The Fire Industry Association has published the sixth Market Conditions Review, an independent examination of the fire protection market…
The last six months of the fire protection market has been analysed in the latest Market Conditions Review.
The review, published by the Fire Industry Association (FIA), is the sixth. It is a snapshot of the fire protection market over the past six months when compared to the previous period.
The analysis comprises of a survey of FIA members and non-member companies across the UK. The FIA promotes professional standards in the UK fire safety industry.
The summary of the review stated: “The survey report does show some positive changes, one of the main ones being sales enquiries are on the increase. Much of this increase is seen “Up North”, specifically the North East and North West regions, with the South East seeing less of an increase for the first time for some time.
“However the conversion from enquiry to order remains static and is evenly spread between public and private sectors. There is a slight increase in the recruitment of skilled labour but no change in the hiring of apprentices. Training requirements have not changed and there is no perceived change to occur in the next 6 months.
“One subject that has increased in the last 6 month is the requirement for Third Party Certification from tenders which we at the FIA believe in strongly to raise the bar of the professionalism in our industry.”
Among the findings from the review were a five per cent increase in the number of enquires received by companies that participated in the review.
Around 60 per cent of respondents said they saw a slight increase in orders when compared with the data from the previous six month period.
Additionally, there was a slight increase in the number of skilled workers in the sector. Some 40 per cent of companies said they had recruited skilled labour in the last six months on a small scale. Only five per cent reported losing skilled labours.
FIA’s CEO Ian Moore said: “Looking at the survey as a whole, and seeing so many factors remain the same as six months ago, indicates a clear period of stability.
“Given the erratic economy over the last few years, maybe this is what we have needed so companies finally feel there is not another cliff-fall around the corner.
“That being said, it is hard to ignore the much debated Brexit situation which will affect all (not just the companies that export). Whichever way it goes, there will be changes and let us hope they are mostly positive”.
The FIA’s Market Conditions Review can be downloaded for free from www.fia.uk.com
