Another baby for father of Northern business

Feb 25 2010 By Andrew Hebden, The Journal

Herbert Loebl's extraordinary life story has seen him play a role in the creation of countless North East firms. Now, he tells Andrew Hebden, he wants to lend a helping hand again.

THERE are few individuals who have exerted such an influence over the North- East business community as Dr Herbert Loebl.

In fact, according to an exhaustive study carried out by one academic, his legacy in terms of companies who owe their foundation at least in part to his influence exceeds anything else seen in Europe.

Dr Loebl, the son of a Jewish manufacturer, was born in Germany but fled to England with his two sisters aged 16 when the Nazis came to power. He eventually found his way to the North East and, while studying at King’s College, Newcastle, he met Robert Joyce, a fellow graduate in electrical engineering. Together the pair created a group of companies which not only employed hundreds of staff between them, but also led to the creation of around 40 other businesses.

According to research by Paul Benneworth, of Newcastle University, who carried out a study into Loebl and Joyce’s legacy around eight years ago, the pair’s influence in terms of business creation is almost unparalleled. And it was also long-lasting, with former employees moving into enterprise as late as the recessions of the 1980s and 90s.

Mr Benneworth credited this ‘multiplier effect’ to Dr Loebl’s philosophy of the ‘learning company’ – investing in the education of his workforce and partnering universities on hi-tech research.

Now in his eighties, Dr Loebl may not be as actively involved in the North East business community as he once was. But the entrepreneur, who founded Britain’s first voluntary support agency – Enterprise North -– which helped 200 business start-ups before being replaced by government agencies, has not lost his instinct to offer a helping hand to young businesses.

Now he has teamed up with Newcastle University Business School to establish an export academy, designed to offer practical advice to North East businesses looking to break into export markets. It’s a natural fit for Dr Loebl, whose original medical instruments business exported most of its goods.

Next month he will host the first of his Export Workshop Series, a morning of sessions at the university’s business school featuring a number of guest speakers, a panel discussion and networking lunch.

"The North East has a wonderful performance in exporting, but that is done by just 5% of companies in the region," explains Dr Loebl, who says he is excited to be supporting the prestigious event.

"We started our business with just £200 and we were very specialised but we exported 70% of what we made. It is possible to grow by exporting. We reached 29 countries."