Crestchic Loadbanks, a leading supplier of load banks and testing solutions and part of the Northbridge Industrial Services group, has recently been recognised amongst the best in the industry after clocking up two prestigious awards.
The Association of Manufacturers of Power Systems (AMPS) has awarded Crestchic the ‘Project of the Year’ accolade and named apprentice Torrie Lunn as ‘Apprentice of the Year’. AMPS is the trade association and industry voice for the UK’s world-leading diesel and gas-engine power generating sector and associated businesses.
Project of the Year: Hutchinson Ports
Working hand-in-hand with one of the world’s leading port developers, the project goal was to solve the issue of regenerative power in crane applications. In the ever-growing, fast-paced shipping port environment, power infrastructure can’t always grow in-line with requirements. For this reason, many container ports are having to expand their power capacity by using stand-alone temporary power solutions, such as diesel generators, to meet demand. However, while this solution increases crane capacity quickly, it comes with the downside of producing ‘regenerative power’, which can damage the crane’s motor and generator alike.
Working in collaboration with the Hutchinson team in Karachi, Pakistan, Crestchic introduced two medium voltage load banks to the existing system. By diverting and dissipating the regenerated power via the load banks, the power coming from the crane load back towards the motor was stopped before it reached the drive, thus negating the risk to Hutchinson’s equipment. The same load banks can be used for essential maintenance and testing which helps to sustain fuel and generator efficiency.
Apprentice of the Year: Torrie Lunn
After successfully completing her Electrical & Mechanical Engineering NVQ Level 2, 18-year old Torrie Lunn has her eyes firmly set on a Level 3 and a lifetime career in engineering. This determination to succeed, hard work and dedication have recently been recognised, with Torrie being awarded AMPS Apprentice of the Year 2019.
In her first week with the business, Torrie was set the task of wiring a 100kW load bank and has since gone on to single-handedly wire a 400kW load bank for use at a very high profile public building and London landmark, consistently meeting and exceeding the challenges met by her line manager.
Sharon Philpotts, Production Manager said: “Torrie’s a committed individual whose natural understanding of her profession needs little or no guidance, which belies her young age. She absorbs her surroundings and channels her knowledge into the task at hand, even giving time-served engineers a run for their money! The award is very well-deserved and we’re extremely proud of what Torrie has achieved in her short time with us.”
Speaking about both award wins, Paul Brickman, Sales and Marketing Director at Crestchic, commented, “Naturally, we’re delighted that the Hutchinson project and Torrie’s contribution have both been recognised. As a global company, we pride ourselves on working collaboratively with our customer base to specify innovative solutions that meet their needs. As well as providing the best product portfolio, this also means investing in the best people. Being recognised as amongst the best the industry has to offer is testament to the hard work and commitment of the Crestchic team. A huge well done to you all.”
Northbridge Industrial Services (LON:NBI) has two core activities, Crestchic Loadbanks and Tasman Oil Tools. Crestchic is a specialist electrical equipment business which manufactures, sells and rents loadbanks and transformers from its base in Burton on Trent and has depots in France, Germany, Belgium, UAE and Singapore. Crestchic also has satellite locations in China and the USA. For more information on Crestchic Loadbanks, visit www.crestchicloadbanks.com
