New laws put emissions firm in the driving seat

Jul 21 2008 by Karen Dent, The Journal

A COMPANY producing equipment to cut vehicle emissions is aiming to double its turnover next year and expects to grow the business fivefold following the introduction of new “green” legislation.

ComeSys Europe, based in Cramlington, designs and manufactures patented switches and pedals to reduce emissions and cut fuel consumption in commercial and construction vehicles.

Its turnover more than doubled to around £2m last year and the business aims to expand further in the run-up to the introduction of tighter regulations forcing vehicle makers to further reduce engine emissions.

Sales director Jon Aitchison said: “In 2005, we had two employees and zero turnover, and now we have 15 staff and £2m turnover. Hopefully, we will double the turnover next year.

“The business is set to multiply fivefold when the next tranche of legislation becomes mandatory in 2011/12. JCB, which produces 70,000 pieces of equipment annually, needs around 8,000 electronic controls currently but under the new legislation it will need them for around 50,000 to 60,000 products.

“With the new products, by 2011 turnover will probably have gone up to £4m or £5m, depending on how many units we do.”

JCB is ComeSys’ largest direct customer and the business has just signed an agreement with German company Continental Trading to design and manufacture a range of bespoke electronic accelerator pedals. ComeSys was already working with Continental but the new products are being specially designed to meet the emissions reductions required by the forthcoming legislation.

It has also linked up with another German company, IVEKA Automotive Technologies, to distribute IVEKA’s Motometer brand of dashboard instruments in the UK, Ireland and the US.

Currently a tractor or construction vehicle only needs ComeSys equipment if it has an engine of 100 horsepower or 75 kw but in 2011/12, it will become essential on 50hp or 37.5kw vehicles.

ComeSys says the new orders means it is on course to add five jobs in the next year, a mixture of engineers to develop the products and shopfloor staff to produce them.