Kidderminster eco business on a high (From Kidderminster Shuttle)

Kidderminster eco business on a high

8:00am Saturday 31st October 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)

A KIDDERMINSTER entrepreneur who started a business installing solar water heating systems from his own home has just been awarded a £75,000 contract and is set to take on more staff.

Paul Hutchens, managing director of Eco2Solar, explained that his company specialised in designing, supplying and installing solar water heating systems in houses, care homes, health centres, universities and businesses.

He added that they had recently won a “significant” contract to install 40 solar panels at three sheltered home schemes in Leicester.

He said his business was bucking the trend and continuing to grow despite the recession because the market for renewable energy was “massive” and being boosted by Government grants.

Mr Hutchens explained: “It is a massive market. It is also going to grow very quickly over the next three to four years and be even bigger.

“The sort of growth we have seen is what I hoped would happen when I started the business which is particularly good considering I started up six months before the recession.”

He added: “We are pleased and relieved that we continue to grow successfully throughout this period.

“The significant new contract will make a big impact on the carbon footprint and cost of running the heating and hot water for the old folks.”

Mr Hutchens said he had started his business from his home in Sutton Park Road in 2007 and was now in the process of moving operations to a unit at Hoo Farm Industrial Estate, relocating the company’s stock from its warehouse in Droitwich.

He added: “We are centralising the business which will reduce the logistics nightmare, allow us to hold more stock and make us more efficient.”

Mr Hutchens said they had taken on four staff this year and were planning on employing a further four next year.

He added they were about to expand by “at least 50 per cent” by starting to install solar electric systems.

He explained that there were government grants to install renewable energy systems, such as the low carbon buildings programme.

He added that the government was also set to introduce payments to reward low carbon homeowners, under the clean energy cashback scheme.

Mr Hutchens said the projected turnover of the company by the end of June next year was £750,000 and that they were continuing to hit their targets.

He added: “We are looking to double turnover over the course of the year and last year we had doubled it from the previous year.”

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)