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Green thinking Barnsley company triples turnover to more than £1m

A Barnsley company which was started from home has tripled its turnover to more than £1 million in the last year and is now looking for bigger premises.

All in One Group UK Limited, based at Claycliffe Business Park, in Barugh Green, is diversifying into Green Deal services, thanks to support from Enterprising Barnsley.

The company, which employs 19 people and has contractors, including plumbers, electricians and builders, throughout the country, has just achieved Green Deal Advisory and Installer Organisation status.

Chris and Dawn Symeou started All in One at their Barnsley home in 2009 doing maintenance work for letting agents, and gradually built the business to carry out renovation work on bigger and bigger construction projects.

Among the projects they have undertaken are converting the Friendship pub at Gawber into a Sainsbury’s Local supermarket and luxury apartments, and they have just completed a major refurbishment and extension at Sidcop Nursery at Cudworth.

The company’s new green credentials have led to a contract to build three “sustainable” bungalows at Mapplewell, with work due to start this month (January 2014).

In 2010 they moved into their current premises, doubling turnover in 2011, doubling again the following year and then tripling in 2013 to over £1m.

Dawn, who is marketing manager, said: “Even though the recession had hit we took a risk and moved to these premises, but we have never regretted it. It meant we could take on more work and more staff, and our success is down to the great team we have.”

All In One has been given free advice by Enterprising Barnsley, a European-funded business support programme delivered by Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, to help them achieve Green Deal status.

Managing director Chris said: “Their support has been brilliant. They have been the only people that have really been willing to work with us. Enterprising Barnsley has really helped us grow and succeed.

“Now we are looking for bigger premises as we are running out of room at our current location, but we will be definitely staying in Barnsley.

“We want to take on more local tradespeople, particularly plumbers; mainly because we are one of very few companies locally that is now an approved Green Deal Advisory Organisation and we have already seen an increase in demand for energy-efficient boilers.”

The Green Deal is a Government scheme to make energy-saving improvements to homes and businesses, paid for by a loan or grant. All in One have also been supported by the Construction Industry Training Board and South Yorkshire Construction Training Group to get the Green Deal training.

Angela Pedley, from Enterprising Barnsley, said: “It’s been great helping the company grow. They are creating jobs for local people and even offering apprenticeships. It really is a case of a local firm keeping true to their roots and helping boost the Barnsley economy by going green.”

Enterprising Barnsley, which offers a wide range of help to small and medium-sized businesses of all sizes with growth potential, is supported financially by the European Union and has attracted £2,259,511 investment from the European Regional Development Fund as part of Europe’s support for the region’s economic development, through the Yorkshire and Humber ERDF Programme.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Graham Vincent .