New college facility opens to tackle engineering skills shortages
Suffolk New College’s new £400,000 fabrication and welding centre, part of a drive to tackle skills shortages in engineering and manufacturing in the area, has been opened by Ipswich MP Ben Gummer. The new facility will boost the college's science, technology, engineering and maths offering and increase the number of apprenticeships. It is the only facility of its kind for 30 miles and should help local employers overcome difficulties in finding skilled staff to fill vacancies in the absence of a state-of-the-art facility. The centre will offer a wide range of construction and engineering courses, including body repair, motor vehicle and plumbing. It includes a workshop with ten welding bays complete with industry-standard equipment, and a ‘virtual welding’ technology - computer-based training system. Ben Gummer said: “We are seeing a return to high quality apprenticeships and a reskilling of our workforce for a new industrial age and this new facility is evidence of that progress." The new facility has been delivered with Weldability-Sif, Ransomes Jacobsen and New Anglia Skills Deals Programme.
Refurbished space in demand in Cambridge as tech firms look to city centre
A shortage of new office space in Cambridge and growing interest from tech firms in the city centre is encouraging more firms to look at refurbished buildings. The last remaining office space at the newly-refurbished Bateman House, 82-88 Hills Road, in Cambridge has been let to law firm Bircham Dyson Bell LLP. It has agreed to a new lease and will occupy 491 sq ft on part of the ground floor. Frankie Wood, surveyor in the business space team at Savills Cambridge – who let the space for Trinity Hall - said: “Due to a continued lack of existing city centre stock, refurbishments are becoming increasingly popular with occupiers looking for space around the Hills Road / Station Road area. It is testament to the strength of the building, location and its new profile that it is was fully let in such a short space of time.” Tech firms feature among the tenants who have taken more than 16,644 sq ft of space at Bateman House over the past year. New space has been occupied by Docker, Electric Imp, Malin Life Sciences, Genestack and Intrasonics, following the refurbishment overseen by Savills.
Paul Ffolkes Davis, bursar at Trinity Hall, said: “It is interesting that there continues to be so much demand from technology firms, and we hope that this building will act as a successful breeding ground for ideas, innovation and the growth of the city’s excellent reputation.”
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Motor dealership expands
Norfolk-based motor retailer Desira Group has acquired MR King and Sons' Peugeot and Suzuki dealership in Lowestoft. The dealership at Horn Hill increases Desira’s branch network to nine and its staff numbers to 254. Suzuki is a new franchise addition for Desira and its second Peugeot outlet. It is also a PSA parts hub for Norfolk. Stuart Stone, managing director, said: "Desira Group is always looking to improve and grow within our marketplace. We felt MR King and Sons Peugeot and Suzuki was the perfect opportunity to further expand our group - offering our customers, a wider variety of products, services, choice and exceptional care.”
Water groups to offer three utility services
Anglian Water Business is to offer all three utility services including gas and electricity to business customers after signing a ‘white label’ contract with supplier-partner, Corona Energy. The company, is merging with NWGB, will offer gas and electricity alongside water supply and wastewater services. Bob Wilson, managing director of Anglian Water Business, said: “Offering businesses the ability to choose water, gas and electricity from one quality supplier makes sense. Customers will benefit from simpler billing and effortless management of all their utility requirements from a single, trusted and service-driven organisation.”
Innovative young entrepreneurs seek investors
A group of young entrepreneurs from Colchester Royal Grammar school has created an innovative new business as part of a nationwide Young Enterprise project. The student’s company, Eclectic LTD, has created a portable charging device that the user wears on their wrist to tackle the issue of smartphone battery life and its impact on emergencies. It has a prototype costing £750 and is ready to go to market and is seeking investors. Business mentor Steve Austin, director of Essex software company Junari, said: “I have been highly impressed with the passionate and driven young people that comprise the Eclectic team of directors. " Interested parties can get in touch at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit www.eband.uk
Photo : Eclectic MD Daniel Blackman shows Andrew McCulloch of Framlingham-based Minima how the product works
Hi-tech apprenticeships
Cambridge-based tech company ARM and the University of Essex are jointly launching degree apprenticeships for young engineers. The school of computer science and electronic engineering at Essex is the first university in the region to offer high-tech degree apprenticeships accredited by the Government-backed Tech Partnership initiative. ARM will initially offer 10 degree apprenticeships to start this autumn.
Marketing partnership
Essex-based digital marketing agency, Zero Above has formed a European marketing partnership with Gilbarco Veeder-Root, aimed at integrating communications and delivering interactive digital marketing solutions. Gilbarco Veeder-Root is the world’s largest provider of integrated technology solutions to the retail petrol industry.
Suffolk US export initiative
Suffolk Chamber hosted visitors from Suffolk, Virginia recently at a meeting at Ipswich Town FC which included chamber members that are targeting the US market. Gregory Byrd from the City of Suffolk in the US outlined the services that they provide to help companies get established in the USA, including property searches and connecting with local advisers. Aspalls Cyder and St Peter’s Brewery were among the chamber members attending, along with firms from construction, shipping and cleaning products.
Port of Felixstowe hosts export hub
The Port of Felixstowe has hosted a visit by the Department for International Trade’s export hub service, as part of an 'exporting is great' campaign. The hub brings together advice and practical guidance for all businesses on how they can find customers overseas for their products and services. Alan Pain, regional director for The Department for International Trade in the East of England, said: "This is an excellent way to show businesses just how much demand there is out there for goods and services from this region, something from which many companies are already benefitting." great.gov.uk
House builder of the year hosts MP’s visit to mark anniversary
Bennett Homes, based at Nowton, near Bury St Edmunds, hosted a visit by local MP Jo Churchill this week to mark its 70th anniversary and being named House Builder of the Year for the fourth time. She was shown around the company’s head office by managing director Edward Parker, who explained how there have been many changes in home design, materials and building techniques over the lifetime of the company. Bennett Homes was established by Josh Bennett in Lakenheath in 1947 and was well known for building bungalows in market towns across East Anglia for active retirees. Today, it offers different styles of bungalow and has expanded into other sectors including first-time buyers and growing families. The company has also recently expanded into north Essex. Edward Parker said: “It was good to tell Jo about our history and also the way we believe we differ from other building companies, offering unique schemes such as a free Lend-A-Home for those who have sold their property and are waiting to move into their Bennett home and a complimentary Handyman Service shortly after moving-in day to do all those little jobs that turn a house into a home.”
Photo (l to r): Edward Parker, Jo Churchill MP; Adam Bell, development director and Andrew Horsburgh, finance director.
Employment solutions appointment
Louise Rayner has joined Grant Thornton in Cambridge as a senior manager in the employment solutions team. She brings wide experience, having worked for a number of international accountancy firms over the past 30 years across the UK. She will support businesses in Cambs and the wider Eastern region, helping to develop employee incentives which enable firms to recruit and retain talent, with a particular focus on equity share schemes.
Energy contracts
Watton-based renewables firm Abel Energy has announced two new contracts worth over £1 million. Essex-based Bioline AgroSciences has commissioned it to install a 1 megawatt biomass boiler, together with a 1.2 megawatt oil-fired back-up boiler, at its Clacton facility. Meanwhile Norfolk-based Pips Skips has signed a contract to install a 1 megawatt biomass boiler at its East Tuddenham facility. The company currently recycles 93 per cent of the waste which at its recycling centre which it aims to increase to 100 per cent.
Concrete contract wins
Poundfield Products, a Suffolk-based precast concrete producer, has won its third contract to supply the nuclear industry in a year. The firm will will be supplying Alfabloc, a patented retaining wall product, to IC Corcoran which is currently working on the decommissioning of Sizewell A . It has also won two contracts to supply Alfabloc to the new Hinckley Point C nuclear power station.
Awards for community schemes
Eight community schemes across the East will help hundreds of disadvantaged people into a job or ready to work, thanks to awards totalling £148,000 from New Anglia LEP. . They aim to support more than 400 people to become work ready and around 160 into paid employment: Eastern Enterprise Hub, Ipswich - ‘Back to Your Future’ ;Inspire Suffolk, Suffolk-wide – ‘Step Up’; Access Community Trust, Lowestoft – ‘Workspace to Workplace’; Suffolk Refugee Support, Ipswich; The Mix & Emerging Leaders, Stowmarket - ‘The Big Pen Project’; Voluntary Norfolk, Norwich – ‘Voluntary Works’; Workers’ Educational Association, Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft, King’s Lynn and Watton – ‘…and ACTION!’; LEAP East, Norwich - ‘Flourish Employment Academy’
Cambridge College to host showcase for event organisers
Jesus College is to host over 120 meetings and event professionals to its new state-of-the-art conference facility, West Court on 26th April in a showcase organised by Meet Cambridge. After breakfast and networking in the Webb Library (photo, right), delegates will hed to multi-purpose auditorium to hear keynote speaker, ocean rower Natalia Cohen, part of an all-female team to cross the Pacific Ocean, setting two new world records. There will then be an interactive Q&A session with a panel of industry professionals. Zoe Stubbings, conference manager at Jesus College said: “We are thrilled to be hosting Meet Cambridge: Exceptional Experiences and able to unveil our latest facilities in West Court to those attending. There is a range of different spaces to suit all types of conferences, meetings and private dining, as well as overnight accommodation all year round.” West Court comprises a multi-functional Auditorium equipped with the latest communications technology, which can seat up to 190 delegates; a dedicated events space, a café with an outside terrace area, a basement bar, and 30 hotel-standard bedrooms. www.conference.jesus.cam.ac.uk