Lee Westlake is the managing director at Armoury Security + Fire based in Eastbourne
What’s your company all about and what makes it stand out?
Armoury is all about providing a proper local service. We are not looking to take over the world. That has never been what we are about. We are an Eastbourne firm and we are proud of that.
The reason that matters is that our engineers can get to customers quickly, they are not worn out travelling all over the country and they get to know the sites they are looking after. That continuity makes a real difference. If the same engineer is going back to the same site, they know the building, they know the customer, they know the history of the system and they can often get to the bottom of things much more quickly.
We are also a family-run business and that still means something to us. We have three generations of customers and a lot of repeat custom. In the old days, we relied almost entirely on word of mouth. Things have moved on, of course, but the reason people recommended us then is still the same reason people come to us now.
We give the job personal attention. Any site we take on, we treat it as if it were our own house or our own business. If something takes longer than we expected, we don’t just walk away. We keep going until the job is done properly. That is probably the biggest thing that makes us stand out.
What kind of projects do you most enjoy working on?
I enjoy local projects where we can bring several disciplines together on one site. So it might be an intruder alarm system, CCTV, fire alarm, emergency lighting, access control – three, four or more disciplines working together.
That is where things are moving now. Years ago, everything tended to sit separately. You had one system for this, another system for that and often three or four different apps or bits of equipment. Now the better systems are starting to come together much more neatly.
The projects I enjoy most are the ones where we can look after the whole picture for the customer. It is better for them because they have one company that understands the site properly, and it is better for us because we can take ownership of the result. We are not just fitting a box on a wall. We are helping them run a safer, more secure and better-managed building.
Which technologies or products are exciting you right now?
Ajax is one that is exciting us at the moment. It is not the cheapest product out there and you do need to understand the range properly, but it works very well. It is reliable, it looks good and customers like it. It has that Apple-type feel to it, where it looks nice in the customer’s property rather than looking like something purely functional that has just been stuck on the wall.
We are also seeing a lot more interest in systems that customers can manage from their phones. I will be honest – I was against some of that at first. But a lot of new customers now expect it. If it does not sit on the phone, they almost feel as if you are trying to sell them something old-fashioned.
Paxton Solo is another product we are interested in, especially for short lets and Airbnb-type properties. The user experience on the phone is a big part of that. People want to be able to manage things quickly and easily.
That is where bringing younger engineers through is so important. My sons – who are my engineering team – are straight on that kind of technology. They are quick with it. I’ve still got the technical knowledge, but they are up to speed with the newer high-tech side of things. That is the future of any company like ours: good engineers who are trained properly, interested in the job and willing to keep learning.
How does NSI certification make a difference to your business?
It has definitely made a difference to our business. Our NSI Gold certification puts us above companies that do not have that accreditation. People have heard of NSI and NACOSS. It has been around for years and most people in the industry – and many customers – recognise it.
It is another way that people find us, and it is another reassurance for them when they are deciding who to trust. Insurance is not quite what it used to be and not every insurer asks for the same things now, but in commercial work especially, accreditation still matters. When you are dealing with fire alarms, NSI Gold certification to BAFE SP203-1 is very important. That puts us head and shoulders above firms that cannot show that level of third-party certification.
We originally gained our accreditation back in 1998, and we have had a good service from NSI over the years. The inspectors we have had have been high calibre. Some have come from inside the industry and know the equipment inside out. Others have been stronger on the paperwork and management side. Both are important.
For a smaller local company, certification is a real leveller. There can still be a stigma that a smaller firm cannot cope with larger sites. But when you are certified, trained and audited, you have proof. You are not just saying, “We can do this.” You can show that you are working to recognised standards.
That helps us get better quality work. It gives customers confidence before we even get to site.
What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
At the moment, the most rewarding part is taking on new clients who have been let down or become disgruntled elsewhere and then leaving them happy at the end of the job.
That might mean introducing myself, bringing in the rest of the team on a larger site and then giving them continuity going forward. They know which engineer is coming. The engineer knows them. He knows the building. He knows where the assets are. That makes a huge difference.
We have also invested in software that lists all the assets on a site. We have been using it for around 18 months and it is really paying dividends. If all the assets are listed correctly, the engineer cannot miss them. It is tough work at the beginning because you have to get everything recorded, but once it is done, the engineer can go through every part of the system properly and the office can see what remediation work is needed.
That is rewarding because the whole system comes together. The customer gets a better service, the engineer has better information and nothing gets missed.
Ultimately, it is about keeping buildings safe and keeping the people inside them safe. We are not just there to take the money. We are there to provide a top-quality service.
As told to Jo Shaer of Lollipop Local, the fire and security marketing agency for third-party certified installers. Armoury Security + Fire has worked with Lollipop Local since 2023.
Read the full interview in the July 2026 edition of PSi magazine
