Parvalux

Poole-based Parvalux Electric Motors Ltd made its name by manufacturing fractional horsepower electric motors to a high standard. In 2018, the company joined the maxon Group. Being part of the Swiss motor manufacturers operations has ushered in a new era of investment in people, machinery and facilities. Doug Sheppard, Managing Director, explained more about the company’s growth strategy to Hannah Barnett.

PARVALUX ELECTRIC MOTORS

Parvalux is the kind of company that provides the full package.

“We have been designing and building geared motor solutions for over 75 years and have a vast knowledge base and expertise,” said Managing Director Doug Sheppard. “We work with customers as an extension to their engineering team; supporting the specification and development of a solution, customising geared motor solutions or designing them from scratch.”

Parvalux: a history

Parvalux was first established in London in 1947 to provide motor rewinds and repairs. In 1957, the business relocated to

Bournemouth, where it started designing and manufacturing complete gear-motor units for industrial applications.

In 2008, Parvalux acquired Essex-based EMD Drive Systems, nearly doubling the company’s turnover in the process. The Clark Group’s longstanding ownership of Parvalux came to an end in December 2018 when maxon, a specialist for mechatronic drive systems, acquired the company.

Most recently, a new Parvalux House development project began in 2021 after purchasing the 8.75-acre site in Poole. The new site broke ground in January 2022, and opened in the summer of 2023. This has brought together three factories and offices under one roof, representing a £30m investment from maxon into Parvalux’s future.

A range of sectors

Parvalux geared motors are found in hundreds of applications, including healthcare, leisure, mobility and transport. The company’s decades of experience creating motors and gearboxes mean it can offer thousands of AC, PMDC and BLDC motor options.

“Anyone might have experienced the operation of a Parvalux motor without even realising it,” said Mr Sheppard.

Doug Sheppard, Managing Director

PARVALUX ELECTRIC MOTORS LTD I PROFILE

“We are the force behind opening and closing automatic doors in buildings, operating windscreen wipers in trains, helping people retain independence in their own home via stairlifts and hoists, and our products even make light work of positioning the caravan on a family holiday.”

One particularly unusual application for the company’s geared electric motors is within a child-sized miniature electric car, the Firefly Sport, designed to give 4- to 10year-olds an insight into driving with the goal of instilling excellent road safety practises and driving skills early on.

Developed by UK-based Young Driver, the Firefly uses a twin rear mounted PMDC right-angle motor-one per rear wheel,

in combination with a Parvalux GB9 right-angle worm wheel gearbox, optimising torque control for an enhanced driving experience. “Young Driver selected Parvalux motors thanks to our exceptional performance, including high starting torque and controlled speed delivery,” Mr Sheppard added.

Perfecting the premises

Parvalux has been striving to improve its sustainable practices. This means an approach to business that does not negatively impact the environment, community, or society as a whole. The company instilled this ethos into its new facility.

“As a manufacturer and employer, we have considerations to ensure a sustainable future for us and our customers,” said Mr Sheppard. “For the new factory project this meant targeting net zero emissions. The new development gave us an exciting opportunity to make a step change, so we set the goal for Parvalux House to be carbon neutral.”

Ultimately, the new building achieved an impressive 5 A+ rating for efficiency, meaning it actually performs five points better than carbon neutral.

The high rating is partly thanks to 1,500 solar panels on the roof; the largest single array on a building in the area. The panels generate all the energy requirements for the operation of the building, and air source heat exchangers provide heating and hot water without gas-powered boilers.

Other features include highly rated thermally efficient composite panels and energy-efficient glass, both critical components for achieving stable temperatures inside year-round. These flagship

features are underpinned with additional details like movement sensitive lighting and energy-efficient bulbs.

All these factors combine to deliver a 75% reduction in grid energy consumption, reducing CO 2 emissions by 343,857 kg per year.

Despite this admirable milestone, Parvalux does not look likely to rest on its laurels, as the commitment to sustainability is an ongoing one. “As we grow, we will keep looking at how we can continue to stay carbon neutral,” Mr Sheppard explained. “Surplus energy from the solar panels will be fed to over 50 EV and e-bike charging points to encourage the switch to electric transportation and support CO 2 emission reductions.”

Strong partnerships

With the company’s net zero emissions targets in mind, Parvalux was careful in the selection of both partners and mater ials when constructing the new facility.

“We chose architects with credentials and expertise in designing energy-efficient buildings, and selected contractors who shared our net zero goal to work together to identify materials and construction methods accordingly,” Mr Sheppard said.

By recycling 7,000 tonnes of bricks and concrete from the old structures as part of the foundations for the new building, a sustainable approach was established from the start.

The main challenge was balancing energy efficient materials with cost considerations, though Parvalux had the advantage of financial support from parent company maxon.

The composite panels were selected for their thermally efficient properties, to provide insulation and management of internal temperatures. They were also manufactured in the UK, at facilities powered by 100% renewable energy. The panels feature a hybrid insulation core

which is HCFC-, CFC- and HFC-free and were cut to size at the manufacturer to eliminate onsite building waste.

The new building remains the starting point for the company’s sustainability journey and heralds a bright and sustainable future for Parvalux.

“We are on a growth trajectory and by 2030 it is envisaged that we will double in size, which meant designing a building that could support that growth,” said Mr Sheppard. “It was designed for minimal external maintenance, and the ability to extend through seamless modular expansions into the land at the rear of the site.”

With numerous challenges facing manufacturers around the world, having an effective and loyal network of suppliers has proved key to ensuring success. The

Parvalux purchasing team works closely with its supply chain, to ensure materials and components are delivered to exacting standards within agreed timescales.

“Joining the maxon family saw a change to our sales operations,” concluded Mr Sheppard. “Our products are now supplied worldwide via the global maxon network, which means there are now local sales engineering representatives in almost every country in the world.

“The international sales force has significantly increased our reach, and demand for products is increasing. Where some manufacturers are seeing a slowdown, Parvalux has a strong order book, and we are continually improving processes. We are investing in people to keep pace with the strong demand, which looks set to continue throughout 2024 and beyond.” n