About WASP
We solve problems at the speed our customers need
Our vision is to be the leader in the backup power resilience ecosystem. The partner customers turn to when failure is not an option.
At a glance
WASP is amongst the world’s leading back-up power resilience solutions providers
we serve the very best:
What sets us apart
Industrial power specialists
Delivering comprehensive end-to-end design, supply, installation & maintenance solutions.
Global engineering and support network
Spanning 85+ countries; on hand wherever and whenever you need us.
Real-time visibility and control
Designed for remote and multi-site optimisation.
Proven quality and consistency
Backed by ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certification.
Our history
1959
IPU is born
Industrial Power Units Ltd is launched by Roy Beebee and George Wedge to market JLO two stroke engines imported from Germany. The first office is in an old slaughterhouse next to a butchers shop, owned by George, in Wolverhampton.
1960
IPU go racing
To get the JLO engines established in the UK the company took up go-cart racing. In the pictures, Roy Beebee can be seen in the left hand cart on the top picture. The bottom picture show King Hussein of Jordan in a JLO powered cart.
1964
Hayter
The customer base for JLO engines has now widened and they are being used in military gen-sets as well as a variety of lawn mowers – Hayter being the first customer. The exacting requirements of the MOD for their gen-sets brings about the need for improved engine governing. To this end, in this year IPU becomes the UK agent for Heinzmann engine governors.
1974
American Bosch
IPU join forces with American Bosch (Ambac) to become their agent for engine governors after being introduced by Huegli of Switzerland. It was suggested that their hydraulic starters should be part of the deal. This was an interesting challenge to the keen engineer Roy Beebee and so IPU entered the Engine Starting market.
1980
Robert Beebee joins IPU
Robert Beebee, son of company founder Roy Beebee, joins IPU armed with a Business Degree from Sheffield University. He quickly gets involved with the development of sales of engines to the UK local authorities who are running large fleets of mowers.
1985
Dori
Demand for JLO engines is now starting to wane and they are struggling to be competitive. IPU start to look for other products to sell. Building on the experience of selling engines into the groundcare market they start to import Dori mowers from France.
1989
Ferris & GAC
Roy Beebee retires from the business in 1989. To expand their product portfolio, IPU take on UK distributorship for Ferris mowers and, through involvement with GAC governors start to become more active in the gen-set market
1993
Crisis
IPU Group makes 3 years of losses and restructure by forming 3 Divisions: Starting, Engine Control and Groundcare. Focusing on giving technical excellence to our customers. 1994 was IPU’s best ever year…
2000
IPU Grows
Due to continued expansion, IPU moves to new larger premises at Churchbridge, Oldbury. By now the company is operating as three distinct divisions – Engine Controls, Engine Starting and Groundcare and turning over £2 million.
2006
IPU Group acquires BSC Contracts
IPU Group acquires BSC Contracts Ltd which brings the Kim Hotstart heating, Racor filtration and cowl silencing products into the business.
2010
IPU opens KL office
IPU Group opens it’s first overseas sales office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Increased business in the Far East makes a local office a necessity. This is quickly followed by the appointment of distributors in China, Singapore and Thailand.
2011
IPU Group
Sees the launch of the very latest IPU divisions. Following changes to fuel legislation an opportunity is seen for products and services to combat fuel contamination. The IP for the Extended Oil Life System is acquired and the Oil Division is founded.
2014
IPU expands again
IPU’s continued expansion in domestic and foreign markets prompts a move to a new 55,000ft2 premises in Cygnus Way, West Bromwich. Turnover reaches £14m and staff numbers rise to over 80.
2016
IPU sells Groundcare
IPU sold its Ferris and Wright distributorship to T H White so it could concentrate on its core business around power generation.
2017
IPU buys Filtertechnik’s fuel business
IPU buys Filtertechnik’s fuel business to become the number 1 supplier in the industry.
2018
IPU becomes main UK distributor for Enovation Controls
IPU takes on the distributorship for a huge range of components, including HMI displays, battery chargers, gauges and I/O modules.
2018
A year of change
IPU demerges its Oil Division to a consultancy run by its former staff members. In the same year, the engine heating product ranges were sold to Hotstart, one of IPU’s suppliers.
2018
Going green!
IPU launches a new Emissions Solutions Division to reduce Nox and particulate emissions for diesel gensets and other engines.
