| 词条 | Spark Energy |
| 释义 |
| name = Spark Energy | logo = Spark-logo.jpg | logo_size = 250px | caption = | type = | traded_as = | genre = | fate = | predecessor = | successor = | founded = {{Start date|2007}} | founder = Chris Gauld & PJ Darling | defunct = {{End date|2018|11|23}} | location_city = Selkirk | location_country = Scotland | locations = | area_served = United Kingdom | key_people = {{unbulleted list|Chris Gauld (CEO)}} | industry = Utilities | products = {{unbulleted list|Natural gas|Electricity}} | production = | services = | revenue = | operating_income = | net_income = | assets = | equity = | owner = OVO Energy | num_employees = 400 | num_employees_year = 2018 | parent = OVO Energy | divisions = | homepage = {{URL|http://www.sparkenergy.co.uk}} | footnotes = }} Spark Energy is an electricity and gas supplier, headquartered in Selkirk, Scottish Borders. The company ceased trading on 23 November 2018 after a series of major failures, including the failure to pay the industry regulator Ofgem to the sum of £14.4 Million for their renewables obligation (RO) payment.[1]. In November 2018 Ofgem appointed OVO Energy to take over Spark Energy's 290,000 customer accounts. OVO also purchased the operating company and ensured that Spark Energy could continue to serve customers through its existing team. HistorySpark Energy started in 2007 as a small start-up company.[2] The board's background was in the letting industry [3] and they started Spark Energy to fill a gap in the utility market to meet the needs of letting agents, landlords and tenants.[4] The company was established by Canadian entrepreneur PJ Darling, after research into the utilities and property management markets, however Mr Darling was merely the founder of the company and it was generally accepted that co-founder Chris Gauld was the primary driver and leader of the business during the early stages. Spark was based in a former converted mill building in Town hill after moving to the premises from Penlan in 2016. The company made its first profit in 2013.[5] In January 2014 the firm signed a deal with Morgan Stanley.[6] Further growth occurred, which the company attributed to investment in its customer services and marketing.[5] Some rebranding also took place, including the introduction of the tagline 'Bringing Energy to Life'.[7] In Spring 2014, Chris Gauld was appointed as chief executive [8] , succeeding Canadian-born founder PJ Darling who had founded the company and who sold his stake in the business to found the now failed tenant broadband company "TenTel" which collapsed in 2016 after a series of failures.In 2014 they were placed 23rd on the Sunday Times Fast Track 100, the highest-ranked Scottish company on the list.[9] Spark has a long relationship with both Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Investment Bank, with the latter having invested around £855,000 with the company since 2008.[10] In 2015, Spark Energy reported a turnover of more than £80{{nbsp}}million.[11] {{As of|2015|July}} the company thought to be one of the five largest employers in the Borders, with over 300 staff based at their offices in Selkirk in the Scottish Borders,[2] 120 of whom are in customer care.[12] In August 2015 the company recruited three senior executives, increasing the size of its leadership team.[4]The company was granted a temporary derogation from regulator Ogrem from 22B.2(b) and paragraph 4 of SLC 22B of its gas and electricity supply licences in respect of the Affordable Social Housing Prepayment Tariff.[13] In June 2016, the company announced that a management buyout, led by CEO Chris Gauld and CFO Hamish Osborn, was close to completion in a deal estimated to be worth in excess of £50 Million.[14] In 2016, the company also acquired a 50% stake the Sussex based telecoms company, Home Telecom Ltd, for an estimated £3 Million, as part of a mutual and existing relationship with Country Wide who own the other 50% of the business. This saw the firm acquire approximately 14,000 telecoms customers as part of the deal. The company ceased trading on 23 November 2018, with OVO Energy applying to take over the customer base.[15] IssuesWhile establishing itself in the marketplace, the company had attracted a substantial number of complaints.[16] Their business model meant that tenants did not get to choose their supplier, with Spark Energy inheriting customers from property owners, demanding payments and forcing customers to have the firm as their energy supplier.[17] BBC Radio 4’s You & Yours consumer programme revealed that Spark Energy employees had posed as some of these customers, moving people with chronic debts to other energy firms without their knowledge, using their personal details.[17] In 2015 they were fined £250,000 by Ofgem, after they were judged to have mistreated customers during the 2010-2013 period by impersonating customers to switch 'undesirable' customers whom payment was difficult to collect, to other suppliers, a term known in the industry as 'erroneous transfers'.[12] The company rebranded and undertook a several year long campaign in an attempt to revive their image and customer service practices and in the 2014 Which? Switch energy satisfaction survey, Spark Energy outranked all of the "big six" providers.[8] However in the 2017 Which? survery Spark ranked 30th out of the 31 providers.[18] References1. ^{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-46316603|title=Spark Energy Supply ceases trading|publisher=BBC News|date=23 November 2018}} 2. ^1 {{cite news |url=http://www.selkirkweekendadvertiser.co.uk/news/local-news/spark-set-to-take-on-60-new-staff-1-3839207 |title=Spark set to take on 60 new staff |work=Selkirk Weekend Advertiser |date=24 July 2015 |accessdate=21 November 2015}} 3. ^{{cite news |url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/957090a2-fb1b-11e5-b3f6-11d5706b613b.html#axzz4AFUqjzv1 |title=Chris Gauld, co-founder, Spark Energy: plugged in to power |work=The Financial Times |date=12 April 2016 |accessdate=12 April 2016}} 4. ^1 {{cite news |url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/13593419.Spark_Energy_launches_job_drive/ |title=Spark Energy launches job drive |first=Scott |last=Wright |work=The Herald |date=13 August 2015 |accessdate=21 November 2015}} 5. ^1 {{cite news |url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/10081652/Fast-growing-Spark-Energy-on-track-for-first-profit.html|title = Spark Energy sees turnover rise sharply|work = The Daily Telgraph|date = 26 May 2013|accessdate = 13 January 2016}} 6. ^{{cite news |url=http://www.scotsman.com/business/companies/energy/spark-energy-lands-morgan-stanley-contract-1-3280258 |title=Spark Energy lands Morgan Stanley contract |first=Dominic |last=Jeff |work=The Scotsman |date=23 January 2014 |accessdate=21 November 2015}} 7. ^{{cite news |url=http://www.thedrum.com/news/2014/04/15/spark-energy-rebrands-take-big-six-following-morgan-stanley-deal-earlier-year |title=Spark Energy rebrands to take on the 'Big Six' following Morgan Stanley deal earlier this year |first=Gillian |last=West |work=The Drum |date=15 April 2014 |accessdate=21 November 2015}} 8. ^1 {{cite news |url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/13167060.Scottish_Investment_Bank_funding_for_Spark_Energy_up_to___855_000/ |title=Scottish Investment Bank funding for Spark Energy up to £855,000 |first=Ian |last=McConnell |work=The Herald |date=25 June 2014 |accessdate=21 November 2015}} 9. ^{{cite news |url=http://www.thecourier.co.uk/business/news/growth-of-forfar-based-rmec-earns-recognition-in-sunday-times-virgin-fast-track-100-league-table-1.724971 |title=Growth of Forfar-based RMEC earns recognition in Sunday Times Virgin Fast Track 100 league table |first=Andrew |last=Argo |work=The Courier |date=8 Dec 2014 |accessdate=21 November 2015}} 10. ^{{Cite web|title = Spark Energy plugs in to a bright future|url = http://www.scottish-enterprise.com/knowledge-hub/articles/case-study/attract-investment/spark-energy|website = www.scottish-enterprise.com|access-date = 2016-01-19}} 11. ^{{cite news |url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/13198516.Spark_sees_profits_soar_beyond___1_million/ |title= Spark sees profits soar beyond £1 million |first=Scott |last=Wright |work=The Herald |date=24 January 2015 |accessdate=21 November 2015}} 12. ^1 {{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-31490466 |title=Selkirk firm Spark Energy to pay £250,000 for rules breach |work=BBC News |date=16 February 2015}} 13. ^{{Cite web|title = Energy watchdog sanctions new pre-payment tariff {{!}} News {{!}} Inside Housing|url = http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/energy-watchdog-sanctions-new-pre-payment-tariff/7009656.article|website = www.insidehousing.co.uk|access-date = 2016-01-19}} 14. ^{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-36529258 |title=Management buyout bid at Selkirk-based Spark Energy|publisher=BBC News|access-date=2016-07-28}} 15. ^{{cite news|work=BBC News|title=Spark Energy Supply ceases trading|date=23 November 2018|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-46316603|accessdate=23 November 2018}} 16. ^{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-23099008 |title=Selkirk-based Spark Energy investigated by Ofgem |work=BBC News |date=28 June 2013}} 17. ^1 {{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25492239 |title=Spark Energy 'impersonated customers' to remove ‘debtors' |first=John |last=Neal |work=You & Yours |publisher=BBC |date=23 December 2013}} 18. ^{{cite web |last1=Ingrams |first1=Sarah |title=Which? energy survey results |url=https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/energy-companies/article/best-and-worst-energy-companies/which-energy-survey-results |publisher=Which? |accessdate=19 June 2018}} External links
4 : Oil and gas companies of Scotland|Power companies of Scotland|Utilities of Scotland|2007 establishments in Scotland |
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