Clearwater has advised Checkmate Fire, the UK’s largest passive fire protection specialist, on its sale to IK Partners from YFM Equity Partners (YFM). The completion of the transaction is subject to regulatory approvals.
Established in 1989 and headquartered in Leeds, West Yorkshire, Checkmate Fire provides a comprehensive range of passive fire protection services to businesses across the healthcare, education, government, social housing, and commercial sectors. The company inspects, installs, remediates, and maintains passive fire systems, also providing installation and maintenance of active fire systems.
Checkmate Fire operates across the UK and has more than 200 employees. The company is responsible for maintaining passive fire systems in 2,000 buildings, nationally, to ensure compliance with increasingly stringent regulations as well as carrying out over 30,000 fire door remediations or replacements per year. The focus is on maintaining fire doors rather than replacing them, an approach that aligns with the company’s commitment to strong environmental, social, and governance practices across the business.
Since YFM’s investment and under the existing management team, Checkmate Fire has scaled rapidly, expanding its service offering and supporting more customers through multi-year contracts. In partnership with IK Partners, Checkmate Fire will look to further develop its passive fire offering, particularly its inspections division, in a market with compelling long-term growth dynamics. The company will also continue to invest in its people and technology, enhancing operational efficiency while also executing a targeted M&A strategy.
