The company responsible for helping to bring over 1000 residential properties in the most deprived areas of the region out of fuel poverty – Saving Energy North East – has been named as Newcomer of the Year at the annual North East Business Awards.
With this year’s ceremony held at Newcastle Marriott hotel to celebrate the regions business excellence, the Ashington based renewable energy company received the prestigious accolade in recognition of its outstanding performance, having only started life under two years ago.
The company specialises in installing a series of energy saving measures such as solar PV, insulation and biomass to both businesses and homeowners, helping them to significantly reduce their energy bills and carbon emissions.
In only a matter of months after launching, the company secured – and has successfully delivered – two major large scale solar projects. Commissioned by Arch, The Northumberland Development Company, the business installed solar PV to 380 residential properties, on top of fitting PV to 400 purpose built bungalows on behalf of Northumberland Aged Mineworkers Home Association (NAMWA).
Speaking about receiving the award, Garry Coulson, Managing Director at Saving Energy North East said: “We are delighted to have been honoured with this regional award and to receive recognition for our on-going commitment to provide sustainable, energy saving measures that will help to save our environment.
“Since setting up the company, we are extremely proud of our contribution to boosting the region’s economy and providing long term job opportunities. We have an excellent team behind us who have all played an influential role in helping us to get to where we are today and our plan is to continue to grow year on year.”
In its first year of trading, Saving Energy North East reported a turnover in excess of £4million, of which the company anticipates to grow by a further 30% by the end of its next financial year and achieve a turnover of £5million in its third year.
The company prides itself on providing job opportunities for hard to reach groups and local people who have experienced long term unemployment, providing full training and teaching new transferrable skills and the business has secured Investors in People in recognition of its commitment.
With 40 per cent of staff recruited directly from unemployment, the company now employs 30 staff with plans to double the number of employees in the next two years.
And the award comes just months after the company was crowned New Business of the Year at the Northumberland Business Awards, reigning victorious against a high calibre of competition.
Garry added: “The standard of entries at this year’s award was exceptionally high, which makes the award an even greater achievement.
“This last year has been particularly challenging for the renewables industry due to government funding cuts, however it has been great to see that people in the region have took an invested interest in the benefits that energy saving measures can have in both businesses and homes.”
As such, the company has recently installed solar panels to 212 of Darlington Borough Council properties. Furthermore, the company has recently completed a unique solar installation for local haulier Alan Ferguson comprising 322 panels designed to read ‘FERGY’ in recognition of the family name.
Established in 2014, Saving Energy North East offers a range of renewable products and services to both domestic and commercial customers. Its end to end services extends from biomass, solar PV and solar thermal through to external wall insulation, LED lighting and boiler changes.