Hartlepool electrical installation business supercharged for growth as it marks fifth anniversary
A specialist electrical engineering company started by two friends is embarking on exciting growth plans as it marks its fifth anniversary.
Hartlepool-based company Northern HV, founded by directors Chris Thomas and Phil Bromby, has grown from a home-office partnership into an international business specialising in high and low voltage installation commissions.
The company operates across various sectors including renewables, including wind and solar power generation, data infrastructure and transmission substations.
Northern HV has its headquarters at the Innovation Centre, on the Queens Meadow Business Park alongside further units at Enterprise Court.
The directors, who became friends while working offshore, have outlined plans to transform one unit into a dedicated training academy to upskill the next generation of engineers soon.
Staffing levels have mirrored the business’s physical growth with what began as a two-man operation and occasionally using four people in year one, to now boasting a team of 13 employees and contract managers, regularly deploying between 30 and 50 specialists.
Chris said: “We set up as Northern HV, got some European contractual work, and started to do some SAP (Senior Authorised Person) work, commissioning and testing.
“Through various contacts, we got some work in Mexico on drilling shops, switchgear, and circuit break testing.
“We came back, continued to mould into SAP and test work and touched base with another company in Denmark on a windfarm project. It all escalated from there.”
Northern HV handles “anything electrical,” specialising in high voltage installation commissioning, transformer builds, fault finding and maintenance.
The firm also operates a 365-days-a-year fast-response call-out team with a large UK energy company, and has even established a branch in Sweden.
Despite their global and domestic success, the directors said the focus remains on local investment, team culture and sustainable growth.
“It is fantastic what we have set up but it wouldn’t be where it is if we didn’t have the people,” said Chris, 36.
“Sometimes we are that busy, we don’t realise how big we have become. The team works and we know we can rely on the people with us.
“We try to make sure we keep the business heading in the right direction.”
Phil added: “Our goal now is to keep building the team, growing the work, get a bigger place and consolidate the units.”