IDS UK to open Northamptonshire PPE decontamination facility for fire and rescue services

Industrial Decontamination Services UK (IDS UK) is set to bring a new PPE care and decontamination service to the UK fire, emergency services and industrial sectors with the launch of a state-of-the-art facility in Northamptonshire.

Backed by more than 30 years of experience in Australia, IDS UK said the new site is due to open by the end of the year and will provide cleaning, decontamination, repair, tracking and lifecycle support for protective clothing and equipment.

The company’s service is designed to support the operational demands of modern fire and rescue services, offering care for items including jackets, trousers, SCBA masks, boots and helmets.

Low-temperature PPE decontamination

IDS UK said its specialist decontamination processes have been developed specifically for protective clothing and equipment. Its low-temperature approach is intended to help protect the integrity and longevity of PPE while delivering full decontamination to NFPA 1850 standards and asbestos-level decontamination once the facility is operational.

The company added that its independent model means it is not tied to any PPE supplier, giving customers flexibility and a service focused on performance, transparency and outcomes.

Through its end-to-end live asset tracking platform, firefighters and administrators will be able to monitor equipment status throughout its lifecycle. IDS UK said this will give services full visibility of PPE location, condition and availability, while supporting simplified management and operational resilience.

The company said it is targeting a 48-hour turnaround to help customers meet key performance indicators and reduce downtime.

‘Protect their people and extend PPE life’

Ben Jones, Managing Director of IDS Group, said the UK launch would help services improve PPE care while managing cost and resilience pressures.

“IDS UK combines world-leading technology, proven sustainable processes and competitive, simplified pricing to help fire and rescue services protect their people, extend PPE life and gain confidence that critical equipment is ready when it matters most,” he said.

“In the UK, the debate around cleaning and decontamination is intensifying. While some advocate for high-temperature cleaning, we do not. The challenge for fire and rescue services is to achieve effective PPE decontamination without compromising the lifespan of the PPE.

“At IDS, we have found the right balance. Our low-temperature decontamination process has been shown to extend the typical life of a firefighting ensemble and consistently cleans to asbestos-level standards, removing the guesswork around the level of cleaning required. This also ensures complete transparency and eliminates hidden costs.”

Jones added that conversations with UK fire and rescue services had highlighted the importance of real-time PPE tracking, traceability and minimal downtime at a time of continued budget pressure.

“IDS has been doing this in Australia for over 30 years and our tried-and-tested complete care service works,” he said.

Australian customers highlight turnaround and garment care

Louise Christie, Emergency Services Logistics Coordinator and a customer in Australia, said the service had supported operational availability.

“The speed and reliability of the IDS service has had a significant impact on our operations. Their efficient collection, decontamination and return process consistently delivers outstanding turnaround times, helping us to keep our teams equipped and operational,” she said.

Mark Teale, Emergency Services Procurement Lead and a customer in Australia, said IDS had helped extend PPE service life.

“The quality of decontamination and garment care provided by IDS has helped extend the lifespan of our PPE while giving our teams greater confidence in the safety of their equipment,” he said.

Further UK expansion planned

IDS UK said the Northamptonshire facility is intended to be the first stage of a wider UK rollout.

“Our Northants facility is just the start; we plan to establish more sites across the UK as business grows,” Jones said.