Efforts to focus on growth industries
Nov 24 2007 by Peter McCusker, The Journal
ADVISERS have been appointed to drive forward growth in the North-East’s eight primary business sectors.
Business Link is piloting the approach with the appointment of sector-specific brokers to work with businesses from growth areas.
These include automotive, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, commercial creative, defence and marine, energy, food and drink, health and social care, knowledge-intensive business services and tourism and hospitality.
The sectors represent 83% of the region’s total net output.
Nicki Clark, of Business Link, said: “By investing in these sectors and offering a breadth and depth of targeted support we want to accelerate the growth of the region’s economy and develop the region’s next big industries to ensure we realise the true potential of the North-East.
“Our aim is to be an organisation that is totally engaged with the business community at all levels – listening to them, asking questions, responding to them and the appointment of these sector-specific brokers will provide a more tailored and specialised support.
“With a thorough understanding of the challenges faced by businesses trading in these potential growth sectors, the brokers will work with them to help add value and really boost the North-East economy.”
The brokers are able to tackle both people-related and broader development issues. “Each has been assigned to their own particular sector of expertise so that they are able to proactively present sector-specific opportunities as well as highlighting potential threats,” she said.
With a remit to work with established and emerging businesses in growth industries, the brokers aim to improve access to the range of business support available and encourage entrepreneurship in these fields.
By providing more targeted business support, Business Link aims to support businesses through their key growth stages.
From getting things off the ground to navigating those sometimes tricky early days and helping established businesses to expand and develop.
One NorthEast director for business and industry Ian Williams said: “It’s not a case of one size fits all – we know that the business support needs of different sectors vary enormously and also that some sectors traditionally haven’t been tapping into the valuable mainstream resources on offer from Business Link.
“These brokers will help us to change that, linking businesses in some of the most important growth areas for our economy into those resources whilst also working closely with them on any more specific business support needs they may have.”
Business Link’s team of brokers work across the region in local access points and on a mobile basis. Visit www.businesslinknortheast.co.uk or call 0845 600-9006.
