Energy tycoon increases stake in Kirk Group

Green energy tycoon Simon Rigby has increased his stake in Kirk Group to 66.6%, becoming the largest shareholder.

He initially invested in the company in 2011, with a stake of 33.3% with an investment of £2m, providing a huge boost to the business and an important link in a portfolio of renewable energy investments.

Kirk Group was established in 2003 and is now a global specialist in liquid and biogas storage solutions for the water, wastewater, anaerobic digestion and biogas industries, working in partnership with specialist technology providers throughout the world to construct a range of projects from simple water storage tanks, to complex schemes utilising biowaste for the production of biogas as a renewable energy source.

Simon is committed to supporting local businesses and has a passion for the renewable energy sector, with huge plans for development: “Kirk managed a fantastic turnkey project at Farmgen 2 , our AD facility at Dryholme near Silloth in Cumbria , the standard design for our roll out, and therefore when a share became available we were very pleased to lift our holdings. Kirk was principal contractors on Farmgen 2 which is performing ahead of forecast.”

Andrew Peace, managing director at Kirk Group, said: “This is fantastic news for all the staff, suppliers and customers and with his support we have very solid plans for the development of the business, both in the UK and overseas. I am very positive that the business will experience substantial growth in the next few years.”

Michael Darch, group finance director of Simon Rigby’s business interests has also been appointed to the board of directors. Simon whose portfolio also includes energy specialists The LG Energy Group, Farmgen and a range of companies throughout the healthcare, procurement and travel sector, came from a dairy farming background before forming Spice plc in 1996. In 2010 Simon sold his stake in Spice plc, forming the GreenGen group.