50 Years as Pioneers of Gas Detection – How Honeywell Analytics has Helped Shape Gas Detection’s Evolution

As with all things in life, evolution is constant and the gas detection industry is no exception. Looking back to the origins of the industry over 60 years ago, the first groundbreaking devices developed highlight just how much things have changed, when compared to today’s offering. Not only has product innovation changed, but there has been massive evolution in the marketplace itself. Back at the beginning of the gas detection story, mining was the key application for this type of equipment, but the advent of enhanced site safety and new legislations have meant that a wide variety of applications and industries now use gas detection equipment.

Few suppliers have been there since the beginning, but one company can boast not only a consistent presence in the industry, but a hand in some of its key innovations and benchmark technologies. Honeywell Analytics is one of the market leading suppliers of gas detection and the organisation recently celebrated an impressive milestone; its 50th anniversary.

From humble beginnings as a small gas detection supplier based in Poole in the UK, the company has grown to become one of the World’s leading providers of gas detection solutions; growing from one single
site with only a handful of employees to a global enterprise with offices across the World and thousands of staff.

Originally incorporated as EIC-Sieger in 1959 and later re-branded as J&S Sieger Ltd in 1961, the company revolutionised the fledgling gas detection industry when its founder, Joshua Sieger, invented the first low-power catalytic bead in 1958, designed for the detection of flammable gases onboard boats.

Sieger, who was a keen boating enthusiast, invented the new catalytic bead driven device, called the Mark 9, to fill a gap in the boating market. The device used a new technology that provided lower power consumption and minimal cross interference; aspects previously unavailable.

At the time of its invention, there were only a few companies offering gas detection solutions, and these organisations were focused primarily on serving the mining industry, which was the key market for gas detection
at the time.

Mark 9 was so well received that it facilitated the company’s entry into mainstream gas detection, following a request from a large corporation for a variant model capable of detecting Ammonia. The resulting device, known as Mark 7, became the first in a long line of innovations that would define the company as not only a premier provider of quality detection solutions, but also as a technology leader and pioneer.