In the CIS Company Spotlight series we interview Ken Stewart, Business Development Manager, SSE Airtricity Utility Solutions on what it is they do, the industry they operate in and how they provide their services.

We also explore how the CIS Online Platform has helped with their business goals, the features and functionality that have been of most benefit and how opportunities have been identified.

Ken Stewart


Business Development Manager E: ken.stewart@sse.com


SSE Airtricity Utility Solutions

Can you tell us a little about SSE Airtricity Utility Solutions?

SSE Airtricity Utility Solutions (SSE AUS) is one of the largest electrical contracting businesses in Ireland.
We offer specialist electrical contracting services ranging from high, medium and low voltage (HV/MV/LV), street lighting, electric vehicle (EV) charging installations to smart city technology. It is our aim to help Irish businesses on the road to net zero.

 

What trends have driven the need for your products/services in the industry?


In terms of urban areas, all cities across Ireland are moving towards a smart cities model in a bid to be more sustainable and reduce carbon emissions through the use of digital information in decision making. This has lead to significant demand for smart cities technology, as well as an increased thirst to understand the benefits. In terms of EV infrastructure – a key focus of the Irish Climate Action Plan is a government target of having 1 million EVs on the road by 2030. As demand has risen supply has also, and we have found more and more Irish businesses engaging with us to make the change to EV fleets, which is very promising to see.

 

Can you tell us about the industry you operate in?


We offer a broad scope of innovative electrical contracting solutions to private and public sector clients across residential, commercial and industrial markets. We have worked with a range of clients across Ireland such as Centre Parcs, EPS, Irish Water, Fingal County Council, Cork County Council, Roadbridge and SISK, to name just a few!

 

How did you first hear about CIS?


CIS was recommended to us by a current employee who has extensive experience in the construction industry. Additionally, it had been noted that CIS is prominent on networks such as LinkedIn and presented a number of attractive opportunities through their daily news feed, as well as the ability to liaise with colleagues within the industry and share project intel.

 

What are your needs currently and how did CIS Online satisfy those needs?


CIS has been invaluable in keeping us ahead of the curve in terms of pre-planning stage projects. It consistently offers new opportunities for our business development team.

 

SSE AUS partnered with Centre Parcs on their recently opened Holiday Resort in Co. Longford. Having successfully designed, installed and commissioned full MV and LV networks, SSE AUS were subsequently offered a three-year maintenance contract by Centre Parcs.

 

What sort of opportunities have been identified on the CIS system?

We have sourced a number of partnerships through the system with clients such as SISK, Roadbridge, John Paul Construction, and Irish Water as well as those with industry professionals. We also identified projects such as ESB frameworks and various RESS Solar projects that are current and upcoming, as well as a number of EV opportunities nationwide.

 

What features/information on CIS Online have been of most benefit to you?

A number of the features offered by CIS have proved useful to date, including being able to filter projects by pre-planning and plans granted stage. In addition to this, we have utilised the company search filter on a regular basis. Company Connections allows us to see who other companies are working with in addition to their job history, which is useful intelligence to have.

 

What plans have you for the future?

We have big plans for the future! We are focusing on growing our original services, such as our public lighting and HV/MV/LV operations, but we also intend to develop and expand our business within the areas of smart cities and electric vehicles by leveraging our extensive experience in existing infrastructure and street furniture. With such an innovative and eager team on board we will continue to go from strength to strength to create a better and more sustainable future for us all.

It’s a very exciting time for SSE AUS and it’s great to be part of an organisation that can have a real impact on the sustainability targets of Irish businesses as we all move more rapidly towards net zero goals.

For more information on the services offered by SSE Airtricity Utility Solutions, visit their new website at www.airtricitysolutions.com or visit their LinkedIn page.