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Burton & District: New president welcomed
Contact:
Chris Plant T: 0845 6036650
New president vows to help town recover
Shaun Gray is taking over as president of Burton Chamber at this month’s annual general meeting.
Mr Gray, who is European managing director of Chinese-owned manufacturer Ginho, is taking the reins from Nik Hardy of Hardy Signs at the online AGM on 18 May.
Born and bred in Burton, Mr Gray says he is looking forward to helping the town get back on its feet after the devastation caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
He said: “I feel extremely proud to take up such a role within my local town. Burton is a town that I have grown up in and seen it change over a number of years.
“We should be very proud of the past and history of our town but we must also look to the future and engage with local, regional and international business to bring sustainable growth at all levels and sectors within our town and region.
“With the continued unlocking of the economy from Covid restrictions it will be great to local business and the town centre gradually and safely coming back life.”
Mr Gray began his career as an apprentice engineer with the William Cook Group and has worked for a number of businesses in metal industries throughout the world.
He said: “I have worked for some the metal industries largest companies globally, working in various roles both in a technical capacity, commercial, senior management and directorships.”
Today, he is based back in Burton, as European head of Ginho, which is a specialist manufacturer of precision castings, components and assemblies.
The company was founded in 2003 as Gaomi Yonghe Precision Casting Ltd, and in 2014 Ginho Europe Precision Manufacturing was established in the UK. German and US based divisions have since followed.
Mr Gray said: “With both European divisions, I have the responsibility to manage for the main board the full profit and loss, employees and legal affairs.
“I also have a more strategic overview of European sales, company growth and also group expansion and key acquisitions within Europe.
“I enjoy international travel and the understanding of different cultures in relation to doing business on a global scale.”
Ginho’s European business has been consistently growing at more 20 per cent each year and has a long term order book in excess of €100m. Chris Plant said: “He is going to become an international trade champion at Burton College, where he studied, and he’ll fulfil that role for us as well. “He is vastly experienced in international trade and I am looking forward to working with him and focusing on helping our members become aware of the international trade opportunities that are on the horizon. “He is the European managing director of a global business that employs 1,200 staff in China, and this will hopefully lead to some great links between Burton and the Far East. “Shaun’s business is also one of the largest in Burton and I am looking forward to working with this true Burtonian. “I would also like to say a personal ‘thank you’ to Nik Hardy, both personally and professionally. He has represented us at numerous business events during his time as president, and I view him as a great president and a good friend.”
Shaun Gray: Burton born and bred On the move?: Burton Library
Locals invited to have their say on library move
Burton residents will be able to have their say on outline proposals to move and improve the town’s library at a series of public engagement events this summer, ahead of a final decision on its future next year.
The library proposal is one of seven connected projects that are part of a plan to revitalise the town centre.
They make up the Burton Town Investment Plan, which was awarded £22.8m from the government’s Towns Fund in the spring Budget.
Local councillors say this is a ‘once in a generation opportunity’ to transform Burton’s library service using ringfenced central government funding, rather than money from local taxpayers.
Under the plan, the library would be moved to the historic Market Hall. Burton Library is one of Staffordshire’s busiest libraries, and its relocation would allow the addition of new facilities that would see increased visitor numbers and support the regeneration the Market Place area.
In addition to the library, the Market Hall building would house a range of community services, including enterprise space for small businesses, exhibition and flexible performance space, meeting rooms, and a cafe.
The total cost of this would be £7.3m and would include a new roof, heating and lighting systems, extension of the balcony area to create office space and a ground floor extension to create meeting rooms.
Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet member for communities and culture Victoria Wilson said: “At present, no decision has been made to relocate the library.
“We do have an exciting proposal on the table which could see Burton having a library to rival the quality of the new Lichfield library, where visitor numbers doubled after its relocation from its previous site but whether this will happen or not is yet to be decided.”
Lichfield Library was relocated in 2018 from The Friary into the former St Mary’s church on the Market Square.
During its first year of operation the relocated library saw a 97 per cent increase in footfall, 85 per cent increase in new membership and a 19 per cent increase in stock issues.
