Business

Businesses encouraged to invest in Derbyshire

28th May 2019

Derbyshire County Council have launched a new service to raise the profile of the county among the business community and encourage more companies to invest in the area.

It will:

raise the profile of Derbyshire globally to secure investment and create new jobs, acting as a shop window for why Derbyshire should be a destination of choice for investors
make it easy for investors to choose Derbyshire by providing a one-stop shop offering quality business support tailored to individual businesses’ needs ranging from help and support to choose the right site in Derbyshire to provide information on workforce skills and assisting with recruitment as well as offering guidance on financial incentives
use market intelligence to target businesses in growth sectors to attract them to Derbyshire

The service was launched on behalf of the Derbyshire Economic Partnership (DEP) at an event today on Friday 24 May 2019, attended by around 150 guests including investors, commercial property agents and local businesses.

Guest speakers at the event held at Holiday Inn, South Normanton, included Leader of Derbyshire County Council Councillor Barry Lewis – speaking about the commitment to unlocking growth and promoting investment – and Managing Director of Toyota Europe Tony Walker, talking about why Toyota invested in Derbyshire and continues to grow its business in the county.

Also in the spotlight was Sally Ambrose from Chatsworth, talking about the estate’s impact on the local economy and how, as a key Derbyshire landowner, it will drive future opportunities to promote development in Derbyshire. And delegates also heard from Peter Storey, Head of Markham Vale, explaining what lies ahead for the council’s premier enterprise zone and why it has been so successful at attracting inward investment to date.

Councillor Lewis said: “Driving economic growth and creating more job opportunities for local people is a vital part of our ambitious plans for the future.”

“Derbyshire has so much to offer investors at both a national and global level. Its unique position at the heart of the UK together with excellent transport links and quality of life make our county an attractive place for businesses to locate invest, live, work and stay.”

Chairman of the Derbyshire Enterprise Partnership Richard Horsley added: “With its rich heritage of innovation and a broad range of development opportunities, Derbyshire has one of the strongest economic performances in the country and I am proud to launch the new service today.”

“With a diverse economy ranging from advanced manufacturing through to creative and digital industries, minerals and aggregates and tourism there are many opportunities for businesses and investors alike to thrive.”

The Invest in Derbyshire service is being delivered on behalf of both DEP and Derbyshire County Council, by award-winning investment promotion agency Marketing Derby – a public-private partnership created to raise the profile of Derby and Derbyshire and attract investment.

Click here to find out more about Invest in Derbyshire.

First ever intern for Pronto Paints

28th May 2019

Pronto Industrial Paints Ltd are thrilled to announce this appointment of Mollie Brown as their Summer Intern for 2019. Working in our marketing, administration, laboratory and production departments to gain industry skills and experience. This is a new occasion for our company as we seek to support up and coming business individuals from our local community.

Mollie is currently a second-year undergraduate student studying towards a BA in Advertising and Marketing. This will provide Mollie an insight into what it is like to work for a small manufacturing company whilst acquiring beneficial skills and experience for her future career.
Speaking about her new summer role, Mollie said “I am very grateful and excited to be given the chance to work for a successful company from my hometown. I am very eager to learn and enhance my skills by working alongside talented professionals from the business industry.”

Commenting on the new appointment, Managing Director for Pronto, David Beckford, expressed “I’ve wanted to engage with Universities for a while now, and the Marketing Internship is the first step of a program to help find the next generation of talent. Having beaten over 100 applicants to the position, and impressing at interviews, I’m confident we’ve found the next star and look forward to working with Mollie this summer on various projects.

Posted in Apprentice Town, Business, Made in Chesterfield

Open letter calls for removal of doubts over HS2 in the East Midlands

27th May 2019

In light of recent reports and future political events raising doubts about HS2 in the region, Ian Morgan, the Chair of both the East Midlands HS2 Business Advisory Group and the Chamber of Commerce for the East Midlands, has written an open letter setting out reasons for supporting it.

A number of potential contenders in the future Conservative Party leadership battle have recently raised concerns about the project’s value.

And last week, the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee published a report, Rethinking High Speed 2, which roundly criticised Government for its handling of the biggest rail investment programme in the UK since Victorian times.

While Rethinking High Speed 2 did not suggest that the project should be axed, it failed to mention the transformational economic benefits it would bring to the East Midlands – in fact, it didn’t mention Toton, Chesterfield or Staveley at all.

Responding to this, Ian said that recent reports “have fundamentally misunderstood, or even ignored completely, the opportunities HS2 creates”, adding that “delivered in full, it will be transformational for the East Midlands economy”.

Under the current plan, there would be a trains-maintenance depot at Staveley, Chesterfield would be one of the station stops and there would be a station hub at Toton, which would allow massive regeneration of the surrounding area.

Ian said: “HS2 will better connect us to other major hubs across the UK and free up vital capacity on the wider road and rail networks, keeping our businesses competitive.”

He also mentions how having Toton as a focal point had brought businesses and academia together like never before to look at future skills development and spurred further investment in the region.

While agreeing that, as with any major infrastructure project, costs need to be controlled, Ian warned that the East Midlands must not allow itself to be drawn into an ‘either/or’ debate over HS2 and future infrastructure investment, describing the project as “a catalyst” for a successful East Midlands for decades to come.

Ian’s intervention comes at a time when businesses have warned that continued uncertainty around the project is starting to stifle growth, with some companies on the route being unsure whether to invest in premises or move.

The legal part of the planning process for the Eastern Leg of HS2 Phase 2B has yet to be finalised by Government, however, the Treasury has committed £2m to the East Midlands Development Corporation to develop a strategic plan for an area including Toton, the soon-to-be-decommissioned Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station and East Midlands Airport.

Businesses alongside local authorities in the East Midlands are calling for the legal certainty to be given as soon as possible.

Posted in Business

Chesterfield is prime location for IT firm Addooco

27th May 2019

Last year marked IT firm Addooco’s 10^th year of trading, celebrating with the expansion of the team and its client base. One year on and the company has reported its most successful year to date, counting its prime Chesterfield location as one of its success factors.

Addooco provides technical services for businesses that haven’t got a dedicated in-house IT team. Their overarching objective is to realise value for their clients through technically superior digital strategies. With a rapidly growing base of clients, its clear this resonates with businesses in a broad range of industries.

Born in 2008 from a group of technically savvy people, Addooco saw the potential to create a business out of their skills. Over ten years later, the firm has rapidly grown and with the addition of new engineers, Addooco recognised the need to develop its people.

They enlisted the help of BSA Training (www.bsa-training.co.uk), an award-winning training provider dedicated to improving people and organisations. Run by trainer Bobby Singh, the business offers a multitude of courses such as Leadership & Management, Business Strategy, Sales and Marketing, Team Development, Communication and Customer Care.

Paul Walters of Addooco explains: “We needed someone with the capability to offer leadership training as well as coaching for our more junior staff members and employee surveys for staff at all levels.”

The training, led by Bobby Singh, covered a wide range of topics; including strategic planning, leadership, management, employee engagement, and giving and receiving feedback. “We have worked really hard to ensure our headquarters provides a comfortable working atmosphere,” says Paul. “It provided the perfect opportunity to reward our staff by investing in their transferable skills.”

Addooco’s strategically located base allows their engineers to physically service client requirements onsite where necessary from Newcastle to London in under two hours. Organisations both nationally and those with international operations benefit from their cloud solutions and digital strategies. Now, their clients are fully supported by a highly trained and physically available team.

Paul takes part in the leadership and management training himself and also helps facilitate the engineering workshops. “Bobby came highly recommended, but his previous experience and great programme of work were the deciding factors,” he explains. “His approach is very smart, friendly and approachable. He easily finds out what the challenge is even if you are struggling to articulate it.”

While Addooco has grown rapidly, it is an organisation that has always looked after its people while also focusing on customer requests. During his time working as an external consultant for the company, Bobby Singh recognised this. “From day one, Addooco have identified the importance of investing in its people. They don’t think of it as a cost to the business, but more about how it adds value to the bigger picture,” Bobby explains. “It’s been an absolute pleasure to work with the team, they have been really receptive to the new learning, and I’m over the moon to hear they are happy with the training and the impact the training has had.”

As an approved provider of a local training funding initiative, BSA Training was able to help Addooco IT access 50% funding towards the cost of the training. Bobby explains “We were able to sit down with Paul and understand where they were and where they wanted to be as a business. We then designed a programme and helped them put together a funding application, demonstrating a strong business case.”

Addooco’s prime Chesterfield location, people development and technical superiority will be key drivers to success moving forwards. It is anticipated that the company will continue to invest in both its technical offering and their people to ensure their clients continue to enjoy a strategic advantage.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business

Have your say on proposed new road in Chesterfield

22nd May 2019

Residents are being invited by Derbyshire County Council to have their say about a proposed new road in Chesterfield.

The road, which is currently being referred to as the Hollis Lane link road, is proposed to link Brewery Street via the station with the A632 at Spa Lane, Hady Hill.

It is part of wider plans by Chesterfield Borough Council to regenerate the area around Chesterfield train station for housing and business use and to improve parking. The proposals are part of the work being carried out jointly by the county and borough councils on how to maximise the benefits of the potential HS2 service which is proposed to serve the town.

If the proposals for the new road go ahead, it would improve access to the station from the south and reduce the level of traffic travelling through the town centre.

The road would be built in two phases. Phase one would include widening the junction of Spa Lane and Hollis Lane and upgrading traffic lights at the junction. This would help to manage the additional traffic. New steps and a ramp would be built to provide access for pedestrians from the underpass and a new cycle route would be created alongside the link road to connect with the existing railway station cycle route.

The second phase would extend the link road north towards the station and through to Brewery Street.

Under the proposals, Lordsmill roundabout and Piccadilly junction would also be improved to help traffic flow better along the A632.

Councillor Simon Spencer, Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Transport and Infrastructure, said:

“Investing in roads is one of our top priorities for ensuring our local economy can thrive and grow.

“The proposed road will open up opportunities for regeneration around the station as well as providing better access to the station and helping to cut congestion on existing roads in the area.”

A public exhibition will be held at Chesterfield Library, New Beetwell Street, Chesterfield, S40 1QN on Wednesday 22 and Thursday 23 May 2019 so local people can find out more and give their views about the proposals.

Staff will be on hand to answer questions from 2pm to 6pm each day.

You can find out more information about the proposed Hollis Lane link road.

Anyone who is unable to make it to the event but would like to have their say can send their comments to Tom Mather, email: tom.mather@derbyshire.gov.uk by 7 June 2019.

All comments received will be taken into account before a planning application for the first phase of the work is submitted to Derbyshire County Council in the next few months.

There will be a further opportunity to comment as part of the planning process when the planning application is submitted.

Chesterfield at night

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development

AECOM director joins Destination Chesterfield board

22nd May 2019

AECOM’s Director of Water, Ports and Power North, Michael Timmins, has been appointed to the Board of Destination Chesterfield.

In his new voluntary role, Michael brings experience of working, living and being part of a large employer in Chesterfield. As a board member he will be responsible for guiding the strategic direction of the promotion of Chesterfield as a place to live, work, visit and invest.

The global infrastructure and engineering services company has had a presence in Chesterfield for nearly 40 years and employs around 300 people at its office in the town centre. Globally, AECOM employs 87,000 people who, last year generated $20bn of revenue.

Michael, from Ashover, has being based at the company’s Chesterfield office in the town centre for more than 10 years. In his board member role, he hopes to increase the involvement of AECOM and its employees in the local community as well as raise the profile of the company as an employer.

Commenting on his appointment, Michael said: “I am delighted to represent AECOM within Destination Chesterfield. The town has long been a strategic and important location for AECOM. It offers a great central base with good transport links giving us easy access to projects across the UK. The central location of Chesterfield has also helped the company attract staff from surrounding universities and schools.”

The Destination Chesterfield campaign was established in 2010 and is funded through support from local businesses and Chesterfield Borough Council. It boasts a 12-strong board comprised of key figures from Chesterfield’s business community and the Borough Council. The board is led by Peter Swallow, Managing Director of Bolsterstone Plc.

Peter welcomed Michael to the board saying: “I am delighted to have Michael on the board. Being part of a large multi-national corporation, he brings a new perspective to the board, complementing the skills and experiences of my fellow board members.”

Michael’s appointment follows AECOM’s decision earlier this year to join the Chesterfield Champions scheme, a 190-strong network of businesses, charities, volunteer groups and educational establishments that are working together to raise the profile of the town as a place to live, work and invest.

Michael added: “Being a Chesterfield Champion is an opportunity for AECOM to give something back to the town. It’s also an excellent way for our many staff who both live and work in Chesterfield to contribute to their local community.”

Read more about Michael on his board profile here. Further information about Destination Chesterfield can be found here.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Destination Chesterfield

Pinewood Property Estates wins awards at The ESTAS

21st May 2019

Chesterfield based estate agency, Pinewood Property Estates picked up 4 Golds and 1 Bronze at the prestigious ESTAS Customer Service Awards 2019.

Pinewood Property Estates won Gold for Best Estate Agent in the East Midlands, Best Letting Agents in the East Midland voted by Landlords, Best Letting Agents in the East Midlands voted for by Tenants, Best Agent in the UK with 2-5 Branches and Bronze for Best Letting Agent Office in the UK

Stacey Davies-Bowler owner and founder of Pinewood Property Estates said “We are absolutely thrilled to have won four Golds and then the Bronze in the Grand Prix Final at this year’s ESTAS, the result is incredible. It means so much to us as we know it’s our customers who have judged our performance. We take our levels of customer service very seriously because we know clients have a choice. We have always been very proud of the personal service and this proves we are delivering what we promise. There is nothing clever about Estate Agency, Pinewood just do the ordinary things exceptionally well”

The awards, celebrating their 16^th year determine the best estate and letting agents in the UK based purely on feedback from customers who are asked a series of questions about the service they have received from their agent, over 45,000 surveys were completed by customers via the ESTAS feedback platform.

Phil Spencer, who has hosted the ESTAS every year since their inception in 2003 said “The ESTAS encapsulates what your typical agent is trying to do, which is to provide honest, transparent service for their clients. These awards are special because shortlisted and winning firms are selected purely on the service they deliver. Real feedback from real customers experiencing real service, I don’t think there can be a greater honor in the industry than to receive an award based on that mantra.”

Estate and letting agents were recognised in counties and regions around the UK. National Grand Prix Awards were also announced for the Best Single Agent Office in sales and lettings.

Simon Brown Founder of The ESTAS said “At The ESTAS we’re proud to say we believe in old fashioned values like customer service. We know how hard it is to deliver it and that’s why we put the spotlight on property firms who are committed to providing excellent service. The ESTAS review and awards platform brand helps agents generate consumer trust.”

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business

‘Careers Hub’ announced for North Derbyshire

21st May 2019

A national initiative to improve careers and educational support for young people, including in some of the UK’s most disadvantaged areas, will establish a ‘Careers Hub’ in North Derbyshire.

This will cover 21 schools in north-east Derbyshire (including ones in Chesterfield and Bolsover), following a successful bid by the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership and partners.

Around £80,000 in support will enable D2N2’s Careers Hub (led by the Shirebrook Academy) to bring together schools and colleges together with employers, universities, training providers and career professionals to improve job opportunities for young people, focusing on best practice. Support and funding, a ‘Hub Lead’ to coordinate activity and build networks, a central fund for employer engagement activities, and training for a ‘Careers Leader’ in each school are set to be available from September 2019.

This is one of 18 Hubs have been announced (and two existing ones expanded), backed by a further £2.5million in national investment, delivered via the Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC). The CEC, established in 2015, is a nationally funded body which helps link schools and colleges with employers, to increase employer engagement for young people. It works closely with England’s 38 Local Enterprise Partnerships, including the D2N2 LEP.

The Careers Hubs are based on a pilot scheme by the Gatsby Foundation (which is behind the Gatsby Benchmarks, an internationally recognised ‘checklist’ of what schools and colleges need to do to provide the best careers advice) and the North-East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), run from 2015 to 2017.

Claudia Harris, Chief Executive of the Government-backed Careers & Enterprise Company, said: “Careers education is improving across the country. The accelerated progress we’re seeing in the first wave of Careers Hubs shows that this model is working and delivering for young people, with schools and colleges in this first wave of Careers Hubs already outperforming the national average across all aspects of careers education.

“We are delighted that the Government’s investment is supporting us to roll out this model to a quarter of schools and colleges in the country, helping more young people get the vital support and opportunities they need.”

Carolyn Fairbairn, Director General of the CBI, said: “Employers understand just how important their role is in preparing the next generation for the world of work and their enthusiasm for supporting schools has never been greater. Connecting business and young people is a proven way of improving life chances.”

She added: “Firms can sometimes struggle to engage with the schools and colleges that need their support. It’s therefore hugely encouraging to see more Careers Hubs on the way. There is no doubt they will play a pivotal role in helping employers get more involved.”

Funding for the Careers Hubs initiative is being delivered via the CEC, with funding from the Department for Education.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Made in Chesterfield

Chesterfield business offering debt-free degrees to school leavers

20th May 2019

Three Year 13 school leavers are being given the chance to gain a debt-free university degree by Chesterfield-based Blachford UK.

The company, which is part of the global Blachford Group, is looking to recruit its senior managers and board directors of the future through its graduate apprenticeship programme. As well as a providing a fully funded degree, the successful applicants will also be paid a salary throughout their apprenticeship.

Based in Holmewood, the UK arm of the company is a leading European manufacturer of acoustic and thermal insulation components.

As part of the company’s succession planning programme, it wants to attract school leavers who have recently completed their A Levels and who have a passion for maths and chemistry and who want to follow careers in design engineering, chemistry and process engineering.

Interested students should have a strong track record in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects.

Successful applicants will embark on a degree apprenticeship with Blachford UK.

To raise awareness of the degree apprenticeship opportunities, the company is holding a recruitment open day for people interested in applying for the positions. The open day will take place at the company’s premises on Thursday 27 June from 11.00am – 2.00pm.

The day will involve a tour of the company – both the factory floor and behind the scenes, where you will get to meet employees, ask questions and see for themselves the variety of permanent job roles available and routes for progression within Blachford. There will also be some activities on the day for students to display their problem solving, communication and maths skills.

Jason Lippitt, Managing Director of Blachford UK explained: “Manufacturing is an exciting industry and Blachford is no exception. I am a chemist myself and have had an amazing career with Blachford. I have travelled the world and been part of teams that have created ground-breaking products. I now want to give that opportunity to three young people.”

Launched by the government in 2015 and studied over the course of one to six years, degree apprenticeships are designed to propel students into the world of work and fill high-level skills gaps by tailoring learning to specific business needs.

A degree apprenticeship combines full-time paid work and part-time university study to offer candidates the opportunity to gain a full Bachelors or Masters degree while undertaking practical, on-the-job training. Degree apprenticeships are created by partnerships between employers and universities or colleges.

He added: “Apprenticeships are very important to the future of Blachford as they give us the opportunity to mould and develop individuals to the business helping it progress and grow. We invest in all our apprentices, so it’s important to us that they enjoy long careers with us. My hope is that the young people who join us as degree apprentices will ultimately lead and shape the direction of the company.”

Blachford UK have also agreed to take part in the Made in Chesterfield project which looks to promote opportunities in STEM careers across North Derbyshire. The Initiative is coordinated by Destination Chesterfield and Derbyshire Education Business Partnership.

To attend the Blachford UK Degree Apprentice Recruitment Open Day, please register your interest on Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/blachford-uk-degree-apprentice-recruitment-open-day-tickets-61787937384 or by emailing Joanne Kisgory at Joanne.Kisgory@blachforduk.com.

Find out more about apprenticeship opportunities in Chesterfield

Find out how your business or school can take part in Made in Chesterfield

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Made in Chesterfield

Groundbreaking digital initiative celebrated and extended

20th May 2019

Business and council leaders have hailed the impact of a pioneering programme which has enabled 1,300 businesses across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire to embrace digital technology.

The Digital Growth Programme gives local SMEs access to fully-funded workshops, financial support and free one-to-one advice to help them introduce new digital technology to their organisations.

More than £6.8m of funding was invested into the programme by the European Regional Development Fund, East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire), and Derby City, Derbyshire County, Nottingham City, Nottinghamshire County and Rushcliffe Borough councils.

It has provided 1,300 businesses with more than 31,000 hours of free digital support, as well as distributing grant funding of more than £1.88m to 310 eligible businesses, which has helped to unlock an additional £2.7m of private sector investment from the SMEs which received support.

It has also delivered 340 action-planning workshops and 48 awareness-raising seminars about a host of digital subjects, including cloud computing and cyber resilience, ecommerce, email marketing, CRM, Search Engine Optimisation, social media and website planning and development.

Recently, more than 300 local businesses attended a major conference, at the Nottingham Belfry Hotel, to get the latest insights and advice from keynote speakers and local digital experts, as well as celebrate the successes of the programme.

It was also announced at the conference that the digital support provided by the programme will continue for the next three years and will be delivered by the D2N2 Growth Hub.

Chris Pook, D2N2 Growth Hub Manager, said: “Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire SMEs have forged a really strong reputation for digital innovation and it’s crucial that they continue to be supported so they can enhance their capabilities to help the local economy to grow.

“The Digital Growth Programme has provided fantastic support to local firms overt the past three years and we are delighted to be able to continue this in the years ahead, via the D2N2 Growth Hub.

“I’d urge all businesses who need digital advice and support, or are looking at ways to get a new project off the ground, to get in touch with one of our advisers.”

Diane Beresford, Deputy Chief Executive of the Chamber, added: “The Digital Growth Programme to date has been a huge success and we have been delighted with the response from the business community.

“More than 1,300 local businesses have engaged with the programme, which is great, and it was fantastic to see so many of them at the Digital Conference as we celebrated the achievements of the programme so far.”

One of the Derbyshire businesses to benefit from funding support from the programme was HSG, a specialist provider of washroom hygiene and water conservation solutions.

The programme provided £22,000 of funding toward the development of a bespoke app and dashboard, called Cleen, which gives venues better control over their washroom management.

Customers can download the app, leave a rating for the overall cleanliness of a washroom, and report any issues such as no toilet rolls, poor cleanliness or broken equipment. These are reported directly to the venue’s service provider, who can address them immediately.

Sonia Harvey, Brand Manager, said: “The Cleen app and dashboard give business owners the opportunity to monitor the performance of their washrooms to enhance their overall experience, by acting on instant feedback.

“The product is tailor-made for sports venues, restaurants and NHS Trusts and since launch, we have opened up a host of avenues for this fast-growing area of the business.”

Businesses can find out more about the programme and the unique support it provides at www.d2n2-digital.co.uk or calling 0330 053 8639.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business

HS2 is About Much More Than a Railway Line

16th May 2019

Reacting to the report on HS2 today from the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee, Scott Knowles, Chief Executive at East Midlands Chamber, said:

“The Chamber welcomes much of this report and shares the frustration that the public conversation to date has focused solely on speed. HS2, delivered in full, will be transformational for the East Midlands economy, better connecting us to other major hubs across the UK and freeing up vital capacity on the wider road and rail networks, keeping our businesses competitive as they continue to make and move products and people across the UK and beyond.

“For the East Midlands, the project has always been about much more than just a railway line connecting north to south. HS2 acts as a focal point for exciting development plans for the geography around Toton, the airport and the Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station site.

“It has brought together businesses, schools, colleges and universities to look at future skills development in a way that no other initiative has managed previously. It has spurred additional investment into the more local and regional infrastructure we need to deliver its full benefits. And it has created opportunities in the here-and-now for our businesses, winning contracts to deliver HS2 for the whole country.

“As with any major infrastructure project it’s important that costs are controlled. It’s also important that the wider discussion about HS2 moves on from getting people from A to B quicker than they already do and focuses instead on the transformational benefits that HS2 will bring to the UK economy.”

Posted in Business