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Specialist scheme creates over £12m new business for North East manufacturers

Businesses participating in the North East Local Enterprise Partnership’s (LEP’s) Manufacturing Growth Programme (MGP) are achieving impressive results, with businesses involved so far reporting a forecasted increase in turnover of over £12.7m, achieving over 20% growth per annum on average.

Designed to help senior managers within manufacturing companies to assess and identify barriers to growth, the pilot programme has worked intensively with 15 North East manufacturers to date on improving their business performance and increasing sales, with 20 more currently going through the programme. The North East LEP is urging other companies to participate, based on the successes reported so far.

One company to have benefitted from this specialist support is Jesmond-based leisurewear firm AIM Athleisure. AIM is now looking to reshore production of its clothing back to the North East, thanks to the support that owner Amy Fettis received from the MGP via its experienced consultant Graham Sleep of Improvement Architecture.

Amy commented:  “Graham got to work immediately, by sitting down with me, understanding the business and the areas that needed focus. We identified areas of weakness, but also outlined the strengths and achievements that have gotten us to where we are now.

“Graham gave us encouragement – we know we have created a good business, and as well as planning for the future we can appreciate where we came from.”

Over 90% of businesses involved in the programme so far report an improvement in their learning as a result of the support received, with over 69 new jobs expected to be created in those organisations.

Cramlington-based print and design specialists Printed.com found the programme’s hands-on approach refreshing. HR manager Catherine Boland said: “Graham was a pleasure to work with and extremely approachable. He doesn’t overcomplicate the process with unnecessary jargon and very quickly identified the areas we most needed support.

“The senior team in the business were comfortable to discuss their own pain points and he very quickly built an environment of trust enabling open and honest discussions to flow. Graham’s report has identified a number of areas where we can make changes to improve both our manufacturing and people processes. It’s up to us now to implement these to benefit from his knowledge and insight.”

Colin Bell, Business Growth Director at the North East LEP said:

“The pilot programme is turning scale up potential into scale up performance, any manufacturing business looking for significant growth should take full advantage and make sure that they are not missing out.”

Offering four fully funded sessions with a dedicated and highly experienced business improvement specialist, the Manufacturing Growth Programme pilot will run until July 2017 and aims to work with businesses across the North East LEP area.

The programme forms part of the North East LEP’s Strategic Economic Plan to foster growth within key sectors of the economy to create more and better jobs.

If you are a manufacturing business looking to grow in Tyne & Wear, County Durham or Northumberland, find out more about how to take advantage of this fully funded support at www.ne-mgp.co.uk.

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Manufacturing Growth Programme helps Henry Colbeck turn waste cooking oil into £1m additional turnover

Henry Colbeck, a £45m turnover company employing 150 staff in Team Valley, is confidently forecasting £1m of new turnover, thanks to the North East Local Enterprise Partnership’s (LEP’s) Manufacturing Growth Programme (MGP).

Henry Colbeck, a family-owned and managed manufacturing business that supplies to the fish and chip market in the UK, accessed expert support from the MGP to gain ISO accreditation and obtain the Environment Agency permits that are essential to turn used cooking oil into a source of green energy. It will be using these new permits to put in place a new used cooking oil processing plant.

Chairman, Bill Colbeck said: “We had built up a lot of knowledge regarding setting up a safe, efficient processing plant, but we needed advice on obtaining the necessary environmental permits.  We had hit a bottleneck, preventing us from developing the project into a successful commercial venture.”

Henry Colbeck Financial Director, Paul Holliday, contacted the MGP looking for advice on how to go about obtaining the necessary permits.  He worked closely with BE Group and Improvement Architecture, who are delivering the programme on behalf of the North East LEP, as Paul explains:

“We found the response we received extremely positive and helpful.  We were able to use the MGP to get the help we needed and were immediately connected with Improvement Architecture’s environmental specialist, Tamma Carel.”

The MGP links experienced manufacturing business advisers with senior management teams, working together using a holistic approach to business diagnostic and improvement, to identify how to improve performance across all areas of their operations.

Tamma carried out a full review of requirements and, in less than four weeks, produced a work plan to achieve ISO 14001 accreditation plus the necessary Environment Agency permit.

Bill Colbeck added: “The work didn’t stop at simply telling us how to get the permit and preparing the paperwork, the MGP also helped us with developing our new business process to gain ISO 14001. We are now preparing for the Environment Agency audit in the full expectation of a successful outcome.  Once the new processing plant is in place, we expect to generate a turnover of over £1m within 18 months.

“Without the help and positive support of BE Group, Improvement Architecture and everyone involved in the MGP, we would still be struggling to try to understand a very complex process.”

Colin Bell, Business Growth Director at the North East LEP said: “The Manufacturing Growth Programme supports the goal set out in our Strategic Economic Plan; to create more and better jobs in key areas of growth for the region.  It’s great to see the positive impact that the programme has had on Henry Colbeck and we look forward to hearing from other companies who’d like to pursue growth.”

The MGP pilot programme will run until July 2017 and aims to work with more than 80 businesses to create 160 new manufacturing jobs.  It forms part of the North East LEP’s Strategic Economic Plan to foster growth within key sectors of the economy to create more and better jobs.

If you are, or could be, a North East manufacturer and want help to grow, visit www.ne-mgp.co.uk.

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Growth Hub Live launches free leadership event in partnership with durhamlane

The North East Local Enterprise Partnership’s (LEP’s) popular series of Growth Hub Live events continues in July with ‘Leading at a Higher Level’, held in partnership with top sales and leadership development specialists, durhamlane.

Taking place at The Toffee Factory, Newcastle, on Friday 7 July, the event focuses on developing strong leadership and how it can support businesses to scale-up, innovate and win new business.

Alison Freer, Director of Consulting, Learning & Digital Transformation at durhamlane, will lead the half day workshop with support from colleague Luke Robinson, Senior Sales Trainer and Coach at durhamlane.

Alison said: “We’ve developed a methodology and a toolkit for good leadership that, when implemented, supports businesses to grow and instill a positive culture within its team.

“We’re delighted to be working with the North East LEP and Growth Hub Live to give North East companies insight into how they can increase sales, profits and revenues.”

Colin Bell, Business Growth Director at the North East LEP, said: “To scale up businesses need great leadership that inspires people and aligns collective energy and resource towards the achievement of their vision and goals. Equally as businesses grow more and more issues that leaders face become people related.

“To tackle these issues and to get people behind the plan, leaders have to make the transition from working ‘in’ to working ‘on’ their business.  The workshop and methodology developed by durhamlane will equip leaders with the tools and insight required to make that shift.”

Growth Hub Live’s ‘Leading at a Higher Level’, in partnership with durhamlane, takes place at The Toffee Factory, Newcastle, on Friday 7 July.

For more information about the North East Growth Hub and future Growth Hub Live events, visit www.northeastgrowthhub.co.uk

For more information about durhamlane, visit www.durhamlane.com

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Vision becomes a reality for city business partners

Members of Sunderland Business Group met recently at Hope Street Xchange, the University of Sunderland’s new centre for enterprise and innovation, designed to support the city’s entrepreneurial growth.

Hope Street Xchange is a £10m centre for enterprise and innovation, funded by the University of Sunderland and supported by £4.9m investment from the North East Local Enterprise Partnership’s Local Growth Fund. The centre supports fledgling start-ups and offers space for existing businesses to develop and grow. Located on the University’s city centre campus, it also serves as a gateway to the University’s research, expertise and problem solving provision.

Sunderland Business Group was behind the initial proposal for a one-stop shop to increase entrepreneurship in the city and tackle the low levels of enterprise and business start-ups in the region. Representing leaders from public and private sectors, the Business Group works collaboratively on strategic projects to support Sunderland’s growth and prosperity; the University is one of the group’s founding members, and has been central to its many successful initiatives, all of which have benefited the city.

Shirley Atkinson, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Sunderland, commented: “The Business Group’s vision was to create a hub where businesses can interact with the University to support their innovation and growth. That could be for internships and placements, knowledge transfer partnerships or higher or degree apprenticeships. We also wanted to support creative endeavour through access to facilities and laboratory space – including the region’s first FabLab where designers and entrepreneurs can prototype ideas using the latest digital fabrication facilities.

“The approach proposed by Business Group partners resonates with our University’s vision, as outlined in our Strategic Plan ‘We are the Tomorrow Makers’. This plan, which we launched last autumn, sets out a bold ambition for Sunderland graduates to become the future leaders of societies and economies. The plan also articulates the University’s role as an anchor institution in the North East, making significant social, economic and cultural contributions to its locality. A recent independent economic impact study estimates that the University generates £432m GVA for the North East economy, supporting 5,400 jobs, we’re very proud of that impact and that our ‘Tomorrow Makers’ vision will become reality through this University and city initiative.”

Now open, Hope Street Xchange will accommodate 49 established businesses and 150 new business ventures, creating almost 400 jobs in innovative, high-growth sectors linked to the University’s academic strengths and research practice, including advanced manufacturing and technology, health sciences, business and finance, and the creative and cultural sector.

Hope Street Xchange will also provide immediate access to a wealth of ‘real life’ applied research, practical business advice, expert mentoring, knowledge transfer partnerships and support through student work placements and graduate interns.

Hans Moller, Innovation Director at the North East LEP, said: “The finished building provides a nurturing environment to support innovative entrepreneurialism and welcomes businesses large and small to engage with the University. We’re excited to see the great things that will no doubt emerge from such an enterprising initiative.”

As well as the region’s first FabLab the centre includes hatchery and hot-desk space for University staff and student enterprise projects, flexible light-industrial, laboratory and office space for businesses seeking to co-locate with the University, a new home for the University’s graduate enterprise development facility, and a choice of 30 Grade A offices plus workshops, conference area and meeting spaces.

A team of advisers, including a dedicated business development support team provide a wrap around service for the Hope Street Xchange community of entrepreneurs, businesses, and fledgling enterprises.

The £270m Local Growth Fund, secured as part of the North East Growth Deal, supports the North East LEP’s delivery of the Strategic Economic Plan, which aims to create 100,000 more and better jobs by 2024.

www.hopestreetxchange.com/

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Both sides of the story: the mentor-mentee partnership

One of the first business owners to be matched with a mentor through the North East LEP’s Growth through Mentoring programme is Lucy Batley, Co-Founder and Creative Director of full service creative agency JUMP. Lucy was partnered with mentor Alan English who has extensive experience of working with scale-up businesses internationally.

We caught up with Lucy and Alan to find out what the experience was like for each of them.

The mentor: Alan English

My background is all about working with startups and scale-ups and I’ve worked with companies in Singapore, Hong Kong, Silicon Valley and Colorado.

Now I’ve returned to the North East I wanted to help people in my home region. I’m based here now and found it easy to fit in an hour or two here and there to volunteer as a mentor.

Working with Lucy was an absolute pleasure. We got on like a house on fire and got right down to identifying the challenges and opportunities of running a business.

We met three times in total: one introductory meeting and then three mentoring sessions which lasted between two and two and a half hours each time. That doesn’t sound like a lot of time but two hours is plenty – you can be quite fast paced and have quick results. We covered a massive amount each time we met and we also made sure that we identified the topics we wanted to cover in future sessions.

As a mentor, I asked a lot of questions about the challenges Lucy faced in different areas. I drew on my past experience not just of what’s worked for me but also what hasn’t – the good, the bad and the ugly!

I volunteer for a range of mentoring programmes as I enjoy it and get a lot out of it. It’s satisfying to be able to share what I’ve learned through my career – one of the upsides of getting older!

The mentee: Lucy Batley

 The mentoring process was definitely the right thing for me. It was very bespoke and entirely useful.

I think it worked because of the calibre and expertise of my mentor and the speed of getting to the heart of the problem. I’d originally identified some challenges I wanted to discuss, based around new business and sales, and we identified and honed in on specific areas very quickly.

Alan has mastered the art – and it is an artform – of listening, honing in on the important issues, interjecting at the appropriate time, asking the right questions and using his experience to offer intelligent and thoughtful insights.

In terms of business impact, we’ve already seen a notable change within the senior management team – we’re now looking for value within every client opportunity.

The mentoring process provided me with the assurance that a lot of what we are doing is right and the experience has given me the confidence to change the things that aren’t working so well.

I’d encourage other business owners who want to grow their organisation to find out more about the Growth through Mentoring programme; it’s a great way of developing the knowledge you need to scale up.

If you would like to get more involved in the Growth through Mentoring programme, please email [email protected]

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Manufacturing Growth Programme helps Espresso go large

A local manufacturing firm supplying products to the coffee market, with bold expansion plans has tapped into specialist advice from the Manufacturing Growth Programme (MGP) to boost its growth and guarantee a perfect cappuccino for customers every time.

Clockwork Espresso – which expects to treble its turnover, double staff numbers and increase export sales by 50% in the next year – turned to the North East Local Enterprise Partnership’s MGP to help commercialise its products quickly and efficiently.

The company is eyeing new sales opportunities in overseas markets – pioneering a new product to help baristas prepare coffee beans to ensure the perfect cup for customers no matter what their favourite drink.

PUSH, by Newcastle small business Clockwork Espresso, combines coffee with precision engineering. PUSH is a unique coffee tamper, the essential tool of the barista, which is used to compress, or ‘tamp’, ground coffee in the process of making espresso. For professionals and connoisseurs, tamping coffee precisely and consistently is the key to making consistently good espresso.

Established in February 2014 by founder and owner Peter Southern, Clockwork Espresso brought PUSH to market in April 2016 and it was well received immediately, winning the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe Excellence Award for Innovation 2016

PUSH features stepless adjustment, which allows precise setting and guarantees perfectly level and exact tamping every time, meaning fewer mistakes, less variation between espresso shots, and less wastage. PUSH is also the only tamper developed with, and tested by, ergonomics experts, to reduce the risk of injury. And it’s made in the North East.

After a successful and very busy product launch, Peter Southern sought advice from the North East Local Enterprise Partnership’s (LEP’s) Manufacturing Growth Programme to help him stay focussed.

Peter said:

As a relatively a new business, we are learning as we go and we understand that no two days are the same. Things change, and issues can come up that were unforeseen, and they can affect the whole business. It’s useful to have someone who can identify those issues, that we may not necessarily spot.

The MGP links experienced manufacturing business advisers with senior management teams, working together using a holistic approach to business diagnostic and improvement, to identify how to improve performance across all areas of their operations.

The MGP connected Clockwork Espresso with its specialist consultant, Graham Sleep, Founder and MD of Improvement Architecture.
Colin Bell, North East LEP Business Growth Director, said:

We identified Graham Sleep through the Manufacturing Growth Programme as the specialist best placed to help Clockwork Espresso take the next steps to get their innovative product to market.

“The company has ambitious growth plans, a passion for coffee and a real understanding of what customers want in a highly competitive marketplace.

The MGP pilot programme will run until July 2017 and aims to work with more than 80 businesses to create 160 new manufacturing jobs. It forms part of the North East LEP’s Strategic Economic Plan to foster growth within key sectors of the economy to create more and better jobs.

If you are, or could be, a North East manufacturer and want help to grow, visit www.ne-mgp.co.uk

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In conversation: Ammar Mirza CBE discusses why its important to have a plan

We caught up with Board member, Ammar Mirza CBE, who discussed the Strategic Economic Plan and why its important to set goals:

Without a plan you can’t have a goal.

Without a goal you cannot score.

The most successful people in the world have a clear vision of where they are going and a map on how they are going to get there. Having worked now with hundreds of start-ups and even more existing businesses, the ones’ that are the most successful have a business plan that they can share and have a singled minded focus on realising their goals and objectives from this plan.

I am pleased to say that, as a public and private partnership body responsible for providing strategic economic leadership in Northumberland, Durham, and Tyne and Wear – we have a plan. The Strategic Economic Plan(SEP) was first published in 2014 and since then the economy has changed, so over the past year a refresh of the plan has taken place and earlier this month the refreshed plan launched.

The SEP defines a clear vision that aims to help create 100,000 new and better jobs by 2024 and to ensure that 60% of these jobs are better jobs. A better skilled role is defined as one which offers higher skilled, more productive and better quality opportunities to more people in our area.

Since 2014 over 53,700 new jobs have been created within our region of which 33,900 (63%) are better. These figures highlight the positive impact of having a plan and focusing doggedly on delivering that plan.

Recognising the challenges within a dynamic economy and the uncertainty that Brexit could bring are key. As such the revised plan focuses on creating an inclusive economy improving innovation, tackling skills shortages, enhancing business support through the likes of the Growth Hub, recognising the aging population, investing in digital alongside improving overall infrastructure.

Without partners and working in collaboration, the LEP would not be able to deliver the plan. With limited resources the LEP is wholly dependent upon people coming together to help strengthen the economy and address weaknesses through a range of cohesive activities and programmes. In fact the growth of our region, reduction in unemployment and improvement in job opportunities has to be attributed to everyone within the whole community.

Every single member of the community has a role to play, and I am really pleased to say that everyone I speak to is both interested in hearing about the plan, but even more importantly understanding how they can get involved. On my weekly radio show every Friday between 9-11am on Spice FM, we have a mission to help better communicate, collaborate and celebrate within our region. Co-hosted by Jalf Ali, we regularly discuss the Strategic Economic Plan so that people from diverse communities get to understand our ambitious vision for the region.

The simple, yet challenging targets of creating “more and better jobs” enables everyone within the community to get behind a plan with a single focus of improving our economy, helping realise and raise ambitions and aspirations.

We have a plan and a clear goal, so let’s get out there and score.

Ammar Mirza CBE- Chairman and Founder of Asian Business Connexions.

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Gateshead College Principal Judith new business growth board appointment

Gateshead College Principal and Chief Executive Judith Doyle has been appointed to the North East LEP’s Business Growth Board to represent the further education sector.

Her appointment is seen as key in bringing outstanding FE sector leadership and award-winning knowledge to the board which is focused on helping regional businesses achieve and sustain high growth.

Judith took over leadership of Gateshead College four years ago, driving change and turning it from an institution judged by Ofsted as requiring improvement to one rated as outstanding. It is now being championed as a blue print for the sector by Minister of State for Education and Skills, Robert Halfon following his recent visit to launch the government’s industrial strategy.

Thanks to the improvements made under her leadership, Gateshead College is now ranked third in the country for overall success rates, boasting apprentices which are ten per cent above national benchmarks for their achievements within their chosen course and field.

The college is a significant business in its own right with a £40m turnover and more than 600 staff.

Under Judith’s leadership, the college strives to ensure students develop the skills needed for work and that employers have access to the most highly prized employees in the jobs market.

Judith was named the country’s top FE college leader by judges of the prestigious TES Awards, who referenced her widespread regard amongst college colleagues and the wider North East business community.

She is also a board member of Newcastle Gateshead Initiative, Queen Elizabeth NHS Trust and a member of the CBI’s regional council.

Judith said: “I am delighted to join the Growth Board and welcome the opportunity to work with such a great team of people who all share a passion and drive to help businesses grow and thrive in our region. A strong infrastructure of education, training and skills aligned to the needs of industry is crucial if we are to achieve our collective ambitions.”

Mark Thompson, LEP Business Growth Board Chair, said: “Judith’s nationally renowned knowledge of the FE sector and proven experience of managing a large business will prove to be an invaluable asset to our board.

“She is ideally placed to help us support business growth in so many ways, for example inspiring leaders by supporting, advising and peer mentoring business people looking to grow their company.”

The LEP’s Business Growth Board oversees a programme of activity to create more and better jobs through a dynamic and entrepreneurial economy that enables businesses to scale up, thrive and grow.

This includes the North East Growth Hub, providing access to finance, mentoring support and a Manufacturing Growth Programme.

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Updated economic road map points way to 100,000 more and better North East jobs

The refreshed Strategic Economic Plan (SEP) reveals that a confident region is ahead of its ten-year target to create 100,000 new and better jobs by 2024 and will be unveiled to business leaders today.

The North East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has worked with the business community and partners across the region to refresh the SEP for 2017 – to better reflect a changing business and political landscape dominated by Brexit and the challenges of globalisation. The SEP sets out how the region can build on its recent successes and continue to create more and better jobs for the region.

Business leaders will back the updated plan at a meeting in the NewcastleGateshead Hilton Hotel today – learning about the progress of the regional economy since the original SEP was published in 2014, and the goals of the new document.

Keynote speakers Sarah Green, CBI Director of Member Relations and Regions and Nations, John Cridland, Chair of Transport for the North. and Professor Sir John Holman of the Gatsby Foundation, will give their support to the refreshed plan.

The new SEP reveals:

  • The North East is ahead of schedule to reach its 100,000 more and better jobs target before 2024 – over 53,000 jobs created since 2014, with 63% of these classed as higher skilled jobs
  • Stretching targets to have 70% of new jobs created over the next seven years in more skilled posts
  • Digital technology, advanced manufacturing, healthcare innovation, energy, service sector and quality business space are the business sectors identified as underpinning a surge in new regional employment
  • Job growth increased at a rate of 6.6% over the past two years eclipsing the national rate of 5.4% in England
  • The North East is a £37bn economy, employing 865,000 people
  • Key challenges remain – delivering higher regional productivity is essential as the gap widens with national performance, while economic exclusion remains a persistent concern in some parts of the region.

Andrew HodgsonAndrew Hodgson, North East LEP Chair, welcomed the Government’s commitment to a strengthened Industrial Strategy, working to diversify the economic structure of the UK by focusing on economic development outside the South East.

He said that the refreshed SEP provides a solid foundation to ensure the North East is in a strong position to bid for new investment in future.

In this context, we believe that now is the right time to be more ambitious for the North East,” he said. “The progress we have made towards the targets we set out in the original SEP in 2014 has exceeded our expectations.

As well as refreshing our delivery plan, we have also revised our key targets. Our aim will be to reach our target of 100,000 more and better jobs early and stretch that further.

Given the need to address the productivity challenge, it is particularly encouraging that the percentage of better jobs created has reached 63%, already ahead of our original target.

Sarah GreenSarah Green said:

The North East business community has fully endorsed the refreshed SEP which drew heavily on business input during its consultation process. The CBI places huge importance on regional growth to fuel national economic performance.

 

John CridlandJohn Cridland said:

Transport is part of a wider strategy to connect up the North to strengthen labour markets, to connect the North to markets nationally and internationally and to build a vision of a modern economy with excellent infrastructure which can secure investment and be an effective trade partner.

 

Professor Sir John Holman said:

Productivity growth is impossible without skilled people, and the SEP is right to identify skills as one of its key enablers. Critical ingredients are good career guidance in schools and colleges and high quality routes to technical qualifications. I’m glad that the SEP is leading the way in emphasising both of these ingredients and that, where the North East leads, national policy follows.

 

Read more about the SEP