Helping to keep the lights turned on – Winder’s rise to power
HELPING to power Eurostar to its cross-channel record and major utilities to maintain fresh water and power supplies are just some of the key roles played by a Leeds-based manufacturing group Winder Power.
Originally founded in 1889, it was a highly successful management buy-out in 2005 that provided the launch pad for Winder Power’s continued growth across its two divisions – Winder Electrical, which concentrates on transformers and installation, and Newton Derby, which focuses on power generation.
Since then, strong growth and demand has seen the £13m turnover group relocate to larger, purpose built 75,000sq ft modern premises. The move has nearly doubled the Winder’s manufacturing capability including the installation of larger cranes and created space for its 80-strong workforce.
The company boasts a string of high profile contracts including one with Birse Process Engineering to design, build and install 55 distribution and isolation transformers as an integral part of the high speed link between Britain and France.
Winder also continues to be the electrical engineering supply partner of choice for large water companies in the Yorkshire, Thames and Severn Trent regions. It has worked alongside the major utilities in a series of upgrades to waste water sites, seeking to ensure compliance with recently introduced freshwater directives.
Some £220m is being invested throughout the region to comply with the regulations. The new directive protects and improves the quality of fresh water so it can protect fish life. The work involves upgrading some of the largest waste water treatment works across the region and will ultimately lead to a reduction of ammonia levels released from these works.
Winder Electrical has been involved in two phases of the new directive upgrades, including the installation of an Automatic Supply Restoration (ASR) system, which centralises the tripping and fault isolation in order to provide full control of one area on the site. This includes the installation of gas insulated switch gear that can be remote actuated.
Other projects have included innovative applications, from powering trains and hovercraft to supporting the military in the field with mobile power supplies in the field.
Winder Electrical is invariably the regional electricity supplier’s choice in repairing the network and restoring supplies in the shortest possible time when the lights go out during winter months.
But it’s not just maintenance the Winder is involved in. With environmental matters increasingly affecting all projects involving power supply, Winder has evolved to meet demands faced by the industry and is heavily involved in specifying, producing and managing transformer installations for wind farms and household waste site gas transformers.
Newton Derby too continues to develop a global customer base. Relocated to Leeds in 2005, the company adds a specialist second string to Winder Power’s bow within the power supply industry. Customers include the MOD, European rail and power generation companies and overseas defence facilities.
Paul Matthews, general manager, is delighted by his company’s role in creating the new journey record.
“All too often we provide the unglamorous, behind the scenes elements of projects. But here, our bespoke UK manufactured transformers helped to create this impressive, high profile record,” he says.
“Looking forward to completing the move to our new premises and with an advance order book of £8m, we’re aiming for a few records ourselves. Our order levels doubled in 12 months, making our relocation and a recruitment drive necessary.”
