Business

PD Ports is now able to offer a viable alternative to using the increasingly congested European and UK hub ports with the launch of the Unifeeder new short-sea services that will offer direct routes from Antwerp and Dunkerque into Teesport and Grangemouth in Scotland.

This new service connecting Teesport with Dunkerque will open up road cargo across mainland Europe with shorter times and distances in and out of the UK.

Kim Catterick, PD Ports’ General Manager Key Accounts & Customer Development, sees this new service as a real boost to business in the North East of England looking for fully intermodal door-to door solutions.

“Short-sea services are the lifeblood of our ports and this partnership with Unifeeder offers more routes in and out of Europe and into the UK. We have invested heavily into the region and more and more of our customers are searching for routes that offer direct access to their markets. Using Teesport with its excellent road and rail connections and in particular its well established daily Scottish rail service, opens up the north of England and Scotland; providing cross-channel services linking the Netherlands, Belgium, France and into Germany using road transport.

“We understand that customers want direct access and guaranteed schedules. There has been an increasing demand to move away from the congestion at some of the major European and UK ports and using Teesport, along with our other locations means we can partner with companies offering solutions that work for both the UK and mainland European customers.”

An area of Middlesbrough is being brought back to life by local regeneration specialists Jomast and Middlesbrough Council.

Albert Road, which is a main thoroughfare in the town, runs from Middlesbrough railway station to Centre Square and Teesside University. The once bustling commercial district is now benefiting from significant regeneration to reinvigorate the area into a vibrant new business community known as Albert North.

Made up of a collection of eclectic buildings, Albert North will boast a number of modern studios and offices for small to large businesses, as well as food and drink outlets and city living apartments.

Built to complement Middlesbrough’s existing digital and creative quarter and the Boho Zone, Albert North is being welcomed by many businesses who are looking for modern, flexible office space to meet their growing needs.

“Our aim is to bring together passionate people and inspiring businesses into one exciting business community said Mark Hill, Commercial Property Director at Jomast.

“Companies are looking for bespoke office accommodation and creative spaces with flexible terms and attractive incentives, which is exactly what Albert North will offer. More people want to work in the centre of town as it allows them to have easy access to all the local amenities as well as good transport links’ he added.

The Middlesbrough Mayor’s 2025 vision puts the town firmly at the heart of the Tees Valley City region, competing with cities across the UK. Albert North sits within Middlesbrough’s historic quarter, with the heritage and architecture of the older buildings being restored and retained. Internally, each unit will be fully refurbished to offer spacious interiors that meet the high standards businesses now expect.

“Albert North allows businesses of all sizes, including the town’s prominent creative and digital sector, to remain in close proximity to each other, which in turn will encourage a collaborative environment for these businesses to thrive” said Michelle McPhee, City Centre Manager at Middlesbrough Council.

“We are working with local businesses to shape the culture of Albert North, and this includes a range of benefits such as high speed broadband, rent and rate incentives, free public health initiatives for employees and a town centre loyalty card with exclusive discounts” she added.

“Jomast and Middlesbrough Council are committed to improving and regenerating Middlesbrough, and Albert North is testament to this”.

Anyone interested in leasing the units on Albert Road should contact Jomast directly on 01642 666 936.

A special event this week marked the official start of work on one of the region’s most prestigious office developments.

Developer Ashall Projects was joined by key partners at the launch of construction at its flagship Centre Square development in Middlesbrough.

The 210,000 sq ft scheme will create a 21st century business destination in the heart of Middlesbrough with Grade A offices available from 6,000 – 210,000 sq ft.

The scheme will also see improvements to the existing public realm to create a vibrant and iconic new civic space that works in tandem with the existing Centre Square.

The offices will be delivered in phases, with full planning permission in place for the first stage, and outline permission secured for the second phase.

Construction has commenced on the first two buildings, while three more will be built in the second phase of the development.

Contractor Bowmer & Kirkland has been appointed to deliver the project and are now on site with a 14-month build programme.

Mark Ashall, director of Ashall Projects, said: “This is a huge step forward for the Centre Square development and is the result of a great deal of hard work over an extended period by the partners involved in the project. We are really pleased to see spades in the ground.

“Centre Square provides an unrivalled opportunity to locate a business at the hub of a vibrant city with big ideas and aspirations, a city already undergoing a huge positive transformation.

“Now forward-looking companies will be able to occupy grade A office space with easy access to the local transport network and amenities and all the other benefits of a city centre location.”

Middlesbrough Council has agreed a 35-year head lease on the first two buildings Ashall will build as part of the development. One will be a new home for Council staff, with the other sub-let by the Council to a third party.

Councillor Charlie Rooney, Middlesbrough Deputy Mayor and Executive Member for City Centre Strategy, said: “As a destination of regional importance, Centre Square is a key part of our ambitious Investment Plan which we launched in 2017, so I’m delighted to see work formally under way on this important development.

“Bringing in a few thousand office workers into the heart of the city centre will be good for all businesses, especially the retail sector who will benefit by having a large new customer base all year round.

“These are the first steps in the creation of the best office accommodation between Leeds and Newcastle, and will further cement Middlesbrough’s status as the business and leisure heart of the Tees Valley.”

Pictured: Bowmer & Kirkland Area Construction Manager Darren Stoker, Middlesbrough Mayor David Budd, Central Ward Councillors Linda Lewis and Matt Storey, Ashall Projects Director Mark Ashall, Middlesbrough Deputy Mayor Charlie Rooney, and Kevin Parkes, Middlesbrough Council’s Executive Director of Growth and Place

The Made in the North East Awards recognise and reward manufacturing companies based in the region that have demonstrated success in innovation, product development and revenue growth in either domestic or overseas markets.

The Awards showcase many of the high quality manufacturing businesses in the region that have built reputations for high quality products and services.

This is the sixth year that Insider has run the Made in the North East Awards which is part of a national suite of events that Insider hosts around the UK, all culminating in its national final, Made in the UK Awards, which take place later in the year.

Over 100 different manufacturing businesses – of all sizes – have entered the awards since the inaugural event in 2013. These include:

• British Engines
• ElringKilinger GB
• Fentimans
• Ringtons
• Calsonic Kansai
• Tharsus
• Ebac Group
• GT Group
• Walker Filtration
• Tekmar Energy
• Kromek
• Seaward Group
• Reece Group
• Godfrey Syrett
• CA Group
• Zytronic
• Omega Plastics
• Cameron’s Brewery
• Polyphotonix
• Faltec Europe

Made in the North East Awards 2018

Ten awards will be presented at the awards dinner:

• Digital Engineering / Technology Award
• Apprentice of the Year Award
• Manufacturing Innovation Award
• Automotive Award
• Export Award
• Food & Drink Award
• Manufacturing Apprenticeship / Training Scheme
• Sustainable / Ethical Manufacturer Award
• Manufacturer of the Year (under £25m)
• Manufacturer of the Year (over £25m)

The deadline for entries is Friday 10th August 2018
Once again Insider has teamed up with CDEMN, the organisation behind Emcon (formerly known as Durham Oktoberfest). Emcon is the North East’s leading engineering and manufacturing exhibition and takes place on the same day as the Made in the North East.

CDEMN will join the judging panel which will also be made up from representatives from EEF, Materials Processing Institute, AMAP (University of Sunderland), Esson Partnership and the NE Automotive Alliance.

The judges will scrutinise all the submissions and determine the shortlists and the winners for each award category.

The shortlists will be announced by Insider in the weeks leading up to the awards dinner, which will be held at the Redworth Hall Hotel, Durham on 18th October 2018, when the winners will be revealed.

To enter the awards and reserve tables at the awards dinner, visit the Made in the North East Awards website.

PD Ports, one of the UK’s major port groups, has achieved Gold status in the internationally-renowned RoSPA Health and Safety Awards, the longest-running industry awards scheme in the UK.

Awarded Silver at last year’s awards, led by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), PD Ports has been recognised with Gold this year for its continued commitment to improving health and safety standards across all of the Company’s sites.

Through the introduction of behavioural safety training, over the last five years safety ‘champions’ and site behavioural improvement plans have been implemented across the business to not only improve the standard of health and safety, but to help grow and evolve the culture of the business.

As a direct result of the success of these initiatives, the safety champions have begun to widen their scope of activity to include process and productivity improvements, bringing further added value to the Company and its employees.

Russell McCallion, PD Ports’ HR Director, commented: “Health and safety is our number one core value at PD Ports. It informs every decision we make and every action we take. It’s vital to us that everyone who comes in contact with our business walks away in the same state of health in which they arrived.

“We’re extremely proud that our commitment to ensuring a safe work environment has been awarded with Gold status. Our employees work tirelessly to correct issues, identify new processes and innovate our current practices to improve health and safety.”

Julia Small, RoSPA’s Head of Qualifications, Awards and Events, said: “The RoSPA Awards are the most highly-respected in the health and safety arena, with almost 2,000 entrants every year, and allow organisations to prove excellence in the workplace, demonstrating a commitment to the wellbeing of not only employees but all those who interact with it.”

The RoSPA Awards, which receives entries from organisations around the world, recognises achievement in health and safety management systems, including practices such as leadership and workforce involvement.

Businesses founded by graduates from Teesside University are proving to be some of the most viable in the country.

Figures released by the Higher Education Business and Community Interaction Survey (Hebcis) show that in 2016/17 there were 143 start-ups founded by Teesside University graduates which were still active after three years of business.

This figure was the 12th highest of all the universities in the United Kingdom and the best in the North East.

The Hebcis figures also reveal that graduate start-ups from Teesside University had an estimated turnover of more than £20.8m – placing them among the top 10 in the country.

Teesside University places a strong emphasis on entrepreneurship as a career path for graduates and enterprise is embedded throughout its curriculum.

The University is one of a handful of universities in the country to run the BA (Hons) Team Entrepreneurship degree which is inspired by the Finnish Team Academy and offers students a chance to direct their own learning and participate in team sessions, rather than attend lectures.

As part of its £21m revamp, Teesside University Business School has also launched a new Masters of Business Administration (MBA) degree inspired by Babson College in the United States, a global leader in the teaching of entrepreneurship.

In addition, Teesside University runs a number of projects designed to support start-ups in their early stages and give entrepreneurs the skills and knowledge they need when it comes to growing their companies.

The Launchpad business incubator based at the University’s Middlesbrough campus offers a co-working space where students, graduates, alumni-entrepreneurs, SMEs and corporate partners can come together in a unique start-up eco-system.

The University-led DigitalCity, Innovate Tees Valley and Innovate Durham projects provide a range of support, funding and mentoring to ambitious businesses that want to grow through innovation.

Laura Woods, Director of The Forge, Teesside University’s business hub, said: “These figures show that not only are our graduate start-ups making an important contribution to the region’s economy, but they’re also delivering sustained impact after three years.  It demonstrates the value of targeting support on strong and innovative businesses that understand the need for customers.

“It’s vital that young companies are given access to support and expertise as they set up and grow.  It means we can help ensure that the region not only retains its fantastic talent, but creates new wealth and opportunities from a healthy, knowledge-based economy.”

Successful businesses found by Teesside University graduates include Visualsoft, Animmersion, SockMonkey Studios and Hammerhead VR.

Case study

Games company, SockMonkey Studios, founded by two Teesside graduates, has grown to employ nine people, with plans for further expansion, thanks to the support of the University.

The company is based in Boho 5, in the heart of Middlesbrough’s tech quarter, and works on console, mobile and VR games for clients, as well as developing its own intellectual property (IP).

Its clients include some of the biggest names in the worlds of digital and business including Sega, Motorola, Lucasfilm and Unilever.

SockMonkey was founded in 2013 with the support of a DigitalCity Fellowship after Teesside University graduates Bob Makin and Darren Cuthbert left their jobs with a large games studio with the ambition of setting up their own business.

The Fellowships support entrepreneurs who are launching or planning to launch new-to-market products and services with up to £5,000 in funding, along with support and mentoring.

SockMonkey’s first app, Wurdy, a word guessing game, was featured by Apple in 147 countries and reached the number one spot in two countries.

The company was initially based in Launchpad, Teesside University’s business incubator, before expanding into larger offices in the University’s Phoenix building.

As the company continues to expand, it has recently taken part in the DigitalCity SCALEprogramme which helps ambitious tech companies scale and grow.

It is also working with Teesside University, as part of the Creative Fuse project, to develop an interactive system platform for patient education.

The project will produce a mobile app featuring engaging visuals and gamification to help communicate information about bariatric surgery easily, in a way that can be personalised and encourages user interaction.

Bob Makin said: “SockMonkey Studios started with the help of Digital City, a Teesside University project, and wouldn’t still be here today if it wasn’t for the University.

“They have helped with mentoring, business growth and office space via the Fellowships and Launchpad, and have helped to grow us from a small start-up of two to our now nine-strong team.

“We have ambitious plans that we’ve put together for the next 18 months thanks to the DigitalCity SCALE programme and we’re now on track to have a studio of 20-plus employees and a significant increase in turnover.”

PD Ports welcomed the Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, Andy McDonald MP, to Teesport recently, to learn first-hand of the major role logistics plays in keeping the UK economy moving.

As a Member of Parliament for Middlesbrough since 2012, Mr McDonald is a strong supporter of Teesport, one of the UK’s deepest water ports, which has seen over £1BN of major infrastructure investments in the last decade.

“Teesport is a hugely important piece of infrastructure for the UK and I’ve made it my business since becoming a Member of Parliament for that to be reflected in national thinking,” commented Mr McDonald.

The visit, hosted by PD Ports’ Portcentric Logistics Director and former Road Haulage Association Chairman, Jim French MBE, was an opportunity to raise serious concerns about the future of the logistics industry. Mr French highlighted the chronic shortage of road haulage drivers and the image crisis badly affecting the numbers of young people wanting to embark on a career in the industry.

Mr French, who recently received at MBE for his services to young people in the transport industry, stressed that with an average driver age of 53 years old and an existing driver shortage that stands at 45,000 more needs doing to focus on the future and safeguard the UK’s ability to remain competitive in this vital industry.

“For the last four years we have aggressively pushed to raise the visibility of the logistics industry amongst young people and demonstrate the many career opportunities available to them spanning a broad range of job roles and skill sets. This led to the launch of the Tees Valley Logistics Academy run with our colleagues at Stockton Riverside College and supported by national charity Career Ready and Think Logistics; focussing on inspiring young people to explore the logistics sector as a viable and valuable career choice.

“Despite road haulage accounting for 76% of UK freight distribution and the industry as a whole contributing around £121BN to UK GDP, supporting over 2.5 million jobs, there remains a distinct lack of visibility both within government and amongst the public as to the vital importance of the logistics industry to UK trade.”

Andy McDonald MP commented on the work PD Ports is undertaking to tackle this skills shortage: “I’ve been hearing today about initiatives including the Logistics Academy and it’s abundantly clear that the industry and PD Ports, in particular, are really focused on the deficits in bringing people into the industry and making careers in logistics a realistic offer for people.

“I’m excited about the programmes I’ve been hearing about and I think if people can see the opportunities the industry has available then they would be attracted to it. It’s a question then of retaining them in the industry and letting them progress their careers as they develop.

“It’s a really exciting agenda but it’s critical as the logistics sector is so absolutely fundamental to everything we do in this country. If we don’t address the shortage we’ve got a real problem, so it’s a question of urgency as well. Today has really sharpened by focus and I want to carry on the conversation.”

During his visit, Mr McDonald toured PD Ports’ state-of-the-art warehousing facility where global tea and coffee imports for long-standing customer and one of the UK’s most respected tea and coffee merchants, Taylors of Harrogate are handled.

PD Ports has signed a pledge to support ex-members of the armed forces find local jobs and enhance their employability skills once they leave military life.

As one of the UK’s major port operators and logistics specialists, PD Ports has been a strong advocate of the value employing former military workers brings to the business, with around 8% of its 1,200 workforce being service veterans and reservists.

Russ McCallion, PD Ports’ HR Director, said: “The wealth of transferable skills and attitude ex-service men and women bring to our business is exceptional. They are disciplined, decisive and determined individuals with a true team spirit, which adds real value to our business and the wider supply chain. I would encourage any business operating in the logistics sector to consider the potential of employing former military personnel.

“With Europe’s largest Garrison at Catterick, only 30 miles away from our main operations at Teesport, we aim to help provide stable employment opportunities for veterans as they start to build a new life.

“Having a diverse and inclusive workforce is a key part of our corporate social responsibility framework and signing the Armed Forces Covenant further strengthens our commitment to providing the richly deserved support to former military workers.”

The Armed Forces Covenant is a pledge from businesses, local authorities and the third sector that those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces and their families are treated fairly. PD Ports is proud to join a growing number that have already signed their pledges to recognise the value of our Armed Forces community.

Teesside University Chancellor and business leader Mr Paul Drechsler CBE has been awarded an Honorary Degree from Trinity College Dublin.

Mr Drechsler was conferred with a Doctor in Laws alongside former US Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who was also honoured at the ceremony.

After graduating from Trinity College Dublin with an Honours Degree in Engineering, Mr Drechsler went on to forge a hugely successful business career, which began on Teesside where he worked for ICI for 10 years. He then held various senior positions, living in Brazil, the USA and the Netherlands, which concluded with five years as Chief Executive of one of ICI’s principal international businesses and as a Main Board Director.

Mr Drechsler is currently the Vice-President of the CBI, following his three years as President. He is also the Chairman of the Bibby Line Group and was previously Chairman and Chief Executive of one of the UK’s largest construction firms, Wates Group.

Mr Drechsler has maintained close links with Trinity College Dublin, chairing the Business School Development Steering Group and as a member of its Global Advisory Council.

He was installed as Chancellor of Teesside University last year, vowing to use his experience to help Teesside become one of the world’s leading universities and build its global reputation.

Commenting on his Honorary Degree from Trinity College Dublin, Mr Drechsler said: “I am delighted to receive the Honorary Degree. I have fond memories of being a student and what I learnt during my time at Trinity has helped to shape my career. To be recognised in this way is an extremely proud moment.”

Professor Paul Croney, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Teesside University, said: “On behalf of Teesside University, I would like to offer our congratulations to Paul on receiving his Honorary Degree.

“It is always special to be recognised by the institution at which you studied and this is another fantastic accolade in what has been a truly exceptional career.”

Photo:
(back L-R)
Dr Patrick Prendergast, Provost; President of the Confederation of British Industry, Paul Drechsler, Doctor in Laws; Archivist at the Irish Architectural Archive, Ann Rowan, Master in Letters; US philanthropist Dr James Simons, Doctor in Science.
(front L-R)
Former US Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Doctor in Laws; Dr Mary Robinson, Chancellor of the University and Physicist & Cofounder of the Young Scientist Exhibition; Dr Tony Scott, Doctor in Education.

Middlesbrough’s consumer sector is one of the best performing in the UK according to an influential new report.

The strong showing puts the city heart of the Tees Valley ahead of nearby cities, and above other cities up and down the UK.

The 2018 UK Consumer Powerhouse report – produced by solicitors Irwin Mitchell in partnership with the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) – highlights the consumer sector as a key driver for economic growth.

And in a series of measures comparing the fortunes of more than 40 cities, Middlesbrough’s vibrant and diverse city centre economy stands out as one of the UK’s star performers.

In the face of digital and technological change, changing consumer behaviour, uncertainty over Brexit and the impact of new regulation, Middlesbrough is consistently near the top of a series of tables gauging the health of a key sector covering retail, leisure, tourism and food and drink.

In her foreword, CBI Director General Carolyn Fairbairn points to the overall resilience of the consumer sector – worth £400 billion in 2017 –  with GVA (gross value added) growth of 1.5% and employment growth of 1% across the 44 cities under the spotlight.

By comparison Middlesbrough’s consumer sector GVA growth rate of 3% was the second-highest recorded in the UK in Q4 2017, with the town placed only marginally behind best performer Bristol.

Middlesbrough also recorded strong employment growth of 2.6% within the sector, with the report also predicting a rise to 2.9% by the fourth quarter of 2018.

The town’s consumer sector GVA growth rate in Q4 2018 is also forecast to be one of the strongest in the UK at 2.7%.

Victoria Brackett, CEO of Irwin Mitchell’s Business Legal Services, said: “Our latest report paints a rosy picture for the consumer sector within Middlesbrough, with its current fortunes and short-term prospects looking very positive.

“While there could be various factors around this performance, it is worth noting that throughout 2017, footfall data has showed that the city experienced growth in numbers of shoppers despite the national trend being negative.”

Middlesbrough Mayor Dave Budd said: “This enormously encouraging report confirms and underlines what we already know about our city centre.

“We clearly laid out our ambition for city-scale investment and development in our Investment Prospectus and that strategy is already bearing fruit.

“These figures are the clearest indication possible that our vision is delivering tangible, sustainable results.

“This hasn’t happened overnight but is the result of years of hard work, ambitious forward thinking and innovative partnerships.

“We continue to work with the commercial and retail sectors to re-balance and strengthen our city centre economy, and developments like those at Centre Square and the Tees Advanced Manufacturing Park will add yet more employment and footfall.

“This is an exciting time in Middlesbrough’s history, and there is a great deal more to come.”