History

The Ei Story

From our beginnings as an Irish affiliate of General Electric to
becoming a global leader, manufacturing over 15 million innovative,
life safety devices every year.

Technology Pioneers
since 1963

Ei was founded in 1963 in Shannon, Ireland, as the Irish subsidiary of General Electric. Then known as ‘The EI Company’, it acted as a manufacturing hub for GE and at its height employed over 1,700 people. In the 1970s, The Ei Company began manufacturing smoke detectors, bringing the first alarm to market in 1974.

From GE to Ei

Amid economic uncertainty in the early 1980s, GE sought to move the company away from consumer electronics, threatening closure. Instead, visionary Managing Director Mick Guinee saw an opportunity for growth. Mick, alongside Dr. Mike Byrne and Jim Duignan, led a successful management buyout in 1988. Ei Electronics was born, with the first Ei-branded smoke alarm, the iconic 100B, launched the same year.

Becoming an
Industry Leader

With increasing sector legislation and regulation, Ei established itself as a leader in the smoke and gas detection industry. In 1999, Ei launched the game-changing easi-fit base. The following years saw huge growth across Europe through new regional subsidiaries and continued sensor innovation.

Serving a Global Market

This commitment to sensor innovation and leveraging new technologies continues to produce advanced devices, sensors and solutions, including multi-sensor devices, wireless interconnection, remote monitoring, environmental sensors, and data extraction and reporting technology. Ei now serves a global market across Europe, North America, Asia and Australia, developing innovative technologies to keep families safe and well in their homes.

A pioneer in sensor
innovation for more
than fifty years

As a world-leading specialist in domestic environment sensors, we have pioneered numerous breakthroughs in optical, thermistor, and electrochemical sensors and their related technologies. Our research laboratories are located in Shannon, Ireland, where we maintain a relentless drive for innovation with our 40-strong team of engineers.

Slide Left

1974

First smoke alarm brought to market

A landmark year as the first smoke alarm from the Ei Company is shipped.
1988

The first Ei branded alarm

Introduction of the iconic 100B smoke alarm – the first device bearing the Ei Electronics brand.
1996

Kaizen Lean manufacturing introduced

Powering a 50% increase in manufacturing productivity in just over a year.
1999

Iconic Easi-fit range launched

Featuring an innovative design that facilitates quick and simple installation.
2008

RadioLINK™ wireless interconnection

The introduction of wireless interconnection technology using Radio Frequency (RF) signals to wirelessly link alarms together.
2010

Multi-sensor family of devices

The introduction of multi-sensor devices to our offering. Today, our most advanced device features 6 sensors.
2014

Onsite CO sensor manufacturing

Establishment of a dedicated team and lab for the onsite production of CO sensors.
2014

Next generation carbon monoxide alarms

Our dedicated carbon monoxide range with AudioLINK™ and RadioLINK™ capabilities.
2015

Real-time data extraction and reporting

Launch of our AudioLINK™ App, featuring real-time data and immediate reports.
2018

New, advanced multi-sensor family

Our 3000 Series is a premium range of smart, connected devices including smoke, heat, CO and multi-sensor alarms.
2019

Real-time remote monitoring

Gateway technology enabling real-time configurable notifications of alarm activations and events for full visibility of your connected devices.
2020

HomeLink™ IoT analytics and integration platform

Acquisition of HomeLink™. A complete, AI-powered ecosystem that provides real-time air quality insights, alerts, and automated actions for social landlords.
2022

Unique remote inspection alarm

Developed for the German market, the Ei6500-OMS allows for remote inspection outside the building.
2023

Expanded range of environmental sensors

Launch of our extended family of environmental sensors, measuring temperature, humidity and CO2.
2025

Next-generation hard-of-hearing solution

A unique device carefully developed for the technology-enabled care market.