CASE STUDIES

• Enact - energy consultants
• Geoscience
• Hydra Group
• Kensa Heat Pumps
• Lollipop Children's Products Ltd
• Scott Wilson Oceans

REPORTS

• The New Entrepeneurs

Environmental technology

Established by Steve Rivers in 1992, the Hydra Group is one of the only engineering-based companies in the UK to design, manufacture, install and maintain stainless steel sewage 'screens'.

Since new regulations were introduced in 2000, Water plcs are now legally required to improve their systems by 2005 - and these 'screens' form an important part of controlling overflow areas. As a result, the Hydra Group has seen their annual turnover rise to over £2.5 million.

The company currently employs about 40 people, all recruited locally. Most of the employees work as engineers in the factory, including two apprentices, with others manning the sales and infrastructure departments.

The Hydra Group works predominantly for Water plc companies across the UK, including Welsh Water, Wessex Water, Yorkshire Water and Northumbria Water. They have also recently won a large contract as the sole provider of static screens for government-owned Scottish Water.