Smethwick Energy Action

SEAL was set up in 1982 by Friends of the Earth (Birmingham) Ltd to tackle the issue of fuel poverty in the local area using a mix of free / low cost home insulation and fuel and benefits advice. In these early days the company organised itself as a "co-operative" structure. From its base in a refurbished "slipper baths" building at Cape Hill, Smethwick, SEAL developed its business with a "family feel" and with a focus on local energy related issues. The company became independent from Friends of the Earth (Birmingham) Ltd in 1986 and from that time adopted a more commercial approach to running the business but on a non-profit distributing basis i.e. profits were reinvested back into the organisation. In 2012, with the coalition governments flagship Green Deal and ECO programmes soon to be launched, SEAL's trading activities were transferred to SEAL Energy Ltd, a new company that was better fitted to face the business challenges ahead.