The next stage in the development of Patol as the leading specialist in industrial fire safety equipment and systems has been announced with the appointment of Iain Cumner as Sales Director.
52-year-old Iain joins the business with extensive experience in security, fire and BMS (building management systems). Starting out his career with an apprenticeship in electronics with Marconi, Iain moved into integrated security systems in 1989 with Card Key Systems, one of the first large scale manufacturers of access control systems in the UK. Since then he has worked for companies ranging from Caradon Trend and Control Systems International (CSI) to G4 Technology and Frontline Security.
In his roles, he has been involved in sales, both end-user and through the supply chain, with notable contracts which included blue-chip projects for companies such as Coca-Cola, Lloyds of London, Amazon Web Services, DPD and Motorola. For Motorola, Iain was responsible for a project which saw an integrated solution rolled out through the company’s whole portfolio across18 countries.
Iain joins Patol from Johnson Controls (JCI) where he most recently worked in developing framework agreements with Tier 1 construction companies for the specification of fire, security and building management systems. The focus was on integrated system solutions, with a particular emphasis on data centres and tall buildings.
The timing of the appointment is part of Patol’s commitment to succession planning, with current Sales Director Kelvin Miller retiring from the business later in the year.
Commenting on his appointment, Iain said – “I am delighted to be taking on the position at an exciting time for the company. While the Patol name is well established worldwide, with its linear heat detection cable providing reliable fire detection in many diverse applications, developments in other areas are also raising the profile of the Patol brand. I see particular growth potential in the thermal imaging technology offering from the company. Throughout my career, I have seen the focus on integration increase, with intelligent solutions now developing exponentially through the opportunities afforded by the IoT (Internet of Things) to deliver significant benefits in terms of AI and analytics.”
Kelvin Miller comments – ‘We are delighted to be bringing Iain on board. I will be working closely with him over the coming months to ensure he has a good understanding of the nuts and bolts of the business to enable him to take Patol forward. Given the worldwide nature of our markets, it was important that Iain had the experience of both UK and overseas projects. In addition to prestigious contracts here, he has also worked extensively in Europe and the Middle East. He will be able to build on the momentum we have gained as a business and also identify new opportunities through his particular experience with system integrators.”
For more information, go to www.patol.co.uk
