Marlec Engineering

What Marlec Engineering does

Marlec Engineering Co Ltd is a UK-based manufacturer founded in 1978 by John Fawkes in Rutland, specialising in small-scale off-grid renewable energy hardware. The company designs and produces the proprietary Rutland Windcharger range of micro wind turbines (including the 504, 505, 914i, 1200 Marine and Terrain, FM910-4 Furlmatic, and VertX 360 variants) at its Corby, Northants headquarters, and has since expanded into solar panels (proprietary SpectraSolar label plus distributed Ameresco, Alpex, SunWare, BP, and Longi ranges), the Solar iBoost+ PV immersion controller and its iBoost+ Buddy monitoring accessory, and the VEVA EV Charger co-developed with Em-Lite. Complementary accessories include HRDi and HRSi charge controllers, Steca, Spectra and Morningstar solar regulators, PureSine and ModiSine inverters, AGM/GEL batteries, and mounting kits.

The business operates a sales-led go-to-market combining direct e-commerce via its online shop, distribution through electrical wholesalers (notably BEW Electrical Distributors) and trade channels, marine-industry trade shows (Southampton Boat Show, METS Amsterdam), and bespoke system design delivered by an in-house Green Systems engineering team. Customers span four segments: marine and leisure vessel owners, off-grid/remote-site operators (telecoms, rail, security/CCTV), residential solar PV owners seeking to maximise self-consumption, and commercial vehicle fleet operators. Products are deployed in approximately 53 countries, with named enterprise relationships including Heatrae Sadia (Solar iBoost+ integration into Megaflo PV Ready cylinders), Komcept (government border-surveillance CCTV trailers), East Goscote Electrics/Jelson Homes (UK new-build EV charging installations), and sponsorship cases such as Jazz Turner's 2025 solo circumnavigation.

Marlec is a privately held, founder-owned UK private limited company (company number 01388473) operating with a workforce of 1–10 employees, led by Sales Director Stuart James. The company achieved carbon-neutral status (Scope 1 and 2) in 2023 and operates an on-site PV system that has generated 137MWh of renewable energy since 2011. Revenue is not publicly disclosed, there are no known funding rounds or external institutional investors, and the business model is overwhelmingly hardware sales with a small professional-services overlay for bespoke Green Systems projects.

Name

Marlec Engineering

Legal name

Marlec Engineering Co Ltd

Website

https://marlec.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Marlec Engineering is a UK manufacturer founded in 1978 producing the Rutland Windcharger micro wind turbine range, solar panels, the Solar iBoost+ immersion controller, and the VEVA EV Charger for marine, off-grid, residential solar, and commercial vehicle markets globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Renewable Energy Equipment

NAICS

Turbine and Turbine Generator Set Units Manufacturing (333611)

SIC

Motors & Generators (3621), Engines & Turbines (3510)

akta.pro primary industry

Wind Turbine OEM Manufacturing (Nacelles, Drivetrains, Generators) (EUAMAHAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wind Turbine OEMs & System Integration (Nacelle/Generator/Controls) (EUAMACAC), Renewable Distributed Generation (Rooftop/Onsite Solar, Small Wind, Small Hydro) (EUACALAJ)

Keywords

• Micro wind turbines
• Off-grid power systems
• Solar PV panels
• Battery charging equipment
• EV charging hardware

Headquarters

HQ city

Corby

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Wind Turbine Sales: Sale of Rutland Windcharger micro wind turbines and associated mounting kits, controllers, and spare parts for battery charging applications in marine, off-grid, and remote installations.
2. Solar Panel Sales: Sale of proprietary SpectraSolar branded panels and distributed third-party solar panel brands including Ameresco, BP, Alpex, Longi, and SunWare.
3. Solar iBoost+ Energy Diversion Device: Sale of PV immersion controllers that divert excess solar generation to water heating, with companion iBoost+ Buddy monitoring device.
4. VEVA EV Charger: Sale of smart EV chargers manufactured in the UK with solar PV integration, distributed through electrical wholesalers and directly to installers.
5. Off-Grid Power Systems: Bespoke design and supply of complete off-grid power systems including wind, solar, battery storage, and hybrid configurations for professional applications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Marlec Engineering designs, manufactures, and sells the Rutland Windcharger range of micro wind turbines for battery charging, the proprietary SpectraSolar line of solar panels (rigid and semi-flexible), the Solar iBoost+ PV immersion energy diversion controller, and the VEVA smart EV charger co-developed with Em-Lite. The company also supplies a full ecosystem of accessories including charge controllers, regulators, inverters, batteries, and mounting kits, and runs the Green Systems team that delivers bespoke off-grid power system design and integration for marine, remote, defence, and rail applications.

Product overview

Marlec Engineering is a UK-based manufacturer offering a diversified portfolio of renewable energy products centred on off-grid battery charging solutions. The core offering includes the proprietary Rutland Windcharger range of micro wind turbines (in marine, terrain, and Furlatic variants) and Spectra/SpectraLite branded solar panels, complemented by third-party photovoltaic brands (Ameresco, Alpex, SunWare). Key value-add products include the Solar iBoost+ PV immersion controller for diverting excess solar electricity to water heating, the iBoost+ Buddy remote monitoring accessory, and the VEVA EV Charger for electric vehicle charging. Supporting infrastructure encompasses wind and solar charge controllers (HRDi, HRSi), solar regulators (Spectra, Steca, Morningstar), PureSine and ModiSine inverters, AGM/GEL batteries, and mounting kits. The portfolio serves marine/boat, caravan/leisure, remote/off-grid, and vehicle solar applications, with a Green Systems team providing bespoke turnkey power solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SpectraSolar: Proprietary solar panel brand sold by Marlec alongside leading photovoltaic panel brands.

Products and services

• Rutland Windcharger Range Proprietary range of UK-manufactured micro wind turbines for battery charging in marine, caravan, and remote off-grid applications. Includes the Rutland 504 (compact 12V), Rutland 505, Rutland 914i (mid-range, marine and off-grid), Rutland 1200 Marine (high-capacity with Tri-namic blade), Rutland 1200 Terrain (high-capacity land variant), Rutland FM910-4 Furlomatic (automatic furling for marine high winds), Rutland FM1803 (high-power Furlomatic), and the Rutland VertX 360 vertical-axis omnidirectional model. Sold individually via the Marlec online shop with associated mounting kits and controllers.
• Solar iBoost+ Proprietary PV immersion controller that diverts excess solar PV generation to heat water in the home's immersion heater, providing free hot water from solar arrays and reducing exported electricity. Sold to UK homeowners via installer channels and integrated into partner products such as the Heatrae Sadia Megaflo PV Ready cylinder range.
• VEVA EV Charger UK-manufactured smart EV charger jointly developed with Em-Lite. Features built-in PEN fault protection, Wi-Fi-free commissioning, solar PV integration, smart scheduling and energy monitoring via the VEVA app, and customisable fascias. Distributed via electrical wholesalers (e.g., BEW Electrical Distributors) and through the Marlec online shop for residential and small commercial EV charging.
• SpectraSolar Branded Solar Panels Proprietary SpectraSolar label solar panels sold by Marlec, comprising rigid glass panels (Spectra PERC-S using PERC cell technology, Spectra HPBC using Longi HPBC cell technology, and Spectra Bifacial capturing front and rear light) and semi-flexible panels (SpectraLite HPBC SemiFlex, Spectra Foldable for portable use, and Spectra SemiFlex Zipper modules with integrated zippers for stitching into marine bimini or sprayhood fabric). Sold via the Marlec online shop and installer channels for marine, off-grid, and mobile applications.
• Third-Party Distributed Solar Panel Brands Selection of solar panels from third-party manufacturers including Ameresco and BP (rigid glass panels), Alpex (rigid glass panels), and SunWare (semi-flexible marine panels including textile-integrated variants), offered alongside the proprietary SpectraSolar range for marine, off-grid, and mobile applications.
• Bespoke Off-Grid Power Systems (Green Systems) Bespoke design and supply of complete off-grid power systems integrating wind, solar PV, battery storage, and hybrid configurations for professional applications including rail infrastructure, CCTV and surveillance platforms, telecommunications, and remote industrial sites. Delivered via Marlec's Green Systems engineering team through direct enterprise sales on a consultation basis.
• Solar Powered Signage Solar powered signage kits providing high-illumination signage for remote locations without grid power, combining solar PV panels, batteries, and lighting controlled via Marlec's off-grid components. Sold to commercial buyers and public infrastructure operators.
• Solar Powered Bus Shelters Solar powered bus shelter lighting kits delivering safer nighttime illumination at public transport stops in locations without mains power. Targeted at local authorities and transport infrastructure operators.
• Green Column System Street Lights Solar powered street lighting system using on-board renewable energy generation for off-grid illumination, targeted at local authorities, developers, and infrastructure projects requiring standalone lighting without grid connection.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and regional.

• Em-LitecoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 2025Co-manufacturer of the VEVA EV Charger. Marlec and Em-Lite jointly developed and manufacture the smart EV charger in the UK. Em-Lite contributes to production while Marlec provides sales, marketing, and customer support for the product.
• KomceptmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Komcept designs and develops surveillance and security equipment for governments internationally. Marlec's Green Systems team provides solar power solutions for Komcept's trailer-mounted CCTV and sensor platforms used in land border monitoring to protect civilians from terrorism.
• UK CylinderscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK Cylinders is the UK's largest manufacturer of heat pump cylinders and a leading supplier of unvented hot water solutions. Based across three Yorkshire facilities operating under ISO 9001 quality standards, they manufacture cylinders for traditional and renewable systems including those integrated with Solar iBoost technology.
• BEW Electrical Distributors LtdregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional electrical wholesale distributor based in Birstall, Leicester supplying VEVA EV chargers to installers in the Midlands region. Provides local stock availability and regional support for the Marlec EV charging product line.
• Jelson HomesregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLeading Midlands housing developer and customer of East Goscote Electrics. VEVA EV chargers were installed across Jelson's new-build residential developments to meet UK Building Regulations Part S requirements for EV charging infrastructure.
• Heatrae SadiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeatrae Sadia has integrated Solar iBoost technology into their Megaflo PV Ready cylinder range, launching products for the residential solar market. This partnership positions Solar iBoost as a standard feature in solar-ready hot water cylinders for social housing and residential installations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• MyGridGB (Immersion Controller): MyGridGB is a UK-based provider of solar PV immersion controllers and energy diversion devices that compete with Marlec's Solar iBoost+ in the residential solar self-consumption market. Both products target UK homeowners with existing PV installations seeking to maximize self-consumption.
• EO Charging: EO Charging is a UK-based manufacturer of EV chargers for home, workplace, and fleet applications. It competes directly with Marlec's VEVA EV charger in the UK domestic and commercial EV charging market, with similar positioning on UK manufacturing and installer channels.
• Primus Wind Power: Primus Wind Power is a US-based manufacturer of micro wind turbines (Air series) for marine, RV, and off-grid battery charging applications. It is the most direct global competitor to Marlec's Rutland Windcharger range, serving the same marine and off-grid customer segments with similar small-scale wind technology.
• SunWare Solar: SunWare Solar is a German manufacturer of semi-flexible and textile-integrated solar panels for marine and mobile applications. It is a direct competitor to Marlec's SpectraLite SemiFlex and Spectra SemiFlex Zipper panels, with overlapping product features and European marine customer base.
• Renogy: Renogy is a US-based manufacturer and distributor of solar panels, charge controllers, batteries, and complete off-grid solar kits. It competes with Marlec's SpectraSolar panel range and broader off-grid solar offering for marine, RV, and residential customers.
• Leading Edge Turbines: Leading Edge Turbines is a UK-based manufacturer of small wind turbines for battery charging in marine, off-grid, and remote applications. It is a direct UK competitor to Marlec's Rutland range with overlapping customer base and product use cases.
• Bergey Windpower: Bergey Windpower is a US manufacturer of small and medium wind turbines (Excel and BWC series) for residential, off-grid, and remote applications. It competes with Marlec in the small wind segment, although focused on larger units, serving similar off-grid power customers.

Broad incumbents

• Pod Point: Pod Point is one of the UK's largest EV charging providers, offering home, workplace, and public charging solutions. It is a broad incumbent competitor to Marlec's VEVA charger with significantly greater scale, brand recognition, and partnerships with major automotive OEMs.
• Outback Power: Outback Power is a US manufacturer of off-grid and grid-tied solar power conversion equipment including inverters, charge controllers, and system monitoring. It is a broader incumbent in the off-grid renewable energy space where Marlec's bespoke Green Systems solutions compete.
• Victron Energy: Victron Energy is a Dutch manufacturer of off-grid and hybrid power system components including inverters, charge controllers, batteries, and monitoring systems. It serves the same off-grid, marine, and renewable energy system integrators as Marlec, and is commonly bundled with Marlec's wind and solar products in bespoke off-grid installations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/MarlecRenewable
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/MarlecCoUk
• Facebookfacebook.com/marlecengineering
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/marlec-engineering-co-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Marlec Engineering