Swedish safety at sea since 1888

To increase the safety at sea, Carl Robert Hansson founded Hansson PyroTech in Gothenburg 1888. In the beginning, fireworks were the basis of the business, but in the 1890s the company also became known as a skilled and reliable manufacturer of ship’s distress signals (blue lights). The product range was extensive, and by the early 1920s we were already producing all types of emergency signals available on the market at that time. Parachute rockets, blue and red lights, signal guns and lifebuoy lights are a few examples.

But it took a disaster to bring safety at sea into serious international focus. On the night of 14 April 1912, the liner Titanic hit an iceberg and sank with a massive loss of life. Two years later, as a direct result of the Titanic disaster, the first international conference on marine safety was held in London. Thirteen countries signed the first set of regulations – Safety Of Life At Sea (SOLAS).

In 1959, a product was launched that would lay the foundation for Hansson PyroTech’s position as the world’s leading manufacturer of pyrotechnic distress equipment for use at sea. The Ikaros rocket signal revolutionized the market with its innovative design and rocket technology. Ikaros became a new concept and set the standard for hand-fired rockets.

Today, the complete brand and product family has taken the name of this groundbreaking invention, Ikaros, and we lead the world in distress signals for ships and leisure boats. Still with the same aim, to keep you safe at sea.