Invertek

What Invertek does

Invertek Drives Ltd is a Welsh manufacturer of variable frequency drives (VFDs), founded in 1998 and headquartered in Welshpool, UK. The company designs, manufactures, and sells motor control drives under the Optidrive brand family, including general-purpose models (Optidrive E3 and E4), high-performance drives (Optidrive P2), and application-specific variants for HVAC and pumps (Optidrive Eco), elevators (Optidrive Elevator and Elevator Core), OEMs (Optidrive Compact 2), and compressors and heat pumps (Optidrive Coolvert). All Optidrives carry a standard 3-year warranty, extendable to up to 5 years, and are supported by proprietary software tools (OptiTools Studio, OptiTools Mobile), an iKnow knowledge base, and a Cooler Planet energy savings calculator.

The company operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sumitomo Heavy Industries Ltd, embedded within the Sumitomo Drive Technologies division, and sells almost exclusively through a global channel partner model spanning hundreds of distributors, regional sales offices, and service centres in more than 80 countries. Revenue is generated from hardware sales, with pricing handled on a quote basis that varies by drive model, power rating, and order volume. In FY2025, Invertek reported revenue of £72.8 million from sales of over 300,000 drives, with international markets accounting for 93% of total sales, and received the King's Award for Enterprise in Overseas Trade in recognition of its export performance. The customer base spans horizontal industrial segments including general manufacturing, HVAC building services, lifts and elevators, water and wastewater, cranes, refrigeration, food and beverage, solar pumping, marine, and mining.

Name

Invertek

Legal name

Invertek Drives Ltd

Website

https://invertekdrives.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Invertek Drives is a Welsh manufacturer of variable frequency drives (VFDs) under the Optidrive brand, wholly owned by Sumitomo Heavy Industries. The company sells general-purpose, high-performance, and application-specific motor control drives through a global distributor network in over 80 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Variable Frequency Drives / Motor Control Equipment

akta.pro primary industry

Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) (IMAGACAD)

Keywords

• Variable frequency drives
• AC motor drives
• Industrial motor control
• HVAC drives
• Elevator drives

Headquarters

HQ city

Welshpool

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) Hardware Sales: Invertek Drives manufactures and sells variable frequency drives (VFDs), also known as AC drives or variable speed drives, for motor control applications. Revenue is generated from the sale of drive hardware across multiple product lines targeting general purpose, high performance, and application-specific use cases.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Invertek Drives manufactures and sells the Optidrive family of variable frequency drives (VFDs) / AC drives used to control the speed and torque of electric motors in industrial, HVAC, elevator, pump, and OEM applications. The product range covers general-purpose drives (E3, E4), high-performance drives (P2), and application-specific drives for HVAC and pumps (Eco), elevators (Elevator, Elevator Core), and compressors and heat pumps (Coolvert). The company sells globally through regional distributors, channel partners, and company-owned sales offices in over 80 countries, supported by commissioning software, a UK-based Innovation Centre, and an up to 5-year warranty programme.

Product overview

Invertek Drives is a Welsh manufacturer specializing in variable frequency drives (VFDs), also known as AC drives or variable speed drives, for motor control applications. The product portfolio centers on the Optidrive brand family, comprising general purpose drives (E3 and E4 series), high performance drives (P2), and application-specific solutions. Application-specific offerings include the Optidrive Eco for HVAC and pump control, the Optidrive Elevator Core and Optidrive Elevator for lift systems, Optidrive Compact 2 for OEM integration, and Optidrive Coolvert for compressor and heat pump applications. The company sells directly and through a global distribution network across over 80 countries. All Optidrive products come with a standard 3-year warranty, with up to 5 years available. Invertek provides supporting software tools (OptiTools Studio and OptiTools Mobile), an iKnow VFD Knowledge Base, and an Energy Savings Calculator to support their motor control solutions across diverse industries including agriculture, food & beverage, HVAC, marine, mining, material handling, water & wastewater, and lifts/elevators.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Optidrive: Product line of variable frequency drives including E3, E4, P2, Eco, Elevator Core, Compact 2, and Coolvert models
• iKnow
• Cooler Planet
• InvertekTV

Products and services

• Optidrive E3 General purpose variable frequency drive designed for reliable, high performance motor control in standard industrial applications, supplied with a standard 3-year warranty.
• Optidrive E3 Single Phase General purpose variable frequency drive designed for single phase motor applications within the Optidrive E3 family.
• Optidrive E4 Enhanced capability general purpose variable frequency drive with dual-channel Safe Torque Off (STO) providing SIL3 level safety, positioned as increased capability without added complexity.
• Optidrive P2 High performance variable frequency drive for demanding industrial applications requiring precise motor control, with a dedicated hoist mode for crane and gantry operations.
• Optidrive Eco Application-specific variable frequency drive optimized for HVAC building services and advanced pump control.
• Optidrive Elevator Core Compact variable frequency drive featuring USB-C connectivity for smartphone-based configuration, launched in December 2023 as an advanced elevator control solution.
• Optidrive Elevator Dedicated lift/elevator variable frequency drive for elevator control systems.
• Optidrive Compact 2 Compact OEM variable frequency drive designed for integration into original equipment manufacturer products.
• Optidrive Coolvert Variable frequency drive specifically designed for compressor and heat pump applications, with an Environmental Product Declaration for transparency standards.

Quantifiable outcome

• Energy savings of up to 50% or more achievable through variable speed control compared to fixed-speed motor operation

Segments12 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Sumitomo Heavy Industries Ltd. (SHI)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerInvertek Drives is part of Sumitomo Drive Technologies under Sumitomo Heavy Industries. The relationship involves shared distribution networks, cross-selling through Sumitomo's global presence, and coordinated product development. Invertek products are sold alongside Sumitomo's cyclo drive and motor products through shared channel partners globally.
• SM-Cyclo Distributors (Southeast Asia)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSM-Cyclo entities across Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines) serve as Invertek distribution partners, selling and supporting Invertek drives alongside SM-Cyclo's own product lines through shared and dedicated sales offices.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• WEG: WEG is a Brazilian motor and drive manufacturer with a global VFD offering (CFW series). Comparable to Invertek on product and vertical integration with motors, but with strongest presence in Latin America rather than EMEA where Invertek is concentrated.

Broad incumbents

• ABB: ABB is a global electrification and automation major with one of the broadest VFD portfolios (ACS series) sold into industrial, HVAC and process markets. Comparable to Invertek as a direct competitor on AC drives but operating at vastly larger scale across full automation stacks.
• Rockwell Automation: Rockwell's Allen-Bradley PowerFlex drives compete with Invertek in industrial automation, typically bundled with Logix PLCs. A broad incumbent rather than a pure-play drive vendor but directly overlapping on end customers and applications.
• Eaton: Eaton offers a broad VFD portfolio (DG1, PowerXL) targeted at industrial, HVAC and OEM applications, overlapping with Invertek on product, customer segments and channel-led distribution, though Eaton operates as a much larger diversified industrial group.
• Siemens: Siemens' SINAMICS VFD family is sold across discrete and process automation, often bundled with SIMATIC PLCs. Overlaps with Invertek on drives for industrial, HVAC and elevator applications but competes from a far broader automation and digital-industry platform.
• Schneider Electric: Schneider's Altivar range is a leading VFD family serving HVAC, pumps, process and machine-builder applications globally. Closely comparable to Invertek on drive product offering and customer segments, with substantially larger scale and a broader energy-management portfolio.
• Mitsubishi Electric: Mitsubishi Electric's FR-series drives and broader factory automation portfolio compete with Invertek's Optidrive range in industrial, elevator and HVAC markets, with a strong installed base in EMEA and Asia.

Direct peers

• Danfoss Drives: Danfoss Drives (VLT and VACON brands) is one of the most direct mid-to-large VFD specialists, competing head-to-head with Invertek in HVAC, pumps, marine and industrial segments, with a similarly strong channel-partner model and focus on energy efficiency.
• Yaskawa Electric: Yaskawa is a global drive specialist whose A1000, D1000 and V1000 series directly compete with Invertek's Optidrive range across general-purpose, HVAC and elevator applications, with comparable channel-driven go-to-market.

Emerging players

• INVT: INVT is a Chinese low-cost VFD and servo manufacturer expanding aggressively into EMEA, the Americas and APAC industrial and HVAC channels. Directly comparable to Invertek on product but competing primarily on price in the same general-purpose and OEM segments.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/invertek
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/InvertekDrivesGlobal
• Facebookfacebook.com/Invertekdrives
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/invertek-drives-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Invertek