Lion Safety

What Lion Safety does

Lion Safety is a UK B2B distributor of workwear, personal protective equipment (PPE), cleaning and hygiene products, and workplace supplies, acquired by SMI Group UK and rebranded as SMI (Scotland) Ltd effective 1 May 2024. The company operates from Falkirk, Scotland, as a regional division of SMI Group UK (whose trading name is SMI INT Group), with the group's headquarters in Petersfield, Hampshire. Its customer base spans four regulated verticals — logistics, public sector, food manufacturing, and waste & environmental services — each requiring compliant, reliable supply of safety equipment and workforce apparel.

The commercial platform is anchored by the MY-SMI® online ordering portal, complemented by a dedicated Key Account Management function and direct sales led by Sales Director Giles Prisgrove. SMI positions itself as a single-source 360° supplier, leveraging sub-brands including ROKWEAR® (proprietary workwear), Everyday Earth (eco-focused PPE and workplace essentials), and the SMI Recycling Scheme. Pricing is quote-based rather than publicly listed, consistent with mid-market B2B distribution. Leadership is family-led, with Blake Prisgrove as CEO and Giles Prisgrove as Sales Director, and no external funding rounds, public listing, or AI/ML capability is disclosed.

Name

Lion Safety

Legal name

SMI INT Group

Website

https://lionsafety.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Lion Safety, now operating as SMI (Scotland) Ltd following its 2024 acquisition by SMI Group UK, is a UK B2B distributor of workwear, PPE, cleaning products, and workplace supplies serving logistics, public sector, food manufacturing, and waste and environmental customers across the UK.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Safety & Workwear Distribution

SIC

Wholesale-Industrial Machinery & Equipment (5084)

akta.pro primary industry

Work, Safety & Occupational Footwear Retail (CRAAADAD)

Keywords

• Workwear supplies
• PPE distribution
• Safety equipment
• Workplace supplies
• Protective clothing

Headquarters

HQ city

Falkirk

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Workwear and PPE Sales: Product sales of workwear, PPE, cleaning & hygiene products, and tools & equipment to businesses across multiple UK sectors. Sales are conducted through dedicated account managers and an online ordering portal.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Lion Safety, now operating as SMI (Scotland) Ltd, supplies workwear, personal protective equipment (PPE), cleaning and hygiene products, and workplace safety equipment to UK businesses. The company operates as a single-source B2B distributor serving logistics, public sector, food manufacturing, and waste & environmental sectors, offering branded product lines including ROKWEAR® workwear and the Everyday Earth eco-range. Customers transact through dedicated key account managers and the MY-SMI® online ordering portal.

Product overview

SMI (formerly Lion Safety/SMI Scotland Ltd) operates as a single-source supplier platform offering a comprehensive 360-degree product portfolio for Britain's workforce. The core offering centers on workwear, PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), cleaning and hygiene products, workplace safety equipment, and tools and equipment. The platform is anchored by the MY-SMI® online ordering portal and complemented by branded offerings including ROKWEAR® workwear, Everyday Earth eco-PPE sub-brand, and the SMI Recycling Scheme environmental initiative. SMI serves diverse sectors including logistics, public sector, food manufacturing, and waste and environmental industries, positioning itself as an extension of customers' procurement departments to reduce pain, time, carbon footprint, and cost.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MY-SMI®: Customer ordering portal and account management system.
• ROKWEAR®
• SMI 360
• Everyday Earth

Products and services

• MY-SMI® Online Ordering Portal Registered trademark online customer ordering portal and account management system that serves as the primary customer-facing platform for placing orders, managing accounts, and streamlining procurement workflows for B2B customers.
• ROKWEAR® Workwear Proprietary registered trademark workwear and PPE brand offering differentiated clothing solutions for B2B customers across UK sectors.
• Workwear Comprehensive workwear range for B2B customers covering corporate clothing, jackets, fleeces, polo shirts, trousers, and waterproofs designed for workforce uniform and protection needs.
• Hi-vis Clothing High-visibility clothing range for safety compliance in logistics, construction, and outdoor work environments.
• Safety Footwear Comprehensive safety footwear offering including boots, shoes, rigger boots, wellingtons, and specialist footwear for hazardous work environments.
• Hand Protection Hand protection product range covering disposable, cut-resistant, chemical-resistant, and thermal gloves for diverse workplace safety needs.
• PPE Personal protective equipment range covering fall, head, hearing, eye/face, and respiratory protection for industrial and hazardous workplace environments.
• Specialist Clothing Specialised industrial clothing including cold store wear, disposable garments, and flame-retardant/arc flash clothing for hazardous environments.
• Cleaning & Hygiene Cleaning and hygiene products including skincare, cleaning chemicals, and hand/surface wipes for workplace hygiene and food manufacturing compliance.
• Workplace Safety Workplace safety equipment including first aid kits, fire safety products, safety tags, spill control supplies, safety knives, torches, and batteries.
• Workplace Products General workplace products including tools, canteen equipment, street cleansing supplies, security/storage solutions, and site equipment.
• Eco Products Eco-friendly sustainable product range spanning hi-vis clothing, gloves, workwear, and safety footwear with reduced environmental impact.
• Everyday Earth Eco-focused sub-brand bringing together eco PPE, workwear, and workplace essentials with greener choices and clear impact reporting.
• SMI Recycling Scheme Environmental sustainability initiative allowing B2B customers to recycle products through SMI's recycling programme as part of corporate sustainability efforts.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Travis Perkins: Large UK builders' merchant and tool/workwear retailer with a trade customer base that overlaps SMI's construction and public-sector segments, though its core focus is building materials rather than PPE.
• Screwfix: Major UK trade retailer of tools, workwear, and safety equipment with strong e-commerce and click-and-collect distribution; competes in the SME/Trades end of SMI's customer base with a much broader portfolio.
• RS Components: Global distributor of industrial and electronic products including PPE and workplace safety items, with an established B2B e-commerce motion analogous to MY-SMI but serving a far broader electronics/industrial catalog.
• Toolstation: UK and European trade retailer of tools, accessories, and select PPE/workwear, serving a similar tradesperson and small-business buyer segment though with a narrower safety product range.

Direct peers

• Buck & Hickman: Long-established UK industrial and workplace supplies distributor (part of the Bunzl group), competing directly in the same B2B workwear, PPE, and MRO supplies category across industrial and public-sector customers.
• Greenham Trade UK: UK trade supplier of PPE, workwear, janitorial, and safety products serving public sector and commercial buyers; operates a multi-vertical B2B model closely comparable to SMI's positioning.
• Arco: UK's largest safety equipment and PPE distributor, directly comparable as a B2B supplier of workwear, PPE, and workplace safety products to industrial and public-sector buyers across multiple verticals.
• Rubix (formerly Brammer): Pan-European industrial MRO and workplace supplies distributor serving manufacturers with PPE, tools, and consumables — comparable B2B distribution model and multi-vertical customer base.
• Cromwell Tools: UK-based industrial supplies distributor selling tools, PPE, and workplace consumables to trade and industrial customers via catalog and online channels — overlapping SMI's tools/equipment and PPE offering.

Others

• Arden Winch (Brammer Buck & Hickman legacy): Adjacent UK industrial supplier of PPE, janitorial, and workplace products operating on a similar direct-sales-plus-catalog model to SME and enterprise customers, relevant as a regional competitor for SMI Scotland accounts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Lion_Safety
• Facebookfacebook.com/lionsafetyworkwear

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Lion Safety