Corona Energy working with John Lewis and Waitrose
July 04th 2007

As a leading gas supplier to British business,Corona Energy sees itself, above all, as a service provider.“We sell service not gas,”explains Managing Director John Spellman.“We like talking to customers.”

The John Lewis Partnership is a case in point. Corona Energy now supplies 296 John Lewis department stores and Waitrose supermarkets and warehouses around the country.

A flexible strategy was agreed at the outset whereby gas is procured on a monthly basis, allowing the retailer to benefit from fluctuating gas market prices.

“Procurement flexibility was a very important factor for us,” explains Bill Wright, Energy and Environment Manager for John Lewis. “We no longer have to commit in advance on an annual basis.We just keep an eye on the gas market and, working closely with Corona Energy and others, buy at the most advantageous time.

“We also liked Corona Energy’s electronic billing facility,” he adds, “which is highly efficient and their flexibility fits well with the way we like to work.” Corona Energy was among the first gas suppliers to offer e-billing which, by eliminating most of the paperwork, reduces the customer’s administration time and costs significantly. As such, ebilling is also a green solution.

In fact, concern for the environment is at the forefront of the company’s strategic thinking. “It is an issue that all right-thinking businesses need to take very seriously now,” says John Spellman. According to Kieron Farry, Corona Energy’s Sales and Marketing Director, Automated Meter Reading (AMR) is another important weapon in the struggle to manage energy more efficiently. He believes that Corona Energy’s AMR offering is second to none in the market.

“It is an exciting development in the world of gas metering which has made estimated bills and manual reads a thing of the past. AMR allows the user to focus on energy efficiency and procurement matters.”

John Lewis was one of the first Corona Energy customers to recognise the benefits of AMR, recently signing up their 300+ meters, and can now look forward to greatly enhanced energy performance. With over 7% of the UK’s I&C gas market, Corona Energy is not only a significant player but is also recognised as a true multi-site specialist. Thanks to its recent acquisition by Macquarie Bank Limited, Corona Energy now considers itself better equipped than ever to improve its product offer and benefits.

As well as its popular fixed-price, fixed-term contracts, Corona Energy also offers a wide range of flexible procurement options which enable customers to participate directly in the wholesale gas market. “I believe the UK gas market is ready for more innovative products,” says John Spellman. “Increasingly, we are providing highly tailored contracts that offer the right balance of risk and reward for each customer’s unique requirements.”

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