Ingeteam’s 50th anniversary celebration was held in the Euskalduna Palace, in Bilbao, Spain, with a stirring tribute to the four families who founded the company.
Fifty years ago, a group of four engineer friends travelling home after completing post-graduate engineering studies in Germany, decided to set up a business. Despite the tough situation at the time, they founded the company - TEAM in 1972, and it later merged with Ingelectric to create Ingeteam.
Tribute to the founders of Ingeteam
The company also has production facilities in Milwaukee in the United States of America (USA), Brazil, Mexico and India
The foursome – Javier Madariaga, Víctor Mendiguren, Miguel Gandiaga and Alberto Belaustegui – laid the foundations for Ingeteam to become what it is today, a company with a staff of 4,100 and four Spanish production centres, located in Bizkaia, Gipuzkoa, Navarra and Albacete.
The company also has production facilities in Milwaukee in the United States of America (USA), Brazil, Mexico and India, and sales offices in 24 countries. In short, Ingeteam is a multi-national corporation, operating in all 5 continents.
Ingeteam’s 50th anniversary celebration
The anniversary celebration was attended by the Ingeteam’s Chairwoman - Teresa Madariaga and its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) - Adolfo Rebollo, together with the President of the Basque Government - Iñigo Urkullu, the Head of the Bizkaia Provincial Government - Unai Rementeria and the Government Delegate - Denis Itxaso, among other authorities. The event also attracted participation from customers, suppliers and company employees.
In the words of Ingeteam’s Chairwoman - Teresa Madariaga, “Ingeteam will follow the path set out by its four founders, with the same effort, drive and enthusiasm, as they had at the start, to continue at the forefront of technology for at least another 50 years to come.”
Likewise, Ingeteam’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Adolfo Rebollo said he wished to “Thank the customers, institutions and all the colleagues that have been part of the Ingeteam family. To those of you, who are here today and to those who are no longer with us, thank you for making it possible to celebrate Ingeteam’s 50th anniversary today.”
At the forefront in renewable energy generation
We want to gain even more recognition for changing the energy model"
Adolfo Rebollo adds, “With deep convictions and innovation potential, we want to become established as leaders in renewable energy generation, in storage, smart grids and clean, efficient energy consumption. We want to gain even more recognition for changing the energy model, and we will dedicate all our efforts to that in the forthcoming years.”
Over these 50 years, Ingeteam has successfully established itself at the cutting edge of technology in the sectors it works in: wind energy, solar power, electric mobility, electrical grids, green hydrogen, hydraulic generation, the naval, traction, metallurgy, water and mining industries and energy storage, among others.
Technology milestones
To outline some of Ingeteam’s main milestones, in 1984 the company embarked on the development of the first hydroelectric power generation regulation systems, a generation control system that would later be applied to wind energy and photovoltaic power.
In the 1990s, together with the electric companies, it specialised in the turnkey supply of turbine regulation and control units, and the entire automation process for hydroelectric plants.
In the same decade, it launched a series of subsidiary companies, firstly in Germany and later in the Czech Republic, Mexico, France, South Africa, Chile, Thailand, Panama, the Philippines, Uruguay, Morocco, the UK, Honduras, Vietnam and other countries.
Pioneered the development of variable speed machines
In 1995, Ingeteam pioneered the development of variable speed machines, a technology that has since become the gold standard of the wind energy industry.
The company’s development of power electronics systems for the wind energy sector in 2000 gave rise to variants applicable to other types of renewable energy, such as photovoltaic solar power in 2001, which was just starting out at the time.
In 2010, Ingeteam took its first steps in the electric mobility sector, developing electric vehicle recharging posts. The company’s focus on the electrification of society, together with its technological capacity, has enabled it to become established as one of the main players in this sector.
Expansion of green hydrogen business
Ingeteam began to operate in the energy storage sector in 2009 with various R&D projects
Ingeteam began to operate in the energy storage sector in 2009 with various R&D projects. In 2014, after carrying out a series of distribution substation projects, it built the first utility-scale facility, a 9 MWh station annexed to a photovoltaic generation plant.
In 2021, it launched its green hydrogen business with the aim of becoming the leading company for power electronics related to green hydrogen generation.
Successful in securing major contracts
Over its 50 years of business, Ingeteam has succeeded in securing major contracts with the world’s top companies, winning public contracts and competing with the main technologists on a global level.
The company's technology is used in wind farms and photovoltaic plants worldwide, on ships and cruise liners, in desalination plants, on trains, metros and trams, in biomass, hydraulic and metallurgical plants and in mines, among other areas.
Ambitious strategic plan
The company is currently implementing an ambitious strategic plan involving the recruitment of 1,000 people in the next three years, more than 100 of whom will work in the R&D area, and €210 million investment, €140 million of which will go to R&D (Research & Development), so that it can continue its commitment to in-house technology.
The company is a key player in the electrification of society, as can be seen from a record order book resulting from in-house technology development. Thanks to this firm commitment, Ingeteam has invested 5% of its annual turnover in R&D for several decades.
