News: Only a week left to enter Rotherham Young Entrepreneur of the Year awards

The deadline to enter the Rotherham Young Entrepreneur of the Year awards 2009 is approaching fast.

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 http://www.investinrotherham.co.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.

Rotherham Investment and Development OfficeRotherham

Images: RiDO

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News: Young entrepreneurs moving on up

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.



Josh Abbotts and Gavin Winder at Prototype Creative have 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 the work in.

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."

The deadline to enter the Rotherham Young Entrepreneur of the Year awards 2009 is July 19th.

Prototype website
Rotherham Investment and Development Office
Rotherham

Images: RiDO

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News: Going with the flow despite downturn

As the closing date for this year's Young Entrepreneur award draws close one former entrant reports that 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!"

The deadline to enter the Rotherham Young Entrepreneur of the Year awards 2009 is July 19th.

Flowed website
Rotherham Investment and Development Office
Rotherham

Images: RiDO

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News: Rotherham bio-tech company going global

Dinnington based Biovision Medical has recently been selected as the key distributor for Europe and the Far East by Tissuenet - the largest independent human tissue processing company in America.

A member of the Medsmart Solutions family, Biovision distribute and store orthopaedic implants and trauma products for use in surgical procedures for spinal injuries, sports medicine, orthopaedics and trauma.

The contract, with Florida-based TissueNet, required Biovision to expand its facilities to cater for the business' inevitable growth.

John Hill company secretary of Biovision said: "This is a significant deal for the company. It's huge. Biovision have enjoyed a steady growth during the last three years gaining more recognition in the market place and this partnership with TissueNet reflects our commitment in taking the business to a new level."

Biovision Medical recently received a £50,000 investment from South Yorkshire Investment Fund (SYIF). The loan has allowed the company to create a clean-room to prepare metal implants and other medical devices in before distribution.

Andy Chaffer, business director at SYIF said: "This is a great example of young innovative company which is building a growing reputation around the world."

The rapid growth allowed the company to take on three new senior members of staff within the first month of the investment.

The company predicts that this rapid growth will continue, leading it to being one of the region's most prestigious employers.

Biovision Medical website
SYIF website
Rotherham

Images: biovision-medical.com / syif.com

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News: Huge support for save our steel petition

Local MPs Denis MacShane and John Healey along with Council Leader Roger Stone, church leaders, steelworkers and others launched the "Save our Steel" petition in Rotherham last week.

There was also a "Save our Steel" campaign stand at South Yorkshire Festival at Wortley Hall on 4th July.

Denis MacShane MP said "Rotherham people were really pleased to have a tangible way of showing their support for our steel workers and steel industry. I did an event earlier with the British Heart Foundation at their Frederick St shop and within minutes of dropping a petition form on the counter it was half full.

"This is an urgent call to Rotherham people to sign up by 14th July in order that I can present the petition to Parliament on behalf of the people of Rotherham."

John Healey MP said: "After all the glorious weather Rotherham has had this week we ended up launching this petition in torrential rain, but in the first hour we had over 300 signatures."

Cllr Roger Stone OBE, Leader of Rotherham Council said "It was great to see so many Rotherham people stepping forward to sign this petition. I am fully behind our MPs in their drive to make sure that the voice of Rotherham citizens can be heard and I hope as many as possible from across Rotherham's varied community will sign it."

The petetion will be available to sign on: Friday July 10th and Saturday July 11th at 10.30 - 12.30 by College St entrance to the markets in Rotherham town centre.

Denis MacShane website
John Healey website
Rotherham

Images: johnhealeymp.co.uk

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News: Student's art in the workplace

Students at Thomas Rotherham College have begun showcasing their work at South Yorkshire law firm Keeble Hawson.

Paul Trudgill, Managing Partner at Keeble Hawson and Emilie Scholey, Head of Art at TRC, have partnered up to begin an "Art in the Workplace" initiative.

It is anticipated that in the coming months, students from a variety of disciplines including Graphic Communication and Fine Art will display their work throughout the firm within the conference rooms, corridors and reception area and that this will be rotated on a frequent basis.

Daniel Barnett, who has achieved several successes in recent years, including the Princess Diana's Award and has sold work alongside Damien Hirst, is exhibiting his work in one of the larger conference rooms. There has been much interest in Daniel’s exciting exploration of "nature" and he already has a queue of people bidding on this sample of his work.

As many of the art students continue studying art at degree level, it is a fantastic opportunity for students to practice how to reflect and use feedback from staff and clients of Keeble Hawson. This will enable students to evolve as artists and sharpen their negotiating skills in selling their work.

TRC website
Rotherham

Images: thomroth.ac.uk

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News: Acorn Industrial Services come to Hammond's rescue

Acorn Industrial Services in Rotherham recently came to Richard Hammond's rescue after he was informed by major distributors that the bearing he needed to restore his 1963 Opel Kadett was obsolete.

After buying his Opel Kadett "Oliver" in Botswana and driving across Africa for one of BBC Top Gear's challenges, Richard brought the car back to the UK to restore. However, the renovation came to a halt when the garage struggled to source the obsolete bearing.

Finally the garage contacted Gloucester Bearings who turned to their distributor Acorn Industrial Services to see if they could find the rare bearing.

As well as stocking over 32,000 products, Acorn specialise in sourcing bearings, power transmission products, seals and ancillary products.

Des Spillings, sales director of Acorn Industrial Services said: "The Richard Hammond case is a perfect example of how we can help our customers. Despite major distributors reporting the bearing as obsolete, we took the time to promptly hunt down and deliver the required product. This is just one of the ways we add value to our customers."

Acorn Industrial website
Rotherham

Images: lairdscott/Flikr

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News: Another global order for Martek Marine

A major offshore support services company based in Qatar has placed an order for 46 Lifeforce defibrillators from Rotherham-based Martek Marine.

The company owns and operates a fleet of vessels consisting of Anchor Handling Tugs, Safety Standby Vessels, Crew Boats, Diving Support Vessels, Wellhead Maintenance Vessels, Wire Line Support Vessels and Construction Vessels.

The order will see all the vessels fitted with Martek's system for the treatment of any crew members who are struck down by sudden cardiac arrest.

Lifeforce is the only defibrillator to be Type Approved for marine use and with clear voice prompts and just two buttons to press it is so simple that even an untrained member of crew could use it to save a life.

There are now over 1000 Lifeforce Marine AEDs on-board vessels around the world.

Martek Marine website
Rotherham

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