Aycliffe Today Business Issue 7 | Page 7

Bringing Aycliffe Business Park Together | 7 /NEWS BUSINESS DIARY Show me how.... to get noticed by Google A one-hour session and find out how you can improve your Google ranking with just a few key changes to your marketing. When: Tuesday November 19, 2013 (8.30-10.30am) DRIVER HIRE ON RIGHT TRACK AFTER TWO STRONG YEARS A local franchise of a national company based in Newton Aycliffe is quickly exceeding expectations after seeing turnover jump by 40 per cent in its first two years. Lisa Fleming bought the DL franchise for Driver Hire, a national network providing recruitment services to the transport and logistics industry, in 2011. What started out as a sole business with a small army of drivers has turned into a four-man office team based at Carlton House, on Aycliffe Business Park, and more than 100 drivers on its books. Driver Hire Darlington now supplies drivers to around 30 clients in the DL area. The firm started with an annual turnover of £220,000 in year ending December 2011 which rose to £240,000 in 2012. But this year it’s expected to jump to £380,000 – a rise of 42 per cent – with owner Lisa saying the firm’s performance is outpacing its original business plan. She has already appointed new business development assistant Joe Carpenter to her team, while David Symington, who has been with the company since June 2012, has been promoted to recruitment consultant manager. And Lisa plans to create two new jobs in the next few months to help her accommodate a growing client base. “I set the company up as I felt I could make a real difference to the local transport and logistics industry, says the ” ambitious 34-year-old, who’d previously managed a number of distribution centres before setting up her own business. “Having worked in the industry for a lot of years and after sharing the frustrations of local firms growing increasingly frustrated with the poor service offered by other organisations, I felt I could do a better job and offer a really top service. “I started out running it by myself and I’ve slowly added members of staff as I’ve gone along. “We now have four, including myself, and I want to appoint two new administrators in the next few months to ease the workload and to help us expand the business even further. ” Any firms or individuals wanting to know more about Driver Hire and its services can call David Symington on 01325 314887, or email darlington@ driverhire.co.uk PIC: Driver Hire Darlington managing director Lisa Fleming, driver CPT trainer Lee Wilmot, business development assistant Joe Carpenter and recruitment consultant manager David Symington. £8M BIOGAS FACILITY OPENS IN AYCLIFFE Where: Portland House, Belmont Business Park, Durham, DH1 1TW Cost: £12.50 (+ vat) E: [email protected] Phone: 0191 375 5700 Inventors wanted! Does your invention provide a unique solution to a real problem? Is your invention better than any existing products? Does your invention have a large potential market? Innovators and inventors are invited to attend free events that will we provide the information, resources, and contacts necessary to get your invention in the hands of these important people. When: Friday November 15 (10am-12noon) Where: Business Factory, North Tyneside Business Centre, Howard House, North Shields, NE30 1NT Cost: Free Email: [email protected] Phone: 0191 605 3110 Aycliffe Business Park Social Night The Aycliffe Business Park steering group has organised its first social event! When: PM, Wednesday December 4, 2013 Where: Planet Leisure Cost: £13 per person (includes bowling and food) For more details, email us and we’ll forward you details: [email protected] Christmas Party Night Book your places now for a fantastic Christmas Party night with a difference! To include entertainment, choice of hot and cold buffet and dessert. Individual and block bookings accepted. A new state-of-the-art food waste plant has opened in Newton Aycliffe, which will serve the North-East’s need to recycle food waste and create renewable energy. to create the technologically advanced facility. When: Friday December 6, 2013 Email: [email protected] Phone: 01325 787310 Emerald Biogas has completed its new anaerobic digestion (AD) plant, which is now ‘open for business’ and the first facility of its type in the region to begin operating. Over the past 12 months the building programme has progressed on schedule. The successful installation of the combined heat and power (CHP) system and other plant equipment has enabled the testing phase to be completed on time and the plant is now processing food waste and creating energy. The £8m facility, base BB?6?ffR'W6??W70?&???2F?R??'F??V7N( ?2f?'7B6???W&6???f??Bv7FRf6??G???Bv???vV?W&FP?V??Vv?V?W&w?F??vW""????W0?V6??V"??F?R??Bv26??7G'V7FVB'?V?FV0?&??v2v?$?W6??rF?R?FW7BFV6?????w???F?RBf6??G?BV?W&?B&??v0?6?&?6W726&B??7F?72?B?F?W ??FW&??2?gFV?76?6?FVBv?F?v7FP?g&??7WW&?&?WG2?f7Bf??B?WF?WG2??'W6??W76W2?B66????2?v?W&S?&VGv?'F??????FV????Ww2b?WGv?&???p?F?R?FW7B?VWF??r?&v??6VB'?F?P??6?ffR'W6??W72&?7FVW&??rw&?W??v?V????3???g&?F???V'?3??#@?v?W&S?D$0?6?7C?g&VP?wwr??6?ffV'W6??W77&??6??V????