LATEST NEWS

Week Ending 14th July 2006

Please note: Unless stated, it is to be assumed that the companies mentioned have not given consent for an article to be published about them. To progress further, please contact the Officer responsible for the item.

ADVICE SERVICE’S £14m BOOST FOR NORTH WEST FIRMS

New figures from the DTI today [WEDS] show the value of North West firms who have enjoyed support from the manufacturing advisory service over the past year has been boosted by more than £14m.

MAS gives businesses independent straightforward practical advice from manufacturing experts who themselves have years of hands on experience. The service is subsidised, and for smaller firms much of the help is free. Companies who have used MAS have found it increases the value of their business through a combination of increased turnover and reduced costs. The value of the firms who have used MAS North West has gone up by £14.4m.

In its first four years, MAS North West has handled 14,719 enquiries, made 2,507 advisory visits, and helped the region’s firms with 1,037 in-depth projects.

Areas where MAS has helped companies add value include:

· productivity, which has risen by more than a quarter nationally.

· use of space - improved by a third.

· efficient use of equipment- up by a third.

· waste in the production process - cut by 28 per cent;

· orders delivered on time - up by 28 per cent.

Margaret Hodge, Minister for Industry and the Regions, said MAS had shown it could help manufacturers respond to the challenges of competition, raw materials costs and rising energy prices.

She said: “3.5m people work in manufacturing and they contribute more than £150 billion a year to our GDP.

“We do all we can to encourage and support high value manufacturing. One way we can do this is by maintaining a stable and growing economy, with low inflation. But we also need to provide help and advice tailored to individual firms, and this is where MAS fits in.

“The latest results show that progress has been sustained in the fourth year of a very successful programme. As the Chancellor recognised in his 2006 budget speech, there is no doubt that MAS has a continuous role to play in the future.”

The 2005-6 figure takes the value-added total for the four years since MAS began to £224m, according to figures in the latest MAS annual report. The budget for the service has been £41m for that period, showing a good return on the money put in. Almost 15,000 firms have had detailed diagnostic advice, and 4,700 in depth improvement projects have been delivered to firms.

One North West firm, Money Controls, was able to coin in on a global market which is expected to generate £1.5 million worth of sales for the business next year, thanks to help from MAS North West. The manufacturing business, which designs and produces coin, bill and cashless systems in Oldham for the likes of casinos, amusement arcades, and car parks, sought help from MAS to develop an intelligent new coin sorter called a hopper, to replace its existing model which was losing market share.

Designs and prototypes for the hopper already existed, but it hadn’t gone into production because the manufacturing cost was too high. MAS was able to show how to make the design more cost effective without losing any of its quality, reliability or customer appeal.

For further information and photographs on Money Controls or the MAS annual report please contact your local MAS: Janet Kilpatrick MAS North West 0161 487 3830

Tameside Company Sold

BOSSES of Hyde-based Christy, which makes towels for the Wimbledon tennis championships, have sold the business to an Indian textiles group for around £15m.
It is the second time in six years that ownership of Christy has changed hands. It was the subject of a management buyout from Courtaulds in June 2000.
Christy chiefs have sold an 85 per cent stake to Welspun but will retain a 15 per cent holding and will continue to run it. In a statement, Christy said all 464 employees would transfer with their same terms and conditions.
Rajesh Mandawewala, the chief executive of Welspun's textile division, will become Christy's chairman.
Joel Rosenblatt, Christy's managing director, said the deal represented an `enormous opportunity'.
"We believe it is in the long-term interests of the business," he insisted.
"It will give Christy the greatest scope for future development, with access to Welspun's research and development capabilities and international presence.
"Welspun sees Christy as a strong business with opportunity for development and investment."
Founded in the mid-1800s, Christy has supplied towels to Wimbledon for more than 35 years. It sells towels to a range of retailers in the UK and overseas, and operates more than 100 concessions. In addition to towels, the company produces robes, bedlinen and accessories.
A team at the Manchester office of investment bank Altium advised Christy on the Welspun deal.

Tamesiders Keen on Swedish Giants

The IKEA jobsfair (11-17 June) was attended by more than 6500 jobseekers. The next assessment stage is currently underway and IKEA expect to employ 500+ people at the new store, due to open on 19th October 2006. The pre-employment training courses, focusing on 4 of the priority neighbourhoods and people with a disability or learning difficulty, are proving very successful in moving people through the recruitment process with around 70% success rate so far.

IKEA have rented town centre premises for their administrative base and are continuing to use Oxford Park Community Sports Centre as their assessment venue.

For more information, please contact Jackie Owens on 0161 342 2844 or email: jackie.owens@tameside.gov.uk.

Multi-million pound Metrolink decision welcomed by senior politicians

Senior politicians from Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority have welcomed today’s announcement by the government that the Metrolink expansion will go ahead and revealed further details about the plans.

The decision by the Secretary of State for Transport, Douglas Alexander, to grant conditional approval for the scheme means the process of selecting contractors can now get underway.

The funding released by the government today will go towards Phase 3a of the expansion which will take Metrolink to Oldham and Rochdale, Droylsden in Tameside and Chorlton in South Manchester. Up to 30 new trams will be introduced to the network bringing the total number operating on the system to nearly 70.

A bid for the additional funding required to extend Metrolink into Oldham and Rochdale town centres, as well as to Ashton-under-Lyne, East Didsbury and Manchester Airport (Phase 3b), will be submitted to the government’s Transport Innovation Fund next year as part of plans to significantly improve public transport across Greater Manchester. A successful bid will allow both phases to be delivered simultaneously.

Councillor Roger Jones, the Chair of the Authority, said: “This is fantastic news for Greater Manchester and I’d like to thank everyone who has given their support to the ‘Get Our Metrolink Back On Track’ initiative over the past two years.

“Metrolink has been massively popular since it began operating in 1992 and nearly 20 million journeys are made by passengers using the service every year. We must now forge ahead to secure the rest of Phase 3 and I am confident we will get further funding next year from the government’s Transport Innovation Fund.”

Councillor Andrew Fender, the Manchester spokesperson for the Authority, said: “Metrolink has already given Manchester a huge social and economic boost and the expansion of the network will play a vital role in the continued regeneration of the region.”

Councillor Jeremy Sutcliffe, the Oldham spokesperson for the Authority, said: “This announcement will lead to major economic improvements across the borough. We remain committed to extending Metrolink into Oldham town centre and I’m pleased that the bid to the Transport Innovation Fund next year will include this as a priority.”

Councillor Allen Brett, Vice Chair and Rochdale spokesperson for the Authority, said: “The Metrolink expansion will make it much easier to get to Oldham and Manchester and for people from outside the borough to reach Rochdale. I’m sure it will lead to regeneration across the borough and bring a particular boost to the Kingsway Business Park. I look forward to seeing Metrolink come to Rochdale town centre.”

Councillor Alan Whitehead, the Tameside spokesperson for the Authority, added: “It’s important we make a start on all three lines and the government’s decision to release this funding is just the start of major improvements to public transport in Tameside over the next ten years. I’m sure Metrolink trams will soon become a familiar sight in Ashton-under-Lyne as well as elsewhere in Tameside.”

The decision to grant conditional approval for the Phase 3a expansion means work on the three new lines could start in just two years’ time as long as the cost remains within the budget set by the Department for Transport.

The 13.7 mile (22 km) extension to Rochdale train station will replace the existing railway line which links Manchester with Rochdale via Oldham; the 4 mile (6.4 km) extension to Droylsden will serve New East Manchester, the City of Manchester Stadium and the Velodrome; and the 1.8 mile (2.9 km) extension to Chorlton will replace a section of disused railway line between Trafford Bar and St Werburgh’s Road.

Proposals for Greater Manchester’s bid for funding from the Transport Innovation Fund are currently being developed and further details about them will be released later this year.

Greater Manchester has already been awarded an initial grant of £1.25 million from the fund to investigate new ways of improving public transport and tackling congestion, which would include the Phase 3b plans.
The Transport Innovation Fund bid will be submitted to the government in July 2007 and a decision is expected to be announced in December 2007.

For more information, please contact David Harris or Becky Marr on 0161-242 6245, or by email at communications@gmpte.gov.uk.

Metrolink Phase 3a Facts & Figures

New lines

· Manchester Victoria – Failsworth – Oldham Mumps – Shaw – Rochdale railway station (Oldham & Rochdale line)
· Manchester Piccadilly – Sportcity – Clayton – Droylsden (East Manchester line)
· Trafford Bar – Firswood – Chorlton – St Werburgh’s Road (South Manchester line)

Distances

· Oldham & Rochdale line (Queens Road – Rochdale station) – 13.7 miles (22 km)
· East Manchester line (Manchester Piccadilly – Droylsden) – 4 miles (6.4 km)
· South Manchester line (Trafford Bar – St Werburgh’s Road) – 1.8 miles (2.9km)

Metrolink stops

· On the Oldham & Rochdale line, six new Metrolink stops will be constructed at Monsall, Central Park, South Chadderton, Freehold, Kingsway Business Park and Newbold; nine train stations will be converted into tram stops at Dean Lane, Failsworth, Hollinwood, Oldham Werneth, Oldham Mumps, Derker, Shaw & Crompton, Newhey and Milnrow; and Rochdale train station will become a bus, train and tram interchange.
· Eight new stops will be constructed on the East Manchester line at Pollard Street, Holt Town, Sportcity, New East (for Velodrome), Clayton, Edge Lane, Cemetery Road and Droylsden.
· Three new stops will be constructed on the South Manchester line at Firswood, Chorlton and St Werburgh’s Road.

Park and Ride

· 400 parking spaces will be available for passengers at six Metrolink stops on the Oldham & Rochdale line. 120 spaces will be provided at Hollinwood, 15 at Freehold, 50 at Oldham Mumps, 160 at Derker, 40 at Shaw & Crompton and 15 at Milnrow.

Future benefits (after 10 years of operation)

· More than 13 million journeys are expected to be made by passengers every year using the Phase 3a Metrolink lines taking the total annual patronage to 33 million.
· More than 5 million car journeys are expected to be saved each year by people using the Phase 3a Metrolink lines instead. This will take the total number of car journeys saved annually to 10 million.

Anticipated key dates

September 2006 Companies invited to submit ‘expressions of interest’ in constructing the new Metrolink lines

July 2007 Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) bid submitted to the Department for Transport (DfT) for Phase 3b of the Metrolink expansion

December 2007 TIF bid announcement made by DfT
Successful bidder appointed to carry out Metrolink expansion

June 2008 Construction work begins on the expansion

2011 / 12 Metrolink Phase 3a becomes operational

Age no boundary for UK laws
By Clare Matheson Business reporter, BBC News
New laws aim to tackle ingrained beliefs about older workers
New age discrimination laws will come into force in October, leaving many working practices past their sell-by date. Firms will no longer be able to advertise for "young", "dynamic" or even "mature" candidates for fear of falling foul of the regulations. Employers will also have to watch the language in the workplace - no referring to old-timers - as well as keeping a check on how they award pensions and perks. Also, they will no longer be able to force workers to retire at 65. "I don't think the magnitude of the change will be understood for a good few months or years," says Michael Farrier of employment lawyers Boyes Turner. With such a seismic shift on the horizon, a big question mark is hanging over UK companies and how ready they are for the change? Some companies are not burying their heads in the sand, and courses, events and seminars on how to deal with ageism are becoming big business. Lessons to learn Boyes Turner, along with recruitment specialists FSS and Crone Corkill, has been providing a number of away-days for firms hoping to bone up on the changes. The changes will affect young and old workers alike
At a mock tribunal in London's financial district, human resources personnel and other workers get to witness an ageism claim alongside other discrimination allegations. During a break in the "case", the visitors discuss what the changes could mean for their working practices. "Even just calling someone oldie in a birthday card could be enough to bring a claim," says one. Another observer has been on a round of seminars and discussions, and explains she's been briefed not just to concentrate on older workers. "At a recent course one speaker warned that the changing demographics in society mean more young people could take action - they're seen as the 'Me Me Me Generation' and so just want to grab what they can," she says. All change Even though this type of event is seen as helpful in getting staff ready for the new laws, employment experts believe employers could be in for a shock. They point to research carried out before the last big legal changes in the workplace - sex and race discrimination laws which came in to force in the mid-1970s. Age to a lot of people would not feel as taboo as sexism or racism Paul Marsh, FSS and Crone Corkill
Before those rules were brought in, most firms believed they would make little difference - but many high-profile and high-stakes cases have since been brought before tribunals. One study by legal firm Simons & Simons showed 93% of companies believe that new regulations will have little effect, even though age is consistently shown to be a factor in company employment decisions. Another survey by Legal Week Benchmarker, carried out in July last year, found that 75% of corporate lawyers questioned had not reviewed their firm's employment policy. Big issues Experts believe companies could be "underestimating" the changes they face. "There's increasing awareness of ageism as a bad thing, the laws put a stake in the ground and say its as bad as racism or sexism," Sam Mercer, director of the Employers' Forum on Age (EFA) says. A number of employers have been contacting the EFA about the changes - raising "about six issues a day", Ms Mercer says. Among the most common concerns raised is compliance, or how companies can stick to the rules. "Big or small, companies still need to decide age and recruitment policies, graduate training schemes and policies on long-term benefits," Ms Mercer says. But policies and practices aren't the only issues that need checking, says Paul Marsh head of HR and recruitment at FSS and Crone Corkill. "We need to break down prejudices and change mindsets, as age to a lot of people would not feel as taboo as sexism or racism," he says As a result, companies will have to look at the culture of their workplace - for example in the IT world staffing tends to be more youth oriented. Firms will have to check whether their adverts and policies are promoting inherent age discrimination and ways to rebalance the situation so they are not at odds with the law. Best candidate But Mr Marsh does not believe the new laws will trigger an upsurge in age-positive employment. "Companies still need to take the best person for the job," he explains. "But we would actively try to widen the pool of recruits. "It could be, say, how you attract over 50s - for example, where you advertise. If your ads are web-based that lessens the pool as younger people are more likely to use them," he adds. There's a lot of uncertainty about the changes Michael Farrier, Boyes Turner
Some commentators predict the changes could in fact lead to fewer people working past the age of 65 as firms enforce a "blanket ban" on older workers to prevent claims in the future. Anecdotal evidence from Age Concern suggests that companies are currently clearing out older workers as a pre-emptive measure to avoid such cases Uncertainty After October, workers will be able to work past the age of 65 if granted leave to do so by their employer. Should they be refused then it must be for "objectively justified" reasons. Unfortunately, it seems that these reasons are less than clear. "There's a lot of uncertainty about the changes - usually it's black and white - for example when sexual orientation came in you could understand precisely what was expected," says Mr Farrier. Firms will have to mind their language in job ads
"Each case will be treated on its merits, if a worker is kept on at 65 then that requires you to have valid evidence for why that didn't go on at 68 and what's changed." Looking ahead the experts believe there will be more cases claiming age discrimination, but it will take the first awards against companies to give any guidance as to how the changes will take effect. The experience of companies in the US may give some hints as to how the future will develop as anti-ageism legislation has been in force there since 1967. Between 1992 and 2002 17,000 age-related discrimination cases were launched and 10,000 of those were successful in getting compensation. However, most cases were on a class-action basis and dealt with redundancies and job cuts. Closer to home, the Republic of Ireland brought in the new legislation two years ago and by July last year ageism accounted for 19% of discrimination cases So even while no-one is sure exactly how the changes will manifest themselves, it seems certain that the effects will start to be seen pretty quickly and companies would be well advised to prepare themselves as soon as possible.

Week Ending 26th May 2006

Please note: Unless stated, it is to be assumed that the companies mentioned have not given consent for an article to be published about them. To progress further, please contact the Officer responsible for the item.

Village Hotel & Leisure Club Announce Ashton Moss Deal

De Vere Group Plc have exchanged contracts with AMEC developments and Stayley developments to build a Village Hotel & Leisure Club at the Ashton Moss Leisure Park. The announcement demonstrates a significant boost to the growth of Ashton Moss and continues De Vere's ambitious expansion plans for the Village brand.

The proposals will transform the 3.5 acre site into a 122 bed hotel with high quality conference and banqueting facilities, pub, café, restaurant plus a state of the art leisure club. Village Ashton is expected to create up to 225 employment opportunities in the area, contributing to the local economy and providing excellent facilities to both on-site workers and the surrounding area.

Ashton Moss occupies a prominent position fronting the M60 Manchester orbital motorway at junction 23 and the A635 dual carriageway, which provides direct access between Central Manchester and Ashton-Under-Lyne. Richard Kiersey, Property Director for De Vere says:

"The Ashton Moss proposal signals another great opportunity for the Village brand. We are excited to be working with AMEC and we look forward to being part of the Ashton Moss development"

"We are delighted to welcome the Village hotel and Leisure club to Ashton Moss" says Darran Lawless of AMEC developments "Having De Vere onsite represents a prestigious addition to the development. De Vere embodies what we are aiming to achieve at Ashton Moss, providing high quality accommodation, business and leisure facilities for the surrounding area and local residents".

For more information please contact Sue Hobbiss on 0161 342 2865

IKEA Recruitment Gets Underway

IKEA have been overwhelmed by the enormous response that it has had to its recruitment drive for over 500 new jobs at the new IKEA store in
Ashton-under-lyne.

"We supplied over 10,000 application forms to the local job centres and they are now asking for more, its amazing." says Project Manager HR Linda Johnson; " We have already received back over 2,000 applications and the standard of those who have applied is very high".

We are working with closely with Tameside Employment Partnership to ensure that as many vacancies as possible are filled by applicants from the local community.

Positions available include sales jobs, skilled chefs, administrators, designers, carpenters and customer service co-workers.

We are looking to recruit people from all walks of life in order to build a truly diverse work force. Since the store is open seven days a week, a variety of part- time, as well as full-time shift patterns are available, including evening and weekend work.

IKEA are running a job fair open to everyone at Oxford Park Community Sports Centre from 12th - 17th June. All those who have applied already will be invited to attend.

For further information, please contact Jackie Owens on 0161 342 2833.

Denton Bandstand Success

It may have been a sad day yesterday, as the Economic Development Unit waved goodbye to one of its Resource Procurement Officers but, before his departure, Justin Bentham triumphed in securing a magnificent £50,000 for the renovation of the Denton bandstand.

As Justin moves on to new challenges in Salford, his legacy of secured funding ensures that he will not be quickly forgotten.

Denton Town Centre Manager Stuart Mollison is now taking over the management of this particular project, with a launch for the newly renovated bandstand chalked for later this year – featuring, of course, a full brass band.

For more information on the bandstand and the plans surrounding it, please contact Stuart Mollison on 0161 342 2704.

Week Ending 07th April 2006


Please note: Unless stated, it is to be assumed that the companies mentioned have not given consent for an article to be published about them. To progress further, please contact the Officer responsible for the item.



Tameside make an impression at MIPIM ‘06

The borough’s profile was greatly enhanced following participation in the international property event this March.

Attending the event and networking with developers and other councils has helped to raise the profile of Tameside at both a local and national level

Promotional materials, including a specially commissioned DVD were well received, and much attention was lavished on the Tameside stand (located alongside Manchester in Cannes’ prestigious Palais des Festivals et des Congrès), resulting in a good deal of popularity for the one-to-one sessions hosted in the hospitality suite throughout Thursday.

Feedback indicates that those who want to work with Tameside wish to do so because they see the authority as ‘forward thinking, easy to work with and a good business partner’.

It has been reported that many of the schemes currently being run by the council were well known and well regarded by many developers. These were also aware of the IKEA project.

Tameside was one of the few non-city local authorities to attend MIPIM in its own right.

For more information, please contact Anne Heath on 0161 342 3499

Week Ending 12th May 2006

Please note: Unless stated, it is to be assumed that the companies mentioned have not given consent for an article to be published about them. To progress further, please contact the Officer responsible for the item.

Continental Market/Office Depot International

The former Civic Mayor of Tameside, Cllr J E A Lane, hosted a visit to the Mayor’s parlour for Office Depot International staff based on Ashton Moss.

The visit followed a Mayoral tour of Office Depot’s state of the art facility on Ashton Moss in January and was designed to welcome employees to Ashton-under-Lyne Town Centre.

Prior to the reception in the Parlour, the group tasted the delights of Ashton’s Continental Market, held on March 24th - on a tour hosted by Ashton’s Town Centre Marketing Manager, Peter Hawley, Head of Markets Ian Kelly and Alan Hartwell, Continental Market Organiser.

All agreed that Ashton Market was well worth a return visit whether to the Continental, Farmers’ or daily markets.

For more information, please contact Lisa Hoyland on 0161 342 3544

Local Enterprise Growth Initiative (LEGI) – Round 2

LEGI is a joint initiative between the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, HM Treasury and the Department for Trade and Industry. The initiative has already provided £126million to ten bidders covering 15 local authority areas to support locally-developed strategies to boost local economic activity.

Launching the second round in April, ODPM Neighbourhood Renewal Minister, Phil Woolas said:
“The best proposals in LEGI’s first round showed a genuinely deep understanding of local issues and demonstrated the role of strong local partnerships in delivering change. …” “If we are to compete effectively in the global economy we have to develop a "can do" attitude in every section of the community - including women, young people and ethnic minorities. LEGI can be a vital element in achieving this, and I encourage all local authorities who are thinking of bidding to learn from successful bids and consider how best they can use LEGI funding to encourage enterprise in some of their most disadvantaged areas.”
Successful bidders will need to show how their approach will deliver:
§ an increase in business start-ups by helping to increase the entrepreneurial activity among the local population;
§ support the growth and reduce the failure of locally owned existing businesses and
§ create jobs for local residents by attracting appropriate inward investors.

The involvement of local business in developing a strategy for LEGI is seen to be a key success factor in the successful Round One bids. Though Round 2 will be even more competitive than Round 1, where only one North West bid from St Helen’s achieved final approval, Tameside are keen to proceed.
A workshop was held for local businesses in June to get ideas and support for the next bid.
Extracts from the successful bids included the following:
§ Croydon: three Enterprise and Opportunity Centres offering a focal point for entrepreneurship and enterprise in key target areas. Facilities will include business advice services, workshop/meeting rooms, incubation space and training rooms.
§ St Helens: Streetwalkers - a team of advisers will be out on the streets offering low level advice and guidance to small businesses on working effectively with official bodies (eg councils, police, etc.) and helping them to deal with bureaucracy.
§ Bradford: Festival of Enterprise in Bradford - part of a broader programme of developing an enterprise culture in the area, bringing together enterprise events into a high profile festival.
§ South Tyneside: In partnership with Durham Business School, the Business Growth Programme for small and medium businesses will equip owner-managers with the necessary skills, tools and knowledge to determine appropriate growth and change strategies.
§ Hastings: Community banking - a one stop shop, providing access to affordable loans particularly for sole traders and micro-entrepreneurs. Also Film and Digital Media Powerhouse - providing support and access to resources to create a dynamic digital media sector.
§ Coalfields (Bolsover, Mansfield and Ashfield): A Virtual Enterprise Academy will bring the educational and business sectors closer together to encourage enterprise in schools eg by providing courses and information for young people on setting up a business. Outreach business advisors will provide grassroots advice to existing and prospective new businesses within the deprived areas.

Businesses who would like to support the bid in any way should contact Lisa Hoyland Business Initiatives Manager at Tameside MBC on 0161 342 3544 email: lisa.hoyland@tameside.gov.uk

Young Enterprise

Tameside schools recently took part in a competition organised by Young Enterprise.

“It is noticeable that there has been an increasing emphasis on Enterprise in Education, and there are a number of schemes and initiatives taking place, including through the Tameside Education Business Partnership. Our research for the Round 1 LEGI bid, undertaken by Manchester Metropolitan University’s Centre for Enterprise, survey of a sample of businesses indicated that a significant percentage were keen to get involved in working with young people to develop their entrepreneurial skills.”

“Some businesses, however, have indicated that they find it difficult to find a single point of contact to express their interest and are confused by the range of initiatives available. We aim to address this in our developing Enterprise Strategy and if we were successful in gaining additional funding from LEGI, or other sources to improve this working with the education sector and our partners in Manchester Enterprises.” Said Lisa Hoyland, Business Initiatives Manager.

For more information, please contact Lisa Hoyland on 0161 342 3544

Tibard Visit

Former Civic Mayor, Cllr J E A Lane and party visited successful local company Tibard Ltd in April this year before handing over her chain of office to new Mayor, Cllr Sean-Parker Perry.

Tibard are manufacturers and suppliers of workwear that can be found in some of the most dynamic workplaces, from kitchens to factories, offices to hotels, construction sites to car showrooms.

Tibard's business also includes garment rental and a laundry service. Tibard provides weekly laundry services nationally on rental items. The whole system is controlled by sophisticated procedures at Tibard House. Tibard exports to a number of countries including Europe, the Middle East and the Mediterranean islands.

Tibard has gained British Standards and ISO accreditation and continues to produce very high quality garments for industry. The two core areas are hotel and catering. Tibard is renowned in the market place for it’s' consistently high quality of both products and services. Many well known brands regard Tibard as a reliable supplier.

Several years ago John Shonfeld, Managing Director, saw great opportunities for exporting not only garments, but also fabrics. Tibard now has dealers in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Malta, Barbados and Germany and agents that virtually span the globe.

Despite growing pressure to re-rationalise manufacturing off-shore, Tibard Workwear Limited decided to keep manufacturing in the UK:

“British manufactured goods gives us more control over the supply chain. That means we can guarantee supply to our customers and maintain better quality control. We plan to continue to do so for the foreseeable future”. (Said Commercial Director Rick Shonfeld - source: Tibard website).

Managing Director, John Shonfeld is the Tameside Executive Chair of the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Tameside Strategic Partnership, Tameside Economic and Learning Partnership and on the advisory panel of the Dukinfield District Assembly, and to add to his responsibilities has been appointed president of the Textile Services Association. John took on his new appointment at a meeting in London in April.

Cllr Kieran Quinn said “we need more local business leaders like John, who put such a lot back into the community, which in turn ensures a thriving local economy, capable of supporting successful local enterprises.”

Each year, the Civic Mayor manages to visit as many local firms as possible to demonstrate the importance of these and similar employers to the local economy, and enable the companies to find out in one visit, the range of support they may receive via the Council.

The Mayoral party usually consists of between 5 to 8 people including the current Mayor and Mayoress.
If you are interested in a visit please contact John Lowden, Economic Development Unit, 0161 342 2795 or email: john.lowden@tameside.gov.uk and see http://www.tameside.gov.uk/business/mayorvisit.htm)

NDC or RDC: That is the Question…

"The attraction to sites in Merseyside and north of Manchester came from developers looking at other areas away from the more expensive prime sites such as Warrington and Trafford Park, demonstrating that the market is more price sensitive. Occupiers are also realising this and prepared to consider other locations, such as Merseyside or north Manchester to keep costs down."

The east side of Manchester has really been opened up by the M60 and potentially there will be more development opportunities in the east as the west and south of Manchester become built out. According to Mr Middleton: "The east certainly offers good value for money with typical rents around 25p to 50p lower then the west. For example, a 20,000 sq ft unit with 10 per cent office content would be around £5.50 per sq ft at Trafford Park but would be nearer £5.00 to £5.25 on the east side.

"The recent, and highly visible 250,000 sq ft letting to Office World in Tameside has been the most significant deal of late in this sector of the M60. It freed up 150,000 sq ft at the company's previous location at Oldham Broadway, which will soon be on the market.

"Demand remains high from local distribution companies but there is a shortage of freehold properties and the appetite remains strong for these."
The scarcity of available development land was demonstrated by the recent case of the Walls site in Hyde. The eight-acre site with 40,000 sq ft of accommodation went to best bids and was put under offer to a London investor. It is likely to be speculatively developed.

According to Pexton: "Land values are rising but it is almost at two distinct rates - larger sites for larger sheds offer economies of scale in build cost and developer can afford to pay more for the site.”

Extracted from www.logisticsmanager.com. For more information, please contact Lisa Hoyland on 0161 342 3544

EDU Inward Investment Statistics Summary

For the first quarter of 2006 (1/1//06 to 31/3/06), TMBC (economic development unit) recorded 98 property related enquiries.

During this quarter there have been 5 inward investment successes creating approximately 115 new jobs for Tameside and 7 local investment successes, safeguarding approximately 34 jobs for the local workforce. This represents approximate investment totalling £766,000.

Over the last 8 years TMBC has recorded 157 inward investments creating 5,694 new jobs & 372 local business relocations safeguarding 7,188 jobs.

For further information, please contact Sue Hobbiss on 0161 342 2865 or Martin Wain on 0161 342 2058.

Tameside Business Leader, John Shonfield Takes Top Job in the Laundry Business

TAMESIDE businessman, John Shonfeld, has been appointed president of the Textile Services Association.

John, who owns and manages Dukinfield based workwear and laundry company, Tibard Ltd, took on his new appointment at a meeting in London at which the guest speaker was Rt Hon Michael Howard.

John said: “I am delighted to be president of the TSA, which is the trade organisation for the laundry, cleaning and textile rental industry.”

“I have been involved in the laundry business for many years and am looking forward to meeting people and attending events on behalf of the organisation over the next 12 months.”

John is well known in the Tameside business community as chairman of the Tameside local chamber council for Greater Manchester Chamber and as business representative on the Dukinfield Assembly and the Tameside Economic and Learning Partnership.

In April, this year the former Civic Mayor, Cllr J E A Lane visited the company’s premises, in recognition of the work that John does engaging business with the community and employing local people.

For more details ring Diane Inglis, Press and PR Officer, Greater Manchester Chamber, on 0161 474 3782 or 07793 877141.

Crown Point North
The Crown Point North development in Denton is continuing to prove its popularity. The site consists of 200,000 square metres of quality retailing. There are 800 free car-parking spaces with Park Mark® Safer Parking award. Current tenants include BHS, Birthdays, Clarks, New Look, River Island, Mothercare, Boots, Virgin Megastore, Evans, Wallis, Burtons, Dorothy Perkins, Sports World, TK Max, Tesco Home Plus, Au Naturale, Internacionale, O2, Jessops, Carphone and Warehouse.

The next three months will see the arrival of Bank Fashions, the Works and The Entertainer.
The site is now virtually fully let, although one large unit is still available.
For more information, please contact Sue Hobbiss or Martin Wain on 0161 342 2856 or 0161 342 2058.

Office Depot Profiles

Kieran Dowling

What is your role in Office Depot?

Regional Transport Manager, responsible for 6 transport operations with an operating budget of 16 million.

How did you arrive there (career route/training)?

Started as a driver 9 years ago at the Stockport site, became transport team leader & then transport supervisor. After 2 years I was made Transport Manager & over the next few years managed the Stockport site & set up & supported other transport operations in the UK. In 2002 I was asked to manage our print facility in Erith, I worked there for 2 years before returning to the north to take up my present role as Regional Transport Manager North.

Over the 9 years I have been with the company I been through all types of training to make sure I was able to do my role in the various positions I have held. More recently the company has put me on an 18 months course in Supply Chain Management which has a qualification of Cilt Level 5 Professional Diploma.

Where in Tameside are you from?

Droylsden

What's is it like working on Ashton Moss/at the Office Depot site?

The site is fantastic place to work & in a few short words Office Depot gives you the support to achieve anything you set your mind on. For me this isn't an office supplies company it's a talent finding company.

Steve Owen

What is your role in Office Depot?

Regional DC Manager North, responsible for the three Northern based sites Ashton Leeds Glasgow.

How did you arrive there (career route/training)?

Previously employed by ACCO for 15 years (manufacturing back ground), joined Office Depot November 7th 2000 as a shift manager 2002 promoted to Assistant DC Manager 2003 promoted to DC Manager 2004 promoted to Regional DC Manager responsible for Ashton Leeds Glasgow.
Where in Tameside are you from?

I live in Stalybridge

What's is it like working on Ashton Moss/at the Office Depot site?

Working for Office Depot is fantastic the culture is great and the opportunities within the business have been excellent.

For further information, please contact Lisa Hoyland on 0161 342 3544.

Week Ending 03rd March 2006

Please note: Unless stated, it is to be assumed that the companies mentioned have not given consent for an article to be published about them. To progress further, please contact the Officer responsible for the item.

Rok Development Acquires Key Site at Parkway, Denton

Manchester-based Rok Development has acquired a key site within the strategically-located Parkway industrial, retail and leisure park at Denton.

Rok recently bought the 2.3-acre site from United Utilities and has submitted a planning application for an industrial scheme capable of accommodating units from 3,000 to 35,000 sq ft.

Parkway is superbly located in an established commercial area 4.5 miles east of Manchester City Centre, at the junction of the M60 orbital motorway and the M67, and just 20 minutes drive from Manchester Airport.

Existing occupiers on the park include an Esporta Health and Fitness Centre, a My Pet Stop petcare centre and a Saint-Gobain Tile Centre. Among the neighbours are Sainsburys supermarket; the Stable Gate pub and restaurant; a Premier Travel Inn and a Toyota dealership.

Jonathan Conway, of Rok Development’s Manchester office said: “This is a fantastic development opportunity on what is a superb site, serviced by first class infrastructure links.

“Not surprisingly, we have had considerable interest already given the limited availability in the area.”

Units are expected to be available in Autumn 2006. Agents on the scheme are NAI Fuller Pelser (0161 214 5000) and PD O’Herlihy Chartered Surveyors (0161 427 5500).

Living Landmarks One Step Closer

Tameside MBC has recently been informed that its application for Living Landmarks lottery funding has proceeded to the next assessment phase.

The bid will now be subjected to a rigorous assessment process, and the Council should be informed by mid April if it proceeds to the next stage.

The bid proposes to reinstate Ashton’s historic market hall and surrounding civic area and create a cultural, educational and enterprise hub. One key theme is to link the Borough’s success in food manufacturing to the market and to the Borough’s future, its young people, through innovative healthy eating projects working with schools and the community.

If successful, the bid will secure around £13 million from the Big Lottery Fund for Ashton Market.

For further information, please contact Russell Yates on 0161 342 2741

Down But Not Out

The national winners of round 1 of the Local Enterprise Growth Initiative competition have now been announced, with only one successful authority coming from the entire North West region, St Helens.

All the bids submitted by local authorities from across the whole of Greater Manchester, including Tameside, unfortunately failed to win funding for their areas.

But with only 10 out of 88 authorities invited to apply for the LEGI from up and down the country winning funding, the Council was well aware throughout the process that with a only a slim 10% chance of funding then no matter how strong its bid was, it was going to be exceptionally difficult.

The Council was always prepared for the possibility of having to bid again and to re-double its efforts, and upon receiving feedback from the assessors, the Council will work with its partners to analyse the bidding process, learn lessons and develop a strategy to improve the Borough’s chances of success.

Tameside has been invited to bid again in Round 2 of the competition and this provides a fantastic opportunity for Tameside to develop an even better and stronger bid that will secure the much needed funding to help grow and sustain local businesses, and help create the entrepreneurs of the future that the Borough needs if it to maintain and build upon the success of its booming local economy.

For further information on Tameside’s LEGI bid, please contact Lisa Hoyland on 0161 342 3544 or Russell Yates on 0161 342 2741.

Over 50 interested and motivated individuals attended the Tameside Community Radio volunteer event on 21st February, hosted at New Charter House.

There was also a presentation about the radio station, describing hopes and goals and how the allotted frequency – 103.6fm falls just between Manchester’s popular Key103 and the local BBC station, GMR – boosting the potential listenership of the station.

It was also announced that Tameside Community Radio has been provided with extra power, so as to reach even the depths of Mossley. This also means that people as far in the opposite direction as Warrington and Liverpool may also be able to hear the station, as the contours there are generally flat.

During the course of the event, there were many suggestions from the motivated gathering surrounding program ideas, marketing strategies and publicity for the station, which ahas now received over the required amount of volunteer interest.

For further information, please contact Yvonne Cartey on 0161 342 3549.

17/02/06. The owners of the Arcades Shopping Centre have submitted ambitious plans to deliver a £40 million expansion programme at the Arcades in Ashton-under-Lyne. The plans will create up to 500 new jobs and deliver the town’s first major department store along with a modern transport interchange.

The exciting proposals from Apollo Ashton LP will more than double the retail space at the centre by adding a further 16,722 m² (180,000 ft²). In conjunction with the expansion plans, Apollo Ashton LP has worked closely with the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE) and Tameside MBC to incorporate a modern bus station to improve transport links for visitors arriving by bus and ultimately Metrolink.

The expansion will enhance the economic vitality of Ashton by allowing it to compete with other neighbouring towns. By improving the retail facilities in Ashton, Tameside residents will be encouraged to shop locally rather than visiting other shopping destinations.

The centre, which was recently boosted by the arrival of HMV and news that Footlocker is to open a 200 m² (2,151 ft²) unit in March, has received early interest in the development plans from major retailers.

The expansion programme would potentially put the Arcades in the UK’s top 100 shopping venues.*

Councillor Kieran Quinn, (Executive Member – Economic Services) commented: “The Arcades proposal is an exciting project that demonstrates the growing confidence in Ashton as a place in which to invest. It adds another valuable ingredient to the emergence of Ashton as the most important town centre in the east of Greater Manchester. It will bring jobs and investment and act as a catalyst for further regeneration of Ashton alongside the recent IKEA success and the rebuilding of Ashton Market Hall.”

Councillor Alan Whitehead (Executive Member – Technical Services) added: “A key element in this important development will be the remodelling of the bus station into a 21st Century public transport interchange. This is a major opportunity to design a purpose built interchange that will accommodate buses and the proposed Metrolink station for Ashton Town Centre. We look forward to developing the scheme with Apollo and GMPTE.”

GMPTE Projects Director, Michael Renshaw, continued: “These proposals present us with an exciting opportunity to provide Ashton with a modern bus station and, in due course, tram interchange, reflecting the very highest level of passenger facilities – similar to those recently opened at Shudehill in Manchester and in Middleton and Hyde town centres.

“Subject to the proposals being approved, we will continue to work closely with Tameside MBC and Apollo Ashton LP to develop the scheme in detail, during which we will consult widely with users and potential users.”

Rob Cossey, of Apollo Ashton LP, is confident that the plans will be a real boost for Ashton and concluded: “The proposed development will not only play a key role in the future prosperity of the town by creating jobs and new opportunities for local people, it will also provide improved choice for shoppers who may otherwise simply visit other towns in the area.

“We are currently in talks with a number of big name retailers who are attracted to the plans we have presented and I am encouraged by the positive response and support that we have so far received. The provision of a major anchor store will play a key role in Ashton’s ability to attract and retain retailers in the long term by increasing footfall throughout the town.”

The outline planning application is based upon extensive discussions with Tameside MBC and GMPTE and the extension is scheduled to open in 2009.

17/02/06. From 14th –17th March, Assistant Executive Director Pat Rattigan will represent the Economic Development Zone’s M60 Invest project at MIPIM. This will be Tameside’s third visit to the Marché International des Professionnels d'Immobilier which is recognised as the world's largest and most influential property showcase, attracting senior executives from the property sector and related industries.

The only other Greater Manchester Local Authority to attend, Tameside’s M60 Invest project will join Manchester City Council, and other key sponsors as part of the Manchester stand organised by Marketing Manchester.

This may well be Tameside’s most significant visit to the event, working alongside key developers including Amec, Ask, Hark and others to present a partnership approach to investment in Tameside. The work is supported by the European Regional Development Fund, Economic Development Zone, funding for which ends in December of this year.

For more information, contact Anne Heath, Martin Wain or Lisa Hoyland on 0161 342 3544 or see http://www.manchesteratmipim.com/

10/02/06. Leading sports fashion retailer Footlocker has signed a new lease on a 200 m² (2,151 ft²) unit at the Arcades Shopping Centre in Ashton under Lyne.

The deal follows the recent letting to HMV, which helped to attract over 260,000 shoppers per week over the Christmas period.

Footlocker’s property director Richard Wicks said: “We are delighted to bring Footlocker to Ashton and the store will complement the centre’s wide choice of retailers whilst offering further choice for shoppers. Ashton’s sub-regional location, strong footfall figures and the arrival of HMV were important factors in our decision to locate in the town and we’re looking forward to creating a strong presence in the centre when the store launches in March.”

David Henderson Williams, of Hark Group added: “We welcome Footlocker to Ashton and the store will enhance the strong mix of retailers within the Arcades whilst providing customers with even more choice.

“Clearly the arrival of high street brand names such as Footlocker and HMV will improve the existing retail offer for customers and significantly increase footfall at the centre. Plans to increase floorspace and improve facilities at the centre are in line with our aims to attract major anchor stores to the centre and ultimately boost the retail offer in the town.”

For further information, please contact Alison Mellor, Roland Dransfield PR.

10/02/06. A GREATER Manchester engineering firm has secured a £12m contract with Airbus that will create 75 jobs.

Hyde Group, based at Dukinfield, Tameside, company has spent £2m on a new factory to service the 15-year contract to design and manufacture parts for the latest military Airbus plane, the A400M. Stalybridge and Hyde MP James Purnell opened the plant at a ceremony on Friday 3rd February.

More than 50 engineers have worked on the project so far, and Hyde is planning to recruit a further 75 to work on the scheme.

The Airbus A400M is a four-engine, long-range aircraft designed for transporting cargo and troops, as well as aerial refuelling and electronic surveillance operations. It has a top speed of 350mph and costs around £70m.

Hyde Group chief executive David Cooper said: "The contract was secured as a result of a long-term successful partnership between Hyde Group and Airbus UK.

"Underlying all this is the financial success and prudence of Hyde Group that has created an attractive balance sheet able to underpin long-term contracts of this nature.

"Hyde has been successfully providing major manufacturing solutions for aerospace manufacturers for almost four decades."

The deal forms part of Hyde's ongoing relationship with Airbus - the firm has previously worked on components for the A380 and A340 commercial planes.

Hyde was originally selected to work with Airbus to make undercarriage landing gear components, which are vital safety elements. The group is believed to be the world's largest privately-owned aerospace design and manufacturing organisation, with a workforce of more than 1,400.

It turns over £107m and made pre-tax profits of more than £8m in the last financial year.

Clients include Boeing, BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce and civil aircraft manufacturer Bombardier.

13/01/06. FLAT-PACK furniture giant Ikea has been given the go-ahead to open a high street store in Tameside which will create 500 jobs.

The four-floor outlet that will provide a huge boost for the local economy is expected to open in October after being granted planning permission by the council.

Outline planning permission was granted a year ago after being approved by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

It will be only the second Ikea store in the north west - there is already one in Warrington.

Work is due to start shortly at the former United Utilities depot on the corner of Wellington Road and Oldham Road, Ashton under Lyne.

The Swedish furniture giant, which normally favours out-of-town locations, has revealed plans to take on the high street with 10 new town centre stores.

The announcement follows a High Court ruling in March last year, backing a decision by Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott to refuse planning permission for a 300,000 square foot Ikea superstore in Tiviot Way, Stockport.

Planning laws have frustrated the company, which felt the only way it could expand was to create city centre stores.

Coun Kieran Quinn said: "The news that Ikea are coming to Ashton takes Tameside on to a new level economically.

"Attracting a company like Ikea might be seen as a mission impossible but it's a mission we've accomplished.

"Ikea looked at Tameside and liked what they saw. Now everybody at Tameside council is determined to ensure that other companies look at the borough and feel the same.

"It's an endorsement of all the hard work the council has done in the past to attract significant inward investment."
Scott Cordrey, of Ikea, said: "We're happy to have obtained such a good site in Ashton and glad that the plans have been approved. It's fantastic news for Ikea and all our customers in Greater Manchester."

The news will come as a blow to Stockport just months after Ikea said it was still on the hunt for a site in the town.

Cllr. Dave Goddard, who spearheads regeneration in Stockport, said: "The store in Tameside is not the same as the one planned for Stockport - it is a smaller one. Ikea told us that they would not reduce it on a matter of principle.
"I think it's a disappointment for everybody. I think Prescott now will get an Ikea that is acceptable to him but not one that the public needed."Stockport council granted planning permission for the giant store in 2001 before it was referred to Mr Prescott who blocked the plans.

13/01/06. Recent data from Office of National Statistics provides confirmation of what many of us have suspected - in the period 1999 to 2004, the Borough saw an increase of 6,500 jobs which have been brought to or created in the area – half of which came in the last two years.

This is equivalent to an increase of 9.4% compared with just 6.3% in Greater Manchester as a whole. There are now some 75,428 jobs in Tameside, not counting around 11,000 people in self-employment.

Over the 12 months to December 2004, the number of jobs increased by 3,200 or 4.5% , more than twice the increase experienced in Greater Manchester as a whole.

Several employment sectors have witnessed substantial increases in the number of jobs, most notably construction and health & social work (increases of 37% and 26.9% respectively).

Manufacturing continues to be the single largest provider of jobs in the area, with almost a quarter of all jobs in being in this sector. Tameside also continues to have the highest proportion of jobs in manufacturing with more than twice as many workers in manufacturing as in Greater Manchester as a whole.

13/01/06. Balfour Beatty, the international engineering, construction and services group, announced today that its specialist healthcare concession company, Consort Healthcare, has been appointed preferred bidder for the £190 million Northern Batched Hospitals project in Greater Manchester.

In Tameside, Consort will design and build a new acute and mental health facility at Tameside General Hospital under a concession contract worth £60 million. It is anticipated that financial close for the schemes will be achieved in early 2007.

Commenting on the award today, Balfour Beatty Chief Executive, Ian Tyler, said: “We are delighted to have been selected to create first class healthcare facilities for the people of Tameside and for the staff in the facilities which serve them. These will be our seventh and eighth major PFI hospital schemes. We have proven
skills and a first-class track record in this specialist area and are now a clear leader in the field.”

In Tameside, a number of new buildings will be constructed, including a new mental health unit for the elderly, a ward block, a day surgery and an endoscopy unit and extensions to theatres, radiology, diagnostic and treatment centres.

13/01/06. Companies searching for the perfect premises to relocate their businesses in Tameside can now access a comprehensive property database on-line for the entire area.

The property database provides details of more than 500 commercial premises available throughout Tameside, giving browsers the opportunity to search by specific location or size or type of property required.

The database provides information on industrial, office and retail as well as land or development opportunities and gives agent contact details should enquirers want to find out more information.

The on-line search facility is available free of charge on the Tameside MBC website www.tameside.gov.uk. Commercial property owners and developers are also encouraged to provide details of premises available for inclusion on the property database.

Tameside Economic Development Unit’s Sue Hobbiss, comments: “The database is the perfect way for businesses to find out quickly and easily what property is available. We will also be creating a link to the database from our popular www.tamesidem60.com website.

“Making a strong match between what companies require and the premises that best meet their needs is vital if Tameside is to experience its continued growth as a commercial property hotspot.”

The new database can be found at http://propertysearch.evolutive.co.uk/tamesideMBChome.htm via the main public Council website, or can be accessed from any page of this website by clicking on the "Search Our LIVE Property Database" buttons, as seen in the side menus.