World at feet of Undersoil Firm

World at feet of Undersoil Firm

Now the firm, which has laid undersoil heating at some of the world's most famous stadia, has a new team in the dugout after a management buyout by Hull businessmen John Holland, Ross Hibbs and Steve Hinch.

The Newport-based firm, which has a turnover of £8.5m and employs about 30 members of staff, has supplied under-pitch heating to clubs including Manchester United, Real Madrid, Chelsea and Newcastle United.

The firm is best known in East Yorkshire for its work designing and building hi-tech commercial glasshouses for clients including garden centres and horticultural research centres.

Mr Hinch said the buyout team aimed to maintain Cambridge's position as a winning team in all its markets.

"We aim to modernise the business, administratively and operationally," he said.

The company, which works in partnership with installer KE Pryor of Paull, says it plans to unveil further developments in under-pitch heating technology.

Mr Hinch said: "We have already launched a new webpage, at pitchheating.co.uk, to increase our profile in this market, and we are looking at new weather forecasting tools that can control the heating systems."



The company, founded in 1956, was based in Cambridgeshire until it moved to Hull 10 years ago.

The firm says it can deliver any glasshouse project on time and within budget, "from an 8ft domestic greenhouse to 16 acres of high-tech glasshouse."

The Bank of Scotland provided part funding for the buyout.

Phil Dibbs, associate director at Bank of Scotland Corporate in York, said: "The business is one of the leading lights in the glasshouse industry and, with new directors in place, the company hopes to consolidate its position with a view to growth in the next few years.

"We aimed to be as flexible as possible when drawing up a financial package to suit its needs and hopefully this will stand it in good stead."