Preston based team wins prestigious award for innovation

14 November 2007

The Preston based company United Utilities Electricity Ltd has won a prestigious global award for innovation at the IET’s annual Innovation in Engineering Awards.

The team won the Asset Management category for their work to create an innovative and efficient system for managing electricity assets, based on the risk presented by the asset condition.

Condition Based Risk Management combines on-site condition data of assets with engineering knowledge, asset experience and recent failure data to define the current and future condition and probability of failure for individual assets, including transformers and switchgear. CBRM has been adopted in China, the Middle East and Europe.

A total of 15 awards, each sponsored by a major company, were presented and at a ceremony at the Marriott Hotel, Grosvenor Square, London hosted by TV personality and science enthusiast Johnny Ball.

The host of “Think of a Number” said: “What makes a great innovator? Perhaps a little eccentricity, a desire for improvement, plus vision and the determination to see it through. All that equals the type of projects recognised through these awards. Innovators always ask ‘Why can't it be better?’ If it wasn’t for innovation we would still have black and white television and mono radio.”

He continued: “Innovation is at the heart of business and wealth creation. It is right that we acknowledge those who push the boundaries of science, engineering and technology and it will be exciting to see how the innovations awarded this year will make their mark in the future. “

Robin McGill, CEO of the IET said: “These awards recognise the vital role that innovation in engineering plays in the global economy. On behalf of the IET I would like to congratulate all the winners who have displayed outstanding innovation in their respective categories.”

He added that because of the huge interest in the awards this year details of the 2008 awards would be available immediately on the IET web site at: www.theiet.org/innovationawards

The chairman of the judges, a director of AMCL said: “The judges picked United Utilities’ entry on Condition Based Risk Management as the winner of the Asset Management award as we felt it presented the best example of innovative asset management techniques delivered in a way that integrates these techniques into the day-to-day decision making processes to deliver tangible benefits to the business.  We congratulate United Utilities on their success.”

The Asset Management Category is sponsored by National Grid.

The awards have been supported by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and Make Your Mark in Manufacturing & Engineering.

Photographs of a company representative and Johnny Ball are available from the IET press office, along with contact details for United Utilities Electricity Ltd.

IET Press Office:
Tony Henderson
Tel: 020 7344 8403
M: 07974 457565
E: tonyhenderson@theiet.org