KFT Fire Trainers
KFT Fire Trainer designs and services computer-controlled, gas-fueled live-fire training simulators for municipal fire departments, militaries, airports, and industrial facilities, with ~3,000 installed fire places across 700+ agencies worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1943
- HeadquartersMontvale, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What KFT Fire Trainers does
KFT Fire Trainer designs, manufactures, and services computer-controlled, gas-fueled live-fire training simulators for municipal fire departments, military organizations, airports, and industrial facilities worldwide. The company traces its origin to a 1943 Navy training-equipment division, evolving through Symtron Systems, Kidde Fire Trainers (under Kidde plc and later United Technologies Corp.), a 2015 acquisition by Keystone Capital, a 2016 rebrand to KFT Fire Trainer, and a 2020 management buyout that made the company fully management-owned and independent.
Its core products — the FireTrainer® line (T-1000, T-2000, MA-3000 mobile aircraft trainer, O-100/O-250 industrial and wildland trainers, S-10 HazMat tanker, P-100 extinguisher trainer) and KFT smoke generators — use clean-burning natural gas, propane, or butane to replicate realistic fire, heat, smoke, and flame behavior. Systems are governed by PLC-based safety monitoring, agent-detection sensors, and PC-based scenario programming, and are certified to NFPA 86 and UL 508 standards by NRTL/ETL. Control surfaces include touchscreen interfaces and wireless fail-safe pendants.
KFT monetizes primarily through one-time simulator sales augmented by tiered recurring maintenance contracts (Platinum/Gold/Silver), design-assistance services for new burn-building construction, and FEMA AFG grant-supported procurement. Sales run through enterprise field engagement, public bidding (RFPs), Sourcewell cooperative purchasing (Contract #102325-KFT), and regional distributors such as JyJ in Guatemala. The company reports an installed base of ~3,000 fire places across 700+ agencies and over 4 million safe fire training evolutions, with named anchor customers including FDNY, U.S. Army/Navy/Air Force, Spanish and French Navies, Dallas Fort Worth, O'Hare, Heathrow, and Gatwick. Operations span four offices in Germany (HQ), the United States, the United Kingdom, and Hong Kong.
KFT Fire Trainers firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- KFT Fire Trainers
- Legal name
- KFT Fire Trainer GmbH
- Website
- https://kft.firetrainer.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1943
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- KFT Fire Trainer designs and services computer-controlled, gas-fueled live-fire training simulators for municipal fire departments, militaries, airports, and industrial facilities, with ~3,000 installed fire places across 700+ agencies worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
KFT Fire Trainers industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fire Training Simulators and Equipment
- akta.pro primary industry
- Firefighter & Fire Service Training (EDAOAMAB)
Keywords
Where KFT Fire Trainers is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Montvale
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
KFT Fire Trainers business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Fire Training Simulator Sales: One-time sale of fire training equipment including structural, aircraft, mobile, maritime, military, HazMat, and wildland trainers. Systems range from portable units to fixed burn buildings and modular configurations.
- Maintenance and Support Services: Ongoing maintenance contracts including Platinum, Gold, and Silver service packages. Includes 24/7 technical phone support, on-site field technicians, and refresher operator training courses.
- Design Assistance Services: Planning and design consultation for burn buildings, training towers, and fire training facilities. Leverages 35+ years of experience to assist with concept through completion, including architect and contractor network.
- Smoke Generator Sales: Sale of smoke generation equipment including KFT-1700 fixed/portable units and KFT-C4 Turbo portable systems for creating realistic smoke conditions during training.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
KFT Fire Trainers product offering
Product offeringCore offering
KFT Fire Trainer designs, manufactures, and services computer-controlled, gas-fueled live fire training simulators (the FireTrainer® line) for structural, aircraft, maritime, military, HazMat, wildland, outdoor industrial, and hydrogen firefighting training. The company also sells portable extinguisher trainers and water-based smoke generators, and provides design-assistance consulting plus tiered maintenance and support contracts for installed systems worldwide.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- FireTrainer: The company's primary product line of live fire training simulators and systems
Products and services
- FireTrainer® Aircraft Fire Trainer Fixed-site live fire training simulator replicating aircraft fires and fuselage configurations for airport fire rescue and ARFF training at major airports.
- MA-3000 Mobile Aircraft FireTrainer Mobile, self-sufficient ARFF (Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting) trainer compliant with FAA requirements, enabling training at multiple smaller airports without fixed facilities.
- Structural FireTrainer (T-1000 / T-2000) Structural fire training simulators for cities and fire training academies, featuring central PC control, programmable scenarios, agent detection, and customized floorplans.
- Mobile - Modular FireTrainer Modular, transportable structural fire training simulator for deployment at sites requiring flexible installation.
- Outdoor / Industrial FireTrainer (O-100, O-250) Outdoor fire training simulators for industrial and petrochemical fire scenarios, including raised platform fires, boil-over tank fires, and large fuel spill events.
- Portable Outdoor FireTrainer Portable outdoor fire training system for rapid deployment and on-site training at remote locations.
- Maritime FireTrainer Shipboard fire training simulators replicating vessel-specific configurations including marine doors, hatches, decks, and interior/exterior staircases for naval and commercial maritime customers.
- Military FireTrainer Military-grade fire training simulators delivered to U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and allied armed forces for shipboard, aircraft, and base fire training.
- S-10 Portable HazMat Tanker Simulator Portable hazardous materials training simulator replicating rail car and roadway tanker emergencies for HazMat response teams and emergency responders.
- Wildland FireTrainer Wildland fire training simulator for grass, forest, and crown fire scenarios, including vegetation fire spread and ground fire behaviour.
- Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV) FireTrainer Hydrogen fire training system for hydrogen fuel cell vehicle accidents, including hydrogen gas and flame detection, compartment fire extinguishment, and hydrogen venting training.
- P-100 Portable Fire Extinguisher Trainer Portable fire extinguisher training system using clean-burning propane for economic and realistic extinguisher operator training.
- KFT-1700 Smoke Generator Fixed/portable water-based smoke generator providing 50,000 CFM output with DMX serial production capability and continuous fogging, 2-year warranty.
- KFT-C4 Turbo Portable Smoke System Portable water-based smoke system with off-power capability using retained energy in heat exchanger block, NATO codified, 0.2 micron particle size for persistent smoke.
- Maintenance and Support Service Contracts (Platinum, Gold, Silver) Recurring maintenance and support packages including 24/7 technical phone support, on-site field technician service, and refresher operator training courses for installed KFT systems.
- Design Assistance and Consulting Services Planning and design consultation service for burn buildings, training towers, and fire training facilities from concept through completion, utilizing KFT's network of architects and contractors.
Quantifiable outcome
- 8+ burn evolutions per hour vs. 2-3 with class-A fuels - 4x higher training throughput
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use KFT Fire Trainers
Customer profileNamed customers17 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
KFT Fire Trainers technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
KFT Fire Trainers partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- SourcewellcoreSourcewell is a nationally recognized government agency providing competitively awarded solicitations on behalf of its members. KFT Fire Trainer was selected as an approved vendor under Contract #102325-KFT, enabling government, education, and nonprofit organizations to purchase KFT products through pre-negotiated pricing without individual RFPs. With 40+ years of public procurement experience and 50,000+ participating agencies, Sourcewell provides a faster and simpler purchasing pathway.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
KFT Fire Trainers competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Fireblast 451: UK-based provider of live fire training simulators and burn containers using gas-fueled technology. Directly comparable in product type (live gas-fueled fire trainers) and customer base (UK and European fire services, military, and industrial).
- BullEx: U.S.-based maker of digital and live fire training tools, including portable extinguisher trainers and laser-driven digital fire systems. Competes with KFT for the same municipal and industrial fire training budgets, particularly for lower-cost and portable scenarios.
- Haagen Fire Training Technology: European-based manufacturer of live fire training simulators using gas-fueled systems. Haagen is the most frequently cited direct competitor to KFT in gas-fueled fire simulation technology and serves overlapping municipal and industrial training customers.
- Fire Facilities Inc. U.S. designer and builder of turnkey fire training facilities including burn buildings, training towers, and props. Complements and competes with KFT in the same end-customer RFPs, often partnering or competing for municipal fire training facility contracts.
Broad incumbents
- MSA Safety Incorporated: Global safety equipment manufacturer supplying SCBA, gas detection, and firefighter PPE to the same municipal, military, and industrial customers KFT serves. Adjacent rather than directly competitive, but addresses overlapping procurement budgets and end-user relationships.
- 3M Scott Fire & Safety: Major provider of SCBA, firefighter protective equipment, and respiratory safety products. Shares the same global municipal and military first-responder customer base as KFT and is often included in joint fire service procurement programs.
- Dräger: German-headquartered safety and medical technology company with broad firefighter, gas detection, and respiratory protection portfolios. Sells into the same fire service and industrial buyers KFT addresses, and operates globally across the same geographies including KFT's European HQ region.
- Honeywell Building Technologies: Broad fire and life safety incumbent offering detection, notification, and integrated emergency response solutions. Sells to the same commercial, airport, and industrial facility buyers, though its portfolio centers on detection and suppression rather than training simulation.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
KFT Fire Trainers social profiles
Digital presenceKFT Fire Trainers financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
KFT Fire Trainers leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
KFT Fire Trainers funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
KFT Fire Trainers M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about KFT Fire Trainers
What does KFT Fire Trainers do?
KFT Fire Trainer designs, manufactures, and services computer-controlled, gas-fueled live fire training simulators (the FireTrainer® line) for structural, aircraft, maritime, military, HazMat, wildland, outdoor industrial, and hydrogen firefighting training. The company also sells portable extinguisher trainers and water-based smoke generators, and provides design-assistance consulting plus tiered maintenance and support contracts for installed systems worldwide.
Is KFT Fire Trainers a public or private company?
KFT Fire Trainers is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was KFT Fire Trainers founded?
KFT Fire Trainers was founded in 1943. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is KFT Fire Trainers based?
KFT Fire Trainers is headquartered in Montvale, United States, in the North America region.
How does KFT Fire Trainers make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Fire Training Simulator Sales are the primary driver. The others are maintenance and Support Services, design Assistance Services and smoke Generator Sales.
Who are KFT Fire Trainers's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Fireblast 451, BullEx, Haagen Fire Training Technology and Fire Facilities Inc.. Broad incumbents are MSA Safety Incorporated, 3M Scott Fire & Safety, Dräger and Honeywell Building Technologies.
Does KFT Fire Trainers have an API?
No public API is recorded for KFT Fire Trainers.
What industry is KFT Fire Trainers in?
KFT Fire Trainers's product category is Fire Training Simulators and Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAOAMAB, Firefighter & Fire Service Training.