In this month’s Face to Face we speak with Stuart Davey, UK Sales Manager at IMO Precision Controls, and find out more about the company and how it operates.

Q. When was IMO founded and how has its product offering evolved over the years?

A. IMO Precision Controls was founded in 1972 in Staples Corner, North London and has since grown into a global manufacturer and supplier of industrial control, automation and electronic components. Originally established with a focus on high quality relays and industrial control products and quickly developed a reputation for innovation, reliability and strong technical support.

Over the years, IMO’s product offering has evolved significantly in line with changing industrial and energy market demands. From its early success with control relays and switchgear, the company expanded into motor control and automation technologies, including AC variable speed drives, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), HMIs, power supplies, circuit protection and industrial automation components. IMO has also been recognised for introducing innovative products such as the first compact AC inverter for motor speed control.

More recently, IMO has strengthened its position within the renewable energy and electrical infrastructure sectors, developing specialist ranges including solar PV DC isolators, surge protection devices, EV charging components and safety products for the fast-growing clean energy market. Today, the business supplies customers globally across industrial automation, panel building, OEM manufacturing, energy management and solar applications, while continuing to engineer products focused on quality, reliability and ease of installation.

Q. What are IMO’s core product ranges?

A. Today, IMO’s core product ranges include:

• Industrial Control & Automation – including PLCs, HMIs, variable speed drives, power supplies, timers, relays and interface modules designed to improve machine performance and efficiency.
• Circuit Protection & Switching – featuring MCBs, MCCBs, contactors, switch disconnectors, motor protection products and control panel components used across industrial and commercial installations.
• Rotary Isolators – IMO’s well-established AC rotary isolator range, including the popular STAG series, widely used in industrial and HVAC applications for safe isolation and switching.
• Solar PV Components – where IMO has become a recognised market leader, particularly with its True DC Isolator range, alongside string combiner boxes & surge protection devices.
• Surge Protection Devices (SPDs) – designed to protect electrical installations and sensitive equipment from transient overvoltage events across industrial, commercial and renewable energy applications.
• Enclosures & Panel Solutions – offering DIN rail enclosures, junction boxes and custom control panel accessories to support panel builders and OEMs.
• Connection & Interface Technology – including terminals, connectors, cable management and interface solutions for streamlined electrical installation and control system integration.

At IMO, we continue to evolve its portfolio in line with industry trends, with a strong focus on renewable energy, energy efficiency, smart automation and electrical safety technologies.

Q. What industries are IMO products and solutions commonly found in?

A. Our products and solutions are found across an exceptionally diverse range of industries, including manufacturing, renewables, HVAC+R, packaging, material handling, panel builders and pharmaceuticals to name a few.

At its core, IMO has a strong heritage within the industrial manufacturing and automation sector, supplying products that are the backbone of factories, production facilities and machinery applications globally. Our components are essential in OEM machinery, conveyor systems, packaging equipment, process control systems, water treatment plants and industrial automation environments where dependable performance is critical.

Alongside its industrial expertise, IMO has become a major force within the renewable energy market, particularly in solar PV. We have established a leading position in the DC Isolator market, with the TRUE DC Isolator range, earning an outstanding reputation for quality, safety and reliability, backed by independent industry bodies.

The key differentiator for IMO within the solar sector is its exceptional reliability record, with zero reported electrical failures across the 10 million installed units. This gives enormous confidence amongst solar manufacturers, installers, EPC contractors and wholesalers.

Beyond the products themselves, customers often choose IMO for the support and partnership that comes with them. We work closely with OEMs, panel builders, installers, distributors and end users to understand application requirements, provide technical guidance and help solve challenges throughout a project lifecycle. This collaborative approach, combined with responsive customer service and technical expertise, has helped IMO build long-term relationships across the industries we serve.

Q. Can you tell us a bit about the Stag range and its place in the current IMO product lineup? 

A. The Stag range is the contractor’s choice, developed specifically with the wholesale market in mind. It complements the wider IMO portfolio by offering reliable, installer-friendly products that are in high demand, and readily available through electrical wholesalers. Its flagship Stag AC Isolator range has become a trusted and recognisable product for contractors, panel builders and installers nationwide.

Today, the Stag range covers a broad selection of everyday electrical products including AC isolators, cable glands, changeover switches, timers, waterproof connectors, enclosures, gel boxes and screwless connectors. The range has been developed to provide dependable, high quality solutions for industrial, commercial and renewable energy applications.

Within the IMO lineup, Stag works alongside our market leading TRUE DC Isolator range to provide customers with a complete AC and DC isolation offering from a single trusted manufacturer. Stags’ strong reputation for quality, availability and ease of installation makes Stag a popular choice throughout the UK electrical industry.

Q. How has the increased demand for DC Isolators shaped recent product development at IMO?

A. One of the biggest areas of focus has been safety and performance under load. Unlike AC switching, DC switching presents unique technical challenges due to the continuous nature of DC current. Our team has therefore concentrated on developing a “True DC Isolator” designed for these applications ensuring safe operation in high voltage photovoltaic environments certified to: UL508i and AS60947.3:2023 – the toughest global standards.

The market’s expectations for reliability have also increased significantly. Solar installations are expected to operate for decades in harsh outdoor conditions, so product longevity has become critical. This has influenced material selection, enclosure design, UV resistance, ingress protection ratings, and thermal performance across our DC isolator range.

This demand has helped position us as the UK’s leading manufacturer of True DC Isolators. Achieving our zero reported electrical failures has been a major milestone and is the reason we have over 10 million installed units globally.

The growth in renewables has also accelerated product diversification. We now offer a broader range of enclosure options, switch configurations, and accessories to support everything from residential rooftop solar to large-scale commercial and industrial PV systems.

Ultimately, the increasing demand for True DC isolators has not only driven higher volumes within the market but has also raised the benchmark for product quality, innovation, and safety standards, something that continues to shape our development strategy.

Q. What are IMO’s long-term aims and objectives in the UK market?

A. IMO’s long-term aims and objectives in the UK market are centred around continued product innovation, growth and strengthening our partnerships that have helped drive the business forward over recent years.

IMO has more than doubled its UK business in recent years, and a key objective moving forward is to build on this momentum by working even closer with customers across the industrial manufacturing, automation, electrical wholesale, and renewable energy sectors.

A major focus for IMO remains in the renewable energy market, particularly the solar PV, where we have an established product and strong momentum with existing partnerships. Alongside this, we continue to support the industrial manufacturing and automation sectors with products widely used in machine building, process control, and factory automation applications.

One of IMO’s greatest strengths is our ability to adapt quickly to changing market demands, allowing us to rapidly target new and emerging sectors while continuing to deliver the high levels of quality, technical support, and customer service that customers have come to expect from IMO. In a market where many competitors are increasingly distancing themselves from customers on a personal level, we pride ourselves on building strong relationships and providing a responsive, customer-focused approach backed by technical expertise and account support.

We believe that products alone don’t build successful businesses, by staying close to our customers, responding to changing market needs and continuing to deliver the levels of service and support that have helped define IMO for more than 50 years.

To find out more about IMO Precision Controls, click here

Catch up on previous ‘Face to Face’ articles here