Onwards and upwards for UWSP tenant

Coventry: Friday, 30th July 2010 It is rare to celebrate the loss of a tenant, but that is exactly what is happening at the University of Warwick Science Park's Warwick Innovation Centre. The UK operation for green energy firm Eneco has decided to leave its base at the Gallows Hill site just two years after taking up residence. But far from jumping ship, the move has come about as a result of the Dutch company's outstanding success, which was assisted by the support of the University of Warwick Science Park's team at the Warwick Innovation Centre. The company, which specialises in building wind farms, has moved to a new home less than two miles away at Tachbrook Park. Since setting up in 2008, the company has built a wind farm with 17 turbines at Tullo, in Aberdeenshire and are in the process of creating another near Inverness, in Scotland. But the company's biggest achievement came when it beat several large rivals to secure the contract to create a wind farm with 200 turbines off the coast of the Isle of White – success which ultimately led to the firm outgrowing its former base. Guy Madgwick, of Eneco, said: 'We set up at the Innovation Centre two years ago, after looking at about six different sites, with the aim of building wind farms in the UK. Since that time we have recruited around 12 members of staff to help us deliver all of our projects and outgrew our space which meant, regretfully, we had to look for self-contained offices elsewhere. Our time at the Innovation Centre was very good, we enjoyed being there very much, and we had a great relationship with the centre's staff. It did exactly what it was supposed to do, they offered us all the support we needed when we were first starting up, and that is one of the reasons we moved there in the first place.' The company is now looking to gradually increase its workforce by adding high-level graduates to its experienced team. It will maintain local links with nearby universities, particularly the University of Warwick, following the recent addition of a placement student under the Step Classic programme, managed in the region by the science park, with the aim of using these relationships to bring new recruits to the company in the future. John Barnes, centre manager for the University of Warwick Science Park's Warwick Innovation Centre, said: 'Eneco's move and the success story behind it is a glowing endorsement of the services provided by the University of Warwick Science Park. It shows that the Warwick Innovation Centre is achieving exactly what it was set up to do – nurturing young and start-up businesses into organisations which can compete on a national and international level. We are extremely proud of Eneco's achievements and we are sure they will continue to thrive at their new home.' Pictured (L-R): John Barnes, centre manager for the University of Warwick Science Park's Warwick Innovation Centre, with Guy Madgwick, of Eneco.