Brush HMA is a manufacturer of large

generator Generator may refer to: * Signal generator, electronic devices that generate repeating or non-repeating electronic signals * Electric generator, a device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. * Generator (circuit theory), an eleme ...

s for

gas turbine A gas turbine, also called a combustion turbine, is a type of continuous flow internal combustion engine. The main parts common to all gas turbine engines form the power-producing part (known as the gas generator or core) and are, in the directi ...

and

steam turbine A steam turbine is a machine that extracts thermal energy from pressurized steam and uses it to do mechanical work on a rotating output shaft. Its modern manifestation was invented by Charles Parsons in 1884. Fabrication of a modern steam turbin ...

drive applications, based at

Ridderkerk Ridderkerk () is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality had a population of in and covers an area of of which is covered by water. The municipality of Ridderkerk also includes th ...

in the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

History

The business began back in November 1882 when two young Dutch entrepreneurs, Adriaan Pot and Willem Smit established a company called Elektrisch Licht-Machinen Fabriek Willem Smit & Co.. Later, the name changed to Smit Slikkerveer. In the early days, the company manufactured various electrical products including

dynamo file:DynamoElectricMachinesEndViewPartlySection USP284110.png, "Dynamo Electric Machine" (end view, partly section, ) A dynamo is an electrical generator that creates direct current using a commutator (electric), commutator. Dynamos were the f ...

s and lighting equipment. This was followed by direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC) electric motors, generators, drives and transformers. In 1962, following a merger between Smit Slikkerveer and the dominant Heemaf Hengelo along with several other companies, the new name of Samenwerkende Elektrotechische Fabrieken Holec N.V. was created. During the 1980s, the company, which was simply known as Holec Machines and Apparaten (''HOLEC''), was suffering from failing business due to downturns and changes in old industries, such as the

shipbuilding industry Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and other floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to befo ...

. The resulting economics required more restructuring to meet the uncertainty. In 1989, the Holec Machines and Appararten business along with associated sister companies were taken over by the Royal Begemann Group, which provided considerable capital investment for the new plants, and equipment required to keep the divisions viable and competitive in a global marketplace. It also allowed ''Holec'' to move further into traction electrical machines. In March 1998, the division of what had been the old ''Smit Slikkerveer'' was split into two smaller but focussed business units, HMA Power Systems and Traxis BV. Traxis BV focussed on traction control equipment whereas the larger HMA Power Systems concentrated on its core business of medium to large AC generators, DC traction motors, associated control equipment, and service and repair work. Early in 2000, HMA Power Systems was purchased outright by

FKI plc FKI was a British engineering and manufacturing company headquartered in Loughborough, Leicestershire. For many years listed on the London Stock Exchange and a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index, it was taken private by buyout firm Melrose in Ju ...

which was in turn purchased by private equity company Melrose plc in 2008. It is now part of the larger group Brush Turbo Generators, the Brush HMA element of which currently employs approximately three hundred fifty staff across its range of manufacturing shops, design and development offices.

Facilities

The Brush HMA manufacturing plant is located adjacent to the river, north of

, near

Rotterdam Rotterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Rotte'') is the second largest city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is in the province of South Holland, part of the North Sea mouth of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, via the ''"N ...

in the

. The Brush HMA plant at

, not to be confused with the other ''Holec'' Ridderkerk enterprise that became part of France's

Alstom Alstom SA is a French multinational rolling stock manufacturer operating worldwide in rail transport markets, active in the fields of passenger transportation, signalling, and locomotives, with products including the AGV, TGV, Eurostar, Avelia ...

, has manufactured many different types of electrical machines and associated equipment over the last one hundred twenty years. Today its core business is centred on the manufacture of medium-sized four pole turbo-generators (Brush Turbogenerator Division centre of excellence), AC traction motors and service and repair of electrical machines. In the four pole

turbogenerator A turbo generator is an electric generator connected to the shaft of a steam turbine or gas turbine for the generation of electric power. Large steam-powered turbo generators provide the majority of the world's electricity and are also use ...

range, the principal product is the DG range, which is sold globally to all major

oil and gas companies The petroleum industry, also known as the oil industry or the oil patch, includes the global processes of exploration, extraction, refining, transportation (often by oil tankers and pipelines), and marketing of petroleum products. The largest ...

References

External links

Aftermarket website NLBrush website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brush Hma Companies based in South Holland Ridderkerk