Aycliffe Today Business Issue 6 | Page 3

WELCOME FOREWORD By Craig Peterson Included in the September-October issue of Aycliffe Today Business… /03 WELCOME CONTENTS Bringing Aycliffe Business Park Together | 3 Carlton & Co boss Craig Peterson pens our special guest foreword for this issue… /04 NEWS I was delighted to be asked to provide the foreword to this month’s Aycliffe Today – the edition released when our Business Park, the second largest in the North East and home to more than 250 businesses, celebrates its 65th anniversary. The dynamic environment, mix of businesses (from Hitachi, Ebac et al down to the micro and SMEs) and overall community spirit of the Business Park (admirably garnered by the Aycliffe Business Park Community steering group and members) is something which is totally complementary to the ethos which drives us at Carlton and Co. It is our goal to help businesses to grow and thrive, supporting economic development and job creation. It makes logical sense, therefore, that we conduct all of our operations from a location of such diverse sector representation and regional employment significance. SMEs make up 99.9% of the total number of businesses in the UK providing some 59.1% of all private sector jobs and generating 48.7% of the total public sector turnover in the UK. As such they are a major landmark in the UK business landscape which is why we have created a business structure which provides support to grow, capital to grow and space to grow via our portfolio of businesses housed under the Growth Capital Ventures umbrella and which includes HUB Workspace. We already have some amazing businesses in our own micro-community of SMEs, where our wraparound services as well as collaborative initiatives between our tenants have resulted in a 100% track record of growth and employment creation. One of our tenants is Mantis Media, the company which is responsible for this very magazine, and I’m delighted to see this young firm prosper. Aycliffe Today Business has grown in stature and is maturing nicely. It started out with 16 pages, went to 20 pages after two issues and is now up to 24 – with more editorial content than advertising, despite the fact it’s free! There’s lots of exciting news packed into this issue, as well as some nice features on a number of our neighbours, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy reading this one. Finally, I also applaud the work of the Aycliffe Business Park steering group for the work they’re doing in pulling everyone together and keeping the lines of communication firmly open. Craig Peterson Carlton & Co AYCLIFFE TODAY BUSINESS Aycliffe Today Business is Newton Aycliffe’s first and ONLY specific Business-to-Business 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. Our next issue will be out in November, and we’re taking orders for advertising now, so get in touch. We’re also keen on carrying good editorial content, as well as advertisements. Our trained journalists can write your copy, while our professional designers can help to put your ads together, so we can help you every step of the way. Aycliffe Today Business… a quality magazine for a quality Business Park. Aycliffe Today Business | www.aycliffetoday.co.uk Produced by: Mantis Media, www.mantis-media.com Designed by: NEON, www.youareneon.co.uk Printed and distributed by: HPM Group, www.hpm.uk.com Editor: Martin Walker | Tel: [phone] | Mobile: [phone] Editorial: [email protected] | Advertising: [email protected] Contributors to this issue: Martin Walker, Craig Peterson, Rachel Wright, Jonathan Simpson, Paul Hargreaves, Dave Laws Photography: Martin Walker, Rachel Wright Steel firm Raisco take on more staff after winning more work Plus, an exclusive guest column from Sanderson Weatherall partner Jonathan Simpson /05 NEWS Aycliffe agency celebrates £400k hat-trick of programme wins! Plus, Hewitts Solicitors partner Paul Hargreaves gives some useful advice for employers /06 NEWS Strong seven months for Finley Structures as turnover tops £8.5m Aycliffe business leader praises Hitachi Plus, an exclusive column from NECC’s new President Dave Laws… /07 NEWS SWDT say goodbye to David Allison after 40 years Confidence ‘huge’ in Aycliffe Business Park Plus, our new Business Diary /09 NEWS Aycliffe brand specialist ??]?H?[\???]?????[??]??X\??]???YK[XZ?[??XX?[?HB???L??Q??T? ??UT???X[?Y?X?\?[??[?[??[?Y\?[??^X?][?????\??\???Y\??H?[?[??B?Y?Z[???H[???H?H??[?\?\???)????MH?U???HZ[??\?[?8?&\??[?[???\?B?[??\?[??H?]??^X?Y??H?[???\??XZ?HH?X??\???\??]??\?[?\??[???\?]X?H????)????M??U???H??[?H\??[YY[?[??X??B?YX\??HH???X??ZYHB???NH?U????\?????YX[??\?[?\???]?]?????\?[?Y[?8?)????H??TS?H???T??H[???]??Y??H??????\???X?Z]Y[?8?)?????L??B??T?S?T??T?P??B?H\?Y?[?ZYH????&\????^X?Y??H?\?[?\??\???)??????\???]\?^X?Y??]?^B??