Bristol Uniforms, together with Elis and Total Safety, has won an eight-year lease contract to supply 4500 sets of FireFlex garments to the Generalitat de Catalunya (Government of Catalonia, Spain).
FireFlex, which was specifically designed and developed to suit the requirements of the contract, combines Bristol’s popular Ergotech Action (called Firelite in Spain) and XFlex ranges. It has been designed with comfort and manoeuvrability in mind and was selected for its ergonomic, lightweight and stylish qualities.
Bristol Uniforms, Elis and Total Safety worked closely with Generalitat de Catalunya over a 12-month period to establish exactly what was required and obtain a full understanding of their needs before putting forward the most appropriate solution for testing.
Extensive field trials were held in which FireFlex, with a gold PBI matrix outer layer, Goretex Airlock moisture barrier and Nomex Delta C thermal liner, emerged as a firm favourite, scoring 43% more than the closest competitor. This successful combination, which also includes an integrated safety harness built into the trouser, will now be manufactured and delivered to Generalitat de Catalunya early next year.
Robert Gomez from Generalitat de Catalunya said: “30 carefully selected firefighters tested 18 unbranded suits during July – one of the hottest months of the year. Eleven real-life scenarios were recreated, with suits one and two clearly coming out on top. Both were from Bristol’s FireFlex range, similar in design with different integrated harnesses. They stood out because they were ergonomic and comfortable to wear – primarily as a result of their pre-formed design and high breathability.
“The health and safety of our firefighters is of the utmost importance so we have opted for a care and maintenance contract to ensure that the kit is kept in good condition and meets the required standards.”
Roger Startin, Joint Managing Director of Bristol Uniforms said: “We are all delighted to have won this very important contract with Generalitat de Catalunya. It will be managed by Elis, we will supply the garments, and Total Safety Clean will handle their care and maintenance. We worked very closely with them to provide a lightweight, ergonomic and stylish solution that met their everyday needs. What was also very encouraging for us is how well we fared in the trials compared to our competitors.”
Eric Griso Managing Director of Total Safety said: “Catalunya has the biggest fire brigade in Spain with 4500 firefighters in 145 fire stations. When it goes live we will be on hand to collect their firefighting garments up to 300km away, clean, repair and return them within 72 hours. We are proud to have won this eight-year lease contract– our biggest for 10 years – and are delighted there is the option to extend it for a further four years.”
For further information about Bristol Uniforms and its extensive range of garments go to www.bristoluniforms.com.