[New] Encouraging GREEN BUSINESS

The potential of south Warwickshire to become an exemplar in how to grow and encourage green business was discussed at the latest meeting of a key business organisation.

The Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce’s South Warwickshire branch discussed the possibilities during a meeting at Alscot Estate in Atherstone-on-Stour – where many green projects are already taking place.

Jonathan Thompson, Coventry, and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce Ambassador, explained how Alscot is looking to go carbon-neutral by 2050, and is already investing in biodiversity and green energy generation on its land.

He also highlighted the potential for sustainable businesses to potentially move to Atherstone Airfield, which has been allocated for new employment land in Stratford District’s Local Plan.

Keynote speaker Doug King, CEO of sustainable rapeseed processing firm Yelo Enterprises - which is based on the estate and was recently announced as the new owner of Coventry City Football Club – then talked about how the region and the estate fitted his business’s vision when finding a home.

He said: “Since founding Yelo in 2016, we have built the business to a point where we process around 15 per cent of the UK’s total rapeseed crop – around 160,000 tonnes – and employ 60 people in skilled jobs.

“The Alscot Estate ticked all the boxes for our investment and building our processing plant there as it has been championing sustainable projects for a long time, grasped our initiative and had leased long term existing storage infrastructure alongside the facility.”

“Building a green-field processing and refining complex with a renewable heat plant took longer than anticipated and as always more capital than initially projected.

“However, after investing approximately £75 million, our facility and its renewable energy footprint processing only UK grown oilseed rapeseed is being increasingly appreciated by our customers. The direction of travel is clear on this subject and this early investment puts us in a strong commercial position.

“Huge change is coming to the industry, and buyers are already taking into account the sustainability and provenance of their refined oil when deciding on a purchase despite inflationary pressures.

“It’s great that we have successfully launched a new major sustainable business here in south Warwickshire, and I think the region and its focus on renewable energy shows great potential for new green businesses to have similar support leading to commercial viability in the near future.”

The talks were finished off by South Warwickshire branch chair Larry Coltman, who highlighted the number of businesses passionate about sustainability already established in south Warwickshire, and the need for employment land to enable the economy to grow.

Corin Crane, Chief Executive of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, added: “The push towards net-zero is ever-increasing, so businesses with green ideas need to be able to make their dreams a success.

“South Warwickshire has real potential to host these kinds of businesses, with places like the Alscot Estate and Yelo Enterprises are already leading the way.

“And with allocations for sustainable employment land featuring prominently in Stratford District’s Local Plan, the area could soon set a national example in how to promote and attract green business, bringing great benefits to the economy and the environment.”

“CLASSIC”?

“A classic timepiece, designed for a lady.” This is how some may describe our Oyster Perpetual Lady-Datejust. Maybe they’re right. Since the early 20th Century, Rolex has designed and crafted watches suited for all women’s wrists, with the same standard of excellence as for all the models that have built its legend. Always pursuing a higher standard. So, if “classic” means perpetuating tradition while combining elegance and precision, grace and resistance, beauty and performance, it is indeed a classic timepiece, designed for a lady. The Lady-Datejust.

Coventry Scale Company has developed a brand-new automated cloud-based software solution that has completely transformed how it securely records and stores its customer and asset data, plus manages calibration and service work.

Called ScaleCal, the company developed the software after the team couldn’t find a suitable platform on the market that would effectively hold all their customer and calibration data in one place. The software, which has been designed by the team at Coventry Scale Company and developed with 10 Digital, an independent software company, securely streamlines all of the company’s service and calibration work, including its customer and asset data.

Built for Android, the software has a wide range of user-friendly features, allowing the team to edit and add customer data, list, view and edit all scale data, for all customers. This has removed the need to use multiple digital platforms and eliminated any lengthy paper-based processes. It means they can now issue calibration certificates to customers instantly, assign work to a team of engineers based on location, and record service and maintenance work, all in one place. The software is already enhancing the service they provide to their customers, as well as driving business productivity, accuracy, and reducing wasted time and cost.

Tom Marren, managing director at Coventry Scale Company Ltd, explains: knowledge and expertise, and our products, is important to us, and why we were keen to design a platform that helps our business to do just that.

“During the development stages we were able to ‘test drive’ the software with the team at Coventry Scale Company as well as stakeholders across the industry. We’re now using ScaleCal as part of our business operations and we’re already seeing the benefits. From assigning work to our engineers to recording calibration data and service updates, the software is already strengthening the service we’re providing to our customers.”

Dr Alan Malik, CEO of Exasoft Group (inc 10 Digital) said: “We were delighted to work with Coventry Scale Company developing a software solution that will completely transform the way calibration services are conducted. Digital solutions are our expertise, and this software solution is a real game changer for the industry as it will enable the business to drive productivity, increase accuracy, and boost the service they provide to their customers.”