rotherham business news: February 2009

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

News: Maltby Academy "powered by u-xplore"

Rotherham based education technology specialists, u-xplore have outlined their proposals to become the lead sponsor of Maltby Academy. Leading Rotherham's Building Schools for the Future programme, enterprising learning would be central to the ethos of the Academy, enabling students to be "qualified" to confidently enter the world of work with not only the necessary qualifications to succeed, but also an understanding of how to apply themselves in work and life, improving their own life opportunities whilst also making a positive contribution to the community and the economy. The ethos will build on u-xplore's work with students, teachers and businesses on their ground-breaking innovative software that engages young people through cutting edge media. The use of this technology would create a curriculum rich with context and enable the school to connect the employers of today with the employees of tomorrow. The focus would be an enterprising approach to teaching and learning not just teaching enterprise. Experts from Sheffield Hallam University will act as professional partners and focus on professional development and progression. Andy Pickles, the Chief Executive of u-xplore and lead sponsor is very confident that he could work with the existing head teacher to drive and deliver the strategic vision for the Academy, building on the progress that has already been achieved. The Academy would receive revenue funding direct from the government and Rotherham Council has committed to be a co-sponsor, contributing £500,000 to the Academy Trust. The Lead Sponsor, the Chief Executive of U-xplore will commit a further £1.5m to be added over 5 years.
Building Schools for the future
u-xplore website

News: Rotherham site set to help Dormer innovate and train for the future

A leading engineering company in South Yorkshire says innovation and training will be the key for businesses to survive the recession. Dormer Tools recently opened a new facility at the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham, which will house a training centre and a research and development unit. State of the art equipment has been installed at the site to allow Dormer to look at creating the next generation of cutting tools. It is also inviting distributors and end-users from around the world to view how their products are best used with the ultimate aim being productivity and quality improvements. It is a significant investment by Dormer in the development of new cutting tools, with a keen focus for collaboration with fellow AMP residents the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) and Boeing. Nick Garner, managing director of Dormer Tools, said: "The current financial situation is a global one and Dormer is a world-wide company, so there is no part of our supply chain that has not been affected. But everyone is in the same situation. "Training and development of people in new areas of engineering is the only way forward. We can’t continue to sit back and do the same things only to watch it slowly dwindle away with the economy. "We have to keep re-inventing ourselves and stay ahead of any market change. This development therefore is a key part of our strategy in handling this recession." Dormer will use the new facility to train both their own staff and customers to increase knowledge of cutting tools. It will also provide an opportunity to stage "surgery" days for the industry, as well as local schools, colleges and universities for pupils to study engineering from the experts. Nick added: "Manufacturing has gone to lower cost based countries, but the intellectual capital is retained here and that is marketable in its own right. It is one of the philosophies that we have embraced at Dormer."

News: TCN UK celebrates latest Waterfront deals

Anglo-Dutch developer TCN UK is celebrating its completion of two more major deals at the 285-acre Waterfront mixed-use development at Manvers, in Rotherham. The two deals ,announced earlier this year, are with Taylor Wimpey and Aldi food stores and add to the ever-increasing number of successful deals being completed at Waterfront. The deal with the UK’s biggest house builder, Taylor Wimpey, will allow the creation of 202 new homes at the Waterfront development, which overlooks the 50-acre sailing lake. In total, there will be 689 homes, including apartments. The second deal is with expanding food store operator Aldi, which will be developing a 14,000 sq ft food store along with 8,000 sq ft of kiosk retail units. TCN Director Stephen Holme said: "This is an exciting start to 2009. With all this doom and gloom around it's great to see so much activity on the site. Not only are we bucking the trend, but we are progressing this unique mixed-use development which has taken over five years of work to bring to this stage. "With a further 40 acres to develop and planning approval for a further 350 houses, leisure, retail and business space, Waterfront has many opportunities available for all types of companies looking to be located on this unique scheme." Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for regeneration and development, Cllr Gerald Smith, welcomed the new signings: "This would be excellent news at any time, but in the current climate it’s a vote of confidence in Rotherham’s opportunities for business and proof that well-founded developments can still make progress."

Waterfront website

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

News: Rotherham's attractions on show at Confex

Yorkshire South have teamed up with Kognitiv, a globally based visualisation and communications media company, to create an "industry first" which will be showcased at the International Confex exhibition in London this week. Using state of the art technology in the style of a mini-theatre on its stand and using special 4D glasses, Yorkshire South will be enabling visitors to tour the region’s conference venues without ever leaving their seats. Visitors will be able to get a real sense of venues such as the awe-inspiring Magna Science Adventure Centre. Emma France, Yorkshire South Conference Manager, commented: "This is Yorkshire South’s third year at International Confex and possibly the most exciting year yet. Last year's exhibition stand was certainly creative, but this year we are taking technological advances to a whole new level by bringing a new and unique experience to visitors as well as the business tourism industry. The 4D technology enabling virtual tours of the region’s conference venues could be the future in terms of familiarisation visits and we are thrilled at Yorkshire South to be the first destination partnership to be able to offer this service." Sharing space at the stand is Hellaby Hall Hotel and the YES! Project. YES! will be a 1.2m sq ft covered fully-integrated mixed-use resort based at Rother Valley Country Park, including conference facilities. The centre will be technology driven, with features such as virtual reality. Kognitiv is the global commercial partner of Doncaster based 3D experts, The Digital Exchange.

News: More tenants secured for Magna 34 in Rotherham

Loxley Land and Property and Jaguar Estates' £31M Magna 34 Business Park at Templeborough in Rotherham has secured four new tenants to its BREEAM "good" rated office accommodation. The four companies, two relocations and two start-up organisations, are occupying 40% of the A06 Office Building which was launched towards the end of last year as part of Phase 1 of the 19 acre park. Grayson (GB) Ltd purchased 3 of the industrial units totalling 7,500sq ft just weeks after their completion and the latest tenant to move in is B2B telecommunications provider Duocall Communications. Since their establishment in 2007, Duocall Communications has doubled its number of employees and has grown its turnover from some £200,000 in year one to circa half a million. They have relocated from Eastwood Trading Estate in Rotherham as part of their expansion strategy. Director of Duocall Communications, Phil Coley, said; "The business has gone from strength to strength in the last two years and we wanted new office space from which to service our nationwide client base. Magna 34 provides an excellent working environment for our existing team and will undoubtedly assist us when recruiting new staff." Eldon Stevens, Property Manager for Loxley Land and Property added: "The service office option that we are offering at Magna 34 has proven to be very attractive for companies looking for flexible, hassle-free operations set-up. This combined with the sustainable, sleek office and meeting room space that we have taken great care in designing offers a unique product within the locality." Agents for the scheme, GVA Grimley and Knight Frank, are handling significant interest in the park.
Magna 34 website

News: Rotherham rewarded for economic growth

Rotherham Council is set to receive over £220,000 from the government as a reward for successfully promoting economic growth in their area. The extra funding comes from the Local Authority Business Growth Incentives Scheme (LABGI) scheme that has been in operation since 2006. The council has already received around £3m, to be used as they see fit, to help meet local needs and priorities. Wentworth MP and Local Government Minister John Healey said: "Over the last three years, the LABGI scheme has made a real difference to local communities – in these difficult economic times, it has an even more important role to play. "Different parts of the country will be affected by this downturn in different ways and to different degrees. As these pressures are being felt by families and businesses, councils are best placed to provide real help locally, tailored to local needs, to help people to stay in their homes and their jobs." Rotherham council has allocated the un-ringfenced funds for initiatives involving the town centre, enterprise, sustainability and promotion.

Monday, February 23, 2009

News: Rotherham school makes enterprising history

Thorpe Hesley Junior School in Rotherham has won a Leading Aspect Award for "developing enterprising pupils through a creative curriculum built around enterprise skills" - the first ever government approved award for enterprise. The school, which is part of the revolutionary enterprise learning scheme, Rotherham Ready, was given the award for its innovative and creative approach to enterprise. Paula Harmer, Head teacher at Thorpe Hesley Junior School, said: "We're delighted to have won this award. It's testimony to the hard work all our pupils and teachers have put into their enterprise projects. "Enterprise plays a big part in our curriculum because we believe it helps develop skills that children will use throughout their lives. Instead of just learning from books or other second hand sources, they carry out real life projects, such as setting up their own businesses, organising events or giving presentations. "In turn, these experiences give pupils more confidence. They learn to evaluate and take risks and to communicate well – all of which are skills for life. "Enterprise skills form an integral part of our whole school curriculum and our philosophy." Pupils at Thorpe Hesley are taught enterprise on a daily basis. Older students even prepare and deliver classes to younger children about a range of subjects and skills such as how to use Google Earth. The students are also encouraged to generate business ideas to present at Dragon’s Den style forums, where a panel of adults provide the children with a small cash loan to invest in their plans. Catherine Brentnall, project officer at Rotherham Ready, said: “It’s fantastic that Thorpe Hesley Junior School has been given such great recognition for their enterprise education. "The school has demonstrated a very high standard of enterprise and they thoroughly deserve this award."

Rotherham Ready website

News: Bramall's social housing amongst "most efficient" in UK

A social housing development by Rotherham company, Bramall Construction at Hemsworth, near Wakefield, has been awarded the best air tightness rating of hundreds of schemes by leading industry experts. The new properties, built in partnership with Wakefield and District Housing and Synergy Housing Solutions, have air permeability ratings that are more than twice as good as the average British home. Rigorous tests carried out by Ryedale Air Tightness Testing (RATT) gave the best score RATT had reported in around 500 tests carried out in 2008. Importantly, this impressive result means that social housing tenants can expect to save up to 20 per cent on their annual fuel bills due to the low levels of air leakage and heat loss. "Neil Baxter, managing director for Bramall, said: "We're pleased the test results for these properties have been so positive, not least because they mean more energy efficient homes that will ultimately save tenants money on their fuel bills. "In these difficult economic times, qualities like this are more important than ever." Bramall were also responsible for the most environmentally-friendly homes in Britain when they completed a social housing project in Illingworth, Halifax last year. The 82 properties were the first in Britain to reach the Government's new eco-rating (Sustainable Code Level 3). Two more were designed and built to Sustainable Code Level 4 - making them the most environmentally-friendly in Britain.
Bramall website

News: Chamber And Magna shortlisted for event award

The Chamber and the Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham have been shortlisted for Corporate Event of the Year in the prestigious Yorkshire Business Insider Business Tourism Awards. Catering for over 500 people, the President's Ball transformed Magna with the theme of "Around the World in 80 Days" last May. Magna’s award-winning Executive Head Chef, Stephen Harrison, created a themed meal especially for the evening which included dishes from France, India, America and England. Rob Hannon, Rotherham Chamber President, said: "We are very proud that the President’s Ball has been recognised as one of the top events in the region, and the shortlisting highlights the superb working relationship our events team has with Magna in putting the event together. Magna’s Managing Director Matthew Beck said: "This tops off a fantastic year for Magna and builds on the award for Large Venue of the Year which we won at the Business Tourism Awards last year." Lee Wilkinson, Events Manager at Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber of Commerce said: "Magna as a venue is superb and our President's Ball is always a spectacular occasion. This is a tribute to Magna and in particular their staff who are always friendly, hard working and willing to lend a hand in any way they can to make sure the event runs as smoothly as possible."
Magna website
Chamber website

Saturday, February 21, 2009

News: Rotherham companies offer top placements

Rotherham companies are working on a project that aims to link students, universities and companies together in the advanced engineering and metals (AEM) sector. Universities and companies have worked together with AEMStudents to deliver placements for materials scientist/engineering students offering them the chance to gain practical experience working within the AEM sector. For students, the placements consist of two nine-week paid industrial summer placements within an AEM sector company. The nine-week programme will also include a one-week summer school. For companies, this provides a fantastic opportunity to work with students and to guide their development, whilst they deliver results for the business. It is hoped that following succesful placements, companies will be able to offer full-time employment on graduation. Rotherham based companies, London and Scandinavian Metallurgical (LSM), Corus and Newburgh Engineering are already offering placements. Run by NAMTEC in Rotherham, the programme is being sponsored by Yorkshire Forward and is part of the Higher Level Skills Programme.
AEMStudents website

News: Horbury has the cutting edge

The Federation of Plastering and Drywall Contractors (FPDC) announced Rotherham-based Horbury Building Systems (HBS) as winner of the "Drylining – Residential Category" award at the 2008 Plaisterers Trophy for work on the £75m The Gateway development. in Leeds. The Gateway is the city's largest residential development with 642 apartments, a 218 bed hotel, retail and commercial space and has been finished to exacting standards by HBS, which undertook external lining and internal partition and ceiling work valued at £8m on behalf of the main contractor, Shepherd Construction. Trevor Wragg, managing director of the Horbury Group, said: "We are absolutely delighted to win this prestigious award. The FPDC Plaisterers Trophy is one of the oldest industry awards, rewarding the highest standards of skill and excellence in plastering and drywall design and installation. "HBS also won the "Drylining Contracts over £750,000" award at the 2007 Plaisterers Trophy for work on the £113m Manchester Civil Justice Centre. This subsequent achievement is of real credit to the team from Horbury Building Systems who worked within very tight time constraints to deliver a high quality service on such an impressive development." Horbury's work on the project include a vast 45,000 sq m of ceilings, 35,000 sq m of internal walls, 22,000 sq m of dividing walls, 20,000 sq m of external steel frame and cement board, 13,000 sq m of door linings and 4,000 door openings.
Horbury website

New: Synchropulse begins life after LIFE

Energy technology company, Synchropulse, has exited from the LIFE accelerator in Rotherham having successfully secured investment with LIFE's assistance. Based at the Advanced Manufacturing Park, LIFE has a track record of picking early-stage clean technology companies and helping them on the road to success. Synchropulse has patented a new brushless electric motor concept, designed to be a more efficient and longer lasting replacement for conventional induction, universal and brushed DC motors, but cheaper to produce than other high efficiency motors. Electric motors consume over 65% of the world's electricity, yet a large proportion of smaller motors are inefficient, wasting much of the energy they consume (US Department of Energy estimates that some 500 million of these motors are only 20% efficient). A new European Directive is introducing mandatory efficiencies for motors from 2011, increasing the pressure on manufacturers to find cost effective high efficiency technologies. Synchropulse motors use much less energy than conventional motors for a given load, and can be controlled so as to only deliver the exact amount of power required at any particular time. Applications include high run time, variable speed processes such as ventilation, refrigeration and air-conditioning. LIFE helped Synchropulse secure investment from Marubeni Europe, a move that could see the motors enter the massive Asian markets.

Synchropulse website
LIFE website

News: Rotherham businesses can go for gold at 2012

The Yorkshire Gold Business Club (YGBC) has been set up to help Yorkshire and Humber businesses and entrepreneurs to determine, negotiate, and maximise the commercial opportunities being afforded by the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The club is to be led by Glenn Mauchlen-Dobson who has a history of winning large scale contracts, including work on the Olympic Park at candidate city status to the present day. He has held several highly esteemed positions, working for Coca-Cola Enterprises, Bosch Telecommunications and Rittal Ltd. Speaking about the YGBC project, Mauchlen-Dobson said: "With over 250,000 contracts still to be won, the region is in an excellent position to take advantage of this unprecedented opportunity. With a large percentage of the work requiring manufacturing services, this puts Yorkshire and the Humber in a strong position to compete for these contracts." Simon Hill, Executive Director of Business at Yorkshire Forward commented: "The manufacturing industry is hugely important to the Yorkshire and Humber economy, and in these difficult times, YGBC will be an asset to business in the region, helping to bring new opportunities to the area." YGBC is being delivered by VEN Operations on behalf of Yorkshire Forward and will be officially launched on 4th March 2009 with a large conference at York Racecourse.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

News: Calling all entrepreneurs – open event at Matrix @ Dinnington

As Rotherham’s latest business centre for start-ups opens its doors, it hopes to give a helping hand to budding entrepreneurs with an open-day event offering an opportunity to network and get free advice. On Wednesday February 25, between 11am and 2.30pm, Matrix @ Dinnington will be open to anyone who is thinking of setting up a new business and is looking for practical advice on how to get started. It's the fourth of Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council’s such purpose-built centres, all run by the council’s regeneration arm, Rotherham Investment & Development Office (RiDO). RiDO enterprise manager Geoff Link said: "This will be a great opportunity for anyone wanting to set up a business to come along, hear our keynote speakers and talk to some experienced people who have already started their own business. "There will also be a chance to discuss anything at all about setting up a business and how to network." Motivational speaker and local business consultant Jean Stewart will be leading the line-up of speakers.

Event brochure
Rotherham Investment and Development Office

News: Funding boost to Inspire Rotherham

Yorkshire Forward has agreed to put almost £3 million into a new project in Rotherham which aims to raise the literacy and communications skills of all young people from birth through to age 11. The scheme will also encourage people of all ages to use and develop those skills in imaginative ways. The 'Inspire Rotherham' scheme marks the first time Yorkshire Forward has agreed to such major funding of a project which will support business and regeneration in the future by helping raise basic skills and aspirations. Ruth Adams, head of skills for Yorkshire Forward, said: "We are extremely pleased to be supporting the Inspire Rotherham initiative. As the region's development agency we work to build the economy of the region and as our future workforce, it is vital that these children have the opportunity and support to grow the skills with which they will ultimately contribute." Cllr Shaun Wright, cabinet member for Children and Young People's Services, added: "We are delighted to be given this unique support from Yorkshire Forward which shows their faith in our ability to come up with innovative ways of working to achieve results. We have already seen that through initiatives like our enterprise project Rotherham Ready which also benefits from Yorkshire Forward's support." A number of other organisations have also agreed to be involved including Voluntary Action Rotherham, Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber of Commerce and Balfour Beatty.

Inspire Rotherham website
Yorkshire Forward website

News: AMRC achieves top honours with Rolls-Royce

A team consisting of members from Rolls-Royce, Technicut and the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) in Rotherham has won the prestigious 2009 Sir Henry Royce Awards for Technical Innovation, for the revolutionary Mega-Flute tooling technology. The technology is used in the machining of a broad spectrum of aeroengine components and features in both titanium and nickel alloys. The true benefits are yet to be fully quantified, but it is anticipated that this revolution in milling technology will deliver significant cost reductions. Technicut's manufacturing director, Mark Kirby said: "To have been honoured with this award for our combined effort with Rolls-Royce and the AMRC demonstrates the true value of close working partnerships. I look forward to working with Rolls-Royce and the AMRC in fully implementing and further enhancing the revolutionary Mega-Flute technology." Technicut is a tier one partner of The University of Sheffield AMRC with Boeing and Rolls-Royce. Based on the Advanced Manufacturing Park in Rotherham the centre is at the forefront of the continued evolution of new cutting tool technologies to provide efficient machining solutions for the rapidly evolving aerospace sector.

News: Rotherham Credit Crunch Roadshows

Partners from across Rotherham have come together to organise a number of special Credit Crunch roadshows. Business Link South Yorkshire, Rotherham Chamber of Commerce and Rotherham Investment and Development Office (RiDO) will be on hand to offer advice to local businesses. Cllr Roger Stone, Council Leader, urged people who need help to attend the roadshows. He added: "This authority has led the way in trying to address the problems of the current economic situation and the roadshows are latest method of trying to raise awareness among the public and businesses of the advice and support. "There is a lot of help out there but people just need to know where to find it and these roadshows are geared to doing just that - with representatives from not only this authority but also the government agencies and the local voluntary sector." The first of five roadshows will take place at Rotherham Central Library on February 25.

RMBC Credit Crunch website
Roadshow poster

News: National coverage for Rotherham entrepreneur

A Rotherham entrepreneur gained excellent national coverage this month after being featured in The Daily Telegraph's "Your Business" section. Matthew Ainsworth discusses how he started out his ice sculpture business and the support he received in Rotherham. He described that the turning point for the business was when he entered RiDO's Young Entrepreneur of the Year contest and won. "I got a £1,500 cash injection for the business which I immediately invested in an ice-making machine, saving £45 on each block of ice," he told the paper. "This was the break I needed and it opened the floodgates. I got commissions from Vodafone for its Christmas party, sculpted a full-sized Toyota for a nationwide marketing campaign and a life-size nativity group for Halifax council." Matthew's company Exquisite Ice, has seen order books grow since he won the award and has now moved out of the workshop at his parents' home in Brampton-en-le-Morthen into a newly-converted garage in Thurcroft with a 20ft by 20ft walk-in freezer. In November Matthew took on a 59-year-old steel worker who'd been made redundant to help the business continue to grow.

Telegraph article
Exquisite Ice website
Rotherham Investment & Development Office

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

News: Maltby Colliery helps Hargreaves' results

Investment in Maltby Colliery by owners and operators, Hargreaves Services has led to good production performance and solid results. Despite the economic downturn the group continues to benefit from having a broad range of diversified revenue steams within the relatively resilient energy and waste sector. Hargreaves recently purchased high specification face equipment for Maltby, which is now starting to produce coal on site. Hargreaves is confident that it will be able to sell its product based on the quality characteristics of the Maltby coal and resulting coke, allthough the outlook for commodities remains uncertain. The group has also benefited from fluctuating currency prices that have led to the benchmark price for coal currently at 35% higher than it was when Hargreaves acquired Maltby Colliery in February 2007. When the colliery was purchased from UK Coal plc the estimated mine life extended to 2015 and Hargreaves remains "optimistic about the long term prospects for carbon based products and will continue to invest in the Production Division, including the delivery of the mine life extension at Maltby." The operator also expects that the recently acquired Coal4Energy will be both highly profitable and cash generative.
Hargreaves website

News: Rapid redundancy support service to be strengthened

A rapid response service for redundancies in Yorkshire is to be expanded to bring immediate benefits to any individual losing their job after a Jobcentre Plus proposal got the backing of Regional Minister Rosie Winterton and the top-level Economic Delivery Group. Jobcentre Plus will now offer its rapid response service to any individual losing their job. Up to now, the service has been aimed at employers announcing 20 or more redundancies. Rosie Winterton said: "Jobcentre Plus and all agencies involved have offered an excellent service to the region in support of those affected by redundancy. However the scale and pace of redundancies brought about by the global economic downturn is unprecedented; affecting all sectors and impacting on large numbers of companies, people and their communities. "I want to ensure we continue to maximise all the measures announced by the Government and to support everyone who is affected by losing their jobs." Gill Farnsworth, Director of Jobcentre Plus and a member of the Minister's Economic Delivery Group, said: "It has the backing of all key partners and shows commitment throughout the region to support everyone in what are difficult and challenging personal times."
Government Office website

News: Scheme funds SME's development with academic support

A voucher scheme to encourage small to medium sized businesses to use academic support to help with the development of new and improved products and services in the face of current economic challenges has been launched by Business Link. "Innovation vouchers", funded by Yorkshire Forward can be accessed through Business Link Yorkshire and aim to help the region's firms to remain competitive by continuing to invest in research and development. Companies will be able to apply for vouchers worth up to £3,000 by informing Business Link of a problem or an idea to improve a product or service. Helen West, chief executive of Business Link, said: "There is a wealth of academic expertise in our region that smaller businesses just aren't tapping into. We have worked with universities and colleges to make it really easy for the two to work together so businesses can innovate and find new ways of being competitive in the current economic climate. Our advisers can help translate academic language so that businesses can understand and be involved in the process." Simon Hill, Executive Director of Business for Yorkshire Forward added: "This scheme means that companies who wouldn't necessarily put R&D at the front of investment priorities, can gain the help they need to resolve issues which will increase their productivity and make them more efficient – a must in today’s global marketplace.

Business Link website

Monday, February 16, 2009

News: AtraNova, Rotherham's newest hi-tech company

AtraNova, a spinout from Cambridge technology consultancy Sagentia Group plc, has become the latest company to relocate to the Advanced Manufacturing Park in Rotherham. AtraNova has exclusive use of a new patented technology called Ebonex, a titanium sub-oxide material from which the company has developed an electrolysis based system to create a chemical reaction and improve a company's effluent discharge into the sewer. AtraNova is working with businesses from the food, beverage, chemical and textiles industries which pay around £250,000-£300,000 a year to water companies for the treatment of their waste water. The aim of the Ebonex technology is to reduce this bill by between 50 and 80 per cent. A number of companies around the country already have the equipment installed and operational and AtraNova aims to have a dozen in operation by the end of 2009. AtraNova provides the equipment on a no charge basis but enters an agreement to take 50 per cent of the savings the company makes. Martin Frost, chairman of AtraNova, said: "Installing the product in this way is a statement of our belief and confidence in it. We believe in the technology and the market and know we have the potential to save a significant amount of money for many cash constrained businesses. "As with all new technology, this approach provides us with a chance to show the customer how our product will work and the commercial benefits it offers their business at no cost to them." The move into Strategic Sites' Evolution units has been helped by a £500,000 equity-based investment from South Yorkshire Investment Fund (SYIF). Martin added: "We decided to move to South Yorkshire because of the excellent support that is available to businesses and many of our customers are likely to be based within easy reach of Sheffield. "The money from SYIF will enable us to increase staff numbers to manage the equipment, the installation and provide support to customers. It will also help AtraNova create new business opportunities from an important manufacturing base."

AtraNova website

News: Fripp’s expertise creates an unusual present

Tom Fripp, design director at Fripp Design based at the Advanced Manufacturing Park in Rotherham, has utilised the expertise of his own company to create an unusual present for his father’s 60th birthday. Tom's dad owns a 1931 Morgan three wheeler Supersport and Tom thought it would be a great idea to build him a full colour 1:10 scaled model. The problem was; there wasn't any commercially available kits for him make it from. So he decided to build his own model, from scratch, using the product design and rapid prototyping skills at Fripp Design. Tom used specialist software, Solidworks and Magics from Materialise, before building the model on Fripp's ZCorp 510 3D colour printer. The printer can take a 3D CAD file and build a three dimensional model from it. When the model came out of the printer it was amazingly lifelike, and gave Tom’s dad the perfect present. Tom said:"When the model came out of the printer, even I was amazed how lifelike it was; dad’s face was a picture when he got it." Fripp Design is based at the AMP Technology Centre and recently launched a new website to reflect the growth of the company and the quality and breadth of clients they are attracting.
Fripp Design website
AMP Technology Centre website

News: Macalloy announce global contracts

Macalloy, the world leader in design, manufacture and supply of threaded bar and cable systems, based at Dinnington in Rotherham, has announced two more global contracts. Following the supply of tendons used on the Dubai Metro red line, Macalloy has successfully been awarded the contract to supply similar bars for use on the green line. The Dubai Metro is thought to be the longest fully automated rail system in the world and the green line will have 18 stations, including 12 elevated and six underground. Last year Macalloy announced that their 460 tendons will be used in the construction of 15 stations along the red line. The company has previously supplied systems for the construction of Dubai Airport and for the foundations of one of the tallest buildings in the United Arab Emirates, the famous Burj Al Arab Hotel. Macalloy have also announced that they are to supply systems to a new crossing between Ballina and Killaloe in Ireland. Their products will be used in the ground engineering works and an articulate joint that will allow movement of the bridge deck. Closer to home, Macalloy tie rods were used to suspend the recently completed Wainwright Bridge, providing a vital road link in Blackburn, Lancashire.

Macalloy website

Friday, February 13, 2009

News: Seafarer's Union backs Martek's lifesaving products

Nautilus, the UK seafarer’s union has welcomed the news that Rotherham company, Martek Marine has already sold 230 life-saving automated external defibrillators in the 6 months since the product was launched. The Union is now urging more companies to fit the Lifeforce AED, which helps restore a normal rhythm to an erratic heartbeat caused by a Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA), on all their vessels. Nautilus, who campaign for the welfare of all its members, believe that even more should be done to ensure the wellbeing of all crew members and argue that carriage of defibrillators should be compulsory. Senior national secretary Allan Graveson said: "It is good to know that some companies are investing in this equipment and we believe it is essential that other operators follow suit by providing defibrillators onboard their ships. It can make the difference between life and death." Martek's Lifeforece AED is the only defibrillator to be Type Approved for marine use and "due to the remote location and the inability of the emergency services to reach victims in time, a defibrillator has become an essential piece of equipment for all ships," said Andy Carter, product manager for the Lifeforce AED.

Martek Marine website

News: Bramall "riding the storm"

Leading Rotherham company and social housing specialist, Bramall Construction has recently given a talk to businesses in the east of England to show how they are "preparing to surf the wave" and come through the economic downturn. Managing director and chair of the Rotherham Work & Skills Board, Neil Baxter discussed what companies can do to ensure they come through a recession in good shape and gave examples seen at Bramall. The company are thinking differently and using new technology and last year built the first saleable Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4 houses. They have also established its own efficiency team looking at reducing costs without losing quality through improvements in ways of working, overheads, structure and culture. Bramall was voted amongst the "Best 100 Companies to Work For 2007" in the Sunday Times and named in The Times list of "Where Women Want to Work 2008". With 200 trainees, Bramall is also investing in their staff by accessing funding support such as Train to Gain to set up training and skills programmes. The event in Peterborogh was organised by Greenwoods Solicitors, Ingleton Wood, Apollo and Bramall.
Bramall website

News: Rotherham's S3-ID launch new location system

Rotherham company, S3-ID has joined with Cambridge company, Ubisense to launch a unique product for the oil and gas industry. The integrated Location Awareness and Muster system is based on a combined precise real-time locating system and Active RFID tags and joins S3-ID's patented approach to personnel location and mustering used on many offshore oil and gas complexes with Ubisense's world leading precise real-time location system used in many industrial complexes. The combined product will allow companies working in hazardous environments to continually monitor wherever their staff maybe. In the event of an incident, continuous monitoring decreases the time to identify the location of all personnel. "The features of the new product were put together following a combined 25 year pedigree in the deployment of systems to many oil companies like BP, Statoil Hydro, BHP Billiton and Nexen" says Eivind Fredriksen, Managing Director of S3-ID, "this will revolutionise personnel safety on offshore and on-shore installations. Never before has this level of integration been achieved in such complex and harsh environments as encountered in the offshore industry."
S3-ID website

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