A leading renewable heat and power business has opened a new head office and a first-of-its-kind training academy in South Tyneside.
Future Group, which comprises five renewable energy businesses with a combined turnover of £30million, has opened a new 6,000sq ft head office and showroom on South Shields’ Western Approach.
The new HQ will include offices, meeting rooms and storage space for its 28 staff, as well as providing a showroom where the company’s domestic and commercial customers can learn more about heat pumps, battery storage solutions and solar panels.
The company has also opened a training academy on Rekendyke Industrial Estate to upskill tradespeople in solar power installation and maintenance and following its success, will soon be opening a second facility dedicated to heat pumps.
Since its launch in 2021, the group has expanded across the UK through its respective heat pump, solar panel, electric wholesale, home maintenance and installation businesses, but has continued to invest significantly in its directors’ native North East of England.
Anthony Rutherford, a director at Future Group, said:
“We are thrilled to have finally moved into our new head office in South Shields.
“The office has provided us with a central hub where we can oversee all of the group’s operations, catch up with staff and show off our products and services to customers.
“It has been a significant investment from the group, but we are confident it will play a pivotal role in helping us achieve our ambitions of becoming one of the UK’s leading, end-to-end renewable heat and power specialists.”
Future Group prides itself on its ‘end-to-end approach’, which means it not only supplies and installs heat and power systems, but also offers ongoing maintenance, advice and support to both commercial and domestic customers.
Sean Langston, director, added:
“Our end-to-end approach has underpinned our growth and is something we take real pride in.
“Whereas some providers will simply install their systems and be on their way, we work with our customers through the entire journey, ensuring they know exactly what they are buying, how it will benefit them and ensuring that help is always on-hand should they need it.
“Afterall, solar panels, heat pumps and battery storage systems are all relatively new technologies, so despite their significant financial and environmental benefits, a lot of people naturally have reservations about installing them in their homes and businesses.
“It’s the same with any new technology, which is why businesses like us have a moral responsibility to help demystify such solutions, not just to grow the industry but also to save the planet and help the Government achieve its Net Zero ambitions.
“It’s why we’ve created an atmosphere at our head office which is welcoming to anyone from any background and allows people to see the technology for themselves. We have even invested in simulation software so people can see how solar panels look on their own homes. It’s about putting the customer at the heart of everything we do.”
It is this commitment to education and rising to the challenge of supporting the UK’s delivery of low carbon heating and power which inspired the launch of its two training centres, the second of which will be opening in the coming weeks and months.
Anthony added:
“We opened our first training centre on Rekendyke Industrial Estate July this year, focusing solely on Heat Pumps, and it has proven a huge hit with over 60 people going on to study at the centre.
“All of our courses are BPEC approved and are open to anybody, from 18-year-olds wanting to get on the career ladder to existing tradespeople wanting to upskill and people wanting to transition into new industries.
“It’s been a huge hit so far and we are confident that the heat pump campus, which will be a first of its kind for the North East, will further build on this and ensure we have enough skilled people coming through to help deliver the affordable, sustainable homes of the future.”
Future Group has also committed to supporting the local economy through the signing of the South Tyneside Pledge, an initiative set up by South Tyneside Council to bring organisations together to boost local economic activity, reduce health inequalities, lower carbon emissions, and enhance civic pride.
Cllr Margaret Meling, lead member for economic growth and transport at South Tyneside Council, said:
“It is fantastic to see Future Group continuing to invest in South Shields with the opening of its new head office and a second training facility.
“South Tyneside is fast becoming a hotbed for renewable energy and that is testament to companies such as Future Group, which is truly leading the way when it comes to helping the UK transition to a green economy. It is a fantastic case study for the borough.”
For more information about Future Group see: Future Group Ltd | Renewable Heat & Power
