A pioneering technology company from North Lanarkshire whose products help energy giants stop sparks from flying is going up in the world, thanks to funding help from UK Steel Enterprise.

Elimpus Ltd, which produces monitoring devices to detect and locate partial electrical discharge from high voltage equipment, has seen demand for its technology increase as energy utility companies become more cost and safety conscious.

The company predicts a 100 per cent increase in turnover this year, resulting from a rise in domestic orders for products and a growing interest in support services.

The business was established in one of UKSE’s innovation units at Grovewood Business Centre, Strathclyde Business Park, but a surge in demand over the last 18 months led founders George MacBride and Professor Phil Moore to consider the need for a new base.

A number of large orders at the beginning of this year – including one from National Grid for 10 mobile monitoring systems – then made the move essential.

UKSE put £50,000 toward the expansion scheme, which will create two new jobs this year. The Elimpus workshop and technology centre is now located in another area of Strathclyde Business Park, within a larger unit.

Anne Clyde, Area Manager for UK Steel Enterprise, said: “Elimpus is a very impressive company and a great example of what can be done when technological expertise and business acumen come together successfully.

“UKSE is committed to supporting viable businesses to stimulate economic growth and Elimpus has the potential to supply its innovative technology to major players throughout the whole utilities industry, which is especially rewarding for us, having seen the company start up in one of our units just five years ago.”

“Without the funding support of UKSE, SMART and RSA, we would have been unable to take on large orders like the one from National Grid, which are vital to the growth and success of Elimpus.

“As an early adopter of our technology, National Grid has taken a progressive approach to deploying our products and services as part of their condition monitoring and asset management strategy, which in turn has allowed us to expand and create jobs in this growing sector.”