Authority shows way to succeed
From fish and chips to diagnostic systems, South Tyneside shows in its businesses the enterprise and determination needed to come through hard times. Geoff Ford explains.
OVER the past year South Tyneside has continued to advance both in the public and the private sector.
It has the Best Achieving Council in the UK according to the Municipal Journal, while the Audit Commission has awarded a four star “improving strongly” to the same authority.
What has this to do with business? Well, for one thing, the strong partnership theme always evident resulted in the launch of a Picture Yourself in South Shields campaign, to draw people to the many attractions on the foreshore and in the town centre.
Hopes are high also that World Heritage status may be afforded to Bede’s World in Jarrow, which would make South Tyneside the only place in the world with two World Heritage sites, the other being Arbeia the Roman fort.
South Tyneside’s business sector is no more immune to recession than anywhere else, but success stories are still evident.
Immuno Diagnostic Systems (IDS), ably led by Dr Roger Duggan, has seen both its top and bottom lines increase.
The world renowned J Barbour & Sons maintains impressive results and has an award for style to its name.
Visage also flourishes in the clothing business.
Be Modern, established in the 1960s, displays current thinking in taking over a Shropshire-based rival while HM Plant and Variable Message Signs both prosper.
Hashimoto has suffered during the recession but looks to emerge fitter.
Smaller businesses like Solar Solve Marine impress with exports to 65 countries. The Ford Group, which will celebrate its centenary next year, has just been restructured to focus on two independent companies, Ford Components and Ford Aerospace.
Probably the highest profile business lately has been the fish and chip firm Colmans, run by Richard and Francis Ord. They won the Gary Rhodes TV Show Local Food Hero competition, and also voted England’s best fish and chip restaurant.
And Richard was recently flown over to the British Embassy in Rome to prepare fish and chips for guests of the ambassador. For achievements like this Richard has won the Special Award at the South Tyneside Enterprise Partnership (STEP) Business Awards.
Long-established family-owned pork butchers M I Dickson, won the coveted Business of the Year Award.
The hugely popular awards dinner is the culmination of South Tyneside’s Business Week, now in its seventh year, and the only Business Week run in Tyne and Wear.
Events included a construction industry themed Schools Enterprise Challenge run by Blue Venture, the borough’s education business partnership headed by the inspirational Gillian Bulman.
An environmental business evening was addressed by Dame Ellen MacArthur, while a Stay Positive event, featuring information and guidance on skills, training, careers and support was hugely successful.
Other events on networking, marketing and trading with the public sector further showed South Tyneside’s determination to market itself out of the recession.
Geoff Ford chairs Ford Components and South Tyneside Enterprise Partnership, and is vice-chairman of the Local Strategic Partnership
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