EAST LONGMEADOW – Kevin Mattson posed a simple question: why do business owners use outside consultants to handle their legal, accounting and infrastructure needs in an effort to control costs, but willingly pay their energy bills with little scrutiny or expert advice?

Mattson is the CEO of Secure Energy, a privately held energy broker that is one of five such firms in the country offering expert analysis of energy costs.

“People pay their energy bill and think nothing of it,” he said.

Mattson added the energy field is like “the Wild West” with salespersons calling business owners offering cheaper rates, but not a plan.

Energy is ever changing and evolving Mattson said and businesses must have the resources to best adapt to changes in the marketplace.

Mattson spoke to Reminder Publications from the company’s recently completed headquarters on Shaker Road. The company suffered a devastating fire in July 2016 and Mattson quickly found space to rent at the Cartimundi facility.

The new building allows for the company’s growth and Mattson intends to eventually have a staff of up to 70 people. To keep up with educating his staff to the changes in the market, he noted the building includes a studio to produce educational materials. He also has a staff of several software designers to create the programming the company needs.

Mattson has been in the energy business for more than 15 years and co-founded his company in 2006. He said the difference between what his company does and energy brokers are that “brokers give you a rate, while energy manages give you a strategy.”

Mattson explained that energy costs is simply not a price. “More than half of that price isn’t energy,” he said. Out of every 10 cents, only 3 to 4 cents may be actually the cots of the energy used, while the other 6 to 7 cents are costs not related to the actual energy.

Large companies understand the idea that energy costs need to be actively managed, but Mattson said that smaller manufacturing and retail operations may not.

Energy efficiency is the top elements to drive down of the cots of products and services a company offers, he said.

The company can advise its clients on electricity, solar, natural gas, demand response, charging stations for electric vehicles and energy-reducing technologies.

Mattson said his company uses computer software that can help a business understand not just its current energy use but also its future use.

He explained there are two areas where energy costs can be controlled. One is getting the best possible rate, while the other is the efficiency of the energy being used. He used a car as an example. People may seek the lowest gasoline costs, but if the car they are driving is short on oil or has a tire that isn’t inflated properly they are not going to get the mileage they expect.

His company can provide analysis in both these areas.

“Our goal is to educate people on responsible ways to manage energy costs,” Mattson said. For more information, go to www.sesenergy.org.