RB1
RB1 is a UK-based designer and manufacturer of UPS external maintenance bypass switches, ATS panels, and bespoke AC/DC electrical engineering solutions, serving UPS installers and power-continuity end users in the UK and Ireland.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersChesterfield, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What RB1 does
RB1 (legal entity RB1 Ltd) is a UK-based specialist designer and manufacturer of electrical power continuity equipment, founded in 2011 and headquartered at Unit 3, Waterloo Court, Markham Lane, Chesterfield. The company focuses on UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) external maintenance bypass switches (EMBS), Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS) panels, DC splitter panels, and combined DC isolation/fuse transition panels for AC and DC UPS-related requirements. Its product range spans 16A single-phase rack-mount units through to 800A AC or 1250A DC floor-standing panels, available in standard catalogue configurations or built to bespoke customer specifications.
Manufacturing is vertically integrated at the Chesterfield facility, using Onshape 3D design software for product design and in-house CNC Plasma and CNC Laser machinery for fabrication, which supports catalogue 3–5 day delivery on standard items and short-turnaround bespoke builds. The company holds UKAS-accredited ISO 9001:2015 (quality) and ISO 14001:2015 (environmental) certifications, both valid through 30 June 2028.
The business model is direct B2B sales of manufactured equipment to UK and Irish customers, primarily UPS installers and service providers (named customers include Power Saver LTD, Source UPS, Secure Power Ltd, and Critical Power Supplies LTD) and end-user facilities requiring power continuity in data centres, healthcare, manufacturing, and telecommunications. Pricing is quote-based for both standard and bespoke products, with products shipped directly from the Chesterfield facility. RB1 was acquired by Creative Power Protection Group (CPPG) on 26 July 2024 and operates with a team of approximately 10 people; revenue is not publicly disclosed.
RB1 firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- RB1
- Legal name
- RB1 Ltd
- Website
- https://rb1.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- RB1 is a UK-based designer and manufacturer of UPS external maintenance bypass switches, ATS panels, and bespoke AC/DC electrical engineering solutions, serving UPS installers and power-continuity end users in the UK and Ireland.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
RB1 industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Electrical Switchgear (UPS Bypass & Power Protection Panels)
- NAICS
- Switchgear and Switchboard Apparatus Manufacturing (335313), Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing (3359)
- SIC
- Switchgear & Switchboard Apparatus (3613), Electrical Industrial Apparatus (3620)
- akta.pro primary industry
- UPS Systems & Backup Power (Online/line-interactive UPS, industrial backup) (IMAGADAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Replacement Parts, Maintenance & Service (UPS/Power Protection) (HDACAJAH), UPS Accessories & Monitoring (Network Cards, Software, Sensors) (HDACAJAF)
Keywords
Where RB1 is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chesterfield
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
RB1 business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- UPS Bypass Panel Sales: RB1 manufactures and sells standard and bespoke UPS external bypass panels, DC panels, and related electrical engineering products. Products include EMBS panels ranging from 32A to 400A, floor-standing panels up to 800A AC or 1250A DC, ATS panels, and DC splitter panels. Pricing is quote-based for standard products and bespoke solutions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard UPS Bypass Panels (32A-400A) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Bespoke/Build-to-Order Solutions |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
RB1 product offering
Product offeringCore offering
RB1 designs and manufactures UPS external bypass panels (External Maintenance Bypass Switches, or EMBS) and related DC electrical panels, used to isolate UPS systems safely for maintenance without interrupting power to critical loads. The company produces both standard product ranges (32A-400A wall-mount EMBS, rack-mount EMBS, ATS panels, DC splitter panels, DC isolation/fuse transition panels) and bespoke floor-standing panels up to 800A AC or 1250A DC, all built in-house using Onshape 3D design and CNC Plasma/Laser manufacturing.
Product overview
RB1 is a specialist manufacturer of UPS external bypass panels and related power protection equipment, offering both standard solutions and bespoke electrical engineering. The core product line centers on External Maintenance Bypass Switches (EMBS) available in wall-mounted, rack-mount, and floor-standing configurations ranging from 32A to 800A for AC applications and up to 1250A for DC. Supporting products include ATS (Automatic Transfer Switch) panels, DC Isolation/Fuse Transition panels, and DC Splitter panels. All products are manufactured in-house using Onshape 3D design software and CNC plasma/laser machinery, with standard solutions available from stock and custom solutions for bespoke requirements.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- External Maintenance Bypass Switch (EMBS) Range Range of UPS external bypass panels (External Maintenance Bypass Switches) that allow safe isolation and maintenance of UPS systems without interrupting power to critical loads. Available in single phase and three phase configurations, 32A to 400A standard ratings, with floor-standing versions up to 800A AC. Designed for UPS installers, electrical contractors, and facilities requiring power continuity during UPS servicing, repairs, battery replacement, or full UPS replacement.
- 3 Phase EMBS (32A - 80A) Compact three-phase External Maintenance Bypass Switch rated 32A to 80A, designed for small to mid-size UPS systems typically in the 10kVA to 40kVA range. Delivered within 3-5 days from stock. Suited to UPS installers and electrical contractors needing a compact bypass solution for smaller three-phase UPS installations.
- Rack Mount Maintenance Bypass Switch (16A - 63A) Single-phase rack-mountable External Maintenance Bypass Switch rated 16A to 63A, sized at 3U, with rear gland plates, rear cable access, and optional load output accessories. Designed for small to mid-size single-phase UPS systems in space-constrained server rooms and data centres. Delivered within 3-5 days.
- ATS Panels (Automatic Transfer Switch) Automatic Transfer Switch panels for Mains-to-Mains or Mains-to-Generator transfer, user configurable through the panel display. Available in single or three phase up to 250A, in cream or black finish with a 600x600x300mm enclosure. Can be bayed on top of RB1 EMBS panels for combined power protection architectures. Designed for facilities that need automatic switching between power sources for resilience.
- DC Splitter Panel DC panels providing DC splitter functionality for UPS DC-related requirements. Used to distribute DC power within UPS battery and DC distribution architectures.
- Combined DC Isolation / Fuse Transition Panel (2P and 3P) Combined DC Isolation and Fuse Transition panel available in 2P and 3P variants, rated up to 160A and supporting up to 3 strings. Features internal acrylic covers for bus bars, IP2X-rated comprehensive acrylic interior coverage, a secure lockable enclosure, and clearly marked internal labelling. Designed for safe DC isolation and fuse transition in UPS battery and DC systems.
- Floor Standing EMBS Panels (up to 800A AC / 1250A DC) Floor-standing External Maintenance Bypass Switch panels for higher-capacity UPS installations, available up to 800A AC or 1250A DC in any phase configuration (3P, 3P+N, 4P, etc.). Features perspex covers fitted to the entire panel and over each set of copper busbars, electrical interlocking as standard, and optional Castell interlocking. Designed for large UPS systems where wall-mounting is not practical.
- Bespoke Electrical Engineering Custom-built electrical engineering service for AC and DC UPS-related requirements, leveraging in-house Onshape 3D design and CNC Plasma/Laser manufacturing to deliver bespoke panels tailored to unusual specifications. Available for customers whose requirements exceed standard catalogue options, with multi-week lead times depending on specification.
Quantifiable outcome
- Products delivered within stated timeframes
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use RB1
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
RB1 technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
RB1 partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
RB1 competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Legrand: Legrand provides electrical and digital building infrastructure including UPS, power distribution and wiring devices. Through its subsidiaries it competes with RB1 in the data centre and commercial power protection space, albeit as part of a much broader product portfolio.
- ABB: ABB is a major electrical equipment manufacturer producing switchgear, UPS systems and power protection components. While not specialising in UPS bypass panels, it competes for the same installer-channel wallet share across commercial and industrial customers in the UK.
- Eaton: Eaton is a global power management manufacturer offering UPS systems, bypass switches, and switchgear under its Electrical and Industrial sectors. It competes broadly with RB1 in UPS-adjacent switchgear but operates at far greater scale and across many product lines.
- Schneider Electric: Schneider Electric offers a comprehensive portfolio including UPS, switchgear and power distribution products through its APC and Industrial Automation divisions. It serves the same data centre and critical infrastructure customers as RB1, although bypass panels are a small part of its offering.
Direct peers
- Vertiv: Vertiv (formerly Emerson Network Power) is a global provider of critical digital infrastructure including UPS systems, switchgear, and bypass panels. It directly competes with RB1 in the UPS maintenance bypass and power protection space, particularly for data centre and telecom customers in the UK.
- Socomec: Socomec is a specialist in critical power applications including UPS systems, transfer switches and switching equipment, with a UK subsidiary. It competes directly with RB1 in the UPS bypass, ATS and power continuity market for industrial and data centre customers.
- Riello UPS: Riello UPS is an Italian-headquartered UPS manufacturer with a strong UK presence, supplying UPS units and supporting bypass equipment to the same installer channel that RB1 serves. It is a close competitor in the small-to-medium UPS market where bypass panels are typically specified alongside the UPS.
Regional players
- Critical Power Supplies Ltd: Critical Power Supplies is a UK-based distributor and integrator of UPS systems and power protection equipment, and is also a named customer of RB1. It is comparable because it bundles UPS units with bypass panels from suppliers like RB1, operating in the same UK installer channel.
- Source UPS: Source UPS is a UK-based UPS systems and services provider, also a named customer of RB1. It is comparable because it specifies and integrates bypass panels into UPS installations for UK end users, operating in the same domestic installer channel as RB1's customers.
Emerging players
- Centiel: Centiel is a Swiss-based UPS manufacturer focused on modular and transformerless UPS systems for data centres. It overlaps with RB1 in supplying UPS-related switchgear to enterprise customers, though its primary product is the UPS unit rather than bypass panels.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
RB1 social profiles
Digital presenceRB1 compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
RB1 financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
RB1 leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
RB1 funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
RB1 M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about RB1
What does RB1 do?
RB1 designs and manufactures UPS external bypass panels (External Maintenance Bypass Switches, or EMBS) and related DC electrical panels, used to isolate UPS systems safely for maintenance without interrupting power to critical loads. The company produces both standard product ranges (32A-400A wall-mount EMBS, rack-mount EMBS, ATS panels, DC splitter panels, DC isolation/fuse transition panels) and bespoke floor-standing panels up to 800A AC or 1250A DC, all built in-house using Onshape 3D design and CNC Plasma/Laser manufacturing.
Is RB1 a public or private company?
RB1 is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was RB1 founded?
RB1 was founded in 2011. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is RB1 based?
RB1 is headquartered in Chesterfield, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does RB1 make money?
One revenue line is on record: UPS Bypass Panel Sales.
Who are RB1's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Legrand, ABB, Eaton and Schneider Electric. Direct peers are Vertiv, Socomec and Riello UPS. Regional players are Critical Power Supplies Ltd and Source UPS. Centiel is listed as an emerging player.
Does RB1 have an API?
No public API is recorded for RB1.
What industry is RB1 in?
RB1's product category is Electrical Switchgear (UPS Bypass & Power Protection Panels). Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAGADAD, UPS Systems & Backup Power (Online/line-interactive UPS, industrial backup), with a secondary code of HDACAJAH, Replacement Parts, Maintenance & Service (UPS/Power Protection). Its NAICS code is 335313 and its SIC code is 3613.