Based in Merseyside, renewable bioenergy specialist Fleetsolve has signed a deal to become the Uk distributor for Dutch engine company MAN Rollo BV, creating 20 jobs. Tony McDonough reports

Merseyside renewable bioenergy specialist Fleetsolve has signed a UK distribution deal with a Dutch engine supplier that will see the creation of 20 jobs.

In December Fleetsolve relocated its headquarters from Cheshire to Bromborough in Wirral. It announced a £150m expansion, capitalising on the soaring demand for cleaner energy. It pledged to create around 70 jobs in 2021.

Now it has agreed a partnership with Dutch engine company MAN Rollo BV to supply the growing UK combined heat and power market as part of its growth plans. Fleetsolve will become the UK distributor for MAN Rollo’s engines, parts and services for the combined heat and power (CHP) sector.

MAN Rollo BV is a global player and has been supplying diesel and gas engines to the industrial and maritime sectors across nine countries for more than 100 years. The engines are used in power and heat supply, agricultural machines, cranes and trains, work vessels, coastal and inland vessels. 

Although Fleetsolve is best known for its ‘green’ biofuel CHP systems, the UK CHP market is dominated by a range of complementary technologies including natural gas, methane and diesel. These need to be supported and maintained efficiently for the next 10 years as the market moves to renewable fuels of the future.

Rather than customers abandoning their legacy heat and power equipment, Fleetsolve understands that in the short term these engines will need to be expertly maintained and serviced. For CHP units nearing the end of their engine life, Fleetsolve’s hydrogen-ready engine swap service will see these units operating into a low carbon future to meet the 2050 carbon commitment.

Keith O’Connor, chief executive of Fleetsolve, said: “This partnership is a significant milestone in the Fleetsolve journey. We’re proud to partner with such a prestigious global company as MAN Rollo and relish the opportunity to work together to support the existing and new customer markets that are out there.

“We both have ambitious plans for growth and continue to buck the trend of the pandemic by expanding and recruiting more people to support this opportunity. 

|It not only future proofs the supply of MAN parts and service for the UK market following Brexit, but it also supports our plans to supply all industry sectors with all fuel types and all sizes of power generation, ranging from 5KW to 2.5MW.”

Michel van Gulik, general manager at MAN Rollo, added: “We believe that Fleetsolve is in the position to fulfil customer demand for premium industrial solutions. Their knowledge, experience and customer relations make them a powerful partner.”