Ideas on the best way to create sustainable jobs and growth across the West of England are being invited from Bath firms. The Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) today launches a six-week public consultation on its Strategic Economic Plan (SEP) – a blueprint for growth over the next six years. The Government has challenged England’s...
The Manufacturing Advisory Service has appointed a supply chain specialist in the South West to ensure that manufacturers gain a significant share of the lucrative opportunities presented by the UK’s burgeoning offshore wind market. Nick Kirsop-Taylor, pictured, will help firms tap into the recently-launched £20m GROW:OffshoreWind service that supports companies looking to break into...
Efforts to get more South West firms to export are being stepped up after new figures showed the first fall in overseas sales from the region for more than a year. Exports by value dropped by 3.3% in the third quarter to £3.32bn, sparked by a fall-off in h a fall in trade within...
Bath’s most famous visitor attraction and one of the area’s most innovative businesses are benefitting from the Prime Minister’s high-profile visit to China as head of the UK’s largest trade delegation to the fast-growing country. The city’s Roman Baths have signed up as a founding member of VisitBritain’s China Welcome Charter which could put...
The West of England’s strength in the automotive and aerospace sectors is creating strong conditions for smaller firms in their supply chains with most expecting to increase staffing and investment over the next three months. According to the latest Manufacturing Outlook survey published today by manufacturers’ organisation EEF and accountancy and business advisory firm...
The University of Bath is to become a major UK research base for sustainable solar power technology, adding to its world-class academic credentials and boosting the West of England’s reputation as the country’s leading hub for green technologies. The university will house one of two national centres for doctoral training geared towards investigating solar...
Sales have increased for more than half the West’s small to medium-sized West manufacturers over the past six months, with just over a third also experiencing an increase in inquiries and orders. The upbeat picture emerges from the Manufacturing Advisory Service’s latest Barometer, which also reveals a slight rise in the number of companies...
An ambitious plan is being drawn up to harness Bath and the West of England’s creativity and innovation to potentially create more than 100,000 jobs over the next 17 years. The emphasis will be on five key sectors spanning digital to aerospace, and in which the area is already strong, to drive growth and...
Bosses at Wiltshire manufacturer Avon Rubber today said their strategy to accelerate investment in new products, technologies, systems and people was paying off as they unveiled significant increases in revenues, operating margins and profits. Annual pre-tax profits at the Melksham-based group, best known for its respirators, increased to £14m from £11m on revenues up...
Bath area firms are being advised to check whether they qualify for valuable tax credits under the Government’s research and development (R&D) scheme. West accountancy firm Milsted Langdon, which has an office in Bath, says many firms are unaware they are eligible for the scheme which increases tax relief against taxable profits. To qualify,...
