A Belfast company focused on the electrification market has grown rapidly since its start in 2015.
To accommodate the expansion, SolarLogix LLC recently moved into a 14,000-square-foot facility, on 1.6 acres, at 18 Searsport Ave. in Belfast.
Searsport Avenue is also known as Route 1.
“We’ve been looking to build a facility for years because of our growth,” said Josh Oxley, SolarLogix’s president and founder.
SolarLogix offers a range of services, including solar energy solutions, HVAC systems optimization, energy-efficient heat pump water heaters, battery backup systems, electric vehicle chargers, electrical service upgrades and indoor air quality and plumbing services.
The company assists customers with navigating financial incentives such as Efficiency Maine rebates, federal tax credits and the federal Rural Energy for America Program’s loans and grants for renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements.
Oxley started the company with energy efficiencies and renewable energy in mind.
“The plan was to keep it a family-run business with no employees,” he said.
He worked from his home in Swanville.
After a few years, though, the number of referrals outpaced what Oxley could do on his own. He subcontracted out some of the work.
About four years ago, he started hiring employees and opened a small sales office on Route 1 in Belfast.
More recently, as his workforce grew, he rented a sales office and a storage facility in downtown Belfast, followed by a sales office at 9 Central St. in Bangor.
SolarLogix has grown 50% to 100% per year in revenue since its founding, Oxley said.
A year ago, he had about 30 employees. Today, there are 47. There’s little turnover, he said. The strategy for attracting employees includes in-house training, benefits and competitive pay rates, he said.
Needing more space, he bought 18 Searsport Ave. and began construction of a purpose-built, all-electric, net-zero facility that would accommodate both sales and storage. He retains the Bangor sales office.
Financing for the property purchase and construction was provided by Bangor Savings Bank. Oxley engaged Hamden engineering consultant Kiser & Kiser Co. and T&M Contractors in Dixmont for the project.
For residential projects, the company typically works within a 50-mile radius of Belfast.
The company’s commercial division has flourished in the past year or two, and now makes up over 50% of revenue through work performed across the state. Commercial clients have included Darlings Auto in Augusta, Eye Center Northeast in Bangor and Stanley Subaru in Trenton. The company has several jobs with the city of Belfast and many with a climate action community group on Mount Desert Island called A Climate To Thrive.
“We’re still a referral-based business,” he said. “We’re capitalizing on previous customers and their happiness working with SolarLogix.”
Plans for the future?
“We’re going to continue to grow. That’s the plan,” said Oxley. “I believe this facility will give us the ability to achieve that.”
Oxley credited the company’s growth to more people wanting to go fully electric.
“Eight or 10 years ago, solar and heat pumps were not fully believed to work properly in Maine,” he said. “Both of those technologies have overcome that.”