Posts of 2009

Government Outlines Support for UK Civil Nuclear Sector Ahead of Copenhagen

2010-01-22T15:57:11.877Z

Originally Posted: Thursday 3rd December 2009

As part of the Government’s commitment to new low carbon sustainable growth, the Business Secretary Lord Mandelson provided a boost for the UK’s civil nuclear industry today, outlining a package of announcements in Yorkshire and the North West to provide real help to enable British businesses to seize the opportunities this rapidly expanding sector presents.

Speaking at the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) in Rotherham he announced:

~ That the new Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (NAMRC) will be based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire alongside the AMRC, led by Sheffield University in partnership with University of Manchester, with Rolls Royce as the lead industrial partner.

~ An additional £8m to upgrade the nuclear laboratories at Manchester University’s Dalton Nuclear Institute to support the NAMRC. This is in addition to the £15m Government has already committed to the NAMRC.

~ Rolls-Royce's planned civil nuclear factory in South Yorkshire.

~ A Nuclear Low Carbon Economic Area (LCEA) in the North West and Yorkshire, led by NWDA in close collaboration with Yorkshire Forward

As part of the Nuclear LCEA the North West will support the Manufacturing Advisory Service’s (MAS) nuclear services as part of the Nuclear LCEA, offering manufacturing companies advice and support to access the nuclear energy market.

The NAMRC was a commitment under the Low Carbon Industrial Strategy, and is supported by £15m of government funding from the Strategic Investment Fund It will bring together university research and industrial expertise to develop manufacturing techniques and components that will meet the demand for new nuclear power stations. It will also benefit supply chain companies with support in securing accreditation to compete in the civil nuclear sector. Led by Rolls-Royce, founder industrial partners also include Areva, Westinghouse, Sheffield Forgemasters and NAMTEC.

In another boost for South Yorkshire, Rolls-Royce announced its intention in principle to base its new civil nuclear factory in the region. This factory is part of an investment programme that Rolls-Royce announced on 28 July 2009, which included £45m of investment from the Government.

Lord Mandelson said:

“We know that we have to make the transition to a low carbon future, and the Government is determined to ensure that British businesses get the support they need to seize the business opportunities that transition creates. The civil nuclear sector is one of the key low carbon industries where the UK has the potential for job creation, economic growth and engineering and manufacturing excellence. Today’s announcement is about investing in our future. A greener, smarter, more skilled, more balanced British economy.”

Chancellor, Alistair Darling MP also commented:

“It is essential that the UK economy continues to build upon its strengths in the high tech and knowledge based industries so that as we come out of the recession these industries drive forward sustainable growth within the UK and our ability to compete in global markets.

“The NAMRC is a perfect example of how Government, universities and industry can work together to drive that growth
in the UK economy.”

The creation of a Nuclear Low Carbon Economic Area (LCEA) in the North West and Yorkshire will give a focus to investment, developments and skills support which will benefit companies across the UK. With this kind of investment in capabilities, UK companies have the potential to provide up to 80% of the work on construction of new nuclear power plants, and the LCEA will support the development of UK capability to win this business. As part of this the North West Regional Development Agency will build the capacity and capability for MAS NW to provide specialist support to the nuclear supply chin, offering support to the MAS national network to bring the benefits to the whole of the UK.

Business Minister Lord Drayson said:

“Low Carbon Economic Areas will help us focus investment, skills and infrastructure regionally to boost the UK’s national capacity. This nuclear low carbon economic area will combine the advantages of nuclear infrastructure in the North West and advanced manufacturing in Yorkshire, the advanced manufacturing base in the region and the excellent skills and research bases in Manchester and Sheffield universities. By drawing together our activity regionally we can accelerate our capability nationally.”

Energy Minister Lord Hunt outlined the significance of the government’s support for the UK civil nuclear sector in his speech today to the Nuclear Industries Association:

“A global climate deal in Copenhagen needs all countries to make the most ambitious commitments possible, but it will also require us to change how we generate our energy. Nuclear is a low carbon and secure source of energy and must be part of our future energy mix if we're to meet our climate change goals. We've already had commitment from industry to build 16GW of new nuclear in the UK. This manufacturing package will ensure we utilise the skills that we have in this country to make sure those power stations get built.”

Tom Riordan, Chief Executive of Yorkshire Forward said:

“Yorkshire Forward has worked closely with Rolls Royce and the Government to secure both investments and this announcement is incredible news for a part of our region hit hard by the recession. It recognises the cutting edge facilities and the top quality of our academic and business skills base. The UK's nuclear programme is expected to create over 4,500 engineering jobs over the next 25 years and more than a £1bn a year to the industry. This investment, and others like it, puts the region at the very heart of the UK’s energy sector and cements our position as a centre of excellence for manufacturing, to a global marketplace.”

Rolls-Royce to Set Up Research Centre at AMP

2010-01-22T16:18:39.465Z

Originally Posted: Wednesday 23rd December 2009

Rolls-Royce has chosen the Advanced Manufacturing Park in Rotherham as the base for one of two groundbreaking research and engineering plants coming to South Yorkshire, set to create several hundred jobs.

They represent the biggest investment in South Yorkshire for decades and are forecast to contribute £1bn a year to the UK economy for many years to come. Through them, Britain will become the world’s leading supplier of components and research for the global nuclear energy industry.

The first will be a £25m Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (NAMRC) at the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP), just off the Parkway at Waverley. That is primarily funded by £15m from the Government and £10m from regional development agency Yorkshire Forward.

It will sit alongside the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing research Centre with Boeing, which played a leading role in bringing the projects to Yorkshire.

The second will be a civil nuclear manufacturing plant, whose exact location has yet to be announced. That will get £45m of Government support.

They will make important research and engineering contributions to Britain’s nuclear energy programme. The manufacturing plant will produce large pressure vessels – drums 30 metres (98ft) across – for nuclear reactors.

Lord Mandelson, Secretary of State for Business, visited the AMP on Thursday December 3 to announce these and other measures to help Britain create a low-carbon economy.

“We excel in so many things in this country,” he said, praising the South Yorkshire and UK “passion for manufacturing”. The full package comprises:

That the new Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (NAMRC) will be based in South Yorkshire alongside the AMRC, led by Sheffield University in partnership with University of Manchester, with Rolls Royce as the lead industrial partner.
An additional £8m to upgrade the nuclear laboratories at Manchester University’s Dalton Nuclear Institute to support the NAMRC. This is in addition to the £15m Government has already committed to the NAMRC.
Rolls-Royce's planned civil nuclear factory in South Yorkshire.
A Nuclear Low Carbon Economic Area (LCEA) in the North West and Yorkshire, led by NWDA in close collaboration with Yorkshire Forward.
As part of the Nuclear LCEA the North West will support the Manufacturing Advisory Service’s (MAS) nuclear services as part of the Nuclear LCEA, offering manufacturing companies advice and support to access the nuclear energy market.

The measures will help British businesses potentially provide up to 80 per cent of the work on construction of new nuclear power plants.

Yorkshire Forward chief executive Tom Riordan said: “Yorkshire Forward has worked closely with Rolls-Royce and the Government to secure both investments and this announcement is incredible news for a part of our region hit hard by the recession. It recognises the cutting edge facilities and the top quality of our academic and business skills base.

“The UK's nuclear programme is expected to create over 4,500 engineering jobs over the next 25 years and well over a £1bn a year to the industry. Yorkshire Forward’s investment into both the NAMRC and Rolls-Royce’s new manufacturing facility will firmly put the region at the very heart of the UK’s energy sector. This cements our position as a centre of excellence for manufacturing, to a global marketplace, securing and creating jobs now and in the future.”

The leader of Rotherham Borough Council, Cllr Roger Stone, said: “This is a new era for Rotherham. Rolls-Royce is the best in the world at what it does. It has chosen a location that’s among the best in the world.

“These projects have massive implications for the UK economy. At a local level, as well as new high-quality jobs we believe it will galvanise our young people into strengthening their skills and ambitions to be, like Rolls-Royce, world-class players.”

The new centre will be led by the University of Sheffield in partnership with the University of Manchester with Rolls- Royce as a lead industrial partner.

It will bring together university research and industrial expertise to develop manufacturing techniques and components that will meet the demand for new nuclear power stations. It will also benefit supply chain companies with support in securing accreditation to compete in the civil nuclear sector.

Founder industrial partners also include Areva, Westinghouse, Sheffield Forgemasters and NAMTEC.

Lord Mandelson also announced that Rolls-Royce’s planned civil nuclear facility was destined for South Yorkshire. That will manufacture, assemble and test high quality components that are essential to meet the requirements of the planned new civil nuclear power plants across the UK. This investment will create more than 300 jobs, with hundreds more expected to be made throughout industry supply chains, across the region.

The industry giant acknowledged Yorkshire and Humber’s position as the centre for excellence in advanced manufacturing and chose South Yorkshire, despite strong international competition, as a result of the strong skills base already present in the region.

Lord Mandelson said: “We know that we have to make the transition to a low carbon future, and the Government is determined to ensure that British businesses get the support they need to seize the business opportunities that transition creates.

“The civil nuclear sector is one of the key low carbon industries where the UK has the potential for job creation, economic growth and engineering and manufacturing excellence. Today’s announcement is about investing in our future. A greener, smarter, more skilled, more balanced British economy.”

Rosie Winterton, the Minister for Yorkshire and The Humber, said: "This latest substantial investment in the world class facilities we have at the Advanced Manufacturing Park in South Yorkshire demonstrates our leading role as a base for advanced manufacturing research and production. It also confirms the vital role our universities play in our future economic growth."Yorkshire and The Humber has real potential in advanced engineering and materials and in being a world-leader for research and scientific development - and in the commercial exploitation of new technologies."

Young Entrepreneurs Moving on up Despite Downturn

2010-01-22T15:30:59.509Z

Originally Posted: Wednesday 8th July 2009

The winners of last year’s Rotherham Young Entrepreneur of the Year awards say their businesses have been booming in 2009 - despite the economic gloom.

As the closing date for this year’s Young Entrepreneur award draws close, former entrants report order books are full, the opportunities are out there - and people are still hungry for the services of innovative young people.

Andy Parton, who won the Best Business Using IT/Technology category for his company Flowed Media Ltd, says he has been so busy, he’s had to stop doing some of the jobs he was routinely taking on in order to focus on his strengths and his business.

Andy said: “I got to a stage when I was so busy just trying to get everything done, and saying yes to everything to keep the money coming in, I stopped focusing on the business and the direction it was going. I now concentrate on my core business and not on the less profitable bits. It’s a much more efficient and rewarding way of doing things.

“Working smart also helps me to spend more time developing relationships, creating networks with other entrepreneurs to develop ideas and ways of working that are mutually beneficial for the future.”

Now he is 30, Andy’s digital solutions business has taken on two members of staff based Fusion Business Centre, run by Rotherham Investment & Development Office (RiDO), the Council’s regeneration arm.

And his public sector client portfolio has grown thanks to his niche offering. Flowed uniquely specialises in digital solutions in education for the 14 to 19 age group, developing online tools to make sure teachers have got the right tools for the job.

He is also busy developing creative online packages that he believes businesses will need in the future.

Andy said: “I’m always coming up with ideas - as well as being able to project manage things. Being one step ahead is key in the online business.
“When I won the award last year, it felt great. It gave me recognition, something to talk about online - and confidence. I’ve now got a goal and a long-term plan that the RiDO business advisors helped me to develop. It’s been an interesting year!”
www.flowed.co.uk

Meanwhile last year’s overall winners Josh Abbotts and Gavin Winder at Prototype Creative have also reported a good year’s business.

The pair, who run their graphic and web design agency out of another RiDO-run business centre – Century at Manvers – have seen full order books without even trying to get them.

Josh said: “We’ve done very little to get more work – it just keeps on coming in from word of mouth. We find often the best way of marketing yourself is by doing a really good job.

“Small jobs may not be the most profitable on the surface – but do them well and people will often be back with bigger orders.”
www.prototypecreative.co.uk

Back for the fourth year, the awards have consistently uncovered a wealth of young talent that had previously been invisible. Awards backer Rotherham Enterprise Network (REN) helps ensure through follow-up publicity that they become highly visible, including local, regional and national media coverage.

Awards organiser and judge Geoff Link, enterprise manager at RiDO said: “We often find that in a downturn small companies can become busier as people turn away from larger, more expensive firms. These awards are an opportunity to get your talent out there. It’s a great opportunity to showcase what you can do – and be rewarded for it too.”

The awards are part of the Rotherham Chamber of Commerce Business Awards, and are sponsored by REN, Rotherham Youth Enterprise (RYE) and Business Link, the Government-funded Solutions for Business and other partners.

This year the overall winner will receive £1,000, from award sponsors UK Steel Enterprise, with the four category winners taking home £500 each from the other sponsors, Business Link, Yorkshire Forward and the Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber.

This year’s entrants can choose from the following categories: Best New Start-up (trading between six months and two years), Best Established Business (trading more than two years), Best Business IT/Technology and Business Most Determined to Succeed.
Entry forms are available by calling 01709 372099, by visiting your local library, or by going to www.rido.org.uk and following the prompts. All applicants must submit a completed application to the judges by July 17 2009.

The overall winner is to be announced at the Chamber awards ceremony in Rotherham in October.

Two Major Deals in Rotherham Defy Economic Gloom

2010-01-22T14:36:39.577Z

Originally Posted: Tuesday 24th February 2009

Anglo-Dutch TCN UK is celebrating its completion of two more major deals at the 285-acre Waterfront mixed-use development at Manvers, in Rotherham.

The two deals – with Taylor Wimpey and Aldi food stores – add to the ever-increasing number of successful deals being completed at Waterfront.

The deal with the UK’s biggest house builder, Taylor Wimpey, will allow the creation of 202 new homes at the Waterfront development, which overlooks the 50-acre sailing lake. In total, there will be 689 homes, including apartments.

The second deal is with expanding food store operator Aldi, which will be developing a 14,000 sq ft food store along with 8,000 sq ft of kiosk retail units.

TCN Director Stephen Holme said: “This is an exciting start to 2009. With all this doom and gloom around it’s great to see so much activity on the site. Not only are we bucking the trend, but we are progressing this unique mixed-use development which has taken over five years of work to bring to this stage.”

The past 24 months have seen the company push ahead with remarkable transformations of a former coalfield wasteland in the South Yorkshire borough. They include:
• Construction of a 130-room Radisson Park Inn, due for completion June this year
• The completion of the Marston’s family pub
• The completion of the British Canoeing Union’s Olympic Training Club, next to the 50-acre lake, which becomes fully operational next spring
• The completion of the nine-hole pay-and-play golf course, clubhouse and driving range, which is now operational
• Planning permission granted for a 6,000 sq ft KFC drive-thru restaurant

Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for regeneration and development, Cllr Gerald Smith, welcomed the new signings: “This would be excellent news at any time, but in the current climate it’s a vote of confidence in Rotherham’s opportunities for business and proof that well-founded developments can still make progress.”

Stephen Holme said: “The story doesn’t end here. With a further 40 acres to develop and planning approval for a further 350 houses, leisure, retail and business space, Waterfront has many opportunities available for all types of companies looking to be located on this unique scheme.”

Shelly Rudman gets Gold in Italian Job

2010-01-22T16:02:03.159Z

Originally Posted: Monday 7th December 2009

A stunning performance won Olympian Shelley Rudman her first World Cup gold medal of this season in the women's skeleton bobsleigh.

It was a superb return to Italy's Cesana track, near Turin, for one of the top ice-sport athletes backed by the AMP's Bromley Technologies. She took silver there in the 2006 Winter Olympics – the first British woman ever to win a medal in the event – and on Friday (December 4) she not only took World Cup gold but also beat the track record.

Despite battling flu-like symptoms and a slight hip injury, Shelley threw down the gauntlet to her competitors with a strong first run that saw her hold a 0.23 second advantage over second-placed Marion Trott of Germany.

Her competitors came back at her in the second run, but Shelley pulled out a track record run of 58.71 seconds to win by over 0.3 seconds from Trott and third-placed Melissa Hollingsworth (Canada).

The win moves her to the top of the World Cup Standings after three rounds – and there to see her do it were fiancé Kristan Bromley and their daughter, Ella. Shelley is pictured above, centre, with kristan and Nicola Minichiello.

“I am so happy with this result,” said a jubilant Shelley. “To take gold and beat the track record is such a fantastic feeling. I had two really consistent runs but managed to clean up the second to gain the extra speed. A gold here after my Olympic silver at the last games is a real step forward and I still have to keep the focus. Having Ella out here has really helped me to relax and keep focused and my feet on the ground. I will enjoy today then it's back to the program and the next race.”

Shelley uses a sled developed as part of the Formula Ice programme by Bromley Technologies Ltd, based at the AMP Technology Centre.

Kristan, the world's only triple-crown holder in the skeleton bob, had won bronze in the US Lake Placid races just a week or so earlier, and had put in a strong performance at Cesana. But in a horrendous moment for any bobsleigh slider, at the start of his second run his sled jumped out of the groove in the ice and he lost crucial fractions of a second that kept him off the podium.

The next round of the World Cup takes place in Winterberg, Germany, on December 11. Watch out for your local athletes!

Rotherham-Sheffield support has been invaluable in helping Bromley Technologies boost its athletes' performances. AMP backing is from the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre with Boeing (AMRC), Dormer Tools, Materialise and Fripp Design. The Sheffield support comes from law firm Nabarro and chartered accountants Barber Harrison & Platt.

Sarah Takes the Helm at Matrix

2010-01-22T14:30:22.567Z

Originally Posted: Tuesday 10th February 2009

As the recession turns hundreds of workers’ minds to their futures, a council has opened its latest business centre for start-up companies.

Previous downturns saw rises in the number of people deciding to launch out on their own. Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council is ready if that is repeated this time.

And at its new business centre, Matrix@Dinnington, one crucial new member of staff is looking forward to giving budding entrepreneurs a helping hand.

Centre co-ordinator Sarah Hanson has spent the past three years honing her skills at the council’s three other successful business centres – Fusion@Magna, Moorgate Crofts and Century.

She will now play an important role in the council’s continuing drive to encourage and support entrepreneurs and their young businesses at Matrix.

“We all know how tough things are out there,” she said, “but there’s no doubt that there are opportunities for small entrepreneurial businesses as long as they have the right help.

“Matrix offers not only affordable new office or workshop space at low costs, but also free business and financial advice that can make all the difference to someone starting out in business. We also offer a professional messaging service and meeting rooms for important meetings or presentations.

“Although the current economic situation brings only bad news for some, for others it can open up an opportunity to do something they’ve always wanted to do – like be your own boss.”

On average 85 per cent of companies in RiDO-run business centres survive to year three – that’s slightly down, due to the recession hitting young companies as well as established ones, but it is still 14 percentage points ahead of the national average of 71 per cent.

RiDO works on a daily basis with 105 new-start businesses. It has played a part in “incubating” more than 600 new businesses, which in turn created more than 3,000 new jobs.

Matrix is the first in the south of the borough, and it is hoped it will cater for the new breed of entrepreneurs in the area. It has 17 self-contained offices and 24 workshops – some of which have a mezzanine-level office incorporated for those who don’t want a separate room for handling paperwork. It is about five minutes from Junction 31 of the M1.

But RiDO has already been working hard in the area to help entrepreneurs achieve their goals. Business adviser Rachel Clark has so far helped 47 start-ups get off the ground, creating 108 new jobs in Dinnington.

And the RiDO team has this message for anyone interested in starting up their own business, delivered by business development manager Tim O’Connell: “You can do it! And we’ll help you.”

Prices start at £230.75 a month including heating and water.

For more details on Matrix or the event call Sarah Hanson on (01909) 547000 or go to www.investinrotherham.co.uk

Rotherham Business Helps Prevent Staff from Conflicts

2010-01-22T14:16:51.102Z

Originally Posted : Thursday 8th January 2009

Three men have taken the fightback against violence, including knife-crime, into their own hands… literally. They are black-belt self-defence experts and they are helping give violence and hostility the chop, among workforces and schoolchildren.

Karl Blackwell, Stephen Mohammed and their former martial arts teacher, Dave Turton, have set up conflict consultancy Your Guardians in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, and hope to work closely with the Home Office-backed Violent Crime Unit.

They offer training to staff who come into contact with the general public and might be exposed to conflict and hostility, and go into schools to try to steer young people away from mimicking the behaviour they see around them and on screen.

Dave Turton said: “Britain is a more aggressive place than it used to be. We also know that one way to stop the trend towards violence is to introduce awareness and training at school level.

“That’s why we’re using our experience to help prevent the violence before it has even happened. Children mimic what’s happening around them then act it out almost automatically.

“This way we can help them recognise the dangers and go away with increased knowledge of personal safety and the law.”

Your Guardians has a network of 200 members up and down the country, enabling the company to offer a bespoke service all over the UK.

“Today, companies have an obligation to protect their staff from violence or conflict – and they can get grants to help them pay for the courses and training they need,” said Dave Turton.

“We do teach our own self-defence system, but one of the most essential keys to protection is to know how to calm things down before conflict or violence occurs.

“We give training to make sure our candidates are confident to read the signs and know how to stop potential violence.”

The company has just moved into Fusion@Magna, a business centre set-up and run by Rotherham Investment & Development Office (RiDO), the Borough Council’s regeneration arm, which gives support to businesses, including start-ups.

From Fusion, the qualified instructors and members of the Institute of Conflict Management organise training courses including: basic physical intervention skills, door supervision, breakaway or disengagement skills, security guarding, knife awareness, anger management along with conflict management.

But as well as giving strategies for coping with the violence that already exists in society, Your Guardians knows that to minimise the dangers to individuals, action needs to be taken early on. The team now works in schools – locally with Wingfield Business and Enterprise College. The team has even produced a DVD and is looking to work with the Home Office-backed Violent Crime Unit.

Dave Turton also runs a separate venture, the Self Defence Federation, from the new office – a unique and world-recognised self-defence system developed by Dave, which combines selected disciplines from all the martial arts into one practical programme.

All three of the Your Guardians directors have high-dan black belts.
RiDO business adviser based at Fusion, Bob Langley said: “These dedicated people are providing a valuable service to the whole of the UK. They work tirelessly to achieve their goals and I look forward to helping them to make their business grow.”

For more information call (01709) 789411 or go to www.yourguardians.co.uk
For more information on RiDO business centres call Amanda Parris on +44 (0)1709 300100.

Rotherham Aboard Boeing Dreamliner Maiden Flight

2010-01-22T16:16:50.439Z

Originally Posted: Tuesday 15th December 2009

A bit of Rotherham is set to take to the skies over the USA today, Tuesday December 15, in the shape of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, when the new generation of aircraft makes its first flight.

The new jet, the first to be made with a majority of composite materials, is set to take off about 10am (around 3pm UK time) from Everett’s Paine Field. It’s expected to fly for about five hours before landing at Boeing Field in Seattle. There are some 840 Dreamliners on order, with the first scheduled for delivery late next year.

What most people in the UK don’t know about the 787 is that a quarter of the value of the aircraft comes from the UK. And, regionally, many also don’t realise is that a very important part of that value comes from South Yorkshire. When bidding for the landing gear was opened, manufacturer Messier-Dowty came to the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre with Boeing, at the Advanced Manufacturing Park in Rotherham, to see if it was feasible to make landing gear parts from a new grade of titanium alloy. Previously, landing gear had been made from steel, so as you can imagine, going from steel to titanium is a big step, but going from steel to an unknown grade of titanium (in this case Titanium 5553, a high-strength, low-weight material that can be made very hard) is a giant leap.

Getting this safety-critical part right is especially important because (on good flights) you only use it twice, but you want it to be as strong as possible, and airline companies want it to be not only strong but as light as possible to reduce the amount of fuel consumption and environmental impact. Using a combination of manufacturing techniques, the AMRC satisfied both these needs and substantially reduced the development time for working Ti5553. Critically, this enabled the manufacturing times to be reduced along with the cost and enabled Messier-Dowty to win the order. This is the first time it has been won by a company outside the USA. So, the first time that South Yorkshire holiday makers land while onboard a 787 they should take heart and pride in the fact that one of the most important parts of their flight, the landing gear, was developed on the Rotherham-Sheffield border.

Region Hosts Second Major Manufacturing Conference of the Autumn

2010-01-22T15:39:22.789Z

Originally Posted: Wednesday 4th November 2009

South Yorkshire took another step in cementing its claim to be the centre of the UK's Advanced Manufacturing heartland as it hosted its second major manufacturing conference of the autumn.

Following September's international TRAM aerospace conference, over 150 delegates from across the country gathered again at the AMP Technology Centre recently to hear from industry experts speaking at the 2009 MWP Summit on themes relating to 'Sustainable Manufacturing in the 21st Century.'

Key speakers included; Chris Rea from Rotherham-based AESSEAL, who spoke about best practice in applying and managing manufacturing technology in a tough market place; Nick Guttridge, of Gardner Aerospace, giving an insight into accessing the aerospace supply chain; and David Heck from the Boeing company who explored the implications for suppliers to aerospace and other industries of the increasing use of composite materials in place of metals.

Delegates also learnt about the latest developments at the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) on the Rotherham – Sheffield border, and saw presentations from two of the growing businesses within the AMP Technology Centre. Fripp Design highlighted how developments in the fields of computer-aided design and rapid prototyping/manufacture can have significant impact with replacement and reconstructive surgery, whilst Bromley Technologies showed how aerospace and Formula One technology is being utilised to maximise the opportunities for local winter sports athletes Shelley Rudman, Kristan Bromley and Nicola Minichiello to gain medals in next February's 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

The event was hosted at the AMP Technology Centre by the Yorkshire Forward funded South Yorkshire Advanced Manufacturing and Materials team, and Joe Anwyl, the team’s senior business development manager explained the importance of these type of events.

“There are numerous benefits to hosting such events as the MWP Summit and the TRAM aerospace event in the region. It gives manufacturing companies in both South Yorkshire and the wider Yorkshire region the opportunity to hear from some of the top national and international industry experts at a location on their own doorsteps.

“These events also provide ideal platforms to showcase the world-leading advanced manufacturing technologies and companies that are based in South Yorkshire and the surrounding area. This potentially offers opportunities for our companies to network and gain more business, and for us to show companies from outside the region the benefits of possible expansion or relocation to this region.”

New Tenants for Yorkshire's Advanced Manufacturing Hub

2010-01-22T15:48:08.204Z

Originally Posted: Wednesday 4th November 2009

Three more businesses have joined the fast-growing community at the UK’s only Advanced Manufacturing Park, in Rotherham.

They have moved in to the Yorkshire Forward-funded Technology Centre, an environmentally-friendly building at the heart of the Park, which provides dedicated support for innovation and 50,000 sq ft of office, laboratory and workshop space for hi-tech advanced engineering, manufacturing and materials organisations.

The businesses are:

newly-established mechanical and structural engineering designer Eadon Consulting.
Sensdata, a young high-tech player, focusing on the development and manufacture of intelligent sensors for maximising energy utilisation and engineering maintenance resources.
eoSemi, an emerging privately-funded semiconductor product company.

Eadon Consulting’s expertise covers a wide range of sectors including movable bridges, nuclear lifting equipment, renewable energy, and waterways and flood defence. It has recently been involved in the design of access platforms for dehumidification work that is being carried out on the Forth Road Bridge.

The company chose the Technology Centre as the location for its first office base and director Michael Thorogood said feedback from visitors had been excellent.

"The move was vital to support the continued expansion and growth of the company,” he said. “Despite the challenging economic climate, there has been continued demand for our expertise and services. Moving to the AMP provides enhanced facilities that enable us to satisfy our expanding client base and take the company forward."

The Technology Centre’s tenants are a diverse mix ranging from fledgling engineering and technology companies to university spin-offs and subsidiaries of established companies. One thing they have in common is that they have all fulfilled a demanding set of criteria to gain admission to the AMP.

The businesses include winter sports R&D engineer Bromley Technologies – behind some of the world’s top bobsleigh racers; ITI Energy, specialising in clean technologies and research; the UK branch of the Belgian Materialise Group, best known for its activities in the field of rapid industrial and medical prototyping; and the UK subsidiary of Germany’s HBM, a global market leader in test-and-measurement and weighing technology.

Yorkshire Forward’s assistant director of business, Jim Farmery, said: “This is an exciting time for the AMP and the wider South Yorkshire Advanced Manufacturing and Materials community. We are proud that these innovative companies recognise the benefits of moving to the Park, and look forward to more tenants joining them soon.”

The AMP is in Rotherham’s Waverley area, just off the M1’s Junction 33. Its development opportunities range from small office, workshop and lab space, through medium-sized hybrid and light industrial units to larger custom-built design and build options.

New Parking Scheme Means it's Free After 3pm

2010-01-22T15:26:43.966Z

Originally Posted: Friday 29th May 2009

A major initiative has been launched today in Rotherham Town Centre to enable shoppers to park for free after 3pm.

The scheme, which has been developed by Rotherham Borough Council in partnership with Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber of Commerce, applies to on-street parking and council run car parks, six days a week and all Rotherham Council car parking (including on and off street) will continue to be free all day Sunday.

The ‘Free After 3’ campaign aims to encourage people to visit the town after 3pm and support town centre businesses during the current economic downturn. It builds on a number of recent Town Centre Management initiatives, such as the Business Grants Scheme and the online discount shopping voucher scheme click-backs – all of which aim to give retailers financial support to develop their businesses especially during these difficult times.

Town Centre Manager Julie Roberts said: “Retailers across the country are facing tough trading conditions and although there are no quick fix solutions, we believe that it’s essential to tackle the challenges head on and do what we can to alleviate some of the immediate problems."

“Parking charges have always been an emotive issue and therefore we felt it was important to look at this and see what steps we could take to reduce the cost for visitors. We hope the ‘Free After 3’ will bring more people into town in the late afternoon, encourage families to shop with us after school and benefit those who want to enjoy an early evening meal or catch up with friends.”

Andrew Denniff, policy & communications manager for Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber, added: “This is not an easy time to do business but both the council and the chamber are committed to doing what we can to support the town centre and encourage shoppers into Rotherham. We hope the ‘Free After 3’ concession will have a positive impact during the next few months.”

News of the free parking has already been welcomed by a number of town centre retailers.
Ilkeston Co-op Travel Manager Nicky Mallows said: “It’s great to see the council taking this sort of action as there’s no doubt that being able to pop into town and park for free is a real bonus for shoppers.”

Nicky hopes that retailers will support the idea by launching their own initiatives. For example Ilkeston Co-op Travel will now pick up the parking charges for anyone who books a holiday with them.

Further parking initiatives to encourage shoppers into the town centre will be announced later in June.

RiDO is the regeneration arm of Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council

For further information, contact:
Alison Hall
Town Centre Management
Environment & Development Services
+44 (0)1709-336882; 07766-698192; alison.hall@rotherham.gov.uk

Or visit one of the following links:
http://www.rotherhamtowncentre.co.uk/
http://www.rotherhamrenaissance.co.uk/
http://www.rotherham.gov.uk/

New Home for a Company Keeping a Watchful Eye on Industry

2010-01-22T15:53:55.747Z

Originally Posted: Wednesday 4th November 2009

A small enterprising South Yorkshire business running on-site and wireless condition based monitoring services for industrial equipment has relocated to the Advanced Manufacturing Park in Rotherham.

Drive Management Services (DMS) is a specialist engineering consultancy working with blue chip and SME organisations across a broad range of sectors from manufacturing to water treatment, from building supplies to food production. It offers a range of condition monitoring products and services designed to eliminate downtime and lost production as a result of machine failure.
Co-founder and sales director Allan Findlow said the six-year-old company had outgrown its base at Sheffield Technology Parks and needed to find the right location for continued expansion. He was keen to move into an area where networking opportunities with like-minded engineering and manufacturing organisations would be possible.

“We have been working with a local company Sensdata, and when they moved to the Advanced Manufacturing Park we did some research and quickly realised it is the perfect location for us to take our business to the next level. It ticks all the boxes for us in terms of our requirements,” said Mr Findlow.

The combined ground floor workshop and office space at the Yorkshire Forward-funded AMP Technology Centre, which DMS moved into this week (1 December), means the team now has dedicated facilities for its operations.

“We have high expectations for our newly developed web-based monitoring system and anticipate demand for our services will continue to increase. Our flexible approach and specialist knowledge is attractive to many companies, and we believe it’s important to portray a professional and successful image to maximise opportunities in the marketplace. Our move to the AMP gives us an address and premises which we know will impress visitors, as well as being operationally more efficient for us,” he added.

Yorkshire Forward’s assistant director of business, Jim Farmery, said: “We are already witnessing success and growth amongst current occupiers at the Park, with many of the tenants recognised as global forces across a range of sectors. Their success is attracting a high level of interest and we are delighted that companies of the same high calibre, such as Sensdata and DMS, are choosing to move there.”

High-Tech Address Fuels Expansion for Electronic Design Company

2010-01-22T15:44:13.010Z

Originally Posted: Wednesday 4th November 2009

A small South Yorkshire company working with global giants such as Microsoft, Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems and Morphy Richards is to move to larger premises at Rotherham's Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP).

Arrow Technical specialises in the development and application of new electronic products for clients from small start-ups to high-tech multinationals across a range of market sectors including automotive, industrial, medical, scientific and consumer electronics.

Typical of many in the AMP Technology Centre, it is a small company, but a big player with big ambitions, as its client-list shows. Arrow has seen its business double following its move there in 2007 from Nursery Street in Sheffield. The four-strong team has increased to nine, led by managing director Chris Worrall.

He was keen to keep his business located at the AMP and this week signed a deal to buy a larger unit, capable of accommodating his expansion plans at the Park’s latest development, Evolution @ the AMP.

“Image counts in business and since moving to the AMP our location and facilities have impressed customers and contributed to our rapid growth,” said Chris Worrall, who is also a board director at Electronics Yorkshire, a not-for-profit organisation promoting collaboration and complementary services to benefit member companies and the sector as a whole.

“There is no question that being at the AMP has been good for business, in terms of the location, which offers excellent access, the high-tech look of the place, and the opportunities for networking with professionals working at the cutting edge of technology. We are looking forward to moving into Evolution and inviting our customers to visit the new factory.”

Acting on behalf of owner UK Strategic Partnership, Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH) successfully negotiated the purchase of the 3,100 sq ft unit at Evolution. The development totals 95,000 sq ft of high-quality units, which offer ideal growth opportunities for SMEs keen to locate their business at the heart of Yorkshire’s advanced manufacturing community.

The industrial and logistics agent at LSH’s Sheffield office, Ed Norris, said: "The AMP is considered one of, if not the finest business locations in the UK. With its flexible, high-specification accommodation, and excellent multi-modal transport connections, the AMP makes a highly attractive proposition for all forward thinking manufacturing, technology and materials businesses.”

Other high-tech companies reaping the benefits of the AMP's facilities include Dormer Tools, Bromley Technologies, Fripp Design and Research, ITI Energy and Materialise.

Investment manager Philippa Hedley, of South Yorkshire's Advanced Manufacturing & Metals (AMM) team, said: “Technologically advanced companies such as Arrow are benefiting from the Park's international profile and its ability to attract industry innovators. Arrow's success demonstrates that the AMP is fulfilling its role as an accelerator for advanced manufacturing businesses in the region and we are delighted Chris has chosen to continue to grow the business there.“

The AMP is a joint venture between landowner UK Coal and regional development agency Yorkshire Forward. The agency’s assistant director of business, Jim Farmery, said: “We welcome Arrow to Evolution. The move from the Technology Centre demonstrates that this serviced facility is the perfect location for high-tech companies that are looking to grow, as they work alongside the global names that are currently developing the next generation of advanced manufacturing technologies and products at the Park.”

The AMP's available property options ensure there is something to suit growing companies at every stage of development, from managed office, workshop and lab space through medium-sized hybrid and industrial units at Evolution to larger custom-built designs.

First Two Rotherham Companies to Enter the Matrix

2010-01-22T15:19:44.260Z

Originally Posted: Wednesday 11th March 2009

A new business hub aimed at nurturing entrepreneurs has already welcomed its first two tenants.

Matrix@Dinnington, a purpose-built business centre in the former colliery town in the south of Rotherham borough, is now home to online property services company Censia, [pictured] which runs localpropertyadvertiser.com, and eco-builders The Greenway Construction Company.

The £3.4m centre is the fourth of Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council’s purpose-built network of business hubs for start-up and growing businesses, and the first in the south of the borough. They are all run by the Council’s regeneration arm, Rotherham Investment & Development Office’s (RiDO).

The other three – Century, at Manvers, Moorgate Crofts, just off the town centre, and Fusion@Magna, at Templeborough – have helped hundreds of people turn their lives around.

And all the businesses in the centres have been helped by advisers in the Council’s enterprise team which is part of Rotherham Investment & Development Office (RiDO).

“Facilities are exceptional, it’s very affordable and the location is great. What RiDO’s doing fits in with us perfectly – it’s a fantastic marriage,” said Greenway operations director Glyn Prendergast [pictured]. As well as building large-scale developments, his company also transforms properties into environmentally-friendly homes and businesses.

Despite the gloomy outlook for the construction sector, he said it was the right time to start up the business.

“People have said to us, ‘Why are you starting a construction business with what’s going on?’ The answer to that is that we want to be ready for when things pick up again. And although large construction companies are struggling, homeowners are still keen on upgrading their homes, with extensions, conservatories or green improvements, for when the market picks up and they can sell their property for the highest price.

”Matrix@Dinnington offers a range of facilities including conference rooms, fully managed phone and broadband networks and, crucially for start up businesses, month-by-month rental deals.The other new tenant, Censia, provides services to the residential and commercial property sector such as low cost conveyancing, Home Information Packs (HIPs), energy performance certificates and financial services.

Managing director Nick Ford said: “The highly competitive nature of the property services sector means that we need to keep our operating costs to a minimum in order to pass on highly competitively priced products and services to our clients. The Matrix meets our requirements by providing us with state-of-the-art facilities and a brand new office space for client meetings. Our plans for rapid growth, coupled with the flexible month-in month-out rental termsmeans that we can upgrade at any time to a larger unit within the same facility without incurring a great deal of effort or additional cost.

”For more information go to http://www.localpropertyadvertiser.com/ or call Censia on 01909 547200 or The Greenway Construction Company on 01909 547111.

For more information on Matrix call Sarah Hanson at RiDO on 01709 547000.

Film Returns to Rotherham Arts Centre

2010-01-22T14:34:33.896Z

Originally Posted: Monday 16th February 2009

After setting the silver screen alight last year, cinema is returning to Rotherham’s Studio Theatre to deliver a season of favourite children’s films with a twist.

Starting on Thursday February 19 with the smash-hit High School Musical 3: Senior Year, “Film @ the Studio” promises to deliver an exciting cinematic experience with fun workshops held before the performances, to help get the young cinema-lovers fully revved-up.

High School Musical follows sweethearts Troy and Gabriella, who are faced with the ultimate prospect of being separated after graduating from East High.

Joined by the rest of their Wildcat friends, they stage an elaborate spring musical reflecting their experiences, hopes, and fears about the future.

Before the star-studded film shows, a professional Cheerleader will be taking the audience through energetic routines so they can join alongside stars Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale whilst they perform the routines on screen.

Keeping with the musical tradition, appearing on screen on Saturday February 28 will be the multi-million dollar grossing Mamma Mia!, fresh from smashing the UK DVD sales records.

The heart-warming comedy, Mamma Mia!, which features the songs of Swedish super-group ABBA, is set on a Greek island, where a bride-to-be discovers that any of three men (played by Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgård) could be her real father.

Unsure what to do, she invites all three of them to her nuptials, much to the chagrin of her very surprised mother.

Before the curtain goes up, the Get Sorted Academy of Music will be leading a fun singing workshop through the classic song “Dancing Queen” so that when the cast start singing, the audience can join in.

Finishing the season on Sunday March 21 will be the 2007 remake of Hairspray, starring John Travolta, Zac Efron and Christopher Walken.

Tracy Turnblad, a teen with all the right moves, is obsessed with the Corny Collins Show. Every day after school, she and her best friend Penny run home to watch the programme and drool over the hot Link Larkin, much to her mother’s dismay.

After one of the stars of the show leaves, Corny Collins holds auditions to see who will be the next person on the Corny Collins show. With all of the help of her friend Seaweed, Tracy makes it on the show, angering the evil dance queen Amber Von Tussle and her mother Velma.

Tracy then decides that it's not fair that the black kids can only dance on the Corny Collins Show once a month and with the help of Seaweed, Link, Penny, Motormouth Maybelle, her father and Edna, she's going to integrate the show.....without denting her 'do!

Before the showing, Get Sorted Academy of Music will be taking the audience through the song “Good Morning Baltimore”, which kicks the film off.

All three films will be shown at both 11am and 2pm, with the workshop for High School Musical starting at 1.30pm and lasting for 30 minutes and both the workshops for Mamma Mia! and Hairspray starting at 10am and lasting for an hour.

Rotherham Theatre’s Manager Mark Scott said: “The cinema season last year captured the hearts and minds of theatre-lovers across the borough and we’re sure this year will be even bigger and better.

“We’re ecstatic that we can offer cinema-lovers a much more full experience than their local multiplex. Not only can you not see these three classic films on the big screen anymore, but also there are the workshops before the screenings, which are guaranteed to get the audience fully into the experience.

“We are also only charging a fraction of the amount the multiplexes charge, with adult tickets for £3, children for £2.50 and Two Ten Club members just £2, plus, there’s free popcorn for everyone!”

To avoid disappointment, book in advance by calling the Box Office on 01709 823621, or alternatively, visit the Box Office, located in the Central Library and Arts Centre on Walker Place.

Entrepreneur Sees the Future - and it Works!

2010-01-22T14:38:20.859Z

Originally Posted: Friday 27th February 2009

Entrepreneurs have looked into the future – and seen how Rotherham could help make it work for them.More than 50 visitors, about half of them people who are or want to be their own boss, attended an open day at the Borough Council’s latest purpose-built business centre for start-up and growing companies, Matrix@Dinnington.

A symbol of the enterprise future for the local, and national, economy, Matrix sits on the site of one of the borough’s industrial foundations of the past, the township’s former colliery, now a shining new business park. The centre is run by Rotherham Investment & Development Office (RiDO), the council’s regeneration arm.

“This place really has the wow factor,” said Cath and Thomas Madden, who run their electrical testing company, Portable Appliance Testing, in Maltby. “We’re a new company and working from home, but we would loveto move in here once we’re a little bit more established. Very impressed – by the price, the quality, and the support from RiDO.

”Entrepreneurs saw where their companies could be located, in a sparkling new centre combining offices and industrial units. And, just as important, they heard from people who had taken the leap of faith before them, to set up on their own.

People such as Jacqui Saxon, of the Ultimate Balloon Company UK Ltd, and Dave Ward, of Fusion Office Interiors, both of whom are in another purpose-built centre, at Templeborough – Fusion@Magna – and headline speaker Jean Stewart, who runs her own business consultancy JS Development in Doncaster.

She has been helping companies train their staff and develop their businesses over the past 10 years, and told the entrepreneurs: “Never say, ‘I’m only a one-man or one-woman, or even a small, business. You are a business – you need to be taken seriously.”

RiDO business development team manager Tim O’Connell gave an overview of how the council’s four purpose-built centres helped companies, not least through the practical, and free, advice, guidance and support of the RiDO and Rotherham Youth Enterprise business advisers – highly praised by other speakers.

Enterprise team manager Geoff Link said: “In times like this, with recession biting, people may be wondering what the future holds for them. Rotherham found in the last recession that there was a surge of start-ups. Much of work, including this event, is about saying to anyone considering such a life-changing option – the help and support you need is here, and space is not only here but here in high quality and at low cost.”

Co2Sense Yorkshire Announces £800,000 of Resource Efficiency Funding

2010-01-22T16:04:14.767Z

Originally Posted: Wednesday 9th December 2009

CO2Sense Yorkshire has announced it is offering two packages of funding to SMEs in Yorkshire and Humber that are working to cut greenhouse gas emissions through resource efficiency.

CO2Sense Yorkshire is a not-for-profit company funded by Yorkshire Forward and the European Regional Development Fund. The company’s Greenhouse Gas Savings Capital Investment Fund and Innovative Resource Efficiency Projects Fund, will help SMEs in the Yorkshire and Humber region to build businesses that can compete in a low carbon economy.

Companies will be able to bid for funds to deliver waste reduction, reuse, and recycling services, as well as energy and water savings, from the Greenhouse Gas Savings fund. This fund is designed to increase the capacity of the resource efficiency sector in Yorkshire and Humber. Funded projects are expected to hit targets for CO2 emissions reductions, tonnage of waste diverted from landfill, and business growth.

The Innovative Resource Efficiency Projects Fund is designed to support projects that break new ground in resource efficiency. Funds are available for projects which increase the uptake of environmental advice, offer support to businesses to reduce their resource consumption, and offer innovative solutions for priority materials and sectors.

Commenting on the funding announcement, Andy Hartley, operations director ofCO2Sense Yorkshire said:

“Our key aim is to increase the competitiveness, capacity, quality and scale of
companies in the resource efficiency sector in Yorkshire and Humber. These
funding packages will help businesses to grow and prosper, increasing
regional competitiveness, and generating the expertise to transform
Yorkshire and Humber into a low carbon economy.”

Tom Riordan, chief executive at Yorkshire Forward, said:

“Cutting the region’s CO2 emissions is one of Yorkshire Forward’s priorities.
With the Copenhagen Climate Change summit taking place in December, now is
an ideal time for businesses to look at what they can do to play their part
in reducing the region’s carbon footprint.”

Businesses and projects that were successful in the last round of funding received between £5,000 and £75,000 of support. Funding bids can be submitted by individual SMEs or from groups or consortiums, if a project is large or regionally significant. CO2Sense Yorkshire will also help businesses access additional funding from other sources such as national partners or research and development grants for larger bids.

Calling All Young Entrepreneurs: Rotherham Needs You!

2010-01-22T15:24:58.132Z

Originally Posted 13th May 2009

The borough’s most inspiring young business men and women are being urged to showcase their skills by entering a regional award specifically aimed at nurturing and rewarding young talent.

The call comes from Rotherham Investment and Development Office (RiDO) as it launches its Rotherham Young Entrepreneur Award 2009.

Awards organiser and judge Geoff Link, enterprise manager at RiDO said: “There’s never been a more important time to nurture and invest in young home-grown talent than the current economic times we find ourselves in.

“We all know how hard it is out there. But that makes it even more important for us to reward and promote the brave young people who are building their own futures through their own start-up businesses.

“Entrepreneurs are important for the future of this borough and it’s our job to make sure they get the support and encouragement they need and deserve. Rotherham needs you!”

Back for the fourth year, the awards have consistently uncovered a wealth of young talent that had previously been invisible.

Last year Gavin Winder and Joshua Abbotts won the Best New Start Up category for their graphic and web design business Prototype Creative when they were both just 26.
The Barnsley College graduates now have a string of corporate clients – and won a lot of valuable new business as a direct result of last year’s win.

Gavin said: “We entered the awards to prove to ourselves that what we had and what we do, is a viable product. The result showed that it was – and that other people believed we were worthy of being Young Entrepreneurs of the year. It was a great feeling.

“We earned recognition amongst other local businesses from the awards and the publicity that followed.

“We also followed up the awards with a small campaign to Chamber members and gained quite a bit of work from it. I’d say to any young person that’s set up a business to enter. It’s a great confidence boost, raises your profile and can lead to great things.”

In 2007, 22-year-old ice sculptor Matthew Ainsworth took home the top award and put it towards a 20ft x 20ft walk in freezer to take his business to another level. Despite the downturn, his business ExQuisite Ice is still in going from strength to strength. Last year he took on his first employee.

The awards are part of the Rotherham Chamber of Commerce Business Awards, and are sponsored by Rotherham Enterprise Network (REN), Business Link, the Government-funded Solutions for Business and other partners.

This year the overall winner will receive £1,000, from award sponsors UK Steel Enterprise, with the four category winners taking home £500 each from the other sponsors Business Link, Yorkshire Forward and the Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber.

This year’s entrants can choose from the following categories: Best New Start-up (trading between six months and two years), Best Established Business (trading more than two years), Best Business IT/Technology and Business Most Determined to Succeed.

Runners up in the four categories will also receive £250 to put towards their business.

Entry forms are available by calling 01709 372099, by visiting your local library, or download one by clicking here.

All applicants must submit a completed application to the judges by July 17 2009.

The overall winner is to be announced at the Chamber awards ceremony in October.

Business Minister Hails AMP as "Exciting"

2010-01-22T15:42:40.653Z

Originally Posted: Wednesday 4th November 2009

The Minister for Business and Regulatory Reform Ian Lucas MP dropped into the AMP for a whistle-stop tour of CTi and TWI’s Yorkshire Technology Centre.

Commenting on his visit, the Minister said: “What is happening here is very exciting. There are some very committed and innovative companies with world-beating ideas and technologies which British industry needs to better use to compete more effectively.

“Advanced manufacturing is the future. We need to have it and we’ve got to go for it. Britain has the high skills, commitment and knowledge to build a strong manufacturing future. The Advanced Manufacturing Park is a successful template for industry and university collaboration, so I am delighted to be here in Rotherham to see it working.”

Australians Make a Wise Investment in Rotherham

2010-01-22T16:07:46.407Z

Originally Posted: Monday 14th December 2009

One of Australia’s leading charities has chosen South Yorkshire as its first international base.

Sheffield and Rotherham have welcomed WISE Ability, a new charity that delivers employment services to disadvantaged job seekers in these areas.

Image: Left to Right
Front Row: Kay Sutton (WISE Ability), David Stevens (WISE Ability), Joanna Holland (Creative Sheffield)
Back Row: Tim O’Connell (RIDO), John Bateup (WISE Employment), Marc Adams (Yorkshire Forward)

WISE Ability was founded by Australian charity, WISE Employment, which operates 22 branches across Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania and the Northern Territory and specialises in providing quality employment services to local job seekers and employers.

The establishment of WISE Ability in this region has created 40 jobs across South Yorkshire, nine of them already filled. Its main purpose is to serve and enrich the lives of disadvantaged job seekers in the community.

Helped by local and regional agencies Creativesheffield, Rotherham Investment & Development Office (RiDO) and Yorkshire Forward, WISE Ability is looking forward to bringing a new employment service to the region.

John Bateup, CEO of WISE Employment, said:

“We are very excited to be launching our first offices in the UK in Sheffield and Rotherham. It has involved a lot of hard work and preparation, from our own teams here and in Australia.”

“With the support of local organisations such as Creativesheffield and RiDO, we are really looking forward to providing a quality employment service to the local communities in Sheffield and Rotherham.”

WISE Ability is working in partnership with Remploy, one of the UK’s largest providers of specialist employment services, to deliver the Government’s Flexible New Deal employment programme in South Yorkshire. The Flexible New Deal programme is designed to help people who have been receiving Jobseeker’s Allowance for more than 12 months return to work through the provision of training, skills development and specialist support to help people overcome barriers to employment.

RiDO business development manager Tim O’Connell said:
“This is a high-quality company and it’s great news that it has chosen Sheffield and Rotherham, having been impressed by our workforce and support. It’s also further proof that South Yorkshire has what businesses from the UK and overseas are looking for.”

Joanna Holland, Investment Manager at Creativesheffield, added:
“We are thrilled that WISE Ability has chosen Sheffield in which to locate one of its two initial UK branches. This is a positive message for the city, contributing to a fantastic level of office take-up in the last quarter, creating new jobs and of course helping local people find work. Securing such an international inward investment is a credit to the city and the great qualities it offers.”

Anniversary Marks Leisure Build Progress at Manvers

2010-01-22T14:26:33.762Z

Originally posted: Thursday 8th January 2009

This week sees a rare event these days… a developer celebrating progress.

Anglo-Dutch TCN UK is marking the second anniversary of its 285-acre Waterfront mixed-use development at Manvers, in Rotherham.

The past 24 months have seen the company push ahead with remarkable transformations of a former coalfield wasteland in the South Yorkshire borough. They include:

*The completion of the British Canoeing Union’s Olympic Training Club, next to the 50-acre lake, which becomes fully operational next spring
*The completion of the nine-hole Pay and Play golf course, clubhouse and driving range, which is now operational
*The completion of the Marston’s family pub
*Rapid progress in building a 130-room Radisson Park Inn, also due for completion in the spring
*Planning permission granted for a new KFC drive-thru restaurant, with construction due to start in March 2009.
*Planning permission granted for an Aldi with neighbourhood retail units.
*Planning permission for an additional 350 houses and additional retail and leisure facilities.

TCN UK also completed a deal this year with the UK’s biggest housebuilder, Taylor Wimpey, for the creation of 334 homes on a 19-acre site at Waterfront.

And there is even more to come. Stephen Holme, director of TCN UK, said: “With the leisure and residential elements of the Waterfront scheme reaching completion or well under way, we are now in a strong position to start marketing the office and industrial accommodation.

“Planning has been granted for 78,000 sq ft of business premises, and we are able to cater for a range of requirements on a design-and-build basis, up to 100,000 sq ft. Waterfront will be ideal for any business wanting bespoke premises just a seven-minute drive from the M1.

“But what makes Waterfront particularly attractive to companies is that it has a range of leisure and retail amenities on the doorstep. Many new office parks in the region cannot offer this. It’s a business benefit that will set us apart from the competition and contribute to Waterfront’s attraction as a major location for companies. They can put down roots in an area with a readily available amenities and potential workforce, and create jobs for local people with a tradition of hard work.”

Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for regeneration and development, Cllr Gerald Smith, said: “TCN UK has been an excellent business partner to work with, not only at Waterfront but, latterly, with its ambitious £200m-worth of projects in our town-centre Renaissance programme. At a time when many places are seeing important projects halted, TCN has pushed ahead with confidence.”

Future development plans for the Waterfront also include additional ancillary retail outlets, including a petrol station and medical and health centre.

AMP Adds Value to Support for High-Growth Companies

2010-01-22T15:41:09.500Z

Originally Posted: Wednesday 4th November 2009

The AMP is ramping up its support for innovation-led companies in the manufacturing industry by becoming a member of the UK Science Park Association (UKSPA).

The AMP is fast becoming the UK’s centre for advanced manufacturing research and innovation, both in terms of the technologies being developed at the site and the companies choosing to locate there. Now, the AMP has been invited to become a member of the lobbying and networking organisation UKSPA to further enhance the levels of support on offer to tenants and the wider advanced manufacturing and materials (AMM) sector in South Yorkshire.

Advanced Manufacturing Park gives Companies a Competitive Edge

2010-01-22T15:34:50.156Z

Originally Posted: Wednesday 4th November 2009

A senior figure from Lord Mandelson's department today visited the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in South Yorkshire to see how organisations based there are helping the region's manufacturers take advantage of emerging technologies to make them more globally competitive.

Philip Rutnam, Director General – Business, from the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, toured the University of Sheffield's AMRC with Boeing Rolls-Royce Factory of the Future and TWI Technology Centre (Yorkshire) at the Rotherham-based AMP during his visit hosted by Yorkshire Forward.

Both provide world-leading R&D services designed to help companies implement new technologies and secure sustainable business and jobs for the regional economy.

In the five years since it opened, the AMRC has made a significant contribution to the region's manufacturing industry through its collaborative approach to developing cutting-edge technologies for partner companies. There have been over 200 instances of organisations being helped, 200 jobs created or safeguarded, and £45m generated in additional sales.

TWI Technology Centre (Yorkshire), with funding from Yorkshire Forward, is supporting the region's SMEs by making the full range of its membership services available through Technology Transfer programmes. Already a significant number of SMEs have been assisted in a variety of ways. They include the optimisation of factory layout, review of production procedures, and introduction of alternative manufacturing processes.

The senior business development manager of South Yorkshire's Advanced Manufacturing & Metals (AMM) team, Joe Anwyl, said: “The Park is fast becoming the UK's centre for advanced manufacturing research and innovation, both in terms of the technologies being developed at the site and the companies choosing to locate there. The wide range of property options available provides growing companies with the opportunity to move here and benefit from their proximity to industry innovators such as the AMRC and TWI.”

Jim Farmery, Assistant Director of Business at Yorkshire Forward commented on the visit: “This is an opportunity to showcase the world-class technologies being developed at the Advanced Manufacturing Park for not only the companies based on the park, but also manufacturers across the region, ensuring Yorkshire and Humber is competitive and strengthening the regional economy.”