PETROLEUM DIRECTORY: EFS: New business plan out this quarter

After the 2000 purchase by Kidde and the recent acquisition by United Technology Inc., EFS has wealth of resources

Paula Easley

Q. Where is Engineered Fire and Safety located?

A. The company has offices in Anchorage and Seattle. It is part of Kidde, with offices around the world. Kidde manufactures the largest variety of fire fighting, detection, extinguishing and protection products and equipment in the world.

Q. When was Engineered Fire and Safety founded, and what was its original name?

A. The original company, Engineered Fire Systems, was founded in 1986. In March of 2000 the company was sold to Kidde.

Q. How did you come up with the name Engineered Fire and Safety?

A. We wanted to accomplish two things. One was a rebranding effort to show that we were now part of a worldwide organization. The other was to keep the known abbreviation EFS but show our diversity. Fire protection is our main focus, but we also have a sound and security division which is part of safety. So the new name and logo were launched.

Q. Who heads up Engineered Fire and Safety and who is on its senior management team?

A. I am the general manager, Dale Shirley is the sales manager and Jeff Cuttler is our operations manager.

Q. Describe any partnership arrangements and when they became effective.

A. As I said, we were part of Kidde, and just recently Kidde was purchased by United Technology Inc., UTC. A new company, UTC Fire and Security, has been formed. The final business plan is scheduled to be rolled out this quarter. Being part of such a vast organization enables us to draw from these resources as needed. This allows our local branch to maintain a core group in Anchorage for most of our work, and then bring on extra resources on short notice. These resources are direct from the manufacturer and can be very effective and efficient for the client when specialists in a particular product can be brought on site.

Q. What is the company’s primary business sector?

A. Engineered Fire and Safety has two business sectors. We have our industrial sector, which focuses on oil and gas, power and the mining industry, and we have our commercial sector which focuses on applications such as schools, commercial buildings and correctional facilities.

Q. Who are the company’s main clients?

A. In the oil and gas sector we do work for BP, ConocoPhillips, Alyeska Pipeline, XTO Energy, Unocal, Marathon Oil, Tesoro, MTA, MEA and Copper Valley Electric. In our commercial sector some of our clients are contractors, the Municipality of Anchorage, the Mat-Su Borough, most all school districts and state agencies such as AHFC, and the Department of Corrections. Others are federal agencies such as FAA and DOD.

Q. Any obstacles to completing projects the company undertakes?

A. Engineering the systems and supplying the equipment is the easiest part. Coordinating the intricate work we do with that of other contractors and trades is always a challenge.

Q. How many employees does Engineered Fire and Safety have? How many in each of its locations?

A. In Anchorage we have 16 core staff. Companywide with Kidde, there are around 6,000 employees. In North America we have an additional 25 field engineers to draw from as needed.

Q. Is your company expanding any of its operations and/or locations?

A. With the formation of UTC Fire and Security, there is a focus on growth. As I stated, the business plan has not been released, but we are confident that growth through expansion of existing markets and acquisitions will be part of the plan.

Q. Is the company changing any of its services?

A. UTC Fire and Security has two main entities: Kidde to focus on fire, and Chubb to focus on security. This will include intrusion detection, CCTV and access control systems. We anticipate additional focus on security through Chubb.

Q. What are Engineered Fire & Safety’s main strengths?

A. One is our philosophy toward clients. That is, we don’t necessarily sell a particular product brand. We sell Engineered Fire and Safety and work with clients to provide a solution that best serves their needs. We are focused on fire protection. That is what we do every day. Today an advantage we have over other companies is the resources we can pull from Kidde. Also, our technical staff receives continuous training on product and code compliance. With these resources our staff has the capability to provide the best possible service to meet every particular need.

Q. What new markets, clients and/or projects did the company attract in the last year?

A. A new client to Engineered Fire and Safety is XTO Energy. We’ve been awarded upgrades to fire and gas detection systems on XTO’s Cook Inlet platforms. We’re also upgrading the fire alarm system at BP’s Prudhoe Bay Operations Center. We just completed the fire and gas systems upgrade in cooperation with a sister company, Autronica Fire and Security, at GC-1.

Another market is the mining industry. One of our sister companies, Chemetron, is completing the fire system at the new Pogo Mine.

Q. What is the most challenging job the company has undertaken?

A. I’d have to say the Forest Oil Kustatan facility and Osprey platform, from conceptual design to turning the systems over to the client, all the fire suppression, with the flame and gas detection systems, in seven months: These included sprinkler, foam, and to our knowledge, the largest water mist system for the suppression. For detection, an integrated fire and gas detection system using the latest technology of intelligent communications utilizing RS-485 links direct from the device to the fire control panel, and Mod Buss integration to the plant PLC.

Much of this project was being designed as it was built, which made for some unique challenges to assure that our design was always current with the design in other systems such as process controls, electrical and mechanical placement of equipment and the HVAC. This project was a very good test of our project management capabilities.

Q. What do you see as future trends or opportunities for Engineered Fire and Safety such as long-term weather fluctuations?

A. Nothing particular comes to mind. Most of our people have 20-plus years in Alaska, giving them considerable familiarity with the challenges of working in varying Arctic environments. The only different trend we’re seeing is the warmer weather. This makes it likely we’ll be upgrading our office air conditioning system for the great summers we’re experiencing. Bring ‘em on!

Q. What is the company’s safety record?

A. We pride ourselves on our safety record. With our emphasis on clients in the oil and gas and mining industries, there is an extra focus on safety that you don’t normally see in typical commercial operations. Our people go through extensive and continuous training in safety procedures. This not only gives them the knowledge of how to do things safely, but encourages awareness of the need to take the time to do it safely, both on the job and at home.

Q. Do Engineered Fire and Safety or its partners maintain websites?

A. For now we are waiting on completion of the new company site, UTC Fire and Security. It promises to be a comprehensive resource that will help viewers learn what is available, what we can do and how we can do it.