To celebrate our award we would like to offer all current members of Norfolk Chamber of Commerce a 10% discount.
SSAF Window Films Ltd., we offer an extensive selection of window films tailored to enhance the appearance and performance of glass surfaces. Our product range includes:
Solar Control Films: Reduce heat and glare while maintaining natural light and clear views.
Privacy Films: Provide privacy without sacrificing daylight or aesthetics, ideal for office partitions and bathroom windows.
Energy Saving Films: Improve energy efficiency by reducing heating and cooling costs.
Safety and Security Films: Strengthen glass to protect against breakage and deter potential intruders.
Decorative Films: Enhance interior design with custom patterns, textures, and colours.
Bespoke films: Speak to our inhouse design team about having your brand printed onto window film.”
Stands are booking fast at the B2B Exhibition, which returns to Norwich City Football Club on Thursday 12 October 2017. Only 25% of exhibition stands are remaining with just 4 spaces left at the ‘Top of the Terrace’ level.
Building on its continued success year on year the B2B Exhibition is a key event in Norfolk’s commercial calendar that gives exhibitors unique access to network with a range of businesses and promote their products and services to the Norfolk Business community. Last year’s event sold out with over 100 exhibitors and more than 750 visitors and this year is shaping up to be even bigger!
To find out more about exhibiting or to book your stand, visit the event webpage or contact a member of the events team on 01603 625977.
Ahead of the general election, Norfolk Chamber is setting out the key Norfolk business asks for any future government. The Chamber is calling on all the political parties to consider the importance for Norfolk businesses to be able to access fast, reliable broadband.
Technology and how we use it is evolving rapidly, but Norfolk’s digital infrastructure needs to keep pace. As more and more businesses rely on technology, Norfolk Chamber is keen to ensure that both our digital infrastructure and our business community are ready to take advantage of new technology developments as they evolve.
Whilst approx. 86% of Norfolk has access to 24mbps, a recent British Chambers of Commerce survey, reported that the Norfolk business community still thought that Norfolk’s digital infrastructure was not yet totally fit for purpose. Throughout the county, significant numbers of companies of every size and sector said they lacked reliable internet connectivity – a basic requirement for businesses to operate efficiently in today’s world.
Commenting on the need to provide more access to superfast broadband, Lynsey Sweales, a Norfolk Chamber Board Member and Director of Social B said:
“A reliable broadband connection is absolutely vital for all companies, yet 20% of Norfolk companies suffer from unreliable connections. The BCC survey shows that firms in rural areas are at least twice as likely to have unreliable connections as those in towns. The focus of any future government must be on providing businesses with sufficient and reliable broadband connections to enable to them to do business confidently. Having a business in a rural location shouldn’t mean you sacrifice market opportunities, businesses operating in Norfolk as well as businesses looking to invest and trade with Norfolk businesses need broadband confidence to do business”
The survey also showed that with more reliable connections Norfolk businesses could do more. Over half of businesses (54%) said that if the reliability of their broadband connection was improved it would allow them to use more applications, particularly cloud-based services (24%), transfer of large files (16%), and remote server access for employees (14%).
Commenting on the need for further broadband improvements, Nova Fairbank, Public Affairs Manager for Norfolk Chamber said:
“Unreliable connections stunt productivity, causing needless delays, costs and frustration. While businesses across the county are affected, it is the rural areas and small businesses that are most likely to suffer. An unreliable connection acts as a barrier to growth, and puts those companies most in need of support at a competitive disadvantage.
“These are a few of the reasons why Norfolk Chamber is calling for any future government to commit to more investment in broadband infrastructure across our county to ensure that local businesses, whether they are based in the city, market towns or in rural locations, can be compete on a level playing field with the rest of the UK and beyond.”
People in Norfolk who support the need for upgrades to the A47 are being encouraged to go along to an event this Friday (21 July) to leave the organisation responsible for the road in no doubt of the local appetite for improvements.
Highways England, the government company charged with operating, maintaining and improving England’s motorways and major A roads including the A47, has announced it will be holding a roadshow event in a mobile unit at Tesco Extra on Kingston Road in Dereham on Friday between 12 and 7pm. As well as featuring an exhibition of plans for upcoming major roadworks in the region, Highways England staff will be available to talk to people about improvements to the A47.
Further Highways England roadshows are planned for later in the summer, including in King’s Lynn, Attleborough, Great Yarmouth and Hopton, so if people can’t make this Friday’s event in Dereham, there will be other opportunities to speak to Highways England in person to press the case for improvements to the A47. Further details on these events are expected to be announced shortly.
Highways England has announced £300 million of improvements to the A47 with works slated to start in 2019/20 financial year. Of the six schemes announced, four will be on sections of the road in Norfolk. These are:
Dualling the A47 North Tuddenham to Easton;
Dualling the A47 Blofield to North Burlingham;
Improving the A47/A11 Thickthorn junction;
Improving A47 Great Yarmouth junctions including reconstruction of the Vauxhall Roundabout.
Norfolk County Council welcomed the announcement of this investment and has offered to work with Highways England to ensure the work can get under way at the earliest opportunity. As part of its role on the A47 Alliance, a campaigning group that brings together the business community, local authorities, MPs and others, Norfolk County Council is pushing for central government to commit to making further improvements to the route with an ultimate goal to see the whole of the road dualled.
Martin Wilby, Chairman of Norfolk County Council’s Environment, Development and Transport Committee and Chairman of the A47 Alliance, said: “We need to take every opportunity to bang the drum for investment in the A47, and there is no doubt the message comes across much louder and clearer when you hear it from the many rather than the few. Please help us, if you can, to show the strength of local feeling on the subject.
“We’re making improvements and working on transport projects on roads that the County Council is responsible for that will help to ease traffic congestion, make roads safer and shorten journey times. However getting the A47 improved so it can cope with the amount of traffic using it now but also in the future is vital to the county’s success. It’s the key that will unlock a lot of other investment, including attracting businesses and high-skilled jobs, and improving quality of life for those who use the route regularly.”
The A47 Alliance agreed its priorities for securing further improvements along the route earlier this year. The schemes in Norfolk that have been identified as a priority are dualling the Acle Straight between Acle and Great Yarmouth and dualling the A47 Tilney to East Winch, including the Hardwick flyover, south of King’s Lynn.
Below is the latest update on the Qatari situation from our colleagues at the British Chamber of Commerce Qatar.
STATEMENT ON THE GCC/QATAR TRADE EMBARGO
Following the severing of diplomatic ties with Qatar by many of its regional neighbours, most notably by Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, the Qatar government has reacted promptly to stabilise the economy and ensure commercial and trade relations remain undamaged. The government has also stated that it intends to continue its current infrastructure and development program on the same timetable as before The general reaction from the market is that it remains business-as-usual.. Many British companies have reported that the trade embargo has not yet had any significant impact on their UK-Qatar business.
The primary impact has been the need to reroute cargo (both flights and shipping) via Oman and Kuwait. The Qatar authorities have moved swiftly to agree new measures to strengthen the trade and shipping links with the Omani ports of Sohar and Salalah and similarly to reinforce air links with Kuwait, Muscat and other hubs in the wider region. That net effect has inevitably meant small delays to cargo shipments and increased transportation costs. But overall, the impact has not been as dramatic as initially feared and shipments are now arriving on a regular basis.
The British Chamber of Commerce Qatar (BCCQ) remains confident that the long-term economic prospects for Qatar look exceedingly strong. While it is hard to say how quickly and amicably the dispute will be resolved, attractive business opportunities in all sectors remain for UK businesses to expand trade with Qatar. In the eyes of the business community in Qatar the breakdown in relations has not affected commercial and economic affairs unduly. For those UK companies with existing business in Qatar or immediate prospects, the British Chamber would encourage you to renew contact with your key customers and partners and make early plans to visit the market. For those UK businesses based in UAE, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia or who trade with Qatar through partners and agents based there we would urge you to contact the British Chamber to discuss how best to approach the market in the light of the current trade embargo.
The British Chamber of Commerce Qatar would like to encourage those who have enquiries about the current commercial market in Qatar to contact us. We are happy to provide further information and advice to UK businesses keen to trade in Qatar.
The British Chamber of Commerce Qatar 18th July 2017
It’s that time of year again to book your stand at the Chamber’s B2B at the Royal Norfolk Showground. An excellent opportunity to engage with other businesses and make new connections.
We all know what a great platform it is to showcase your business to others and potential customers but how do you stand out in a sea of exhibition stands?
What can you offer in addition to sweets and pens, but which does not cost the earth? Something that doesn’t involve lugging boxes of goodies or arranging delivery of items to your stand with all the associated costs.
Why not capture their attention by offering a complimentary massage?
People walk past so quickly. By offering something just a little different to everyone else in the room, the chance to take the weight of your feet for 5-10 minutes, relax, close your eyes and enjoy a back neck and shoulder massage just may make them slow down.
It always sparks curiosity and once one person is in the chair it’s not long before you have a queue of people waiting their turn. What better opportunity to talk to your captive audience about what you do, find out more about them and see if there is a way you can work together.
It’s so easy, we just turn up, place the massage chair in one corner of your stand and within 5 minutes we are ready to go!
We can even wear T-shirts with your company branding.
Have us there all day or just for a few hours in the busy part of the day. Setting up and taking down the massage chair is easy and with little disruption – it’s done in minutes.
Do you want to learn how to get started in international trade?
Do you want to export to new markets and increase your revenue through overseas sales?
Do you want to grow your business by networking with other exporters and hearing from experienced market specialists?
Join us at the British Chambers of Commerce International Trade Summit on 12th October 2017 at the Vox Conference Centre, Birmingham for the practical advice, contacts and resources you need to take your exporting journey to the next level.
Participate in interactive breakout sessions that focus on the practical aspects of exporting and hear from experienced business leaders, which in previous years has included Sarah Wood (Co-founder and CEO, Unruly) and Lord Deighton (Chairman, Heathrow) among others. Explore trade opportunities in new markets through the exclusive insights of our Global Business Network, which is made up of over 25 international Chambers. Network with fellow exporters and grow your connection base at our biggest trade event of the year.
Book your place now to attend this inspiring event, and find out more about our other events packages which include entry to the Annual International Dinner. Discounts available for Chamber members.
Julie Austin, International Trade Manager, said: “This is a great opportunity for Norfolk businesses, for those who are already exporting and looking for new markets or who are looking at entering the export arena for the first time. Not only will you learn more about exporting, you will be introduced to opportunities overseas and be able to speak with other exporting businesses. I will be attending the summit on behalf of Norfolk Chamber and I look forward to meeting you there.”
Commenting on the first estimate of GDP for Q2 2017, published yesterday by the ONS, Nova Fairbank, Public Affairs Manager for Norfolk Chamber, said:
“The first estimate of economic activity for Q2 2017 of 0.3% on the previous quarter is broadly in line with our expectations, though slightly lower than our current forecasts
“UK economic growth remains unbalanced, with the service sector accounting for all of the growth recorded in Q2, while the industrial production and construction sectors were a drag on growth in the quarter.
“Inflation is likely to continue to rise in the coming months and this could trigger a marked economic slowdown by increasing the squeeze on consumer spending. Rising inflation together with continued uncertainty over the longer-term impacts of Brexit is also likely to stifle Norfolk business investment intentions.
“The recent Chamber Quarterly Economic Survey confirmed that Norfolk’s service sector, was the key driver of economic growth. But consumer-facing industries such as retail outlets and hotels reported weaker growth rates. Many Norfolk firms reported rising concern over raw material costs and pay settlements.
“Our view for the future growth of the UK economy remains slightly muted by historic comparison, with a combination of the uncertainty over Brexit negotiations, increased inflation caused by the depreciation of Sterling and an expected softening of both consumer spending and business investment over the coming year. Government can support confidence in the near term by being clearer over its desired outcome of the Brexit negotiations (and we applaud the softening of its stance over the past week) and by greater commitments to investment, particularly in infrastructure, as well as accelerating its plans for its new industrial strategy.”
Howes Percival has recruited Partner Piet van Gelder as the firm’s first ever Head of Construction, to meet the growing demand for construction law services.
Piet’s appointment follows a period of sustained growth for Howes Percival’s wider real estate and development team, which is nationally recognised and has advised on some of the largest development projects both regionally and beyond.
Piet is a specialist construction and engineering lawyer who advises clients in the construction, engineering and renewable energy sectors and in respect of compliance with the new regime under the Building Safety Act. Piet has experience over the whole lifecycle of projects from compliance with building regulations, procurement and resolving commercial issues and project accounts.
Piet has been involved with many engineering projects outside the renewables sector including nuclear waste plants, process engineering plants, sequence batch reactors and waste to energy plants.
He has been involved in substantial disputes in the Technology & Construction Court and in international & domestic arbitration, as well as an experienced practitioner in adjudication and a keen proponent of mediation.
Lucy Lord, Partner and Head of Property at Howes Percival, commented, “We are delighted to welcome Piet to Howes Percival to head up and grow our construction offering. Piet has a wealth of experience and a strong client following. He is a great recruit for us and brings the calibre and credibility we need to align with the strength of our development team and take our proposition to the next level. The local and national market in development terms remains very strong and we are seeing our development instructions increase quarter on quarter. As a result, we need to expand our construction offering which is a critical specialism for our development clients.”
Norwich Airport is looking for the local business community to help them secure new air services and further develop existing services from Norwich to key city destinations.
As part of the discussion process with potential air carriers, it is invaluable for the airport’s Aviation Development Team to be able to present ‘real world’ data in terms of the travel demand of businesses in our region.
What are your domestic and international travel requirements? Have your say now
Commenting on the Home Secretary’s decision to ask the independent Migration Advisory Committee to evaluate the present and future impacts of migration on the UK economy, Nova Fairbank, Public Affairs Manager for Norfolk Chamber said: “We welcome the Home Secretary’s decision to commission rigorous and independent analysis to inform the shape of our future immigration system. The Norfolk business community tell us that immigration rules need to be based on an objective look at economic trends and needs, which are better evaluated by the experts on the Migration Advisory Committee than by politicians or commentators. “Over the coming years, changes to the UK immigration system should be based on firm evidence, input from employers, and a clear understanding of the different requirements facing each region and nation. While businesses are committed to filling vacancies locally wherever they can, they will still need access to both EU and global candidates with a range of skills in the future. We will work with the British Chambers of Commerce to ensure that the views of Norfolk businesses are heard loud and clear by the Migration Advisory Committee over the coming year.” On EU nationals, she added: “Amber Rudd has given EU nationals and their employers some much-needed reassurance, by signalling that any significant changes to the immigration rules for EU citizens will take place in an orderly fashion over time. Businesses need clear information to support their existing employees – and to know, right now, who they can hire with confidence over the coming years. “The Home Secretary has given some important reassurances for EU nationals working in UK businesses, and for those businesses considering hiring EU nationals in the immediate future. Her department now needs to work with employers to get the detail right, and ensure that EU nationals do not face complex administrative processes to confirm their status here in the UK.”
