Ludlow green energy firm in search for engineers

Ludlow-based Biogen specialises in building anaerobic digesters, a sector which the company believes has the capacity for high growth in the coming years.

Recent contract wins – worth between £4 million and £12 million – have left the current 17-strong team with a full order book, but director of projects John Greaves said increasing demand for installations means around 10 new engineers and project managers must be brought on board to increase its output and develop the advancing technology.

He said: "For years Britain buried waste food in landfill but that creates dangerous methane gas which is 22 times more harmful than CO2.

"Not only does it deplete the ozone layer but it is poisonous. AD addresses that by safely capturing and converting this gas for use in the energy industry, creating electricity, so nothing escapes into the atmosphere.

"We are excited and proud to be part of a team with the potential to drastically increase our nation's eco credentials for the long term, and we're looking for new members to join that team.

"I cannot emphasise enough to young engineers across a whole spectrum of different skill sets, what an energising, inspiring and adrenaline-fuelled time it is to be coming to this industry."

Biogen is the only specialist British company that offers a complete AD package, designing, building and operating commercial-scale food waste plants.

Biogen's plants process between 10,000 and 50,000 tonnes of food waste a year and to date the existing, 17-strong team have been building at least one new plant a year, but with demand rising that is set to increase.

The amount of waste produced in the UK would require 400 plants, and Biogen hopes to use make the most of the demand for new sites. Last year, the company turned over £8 million.

Current projects include a 10,000 tonne plant near Caernafon and a 22,000 tonne plant near St Asaph.

Now the company has launched a recruitment campaign to find the engineers to add to that skill set.

Mr Greaves added: "We are growing so fast we now need quality engineers in all sectors, research, design and project management."

"We have opportunities in all engineering sectors from architectural designers to mechanical and electrical specialists and masterminds of the biological processes which are key to anaerobic digestion of food waste.

"If a young engineer has a brainwave we give him or her the chance to run with their idea. We work as a team but a team in which individuals thrive, where they can see their innovations brought to fruition and if they are lucky, put into use on a nationwide or even an international platform."