Manufacturing still so important to region
Nov 26 2010 by Iain Laing, The Journal
MANUFACTURING may have changed dramatically in the last two decades but it is still the engine house of the North East economy.
The sector once dominated by shipbuilders and steel companies has evolved into a far more diverse, intelligent and strategic business as competition from low-cost economies has intensified.
And even now as the economic slowdown puts the squeeze on industry the manufacturers of the North East are still performing better than many of their rivals across the UK.
In the nebusiness awards, which are organised by The Journal and the Evening Gazette in association with Business Link in the North East, we want to recognise and celebrate those companies who are showing they can beat the credit crunch.
The Manufacturing Award recognises exceptional businesses and last year’s winner Spennymoor-based Thorn Lighting has certainly shown its success and commitment to the region over the last 12 months.
The company has not only invested £32m in a factory, lighting academy and research centre in County Durham but said last month that it aimed to move its UK headquarters to County Durham from Hertfordshire by the end of the year.
Although it has had a 58-year history in Spennymoor its administrative centre has stayed in Borehamwood. That is due to come north and bring more than 30 jobs with it.
The company is working on groundbreaking technology at its North East site including work at the Printable Electronics Technology Centre to create low-power, light-emitting panels thin and flexible enough to be carried on cloth.
It has also just finished a project involving 15,000 light fittings with NHS Forth Valley in Scotland, and has also finished work on the lighting for the extension of the Excel exhibition centre in London.
The region’s biggest and most prestigious business competition highlights and rewards the success of our most outstanding firms over the last 12 months. There are 10 award categories and firms have until December 22 to submit entries.
Since 2001 when the sub-regional heats were launched, around 2,000 companies have entered one of the award categories.
