Featured News
Gaming cluster once again in global spotlight
Warwickshire's gaming designers and creators have again proved their place at the top of the industry with a clutch of nominations for the Develop Industry Excellence Awards.
The awards, which cover a huge area comprising the United Kingdom and much of Europe, will be presented at a prestigious ceremony at the Hilton Metropole Hotel, Brighton, in July.
Always the biggest awards night in the game development industry calendar, the event will be attended by more than 500 people representing companies from around the world.
And there in the global spotlight Warwickshire will be very strongly represented among 137 companies and 47 games in the running for this year’s awards.
"Silicon Spa" will be at the forefront once again with Leamington Spa-based firms Exient, Midoki, Christopher Randle, SEGA Hardlight, Team Lumo, Modern Dream and Playground Games (who are nominated twice) up for awards.
Organisers have revealed that 2015 has proved one of the strongest ever years for submissions with more than 250 companies nominated.
So for Warwickshire's firms to be nominated in such force shows once again that the gaming industry should be a source of great pride to the county, says Warwickshire County Council leader Cllr Izzi Seccombe.
Cllr Seccombe said: "Warwickshire is rightly proud of its place at the forefront of this fast-moving industry. Having such a strong presence in the nominations for these prestigious awards shows again that ‘Silicon Spa’ continues to lead the way and we will be wishing them well on the night."
At the awards night on July 15, Warwickshire's finalists will compete with others from all over the UK, France, Germany, Sweden and Italy.
Cllr Richard Chattaway, chairman of the Communities Overview & Scrutiny Committee, added: "Warwickshire firms are renowned as pioneers in this field and to continue to be among the industry leaders on a national and international stage is testament to the creativity, expertise and business skills of all involved."
New Employability Charter launched
A new charter has been launched to improve the employability skills of young people and reduce skills shortages.
National Grid, Burgis and Bullock Chartered Accountants, Southam College and Stratford-upon-Avon College were the first organisations to commit to the charter when they met members of Warwickshire County Council.
The Warwickshire Employability Charter addresses the issue of work experience with companies confirming that they will work with schools to offer valuable placements, establishes links between businesses and schools to bridge the skills gap when young people enter the workplace, businesses having input into the curriculum and carrying out work exchanges with teaching staff whereby teachers work in businesses for short periods and staff from that business go into schools.
Warwickshire County Council will also liaise closely between businesses and schools identifying skills shortages and keeping the business community informed on changes to training offered in schools and colleges.
Portfolio holder for education and learning, Cllr Colin Hayfield, said: “I’m delighted to sign these first charters. The council is investing £2.4 million over the next 3 years in its new Skills for Employment programme to enable business and education to work more closely together. The charter is a key part of that programme.”
Cllr June Tandy, leader of the Labour Group, said: "It is a priority of the council to develop the work opportunities for our young people to make sure they are well-placed to enter the workplace. This charter will join businesses and education together to make that happen."
At the recent skills conference for Warwickshire business and education leaders, delegates discussed the draft charter and shaped the final version. The vast majority of delegates said they would be committing to the charter as it provides a framework to develop new partnerships and activities.
Organisations that commit will be published on the WCC website which will enable businesses and education providers to identify potential partners to work with on employability initiatives such as work experience placements, visits to the workplace, and speakers visiting schools.
Business support for the charter includes Coventry & Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership, Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Small Businesses. Ian O’Donnell, Chairman of the Coventry & Warwickshire branch of FSB said:
“The charter will help small businesses find local schools they can work with to improve the work-readiness of pupils and to recruit leavers.’
The charter can be viewed here To commit to the charter please e-mail skillsforemployment@warwickshire.gov.uk stating your organisation’s commitment and how the name of the organisation should appear on the charter which will bear the signature of the leader of the council. Personalised charters will then be e-mailed in digital format for organisations to download and print.
Businesses and education providers in the county are currently working together on bids for between £20,000 and £40,000 grant funding from the council’s Skills for Employment programme. The deadline for submission of bids is noon 10 June 2015.
For more information on the Employability Charter or the wider Skills for Employment programme, call 01926-418027 or e-mail: skillsforemployment@warwickshire.gov.uk
New LTC plant to bring major jobs boost to Warwickshire
Up to 1,000 jobs are on the way to Warwickshire after the London Taxi Company announced that a new £250million plant will be built at Ansty, near Rugby.
The news comes as a huge boost to the county after Chinese manufacturer Geely, which bought the London Taxi Company two years ago, chose the Ansty site for the development of the next generation of electric, low-emission cabs.
The site will eventually have the capacity to assemble up to 36,000 vehicles a year, a ten-fold increase on capacity at the existing plant in Holyhead Road, Coventry, which has been the company's base since 1948.
The 85,000-sqare metre Ansty site will house all the company’s research, development and assembly operations.
Peter Johansen, vice president of UK operations for the London Taxi Company, said: “We are proud of the company’s regional heritage in an area that is steeped in automotive and manufacturing history. We intend to build vehicles in the vanguard of environmental technology which set new standards for comfort and performance.”
Businesses thrive with Rural Growth Network support
Rural businesses throughout Warwickshire are thriving thanks to the support and grant-funding of Warwickshire Rural Growth Network.
So far more than 500 businesses have been supported by the programme and over 120 people helped to start a business.
This continues the eye-catching success of Warwickshire Growth Rural Network, one of only five Rural Growth Networks being piloted in the country.
Working on behalf of the network, Warwickshire County Council administers the funding which comes from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Rural Development Programme for England which is part financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, and the Government Equalities Office on behalf of Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership.
Expert advice and support is available to rural businesses in any sector and people looking to start their own new business. And, with such a diverse wealth of expertise within Warwickshire's business community, that support has been accessed by a vast range of enterprises.
From manufacturing to retail and to health and social work; from science and technology to the arts and digital media; from education and construction to agriculture, businesses have either been started up or enabled to grow thanks to WRGN support.
A major strand of that support comes through Micro Enterprise Grants which have underpinned many success stories in the last two years and continue to help small rural business become established or expand. The grants have been accessed through both the Rural Development Programme for England, a seven-year programme (2007–2013) funded jointly by the EU, through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the UK Government and directly through the Rural Growth Network’s own Micro Enterprise Grant programme.
In the last two years MEGs have created or safeguarded 275 jobs with grants handed out totalling £640,000 with a leverage of over £1,100,000.
Among businesses to take advantage of a Micro Enterprise Grant is Wolston-based industrial design company Smallfry, whose managing director Steve May-Russell has been short-listed for the Institute of Directors' West Midlands Director of the Year Award.
Steve sought support for a very specific objective - and is delighted that he did as a £12,444 Micro Enterprise Grant enabled him to purchase a rapid prototype machine with obvious benefits to business growth.
"The machine was clearly going to benefit our business," said Steve, "but it was quite a significant investment for a small business so something to think about carefully.
"Basically, we just needed a little nudge and that's what we got when we found out that the grant might be available. It was real surprise to get a call from a colleague suggesting we look into it. I'm very glad we did."
For more information on Warwickshire Rural Growth Network please go to www.warwickshire.gov.uk/ruralgrowthnetwork or call 01926 412709.
Big Warwickshire presence among top 500
Warwickshire's strong appeal as a business base has been reflected in almost 50 firms from the county being named in the Insider Business 500 Leading Midlands Businesses.
The Top 500 ranking is based on an average taken from the profit and turnover of the companies in the past year produced by Insider, a leading publisher of business information.
Warwickshire's strong showing is due to a number of factors. The combination of excellent transport links, pleasant residential areas and access to a highly-skilled local workforce make the county a very attractive place to do business.
Birmingham has 49 business in the top 500 and Warwickshire has 48 while 13 are located in Coventry.
Four directors in contention for top award
Warwickshire's business community is punching above its weight by having four finalists in the running for the Institute of Directors' West Midlands Director of the Year Awards 2015.
At the awards ceremony, to be held at the prestigious Edgbaston Stadium home of Warwickshire County Cricket Club on June 3, four of the 15 finalists will be Warwickshire-based.
That is a great achievement considering that the IoD West Midlands patch is a very large one. As well as covering Birmingham, it encompasses the counties of Worcestershire, Shropshire and Staffordshire as well as Warwickshire.
In contention for the award are:
* Steve May-Russell of Smallfry (Wolston). Managing director of Smallfry, which last year benefited from a Micro Enterprise Grant accessed through Warwickshire Rural Growth Network, Steve has been at the forefront of the British design industry for over 30 years. He is a British Industrial Design Association board director and, over many years, his tailored strategies have benefited not only Smallfry but a wide variety of other business sectors.
* Charlie Rawlings of Stoneleigh-based Full Potential Therapy. Charlie, who is from Barford, is founder and lead therapist at Full Potential Therapy, a sports injury clinic based at the NFU Mutal's head office. He offers therapy and wellbeing to companies and their employees and also lectures in sports therapy and massage to students looking to progress on to a career in therapy.
* Dean Kavanagh of Geotechnical Instruments UK (Leamington Spa). Dean is Geotech's programme director, responsible for new product introduction and facility operations, and has helped establish a global demand for its environmental monitoring instrumentation which is now used in 90 countries.
* Dan Thombs of COMAU UK (Rugby). A former nominee in the Young Director section of the awards, Dan has helped COMAU achieve significant growth both at home and overseas with a significant upturn in demand for its specialist robotic services. His primary role has been the strategic development of the UK business in which he has helped revenues grow from £17million in 2009 to £118million in 2014.
Comprehensive new business guide at your fingertips
A brand new Coventry and Warwickshire Business Guide has been launched to showcase the quality and range of products and services the region has to offer to the commercial world.
The guide highlights the full spectrum of the region's appeal including key business sectors, town centres and tourism destinations and key development sites within the region.
Linked to the guide is access to the Coventry and Warwickshire Business Database, an online database which enables you to search for local businesses by name, location or type of business.
The database could not be easier to use. Simply type in what you are looking for and how you want to use the results.
The database is also FREE to join for all local businesses so, if you are not listed, simply register today and add your details at www.burrows.co.uk/coventryandwarwickshire
As well as the on-line version of the guide hard copies are also available on request. If you feel your business could benefit from using hard copies of the guide please contact a member of the Invest in Warwickshire team on 01926 412 140 or email invest@warwickshire.gov.uk
Free event for Nuneaton and Bedworth businesses looking to grow
Local firms in Nuneaton and Bedworth can find out more about how local colleges, universities and business support organisations can help their business, thanks to two drop-in events being held at Eliot Park Innovation Centre.
Held on Tuesday 26 May and Wednesday 10 June, the events are free to attend and bring together many of the sub-region’s support organisations conveniently in one place. Advisors will be on hand to answer questions about what they do and the services that can be accessed to help businesses thrive.
The University of Warwick’s Employer Connect will be there to talk about the way graduates can add value to business activities. The university is globally respected with a regular placing in the UK university top 10. Perhaps you want to know more about recruiting graduates or you have a project idea that a post graduate student could assist with?
Other organisations attending include the Coventry and Warwickshire Growth Hub, the Business Growth Service, the Apprenticeship Hub, Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce and North Warwickshire and Hinckley College.
Those interested in attending can drop-in at a time during the allocated sessions, at lunchtime between 12pm and 2.30pm on May 26 or first thing on June 10 between 8.30am and 11am. Attendees are asked to register via Eventbrite:
For May 26 https://business-grow-eliotpark-may.eventbrite.co.uk
For June 10 http://business-grow-eliotpark-june.eventbrite.co.uk
The drop-in events are being hosted jointly by Eliot Park Innovation Centre, the county council’s Invest Warwickshire team and Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council.
Cllr Izzi Seccombe, Leader of Warwickshire County Council, said: “There is some excellent support available locally to help your business to thrive. Whether your firm is looking to tap into the talent pool, seeking new premises or wanting to find out what grants are available, please drop in on 26 May or 10 June.”
Cllr Danny Aldington, Portfolio Holder for Planning and Development at Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council, added: “This event provides an excellent opportunity for businesses to find out more about what support is available to them. I would encourage businesses to take advantage of this opportunity to talk to the range of organisations that have come together in one place and find out more about the assistance available.”
For further information contact invest@warwickshire.gov.uk or call 01926 41 2140.
Grant funding available for Micro Enterprises and Small Businesses in Rural Areas
There is £200,000 available for grants from £35,000 up to £100,000 for rural micro and small businesses in Warwickshire.
All businesses can apply with priority given to businesses in identified priority sectors (manufacturing including agri-food; engineering; IT services; and digital & creative).
The European Growth Programme provides Business Development funding to help micro-enterprises with less than 10 employees, and small businesses with less than 50 employees, which will create jobs and boost the economy in England. These grants are funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD). The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) manages the grants, working with Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership and its local partners including Warwickshire Rural Growth Network and the University of Warwick Science Park, who provide access to financial advice and support to rural businesses.
Funding is available for rural businesses in Coventry and Warwickshire and eligible businesses are invited to apply for the first round of funding. The grant rate is 40% and the businesses will have to contribute towards 60% of the cost of their projects. Examples of the types of activity that can be supported include construction, re-construction or establishment of workshops, factories, plants and other premises and facilities; food and drink processing and marketing; and farm diversification activities that will create business growth.
Applications need to be submitted to the Rural Payment Agency by the deadline of 19th June, 2015. For more information click here
If you would like help in completing an application form, please contact Matthew Epps on 01926 412566 or email: ruralgrowthnetwork@warwickshire.gov.uk
Australian firm delighted to base UK operations in Rugby
Australian company Fortron has selected Rugby's Europark Industrial Estate as the base for its new operation in the United Kingdon.
Specialists in the manufacture and supply of products and training services to the global automotive industry, Fortron has already employed nine people at Europark, a figure which will soon grow to 11, and then further with additional staff required later in the year and 2016.
Established over 30 years ago in Perth, Australia, where their global headquarters remains, the company sees the Europark estate as the perfect centre for their business in this country.
Ivan Hoffman, chief executive, said: "We are delighted to have selected Europark as the base for our new UK operation. Finding the right commercial premises to establish our new UK business was an important factor in our decision-making process. Fortunately we managed to unlock an opportunity at Europark with the landlords, Richard Utley Ltd, which made our decision much easier."
Christopher Utley of Richard Utley Ltd warmly welcomed Forton's arrival at Europark and revealed that other exciting projects are in the pipeline.
“We are fortunate to have a fantastic mix of tenants on the estate and are delighted that Fortron Automotive Treatments have chosen Europark and Rugby for their new UK business," he said. "Towards the end of 2014 we noticed a definite increase in the number of enquiries. Whilst businesses remain understandably cautious, they appear more willing to make commitments that will allow their businesses to grow.
"It is our intention to facilitate this employment growth in Rugby and we are working on a number of exciting projects to cater for the freehold and leasehold markets.”
Call for Warwickshire High Streets to seize chance of national spotlight
Towns and high streets across Warwickshire are being encouraged to put their own merits in the shop window for the 2015 Great British High Street of the Year Awards.
The competition, which, this year, has a prize pot of £50,000, was launched in 2014 and invites local partnerships to nominate a high street in their area to celebrate the diversity and uniqueness that these important hubs of our communities offer.
Warwickshire has plenty of potential challengers for the awards, applications for which must be in by 17th July. So towns are being urged by Warwickshire County Council to seize this opportunity to shine in the national spotlight.
Rachel Baconnet, Team Leader for Town Centres, said: “The Awards provide an excellent opportunity for local businesses, communities and place makers to showcase and take pride in their local high street.
"They also serve to encourage investment in those high streets, whether through money, time or simply passion to create unique and thriving places for residents and visitors.”
The Awards offer seven categories and are open to Town Teams or recognised local partnerships, including Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), Town Centre Partnerships or Community Interest Companies.
Winners will have the honour of being recognised as a ‘Great British High Street’ and also win a share of the £50,000 prize pot and a range of support from the competition partners including business mentoring, workshops and help with promotion.
The Awards provide a national platform to:
* Showcase success stories and share best practice;
* Showcase the diversity of how places are servicing local needs;
* Give the public the opportunity to celebrate and endorse their local high street and make the most of what it has to offer;
* Recognise the excellent effort of town teams, the business community, local authorities, the charitable sector and
volunteers, and other key partners, in achieving the above successes.
For further information go to: www.thegreatbritishhighstreet.co.uk
A new slant on horse power to help business leaders
The power of horses is being harnessed in a deeply innovative way by two Shipston-upon-Stour women in a new venture designed to help business owners deal with the pressures of running a company.
Jude Jennison and Emma Taylor have formed The Leadership Whisperers to deliver equine-based learning experiences for senior leaders and executive teams.
Based in Warwickshire, Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, The Leadership Whisperers help leaders to work in harmony with themselves and each other. They can provide workshops and demonstrations for two to 1,000 people.
In an environment far from the hustle and bustle of corporate life, business leaders are partnered with horses, thereby learning how to be calm and confident under pressure, create relationships based on mutual respect and communicate with clarity.
The approach offers a unique approach to clearing and uncluttering stressed minds.
Cllr Izzi Seccombe, leader of Warwickshire County Council, admires such innovation.
She said: "This is a wonderful example of business-owners showing an innovative approach which will form a great foundation stone for their own business and benefit others in the county and beyond.
"Thinking outside the box is an important way for businesses to get ahead and here in Warwickshire we have a proud history of that. Jude and Emma are bring an entirely new angle to helping people dealing with the serious pressures entailed in running a business and we wish them every success with it."
A new book by Jude Jennison - Leadership Beyond Measure: Profound Learning with horses to transform leaders and business - is out this month. In it, she explores seven leadership lessons that individuals and businesses learn from working with the horses and maps them back to real life situations.
Jude and Emma were supported by the Rural Growth Network, receiving specialist advice from Pera Consulting.
Gold Award for Leamington conference centre
Leamington Spa based Woodland Grange meeting and conference venue has taken gold in the Business Tourism category of the prestigious VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2015.
The award places Woodland Grange, which is owned by EEF Venues, among the UK’s premier business venues.
The VisitEngland Awards attracted a total of 345 applications with five finalists vying for gold under the Business Tourism category. The gold award is the highest accolade for excellence in tourism in England which VisitEngland can bestow.
David Vaughton, director of venues for EEF Venues, said: "This is a proud moment for all at EEF Venues and a tangible endorsement of our quality standards. It is testament to our teams who have the expertise and experience to understand the very specific needs of a business client. We feel enormously proud of this national recognition.”
EEF has also recently achieved a hallmark of excellence for promoting a safe and healthy working environment. The company has attained occupational health and safety management system (OHSMS) 18001 certification across its three venues in Leamington, Bristol and London.
Mr Vaughton said: "This achievement places EEF Venues in an elite category of businesses who strive for the very best for their staff and customers through robust health and safety standards.
"It highlights our culture of health and safety responsibility and that we take a proactive approach, continually seeking improvement to minimise risk and maximise the venue experience for our teams and our delegates."
Woodland Grange was named Business of the Year in the Pride of Warwick Awards last year.
Helping mum pays off for Adam
The day in 2011 that Adam Taylor saw his mum struggling to carry some heavy and cumbersome bags of pet-food, the first thing he did, of course, was to help her.
The second thing was - he had an idea.
What if there was an on-line business delivering pet food, medicine and all other accessories direct to the customers' door? To cut out all that hassle and lugging things about.
Adam acted on the idea. With co-founder Alexandra Tamasan, he formed http://www.petshop.co.uk/. And the plan came together very nicely.
Now employing 12 people from its Hatton Rock base deep in the Warwickshire countryside between Leamington Spa and Stratford-upon-Avon , it has reported 100% growth for three successive years. And Adam is emphatic that such sustained growth would not have been possible without a £96,000 Micro Enterprise Grant, accessed via Warwickshire Rural Growth Network.
The grant was accessed from the Rural Development Programme for England, a seven-year programme (2007–2013) funded jointly by the EU, through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the UK Government.
The grant created eight jobs at PetShopBowl, safeguarded another nine and allowed this brilliant idea to fully take flight.
"The grant revolutionised the business," Adam said. "We had always been a little bit spending-averse, a little bit cautious, but the grant changed that. It gave us the confidence to back our judgment and not be scared to spend.
"It took us out of our comfort zone and moved the business to another level.
"Along with the grant we also got some really good advice which helped us put together an excellent business plan and enabled us to identify and deal with logistics like widening the aisles in our warehouse and purchasing a West Midlands-made fork-lift truck specifically designed for narrow aisles - simple but very important things which make the business that much more efficient."
Find out more about similar grant funding available to small rural business in Warwickshire by clicking here
PitchFest to offer businesses a perfect platform
Three local universities have joined forces to organise PitchFest - a pitching competition designed to give entrepreneurs a platform to grow their businesses and put them in the public eye.
PitchFest will give business people the opportunity to meet investors and introduce them to other innovators and entrepreneurs who could support their business growth.
Organised jointly by Aston University, the University of Birmingham and the University of Warwick, it will offer a platform for businesses to increase their profile in front of a national audience of investors. The finals will take place at Venturefest WM, a one-day event at the NEC, Birmingham, on 30th June 2015.
Business owners are invited to present their ideas, pitch for investment and take part in this showcase event, with the chance of winning one of several awards.
Businesses do not have to be pitch-ready to apply; after they have completed the short form they will be invited to attend a free workshop and refine their pitch with support from specialists at Aston, Birmingham and Warwick Universities as well as experienced investors. Applicants will then be invited to practise their pitch in front of expert panels. Selected participants will go through to present their pitches at Venturefest WM on 30thJune and those not pitching in the final will be invited to attend with a stand, and be listed in the event materials.
PitchFest is completely free of charge to businesses. To take part, fill in a short application form available at www.aston.ac.uk/venturefest. For the full Venturefest programme, and to register to attend, go to www.venturefestwm.co.uk
Broadband voucher scheme up and running
A new voucher scheme launched in Warwickshire enables eligible businesses and voluntary organisations to claim grants of up to £3,000 towards the cost of upgrading to superfast broadband.
The Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire Broadband Connection Voucher Scheme is available to any business, charity or voluntary organisation.
Organisations are usually eligible if they employ fewer than 250 people and have a turnover of less than £41 million per year. Every effort has been made to ensure the scheme is accessible to as many companies as possible with even sole-traders and businesses run from home welcome to apply.
The Broadband Connection Voucher Scheme is administered by Coventry City Council, who had over a year's experience of the initiative in Coventry prior to its extension into Warwickshire.
More than 300 vouchers, to a value of over £500,000, have been issued in Coventry so organisations in Warwickshire are now strongly urged to apply as soon as possible.
Organisations from a wide range of different sectors have benefited from the scheme including manufacturers, training organisations, professional services and ICT companies. What these all have in common is a need for high quality digital connectivity at an affordable price - and that’s what this scheme is all about.
Applying to the scheme is very straightforward and applications will be dealt with promptly. Anyone interested should visit: www.coventry.gov.uk/broadband
Nifty Fifty challenge can help hospice
Warwickshire businesses have a chance to show their cash-generating expertise for a worthy cause in the form of Shakespeare Hospice's 'Nifty Fifty' challenge.
The challenge is to generate as much income as possible for the Shottery-based Hospice, starting with an outlay of no more than £50, before 17th July.
Each business can use the £50 in any way they like (as long as it is ethical and legal!) to generate as much cash as possible for the hospice and the invaluable work it does: children and family support services, bereavement support, counselling, chaplaincy and social work services.
For companies taking part in the Nifty Fifty, it is a great opportunity to hone and try out all the disciplines involved in running their business, encouraging excellent teamwork, and applying them for a great cause.
Other events this year which businesses might like to consider supporting for the Shakespeare Hospice are 10,000ft Skydives (12th July and 27th September), a Golf Day followed by an awards dinner at Stratford upon Avon Golf (15th September) and dragon boat racing on the River Avon (20th September).
For more information contact please contact Charles Williams on 01789 266852 or at cwilliams@theshakespearehospice.org.uk.
Smallfry gets bigger thanks to RGN
It is not just new and recently-formed businesses that can take advantage of Micro Enterprise Grants from Warwickshire Rural Growth Network.
Wolston-based firm Smallfry has been at the forefront of industrial design ever since its formation in 1971.
The business has built up an excellent reputation specialising in working with companies both in developing new products and enhancing existing ones through the use of advanced engineering and design technologies.
It is state-of-the-art stuff in a competitive environment in which, in more than any other, it is vital to keep pace.
Smallfry have always done that, as illustrated by their work recently featuring, not for the first time, on BBC cult show The Gadget Show.
But, as director Steve May-Russell acknowledges, sometimes every business needs "a little nudge."
And last year Smallfry received one in the form of a £12,444 Micro Enterprise Grant to purchase a rapid prototype machine in order to enable projects to advance more quickly with the obvious benefits to business growth.
The grant was accessed via the Rural Development Programme for England, a seven-year programme (2007–2013) funded jointly by the EU, through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the UK Government.
"The machine was clearly going to benefit our business," said Steve, "but it was quite a significant investment for a small business so something to think about carefully.
"Basically, we just needed a little nudge and that's what we got when we found out that the grant might be available.
"I must admit that I wasn't aware of the Micro Enterprise Grant, so it was real surprise to get a call from a colleague in the industry suggesting we look into it. I'm very glad we did!"
Find out more about similar grant funding available to small rural businesses in Warwickshire by clicking here
Organisations encouraged to apply for European funding
Organisations have been urged to bid for a share of £118.7 million allocated to the Coventry and Warwickshire area by the European Structural and Investment Fund.
Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership chief executive Martin Yardley wants to see the potential funding fully exploited by the region.
The money is available to support SMEs in enhancing research and innovation and improving competitiveness. In addition, it will support ICT and broadband connectivity, finance the development of youth employment initiatives, encourage the use of low carbon technologies and develop rural micro and SME businesses.
Mr Yardley, who worked closely with government departments to secure the allocation for Coventry and Warwickshire, said: “The European funding will provide assistance to kick-start projects that are urgently needed in our area to boost the economy and create jobs.
“Particular focus among rural SMEs will be given to business sectors identified as growth opportunities for Coventry and Warwickshire’s economy which includes manufacturing and engineering, IT services, digital and creative industries and culture and tourism.
“We would encourage businesses and communities who are eligible for the funding to apply quickly before the funds are allocated elsewhere.”
For more information or to apply for funding, visit www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding. Further calls for funding are expected to be launched in June.
Why SMEs need to engage with cyber security
Cyber security expert Lee Campbell explains why SMEs must be vigilant
Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) make up 99.9% of the 5.2 million private sector businesses in the UK. A massive 99.3% of businesses are small (1 to 49 employees). The SME combined turnover is £1.6 trillion and they employ 15.2 million people, therefore the need for SMEs to service their customers is critical to the success of the UK economy.
Cyber security breaches are regular occurrences. According to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) the average costs of the worst breaches were between £65,000 and £115,000, up from £35,000 to £65,000 in 2012. Six out of ten SMEs suffered a security breach of some kind. Research from the government’s cyber essentials scheme found two-thirds of SMEs do not believe they are vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Further evidence is the amount of malware in email has increased.
So why target SMEs? Just like any business, large or small they have important assets required to run their organisation. This may be in the form of intellectual property (critical business information, designs and operating procedures), customer information, banking information, personal employee information and the computer systems to name a few. If these assets were stolen, compromised, modified or the business is unable to service customer requests the business operations would be impacted. For example, a lack of computing resources due to a Denial of Service (DoS) attack. The users prevented from accessing computer files in the instance of CryptoLocker (ransomware malware software). Therefore, they need to protect and safeguard these vital assets.
The business may also incur financial and data protection legislation and regulatory consequences. This may occur when in breach of the Data Protection Act or the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS), the requirement to protect customer cardholder information.
SMEs need to engage in good cyber security hygiene and practices. They need to perform cyber security risk assessments and implement the necessary security controls based on these assessments in accordance with a cost/benefit analysis. These security controls may be in the form of malware protection, secure configuration of systems, boundary internet firewall, access controls and patch management, the five security controls as prescribed by the cyber essentials scheme.
Why don’t SMEs consider good cyber security hygiene an important business risk? A number of factors could contribute to this.
Firstly, they have more pressing issues. Small business directors and owners often have dual roles and are focusing on running the business, supplying their goods or services, paying suppliers, employees and obtaining new business. They also have the overall responsibility for the financial management of the business. If the business fails so can the owners or directors – many have invested their own personal finances into the business.
Secondly, business owners and directors don’t believe cyber criminals will target them. They believe larger organisations and governments are the main targets. A common statement “we don’t have anything of interest to cyber attackers.” SMEs can also overlook the insider threat from employees and contractors. Either from accidental human error or deliberate misuse. Insiders have direct access to the systems and information, they could therefore pose a greater risk to the business. Security controls can be implemented to help mitigate this risk. The bigger picture also needs to be considered in terms of the supply chain, if the SME systems are compromised it may impact other organisations (large and small) in the chain.
Lastly, smaller organisations also feel overwhelmed with the technical jargon and feel they are being sold “snake oil”. The industry needs to engage with SMEs better, although this is improving. Government web sites such Cyber Street Wise provides guidance and information on cyber security. The National Archives provides the “Responsible for Information” online cyber security training programme for SMEs. Training and education will help SMEs better understand their cyber security requirements and technical jargon.
If SMEs engage in good cyber security hygiene, practices and risk assessments this would help mitigate risks to the business, systems, information, owners and employees. It should also help improve their competitive position.
About the author
Lee Campbell has 25 years of IT experience and 15 in the field of cyber security. He is managing director of CipherSYS Limited (ciphersys.co.uk) providing cyber security consultancy and advisory services. Lee specialises in the SME sector and developed with the National Archives the “Responsible for Information” cyber security training programme for SMEs.
Find out how Warwickshire's Trading Standards have been helping companies in the battle against cyber crime.
Help at hand from Trading Standards in battle against cyber-crime
Warwickshire County Council Trading Standards offer plenty of guidance to businesses in the ongoing battle to thwart cyber-crime.
And an audience of more than 50 people, business owners and their employees, benefited from a recent free cyber-crime data-security advice and education event - ‘Phish and Chips’ - at Warwick Racecourse.
Organised by Warwickshire County Council Trading Standards, The Federation of Small Businesses and the National Cyber Skills Centre, the event was open to all Warwickshire small business owners
Janet Faulkner, Head of Warwickshire Trading Standards, said: “Cyber Crime is a serious and growing threat, both to High Street and Online businesses and it was very pleasing to see so many business owners attend the 'Phish and Chips' event.
"Warwickshire Trading Standards will continue to work in partnership with the Federation of Small Businesses and other organisations to help ensure that that Warwickshire businesses receive the help and support they need to tackle cyber-crime.”
Ian O’Donnell, FSB Chairman for Warwickshire and Coventry, said:
“Data is the lifeblood of any business. If it falls into the wrong hands the consequences range from business disruption right the way through to business failure. Protecting data has to become a habit, just like setting the alarm, or wearing a seatbelt. There are many easy, no, or low cost measures businesses can take to build their data security without breaking the bank.”
Dr. Stephen Wright, general manager of the National Cyber Skills Centre said: “Cyber Security sounds like a big scary subject.Our aim is to demystify it so that at the end of the event you have a good idea of what you need to do.”
Follow Warwickshire Trading Standards ten tips and make a start toward protecting your business from online fraudsters.
1. Ensure the computers you use have a firewall that is turned on and anti-virus software that is up to date. Businesses may wish to consider using software designed specifically for business, as opposed to that commonly used by consumers. Secure your wireless network.
2. Keep all your software up to date. When companies find vulnerabilities in their software, updates are used to patch these security holes. Keeping the software running on your computers up to date will help you to protect yourself from malware.
3. Back up all your data so it can be easily restored if something goes wrong.
4. Use strong passwords. All passwords should be at least eight characters long and should incorporate both letters and numbers. Use different passwords for each account, and change them regularly. Do not share passwords or write them down where other people could access them.
5. Limit staff access to online accounts to only those who really need it.
6. Train your staff. Many frauds happen because staff fall victim to phishing and similar scams, allowing fraudsters to download malware on to a business’s computers. Malware can then automatically capture passwords and credit card numbers. Have clear and concise procedures for email, internet and mobile devices. Staff should also be kept up to date on the latest scams.
7. Security test your business website on a regular basis.
8. Ensure your business has a contingency plan if it falls victim to cybercrime and test these regularly.
9. Keep your business computing and personal computing separate. Do not allow your staff to use using your business computers for personal use, for example accessing social media websites, checking personal emails or surfing the web. We are all likely to be less vigilant when using computers for personal use, increasing the threat of a successful cyber-attack.
* If you are using cloud services to carry out your business, check the provider’s credentials and the contract you have with them.
Employers urged to get workforces to 'saddle up'
A call is going out to Warwickshire Businesses to get workers on their bikes as part of the national Love to Ride Challenge.
Participants have to cycle for just ten minutes to qualify for the challenge and be in line for some great prizes.
Warwickshire County Council has signed up and is urging the county's businesses to join the challenge.
It is not about who can cycle the most miles, but who can encourage the most people to give cycling a go. The challenge is to ride a bike, anywhere, anytime, for at least ten minutes, preferably every day, between June 8 and 28.
Organisations and departments will compete against those of a similar size for a fair chance of winning. There are six size categories: 500+ staff, 200-499 staff, 50-199 staff, 20-49 staff, 7-19 staff and 3-6 staff. Each individual's participation will count towards their department's or organisation's score.
The health benefits to individuals of cycling are well-documented but it is also a culture well worth encouraging in employees by businesses owners.
Benefits to be gained by businesses participating in the National Cycling Challenge include:
- Free health, wellbeing and sustainability initiative for all employees
- A fun activity for you and your workmates
- A friendly competition between staff teams and other local organisations
- Help reduce congestion, air pollution and car parking issues
- Prize incentives for your staff. Prizes including five new bikes, a holiday for two to New Zealand and a trip to Paris.
To become involved with the National Cycle Challenge, go to https://www.lovetoride.net/uk/pages/info?locale=en-GB.
V-Viz realises its vision with Micro Enterprise Grant
After a decade of increasing success as a supplier and developer of inline machine vision inspection systems, Offchurch-based V-Viz arrived in 2014 with a problem.
The order-book was full and the customer-base expanding but that meant the company was seriously outgrowing its premises at Bunkers Hill, off Welsh Road. The business was booming - but becoming very cramped. It was becoming a victim of its own success.
But a £23,967 Micro Enterprise Grant changed everything.
The grant was accessed from the Rural Development Programme for England, a seven-year programme (2007–2013) funded jointly by the EU, through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the UK Government.
The grant, accessed through Warwickshire's Rural Growth Network, enabled V-Viz to expand its premises to match the expansion of its workload.
Thanks in large part to the grant, which created three jobs and safeguarded eight, V-Viz has recently been rebranded to InterVision Global Ltd: a new name more appropriate to a company with customers well beyond the UK and which has just opened an office in the United States, at Boston.
Finance manager Angela Walter says that the Micro Enterprise Grant was critical to the company's continued growth.
"We had seriously outgrown the premises as they were," Angela said. "There are two elements to our business - the project side and our on-line website through which we sell components - and it reached the stage where it was critical that we expanded and improved the office space, creating a dedicated technical space and stock room.
"As a small business we did not have the cash-flow to invest in the necessary work, but with the grant we were able to expand to give us the room we need both to house stock and to give our engineers the room they need to work in."
Find out more about similar grant funding available for small rural businesses in Warwickshire by clicking here
New guide will help businesses deliver high quality work experience
Helping employers and learning-providers deliver high-quality work experience is the aim of a new guide launched by Fair Train and the Association of Learning and Employment Providers.
The guide, commissioned and funded by the Department of Education, has been designed to enable businesses, schools and colleges to get the very best out of their work experience programmes.
There has been a quiet revolution in preparing 16-19 year-olds for the labour market, overhauling not only qualifications but also the ethos that sits behind them. Much greater emphasis is now placed upon providing young people with high-quality work experience.
But these changes have also presented challenges to providers and the new guide offers a practical overview of what learning providers and employers need to consider if they want to make the most of their work experience programme.
The checklist contained in the guide breaks these areas into themes so they can apply equally to employers and providers, while also enabling their programmes to be tailored to a very individualised level.
The guide runs alongside the national Work Experience Quality Standard accreditation - created as a framework to support employers and training providers offer first-class work experience for young people. The framework covers the chief features of a successful work experience programme – from setting up and implementation to evaluation and the organisational infrastructure required.
Organisations are independently accredited by Fair Train at Bronze, Silver or Gold level, enabling employers and training providers alike to demonstrate they are offering top notch programmes and making a valuable contribution to their local community.
The work experience e-guide can be downloaded at: http://www.fairtrain.org/uploaded_files/1235/images/FairTrain_ImplementingWorkExperienceElement.pdf
Businesses invited to set students a Real World Project
Business and students alike can benefit from a university scheme designed to stretch the technical skills of emerging entrepreneurs.
Coventry University's Real World Projects aims to enrich the student experience but also offers an opportunity for businesses to tap into the talent pool emerging from the university.
Participating companies are invited to identify a real world problem and the university allocates a group of 30-40 students to create a technical solution. Skill-sets include computer science, games technology, ethical hacking (to test website security) and business information technology.
For more information, contact Harminder Kaur from the EC Futures Team, e-mail h.kaur@coventry.ac.uk or call 02476 7688 7688.
MP to speak about Enterprise and Entrepreneurism at Alcester
Stratford-upon-Avon MP Nadhim Zahawi,will be the guest speaker at the monthly meeting of Minerva Business Exchange on Friday May 29th in the Bubble at Minerva Mill, Alcester.
Mr Zahawi will talking about “Enterprise and Entrepreneurism,” drawing upon the experiences of his pre-Parliamentary career. Before becoming an MP in 2010, he was the founder of international internet-based market research firm Yougov.
Established in late 2014, Minerva Business Exchange is a friendly, informal business networking club and forum for nurturing business relationships as well as getting to know the person behind the business.
The event will begin at 5.30pm and last for approximately two hours and the charge, including drinks and nibbles, will be £10.
Confirmation of attendance in advance is recommended. Contact jo@minervamill.co.uk
Toft on the rise
Kerry and Doug Lord knew that their business was ready to expand.
Since its formation in 1997, Dunchurch-based Toft Alpacas had become well-established and highly-respected as a supplier of DIY knitwear to customers locally, across Europe and in the United States.
The Toft stud, with its high-pedigree alpacas, welcomes visitors from far and wide throughout the year. A thriving retail side of the business, meanwhile, was ready to take the next step: to expand into selling to other retailers.
The potential was clearly there.
And following a Micro Enterprise Grant from the Warwickshire Rural Growth Network, that potential is now being fully exploited. The grant was accessed from the Rural Development Programme for England, a seven-year programme (2007–2013) funded jointly by the EU, through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the UK Government.
Assisted by a £23,000 grant, Toft Alpacas was able to upscale to meet the demand which any small business craves but inevitably must expand in order to satisfy. The grant increased the level of production of the Alpaca yarn and mixed yarns to expand the wholesale side of the business
"The grant made a huge difference," said Kerry. "We needed to expand and would probably have been able to do so eventually, but it would have taken years.
"Our grant was not a huge amount of money but, for a small business, made an enormous difference. It just allowed us to grow the business in areas where it really needed to grow, like batch-sizes and storage space, website functionality and design software - and we took on more staff.
"The grant enabled us to make that leap and, as a result, our orders have grown too. We now have more than 50 stockists in this country, throughout Europe and the USA.
"Without the grant, the expansion we needed would not have been possible for some years."
Find out more about similar grant funding available to small rural businesses in Warwickshire by clicking here
IoD looking to welcome new members in Warwickshire
The Institute of Directors West Midlands is looking for new members from the Coventry and Warwickshire area to join its local branch committee.
The IoD is active in the area and puts on regular events and activities for its members but is keen to further expand its programme and its membership in Warwickshire.
"We are in need of some fresh member input so that the voices of local directors are heard and the needs of the region are prioritised," said IoD West Midlands regional director, John Phillips.
"Local events are an excellent example of the added value we can give, both in terms of supporting professional development and providing network opportunities at the right level.
"We currently have a small but enthusiastic group of volunteers working in the area but I would very much like to meet with any other members interesting in helping us."
Anyone who would like to get involved with, or know more about, the IoD West Midlands is welcome to call John Phillips on 0121 643 7801 or contact him at john.phillips@iod.com