MIDDLESBROUGH NEWS
TECH AWARDS WINNER RECRUITS FORMER AMBASSADOR
The winner of the Best Newcomer category at the 2022 Tees Tech Awards has appointed the man who was the awards ’ first Ambassador of the Year to its board .
Middlesbrough-based artificial intelligence and data science business SeerBI has made Dominic Lusardi its chief information officer and chair to help drive continued growth alongside product innovation and development .
In 2019 Dominic was recognised by the Sunday Times and Maserati as one of the top 100 entrepreneurs in the UK .
SeerBI , based in Teesside University ’ s Victoria House , said Dominic is highly skilled in identifying new business opportunities and developing strategies to capitalise on them .
PLANS REVEALED FOR FURTHER DIGITAL EXPANSION
Proposals are being made to continue the rapid expansion of Middlesbrough ’ s successful digital sector with new office accommodation , mayor Andy Preston announced .
Middlesbrough Council ’ s executive approved plans to look at the creation of a Boho 11 , which would be next to Boho X , giving the town an additional 35,000 sq ft of office space .
The current Boho office space comprises new-build and older renovated spaces . The most recent , Boho 8 , is fully let and Boho X is due to open in April with a full pre-let agreed with a major tech company .
The council ’ s executive approved feasibility works to scope potential costs and delivery of the project .
Mr Preston said : “ Demand for high-quality offices in Middlesbrough is sky high – we are bucking national trends and optimism is
huge .
“ We ’ re very confident if we build another building there will be fantastic , booming local companies who want central Middlesbrough as their home .”
The report before the executive stated : “ The council has received a number of enquiries already for any available space within the existing Boho buildings .
“ Upon completion of Boho X , once any residual space within Boho 1 and 5 have been filled , the council-managed assets within the Boho area will be at capacity .
“ The digital sector has a very positive impact on wealth creation within the local economy .
“ Depending upon the sector definition used , it is estimated Gross Value Added ( GVA ) within the digital sector is £ 57,000 per annum , which is higher than the Tees Valley average of £ 48,000 .”
Long-standing business sold to new firm with high aspirations
Engineering Installations Teesside , on Skippers Lane Industrial Estate in Middlesbrough , has been acquired by LSM Associates .
Founded in 1958 , Engineering Installations is an electrical , plumbing and heating and air conditioning installation business employing 16 people .
LSM Associates ’ Martin Poulter and his business partner will work with the existing management team , led by Vince Peel and Brian Duke , to capitalise on opportunities within Teesside and beyond .
UKSE , the Tata Steel businesssupport subsidiary , provided a sixfigure growth capital investment to support the transaction .
Also advising were Jenny Waters , Clive Owen LLP , Marc Allison and Eleanor Baird , Weightmans , John Taylor , Parker Barras , and Nigel Williams , of Endeavour Law .
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Karting centre marks start of new entertainment zone
Middlesbrough Mayor Andy Preston has hailed the opening of Level X , a huge family entertainment centre in Captain Cook Square , as the first in a string of exciting developments opening this year .
Families can enjoy the UK ’ s first electric karting experience of its style .
A 250-metre indoor track incorporating interactive elements is the centrepiece of the futuristic entertainment centre , inside the former TJ Hughes store .
Decorated with trendy neon lights and graffiti art , the huge venue also offers crazy golf with electronic scoring , 12 lanes of bowling , pool tables , virtual reality zones , arcades , dodgems , karaoke and food and drink .
FIRM TO RESEARCH POTENTIAL OF CREATING HYDROGEN FROM STEEL SLUDGE
Teesside-based Materials Processing Institute has agreed a partnership to develop a process capable of producing carbon-free hydrogen from steelmaking sludges .
Funded by the Department for Business , Energy and Industrial Strategy , the £ 173,000 feasibility study with Nanomox also seeks to extract valuable materials from the waste .
With 6.7m tonnes of steelmaking sludge stockpiled in the UK , a breakthrough would deliver economic and environmental benefits .
The use of carbon-free “ green ” hydrogen would transform the steel industry , currently one of the largest contributors to carbon dioxide emissions , by replacing coke and other polluting fossil fuels that currently power furnaces and convert iron ore to iron metal .