Teesside firm warming to growth with new contracts

Mar 9 2010 by Iain Laing, The Journal

A GEOTHERMAL heating company has doubled its space with a move into new premises after winning contracts to warm up buildings including Blenheim Palace.

Adam and Michelle Woodhead, who set up Geocore Site Investigations and sister company Geothermal Drilling, were the first to move into UK Steel Enterprise’s Redcar Innovation Centre in 2000.

On Friday, UK SE announced more than £8m investment in similar start-ups following the mothballing of Corus Teesside Cast Products works.

Geocore’s new headquarters in Kirkleatham Business Park will house a workforce which has grown from 18 to 30 in two years, boosted by Government initiatives such as the recent Pay As You Save “green loans” to make homes more energy efficient.

One of the first things it did on moving into the new premises was install a geothermal heating system.

“Obviously, we want the benefits of low cost green heating and hot water for our own premises, but we are also installing a viewing platform so that prospective customers can see it in operation,” said Mr Woodhead.

“Grants are available to install this type of heating and the savings are extremely impressive, so we are seeing increased demand from home owners, local authorities, housing developers and industrial users.”

The company has won a second major contract with Harrogate Borough Council to install the system in a further 100 homes and has completed projects for a fire station, a Yuill Homes housing development, a Ministry of Defence base and Blenheim Palace.

The company’s latest equipment includes a Mud Puppy, which collects mud on site to remove and recycle water.