The Rotherham business fought off strong competition from across the region in the evening's main category, having also been presented with the SME Manufacturing Award. 

Business leaders are to gather for the launch of the Sheffield City Region Business Manifesto next month.

Leading businessmen and women, politicians, local authorities and partner organisations such as SYPTE and the Bank of England are expected to attend the launch event for the Manifesto – which is the culmination of the discussions and debate that took place at the ‘Conference for Growth’ for the City Region in February.

 

The launch will take place at a breakfast meeting hosted by the Chamber at Barnsley FC’s Oakwell Stadium on Friday 15 June (arrival 7.30am for an 8am start).

 

The Manifesto publication will inform a year-round program of lobbying and campaigning from businesses and Chambers of Commerce for the key issues and projects regionally as cited within the document.

 

Delegates will also debate regional issues in a discussion chaired by Chris MacCormac, President of Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber of Commerce.

 

Mr MacCormac said: “The launch of the Business Manifesto marks a new era of partnership working in the City Region between the Chambers of Commerce and businesses more generally.  The Manifesto will be distributed across the region and nationally to the decision makers and act as a point of reference for policy setting over the coming twelve months into 2013.

 

“I hope as many businesses as possible from across Barnsley and Rotherham can join in with the launch event, which is sure to be a landmark occasion.”

 

Anyone wishing to attend must book a place by e-mailing dominic.beck@brchamber.co.uk Breakfast will be provided.

The Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (Nuclear AMRC) has being officially opened by The Duke of York.

His Royal Highness met with representatives from a wide range of manufacturing businesses, and found out how the Nuclear AMRC is helping them become more competitive, before he officially declared the state-of-the-art research factory open.

His Royal Highness has a continued interest in supporting facilities such as this that are a key part of ensuring that British businesses are at the forefront of science and engineering globally.

Professor Keith Ridgway CBE, programme director of the Nuclear AMRC, said: "We are delighted that The Duke of York has agreed to open the Nuclear AMRC. The new centre has a huge role to play in assisting UK manufacturers to enter the nuclear new build market, both at home and globally. The support we provide will have a huge impact on the number and value of contracts that UK manufacturers can win."

Managed by the University of Sheffield with support from the University of Manchester Dalton Nuclear Institute, the Nuclear AMRC combines academic innovation with industry expertise to help UK manufacturers seize the opportunities of new investment in nuclear power and other innovative energy technologies.

The Nuclear AMRC's research and operations are led by its industrial members - 34 companies are currently full members, from reactor providers Areva and Westinghouse, and top-tier suppliers such as Rolls-Royce, Tata Steel and Sheffield Forgemasters, through to specialised SMEs.

Simon Spode, marketing manager at the AMP commented: "The official opening of the Nuclear AMRC adds to the range of world-class research and development work that takes place here at the Advanced Manufacturing Park. This makes it the UK's premier manufacturing technology park, and one of the world's best locations for this type of work.

"The research work being carried out at the Nuclear AMRC will benefit UK companies, both locally and nationally, and also increase the attractiveness of the AMP and the Sheffield region for advanced manufacturing companies considering expansion or relocation."

James Newman, chairman of the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, added: "It has been an honour to welcome Prince Andrew to the Sheffield City Region and I was particularly interested to hear His Royal Highness' views on how we will meet the City Region's future education, training and skills needs. His views are particularly relevant to the LEP as they are aligned with what we are currently asking Government Ministers to support."

The Nuclear AMRC's main facility is located on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham, next to the established University of Sheffield AMRC with Boeing. The Nuclear AMRC is based around an open-plan 5,000 sq m workshop, containing a range of state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment tailored for nuclear industry applications.

The building also features accommodation over three stories, including laboratory and technical support space, an immersive virtual reality room for assembly research and training, office space and secure meeting rooms. Work at the Nuclear AMRC focuses on metals engineering and does not involve nuclear critical aspects such as fuels or other radioactive materials.

Following the opening of the Nuclear AMRC building, The Duke of York visited the University of Sheffield's new Knowledge Transfer Centre, also located on the AMRC campus to meet local companies which have been in business for 60 years, as part of the Jubilee celebrations.

The Star newspaper has recently published its ‘Top 100 Companies in South Yorkshire’, which includes the following highlights from a Rotherham perspective. Click here.

Seal manufacturer AES Engineering has topped the Rotherham table for the third time in the last four years after boosting pre-tax profits from £6.7 million to £13.0 million. The company, which trades as AESSEAL and has won more Queen’s Awards than any other in Yorkshire, heads 2008 table topper CF Booth, the metals recycling business which picked up its first Queen’s Award this year.

CF Booth, trades in ferrous and non ferrous metals and makes a wide range of copper-based ingots and forged parts - mainly for the marine industry. It has boosted overseas earnings by 81 per cent in the past three years, whilst developing new business opportunities throughout Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. Export sales now account for 56 per cent of the group’s turnover. At the same time, Booth has made sustained investments in staff, technology and equipment to keep it at the forefront of the industry and be able to meet ever growing global demand for recycled metals.

Mangham Road waste management and recycling company, Ronald Hull Jnr, has improved on the 8th place it has occupied in the table of most profitable Rotherham’s businesses since it joined the Top 100 in 2009. But, it is an indication of these tough times that, despite boosting profits from £625,000 in 2011 to £2.7 million this year, the company’s profits are still below the £2.8 million which earned it 8th place in 2009.

The company has introduced a number of eco-friendly initiatives in recent years, including installing solar cells on the roof of its Mangham Road operations which generate 50,000 kWh of electricity each year - enough to power the average house for more than a decade and a half. Last year, the company unveiled a £5 million-plus investment in a new site in Parkgate, Rotherham, with the capacity to process up to 50 tonnes of waste an hour, ensuring that none of it has to be sent on to landfill sites.

Energy Alloys UK has turned a £3.5 million loss into a £1.8 million profit to secure its second best placing in the listing of Rotherham’s most profitable Top 100 companies. The Catcliffe company is a subsidiary of US-based Energy Alloys, a global supplier of metals, semi-finished products and services to oil and gas manufacturers and service companies and one of Houston’s top 100 companies.

While AES, Ronald Hull Jnr and Energy Alloys have all seen profits improve, only AES has outstripped previous performance and the remaining four businesses in the listings of Rotherham’s most profitable Top 100 companies have all seen profits fall.

Looking at turnover figures, the top Rotherham based firms feature in the table as follows:  CF Booth, were 12th up from 20th last year with a turnover of £234m; Maplins remained at 16th with £213m; London & Scandinavian Metallurgical, rose to 21st from 30th with £163m; LUK (UK), slipped one place to 29th with £109m and AESSEAL rose to 32nd from 35th with a turnover of £103m.

The government has confirmed funding for a new skills centre for nuclear manufacturing, led by the National Skills Academy for Nuclear with support from the Nuclear AMRC in Rotherham. 

The National Skills Academy Nuclear – Manufacturing will create a single point of entry for employers and a dedicated team, based at the Nuclear AMRC's facility on the Advanced Manufacturing Park, will tackle the most urgent skills challenges facing the nuclear manufacturing industry.

The team will develop training and skills products to help companies win new business, and expand the established High Quality Provider Network into the nuclear manufacturing sector.

The £25m Nuclear AMRC is a joint initiative between the University of Sheffield, The University of Manchester, and a consortium of industry partners. It assists UK companies to successfully compete in the emerging £40 billion civil nuclear supply chain.

Currently, from large multi-nationals to SMEs, manufacturers have identified a shortage of skilled labour with the competencies required to support the nuclear programme. This is a significant barrier to them being able to maintain their existing operations in the nuclear market, and a real hindrance to growth in the sector.

The expansion will support the maximisation of nuclear opportunities for UK manufacturing industry in both the UK and globally, delivering the skills requirements they need to grow their current market share. Complementing this will be the delivery of manufacturing/engineering training to provide high quality long-term careers for people in this market.

The new project is backed by the Skills Funding Agency at the Department of Business Innovation and Skills (BIS). It marks an expansion of the National Skills Academy for Nuclear (NSA Nuclear) into the nuclear manufacturing sector, with support from Semta, the sector skills council for advanced manufacturing and engineering, and the Nuclear AMRC.

Professor Steve Court, operations director for the Nuclear AMRC, said: "This collaboration with the National Skills Academy for Nuclear and SEMTA is a unique opportunity to really make a tangible difference for employers.

"By applying our knowledge and understanding of nuclear manufacturing, we can develop products and solutions which will build workforce skills and knowledge and help companies demonstrate their capability to customers when they bid for work."

Jean Llewellyn OBE, chief executive of NSA Nuclear, added: "The opportunities for the manufacturing supply chain in this area are considerable from the UK alone, running into many millions. Combine this with the global market share manufacturers in the UK could access and the importance of this sector in delivering high value exports becomes apparent.

"The Nuclear Manufacturing expansion of the National Skills Academy for Nuclear will support the UK supply chain to ensure it is well placed and has the skilled workforce required to gain maximum value from this global renaissance."

Source: Rothbiz

Nuclear AMRC website 

Join us in Sheffield from 19th to 22nd September for MADE - the country’s biggest and most inspiring festival for entrepreneurs.

Bringing together Great British inventors, designers, manufacturers, business owners, budding entrepreneurs and UK policy-makers, this year’s event celebrates the best of British business.

On the year that Britain plays host to the Olympic Games, MADE in Britain will showcase the country’s brilliant business talent. From panel discussions and exhibitions to fringe events and quick-fire speaker slots, learn what it takes to build a successful company in the UK and fly the flag overseas. 

Speaker's include Rt Hon David Blunkett MP, Duke of Devonshire, Claire Young and many more.

For further information and to book tickets visit the MADE Festival website.

The Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) hosted a national event on 11th May for City Regions with Enterprise Zones offering the Government’s top level of tax incentives.

The Sheffield City Region Enterprise Zone is one of only seven zones in England able to offer enhanced capital allowances, offering up-front tax relief for major capital investments.

The LEP team will be welcoming visitors from the seven City Regions in England that have been granted Enhanced Capital Allowance Enterprise Zones by Government which are Liverpool, Tees Valley, Black Country, North Eastern, London and Humber.

The LEP will also be welcoming delegates from devolved administrations in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales who are keen to learn more about the progress which has been made in the Sheffield City Region. Senior civil servants from Treasury and Revenues & Customs are also attending the event.

James Newman, Chairman of the Sheffield City Region LEP, said, "Since getting Government backing for our Enterprise Zone in March this year, the LEP has forged ahead to make the Sheffield City Region Zone ready to welcome significant business investment. 

“In particular, the LEP has worked closely with local authority planning departments and landowners to put agreements in place to make our offer to businesses simple, consistent and highly competitive.

“We set out a clear vision for our Enterprise Zone, which is shared by our partners, to attract significant investment from modern manufacturing and technology companies, which will bring new jobs as well as economic growth.

“As a result of the LEP’s work, businesses are now showing strong interest in our offer and we’re looking forward to making some big announcements in the coming year.”

Source: Sheffield City Region Website

Running for more than 25 years the Manufacturing Excellence Awards are the most well established manufacturing awards scheme in the UK and culminate in a prestigious ceremony where the winners are announced, with the 2012 Awards Ceremony due to take place on 27th November at The Dorchester, Park Lane, London.

Applications are now being sought in categories including Best Manufacturer, Best SME, Business Development and Change Management; Customer Focus; Financial Management; Innovation in Products and Processes; Logistics and Operational Efficiency; Partnership with Education; People Effectiveness; Sustainable Manufacturing; and Most Improved Company.

All finalists will be invited to attend the black tie occasion and hosts in the past have included Alastair Campbell, Vince Cable, Andrew Marr, William Hague and Charles Kennedy. The benefits of opting into the Manufacturing Excellence Awards scheme include high-level networking opportunities, a platform for further enhancing the profile of your business and the opportunity to host Manufacturing Excellence Club events.

Applications to be submitted by 1st June.

If you are interested in being involved go to the apply now page or contact the Manufacturing Excellence team with any questions.

Source: Electronics Yorkshire

With the Government committing to increasing R&D tax relief for SMEs to 225% of qualifying expenditure from April 2012, and 130% relief available for larger companies, it is a great time for South Yorkshire based manufacturers to learn about how their company can potentially benefit.

Many manufacturing companies have yet to take advantage of R&D Tax Credits, often on the basis that the company has no defined R&D department. However eligible activities for the relief can include value engineering, IT systems development, and tooling development alongside the more obvious areas of new product or process development.

Deloitte and the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) have joined together to provide a free seminar at the AMP Technology Centre in Rotherham on the morning of Wednesday 30th May. The event includes an overview of the R&D tax credits scheme and its application to manufacturers, highlighting HMRC's current thinking in this area, the pitfalls that may trip up claimants and exploring the proposed modifications likely to be introduced under the 2013 Finance Bill.

Optimising R&D tax rate relief claims within the manufacturing sector often means looking at activities undertaken beyond any core technical team. The Deloitte R&D tax services team has assisted in the preparation and agreement of thousands of R&D claims, many of which include costs associated with R&D carried out in the manufacturing / production environment. The Deloitte team will explain some of their experiences in this area during the event.

Following the seminar, Deloitte will host a drop-in clinic for attendees, allowing company representatives to share details of potential projects in an initial free 30min consultation, and make initial assessment on the viability of making a claim.

For more information visit the AMP website.