FEATURE
BANGING THE DRUM
United - left to right , Resolution director Dave Allan , tech entrepreneur Richard Bendelow , Tees Components MD Sharon Lane , Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen , Middlesbrough College CEO Zoe Lewis , PD Ports CEO Frans Calje , Paul Booth CBE and Resolution director Martin Walker .
Bosses deliver upbeat message at magazine launch
WORDS : DAVE ROBSON PICTURES : CHRIS BOOTH
Welcome – Dave Allan greets guests at the launch event .
18 | Tees Business
Business leaders and the Tees Valley mayor spelt out some of the region ’ s key selling points at the launch of a magazine that bangs the drum for our area .
Almost 200 people gathered at Teesside International Airport for the unveiling of This Is Tees Valley 2022 – a national publication celebrating all that ’ s best about this area .
Produced by Tees Business creators Resolution Media and Publishing in partnership with Tees Valley Combined Authority , it ’ s intended the magazine will find its way to movers and shakers across the country and beyond .
And when asked to name some of the area ’ s key selling points at the event , which was sponsored by Womble Bond Dickinson , an expert panel agreed there was much to shout about .
The panel comprised PD Ports CEO Frans Calje , Tees Components MD and former Tees Businesswoman of the Year Sharon Lane , Middlesbrough College principal and CEO Zoe Lewis , AeroCommerce founder and tech entrepreneur Richard Bendelow and Paul Booth CBE , who sits on several boards and is chair of Teesside University ’ s board of governors .
And Mr Booth suggested the Tees Valley had not one but FOUR key selling points : its tech sector , its existing industries , its infrastructure and , most importantly , its people .
He said : “ Look back over the last 20 or 30 years . We ’ ve had a lot of knocks but what I see is resilience , adaptability and an ability to embrace change . That ’ s very important if you ’ re a new business coming into this region – those qualities will allow us to grow and prosper .”
Frans Calje felt infrastructure was a major “ plus ” factor . He said : “ I do a lot of work globally but I ’ ve never come across an area as specific as the Tees Valley in terms of the infrastructure it has to offer .
“ Industry and heavy manufacturing – a lot of people want to have it but not in their back yard . This is the only area I ’ ve come across where people say , ‘ Do you know what ? Bring it here , we ’ ll have it ’.”
Zoe Lewis said it felt like the area was “ on the cusp of a new reimagination of Teesside .”
She told the audience : “ Where else has massive brownfield sites surrounded by great national parks with fantastic people ? We ’ ve got all the ingredients , all the building blocks – but we need the inward investment , we need the ambition , to bring the volume .”
Sharon Lane , whose company celebrates its 60th anniversary next year , said Teesside ’ s manufacturing supply chain was a key strength .
She said : “ Historically , the high skill levels