Renewable energy business eyes expansion thanks to support from Invest Sefton

Sefton Council Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Skills, Cllr Marion Atkinson and Bootle MP Peter Dowd recently visited a local businesses that has been supported by Invest Sefton and an organisation helping connect young people with opportunities.

Cllr Atkinson’s called in to Abacus Energy Solutions on Sefton Business Park’s Olympic Way where she met the company’s directors James Griffith and Michael Platt.

Both ex-forces personnel, James and Michael are heating and electrical engineers who focus on renewable energy in the form of ground/air source heat pump systems, Pumps, Solar Panels, Battery Storage and EV charging points for industrial and domestic properties.

Abacus has had some success working across the North West and Wales helping reduce peoples rising energy costs  and James and Michael are now looking at properties in Sefton to purchase for the business.

InvestSefton has supported the business with securing grant funding to achieve business growth and continues to provide support to the business.

After her visit, Cllr Atkinson said:
“It’s great to hear from James and Michael that Abacus Energy Solutions is expanding looking to buy a home for the business, and that Sefton Council’s InvestSefton team have been a part of that.”

Peter Dowd MP said:
“I always enjoy my visits to businesses based in my constituency who at excel at what they do. In the case of Abacus Energy Solutions, they focus on the quality of service they provide to customers.

“I particularly welcome the approach that James and Michael take towards ensuring that the customer always comes first with a focus on ensuring that staff are well trained to the do the job.”

Peter Dowd MP and Cllr Marion Atkinson with Gill Ditchburn (far right)

James said:
“It was great seeing Marion, Peter and the Invest Sefton team to show them around the business we have built over the past 8 years.

“Our sector is currently thriving with one of the key aims in the region being to achieve Net Zero and we plan to help achieve this.”

Cllr Atkinson then went on to visit the nearby Elevate Education Business Partnership, a not-for-profit organisation that connects young people with educational establishments, businesses and professionals.

Elevate EBP’s Chief Executive Gill Ditchburn gave Cllr Atkinson an update on the organisation which for the past 25 years, has been working to  provide young people with projects that link the education curriculum with careers and the local labour market.

Meaningful Further and Higher Education experiences, encounters with employers and experiences of the workplace for young people can all be part of this work.

Cllr Atkinson said:
“Elevate EBP are the only Education Business Partnership in our City Region, and they are passionate about strengthening our local economy and creating opportunities for our young people.

“The chance to experience education and work environments that they might not normally have access to is a great way of opening up new horizons to young people who may have grown up in circumstances that would otherwise limit their ambitions and potential.”

Peter Dowd MP said:
“Elevate are totally focused on ensuring that the young people it engages with are given the best opportunity to understand the world of work in a supportive manner and environment.

They also help young people to build up their confidence which will enable them to face the many challenges that work will bring. Quite simply, they do a great job!”

Gill Ditchburn said: “It was great to welcome Cllr Atkinson and Peter Dowd MP to discuss Elevate EBP’s impact on the lives of our young people and growth support of our local economy.

“It was certainly a timely visit as we enter our 25th year of delivering aspirational and education business link activity right across the Liverpool City Region.

“Our reach geographically has grown enormously during this time and our network of partners is firmly established and expanding on a daily basis. The young people we now support has spread right from raising aspiration with Primary school aged pupils to supporting young adults back into employment or education/training.

“Its an exciting time for Elevate EBP and great to share our success with Cllr Atkinson and Peter Dowd MP and showcase how we Transform Lives and Create Growth”

InvestSefton is Sefton Council’s enterprise, business support and inward investment service.  It offers free information and advice and access to a wide range of services. It is there to help any business, of any size, in any sector.

People wanting to find out more about how the InvestSefton can help support their business, can visit www.investsefton.com  or contact the team on 0151 934 3452 or investsefton@sefton.gov.uk .

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