What Modern Drives & Controls does

Modern Drives & Controls is a Leicester, UK-based specialist distributor and light manufacturer of industrial automation and control equipment, established in 1990 following a management buyout of the long-running Midland Dynamo Company by Steve Hand, Malcolm Mee, and Graham Doughty. Operating from a 3,500 square foot headquarters and production facility, the company serves a horizontal mix of small original equipment manufacturers through to large multinational corporations across the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Nigeria, with end-market exposure spanning rail, food processing, oil and gas, robotics, mining, sugar, cement, and wind energy.

The company's offering combines distributed products from major industrial brands with proprietary manufactured items. Distributed lines include Brook Crompton AC motors, Lenze inverters (i500, 8200, 8400 series), Lenze servo motors, Lenze motor gear units (GST, GSS, GKS, G500), Lenze clutches and brakes, Georgii Kobold torque motors and brake motors, Sprint Electric DC drives up to 1MW, WAGO terminals and I/O units, IDEC PLCs and control gear, GE Power Controls equipment, PSPC trapped key interlocks, and INTORQ spring-applied brakes. Manufactured products comprise MDC bespoke brake motors built to customer specifications, Quickstop DC injection braking systems for three-phase AC squirrel cage motors (including new electronically controlled variants with adjustable braking force and injection time), and custom control panels designed to client drawings or in-house proven designs. A small professional services offering converts obsolete drives to current-generation models.

The business operates a technical sales-led B2B model with quote-based hardware sales as the primary revenue stream. The company employs fewer than ten staff combining technical sales, production, and accounts functions under a founder-led management structure (Steve Hand as Managing Director, Richard Hand as Works Director). There is no publicly disclosed pricing, no subscription or recurring revenue component, no external institutional capital, no funding rounds, and no acquisitions, indicating a self-funded, organically grown distributor-manufacturer reliant on the depth and continuity of its vendor and customer relationships for competitive position.

Name

Modern Drives & Controls

Legal name

Modern Drives & Controls Ltd

Website

https://moderndrives.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Modern Drives & Controls is a UK-based specialist distributor and manufacturer of industrial automation equipment, founded in 1990 in Leicester. It distributes products from leading manufacturers and makes bespoke brake motors, DC braking systems, and control panels for industrial OEMs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Automation and Control Equipment

NAICS

Speed Changer, Industrial High-Speed Drive, and Gear Manufacturing (333612), Relay and Industrial Control Manufacturing (335314), Motor Vehicle Electrical and Electronic Equipment Manufacturing (336320)

SIC

Motors & Generators (3621), Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600), Switchgear & Switchboard Apparatus (3613), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Motion Control Controllers & CNC/Robot Drives (Motion Controllers, Multi-axis) (IMAGACAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Axle, Differential & Final Drive Manufacturing (Front/Rear/E-axle housings) (IMACAHAG), Automotive Power Electronics & Inverters/Converters Manufacturing (IMACAJAE)

Keywords

• Industrial automation equipment
• Motor gear units
• Control panel manufacturing
• Inverter drives
• Brake motor systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Leicester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Distribution of Industrial Automation Products: Distributing drives, power transmission and electronic control products from partner manufacturers including Lenze inverters, clutches, brakes, Wago terminals, GE and Idec control gear.
2. Manufacturing of Brake Motors: Manufacturing bespoke brake motors to customer specifications with flexible manufacturing methods enabling quick turnaround on custom orders.
3. DC Injection Braking Systems: Manufacturing Quickstop DC injection braking systems that provide fast, smooth braking of 3 phase AC squirrel cage motors, including electronically controlled versions.
4. Control Panel Manufacturing: Production and supply of bespoke control panels to customer requirements, either to existing proven designs or customer drawings.
5. Conversion of Obsolete Drives: Conversion of obsolete drives to current models as part of service offering.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Modern Drives & Controls is a Leicester-based distributor and manufacturer of industrial automation and control equipment. It distributes AC motors, brake motors, servo motors, motor gear units, inverters, DC drives, control gear, terminals, clutches and brakes from leading manufacturers, and manufactures bespoke brake motors, Quickstop DC injection braking systems, and custom control panels to customer specifications. The company also offers conversion of obsolete drives to current models as a value-added service.

Product overview

Modern Drives & Controls is an industrial automation equipment distributor and manufacturer established in 1990, based in Leicester, UK. The company operates as a single unified offering combining distributed products from major manufacturers with proprietary manufactured products. The distributed product portfolio includes Brook Crompton AC motors, Lenze inverters (i500, 8200, 8400 series), Lenze servo motors, Lenze motor gear units (GST, GSS, GKS, G500), Lenze clutches and brakes, Georgii Kobold torque motors, Georgii Kobold AC brake motors, Sprint Electric DC drives, WAGO terminals and I/O units, IDEC PLCs and control gear, GE Power Controls control gear, PSPC trapped key interlock devices, and INTORQ spring-applied brakes. The manufactured product portfolio includes MDC brake motors, Quickstop DC injection braking systems (including new electronically controlled versions with adjustable braking force), and bespoke control panels built to customer specifications. The company also offers conversion of obsolete drives to current models.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Industrial AC Motors Three-phase AC electric motors distributed from Brook Crompton (BCP) and Lenze, supplied as energy-efficient drive solutions for industrial machinery and OEM applications.
• Industrial Brake Motors AC brake motors manufactured by MDC (Midland Dynamo) to customer specifications and distributed from Georgii Kobold, including hand-releases, extension shafts, and hand-wheel options for bespoke industrial applications.
• Lenze Servo Motors Lenze servo motors distributed as part of motion-centric automation solutions, including 9300 and 9400 servo drives for high-performance industrial motion control applications.
• Georgii Kobold Torque Motors Torque motors from GEORGII KOBOLD, part of their electro-mechanical drive systems portfolio drawing on over 90 years of manufacturer experience.
• Lenze Motor Gear Units Lenze motor gear units including GST, GSS, GKS, and G500 models for industrial drive applications.
• Lenze Inverter Drives Lenze inverter drives including i500 inverters, 8200 vector inverter drives, and 8400 Highline, Stateline, Topline and Baseline inverters for variable-speed motor control.
• Sprint Electric DC Drives Digital DC motor control solutions from Sprint Electric up to 1MW, covering single-phase and three-phase, regenerative and non-regenerative applications.
• Quickstop DC Injection Braking Systems Proprietary manufactured DC injection braking systems providing fast, smooth, frictionless braking of three-phase AC squirrel cage motors by injecting controlled DC current into the motor windings after mains contactor opens.
• Bespoke Control Panels Custom control panels designed and manufactured to customer requirements, either from existing proven designs or from customer drawings, including panels supplied for wind turbine applications.
• Industrial Control Gear Industrial control gear distributed from GE Power Controls (circuit protection, inverter drives, fuse gear, timers) and IDEC (PLCs, HMIs, power supplies, switches, pilot lights, relays) for assembly line automation, inspection and conveyor lines.
• Electrical Terminals and I/O Units WAGO cage clamp electrical interconnection terminals and fieldbus I/O units for reliable connections and automation interfaces in industrial applications including automotive, rail, power, manufacturing, and building technology.
• Lenze Clutches and Brakes Lenze electro-mechanical clutches and brakes for industrial drive applications.
• PSPC Trapped Key Interlock Devices PSPC trapped key interlocking solutions in Figure type and Computer Coded Pin type models, manufactured from solid brass or stainless steel, used in rail, food processing, oil and gas, robotics, mining, sugar, cement, and automation sectors.
• INTORQ Spring-Applied Brakes INTORQ 458 and 468 spring-applied brakes distributed for industrial braking applications.
• Obsolete Drive Conversion Service Professional conversion service that replaces obsolete drives with current models, supporting customers transitioning legacy equipment to modern equivalents.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• LenzeflagshipTechnology or IntegrationGlobal provider of drive and automation technologies offering motion centric automation solutions. Provides motors, inverters, clutches, brakes, servo drives, and motor gear units. Modern Drives stocks four ranges of Lenze inverters along with clutches and brakes.
• Brook Crompton (BCP)coreTechnology or IntegrationLeading provider of energy efficient electric motors known for quality and innovation for over a century. AC motors provide assured efficiency and reliability. Modern Drives distributes BCP AC motors.
• GEORGII KOBOLDcoreTechnology or IntegrationSince 1924, specialist in electro-mechanical drive systems including magnetic gearboxes, torque motors, servo motors, geared servomotors and drive electronics. Products include AC brake motors and torque motors.
• GE Power ControlscoreTechnology or IntegrationOne of the most trusted names for electrical distribution equipment, motors, transformers, and electronics. Provides circuit protection, inverter drives, fuse gear and timer products.
• WAGOcoreTechnology or IntegrationFor over 60 years providing electrical interconnection, automation and interface electronic technologies. Products include terminals and I/O units for automotive, rail, power, manufacturing, building technology sectors.
• IDECcoreTechnology or IntegrationFounded in 1945, developer of early micro-programmable logic controllers. Provides switches, pilot lights, relays, PLCs, HMIs, and power supplies for assembly line automation, inspection and conveyor lines.
• Sprint ElectriccoreTechnology or IntegrationDesigns and manufactures digital motor control solutions up to 1MW, covering single and three phase, regenerative and non-regenerative applications. Founded in 1987, exports to over 75 countries.
• PSPC InterlockscoreTechnology or IntegrationFor over 40 years providing trapped key interlocking solutions in Figure type and Computer Coded Pin type models. Used in rail, food processing, oil and gas, robotics, mining, sugar, cement and automation sectors.
• MDC (Midland Dynamo)flagshipTechnology or IntegrationFor over 30 years manufacturing brake motors and Quickstop DC injection braking systems. Unique flexible manufacturing enables bespoke brake motors with quick deliveries. Modern Drives emerged from MBO of Midland Dynamo in 1990.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Lenze UK: Lenze's UK arm is a flagship drive and motion-control manufacturer; Modern Drives is a UK distributor of four Lenze inverter ranges and Lenze motor gear units, making them channel peers in the UK automation market and directly comparable on customer overlap.
• IDEC UK: IDEC's UK operation supplies PLCs, HMIs, switches and relays; Modern Drives distributes the same IDEC control gear ranges and competes for the same UK control panel builder and OEM customer.
• Bonfiglioli UK: Bonfiglioli's UK arm supplies gear drives, gearmotors and inverters into the same industrial OEM and end-user segments as Modern Drives, with overlapping application focus on heavy industry and automation.
• SEW-Eurodrive UK: SEW-Eurodrive is a UK-based drive and gear-unit specialist offering motor gear units, inverters and mechatronic systems directly comparable to the Lenze/BCP bundle Modern Drives assembles.
• Sprint Electric: UK-based designer and manufacturer of digital DC motor controls up to 1MW; a core manufacturing partner of Modern Drives and a directly comparable niche UK specialist in DC drive technology.
• WAGO UK: WAGO is a global interconnection and automation vendor; their UK arm distributes terminals and I/O units in parallel with Modern Drives, sharing the same industrial control customer base and overlapping product channels.
• Brook Crompton: Long-established AC motor specialist; Modern Drives is a UK distributor of BCP motors and competes for the same industrial motor applications across UK and Ireland.

Broad incumbents

• ABB UK: ABB provides a portfolio of motors, drives, PLCs and industrial control products overlapping with every distributed line Modern Drives carries; serves as the broad-incumbent benchmark for the UK industrial automation market.
• Siemens UK: Siemens is a broad incumbent offering PLCs, drives, motors and motion control across the same UK industrial accounts; competes with Modern Drives' bundle at the higher end of customer size while Modern Drives targets the SME and bespoke tier below it.

Emerging players

• Invertek Drives: UK-based manufacturer of variable frequency drives and motor control products; competes with the Lenze inverter portfolio Modern Drives distributes and serves overlapping SME-industrial customers in the UK.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Modern Drives & Controls