Better safe than sorry

AN Oldham company has bought the sales and marketing rights to a fire-resistant document wallet developed by a Coventry based solicitor.

NK Group has been manufacturing the product in Royton for two years since taking over CP Covers, a Middleton business.

Recognising the potential of the product, Steve Bithell and his son Grant, directors of the NK Group, which has its manufacturing base in Edge Lane Street Industrial Estate, opened negotiations with with the designers.

The entire process for producing the Blazepak — a fire resistant storage wallet for documents with applications across the office and automotive sectors — has now been transferred to Oldham.

Tested by the University of Warwick, whose professors used the services of Fire Services College at Merton for ‘room mock up’ trials, the Blazepak survived heat of 900C.

Contents of the wallet survived the intense heat unscathed, said Mr Bithell, (62), from Shaw, who founded his Noise Killer business in 2001.

He added: “There are any number of uses for the wallet.

“The solicitor initially came up with the idea for his clients to store wills.

“There are numerous other uses including storage of passports, birth and marriage certificates, financial documents and even CDs containing back up or sensitive material.”

Mr Bithell and his son Grant, (29), from Royton, have plans to integrate the marketing and distribution process into their existing delivery business for noise insulation products and security gate posts.

They are in the process of setting up a dedicated website to retail the wallets at around £29.99 to the general public but will target councils, schools and health trusts for bulk sales.

“I sold one to a lorry driver who travels all over Europe,” said Steve.

“He was delighted with a product that will protect all his documents in the event of a fire from his delivery notes to his passport and this is another area we will target.”