Aycliffe Today Business Aycliffe Today Business Issue 31 | Page 3

The magazine for Aycliffe Business Park | 3 INCLUDED IN THE NOVEMBER- DECEMBER 2017 ISSUE OF AYCLIFFE TODAY BUSINESS… WELCOME /09 AYCLIFFE RELOCATION FOREWORD: from Martin Walker Welcome to the 31st issue of Aycliffe Today Business – the magazine for Aycliffe Business Park – which marks this magazine’s fifth anniversary. Back then, not a lot of people believed the park was busy and vibrant enough to warrant a regular publication featuring all the latest business news. Five years and 31 issues down the road, we’ve now featured more than 150 different companies in these pages, from a range of sectors, and all with their own story to tell. It’s perhaps poignant that for this celebratory issue, our cover and main feature is with one of the park’s longest-serving tenants, Formula Plastics. The injection moulding specialists have now been on the business park for more than 20 years, after having started out in a 5,000 sq ft unit at the IES Centre, the former Underground Mining Machine (UMM) site just behind Crafter’s Companion off Horndale Avenue, which closed in the 1980s after the demise of the coal mines. Now spread across five units at the IES Centre, totalling 44,000 sq ft, Formula Plastics has seen sales double to £3.9m in the last five years, with staff numbers growing to 62. It’s another fine example of one of our many SMEs thriving by manufacturing parts, while creating local jobs in the process. We also have features on two businesses you might not normally expect to see in a traditional business publication. On page 9, we talk to Avec Partnership, a fast- Avec Partnership expands to new offices... growing business which supports schools with a range of professional services which has recently expanded from Darlington to new premises on Aycliffe Business Park. And on page 11, doctors at a Newton Aycliffe practice reveal how they’re rolling out a new service for businesses to access quick and cost- effective occupational health advice which could save them time and money, after a new report revealed that workplace absence is currently costing the UK economy £18 billion in lost productivity. /11 HEALTHY BUSINESS Aycliffe doctors are rolling out a new service for businesses to access quick and cost-effective occupational health advice... It certainly makes for another contrasting issue with news and features covering a range of sectors and names – some well known, and some not so well known! I’d like to thank all the businesses that have supported us over the last five years. Some of them have featured regularly in these pages, and some of them only occasionally, but together they’ve all helped us to establish and strengthen the magazine’s reputation across the park. We look forward to bringing you more issues in the months and years ahead. May I wish you all a very happy Christmas, and a prosperous 2018. /18-19 WINNING FORMULA Injection moulding specialists Formula Plastics celebrate record year on Aycliffe Business Park... Martin Walker Editor, Aycliffe Today Business. Business. Aycliffe Today AYCLIFFE TODAY BUSINESS Aycliffe Today Business is Newton Aycliffe’s only business publication, which is mailed exclusively to every company on Aycliffe Business Park. Launched in November 2012, we provide firms with a unique platform to tell everyone about their services and success stories in our prestigious, high-quality publication. The magazine for Aycliffe COMPLIMENTARY Aycliffe Today The magazine for Aycliffe Business Park www.aycliffetoday.co.uk k | ISSUE 30: SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2017 | [email protected] COMPLIMENTARY Business Park www.aycliffetoday.co.uk | [email protected] k | ISSUE 29: JULY-AUGUST LAW & OR DER ALSO IN T HIS ISSUE: DURHAMWORKS help grow How young people can your business... FOOTY DEAL Ebac sponsors Newton Aycliffe FC... DAVID OSBORNE our 20 Roman chief answers questions over a cuppa... a new corporate We meet the men behind Business Park... law firm based on Aycliffe For All Your Festive Celebrations Visit our website to view all our December menus www.thecountyaycliffevillage.com Aycliffe Village 2017 Bookings Now Being Taken Call us on 01325 312273 TOMORROW’S WORLD Why leading shower manufacturer Roman is firm supporters of the highly-acclaimed Future Business Magnates competition... ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: ONE YEAR ON Aycliffe Business Park Community marks its first year with relaunch event... GOOD SKILLS Hitachi employment boosted by Aycliffe training provider... FOND FAREWELL Business Durham boss Simon Goon says so long... /21 FIGHTING FIT OneGym staying ahead of the game with £75,000 investment... 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, and the rest are distributed by hand across the park, in hotels and conference centres. Our next issue will be out in January 2018. The booking deadline is Friday December 22, so get in touch with us if you want to get involved. Our trained journalists can write your advertorials and we can take your pictures. Or if it’s a traditional advert you need, our professional graphic designer can do that for you. This is all part of the package – professional writing, photography and graphic design – which offers a truly unrivalled service in Newton Aycliffe. Email [email protected] to ask for our rate card. Aycliffe Today Business | www.aycliffetoday.co.uk Units 8-9, Parson’s Court, Welbury Way, Aycliffe Business Park, Newton Aycliffe, Co. Durham DL5 6ZE Published & distributed by: Mantis Media Ltd, www.mantis-media.com Editor: Martin Walker | Tel: [phone] | Mobile: [phone] Email: [email protected] Designed by KINSHIP: Call 07846186220 | Email [email protected] Contributors to this issue: Martin Walker, Mike Coates, Paul Carbert, Sarah Burns. Photography: Martin Walker, Chris Booth. /24-25 NEW LOOK Business leaders gather for website relaunch...