PD Ports, Statutory Harbour Authority for the River Tees and owner and operator of Teesport, has launched a new digital platform aimed at promoting the unique strengths of the river and supporting the Government in delivering its ‘levelling up’ agenda for the North.
The new platform, which will be a vital tool for river users, potential investors and stakeholders to access a wealth of information about the river’s world-class operations, has been in development since late 2020 as part of the Statutory Harbour Authority’s continued commitment to maximise investment and job opportunities across the Tees Valley.
Frans Calje, PD Ports CEO, explained why the new digital hub will help accelerate the Company’s future vision – to make the River Tees the UK’s most successful port region by 2050 – whilst also supporting future trade growth and strengthening Teesport’s position as the Northern Gateway for international trade.
“The River Tees is the lifeblood of the Tees Valley and a leading gateway for international trade, providing 24/7 access to global markets and linking the region to key industrial connections around the world,” said Frans.
“The new website will showcase the unique strengths of our region to inward investors, demonstrate the world-class infrastructure and unparalleled connectivity we have at Teesport as well as promote job and training opportunities in order to drive social value in the Tees Valley.
“We have seen that a collaborative approach is key to enhancing the global competitiveness of the Tees Valley. We look forward to continue working alongside our fellow river users to further develop this platform and, in turn, drive socioeconomic betterment for the Tees Valley.”
Julie Underwood, Executive Director of International Trade at the North East England Chamber of Commerce, offered her backing of the project from the initial planning stages and was delighted to see the platform come to fruition.
“PD Ports has delivered an invaluable tool in the new Teesport Website and it certainly reflects the enormous asset the Port is to the Tees Valley and the wider North East,” said Julie. “It presents the scale of the port, and all the businesses utilising this facility in a very engaging way, demonstrating the value of the River Tees to the continued prosperity of our region and the people who work and live here.”
Throughout the process, PD Ports regularly engaged with key businesses and stakeholders across the River Tees, offering updates on the project as well as inviting stakeholders to take part and create a free company profile to demonstrate the knowledge and expertise that sits along the banks of the River Tees.
Richard Brooke, Commercial Director at Augean Plc, said, “Augean is a key stakeholder for Teesport businesses and users in providing waste treatment and disposal services of hazardous wastes, including dredged contaminated sediment, at its Port Clarence facility. The new Teesport website really does showcase the best of class infrastructure, facilities and capabilities of Teesport and we are delighted to be involved.”
One of the busiest and most progressive ports in the UK, Teesport contributes in excess of £1.4billion to the UK economy every year and supports over 22,000 jobs in the supply chain.
You can visit the new platform on the Teesport website and get all the latest news and updates by following @Teesport on Twitter.
Local property and regeneration specialist Jomast has announced further investment in Albert North, a multi-million-pound regeneration project in the centre of Middlesbrough.
Albert Road, which is a main thoroughfare in the town, was transformed into Albert North two years ago and the rebirth of the area has gone from strength to strength.
Made up of a collection of eclectic buildings it has benefited from a significant transformation. It now boasts a number of modern studios and offices, as well as food and drink outlets and is home to many of the towns digital and creative businesses.
Since regeneration of the area started, Jomast has let over 50,000 sq ft and welcomed numerous high-profile businesses, including Mabo, Big Bite, Salesfire, SockMonkey, Appamondo, The Human Group, LouTom Media and iConvert.
All of the upper floor space at its SIXTEEN/26 building is now fully occupied. Several ground floor units have also been taken by various independents, including Cocoon & Bauer, Pie Jackers, Alkaline Kitchen, Ananda Wellbeing and King B.
Albert North’s close proximity to Middlesbrough Rail Station has also proved popular with businesses that have chosen to relocate to the area. With further improvements to the station underway and new direct trains from Middlesbrough to London starting later this year, it provides excellent public transport links across the region and the UK.
Mark Hill, commercial property director at Jomast, said: “The response to Albert North has been tremendous, and with such a high level of occupancy, our focus now moves onto refurbishing TWENTYEIGHT/32 which was occupied by Barclays up until the end of last year.
“The building offers circa 24,000 sq ft over six floors and will benefit from a full refit including a new reception, new lifts and external enhancements.
“Once again, we’re working with interior design specialists Cocoon & Bauer to ensure we provide the open, modern and flexible office space businesses are looking for to meet their growing needs.”
The work will take approximately nine months and once completed will further enhance this historic part of the town.
Businesses relocating to Albert North can take advantage of an incentive scheme which includes perks such as high-speed broadband, rent and rate incentives, free public health initiatives for all staff and a town centre loyalty card with exclusive discounts.
Anyone interested in leasing units should contact Jomast directly on 01642 666 936 or visit the Albert North website for more details.
Discover the benefits the UK’s Most Prestigious Business Awards can bring to your business
Join the Department for International Trade North East for a free webinar discussing the benefits the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise can bring to a business. The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise is the highest award available for businesses in the UK. Winners have reported benefiting from worldwide recognition, increased commercial value, greater press coverage and a boost to staff morale.
Who’s it for?
The Queens Awards for Enterprise are open to businesses of all sizes and sectors, organisations can be a business or non-profit. Organisations must:
- Be based in the UK and file its Company Tax Returns with HMRC.
- Be a self-contained enterprise that markets its own products or services and is under its own management.
- Have at least 2 full-time UK employees or part-time equivalents.
- Demonstrate strong corporate social responsibility.
Focussing specifically on the International Trade Award, this session will provide an in-depth look at the additional eligibility criteria for this category and application process.
Why attend?
- You will be provided with hints and tips on what a good application looks like.
- Hear from previous North East winners who will share their experiences and the positive affect the award has made to their business.
- Gain insight into the application process and timetable.
- Discover what the next steps are after applying.
- Delegates will be offered a free one to one call for general advice on the application process.
Don’t miss out on a briefing session, providing greater insight into the awards and to put you in the best possible position to apply. Find out more and register now.
Looking to access finance to grow your business?
The Tees Valley Pitch Perfect Investment Readiness Programme is uniquely delivered by a team of experienced investment professionals, helping businesses and the people behind them grow faster and further than they imagined possible.
The Pitch Perfect Investment Readiness programme delivered by The Tees Valley Business Hub will help you prepare to access finance and give you the opportunity to attend an extensive and engaging programme of workshops, along with one on one coaching to help you prepare you and your business for investment.
To round the programme off you will be invited to pitch to a panel of investors where they will give you valuable advice and support, before having an opportunity to pitch at the Pitching for Investment event where you will have the opportunity to pitch your business to an audience of investors including angel investors, venture capital and corporate investors.
Join the Pitch Perfect Investment Readiness Programme to get:
- Hands on informative and engaging support from experienced investment professionals
- Improved access to finance
- To know what makes a successful investment pitch deck
- An understanding of the overall finance and investment landscape
- Opportunity to develop your own personal skills, to enable you to build and deliver a compelling pitch
- Investor introductions
To be eligible for the Pitch Perfect Investment Readiness programme delivered by the Tees Valley Business Hub your business must be within the Tees Valley area and under one of the following local authorities:
- Middlesbrough
- Stockton on Tees
- Hartlepool
- Redcar and Cleveland
- Darlington
Companies should be located within the following sectors:
- Innovative Manufacturing
- Digital and Creative
- Health and Life Sciences
- Financial and Professional
- Food and Drink
- Low Carbon and Environmental
- Other
Register your interest on the Tees Valley Business Hub website
PD Ports, owner and operator of Teesport, the fifth largest port in the UK and the only major port in England to handle more exports than imports, has expanded its rail freight network to include a new connection at Elderslie, West Central Scotland.
This route is an extension of the existing Teesport to Doncaster service, dedicated to longstanding customer Containerships and operated by PD Ports, in conjunction with our valued partners GB Railfreight. The expanded network will allow for the deposits of empty containers and collection of new cargo in Elderslie, ready for export via Teesport.
The new connection will further enhance the initial service offering and allow for the incorporation of new supply chains whilst adding to the already well-established, daily routes from Teesport to Mossend and Grangemouth.
This third Scottish service reaffirms Teesport’s top spot in offering more rail services to and from Scotland than any other port in the North of England and demonstrates both PD Ports’ and Containerships’ commitment to finding sustainable and efficient solutions for transporting cargo.
PD Ports Chief Commercial Officer, Geoff Lippitt, said: “We’re delighted to have been able to work alongside our esteemed partners Containerships and GB Railfreight to offer a solution that not only suits our current customers, but also incorporates a new connection, encapsulating additional markets and opening up our intermodal service offering to another supply chain.
“We have long been advocates for rail freight at PD Ports and this forms a large part of our future vision to establish the River Tees as the UK’s most successful port region by 2050. Now, as the impacts of COVID19 continue and as the Green Industrial Revolution sits at the top of the Government agenda, there has never been a better time to make the switch from road to rail, saving on time, costs, and carbon emissions.
“We will continue working with our partners to introduce rail into new supply chains and plan to add even more services to our current roster of 25 per week in the near future.”
Jonathan Paine, Chief Land Officer at Containerships, said: “The first months of this important rail service were a success and we’ll keep striving towards establishing further dedicated rail services throughout our business. As part of the CMA CGM Group, Containerships doesn’t spare any effort to meet our customers’ needs through tailor made solutions reducing the environmental footprint of goods’ transport, on our path toward becoming carbon neutral by 2050.”
Tim Hartley, Business Development Director at GB Railfreight, said: “GBRf is proud to be partnering with PD Ports and Containerships to offer a resilient and sustainable service to Elderslie. We applaud the vision that all parties have shown in launching this innovative rail corridor which promotes the levelling up agenda, supports retail growth and delivers significant decarbonisation benefits. We look forward to building on this excellent initiative.”
PD Ports, owner and operator of Teesport, has secured a third long-term deal at its recently unveiled state-of-the-art bulks facility, accelerating future expansion plans due to demand from global manufacturers and shippers.
The UK major ports group signed a long-term contract with a third global customer to secure the remaining bays inside the 300,000 sq.ft. Teesport Bulks Terminal based on the port estate.
Opened during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the £9.2 million investment by PD Ports to renovate and refurbish the former Steel Export Terminal in to the modernised Teesport Bulks Terminal, marked an important milestone in the revival of the Tees Valley, continuing to boost trade, investment and creating 44 new direct jobs with a further 250 jobs in the wider supply chain.
This investment follows the £50M redevelopment of Teesport’s No. One Quay, supported by Regional Growth Funding, to enhance and expand rail-connected bulk handling facilities at Teesport.
Now, less than one year on, PD Ports is planning to extend the facility further, signifying the port operator’s ambitions to seize new trade opportunities and secure further long-term private investment whilst supporting the government’s levelling up agenda.
PD Ports’ CEO, Frans Calje, explained how this significant milestone demonstrates the resurgence of the River Tees, and the impact major investments of this kind will have on driving the UK’s post-COVID economic recovery, as well as further economic growth for the Tees Valley region.
“It was catastrophic for the Tees Valley when the steelworks collapsed in 2015,” said Frans. “Overnight we, as PD Ports, lost a third of our business and this region lost one of its major component parts. Now, thanks to much hard work and investment, as well as an ongoing journey of diversification, we are stronger and more resilient as a business. As a result we are underway with our biggest recruitment drive in the history of our business – employing more people now than before the closure of SSI.
“I am delighted to see the successful transformation of Teesport’s bulks handling infrastructure and service provision – which is underpinned by our growing customer base, which now includes three globally renowned partners, including Viterra.
“The fact that such established and world-leading businesses within the industry have selected PD Ports as their chosen logistics providers to move cargo through our new facility, further reinforces our proven track record of delivery, securing private investment in the Tees Valley region, driving the region’s economic value and creating new jobs.
“As we look ahead, we are confident that by continuing to build on the strengths the River Tees offers, utilising our newfound Freeport status to attract further investments and embrace new opportunities, we can achieve our vision of making the River Tees the UK’s most successful port region by 2050.”
Middlesbrough has ranked one of the top places for footfall as shoppers return to the high street.
In the week following April 12, Middlesbrough had the seventh biggest increase in footfall in the UK compared to the same week in 2019.
The research comes from Ipsos’s Retail Recovery Index. The data show that people are continuing to shop locally on their high streets rather then opting to travel further afield to shop in major cities like they may have done pre-Covid.
Top 10 bounce-back retail locations:
1. Worcester
2. Romford
3. Derby
4. Wolverhampton
5. Leicester
6. Chelsea – Kings Road
7. Middlesbrough
8. Luton
9. Blackpool
10. Carlisle
As a region, the North East saw the strongest recovery, with footfall down by only -15.4% on the same week in 2019.
Middlesbrough Council has been encouraging shoppers to continue to shop locally with a number of incentives such as the Middlesbrough Gift Card – which can be topped up and redeemed at a number of independent shops, restaurants, cafes, bars and salons in the town centre.
Shoppers can also pick up an Independent Teesside card which offers a range of discounts at boutique shops, takeaways and restaurants.
The Buy Boro website launched at the start of the pandemic to support local businesses and services in Middlesbrough. The website offers a range of listings whether you’re looking for a car mechanic, Italian restaurant, florist or jewellers.
We’re looking for your views on new residential plans for the Boho Zone. The deadline for you to have your say is 16 April.
The area close to Middlesbrough Railway Station, which encompasses the Boho Zone, is being regenerated. These changes will act as a catalyst for wider change in central Middlesbrough that will bring prosperity, diversity and more talent to the area.
To realise this vision, new residential plans are an important factor and will help to establish a thriving urban community in the area. The addition of residential buildings will enable residents to not only work in a vibrant and up and coming area of the town, but live in it too.
The Boho Zone has gained an excellent reputation for being at the centre of Middlesbrough’s thriving digital industry. Now, the vision is to attract people back to the heart of the area where the town first began with high quality living and leisure facilities to complement the forward-thinking businesses already based in the area. Read more about plans that have already been announced that will bring exciting and dynamic changes to the area.
A planning application was recently approved in March 2021 for a seven story office building at Boho X, between Gosford Street and Feversham Street, within the south east of the Boho regeneration area. The office building will include a lecture theatre, café, swimming pool, gym, event space and public realm.
Following on from this planning approval, Middlesbrough Council now seek outline planning permission for residential-led next phase of the development.
Have your say on the plans and take part in the consultation.
International research and technology organisation TWI Ltd, together with partners Tees Valley Combined Authority and Teesside University, is currently running two programmes specifically for SMEs in the Tees Valley region. These aim to help small and medium sized businesses to address technology challenges, and develop new products, systems and services to bring to market, via fully funded consultancy support.
The Tees Valley Innovation Accelerator (TIA) is being delivered jointly with Teesside University, and is ideal for SMEs focused on innovation and new market development. Participating companies will receive free consultancy to develop their ideas into new products or solutions. Support is available to create initial prototypes utilising key enabling technologies to realise proof of concept design; identify grant funding opportunities, build partnerships with like-minded companies and organisations; and subsequently produce high quality, targeted proposals for public funding.
The Materials Integrity Technology Transfer (MITT) is being delivered jointly with Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA), and is for SMEs whose business is manufacturing, including all welding and materials joining processes and technologies; engineering materials such as metals, composites and plastics; or associated techniques including quality, welding procedures, inspection, non-destructive testing (NDT), coatings and surfacing. Companies joining MITT will receive assistance to tackle their technology challenges, increase productivity, progress and improve product and process development, and harness innovation to benefit their business.
A webinar for SMEs in the Tees Valley area to find out all about the TIA and MITT schemes will take place on 20 April 2021, 10am BST.
As well as presentations from Chris Beck, Director of Business and Skills, TVCA on Business Support in the Tees Valley, Gareth Fletcher, Technology Manager, TWI will explain the MITT scheme and Laurence Robinson, Technology Innovation Management, TWI will describe the TIA scheme. There will also be presentations from companies who are currently on the programmes, on the successes they are achieving including Bubo.AI on their SaaS innovation and Pollywood Ltd on their product innovation. Zulf Ali, Innovation Partnership Director, Teesside University will explain the prototyping support, and the webinar will be chaired by Abbas Mohimi, Head of Public Funding and Regional Engagement, TWI.
Laurence Robinson, Team Manager, Technology Innovation Management at TWI said “One of the key benefits to SMEs of joining the TIA and MITT programmes is that it will open up their company to input from a broad range of technology, engineering and industry-based experts from TWI’s technical specialists, TWI’s Industrial Membership base and innovation networks that they may not have access to ordinarily.” “In addition, this collaborative way of working has been tried and tested over many years at TWI, and we have a strong track record in unlocking funding and supporting small businesses in Tees Valley. In combination with the expertise of our partners TVCA and Teesside University, this means that SMEs can truly realise their technology development ambitions via these two programmes” he added.
Companies wishing to attend the free webinar should register here.
The support is provided free to SMEs with thanks to financial and administrative contributions from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), The Northern Powerhouse and Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA).
The managing director of an international company expanding into Middlesbrough has told how he sees “nothing but huge growth” for the town.
Tom Smyth of global luxury serviced apartments business Dream Apartments said he was drawn to the huge positivity he saw in Middlesbrough.
The company is currently in the process of renovating three floors of Boho 6 – also known as Crown House – to create 42 new apartments aimed at travelling workers who need accommodation and want a more homely feel than what a hotel offers.
Boho 6 Business Centre is on the ground, first and second floors, it remains open and goes from strength to strength .
Dream Apartments are located in Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Belfast and also offer properties across Europe and as far as the USA and Brazil.
And the MD of the rapidly expanding company explained his reasons for bringing the venture to Teesside.
Mr Smyth said: “There’s huge positivity coming out of Middlesbrough and nothing but huge growth. We see Middlesbrough as a massive business hub and we want to come and invest our money here.
“We want to be the biggest business of our type and this is just the start. It’s an exciting time for us and Middlesbrough.”
Middlesbrough Mayor Andy Preston was invited to a socially distanced tour of the early stages of the renovation.
He said: “Middlesbrough’s rising despite Covid. This is another example of outside money coming into town and doing great things. What’s better is that there’s even more good stuff coming!”
Rashad Hameed from Boho 6 said: “At the moment Middlesbrough is getting a lot of positive publicity and a lot of good things are happening.
“Boho 6 has a fantastic location – we have the bus station and train station nearby and we’re a stone’s throw from Middlehaven as well as being in the town centre. The location is fantastic.”
