Dubai-based National Fire Fighting Manufacturing Company (Naffco) has set up a full-fledged fire truck division and started manufacturing fire trucks.

The new division was inaugurated by Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, the chairman of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation at the company's office in Jebel Ali.

Naffco, part of a larger group engaged in the manufacture of fire-fighting, fire-protection and fire-detection systems in the Middle East, says it can make multipurpose fire-fighting trucks, rescue vehicles, rapid intervention vehicles and water tankers.

General manager Khalid Al Khatib says Naffco decided to make fire trucks following its success in manufacturing a small fire car "Farha" for the Dubai Civil Defence.

Farha was used during the Dubai Shopping Festival in 2000.

The company says it now plans to manufacture aerial platform ladder vehicle, airport crash tenders and military rescue vehicles.

Al Khatib says the company is committed to improving its fire truck designs and has been awarded the KiteMark from BSI, UK for complying with the requirements of the British BS EN3 standards for portable fire extinguishers.