Three Things you Must do to Protect Your Business in 2012!........... 4-5 Working Health Services........................... 6 Back to Basics Why you should stop worrying about the latest fads and just keep your promises.................................8-9
Welcome
Falkirk Heart Town....................................10 The Ripple Effect R&D Tax Credits: improving their impact on the UK economy..............12-13 Forkers Ltd.................................................. 14 Business Award Winners Hit the Accelerator................................... 16
It’s an ill wind, but business goes on............................... 27 More demand to be ‘virtual’...................29 Pipes and Tube tradition meets technology....................30 Red For Heart Spring Netwalks 2012............................. 31 Could you be next to enter the Dragon’s Den?.................................... 34 New Tribunal Fees to Help Business Owners.............................35 Well Plaid! Clan Italia’s Tartan Goes Global............ 37 Let the good times fizz….........................39 The Business Panel+ New Member Profiles & Events...... 40-41 Buisness Gateway..................................... 42 For advertising contact D-Tech, T: 01389 736000 E: sales@incommerce.biz For editorial enquiries contact the Editor, Michelle McKearnon T: 01324 66 55 00 E: Michelle.McKearnon@falkirkforbusiness.org Publisher: D-tech Distribution: D-Tech Distribution InCommerce is published by D-tech Graphic Design & Print Ltd. Unit 14, Birch Road, Broadmeadow Industrial Estate G82 2RE. T: 01389 736000. F: 01389 736002. E: info@dtechuk.com. W: www.dtechuk.com Edited by Falkirk for Business, The Falkirk Stadium, 4 Stadium Way, Falkirk, FK2 9EE T: 01324 66 55 00 F: 01324 61 76 37 E: info@falkirkforbusiness.org W: www.falkirkforbusiness.org InCommerce is fully protected by copyright and nothing may be printed wholly or in part without the written permission of the publishers. The proprietors of this magazine are publishers and not agents, or sub-agents of those who advertise therein. They cannot be held liable for any loss suffered as a result of information gained from this publication. The views expressed by authors of articles published in this magazine are solely those of the author and are not necessarily the views of or shared by the editor, nor the publisher or the directors, shareholders and/or employees of InCommerce Ltd or D-Tech Graphic Design & Print Ltd.
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elcome to our latest edition of InCommerce business to business magazine for the Falkirk and district area. Let me introduce myself: I am David Gardiner and I have the privilege of taking over the reins from Laurence Barrett as CEO. I have spent 14 years working in Local Economic Development mainly based in Glasgow, but also operating Business Gateway contracts in Ayrshire, Dunbartonshire, and Dumfries and Galloway. For the last couple of years I have been self-employed operating my own retail businesses and also specializing in Research and Development tax credits on behalf of Jumpstart. We have an extremely busy time ahead with a number of Business Panel events currently being organised. Our next event is on March 9th when our annual update will take place at Falkirk Town Hall. This is your opportunity to hear from senior members of Falkirk Council as to the proposed plans for economic development in the area, and a chance to put questions to our panel of experts from businesses and the local authority. We would be delighted to receive your feedback on how we can improve our support to businesses in the local community and of course ideas on what you would like to see delivered at our Business Panel events. In order to do this please email me at: david.gardiner@falkirkforbusiness.org I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible over the forthcoming months. In the meantime I hope that you have a successful 2012.
Issue 4 • March 2012
My Future’s in Falkirk........................19-26
The Falkirk forBusiness Magazine
Contents
Welcome........................................................ 3
3