SME in Brief: Innovate advises P1; Horizon reinvents the rollerboard; Well Met adds new venues
EXPANDING product design consultancy P1 Technology is encouraging Yorkshire firms to innovate ahead of the predicted market recovery.
The Sheffield-based firm has recently moved into larger premises and has grown from just two employees to eight in the past nine months.
Design engineer Natalie Grayson said that the firm was now fully equipped to deliver projects on budget and on time.
“The P1 group of companies, which now includes P1 moulding solutions, and P1 Engineering Solutions, is now fully resourced to provide expertise throughout the whole design process, not just from concept to prototype, but from concept to manufacture,” she said.
P1 is now encouraging its customers to sustain research and development activity despite the current economic climate.
Ms Grayson added: “In the last recession research and development budgets were the first to be pulled by big companies. When the economy started to recover, they found themselves with no innovative new products to differentiate themselves from competitors.”
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CLASSROOM roller boards have been given a futuristic feel thanks to a Huddersfield firm.
Horizon Signs has redesigned the roller board to create an aluminium version that is lightweight, simple to fit can be made to suit specific size requirements.
Horizon has also invested in its own powder coating works so it can also powder coat the units to the specific colour requirements of the school rather than wood being the only option.
The innovative product has enabled the firm to win a large contract supplying schools across the UK.
Ross Ball, director at Horizon Signs, said: “We are excited that we have been able to come up with a solution that is in keeping with all the latest technologies and materials used in modernising schools but which also provides a long term cost saving – essential in a time when budgets are being reduced.”
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WELL Met Conferencing at Leeds Met University has added three new venues to its collection – Carnegie Village, Broadcasting Place and Queenswood.
Queenswood is Well Met’s most recent addition and offers conference organisers an intimate location for corporate meetings. The Centre has been transformed to include four bedrooms at a 4 star equivalent standard and Queenswood’s premium quality living space is ideal when hosting corporate away days or small residentials.
Carnegie Village has already welcomed the likes of the England Rugby Union Junior Squad, teams from the Paralympics, the South African Olympic Delegation and the FA.
The pioneering new centre offers high-specification, all year round residential conference facilities including bedrooms, shared living space and impressive views over the Leeds Met sports grounds.
Conference delegates can take full advantage of the 23 rooms available all year round, which will increase to 273 – 370 out of term time.
Finally, the £54m state of the art Broadcasting Place is an iconic new addition to Well Met’s Civic Quarter Campus with conference facilities for up to 90 delegates including four breakout spaces.
Well Met Conferencing offers an array of other facilities including the Rose Bowl, Gandhi Hall, the historic James Graham building set at the Headingley Campus, and the Old School Board set in the heart of the city overlooking Millennium Square.
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