For over 20 years, PWR Advanced Cooling Technology has grown and developed into various avenues as the business rapidly evolved.
This expansion wouldn’t be possible without the assistance, loyalty, and dedication of our passionate staff, and in this employee spotlight section, we aim to tell their PWR story.
Employee
Name: Julian Conlan
Position: Lead Wind Tunnel Technician
Years worked at PWR: 21 years
What is your name, and how long have you been with PWR?
My name is Julian Conlan, and I have worked at PWR for 21 years.
What is your role at PWR?
I am the Lead Wind Tunnel Technician at PWR, which entails supporting the engineering group in motorsport, Aerospace, and Defence. The PWR wind tunnel generates real-time performance data for our simulation team and the greater engineering group. This facility essentially “backs up what we say we can do”. It’s my role to ensure this testing is repeatable and that the PWR wind tunnel remains one of the best tools for developing our product. Testing spans from F1 and Aerospace, and right down to the everyday road car applications. There are not a lot of cooling components that we can’t test in this wind tunnel. I take great pride in what we have achieved in the Wind Tunnel to date.
It’s incredibly satisfying to know that what I do in the wind tunnel translates to F1 teams winning world championships.
What has changed at PWR during your time with the company?
The biggest change I’ve seen within the company across that time is the scale and momentum of PWR. In the beginning, we were just a small company in a tin shed making bespoke cooling systems. Now, through the constant evolution of our manufacturing technology and staff, PWR has expanded to be an absolute leader in cooling technology in most sectors of the planet. I am very proud to be a part of where PWR came from and where it is today.
What makes working at PWR special?
For me in my department, the challenge of testing something different every single day is what I enjoy and never take for granted. It’s tough to maintain a facility that allows us to test at the rate that we do but this is what makes PWR unique and certainly special. PWR has also seen the power of the right people and gathered some of the best cooling minds in the business. These staffing increases and placing some of the best manufacturing technology at their disposal are exactly why we are in the current market position we are in today.
With special people, we can build specialised products.
PWR is also very unique in the cooling space because we manufacture and test under one roof. The wind tunnel certainly plays a huge role in keeping us far more reactive than our competitors. Having customers test on-site with their own parts of not something many other companies in the world can offer.
What excites you about your respective department?
I am very privileged to be one of the first in the business to see the performance of a new assembly, especially when it’s a new concept and exceeds expectations.
Working alongside other driven individuals is also something that motivates me and pushes the limits of what we can achieve. The career progression at PWR is also very impressive and is one element that has allowed me to achieve the position I’m in. I am also in a very fortunate position to run the wind tunnel while F1 teams are here. PWR places a lot of faith in my abilities to conduct this testing and it’s my job to deliver.
How has PWR helped you develop professionally when you look back to where you started?
Over 21 years ago I had a meeting with Kees Weel while he was at a sprint car meeting in Victoria. At that stage, PWR only had several staff, but just from that single meeting I could tell the company was driven to succeed and I knew it was where I wanted to work. I wouldn’t have even dreamed of running a wind tunnel 21 years ago, however different steps throughout the PWR system alongside great opportunities, have provided me with a great career. Much of the cooling industry knowledge I have obtained within the PWR walls.
As PWR evolved, the education components within the HR systems have taken staff to another level. To meet our new accreditations, this simply had to happen and will continue to do so.
I wouldn’t have even dreamed of running a wind tunnel 20 years ago, however different steps throughout the PWR system alongside great opportunities have provided me with a great career.
Julian Conlan
Why would you encourage someone to work at PWR?
Showing people what we have the ability to do, particularly in this room and the type of clients we have, is very encouraging to prospective employees. The learning opportunities and different pathways inside the building from TAFE to University graduates are really exciting and should entice anyone to come and join the team.