The first thing high-flying businessman Mark Bartlett does when he checks in to any hotel on his worldwide travels is to have a look at the quality of the kettle in his room.

There’s good reason for this.

Father-of-four Mr Bartlett is chief executive officer of Isle of Man based Strix, acknowledged as the world leader in kettle safety controls.

If the hotel kettle does not have Strix safety controls or looks as if it is not appropriate for use he will flag up his concerns with the hotel management.

Mr Bartlett, who drinks up to 12 cups of tea every day, says the firm’s entry on to the AIM market at the London Stock Exchange earlier this year will act as a springboard for growth.

Over a cup of tea - Business News chose coffee - at the firm’s Forrest House, Ronaldsway headquarters, Mr Bartlett said there are still millions of homes that are either kettle-free or have products with poor safety features that can lead to increased risk of over-heating and risk of harm to householders.

He said: ’We are recognised as the world leader [in kettle safety control] and indeed world leader in technology within this market.’

Mr Bartlett said both he and other colleagues travel a lot. ’One of the things you find with anybody in Strix is that whenever you go to a hotel you go in the room and lift up the kettle and see what control is fitted.

’We have a lot of people travelling, whether it be to China to our factory there, or round the different markets and so on.

’I always check the kettle to see which one it is.’

Asked what he would do if the kettle did not have Strix safety components he said: ’It depends on what country you are in and if it is a country where you can take action.

’There are times when I have written to the hotel management or complained if it is one we do not think is appropriate. We will flag it up with our concerns.

’We don’t always get a very good reception for doing it.’

North America is a target area for growth. Most Americans don’t use kettles. Stove-top kettles are still a common sight - we rarely see kettles used in US films, for instance. But this does not deter Mr Bartlett who said: ’There is increased efficiency from using a kettle obviously and that awareness is obviously coming through.

’And I think another thing that is happening in America is the culture of tea drinking.

’People are becoming very much more aware of the health benefits of drinking tea and if you look at somewhere like Starbucks for instance, increasingly 50 per cent of the menu is coffee and and 50 per cent is tea both in the UK and the US.

’So there is a significant awareness of tea drinking which has helped the sale of kettles.’

Strix controls are used about a billion times a day. Customers include top names such as Tefal, Siemens and Philips, along with major supermarket brands around the world.

And the firm has a global market share of 39 per cent, almost four times larger than its nearest competitor.

Strix prides itself on value added services across the value chain - working with more than 200 OFMs, otherwise known as original equipment manufacturers.

And the company is very hot on market surveillance activities - working to protect brands, retailers and consumers from unsafe products.

Mr Bartlett said the company remains committed to the island and around 75 people work for the business here.

The corporate headquarters is at ForrestHouse, Ronaldsway while a manufacturing factory operates in Ramsey.

It is at Ramsey that more than 450 million components are made each year, by a teamof highly skilled technicians.

Meanwhile Forrest House is also home to a pioneering product test centre, visited by the island’s Lieutenant governor Sir Richard Gozney last month. And Strix had two billion reasons to celebrate as a significant milestone was achieved.

That’s the number of products sold worldwide.

In the UK alone it is estimated seven out of 10 kettles are fitted with Strix safety controls

Mr Bartlett said: ’It’s a tremendous achievement for the company.’

He told Business News he is proud the ’highly innovative ’ company continues to develop new products which make a difference to people’s lives and help keep them safe.

Mr Bartlett said the entry to the AIM market had been very positive for Strix and would help the company plan for the future.

On a personal level Mr Bartlett, who has been with the company for around 11 years, said he is looking forward to spending more time in the Isle of Man.

He currently has a home with his family in Hong Kong, where an Asia regional office is based, but ultimately believes he will settle in the Isle of Man where he is looking to ’immerse’ himself in island life.

Mark Bartlett, who drinks around 12 cups of tea every day, says going on to the AIM market was the right move

Strix CEO Mark Bartlett and commercial director David Trustrum