PoW reaches 100 ambassador ambition
NEWS
Opening – Stockton mayor John Gardner officially opened Power Plastics ’ new facility in Thornaby .
Mayor opens new Stockton manufacturing site
Power Plastics , a rapidly expanding manufacturing business , has opened its fourth manufacturing facility in the region .
The mayor of Stockton performed the official opening ceremony of a new manufacturing facility on Teesside Industrial Estate in Thornaby .
Power Plastics , innovators in cover solutions , hosted Stockton mayor Cllr John Gardner for the opening , which was also attended by company staff and Lt Col Andy Black , Army head of engagement North-East and Yorkshire , who signed the Armed Forces Covenant with the company .
The new manufacturing facility is the fourth Power Plastics site in the North- East and the second to be opened in the past 12 months , following the company ’ s acquisition of Bradford based ProTec Covers in November 2023 .
A campaign to empower young people in the North-East to aim higher has hit its initial target of signing up 100 pupil ambassadors , established after the publication of a report that claimed that Middlesbrough was the “ worst place for a girl to grow up ”.
The brainchild of the late Professor Jane Turner OBE , Power of Women ( PoW ) was established to reverse the predicted outcomes of girls and young women , and works with girls and boys in schools to show all young people how to raise their aspirations and ambition .
Its pupil ambassador programme was started in September 2021 with five schools in Teesside .
It now works in 24 schools in Middlesbrough , Stockton , Redcar , Hartlepool , Darlington , Aycliffe and Sunderland , and has inspired hundreds of children and young people to apply to become an ambassador .
With support from members of the business community , who provide financial support and give up their time to interview
The company now operates from four sites across Teesside and Yorkshire , totalling almost 100,000 square feet of manufacturing and engineering workspace . The firm ’ s MD Andy Beetles said : “ The last 24 months have seen the company go through a period of rapid expansion , off the back of new long-term contracts with the UK MOD and other European military bodies , in addition to sustained growth in the water industry , another key sector for the business .
“ Our significant growth in the military and water sectors has resulted in us outgrowing our existing sites in Thirsk and Teesside and opening not only this fantastic new facility on the Teesside Industrial Estate but an additional site in Bradford , where we have dramatically increased our fabric sewing capabilities .”
PoW reaches 100 ambassador ambition
Duo – POW head of operations Claire Preston ( right ) and campaign manager Sophie McKenna .
and appoint pupil ambassadors , the campaign , spearheaded by Claire Preston , continues to grow .
Campaign manager Sophie McKenna said : “ This year has been our biggest yet , working in 24 schools and 100 ambassadors – and we only want to get bigger !
“ But we can ’ t do it without the support of the local business community .”
BUSINESS BITES
AIRPORT ’ S DIGITAL ZONE A cutting-edge digital zone to break down trade barriers has taken another step closer to reality – with designs now lodged for planning permission .
The new 5G-enabled “ Digital Test Bed ” will see a private network cover a large stretch of Teesside Airport ’ s north side to help carry out a wide range of trade , goods movements , and digital processes .
Now plans to put the test bed in place have been submitted to Darlington Council – with a facility to test freight scanning software technologies , a covered workshop and cabins , and lighting and security fences all lined up to provide crucial infrastructure for the airport-based project .
TEESWORKS DEAL Stockton-based Mammoet has entered into an agreement to become the exclusive contractor for the provision of heavy lift and transport services at Steel River Quay , which lies at the heart of the Teesworks industrial zone in Teesside .
The contract covers the supply of specialist field personnel , mobile cranes , crawler cranes and SPMT trailers over a five-year period .
AMAZON SPECIALISTS GROW Amazon specialist marketing agency Seller Presto has moved into a larger office space in Middlesbrough ’ s thriving Boho Zone .
The independent agency has moved from Boho Zero to Boho 5 , creating a bigger workspace hub for all staff as part of the company ’ s hybrid model .
They have doubled their office space in the process , hoping to support further agency growth and create a collaborative workspace enabling team members and clients to come together .
NET ZERO EXPERIENCES More than 600 students from across our region have found out more about the clean , green career opportunities coming over the horizon .
Doors of more than 20 businesses were opened up as part of the Net Zero Experiences of the Workplace programme – with school pupils getting a taste of the wide variety of jobs available in the booming sector .
Major global firms including bp , Sembcorp , SeAH Wind , EDF and RWE all took part .
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