Major inward investment win for Birmingham as energy firm chooses city for its HQ

CHALLENGER energy firm extraenergy has announced that its new headquarters is to be in Birmingham city centre.

It is seeking 35,000 sq ft of office space and is planning to create up to 1,000 jobs in the next 12 months.

The fast growing company, a low cost energy supplier that aims to challenge the dominance of the ‘big six’ energy firms, suggests its innovative use of technology and a focus on efficiency are behind its success.

Geoff Childs, managing director of extraenergy said: “We are a young and ambitious company on a mission to compete with the biggest energy companies in the country, using new technologies and efficient customer service.
 
“To do that, we needed a location that offered a rich and highly skilled talent pool across tech, commerce and all of the operational functions that really make a business work.
 
“We also needed a location that would work with us and help us to grow. Birmingham offered all of this and we are confident that our expansion in the city will reflect our growth in the UK’s energy market.”

Talks to confirm the location of extraenergy’s new headquarters are said to be at an advanced stage and an announcement will be made soon.

The deal is expected to see the company take 35,000 sq ft of commercial office space in Birmingham city centre, as a base for its expanding operation.

The company currently employs 280 staff at its interim office in Teleperformance House in the city’s Five Ways area.

extraenergy plans to grow staff numbers to more than 500 by Christmas this year and 1,000 within the next 12 months.

Its German operation, Extra Energie Gmbh, has become the fastest growing energy supplier in the country over the last four years, with over two million contracted.

Sir Albert Bore, Leader of Birmingham City Council said: “The city’s inward investment strategy, which focuses on sectors where we have real strength and growth opportunities, is really building momentum.

“Today’s news demonstrates our ability to compete – on talent, on property and on the support the city can offer new investors.
 
“extraenergy is a challenger in its marketplace, and Birmingham is now the same. We can compete with some of the biggest business centres in the world, and we have ambitions to do just that.”

Recent figures revealed that Greater Birmingham & Solihull topped the regional table for foreign direct investment (FDI).

UK Trade & Invest last month revealed that there were more foreign investment projects in Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP (GBSLEP) last year than any other English region.

Wouter Schuitemaker, investment director at Business Birmingham, the city’s inward investment programme, which worked directly with extraenergy to secure their investment in Birmingham, said: “extraenergy’s decision to base its UK operation in Birmingham is a real endorsement of the city’s highly skilled talent.

“The company’s growth relies on technology and it needs staff that can generate industry leading innovation to help them to realise their ambitions.

“As a challenger brand, with the ability to make an impact in a highly contested industry, Birmingham had to beat off stiff competition to bring extraenergy to the city.

“In choosing Birmingham, extraenergy is reinforcing our growing position as the UK’s most exciting investment location.”