Siemens and Videcon New Strategic Partners

Siemens has announced Videcon as a new strategic partner for its Cerberus FIT range of fire detection and alarm products, marking Siemens's first-ever distribution partner for fire in the UK and Ireland.

Cerberus FIT has been designed specifically to provide a cost-effective option for moving from conventional to addressable systems for small to medium-sized applications.

Videcon will now be adding Cerberus FIT to its existing portfolio of fire and security products and services, through its dedicated Fire Safety Division which is headed up by Sales Director Alan Fowlie. Commenting on the new partnership, Alan said – “our customers were increasingly looking for the advantages offered by an addressable system but at an affordable price. I knew Siemens from the work I did before my business became part of Videcon in 2020 and Cerberus FIT offers the ideal solution. It gives us a completely open protocol, engineer-friendly system with the brand values, quality and product quality that you expect from Siemens but at a price-point which is extremely competitive.”

Videcon was formed in 1995 and is currently one of the fastest-growing security and fire distributors in the UK. In addition to its range of products, the company also offers training and after-care service, the latter being one of the prime reasons cited for its extensive growth. Alan continues – “We operate out of a head office in Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, and as a business have always recognised the vital role that reliable service plays in working with our customers. That is another reason why we looked to Siemens as a partner, given their reputation not only for quality in their products but also their commitment to support.”

Rob Yates is Head of Fire Products, Siemens UK&I. He said – “we are delighted to be working with Videcon, having chosen them as a partner because of their clear commitment to training and support. The company’s client base is particularly suited to Cerberus FIT which is an EN54-13 approved system designed with ease of installation and ease of use as its core guiding principles. That ensures it is an ideal option for a range of applications, including retail, leisure centres, warehouses and restaurants – in essence, those facilities that would be considering a conventional or stand-alone addressable system. This is the start of what we see as an exciting co-operation between the two businesses and look forward to taking the offering to the fire safety market in the UK and Ireland.”

Cerberus FIT offers automatic device programming through a programming tool embedded within the panel, with a simple user-interface which requires only basic fire system knowledge. It has been designed to be exceptionally easy and intuitive, both in engineering and in use. It can accommodate up to 252 devices on a one or two-loop system, with Siemens providing freely available online training and self-learning videos covering a range of common topics.