Sarah Lawson, Operations Director, Advanced shares exclusive insights with ISJ.
As Advanced continues to strengthen its presence in North America, few people have a clearer view of both the operational detail and the bigger picture than Sarah Lawson, Operations Director at Advanced.
With responsibility spanning manufacturing, supply chain and regional delivery, Lawson sits at the intersection of product strategy and market reality, a position that has become increasingly important as demand for compliant, flexible fire systems grows across the US and Canada.
Speaking to International Security Journal, Sarah discusses how Advanced’s global presence is shaping its North American journey, why flexibility and standards compliance remain central to its proposition.
A role rooted in delivery and direction
“My role is ultimately about making sure that what we promise to the market is something we can deliver, consistently, compliantly and at scale,” Lawson explains.
“That means aligning our manufacturing capability, our product roadmap and our regional partners so customers get the same Advanced experience wherever they are in the world.”
For Lawson, operations is not just about logistics or production efficiency – it’s about ensuring that product decisions are grounded in real-world requirements.
That mindset has been valuable as Advanced has expanded its focus on North America, a market defined by stringent codes, regional variation and complex applications.
“North America is a demanding environment, but that’s a positive thing,” she says.
“The regulatory landscape pushes manufacturers to be better, more disciplined and more responsive. That aligns well with Advanced’s culture, because we’ve always designed for the highest standards first.”
A growing footprint across North America
Advanced’s North American strategy is built around steady, sustainable growth. According to Lawson, that approach has helped the company build credibility with consultants, integrators and end-users alike.
“We’re very conscious that this is a relationship-driven market,” she notes. “People want to know that you’ll be there for the long term, that you understand local codes, that you can support complex projects and that your systems won’t box them in as buildings evolve.”
A key part of that strategy has been expanding Advanced’s network of sales representatives across the region, ensuring closer proximity to customers and faster access to technical expertise.
“Local presence really matters,” Lawson says. “It’s not just about selling a system, it’s about supporting customers with technical assistance through design, installation, commissioning and beyond.”
That local reach is reinforced by Advanced’s global credentials. Manufactured in the UK and installed in more than 80 countries, Advanced brings both EN and UL experience to the table, a combination Lawson believes is increasingly valuable as buildings become more complex and internationally influenced.
“Having that dual standard gives us a unique stance,” she explains. “It allows us to bring proven ideas and architectures into the UL environment while remaining fully compliant with North American expectations.”
Axis AX: Flexibility by design
At the heart of Advanced’s North American offering is the Axis AX fire system, now fully listed to UL 864 10th Edition.
Rather than positioning Axis AX as a single-use solution, Lawson emphasises its adaptability across a wide range of applications. “Axis AX was designed to scale,” she says.
“It works just as comfortably in a small commercial unit as it does in a high-rise, a hotel or a piece of critical infrastructure.”
That scalability is enabled by Axis AX’s distributed network architecture, which allows up to 200 panels to operate as a single system. By reducing the need for long cable runs and centralised control, the system lowers installation complexity while improving resilience.
“From an operational perspective, that distributed intelligence is hugely important,” Sarah adds. “It improves fault tolerance, simplifies maintenance and gives users a clearer, more intuitive view of what’s happening across their site.”
The system’s ease of use is another recurring theme. Axis AX software is designed to minimise learning curves for installers and engineers, a factor that can affect project timelines and operating costs.
“We hear time and again that usability is a real differentiator,” Sarah says. “If a system is easier to program and easier to understand, that benefits everyone, from the installer to the end-user.”
Audio, smoke control and real-world performance
Axis AX’s audio and life safety capabilities are central to its appeal in North America, particularly in sectors such as hospitality, residential and infrastructure.
Features like PerfectSync ensure that audio, voice and visual signals remain fully synchronised across large or complex sites, improving intelligibility and reducing confusion during an emergency.
“In environments like hotels or high-rise residential buildings, clear communication can make all the difference,” Lawson explains. “PerfectSync ensures that messages are delivered consistently, even as conditions change.”
Integrated smoke control is another area where Axis AX stands out. Through DynamixSmoke, the system can manage fans, dampers and HVAC interfaces directly within the fire platform, avoiding the need for separate control systems.
“That level of integration is particularly valuable in complex buildings,” Sarah notes. “It simplifies compliance, reduces hardware duplication and gives fire responders a clearer, more intuitive control interface.”
Real-world installations continue to demonstrate that flexibility, from high-rise residential projects (such as Sands Pointe in Miami, Florida) and hotels in (like the Hilton DoubleTree in Boston, Massachusetts), to major hospitality developments and infrastructure sites worldwide.
“These case studies matter,” Lawson adds. “They show how the system performs when the stakes are high.”
Partnership at the core: Harding
Advanced’s exclusive partnership with Harding remains a cornerstone of its North American strategy.
For Lawson, the relationship goes beyond distribution. “Harding provides local knowledge, technical expertise and boots-on-the-ground support,” she says.
“That’s critical in a market where regional codes and customer expectations can vary significantly.”
Together, Advanced and Harding are focused on delivering faster response times, stronger technical support and solutions that anticipate emerging needs, from smarter building integration to sustainability and new risk profiles.
“It’s a collaborative partnership,” Sarah adds. “We share feedback, align on strategy and work together to ensure customers get the best possible outcome.”
