Aycliffe Today Business #14 | Page 3

WELCOME FOREWORD By Julie Finley INCLUDED IN THE JANUARYFEBRUARY 2015 ISSUE OF AYCLIFFE TODAY BUSINESS… /04 NEWS Ebac wins Woodham Academy Apprenticeship Awareness Programme... /05 NEWS Hitachi train is on its way... Welcome to the first issue of Aycliffe Today Business in 2015 - it gives me great pleasure to write the guest foreword for this edition. At Finley Structures, we’re due to celebrate another record-breaking year in terms of turnover and high-profile contracts as our company continues to go from strength-to-strength. Projected turnover by the end of March this year is expected to be £14m, which is about £1m up on 2013-14. We were expecting it to be much higher, but a major contract for Sir Robert McAlpine - the Victoria Gate shopping centre in Leeds - has slipped into the next financial year. We’ve just secured a deal with a new client, Galliford Try, which has secured a contract to build 12 schools in the North East. In February we’re due to start on site at Withernsea High School for BAM Construction and Victoria Gate for McAlpine, as well as the AMRC factory in Sheffield for Interserve, while we continue to finish secondary steelwork on the Hitachi site until March. Various other ventures - the new Rock Antics facility on the site of the former Presswork Metals factory as well as various properties on the business park that we have for rent and lease - means it continues to be a very busy and progressive time for Finley Structures. As for Aycliffe Today Business, I know this issue is, as usual, packed with lots of news and features about companies here on Aycliffe Business Park. It’s always interesting to read about our neighbours, new and existing businesses, and there certainly seems to be a buzz on the park at the moment - long may that continue. I hope you enjoy this issue, and may I take this opportunity to wish everyone on Aycliffe Business Park a very healthy and successful 2015. Julie Finley Managing Director, Finley Structures AYCLIFFE TODAY BUSINESS Aycliffe Today Business is Newton Aycliffe’s only Business-toBusiness magazine, distributed across Aycliffe Business Park. We provide companies with a unique platform to tell everyone about their services in what is a classy, business-like magazine as well as a handy reference and marketing tool. We produce 2,500 copies every issue – with an estimated readership of more than 8,000. One copy is mailed direct to every company on our database, currently 250, and the rest are distributed by hand across the park, in hotels and conference centres. Our next issue will be out in March, so get in touch with us if you want to get involved. Our trained journalists can write your copy, while our professional designers can help to put your ads together, so whatever your requirements are, we can help you every step of the way. Aycliffe Today Business… bringing Aycliffe Business Park together! Aycliffe Today Business | www.aycliffetoday.co.uk Published & distributed by : Mantis Media, www.mantis-media.com Designed by: NEON, www.youareneon.co.uk Editor: Martin Walker | Tel: 01325 728024 | Mobile: 07826 525907 Editorial: martin@aycliffetoday.co.uk Contributors to this issue: Martin Walker, Julie Finley, Pamela Petty, Ryan Burton, Jonathan Ward, Tim Francis. Photography: Martin Walker, Keith Taylor. Plus, Aycliffe Today editor Martin Walker talks about his latest venture! /06 NEWS Sunderland Uni launch DNA scheme... Plus, Pamela Petty talks about consumer public spending in the UK… /8-9 STILLER Family-run firm marks 60th anniversary with landmark