Neola Corporation (operating as Hansentek) designs and manufactures OPTICAL FIRE DETECTION PRODUCTS. Neola is headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
Hansentek began in the early 1980’s as a distributor of wood grinders and other machinery for the woodworking industry. The company also distributed a Spark Detection and Extinguishing System manufactured by Firetek in the USA.
Spark Detection Systems are designed to detect sparks or embers traveling at very high speeds through pneumatic ducts and extinguish them before they reach the dust collector or baghouse, where they can do extensive damage.
Early Spark Detection Systems were very expensive, inflexible and utilized “old technology”. Being unsatisfied with any products on the market, Hansentek undertook to design a fully programmable, micro-processor based system to offer a lower cost, totally flexible design.
With assistance from the Ontario Laser Lightwave Research Centre, the first system was introduced in 1990. This was a fully programmable system with multiple micro controllers and offered many unique and innovative features such as Sensi-Check, a through-the-lens sensitivity testing feature to allow users to ensure lenses were clean without removing them from the pneumatic ducts.
In 1997, Hansentek acquired Optical Detection Technologies Inc. ODTI was the US manufacturer of the Firetek Spark Detection and Extinguishing systems. ODTI also manufactured unique and innovative products for the detection of embers on conveyer belts, as well as a linear Fusible Optical Fibre Heat Detector.
Although Hansentek is primarily a high tech electronics manufacturer, the manufacture of sourced ancillary equipment such as smoke dampers was brought in-house in 2013 to ensure quality and reliability of the complete systems offered.
Hansentek has continued to innovate and utilizes the latest technology with significant improvements in speed and sensitivity. It now offers systems to protect up to 64 zones with installed systems around the world.