| FIRE
FIGHTING EQUIPMENT
Chennaibest.com speaks to M.S. Sriram, Assistant
Divisional Manager, Minimax, on the fire fighting equipment
industry in Chennai.
Who are the major players in Chennai, in this
line of business?
 Other
than Minimax the major players are Safex, Vijay Fires, Real Value
and Usha Fire & Safety. Though Usha is only into
servicing, they have a significant presence. Among these, Minimax
is the only company which has its manufacturing facility in Chennai.
Most others are Mumbai-based, but they do have their branches here.
Which sectors are the end-users?
We have both domestic and industrial users. The industrial segment
comprises:
The Oil Sector - Refineries.
Software Industry
Commercial and Banking Sector
Hotel Industry
What are the product classifications?
Different ranges of extinguishers (for domestic, industrial and
commercial use)
Fire fighting accessories like valves, couplings, gauges Pumps
Fire tenders
How does one select a particular product for
his or her fire safety needs?
Again it depends on the end-user. For the home user, the ABC Stored-Pressure
Extinguisher is most suitable, as it is handy, easy-to-use, with
a compact design. Even commercial users find it most attractive,
as it is effective on all kinds of fire and design-wise it looks
better than the traditional extinguishers.The traditional ones are
specific purpose extinguishers for different classes of fire. The
various classes being A,B,C and D (Click
here for more on Classes of Fires). The industrial users therefore,
go in for specific purpose traditional fire-extinguishers. Another
reason for this is the need for high storage capacity extinguishers.
Is Minimax still continuing with On Guard?
No, we have stopped manufacturing On Guard, as there were some
basic technical flaws in the product.
What about Ceasefire from Realvalue?
 Even
Realvalue has stopped Ceasefire, as it was found that the Aluminium
Can used for this purpose is not suitable for fire-extinguishers.
As extinguishers are not frequent use products, we found that over
a period of time, the can becomes porous and the gas leaks out.
The extinguisher becomes ineffective when it is actually called
for usage. All manufacturers have gone back to Mild Steel cylinders.
The main reason for this is non-availability of good quality aluminium.
Most companies abroad use aluminium cans as they have access to
good quality aluminium. Once we start getting quality stuff, we
will go back to aluminium cylinders.
Is there any concept of branding in these
products?
Branding is limited. Few people come asking for a particular company's
product. To capture market share, a company has to offer a range
of different products, ready availability, shorter delivery periods,
good after-sales services and most important - the product should
have statutory approval.
Do you have any quality norms to follow?
All of our products follow the regulations given by the Bureau
of Indian Standards (BIS). They have the standard ISI
mark. There are other regulations that we follow but as you know
without ISI, you can't sell in India, particularly for a safety
product like this.
 Do
you have any manuals that go along with the product that give specific
instruction on how to use the extinguisher?
There are no separate manuals for this, as it is mandatory to carry
the instructions on the extinguisher itself. We have to print the
usage instruction on the cylinder itself.
Which are the agencies that govern the fire
and safety norms for companies like yours?
We have to adhere to guidelines laid down by the Tariff Advisory
Committee, Insurance Agencies and the Bureau of Indian Standards.
How aware are people about fire safety. Do
you conduct any awareness campaigns?
Certainly people are much more aware today, than they were say
5-6 years ago. But much is still desired in this area. We conduct
awareness programmes and fire drills for industrial users. Also
things like incidence of fire create awareness and the need for
safety.
What are the allied industries that complement
the fire fighting industry?
Mainly the Chemical and Steel industries.
How big is the fire-extinguishers market in
Chennai and what is the percentage of growth?
Its a one and a half crore market, and the growth rate is 5 to
7 %.
Who are the end-users for the fire tenders?
What is the kind of support they provide?
 Major
public sectors like the oil industry, port trust, thermal stations,
fire stations, chemical industries etc. Only large industries go
in for dedicated fire tenders. The fire tenders supplement the water
line system. It can be of assistance for 3 to 5 minutes till external
sources of other fire-fighting assistance come in.
What is the average storage capacity?
The storage capacity is anywhere between 3000 to 9000 litres. It
depends upon the chassis size. The fire tender is additionally equipped
to carry accessories such as Public Address System (optional), storage
lockers for storage of hose lengths, branchpipes and other equipment.
How are the design elements worked out?
The design is basically determined by the buyer, he gives the parameters.
Our R&D team arrives at the design based on the specs. Depending
on use, it can have water or foam.
What is the approximate height the fire tenders
are equipped to reach?
Throw is about 60 metres. The hose can deliver upto 60 metres,
covering about 8 to 10 floors.
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12:05:59 AM 
