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Connecting | Campaigning| Championing

Spring 2012

Sponsored by

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Chamber Ad March 12.ai 1 29/02/2012 11:16

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CONTENTS:

4 New Members

9 Tayside Fire & Rescue

13 MTC Media

14 James Hutton Institute

16 brightsolid

22 Rautomead

23 Tech Zone

Dundee & AngusChamber of Commerce

enquiries@dundeeandanguschamber.co.ukwww.dundeeandanguschamber.co.ukt: 01382 228545

Cover photograph: ESA 2003

Designed by Creative Graffix.Proofed by Pat Baxter Language Services.

Dundee & Angus Chamber of Commerce is proud to acknowledge its Platinum Partners:

A word from the PresidentWelcome to the first ‘Business’ of 2012.

As we race through 2012, global and national headlines are still dominated by economic woes but I want to turn my attention to the good news and opportunities ahead for Dundee and Angus.

The news that the old Tay Hotel will operate under the Malmaison name is a great boost for the area: one hundred and twenty jobs and a stunning building returned to good use. Across the road, the seabed survey work has begun for the V&A; something that has got everyone talking about the area, with photographs of the work published around the world! The new Olympia swimming pool and the Dock Street road re-alignment are progressing well. These projects have already made a positive impact on our economy, with local leisure and tourism figures up by 7% on last year. Another welcome boost was the announcement that the Port of Dundee will be included in one of the Enterprise Zones. The specific incentives that will be offered to encourage private investment in the new Enterprise Zones will be announced soon, with the goal of having them fully operational by April this year. This is an important development and I look forward to identifying what the supply chain opportunities are for businesses across the region.

And finally, lest we forget amongst all the talk of global economic meltdown, Dundee and Angus is home to many successful, ambitious and growing businesses and we are delighted to showcase some of them in this magazine.

Enjoy reading about them and may I wish you all a pleasant spring.

Best regards

Chris LundieDACC President

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Even in this still-difficult economic climate, DACC enters 2012 with a steadily growing membership and the ambition to continually improve and offer the best service we can for our members of all sizes. Bringing members together is our aim, and to offer excellent networking opportunities at every event we run. The event programme for 2012 is already very healthy, with a wide range of events from the relaxed networking of ‘DACC Social’, the unusual and interesting locations of ‘Explorer Breakfast’, the learning opportunities of ‘The Marketing Experience’ and of course the ‘High Noon’ lunches with great speakers from the worlds of business and politics. So register for up-coming events on our website and start making the most of your Chamber membership.

20|20 Business Management20|20 Business Management believe that the future of industries, organisations and public sector facilities is secured through the development of its leaders. In challenging economic conditions the need to provide the best possible learning interventions – cost-effectively – can make the difference between business success or failure. Their delivery of high-quality learning and qualifications, delivered by engaging, experienced

and valued facilitators is crucial to ensuring success. From short courses through to full Management Development Programmes, courses are modularised to minimise time away from the business while being action-orientated to focus learners’ attention on the application of theory to practice and linking learning outcomes to tangible organisational benefits.www.2020businessgroup.comTel: 01382 730880

Membership Matters

Always ContactableAre you ‘always contactable’ for your customers and clients? Have you considered the impact of being without normal communications for a few hours or maybe even a few days? Who would you call if your lines went down? In the event of either your phone system or your building being out of use, do you have a voice business continuity plan? These are the aspects

and areas of telecoms in which Always Contactable specialise, ensuring their customers are prepared for any incident and being available to manage the impact for them; or they can simply deal with BT for you.

www.alwayscontactable.co.ukTel: 01224 531999

Art On Fashion Designs LtdAOFD – Art On Fashion Designs – is a new design company based in Tayside, Scotland, with over 3000 beautiful and colourful designs. Our designs are aimed at the fashion (fabrics and clothing), textile (curtains, cushions and bedlinen), tile (wall and flooring) and wallpaper markets. The AOFD website will offer ‘Guest Designers’ an opportunity to upload and sell their own designs + businesses/companies can buy commercial

and non-commercial licences for the manufacturing of Guest Designer and AOFD designs. Art On Fashion Designs’ trade and retail e-commerce website is under construction and will be completed at the end of March 2012.

www.aofd.co.ukTel: 01828 628171

BeamAt Beam, recently voted ‘Best Specialist Practice’ at the Dentistry Scotland Awards 2011, their prime focus is to create beautiful smiles for people of all ages. Orthodontics is a specialised technique using braces to straighten teeth that are squint, gappy or don’t fit together properly. Established in 2007 by specialist Orthodontist Ruaridh McKelvey and his wife, qualified dentist Jane Adams, they work with patients from

all over Dundee, Fife, Perthshire and Angus at their practice on South Tay Street, Dundee. Using the very latest techniques, which include invisible and tooth coloured braces, they correct imperfections large and small. After treatment patients frequently report significantly increased confidence, and that they can’t stop smiling.www.beamortho.comTel: 01382 202604

Booth Welsh Automation Booth Welsh Automation (BWA) provides a turnkey service in design, project management, software development, implementation and commissioning of process control systems. BWA also specialises in providing electrical & instrumentation engineering, from design through to complete installation and commissioning. Operating from their headquarters in

Scotland, BWA has been servicing clients worldwide for over 25 years, across the pharmaceutical, nuclear, oil & gas, water, food & beverage and petrochemical industries.

www.boothwelsh.co.ukTel: 01294 605123

ART ON FASHION DESIGNS

DiscoveryAuto Services

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City Electrical FactorsCity Electrical Factors Ltd is a private limited company established in 1951, and is the United Kingdom’s leading electrical wholesale network with almost twice as many distribution outlets as its nearest competitor. Its group of electrical companies not only extends throughout the United Kingdom but also Europe, North America, the Middle East, and now Australia. The business has been built on service to customers and

City Electrical Factors believes your problems and challenges are its problems and challenges and its duty is to find solutions to them.

www.cef.co.ukTel: 01382 227871

Chit Chat Social MediaSocial media are powerful and extremely cost effective methods of promoting your business, but they are very different from traditional marketing. Your reputation depends on how your campaigns are structured and managed. Chit Chat Social Media’s services range from evaluating your social profiles and online presence, to designing and building your social media profiles

and managing these and your online presence to gain maximum value from social media without your having to spend your time on line. Chit Chat Social Media can help your business get started marketing its services on line, using social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, YouTube, blogs and more.www.chitchatsocialmedia.comTel: 07929 213865

Discovery Auto Services LtdOwned and operated by Richard and Rose Donald, who pride themselves on delivering a first-class service to their customers, the company is supported by its enviable reputation as part of Dundee’s Trusted Trader Scheme. The only Unipart Car Care Centre in Dundee and set in the heart of the city, the garage is fully equipped to deal with all your motoring

needs, including servicing, repairs, MOT testing, fleet maintenance, tyres, exhausts, etc. All work carried out is covered by a 12 month or 12,000 mile nationwide warranty.

www.discoveryautos.co.ukTel: 01382 227642

Creative OrangeCreative Orange is a graphic design agency based in Longforgan. It can handle all of your creative requirements, such as graphic design, corporate identity/branding, design for print, web design and much more. Its talented team has the knowledge and a wealth of expertise to deliver cost effective creative solutions, and its streamlined model enables it to specialise in fast turnaround of projects. Overheads are

kept to a minimum, so every single penny you spend will contribute to enhancing your business and ensuring that you thrive amongst the competition.

www.creativeorange.co.ukTel: 0845 388 9169

Campbell Dallas Campbell Dallas is one of the most dynamic and progressive firms of independent Chartered Accountants in Scotland. Clients view Campbell Dallas very much as part of their own organisation, seeking strategic business advice from them. Their clients come in all shapes and sizes and so do their disciplines. They tailor their services and shape them to fit your needs because

ultimately they are focused on your peace of mind and on helping you succeed.

www.campbelldallas.co.ukTel: 01738 441888

Chamber East Chamber East is at the site of Dundee’s old Royal Exchange. This grade A listed building adds grandeur to any event. Situated in the heart of Dundee, Chamber East is a flexible venue and is available for general hire. It is regularly used for a wide variety of functions including conferences, concerts, weddings, fashion shows, ceilidhs and dinner dances. The Main Hall

houses a fully licensed bar and a kitchen that can provide all your catering needs.

www.chambereast.co.ukTel: 01382 201132

DiscoveryAuto Services

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Graham Pest ControlGraham Pest Control was established in 1992 and through a strategic growth plan has grown into Scotland’s largest independent pest control company, delivering preventative and reactive pest services to a variety of clients including local authorities, NHS Tayside and Tayside Contracts, along with many hotels, restaurants, factories and domestic premises

throughout Scotland. It currently employs 33 people and has diversified its services over the years to include washroom services, fire extinguisher sales & servicing, water management/Legionella testing and kitchen canopy cleaning, to offer clients the complete one-stop shop for all their essential services.www.grahampestcontrol.comTel : 01250 875555

Hays Specialist Recruitment LtdHays is the leading global specialist recruiting group. It is expert at recruiting qualified, professional and skilled people worldwide, being the market leader in the UK and Australia and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe. It operates across private and public sectors, dealing in permanent positions, contract roles and temporary assignments. In Scotland, it has

a network of local offices including Dundee and Perth. These serve Tayside, Perthshire and Fife, where each one of is expert consultants focuses on a specific area of the jobs market.

www.hays.co.ukTel: 01382 200344

HospitalfieldHospitalfield’s superbly crafted architecture and interiors make this both an impressive and yet comfortably proportioned venue for small conferences, meetings and informal gatherings, providing excellent customer care, renowned catering and service to a wide variety of clients. It is a sanctuary within the town boundary and within very easy reach of public transport. The antique structure, originating in the medieval

period, nevertheless supports WIFI through much of the building, with other presentational aids available. An arts foundation since 1890, Hospitalfield is a registered charity, with all proceeds supporting the ongoing research and conservation of the fabric.

www.hospitalfield.org.ukTel: 01241 872333

Kingscavil AssociatesKingscavil Associates offers a wide range of services focused on making a difference to your bottom line by developing sales, reducing costs, improving systems and processes, and creating value in your business. Their consultants have over 20 years’ experience across the SME, public sector and corporate organisations and work very much with the solution ethos ‘one size does not fit all, but many of the challenges businesses face

are not unique’. With their experience they can assist you achieve your desired business goals.

www.kingscavil.comTel: 07793 028939

the “Pied Piper” people

Little NiggleLittle Niggle are sports performance, injury prevention, rehabilitation and specialist sports injury product specialists. Their wide range of specialist sports injury products will aid rehabilitation and get you back in the game – sooner, in better shape and performing to your full capacity – faster than any other online retailer. They are UK-based and can deliver any of their sports

injury products quickly and efficiently across the UK and throughout Europe.

www.littleniggle.comTel: 0844 826 2583

Specialists  in  Sports  performance  &  rehabilitation

Self GuardSelf Guard uses technology to put you in control of your business or home. Use your mobile phone or laptop to see what’s happening anywhere in the world via internet enabled cameras, alarm panels, or remotely monitored sensors. With remote control your system becomes reactive, meaning you can stop problems before they begin. Diverse applications include security, homecare for vulnerable family members, and

agricultural control which, when combined with the highest possible standards of customer service, ensure Self Guard can provide for any remote monitoring need.

www.selfguard.co.ukTel: 01382 217377

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Star Lifestyle ManagementStar Lifestyle Management offers a bespoke, high-quality lifestyle management and concierge service that is available 24 hours a day to save time, energy, inconvenience and stress. Our lifestyle managers can assist with a multitude of tasks – they are available to complete everything from sourcing the best tradesmen and household staff, to organising birthday parties

and ensuring the fridge is stocked for your return from holiday!

www.starcleanservices.co.ukTel: 07921 455171

Touching the ThistleTouching the Thistle is a DVD of Scottish humour, consisting of a series of everyday sketches (depending on what your day holds ...!), musings and anecdotes. Also on the DVD are the texts of the scripts, written in both Scots and English. It’s the perfect gift for the Scot in your life or anyone looking for a flavour of Scottish humour – at home or abroad – and is available online.

More, including access to four of the videos, on the website!

www.touchingthethistle.comTel: 07963 887804

Vital AnalyticsVital Analytics Ltd is a business support firm. It provides business insights by applying economics, statistical modelling and business forecasts to improve your effectiveness. This ‘effectiveness’ includes increasing your grant application success rate; knowing where to target scarce resources to improve outcomes within your business; and to better understand your customers to ensure that you continue to serve their needs. With

its passion for problem solving and a drive to make a positive difference, learn how Vital Analytics Ltd can help you. Just give Lesley a call.

Tel: 01382 819808

Other new members:Angus Horticulture Ltdwww.angus-horticulture.co.ukTel: 01241 829 049

Breo Ltdwww.breo.comTel: 01382 772581

Danwood Scotlandwww.danwood.co.ukTel: 01506 446161

The Duvet Storewww.theduvetstore.co.ukTel: 0800 1214659

Evolve Safetywww.evolvesafety.co.ukTel: 01738 638860

Ericht Home Bakerywww.erichthomebakery.co.ukTel: 01382 543494

Crosslane Asset Management and Lettings Ltdwww.crosslanestudentliving.co.ukTel: 01382 322650

David Downie InsuranceTel: 01307 464342

Dundee Audiwww.john-clark.co.ukTel: 0845 370 0000

Hydruswww.hydrus-group.comTel: 01356 622044

Kildonan Associates Limitedwww.kildonan.co.ukTel: 01738 571527

Knox Coachingwww.knoxcoaching.co.ukTel: 07860 476358

The Learning Principalswww.thelearningprincipals.co.ukTel: 0131 4507114

LEBC Group Ltdwww.lebc-group.comTel: 0131 2268300

Picture Framing Dundeewww.pictureframingdundee.co.ukTel: 07522 745319

West Coast Energywww.westcoastenergy.co.ukTel: 01352 757604

WPAwww.wpa.org.uk/neilfraserTel: 07584 992414

DACC Events5 April Tartan Day Business Breakfast

12 April ‘DACC Social’ @ Gardyne Theatre

25 April Networking at the Races

8 May Speed Networking

18 May Chamber Golf Day

www.dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk/events/chamber-events

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West Coast Energy is an independent wind energy developer headquartered in North Wales, with 15 years’ experience in designing, planning and developing high quality wind energy projects across the UK. To date, West Coast Energy has secured planning permission for a wide range of wind projects that will contribute over 650MW of renewable energy to the national energy supply.

The company currently has two projects under construction in Scotland: at Blantyre in South Lanarkshire and Glenluce in Dumfries and Galloway. West Coast Energy has also submitted planning applications for fi ve other projects: at Lingo and Devon Wood in Fife, Daviot in the Highlands, Cairnborrow in Aberdeenshire, and Corse Hill in Angus, and is currently consulting on a proposal for Dodd Hill in Angus.

Steve Salt, West Coast Energy’s Planning and Development Director, said, “The sites that we have identifi ed in Scotland fi t well with the Scottish Government’s national energy policy framework. Scotland has set the ambitious target for 100% of Scotland’s energy consumption to be produced from renewable energy resources by 2020, and we are very pleased to be able to work to help local Councils in Scotland and the Scottish Government to achieve their renewable energy targets.”

A planning application for a seven 2.5MW turbine wind farm at Corse Hill was submitted in November 2011. The development would be situated on farmland approximately 3km east of Carnoustie, 2.5km west of Arbroath and 2km south west of Arbirlot. If consented, this wind farm would create enough green electricity to meet the annual domestic consumption of around 10,000 homes and, over its 25 year operational life, it is expected to displace almost half a million tonnes of CO2.

West Coast Energy has also recently launched a second project in the Angus area at Dodd Hill. The development would be situated on farmland approximately 3.6km north east of Tealing, 9.5km north of Dundee, and 11km south of Forfar. The wind farm would consist of fi ve 2.5MW turbines, with a totalled installed capacity of 12.5MW. Together, the two developments represent a signifi cant investment in Angus, and bring with them economic, environmental and social benefi ts.

At the heart of West Coast Energy’s business is a commitment to the principle that local communities should benefi t from the generation of local renewable energy in their area. As such, all of its projects, including the Corse Hill and Dodd Hill projects in Angus, incorporate a community benefi t package, where funds can be used to fi nance local community projects.

In the case of the Corse Hill wind farm, the project includes a community turbine within the overall development. Should planning permission be granted, the local community would benefi t directly from the net profi t from the wind farm. Initially, the annual benefi t to the community is expected to exceed £52,500 per annum, rising signifi cantly over the lifetime of the project as the costs of the development are paid off.

Members of the community have formed a Corse Hill Community Benefi t Forum, where they can discuss, suggest and consult with West Coast Energy on the community benefi t funds that would be generated from the community turbine. David Sawers, former Chief Executive of Angus Council, has been appointed as Independent Chair and will help facilitate discussions on the most suitable legal model to ensure that the profi t from the community turbine can be passed from the wind farm company to the local community. The Forum will also make key recommendations on which communities shall receive the benefi t, by how much and for what purpose.

Steve Salt added, “It is important that local communities and the region as a whole can become involved with and benefi t from commercial projects in their area. That is why we are proud to have a community benefi t element to all of our projects. I hope that the communities around the Corse Hill and Dodd Hill wind farms will be able to use the community benefi t funds from the wind farm to support worthwhile local projects.”

For more information about West Coast Energy and its projects, visit www.westcoastenergy.co.uk

West Coast EnergyWorking with Angus Communities

Advertising Feature

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Sector specific guides set benchmark standards within particular premises based on the type of occupancy. Anyone responsible for carrying out an FRA should use these sector specific guides to ascertain the acceptable fire safety standards for premises. Copies of all of the sector guides can be found at www.firelawscotland.org.

The Chief Officer of Tayside Fire and Rescue appoints enforcement officers to ensure that the duties of employers and other responsible persons are undertaken to a satisfactory standard. A core value of Tayside Fire and Rescue is to assist businesses to comply with the legislation through the giving of advice, setting reasonable timescales and being sympathetic to the issues affecting businesses in these challenging times.

Tayside Fire and Rescue has 15 district enforcement officers and district liaison managers who audit individual premises to assess compliance with the legislation; but they are also there to give guidance and assistance to elevate the levels of fire safety within our communities, focusing on how to prevent fires and ensuring that if fires do occur that people can get to safety.

www.taysidefire.gov.uk

TaysideFire & RescueServing our communities æA greAT deAl of TAyside fire And rescue’s work focuses on preventing fires from occurring; but when a fire does start, its job is to make sure that people can be alerted, easily find safety and that fire-fighters can safely tackle the fire.

People with responsibility for businesses and workplaces have always had a duty to ensure the safety of their employees and other people within their properties in the event of fire. In the past fire safety in workplaces was dealt with by a myriad of disparate legislation but in 2006 the vast majority of legislation was encapsulated within the Fire (Scotland) Act.

The Act is framed to ensure the safety of employees and any other relevant persons in the event there is a fire within the premises and it places a clear responsibility for fire safety on employers, but also upon any person who has control to any extent of relevant premises, and this includes people upon whom the responsibility is conferred by an employer, an owner, a manager or an employee. The method used to achieve the fire safety standards sought is through an assessment of the workplace or relevant premises, commonly known as a Fire Risk Assessment (FRA).

The requirements of an FRA can be encompassed within five general responsibilities:• undertakingafireriskassessmentforthepremisestakinginto account the requirements of the regulations and government guidance• identifyingthefiresafetymeasuresrequiredfromtheoutcomesof the FRA• implementingthefiresafetymeasures• introducingfiresafetypolicyandarrangementsforthecontroland review of fire safety management and measures• recordingtheoutcomesoftheFRAandanymaintenanceofthe fire safety measures designed for the safety of the relevant persons in relation to the premises.

West Coast Energy is an independent wind energy developer headquartered in North Wales, with 15 years’ experience in designing, planning and developing high quality wind energy projects across the UK. To date, West Coast Energy has secured planning permission for a wide range of wind projects that will contribute over 650MW of renewable energy to the national energy supply.

The company currently has two projects under construction in Scotland: at Blantyre in South Lanarkshire and Glenluce in Dumfries and Galloway. West Coast Energy has also submitted planning applications for fi ve other projects: at Lingo and Devon Wood in Fife, Daviot in the Highlands, Cairnborrow in Aberdeenshire, and Corse Hill in Angus, and is currently consulting on a proposal for Dodd Hill in Angus.

Steve Salt, West Coast Energy’s Planning and Development Director, said, “The sites that we have identifi ed in Scotland fi t well with the Scottish Government’s national energy policy framework. Scotland has set the ambitious target for 100% of Scotland’s energy consumption to be produced from renewable energy resources by 2020, and we are very pleased to be able to work to help local Councils in Scotland and the Scottish Government to achieve their renewable energy targets.”

A planning application for a seven 2.5MW turbine wind farm at Corse Hill was submitted in November 2011. The development would be situated on farmland approximately 3km east of Carnoustie, 2.5km west of Arbroath and 2km south west of Arbirlot. If consented, this wind farm would create enough green electricity to meet the annual domestic consumption of around 10,000 homes and, over its 25 year operational life, it is expected to displace almost half a million tonnes of CO2.

West Coast Energy has also recently launched a second project in the Angus area at Dodd Hill. The development would be situated on farmland approximately 3.6km north east of Tealing, 9.5km north of Dundee, and 11km south of Forfar. The wind farm would consist of fi ve 2.5MW turbines, with a totalled installed capacity of 12.5MW. Together, the two developments represent a signifi cant investment in Angus, and bring with them economic, environmental and social benefi ts.

At the heart of West Coast Energy’s business is a commitment to the principle that local communities should benefi t from the generation of local renewable energy in their area. As such, all of its projects, including the Corse Hill and Dodd Hill projects in Angus, incorporate a community benefi t package, where funds can be used to fi nance local community projects.

In the case of the Corse Hill wind farm, the project includes a community turbine within the overall development. Should planning permission be granted, the local community would benefi t directly from the net profi t from the wind farm. Initially, the annual benefi t to the community is expected to exceed £52,500 per annum, rising signifi cantly over the lifetime of the project as the costs of the development are paid off.

Members of the community have formed a Corse Hill Community Benefi t Forum, where they can discuss, suggest and consult with West Coast Energy on the community benefi t funds that would be generated from the community turbine. David Sawers, former Chief Executive of Angus Council, has been appointed as Independent Chair and will help facilitate discussions on the most suitable legal model to ensure that the profi t from the community turbine can be passed from the wind farm company to the local community. The Forum will also make key recommendations on which communities shall receive the benefi t, by how much and for what purpose.

Steve Salt added, “It is important that local communities and the region as a whole can become involved with and benefi t from commercial projects in their area. That is why we are proud to have a community benefi t element to all of our projects. I hope that the communities around the Corse Hill and Dodd Hill wind farms will be able to use the community benefi t funds from the wind farm to support worthwhile local projects.”

For more information about West Coast Energy and its projects, visit www.westcoastenergy.co.uk

West Coast EnergyWorking with Angus Communities

Advertising Feature

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0.5 SSE 1,184 16 XOM.US 38.52 0.36 FTO 7.38 0.08 EO 114.25 4.25

BP 398.4 5.50 AMEC 898.50 0.5 CNA 307 4.80 DGO 442 5 PMO 1638 20

We were here yesterday, we’re here today and we’ll be here tomorrow – whatever happens to the stock market in the short term. As we are one of the largest independent private client investment managers in the UK, our clients in Dundee and Angus have access to a national resource that is delivered locally. Our own investment managers and financial planners are free to choose from the whole market and so can focus on creating bespoke portfolios for each and every client. Through focusing on fresh, results driven investment ideas and advice, we take great pride in building strong relationships based on trust.

FORWARD THINKING SINCE WAY BACK.

Investments may fall as well as rise and you may get back less than you invested.

brewin.co.uk/dundee For more information please contact our Dundee office on 01382 317200 Brewin Dolphin is a member of the London Stock Exchange and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority No.124444.

Organic Motion, it provides tremendous advantages for planning, design, production, and even live interactive applications, and allows the operator to calibrate views and capture and stream 3D motion data directly into Autodesk® MotionBuilder™.

The college is now selecting a small group of participants from the very best of the film, games and animation industries to attend demonstrations of the technology – this will then afford them the opportunity to hire this groundbreaking technology at highly competitive rates.

To note your organisation’s interest in attending a demonstration, and to help the college gauge likely demand, please send an email with your details to the address below:

wwb@dundeecollege.ac.uk

refurbishment of its Gardyne Campus, Dundee College is proud to offer its students and the business community outstanding media production facilities, including digital television and radio studios; industry-standard editing and digital image manipulation suites; 2D/3D video and special effects software suites; and a fully operational sound studio for film, animation and television. The campus is also home to Gardyne Theatre Ltd which hosts a 404-seat theatre with full sound recording and editing facilities including a 24 track (digital and analogue) recording studio with 5.1 surround sound.

The campus is now operating a state-of-the-art motion capture suite funded through a Creative Loop Skillset Media Academy project in conjunction with the Scottish Funding Council. Centered on a 14 camera, full-body, markerless technology supplied and supported by

Dundee CollegeMedia production facilities for business

As An inTegrAl pArT of The £46 million

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Figure 8Figure 8’s Role in Local Charity æfigure 8 consulTAncy serVices hAVe linKed with charity CAIR Scotland and have set up a new ‘Community Recovery and Moving On’ service to help those affected by drug and alcohol misuse. Funded by NHS Tayside on behalf of Angus, City of Dundee and Perth & Kinross’s Alcohol and Drug Partnerships (ADPs), it will provide support to anyone in Tayside over the age of 16 who is in recovery from drug or alcohol dependence.

Figure 8 Consultancy has a crucial role in ensuring that staff in all agencies across Tayside understand the process of recovery and how their role can have an impact on an individual’s recovery journey. The service will seek to identify assets and resources that can help to develop the necessary support and life opportunities needed to motivate individuals to successfully move beyond their addiction. This means engaging with all sections of the community, including the local business sector.

It is envisaged that this project will make significant inroads into dealing with the visible elements of drug and alcohol misuse across Tayside and will have knock-on effects in terms of reducing crime, unemployment, poverty, etc. It is seeking further funding to run a piece of action research alongside the contract to demonstrate the long-term benefits of this innovative project for the whole of Tayside.

www.f8c.co.uk

Aiming big across Scotland æoriginAlly An elecTricAl conTrAcTor established in 1981, McGill has grown into a multi-million pound enterprise offering a wide variety of services, including electrical, mechanical, heating, plumbing and property refurbishment. Its customers are in the residential, commercial and industrial sectors, as well as homeowners. With nearly 400 employees, and branches in Dundee, Glasgow and Dalgety Bay, it is working at nearly 80 sites across Scotland.

One of its projects is the mechanical and electrical services installation for the new Olympia swimming pool development in Dundee; and this complex project demonstrates how the company has progressed to become a major M&E services provider. The same is true at Quartermile, the old Edinburgh Royal Infirmary site, where its partners include Gladedale Ventures, and where it is providing a comprehensive mechanical and electrical package for the fit-out of the Q10 residential development.

In Glasgow it has just been awarded a contract to provide new central heating in ten multi-storey flats on the Wyndford Estate. Another similar project includes various services at the Dallfield

multi-storey development in the Hilltown in Dundee. At a time when things are tough for the construction industry, McGill can be proud of its successes in achieving significant growth, so that it is now competing with well known national contractors and making a real name for itself.

www.mcgill.co.uk

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Enterprise Zone Boost for Region’s Renewables Ambitions

Dundee & Angus’s ambitions to become a key Scottish renewable energy hub were boosted when the Port of Dundee was designated as one of the country’s new Enterprise Zones.

Fast Facts -Energy Sector in Scotland

Up to £30 billion will be invested in offshore wind and £60 billion in oil and gas in the next 10 years and there is potential for a Euro 100 billion supergrid investment.

Jobs could rise from 70,000 to 130,000 by 2020 – representing over 5% of the Scottish workforce.

There will be an estimated 5200 to 9500 job opportunities each year to 2020 – most of these will be filled by those already in the labour market.

Currently there are 3000 apprenticeships starts each year in engineering and energy-related subjects.

The college sector currently supports 25,000 – 30,000 students in energy-related subjects and in universities there are 8000 undergraduate entrants in related subjects with around 3000 postgraduates.

in A Very posiTiVe deVelopmenT, The lATesT DACC membership survey shows business confidence on the rise, with 95% of respondents expecting their business to be ‘very successful’ or ‘successful’ in 2012.

New products/services and rising demand are the two factors mentioned the most as drivers of business growth this year, while rising costs and falling demand are cited as the biggest obstacles to growth.

The V&A at Dundee and the Waterfront Development are also having a positive impact, with the vast majority of the survey respondents believing that these exciting developments will boost the city/region economy by bringing in more visitors, drawing in more inward investment and encouraging more people to live and work here.

Encouragingly, 35% of the organisations that responded to our survey have told us that they are already making changes to their business to allow them to take advantage of the extra inward investment and visitors that the regeneration projects will bring here.

However, there are still many businesses who see the V&A etc as a good thing but are less confident that their own business will benefit directly. 44% of the survey respondents reporting that they are ‘not confident’ that the V&A and Waterfront Development will provide a boost for their own business.

Addressing this confidence shortfall is clearly one of the biggest challenges that the waterfront redevelopment partners face. The Dundee Economic Summit (scheduled while this edition of the ‘Business’ is in print/distribution) will be an important first step in raising awareness of the new opportunities that are emerging for local businesses and understanding what additional help and support they need to take advantage of these opportunities.

DACC Survey Shows Rising Optimism in 2012

æ

Projected number of jobs in the energy sector by 2020

Oil and gas (replacement and additional jobs): 30,000 – 40,000

Conventional power generation, transmission and distribution: up to 2000

Carbon capture and storage: 13,000

Offshore wind: up to 28,000

Marine renewables: up to 5300

Commercial onshore wind: 1650+

Renewable heat: 1350

Hydro power: up to 1400

Microgeneration: -2000

Total opportunities to 2020: 52,000 – 95,000

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MTC is based in City Quay, Dundee, just a stone’s throw away from the Chamber.

It has seen rapid growth into a team of 25 delivering a comprehensive suite of services.

Services include:• web design

• content management systems (CMS) – in-house system and open source

• e-commerce – including EPOS (Electronic Point of Sale) integrations for constant stock updates

• bespoke developments

• online marketing – including Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), Linkbuilding, Pay-Per-Click Management

• email marketing

• intranet development

• branding

• web hosting

• domain registration and management.

MTC aims to deliver the highest quality of project at all times and has successfully achieved this for over 500 clients throughout the UK and overseas. It tailors all its developments around the requirements of the client to ensure they get exactly what they want and need from the project.

MTC’s extensive portfolio spans a diverse mix of local and international clients, including the prestigious V&A project in Dundee that is doing so much to put Dundee on the global map.

www.mtcmedia.co.uk

When did MTC start?The company was first formed by Mike Callachan in 1999 but was re-established as MTC Media Ltd in 2005 under the control of Mike, Alan Reid and me.

What were the biggest challenges you faced in those early days?Self-funding the business between the three of us along with a £1000 grant from Business Gateway for a sign and some business cards; when we founded the limited company we only had one other member in the team, who had the challenging job of cold calling and setting up meetings.

What have you seen change in the industry since starting?Ours is a fast moving industry and so much can change in a short period of time. We work hard to keep everyone up to date with new technologies and techniques, so that we can stay at the forefront of what we do. I think this has really helped to establish MTC and grow the excellent team we have today.

Any tips for today’s start-up entrepreneurs?Watch your budgets and spend wisely. Don’t overstretch, as you can quickly lose control and find yourself in difficulties. Everyone expects a business to have a website these days but it does not have to cost the earth when you are starting out. Bringing in a professional company to do this for you can really set you up with a strong online presence and help you move forward. Lastly, don’t try to be everything to everyone. It is better to do one thing, do it really well and be known for it. If you try to do everything, you may not do anything well, and your business will not make the impact you want.

What are your ambitions for the future?We are still growing and in 2012 we will be adding more talent to our existing team. Long term, we aim to be Scotland’s leading web development company.

Q&A with David Rankine

Platinum Partnermtcmedia

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The institute and its predecessors have been at the forefront of rural, agricultural and environmental science for 90 years, delivering products and services to benefit society. The economic impact of its research is worth £17 to the economy for every £1 invested in that research.

However, its work is not restricted to Scotland and the UK alone as it has active links and collaborations in over 60 countries around the world. Food and energy security are just two of the challenges the world must meet in the face of a burgeoning population, and James Hutton Institute scientists are working on two different projects in Africa that aim to go some way towards addressing them.

In Malawi, it is involved in the Janeemo project (www.janeemo.org), a novel agroforestry enterprise promoting the use of oil-based trees and their products, supported by the Scottish Government. The three Janeemo trees, planted in combination around households, provide a source of light, gas power, firewood, highly

nutritious food and oil, soap, green fertiliser, organic pesticide, medicine and mosquito repellent.

The James Hutton Institute’s International Development Coordinator, Grant Davidson, who recently returned from a trip to the project, explained how planting the three trees – JAtropha, NEem and MOringa (hence Janeemo) – would bring multiple benefits. ‘The project is trying to encourage the take-up of three particular trees. These provide different benefits at a household level and households can also earn some income from them,’ he said. ‘We are working to integrate the Janeemo model into the broader permaculture system there and providing training to local people.’

Looking at food security, Professor Lesley Torrance, Head of the Cell and Molecular Sciences group, is working with local partners in Kenya to improve seed potato production systems as part of a project supported by the Monsanto Fund. Potato is the second most important food crop in Kenya but disease-free seed potato stocks

The James Hutton Institute

may be a new name but it

brings together the calibre

and reputation of the

Scottish Crop Research

Institute (SCRI) in Dundee

and the Macaulay Land

Research Institute in

Aberdeen to form a new

research institute that

will make significant and

innovative contributions

to our understanding of

key global issues, such as

food, energy, water and

environmental security.

Platinum Partner

ThiS SECTiON:International

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are scarce and farmers suffer poor yields as a result of disease and pests. The project, which started in 2009, has introduced five varieties of potato through importation of tissue culture plantlets. Surveys are also being carried out to find which areas of the country might be suitable for seed tuber multiplication. The project is also helping to train plant health officials in field evaluation techniques to help ensure disease-free seed potatoes are more widely available.

With many other similar projects and collaborations, the James Hutton Institute aims to deliver real impact on the lives of people around the world to achieve its vision of being ‘a world leader in research and engagement to deliver evidence-based solutions to the global challenges facing land and natural resource use both now and in the future’. That is something we can all be proud of working towards.

www.hutton.ac.uk

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Hollywood or Bust æmoVies Are noT JusT hollyWood And TV is not just about somewhere else. The industry is also right here in Dundee and Tayside. It’s everything from Scarlett Johansson filming on the beach at Auchmithie to a local company supplying posh loos for a Brad Pitt film in Glasgow. It’s about famous TV chefs showcasing local produce, and locations standing in for Moscow streets, royal palaces, and Apalachian wilderness, or even being themselves.

Regional screen office, TayScreen, is celebrating ten years of attracting production to the region and supporting the regional screen industry. It’s all added up to more than £5 million of production spending, hundreds of hours of free media promotion, benefits for business and tourism, and the creation of a new visual effects facility at the University of Dundee, opened in 2011 by actor Brian Cox.

TayScreen is the joint screen office for the councils of Angus, Dundee, Fife, and Perth & Kinross and is run by Julie Craik and Anna Rathband. The office markets the region to the media production sector so that they will bring projects here and spend their money on locations – everything from castles to cottages to coasts – and services. All kinds of services are needed. In addition to crew and production facilities, they hire such things as catering, transport, generators, accommodation, security, and, of course, those essential loos.

So whatever line of business people are involved in, if they see media production as an area of interest, the office can advise on promotion and the best way to contact projects.

TayScreen also coordinates a major €6m EU project called North Sea Screen Partners, and FifeTay.TV, an initiative for local television. North Sea Screen Partners provides a way for local businesses to make contacts in countries such as Denmark, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands, and Sweden. FifeTay is one of the areas earmarked for UK government plans for local TV. Initiated by Cllr Fraser Macpherson, FifeTay.TV is chaired by lawyer Stewart Brymer. Angus based Martin Cherry of Bannerman Technology is in charge of the business plan for a combined broadcast and web service, and Dundee College has outstanding media production facilities at its new £48m Gardyne Campus. Local TV means business opportunities, getting communities involved, and even networking – not just in Scotland or the UK, but worldwide.

www.tayscreen.com

Overseas expansion and increased turnover æBrighTsolid, The online puBlishing And technology group owned by DC Thomson & Co has announced a 75% increase in turnover during the year to the end of March 2011, by focusing on two main growth areas: providing secure business services through its online technology division, and its online publishing division that comprises internet-based genealogy through findmypast.co.uk, genesreunited.co.uk and scotlandspeople.gov.uk, and social media services through friendsreunited.co.uk.

brightsolid have also been busy internationally, as within the 2011 financial year, findmypast.ie was launched, with over 5 million Irish family history records available, and findmypast.com.au launched with over 55 million records covering Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Islands.

Closer to home, National Records of Scotland (previously the General Register Office for Scotland) released the long-awaited 1911 Census records for Scotland on brightsolid operated ScotlandsPeople.gov.uk. The British Newspaper Archive project also went live, a partnership announced with the British Library to digitise 40 million pages of 18th and 19th century newspapers over the next 10 years. Up to 4 million pages have already launched through the website www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk currently featuring more than 200 newspapers from every part of the UK and Ireland.

www.brightsolid.com

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Angus CouncilSupporting international trade æAngus council hAs AlWAys plAced greAT importance on assisting local companies with their international activities. It has been active with a number of overseas trade initiatives including ‘Angus in China’, which has supported a number of companies to take advantage of business opportunities in China. This has seen significant commercial outcomes for the benefit of local businesses and the Angus economy. The council’s role in contributing towards the success of companies in China has been widely acknowledged and the council is often cited as the leader among Scottish local authorities in this field.

The very successful golf destination campaign ‘Carnoustie Country’ (which works in partnership with golf clubs) is bringing more international golf visitors into the area, many of them attracted by the three major championships played at the Carnoustie Links since 2007: The Open, The Seniors Open and the Ricoh Women’s British Open. These initiatives all help the local economy and show how active Angus Council is in the international arena.

The council offers financial assistance towards the cost of travelling to exhibitions and events in new target markets in the form of the Market Development Grant. For further information please contact Roy Johnston, Senior Business Adviser, on 01356 627040 or email johnstonr@angus.gov.uk.

www.angus.gov.uk

Making NHS Tayside a global leader in patient safety æin feBruAry 2011, nhs TAyside esTABlished the Tayside Centre for Organisational Effectiveness (TCOE), a pioneering centre that aims to lead the way in healthcare quality improvement, patient safety and innovations in eHealth through a focus on education, research and technology.

TCOE, was developed in conjunction with the University of Dundee, and is a vibrant hub for quality improvement, research and informatics, building energy and enthusiasm for evidence-based change and promoting learning from within and out with Tayside.

At the core of TCOE is an Improvement Academy that offers an innovative annual curriculum of professional development and accredited programmes of learning, e-learning and web-based resources to benefit NHS Tayside staff, local communities and public sector partners.

NHS Tayside also has the proud accolade of being a global leader in the development of patient safety initiatives and the first Board in Scotland to develop such a resource for quality improvement

learning. Indeed, TCOE has hosted a number of visits over the past year from both national and international delegates seeking to learn from and apply some of the pioneering work carried out in NHS Tayside, including parties from Wales, Denmark, Kuwait, the USA and Sweden.

Carrie Marr, Director of TCOE, said, ‘Our ambition here in Tayside is to be a Board which encourages and positively advocates continuous improvements through innovation and education. The Centre allows us to reach out to our own staff to improve the quality of our services and deliver better care for our patients. It also allows us to extend our learning, research and technology to other partners.’

For further information contact Carrie Marr on 01382 660111 or carrie.marr@nhs.net

www.t-coe.org.uk

Tayside Centre for Organisational Effectiveness

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HHSDK051 Chamber Comm 149x210.indd 1 25/01/2012 11:08

Managing your imports and exports ælloyds eXporTs Are rising As BriTishbusinesses look to diversifying into fast-growing economies. Due to the more competitive exchange rate, UK goods are around ten per cent cheaper in Europe than a year ago and this has helped to boost exports to the euro zone. However, trading overseas is a two-way thing. Businesses need to import raw materials, goods and services –and these are more expensive as a result of the pound’s relative weakness.

With a heavy reliance on the movements within the FX markets it is important that businesses appreciate the need to manage this currency exposure. Whether it arises from a single invoice in a foreign currency, or sourcing raw materials from overseas, an unmanaged exposure can quickly turn a contractual profit into a contractual loss.

“We know that businesses want to take advantage of overseas opportunities – and currency movements represent an added challenge to those opportunities and a challenge that needs to be managed and controlled.” says Matt Strachan Senior Manager Lloyds Bank Commercial “Lloyds can offer specific support to help these small and medium sized businesses to trade overseas.” Lloyds Banking Group has the expertise to provide face-to-face support for your business. They can look at the opportunities, discuss appetite for risk and decide the most appropriate ways of mitigating that risk for your business.

www.lloydstsb.com/international

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Strathmore Estate near Glamis. David Soutar is the Farms Director. He feels that while it has been a positive experience, there have been challenges surrounding Gus’s service for his country: ‘Gus has been with us for years. He has a general job on the estate and we have found that his skills increased significantly as a result of his reserve service. He deployed to Iraq a while ago, and on his return took a little time to adjust into civilian life, but he brought home with him good people management skills. Obviously we have concerns for his safety when he is out there, and we would like to know more about his role as it would help us plan Gus’s career progress.’

Brendan Dick, Director, BT Scotland, sees significant advantage too: ‘In BT today, the need for colleagues with mental flexibility, drive, focus on delivery and great team-working skills has never been greater. I am absolutely clear that there is a natural link between the skills gained through service with our Reserve Forces and the capabilities required in the workplace, whatever the role people have in our organisation.’

And in the next few years, this is something that more employers will be discovering for themselves.

For more information regarding the employment of reservists please contact Major Ron Macgregor on 01382 631026.

SABRE

æVolunTeering To serVe your counTry in The military reserve is about to expand considerably as there is a drive to recruit 20,000 more young people for service both here and abroad. Almost 300 reservists from Tayside have gone abroad in the past five years, serving in countries as diverse as Cyprus and Afghanistan. However, when an employee declares that they have joined the reserve forces, where does the business go for advice and support on what they have to do? There are Acts of Parliament that enshrine the rights of the reservist and also the responsibilities of the employer.

Major Ron Macgregor is responsible for the Ministry of Defence Employer Support (SaBRE) campaign from Stirling to the Shetlands. He said: ‘Employing a reservist can bring new skills and raise morale amongst staff. Studies have shown that people who volunteer tend to have lower absence rates and higher productivity, all of which positively affect the bottom line. The average reservist brings £8000 of transferable skills training back to his workplace annually. The Ministry of Defence also provides a measure of financial support to the employer and I am available to offer advice and guidance on claiming this support and on understanding the relevant legislation.’

Capt. Gus Cameron is currently in Afghanistan. In his day job, he works for the Strathmore Farming Company, based on the

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App ZoneUseful iPhone apps for the travellingbusiness person

Cisco WebEx Meeting Center (free)Never miss a web conference again – join online meetings from your iPhone. Also available: GoToMeeting (free).

XE Currency (free)Handy currency converter that covers a wide range of countries.

Hotels.com (free)Interactive hotel booking, lets you find nearby hotels and any deals available.

Foursquare (free)Share your location with friends and business contacts.

Lonely Planet Travel Guides, Phrasebooks and maps (free download, local guides and phrasebooks £3.99)Professionally written travel guides and useful phrasebooks and maps for destinations around the world.

Wi-Fi Finder (free)Avoid expensive international data charges: quickly and easily find free or paid Wi-Fi when you travel.

ScotRail (free)Get live, real-time train running information, and buy tickets for any UK train journey (with no booking fees).

Traveline Scotland (free) & Live Traffic Info (free)Two useful apps to keep up-to-date with the latest travel information across the UK.

CamCard (£4.99 - lite version available)Scan in business cards and automatically add new contacts to your iPhone’s Card Holder or iPhone Address Book.

HoursTracker (£2.99)Keep track of your time and earnings at your hourly job, or track time as an independent contractor.

Tag GamesAccessing a global market from your kitchen!

æWhen speAKing WiTh friends Who Are involved in more traditional businesses Tag Games is often struck by how good they now have it in the games industry. In the age of the internet it seems every business is trying to think globally, especially with new markets emerging in Asia and South America, but it’s rare that they are actually making any progress towards building a global business. Global thinking was at the heart of Tag Games from the start.

Tag was formed over five years ago from the co-founders’ kitchen, when they built their first software in their spare time before taking the leap of faith and setting up a new business. These were the days before App stores and iTunes, when most people still bought games from the high street and music on CDs. They chose to focus on mobile gaming, and a big part of the appeal was the fact that distribution was digital – there were no CDs to burn, manuals to print or boxes to ship – a real bonus when you have no capital and no route to market.

It wasn’t easy to start with. They chose not to take the traditional route and sign with one exclusive publishing partner, instead doing deals with close to 50 smaller distributors across the globe. They sold their games from China to Peru and many places in between without ever leaving Dundee. Today, the industry has consolidated and the giants of Apple, Google and Microsoft have made it even easier to address a global market. With the click of a mouse button, a company’s games can be available within hours to consumers in over 50 countries.

Despite the fact you can build once and distribute globally it doesn’t necessarily mean you should. As the value of each market grows, it must be taken more seriously. A product strategy of ‘one size fits all’ isn’t always the most effective. You must now consider in more detail the specific nuances of a market and how it is defined by language, culture, race, religion and other factors. This may lead to fairly significant modifications being made in all areas, where before there would only be localising text.

If you don’t have the time, energy or capital to do this then partnering is the next best thing. Finding a trustworthy local partner that will share the workload and provide guidance in return for revenue share can be difficult, but ultimately rewarding. Social networks such as LinkedIn are very useful in this regard. In a matter of minutes you could connect to almost anyone, anywhere. The barriers to meeting people and doing business globally have never been lower – go for it!

www.tag-games.com

Get ‘fit for business’Join DACC!Call Dave Nicholson on 01382 228545 or emaildavidnicholson@dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk

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æThe enTerprise europe neTWorK (eun) offers support and advice to businesses across Europe and helps them make the most of opportunities in the European Union. Its services are specifically designed for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and they are available free to Scottish-based businesses.

EUN is made up of nearly 600 partner organisations in more than 40 countries, promoting competitiveness and innovation at a local level in Europe and beyond. So, whether you need information on EU legislation; help with technology transfer or to find a business partner; to benefit from

Enterprise Europe Networkinnovation networks in your region; or need information on funding opportunities, this is a great place to start.

Amongst the specific ways that EUN can help you is to assist you to find business opportunities, new products and technologies. You can search its extensive technology and business opportunity database. All profiles displayed on the database have been entered by colleagues in the EUN on behalf of companies in their region. You can also post your profiles on the database for distribution throughout Europe. You can market, match make and meet at EUN’s many Partner Brokerage events held at key trade fairs across Scotland, the UK

and Europe. And once you have established a potential partner, EUN can support you through the partnership process.

Some of the other useful services available are:• country profiles• trade statistics• contacts in trade associations• lists of potential partners and competitors.

Although the EUN is not a funding source, it can provide information on the type of funding available to Scottish companies, and advice on how to access these funds.

www.enerprise-europe-network.ec.europa.eu

meet enterprise europe network At dAcc staff from enterprise europe network will be at dAcc to answer your questions on 18 April 2012. chamber members can register at www.dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk

Golf DaySponsorship of Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce Golf Day on 18 May

æmurrAy TAylor Are delighTed To Be supporting the DACC 2012 Golf Tournament around the Montrose Links, where Steve Taylor and Tom Murray set up in business as Chartered Certified Accountants in 1990.

Since then, offices have been opened in Arbroath in 2005 and Dundee in 2010. In each office there is a resident partner, Angela Campbell in Dundee, Louise Sim in Arbroath and Chris Doan in Montrose. Each office provides accounting services to meet the requirements of SMEs, the self employed and the individual.

The other three partners visit all offices on a regular basis. Steve Taylor specialises in Corporate Finance, Robert Sim in Audits and Charities and, last but by no means least, Tom Murray in farming and business development.

Murray Taylor is looking forward to welcoming everyone to the Montrose Links and hope everyone enjoys the challenges the golf course brings to all golfers, old and new alike!

www.murraytaylor.com

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In general, Rautomead would highlight the following points for success:• Design, build and test your product at home (although not necessarily manufacture all parts at home).• Have something unique about your technology and understand clearly what that differentiator is (not a me-too product).• Have a good customer support structure and process – sales, project management, installation & commissioning, through to after-sales.• Have good local support and presence in your markets (use of local country agents in Rautomead case).• Have a good tight contract – technically and commercially – and ensure that payment terms are clear and protected (by Letter of Credit, etc).• Be prepared to support the customer after the sale, especially if it is one which is new to your technology.

Experience in its three key markets (USA, China and Germany, accounting for around 60% of its business) has brought up some countries’ ‘quirks’, which in some ways strangely mirror the popular national stereotypes for each country, including:

• For China – Be sure of the uniqueness of your product/technology. – Be ready to discount at negotiations (build into initial price). – Be prepared to negotiate for a long time over what may seem like trivia. – Be very sure of your bottom line beforehand. – Be prepared to ‘banquet’ (quite hard) afterwards!

• For USA – Be ready to customise your product offering (‘not the standard menu’). – Price negotiations may be minimal.

• Germany – Have your specification firmly in place. – Be sure you can do what you say you will do. – Any level of automation is always attractive.

www.rautomead.com

Rautomead LtdTips for doing business abroad

ædundee sme rAuTomeAd lTd, BAsed in The city’s Wester Gourdie Estate, is a provider of continuous casting technology and equipment, designed and made for customers globally. It has been in business in Dundee for almost 35 years, with some 350 installations to date in over 40 countries.

Rautomead’s general business strategy is to target niche, high-value market streams, where superior technology and quality allows the company, as far as possible, to operate competitively ‘on the front foot’. To support this strategy, the company has an active in-house R&D capability that helps the company to continue developing new market opportunities in its field.

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Tech ZoneBlue SquareDoes your organisation need a mobile-ready website?Accessing information on the move

æAccording To The office for nATionAl sTATisTics, in August last year almost half of UK internet users were going online via mobile phone data connections. Some 45% of people surveyed said they made use of the net while out and about, compared with 31% in 2010. This percentage rises when you look at younger people where 71% of internet-connected 16 to 24-year-olds used mobiles to access the internet.

The same is the case in the US where a recent study by Neilson showed that mobile Internet usage is growing 30% every year. By 2013, it is expected that there will be 134 million mobile web users in the United States alone.

If these statistics don’t persuade you that having a mobile website is necessary, then get out your phone and visit your own website. Even if the website does not break on the mobile browsers, then you will probably admit that having to scroll in and out to find information and change pages is far from ideal. Imagine how frustrated your customers may be if they are on the road and simply looking for a phone number or easy way to contact you.

A mobile ready website also opens doors to use other technology such as QR codes. Linking the user to a non-mobile ready website via a QR Code completely misses the point and provides a poor user experience.

Having a mobile website created is not a costly (far cheaper and more universally available than Apps) or time-consuming exercise, as the information on the site should be limited to what people need when on the move. Mobile sites can be produced independently of existing websites. A simple piece of code can be added to the desktop website that detects that the user has come from a mobile device and serves them the mobile site instead.

So if you don’t already have a mobile ready website, then you should look at rectifying this as soon as possible.

www.blue2.co.uk

AxeonSupplies batteries for first Hiriko prototype electric vehicles

æspAnish firm hiriKo hAs chosen Dundee-headquartered Axeon to supply batteries for its prototype electric vehicles. Hiriko, based in the Basque region, sought out Axeon, Europe’s largest independent supplier of lithium-ion battery systems, because of its design and manufacturing expertise.

The urban electric two-seaters feature a unique folding design that allows them to park in a very limited space, with a single access door at the front of the vehicle and an advanced steer-by-wire system, which removes all mechanical steering components.

Axeon will supply each Hiriko prototype with two powerful lithium-ion batteries mounted in parallel – one in each half of the vehicle, with electric wheel-mounted motors providing four-wheel steering and four-wheel drive.

“Working with our Spanish partners has been very straightforward – they speak good English, though we have a Spanish Quality Engineer, who is also able to help with communications,” said George Paterson, Axeon’s Director of Sales. “We have several international customers and find that language is not a barrier in any case; they want the specialised service that we can provide. The one thing that would ease our European business is better international flight connections!”

www.axeon.com

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