A bio box for Ashley Pereira
Updated: September 2, 2024
Shop Talk
Q&A: Marlborough fire protection firm makes Inc. 5000
Photo | Courtesy of Platinum Fire Protection & Services
Ashley and Robert Pereira, co-founders of Platinum Fire Protection & Services in Marlborough
By Sloane M. Perron
Ashley Pereira is the chief operating officer and part of the leadership duo behind Platinum Fire Protection & Services, in Marlborough. Platinum Fire was founded in 2010 by Robert Pereria, who built his career in fire protection systems.
In the wake of the Great Recession, businesses started to reemerge, and construction became revitalized, opening the door for new structures in need of fire protection systems. Robert and Ashley, who are married, recognized the need for sprinkler services and opened their first location in Westport before expanding to their Marlborough location, which includes the company’s fabrication shop.
You were named in Inc. 5000’s list of America’s fastest-growing private companies. How did you grow?
Robert had already worked in sprinklers his whole life when he decided to start his own company, so his contractor connections gave him opportunities. We always made sure that we had the resources to complete the job, start the job correctly, finish the job, and follow up. We built our own reputation, because we made sure that everyone was happy with our work. We started with a small clientele and through word of mouth and our work ethic, our business began to boom. Since our work is mainly in the field, we focused on growing our manpower. We started growing our business and never looked back.
What services do you offer?
We do the design work. We have engineers that design and do the hydraulic calculations, and then we fabricate them. We have our own fabrication shop, which allows us to install full sprinkler systems. We create wet systems, dry systems, pre-action systems, and Quell Cold Storage Protection Systems. Quell systems are very intricate and require a Tyco Quell license, making this a very niche service we offer.
Who are your customers?
We do jobs with a million square feet, meaning we've done a lot of commercial industrial warehouses. We've created systems for many commercial industrial freezers, but we've completed smaller residential jobs for clients’ homes. Mostly, we are contracted by general contractors to help complete their building projects. Some developers ask us to consult before they even purchase a site, so we walk the building and provide them with feedback from our engineers.
What is the advantage to having an on-site fabrication shop?
It makes our company a little bit different since we’re able to dictate and drive our own schedules. If we didn’t have our own shop, we would be dependent on another shop and would have to wait in line with outsourced materials. Having our own fabrication shop means we don’t have to wait to finish the project. We fabricate our systems ahead of time, so we are ready to go, and even deliver them on our 12-wheeler truck.
How has fire protection changed over the years?
The technology of fire protection has changed drastically over the years. Fire codes have become much more stringent. It's important to protect the buildings as they go up, because a lot of building fires occur with buildings under construction. Back in the day, they didn't really care about temporary fire protection or having access to water on-site.
The technology behind sprinkler designs has changed. We now use 3D software to show clashes on site. So, before we even step on site, we look at layouts, and we can overlay our designs with the other trades such as plumbers’ pipes or HVAC systems. Before you would spend hours on site, moving stuff or trying to fix it. Now the engineer can see make adjustments before we even mobilize.
What is the biggest fire safety tip you would give to businesses?
Maintain your fire protection systems. It seems very simple to say, but many people do not maintain their systems. They don't get them serviced or tested per National Fire Protection Association 25 guidelines. Many times, when people have small fires, there is a malfunction because they're not maintaining a system. Through regular maintenance, we have seen systems last for 25 years!
This interview was conducted and edited for length and clarity by WBJ Correspondent Sloane M. Perron.
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