www.trafford.gov.uk/business

... to the second edition of Trafford’s quarterly ‘Business First’ bulletin brought to you by Trafford Council. In this edition you will find articles on the latest business news, support and funding opportunities and we hope you find it useful.

In addition to information via this bulletin, we are also pleased to announce that our website trafford.gov.uk has recently been redesigned and particular attention has been paid to the ‘Business’ section. The information should be more useful and relevant to you, containing advice for businesses including coming events and news.

We have also recently launched our new Inward Investment brochure, which will support in attracting new businesses to Trafford, thereby further growing our local economy. The brochure can also be viewed online. Please share this link with anybody it may be of interest to, or get in touch if you would like some hard copies to pass on to your contacts.

We want your ideas on how we can improve the information we provide to Trafford’s businesses, so if you have any suggestions about improving the website and what you would like to see in future editions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

WELCOME...

BUSINESS FIRSTTR aFFORd’S BUSINESS BULLETIN - NOv 2013

P1 Welcome • To our second edition

P2 Business News • TNTmovesintoTrafford • RLWC - Day to Remember • Regatta scoop award

P3 Business Support • Manufacturing Advisory

Service • Knowledge Transfer

Partnership • InfoTrafford

P4&5 Funding • Regional Growth Fund • Town Centres Loan Fund • Direct Lending Scheme • Creative Industries funding

boost • Greater Manchester

Investment Fund

CONTENTS

T r a f f o r d – f i r s T f o r B U s i N E s s

For further information or assistance, please contact the Economic Growth Team on: 0161 912 4176 or e-mail business@trafford.gov.uk. Follow us on Twitter @TraffordBiz

Cllr Michael Hyman

BUSINESS NEWS

RUgBy LEagUE WORLd CUp – day TO REMEMBERSupport Rugby League World Cup 2013 and get involved by giving a Day to Remember.

Businesses have the opportunity to give thousands of underprivileged children, adults, schools and clubs a ‘Day to Remember’ by attending one of the Rugby League World Cup matches in stadiums across England and Wales, includingthefinalwhichtakesplaceatOldTraffordon30thNovember.

All of the money donated through the schemewillbeusedtopurchasetickets

for underprivileged children and adults to attend the game of your choice. In return for your donation of £500 or more, you will also receive:

• Company logo in the match day programme.

• LogoandlinkontheofficialRLWC2013 website.

• Exclusive corporate gift to be presented on the pitch at the game with photo opportunity.

Uptofivestaffcanattendthegametosupport the Day to Remember scheme.

For more information visit:www.rlwc2013.com/comunity_initiatives/day_to_remember

TNT post has picked Greater Manchester and Trafford as the first place outside London to launch its new delivery service, creating 913 jobs in total. Locally, partners have worked together to ensure Trafford residents have access to the new job

opportunities being created. TNT are opening 11 new offices including offices at Woodsend Road, Flixton and Longford Trading Estate, Stretford where post will be sorted and delivered from.

TNT- a MajOR NEW EMpLOyER MOvES INTO TRaFFORd

www.trafford.gov.uk/business T r a f f o r d – f i r s T f o r B U s i N E s s

The Dutch-owned firm is to start deliveries in Greater Manchester in November.

Support Rugby League World Cup 2013 and get involved by giving a Day to Remember.

REgaTTa SCOOp aWaRd (agaIN!)

Congratulations to Trafford based Regatta and Dare 2b for scooping the acclaimed Queen’s Award for Enterprise International Trade for the second year in a row.

The company has shown an increase of 66 per cent in overseas sales over the last three years and CEO Keith Black puts this down to the great product, great people and great service the company offers.

Keith said: “I am extremely proud of everyone from Regatta and Dare 2b in the UK and Europe whose hard work and commitment has made this happen. We have strong ambition to continue to grow and become a Worldwide Outdoor Group.”

BUSINESS SUppORT

BUSINESS SUppORTEach month we will cast a spotlight on three support organisations and opportunities which may be able to benefit your business. You can also find information about further support initiatives and organisations by contacting the Economic Growth Team.

MaNUFaCTURINg advISORy SERvICE (MaS)

KNOWLEdgE TRaNSFER paRTNERShIpKnowledge Transfer Partnerships enable businesses the opportunity to tap into knowledge, research and expertise within universities, further education colleges or research and technology organisations to tackle business projects and challenges.

By participating in a KTP, you can:

• Increase profitability

• Increase your competitive advantage

• Improve your performance/business operations

• Access qualified people to spearhead new projects

• Access experts who can help take your business forward

• Develop innovative solutions to help your business grow

• Develop your business for today’s market

For further information visit www.ktponline.org.uk or contact Mrs Fiona Nightingale KTP Advisor Manchester on 07823 324342 or email fiona.nightingale@btinternet.com

INFOTRaFFORd – OpEN FOR BUSINESSTraffordCouncilhasdevelopedaweb-basedtooltomakedataandinformation available to people, organisations and businesses in Trafford.Therangeofdataavailableishuge, from population demographics to education data, through to health, housing,benefits,andmuchmore.

Oneofthekeydatasetsthatwearebeginning to use is called ACORN. This data allows us to get a much better understanding of the people who live inTrafford,byprofilingsmallareasandcategorising the people that live there (e.g.inrelationtolikelybuyinghabits,leisure interests, etc).

This data could be used by your businessestoprofilethelocalmarketand customer base, provide detail for loan or funding applications, or support investment decisions.

For more information about InfoTrafford, visit www.infotrafford.org.uk, or email infotrafford@trafford.gov.uk

www.trafford.gov.uk/business T r a f f o r d – f i r s T f o r B U s i N E s s

MAS provides manufacturing business support for companies based in England, helping them to improve and grow. It is designed to help manufacturers streamline processes, reduce waste, become more energy efficient and generally improve and grow business. MAS’ advisors can provide a free review

of your business to develop an action plan tailored for your company needs, which could then progress to a specialist project to address the actions identified in your review. If you are an SME with the ambition to grow they can also provide match funded support for projects.

For further information visit www.mymas.org

You can also contact Nick Brandwood, MAS North West Advisor on 07554 115479 or email nick.brandwood@mymasnw.org

FUNdINg

Funding opportunities are available to support businesses to grow and prosper. In each Business Bulletin we will highlight a number of these, but please contact us directly if you would like to learn more about potential funding opportunities available to your business.

REgIONaL gROWTh FUNd

dIRECT LENdINg SChEME TO UK ExpORTERS

The Regional Growth Fund opened its fifth round of funding on 11th October inviting businesses to bid for a slice of its £3.2bn pot.

Funds are available to bidders from the private sector seeking £1 million or more for high quality projects and programmes that leverage private sector investment, create sustainable jobs and boost the UK economy.

Launched in 2011 by Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), the government-backed Regional Growth Fund looks to support economic growth in local areas and support the creation of jobs by encouraging small businesses which are struggling to secure finance

through other means. There are 2 ways that businesses in Trafford can access the Regional Growth Fund:

Apply directly to RGF Round 5

Deadline for receipt of completed applications is 9th December 2013. Minimum bid is £1 million. www.gov.uk/understanding-the-regional-growth-fund

There is a North West briefing event for Round 5 on Wednesday 13th November from 10.15am - 13.15pm at Liverpool John Moores University, John Lennon Art & Design Building. 2 Duckinfield Street. Liverpool, L3 5RD.

If you would like to attend email growthfund@bis.gsi.gov.uk by noon on Friday 8 November. Please note that places for the event are limited.

The Direct Lending Scheme has been developed by UK Export Finance, the Government’s export credit agency. It will support exports where buyers need loans of between £5 million to £50 million to finance the purchase of capital and semi-capital goods and services from UK exporters, but have been unsuccessful

in obtaining an export credit loan from the banks. The new demand-led lending scheme will mean more foreign buyers can access support to buy products from UK exporters.

For more information visit www.gov.uk/government/publications/direct-lending-scheme

TOWN CENTRES LOaN FUNdThe Trafford Town Centres Loan Fund is still available for businesses looking to occupy empty units in one of Trafford’s Town Centres.

The Fund can offer interest free loans from £1,000 to £10,000, repayable over three years.

For further information phone 0161 912 4176 or email business@trafford.gov.uk

FUNdINg

www.trafford.gov.uk/business T r a f f o r d – f i r s T f o r B U s i N E s s

FUNdINg

FUNdINg BOOST FOR CREaTIvE INdUSTRIES

More than £30m of support will be made available to businesses through a series of targeted funding calls it has been announced. The UK’s innovation agency, the Technology Strategy Board, has launched a new strategy to accelerate growth in the country’s creative industries.

The sector is already a highly successful part of the UK economy, covering a wide range of activities from radio and television, through advertising

and interactive media to fashion. The Creative Industries Strategy outlines ways in which it can grow further and faster with carefully targeted support.

The forthcoming series of funding competitions will encourage innovation in areas such as digital media production, engagement with local communities and services, as well as in ‘frictionless commerce’ - further development of online business.

In parallel with the Technology Strategy Board’s programme, Creative Skillset, the creative industries’ sector skills council, will be rolling out a series of training schemes aimed at developing the best skills and talent in the world within UK creative industries.

For further information visit www.innovateuk.org or www.creativeskillset.org.

ThE gREaTER MaNChESTER INvESTMENT FUNd... ...offers ongoing access to RGF for local businesses, allowing them to bid for smaller amounts of money if required. http://www.agma.gov.uk/gmca/gm-investment-strategy/

For more information contact Trafford Council’s Economic Growth Team on business@trafford.gov.uk or call 0161 912 4137.

CoNTACTEconomic Growth TeamTrafford CouncilTel: 0161 912 4176Email: business@trafford.gov.ukwww.trafford.gov.uk/business