A HORWICH-based company has won a £5.5 million contract bringing 20 to 30 new jobs to the town over the next 12 months.

Trojan Utilities at Middlebrook has agreed a three-year deal to deliver Smart metering services to acclaimed independent gas and electrical supplier OVO Energy.

The contract is initially worth around £5.5 million, creating more than 100 new jobs around the country, including at the Bolton headquarters, mostly in engineering, the contact centre and data management. The work involves upgrading gas and electricity meters for OVO Energy’s UK customers.

Trojan managing director Gareth Openshaw said: “This is exciting news for Trojan and marks our development as the largest and fastest-growing independent installer of Smart Meters in the UK.

“Smart meters will change the way we live. For the first time, we can see our energy usage and how much it’s costing us in near real time.”

The company was started in 2011 by Mr Openshaw — born and brought up in Great Lever — with just one van operating from a small garage. It was intended to specifically address the mandatory roll-out of Smart meters nationally.

The company grew, moving to a larger warehouse and office in Bolton and then opening its first out-of-area logistics depot in Yorkshire. Last year, the engineering field force grew quickly and Trojan celebrated installing its 100,000th Smart meter.

Success continued this year with further business expansion with a multi-million contract to install and maintain dual-fuel domestic Smart meters in Scotland. In January, the company moved into spacious new head-office, Stadium House on Eastgate Approach. It won Highly Commended in the SME category of the Bolton and Bury Business awards and now has a staff of 178.

Melissa Gander, managing director of OVO In-Home Technology said: “The partnership with Trojan means we can now install Smart technology into more of our customers’ homes than ever before.”

Mr Openshaw added: “To be chosen by OVO Energy to assist with their own fantastic business growth is very pleasing and is testament to the skills, experience and dedication of the management team and all the staff of Trojan Utilities.”

Caption - TROJAN TEAM: From left, field operations director Sean Flynn, field operations manager Tommy Appleby, communications and marketing co-ordinator Haleema Shabir, technical administrator Holly Pilkington, operations co-ordinator Agata Larty, managing director Gareth Openshaw and operations director Gemma Openshaw