Business
Matters WINTER 2020 EDITION
HELPING RENFREWSHIRE GROW & PROSPER
NMIS BREAKS GROUND INSIDE:
COVID-19 Response, Annual Review in pics, Members News, ChamberCustoms and lots more…
Business Matters Winter 2020
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PRESIDENT’S WELCOME Welcome to our final Business Matters of 2020. As the year draws to a close, I would like to reflect on how your Chamber has responded to the Covid-19 crisis. • Chamber membership remains healthy at just under 560, with 51 new members joining the chamber family in the last 12 months. • Invested Chamber reserves in Covid response programme to support our members. • Restart Rebuild, Renew series of webinars designed & delivered for business community, open to members and non-members. Subjects included financial support packages available during Covid crisis, health & safety, carrying out risk & return to work assessments, mental health & wellbeing, HR/ Employment Law and the JRS. • Five new staff joined the Chamber team in 2020: Stuart Murray returned to relaunch our business mentoring programme and work on membership development. Jai Pall, Lewis Glennie, Courtney Norris and Dominic Farrell have joined our Customs Declaration Team. • Our Chamber processed 11,500 export certificates for 80 companies. • Weekly engagement with UK Govt and Scot Govt feedback and lobbying on needs from business community, the economy and wider policy measures including specific sector support. • Contributed to Renfrewshire business survey in partnership with Renfrewshire Council - over 500 responses - largest business survey in Renfrewshire. • Group mentoring project in partnership with Renfrewshire Council & Engage Renfrewshire delivering sessions for third sector organisations covering digital marketing & leadership. • Invested in new cloud-based
membership CRM system giving full remote capability for chamber staff. • Introduced a remote export documentation service for exporters to ensure free movement of goods. • Have funded and launched a peer to peer business mentoring service: Free to use utilising a pool of volunteer business mentors giving time to support companies oneto-one with challenges in key areas such as marketing, finance, business strategy and planning. • Have launched TRANSFORM: Funded and developed by Renfrewshire Chamber. • Customs Declarations Service launched in response to new trading rules with EU27. • Kickstart Scheme Partnership with Renfrewshire Council & Engage Renfrewshire. • Launched the 12 Days of Digital December. • Check & Protect Chamber App. • Events – 100 with 2,500 attendees Kickstart Scheme: The Kickstart partnership has been formally launched with Invest in Renfrewshire/Renfrewshire Council, Engage Renfrewshire and the Chamber. Kickstart is the UK Govt scheme providing funding to employers to create new 6-month job placements for 16 to 24-year-olds who are on Universal Credit and at risk of long-term unemployment. Pooling our experience, we have bid for placements on behalf of Renfrewshire businesses and charities and help with skills and training support throughout the six-month placement. Total bid of 400 vacancies with 380 vacancies committed to date. Chamber Customs: We have recruited four new team members to train as customs
declarations executives. The group all have had previous career paths interrupted due to Covid-19. We will end the year with seven of the team qualified to act as customs brokers. Finally, I have been honoured to serve on the Board of your Chamber for sixteen years and as your President for nine years. The time has come for me to pass the baton on. I wish my successor every success in the post of President and trust they will enjoy the post as much as I have. I also wish you very success for the future in your various businesses and thank you all for the support you have given me over these past years. Best wishes,
Tom Johnston, President Renfrewshire Chamber
Support your Chamber and it will support you.
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A Warm Welcome from our Chief Executive Teamwork, resilience, and adaptation have been key words at the Chamber since March. It has been pleasing to see our team adapt and overcome finding new ways to support you our members and wider business community. We are also pleased to announce four new team members within our ChamberCustoms business. Jai Pall, Lewis Glennie, Courtney Norris and Dominic Farrell have joined in the last weeks and are already an integral part of the team, welcome to you all. We now have seven staff trained as customs agents who can act as your broker. From the 1st of January the volume of customs declarations required if you trade with Europe will increase dramatically. Congratulations also to Laura Connor who has been promoted to the role of International Trade Team Leader. Our 12 days of Digital December series
has just concluded with close to 400 people attending the sessions. Thanks to Brian Tait, Janine Marriott, Gordon White, Gary Ennis and Colin Kelly for providing such excellent content. Looking into 2021 our popular TRANSFORM programme returns with a new Leadership for Today series launching on the 21st Jan and a Green Recovery series on the 25th February. These sessions are delivered FOC to members and you can book via the website. Finally, I wish to pay tribute to our retiring President Tom Johnston. After sixteen years on the board, he is stepping down. I have admired the energy and enthusiasm Tom has given the voluntary role of President and valued his guidance - we have worked well together. To mark Tom’s contribution the Chamber have committed to funding a rolling 12-month internship for a young person in his name. He has truly helped
Renfrewshire to Grow and Prosper. We will announce our next President in early January. To all our members, from myself and all the team at the Chamber have an enjoyable Christmas and best wishes for a better 2021 as we continue to rebuild and renew. Thanks & regards,
Bob Grant Chief Exec
Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce Bute Court, St Andrews Drive, Glasgow Airport, PA3 2SW t: 0141 847 5450 / f: 0141 847 5499 e: info@renfrewshirechamber.com / w: www.renfrewshirechamber.com Next issue of Business Matters is Spring 2021 Deadline for editorial and adverts is Friday 5th March 2021 Themes are 3rd Sector/property & construction/ town centres
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Construction underway flagship National Manu Institute Scotland facility
Construction has started on the flagship National Manufacturing Institute Scotland facility at the heart of the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland in Renfrewshire. This week, the team from the main contractor, Morrison Construction, began work on the foundations of the building with two piling rigs installing controlled modulus columns into the ground. Since
late-October, the team has been working on ground stabilisation activities and bulk earthworks on the 3.5-hectare site next to Glasgow Airport. By using innovative technologies and materials that have been, or can be, remanufactured and reused, Morrison Construction is working towards ensuring the building will be awarded BREEAM ‘outstanding’ for sustainability - the highest accolade for
sustainability in UK construction. The team is also avoiding using the most polluting materials such as concrete and other quarried aggregates and where possible, the use of materials that are manufactured overseas. At around 1.5 times the size of Hampden football pitch, the striking, world-class, facility, with its heather façade, is set to be the linchpin for the future of manufacturing in Scotland.
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on ufacturing y As the HQ of the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS), the new building will house a fully digitalised factory of the future, skills academy and collaboration hub that will bring manufacturers together to work on the development of innovative new manufacturing technologies and products. It will support manufacturing and engineering firms of all sizes and from all sectors across the country, and internationally, to innovate and grow their businesses in the global market. NMIS is a group of industry-led manufacturing and engineering research and development facilities operated by the University of Strathclyde and supported by Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, High Value Manufacturing Catapult, Skills Development Scotland, Scottish Funding Council and Renfrewshire Council. Welcoming the progress being made on site, John Reid, CEO of the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland, said: “I’m delighted that we have been able to make real progress on the development of our new world-class facility in the space of only a few weeks. Construction starting and the foundations being laid are major milestones in the ongoing development of the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) Group. “It has been a challenging year for many in the manufacturing sector, but for some it has also brought real opportunity. As we look to the future, taking into account the climate emergency and Brexit, as well as the recovery from the pandemic, as a sector it is certain that we will face many more challenges but also, more opportunities will be there for the taking. “The continual growth of NMIS will ensure manufacturers in Scotland and beyond are able to access the latest technologies and expertise that will help
de-risk their innovation efforts and boost the skills of the manufacturing workforce of today and tomorrow. This will enable businesses to make the most of all future opportunities, creating a bigger, stronger and more sustainable manufacturing sector.” Strathclyde Principal Professor Sir Jim McDonald said: “The beginning of construction at NMIS is a major step forward for an institute which will be pivotal to the future of Scotland’s manufacturing sector. “The challenges of the pandemic highlight the need for a venture such as NMIS in terms of national capability, resilience and economic opportunity. Manufacturing in Scotland can help ensure the nation has a competitive place in the global market. “The resources, skills and experience offered by NMIS, allied to the ambition and dedication of those who work there, are in place to deliver high quality manufacturing globally and economic value nationally.” Eddie Robertson, Managing Director of Morrison Construction Building Central, commented: “The NMIS facility is a real flagship project for our business and I am excited to see it making such good progress early on in this construction phase. With further significant stages coming shortly after Christmas we will really see the building starting to take shape and we look forward to working with all the stakeholders to make their vision a reality.” Renfrewshire Council Leader Iain Nicolson said: “It’s excellent to see construction starting on the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS). I have no doubt NMIS will play a vital role in the sustainable growth of Scottish manufacturing and attract major manufacturers to locate in Renfrewshire within the Advanced Manufacturing
Innovation District Scotland (AMIDS). “Manufacturing employs thousands of people in Renfrewshire and is central to our recovery and renewal from the impact of Coronavirus. We look forward to working closely with colleagues at NMIS to further enhance the knowledge and skills of the local workforce and inspire young people to pursue careers in the manufacturing jobs of the future.” The news that construction is underway on the NMIS site follows the recent launch of the manufacturing recovery plan developed by the Scottish Government, its enterprise and skills agencies, the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland, industry partners, trades unions and academics to support the sector over the next 12 months. The plan recognises the significant impact Coronavirus (COVID-19) has had on the manufacturing sector in Scotland and focusses on four priority areas: collaboration and networks, supply chains and competitiveness, adaptation and transformation, and skills and workforce. The proposals to secure a strong, sustainable future for the manufacturing sector are available for consultation until 15 January 2021. Manufacturers are encouraged to provide feedback on the plans, with more information available online. Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “Our £75 million investment in NMIS will support innovation and our wider ambitions for Scotland’s manufacturing sector as a global leader. “The draft manufacturing recovery plan sets out a bold agenda, building on strong foundations to take advantage of new opportunities in technology, digital and green innovation. By maximising the contribution of manufacturing industries we can make stronger progress towards net zero while also creating opportunities to innovate and create new jobs.”
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With news of some potential light at the end of this “lockdown life” tunnel, businesses can hopefully start planning their marketing activities once again. One key channel likely to be used by many companies is Paid Advertising Google Ads, Facebook Ads etc. Paid Ads are highly targetable, offer multiple setup options and come with huge volumes of data to help you refine … but they can be overwhelming! Here are 3 quick tips to ensure you don’t blow your budget too soon! Plan your Campaign structure Don’t put all your spend in one campaign. Often we see accounts with 1 single campaign targeting a fairly wide audience. In reality, there are likely to be multiple different messages to be tested, with multiple different audiences to be targeted.
Consider sketching this out and planning your campaign structure accordingly. Multiple smaller campaigns, with more specific targeting, each with their own smaller portion of an overall budget. If nothing else, it makes it far easier to move budgets around if you find one campaign performs better than another. Test different Adverts Running multiple adverts per campaign allows you to test various elements and better understand which combinations result in the best performance. Could you improve engagement, CTR, Bounce Rate or Conversion rates of your campaign by: • Testing different headlines and text descriptions? • Using several website landing pages, not just the homepage? • Trying different calls to actions? • Varying the images used within your ads?
Most popular paid ads platforms will let you run multiple adverts per campaign. We recommend you take advantage of that and learn! Conversion Tracking Finally, it’s important to understand what paid ads are contributing. Are they resulting in signups, leads, downloads or sales? Have you setup your website to track those conversions? We recommend setting up that tracking before you switch on your paid ads, using a tool such as Google Analytics. It can sometimes be technical, but it’s worth it. There’s no point spending a lot of money on advertising and then wondering whether it actually contributed anything to the business other than clicks and impressions! Interested in learning more? Feel free to get in touch: contactus@aillum.com
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Business Matters Winter 2020
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Claire’s business b grows into biggest
CLAIRE Cunningham-Stirrup’s business baby was a stall selling children’s clothes at Braehead shopping centre. And like all parents she has watched with pride as her Kiddie Boutique offspring has grown over the past ten years to become Scotland’s biggest independent children’s clothing company. After running the stall for three years, Claire moved into an 1100 square foot shop at Braehead, but now she has moved into a new store in the mall – almost three times the size of her previous shop. Claire admits she was more than a little emotional when she opened her new Kiddie Boutique store after years of hard work and long hours building the business she started when she couldn’t get the clothes she wanted for her then baby daughter, Rebecca.
Claire explains: “I was on maternity leave from my job as the manager of a travel agents after my daughter, Rebecca was born ten years ago and I couldn’t get the brands of clothing I wanted for her. “That’s when I realised there was a gap in the market and very few shopping centres had independent kids-wear stores. “So, after a lot of research into what products were available at the right price, I decided to start selling quality children’s clothing from what is known as a retail merchandising unit only a few metres long. “I was stunned how popular it was and very quickly we became extremely busy and it has stayed that way ever since. After three years we had become so successful it was time to move to a shop and I leased one of the retail units in the upper mall.
“Seven years on we had yet again outgrown our shop and we needed to move to bigger premises in the mall. “We now have lots more space and are able to stock more brands and a bigger collection of children’s clothing. The bigger shop also means customers have more room to browse and enjoy their time in our store.” Kiddie Boutique has won a host of accolades in the Braehead Retail Awards over the years, including Best Children’s Wear Store three times and Best Customer Services awards. The store has also had some celebrity customers with singer, Paolo Nutini popping in to buy his nephew a Mitch and Son tracksuit, Coronation Street actress, Helen Flanagan choosing clothes for her daughter, Matilda and X Factor star Nicholas McDonald also buying an outfit as a gift.
Helping Renfrewshire Grow & Prosper
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baby in Braehead st in Scotland Claire continued: “When I first opened, I was working ten-hour days, seven days a week, but now I employ 25 people. “I definitely thought of it as my business baby and now with us moving to a bigger store, it seems like my baby has grown up and is like a teenager heading into adulthood. “I was very emotional when we opened the new shop as a phenomenal amount of hard work has gone into the business over the past ten years.” “To be able to achieve this in the middle of a pandemic really is amazing. I cannot thank Braehead enough for their continued support throughout our first
ten years in business. “To allow a small independent business to grow in such a tough environment dominated by big multiple companies really has been phenomenal. We are delighted to have such a wonderful and successful store at Braehead. Claire added: “You never know how a business is going to go when you first start out, but when I realised I was on to something and it was working, my ambition was to eventually run the biggest independent children’s wear company in Scotland. “And that’s what has happened now I’ve moved into this bigger retail unit.
“We’ve been able to build on what we’ve achieved at Braehead and we launched a Kiddie Boutique online business as well, although the physical store we have is still the most successful. “We are delighted and cannot thank our customers enough for their on-going support. We hope to continue to bring high quality Childrenswear to Braehead for many years to come.”
Have a Happy New Year Warmest wishes from all at Braehead 121495_BH_2020_Content_BizMag_Ad_130x180mm_v1_GF.indd 1
Braehead 16/12/2020 14:02
Business Matters Winter 2020
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Glasgow Airport receives top ranking in CAA disability access report for a second year running Third time in last four years airport’s special assistance service has received a ‘Very Good’ rating, and on what is the International Day of People with Disabilities Glasgow Airport has received the highest ‘Very Good’ rating from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for disability access for the second successive year. The CAA has published its fifth annual report on the disability access of 31 of the UK’s largest airports. The report covers the period from 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020 prior to aviation being significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. To achieve a ‘very good’ classification, airports must provide a consistent and high-quality assistance service over the year. The report stated that Glasgow provided a consistently on-time assistance service for more than 100,000 passengers throughout the year. Further, more than 90% of passengers who responded to a survey on the standard of assistance rated the service as good or excellent. Ronald Leitch, Glasgow Airport’s Operations Director, said: “We firmly believe that every passenger deserves to enjoy a pleasant and memorable experience while travelling through our airport. “Since 2015 we have seen a year-on-year an increase in the number of passengers who require additional support. This growth is the result of the high standard of our special assistance service and the investment we continue to make in our facilities to ensure those passengers who do require extra help feel emboldened to fly. “An incredible amount of time and effort is invested in making sure our service is one we can be proud of, so credit must go too all staff involved in the customer journey including our specialist service providers OCS for their fantastic work.” Glasgow, which was also named Scottish Airport of the Year for the second year in a row, continues to invest significantly in its special assistance service and in 2018 became the largest airport in Scotland to introduce a changing places facility at a cost of over £140,000. Last year, Glasgow was the first airport in the UK to introduce the AvTech Connect GPS tracking system, which uses beacon technology to collect location data from 140 transmitters installed across the terminal to provide accurate, real-time insight in order to improve performance and deliver a superior customer experience. Paul Smith, Director at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said: “We want all passengers to feel confident with the flying experience. As the industry looks to recover from the coronavirus pandemic and consumers plan their travel for 2021, we hope that passengers with reduced mobility and hidden disabilities feel confident about the services they will receive.
“I’m pleased that Glasgow Airport has been classified as very good in this year’s accessibility rankings and this reflects the hard work and dedication from the team over the last year. We hope that this level of performance will be maintained in the future.” Since 2015, there has been a significant rise in the number of passengers requesting assistance at UK airports, with four million requests in the latest year. This is almost double the amount than was recorded in 2015. In total, UK airports have received more than 10 million assistance requests in the past five years. The annual report is part of the Civil Aviation Authority’s accessibility framework, which ranks airports on their performance for passengers requiring assistance. The framework is a first of its kind globally and has overseen millions of pounds of investment made by airports toward improving consumers’ experiences. For more on the CAA visit here. To learn more about special assistance at Glasgow Airport click here.
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Business Matters Winter 2020
The Critical Engineer West College Scotland offers a range of professional training and development courses to help you update your skills.
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‘Change through the lens of Covid’ West College Scotland is Campus Clydebank 951event 7555 delivering a FREE0141 online for local small andGreenock medium Campus sized companies 01475 interested in 553 044 t 0300 600 6060 Manufacturing 4.0Paisley on 21Campus January 2021. At the event you0141 will learn how to develop the KEY SKILLS of 581 2121 w www.westcollegescotland.ac.uk your staff to equip your company for the technological advances that are happening in the manufacturing sector and how to develop a workplace culture in which staff will thrive. Leaders from the manufacturing industry will share their knowledge and experience about how to boost productivity for business growth through focused skills development. You will also find out about FUNDING, TRAINING and SUPPORT available to you including: • Free Advanced Manufacturing training • The Flexible Workforce Development Fund • The Apprentice Employer Grant Please visit www.thecriticalengineer.net to find out more and to sign-up
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Making sure everyone in your Clydebank Campus 0141 951skills 7555 organisation has the right has never been more important. Greenock Campus West College Scotland 01475is553 044 t 0300 6060 supporting our Region’s economic recovery by600 providing Paisley Campus fully funded flexible training and development opportunities 0141 581 2121 w www.westcollegescotland.ac.uk for both small businesses and larger organisations to upskill and reskill their workforce. Your employees may require staff training for example with digital skills, management & leadership skills, trades skills, health & safety or health and wellbeing skills. The College will support your Flexible Workforce Development Fund application process by undertaking a skills needs analysis to help identify suitable training for your workforce. Successful applications are allocated on a first come, first served basis. Enquire at fwdf@wcs.ac.uk for further information. Notes about the Flexible Workforce Development Fund: The Flexible Workforce Development fund is in addition to apprenticeship support which all employers are eligible to access in Scotland. Small and medium sized employers can access training support from West College Scotland up to a value of £5,000 Larger* employers can access training support from West College Scotland up to a value of £15,000 (*levy paying employers)
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Renfrewshire businesses in rural communities gain access to new full-fibre connectivity as Commsworld completes work in record time Commsworld has completed the build of its full-fibre internet connectivity to rural communities across Renfrewshire in record time as part of the new infrastructure being delivered in the £15 million Connectivity as a Service contract with the council. The Edinburgh-headquartered firm, the UK’s largest independent network provider, rolled out 32km of full-fibre directly to Erskine, Bishopton, Houston, Bridge of Weir and Kilbarchan, in just over four months after it was awarded the landmark contract with the council in June. It means hundreds of businesses in the area from large to small and medium enterprises will have access through Commsworld to industry-leading connections at cost-effective rates. These include the £39m Glasgow Airport Investment Area, at the centre of the new Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland (AMIDS), plus the Inchinnan Business Park, home to the likes of Rolls-Royce. Commsworld Chief Executive Ricky Nicol said this successful completion means small businesses working in Bridge of Weir, for example, which may have been previously struggling to gain quality and cost-effective Fibre To The Premises (FTTP), can now access up to 10 Gigabit connectivity to their doors thanks to Commsworld. He said: “Commsworld can now deliver a superfast service to business premises across Renfrew, Erskine, Bishopton and Bridge of Weir all the way down to Kilbarchan.
“This fibre connects to our Nationwide Optical Core Network, which gives areas throughout the whole of the UK – including Renfrewshire – access to high quality and highly resilient connectivity. Not only that, but we can deliver it at much more cost effective rates to the businesses operating in this area. “Residential customers in these areas can also access Commsworld connections to their homes. The benefits include a better quality and reliable service from a Scottish-based company, whose quality service and support are based north of the border.”
Bob Grant, Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive, praised the work of Commsworld in delivering fullfibre to businesses in record time. He said: “Speed and minimal disruption with Commsworld’s excellent project management has meant our business community can now benefit from a 10 Gigabit service well ahead of schedule. The last months have emphasised the importance of a fast and secure digital connection and we are delighted that Commsworld have demonstrated such commitment to Renfrewshire’s rural businesses with their installation and investment.”
Business Matters Winter 2020
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The Five S’s:
EFFECTIVE CONTENT STRATEGIES FOR BUSINESS OWNERS When it comes to social media, most businesses automatically go into marketing mode. A platform to promote, sell, advertise and raise awareness of what they do, the products or services they sell, and why you should buy them. While that might be a suitable strategy for a brand, for people on social media, I think the approach should be different – especially if you’re a business owner, leader or manager. I expect your website, shop window, or sales brochure to try and sell to me. I also expect your Managing Director to promote the business, but in a different way altogether. Business leaders influence others by example (none more so than their own staff) and setting the tone for the company culture, ethics, and trust is achieved by what they post onto their LinkedIn and Twitter profiles (you can include TikTok too if you’re brave enough). Here are my five suggestions for “non-salesy” content ideas anyone can use to build a better social presence, and increase your leadership credentials.
The 5 S’s
If you’ve read our recently published “Embrace the Space” book, you’ll know I like my acronyms, lists, frameworks, and aide-memoirs. My 5 S’s should be simple enough to remember and easy enough to adapt to suit your own style. 1.Shout-Out It’s not all about you (despite what McFly might tell you), and a good business leaders is always first to give a shout-out on their social channels. It might be praise for a member of the team who did a cracking job.. or mentioning a client or supplier and a project they have just completed or an industry award they’ve recently won. Showing gratitude for those around you, and championing other’s success stories speaks volumes as to the person you are, and the relationships you value.
2. Share The 2nd of our S’s is an easy content strategy as it doesn’t involve too much original creative thought! Simply by clicking the ‘Share’ or ‘Re-Tweet’ button on an existing social media post that caught your own attention, you quickly reinforce to your audience what’s important and share-worthy to you. It could be industry news, updates from key partner organisations, or just something that made you smile (being cautious to remember that not everyone’s humour is the same). Sharing valuable updates from others show your network that you’re ‘plugged in, switched on, and connected’ and always remember to add just a wee something on top from yourself – if nothing else, a short explanation of why you’re sharing it. Oh – and please make sure you’ve actually read the thing you’re sharing, otherwise it might come back and bite you (you’d be surprised)! 3. Say-So Our 3rd strategy is closely aligned to what you’ll have heard being called ‘thought leadership’. Having your say-so on something is essentially you having the self belief that what you think matters, and you’re happy to let others know it. It could be an opinion, a view on the industry, or even (with caution) your thoughts on political or social issues. Things which affect you, your business, your team, your customers, industry or the business world as a whole. While others around you are adding to the noise on social media shouting loudly trying to sell things, you’ll be positioning yourself head and shoulders above them by having your say on important things, said with authority, conviction and passion. Views which even if I disagree with them, I’ll be hard pushed not to respect you and your willingness to raise them, and express your concerns, opinions, and experiences. Many small business owners in particular are frightened to have their say-so. Don’t be – it could possibly be your best social media post given the engagement you might encourage, and don’t worry about negative comments or differences of opinion – managed well with courtesy and respect, the ongoing discussion could last for weeks. 4. Shoulder Being a ‘shoulder to cry on’ on social media is about being there for others when they need you. Whether it’s employees who need some TLC (and have raised the issue themselves on public social channels), a local cause or charity that needs support, or even other competitor business in your industry – giving a social shoulder, and showing empathy, compassion, even anger at issues affecting others, and letting them know you’re there for them is a powerful statement. Given the state of the world right now, with all the uncertainty, anxiety, health issues, job losses and business challenges caused by COVID-19, the need for a shoulder is arguably more needed now than ever before. Even just raising awareness of someone else’s plight shows people the causes that matter to you, and by extension, your business values and culture.
Helping Renfrewshire Grow & Prosper
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The Improvement Partners Do you want to improve your capability? Maybe you want to implement a “Lean” programme but aren’t sure how to start. Maybe your processes just don’t function as well as they might. Perhaps you want a more engaged and empowered workforce? The Improvement Partners Ltd. provide expertise to SME-sized clients to drive business growth and confidence using Lean principles. Our approach is based on the combined 60+ years of experience of the proprietors Derek McIntyre and Bill Wright, gained from working in highvolume, high-technology businesses, world-wide. We ensure that capability and knowledge is developed and transferred, tailored to your requirements – we won’t apply a “one size fits all” solution, often typical of a traditional consultancy. We provide an alternative, different approach to helping businesses succeed, for those who might find working with larger consultancy organisations too expensive, too intimidating or both. We provide pragmatic, collaborative, and
cost-effective advice and management to drive measurable business growth and efficiency. Contact details: Bill Wright e: bwimprovementpartners@gmail.com Tel: 0794 981 8525 Derek McIntyre e: dmimprovementpartners@gmail.com Tel: 0783 171 8892 Website: www.theimprovementpartners.co.uk
Derek McIntyre
5. Social Perhaps an obvious one to finish with – but more business leaders need to be more social. The clue is in the title – “social media” – meaning it’s full of people, being people, talking to other people. Be more social. Don’t be frightened (even on LinkedIn!) of revealing something personal about yourself. Sharing some details of you ‘outside work’, maybe even (God Forbid!) giving an insight into your family, friends, hobbies and passions. People do business with people, and giving current and prospective customers, staff, and partners a better understanding of who YOU really are is always a good thing (unless your hobbies include collecting navel fluff – apparently a thing – or you’ve just shared that video of you singing along with 90’s boyband 5ive – despite the abuse, I don’t regret it for a second! – You can Google it.)
Challenge Yourself The easy (and obvious) social media post is another “S” – The Sales Post. I’m not saying don’t sell on your social media profiles, but as the owner, leader or manager in your organisation, I urge you to mix it up with the other 5 S’s. Challenge yourself – aim for each of the five S’s across your social media channels next week. Some will overlap – a “Shout Out” might also be a “Share”, or a “Shoulder” might cross into a “Social”. I’d love to know your thoughts….
Bill Wright
Business Matters Winter 2020
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Arnold Clark looks to the future with Innovation Centre
While cars remain the most popular form of transport, a change is coming. The time of conventional petrol and diesel engines may be nearing its end with car manufacturers turning away from fossil fuels and towards electric powertrains. This is reflected in government decarbonisation legislation with sales of new petrol and diesel vehicles set to be halted by 2030 in the UK. Some could see this as a worrying time for the automotive industry but Arnold Clark, the UK’s leading car dealership group, see this as an opportunity. To that end, they’ve opened their Innovation Centre in the West End of Glasgow. But rather than being another car showroom, this is a visitor centre allowing people to get all the information they need about the future of driving. Arnold Clark Chief Executive and Group Managing Director Eddie Hawthorne explains further: ‘There are a lot of myths and misconceptions about electric vehicles. And this is something we as an industry need to educate our customers about, which is what we’re trying to do. ‘We’ve invested well over £5 million in our Innovation Centre in Glasgow. It’s not a site we are selling anything from. It’s specifically an innovation, information and educational centre. The centre displays alternative fuel vehicles from all the manufacturers we represent, plus some we don’t. We currently have 60 vehicles on-site. These include fully electric, plug-in hybrids, hybrids, and commercial vehicles that are also alternatively fuelled.’ Of course, Arnold Clark can’t answer every question about the latest innovations so they have partnered with a number of organisations to give visitors a fuller picture with representation from Transport Scotland, OLEV, Scottish Power, Energy Saving Trust, Go Ultra Low, Strathclyde University, and The NVT group. Eddie Hawthorne continues: ‘We’re working with them to get the right information to our customers. What we’re trying to do at the Innovation Centre is just showcase everything that’s out there, and it’s not just about electric vehicles.’
The centre will be staffed by Arnold Clark Innovation Geniuses, specially trained employees who with expert knowledge of electric and hybrid vehicles who will be able to answer any visitor questions and set them on the path towards owning their first alternatively fuelled car. Moving beyond the theory, visitors will be able to experience driving first-hand by taking a test drive in one of the vehicles on site with options including a BMW i3, Renault Zoe, Kia e-Niro and MINI Electric. And this is just the beginning with the centre also featuring training facilities so that every one of Arnold Clark’s 200 branches will have AFV experts on site, ready to get the business ready for an electric future. Indeed, while the electric vehicle charging infrastructure will need to be vastly improved over the next decade, most Arnold Clark branches already have electric charging points with plans to bring them to the few remaining locations very soon. The Arnold Clark Innovation Centre is located on Dumbarton Road, Glasgow and is now open. For more information please visit arnoldclark.com/innovation-centre
Helping Renfrewshire Grow & Prosper
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Mabbett urges organisations to act now in the journey towards Net Zero Is your business ready for net zero emissions by 2045? If this still seems like a long way off, how about 75% reduction by 2030 in Scotland? That’s what the Scottish Government’s roadmap says - not yet a legal obligation on companies but with the public purse poised for spending with companies and organisations who are demonstrating their net zero and environmental sustainability credentials. With only just over 9 years to go, the business and organisational transformations which will be required for the short-term future mean commitment to act needs to happen now! As the saying goes, “change, even for the better is not without pain”. This pain may mean financial planning to meet investment costs, partnerships for trade, research/development and ways of working and moving. It might mean transforming business models and embracing the circular economy - servitising products (think Netflix vs Blockbuster video), remanufacturing and retaining value and customers for longer. The other side of pain, is in fact,
opportunity. Ask any good business person. IT, remote working learnings from this COVID world have already accelerated innovation, ways of working, consumer habits including buying local and appreciation of green space and exercise in travel such as walking and biking. Get your plan to net zero emissions started - and start now. You/we might not have all the answers today; but you need to act today. At Mabbett we are helping clients to create a framework for managing net zero in your business, providing training and consultancy support. We can help you rapidly generate an action plan to get started. This means gaining real commitment from leadership, building awareness and competency, generating an initial baseline and carbon footprint, objectives for absolute year-on-year reductions (science based targets), offset plans (but not forever) and exploring opportunities for reduction/elimination of greenhouse gas emissions, all managed within a Plan-DoCheck-Act structure. Be in business in 2045, seek out the opportunities from this new world
Geraldine Boylan, Director
of net zero emissions, and let your grandchildren thank you that you had the foresight to protect their future as well as your business. You have the opportunity to directly and positively impact your sustainable business future but you must act now. By Geraldine Boylan, Director – Environment, E: boylan@mabbett.eu
TRANSFORM: Green Recovery sessions
- BOOK NOW 25th Feb 2021 10am-11am Session 1: Title: What’s the fuss about “net zero” emissions? [led by Geraldine Boylan, Director – Environment]
4th March 2021 10am-11am Session 2: Title: What SME’s can do to reduce emissions and save money [led by Jamie Roddie, Manager – Environment (mainland UK) 12th March 2021 10am-11am Session 3: Title: Your Net Zero Emissions by 2045 Strategy – Opportunities” [led by Geraldine Boylan, Director – Environment and with Susan Bell, Principal – Environmental Planning] Delivered virtually places are limited to max 20 & FOC to attend for Chamber Members. More info at https://www.renfrewshirechamber. com/event/transform-green-recovery-session-1/
Business Matters Winter 2020
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2020 Chamber Events:
A Year in Review Coronavirus quickly put the Chamber’s schedule of physical events on hold but we managed to adapt and hosted almost 100 events during the course of the year. These ranged from our annual Burns Lunch in January to our popular TRANSFORM and Digital December programmes held virtually in the second half of 2020. January
February
Always a highlight in the Chamber calendar, this year’s Burns Lunch was held at Ingliston Country Club with around 50 attendees.
Over 30 business representatives joined us for our first Pitch & Roll networking event of the year (and only face to face one). We hosted a HR Form led by MacRoberts LLP which focused on equality legislation and recent case law developments. Our second Networking Lunch of 2020 was held at Mar Hall and included a talk by Andrew Colquhoun, CEO of Doosan Babcock and winner of the 2019 ROCCO Award for Business Leader of the Year.
March In our last physical event of the year, Family Business Solutions and Royal Bank of Scotland joined us for a fascinating workshop looking at the particular needs of family businesses and the support available.
April By April we had gone virtual and delivered a series of webinars alongside panel experts outlining financial support available for businesses during the COVID -19 crisis, as well as covering issues such as employee wellbeing. During April we also brought our Pitch & Roll series online for our first virtual networking event.
August and September In August and September we launched the first rounds of our TRANSFORM programme of events. This webinar series runs until February 2021 and is designed to support businesses as they adapt and transition to the post-COVID environment and ways of working. The subject areas are Digital, Leadership for Today, Strategy, Mental Health & Wellbeing and Green Recovery, and each is delivered by a recognised expert in the field.
October During October we hosted two more online events aimed at supporting businesses through COVID-19: a look at current issues around employment law with MacRoberts LLP and another session aimed at supporting family businesses led by Family Business Solutions and Royal Bank of Scotland. November We hosted a second virtual Pitch & Roll networking event in November, with almost 20 attendees.
May and June During May and June we ran our Restart Rebuild Renew webinar series covering various areas of Coronavirus business support. These featured expert speakers from Campbell Dallas, Beyond HR, Mabbett, NS Design and Janine Marriott SEO.
December Our 12 Days of Digital December attracted considerable interest from the Renfrewshire business community, with daily sessions delivered by some of the most knowledgeable digital experts around. The events covered topics such as social media, analytics and Search Engine Optimisation, to support businesses in enhancing their digital presence post-COVID. We had close to 400 bookings in total across the series.
Helping Renfrewshire Grow & Prosper
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12 Days of Digital December Our 12 Days of Digital December attracted considerable interest from the Renfrewshire business community, with close to 400 bookings across the series. The daily online events were delivered by some of the most knowledgeable digital experts around and were designed to help businesses adapt to the changing environment post-COVID.
On Day 1, Gary Ennis from NSDesign demonstrated how the ‘digital world’ became a priority once the ‘real world’ went into lockdown. He looked at how the digital customer has changed, how to ensure your website is on their radar, and how to embrace social media and online platforms to stand out and thrive. On Day 2, Janine Marriott SEO presented 30 uncomplicated, effective steps that you can do yourself for free to help strengthen your digital presence in the current environment. Gordon White from fatBuzz delivered Day 3’s session which looked at how the need to utilise online networking, lead generation and business development tools has never been greater, focusing on LinkedIn.
Day 4 was delivered by former Clyde 1 radio presenter Colin Kelly from Comsteria and covered podcasting, which has been a huge growth area this year. The session looked at what a podcast could do for your business and how to get started.
On Day 8, Gordon from fatBuzz looked at what you need to do to optimise your LinkedIn Business Page and how to tap into the power of LinkedIn Groups and LinkedIn Advertising. On Day 9, Gary from NSDesign demonstrated what ‘great social service’ looks like in today’s connected world, looking at examples from a variety of companies.
On Day 5, Janine Marriott SEO looked at how you can increase your chances of ranking in the local search results and maps by optimising your Google my Business page. On Day 6, Gary from NSDesign provided an understanding of digital competitor analysis. This looked at why and how to use one, utilising a range of free tools to help you understand and compare your business with your competitors. Brian Tait from Aillum delivered the Day 7 session which gave an insight into some of the tools and data that can help you start monitoring, refining and improving your digital marketing activities.
Gordon from fatBuzz returned for a final session on Day 10 looking at ‘putting your content to work’. This considered the aims and objectives of your content, its type and tone, identifying your target audience(s) and maximising the reach of your content. On Day 11, Gary from NSDesign delivered ‘Anti-Social Media’ which looked at where social media can go wrong in business. Through real world examples, we saw the devastating outcomes and discussed ways to mitigate the risks of it happening to you. On Day 12, Janine Marriott concluded the series with a look ahead at how businesses can best utilise SEO in 2021.
Business Matters Winter 2020
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UWS KTP designer’s wheelchair innovation wins $1m Toyota prize
An ultralight wheelchair developed in partnership with University of the West of Scotland (UWS) academics has helped Phoenix Instinct land a $1 million global competition prize. The $4 million Mobility Unlimited Challenge, which launched in 2017 and was set by the Toyota Mobility Foundation and Nesta, has included several stages over three years. It invited engineers, innovators and designers to submit ideas for game-changing technologies to improve the mobility and independence of people with lower-limb paralysis. The winning entry by Phoenix Instinct – the only UK finalist – is the Phoenix i ultralight wheelchair. The wheelchair features intelligent centre of gravity, giving enhanced ease of pushing, agility and stability functions never seen before in wheelchairs including lightweight power assist to make slopes easier to ascend. The award-winning technology was developed in partnership with UWS through a knowledge transfer partnership (KTP) with the School of Computing, Engineering and Physical Sciences. Andrew Slorance at Phoenix Instinct said: “Working with UWS KTP partnership brought the company specialist skills, knowledge and University support that have been fundamental to the success of the project. The KTP funding through Innovate UK is a fantastic programme that we recommend highly.” The Toyota-supported challenge required finalists to work with endusers to develop devices that integrate seamlessly into their lives and environments, while being comfortable and easy to use. SUCCESS Dr Tony Leslie, Senior Lecturer in the School of Computing, Engineering and Physical Sciences at UWS, said: “It has been a pleasure to work with Andrew Slorance and Dr Jakub Rycerz on this KTP project. Andrew’s design is a step
change in wheelchair development. Andrew has driven the project to ensure the project team never lost sight of how the ongoing design decisions could impact on wheelchair users in their daily lives, and that has been key to the project’s success. “Recognition must also be given to KTP associate Jakub, whose contribution and commitment has been exceptional throughout the project, developing a number of innovations to ensure Andrew’s vision was realised. I look forward to seeing Phoenix i transforming the mindset of wheelchair designers and inspiring future global wheelchair development.” Phoenix Instinct were crowned the winners at a virtual, live-streamed event today (17 December 2020). The Phoenix i ultralight wheelchair made its way among five finalists announced at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, USA in January 2019. A total of 80 entries were received from 28 countries, with the
finalists and winner chosen by a panel of expert judges. Stuart McKay, Senior KTP Manager at UWS, said: “I am delighted for the whole team behind this project, who, collectively, have developed this truly game-changing mobility solution, as well as delivering an exemplary knowledge transfer partnership project. I am extremely proud of the role UWS has played in Phoenix Instinct’s success, from being selected to work with them on the initial bid concept, through to reaching the global final and securing $500k development funding more than a year ago. “Phoenix Instinct winning the Mobility Unlimited Challenge is the icing on the cake and testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone involved. We look forward to working with Phoenix Instinct in the future and already have plans for a second KTP.” Find out more about Knowledge Transfer Partnerships at UWS.
Helping Renfrewshire Grow & Prosper
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Introducing the new Check & Protect app (#ProtectRenfrewshire)
In response to the Coronavirus pandemic, the government has established an NHS run Test and Trace system. The aim is to trace people that have been in contact with a positive case of Covid-19 to help reduce the spread of the virus. To facilitate this aim, government have placed a responsibility on businesses to keep records of all staff, visitors and customers entering their premises. This requirement adds a GDPR and data storage concern to many businesses that may not have had one pre-pandemic. This is where the new app comes in. The app will reduce your workload by allowing most visitors to check in themselves using their phone and a QR code unique to your business. It makes Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce
the data controller which removes the GDPR and data storage burden on your business. The app was produced by Cairngorms Studios in connection with Cairngorms Chamber of Commerce. Since its launch, 15 Chambers across Scotland have set up their own versions of the app to roll out to businesses in their areas. As of the start of November, 544 businesses have signed up and there have been 186,000 customer check-ins across Scotland. Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce has launched the app and it is available to members and nonmembers completely free of charge, as part of our support to the local community during Covid-19. Benefits • Free to use – no hidden costs, all costs are covered by the Chamber as part of
our response to Covid-19. • Conforms to all GDPR and Covid-19 requirements. • Removes data storage and GDPR concerns from your business. • Reduces workload of taking data manually and safely storing the data. • Quick and easy to set up and use – video tutorials available. Contact/Join If you would like any further information about this app please contact Laura Ritchie on lritchie@ renfrewshirechamber.com If you would like to see the website and/ or sign up please go to https://protect. renfrewshirechamber.com/ (Please note to sign up you cannot use a mobile or tablet – it must be a desktop computer/laptop)
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Chamber Customs ChamberCustoms is the customs brokerage service from the Chambers of Commerce. It’s different from other brokerage services by harnessing the reach, expertise and knowledge of the Chamber network to offer an unbeatably fast, reliable and compliant service. We’re the only customs broker in the country to offer a ‘One Stop Shop’ with direct links to all sea, air and road ports and terminals in the UK. We’ll help you to keep in control while we do the hard stuff, acting in your best interests every time. Bob Grant, Chief Exec
At the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020, the number of annual customs declarations is forecast to increase from 55 million to around 300 million, with businesses who import goods facing a lot more administration. We launched ChamberCustoms to respond to this demand by offering a simple and reliable brokerage service which will help members and non-members alike. ChamberCustoms offers an HMRCcompliant service that you can trust. The Chambers of Commerce: a Trusted Partner For almost 100 years, Chambers of Commerce have been trusted by government and businesses to certify certificates of origin and preferential trade documents. Every year our experts issue thousands of documents, relating to goods worth millions of pounds, ensuring that goods can enter foreign countries with minimal delay and cost. Uniquely, ChamberCustoms has been created to clear goods for import and export at every port in the UK. We can access faster duty and VAT payments through our deferment account and make duty and VAT payments to HMRC on your behalf, or help you through a flexible accounting system to pay HMRC directly. A potentially complicated process is made smooth, quick and entirely transparent. It sits alongside all the other services
offered by Chambers of Commerce to enable businesses to operate and thrive in today’s global economy. Businesses now have the opportunity to access more of their customs information in one place. Brexit and Beyond In the aftermath of the Brexit referendum, businesses and governments across Europe have been trying to get to grips with the implications for crossborder trade. Whilst the details are not finalised, it’s clear that bringing goods into the UK from the EU will involve a lot more paperwork than it does now. To give some idea of the scale, around
180,000 UK businesses only trade within the EU, 68,000 only trade outside the EU and 73,000 trade in both. The EU27 accounts for just over half of all imports into the UK so the volume of ‘checked’ goods passing through our ports will increase significantly. Being outside the customs union will mean that imports into the UK from the EU will be treated the same as those from the rest of the world. They will shift from being goods in free circulation within the EU, to imports subject to duty and VAT. Traders today complete around 55 million declarations annually, which, according to the ONS, could rise to around 300 million at
Helping Renfrewshire Grow & Prosper
the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020. This will impact every business that imports or exports goods. ChamberCustoms can help. Making Customs Declarations Paperwork related to imports and exports is complex and can be confusing. To add to the difficulty, goods will be subject to increased border checks when we leave the EU, with any one of 26 government agencies taking an interest. For example, livestock and animal products will get the attention of the Plant Health Agency, the Port Health Authorities and the Rural Payments Agency. Other agencies
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include Trading Standards, Environmental Health and the National Measurement Office. They all operate at ports to protect consumers, and businesses, from products that are a risk to safety, are counterfeit, could harm our environment or simply aren’t what they say they are. As an importer or exporter, making a declaration requires you to understand everything about the goods you are clearing from a customs perspective. You need to know: • The tariff code for each item in your consignment? • Do your goods require any special licenses or certificates? • Does the UK have a trade agreement in place with the country of export from the UK? • Are your goods subject to any quotas? • Are you importing under a customs procedure? • What is the origin of the goods? • What duty and VAT will you expect to pay at import? • What is the correct valuation of your imported goods, including freight and insurance costs?
It’s a businesses’ responsibility to get the paperwork right. Suppliers can advise you on compliance, and even make the declaration for you, but it is YOUR company making the declaration and you will be liable if it’s wrong, so you need a customs broker you can trust. Incorrect declarations could lead to delays and in certain cases, HMRC could impose penalties or prosecute you. In the more serious cases people have been sent to jail. Put simply, we’re unique because we have direct relationships with every port in the UK. This means we don’t need to rely on any third parties to clear goods for import and export. Most other customs brokers have to rely on third parties to offer a fully national service, exposing you to a loss of control and potentially effecting the accuracy, speed and cost of their service. It can also expose traders to penalties from the tax authorities. Unlike other customs brokers our pricing structure is completely transparent. We charge a small fee to process your declaration directly through HMRC, plus a fixed 10% handling charge for the port fees which we will pay on your behalf.
For more information, contact Laura Connor lconnor@renfrewshirechamber.com or Bob Grant bgrant@renfrewshirechamber.com or visit www.chambercustoms.co.uk
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Recent Staff Updates at the Chamber We are pleased to have added four additional members to the Chamber team since November. The new staff have been recruited to support our capacity for processing customs declarations, an element of Chamber activity that will be in big demand from January with the end of the EU Transition Period. This will bring us to a total of seven qualified customs agents.
Jai Pall (21) is from Paisley and has an Admin, Legal and Finance background. Her last job was with Walker Laird in Paisley.
Lewis Glennie (28) lives in Cumbernauld and has an Admin, Marketing and Commercial background. His last job was with the Glasgow Rocks.
Both Jai and Lewis have already completed their Chamber Customs training and are now qualified customs agents.
Courtney Norris (26) is from Houston and has a background in Communications. She previously worked for Glasgow Airport and as a graduate intern at the Chamber.
Dominic Farrell (30) is from Giffnock with a background in compliance. His last job was with British Gas.
Both Courtney and Dominic are currently completing their customs declarations training with the aim of gaining their qualifications in the near future. All four of our new starts are young people whose careers, like many others, have been interrupted as a result of the pandemic and we are delighted to give them an opportunity to work for the Chamber and develop new skills. Jai and Lewis have already completed their Chamber Customs training and are now qualified customs agents. Courtney and Dominic are currently completing their customs declarations training and will gain their qualifications shortly.
In addition to our new starts, we also have some positive news regarding existing staff members. Laura Connor, who has been with the Chamber since 2005, has been promoted to the role of International Documentation Team Leader. As part of her new role, Laura will support the other six members of our expanded documentation team. Laura Ritchie and Martin McAlinden, who both joined the Chamber in June 2019, have also recently been made permanent in their roles of International Documentation Executives.
Laura Connor, International Documentation Team Leader
Helping Renfrewshire Grow & Prosper
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New Members On behalf of the Board of Directors and the Chamber staff, we would like to welcome onboard the following new members. Source and Design
Minaka Solutions Ltd
Marketing & Design John Morton 01505 359 173 john@sourceanddesign.co.uk
Technology & Business Consultants Neil McLaren 07394 060 867 neil.mclaren@minakasolutions.com
Switchease
Edmundson Electrical
Utilities Jim Low 07525462667 jim@switchease.co.uk
Electrical Product & Services Alan Rennie 0141 848 0400 alan.rennie@eel.co.uk
The Improvement Partners Ltd
Hermes Business Solutions
Business Service – “A Different Approach to Helping Business Succeed” Bill Wright & Derek McIntyre 07831718892 / 07949818525 bwimprovementpartners@gmail.com dmimprovementpartners@gmail.com
Business Solutions 07500 058085 Pete Richards pete@hermesbusinesssolutions.co.uk
Cole AD Creative Design, Digital & Media Buy Agency Stephen Cole 0141 471 8626 stephen@cole-ad.co.uk
Jaclyn Robinson Property Solutions Ltd Real Estate Jaclyn Robinson 07534076989 jaclynrobinsonproperty@gmail.com
chamber
Supportkey Ltd IT Consultancy, Service, Support & Managed Services Andrew May 0141 552 8505 andrew.may@supportkey.com
One Branded Promotional merchandise and print Nick Tracey 0141 212 8228 nick@onebranded.co.uk
Adalec Ltd Disinfection & Cleaning Products Ken Adams 07511834913 ken@chlorisal.uk
Bazaya ltd Logistics & Freight Forwarding Siphosami Bazaya 07540349543 bazayalimited@gmail.com
Get your business off to a great start in 2021…
an 1st Ne d ne w co tw m nt or em en ki b t i ng ers n ou lun ge r m ch t ag fre az e in Join e
Renfre Chamb wshire er b the end efore Februa of ry and
save 25 %!
Access discounted products & services including:
• networking events • marketing channels • business mentor • lobbying • HR & legal • health • export documentation • merchant services • meeting rooms
www.renfrewshirechamber.com Jill Carrino, Deputy CEO on 0141 847 5450 or JCarrino@renfrewshirechamber.com
Renfrewshire Chamber “Helping Renfrewshire grow & prosper since 1964”
Business Matters Winter 2020
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Tom Johnston steps down from Chamber Board Tom Johnston is formally stepping down from the board at the Chamber’s AGM this year. After sixteen years as a Director and nine as President Tom has truly helped Renfrewshire Grow and Prosper. He has dedicated a huge amount of his time and energy to this voluntary role. To mark Tom’s contribution the Chamber have committed to funding a rolling 12-month internship for a young person in his name. We’ll be announcing more details of the programme into the new year. Good luck Tom for the future and thank you for all you have done! Below are a selection of just a few highlights over sixteen years of service.
Tom getting into the Christmas Spirit
Supporting StreetStuff with St Mirren
With Sir Tom Hunter, Walter from Colliers & BBC’s Douglas Fraser
Tom and Family at Rocco 2014
Tom with Glasgow 2014 Baton & former Chamber CEO Bob Davidson
An early form of social distancing with St Mirren Director Richard Atkinson 2010
Helping Renfrewshire Grow & Prosper
Tom with Lord Haughey of City Refrigeration
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Supporting the Paisley 2021 bid with Boston Networks
Supporting the RYA Sailability Programme at Castle Semple.
Rocco 2019 with Paisley.is
Tom with partner Linda
Chamber 50th Civic Reception
Tom with Jim McCall OBE Clyde Blowers
Tom with St Mirren CEO Tony Fitzpatrick
Charity 2019 St Vincents
Tom and AGS CEO Derek Provan
With Council Leader Iain Nicolson, Steve Higgens from Powertek and Chamber CEO Bob Grant
Chamber Golf Day 2019
With Ryanair’s Micheal O’Leary
Tom with Andrew Malcolm CEO Malcolm Group
With Sir Tom Farmer, Kwikfit founder
Tom with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon
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KICKSTART SCHEME The Kickstart Scheme is the UK government’s £2billion initiative designed to help young people into work. The scheme was officially launched on September 2nd 2020. The kickstart scheme will provide funding to employers to create new 6-month job placements for 16 to 24-year-olds who are currently on Universal Credit and at risk of long-term unemployment. It will cover 100% of the minimum wage for the persons age group, national insurance and pension contributions for a maximum of 25 hours a week.
The roles shouldn’t require people to undertake extensive training before they begin and they must be new jobs, not replacing an existing job or planned vacancy or cause an existing employee or contractor to lose or reduce their employment. Kickstart is coming to Renfrewshire through a partnership between Renfrewshire Council’s employability experts Invest in Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce and Engage Renfrewshire. Pooling our experience, we will bid for placements on behalf of Renfrewshire
businesses and charities and help with skills and training support throughout the six-month placement. Full details are outlined on the Council’s dedicated web page: www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/kickstart How do I register my interest to provide a placement? If you are able to offer one or more job placements then please complete the Kickstart in Renfrewshire survey to register your interest and we will be in touch to discuss the details. Kickstart in Renfrewshire survey
Helping Renfrewshire Grow & Prosper
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Happy Christmas and Best Wishes for a Healthy and Prosperous 2021 From all the staff and Board at Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce
www.renfrewshirechamber.com
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IN PRINT | ONLINE Special Chamber members advertising rate - call us now 0141 887 7744
Business Matters Winter 2020
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Renfrewshire Council Updates:
Setting out Renfrewsh
Plans for Renfrewshire’s economic and social recovery from the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic were recently unveiled by Renfrewshire Council. The ambitious plans aim to create jobs and upskill employees, bolster business, invest in housing, tackle inequalities and improve the lives of people living and working in Renfrewshire. Why are the plans needed? The plans address the stark impact of the Coronavirus pandemic in Renfrewshire. Sadly, 293 local people have lost their lives since the outset of the pandemic. The number of people claiming benefits rose by 80% at the height of the virus, while 6,000 crisis grant applications have been received, thousands have been supported through neighbourhood hubs and local community groups and Renfrewshire Foodbank has helped more than 4,000 adults and children. Furlough support for Renfrewshire employees is estimated to equate to £115million and self-income support to almost £10million.
What are the plans? There is a two-year economic recovery plan which has been prepared with, and approved by, Renfrewshire’s Economic Leadership Panel, pooling business expertise from major local employers and skills and enterprise agencies. It is underpinned by economic analysis by the University of Strathclyde’s Fraser of Allander Institute and by a summer survey of 500 local companies, with further data being collected next spring following the end of the furlough scheme and the Brexit transition period. Detailing 14 priority actions the panel believe will make the biggest difference locally, the report focuses on support for business, young people, wellbeing, skills and employability, fostering a green recovery and on capital investment. There is also an update on development of a social renewal plan for Renfrewshire which has tackling inequalities is at its heart. It is being prepared through a public survey of 1,500 people combined with ‘listening events’ with community groups during winter 2020, to better understand the
impacts of COVID-19 and involve local people in identifying solutions to the issues they face. And councillors will also be asked to approve plans for at least £100million of additional investment over the next 10 years in Council housing across Renfrewshire, with the first phase targeting investment to eight areas across Johnstone, Paisley and Renfrew. Renfrewshire Council Leader Iain Nicolson: “Covid-19 has had a huge impact on our health, our wellbeing, our communities and our economy, but I am confident that by working together, Renfrewshire will recover and renew to come back stronger. “The pandemic has impacted on all parts of daily life and in some cases exacerbated existing vulnerabilities or created new difficulties. Many people and businesses have been impacted, through bereavement, loss of income, isolation and loneliness. “Since the outset, Council staff have been working tirelessly together with community groups and local volunteers as well as
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Renfrewshire Council Updates:
hire’s road to recovery with national agencies to support people during these unprecedented times, and the collective response has been phenomenal. “This work continues and while the true impact of the pandemic will take time to fully emerge, we have been carrying out detailed research and together with community groups, local businesses and economic leaders, we have been preparing our plans for recovery and renewal. “The building blocks of Renfrewshire’s economy have been consistently strong for some time and there are significant opportunities for growth after the pandemic with a strong business base, excellent educational facilities and £500million in capital investment well under way. “We will build on this by creating jobs and training opportunities for our young people, including 150 new apprenticeships, with targeted projects to
tackle unemployment and reduce health inequalities, and measures to bolster the skills and innovation of our significant manufacturing sector. To achieve this plan, all partner agencies will have a key role to play and by combining our knowledge and expertise, we can achieve so much more.” Renfrewshire Council Depute Leader Jim Paterson: “Local people and communities continue to experience significant impacts on their lives resulting from the pandemic and sadly the initial findings suggest it is most affecting people on low incomes and in insecure employment, in particular women and young people. “The social renewal plan will act as the blueprint for how we will work with our partners to learn from the pandemic and build on this experience to tackle the inequalities that exist in our communities.”
Renfrewshire Council Communities, Housing and Planning Convener Councillor Marie McGurk: “Coronavirus has underlined the importance of our home on our wellbeing and the need to live within a supportive community environment. “This planned investment will provide a step-change in housing conditions for Council tenants by enhancing properties inside and out, making them more energy efficient and creating safe, welcoming neighbourhoods. “At each location, we will develop comprehensive regeneration place plans, engaging with tenants and the wider community to create places to be proud of through a mix of improvements and new homes, this approach will continue the recent investment by the council and housing associations which will see more than 1,000 affordable homes completed by 2022.”
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Renfrewshire Council Updates:
Paisley Museum receives major funding pledge from The Hugh Fraser Foundation
Paisley Museum has received a £200,000 capital funding pledge of support from The Hugh Fraser Foundation towards its transformation into a world-class cultural destination, payable once the project is underway. The Hugh Fraser Foundation, which is based in Glasgow, has for over 50 years supported a broad range of charities throughout Scotland. Dr Kenneth Chrystie, a Trustee of The Hugh Fraser Foundation said: “We are very aware of the sterling efforts being made to transform and enhance the art and cultural attractions of Paisley. In this context, the Museum’s initiative is hugely significant and when completed it will ensure the Museum’s rightful place as a centre of excellence and a national treasure and attraction for many years to come. The Foundation was delighted to be able to offer support.” The £42million redevelopment of the museum is part of Paisley’s radical regeneration plan, and the redesign of the campus led by an international team including architects AL_A and exhibition
designers Opera Amsterdam, will allow the number of objects on display to be increased by 100%. When Paisley Museum reopens it is expected to attract 125,000 visits each year and provide a £79million economic boost to the area over the next 30 years. Few places of Paisley’s size have had such a global impact, and this is reflected in the museum’s internationally-significant holdings, which include an unrivalled collection of 1,200 Paisley shawls, rare 2nd century glass from Syria, and vast natural history collections. They are currently being held in Paisley: The Secret Collection, the only publicly-accessible museum store on a UK high street. Councillor Lisa-Marie Hughes, Chair of Renfrewshire Leisure Ltd, said: “Investing in our venues is key to our recovery from the pandemic, as it will create jobs, support new and existing businesses in the area, and drive new footfall to our town centre. “We are delighted the Hugh Fraser Foundation has pledged its support towards the redevelopment of Paisley
Museum. The museum has been beloved by generations of Renfrewshire people and this brings us a step closer to realising our ambitions of radically transforming this prominent symbol of Paisley’s past for future generations.” Eric Grounds, Capital Appeal Director of Paisley Reimagined, said: “The pledge from The Hugh Fraser Foundation is yet another vote of confidence in the Paisley Museum project and indeed the town itself. “Paisley Museum is an important part of the area’s heritage and has been at the heart of the community since it was founded in 1871. The £42million project to transform this historic venue will ensure our world-class collections are safeguarded and that our museum continues to be a place of knowledge, enjoyment and pride for those living in or visiting Paisley.” Paisley Museum Reimagined is supported by Renfrewshire Council, the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Fund.
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Business Matters Winter 2020
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Hermes Business Solutions for a Greener Future... At Hermes Business Solutions, we aim to be our clients most valued business partner, improve their experience, while contributing back via Social Responsibility to reduce our carbon footprint by going green, Planting Trees and teaming up with Renfrewshire Team Up to Clean Up, as part of our commitment to the environment and our pledge to reduce our carbon footprint to achieve a state of carbon neutrality, we have signed up to 100% green electricity for our office. As small a gesture as this may seem, we’ve been informed that our premises placing the earth first equates to planting 761 trees!
After obtaining this information, It got me thinking about how we can continue to commingle our daily operations with these vital environmental concerns. Now, we are delighted to announce the PlusOne initiative. essentially, this means that for every new energy customer that comes aboard with us, we will calculate the equivalent number of trees that would be grown by making the switch before actually planting one physical tree in celebration of our agreement. Marking the beginning of a greener, more sustainable era for our company, PlusOne will allow us to not only plant trees for our energy clients, but for every new customer we do business with.
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DYW West end of year update 2020 has been a challenging year for many and DYW West were no different. Covid-19 seen us operate from home and pivot activity online with DYW groups nationally working together over the summer on a number of initiatives; e-DYW, the DYW Skills Academy, Scotland’s Biggest Parents Event and others. In November we normally hold our largest event “STEM WEST” but this year it moved online with an impressive list of organisations from around our region providing video content explaining to a young audience who they are, what they do, the skills,
qualities and qualifications they look for and how to access early career opportunities with them. In the last few days we have been awarded additional funding from the Scottish Government that will be used by our 4 local authorities to resource DYW Schools coordinators to help support more young people. Our ask of and support to employers remains consistent; please get involved and help young people get ready for life after school. In some ways Covid has made that support easier with employers able to communicate via Zoom & Teams. Whilst not as powerful as face to face, post Covid19 I
am sure that way of communicating will not completely go away. So please offer to get involved and use us to share any relevant opportunities you may have such as work experience (virtual and longer term, in person), early careers opportunities such as apprenticeships. If you want to support but not sure how, just get in touch and we can discuss how together we can help Develop the Young Workforce for 2021 & beyond. Thank you to everyone that supported us in 2020, have a Merry Christmas and best wishes for a safer and happier new year in 2021.
Can you
support DYW in 2021? DYW West (covers Renfrewshire, East Ren, Inverclyde & West Dunbartonshire) are seeking employers of all sectors and sizes to help young people get more prepared for the world of work. This could be yourself or a development opportunity for staff.
Examples include:
• Give a class talk • Mentor a small group of young people • Support a careers event
• Host a talk & tour at your workplace • Offer a work experience / placement • Offer an apprenticeship
• Sign up to Founders4Schools • Put an opportunity on Marketplace • Run a competition
Help bring the curriculum to life and get involved with DYW West in 2021. Together we can make a real difference. Contact us at info@dywwest.co.uk
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HELPING ChamberCustoms TRADERS TO KEEP ON TRADING
HELPING TRADERS TO KEEP ON
ChamberCustoms delivers a customs declaration service for UK importers and exporters: • A high level of compliance and assurance for customers
• Confidence on tariff and data entry to remove fiscal risk; backed by the technical expertise of TRADING the market leader in this sector • A wealth of international trade experience and expertise from across the trusted Chamber of Commerce network UK.
For more information contact Laura Connor lconnor@renfrewshirechamber.com or Bob Grant bgrant@renfrewshirechamber.com
www.chambercustoms.co.uk