Powering Progress: How Electrical Innovation is Driving Efficiency at IWM

Engineering Innovation in Industrial Washing Machines Through Collective Expertise

At Industrial Washing Machines (IWM), innovation thrives through collaboration. Across every department, teams work together to deliver smarter, more efficient, and more sustainable industrial washing solutions.

In the Electrical Engineering Department, this collaborative approach is led by Steve Skelding, who has been part of IWM for three years. Steve plays a key role in the design and development of IWM’s electrical systems, working closely with colleagues to ensure every machine performs to the highest standard - safely, reliably, and efficiently.

“My role at IWM begins at the very start of the process of designing and building a machine,” explains Steve. “From looking at new products that can bring improvements to selecting the correct components for the solution we are trying to achieve. My role continues all the way through the process of the electrical design and production, ensuring at every step we are producing a quality product that we as a team can be proud of.”

This focus on teamwork and shared achievement lies at the heart of our culture, turning individual expertise into collective progress.

Building Smarter Industrial Cleaning Equipment

At IWM, the electrical design journey begins long before a single wire is connected. Steve and his team take a hands-on approach from day one, selecting components, designing control systems, and refining every detail to ensure the end result performs flawlessly.

Their role covers a wide range of disciplines, including:

• Electrical design and PLC programming
• HMI (Human Machine Interface) development for intuitive control
• Testing and quality assurance at every stage
• Continuous improvement across electrical production

This approach ensures every machine that leaves the factory is not only a testament to engineering skill but also to IWM’s culture of teamwork and shared responsibility.

Sustainable Electrical Design in Industrial Washing Systems

Sustainability has become one of IWM’s defining priorities. The electrical engineering team has been central to this progress, integrating eco-conscious thinking into every stage of product development.

“Sustainability has become one of our main focuses in recent times,” Steve explains. “Using feedback from our customers and partners, we are always looking at ways our machines can save water, reduce energy consumption, while not reducing performance, and selecting good quality components from market leading manufacturers.”

This mindset ensures that each component is carefully chosen based on safety, reliability, sustainability, quality, and availability. As Steve notes, any changes to components go through a “vigorous consideration on what improvements the new components will bring”, followed by thorough in-house testing before being specified for customer machines.

Through this deliberate process, the team ensures that sustainability and performance work hand in hand, not at odds.

Siemens Control System

One of the most exciting recent developments at IWM has been the creation of a new Siemens-based control system, the result of 18 months of teamwork, research, and supplier collaboration.

“We have recently developed a new control system,” says Steve. “Working closely with Siemens, we have a new control system with a whole host of new features that we are proud of, and think will assist our customers with their goals of reducing carbon footprint.”

This advanced control platform enables real-time power monitoring, giving users precise data on energy usage in kilowatt-hours, as well as water consumption tracking to help identify wastage and optimise efficiency.

“Our power monitoring feature gives us real-time feedback on how many kWh the machine is using, which can be monitored to ensure the machine is running efficiently,” Steve adds. “We are also able to monitor water consumption to our machines, which we believe will be a game-changer to ensure our machines are running effectively and highlight water wastage.”

The system is now being implemented across IWM’s full range of machines, reflecting how innovation and teamwork deliver lasting benefits for customers and the environment alike.

Overcoming Engineering Challenges in Industrial Machine Design

Every engineering project presents challenges, and for IWM, one of the biggest has been applying new electrical improvements consistently across a diverse product range.

“Due to the wide range of different machines we manufacture, one of the most difficult challenges has been to try and implement all the improvements we are making across our whole product range,” Steve explains.

This is where IWM’s culture of collaboration truly shines, by sharing expertise across departments, improvements are rolled out systematically and efficiently, ensuring that every customer benefits from the latest advancements.

Staying Ahead with Industrial Automation and Smart Control Systems

We maintain strong relationships with manufacturers and suppliers, remaining open to new ideas and developments that can improve performance or sustainability.

“We have a good relationship with manufacturers and suppliers, so we ensure we are always open to suggestions on new products,” says Steve. “We also ensure we are present at trade shows, checking out manufacturers’ new products.”

This ongoing curiosity and openness to innovation ensure that IWM remains at the forefront of industrial washing technology.

The Future of Sustainable Washing Equipment

The next generation of IWM machines will continue to build on these advancements, particularly in the area of data-driven efficiency.

“We are always looking at new innovations we can bring to the market to benefit our customers,” Steve notes. “Water consumption monitoring will be of massive benefit to our customers as this leads to ensuring our machines are running efficiently, which in turn affects energy and chemical consumption.”

This customer-focused development shows how our engineering teams are not just responding to industry needs but actively shaping the future of sustainable manufacturing.

Celebrating Teamwork in Sustainable Engineering

For IWM, innovation is not just about the technology inside its machines; it’s about the people behind them. Steve and the electrical team represent our company values of collaboration, quality, and continuous improvement.

“The project that has been very enjoyable and rewarding on a personal level, and I believe it has brought value to the business, is the development of our Siemens Control system,” Steve reflects. “This project has been 18 months in the making. This system has been developed with a lot of hard work and assistance from our suppliers and partners. It’s great seeing this system being implemented on our full range of machines. While getting good feedback from customers brings a great sense of pride.”

“My favourite thing about working at IWM is that every day is different,” Steve adds.

It’s this spirit, a blend of innovation, teamwork, and adaptability, that continues to power IWM forward, shaping technologies that deliver for customers today and build a cleaner, more efficient tomorrow.

Powering the Future of Industrial Washing Machines

Under the leadership of Steve Skelding and the wider electrical engineering team, IWM continues to set new standards for innovation in industrial washing technology. Their collective focus on sustainability, reliability, and efficiency reflects the company’s wider mission - delivering intelligent, high-performance machines that help customers operate more sustainably and productively.

Because at IWM, innovation is always a team achievement.