Crestchic opens Melbourne depot in Asia-Pacific push

Crestchic Loadbanks has opened a new depot in Melbourne, Australia, extending its international network into another Asia-Pacific market.

The Melbourne base follows the recent opening of a depot in Sweden and is part of the load testing equipment supplier's wider overseas expansion. The Australian operation will serve customers in data centres, power generation, marine engineering, utilities and defence-related work across the region.

Data centre growth

Melbourne is a notable choice because it has become a major hub for data centre development in Australia. The market has also attracted operators building facilities to support artificial intelligence workloads, with government policy backing further investment in the sector.

The new depot places Crestchic closer to a growing concentration of major operators and hyperscale customers. That local presence is intended to shorten response times for projects requiring load testing equipment during commissioning and maintenance.

The move into Australia is also linked to investment in the company's UK manufacturing base. Crestchic plans to double its manufacturing footprint and increase production output by a further 75% in the coming years as demand rises in international markets.

Testing demand

Load banks are used to test power systems by applying an artificial electrical load, allowing operators to assess the performance of generators, uninterruptible power systems and related infrastructure under controlled conditions. Demand for the equipment has risen alongside growth in data centre construction, where backup power systems are a critical part of site operations.

The Australian depot will be led by Iain Hannaway, who has been appointed General Manager of Crestchic Australia. He has worked in the power generation industry and held senior roles in energy and data centre businesses.

He will be supported by Senior Engineer Wayne Larkham and Field Engineer Anthony Carlin-Smith. The local team will give customers access to engineering support in the market, rather than relying solely on equipment and personnel from overseas operations.

The depot will offer load banks ranging from 10kW to 100MW and voltages from 110V to 36,000V, enabling it to support projects from smaller power testing jobs to large-scale infrastructure installations.

Chris Caldwell, Managing Director, Crestchic, outlined the company's view of the market opportunity in Melbourne. "Melbourne is rapidly establishing itself as a powerhouse for AI-driven hyperscale development, and, as facilities grow, the appetite for high-capacity, reliable load testing in that market is proving to be enormous. Having a local presence means we can support operators with the speed and responsiveness they need. It is a hugely exciting market to be entering," said Chris Caldwell, Managing Director, Crestchic.

Regional support

Crestchic operates across the UK, Ireland, France, Belgium, Sweden, Germany, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific. Its business spans both manufacturing and rental, allowing it to supply equipment for specific installations or provide temporary units for testing programmes.

That combination of sales and rental has become important in sectors where operators need equipment for a limited commissioning period but also want access to technical support. In data centres and power generation, testing requirements can vary widely depending on the size of the facility, the design of backup systems and the frequency of maintenance checks.

Crestchic is part of the Aggreko Group, which includes businesses in temporary power, temperature control, renewables, rooftop solar and decarbonisation services. Being part of the wider group gives it access to additional investment and operational support as it expands in overseas markets.

Local strategy

For Crestchic, the Australian launch also reflects a broader shift in industrial supply chains towards regional bases that can support customers on the ground. Equipment providers serving fast-growing infrastructure sectors are increasingly under pressure to offer local stock, local engineers and shorter delivery times.

Hannaway pointed to those requirements in outlining the strategy for the new operation. "What sets Crestchic apart is the combination of world-class manufacturing, a vast rental fleet and deep sector expertise. The operators we will be working with here are running some of the most complex, high-value infrastructure in the Asia-Pacific region, and they need a load testing partner they can trust completely. We have the people, the products, and the local knowledge to deliver that, and I am looking forward to getting started," said Hannaway.