ENGINEERING AND MANUFACTURING
Hydraproducts has the skills and technology to keep the world on the move
A Gloucester engineering company has become the driving force behind some of the world’s leading technology. From major movies to transmission testing on Formula 1 racing cars, the hydraulic power packs produced by Hydraproducts Ltd are in growing demand for a variety of applications worldwide. Hydraproducts was launched by managing director Ben Lee 16 years ago and now has an annual turnover of £2.7 million – up 20 per cent on last year. More than a quarter of the hydraulic power packs the company produces are exported – with a large proportion of those going to Europe. Early in his career, Ben worked for some well-established engineering firms, but recognised the potential demand for bespoke power packs and took the brave decision to set up his own company. Initially, he designed and produced a hydraulic pack to power a lift to enable disabled people to access ambulances. As the company’s skills, experience and depth of knowledge developed, so did its reputation for producing solutions and it now serves a worldwide market. Ben now heads a 17-strong team at the company’s headquarters at Tuffley Trading Estate, PearceWay, Gloucester. The hydraulic packs it produces are at the cutting edge of technology,
service that other manufacturers in the field struggle to match, as they rely on imported units with often inconsistent quality control procedures. It was Hydraproducts which provided the power pack to operate a number of cylinders to mimic a boat in a storm during the filming of the Alice in Wonderland movie sequel, Through the Looking Glass, which was shot on location in Gloucester Docks.
The company’s products are also used to enable crews to winch up deep sea divers, to operate lifts, for the handling of materials, injection moulding machinery and bailers – the list goes on. More recently, Hydraproducts’
power packs have been used to power the formidable “cheese wedge” road blocks and hydraulically operated bollards aimed at helping to deter terrorists. With three dedicated production lines, in-house design and testing facilities and a new components division, Hydraproducts is well placed to expand its global reach and identify new applications, technology and markets the company can develop. Ben Lee said: “We pride ourselves on our close customer relationships and service. With our in-house computer- aided design (CAD) skills we guide and
serving Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) in the UK and with customers globally. Designing and building its own power packs is a major selling point for Hydraproducts; offering customers a quality product with expert aftersales
The power packs designed and manufactured by Hydraproducts are used in a wide variety of applications
54 | December 2018 | www. punchline-gloucester .com
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