Brackenburn Limited (06664648): administration
- Status
- Administration ended
- Administration began
- 2018-03-16
- Incorporated
- 2008-08-05
- Location
- London
- Industry
- 16290 Manufacture of other products of wood; manufacture of articles of cork, straw and plaiting materials
Why it went into administration
- Funding withdrawn / unable to refinance
- Over-expansion / investment not recovered
From the administrators' statement
The company was incorporated in August 2008 to develop a commercial fuel from bracken. The founders successfully applied for a grant of £12,000 from Natural England for a feasibility study, enabling bracken to be harvested, baled, shredded and processed into pellets for burning. Technical testing was successful and a fund of £50,000 was established to continue research and development beyond the initial study.
Testing continued to achieve a high calorific value for the product and to eliminate a carcinogen from the bracken. With those issues addressed a market study was commissioned from an experienced researcher. The market for pellets was not seen as progressing quickly enough and a second market study resulted in the focus shifting to manufacturing bracken briquettes for the consumer market given the rapid growth in the popularity of wood burning stoves. Further testing enabled the company to specify an ideal briquetting machine which provided a product that burned Jonger and hotter than oak.
Additional funding was sought in order to take the product to market. Government grants were pursued through the Regional Development Programme for England and an application for €500,000 (£425,000) was approved in March 2010 subject to matched funding. Following restructuring of the awarding entities the funding offer was withdrawn, and it was January 2012 before it was renewed. Regrettably the match funding could not be raised and the offer lapsed in December 2013.
Administrators' statement of proposals (2018-07-28) · Companies House register