Address: 102 N. Franklin St., Port Washington, WI 53074
Website: www.franklinenergy.com
Year founded: 1994
Product or service offered: Franklin Energy manages utility energy efficiency programs, which help customers identify and prioritize improvements and access utility incentives to offset costs.
Projected 2011 revenue: Undisclosed
CEO, President/Owner(s): Paul Schueller, Chief Executive Officer
Target clientele: Utilities and government agencies which seek to provide energy efficiency and renewable energy programs to their business and residential electric and natural gas customers. A majority of clients and staff are located in the Midwest.
Business organization memberships: Association of Energy Services Professionals (AESP), American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), Michigan Public Power Agency (MPPA), Port Washington Chamber of Commerce, Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (MEEA)
What has fueled your company’s growth?
Power plants operating at or near capacity, leaving utilities faced with either reducing demand on existing operations or needing to build additional plants to provide needed energy output for their customers. Also, state regulatory commissions and legislatures requiring utilities to provide energy efficiency services for their customers to address generating capacity or other issues.
What is the biggest obstacle to your company’s growth?
An increase in clients seeking energy efficiency program services and an industry with limited experienced staff. We are overcoming this obstacle with a rigorous hiring process that matches skill sets to jobs coupled with a training process that allows staff to contribute quickly and follow a comprehensive track over time.
Do you plan any changes in your company in the upcoming months?
Our focus for the remainder of 2011 is on continued performance to meet or exceed commitments with existing contracts and strategic expansion and diversification through a few out-of-state business development efforts.
What is the outlook for the business conditions of your industry over the next several months?
The energy efficiency industry is expected to trend up nationally for the next several years, with regulatory requirements and the offering of energy efficiency programs by utilities to their customers expected to increase by about 15% annually.
What is your company’s key strategy for rising out of the recession?
Business conditions for our services have been good throughout the recession; however, to be successful, we rely on residential and business customers to implement energy efficiency projects. We are cognizant of the impact today’s economy places on them and work diligently to find solutions that help them reduce their costs with energy efficiency.
