BRUSH Group
BRUSH Group is a UK-based 145-year-old independent manufacturer of power transformers, AC and DC switchgear, and provider of high-voltage engineering services for utilities, DNOs, data centres, industrial, rail, and infrastructure customers across the UK, Australia, and Italy.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1879
- HeadquartersAshby De La Zouch, United Kingdom
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What BRUSH Group does
BRUSH Group is a UK-based independent provider of equipment, services, and engineering solutions for electrical power generation and distribution, operating for over 145 years since its founding in 1879. The company designs and manufactures power transformers, special transformers and reactors, on-load tap changers (AT and ATV), and a comprehensive range of AC and DC switchgear (including indoor CRYNO, outdoor Horizon, and DC solutions Lightning DC, SafeBond, and PowerBond). BRUSH also offers award-winning magnetic actuator retrofit technology that can extend switchgear asset life by up to 30 years, alongside heritage brand support for legacy Hawker Siddeley, South Wales Switchgear, Fuller, Whipp & Bourne, and ATL equipment. The company maintains original design archives enabling unique aftermarket capabilities for installed base equipment.
BRUSH operates through multiple business units including BRUSH Transformers (Loughborough HQ with manufacturing since 1879), BRUSH Switchgear (Blackwood, South Wales Centre of Excellence for MV Distribution Switchgear), BRUSH Power Solutions (high-voltage engineering from 11kV to 400kV), and Infrastructure Solutions (building services consultancy). Revenue is generated through hardware sales of transformers and switchgear, professional engineering services, retrofit solutions, and managed lifecycle services including 24/7 Service 24 emergency support. The customer base spans Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) such as SSE, data centre operators, industrial facilities, rail and transportation, renewables developers, and critical infrastructure projects across healthcare, education, and commercial sectors.
Since June 2025 the company has been owned by Greenbelt Capital Management, a private equity firm focused on energy investments, following its prior ownership under One Equity Partners. Under Greenbelt ownership, BRUSH has pursued an active M&A strategy, acquiring Rybka (June 2024), McGowan Group (November 2024), and iDESo Group containing Allenwest and Baldwin & Francis (April 2026), while divesting non-core McGowan Environmental via management buyout. The company operates from offices across the UK with international presence in Australia and Italy, employs 1,001-5,000 people, and serves as an OEM-agnostic service platform with ATEX and IECEx certifications for hazardous area equipment.
BRUSH Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- BRUSH Group
- Legal name
- BRUSH Group Ltd
- Website
- https://brush.eu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1879
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- BRUSH Group is a UK-based 145-year-old independent manufacturer of power transformers, AC and DC switchgear, and provider of high-voltage engineering services for utilities, DNOs, data centres, industrial, rail, and infrastructure customers across the UK, Australia, and Italy.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
BRUSH Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Power Equipment
- NAICS
- Switchgear and Switchboard Apparatus Manufacturing (335313), Power, Distribution, and Specialty Transformer Manufacturing (335311)
- SIC
- Switchgear & Switchboard Apparatus (3613), Power, Distribution & Specialty Transformers (3612), Oil & Gas Field Machinery & Equipment (3533)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Energy Storage Balance-of-Plant (enclosures, switchgear, protection, metering) (IMAGAHAK)
Keywords
Where BRUSH Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ashby De La Zouch
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices11 records
Markets served
BRUSH Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Transformer Manufacturing and Sales: Manufacturing and sales of power transformers, special transformers, and reactors for utilities, infrastructure, and industrial applications.
- Switchgear Products: Production and sale of AC and DC switchgear products including indoor, outdoor, and specialized hazardous area equipment.
- Engineering Solutions Services: End-to-end engineering solutions including design, consultancy, project management, construction, testing, commissioning, and connection services for high-voltage infrastructure projects from 11kV to 400kV.
- Aftermarket Services: Service 24 support, transformer services, switchgear services including installation, commissioning, lifecycle management, servicing, repair, and asset management.
- Retrofit Solutions: Switchgear retrofit solutions extending asset life by up to 30 years with modern vacuum circuit breakers.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
BRUSH Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
BRUSH Group is a UK-based energy engineering company that manufactures power transformers and switchgear, and provides engineering solutions for utilities, infrastructure, and industrial sectors. Its core offering is the design, production, and delivery of electrical power equipment and related engineering services to customers operating in energy generation, transmission, and distribution.
Product overview
BRUSH Group is a UK-based energy engineering solutions provider offering a comprehensive portfolio of power equipment and services. The core product portfolio consists of Power Transformers and Switchgear (including AC Switchgear for indoor/outdoor applications and DC Switchgear for railway applications), complemented by FastWorks rapid manufacturing services. The company provides extensive lifecycle services including Service 24 emergency support, tapchanger services, installation and commissioning, lifecycle management, and switchgear services (spares, retrofit solutions, and asset management). Following acquisitions, the portfolio now includes Rybka (building services consultancy), McGowan Group (infrastructure and environmental engineering), Allenwest (hazardous area equipment), and Baldwin & Francis (electrical equipment for industrial sectors). Solutions are delivered through Infrastructure Solutions (building engineering) and Power Solutions (high-voltage engineering from 11kV to 400kV). The company supports grid resilience and the energy transition across utilities, renewables, oil & gas, industry, and infrastructure sectors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Hawker Siddeley BRUSH Switchgear: Heritage switchgear brand incorporating vacuum switchgear technology and ring main unit innovations.
- South Wales Switchgear
- Hawker Siddeley Switchgear
Products and services
- Power Transformers
- Switchgear
- Energy Engineering Solutions
Quantifiable outcome
- Asset life extension up to 30 years through retrofit solutions
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use BRUSH Group
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
BRUSH Group technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
BRUSH Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered strategic and minor.
- Allenwest LimitedstrategicAcquired as part of iDESo Group. Based in Prestwick, Scotland, employs around 40 people and specialises in electrical control and hazardous area equipment.
- Baldwin & Francis LimitedstrategicAcquired as part of iDESo Group. Based in Sheffield, England, employs around 40 people and is known for expertise in electrical equipment for toughest environments including industrial, utilities, energy and rail sectors.
- McGowan EnvironmentalminorMcGowan Environmental underwent management buyout from BRUSH Group. All 24 staff members remained with the company which continues trading as McGowan Environmental, enabling BRUSH to focus on infrastructure and cable protection businesses.
- ILJIN Electric of KoreastrategicBRUSH formed a power partnership with South Korean manufacturer ILJIN Electric. The partnership focuses on power transformer and related equipment collaboration.
- McGowan GroupstrategicBRUSH acquired majority stake in Scottish engineering contractor McGowan Group to expand beyond traditional transformer production. Deal aimed at leveraging environmental expertise and promoting eco-friendly solutions for UK energy transition.
- RybkastrategicBRUSH acquired Edinburgh-based building services consultancy Rybka to expand service portfolio and gain foothold in Scottish market, with plans for geographical expansion into England and Wales. Supports ESG ambitions and decarbonisation opportunities.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
BRUSH Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- ABB: Global electrification, motion, and process automation leader with significant presence in power transformers, switchgear, and distribution solutions. Overlaps with BRUSH's product portfolio but operates across much broader industrial automation categories.
- Schneider Electric: Major provider of energy management and automation solutions, including medium-voltage switchgear and transformer solutions for utilities, data centres, and industrial markets. Comparable in data centre and infrastructure segments where BRUSH also competes.
- Siemens Energy: Global energy technology leader manufacturing large power transformers, switchgear, and grid solutions. Directly overlapping product categories to BRUSH but at far greater scale across transmission, distribution, and grid management.
- Eaton: Global power management company manufacturing switchgear, transformers, and power distribution equipment for industrial, utility, and data centre customers. Direct overlap with BRUSH's switchgear and power distribution portfolio.
- GE Vernova: Spun-off GE business focused on power generation, transmission, and grid equipment, including large power transformers and switchgear serving global utilities. Direct competitor in transformer manufacturing and grid solutions.
Direct peers
- SGB-SMIT Group: European-based specialist manufacturer of power transformers and distribution transformers serving utilities and industrial customers. Comparable mid-sized niche competitor with overlapping UK and European market presence.
- Hitachi Energy: World-leading manufacturer of power transformers, switchgear, and grid integration solutions serving utilities and industrial customers. Closest direct competitor to BRUSH across transformer and switchgear product lines with overlapping customer base in UK DNOs and global utilities.
- Mitsubishi Electric Power Products: Manufacturer of power transformers, gas-insulated switchgear, and transmission/distribution equipment serving North American and global utility markets. Comparable product portfolio with focus on large power transformers.
- Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions: Power transmission and distribution equipment manufacturer producing transformers and switchgear for utilities and industrial customers globally. Comparable transformer manufacturing capabilities with strong presence in Asia-Pacific markets.
Regional players
- Wilson Transformer Company: Australian manufacturer of power and distribution transformers. Directly comparable product line to BRUSH, serving as BRUSH's regional peer in the Australian market where BRUSH also maintains a Brendale, QLD presence.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
BRUSH Group social profiles
Digital presenceBRUSH Group compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
BRUSH Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
BRUSH Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
BRUSH Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries9 records
BRUSH Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
BRUSH Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A5 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about BRUSH Group
What does BRUSH Group do?
BRUSH Group is a UK-based energy engineering company that manufactures power transformers and switchgear, and provides engineering solutions for utilities, infrastructure, and industrial sectors. Its core offering is the design, production, and delivery of electrical power equipment and related engineering services to customers operating in energy generation, transmission, and distribution.
Is BRUSH Group a public or private company?
BRUSH Group is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was BRUSH Group founded?
BRUSH Group was founded in 1879. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is BRUSH Group based?
BRUSH Group is headquartered in Ashby De La Zouch, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does BRUSH Group make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Transformer Manufacturing and Sales are the primary driver. The others are switchgear Products, engineering Solutions Services, aftermarket Services and retrofit Solutions.
Who are BRUSH Group's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are ABB, Schneider Electric, Siemens Energy, Eaton and GE Vernova. Direct peers are SGB-SMIT Group, Hitachi Energy, Mitsubishi Electric Power Products and Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions. Wilson Transformer Company is listed as a regional player.
Does BRUSH Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for BRUSH Group.
What industry is BRUSH Group in?
BRUSH Group's product category is Power Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAGAHAK, Energy Storage Balance-of-Plant (enclosures, switchgear, protection, metering). Its NAICS code is 335313 and its SIC code is 3613.