IDS Open New Premises in Derbyshire

Inverter Drive Systems (IDS), celebrated the opening of their new premises in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, with an open day, and a commemorative plaque was unveiled by Steve Ruddell of ABB on Friday 20th May 2011.

Inverter Drive System Ltd, has it’s roots in the East Midlands as this brief history timeline shows

1924 – Blaise’s grandfather, Arthur Ford set up a business to connect Nottinghamshire villages to the new grid. He met a man called Wilson who had the Butlin’s dodgem car motor repair contract – they set up Wilson Ford Ltd… Blaise took over the management of Wilson Ford in 1991. Throughout the 90s the Ford Group grew to a turnover of £15 million.

1994 – The Nottinghamshire Coal Mines closed – Wilson Ford needed to find new markets; so Blaise discussed this with Dr Keith Bradley at Nottingham University who suggested inverters.

1994 –  Wilson Ford became an ABB inverter drive distributor.

1999 – Blaise left Wilson Ford to become MD of FSE and set up Inverter Drive Systems Ltd. He was joined by colleagues from Wilson Ford Zac Dorn, Andrew White, Marl Elston, Mick Bales.

2004  – Inverter Drive Systems Ltd, became ABB’s Drives Alliance partner (highest level of distributor).

2010 – IDS moved to their new premises in Ilkeston Derbyshire at the end of 2010 and continues to grow and thrive, saving their customers large amounts of electrical power including Boots, Severn Trent, McDonald’s, Anglian Water, UK Coal, British Sugar.