If you’d like to be involved and to share your insights with us you can find out how at the base of this article.
Here we speak with Andrew Woodruff, Managing Director of Arrow Energy Solutions, a Dorset-based company that covers southern regions as far from its Fareham base as Bristol and London, providing local communities with a broad range of insulation solutions and other sustainable energy solutions such as solar panels and battery storage.
Tell us about your own career as an installer
Having started out marketing insulation services, I moved towards producing work-ready orders and finding subcontractors to fulfill. Over time, I created our own in-house teams and we’ve become our own installing company for insulation and solar measures.
Tell us more about your company
Our main facility is now based in Fareham and employs around 24 staff offering both solar installations and insulation services such as cavity wall insulation using EPS bonded beads and loft insulation.
We are fully Trustmarked which enables us both to offer our services to the private market and to work within Government funded Schemes.
What have been the key milestones along the way for you and the business?
Our key milestones would include:
- Gearing up with our own facility and in-house teams to become our own installing company
- Gaining our Trustmark for government scheme work
- Gaining our MCS for Solar
- Gaining Constructionline Gold for Tier 1 Contractor works.
- Getting good teams together
How has the last year been and what trends are you seeing in the sector?
The private market has not been spending as much as before, so there was less work available. The work that tended to be available was not just upgrading work but work that also solved damp problems. This would indicate people were only spending if they had to.
Are there any new technologies, tips or tricks of the trade that you find work for you?
Just to provide a great service, do things right and be fair with customers – the way we have always worked.
Our culture is to provide our customers with honest advice, great workmanship and a VIP service. We are not a pushy sales company and we have well-trained, in-house teams that are responsible and accountable.
We also care deeply about our mission to not only provide our clients with a more comfortable home and to save money on the bills, but also to work towards reducing our community carbon footprint.
What are the biggest opportunities for renewable energy installers right now? Is there anything you’re excited about?
Personally, I am looking for market stability. Presently the news is awful; interest rates are high and an election approaches. I would be excited once the election is over, the Bank of England starts reducing interest rates, and people have fewer external influences to worry about.
What are the biggest frustrations or concerns you have as a renewables installer at the moment?
Education on the benefits; there is too much negativity around market products and practices hanging over from 20+ years ago.
Grant programs are too complex and not easy to offer. There are also too many local ones to work out what’s best to offer.
What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve ever been given?
To always provide value.
What is the most memorable moment you have had as a renewable installer?
I don’t have a particular memorable moment, but it does feel good to know the work we are doing makes people’s homes and lives more comfortable and healthier, lowers their energy bills and lowers our carbon impact on the world.
What’s the one piece of advice you would give to people getting into the industry?
Get your relevant qualifications and certificates. The industry is very certification based.
You can find out more about Andrew and his work at https://arrowinsulation.co.uk/
We will hear further from Andrew in our next issue as he considers why, despite the growing emphasis on renewable energy and sustainable living, a mere 5% of new homes being built in the UK are equipped with solar panels, and shares his thoughts on the action needed to increase this figure.
With REI back in magazine format and reaching an increasing number of those active in the renewables industry, we want to get to know our community of installers better and to share their valuable insights as we seek to play our part in removing the obstacles to the decarbonisation of domestic energy.
At the heart of this evolving sector, and on the front line of the accelerating energy transition, our regular ‘Installer Insights’ feature enables you to see the industry through the eyes of other installers – to share experiences, identify common challenges and develop solutions.
If you’re an installer then we’d love to hear from you.
Please email margaret@renewableenergyinstaller.co.uk with a little about you and your business and you could find yourself featured on these pages.
Image credit: Arrow Energy Solutions
