4 | Aycliffe Today Business
BUSINESS BRIEFS
EBAC PROFITS CLIMB 254 %
Newton Aycliffe manufacturer Ebac has announced a climb in sales – with profits up by 254 %.
Ebac, the only British company to produce washing machines, dehumidifiers and water coolers in the UK, says its annual sales have climbed from £ 13.3m to £ 15.4m.
The firm, founded more than 40 years ago by Brexit-backing entrepreneur John Elliott MBE, who now serves as its executive chairman, recorded a profit of £ 327,663 in the year ending 31st December 2016, a 254 % increase on its 2015 profit of £ 128,923.
Almost £ 5m of turnover was UK sales, with exports accounting for more than £ 10m.
TEKMAR’ S NEW RECRUITS
Tekmar Energy has recently welcomed several new additions to its expanding team.
Due to confidence in future demand and business growth, the market leading specialists in cable and subsea protection systems for the offshore energy markets has welcomed three new employees at its Aycliffe Business Park premises.
Rob McGill joins as the HSQE manager, Dean Milburn as production manager and Helen Brooks has also joined as the firm’ s new financial controller.
CARING CARETAKER EXPANSION
A Newton Aycliffe-based property management company, which specialises in giving ex-servicemen and women a new start on‘ civvy street’, is set to launch a recruitment drive after landing an important new contract.
Caring Caretaker, part of the AAA Property( North-East) group based on Aycliffe Business Park, has gone from strength-to-strength in the past few years – thanks in part to its policy of using ex-services personnel wherever possible, and the firm has recently extended its service into Scotland and North Yorkshire after winning a number of new deals.
CRAFTER’ S THIRD STORE
Crafter’ s Companion celebrating a record launch at its third retail store in Worcestershire.
The new Evesham store marks a £ 270,000 investment for the firm, creating 27 new jobs, and follows the company’ s Aycliffe Business Park and Chesterfield outlets.
Its opening brought in crowds of more than 3,000 people in the first fortnight and generated over 800 sales of crafting products during a launch weekend.
Crafter’ s Companion, which was founded in 2005 by County-Durham-born entrepreneur Davies, is now a national and global success – with the group’ s turnover this year expected to top £ 25m.
Sedgefield MP Phil Wilson says he’ s“ very hopeful” of Durham Tees Valley Airport’ s future.
Businesses urged to back airport campaign
Businesses have been told they can play a vital role in helping the owners of Durham Tees Valley Airport to secure its long-term future.
Peel Airports chairman Robert Hough briefed local companies and special guests, including Sedgefield MP Phil Wilson and Aycliffe Today, on the progress being made in delivering the‘ Master Plan’ as its new £ 250,000 terminal improvements were revealed.
Mr Hough also revealed Peel has invested £ 38m in the airport to date to cover vast losses – but that the airport remains committed to securing its long-term future. Delivery of the Master Plan, launched in 2014, is now being phased to 2020 and beyond and is aimed at creating 3,800 new jobs, plus a further 450 full-time jobs during its construction phases, and it’ s claimed will add more than £ 348m GVA to the regional economy.
Young entrepreneurs have been set the challenge of thinking‘ smart’ when developing their business ideas for a competition designed to inspire enterprise skills among schoolchildren.
Future Business Magnates( FBM) – an annual competition run by Business Durham, the economic development organisation for County Durham – will this year challenge Year 8 children from across County Durham to devise a smart solution to a problem they have identified in the region.
The competition was launched in early November at the Xcel Centre on Aycliffe Business Park.
Its theme‘ Smart County Durham’ will encourage pupils aged 12 and 13 to use resources and do research to create a product or service which would make a
Other development proposals include a mixture of office and residential with associated community facilities and an extension to the on-site St George’ s Hotel.
The airport currently sits within the Sedgefield Constituency, and its Labour MP Mr Wilson told Aycliffe Today:“ It’ s a very big milestone for the airport. It’ s been a long and tough journey. But Peel have always had a long-term plan for this airport and have invested millions of pounds over the years to keep it going, as well as £ 250,000 on this new departure lounge.
“ With Peel I think we have a company which is willing to stick with it for the longterm, and I’ m really positive about its future.”
DTVA’ s Master Plan predicts passenger numbers to grow at the airport to 200,000 a year by 2020, in line with Government forecasts, from the 165,000 figure it handled in 2012.
Schoolchildren get‘ smart’
positive difference to the way we live or work.
Influential names from the business world, including Bignall Group, Ebac, Hydram, Waterstons, CA Group, Robertsons Construction, Hodgson Sayers and Thorn Lighting, are partnering the 18 school teams to provide mentoring and support.