Decarbonisation Net Zero Programme (West Midlands and Warwickshire) - Print version

The below case studies showcase how energy efficiency improvements can help businesses reduce their carbon footprint and save money on energy bills. Please note these businesses had received support from the Green Business Programme, funded by the European Regional Development Fund. Please note grant values and eligibility criteria will be different for the Decarbonisation Net Zero Programme which is funded by the UK Prosperity Fund.

Warwickshire Business Expands with WBEAS Support and Energy Audit offered by Coventry City Council 

Harry Burrows Fabrications, a Warwickshire-based manufacturing firm, has significantly boosted productivity and reduced energy consumption following support from the Warwickshire Business Energy Advice Service (WBEAS). The company received a grant that covered a third of the £300,000 cost of a new laser cutter, enabling them to meet growing demand, cut energy use, and reduce annual CO2 emissions by 22.77 tonnes.

The new machine has transformed their production process, allowing them to work more efficiently and potentially expand their workforce.

The WBEAS initiative, part of the £4.6 million Business Growth Warwickshire Programme, is designed to help small businesses become more sustainable and competitive.

Read the full story on the Warwickshire County Council's website.  [https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/news/article/5602/wbeas-support-takes-brakes-off-harry-burrows-growth-plans]

Hillfields Supermarket receives grant for solar panel system from Decarbonisation Net Zero Programme

Hillfields Supermarket has been awarded a grant of £24,750 from the Decarbonisation Net Zero Programme, which is delivered by the Business Growth West Midlands (BGWM) team at Coventry City Council, to support the installation of a new solar panel system that will power all of its business operations.

Established in 1989, this family-owned business has served the local community for over 35 years. It currently employs nine people and caters to a diverse range of ethnic communities, including Eastern European and Asian populations.

The business owner, Satinder Sandhu faced significant challenges post-Brexit due to increased costs for sourcing products from Europe. To mitigate these challenges, he focused on enhancing the business's energy efficiency, upgrading lighting systems to LED, and ensuring machinery operates efficiently.

At the beginning of 2024, Satinder sought further assistance from BGWM to explore additional savings. Coventry City Council provided a free energy audit to identify opportunities for energy and carbon reductions.

Following the audit, it was agreed that the business would invest £49,500 in a new solar PV system. Upon completion of the project, the business will be eligible to claim back half of the cost through a grant from the Decarbonisation Net Zero Programme, funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and the Business Energy Advice Service (BEAS) funded by the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNZ).

The business has also received a Business Support Capital [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/business-finance-funding] grant of just over £6,500, which allowed them to purchase new fridge doors. 70% of energy costs were being used on refrigeration due to open refrigeration units throughout the store which are on 24 hours per day and therefore were always pumping out cold air directly into the shop.  The investment of £15,700 the business has made on the fridge doors has resulted in the cold air being retained inside the fridge, making the electric motors more efficient achieving future energy savings.

The new solar panel system is expected to save the business over £10,000 annually on energy bills and reduce carbon emissions by more than ten tonnes every year.

Santinder Sandhu, the Business Owner of Hillfields Supermarket said: “Given the rising costs, we are doing everything possible to avoid passing them on to our customers. We have begun reviewing our energy usage to identify areas for further improvement. We are very pleased that the council has supported us in reducing our costs and lowering our carbon footprint.”

Jim O'Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change at Coventry City Council said: "We understand how challenging the business environment is right now, and that’s why this support is so important and so valuable. Hillfields Supermarket is an excellent example of how taking advantage of the free energy audit led to a grant that delivered significant savings on energy costs. If you are a business with fewer than 250 employees based in Coventry or the wider West Midlands or Warwickshire, please act quickly—there are only a few months left in the Decarbonisation Net Zero Programme, and we want to help more businesses save money and reduce their carbon footprint."

Coventry nightclub switches to green energy with help from the Business Growth West Midlands team at Coventry City Council

Club 147, located on Far Gosford Street, has been awarded a grant of £24,000 from the Decarbonisation Net Zero Programme, funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The grant facilitated the installation of a new solar panel array and energy storage batteries, allowing the nightclub to efficiently power its daily operations as well as its evening events.

Owned by Chris Mcturk, Club 147 opened in 2021 during the pandemic, a challenging time for the hospitality industry. Despite these difficulties, the nightclub has flourished over the past three years and has become one of Coventry's most popular nightlife destinations.

In 2023, Chris sought assistance from Business Growth West Midlands (BGWM) Coventry City Council team and the Decarbonisation Net Zero Programme to reduce energy costs and enhance sustainability. The process began with a comprehensive energy audit conducted by one of the council’s energy experts, identifying opportunities for energy savings and carbon reduction.

Following the audit, Chris decided to invest £49,000 in a new solar system and battery storage. This investment is expected to save over £6,000 annually on energy bills and reduce carbon emissions by more than six tonnes per year.  The Decarbonisation Net Zero Programme, funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and the Business Energy Advice Service (BEAS) funded by the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNZ) covered half of the project's cost.

Grant funding helps local training provider reduce carbon emissions and energy expenses

Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce Training has recently been awarded a £9,000 grant through the Decarbonisation Net Zero Programme, delivered by the Business Growth West Midlands (BGWM) team at Coventry City Council .

The organisation, which provides training to over 500 businesses annually, sought to minimise its environmental impact and reduce energy costs. They contacted the council and arranged a free energy efficiency audit, which can identify opportunities for significant carbon and money savings.

The subsequent report revealed that nearly 20 tonnes of carbon emissions could be saved annually if the business invested £18,000 in a new boiler, roof insulation, and LED lighting. Following the completion of these projects, the business was able to reimburse half of the costs through the Decarbonisation Net Zero Programme, funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and the Business Energy Advice Service (BEAS) funded by Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNZ). Along with the grant, the business expects to save over £10,000 a year on energy bills due to the improvements.

Sally Lucas, Executive Director of Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce Training said:

"The grant application process was straightforward and easy to navigate, thanks to the support and guidance from the BGWM team at Coventry City Council. The grant has greatly improved our energy efficiency and resulted in substantial financial savings. Previously, our building was heated by outdated and inefficient boilers, and with rising energy costs, the grant has enabled us to upgrade our heating system and add loft insulation. We highly recommend the DESNZ Decarbonisation Net Zero Programme, as it has been a key enabler in advancing our net zero goals while also delivering significant financial benefits to our business."

Jim O'Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change at Coventry City Council said:
“The total cost of the project was £18,000, with the grant able to cover half of the cost. As the business is now set to save over £10,000 annually, it will get back the investment within a year. This type of improvement really is a win, win – carbon savings and cost savings.

“I’d urge all businesses based in Coventry and the wider West Midlands and Warwickshire to take advantage of the DESNZ Decarbonisation Net Zero Programme support through BGWM while it’s still available.”

Leamington based SME saves £5000 pa on energy bills following support from the Green Business Programme

Following support from the Green Business Programme, another small business based in Warwickshire has recently announced a significant reduction in their cost of energy bills and carbon footprint.

GRM Consulting, a small design engineering consultancy based in Leamington started their Net Zero journey in early 2021 when they pledged to become carbon neutral by 2040.

Determined to achieve their objective, Martin Gambling, Managing Director of GRM Consulting, started investigating ways of reducing their carbon footprint and looking into the local support schemes available for small businesses.

“The Green Business Programme was offering exactly what we needed: free energy and resource efficiency audits to help us identify where savings could be made and grants to enable us to scale up our energy efficiency ambitions,” said Martin.

The Green Business Programme is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and delivered by Coventry City Council and its partners. The programme is the most successful green grant funding scheme available in Coventry and Warwickshire and since its launch in 2016 over 300 businesses have been offered support which has resulted in a reduction of over 14,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.

The support offered to GRM Consulting consisted of a free energy and resource efficiency audit and a grant worth £10,000 towards the cost of a new LED lighting system, roof over-cladding and a solar PV system.  These improvements will help the firm save over £5,000 a year in the costs of energy bills and reduce their carbon footprint by over nine tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.  

“What we know for sure is that businesses, and also the planet, are under a lot of pressure at the moment. Every business must start their decarbonisation process as soon as possible, ensuring both more resilience against energy price rises during the current crises, and contributing to the fights against climate change,” said Matthew Dillow, Business Development Manager at Coventry City Council.

Switching to renewable energy can have a major impact and the payback periods are becoming shorter and shorter with each energy price hike. At the time of planning the solar installation, insulation and low energy lighting, the estimated return of investment was calculated at seven years.  Due to the increase in energy costs, this is now predicted to be less than five years, making both the business and environment justifications very strong.

The new solar PV installed by GRM, includes 81 solar panels which will produce up to 85% of the firm’s annual energy consumption. Part of this energy will be used on the EV charging stations installed in the car park to encourage the 13 members of staff to switch to electric cars.

“Whilst not our last step to becoming a carbon neutral business, the investments to-date that have been supported by the Green Business Programme, have taken us a great way to achieving our commitment to reaching net-zero by 2040.  I would certainly urge small businesses to make the decision to reduce their carbon emissions and contacting the Green Business Programme is one of the best steps to moving things forward,” said Martin, GRM Managing Director. 

Listen to this podcast episode to learn more about GRM's Net Zero Journey.  [https://audioboom.com/posts/8149281-this-podcast-could-help-you-reduce-your-energy-bills-by-85]

Coventry and Warwickshire SMEs cut down the cost of energy bills by thousands of pounds with the help of our programme

The Coventry and Warwickshire Green Business Programme (GBP), which is part funded by the European Union Development Fund, continues to provide SMEs with much needed grant funding, enabling them to both cut costs of their energy bills and reduce their carbon footprint.

One of the many companies supported is Middlemarch Environmental, a natural environment consultancy, based in Coventry. Driven by their desire to reduce their carbon footprint and make the world a greener place, the consultancy firm approached the Green Business Programme team in 2020.

After receiving an energy and resource efficiency audit the company applied for funding and was awarded £2,761 towards the cost of replacing an old lighting system with a more efficient, low energy LED system. The grant also funded improvements to their heating system.

The benefits of these improvements are reflected in the energy bills which are expected to be reduced by almost £3,000 a year.

James Calow, Senior Biodiversity Consultant at Middlemarch Environmental said:

“The support offered by GBP was ideal and timely as it allowed an independent specialist to conduct a wider ranging and comprehensive review of the energy consumption and carbon impact of our office.

The added benefit of the grant support, as a subsidiary of a local conservation charity, is that this saved money can be re-invested in other local conservation projects so it’s a ‘win-win’ situation.”  

Following suit Margaret Hills, a health food store based in Kenilworth, and Protek Engineering a manufacturing company, based in Bidford-on-Avon, have also been awarded grants of £2,544 and £3,220.

Improvements made to their lighting and heating systems will allow each one of these SMEs to slash the cost of their energy bills by almost £2,500 a year.

Together, the three companies, following the support received from the GBP, have reduced their carbon footprint by ten tonnes of CO2e per year. This comes at a time when mitigating and adapting to the effects of Climate Change has never been more important. That’s why it’s so important as many SMEs as possible follow suit, seeking ways to reduce their carbon footprint, and ultimately ensuring local action is contributing to the regional and global climate challenges.  “The Green Business Programme’s Business Energy Advisor, Bernie, was helpful and fast at responding when we were working on the paperwork and evidence required, and she was happy to guide us through every bit of the process,” said Julia Davies, Director at Margaret Hills Clinic Ltd.

“So far, the GBP which is part funded by European Regional Development Fund and delivered by Coventry Council and its partners, has made a significant difference to our local business community. Over £2.7m has so far been awarded to local SMEs which has also resulted in a reduction of 13,559 tonnes of CO2 per year.”

“With less than a year left of ERDF funding, we urge any SME interested in accessing the programme, to complete the registration form [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/file/34697/green_business_programme_registration_form], which will enable eligible businesses to join the scheme and to arrange a free energy and resource efficiency audit. Together, we can protect your business against rising energy costs and reduce your carbon emissions!” concluded Bernie McCullagh, Business Energy Advisor at the Green Business Programme.

Middlemarch Environmental and Margaret Hills have been referred to our programme by the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) Growth Hub [https://www.cwgrowthhub.co.uk]. CWLEP Growth Hub is a government supported organisation, which offers one-to-one advice and ongoing support to businesses in the region.

New office location for growing accountancy practice

Growing accountants and business advisers Jerroms have relocated their Coleshill office in a move that comes seven months after their merger with Chartered Accountants Harben Barker. Located on Coleshill Manor Office Campus with plenty of parking for staff and clients, the new office is set among parkland just a mile away from the town centre.

Currently a team of seven, Jerroms are looking to double their team at Coleshill within the next 18 months and the new office will provide much-needed space to support the next stage of the business’s journey. Representing a clear commitment to the Coleshill area and surrounding districts, This investment will create a strong operational base to run alongside their offices in Solihull (HQ) and Bromsgrove, aiming to bring their total number closer to 125 employees across all locations.

Having acquired the premises earlier in the year, the office has been recently refurbished to provide an excellent sustainable working environment for both staff and clients. This was achieved through a successful application for grant funding through the Green Business and Business Support Programmes, which are part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund and are being delivered by Coventry City Council.

Jane Barnett, former director at Harben Barker and Consultant at Jerroms, explained: “Attracting and retaining talent is a priority for us. 2020 was a difficult year, but we are now looking to the future with the key aim of building our team so we can better support local businesses and individuals with the recovery phase.”

Bernadette McCullagh, Green Business Programme Sustainability Advisor at Coventry City Council, said: ‘We’re really pleased to be able to help Jerroms to reduce their carbon footprint by over 4.5 tonnes a year through grant funding for low carbon measures for their building.  Jerroms are committed to using this project to boost their environmental credentials - by physically demonstrating their commitment to their customers, staff and stakeholders alike.’

Richard Middleton, Business Advisor at Coventry City Council added: ‘“It is great that we’ve been able to support Jerroms with this grant. It has helped them to create jobs during a very difficult year for a lot of businesses in our region. This is a wonderful example of how our business support funding can not only provide help with business expansion but also improve employee wellbeing and client satisfaction, thereby increasing future sales growth.’

Jerroms applied for a grant from the Coventry and Warwickshire Green Business Programme which is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund and is being delivered by Coventry City Council, Coventry University and Coventry University Enterprises Ltd. The programme is open to businesses with less than 250 employees based in Coventry and Warwickshire.

£395,000 investment made by innovative Warwick business

(Published November 2020)
A world-class engineering and process automation company based in Warwick has invested £395,000 to reduce carbon emissions, expand their workforce and lower energy costs.

3P innovation design, manufacture and support high-end production equipment and machinery, from lab-scale to commercial scale which allows their clients to launch new products faster and at lower cost, with high productivity and reliability from the start. The company has received a £69k grant from the Coventry and Warwickshire Green Business Programme which is partly funded by the ERDF and is being delivered by Coventry City Council. The business was also assisted by the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) Growth Hub. The grant has helped 3P innovation to expand their business and achieve energy efficiency savings at their new site in Warwick. 

The measures have included installing LED energy efficient lighting throughout the building, new high efficiency gas fired modulating heaters that save 30% on fuel costs, a high performance air conditioning system that incorporates heat recovery units that use the heat from the outgoing air to preheat the incoming cold air, new air compressor achieving savings of between 20% and 30% and the installation of solar panels on the roof to reduce their use of electricity from the grid.  

Simon Strothers, Business Development Director at 3P innovation said: “the grant we have received from the Green Business Programme has met our objective to reduce the carbon footprint of the building whilst not breaching the budget we had set for it.  Our customers are becoming increasingly aware of their environmental impact and we were beginning to have to make commitments to our customers to constantly review and reduce our carbon usage and environmental impact in order to win their business.”

3P innovation estimates to see a reduction of 153.3 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year with 290,000kWh of energy usage having been reduced.

Matthew Dillow, Green Business Programme Lead at Coventry City Council, said: “Moving to energy efficiency and renewable energy powered solutions just makes plain economic sense. We are working with more and more organisations who want to reduce their carbon footprints to lower their energy bills and make their products more competitive.”

Simon added: “At 3P we are committed to reducing our carbon footprint and our impact on the environment.  Funding support from the Green Business programme has enabled us to significantly reduce energy consumption through LED lighting, low carbon heating and the use of renewable energy from our solar panels.”

3P innovation applied for a grant from the Coventry and Warwickshire Green Business Programme which is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund and is being delivered by Coventry City Council, Coventry University and Coventry University Enterprises Ltd. The programme is open to businesses with less than 250 employees based in Coventry and Warwickshire.

The show must go on for a business that has reduced its carbon emissions

(Published March 2021)

A cutting-edge entertainment and events business in Warwickshire is reducing its carbon footprint after investing in two energy efficient machines and installing LED lighting throughout the building. Area 51 Design has been supplying creative props, décor, entertainment and shows for over 20 years from its 10,000 sq ft base on the Hurley Hall Industrial Estate in Atherstone Lane, Hurley. With its turnover reduced by 95 per cent due to Covid-19, co-director Rich Moore started to research applying for grants. Area 51 Design successfully applied for a grant of £12,702 towards an energy efficient CNC lathe and Polurea Spray Gun as well as the installation of LED lighting from the Coventry and Warwickshire Green Business Programme.

Rich Moore, Co-Director, Area 51 Design said: "the business had hit a brick wall due to the pandemic which had led to massive uncertainty for our seven-strong workforce as well as our 100 sub-contractors. We had furlough to help but we needed to dig deeper to look into how we could bounce back. We contacted the CWLEP Growth Hub and Green Business Programme. Receiving a grant towards investing in the machines and helping to reduce our carbon footprint has been incredibly useful for us to move forward. The CNC lathe will help us to modify our designs since we make everything from scratch to create amazing props for events such as the Hyde Park Winter Wonderland or Iron Maiden’s world tours as well as the Halloween events at the Heart of England Conference and Events Centre in Fillongley. The Polurea Spray Gun will help to insulate our premises and double-up as a mould making machine, and both these machines will help to reduce our carbon emissions by nearly 61 tonnes every year.

Bernadette McCullagh, Green Business Programme Sustainability Advisor at Coventry City Council, said: “The Polyurea Spray Gun will enable Area 51 to eliminate costs and carbon emissions from welding gas and heating oil, the lathe will massively reduce their transport carbon by 54 tonnes which is a huge impact on their overall emissions and the energy efficient lighting will improve staff comfort as well as significantly reducing their energy and maintenance costs longer term. The grant intervention will make all of this a much more viable investment for the business in the short term and will also help to accelerate production post Covid-19, when more work is available, thereby both supporting the business to recover from the current crisis and simultaneously reducing their environmental impact.”

Chris Lawes, Account Manager at the CWLEP Growth Hub, said: "diversification is the key to the future of many businesses. As well as all the wonderful creativity shown by Area 51 Design, there is a separate product they make called Digilegs which are reverse leg stilts that are used in theatre productions and films as well as live action roles that they are continuing to sell every week. Rich and the rest of the team have had a torrid time over the last 12 months like so many other businesses in their industry but having invested in these new machines, they will be able to manufacture even more incredible items from their workshop which will be seen across the UK and further afield and reduce their carbon footprint. This is a really interesting and innovative business in Warwickshire and I hope it is not long before they are dealing with bookings for live events very soon.”

Area 51 Design applied for a grant from the Coventry and Warwickshire Green Business Programme which is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund and is being delivered by Coventry City Council, Coventry University and Coventry University Enterprises Ltd. The programme is open to businesses with less than 250 employees based in Coventry and Warwickshire.

Family business gets a helping hand

(Published August 2020)

A Coventry business gearing up to celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2021 has created a new product that is already securing orders. GME Springs, which is based in Boston Place, Foleshill, designs and manufactures suspension springs for cars and commercial vehicles including buses, light commercial vehicles and 4x4 vehicles.  

GME Springs applied for a £10,000 grant from the Business Support Programme and £4,200 grant from the Green Business Programme, which are both part funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and both programmes are being delivered by Coventry City Council. When they were successful, they also added nearly £25,000 to buy specialist tooling. The new equipment has led to the 15-strong business securing an order for a high-level military project and has created one new job for a production operative. The company has also invested in energy efficiency measures including installing LED lighting throughout their premises.

Cllr Jim O’Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration at Coventry City Council, said: “I’m pleased that we’ve been able to support GME Springs with this grant. They are a long-established local company and this grant has helped them to secure and create jobs which is what it’s all about.  Coventry is full of innovative small to medium size business that just need that extra bit of support to achieve their ambitions. GME Springs is a fantastic example of how our Economic Development Service and the CWLEP Growth Hub can provide the right help at the right time to allow businesses to do just that.” 

Marcus Gerrard, Sales Director said a second grant has also enabled the business to create a new mezzanine to accommodate all its parts – but space was rapidly running out. He said: “We applied for a grant from the Business Support Programme and Green Business Programme to help with a specific project our research and development team was working on which required specialist tooling. Getting the grant meant we could go ahead with our designs and we gained a contract with the Ministry of Defence. The grant has meant we have been able to complete the project quickly and has improved the efficiency of our business which is a bonus."

GME Springs applied for a grant from the Coventry and Warwickshire Green Business Programme and Business Support Programme which are part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund and are being delivered by Coventry City Council, Coventry University and Coventry University Enterprises Ltd. The programme is open to businesses with fewer than 250 employees based in Coventry and Warwickshire.

Furniture business secures £85,000 funding support

Two bespoke joinery and furniture companies in Coventry which design and manufacture high-quality products have invested nearly £500,000 in cutting-edge technology, its factory and renovations. Summers Joinery and RHA Production have expanded into its neighbouring premises in Barlow Road on the Aldermans Green Industrial Estate to cope with a current £1 million order book which has included working with customers in Dubai, Athens, China and Ibiza.

Over £85,000 funding was secured from both the Coventry and Warwickshire Green Business Programme and Coventry and Warwickshire Business Support Programme towards the 5 axis machine, extraction system, LED lighting and software needed to run the German machine. Both projects are part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and are being delivered by Coventry City Council. 

Managing Director, Lee Summers said: "installing the new machine was already reaping benefits and was being used on a project for Coventry being UK City of Culture in 2021 as well as its orders around the UK. We are one of only a few companies in the UK to have this cutting-edge CNC and software combined technology and we are already having enquiries for work we couldn’t previously have taken on such as fibre glass doors.  We are using the machine on the internal fit-out of 88 bedrooms, refurbishing the front reception desk and revamping the Lord Iliffe suite to transform the former Coventry Telegraph building into a boutique hotel which will be open in time for UK City of Culture. We are also the second company in the UK to have installed an American extraction system called Ecogate which is good business sense as well as environmental sense."

The three businesses currently employ 20 staff which is expected to rise by four employees by the end of the year over the 20,000 sq ft premises.

Lee added: “The roof on the new premises is a single plastic roof so all the heat is flying straight out. We invested in a bio-mass system five years ago so we re-use all our wood waste on site rather than having to take it to landfill.

Summers Joinery secured a further £28,600 in Phase 2 of the Coventry and Warwickshire Green Business Programme to install a further wood waste heater as well as roof insulation to reduce their carbon footprint.

Councillor Jim O’Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration said, “It’s good to see a local company doing so well and investing in specialist machinery and its workforce including taking on more staff. This. is exactly what our grant funding projects are all about. It’s also really good news that so many local companies and craftspeople, including Summers Joinery, are working on the Telegraph Hotel.”

Summers Joinery applied for a grant from the Coventry and Warwickshire Green Business Programme and Business Support Programme which are part funded by the European Regional Development Fund and are being delivered by Coventry City Council, Coventry University and Coventry University Enterprises Ltd. The programme is open to businesses with fewer than 250 employees based in Coventry and Warwickshire.

High demand for Warwickshire business's hand wash products

(Published July 2020)

Catering Equipment Ltd moved from 5,000 sq ft premises in Tyseley, Birmingham, to a 25,000 sq ft unit in Grendon Road, Polesworth, in May 2019. Before Covid-19, the forward-thinking business specialised in supplying wash basins to the catering and hygiene industry. But since the pandemic they have seen a rise in demand from hospitals throughout the UK for portable stainless steel sinks. The Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) Growth Hub introduced Catering Equipment Ltd to the Green Business Programme which is partly funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and is being delivered by Coventry City Council.  

Catering Equipment Ltd invested £8,800 at its new premises supported by an additional £3,500 Green Business Programme grant which has resulted in a new combination boiler, air conditioning units and radiant heater, leading to around 47.3 tonnes of carbon dioxide emission savings per year and reduced energy costs.  

Anthony Prestage, director at Catering Equipment Ltd, said the business was established 25 years ago to import high-quality catering equipment from Italy, Germany and France.  When we moved to North Warwickshire, we didn’t think we would use all the warehouse space but it is currently stacked to the roof with our 638 product lines. The Green Business Programme team has been extremely helpful in advising us because after moving to new premises, we wanted to improve the heating and hot water systems by replacing the current boiler, air conditioning units and the warehouse hot air blowers with a radiant heater so the grants were really useful in helping to make this happen.  

Matthew Dillow, Programme Lead at the Coventry and Warwickshire Green Business Programme, said: “I’m really pleased that we were able to support Catering Equipment Ltd to invest in a more energy efficient heating and cooling system in their new premises. Our Green Business Programme can provide grant funding to local businesses who want to reduce their energy bills alongside lowering their carbon footprint. So not only does it make clear business sense, but companies are also helping to reduce carbon emissions within the local region, which is a win-win situation.”

Catering Equipment Ltd applied for a grant from the Coventry and Warwickshire Green Business Programme which is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund and is being delivered by Coventry City Council, Coventry University and Coventry University Enterprises Ltd. The programme is open to businesses with less than 250 employees based in Coventry and Warwickshire.

Leading engineering firm has had a green makeover

(Published June 2020)

A leading engineering firm in Coventry has had a five-figure makeover as part of a new era of growth. ActOn Finishing in Torrington Avenue, which is the UK’s leading surface finishing technology provider in the healthcare, aerospace, automotive and motorsport sectors, has transformed its test laboratory after receiving support from the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) Growth Hub.

ActOn Finishing applied for £9,000 from the Coventry and Warwickshire Green Business Programme, which is partly funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), which resulted in the conversion of all lighting throughout the site to LED lighting to improve the visual aspects within many of their production processes, leading to around 32 tonnes of Co2 emission savings per year and reduced energy costs.  

Sid Gulati, operations director at ActOn Finishing, said the investment by the company and grants had helped to modernise their premises.

Sid added: The grant has meant we have been able to improve our sales office by installing a new floor, painting the walls and adding new branding which better reflects our standing within a specialised industry. We have also been conscious of our carbon footprint and have replaced hundreds and hundreds of halogen bulbs with LED lighting throughout our site.

Cllr O’Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration at Coventry City Council, said: The grants, along with the company’s investment, have helped to create a more professional image, as well as aiding them to reduce their energy bills alongside lowering their carbon footprint. The grant funding is an easy process for businesses to apply for as the team help with the full application process, so I would encourage local organisations to apply for the programmes that are being provided by the Council.

ActOn Finishing applied for a grant from the Coventry and Warwickshire Green Business Programme which is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund and is being delivered by Coventry City Council, Coventry University and Coventry University Enterprises Ltd. The programme is open to businesses with less than 250 employees based in Coventry and Warwickshire.

Engineering firm upgrades its lighting and heating to go green

(Published January 2020)

An engineering business based in Rugby has benefitted from a grant to make their premises more eco-friendly and save them money on bills.  Technoset Ltd specializes in the machining of high precision components and assemblies for Aerospace Defence, Medical Telecommunications, Sensors, Motorsport and Lasers Quality Commercial Components sector.

The company has received a £47k grant provided by the Coventry and Warwickshire Green Business Programme which is partly funded by the ERDF and is being delivered by Coventry City Council, towards making energy efficiency savings.  The manufacturing company of ultra-high precision turned and milled components has been based in the building since the 1980s and areas of it were in need of updating.  Kevan Kane, Managing Director of Technoset decided to invest £117k in energy efficient measures and was successful in obtaining the Green Business Grant towards this.

The measures have included installing LED energy efficient lighting throughout the factory and offices, extension of the heat ducting from Factory 2 into Factory 1, installing a shut-off switch on the roller shutter door and installing a new solvent based component cleaning machine.  With the improvements, Technoset anticipates to see their energy bills drop by 33% and the organisation is helping to reduce 62 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.

Kevan said: "We are very grateful for the assistance and financial support that we have received from the Green Business Programme at Coventry City Council. This level of support is invaluable for an SME like Technoset Ltd. The process was very straightforward and well supported by members of the Green Business Programme Team."

Dr. James Bridges, Sustainability Consultant at Coventry City Council, said: ""Taking a sustainable approach to energy consumption is a change many companies will have to make sooner or later due to increasing energy costs and legislation - and often they need a bit of support to help them. That's where the Green Business Team comes in - they provide free energy audits and grants enabling businesses to make investments that are good for them and good for the environment."

Kevan added: "We all need to do our bit to reduce our carbon footprint and this support helps Technoset to make our contribution. It is refreshing to see Coventry at the forefront of the Green Programme initiative".

Technoset Ltd applied for a grant from the Coventry and Warwickshire Green Business Programme which is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund and is being delivered by Coventry City Council, Coventry University and Coventry University Enterprises Ltd. The programme is open to businesses with less than 250 employees based in Coventry and Warwickshire.

Precision engineering company flying high

(Published June 2019)

Harris RCS has been providing CNC machined parts for the aviation and commercial industries for well over 40 years from their site on Bayton Road Industrial Estate in Exhall, Nr. Coventry.  Established in 1974 they have formed a world-class reputation for producing precision CNC machined high-quality steel, super-alloys, plastic, titanium and aluminium components to the aviation, defence, electronic and other hi-tech industries across the world.

Thanks to an £8,500 grant provided by the Coventry and Warwickshire Green Business Programme which is partly funded by the ERDF and being delivered by Coventry City Council, the family-owned business managed by Graham Harris and Deborah Walters has invested £28k in a series of measures to achieve energy efficiency savings at their premises. 

The measures have included cutting edge sensor-controlled LED lighting throughout, the construction of an insulated internal wall to minimise heat loss and the replacement of a roller shutter door and all external steel security doors with new insulated doors and a fast action roller shutter door. 

Graham said: "We occupy an ageing factory unit with the energy inefficiencies associated with it.  The funding we have received has addressed some major issues which has resulted in significant cost savings on our energy bills.  This has enabled us to retain a fixed pricing strategy for our customers worldwide as well as helped us achieve a moral and ethical green stance alongside improving the working environment for our staff. "

The effects of Harris RCS investment have seen their electricity and gas consumption drop by 60% and it is also helping to reduce 31 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.

Cllr O'Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration at Coventry City Council said: "Taking a sustainable approach to energy consumption is a change many companies will have to make sooner or later - and often all they need is a bit of support to help them. This programme provides that easy to understand approach with free energy audits and grants to help them on their way."

Graham added: "The payback from our investment will only take 2-3 years and I would encourage all local small to medium sized businesses to get on board as the whole process is really quick and why wouldn't you want to reduce your energy costs."

Harris RCS applied for a grant from the Coventry and Warwickshire Green Business Programme which is part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund and is being delivered by Coventry City Council, Coventry University and Coventry University Enterprises Ltd. The programme is open to businesses with less than 250 employees based in Coventry and Warwickshire.

Local business fit for growth  

(Published May 2019)

Thanks to a £62,070 grant from the Green Business Programme and a £43,497 grant from the Investment Fund, a Nuneaton based business, Indigo Fitness was able to expand their business and achieve energy efficiency savings at their newly acquired site on Whitacre Road.

Indigo Fitness is the UK's largest fitness equipment manufacturer. They design, manufacture, assemble, deliver and install products and services for the commercial fitness sector as well as for the MOD. Having recently moved to a building that dates back to the 1960s, they have completed extensive renovations, bringing the building in line with the latest standards of safety and energy efficiency. Repairs included a new fully insulated roof, IR Heating and cutting edge sensor-controlled LED lighting throughout, designed to reduce 35 tonnes of CO2 emissions every year.

Rob Coleman, Managing Director, Indigo Fitness said: "The funding has enabled us to not only provide a more efficient production process but the extra space and light (provided by the new roof) has also greatly improved the working environment for our staff."

Gary Thyeson, Account Manager at the CWLEP Growth Hub said: "One of the reasons the Growth Hub was launched was to help make businesses aware of the support available to them. Having alerted Indigo Fitness to various funding options will now ensure they continue to expand.

Indigo Fitness applied for a grant from the Coventry and Warwickshire Green Business Programme which is part financed by the European Regional Development Fund and is being delivered by Coventry City Council, Coventry University and Coventry University Enterprises Ltd. The programme is open to businesses with fewer than 250 employees based in Coventry and Warwickshire.

Casting company making huge savings in their electricity consumption

(Published April 2019)

Sarginsons Industries Ltd is a lightweight castings business based in Coventry, supplying products for a range of major companies - such as Aston Martin and Jaguar Land Rover. The company has invested £130,000 in new energy efficiency measures at its foundry, £26,365 of this was through grant funding from the Green Business Programme. The measures installed include two new gas furnaces, a new air compressor system, a power factor correction capacity along with new LED lighting across its facility, designed to dramatically reduce carbon footprint.  Sarginsons also received an Investment Fund Grant of £25,300 which helped them purchase a FARO 3D Scanner, Spectro-Analyser and Shot Blast Cabinet.

The effects of Sarginsons' investment in green technologies has been nothing short of phenomenal.  The investment has seen Sarginsons electricity consumption drop from an average of 4,000 units per week to a steady 3,000 units per week, resulting in a yearly average drop of 25% and a saving of £4,600 per month.  The company believes it will reduce its CO2 emissions by as much as 335 tonnes per annum.

Anthony Evans, Managing Director at Sarginsons Industries, said: "The support we received has helped us to make the investment in substantial new equipment that has seen us become much more environmentally friendly as well as making cost savings within the business.

The grant submission was completed with minimal disruption to the business and the claims process was very clear and simple, our initial claim was funded within 12 working days.  In addition to the cost-saving, it has been a source of great pride for the company and I encourage other companies to make use of the Green Business Programme.  Reducing our carbon footprint and our energy costs is now an ongoing process and something we will pursue as an active company policy to ensure we are at the cutting edge of pioneering technology."

Sarginsons Industries Ltd applied for a grant from the Coventry and Warwickshire Green Business Programme which is part financed by the European Regional Development Fund and is being delivered by Coventry City Council, Coventry University and Coventry University Enterprises Ltd. The programme is open to businesses with less than 250 employees based in Coventry and Warwickshire.

Education group to save on electricity bills

(Published April 2018)

The Learn2Group received a grant of £2,670 to invest in a new heating system upgrade, a lighting upgrade as well as the installation of double glazing. Based in Coventry, the company provide high quality, accredited and standardised training to organisations throughout the Midlands.

The upgrades will lead to a reduction of 2.4 tonnes CO2e per year and will reduce the company's annual energy spend by 30%. Additional benefits include improved thermal comfort, reduced maintenance from changing lightbulbs and an improvement in the light quality.

Becki Coombe, founder and director of the group, provided this statement: "It may seem a small thing - however when you have applied for numerous grants for heating and windows, had no luck and it's winter... then a 30% ERDF grant with not much paperwork is actually amazing!"

Learn2Group applied for a grant from the Coventry and Warwickshire Green Business Programme which is part financed by the European Regional Development Fund and is being delivered by Coventry City Council, Coventry University and Coventry University Enterprises Ltd. The programme is open to businesses with less than 250 employees based in Coventry and Warwickshire.

Recycling company expanding and creating jobs

(Published January 2018)

Fortress Recycling and Resource Management, based in Warwick, received a grant of £100,000 to invest in a new £5 million machine that would allow them to sort through recyclable items much more quickly.

The new equipment would also lead to cost savings in the disposal costs of materials which in the past the business couldn't recycle. In addition, the new machine will reduce its CO2emissions by up to 5,571 tonnes every year. That is the equivalent of taking 1,092 cars off the road for a year.

David Pass, of Fortress Recycling and Resource Management, said: "This plant is now one of the most advanced material recovery centres in the UK. We recycle non-hazardous business waste and recycle paper, cardboard, glass, aluminium cans, plastic bottles and milk bottles and the new machine will also improve our productivity levels.

"The carbon savings we are making is fantastic and it isn't just the fact we are recycling materials which usually go to landfill but the savings we are making on raw materials. Items can be recycled so less energy is being used to make new products.

"We used to spend over £2 million a year on disposal costs so we will be making big savings on that as well."

Another result of buying the new equipment is that a six-year lease has been agreed at a second site, in Leamington, for storage and 20 new members of staff have been appointed.

Fortress Recycling applied for a grant from the Coventry and Warwickshire Green Business Programme which is part financed by the European Regional Development Fund and is being delivered by Coventry City Council, Coventry University and Coventry University Enterprises Ltd. The programme is open to businesses with less than 250 employees based in Coventry and Warwickshire.