How to Choose a Professional Fireworks Company

The decision is made. You’re organizing a fireworks show at your event/wedding. It’s a fantastic plan and will definitely add a magical touch to your celebration. After all, there’s no one who dislikes fireworks – there are just those who haven’t seen a beautiful, professional display. So you sit down at your computer and type into Google: “professional fireworks show”… and that’s where the trouble begins.

Hundreds of offers, dozens of companies

Sometimes when we check the market offers, we can’t help but bang our heads – the number of fireworks show offers is downright unreal. Especially when you realize that becoming a pyrotechnician in Poland is no walk in the park—it’s a multi-stage process that can take years.
Put simply – there are too few of us to meet the ever-growing demand for fireworks shows in Poland.
Unfortunately, this gives a wide berth to companies and private individuals with little to do with the art of pyrotechnics. You certainly can’t call them professional pyrotechnicians.

What’s the difference between a professional pyrotechnician and an amateur?

First and foremost, you should know that professional pyrotechnicians use different pyrotechnic charges than those you know from store shelves. These charges belong to certification classes F4, T2, P2, which means you need proper permits (licences) to purchase and store them. To get such permits, you must meet a series of safety requirements—like building specialist storage facilities. Additionally, you must undergo specialist training every few years and periodic psychological and psychiatric exams. To even think about starting the licensing path, you need to document several years of professional experience in a pyrotechnic company. The final requirement is a positive opinion from the police and—of course—no criminal record. That’s a lot, right? And not everyone can afford it, because meeting all these requirements is also very costly…

So how do unqualified individuals offer these services? It’s very simple. Instead of professional charges, they use so-called amateur fireworks—products available to anyone over 18. You can string these into a show, but you certainly can’t call it professional. And in reality, anyone can organize one on private property.

What’s the difference between professional and amateur fireworks?

The fundamental and most important difference between professional fireworks (F4, T2, P2) and amateur products is their size and the amount of pyrotechnic mixture they contain. We call the size the caliber. Amateur fireworks range from 7 mm to 50 mm. Professional fireworks, on the other hand, come in calibers: 50/75/100/125/150/200 mm (and more).
Caliber determines the scale of the aerial effect and how high it flies. The bigger the caliber, the bigger and more beautiful the effect—but this also demands stricter safety measures. Most spectacular pyro effects are only possible with so-called bombs in professional charges. These effects simply cannot be achieved with launchers (amateur fireworks).

In professional pyro shows, amateur products (F3/T1/P1) may still be used—but only as a backdrop for the professional charges. These fill in the lower sky while bombs open high in the F4 class.

Check these four signs that you might not be dealing with a professional:

1. Suspiciously low price

Fireworks shows are like cars—the price depends on “what’s under the hood,” and good ones cost a pretty penny. So if you see a fireworks show offer starting at 1000 PLN, something’s fishy. I’m sorry to say it, but you can’t run a show with professional materials at that price. One professional shot can cost from tens to even hundreds of PLN—for just a 2–10 second effect.
So unless you’re ordering a 1‑minute show—you can bet it’s not by a professional team. With that budget, a pyro technician would suggest self‑detonation kits—they’ll get you a better bang for your buck.

2. Duration of the show

We’re struck by ads saying that for 2000‑3000 PLN you’ll get a 7‑15 minute show. Sure, you can concoct that length, but believe me—you won’t enjoy it. Not only will it be 100 % amateur products, but likely under 20 mm caliber. You’ll bore your guests with slow bangs—and worse, the show will feel more like your neighbor’s New Year fireworks than a unique, designed pyrotechnic performance.
No self‑respecting pyrotechnician should offer longer than 2‑3 minutes at that price. One minute of a professional show—depending on material and quantity—costs from 1000 PLN to even 5000 PLN.

3. Training vs. licence/permit

At your request, the company should present the Voivode’s permit and licence to purchase and store professional pyrotechnic charges. If they can’t provide it on the spot, rest assured—they simply don’t have it. That means they can’t buy or store professional charges.
To cover that up, companies often send a pyrotechnic training certificate instead—but it’s not the same. That cert only shows that a person completed training to work with professional materials. This training is required every five years and is for staff working at shows—but they still must work under the supervision of the show’s lead technician.

4. Ready-made scenarios

You reach out to a pyro company asking for a scenario, and they send a script/visualization in minutes.
A real pyrotechnician designs each show individually. Let’s face it—the kind of charges you can use depends first on the launch site. Then comes the client’s budget. And finally—your expectations. After all, we don’t design shows for ourselves, but for you. Your satisfaction matters most.
Designing a show is time-consuming—and preparing a proper visual can take up to a month. So if someone sends you a readymade scenario on the spot, they’re either using amateur products or—worse—template shows previously done for others and not necessarily matching your budget.

Why it matters for you to choose a professional company?

There are many reasons, but the core one is safety. We’re not just saying that a profesional pyrotechnician is trained and follows safety rules while working with explosives. By hiring professionals, you get assured they are insured for accidents. So even if something happens—the responsibility won’t be on your shoulders.
It’s the pyro company’s job to complete all formalities—like obtaining permits and notifying authorities. If they fail, the organizer—that’s you—may face costly, unpleasant consequences. So make sure the company you hire can submit notifications with the relevant documents (licence/permits/training).

Choosing the right company guarantees your show will run completely safely and its effects and design will be unforgettable. Don’t leave it to chance—and the outcome will exceed your wildest expectations :)!