History - Ridderkerk

On the 1st of November in 1882, two young entrepreneurs, Willem Smit and Adriaan Pot set up the company Elektrisch-Licht-Machinen Fabriek Willem Smit & Co.. That was the beginning of Smit Slikkerveer, later known as Holec Machines and Apparaten, and since the 23rd March 1998 as HMA Power Systems.

The first products ranged from dynamos to lamps and ornaments. Later in the 19th century these product ranges expanded to include direct and alternating current machines, as well as drives and transformers.

Holec
The Holec years begun in 1962 when a merger took place between Heemaf in Hengelo and Smit Slikkerver. The year after, together with Hazemeyer-Heemaf, a holding company was set up. This received the name 'Samenwerkende Elektrotechnische Fabrieken Holec NV', and was made up of the subsidiaries Hazemeyer, Heemaf and Smit Slikkerveer. In 1969 Smit Nijmegen was added to this holding company.

During the 1980's 'Holec Machines and Apparaten', or Holec Ridderkerk as the company was now known, underwent a number of reorganisations as a result of the economic malaise in certain industries such as ship building.

Begemann
In 1989 the Holec concern, including Holec Machines and Apparatus, was taken over by the Royal Begemann Group. In the beginning of the 1990's this gave the company the opportunity to invest further in its production facilities, especially those used for providing traction equipment.

In 1996 another reorganisation of the company took place, mainly as a result of a fall back in the investment in new trains in the home market, and also due to the aggressive price war in the power generation market. This reorganisation resulted in the creation of separate independent business units, which would be more capable of adequately serving their separate customers.

On 23rd of March 1998 Holec Machines and Apparaten was split into two separate limited companies, HMA Power Systems BV and Traxis BV. The larger HMA Power Systems primarily served the markets for electrical generators, industrial drives, ac traction motors and large electrical machine service and overhaul.

FKI plc
At the beginning of 2000 HMA Power Systems was acquired by FKI plc and is now a fully integrated part of FKI Energy Technology. During 2001 the company name was changed to BRUSH HMA when the company was incorporated into the new BRUSH Turbogenerator Division, together with its sister companies BRUSH Electrical Machines Ltd and BRUSH SEM.

Melrose plc

On 1 July 2008 Melrose completed the acquisition of FKI plc for a total consideration, including debt, of just under £1 billion.  All divisions of BRUSH Turbogenerators now operate under the ownership of Melrose