Brush HMA

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Brush HMA is a manufacturer of large generators for gas turbine and steam turbine drive applications, based at Ridderkerk in Holland.

The Brush HMA manufacturing plant is located adjacent to the river Nord at Ridderkerk near to Rotterdam in the Netherlands. 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 dynamos 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 Slikkereer and Heemaf Hengelo, the new name of Saenwerkende Elektroechische Fabrrieken Holec NV was created. During the 1980s the company, which was simply known as Holec Machines and Appararten, was suffering from falling business due to loss of work from the fading shipbuilding industry. This downturn resulted in more restructuring and uncertainty for the business.

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 plant, and equipment required to keep the company viable and competitive in a global market place. It also allowed the company to move further into traction electrical machines.

In March 1998, the company 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 and was renamed Brush HMA. Brush HMA currently employs approximately 350 staff across its range of manufacturing shops and design and development offices.

The Brush HMA plant at Ridderkerk has manufactured many different types of electrical machines and associated equipment over the last 120 years. Today its core business is centred on the manufacture of medium sized 4 pole turbo-generators (Brush Turbogenerator Division centre of excellence), AC traction motors and service and repair of electrical machines. In the 4-pole turbogenerator range, the principal product is the DG range, which is sold globally to all major oil and gas companies.