The event, which took place in September, attracted almost 170 delegates from more than 25 countries, including a record number of first-time participants. Attendance from Asia and the Americas was also significantly higher than in previous years.
Sir Ken Knight opened the event. He offered a valuable perspective from the fire services on the role of water mist in firefighting. The programme focused on fundamental knowledge, training and a broad range of case studies from around the world, showcasing different fields of water mist applications. Presentations covered topics ranging from the protection of Notre Dame Cathedral to the recently enforced EN 14972 standard in the UK.
IWMA launched several documents to guide the market:
- The Water Mist Guide; an introductory resource explaining how water mist works and how it should be applied, supporting all stakeholders.
- The updated Standard Matrix; clarifying applicable fire test protocols for the approval of water mist systems.
- Mistconceptions; a new IWMA initiative addressing common misconceptions about water mist, providing evidence-based responses.
Lakkonen commented: “We have been positively surprised by the number of attendees and sponsors, which clearly demonstrates the strong momentum of our industry.”
During the IWMA member meeting, which took place one day prior to the conference, Antti Hurme (Director at Marioff) was elected member of the IWMA Board of Directors, and Kemal Sarp Arsava (Professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology) was elected chair of the IWMA Scientific Council.
The 25th International Water Mist Conference (#IWMC2026) will take place in Prague, Czech Republic, on 7th and 8th October 2026.
International Water Mist Association
Poststrasse 33 (HBC)
20354 Hamburg
Germany
+49 (0) 174 3013878
