GRE Ltd expands workspace by a third as global order book swells for thermal engineering expertise

GRE Ltd, which has a global reputation for taking on complex and challenging thermal engineering problems that few others are able or willing to handle, has expanded its workspace by 33% on the back of a growing order book. Boosted by a flow of international work, it is now looking to add to its growing team and is actively in search of talented engineering graduates to become involved with projects at the design and decision-making stages.

The company turned over £3.5 million in 2018, up 30% on 2017, with 40% coming from international business. As a result, GRE expanded its highly skilled engineering and support team by 20 per cent to 23, and is now in search of further graduate engineers.

The additional space, achieved by taking over an adjacent unit, supports a new batch production line as well as GRE’s largest manufacturing projects.  It provides a clean, modern facility where GRE’s expertise in welding, brazing, soldering, electrics and testing of equipment designed in-house can be undertaken. The expansion also gives capacity to carry out increased customer Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) and inspection visits.

Managing Director Richard Booth said: “GRE’s global reputation within the Process Cooling, Pure Water Cooling and Cryogenics sectors is developing fast – so fast that in order to fulfil the increasing number of contracts we’re working on, we need to adapt and increase both the workforce and the available area in which to build our bespoke equipment.

“GRE’s offer is founded on providing a total end-to-end service encompassing design, manufacture, custom software, and controls and testing – as well as on-site commissioning.  Our HQ has to work hard for us on many levels: as an incubator of solutions to advanced engineering globally; as a test-bed for our bespoke technology; and as a zero-tolerance production facility. The additional space is very welcome, enhancing our total solution service under one roof and in a lovely location!”

GRE’s leading-edge cooling solutions can be found in everything from nuclear fusion technology to satellite development, and advanced radiotherapy systems for the latest developments in oncology. Since it began trading in 2011, the business has attracted the attention of prestigious clients around the world including Siemens, National Grid, GE, European Spallation Source (ESS) and the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA).

Richard continued: “Because of the high end nature of the products we supply, a productive and inspiring home base is core to the GRE ethos. An open environment, where everyone feels they can express an idea or improvement to a project, is encouraged here because this breeds innovation and new ways of looking at things. This is vital in the world we’re in where everyone is constantly pushing boundaries.”

Although much of GRE’s work is confidential, among other projects, the increased workspace will be used to:

• Build of a further cooling system destined for South Korea, where GRE currently has an important role in the development of the country’s smart energy market.
• House a production line to service a major contract in the field of oncology, worth £0.75million over the next two years.
• Develop the next pump skid required for the European Spallation Source, a multi-disciplinary research facility with a vision to build and operate the most powerful pulsed neutron source ever seen.