With 2021 now starting to recede into the rear-view mirror, we are firmly focused on our vision for 2022, and it truly is an exciting mix of prospects and potential! If 2021 was the year in which we laid foundations for growth following our ‘reset’ at the start of the year, then (continuing with building metaphors) 2022 is when we get ourselves ‘out of the ground’ and onto the building of the business. Bowman's Head of Programs and Commercial Manager, Will Bowers, shares more detail…

We really are entering an important phase of development and this is robustly backed by a capital increase that we have secured from our shareholders, who share bold and ambitious aspirations for Bowman’s potential to contribute to the energy transition. With our eTurbo Systems technology coming to fruition in a broadening range of deployable products over the next 12-24 months, this potential will soon start to be realised.

We have a significant number of projects confirmed, and opportunities for several more in the pipeline – new developments starting, prototypes going into test, field trials getting underway, and initial production of new products. This is in addition to the eTurbine products that are already available and being deployed in both standard and new applications – reducing greenhouse gas emissions today. Here are some highlights:

• An eCompressor for heavy-duty truck engine application (amongst others) will undergo operational environment testing with a major OEM co-development partner and end-customer interest is growing;
• An eTurbocharger for heavy-duty truck engine application is going into initial prototype build and bench testing both at Bowman and with the OEM co-development partner;
• An eTurbocharger for diesel locomotive application will commence on-engine test cell assessment with another co-development partner, in line with plans which are laid out all the way through to start of production;
• We are moving forward with detailed product development of the Bowman fast-start eCompressor for gas generators, and production-intent prototypes will be running in the field in the first half of 2023;
• We will progress our InnovateUK-supported development of a Bowman eTurbocharger for diesel and gas generators, with current focus on the advanced power electronics platform required to support this transformational technology. We expect to also co-develop this product with yet another global OEM.

All this activity aligns fully with the strategy to bring products to the industrial scale (>12 litre capacity) combustion engine market to enable ever cleaner and more sustainable power generation and transportation in markets that are more challenging to de-carbonise at point of use.

We are also progressing early-stage discussions and planning for fuel cell applications for eTurbocharger and eCompressor, but more to follow on this later in the year!

Alongside this development activity, we are making strides forward with the growth of our manufacturing capacity and capabilities. This will involve a substantial refurbishment of our facilities in Southampton, and we already have professional advisors engaged to help with detailed planning of production layouts and other improvements to the site.

Personally, I couldn’t be more excited about the year ahead. The Bowman team, together with its partners on both customer and supplier fronts, is well-positioned and focused on joint objectives for the future. As, hopefully, Covid-related constraints ease, we will be making ourselves more visible at relevant conferences and exhibitions throughout the coming year and beyond, and also travelling to meet current and potential customers and suppliers. I very much look forward to meeting people as we do, and if you want to join the team, please look over at the careers page of the website as we have several vacancies open at the moment.

Let the building of a better tomorrow continue!