Halma acquires US fire detection and suppression business

The safety, health and environmental technology group announced on Tuesday it will purchase the Arizona-based company from private shareholders.

Firetrace designs and manufactures automatic fire detection and suppression systems for small enclosed areas.

In 2014, it reported revenue of $49.2m (£32.6m) and profit before tax of $18.1m (£12.0m) largely due to a large contract worth $20m.

Halma chief executive Andrew Williams said the acquisition will extend Halma's product offering within the fire protection industry.

“This transaction also demonstrates our ability to continue to find and acquire high quality businesses, with complementary technologies, operating within our existing market sectors."