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Alien Systems & Technologies: innovating new solutions

Since 1999, from its headquarters in Johannesburg, Alien Systems & Technologies (AST) with its highly skilled work force, has established itself as a major fire engineering manufacturer and supplier across Africa. This has been achieved because of AST's strong foundations in technological leadership. A testimony to this success was the recognition AST received from the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) Design Institute when the company's Pyroshield Total Flooding System won a top award in 2003 for its engineering excellence.

AST was founded out of the need for standards-driven fire engineering solutions as well as a growing reliance on high cost imported products by South African companies. Indeed, the company has found that South African companies are continually looking for South African alternatives that meet the highest of engineering standards.

By seeking to close the gap between cost and quality in the South African fire protection industry, AST has set four key objectives:

1. To continually set the benchmark in delivering quality, value added products and solutions.

2. To continually build and increase customer loyalty.

3. To be vigilant in providing long term, environmentally friendly solutions to customers.

4. To always look to grow the company.

Key facets in meeting these objectives, AST has adopted the following strategy:

* Investing in new technologies that put the company at the forefront of innovative fire engineering solutions.

* Operating with discipline and focus throughout the company to ensure that the appropriate resources are committed to each business undertaking.

* Enhancing the culture of excellence that enables the firm to achieve superior results.

* To handle all internal and external business dealings with the highest of integrity.

Our products, providing proven success to customers

In providing innovative precise engineered products to customers, AST successfully implemented an internal quality system that is ISO 9001 accredited by the British Standards Institute (BSI). AST became certified ISO 9001 in August 2001 and has since upgraded its quality system to the more rigorous ISO 9001:2000 standard in June 2004. By maintaining a self-check system, the company is confident on delivering high quality products that exceed customer expectations.

AST's key product areas include:

1. Gaseous fire protection.

2. In-cabinet fire protection.

3. Electronic accessories.

Gaseous fire protection

Pyroshield is AST's flagship product in the Gaseous Clean Agent fire protection market. It was first available to customers in 2000, and has since grown to be the number one choice in the protection of high value assets among end-users. This is because of Pyroshield's technical superiority and cost friendliness as well as its full system approvals from Bureau Veritas (land) and SAMSA (marine).

Pyroshield has diverse applications, protecting server rooms that control key communication and financial activities, archive rooms that hold critical information, electricity supply components and switching centres.

Crucially one of the philosophies behind Pyroshield is that it must be a product that can never be phased out, unlike the halogenic gases. Pyroshield's gas mix includes 50% nitrogen and 50% argon which are two gases that we breathe every day. In other words, it is environmentally and human friendly that meets all the criteria set out in the Montreal and Kyoto protocols. All Pyroshield designs meet SANS 14520 parts 1 and 14 for Clean Agent Gases.

As mentioned earlier, AST's Pyroshield Fire Protection System was recognised for its engineered design by the SABS Design Institute (Engineering) in 2003, a proud moment in the company's history.

CO₂ offers customers choice for an alternative to Pyroshield. The company's CO₂ system's key focus is to offer a low-cost solution for unmanned areas. In addition, it enhances AST's ability to respond to a vast range of solutions such as key local applications like printing machines and other important production components. All the company's CO₂ designs meet SANS 306-4 (an adoption of BS 5306-4).

Both Pyroshield and CO₂ systems can be operated by an automatic 'double-knock' detection system as well as manually.

In-cabinet fire protection

Pyrogen aerosol extinguishing system, with its unique extinguishing action developed from solid rocket fuel is a proven method for autonomous in-cabinet protection. It is an inert, non-toxic solid that remains stable until it is electrically or thermally activated, whereupon it produces fire-extinguishing products.

These micrometer-sized particle products comprised mainly of potassium carbonates and a gaseous mixture of CO₂, nitrogen and water vapour, blend together to form a fire extinguishing aerosol that is released into the protected volume and eliminates fire within seconds. The hot aerosol propels itself through a hot solid coolant, which decomposes as it absorbs any amount of heat, thereby ensuring a safe discharge and uniform distribution of the aerosol.

One of Pyrogen's key applications is to protect switch gear cabinets within substations. However, Pyrogen is suitable for a wide range of applications since it is suitable for all classes of fire. From combustible solids, flammable liquids and flammable gases to electrically energised fires and fires caused by fats and cooking oils, no flame can withstand the effects of Pyrogen.

In South Africa, Pyrogen's biggest customers are the mining and steel companies, and clients include AngloGold Ashanti and Anglo Platinum. In fact, AngloGold's electrical manager, Bernard Robinson says, "I hereby wish to endorse the Pyrogen fire suppressant canister system, as used on AngloGold mines for application in electrical switchgear and cabinets. We believe that this product, risk assessed by the International Risk Consultants Association for Marsh (SA), is a step forward in substantially reducing risk exposure in high safety and production risk environments."

Again, as part of AST's key objectives, Pyrogen is non-toxic and environmentally friendly and is certified by the Scientific Services Laboratory Australia (SSL).

To purchase this product, one must contact Pyrogen Africa, who independently operate the marketing and sales of Pyrogen.

Electronic accessories

AST supplies the following electronic products:

* Conventional control panels and gas control units.

* The Superbell - low profile alarm bell.

* The ASTounder - low profile sounder.

* Hart XL - high sensitivity smoke detection.

The above products serve to enhance AST's end-to-end supply in the electronic product market. AST is also set to expand its electronic product range in the future with a substantial investment in plastic injection moulding machines and computerised pick-and-place machines.

Our services, creating value for customers

Room integrity testing

AST recognises engineering standards, and so sought to provide the key service of room integrity testing.

Some might ask, "What is room integrity testing?"

Room integrity testing is a vital service that tests a protected structure's gaseous leakage. After the installation of any total gaseous extinguishing system, engineering standards like SANS 14520 and SANS 306-4 dictate that the gaseous extinguishing agent remain in the room for a prescribed period of time to ensure that a fire does not re-ignite.

The only true scientific way to validate the hold time of an extinguishing agent in a particular room is to perform room integrity testing. Subsequently, AST invested in, and operates, one of the most advanced integrity test equipment sets in the world.

Education and training

AST's doors are always open to provide education and training to individuals, companies and organisations on the latest Fire Engineering Standards. In the past, AST has offered its expertise in writing courses and lecturing on behalf of the Fire Protection Association and Fire Detection Installers Association on CO₂ Gaseous Extinguishing systems and Fire Detection standards respectively.

Social responsibility, creating a sustainable future

AST is a 'Proudly South African' company that takes its social responsibility seriously. Currently, AST is nurturing important relationships with all stakeholders in South African Fire Engineering to foster a sustainable industry. The company is offering its technical services to SABS to aid in the generation of standards, to the Engineering Council of South Africa in formalising sector education and to its own customers on training for all of its products. AST intends to help the development of high quality professionals to see the fire industry well into the future.

Recognising one of the key strategies for a sustainable future in South Africa, AST is a registered 'Previously Disadvantaged Individual' company with the Department of Trade and Industries. AST intends to play a part in developing and expanding South Africa's formal economy and to continually empower this country well into the future.

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