A Preston based heat pump distribution company is aiming to continue its expansion following a sustained period of growth and is on course to treble its revenue over a two-year period.
Freedom Heat Pumps, which won this year’s scaleup award at the Be Inspired Business Awards (BIBAs), opened a new 15,000 sq ft warehouse facility in Bamber Bridge last year and has grown its staff numbers from seven to 25 over the past two years.
The company supplies customers across the UK with heat pump equipment as well as offering training and support.
It was recently acquired by Warrington-based Certas Energy (part of the DCC Group) as part of their energy transition roadmap. Managing director Chris Higgs says the acquisition represents a strong opportunity for continued growth from its Lancashire base.
He said: “Up until the last few years, the company was very much a lifestyle business, but it has been transformed since around 2020.
“We doubled revenue in 2021 and we will be a further 50 per cent up for 2022. We have gone from about seven staff in 2020 to 25 and we’re currently on a further recruitment drive. 11 of the 13 new staff we are looking to appoint will be based in Lancashire.”
The company’s strong recent growth trajectory saw it win the Scaleup Business of the Year Award at BIBAs 2022, which was sponsored by Lancashire County Council’s scaleup support service Two Zero.
Two Zero is a business support service for scaleup business leaders in Lancashire. Led by Lancashire County Council, its mission is to help Lancashire’s scaleup leaders learn, grow their business 20 per cent and create jobs.
Freedom Heat Pumps received support last year from Boost; Lancashire’s Business Growth Hub through its fully funded Growth Mentoring programme. Boost mentor David Grant advised Chris on leading the company’s transition from a lifestyle type business into a professional growing organisation and is continuing to support Chris with the firm’s expansion.
In addition to its Lancashire base, the company’s operations, finance team and 50 per cent of the technical support team are based in Southampton.
Chris said Freedom Heat Pumps was now looking to continue its strong growth trajectory over the coming years through expansion opportunities across the UK.
“The heat pump industry is continuing to grow and there is expected to be 600,000 heat pumps installed annually across the UK by 2028,” he said.
“Our recent acquisition gives us stronger avenues into much larger business opportunities and we are well positioned to take advantage of a range of new growth opportunities.”
County Councillor Aidy Riggott, cabinet member for economic development and growth, Lancashire County Council, said: “Freedom Heat Pumps is a real success story which Lancashire can be proud of.
“The company is growing nationally from its Lancashire base, employing local residents and supplying customers across the UK. I hope Lancashire County Council can continue to support Freedom Heat Pumps through our business support services as the company continues to grow.”
