Business Cornwall June 19

CORNWALL'S PREMIER BUSINESS RESOURCE FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS AND OPINION

businesscornwall.co.uk

JUNE 2019 | ISSUE 131 | £3.95

COCKWELLS MD TELLS ALL

START-UPS

FOCUS ON NEW BUSINESSES

BUSINESS WEEK JUNE 24-28

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06 9 772514

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CAN WE BE FRANK W I T H YO U ?

It is a time of huge uncertainty, with the world on the brink of previously unthinkable change.

No-one knows exactly what the future will bring.

In the midst of all this, one man quietly sets up his own business in Devon, with an ambition to help others thrive in the midst of this very modern world.

The year is 1919. The man is our founder, Mr Francis S Clark. He’s ‘Frank’ to everyone who knows him.

One hundred years later and the world is as uncertain now as it was then. Huge challenges and opportunities are on the horizon just as they were a century ago.

We’re still here because we still share Frank’s original ambition, and those of the thousands of businesses we’ve helped since he started work a century ago.

Talk to us if you’d like to be one of them.

033 013 44870 www.pkf-francisclark.co.uk

SHAREDAMBITION

JUNE 2019

INSIDE

FEATURES 10 CORNWALL BUSINESS WEEK FULL PREVIEW OF THIS YEAR’S BUSINESS WEEK EVENTS

13 START-UPS THINKING OF GOING IT ALONE AND BEING YOUR OWN BOSS?

18 BUSINESS GROWTH WE MEET ONE OF THE FILM INDUSTRY’S LEADING SPECIAL FX EXPERTS

20 ACCESS ALL AREAS TAKE YOUR BUSINESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL

22 TRAINING FOCUS HOSPITALITY TRAINING FROM NFET

24 MARINE A LOOK AT CORNWALL’S VIBRANT MARINE SECTOR, INCLUDING CEO INTERVIEW WITH COCKWELLS MODERN & CLASSIC BOATBUILDING MD, DAVE COCKWELL

ISSUE 131

REGULARS 4 INCOMING IN FAVOUR OF A FOUR-DAY WEEK?

6 BUSINESS NEWS RECORD-BREAKING YEAR FOR AIRPORT

35 FOOD & DRINK ALDI CONTRACT WIN

36 EDUCATION TRAINING AWARDS SHORTLIST

37 FSB FEDERATION OF SMALL BUSINESSES

38 TOURISM JILL STEIN NAMED VISIT CORNWALL CHAIR

39 CREATIVE & DIGITAL DIGITAL AGENCY OPENS

40 CORNWALL CHAMBER CHAMBER NEWS

41 ON THE MOVE NEW MANAGING PARTNER AT LAW FIRM

42 TEST DRIVE BMW 3 SERIES

44 JUST A THOUGHT MANDA BROOKMAN OF PERMANENTLY BRILLIANT

46 EVENTS DIARY BUSINESS WHAT’S ON

PHOTO: THE WORLD’S BEST STRONG BEER SEE PAGE 35 FOR MORE

48 THE LAST WORD CAMELLIA INTERIORS’ ELAINE SKINNER

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 1

JUNE 2019

WELCOME

BY EDITOR NICK EYRIEY

ISSUE 131

ALL SET FOR BUSINESS WEEK ON THE COVER DAVE COCKWELL MD OF COCKWELLS MODERN & CLASSIC BOATBUILDING

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Nick Eyriey nick@businesscornwall.co.uk PUBLISHER Toni Eyriey toni@businesscornwall.co.uk BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Morveth Ward morveth@businesscornwall.co.uk ACCOUNT MANAGER Caroline Hill caroline@businesscornwall.co.uk CONTRIBUTORS PFA Research

I can’t believe just how quickly the year is galloping away with us. June already!

June is one of the busiest times on the networking calendar with the Royal Cornwall Show near the beginning of the month and Cornwall Business Week towards the end.

This year’s Business Week events tackle some of the key issues regularly in the headlines – namely access to funding and finance, sustainability and the plight of our High Streets.

The latter two topics are particularly in vogue at the moment. The term ‘climate change’ has now, apparently, become outdated. To stress the severity of the problem, The Guardian newspaper has removed the phrase from its style guides and replaced it instead with ‘climate crisis’. ‘Climate emergency’ or ‘climate breakdown’ are also acceptable options.

In the words of 15-year old climate activist, Greta Thunberg - “I want you to act as you would in a crisis. I want you to act as if our house is on fire. Because it is.”

And then there’s the High Street. A trip down many High Streets across the country tells a tale of vacant shops and lighter footfall. The Reimagining our Towns Conference on June 27 will address the talking points and ask what can be done to breathe new life into our towns.

DESIGN & PRINT Design by Business Cornwall Printed in Cornwall by Deltor BUSINESS CORNWALL is published 10 times a year by: Tonick Business Publishing Pool Innovation Centre Trevenson Road Redruth TR15 3PL Tel: 01209 718688

This month’s issue has two main themes to it – start-ups and the marine sector.

SUBSCRIPTIONS subscriptions@businesscornwall.co.uk

Registered under the Data Protection Act. All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied, stored in an electronic retrieval system or transmitted without the written permission of the publisher.

Stringent efforts have been made by Business Cornwall magazine to ensure accuracy. However, due principally to the fact that data cannot always be verified, it is possible that some errors or omissions may occur. Business Cornwall magazine can not accept responsibility for such errors or omissions. Business Cornwall magazine accepts no responsibility for comments made by interviewees that may offend.

The subject of this month’s CEO Interview – Dave Cockwell – was a start-up himself not that long ago and has since transformed his business into one of the most successful boatbuilders in the world.

On page 24, he discusses the journey he has made with Cockwells Modern & Classic Boatbuilding, his thoughts on Brexit and his plans for growth.

Business Cornwall Magazine is proud to be associated with

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INCOMING

THE CONVERSATION

The big question Calls have been growing for more companies to adopt a four-day working week. Trials have suggested that it can lead to lower stress and increased productivity. What do you think? Is it a good idea, or could it lead to more stress, with businesses struggling to get everything done?

Join the conversation @biz_cornwall

/businesscornwall

businesscornwall.co.uk

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START-UPS – SEVEN LESSONS LEARNED Starting a business is nerve wracking, stressful and incredibly exciting. No longer an employee, you may find yourself being the leader, the worker, the head of sales and the manager for complaints. You might feel isolated when the product or service doesn’t sell, but on top of the world when it does. We’ve worked with many great startups and have some lessons that are tried-and-tested for surviving the tricky first years:

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THE CONVERSATION

ED GLUCKSMAN Tevi

The four-day working week is an idea we’re increasingly hearing about across our networks. Personally, I welcome greater flexibility in the workplace, although I think we need more research into exactly how such changes affect productivity and whether there are any surprising adverse effects on enterprises.

I’d like to think that workers become more productive per working hour under the four-day week, but only further cross-sector trials can help us to better understand how to maximise the benefits of such changes for business. It would also be useful to have a conversation around the policy aspects of changes to the standard working week.

JAMES NEALE Idenna

I am a cynic, so when something sounds too good to be true, I tend to believe it is. Certainly this seems to be the case at a lot of businesses operating a ‘four-day week’. I don’t believe working five days’ worth of hours in four days is a good idea (is that really improving your work life balance?), and I don’t think ‘optional’ Fridays are a good idea - they sound too much like ‘unlimited’ holiday, the sort of benefit that loyal employees rarely take advantage of because it feels too much like taking advantage.

However, I do believe that the maths on a four-day week adds up. Most people

1. There is always less money in the business than opportunities to spend it on.

Spend wisely on things that are critical to achieving sales.

2. Network and forge business friends. Most business owners are more than happy to share their experiences (good and bad) and hopefully will remember you when your business is relevant.

spend eight hours in the office, and spend about six hours of that working when you take out lunch, coffee breaks, water cooler chat etc. Of those six hours, only about 70% of that work is genuinely productive - so we’re only doing productive work 53% of the time we’re in the office. To do the same number of productive hours work in a four-day week, we would only have to work productively 66% of the time we’re in the office. This seems doable, though with the caveat that I think most employees would need monitoring, training and support to make sure that jump in productivity happened quickly and successfully.

JULIAN HOCKING Nationwide Print

The idea is great and I think for larger companies is workable but for a small business it is nearly impossible. As I understand it, the work intensifies during those four days and in some cases many extra hours are needed making work more stressful and negating the day off!

The theory is overall output is increased when you cut 20% of your hours but I find this difficult to understand certainly for a business like ours where presenteeism is required and necessary.

In the USA, employees work an average of 50 hours a week and only get ten days of paid leave. I believe that is too much, but you don’t need to work out why they are the biggest economy in the world. By contrast Japan has a similar amount of working hours and holidays and yet their

actively supporting start-ups? What start-up loans are out there? What about crowd funding platforms?

5. Don’t be shy! Shout about your business at every opportunity and on every social media platform. You need your customers to know about you.

3. Be creative - don’t plagiarise. Copying content from other websites may feel like an easy/cheap solution, but most companies actively monitor for infringement.

6. Don’t panic! It will often be hard, but take time to think carefully before acting. Remember, your future business autobiography would be so much duller if the start wasn’t so demanding and fraught with difficulties!

4. Know the funding options and avoid risking your house. Do you know which bank is

7. Keep perspective. Many businesses do not survive despite the best efforts of the

INCOMING

productivity is amongst the lowest in the G7 nations.

I would love to offer a four-day week for a five day salary because I know all the staff would love it, but economically it’s just not justifiable with our staff levels.

RICCI PASCOE Bike Chain Ricci

Thinking of reducing stress it’s best to keep continuity and contact with work five days but reduce the hours and bring in structured exercise.

We as a company have Monday evening mountain bike rides from Bissoe Bike Hire and Cafe open to staff and family friends. In addition we would love to prescribe social rides even during the working week if we could schedule the appropriate hours.

We know that productivity raises dramatically.

SAMUELE ARMONDI Everest Media

There are lots of conflicting studies flying around and most of them show that it really helps staff feel more valuable and in some sectors brings productivity gains.

But some do show productivity falls and negative impacts to bottom line, so I don’t think there is a one-size-fits-all answer.

Here at Everest Media we’re not quite at the point of trying it but have talked about running a pilot at some point next year. Is it a silver bullet? No. But can it be part of what makes a company a better employer? Definitely.

founder; there is no shame in that; the shame may be that you never tried at all.

Christian Wilson is partner and head of the corporate team at Stephens Scown.

The team has top rankings in legal guides Chambers and Legal 500.

For more information, please call 01872 265100, email corporate. cornwall@stephens-scown.co.uk or via www.stephens-scown.co.uk

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 5

CORNWALL

BUSINESS NEWS

SPONSORED BY

cornwallchamber.co.uk

QUEEN’S AWARD FOR PARTECH measuring and monitoring drinking water and waste water, joins fellow Cornish businesses St Austell Brewery and Watson Marlow as current holders of the award.

A St Austell-based engineering company has been awarded a Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade.

Partech is the only Cornish company to

receive the honour this year, which it will hold for five years.

Founded in 1963, the company, which designs and manufactures equipment for

Joint MD, Angus Fosten, said: “We are so excited to be recognised with a Queen’s Award for Enterprise. Over the last ten years we’ve invested in excellent new facilities at Rockhill, as well as new people who have a real drive to help us develop.”

ROYAL VISIT FOR ROYAL CORNWALL HRH Princess Alexandra, the Hon Lady Ogilvy GCVO KG, will attend this year’s Royal Cornwall Show.

Her Royal Highness makes a welcome seventh visit to Cornwall’s largest annual event, having last visited in 2015. She will visit the show on the first day, Thursday June 6.

Her first visit came in 1960 which was also the first year that the show was held at the permanent showground at Wadebridge.

RCAA secretary, Chris Riddle, said: “Her Royal Highness has been a great supporter of the show for a long time and we look

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forward to welcoming her to our fabulous celebration of Cornish farming, food and the countryside.”

Over 120,000 visitors are expected to flock to this year’s show, which runs from June 6-8. It is shaping up to be another busy year showcasing the best in local agriculture as well as serving up a feast of entertainment, shopping and opportunity to enjoy the very best Cornish food and drink.

BREXIT BOOM FOR BRITAIN’S BOATING Sarah Leverton, MD at Fastnet Marketing, explores how Britain’s boating tourism sector is beautifully buoyant

6 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

www.fastnetmarketing.co.uk

BUSINESS NEWS

SPONSORED BY

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sapc.co.uk

NEWS IN BRIEF Rapidly expanding independent commercial waste management firm DCW has made its largest purchase to date with the acquisition of Plymouth-based competitor Alpha Logic. DCW announced in January the expansion of its operations from Devon and borders to the whole of Cornwall. This latest move will enable the firm to schedule its Cornwall operations from a new depot in Lee Mill. ____________________

A WATERSHED MOMENT A Cornish retailer has been ranked as one of the most innovative independent stores in the UK. Newquay surf shop Watershed is one of 14 ‘Remarkable Retailers’ to appear in the list compiled by software company Vend and the British Independent Retail Association (Bira).

The business was founded in 2011 by James Wright and Jake Patterson out of a love of surf culture, and this passion is a theme that runs in-store and in its own brand.

CLOTHING TO THE STARS A growing number of A-list Hollywood celebrities are being kept warm while filming in the UK, thanks to a Cornish clothing and footwear company.

Angelina Jolie, Taylor Swift, Daniel Craig and In a recent British Marine survey, boating tourism businesses enjoyed consistent growth since the EU referendum, benefitting from the increased attraction of UK holidays caused by a weakened pound.

Last year the sector generated £5.96 billion in sales, contributing over £6.28 billion in Gross Value Added to the UK economy, which represents around 65% growth over five years.

Stephens Scown has announced two new charity partnerships. Over the next two years, the law firm will support local charities Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) and the Invictus Trust. ____________________ Patterson said: “Watershed is an independent brand with our passion firmly placed in making great products and a respect for the ocean.

“We’re proud to be recognised for our innovative approach to retail, and we believe there’s a space for more independents to design and manufacture their own set of distinctive products. We’ve found customers love the authenticity and chance to own something unique.”

Dame Judi Dench are just a few of the A-list celebs who have been enjoying handcrafted British sheepskin footwear, produced by Celtic & Co at its workshop in Newquay.

Celtic & Co has been called upon time and time again by wardrobe departments at Pinewood and Warner Brothers Studios to provide boots and slippers for its stars. Most recently, it was approached to provide boots for Anne Hathaway who is currently filming the re-make of The Witches. approach to ensure you attract the right customers for your offering.

2. Is your website up to scratch? If customers have a positive experience on your website, it helps to build trust in your business. Make it easy for them to find what they’re looking for and check your site functions seamlessly on mobiles and tablets.

How can Cornwall’s marine tourism businesses get a larger slice of this pie?

Here are my top five tips:

3. Tame the Internet. It can be easy to get bogged down with social media, SEO and online advertising. Take a customer-led approach to focus your efforts and eliminate areas that don’t provide a return.

1. Know your customer. The sector is large and diverse - be very targeted in your

4. Encourage brand ambassadors. Your biggest influencers are your regular

Seasalt Cornwall has completed the £1 million acquisition of an industrial unit on the Treleigh Estate in Redruth. The fashion brand has its distribution centre next door and will be relocating its finance and business systems teams from its Falmouth office to join other existing departments at Treleigh, effectively creating a two-site head office. ____________________ Diners at a charity auction lunch hosted by New Heli Ambassadors Richard Madeley and Judy Finnegan raised more than £21k for Cornwall Air Ambulance’s appeal.

Among the prizes was a unique opportunity to have a walk-on role in the next series of BBC’s Doc Martin. ____________________ Newquay-based translation company, AJT, has been awarded the 2019 ITI Corporate Award for its graduate junior translator scheme. AJT launched the scheme last year to encourage and support translation graduates as they begin their careers in the translation market.

customers. Posts on social media, Google reviews, recommendations or testimonials all add up (try to get a video testimonial, they are 90% more effective than written ones).

5. Maximise your return on investment. New customers cost money, so make sure your existing ones return. Email newsletters can be a great option, but you must get written permission to add individuals to a mailing list.

Like some advice about how to implement some of these ideas into your marine business?

Contact us today! Fastnet Marketing are specialist marketeers for the marine sector - we’re on your wavelength.

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 7

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BUSINESS NEWS

SPONSORED BY

cornwallchamber.co.uk

ART FOR ALL An art rental service has been launched in Cornwall, with the aim of making original Cornish art accessible and affordable to more people and companies.

Cornish Galleries’ online service provides private and business clients with the ability to buy and rent original art, or ‘try before you buy’, and have it delivered direct to their door.

Based in south east Cornwall, Cornish Galleries has been founded by Marielle Newton, an artist living, working and exhibiting in Cornwall, and Mark Gibbons who spent the best part of two decades heading up a leading online agency in London before relocating to Cornwall in 2012.

“There is a growing demand for original art –

Cornwall Airport Newquay has reported its best-ever year with another rise in passenger numbers.

In the financial year 2018-19, over 461,000 passengers used the airport, making it Cornwall Airport Newquay’s fifth consecutive year of growth.

Addaction Cornwall clients last month tucked into a slice of Rag’n’Bone man’s wedding cake, after he donated it to the charity.

The singer - real name Rory Graham - married his long-term partner near Brighton and one of several wedding cakes was shaped like their much-loved sphinx cat, Patty.

He donated it to childhood friend and Addaction change coach, Kate Roberts, who took it back to Cornwall to share with her clients.

8 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

“Original art creates one of a kind spaces with real personality and we hope that being able to enjoy original work in your home or business environment, easily and affordably, will make Cornish art much more accessible.”

ALL TIME HIGH

The growth mainly comes from Ryanair extending its popular Alicante route to a year-round operation, as well as increased passenger numbers on the London Gatwick route and increased capacity on Manchester in the latter part of 2018.

HE’S ONLY HUMAN

unique statement pieces – rather than mass produced prints,” said Newton.

Airport MD, Al Titterington, said: “It’s fantastic to still be achieving year on year growth given the current challenges and uncertainties in

SAPC FINISHING FIRST

the market. In particular, the increased use of the airport throughout the winter months is a real achievement and we expect to have even more growth this year.”

Meanwhile, more than 15,000 passengers travelled between Cornwall Airport Newquay and London Heathrow in April.

The first month of the new link attracted a 4% rise in passengers compared to the London Gatwick route in the same month last year, despite there being fewer overall seats available.

St Austell Printing Company (SAPC) has unveiled a new department in one of the biggest expansions of in-house services the company has ever facilitated.

The family-run company has created a new “specialist finishing department”, bringing foiling, spot UV, die-cutting, embossing and debossing in-house. SAPC is one of the only printing companies in the south west to boast all these services in one factory.

MD Peter Moody said: “We’ve seen an exponential growth in demand over the last 18 months and people are looking for different ways to upgrade their printing with specialist finishing techniques.

“Where other printers regularly outsource their work, we’re proud to keep all aspects of our printing and finishing under one roof.”

ADVERTORIAL

START UP ESSENTIALS FINANCING AND FUNDING Before you start your business, it is important to think about how you are going to fund it. There are traditional options, such as funding it yourself with savings or going to the bank for a business loan.

However, there are other avenues, such as grants, peer to peer lending, business angels or crowdfunding. It’s also essential to think about contingency planning, should a funding source that you’d been relying upon dry up.

BUSINESS STRUCTURE

CASE STUDY

Starting a business can be a daunting prospect, with many considerations and requirements to work through. Whether you’re starting a business from scratch or just looking to take the next steps with your fledgling enterprise, RRL tax partner, Steve Maggs, has three important factors to keep in mind.

Choosing a business structure that works for you and your circumstances is vital when starting up. How you structure your business, will affect your legislative and reporting requirements, and will also impact how you pay tax and extract money from the business. What’s right for one person might not necessarily be the best option for another, so it is wise to consult a professional adviser to discuss what is best for you.

DO YOU NEED AN ACCOUNTANT? Many new businesses will find that they can manage their books and tax returns themselves, but as the business grows, an experienced chartered accountant can help with all of this and more, also offering support and advice, the value of which can be of far higher value than the fee for their services. Engaging an accountant who is also a chartered tax adviser ensures that they have the qualifications and experience to help you save money by making the most of any tax reliefs available from HMRC. An accountant can be one of the best business investments you make.

RRL is an independent firm of chartered accountants and chartered tax advisers.

For more information visit www.rrlcornwall.co.uk or call 01872 276116 or 01736 339322

CAFÉ TENGO – BECOMING A BETTER MANAGER

Café Tengo, a family-business based in St Austell, aims to offer a different experience for its customers. It’s not just about highquality food and drink, the café serves as a venue for community events and local initiatives. Martin Davies, café owner, employs four part-time staff. To ensure the business runs smoothly, Martin felt it was important to improve his managerial skills and build-up his confidence.

As a new business owner, Martin was on the lookout for help to find the right training support. He attended a couple of the Cornwall Isles of Scilly Skills Hub’s business events and eventually signed-up for a Skills Review. He talked through his business

plans and areas where he needed support. The Skills Hub representative worked with him to identify the most relevant training, HR and managerial courses which happened to be free of charge.

The courses have helped Martin to be more authoritative. “It’s given me a lot more confidence to be a manager,” he says. “I’m constantly thinking back on my training when I have any problems. It just made me more confident in committing to things.”

and where you can be. There is never any pressure or obligation. They (the Skills Hub) have been helpful every stage of the way and the training itself has been top quality.”

The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Skills Hub offers a free training support service to Cornwall businesses – companies must be registered in Cornwall - from all sectors and sizes. After a company registers with the project, a representative will meet with the business owner to uncover the skills needs and then work with them to find the right training support.

Martin highly recommends for other business owners in Cornwall to get a Skills Review.

The Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Skills Hub is part funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and match funded by Cornwall Council and Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership.

“It’s good to just get an idea of where you are

www.ciosskillshub.com

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CORNWALL June 24-28

This year’s Cornwall Business Week features an eclectic and engaging mix of events to highlight the Duchy’s vibrant commercial landscape BUSINESS WEEK

AT A GLANCE

· June 25 Finance in Cornwall

Lighthouse Cinema, Newquay www.pkf-francisclark.co.uk

Sustainability Conference

Lighthouse Cinema, Newquay www.cornwallchamber.co.uk

ROC 5K

Lemon Quay, Truro www.roc5k.co.uk

· June 26 Innovation for Business

Scorrier House, Truro www.aticornwallinnovation.co.uk

· June 27 Reimagining our Towns Conference St Austell Conference Centre www.cornwallchamber.co.uk Cornwall Business Awards St Mellion International

www.cornwallbusinessawards.co.uk

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BUSINESS

From finance and funding, through to sustainability and climate change, innovation and the future of our High Streets, this year’s Cornwall Business Week events are sure to tick at least one box of your business curiosities.

The week’s events kick off on Tuesday June 25 with one of Cornwall Business Week’s most popular mainstays.

Finance in Cornwall has become one of the must-attend events in the whole business calendar, not just Business Week. Over the years, chartered accountant PKF Francis Clark has welcomed over 1,000 delegates to the event, which distributes information to business owners to the funding opportunities and business support available in the region.

Back at the Lighthouse Cinema in Newquay this year, the half-day event, which is free to attend and features a buffet lunch. It will look to bridge the gap between businesses and finance providers, with the aim of successfully matching SMEs to the suitable funding provider that they need to expand and grow their business.

as we know it, with a keynote presentation from Jonathan MacDonald, globally renowned speaker and award-winning Sunday Times Best Selling Author of ‘Powered by Change’.

WEEK

Helen Glover while she will be assisted in giving out the awards on stage by her BAFTA award-winning husband, Steve Backshall, of TV’s Deadly 60 fame.

With a varied and unconventional career which has spanned three decades, MacDonald A total of 38 businesses from has not only created Liskeard to Penzance businesses, but has and covering a wide also advised the likes range of sizes and We have been of Google, Apple, P&G, sectors have been revealed Unilever, Nestlé, Microsoft as finalists across 14 blown away by the and IKEA. categories.

Another intriguing debate is in store on Thursday at the St Austell Conference Centre. The Reimagining Our Towns Conference will look at ways we can galvanise our High Streets.

quality and range of businesses that have taken the time to apply

Jackie Sadek, CEO of UK Regeneration, will be speaking about the seismic shifts in the retail sector and answering the question of what the town centres of Cornwall can do to repurpose themselves for a brighter future, while Anthony Shapland from Colliers International will look at the future of the High Street and how it has changed over time.

As ever, the week is concluded at St Mellion International with the annual Cornwall Business Awards. Now in the 14th year, the awards celebrate and reward the achievements of the Cornish business and will be presented in front of more than 350 business leaders.

This year’s awards guest speaker will be Cornish double Olympic rowing champion,

Helston-based children’s clothing company Frugi and leading software specialist Bluefruit Software are in the running for two awards, while Kernow Fires leads the way in the people categories, with finalist places for Claire Mason as Young Business Person of the Year and their MD Simon Breckon as Business Leader.

“With a record number of entries this year, we have been blown away by the quality and range of businesses that have taken the time to apply,” said Kirsty Miles-Musgrave, communications manager at event organiser, Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Growth and Skills Hub. “For every category there was only a few points difference between the top three, which is a credit to how many great companies we have in the local economy.

“Our expert panel of 29 judges have reviewed, deliberated and scored the entries and every business on our finalist list is among the best in Cornwall.”

Andrew James of PKF Francis Clark said: “We as a firm are dedicated to ensuring that businesses, whether established, or in their start-up and early growth phases, have access to the information that they need to make the right decisions for them and their businesses. Finance in Cornwall is a very well received event and we are thrilled to bringing it back for its 13th event by popular demand, and indeed to be part of Cornwall Business Week.”

Delegates will hear from more than a dozen sources of funding and business support, including the British Business Bank, ThinCats, Folk2Folk, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Growth Hub, Crowdcube and more.

Other highlights of Cornwall Business Week include the Innovation for Business Conference at Scorrier House, on Wednesday, June 26.

This one-day conference will open your eyes to the latest science, technology, research and innovation changing the business world

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WEEK

awards in June will have a great time celebrating and I can’t wait to join them!”

Sara Pugh from Eight Wire, one of those tasked with scoring, said: “Judging the awards for the first time I can see what an incredibly hard task it is to choose between the fantastic and diverse businesses, and everyone deserves credit for putting together great entries. As a former winner I also feel even more proud to have been top of the pile last year and I know everyone going to the

Other leading figures in the business community judging the awards were Ann VanDerMeulen from the FSB, Toby Allies from Pendennis Shipyard and Martin Johnston from Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Group.

For the first time, the winners are still waiting to be chosen and the finalist businesses will make a pitch for the top spot during Showdown Day on June 12, where a panel get the chance to quiz the business on their entry, before the winners are announced at the glamorous awards night at St Mellion International Resort on June 27.

And in another first this year, the Business of the Year winner will be selected by the general public. You can vote now for your favourite business from the list of 38 finalists, on the awards website (www. cornwallbusinessawards.co.uk). Voting will remain open tight up until the awards night.

Kirsty said “We are really excited to launch this new category and open up the decision making to the public, asking them to choose their Business of the Year from a really fantastic group of finalists. As the vote will close during the Awards evening itself, no one will know who has triumphed until minutes before the winner is announced - not even us!”

THE SHORTLIST Growth Business of the Year Sponsored by Access to Finance

CIS (UK) Ltd

Best New Business sponsored by Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership

The School for Social Entrepreneurs, Cornwall

Pitched St Blazey Recycle Reuse Resale CIC

Fluid Branding

Unmanned Survey Solutions Ltd

Teacup Tearoom

Best Business with a Purpose sponsored by Eden Project

Best Place to Work sponsored by Cornwall College Business Training

Coastline Housing

Bluefruit Software

Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust

Frugi

St Petrocs

Whyfield

Best Customer Service sponsored by St Austell Brewery

Business Leader of the Year sponsored by Unlocking Potential

Blue Flame Heating

Laura Whyte MD of Whyfield

Perfect Stays

Sean White owner of WeSUP

Vision Independent Financial Planning Ltd

Simon Breckon MD of Kernow Fires

Lauren Webb - Roscoe Communications

Best Family Business sponsored by St Austell Printing Company

Circular Economy sponsored by Tevi

Rachel Picken - Agile PR and Communications Ltd

Colwith Farm Distillery Ltd

Cultivate Cornwall CIC

Microtest Ltd.

Odyssey Innovation Ltd

Treyone Woodcraft Ltd

Tinkebu

Best Marketing Campaign sponsored by CEG

Exporter of the Year sponsored by Cornwall Trade and Investment

Beach Retreats

Flann Microwave Ltd

DCA Public Relations

Frugi

Triskel Marine Ltd

Ideal Foods Ltd

Ambassador of the Year sponsored by Corserv

12 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

Bluefruit Software St Ewe Eggs Product of the Year sponsored by Business Cornwall Mappix – for their education performance tracking software Oltco Ltd – for “Recycle Bound” driveway solution using waste plastic The Cornish Bed Company – for their Maud Bed

Sole Trader of the Year sponsored by The Growth Hub Nick Eagles - Sports 4 Tots

Young Business Person of the Year sponsored by Truro and Penwith College Claire Mason from Kernow Fires Katherine George owner of Oh So Social Samantha Charles owner of Float Digital

START UPs

CORNWALL

More new businesses started out in Cornwall than ever before last year, according to Companies House data.

Despite the political and economic uncertainties that Brexit brings, in terms of new companies, 2,829 were registered in the county compared to 2,665 in 2017 which represents an increase of 6.2%.

This brings the total number of registered companies in Cornwall to 21,904, up from 20,746 at the end of 2017, which equates to 5.6% growth.

Learning to There is clearly a very strong appetite in Cornwall for budding entrepreneurs to go it alone and start their own business.

One such person is Patrick Martin, who started Vintage Vespa Hire, which hires out fully-restored vintage Vespas from the 1950s, 60s & 70s for all manner of ocasions, last year.

As with many things, a new business starts with a good idea.

“It came from an idea I had while at a friend’s wedding,” recalls Patrick. “He asked me if he could borrow a couple of Vespas to use as photo props at the wedding. During the evening reception I was watching people getting their photos taken with the Vespas and it really occurred to me just how popular and loved these iconic Vespas are by so many different types of people.

“We created a very basic website in June 2018 after quite a bit of research to ascertain potential interest for our services. We quickly established there was a lot of businesses looking for what we offered so we invested significantly in a professional website to ensure our message was getting delivered.”

There are a number of reasons why someone might start their own business, but a common one, particularly in Cornwall, is lifestyle and achieving that right work/life balance ratio.

“I am a dad to two amazing young children and having the flexibility to work around spending time with my kids is invaluable,” says Patrick. “The not so glamorous side of the business is definitely the travel aspect of the job. Because we drop off and pick up our Vespas as part of any hire, I occasionally find myself sleeping in the van if a particular hire is a short-term hire, ie less than a day. This seemed quite exciting and a bit of an adventure at the beginning however it has very quickly lost its initial appeal and is very quickly contributing to facial wrinkle collection!”

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 13

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CORNWALL

It is times like these when you need to be able to see the bigger picture and the ultimate prize.

“There are two key pieces of advice I would give to anyone thinking of starting their own business,” says Patrick.

“Have a real deep-rooted passion and belief for what you are doing. People will support you on your journey, however, you will come across negative individuals who will try and shoot you down and you will need your passion to extinguish negativity that comes your way.

“The second nugget of advice would be to invest as much as you can in your business. If you won’t invest in your own dream, then why would anyone else?”

ReRostered is a recruitment and headhunting service which was launched last year by serving police officer Steve Hardy, specialising in the placement of ex emergency service personnel into the commercial world.

“It has been a long-held dream of mine to do this, but I never thought I would be able to for

a number of reasons, so in June 2018 whilst on Holiday in Lake Como I just decided to give this a try and here I am.”

Starting out on your own can be a daunting proposition. In Cornwall the likes of Oxford Innovation, Unlocking Potential and the Growth Hub offer European-funded support and advice while a call through to organisations like Cornwall Chamber of Commerce can be invaluable. There is also the myriad of business networking opportunities the chamber and others, like Cornish Partnerships, offer.

TOP TIPS FOR START-UPS Starting a business? Sean Mitchell, director at Bishop Fleming shares his top tips on what needs to be considered from the outset

Starting a business can seem both exciting and daunting. There are a lot of things to do from deciding what you want your business and goals to be, through to fundraising and business planning.

• There is the famous saying from Benjamin Franklin “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” Prepare a business plan from the outset including financial projections and budgets to help identify possible future issues. This will allow you to anticipate any cashflow issues which you can look to address.

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• Remember – “cash is king.” It is all well and good being profitable, but if you don’t convert that profit into cash you could soon find yourself with creditors chasing you for payment. Keep on top of sending out your sales invoices and chasing your debtors as soon as the payment terms are reached. However, there will be that period at the start where you will need some working capital to see you through providing goods and services and then waiting to get paid – do you know what that working capital requirement is?

• How are you going to finance not only the start-up costs but your working capital requirements in those first few crucial months of trading? There are many sources of funding available, be it traditional bank finance, alternative lending platforms, grants, or tax incentives, such as the Research & Development Tax Credits or the

Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS). This can be a maze and ‘information overload’ but there are people that can help.

• Don’t try to be a master of all trades.

Recognise your strengths, weaknesses and where your knowledge gaps are, and fill those gaps with a team of trusted advisors. Pick a solicitor, a bank, and an accountant you feel you can work with in the long-term and can easily speak to whenever you need advice.

If you need any further advice on starting a business, Sean can be contacted on 01872 275 651 or at SMitchell@bishopfleming.co.uk.

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CORNWALL

Never be afraid, either, to soundboard trusted colleagues or family members. And don’t underestimate your own ability to learn on the job.

Many a successful entrepreneur will tell you the most valuable lessons have been learned from making mistakes.

“I have been amazed at how much I have learnt in such a short space of time,” says Steve. “I am not business minded, or so I thought. I have been a serving cop for 22 years and before that I was in the military and any notion of becoming an entrepreneur was somewhat laughable to me.

“I have been amazed at the support that there is for people like me which has been a really helpful. Alongside that I was recently invited to London to pitch my business model to an international investment firm. That was incredibly daunting for me, but I have always passionately believed that my business idea was sound. I was blown away with the positive comments and advice that I have been given and will be utilising some powerful new connections to guide and advise me should I need it.”

According to figures, small business survival rates are as high 90% after one year of trading, but after five years, just four in ten will still be trading.

Armed with a good proposition and business plan, there is every chance of success. Of course, there are a myriad of obstacles and challenges to meet along the way, with one of the most common being finance issues.

“The cost of setting up a website and just getting off the ground isn’t cheap,” says Steve, “but I persevere and still hope to secure additional funding to drive the business forward. I run my business on my days off from my day job as a police office and so time can be obsolete and achieving a work life balance has involved making some sacrifices.”

Steve still works for the police but hopes that soon the business will be able to sustain leaving the force and running ReRostered full time. All new businesses will receive knockbacks, but he says it is important to get back up and try again.

“The best bit of advice I would give is just to go for it,” says Steve. “I saw a quite the other day which sums this up perfectly – ‘don’t fear failure so much that you refuse to do new things. The saddest summary of a life contains three descriptions: could have, might have and should have’.

“I have never felt to passionate about any job or role; I am totally focussed on making this a success.”

Information on this infographic has been prepared by Inform Direct based on data provided by Companies House and the Office for National Statistics. | © Inform Direct 2019 | www.informdirect.co.uk BUSINESS CORNWALL | 15

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NEW BUSINESSES

ON THE SCENE In association with Unlocking Potential

ASHORED For Becca Scouse, who runs the Truro booking and accountancy firm Ashored, running a business was something she had always wanted to do. She took part in the two-day Unlocking Potential Breakthrough workshop to help her define her customer audience and get her marketing right.

“One of the big benefits of the Breakthrough programme is that it has helped me focus on what I need to say to my customers to ensure that I am communicating what ‘I think’ I’m saying more effectively,” she says.

With over seven years’ experience of the finance and accountancy sector, having supported businesses from a variety of industries both large and small, locally and nationally. Becca is now specialising in local businesses within Cornwall.

After Breakthrough, Becca received support from a specialist mentor on branding and website development, which as a result, has led to the business-name changing. Becca now has a greater awareness of how her brand fits within the rest of the business sector and how it is perceived by her customers.

“Breakthrough has been one of the biggest learning curves I’ve ever been on! I’ve learnt so much about myself that I wasn’t aware of and I’ve really enjoyed it!”

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PRECIOUS COLLECTIVE

OLDE VELVET GYPSIES

Lynne came to the Breakthrough business support workshop as a jeweller with a very unique style and approach. Her pieces use an eclectic range of media; from reused vintage treasures to re-purposed pieces of discarded materials.

Claire Rondel began Olde Velvet Gypsies to host pop-up sewing workshops in fun and creative environments around west Cornwall.

Her students, often with little or no knowledge of sewing, have the opportunity to create a garment from scratch.

Unlocking Potential business development manager, Rachel Koerner, said: “Lynne has a really unique, alternative style to her work.

I challenged Lynne to find other jewellers or artists she aligned with. I wanted Lynne to think about her work as pieces of art, and not ‘just jewellery’.”

“I provide all equipment and tools so that people can arrive with just the beautiful fabric they want to sew, and not be bogged down with masses of heavy equipment that sewing requires. I also provide private tuition for specific projects that are causing trouble and require technical support. There is also the option of hen-do and baby showers in the comfort of their own home.”

Lynne took this to the next level and saw the opportunity to bring such artists together.

Fuelled by her drive and dedication, Lynne has now created the ‘Precious Collective’ - a community formed of artists and makers producing jewellery that might not fit -literally and metaphorically- in to a stereotypical jewellery box.

2019 is looking promising for Claire; she now plans to open up a shop, eco-boutique and to host more workshops across Cornwall.

With over five thousand worldwide Instagram followers, Lynne launched her first exhibition in the Ocean Gallery, Royal William Yard in Plymouth last month. Its successor, opens next month and runs until September at a world-renowned studio in Lille, France, at Alliages, the contemporary art gallery of celebrated jeweller, Juan Riusech.

IF YOU HAVE A NEW START-UP THAT YOU’D LIKE TO INTRODUCE TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, PLEASE CONTACT OUR EDITOR NICK EYRIEY AT BUSINESS CORNWALL nick@businesscornwall.co.uk

ADVERTORIAL

FUTURE FOCUS Inspiring, cutting edge and practical, the ERDF-funded Future Focus programme, delivered by Unlocking Potential in partnership with the University of Exeter, is for business leaders who want to accelerate growth, reduce risk and create change.

We understand that your business is at a tipping point - ready for growth or change towards a different direction. Our three-part Future Focus programme combined with our collaborative networks and access to research, is easily accessible and will enable you to get some fresh perspective, break boundaries, innovate and prosper.

EVENTS Putting 5* speakers in front of Cornish businesses to inspire, share knowledge and experience. Recent keynotes include, Paul Lindley MBE from Ella’s Kitchen and Patrick Grant, Creative Director for Norton & Sons and presenter for the BBC’s Great British Sewing Bee. LABS Expert-led peer to peer workshops focussing on the challenges you want to overcome and opportunities you want to seize, you’ll leave with a really clear direction and an action plan.

RESOURCES We have a host of high-value resources (including subsides and funding) as well as access to experts to help you deliver it.

NATIONAL PRESS COVERAGE FOR CORNISH BUSINESSES

NOMADS CLOTHING: 25% INCREASE IN SALES

As part of the Future Focus Media Relations Lab series, twelve Cornish businesses travelled to London to meet and showcase their products to influential media and press from fashion and lifestyle publications such as Country Living, RED magazine and Family Traveller.

Nomads, based in Launceston, worked with Unlocking Potential to help support with the recruitment of two new positions to help meet new business objectives and to reach new audiences.

This trip, held in conjunction with LJB PR, was the culmination of a series of three labs focussed around the importance of building strong media relationships and preparing companies for the expectations of the media.

Lucy Jenner-Brown, from LJB PR, said: “We’ve had a really good response from the press that attended with coverage secured for several of the businesses. There’s so much affection for Cornwall as a county and for the creativity that Cornwall breeds. It’s been really great to get a Cornish collective together and bring them all together in London.”

This edition of the Media Relations Planning Lab and concluding Press Open Day has brought together an inspiring collective of lifestyle businesses which are all directly connected by their love of the sea, surfing, coastline and countryside. The journey from Cornwall to London to meet the media, to tell their stories, has involved working and learning together as a team, combining skill and sharing ideas – a true collaboration.

Nomads then successfully recruited a Design & Sales Executive & a Marketing Executive and developed a range of mentoring packages to help support them in their new roles.

Nomads’ new Marketing Executive, Izzy, had mentoring from three Unlocking Potential experts in SEO, Social Media & Email Marketing. Nomads has since seen an amazing 25% growth in sales through email marketing and an increase in social media conversions through the mentoring support received from Unlocking Potential.

“I’ve been really lucky to have had some great mentoring which has really helped me. I’ve since been given a promotion at Nomads as a result. It’s really great knowing that Emma Caddis, my Unlocking Potential Business Development Manager, is on hand if I need her to help me in any way she can” To find out how you can grow your team through our recruitment support, access expert-led mentoring and get involved in our next lab series contact our client services team on 0845 300 3660, email hello@unlocking-potential.co.uk or visit www.unlocking-potential.co.uk

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 17

ANDREW FINLEY

ACCESS

HEATHER COUPLAND

JOHN WHITTAKER

European-funded programme is helping take businesses in Cornwall to the next level

ACCESS TO FINANCE TEAM The Access to Finance (A2F) programme from Oxford Innovation is celebrating another milestone, having now helped businesses in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly raise more than £12 million across various forms of finance.

Project director Andrew Finley is clear on the overall impact the programme, which is fully funded by the European Regional Development Fund, has had on client businesses. “A2F has been transformational to the 1,200 businesses we have supported,” he says.

“Apart from the £12.5 million of finance raised, the business owners now understand their financial controls better and are well placed to manage their own future funding requirements.

Ultimately, this is what ERDF investment is designed to do – change the business community for the better in a sustainable way.

“Beyond that, it has been really heartening to see the ambition of the entrepreneurs.

The significant majority of the finance raised has been debt or equity. This lays to rest

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the often-stated claim that Cornwall is grant dependent. This programme proves that ambitious businesses are focused on growth, doing what is best for their commercial models rather than chasing ‘free money’.

“The evolving equity investment landscape is encouraging. The Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Investment Fund is pivotal here and burgeoning angel networks are providing Cornwall with a compelling offer to start-ups.

This a place that offers unrivalled standards of living but now possesses all the elements required for a vibrant early stage business ecosystem.”

Whichever route a client is wishing to explore when it comes to raising finance, the Access to Finance team offers the expertise necessary to help the business arrive at the right solution for their specific needs.

From one-to-one sessions with a finance specialist to interactive masterclasses and practical group sessions, the programme offers clear, jargon-free support, from

pre-application to post-investment in a format tailored to each clients’ individual needs.

An example of a business that has benefitted from engaging with the Access to Finance programme is Truro-based company Hertzian, which produces insightful data reports for videogame developers.

By creating and employing sophisticated software that collates online comments and reviews for chart-topping games, Hertzian has been able to offer an invaluable service to developers, who use player feedback to help improve their interactive products.

The Access to Finance team engaged with Hertzian with a particular focus on finance structuring, investment raising and strategy development. “Hertzian benefited in many ways from what Oxford Innovation had to offer,” says Christopher Weavill, COO & co-founder of Hertzian. “They helped us enormously in analysing and managing our overall risk and got us to sensibly look at the direction in which the business was going.

HERTZIAN’S CHRISTOPHER WEAVILL AND OXFORD INNOVATION’S ANDREW FINLEY

“We were able to greatly use [their] expertise and industry experience, and it was beneficial to receive their guidance and validation and to listen to another voice giving credible feedback towards our approach to business.”

The engagement gave Hertzian the confidence to connect with people and other businesses in and around Cornwall and to tap into the strong support network available in the South West. The company was ultimately able to attract Venture Capital Funding from London to the tune of £100k.

“Hertzian operate in a highly competitive marketplace and they have managed to successfully develop a product which has gained encouraging levels of traction in a multi-billion-dollar sector,” adds Andrew.

“Their ability to run a global facing business from Cornwall is testament to their vision and to the area as a developing business hub. It shows other up-and-coming entrepreneurs that companies can be founded in Cornwall and not have to be based in London to reap the rewards.”

Charity Wilson, founder and director of teaching software application developer Mappix, is another client who praised the Access to Finance team following time spent exploring finance options including loans, grant funding and equity crowdfunding.

with Access to Finance, worked with the business to help weigh up the available options. “Charity and her business Mappix must represent the ideal Access to Finance client,” says John. “From a start-up loan to grant application and a successful equity raise totalling £102k in a matter of just a few months!”

business forward. She’s also supported me in creating a financial template which has helped me understand things better.

“John gave me some really simple guidance and he truly invested his time into what would work for me,” she adds. “I can’t speak highly enough of him; his support has helped me add huge value to the business.”

A2F’s programme delivery manager, Heather A2F has been In addition to practical input, Coupland, also worked transformational to the Access to Finance also offers closely with Mappix to eligible businesses specialist 1,200 businesses we support in a number grants that can cover some have supported of areas: “We helped of the costs associated with Charity on the journey by raising finance. One grant offers identifying suitable funding up to £2.5k to cover 50% of options, helping to create the costs of marketing activity forecasts and building resilience in her pricing – including professional video creation – for model. We also helped Charity with the crowdfunding campaigns. Another offers finance section of her business plan for the up to £7.5k to cover 50% of the costs of CrowdCube pitch. A fantastic client.” professional services in relation to raising finance – for example, due diligence checks or Charity is clearly thankful for the ways in the preparation of financial forecasts. which the Access to Finance team has helped her take a significant stride on her business journey. “Heather has gone above and beyond to support with the more intimidating For more information on the ways in elements of business finance,” she says. which Access to Finance can help “She’s supported me with my successful growing businesses, visit the programme application for a SWIG loan, whilst advising website at www.a2fcornwall.co.uk or call with crowdfunding. It’s really helped drive the 01872 300386.

John Whittaker, business finance specialist

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 19

GROWTH

PROGRAMME

FACING THE As one of the film industry’s leading special FX gurus, Neill Gorton’s work is celebrated across the globe.

And now thanks to a help from the Cultivator business support programme, he is sharing his knowledge online Cornwall-based and internationally-acclaimed prosthetics designer Neill Gorton is facilitating access to his expertise in creating special effects make-up and prosthetics, through a new series of online films and tutorials.

Neill has a 30-year track record in the TV and film industry and is well known for pioneering the use of new materials and techniques.

He has created an array of extraordinary characters and special effects make-up for numerous TV series and films such as Doctor Who, Being Human, Call the Midwife and the recently released All is True directed by Kenneth Branagh.

A great advocate for sharing his skills, Neill is also the director of Gorton Studio, one of

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Europe’s most regarded screen prosthetics schools, with students from all over the world, including Peru, Canada and India coming to train in Cornwall. Initially based in Falmouth, the company which currently employs five members of staff and a number of freelance tutors, has recently relocated to larger premises in Redruth to keep pace with the growth of the business and includes a dedicated filming studio.

As the world is increasingly shifting towards online learning, more people are looking to train remotely. Gorton Studio is adapting to this shift by focusing on developing a new and more comprehensive range of online courses and tutorials which are filmed and edited in its studio in Redruth.

Through Cultivator, a programme funded

by European Regional Development Fund specifically supporting the development of the creative businesses in Cornwall, the company secured a grant of £4k to invest in two new cameras, some lenses and lighting equipment.

Laura Giles, creative business advisor at Cultivator, says: “After looking at the proposed new offering in the context of the Gorton Studio brand and the competition, we identified that due to the high definition and level of precision demonstrated in the videos and the market they need to appeal to, the company would really benefit from investing in better quality filming equipment, so I encouraged them to apply to one of our grants.”

GROWTH

PROGRAMME

PHOTOS: NEILL GORTON AND RHIANNON BLAIZE

Neill says: “Receiving support from Cultivator has been invaluable. Our new online courses are a major investment in time, energy and money for our company, so some help is very welcome. The equipment we purchased with the grant has had an instant impact on the quality of our videos and helped us to be more efficient in our filming; increasing our confidence in being competitive within the film industry at the international level.”

Gorton Studio has just launched its new website and aims to get the first series of their new tutorials online by the autumn to coincide with the start of the new academic year.

As more videos are being created, the tutorials will cover a range of skills and

techniques suitable for people wishing to start a career in the prosthetics and special effects make-up for film and TV, as well as professionals looking to improve upon their skills. Lecturers will also be supported in delivering industry-relevant courses at universities and colleges.

For more information on Gorton studio’s workshops and online tutorials visit www.gortonstudio.co.uk/

Neill adds: “We are very excited to launch our new website, it features individual tutorials as well as an extensive range of our latest videos available through subscriptions for individuals and training schools.”

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 21

TRAINING

FOCUS

A COMPETITIVE Business Cornwall learns more about hospitality sector training specialist, NfET You may be forgiven for not recognising the initials NFET unless, of course, you are a business operating in the hospitality or tourism sector in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

Starting life as Newquay for Excellence Training in 1996, NfET was established by two local hoteliers, Ruth Atkinson and Gill Moore, who, with their families, left busy lives and jobs in the Midlands, to buy their dream business in Newquay. Almost 23 years on, it may well be the longest-standing independent training providers in the county.

NfET’s decision to focus solely on the hospitality sector was not a difficult one.

“We were right in the middle of Newquay, running a hotel,” says Ruth. “Admittedly we had little experience in the trade at that time, but we had vast experience in training and business support, having spent almost 40 years between us, working in government departments responsible for youth and adult training.”

Recruitment in 1996 was as challenging as it is now. And accessing training for its hotel

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team was even more frustrating. No local facility, difficult transport links and shift working patterns made travel to local colleges in St Austell or Camborne impossible. Truro College, at that time, was only a sixth form centre.

Since those early days, NfET’s reach has spread across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, but the county border it still its dividing line.

“We are a Cornish business and our allegiance is here,” says Gill. “We think our longevity, is in part, due to these very specific reasons.

“We recognise every business is different, serving a variety of clientele, but the audience is increasingly demanding. They expect superior service, excellent quality and accommodation in tune with the stunning environment offered by this very special location.

“We have worked extensively with EU funding to support skills and business development and were responsible for the very successful HONEY programmes, which offered hotels capital grants, business mentors, and specialist support, with everything from

marketing to interior design, at a time when quality rather than quantity was becoming paramount.

“We carefully select our training and business support team, who are dedicated professionals with extensive knowledge and experience in the sector. We all understand the importance of having a flexible approach to meet the expectations of the businesses we support and we have a reputation for delivering innovative solutions that make a real measurable difference.

“We firmly believe that all this has contributed to our continued success, borne out by fact that many of our clients have remained with us throughout the years and are well recognised as the county’s premier hospitality and tourism businesses.”

Dave Allen, group quality manager at the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group, says: “We have found the ideal training partner in NfET to deliver programmes that are aligned with our own strategic objectives. The feedback from staff has been fantastic.”

TRAINING

FOCUS

SOME HEADLINE FIGURES FROM THE PAST 23 YEARS HAVE BEEN: • Over 200 businesses benefitting from a share of £3.6 million in capital grants to improve the physical quality of their businesses.

• Over £600k wage subsidies, shared between tourism businesses to combat seasonal employment, with vocational training over the winter periods for all those involved.

• 8,000 plus front line staff, supervisors and managers taking part in training to develop their own skills and expand their horizons in terms of personal career choices.

Regardless of your feelings towards the continued uncertainty over Brexit, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has seen considerable investment in skills by the European Union.

One of NfET’s most important functions is to make sure that it makes the process of accessing the funding, uncomplicated and stress free for both individuals and businesses This is the role of business co-ordinator, Claire Evans, who, along with training manager, Lisa Veale, ensures the company has an eye on the detail at every stage.

Opportunities afforded by EU funding are time limited, so its latest programme, Together for Tourism Futures, affectionately known as TF2, is really the culmination of 23 years and is NfET’s legacy to the businesses it has worked with for so long. In the future, there will be less funded training and businesses need to build their own training capacity, rethinking the way they recruit, retain and develop their people.

TF2 has over half a million pounds of EU funding and will operate well into 2020. It is very much along the lines of the successful

HONEY programme, but rather than focussing on ‘physical’ buildings, bedrooms, web sites and equipment, this is firmly about the people.

It has the capacity to support 60 businesses during its lifetime, with the potential to help them be the best of the best in terms of their people strategies.

A number of well-respected businesses are already taking advantage of the TF2 programme. Martin Barlow, MD of the Budock Vean Hotel, says: “I would urge anyone to speak to NfET regarding the TF programme and definitely join. What we have already gained from the programme far outweighs the initial fee and we still have 12 months to go.”

For a small investment of £750, businesses can unlock access to this fund, gaining the support of a dedicated skills mentor to guide them through the process and have skills specialists available to them, delivering a whole range of professional development ‘segments’ to key staff members.

Letitia Pickles, director of the Bowgie Inn, Crantock, recently achieved a trainer

qualification and says: “The course was full of really great people, with lots of interesting ideas. With the help of my amazing mentor, I have already started to implement personal growth meetings with every member of staff and have much more in the pipeline.”

Abi Bradley, deputy general manager, Cornish Resorts – Trenython Manor, adds: “So far, the TF programme has already offered us a new perspective and has allowed us to work towards building a more positive environment for our people.”

For details and an opportunity to be one of the ‘Super 60’ contact NfET on 01637 871067 or email hello@nfet.co.uk

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 23

When you are building a boat you are always worried about the next job

24 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

DAVE

COCKWELL

Cornwall has a rich and proud marine heritage. And there’s nobody doing more to keep that tradition going today than Dave Cockwell, MD of Cockwells Modern & Classic Boatbuilding, a business establishing a global reputation on the banks of Mylor Creek

Cockwell Have you been involved in the industry all your life?

I started employing people in 1996 in Bristol. Prior to that I was a private gun for hire, working for private clients and other boatyards all over the place.

I left school at 15 and went to work on a passenger ship because I didn’t know what else to do. And then my dad made me take an apprenticeship with a mate of his who was a joiner/builder, which I did for a while.

Then one day a guy asked if I could repair his boat.

It’s a long story, but at the weekends ever since I was a small child, I worked on boats, lifted

them out of the water in Bristol. I was well known around Bristol as the kid who could fix boats.

I lifted this boat out of the water and it was just a total wreck. And the guy asked me if I could cut it up for him. I said, that I thought I could fix it and he said how much. I said I think it would take about six weeks. At the time I was on about £10 a day as an apprentice, I said £20 a day, six weeks, about £600. And he asked about the materials. I thought about it, I didn’t really have a clue, and said about the same. But what I’ve found in life is that if you set yourself a target, a goal and a deadline and if you are determined enough, you can meet it. And that was the first example of that. So, six weeks later the boat was finished on time and on budget and I had the next job waiting.

Did your rates go up after that?

No, I’ve never been greedy in that way. You’ve got to keep it real; you’ve got to push to what you think is realistic. If you’re greedy you might get away with it now and again, but it’s short lived.

Most people understand you need to make a profit and are happy to pay a fair price.

When did you come to Cornwall?

I came in 2002. I had first worked in Cornwall in the early 1990s, as a gun for hire, and I had a boat in Falmouth since the late 80s, so I had known Falmouth a long time. In 2002 I had a young family and my boat was here and Bristol had been changing in a seriously dramatic way from the place I had grown up in. The city docks wasn’t a place for boating or sailing anymore. And my wife’s family were in Truro anyway, so it was a bit of a no brainer really.

So, I gave up the business in Bristol, I basically gave it to the guys who were working for me and came down to Falmouth.

I thought I didn’t really want to employ anyone, I would just rent a shed and build a boat, which I had been wanting to do for some time. So, I did rent a shed, a big one, and to cut a long story short, the next thing I knew was I had ten blokes working for me, building boats! I did all the ferries for the park and float when that first started. Then those guys bought St Mawes Ferry, I refurbished all of those boats for them. At the same time, I was building a big pilot cutter and another guy came along and asked me to build a custom motorboat, which we did and then another one and it just grew from there.

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 25

You became an employer straight away?

Pretty much. Most of it was apprentice labour in the early days, but we bought on some good guys and some of those are still with us today. But apart from the ferry work, which was very seasonal, once we had rebuilt the boats there wasn’t much for us to be honest.

So, we were building new boats. We had two pilot cutters on the go but one of the owners went bust on me and didn’t pay. It put me close to the line and I had to let half my staff go and that was pretty painful.

That was in about 2009, but we got through it. But when you are building a boat you are always worried about the next job. So, I thought I needed to do more refit work and ended up buying the boatyard here.

Then I had staff really busy in the winter doing refit work but needed things for them to do in the summer. So, I thought we would build a nice little motorboat which we could then sell at the boat show, use spare labour in the summer to absorb the excess and turn it into money. The idea was we build this little boat and it would be finished for someone to buy. But we never finished one before it was sold; it went really well. Then I bit the bullet and built a bigger one and we sold eight boats in the first 12 months. It was the Duchy 35.

Are you surprised how well it went?

It was a total punt. I designed and built the boat I thought people wanted in my mind, but I had done no proper research, but my gut feeling was that this is what people wanted. I was elated when we sold three boats on the first day of the first boat show we went to. But I believed it

26 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

was the right thing so I don’t suppose I was that surprised in many ways.

Is the Duchy 35 what identifies you as a boatbuilder?

It depends on who you are. We have two very strong brands now, the Duchy brand which has a range of three boats, semi production, and we’ve got Cockwells as a brand, which is a custom boatbuilder. The two go well together and if you’ve been studying the Duchy motor launches, we’re known as the Duchy brand but they also know it’s built by Cockwells, which builds superyacht tenders and luxury yachts.

It all seems to work well together. Cockwells has kudos because it’s building a successful semi production boat and the Duchy brand has kudos because it’s built by one of the most well-known boatbuilders in the world.

We build three or four a year, all built to order. We have a two-year waiting list at the moment on both the Duchy 35 and Duchy 27.

27 is about 18 months and 35 two years. And we’re just in the process of building the Duchy 45 which we’ve already got customers for, before we’ve built any.

How many people do you employ in total now?

We’re running at about 70 at the moment, with about half a dozen sub contractors at any one time, but most people are fully employed.

You can safely say that you can go to most places in the world and they would have heard of us

And then on the other side you have the superyacht launches?

Yes. In terms of hours that go into the projects it’s about 50/50. We started out as a custom boat builder, the semi-production boats are what we’ve been doing in the last few years, since we came to this yard.

As the business has grown, are you still able to get your hands dirty or is that more difficult?

I’ve just come in from the yard now.

For me, I don’t need to be out there building boats for other people anymore; I’ve got a very good, skilled workforce who are more than capable of building the boats. I’ve got knowledge and experience which I pass on and which helps them.

But I feel that my main strength is probably in design and problem solving. I’m pretty good with the customers as well.

And do customers come from everywhere?

Every sort of person you could possibly imagine. I was brought up to understand that we are all equals and I think I get on well with my customers because on the whole we have a mutual respect. It’s important to understand and know your customer, who they are and what they want.

DAVE

COCKWELL

Photo:The Really Good Media Company

And do they have a very clear understanding what they want with the superyacht tenders?

They usually know what they want, but it’s down to us to interpret their thoughts.

Do you need to get to know the mothership?

We try to. But they never come to us with a drawing and a specification. They say they want a tender and they want it this big, to go that fast to carry that many people and I want it to look a bit like my big boat! I am not aware of any other industry which works like that. You wouldn’t go to someone and just say I want a window. You would say I want it 78mm thick and this big. Superyacht tenders are not like that for some reason. It’s a real pleasure when someone comes to us with a design and says can you build that. But what they actually say is I want a boat, how much?

It’s an interesting challenge!

You recently launched the Scout tender.

An impressive looking boat.

Yes, that’s a pretty impressive bit of kit. The brief behind that, behind all of the design features and the look of thing, is they really wanted a boat you could either be inside or outside. But being a superyacht tender, they wouldn’t put up with a bit of canvas, it’s got to be a like a Rolls Royce limousine. The whole boat opens up electronically at the touch of a button, in fact touch screen, not just a button.

I enjoy all of the new challenges. It used to be a challenge choosing which bit of wood to use, and that still exists, we still saw our own timber, but the new challenges are which software to use and how are we going to program it, all of which is done in-house.

You’re known as a traditional boatbuilder, but is technology really coming into it more?

Everybody says Cockwells is a traditional and classic boatbuilder, but the fact is that I’m a boatbuilder and I can build any boat, in any material you like. I was building boats

in carbon fibre when I was 16. I’ve built in aluminium and I’ve built in steel, and I’ve built in wood all my life. There are actually very few boatbuilders who can build a boat from scratch. I can do every single job, from the wiring right through the engineering, to building the hull in any material. And, I can even program the computer if I have to.

And Cockwells is now known throughout the world?

You can safely say that you can go to most places in the world and they would have heard of us. Most boat building companies are probably run by businessmen, this place is still run by me! And it seems to be working at the moment, so I must be doing something right. I’ve been lucky enough to get good advice over the years and I’ve always taken it when it’s been given, or at least taken notice of it.

I feel that my main strength is probably in design and problem solving

What are the current challenges?

The current challenges for us is that everything can change in ten minutes.

We have a long order book, which is nice because we can pick and choose our work a little bit, but your workload and cashflow and all of those things can change just like that.

You could still have someone, potentially, not pay their bill. It hasn’t happened for a long time, but we have had people who have paid deposits and pulled on the contract in recent times. Then on the other hand, people walk through the door and buy a boat when I was not expecting them.

And things like the setting up this whole facility. We hadn’t planned on doubling in size; I didn’t know I was going to sell so many boats but by the same token I wasn’t going to say ‘no’. So, we kept our other facility which

we temporarily rented while we built this building. And if we lose that site we’ll have to find another site so that might be a challenge, because this site we’ve already outgrown.

When businesses grow, they probably need to change the way they are run, and we’re probably going through that a bit at the moment, looking for efficiencies where we can. And I think in this day and age when you get good people, you need to look after them and understand what they need.

Can recruitment be an issue?

When you’re recruiting a lot of people you definitely get through them, because you’re trying to work out if they’re right for the business. We have a good retention of people, but in order to get good people you need to get through a few. And it’s not necessarily their fault, it’s that understanding of what they’re getting into isn’t always there. We can all wing it, can’t we?

Sometimes people will say they can do things at job interviews and they can’t. If you’re ever going to wing it in a job interview, you’ve got to be able to carry it off, or at least learn quickly! We’ve had it, even in the most basic of trades, people come in and say they’re a laminator or something, and you can tell within the first ten minutes that they don’t know what they’re doing.

So, any advice going to a job interview with you, don’t blag it!

I’ll employ anyone with the right attitude. You can teach skills, but you can’t teach attitude. If you really want to work somewhere, what you do is you go in at a low rate that’s irresistible to the guy that’s going to employ you, which is how I started. And when you become indispensable, you can have a conversation about what you’re worth. But if you go in and say to someone I want ‘x’ and that’s the same as everyone who’s brilliant in the workplace and you’re not as good, people are going to think ‘actually, you’re a bit expensive really’.

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 27

DAVE

COCKWELL

Is there a good supply of the skills you need, or do you need to train people up yourself?

A bit of both. We’ve found quite a few good people have come from other places. It’s quite a nice place to work, a brand-new building helps, people here are nice, we still have a ‘small company’ feel here and we try and keep it that way. We’ve been fortunate, we’ve found some really, really good people.

Has Brexit impacted at all?

Not really, although I don’t like it. I think it’s become an extremely useful excuse for someone who doesn’t want to do something, not to do something. Everyone likes to have an excuse not to do something. It’s a great excuse for the Government when they haven’t got a clue what’s going on, it’s a great excuse for large companies who want to do a bit of restructuring. And it’s a great excuse for customers who can’t make a decision, so I suppose it can affect us in that way. It’s a very annoying, ridiculous situation, where nobody is informed of the facts.

That’s my opinion.

a letter from the owner saying what a lovely job you’ve done, which gives me a lot of satisfaction. I quite like to see the youngsters come to us with nothing and a year down the line they are out there building boats.

Have you ever had to turn things down because they’re too big?

Yes. And it’s important to know your limitations. Don’t’ get me wrong, if you put me in a big enough place with enough people, I can build whatever you want! Even if it was outside my zone of comfort, I understand the process and know what I don’t know, so I know what I need to ask. I would probably recommend them to go to someone who’s done it before, but if they said I need you to do it, I would find out how. My knowledge is up to about 80ft I reckon, maybe 100/120 if it’s a sailing boat, but 80ft motorboat would probably be the limit of my knowledge.

And here in this yard, 60ft is really the limit, although we’ve had 80 footers in the drydock.

(Brexit) has become an extremely useful excuse for someone who doesn’t want to do something

What gives you particular satisfaction?

I like solving a problem, which could be anything. For example, on the St Mawes Ferry I was on a really strict penalty clause for fuel consumption and draft, (how deep the boat is). And I think we beat that by more than double in terms of fuel consumption and I designed the boat, so I was pretty chuffed with that.

For pretty much every boat we have ever built I’ve got

28 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

Does work tend come to you because you’re so well-known now?

I was fortunate enough to have the help of my wife when we were really looking for work and marketing the company. I would say one of the reasons we are so well known and have a good foundation is because my wife worked so relentlessly on marketing. And marketing isn’t just advertising, it’s hundreds and hundreds of hours work in the background and we still do that as much as possible.

Having a long order book, would it be easy to sit on your laurels?

When I first started, my wife asked me what do I want to do with this company?

It’s important to know where you’re going, you need to have a goal. I thought it would

be really nice to have a three-year orderbook and I don’t know of many boatyards that have that, if they were really honest. But we are very close to it and have had it one or two times. And that’s probably our goal, to have that little bit of comfort there. But if it’s three years today, tomorrow it’s three years minus one day. And next month three years minus one month! So, if you do nothing, you’re going to run out aren’t you? The only way you are going to maintain a situation is to maintain your marketing presence.

And what I try to make all my guys understand is that we’re a service business.

Except for maybe fishermen and ferries, no one really needs a boat. And to be honest with you they don’t need a new one! So, for us it’s about maintaining the level of service.

They need to feel good about us and we need to feel good about them. It’s about relationships.

What do you see doing in ten years’ time?

Still growing?

I don’t know if growing is the thing. I’m not really a big fan of this infinite growth that our economy and society seem to strive for; it’s unrealistic and unsustainable. I’m looking for something much more sustainable. It’s about getting the right clients that are willing to wait the right amount of time for the right product built by the right people. And for the guys that work for us to have a good quality of life, work really hard and want to come to work.

It’s all about quality of life for me really. And if I stop enjoy it, I’ll stop, that’s the thing.

CEO Feature & Cover photographs by Toby Weller

– Diesel and turbocharger service, repair and parts – Dynamic balancing – Ultrasonic cleaning – Chemical cleaning – Ancillary equipment serviced – Breakdown and voyage repairs

01326 377160 | service@PowerFal.co.uk | PowerFal.co.uk No 32736

CORNWALL’S MARINE EXPERTS GRP REPAIRS

Call for free advice and PAINTING ENGINEERING a quotation: ELECTRICS JOINERY

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BUSINESS CORNWALL | 29 09/05/2019 09:41

MARINE

SECTOR

On the crest of a Ten pioneering marine innovations happening right now in Cornwall

Cornwall is rightly famous for its proud maritime heritage. But did you know that the county is playing a crucial role in developing the new marine technologies of the future?

The Marine-i project was set up to nurture these innovations and create a robust platform for long term economic growth in the marine industries of Cornwall & the Isles of Scilly.

Part funded by the European Regional Development Fund, Marine-i is a collaboration between the Universities of Exeter and Plymouth, The Cornwall College Group, Cornwall Marine Network, Cornwall Development Company and the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult.

way past this target, with over 190 businesses registering with Marine-i so far. The depth and breadth of the marine innovation that is coming out of Cornwall is simply staggering.

Over the next 20 years, the marine industry will be transformed as new technologies allow us to harness the full potential of our oceans in ways that were not previously possible

Professor Lars Johanning of University of Exeter, who leads the Marine-i team, says: “At the outset of the Marine-i programme, we set ourselves a challenging target of supporting 100 businesses in Cornwall. We are already

30 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

wave “We are delighted to give crucial support to these emerging new technologies, enabling businesses to bring their innovation to market more quickly and with a greater chance of commercial success in these fiercely competitive, global markets.”

Matt Hodson, Operations Director for Marine Hub Cornwall, says: “All this brilliant innovation is helping build global awareness of Cornwall as a place which has exceptional investment potential and provides world-class infrastructure and facilities for businesses that want to expand their operations. Here in Cornwall, businesses can access technology funding and research support, take advantage of superb testing facilities, and work alongside other companies which are leaders in their field and can provide the specialist marine services that they need.

“As part of this, Cornwall is determined to be a leading player in the next big development

in the evolution of clean energy – the industrialisation of Floating Offshore Wind power. Because FLOW turbines don’t need to have large piles driven into the seabed, they can be sited much further out to sea – in very deep waters where the strongest winds are found. These huge turbines will generate a massive amount of power. In order to scale up to deliver global energy needs, they will need innovative thinking and expert solutions around fabrication, installation, operations and maintenance. All of these are areas where our region excels. This could herald an amazing new era for our marine technology sector and unlock significant investment in Cornwall.”

Professor Lars Johanning says: “Over the next 20 years, the marine industry will be transformed as new technologies allow us to harness the full potential of our oceans in ways that were not previously possible. It is fantastic to see how marine businesses in Cornwall are spearheading this revolution, creating exciting new products and services that are making waves right around the world.”

www.marine-i.co.uk

MARINE

SECTOR

HERE ARE TEN EXAMPLES OF THE GROUNDBREAKING BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM A BESPOKE PACKAGE OF SUPPORT FROM MARINE-i:

ARC MARINE

Global OTEC Resources (Newquay) is developing an Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion plant which will provide green energy to ‘off-grid’ resorts in the tropics. A major hotel chain in The Maldives and the Maldivian Government have both shown keen interest in the project.

Triskel Marine (Hayle) has won global awards for its innovations in the field of hybrid propulsion systems. The company has created a unique on-engine generator which could soon be in use on marine craft around the world.

AMOG (Falmouth) has invented a revolutionary wave energy device. AMOG is already well advanced with prototype trials, using the wave energy testing site in Falmouth Bay. Cornwall Council has taken a lead in declaring a state of climate emergency, and low carbon technologies like these will be vital in providing solutions to this urgent issue.

Ultrabeam Hydrographic (Hayle) provides ultra-high resolution hydrographic survey solutions for clients around the world with marine based assets. The team have designed a highly manoeuvrable and compact unmanned vessel which can literally ‘go where no survey vessel has gone before.’

Inyanga Tech (Penryn) has launched an innovative tidal energy project called HydroWing. This technology greatly reduces the dependency on offshore vessels during the construction phases and eliminates the need for these vessels for operations and maintenance.

ULTRABEAM HYDROGRAPHIC

Buoyant Works (Saltash) has created Windshield, a product designed for offshore wind turbines. It provides a stable buffer when service vessels need to moor up against a turbine tower, reducing damage and making transfer of maintenance crews much safer.

Unmanned Survey Solutions (Hayle) is a key player in smarter hydrographic survey technology. Their new Accession Class is a robust multi-role Unmanned Survey Vessel designed for use by the offshore industries, with the ability to operate long endurance missions in the open sea. It also has the capability to launch and recover an airborne drone which would carry out inspections of offshore facilities.

ARC Marine (Penryn) has devised a clever system for building artificial reefs, called Reef Cubes. This patented invention is a robust modular system, ideal for restoring complex marine environments. This technology will help protect vulnerable fish stocks and other species whose habitats are at risk.

TRISKEL MARINE

GLOBAL OTEC RESOURCES

Wave Venture (Truro) is a specialist consultancy which merges engineering and economic analysis methods to assess the commercial viability of wave energy installations. Now the bespoke in-house software that they have developed is being prepared for commercial release – a move which will benefit wave energy operators around the world.

Armada Engineering (Falmouth) is a world leader in marine hydraulics. The company is developing a diesel-driven powerpack with builtin telematics links which would be used for a wide range of essential maintenance tasks – such as hydraulic flushing.

This product would appeal to multiple worldwide markets, including the offshore industries, shipping, commercial fishing and superyachts.

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 31

MARINE

SECTOR

FERITECH GLOBAL This month, we focus on three of Cornwall’s

marine stars SOUTHWEST WORKSHOP SUPPLIES

With both coming from an offshore survey background, husband and wife team, Rob and Gemma Ferris were well placed to start their own company back in 2012, designing and manufacturing high-quality safe, reliable and environmentally responsible offshore geotechnical survey equipment that they felt wasn’t currently available to the offshore survey sector.

Based near Falmouth and now with a team of 14 including designers, electronics and engineering specialists coming from marine backgrounds, Feritech is an experienced export business with 60% of their current sales overseas. However, Feritech remains well grounded in the local thriving maritime industry in Cornwall by collaborating with many local businesses to fulfil their order book and drive innovation.

01326 369444 info@feritech.com www.feritech.com

TURN TO STARBOARD

Celebrating an incredible 20 years, SWS is a family business supplying the trade since 1999.

Adrian and Nicole Di Maio have been at the helm for two years and have developed extensive marine ranges which include; premium-quality tools, fuel treatments, manufacturer-approved oils, specialised greases, abrasives, stainless steel consumables and industrial grade PPE. “Our customers are loyal to us and in return we endeavour to supply quality products at affordable, realistic prices across Cornwall and Devon.”

Adrian and Nicole are praised for actively sharing their product knowledge and experiences, and offering a friendly personal service whilst creating business links for customers.

“We take pride in carefully selecting the best products for our business. As an independent we can pick the best products to create a tailored and comprehensive range.”

SWS is a member of the Cornwall Marine Network.

07854 875827 07977 004682 swworkshopsupplies@gmail.com www.swwsupplies.com

32 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

You’d be forgiven for not having heard of Feritech before. This is because Feritech manufactures geotechnical survey equipment that is deployed from survey vessels out at sea.

Turn to Starboard use sailing to support Armed Forces personnel affected by military service.

The charity helps serving and retired military personnel with physical injuries or mental trauma, and their families, to benefit from the therapeutic effects of sailing and the sea.

Our sailing activities take place from our friendly base at Falmouth Marina - the perfect place to spend some quality time on the water with professional instructors. We offer several strands of activity including Royal Yachting Association (RYA) sailing courses, family sailing trips, Zero to Hero programme, Tall Ship sailing and competitive racing.

Our focus is on resettlement, reintegration and reinforcing a sense of value and belonging for participants, along with an opportunity to gain professional sailing qualifications to start new careers in the marine industry.

A Turn to Starboard participant said: “For the first time in many years I have a purpose in life. I have goals to qualify as a Yachtmaster and I feel alive again.”

01326 314262 info@turntostarboard.co.uk www.turntostarboard.co.uk

MARINE

SECTOR

full steam ahead As one of Cornwall’s most long-established businesses, the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group boasts an enviable heritage which will soon be commemorated when the group celebrates its milestone 100-year anniversary in 2020.

three days a week and able to carry palletised cargo, bulk fuel and a deck crane which can lift large goods of up to six tonnes – including cars and machinery.

But the focus is very firmly on the future for the Steamship Group, which is one of the biggest employers in the West Cornwall area and a vital contributor to the county’s marine economy.

These lifeline shipping services are supported by vigorous maintenance carried out at Penzance Dry Dock, Europe’s oldest working dry dock.

New board directors, managing director and a new chairman have all joined the Steamship Group in the last year, and are working to restore a focus on the group’s core activities, returning the group to its founding principles of providing lifeline transport services between the Isles of Scilly and mainland Cornwall.

Through its consumer-facing travel business - Isles of Scilly Travel - the Steamship Group owns and operates Land’s End Airport and provides Skybus fixed-wing flights from Land’s End, Newquay and Exeter.

Penzance Dry Dock is home to the Scillonian ferry during the iconic vessel’s annual winter layover and is also used to service and maintain the group’s freight vessels year-round.

accommodate vessels of up to 75m. Its highly specialist workforce have skills in steel repair, propellers, shafts, rudders, stabilisers, underwater valve service and replacement.

Last summer, Penzance Dry Dock won a covetable contract to refit the fisheries protection vessel, Saint Piran – the first time that this 27-metre vessel has ever been refitted in Cornwall.

In addition, Penzance Dry Dock is well equipped for a full range of refit, repair and engineering services and manages independent contracts for marine and engineering sectors.

Specialist marine industry work such as this has helped the Steamship Group increase employment for the county – the Group now employs up to 250 people in high season – as well as boosting turnover, which increased by 2.1% in 2018 to a record £17.5 million.

The dry dock boasts a wet berth as well as modern and functional fabrication and workshop space, and is able to

For more information about the Dry Dock, visit https://penzancedrydock.com/

The group is perhaps best known for operating the Scillonian III passenger ferry, which sails from Penzance to St Mary’s from March to October, as well as managing a year-round freight shipping service for Scilly, on which islanders depend for the delivery of fresh foods and other necessary supplies.

Scillionian passenger ferries have serviced the route since 1926 and the current vessel, Scillonian III, has been in service for 42 years, but remains in excellent condition thanks to major refitting over the years.

In addition to its passenger shipping services, the Steamship Group handles all seaborne freight between Cornwall and Scilly with a dedicated freight vessel departing Penzance BUSINESS CORNWALL | 33

MARINE

NEWS

THE MARINE SECTOR IN 2019 TOP MARKETING TRENDS Marketing your marine business is essential, but what constitutes ‘effective activity’ is constantly changing. The demands, requirements and expectations of your clients and customers are evolving - are you keeping up?

To help you stay ahead of the competition, Fastnet Marketing has taken a look at the top marketing trends that have been emerging so far in 2019 and how they can benefit your marine business...

Interactive Video Content 360° video has really started to make a breakthrough this year. Users can take control of their experience by scrolling, clicking or using motion detection on their device to move the screen around.

With the right headset they can even use Virtual Reality (VR) mode to become fully immersed - imagine how effective this could be for vessel, marina or boatyard tours.

Video Testimonials Watching and listening to an existing customer describe their experience with your business can be incredibly powerful.

Research shows that video testimonials encourage higher levels of engagement, better information retention and more social shares than written testimonials.

The practicalities and passions associated with marine products and services means there is lots of valuable content to explore.

Voice Search The rise in the use of ‘smart’ devices such as Siri, Alexa and Google means that search is changing.

From the user asking for information, to the verbal response of the device, the terminology, linguistics and results returned all differ from typed search, which will have a considerable effect on Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) best practice in the marine industry going forward.

HMS SEVERN IN A SERENE REFIT DRY DOCK A&P Defence is delivering the reactivation refit of the river-class offshore patrol vessel, HMS Severn, as part of an ongoing support contract with BAE Systems.

Currently in A&P Falmouth’s Dry Dock Three, the 2,109-tonne vessel is undergoing an extensive refit programme and follows a similar programme of work to its sister vessel, HMS Mersey, which docked in Falmouth at the end of 2018.

Work on HMS Severn includes a full tail shaft survey, inspection of the anchor, cables and sea valves, full intersleek paint work on the hull, installation of new davits including all steel work and cabin removals, new electrical installation, complete regeneration of all cabins as well

34 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

as an overhaul of the system pumps with electric motors and water tight doors and hatches.

The A&P team will work closely with OEM subcontractors and BAE Systems, which is working on behalf of the Ministry of Defence (MOD), throughout the project. The refit programme is being overseen by the Commercially Supported Shipping team within Defence Equipment and Support, the MOD’s procurement organisation.

Gerald Pitts, MD of A&P Defence said: “We have a strong history of supporting the Ministry of Defence and BAE Systems and this coupled with our knowledge of the River Class vessels, was instrumental in securing this contract.”

A Cornish fishing dynasty has been rejoined by its latest crab and lobster vessel, fresh from a significant deck refit and safety upgrade at Mylor Yacht Harbour.

The 10m Gemini Catamaran ‘Serene’ is the second vessel placed by the Newquay-based Gilbert family in the expert hands of Mylor’s Marine Team for major improvement works which takes advantage of the €92.1 million European Maritime & Fisheries Fund (EMFF).

The family’s Cygnus 32 crabber “Tizzardlee-on” was given a major refit at Mylor under the same scheme last year.

The funding scheme opened two and a half years ago - offering help on a wide range of projects from replacing fishing boat engines to investment in fishing ports – but once this funding pot is exhausted there is no guarantee of further similar support for the industry in a post-Brexit Britain.

FOOD

& DRINK

ALDI CONTRACT

YO HO HO! A Cornish barrel of rum is sailing the high seas in readiness to be savoured in the perfect condition upon its return.

A barrel of Cornish distilled Rathlees Rum is in the hold of historic trading ketch, the Bessie Ellen, where it is spending the summer months cruising around the Hebrides and out to St Kilda.

This constant movement is said to allow the rum to absorb the flavours from the wooden barrel – which will also experience a couple of dips in the sea, soaking up the sea salt to leave a “lingering taste of salinity on the lips” when drunk.

Additionally, this particular barrel has travelled across from America where it previously held Tennessee Bourbon, adding an extra flavour level to the finished product.

A Cornish fishing business has landed a new contract with the UK’s fastest growing supermarket.

Ocean Fish, based in Roche, will provide fresh and frozen fillets of fish for Aldi’s new ‘What’s the Catch’ Special buy range of easy-to-cook white fish alternatives such as whiting, gurnard and megrim sole.

“We hope the partnership will allow us to showcase the best that our region has to offer and help to start a widespread movement to encourage customers to choose British fish.”

Victoria Townsend, head of retail and innovation at Ocean Fish, said: “There’s a rich variety of delicious fish available here in Cornwall and around the UK, and it’s fantastic to see Aldi making them more widely available.

Ocean Fish employs more than 150 staff at its site in Roche and expects to create more jobs as a direct result of this contract. The business has also invested in new technology, including a nitrogen freezer tunnel, which can freeze fillets in under four minutes.

CORNISH VODKA

NEW HEAD BREWER Aaron McClure, who has been with the Rockbased brewery for eight years, has been promoted from his previous role as technical director. He replaces Andrew Madden, who

takes on a new position as supply chain operations manager.

McClure said: “Having grown up down the coast in Newquay and having received my brewing diploma in 2015, this is a dream come true. Brewing beer is my passion and it’s a pleasure to have been given the opportunity to lead such a dynamic and enthusiastic young brewing team.”

CYDER & SAUSAGES Two local producers have got together to create the “ultimate Cornish food product”.

The Pork and Rattler Cyder Sausage is the result of a collaboration between Healeys and the Kernow Sausage Company.

The finished product has received instant acclaim, picking up a coveted Taste of the West Gold award.

Gavin Roberts, MD at Kernow Sausage Company, said: “Our brand is all about the ‘Live it with us’ ethos. A celebration of Cornish love, laughter and lifestyle. This

Produced by Colwith Farm Distillery at Lanlivery near Fowey, Aval Dor has been recognised as one of the best on the planet, snatching silver at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2019.

“For a new, craft distillery to win an award at such a prestigious event is a massive deal” said Colwith Farm Distillery owner, Steve Dustow.

On Bessie’s return to Cornwall, the barrel will be unloaded to produce 50 bottles of sea-age, cask-strength rum, at 50% proof.

Sharp’s Brewery has appointed a new head brewer.

First it was Cornish gin grabbing the accolades, now a locally-produced vodka is receiving global recognition.

JOE HEALEY & GAVIN ROBERTS collaboration pays homage to just that.

Healey’s was our natural choice, as we know and love Rattler cyder. It was a no brainer and we are absolutely delighted with the collaboration and an award in recognition of the end result.”

The gluten free, 400g six-pack is made with 70% pork and 17% Rattler cyder.

WORLD’S BEST STRONG BEER Black Square, St Austell Brewery’s Russian imperial stout, was awarded a Championship Trophy for ‘Best Strong Beer’ at the International Brewing Awards 2019.

Narrowed down from 133 medal winners, the final round of accolades - the Championship Trophies - recognise nine beers and three ciders as outstanding examples in their respective categories.

First brewed in collaboration with Moscow’s New Riga’s brewery, Black Square was awarded a gold medal for ‘Strong Beer above 10% ABV’. It went on to be named overall champion in the ‘Strong Beer’ category, in which it was nominated amongst four other award-winning international brews.

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 35

EDUCATION

AND TRAINING

SPONSORED BY

COLLEGE IN TOP 10%

LAUNCHPAD APPROVAL

Achievement rates for apprenticeship programmes, just published by the Department for Education (DfE), show Truro and Penwith College is in the top 10% of all 173 College providers nationally, with achievement rates more than 12% above the national average of all providers in the UK. The college’s apprenticeship programmes continue to grow in both popularity and specialisms with over 600 apprentices now training in over 50 areas.

The achievement rates reported cover the 2017/18 academic year and come at a time when the college is moving many of its apprenticeships from traditional frameworks to new standards that have been developed as part of the Government’s target of three million apprentices training in the UK by 2020.

The college has already seen 100% pass rates in new apprenticeship standards that it has introduced for the 2018/19 academic year in supply chain warehousing and digital marketing, with team leader apprentices looking set to join them will all learners to submit their final projects passing to date.

www.truro-penwith.ac.uk

The Launchpad building is home to the university’s groundbreaking business incubation and acceleration programme.

“What 20/20 has created for us is a place that makes me happy to go to work every day,” said Ruiz-Langan, games technology coach at Launchpad.

The creative spaces newly opened at Falmouth University have won the highest praise from the people who matter most the students and staff who work there.

All signage and interior concepts for the Launchpad building and the Creative Bridge on the Penryn Campus were designed, manufactured and installed by 20/20 Projects based in Falmouth to reflect the spirit of collaboration, creativity and entrepreneurship at the heart of the university.

“They have managed to make a huge open space feel inviting and the perfect environment for our 80-strong cohort.”

As a student on the Launchpad programme, Tanuvi Ethunandan is working as co-founder of Data Duopoly - a business in the tourism sector - while gaining a Masters degree at the same time.

“Launchpad is a really lovely building to work in,” she said. “The open areas help foster collaboration between teams and the window wall is fabulous to enjoy the view.”

TRAINING AWARDS FINALISTS Showcasing the very best of businesses across the south west, the finalists have been announced for the Excellence in Business Training Awards 2019.

Hosted by CCB Training, part of The Cornwall College Group, Elaine McMahon, principal and chief executive, said: “We were absolutely amazed by the number of applications this year.

“I’d like to thank all the companies from across the south west who took the time to submit nominations. We would also

36 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

like to thank our judges who had a tough decision, as everyone who applied deserves recognition for their commitment to training.”

The finalists were chosen by a panel of judges made up of some of the region’s most experienced business professionals.

Sue Hook from Sapience HR commented: “It is an absolute privilege and an honour to be a sponsor and judge for the awards. We believe that a business will only ever be a success if the people within that business are also a success. People power is all too

often the unrecognised and unharnessed, asset of a company.”

The winners of the ten categories will be announced at a festival-style awards evening at The Cornish Tipi Weddings, near St Kew on July 18. If you’d like to attend you can purchase tickets for just £60 plus VAT each by calling 0800 731 7594 or by emailing hello@ccbtraining.co.uk For a full list of finalists, visit the website at www.ccbtraining.co.uk

NEWS

SPONSORED BY

#FSBCONNECT

FSB/CORNISH PARTNERSHIPS NETWORKING EVENTS

RATES SYSTEM IN ‘DISARRAY’ Business rates appeals plummet, as firms deterred to challenge bills The latest statistics from the Valuation Office Agency’s ‘Check, Challenge, Appeal’ business rates system show a 97% drop in the number of businesses challenging their rates bills in the last two years in England, compared to the two years following the previous revaluation.

to deal with unfair revaluations, to try and navigate the complicated platform. Many simply don’t have the time or money to bring together a case using the overly complicated system, risking financial penalties if they challenge them.”

Responding to the figures, FSB national chairman, Mike Cherry, said: “These latest figures prove yet again that the Check, Challenge, Appeal (CCA) system needs to be urgently reformed.

“With the number of challenges registered by businesses in England dropping by 97% since the system was launched, it’s clearly not working. Businesses are walking away from the system, meaning thousands are potentially paying the wrong business rates bill.

“Rolled out at the same time as 2017’s revaluation, the current CCA system forces time-pressed small firms, already having

ROYAL CORNWALL SHOW - 6-8 JUNE

“Small businesses cannot afford a system in disarray.”

FSB Cornwall is really looking forward to seeing you at Royal Cornwall Show on June 6-8. Once again, we’ll be found at the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Growth and Skills Hub stand so do pop by and find out how the FSB can help your business - we’ll have a special treat from FSB members Kernow Chocolate too!

FACEBOOK COLLABORATION The FSB has announced a new collaboration with Facebook to help address the digital skills deficit in the UK’s small businesses. FSB research, published in its Skills and Training Report, found that a quarter (26%) of small business owners lack confidence in basic digital skills and says that left unchecked this will further stall productivity growth in the UK. Having called for both the Government and industry action to tackle this skills shortage, FSB has now invited Facebook to collaborate in creating and delivering a series of custommade in-person training for small businesses across the UK.

FSB chairman, policy and advocacy, Martin McTague, said: “Digital innovation provides enormous potential both for individual businesses and for improving UK productivity.

But these benefits can only be realised if small business owners are able and confident to take advantage.”

This is not the first time that FSB and Facebook have collaborated. The two partner on Facebook’s #SheMeansBusiness initiative, which is a space for entrepreneurial women to make valuable connections, share advice and move forward, together

JUNE 13 Marketing Plan White Hart Hotel, Launceston Belinda Shipp from Cornish Marketing Consultancy will advise how to create and then make the best of your marketing plan - learn from an industry leader on how to plan for success.

JUNE 18 Getting Investment Penzance AFC Five things that no equity investor wants to hear. Learn how to be completely prepared to ask for investments and the steps you can take to ensure you success.

JUNE 28 Meet Scott Mann MP Launceston Town Hall Join us for a small round table discussion on business issues with your local MP for North Cornwall.

JULY 4 How to Use Your Phone to Promote Business St Austell Conference Centre Learn how to make and use short films created simply on your phone to promote your business or be one of our FSB business case studies.

Book all events via eventbrite.co.uk & search “FSB Cornwall”

FSB Offer for Business Cornwall Magazine Readers at www.fsb.org.uk/join If you want to join FSB after reading this page then please quote BCM30 when you join and save £30!

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 37

CREATIVE

AND DIGITAL

SPONSORED BY

www.digitalpeninsula.org

NEW AGENCY ON TARGET A new digital marketing agency has launched in west Cornwall.

Penzance-based Target Agency has been started up by former Land’s End head of marketing, Josh Fletcher, and serial entrepreneur, Neil Tregarthen.

The agency claims to adopt a “strategy-first and ROI focussed” approach to business.

Fletcher explained: “Throughout my professional career there have been times where I’ve had to deal with other digital agencies that only talk about intangible metrics such as ‘likes’, click- through-rates,

ESAFETY MATTERS

NCI Technolgies said it felt it was paramount to continue its work promoting e-safety.

CASE STUDY

“The Internet is an exciting and amazing place and we want the online digital world to be a safe place for all, whatever your age,” said Trish.

Swoop Applications, a Redruth-based software company, has raised a £1.45 million Series A round of investment, including £600k equity investment from the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Investment Fund (CIOSIF). The deal will create 34 jobs over the next three years.

The package includes funding from existing corporate investor, SMP Group PLC, and £250k via The FSE Group Investor Network.

The FSE Group is the appointed CIOSIF fund manager.

Oh So Social Founder and MD for the multi-award winning, international social media agency Oh So Social, Katherine George is one of Cornwall’s biggest rising stars.

Just shy of age 30, her success has been noted. She was named as one of the top

38 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

Target is being backed by Cornish entrepreneur and investor, Neil Tregarthen, who grew the revenue of his last investment - global recruitment giants NES - to US$1 billion before selling the business for £234 million in the autumn of 2012.

He said: “I am seeing the Target team make a real difference here in Cornwall, and no doubt further afield very soon.”

CIOSIF FUNDING SWOOP

NCI Technologies recently redesigned its dedicated online safety website esafetymatters.com The brainchild of ICT education director Andy Trish, the site was first launched in 2013 originally as a resource for its school ICT clients. The website soon became popular with parents, children and an online following from the dedicated Twitter account @esafetymatters.

impressions and time on site; which made us realise there was a gap in the market for a digital agency that is focussed on real results.”

Swoop has created a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform called Colateral, enabling retailers and brands to manage their in-store marketing campaigns. It already boasts an impressive client list with leading retailers such as Tesco, Waitrose, Mothercare, and WH Smith.

Swoop chairman, Robert Salvoni, said: “We are delighted to have received this funding from CIOSIF and our private investors, which will enable us to grow the team to support expansion in the UK and overseas, and to further develop the product.”

TRAINING IS OH SO VITAL FOR A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS 100 female entrepreneurs in the UK - in a list compiled by f:Entrepreneur, a finalist in this year’s Cornwall Business Awards’ Young Business Person category and was recently invited to the House of Lords to celebrate her achievements next to equally impressive business leaders on International Women’s Day.

www.visitcornwall.com

NEWS

SPONSORED BY

JACKSON LEAVES ISLANDS

ROOM WITH A HELIVIEW TV star Alex Polizzi has opened Cornwall Air Ambulance’s holiday cottage to help raise funds for the charity.

The face of Channel 5’s The Hotel Inspector, was joined by more than 100 guests at the official opening ceremony of the cottage at the charity’s airbase in Newquay.

She said: “By staying at Heliview Cottage you can not only be a helicopter spotter, but you can also support the essential work of Cornwall Air Ambulance. Because all of the profits from the first year will go towards the New Heli Appeal and the mission to bring a new air ambulance helicopter to Cornwall.”

The three-bedroom cottage, which is owned by the charity, has recently been

TOURISM

transformed into a holiday let to generate a new income stream for the lifesaving charity, which relies on public donations to fly.

Paula Martin, chief executive of Cornwall Air Ambulance, said: “Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust is the first air ambulance charity in the UK to have a holiday cottage as part of its income generation and fundraising. We’ve got a unique opportunity here in Cornwall and it provides a great way to raise more funds from the tourism sector.”

David Jackson is stepping down as executive director of Scilly tourism body, The Islands’ Partnership (IP), after four and a half years in the role.

Jackson will leave next month to take up a new opportunity in Cheltenham, leading the new destination and place marketing organisation, Marketing Cheltenham.

Andrew Sells, chairman of the Islands’ Partnership, commented: “It is with huge regret that the IP will be losing David – he has been instrumental in so many good things the IP has delivered in recent years and in building the organisation to where it is today.”

JILL TAKES VISIT CORNWALL CHAIR Jill Stein has been named as the new chair of Visit Cornwall.

Stein, the driving force - along with Rick - behind the success of the Rick Stein group, takes over from Lord St Levan, whose four-year tenure brought strong leadership and financial stability to the organisation.

“I am enormously honoured to become chair of Visit Cornwall,”

Katherine will admit for a business to thrive it needs good people. Her strong team of experts get real results for clients, despite a crowded social media landscape. They’ve won public support for projects like the Man Engine and got bums on seats and eyes on screens for TEDxTruro.

Katherine says training is key to keeping her employees on top of their game and, ultimately, interested in the work they are doing.

“Staff development is vital for growth, sustainability and long-term success,” she says. “As far as I’m concerned, I would be nowhere without my team so ensuring they grow and develop and have the skills they

need is important. Training has allowed individuals at Oh So Social to work on their personal growth plans, achieve what they wanted and to grow alongside the company really well.”

As managing a small business is time consuming, Katherine used the local team from Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Skills Hub to help her find the training her team needed.

“Although we would’ve carried on with employee training without the Skills Hub, it wouldn’t have been as invested. Allowing them to come along and point us in the right direction for where everyone needed to go and what everyone needed to achieve saved us so much time and made it so much easier for us.

said Stein. “I intend to use the next three years to do everything I can to work on behalf of the people of Cornwall and the businesses of Cornwall so that together we can make this beautiful part of the world even more dynamic and attractive to visitors and to investment.”

James St Levan commented: “It has been a great privilege to have been part of Visit Cornwall and to have worked with its strong and committed board.”

“The Skills Hub helped us look at each member of the team individually, what they needed, what they wanted, how that reflected the business’ goals and growth ambitions and how we could marry those together. I highly recommend that every business gets a review with the Skills Hub. It’s really shone a light on our business and gave us fresh eyes on what we wanted to achieve and how it was doable.”

The Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Skills Hub is part funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and match funded by Cornwall Council and Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership. www.ciosskillshub.com

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 39

CHAMBER

NEWS

CORNWALL BUSINESS WEEK As the voice of business, Cornwall Chamber of Commerce is looking forward to this year’s Cornwall Business Week. With two major conferences positioned within it, the chamber is focused on galvanising change in-line with some major themes.

The Sustainability Conference makes up one of the focuses on Tuesday June 25, and the Reimagining Our Towns conference will take place on Thursday June 27. This exciting new conference gathers together some of the finest minds who have worked on creating social change and making Cornish towns hubs again.

SPONSORED BY

cornwallchamber.co.uk

SUSTAINABILITY Cornwall and the UK are leading the way in bringing the issue of climate change and the damage wrought on the environment by human behaviour to the public’s attention.

From school children striking, to the phenomenal impact we saw from the Extinction Rebellion, we are seeing some impressive results and read about initiatives to try and fix some of the damage humans have done to the planet. Sustainability has shifted from a “nice to have” to a core component of business strategy for many companies across the globe.

In its fourth year, Cornwall Chamber of Commerce is delighted to host the Sustainability Conference at Newquay’s Lighthouse Cinema. Sponsored by St Austell Print Company, winner of the Best Managed Medium Business award in the 2018 Cornwall Sustainability Awards, the speaker lineup for 2019 includes renewable energy, water, plastic and much more.

The event follows PKF Francis Clark’s Finance in Cornwall 2019, an event which has become an integral part of Cornwall Business Week. Read more about this on the left.

The 14th Cornwall Business Awards are in the evening of the 27th, held at St Mellion International Resort.

Our CEO Kim Conchie was part of the judging team and he said: “Each year I am impressed with the level of entries and feel proud to be a part of this innovative and diverse county.

“We look forward to attending the awards this year and celebrating the success of every business in Cornwall.”

MEMBER FOCUS: CONSCIOUS CREATIVES Our planet is struggling across nearly every measurement of health. It’s as much about reversal as it is prevention.

We have similar issues with our economy.

Economy comes from the Greek words meaning ‘house management’. Our economy should support everyone not the elite few. We are experiencing global shortfalls on all basic measures of a successful society.

Now the UK & Ireland have both declared climate emergencies.

The question is how do we convince the general population, policy makers and the business world to make the huge changes required? We believe it’s all about sustainable communication.

Impact Communication is the way they describe the bringing together of sustainability and communications.

Conscious Creatives started off working solely with a focus on digital advertising and marketing. Becoming experts in SEO, 40 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

Pay Per Click, email marketing, CRM management, branding and more. They chose to work with clients doing good work and from that journey Conscious Creatives have researched and educated themselves around the world of sustainability.

What they found was that the United Nations has created the framework for a better future but what we need more than anything is the political will to make it happen. Understanding that change does not happen without creativity and strong communications, CEO Mark Roberts and his team balanced their work in both areas.

Conscious Creatives remain Google Partners but also have qualifications from organisations like the Global Reporting Initiative and have spoken on behalf of the United Nations Global Compact.

They believe that Cornwall is a perfect home for any company that works in sustainability.

Cornwall has long had a tradition of working and caring for the land and creating harmony.

There are many challenges ahead of Cornwall, but Mark believes that people want the same thing: to see a future that allows everyone to thrive. The passion from other business owners lets them know that they are in good company and they are proud to serve this great county.

Conscious Creatives can create both a fantastic return on investment in marketing your business and support your organisation to engage in sustainability in a creative way.

Email: hello@corwallchamber.co.uk Call: 01209 216006 Online: www.cornwallchamber.co.uk

www.sapiencehr.co.uk

PEOPLE

SPONSORED BY

RYAN GOES BAREFOOT Cornish PR and marketing agency Barefoot Media has strengthened its team with the appointment of a new creative director.

Ryan Mcfarlane joins Barefoot having offered website design and development services for nearly 15 years, most recently as director of creative agency Liminal Design.

The move to bring Mcfarlane in-house means that Barefoot can add website development, design and branding to its portfolio of services, having already collaborated with him on a number of website projects.

RYAN MCFARLANE MD Jim Michell said: “Ryan’s arrival has strengthened the digital marketing arm of the business, and we’re already starting to see an increased demand to deliver new website builds, as well as branding and design projects.”

STRATEGIC MOVE

Leading south west law firm Stephens Scown has appointed a new managing partner.

Richard Baker takes over from Robert Camp after his eight-and-a-half-year tenure in the role. Camp will remain with the firm as director of strategic innovation.

Baker joined Stephens Scown in 1993 and has been a member of its board for over six years, initially as head of the Truro office and for the last year as deputy managing partner. A real estate expert with particular expertise in the agriculture sector, he is recognised as a leader in his field by independent legal guide Chambers UK. He said: “Stephens Scown has been on an incredible journey under Robert’s leadership and I’m looking forward to building on that.”

RICHARD BAKER & ROBERT CAMP

CRANE AT THE HELM Bodmin-based microwave engineering company Flann Microwave has named Ian Crane its new chief operating officer.

Crane takes over the leadership of the company from Professor James Watts, who has stepped down from his role after nine years as chief executive.

Crane brings almost 50 years of high-level engineering and management expertise to the role, more than 40 of which have been with Flann, in positions including engineering director, eight years as chief executive and most recently the company’s chief technical officer.

“I’m delighted and honoured to be taking on the leadership of Flann Microwave at an exciting time for the company,” he said.

Miller Commercial has made head of property management, Nick Maffey, an equity partner.

HOWDY PARTNER NALDERS PROMOTION MANDA TOMS & DALE BAND

Camp was appointed as Stephens Scown’s managing partner in 2011 and since transformed the firm and was instrumental in introducing employee ownership.

He said: “I’m so happy to be staying on with the firm as director of innovation, a role which will allow me to explore ideas to keep us at the forefront of our sector.”

ON THE MOVE

Maffey joins existing partners Peter Heather, Mike Nightingale and Brian Botting.

Maffey, who joined Miller Commercial in 2009, said: “I am both excited and honoured to become a partner of Miller Commercial. The firm is a superb place to work, we have some highly talented and hard-working people and the demand for our services continues to rise.”

HENRY MAPLES, EMMA ROBINSON & JESSICA BISHOP

INVESTING IN FUTURE

A solicitor with a wealth of family law experience has become the eleventh partner of Nalders Solicitors.

Local law firm Murrell Associates has appointed two new paralegals, both of whom have been awarded training contracts with the firm.

Manda Toms has worked for the firm for 18 years and was a senior associate before her promotion to the new role, which began on May 1.

Both Jessica Bishop and Emma Robinson grew up in Cornwall and return to their roots after completing their degrees in London.

Managing partner, Dale Band, said: “This promotion is reward for Manda’s commitment and dedication to the firm for the past 18 years,” he said. “Nalders is continuing to grow year on year and her promotion is a reflection on our expansion and development.”

Henry Maples, partner at Murrell Associates, said: “We are delighted to be able to offer this opportunity to Emma and Jessica and look forward to seeing them develop their knowledge and complete their journey to becoming qualified solicitors with Murrell Associates.”

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 41

TEST DRIVE

BMW 3 SERIES

BMW

WORDS BY MORVETH WARD

This month Ocean BMW, Falmouth handed Business Cornwall’s Morveth Ward the keys to the new BMW 3 series.

42 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

The 3 series has been around for a long time (manufactured since 1975 to be precise) and has built a reputation for being a premium mid-sized car with the driver at the forefront. A true legend of a car that is widely recognized.

early 90s E30 M3. It must be said that in the model’s 40 plus years there has never been a blip, every model has been superb and relevant. But in a time where the versatile SUVs seem to be taking over the roads, is a driver’s car still relevant?

The early models including the E30 and E36 are now collectable – for example you can expect to pay around £50k for a late 80s/

The short answer is yes, because while an SUV does a lot of things well, the 3 series has a particular purpose and does

A TRUE DRIVERS CAR

it exceptionally well. The 3 series doesn’t care that it can’t go off-road like a crossover can and it’s low slung body means it misses out on some of the scenic views you may otherwise see along coast or in the county.

But, it’d rather not compromise what it does so well, and that’s the way it drives on the road - and after all, isn’t that what we spend most of the time doing in our cars?!

The 3 series has to be one of the best driving cars of its kind. It feels built for the driver – step inside and the dashboard

resembles the format of its predecessors, angling into you and ensuring you as the driver, are looked after.

The 2019 model has a compact premium interior that brings the character of the classic models together will all the latest mod cons that makes you feel connected with the car. The classic iDrive system makes it easy to navigate through the media system.

The 320d m-sport I tested was firm and sporty on the road, handling exceptionally well on the Cornish roads and drawing you in to the experience, but equally providing a suppleness to the ride as well as being totally effortless.

The efficiency is superb, the drive train now manages to translate the 2l diesel’s power to propel it to 60 mph in just 6.8 seconds and on to 150mph – impressive for a car that returns 50 + mpg. On this note, I wanted to mention how this car’s driver-appeal translates to efficiency. By virtue of it being aerodynamic,

low to the ground, well geared, and good handling, it means it slides through the air with minimal fuss. And the typically more powerful, bigger engines are not having to work within the UK speed limits. Put it this way, I was getting better realworld MPG from this m-sport 320d than most of the petrol or diesels I’ve tested in the last 12 months – most with less power and smaller engines.

This new G20 model, which was unveiled just last October at the Paris Motor Show is probably one of the most arogant in the class, but with good reason and you are buying something that has been fine-tuned and perfected for decades.

If you’re looking for something to truly relish, then I recommend trying this out. And whilst the motoring genres and respective demands have changed so much, I think the 320d is still totally relevant.

Available from £28,350

To arrange a test drive contact Stephen Bentley, Ocean BMW, Falmouth: 01326 375100

BUSINESS CORNWALL | 43

OPINION

JUST A THOUGHT

We need to act on climate change. And we need to act now, says Permanently Brilliant director, Manda Brookman

THIS IS OUR TIME Cornwall is a county of courage, of challenge, of change. And right now the latter two are demanding more of the first, in shed-loads.

big to see – but then it gets suddenly, very close, very clear, and very real. This is about us; it’s about our real children.

In the last six months it’s been confirmed beyond any doubt that our ecological systems on which we rely for food, clean air, clean water and quality of life are disintegrating under our feet. We can see our global climate breaking down in our disrupted weather systems in Cornwall – unseasonably hot, cold, wet, and dry. We have 11 years to stay under 1.5 degrees global increase in temperatures; we’re already at 1.1. This is now indisputably as a result of our economic activities, our agricultural systems, our overwhelmingly “extractive” habit.

If we are truly business leaders, pioneers, courageous catalysts of change: this is our time. So many of us across Cornwall are already taking action: changing energy supplier, buying more local chemical free produce, and less meat and dairy; reducing plastic, carrying out carbon audits on our business and homes; flying less, sharing cars; and many of us in Cornwall are now willing to get arrested to raise the profile on this, asking our MPs to take this extremely seriously.

If we are truly business leaders, pioneers, courageous catalysts of change: this is our time

And this is how you join us: 1. Connect: Cornwall New Energy (www.cornwallnewenergy.com/) Community Energy Plus (www.cep.org.uk) and CoaST (www.coastproject.co.uk) for support and information 2. Talk: to your friends, colleagues and families and break the silence about the climate emergency 3. Pledge: www.climatevision. co.uk/top-ten-pledges 4. Vote: this needs all of us 5. Read: www.rebellion.earth 44 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

We ask why China and India aren’t doing their fair share, why when we have refused plastic bag and buy free range eggs, installed low energy light bulbs, explained our green credentials to our customers, that we need to do more. We’ve done our bit, right?

No. We buy from China. Those emissions are ours. And they are investing mammoth amounts in renewables. And that UK 40% “drop” in emissions doesn’t include shipping, aviation, or those emissions we’re responsible for in industries overseas. The truth is we need to do our bit locally, and globally.

This is serious now. This is about joining the dots. My children will be 34 and 31 when we get to 2030: the deadline the UN has set for the transformational change we need. What we do today is creating the world our own children will walk into. So, this might seem too

One of our local MPs attended a climate emergency talk recently; a week later he stood up in PM Questions to demand the PM support the huge action on climate being taken in Cornwall. Since Christmas, Cornwall communities have worked with parish and town councils, and Cornwall Council, to declare a climate emergency; students are pushing our universities in Falmouth to do the same; and businesses across Cornwall are adding their weight to www.climateemergency.com. Doctors are joining www.doctorsforxr.com.

We’re challenging central government to support us, because we know we are one of the first hit when extreme weather impacts our soil, our food industries, our infrastructure, our customers, our supply lines, our place, our people.

The life-bone’s connected to the climate bone.

So, it’s time we take this very seriously. We’re putting *ourselves* on the map.

Founded in 1880, Truro School is Cornwall’s leading independent day and boarding school for boys and girls aged 3 - 18.

NURSERY | PREP | SENIOR | SIXTH FORM

Upcoming Open Events:

www.truroschool.com

Sixth Form

24 September 2019

Senior

5 October 2019

Nursery

23 November 2019

Prep & Nursery

9 March 2020

Guided tours are available throughout the year.

Please visit our website for more information.

Employment law specialists providing a personal & tailored service for your business.

Corporate & Commercial Solicitors policies & procedures * Contracts, Restructuring, takeovers & redundancy * HR legal support * Facilitating exits & settlement agreements * Workplace disputes & tribunal representation *

www.murrellassociates.co.uk

01872 226990 BUSINESS CORNWALL | 45

EVENTS

JUNE

JUNE EVENTS 6-8

ROYAL CORNWALL SHOW

Royal Cornwall Showground, Wadebridge

13

It’s the county’s biggest annual event and is brim-full of exhibits and activities which offer so much in the way of entertainment, competition, information, shopping and all that’s best in food and farming. royalcornwallshow.org

7

Business Cornwall and Fal River would like to invite you to join us for a late afternoon gathering aboard Fal River’s Moyana, for a couple of hours of simply enjoying the stunning surroundings while having an informal catch up with like-minded business people.

E: morveth@businesscornwall.co.uk

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The Driftwood Spars, St Agnes

Join the chamber for a networking lunch in the Sea Bisto at Driftwood Spars, St Agnes. The chance to meet a wide range of businesses from all sectors. Members and non-members welcome. cornwallchamber.co.uk

Victoria Inn, Truro

The Kernow Independent Networking Group gathers at 7.15am on Wednesdays, fortnightly, at the Victoria Inn, Threemilestone, near Truro. king-networking.co.uk

Cornwall Chamber of Commerce would like to invite you to Waterside Cornwall. Join us to meet and connect with a range of businesses of all shapes and sizes from all over the county. cornwallchamber.co.uk

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CORNISH PARTNERSHIPS

This exclusive one-day event offers attendees an insight into the latest research and innovation trends, whilst also imparting practical knowledge and expertise which will inspire attendees to embrace change as an opportunity, as opposed to a threat to business. aticornwallinnovation.co.uk

25

Scorrier House, Redruth

Waterside, Bodmin

Flory Restaurant, Bodmin

Cornish Partnerships would like to invite you to a power lunch at the new Flory Restaurant in Bodmin. The networking event will have exclusive use of the restaurant. Price for a two-course meal is £18. cornwallpartnerships.co.uk

FINANCE IN CORNWALL

Lighthouse Cinema, Newquay

PKF Francis Clark is delighted to invite you to the 13th annual Finance in Cornwall, an event which has become an integral part of Cornwall Business Week. pkf-francisclark.co.uk

For further details of these and more networking events visit businesscornwall.co.uk To publicise your event for free, email news@businesscornwall.co.uk

46 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

KING NETWORKING

INNOVATION FOR BUSINESS

White Hart Hotel, Launceston

CORNWALL CHAMBER LUNCH

Lighthouse Cinema, Newquay

With a fantastic range of industry experts speaking across topics including Renewable Energy, Water, Plastic and much more, this is a FREE event, run by Cornwall Chamber of Commerce for business owners or employees charged with addressing the issue of sustainability. cornwallchamber.co.uk

CORNWALL CHAMBER BREAKFAST

FSB/CORNISH PARTNERSHIPS Belinda Shipp from Cornish Marketing Consultancy will advise how to create and then make the best of your marketing plan - learn from an industry leader on how to plan for success. eventbrite.co.uk

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SUSTAINABILITY CONFERENCE

18

National Maritime Museum, Falmouth Waste and by-products from the extractive industry are a key component within Cornwall’s transition to a circular economy.

This workshop, presented by Tevi, focuses on the role of mining in the circular economy. eventbrite.co.uk

The Club meets on alternate Thursday mornings over breakfast, where a lively and welcoming group of local business people awaits you. falmouthbusinessclub.co.uk

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Fal Estuary, Falmouth

Premier Inn, Hayle

MINE WASTES IN A CIRCULAR ECONOMY

The Carnon Inn, Carnon Downs

BUSINESS CORNWALL NETWORKING CRUISE

CORNISH PARTNERSHIPS OPEN HOUSE Since January 2018, Cornish Partnerships has had great success holding a monthly Open House in the St Austell area. Now bringing that same networking to the west of Cornwall. cornishpartnerships.co.uk

FALMOUTH BUSINESS CLUB

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REIMAGINING OUR TOWNS

St Austell Conference Centre

The keynote speakers will be talking about how we can re imagine our towns and give examples and case studies from around the country on successful campaigns. cornwallchamber.co.uk

CORNWALL BUSINESS AWARDS

St Mellion International, Saltash

The annual awards ceremony celebrating the cream of the Cornish business sector.

This year, the awards will be presented Olympic gold medal winner, Helen Glover, and TV star husband, Steve Backshall. cornwallbusinessawards.co.uk

PRINT

Print Back for the second year, Print Power will take place at St Austell Conference Centre on Thursday July 11 and features leading experts from the printing and publication industry with presentations and workshops to help business owners, managers and marketing professionals to get their most out of their printed marketing.

Matt Bunt, SAPC’s marketing and communications manager, said: “We had such good feedback last year, we are really excited about the opportunity to run another event in 2019. We are looking forward to offering insightful, entertaining and informative presentations from our keynote speakers alongside interactive workshops.

POWER

St Austell Printing Company has teamed up with Business Cornwall Magazine for the return of a free event to help local businesses to embrace the power of their print. most out of your paper with experts from Antalis – one of the UK’s biggest paper and packaging companies.

hints and tips for successful proofreading for print with Lorraine Williams from Lighthouse Proofreading.

With the conference centre sharing a home with SAPC, there’s also a rare opportunity to follow the story of your print through the factory as well. In a special tour you can see first-hand how products are created for clients including Whistlefish Galleries, Rick Stein, The Eden Project and The National Trust amongst others. There’s also the chance to watch the production of the card game Top Trumps, which are printed by SAPC.

The event begins at 8.30am with coffee and networking, finishing with a buffet lunch being served at 1pm. The event will take place in the St Austell Conference Centre’s Sea View Suite which features stunning views across St Austell Bay. A limited number of free places are available – to secure yours please register online: www.sapc.co.uk/printpower/

The event will also focus on practical advice on getting the most out of printed publications, with workshops including how to produce engaging press releases led by Business Cornwall publisher Toni Eyriey, and

“It’s important to stress that this is not a sales pitch for print. It’s about sharing advice and knowledge from the experts, ensuring that the printed aspect of your marketing mix is engaging, cost-effective and as sustainable as it can be.”

Keynote speakers include Sarah Wallis from Royal Mail, who will be presenting findings around the neuroscience of print and mail; top tips from Business Cornwall’s Adrian Taylor, one of Cornwall’s most experienced designers; and advice on how to get the BUSINESS CORNWALL | 47

THE LAST

WORD

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU WERE YOUNG? An equine vet, I still ride and have horses, but I can’t treat them!

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST FULL TIME JOB? A chambermaid in the break from university. I got fired for moving beds around.

WHAT’S IN YOUR POCKETS? Nothing, I hate clutter.

HOW DO YOU LIKE TO RELAX? Riding my horse or having a BIG boozy rose-induced lunch with my daughter Bonnie.

IF YOU COULD BUILD A HOUSE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD WHERE WOULD IT BE? A Beach house at Sennan at the whale’s tale! Only my children and their friends know where that is!!

WHAT HAS BEEN THE BEST MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER? Starting, running and growing the business with three young children, alone. They gave me the reason to be successful.

Then meeting my husband Steve and joining forces while he ran his business Skinners Brewery, we support each other all the time. I have said breakfast meetings at home should be chargeable though!

WHAT HAS BEEN THE WORST MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER? Learning the hard way from one project, but as long as you learn, you grow.

WHAT’S THE BEST THING ABOUT CORNWALL? Living with my husband Steve and Monty my son and being outside as much as possible .

IF YOU COULD INVITE ANY TWO PEOPLE FOR DINNER, WHO WOULD THEY BE AND WHY WOULD YOU INVITE THEM? Firstly I prefer Lunch - it gives you the evening to recover, so for lunch with my husband and my closest friends Sally and Crispin, my time is precious and with the four of us its always memorable, and memories are everything to me.

IF YOU COULD BE GOD FOR A DAY, WHAT MIRACLE WOULD YOU PERFORM? To allow my husband to be a time traveller - he has always wanted to be able to, just as long as I can go with him.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE DOING IN FIVE YEARS’ TIME? My children Harvey and Bonnie are at university and Monty will fly the nest in a couple of years. I am immensely proud of them and want to ensure I can spend time with them as they grow into themselves, I will still be designing but more as a consultant and a little less hours, getting to ride my horses more often and of course, long lunches.

48 | BUSINESS CORNWALL

SPONSORED BY

www.paddleandcocks.co.uk 01872 672072

ELAINE SKINNER

Up close and personal with the MD of Camellia Interiors

Ocean Group

Nominations open now To nominate visit: www.truro-penwith.ac.uk/CAA

Hosted by Truro & Penwith College

#CornApp19

15 November 2019 Supported by

t: 01872 242711 e: nominations@truro-penwith.ac.uk

/TruroApprentice

@TruroApprentice