ABB invests £27m in production and R&D site in Nottingham
ABB is investing more than £27m ($35m) in a greenfield site in Nottingham, UK, to meet increased demand for its Furse earthing and lightning protection products. The 9,500m2 facility is expected to open in early 2025 and will integrate advanced technologies, flexible automation, R&D and testing, and digital processes to boost production capacity and enhance efficiency and sustainability.
More than 100 employees will move from the existing 6,300m2 ABB Installation Products site on Nottingham’s Wilford Road, to the new facility which will occupy nearly five acres on the Fairham Business Park.
“This important investment builds on 130 years of Furse technology, enabling us to remain at the forefront of earthing and lightning protection and deliver solutions that improve safety and reliability for our customers,” says Khalid Mandri, president of ABB Installation Products. “Building this site in Nottinghamshire further reinforces our commitment to the industries we serve and to the community where we have operated for more than a century and want to continue to be a leading employer.”
The Nottingham operation can trace its origins back to 1893 when William Joseph Furse acquired a steeplejacking business on Burton Street. Recognising the growing importance of electricity, he diversified into electrical installation and opened a workshop to produce switchgear and components. In 1998, Furse became a part of the Thomas & Betts corporation, which was subsequently acquired by ABB in 2012.
“We are continually advancing solutions across electrification, and the earthing and lightning protection lifecycle,” says Andrea Castella, who leads ABB Installation Products in Europe. “Our new facility is a leap forward in design and technology, positioning us for the future while enabling us to preserve resources and reduce energy and water consumption aligned with circularity and sustainability priorities across ABB’s operations.”
An estimated 1.4 billion lightning flashes occur annually around the world – more than 42 strikes every second. Even indirect lightning strikes up to 1km away can create transient overvoltages, potentially causing fire, shock hazards, equipment damage and costly outages. The Furse products provide earthing and surge protection, helping to safeguard structures and electrical systems.
The UK investment adds to more than $165m in expansions and improvements in ABB Installation Products since 2020, boosting the division’s manufacturing capacity, driving innovation and sustainability, and bringing products closer to customers. The division has six European locations in Belgium, France, Hungary, Italy, Switzerland and the UK. It offers more than 200,000 products under 38 different brand names.
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