THE UK's largest energy consultancy – which started life as a husband and wife operation in a family home on the Fylde – is celebrating 40 years of pioneering work.
St Annes-based Inenco today manages nearly £1bn of gas and electricity for blue chip customers and has a workforce approaching 200, including its sister companies of Energy 2000 and Saturn Energy Limited.
Its clients include a number of the UK’s
biggest companies, such as BhS, Kellogg’s, JP Morgan Chase and The Spirit Group.
Audrey Kirby, 77, of Lytham, supported her husband Vernon, known to everyone as Rip, when he first set up the operation back in the 60s.
They arrived on the Fylde coast where Yorkshireman Rip made the life-changing decision to set up on his own doing something unheard of in the UK at that time – helping firms save money on their gas, electricity and water bills.
Audrey explained: “We started in April, 1968. My husband, Vernon, had worked for Firestone Tyres and then London Midland Industrials as a sales manager for one of their companies. He was 44 and looking for a change from working for a large company.
“That’s where the idea came for an energy company, which he called Industrial Energy Costs.”
Their first offices were over Woolworth’s in St Annes.
Inenco joined the AIM-listed Spice Group in an £11.8m merger deal in June 2006.
Rip died in 1990. Audrey said: “When we sold in 1993 we had a staff of well over 180 and the energy industry had changed beyond all recognition since those early days.
“I remain to this day very, very proud about what we achieved.”
Chris Lee, managing director of Inenco, said: “The future for Inenco looks even more exciting and rewarding than its past.
To celebrate the anniversary a special black tie ball was held at The Hilton, Blackpool on Friday (May 9) .
Among its VIP guests were members of the founding family.
The full article contains 335 words and appears in Lytham St Annes Express newspaper.
