Key Finance is attracting a lot of
interest with its ‘Key Is Green’ service to reduce energy
expenditure
When John Mounsey founded Key
Finance in 1979, he had in mind a traditional, old-fashioned
leasing company. But 30 years later his son, Henry Mounsey, has
tried to do something different, coming up with an innovative idea
which he called “Key Is Green” (KIG).
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Effectively, KIG is still part of Surrey-based
Key Finance, but it comes up with solutions to help customers to
save money and, at the same time, reduce their carbon footprint
(and issue certificates to that effect).
In essence, KIG approaches a company – say a
convenience store, but it could be any type of firm or even local
governments – and offers them to “assist in reducing energy
expenditure”.
John Mounsey explains: “In the area of
convenience stores, where we have been particularly successful, we
look at their refrigeration and lighting systems. We have a team of
technical experts to offer different solutions.”
His son – who came up with the idea a couple
of years ago together with a colleague, Andy Wheeler – adds there
is a four-step process for finding the right solution, which starts
with an engineer looking at the premises.
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By GlobalDataOnce the information is collected, KIG comes
back and tells the customer what they need to do – usually a
combination of lighting, refrigeration and heating optimisation –
and finally the new equipment is installed.
John Mounsey claims: “KIG customers will see a
return on their investment anywhere from 10 months to 36 months in
the case of outright purchase.”
However, he adds most users “will choose from
one of three finance options: finance lease, operating lease or
‘pay-as-you-save’”.
He says tKIG can cut anywhere from 15 to 40
percent from an energy bill.
KIG currently has 12 permanent staff, plus a
number of consultants. Also, John Mounsey adds, Key has no shortage
of funds from its partnering banks – which include BNP Paribas, ING
and Close Brothers – because “not one bank has had one penny of bad
debt with us, even through this awful recession”.
And both father and son are confident that KIG
will end up becoming a leading player in the green sector.
Antonio Fabrizio
