KLM UK Engineering is delighted to announce that they have been awarded overall winners of Performance in Aviation Safety at the Baines Simmons Fourth European Aviation Safety Symposium on Tuesday 3rd November. The awards showcased the importance of moving beyond compliance to safety performance by illustrating practical examples of safety implementation and improvement from across the aviation industry
KLM UK Engineering (KLMUKE) was nominated for these awards by Alex Segens, Safety & Compliance Manager, who has been instrumental in the implementation of KLMUKE’s Safety Management System. KLMUKE started development of its Safety Management System in 2007 and over the last two years KLMUKE has put dedicated resource in place to embed its safety vision, values and behaviours across the business, with an internal brand recognisable by all ‘Accountable in everything we do’. Alex Segens comments, ‘Removing barriers, challenging cultural ‘norms’ and making risk based decisions is at the heart of KLM UK Engineering’s safety strategy’.
“Now is the time to act if companies want to exploit opportunities in the nuclear supply chain.”
That was the message from John Ransford, Lead Assessor for the Government’s Fit 4 Nuclear programme, speaking at New Anglia Growth Hub’s ‘Energise your Business’ event.
Held at Sprowston Manor on Thursday 12 November, the event highlighted growing opportunities for businesses to capitalise on the wide range of contracts across the energy industry.
Mr Ransford said that there is enormous scope for all sectors, not just manufacturing, to supply power stations across the East of England, UK and worldwide.
“We need controls and electrics, water systems, washing systems, fencing, catering, cooling and ventilation, fabrication, office equipment, transportation and much, much more. We need 10,000 pairs of safety boots, which need replacing every three months.
“If you want to supply nuclear, you’ll need a 60 year order book. Contractors are looking for sustainable relationships over a long period of time. There are 176 reactors to be built across the world. When you think about nuclear power stations, don’t just think about your local one. It’s a case of understanding where your products and capabilities could fit into the supply chain.”
Mr Ransford explained that only companies that can prove that they have the right systems and processes in place will be successful in procuring contracts.
He added: “Manufacturers will have to demonstrate the right culture and behaviour; that they invest in training and, importantly, can achieve zero accidents in the production of their components or delivery of their services.”
The event was organised by New Anglia Growth Hub, which provides free business support and has helped around 4,000 businesses since its launch in June 2014. Other presentations were given by Business Doctors, UK Trade & Investment and GROW:OffshoreWind.
“Competition for contracts is fiercer than ever before,” concluded John Stenhouse, Growth Hub Manager. “Businesses that draw upon the knowledge and experience of our partners, will have the best opportunity to win new business in these lucrative industries.
“We are delighted that over 30 businesses from across the East attended to better understand the opportunities for growth in the energy sector and we look forward to supporting these ambitions.”
New complimentary Patent Desk service provides companies with specialist guidance on obtaining and protecting patent rights.
Novagraaf has launched Patent Desk, a new and complimentary service for companies and individuals seeking to understand and capitalise on patent protection for new inventions. The service is provided by patent specialists in Norwich with additional support from Novagraaf’s London-based attorneys.
Both existing and new customers can contact the Patent Desk by emailing patentdesk@novagraaf.com or by sending in an enquirythrough the website.
What does the Patent Desk do? For many businesses, obtaining and enforcing patents can appear to be a complicated and expensive process. Unsure which inventions are eligible for protection, but without the budgets to take the necessary advice, many companies are missing the opportunity to fully capture and realise the possibilities of their intellectual assets.
Novagraaf’s new Patent Desk service seeks to redress this balance by providing complimentary advice for both existing and new customers, and by streamlining the process to minimise cost once inventions have been identified for protection.
How does the Patent Desk work? Companies are invited to send their patent enquiries to patentdesk@novagraaf.com. Our helpdesk specialists will review the enquiries, send back initial responses based on common queries or indicate where further information or specialist support is required.
For example, this could include advice on identifying inventions that are worthy of protection, selecting territories in which to obtain that protection, budgeting for IP filings, or understanding how best to protect and maximise patent assets in a competitive marketplace.
Is the Patent Desk right for me? Novagraaf’s Patent Desk service has been designed to facilitate the process of protecting and enforcing patent assets. It is a complimentary and confidential service that aims to provide much-needed support for businesses of all sizes and industries. Find out more by emailing patentdesk@novagraaf.com or by speaking to your Novagraaf consultant.
Delta-Simons Environmental Consultants Limited is pleased to announce the appointment of Alex Ferguson as Managing Director. Alex has been with Delta-Simons for 15 years, and has been instrumental in the ongoing development and growth of the company. Alex previously held the position of Operations Director within the business.
Other appointments include Damian Robinson, Divisional Director for Leeds and Manchester, who joins the Executive team. Whilst Paul Bennett has been appointed as Unit Director – Regions.
The new appointments reflect the enhancement of the senior management structure to support the continued success and growth of Delta-Simons. In 2015, the company opened offices in London, Manchester, Leeds and Dublin, and now operate from seven locations in the UK, with the HQ in Lincoln and offices in Norwich and Durham.
Delta-Simons provides support and advice within the property development, asset management, corporate and industrial markets. As a founder member of the Inogen Environmental Alliance, Delta-Simons is also able to deliver environmental, H&S and sustainability projects worldwide.
For more information about our employees, see Our People page.
A fire and rescue service has given the first service-free fire extinguisher its greatest “stamp of faith” – by signing exclusive rights to sell it.
County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service is so impressed with the performance and cost-savings offered by the Norfolk invented and manufactured P50 it has signed a ground-breaking agreement with manufacturer Britannia Fire to be its exclusive distributor across five counties in the North East.
Money generated by the sales of the award-winning UK-manufactured extinguisher, made from the same material as bulletproof vests, will be injected back into the fire service to offset cuts.
County Durham and Darlington is the first fire and rescue service to sell the recyclable extinguisher that saves companies and organisations tens of thousands in annual service contracts. Invented and developed by Britannia Fire owner Roger Carr at his Norfolk factory, the Kevlar-wrapped extinguisher only requires three simple in- house steps.
The agreement to sell the P50 across Durham and Darlington, Tyne and Wear, Cleveland and Northumberland is the first commercial operation of the service’s new trading arm, Vital Fire Solutions (VFS) Ltd – a sister company to its Community Interest Company.
In return, Norfolk-based Britannia Fire will work closely with Durham to promote the service’s extensive portfolio of business and industrial safety training courses and its new multi-million pound state of the art training facility in Bowburn near Durham.
Britannia Fire General Manager Andy Spence said the agreement was a “massive endorsement of the P50” after a year of discussions.
“This is phenomenal for Britannia Fire and the endorsement we have worked towards. No fire service enters into an agreement like this lightly.
“For a fire service to recognise the value of the P50 as an efficient fire fighter and the cost savings it offers customers by eliminating the need for costly annual service contracts demonstrates the worth of the P50 in the market.”
“We are replacing metal extinguishers with the P50 across the UK and internationally via our growing list of distributors – in supermarkets, university campuses, the banking sector, police force buildings and other organisations.
“Our export market is across Europe and the Middle East, with discussions with potential distributors on other continents.
“Our factory is running at capacity now with new distributors in the UK and across the world joining every day.”
Tony Grufferty, Business Development Manager for County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service’s Community Interest Company, said: “For a fire service to do this is a stamp of faith in the product.”
“The P50 is endorsed by the service as an innovative product that we believe can help businesses, organisations and individuals protect their premises and keep people safe.”
The P50 was launched in 2010 after years of development by Britannia Fire owner Roger Carr, who has 50 years’ experience in the fire extinguisher industry. The P50 is the world’s first corrosion-free fire extinguisher.
Smaller 4kg and 2kgs are due to be launched later this year for the domestic and car markets.
Produced and distributed by TMS Media.Rachel Moore – rachel@tmsmedia.co.uk, 01493 662929
Winter – the time for drawing the curtains and snuggling up by the fire – or is it?
For some young people there will be no curtains, and certainly no heating. We can’t begin to imagine what it must be like to sleep rough in the Winter, especially if you are a vulnerable young person.
What we can do, though, is to help raise money for a deserving local charity and have a taste of what it feels like to sleep outside on a Winter’s night. This is why Fiona and Lesley from Norwich Sunblinds signed up for the charity event Sleep Out Norwich.
Although they won’t even have a small taste of what it feels like to be scared and alone on the streets, the thought of sleeping out in the cold, on the concrete, was enough to make us think twice before signing up. If it helpsraise awareness – even if it encourages people to stop and talk to a homeless person, it will be worth it.
The charity in question is The Benjamin Foundation – a Norfolk charity supporting children, young people and families with a wide range of issues including homelessness. They celebrated their 21st birthday in October – we were there to help them celebrate.
Part of their work involves providing accommodation centres for young adults provide support and a safe place to live while they help them get their lives back on track.
At Norwich Sunblinds, we can help people sleep well with our blinds and curtains, and now we want to help those who are homeless sleep safely at night.
Norwich International Airport has formally unveiled brand new Flybe routes to Alicante and Malaga, with tickets for the region’s first sunshine flights in almost a decade now on sale at www.flybe.com .
The new routes are made possible following a deal between Norwich Airport owners Rigby Group and Flybe last month. The Alicante and Malaga services will both operate twice a week and the return of Saturday flights to Jersey for peak summer, combined with the other holiday flights available at the airport, brings the total number of holiday flights out of Norwich up to 20 per week.
Andrew Bell, who heads up RCA (Regional and City Airports), the airport management division of Rigby Group PLC and owners of Norwich, said: “We are delighted to be able to announce that the 2016 summer sunshine routes to Alicante and Malaga are on sale. A lot of hard work has gone into securing these routes for the region, and we’re confident that the ability to fly direct from the East – avoiding the stress and travel involved in the major London airports – will once again prove to be a big hit with our customers.
“Combining these scheduled sunshine routes with our existing business routes and growing number of holiday flights means Norwich is getting ready for a very busy 2016.”
Tickets to Alicante and Malaga are available for booking at www.flybe.com and are currently available for travel from 27th March through to 30th September 2016.
FLYBE’S 2016 SUMMER SCHEDULE FROM NORWICH (NWI)
ALICANTE (ALC)- two flights a week (Tue/Fri)
Dep NWI 1440 Arr ALC 1815 Dep ALC 1205 Arr NWI 1350
MALAGA (AGP) – two flights a week (Mon/Thurs)
Dep NWI 1445 Arr AGP 1845 Dep AGP 1215 Arr NWI 1405
JERSEY (JER) – Saturdays 7th May – 17th Sep
Dep JER 0905 Arr NWI 1020 Dep NWI 1105 Arr JER 1225
Low oil price & implications for people management?
Recently the Norfolk Chamber organised a breakfast seminar “Trends in the Energy Industry” in Great Yarmouth.
If you attended this event you might also be interested to know that Peter Lawrence from Human Capital Department will be speaking at the World Oil and Gas Week on 17th Nov 15 in London (Lancaster Hotel, W1) on a related topic: Implications of low oil price trend for people management strategies.
Peter, who is currently transitioning from a Senior HR role with leading LNG Op. Co. in Qatar, to HR consultancy human capital department, based in Kings Lynn, will be part of a panel discussion on “Talent Management Strategies in the light of the low oil price”.
For those unable to attend Peter has produced a free executive presentation – please email peter.lawrence@humancapitaldept.com or tel. 01553 609968 for a copy.
The David Lawrence Construction Skills Centre, a £3.75m construction training centre designed by LSI Architects, at Easton and Otley College’s Easton campus has been officially opened. The New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership has invested £2.5m in the new construction training centre whichwill enable the college to treble its number of construction students.The Construction Skills Centre project is the first of the LEP’s Regional Growth Fund supported projects to be completed, with the dealfor the region’s £221M signed by Lord Hesseltine at the turf cutting ceremony for the centre in March of this year.
This will help overcome a growing shortage of skilled workers which threatens the industry’s ability to meet demand, including key targets for house building.
Mark Pendlington, chairman of New Anglia LEP said: “This new construction training centre means the next generation of bricklayers, carpenters and electricians will be learning their skills in state of the art facilities.
“And with three times as many apprentices and students coming into the construction sector over the coming years, the college can make a very real change to the housing picture in Norfolk and Suffolk and nationally too.”
The new training centre will offer training in skills including bricklaying, joinery, site carpentry and electrical. The college’s Suffolk campus has been offering construction training for more than 10 years, with the Norfolk site having launched its first courses for the sector in 2012.
David Henley, principal of Easton and Otley College, said: “I joined the college in April 2015 and the creation of such a fantastic resource – that will bring masses of opportunities to apprentices, students and industry – is one of the many reasons why I chose to work for this great college.
“In terms of construction, since 2012 in Norfolk, we have trebled the amount of construction students we teach in three years and we are aiming to do the same again in the next three to four years thanks to this new investment. We are confident that our new building will be a flag-ship centre for construction skills in the East.”
David Lawrence, the college’s former principal, who will name and open the building, said: “The college has played such a huge positive part in my life I’m so very honoured that the college has decided to name this superb facility after me. It is very humbling and the official opening will be a very proud day for my family and I.”
Rupert Kitchen, partner at LSI architects, said: “The Construction Skills Centre will play an important role in addressing the employment shortfall that currently frustrates the growth ambitions of many regional construction sector businesses.
“The large scale, simple form, new building is the college’s most recent addition to the campus, following the pattern of development set out by the wider campus master plan drawn up by LSI Architects.”
HRH The Prince of Wales’ charity Business in the Community (BITC) is calling on Norfolk based businesses to showcase how they are taking practical action to address pressing issues as the 2016 Responsible Business Awards open for entries.
The most prestigious and respected awards championing responsible business in the UK and abroad will identify and celebrate inspiring examples of businesses making a difference by creating stronger communities, building more inclusive workplaces and tackling societal and environmental challenges.
Now in its 19th year, the awards are open to companies of all sizes – from SMEs to multi-national companies – and across all sectors. It represents the breadth of the growing responsible business movement with categories appealing to a wide range of positive business activities, from helping young people develop skills for the future to investing in the wellbeing of employees.
Stephen Howard, Chief Executive, Business in the Community said “The Responsible Business Awards are so powerful because they provide tangible, practical examples of how businesses are making a difference every day to the pressing local and global challenges affecting us all. The awards reward those actions which both drive change in our communities, and deliver real benefit to business in the process. By lifting up those that genuinely inspire, we show that businesses are very much part of the solution to building a fairer and more sustainable future. We encourage Norfolk firms to get involved.”
The closing date for entries is 12 February 2016. For further information about the 2016 Responsible Business Awards, including the full list of categories, the assessment criteria and application forms visit www.bitc.org.uk/awards
For a while it was an advertising sector in need of a name as it’s been developing rapidly and in so many ingenious ways. But what to call it? The consensus is ‘Digital Out Of Home’ (DOOH) – and the amount of productions we’re involved in has grown exponentially of late.
Evidence of our involvement can be found on vertical plasma screens in shopping malls, student unions, bus-shelters and in-stores. If you travel on the Stansted Express into London, you’ll even find our work on the ticket terminals! And also the animated messages coursing around the edges of football grounds or high above Piccadilly Circus. Plus videos projected across the tracks of the London Underground or sequentially screened up the escalators.
In fact DOOH is such a radical addition to the communications toolbox that it takes skilled and visionary agencies to fully embrace the exciting possibilities for their clients. We’re fortunate to work with three of them – Accord, bigdog and BBA Digital – and we’re proud to display just a fraction of their output within our latest DOOH showreel.
So if you’re thinking of adding DOOH to your campaign, we’ll be happy to help you get on screen whatever theshape, size or location!
Leading independent electrical retailer, Gerald Giles is celebrating after winning two prestigious national industry awards. At an event in London in late October, the business, based on Ber Street, Norwich, won Consumer Electronics Retailer of the Year and Independent Marketing Campaign of the Year at the ERT Awards. The store was also a finalist in the Consumer Electronics Showroom category.
Now in their eighth year, the ERT Awards are aimed at recognising excellence and outstanding achievements in the electrical retailing sector. This year’s event was also a celebration of 125 years of ERT magazine, which first published in 1890.
Commenting on the Marketing award, Paul Giles, MD of Gerald Giles said, “Much hard work goes into creating the graphics for promotions, planning media and organising the customer events we run. None of this would be possible without the creativity and hard work of my marketing team and our agency, Communicate Marketing.”
He added, “The CE Retailer of the Year award is a great recognition of the fantastic achievements for everyone at Gerald Giles in 2015. This year has seen many changes with a new shop front, roof and interior displays the resulting improved showroom has brought a big upturn in sales. To be honoured at a national level by receiving this prestigious ERT award makes it all worthwhile.”