Wigan business aims to become the country's biggest installer of electric vehicle charging units

And Lowri Beck’s aim is to become the biggest EV installer in the country.

It has been a transitional period for the Pier-based business which has risen to prominence as a meter and utility solutions specialist, not least the introduction of eco-friendly smart meters.

In June its new parent company Calisen announced the shedding of up to 250 jobs in order to make it a “leaner, more efficient and sustainable” business, but predicted a return to profitability by 2021.

And this in part depends on diversification into EV which industry experts predict will be a growth sector as Government laws hasten the end of petrol and diesel-fuelled vehicles in the years to come.

The leader of Wigan Coucil, David Molyneux, was at Lowri Beck’s academy at the Fishwicks Park industrial estate in Ashton to perform the official opening of a special EV training branch.

A Lowri Beck spokesperson said: “We will train and assess those with and without existing electrical qualifications to install industry leading electrical vehicle charging units for variety of customers.

“Lowri Beck considered various options when looking to broaden our activities within the green sector and with the rapid increase in electric vehicle production, it became a natural choice.

“We wanted to ensure that we had the infrastructure to train and develop a workforce that could meet the demand and therefore we have extended our current training academy to house this.

“Our aim is to be the largest independent national Installation provider and create new employment opportunities within the UK. To help crystalise our aspirations we identified the key to success would be our local learning and development hub, as this will create the platform for growth and make sure that safety remains a priority to both our employees and customers.

“The centre is an important milestone within our growth plans, we see this as a great opportunity for the business to continue within the green sector and forge further partnerships as we help to reduce carbon emissions within the UK.”

Although the academy is in St Helens, Lowri Beck also has a gas and engineering centre in St Helens and both boroughs will benefit from the diversification.

The leader of St Helens Coun David Baines, had also been invited to the opening but was unable to attend.

However Coun Molyneux said: “With the green agenda becoming even more prevalent, we’re delighted that the business has expanded into the electrical vehicle charging market. It was great to visit the learning hub today to see how the company plans to train and upskill existing and new employees to support sustainable energy.

“Lowri Beck has long-standing connections with both Wigan and St Helens and has a robust growth plan in place to become an exemplary employer in line with our community wealth building values.

“We look forward to supporting Lowri Beck’s new venture and will work with them to identify ways to help other businesses, which we hope will create new opportunities in our borough.”

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