New ReMA Member Spotlight: Firefly LLC

Firefly is an international fire protection company that has been helping industrial operations protect their processes from costly damage and downtime due to fires and dust explosions since 1973.

ReMA News chatted with Alexander Jonasson, an Area Sales Manager with Firefly LLC, all about the company and specifically the industrial fire prevention and protection systems it provides to benefit the industry.

Tell me about Firefly LLC.

Firefly is a Swedish corporate group that provides industrial fire prevention and protection systems to the process industry worldwide. Since 1973, Firefly has specialized in creating customized system solutions of the highest technical standards and quality. Based on customer needs and research, Firefly has developed and patented products and solutions, creating a unique portfolio of innovative products and system solutions to increase the level of safety.

The company's head office is in Stockholm, Sweden. The company is represented worldwide and conducts sales directly to customers and via distributors in over 90 countries.

Firefly has subsidiaries in the U.S., Poland, and Italy.

Tell me about your work at Firefly LLC.

I am an area sales manager with my focus on recycling and RDF facilities. I spend a lot of time solving clients potential fire issues, doing site visits, and attending tradeshows across the US. Our new service center just opened in Charlotte, NC, so I will be spending more time there going forward.

How did Firefly LLC hear about ReMA and how did the company decide to become a member?

We were doing research on applicable organizations to join within the recycling industry and ReMA stood out as a clear choice. The onboarding with ReMA was very well done and has provided me new tools for interacting with potential clients.

Fires, especially battery fires, are a huge problem for the recycled materials industry. What kind of industrial fire prevention and protection systems does Firefly provide that can benefit the industry?

The recycling process faces various risks, notably the threat of fires within machinery like shredders and balers. Fires can stem from multiple sources such as friction, bearing failures, or foreign objects, spreading swiftly and posing significant hazards.

While friction or mechanical issues traditionally trigger fires, a concerning trend has emerged in recent years: the surge in fires at recycling plants ignited by discarded lithium-ion batteries. According to the EPA, incidents involving these batteries have spiked dramatically, increasing by 30 times over seven years. Alarmingly, the agency reports that lithium-ion batteries are responsible for a staggering 89% of fires at waste management facilities.

The surge in fires ignited by discarded lithium-ion batteries presents an escalating challenge, with no signs of abating. Projections indicate a staggering growth of over 350% in the lithium-ion battery market by 2030, exacerbating the issue.

Extinguishing fires caused by lithium-ion batteries poses formidable challenges. Broken batteries can generate temperatures exceeding 930°F, rendering traditional water-based methods ineffective as the chemical reaction persists. Mechanical separation emerges as the optimal solution to halt the fire's progression and mitigate potential hazards.

Firefly offers tailored solutions for swift fire detection and extinguishing in recycling machinery, ensuring safety and minimizing downtime. Our integrated system includes detection, extinguishing, and control functions.

Shredders, prone to fires, benefit from our spark detectors triggering powerful extinguishing nozzles upon detecting hot particles.

Flame detectors and water mist suppression systems effectively mitigate fire risks in open areas like conveyor belts or balers. Our centralized control system provides a comprehensive overview of protected zones, enhancing monitoring and control.

Automatic water cannons are utilized for the tipping floor, bale storage, and other large areas. There are no subscription fees for any of the Firefly systems.

With Firefly, quickly neutralize ignition sources and prevent potential fires or remove them from the waste stream. Choose from our pre-designed solutions for shredders, conveyors, and sludge dryers, customized for your site's needs. Protect your recycling facility with proactive fire prevention.

Can you walk me through how Firefly's fire prevention and protection system works?

The Firefly prevention systems detect and extinguishes hot particles or sparks prior to a fire developing. We also have an "electronic nose" for storage areas, silos, and bunkers, that identifies an ongoing pyrolysis process in an earlier stage compared to other detection methods.

The Firefly protective systems detect and extinguish sparks or flames extremely fast and assures safety for staff, machine protection, and minimized production downtime.

Is there anything I may not have asked you about that you would like to add about the company?

In addition to being the market leader in fire prevention and protection, we also have staff that sits on NFPA committees helping shape the fire safety standards of the future.