Long-awaited efforts to improve the economy of the Midsomer Norton area have been given a double boost. High-quality, flexible workspace for expanding local firms is to be available at the former Great Mills head office at Old Mills, pictured, following the appointment of Business West, the region’s largest business organisation, as manager. And the...
Small and medium-sized businesses in the Bath area can benefit from research and development grants of up £75,000 under the University of the West of England’s (UWE Bristol) relaunched Innovation 4 Growth (I4G) grant funding programme. The popular initiative, which recently opened for the fifth time, pledges a total of £650,000 in funding. ...
Bath’s small to medium-sized manufacturers are being urged to have their say in a major research project into productivity in the sector across the UK. Recent economic data has suggested UK industry is starting to solve the so-called ‘productivity puzzle’ with efficiency levels in the sector showing signs of improvement. This comes after...
The West of England’s largest business organisation this week warned the government that its approach to Brexit was “positively damaging” firms in the region. Business West, which runs Bath Chamber of Commerce, backed an open letter to Prime Minister Theresa May by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) calling for clarity on the government’s...
Chippenham-based specialist manufacturer Fascia Graphics has been acquired by the UK design arm of CCL Industries, the world’s largest label maker, in a $9.3m (£6.58m) deal. Fascia has grown into the UK’s leading supplier of screen printed labels, membrane keypads and graphic overlays since it was established in 1994. It operates from a...
Logistics group Wincanton has leased the high-profile former Herman Miller distribution base in Chippenham to fulfil a new defence-related contract on behalf of a leading customer. The 79,000 sq ft building, pictured – a stone’s throw from Wincanton’s Chippenham headquarters – was designed for the iconic office furniture group by leading contemporary architect Sir...
Bath-based precision engineering firm RPI has played a leading role in helping produce the latest Aardman Animations movie Early Man, which went on cinema release last week. RPI, which describes itself as a “leader in rotational innovation”, designs and manufactures products for firms operating in the aerospace, gas, academic and scientific research sectors. While...
Twelve leading individuals from the West of England’s business community have joined the board of the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). The appointments, made at the LEP’s meeting on Wednesday, will boost it in bringing together representatives from business and universities with elected leaders to shape and develop the region’s future. LEP chair Prof Steve...
Small Businesses group the FSB is to boost its grassroots lobbying activity in Bath and across the South West after appointing a new-look senior team. Roger Tarrant, pictured right, previously one of the FSB’s branch chairman in the region, has become the first holder of the new wider role of regional chair for the...
Airline easyJet has signalled a quiet revolution in its operations in the West of England by showcasing one of its new-generation Airbus aircraft at Bristol Airport. The airline, the airport’s largest operator, has taken delivery of the first batch of its A320neo (new engine option) planes from Airbus. While the aircrafts’ new energy-efficient engines...
