In Brief: Saltend Chemicals Park; Linktagger; ascdirect
LEADING figures from the European chemicals industry will debate its future at a major event being held at Saltend Chemicals Park.
The BP-managed Saltend site, east of Hull, which this year is celebrating 100 years of industrial operations on the north bank of the Humber, is hosting the annual gathering of an organisation that promotes Europe as location for chemicals investment.
Members of the European Chemical Site Promotion Platform (ECSPP) include chemicals clusters operators and leading businesses in the industry, as well as ports, because of the importance of seaborne logistics to the sector.
Hosting the ECSPP reflects the growing profile within the industry of the Saltend site, which has seen £500m of investment in recent years, including the opening in 2013 of one of Europe’s largest bio-refineries – the £350m Vivergo Fuels bioethanol plant.
ECSPP president Patrick Pogue said: “Our membership represents many of the largest industrial process and chemical manufacturing locations across the EU. Despite the challenges faced within our industry, ongoing investment, as witnessed at Saltend in recent years, is mirrored across many of our member locations across Europe.
“The aim of this event is to better understand the issues we face, how innovation can help transform our industry to a low-carbon base and, above all, to promote the advantages that Europe continues to have for investment.”
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LINKTAGGER, a digital development company based in Fusion @Magna business centre in Rotherham, has its sights set on international expansion with a new concept designed to increase sales for retailers.
Although the business has only been established for six months, founder Liam Winder has already developed a number of new products, including his latest ‘Smart Posters’ concept, which he is trialling with Vitalife Health, a health goods retailer based in Rotherham. Set for launch in three train stations in Sheffield, Manchester and Leeds in August, these Smart Posters will be embedded with NFC Chips and include QR Codes relating to Vitalife’s products, with a view to providing an innovative way to increase sales for the health retailer.
Linktagger has been able to access support through Rotherham Investment & Development Office’s Soft Landing Zone to explore international opportunities for its use of cutting edge NFC Chips, QR Codes and iBeacon technology.
Nathan Woodcock, business development co-ordinator for RiDO, said: “Linktagger operates in a fast moving industry with huge opportunities and it has been fantastic to help Liam to research opportunities where his business could expand not just in the UK, but internationally. We are looking forward to seeing how his Smart Poster concept develops, but this is just one of a whole series of exciting concepts where Linktagger could secure market opportunities overseas.”
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ONLINE packaging company Ascdirect is predicting a growth of over 20% in sales over the next 12 months.
Ascdirect, based in Shipley, has been supplying packaging solutions to the regions businesses for over 30 years and said, today, it’s home-based workers that are driving the increase in demand for its packaging. Ascdirect has invested in a new website to keep up with demand.
Andrew Woodhead, managing director, said: “With sites such as ebay, Amazon Marketplace and notonthehightreet more people are able to make a good living by working from home selling their goods to a global audience.”
