German inverter manufacturer KACO New Energy has become the latest solar company with a UK presence to shell jobs as part of a wider corporate restructure. The firm announced last month that 80 jobs were lost from its German operations in an attempt to refocus the firm on markets outside of Europe, and this week the company made members of its UK & Ireland team redundant.
KACO opened its UK-facing office, based in Milton Keynes, in August 2012 in an attempt to crack the UK market. KACO confirmed this morning that a number of jobs had indeed been lost in the UK, claiming that the restructuring was part of a wider attempt to break into alternative markets – particularly the Middle East. It has not yet been confirmed precisely how many jobs have been lost.
Meanwhile renowned solar developer British Solar Renewables has announced plans to significantly ramp up its O&M business in the UK over the coming months, potentially creating employment opportunities within the firm. Commercial director David Peill told Solar Power Portal earlier this week that the company would be looking to grow its O&M portfolio, which already stands in excess of 500MW, as its energy services arm expands.
Peill added that the firm would look to increase its headcount in line with that expansion, particularly in the fields of EPC and ICP work. BSR has itself gone through a period of change in recent months with a number of senior members of staff, including Angus Macdonald and Giles Frampton, departing the business.
Renewables recruitment firm Hyperion Executive Search has bolstered its senior team with the appointment of Chris Kennaird as associate partner. The former redT energy storage and ABB/Power One sales director brings more than four years’ experience of the UK’s renewables space to the company.
The new issue of Inside Clean Energy magazine discusses the UK renewables sector’s employment travails at great length, uncovering just how the market is bouncing back. You can download the magazine free of charge here.