Trades Start-up of the Year 2012

Founders: Martin freeman and Rebecca Kench
Year Started: 2011
Website: www.properteco.co.uk

PropertECO specialises in offering sustainable building solutions nationwide. The company offers a range of innovative and potentially market-changing services aimed at increasing the sustainability of buildings. With over 2,000 people in the UK dying every year from lung cancer linked to radon exposure, the company’s main activity is in the field of radon gas remediation. As health and safety legislation requires employers to test their buildings for radon, founders Martin Freeman and Rebecca Kench have tapped into a stable market that is expected to grow significantly over the coming years; PropetECO recently signed a lucrative deal with a major high street bank that saw the firm carrying out work across 80 of its branches.

The sustainable buildings solutions provider has also developed a unique product that is painted on to the walls of buildings to improve insulation for up to 20 years and the company continues to work with expert scientists to expand its product offering.

Judges’ comments:

PropertECO stood out from the entrants in this category for its work in restoring old buildings and the strong profits it reported during its first year of trading. The judges were impressed that it had reached considerable profitability within year one and were confident it could deliver its revenue projections in the next fiscal year, growing into a successful, sustainable company.