Sarah Lawson
Operations Director, Advanced
Fire safety in North America is shaped by complexity. From stringent regulatory frameworks and regional code variations to increasingly sophisticated building designs, the market places high expectations on manufacturers, integrators and system designers alike.
As Operations Director at Advanced, my role sits at the junction of strategy and delivery, ensuring that what we design, manufacture and support is not only compliant, but genuinely fit for purpose in real‑world environments.
Over recent years, North America has become a key focus for Advanced, and with good reason. Investment in infrastructure continues to grow, building uses are diversifying, and expectations around life safety systems are evolving rapidly. In this context, flexibility, scalability and proven compliance are no longer “nice to have”, they are fundamental.
Operations is often misunderstood as being purely about manufacturing or logistics. In reality, it is about alignment.
Operational Thinking in a High‑Standards Environment
Operations is often misunderstood as being purely about manufacturing or logistics. In reality, it is about alignment. This means aligning product design with regulatory demands, aligning supply chains with customer expectations, and aligning global capability with local requirements.
North America is one of the most demanding regions in the world from a fire safety perspective, particularly when it comes to certification, documentation and system performance. For us, that challenge has been a positive one. Advanced has always taken a design‑first approach rooted in meeting the world’s most rigorous standards, and that philosophy translates naturally into the UL environment.
Rather than adapting products late in the process, our teams work with compliance in mind from the outset. This ensures that systems are not only approved, but practical, easier to install, commission and maintain across their full lifecycle.
A Deliberate Approach to North American Growth
Our growth strategy in North America has been measured and deliberate. We are focused on building trust and long‑term relationships. Consultants, integrators and end users want confidence that a manufacturer understands their challenges and will remain invested in the market.
A key part of that commitment has been expanding our regional sales representation. Having knowledgeable, technically capable people closer to customers enables better project support, faster response times and stronger feedback loops. That local presence is backed by Advanced’s global experience, with systems installed in more than 80 countries worldwide.
One of our differentiators is the ability to draw on both EN and UL expertise. That dual heritage allows us to bring proven system architectures and engineering principles into the North American market, while remaining fully aligned with local codes and expectations. As buildings become more complex and internationally influenced, that perspective becomes increasingly valuable.
Axis AX: Built for Scale, Designed for Reality
At the centre of our North American portfolio is the Axis AX fire system, fully listed to UL 864 10th Edition. Axis AX was developed to address a simple but persistent challenge: how to deliver a system that can scale from smaller sites to highly complex projects without introducing unnecessary complexity.
From compact, single‑loop panels to fully customisable command centres, Axis AX supports a wide range of configurations. Its distributed network architecture, capable of supporting up to 200 panels, allows decentralised control while maintaining a unified system view. This approach reduces cabling requirements, improves resilience and simplifies future expansion.
From an operational standpoint, distributed intelligence also enhances fault tolerance and maintenance efficiency. Panels continue to operate locally even if parts of the network are compromised, a critical consideration for large or mission‑critical sites.
Ease of use is another core principle. The Axis AX software platform has been designed to minimise learning curves for installers and engineers, helping reduce commissioning time and overall project risk. In an industry where skills shortages remain a concern, usability has a direct impact on system performance and long‑term reliability.
Audio, Communication and Clarity Under Pressure
Life safety communication has become a central requirement across many North American sectors, particularly in hospitality, residential and public infrastructure. Axis AX integrates audio, voice evacuation and emergency communication directly into the fire system, removing the need for fragmented or standalone solutions.
Features such as PerfectSync ensure that audio, voice and visual signals remain fully synchronised across large, multi‑panel networks. This synchronisation is critical for intelligibility, helping prevent confusion during an emergency and supporting compliance with local codes.
In high‑rise residential buildings or hotels, for example, the ability to deliver clear, consistent messaging across multiple floors and zones can significantly improve evacuation outcomes. Integrated telephone modules further enhance communication between responders and control points, supporting coordinated decision‑making when it matters most.
Integrated Smoke Control for Complex Buildings
Smoke management is another area where integration delivers tangible benefits. Through DynamixSmoke, Axis AX supports dedicated and non‑dedicated smoke control strategies within the fire system itself. This includes fan and damper control, HVAC integration and firefighter interfaces, all configured through a single platform.
For complex buildings, tunnels or large‑scale developments, this level of integration simplifies compliance while reducing hardware duplication and wiring complexity. From an operational perspective, it also provides clearer system logic and more intuitive control for responders.
We see this capability being increasingly valued in infrastructure projects and engineered environments, where performance, reliability and clarity are non‑negotiable.
Proven Performance Across Diverse Applications
The flexibility of Axis AX is reflected in its real‑world installations. From high‑rise residential developments such as Sands Pointe in Miami, where distributed audio and multi‑language messaging were essential, to hospitality projects like the Hilton DoubleTree in Boston, where synchronised low‑frequency audio was required in guest rooms, the system has demonstrated its adaptability across a wide range of use cases.
Globally, Advanced systems are also protecting complex infrastructure projects, transport environments like the Bidbid-Sur Tunnel in Oman, where environmental challenges and integration requirements push fire systems to their limits. These projects reinforce the importance of scalable architectures and robust networking, principles that underpin Axis AX.
The Importance of our Partnership with Harding
No manufacturer succeeds in North America alone. Our exclusive partnership with Harding plays a vital role in how we support customers across the US and Canada. Harding provides local distribution, technical expertise and responsive support, helping bridge the gap between global capability and regional delivery.
The relationship goes beyond logistics. By sharing market feedback, aligning on training and collaborating on customer support, we can respond more effectively to regional requirements and emerging trends. This partnership model ensures that customers receive consistent service, from system design through to long‑term maintenance.
As new technologies and building uses emerge, that close collaboration becomes even more important.
In an industry where skills shortages remain a concern, usability has a direct impact on system performance and long‑term reliability.
Emerging Sectors and Evolving Risks
One area of growing focus is the rise of new and evolving risk profiles, including battery energy storage systems (BESS). These applications introduce unique fire detection and life safety challenges, often requiring tailored strategies rather than off‑the‑shelf solutions.
The flexibility of Axis AX, combined with Advanced’s broader engineering expertise, allows us to engage meaningfully in these conversations. Rather than forcing systems into predefined templates, we work with partners to understand the risk environment and configure solutions that align with both regulatory requirements and site‑specific needs.
This approach will continue to shape our product development and market strategy moving forward.
Looking Forward
North America is a demanding market, but it is also an exciting one. The challenges facing the fire safety industry, from regulatory complexity to evolving building uses, require thoughtful design, proven performance and strong partnerships.
At Advanced, our focus remains on delivering systems that are flexible without being complicated, compliant without compromise, and supported by people who understand the realities of the market. By combining global experience with local expertise, we aim to continue building solutions that protect people and property, today and well into the future.
UL Fire Protection
Our fire protection solutions for North America combine proven performance and compliance with the reassurance of local distribution and project support, all underpinned by our global expertise.