ENTREPRENEWS

The latest news from the North East entrepreneurial community.

HUDSON WELCOMES THEIR 13TH EMPLOYEE IN 8 MONTHS

John Hudson, Hudson Group

With clients in 18 different countries, Hudson is reaching businesses on a much larger scale. To maintain and expand their capabilities, they are growing their internal teams and have welcomed thirteen new hires in eight months.

The recruitment drive comes following a successful year for Hudson, after welcoming hundreds of new clients and increasing their turnover by 70% in 2020.

On appointing their new Executive Assistant, Wendy Brown, their thirteenth new hire, Hudson’s Managing Director, Jill Hudson said: “I am delighted to welcome Wendy to our growing team at Hudson. With an ever-increasing demand for new solutions, I needed to ensure smooth daily operations remained in place. Wendy’s wealth of experience will help to navigate the logistics of maintaining and growing our current divisions whilst developing new offerings.”

DURHAMLANE ACHIEVES RECORD GROWTH AND UNVEILS NEW IDENTITY

Richard Lane, durhamlane

Revenue acceleration specialists durhamlane have reported a record-breaking quarter for Q4 of 2020. The company won over £1.5 million in new orders and created 15 new jobs.

The news coincides with the announcement of the company’s new messaging, brand and website.

Richard Lane, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, said: “As we approach our tenth year in business, the services and the value we deliver for our clients have transformed. As such, we felt we needed a fresh identity. We’re really excited for the future and hope the new brand will help build on our recent success.”

NORTHUMBRIA POLICE CONTRACT IS ADDED TO IMPRESSIVE ORDER BOOK AS HLA COMES OF AGE

Neil Henry, HLA Services

South Tyneside-based HLA Services starts 2021 with a strong order book, including an impressive three-year maintenance contract with Northumbria Police.

Following a successful tender process, the company will supply air conditioning to 23 police stations.

2021 also marks the company’s 18th anniversary since being formed by directors Neil Henry and Paul Smith. During that time, it has grown to become one of the North’s leading mechanical, air conditioning, climate systems and temperature control specialists. Neil Henry said: “We have started the year on a positive note and with strong levels of activity. Over the last 18 years we have weathered numerous storms, the financial crash, BREXIT and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, we have remained focused and resilient and have created opportunities by introducing innovative new services.

“In the last 12 months, we have seen growth in our mechanical and service and maintenance divisions by recruiting additional specialists in areas such as ventilation, which has enabled us to tender for more work.”

NEW APPOINTMENTS AND OVER £500K NEW BUSINESS WINS FOR AWARD-WINNING MARKETING AGENCY

Kieron Goldsborough, Narrative

Award-winning marketing agency, Narrative, is celebrating a string of new business wins, worth over £500k, whilst simultaneously growing its team to further strengthen its creative prowess and PR capabilities with the appointment of a new head of service and manager role.

The north east-based full-service agency, has welcomed numerous new clients, including: Reed in Partnership, Health Call, Dalton Park, Proxismart, Hello Future, Corporate & Commercial Business Solutions and Sunderland City Council to grow its existing client base over recent months.

Kieron Goldsborough, managing director at Narrative, said: “These unprecedented times have had a knock-on effect across all industries, and businesses have faced challenges like never before.

“We have continued to service the needs of our clients, adapting with them as they explored new avenues and strategies. Our new clients are the result of some successful competitive tenders and several recommendations stemming from our reputation as champions of professional marketing, an ethos which remains unfaltering in our own strategy.”

ROBSON LAIDLER RAISES OVER £170,000 FOR CHARITIES TO MARK ITS CENTENARY YEAR

Graham Purvis, Robson Laidler

North East financial firm Robson Laidler has raised over £170,000 for local and national charities to mark its centenary year in business.

The firm set itself an ambitious target back in 2016 to raise £100,000 for charity by the end of 2020 to celebrate its 100th year in business.

The firm, which employs 90 staff across two offices in Newcastle and Durham, also set out to support 100 different charities by doing 100 different activities. To help its staff achieve the target Robson Laidler gave everyone a paid ‘volunteering day’ to work in the community.

MALHOTRA GROUP PLC UNVEILS MULTI-MILLION-POUND INDIA PROJECT

Meenu Malhotra, Malhotra Group

Meenu Malhotra, chair and founder of the North Eastbased Malhotra Group PLC, has unveiled plans to create a £150m development in his home town in India – one of the largest investments in the company’s 40-year history.

The ambitious “one stop shop” plan– which will create around 2000 jobs – will include the creation of 11 towers which will house 1100 two and three bedroomed apartments, a 550,000 sq ft shopping mall with national and international retail outlets and restaurants, a hotel plus a multiplex cinema. “I have always referred to Newcastle as my adopted home and am very grateful to the people of the North East for their continued support but at the same time I have always been a patriotic Indian, proud Punjabi and my home town of Ludhiana remains very close to my heart,” said Meenu.

“I believe this is a fantastic opportunity for the area and I have been delighted by the encouragement and support we’ve had from the Punjab Government who have welcomed the project and the mega investment we are making.”

MOODY LOGISTICS UNVEILS ‘GEORDIE HOPE’ AS PART OF £350,000 FLEET INVESTMENT

Caroline Moody, Moody Logistics and Storage

Moody Logistics and Storage has christened one of its new tractor units ‘Geordie Hope’ in anticipation of a more positive 2021. The Iveco Stralis is part of a £350,000 investment the Northumberland-based company is making in its fleet.

It is one of three new Iveco artic tractor units bought by the family-run firm, together with a Citroen Berlingo van that will be used for deliveries across the North of England and Scotland. In addition, it has also bought two quality used Iveco 18 tonne trucks. Managing director Caroline Moody said staff had named the Iveco Stralis tractor unit ‘Geordie Hope’ as it arrived at the Cramlington site shortly before the first COVID-19 vaccine was approved for use in in the UK.

She said: “2020 was a very tough year for so many people, so we decided to christen the truck ‘Geordie Hope’ in anticipation of better times ahead.”

ONYX HEALTH CELEBRATES ITS 10TH ANNIVERSARY WITH FIVE NEW HIRES

Karen Winterhalter, Onyx Health

Healthcare marketing communications specialists Onyx Health have strengthened their growing team with five new appointments, as part of double-digit growth plans for the agency over the coming year.

The agency has grown across all parts of the business in the past year, increasing its fees incomes and winning multiple new clients. determined we were going to thrive and not just survive, and we’ve done exactly that. Our new appointments will be crucial to driving forward the agency’s continued growth and expansion in 2021 and strengthening our integrated multi-service offer to clients.

“Our whole ethos as a business is about growing in line with our clients. The sky’s the limit as far as our future growth is concerned and we’re going to make 2021 a year to remember”.