A lighting-efficiency company has set its sights on overseas expansion after growing turnover by more than £8 million in two years.

The workforce at Minimise Energy has grown from five to more than 50 since 2011 as the market for energy saving has grown.

Based in the Rochester Airport Estate, the company includes Morrisons, Network Rail and Canary Wharf among its long-standing clients, who have called on them to install electricity-saving LED lighting and other solutions.

The firm has grown its turnover from £650,000 in 2011 to £8.9m in 2013, leading to its acquisition by Strood-based electronic components group APC Technology last November.

It contributed revenues of £5.8m to its parent company in the six months to February.

In an announcement on the London Stock Exchange, APC revealed Minimise’s contracts have come from one of the UK’s top high street banks and one of the country’s largest food and clothing retailers.

“We are now incredibly well placed to continue our recent growth as we combine the flexibility of a small business with the delivery and capacity of a large, established organisation..." - Minimise's Mark Robinson

International work has started to come in from North and Central America, including a mid-sized food retailer and a national restaurant chain.

Next month, Minimise Energy will attempt to expand further overseas, including a joint venture in the US with Minimise Energy Americas. The company has satellite offices in London and Leeds, as well as Ontario in Canada and Miami.

APC Technology chief executive Mark Robinson said: “Our bespoke solutions are already being specified in USA and Canada and we are now entering the South American market.

“There are also many opportunities across mainland Europe, especially in areas with hotter climates and higher air conditioning loads.

“It’s only been a short time from start up but we have already established a reputation for providing bespoke solutions and developing innovative products. People know we listen first, placing the customer at the centre of each project and then setting about seeking a solution.

“This is one of our main strengths – we come up with tailored solutions for our clients, with 80% of the projects we’re involved in containing bespoke elements, and we manufacture our own products so there are no restrictions on what we can deliver.”

The company has developed a range of products to help energy efficiency, including LED lighting, contactless power technology and wireless blinds. The focus is on providing long-term solutions for each client.

Mr Robinson said: “It enables us to be responsive, exciting and clever. Our monitoring systems allow clients to understand precisely where they are in terms of energy usage, capturing their heating, lighting and technology outputs and analysing the data right down to individual terminals and devices.

“This can drive simple and effective energy efficiency changes such as switching off lights and monitors over night.

“We are now incredibly well placed to continue our recent growth as we combine the flexibility of a small business with the delivery and capacity of a large, established organisation.

“We really enjoy what we do – saving people money so they can reinvest that resource elsewhere.”