An energy consultancy that monitors the performance of commercial solar systems has won a major contract from a US soft drinks brand. Test Consulting has been commissioned to monitor solar installations at over 50 bottling plants throughout North America. The company has raised £150,000 from NPIF II – Mercia Debt Finance, which is managed by Mercia Debt as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II), to help it roll out the service, win further business in the UK and US and target the Spanish market. Test Consulting was established in 2016 by John Swallow, who has over 30 years’ experience in electrical engineering and smart building integration. The Leeds-based company helps businesses to reduce energy use and carbon emissions and gain accreditations. It provides energy monitoring covering all fuel types for clients including brick manufacturer Ibstock, Thorn Lighting and Mid-Counties Cooperatives. Test Consulting, which currently has a seven-strong team, expects to create three to four new jobs in the year ahead. John Swallow, founder and CEO, said: “Solar power enables businesses to cut costs, reduce reliance on the grid and enhance their brand. However many fail to achieve the full benefits and in some cases, cannot claim carbon credits because the installations do not perform as well as expected. Monitoring gives complete visibility and quickly reveals any panels that are underperforming. “The US contract is a real accolade for us and demonstrates the value of our unique service. We now aim to make further inroads in the US market and target other countries such as Spain with high uptake of solar energy.” Gary Whitaker of Mercia Debt added: “Test Consulting’s innovative service could help businesses worldwide to maximise their use of solar power and reduce their carbon emissions. We are pleased to support John and the team as they roll out the service internationally.” Moustafa Elgendy from the Department for Business and Trade worked with the company to support its international expansion and provided fundraising advice.

Shipley-based SportsShoes grew sales by four per cent to achieve a record turnover of £93.3m and a 13.3 per cent year-on-year increase in EBITDA to £6m in the 12 months to 28 February 2025. During the same period, the online running shoes, running clothing and outdoor gear retailer said its premium inline sales rose by 34 per cent and 672,465 new customers were acquired. Established in 1982, the business offers customers in the UK, Europe and Scandinavia more than 17,000 products from 150 global running and outdoor brands. From a running perspective these include Asics, Nike, Adidas, Hoka, New Balance and Brooks whilst in terms of outdoor they include Salomon, Montane, Rab and Patagonia. SportsShoes has attributed the year’s performance to a combination of elements including the launch of its app last August which now accounts for 12 per cent of revenues. SportsShoes managing director, Brett Bannister, said: “Our vision is to be unrivalled in running, a disrupter of the outdoor category and Europe’s number one performance destination. “It’s striving to achieve this vision which drives our creativity when it comes to customer engagement through physical activations, and customer retention due to an outstanding online shopping experience. “A guiding principle for our business is ‘do it first and be remembered’. By always applying this to our thinking, whether it’s how we launch a product for a brand partner or what we do to refine our internal business processes, the result is continuous innovation and improvement. “We want to power every runner and adventurer to run faster, go further and climb higher whatever their ability and, by doing so, positively contribute to their health and wellbeing. “Staying true to these core beliefs is what keeps us honest and gives us our momentum as we continue to evolve SportsShoes.com as a premium online retail brand.” Further revenue during the period was driven by the retailer’s partnerships strategy. This included the announcement in January of a partnership with health and life insurer Vitality and its 1.8m members. SportsShoes also had success with its athlete ambassadors and sponsorships programmes. Most high profile of these are the M11 track club, of which 800m Olympic gold winner, Keely Hodgkinson, is a member, and SportsShoes.com’s Athletes in Residence to Olympian partnership with Nike. The latter includes triathlete Hayden Wilde and sprinter Imani-Lara Lansiquot who both competed at Paris 2024 and won silver medals.

Aspire Technology Solutions has achieved a significant milestone, surpassing £50 million in revenue for the financial year ending February 2025—two years ahead of its original 2027 target. The company, which provides managed IT, cybersecurity, and modern workplace solutions, reported a 28% increase in revenue compared to the previous year, reaching £50.9 million. Adjusted EBITDA also saw an impressive 33% rise to £8.8 million, up from £6.6 million in FY24.

Key to this growth is Aspire’s long-term service relationships, which accounted for 83% of its revenue. The company invested £1.7 million in technological advancements, including private cloud and network enhancements, as well as new AI-powered tools aimed at improving service speed and resolution times.

Founded in 2006, Aspire has steadily expanded its customer base and workforce. The company welcomed 250 new customers over the past year and now employs over 300 experts. Customer satisfaction remains a top priority, with Aspire’s Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 87.2 well above industry standards.

In addition to organic growth, Aspire has made strategic acquisitions, including the purchase of CloudCoco Limited in October 2024 and Cloud Cover IT in December 2023, both aimed at strengthening its regional presence in key areas like Leeds and Glasgow.

Private equity firm LDC, part of Lloyds Banking Group, has supported Aspire’s growth with a significant minority stake. Aspire is now focused on its next goal—reaching £100 million in turnover by 2030. This target reflects the company’s ongoing commitment to customer satisfaction, innovation, and infrastructure development as it continues to expand in the IT services sector.

Ebuyer, the UK’s second-largest PC retailer, is facing administration following financial challenges. The company, which has been operating for 26 years, recently received a winding-up petition from its landlord, Urban Logistics Acquisitions 6 Ltd.

The retailer, known for selling PCs, components, and accessories, reported a turnover of £175 million in 2022, employing over 200 people. However, by 2023, its turnover had dropped to £136.5 million, with the company incurring operating losses of £1.8 million. In response, ebuyer reduced its workforce by around 50 employees as part of cost-cutting measures aimed at improving profitability.

The company’s latest financial statement, covering the year ending December 2023, pointed to a broader downturn in the electrical products and components market. The statement revealed a 22% decrease in year-on-year turnover, prompting the business to implement efficiency initiatives to address the financial strain.

Ebuyer’s acquisition in April 2023 by UK investors Mark Reed and Rich Marsden has yet to reverse the company’s fortunes. The company now faces uncertainty as it navigates these difficult trading conditions.