Do you have any ‘go to’ technology and manufacturers?
We have several manufacturers that we try and remain committed to. These are generally at the forefront of technology but also provide a great level of support to us from a sales and design perspective as well as engineering support.
We have partnership status with several manufacturers within our sectors, this assists with support for all project levels and also enables our company to be as cost competitive as possible, whilst maintaining a standard range of products to assist the engineering team in terms of installation, commissioning and ongoing maintenance support for our clients.
What is the best thing about working in this industry?
There are always opportunities within our industry. The UK market is estimated to be worth £1.4bn and is forecast to grow to £1.8bn by 2025. It is very much technology driven in all sectors, new and efficient methods of installing and commissioning solutions for clients are constantly evolving, and are very much driven by the manufacturers in terms of technology. All of this ensures that you remain focused, committed and as cost effective as possible in a very competitive industry. Technological advances, such as analytics, means that the systems we install are being deployed for alternative uses other than surveillance, such as health and safety, movement tracking and general business processes.
Is third party certification beneficial?
Not only does third party certification demonstrate good practice, it ensures a robust management system within our organisation, demonstrating our commitment to staff development both for personal and product development.
It demonstrates that the business operates within the guidelines of the British Standards within our industry, it offers reassurance to all existing and potential clients that we operate at a professional level that is audited both internally and externally, and for me is the single most important achievement within our business. It requires focus, dedication and commitment not only to achieve the required accreditations but also to maintain the certification.
Read the full interview in the February 2023 edition of PSI magazine
