Since the Advanced Group of Companies’ humble beginnings in 2000, it has grown steadily to become a formidable force in the risk management, risk mitigation and emergency response markets.

The group’s growth is attributed to its founding principles of trust and quality and its three pillars of operation, namely risk management, risk mitigation, and emergency response.

These three pillars have made it the market leader when it comes to total risk management on the African continent. With companies servicing all three pillar segments, the group is well positioned to deliver on its promise of saving lives and protecting assets. 

“When it comes to risk management, risk mitigation and emergency response, we’re the best,” claims Advanced Fire Global COO Westley Barnardt.

“Safety is our number one priority and meeting our clients’ needs is the only seal of approval that counts,” he says.

Comprising several subsidiary companies, the Advanced Group provides a comprehensive range of risk management, risk mitigation and emergency response products and services to the mining, municipal, commercial, hospitality, aeronautical, marine, petrochemical, oil and gas, and industrial sectors across Africa. Each Advanced Group subsidiary company is a market leader in its respective field.

“When it comes to saving lives and protecting assets, Advanced Fire Global is the only choice to meet your risk management, risk mitigation or emergency response needs,” notes Barnardt.

High Stakes Sector

Fire is one of the greatest risks in the mining and construction sectors.  Not only can it lead to major production and asset losses but also to fatalities, something that all companies want to avoid.  

It is crucial to ensure that any work environment is fully covered against the risk of fire.  “This is where you can rely on Advanced Fire Global. With our qualified staff, international certification and best of breed product strategy, we can design systems tailermade to your company’s fire risk needs, giving 

you the peace of mind that your operation is protected against fire risk,” says Barnardt.  

Advanced Fire Global has the capability to support the full range of products it offers, which includes the ANSUL® Vehicle Fire Suppression Systems, fixed suppression systems such as gas, detection and water installations and provide ongoing maintenance.  The company also offers permanent onsite support throughout the African continent.

“Our best of breed product strategy means that we insist on using only the best products on the market, and when it comes to fire suppression, you do not get better than the ANSUL® range.  In collaboration with ANSUL®, we ensure that we offer our clients the latest in fire suppression technology and remain leaders in the industry and when it comes to Vehicle Fire Suppression Systems. 

“We are the leaders in the field with more than 22 years’ experience of installing and maintaining the ANSUL® systems for some of the largest mining companies in the world.”

ANSUL® LVS NF-40 non-fluorinated liquid suppression agent was introduced to help meet the fire protection challenges of today’s vehicles.  This latest innovation delivers a stand-alone liquid agent system technology that delivers extraordinary firefighting performance and exceeds the capabilities of historical systems.  The ANSUL® LVS NF-40 non-fluorinated liquid suppression agent has the additional capability of covering diesel, gasoline and most other flammable fuels to help minimise reflash potential.  

ANSUL® LVS NF-40 non–fluorinated liquid suppression agent is the first to be FM5970-2022 approved.  

The ANSUL® LVS non-fluorinated liquid suppression agent redefines vehicle fire suppression.  It delivers exceptional fire suppression and superior cooling for heavy vehicle protection without using per fluorinated chemicals. 

It is effective against Class A and Class B fires in mobile equipment in the mining, forestry, waste management and transportation industries.  

LVS non-fluorinated agent works by rapidly knocking down flames, then blanketing the fuel and cutting off oxygen and cooling down super-heated surfaces to help prevent reflash.  The LVS installation is used in conjunction with the ANSUL® Check Fire detection system.  By using the Check Fire System, 24-hour protection is available while a 5000-event history log  tracks all events. The system includes the latest – FM5970 HDME (2022) and AS5062 approvals.  

“This is the only system you will ever need when it comes to vehicle fire suppression,” says Barnardt.  

As part of the Advanced Group of Com-panies, Advanced Fire Global can also offer the services of two of the top companies in the fire risk mitigation and fire fighting industries as an added cradle-to-grave service solution.  Industrial Fire & Hazard Control is a specialist risk mitigation company uniquely focussed on fire, rescue, hazmat and disaster management, which form part of the four product and service pillars of the company’s operations.

The mitigation of fire in the mining environment is distinctly different from most other industries and therefore requires a unique approach based on technical knowledge, high performance products and the correct application or implementation strategy.  

Combined, these three legs render the best possibility of controlling and mitigating fires and other relative risks within the mining industry.  

Industrial Fire & Hazard Control offers its clients the full range of products and services: from the initial fire risk assessment through to advanced surface firefighting training; from firefighting and rescue equipment through to firefighting and rescue vehicles; from fire investigations through to fire audits and consultancy; and from firefighting surfactants to annual firefighting foam testing.

There is no area of fire, rescue, hazmat and disaster management that Industrial Fire & Hazard Control, the Home of Imagineering, cannot fulfil as a single source solutions company. 

Meanwhile, Rural Metro Emergency Management Services is the professional solution to Africa’s fire, rescue and emergency service needs. Dedicated to saving lives, Rural Metro provides professional firefighter training, occupational health and safety training; disaster management; fire, rescue and hazmat response services and emergency communications on demand, ad hoc or on a long-term contract basis. Rural Metro’s code of conduct is a pillar in its strategy to offer a dependable service. Both Industrial Fire & Hazard Control and Rural Metro will be exhibiting with Advanced Fire Global at the Mining Indaba at the CTICC from  February 6 to 9, 2023.

The Advanced Group boasts highly qualified staff who we are constantly developing its training programme.  The company strongly believes in empowering people to ensure its footprint remains solid in each country where it has a presence. 

The initiatives to support local communities have been very successful and, in all cases, they have supported local mining houses in their initiatives to uplift the local community.  The Advanced Group prides itself on its loyal and trustworthy staff and always puts its staff and customers first. 

“If you are serious about protecting the lives of your operators as well as the well-being of your equipment, Advanced Fire Global, together with Industrial Fire & Hazard Control and Rural Metro are your number one choice backed by global market leaders, including ANSUL®, for the prevention, detection and suppression of fire on your equipment or in your operation,” comments Barnardt.

Exhibitions and Events

In September 2022, Advanced Fire Global co-exhibited alongside Advanced Fire Suppression Technologies at the Electra Mining Africa exhibition, together with several other member companies within the Advanced Fire Group. 

These included Industrial Fire & Hazard Control, Flameblock, Advanced Lubrication Systems, Irca Global, Medi Response, Rural Metro and Whip Fire. 

The exhibition provided an ideal opportunity to exhibit the whole group, and to showcase the vast array of products and services it can offer the mining and industrial sectors. 

The company anticipates an uptake in demand for its services as operations continue to advance across various sectors. 

HANSA-FLEX Partnership

Additionally, the company also announced a strategic alliance between Advanced Fire Global and hydraulic hose and fittings manufacturer and service provider HANSA-FLEX South/Southern Africa, which will see customers from several industries benefitting from the companies’ African footprint and commitment to customers.

Through the partnership, customers will have access to one solution provider, through which the two companies aim to provide multiple services. This means that customers will have one service agreement, with one company, that ensures all services are attended to. 

The partnership is built on more than 50 years of experience between the two companies.