Thinking Business Dec/Jan 2015

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE FOR KENT INVICTA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE • DECEMBER 2014/JANUARY 2015

Kent - a compelling location for life sciences

Also Inside: International Trade • Spotlight on Swale • Big Interview • Getting Started • Last Word

CONTENTS

Welcome Welcome to the final edition of Thinking Business for 2014 and reading through the content of this edition it certainly seems to have been a positive year, not just for your Chamber, but for you as members and the County as a whole.

I would like to draw your attention to page 18, which outlines some key changes for your Chamber from the start of 2015. These changes are due in part to the continued membership growth over the past 12 months.

We have finally exceeded the 1200 member milestone and will now work with you to try and reach the milestone of 1300 members.

The more members we can collectively get to join your Chamber the greater business opportunities there are for you all.

As a Chamber we recognise the importance in developing the young people within our County, they are after all, our future employees and employers. To ensure Kent’s future economic growth we need to nurture and develop the business people of tomorrow. To mark this, we are working alongside the British

Chambers of Commerce to mark 2015 as the year of ‘Young People’ and we will be looking for your support during the year on a number of initiatives that we will be developing.

To really have an impact we need to be working with the Schools to help shape the agenda and on page 8 of this edition, there is a call for members to get involved with their local school as a Governor. Please do look at the article and give it some careful consideration.

I look forward to working with you all in 2015 and would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous 2015.

Finally, I sincerely thank you all for your support during 2014 and for making Kent Invicta the excellent Chamber that it is.

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Chamber News Members News International Trade 24 hours with...

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Editorial and General Enquiries Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce Ashford Business Point, Waterbrook Avenue, Sevington, Ashford, Kent. TN24 0LH Tel: 01233 503 838 Fax: 01233 503 687 Email: info@kentinvictachamber.co.uk Web: www.kentinvictachamber.co.uk Chief Executive: Jo James Publisher Ian Fletcher Benham Publishing Limited 3tc House, 16 Crosby Road North, Crosby, Liverpool L22 0NY Tel: 0151 236 4141 Fax: 0151 236 0440 Email: admin@benhampublishing.com Web: www.benhampublishing.com Published December 2014 © Benham Publishing

Front cover image courtesty of BPES: Image of cells taken using Cellavista high throughput multi-plate imager distributed by BioProcess Engineering Services Limited (BPES) at Kent Science Park.

Advertising and Features Karen Hall Tel: 0151 236 4141 Email: karen@benhampublishing.com

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The Economy & Us Members News Membership Benefits Chamber Events Chamber Exhibitions Getting Started Regional News New Members The Last Word Movers & Shakers

Production Manager Mark Etherington Tel: 0151 236 4141 Email: studio@benhampublishing.com Media No. 1370 Disclaimer Thinking Business is published for Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce and is distributed without charge to Chamber members. All correspondence should be addressed to the Editor at Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce. Views expressed in Thinking Business are not necessarily those of Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce. Reprinting in whole or part is forbidden except by permission. © 2014.

Please note that submitting an article does not guarantee publication.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in this journal, Benham Publishing and its agents can accept no responsibility for the veracity of claims made by contributions in advertising or editorial content.

Benham Publishing cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies in web or email links supplied to us.

December 2014 - January 2015 ThinkingBUSINESS

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MEMBERSCORNER

Airports inquiry moves onto the next stage The Airports Commission has published its assessment of proposals for additional runway capacity at Gatwick and Heathrow, which will now go out to consultation.

Members Corner from Linda Marsh

Membership Development Manager Wow, what a busy summer we have had here at Kent Invicta Chamber.

The feedback from you the members on the B2B’s across Kent has been very positive. This is great news for us as we are constantly looking to ensure the experience you have is a great one.

The networking events have really been busy; such interesting feedback from you all about the connections and contacts you have made through the summer has really been inspirational to Kent Business.

The feeling of real confidence in the area has definitely been present, which can only be good news for you all.

With the winter months closing in and Christmas just around the next bend, take a look at our Christmas Lunch which is being held at Chilston Park on 9 December.

This is already proving to be a very popular event, so get booked on quick!

On reflection, the past six months have flown past and so many great members’ stories that I have heard, which is a real testimony to you all, across Kent, for really working hard to build upon your business growth and success.

A message for 2015, well what can I say, except the best way to promote your business and prosper is to build on the successes of 2014, be an active part of YOUR Chamber and network with like minded business people throughout the coming year. I really look forward to meeting up with you at an event soon.

Keep me informed of what’s happening in your business and the successes you want the rest of Kent to hear, email me at linda@kentinvictachamber.co.uk.

And finally, thank you all for making the Kent Invicta Chamber a really great place to do business, without such great members we would just be an ordinary Chamber, instead we are a great Chamber!

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Commission members were asked by the Government to investigate airport capacity and connectivity in the UK and concluded that there is a need for one additional runway to be in operation in the south east by 2030.

It has already discounted an expansion of Stansted and a new hub airport for London, a proposal favoured by Mayor Boris Johnson.

Instead it announced that it will be taking forward for further detailed study proposals for new runways at Gatwick and Heathrow.

The new consultation presents the commission’s analysis of the proposals shortlisted by the commission last year, two for expansion at Heathrow Airport and one proposal at Gatwick Airport.

It invites public comment on the commission’s detailed consideration of each proposal. This includes analysis of the cost of each proposal, the noise effect on communities, property loss,

construction, the economic benefits and environmental impacts.

Sir Howard Davies, who is leading the review, said: “Since our Interim report last year we have undertaken a huge amount of work. We have carried out a thorough assessment, across a comprehensive range of subjects, looking at the benefits and impacts of each proposal.

“We have not yet taken a view on which proposal strikes the most effective balance between the assessment criteria. It is important first that we provide an opportunity for this evidence to be examined, challenged and improved.

“This consultation gives everyone with an interest in the issue of airport expansion that opportunity.

“Responses to this consultation will be a valuable addition to our evidence base and will directly inform our recommendation to the government when we publish our final report in the summer of 2015.

Thank you to all our Members I am very proud to let you all know that your Chamber was recognised as a finalist at the recent British Chambers of Commerce Business Awards, where they recognise the achievements of the Chambers within the Accredited Network across the United Kingdom.

In fact, not just recognised for one Award but two.

Excellence In Membership Services and the coveted Chamber of the Year Award.

This was the first time that we entered these Awards and the fact that we were selected as a finalist in both the categories we entered in is a testament to you as members. We can provide the platform for you to engage but it is you, our members, that make Kent Invicta Chamber a hive of business activity and the ultimate business network in Kent and for that, I thank you.

ThinkingBUSINESS December 2014 - January 2015

“The information included in this consultation will enable respondents to give their view on the strengths and weaknesses of each short-listed option.“ The consultation also invites comment on the commission’s review of the underlying evidence and analysis.

These comments will also be taken into account and used to validate and challenge the commission’s assessments, ahead of the final report in the summer of 2015.

During the consultation the Airports Commission will hold open discussion sessions for local stakeholders in both the Heathrow and Gatwick areas. The consultation will close on February 3.

The Airports Commission was set up by the Government in November 2012 as an independent body to examine the scale and timing of additional capacity needed to maintain the UK’s position as Europe’s most important aviation hub.

It will identify and evaluate how any need for additional capacity should be met in the short, medium and long term.

The Commission is chaired by Sir Howard Davies. Its other members are: • Sir John Armitt • Professor Ricky Burdett • Vivienne Cox • Professor Dame Julia King.

Welcome to the Chambers first Patron Member Your Chamber will be launching a new Patron’s scheme at the start of 2015 and we are delighted to welcome the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet in Ashford who will become our first Patron.

We will be working with the Designer Outlet over the next 12 months to bring some added benefits to all our members and their staff.

If you would like to find out more about the Patron Scheme please contact Linda Marsh on 01233 503838 or email linda@kentinvictachamber.co.uk

CHAMBERNEWS

High-Speed Rail has “Transformed Ashford” The UK’s only domestic high-speed rail service celebrates its fifth anniversary in December - and for one Kent town, the 140mph train service has transformed its economic fortunes.

High-speed 1 trains slashed journey times from Ashford to the Capital by more than half to just 38 minutes when it launched in December 2009.

Five years on and Ashford business leaders say that HS1 has given the town a massive competitive edge.

Cllr Gerry Clarkson, Leader of Ashford Borough Council, said: “It has transformed our economic fortunes.”

He said that the fast train service has attracted businesses and created jobs, improved the quality of life of commuters, drawn more people to live in the Garden of England and put Ashford in pole position as the place to access London and European markets.

Cllr Clarkson said: “HS1 is the most important economic boost to the South East in years and has strengthened Ashford’s reputation as the powerhouse economy of Kent.”

He said that high-speed services have also made a huge difference to Ashford's growing commuter population, “giving them two hours of their life back every day".

This popularity is confirmed by operator Southeastern, who say that more than 70% of journeys from Ashford are made on high-speed trains.

Excellent connectivity is a major reason why Ashford has just been revealed as the best place to do business in Kent, in a poll by inward investment agency, Locate in Kent.

Agency Chief Executive Paul Wookey said: “Since the introduction of the HS1 services, there is no doubt that the

perception of Ashford as a business location has improved, as proven in our perception study.”

Richard Dean, Southeastern’s Train Services Director, said: “High-speed has been a really transformational service for rail passengers in East Kent.

“Over the next four years, we’ll be able to expand our high-speed service further, taking it to more stations and opening up journey opportunities for even more passengers.

The French connection According to a recent article in the French newspaper Le Monde, a number of French companies have relocated to Ashford in recent years, all citing top class rail links as part of the reason.

Jo James, Chief Executive of the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce, said: “Ashford has always been known for its connectivity and I believe that fast rail services have well and truly put us on the business map.

“We’ve seen businesses move to Ashford as a result of HS1 and we also know of existing firms who have decided to expand thanks to the introduction of fast trains.

“I’ve been contacted by groups involved in the HS2 project keen to know what impact HS1 has had on the economy here and I’ve told them that it has been an overwhelming success.

“Business needs to be connected and Ashford needs to stay one step ahead of other commercial centres in the UK and Europe if we are to remain successful.

“Nowhere else in the UK can match our connectivity - we have a network of Eurostar trains to Europe, we are only 38 minutes from central London, 15 minutes from the Channel Tunnel and 25 minutes from Dover Port.

“The Government has announced funding for J10a on the M20 and London Ashford Airport has embarked on a multi-million-pound investment as part of their expansion plans at Lydd.

“The town has had great potential for a long time and, with HS1 in place and a business-friendly local authority driving the growth agenda, we are seeing that potential being delivered.”

More people making Ashford their home HS1 has also been attracting a steady flow of London property buyers keen to take advantage of Ashford’s attractive house prices.

According to Alex Davies, Head of Country Houses at Hobbs Parker estate agents: “As confidence has come back into the property market in East Kent, we are seeing continued interest in HS1 from buyers.

“The train is a constant in many of our enquiries, especially from people looking to move into the area and with a need or interest in travelling into London regularly.”

Kevin Hall, Director of estate agents Martin & Co Ashford, said: “Having a clean, efficient train service that can get into the heart of London in 38 minutes provides a real alternative to people who previously thought they needed to endure stuffy tube journeys from overpriced London properties.”

When Lucy Duffy left the Capital behind to set up home with her boyfriend in

Kent, hassle-free commuting was a big factor in choosing a location.

Lucy is Education and Community Project Manager with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, based at Vauxhall, and the couple chose a two bedroom flat in Ashford’s town centre.

The 26-year-old said: “Property within walking distance of the station is in demand but the rents in Ashford are reasonable and the daily trip to work is so easy.”

Tourism and retail boost for Ashford Quicker train journeys have also helped to attract more tourists to the area.

Deirdre Billing, General Manager at Ashford International Hotel, said: “Since the launch of the HS1 service, we have seen a massive growth in hotel guests from London and beyond.”

The same is true of the McArthurGlen Ashford Designer Outlet whose Centre Manager David Maddison says: “We have seen significant increases in footfall to the centre by people who have travelled by train and consumers who visit us from London are delighted that they can reach us is just 38 minutes. “ We have big plans for the future of the shopping centre and encouraging people to travel by train plays a large part in our future marketing activity.”

December 2014 - January 2015 ThinkingBUSINESS

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MEMBERSNEWS

Furley Page Celebrates Excellent Results Kent law firm Furley Page has achieved an exceptional set of results in the annual rankings published by the UK’s independent national legal guide, Chambers UK. Furley Page’s litigation team is identified as a real force in the Kent market, while there is high praise for teams specialising in employment, corporate, real estate, real estate litigation, insolvency and personal injury.

A number of individual lawyers have also been singled out for their high standards of work.

Senior Partner and Head of Dispute Resolution Peter Hawkes, who is personally ranked at the highest level, is heralded as “a very well-respected member of the business community.”

George Crofton-Martin, who was promoted to partner in 2014, is singled out as an ‘up and coming’ lawyer and is praised for being “extremely thorough and very diligent” and noted for his “encyclopaedic knowledge of cases.”

Partner and Head of Employment Andrew Masters, personally ranked at band one, is classed as “thorough and knowledgeable” and his “eye for detail is excellent,” according to clients.

Associate Amanda Okill specialises in discrimination, constructive dismissal and employment status issues and clients find her “responsive, friendly and approachable,” with an “excellent depth of knowledge.”

Partner and Head of Corporate Susan Jennings, who is personally ranked, is particularly experienced in design, manufacture, supply and automotive-related transactions.

Partner and Head of Real Estate Jeremy Licence, is personally ranked. Clients say “he’s very articulate, on the ball and deals with things quickly.”

Property litigator Jeremy Ferris, who is personally ranked by Chambers UK, has proved a real asset since joining the firm in 2013. Clients describe him as “a reliable, sound and knowledgeable lawyer who is very considered in his approach and quite unflustered by complex cases.”

Associate and Head of Insolvency Richard Ludlow, personally ranked at the highest level, is very highly rated for his work on director’s disqualifications, with sources particularly highlighting his good tactical sense.

Partner Michael Longmore personally receives top ranking. Furley Page’s widely-respected agricultural and rural affairs team is regarded as a recognised practitioner by Chambers UK, while in the family law team Susi Gillespie is named as an ‘associate to watch’.

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ThinkingBUSINESS December 2014 - January 2015

Investment driving Kent’s economy Kent is riding the wave of the national economic recovery thanks to growth in high value sectors and the availability of financial support packages, according to the 2014 edition of the Kent Property Market Report.

The announcement of significant infrastructure projects such as the development of the UK’s first modern garden city of 15,000 homes at Ebbsfleet, the Government’s commitment to a third Thames Crossing and the further development of High Speed Rail services, have added to the sense that the county is at the forefront of growth in the country, the report finds.

The report, which is compiled by Kent County Council, Locate in Kent and Caxtons Chartered Surveyors, was launched at Eastgate, Northfleet, and featured Michael Cassidy CBE, Chairman-Designate of the Ebbsfleet Garden City Urban Development Corporation.

The Eastgate community centre is at the heart of some of the Thames Gateway’s key regeneration areas, including Ebbsfleet and the Swanscombe Peninsula, site of proposals for a 900acre entertainment complex, licensed by Paramount Pictures, which would bring with it an estimated 27,000 jobs.

The report found that for the first time since 2006, office yields are coming in, although rental growth is still just negative at -0.01%. Average High Street rents dropped for the first time in two years, but yields kept pace with the UK average.

Warehouse rents continued to fall at a faster rate than the South East and UK averages, but yields continued to harden, reflecting increasing investor appetite in UK property.

Industrial space continues to be one of Kent’s strongest suites, continuing positive growth and outperforming the rest of the South East and the UK. The generally positive mood of the report was welcomed by Mark Dance, Kent County Council Cabinet Member for Economic Development, who said: “It shows we have real strengths in sectors likely to continue to grow, such as life sciences, low carbon and environmental goods and services, advanced manufacturing, the land-based economy and the creative and digital industries.”

Ron Roser (Chairman of Caxtons), Cllr Mark Dance (KCC Cabinet member for Economic Development) Michael Cassidy CBE (Chairman-Designate Ebbsfleet Garden City UDC), Paul Carter (Leader, KCC) and Paul Wookey (Chief Executive of Locate in Kent), with the 2014 Kent Property Market Report

Ron Roser, chairman of Caxtons, main sponsor of, and contributor to the report, said: “On the back of the return to growth in the UK property sector, Kent, along with the rest of the South East, is benefiting.”

The report identifies significant economic development across Kent and Medway, including: · A sharp increase in development across the Thames Gateway, including new homes at Eastern Quarry and approval for redevelopment programmes in Lowfield Street, Dartford and Gravesend’s Heritage Quarter, as well as work starting on the Chatham Waters project; · The appointment of a development partner for Swale Council’s regeneration of Sittingbourne town centre; · The opening of the £95m Kent Institute of Medicine & Surgery, the construction of a new Next Home & Fashion store and the publication of a masterplan for an extended Mall centre in Maidstone; · The start of the developments at Knights Wood and Royal Wells Park in Tunbridge Wells, along with the go ahead for the dualling of the A21 between the town and Tonbridge; · The success of Expansion East Kent funding helping new and existing companies in Thanet to grow and create jobs, notably at Discovery Park, Sandwich.

Paul Wookey, Chief Executive of Locate in Kent, the county’s investment promotion agency, said: “The report highlights that we have an enviable offer across all business sectors, including excellent facilities for hi-tech and life science companies, with more in the pipeline, and some key infrastructure projects being planned and delivered.”

The Kent Property Market Report is also supported by Maidstone-based DHA Planning, Lloyds, RICS South East, and Kent law firm Cripps.

• Vehicle Graphics • Digital Printing • Shop Signage • Banners & Posters • Exhibition Displays 01233 625383 • medashsigns.com • sales@medashsigns.com Station House, Eastmead Trading Estate, Ashford, Kent. TN23 7RX

FOCUSONFINANCE

Auto Enrolment:

staging date and beyond Colin Bannister Financial Planning Director WK Financial Planning 0203 651 5888 colin.bannister@wkfp.co.uk

In the final article in the present series on Auto Enrolment, we will look at what needs to happen at your staging date and the ongoing reporting requirements.

Upon reaching your staging date An employer must automatically enrol any eligible jobholders working for them, who are not already a member of a qualifying workplace pension, either from their staging date or from the end of the postponement period if postponement has been chosen.

The Law sets out the time limit for completing auto enrolment and it gives the employer one month from the eligible jobholder’s auto enrolment date to: •

Give information about the pension scheme to the eligible jobholder • Give enrolment information to the eligible jobholder • Make arrangements for the eligible jobholder to join the pension scheme on their automatic enrolment date This information must be given in writing including email. A key feature of an auto enrolment scheme is that the eligible jobholder must not be required to provide information to join, or remain a member of the pension scheme. It is the employer’s sole responsibility to achieve active membership for the eligible jobholder and provide the pension scheme with certain personal information about the eligible jobholder to enable this to happen.

Paying pension contributions The employer must, on or after the automatic enrolment date, deduct contributions payable by the eligible jobholder from their qualifying earnings or pensionable pay in each pay reference period.

Active membership of the chosen pension arrangement must start from the automatic enrolment date.

This means that contributions are due on that part of the earnings paid from the staging date to the end of the first pay reference period and then in each and every subsequent pay reference period.

All contributions, whether from the employer or employee, must be paid across to the trustees or managers of the pension scheme by the 22nd day (for electronic payments) or 19th day (for cheque payments) of the month after deduction. If the contributions were deducted between the staging date and the end of the employee’s opt-out period, they must be paid across to the scheme by the end of the second month in which the staging date fell.

Dealing with opt outs Whilst automatic enrolment into a qualifying pension scheme is compulsory, ongoing membership isn’t.

Once enrolled, an eligible jobholder has the right to opt out of pension scheme membership but cannot opt out of auto enrolment.

To opt out, the eligible job holder must complete an ‘opt out notice’ and give it to their employer.

On receipt of this, the employer must take action to unravel membership of the pension scheme so that the jobholder is treated as if they never joined it in the first place. This includes refunding any contributions deducted through payroll.

The employer must keep records of any opt outs because they will be required to automatically re-enrol the eligible job holder in three years time.

Alternatively, the eligible jobholder has the right to request to re-join the pension scheme but can only do this once in every twelve month period.

Having opted out it is possible, if the rules of the pension scheme allow, for the eligible job holder to remain a member of the pension scheme by paying a lower contribution rate.

Record keeping The employer must retain certain records to enable them to prove that they have complied with their duties.

There are two types of records the employer must keep: •

Records about jobholders and workers

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Records about the pension scheme

Most records must be kept for a minimum of six years from the last transaction although those relating to opt-outs only have to be kept for four years. If a member has also transferred an existing pension into the scheme those records must be kept indefinitely.

Employers can use payroll for the purposes of collecting and storing records but opt out notices must be stored in the original format even if this is electronically. All records must be kept in such a form that they are legible and easy to produce to The Regulator if required to do so.

The content of this article is for your general information and use only, and is not intended to address your particular requirements.

The content should not be relied upon in its entirety and shall not be deemed to be, or constitute, advice. Although endeavours have been made to provide accurate and timely information, there can be no guarantee that such information is accurate as of the date it is received or that it will continue to be accurate in the future. No individual or company should act upon such information without receiving appropriate professional advice after a thorough examination of their particular situation. We cannot accept responsibility for any loss as a result of acts or omissions taken in respect of the content. Thresholds, percentage rates and tax legislation may change in subsequent Finance Acts.

Levels and bases of, and reliefs from, taxation are subject to change and their value depends on the individual circumstances of the investor. The value of your investments can go down as well as up and you may get back less than you invested.

W K F in a n c ia l P l a nn in g L t d is a n Ap p oi n te d Re p re s e nt a ti v e o f Fi d e l iu s L i m it e d . F i d e li u s L im i t e d i s a u t ho r i s e d a n d r e g u l a t e d b y t h e F i n a n c i a l C o n d u c t A u t h o r i t y. O u r F C A r e f e r e n c e i s 5 2 6 9 5 5 . W K F i n a n c i a l P l a n n i n g L t d r e g i s t e r e d n o . 7 1 4 6 8 8 7 E N G L A N D . R e g i s t e r e d O f f i c e : B r i d g e H o u s e , Lo n d o n B r i d g e L o n d o n S E 1 9 Q R

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MEMBERSNEWS

BitesizeNews Business storage solutions in the heart of Ashford

Ashford’s landmark building, The Panorama is nearing completion of a multi-million pound redevelopment programme.

The developers behind the scheme, Dukelease Properties are now offering local businesses the opportunity to use the building’s basement as storage space.

With its convenient town centre location, The Panorama’s basement offers a total of 3,254 sq ft of secure storage space, which can be sub-divided to suit requirements, at highly competitive, cost-effective prices.

Jeremy Brown of Dukelease Properties said: “With 2015 in sight, this is the time of year that many businesses start thinking about having a clear out. Past files and records often take up valuable office space - archiving these items in a secure and easily accessible location offers a sensible solution.”

Both long and short-term storage options are available at The Panorama from March 2015 onwards.

For more information visit: www.thepanoramaashford.co.uk.

The Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce is supporting the education charity SGOSS Governors for Schools in a campaign aiming to get people volunteering in schools and improving local education.

Local schools need professionals with a business background to ensure their governing bodies have the skills they need to improve, which is where you can help!

Becoming a governor not only represents a chance to forge closer links between your business and your community, it’s also a fantastic professional development opportunity for staff with free training provided by the Local Authority.

A governing body manages the school budget, sets the school’s aims and values and is responsible for numerous important decisions ranging from site management to the curriculum.

If you are interested in applying or learning more please visit www.sgoss.org.uk and encourage your staff to do the same!

If you have any questions, or if you would like to know how you could do even more to support SGOSS please contact Will MasonJebb (E: will.mason-jebb@sgoss.org.uk T: 020 7288 9533)

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ThinkingBUSINESS December 2014 - January 2015

Development awards winners are named The winners of the 2014 Kent Design and Development Awards have been revealed, with a primary school named Project of the Year.

Eighteen projects were shortlisted for the seven category prizes by the judges, with the overall Project of the Year voted for on the night from among the category winners by more than 150 guests who attended the event held at County Hall.

Taking home a total of three awards, Goat Lees Primary School in Ashford was voted Project of the Year.

Designed by Pellings, Bromley, with support from Crofton Design Associates, based in Hadlow, the school makes the most of natural light and ventilation, with intelligent use of space and strong links with the outside. The building, which is for community as well as educational use, also utilises photovoltaic and solar thermal panels.

Goat Lees also won the Environmental Performance award, sponsored by The Woodley Coles LLP and also the Public Buildings category, sponsored by Kent Construction Focus Group.

Alex Hicken of DHA Planning, sponsors of the Project of the Year award, commented: “All the winners are schemes Kent can be truly proud of.

We were particularly pleased to see Goat Lees Primary School voted overall winner as it clearly stands out as an example of the high quality development being undertaken across the county.”

Sponsored by Kent County Council, DHA Planning and Maxim, the awards showcase the many excellent construction projects taking place across the county and take place every two years.

Sandwich Town Tidal Defences project, undertaken

by CH2M Hill Halcrow, won the Civils & Infrastructure category, sponsored by CTP Consulting Ltd. Maidstone High Street was highy commended.

In the Commercial, Industrial & Retail category, sponsored by Liberty Property Trust, the work of Clay Architecture saw Medway Crematorium victorious.

Cyclopark, the Clague & Jacobs development near Gravesend, took the top prize in the Public Buildings - Community category, sponsored by Kent Construction Focus Group. Hadlow Tower was highly commended in this category.

In the residential categories sponsored by Liberty Property Trust UK, Horsted Park, Medway, by Proctor and Matthews won the Major category. The winner of Minor, developments of 10 properties and under, was Guy Hollaway for Pobble House, at Romney Marsh.

Mark Dance, Cabinet Member for Economic Development at Kent County Council, said: “There is a great deal of fantastic high quality development going on in Kent and all the winners and finalists should be proud of their achievements, and playing their part in Kent’s wider economic development.”

Each of the category winners were presented with a unique trophy sculpted by Jason Mulligan and hand carved from Kentish Ragstone from nearby Hermitage Quarry, provided by Gallagher Group.

Andrew Metcalf of Maxim, who was master of ceremonies for the evening, said: “Despite all the challenges faced by those in Kent’s development community it is clear that quality really shines through. Each of our shortlisted finalists have made a positive contribution to how our county looks.”

MEMBERSNEWS

IT consultancy doubles workforce Growing IT consultancy Absols is celebrating ten years in business by doubling its workforce.

Founded by Ian Wilkinson in 2004, the company based in Turkey Mill, Maidstone, looks after the computer systems of clients across Kent and beyond.

High quality service and rapid response have led to a surge in business, doubling the workforce from three to six in the past year.

More jobs are planned.

The family-owned firm was one of the first in Maidstone to answer an appeal for apprenticeships - it hired Joe Kent, 21 - and has pledged to take on an apprentice every year to aid growth.

Wider recognition for the firm’s achievements has led to Government Growth Vouchers and support from the Escalate funding scheme.

Absols helps clients develop an IT strategy, recommends suitable systems, and designs bespoke networks. It installs, manages and services systems, and provides ongoing support. It also offers website design and build.

Through proactive, remote monitoring of systems, Absols resolves potential problems before a client is even aware of them.

Ian believes sound advice, technical expertise, excellent customer service and easy-to-understand language are behind the firm’s success. “I just speak plain English and say it like it is,” he says.

“Our systems can help a business grow because it releases a client to spend more time with customers.

We provide innovative solutions according to the client’s needs in the most cost-effective way.”

BitesizeNews Company carries out transformation

Working On Wheels acquired a rather plain white truck from Oxfordshire Playbus and asked us to transform it to their eye-catching livery.

Our parent company South East Coachworks fabricated a new aluminium deflector to house the air conditioning units and then, as ever for this valued client, we created the artwork before printing and installing the wrap - from concept to completion in 10 working days.

We've manufactured a few new signs for Macknade Fine Foods for their large store on the outskirts of Faversham plus their shop in the Town Centre. The Macknade crew installed the panels themselves, proving that they're not just pretty faces! If you get a chance to see the signs 'in the flesh' then check out the matt finish, it's unusual for external signage and it looks really, really nice!

Supporting work

Basepoint Chatham have been enthusiastic in their support of The Wisdom Hospice since choosing The Friends as their Charity of the Year.

They have already donated £1000 and are planning more fundraising events for 2015 and Loraine and Erin at Basepoint are also spreading the word about the organisation.

Our systems can help a business grow because it releases a client to spend more time with customers. We provide innovative solutions according to the client’s needs in the most cost-effective way.

December 2014 - January 2015 ThinkingBUSINESS

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There's a reason BT Business Broadband is the market leader.

Actually, there are five.

1. Fastest possible speeds.

4. Smart Business Hub included.

2. 99.99% reliability.

5. Free access to 5 million BT Wi-fi hotspots.

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Meeting room hire from just £50 At Ashford International Hotel, we know that you’re trying to cut costs wherever possible – but this shouldn’t mean having to lower your expectations when it comes to meetings and conferences.

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ThinkingBUSINESS December 2014 - January 2015

ASHFORD INTERNATIONAL HOTEL Kent

MEMBERSNEWS

Tackling the literacy challenge You may be shocked to find out that, according to provisional SATs results for 2014, 2,320 children in Kent and Medway left school unable to read to the required standard - nearly 13% of all children.

To address this, Beanstalk has joined the Read On. Get On. coalition calling for all primary school children to read well when they leave primary school by 2025.

In September the firm ran their first training course with three new advisers, growing the team to six.

Beanstalk reading helpers work with children on a one-to-one basis, giving them consistent support to improve reading levels, increase overall confidence and help them gain the vital literacy skills they need to succeed in education, training and employment.

Beanstalk is always looking for support and volunteers, and would encourage anyone who is interested in what we do to find out more on www.beanstalkcharity.org.uk or contact us in Maidstone on 01622 662026 or Ashford 01233 637645.

Business woman and Financial Planner Rebecca Robertson has launched the UK’s first national female advisor firm for the everyday woman.

With financial adviser roles being dominated by men, the company’s goal is to create more opportunities for women by creating a franchise, through which women can set up their own advisory business with full support and training, and in turn provide female clients and their families advice on their finances.

Beanstalk is a national literacy charity that recruits, vets, trains and supports volunteers to work in primary schools with children who have fallen behind with their reading. Our vision is a nation of confident children who can read and grow up to lead successful lives.

During the past academic year it supported more than 700 children, who moved from having made none or very little progress, to progress on average 2.3 sublevels with the support of reading helpers, higher than the expected progression for all students of 2 sublevels.This academic year they have ambitious plans to support more than 900 children.

Business woman launches first national female advisor firm

Nadine Monks from Medway is an army wife and mum of three, with a gap of more than five years since leaving the industry.

Yasmin Jahan from Edgware is a mum of one with experience in business banking, who wanted to leave the corporate world to develop her career in financial services around her family.

Jennie Delelis from Ashford is a mum of one with a background in management, who wanted to take her flair with money to the next level.

Beanstalk reading helpers work with children on a one-to-one basis, giving them consistent support.

They join existing adviser Sarah Drakard from North London, who left the rat race from her executive PA career of 50 hours plus a week to put her energy into her long term business with Evolution for Women.

Director Rebecca decided to start the business in 2011 when she found herself in a position where there were little options for an experienced female broker, let alone someone new to the industry.

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December 2014 - January 2015 ThinkingBUSINESS

11

MEMBERSNEWS

Barristers driving down legal costs In 2004, the Bar Council made a little known change to the regulatory framework of the profession to allow, for the first time in more than a century, members of the general public to have direct access, known as ‘public access,’ to barristers.

Previously the Bar had been a ‘referral’ profession; solicitors would refer a client to a barrister for a specialist opinion and/or for expert advocacy in court.

Now anyone, subject to certain safeguards, can go directly to a barrister under the new scheme.

A barrister’s Chambers does not have the same overheads as a solicitors’ practice with its high administrative and staffing costs.

Ashford punches above its weight at Event Ashford attracted strong interest from the developer and investor market when it exhibited at MIPIM UK, the largest commercial property event ever organised in London.

Consequently, a barrister’s fees can compare very favourably with those of similarly experienced solicitors.

Kent Traffic Law provides specialist advice and advocacy to companies and motorists who find themselves subject to a road traffic prosecution.

It is their role to defend in contested cases and to mitigate (in cases in which the Defendant

admits the offence) to secure the most lenient penalty which the circumstances will allow.

The client must be able to provide the background information that a solicitor would formerly have provided. If this can be done, why not avoid the increased costs and duplication of work involved in retaining a solicitor and come straight to Kent Traffic Law?

Why care about the health of your Employees?

Mismanagement of workplace health can lead to high levels of sickness absence and loss of productivity - 27 million working days were lost in Great Britain due to work-related illness and/or workplace injury (2011/12).

Thousands of property professionals flocked to the exhibition and Ashford went all out to persuade the world’s biggest investors and developers to be part of its growing success story. Visitors to the stand were also the first to see a new brand and website unveiled at Olympia - www.ashfordfor.com Cllr Gerry Clarkson, Leader of Ashford Borough Council, says: “Our presence at MIPIM UK provided an excellent platform to promote the borough to a wider audience.

“Ashford punched above its weight, among other locations such as Manchester, Leeds, Cardiff and the City of London , with an impressive, engaging and professional-looking stand. There was a positive reaction to our presence and the opportunities available in Ashford. The stand was very busy throughout the event with a constant stream of interest shown by a variety of people we spoke to.

“With Ashford’s growing reputation as an international town we have a great story to tell, demonstrated by a host of big company names who have already enjoyed success here, which formed part of our ‘storytellers’ campaign.

“The message from us was clear - Ashford is going places and now is the time to get involved,” adds Cllr Clarkson.

Ashford was rated as the best business location in Kent in a recent study, with its road and rail links, proximity to Europe and London, location and available sites all scoring highly.

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ThinkingBUSINESS December 2014 - January 2015

This is a issue for employers due to (1) the affect on the individual staff member, (2) the costs involved in sickness, absence and loss of productivity and (3) the impact on service delivery of the business. Sickness absence is considered a key indicator of how well a company is managed.

A healthy workforce is often a happy workforce, and results in reduced sickness, reduced absence, better morale, less staff turnover and increased productivity. Employers benefit too as staff that are healthier and happier are able to handle stress better and they will likely be more content in their job. Employees that have access to wellness programmes tend to have more positive attitudes toward managing work/life balance and reducing stress.

Businesses should be encouraging their employees to have a balanced approach to health in the workplace, either through suggesting and supporting basic lifestyle changes or through the introduction of a freelance Nutrition and Wellness Consultant to come in to the workplace twice per month and help their staff. Benefits include: • increased staff loyalty/staff retention • a more productive workforce • improved employee morale/motivation • reduction in the number of sick days Employers who invest in the health and wellness of their staff will benefit from having healthier workers are happier, more focused and more productive.

For more advice and a FREE 1 hour health assessment of your staff, please contact Neil at Ultim8 Nutrition and Wellness by email to neil@ultim8wellness.com

MEMBERSNEWS

A pragmatic approach to project management Stonewells IPS is a multi-disciplinary Construction and Demolition Consultancy who specialise in Project Management, Cost Management, CDM Coordination and Construction Health and Safety.

Put your payment cards on the table before it’s too late, warns DSH Businesses with outstanding tax due from credit and debit card sales have a last chance to settle before facing an HMRC crackdown, DSH Chartered Accountants & Business Advisors has warned.

The Credit Card Sales campaign aims to recover outstanding tax due from all UK businesses that take payment via cards.

“HMRC holds details of all credit and debit card payments to UK businesses and has warned that it is going to use this information to identify individuals and businesses that might not have paid what they owe,” said Stephen Metcalf of DSH. Before that happens, businesses are being given the opportunity to voluntarily disclose what they owe and settle their debts on favourable terms.

“Anyone who owes tax on card payments and fails to voluntarily disclose the amount due faces the prospect of far higher penalties or even criminal prosecution if HMRC uncovers details of their debts,” said Stephen.

Businesses making a voluntary disclosure will have four months to pay what they owe from the time HMRC acknowledges their submission.

For more details, visit www.gov.uk/creditcardsales

With more than 12 years’ experience in the construction and demolition industries, Stonewells have delivered a wide range of projects spanning a number of business sectors for a variety of Public and Private sector Clients.

They offer a pragmatic, flexible and collaborative approach whilst coordinating with other project stakeholders to identify and eliminate risk, secure cost certainty, ensure quality standards are met and upheld, adhere to programmes, forecast challenges and

implement solutions to overcome them in order to deliver projects to successful completions.

Currently Stonewells are engaged in the Decommissioning and Demolition of four major Power Stations across the UK as well as a number of Refurbishment and New Build projects.

Located in the South East of England Stonewells provide national coverage and also undertake works across mainland Europe too.

Mark Chandler, Principal Director for Stonewells, is a Construction specialist who worked for a number of global construction consultancies before joining Stonewells in November 2013.

Mark is the current Vice Chair of the Association for Project Safety (APS) London Region, a Member of Constructing Excellence Kent, a Member of the Kent Construction Focus Group and a former Committee Member of Constructing Excellence Wales.

They offer a pragmatic, flexible and collaborative approach whilst coordinating with other project stakeholders to identify and eliminate risk, secure cost certainty, ensure quality standards are met and upheld, adhere to programmes, forecast challenges and implement solutions to overcome them in order to deliver projects to successful completions.

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December 2014 - January 2015 ThinkingBUSINESS

13

INTERNATIONALTRADE

Government doubles number of firms receiving export help in 7 months The number of medium sized businesses receiving UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) support to sell overseas has doubled in just 7 months from 1,000 to more than 2,000, Trade Minister Lord Livingston announced.

In April 2014 Lord Livingston wrote to every medium sized business in the country offering them tailored trade advice and an intensive programme of support from UKTI to help them start exporting or break into new markets.

Medium sized businesses are vital to the government’s long-term economic plan to reduce the deficit and create more jobs.

The CBI estimates that if they reach their full potential, it would be worth £20 to £50 billion to the UK economy.

However only 17% of UK medium sized businesses generate revenues outside of the EU compared to 25% in Germany and 30% in Italy.

Last month (October 2014) UKTI announced that it had increased the number of businesses it supported by 50% to almost 48,000 businesses in 2013 to 2014. The vast majority of these firms were small businesses.

Trade Minister Lord Livingston said: By reaching more international customers

our medium sized businesses can become the next Vodafone, Unilever, or Jaguar Land Rover.

I would like to see British firms exporting just as much as companies from Italy and Germany so I am hugely encouraged by the ambition of our newly recruited firms.

By the end of this year I want to treble the numbers receiving support so that we can overhaul our international rivals.

Companies do better with UKTI support, receiving advice on over 100 markets around the world, introductions to new distributors, access to finance, help to sell online and much more.

Of UKTI’s new medium sized customers almost half are from 5 sectors: • construction -116 • food and drink - 111 • business services - 104 • mechanical electrical and process engineering - 7 • automotive - 67 Medium sized companies succeeding with help from UKTI include Surrey Satellite Technology who generate 99% of their revenue through exports; Caribbean food supplier, Grace Foods UK, from Hertfordshire who have increased export activity by more than 50% over the last 3 years and Pavers Shoes from Yorkshire who have expanded from 35 to 100 stores in India.

A recent poll of 1,100 small and medium sized businesses published by KPMG and YouGov found more appetite for expansion overseas among medium sized businesses than smaller enterprises, with just 1 in 5 expressing no interest in exploring foreign markets at all.

The research cited a lack of understanding of international markets and perceived complex legal requirements as businesses’ main export challenges both issues that UKTI provides help and advice with.

Kevin Smith, who heads up KPMG’s mid-market practice in London said: It is not surprising that after the recession some small and medium sized businesses are being cautious and choosing to focus solely on the domestic market in the UK, but it is shortsighted given the huge appetite for British goods and services abroad.

Making the leap into overseas markets is not nearly as daunting as it seems on paper. There are some great success stories of businesses who have achieved massive growth by successfully exporting to overseas markets using the government help available through UKTI. Helping medium sized businesses is good news for small UK companies too: 70% of their supply chain comes from our domestic economy.

Access Russia Market Visit Russia is currently in the news due to the EU sanctions regarding elements of energy and finance.

In return Russia has implemented sanctions against sub-sectors linked to food. Despite these issues, Russia remains an important trading partner for the UK. The UK exported £7.6 billion of goods and services to Russia in 2013 and it’s forecasted to be the biggest consumer market in Europe by 2020.

There remains a strong appetite for western products and services across a number of sectors which remain unaffected. Due to the sheer size of the country, demand varies quite significantly from regions, and a common view is that Moscow is Russia, which it definitely isn’t.

But where do you start? This is a vast market, with immense potential. But given its size, diversity and the fierce competition in the major cities - a clear and

14

ThinkingBUSINESS December 2014 - January 2015

focussed market entry strategy is needed - you can’t do it all. Participation in a sponsored Access Russia Market Visit is an excellent method for further research and to develop your market potential or share.

Market Opportunities: Advanced engineering, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, chemicals, consumer goods, education, energy, experience economy, financial and legal services, telecommunications, World Cup 2018.

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INTERNATIONALTRADE

UAE

Trade outlook

Find support in this market

The UAE’s exports will continue to be dominated by petroleum and related products, with exports forecasts to grow strongly to rapidly growing emerging markets that are heavy energy consumers such as India and China. Turkey and Poland will continue to post good growth. In addition to the main Asian economies, UAE exports will also rise strongly to those

economies with large populations and with an associated heavy demand for energy, including Brazil and Egypt, when its economy starts to recover.

On the import side, India and Turkey will be the two fastest-growing sources of imports however other emerging Asian economies will begin to increase their importance; such as Vietnam and Bangladesh.

SWOT analysis Strengths Weaknesses Capital Abu Dhabi Largest city Abu Dhabi Administrative divisions Divided into 7 emirates Currency UAE dirham

Area 83,600 km2 Population 8,264,070 (2012) Calling code +971 Official language Arabic

Opportunities Threats

UAE’s trade with the UK

Latest Business Opportunities • Dubai: A local waste management company requires waste management equipment • Rail project: The UAE rail programme will introduce, for the first time, a rail network linking all 7 of the United Arab Emirates.

• Dubai Airport expansion: The Dubai government have announced the development of Al Maktoum International Airport.

• UAE: A leading transport authority is inviting UK companies to prequalify for opportunities in their marine department

Ease of trading across borders Importing a standard container of goods into UAE requires:

diversify its economy. Nationwide, there is currently $350 billion worth of active construction projects. The UAE's strategic plan for the next few years focuses on diversification and creating more opportunities for nationals through improved education and increased private-sector employment.

Economic snapshot (% annual growth rate) GDP Export of goods and services Import of goods and services Inflation Short-term interest rates (%) Exchange rate (per £) Population

Economic outlook The UAE’s economic growth may slow to 3.4% this year from 3.9% in 2012.

The budget surplus will stay little changed at 5.7% of GDP. About 80% of the nation’s revenues are generated by hydrocarbon-related industries. The risks of the region being affected by

2011 3.9 19.7 18.7 0.9 2.3

Food, beverages & tobacco

2012 4.4 10.1 16.6 0.7 2.2

2013-16 3.9 5.1 9.5 9.6 2

Source: Oxford Economics

the external situations fell substantially, thanks to the robust growth of the non-oil economic sectors and the successful efforts of Dubai and Abu Dhabi to diversify the base of economic growth.

5%

Chemicals & related products 9%

5 documents 7 days £366

Introduction The UAE comprises of seven emirates namely, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Fujairah, Ras Al-Khaimah, Umm AlQuwain and Ajman, each having its own rules and regulations. A massive construction boom, an expanding manufacturing base, and a thriving services sector are helping the UAE

• Hydro-carbon rich country • Dubai International Financial Centre • Dependence on oil • Inflation pressures • Enterprise free zones - goods for re-export or transhipment enjoy a 100% duty exemption • Oil price changes • High govt debt

Manufactured goods

26%

Machinery & transport equipment

59%

Commodities

Fastest-growing exporters into UAE Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

2012 India Turkey China Hong Kong Vietnam Bangladesh Egypt USA Canada Poland

1%

Sector Segmentation Growth Sectors to watch • Extraction • Utilities Manufacturing • Electrical equipment • General purpose machinery.

Opportunities for UK businesses The UAE offers unique investment opportunities, with a wide range of financial incentives to international investors. Each of the seven emirates possesses unique economic features, and the ability to attract foreign investments in various sectors.

Particular sectors of opportunity for UK businesses include: renewable energy, pharmaceutical, education and industry knowledge, technology, financial services, electronics and engineering.

To find out what other trade missions or market visits are being organised by British Chambers go to exportbritain.org.uk/events.

December 2014 - January 2015 ThinkingBUSINESS

15

INTERNATIONALTRADE

Top Tips for Importing

1. Understand the role of Customs and set yourself up as an international trader with your local authority and HMRC 2. Set yourself up as an importer to the UK To ship goods to the UK, an importer needs to hold an Economic Operator Registration Identification (EORI) number. Every time your goods enter the UK, an import declaration needs to be submitted to UK Customs, the HMRC. 3. Find out what prohibitions and restrictions apply for importing your goods to the UK Your goods’ Commodity Codes, six-digit internationally accepted codes which classify shipped goods, will show if their import is controlled by the British government - in which case you will need to apply for an import license.

4, Understand what Customs taxes and duties will apply when goods are imported to the UK • Types of import taxes Three import taxes can apply when importing to the UK: import VAT, import duty and excise duty. The reason for import can affect VAT and duty.

• Duty thresholds UK Customs duties are based on goods’ CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight) value: • Excise duties For excisable goods - specifically alcohol, tobacco and oil - excise duties will apply regardless of their value.

• Duty exemptions, reductions and deferment You may be exempt from duty, or qualify for reduced rates, if free trade agreements exist with the goods’ country of origin and the UK or you hold documentation such as ATR and GSP certificates.

Contact the Chamber’s International Trade Adviser if you have any questions Tel: 01233 503838

‘Recession generation' seizing export opportunities earlier SMEs who started thier business during the recession are much more likely to start exporting in their first year than older businesses, according to research by Barclays. By Daniel Hunter

Nearly two thirds (66%) of the so-called 'recession generation' currently exporting started trading internationally in their first year. In comparison, just 34% of SMEs launched before 2007 started exporting in the first year.

The research found that growth was the top driver to export for small businesses set up between 2007 and 2014 (43%) alongside a demand for their service overseas (42%).

The research demonstrated the rise in international appetite for UK products and services in the last seven years, with young businesses seeing overseas demand up 7% more than SMEs starting in the period of 1997-2006.

Another factor in the decision to export was the declining UK economy, named by 15% of SMEs set up between 2007 and 2014. For pre-recession businesses (set up before 2007) this number fell to 12%. Looking at international markets earlier was also

attributed to growth limits- over a quarter (26%) of SMEs set up in the last seven years stated they had reached their UK growth ceiling within just one year.

A substantial 42% of SMEs formed before 1990 and currently exporting say they wish they had started exporting sooner. However, despite missing out on earlier opportunities to export, ambition for future growth is highest for businesses established prerecession (1997-2006) attributing the greatest proportion (16%) of their predicted growth in the coming year to exporting.

Steve Childs, Head of International for SMEs at Barclays, said: “The case for exporting is strong given the growth potential it offers. It’s therefore interesting that the research shows a shift in the time when small business started their export journey, depending on the period the business was formed and against the backdrop of UK economic cycles.

"It shows that ‘younger’ businesses whose outlook on UK economy may have been shaken by the events following 2007 and 2008 - have set their sights on overseas horizons right from the start and making a success of this. Conversely the findings reveal businesses started before this time have taken a slightly more measured and cautious approach to exporting, though there is some regret from those that wish they’d grabbed the bull by the horns a little earlier."

The research also revealed that ‘younger SMEs’ have benefitted from getting to grips with social media. A quarter (24%) of businesses formed between 2007 and 2014 and already exporting say that the emergence of social media such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn has helped sales overseas, while this figure was much lower for all SMEs established before 2007 (8%).

Did You Know?

The Netherlands

With only 0.008% of the world's area, the Netherlands is the world's third largest agricultural exporter. They’re also the tallest people in the world!

16

ThinkingBUSINESS December 2014 - January 2015

A substantial 42% of SMEs formed before 1990 and currently exporting say they wish they had started exporting sooner.

24HOURSWITH

24 HOURSWITH Taking advantage of opportunity in a burgeoning market For Andrew Shortis, the working day begins at eight when he likes to take advantage of a quieter office to focus on key issues with his team before everyone gets busy.

Andrew Shortis

I am a big believer in teamwork and a lot of what I do is about working with our team members.

I believe in taking on good people who do what needs to be done so that we can concentrate on growing the business.

And they do get busy because the company operates in a burgeoning sector that is taking advantage of the growing interest in low energy products.

Andrew is Managing Director of Minimise Energy Ltd, which was formed in 2008, and is based on the Rochester Airport business park. Minimise Energy Ltd manufactures and installs low energy LED lighting, a product that is becoming increasingly popular.

He said: “I tend to get up at about 6.15am and drive to work, getting in at about 8am. It is a quiet time of day and my managers often come in early to deal with admin or work on proposals for clients.

So we take the opportunity to meet briefly then we can get more done quickly.

“These may only be short meetings, a few minutes, but they allow us to look at where we are with specific projects, what the client is happy with, maybe what we can do better.

“I am a big believer in teamwork and a lot of what I do is about working with our team members.

I believe in taking on good people who do what needs to be done so that we can concentrate on growing the business.

“We tend not to have a typical day but rather a typical month. We work out what needs to happen over a month and then set about achieving these targets, not letting the daily administrative tasks distract from developing our business.

“It is important that the administration is done but our main focus is on growing the business, looking after new and existing clients and seeking new ones.

“I spend two or three days a week in the office and the rest of the time out meeting existing clients or prospecting new ones across the UK.” That work is crucial because there are plenty of opportunities, according to Andrew. He said: “We are working in a growing sector. People are realising that that LED lighting can save forty to eighty per cent of your energy usage, which saves them money and lowers their carbon footprint, and that the lights can last for more than ten years.

A lot of my work is centred on taking advantage of those opportunities.

“I like to be home by seven to have some time with the kids and I try to resist the temptation to deal with emails at home but it does depend how many there are. If they see them building up, it can be difficult to leave them!”

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17

POLICY

Exponential growth and the New Year rings the changes for Kent Invicta It has now been 4 years since we have represented businesses in the North Kent area and I am pleased to say that membership has grown by 800% over this period.

A large proportion of the current Kent’s economic growth and the Government’s drive for UK exports have seen the demand for international trade services grow significantly. This demand is across a wide geographical area and we now need to centralise our activities to respond to this growing challenge as well as planning for the future needs and aspirations of our members.

Our current offices in Maidstone and Gravesend have served us well, however, like other modern progressive businesses we are embracing new working practices to tailor our business operations to the needs of our members and staff.

With this in mind, the New Year will see us relocating to better equipped offices at the Innovation Centre based in Medway. The IT infrastructure combined with its central and accessible location makes it’s an ideal choice for the operational needs of the Chamber and the needs of the members.

Therefore from the 5th January 2015, the export documentation team, currently based in our Maidstone Office will be moving to the new location and will continue to provide the full range of services currently on offer. Moreover, a café onsite and free parking will hopefully be a welcome addition to our customer experience.

This move will not affect in anyway the service level that is currently given to our Members in Maidstone.

Colin Davies, our Membership Representative for the Maidstone area will continue to work for members and the wider business community and host the popular networking events we hold in Maidstone Borough.

Our new office address will be: Innovation Centre Medway Maidstone Road Chatham Kent ME5 9FD

The New Year will see us relocating to better equipped offices at the Innovation Centre based in Medway.

The IT infrastructure combined with its central and accessible location makes it’s an ideal choice for the operational needs of the Chamber and the needs of the members.

18

ThinkingBUSINESS December 2014 - January 2015

BUSINESSISSUES

ASK THE

this can be due to reasons including lack of consultation with staff prior to system selection, being restricted by the nature of the software to process flows and actions that appear superfluous and timely and where poor planning and integration Name: David Briggs creates duplication with existing Title: Technical Director systems.

Company: KB Technology Though often put across as a frontWeb: www.kbtech.co.uk email: david.briggs@kbtech.co.uk office function, it’s essential to Tel: 0845 838 1226 consider how the CRM system will fit in with the whole business. It makes a lot of sense to be able to link up your customer relationship records with their orders and invoices, even stock records. This may include historic data, hidden away in spread sheets that only a few long serving members of staff Customer Relationship Management Into this environment comes a new know how to interpret. Increasingly CRM system and somehow it's all got live data collection is required, systems sound like a great idea and to link up. can provide real benefits to you and where customers would like to your customers.

A common issue is that a large know the status of an order number of businesses attempt to rewhile it’s in process. This is They are certainly seductive – the information heaven depicted in stylish define their business operations to fit moving into Management Information System screen-shots, with their neat tables of the CRM. This is quite an ask dependent on being able to map data territory. data, pie charts for everything, and processes within your business automatic links to Outlook – all There are other to the fields and journeys available working seamlessly together. questions. With the within the software. Though a lot of increase in popularity of However, if not applied in the right systems allow for customised objects the Software-as-away, they can leave you with more and fields to be added, the Service model (SaaS), problems than you started with, and idiosyncrasies of your business will will your customer cost a lot of money. never be completely covered, at least information be safe in the not in the easy-to-use way that your Chances are you've already got a Cloud? How tied down will staff will be hoping for. business up and running. It will be your other technologies be if operating with existing systems, The most common reason employers you attach everything to your technologies and procedures. Staff give for problems during CRM CRM? What hidden costs may be are doing what they need to do. implementation is user adoption down the road?

EXPERT Q

Can a CRM system help my business?

Preparation is the key, done before you think about which CRM system you’re likely to use. There is a lot of information out there on the web, listing the questions you need to ask yourself, and most CRM system providers offer consultancy services.

Bespoke development services are an increasingly attractive option, either from independent software houses or CRM system providers.

Though initially this approach may be more expensive, the benefits of a tailored solution that’s designed by you and your staff avoids many of the pitfalls that cause so many CRM implementations to be more of a problem than a solution.

December 2014 - January 2015 ThinkingBUSINESS

19

SPOTLIGHTON...

Swale Means Business In the past six months an exciting programme has begun to raise the national profile of Swale, which included a landmark Swale Regeneration Conference in June and a busy stand at MIPIM UK in October.

Now a new website called Swale Means Business has been launched. But what is Swale really like?

Swale is a distinctive and inspiring place. Sited in North Kent between urban Medway and historic Canterbury, it includes Faversham, the Isle of Sheppey and Sittingbourne within its boundaries.

The Borough features strongly on the tourism trail, as it possesses a nationally and internationally recognised natural environment, stunning coastlines and attractive towns and villages.

Indeed, the industry contributes £214 million per annum to the local economy, equating to 4.2 million visits and supporting 4,000 jobs. A tourism website for Swale was launched in October 2013 to seize the opportunities offered by the digital age (www.visit-swale.co.uk).

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ThinkingBUSINESS December 2014 - January 2015

Transport Strategically located on the dramatic North Kent Coast, Swale also forms the eastern boundary of the Thames Gateway which has been made a priority area for growth and regeneration.

More than 2.1 million square feet of floorspace has also been generated from new developments in Swale since 2008, which is almost twice that of any other Kent district. It is half way between London and Dover, and enjoys good accessibility through the nearby A249, M2 and M20.

In recent years, Swale Borough Council, its partners and the business community have successfully attracted £144 million of public investment.

Funding that has led to improvements such as the building of the £100 million Sheppey crossing which links the mainland to the Isle of Sheppey.

Putting Swale on the Map: Transport and Key Sites in Swale The Sittingbourne Northern Relief Road and the Rushenden Relief Road were completed in 2011, which provided improved access to existing employment sites and opened up new opportunities for both commercial and housing development.

The area has also benefited from the provision of HS1 services along the North Kent line. The new service has enabled small improvements to journey times to Ebbsfleet International, Stratford and St Pancras.

The Port of Sheerness is a nationally important flagship terminal for Peel Ports, handling up to 2 million tonnes of cargo a year across commodities such as forest products, steel and motor vehicles.

Through long-term partnerships, they have helped global distribution specialists GEFCO and leading brands such as VW Group, Jaguar Land Rover, Peugeot and Ford add value to their supply chains.

Its close proximity to London makes it the ideal port of call for the capital, helping to link European and global trade to London, the South East and the heart of the UK (http://peelports.com/ports/sheerness).

Peel Ports are currently inviting local residents and businesses to comment on a draft Master Plan for the Port of Sheerness. The Master Plan forms the backbone of Peel Port’s strategic commitment to develop and grow the Port over the next 20 years.

The consultation runs until the 17th December 2014. To find out more visit: http://peelports.com/sheerness-master-plan.

SPOTLIGHTON...

Key Sites Throughout the Borough there are a number of investment opportunities for businesses looking to set up or relocate.

To the north of Sittingbourne is the Eurolink Business Park which has grown steadily to be one of Kent’s largest business areas and home to an estimated 6,500 employees across 280 companies in over 2 million square feet of accommodation.

The property on offer includes light industrial, office premises and warehouses. Eurolink East Five, a new phase in the Business Park, has recently been given outline planning permission with the potential to provide a further 460,000 square feet of development and up to 1000 jobs.

Nearby, the Kemsley Fields Business Park provides excellent access to road, rail and ports. It is home to some of Swale’s largest employers including Knauf, DS Smith and Morrisons with a 920,000 square feet Regional Distribution Centre. There is scope for further development at G-Park Sittingbourne with ‘build-to-suit’ facilities available from 127,500 to 540,000 square feet (www.gparksittingbourne.com) Kent Science Park, to the south of Sittingbourne, is nestled amongst countryside and farms which creates a great working environment. 500,000 square feet of space is currently home to over 60 companies, operating across a range of technologies including the biggest cluster of life science companies in Kent. The site has 4 hectares of space available for those looking for bespoke offices and laboratories. The Park is also one of the largest campuses in the South East employing almost 1,500 people and has forged strong links with local universities and government funded European projects. (www.kentsciencepark.co.uk/).

Business support Swale Borough Council provides support for businesses through a series of workshops delivered by the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce.

There are also a number of start-up facilities in the Borough which provide fully serviced office space and support for those acquiring their first commercial property.

The future There is an exciting future for Swale as a number of key regeneration projects are reaching their delivery phase.

Spirit of Sittingbourne, Swale Borough Council’s selected development partner, has submitted a planning application to generate economic improvement and increase employment in the centre of the Town. The proposals include a multi-screen cinema and leisure facility, enhancements to Sittingbourne train station, a new retail offer, a multistorey car park, a new civic quarter and residential development in the Town Centre (www.spiritofsittingbourne.co.uk).

Amongst the marshes of the Isle of Sheppey, the Queenborough and Rushenden Regeneration project aims to provide 1100 new homes alongside new employment, with a projected 2 million square feet of new floor space. So far, improvements have been made to local roads and two phases of retail led employment scheme are nearing completion at Neats Court.

Swale Borough Council have also launched a new business website which will provide support to startup and expanding businesses, whilst also making the case for the Borough as an investment location.

To find out more about Swale visit our new website at: www.swalemeansbusiness.co.uk

December 2014 - January 2015 ThinkingBUSINESS

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UNIVERSITY OF KENT/ WORKING WITH BUSINESS

Celebrating the University’s 50th Anniversary, Kent Innovation & Enterprise (KIE) are delighted to announce details of the ICE Showcase Event: Innovate for the Future.

The University’s ICE (innovation, creativity and enterprise) approach is centred on sharing innovative and creative ideas to address key issues that all organisations face. This approach inspires new ways of working focused on sharing and developing innovative ideas to form new partnerships and collaborations.

Small, medium or large organisations can tap into a wealth of innovative solutions and resources available at the University including collaborating with academics and receiving expert insight and advice.

Kent’s reputation for world-leading research and academic excellence has launched the University to 24th ranking in the Times Higher Education (THE) Table of Tables; so this is an exciting time to work with the University and learn more about the services which could help your business.

The ICE Event will take place on Thursday 15th January from 12pm to 5pm and will feature inspiring presentations from the University and business speakers. The event, held at Woolf College on the Canterbury campus will also host an Innovation Zone showcasing cutting-edge ideas which could help your business grow.

Whether you have previously collaborated with us, have a potential idea for a project, or would like to find out more how we could support your business, there will be something for everyone.

Carole Barron, Director of Innovation & Enterprise said: ‘Innovation is a key driver of economic growth and the pace of change is quickening as successive technological breakthroughs accelerate innovation. Our ICE event demonstrates our world-leading research and cutting edge facilities and as the University celebrates its 50th anniversary, we would like to invite businesses large and small to join us in January to celebrate pride in our past and inspiring your future.’

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ThinkingBUSINESS December 2014 - January 2015

A free lunch and refreshments will be provided to registered guests. Limited tickets are available so please register to this free event before Thursday 18th December using the link below. https://iceshowcase.eventbrite.co.uk For any questions regarding this event, please contact Nerissa at enterprise@kent.ac.uk or phone 01227 816032. For more information please visit the ICE: Innovate for the Future webpage: www.kent.ac.uk/enterprise/events/ice2015.html Twitter: @ICE_UniKent

MEMBERSNEWS

Helping provide peace of mind Copperwheat Barlow is an insurance broker established nearly 20 years ago They are not an insurance company.

They shop around to buy the most competitive and widest insurance cover available to them in the best interest of their clients.

Specialities include Young Drivers’ and Learner Drivers’ cover [including the use of telematics], Agriculture, Construction, Marine and Commercial Insurance.

The founder of the company, Neil Barlow, said: “After commencing my career many moons ago at Lloyd’s of London in the City, then travelling around Europe and North America on international business, I decided to set up an insurance brokerage to service the needs of clients throughout the south

east of England.

Starting with the niche insurance requirements of farmers, the company diversified into commercial insurance generally.

“I hope that we do not encounter the same dreadful weather this winter as we did the last. We were very active organising loss adjusters to attend, for instance, buildings with damaged roofs and consequent internal wet damage. To speed up repairs and claims settlements, we sometimes managed to get insurers to agree to accept our own recommended loss assessors.

Minimise Energy provides Network Rail with savings advice Network Rail’s first major LED lighting upgrade is on track to achieve 50 per cent energy savings, thanks to Minimise Energy.

Network Rail contracted innovative energy efficiency expert Minimise Energy to carry out retrofit LED works at Victoria Station to solve a complex lighting issue at platforms 9-19.

Fluorescent tubes fitted during earlier refurbishment works had resulted in small energy savings but the new lighting had also placed a strain on the emergency back-up lighting system, and, although within regulation, did not match the previous lux levels.

Minimise Energy, based on the Rochester Airport Estate, was asked to provide a bespoke LED solution; increasing lux levels at the station without causing glare while at the same time delivering sizeable energy savings, which would expand the capacity of the emergency system.

Following a site survey and trials, Minimise designed, supplied and installed 25 Watt T5 LED tubes into existing fittings along the platforms, which have increased lux levels by 10 per cent while halving energy usage, equivalent to savings of 376,521 kWh per annum. This has doubled emergency back-up capacity to six hours and led to carbon emission reductions of 197 tonnes per year.

Paul West, Managing Director at Minimise Energy, part of the APC Technology Group said: “We are delighted that our T5 LED lights have provided Network Rail with increased lighting output, improving visibility near the platform edge, and also significant energy savings. There are also associated maintenance savings as the need for annual tube replacements, required with the previous fluorescent tubes, is removed.”

Working with the insurers, this got matters moving quickly and payments were made much earlier than expected. Such service was cost free to our customers”.

Mr Barlow is a Kentish man, born and bred. The company is based in mid Kent near Sittingbourne, employing local staff.

The company places cover with many of the largest insurance companies in the UK and globally.

Are your overtime employees receiving enough holiday pay?

The long awaited Employment Appeal Tribunal’s (EAT) holiday pay judgment has certainly hit the headlines and stirred a mix of joy from workers and fear from UK business, with the Government even setting up a taskforce to assess how its impact can be reduced.

Employers across Kent, particularly in the construction, retail, hospitality and leisure sectors where staff are required to do overtime as a regular part of their job, should consider how they might be affected following the EAT’s decision that overtime should be taken into consideration when calculating holiday pay.

The judgment means that holiday pay should take all elements of an employee’s earnings, which are ‘intrinsically linked’ to their duties, into consideration. On top of basic salary, any non-guaranteed or compulsory overtime, which the employer is not obliged to provide but employees must work if required to, must now be considered in the calculations. It is still unclear whether this ruling will extend to workers who carry out voluntary overtime.

Overtime pay must be included in EU holiday pay, the four weeks’ that employees are legally entitled to under the Working Time Directive (WTD), and does not apply to the additional 1.6 weeks’ annual leave given to UK workers under the Working Time

Regulations 1998 or any additional contractual holiday.

Fortunately, the EAT has decided that underpayment disputes will be time limited and workers will not be able to backdate their claims to 1998 as previously feared and employees will not be able to make a claim more than three months after the last incorrect payment.

These changes come alongside the Court of Justice of the European Union’s decision earlier this year to include commission payments in holiday pay calculations and are intended to encourage workers to take the holiday they are entitled to and not be put off by a potential loss of earnings.

Employers would be wise not to rush into action, as it is likely that this decision will be appealed. For those entering into negotiations or changing holiday pay arrangements it is wise to seek advice.

Contact Laura Claridge at Gullands Solicitors www.gullands.com l.claridge@gullands.com

A life transformed Phil Wilson of Inspirational Rhythms became a professional musician in 1985 and his drumming took him all over the UK and Europe with trips to Muscat and Moscow.

He played with a variety of bands including Screaming Lord Sutch, Brian Connolly's Sweet and Les Gray's Mud. Music styles range from rock to country, big band, musicals and Jump Jive.

Phil played in venues as diverse as pubs and clubs to theatres and 18,000 seat arenas; even the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympic Games.

In 2013 Phil opened Medway Drum Studio, providing one to one teaching and offering facilitated drum circles in schools and at community events.

His life was to take a massive change of direction when he met hypnotist Tim Box. Phil had suffered from a stammer since the age of five and tried what he thought was everything to cure it without success.

Two visits to Tim and it was gone.

Phil was now able to launch Inspirational Rhythms, enabling him to give rhythm based talks and provide drum circle team building events to the business community.

Wanting to give the very best of service he has recently joined the Professional Speaking Association.

As a volunteer Ambassador for Cancer Research UK he spoke passionately to 300 people supporting Stand Up To Cancer.

December 2014 - January 2015 ThinkingBUSINESS

23

Big in bioprocessing BioProcess Engineering Services Ltd (BPES) was founded in 1996 and provides Specialist Equipment and Maintenance Services to Pharma and Biotechnology companies throughout the UK.

Based at Kent Science Park for the last 14 years, we are an approved partner for some of the most respected names in the Biotechnology sector.

We distribute the NyONE and Cellavista Fully Automated Cell Imagers in the UK which are capable of generating high resolution images, as shown on the cover of this magazine. This particular image was taken using the Cellavista high throughput cell imager. The Cellavista is capable of running a complete scan of a 96-well microplate within 4 minutes. They are designed to simplify screening, detection and classification of cells as an integral step in the research development and production process.

We also offer a range of products for upstream and downstream bioprocessing

which includes online biomass monitoring, continuous flow centrifugation and process sensors. We support our products by offering a comprehensive maintenance and calibration service to our customers through our team of experienced engineers.

As an ISO9001:2008 accredited organisation we have the Quality Systems and Management in place to ensure our customers of a first class service.

If we can help you with your research or production goals please contact us on 01795 411 531 or info@bioprocesseng.co.uk. See our website for our full range of products and services www.bioprocess-eng.co.uk.

7YV[LJ[PUN `V\Y PKLH HSS [OL ^H` [V THYRL[ Ideas are precious. Some ideas are priceless.

Protecting and commercialising them correctly is critical.

As specialist lawyers in the science and technology sector you can bank on our expert legal advice.

We understand the intricacies of intellectual property law, speak your language and are never blinded by science.

We’ll get you and your idea where you need to be, as easily as possible and at a sensible price.

Call us on 01892 515121or find out more at www.cripps.co.uk/intellectual-property

24

ThinkingBUSINESS December 2014 - January 2015

3H^ \U[V `V\YZLSM

COVERFEATURE

Life sciences - a Kent success story Kent is home to more than 150 companies in the life sciences sector, between them employing more than 6,300 staff. This includes many leading names, global players such as Abbott Diagnostics, Pfizer, Mylan, Sekisui, Diasorin and Aesica among them.

Discovery Park The sector is changing globally, and Kent is no exception, with specialist contract research companies emerging to help fuel the life sciences’ pipeline of products. Kent has a growing community of these companies and the all-important supply chain they need, whether at Discovery Park, Kent Science Park or elsewhere in the county.

Kent is now one of the fastest growing centres for this diverse industry in the UK. In terms of company numbers, the sector in Kent is not much smaller than Oxford and Cambridge.

Within the county’s life science cluster of 150 companies, 64 companies are involved in medical technologies, while 17 provide front-line drug discovery research and development (R&D).

A further 25 companies are drug discovery and development support and supply chain companies and 15 are consultancies, with many spin-outs from companies such as Pfizer or the county’s universities.

Of the 6,300 life science people employed in Kent, 48 per cent work in the development of medical devices, 22 per cent are involved in front-line R&D and nine per cent work for contract drug manufacturing organisations.

The life sciences sector has been boosted by access to funding from Expansion East Kent and TIGER via the Regional Growth Fund, offering interest free loans to these high-growth companies.

National support for the knowledge-based economy, such as the reduction in Corporation Tax, R&D tax credits, and Patent Box to protect intellectual property, have also helped attract overseas life science companies to Kent.

For the past year, for the first time since its formation in 1997, Locate in Kent, Kent and Medway’s investment agency has had more life science projects in its pipeline - 44 - than any other sector.

Many of these companies looking at investing in Kent are from overseas and all offer high quality jobs and have excellent growth potential.

Attractions include two specialist life science locations in Kent - Discovery Park and Kent Science Park - both of which have state-of-the art laboratories and facilities and are home to 20 and 22 life science companies respectively, about a third of all life science companies in Kent.

Discovery Park, near Sandwich, is a Government Enterprise Zone offering up to 100% rate relief worth up to £275,000 over five years, and other benefits.

In addition, the Kent Institute of Medicine and Surgery (KIMS), Kent’s first independent tertiary care hospital, opened in Maidstone earlier this year.

KIMS will, in the future, be surrounded by a 20 acre medical campus - Maidstone Medical Campus, which will provide facilities for life science companies to work closely with the 300 clinicians at KIMS. Kent’s proximity to London via hi-speed rail 18 minutes from Ebbsfleet, 38 minutes from Ashford and just over an hour from Sandwich - means that it is an attractive, more cost-effective alternative to London where laboratory space is in short supply.

The county offers quick and easy access to London and bodies such as NICE, MHRA, The Crick Institute and The Wellcome Trust, as well as to London’s Universities

including Imperial and King’s Colleges and numerous teaching hospitals. This means that Kent offers easy access to about 50,000 science and medicine students There is a fantastic level of networking and crossfertilisation of ideas between the companies located at Kent Science Park and at Discovery Park, but this is about to be extended across all Kent’s life science companies.

Paul Wookey, Chief Executive of Locate in Kent, said: “Kent has a fantastic offer for life science companies in Kent or from the rest of the UK and overseas. But the benefit of the existing cluster could be greatly extended if a cluster group were to be set up much as exists in Oxford and Cambridge.

“So we have started to get the companies together to form Kent Bionet and will be talking to companies over the coming months.

“This will be beneficial not only to existing Kent companies but to those thinking of moving to Kent, who would have a readymade network to tap into.

“Locate in Kent has recently appointed a life sciences sector specialist and he is available to advise companies considering a move to the county and is helping to set up the cluster group.“ Any companies interested in finding out more can contact Locate in Kent on enquiries@ locateinkent.com * Kent has also developed a network of innovation centres which, together, form the ‘Kent Innovation Corridor’ running from the Nucleus at Dartford in the west through to the Kent Innovation Centre in Margate in the east.

All the centres are designed to meet the needs of startup businesses with innovative services or products.

December 2014 - January 2015 ThinkingBUSINESS

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COVERFEATURE

Kent Science Park

- an Inspiring Place to Grow 70 years of science and growing! Kent Science Park in Sittingbourne, is part of the Business Environments for Science and Technology (BEST) Network and is leading the way as a launch pad for business success.

CGI design concept of Pre-Let new build development opportunity offering up to 120,000 sq ft of bespoke labs and offices

Kent Science Park is managed by national property experts Fasset Ltd. The property and facilities management company works alongside its partners across the BEST Network and other institutions to deliver services designed to fulfil its promise - to be an inspiring place for business to grow.

Just 60 minutes by High Speed train to London St Pancras International and conveniently located between both M2 and M20 motorways, the business park boasts outstanding facilities, services and a number of ways that help tenants to prosper and grow.

LaunchPad Business Support LaunchPad was initiated by Kent Science Park and Locate in Kent to help businesses located on the Park to accelerate growth by providing access to expert advice and support through all the key growth stages. There are now more than 1530 employees based at KSP. The Park has a dedicated LaunchPad support team that is complemented by expert advice in banking, finance, legal issues, HR, recruitment and international trade. The initiative also encompasses marketing support, mentoring and coaching, and collaborative links with Kent’s universities.

food technology, life science research and development medical technology and healthcare, ICT and software.

Professional business support services located on the park include call centres, recruitment, marketing, film production, web development, social media experts and market research.

Modern Commercial Property to Let Kent Science Park offers modern space available to let from 200 sq ft up to over 40,000 sq ft for businesses to occupy. Accommodation is available ready to occupy immediately or to be

refurbished and fitted out to an exact specification.

PreLet Development Opportunities are available on 3ha of land for bespoke design and build of commercial property of up to 120,000 sq ft of laboratories, office and manufacturing space.

For further information on Kent Science Park please visit www.kentsciencepark.com or contact James Speck on 01795 411500.

Clusters at Kent Science Park A hotbed of science, technology and professional business services, KSP has a number of exciting clusters employing a wide range of talent and specialist expertise.

KSP has proven itself as a place of innovation in the following clusters;

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ThinkingBUSINESS December 2014 - January 2015

To Let: modern offices at Kent Science Park from 200 sq ft to 40,000 sq ft

MEMBERSHIP COVERFEATURE

Do you own your innovation?

As the experiences of countless scientists and innovators show us, inventive talent only goes so far.

Business success depends on the ability to effectively protect and exploit inventions, which is impossible without the necessary intellectual property rights (IPR) explains Kathryn Rogers, IP specialist at top 100 law firm Cripps.

If your employees or consultants are creating inventions for you, you will need to ensure that you own the necessary IPR in those inventions.

Inventions can be protected by various different forms of IPR, and the law differs in relation to each form. If you are considering applying for a patent (a relatively costly but potentially very valuable process) the decision must be made at an early stage, as patents must be new or novel, without

having been made publicly available or freely disclosed.

While IPR generally vests in the creator of an invention, the IPR in an employee’s inventions will generally belong to their employer if the invention was created in the course of their ordinary or specifically assigned duties.

Inventions not created in the course of an employee’s duties will belong to them, although they will be able to assign the IPR to their employer if they wish. In both cases, where the invention has been patented, the employee can seek compensation if the invention was of outstanding benefit to the employer, or (if the IPR was assigned) the compensation provided was inadequate. These rights are rarely successfully

exercised, but employers should still consider taking legal advice when dealing with employee inventions, especially in cases of assignment.

When using consultants, the provisions of the consultancy agreement and any subsequent assignments will determine the ownership of the IPR. However, the default position is that the consultant will own the IPR, even if they have been paid for creating it.

Therefore it is essential to have a written agreement in place between you and your consultants which explicitly deals with the ownership of any resulting IPR. For many types of IPR, effective exploitation requires that confidentiality is maintained, and so in addition to ensuring ownership, you will need to subject employees, consultants and any third parties who will have access to your inventions, trade secrets and other sensitive information to continuing confidentiality obligations.

For further information contact Cripps’ IP expert, Kathryn Rogers on 01892 506147 or email kathryn.rogers@cripps.co.uk or to speak to somebody else in the IP team call 01892 515 121.

The global picture

The UK’s life sciences sector is among the strongest and fastestgrowing in the world.

For example, research in 2011 showed that the UK was responsible for approximately 20% of the total drug products in development in Europe about 200 biopharmaceuticals valued at £24m.

There are 105,000 life sciences companies in the UK, employing three million people at businesses which include major global names such as Pfizer, GSK, Lilly and Astra Zeneca.

UK companies and institutions spend billions of pounds on Life Sciences R&D, much of which takes advantage of the UK’s strong academic and research base with more than 190,000 students studying biological science at 133 universities.

Recognising the importance of the sector, the UK government is supportive of the UK’s life sciences sector and is investing £310m in the development and commercialisation of research; indeed, the National Health Service is one of the world’s largest purchasers of goods and services.

The Kent Innovation Centre

The Kent Innovation Centre, which is central to all of Thanet’s road and rail links, has a number of newly refurbished offices just waiting for you.

One of the centres most successful companies has recently moved on after being a tenant here for five years.

Aquaread Ltd, who is now a market leader in their field, grew their business dramatically in their time at the Kent Innovation Centre. Starting with just one office Aquaread Ltd. went on to win multi business awards for innovation and they now leave behind five offices to continue their success in their own premises.

We have various sized refurbished offices on offer, all of which are available on easy in, easy out licence terms, offering you total flexibility. We offer a relaxed but professional setting for your business with a 40 MEG superfast

connectivity to the building and 24 hour access along with 9.00am to 5.00pm reception cover for that professional and personal welcome to all visitors.

Whether you are looking for a short term base for your business or for something more long term we would be happy to help you.

We also offer excellent meeting facilities and can cater for up to 25 people in our large conference room or alternatively our Boardroom provides a more intimate setting for up to 12.

For more information contact us on kentinnovation@thanet.gov.uk or give us a call on 01843 609280.

December 2014 - January 2015 ThinkingBUSINESS

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BIGINTERVIEW

BIGINTERVIEW

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ThinkingBUSINESS December 2014 - January 2015

Getting health and safety right in the business world There was a time when health and safety was regarded by many in business as an obstacle to making money, something which restricted innovative thinking, even an object for ridicule.

However, that mindset is changing as more and more companies are embracing effective healthy and safety management as part of their daily operations and something that can benefit their bottom line.

She said: “Like all companies we have experienced ups and downs but I think we have been able to come through recession by keeping our prices competitive.

That is certainly the experience of Jan Mills, Managing Director of successful training and consultancy company The Bradley Group Ltd., which is based at Kent Science Park near Sittingbourne.

Specialising in risk management, the company was originally set up as a training company in Kent in 2000 and moved to the Science Park two years later.

Jan, one of two co-founders, said: “Before we started the company, I was a health and safety practitioner with a particular speciality in construction and manufacturing but in 2000 we took the decision to set up a training company to work alongside our separate consultancies.

“Initially, there were just two of us so we had a virtual office and hired training rooms as and when we needed them.

“We did not really think we would grow as quickly as we did but by 2002 it was clear that we needed a place of our own so we moved onto the Kent Science Park.

“The beauty of Kent Science Park, then as now, is that you could rent rooms without complicated tenancy agreements so we took a small space then moved into somewhere bigger as the company grew.

Today, we have our own suite of rooms and a thriving consultancy business alongside our training.

“The Park is in a good location. Kent is a good place to be. We are an hour from London by train so people can reach us easily and our offices are close to the M20 and M25.”

Working across all sectors and delivering training which is part of internationally-recognised qualifications, the company employs seven staff supported by a team of associates to deliver consultancy and training both at its own premises and on clients’ sites.

That growth has included coming through recession and Jan attributes that survival in part to keeping an eye on cost and keeping the quality of their service high.

The beauty of Kent Science Park, then as now, is that you could rent rooms without complicated tenancy agreements so we took a small space then moved into somewhere bigger as the company grew. Today, we have our own suite of rooms and a thriving consultancy business alongside our training.

“It also helped that we offer open courses rather than focusing on one particular sector.

“The changing perception of health and safety has definitely helped us as well. There has been an interesting change in recent years.

“You used to hear people talk about ‘health and safety gone mad’ but that has died down. I think the Press grew bored of stories like that. They got less of a rise out of them.

“I also think that more and more companies are seeing the importance of health and safety as an important part of what they do to achieve good corporate risk management generally.

BIGINTERVIEW

A lot of global players insist that their suppliers have the right health and safety procedures in place and I think that smaller companies are realising that if they want to swim in the big pond with the big fish then they have to do health and safety properly.

“A lot of global players insist that their suppliers have the right health and safety procedures in place and I think that smaller companies are realising that if they want to swim in the big pond with the big fish then they have to do health and safety properly.

“We tell our clients that they may not see an obvious return on their investment in health and safety in year one, possibly not in year two, but they certainly will by year three.”

Part of that process involves persuading companies that health and safety is not something to be regarded as a separate entity but an integral part of good business management.

Jan said: “We say to our clients that to do health and safety properly it should be part of everyday operations and be driven by good strategic management..

“The drive for good health and safety must come from inside companies themselves. We can give support and guidance but they must build the will and the competence to make it just their normal way of working.

“One of our other messages is that health and safety does not need to hold back innovation. Each company needs to look carefully at the level of risk which they are prepared to accommodate and use sensible precautions to keep the risk to their chosen level.

It‘s just good planning and management really. ” It's an approach that works and the business is now set for further growth. Jan said: “We are currently considering ways in which we can expand as a company. We sense a feeling of optimism among the businesses with whom we work.”

Jan Mills Managing Director The Bradley Group

December 2014 - January 2015 ThinkingBUSINESS

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MEMBERSNEWS

New Business Park in Canterbury Lock & Leave Group Ltd, the fastexpanding self storage operator, has completed a major investment fit out of Marshwood Business Park in Canterbury, Kent.

The Group acquired the entire business park site which incorporates nearly 40,000 square feet of self storage, offices and industrial bulk units along with a large car park, just off the A28 (Sturry Road).

Andy Doulton, Lock & Leave’s Group Operations Manager UK, said: “We’re extremely happy with the Marshwood site and for people living and working in the area, our substantial investment in the operation will create a much-needed and valuable new service close to Canterbury city centre.”

A well-respected member of the UK Self Storage Association (SSA), Lock & Leave has converted the Marshwood Business Park into a business hub which now offers a dedicated office centre, ample off road parking, drive up external storage units, 24,000 square feet of internal storage units, mailbox facilities, document management solutions and all with 24/7 access.

Other immediate improvements at the Marshwood facility include the introduction of 24/7 security with individually alarmed units, monitored CCTV, keypad entry and sensored lighting throughout the site.

To further support local businesses, Lock & Leave is offering document management services including archive storage, file retrieval/pick up, indexing, racking and confidential shredding. It also provides complementary services such as insurance packages and transportation and removal options

No trouble at the Mill for aerial imaging company Kent company Aerial Pro Media gave construction contractors a unique view of a development at a historic site in the county.

Utilitas Solutions have been helping organisations across Kent manage the cost of their utilities for more than ten years.

Building contractors W W Martin are developing the former Rank Hovis Flour Mill site, in Margate Road, Ramsgate, for Harriss Property Ltd, into houses and apartments and needed to obtain an overall view of the area before work started.

Aerial Pro Media, of Ashford, operates Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) which take high quality pictures and video of buildings.

Planning consent has been granted by Thanet Council for the development of the listed Mill building,, which is part new-build and part-conversion,.

The images secured by the company’s UAV gave the W W Martin team a unique view of the site, which will be converted into apartments and houses.

Amanda Griffith, Business Development Manager at W W Martin, who have offices in Ramsgate, said: “We used Aerial Pro Media for this exciting new project because The Flour Mill in Ramsgate has a rich history and we decided that the aerial photography would give a unique perspective of the building.”

Aerial Pro Media co-founder David Hebditch said: “The Flour Mill project illustrated why UAVs make such good sense. Our vehicle was able to obtain images from the air which provided a unique insight into the challenges of developing a historic site like this.”

Euro Start Enterprises - helping businesses take those first steps Jean-Baptiste and Katya Puyraud are the husband and wife team who help hundreds of entrepreneurs set up their companies abroad.

Since starting Euro Start Enterprises in Paris in 2007, they have become leading company formation experts, helping business people register their companies all over Europe, the US and the Emirates.

Katya is British (with Kentish ties stretching back five generations) and, as Jean-Baptiste is French, he specialises in company formation in France and is an authority on how to navigate French bureaucracy to get companies up and trading within weeks.

Jean-Baptiste said: “France is a country where the administrative procedures and paperwork might seem

Helping businesses with their utilities challenges

overwhelming, but setting up a business when you have the right contacts is not at all difficult.”

Their aim is to provide their customers with a one-stop-shop so that every aspect of opening a business abroad is catered for including bank accounts, registered addresses, VAT registration, tax consultants and serviced offices.

Now settled in Tunbridge Wells, the couple are proud to be members of the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce.

They say: “One of the first things we did when we moved back to England was to join the Chamber. We had very few

contacts in Kent but now we really feel like we’re becoming part of the business community. We are always happy to help and advise members on expanding their businesses into foreign territories.”

In all that time they have been members of the Chamber and now offer impartial advice to businesses of all shapes and sizes on how to keep down the cost of energy Bybrook Barn Garden Centre, established in Ashford nearly 40 years ago, were one of the first companies Utilitas worked with when joining the Chamber in 2004 and 10 years later they are still working together.

Owner Terry Burch said: “In the whole time that I have worked with Utilitas their approach has always been professional and they have always found savings in each and every area we have asked them to look at.”

With the driver to help more smaller businesses Utilitas have focused their attention on saving companies money on their energy costs as this is something nobody can avoid and is more and more of a burden as costs continue to rise.

Another business owner that has benefitted from working with Utilitas is Yerolemos Karios, owner of Marino Fish Bars in Ashford, who said: “I had been experiencing problems with energy suppliers both in terms of billing mistakes and poor rates, Utilitas have been very good at sorting a long standing issue out with the suppliers and have been great at getting us some excellent rates.

I am now very happy to recommend their services to other businesses I know.”

December 2014 - January 2015 ThinkingBUSINESS

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Some thoughts for businesses leading up to Christmas and 2015 As the holiday season and thereafter 2015 is practically upon us, it is worth reminding ourselves of a few developments that will require some attention going into Christmas and beyond.

Consumer Contract Regulations Although coming in earlier in the year, it is at Christmas where (in 2013) some 20% of non-food sales were made online and 2014 is expected to be even higher. For an online retailer this trend must be good news.

However even with efficient supply chain management, things can go wrong. If delivery is not made within the specified 30 day period, then the requirement to refund has been reduced from 30 to 14 days. If a delivery is delayed, the consumer may be able to treat the contract as ended if the timing for the delivery was specified as essential or the circumstances made it clear that the timing was essential.

If the consumer is not able to terminate, they can specify a new date. If that date is not met, then the contract can be treated as being at an end and the retailer must reimburse in the time required.

Speaking of holidays‌ Holiday Pay This has been an area of some activity in the past few weeks, including some input from the European Court of Justice. Calculation has always been on the basis of basic pay. This, it turns out, was an error.

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ThinkingBUSINESS December 2014 - January 2015

It has been recently found that for those people who are paid in part by commission, then the commission element must be taken into account in the calculation of holiday pay. Calculation is by reference to period prior to the holiday to work out what the payment should be.

The second part of this story is that it is now the case that overtime that has been worked must also be taken into account when considering holiday pay. This is the case where the worker is not guaranteed overtime in their contract but they have worked overtime in any event.

Other things to watch out for in 2015 There will be changes to company law. It is likely that the use of corporate directors will be stopped, and that it will be required that the person who has significant influence over the company (financially or otherwise) will have to register their interest.

Also in 2015 watch out for the government’s proposed shared parental leave. In essence (aside from the first 2 weeks) the 52 week maternity period can be shared between parents (as well as up to 39 weeks maternity pay).

Design Rights There has been new legislation regarding intellectual property to make the UK fit in with the rest of the EU. One of the more important matters that has changed relates to the commissioning of designs from third parties. It was the case that the person commissioning the design would be the owner of the intellectual property rights therein. That is no longer the case, and it is now the designer who is the owner. The requirement for businesses getting design work done is to make certain there is an assignment of the rights in the design to the commissioning business.

Alex Lee is a partner at Buss Murton Law www.bussmurton.co.uk or call 01892 510222.

MEMBERSNEWS

A message from the Kent Multiple Sclerosis The Kent MS Therapy Centre was established in (MS) Therapy Centre 1984 by people with MS for people with MS. It is a self-funded independent charity based in Canterbury and is the only dedicated MS Therapy Centre in the South and East of Kent supporting people who are suffering from MS. We do this by providing a range of non-invasive therapies which help to relieve the symptoms of MS and improve the quality of life.

Multiple Sclerosis is a debilitating, unpredictable and incurable disease which can affect all of us. It is often thought to be an older person’s condition but this isn’t the case.

Our youngest member is 19 and she was diagnosed at 15 years of age in the middle of her GCSE’s. In fact MS is the most commonly diagnosed neurological disease in young

adulthood and is something you have to live with for the rest of your life.

The Centre costs £150k per year to run which is all raised through donations and fundraising events, our most recent being a Charity Ball which was attended by Simon Webster of the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce and raised £4,121.

In 2015, we will be introducing an incentive for Kent based businesses

to support the Centre. We will be offering an opportunity for companies to use our logo on stationary enabling them to showcase the fact that they’re supporting a local charity.

Further details will be available from on our website www.kentmstc.org in the New Year alternatively, you can contact Helen Wathen at the Centre 01227 470876.

Kings Hill viewed as example for government project Michael Cassidy CBE, who has been appointed by the government to deliver the proposed Ebbsfleet Garden City, has visited Kings Hill in order to see Kent’s premier example of placemaking.

As Chairman-Designate of the Ebbsfleet Garden City Urban Development Corporation, Michael Cassidy has £200m government backing to create the country’s first garden city for almost 100 years.

Kings Hill is being developed by Liberty Property Trust and Kent County Council as an 800 acre contemporary ‘garden village’ providing housing, a business park, schools, retail, sports and leisure amenities, to create a true community.

He said: “Kings Hill has been independently lauded as the UK’s exemplar mixed use community and I wanted to see for myself how this ambitious project has been delivered.

“The key to any successful development is meticulous masterplanning and I was very impressed to see how Liberty and KCC have put this into practice to create a vibrant, aspirational community where people can have a balanced live/work/play lifestyle.

“The quality and diversity of this ‘garden village’ has many of the elements that we would like to see for Ebbsfleet Garden City. Indeed, one of my ambitions is to build an incentive into the planning process which encourages the delivery of such quality.

“Liberty and KCC regularly look at the masterplan to ensure that they are delivering what is appropriate at that time and, if necessary, adapt the plan to reflect market forces and the

changing way people live and work.

This attention to detail ensures that they are providing what people want.”

Andrew Blevins, Liberty’s managing director, said. “Kings Hill was named Britain’s best new village in a placemaking report by international real estate consultants CBRE and we have continued to build on that. It was also named recently by the Daily Telegraph as one of the best places to bring up a family, of which we are very proud.”

“At Kings Hill we aim to provide a quality environment that enhances people’s lives and where our community have all they need for the every-day conveniences of life on the doorstep, so achieving sustainability” he said. “We were delighted to welcome Michael Cassidy and show

him what we have done here and our commitment to executing our development plans in the best way possible.”

Kings Hill, a contemporary garden village, is set in 800 acres near the county town of Maidstone and is just two miles from junction 4 of the M20.

It was a former airfield and is now home to around 8,000 residents and more than 200 businesses employing some 5,000 people.

There are also two primary schools with a third planned and a village centre with shops including Waitrose; Costa Coffee; Domino’s and restaurants as well as a surgery, dry cleaners, shoe repairers, pharmacy and opticians.

December 2014 - January 2015 ThinkingBUSINESS

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ThinkingBUSINESS December 2014 - January 2015

ECONOMY&US

The Economy & Us: Big Trends cuts promised at the Tory conference, he’s in a hole.

And a further £48bn cuts to public spending are due in 2015-19, in addition to the £25bn of “lowhanging fruit” already cut in 2010-14. This will further hit public services as well as GDP. Hardest on GDP, perhaps, is pensions autoenrolment. Employees will lose some 3% of their disposable income. Employers, too, must now contribute equally to pensions, in addition to the extra admin overhead.

How will these trends affect your business? What difference will it make if:

In 1974 I left corporate employment as a brand manager, for the Masters Program at London Business School.

I believed we were entering a time when prosperity and even survival would depend on better productivity, ie delivering more value for less. Later I learnt that male incomes across the developed world stopped growing in the mid-1970s.

global workforce. They compete, too, for the commodities we need. Inflation is low for now, thanks to good harvests and over-production of (eg) oil, but that won’t last.

My point is: when you see “writing on the wall”, it’s good to find new opportunities before the new threats come and find you … Below are some observable trends, starting in Kent

Automation is on the rise. Some middle-income jobs have already disappeared, and robots are forecast to replace 1 in 3 UK jobs in the next 10-20 years, pushing people into lower-paid work. UK productivity (measured in £ output per hour worked) is declining - even if some workers have to slave for what they get. This hammers consumer disposable income. The rich, meanwhile, grow in importance: today the top 1% pay 28% of total UK Income Tax, compared with 11% of Income Tax when Thatcher came to power in 1979.

September’s Quarterly Economic Survey shows most Chamber members’ UK Sales still growing, albeit slower. Export Sales, however, took a big hit.

Cashflow is slowly improving. Investment is healthy in kit and staff, despite skill shortages, strong enough to prepare for shocks and opportunities.

In our fragile economy, consumer spending has fuelled the past 1½ years’ growth: households today are as heavily indebted as in 2007. This wasn’t supposed to happen. This keeps interest rates low though encouragingly P2P lending has doubled since a year ago.

Globally, too, growth continues. That’s good for our exports, but brings many hungry people into the

Meanwhile the Chancellor is under pressure. Already overspent in 2014, and with £7.2bn of unfunded tax

•

During the next government, global inflation returns even as public spending is cut twice as hard as during the ConDem coalition?

•

In the next two years (a) your labour costs rise by some 3% and (b) your staff - and customers - permanently lose 3% of disposable income?

•

In the next 10-20 years, 1 in 3 customers become a class of over-extended poor?

•

Prosperity - and survival - await only the successful innovators?

Nick Rowell Director of Policy Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce Direct line: 01622 753568 Email: nick@tpbs.co.uk

December 2014 - January 2015 ThinkingBUSINESS

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BUILDING on EXPERIENCE Celebrating 50 years of providing civil engineering, construction, public works and rail infrastructure solutions

years

0 5 50

1964 to 2014

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ThinkingBUSINESS December 2014 - January 2015

Tel: 01303 851111 www.walker-construction.co.uk

MEMBERSNEWS

C-Tech Electronics Established in the early 1980s, C-Tech Electronics based in Worthing, West Sussex, offers experience and expertise at all levels of electronic PCB and box build assembly providing a comprehensive range of contract electronic manufacturing solutions.

C-Tech employs 40 full time staff and has a 70 strong, well established customer base including major local and national companies.

With a continued focus on investment, staff training and development, C-Tech place considerable emphasis on knowing their customers well and understanding their products, services and business needs.

By doing this they are able to ensure high levels of service, quality and a shared desire to

create real value from the business relationship.

Increasingly the most significant success factor when designing, producing and marketing a new product is time to market.

C-Tech truly understand that an integrated approach significantly reduces the overall product cost and enables you to get your ideas to market quicker.

By leveraging their collective design expertise and manufacturing experience, they are able to be creative in their thinking

and robust in their application as they have total control of a project at all stages. From design concept to prototyping and into full product manufacture and compliance testing, C-Tech offer a flexible and reliable single supply solution with one point of contact.

C-Tech has also been manufacturing products for one of the world’s leading explosion proofing companies for 15 years.

They are fully conversant with all aspects of ATEX build compliance and FM approval.

Employment Officer changes a life “You’re going to change my life.” That was one of the first things said to Kerry Gasior by one of the students training with Canterbury Oast Trust (COT) and Rare Breeds Centre, a charity providing homes and training opportunities for adults with learning disabilty across Kent.

Back in April, Employment Officer Kerry joined COT where she has been working with local companies and organisations to connect employers to students and provide further support if needed.

One of the companies that Kerry has been working with is Wilkinson, which has more than 370 stores and over four million visitors per week.

COT has built a strong relationship with Wilkinson in Ashford, which has supported the charity since January with gifts in kind as well as sending staff to volunteer on some of the projects.

Now, Wilkinsons has offered one of the horticulture students a paid position for six hours a week to work in their Plants and Produce department.

This will help Calvin to build on his training at COT and apply these skills in a practical environment, as well as building his confidence and independence.

COT is always looking for placements for their students so if you’re an employer who’d like to know more about being part of the programme please contact Kerry Gasior on 01233 861493 or email kg@c-o-t.org.uk

Medway Council proud to support local economy through employee health programme Medway’s ‘Healthy Workplaces’ programme partners with local businesses, of all sizes and sectors, through the support of a tailored health improvement service Since 2010, the Healthy Workplaces programme has supported over 50 Medway businesses with interventions around staff health and wellbeing.

With people spending around 60% of their time at work, the workplace is an ideal place to contribute positively to health. By using our services, businesses have benefitted from: • Improved staff morale and engagement • Increased productivity • Reduced sickness levels • Reduced staff turnover The 12 month programme covers topics including Stop Smoking Support, Physical Activity, Health Checks and Mental Health Awareness. On completion, workplaces are accredited as a ‘Medway Healthy Workplace’ and can go on to win our award at the annual Medway Business Awards.

The programme also supports enrolment in the National Workplace Wellbeing Charter.

Our programme can help your business to save: • £13,680 in reduced sickness absence • £11,000 by promoting physical activity • £7,500 by reducing stress and anxiety related loss of productivity • £3,840 by reducing smoking related loss of productivity All businesses in Medway are eligible. You may be concerned about staff absence levels, the cost of smoking and ill health to your business, or just want to help your staff to be healthier. Our programme can help - for more information email healthimprovement@medway.gov.uk Follow us on Twitter: @abettermedway. Join the discussion on Linked In: search ‘Medway Healthy Workplaces’.

December 2014 - January 2015 ThinkingBUSINESS

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MEMBERSNEWS

The Norton Knatchbull School - A Level

Results August 2014

Students, parents and staff at the Norton Knatchbull School gathered to celebrate their A level results.

In total, our students achieved 22% A* or A grades, and 50% A*, A or B grades. Our overall pass rate was 99.7%. The vast majority of our students will continue their studies at university and have already received firm offers of a place. The average point score per student was 847.94.

There are a number of students whose achievements are exceptional across all A2 subjects they studied, and who therefore deserve particular praise: Callum Shaw achieved A* grades in Further Mathematics, Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics and English Literature; Christy Varghese achieved A* grades in Mathematics and Psychology and two A grades in Biology and Chemistry; Ryan Cherry also achieved A* grades in Sociology and Psychology, an A grade in Physical Education and a C grade in Biology; Justin Bean achieved an A* grade in Geography and A grades in Fine Art, Mathematics and Physics; Edward Potter achieved an A* grade in Psychology and A grades in Sociology, Music and Chemistry; Shanice Evans achieved an A* grade in Sociology, B grades in English Language and Literature, Government and Politics and Psychology, and a B grade in the AQA Extended Project.

Ms Staab, Headteacher, congratulates Christy Varghese on his excellent results

In addition to the above, the following students must be congratulated for gaining an A* grade in one of the A2 subjects they studied: Harry Middleton (Government and Politics); Christopher Morley (English Literature); Maisie Newman (Sociology); Michael Parrett (Mathematics); Oliver Potter (Chemistry); Aidan Shell (Psychology); George Tickner (Russian).

At AS level, there were many strong results, too.

The following students deserve particular praise for gaining A grades in all four subjects they studied: Samuel Barkaway, Michael Ciccone, Daniel Curry, Mohit Dhiman, Charles Mearles-Pay, James O’Donoghue and Daniel Pallant.

Mrs Silvester, English teacher, is delighted with the achievement of her student Temidayo Banwo

Ryan Cherry and Callum Shaw are very pleased with their results

Sam Barkaway, James O’Donoghue and Daniel Curry We wish all of our students the very best for the future, and thank all the staff who helped them to achieve these results.

West Kent College and Ashford Colleges on route to success Like all ‘bad news stories’, the problems associated with K College received massive media attention – the old adage ‘bad news sells papers’ is relevant. Reportage was exclusively negative and the positive aspects – and there were many of them – never achieved coverage. Bad news always dominates!

K College was created in 2010 by the merger of West Kent and South Kent Colleges. Suffice to say that it was money - lack of - that finally brought K College down - thus affecting the five campuses in Tonbridge, Ashford, Tunbridge Wells, Folkestone and Dover.

The magnitude of the failure should be judged in line with the fact that the education and training provision is fundamentally important to the Kent business sector and it is no exaggeration that loss of this provision would have dire social and economic consequences throughout the county.

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Following lengthy processes to determine the best solution for all concerned, Hadlow College was selected by the Department of Education to take over the campuses at Ashford, Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells. By popular consent, the Ashford campus has been re-named ‘Ashford College’ and those at Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells have been re-named ‘West Kent College’.

The campuses at Folkestone and Dover now form part of East Kent College.

Hadlow has an enviable history in relation to restructuring and turnarounds. Less that fifteen years ago Hadlow itself was threatened with

ThinkingBUSINESS December 2014 - January 2015

closure - at best, merger. Hadlow was is - the only specialist land-based college in Kent, a county that retains its title as the Garden of England in recognition of the quantity and diversity of the food produced in the county.

Loss of specialist education and training provided by Hadlow would have left a gaping hole – one difficult to fill - and so the hard-won reversal of the college’s fortunes was important.

But Hadlow didn’t just ‘survive’, it has gone from strength to strength; graded ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted in 2010, today it is numbered amongst the country’s elite educational institutions. Hadlow has gone from strength to strength and

now heads up the Hadlow Group consisting of Hadlow College, West Kent Collage, Ashford College, Hadlow Rural Community school, Hadlow Community Pre-school, Betteshanger Sustainable Parks and Produced in Kent (the latter in a partnership with KCC).

Staff and students at West Kent and Ashford Colleges are focused on achieving similar turnarounds and they are receiving encouragement and support from KCC, the borough councils, businesses, parents and the communities and all stakeholders recognise the importance of a successful turnaround.

MEMBERSNEWS

Electric Fleet or Business vehicles aren’t just a fancy gimmick, they’re the future!

Electric Vehicles have been around for years and all have not met expectations. They’ve suffered from accusations of being slow, expensive, boring, odd-looking and impossible to run.

However, this all changed in 2012 when a little known American vehicle manufacturer, Tesla Motors, brought out the “Model S” supercar.

This luxury sedan broke the mold of electric cars, with its 250 mile range, acceleration of 0-60 in only 4.2 seconds, 130mph limited top speed, and ability to be charged in an hour.

All of this in a luxury sedan, filled with all the gadgets you could possibly imagine, all accessed from its internet accessible, 17” touchscreen dashboard.

The “Model S” arrived in the UK in June 2014, and EVision Supercars were one of the first to get this revolutionary vehicle. EVision offer them for hire, on either a self-drive basis or chauffeured packages to individuals and businesses. EVision also offer Gift Experiences, which are great for that unique, but special Christmas gift.

The look of the vehicle alone compares to your typical Mercedes, Maserati or Porsche, but its major benefit to your business is the savings you make from driving this car.

With a Tesla Model S you are already guaranteed to save money with savings on Benefit in Kind, fuel and parking.

This is combined with variable savings including no London Congestion

Charge, free charging at all UK charging points and up to £10,000 worth of savings on fuel per annum.

The Tesla Model S isn’t just a gimmick, it’s the future, where you can drive a truly phenomenal vehicle, using green technology, and making genuine savings for yourself and your business.

For more information, contact EVision Supercars at 01634 914 063, visit www.evrent.co.uk or email us at mail@evrent.co.uk

The look of the vehicle alone compares to your typical Mercedes, Maserati or Porsche, but its major benefit to your business is the savings you make from driving this car.

Bosch Global Associates are renowned and recognised recruitment experts in a number of defined industries with adeptness in benchmarking talent. We operate with an open, dynamic, transparent consultative and pro-active style taking huge pride in the service we provide for the specific needs of each client and candidates alike.

Our solutions are accurate, innovative, dynamic and in the following market sectors: • Healthcare and Life Sciences • Construction and Engineering • IT and Analytics • Energy and Renewables • Oil and Gas • Chemical and Process Technology

• Commercial and Consumer • Hospitality and Leisure • Retail and Fashion • Education and Social • Beauty and Cosmetics • Banking and Finance • FMCG, Food and Drinks

t: +44 (0) 203 818 1814 e: info@boschglobal.com w: www.boschglobal.com

Global Strategic Recruitment Solutions and Services

December 2014 - January 2015 ThinkingBUSINESS

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MEMBERBENEFITS

Join YOUR Chamber and see how Chamber Energy Solutions can help you Are you spending too much money on your energy bills?

Would you like to save some money?

Benefits of becoming a Chamber Member AA Roadside Assistance We have negotiated fantastic rates up to 63%* less than our standard Fleetwide prices – offering you a genuine return on your membership fees and helping to reduce your business motoring costs.

Advertising & Promotion There are many opportunities to advertise through the Chamber. You could use the Membership List, advertise in the 'Thinking Business' magazine or Ad-frames, perhaps you could publish articles to the Chamber Website?

Chamber HR Chamber HR is an Employment Law and Human Resource benefit which includes, telephone advice - available when you want (24/7), and an online reference manual with hundreds of downloadable documents.

Conference and Training Facilities

Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce and Chamber Energy Solutions are working together to help all our members get the most

value from their energy contracts, reduce their energy consumption and lower their carbon footprint don't get left behind.

By becoming a Chamber Member you will be entitled to a FREE energy health check - see what you could save

Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce has excellent conferencing and training facilities that can accommodate small meetings to large conferences, from 2 – 100 delegates.

Export Documentation

Benefits of Chamber Energy Solutions

The Export Documentation team provide a complete certification service to all businesses, with 50% off to all members, the team provides a one-stop shop for all your export needs.

Chamber Energy Alliance

International

Those companies that join the Chamber Energy Alliance will be offered a budget portfolio deal. With no energy price increases for up to two years, contracts secured through the Chamber Energy Alliance will give your budget certainty and can be fixed up to 12 months in advance. The Energy Alliance gives small businesses a powerful ‘energy trading desk’ capability typically only enjoyed by larger companies.

When you become a member, you can also benefit from a rebate on prices if the unit price drops below the portfolio rate.

As part of the International Chamber of Commerce network, your Chamber has unrivaled access to a comprehensive range of contacts, benefits and services that help both the first time and established exporter.

A Chamber Energy Helpdesk The brand new Freephone Chamber Energy Solutions helpline and email help-desk offers businesses of all sizes direct access to energy specialists, answering questions and offering advice on all aspects of energy management.

Get some energy saving stickers Do not underestimate the savings that can be made by encouraging your staff to switch equipment off. Claim a pack of energy saving stickers by emailing your name and address to sarahd@kentinvictachamber.co.uk.

What to do next Once you've become a Chamber member, let us help you gain control over your energy. Call our helpline on 0800 923 0210

www.chamberenergysolutions.co.uk

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ThinkingBUSINESS December 2014 - January 2015

Networking Events It’s the most active members who achieve the greatest benefits from their membership, constantly establishing new contacts and building up and strengthening existing relationships.

Training We have a comprehensive range of events and workshops from networking breakfast and lunches, training courses, international events and our conferences and exhibitions.

Sixth F or on Mo nday 1 m Open E 9 th J a nuary vening 20

15 at 6 pm

December 2014 - January 2015 ThinkingBUSINESS

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CHAMBEREVENTS

Chamber Events, Seminars & Workshops BUSINESS BREAKFAST

ANNUAL NETWORKING CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON

Details (unless otherwise stated): Time: 8:00am - 9:30am Non-Members: £20.00 + VAT Members: £15.00 + VAT

Time: Non Members Members

Join us for a delicious full English breakfast and lots of networking.

Tuesday 9 December 2014 Chilston Park Hotel, Sandway, Lenham, ME17 2BE

Wednesday 10 December 2014 with Guest Speaker Emma Cox from Cox Consultancy Salomons Estate, Broomhill Road Tunbridge Wells, TN3 0TG Wednesday 14 January 2015 Cote Brasserie, Bluewater, The Village, Greenhithe, Dartford, DA9 9SE Friday 16 January 2015 Tudor Park Marriott Hotel & Country Club, Ashford Road, Bearsted, Maidstone, ME14 4NQ

Join us for the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce Christmas Luncheon.

The event will take place at the elegant Chilston Park. This will be an excellent opportunity for you to entertain both clients, staff and partners, as well as network with existing members, in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere.

Seating arrangements are informal, so if you have any special seating requirements, please contact us.

(Tables of 10 can also be booked).

12.00pm

Mulled wine on arrival

12.30pm

Guests are seated followed by a three-course Christmas lunch with tea/coffee and mince pies

Wednesday 11 February 2015 Holiday Inn Rochester, Maidstone Road, Rochester, ME5 9SF Thursday 12 February 2015 The Elwick Club, Church Road, Ashford, TN23 1RD Thursday 19 February 2015 Breakfast Networking Special Hollywood Bowl Rochester Unit 9, Medway Valley Leisure Park Chariot Way, Rochester, ME2 2SS Friday 27 February 2015 The Conningbrook Hotel, Canterbury Road, Ashford, TN24 9QR

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ThinkingBUSINESS December 2014 - January 2015

Time: Non Members Members

12 noon - 2.00pm £25.00 + VAT £20.00 + VAT

Thursday 11 December 2014 Everest Inn Ashford, 113 Station Road, Ashford, TN23 1PJ Come and enjoy a superb Nepalese fusion light lunch where the chefs prepare all of their own spices to ensure only the best flavours and highest quality is on offer.

The lunch will begin with finger style starters which will be served while you network with other businesses. This will be followed by the main course with a variety of dishes available for you to choose from.

Tea and Coffee will be served at the end of the lunch with more opportunities to network with other guests.

AFTER HOURS Time:

Friday 30 January 2015 Mercure Tunbridge Wells, 8 Tonbridge Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN2 4QL

12 noon - 2.30pm £29.50 + VAT £24.50 + VAT

LUNCH NETWORKING SPECIAL

6.00pm - 7.30pm

FREE to members and non-members

The After Hours Club is a popular and highly successful 'casual' networking event. The informal atmosphere and relaxed environment is the ideal place to relax and chat to fellow business people.

This event is open to Members and non-members. Come and join us for an evening of networking.

Complimentary Tea and Coffee will be served. A Cash Bar is sometimes available.

Tuesday 9 December 2014 Ramada Encore Chatham, Western Avenue Chatham Historic Dockyard, Chatham, ME4 4NT

Tuesday 27 January 2015 The Russell Hotel, 136 Boxley Road, Penenden Heath, Maidstone, ME14 2AE

Tuesday 16 December 2014 The Abbots Barton, 36 New Dover Road, Canterbury, CT1 3DU

Tuesday 3 February 2015 The Conningbrook Hotel, Canterbury Road, Ashford, TN24 9QR

Tuesday 6 January 2015 The Conningbrook Hotel, Canterbury Road, Ashford, TN24 9QR

Tuesday 3 February 2015 Nucleus Business & Innovation Centre Brunel Way, Dartford, DA1 5GA

Tuesday 6 January 2015 Nucleus Business & Innovation Centre Brunel Way, Dartford, DA1 5GA Tuesday 20 January 2015 with Guest Speakers Stephanie Griffiths and Martyn Reeves The Friends of the Wisdom Hospice Ltd High Bank, Rochester, ME1 2NU Tuesday 20 January 2015 The Abbots Barton, 36 New Dover Road, Canterbury, CT1 3DU

Tuesday 17 February 2015 Bridgewood Manor Hotel, Walderslade Woods, Chatham, ME5 9AX Tuesday 17 February 2015 with Canterbury Economic Development Group The Abbots Barton, 36 New Dover Road, Canterbury, CT1 3DU Wednesday 25 February 2015 Best Western Coniston Hotel & Restaurant 70 London Road, Sittingbourne, ME10 1NT

CHAMBEREVENTS

WORKSHOPS AND SEMINARS

International Letters of Credit Demystified

The main outcomes for the exporter or importer will be:

Thursday 29 January 2015

• Understanding where to go for assistance, when required

Time:

9:00am - 12 noon

Members:

£75.00 + VAT

• Getting letters of credit opened correctly in the first place

Non Members:

£90.00 + VAT

• Achieving compliant documents, on first presentation

Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce, Ashford Business Point, Waterbrook Avenue, Sevington, TN24 0LH

• Understanding what risks are actually covered by each letter of credit

Join us for an in depth four hour workshop on letters of credit demystified.

It will address a wide range of issues that can occur with documentary letters of credit.

As a result costly amendments and delays can be avoided and traders can be more sure of payment.

‘Get Social’ Kent FREE Open Day Build online business relationships; become Social!

Friday 27 February 2015 Time: 9:00am - 3.30pm Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce, Ashford Business Point, Waterbrook Avenue, Sevington, TN24 0LH Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce and ZC Social Media are bringing together a day packed full of Social Media content, expert advice, tips and strategies for you to take and use straight away in your business.

This is going to be the BIGGEST Social Media Event in Kent!

'Get Social Kent' Exhibitors: 2 metre stands - £150 + VAT

The ‘Get Social’ Kent event will have a variety of ways in which you can learn: • Keynote Speakers will provide you with an insight and practical ways on how you can start being more social, get more engaged with your online community • Expert Q & A Panel will bring together Kent’s Social Media experts to answer your burning questions and challenges from the social media world • Social Media Clinics will enable you to get hands on experience in a workshop environment and start putting some ideas and tasks into place • The Social Media Exhibition Room will be full of Social Media and Digital experts where you can ask away your questions and find out more about their services and products • The day will also include refreshments and a light lunch. All you need to bring is your notebook, pen, plenty of business cards for networking and motivation to take action!

In partnership with

www.getsocialkent.com

To book either visit www.kentinvictachamber.co.uk/events or email events@kentinvictachamber.co.uk or call 01233 503838

December 2014 - January 2015 ThinkingBUSINESS

43

&ƌĞĞ ŽŶĨĞƌĞŶĐĞƐ Θ džŚŝďŝƟ ŽŶƐ

^W / > K&& Z New for 2015 ŚŽŽƐĞ ĨƌŽŵ ŽƵƌ ďƌŽŶnjĞ͕ ƐŝůǀĞƌ Θ ŐŽůĚ ƉĂĐŬĂŐĞƐ͗ Bronze packages start from just £295 + VAT Silver packages start from £345 + VAT Gold packages start from £425 + VAT ƐŬ ĂďŽƵƚ ŽƵƌ ŐƌĞĂƚ ĚĞĂůƐ ĨŽƌ ŬŝŶŐ Ă ƐƚĂŶĚ Ăƚ Ăůů &KhZ Ϯ Ɛ Ͳ ŽŶůLJ ŽŶ Žī Ğƌ ƵŶƟ ů ĞŶĚ ŽĨ December 2014

džŚŝďŝƟ ŶŐ Ăƚ dŚĞ ĞƐƚ ŽĨ <ĞŶƚ ^ŚŽǁƐ ϮϬϭϱ ϭ͘ ĐĐĞƐƐ ƚŽ ŚŝŐŚ ƋƵĂůŝƚLJ ĚĞůĞŐĂƚĞƐ Ͳ KŶ ĂǀĞƌĂŐĞ ŽǀĞƌ Ă ƚŚŝƌĚ ŽĨ ŽƵƌ ǀŝƐŝƚŽƌƐ ĂƌĞ

ƐĞŶŝŽƌ ŵĂŶĂŐĞƌƐ ĂŶĚ ĂƌĞ ĂďůĞ ƚŽ ŵĂŬĞ ƉƵƌĐŚĂƐŝŶŐ ĚĞĐŝƐŝŽŶƐ͘

Ϯ͘ KŶŐŽŝŶŐ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ Ͳ tĞ ŚĂǀĞ Žī Ğƌ LJŽƵ ŽŶŐŽŝŶŐ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ ʹ ŚĞůƉŝŶŐ ƚŽ ĞŶĂďůĞ LJŽƵ ƚŽ ŐĂŝŶ ƚŚĞ ďĞƐƚ ƌĞƚƵƌŶ ŽŶ ŝŶǀĞƐƚŵĞŶƚ͘ ϯ͘ &ƌĞĞ ƚƌĂŝŶŝŶŐ ǁŽƌŬƐŚŽƉ Ͳ ůů ĞdžŚŝďŝƚŽƌƐ ĂƌĞ Žī ĞƌĞĚ ĨƌĞĞ ƉůĂĐĞƐ ŽŶ ŽƵƌ ͞,Žǁ ƚŽ ŵĂdžŝŵŝƐĞ LJŽƵƌ ƉƌĞƐĞŶĐĞ Ăƚ ĂŶ ĞdžŚŝďŝƟ ŽŶ͟ ǁŽƌŬƐŚŽƉ͘ ϰ͘ DĂƌŬĞƟ ŶŐ Θ WƌŽŵŽƟ ŽŶ Ͳ /ŶĐůƵĚŝŶŐ ĂĚƐ ŝŶ ĂƉƉƌŽƉƌŝĂƚĞ ƌĞŐŝŽŶĂů Ɵ ƚůĞƐ͕ ǁĞĞŬůLJ ĞŵĂŝůƐ ĂŶĚ ƐŽĐŝĂů ŵĞĚŝĂ ƐƵĐŚ ĂƐ &ĂĐĞŬ͕ dǁŝƩ Ğƌ ĂŶĚ >ŝŶŬĞĚ/Ŷ ŚĞůƉ ďƵŝůĚ ĐŽŶŶĞĐƟ ŽŶƐ ǁŝƚŚŝŶ ŽƵƌ ƚĂƌŐĞƚ ŵĂƌŬĞƚƐ ƉƌŽŵŽƟ ŶŐ LJŽƵƌ ƉƌĞƐĞŶĐĞ͘

WůƵƐ͕ ŶĞǁ ĨŽƌ ϮϬϭϱ͕ ǁĞ ǁŝůů ĂƵƚŽŵĂƟ ĐĂůůLJ ĞŶƌŽů LJŽƵ ŝŶ ŽƵƌ ͞ džŚŝďŝƚŽƌƐ ŝƌĐůĞ͕͟ Žī ĞƌŝŶŐ LJŽƵ ĂĐĐĞƐƐ ƚŽ ŽŶŐŽŝŶŐ ĂĚǀŝĐĞ ĂŶĚ Ɵ ƉƐ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ůĞĂĚ ƵƉ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ĞǀĞŶƚ͘

New for 2015

Sponsorship at The Best of Kent Shows ϭ͘ /ŶĐůƵƐŝŽŶ͕ ŝŶ ůŝŶĞ ǁŝƚŚ LJŽƵƌ ƐƉŽŶƐŽƌƐŚŝƉ ůĞǀĞů͕ ŝŶ ŽƵƌ ŽŶůŝŶĞ͕ Žŋ ŝŶĞ͕ ĚŝŐŝƚĂů ĂŶĚ ƐŽĐŝĂů ŵĞĚŝĂ ŵĂƌŬĞƟ ŶŐ ĐĂŵƉĂŝŐŶƐ Ͳ Žī ĞƌŝŶŐ ŚƵŐĞ ĞdžƉŽƐƵƌĞ ĂĐƌŽƐƐ Ă ƌĂŶŐĞ ŽĨ ŵĂƌŬĞƟ ŶŐ ĐŚĂŶŶĞůƐ͘ Ϯ͘ WŽƐŝƟ ŽŶŝŶŐ LJŽƵƌ ďƌĂŶĚ ĂůŽŶŐƐŝĚĞ ƚŚĞ <ĞŶƚ /ŶǀŝĐƚĂ ŚĂŵďĞƌ ŽĨ ŽŵŵĞƌĐĞ ʹ ŽŶĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĐŽƵŶƚƌLJ͛Ɛ ŵŽƐƚ ƐƵĐĐĞƐƐĨƵů ŚĂŵďĞƌƐ͘

ŚŽŽƐĞ ĨƌŽŵ ŽƵƌ ďƌŽŶnjĞ͕ ƐŝůǀĞƌ͕ ŐŽůĚ Žƌ ƉůĂƟ ŶƵŵ sponsorship deals. tŝƚŚ ŝŶƐĞƌƚƐ ƐƚĂƌƟ ŶŐ ĨƌŽŵ ũƵƐƚ άϭϱϬ ŽƵƌ ŶĞǁ ƐƉŽŶƐŽƌƐŚŝƉ ƉĂĐŬĂŐĞƐ Žī Ğƌ ĂŶ ŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƚLJ ƚŽ Ăůů ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐĞƐ͕ ŶŽ ŵĂƩ Ğƌ ǁŚĂƚ ƐŝnjĞ ƚŚĞLJ ĂƌĞ

ϯ͘ ƵŝůĚŝŶŐ ĐƌĞĚŝďŝůŝƚLJ ǁŝƚŚ Ă ƚĂƌŐĞƚĞĚ͕ ƌĞĐĞƉƟ ǀĞ ĂƵĚŝĞŶĐĞ͘ ϰ͘ DĞĞƟ ŶŐ ŶĞǁ ĐŽŶƚĂĐƚƐ ĂŶĚ ĚĞǀĞůŽƉŝŶŐ ƌĞůĂƟ ŽŶƐŚŝƉƐ ǁŝƚŚ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐĞƐ ƚŚĂƚ ĂƌĞ ůŽĐĂů ĂŶĚ ĐŽƵŶƚLJͲǁŝĚĞ͘

West Kent: 30th April dŚĞ ZŝǀĞƌ ĞŶƚƌĞ͕ Tonbridge

Kent: 7th July

ƐŚĨŽƌĚ /ŶƚĞƌŶĂƟ ŽŶĂů ,ŽƚĞů͕ Ashford

ŬĞŶƚďϮď͘ĐŽ͘ƵŬ ͮ ϬϭϳϯϮ ϳϱϴϱϯϬ ͮ ^ƉŽŶƐŽƌ ͮ džŚŝďŝƚ ͮ Ʃ ĞŶĚ

&ƌĞĞ ŽŶĨĞƌĞŶĐĞƐ Θ džŚŝďŝƟ ŽŶƐ ŽŽŬ ĂŶĚ ƉĂLJ ĨŽƌ LJŽƵƌ ƐƚĂŶĚ ĂŶĚ ŐĞƚ Ă &Z ĂĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ǀĞŶƚ 'ƵŝĚĞ ǁŚŝĐŚ ŐŽĞƐ ƚŽ ϮϬ͕ϬϬϬ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐĞƐ

The Best of Kent Shows 2014 /Ŷ ϮϬϭϰ ǁĞ ŚĂĚ ƚƌĞŵĞŶĚŽƵƐ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ ĨŽƌ ŽƵƌ ͚ ĞƐƚ ŽĨ <ĞŶƚ ^ŚŽǁƐ͛ ĞdžŚŝďŝƟ ŽŶ ƉƌŽŐƌĂŵŵĞ ĨƌŽŵ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐĞƐ ĂĐƌŽƐƐ ƚŚĞ ŽƵŶƚLJ͘ LJ ĞdžƚĞŶĚŝŶŐ ŽƵƌ ƉƌŽŐƌĂŵŵĞ ƚŽ ŝŶĐůƵĚĞ ĨŽƵƌ ĞdžŚŝďŝƟ ŽŶƐ ǁŝƚŚ ǀĞŶƵĞƐ ĨƌŽŵ ƚŚĞ EŽƌƚŚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŽƵŶƚLJ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ĂƐƚ͕ ƚŚĞ ŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƚLJ ƚŽ ŝŶĐƌĞĂƐĞ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ƉŽƚĞŶƟ Ăů ǁĂƐ ŐƌĞĂƚůLJ ĞŶŚĂŶĐĞĚ ďLJ Ăůů ǁŚŽ ƚŽŽŬ ƉĂƌƚ͘ DŽƌĞ ƚŚĂŶ ϯϬϬ ĞdžŚŝďŝƚŽƌƐ ĂŶĚ ŽǀĞƌ ϯ͕ϬϬϬ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ǀŝƐŝƚŽƌƐ KǀĞƌ Ă ƚŚŝƌĚ ;ĂŶĚ Ăƚ ƐŽŵĞ ĞǀĞŶƚƐ ŶĞĂƌůLJ ŚĂůĨͿ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĚĞůĞŐĂƚĞƐ ĂƌĞ ƐĞŶŝŽƌ ŵĂŶĂŐĞƌƐ ǁŚŽ ĂďůĞ ƚŽ ŵĂŬĞ ƉƵƌĐŚĂƐŝŶŐ ĚĞĐŝƐŝŽŶƐ

KƵƌ ƉůĂŶƐ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ <ĞŶƚ Ϯ ͛Ɛ ϮϬϭϱ &ƌĞĞ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ƚŽ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ĐŽŶĨĞƌĞŶĐĞƐ Θ ĞdžŚŝďŝƟ ŽŶƐ ,ŝŐŚ ƋƵĂůŝƚLJ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ŬĞLJŶŽƚĞ ƐƉĞĂŬĞƌƐ /ŶŶŽǀĂƟ ǀĞ Θ ŝŶƚĞƌĂĐƟ ǀĞ ǁŽƌŬƐŚŽƉƐ >ĞĂĚŝŶŐ ůŽĐĂů Θ ƌĞŐŝŽŶĂů ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐĞƐ ĞdžŚŝďŝƟ ŶŐ 'ƌĞĂƚ ŶĞƚǁŽƌŬŝŶŐ ŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƟ ĞƐ

/ŶƚĞƌĞƐƚĞĚ ŝŶ ĞdžŚŝďŝƟ ŶŐ Žƌ ƐƉŽŶƐŽƌŝŶŐ͍ 'ŝǀĞ ĂƌŽůĞ Žƌ WĞŶŶLJ Ă ĐĂůů ŽŶ ϬϭϳϯϮ ϳϱϴϱϯϬ

North Kent: 15th October ƌĂŶĚƐŚĂƚĐŚ ŝƌĐƵŝƚ͕ Fawkham

East Kent: 4th November ŝƐĐŽǀĞƌLJ WĂƌŬ͕ Sandwich

GETTINGSTARTED

Name: Kelly Farrant Company name: Pest-Tech Ltd Start up date: 06 October 2014 Website: www.pest-tech.org Q1: Tell us a bit about your business?

Pest-Tech Ltd is a company offering pest control services to both the domestic and commercial market.

There are two sides to the business, the first being a reactive call-out service, the other is a proactive approach to pest management, in which we deliver annual pest control contracts.

Q2: What gives your business â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;the x-factorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;?

Having spent 25 years in the Armed Forces, I have a wealth of qualities in which I have introduced into my business. I can deliver all the usual pest control services, complete major bird-proofing projects and undertake all manor of shooting tasks, but also have security clearance which means that I can deliver a professional reliable and trusted service to high security premises.

46

Q3: What motivated you to set up the business?

On transitioning from the Army, I was lucky enough to have time to sample a few jobs by completing a number of work placements within companies.

This confirmed in my own mind that I wanted to run my own business.

I spent a year within a pest control franchise and this made me realise that I could deliver a better service on my own.

Q4: What do you like most about working for a start-up?

It gives me great pleasure to watch all my pre-planned strategy, ideas and processes develop within the business. Watching the business grow is very motivational and inspires me to think of ways to improve on what I deliver on both the practical pest control service and my business development. I am very passionate about what I do and that speaks

ThinkingBUSINESS December 2014 - January 2015

volumes when I talk about my services to clients.

Q5: What has been your greatest business success to date?

I set myself some tough targets from the outset but on the week of my go live date I successfully secured a major bird-proofing job and two annual contracts. Obviously, some hard work had taken place before this but it was a great way to start the business and set me off on the right step.

Q6: What has been your lowest moment?

Going from 25 years of a guaranteed income to all of a sudden the reality of not knowing where the next job was going to come from and it being completely out of my control, within reason, was hard for me to accept.

All I wanted to do is complete job after job but I had to get my head around

the fact that part of my work was winning the work. It caused a lot of panic and stress to start with but thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all part of the motivation to get out there and sell myself and my business to anyone that may need my services.

Q7: In terms of business achievements, where do you want to be within the next 5 years?

I see myself growing my contracts and services to the point that I will have a team of technicians with some support staff, working across Kent.

Q8: What would be your top tip to someone thinking of starting up their own business?

Do your homework! I spent quality time developing a plan complete with timelines and action points. Obviously, some things may go wrong and you may have to change your plan but stick to your timings to ensure you meet your goals.

REGIONALNEWS

Looking ahead to an exciting year As we reflect on achievements in 2014 and look to the task ahead for 2015, it promises to be an exciting year for the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SE LEP).

2014 has been a pivotal year as SE LEP secured a £442.2 million funding package to boost economic growth across Kent, Medway, East Sussex and Essex. We are in the process of embedding our local Board structures to allow effective delivery of the schemes which have secured funds, starting in April 2015.

The South East LEP continues to pursue the important agendas highlighted in our Strategic Economic Plan and Growth Deal with Government.

On 2nd December 2014 the LEP hosted a Social Enterprise event in conjunction with Cathedral Innovation Centre, Zamir Telecom and UnLtd at High House Production Park in Thurrock. The South East LEP is about to receive new EU funding to develop jobs and social inclusion as the SE LEP area is already home to the UK’s Social Enterprise of the Year. The Social Enterprise agenda aims to embrace universities, colleges and other bodies seeking new pathways to back start-ups and routes to employment, and large firms with pioneering track records in the creation of apprenticeships and social responsibility.

This event seeks to inform, celebrate and enhance the area’s status, seeking to make the SE LEP area ‘the capital’ of social enterprise growth and job creation. It is expected that senior ministerial level, parliamentary and social enterprise leaders will speak at the event.

It was a must attend event for CSR officers and regeneration staff, social enterprises, civil society leaders, mutual social enterprises, public sector spin-outs, universities, colleges, training providers and more.

More details can be found on the SE LEP website.

To register your interest please contact events@cathedralinnovationcentre.com with ‘SE LEP conference’ in the subject line.

The LEP is also pursuing its Housing Agenda and far reaching targets with a Housing Conference on 8th December 2014, to be held at Anglia Ruskin University in Chelmsford. We will be hearing from Brandon Lewis, Minister of State for Housing and Planning and other SE LEP Private Sector Developers, Registered Housing providers and Local Authorities. This is a must attend event for leading housing and development professionals, it will provide an important opportunity to influence the development of a route-map to delivery and to highlight any constraints which exist. More details can be found on the SE LEP website, www.southeastlep.com As we move into the new year, work will be progressing on development of a South East Investment fund for real estate and property and we will be working with and hearing from local businesses to gather views on options for expanding future airport capacity. This will help us to develop a South East LEP response to the Davies Commission Consultation.

Peter Jones Chairman South East Local Enterprise Partnership

The SE LEP Board meets on 12th December 2014 and will be joined by Baroness Kramer, Minister of State for Transport to consider some of the significant infrastructure challenges we face in our SE LEP area. SE LEP Board meetings are held from 10:00am – 12:00pm at High House Production Park in Purfleet, RM19 1RJ, and are public meetings, for anyone interested in attending.

The South East LEP continues to pursue the important agendas highlighted in our Strategic Economic Plan and Growth Deal with Government.

December 2014 - January 2015 ThinkingBUSINESS

47

Getting G etting iitt right right Successful businesses need the right people, so appropriate the appr opriate recruitment, recruitment, remuneration remuneration and management policies ar e crucial. It all costs time are and money if you get it wr ong. wrong.

Whitehead Monckton’ Monckton’ss Employment Law team specialise in supporting businesses, helping them to develop their teams and manage staff staff performance, all against the backgr ound of ever background changing legislation and pr ocedures. procedures.

So check out how we can help you to get it right – simply contact us today today..

Tel: T el: 01622 698047 E-mail employment@whitehead-monckton.co.uk www.whitehead-monckton.co.uk www .whitehead-monckton.co.uk Whitehead Monckton Whitehead Monckton Limited Limited ((no. no. 0 08366029), 8366029), re registered gistered in England England &W Wales. ales. Registered Registered o office ffice 72 72 K King ing S Street, treet, Maidstone, Maidstone, Ke Kent, nt, ME14 ME14 1BL. 1BL. A Authorised uthorised a and nd rregulated egulated b by y tthe he Solicitors Solicitors Re Regulation gulation A Au Authority uthority under under n no. o. 608279.

608279.

TB10/14

48

ThinkingBUSINESS December 2014 - January 2015

NEWMEMBERS

Welcome to new members DMA Mechanical Gillingham 01634 384060 w ww .d m a- g ro up .co . uk Mechanical, electrical and maintenance

Oakwood First Aid Ltd Maidstone 01622 675758 w w w .o a k w oo d f i rs t a i d .c o . uk First Aid Training and Supplies

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H J Nydam Westley Legal Consultant

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07790 925572

Kent County Council - Property Services Maidstone 01622 696303 County Council

Natural Values Ashford 01233 812352 www .n at ur al v alu e s. co .u k Natural Environment & Management Consultantcy

Adams & Moore Ltd Dartford 01322 279292 www .a dams an dmo o re.c o .u k Accountancy - Audit, Tax and Advisory

Expertise Homecare Ltd Tunbridge Wells 01892 315288 w w w .e x p e r t i s e h o m e c a re .c o. u k Homecare Franchise Business

Stonewells IPS Tunbridge Wells www .st o ne w e ll s.n e t Construction Consultancy

01892 506908

Chris Hazelden Consulting Ltd Ashford 01233 622170 Accounts, Tax & VAT Returns, Book-Keeping, Consultancy, Sage Line 50 & Quickbooks

Spatial Dimensions Ltd Sevenoaks 07525 491981 www .sp ati a l- d i m e ns i o ns .co m Land and measured building surveyors

Curzon Canterbury Canterbury 020 7438 9586 www .cu r zo n ci n e ma s. co m Cinema, Exhibition

Linimex London 02037 281540 www .l i ni m e x . co .u k Telecoms and Energy Consultants

Bowbrook International Foods Ashford 01233 812401 International Trading of Food Products

01233 505900

Challenge Control Ltd Tenterden 01580 763911 w ww .ch al len ge- co n tro l.c o .u k Manufacturer of audio, visual & home entertainment control systems

Medway Education Business Partnership Rochester 01634 204995 w ww .m ebp.o rg Industry/Education Liason

Tudor Oak Maidstone 01622 743747 w w w . t u d o r- o a k . c o . u k Bespoke Joinery - Furniture - Timber Trade

01892 513033

The Clarendon Royal Hotel Gravesend 01474 362221 w ww .cl are n d o nro ya lh o te l. co .u k Hotel, Conferencing, Restaurant, Function Room, Weddings

Young Kent Maidstone 01622 351150 w w w .y ou n g k e nt .o rg . uk Charity Supporting Young People & The Youth Sector

West Kent & Ashford College Ashford 08452 078220 w w w . a s h f o rd . a c . u k Education Training, Events, Venue Hire

Copperwheat Barlow Sittingbourne 01795 842479 w ww .co p p e rwh e at b ar lo w .co . uk Insurance Brokers

Telecoms World PLC Orpington 0345 459 9450 www .t eleco ms wo r ldpl c.co . u k Telecoms

Maxim PR Tunbridge Wells w w w . m a x i m - p r. c o . u k PR & Marketing

Front Elevation Herne Bay 01227 364115 w w w . f ro n t e l e v a t i o n . c o . u k Construction Business Development and Marketing

Euro Start Entreprises Tunbridge Wells 01892 680083 www .eu ro sta r ten trepr ises. co m Company Formation, Financial Services

Robin Noel GC Rochester w w w .ro b i n n oe l .c o. u k Glass Designer and Maker

New Appointments Group Ltd Sandwich 01304 227722 w ww .n e wa p p o i n tme n ts g ro up . co .u k Permanent, Temporary and Contract Recruitment

Boon Edam Ltd Ashford w ww .b o o n e d am .co . uk Construction

Dudley Marketing 01227 450321 Canterbury www .d u d l e yma rk e ti ng . co .u k Marketing, Consultancy and Design

Costplan Services (South East) Ltd Ashford 01233 333532 w w w .c o s t p l a n s e rv i c e s .c om Quantity Surveying

Stour Chambers Canterbury 01227 764899 w w w . s t o u rc h a m b e r s . c o . u k Barristers/Legal Services Aspray Kent Folkestone 01303 255994 www .a sp r ay.c o m / ke n t Property repairs and insurance claims management Flat Rock Technology London 02072 504778 w w w . f l a t ro c k t e c h . c o m Digital Services, Web Development, Mobile Application Vanilla Blue Ltd Dartford 01322 400034 www .v a ni l lab lu e .co m Energy, Agriculture, Interior Design and Digital Marketing

December 2014 - January 2015 ThinkingBUSINESS

49

LASTWORD

MOVERS&SHAKERS

The Last Word Name: Company: Job title:

Paul Price IMM-UK Marketing Innovation Partner

Q. What was your first job and what was the pay packet?

A. My first job was as a designer working in London for a funky design agency earning £11,000.

Q. What do you always carry with you to work?

A. Rucksack , usually full of far too many files and my laptop.

Q. What is the biggest challenge facing your business?

A. People who come to me with ambitious growth targets but who are not willing to invest enough in marketing to make them happen.

Q. If you were Prime Minister, what one thing would you change to help business?

A. I would get rid of employers NI contributions.

Q. What can you see from your office window?

A. My office at Kent Science Park is a 17th Century Farmhouse and I look out onto the most beautiful back garden.

Q. If you could do another job what would it be?

A. I'd love to lead an international charity or be part of the Sir Martin Sorrell's senior team at WPP identifying and leading acquisitions.

Q. As a business person, what are your three main qualities?

A. Innovative ideas, attention to detail, perseverance.

Q. What was your biggest mistake in business?

A. I was involved in a business merger that failed due to me trusting the finances to my business partner and not overseeing it properly - an expensive lesson that I hope never to repeat.

Q. What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs?

A. You have to work incredibly hard and learn to delegate. Nobody will be as perfect as you but neither can you do everything so be brave and surround yourself with people better than you.

Q. Who do you most admire in business?

A. Being in marketing it can only be one man – Sir Martin Sorrell - He’s the Chief Executive of WPP group, the world’s largest advertising and marketing group. His net worth is £174m.

50

ThinkingBUSINESS December 2014 - January 2015

James joins Ardo UK Frozen food specialist Ardo UK has appointed a new food ingredients business sector manager to join its UK team.

James Bradley brings a wealth of experience to Ardo UK, having worked for four years with Allied Bakeries as a Business Development Manager and three years with Nimbus Foods as a National Account Manager, as well as having had various previous roles.

Focusing on the food ingredients sector, his role will include developing new customer relationships and further strengthening existing ones.

James said: “I am truly delighted to be joining Ardo at such an exciting time. The company has recently

been through a period of strategic realignment and following the merger with Dujardin is now the largest manufacturer of frozen vegetables in Europe.”

James is from Derby and a student of the Open University Business School. He has just completed his final year studying for a BA Hons in Business Studies.

Stephen Waugh, Managing Director of Ardo UK, said: “I am delighted to welcome James to the team. His passion and creativity make him the perfect person for the job. His strong background in ingredients and industrial solutions - backed up with excellent academic knowledge - makes him a highly credible and invaluable addition to both Ardo and our customers.”

Key appointments at Cripps A former High Sheriff of Kent with broad business, farming and charitable experience will be bringing his expertise to Cripps.

Lord Colgrain, who lives on his family farm near Sevenoaks, is joining the top 100 law firm in the role of nonexecutive director.

In addition to his farming interests, Lord Colgrain has 30 years’ experience in human resource issues, including running his own City-based executive search company specialising in the financial sector for the past 12 years. He also serves as a director on the boards of a range of businesses.

Law firm Cripps, which has offices in Tunbridge Wells, London, Kings Hill, and Discovery Park, has also appointed a new partner.

Garry Brett, who has a City background and more than 30 years’ legal experience, has joined the firm’s expanding Development Team.

His appointment brings the number of partners at Cripps to 48.

A commercial property all-rounder, Garry has broad experience including large residential developments, commercial investment, office and industrial development, corporate real estate and high-end residential refurbishments. He joins Cripps from Stevens & Bolton in Guildford.

New addition to the Magee Gammon Partnership Ashford based Chartered Accountants Magee Gammon has announced the appointment of Andy Childs to Partner status.

Andy joined the firm as a director last year as part of the acquisition of another local firm.

He has a diverse portfolio of clients ranging from local individuals requiring personal Tax Returns to

UK subsidiaries of overseas companies requiring significant audit, accountancy and taxation advice. Andy also has considerable expertise in the not-for-profit sector.

Andy said: “I am delighted to accept the invitation from the partners to join the partnership and look forward to continuing to explore new opportunities to develop the business going forward.”

Tax specialist signs up Martin Dane has joined MHA MacIntyre Hudson, further strengthening the team in Kent.

He is a VAT and Indirect taxes specialist with nearly 35 years’ experience both in HMRC and professional practice.

Martin said: “VAT and Indirect Taxes are amongst the most problematic.

I aim to deliver practical, pragmatic advice to clients to deal with risk and optimise their position. VAT is now a tax which business ignores at its peril.”