Two energy and utility management specialists have joined forces to launch a new consultancy that is designed to navigate for what many is now a top three business cost and a boardroom priority.
Liam Conway and Rich Clark have started Greenfields Energy Group to provide an alternative to established consultancies, combining the latest technology and an expert eye for savings with, importantly, the personal service that was becoming a thing of the past in the sector.
The duo, who have more than 25 years’ experience, have opened an office in the Black Country and will initially target manufacturers coming to terms with massive rises in gas and electricity prices, as well as supporting businesses that have a £100,000+ energy spend in hospitality, leisure, and retail.
Clients will be guided through their procurement strategy with the level of importance it deserves and not a phone call or email with a ‘Time to Renew’ notice.
Using this approach, the company is predicting it will secure 40 clients in the first year and this will generate more than £1m in fees.
“The personal touch has slowly been disappearing from energy consultancy and this has been replaced with the same approach to every situation and that has seen firms locked into overinflated contracts,” commented Liam Conway, who has become a key ally for the manufacturing sector over the last five years.
“We’re all about people and relationships – getting to know the management teams, their businesses and how we can use our knowledge of the industry to save them money on their electricity and gas.”
He continued: “All of this will be done without any unnecessary fluff or complicated jargon and by tapping into the full suite of solutions we can offer, from fixed-term pricing to flexible procurement.
“For larger clients they will have bespoke risk management strategies in place, with regular interaction covering market and business risk. We also have the ability to operate a collective flexible product, which gives slightly smaller clients the ability to access the same market as bigger firms.”
Liam is joined in the business by Rich Clark, an experienced energy procurement specialist that has worked with hundreds of companies to analyse usage and then explore the variety of options available to them.
He brings extensive risk management and trading expertise to the table, as well as unique insights into market conditions that will support firms with securing energy savings and helping towards their sustainable goals/Net Zero journey.
Several deals have already been signed with new clients and the plan for the duo is to take on up to 5 people over the next twelve months to cater for the anticipated demand in Greenfields Energy Group services.
Rich continued: “There has been a lot of advice handed out recently around energy and utility management and this is costing companies hundreds of thousands of pounds – mainly by being locked into the wrong contract.
“The real frustration we have is that companies are often only given limited options and those options have hurt businesses significantly. For the majority, fixed price contracts are no longer fit-for-purpose in the current energy climate. In fact, we know of one business that is going to spend an additional £2m every year that is completely unnecessary.”
He concluded: “Many organisations are coming out of fixed-price contacts, so now is the perfect time for them to consider a new approach, an approach that is personal, flexible and matches their precise risk/energy management situation.”
For further information, please visit www.greenfieldsenergygroup.co.uk
