MEMBER NEWS
TRIBUTES PAID TO BUSINESSMAN GEOFF FORD
Tributes have been paid to businessman Geoff Ford, who has sadly died. Ben Gilhespy, Operations Director at the Engineering and Manufacturing Network, said: "This is a tragic loss for the industry and region. "Geoff was a truly inspirational leader whose drive and...
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FUNDING BOOST FOR SMALL BUSINESSES IN COUNTY DURHAM
Entrepreneurs who are part of an incubator designed to help companies grow and thrive in County Durham will now be able to access up to £10,000 of funding each. Durham City Incubator (DCI), based at Salvus House, in Aykley Heads, Durham, has recently launched, and is...
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DURHAM FOOD AND DRINK NETWORK TO LAUNCH
A network to support County Durham food and drink producers is being launched. Durham Food and Drink Network is the fifth key strand of the Durham Business Opportunities Programme (DBOP), which is part of Business Durham. The network will enable small producers and...
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MEMBER NEWS: STEELCRAFT PLANS FOR EUROPEAN EXPANSION
A County Durham-based metalwork firm has set out ambitious plans to expand with a new online brand. Family-run company, Steelcraft Ltd, specialises in supplying architectural metalwork with a portfolio including balconies, railings, gates, handrails, stairs, ramps and...
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AFFILIATE MEMBER NEWS: APPRENTICE SOLICITORS JOIN THE MUCKLE TEAM
Two new solicitor apprentices have taken their first seats in separate teams at leading North East independent law firm for businesses, Muckle LLP. Lauryn Hellewell has joined Muckle LLP though the North East Solicitor Apprenticeship (NESA) scheme, an alternative,...
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MEMBER NEWS: MANAGEMENT BUY OUT OF MANUFACTURING FIRM
Barnard Castle based Steel Fabricator S&A has announced the sale of the building fabrication side of the business in a management buyout, as a result of major changes at the company over the past two years. With the support of North East advisors, the Barnard...
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MEMBER NEWS: APPOINTMENTS ANNOUNCED AT REPROTEC
North East based Reprotec UK, specialists in resin flooring systems and bespoke surface protection technology, has announced two appointments. Mr Elliott Lindsay, who joined the company at the age of 16 years, has been appointed to the senior position of Head of...
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MEMBER NEWS: HORIZON WORKS AWARDED GRANT TO SUPPORT EXPORT
A North-East based B2B marketing agency has been awarded funding to support its exporting activities in North America after winning a grant from Heathrow’s World of Opportunity SME Grants Programme. Horizon Works is one of only 20 companies throughout the whole of the...
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MEMBER NEWS: COLLEGE PRINCIPALS TO MARCH ON PARLIAMENT
Principals, staff and students from further education colleges across the North East will next week march on Parliament to demand increased funding after a decade of decline. The unprecedented joint action will see college CEOs protest alongside colleagues, learners...
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MEMBER NEWS: ESL RECEIVES MAJOR NATIONAL ENERGY AWARD
Electek Solutions (ESL) have claimed an impressive bronze in this years National Efficiency Awards in September, no mean feat when you’re up against international energy players such as E.on Energy. ESL were awarded the accolade for the Multi-measure Project of the...
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MEMBER NEWS: REPROTEC CELEBRATES 30TH BIRTHDAY
Congratulations to North East based company, Reprotec, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary. John Holmes, MD of Reprotec, said: “We at Reprotec are delighted to be celebrating our 30th birthday. We are an SME working across all industry sectors, and the success...
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MEMBER NEWS: STILLER PLANS FOR GROWTH WITH OPENING OF DISTRIBUTION CENTRE
Newton Aycliffe family-run firm Stiller Warehousing and Distribution has created capacity for jobs growth with the opening of its new £2m distribution centre. After an eight-month construction project, which supported dozens of local jobs by utilising nearby...
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MOTORCYCLIST LAUNCHES WELDING BUSINESS AFTER NEAR FATAL CRASH
An engineer who suffered near fatal injuries when his bike collided with a car in County Durham has launched his own business as he continues his road to recovery. Dick Allaker from High Pittington was in an induced coma for three weeks following the accident at...
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£500M NEXUS STOCK REPLACEMENT WORK EVENT COMING SOON
CDEMN members are invited to attend an event in October highlighting the opportunities for North East businesses to be part of the £500m Nexus rolling stock replacement work. The North East LEP has organised the supply chain opportunities expo at the Stadium of Light...
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EU EXPERTS PRAISE ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROJECT
A project designed to help County Durham businesses to make financial savings through energy efficiency has been praised by European experts. Business Energy Efficiency Project (BEEP) received recognition from the Interreg Europe programme for the excellent support it...
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MEMBER NEWS: OFFICE MOVE FOR BE SMART SOLUTIONS
Member company Be Smart Solutions has moved to new offices at Novus Business Centre in Peterlee. The move is part of plans by the company to raise its profile to companies in the Peterlee Business Park area. Owner Jim Box said: “There are so many businesses based in...
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FUTURE BUSINESS MAGNATES WINNERS ANNOUNCED
A street lighting system which is triggered by passing cars and pedestrians, and a rewards app for people who scan their rubbish before throwing it away, were just two of the top entrepreneurial ideas students taking part in a popular county-wide competition came up...
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CDEMN MEMBER PARAGON TAKES PRINT CAPABILITIES TO ANOTHER LEVEL
Darlington-based 3D print specialists Paragon Rapid Technologies has become the only service provider in the world to have three industry-leading NEO800 3D printers from UK manufacturer, RP Support. Using the Stereolithography (SLA) process, all three machines are...
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EDM ZONE WINS PRESTIGIOUS NATIONAL AWARD
Engineering company EDM Zone has won a prestigious national award. The company, a member of CDEMN, was named winner of the Insider Media Made in the UK 'Manufacturing Apprenticeship/Training Scheme' award. The win came after Newcastle-based EDM Zone won the regional...
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CDEMN MEMBER HYDRAM ENGINEERING ACQUIRED
Dynamic Aerospace and Defence Ltd. confirmed their acquisition of Hydram Engineering Ltd. on June 7th 2018, acquiring the total shareholding in the business. Dynamic (www.dynamicindustrial.com) is a privately-owned business with its main headquarters in Michigan, USA....
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IT REFURBISHMENT COMPANY ACHIEVES MAJOR INDUSTRY STANDARD
An IT refurbishment company from Peterlee has achieved a major industry standard. Protech City, an IT asset retirement and Microsoft-registered refurbishing company based in Peterlee, has recently achieved the ADISA Standard which is a risk assessment of the entire...
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MEMBER OFFER – FREE CYBER SECURITY TRAINING WITH MILLBANK SOLUTIONS
Our newest affiliate Millbank Solutions (https://millbanksolutions.co.uk/) have highlighted an excellent opportunity for those of you who employ less than 100 persons. We all know the damaging effects that cyber-attacks can have on a business and how widely publicised...
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APPRENTICESHIP AWARD FOR SOUTH WEST DURHAM TRAINING
Engineering training provider South West Durham Training is celebrating after winning an award for its apprenticeship scheme. SWDT was nominated by businesses on Aycliffe Business Park for the Apprenticeship and Training Award, sponsored by Gestamp, for implementing...
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REGIONAL COMPANIES CONFIDENT ABOUT OWN BUSINESS OUTLOOK
North East businesses’ confidence in their own business prospects rose two points to 32 per cent in May, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking. But their optimism in the economy overall fell 14 points to 24 per cent. As a...
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CREAM OF THE CROP CELEBRATED AT AYCLIFFE BUSINESS AWARDS
Last night (Thursday), saw businesses from across Newton Aycliffe celebrated at the annual Make Your Mark awards. Winners on the night included Roman, who were crowned winners of the 'Manufacturing' category which was sponsored by CDEMN. CDEMN Operations Director Ben...
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MEMBER NEWS: SHRED DIRECT DITCHES PLASTIC BAGS
A shredding company owned by a former professional footballer is making major changes to its collection processes as it celebrates its fifth birthday. Shred Direct was launched by Newcastle United footballer Graeme Carter in May 2013 and has experienced significant...
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ENGINEERING FIRM LIGHTS UP FUTURE WITH ENERGY GRANT
County Durham-based business Dyer Engineering has seen the energy efficiency light after reducing its energy costs by thousands thanks to advice and grant funding from a council-led project. The Business Energy Efficiency Project (BEEP), led by Durham County Council...
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CDEMN ANNOUNCES MILLBANK SOLUTIONS AS LATEST AFFILIATE MEMBER
County Durham Engineering and Manufacturing Network is delighted to announce its latest affiliate member. Millbank Solutions is a specialist security and risk management company based in the North East of England and serving individual, business and organisational...
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NETPARK SCULPTURE CAN BE SEEN FROM SPACE
A bold sculpture specially designed to be visible on satellite imagery has been installed at the new gateway to one of the country’s leading science parks. The entire structure, created by inflating and stretching stainless steel, has been designed and made by...
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NEW TAX DIRECTOR AT CDEMN AFFILIATE TAIT WALKER
Tait Walker, the largest independent accountancy firm in the North East, has appointed Andrew Fitton as tax director to join its growing tax team. Andrew joins the Tait Walker team with a wealth of experience in corporate and business tax. Andrew’s prior experience...
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SMEs TO RECEIVE FREE TRAINING TO ADDRESS SKILLS GAP
Small businesses across County Durham are to receive free training to help address skills gaps as part of a £6m Government initiative. The two year programme aims to future proof supply chain companies by providing consultancy support to identify key needs including...
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OKTOBERFEST EXHIBITOR BOXES CLEVER TO FILL GAP IN MARKET
Packaging firm JSB is boxing clever when it comes to filling a gap in the business market. The County Durham firm spotted a need for bespoke-sized cardboard cartons and changed direction to meet that need. Now manufacturing firms can’t contain their enthusiasm for the...
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ECLIPSE TRANSLATIONS REBRANDS AS RWS LANGUAGE SOLUTIONS
Alnwick-based supplier of language services, Eclipse Translations, has announced it has rebranded as RWS Language Solutions. Already part of world-leading translation company, RWS, it plans to help North East clients benefit further from its global expertise. Acquired...
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LLOYDS BANK TO HOST DIGITAL WORKSHOP
Affiliate members of County Durham Engineering and Manufacturing Network (CDEMN) are invited to a half day workshop organised by Lloyds Bank, which is designed to help businesses improve their digital and the digital skills of their employees. The workshop, on Monday,...
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CDEMN MEMBER HELPING TO MAKE THE WORKPLACE SAFER
Business is full of risk, but a Sunderland-based firm is helping companies develop a safety-first approach by tackling alcohol and substance misuse. Trevor Hall and Gordon Angus are making workplaces safer places. Their firm, Hall & Angus, is at the forefront of...
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PARAGON BECOMES THE FIRST UK PRODUCTION PARTNER FOR CARBON
Paragon Rapid Technologies has teamed up with US-based Additive Manufacturing experts Carbon to introduce their groundbreaking 3D Manufacturing technology into the UK market. The addition of Carbon’s proprietary Digital Light Synthesis™ (DLS) technology complements...
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£50M EMERGENCY FUND TO SUPPORT CARILLION’S SUPPLY CHAIN
Lloyds Banking Group (LBG) has announced a £50 million package of support to its small business customers, as part of a range of emergency measures for those businesses within Carillion’s supply chain which are now in financial difficulty, as a result of Carillion’s...
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HELP AVAILABLE FOR BUSINESSES AFFECTED BY CARILLION COLLAPSE
Businesses in County Durham who have been affected by the collapse of construction giant Carillion are being offered help. Business Durham is working with the County Durham Engineering and Manufacturing Network (CDEMN) to determine the affect it will have on the...
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MAVEN CLINICS TO HELP BUDDING ENTREPRENEURS TO GROW A BUSINESS
Budding entrepreneurs from County Durham are being offered free help to turn their idea into a viable business. Maven Capital Partners, the Fund Manager for the Finance Durham Fund, are offering 1-2-1 sessions with a member of the North East investment team for people...
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DIGITAL TRAINING TO HELP BUSINESSES CRACK OVERSEAS MARKETS
A series of free training courses have been designed to enable businesses to crack overseas markets digitally. The pilot project is part-funded by the European Commission’s European Regional Development Fund and the UK’s Department for International Trade. Courses are...
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6,000 JOBS FOR COUNTY DURHAM IF NEW BUSINESS DISTRICT IS APPROVED
Plans to attract more than 6,000 private sector jobs delivering a £400 million boost for County Durham’s economy could take a very significant step forward next week (17 January). Hailed as a ‘once in a generation’ opportunity to help transform the county’s economic...
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INDUSTRY 4.0 SUBJECT OF TAIT WALKER ANNUAL EVENT
An accountancy firm’s annual round table brought together manufacturing and technology leaders to debate matters affecting the industry, with the spotlight on how businesses can prosper from Industry 4.0. Tait Walker’s event, chaired by managing partner Andrew Moorby,...
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£4M DIGITAL SUPPORT PROGRAMME TO LAUNCH FOR SMEs
A £4M programme will help small businesses in County Durham thrive in a digital world by gaining a competitive edge and maximising their growth. Digital Drive County Durham, the first of its kind in the county, will also help companies become more resilient and...
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MORALBOX IS FIRST COMPANY TO BENEFIT FROM FINANCE DURHAM FUND
A new investment fund, managed by Maven Capital Partners, has completed its first incubator investment. Moralbox, a Seaham-based technology start-up which helps employers and employees work together to manage training records, has received £40,000 from the Finance...
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GREAT YEAR FOR DYER AS GROWTH CONTINUES
Dyer Engineering has been changing over the last four years under the astute leadership of Graeme Parkins who spoke to Insider about recent milestones. Revenues, production, staff numbers and profits have all increased since Graeme took over the business from previous...
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STILLER EMBARKING ON £2M EXPANSION
A family transport firm is embarking upon a £2m expansion bosses say could create up to 25 jobs. Stiller Warehousing and Distribution is building a new delivery centre. The company, based in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, says the 50,000sq ft base will help it cope...
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CDEMN MEMBER SAGETECH TARGETS EXPORT MARKET
A County Durham machinery firm hopes a factory switch can be the catalyst for export growth across South Africa and the US. Sagetech Machinery has moved to a larger unit on Chilton Industrial Estate, near Ferryhill, in a bid to extend its market presence. The business...
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ASSOCIATE MEMBER TAIT WALKER MOVES INTO DURHAM
Associate member Tait Walker has opened offices in Durham. The company new base will bridge the gap between their Newcastle, Morpeth and Teesside offices that are home to 155 staff, giving full coverage of the region. Tait Walker’s new office, situated at Salvus House...
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CDEMN MEMBER MECAPLAST REBRANDS AS NOVARES
One of the world’s leading automotive manufacturing groups has revealed its new identity. French-owened Mecaplast Group and US firm Key Plastics will be called Novares, following their merger earlier this year. The rebranding exercise reflects both the evolution and...
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AFFILIATE MEMBER LEC AWARDED INCUBATOR ZONE CONTRACT
A growing communications consultancy has announced its latest business win. LEC Communications and Design has been awarded a three-year contract to deliver the Durham Oktoberfest Incubator Zone project. The Incubator Zone, which is being managed by Business Durham’s...
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