The 100-Year Legacy Behind the Startup Spirit

Fenwal Controls: Precision Engineering Since the 1930s

Building Trust Through Temperature and Ignition Solutions

While Kidde Fire Systems pioneered large-scale suppression technologies, Fenwal Controls was establishing its own legacy in precision mechanical controls. With roots dating back to the original development of the THERMOSWITCH® in the 1930s, Fenwal Controls became the trusted partner of original equipment manufacturers worldwide, delivering temperature sensing, gas ignition, and fire and overheat detection solutions known for their precision, durability, and exceptional reliability.

For nearly a century, OEMs across industries have depended on Fenwal Controls for the know-how, proven products, and responsive service needed to support fast-track development of new equipment that meets both performance specifications and stringent cost goals. From mobile heating units and RV furnaces to industrial boilers and commercial HVAC systems, Fenwal Controls’ large installed base of products testifies to their high reliability and long service life. The company’s network of experienced representatives has provided valuable local resources in achieving optimal solutions to product requirements, whether the application involves gas ignition, temperature control, or fire and overheat detection.

A Century of Growth, Consolidation, and Expertise

1950s-2020s: Building the Most Comprehensive Fire Protection Portfolio

Throughout the latter half of the 20th century and into the 21st, Kidde Fire Systems continued to expand its reach and capabilities through both organic growth and strategic acquisitions. The company incorporated other respected industry brands, including Chemetron Fire Systems and Fenwal Protection Systems, building one of the most comprehensive product portfolios in the fire suppression industry. This depth of expertise and breadth of offerings made Kidde Fire Systems the trusted choice for protecting mission-critical facilities worldwide, from power generation plants and data centers to museums and offshore platforms.

In 1989, a significant milestone occurred when Walter Kidde Limited UK merged with Graviner UK to create Kidde-Graviner Ltd., combining decades of fire detection and suppression expertise. By 1991, was officially established in the United States, uniting the engineering excellence of Kidde Fire Systems with the precision control technologies of Fenwal Controls under a single banner. Throughout this period, the companies continued to innovate, developing advanced clean agent technologies, inert gas systems, and intelligent detection platforms that would become industry standards.

Over the following decades, the Kidde brands passed through various corporate structures, from independent operations to becoming part of larger multinational organizations. Despite these ownership changes, the fundamental commitment to engineering excellence, customer focus, and life-saving innovation remained constant. The brands’ reputations for quality, reliability, and technical expertise only strengthened, earning certifications from regulatory bodies worldwide and maintaining portfolios of patents protecting the proprietary technologies driving next-generation fire protection.

Independence and a New Chapter

The 100-Year Startup is Born

In 2024, a transformative moment arrived. Pacific Avenue Capital Partners, a Los Angeles-based private equity firm specializing in corporate carve-outs and complex middle-market transactions, acquired the businesses that would become KiddeFenwal. For the first time in years, these legendary fire protection brands would operate as a unified, independent company purpose-built for growth.

This acquisition marked the beginning of KiddeFenwal as the world knows it today. Under the leadership of CEO Rekha Agrawal, the newly independent company brought together Kidde Fire Systems, Fenwal Controls, and Kidde Fire Protection under one name, creating the most comprehensive fire safety portfolio in the industry. The company emerged with renewed focus, agility, and energy, combining more than a century of proven expertise with the momentum and nimbleness of a startup.

The results speak for themselves. In the first year of independence, KiddeFenwal experienced double-digit revenue growth and expanded its global team by more than 20 percent. The company sharpened its focus on three high-risk, high-growth application areas where advanced fire protection is most critical: hyperscale data centers, battery energy storage systems, and commercial kitchens. These markets demand the most sophisticated, reliable fire protection technologies available, and KiddeFenwal is uniquely positioned to deliver.

From Pioneers to Present Day

A Legacy That Lives in Every System We Build

Today, KiddeFenwal stands as both a time-tested industry leader and a company energized by new possibilities. Our history is written in the lives we’ve saved, the properties we’ve protected, and the technologies we’ve pioneered. From Walter Kidde’s first integrated detection system on a ship in 1918 to today’s advanced clean agent platforms protecting hyperscale data centers, our commitment to innovation and excellence has never wavered.

We are the product of visionary founders, decades of engineering breakthroughs, and a global network of partners and customers who have trusted us to protect what matters most. Our purpose remains unchanged from the day Walter Kidde opened his doors: we exist to protect lives, livelihoods, and icons with innovative solutions, deep relationships, and outstanding customer experience.

With more than a century of heritage behind us and the independence to chart our own course forward, KiddeFenwal is writing the next chapter in fire protection history. We are advancing fire safety for the industries that power modern life, one system, one customer, one partnership at a time. The past century has been remarkable. The next promises to be even better.