NAAME Member showcases new multi-million-pound factory

The UK’s leading provider of bespoke life-saving firefighting nozzles has unveiled its £5.5m state of the art design and manufacturing facility in Norwich.

Delta Fire, which has cemented its roots in Norfolk for nearly 35 years, has invested millions in the county through its mission to provide a sustainable and eco-friendly building designed to help the business reach net zero before 2030.

Based at the city’s Broadland Business Park, the company is run by three generations of the same family.

It was opened on Tuesday, July 9, by Lady Dannatt, Lord-Lieutenant of Norfolk and her husband General the Lord Dannatt, to a backdrop of one of Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service’s new appliances and another from the Norfolk Fire Museum dating back to the 1930s.

More than 100 guests heard how Delta Fire supply firefighting nozzles to around 75pc of the UK’s fire and rescue services, the defence, petrochemical, aerospace, mining, waste recycling and energy sectors, and to more than 70 countries worldwide.

Norfolk Fire and Rescue showcased a new appliance as it put out a simulated car fire alongside the efforts of Norfolk Fire Museum’s 1930s fire engine, while Delta Fire launched its latest product, the Hydro Wall Hose, designed and manufactured to combat wildfires.

Lady Dannatt, said: “This is the kind of story I love most of all, a little Norfolk business set up nearly 35 years ago – but from little seeds big things grow. What has happened here has been inspirational and sends out a profound message to young people about what they can do.  This building is solar powered all year round and for 70% of the year uses no external energy, which is such an achievement considering it is a factory.”

Ceri Sumner, Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service’s Chief Fire Officer said: “We were pleased to be able to support Delta Fire in the opening of their new building and showcase some of the ways we use their products when dealing with emergencies.

“It is always great to see Norfolk businesses going from strength to strength.”

The team design and manufacturer all products on site and are in the process of extending the facility to invest a further £350,000 into sustainable initiatives.

Plans are also afoot for the new generation vertical helical aerofoil wind turbines on site, setting it even further apart from its competitors and strengthening its reputation as a market leader.

Delta Fire products are used at Luton, Heathrow and Manchester airports for de-icing the runways, at London Fire Service for high rise building fires and at the world’s largest oil refinery Jamnagar in India, with £2m worth of products in operation.

The business, which celebrates its 35th anniversary next year, is run by Ian Gardner, his wife Carol, their daughters Lisa and Joanne and Joanne’s sons Jordon King and Kai Sweeney.

Ian Gardner, CEO of Delta Fire said “I started Delta Fire nearly 35 years ago from a little unit on Rackheath Industrial Estate. We have moved several times, but we now find ourselves privileged to be in this wonderful building, which is state of the art in terms of sustainability, with plans to expand it even further.

“In this building we manufacture firefighting nozzles that extinguish the majority of fires in the UK every single day and we export them around the world too. It’s a tremendous achievement of our team, many of whom have been with us for nearly 30 years.”