At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the UK was conducting over five million tests per week, the rapid expansion of testing capacity became a national priority.
Working in collaboration with TGS Automotive Group, Merlin Power was tasked with the design, manufacture, and supply of complete electrical power systems for 500 Mobile Testing Units, all to be delivered within just three months, during a global pandemic and amid severe post-Brexit supply chain disruption.
This programme directly mirrored the realities of Urgent Operational Requirements: compressed timelines, fleet-scale delivery, constrained supply chains, and zero tolerance for failure, demonstrating Merlin Power’s ability to deliver mission-critical capability at speed, without loss of control, quality, or reliability.
The Challenge
Each MTU required a robust, self-contained electrical power system capable of supporting refrigeration, lighting, and welfare equipment, while remaining within strict vehicle space and weight limits.
Reliability underpins every Merlin Power system. On this programme, that reliability was operationally exposed at scale; any weakness would have resulted in immediate loss of capability, with no opportunity for technical intervention by the medical teams using the vehicles.
Alongside the technical challenge sat an exceptional logistical challenge: design, manufacture, and supply 500 systems in just three months, against a backdrop of:
- COVID-19-driven global supply chain disruption
- Brexit-related procurement uncertainty
- Disruption to standard working practices due to government safety guidance
Any delay would have directly impacted the UK’s ability to scale national testing.
What gave merlin's solution the edge?
- Bespoke system design, simplifying installation and conversion time for TGS with a robust, self-contained solution
- Standardised architecture, enabling repeatable, high-volume delivery
- In-house manufacturing, maintaining control over quality and timelines
- Resilient procurement, due to strategic stock holdings and a robust supply chain of British and European manufacturers
The Result
In March 2021, Merlin Power successfully delivered all 500 electrical power systems on time, enabling the rapid deployment of a national fleet of Mobile Testing Units.
The programme was recognised with the Western Morning News Business Award for Innovation, acknowledging Merlin Power’s ability to deliver complex, mission-critical infrastructure under extreme time pressure.
Client Testimonial
“I particularly want to thank James Hortop and the team at Merlin Power… all of these suppliers have worked in an unprecedented time scale. Even when we were hitting serious supply chain issues post-Brexit, everyone pulled together and did what they had to do to achieve what we had to achieve.”
— Nathan Smith, Director, TGS Group
If your organisation faces an urgent operational need, get in touch:
- Email: defence@merlin-power.com
- Phone: 01202 697 979