Rich Clark, Kim Haddock and Liam Conway (all Greenfields Energy Group)Greenfields Energy Group, one of the UK’s fastest-growing energy management consultancies for manufacturers has hit the £1 million revenue figure - just 18 months since its launch. The company is running six months ahead of a schedule set by founders Liam Conway and Rich Clark after winning a string of new customers from the manufacturing, retail, hospitality and education sectors.
The duo’s commitment to personalised service and strong account management has been the decisive factor for businesses battling with a complex utilities market and rising energy prices. Just this week, the firm - with offices in the Black Country and Sussex – confirmed the high profile hire of Kim Haddock as its new account director, following in the footsteps last year of Neil Freeman and Lindsay Williams, the latter joining as head of energy bureau.
Mr Conway, who has worked in the sector for 15 years, said: “Businesses are facing cost challenges on every front and are keen to explore how they can make their operations more efficient, gain a bit of certainty in the market and reduce costs if that is possible. Uncertainty and bad deals have left management teams looking for a trusted consultant, who can be a constant source of advice, reassurance and insight. They do not want someone to speak to them once, fix a deal and then go silent on them until it is time to sign a new contract.”
He continued: “That is where we come in. From the very start we have wanted to be client-focused and all our account directors will have no more than 50 companies they are looking after at any one time. This means they can spend time with them, visit them in person, identify potential savings or explore ways where they can implement ‘green energy’ solutions.”
More capacityHe added: “It is an approach that is paying off, with the £1 million revenue milestone passed ahead of schedule and Kim Haddock’s appointment giving us even more capacity to add another £500,000 of sales on over the next 12 months.”
Greenfields Energy Group provides procurement consultancy on electricity, gas and water, combining extensive risk management and trading expertise with personalised service and modern tools and tech. The business, which has fostered strong partnerships with the Confederation of British Metalforming (CBM) and the Surface Engineering Association, has just signed up its 100th company — another major milestone.
John Stokes Chrome, a specialist in hard chrome plating, is one of the firms that has already benefitted. Managing director Tom Stokes said: “Liam has supported us for many years, so we were only too pleased to move to Greenfields when it launched. Electricity costs are a significant spend for us, almost to the tune of £400,000 per annum. As such, it is critical we get a high level of engagement from the people we take advice from and that is exactly what we are getting from Greenfields, with site visits and constant communication. I am also the chairman of the Surface Engineering Association and Greenfields has been very proactive, working with 30 of our members to date.”
Mr Conway concluded: “18 months after launching and we are looking after £130 million of utilities spend, which shows the faith and trust our clients have in us. With the plans we have got in place and the further recruitment of another two people, I think we could easily grow by a further 50% by the end of 2025.”