NEWS
Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen ( right ) with TFS directors David ( left ) and Kevin Hynes .
THE SKY ’ S
WORDS : MICHAEL MCGEARY PICTURE : CHRIS BOOTH
THE LIMIT
The founder and managing director of leading Tees Valley ’ s fire safety and security specialists TFS is going out on a high after securing a prestigious contract at Teesside International Airport .
Kevin Hynes , who set up Middlesbrough-based TFS from a spare bedroom in 1994 , is retiring and handing over the reins to son David , knowing the firm is in safe hands and in better shape than ever .
TFS now employs 45 staff and has established itself as the first name organisations including schools , hospitals and local authorities turn to for the design , installation , commission and maintenance of their fire detection , emergency lighting , CCTV and security systems .
And while there has been a string of high-profile contract wins in recent months , the airport deal is especially pleasing for proud Teessider Kevin .
“ When you look around and see the work already under way and hear about their plans for the future , it ’ s incredibly exciting ,” he says .
David , who will move up from operations manager to MD , adds : “ It ’ s great to be involved in a project that ’ s central to the future of Tees Valley region .
“ The expertise we have , including sales director Tony Cooney and senior engineer Andy Barnes , who commissioned the original system , has helped secure the contract into local hands , having previously been held by a national supplier .
“ The airport is also engaging with us to ensure compliance to the current standards and regulations of their systems and we ’ re delighted to play a part in what ’ s happening here .”
TFS works closely with most hospitals across the Tees Valley and beyond and is currently supplying and commissioning more than 6,000 new LED emergency lights in a system that will reduce carbon emissions and maintenance costs across the James Cook University Hospital site .
It will shortly begin working on new fire alarm , intruder alarm , CCTV and access control systems at Whitby Hospital and upgrading the fire alarm and emergency lighting system at the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton .
And David is delighted to have won a first-ever contract with Darlington Council on the town hall – an achievement his dad never managed . The project will be a full upgrade of the fire alarm system , with the addition of a voice evacuation system .
The contract follows on from completing similar work for Middlesbrough , Thornaby and
Thriving TFS secures prestigious airport contract
Hartlepool town halls . TFS has also added North Star Housing to their impressive client list , providing fire and security system maintenance at more than 150 sites throughout the North-East . This contract will see the recruitment of two full-time maintenance engineers and an addition to the TFS administration team .
Kevin , who will still be on hand to give technical advice and the benefit of his experience when needed , is pleased that TFS is also adding to its portfolio of services all the time .
“ We ’ ve started offering regular firedoor maintenance , which you must have under new legislation brought in after the Grenfell fire ,” he says .
“ We ’ re also able to install and commission automatic opening vent systems ( AOVs ), which extract smoke and hot gases and assist safe evacuation and can assist firefighters to come in and do their job .
As TFS continues to grow , so does its workforce , and David and Kevin are delighted to have also welcomed sales engineer Dave Shaw , who has brought with him a wealth of experience including more than 20 years at national companies Gent Honeywell and Protec .
TFS , which is based at Drake Court , Riverside Park , expects to recruit further staff in the coming months to meet the unprecedented demand for its services .
For more information on TFS , call 01642 800006 , email david . hynes @ teesfire . co . uk or visit teesfire . co . uk .
36 | Tees Business