Central Technology (CT), a leading IT Managed Services, Cloud and Security Compliance organisation based in Chesterfield, is celebrating a move to a brand new fully refurbished 11,500 sq. ft. location following major growth and success.

A stone’s throw from its current office space, CT will be operating from the newly named building, ‘Quantum Point’, Sheepbridge Works, from the 1^st June.

The new location is laying the foundations to accommodate the continued growth of mid-market customers and partner businesses, providing a stronger presence in the region, and a more flexible venue for meetings, events and training.  Universal Office Products, alongside OPUS 4, Classic Lifts, Electron TSL and ASI Security Systems have collectively waved their magic wand and transformed the old GKN building to deliver a refreshingly brilliant office space with open plan office work stations, breakout rooms and a large training centre.

Flooded with natural light, fresh new interiors and over 50 parking spaces, the new CT location demonstrates the organisations investment to provide the right work environment for its talented teams, loyal customers and partners.

Ian Snow, Managing Director at CT, commenting on the move, said:-

“Moving to this new office is a very proud moment for me. It’s amazing to see just how quickly we are growing and that is evidence of our success and hard work. The new office substantially increases the amount of desk space we have, providing the opportunity for both future growth and the strategic acquisitions we have forecast.

“We are continuing a huge recruitment drive in operations and sales in readiness for the delivery of our future plans and we believe the impressive new office space will help us continue to attract the best talent nationwide.”

CT will be having an official opening later this summer where they will be offering customers and partners a chance to visit the offices and raise a glass as they move forwards to exciting times together.

Chesterfield based businesses Evolution Funding and eBECS have been announced as number 25 and number 97 respectively in the North’s Fastest Growing Tech Companies, compiled by Tech Nation.

Chesterfield based manufacturer , Cathelco, are to extend their geographic footprint and expertise in cleantech systems following acquisition by Evac Group.

Cathelco, a leading global manufacturer of equipment for ships and offshore installations, today announced that it has been acquired by Finland-based Evac Group, the world’s leading provider of integrated waste, wastewater, and water management systems for the marine, offshore, and building industries.

Cathelco has established relationships with Evac’s existing customer groups in the marine and offshore industry, including ship owners, shipyards, fleet managers, rig owners and operators, oil companies, navies, and marine architects and has an excellent product fit with Evac’s portfolio. The acquisition gives Cathelco the opportunity to further expand its geographic footprint and expertise in cleantech systems while also opening up new business opportunities.

With the acquisition, Cathelco’s pipework anti-fouling, hull corrosion protection, fresh water generation, and ballast water treatment systems will become part of the Evac Complete Cleantech Solution. This includes both standard and customized vacuum collection, wastewater treatment, and dry and wet waste management systems, as well as fresh water generation systems for environments ranging from the world’s largest cruise vessels and naval and cargo vessels to small work boats.

Justin Salisbury, Group Managing Director of Cathelco Group, says:-

“Our already broad geographic footprint and expertise in cleantech systems will be augmented considerably by Evac’s broad portfolio, which will enable our customers to meet all their needs from a single reliable partner.”

Tomi Gardemeister, Evac Group CEO and President, says:-

“An extended cleantech system offering, together with an enlarged sales and service network, will allow us to offer a more comprehensive range of solutions and services to our customers. This acquisition also provides a tremendous opportunity for Evac and Cathelco to work together to become a leader in the field of ballast water treatment systems.”

Small to medium Chesterfield businesses are being invited to access expert help to attract, select, recruit and train graduates through a city region-wide funded scheme.

The Sheffield City Region RISE graduate recruitment programme is delivered in partnership with the SCR Growth Hub, University of Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam University and the private sector.

RISE is a free graduate recruitment programme to help SMEs based in in the nine regions of the SCR (including Chesterfield, Dronfield, NE Derbyshire and the Derbyshire Dales) to find the best graduate talent for their business. The project will write an advert for the graduate placement, advertise the role across the UK and put candidates through a variety of recruitment tasks. Businesses can also access line manager training, interview guidance and toolkits.

It aims to connect growing businesses with ambitious graduates – and take the hassle out of recruitment. Local organisations that have been involved in the project to date include Chesterfield Champions Casa Hotel,  Global Brands and BHP  Chartered Accountants.

Rachel Moss, Regional Head of Projects, Today Translations, said:-

“RISE took the time to understand our requirements and provided excellent candidates and an extremely positive interview experience.”

Sinead O’Neill, HR Manager, Magtec:, said:-

“At Magtec we have used RISE to recruit several outstanding graduates.  The whole process was so simple, from helping understand our skills need to writing the job descriptions in a way that would attract graduates, we got the right mix of candidates through the selection process.  We had a great experience and I hope to see RISE continue into the future to help other SMEs too.”

Business can participate in RISE, whether they want to appoint a graduate to a six month internship or a permanent post with a six-month probationary period. The only eligibility criteria is that they have less than 250 employees and are based in the Sheffield City Region.

The organisation must commit to an excellent induction, management support, salary and appraisal package. In return, they can access a fully-funded recruitment programme to help manage the process and ensure the best possible result for both employer and employee – plus there’s a £1,000 wage subsidy available.

To find out more about the RISE project click here. The deadline for applications to get involved is June 19th.

Firm foundations laid over the past four years have paved the way for an even brighter and more secure future for tourism in the Peak District and Derbyshire.

That was the message from the incoming Chairman of official tourist board Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire, Paul Jones, as he took over the helm from outgoing Chairman Paul Roden this week (Friday May 25).

“Since Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire was reorganised in 2014, so much has been achieved to keep it moving forward to address the ever-changing demands and challenges of the competitive tourism industry,” said Paul, Marketing & Communications Director of The Camping and Caravanning Club, one of the tourist board’s Patrons.

“During Paul Roden’s chairmanship, huge progress has been made in putting the tourist board on a sustainable financial footing, creating a responsive infrastructure to take it forward and devising and taking part in creative and innovative marketing campaigns to attract more staying visitors from both the UK and overseas.

“I’ll be looking to consolidate and build upon the hard work that has already been done, by supporting Managing Director Jo Dilley and her outstanding team to offer an even more effective service in the future.”

Since 2014, Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire has:

• Secured £1.49 million from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to fund a comprehensive, three-year business support programme, currently being delivered until March 2019
• Successfully bid – with a range of other tourist boards and partners – for around £5.2 million from VisitBritain’s Discover England Fund to bring in more staying visitors from key overseas markets such as Australia, China, Germany, The Netherlands and the USA
• Revamped and relaunched its website to make it more customer friendly and responsive when searching for accommodation, attractions, activities and events in the area
• Run carefully targeted multi-media marketing campaigns, such as ‘The Land to Forget Time’ (aimed at affluent 25- to 35-year-olds) and the current #Unique District (aimed at a variety of audiences, including millennials, empty nesters, groups and camping and caravanning enthusiasts)
• Organised scores of educational visits for national and international media, online influencers and travel trade buyers across the UK and in key overseas markets – including leading titles such as The Times and Sunday Times, The Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph and The Guardian, plus growing markets such as China, Germany and the USA
• Restructured its skilled and committed team to heighten the area’s profile at home and abroad and provide an even better service for visitors, members, Patrons and public and private sector partners

Added Paul: “I’m delighted to take over the role of Chairman at such a pivotal time for the tourist board. Our two organisations have had a long and mutually beneficial relationship – we work very creatively together and complement each other.

”Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire was the first tourist board we actively partnered with, and our strong working links have been so successful that we have used them as a blueprint for working with other destination management organisations across the UK.

“I will be aiming to bring added value in areas such as membership, finance and partnership working. I’m also keen to actively support the tourist board’s mission to encourage more people to come and stay here and to extend their stays, so that they spend more in the local economy to support jobs and boost overall prosperity – that’s very important.

“I want to be an effective ambassador for the organisation and for the Peak District and Derbyshire, and am both excited by, and very much looking forward to, the challenge.”

Outgoing Chairman Paul Roden, owner of Losehill House Hotel & Spa, Hope, who took up the post in June 2014, said: “The past four years have proved to be a busy and rewarding phase for Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire, as it successfully negotiated a period of transition after reorganisation in late 2014 to keep pace with the constantly evolving tourism market.

“It’s been a privilege and a pleasure to be part of this crucial phase in its development, and I would like to thank all the members of its small, but dedicated team for their  hard work and commitment, as well as all our public and private sector partners, Patrons and members for their continuing loyalty and support.

“I wish them and my successor, Paul Jones, every success as they embark on another exciting phase to further develop and grow the tourism sector for the benefit of local businesses, residents and the local and regional economy.”