Since 1974
Founded by Ian Charles Wright in 1974, for over 50 years ICW Powermode has designed, delivered, and maintained UK-manufactured switchgear and power systems for mission-critical environments where failure is not an option. Based in Luton with 4,000+ completed projects powering £4B+ of electrical infrastructure — trusted by leading institutions including Barclays, Colt Data Centres, HSBC, O2, Serverfarm, The Shard, Royal Brompton Hospital and many more.
Step inside our Luton factory and mobile demonstrator unit to see how UK-manufactured power systems are designed, assembled and tested for mission-critical power.
Tailored electrical distribution solutions for environments requiring 99.99% uptime and rigorous safety standards.
01 — Data & Telco (Image: Colt Data Centre Madrid)
Since the late 1980s, ICW Powermode has been a leading provider of power systems for IT, data centres and telco infrastructure. Key clients include BT, Cable & Wireless, Colt, IBM, O2, Serverfarm, T-Mobile, Telstra, Vodafone and Volta.
02 — Finance (Image: Barclays London HQ)
50 years powering UK financial services with uninterruptible power of the highest integrity. Key clients include Bank of America, Barclays Capital, Citibank, Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, HSBC, Lloyds, Mastercard and Morgan Stanley.
03 — Office & Corporate HQ
Offices, landmark towers, corporate headquarters and mixed-use developments. Key projects and clients include Tower 42, The Shard, 55 Baker Street, GSK, Prudential, Capita, Fidelity, Skipton, Wimbledon (AELTC), and Gratte Brothers.
04 — Public & Third Sector (Image: Royal Brompton Hospital)
Safety-critical power for government estates, hospitals, universities and transport where resilience and maintenance are paramount. Key clients include Guy's & St Thomas', Royal Brompton, Imperial College, TfL, Network Rail, NATS, Met Police and Wellcome Trust.
An independent British switchgear manufacturer: designed, built and tested in Luton, supported for the life of the installation.
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Selected projects showing how ICW Powermode delivers power distribution systems for mission-critical sites.
Case Study 01 — Data & Telco
ICW Powermode managed a 20MW 22kV grid upgrade for Serverfarm. Expanding existing capacity from 7.5MW. Managing the entire process with SSEN, delivering 1,500m of underground cabling, Distribution Network Operator (DNO) liaison, and street works coordination, ensuring seamless adoption, disconnection, and commissioning of the private and network infrastructure.
Case Study 02 — Finance
ICW Powermode has supported the HSBC headquarters at 8 Canada Square with the design and manufacture of ASTA (Association of Short-Circuit Testing Authorities) type-tested switchgear, PDUs and generator switchboards, delivering fast-track replacements and live-site upgrades without interruption to trading operations.
Case Study 03 — Office & Corporate HQ
ICW Powermode designed, manufactured and commissioned a new HV (high voltage) and LV distribution system for Tower 42, London's landmark City tower. The upgrade included ASTA type-tested switchboards, sub-distribution and feeders, supporting the building's high occupancy levels.
Case Study 04 — Public & Third Sector
ICW Powermode developed a critical Energy Centre and Data Hub for the Wellcome Genome Campus, installing 10MW of backup power and generation for the Sanger Institute. The project ensures continuous, reliable operation of the campus's scientific infrastructure.
Plain-English answers to the questions specifiers ask most often about switchgear and power distribution systems.
The UK LV switchgear market is served by a small group of independent panel builders and OEM assemblers who design, type-test and build switchboards domestically rather than importing them. ICW Powermode has manufactured in Britain since 1974 from its Luton factory, with a London office supporting City and Canary Wharf projects.
Specifiers comparing UK switchgear manufacturers should look past headline price to type-test evidence, internal separation, service cover and factory capacity. The questions below separate suppliers on a like-for-like basis.
Yes. Existing switchboards in occupied buildings are usually replaced in phases, with temporary supplies and short changeover windows so trading floors, wards and data halls stay live. ICW Powermode has delivered this approach on projects such as Societe Generale at Canary Wharf, where new Form 4.5 LV switchboards were installed over weekend shutdowns without diverting existing cabling.
An Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) switchgear supplier sells proprietary assemblies tied to one brand of breakers, busbar systems and spares. An independent manufacturer such as ICW Powermode designs and builds boards from first principles, selecting the component mix that best suits the site. For mission-critical infrastructure, independence removes single-source lock-in and often delivers faster, more flexible support.
Lead times for a bespoke LV switchboard are driven by design approval, component availability and factory loading rather than the build itself. Manufacturing in the UK removes shipping and customs from the programme, so a typical Form 4 Type 6 board moves from approved general arrangement drawings to factory acceptance testing far faster than an imported equivalent.
BS EN 61439 is the British and European standard for low-voltage switchgear and controlgear assemblies. Part 1 sets the general rules and Part 2 covers power switchgear assemblies. Compliance is demonstrated through design verification (type testing or comparison with a verified reference design) plus routine verification of every board built.
