Proactive approach prompts growth

HURST, Texas - A year after embarking on a marketing plan to boost business, Fire Systems Design is realizing the fruits of its labor with a substantial increase in fire installations and a workforce that has nearly doubled in size. The Notifier distributor employs 35 people, up from 20 employees a year ago, with projects that keep crews busy nearly around the clock. “We’ve got about as many people working at night as we do during the day,” said Todd Burgart, director of marketing for Fire Systems Design, a company based in suburban Fort Worth. “We’ve got guys working 22 hours a day.” Since Burgart joined the company in 2003, the engineered systems distributor has seen a marked increase in business. Some of that increase follows the launch of an in-house seminar for customers and the general public. Last year, Fire Systems Design held nine seminars to share information about fire systems with building engineers, owners and members of the local fire department. Its most recent seminar drew more than 100 attendees. Burgart credits those efforts and with helping the company land its first project to top $1 million and a five-year contract to replace a local school district’s fire alarm system. The growth has prompted Fire Systems Design to look at either buying or building a new facility in the near future. “We’re bursting at the seams,” said Burgart. “We’re also considering acquisitions here in our area where we might wind up getting a facility out of that.” The proactive marketing approach taken by Fire Systems Design is a departure for the business. Founded by Carl Ball, the company has relied on word of mouth and referrals to bring in new business, which has generated enough work to keep the company more than busy. Now the firm is garnering business such as installing the fire system in a local Macy’s store and has received an invitation to bid on a Nieman Marcus department store in Dallas. “The lucky guy is the one who is prepared,” said Burgart. “We’ve worked hard.”