Solastech Insulation aiming to grow their business

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Solastech Insulation aiming to grow their business

Solastech Insulation in Fermoy are in line to expand their business over the next couple of months, with the creation of an Energy Store at their Faber-Castel Business Park unit.

Eoin Scanlon

Thursday, 14 May 2015
8:30 AM GMT



Solastech Insulation in Fermoy are in line to expand their business over the next couple of months, with the creation of an Energy Store at their Faber-Castel Business Park unit. According to company founder and director Jason McNamara, the business will also be upsizing from six employees to eight during the year.

Speaking to The Avondhu this week, Mr McNamara said the Energy Store will act as a mini-building providers for all things energy efficient, including insulation, ventilation and air tightness products. He said that, along with his wife Jessie, they feel now is the right time to grow the business.

“People are back spending a bit now, and we’re at the stage where we’re going to bite the bullet and grow it. All along you had to stand back a bit, but we’re ready to grow now. We’re looking at turning the ground floor unit into an energy store.

“At the moment we’re looking for a sales marketing person, and once the shop is up and running in two to three months time, we’ll put in another person in-house for sales. There’s going to be two jobs created in the next six months. As a company, we’re always training, constantly. We’ve never sat back here and said this is great, we’re always looking at the bigger picture.”

ONE-STOP SHOP

Solastech was established in 2008 and offers a range of services including cavity wall and attic insulation, airtightness, beam vacuum and ventilation, and free energy surveys.

“We’re a one-stop shop for everything, we’re more than just insulation, we do everything from the small job to the new build. We work with clients so we can offer the whole package,” explained Mr McNamara.

Currently the business has six employees, including a sales representative who was employed last year, and operates three trucks and two vans throughout the Munster region.

It was in the inhospitable economic environment of September 2008, the same month as the infamous Irish Bank Guarantee, that Solastech started from the home of Jason and Jessie McNamara.

“We were told we were mad, starting up when we did. It was a difficult time. But we always had belief, I worked my whole life in the construction industry so I knew what was built and the standard of the houses,” said Mr McNamara.

“The building regulations were way down on the European norm. Energy efficiency didn’t come into the equation in Ireland, especially during the boom. The government at the time were looking at bringing in a grant incentive scheme for people to upgrade poorly insulated houses, and that caught my attention.”

GRANT ASSISTANCE

In 2009, Solastech moved its operations to the Faber-Castell Business Park in Fermoy, and in 2013 they upgraded to the present unit they occupy in the business park.

Presently, Government-issued grants are available through the Better Energy Homes Scheme and the Warmer Homes Scheme from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, and details of securing these grants can be obtained from speaking to Solastech.

“Usually what happens is people come in here and we can help them apply for the grant or we can send them a link to take them straight onto the webpage. Once your house was built before 2006 you’re guaranteed a grant.”

Jessie added: “If you just want to do your attic now you can, whereas all along you would have had to do a lot of other measures before you’d get the grant. This helps people a little financially; you can do it gradually over time.”

For more information on Solastech, visit www.solastech.ie or contact 025-40776.



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