The Story of Power Electrics
Power Electrics was founded in 1963 by Ambrose Pullin and his brother Patrick in a small yard in Stoke Gifford, Bristol. They started their business with four ex-military Generators. Ambrose as a qualified electrician and Patrick as a time served plant fitter, began to build the foundations of the company. With their hard work and common sense approach they turned the new idea of generator rental into a successful business.
Ambrose's wife Christine joined the company shortly after it was formed and soon outgrew their yard in Stoke Gifford to move to Morley Road in Staple Hill.
In 1984, Power Electrics became a UK Dealer for generator manufacturer FG Wilson. The new relationship allowed the company to sell their high quality products across the country.
Ambrose's wife Christine joined the company shortly after it was formed and soon outgrew their yard in Stoke Gifford to move to Morley Road in Staple Hill.
In 1984, Power Electrics became a UK Dealer for generator manufacturer FG Wilson. The new relationship allowed the company to sell their high quality products across the country.
Following the death of Patrick in 1986 Ambrose and Christine carried on with the business. At this time both Ambrose's sons, John and Andy, started to work in the company part time while continuing with their education. While keeping in touch with the business both were encouraged to pursue their own ambitions and careers. John joined the Midland Electricity Board and completed an electrical apprenticeship and Andy joined a major retail company and trained as a Manager. In 1989 John started full time at Power Electrics and Andy a year later. John and Andy took over the helm as directors of the company following Ambrose’s retirement in 1998.
In 2002 the company grew out of the yard at Staple Hill, so they purchased the building next door as a short term measure for extra space, while searching for a suitable piece of land in North Bristol to build a new head office and depot.
By 2003 the directors had found a suitable location for the new Head Office and depot at the former Dinkie Heels factory in St Ivel Way, Warmley. The old factory shell and land required major redevelopment, including complete new offices.
After winning a Western Power Distribution contract to supply standby generators to the electricity board, Power Electrics invested in a new Depot in Bridgend, Wales in order to better serve the contract. Opened in 2007 the depot marks an important milestone in the company’s history as growth continued. Soon the site on St Ivel Way became too small for the company again and the Directors started to seek a new location to relocate the headquarters, and that ideal location happened to be just up the road to an old distribution factory.
Along with the opening of the new depot, 2007 saw Power Electrics win the Family Business of the Year and Bristol Business of the Year. The new facility provided the vital extra space needed to handle the increased volumes of business and customised to enable the company to enhance their renowned customer service and logistic efficiency. The official move into the new site came in 2008.
In 2014 the business expanded further by opening a new 20,000 sq ft depot in Southampton, located to quickly dispatch rental generators anywhere in the South of England. With the new depot, Power Electrics were awarded a three year contract to supplier Scottish and Southern Energy Power Distribution Ltd (SSE), the electricity distribution network operator for Southern England.
Most recently in 2015 and 2016 Power Electrics was recognised for by the industry by winning the AMPS Customer Service award and the Royal Society of the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Health & Safety Awards.
