ABB has opened an 8,800m² manufacturing and R&D site in Nottingham to scale production of Furse earthing, lightning and surge protection technologies. 

The £27 million investment targets rising demand from data centres, buildings, renewables and critical infrastructure facing more frequent extreme weather.

ABB says the new facility expands research, testing and production of its Furse range for customers seeking to mitigate lightning strikes and electrical surges. The site is 35% larger than the company’s previous Nottingham operation, which had been in place for more than a century, and includes a lab, testing centre, collaboration space and a dedicated area for surge protection devices. 

The new site is expected to become the location of a global centre of excellence for lightning protection as safety and performance requirements evolve.

“The increased frequency and intensity of severe weather events with lightning strikes, along with urbanisation, and more stringent building and data center safety requirements, are driving demand for advanced earthing, lightning and surge protection solutions,” said Andrea Castella, Europe Region Leader, ABB Installation Products. 

“The investment in our new Nottingham facility is part of ABB’s broader strategy to drive innovation and sustainability, expand manufacturing, and shorten supply chains to bring production and R&D closer to customers.”

More than 100 employees have relocated to the purpose-built plant at Fairham Business Park. ABB says the site produces and distributes millions of Furse components annually and exports to more than 60 countries across Europe, the Middle East and APAC. The facility brings together the company’s digital and renewable energy solutions to improve energy efficiency and cut emissions.