FEATURE
Growing – Climatec Engineering directors Neil Gilsenan , Paul Greensmith and Sean Byrne now employ 15 people at their Kirkleatham premises .
WORDS : SARAH WALKER PICTURE : TOM BANKS
HOME GROWN
Gas engineers warm to hardworking Tees workforce
A
firm of proud Teesside engineers has begun manufacturing heaters on Teesside , capitalising on the “ top skills and commendable work ethic ” of the local population .
Paul Greensmith and Neil Gilsenan – owners of Climatec Engineering , based on Kirkleatham Business Park – now have 15 employees , having started their company five years ago .
The company specialises in installing , servicing and repairing gas heating and air conditioning systems to commercial premises across the country , from supermarkets to warehousing and retail – and even football stadiums !
With their roots firmly on Teesside , they have developed a business which supports supply chain companies in the local area , from HR firms and insurers to accountants , health and safety officers and digital marketing experts .
Now Paul and Neil have established another new company on Teesside , Warmatic , which is manufacturing gas warm air heaters , cabinet heaters and ventilation units .
They have also opened a second base in the Teesside area , and are excited to see the first exports of their products leave Teesport for Europe .
Describing their journey to running their own successful business , Paul said : “ We were two colleagues who had been specialising in the mechanical gas and air conditioning industry for more than 20 years .
“ The company started out with Neil – one man in a van – and me working from my sofa .
“ We have built up the business to the point where we run the company and now have more than 15 staff .”
However , Neil says both he and Paul are keen to keep that personal relationship they have built with their clients and still take calls directly from customers , who appreciate having them at the end of the line .
“ Building exceptional relationships is something which is the primary focus of our business and that we pride ourselves on ,” he added .
“ Before we started Climatec , we worked for a company in the industry and decided we wanted to start our own company with a personal touch for clients .”
Paul and Neil quickly found a market for their services , providing heating , ventilation and air conditioning solutions for a wide range of commercial clients .
Then the pandemic resulted in a shortage of materials and many big-name competitors replacing vast ranges with “ one-size-fits-all ” solutions .
“ In contrast , we can build something to fit a specific space ,” Paul says .
“ There is a massive market for the bespoke solutions we offer and the way the industry has changed has also allowed us to grow into another market with Warmatic .”
Paul , who trained with TTE before working with the likes of British Steel and Wilton , is proud of Teesside ’ s manufacturing heritage – something the business “ really wanted to get involved in ”.
“ We are massively passionate about bringing manufacturing back to Teesside and the UK ,” he said .
“ There are so many products brought in from abroad and to be pushing to do it from Teesside and within the UK is a fantastic thing for us .
“ We don ’ t want to buy a product in and market it as ours .”
In fact , big names in the industry are queuing up to put their stickers on Warmatic ’ s Teesside-made products .
Meanwhile , the push for green energy and more efficient , sustainable solutions also presents a massive opportunity for the firm .
One of the company ’ s “ technical brains ”, Sean Byrne , is doing a degree at Teesside University and has focused on building products that are better for the environment .
Paul said : “ We ’ ve been able to come to market with something that ’ s more current , based around energy efficiency and sustainability .”
Looking to the future , the firm hopes to continue to grow its supply chain in the Tees region and wider North-East , while capitalising on the vast skills of local people .
Neil said : “ The work ethic and skill of people in this area is fantastic – not to use them would be such a shame .
“ We are in a fortunate position that we are now able to do that .”
To find out more , go to climatecengineering . co . uk . The voice of business in the Tees region | 87