Member Article

MP praises Aycliffe Business Park venture

A North-East MP has praised a new free facility designed to improve communication between companies on the second-largest industrial estate in the region.

Phil Wilson, the Labour MP for Sedgefield, attended the launch of a new website for Aycliffe Business Park recently - and says he plans to bring it up for debate in the House of Commons.

With the help of Business Durham, an arm of Durham County Council, a handful of local companies originally got their heads together last year to launch a committee aimed at improving the appearance of the business park.

A steering group was then set up, consisting of Xcel Centre manager Kerina Clark, Ebac managing director Pamela Petty, Finley Structures managing director John Finley and Aycliffe Fabrications MD Dave Spensley.

Now the main focus of the group is a new website, where every company residing on Aycliffe Business Park can register their details for free as well as posting news and events.

Phil Wilson, who played a big part in helping to bring Hitachi Rail Europe to Aycliffe, said: “Aycliffe Business Park has 8,000 employees, 250 companies, and in the past it has probably punched beneath its weight.

“Hitachi coming here is great news, but Hitachi isn’t the only business on this site. It needs to work together as a business community to promote the park, and this initiative is fantastic, and I’ll do everything I can to help.

“I can promote it in the House of Commons through Parliamentary debates, I’ve also suggested they hold a reception in the Commons, if they wanted to do that, because we want to see this on the national stage.

“There’s some great companies here, and we’ve got to make sure they continue to fulfil their potential.”

More than 100 people attended the launch of aycliffebusinesspark.co.uk, and chair of the group, Xcel Centre manager Kerina Clark, said: “A small bunch of us thought it was a good idea, but to see the level of enthusiasm from companies on the park is really encouraging.

“The key aim is to promote Aycliffe Business Park as a healthy and vibrant community, for the benefit of all the businesses on the park.

“The starting point is the website. It’s free for firms on Aycliffe Business Park to register their details in the directory, and there’s also a diary of events and a new section. It’s just so there can be conversations between businesses.

“It looks like we’re getting more and more interest. The feedback has been excellent.”

John Finley, managing director of Finley Structures, said: “It’s been a huge passion of mine to improve the appearance of the business park for some time and I’m sure the launch of this new website will enable the group to gather momentum now.

“Let’s hope we can all work together to improve the park so we can all benefit.”

Local media firm HPM Group helped with the launch of the event, and managing director Richard Mortimer said: “I think it’s an excellent concept and something we wholeheartedly support.

“The communication of businesses in Aycliffe needs to improve and I’m sure there’s a lot more business we can all do together, so it makes sense.”

Ebac MD Pamela Petty added: “Everyone seems to have the same sentiment as the steering group, that there’s a lot of knowledge and expertise on the park, and without giving away our secret formulas, we should be able to share knowledge, experience and trading.

“That way we’ll be able to benefit as a group, rather than all just trading individually.”

Firms can register their details for free at www.aycliffebusinesspark.co.uk

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Mantis Media .