Member Article

North Derbyshire takes No1 in manufacturing top 50

North Derbyshire leads the way as home to the region’s top manufacturing companies, including number one, Greencore, which has retained its prized spot since 2014. Fellow manufacturers, Vesuvius, Xtratherm UK Limited and new entry Mallinckrodt Chemical Limited have also all claimed their position within the top 35 in this year’s Top 50 Manuafcturers list compiled by The Sheffield Star.

Greencore’s UK office is registered at Barlborough. A number of acquisitions since, including Hazlewoods in 2001, have come together to create the food giant that operates in the UK and the US. In the UK, inspite of challenging market conditions, Greencore’s revenue was 4.0% higher in 2014 than the previous year which was attributed to new product lines in the food to go business.

Barlborough neighbour Vesuvius UK Ltd, based at Midland Way, makes refractory products at its Sheepbridge facility in Chesterfield and is a global leader in molten metal flow engineering. . Established in 1916, next year the global company will celebrate its centenary. Turnover has remained static for the company although profit has increased by £1.4 million to nearly £7.9m since last year.

Xtratherm, part of the Kingspan Group, has moved up five places from 28 to 23 in 2015. It owns and operates three state-of-art production facilities in the UK, Ireland and Belgium. Its north east Derbyshire-based facility is located in Holmewood where it manufactures Polyisocyanurate, Phenolic and EPS insulating materials. The company is on an impressive growth trajectory, having risen from number 44 in 2013 to its current position in 2015. Turnover has also increased by £3million since last year’s top 50 however profits are down by more than half from £2.6million to just under £2.3miliion.

This year’s new entry for Chesterfield is Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, a multibillion dollar specialty biopharmaceutical company. Its Principal Executive Office is based at Perth House, in Dunston. Earlier this year the company acquired Therakos, the global leader in autologous immune cell therapy, for $1.325 billion from The Gores Group.

Chesterfield is proving itself to be an ideal location for national and international manufacturing businesses thanks hanks to its proximity to the MI and location on the edge of the Peak District putting it within 30 minutes of Sheffield, Nottingham and Derby. The small market town has long flown under the radar of investors, however its excellent transport links and wealth of commercial, industrial and office properties available at competitive prices in the borough, not least Markham Vale, has well and truly identified the town as an investment hotspot. Markham Vale is part of one of the UK’s biggest Enterprise Zones. As well as the site’s location alongside the M1, its financial incentives, including 100% Capital Allowance relief, have already attracted leading national and international names such as Andrew Page, Gould Alloys and leading UK packaging manufacturer Inspirepac.

In the UK manufacturing accounts for 11% of the country’s gross income. Locally, however, Chesterfield is outperforming the national average with manufacturing representing around 20% of the turnover of Sheffield City Region (SCR).

Recognising the significant contribution the manufacturing and engineering sector makes to the local economy, the town’s inward investment campaign Destination Chesterfield established the manufacturing festival – Made in Chesterfield - last year, with the specific aim of highlighting the career opportunities within Chesterfield and North Derbyshire manufacturing businesses. It introduced more than 400 young people to the sector during the course of a week. This year, the annual festival returns for a month throughout November will bring together schools and companies within the town’s manufacturing sector.

Made in Chesterfield is organised by Destination Chesterfield in partnership with MSE Hiller, Derbyshire Education Business Partnership, United Cast Bar Ltd, Natwest, Chesterfield College, Derbyshire County Council, Chesterfield Borough Council, Placing Futures and Positive 4 Young People.

Ivan Fomin, managing director of MSE Hiller and Destination Chesterfield board member responsible for manufacturing and engineering, said: “The support of companies in the sector is vital to the success of Made in Chesterfield. Manufacturing is the lifeblood of the economy, feeding other sectors such as retail and leisure and its continuing success relies on today’s students considering it for a future career. Made in Chesterfield is designed to open their eyes to this and show them the varied job roles available and also how the sector has changed. Chesterfield has a thriving manufacturing sector which has survived for generations and is an important part of the town’s future.”

Last year Chesterfield welcomed Mantra, AMRC’s travelling showcase, during Made in Chesterfield enabling young people to practically experience amazing manufacturing technologies. This year it will return to MSE Hillier’s facility in as part of the festival’s celebrations in November.

To view a full programme of events and find out more information about Made in Chesterfield Week, visit: www.chesterfield.co.uk/made. To get involved contact Dom Stevens on 01246 207207 or email dom.stevens@chesterfield.co.uk.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Anna Melton .