About us
What we do, who we are.
Our mission: To supply, test, repair and service the hose and equipment that keeps firefighters safe and ensure that quality, not price, is our watchword.
Fire Hosetech manufactures and supplies a wide range of Fire Fighting Equipment and services across the UK and to over 30 countries around the world. Layflat testing and repair are at the heart of our business, and we have operated for over 25 years across a wide range of market sectors. These include Aerospace, Airports, Petrochemical Manufacturing and Processing, Fire & Rescue Authorities and associated Emergency Services, Military Facilities, Major Infrastructure Projects, Power Generation, Harbours and Ports and the Nuclear Industry.
Our focus has always been on customer service, and our commitment to both stock and service means that we can react quickly to customer’s needs and requirements, whether that is for hose testing and repair or for equipment supply.
Our History
Fire Hosetech was started in April 1991 by Derek Coultherd following almost 20 years at Angus Fire Armour – as it then was. Specialising in hose repairs and equipment servicing from the very beginning, it has steadily grown over the years becoming the leading hose testing and repair service used by the UK’s professional firefighters and being appointed as Angus Fire’s “official hose repair partner” when they moved away from that sector of the market.
Joined by his son Barry in 2002, the expansion of the business started in earnest from this date. Barry put his experience gained at Rolls Royce’s aero engine factory in Barnoldswick to good use helping to improve testing techniques as well as starting to develop the hardware testing side of the business.
Using their expertise in the industry and their excellent contacts they began helping customers to source equipment from all over the UK and Europe. This supply side is now a very significant part of the business.
In 2008 at the time of Derek’s retirement, the opportunity arose to purchase the Stenor Merlin company and production was shifted from Clun to the company HQ in Settle, N. Yorks later the same year. Fire Hosetech manufactures these vulcanising machines and repair patches that enable damaged fire hoses to be returned to full working condition for a fraction of the cost of a new hose. Whilst many customers in the UK prefer to have Fire Hosetech to carry out the actual repairs for them, some still do the work themselves and the technology has been exported to every continent except for Antarctica!
From their start, FHT have constantly sought to expand and grow their business in a controlled and sustainable way and in more recent years established a division to carry out testing and maintenance services on PFD’s, inflatable life jackets and hose inflation kits as well as supplying new equipment if required. They have also forged new relationships with quality service partners, who’s products they are confident in recommending.
Currently, Fire Hosetech employ a total of 12 people and are responsible for the testing and/or repair of somewhere between 60–70% of the hoses being used by the UK’s professional firefighters – both layflat and high pressure hose reel hoses. In addition they test and repair many of the same brigades’ waterway equipment and suction hoses as well supplying a wide range of products from their extensive stock.
In March 2022, Fire Hosetech successfully achieved their ISO9001 accreditation.
This was a huge step forward and a great testament to the hard work and dedication of our small team, who together ensured all criteria were achieved and continue to maintain those standards, having had 2 successful external audits since then. This is something we aim to maintain moving forwards.
Company Values
Quality: Delivering best value to our customers.
Integrity: Upholding the highest standards.
Teamwork: Working together, to meet the needs of our customers.
Customer Commitment: Developing relationships that make a positive difference to our customers.
Service Partners
