IWMA elects new board and council leaders at record-breaking Manchester conference

Left: Antti Hurme, Right: Kemal Sarp Arsava

IWMA appoints new leaders and reports record attendance at Manchester conference

IWMA announces leadership changes

The International Water Mist Association (IWMA) has announced new appointments to its Board of Directors and Scientific Council following its annual meeting.

Markku Vuorisalo of Marioff will step down from the IWMA Board as he approaches retirement.

His colleague Antti Hurme has been elected to succeed him on the Board.

Hurme is currently Director of Solutions at Marioff, where he leads a global team responsible for HI-FOG high-pressure water mist system design, Building Information Modelling (BIM) development and lifecycle services.

He has more than 16 years of experience at the company, with a background spanning research and development, sales and marketing.

The IWMA Scientific Council has also appointed a new chairman.

Kemal Sarp Arsava, Associate Professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), will assume the position after the role was vacant for several months.

Arsava has over a decade of experience in combustion and fire testing, structural engineering and research leadership.

He has previously worked at RISE Fire Research in Norway and at the U.S. Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory.

Manchester conference breaks attendance record

The IWMA confirmed that its annual conference, held in Manchester on 24 and 25 September 2025, achieved record attendance.

IWMA President Max Lakkonen said nearly 180 delegates from more than 25 countries participated in the event.

Attendance from Asia and the Americas increased compared with previous years.

The 2025 programme focused on fundamental knowledge, training and practical case studies illustrating a wide range of water mist applications.

Sir Ken Knight opened the conference with a presentation on the role of water mist in firefighting from a fire service perspective.

Lakkonen said: “The International Water Mist Association (IWMA) Conference in Manchester has broken all previous records, underlining the growing global interest in water mist technology.”

He added: “We have been positively surprised by the number of attendees and sponsors, which clearly demonstrates the strong momentum of our industry.”

New technical documents released during the event

During the conference, the IWMA launched several new documents designed to support the water mist market.

These included The Water Mist Guide, an introductory resource explaining how water mist systems function and should be applied.

The association also released an updated Standard Matrix to clarify applicable fire test protocols used for system approval.

A further initiative titled Mistconceptions was introduced to address common misunderstandings about water mist and provide evidence-based clarification.

Presentations at the conference covered a range of topics including the protection of Notre Dame Cathedral and the introduction of the EN 14972 standard in the UK.

Relevance for fire and safety professionals

The IWMA’s 2025 conference and leadership changes hold practical relevance for fire engineers, fire-protection system designers and standards professionals involved in water-based suppression technologies.

The appointment of new leaders, including an academic with expertise in combustion and fire testing, indicates continued emphasis on research-led development in water mist applications.

The publication of The Water Mist Guide and the updated Standard Matrix offers engineers and specifiers clearer frameworks for applying and approving water mist systems in accordance with current standards.

Meanwhile, case studies and discussions on high-profile projects, such as the Notre Dame Cathedral protection system and the enforcement of EN 14972, provide insight into both heritage and modern fire protection applications.

For installers, consultants and system certifiers, the IWMA’s initiatives may assist in aligning practice with evolving international standards.

IWMA appoints new leaders and reports record attendance at Manchester conference: Summary

The International Water Mist Association (IWMA) has elected new leadership during its 2025 annual meeting held alongside its Manchester conference.

Markku Vuorisalo will retire from the IWMA Board of Directors and will be succeeded by Marioff’s Antti Hurme, Director of Solutions.

Kemal Sarp Arsava, Associate Professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, has been appointed chairman of the IWMA Scientific Council.

The conference on 24 and 25 September 2025 attracted nearly 180 delegates from more than 25 countries, including a record number of first-time attendees.

Key topics included training, case studies, and new documents such as The Water Mist Guide, the Standard Matrix and the Mistconceptions initiative.

Sir Ken Knight delivered the opening address, highlighting water mist’s role in firefighting and its growing international relevance.

This article contains information from the following source: International Water Mist Association (IWMA)