Industry research
Scope
Europe
Companies
71
Table of contents
Report collaborator:
Pontus Löfquist and Jake Maughan, Partner and Associate Partner respectively at OC&C Strategy Consultants, provided expert insights for this report. Read the full interview here.
What does the fire safety equipment market landscape look like in Europe?
The European market has a fragmented nature, with larger generalists (e.g. Minimax Viking Group) facing a wide range of niche specialists. The European incumbents face pressure from large-scale US and Asian industrial groups active across all segments (e.g. Johnson Controls and Hochiki Corporation). Within Europe, further market consolidation is expected, particularly driven by segment leaders, to acquire technological capabilities, expand product and service portfolios, gain international market access and increase proximity to customers for adjacent services (e.g. installation, maintenance).
What is the level of investor activity in Europe's fire safety equipment industry?
Sponsor-led interest has been significant with ~50% of identified assets being backed by financial sponsors (October 2025). This interest is mainly driven by the favourable regulatory landscape and long-term customer relationships, enabling clear sales visibility. On the other hand, stagnant EU construction output, as well as competition from low-cost Asian producers and large US consolidators represent headwinds for investors.
What are the key ESG considerations in Europe's fire safety equipment industry?
ESG topics primarily relate to environmental and social issues. Here, fire safety equipment plays an essential role in preventing and minimising ecological and social damage during fire accidents. By default, fire safety products reduce (potential) CO2 outputs caused by fires and subsequent restoration works. Furthermore, incumbents adapt their products to current legislation on banned chemicals and develop systems that make the operations of customers more environmental-friendly. On the social front, players are responsible to ensure the safety of people when dealing with fire outbreaks. As such, manufacturers commit to product quality by means of stringent product testing with proven certification from regulatory bodies.
The global market for fire suppression equipment and consumables was valued at ~$24.8bn in 2024, registering a CAGR of ~5.7% since 2019 (Statista, March 2023)
Industry experts expect the UK fire inspection & maintenance services market to grow at ~4-5% per year in the coming years (OC&C expert interview)
Strict EU regulations continue to raise compliance requirements among customers, thereby supporting the resilient and non-discretionary demand for fire protection products in the long term (Lincoln International, October 2024; PE Hub, March 2025)
Digitalisation and transition towards intelligent fire safety. The increasing adoption of IoT and integration with other intelligent building systems will create high-margin sales opportunities for manufacturers of fire suppression and detection systems (interview by Gain.pro; International Fire Protection, June 2024; PE Hub, March 2025)
Rising living standards are set to expand the global addressable market. With more risk-aversion and growing value attributed to human life, emerging and developing economies with limited existing infrastructure will face higher demand for fire equipment (interview by Gain.pro)
Future demand uncertainty from the European construction sector slowdown. As new construction represents a large share of fire safety equipment sales, a reduction in new projects triggered by a stagnant EU construction sector will inevitably put pressure on the industry’s growth (OC&C expert interview; ING Group, August 2025)
Threats from low-cost providers. Such businesses can undercut identified peers for prolonged periods without reputational damage, especially in regions with more relaxed regulations, as the product quality of safety equipment is rarely put to test in a real-life scenario (interview by Gain.pro)
Pressure from global generalist consolidators. In particular, large US players with adjacent security capabilities possess superior R&D capacity and are better positioned to execute M&A deals, thereby limiting value creation opportunities for identified mid-market European players (interview by Gain.pro; i-unit group, May 2022)
With the full report, you’ll gain access to:
Detailed assessments of the market outlook
Insights from c-suite industry executives
A clear overview of all active investors in the industry
An in-depth look into 71 private companies, incl. financials, ownership details and more.
A view on all 259 deals in the industry
ESG assessments with highlighted ESG outperformers
