Wescom Group
Strategic Expansion: Pioneering Safety Solutions with Global Reach
Wescom Group has recently undergone rapid expansion. CEO Ross Wilkinson explains how this has been made possible thanks to the Group’s commitment to quality and a readiness to invest in pioneering technology, and, of course, with support from British Marine…
As a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of survival solutions, Wescom Group has achieved rapid growth in the last four years. With investment from Sun European Partners LLP - which acquired Wescom Group in 2020 – they have made a series of strategic brand acquisitions resulting in several new product launches. The Group has also expanded their own production capabilities and resulting products to offer a comprehensive range of high-quality safety equipment.
Working across the marine, defence and emergency services markets, the key to their growth strategy has been diversifying from core pyrotechnic signalling products to enable the business to expand into new technologies that have a shared focus as survival solutions.
To support their expansion in the leisure marine market, Wescom Group has sought the support of British Marine and their team of experts – resources which Ross describes as “very valuable” based on his personal insight of having worked with British Marine in previous leadership roles within the marine safety industry.
Through our understanding of new legislative requirements, Wescom Group supplies products at the forefront of industry standards, ensuring that we can get the best possible safety products into the hands of individuals when they need it most. We use our extensive, EU-based, industry expertise to develop the most innovative solutions that help drive business forwards.
Ross Wilkinson CEO at Wescom Group
“In a very short space of time, we have gone on to use the technology that we have pioneered to launch multiple new products across multiple brands and industry sectors, with six products developed and launched in the last eight months, and five acquisitions made since 2020”.
“Having support from British Marine’s Marketing & Communications team to help us communicate key messages to the press, distributors and end users alike has been instrumental, particularly in conveying new technology usage and impact of new safety standards, as well as generating wider brand awareness.
“Support in exhibiting internationally has also helped us extend our reach and education among out distributors - a network of trusted partners which extends to some 80+ countries.”
That process has very much been a two-way conversation, says Ross, as he explains that Wescom Group has worked closely with distributors to examine market requirements and identify opportunities for expansion. As a result, they’ve developed a portfolio of complementary products, securing a unique market positioning for Wescom Group. Their range now includes pyrotechnics, electronic signals and marine medical kits (through ANP Pharma), as well as commercial hazard warning lights, portable pathway equipment and chemical detection solutions. With significant investment in state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities (based predominantly in the UK and Germany), the company now produces its own ISO-standard emergency ration packs.
In targeting companies for acquisition, Ross and his team looked to existing market leaders with a reputation for excellence to ensure the Group’s high standards continue to be met. This builds upon a reputation for reliability which can be traced back some 150 years to the origins of their Pains Wessex and Comet pyrotechnic brands. To date, their portfolio of brands now also encompasses sMRT, ANP Pharma, Wescom Defence, eFlare, Oroquieta, and Aurora.
Our acquisition path has been dictated by the same mantra the business has always had of putting reliability, performance and quality at the forefront; we want our end users to have confidence that our products will perform when they most need them, no matter how harsh the environment. This ethos is what will continue to drive our future growth
Ross Wilkinson CEO at Wescom Group“Part of our signalling strategy was to expand beyond our pyrotechnic capability, which already occupied a significant market share, and extend into the electronic signalling sector. So, we acquired Hull-based Marine Rescue Technology Ltd (MRT), a leader in beacon manufacturer since the business was established to develop the very first personal distress prototype back in 1975.
“We have since made a significant investment, including to MRT’s UK-based electronics manufacturing premises, which enabled an extensive new product development programme. This has resulted in a number of launches in leisure and commercial marine; perhaps the most notable in leisure marine is the sMRT ALERT DSC AIS Man Overboard beacon, which received a special mention for innovation at the 2023 DAME Award at METS.
“Crucially, we have aligned this product development to new ‘Class M’ AIS standards that will come into force in December 2024. The regulations will restrict core channel use for AIS-only MOB devices in some countries, and so we developed out sMRT ALERT to meet class M by including DSC receiver capabilities, which provides the ability to confirm acknowledgement of the DSC signal, as a reassurance indicator for the product user. Further innovation comes in a beacon management app, connected to via smart phone, which activation and power status to be easily assessed, so simplifying use.
“As a result of working closely with regulators and authorities, we have ensured we are at the forefront of introducing these leading technologies. This means our products hit the market in a way that helps end users get the very best products designed and manufactured to the highest standards.”
Looking ahead, Wescom Group has no plan to slow expansion; expect a number of new product launches and acquisitions as it further rounds out its portfolio.
“We have fantastic support from our management teams across the world,” says Ross. “There is lots of room for further growth and development, which is exciting. We already have a very clear vision of where the business needs to be.”