Tyco Safety Products Christchurch To Expand R Operations
Christchurch ( October 21, 2003) - Leading fire detection solutions company Tyco Safety Products Christchurch, a
business segment of the world’s largest fire protection company, Tyco International’s Fire & Security segment, has announced it will expand its Research and Development division in New Zealand.
The expansion will see Tyco Safety Products Christchurch double the size of its R operations and become an integral part of Tyco Safety Products’ worldwide R design team.
Clive Weston, general manager of Tyco Safety Products’ Fire Detection Strategic Business Unit, said the expansion of the
Christchurch facility is a testament to the world-class technical skills and multi-disciplined approach of the company’s
existing operations in Christchurch.
“We have thoroughly researched this decision and we are confident that Tyco Safety Products Christchurch is globally
cost-effective, and is capable of the first-class performance we require as part of our global research and development
capability,” Mr Weston said.
The decision to expand means Tyco Safety Products Christchurch will now be involved with research and development on a
worldwide basis for a range of fire products including alarm monitoring systems, detection systems and evacuation
systems.
“Our Christchurch division has a proud history of developing and commercialising innovative fire detection products in
this region, and the decision to include the business unit in our worldwide R team will take that expertise to the world,” Mr Weston said.
The expansion will see Tyco Safety Products Christchurch expand its expert staff significantly, including employing
senior professional people as electronic engineers, software engineers and electronic technicians.
Some products developed by Tyco Safety Products Christchurch will also be manufactured in Christchurch at an existing
manufacturing facility that is also part of the Tyco Safety Products group.
“We have a world-class manufacturing facility in Christchurch and the expansion of our Research and Development facility
here will allow us to further utilise that,” Mr Weston said.
Richard Cree, R Manager for Tyco Safety Products Christchurch, said the investment by Tyco in Christchurch is great vote of confidence
in the expertise of the New Zealand operation.
“We have worked hard to set the highest possible standards in our operations here, and that hard work has paid off with
today’s decision,” Mr Cree said.
The history of Tyco Safety Products Christchurch can be traced back to the launch of the Vigilant Alarm Company in
Christchurch in 1914. The modern electric fire alarm is essentially based on the early work and innovation of that
company.
For the past 75 years the company has been working on evolutionary improvement of fire alarm technology for New Zealand
and Australian customers, and the expansion will put that expertise on a world stage.
Vigilant became part of the Wormald Group in 1961, and subsequently this became part of the global Tyco group.
“The innovation strategy of the company is very much to develop new, market-linked products while driving the costs out
of those products,” Mr Weston said. “We are confident our new Research and Development team in Christchurch will achieve
this,” he said.