Tees Business Tees Business Issue 15 | Page 73

Serving the Teesside Business Community | 73 / REDCAR AND CLEVELAND NEWS £107M FUNDING BOOST FOR CPI The Centre for Process Innovation, based in the Wilton Centre, near Redcar, recently received £107m from the government to help develop technologies for future manufacturing – putting Teesside at the heart of innovation and ground-breaking research. #TalkingUpTeesside T he Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) has welcomed confirmation of a £107m government funding package to help develop technologies for next generation manufacturing. The commitment, announced during a Cabinet visit to the North-East, covers a five- year period and will allow CPI to continue its extensive track-record of helping industry bridge the gap between innovation and commercialisation to bring new products and processes to market. The funding will be delivered as part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult (HVM Catapult) programme, which supports UK manufacturing in the commercialisation of cutting-edge technologies. The move will boost local growth and is expected to create highly-skilled jobs, with CPI playing a crucial role in delivering the government’s modern industrial strategy. CPI is the process manufacturing partner of the HVM Catapult network, which comprises seven centres across the UK and works from sites across the North-East. Supporting partners in markets such as healthcare, electronics, energy, aerospace, chemical processing, food and agriculture, transport and construction, CPI’s innovation processes and scientific expertise helps get products to market faster at lower cost. CPI chief executive Nigel Perry said: “This support will allow us to continue providing that vital support and position CPI as an increasingly important player in the government’s modern industrial strategy and Northern Powerhouse.” CPI has been given £107m of government funding to help develop Tees technologies. Ambassadors outline importance of culture and tourism A new era for Boulby Leading global specialty minerals firm ICL has marked the start of a new era for the Boulby mine in East Cleveland with its transition from potash production, which it has mined for more than 40 years, to becoming the world’s only producer of the revolutionary multi- nutrient mineral polyhalite. ICL president and CEO Raviv Zoller was at the mine to praise the efforts of all those involved in the transition and also to launch PotashpluS, one of a range of planned fertiliser products being developed by ICL, as part of the “FertilizerspluS” group of products, some of which are based on the advantages of the exclusive polyhalite resource produced in Boulby. SABIC BACKING FOR FUNDRAISER Hundreds of local schoolchildren have enjoyed a better summer break, thanks to chemical giant SABIC and business leader Claire Preston joining forces to support charity Teesside Philanthropic Foundation. More than £5,000 was raised for the Foundation’s Schools Hardship Fund when Claire – CEO of Tees educational firm Sound Training – organised a fundraising 50th birthday party at Middlesbrough restaurant, The Fork in the Road. The unique fundraiser enabled the Philanthropic Foundation to make substantial donations towards summer schools, activity clubs and healthy lunch canteens run by six Teesside schools during the six-week holiday. More than 90 business and community leaders from Redcar and Cleveland met to discuss the importance of culture and tourism to the local economy. The Redcar & Cleveland Ambassadors breakfast networking event at Redcar Racecourse included talks from some of the region’s most influential leaders. Frans Calje, PD Ports chief executive and chair of the Redcar & Cleveland place marketing project, opened the talks outlining the theme of the day: How culture, leisure and tourism can bring about positive change to the economy and the lives of local people. INSPIRING WOMEN PICK UP AWARDS Inspiring women from across Redcar and Cleveland were honoured at a special ceremony. Nearly 100 people attended the event at Redcar & Cleveland Leisure and Community Heart in Redcar and witnessed women being recognised for outstanding achievement: Theresa Cave, Julie Donaldson, Susan Sherrington, Joanna Fisher and Melanie Hennessey were all recognised by Redcar MP Anna Turley during the presentation.