Amps awards for excellence 2024: Crestchic Loadbanks was awarded the prestigious “Company of the Year” accolade at the recent Association of Manufacturers of Power Systems (AMPS) Annual Awards ceremony. The Award, which was presented to Chris Caldwell and Paul Brickman, celebrates the company’s exceptional growth, innovation, and contributions to the power generation industry. The company also received a commendation as runner-up in the Apprenticeship Programme.
With a legacy spanning over four decades, Crestchic has achieved unprecedented growth in recent years, cementing its position as a global leader in the design, manufacturing, and rental of load banks.
Speaking about the award, Chris Caldwell, Managing Director, commented:
“Winning the AMPS ‘Company of the Year’ award is a proud moment for everyone at Crestchic. This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team, whose commitment has driven our growth. We are excited about what the future holds as we continue to lead the industry and collaborate with our peers to drive progress and excellence in power systems.”
Growth and investment
In 2022, Crestchic invested in a new UK-based manufacturing facility, initially projected to increase output by 60%. By optimising processes and investing in the workforce, the company outperformed its target, doubling output by 100%.
While manufacturing of new products has remained a priority, the company’s rental business also flourished, buoyed by a £21 million fleet investment since 2020. This investment has doubled the size of the company’s rental operations and enabled Crestchic to fulfil projects in key global markets.
The company has also opened a refurbishment and overhaul centre, which extends the lifecycle of containerised load banks by an average of 10 years – an important step towards sustainability and the circular economy.
Meeting market demand
Paul Brickman, Commercial Director, added, “We are unique in that we are the only major bank manufacturer that is also a major rental operator. This, along with our range of solutions AC & DC load banks, resistive-only, resistive-reactive and capacitive load banks – positions us to work in a broad range of sectors, including all of the hyperscale data centre operators, major shipbuilders and utility providers, through to the oil & gas sector and genset manufacturers.”
In fact, it is this strategic focus on delivering products that meet key market requirements that led to the launch of a data centre-specific load bank in 2024. To achieve this, the company invested heavily in R&D, people, and manufacturing processes, using 3D modelling and advanced tooling to shorten lead times and meet customer demand.
In addition to investments in infrastructure, Crestchic has doubled its workforce across critical departments, implemented robust apprenticeship and mentoring programmes, and enhanced employee benefits to attract and retain top talent. These initiatives ensure the company is well-positioned to support its ambitious growth trajectory while contributing to addressing the industry’s skills gap.
Chris continues, “There’s increased demand for power testing equipment across our key sectors, and we’ve positioned ourselves to scale the business year on year to meet that demand. We are honoured that these efforts have been recognised by our colleagues and enjoyed the opportunity to network and to hear more about the challenges and opportunities facing the sector. A huge thank you and well done to the team.”
AMPS – The Power of Association… representing our industry (amps awards for excellence 2024)
AMPS (the Association of Manufacturers and suppliers of Power generating Systems) is the established voice of the UK’s manufacturers and suppliers of power systems and ancillary equipment.
To read more about AMPS, click here: AMPS Association
