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https://watfordcontrol.com/, https://linktr.ee/watford.control

Watford Control Instruments Ltd, 16 Princewood Road, Corby (2026)

22/10/2024

The Business Case for Voltage Optimisation: How It Can Save You Thousands 💡💰

If you're running a business, energy costs are likely a significant part of your operating expenses. But what if you could reduce those costs while extending the lifespan of your equipment and enhancing your sustainability credentials?

That’s where voltage optimisation comes in.

Here’s why voltage optimisation is a smart move for businesses:

Cost Savings – By optimising voltage to the correct level, your business can reduce its energy consumption by up to 10%. Over time, this can add up to substantial savings, especially for energy-intensive operations.

Increased Equipment Reliability – Electrical equipment often operates at higher voltages than necessary, leading to overheating and accelerated wear. Voltage optimisation helps equipment last longer and reduces maintenance costs.

Reduced Carbon Footprint – Achieving sustainability targets is essential in today’s business landscape. Lower energy consumption means fewer carbon emissions, aligning your company with corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals and environmental standards.

Fast ROI – The upfront investment in a voltage optimisation system can typically be recouped within 2-4 years through energy savings, making it a financially sound decision.

In an era where energy efficiency is no longer optional, voltage optimisation is a simple, effective solution to save money and enhance your green credentials.

Is your business ready to take advantage of the benefits? 🌿

26/09/2024

𝗠𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗲𝗯𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲 (𝗻𝗼 𝘄𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗱!)…😅

Like many businesses, attracting customers to our door is usually through our website via Google AdWords, but with a 1% click through rate - is that really value for money? Last year, we spent mid double-digit tens of thousands on ads, and if we want more leads, the answer always is – spend more money!

There is a saying, that “the first sign of madness is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different outcome” and therefore on the basis that we’re not mad (although you’d think we were by the money we are spending), we’ve decided to invest in Lead Forensics software and try to look at things differently.

No doubt many will say that you just need to pay for SEO and you’ll come up first page every time, but that’s not our question, we are #1 in many countries organically, our question is, how can 4,800 people each month, from around Africa, the Middle East and UK, search for “automatic voltage stabilis(z)er” (with or without z/s) or “automatic voltage regulator” and land on our website but never engage with us?

We just don’t know who, where or what people are looking for, but an AC voltage stabiliser is a pretty narrow product, so why do only 1% of visitors become a quotation?

Do they hate our website when they land on it, do they throw their mouse or phone down and scream “not that voltage stabiliser!!” – there has to be a reason or are we all in the 1% club?

To this end we have invested in Lead Forensics software which captures a lot of interesting information, including the search term people found us through, what page and how long they stayed on our site, and (mostly) a list of decision makers by reverse looking up their IP address. We then have the ability to find out who the key decision makers are and then deliver an email marketing plan or equally, an InMail through LinkedIn.

UK and European businesses are well served, the Middle East is better, and Africa somewhat hit and miss. Unfortunately, mobile browsing, which is very popular everywhere, does not tell us who looked us up.

Obviously, this is like Google Analytics on steroids, and of course costs us money, but the truth is, frankly, we can’t keep spending £40,000 annually for not great results, so is it us or is it them – hopefully we’ll find out soon!

12/08/2024

JMS Transformers Acquires Watford Control🤝

JMS Transformer Limited, the Peterborough based transformer manufacturer has agreed to buy the remaining shares in its joint venture company Watford Control Instruments Limited.

Employing 31 people, JMS is one of the UK’s leading low voltage transformer manufacturers, producing tens of thousands of transformers annually at their 26,000 sq ft facility in Peterborough.

Mark Massetti, MD of Watford Control said: “We have worked very closely with JMS for the last 8 years but have always had autonomy in the way the business has been run, however, there was only so far that the business could grow under that autonomy”.

“Sean and Jeff Harris are seasoned experts in transformer manufacturing and with 70 plus years manufacturing experience between them, they will be able to reshape Watford Control, deliver the benefits of the economies of scale and offer impressive financial backing”.

Sean Harris said: “We rescued Watford Control in 2016, celebrated our 75th birthday in 2022 and we now embark on our next chapter in 2024 and we look forward to celebrating our 80th birthday in May 2027”

The combined business will see Mark Massetti step down as MD of Watford Control and take up the role of Group Sales Director.

Mark further commented: “JMS are the experts in manufacturing and our team at Watford Control are the experts in AVR and Voltage Optimisation solutions, so, with that ability now to concentrate on our core skills, under the guidance of JMS, we expect significant growth over the coming years

12/08/2024

4 Reasons to AVOID Voltage Optimisation‼️

Voltage Optimisation (VO) is an established, reliable and effective way to reduce energy consumption at any given commercial premises, and with energy prices up 300% in the last few years and no sign of abating, Voltage Optimisation is a seriously viable financial solution.

However, before you make the commitment to install Voltage Optimisation, here’s 4 red flags you should be wary of.

1. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗢 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲.

There are a number of critical factors that will affect the performance of VO and the single biggest factor is your voltages. If you don’t have high voltages that can be meaningfully reduced, then VO simply won’t work!

So, if the company has not logged your voltages, then it’s complete guesswork!

2. 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗼𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗲-𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀, 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗮𝘀 20%!!

Maybe 10 years ago VO could give very impressive savings, but with the advent of LED, Variable Speed Drives, Inverters and Switch Mode Power Supplies in today’s market, the scope for savings is a lot less, as these are classed as “voltage independent” devices.

The reality is that now only around 6%-9% can be achieved, subject to how energy efficient your site is, but with energy costs now up 300%, the savings can be worthwhile.

3. 𝗚𝘂𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗢 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝘁𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗱, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁.

This is quite a fanciful claim which cannot hold water and would require long-term monitoring of the financial strength of the supplier, to be sure they can keep their promises. The reality of this claim is, as many customers have found, that it relies on the customer’s inability to verify their energy savings moving forward.

4. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿?

Regardless of what some may claim, nothing is 100% reliable and all electrical plant and equipment needs annual inspections. So, if supplier is just buying the VO unit from a third party manufacturer and selling it on, what product knowledge, technical support and servicing can they offer you?

If they don’t have a good technical resource in the UK, then you should consider what the risks to your business will be - if things go wrong?

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝘄𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿?

At Watford Control, we’ve been solving power problems for over 70 years, and having a full understanding of a site’s power supply and voltages, while offering sensible savings backed up by our own UK based manufacturing and service centres is what makes the difference.

Watford Control - Don’t Waste Your Energy On Anything Else™

24/07/2024

OUR COMMITMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENT✅🌳

At Watford Control, taking care of the environment is at the heart of everything we do.

For 77 years, we have manufactured products such as AVRs, voltage optimisers and voltage stabilisers which as a by product of their technology, reduce energy consumption across all businesses, and in doing so we have reduced thousands of tons of CO2 emissions globally over the years - for our own part we have reduced energy consumption in our factory by 30%, so trust us when we say it works!

But that's not the end of the story, we are also committed to reducing our environmental footprint by doing the following👇🤝

- All our management team drive electric vehicles

- Digital Bamboo NFC business cards

- All our old pallets and wood waste recycled into wood pellets for Biomass boilers

- Cardboard compactor onsite

- ISO 14000 registered

- Three EV chargers onsite

- Back up generator & our ICE vehicles run on HVO biofuel

10/07/2024

𝗥𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗽𝘆 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 - 300+ 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲! 🤝

Watford Control is a leading supplier of voltage stabilisers to one of the world’s major radiotherapy equipment manufacturers, and we are delighted to have exceeded a milestone for over 300 installations worldwide.

This achievement is more than just a number. It’s a testament to our commitment to ensuring the stability and reliability of life-saving equipment used in the battle against cancer.

Knowing that our technology supports machines that deliver hope and healing to countless individuals and their families fills us with immense pride and gratitude. Behind every installation is a story of courage, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of a world where cancer can be fought with the best tools available.

10/07/2024

Why do I need a voltage stabiliser – I thought the voltage in the UK was “240 volts”?

Most of us know the ubiquitous 13 amp plug in our homes and businesses, and generally refer to the socket in the wall as a '240 volt socket', but that is simply an urban myth!

As you can see in the image below, the voltage supply in the UK is entirely different!

The Statutory Supply Regulations (the regulations that govern power supplies in the UK) state that the voltage must be 230 volts, +/-10%, this means, you can actually get anywhere from 207 volts to 253 volts, and this fluctuates all the time and for most of the equipment manufactured in the EU & China, 230 volts is the optimum voltage.

In many instances, voltages outside of these levels means the equipment simply does not work or consumes too much energy and will have a shorter lifespan.

By installing a Watford Control automatic voltage stabiliser, we guarantee that you will stabilise your power supplies to 230 volts or less to save more energy, and that is within 0.5% accuracy. Your phases will be balanced and your equipment will last longer, run better and consume less energy!

04/07/2024

Throwback Thursday 🕰

Here is Stefan Brod's plane in the 1970s, he used this to see clients in Europe and to transport organs to hospitals.

So, not only was he the expert behind Watford Control, but he also helped transport organs to people in need!

03/07/2024

Fun Fact about Voltage Stabilisers! ⚡️🔧

Did you know that the invention of voltage stabilisers was a revolutionary step in ensuring the longevity and efficiency of electronic devices?

🎉 Fun Fact: The first commercial voltage stabilizers were introduced in the 1930s to protect early radio sets from the fluctuating electrical supply. These stabilisers used electromechanical relays and vacuum tubes, making them quite bulky compared to the sleek, efficient models we have today!

💡 Next time you enjoy uninterrupted streaming, smooth gaming, or efficient office work, remember the humble voltage stabiliser working behind the scenes to keep your devices running smoothly!

💬 What’s the one electronic device you can’t live without? Share in the comments below!

27/06/2024

Throwback Thursday – 73-year-old balance sheet of Watford Control!🕰️

Rummaging through old archives recently, we came across some dusty accounts documents which had been filed for the original company formed in 1947 that is today, Watford Control Instruments Limited.
Founded by Stephen Brod (originally as S. Brod & Co. Ltd) in 1947, the company changed its name to Watford Control when it moved from Kilburn in North London to Watford in Hertfordshire in 1961.

It’s surprising when you look at the share capital, £1,000 back in 1951 (according to the Bank of England) would be worth over £28,000 today, adjusted for inflation, but when you think that the average house in the UK 1951 was £1,891, with average salaries of £100, having a £1,000 of issued share capital was no mean feat!

Today, Watford Control has £150,000 of issued share capital and average house prices are £283,000, so the multiple of balance sheet to house prices is exactly the same (X1.😎 – how spooky is that!

26/06/2024

Containerised AVR/VO – Plug and Play Solutions🔌⚡️

Many businesses that would like to take advantage of installing an AVR or large Voltage Optimiser solution are often prevented from doing by the basic lack of plant room space.

Electrical plant rooms are often quite restricted for space and the original building designers never considered the need to add a large piece of equipment that could be 3m long by 2m high and around 1m deep, so plant rooms rarely have capacity for expansion.

However, most large businesses will likely have some spare space outside, where additional electrical plant can be located, but the questions of security, safety and water ingress tend to end up on the “too difficult to do pile”.

Traditionally, customers have considered GRP housings, but temperature control is a challenge and when you get to larger scale projects, GRP doesn’t always cut it.

At Watford Control, we have been supplying containerised AVR/VO solutions for many years, and are a major supplier to the SSEN electrical infrastructure upgrades that are taking place throughout the Scottish Highlands.

Typically, we supply either a 20ft or 40ft solution (depending on the power of the AVR), which are modified to provide personnel doors, heating, lighting and extraction.

The units are insulated and fire boarded throughout, with new flooring laid over the standard teak base – all finished off in a C5 paint job that is designed to withstand the rigours of the Highlands ‘weather for many, many years.

As part of the design, we provide external glanding chambers and alarm connection panels, to enable our customers to run their power supply and BMS systems direct into the AVR. As all the AVR installation and cabling work is carried out at our Corby factory, there is no impact on the customer’s operations to consider and quality control is rigorously maintained on our site.

All this reduces installation time an absolute minimum and keeps disruption to virtually zero – a true Plug and Play solution!✅

20/06/2024

More action shots!

Watford Control Instruments Ltd

22/10/2024

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27/06/2024

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20/06/2024

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Monday	7am - 5pm
Tuesday	7am - 5pm
Wednesday	7am - 5pm
Thursday	7am - 5pm