Manufacturing energy broker — heavy loads, hard quotes
SEQ manufacturers running production lines, compressors, and ovens sit firmly in C&I territory. We tender to a tighter panel and get bid pricing.
We're paid by the energy retailer when you switch — never by you.
Typical usage profile
- Annual electricity: 250,000 kWh – 2,000,000 kWh
- Peak demand: 100–600 kVA
- Tariff that usually wins: Bid-tendered C&I, with capacity demand reservation review
Where the bill goes wrong for manufacturers
- capacity demand reserved too high
- load factor poorly priced
- single-retailer complacency on renewal
Worked example
Assumptions: SEQ light manufacturer, ~900 MWh/yr, three-bid tender via C&I panel
Retailers that fit manufacturers
- ✓ SmartestEnergy
- ✓ Shell Energy C&I
- ✓ AGL C&I
- ✓ Origin Enterprise
Retailer panel we shop on your behalf
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Manufacturer energy — common questions
What's a capacity demand reservation and is mine wrong?
Capacity demand is the maximum kVA your site can draw — set at fitout. Many sites have it set 50–100% higher than they actually use, which inflates every demand-charge invoice. We review and apply for a reduction where it pays.
Am I a C&I or SME customer?
Roughly: above 100 MWh/year electricity, you're commercial-and-industrial (C&I) and quotes come via tender from a different retailer panel. Below 100 MWh, you're SME and quoted off published rates. We figure out which side of the line you're on and quote to the right panel.
What does a C&I tender look like?
We collect your interval meter data (usually 12 months), package it as a Request-For-Bid, and put it to our C&I panel — SmartestEnergy, Shell Energy C&I, AGL C&I, Origin Enterprise. They bid against each other. You get apples-to-apples comparison on a single sheet.
Will my power get cut off when I switch?
No. Switching retailers doesn't touch the wires or your meter. Same poles, same wires, same network operator (Energex for nearly all SEQ). You just get a different name on your invoice — and a better number.
How long does a switch take?
Typical SEQ small-business switch: 10–20 business days from signing the Letter of Authority. We send the LoA, you sign, we lodge with the new retailer, they handle the meter-data hand-off with the network. Your old contract ends, the new one starts.
What's a demand charge and why is mine so high?
Demand charges are the highest 15- or 30-minute usage peak in the month, multiplied by a $/kVA rate. If you've got AC cycling on at the same time as kitchen equipment, that peak compounds. The fix is usually a tariff that prices demand more fairly — or moving you off demand-tariffs altogether if your usage is too small to need them.
Am I on the right small-business tariff?
Probably not. Retailers don't migrate you automatically when better tariffs become available. We look at your usage profile, your peak demand, and your trading hours, then map you to the tariff your bill actually wants.
We're paid by the energy retailer when you switch — never by you.
When we move your account to a new retailer, that retailer pays us a commission — partly upfront, partly as a trail while you're with them. Your rate is your rate. There's no markup, no broker fee on your invoice, no monthly subscription.
We disclose the commission existence on every quote. If you want to know the exact dollar amount on a deal, ask. We'll tell you.
This is why we win on transparency: we'd rather show you the maths than dress up the savings.
Manufacturer owner? Send the bill — we'll quote it
Drop your most recent electricity or gas bill. I'll come back with what your retailer panel can do, in plain English, usually same day.
We're paid by the energy retailer when you switch — never by you. No obligation, no fee, your details stay with Smarta Switch.
- Usually replied same day
- We handle the switch end-to-end
- No supply interruption
Ready to see what your panel can do?
Send us your bill — we'll come back with real numbers, not a sales call.