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Edwards is the leading manufacturer and service company in Canada for a complete range of Life Safety equipment. This is focussed on fire detection systems, from conventional initiating and signaling products, to the most advanced intelligent, microprocessor-based fire detection control equipment in the world. The business itself can be broken down into three basic parts; Fire Detection (into which we bundle emergency lighting and exit signs), Signaling products that includes signaling equipment such as bells and horns for industrial, commercial and institutional applications and the Service Division which specializes in complete life safety service.

Edwards was incorporated in Canada, on July 31, 1929 and Edwards products were sold through manufacturers agents. In 1935 Edwards began manufacturing in Canada. Today, you can find 740 employees located in 42 Edwards locations across Canada, including an 80,000 square foot manufacturing facility located in Owen Sound, in the heart of Georgian Bay, Ontario. Two hundred and forty-four factory trained service technicians provide coast-to-coast service, twenty-four hours a day. Edwards has the distinction of being the first fire alarm company to achieve ISO registration for both Manufacturing and Service. As evidence of Edwards’ global reach, its products can be found in such places as Denver Airport, the new Beijing West Railway Station, the Bank of China in Hong Kong, the Canadian National Defense headquarters building and hotels in almost every major city in the world.

In Canada, Edwards’ products are taken through an Electrical Distribution channel, of 620 distributor locations, to reach the contractor, who in turn installs the product on the job site. Strategic partnerships with Electrical Distributors make it possible to package together large systems consisting of fire detection, fire control, emergency lighting, nursecall and clock systems.

Close relationships with the Electrical Engineering community means that Edwards’ product is specified when jobs go out for tender. Edwards equipment can be found on almost every specification written, regardless of the scope of the project. Edwards has been a pioneer in the area of fire codes and standards and has always been represented on code committees for ULC and ULI. Being a leader in this industry means our participation is not only welcome, but expected. Edwards’ technological superiority and demonstrable competitive advantages makes them the comfortable choice for Building Owners/Facility Managers who are struggling with ever changing code requirements in a business riddled with liability issues.

Edwards enjoys a 40% market share in Canada with a huge installed base of existing equipment. An $8,000,000 service parts business helps to ensure that the Service Division can effectively provide twenty-four hour, emergency service to over 15,000 active maintenance contracts across the country. Small to large scale building retrofits are not only efficient, but reliable, when you combine leading edge technology with trained expertise.

In addition to having specified project business and off the shelf sales through distribution, Edwards offers many specialized services. Customized PC boards can be created with a high degree of versatility, component level to large complex systems. An in-house test and engineering group that work to ISO standards ensure quality guidelines are consistently followed and met. The ability to Rack and Test equipment on the factory floor ensures seamless integration on the job site, guaranteeing the fire alarm system will meet its deadline. A large in-house metal shop with state of the art equipment makes it economical to provide all types of custom metal work with greatly reduced cycle times. Utilizing leading edge software programs make it possible to have CAD stations in the drafting department talk to the metal shop equipment to offer speed-to-market prototyping.

Edwards is clearly the number one choice for Building Life Safety Systems. This encompasses all low voltage products which can be integrated into a Life Safety System such as Fire Detection, CCTV, Card Access and Security Systems. With a very active continuous improvement program, World Class Business practises and a highly motivated, self empowered workforce, Edwards is poised for growth into the new millenium.