Invensys Controls Invests $6.7 Million in Its FireX® and Monox®  Brands

Invensys Controls Invests $6.7 Million in Its FireX® and Monox®  Brands

Invensys Controls today announced a rededication to one of its core businesses - the Safety Segment that manufactures FireX®  smoke and heat alarms, and Monox®  carbon monoxide and combination smoke/CO alarms. By infusing it with a $6.7 million investment that provides funds for capital improvements, a sizeable build-up of inventory, and a doubling of their engineering staff, the Safety Segment will be transformed into a world-class distribution business, with a goal of 100 percent on-time delivery within 48 hours. "Our new structure allows us to expand our customer service and delivery capabilities, and reaffirm our commitment to superior quality," said Kathy Ellington, General Manager for Safety Products.

Of the $6.7 million invested in the FireX®  and Monox®  product lines, $3.2 million has been committed to capital improvements at both the Chihuahua, Mexico manufacturing plant and Plain City, Ohio engineering center. Additional equipment and tooling in the Chihuahua plant will create a 57 percent increase in capacity. The improvements to the Monox®  product line have already resulted in a capacity increase of 18 percent. During the third quarter, additional improvements will produce a net capacity increase of 43 percent during this fiscal year.

On the Research and Development side, capital funds have been allocated to build a fire room in the Plain City, Ohio engineering centre that will shorten product development-to-market time by enabling the engineers to conduct on-site testing in order to enhance the product design and support its compliance with the Underwriters Laboratories requirements prior to submitting it to UL. In addition, Invensys has committed $1 million for the purpose of doubling the Safety Segment engineering staff, thereby further reducing the development-to-market lead time.

The outcome of reduced product development time, increased capacity, and a substantial inventory build-up in their El Paso, Texas warehouse is critical to reaching the goal of 100 percent on-time delivery of FireX®  and Monox®  products. "This investment allows us to have a significantly better level of service, quicker response, and ability to aggressively expand our market presence in existing channels and to grow globally," said Ellington.

Invensys Controls is a leading global provider of components, systems, and services used in the appliance industry and in heating, air conditioning, refrigeration, safety products, and building systems for the residential and commercial markets. Invensys Controls has more than 16,000 employees and 43 manufacturing locations worldwide, and operates as a business of Invensys plc, which is headquartered in the United Kingdom and listed on the London Stock Exchange.

Invensys, FireX and Monox are trademarks of Invensys plc, its subsidiaries and affiliated companies. All other brands may be trademarks of their respective owners