A Warwickshire electrical contractor has recruited extra staff and transformed its premises after receiving financial support from an energy efficiency programme.
Hertz Electrical was started in 2018 by Andy Wood in Somers Road, Rugby, with four employees to provide electrical installation and maintenance for domestic and commercial customers throughout Coventry and Warwickshire.
The 130m2 premises were in need of a complete overhaul to take the business to the next level so Andy got in touch with Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub to see if there was any support available.
Adam Plumb, who covers Rugby for the Growth Hub, put Andy in touch with the Warwickshire Business Energy Advice Service (WBEAS).
The pilot BEAS programme is being run in the West Midlands through the West Midlands Combined Authority with Warwickshire County Council being allocated £1.25 million, with further funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, via Warwickshire’s five District and Borough Councils.
Warwickshire County Council has appointed Coventry City Council to carry out the energy audits and this was completed by Business Energy Adviser Denise Osborne.
That led to Hertz Electrical successfully applying to Warwickshire County Council for a WBEAS grant of £37,561 for a roller shutter door, double glazing, wall insulation, roof insulation, a water heater and voltage optimiser.
Andy said a total of £150,000 had been invested to totally upgrade the site which has also led to three new recruits this year – a solar apprentice and two fully-qualified electricians – to take the number of employees to 16.
He says, “Previously, the insulation was non-existent, which meant it was always cold even when the heating was on, there was limited desk space and storage space was a struggle.
“Now, the walls are fully insulated, which has made it much warmer. We fitted solar panels ourselves, the water heater has been upgraded, and we now have enough room to store solar panels.
“We have new furniture, carpets and LED lighting and the whole place has been painted, so we are feeling more confident about the future.
“We’re in a growing business sector because of the push towards renewables and the changes in technology. Over the last five years there has been so many changes in the industry.
“We really appreciate having the grant because without it we wouldn’t have been able to make these changes for another two years. We needed better premises to support our growth and now we have that.”
WBEAS was launched as part of the £4.6 million Business Growth Warwickshire Programme developed and commissioned jointly by Warwickshire County Council and the five district and borough councils in the county, with funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and the County Council. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is funding an expansion to the service as part of the West Midlands Combined Authority-led pilot.
