15
September, 2008
KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS
New recruits join flooring specialist
A FIRM providing wood flooring and underfloor heating systems has bucked the trend to increase its business – and recruit more staff. Warmawood Group, based at Miry Lane, Thongsbridge, said sales of its products were rising as homeowners and developers sought to improve the energy efficiency of their properties and focus on renewable energy in the light of Government targets to reduce the nation’s carbon footprint. The company, headed by managing director Ian Roberton, is market leader in providing bespoke oak flooring for the underfloor heating industry. Its latest expansion phase follows its successful appearance earlier this year at the National Homebuilding & Renovating Show, held at the NEC in Birmingham. It has also launched two new products and unveiled a new website and brochure in the past few months. Warmawood is also opening new premises and a renewable energy centre – the only one of its kind in Yorkshire. It has also assembled a new fleet of vans for its national installation team. The company has attracted outside investment and is getting advice on improving its operations from Dean Morgan, of the Manufacturing Advisory Service in Yorkshire. Mr Roberton said: “Warmawood is experiencing massive growth as renewable energies are on the increase with the government’s push to reduce our carbon footprint by 20% by 2010. “As Warmawood continues to expand, we have made a number of new appointments to bring the head office team to 20 employees.” The new recruits include Lisa Hyde as sales executive, Nicky brown as PA to Mr Roberton, data entry officer Rebecca Mills, installations manager Kevin Devlin and Katrina Hawkins
Swift flies in A LOCKWOOD-based businessman has spearheaded a charity fundraising drive. Chris Swift, managing director of Swift Blinds and Curtains Ltd, of Lockwood Road, is pictured presenting a cheque for £2,350 to Sally Watson, of Cancer Research UK. The money was raised during Mr Swift’s time as president of trade body the British Blind and Shutter Association, which represents more than 400 accredited members across the UK. Mr Swift, who served a two-year-term, chose Cancer Research for his second year in office – with the funds raised through events such as the annual dinner, a cricket match and a golf tournament.
UNIVERSITY VIEW John Thompson
Back enterprise OW can we best support those H university students who show a real interest in starting their own
■ TEAM WORK: Managing director Ian Roberton (left), with staff (from left) Kevin Devlin, Rebecca Mills, Craig Burley, Nicky Browne, Lorna Dearnley, Wendy Wilkinson, Lisa Hyde, Kathrina Hawkins
as marketing and public relations director. Ms Hyde joins the company with extensive experience as a sales negotiator and team leader in estate agency and property valuation. Ms Browne, who has been with the company six years, is promoted to PA from the post of installations manager while Ms Mills joins Warmawood’s graduate programme. She is a second year student at Leeds University studying English language.
Mr Devlin joins Warmawood after four years in the building industry and previous experience in a Royal Navy and as a firefighter. He is a qualified maintenance fitter. Australian Ms Hawkins joins the company after working for market leaders including Diageo, Pernod Ricard and SC Johnson at an international level in marketing, strategy development, sales, promotions and PR. She has degrees in business and commerce and text writing and philosophy.
business or becoming self employed after they graduate? It is almost 10 years ago since we started to plan what became the Huddersfield Business Generator (HBG) in the Media Centre, and the HBG, together with its “sister” the on-campus Business Mine, has supported well over 200 start ups and contributed to the local economy. But all of the students who passed through were developing their ideas outside their courses – either in their own time whilst a student or after they graduated. Some of them would be studying entrepreneurship and small business courses, but not all of them. A new initiative blends academic study with the experience of starting a real business. Our ground-breaking BA(Hons) Enterprise Development degree is being launched in September this year and will run from September, 2009. Self-made retail millionaire and member of the Dragons’ Den panel, Theo Paphitis, has agreed to act as an ambassador for the degree and he will be at the September press conference. In their first year, the would-be entrepreneurs will evaluate and screen a number of ideas to find an opportunity worth pursuing. In their second year they will plan the business and study a range of relevant business modules. They will launch the business and then be running it during their third year. They will study, just as they would on a less experiential degree, but they will also learn by doing and learn from doing. They will be required to reflect upon their experiences and document their learning. The degree will suit those people who are sure self employment is the route they want to follow after they graduate, but don’t feel ready to start without further study and qualification. Some who have been actively engaged in Young Enterprise or who have started their own initiative either to make money or raise money for a good cause will know if they are inclined that way. Their big challenge will be to convince us! Why are we doing it? Entrepreneurship is no longer a strange path for a graduate; television programmes have helped change their perceptions. More and more young people are showing an interest in start up. But many young businesses still struggle and may not even survive. The people behind them may be technically competent but lack insight into how to actually run a business. This is the gap we want to fill. John Thompson is Professor of Entrepreneurship at the University of Huddersfield