06-05-2025
- Business
- Powys County Times
Welshpool's Invertek Drives wins King's Award for Enterprise
A Welshpool business is celebrating after being handed one of the highest accolades in British business.
Invertek Drives Ltd has been awarded with The King's Award for Enterprise -International Trade 2025, which recognises the company's global export growth and contribution to the economy.
The variable frequency drive designer and manufacturer has enjoyed continued growth in overseas sales, with exports now accounting for 95 per cent of the company's overall sales.
The King's Awards for Enterprise is the most prestigious business award in UK industry, and gives Invertek the right to use the King's Awards Emblem for the next five years.
Chairman Shaun Dean, who is also executive vice president of Sumitomo Heavy Industries, and managing director of SHI (Europe), added: "This King's Award demonstrates how Invertek has successfully expanded its global footprint while maintaining the technical excellence and innovation, driven locally from the UK, that have always been its hallmarks.
'The impressive international growth is a testament to the strategic alignment between Invertek's capabilities and the increasing global demand for energy-efficient solutions.
"As part of the Sumitomo Heavy Industries group, Invertek continues to strengthen our collective position in key markets worldwide."
Invertek chief executive Adrian Ellam added: "This prestigious recognition validates our international business strategy and commitment to creating innovative, energy-efficient solutions for global markets.
"Our VFDs play a crucial role in helping industries worldwide reduce energy consumption, optimise processes, and minimise environmental impact - all increasingly important as businesses focus on sustainability and operational efficiency."
Headquartered at Offa's Dyke Business Park in Welshpool, Invertek has expanded from its Welsh roots to become a global leader in its industry, with significant market presence across Europe, the Americas, Asia, and beyond.
The company was set up in 1998, and has developed its innovative Optidrive VFD products that control the speed and torque of electric motors, optimising energy consumption in various industrial and commercial applications.
Annual overseas sales have increased by 149 per cent over the course of six years, despite challenges including the Covid pandemic, Brexit, and supply chain disruptions.
Invertek built up a multi-million-pound stock of key components before Brexit allowing it to maintain production and fulfil orders when competitors struggled during the Covid pandemic.
The company has also made substantial investments in Wales, completing a major expansion of its production, warehouse, and distribution facility in 2024. This investment has further strengthened Invertek's position as a significant employer in the region, with staff numbers growing from 200 in 2018 to more than 400 in 2025.
