Thorne & Derrick is pleased to reaffirm its distribution partnership with Pepperl + Fuchs, with a renewed focus on Enterprise Mobility solutions for hazardous area and industrial applications. This includes rugged ATEX mobile phones and ATEX tablets designed to support safe communication and digital workflows in environments where standard consumer devices are not suitable.
The partnership brings together two complementary strengths. Pepperl + Fuchs is globally recognised for its innovation, product quality and certified solutions for demanding industrial environments, while Thorne & Derrick provides specialist distribution, market knowledge and application support to help customers source the right products with confidence.
By working closely together, both businesses are well placed to improve customer access to key product ranges, strengthen product visibility in the market and support safer, more effective operations across hazardous area applications.
“Pepperl + Fuchs is a highly respected name in hazardous area technology, and this partnership reflects our shared commitment to supporting customers with trusted products, practical guidance and responsive service. By working closely together, we are well placed to strengthen awareness of the range and help customers identify the right solutions for their applications.”
“Thorne & Derrick brings strong market understanding and a clear focus on supporting customers in hazardous area applications. We are pleased to continue working together and to build on a partnership that helps improve access to Pepperl + Fuchs solutions across key industrial sectors.”
A particular area of focus is Pepperl + Fuchs Enterprise Mobility, including ATEX mobile phones and ATEX tablets for hazardous area and industrial applications.
These devices support safe communication and digital workflows in environments where standard consumer technology is not suitable, helping operators work more effectively across sectors such as oil & gas, chemical processing, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, utilities, energy and wider industrial processing.
Ideal for: oil & gas, petrochemical, chemical processing, pharmaceutical manufacturing, energy, utilities and other hazardous industrial sectors.
Alongside this strengthened partnership, Thorne & Derrick is continuing to invest in refreshed product content, improved online visibility and wider support across key Pepperl + Fuchs categories.
With particular focus on ATEX mobile phones and ATEX tablets, the aim is to make it easier for customers to access rugged, certified communication devices backed by specialist support.
Thorne & Derrick looks forward to building further on its relationship with Pepperl + Fuchs and supporting customers with trusted hazardous area solutions for demanding industrial environments.
Fixed & Portable ATEX Fans
Fixed & Portable Tank Ventilation Solution For Hazardous Areas
Thorne & Derrick distribute a range of cost effective ATEX fans offering a high performance fixed and portable tank ventilation solution for hazardous areas and explosive atmospheres. Suitable for confined space applications where fresh air is required to provide a safe working environment and for gas freeing of oil and chemical tanks.
These ATEX & IECEx fans can be fully portable so can be used on a wide range of vessels. Safety is paramount nowadays particularly in the workplace and the Tank Vent ATEX Portable Fan range provides fresh air when entry into a confined space for workers in tank cleaning is unavoidable.
Thorne & Derrick can provide a portable, electrically driven unit to provide fresh air for the safety of workers and of the vessels while cleaning of storage holds and tanks takes place.
These units can be independently ATEX and/or IECEx Certified and are certified to both Electrical & Non-Electrical standards for safe ventilation of hazardous area workplaces and potentially explosive atmospheres – providing a world wide safety solution.
ATEX & IECEx fans continuously move fresh, uncontaminated air through a hazardous area as an effective means of controlling an atmospheric explosive hazard.
Currently Thorne & Derrick distribute the following ATEX & IECEx Fans Approved for Ventilation of Explosive Atmospheres:
ATEX Fan – Tank Vent Fan 575
The following check-list provides information to clients to ensure their ventilation fans are safe and compliant with ATEX and IECEx requirements for service in potentially explosive atmospheres and hazardous area locations.
Thorne & Derrick International distribute an extensive range of ATEX & IECEx Certified Products for safe use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres & Hazardous Areas – these products help overcome the dangers of confined space working alleviating risks with the provision of certified and safe confined space lighting, power, heat and ventilation – keeping workers safe during maintenance, repair and installation works in hazardous area locations in potentially explosive atmospheres.
The Exstream range of 3rd Party Certified Portable Fans distributed by Thorne & Derrick are independently dual certified IECEx & ATEX portable ventilation fans certified to both Electrical & Non-Electrical standards to provide a world wide safety solution.
Confined Spaces | LinkEx ATEX Confined Space Lighting Kits | ATEX Cable Reel | Portable ATEX Heater
On 6 July 1988, the Piper Alpha disaster claimed the lives of 167 men in the North Sea.
For many, it is a moment in history. For others, it hits much closer to home.
Terry McDonald’s father worked offshore, so when news of the disaster began to spread and people started ringing the house that night, the uncertainty and fear were very real. His father was not working on Piper Alpha, but the event still left a lasting impression and a stark reminder of how devastating failures in hazardous environments can be.
Fast forward to today, and Terry now works for a company supplying equipment into hazardous areas, continuing to campaign for better awareness, better decision-making, and stronger vigilance around Fake ATEX / non-compliant equipment.
That is exactly why we launched this initiative – to help raise awareness before failure forces change, and to reinforce that hazardous area safety depends not only on engineering disciplines, but on everyone involved in specification, procurement, support, and site operations.
Because the lesson from Piper Alpha is not just about what happened. It is about what should happen next.
Key Message:
At Thorne & Derrick, we recently delivered a fully funded CompEx Ex Awareness (Ex A) course in partnership with Roxby Training Solutions.
The response to the campaign was immediate. With 200+ registrations, it became clear that there is a strong appetite across industry for improving knowledge — not only within engineering roles, but across everyone involved in hazardous area operations, procurement, and support.
In practical terms, the initiative brought that message to life.
From that response, 10 delegates were selected to attend the course, and we are pleased to say that all 10 successfully passed.
Initiative Summary:
One of the strongest outcomes from the day was the delegate feedback. A consistent theme ran through the comments: a greater understanding of risk, responsibility, and the importance of compliant equipment in hazardous areas.
Some of the clearest takeaways included:
“Opened my eyes to fake and compromised Ex equipment.”
“To understand the risk and how to source / recognise the correct equipment.”
“Everyone can have a basic understanding.”
“The importance of using verified suppliers for Ex certified equipment.”
These responses reflect a simple but important point: awareness changes behaviour – and behaviour ultimately impacts safety.
Several responses also reinforced the importance of recognising compliant equipment and asking better questions at specification and purchasing stage — exactly the kind of thinking that helps reduce risk before equipment ever reaches site.
Crucially, every delegate confirmed that their company would benefit from Terry’s Fake ATEX / non-compliant equipment presentation, reinforcing that the need for awareness extends beyond the individual and across wider teams and organisations.
As part of the day, Terry McDonald delivered a presentation focused on the risks of Fake ATEX / non-compliant equipment – an issue that continues to present real danger across the supply chain.
“I have long been a campaigner against fake ATEX equipment in our industry and equally so on the need to improve knowledge within the hazardous area sector, not just for engineering disciplines but for all those who work in the industry. This course provides a basic understanding and highlights the dangers and consequences when things go wrong. It’s almost 40 years since 167 men never went home. They should never be forgotten, and we should never stop learning and striving to improve knowledge and safety.”
That message resonated strongly with the room and reinforced a core principle behind this initiative: safer outcomes do not begin only with compliant products, but with people who understand the consequences of getting things wrong.
Piper Alpha remains one of the clearest reminders of why proactive learning and safety improvement matter. This short film captures the human legacy behind that lesson.
The film was produced for Step Change by The Art Department and features audio from the BBC Radio 3 drama Piper Alpha – The Human Price of Oil by Stephen Phelps. The artwork was drawn by Sue Jane Taylor, who was offshore in the months before the disaster. She sketched many of the men on Piper Alpha and went on to create the iconic memorial that now stands in Hazlehead Park.
Piper Alpha led to major changes in offshore safety, but its wider lesson remains just as relevant today:
That is why initiatives like this matter. They help move the conversation forward before tragedy forces change and reinforce the importance of awareness at every stage of the supply chain.
This initiative is one step – but it reflects something bigger.
A responsibility to raise awareness across hazardous area industries, challenge the risks of Fake ATEX / non-compliant equipment, and support better decision-making across the supply chain.
At Thorne & Derrick, we see first-hand how improved awareness, correct specification, and compliant supply can reduce risk and raise standards. But ultimately, safer outcomes do not start with products alone. They start with people who understand the consequences of getting it wrong.
Speak to Thorne & Derrick for support with compliant hazardous area equipment, specification guidance, and future awareness initiatives.
As hydrogen infrastructure continues to expand across the UK transport sector, the requirement for safe, reliable and energy efficient lighting within hazardous environments is becoming increasingly critical.
Hydrogen refuelling facilities operate in areas where explosive gases may be present, meaning all installed equipment must meet strict ATEX hazardous area certification standards while maintaining high levels of performance and reliability.
Thorne & Derrick recently supported a lighting upgrade project for a hydrogen truck refuelling client, delivering a technically engineered solution using the Raytec Spartan Recessed ATEX LED luminaire.
Project Overview:
Hydrogen is widely recognised as a key fuel in the transition toward lower carbon transport, particularly for heavy goods vehicles and commercial fleets. However, hydrogen also presents unique safety challenges due to its extremely flammable properties and physical characteristics. Hydrogen is classified as an IIC gas group under the ATEX hazardous area classification system. The IIC group represents the most severe explosion risk category for gases, meaning any electrical equipment used within these environments must meet the highest design and certification requirements.
Because of these characteristics, hydrogen installations require the most stringent hazardous area equipment protections to prevent ignition sources.
To support the project, a detailed lighting site survey and photometric design study was carried out to determine the most suitable hazardous area lighting solution.
The design process evaluated:
A critical requirement from the client was that any replacement luminaire must match the exact footprint of the existing recessed canopy lighting to avoid costly structural modifications.
Following technical evaluation and design modelling, the Raytec Spartan Recessed ATEX luminaire was selected as the optimal solution.
The Raytec Spartan Recessed (SPX Recess Plank) is specifically designed for hazardous area installations where recessed mounting is required, such as refuelling canopies, industrial ceilings and process facilities.
Certified for Zone 1 gas and Zone 21 dust environments, the luminaire is fully compliant with ATEX, IECEx and UKEX certification schemes, making it suitable for installations where hydrogen or other IIC gases may be present.
The Raytec Spartan Recessed range offered several advantages for this application, including:
One of the most important aspects of the project was the ability of the Raytec Spartan Recessed luminaire to match the footprint of the existing fittings installed within the canopy. This meant the lighting upgrade could be completed without:
At the same time, the new installation provides improved lighting levels, enhanced energy efficiency and fully compliant hazardous area protection.
The new installation provides improved lighting levels, enhanced energy efficiency and fully compliant hazardous area protection.
By matching the footprint of the existing recessed canopy fittings, the project avoided structural modifications to the canopy, additional fabrication or civil works, and extended site downtime.
Projects involving explosive atmospheres require specialist engineering knowledge and responsive technical support.
At Thorne & Derrick, we work closely with leading manufacturers such as Raytec to deliver:
Our team understands the complexity of hazardous area installations and works quickly to identify safe, compliant and efficient lighting solutions tailored to the specific requirements of each client.
As hydrogen continues to play an increasingly important role in the future of heavy transport, the safety and reliability of refuelling infrastructure will be paramount.
By combining the engineering performance of Raytec’s Spartan Recessed ATEX luminaires with the technical expertise and responsiveness of Thorne & Derrick, this project demonstrates how specialist hazardous area lighting solutions can support the safe growth of hydrogen-powered transport.
The ATEX Equipment Directive (2014/34/EU) governs the design and certification of equipment used in explosive atmospheres across Europe and the UK. For hydrogen environments, equipment must be suitable for Gas Group IIC, which includes the most easily ignitable gases such as:
Equipment certified for IIC gases is also suitable for the less demanding IIB and IIA gas groups, but not vice versa. To achieve IIC certification, manufacturers must implement several additional engineering and safety measures.
For explosion-protected equipment using flameproof protection (Ex d), the flamepaths — the engineered gaps that prevent internal explosions from propagating externally — must be manufactured with tighter tolerances and longer flamepath lengths when designed for IIC gases. Hydrogen’s low ignition energy and flame propagation characteristics require these enhanced design measures to safely contain explosions.
Equipment must be designed to ensure that external surfaces cannot exceed defined temperature classes (T-ratings) that could ignite the surrounding gas mixture. In hydrogen environments, maintaining strict thermal management through heat sinking, efficient electronics and LED thermal design is critical.
Manufacturers must minimise the risk of sparks or arcs from electrical components through design approaches such as:
This is especially important for LED drivers and electrical connections within hazardous area lighting.
Equipment must be designed to withstand:
Without compromising the explosion protection concept or the integrity of the enclosure.
Before certification, hazardous area equipment must undergo rigorous testing through approved certification bodies to demonstrate compliance with ATEX and IECEx standards, including:
Contact Thorne & Derrick for expert guidance on ATEX certified lighting solutions for hydrogen infrastructure, oil & gas facilities, chemical processing plants and other explosive atmosphere environments.
In hazardous area environments, temporary heating is essential for worker comfort, equipment protection, and successful maintenance execution in cold or humid conditions. Unlike standard industrial heaters, which are prohibited in explosive atmospheres, ATEX portable fan heaters are purposely engineered for ignition prevention, mechanical robustness, and continuous safe performance.
This guide explains ATEX zones, the limitations of conventional heaters, what defines a genuinely portable hazardous area heater, and why the EXHEAT MFH “The Bulldog” is regarded as the leading certified option for Zone 1/2 and 21/22 operations worldwide.
ATEX-certified equipment is mandatory wherever explosive atmospheres—gas (Zone 1/2) or dust (Zone 21/22)—may be present during normal or abnormal operations.
| Zone | Description |
| Zone 1 | Explosive gas atmosphere is likely during normal operation |
| Zone 2 | Explosive gas atmosphere is unlikely but possible for short durations |
| Zone 21 | Combustible dust atmosphere likely during normal operation |
| Zone 22 | Combustible dust atmosphere unlikely but possible intermittently |
In these zones, heaters must comply with ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU and the EN/IEC 60079 standards, ensuring:
A fully ATEX & IECEx certified portable fan-assisted heater rated for
Zone 1, Zone 2, Zone 21 & Zone 22. Designed for
safety-critical heating in offshore platforms, FPSOs, refineries, chemical
plants, and hazardous industrial environments. The MFH delivers
high airflow, rugged stainless-steel construction, and reliable
performance in harsh conditions.
EXHEAT MFH – Portable ATEX Fan Heater for Hazardous Areas
Standard industrial heaters—space heaters, fan heaters, radiant heaters—are not engineered for explosive atmospheres. Their internal components routinely generate temperatures, sparks, or fault conditions that would be unsafe in ATEX zones.
Typical Failure Risks:
This is why only certified ATEX portable heaters may be deployed in these zones.
Many heaters marketed as “portable” fail this definition in operational contexts. True portability in hazardous areas requires:
The EXHEAT Bulldog was specifically designed around these requirements.
The Bulldog directly addresses the major issues reported by operators, maintenance teams and offshore personnel.
1. Lightweight, One-Person Handling
A compact frame and low mass allow single-person lifting—even on offshore platforms where space is limited.
2. Exceptional Durability
3. High Airflow + Fast Temperature Rise
Engineered for airflow optimisation to increase heating efficiency and comfort.
4. Anti-Static Ducting Options
Direct heat exactly where needed—habitats, confined spaces, tank entries and composite repair sites.
5. T-Class Compliance (T3/T4)
Suitable for a wide range of explosive atmospheres without exceeding safe surface temperatures.
Contact Thorne & Derrick to ensure your heating solution meets safety standards and operational requirements.
The EXHEAT MFH “The Bulldog” sets the standard for ATEX portable heating: lightweight, rugged, powerful and fully certified for hazardous environments. For any operator working in explosive atmospheres, it represents a safe, dependable and cost-effective heating solution.
Published 13 Mar 2020
Press Release Date: 02.04.2020 uploaded by Chris Dodds (T&D Sales + Marketing Manager) World’s First Fully Certified ATEX Doors Thorne & Derrick International, the Experts in Equipment for Explosive Atmospheres, today announce the signing of a Commercial Distribution Agreement...
Published 04 Jul 2019
Press Release Date: 04.07.2019 uploaded by Chris Dodds (T&D Sales + Marketing Manager) Category: Stockist Distributor Agreement Announcement Thorne & Derrick International announce that they have signed a Preferred Distributor Agreement with Raytec, the world leading manufacturer of LED...
