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Data Centre World 2025: From concept to connection, and beyond

It was a double-debut for BRUSH Group at this year’s Data Centre World, held 12-13 March at ExCel London, not only did the engineering solutions firm make their first-ever appearance as exhibitors, but it was also a first-time exhibition outing for CRYNO, the latest addition to the company’s product portfolio and the next-step in switchgear evolution.

Through its engineering solutions offering, the company brings together its extensive experience, engineering skills, and technical capabilities, to provide a wide range of solutions including bespoke design and build, authorising, consultancy, fully accredited ICP generation connections, as well as maintenance and retrofits to data centres and other high-voltage infrastructure projects .

Speaking of the show, Group Marketing Manager, Kellie Tillyer, said: “We are thrilled to be part of Data Centre World 2025, the event provides an opportunity to share with visitors the capabilities we have across our Group to deliver innovative, future-forward turnkey solutions that meet the needs of data centre projects of all sizes.”

Visitors to the stand were also able to meet with experts from BRUSH Transformers and BRUSH Switchgear and have the opportunity to see CRYNO, a 12kV fixed pattern, indoor, metal-enclosed, vacuum switchgear, in action. Boasting advanced vacuum switching technology, CRYNO is SF6 free and has a modular design to suit the UK DNO market. Offering impressive space-saving, ease of installation and enhanced safety for operators, CRYNO has an ENA notice of conformity.

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BRUSH DOES THE DOUBLE AT BUSINESS AWARDS

BRUSH Group has been named as a double winner at the prestigious East Midlands Business Masters Awards 2024.

At a ceremony held on 3 October at Nottingham’s Crown Plaza, BRUSH was announced as the winner of not one, but two, awards. The company beat stiff competition from several other successful firms in the region to win both the Investment Award and Large Business of the Year Award.

The Investment Award recognises the major investments made by BRUSH in recent years in its people, facilities, products and services that deliver long-term benefits. And the Large Business of the Year Award recognises BRUSH’s impressive growth trajectory and the positive impact it makes in the sector.

Part of the fabric of the East Midlands since making Loughborough home in 1889, through both organic growth and acquisition, today BRUSH employs around 630 people at locations across the UK, including at the South Wales switchgear manufacturing facility.

Following the award ceremony BRUSH CEO, Nicolas Pitrat, said: “We are delighted to have won these Business Masters Awards – it’s a testament to the vision and belief of our investors, the drive and determination of our managers, and above all the talent and dedication of our workforce that we are in such a strong position.

“Our power transformers and market-leading switchgear are critical to the futureproofing of the UK’s electricity network, and our end-to-end engineering solutions support our customers at every stage of their project. That means that any new infrastructure or built development – from housing and hospitals to rail and renewable energy – can partner with BRUSH to ensure their project needs are met as efficiently and sustainably as possible.”

The Business Masters Awards is hosted by TheBusinessDesk.com, a leading voice in the regional business community for more than a decade.

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Meet CRYNO – the future of switchgear solutions

As part of our commitment to innovation and excellence, we are thrilled to confirm the latest addition to our switchgear portfolio – CRYNO.          

A 12kV pattern indoor metal enclosed vacuum AC switchgear, CRYNO has been designed to deliver the performance, reliability, and safety that BRUSH customers have come to expect.

And with a name that mean ‘compact’ in Welsh (it’s pronounced ‘Cruh-no’), where else could it be designed and built but at our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Wales! 

SF6 free and with a Notice of Conformity Certificate from the Energy Networks Association (ENA), CRYNO features award-winning magnetic actuator technology, and leverages advanced vacuum switching technology to offer superior arc interruption capabilities, enhancing safety and minimising downtime. Its fixed pattern configuration simplifies installation and maintenance, and the metal-enclosed design ensures durability and protection against indoor environmental factors, making it suitable for multiple applications. 

And with streamlined design and manufacture it helps BRUSH to reduce lead times, an important factor in meeting the anticipated growth in demand as the UK accelerates its transition to net zero. 

Speaking of this latest addition to our switchgear portfolio, BRUSH Group CEO, Nicolas Pitrat, said: “Our switchgear plays a vital role in maintaining the stability and reliability of electrical power systems across a wide range of applications. CRYNO is the next evolution in high-voltage switchgear technology, engineered to meet the growing demand for compact and reliable solutions for indoor installations with enhanced performance and safety. 

Learn more: https://www.brush.eu/products/ac-switchgear-indoor-cryno/ 

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NEWS

Looking to the future

As we move into 2024, BRUSH CEO, Nicolas Pitrat, shares his thoughts of what’s to come…

As a business that looks to the future, whether that’s by securing our supply chain or by investing in new capabilities – progress is always at our core. 

And it is with our eyes firmly set on the future that we enter 2024.

But let’s be in no doubt, the future does hold challenges. The energy management landscape is changing at an unprecedented pace; to keep up, we must adapt.

And that is exactly what we’ve done.

While we still manufacture the engineered products we’ve built our name on, our offering has grown and we now provide complete end-to-end engineering solutions – from project concept through to design and build.

Delivered through our Group businesses – Poise, KUS Power Engineering, Aprenda and Eta Projects Ltd, we support our customers at every stage of their project, making us a truly a one-stop engineering shop – expect to hear more on this in the months ahead!

And I’m pleased to say that the addition of our engineering businesses has seen our Group grow and we welcome many new colleagues into the BRUSH family. And, as you would expect of us, we’ve committed to the future, with our biggest intake of apprentices in almost a decade.

So, what else can you expect from BRUSH in 2024? Well, we will continue to support the drive to net zero as well as to focus on product innovation, including the latest addition to our switchgear portfolio, CRYNO, and our adaptive substation solution, PowerSub. 

2024 will also see us to continue to work in partnership with our customers across the UK, a commitment underscored by the opening of a new base in Scotland which will help us to pre-empt the needs of customers across the region. 

As we step forward into 2024, the enthusiasm and energy flowing across our business right now is truly inspiring and I, along with the rest of the BRUSH team, cannot wait to see what 2024 has to offer.

Nicolas
CEO

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BRUSH acquires European transformer windings specialist Co.Bo.T

In line with our ambitious growth strategy, we are pleased to confirm an exciting new addition to the BRUSH portfolio – renowned European transformer windings specialist Co.Bo.T srl.

Allowing us to secure a vital link in our supply chain and create extra production capacity to support the expansion of the UK electricity grid for years to come, the acquisition of Co.Bo.T also has the potential to optimise lead-times for BRUSH customers who are keen to connect to the grid.

Based near Vicenza in Northern Italy, Co.Bo.T supplies major transformer manufacturers across Western Europe – including BRUSH – and has built a strong reputation as a winding specialist in the 33kV-132kV bracket. 

Nicolas Pitrat, CEO of BRUSH Group, said: “I’m very excited to welcome Co.Bo.T to the BRUSH family. Their impressive skills and expertise will not only help boost our supply chain, but in joining the Group they will further enhance our comprehensive solutions offering, ensuring we can support our customers every step of the way. Our strategic partnership with Co.Bo.T, combined with our investment into state-of-the-art testing facilities at our Loughborough facility, significantly increases our production capability while maintaining our renowned transformer quality.” 

Davide Cornale, Managing Director of Co.Bo.T, said: “Having worked as a key supplier to BRUSH for many years, we are delighted to have the opportunity to become part of the Group. I am proud of what we have achieved over the past 30 years and the deal with BRUSH is a testament to the team’s expertise, the quality of our work and the high level of service we offer – that will continue in the future.”

As part of BRUSH Group, Co.Bo.T will remain a standalone business, continuing ‘business as usual’ and offering its transformer winding and assembly services to the whole industry, with all contracts with existing customers honoured under the new ownership.

The acquisition of Co.Bo.T is the latest in a series of complementary deals made by BRUSH Group which reinforce our position as a leading provider of energy management solutions.

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careers

Intern – Sofia

“I really appreciated being able to develop my CFD software skills during my internship at BRUSH. I’ll use this in my last year at uni and beyond.”

Meet Sofia, one of our interns in 2022. Sofia’s expanded her technical knowledge, learned engineering lingo, and took her time and project management skills to the next level on her year-long Mechanical Engineering internship at BRUSH.

Find out more about Sofia’s experiences and learn what an internship at BRUSH could do for you.

Sofia joined BRUSH as an intern in Mechanical Engineering in July 2021 while at the University of Nottingham, having been told about BRUSH by her placements tutor: One of the things that made the BRUSH internship stand out from others for Sofia was how in the advertisement, it gave a step-by-step breakdown of what interns would be working on, month-to-month. “That was perfect for me,” she says. “I like to have a plan!”


“I was responsible for helping design a cooling system for a generator part, and for ensuring the project was completed successfully and on-time. I like speaking to people and bringing things together, so this was ideal for me.”


Sofia started her internship while the pandemic was still limiting the number of people who could work in the office. But she still got to meet plenty of engineers who were eager to share their knowledge and give her encouragement.


”It’s really helped to have been able to talk with them face-to-face and learn the right ‘lingo’’ she says.

“BRUSH is clearly a leader in what they do. You really get to see the high-quality products that are developed here. I’d definitely recommend BRUSH internships to people who want to get into anything electrical or power generation related.”

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BRUSH Power Networks Acquires Eta Projects

As we continue to evolve and grow our business, the BRUSH Group is delighted to announce the acquisition of engineering consultancy firm Eta Projects Ltd by our BRUSH Power Networks division.

The acquisition represents an exciting opportunity for both businesses to expand our presence and influence across the electricity and engineering sectors. 

Nicolas Pitrat, BRUSH Group CFO, explained the importance of this acquisition: “Our vision for BRUSH Power Networks is to provide agile and adaptive engineering solutions for electricity networks while enabling a lower-cost zero-carbon future. The acquisition of Eta Projects is a significant milestone on this journey.“

Eta Projects Ltd is a leader in its field and the company’s talented specialists will retain their autonomy and independence while remaining OEM agnostic. Both businesses recognise the exciting opportunities this sale will give us in terms of building our capabilities in areas such as market reach, employee training and development, and customer relationships.

Lars Hennecke, Strategic Business Development and Sustainability Director at BRUSH Power Networks added: “Eta Projects complements BRUSH Power Networks’ capabilities and enables us to establish ourselves as a leading OEM agnostic engineering house, providing consultancy engineering, design engineering, as well as build and project management services.“

And Managing Director of Eta Projects Ltd, Eugene Conroy said: “I am delighted to announce this tremendous opportunity to share our knowledge and experience by becoming part of the BRUSH engineering history. With a shared vision of investment in people, we are opening a new chapter in UK Engineering.”

The transaction was completed on Tuesday 23rd August 2022, with business continuing as normal for all BRUSH Power Networks and Eta Projects employees, clients and suppliers.

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One Equity Partners Agrees Sale of BRUSH Power Generation Division

The management company of BRUSH Group, One Equity Partners (OEP), has announced an agreement to sell BRUSH’s Power Generation division to energy technology, industrial and oilfield services company, Baker Hughes.

The sale represents an exciting opportunity for our Power Generation division to continue its development and growth. Among the many benefits Baker Hughes anticipates gaining from the acquisition include the enhancement of their core turbomachinery portfolio, the expansion of their customer reach, and a provision of a growth platform for its facilities and employees.

Ori Birnboim, a Managing Director at OEP said: “As a current customer of BRUSH’s Power Generation business, Baker Hughes is a natural buyer for the business, as this acquisition will provide Baker Hughes with more security in its supply chain while also diversifying its end market exposure.”

Steve Lunau, another Managing Director at OEP, added: “We are thrilled to help unlock meaningful value creation through the transformational sale of BRUSH’s largest business segment. OEP recognized BRUSH as a leader within the Power Generation equipment and services sector when we acquired the business last year. We look forward to continuing to support and grow BRUSH’s remaining Power Distribution and Networks business alongside our exceptional management team.”

By focusing on our Power Distribution and Networks business, we believe we will be well-positioned to meet the challenges the UK’s Net Zero initiative will pose on electrical distribution networks, and better support a lower-cost zero-carbon future for electrical networks. This new focus will also allow us at BRUSH to accelerate our strategic business development, which is based on environmental sustainability, social responsibility and effective corporate governance.

“We value the partnership with OEP,” said Chris Abbott, CEO of BRUSH Group. “Their experience in supporting and unlocking strategic value in industrial businesses like ours has been, and will continue to be, instrumental as we grow our independent Power Distribution and Networks company.” 

The transaction is due to complete by the end of the year and is subject to closing consideration. Until then, it is business as normal for everyone at BRUSH.

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Fast and Effective Grid Infrastructure Upgrades for Motorway EV Chargers

Local Member of Parliament visits BRUSH Transformers to discuss new EV technologies

Jane Hunt, MP for Loughborough, UK visited BRUSH Transformers manufacturing facility recently to discuss our work for WPD’s Take Charge project and see the transformer component of the solution that is pioneering new technologies to rapidly rollout roadside EV charging infrastructure.

The creation of high-capacity ultra rapid charging infrastructure across the UK’s network is a key enabler for the transition towards all-electric cars.

BRUSH was approached by Western Power Distribution (WPD) to help engineer and design a new substation to enable fast and effective grid infrastructure upgrades. Network Innovation funded and designed to accelerate transport decarbonisation, the scope of the Take Charge project was to specify, design, test and trial an innovative, standardised medium voltage package substation.

Jane Hunt MP (centre) with Paul Jewell from WPD (right) and BRUSH Transformers team

This compact package substation solution will deliver large capacity to motorway services in a more cost and time effective manner and thus provide the new grid infrastructure that enables high capacity rapid car and van EV charging.

The transformer component is designed and manufactured by BRUSH Transformers Loughborough. The first unit will be lifted to site at Exeter Moto at the end of the month.

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Case Study

Synchronous Motors for Compressor Drives

Powering the world’s second largest sub-sea pipeline delivering over 20% of UK gas



Over 15 years of
reliable, efficient,
zero emission
performance, in an
industry-changing
application.

Profile

Product

Synchronous Motors

Customer

Statoil

Location

Norway

Installation

2007

Ormen Lange, which translated means “Long Snake”, is located 120km off the northwest coast of Norway at a water depth of 800 – 1100 metres.

It is Norway’s second largest gas field with estimated gas reserves of 395 billion cubic meters, and an annual production of 20 billion cubic metres. Gas production from the Ormen Lange Field on the Norwegian continental shelf started on 13th September 2007.

Powering the world’s second-longest sub-sea gas pipeline

At the heart of this historic project, to deliver gas via the 1200km “Langeled” sub sea gas pipeline, the second longest in the world, from Nyhamna in Norway to Easington on the UK east coast, are four 48MW export gas compressors driven by BRUSH MAX 2-pole synchronous motors.

Operating at speeds between 2,520 rpm and 3,780 rpm, these closed circuit air to water (CACW) cooled MAX motors are a derivative of the very successful BRUSH DAX range of turbogenerators.

The motors are configured for variable speed operation powered by a load commutated inverter (LCI).

“The units are working to plan with no issues, a real credit to BRUSH engineering and build”

Project Manager, Ormen Lange

As part of the customer’s rigorous testing programme for these machines, certified for hazardous area operation, the motors were required to perform a 48MW full load, full speed, back to back test with the project drive equipment. In addition, a variable speed, full load string test was carried out with the contract compressor equipment.

The project, seen as one of the industry’s most successful development programmes, delivered on time and on budget. Today the facility is operated by Norske Shell and delivers over 20% of the UK’s gas.

Nyhamna Gas Plant

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