Tag Archives: Industry News

News

PP Plus launches to bridge the UK’s commercial ‘valley of death’

The best of manufacturing, business and academia have come together to bridge the £bn+ commercial valley of death in the UK.

PP Plus, which is being led by PP Control & Automation, is delivering immediate access to specialist expertise and knowledge to help support companies looking to develop and scale green technologies.

More than 20 organisations are involved in the biggest growth support network currently available in the UK, including the likes of Brandauer, Centre for Advanced Low Carbon Propulsion Systems, Cleveland Scott York, Product Approvals, Protolabs, Silverstone Technology Cluster and WMG.

Together, they can take innovators from concept development and prototyping to protecting their IP, contract manufacturing and driving sales through PR and marketing.

“PP Plus is all about unlocking and commercialising the ideas that will contribute to a more sustainable future, making UK manufacturing stronger and more successful,” commented Tony Hague, CEO of PP Control & Automation.

“It is clear that the UK has a wealth of innovative companies that come up with new concepts and ideas that have true commercial potential and the opportunity to scale. However, they simply don’t have the capacity or additional expertise to realise these fantastic ideas.

“Even if they know where to look for this, they often tie themselves in knots trying to find the right route as the traditional support network is convoluted. We know this first hand from working with companies on innovative new technologies, so felt the best approach was to create our own way forward.”

He went on to add: “That is where PP Plus was born and the reaction from industry partners, business development strategists and some of the UK’s leading universities has been phenomenal. We now believe we have everything in place to take potential customers on and through the entire journey.”

PP Plus’ initial focus will be on supporting companies developing solutions for clean energy, future mobility, agritech innovation and machinery/equipment that contribute to a circular economy.

This will create sustainable innovations that will answer critical questions about how we are going to feed ourselves in the future, how do we ‘power’ our society and how do we travel without destroying our planet.

The journey starts with a 1-hour discovery session that is completely free of charge and will identify the next steps and the specialist support required to commercialise and scale up the technologies.

That may see the client access one, two or three of the main pillars (manufacturing, business, academia) covering anything from product approval and manufacturing capabilities to accessing grants and funding, marketing support and collaborative research and testing facilities.

Sara Williams, Senior Marketing Manager at Protolabs, added her support: “PP Plus is a great initiative that meets an ever-present need in the UK to bridge the valley of death, pulling lots of commercial, manufacturing, and academic expertise together in one easy to access programme.

“Protolabs is delighted to be one of the founding members and look forward to working closely with all the partners involved to leverage the collective strength of our knowledge and expertise.”

PP Plus has already received significant interest and a number of early projects have entered the ‘discovery’ phrase.

For further information, please visit www.pp-plus.org

News

AJ Products UK Ltd announces key partnership with WG Installations to lead in the UK Market.

AJ Products have partnered with nationwide specialist installation experts WG Installations to expand their current delivery and installation services, including the assembly of numerous product types to workspaces throughout the UK.

Furniture and equipment suppliers AJ Products are recognised for their blend of eco-friendly products, in-house manufacturing and innovative, design-led workplace solutions for offices, warehouses and industrial facilities and operate across 20 markets globally.

The UK market presents a high priority growth opportunity for the AJ Products Group. Recognising the importance of specialist expertise in this field, the alliance with WG Installations will enhance AJ Products’ market presence and introduce a crucial installation service. This significant move underscores the Group’s commitment to expansion and highlights the vital role this installation service plays in fostering growth and client satisfaction.

Servicing the office furniture industry since 2012 and located centrally in the UK, Northampton-based WG Installations is regarded as a market leader by offering high quality, reliable and efficient delivery and installation services for all types of office furniture and workplace equipment throughout the UK.

WG Installations Sales Director Paul Roberts says, ‘WG Installations Ltd and AJ Products are pleased to announce they have entered into a UK strategic partnership, combining WG Installations’ industry lead furniture delivery and installation services, with AJ Products’ expertise at improving workplaces by providing a vast array of furniture, equipment and interior solutions’.

Helen Beebe, Managing Director of AJ Products, said, ‘Partnering with customer-centric installation specialists WG Installations demonstrates the enormous potential for AJ Products’ and will help position us as a key player in the UK market.’

Marketing, PR and SEO, News

Oxfordshire digital marketing agency partners with leading speciality coffee roaster, Origin Coffee

Origin Coffee has appointed Oxfordshire-based digital marketing agency, The Evergreen Agency, to take the business to new heights in 2023 and beyond. Ecommerce specialist digital marketing agency, The Evergreen Agency, has partnered with this speciality coffee roaster to drive traffic, visibility and sales online.

Since launching in 2004, Origin Coffee has gone from strength to strength with significant growth in recent years. As a leading ethical and sustainable coffee brand, its popular coffee subscriptions gained further traction during the pandemic. With six coffee shop locations in Cornwall and London, and an ever-evolving product range, Origin has become one of the longest-standing speciality coffee roasters on UK shores.

Emma McKeever, Marketing Director at Origin Coffee (https://www.origincoffee.co.uk), comments on the new partnership due to commence in the upcoming weeks: “Origin Coffee are delighted to be working alongside The Evergreen Agency on our digital marketing strategy. We have chosen to partner with Evergreen due to their wealth of marketing knowledge, award-winning experience, and wide-reaching skill set. Each Evergreen member has their own area of expertise that the Origin team are really looking forward to learning from. We have confidence that Evergreen will help us to develop an exceptional strategy to support our fast-paced growth within the coffee industry.”

The Evergreen Agency, founded in 2013, partners with companies and provides SEO, PPC, Content Marketing and Promotion services. With years of success in driving revenue and improved online sales for retail and ecommerce brands, the agency is excited for this new venture and partnership with Origin Coffee.

Aaron Rudman-Hawkins, Founder and Director of The Evergreen Agency, comments on the exciting new partnership with Cornwall’s coffee pioneers: “We are thrilled to be partnering with such a reputable brand, whose knowledge in the coffee industry is unmatched and we look forward to amplifying the brand name further with our renewed digital marketing growth strategy. Our expertise lies with ecommerce brands, so the team and I are excited to start implementing our award-winning digital marketing services and be a driving force behind the growth of the Origin brand for many years to come.”

For more information on The Evergreen Agency and its partnership with Origin Coffee, visit https://theevergreenagency.co.uk/blog/origin-coffee-partnership/

Gardening, News, West Wales

Local irrigation supplier is helping gardeners beat the hosepipe ban throughout the UK

Pembrokeshire-based garden irrigation supplier, Easy Garden Irrigation is busy helping gardeners across the region navigate through the recent news of a hosepipe ban in the region. 

As multiple water companies have released that new areas across the UK will be imposed with a hosepipe ban starting from the 5th of August, this leading supplier of garden watering equipment, decided to step in and educate gardeners on how they can continue to keep their gardens hydrated whilst the ban is in place without breaking any rules and risking a hefty £1000 fine. 

Located in Bridge Innovation Centre, Pembroke Dock, Easy Garden Irrigation stocks and sells some of the leading garden irrigation brands including Hozelock and Claber to customers all over the UK, Ireland, and throughout Europe and consists of a small team of five people dedicated to helping customers who wish to install DIY garden watering systems. In the past month, they have processed over 3000 orders and spoken with over 1500 customers on the phone seeking advice.

Sean Lade, managing director of Easy Garden Irrigation knows his stuff when it comes to the different garden irrigation methods and which some are still permitted under a hosepipe ban, which he is actively informing the community of. Due to their water efficiency, an approved drip or trickle irrigation system fitted with a PRV (pressure-reducing valve) and a water timer is allowed to be used in gardens despite a hosepipe ban.

Sean has actively been informing worried gardeners that this is an excellent solution by creating informative articles on the Easy Garden Irrigation website, reaching out to the top gardening news websites and contacting those that he knows will benefit from this information. 

Sean comments on the recent news of further hosepipe restrictions explaining:

“A hosepipe ban prevents customers from watering their garden with a typical garden hose or sprinklers. A drip irrigation system is exempt from the ban, so an ideal investment to help keep the garden healthy during the hot weather. The Discretionary Universal Exceptions that all water suppliers have adopted allow for the use of a drip irrigation system to water gardens. Not many folks are aware of these exemptions, so we’ve been doing our best to educate folks through our website.

We’ve been on a mission to help customers be more efficient with garden watering, so the exemption of drip irrigation systems from the hosepipe ban really demonstrates

how efficient these systems are. A drip irrigation system is a highly efficient method of watering plants. Originally designed for agricultural use, they have been adopted by gardeners worldwide to keep their plants healthy. The systems are very easy to install and are relatively low in cost, ranging from £50 – £200, depending on the size of the garden it is being installed for.”

For more information on the hosepipe ban and the watering methods you can still use in your garden visit: https://www.easygardenirrigation.co.uk/blogs/news/watering-plants-during-hosepipe-ban 

 

Marketing, PR and SEO, News, South East

Oxfordshire-based agency owner providing free Digital Marketing masterclasses to the business community

Creative digital marketing agency owner, Aaron Rudman-Hawkins, has conducted the first of his Evergreen Masterclasses, one of only a few free marketing initiatives available to the business community. These free sessions provide businesses with strategic digital marketing expertise to navigate through one of the most economically challenging times they may face in many years.

Having seen the effect that the pandemic had on business in a variety of sectors, and with a recession predicted for the near future, Aaron Rudman-Hawkins, digital marketing agency owner and SEO expert with over 15 years of experience, decided that something needs to be done to best equip businesses to thrive difficult times, achieved by having a strong online marketing strategy. 

The newly released Evergreen masterclasses started this month in person at The Evergreen Agency’s head office in Bicester, Oxfordshire, with the purpose to educate businesses on how to create a strong digital marketing strategy through SEO, content marketing and paid media and how to implement it to ensure maximum success. These are aimed at businesses in specific sectors that The Evergreen Agency has continued to partner with over the past 8 years, acquiring vast experience, expertise and insights into how those businesses get the most from digital marketing. The select business sectors include retail & eCommerce, hospitality & leisure, home improvements, health & social care and professional services. 

Aaron Rudman-Hawkins has commented on his new initiative to help over 60 businesses in the next few months: 

“After 15+ years of digital marketing experience with eight of those years running Evergreen always in the same sectors, I am excited to share my expertise to help businesses future-proof themselves, despite what 2022 and 2023 may throw at them. 

Believe me, it has never been more important to have your digital marketing ducks in a row. The online world was a very different place the last time we had a recession in 2008-09, and I can almost guarantee most businesses didn’t have anywhere near as much of a reliance on digital marketing back then as they do now. I can’t stress the importance enough of how businesses need to be ready, so they prosper while competitors may struggle and I can’t wait to share this message with the first group of businesses that sign up for our masterclasses in the upcoming months.” 

The first masterclass, conducted earlier this month was a success, with those that attended from various local and national businesses commenting on how insightful the morning workshop was:

“Thank you for a great experience, it has provided me with a lot to consider from a marketing perspective. The masterclass was really clear and broken down so that from a management point of view I am now able to see what we need to do first and ensure we get our foundations in place.”

You can find further information, dates and availability for the new masterclasses here – https://theevergreenagency.co.uk/masterclasses/ 

News, South East, Travel

Oxfordshire-based luxury travel agency Oxford Ski Company crowned ‘Best Travel Agency in the UK’ at the International Travel Awards

The Oxfordshire-based, specialist luxury travel agency Oxford Ski Company continues to accrue global recognition, the most recent of which saw the company win the award for Best Travel Agency in the UK at the International Travel Awards.  

Taking place on the 11th of July 2022, the International Travel Awards is the most prestigious awards ceremony within the travel, tourism and hospitality industry, recognising businesses on an international level. Announced this week, the judges came to this final verdict just weeks after Oxford Ski Company were awarded the Best Luxury Chalet Collection at the LUXlife Travel Awards this June. 

Oxford Ski Company is a specialist luxury travel agency providing tailor-made luxury ski holiday experiences since 1998 and now boasting a luxury chalet portfolio of over 750 properties and 180 luxury hotels. The team pride themselves on their unrivalled knowledge and expertise of the most sought-after alpine escapes, and their ability to provide the best advice, guidance and service for booking a luxury ski holiday. As a result, they are thrilled with this incredible achievement, as the Oxfordshire-based company found itself up against many of the biggest competitors in the industry. 

Founder & CEO, Rupert Longsdon, comments on this latest accomplishment below: 

“We are of course extremely proud to have won the recent ITA for Best UK Travel Agent. At the end of the day, this is a reflection of the consistently high service which the whole team here at Oxford Ski Company deliver for each and every one of our clients. For almost 25 years, we have built the business around the experience, expertise and service which we have become so recognised for, and awards such as this independently prove that we continue to deliver the best possible luxury ski experiences.”   

The business looks forward to a positive ski season ahead, as it continues to tailor unique experiences, ensuring a perfect fit between client and property. The company hopes to accept many more awards in the near future, as it continues to deliver an exceptional service to its clients.

You can find further information on Oxford Ski Company here – https://www.oxfordski.com/ 

To find out more about the international travel awards visit – https://internationaltravelawards.org/

Law, News, South East

Leading family law firm, Hawkins Family Law, has launched a new branch in Central London, offering expertise in family and divorce law to the local area.

Leading family law firm, Hawkins Family Law, has opened a new office in central London which will join its already established offices in Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Oxfordshire. Founded in 2001 and recognised by The Legal 500, Hawkins Family Law has been providing reliable and accredited legal services from experienced family law solicitors for over 20 years. This family law firm has a wealth of services to offer to the city, including divorce, financial arrangements, resolving child issues, and pre and post-nuptial agreements. They are ready to continue to achieve successful outcomes for their clients in this new location.

Headed up by Managing Partner Joanna Hawkins (Legal 500 Leading Individual and Recommended Lawyer), alongside fellow Partners Loraine Davenport, Annabel Hayward, Stacey St Clair and Philip Hunter, the team are excited to see the launch of a new central London branch, located next to St Paul’s Cathedral. 

Founder and managing partner, Joanna Hawkins has commented on the news of her firm’s new office launch, explaining: “I am delighted to lead the expansion of Hawkins Family Law and bring a specialist family law service to Central London. We have been able to implement our ambitious growth plans. St Paul’s is a great location and a great addition to our other offices in Milton Keynes, Bicester and Watford. As a team, we look forward to joining the London business community.”

Hawkins Family Law has extensive experience in resolving complex financial and intractable children matters, whether that involves family trusts, company assets, pensions, offshore trusts, bitcoin, farms and hereditary land, high-income households with substantial assets, or cases involving parental alienation, removal from jurisdiction, or surrogacy considerations.

For those seeking services from Hawkins Family Law, the team offer face-to-face or virtual appointments with initial fixed fee meetings, to enable clients to gain a clear understanding of the law as it applies to their situation, likely outcomes, and how Hawkins can create the best strategy to achieve their desired results.

To find out more visit – https://hawkinsfamilylaw.co.uk/london/

Marketing, PR and SEO, Networking, News, South East

Oxford gains its own digital marketing meet-up launching this month called ‘Search Oxford’

Aaron Rudman-Hawkins, SEO expert and managing director of Oxfordshire digital marketing agency, The Evergreen Agency, has recently launched Search Oxford, the only industry meet-up in the Oxfordshire area. 

Search Oxford – a digital marketing meet-up in Oxford for the digital community of the city and its surrounding areas, is a rebrand of what was once ODWU meet-up (Oxford Digital Workers Union) that was first launched in 2017 and wasn’t continued after the pandemic hit, due to a change in circumstances. 

This exciting new networking event welcomes everyone from agencies to freelancers and in-house digital professionals. The focus for Search Oxford is collaboration, knowledge sharing and community. Aaron’s plan is to continue to build the inclusive community that previous organisers Aisha and Charlie started and produce an opportunity to learn, network and interact with fellow digital professionals in the local area.

Aaron Rudman-Hawkins comments on his takeover of the former meetup and explains: “I loved the ODWU meet-ups and attended regularly. During Covid, their circumstances changed and long story short, I’ve taken it over and I’m going to bring this Oxford-based event back with a bang!

At this point, I want to give the former organisers of the event, Aisha and Charlie, a massive shout out as they did such a great job over 3-4 years to build ODWU into the fantastic event that it became, with 500+ members registered and regular attendees of 30-40+ for every event.”

Running a local networking event has always been a plan of Aarons that he is now ready to pursue, with the first event scheduled to take place on Wednesday 30th March from 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm at an Oxford-based venue. 

Rudman-Hawkins also comments: “Search Oxford is going to quickly become Oxford’s premier digital meetup for anyone in the digital space. Regardless of your discipline or experience, if you’re in the digital space and are based in or around Oxford, this is the event for you.” 

For further information on Search Oxford including dates and opportunities to become a speaker or sponsor visit – searchoxford.co.uk  

Marketing, PR and SEO, News

Oxfordshire digital marketing agency partners with Portman Dental Care

Oxfordshire based creative digital marketing firm, The Evergreen Agency, has partnered with Portman Dental Care to bring a cohesive digital strategy to the national chain of dental clinics. 

The partnership is set to see a renewed strategy and focus surrounding digital marketing, aiming to deliver the best possible service to customers across the UK. 

Aaron Rudman-Hawkins, Managing Director of The Evergreen Agency comments on the exciting potential waiting to be explored by the partnership: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Portman Dental Care, they are a very exciting organisation that is growing rapidly and it was clear from the early discussions that our values aligned. I strongly feel this will be a fantastic collaboration for years to come and the team are excited to get to work.

A great privilege of running this agency is deciding which businesses we want to partner with; It’s clear to see that Portman Dental is providing a service that massively improves people’s lives through embedding confidence, and we wanted to be a driving force behind the growth of Portman’s mission.”

Search engine optimisation is the process of increasing online visibility. By showing Google and other search engines that a website is a source of knowledge, providing users with the best possible answers to their questions, websites will appear higher up on the search pages. Websites that rank higher on search engine results pages attract more traffic, increasing brand visibility and reach. 

Natalie Scutt, Senior Digital Marketing Manager at Portman Dental Care comments on the decision to focus on search engine optimisation to deliver growth: “As a business with a strong emphasis on local, we needed a partner who could accommodate this alongside providing support for our group websites, with strategic, technical & content experience. In Evergreen, we’ve found just that and we’re really excited to see where the partnership can take our business in the digital landscape.”

Rudman-Hawkins comments on the exciting future of SEO as an industry: “The world of SEO is changing constantly and at an ever-increasing pace. For both me personally, and for the whole team at our agency, it’s a job, duty and enjoyment to keep on top of the latest developments, and use this knowledge to help our clients achieve their goals.”

News, South East

Chalgrove-based 3D printing manufacturer E3D wins ‘Growing the Workforce’ award in the Thames Valley SME 100 Growth Index

E3D is proud to announce its recognition in the Thames Valley SME 100 Growth Index Awards for ‘Growing the Workforce’. 

The leading Oxfordshire-based manufacturer and retailer of advanced 3D printing extrusion systems has come out on top for the ‘Growing the Workforce’ award this year, after achieving a runner-up position for the same award in 2020. 

Clare Difazio, Head of Marketing and Product Strategy at E3D comments on the win: “We’re absolutely delighted to receive a TV SME 100 Growth award, and particularly this one – our workforce is absolutely essential to our success. We’ve recognised this even more so over the Covid-19 era and its many challenges the team has risen to. We increased our workforce by 57% in 2020/2021 and forecast strong company growth over the coming 12-14 months, which will only be possible through significant further recruitment and retention of passionate individuals.

2020 was a busy year for E3D. One of our biggest achievements was expanding production out of our main building to a dedicated unit in our business park. In pre-pandemic times this would have been a big enough task. During a pandemic, it became an astronomical task, and we’re incredibly proud of the production team for making it happen as efficiently and safely as it did. The cornerstone to this expansion has always been our people; we have invested heavily in the team that makes this possible, and this award and accolade is testament to the commitment, work ethic and passion they all share daily.”

The Thames Valley SME 100 Growth Index Awards recognise impressive results and strong leadership by the region’s top small and medium-sized businesses with turnover between £1m and £20m. There were six categories and awards to be won this year including: ‘Growing the Workforce’, ‘SME 100 Growth Award (over £10m)’, ‘SME 100 Growth Award (under £10m)’, ‘Leadership Through Challenging Times’, ‘Tech Company of the Year’, and ‘One to Watch’.

The judges’ comments on E3D’s ‘Growing the Workforce’ win: “Alongside their impressive growth as a business, they have constantly invested in their people and they fully recognise the importance of their employees throughout the journey they have made from the bedroom to moving the whole business under one roof.”

Since its launch almost ten years ago in 2012, E3D has stormed ahead in the 3D printing industry at a rapid pace. Starting out as a small British startup selling custom HotEnds to 3D printing hobbyists on a forum, E3D is now a worldwide industry name.

The company especially focused on the expansion of production during the pandemic, using this time to overhaul production processes and upsize workspaces for its team; all contributing to its new award win.

For more information on E3D, please visit: https://e3d-online.com/