Coming back from the brink: Redfern Energy’s story of growth
Redfern Energy was established in 2017 to support the aviation sector. They specialise in management, engineering and construction services. The company was running smoothly, thanks to a major contract from a significant client. However, in 2020, the pandemic led to the global aviation business closure, which impacted Redfern Energy. As a result, the client notified the company of the termination of the contract, which meant the business supporting the company would end in 90 days.
The sudden halt of business seemed devasting to Redfern Energy, but company founder and director Ben Fearns refused to make any hasty decisions. Instead, he took a step back and, realised that engineering and construction are two industries that generally do not come to a stop. To future proof the business, Fearns decided on a new business direction for the company - providing process engineering and manufacturing support to their partners all over the UK.
Transitioning any business to a new direction can be a challenge, but with the support of Peter Nicholls, Business Manager, they have enlisted the expertise of GM Business Growth Hub...
Kick starting the transformation
After reaching out to GM Business Growth Hub, Sarah Haynes, Growth business advisor visited Redfern Energy. Through a series of simple questions, Ben came to the realisation that he needed to have a better understanding of his business’s budgeting and cash flow. With the assistance of Sarah, they were able to implement straightforward measures to track and manage their cash flow, laying the groundwork for a financial management system to be built upon.
“As the company grew, I started to question how much money we needed. We didn’t have a concept of the amount of investment required and funding options that are available to us,” said Ben. “It was the Hub’s guidance and support that helped us to qualify for the funding we needed.”
“I don’t think we’d be here operating if it wasn’t for help from GM Business Growth Hub. Definitely not.”
Martin Hyman, the manufacturing expert from the Hub also came in, providing valuable advice on the manufacturing process, such as implementing a system to help the company track the progress of every project by working with the Operations Manager, Neil Clarke. He also helped to kickstart the process of acquiring those necessary accreditations, including ISO 9001. These accreditations enabled Redfern Energy to broaden its service offerings, compete for high-value contracts, and achieve growth by gaining recognition from significant clients. Martin played a crucial role in helping Redfern Energy to improve their understanding of manufacturing costs. With his assistance, they were able to develop an Excel cost model that considers all aspects of job activity, from the initial quote to the delivery and collection of finished goods. This model also accounts for documentation activities such as re-engineering and design work carried out by the Production Manager, Stephen Bailey, which must be factored into quotes.
“We have some very experienced staff who know about the whole manufacturing process inside out, but it is not possible for us to get the accreditations with the knowledge in someone’s head. We needed to have it well documented,” said Ben. “Martin is good in asking the right questions and putting it on a document, which helps us tremendously in obtaining those necessary accreditations.”
The hard work of the entire team at Redfern Energy, with support from GM Business Growth Bub, has led to the successful transformation of the company from a consultancy firm to a professional service provider for manufacturers and utilities in the UK. Their business now primarily focuses on maintaining essential machinery and infrastructure, which accounts for 85% of their operations. As a result, they have gained recognition from global customers in the water and food industries.
“That wouldn’t be possible for us to achieve it without Martin from the Hub,” said Ben.
Looking forward to 2024
As Redfern Energy expanded, they enlisted the services of the Hub’s environmental expert to create a sustainability report. Rebecca Bowcock, Resource Efficiency/Environmental Business Advisor, assisted the company in assessing its environmental impact and recommended ways to achieve sustainable growth while simultaneously reducing costs through improved management of its environmental impact. Additionally, Judith Ross, Digital Growth Advisor, from the BGH, with extensive experience as professional marketer, offered advice to Redfern Energy, helping them refine their marketing strategy and update their website. Both areas were identified as important for future development by Redfern Energy.
“The thing is, before you contact GM Business Growth Hub, you might have no idea about the problem your business is facing and what kind of advice from the experts that can benefit you,” said Ben.
“However, once you contact them and implement their advice, you will see the benefits and improvements almost immediately. So, my biggest recommendation is to contact the Hub and see what they can do to enable your business to improve and grow.”
To find out more about Redfern Energy, please visit –