Incommerce dundee & angus issue 4 issuu

AUTUMN 2014

DUNDEE & ANGUS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE business magazine

Dovetail Enterprises star at the Commonwealth Games

Chamber AGM Looking ahead to 2015

DUNDEE & ANGUS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Generation Y How the under 25s think

The Referendum What it means for business

24 new Chamber members

www.dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk Member Helpline 01382 228545

Contents Cover stories Dovetail Enterprises star at the Commonwealth Games.................... 10 The Referendum what it means for business.............. 24 Chamber AGM................................... 28 24 new Chamber members.............. 38

Tim Allan

A welcome from the president

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rather want to shake things up slightly to stimulate thought and discussion in the spirit of the intense public debate that’s surrounded the Independence Referendum.

The Referendum has been one of the most significant political and constitutional events in Scotland’s history since the union of Scotland and England over 300 years ago. Later in this issue I’ll reflect on the Referendum’s impact on business and the implications for Dundee and Angus. I won’t linger in this introduction, except to say the whole Independence Referendum process has presented our region with new opportunities to be heard and also to push forward the business agenda which must continue.

In post Referendum Scotland, Chamber members continue to find themselves in a rapidly-improving Scottish and UK economy, with employment rising to new levels and an accommodative interest rate policy underpinning business investment and growth.

Local construction developments are starting to gain traction and in the months ahead the V&A will begin work on site – a real affirmation of the ambition of our region.

What matters now is to ensure that businesses in Dundee and Angus directly and indirectly benefit in this economy, creating the jobs and wealth we need to help our region prosper.

We must also ensure our Chamber executive team is positioned to help us achieve our aims, and six months into my time as president I’ve seen much progress in that respect.

We’ve sadly had to say goodbye to our CEO, Sandra Burke. We’ve also seen both our Membership Manager and Events and Marketing Manager change with the welcome appointments of Eve Hughes and Kerry Findlay.

Alison Henderson, one of our board Vice-Presidents is very kindly acting as interim CEO of DACC until a new CEO is recruited. At the AGM, Colin Loveday and Ian Collins were appointed as board directors. In addition, to broaden and strengthen the Chamber, we voted to expand the board, increasing the directors from 10 to 12. Give me a call if you would like to discuss board membership with me!

With a full programme of members’ events scheduled, I’m really looking forward to meeting as many members as possible in the weeks ahead and learning more about the amazing people who make up our lively and thriving Chamber.

Tim Allan, President CEO, Unicorn Property Group

Guest Writer Dr Paul Redmond........ 43

Features Welcome from Alison Henderson, Interim Chief Executive...................... 4 Chamber News & Events.................... 4 Scottish Chamber News...................... 7 Member News................................... 10 Platinum Partner Abertay University Dundee.............. 18 Platinum Partner GSK Montrose...... 19 MacRoberts on bitcoin and divorce........................................ 20 MMG Archbold on business strategy.............................. 21 Platinum Partner mtc........................ 33 Platinum Partner Angus Council...... 34 Skills & Training................................. 35 Platinum Partner Dundee City Council......................... 37 Meet the Chamber Team.................. 40 Meet the new Board of Directors.... 41 The value of export certification..... 42 Membership Benefits........................ 45

Dundee & Angus Chamber of Commerce City Quay, Camperdown Street, Dundee DD1 3JA For advertising contact DTech on T: 01436 678808 E: sales@incommerce.biz Editorial Team: Alison Henderson (Editor), Kerry Findlay, Rebecca Stott and Irene K. Duncan. Please submit articles and stories to info@dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk Publisher: DTech Distribution: DTech Distribution InCommerce is published by DTech, 20 East Argyle Street, Helensburgh G84 7RR. T: 01436 678808.

E: info@dtechuk.com.

InCommerce is fully protected by copyright and nothing may be printed wholly or in part without the written permission of the publishers. The proprietors of this magazine are publishers and not agents, or sub-agents of those who advertise therein.

They cannot be held liable for any loss suffered as a result of information gained from this publication.

The views expressed by authors of articles published in this magazine are solely those of the author and are not necessarily the views of or shared by the Editor, nor the publisher or the directors, shareholders and/or employees of DTech Publishing Ltd.

Front cover provided by Dovetail Enterprises.

CHAMBER NEWS & EVENTS

Successful networking event at Botanic Gardens

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hamber networking events are a great opportunity to meet up with business friends and colleagues, and also make new contacts. On Monday July 14, the Chamber held a very successful networking event at the Macro Micro Studio which is located in the Botanic Gardens, Dundee.

Alison Henderson Vice-President, Interim Chief Executive and Editor

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’m delighted to be guest editing such a momentous issue of the Chamber magazine, coming as it does in the weeks following the Referendum which has seen an unprecedented interest being shown by all corners of the Scottish electorate, including many people very keen to understand how the vote could affect their business in Dundee and Angus.

In recent months we’ve held many successful events, including our 2014 AGM at the Golf Hotel, Carnoustie, together with a Member Showcase. We said a heartfelt thanks to Sandra Burke who has now left her role as Chief Executive with the Chamber and a warm welcome to two new Directors who joined the Board: Ian Collins, Senior Manager at Bank of Scotland and Colin Loveday, Managing Director of 4G Scotland.

The magazine continues to spotlight Chamber and Member news from across the regional and sectoral spectrum in Dundee and Angus. Our new Events and Marketing Manager, Kerry Findlay, has been very busy connecting with members, arranging and planning events, and ensuring we have a steady stream of news to communicate across all our channels

This experimental studio is the first ‘off grid’ entirely renewable energy-powered building in the UK. It combines ultra-low energy construction practices to conserve heat and will be used as a live-in laboratory for developing and monitoring new technologies for generating, storing and exporting renewable power.

The self-build project was developed by Dundee University’s Department of Architecture’s Macro Micro, MArch unit and MSc student research projects in Civil Engineering, Physics and Applied Computing, and is headed up by Dr Neil Burford along with Dr David Rodley and Dr Stephen Reynolds.

Built over one-and-a-half storeys, the space is carefully segregated into three areas. A service zone to the north contains the entrance, mechanical services and kitchenette. The main ground floor is a flexible multi-function space for meetings and exhibitions, while the mezzanine level is a more private space for working and storage.

Saving energy is important and we all need to play a part. Even simple things, such as not overfilling the kettle to make a cup of tea, can be significant when you multiply the amount of households enjoying a cuppa across the world.

Like many experimental projects, the Macro Micro Studio continually requires funding and Neil would be delighted to talk to any interested parties. The studio provides a 50m2 flexible work-space and is available for short or long-term lease. Email Neil at n.k.burford@dundee.ac.uk

We’re committed to giving our members many opportunities to promote their businesses. Please get in touch with Kerry to see how we can spread the word on any news or events you have to share.

As the Chamber looks to the final quarter of 2014 and begins to plan for 2015, we’re confident the organisation, our local region and our members are at an exciting time – a time of change, growth and planning for a successful future.

Neil Burford showing delegates around the Macro Micro Studio.

Our magazine showcases many great things happening within Dundee and Angus, and we look forward to covering many more success stories in the future.

Micro Macro Studio.

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DUNDEE & ANGUS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

CHAMBER NEWS & EVENTS

Left to Right: Dr Hossein Godazgar – Principal & Vice Chancellor of Al-Maktoum College of Higher Education, Lord Elder, Nicola Strugeon – The Deputy First Minister of Scotland, Sandra Burke – former Chief Executive DACC, Tim Allan – President DACC.

Nicola Sturgeon’s audience with local businesses

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he Deputy First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, was delighted to speak with the business community in Dundee and Angus on Wednesday July 2. The Minister made a short presentation, followed by an open forum for questions chaired

by Chamber President, Tim Allan.

Using YouTube to benefit your business

The Chamber’s newest Platinum Partner, Al-Maktoum College of Higher Education, hosted this lively event. Members came along to hear what the most senior woman in Scottish politics had to say in the run-up to Scotland’s historic referendum and welcomed the opportunity to ask questions.

communication channels. It can rapidly raise brand awareness, establish credibility in the marketplace and make it easy for potential customers to find businesses when they search online.

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ank of Scotland sponsored the YouTube event which took place at the Dundee Science Centre on Thursday August 21.

James Miller, Financial Markets Representative for Bank of Scotland, SME Banking, gave an informative talk on foreign exchange and exporting. He shared expert knowledge the attendees could put to good use on a day-to-day basis.

Mark Hunter from Postable Limited, a highly-successful Scottish business that’s been using YouTube as a marketing tool since 2009, gave an insightful presentation on how to use YouTube.

Everyone at the session learned some startling facts about YouTube which is undoubtedly one of the most powerful online The attendees at the event.

www.dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk Member Helpline 01382 228545

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CHAMBER NEWS & EVENTS

The importance of Business Continuity Planning

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n June 17, Shackleton held an excellent seminar at the DACC giving a presentation on how Business Continuity Planning can help businesses win more contracts.

Phillip Magson, Business Development Director from Shackleton, explained how working to avoid the risks of IT disaster can help protect businesses.

He talked about Disaster Recovery being something most business owners think about after something has happened to their IT system. He then informed attendees that there are more and more instances of public bodies and other large organisations making a supplier’s Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery policy a key requirement of doing business with them.

The seminar covered the steps businesses can take to strengthen their IT operations and protect their business.

Montrose Port’s fully-attended Explorer Breakfast

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he Chamber held an excellent event hosted by Montrose Port as part of the RBS-sponsored Explorer Breakfast series.

The attendees at this fully-booked event were addressed by Gavin Davies, the CEO of Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance.

Gavin explained how taking critically-ill patients to hospital by air cuts down transport times from rural and isolated areas.

Getting the patient to hospital within the ‘Golden Hour’ dramatically increases their chance of survival and full recovery.

The delegates enjoyed a bus tour of the Montrose Port, including the recently-built new dry dock, and appreciated the sheer scale of the operation.

Port of Montrose.

Royal Bank of Scotland renews sponsorship of Explorer Breakfasts Steve Ross, Business Development Director, Shackleton.

DACC working hand-in-hand with the Prince’s Trust

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ACC has launched an initiative with the Prince’s Trust Youth Business Scotland in Tayside, offering new businesses supported by the Trust a special discounted rate for their first year of membership. This is a great way for these new businesses to raise their profile in the local business community. DACC is delighted to welcome our first three new members who have joined through this initiative – Electronic Persuasion, Enterprise Network Solutions Ltd. and Elvie Framing.

Left to right: Alan Laing, Regional Tayside Manager PTYBS; Nikhil Puthu, Electronic Persuasion; Alison Henderson, Interim Chief Executive and Vice President DACC: James Buchan, Enterprise Network Solutions Ltd.; Eve Hughes, Membership Manager DACC; Lee Whyte, Elvie Framing and Irene K. Duncan, volunteer PTYBS.

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DUNDEE & ANGUS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

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he Chamber would like to thank Royal Bank of Scotland for their continued support in agreeing to sponsor the Explorer Breakfasts for another year.

These events have been highly popular with Chamber members and we look forward to this continuing. The breakfasts are ‘behind the scene’ site visits and take place at a different organisation each time. These events are designed to give our members an insight into some locations they might not previously have had access to. Combined with networking over a bite to eat in the morning, they really set everyone up for the day!

We’re always looking for different locations, so if you’re interested in being a host of an upcoming Explorer Breakfast please do contact Kerry Findlay our Events and Marketing Manager at the Chamber for further information.

Chamber members have the opportunity to sponsor a Dundee & Angus Chamber event, whether it’s full or in kind sponsorship. If you would like to host or sponsor one of our other regular events, or have an idea for a new event, we’d love to hear from you.

Hosting or sponsoring an event is a great way to showcase your premises, products or services to fellow members and the public as a whole.

Vic Bicocchi, Director, Commercial Banking Tayside.

SCOTTISH CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE

Scottish Business Honours 2014 Awards ceremony showcases successful Chamber businesses across the country at Prestonfield House in Edinburgh

All of the successful candidates pictured at the event.

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Star-Dundee receiving their award for shortlisted finalist in the Most Innovative Business category. They also won Business of the Year (less than 25 employees).

he inaugural Scottish Business Honours 2014 ceremony took place at Prestonfield House, Edinburgh on Thursday September 11. The event was truly unique, showcasing successful Chambers of Commerce businesses from all over Scotland at the national ceremony. The evening, sponsored by Virgin Atlantic, was hosted by TV presenter Kaye Adams. Jim McColl OBE, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Clyde Blowers Capital gave a motivational speech and the evening concluded with comedian and presenter Fred MacAulay.

“Congratulations to the Winners of the Scottish Business Honours 2014 Ceremony. We look forward to working with the business community in Scotland.”

The shortlisted finalists and winners highlighted the exceptional standard of businesses in Scotland. Small, medium and large businesses were awarded the Scottish Business Honour for their innovation, entrepreneurship and commitment to Scotland.

These awards, inspired by business, place the hard work and contribution businesses make to people, to local communities and to Scotland at the heart of the event.

Category: Most Promising Business Winner: Internet Anywhere (Ayrshire)

All the businesses from global brands and exporters to sole traders and family businesses were truly inspiring. It was especially pleasing and satisfying to see businesses that wouldn’t normally get recognition outside their own communities making the ceremony a true celebration of the best of Scottish business.

Joe Thompson, Director of Network and Alliances, Virgin Atlantic, said, “This has been a truly exciting year for Scottish business and Virgin Atlantic is delighted to partner with the Scottish Chambers of Commerce network.

“Air connectivity is vital for business success in this global marketplace and we’re very proud of Virgin Atlantic Little Red which provides important links with London and key international markets for Scotland.

The Winners of the Scottish Honours Category: Most Innovative Business Winner: Eco-Genics Ltd (Dumfries) Star-Dundee (Dundee and Angus) was shortlisted in this category

Category: Business of the Year (more than 25 employees) Winner: Springfield Properties (Inverness) Hillcrest (Dundee and Angus) was shortlisted in this category

Category: Business of the Year (less than 25 employees) Winner: Star-Dundee (Dundee and Angus) Category: Entrepreneur of the Year Winner: Stephen Leckie, CEO, Crieff Hydro (Perthshire) Hermann Twickler – PressureFab (Dundee and Angus) was shortlisted in this category

Category: Growing Talent Winner: Barrhead Travel (Glasgow) Hillcrest (Dundee and Angus) was shortlisted in this category

Category: International Business of the Year Winner: Mackie’s at Taypack (Perthshire) Category: Chamber of the Year Winner: Glasgow Chamber of Commerce www.dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk Member Helpline 01382 228545

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From start-up to sale we help businesses grow throughout Tayside To find out more visit: www.lindsays.co.uk Our office: Seabraes House, 18 Greenmarket Dundee DD1 4QB T: 01382 224112

Our property shop: 15 Whitehall Crescent Dundee DD1 4AR T: 01382 202773

MEMBER NEWS

Dovetail’s gold performance at the Commonwealth Games Their specially-themed chairs were fit for the Queen!

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s soon as you enter Dovetail Enterprises’ showroom on Dundee’s Dunsinane Industrial Estate you’re met with a wide range of quality furnishing on display, from beautiful upholstered chairs to state-of-the-art firedoors. The atmosphere in the building is very positive and there’s a feeling of energy as you walk through the factory

Furniture supplied to the domestic market tends to be as a result of the client working with an architect or interior designer where bespoke is the requirement. The main focus of the door department is the supply of bespoke doors, including fire-rated, acoustic and X-ray. Their doors can be found in hospitals, offices, hotels and multi-occupancy buildings.

Dovetail's roots go back to 1865 when the first steps were taken to provide facilities for work, support and education for men and women with visual impairment. This enterprise resulted in what was to become Royal Dundee Blindcraft Products. About 60 years later, a Lord Roberts Workshop was established in Dundee to provide employment for disabled ex-servicemen.

These organisations worked independently for many years and in October 1993 came together to form Dovetail Enterprises.

Dovetail’s chairs and sofas can be finished in a range of fabrics and colours from the vast library of choices available to view in the showroom. The company also offers a full interior designer service, working closely with the client to bring their vision to reality. For clients who aren’t looking for their own design scheme, several choices are available.

Charlie Marr, General Manager, Raitis Virtigs and Ann Jamieson, Sales & Marketing Manager.

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he manufacture of hand-made bed bases and mattresses is the oldest part of the business, with a selection suitable for use in domestic settings, care homes, educational establishments and 5-star hotels. The wide choice of mattresses suitable for use on offshore accommodation platforms, ships and prisons demonstrates the flexibility of the range and the personnel who craft them.

The company is proud of its ability to work closely with architects and designers to produce furniture and doors in virtually any combination of polishes, veneers, laminates, painted and glazing finishes. It’s also rightly proud of the modern 100,000 sq ft manufacturing facility in Dundee, where it marries together traditional skills with state-of-the-art drawing and woodmachining equipment. In January this year, local MSP and Commonwealth Games Minister Shona Robison officially opened the new £50,000 showroom.

The merger and establishment of Dovetail Enterprises was made possible by the continuing financial support of central and local government at the time. Happily, this support continues through The Shaw Trust via the Workchoice programme, and also from Dundee and Perth & Kinross Local Authorities. Representatives from local authorities, along with local business personnel serve as Directors on the Dovetail Enterprises Board.

Dovetail Enterprises has a long history of manufacturing and installing high-quality furniture products for contract and retail clients across the UK, and more recently in Europe. Today they supply a vast selection of standard ranges and also work closely with architects, designers or the clients themselves to produce traditional and contemporary high-quality bespoke furniture in a variety of finishes, including veneers, laminates, inlays and painted.

The majority of Dovetail Enterprises’ own manufactured furniture is supplied to the contract market and can be found throughout the UK in hotels, restaurants, clubs, educational establishments, hospitals and offshore accommodation units, as well as prisons, public buildings and offices.

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DUNDEE & ANGUS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

The company is looking to build on its repeat trade and also identify new business opportunities at home and abroad. Sales and marketing manager Ann Jamieson underlines this saying, “The showroom really demonstrates our ability to design, supply and fit an extensive range of furniture, doors and beds. Whether it’s a private or public purchaser needing a better understanding of our capabilities, or looking for inspiration, a visit to the showroom is well worth it.”

Charlie Marr, General Manager echoes Ann’s optimism saying, “As the economy begins to show signs of recovery we have a renewed vigour in marketing the company. The first phase being to remind everyone in Scotland that we’re here and the second is to take that message out wider. We’re looking to grow all sectors of our business and look forward to engaging with past, present and future clients.”

What better way to send that positive message than via Her Majesty the Queen! Dovetail won the contract to provide 120 specially-themed chairs for dignitaries who attended the successful Glasgow Commonwealth Games. Undoubtedly, this dynamic company delivered a gold medal performance.

MEMBER NEWS

Local office is NFU Mutual top performing agency

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t their recent national ceremony, the Angus & Dundee agency was delighted to be recognised as the NFU Mutual’s top performing agency for General Insurance from their UK network of 300 offices.

Local agents Jeremy Parker and Robert Beaty operate from their office near Forfar.

Jeremy commented, “We’re very proud that the work and dedication of our whole office team has been recognised in this way and would like to thank our policyholders for their referrals which bring so many new clients to us.”

Robert added, “Particular growth areas for us have been property owner, commercial, home and farm insurance. Activity in 2014 shows no signs of slowing down with the Which? Award for 2014 Best Insurance Services Provider having done no harm at all.”

Local jeweller has her biggest and longest show of the year

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undee jeweller Genna Design enjoyed her longest and biggest show of the year at the Edinburgh Festival. It was her eighth visit and second year of doing the entire three weeks.

Every year, Genna knows she has to up her game to make each event more exciting than the last. Technology is the way of the world and if you’re not up to date, you’ll get left behind. Genna realised this and decided to embrace technology and take on a new adventure, designing a new range of fashion jewellery.

As her business expands, it’s no easy task finding the time to do everything from website maintenance, writing blogs, updating social media, photographing pieces and, of course, physically making stock in the studio. That’s why this year Genna enrolled two new interns who helped with the admin so she could get to work and ensure she’d enough stock to last the whole three weeks.

(L-R): Robert Beaty and Jeremy Parker of Angus & Dundee NFU Mutual receive their award from Sales and Agency Director Nick Turner.

Johnston Carmichael gain top award for the sixth year

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ohnston Carmichael has been named Accountancy Firm of the Year at the Scottish Accountancy & Finance Awards 2014 for the sixth year since the awards began in 2007. The awards held on June 18 in Glasgow celebrate the success of businesses within the accounting industry and recognise the skills and achievements of accountants in both the public and private sector.

The award was given to Johnston Carmichael who reported an exceptional year and demonstrated outstanding achievements.

Sandy Manson, chief executive of Johnston Carmichael said, “We are absolutely delighted to be recognised as the firm of the year for the sixth time at these prestigious awards and it’s a great testament to the commitment and energy of our team of 600 people right across Scotland.”

Johnston Carmichael employees receiving their award.

Genna Design at Edinburgh Festival.

“The festival is always so exciting for me,” said Gemma. “The atmosphere is electric and I get to meet so many new people. To see all the different artists coming together is just brilliant.”

Genna brought a wide variety of jewellery from all her ranges, including Rollered, Geometric Wire, Coral, Glacier Perspex, Component, as well as her one-off collection. Genna takes commissions, designs wedding jewellery and also revamps and repairs jewellery.

For further information call Genna Delaney on 07793 291 050, or email her at hello@gennadelaney.com

Honour for Langstane Press Account Manager

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illy Thomson, Inverurie-based Account Manager with Chamber member Langstane Press, had the honour of carrying the Queen’s Baton in his home town. Billy is Secretary of the Press & Journal Scottish Highland Football League side Inverurie Loco Works FC and was nominated by people in the town for his charity work via the football club and for services to football.

Billy with his eldest son, David.

www.dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk Member Helpline 01382 228545

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MEMBER NEWS

New developments for d3 Audio & Visual Technologies

Best Young Mycologist in Europe accolade for James Hutton researcher

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Marc Heath, Managing Director.

ince 2005, d3 Audio & Visual Technologies has been a leader in audio visual and control system installations. It’s proud to announce its latest development, Inspiro Home Control Technology. Inspiro is the smart home solution product for residential customers. With the extensive experience garnered from some of the highest level corporate customers they understand the home can be controlled in a similar way.

Jon Drummond, d3’s sales development manager stated: “We’re very excited about Inspiro Home Control. We understand many home occupiers have concerns, including managing an increase in energy costs, security of the property and an ability to manage the property remotely, even globally. Inspiro Home Control Technology can empower clients with dynamic control and monitoring over single or multiple sites.”

For more information about Inspiro Home Control visit the website at www.d3av.co.uk or call the office on 0131 338 6868.

Volunteer Reserve Forces can help businesses

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ave you ever considered how much added value can accrue to your company simply by employing someone who is a member of our Volunteer Reserve Forces?

Research by SaBRE and endorsed by the Chartered Management Institute, found that an employer would have to purchase over £8,000 of commercial civilian training to provide the same amount of development that an average Reservist’s military service provides in a year. This research relates only to the skills that are relevant to the civilian workplace.

Experience gained from an average period of mobilisation, including pre-deployment training, is worth around £8,300 for a Private, £14,600 for a Sergeant and £18,400 for an Officer.

These statistics are astonishing, but are virtually unknown by employers throughout the public and the private sectors.

On Wednesday 11 November at 6.30pm in The Army Reserve Centre, Baltimore Road, Glenrothes, elements of the Reserve Forces will endeavour to prove their worth to employers. This will be done by demonstrations and very short vignettes. There will also be opportunities for employers to ‘have a go’ at certain tasks. The evening will be rounded off with a light supper, when there will be an opportunity to talk to the Reservists and find out more about how they combine civilian and military life.

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r Alison Bennett, a scientist from the James Hutton Institute has been named the best young mycologist in Europe. She’s joined an elite group of only six researchers around the world to be awarded a similar accolade. Dr Bennett has been distinguished with the Elias Magnus Fries Medal for 2014, awarded by the International Mycological Association.

Dr Alison Bennett.

She said, “I have to admit I was stunned when I won the award. It’s a great honour. Winning the award was only possible through my work with my many collaborators here at the James Hutton Institute, as well as around the world.

I’m lucky to be able to work with such amazing scientists on such fascinating mycological questions.”

Tayside businesses scoop £10,000 worth of prizes

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aul Lawson, one of two businesses who scooped the top prizes in this year's "Think Big" Business Competition said, "This is quite overwhelming for us. It's so good to be recognised!"

Paul and his partner Diana Stewart, from Grippoz Ltd in Alyth, won the New Ideas prize for their business plan to manufacture and sell an innovative pushrim cover for self-propelling wheelchairs. The idea for Grippoz came from Paul who wanted to provide Diana, a wheelchair user, with greater mobility.

The second entrepreneur to triumph was Bill McLeod from Kirriemuir.

Bill’s plans to develop his creation, “flik Media” impressed the judges in the Business Growth sector. Bill began his business just over a year ago from his home with flik Magazine, a 68-page free glossy lifestyle magazine. He now produces and distributes 30,000 copies every five weeks.

The company has grown rapidly, and along with the magazine, also produces quality HV web videos and designs websites throughout Dundee, Angus and Perthshire.

The Think Big Business Ideas Competition is sponsored by Angus Centre for Enterprise, Angus Council, Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce, Dundee and Angus College, the Federation of Small Businesses, Henderson Loggie Chartered Accountants, Howdens, Mackays and Thorntons.

If you’d like to join us for an informative and interesting evening, please get in touch.

Email: Hi-offes@rfca.mod.uk or phone 01382 631025

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DUNDEE & ANGUS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Bill McLeod receiving his certificate from DACC President, Tim Allan.

Diana Stewart, Paul Lawson and Jackie Brierton with DACC President, Tim Allan.

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MEMBER NEWS

Fitting 10th year celebration for IT support company

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Dundee IT support company has celebrated its 10th year in business in true Antarctic style!

Piped onboard RRS Discovery, the Shackleton Technologies team of 13 was given a personal tour of the ship to mark its achievements, before enjoying an evening meal and drinks in the main board room, surrounded by the cabins of the officers including Sir Ernest Shackleton himself.

The company, which launched with just three staff in 2004, helps businesses work more effectively and profitably by providing strategic IT advice and support. Shackleton has grown its turnover to £1M, an increase of 30% within the last financial year. The company attributes the growth to its outstanding 99.4% customer satisfaction rating on all work completed, together with its well-earned accreditations from the Microsoft Partner award to the CompTIA IT Business Trustmark.

Shackleton employees celebrating 10 years in business.

Steve Ross, Managing Director said, “As corporate sponsors of Dundee Heritage Trust, we were eager to give our staff a night to remember within the highly appropriate and uplifting surroundings of RRS Discovery. Just like Sir Ernest Shackleton, every leader needs a fantastic team and, just like Shackleton’s Antarctic expedition, we have come on an incredible journey in these 10 years. As a result, there really was no better place to mark our achievements and to thank our highly-committed team.”

Lindsays law firm continues to grow and prosper

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ontinued expansion and growth has led to the Dundee awardwinning law firm Lindsays moving from its traditional-style premises in Bank Street to new, open-plan offices in Seabraes.

Since the successful merger with Shield & Kyd in May 2012, the firm has expanded in terms of staff numbers and areas of specialist expertise. The new service expertise Derek Petrie, Partner. in family law is brought through the appointment of Carla Melville and in employment law through Kate Wyatt. Across the firm there are now 28 partners and 188 staff. Tayside clients now have access to wider Lindsays specialist expertise across Scotland, such as commercial property, dispute resolution and corporate advice.

Alasdair Cummings, Managing Partner, said: “It’s been two years since we announced the merger and we’re delighted our ambitious targets for growth in Dundee are being achieved, reinforced by new key members joining our legal team. In addition to the expertise on site in the city, clients also have access to the full range of expertise Lindsays can offer as a full service firm.”

Derek Petrie, the Partner in charge of the Dundee office, added: “Dundee is one of Scotland’s main economic drivers with a population of almost 150,000 people and more than 325,000 living within a half-hour drive. There’s major activity in the city. We’ve seen the opening of the Malmaison Hotel and the announcement of a new Sleeperz 120-bedroomed hotel. Renewables company Kilmac opened a Dundee base, a major new offshore engineering facility opened at Dundee docks after the first phase of a £2.5 million investment and Yoyo Games announced a partnership with Sony.

For more information, visit www.shacktech.co.uk.

BEST WESTERN Woodlands Hotel welcomes Tiger Woods memorabilia

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set of four official championship flags, signed by Tiger Woods, is being put on display in the reception area of the Woodlands Hotel, Broughty Ferry. All four are mounted and framed with cross referenced certificates of authenticity, together with a photograph of the renowned golfer and details of his remarkable achievements in 2000/2001.

Gordon Whiting, Director of Redwood Leisure and owner of the Woodlands Hotel said, “A well-known local personality purchased this unique piece of golfing memorabilia at a silent auction. He doesn’t wish to be named and has kindly loaned us the collection as he felt it would be of great interest to locals and golfers, particularly this year with the Ryder Cup being held at Gleneagles and the 2015 Open in St Andrews.”

Official championship flags on display in the Woodlands Hotel, Broughty Ferry.

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DUNDEE & ANGUS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

“All encouraging news and all indicative of growing confidence in the economy of Dundee and Tayside. Add to that mix the massive impact the Dundee Waterfront and V&A project is having and you can see why we’re delighted to be a growing part of the city’s exciting future.”

Lindsays has further strengthened its growing team through the appointment of Claire McCracken as a Partner in the Corporate Team. Claire is based in the Glasgow office but will regularly work in Dundee, helping to grow the firm’s corporate business, in particular in the SME sector. Claire has advised a large number of companies and organisations on all aspects of corporate and commercial law, from PLCs to small and medium-sized enterprises. She has particular expertise in working in sports law and has acted for a number of major sporting organisations in Scotland and England.

Claire said: “I’m delighted to be joining Lindsays at such an exciting time for the firm and I look forward to playing my part in the continued growth and expansion.”

The company’s turnover for the year to 31 March 2014 was £11.4m, an increase of 7.8% from the previous year.

MEMBER NEWS

EQ get to the root of the matter

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group of 18 staff from EQ Accountants LLP swapped their suits for wellies as they enjoyed a training afternoon at Backboath Farm, near Carmyllie, which is owned by J&R Black.

EQ staff at Backboath Farm.

Celebrity Lorraine Kelly opens new Information Centre

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orraine Kelly marked the start of an exciting new chapter by officially opening the new Dundee VisitScotland Information Centre on June 13. To celebrate and mark the occasion of this new partnership, the TV celebrity was joined by staff from the Information Centre and Dundee City Council to enjoy a slice of Dundee cake.

Previously located at Discovery Point, the new VisitScotland Information Centre is a co-location with Dundee City Council Box Office at 16 City Square. The new location provides a fantastic platform to deliver even more information to a higher footfall. The move is expected to increase the impact the Information Centre has in encouraging locals and visitors alike to spend more time in Dundee and the surrounding areas, experiencing more of what the city has to offer and extending the visitor stay.

Lorraine Kelly.

EQ has a well-established reputation for expertise in the agricultural sector. Around two thirds of work carried out within the firm's Forfar office is farming related.

The staff who took part ranged from trainees to Partners. EQ are hoping the visit will be the first of many, looking at the various types of farming businesses they act for.

Partner Mark Wilken said, "Many of our staff come from farming backgrounds and have a strong understanding of the sector.

However, we are committed to training all our staff and as well as keeping them up to date in relation to accountancy and taxation matters, we are eager to develop their understanding of the key business sectors we operate in. The visit undoubtedly helped the team develop an even better understanding of the agricultural sector and make sense of what is going on behind the figures. We’re very grateful to Hugh Black for hosting what was a highly-engaging and informative visit.”

Tay Taxis have doubled in size

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ay Taxis is the oldest taxi firm in Dundee. For the last nine years it’s been under the management of the current directors Charlie Duthie, Albert Thoms, John Wilson and George Harris. In the last five years they’ve watched the fleet of taxis double in size and now have 60 cars covering the Dundee and Tayside area.

The firm offers a wide range of services, including UK wide Airport Tr a n s f e r s and limousines for special occasions.

It also specialises in Tay Taxi Cab. corporate vehicle hire, providing services to Dundee City Council and many local businesses, as well as Dundee Football Club and the Dundee Ice Arena.

The Directors are passionate about Dundee and the continued growth of the company with plans to use the latest technology to offer an even better service in the future.

In the current economic climate, it’s more important than ever to take a collaborative approach to promoting tourism.

Tourism is more than a holiday experience – it creates jobs, sustains communities and provides a shop window for business activity. This partnership between VisitScotland and Dundee City Council marks the start of an exciting new chapter for tourism in Dundee.

Key Talent Partners deliver STRENGTHSCOPE® training in Scotland

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eople, managers, teams and businesses thrive when they work using their key strengths and Key Talent Partners are delighted to announce they’ve been awarded the license as the only accredited training provider for STRENGTHSCOPE® in Scotland.

STRENGTHSCOPE® is a leading strengths profiler that provides a comprehensive measurement of work-based strengths and provides an individual with a profile that shows how their key strengths can be productively applied by individuals and teams at work. It’s currently being used by a wide range of organisations including Facebook, ING Direct, Legal and General, Panasonic, Tesco, Thermo Fisher Scientific and Rolls Royce.

Key Talent Partners can train you to unleash the power of strengths at work using this proven and energising tool. The company is offering a 20 per cent discount to DACC members for a limited time. www.keytalent-partners.com Eleanor Yearwood, Executive Coach.

www.dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk Member Helpline 01382 228545

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Wired into Scottish businesses

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Through your own dedicated advisor, we can give you all the support you need to connect with SQA.

Business Development T: 0303 333 0330 E: mycentre@sqa.org.uk W: www.sqa.org.uk/wired

PLATINUM PARTNER

ABERTAY UNIVERSITY

Dundee Business School is in an important transitional stage Professor Gavin Reid has positive plans for learning and leading

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s the new Head of Abertay University’s Dundee Business School, Professor Gavin Reid “intends to build on its past achievements, including sustaining, nurturing and expanding the positive connection with local businesses”. He will also “be aiming to promote an outward-looking, international approach to future activities,” as current trends in modern business demand.

Gavin spent two lengthy periods as an academic in the Universities of Edinburgh and St Andrews, enlivened by visiting academic posts in the UK, USA, Canada and France. Most recently, he held a Professorship in Enterprise and Innovation at the University of the West of Scotland, where he played the strategic role of a research capacity builder.

“Dundee Business School is in an important transitional stage,” says Gavin. “Continued engagement with the business community will be important at the levels of research, teaching provision, co-venturing and corporate governance.

“My idea is our teaching should be based on leading-edge research, well-informed by business practice and aiming to innovate both in terms of teaching delivery and enhancing practice through knowledge transfer.”

Having spent 23 years living and working in St Andrews, Gavin is “impressed with the recent regeneration of Dundee. As a student at Aberdeen University, I travelled to a city reaping the benefits of oil and gas exploration and exploitation, and I looked with rather a sad eye at Dundee.

“That picture is now very different. The vitality and business optimism in Dundee is now palpable. I know Dundee & Angus Chamber of Commerce has been important in this transformation. My wish is we share in this new spirit of enterprise and innovation, much of it involving ideas-intensive activities, with our twin universities as catalysts and leaders.”

Gavin continues, “Shrewd Dundee investors in the 19th century supported local industry and then reached out to emerging states and provinces in America and Canada. As a business school we must consolidate our connection with local businesses, small

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DUNDEE & ANGUS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

and large, and extend our reach to territories where the name of Dundee is still associated with a heady mix of adventuring, business acumen and innovation.”

Gavin believes there are parallels, stating, “150 years ago, Dundee invested funds, skills and imagination in the activities of Professor Gavin Reid. distant territories.

Now Dundee Business School is dedicated to investing afar in ‘intangibles’ – in ideas, new practices and new platforms for innovation.”

When asked if there was any constant in all this innovation, Gavin simply replied, “People”. He explained he sees the process of engagement with the business community as being peopleoriented, rather than a technical exercise.

“Within Dundee Business School we have the advantage of people who care about others and seek better ways forward in an imaginative way. We’re launching several new programmes, including an innovative distance-learning Masters in Law, appealing to a wide EU constituency, and a new postgraduate Masters in International Accounting and Finance that emphasises our outward-looking view of businesses.”

When asked what one word or phrase captures what Dundee Business School is animated by, Gavin said, “People who are change-makers”.

For more information about Dundee Business School visit http://abertay.ac.uk/studentlife/schools/dbs/ or contact DBS@abertay.ac.uk

PLATINUM PARTNER

GLAXOSMITHKLINE

Expansion continues at GSK Work is continuing apace at GSK’s Montrose factory to gear up for new products, new technologies and new ways of working

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SK is one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies, developing and supplying medicines to improve patients' quality of life. The Montrose facility, part of the company’s Global Manufacturing & Supply (GMS) division, was established in 1952 and manufactures the active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) for some of GSK’s top-selling products, including asthma medicine Seretide® and Kivexa® which is used worldwide to treat HIV and AIDS. Last year the site supported £9bn of GSK’s £17.9bn pharmaceutical business and this figure is set to rise with a number of expansions either planned or under way.

A new £30m sterile facility is taking shape, with plans to commence production of components of the company’s vaccines portfolio from mid-2015. In addition, a new multi-purpose facility, announced by GMS President Roger Connor last year, is currently in its detailed design phase. This facility, which will be built at a cost of £30m, will provide the active ingredients for GSK’s next generation of respiratory medicines and is planned to be completed by the middle of 2016.

The £4.2m venture by Angus Council and Scottish Enterprise to regenerate the South Montrose area, as announced by Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth John Swinney MSP last year, is expected to bring economic benefits to the area, attract new business and encourage existing businesses to continue to invest in Montrose. Plans are already in place at GSK to significantly upgrade the infrastructure of the site.

Site Director Andy Ross said, “This is a very exciting time for the GSK Montrose site. New production buildings are going up right now and we have a Facilities Master Plan which will bring the site well and truly into the 21st Century as a flagship pharmaceutical manufacturing facility.”

The site is also looking at how it operates, with new systems being developed to maximise

GSK Premises, Montrose.

efficiency. The GSK Production System (GPS) aims to elevate the company to the top tier in the manufacturing sector by introducing simple, standard ways of working and a strong culture of continuous improvement. Technological advances and ever-increasing requirements for production control mean the Montrose site is moving forward with its strategy to increase the level of automation in its processes. Operations that traditionally required human monitoring and intervention are increasingly switching to automated solutions.

Dr Ross explained, “We are trusted by society to get it 100% right every time and expected to operate as efficiently as we can to drive down the cost of our products for the patients and consumers at the end of our supply chains. Increasing our level of automation and standardising our working practices will drive efficiency and consistency, which are vital to achieving this.”

Along with infrastructure, process and operational changes, GSK is also investing in its people. HR Leader Brian Rice explained, “With an expanding portfolio of products and the introduction of new processes and technologies, we’re recruiting across a number of disciplines, including our Operations, Engineering and Quality functions, to ensure we’re able to meet future demand.

We also remain committed to our apprentice scheme and talent development programmes. This is great news for the site, as well as giving a boost to the local economy, so we’re very happy with the direction GSK Montrose is heading. The future looks very positive.”

Brian Rice, HR Manager.

www.dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk Member Helpline 01382 228545

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IN BUSINESS

LAW NFU MUTUAL BESPOKE HOME INSURANCE

Jacqueline Stroud

Bitcoin and divorce

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t would appear the law and the courts will be fighting to catch up with technology as virtual currencies become a topic in divorce proceedings.

PROTECTING THE FINER THINGS IN YOUR LIFE Take a closer look at NFU Mutual Bespoke – tailored home insurance rated 5 Star by independent financial research company Defaqto.

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To find out more please contact us on 01307 46 37 85 or email angus@nfumutual.co.uk.

NFU Mutual branch, West Craig, Dundee Road, Forfar, DD8 1XE

Due to their complex nature and the potential for users to remain anonymous throughout transactions, virtual currencies and cryptocurrencies are consistently associated with criminal activity.

Since its development in 2009, Bitcoin has enjoyed immense news coverage and has not escaped usage by those involved in unsavoury activities. Although it’s legally used by many people in transactions and is now an accepted form of payment by many vendors, it remains a valuable route for those who wish to hide their identity or activities.

Divorce in Scotland involves a fair sharing of the "matrimonial property" between the spouses. Matrimonial property includes everything the couple has accumulated during the course of their marriage and anything which was purchased with the marriage in mind. The starting point is a 50/50 share between the divorcing spouses, subject to certain provisions and arguments which can alter this split.

Where a spouse is not inclined to share their assets equally and fairly, attempts may be made to hide assets, or even divest themselves of their property to avoid their other half making a successful claim. It’s been suggested that Bitcoin is a system which could be used by a spouse to hide funds in anticipation of divorce proceedings.

Although Bitcoin can be traded with relative anonymity, it is becoming more difficult to remain anonymous when "cashing out" through the well-known trading exchanges as several of these organisations require identification documentation before users are given access to the exchange which increases the potential for the identity of users to be traced.

It is inevitable that divorce proceedings, which include debates about Bitcoin, are on the horizon and virtual currencies and cryptocurrencies should be borne in mind by all parties involved in divorce proceedings.

MacRoberts can advise on family law matters, including divorce proceedings and all aspects of cryptocurrency and cybertrading. Do not hesitate to contact us for a free, no obligation consultation.

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DUNDEE & ANGUS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Agent of The National Farmers Union Mutual Insurance Society Limited.

For security and training purposes, telephone calls may be recorded and monitored.

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In today’s highly competitive world, it is vital for teams to work together to ensure each organisation is successful.

Corporate business events are vital to facilitate effective teamwork throughout the team’s life cycle and to address the complexities of being successful.

Set amid the rolling hills of Fife, Pitcairlie House is an ideal location for all kinds of corporate and business hospitality and events, including select private dinner parties (with a theme or entertainment if required), seminars, lectures or “away days”.

Our country retreat setting offers an exclusive location for a board or management meeting.

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IN BUSINESS

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MMG Archbold Chartered Accountants

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aving an accountant who understands your business is important in helping your company survive and thrive in Dundee and Angus. Research shows that businesses that plan and have clear strategies are far more successful. At MMG Archbold we know how important it is to look at business planning, management information, key performance indicators and we have a very clear understanding of how strategic planning helps you be connected to the heart of your company.

We use this discipline in our own business and with our clients, and we’re very comfortable in challenging businesses to achieve greater results by considering how their market may have changed, whether their business activities need to adapt and how to review and assess progress.

We can work with you to:

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• Agree on long-term strategic goals both personally and for the business • Identify where you are now • Work ON the business so you can spend less time working IN it • Identify the blocks in the strategy • Agree an operational strategy to overcome the blocks and meet those goals • Develop business growth systems • Grow a great team of people • Monitor your results against those goals • Manage the money in your business • Develop an exit strategy The result is an agreed ACTION PLAN which puts the control in your hands!

Get in touch for a no obligation chat to see how we can help.

Kip Marina, Inverkip, PA16 0AS Mobile: 07713 682 548 Contact no. at Mast and Rigging Services Tel: 01475 522 700 Fax: 01475 552 800

MMG Archbold Chapelshade House, 78-84 Bell Street, Dundee DD1 1RQ Telephone: 01382 322004 www.dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk Member Helpline 01382 228545

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Poor Dennis...

He didn’t buy a Kitchen from Callum Walker Interiors!

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

Out with Summer, in with Autumn The Car Fashion Wardrobe WELCOME to a new Season. In the car fleet industry, our business lives revolve around quarters in the year. This is due to the manufacturer strategy of managing our business supply into quarterly sectors.

So with the leaves changing on our landscape, another car supply adventure arrives. With the woodland and bushes now showing us their end of season colours, there is no better time for us to go ‘green’ and showcase the new A3 e-tron. The A3 e-tron features 4 models of driving, EV, Hybrid Auto, Hybrid Hold and Hybrid Charge, whilst maintaining the A3 sporty design and driving performance. Audi are delighted to become part of the new ‘green’ world by producing our most sought after model in an eco-friendly engine. The features you would normally find are still on the label, such as LED Headlights, MMI Navigation Plus, Light and Rain Sensors and Rear Parking Sensors.

For the discerning fashionist, the New TT will be the must have ‘hanger’ value in 2015. Our factory order is open and we can now order this new label.

No doubt most of you will have seen the pictures

and read the articles and reviews, so naturally now you want to see the car. If you would like to be first to view the all-new Audi TT our Glasgow Centre will have the New TT in the Centre for a one day only on the 16th of October. Please contact us on 0141 565 4689 or your Local Business Development Manager in any one of our four Centres and we will endeavour to assist in this viewing.

The Referendum Result DACC President Tim Allan looks at the future for local business

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he votes have been cast, the result has been announced and after a febrile campaign, the people of Scotland have voted to stay in the United Kingdom by a distinct margin.

The banners and bunting, flags, posters and signs are almost all down, but the impact on politics and the implications for the UK going forward are still being debated. The issue of how Scotland is governed in the context of the rest of Great Britain is by no means certain and by the time you’re reading these words, there will probably still be much uncertainty. But in uncertainty there can be opportunity.

The day after the referendum Liz Cameron, CEO of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, stated on the SCC website that: “The Scottish business community will work with our politicians at Holyrood and Westminster to influence and deliver the best deal for Scottish business”.

Liz is quite right that this potential revolution in devolved and national politics provides businesses with a voice that is often unheard and unheeded by our legislators and politicians. During the months of campaigning, we in the business community have enjoyed extraordinary focus on us by both the Yes and No sides, and we’ve been able to engage with politicians of all natures and colours as never before. They’ve courted us, cajoled us and called on us to speak out for either side, making their cases and, in return, promising us their own brand of business-friendly policies.

Through the Chamber support of the remarkable 5 Million Questions series of debates and public meetings at Dundee University, we’ve seen every major Scottish politician and “elder statesmen” come to the city to make their case, and the rigorous focus on economics and business was absolutely central.

Both campaigns and media outlets were in contact daily to hear what business was thinking. At the Chamber we held such a dull line for them – impartial and non-partisan – and they soon realised there was no story to be had from us, or any other business organisation, after the precipitous action early on in the campaign by the CBI. This is not to say that individual members have not been engaged in the campaign and this was very heartening. Business has to perform a leadership role in our communities and to stay silent on the biggest issues of our day would not have been helpful to the debate.

We members of the Chamber of Commerce are a broad, diverse and eclectic mix, comprising the largest employers, the boldest entrepreneurs and the smallest grass roots businesses. We share a desire to see our businesses grow, our work to become more effective and for our teams to be fulfilled, successful and positive people in our community. We want to create jobs, generate wealth and to make a difference. How that is achieved will depend on how we as a community interact with the politicians who form the environment in which we operate.

Dundee has seen incredible physical regeneration over the last decade and the impact of this ambition and self-confidence is felt everywhere. Perhaps Dundee’s large yes vote on the 18th September is a reflection of a change in the city that is psychological as well as physical?

But now the campaign is over and we enter this new era of defining the result of a no vote, the opportunity presented to us

L-R: Tony Banks, Ruth McKay, Nora Senior, Gordon McIntyre-Kemp and Phil Anderton at one of the debates.

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DUNDEE & ANGUS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Nicola Sturgeon answering questions.

as businesses is huge. Our voice and support was critical to both sides when they wanted to hear us. We must ensure they don’t forget that. Now the pressing need for endorsement is past, our political masters must listen to our needs and focus on creating a collaborative and consultative relationship with enterprise.

It’s a good time to be part of a strong, growing market and we need to capitalise on this to our benefit and to the benefit of our region. We still have big business questions hanging over us in Dundee and Angus, and I see these issues as being fundamental to attracting investment to the city.

While the referendum campaign was gradually building momentum over the last two years, much has been happening in our post recession market. The UK economy is now one of the best performers in the OECD. Employment is on the rise, business confidence is at its highest in seven years and investment is flowing once more.

Oil and gas success is spreading its dividend southwards into Angus. We need to see energy work also spreading to the outstanding facilities in Dundee. The Renewable Energy Enterprise Zone that the Scottish Government proposed in the Port of Dundee will surely soon see the long-promised investment we so clearly need. The V&A is literally coming out of the ground and local businesses and local workers need their share of that £45M budget to be spent in Dundee and Angus.

We need the benefits of regeneration for everyone to be spread across Dundee and Angus, and not just to the Waterfront. We need our fair and effective share of economic development and inward investment into Dundee and Angus from government agencies, and we need to see large scale employment being reinforced in the city and region.

The Referendum campaigns placed Scotland’s economy at the top of the political agenda. We at the Chamber of Commerce must keep it there. The UK General election takes place in May 2015 and the Scottish Parliamentary elections are in May 2016.

Never before has our voice had the chance to be heard and be so effective. However you voted in the Referendum, the country has changed and with change comes opportunity for business.

Let us continue to speak and to be heard.

Tim Allan, CEO, Unicorn Property Group and Director, Motor Fuel Group

DACC President, Tim Allan with Alistair Darling and David Torrance at the Dalhousie Building.

www.dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk Member Helpline 01382 228545

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

Change is coming, we’re just not sure what yet On 18 September, the people of Scotland voted in an historic referendum and the result was to remain part of the UK with the additional powers pledged during the final week of campaigning being sought. The question now on many people’s minds is “what next for Scotland?”.

All five political parties in Scotland are in agreement that Holyrood should be given further powers, with greater control expected over finance, welfare and taxation, but the proposals all vary subtly.

The timetable for determining additional powers has been set, and it is tight; a command paper, setting out the process, is due by the end of this month, a White Paper (setting out proposals) by the end of November and a draft Bill by Burns Night 2015. With a general election taking place in May 2015, it is unlikely that the Bill will make it through the full legislative process before the elections. Only time will tell the effect of the elections on the Bill’s content but each party clearly has proposals they may look to include in the draft Bill after the elections.

Tax is one of the main areas touted for change and an area which presents a key concern for businesses in Scotland. Whilst some parties have suggested wider tax powers across a variety of taxes, all parties have promised further income tax powers.

The exact extent of those powers differs party to party but the main focus has been on personal tax rather than, for example, corporation tax or national insurance. That said, any change to income tax could still have an impact on the recruitment and payment of staff by businesses.

There are of course changes coming into force in Scotland which will create some divergence in tax regimes – SDLT will be replaced by Land and Buildings Transaction Tax, Scottish Landfill Tax will go directly to Revenue Scotland (both from April 2015) and the Scottish Parliament can vary income tax rate in Scotland by 10p in the pound (from April 2016). If further tax powers are granted as part of devolution talks, the result would be greater divergence between the Scottish tax regime and rest of the UK, with potential for additional compliance costs to operate within Scotland and the UK. There has also been discussion about the creation of Scotland’s own health and safety executive, employment tribunals and consumer advocacy, although this

does not have cross-party support.

Businesses should watch with interest here as separate agencies in these areas could result in additional costs and separate rules for businesses to comply with in Scotland.

Everyone expected a lot of negotiation if a “Yes” result had been returned, but we should anticipate plenty discussion before further devolution of powers, most likely to happen in 2016. Political and constitutional change can cause market volatility and present unknown risks and issues. While we cannot be sure of exactly what will happen, change is coming and businesses should ensure they are equipped with as much knowledge as possible to keep business strategies and plans on track during this period of uncertainty.

Ruth Weir Solicitor, Corporate & Commercial 01382 229222

T: 01382 229222 30 & 34 Reform Street, Dundee, DD1 1RJ

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SUPPORTING YOU SUPPORTING RESERVISTS

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Dundee & Angus Chamber of Commerce reflects on another successful year The Chamber vision is of a successful local economy where buoyant, profitable enterprises help make Dundee and Angus a world-class destination, a place where investors and visitors flock to and where our home-grown talent wants to stay and thrive.

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he turnout at the AGM on August 28 at the Carnoustie Golf Hotel was fantastic, with150 Chamber members participating and all 24 of the business showcase stands quickly snapped up. Recently-appointed President, Tim Allan, welcomed everyone and opened the event in his lively, inimitable style and pledged that, with the support and involvement of all members, DACC will become even more “relevant, robust and representative” under his leadership.

Getting down to business There was a lot to get through with the Board Director and office-holder appointments, as well as some changes to the Articles of Association. Votes were taken on the following recommendations and all were approved by the majority of members present on a show of hands.

Member Ricky Smith of Your Energy Solutions voting with a smile!

Congratulations to: Tim Allan who was appointed as a Director and President.

Alison Henderson who was re-appointed as a Director and VicePresident. David Valentine who was re-appointed as a Director and Vice-President. Deborah Miller who was appointed as a Director. Ian Collins who was appointed as a Director and Colin Loveday who was also appointed as a Director.

It was noted that Directors Dougy Agnew, Andy Ross and Mark Munsie are currently serving terms of office as Directors of the Board, having all been appointed in previous years. According to the Articles of Association, Directors can serve up to two terms of three years and office holders up to two terms of one year – all subject to member-approval at the AGM.

Left to right: Back row, Dougy Agnew, Ian Collins, Colin Loveday and David Valentine. Front row, Alison Henderson, Tim Allan and Deborah Miller.

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DUNDEE & ANGUS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Director Dougy Agnew of Henderson Loggie presented a brief summary of the 2013 Financial Accounts which were duly approved. Members also approved changes to the Articles based on recommendations made by members and Directors.

This included increasing the number of Directors from 10 to 12 and the creation of the new office-holder post of Treasurer.

President Tim Allan said the Board was keen to fill the vacancies for three new Directors and encouraged any interested members to get in touch with him to discuss what they feel they could contribute. Tim can be contacted at Unicorn Property Group Tel 01382 224555.

L-R: Rebecca Stott, Donna Bell and Shirley Taylor on the registration desk.

Vice-President Alison Henderson summarises the Voice of Business Survey.

Voice of Business Survey Vice-President Alison Henderson presented the results of the member survey undertaken in June. The objective was to make sure the Chamber fully understands and represents the concerns affecting local businesses, particularly when responding to the many media enquiries and policy consultations we get on a dayto-day basis. Fifty-thee businesses responded and the survey set out the main issues of concern and opportunity locally as follows: Result of the Referendum ............................................... 60% Dundee Waterfront Development.................................... 60% Transport Infrastructure.................................................... 60% Dundee Airport London Flights........................................ 40% Skill Shortages................................................................. 40% Dundee as a Living Wage City.......................................... 34% Air Passenger Duty........................................................... 25% Changes to the National 5 Exams..................................... 23%

President Tim Allan presents CEO Sandra Burke with a beautiful bouquet.

* respondents could highlight more than one issue

The survey also drew many helpful and insightful comments from members on each of the above topics. These are included in the report which is available to members in the passwordprotected area of the Chamber website. Alison thanked Helenor Gilmour and her skilled team of researchers in the Consumer Insight team at DC Thomson for conducting and producing the report. It’s already proving to be an extremely helpful source of reference for the Chamber team and we hope it will also provide useful insights for local businesses who are Chamber members.

Take a look – it’s a very interesting read. If you responded to the survey, many thanks for taking the time to do so. Your feedback is invaluable and much appreciated.

New members, Euan Stewart, Local Motion Land Trains Ltd and James Buchan, Enterprise Solutions Network Ltd with their certificates.

A year of change and continuous improvement Chief Executive Sandra Burke gave a short update of operational achievements and performance. She was pleased to report that membership numbers, retention, income and export certification are all steadily increasing. With a skilled and talented small staff team and dynamic leadership from the Board of Directors, Sandra predicted continued growth and success.

continued P30

 Dundee Science Centre testing reflexes.

www.dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk Member Helpline 01382 228545

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Highlights of the last year included:

The team from GS Group.

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Most successful events programme since 2007 with 3,394 participants at 36 Chamber events

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290 member events publicised and promoted

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Hosted many events with high profile speakers, business leaders and politicians, including partnership with 5 Million Questions Referendum debate

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Export certification activity and income increasing

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Chamber Training Academy pilot launched

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Social media channel activity booming

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Raised media profile and increased consultation on business policy

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Chamber magazine re-launched and regarded as the leading “In Commerce” Chamber publication in Scotland

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Brand identity refreshed in a more dynamic and energetic tone and style

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Partnership activity flourishing and sponsor support and engagement increasing

Sandra said she was very sorry to be leaving, but pleased the Chamber is in great shape for a brighter future and delighted she would remain involved as a volunteer Trustee with the Chamber’s charity, the George R Donald Trust Fund. President Tim Allan thanked Sandra for her outstanding contribution which he said had been “a breath of fresh air” and had been a key deciding factor in him serving as a Director and President. He said her energy, passion, ability and enthusiasm would be much missed as she was such a strong ambassador for both the Chamber and the city-region.

Duncan Toohey from IMPC.

Proud to sponsor the AGM Harry Simpson and Deborah Miller of Simpson Marwick, the award-winning legal firm with offices in Dundee and throughout Scotland, delivered short presentations. Harry spoke about their 125 years as a successful law firm with particular success in employment and property law. Deborah put the changing workplace of the future into context and gave members detailed insight into new legislation regarding the backdating of holiday pay, which may result in hefty claims from employees. If employers need more information, she urged them to get legal advice soon in order to be properly prepared for any claims that may come along.

Tim closed the AGM by presenting two new members with their certificates, thanking members for coming along to the bestattended Chamber AGM in Scotland and inviting everyone to stay on to network and visit the showcase stands.

Paul Cattigan from Flik Media with Pamela Malpas from One Office.

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DUNDEE & ANGUS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

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ROXBURGH group

the business of trust

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brokers

sales & letting

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Roxburgh Group is the trading name of J C Roxburgh (Financial Services) Ltd , J C Roxburgh (Insurance Brokers) Ltd and J C Roxburgh(Properties) Ltd and are registered in Scotland under numbers 417019, 417217 and 073801 respectively. Registered Office 151 Glasgow Road Clydebank Glasgow Scotland G81 1LQ. Both J C Roxburgh (Financial Services) Ltd and J C Roxburgh (Insurance Brokers) Ltd are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

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mtc.

mtc. is going from strength to strength The company has launched a brand-new website and has opened premises in Edinburgh to aid further expansion

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e’re delighted to announce the launch of our new website. It’s been in development for some time and has involved a lot of debate and many changes, but we think the finished product has been well worth the wait and hope you agree.

The business has developed and grown dramatically over the last few years, with the addition of a large number of highlyskilled web experts and a move to our custom-furbished offices in Dundee’s City Quay which date back to the days of the jute industry.

We hope you enjoy browsing the new website. There’s far more content and we have plans to expand further with additional information on our range of online marketing services.

Stay tuned to see the next areas of the website go live, as well as keeping up to date via our new improved blog.

We would welcome your feedback and thoughts on the new mtc. website as we want to ensure it reaches its full potential.

We’ve opened an office in Edinburgh, a major step for the business as we aim to further accelerate our growth from the capital city with its links throughout the UK, Europe and the rest of the world. We’ve also rebranded from our original MTC Media to mtc.

As you can imagine, with a team of creative designers, the new mtc. website has been a massive topic of discussion, with much debate on how and what we should showcase. We feel all the hard work has paid off and we’ve created a website which gives us a world-class presence that accurately represents the highquality products we deliver.

Our website is fully-responsive for mobile users, giving them an excellent experience. We’ve seen first-hand the amazing results that can be achieved by having a good mobile or responsive website and look forward to making the most of this emerging area.

David Rankine, Director.

www.dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk Member Helpline 01382 228545

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PLATINUM PARTNER

ANGUS COUNCIL

New Contact Centre for Angus Award-winning contact and fulfilment specialists Journeycall move to Arbroath to expand their operations

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ourneycall’s recent decision to expand its premises in Angus shows the area’s attractiveness to large businesses looking for investment locations and accommodation to meet their growth needs. Around 200 jobs and £30 million is planned to benefit the local economy over the next 10 years, A strong pool of qualified staff, the ease of transition from existing premises to its new location in Arbroath and the proactive support of Angus Council’s economic development team were the clinchers which finalised Journeycall’s decision.

“We’ve been searching for new premises for some time and are extremely grateful to Angus Council for the assistance and support of its economic development team in helping us,” said David Burdett, Chief Operating Officer of the ESP Group, Journeycall’s parent company. “We have a fantastic team which we can now bring together on one site.”

Journeycall is an award-winning contact and fulfilment specialist, providing independent contact centre and backroom services to the smart card and public transport industries. Clients include well-known names such as Transport for London, North East Scotland Transport Partnership, Stagecoach and Megabus.

The company has had impressive growth over recent years. It joins a notable group of international names investing and expanding in Angus. Firms such as global healthcare company GlaxoSmithKline and GE Oil and Gas who expanded its operations last year.

Ongoing property solutions, development advice, business support, assistance with grant Alison Smith, Angus Council's head of economic development.

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DUNDEE & ANGUS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

"We're a very ambitious company and the creative partnership approach we've been able to take with this venture has opened the door for our further development," says David Burdett, Chief Operating Officer of the ESP Group. funding applications and employment services are provided by Angus Council’s economic development team to support these companies’ expansion strategies.

The high growth these companies generate can be a catalyst for significant development in the areas where they’re located.

Journeycall is offering 100 jobs in addition to its existing workforce at its new upgraded premises. With increasing workloads and new contracts secured, the company may expand further in future years.

David continues: “We’re a very ambitious company and the creative partnership approach we’ve been able to take with this venture has opened the door for our further development.”

“Attracting investment to Angus is a key priority for the economic development team”, said Alison Smith, Angus Council’s head of economic development. “New investment brings new jobs and increased spend, stimulating overall economic growth in the county. Angus has the right people and the right location at the right cost. With innovation and internationalisation key to economic recovery and sustainable business growth, the economic development team is focused on meeting the bespoke needs of businesses looking to relocate or expand into Angus.”

For more information on business services at Angus Council email info@angusbusiness.com or view www.businessangus.com.

Join us on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/company/ business-angus or follow us on Twitter @businessangus.

SKILLS AND TRAINING

The Chamber Training Academy

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he Chamber is delighted to launch its Chamber Training Academy. We've teamed up with several Chamber members who are expert and innovative in their fields to put together a programme of short coaching sessions to meet your business needs.

The first training partners and topics covered for the launch of the Academy are Simpson & Marwick (Social Media at Work), My Pinkie Promise (Social Media Plan), Thorntons Solictors (Immigration Seminar), MacRoberts (Getting Paid), Shackleton (Is Your Website Working For You), The Sales Coach – Training & Improvement (Selling Skills for the Non-sales Person), Sherpa NLP (Confidence & Motivation for Leaders), Lindsays (The Annual Employment MOT) and Key Talent Partners (Personal Impact in Business).

The Chamber Training Academy offers a wide range of topics relevant to businesses today. They will keep you and your colleagues up to date with the latest thinking and practices.

Please come along and tell other colleagues and associates who might also benefit.

The Academy is planning to run quarterly. Members can volunteer to deliver training sessions to other members on specific topics relevant to their organisations.

DACC supports Certificate of Work Readiness Scottish businesses are backing a new employer-assessed, workbased qualification to help young people prove they’re ready for employment.

The Certificate of Work Readiness, approved by the SQA, has been developed in partnership with the business community and aims to give unemployed young people the chance to demonstrate the value they can bring to the workplace.

Piloted by Skills Development Scotland (SDS) in a number of areas, the certificate will consist of college-based learning time, as well as 190 hours of real-life work experience, and is unique in that it will only be awarded following employer assessment.

Successful completion of this award offers the young person greatly-improved job prospects and transferable skills in selfevaluation, planning and goal-setting that can be applied to any workplace.

This qualification is available through colleges and training providers working in partnership with employers.

For full information on the Training Academy and to view the upcoming training courses, visit our website. If you’d like to take part in future events, please contact our Events and Marketing Manager, Kerry Findlay.

Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce is supporting SDS to help recruit employers. For more information and to get involved contact our Membership Manager, Eve Hughes.

Mobile: 07581 522992.

Email: kerryfindlay@dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk

Mobile: 07833 241888.

Email: evehughes@dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk

Executive Coach, Rod Beaumont, delivering training.

June Gallagher, Employer Engagement Advisor, Skills Development Scotland.

www.dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk Member Helpline 01382 228545

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We have the right security solutions for your business

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PLATINUM PARTNER

Dundee broadband to become superfast

DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL

This advance in technology will have a positive impact for many businesses

S

uperfast broadband can have a huge impact on your business resulting in significant improvements in productivity. It could give you the competitive advantage to help grow your business by allowing you to work faster, more flexibly and more efficiently.

This involves building new fibre cabinets which connect back into the core network to deliver “Fibre to the Cabinet” broadband at speeds of up to 80 Megabits per second (Mbps).

Dundee City Council with COSLA has invested with BT and the Scottish Government to upgrade connections across Dundee through the Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband project.

Exchanges in the city centre and technology park are being fibre enabled. Once the roll-out is complete, more than 98 per cent of premises in the city council area will have access.

Engineers will also re-route a percentage of properties currently served by ‘exchange only’ lines via new fibre cabinets. (‘Exchange only’ lines pose a technical challenge as they are not routed via a cabinet, but run straight from the exchange to the premises.)

The Dundee Technology Park will also have access to upgraded technology for the first time, allowing companies to get access to off-the-shelf fibre from the BT wholesale network.

There will be a vast difference on availability for businesses around the city centre as BT are working on the fibre roll-out.

For further information visit http://www.digitalscotland. org/superfast-broadband/

BioDundee BBQ raises over £700 for Eczema Outreach Scotland

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he bio-tech sector has been active with 100 people across Scotland’s life science community raising over £700 for Eczema Outreach Scotland at the BioDundee Annual BBQ. Representatives from local companies including Axis-Shield, BBI, Cyclacel and CXR Biosciences, and researchers from College of Life Sciences and Abertay University were wowed by magician Kevin McMahon and entertained with live music by the Broon Troot Orchestra.

BioDundee would like to thank all their guests and helpers who made the event such a great success.

An amazing £700 was raised at BioDundee’s BBQ.

www.dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk Member Helpline 01382 228545

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BUSINESS DIRECTORY

NEW MEMBERS As a Chamber member you can take advantage of many membership benefits. To find out more, turn to page 45 or contact me or any of the Chamber team. We would love to hear from you!

1923. Tannadice Park has always been the club’s home ground. Although a second division side for much of the first 50 years, Dundee United progressed to become a force within Scottish football, collecting five major trophies. The club is renowned throughout Europe. Pictured: Eleanor Whitby, Head of Marketing & Events.

Eve Hughes, Membership Manager

EAGLEISYSTEMS LTD is a new drone company based in Dundee. It offers a diverse range of services from aerial photography and filming to creation of GIS compatible topographic maps and aerial inspections using our CAA certified drones.

From commercial videos to quarry surveys and volumetric analysis, we can save time and money for our customers. Pictured: Triantafyllos Gkikopoulos

BINN GROUP The newlyrebranded Binn Group is Scotland’s largest independent waste management company, offering a full range of collection, processing and recycling services to the business community. We’re keen to establish partnerships with customers, tailoring services to individual waste management requirements and ensuring legislation compliance.

Pictured: Allan MacGregor, Chief Executive. www.binnwaste.com Tel: 01577 830488

Carbon Financial Partners Carbon is a firm of Chartered Financial Planners and is one of the UK’s leading independent financial planning and investment advice firms. Carbon has a highly-qualified team, including Chartered and Certified Financial Planners. At Carbon the rule is to put our clients’ interests first at all times. Pictured: Gordon Wilson, Company Director www.carbonfinancial.co.uk Tel: 01738 443111

CIK Solutions CIK Solutions provides innovative business solutions to improve business performance. In today’s tough economic environment, businesses face many challenges.

Whatever shape these challenges take, CIK Solutions can help you and your business improve performance.

CIK Solutions will work with you to provide business solutions which will take account of your business needs and assist with the planning required to move your business to the next level. Paul Kyle, Director (pictured) www.ciksolutions.co.uk Tel: 07506 701376

Dundee United Football Club Founded in 1909 as Dundee Hibernian, the name changed to Dundee United in

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DUNDEE & ANGUS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

www.dundeeunitedfc.co.uk Tel: 01382 833166

produce stunning presenter and animated videos from straightforward footage edits to advanced 2D and 3D motion graphics, making attention grabbing videos to promote your company and services. Pictured: Bill McLeod. flikmedia.co.uk Tel: 01382 250202

Foodmek

www.eigleisystems.com Tel: 07855 559196

Founded in 1971, Foodmek is the market leader in providing engineering solutions in the design, manufacture and installation of process plant for the Food and Drinks Industry. All their products are bespoke and built with individual requirements in mind. Supplying some of the largest food processing plants in the UK, and exporting to over 20 countries worldwide, Foodmek consistently endeavours to improve the high standards of service to their customers. The company takes great pride in understanding customers’ needs and working together to find a solution to fit all budgets.

Electronic Persuasion

www.foodmek.co.uk Tel: 01382 553577

EAGLEISYSTEMS LTD

Electronic Persuasion (ep) is a small startup firm located in Brechin, Angus which offers Internet and Web-related services to small businesses in Tayside and Angus. The services include website development and design, maintenance, marketing and analysis. Pictured: Nik Puthu. www.electronicpersuasion.net Tel:07456 454587

Enterprise Solutions Network Ltd A pioneering, full-service digital agency, Enterprise Solutions Network Ltd lays the foundations for digital/online success. Combining creative, strategic, development and data insight expertise, we provide innovative digital solutions, consistently delivering high return on investment. When we're not working with entrepreneurial clients realising their vision, our most sought-after services include marketing, web design, application development and consulting on optimal use of technology. Pictured: James Buchan and Lachlan Moran.

French Dressing French Dressing offers a unique service to individuals helping them look and feel great, increasing their confidence by advising them what to wear. Its sister company Visual Impact is for companies that want to ensure their brand values are fully understood by their employees.

Call Edith Adam (pictured) and make an inspiring rendezvous for your life and work! A bientôt! www.lefrenchdressing.co.uk Tel: 01241 859216 or 07590 440358

GrowBiz

www.enterprisesolutions.co.uk Tel: 07762 813586

GrowBiz is a community-based enterprise support service covering Eastern and Highland Perthshire. It provides support to anyone thinking of becoming self-employed, or starting a small business or social enterprise. It offers a range of services, including meetings with their enterprise co-ordinator, peer support, specialist advice from the panel, mentoring and training. The types of support vary but can include personal development, business planning, identifying training needs and helping clients access resources. Pictured: Jackie Brierton.

Flik Media

http://growbiz.co.uk/ Tel: 07718 955267

flik Media group is based in Dundee, supplying local businesses with media and advertising solutions including video production, web design & development services and publication of flik Magazine. flik Magazine is a high quality, 68-page glossy lifestyle publication which is published every five weeks. It’s available from various outlets in Dundee, Forfar, Monifieth and Perth. We also

Hotel du Vin Hotel du Vin is situated in the heart of St Andrews.

Originally a prestigious family home, it’s been beautifully converted into a stylish, boutique hotel and has all the luxuries you would expect in a Hotel du Vin guest room. The heart of the

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

NEW MEMBERS hotel is the bistro, serving signature French bistro dishes with a home-cooked style, using local produce.

Pictured: Kylie Thomson. www.hotelduvin.com Tel: 01334 472611

weight loss services have really taken off and Gwen’s company offers private consultation online to individuals unable to attend sessions either through geographical, time or preference limitations. Pictured: Gwen McCreadie.

121 HR Solutions

www.gwenmccreadie.com Tel: 01307 819380

121 HR Solutions provides nononsense human resources support. Our advice is commercially-focused because we work closely with our clients in their business. Our clients tell us that this is what differentiates us – we understand how you work and why your people decisions matter. Our advice makes your business work better! We see membership of the Chamber as a natural extension of our networking strategy.

Pictured: Cate Ritchie, Managing Consultant. www.121hrsolutions.co.uk/ Tel: 0800 9995 121

LocalMotion Land Trains Ltd LocalMotion Land Trains Ltd launched this summer providing an exciting and popular new attraction for Broughty Ferry, taking passengers on a route from the harbour to the Barnhill Rock Garden via the Esplanade. The train was also a great success at Scone Palace and Baxter Park for Family Events and was hired by a couple who tied the knot in Broughty Castle. The business operates under the directorship of Elaine Stewart assisted by husband Euan and employs five part-time drivers. Elaine is keen to develop relationships with local authorities, businesses or organisations who feel the Land Train could add value to their events. Pictured: Elaine Stewart, Director. www.lmlandtrains.co.uk/ Tel: 07759 360038

MDG Group MDG Group is on a mission to r e d u c e business operating costs in order to maximise profit for its customers. Founded in 1998, the company specialises in obtaining exclusive rates for business energy, water and telecoms contracts, as well as implementing a full contract management service which takes care of all administration involved in the procurement process, leaving managers to focus on their core business tasks. Pictured: Rachel Grimason, Account Manager. www.mdggroup.co.uk Tel: 01738474638

MTK Associates Limited Mike Kiely founded MTK Associates in 2013. He felt there was a need for practical hands-on HR and H&S advice for small to medium-sized companies in Tayside and beyond. The goal of MTK Associates is to tailor a professional, cost-effective and flexible service to match each individual company’s requirements. The core business provides support in the areas of Human Resources, Health & Safety and Training. The company is developing into new business areas, particularly operational management support in the Care Sector.

Pictured: Mike Kiely, Director. http://www.mtkassociates.com/ Tel: 07595 768901

Quest IT

Martin & Co franchise owners Iain and Nora S i n c l a i r acquired the Dundee Lettings and Estate Agency in June. This is the fifth office operated by Iain and Nora.

Martin & Co has grown to over 180 offices throughout the UK and is recognised as the Best Large Lettings Chain in the UK. They aim to provide the highest level of letting and estate agency service to their clients.

Pictured: Iain and Nora Sinclair.

Quest IT is a longestablished business o f f e r i n g f r i e n d l y, professional and reliable IT support. From our offices in Cupar, Dundee and Aberdeen, Quest IT supports small and medium-sized businesses throughout Fife, Edinburgh, Perth, Dundee and Aberdeen. By adopting a consultative approach, a dedicated team will work alongside the client in order to understand the industry sector and effectively become the IT Department. Most importantly, the needs of their business both now and in the future will be met. Pictured: Daniel Harkness.

www.martinco.com Tel: 01382 313580

www.questITsupport.co.uk Tel: 01334 845035

Gwen McCreadie

Re-Nu Skin Clinic Ltd

Gwen McCreadie’s award-winning Healthy Eating Plan and Lifestyle Service celebrated its 10th anniversary in April. Gwen has grown the business into a very affordable Franchise Operation covering Tayside, Angus, Perth and North Fife. Online

Tayside's leading premiere, non-surgical cosmetics clinic provides treatments to help create a natural aesthetic look. ReNu helps clients look their best and feel more confident. The private clinic specialises in all aspects of skin and body conditions, laser hair removal and the newest anti-ageing techniques. The Re-Nu Skin Clinic is discretely, but

Martin & Co

easily accessibly located at 8 Dudhope Street in the heart of Dundee. Pictured: Kristeen Geddes, Clinical Director. http://re-nuskinclinic.co.uk/about-us/ Tel: 01382 223249

Santander Santander is one of the UK's leading personal financial services companies and one of the largest providers of mortgages and savings in the UK. We're also a growing participant in the corporate banking market. Operating primarily in the UK, we are regulated by the PRA UK and the FCA and are part of Banco Santander, S.A. (the "Santander Group"). The business is well-positioned to grow, with a distribution capability across an extensive branch and corporate business centre network. Pictured: Lesley Burnett, Branch Director. www.santander.co.uk Tel: 0845 6070666

Showcase the Street Showcase the Street is a registered charity.

Its new facility at Manhattan Works in Dundee houses two indoor 3G pitches, dance studios, meeting rooms and offices. It will also be a base for Dundee FC’s new Youth Academy. The facility is available to hire and also offers great sports and arts facilities. http://showcasethestreet.co.uk Tel: 07834 628422

James F Stephen Architects Working from our custom-built main studio in Glamis, our central Scotland office in Stirling and our newest office in Aberdeen, we employ a team of enthusiastic professionals who supply building solutions which are aesthetically pleasing, high-quality developments for a wide and diverse range of clients. As one of the leading architectural practices and construction consultancy firms in the local area, we viewed membership of the Chamber and potential networking opportunities as a great benefit. Pictured: Fred Stephen, Founding Partner. www.jfsa.co.uk Tel: 01307 475000

Wild Trails Media, LearnDEn At LearnDEn we help small businesses learn skills in a way that suits your working lifestyle. Our courses are flexible in time and place. They’re delivered online and are very easy to access. Learn how to use Social Media, Web Business and Media to grow your business. Joining the Chamber will give us the opportunity to meet new contacts through the networking and training events.

Pictured: Colin Gray, Owner. www.wildtrails.co.uk Tel: 07795 171951

www.dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk Member Helpline 01382 228545

39

Meet the Chamber Team The team at Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce is small but vibrant and continually provides high-quality support for the members

40

Alison Henderson Interim Chief Executive

Donna Bell Board Secretary

01382 228545 alisonhenderson@dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk

01382 228545 donnabell@dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk

Kerry Findlay Events & Marketing Manager

Rebecca Stott Membership Services Assistant

07581522992 kerryfindlay@dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk

01382 228545 rebeccastott@dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk

Eve Hughes Membership Manager

Shirley Taylor Export Services Coordinator

07899241888 evehughes@dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk

01382 443419 shirleytaylor@dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk

DUNDEE & ANGUS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Meet our new Board of Directors Tim Allan, DACC President, gained an MA in History at St Andrews University and served in the British Army until retiring as a Major in 1998.

He comes from a background of private wealth management and has worked with some of the most prominent entrepreneurs and families in the US and the UK. In 2005, he left banking to join his partners in founding Unicorn Property Group, where his expertise in investment and marketing has been a key element. In addition to being a director of Unicorn, Tim sits on the Scotland Committee of the BIG Lottery Fund. He was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce in 2010, and was awarded The Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion in April of that year.

Alison Henderson, DACC Vice-President and Interim Chief Executive, is Managing Director of My Pinkie Promise Limited, the strategic marketing and event management consultancy she launched in 2009. Alison worked in senior roles within the corporate, financial and banking sectors for many years and is experienced in leading teams and working with clients. She studied at the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Surrey and her qualifications include the Professional Diploma in Marketing. Alison is also VicePresident of the Association of Scottish Businesswomen.

David Valentine MBE, MRTPI and VicePresident of Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce graduated from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, Dundee in 1975 before joining Angus District Council as a Chartered Town Planner. He retired from the post of Head of Economic Development and Environmental and Consumer Protection with Angus Council in November 2012 to establish his own businesses and develop Chinese networks. David’s an experienced economic development practitioner and Chief Officer responsible for a portfolio of services, including business support, international trade and tourism, as well as environmental health and consumer protection. He’s a member of the Royal Town Planning Institute.

Deborah Miller is a Law Society accredited specialist in employment law and a partner at Simpson & Marwick Solicitors. Originally from Kirriemuir, Deborah attended the University of Dundee where she achieved a first-class class honours law degree. Deborah is Vice-Chair of Women Ahead, a tutor on the Diploma in Legal Practice at the University of Dundee and a member of the Association of Regulatory and Discipline Lawyers. She’s also on the Scottish steering committee for the Employment Lawyers Association.

Mark Munsie joined Dundee Heritage Trust in 1999 and was appointed a director of the Trust in 2003. He has operational responsibility for the Trust’s two award-winning five-star museums, Scotland’s Jute Museum at Verdant Works and Discovery Point, plus the ongoing conservation of the RRS Discovery. Mark is passionate about achieving high standards of customer service and takes a hands-on role in many areas of the business, along with playing a major role in formulating the strategic direction of the Trust.

Dougy Agnew specialises mainly in corporate tax and has over 20 years’ experience in both Big Four accountancy firms in Edinburgh and London. For three years he was the in-house Group Tax Manager for a large UK & European property group. In over 20 years in the profession Dougy has advised on all tax areas, covering both small and large corporates, and has also been involved with Real Estate fund structuring across Europe and the Middle East.

Dougy is the lead Scottish contact of the National MHA R&D and Patent Box Group.

Andy Ross is Site Director at GSK’s Montrose facility. He joined GSK in 2000 as a Process Chemist and following roles at a number of sites, he took up his current position in July 2011. Andy did his schooling at Stewarton Academy and went on to study at the University of Glasgow where he gained a Bachelor’s degree and PhD in Chemistry. GSK took the award for Investment of the Year at the Scottish Enterprise Life Science Awards 2013 following its announcement that £100m would be spent across its Scottish sites in Montrose and Irvine.

Ian Collins is currently a Senior Manager at Bank of Scotland. Undertaking a number of senior roles within Lloyds Banking Group over the past 25 years, Ian has accumulated a wealth of experience in construction, tourism, manufacturing, agriculture and retail. Ian obtained his honours degree in Banking and Finance through the Institute of Chartered Bankers and was awarded a fellowship of the Institute in 2009 for his services to the industry. Specialising in SME banking, Ian has an excellent understanding of what is necessary to grow and develop enterprise.

Colin Loveday is Managing Director of 4G Scotland, a fast growing and award-winning advisory business specialising in mobile communications strategy and delivery. Colin has previously held leadership positions in Nestle´, Sanyo and Nokia in international general management, marketing, sales and retail.

As an entrepreneur he is constantly rejuvenated and inspired by technology and how it provides a competitive edge for Scottish business. A proud member of the Entrepreneurial Exchange and a passionate supporter of the Chamber of Commerce network, Colin is committed to supporting the growth of the Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce.

www.dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk Member Helpline 01382 228545

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The importance and value of exports Shirley Taylor, Export Services Co-ordinator, reveals how export certification is carried out and explains to what it means for Chamber members

W

e work with around 80 local companies who regularly export their goods from the Dundee and Angus area.

The value of the products they send around the world runs to millions of pounds overall and each shipment must travel with accurate documents in order to satisfy customs and port officials.

Shirley Taylor, Export Services Co-ordinator.

When I first started dealing with documents for my customers I worked with Edinburgh International Trade based in Dundee, but I’m now partnered with Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce. All documentation has to be checked by two certification officers, so AGCC is required to do the second check and approval.

The number of documents I work with varies depending on the time of year. I can have up to 10 every morning during the busy potato season! Each document is checked thoroughly and

sent to AGCC for approval. Once approved, certain countries accept the document to be printed with an electronic signature, but others require me to stamp it and then send it out to the customer.

I have responsibility for export documentation – EUR1s and ATRs are customs documents that are required when going to certain countries. A Certificate of Origin describes the trail of goods and where they are manufactured. (Shirley can provide more detailed information.) It isn’t essential to be a member of the Chamber to export with us, however Chamber members get a 50% discount per document which can amount to a substantial saving.

This is such an interesting role. During my time in the job I’ve helped send a range of goods all over the world by different methods of transport. I've seen manufacturers send textiles to China, the Arab States and Mexico, and send products to Chile and Switzerland. Potato producers have used the Chamber certification service to send to Egypt, Israel, Thailand and Morocco. It always fascinates me how Dundee & Angus manufacturers and producers supply so many different countries around the world.

I’ve seen many changes since I started my role in 2002. When I started handling documents, everything was done by hand.

People would be in and out of the office daily, requiring my help and advice, and needing their documents stamped.

The Chamber joined the online Trade Cert service in 2007. I visited my customers to show them the efficiency and ease of dealing with their documents online and I’m delighted to report that now all of my customers do their business this way.

Recently, we’ve seen a small but steady increase in the volume and value of exports leaving Dundee and Angus and this may be another indication of the economic recovery starting to take hold.

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DUNDEE & ANGUS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

GUEST BUSINESS WRITER

Dr Paul Redmond is Director of Student Life at the University of Manchester. He explains Generation 'Y' and what every employer needs to know.

T

hey are arguably the most educated, affluent, assertive and open-minded generation in history. The ‘digital natives’ who have never had to get up off the sofa to switch TV channels and who, for the first time in human history, have a better grasp of technology than their parents. Welcome to the brave new world of Generation Y. Few recent sociological theories have gained as much attention as generation theory. Growing numbers of national and international firms are using it to help them re-brand to appeal to different generations and encourage employees from different generations to work together more productively.

Here’s a summary of the theory and its associated research, and some suggestions about how you might apply it in your own organisation.

Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y The concept of ‘generations’ first appeared in the early 1990s.

The central idea is that society can be seen as consisting of successive ‘generations’. Baby Boomers were born between 1943 and 1963, Generation X from 1964 to 1979 and Generation Y between 1980 and 2000.

Each generation, research suggests, possesses its own unique ‘character’. A character shaped by the dominant social, economic and cultural forces that were shaping the world during the years in which they were growing up. Only by understanding these forces can you understand what gives every generation it its own unique outlook on life.

So what do we know about the newest generation to enter the job market, Generation Y? Characterisitics of Generation Y Techno-savvy

Civic minded

Connected 24/7

Anti-commitment

Self-confident

Service-minded

Optimistic

Environmental

Educated

Entrepreneurial

Bored by routine

Opinionated

Success-driven

Diverse

Lifestyle-centred

Goal-orientated

head start in terms of self-confidence. The 1980s was ‘the decade of the child’ which meant many of Generation Y grew up feeling special and cherished. Remember all those ‘Baby on Board’ signs?

Generation Y is also highly brand-conscious. This is a generation for whom brands express personalities and ways of living.

Without a brand they feel naked.

But it’s in the workplace that Generation Y is attracting most attention. The Financial Times labelled Generation Y as ‘every employer’s nightmare’; while Fortune claimed they were destined to be the most high-performing in history. As Eric Chester wrote in Employing Generation Y, “although they are better educated, more techno-savvy and quicker to adapt than those that came before them, they refuse to blindly conform to traditional standards and time-honoured institutions. Instead, they boldly ask, ‘Why?’” If you manage Generation Y you’ll know they don’t respond particularly well to formality, particularly office hierarchies and traditions.

Generation Y – what they want from their careers • Long-term career development and multiple experiences within a single organisation • Sense of purpose and meaning to the work • Access to mentors and other company champions • Work-life flexibility • Tech-savvy work environment • Primary loyalty is to networks before their employers Without the Baby Boomers’ loyalty gene, many firms are discovering that Generation Y is quite prepared to walk away from employers who are unable or unwilling to invest in their career development. Values also count. Unlike Generation X, Generation Y has a far higher level of awareness about corporate social responsibilities and the environment. One survey recently found that 72% of final-year students said they would have to feel happy with an employer's ethical record before agreeing to work for them.

Source: Source: Deloitte

The first thing you need to know about Generation Y is that there are a lot of them. In the US they encompass more than 70 million people and are almost three times the size of Generation X. Most of them grew up in small families. This gave them a

All of this presents employers with a significant challenge. Get it right, providing the sort of culture, incentives, contacts and development opportunities that Generation Y responds to and you get to attract and keep the brightest graduates. Get it wrong and the chances are they’ll walk. www.dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk Member Helpline 01382 228545

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Leading the way to success.

Business Mentoring Scotland Enhance your leadership skills with objective, impartial support and encouragement from an experienced business person.

Choose Business Mentoring Scotland today on 0845 609 6622, and start benefitting from the support and advice that it offers.

www.businessmentoringscotland.co.uk DUNDEE & ANGUS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Business Mentoring Scotland is a partnership between Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Chambers of Commerceand supported by the European Regional Development Fund

MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce Member Benefits Here are all the great DACC membership benefits you can take advantage of. If you have ideas for other benefits, please get in touch with one of our team. We’re always looking for ways to improve our services!

JOIN DACC AND ATTRACT MORE BUSINESS • Attend our networking events to establish or raise the profile of your business, including referrals and introductions to other local businesses, decision makers and suppliers.

• Password access to the Chamber Members area of our website for the current full members contact list at any time.

• Opportunity to network at our lively and popular events – all at low or no cost.

• Chamber HR – 24/7 helpline for all your staffing queries. Online toolkit of approx 500 policies, contracts and templates, plus compliant Employee Handbook. To access this information, log on to the Chamber website HR area. If you need your login details, please contact our team on 01382 228545 or via our online enquiry form.

JOIN DACC AND IMPROVE AND INVEST IN YOUR ORGANISATION

• Chamber Legal Cover – 24/7 legal advice phone helpline. Free legal expenses insurance policy with £670k of cover.

• Take advantage of Chamber R&D tax credits with Jumpstart to help with major investment in research and development.

• Chamber Westfield Healthcare – discounted dental, optical care, plus hospital stay payment for you and your employees.

JOIN DACC TO PERSUADE AND INFLUENCE

• Free meeting room use at City Quay for up to one hour.

• 50 percent discount on export certification documentation. If you regularly export this could save you a substantial amount of money.

• Competitively-priced meeting room hire for weekdays and weekends.

• Wide variety of Member to Member discounts.

DACC works hard for our members and provides them with the connections and opportunities they need to grow and flourish.

Join Dundee & Angus Chamber of Commerce today from £198 a year (inc. VAT) and let your business benefit from the wide range of benefits and services.

JOIN DACC AND RAISE YOUR PROFILE • Free of charge listing with description and contact details in our quarterly business to business magazine “In Commerce”.

This is worth £200 at commercial rates.

• Promote your services through our communication channels – website, e-news, social media and In Commerce business magazine.

• Free entry in the Chamber of Commerce Angus & Dundee Online Business Directory.

• Use of the Proud to be a Chamber Member logo on your own promotional material.

• Automatically become part of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce network which represents 26 chambers, 10,000 businesses and their half a million employees – providing a powerful voice for business at a national level.

• Referral for Free Business Mentoring on the highly-successful Scottish Chambers scheme.

• Improve your business skills at our popular training events.

• Persuade and influence opinion makers – being part of the Chamber will provide you with the opportunity to get your voice heard.

• Have your say on issues affecting business at events, via our active engagement with the media and by participating in Chamber business surveys.

ADVERTISING AND SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES If you’re new to Tayside, have new products or services to tell the world about, or want to raise your business profile, take advantage of our advertising and sponsorship opportunities.

• Make your business highly-visible on DACC’s website by booking one of the most visited pages advertising spaces. We have weekly, monthly and yearly rates.

• In Commerce is DACC’s vibrant and informative quarterly business magazine. Sponsor a regular business information column or book a full, half or quarter page advert. Contact the sales team on 01463 6788808/671133.

• Take an ad in our weekly e-newsletter “THE WEEKLY BUZZ” • Sponsor a business event or series of events and enjoy joint marketing, publicity and branding with the Chamber.

For further information contact Eve Hughes, our new Membership Manager, on 01382 228545, or email Eve at evehughes@dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk or visit the website at www.dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk www.dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk Member Helpline 01382 228545

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MURRAYSHALL Murrayshall HOUSE House HOTEL Hotel & GOLF Golf COURSES Courses

Set within our own 350 acre estate, Murrayshall boasts a 41 bedroom 4 star hotel with two restaurants and two 18 holes golf courses. Our luxurious rooms, relaxing lounges and award winning food, complemented by two great courses, makes an ideal venue for your golfing break. For groups we can offer private dining facilities and for companies, event management for your golf day.

Offers so good you will want to keep them to yourself… if you can!

Golf & Roast Enjoy 18 holes of golf over either of our two golf courses followed by a traditional roast platter from £20.00 pp.

MARCH/APRIL £20.00 Lynedoch or £25.00 Murrayshall MAY/JUNE £40.00 Lynedoch or £60.00 Murrayshall JULY £30.00 Lynedoch or £40.00 Murrayshall AUGUST/SEPTEMBER £40.00 Lynedoch or £60.00 Murrayshall

Residential Golf Breaks Escape to Murrayshall, a luxury four star country house hotel set within 350 acres of beautiful Perthshire country side. Surrounded by two 18 hole golf courses, Murrayshall is the ideal choice for a relaxing few days of good food, excellent golf at a stunning location.

From £120.00 per person per night, inclusive of a three course dinner in the Stutts Bar, bed and breakfast and one round of golf per nights stay. Valid until 30th September 2014.

One free place in every 12 golfers in your party

Golf Days We have a number of catering inclusive packages available for groups of 8 or more players, played over either or both courses on the same day from £40.00 per person.

One free place in every 8 golfers in your party

To book your next golf event at Murrayshall contact us on 01738 551 171 or

golf@murrayshall.co.uk Murrayshall House Hotel & Golf Courses, Scone, Perthshire PH2 7PH

www.murrayshall.co.uk

A reputation built on trust.

Our intuitive understanding of our clients’ needs has allowed us Contact Numbers

to build strong and long lasting relationships with those we act for.

Aberdeen

01224 588913

We advise a wide range of businesses from Blue-chip companies

Dundee

01382 229222

through to small family run firms but our approach to each client

Edinburgh

0131 222 8000

remains the same – we use our expertise and knowledge to deliver the results they need on time and on budget.

www.blackadders.co.uk