Amerex Corporation

What Amerex Corporation does

Amerex Corporation is a Trussville, Alabama-based manufacturer of fire suppression equipment, founded in 1971 and operating as a private subsidiary of McWane, LLC, the Birmingham-based diversified industrial conglomerate. The company designs and builds a broad fire-safety portfolio spanning six product categories: portable and wheeled fire extinguishers (including ABC dry chemical, CO2, Halotron I, Halotron BRX, Purple K, Water Mist, Wet Chemical, Class D, and the high-performance Z-Series), commercial kitchen protection systems (with Mechanical Release Module, Pneumatic Release Module, Strike detection and actuation, and the Helix system), vehicle fire suppression systems (AVT Plus, Safety Net, EV Safety Net with lithium-ion early warning gas detection, and the 17000 Series — now FM 5970 compliant), industrial suppression systems (IS agent cylinders, IS agent recharge, SRX components), defense products, and a parts/accessories line (brackets, recharges). Notable proprietary technologies include the SafetyNet EV gas detection system for early detection of lithium-ion battery thermal events in commercial EV fleets and the HT Series clean agent system designed for no-cleanup, no-downtime deployment.

The business model is primarily hardware sales distributed exclusively through an authorized-distributor channel. Amerex operates a dedicated distributor portal (amerex-fire.biz), a public 'Find an Authorized Amerex Distributor' tool, and an onboarding application, complemented by a direct e-commerce webstore (webstore.amerex-fire.com, powered by Sana Commerce). Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated through distributors. Secondary revenue comes from professional services through the Amerex Training Center (training.amerex-fire.com), the 'Amerex Connects' webinar series, and trade-show participation (including the triannual NAFED conference). Customer segments span commercial kitchens and food service, commercial vehicle fleets (mining, forestry, waste management, transit, EV fleets), industrial and manufacturing facilities, defense/military, and general commercial/residential markets, with sales supported by a direct field-sales overlay (VP of Sales & Marketing, Regional Sales Managers) and an event-driven go-to-market motion.

Amerex is an ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 certified manufacturer holding FM Approvals dating to the 1990s, and in November 2025 became fully compliant with FM Approvals' FM 5970 standard for heavy-duty mobile equipment. The company employs 501–1,000 people at its Trussville headquarters and is led by President & CEO Harrison Bishop (also EVP of McWane's Fabricated Metals Group), with the broader leadership team comprising VP Sales & Marketing (Ben Pitts), VP Operations (Jay Ghelani), CFO (Andy Payant), and functional directors across HR, engineering, production, marketing, and credit.

Name

Amerex Corporation

Legal name

Amerex Corporation

Website

https://amerex-fire.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Amerex Corporation is a U.S. manufacturer of fire extinguishers, kitchen, vehicle, and industrial suppression systems serving commercial kitchens, EV fleets, defense, and industrial facilities through a global authorized-distributor network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fire Suppression Equipment

akta.pro primary industry

Special Hazard Fire Suppression Systems (Clean Agent/Foam/CO₂/Kitchen Hood) (BPABAHAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Ancillary Fire Safety Devices & Integration (Audible/Visual Alarms, Strobes, Sirens) (HSAHAFAL)

Keywords

• Fire suppression equipment
• Portable fire extinguishers
• Kitchen fire suppression
• Vehicle fire suppression
• Industrial fire protection

Headquarters

HQ city

Trussville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Fire Extinguishers: Sale of portable fire extinguishers (ABC Dry Chemical, CO2, Halotron I, Halotron BRX, Purple K, Water, Water Mist, Wet Chemical, Class D) and wheeled units. Products are sold through distributors and via the Amerex webstore.
2. Kitchen Protection Systems: Complete fire suppression systems for commercial kitchens including Mechanical Release Module (MRM), Pneumatic Release Module (PRM), Strike Detection & Actuation, agent cylinders, and recharges.
3. Vehicle Fire Suppression Systems: Fire suppression systems for commercial vehicles including AVT Plus, Safety Net, EV Safety Net (lithium-ion battery early warning), gas detection, 17000 Series, and ABC/Purple K cylinders. Now FM 5970 compliant.
4. Industrial Systems: Fire suppression systems for industrial applications including IS Agent Cylinders, IS Agent Recharge, SRX components, and industrial detection components.
5. Defense Products: Fire suppression solutions for military and defense applications, as evidenced by the Defense product category on the website.
6. Parts and Recharges: Replacement parts, recharges, brackets (wall, vehicle/marine/aviation, heavy duty) and accessories for all product lines.
7. Training Services: Training Center services (training.amerex-fire.com) providing education on fire safety and extinguisher usage. Also includes webinars such as the 'Amerex Connects' portable extinguisher webinar series.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Amerex Corporation designs and manufactures a comprehensive portfolio of fire suppression products, including portable and wheeled fire extinguishers (ABC Dry Chemical, CO2, Halotron I, Halotron BRX, Purple K, Water Mist, Wet Chemical, Class D, and Z-Series), commercial kitchen protection systems, vehicle fire suppression systems for heavy-duty mobile equipment, industrial fire suppression systems, and defense fire safety products. The company also offers parts, recharges, brackets, and a dedicated Training Center for fire safety education. Amerex is U.S.-designed and U.S.-manufactured, holding ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, and FM 5970 certifications.

Product overview

Amerex Corporation offers a comprehensive portfolio of fire safety products and suppression systems organized into six main categories: Fire Extinguishers (including portable and wheeled units with various agent types such as ABC Dry Chemical, CO2, Halotron, Purple K, Class D, Water Mist, Wet Chemical, and Z-Series High Performance), Kitchen Protection Systems (commercial kitchen suppression with Mechanical Release Module, Pneumatic Release Module, Strike detection, and Helix system), Vehicle Systems (including AVT Plus, Safety Net, EV Safety Net for lithium-ion battery early warning, and FM 5970 compliant suppression), Industrial Systems (detection and suppression for industrial facilities), Defense Products (military applications), and Accessories (brackets, parts, and recharges). The company operates as a subsidiary of McWane, Inc. and manufactures in Trussville, Alabama.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SafetyNet EV: Early detection system for lithium-ion battery fires in commercial electric vehicles
• HT Series
• BrX Products
• Z-Series

Products and services

• ABC Dry Chemical Fire Extinguisher Multi-purpose dry chemical extinguisher effective against Class A, B, and C fires. Sold through authorized distributor network.
• Halotron I Fire Extinguisher Clean agent extinguisher using Halotron I gas, suitable for Class B and C fires with no residue.
• Halotron BRX Fire Extinguisher FAA-approved clean agent fire extinguisher for aviation applications and sensitive equipment protection.
• HT Series Clean Agent Fire Extinguisher High-performance clean agent fire suppression system with no clean-up required and no downtime after deployment.
• Z-Series High Performance Fire Extinguisher High-performance fire extinguisher line designed for demanding applications, available in portable and wheeled configurations.
• Class D Fire Extinguisher Specialized extinguisher for Class D fires involving combustible metals.
• CO2 Fire Extinguisher Carbon dioxide extinguisher for Class B and electrical fires, leaving no residue.
• Purple K Dry Chemical Fire Extinguisher Potassium bicarbonate-based extinguisher effective against Class B and C fires with superior knockdown capability.
• Water Mist Fire Extinguisher Water-based extinguisher using fine mist technology for Class A fires with reduced risk of electrical shock.
• Wet Chemical Fire Extinguisher Specialized extinguisher for Class K fires involving cooking oils and fats.
• Wheeled Fire Extinguishers Large-capacity wheeled units for high-hazard industrial applications, available in ABC, Purple K, CO2, Halotron I, Class D, Z-Series, and SF 1230 configurations.
• Kitchen Protection Systems Commercial kitchen fire suppression systems including Mechanical Release Module (MRM), Pneumatic Release Module (PRM), Strike detection and actuation, KP agent cylinders, and Helix system for restaurant and industrial kitchen applications.
• Vehicle Fire Suppression Systems Fire suppression systems for commercial vehicles including AVT Plus, Safety Net, EV Safety Net, Gas Detection, 17000 Series, and ABC/Purple K cylinders. FM 5970 compliant.
• Industrial Fire Suppression Systems Industrial fire suppression systems including IS agent cylinders, IS agent recharge, industrial detection components, and SRX components for industrial facilities, manufacturing plants, warehouses, and processing facilities.
• Defense Fire Suppression Products Fire suppression and safety products designed for military and defense applications.
• SafetyNet EV Early Warning System Early warning gas detection system specifically designed for commercial electric vehicle fleets to detect lithium-ion battery thermal events before fire occurs.
• Fire Extinguisher Brackets and Accessories Fire extinguisher mounting brackets and accessories including wall brackets, vehicle/marine/aviation brackets, and heavy-duty brackets.

Quantifiable outcome

• FM 5970 compliance verified through more than 200 rigorous fire flow and component level evaluations
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Cahaba River CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2026Amerex partnered with the Cahaba River Coalition during Earth Week 2026 for river cleanup activities at Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge, wading through the river and canoeing to remove debris.
• Boys & Girls ClubminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 July 2025Amerex team members joined McWane Corporate colleagues at the Second Annual Boys & Girls Club Golf Tournament, which raised over $37,000 for the organization's youth programs.
• Cahaba River SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 April 2025Amerex partners with the Cahaba River Society for environmental cleanup initiatives including Earth Week activities. Team members participated in cleanup days collecting 1,986 pounds of trash and supporting river conservation efforts.
• City of TrussvillemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 October 2024Amerex partnered with the City of Trussville to build the Amerex Miracle Field at the Trussville Sports Complex, providing an inclusive sports facility for children and adults of all abilities. The $500,000 project was completed with an April 2025 opening.
• Area Universities (Jacksonville State, UAB, Auburn, Alabama)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmerex hosts summer internship programs with students from Jacksonville State University, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Auburn University, and The University of Alabama. Programs include mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, HR, credit, and inventory control internships.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Fike Corporation: Fike specializes in industrial fire protection and explosion suppression — clean agent (FM-200/Novec equivalents), CO2, dry chemical, plus detection and control panels — making it a direct comparable in engineered industrial suppression systems where Amerex's IS product line competes.
• First Alert / BRK Brands: First Alert, owned by Newell Brands, competes in the residential and SMB portable fire extinguisher and combination smoke/CO detector categories, with mass-retail distribution that overlaps Amerex's webstore and authorized distributor footprint.
• Badger Fire Protection: Badger Fire Protection (part of the Carrier/Kidde ecosystem) makes portable fire extinguishers and wheeled units across ABC, CO2, Class K, and clean agent chemistries, competing directly in the same distributor channels and commercial/professional end markets.
• Buckeye Fire Equipment: Buckeye Fire Equipment manufactures portable and wheeled fire extinguishers, kitchen suppression, and clean agent systems from a single U.S. facility, with a comparable distributor-led model and similar product breadth (ABC dry chemical, CO2, Class D, wet chemical, Halotron equivalents). Closest privately held analog to Amerex in scale and product portfolio.
• Minimax (Viking Group): Minimax / Viking Group supplies clean agent, CO2, foam, and water-based fire suppression systems for industrial and commercial applications, including special hazard and vehicle/marine suppression — a direct competitor in non-portable engineered suppression.
• Kidde (Carrier Global): Kidde, owned by Carrier Global, is the most directly comparable North American competitor, manufacturing portable and wheeled fire extinguishers, kitchen suppression systems, and specialty agents (CO2, dry chemical, wet chemical). Overlaps Amerex head-to-head across consumer/commercial extinguishers and kitchen hood systems via overlapping distributor and OEM channels.
• Ansul (Johnson Controls): Ansul, a Tyco/Johnson Controls brand, is the direct head-to-head competitor to Amerex in commercial kitchen suppression (ANSUL R-102 / Kitchen Knight), vehicle/mobile equipment fire suppression (ANSUL Checkfire), and industrial fire protection. Shares FM-listed suppression system heritage and similar channel-distributed go-to-market model.

Broad incumbents

• Johnson Controls (Fire Protection): Johnson Controls is a broad building technologies and fire protection incumbent combining detection (Notifier), suppression (Ansul, Tyco), and integrated fire alarm systems. Overlaps with Amerex through Ansul and adjacent suppression categories but operates a much wider portfolio beyond fire.
• Honeywell Building Technologies: Honeywell's Building Technologies division includes Notifier fire alarm, Farenhyt detection, and broader building safety/management systems. A broad incumbent capable of bundling detection, suppression integration, and BMS — comparable in scale and segment reach though fire is one of many product lines.

Emerging players

• SEVO Systems (Fire Suppression & Clean Agents): SEVO Systems is a smaller specialized competitor in clean agent and engineered fire suppression, including for specialty applications like lithium-ion battery storage. Comparable in the FM/UL-approved clean agent subcategory where Amerex's HT Series and Halotron products compete.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/amerexfiregroup
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCjEhxItRdnuRzVdxhhMKkxw
• Facebookfacebook.com/amerex-fire-group-1563918697203249
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/amerex-corporation
• Instagraminstagram.com/amerex_corporation

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Amerex Corporation