Inverter Drive Supermarket

What Inverter Drive Supermarket does

Inverter Drive Supermarket Ltd. is a privately held, UK-based online industrial automation distributor headquartered in Chipping Campden. Founded around 2006 and operating with 1-10 employees, the company runs an e-commerce storefront selling variable speed drives (VSDs), AC/DC/servo motors, soft starters, DOL starters, gearboxes, control gear, HMIs, encoder feedback, EMC filters, dynamic brake resistors, chokes, sine filters, fieldbus communication modules, enclosures and spare parts. The catalog covers AC inverter drives across 115V, 230V, 400V and 600V supplies with power ranging from 0.09kW to 630kW, supplemented by 400V regenerative AC drives, motor-mounting (decentralized) inverters, modular AC power modules with separate control units, DC thyristor drives, and servo drives with associated power and feedback cables.

The company distributes products from more than 25 third-party brands including ABB, Siemens, Parker SSD Drives, Mitsubishi, WEG, Yaskawa, Invertek, Delta, Schneider, Lenze, Nord, Bosch Rexroth, and others, alongside its own proprietary IDS-branded Easy Start Panels (pre-fitted Parker AC10 drives in IP54 enclosures from 0.75kW to 22kW). Pricing is published online with tiered volume discounts (e.g., Parker AC10 priced at £1,800 unit, £1,740 at 5+, £1,650 at 10+), entry-level spare parts from £3, and high-power industrial drives above £20,000. Payment is one-time at purchase across GBP, EUR and USD, with worldwide shipping. Marketing is primarily SEO-driven through category pages and a technical HowTo blog covering energy saving, dynamic braking, fan power, and hydraulic applications, with an auxiliary presence on X (Twitter).

The customer base is primarily industrial manufacturing engineers requiring motor speed control for fans, pumps, conveyors, cranes, elevators, HVAC systems and hydraulic power packs, with a secondary segment in maintenance and repair operations (MRO) sourcing replacement drives and legacy spares. The internet-first operating model is positioned to keep overhead low and pass competitive pricing to customers relative to traditional industrial distributors.

Name

Inverter Drive Supermarket

Legal name

Inverter Drive Supermarket Ltd.

Website

https://inverterdrive.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Inverter Drive Supermarket is a UK-based online industrial automation distributor selling variable speed drives, motors, gearboxes, control gear and spare parts across 25+ brands to industrial manufacturing and MRO customers worldwide via its e-commerce platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Automation - Variable Speed Drives & Motor Control

NAICS

Other Electronic Parts and Equipment Merchant Wholesalers (423690)

SIC

Switchgear & Switchboard Apparatus (3613)

akta.pro primary industry

DC-AC Inverters (Industrial inverters, standalone/embedded) (IMAGADAC)

Keywords

• Variable speed drives
• Industrial automation
• Electric motors
• Motor control
• Power electronics distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Chipping Campden

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Direct sales of industrial automation equipment including variable speed drives, motors, and components through e-commerce platform. Revenue generated from one-time product sales with no recurring subscription component.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Inverter Drive Supermarket is an industrial automation distributor that sells variable speed drives (AC inverters, DC thyristor drives, servo drives), electric motors (AC, DC, servo), gearboxes, soft starters, DOL starters, and associated control and accessory components through an online e-commerce platform. The catalog covers 115V to 690V supplies, power ranges from 0.09kW to 630kW, and distributes products from 25+ major brands alongside its own IDS-branded Easy Start Panel line.

Product overview

Inverter Drive Supermarket is an Industrial Automation Distributor operating an e-commerce platform for variable speed drives, motors, and automation components. The portfolio is structured around multiple interconnected product categories rather than a single unified platform. The core offering consists of AC Variable Speed Drives across four voltage ranges (115V/230V/400V/600V), complemented by Regenerative AC Drives for energy recovery, Motor-Mounting Inverters for decentralised applications, Modular Inverter architecture (Power Modules + Control Units), DC Thyristor Drives, Servo Drives, Soft Starters, and DOL Starters. The motor range includes AC Motors (single/three phase, vector), DC Motors, Servo Motors, and Gearboxes/Gear Motors. Supporting infrastructure includes Control Gear (contactors, overloads), HMIs (TS8000 Series), Encoder Feedback options, Fieldbus Communication modules (BACnet, CANopen, EtherCAT, Modbus, Profibus, ProfiNET), EMC Filters, Active Front Ends, Dynamic Brake Resistors, Brake Choppers, Chokes, Sine Filters, and pre-configured Drive Enclosures including the proprietary IDS Easy Start Panels. Spare parts for drives and motors, plus online tools (Brake Resistor Calculator, HowTo Blog) round out the offering. The company distributes third-party brands including ABB, Invertek, Parker/SSD, Siemens, WEG, Mitsubishi, Delta, Yaskawa, Lenze, Schneider, Bosch Rexroth, and others alongside its own IDS-branded enclosure products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AC Inverter Drives (115V) Variable Speed Drives (VSDs) for 115V single-phase supply, controlling electric motor speed from 0.09kW to 1.1kW. Available in sensorless vector and standard VxF control modes with EMC filter options (Domestic, Industrial, None) and Safe Torque Off (STO) safety functions. Targeted at industrial motor control applications requiring low-voltage single-phase drive solutions.
• AC Inverter Drives (230V) Variable Speed Drives for 230V single-phase or 230V three-phase supply, spanning 0.09kW to 110kW. Supports BACnet, CANopen, Modbus RTU communications; Closed Loop Vector, Sensorless Vector, and Standard VxF control; STO safety functions; IP20 to IP66 protection ratings.
• AC Inverter Drives (400V) Variable Speed Drives for 400V three-phase supply, ranging from 0.09kW to 560kW. Features include BACnet, CANopen, EtherNet, Modbus RTU/TCP, Profibus, ProfiNET communications; Closed Loop Vector, Sensorless Vector, Servo control modes; STO safety functions; IP00 to IP66 protection ratings.
• AC Inverter Drives (600V) Variable Speed Drives for 600V three-phase supply, from 1.1kW to 315kW. Supports 500Vac and 690Vac input/output configurations; Closed Loop Vector, Sensorless Vector, and Standard VxF control; IP20 to IP66 protection ratings.
• Regen AC Drives (400V) Fully Regenerative AC Inverter Drives with energy recovery for 400V three-phase supply (2.2kW to 75kW), including Mitsubishi FR-A741 series and Siemens SINAMICS PM250 modules, enabling regenerative braking energy to be fed back to the supply for hoist, crane, and braking applications.
• AC Motor-Mounting Inverters Decentralised drive inverters mounted directly onto motors. Brands include Nord (SK180E, SK205E series), Invertek PCE, Lenze, and Siemens. Power range 0.09kW to 7.5kW with IP44 to IP66 protection ratings for decentralised drive applications.
• AC Drive and Motor Kits Pre-configured bundles combining an inverter drive with a matched electric motor and EMC cable. Available for 230V single-phase (0.37kW to 7.5kW) and 400V three-phase (0.37kW to 7.5kW) supplies, with IP20/IP55 or IP66/IP55 protection ratings.
• Modular Inverter Drives Modular inverter architecture comprising separate AC Power Modules (400V, 0.09kW to 250kW) and Control Units. Brands include Parker AC30, Siemens SINAMICS PM240-2/G120, Lenze i550, and WEG CFW500, allowing flexible configuration of power and control functionality.
• DC Thyristor Drives DC motor speed controllers using thyristor (SCR) technology, including single/dual phase input (3A to 50A) and three-phase input variants. Parker SSD (formerly Eurotherm/Sprint) and Siemens brands available. Also includes DC to DC PWM Chopper drives for DC supply applications.
• Servo Drives Servo drive controllers for induction motors, synchronous motors, and brushless DC servo motors. Includes accessories such as switch modules for Parker SSD Drives, and power/feedback cables for connecting servo drives to brushless AC servo motors.
• Soft Starters Soft starters (soft start controllers) for AC motor applications, providing reduced voltage starting to minimise inrush current and mechanical stress during motor startup.
• DOL Starters Direct On Line (DOL) motor starters for single phase and three phase AC motors, providing full-voltage starting for simpler motor control applications.
• AC Motors Electric motors including single phase AC motors (230V, 90W to 3.7kW), three phase AC induction motors (90W to 500kW), and AC Vector motors (0.12kW to 600kW) with encoder feedback and force cooling fans.
• DC Motors DC motors including Axem Disc Armature Servo Motors, Low Inertia motors, and Shunt Wound motors for applications requiring precise DC speed control.
• Servo Motors

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Parker SSD DrivescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor distribution partner for Parker SSD (formerly Eurotherm Drives) products including AC10, AC30, Sprint DC drives, and related accessories. Offers Sprint 680i, Commander series, and 650V/690P products with dedicated enclosures and spare parts.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Schneider Electric: Global manufacturer of variable speed drives (Altivar) and a key competitor/partner dynamic for IDS: as a brand IDS distributes, Schneider's accelerating direct digital sales (se.com) pose a vertical-integration threat to independent distributors like IDS.
• Mouser Electronics: Global online-first electronic component distributor (semiconductors, passives, electromechanical, and industrial automation products). Comparable direct-online business model and worldwide multi-currency shipping, though catalog is much broader than drives alone.
• RS Components: UK-headquartered global multi-billion-pound distributor of industrial and electronic components (Electrocomponents plc). Directly overlapping customer base and VSD/motor product lines, but vastly broader catalog, scale, and value-added services.
• Digi-Key Electronics: Major US online-first electronic component distributor with an extensive industrial automation offering (VFDs, motors, sensors, controllers). Closely comparable e-commerce distribution model and worldwide reach, though at vastly larger scale.
• Farnell / element14: UK-based global electronic component distributor owned by Avnet; overlaps with IDS on drives, motors, encoders, and industrial connectivity but with a much larger catalog spanning semiconductors, test, and embedded computing.

Direct peers

• AutomationDirect: US-based industrial automation e-commerce distributor offering drives, motors, PLCs, and controls via a direct-online catalog. Closely comparable business model (web-first, broad multi-brand catalog, mid-market buyers) and overlapping customer segments in factory automation.
• Galco Industrial Electronics: US industrial electronics and automation distributor carrying AC drives, DC drives, servo systems, and motor controls from brands also distributed by IDS (ABB, Yaskawa, Siemens). Directly comparable online catalog and MRO-replacement focus.
• OEM Automation: UK-based industrial automation distributor and system integrator serving manufacturing customers with drives, motors, and controls (overlapping ABB, Parker, Siemens, Invertek product lines). Provides a useful UK-direct comparison, with greater emphasis on engineering integration services.
• AX Control: US industrial automation distributor focused on AC and DC drives, servo systems, and motor controls (including legacy Eurotherm/Parker SSD), with a direct-online catalog model comparable to IDS and a similar MRO-replacement niche.

Emerging players

• TME (Transfer Multisort Elektronik): Polish-headquartered electronic component distributor with a growing global e-commerce presence across automation, drives, motors, and accessories. Comparable online catalog and worldwide multi-currency model, positioned as an emerging digital-first challenger to traditional industrial distributors.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/inverterdrive
• Facebookfacebook.com/inverterdrive
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/inverter-drive-supermarket

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Inverter Drive Supermarket