Fire safety innovators Coopers Fire look back on 150 years in business as they land on Solent 250

Coopers Fire, the Waterlooville-based inventor of the fire certain, marks 150 years in business this year.

Founded in 1874, the family business is new this year to the Solent 250 – a list of the region’s top privately-owned businesses by annual sales turnover, as compiled by The Business Magazine.

It began life creating custom curtains and blinds and gained a reputation for its attention to detail and quality.

Then in the 1970s, Coopers Fire was challenged by an architect to find a solution for managing hot smoke without compromising a building’s aesthetics.

And so it was that the team developed the world’s first automatic smoke curtain, powered by its patented gravity fail safe system which ensures deployment even in a power failure.

The tech remains a global standard in fire safety to this day.

Among the company’s other industry first include development of the world’s longest fire curtains for the Masjid Al-Haram tunnels in Mecca – spanning 927 metres – as well as the world’s largest concertina fire curtain for St. Nicholas Church in Estonia.

Part of The Lowe & Fletcher Group, Coopers Fire also offers apprenticeship programmes and took part in National Manufacturing Day last September to get more young people interested in fire safety.

The 142-strong business most recently reported turnover of £24.4 million, placing 237th on the Solent 250 ranking – among the likes of energy firm Utilita, theme park operator Merlin and cosmetics retailer Lush.

• coopersfire.com