Manufacturing firms in the West of England are backing expansion at Heathrow Airport, with results of a new survey showing they believe it would be best for their sector and lead to a better balanced economy. The report by EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, comes ahead of next Tuesday’s deadline for the Airports Commission’s final...
Wiltshire manufacturer Avon Rubber is predicting a positive 2015 as it continues to win new orders for its innovative products. In an update to the London Stock Exchange the Melksham-headquartered global group said trading in the first quarter had continued in line with expectations – with its dairy business performing particularly well. As a...
Chippenham-based speciality pharmaceutical company Alliance Pharma has appointed tech entrepreneur and experienced businessman Nigel Clifford as an independent non-executive director with immediate effect. Mr Clifford, pictured, is chief executive of Procserve Holdings, a London, Cambridge and Guildford-based company specialising in technology that enables secure transactions online. He is also a non-executive director of Slough...
Swindon car manufacturers Honda and BMW are to work with the Government to boost skills across the sector and inspire the next generation of vehicle makers. Business Secretary Vince Cable announced funding of £11.3m earlier this week to kick start the scheme and go alongside a £2.8m cash investment and £16.4m in-kind contributions from...
Innovate UK, the Swindon-based public body promoting innovation, has appointed Dr David Grant CBE as interim chief executive. Dr Grant replaces Iain Gray, who left on December 31 after seven years at the helm of the organisation, which is sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills. Innovate UK was set up as...
Swindon’s economic performance has failed to keep pace with its population growth, a major new report out today shows – leaving the town struggling to compete with the UK’s largest towns and cities. While the town’s population increased by 14.8% between 2004 and 2013, it was one of the worst performers for jobs growth...
Alternative finance provider South West Investment Group (SWIG) has appointed two non-executive directors to the board of its fund-holding arm as it looks to raise its profile in the West of England. Malachy McReynolds and Graham Miller join the existing directors at the group which since 1996 has invested £15m in to more than...
Confidence among West of England businesses petered out at the end of 2014 and has started the new year lower than at any time over the previous 12 months, new research shows. Domestic sales, cashflow and recruitment expectations all fell during the fourth quarter, according to results of the latest business survey by Business...
Mini has celebrated record annual sales in the UK and announced it is to recruit more apprentices for its production plants, including Swindon. Mini sales reached 53,661last year – 3.3% higher than the previous record set in 2013 and giving the BMW-owned car brand a 2.17% market share. Meanwhile BMW is seeking 47 apprentices...
Aria Networks, the leading-edge Chippenham-based tech firm, is planning to strengthen its lead in the fast-growing Software Defined Networking (SDN) market after securing further investment. The firm, whose customers include major US and European telecoms companies, cloud and datacentre operators, and social network providers, is already ahead of its SDN rivals. Its products, developed...
