Contact Magazine June- July by North East Chamber of Commerce

North East England Chamber of Commerce: Together we grow stronger

JUNE -JULY 2016

www.neechamber.co.uk

FOCUS

NEW LOOK

Introducing North East England Chamber of Commerce INSIGHT: MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING

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BUSINESS

CONFERENCE MEETINGS DINNERS EXHIBITIONS

EVENTS

CELEBRATIONS CONCERTS WEDDINGS PARTIES OUTDOOR

HOTEL

ACCOMMODATION RESTAURANT MEETING ROOMS PACKAGES 4744

Welcome...

These are very exciting times for our Chamber and the North East in general and this magazine offers a summary of some fantastic developments and profiles some fascinating, innovative entrepreneurs. As you will see on the cover, the Chamber has launched a new identity to spearhead an ambitious drive to grow its membership base. Our new brand, the North East England Chamber of Commerce, perfectly symbolises our efforts to work even more closely with North East businesses to improve prosperity in the region.

Chamber president Mike Matthews MBE on the new Chamber brand, award winners and the issues affecting us all

There is no better example of our on-going success than the North East Business Awards, and this year’s ceremony at Hardwick Hall in Sedgefield was a wonderful showcase of our members’ achievements. Numerous wonderful businesses were showcased at this great evening and shown to be outstanding in their fields. I was delighted to accept the Company of the Year award on behalf of the team at Nifco UK and I congratulate all the other winners. Let’s hope the firms going to London to the national British Chambers of Commerce Awards come back with top honours, like last year, when Hodgson Sayers won Business of the Year. The availability of people with the right skills for our businesses is of utmost importance to us all, and the Government’s Apprenticeship Levy is a new initiative to ring fence funding for this area. Unfortunately, there remain more questions than answers around this issue, but as a Chamber we will continue to lobby to get greater clarity on the initiative. The key details for employers are highlighted in this issue. Finally, I know you may be sick to death of the EU Referendum madness which has occupied so much media time over the past months, but I urge you to vote and let us reach a conclusion by a deliberate decision. Mike Matthews MBE, Chamber President

EDITOR Jane Pikett jane@offstonepublishing.co.uk EDITORIAL TEAM Dean Bailey Liz Hands Elise Rana Hopper Owen McAteer Paul Robertson Rosie Waller Contact is the magazine for North East England Chamber members. News and press releases should be sent to submissions@neechamber.co.uk ADVERTISING Contact our commercial team tel 01661 844 115 or email sales@offstonepublishing.co.uk PHOTOGRAPHY Kevin Gibson www.kgphotography.co.uk Nicky Rogerson www.nrphotography.co.uk Peter Skelton www.photo-psp.co.uk

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Julian Blades

Angie Jenkison

Geoff Ford

“I love shops, but they’ve got to be an experience. The advantage of being independent is in cherry-picking the best pieces from every collection and tailoring them to the audience.”

“It’s incredible, being back in the North East running such an incredible charity. When I asked myself ‘what now?’ I couldn’t be happier that the Graham Wylie Foundation was the answer.”

“We have practised diversity through opportunity, and because we’re an independent, family-owned SME, we’ve been able to take advantage of opportunities as they’ve arisen.”

Jules B

Graham Wylie Foundation

Ford Engineering Group

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Join us for the North East’s most prestigious business dinners in 2016 TEES VALLEY ANNUAL DINNER 2016 Thursday 29 September 2016; 18:00-00:00 Jury’s Inn Middlesbrough Headline sponsor:

Drinks Reception Sponsor:

£800.00 per table of ten, or £80.00 per ticket (plus VAT).

NORTHUMBRIA & DURHAM ANNUAL DINNER 2016 Thursday 3 November 2016; 18:00-00:00 Civic Centre, Newcastle-upon-Tyne Headline sponsors:

£1000.00 per table of ten or £100.00 per ticket (plus VAT).

To book to your place please email events@neechamber.co.uk or visit www.neechamber.co.uk/events

Contents

Plus 08 INBOX News and views from the world of business

21 STAR LINE-UP

Graham Wylie Foundation’s Run, Rock n Raise

26 BEST IN THE REGION

North East Business Awards

44 SKILLS

Training and skills news

46 EXPORT

Features 06 DRIVING SEAT

With NE1 Ltd’s Stephen Patterson

09 IN MY VIEW

With the Chamber’s James Ramsbotham

28 NEW LOOK Above: Angie Jenkinson and Sunshine

Introducing North East England Chamber of Commerce

Inside the global marketplace

51 SPECIAL FOCUS

Manufacturing and engineering

59 DOUBLE TAKE Food glorious food

60 EVENTS

Connecting with members

64 MEMBER OFFERS

Exclusive to Chamber members

30 POLICY

The Apprenticeship Levy

32 NO, CHEF

Exploring the issues around skilled, non-EU migration

34 FUTUREPROOFING

Esh Group training for the future

36 BAND AID

We meet Graham Wylie Foundation CEO Angie Jenkinson

40 HE WEARS IT WELL Jules B’s Julian Blades

48 OUT TO LUNCH

40 48

Clockwise from above: Andy Radcliffe, Julian Blades, Geoff Ford

With Geoff Ford MBE

66 LAST WORD With Jane Pikett

JUNE - JULY 2016 / CONTACT / www.neechamber.co.uk / 5

DRIVING SEAT

Get your motor running Stephen Patterson, director of communications at NE1 Ltd, shares his love of cars and the experience of driving the new BMW i8 with Dean Bailey

hen it comes to the perfect job for a petrol head, organising a city centre car show with hundreds of rare and exotic vehicles ticks all the right boxes. For Stephen Patterson, director of communications at Newcastle Business Improvement District company NE1 Ltd, the chance to put together the NE1 Newcastle Motor Show is an opportunity to work with world-leading brands and get to grips with some of the world’s most advanced supercars – including the BMW i8 electric supercar, which he drove as part of BMWi Week at Lloyd BMW Newcastle. Q What was your first car? A 1971 VW Campervan. It was a very cool car for a 17-year-old lad growing up in the countryside, and with no public transport available it meant I could go out for the evening and then sleep in the van before coming back the next morning. Q What are you driving at the moment? My current car is terrible! It’s a one-litre Peugeot 206 and it’s the family workhorse – great for moving kids around and taking rubbish to the tip but not quite my dream car. I’ve had some nice cars along the way, including an Alfa Romeo 145 Cloverleaf and a Peugeot 205 GTi with an engine transplant, which was very quick. Thinking about those now, every mile I drive makes me a little more sad. Q What’s your dream car? I’d still need the back seats for the kids, but I’d also like something I could have a bit

of fun in when I have a free afternoon. With those in mind, I’d go for an Audi RS3 or RS4 – that seems a fair compromise. Q What’s it like getting to organise a motor show? It’s a fantastic event to work on. Cars are a really emotive topic and to indulge my passion for cars, whether they’re one-off museum pieces, classic sports cars or the latest supercars from our partners makes coming to work in the morning very easy – even in my 206. To set those against the beautiful architecture of our city, particularly Grey Street, is a real privilege and I can’t wait to see the city’s streets packed with cars and petrol heads again come July 9-10. Q What’s coming up at this year’s NE1 Newcastle Motor Show? Last year saw 100,000 people head to Grey Street to see the cars and be part of the experience. This year we’re expanding into High Bridge, up to Grey’s Monument, into Northumberland Street and into the Bigg Market, and working with more of the industry’s biggest names. We’ll also be showing the Formula One British Grand Prix over the weekend and we have lots planned for the whole family. Q What was it like getting behind the wheel of the BMW i8? I was impressed by the i8 as soon as I picked the car up. It looks stunning and things only get better once you get behind the wheel. The technology is some of the best I’ve experienced, while the handling and power from the hybrid-electric engine

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is unbelievable, as is the sound - silent when you’re cruising and awe-inspiring when you put your foot down. The highlight has to be pulling up on Grey Street with people wondering which football team I played for! Q Where is your favourite drive? I would head over to Haydon Bridge and then down into Cumbria and over Hartside Pass. The roads there are amazing to drive on and the scenery is stunning. Q What has been your best driving experience? Taking my Alfa Romeo around the rally circuit at Kielder was incredible, though it did kill one of my favourite cars. And although I was a passenger, travelling from Amsterdam to Munich for Oktoberfest was a trip I’ll never forget.

The BMW i8 A revolutionary sportscar, the BMW i8 plug-in hybrid offers supercar performance with ground-breaking hybrid technology. With a 0-62mph time of 4.4 seconds, the i8’s petrol-electric engine, stunning looks and world-leading technology make for the ultimate driving machine. The BMW i8 we test drove was supplied by Lloyd BMW Newcastle.

“It looks stunning and things only get better once you get behind the wheel”

The NE1 Newcastle Motor Show 2015

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INBOX

inbox...

Have you got something to say about Contact magazine or about business in general? Then this page is the place. Send your views, comment and gossip to submissions@neechamber.co.uk

Tweet Tweet! Here’s our pick of recent events across the region on Twitter

Newcastle High School for Girls pupils

The AV Dawson cyclists in Saltburn at the end of their coast-to-coast bike ride in aid of local groups supporting those with Alzheimer’s Disease.

PROFITABLE PLAN

PEDAL POWER RAISES POUNDS

Girls in the world’s poorest countries will be helped to go to school safely thanks to a donation of £7,000 made to one of the world’s leading children’s charities, Plan UK, by Newcastle High School for Girls. The money was raised by all 1,100 girls, aged three-18, teachers, and a group of young philanthropic entrepreneurs. The whole school took part in a 10km sponsored walk to Gateshead Millennium Bridge and back, the distance many girls in developing countries walk to get water before they can consider going to school.

A team of staff from Teesside firm AV Dawson are nursing sore limbs after completing a coast-to-coast bike ride to raise £4,500 in the fight against Alzheimer’s Disease. And the 15-strong group wore their hearts on their sleeves by donning the “Save Our Steel” campaign logo along their arms throughout the 150-mile, three-day journey. As patrons of Middlesbrough and Teesside Philanthropic Foundation, the AV Dawson cyclists will be donating

the cash they raised to the charitable movement, who will forward it to local Alzheimer’srelated community groups. Led by managing director Gary Dawson, all the group are AV Dawson staff, apart from Steve Hill, who works at Tata Steel’s Skinningrove plant. The rest of the group was made up of Craig Lloyd, Neil Oliver, Lewis Simpson, Dave Fry, Jon Lambert, Russell Spink, Lee Vaughan, Andy Humphreys, Chris Donovan, Stuart Nelson, Paul Wilson, Aiden Morgan and Craig Rowley.

Brian Keers, head of catering development at Carillion

HEY, LITTLE HEN PICTURE THIS

Artist Bobzilla has brought his distinctive style to Teesside University, painting two wall murals to brighten up a newly revamped catering area. Bobzilla has painted all over Middlesbrough and his distinctive style - using birds and trainers to symbolise freedom and youth - is instantly recognisable for many. Now the artist, real name Robert Page, has completed two paintings in the café in the Brittan Building.

Food & More, a Carillion company which caters to more than 200 schools across the UK, including six in the region, has been awarded a Good Egg Award by Compassion in World Farming. The Good Egg Award celebrates organisations that source only cage-free eggs. Brian Keers, of Carillion says: “We have invested to improve the quality of our meals, and we are passionate about where our ingredients come from. Above all, we want to ensure that our food is tasty, healthy, and ethically sourced.”

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THE ROAD TO RIO

Stockton-based law firm Endeavour Partnership is sponsoring Middlesbrough swimmer Aimee Willmott as she prepares for this summer’s Olympic Games in Brazil. Endeavour Partnership is providing Aimee with sponsorship to help with her training programme in London in the run-up to the Olympic Games. Managing partner Paul Bury says: “Aimee is a real inspiration as she heads for her second Olympic Games. We’re really proud to be able to support her in her quest.”

Port of Blyth (‫@ ‏‬PortofBlyth): Some careful unloading taking place! Wind turbine blades coming ashore. #windturbines #portofblyth Richard Swart (@richswart): Excellent London session with top @SouthAfrica leader ANC Treasurer Gen Dr Zweli Mkhize on stronger UK-SA relations Port of Tyne (@Port_of_Tyne): Port of Tyne and @DurhamCricket are in top gear for the Royal London One-Day Cup Esh Group (@esh_group): @Andy Thomson1984 from @NewcastleEagle has come along to lend a helping hand at Building My Skills event Medllaaf (@Hugopegcalf): @rileysfishshack was definitely #TreatWednesday with lunch at Quayside Seaside @NewcastleNE1 pretty fab view! Northumbrian Water (@ NorthumbrianH2O): Thanks @NEChamber for this on our yellow fish in Cramlington w/ @EnvAgencyYNE

IN MY VIEW

@neechamberJames

In my view

Chamber chief executive James Ramsbotham on the new North East England Chamber of Commerce brand and the issues affecting us all

e have, quite rightly, devoted significant time to celebrating our proud 200-year history over the past 12 months and now we are focused on delivering an ambitious future for our members and the North East. Our brand has served us well since 2000, but we increasingly felt we wanted a new corporate vision for the future. Our new identity is a symbol of our core message - together we grow stronger. You can read more about its creation and the thinking behind it in this issue. Another pending change for the Chamber is the transfer of our training business to Middlesbrough College. Our members consistently cite skills as a major challenge, and since the creation of a regional Chamber of Commerce in 1995, our training business has been an important part of the organisation. However, due to changes in

the training market and forthcoming funding reforms, we do not believe the Chamber is able to provide the level of focus and investment necessary to adapt to these changes without diverting attention from our core membership services. In Middlesbrough College, we are confident we have identified a buyer which will provide the infrastructure and support needed. We maintain our ambition of realising a Working North East in which all young people have the opportunity to progress into meaningful employment and training opportunities and in which businesses can access the talent and support to enable future growth. This ambition is a crucial aspect of our campaigning activity. We all know that there are outstanding companies in our region providing these opportunities and I was delighted that so many were highlighted at the North East Business Awards at Hardwick Hall. Huge congratulations to our president, Mike Matthews, MD of Nifco UK, which picked up the Award for Company of the Year. Congratulations to all the Chamber members who were winners, some of whom will go on to represent the region at the national Chamber Award Finals in London this autumn. We wish them the best of luck, and hopefully they will replicate the success of 2015, when North East companies triumphed spectacularly. The exporting tradition of our region is second to none and I always eagerly anticipate the North East Exporters’ Awards, which enable us to shine a spotlight on this key aspect of our business success. There are so many great examples of innovation and global entrepreneurship waiting to be discovered and I encourage members to enter. It’s a fantastic shop window to inspire other members to see export business opportunities in action. This publication will be distributed on the day of our AGM, an important point in

the calendar which gives us the opportunity to take stock of our many achievements during our bicentenary year in 2015, such as the memorable Durham Cathedral 200th Anniversary Celebration and visits by key influencers including Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills Sajid Javid. We have made substantial progress against our targets for the year, particularly across membership and international trade services. We welcome members who have joined within the last 12 months and commit to delivering even more in the year ahead. The last EU survey of our members before the referendum showed the majority were in favour of remaining in Europe. I am looking forward to the result so we can encourage the Government to re-focus on business rather than the distraction of campaigning. Politics on a regional level have also been at the forefront of our members’ minds, notably the recent devolution deals by the Tees Valley and North East Combined Authorities. Devolution offers a unique opportunity to enable our business community to realise its aspirations. The deals will allow us to create the skills and infrastructure that our members so badly need to flourish into the future. We will be working with our elected representatives in the months ahead to ensure the business community can make a strong, positive contribution. Our international profile is an important part of our ability to reach new markets for the world-class products and services made here in the North East. Hosting our national football team against Australia at the Stadium of Light and England cricket against Sri Lanka at Durham County Cricket Club on the same weekend demonstrated the quality and the vibrancy of our region. I recently heard a saying which epitomises my thinking about the Chamber. “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together”. We aim to go far, because together we grow stronger.

JUNE - JULY 2016 / CONTACT / www.neechamber.co.uk / 9

NEWS

Newcastle Building Society customers Richard Errington, 92, and Emily Evans, aged one

THE BIGGER SOCIETY Newcastle Building Society has launched two new Advice Centres in Newcastle city centre as part of a £10m investment programme across the business. The centres, in New Bridge Street and Northumberland Street, will provide accessible face-to-face financial advice alongside branch services. VIPs celebrating the official launch at Portland House included Emily Evans, aged one, who has a savings account opened by her grandmother, and Richard Errington, 92, who took his first mortgage with the Society and has subsequently opened accounts for his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

NEWS STAMP OF APPROVAL

The Chamber has space available for tenants within its Grade II-listed offices at the Stamp Exchange on Westgate Road, near Newcastle Central Station. The property, built between 1871 and 1974, was substantially remodelled between 1999-2001 to create a modern office environment, while retaining period and character features. The office’s central location provides excellent transport links and a number of spaces are available ranging from 1,107sqft to 6,011sqft.

GOING VIRAL A pioneering biotechnology firm, which is developing a potent drug to target a common virus, is expanding into the North East. London-based ReViral has almost reached the clinical trials stage of its drug, which will combat Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), which infects the lungs and can cause bronchiolitis and pneumonia. Durham University lecturer Dr Stuart Cockerill and his former colleagues at Arrow Therapeutics

combined their expertise in virology and antiviral therapies to set up ReViral in 2011 and it has now opened a research facility at North East Technology Park (NETPark) in Sedgefield, Co Durham where it will create five jobs. ReViral also has the potential to develop projects against other viruses including Hepatitis B and mosquito-borne Zika. Dr Cockerill says: “It’s very exciting to be here. Treatment for RSV represents a very important multi-billion dollar market.”

HOT PROPERTY Newcastle-based law firm Mincoffs has advised Newcastle-based Lugano Group in its acquisition of Onyx House, a 13,126sqft office building on Portrack Interchange Business Park in Stockton. Lugano is one of the largest investment and development businesses in the North East, with a land and property portfolio in excess of £120m including Kensington House Aparthotel and the former Gresham Hotel in Jesmond, Newcastle, properties on High Bridge and Gallowgate in Newcastle city centre, Moongate House on Team Valley, Gateshead, and the 2,500 acre Dissington Estate in Northumberland. Chairman Richard Robson says: “This is a significant addition to our commercial portfolio. Mincoffs played a critical role in advising and supporting us on this deal and

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they are an important and valued partner in delivering many of our projects.” Mincoffs has also advised on a multi-million pound deal for North East-based hotel group Ailantus to acquire the Mercure Manchester Norton Grange Hotel and Spa in Rochdale.

Dr Stuart Cockerill

NEWS AWARDWINNING FUN intu Metrocentre, Gateshead has won the Strategic Marketing Campaign category at the British Council of Shopping Centres’ Purple Apple Marketing awards after putting two children in charge of fun. The centre made national headlines last year when it recruited nine-year-old Mac Toal as head of fun and seven-year-old Myah Rose Wilson as deputy head of fun. They road tested children’s toys, events and activities at the centre, boosting its Kids’ Club membership and raising its profile. Their year-long term of office has now ended and they have been replaced by nine-year-old Esther Bennett and Logan Jackson Luke, six. Judges described the Head of Fun initiative as “a simple concept that clearly generated lots of impact at intu Metrocentre – it was well executed and successful in engaging with the target audience.”

TEAM PERFORMANCE SECURES VENUE

l-r Samuel Phillips solicitor Chris Morgan, Theatre Royal Trust chair of governors Bill Midgely, Samuel Phillips associate Angela Carver, Theatre Royal chief exec Philip Bernays, and Samuel Philips partner Chris Anderson at the City Hall

The future of Newcastle City Hall has been secured thanks to the efforts of The Theatre Royal and its law firm, Samuel Phillips. Newcastle City Council has granted a lease for the City Hall and City Pool to Fusion Lifestyle Ltd, which will sub-lease the concert venue to the Theatre Royal Trust. A proposal put forward by Newcastle Theatre Royal Trust to operate the City Hall resulted in lengthy, complex negotiations

with the council and Fusion Lifestyle, resulting in a transfer of the business to the Newcastle Theatre Royal Trust, which will continue to run it as a concert and entertainment venue. Chris Anderson, head of the Commercial and Property team at Samuel Phillips, says: “It has been great working with the theatre to conclude the takeover of the City Hall and allow one of the city’s most loved cultural venues to continue.”

intu Metrocentre’s new heads of fun Esther Bennett and Logan Jackson Luke

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NEWS

NEWS FESTIVAL BOOST EXPECTED TO BE £1.5M Hotels and leisure operators across South Tyneside are preparing for an influx of visitors as one of the region’s most popular events gets underway. The South Tyneside Festival, which attracted more than 120,000 visitors in 2015, returns to South Shields June-August. South Tyneside Council predicts that the festival will contribute more than £1.5m to the regional economy, with free live music and entertainment drawing in visitors from across the UK to see free performances by artists such as Alexandra Burke, Tony Hadley, The Proclaimers and UB40.

Business Support and Funding Available You could be eligible for funding for one of the Tees Valley Business Support Schemes.

Don’t delay, act now! For more information call Part of the national network of Business Growth Hubs. Tees Valley Combined Authority is a Tees Valley Business Compass Partner

12 / www.neechamber.co.uk / CONTACT / JUNE - JULY 2016

01642 939386 or visit www.teesbusinesscompass.co.uk

NEWS

BOWLED OVER Scottish cricket star Kyle Coetzer has joined Gateshead College Cricket Academy, giving future sporting stars the chance to work with a worldclass coach. Coetzer, a former coach of the Scottish ladies and under-19 teams, brings more than a decade of international experience to the academy, which is run in partnership with Durham Cricket Board at Gateshead College’s Academy for Sport. The former Durham and Northamptonshire player was part of the Scotland cricket team which beat Hong Kong in the World

Twenty20 championships this year and joins the college as assistant cricket coach alongside head coach Mick Armstrong. He says: “This is a perfect opportunity for me to pass on my skills to the next generation of professional cricketers. I’m impressed by the dedication and talent of the students and I look forward to seeing their careers progress.” Gateshead College’s Academy for Sport is home to nine academies in athletics, boxing, basketball, golf, men’s football, women’s football, netball, rugby league and rugby union.

Newcastle International Airport business development director John Irving, United Airlines’ MD sales UK and Ireland Bob Schumacher, Coun Iain Malcolm, lead of the LA7 shareholders, and Nick Jones, interim chief executive at Newcastle International Airport

BACK TO THE BIG APPLE

United Airlines has recommenced its service between Newcastle and its New York hub, Newark Liberty International Airport. The seasonal service will operate until September 6, departing every day except Wednesdays at 9.10am, arriving at New York/Newark at 11.55am. United MD sales UK and Ireland Bob Schumacher says: “Our flights not only offer fast, convenient access to NYC, but our Newark Liberty hub provides easy connections to hundreds of other destinations throughout the Americas.” Airport interim chief exec Nick Jones says: “We worked extremely hard to ensure the route was a success in its first year and to secure a second year of operation.”

NEWS NEW HOMES

TAKE ME TO THE RIVER

orth East-based leisure trust Tees Active has launched a new attraction at Tees Barrage, offering a range of water-based activities for thrill-seekers. Tees Active worked alongside Stocktonon-Tees Borough Council to deliver the £1m Air Trail alongside the £4.6m regenerated water sports facility at the Tees Barrage. Air Trail Tees Barrage is 18 metres tall and offers 38 different challenges set over four levels, including a high ropes course which is

the tallest of its kind in Europe, enhancing the teambuilding and corporate hospitality aspect of the business and adding to the existing range of activities which includes whitewater rafting and power boating. Centre manager Chris Walker says: “The addition of Air Trail has helped to make the site an adventure destination and is attracting businesses from across the region. We’re seeing an increase in bookings from organisations which see the benefits of outdoor activity for their workforce.”

Plans to develop 529 family homes at Kenton Bank Foot have been submitted to Newcastle City Council by Taylor Wimpey, supported by Newcastle-based planning and design consultancy Barton Willmore. Barton Willmore submitted a hybrid planning application to Newcastle City Council on behalf of Taylor Wimpey, which proposes a first phase of 90 family homes at the site off Ponteland Road and Brunton Road.

JUNE - JULY 2016 / CONTACT / www.neechamber.co.uk / 13

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NEWS

PARTNERS UPDATE

With Jennifer Rycroft, Chamber partnerships manager Our Partners Members, selected for their size or influence, represent a range of sectors and are part of an exclusive group working closely with us to shape what we do. In an eventful couple of months, two Partner Members reached the final of the North East Business Awards, with Connection Retail Ltd, trading as Franks The Flooring Store, winning Let’s Grow and the Digital & Social Media awards and Nifco UK taking Company of the Year. SAFC opened the new Hilton Garden Inn Hotel and hosted England’s UEFA Euro 2016 friendly against Australia; Durham County Cricket Club hosted the second Investec Test match between England and Sri Lanka at Emirates Riverside; and Newcastle International Airport resumed its non-stop service between Newcastle and New York and launched its new bmi

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regional flight to Stavanger. We are now well under way with our Housing Project led by Partner Member Thirteen Group and have begun working with Partner Esh Group as it launches the award-winning Building My Skills programme, now in its sixth year. Last month leading business software and service provider Sage UK joined us as a Partner Member and we welcomed David Brown, CEO of Transport for the North, to our May Partner Lunch hosted by Partner Member Newcastle International Airport. David spoke about his ambitions for TfN and there was a lively discussion with members around local developments and funding. We are also continuing work on our Great Reasons to Build a Career in the North East campaign in association with Nifco UK. Website: www.neechamber. co.uk/about/partners Email: Jennifer.Rycroft@ neechamber.co.uk Twitter: @neechamberjen

NEWS

I N A S S O C I AT I O N W I T H

With Eamonn Leavey Head of President’s Club

Turbines turn

anks Renewables, the renewable energy division of the Durham-headquartered Banks Group, is making a multi-million pound turbine investment as part of its construction of three new onshore wind farms. The family-owned firm has signed a deal with global wind turbine manufacturer Senvion for the supply and installation of 47 turbines for three onshore wind farm projects with a total generating capacity of 151 megawatts (MW). A total of 41 turbines will be provided for two Scottish sites by April 2018 - 26 at the Kype Muir Wind Farm and 15 at the Middle Muir Wind Farm, both in

South Lanarkshire. A further six turbines will be used at the Moor House Wind Farm to the north east of Darlington, which is expected to be operational before the end of 2017. The Moor House scheme will offer local businesses the opportunity to tender for contracts worth up to £4.5m in areas including construction, security, accommodation and catering. Construction is scheduled to begin by December. A community benefits fund will be created from revenues generated by the wind farm, offering £375,000 of funding over the 25-year lifetime of the scheme for local community groups, environmental and voluntary projects.

Our forthcoming President’s Club lunch at Auckland Castle will welcome Jonathan Ruffer as our keynote speaker. Jonathan is behind ‘Kynren – an epic tale of England’ taking a nightly audience of around 8,000 people on a spellbinding journey through British history which will be held this summer at Auckland Castle. My congratulations to Mike Matthews and the team at Nifco UK, which took the top prize of North East Company of the Year at the recent North East Business Awards final. Congratulations also to another Chamber President’s Club winner, International Centre for Life, which took the Not-for-Profit Organisation of the Year award. Siemens (South Tyneside) was awarded the Manufacturing Award and AV Dawson was awarded the Services Award. It was great to catch up with the team at Siglion and see the plans for the regeneration of the five sites in Sunderland, which starts this summer. Brewin Dolphin, which is one of the leading wealth management firms in the UK, is offering President’s Club members a free, no-obligation financial planning review with one of their experts. For more information, please contact John Duns at Brewin Dolphin in Newcastle.

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NEWS

ADVERTORIAL

UPSKILLING THE NEXT GENERATION OF ENGINEERS AND MANUFACTURERS

Luke Fenwick, a student from The Link School in Sunderland with Rob Dodds, Apprentice Coordinator at Unipres

s one of the North East LEP’s Enterprise Advisers, I’m working with the Link School in the Sunderland area to make teachers and students more aware of engineering and manufacturing career opportunities, and to help boost the skills base. Enterprise Advisers provide a link between education and business, working strategically together to address key areas of careers programmes focusing on engagement with employers and experience in the workplace. Enterprise Advisers can offer both their own and their companies’ support and that of the network of other Enterprise Advisers to address the needs of the school. The skills shortage in the North East region is pretty big, and Unipres, as a large employer, think it is important to give something back and so we educate students about the available careers in our field, to help them decide what they want to do in the future. The Link School in Pallion, previously had no interaction with employers now have students spending 30 hours at Unipres as part of the Industrial Cadets scheme. This is a structured programme of work related activities, presentations, talks, hands-on team tasks, workshops and project work. Students are timetabled in to do everything from maintenance to quality control and they give a presentation at the end. We are also working with the school to set up its engineering department again as it has a large and well-equipped but under-used department. I give careers talks at schools, taking apprentices along with me as they are best placed to answer questions from students abut engineering apprenticeships. It’s all about bridging the skills gap. If Unipres got just one person through the door at the end of it, we’d consider it a fantastic success. Rob Dodds, North East LEP Enterprise Adviser and apprentice coordinator at Sunderlandbased automotive parts manufacturer Unipres.

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Tristan Mander

PENSION QUESTION

oncerns raised by Ward Hadaway pensions lawyer Tristan Mander in written evidence to an influential Parliamentary committee may lead to new legislation on workplace pensions. The evidence on automatic enrolment to the House of Commons’ Work and Pensions Select Committee set out that employers may be liable for employees’ losses if they choose the wrong scheme, despite Government claims that employers cannot be made liable under automatic enrolment legislation.

The Work and Pensions Select Committee accepted the evidence that liability may arise under common law. As a result, the Committee has recommended that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) makes “a clear and comprehensive statement about an employer’s potential liability” in choosing workplace pension schemes. Such a statement would have to be backed up with the creation of a ‘safe harbour’ for employers selecting schemes from an approved list, which will require legislation.

Open the Lidl Work has started on a new 23,000sqft Lidl supermarket on Yarm Road in Stockton, which will create 40 new jobs on part of a 4.5 acre gateway development for the town. The new supermarket will anchor a retail and leisure development on the site, with

a deal with a national coffee shop chain for a store and drive-through facility close to being signed, and enquiries for the remaining land for a pub, hotel and car dealership, says Teessidebased property consultancy Dodds Brown.

A Daimler double decker bus in Gateshead, 1914

NEWS SITTING COMFORTABLY

On the buses

o North East is helping Beamish Museum to build a 1950s Northern General bus depot as part of the museum’s £17m 1950s project. Go North East, one of the museum’s Business Friends, has made a donation towards the new depot, which will bear the firm’s original company name, Northern, 03/06/2016 which Go NECC_Advert_Updated.pdf North East still uses as a1brand on

some of its buses. The depot’s trolleybuses and buses will transport visitors to planned new attractions including 1950s housing, shops and a cinema. Paul Jarman, Beamish’s assistant director Transport & Industry, says: “The depot will enable the collection of vehicles to be brought together in one place for the first time and enable a variety of local and 15:36:41 buses to carry passengers.” historical

Furniture manufacturer Godfrey Syrett has announced sales growth of 22% for Q1, 2016 The firm, the largest office furniture manufacturer in the region, secured sales of £6.6m and growth across all sectors in Q1. Group sales director David Hall says: “Business has increased across the private and public sectors. We have been traditionally strong in the public sector but now we are increasingly supplying corporate businesses within the commercial market.” The company has two manufacturing sites at Killingworth in Newcastle and in Durham.

CMY

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NEWS

NEWS ARC AFLOAT WITH NEW SERVICE Wealth management firm Arc Wealth Ltd has launched a business consultancy service for medical professionals in the North East. Arc Wealth, which offers wealth management and financial planning to private and corporate clients, is now offering additional business services to NHS professionals and private consultants. The addition of business development managers Mark Tootill and John Duthie, who have previously worked for Wesleyan, strengthen the team within the marketplace. They will be offering practice-led financial planning workshops and CPD events to NHS trusts, local medical committees and GP practices.

Inn tribute

isitors from around the world are being offered a unique insight into Sunderland’s industrial heritage at the new Hilton Garden Inn next to Sunderland’s Stadium of Light. Many of the hotel’s suites are named after prominent shipyards, ships, shipbuilders and collieries, while the main

meeting room is named for Wearside’s famed Laing shipyard, which traded for more than 300 years. The Karbon Grill Kitchen and Bar was named to reflect the area’s coal mining history, and the hotel also commissioned artwork from the National Glass Centre as a tribute to the city’s glass manufacturing expertise.

Newcastle Conference and Events

The Skylight Suite, located on the entire top ﬂoor of The

Newcastle. Our penthouse conference suite with its

Beacon is one of Newcastle’s premier conference facilities.

panoramic views, natural light and outdoor balconies is the

If you’re looking for an impressive conference centre, with

perfect space to impress your clients. This light, modern

free parking, fantastic on-site catering facilities and a ﬁrst

space provides a bright and productive atmosphere for

class events team, there is nowhere better than Skylight

your conference, meeting or training session.

EMAIL:

Events@thebeaconnewcastle.co.uk

18 / www.neechamber.co.uk / CONTACT / JUNE - JULY 2016

TEL:

0191 242 4894

CONTACT YOUR CHAMBER RELATIONSHIP MANAGER TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR MEMBERSHIP Essentials Portfolio Julie Digman tel 07912 478 964 julie.digman@ neechamber.co.uk Twitter @neechamberjuliedig Teesside Tom Warnock tel 07714 845 617 tom.warnock@ neechamber.co.uk Twitter @neechamberTom Darlington and West Durham Susan Anderson tel 07736 799 727 susan.anderson @neechamber.co.uk Northumberland Joanne McLauchlin tel 07850 740 646 joanne.mclauchlin @neechamber.co.uk

Steve Cram, working in the field with COCO

Let there be light

orth East-based charities COCO and Gentoo Group’s Nuru Fund are combining their efforts under the COCO banner in order to maximise their work in remote regions of Africa. Founded in 2013 by Gentoo Group, the Nuru Fund project has provided more than 900 solar lamps to rural off grid communities in East Africa, replacing dangerous kerosene lamps. Through the existing arrangement with the Nuru Fund, 430 of these lamps have been delivered by COCO in a partnership that dates back three years. COCO’s Schools for Life initiative, which aims to develop self-sustaining schools and provide education to young

people will be one of the direct recipients of the solar energy made possible through the transfer of assets from the Nuru Fund. Being able to harness solar energy for these schools is vital in order to ensure they become self-sustaining and the initial focus of the ongoing work will be three schools in Tanzania and Kenya. COCO was co-founded by Steve Cram and Army Major Jim Panton in 2000. The charity focuses on small, sustainable, community-led initiatives that can make a big difference at a local level, and has raised and invested more than £3.5m since its foundation. COCO has now supported 50 transformational projects in 16 countries, positively impacting the lives of more than 150,000 people.

Medium Business Andrew Heavisides tel 07912 478 961 andrew.heavisides @neechamber.co.uk Twitter @neechamberAndrewh Newcastle/ Gateshead Lynsey Fairless tel 07834 444 627 lynsey.fairless@neechamber.co.uk Twitter @neechamberLynsey Sunderland/South Tyneside/Durham Arthur Hodgson tel 07980 259 991 arthur.hodgson@neechamber.co.uk Twitter @neechamberArthur International Les Dixon tel 07850 740 645 les.dixon @neechamber.co.uk Twitter @neechamberLes

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NEWS

NEWS BOUND FOR AUTOMECHANIKA North East companies will attend the first UK-based Automechanika automotive supply chain and aftermarket trade show, supported by the North East Automotive Alliance (NEAA). Automechanika Birmingham at the NEC will bring together aftermarket and supply chain businesses to celebrate and support the growing UK automotive industry. A delegation of six NEAA members including Briggs Equipment, The Expanded Metal Company, Hyperdrive Innovation, Paragon Rapid Technologies, Motorclips Direct and Institute for Automotive and Manufacturing Advanced Practice (AMAP) will attend.

l-r Jennings’ MD Nas Khan, senior aircrew paramedic Andy Mawson, aircrew doctors Philip O’Donnell and Jo Patterson, Jennings’ PA Bev Stephenson, and pilot Rory Cunningham at Durham Tees Valley Airport

Fundraising drive

ennings Motor Group has donated a car to the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) annual car raffle campaign. The motor dealer group, which operates

Kia, Ford, Mazda, SEAT and Mitsubishi dealerships across the region and a Harley-Davidson branch in West Yorkshire, has pledged its support to the charity for the duration of 2016, donating a new Kia Rio 1 model worth £10,345.

Raise your profile and support your Chamber The Chamber offers a range of opportunities to support it’s activities and events to suit any size of business. By sponsoring our programme of events you can not only raise your profile amongst our thousands of members but also demonstrate your support and investment in our region’s business community…

“Gateshead College is extremely proud to be working with the Chamber and its members. As event sponsors, we have been able to keep skills and training high on the agenda. Engaging with Chamber members enables us to extend our network for the benefit of our students and, ultimately, their future employers.” JUDITH DOYLE, PRINCIPAL & CEO

GATESHEAD COLLEGE

20 / www.neechamber.co.uk / CONTACT / JUNE - JULY 2016

Contact jennifer.rycroft@neechamber.co.uk to discuss what options we have available

The Kaiser Chiefs

NEWS NEWS

Chief executive Jon Twelves

JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED

Ant and Dec

Sunderland GP Alliance has expanded, taking on more than 30 employees and doubling its office space. The firm, which supports GPs, has moved from a 200sqft unit to a 480sqft space at North East Business and Innovation Centre (BIC) to fulfil new contract wins. Sunderland is one of a small number of areas taking the national lead on changing patient care. Alliance chief exec Jon Twelves says: “The company only began last year and I am delighted at how fast we have grown. Our aim is to improve services for patients and help the NHS become more sustainable.”

NEWS HAPPY HOLIDAY

STARS BACK WYLIE FOUNDATION

ig names from the worlds of music and entertainment will headline the first major fundraising event of the newly formed Graham Wylie Foundation - the inaugural Run, Rock n Raise concert in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust, Nordoff Robbins music therapy charity, and the Graham Wylie Foundation. Chart-toppers The Kaiser Chiefs, Lisbon and Kodaline have been confirmed to date for the event, supported by the Great Run Company, at Newcastle’s Metro Radio Arena on

the evening of the Great North Run on September 11. Further acts will be announced in the coming weeks, while celebrities supporting the initiative include Ant and Dec, Alan Shearer, and Who frontman Roger Daltrey. Foundation chief exec Angie Jenkison says: “This is a major coup for the region with some of the UK’s leading musicians and bands. It will also be our first major fundraising event for the foundation, which we hope to establish annually.” • See page 36 for more

Dawson & Sanderson travel agency is in the running for a brace of national industry awards. The firm, which has 21 branches across the North, has been shortlisted in the best large agency category in the prestigious Travel Weekly Agent Achievement Awards, while its campaign to scrap credit card fees for customers has been nominated for a special award at the ceremony in London in July. Dawson & Sanderson also recently won the apprenticeship category in the Tyneside and Northumberland heats of the North East Business Awards.

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ADVERTORIAL

NEWS

ROI IN MARKETING?

Veronica Swindale, Director.

OI does not stand for Return on Ignorance. Yet many people accuse marketers of not measuring the impact their campaigns have on the bottom line. These days there is no excuse for not calculating ROI. And this is not simply about quoting ‘opportunities to see’ or likes and follows on social media. It must relate to the contribution marketing has made to the business objectives. Today marketers have access to a wealth of information about their customers. Digital analytic tools reveal their habits, expectations and preferences on and ofﬂine. This means marketing can be much more focused, reaching the people who matter rather than a much wider ‘scattergun’ universe. So marketing managers should not be seduced by the big numbers. Just because you have thousands of follows for your Twitter feed or likes for your Facebook page, does not mean you are being effective. Today’s marketing manager needs to understand the business’s objectives and how marketing can help achieve them. Then he or she must be able to decide on the most effective way to implement their chosen strategy. We are finding that many organisations recognise the need to invest in training their marketing teams. Nearly three quarters of our students have their fees paid for by employers. Clearly senior management teams understand the importance of being able to trust whoever is managing the marketing - and that they are able to contribute to the bottom line. To find out more about the CIPR, CIM, DMI qualifications and other training please contact Veronica Swindale. www.nesma.co.uk veronica.swindale@nesma.co.uk

nesma, 19 Lansdowne Terrace, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne Tel: +44 (0)7590 018 205 Email: info@nesma.co.uk

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BESIDE THE SEASIDE Teesside-headquartered Barker and Stonehouse, the UK’s largest familyowned furniture retailer, is continuing its expansion into the South East with a new store for Brighton and Hove. An existing building in Old Shoreham Road, Hove, will be converted to create the company’s eleventh store, offering 35,000sqft across two floors and representing an investment of around £1m. Founded in Stockton-onTees in 1946, the firm

added to its established bases across the North with a showcase store in Battersea, London, in 2013, and work is underway on another in Guildford, Surrey. MD James Barker says: “Our plans to expand into the South East are really taking shape. The Brighton and Hove store will offer a range of products and the quirky touches that make shopping in Barker and Stonehouse an exciting customer experience.” The new store is set to open in spring 2017.

IN THE CANNES Technology Services Group (TSG) has won its sixth consecutive UK small business partner of the year award at a major IT security conference in Cannes. The annual EMEA Sophos Discover Partner Conference celebrates the successes of Sophos partners throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa and helps them to maximise business opportunities within the IT security marketplace. Newcastle-headquartered

TSG chief operating officer Steve Cox (centre) receiving the award with l-r TSG chief technology officer Paul Burns, Sophos regional vice principal James Vyvyan, Sophos national channel executive Michelle Harte, and Sophos UK channel director Jon Bartholomew

TSG won the award for its outstanding performance in the past year and its ongoing commitment to Sophos security.

James Barker at the firm’s store on Teesside Park, Stockton, which opened last year

NEWS STEPPING OUT Footwear retailer Charles Clinkard is stepping up its presence in the North East with a new flagship store at Teesside Shopping Park in Stockton. The new shop, which will create 20 jobs, will undergo a £300,000 refit ahead of its opening in July. This is the company’s first store at a retail park and Clinkard’s seventh store in the region. The company also recently opened a new £3m head office and warehouse at Cannon Park in Middlesbrough and renewed its lease on its Redcar store. MD Charles Clinkard says: “We’re very excited to be opening our new store at Teesside Shopping Park. It’s one of the busiest retail parks in the country and we believe it will be the start of an exciting new growth avenue for the business.” Clinkard was founded in Middlesbrough by Charles’ grandparents in 1924 and now employs more than 550 people in 33 stores.

DISNEY BRINGS ITS MAGIC Port of Tyne, which will welcome a record 40 cruises this year, welcomed the 294m-long Disney Magic to port, bringing with it more than 2,000 visitors who spent a day enjoying the region’s tourist spots. Crowds turned out to see the ship as it sailed in at daybreak on June 7, leaving at 5pm the same day. Port of Tyne’s cruise and ferry business added £50m to the regional economy last year. Nolan Gray, Port of Tyne business development director, says: “Many of the passengers spent the day at some of the North East’s great venues. Arrival and departure were smooth with our pilots supporting the

NEWS BUILDING BRIDGES

captain at the helm as the ship sailed into and out of the Tyne. Our quayside crews berthed the ship and assisted in preparations for departure.“

Sunderland’s Bridges shopping centre is celebrating the return of a popular retailer and the arrival of a new name. Plus size fashion brand Yours Clothing is reopening following a trial period in the centre last year, while health food chain Holland and Barrett is also joining the centre. Centre director Andy Bradley said he was delighted that two prestigious national retailers were taking up residence.

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NEWS

NEWS BANKING ON IT

l-r Jamie Macleod of Owen Pugh and Jesper Fabricius of BWSC

Handelsbanken has opened a new branch at The Watermark in Gateshead. The Gateshead team is led by Brian Foreman, who joins Handlesbanken after 28 years with Barclays, latterly as head of SME. Handelsbanken specialises in personalised banking services for businesses and individuals and all customer-related decisions will be taken locally in Gateshead, with each customer having direct access to a dedicated relationship manager. The team is also supported by specialists spanning invoice finance, trade finance, asset finance, cash management and wealth management, again all provided locally. Handelsbanken was founded 144 years ago in Sweden and now has more than 850 branches and more than 12,000 employees in 25 countries. Having first established a presence in the UK in 1982, today the bank manages a decentralised network of more than 200 branches across the country.

NEWS HALL THE ONE Rudby Hall, in Hutton Rudby near Stokesley, has received global recognition for its high standards. For the second year running, the family-run luxury hotel has been named one of TripAdvisor’s top-rated places to stay, gaining a Certificate of Excellence for its standards and service. The certificate celebrates hospitality businesses around the world that earn consistently good traveller reviews.

DOMINO EFFECT Teesside-based digital business Viral Effect is celebrating 100% year-on-year growth and a near-£1m turnover, thanks in large part to its association with Domino’s Pizza. The company, which employs 20 staff at Boho Four, Middlesbrough, handles digital engagement for 300 Dominos outlets, processing 18,000 inbound tweets a month. It also has a contract with Nandos in Delhi and works with major brands including CEX and Anytime Fitness gyms. MD James Pennington says: “A high proportion of sales are now online via mobile Viral Effect’s James Pennington with l-r Vicki Pratt, Roger phones and we are perfectly placed to help our Davis, Matthew Hammond, Marcus Briggs, Martin Doyle and clients fully exploit this through social media.” Sasha Todd Pennington started his career selling lollies at social media and data collection for local Domino’s secondary school and progressed to selling club pizza shops, and went on to form Viral Effect with tickets for commission as a student. He then set Mike Racz in 2012. up his first business, Compare the Club, providing

24 / www.neechamber.co.uk / CONTACT / JUNE - JULY 2016

NEWS

ALL FIRED UP Owen Pugh Group has secured a £3m contract to support the construction of a biomass combined heat and power plant (CHP) in Cramlington, Northumberland. It has been appointed by Danish principal contractor Burmeister & Wain Scandinavian Contractor A/S (BWSC) to undertake the bulk earthworks on the eight-hectare site, which will be home to the new Cramlington Power Plant. The work, which is expected to take 12 months, will include the construction of access roads, drainage, attenuation ponds and the installation

of services and ancillaries. The plant, owned by Cramlington Renewable Energy Developments, is expected to be up and running by the end of 2017. More than 30 Owen Pugh employees from Owen Pugh Civil Engineering are engaged in the project, alongside 15 managerial staff. Owen Pugh Civil Engineering site agent Jamie Macleod says: “We’ve enlisted specialists from across all areas of the Owen Pugh business including construction, earthworks and drainage to ensure we deliver on time and on budget.”

DEDICATED FOLLOWERS OF FASHION Lucy Brown’s collection © Toph McGrillis

Charlotte McMurchie and Russell Hall of Muckle, and Richard Mitchell, Isos

MUCKLE WINS ISOS CONTRACT Housing provider Isos has awarded a three-year contract for its anti-social behaviour legal services to Muckle LLP. Partners Russell Hall and Charlotte McMurchie will deliver services under the contract, which involves advising Isos on contentious housing management issues across its regional housing portfolio of around 17,000 homes. “We will be advising Isos on methods to curtail anti-social behaviour, working with them and members of the communities affected,” says Charlotte McMurchie.

NEWS FUND LAUNCHED

Three graduating students from Northumbria University’s internationally respected Fashion degree have showcased their collections at London Graduate Fashion Week. Lucy Brown, Dora Nachilima and Alexandra McMullan are all products of the university’s BA (Hons) Fashion degree and were all in the top 20 students on the course. The university’s director of fashion, Janine Hunt, says: “Our graduates have shown a

tremendous creative flair which has translated into impressive and striking collections. Graduate Fashion Week is a great opportunity for them to showcase their talent, create interesting relationships within the industry, and open new doors for their future careers.” Previous Northumbria Fashion degree alumni have joined international fashion houses including Burberry, DKNY, Lanvin, Paul Smith, Karen Millen, ASOS, and Zara.

A programme which aims to help businesses unlock innovation potential has been relaunched, building on the success of the first North East SME Innovation Programme which ran until August 2015. North East Business and Innovation Centre (BIC) has received £820,439 funding from the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. The Fund will assist businesses in the North East to become more innovative, increase their competitiveness and exploit more opportunities.

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NEWS

HOT NEWS Campus North, the North East’s tech community’s Newcastle city centre home, has been named the Best British Workplace 2016. Home to accelerator programme Ignite as well as offering hot-desking, coworking, offices, meetings and events space, Campus North is independent, funded entirely through its members and sponsorship, with no public funding or grants. The shortlisted spaces for the awards run by Adzuna were visited by independent judge Robin Klein. Adzuna highlighted the genuine sense of community on display at Campus North.

NEWS LOCAL HEROES Groundwork North East & Cumbria used Volunteer Week to highlight the important role that volunteers play in the region. Groundwork relies on volunteers to ensure the delivery of its range of social and environmental schemes, all of which aim to engage communities, private businesses and public sector partners to make sustainable change to their areas. The charity and its social enterprises has a network of 100 regular volunteers who collectively gave more than 100,000 hours of their time last year, equating to a pay roll in excess of £700,000 if paid minimum wage.

Award honours for region’s finest

t’s been a busy time since the finals of the North East Business Awards 2016, where 13 companies, nine of them Chamber members, took away top honours. Firms from the worlds of engineering, manufacturing, retailing and logistics were among the winners at Hardwick Hall, Co Durham, where 500 people gathered for the awards organised by the Journal, Evening Gazette and supported by North East England Chamber of Commerce. Car parts maker Nifco UK was named North East Company of the Year, following its announcement last year of the biggest single contract win in its history – £50m with Ford over five years. MD Mike Matthews said: “Events like this are testament to what we can do together in the North East,” he said after the final. “It was good to see strong recognition for engineering and manufacturing companies. I think the prowess of our engineering is the envy of the UK.” Chamber members Cundall, Sound Training,

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Connection Retailing, Labman Automation and AV Dawson will all be going on to represent the region at the British Chambers of Commerce Annual Awards in London this autumn, where last year Chamber member Hodgson Sayers won Company of the Year. THE WINNERS Company of the Year Award Nifco UK Small Businesses Award Sound Training UK Export Award Cundall Innovation Award Bollard Load Testing Ltd Digital & Social Award Connection Retail Ltd Newcomer of the Year Award Saving Energy North East Ltd Heart of the Community Award Vic Young (South Shields) Ltd Manufacturing Award Siemens Apprenticeships Award Labman Automation Ltd Services Award AV Dawson Lets Grow Award Connection Retail Not For Profit Organisation of the Year Award International Centre for Life Best Creative Company Award Infinite Playground and Canopies

APPOINTMENTS

HIGH TIDE

PD Ports CEO David Robinson has been appointed new chairman of the High Tide Foundation. After co-founding the Foundation in 2012, PD Ports has been influential in helping to create job opportunities for school leavers and graduates in the region. Robinson says: “High Tide aims to open their minds to growing industries on their doorstep and demystify what the logistics sector is really about.”

HIGH FLYER

After 37 years’ service with Newcastle Airport, 10 of them as chief executive, David Laws has joined AMP Capital as a part-time senior adviser in its international airports business. Partner and head of asset management at AMP Capital David Rees says: “Davie has made an outstanding contribution to the airport and the region and I would like to offer him my sincere thanks and appreciation for building such a strong, successful business. I’m looking forward to continuing to work with Davie at AMP Capital.”

Care and leisure group Malhotra Group plc has appointed Ian Tubman its new project director. He has worked in the construction industry for more than 25 years, serving his time as a joiner and building surveyor before becoming senior project manager on large and complex capital projects and programmes for North Tyneside Council and Durham University.

DRIVING SEAT

GOING GREENER

A North East IT and telecoms provider which features brands such as Nike and Puma among its clients has announced ambitious plans for growth following the recruitment of a new UK sales manager. Kevin Greener has joined Sunderland-based CCS, which works with national and regional brands including Umbro, Russell Hobbs, Sunderland AFC, and Hays Travel.

NEW PROJECT

FRENCH CONNECTION

Commercial property specialist Jane French has taken up a new position with BHP Law, following three years at North Tyneside Council, where she managed the team overseeing the rejuvenation of the council-owned sea front and Spanish City funfair. French’s appointment is part of an expansion in commercial and corporate services at BHP Law, which has offices in Newcastle, Darlington, Durham and Teesside.

Tyne and Wear Metro has appointed a new operations director to lead on service delivery and performance. Chris Carson joins DB Regio Tyne and Wear, which operates the Metro on behalf of Nexus, with more than 20 years’ experience in the rail industry. The 44-year-old is responsible for Metro’s day-to-day operations, train performance and long term service and delivery planning.

ALL ABOARD

PD Ports has recruited former shipping agent Keith Russell as business development manager, and journalist Lucy Richardson as marketing and communications executive. Keith brings commercial experience and an in-depth knowledge of operations on the Tees after 12 years with Graypen Shipping. Lucy is a former reporter with The Northern Echo.

RACING AHEAD

Arena Racing Company and Newcastle Racecourse have announced the appointment of Russell Smith to the newly created role of general manager. Russell, originally from Edinburgh, has 15 years’ experience working in the sports industry. He will be responsible for coordinating and managing commercial activities across the Gosforth Park Estate and developing events.

 l-r: Craig Annan and director Phil Morris

IN THE MONEY

Financial planners Gale and Phillipson has appointed Independent Financial Adviser (IFA) Craig Annan as a business manager. Craig has been in the finance industry since 1994, becoming an IFA in 2002. He specialises in wealth management, retirement planning, estate planning and preservation, and corporate protection.

SALES SET TO PICK UP RECRUITMENT DRIVE

Gary Wake from Seaham has joined the sales team at Jennings Motor Group’s Parsons Road dealership in Washington where he will contribute towards achieving monthly and quarterly new and used car sales objectives set out by Kia Motors.

Fork lift truck specialist Permatt has strengthened its sales operation with the appointment of Stuart Dawson as sales manager. The company is currently in a period of steady growth, recently announcing annual sales of £3.5m, up from £2.8m last year. With more than 35 years’ experience in the sector, Stuart brings technical and sales expertise to the role.

NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN John Mowbray OBE has been appointed to the ceremonial role of High Sheriff of Tyne & Wear. John, from Sunderland, retired from Northumbrian Water in August 2012. John’s theme for the year will be a focus on literacy among young people and he will work with Schools North East and others to identify opportunities to help children reach their potential.

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NEW LOOK

Introducing North East England Chamber of Commerce Welcome to North East England Chamber of Commerceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new name and new brand - the beginning of the next significant phase of our life, which we enter with an ambitious new vision and corporate brand. For 200 years, we have stood alongside North East business, industry and innovators as a champion of the region. Our purpose is to make the North East a success, from removing barriers to growth, to lobbying the Government, to fostering overseas trade and training the future workforce. The Chamber is now known as the North East England Chamber of Commerce to ensure clarity of its location within the UK, which is particularly important when weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re taking part in overseas trade missions. Working with design agency Gardiner Richardson, our new brand epitomises our ethos that businesses are always stronger together. This is illustrated by the use of a distinctive maritime

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rope knot made up of specific strands to illustrate four subregions, three industrial rivers, two centuries of Chamber activity in the region, and one Chamber tying the entire region together; a perfect representation of the Chamber and its collective strength and an echo of our proud maritime heritage. The branding also includes the strapline, Together we grow stronger, to reinforce the Chamberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reputation as a force for business success. Together, we grow stronger, together we are North East England Chamber of Commerce.

Together we grow stronger - strength in unity and in regional business

A powerful influence to enhance conditions for our growth

The champion fighting for North East business, having the conversations that matter, providing intelligence and interaction

Enabling business to thrive as a collective force

Four sub-regions Three rivers Two centuries creating business connections One North East Chamber JUNE - JULY 2016 / CONTACT / neechamber.co.uk / 29

POLICY

To the levy?

Key questions remain over the Apprenticeship Levy, says Chamber policy adviser Paul Carbert

he Government recently published a new guide for employers on the operating model for the forthcoming apprenticeship levy, yet questions still remain which are causing concern. We know that employers with a total pay bill of more than £3m will start to pay 0.5% of their payroll costs from April 2017. The levy will be collected by HMRC every month via the PAYE process, and employers will be able to access their funds, which can only be invested in apprenticeships, through an online account. Levy funds will only be available for training employees living in

England and if they are not used within 18 months, the money will be redistributed to other employers. However, there is still uncertainty about several aspects of the levy, and that is causing concern for some employers. The Government has established the independent Institute for Apprenticeships (IfA) to act as the employer voice on apprenticeship reforms, and to regulate the quality of apprenticeships. However, less than a year from the introduction of the levy, no final decisions have been made about its structure or staffing arrangements. The IfA appointed a former senior civil servant as shadow chief

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executive in March, but she has now announced she will leave the Institute in September to take up another role. As the Government remains committed to its target of 3m apprenticeship starts in this Parliament, it is unlikely that calls from employers to pause or delay the implementation of the levy will be heeded. How much power employers will have to influence the direction of the Government’s apprenticeship policy remains to be seen. There is also currently a lack of detail on funding and eligibility rules - how much employers will be able to spend on each apprenticeship, and who they will be allowed to spend their levy funds on. Final

MIKE MATTHEWS PIC

EMPLOYER VIEWPOINT

rules on funding will not be published until businesses with employees in Scotland, December 2016. Wales and Northern Ireland will be able to If levy-paying employers are to make access the funds raised by the levy, the most of their funds, it is likely and what will happen to the they will want to use the existing training levies in RULES ON opportunity to retrain or upskill FUNDING WON’T the construction and their existing employees. There engineering industries. BE PUBLISHED are more opportunities to use There have already been UNTIL higher and degree-level reports of employers cutting DECEMBER apprenticeships and new back on existing nonapprenticeship standards are apprenticeship training in being approved every month. anticipation of the introduction of the Employers can also work with others in their levy. To enable employers to plan for their sector to develop new standards if there future workforce needs, we need to see aren’t any suitable for their needs. answers to these questions sooner rather Questions also remain about how than later.

Mike Matthews, MD of Nifco, has his own view about the apprenticeship levy: Nifco UK is a vocal advocate of apprentices, having seen the benefit they bring to business since taking on its first apprentices as part of its current scheme in 2012. I began work as an apprentice and in our UK business we now have more than 30 apprentices, and they operate across every part of the team – from the shop floor to the office. Our apprentices are fundamental to the success of our business, bringing innovative ideas and a fresh perspective to a company that, until 2012, was largely made up of older skilled people. While one of the key priorities of the business is to focus on developing the skill set of our young people to ensure they’re prepared to take the next step up, we will always see value in apprentices and would not be deterred in investing in them due to the levy. Any business that adds to its team with apprentices does so with an understanding that they are investing in the future – not only the future of the individual, but the future of their business, and for that reason, the levy should not be a barrier.

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ISSUE

No, chef

The Indian restaurant industry is being hampered in its growth by barriers preventing it employing chefs from outside the EU. Dean Bailey looks at a hot topic

was named the UK’s Best Casual Dining ou know when the chef at your Restaurant at the 2015 British Curry Awards, favourite restaurant is an says the restrictions are directly scuppering expert in crafting intricately the planned growth of his business. spiced dishes. You can also “We have built our business around a tell when someone who small team of highly skilled chefs from the doesn’t know their ajwain from their subcontinent, but within the current rules, I asafoetida has thrown a dish together. cannot build a team to allow me to open the Most Indian restaurant owners will tell third restaurant the business is ready for,” he you that it is crucial they man their kitchen says. “Even with skilled people out there, the with skilled chefs from the Indian salary cap imposed by the Government far subcontinent, yet because of migration laws exceeds the average wage of a senior chef applied to workers from outside the EU, they in the North East. are incredibly difficult to employ here, the “A good business model should not be rules effectively pricing them out of the allowed to stall because of a lack of skilled market, and, many restaurateurs claim, people - whatever the industry,” he says. stifling business development in the sector. Ali, the son of Bangladeshi immigrants, In 2013, speaking at the annual British says it has taken decades for the British Curry Awards ceremony in London, David palate to mature to appreciate quality, Cameron, fully aware of anger among the authentic Indian flavours, but the blanket industry over the rules, pledged to support application of migration rules for non-EU the UK’s £4.2bn Indian restaurant industry, workers is stalling the growth of an industry adding that he would “get the skilled Asian desperate to grow to serve the UK’s chefs you need” to the UK. increasingly sophisticated tastes. But immigration rules introduced “To date, we have been in 2005 remain, stipulating that “WITHIN THE fortunate to have a loyal team in skilled non-EU chefs must be paid £29,570 per annum after RULES, I CAN’T both our restaurants. However, it is becoming increasingly deductions for BUILD THE difficult to bring in chefs with accommodation and meals, TEAM I NEED the skills required. The doors inside and outside London - a TO GROW” are now 99% closed.” huge salary for most chefs. Having met the criteria outlined The rules also say they must have by the Government, restaurants must five or more years experience, and hold a sponsorship licence, which Ali says cannot work for a restaurant which offers a are “like gold dust.” He adds: “The certificates takeaway service, which in itself rules out a for applicants are not being issued to many massive proportion of UK establishments. Jaf Ali, owner of Indian streetfood kitchen newer businesses either, making the whole process costly, long and often fruitless. Dabbawal, which has branches in “The hurdles make it almost impossible Newcastle’s High Bridge and Jesmond and

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to bring someone in from the subcontinent, but if I wanted to hire an unskilled chef from inside the EU that would be far simpler.” Ali joined a delegation of leading restaurateurs from across the UK at a recent meeting with the Prime Minister at Downing Street. The group, led by British Curry Awards founder Enam Ali, re-tabled a report submitted by the industry to the Government. The report quotes Enam Ali,

Jaf Ali

Chefs at Dabbawal in Newcastle, the UK’s first Indian street food kichen and the British Curry Awards’ Best Casual Dining Restaurant

who writes: “We propose a tightly controlled, temporary work visa scheme where expert chefs from outside the EU are allowed to enter the UK on very strict employment terms. These terms would limit their employment to a maximum of one-year with no right of return, no chance of residency or out-of-work benefits. This type of short-term visa is similar to those used in the USA, Germany and the Middle East.”

Although the Government has recognised the problem by adding chefs to the Shortage Occupation List for Tier 2 visas, Jaf Ali believes far more work is needed to secure the future of the industry. “As a small operator, this is restricting my business, and for the larger operators this is a major issue. Our industry is strong, here in Newcastle and in the UK, with diners wanting to experience authentic food from around the world. We

can only achieve further growth and success by having access to the right skills. “The Government has asked the industry to train its own chefs from scratch, but because it takes so long, this is not going to improve the industry over the next 10-15 years. Training skilled chefs in authentic Indian cuisine takes a huge amount of time. It took us four years to train a Slovakian chef to the level of assistant tandoori chef - one of the least complex sections in the kitchen. Training a chef in the intricacies of spices and their balances from scratch takes years on top of the normal training. “Following our meeting at Downing Street, it is difficult to see any progress soon. We need the Government to move forward in a positive way, and demonstrate an understanding of the sector by looking at applications based on a number of factors rather than simply where the applicant is coming from.” The Chamber is working with members in the sector to lobby Government, and Chamber policy adviser Paul Carbert says: “As part of the Chamber’s aim to build a Global North East, we are committed to opposing migration rules that inhibit the growth of businesses in our region. Our response to the Migration Advisory Committee review of the Tier 2 visa system in September 2015 called for the Government to take account of salaries in the North East when setting national minimum salary levels, and opposed the introduction of an additional skills levy on employers recruiting non-EU workers. The Government has shown that migration rules can be flexible for the needs of individual industries with the Tech Nation Visa scheme for the digital sector. We now hope that they will take action to assist other industries.”

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PROFILE

Build it and they will come Owen McAteer discovers how Esh Group aims to train young people for a future in construction

s he watches the building work outside head office, Esh Group chief financial officer Andy Radcliffe sees a representation of the training and recruitment strategy that has brought the firm success. By the end of the year, the Bowburn, Co Durham-based construction and property company’s HQ will be home to a £3.6m training academy, its apprentice numbers rising to 150 over the next 18 months. Many of Esh’s senior executives joined the firm on training schemes or apprenticeships and around 10% of its 1,200 staff are trainees. Meanwhile, the construction sector as a whole faces a shortage of skilled young people and some 20% of workers in the industry are approaching retirement. “If you can’t find them you grow your own,” says Radcliffe, simply. The group also works with schools, spreading the word about career opportunities and the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) estimate 182,000 extra jobs will be created in the next five years as the economy improves. Esh came through the recession well, its diversity of divisions enabling it to focus on growth. Its services range from residential and commercial construction

to civil engineering and facilities management under brands including Dunelm Homes, Lumsden and Carroll, Esh Construction, and Esh Developments. “We’ve always looked forward because of the strength of our balance sheet,” says Radcliffe. “We maintain a spread of businesses in different sectors.” In 2014, turnover was £277m, up 43% on the previous year, and profit before tax was £9.5m compared to £3.2m in 2013, boosted by the acquisition of Border Construction, which opened new markets and added £20m to turnover. Recruiting young people has always been key, and the academy is the next stage in the process, though Esh’s involvement with young people doesn’t just start when they leave school. The firm’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) kits, with plastic bricks, mini-cement mixers and hard hats, are delivered through primary schools, getting kids excited about construction. Esh has also been working with business partners for five years to develop Building My Skills - a year-long employability skills programme providing students with regular, timetabled business engagement, delivered free in Scotland, the North East,

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North West, and Yorkshire and winning Business in the Community’s National Big Tick for School Partnership in 2015. Of course, a business can only fully engage in programmes like this if its core business is successful, and Radcliffe is confident Esh will consolidate the success of 2014 when its 2015 results are released. “Financial year 2015 will be similar I think. We want to grow, but not too aggressively. We don’t chase turnover for turnover’s sake; it is about sustainable profitability, and we are a very prudent business. When I joined in 2010, in the recession, I was impressed by how the company managed its balance sheet. A strong balance sheet, good liquidity and a clear strategy allowed us to chart our way through, so that when the recovery came we were ready to capitalise on it.” The success of the business is shared by its employees, many of them shareholders, and it continues to help good causes through its charitable trust. “We are rooted in the North East and that is where we plan to stay,” says Radcliffe, looking out again at the growing academy evidence, if it were needed, of an optimistic future.

“We are rooted in the North East, and that is where we plan to stay”

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PROFILE

Band aid

Liz Hands meets Angie Jenkison, CEO of the newly formed Graham Wylie Foundation and a veteran of decades persuading the world’s biggest music stars to turn out for good causes

ngie Jenkison isn’t one to deliberately name drop. It’s simply that her own life story is intrinsically tied up with some of music’s greats, to the extent that she credits The Who’s Roger Daltrey with saving her life and Thin Lizzy’s Phil Lynott with getting her a break in the music industry. As one does. When she found a lump in her breast at the age of 40, her GP told her he was sure there was nothing to worry about and to come back to the surgery in a couple of months. But, fearing the worst, Jenkison, now one of the most influential women in music and charity, called her friend Daltrey in tears. “I was in the Royal box at the Royal Albert Hall, watching The Who perform for the Teenage Cancer Trust (TCT), and thinking ‘life doesn’t get any better than this’,” says Jenkison. “Then, two weeks later, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. “Roger told me to get into a cab and go straight to Harley Street to see his doctor, Adrian Whiteson, who is the founder of TCT. Within two weeks, I was in hospital. It would have been a very different story if I’d waited two months. That saved my life.” There’s no doubt Daltrey and Jenkison have helped to save,

to move to London to go to or at least vastly improved, university, Jenkison asked for a thousands of lives through transfer, which took her to DH their joint fundraising efforts for Evans clothing on Oxford Street the TCT, he as a longstanding in the early 1980s, when her patron of the charity, she as its career in music began. former head of music. “I’ve always loved music,” she Jenkison is now chief says. “There’s a photo of me at executive of the newly formed the age of two standing on a Graham Wylie Foundation, coffee table singing The Who’s set up by the Sage co-founder Happy Jack. My old music and serial entrepreneur to help collection is on the wall - The vulnerable children in the North Who, Slade, T Rex, David Bowie East. She is gearing up for its I’m definitely a 70s rock ‘n’ roller first major fundraising event at heart. - Run, Rock n Raise, starring “I would go to the Marquee major names including The Club on Wardour Street in Kaiser Chiefs, Lisbon and Soho after work and I started Kodaline - at Metro Radio doing hair for music Arena in Newcastle on videos. I did hair for Great North Run day, Motorhead, Thin September 11. “I AM Lizzy, and Paul But Jenkison’s DEFINITELY A Weller. It was Phil path to the music 70S ROCK ‘N’ Lynott of Thin and charity ROLLER AT Lizzy who said world was not a HEART” ‘bejesus Angie, you straightforward love music so much, one. She left Heaton you should work in the Comprehensive School in industry’, and he got me an Newcastle at 16, with, she says, interview at Swanyard Studios.” qualifications in laughter, having Starting as a receptionist, sat next to Viz comic co-founder Jenkison was taken under the Simon Donald in class. wing of studio boss Margarita She took a hairdressing Hamilton, becoming Swanyard’s apprenticeship at Fenwick MD within five years. in Newcastle. “My mother “We saw everyone come made me have a part-time through those doors. It was one job in a hairdressers from the of the best studios in the world. age of 14 and that taught me Soul II Soul did an album there, communication skills,” she says. Robert Plant, Wet Wet Wet, As some of her friends began

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“It would have been a very different story if I had waited two months - it saved my life”

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PROFILE Stevie Wonder - so many people came through the doors.” Jenkison went on to become a director at Trident Studios, where everyone from The Beatles to David Bowie, Lou Reed to Tina Turner have recorded. During Jenkison’s time there, Robbie Williams recorded his massive debut solo album Life Through a Lens. She then moved to Sanctuary Studios as head of artist relations and corporate events, where her two main clients were Iron Maiden and The Who. It was links forged then with The Who which led to Jenkison becoming music relations manager at the TCT. “In 1999, I was in my office and Roger Daltrey strolled in. He said ‘I need you and that contacts book of yours’. He was putting on a gig at the Royal Albert Hall. We got the book out, wrote all the numbers down and called up the likes of Noel Gallagher, Bryan Adams, Paul Weller, and Nigel Kennedy. Every one of them said yes.” From then on, Iron Maiden gave Jenkison leave to use 25% of her time, which they paid for, for TCT fundraising activities. She and Daltrey have gone on to stage countless gigs for TCT and with the charity continuing to grow, she became full-time music relations manager. “But just before my 50th birthday, I had a relapse and had to have major surgery,” says Jenkison. “It was The Who’s 50th anniversary, I produced their anniversary show for TCT, then a few days later I won a Music Week Woman of the Year Award. My thoughts turned to what was next and the answer was it was time to come home.” Jenkison has now moved from London to North Shields, where she lives overlooking the Fish Quay with her beloved Scottie dog Sunshine. She’s now running the newly formed Graham Wylie Foundation, which has high-profile backing from Wylie’s influential circle of

Clockwise from top left: Graham Wylie, Ant and Dec, Ricky Wilson of The Kaiser Chiefs, and The Who

became apparent that Jenkison friends, including Alan Shearer was not just good, but great and Ant and Dec, who are at her job. The timing was all closely involved as fellow finally right for both of them. patrons in CHUF (Children’s Jenkison’s desire to move back Heart Unit Foundation) at the home proved the catalyst for Freeman Hospital which Wylie the launch of the foundation in is indebted to for saving his May and she is now focused on daughter’s life and for which he the charity’s aims to help, inspire has raised millions of pounds. and educate vulnerable Jenkison and Wylie met and under-privileged after Daltrey donated “IT’S children and young a signed guitar to INCREDIBLE, people across the one of Wylie’s BEING BACK North East. fundraising The foundation events and she TO RUN THIS is rare in the way and Daltrey were FANTASTIC it is set up because both among a CHARITY” Wylie himself is party which stayed meeting all its running at Wylie’s Close House costs, so every penny raised hotel in the Tyne Valley before will be handed to good causes The Who’s Quadrophenia in the form of grants. It will concert at the Metro Radio be inviting applications from Arena in 2013. groups, organisations and Daltrey ended up inviting charities from across the region Wylie and his family to the for projects which will benefit show, singing Happy Birthday underprivileged or vulnerable to his son. For Wylie, it soon

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youngsters for years to come. Projects and causes could include medical equipment, new buildings, support workers, sporting and youth groups. The foundation logo features Wylie’s own handprint along with a Sage leaf - the lines of the leaf running into the lines of the hand, to represent the helping hand of Sage. Its first big fundraising event will be Run, Rock n Raise. Taking place on the same day as the Great North Run, the Kaiser Chiefs, Kodaline and Lisbon have already been announced as performers, with more big name acts to come. “It’s incredible, being back in the North East running such an incredible charity,” says Jenkison. “The causes we help now will make a difference to so many young lives. When I asked myself ‘what now?’ I couldn’t be happier that the Graham Wylie Foundation was the answer.”

PROFILE

He wears it well Jules B’s Julian Blades talks to Elise Rana Hopper about fashion, family and the importance of failure

has won the prestigious Drapers ith more than Magazine Best Independent 30 years’ Fashion Store Award four times. experience of Now back in profit after a neardressing the fatal financial collapse (more great and the good, Julian Blades’ philosophy of which later) the company was born when Blades, a on the matter is simple: it’s all retail entrepreneur from fiveabout empowerment. generations of tailoring, met “You never get a second fashion lecturer Rhona. Their chance to make a first perfect match turned into a impression, and how you brilliant partnership, delivering put yourself together speaks distinctive, designer label volumes about you and the fashion to an eager market. way you run your business,” he “Her fashion expertise and my says. “If I’m going to go and do retail knowledge was a great fit,” business, my clothes are my says Blades. “Our USP was in suit of armour. Before I even bringing brands into the open my mouth, the country that nobody person I’m going to had seen before.” “YOU NEVER see will assess my Rhona left appearance and GET A SECOND her teaching job form an opinion. CHANCE TO to head up the It’s so powerful.” MAKE A FIRST womenswear When we meet IMPRESSION” operation and the at the Newcastle couple concentrated headquarters of Jules on building the Jules B B, the fashion chain he brand, expanding their original founded with his wife Rhona in store on Jesmond’s Acorn 1985, Blades isn’t in full battle Road and going on to open dress - he isn’t wearing a tie stores in Yarm, Kendal and (though it goes on later for central Newcastle. Then they the photographer) - but he is expanded onto the internet. practising what he preaches, “Net-a-Porter was setting a immaculately suited and precedent, but internet shopping exuding a confidence that’s to was still relatively in its infancy. be expected of a man at the Everybody wanted a website, helm of an £11m business. but they were often a bit grey as One of the North’s retail to why, often thinking they could success stories, the company run their existing business and employs almost 100 people and

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an online business at the same time. Big mistake!” A wry smile suggests this wisdom was hard-won, but nonetheless the company adapted successfully, and soon after Julesb.com went live in 2008 the operation outgrew its modest offices. “The growth was phenomenal - £750,000 in the first year, £2m in the second - and moving to dedicated premises was next,” says Blades. “The moment we came here the business started to flourish, but it grew at such a rate, it all went a bit pear-shaped.” This knowing understatement refers to the catastrophic discovery in 2014 that the firm’s bookkeeper had falsified four years of accounts and failed to pay almost £1m VAT to HMRC. “The level of deceit and cover-up was extraordinary,” says Blades. “Each year, the bookkeeper delivered accounts showing healthy profits, so we continued to invest heavily in store refits and building the internet business. It was growing so fast that we spent all our time at the front end doing what we do best and trusting someone too much with our finances, which was a cataclysmic mistake. It was terrifying. Everything that we’d worked hard to build was hanging by a thread. The odds were against us, but we love the business so we decided that we’d fight. And we fought hard.” Four years debt had to be repaid, leaving the company in serious financial trouble. The company went into talks with administrators, but Stephen Clarke from Barclays worked to help keep Jules B afloat by putting it into special measures and supporting its plans for recovery. The Blades ploughed everything they had into the business to create working capital, and with new FD David Murgatroyd in place and JUNE - JULY 2016 / CONTACT / www.neechamber.co.uk / 41

PROFILE assistance from UNW’s Andrew Wilson, a painstaking process of restructure began. “We chipped away at the problem, kept strong, and retained our selfbelief, because we are good at what we do,” says Blades. “But it was a very humbling experience, and I’ll do everything in my power to ensure we will never be there again. We had to make massive sacrifices and it would have been impossible without each other and our fantastic staff - this has been a team achievement. We’re not out of the woods, but I know we’ll get there. What doesn’t kill you competition for designer sales, a makes you stronger.” major focus is the development Believing firmly that there are of in-house brands, including a lessons to be learned, however ladies’ range focusing on luxury tough, in mistakes, Blades and wearability, and menswear is philosophical about the characterised by what Blades experience. “In retail, success is describes as an ‘Anglo-Italian an adrenalin rush, but I should fusion of styling, detailing and have been looking behind me, cut’. With plans for a new store checking under the stones. on the horizon, he remains However, had we not continued passionate about bricks-andto expand the business through mortar retailing, claiming that period, we wouldn’t be in he hardly buys anything on the position we’re in now. It’s like the internet himself. “I love we built a top-spec race car but shops, but they’ve got to be didn’t have the money for fuel. an experience,” he says. “The Now the tank is getting fuller, advantage of being independent we can start to maximise what is being able to cherry-pick we’ve built.” the best pieces from Key lessons learned every collection and are the importance “I LOVE SHOPS tailor them to the of structure BUT THEY audience. Our and reporting HAVE GOT type of operation systems, and TO BE AN is best suited to having invested being a destination in the technology EXPERIENCE” store, where that allows for more customers are relaxed informed decisionand we have time to connect.” making, the focus is now Here at company HQ, the on building cash reserves and mood is positive and very stock levels. That the internet much focused on fashion’s will be the main source of favourite question - what’s growth is a no-brainer, says next? From the moodboards Blades, but the opportunities wallpapering Rhona’s office to it affords, he says, can be the latest pieces being styled double-edged. “Amazon is an and photographed, to the orders increasingly powerful part of being packed in the basement our business, but it’s a monster which could consume us if we’re and shipped across the globe, it all happens here. And though not careful about what we put the Blades’ Northumberland on there.” home is where they go to Partly as a means of truly switch off, the Labradors protection against ever-fiercer 42 / www.neechamber.co.uk / CONTACT / JUNE - JULY 2016

emerging from Blades’ office show how much the business, too, is home - and may continue to be, with daughters Natasha and Haley both following their parents into the fashion industry. “It’s in their DNA - like it or not,” says Blades, adding that the survival and recovery plan has put the company on a growth trajectory once more, having

repaid the majority of its third party debt. Now 20 months into its detailed two-year business forecast, Jules B has reported a £470,000 profit for first six months ending January 2016. Hence, at last Blades can begin to look to the sixth generation of his family to clothe society’s best-dressed. A happy prospect indeed.

ADVERTORIAL

MANAGE YOUR PORTFOLIO LIKE A FOOTBALL TEAM...

ou’d be forgiven for thinking football has had its fair share of coverage lately. Somewhere between Leicester City’s incredible triumph and the build up to the Euro’s, it’s been hard to escape the beautiful game. Staying true to trend, we thought we would compare the potential similarities between managing a portfolio and eleven men, there might be more than you’d expect. Pre Season (portfolio construction) Clear objectives will be likely laid out at the start. You might be aiming for the Champions League (top quartile performance), or trying to better the benchmark, hopefully not someone like Sir Alex Ferguson (typical benchmark might be the FTSE). Other run of the mill questions will have to be considered like timescale and any other tailored needs/requests.

All those hours on Football Manager are no longer a waste of time...

Team Management (portfolio management) Styles Active: Are you with your team as much as possible? In other words will your investments be managed on a day to day basis, actively monitored and adjusted when suitable. Passive: Some managers might intervene less, revisiting every quarter or so. The danger is letting your players (stocks) drift too far and before you know it, they’ve done their cruciate falling down the stairs of Perdu the night before the game. There are other contrasting styles of investing, including momentum and value. In the football world this would be the difference between buying players that are seemingly cheap or ‘undervalued’ and buying top players on a premium. These don’t come cheap but hopefully they don’t do a Torres and let us all never forget Andy Carroll’s Liverpool transfer. Value traps should also be avoided, think Falcoa’s move to Manchester United, although a great value buy would be Xabi Alonso, free to Bayern Munich.

than others. A risk seeking portfolio might be the equivalent of 3 up front and a defensive portfolio is like having a holding midfielder. Portfolio composition can change varying on market cycles. The philosophy is simple, wait until the time is right. This is the exact reason you don’t send your keeper up for the first corner of the game. Don’t worry despite being from Newcastle we don’t insist on cheap, unproven foreign stocks. Goalkeeper: In every team, you need that last line of defence, the portfolio equivalent of a Manuel Neuer, so we will give this to cash. Defence: Most portfolios need another solid, no-nonsense performer. A player who’s been there since the academy GILTS are a standard choice. If the exciting players in front of them are misfiring they hopefully provide much needed protection. Midfield: This can all depend on how the portfolio is positioned in tune with current market beliefs. For example you may have a Kante like player in there if you’re extremely cautious. We’ll put corporate bonds and property in the centre of the park. Forwards: You want to try and avoid a hit and miss forward who disappears too often (Wijnaldum), but you do need some ﬂare in here with the ability to rescue your team’s performance. Attacking must go to equities, alternatives and possibly some ‘emerging’ talent from further afield. Leicester City have taught both the football world and investing community a lesson this season. Buy genuine ability and potential, go further to find ideas, research them properly, apply the right tactics and have everything working together properly for a reason. They proved that you don’t need to be a giant to be top of the pile, you just need to do the job properly. Investing.....”It’s a funny old game”

Squad Selection (Stock Picks) Depending on the risk level, most portfolios will share some of the same elements. Though just like football teams, some will employ more attacking formations

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SKILLS

SPECIAL CHEMISTRY

Teesside University student Megan Todd has been shortlisted for the Royal Society of Chemistry Science Industry Technician of the Year award. The BSc (Hons) Chemistry student, 21, is completing the degree part-time at Teesside University while working as a junior experimental scientist for DuPont Teijin Films at the Wilton Centre near Redcar. Teesside University graduate Liam Wintrip, 24, now working as a chemist at Johnson Matthey Process Technologies Chemicals in Stockton, has also been shortlisted.

CARVING A BRIGHT FUTURE

Apprentices from Redcar & Cleveland College are celebrating success in a regional competition. The carpentry and joinery apprentices competed against students from 22 colleges at the CITB SkillBuild event at Darlington College. Carpentry apprentice Aaron Boyd, 19, of Hutton North East, won a silver medal in the carpentry senior category; Mark Rafferty, 25, a joinery apprentice for Lowe & Simpson, won silver in the bench joinery senior category, and Sam Swainston, 19, a carpentry apprentice at Applegarth Building Services, was second in the carpentry new entrant category.

Amacus MD Christine Hall, ElringKlinger apprentice Christine Rigg, and Zac Aldridge, assistant principal, curriculum, at Gateshead College

Skills drive accelerates growth

lobal automotive supplier ElringKlinger has set out on an ambitious development programme to upskill its entire workforce over the next three years, ahead of company expansion. The company is investing almost £800,000 in skills and training for 270 staff at its Redcar factory in preparation for growth which is expected to double the size of the business over the next five years. Strategic partners Gateshead College and leadership and management training specialist Amacus have developed a bespoke training programme for the company. The work-based programme includes Institute of Leadership and Management

qualifications, Senior Operatives bespoke programme and Performing Manufacturing apprenticeships currently being delivered to 61 ElringKlinger employees as part of the 18-month up-skilling programme. MD Ian Malcolm says: “The courses are designed in such a way that we can deliver them on-site, meaning completion of such a large-scale training project can be done without impacting hugely on the daily operation of the business. “Having a workforce with up-to-date skills not only helps us to remain strong and competitive but it also provides encouragement and improves staff morale, which is another important factor in maintaining a productive workforce. We’re already seeing a positive impact.”

APPRENTICESHIPS DRIVE AT SAGE Accountancy software giant Sage has launched a recruitment drive for more than 70 apprenticeships in partnership with NECC Training. The vacancies include roles for school leavers in customer service, HR, IT product development and sales. Sage director of resource and talent for Europe Kerry Willumsen says: “Apprentices are a real asset to our business and the local economy, giving young people key skills at the very beginning of their careers and a structured platform upon which to build their future. This also supports the future of British business by growing the skills and experience of the next generation of workers to ensure we have the right

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skills and experience within the UK to support our economy and its growth.” Last year, Sage took on 56 apprentices and many are now in permanent roles. Two of the most recent employees on the apprenticeship programme, Emily Middlemas and Michael McCrostie, have been shortlisted in the NE Employee of the Year Award in the Best Apprentice category.

COOKING UP A CAREER

lan Park, an ex SSI worker who has found a job through Future Energy, and Tim Cantle-Jones, MD Future Energy

THEY HAVE THE POWER

iddlesbrough College is helping to give former SSI workers a new career thanks to a new partnership with energy provider Future Energy Group. Newcastle-based Future Energy Group has linked up with the college to retrain the former steelworkers as smart meter engineers. Over the next five years every home in Britain will be fitted with a new smart meter

and around 16,000 new engineers are needed to meet this target. The partnership has helped 20 former SSI workers gain new qualifications to date and it is hoped it will help to retrain hundreds of engineers. To date the college has helped to deliver more than 4,400 courses for former SSI workers. They include key qualifications required within the process, engineering, manufacturing, business, offshore, nuclear, driving and supply chain industries.

A new fast-track chef’s training course run by Newcastle BID company NE1 Ltd in conjunction with Newcastle College, restaurants Babucho and Hot Buddha, and restaurant operator 21 Hospitality Group has seen the first recruits progressing into jobs, apprenticeships and further training. The eight-week course is designed to tackle a skills shortage in the North East restaurant industry, providing recruits with an immediate taste of life in the industry and helping them to secure apprenticeships and jobs. The course provided on-the-job training at the restaurants combined with two days at college leading to an NVQ Level 1 in Professional Cookery.

WORLD CLASS

WISE PARTNERSHIP Newcastle-based utilities consultancy Utilitywise has announced a partnership with the Chamber and recruitment and employment specialist Zenith People, resulting in the creation of 11 new apprenticeships. Utilitywise, which helps businesses manage utilities and reduce consumption, has 1,800 staff based across multiple sites serving 30,000 clients in the UK and Ireland. The new roles are based predominantly within the customer service department and the apprentices will work towards a related NVQ, supported by an apprenticeship assessor based at the company’s head office in North Tyneside. Utilitywise people operations director Adrienne McFarland says: “This a very exciting time for Utilitywise and there is real potential for the candidates to progress and develop with us. We are looking forward to supporting them in taking their first steps on the career ladder.”

Utilitywise apprentices with Adrienne McFarland, people operations director, Utilitywise

Washington-based training provider Seta can now provide an enhanced range of services to the engineering and manufacturing sectors thanks to prestigious international accreditation. Seta, which offers apprenticeships, traineeships, standard and bespoke commercial training courses has been accredited under the Certification Scheme for Welding Inspection Personnel (CSWIP).

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EXPORT

BOXING CLEVER

Joe Nicholson, Box Clever

Young entrepreneur Joe Nicholson, 20, is launching a new import and export service following a successful year as business manager at Billingham-based Box Clever. Under his leadership, which began in his teens, Box Clever is almost at capacity with hundreds of caravans, trailers and storage containers securely stored at a 2 hectare site. Now, Nicholson is planning his next business venture to be supported by parent company The Nicholson Group, owned by his father David. “I’m now looking at how I can diversify, looking at online traders, particularly those who require storage support. It’s a growing sector,” he says.

POWERING ON

PD Ports Hartlepool operations manager Sean Beach, business development manager Chris Broughton and general manager business development Roy Merryweather

International launch for new £35m quay

D Ports has formally declared its 550m deep water quay at Teesport open for business following a landmark £35m redevelopment. The award-winning ports and logistics company now owns and operates some of the deepest general cargo berths in the UK offering global customers an enviable freight advantage. The quay design also has the capacity to further deepen the berth pockets in the future as customer requirements dictate and crucially, rail links to the quay edge and substantial warehousing on site have been

maintained. Roy Merryweather, PD Ports’ general manager business development, says: “The new quay is vital to attracting new business to the port, providing a platform to enable Teesport to compete on a national level.” Meanwhile, PD Ports has increased the volume of containers it can handle at Teesport with the installation of new cranes, offering global shipping lines direct access to UK markets. As part of its continued growth, £3.2m has been invested in three 24.6m tall rubber tyre gantry cranes (RTGs) which can lift containers weighing up to 40 tonnes and stack them five-high.

EXPORT AWARDS OPEN FOR BUSINESS Royston MD Lawrence Brown and NEL’s David Thomas

Newcastle-based Royston Power Generation is expanding its worldwide customer base thanks to a £400,000 investment from the Finance For Business North East Growth Fund. The firm, which sells, installs, maintains, services and repairs diesel engines in the marine, offshore, utility and defence sectors, will use the investment to build its consultancy services and expand its product range.

The Chamber is again partnering with The Journal and Evening Gazette to deliver the North East Exporters’ Awards 2016. The awards on September 15 at Ramside Hall Hotel, Co Durham, recognise companies which contribute to the economy through exporting expertise, and celebrate the strength and diversity of North East exporting. Last year, entries nearly doubled on previous years. Chamber chief executive James Ramsbotham says: “Our Chamber was established to encourage trade with other countries and we hope these awards will encourage more businesses to seize the many opportunities which can arise from

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Last year’s award winners

pushing boundaries and seeking out new marketplaces. We are already creating a global North East but there is potential to be even more influential.”

NEW EXPORT WORKSHOPS

Head of AIS Technical Chris Evans outside the new manufacturing facility

AIS expands

he Queen’s Award-winning manufacturer and industrial trainer Advanced Industrial Solutions is expanding with a new £2.5m manufacturing facility in the region, creating up to 30 new jobs. This follows the announcement that AIS is expanding its global reach after signing a distribution deal in Canada which will see its products supplied to the Canadian market via the Crosbie Group, which was recently named one of Canada’s bestmanaged companies. Canada is the fifth largest oil producing country in the world and offers a huge potential market for AIS’ world-

class range of passive fire protection and insulation systems. Meanwhile, the company’s technical division, AIS Technical, is expanding into an additional new 14,000sqft site alongside its existing offshore training village on Tyne Tunnel Industrial Estate, North Tyneside. AIS Technical is one of only a handful of companies worldwide to manufacture, export and install award-winning insulation and passive fire protection systems for the global offshore, energy, petrochemical and heavy industry sectors. The new facility will enable overall capacity to be increased by up to 80%, as well as boosting AIS Technical’s capability in research and development.

UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) has launched a series of workshops to introduce companies to the benefits of international trade. Aimed at first-time exporters or those with limited experience, the workshops explore the challenges businesses need to overcome to trade overseas. Simon Crosby, delivering the inaugural workshop at the Chamber’s offices in Newcastle, said: “We need more companies in the North East to export, but we understand that it’s a big step for any business. This workshop provides a digestible introduction.”

THE APPLIANCE OF SCIENCE

Stephen Learney of Haskel

THEY’RE COMING TO AMERICA Sound Training, the newly crowned North East Small Business of the Year, is celebrating its success with its latest push into the lucrative US market. The Middlesbrough-based firm won its prestigious award after boosting the literacy levels of more than 20,000 students in over 500 schools throughout the UK. Now directors Claire Preston and Katy Parkinson are in the US, where their unique training programme is achieving success in Florida, California and Maine. With the support of UKTI, CEO Claire and founder-director Katy have hosted an event for education professionals in the city of Boston and will be guest speakers at the National Charter School Conference in

CEO Claire Preston, left, and founder director Katy Parkinson

Nashville, Tennessee in June, attended by thousands of US education leaders. Claire Preston said: “We’re excited about the opportunities in Boston, where there is an extraordinarily high density of schools, including more than 100 colleges and universities.”

Haskel says its Sunderland plant will assemble its new hydraulically driven gas booster system, launched to the worldwide market at the Hannover Messe recently. The gas booster is used in hydrogen applications and refuelling systems for hydrogen-powered vehicles, for which the global market is forecast to grow strongly. Director of product management Stephen Learney says: “Laboratorybased R&D is transitioning to practical application and hydrogen fuelled vehicles are developing markets in Europe, the US and Asia.”

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OUT TO LUNCH

Made in South Tyneside Geoff Ford, MBE, of Ford Engineering Group, talks to Elise Rana Hopper about success, succession and blowing our own trumpet

fter four decades at the helm of one of Tyneside’s most successful manufacturing and engineering companies, Geoff Ford has earned his share of awards and honours, but what really fills him with pride is where he comes from. “I’m a proud sand dancer, South Shields born and bred,” he says. “My grandfather founded the company in 1910 with a total workforce of three including himself, and 106 years later we’re still going. “I didn’t join the business until I was 29. I qualified as a chartered accountant, moved down south and then to France, and worked in three different industries first. When I was home one weekend my father said, ‘if you’re not going to join the family business would you let me know because I’ll have to get someone else’. So, in one leap I went from Paris to Tyne Dock. I’ve never looked back.” He quickly noticed that his family company under-estimated itself - something he believes is a regional trait. “There’s a reluctance to blow our own trumpet, but we’re a lot better than we give ourselves credit for. When I joined Ford I felt we could be more audacious, more determined, and have more confidence in our ability to expand. We have practised diversity through opportunity, and because we’re an independent, family-owned SME, we’ve been able to take advantage of opportunities as they’ve arisen.” Key among those opportunities was the 1982 purchase of assets including the manufacturing process for Easipeel, an innovative laminated shim stock that provided an entry into the aerospace market

which now accounts for a biggest part of the Group’s activity. “Our product has now been approved by China’s commercial aircraft corporation COMAC for use on the C919, a competitor to the Airbus A320 - and they’re building 2,000 of them,” adds Ford. With three sites serving the aerospace, yellow goods, and automotive industries, diversity is crucial, but not the only success factor. The ethos of continuous improvement - Total Quality Performance, Kaizen, or Lean - has long been part of company culture, as is the wellbeing and development of the workforce. “Our employees are honorary members of the family; we look after them, and they’re very loyal,” says Ford. “Each quarter we brief them about successes, challenges, future plans and how they can help us make it happen. It’s all very well having grand strategies, but without them we can’t do it.” In 2013, Ford’s younger son Chris - an economics graduate and qualified management accountant - was appointed MD. “My parents never wanted me to feel I was obliged to join the family business and we’ve been the same with our sons,” says Ford of Chris and elder son Dan, an actor. “Chris is younger than everybody who reports to him, but I’d like to think he has the respect of his colleagues. He’s extremely well qualified, he’s astute, a good listener, and very calm - he reminds me of my father. The company is in good hands.” Ford still works five days a week - “I’ve stopped going in Saturdays and Sundays, so I’m now officially part-time,” he says - and his involvement in a number of organisations are jobs in themselves.

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Promoting exercise, healthy eating and work-life balance through the South Tyneside Workplace Health Alliance is, he insists, not purely altruistic. “If you can reduce sick pay, that goes on the bottom line. And when we see good practice learnt at work going into the community, we know we’ve cracked it.” His involvement with the Apprentice Ambassador Network and founding of the Ford Engineering Academy demonstrate his determination to bring more young people into the industry. “We work to the acronym ASK - Attitude, Skills and Knowledge - to make them work-ready. Getting to work on time, looking smart,

PROOF IN THE PUDDING

being interested, prepared to work hard.” As a STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) ambassador, he does not welcome merchant banks stalking engineering graduates, more than 50% of whom never go into the profession. “The image of engineering as dirty, noisy, and poorly paid is wrong,” says Ford. “In a few years, young engineers will be in such demand, they’ll be able to name their price. “Manufacturing creates the original wealth in any economy or society - the service sector can’t service itself. And I believe the North East has the capability, if it has the will, to become the industrial heartbeat of the UK.”

Since the Government’s abolition of Regional Development Agencies (the LEPs, he says, are a poor substitute), Ford warns this can only be achieved if the North East avoids projecting a divided image. “You argue in private, not in public,” he says. “One North East may have been sacrificed on the altar of political dogma, but we have to be together. If we have the collective will, we can lead the Northern Powerhouse.” Once again, it’s where he comes from - and what this region could be - that brings out the passion in Ford. And when this passion and determination has kept a business thriving for a century, there must be something to it.

Evoking the tried-and-tested Gallic combination of relaxed, elegant ambience and confident classic cooking, the bistro at Newcastle’s Hotel du Vin is a perfect venue for quick-fire lunch meetings or something more leisurely. Soaking up the sun at a window-side table, we cast an eye over the well-rounded offers of the fixed price menu (2 courses £16.95, 3 for £19.95) but decide - as it’s nearly Friday - to order a la carte. The pork cheek terrine is a hot, savoury delight a crispy croquette filled with rich, flavoursome stew offset with punchy piccalilli. The Provençale fish soup is a bowlful of Mediterranean warmth, with rouille the colour of sun-baked roof tiles, served with a slender crouton for dipping. The classic sole meunière is superb, a lemon sole so impressively proportioned it elicits a wow from both of us, while the sweetcorn and courgette cakes are three light little pancakes on a bed of Swiss chard with a smooth salsa verde, leaving room for a heftily proportioned rum baba, boozily aromatic, colourfully festooned with candied angelica. Unfortunately, my car keys dictate that I must turn down the optional pour-over addition of a miniature of Havana Club. Next time, peut-être.

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Technip Umbilicals With world-class facilities on four continents, Technip Umbilicals continues to manufacture industry leading subsea systems for every environment. Our vertical integration, worldwide leadership and pioneering solutions help us take subsea technologies further. The dedication of our employees ensures our products and services always exceed client expectation.

www.technip.com

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SPECIAL FOCUS

Special focus:

Manufacturing and engineering The North East of England remains a key part of the UK’s industrial powerhouse with a proud history of world-leading innovation and manufacturing which today includes global giants such as Nissan and Nifco to less well-known, but equally world-leading names such as Technip, Gestamp and Lotte Chemical.

In this special focus we take a look at our region’s success stories and the work of some of the region’s leading educators to deliver a workforce which meets the needs of these firms and could follow in the footsteps of the North East’s famous manufacturers, engineers, inventors and innovators.

The production line at Nissan in Sunderland

Creating Outstanding Futures Apprenticeships with East Durham College Why choose EDC: Expert staff with up to date knowledge, skills and experience Professional recruitment service structured around your business needs Outstanding practical training facilities Flexible delivery to suit your business

Our priority is to provide capable and committed apprentices who can help to drive your business forward.

To find out more or to arrange a tour of our outstanding facilities, please call 0191 518 5587 or email emma.norbury@eastdurham.ac.uk

Apprenticeships available in: Agriculture Arboriculture Beauty Bricklaying Business Administration Childcare Customer Service Electrotechnical Technology Engineering Floristry Hairdressing and Barbering Health and Social Care

Horse Care Horticulture Landscaping Horticulture Sports Turf Hospitality and Catering Housing Joinery Manufacturing Motor Vehicle Small Animal Care Veterinary Nursing Warehousing

‘We’re in business for business’ 18/9/15 EDC - Contact, 189mm h x 132mm £5.00.indd 1

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We’re motivated by results

Are you?

We firmly believe that training and development should deliver results – strengthening your business to make it more efficient and more competitive. So when you’re thinking about your workforce and skills needs, choose a training provider that really understands your requirements, will deliver high quality solutions and provide a clear return on your investment.

Choose Sunderland College We’ve a proven track record of supporting apprenticeships and designing and delivering courses and qualifications for the advanced manufacturing and engineering industry including: Multi-Skilled Maintenance Technical Support Electrical/Electronic Engineering Fabrication and Welding Improving Operational Performance To find out more call 0191 511 6000 or email employers@sunderlandcollege.ac.uk

SPECIAL FOCUS

SUCCESS STORY

Maurice Dawson and Zoe Lewis with Middlesbrough College students

Keep on trucking

decided to make the donation after being tudents training to keep Britain’s impressed with work at the college’s new freight on the road have £20m STEM (science, technology, received more industry-leading engineering and maths) Centre of equipment with the delivery Excellence, where the trailer is now housed. of a tailor-made truck trailer for “This is a trailer that we would otherwise Middlesbrough College. have exported for sale, but we’re delighted to The trailer, worth around £10,000, has donate it to Middlesbrough College instead,” been donated by freight logistics specialist he says. “It means the students can go AV Dawson and will be used as part of the beyond theory and do everything from college’s new apprenticeship in Heavy testing the brakes and electrics to replacing Vehicle Trailer Maintenance and Repair. the wheels.” It will also allow new HGV trailer-fitting AV Dawson employs around 240 and maintenance apprentices to people at its 100-acre freight gain hands-on training. “PEOPLE handling facility on Teesport College director of DON’T ALWAYS in Middlesbrough, and has construction, engineering and REALISE HOW recently completed a £12.6m advanced manufacturing CRITICAL THIS investment including a railSteven Ankers says: “This is a connected container storage very generous donation. AV SECTOR IS” park and a deepwater quay to Dawson has cut down the trailer accommodate larger ships. from 45ft to 15ft to fit our facilities Maurice Dawson says: “Logistics is a and overhauled it and painted it so it looks labour-intensive sector and people fantastic, creating an outstanding training sometimes don’t realise how critical resource for the college. it is to the country – yet almost everything “AV Dawson has also called in the support that we use in the UK has to be delivered by of some of its local suppliers - Haldex road, rail or sea. supplied the braking system, the electrical “People also think that logistics is only system was donated by HS-Tec, and FP&S about driving, but keeping the vehicles on provided the mudwings. The AV Dawson the road demands a huge range of fitting team fitted and tested everything, so it and maintenance skills, which is where the operates just like a full-sized trailer.” college is providing such a valuable service.” AV Dawson chairman Maurice Dawson

Based on Walker Riverside, Technip Umbilicals Ltd - a global leader in the manufacture of subsea umbilical systems - remains of the North East’s best examples of industryleading innovation. The bespoke systems provide critical links between remote subsea wells and fixed or floating production systems for the oil and gas industry, providing control, power, communications and chemical services. The Walker facility is home to the world’s largest steel tube vertical helix assembly machine (VHAM), and at 60m high houses the world’s most capable steel tube umbilical assembly machine and state-of-the-art extrusion line – meaning Technip can produce longer umbilicals without joints. The VHAM investment has already helped the company secure multiple global project awards since 2014. The site also features facilities for the manufacture of thermoplastic umbilicals and hose as well as electrical cable and fibre optic cable umbilicals, and a dedicated Research and Development building with industry-leading test centre. Technip Umbilicals group has supplied systems to some of the world’s harshest environments, including the world’s deepest installation in the Gulf of Mexico for Shell at almost 3,000m and the world’s largest diameter and heaviest weight per metre umbilical for BP in the North Sea.

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ARE WE UP FOR THE CHALLENGE? In a recent article, David Smith, the highly respected Economics Editor of The Sunday Times, bemoaned the fact that his native West Midlands “was no longer the industrial heartbeat of the UK”. Geoff Ford, Chairman of the Ford Engineering Group, headquartered in South Tyneside and a long time NECC member, believes that the North East has the capability to assume that mantle, but he wonders if we have the will. “I do sometimes think our reluctance to acknowledge how good we are really does hold us back. We don’t even make the most of the fact that we’re the only net exporting region in the UK, nor do we point out that we’re well ahead of the national averages for the number of apprentices, as well as the proportion of businesses employing apprentices”, he points out.

“The North East should be the driving force behind the Northern Powerhouse. “We have Nissan, Siemens and Hitachi, in addition to a host of other world class operations such as Nifco, the GT Group, and SMD while the Tees Valley is a world leader in the Chemicals industry”, Geoff adds. He believes that the North East Automotive Alliance is a good example of what the North East can achieve. “After a standing start just over a year ago, the NEAA is already the biggest Automotive Alliance in the UK. The difference is that the Alliance and its efforts are driven by committed industrialists, backed up by a first class team. The rest, as they say, is down to us”, Ford believes.

FORD ENGINEERING GROUP +44 (0) 191 454 0141

contactus@ford-engineering.com

www.ford-engineering.com

SPECIAL FOCUS

Bridging the skills gap

RISING STARS

artlepool College has climbed five places in this year’s national apprenticeship provider rankings to second place. The college secured an achievement rate of 85.7% across its apprenticeship vocations, just 1.4% behind table-topping Epping Forest College in the Skills Funding Agency rankings. Principal Darren Hankey says: “Taking this route is very effective, not only for apprentices, but for employers who can train the

students and mould them into employees who fit straight into their workforce. “We have built excellent relationships with hundreds of local and regional employers and it is fantastic that we remain their first port of call when they look at their recruitment programmes. We are the second biggest apprenticeship provider in the North East with fantastic engineering and aerospace programmes, as well as everything from plumbing to design, so to be recognised nationally is a great achievement.”

multi-millionpound infrastructure project is bridging the skills gap and the River Chris Glover Wear with the support of The 18-year-old from Sunderland College. Farrans Victor Buyck (FVB) Grangetown in Sunderland, who is in his first year of a Joint Venture, which is BTEC Level Three in leading on Sunderland’s Engineering, was given a £117m new bridge and road one-day-a-week placement improvement project - New and has been involved in a Wear Crossing - is working number of tasks, including with Sunderland College to the use of laser technology to give students the chance to mark out points both on site get hands-on in the and in the river and construction process. cofferdam, where work will Since the project began in be undertaken to build the May 2015, more than 100 main pylon foundations. construction students have The bridge, crossing the been on site, with one, Chris river between Castletown and Glover, impressing the team Pallion, is due to be so much he was offered an completed by spring 2018. ongoing placement.

We are the 2nd Best General Further Education College in the UK for Apprenticeship performance. Just one of the many good reasons many employers trust us with Apprentice Engineers. While other education and training providers catch up, Hartlepool College has an engineering track record that goes back over 150 years - to the very start of engineering - to meet the demands of this constantly growing, everevolving sector. Many of the innovations and practices now commonplace in engineering education and training originated with Hartlepool College.

www.hartlepoolfe.ac.uk | @hartlepoolfe | #bethenext | 01429 295000

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SPECIAL FOCUS

Leading lights

Chris Halliday and Tony Norton

he North East’s history of innovation and world-changing ideas covers centuries, from Joseph Swan’s incandescent filament light to George Stephenson’s miner’s safety lamp and John Walker’s friction match to Lord Armstrong’s Cragside - the first home in the world where power was provided by hydroelectricity. For Lucy Johnson, chief of staff at intellectual property attorney firm Murgitroyd, the region’s reputation as a centre of innovation continues to the present day. “In the North East, inventors and innovators are numerous and talented,” she says. “Working as a patent attorney in the North

BRIGHT FUTURE

pollo Studio Academy in Peterlee, which offers academic qualifications and work experience to some 300 students aged 14-19, has announced continued apprenticeship success with more students added to its hired list. The latest apprentice to join the list is 18-year-old Chris Halliday from Peterlee, who has secured a four-year apprenticeship with specialist

metal manufacturing firm SoTech. Chris has been studying and learning on the job with SoTech for the last two years while undertaking his manufacturing engineering qualification at Apollo. His work has now secured a paid apprenticeship in fabrication and welding. Chris says: “Throughout my course at Apollo I have loved my time at SoTech. I have learnt so much over the past two years and I can’t wait to go on and further my career.”

East to secure protection for and develop IP strategies with some of these incredible people and their businesses is a great privilege.” Murgitroyd operates across 16 offices in Europe and two in the US, and specialises in designing, developing and maintaining IP protection for patents, trade marks, design and copyright throughout the innovation lifecycle.

The Murgitroyd team

Train with Industry Experts Middlesbrough College’s £20m STEM Training Centre is a leading provider of technical training, skills, behaviours and competency solutions for a range of industries and specialises in Process, Oil and Gas, Supply Chain Solutions, Advanced Manufacturing, Engineering, Design and Manufacture and Business Improvement.

Our specialist team of industry trained experts have extensive knowledge and experience in delivering learning and training. We work with leading employers to ensure that we offer training in the very latest techniques and processes to match your business needs.

A small selection of courses running June/July 2016 - over 50 courses available, contact the STEM Centre for more details Electrical 17th Edition (full and refresher) Inspection and Testing On Site Vocational Qualification Level 3 Assessments

Business Improvement Introduction to Lean Principles of 5S Kaizen Fundamentals

Health, Safety and Environment NEBOSH Certificate & Diploma IOSH Managing Safely Carbon Management Level 2 (City & Guilds) Sustainable Recycling Activities Level 2 and 3 Apprenticeships (City & Guilds) CSCS (Construction Skills Certification Scheme/CITB) CCNSG (Safety Passport/ECITB)

PLC’s and Robotics PLC’s (beginner and intermediate) FARO Arm Principles and Operation Robotics for Beginner and Intermediate (Kuka & ABB) Process & Instrumentation Separation Operations (live plant) Distillation Operations (live plant) DCS Operation (Emerson Delta V Systems)

For more information on dates, prices and to book a place contact 01642 333344 or Email: stem@mbro.ac.uk

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A reputation for innovation JOHN WALKER INVENTOR OF FRICTION MATCH

JOSEPH SWAN INVENTOR OF INCANDESCENT FILAMENT LIGHT

GLADSTONE ADAMS INVENTOR OF WINDSCREEN WIPER

For centuries, the North East has been a world-leading centre for innovation. A history of incredible ideas — like the world’s first incandescent bulb and the windscreen wiper — has left a legacy of unrivalled imagination and inventiveness. As one of the world’s leading intellectual property attorney firms, we share your passion for innovation. That’s why you’ll find that when it comes to appreciating, understanding and protecting innovation, no-one does it better than Murgitroyd.

Find out how we can create value from your intellectual property. Call +44 (0) 191 211 3550 INNOVATION SPOKEN HERE | murgitroyd.com

DOUBLE TAKE

Food, glorious food Dean Bailey meets two of the region’s top chefs

HEAD CHEF AND OWNER. MCKENNA’S AT NORTHERN STAGE.

HEAD CHEF GISBOROUGH HALL HOTEL

Alfie McKenna Jason Moore

How long have you been in the job? I’ve been here 20 years, having started out with a £500 loan from my father. I’d worked from London up to Scotland in some of the best kitchens, including ones holding Michelin stars. What do you love about your job? The team. Working with a good team around you always makes your job easier. I never thought I’d be running my own restaurant, but I married a good lady, Joanne, who’s an accountant and looks after a lot of things back of house. What are the most challenging aspects of your job? Our customers want to eat just before a performance, so we can’t run late. We’ll often be serving 100 covers in the space of an hour, which can be tough. Highlight of your career so far? I met my wife, who was working for Northern Stage, through the restaurant. When I tipped up here at the age of 21, I never thought I’d be 20 years down the line in the same restaurant with a wife and family. We’ve served some incredible artists in our time – including Sir Patrick Stewart when he was here with the RSC. Who do you admire most? As a trainee, I always looked to Raymond Blanc and his books and I still do. What would you be doing if you weren’t in your current job? I would have been a salesman, but I knew what I wanted to be from the age of 11. My nana and auntie were in catering and I was cooking from the age of 11. How will you spend your time when you retire? My son Charlie, 13, is really keen to work in the kitchen with me, and my daughter, Kate, 15, is working here part-time so I see myself mentoring them into the running the business.

How long have you been in the job? I’ve been back at Gisborough Hall for nearly two years as head chef, having held the position for five years before moving to Wynyard, Provident Group and back here. What do you love about your job? I love working back in the area I grew up in. I’m also very proud of the produce here. Yorkshire has some incredible food, from local meat to fish and shellfish from the North Sea. Food has always been important to our family. What are the most challenging aspects of your job? The hotel is a big operation with a two AA Rosette restaurant and a banqueting and wedding service. Balancing those requirements is a challenge, meeting the needs of a wide-ranging clientele. Highlight of your career so far? Maintaining a two AA Rosette restaurant, and I’ve been lucky to work in some fantastic properties, with some great people. I also met my wife through work and being married 17 years is certainly a big highlight. Who do you admire most? Two chefs - Stephen Greening, my lecturer at college taught me a lot about respecting ingredients, and Simon Bailey, a three AA Rosette chef who taught me how to work in a professional kitchen and so much about food, flavours and creating dishes. What would you be doing if you weren’t in your current job? I wanted to be a fireman like my dad, but having not made it, I became a chef like my mum. How will you spend your time when you retire? I would love to live out on a golf course in Portugal, drink good wine, eat good food and enjoy spending more time with my wife. JUNE - JULY 2016 / CONTACT / www.neechamber.co.uk / 59

EVENTS

Chamber Exchange Seaham Hall, April 14, sponsored by Seaham Hall

 Clare Rutherford and Lisa Proud (Newcastle United FC)

 Stewart Bell (Dawson and Sanderson) and Wendy Benson (Seaham Hall)

 Pete Mitchell (Xtream Signs) and Steven Parker (Digital Allies)  Catherine Graham (Hilton) and Catrina Flynn (St Benedict's Hospice)

Inspiring Females Seminar – Meet the Winners

Corporate Social Responsibility

Mercure Newcastle, April 26, sponsored by Mercure Newcastle

Hodgson Sayers, April 28, in association with Hodgson Sayers

 Paula Gascoigne (Smile for Life), Laura Leigh Wayman (Childsplay Nursery), Helen Godfrey and Kelly Bentham (Amber North East), Holly Armstrong (George F White), Nickie Gott (She's Gott It), Fran Mulhall (GFW Lettings)

 Fran Mulhall (GFW Letting), Paula Gascoigne (Smile for Life), Holly Armstrong (George F White)

 Jackie Barnett (Jackie Barnett Consulting) and Anna Wadcock (Mercure Hotel)

 Laura Leigh Wayman (Childsplay Nursery), Helen Godfrey and Kelly Bentham (Amber North East)

60 / www.neechamber.co.uk / CONTACT / JUNE - JULY 2016

 Members networking

 Mike Wade (Hodgson Sayers)

 Neil Ross (Godfrey Syrett Ltd)

Chamber Exchange

Chamber Exchange Linden Hall, May 12, sponsored by Linden Hall

Crowne Plaza, Newcastle, July 14, 11am-2pm, FREE This is the Chamber’s flagship networking event encouraging an exchange of experiences, ideas and offers between members. A round-table networking event with two table changes held the second Thursday of each month across the region. The first table ‘Sharing a Success’ – delegates are encouraged to share a recent business success. The second table ‘Discussing a Challenge’ – delegates are encouraged to discuss current or recent challenges, how you may have overcome this challenge or if someone is facing a current challenge, those around the table are encouraged to offer advice and guidance. Chamber staff including senior management and partners will lead each table. Event sponsored by

 Table networking

Chamber Exchange

Acklam Hall, August 11, 11am-2pm, FREE Event sponsored by  Wendy Watts and Katie Foster (Premium Hospitality)

 Kerry Munro (Linden Hall), Donna Bulman and Sue Wade (Nal Asset Man.)

Coffee & Connections Durham Constabulary HQ, May 26, sponsored by Durham Constabulary

Chamber Golf Day

Matfen Hall, Northumberland, June 29, noon-7pm, £130 per team This informal golf day is designed to bring businesses from across the region together to share ideas and develop contacts and business opportunities in a relaxed and informal atmosphere. Included in the package are hot sandwiches and refreshments on arrival, 18 holes of golf and a private dinner with prize giving.

 Julie Underwood (Chamber), Kerrin Smith (Durham Constabulary), Jackie Barnett (Jackie Barnett Consulting), Julie Charlton (Retox Digital)

Event supported by

Event sponsored by

 Mini police greeted members

 Joan Briton (The Creche Mobile), Clare Chillingworth (Durham Cathedral)

JUNE - JULY 2016 / CONTACT / www.neechamber.co.uk / 61

EVENTS

Featured events JUN

£130*

Chamber Golf Day

Matfen Hall, Northumberland, *£130 per team

To book 0300 303 6322 events@neechamber. co.uk www.neechamber. co.uk/events FLAGSHIP JUN 22 CHAMBER AGM 2016 10.30-14:30, Stadium of Light, Sunderland

FREE

JUN 29 CHAMBER GOLF DAY All Day, Matfen Hall, Northumberland

£130*

JUL 06 INSPIRING FEMALES CONFERENCE 09:00-15:00, Lumley Castle

JUL

FREE

Chamber Exchange

09:00-15:00, Lumley Castle, Co. Durham

11:00-14:00, Crowne Plaza, Newcastle

NETWORKING JUL 05 TEES VALLEY BUSINESS SUMMIT 09:00-17:00, Olympia Building, Teesside University

FREE

JUL 06 CHAMBER LOCAL (TEAM VALLEY MONTHLY)

£100*

NOV 11 NORTH EAST WOMAN ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR AWARDS 18:00-late, TBC

TBC

*member price + VAT

08:15-10:00, Coast & Country Housing, Dormanstown, Redcar

FREE

JUL 14 CHAMBER EXCHANGE

FREE

11:00-14:00, Crowne Plaza, Newcastle

FREE

JUL 19 STAND UP AND BE COUNTED 11:00-13:00, Holiday Inn Express, Middlesbrough

FREE

AUG 03 CHAMBER LOCAL (TEAM VALLEY MONTHLY)

08:30-10:30, Area North, Team Valley

FREE

AUG 11 CHAMBER EXCHANGE

08:00-09:30, Hardwick Hall Hotel, Sedgefield

JUL 07 SOUTH TYNESIDE AREA MEETING 08:00-09:30, TBC

FREE

JUL 15 NORTH TYNESIDE AREA MEETING 08:00-09:45, TBC

FREE

JUL 19 SUNDERLAND AREA MEETING 16:00-17:30, Stadium of Light, Sunderland

FREE

11:00-14:00, Acklam Hall, Middlesbrough

FREE

FREE (STANDS FROM £150*)

18:00-23:00, Civic Centre, Newcastle

JUL 06 REDCAR & CLEVELAND AREA MEETING

JUL 07 BANK OF ENGLAND PANEL TEES VALLEY&CO DURHAM

08:30-10:30, Area North, Team Valley

SEPT 29 CHAMBER TEES VALLEY ANNUAL DINNER NOV 03 CHAMBER NORTHUMBRIA & DURHAM ANNUAL DINNER

AREA MEETINGS/ COMMITTEES

FREE

NOV 16 NORTH EAST EXPO/ MANUFEX

£80*

FREE

Inspiring Females Conference

FREE

18:00-23:00, Jurys Inn, Middlesbrough

JUL

09:00-16:00, Newcastle Falcons, Kingston Park

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION NETWORK JUN 23 HR KNOWLEDGE: ENDING THE EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP 09:30-11:30, Durham County Cricket Club

FREE

INTERNATIONAL JUN 28 EXPORT PROCESSES COMPLIANCE AND DOCUMENTS 09:00-16:00, Durham County Cricket Club

£300**

JUL 07 UNION CUSTOMS CODE (UCC) 08:30-12:00, Lumley Castle

£50*

SEPT 08 IMPORT PROCESSES, COMPLIANCE AND DOCUMENTS 09:00-16:00, Durham County Cricket Club

JUL 01 LINKING BUSINESS WITH EDUCATION

£300**

FREE

**Global member price £240+VAT Foundation Award in International Trade - Chamber member price £800 (Global member price £640+VAT)

08:00-12:00, Cardinal Hume Catholic School, Gateshead

62 / www.neechamber.co.uk / CONTACT / JUNE - JULY 2016

THANK YOU

New members

For your recent membership renewals. Particular thanks to members supporting the Chamber for over 20 years

100+ YEARS KPMG LLP

111

30-39 YEARS K Home International Ltd PSI Global Ltd Van Der Velde (Services & Support) Ltd Arco Ltd Casper Shipping Ltd Northern Machine Tools (Eng) Ltd Bulkhaul Limited International Pipeline Products Ltd

39 39 38 37 36 35 30 30

25-29 YEARS Dodds Brown LLP Aycliffe Engineering Ltd A H L Industrial Pipework Specialist Ltd Feller (UK) Limited Newcastle City Council Ramside Hall Hotel South Tyneside Council David Fox Transport Equine Products (UK) Ltd Sir Robert McAlpine Limited Tyne Gangway (Structures) Ltd Bradley O’Mahoney Public Relations Cormeton Fire Protection Ltd Gott Technical Services Spire Washington Hospital Stockton Riverside College UHY Torgersens Ltd W O Silmon Ltd Wessington Cryogenics Ltd

29 28 27 27 27 27 27 26 26 26 26 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 25

20-24 YEARS Berendsen Cherry Parts Ltd Dunwoodie Architects Limited

24 24 24

Hepple Engineering Services Ltd International Syalons (Newcastle) Ltd Robert Kirkland (Blyth) Ltd Shuttleworth Picknett & Associates LLP Techwax Ltd (Ashland) Todd Milburn Partnership Limited Elring Klinger (Great Britain) Limited The Metrocentre Partnership Safetech SIB Office Supplies Ltd Travel Bureau AUK (rpe) Ltd Trading as Airservices (UK) Biffa Waste Services Ltd Christopher Brummitt Architect Cramlington Precision Forge Ltd Cummins Ltd Gilpin & Harding Ltd Hospitality Services Interglobal Forwarding LBE Engineering Ltd Playprint Limited RTR HANDELSGESELLSCHAFT The Jennings Group Universal AV Services Ltd Adecco UK Ltd Cavotec UK Limited Clive Owen LLP Doncasters Paralloy Ltd DWF LLP England & Lyle Limited Fife Engineering Co Ltd J W Colpitts & Co Ltd Jotron (UK) Ltd Morgan Tucker NDT Global Services Ltd Northumberland Wildlife Trust Limited Perfect Image Ltd Redcar Business Association Ribchesters Chartered Accountants Scotia Instrumentation Ltd Trans-Store Security Compounds

The above businesses have been members for 15 years or more and renewed their membership in April and May 2016

24 24 24 24 24 24 23 23 22 22 22 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 21 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20

Visit the Chamber's website for information about the companies which have recently joined the Chamber - the region’s largest business membership organisation. Along with contact details, there are opportunities for announcements from new members keen to publicise their products, services and activities to other Chamber members. While listings are free to all new members, editorial announcements are part of a broader package designed to promote a new member’s business to reach the readership of Contact magazine. For further details contact the Contact advertising team, tel 01661 844 115, email sales@offstonepublishing.co.uk

The contact details of all the companies which joined the Chamber recently are now available at www.neechamber.co.uk under the ‘New Members’ link

MEMBER 2 MEMBER

MEMBER TO MEMBER OFFERS ED AT UR FE

AT UR

Make more of your Chamber membership with these great member offers and many more on the Chamber website

SUMMER OFFER AT THE NEW NORTHUMBRIA HOTEL

10% OFF CRECHEMOBILE BOOKING

10% OFF IT WORKSHOPS

Malhotra Group PLC Offer code: Summer16

The Creche Mobile Project Offer code: CM0916

MSC Computer Training Ltd

Enjoy a stay in a deluxe double or twin room at The New Northumbria Hotel for less this summer – one-night stay - £65 or a two-night stay - £95 – includes a welcome bottle of prosecco and a twohour early check in or late check out.

The CrècheMobile is offering 10% off a crèche or playbus booking. A crèche or playbus is available for any event, from weddings and christenings to festivals, conferences and sporting events.

Chamber members receive a 10% discount on workshop events with MSC Computer Training Ltd.

www.thenewnorthumbriahotel.co.uk

www.crechemobile.co.uk

www.msctraining.co.uk

FREE SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING CONSULTATION

FREE MOBILE SITE WITH ANY WEBSITE BUILD

35% DISCOUNT FOR ALL CHAMBER MEMBERS

Viral Effect Ltd OFFER CODE: VE100

Activ Web Design OFFER CODE: N/A

The Change Consultancy OFFER CODE: N/A

COMPLIMENTARY BUSINESS HEALTH CHECK

10% OFF YOUR INITIAL FIXED FEES

5% CHAMBER MEMBER DISCOUNT

Croner OFFER CODE: CHAMBER

Paul J Watson Solicitor OFFER CODE: N/A

Rondean Machinery OFFER CODE: CHAMBER5%

For many more exclusive Chamber member offers visit www.neechamber.co.uk/offers 64 / www.neechamber.co.uk / CONTACT / JUNE - JULY 2016

Exchange Experience Exchange Ideas Exchange Contacts Exchange Success To find out more about the benefits of being a chamber member visit www.neechamber.co.uk

COLUMNIST

Last Word Editor and magazine publisher Jane Pikett ponders the thing she wishes everyone else would ignore - gender in the workplace

hen Hilary Clinton won her battle to be named the Democratic Party’s Presidential Candidate, she appeared in front of a giant banner reading ‘History’ and the world’s news media angled the story on gender first, placing politics and capability for the job, a definite second. I am enormously uncomfortable with this. Clinton’s gender is no more newsworthy to me than Barack Obama’s colour. Both have achieved firsts, but do we have to constantly bang on about them? For me, our obsession with gender firsts perpetuates the idea that women are somehow unusual in aspiring to, or reaching, the highest positions in public or business life. Taking the focus off gender simply renders the achievement normal, as it would be for a white, middle class male to reach the same position. I would never refer to anyone as ‘the first female CEO of...’ because by making gender the story we perpetuate the myth that only in extraordinary circumstances can women achieve high office, or be engineers, or physicists, or any other male-dominated position or profession. This view has hardened over the last six years, since I acquired a male business partner and discovered that routine sexism was suddenly affecting my daily business life. A journalist, I’ve happily progressed up the ranks in a profession

stocklight / Shutterstock.com which is, in the main, non-gender focused. It is true that there are fewer women than men in the most senior editorial positions, and among my peers there are several women, but no men, who have taken career breaks to have children, largely continuing to work freelance rather than going back to the pursuit of the top job, while their spouses have stayed in the newsroom and gone on to high editorial positions. It could, however, have been the other way around and no-one at our 20-year Evening Chronicle newsroom reunion last week was complaining. They were amazed to hear, however, that since I set up a magazine publishing and marketing business with a male business partner in 2010, I have encountered repeated routine sexism. I walk into a room with him and people - men and women - invariably direct their attention to him, not me, because they assume he is the boss. It’s the strangest thing, reaching your 40s and the peak of your professional experience only to find that for the first time, the fact that you have a man sitting next to you renders you invisible. So, what’s it all about? Is it my hair? My shoes? A general lack of credibility? Perhaps it’s because he is the commercial brains of the operation, and I the creative. In other words, he does the maths and I do

66 / www.neechamber.co.uk / CONTACT / JUNE - JULY 2016

the words and pictures. Maybe people would listen to me more readily if I was the one wielding the spreadsheets? I know my business partner has a natural air of authority, and I’ve managed to convince myself that when I am with him, I do not. This shows how routine, unconscious sexism can undermine even the most confident people (and I don’t generally lack confidence, I assure you). So, what’s the answer? I’ll be honest, I don’t know. I remain firmly anti ‘positive’ discrimination and if someone gave me a job to tick a gender balance box I’d be thoroughly insulted. There’s a large part of me which remains unsure that I should be writing this at all - after all, I am breaking my own rule, and making gender into the story. Why? I guess I want people to think - and to talk to me when they meet me with my business partner. I can’t get over the fact that the biggest surprise of my career is in meeting sexism for the first time when I have supposedly ‘made it’. And while others in my profession still make their news focus gender rather than expertise in public life, I suspect this isn’t going to go away. Jane Pikett is co-owner of Offstone Publishing, a magazine publishing and marketing agency based in Stocksfield, Northumberland.

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TOUGH GO-GETTER NEW CITROËN BERLINGO FROM ONLY

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*Offers apply to qualifying new Citroën commercial vehicles ordered & delivered 01/04 - 30/06/16 for business users only excluding National Fleet customers as defined by Citroën UK. Metallic paint optional at no extra cost. Rental prices shown apply to New Citroën Berlingo HDi 75 manual L1 625 Enterprise, Dispatch HDi 90 manual L1H1 1000 Panel Van & Relay 30 L1H1 HDi 110 6-speed manual Enterprise. One bulk advance will be required followed by 23 monthly rentals on a 2 year agreement of 10,000 miles per annum. Contract Hire rental includes: delivery to dealership, Citroën Roadside Assistance, Vehicle Excise Duty and Government First Registration Fee. Finance subject to status. Guarantees may be required. Over 18s only. Excess mileage charges will apply if you exceed the agreed annual mileage. Finance provided by and written quotations available on request from PSA Finance UK Limited (company registration number 01024322) t/a Citroën Contract Motoring, Quadrant House, Princess Way, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 1QA, UK. Citroën Contract Motoring is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Contract Hire rental rates have been calculated with the appropriate manufacturer’s support applied to the OTR price. All rentals are subject to VAT at 20%. Citroën Contract Motoring reserve the right to amend any of the rentals quoted without notice. Jarretts Motors Ltd is acting as a credit broker and is not a lender. To finance your purchase/lease we may introduce you to a limited number of lenders. Offers & specification correct at time of going to press from participating Dealers. Terms & conditions apply. Please ask us for details. Subject to stock availability.

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