A business club has been launched on one of the Swindon area’s most successful business parks to encourage its occupiers to connect and work together.
Around 30 guests attended a special early evening champagne reception to launch the Shrivenham Hundred Business Club (SHBC) hosted by document management specialists UTAX (UK) Ltd and its associate business TA Triumph-Adler in their showroom on the Shrivenham Hundred Business Park.
The club aims to enable members to not only gain a better understanding of each other’s businesses, but to also develop synergistic partnerships over both the short and long-term within the business park and the surrounding area.
Welcoming the guests, UTAX (UK) managing director Shaun Wilkinson said: “It seems crazy that we, for example, are involved in document management systems that tend to be connected to a company’s IT infrastructure, whilst we have software and IT specialists working less than a minute away.
“Equally they might need services provided by other tenants or other local businesses and that can create the perfect commercial circle.”
Graham Denton, joint managing director of Denton & Gibson, the co-owner with Checkmore of Shrivenham Hundred Business Park, thanked UTAX for its efforts in getting the club off the ground and for organising the first event:
“The success of Shrivenham Hundred is largely due to the occupiers who all play their part in its success and excellent reputation so when Maria Bretti from UTAX approached us with the concept of the SHBC we could immediately see the benefits and are delighted to support it. It is amazing just how insular we can sometimes be in business.
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“I was at a similar event where two companies no more than 50 metres apart were doing business via a third party. Needless to say, having met, they now have a direct relationship and this is why the club is such a good idea. I hope that we can now spread the word and make another positive step for Shrivenham Hundred Business Park.”
Among Shrivenham Hundred businesses attending were the Point-to-Point Authority – the body responsible for point-to-point racing – Rebalance Chiropractic, graphic design firm H2Creative, HR consultants SDS Consulting, safety equipment supplier Shaw City and PPM (Pulse Power & Measurement), one of the park’s longest-standing tenants.
Its managing director Martin Ryan said: “We’ve had premises here for over 21 years and the evening has been a real eye opener – I hadn’t realised how many different resources and skills we had on our doorstep.
“Congratulations to the team at UTAX for pulling this together. There’s been so much positive feedback this evening – we’re all looking forward to developing a better understanding of our neighbours’ businesses and meeting more people at future events.”
The launch was also attended by businesses from further afield. Emma McArdle, fleet sales specialist at Swindon motor dealership TH White, who had spotted the announcement on Twitter, said: “I am a great believer in networking. It’s a great confidence booster and you can get a real buzz out of it. With us all spending more and more time sitting at our computers, it’s easy to forget the benefits of meeting people face to face, learning about their businesses and sharing their experiences and knowledge.”
Club Membership is free, although a small fee will be applicable to cover refreshments, and is open to all businesses in the area – businesses from Swindon and Oxfordshire are being encouraged to attend.
The first club event will be announced shortly and a new club LinkedIn Group has been set up.
Pictured at the launch of the Shrivenham Hundred Business Club, from left: Cllr Simon Howell, Marria Bretti of UTAX (UK), Graham Denton of of Denton & Gibson, and UTAX (UK) managing director Shaun Wilkinson
