History

1878

Thomas W Ward starts his business delivering coal in a hand cart around Sheffield

1898

His Brothers join the business expanding into Scrap Ship Breaking and Machinery

1903

Move into Albion Works just off the Wicker in Sheffield

1916

As all the Company’s Horses are sent to the Western front …Lizzie an Indian Elephant is used for pulling wagons, the chairman’s roses that year were spectacular

1942

The Company is involved in “recovery work “on the German Battleship “Admiral Graff Spee”

1956

The first Generating sets are built at Albion Works

1960

Thos W Ward has become a multi-national conglomerate with over 120 associated companies with a turnover exceeding £300,000,000

1972

Bob Linley joins the Company ill fitting flared trousers kipper ties and moustaches are essential work wear for the go getting salesman

1974

The trade name WARDPOWER is established covering a range of generating sets  25-1000 KVA

1975

WARDPOWER generating sets are exported worldwide. 72 countries so far and counting.

1978

A 725 KVA Dorman generating set is the main exhibit at the Centenary show celebrating 100 years of trading

1983

Thos W Ward PLC is taken over by Rio Tinto Zinc

1987

Bob Linley John Pascoe and Trevor Savage together with 3i’s and Tom Campbell carry out a Buyout of the Wardpower generating set division, the new Company is called Sheafpower ltd and it is established at Wardpower Works Wicker lane

1991

The Company’s emphasis is on bespoke purpose built power generation systems

1998

Wins major projects with IBM and Vodafone

2001

Keith Marshall is appointed as Sales Director and establishes Wardpower as a major player in the design manufacture and installation of bespoke power generation systems

2007

Several “type registrations “for National Grid are achieved together with numerous quality and management accreditations

2015

Wardpower are the longest established designers and builders of Power generation systems in the united kingdom