Checkmate Fire

Leading passive fire protection specialist in the UK

Established in 1989 and headquartered in West Yorkshire, Checkmate Fire (“Checkmate” or “the Company”) provides a comprehensive range of passive fire protection services for organisations across the Commercial, Education, Government, Healthcare and Social Housing sectors.

The Company’s offering includes inspection, installation, remediation and maintenance of passive fire systems, completing over 30,000 fire door remediations or replacements annually. With 200 employees and operations across the UK, Checkmate is responsible for the maintenance of passive fire systems in around 2,000 buildings. In addition, it offers smaller scale maintenance services in the active fire protection sector.

IK Partners acquired its stake from YFM Equity Partners in March 2024 and is working alongside the management team, who has reinvested.

What Attracted Us to the Business

• Solid historical growth
• Strong reputation for the provision of high-quality services
• Experienced management team

Our Value Creation Strategy

We are working alongside management to:

• Capitalise on the core passive fire protection opportunity posed by increasingly stringent safety regulations;
• Scale the inspections division and utilise opportunities to cross-sell;
• Drive operational efficiency by streamlining internal processes; and
• Execute strategic add-on acquisitions for scale and capability.

Quote from the Client

“We are very much looking forward to working with IK after a successful partnership with YFM. IK’s track record of supporting businesses in the fire protection market, combined with our position as UK’s leading passive fire specialist, means that we are best placed to drive future growth in a market with attractive dynamics.”

John Lewthwaite, CEO, Checkmate Fire