12 October 2009

The Group, which already provides property services to more than 245,000 homes in the social housing sector, has strengthened its presence in the Midlands.

Currently with a Midlands base in Sutton Coldfield, the Group has confirmed the acquisition of Thorpete Associates Limited, a Leicestershire-based gas servicing firm which went into administration last month.

The deal means 22 jobs at the Coalville based business, which was formerly part of the TREES social enterprise group, will be saved.

Chris Cheshire, Chief Executive of Kinetics, said: “Following successful negotiations I am delighted to confirm our acquisition of Thorpete which is an important landmark in our growth strategy and consolidates our position as a key player in central England.

“We will retain the Thorpete brand, there will be no redundancies, and we will continue to use local people to deliver a high quality local service. What we bring to the equation is the ability to invest in and upscale the business, by virtue of our size and financial resources.

“We are a socially responsible business which has embraced initiatives to generate local employment, address worklessness, build workforce diversity, promote improvements in the local infrastructure and pursue sustainability. There is therefore a great synergy with the TREES Group and we will be exploring further opportunities to partner with them in the near future.”

John Montague, Chief Executive of the TREES Group said: “Sealing the deal with Kinetics is fantastic news for all concerned, particularly loyal and hard-working Thorpete employees who have faced uncertainty in recent weeks. It’s a great outcome.”

Thorpete was launched in 1997 as a social enterprise to provide jobs for mature gas engineers made redundant by British Gas. It has maintained a commitment to creating jobs for people who have experienced disadvantage in the labour market, providing jobs for in excess of 70 people and supporting training opportunities for more than 60 people over the last 12 years. Profits have been reinvested in community regeneration.

Its services include gas safety inspections and testing, gas boiler and appliance servicing, and installations. Clients include private landlords, local authorities and housing associations.