FDM Attends London Build 2025: Growing Skills, Competence and Collaboration in the Fire Door Sector

FDM was proud to attend London Build 2025, the UK’s largest and most well-known construction show. Held across two busy days at the Olympia London in Hammersmith, this year’s event brought together over 45,000 attendees, 900+ speakers, 700+ exhibitors, and a range of CPD opportunities, networking zones, industry hubs, and live demonstrations. It continues to be a key platform for showcasing innovation, discussing industry change, and strengthening connections across the built environment.

Representing FDM at the event were:
• Dan Cope, Sales Director
• Mickey Ignatov, National Sales Manager
• Shaun Smith, Fire Door Training Tutor

Together, they spent two full days meeting professionals from across the construction and fire safety sectors, promoting competence in fire door installation and inspection, and raising awareness of FDM’s expanding training offer—including our brand-new location launching in January.

Leading the Conversation on Fire Door Competence
A standout moment of the event was Dan Cope’s panel discussion on Day One, where he joined industry experts to explore the topic of bringing new talent into the fire door sector. The session attracted strong engagement from the audience and encouraged an open conversation about the skills gap, workforce development, and the importance of competence-based training.
Dan described the panel as “a great experience with fantastic interaction from attendees”, with many audience members asking questions and later visiting the FDM stand to learn more about training pathways and qualifications.

Growing Awareness of SKEB Requirements
Across both days, one of the most noticeable trends was the growing understanding of SKEB (Skills, Knowledge, Experience and Behaviour) requirements within the industry. Many visitors to the stand were already aware of the new expectations for their workforce—highlighting a positive shift towards competence-based working.
A key message we reinforced is that third-party accreditation is not an individual’s accreditation. It does not demonstrate personal competence; instead, competence must be developed, evidenced, and maintained through proper training and assessment. This message resonated strongly with attendees, particularly those involved in fire door installation, inspection, and ongoing maintenance.

Engaging with the Wider Supply Chain
Over the two days, the FDM team met professionals from right across the supply chain, including:
• Tier 1 contractors
• Social landlords and housing associations
• SME contractors
• Healthcare providers
• Merchants and distributors
• Fire door and hardware manufacturers
This mix of visitors created valuable conversations about standards, compliance, legislation, and the need for consistent, accredited training. It also highlighted shared challenges across the industry—and how organisations are actively seeking structured solutions to upskill their teams.

Strengthening Industry Partnerships
In addition to speaking with delegates and exhibitors, Dan Cope also reconnected with existing collaborators and formed new industry relationships. He spent time engaging with representatives from several key organisations, including:
• The Fire Protection Association (FPA)
• The Fire Industry Association (FIA)
These conversations helped reinforce the importance of shared learning, cross-industry collaboration, and aligning competence-based training with the real-world challenges seen across the built environment.

High Interest in FDM’s collaboration with FPA
A major talking point throughout the event was the announcement of FDM’s collaboration with the FPA and the introduction of the FPA’s new training facility in Banbury, Oxfordshire, which will house an FDM fire door practical training area. Many visitors to the stand showed high interest in this partnership, expressing enthusiasm about the expanded capacity, improved accessibility, and the opportunity to deliver even more Fire Door Inspection and Fire Door Installation qualifications.
This strong interest highlights the growing demand for high quality, CPD-accredited fire door training that aligns with new legislation and industry expectations.

Networking, Knowledge Sharing and Industry Insight
While Dan took part in panel discussions and formal sessions, both Mickey Ignatov and Shaun Smith were based on the FDM stand, spending the event networking with suppliers, contractors, training partners and fire safety specialists. Shaun also brought valuable insight from his experience as a fire door tutor, helping visitors understand the competence standards required across the lifecycle of a fire door.
The team noted that the atmosphere at London Build remained incredibly positive and collaborative. From early-morning CPD talks to afternoon networking sessions, delegates were keen to discuss best practice, regulatory changes, and the role of training in driving safer outcomes.

Why Events Like London Build Matter to FDM
Attending events of this scale allows FDM to:
• Share our specialist knowledge on fire door competence
• Support organisations preparing for the SKEB requirements
• Raise awareness of formal qualifications and structured training pathways
• Strengthen relationships with industry partners and associations
• Understand the challenges currently faced across construction and fire safety
• Promote our expanding training facilities and growing course range
London Build 2025 reinforced the importance of investing in people, upskilling the workforce, and ensuring competence is embedded throughout all fire door processes—from installation and maintenance to inspection and record-keeping.

Looking Ahead
With strong engagement, new connections and excellent interest in our upcoming expansion, London Build 2025 marked another important milestone for FDM. The conversations held across the two days will help shape our approach as we continue supporting the sector with high-quality, accredited fire door training.

FDM is recognised as the largest fire door training centre in the UK.

Learn more about our Fire Door Training Centre here: fdmltd.co.uk.