Halton Wales

Pontypool-based Halton Wales, which employs 72 people, is a world leading designer and manufacturer of fire and blast protection and ventilation systems for the nuclear, tunnel and energy industries. The company’s products are used to ensure the containment of smoke, fire, toxic gases and blast waves in accidental conditions via the ventilation system.

Established in 1981 as Flamgard Calidair, the company originally enjoyed plenty of domestic success, but it wasn’t until the mid-80s that Flamgard began trading overseas. Its export journey started after it impressed a number of multinational companies that it had been working with on UK-based projects in the North Sea, leading to them choosing to use Flamgard for their subsequent international projects. Flamgard’s export arm has continued to grow ever since.   

Last year, the company was acquired by indoor air technology business, Halton Group, becoming Halton Wales. The move has opened up an array of new markets and export opportunities as Flamgard benefits from Halton’s preexisting global network of sales partners. 

Nowadays, international sales make up around 90 per cent of Halton Wales’ trade with the company currently exporting its products to more than 10 countries across the EU, Australia, US, South America and South East Asia. It boasts contracts with leading industry names including EDF, Chevron, ExxonMobil, Shell, BP, Siemens and Rolls Royce.

Halton Wales has worked on a number of high-profile international schemes. Notably, it played a key role in the long-term operation to make the site of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster safe, providing fire and shut off dampers for the New Safe Confinement dome at the site. The firm also supplied products for the ambitious Riyadh metro system in Saudi Arabia, which at the time was the world’s largest infrastructure project.

Closer to home, Halton Wales is currently working on the UK’s flagship Hinkley Point C nuclear project in Somerset, designing and testing next generation safety critical ventilation dampers, and was also involved in Thames Tideway’s £4.1bn super sewer project in Central London - the company’s main focus being to work on projects which are solutions toward decarbonisation and sustainability.

Over the last four years, Halton Wales has seen its turnover double to over £8m as a result of its export strategy and is now hoping to double it again by 2030 by placing a drive on export projects in North America and the Middle East. The US is a key growth market for the firm, and it is set to open a dedicated US base in South Carolina later this year due to the demand it is experiencing in the region. As well as helping to grow the business over the last two decades, Halton Wales sees exports as being crucial to its resilience during challenging times, helping it to diversify its markets.

Halton Wales credits much of the success it has experienced overseas to support from the Welsh Government. The company has attended multiple international trade missions and exhibitions organised by the Welsh Government, including visits to Abu Dhabi, Texas, Tokyo and Paris, which have enabled it to connect with companies in those regions and ultimately secure a number of contracts including work with Siemens and EDF. The business has also received support to conduct market research to identify potential business opportunities abroad, as well as funding to assist with research and development.

Shuresh Maran, Segment Director, said: “By exporting to multiple locations with a good geographical and sectoral spread, we have ensured that we are not wholly dependent on just one marketplace. This has been crucial in ensuring our resilience throughout challenges to the oil and gas sector, as well as wider economic challenges over the last few years.

“Support from the Welsh Government has been vital in our international expansion, enabling us to attend invaluable trade missions that we would not otherwise have been able to attend ourselves due to limited travel budgets. They have also assisted us with crucial market research to understand what sectors and regions we could potentially work with, while funding assistance has helped us with R&D to enable us to innovate and meet project requirements. 

“I would urge any company who is thinking about exporting to get in touch with them. They have a wealth of expert export advisors who can help get your company and products onto the global stage.”

For more information on Halton Wales, visit: https://flamgard.halton.com/