Bringing drive technologies closer to home


“WHEN A customer calls Sentridge Control about a drive fault, the last thing they want is a sales pitch, or to be told that a ticket has been raised with no calllback.” explains Glen Hickman, managing director of Sentridge Controls, an ABB Value Provider. “What they want is a plan. A plan to get their drive fixed as fast as possible, and a plan to get their production immediately back on track. And ideally for that plan to be executed from start to finish on that same day.”

For ABB drive users, the Value Provider program aims to provide that level of responsiveness, combining global expertise and technical competence, with local knowledge and delivery. Now in its 26th year, the network began life in 2000 as the “Drives and Motors Alliance”. Back then, ABB sought to achieve greater clarity and transparency in its sales channels, while decentralising operations to prevent bureaucracy and bottlenecks. What they needed were trusted, technically competent partners who could represent ABB in the field with full confidence and local insight.

The network grows

The result was a small group of handpicked specialist companies chosen for their expertise, reputation, and proven track record with customers. From seven partners in 2000, the network has now grown to 15 companies strategically located across the UK

In theory it’s a win-win-win. For ABB it was a way of providing better service coverage by working with channel partners they could trust to build a comprehensive nationwide support network for drive products. The Value Providers benefitted too from gaining access to a steady stream of business with a large installed base, as well as having the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technologies from one of the world’s leading drive suppliers. For end customers, it means faster and more tailored service, delivered with a personal touch by local companies who understand their businesses.

Global support, locally delivered

In practical terms, it means that many faults or failures can be remedied within hours rather than weeks. An engineer will typically be on site the same day, equipped not only with a replacement ABB drive (if required), but with the training, software, and direct technical backing of one of the world’s leading drive manufacturers. Several Value Providers also offer comprehensive engineering support, and are able to deliver complex, multi-drive installations from start to finish.

“The Value Providers don’t just sell drives on our behalf.” explains Rory Hamilton, who leads the program at ABB. “They’re personally invested in doing right by the customer. This means looking at how drives are being used, and taking a holistic view to identify and advise on ways to help improve energy efficiency, productivity, and uptime.”

“Over the years we’ve gone from being a wholesaler to a full engineering partner,” says Sentridge managing director, Glen Hickman. “When someone needs a drive, we don’t just ship a box. We specify, install, commission, and service it. We’re only a phonecall away, and often we can be at the customer site within minutes – any time of day, every day of the year. That’s what being a Value Provider is about.”

Strength in numbers

Behind every Value Provider is ABB’s vast global technical and logistical support structure. Partners get access to ABB’s 24-hour hotline, global stockholding, digital tools, and specialist facilities such as ABB’s UK drive service workshop in Coalville, where the most complex drive repairs and diagnostics are handled.
It’s a relationship built on two-way trust. ABB’s engineers visit their partners weekly, collaborating on customer projects, joint business plans, and site visits. Partners can in turn rely on ABB’s experts for troubleshooting, advanced application support, or hands-on commissioning.

That immediacy, and knowing who you’re dealing with, is part of what gives the program its resilience. “We talk to our partners daily,” adds Hamilton. “It’s not a distant corporate relationship. It’s a collaboration – we’re an extension of each other.”

A quarter of a century of service

Every Value Provider is vetted for technical competence, sustainability focus, and long-term commitment. The exclusivity also brings clarity for customers. If you buy ABB equipment through a Value Provider, you’re guaranteed genuine product, factory support, and trained engineers.

After more than 25 years, the Value Provider network continues to grow. In 2024, ABB added London-based PLC specialists Firstco to the program. 2025 saw Telford-based system integrators Transicon join. With new partners and new competencies regularly being added, the network aims to bring the best of both worlds to customers: the reach and reliability of a global manufacturer, combined with the agility, understanding and knowledge of a local expert.

“For customers, it’s a really simple value proposition,” concludes Hamilton. “When you work with a Value Provider, you get ABB’s quality, ABB’s expertise, and ABB’s people – just closer to home.”

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