Business invests £500k in new operational base

Fast-growing Hull-headquartered water mist fire suppression business iMist has made an investment of more than £500,000 to create a new national operational base in Kent.

Founded in 2015, iMist has developed its own range of high-pressure water mist fire suppression systems, specifically for domestic and larger residential properties. Its proprietary solution offers a number of benefits over traditional fire sprinkler and lower pressure water mist products including more efficient use of water, ease of installation and cost effectiveness.

The company, which has had a base in Swanley near Orpington for the last five years, has now moved to a 3,100sq ft unit at Park Road Industrial Estate to accommodate its 17-strong team of designers, service operatives and installation experts. Featuring office space, a training area and warehousing, the new premises will enable iMist to continue to grow with the base in Kent managing installation for projects across the UK.

The move sees the creation of two further jobs as the installation team expands with the Kent operation having made seven new appointments in the last four months.

iMist operations director Alex Pollard comments: “This investment marks another important milestone in the development of the business. As we continue to expand, having a single operational HQ will enable us to speed up installation and hold more stock, bringing down lead times for customers throughout the UK.

“In the current market, we are finding that housing developers and homeowners are demanding innovative solutions to the need for effective fire suppression systems which are easy, quick and cheap to install in both new and existing buildings. With our misting system offering a number of benefits over a traditional sprinkler, including using less water and so being more environmentally-friendly, iMist has huge potential and we are gearing up for further growth.”

The business has seen rapid expansion following a £4.5m investment by private equity firm Foresight Group in January 2021.