What Firewerx does

Firewerx is a South African privately-held specialist contractor that supplies and installs passive fire protection systems for commercial buildings. Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Cape Town with regional offices in Johannesburg (Gauteng) and Durban (KwaZulu-Natal), the company services all South African provinces and has executed projects internationally in Seychelles, Angola and Namibia. The company is described as the market leader for passive fire stopping in the Western Cape and holds B-BBEE Level 1 certification, the highest Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment rating in South Africa.

The core product portfolio comprises four categories of SABS- and/or British Standards-tested, internationally certified, factory-formed materials: fire coatings (intumescent coatings rated for 30/60/90/120-minute structural steel protection, plus vermiculite plaster spray); fire protection seals (intumescent PVC pipe collars, PVC pipe wraps, flexible fire-rated acrylic gap seals, and penetration fire seals for service penetrations through fire-rated walls and floors); calcium silicate fireboard (SABS-tested, 120-minute integrity/stability rating for partitions, boxing and fire breaks); and fire doors delivered through affiliated brand Dorwerx. Products function as a coordinated compartmentalisation system designed to contain fire and smoke within defined zones long enough to enable occupant evacuation.

Firewerx operates a direct enterprise field-sales model with technically-trained installers performing on-site application. It sells to commercial buildings, healthcare facilities, hospitality venues, transportation infrastructure, industrial/manufacturing sites, and government/public-sector projects, with a disclosed project roster spanning Cape Town International Airport, Netcare and Melomed hospitals, the Silo Hotel District, the Cradlestone and Cornubia malls, the Cape Town High Court, Stellenbosch University and the Nulaid food-processing plant. Revenue is generated through project-based supply-and-install contracts plus product-specification advisory services; pricing is quote-driven and not publicly disclosed.

Name

Firewerx

Legal name

Firewerx

Website

https://firewerx.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Firewerx is a South African specialist contractor that supplies and installs SABS-tested passive fire protection systems — intumescent coatings, vermiculite plaster, fire seals and calcium silicate fireboard — for commercial, healthcare, hospitality, industrial and government buildings across South Africa and selected African markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Passive Fire Protection Services

NAICS

Other Building Equipment Contractors (23829), Drywall and Insulation Contractors (238310)

SIC

Gaskets, Packg & Sealg Devices & Rubber & Plastics Hose (3050)

akta.pro primary industry

Fire & Smoke Dampers / Firestopping / Passive Fire Protection Services (BPABAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fire Door, Firestop & Passive Fire Protection Inspection/Installation (IMAIAJAJ), Firestopping & Fire-Resistant Sealants (IMADAOAI), Firestop & Penetration Sealing Materials (IMADAGAL), Fire-Resistant, Moisture-Resistant & Specialty Performance Boards (IMADAEAJ)

Keywords

• Passive fire protection
• Fire stopping installation
• Intumescent coatings
• Structural steel fireproofing
• Building fire safety

Headquarters

HQ city

Cape Town

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Passive Fire Protection Products Supply and Installation: Firewerx supplies and installs passive fire protection products including intumescent coatings, vermiculite plaster, fire seals, and calcium silicate fireboard. The company utilizes top quality, internationally recognised, factory formed materials that are tested and conform to SABS or British Standards requirements.
2. Product Specification Services: Technical assistance with product specification to project needs, helping customers select appropriate fire protection solutions for their specific requirements.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Firewerx supplies and installs passive fire protection products for commercial, healthcare, hospitality, and infrastructure buildings across South Africa. Core offerings include fire protection coatings (intumescent coatings for structural steel and vermiculite plaster), fire protection seals (pipe collars, pipe wraps, gap seals, and penetration seals), calcium silicate fireboard, and fire doors supplied through affiliated company Dorwerx. The company provides both the supply of SABS- and British Standards-compliant materials and professional on-site installation by a highly trained workforce.

Product overview

Firewerx is a passive fire protection company offering a portfolio of fire prevention products and installation services. The core product offerings include Fire Coatings (intumescent coatings for structural steel and vermiculite plaster), Fire Protection Seals (pipe collars, pipe wraps, gap seals, and penetration seals), Calcium Silicate Fireboard, and Fire Doors via affiliated company Dorwerx. These products work together to provide compartmentalisation and fire protection enabling building occupants to escape safely during fire emergencies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Intumescent Coatings to Structural Steel Intumescent coating that expands when exposed to fire to form a thermally insulating char layer, protecting structural steel for 30, 60, 90, or 120 minutes. Applied via airless spray machine to required dry film thickness; used in commercial buildings requiring certified fire protection of structural members.
• Vermiculite Plaster and Coatings SABS 10177-Part 2 tested and approved fire protection material for structural steel stability. Lightweight, durable, bonds without mesh, low density, sound-absorbing, pH 12.5 (non-corrosive), asbestos-free and TCA-free. Suitable for wineries, breweries, and other buildings requiring condensation control and thermal insulation alongside fire protection.
• Penetration Fire Seals Proprietary fire stop materials for sealing service penetrations through fire walls or between floors to prevent passage of toxic gases, smoke, and fire between compartments. Suitable for cables, cable trays, cable ladders, trunking, steel and copper pipes, ducting, dampers, and PVC/uPVC pipes.
• Intumescent PVC Pipe Collar Surface mounted intumescent pipe collar for PVC, uPVC, and steel pipes that closes off the pipe or voids around the pipe during a fire to prevent passage of smoke and fire between compartment walls and floors. Mechanically fixed to substrate using fire retardant anchors.
• Intumescent PVC Pipe Wrap Intumescent wrap fitted around pipe circumference within substrate depth; closes off the aperture in a compartment floor or wall when penetrated by plastic pipes during a fire. Suitable for PVC, ABS, PE, PP, and PB pipes.
• Flexible Fire Rated Acrylic Gap Seal Fire rated acrylic mastic that cures to give a firm but flexible seal in low movement fire rated joints up to 20mm. Used internally in fire rated structures including joints in compartment walls and floors, perimeter seals around partitioning, service penetrations, and bedding of fire door locks and hinges.
• Calcium Silicate Fireboard Cementitious calcium silicate based glass fibre cement board tested by SABS to provide 120-minute fire stopping capability for integrity and stability. Weatherproof for internal and external applications; used in partitions, timber floor protection, fire breaks at concrete soffit edge, and structural steel boxing.
• Fire Doors Fire rated doors for passive fire protection in buildings, supplied through affiliated company Dorwerx (dorwerx.co.za) as a sister brand. Customers requiring fire doors are referred to Dorwerx for the door product line.
• Passive Fire Protection Supply and Installation Service Professional on-site supply and installation of passive fire protection products by a highly trained workforce, delivering compartmentalisation and fire stopping solutions for commercial buildings, hospitals, hotels, airports, malls, and other structures across South Africa and internationally.

Quantifiable outcome

• Fire protection ratings from 30 to 120 minutes
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers21 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• MBAminorOthersAffiliation mentioned on Firewerx website footer. MBA appears to be a Master Builders Association or similar industry body affiliation.
• DorwerxcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRelated entity for fire doors. Firewerx refers customers to Dorwerx for fire doors (separate website at dorwerx.co.za), indicating a related company or sister brand for fire door products.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Envirograf: UK passive fire protection product manufacturer (intumescent seals, pipe wraps, fireboards). Direct peer as a Firewerx affiliate supplying the same passive-fire product categories used in the company's installations.
• Nullifire: Manufacturer of intumescent coatings and fire-stopping sealants; cited as a Firewerx affiliate. Direct peer in product category (intumescent coatings and sealants for structural and service penetrations), targeting the same South African specification channel.
• Polyseam: UK-based manufacturer of fire-resistant sealants, mastics, and coatings; listed as a Firewerx affiliate. Direct peer in firestopping sealants and coatings category, with overlapping technical and regulatory positioning.
• Mandoval Vermiculite: Mandoval manufactures vermiculite-based fire protection coatings used by Firewerx. Direct peer in the vermiculite plaster / cementitious fire protection category and a current affiliate supplier.

Regional players

• Boss Fire & Safety: Australian passive fire protection specialist offering collars, wraps, sealants, and fireboard with accredited installer networks. Direct comparable in product category and business model, but operating in Australia rather than competing with Firewerx in Africa.
• Pyrok Group: Australian developer of vermiculite-based fireproofing plasters and cementitious sprays for structural steel. Comparable as a regional passive-fire specialist targeting the same building type and ratings, but serving a different geography.

Broad incumbents

• Hilti South Africa: Global construction technology company with a substantial firestop systems portfolio (sealants, collars, wraps, modules). Comparable because Hilti competes for the same firestopping specification in South African commercial projects; broad incumbent due to its wider tool and fastening portfolio.
• Promat (Etex Group): Global leader in passive fire protection boards, sprays, and seals. Directly comparable as a multinational passive-fire product and systems provider; broader portfolio and larger scale make it a broad incumbent rather than a direct niche peer.
• Sika South Africa: Global construction chemicals supplier with firestopping sealants, intumescent strips, and concrete repair systems. Comparable because Sika sells fire-rated sealants into the same South African specification channel; broad incumbent given its full construction-chemicals portfolio.
• 3M Fire Protection: 3M's Fire Protection Products division sells firestop sealants, wraps, and collars through distribution and accredited installers. Comparable passive-fire product category, but 3M operates across many unrelated industrial categories, making it a broad incumbent.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/firewerx-passive-fire-protection

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Firewerx