International managing director Julian Williams has been appointed as CEO of iMist, the fast-growing Hull-headquartered water mist fire suppression business. Following a £4.5m investment by private equity firm Foresight Group a year ago, the business has seen rapid growth with demand for its innovative high-pressure water mist fire suppression systems growing post-Grenfell as local authorities, developers and property professionals have sought new active fire suppression solutions. Founded in 2015, the iMist range has been designed specifically for domestic and larger residential properties and offers a number of benefits over traditional fire sprinkler products including more efficient use of water as it uses 80% less, ease of installation as it runs off the mains and cost effectiveness as it does not require a tank. With 35 years’ experience across a number of senior commercial roles, Julian specialises in driving dynamic growth in all sizes of organisations from fledgling SMEs to blue chip multinationals. He has worked in a diverse range of sectors including property services, consumer durables, retail and strategy consulting. As well as having a solid grounding in sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing, latterly Julian has focused on the digital space and the application of technology to make companies more productive and more effective in connecting with customers.  Julian further strengthens the iMist board following the appointment of former CEO of Kier Group, Haydn Mursell, as chair last March. He comments: “With his broad management skills, passion for developing talent and impressive track record of growing businesses, Julian is exactly what we need at this exciting point in iMist’s development. As the company scales up, he will also help to put in place the processes and systems as well as the experienced people we require to ensure a smooth transition. “Over the last year, with the backing of Foresight Group, we have seen the business continue to grow as fire suppression has remained high on the public agenda. As well as seeing increasing numbers of public and private sector specifiers here in the UK recognising the benefits of fire mist systems and turning to iMist’s unique range, we also have ambitious plans to explore overseas opportunities and Julian’s international experience will be invaluable.”  Julian adds: “As a PE-backed business with a good, solid funding base, iMist is in a fantastic position to realise its growth potential. Having developed its own proprietary misting system, the company’s mission is about saving people, saving property and saving water and I am proud to be part of that cause. Tony Sims, engineering expert and founder of iMist, will continue to lead the company’s investment in R&D and he comments:  “With our strong focus on R&D, iMist has developed an outstanding product which we believe can become the market leader in its field. We see Julian as someone who can help the organisation develop and lead iMist to the next level on its growth journey.”

The high-pressure water mist fire suppression system designed and manufactured by Yorkshire-based iMist has been awarded LABSS Registered Details certification, making it the only water mist system for domestic and residential projects to hold this prestigious certification. The LABSS Registered Details certification covers all of the components in iMist’s STX12 proprietary high pressure water mist system which includes its STN12 nozzle type. This means that individual projects in Scotland that use the iMist system will not require a project specific in-depth review by Building Standards as the LABSS certificate attests that it has already been assessed and approved for suitability. The certification followed a near year-long comprehensive review of the iMist system with thorough examination of its system design, installation, operation and maintenance manual, including assessing safety in case of fire; safety in use and durability serviceability and identification. Going forward, an annual review process will be carried out before the LABSS certificate is renewed. “With the tightening of regulations post-Grenfell, every fire suppression system should, rightly, undergo a robust review.  As water mist systems are a relatively new alternative to traditional sprinkler systems, the authorities in Scotland wanted to understand exactly how the iMist system works and undertook a detailed assessment covering all aspects of the system,” explains Timothy Andrews, iMist business development director. “We have been able to evidence the efficacy of our system which is designed to suppress a fire by automatically discharging very small droplets into the air at high pressure. This fine mist remains in the air, displaces oxygen from the seat of the fire, has a cooling effect and provides surface wetting to limit the fire spread. “LABSS Registered Detail certification means that anyone choosing an iMist system for domestic or most residential projects should be able to fast-track their scheme as the Scottish Government’s Building Standards Divisions (BSD) now has the confidence that the iMist system has passed a thorough assessment.” Use of the LABSS registration negates the need to consult with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) under Section 11 of The Building (Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (as amended).  A verifier may still wish to consult with SFRS under Section 10 of the legislation. Alex Pollard, operations director of the fast-growing Hull headquartered business, adds: “Having had an office near Sterling for a number of years, we already have a presence in Scotland and expect the award of the LABSS certificate to turbocharge our business here, creating new jobs for engineers as we expand our operation. “As a business at the forefront of developing new fire suppressant solutions, we are proud to be awarded the LABSS accreditation, alongside our existing LABC certification in England, both of which give people the peace of mind of knowing that the iMist system has been thoroughly tried, tested and approved by the relevant regulatory bodies.”