This months stories:
Carbon Trust
0% BUSINESS LOANS TO HELP FIGHT HIGH ENERGY BILLS – AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Energy-guzzling heating, air conditioning and plant equipment could be draining your business of vital profits. To help businesses upgrade to more efficient equipment and cut energy bills, the Carbon Trust is offering 0% loans of up to £500,000.
No security is required for the interest free business loans – and the loans scheme is designed so that energy savings cover monthly repayments. What’s more, the new equipment may also qualify for 100% first year tax relief.
Thousands of companies have now taken advantage of the interest free loans. One company, Precision Engineering Plastics, has taken three consecutive loans totalling £67,685 and is now saving over £26,000 a year in energy costs.
More information is available at: www.carbontrust.co.uk/loans|
Welcome to Micro-Renewables North East
HOW YOU CAN REDUCE ENERGY COSTS AND GENERATE INCOME
Investing in Micro-Renewables can benefit your business by reducing energy costs and generating income through sale of excess electricity and heat.
This project provides impartial, objective feasibility assessments, which will enable regional small to medium businesses (SMEs) make informed choices regarding the suitability of different micro-renewable energy technologies at their site.
Support available:
Free site-based support across a range of micro-renewables including wind, solar hot water and solar photo-voltaics, hydro, heat pumps, biomass and micro-CHP.
Free 3-5 days specialist consultancy support on micro-renewables at your business.
This will include:
-
an objective and impartial site survey to assess the suitability of different micro-renewables at your premises;
-
identification of the most appropriate technology; and
-
an outline assessment of the financial viability, planning requirements and identification of relevant financial assistance to support project development where this is available.
This will be presented in a detailed feasibility report.
To be eligible your company must:
-
be located within North East England;
-
employ fewer than 250 staff; and
-
have a turnover of less than £44 million per year and a balance sheet of less than £37 million.
For more information on this project please contact: Mike Milner at the Micro-Renewables North East project by:
Email: info@micro-renewablesne.co.uk|
Telephone: 07876 615341
Post: Mike Milner, Micro-renewables North East, c/o Synergie Environ, The Axis Building, Maingate, Team Valley, Gateshead, NE11 0NQ
NAC Group
(MSS) of NAC GROUP WINS LOGISTICS 2 PROJECT WITH ONE NORTH EAST
MSS of NAC Group has recently been awarded a substantial contract, by the Regional Development Agency One North East, to deliver logistics support services to companies throughout the region.
NAC won the competitive tender after beating off rivals in a number of universities and international consultancy companies.
In an earlier phase, NAC worked with over 71 companies across the North East, and helped them achieve savings of over £3.3 million across Phase 1 including the design phase and the deployment activity.
The Logistics 2 contract will build on this success, working with 80 companies, including at least 60 small and medium-sized companies.
MSS Operations Director Ian Tindle said: "We are delighted to win this contract, and to be able to build on our earlier success. The team has proved repeatedly that practical logistics projects can dramatically improve bottom line savings. Businesses throughout the Region will benefit from the implementation of logistics technologies."
Information about the project can be found on One North East’s website: www.onenortheast.co.uk and details of NAC’s Logistics Consultancy can be found on their website at: www.na-c.co.uk/mss|
North East Better Health at Work
NEW WEBSITE AIMS TO IMPROVE WORKPLACE HEALTH
www.nebetterhealthatwork.nhs.uk|
The subject of workplace health is important to all of us and taking care of employees has never been more important, particularly during the current recession.
So a new website on health services in South of Tyne and Wear (which covers South Tyneside, Gateshead and Sunderland), will help many organisations find out what support is available to allow employees make healthier lifestyle choices.
The website - co-ordinated by the North East Better Help at Work team - gives information on health services in South of Tyne & Wear, directs users to a wide range of health topics and provides information on the North East Better Health at Work Award.
You are also signposted to other services in the North East and employers are encouraged to use the PriceWaterhouseCoopers evaluation tool and participate in the health survey on the site.
The site is regularly updated with information on health topics and the latest research.
For more information go to the website at: www.nebetterhealthatwork.nhs.uk|
You can contact the North East Better Health at Work Team by:
Email: betterhealthatwork@gateshead.ac.uk|
Tel: 0191 490 2429 (Tania Le Marinel, Project Coordinator or Kerry Neville, Project Administrator/Researcher)
Northumbria University funding success
£6.2 MILLION BOOST FOR TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
Northumbria University has been awarded funding of £6.2 million by the Higher Education Council for England (HEFCE) to build on its excellent track record of collaborating with employers to train and develop their staff.
Between 2009 and 2012, the University expects to contribute to the skills development of some 3,000 people working for businesses and other organisations in the North East region. This work will create 25 new jobs in the University and help to support regional business growth and sustainability during the economic downturn.
£3 million from HEFCE's Employer Engagement Fund will develop Northumbria's capacity to deliver tailored professional and executive Higher Education courses to employers.
The University has also secured a further £3.2 million for university places co-funded with employers, for up to 3,000 employees from regional and local organisations.
Northumbria University will use this investment from HEFCE to build on its strong track record of engagement with employers, including NG Bailey, Eaga, Nexus, Marks and Spencer, Balfour Beatty, Northumbrian Water, and Proctor and Gamble.
Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, Professor Andrew Wathey, said: "This new investment will enable us to reach a wider range of employers and help them to access the flexible, high quality, professional support they need to maintain their competitiveness in the current economic climate."
All nine of the University's Schools are involved in the project and will be appointing new staff who will build on the strong links already developed with many leading employers in the region. Key examples include:
-
The Law, where a number of organisations are working with Northumbria to train their staff to deal with rapidly changing legislative and regulatory frameworks;
-
Health and Social Care, where Northumbria is helping practitioners at all levels to become proficient in new clinical and management practices;
-
The Cultural and Creative Sector, where Northumbria is helping emerging artists to establish effective business practices; and
-
In Leadership and Management, where Northumbria is supporting development programmes for a range of public and private sector organisations, including Northumbrian Water, Zurich, Gateshead Council, and the British Army.
For more information contact: Jonathan Ray, Director of Communications
Tel: 0191 227 4189
Fax: 0191 227 3997
Web: www.northumbria.ac.uk|
Tipstar
NORTH EAST START-UP BUSINESS SECURES FINANCIAL BACKING
A North East company is celebrating as its future is secured through a series of financial awards, new business wins and completed business deals.
Gateshead based sports intelligence and predictions website www.Tipstar.co.uk| offers sporting news and data and allows members to make, sell and buy predictions.
Backed by the North East’s Design and Creative Fund, Tipstar, based at Gateshead International Business Centre, received £150,000 towards its capital investment and a further £20,000 through a Business Link grant to put towards its marketing activity.
The Tipstar team has recently signed agreements with bookmakers Bet365, Ladbrokes and Coral to integrate their software with the Tipstar website to provide up-to-date odds and news. The company has also North East communications agency Karol Marketing Group to support its public relations and marketing output.
Rob Mathieson managing director from Tipstar said: “This external support shows that there is still opportunity for start up businesses willing to put in the hard work and the funding gives us a great platform from which to launch our business.
“Our links with the UK’s leading bookmakers allow us to bridge the current gap between the betting industry and the sports better.”
The idea for Tipstar was born following research into the sports betting industry which revealed that although telephone tips are widely available they were often only accessible via premium rate phonelines. Tipstar was created to fill the gap in the market for online sports tips.
The Tipstar website is currently under the second stage of development and the website will be accessible via both computer and mobile phone.
Website: www.tipstar.co.uk|
For more information contact Jonathan Bradford, Fund Manager, Design and Creative Fund, North East Finance Ltd, 1 St James’ Gate, Newcastle NE1 4AD.
Tel: 0191 211 2316
Fax: 0191 211 2323
Email: jon.bradford@northeastfinance.org|
Business Link
Tel: 0845 600 9006
Email: enquiries@businesslinknortheast.co.uk|
Web: www.businesslink.gov.uk/northeast|
A good sign
EXPANSION OF LEADING SIGN COMPANY
A company supplying some of Britain's best-known blue-chip groups has expanded.
Astley Signs has bought Redforrest House, on the Team Valley Trading Estate, in Gateshead.
The firm, employing more than 100 people, is already based at Team Valley, but a spokesman said the purpose built manufacturing plant and additional service facilities would enhance business.
Astley Signs manufactures signs for major retailers, the leisure industry and petrol filling stations, and clients include Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Somerfield, Bentley, Hilton and Frankie & Benny's.
The company has an annual turnover of £9m and also operates from Milton Keynes, Leeds and Glasgow.