Lincolnshire-based systems integrator Control Freaks is celebrating its 20th anniversary, marking two decades of delivering advanced industrial automation and control systems. The company holds a number of key industry partnerships and accreditations, including Mitsubishi Electric Approved Partner status, reflecting its specialist expertise in complex automation and control system integration.
The company has grown steadily over the past two decades to become a trusted partner for manufacturers and industrial operators requiring highly specialised, bespoke automation solutions. Now based at Holbeach Technology Park, Control Freaks recently expanded into premises three times the size of its previous site to support its continued growth. Today, the company is highly regarded across the automation sector for tackling complex control challenges that few integrators have the expertise to deliver.
Meeting the growing demand for advanced automation expertise
Founded by automation engineer Clint Johnson, Control Freaks has built a reputation across UK industry for delivering high-end industrial automation and control system integration for complex manufacturing and process environments.
The company designs, programmes and integrates sophisticated control architectures incorporating PLCs, safety PLCs, robotics, motion control, machine vision, HMIs and SCADA platforms. This capability allows the team to deliver highly specialised solutions for challenging automation applications where deep technical expertise and system-level integration are critical.
Throughout its 20 years in operation, Control Freaks has worked with leading global automation technology providers, including Siemens, Allen Bradley, Omron, Schneider, Keyence, and has held Mitsubishi Electric Approved Partner status since its early years. These partnerships enable the company to deliver robust, high-performance automation systems aligned with modern industrial control standards.
The company has built a strong reputation for technical delivery and long-term client partnerships, with many customers returning for repeat projects.
“We’re fortunate that many of our projects lead directly to further work with the same clients,” said Clint. “That comes down to the quality of the systems we deliver and the relationships we build with our customers.”
Clint added that the industry is also facing a growing shortage of experienced automation engineers as demand for advanced control systems continues to increase across UK manufacturing and process industries. To help address this, Control Freaks is investing time and resources into developing its own team, supporting engineers early in their careers and building the specialist skills needed to support the future of the industry.
Key milestones and landmark projects
During its 20-year journey, Control Freaks has contributed to a number of high-profile and technically demanding projects, including work on swimming pool control systems for both the London Olympic Games and the Commonwealth Games in Scotland. The team has even supported specialist systems behind a televised illusion, helping a magician appear to walk on water.
The company has also delivered complex automation systems for major manufacturers and engineering organisations such as Bakkavor, Greencore, ITP Aero, Pilgrim’s Pride, Aston Martin and Mitsubishi Electric across sectors, including food manufacturing, aggregates, construction, recycling, automotive and industrial processing, often involving highly specialised control, robotics and integration work that requires deep technical expertise.
Reflecting on the milestone, founder Clint Johnson said the company’s success has always been built on engineering quality and long-term relationships. “For us it has always been about doing the job properly. Every system we deliver has to work reliably and perform exactly as it should,” he said.
As the business has grown, so too has its team of engineers and automation specialists, enabling Control Freaks to take on increasingly sophisticated systems integration projects. Clint added that developing the team has been one of the most rewarding parts of building the company. “Some of the people who joined us early in their careers have grown into highly skilled engineers. Watching that development over time is something I’m incredibly proud of.”
The future of Control Freaks
Looking ahead, Clint believes the continued expansion of automation and digital manufacturing will create new opportunities for the company. “There is always new technology emerging and new challenges to solve,” he said. “That’s what makes this industry so exciting, and we’re looking forward to the next chapter.”
Control Freaks will mark the anniversary this month as the company reflects on two decades of engineering innovation and looks ahead to continued growth in the automation sector.
Read other recent UK Manufacturing news: https://uk-manufacturing-online.co.uk/category/news/
