2004-01-21 - Inverter Drive Systems (IDS) in Nottingham has become the latest company to join ABB Drives Alliance, serving the Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and Derbyshire areas with drives expertise.
As a member of ABB Drives Alliance, the company will provide round-the-clock support for variable speed drive users, providing service and repairs as well as drive dimensioning, energy efficiency assessments, harmonics assessments and EMC assessments. It will also supply drives from Europe’s largest stock of off-the-shelf drives.
Blaise Ford, Managing Director and co-owner of IDS, is already reaping the benefits of the membership, saying: “We have set up a stock system where we share stock with other ABB Drives Alliance members, holding drives up to 250 kW. This has lead to us winning three orders which we otherwise would not have won.”
“Becoming an ABB Drives Alliance member makes us a partner of ABB and part of ABB’s decision making process. It also extends our range of stock, enabling us to sell the full range of ABB drives and give a better service to our customers,” Ford continues.
To qualify as a member of ABB Drives Alliance, Inverter Drive Systems needed to fulfil a number of set criteria. However, the company already fulfilled most requirements, such as providing 24-hour service and training facilities for customers. The company also has the specialist knowledge that ABB Drives Alliance member’s need, employing electrical mechanical and control engineers who can assess applications, as well as experts in electrical systems and control panel design. This meant only a small number of changes were needed, such as extending the range of stock carried.
IDS serve a broad range of customers in the East Midlands area, including such well known companies as Boots and Northern Foods. It is also an ABB HVAC channel partner and is taking advantage of the availability of low-power ABB drives to help customers who need smaller HVAC installations.
The company regards the move as a natural step. “We feel that ABB is the right company for variable speed drives and we feel happy to be part of ABB Drives Alliance. As well as the improved stock we can offer to customers, we are also aware of the requirements of the local market and can ensure our customers are well informed.”