Aycliffe Today Business Aycliffe Today Issue 44 | Page 5

N EWS BUSINESS BRIEFS DIH MAKES THE DIFFERENCE WITH CENTRAL SPACE BRAND P roperty business Dixons Industrial Holdings (DIH) has been able to make the difference at Aycliffe Business Park, thanks to the North East Business Support Fund. Established in 2014, the business had identified a ‘next generation’ niche requirement in the fully-serviced SME office space market and required a branding strategy and launch support to bring this new concept alive and welcome occupiers swiftly. DIH have accessed grant support from business support agency NBSL via the North East Business Support Fund – which is part financed by the European Regional Development Fund. DIH used the grant funding to engage Thrive Marketing to position the business and support the flagship launch of the Central building through a comprehensive marketing strategy and brand as Central Space, which has enabled the launch building to achieve full occupancy ahead of schedule. DIH director Marc Dixon said: “NBSL and the North East Business Support Fund were instrumental in assisting us in developing the Central Space branding for our flagship Central building on Parsons Court. “They have enabled us to work with Thrive Marketing to go the extra mile in terms of our branding and presentation for the building and our other space at Parsons Court.” Since launch, DIH have welcomed occupiers such as Miller Homes, Logico, Underwoods Electrical and Occupational Health, all helping to bring investment and employment to the area. NBSL’s Jonathan Barnes, who guided DIH throughout the grant support process, added: “County Durham is rich with innovative SMEs across a wide-range of industries and sectors, and none more so than DIH, which is a fantastic case study showing how this fund can bring investment and employment to Newton Aycliffe. “We understand some firms are put off by complex application processes, which is why we work with businesses to ensure it is as simple and straightforward as possible. We get to know people, understand the ambition for the business and help secure the funding or access masterclasses that will ignite their drive for growth. “2020 sees the final year of current funding. Over £300,000 is still available to Durham based businesses but time is running out. I urge anyone thinking about accessing support to get in touch and allow us to help as many businesses as possible reach their potential.” With time ticking on the North East Business Support Fund, NBSL are appealing for more county-wide businesses to come forward with projects that could attract grants of up to £3,200. NBSL relaunched The North East Business Support Fund (NEBSF) in 2018, focusing on funding County Durham businesses. The funding is open to SMEs for applications until September 2020, even those which have already accessed NBSL support in previous funding rounds. The inaugural round of funding was launched in 2012, since then NBSL has provided funding and support to businesses from an array of sectors spanning all corners of the region with a recent impact report finding that the fund has yielded an impressive £4.40 economic boost for every £1 invested. To find out more about the fund, visit: nbsl.org.uk/nebsf/county-durham/ grants, phone: [phone] or email: [email protected] RAIL INVESTMENT Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen hailed the announcement in the Chancellor’s Budget that the redevelopment of Darlington railway station will be approved and fully funded as a massive step forward for Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool. The £80m ask of Government came following months of highly constructive discussions between mayor Houchen, the Department of Transport and the Treasury on the importance of the upgrade in order to improve rail travel across the region. The approval of the Darlington station upgrade will unlock local capacity across the whole region. LOGICO BOOST After six intense months of putting stringent processes and procedures in place, transport compliance and management specialists Logico has been authorised as an audit provider for the Driver and Vehicles Standards Agency (DVSA). Logico, established in 2018, is the first and only company in the North East to become authorised auditors for the DVSA recognition. DIGITAL AWARD Changes to customer services that will see savings of hundreds of thousands of pounds have been recognised by a special award. The digital projects team at Durham County Council has successfully led the way in transforming the way in which customers interact with the authority, generating savings in excess of £700,000. The move has been applauded by the team winning the Modern Service Delivery Award from Granicus, an international company focused on helping government organisations build better customer experiences. AYCLIFFE BUSINESS We’re already working on the May- June 2020 issue of the new-look Aycliffe Business. If you like what you see, and want to get involved, email sharon@aycliffetoday. co.uk or call 01325 728024. The magazine for Aycliffe Business Park | 5