For 65 years family-run Slaters Group has been creating powerful energy solutions for the UK and beyond, and as it celebrates its milestone birthday this year it has no plans on retiring. In fact the company is looking to the future and embracing new technologies entering the industry.
The fourth generation power engineering family business was originally set up on Newcastle upon Tyne’s Quayside in 1946 by Mr Harold. W. Slater. Since then the firm has passed through the Slater family tree, seeing it grow to become an internationally recognised brand.
Today sees the future direction of the business lie with Harold Slaters’ great grand children, Phil and Fiona Slater.
Now with the head office based in Gateshead, Slaters Group has evolved into three complementary companies:
• Slaters Electricals – the original electrical engineering firm which specialises in re-engineered and new transformers, LV and MV switchgear.
• MEC Electrical Contractors – specialists in MV and LV installation.
• Optipro – experts in power quality and voltage management.
Slaters Electricals service offers highly experienced engineers, who are not just there with customers during the first few days of using a Slaters Group product, but for its lifetime.
By taking this approach and getting to know as much as they can about the company, the firm’s engineers can offer the best solution for their power infrastructure and asset management, all backed up with 65 years’ experience in the industry.
MEC Electrical Contractors, with bases in Sheffield and Birmingham, provides high quality and comprehensive installation and maintenance services. The company has exemplary project engineering skills, and often works in tandem with Slaters Electricals and Optipro to install a tailor made product for the client.
The firm has survived many highs and lows in industry – including the four UK recessions since opening its doors in the 1940s. Learning from the past, it is now looking to the future and innovating greener energy products as the key to succeed and grow into the next era.
Slaters Electricals director Fiona Slater said, “It is at such milestones like the firm’s 65th anniversary that we get a chance to take stock of the achievements of our family’s firm.
“Looking back, we have been anything but static in reaction to the economic climates we have faced over the years.
“The commemoration of the 65 years gives us an opportunity to look to the future. We are focussing on the clean energy agenda the Government has been heavily promoting and what the implications recent legislation for the power industries can have on our products and services.
“The firm prides itself on its ability to create solutions for customers that get value for money and optimum use of the voltage delivered to a company’s door. We design, specify, construct, review and then maintain all our products.”
Cutting your carbon footprint
Tapping into the six decades of knowledge the group holds, and the government’s current focus on carbon footprint and cost cutting, Optipro’s voltage management service is an area the group sees flourishing in the future.
Optipro, part of the Slaters Group, is an energy saving management company, which supplies and installs voltage optimisation, stabilisation and energy enhancement products, providing customers with real energy saving solutions.
Right at the forefront of the government’s agenda, legislation like the Carbon Reduction Commitment and Climate Change Levy means power engineering solutions need to be green. Optipro’s voltage optimisation and stabilisation products are energy saving solutions.
As the UK Grid supplies power which is too high for many companies, Optipro’s products reduce the voltage to purely what is needed for the business’ needs. It has the ability to radically cut the bills for a company, and manages the energy efficiently, meaning big green benefits.
Before purchasing an Optipro product, a comprehensive survey is carried out to identify issues and explain which Optipro product is most suitable for the company’s needs. The team will also produce an accurate cost savings report to show what reductions can be made over a period of time.
There are five products in the Optipro range
• OPTInet – for businesses with high energy spends through voltage stabilisation
• OPTInet Advanced – for businesses with extremely high energy spends through voltage stabilisation
• OPTIpower – an energy saving voltage optimiser that lowers electricity consumption
• Power factor correction – for businesses looking to avoid the Reactive Power charge
• Optipro harmonics filters – for businesses with power quality issues and harmonic distortion
Presenting the Slaters Super Lo:Loss transformer
As the Slaters Group is looking at the future of a greener energy sector, the skilled engineering firm is also presenting its latest product; the Slaters Super Lo:Loss Transformer – an energy efficient distribution transformer. This exceptional product decreases electrical losses significantly – a key step to reducing any company’s carbon footprint and lifetime cost of ownership.
In a society where energy costs are constantly rising, this is one product that will certainly bring your energy bills down. The Super Lo:Loss transformer is helping firm’s tackle the ever increasing pressure to meet climate and energy targets.
A high percentage of the UK installed base of transformers is manufactured from a standard CRGO core typically with higher losses resulting in wasted energy, increased operating costs and a higher impact to our environment. Combining this with the fact that most existing installations would have been rated to handle peak loads and could be overrated, there are many options to consider when making a transformer purchasing decision.
The Slaters Super Lo:Loss transformer can be designed and manufactured to meet the specific needs of the customer. The Super Lo:Loss range combines technologically advanced core material with low loss conductors, decreasing both No load (Iron losses) and Load (copper loss) losses. This in turn means that a lower total cost of ownership, improvement in energy efficiency and a reduced environmental impact can now be achieved at source.
If a transformer is owned by a customer and not the utility company, Super Lo:Loss transformers are a very viable and lower cost alternative to the current ranges of voltage optimisation products in the marketplace.
Key features of Super Lo:Loss Transformer
• Built to IEC60076/BSEN60076 standard
• Compatible with most current installations therefore reducing change over downtime
• Complete with an extended tapping range allowing you to achieve further potential savings by optimising your LV system voltage
• May qualify for a Carbon Trust energy efficiency loan
Although Super Lo:Loss transformers typically require a higher initial investment, this is more than compensated for by the reduction in ongoing running costs due to the lower combined losses. Typically in two to three years, the upfront investment will be recovered then giving customers a financial gain from the reduced energy costs thereafter. If existing transformers with higher loss levels are replaced, this saving can become even greater.
Based on an average 25 year lifespan, a 1000 kVA Slaters Super Lo:Loss transformer typically saves £65,000 worth of energy savings in loss savings alone, in addition it would typically lower CO2 emissions by an average 18 tons per annum.
What our customers say
The Slaters Group prides itself on its exemplary customer service and the many valued customers who rely on the exceptional products and services on offer.
“There was an excellent service provided to us by the Slaters Group. I was amazed that during a 24 hour period we started with a failed transformer and full site shut down and ended with a new transformer and could start to get back online.”Steve Ambridge, Electrical Supervisor, Humber Energy Ltd.
Combining innovative thinking and powerful energy solutions, the firm has worked with a number of internationally recognisable firms, seeing it export its product range all over the world.
For more details log onto www.slaters-group.com,
email [email protected] or call +44 (0) 191 4142916