Executive Summary
- TES’ plan has always been to build a business with the capabilities, systems, and people to compete at the highest level of the global data centre market.
- TES Power has maintained an unrelenting focus on protecting its culture as the company has grown, resulting in a less-than 1% attrition rate when it comes to employee retention.
- Michael Beagan, MD at TES Power, traces the company’s journey from a derelict military base in Ballykelly to an industry-leading modularised power train solution provider.
The sounds of construction have become part of everyday life at TES Power’s campus in Ballykelly, Northern Ireland. As offices and manufacturing capacity grow to meet the rising demand of the AI data centre boom, the sound of hammers, drills, and heavy machinery are a daily reminder of how far and fast TES has come, and how much the company has and continues to invest in its future capacity and facilities.
Over the last four years, TES Power has grown from a small switchgear manufacturer into a provider of modularised data centre power train solutions. Alongside investments in facilities and manufacturing technology to support the further vertical integration of its product portfolio, TES has also maintained a close focus on workforce development and culture. Today, they employ approximately 200 people, have invested more than £5 million in fabrication technology, and continue to expand to meet growing demand from the global data centre sector.
20+ Years in Critical Infrastructure
TES was founded in 1999 by Brian Taylor and Noel McCracken and spent the first two decades of its history delivering critical infrastructure solutions to the water sector. TES Water built its reputation primarily by manufacturing motor control centres and water treatment systems. As part of that work, the team were occasionally required to produce switchboards for their customers. As demand for power infrastructure equipment increased and the data centre industry boomed during COVID, it became clear that switchgear deserved its own dedicated division.
To house this new division, TES identified a new site, with the potential to accommodate TES’ growth ambitions. However, the gap between the sites condition and what they needed it to be was substantial. Originally a military facility, the building had stood empty since being vacated in 2008. The small engineering team walked into buildings that had been boarded up, neglected, and was in need of extensive renovation. Obviously building a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility from a former military base presented some unique initial challenges.
By the end of 2022, TES Powers small engineering team had grown to eight employees. The goal was to build a business capable of delivering more than £100 million in orders, which meant building systems and processes that could support long-term growth. Previously, sheet metal fabrication and design had been outsourced. While that model supported the early stages of the business, it also created dependence on external suppliers and limited control over quality, lead times and capacity.
The first step was building an internal design team. That work established the foundation for developing TES’s own switchgear designs and manufacturing standards.
Once the designs were in place, attention turned to production. Investment began in sheet metal fabrication equipment, including punch machines, press brakes, and powder coating facilities. The first machines arrived in November 2023, and the first project manufactured using TES-produced sheet metal was completed in April 2024.
Demand from a data centre sector racing to build AI infrastructure accelerated growth far beyond initial projections. An initial investment of around £1.5 million in manufacturing equipment was followed by a further £3 million investment before the end of 2024 to expand production capacity.
We’re going to need a bigger hangar
Expanding manufacturing to meet sky-high demand meant existing facilities no longer offered enough space, so attention turned to a large aircraft hangar on site.
At the time, the building, one of the largest cantilever buildings in Europe, was being used to store hay by local farmers. Before new machinery could be installed, the entire space had to be cleared, renovated and prepared for production.
Concrete floors were repaired, ground back and coated with epoxy resin. New production areas were created alongside welfare facilities, including a kitchen and canteen. The new site was designed to support the people working within it, both in terms of workflow and wellbeing. Every detail considered how teams would move through the building, collaborate, and carry out their work efficiently. Auxiliary facilities were designed to give employees a welcoming place to take a break during the working day.
Building tools to suit people, not the other way around
Growing its physical footprint has just been one element of TES’ journey. As the business expanded, leadership recognised that the company’s digital systems needed to evolve alongside its manufacturing capabilities.
In an industry where every project is engineered to specific requirements (and as the AI boom necessitated bigger projects delivered along shorter timelines) accurate planning has become non-negotiable. Customers expect realistic delivery dates and transparent communication.
Rather than asking employees to work directly through traditional ERP software, an internal systems team began developing a suite of applications designed specifically around the way TES operates with the goal of giving every employee clear visibility of what they need to do, how they need to do it, and when it needs to happen. The applications now support teams across the business, from design and manufacturing through to testing, finance, stores and project management. Employees can request materials, reschedule production, create test documentation and monitor project progress through a central platform, while the ERP system operates behind the scenes.
While TES’ manufacturing facilities and suite of digital tools have matured, so too has the company’s approach to culture. Growing from a small team of less than two to a headcount of around 200 has required deliberate protection of the business’ culture. TES’ answer to this risk has been a commitment to remaining a people-first organisation. Its human-centric approach supports the design process, organisational flexibility and, despite intense competition for talent, a less-than 1% attrition rate when it comes to employee retention.
The next chapter: The more things change…
TES’ acquisition by Legrand has provided the financial strength needed to pursue larger scale opportunities while allowing the business to retain its own identity and way of working. TES continues to focus on delivering complete engineered power distribution solutions while benefiting from the wider resources and stability of the Legrand Group.
That financial backing has become increasingly important as project values have grown. Orders that were once measured in hundreds of thousands of pounds are now measured in tens of millions.
The biggest change at TES since its foundation is in its scope: from switchgear manufacturer to delivering complete, modularised power distribution solutions. These systems support one of the world’s fastest-growing industries.
The buildings have changed. The technology has changed. The scale has changed.
But despite that transformation, TES’ focus on engineering excellence, manufacturing capability and people remains the same. As demand for data centre infrastructure continues to grow, TES continues to invest in the facilities, systems and talent required for its next phase of growth.
