Wigan utilities specialist set to axe 250 jobs

For years, meter, utility solutions and call centre specialist Lowri Beck has been on the up and up, expanding at its Wigan Pier base and garnering numerous awards.

But it was taken over by infrastructure firm Calisen 10 months ago in a bid to allow the latter to provide meter installation services to the fast-growing independent energy supplier sector.

Calisen said that Lowri Beck was making a loss at an operating level and this continued into the new year when a new leadership team was installed.

Now, after a root and branch review of all operations and the firm's structure, it has been recommended that in order to make a "leaner, more efficient and sustainable" business, 250 equivalent roles across Britain look likely to go. This, bosses said, would ensure Lowri Beck's long-term viability.

A statement from London-based Calisen read: "Though some restructuring was anticipated at the time of initial public offering, the coronavirus pandemic has made the review more urgent and accelerated the requirement for change,"

It is expected that the restructuring will help the firm at least break even in the 2021 financial year and thus make a "positive contribution" to the group.

Calisen chief executive officer Bert Pijls said: "Since the new Lowri Beck leadership team was put in place at the start of the year, we have focused on identifying the best path forward for the business to return to profitability while preserving as many jobs as possible.

"The impact of the pandemic has accelerated our thinking as our meter installations have been paused over the last few months, however, the structural challenges to the business have existed for some time.

"It has become clear that there are areas in which we lack critical mass, so we must become leaner and more efficient to ensure that the business is sustainable in the longer term."

He added that the measures they were proposing were "important to secure a sustainable future for Lowri Beck and its team of engineers, meter readers and support staff."

Lowri Beck was founded in 1996 by Bob Vernon and the success of its data collection and meter readings operation over the years made it one of the borough's higher-profile firms, gradually expanding into several buildings at Wigan Pier.

It has won many prizes - including at the borough's own business awards - and sponsored local institutions, not least the Wigan International Jazz Festival and Wigan Youth Zone

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