Rapid expansion in a growing sector

THE RAPID expansion of Galway-based insulation firm Ecoseal over the past two years is evidence of the huge potential of the green tech and energy efficiency sectors. The company specialises in the installation of domestic attic and cavity wall insulation and has grown from a standing start in 2008 to employing 27 people today.

“We have seven trucks on the road and are continuing to grow,” says Ecoseal managing director Bernard Mahe. “We started in Galway and moved into Mayo and Clare quite quickly. We have now moved into Cavan and are looking to expand into the greater Dublin area. We will be putting an extra truck into Cavan before Christmas. We know winter is the busiest time of the year, but we are confident of the growth prospects in 2011 as well.”

It was this potential that inspired the establishment of the business in the first place. “I started the business with my fellow directors because of the recession,” says Mahe. “We looked for a business with good growth prospects. My two business partners had experience in the sales end and I had the technical experience – and it has worked out very well so far.”

He is pleased with the support received from Bank of Ireland. “My own business and personal accounts were with Bank of Ireland before so it was quite natural for us to go there,” he says. “The bank was very helpful, understood what we were trying to do and gave us the support we needed. Also, the availability of the Green Loan from Bank of Ireland for people who want to install attic or cavity wall insulation is very helpful.”

He believes the business will continue to grow and thrive so long as the grant incentive remains in place. “I think quite a lot of people think the grant might disappear and that’s why they are spending money now on getting the work done,” he says. “The grant is the cornerstone of the industry at the moment. If it was withdrawn, a lot of small businesses would be at risk. It’s not so much the size of the grant – it’s the fact that people like getting something towards their costs, an incentive.”

Mahe says the grant is very well pitched in terms of the proportion of work it pays for. “An average three-bed semi could have its walls and attic insulated for around €1,200 or a little more,” he says. “You can get up to €750 towards this between grants for a Building Energy Rating (BER) survey, cavity wall insulation and attic insulation.”