A British engineering firm that has created an innovative, life-saving system to improve fire safety in homes has scooped a top national award.
Plumis, whose clients include a range of local authorities and housing associations, took gold in the ‘Innovation of the Year’ category at the national finals of the Make UK Manufacturing Awards.
The annual awards recognise the creativity, dedication and resilience of manufacturers that have done exceptional work to provide better solutions to problems.
Judges praised the London-based company for its reinvention of the traditional fire sprinkler and the organisation’s growth through developing solutions to meet the needs of new markets.
Since its formation in 2008, Plumis has developed the fire suppression misting technology Automist as an effective alternative to sprinklers.
Its products are easier and more cost-effective to retrofit, and use less water so are less damaging than conventional sprinkler systems.
The company has grown its business rapidly over the last few years and now has 41 employees.
Make UK judges said: “Plumis is an innovative British engineering company that has shown impressive revenue growth from its life-saving product, and their customer base looks set to expand. They deserve the greatest of praise for the progress they’re making.”
William Makant, CEO and Co-Founder of Plumis, said: “Winning this national award is a testament to our team’s hard work and commitment to taking a fresh approach to addressing the challenges of keeping people safe from fire in their homes.
“We formed Plumis with the aim of creating a more effective alternative to traditional fire sprinkler systems and we will continue to innovate as we evolve our products further.”
Jim Davison, Region Director for Make UK in the South, said: “I must congratulate Plumis on winning this award for the significant, innovative steps that they’ve made. It’s clear they’ve prioritised research and development, and they are now seeing the benefits. Organisations like Plumis really are trailblazers for the sector and I hope other manufacturers take a leaf out of their book.”
The Make UK award was sponsored by High Value Manufacturing Catapult, a group of UK manufacturing research centres.
Dick Elsy CBE, the sponsor’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are proud to sponsor these awards, to recognise the achievements of extraordinary innovators such as Plumis.
“Companies that grasp the innovation opportunity are among the most competitive and productive in global markets. That’s why innovation is the lifeblood of the UK economy, with HVM Catapult driving growth and success in the manufacturing sector.”
Plumis has previously won numerous awards, including the Red Dot Design Award and the Queen’s Award for Enterprise: Innovation.
