Jul
2010
Articles from 14th Jul 2010
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Green for go, but not for company fleets just yet
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
NISSAN will continue spectacularly to fuel business for North East auto suppliers and salerooms. But more persuasion may be needed to get green cars totally accepted. Brian Nicholls reports. Read
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Next move left to banks
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
GEORGE Osborne described it as the "unavoidable Budget" - was it? Not exactly - this was a Budget of choice, but not much of a choice. Read
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Going for the best
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
DURHAM County Council is hopeful its innovative firms will develop further world-class technologies and so create new products and new markets as they continue to grow, says Stewart Watkins. Read
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Lovely doing business with you
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
IT'S good to talk - no, vital, to talk - says Caroline Theobald, praising the virtue of the little black book. Read
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Wanted: some more cups of cheer
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
A FEW more successes and North East business will be back on its feet and standing tall for years to come, says Paul Benneworth. Read
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Car dealers stand up to the stress
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
WHILE Vertu is the obvious star of this year's dealership show in the North East Top 200, numerous other firms have also shown up well. Read
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Software sucks in the talent
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
SUNDERLAND Software City is inspiring and encouraging the growth of a software industry, and Sunderland University is providing the region with highly skilled digital workers. Read
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Vehicle makers suffer
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
IT has been especially tough for the automotive industry in Derwentside. The UK's biggest caravan and motorhome builder Explorer expects to return to profit, however, despite a £3m drop into the red after sales fell 22m over two years. Read
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More waiting in the wings
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
IT'S great to spotlight big players in the region - and really important to understand the success stories that have carried them to their lofty positions within the Top 200. Read
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Vision and leadership - a great combination
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
THOUGH some recovery is evident in construction and property, the position remains fragile and the Government needs to acknowledge and address the fact that construction and civil engineering, far from straining the economy, brings benefits. Two North East experts explain. Read
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Magnets for talent
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
AS this latest North East Top 200 businesses list confirms, our region is home to many businesses’ world leaders in their respective fields. Read
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Recession, snow, ash - let's celebrate!
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
THE team behind the success of Newcastle Airport have coped superbly with recent challenges as the airport looks forward to a 75th anniversary celebration. Dave Laws looks optimistically to its future. Read
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Budgets, babies and bath water
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
ONE of the real dangers for manufacturing will arise if the Government throws the baby out with the bath water in its approach to budget cuts, says Alan J Hall. Read
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Firms have designs on success
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
EVEN before the Northern Design Centre opens at Gateshead, the region's businesses are showing enthusiasm for the aims of the project, says Gordon Ollivere. Read
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Profits continue in a challenging environment
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
SAGE remains at the top of our profitability league table despite pre-tax profits falling by 16%. Read
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Defence calls for clarity
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
THE defence industry has weathered the downturn well and has potential to help the recovery process greatly, says Robin Fox. Read
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Ready for upsurge
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
AN upturn of activity at Port of Tyne suggests an upturn generally in the economy, says Andrew Moffat. Read
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£200,000 yours for the asking
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
LATEST data indicates that even an SME can benefit by £200,000 a year thanks to a KTP. Read
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Going public - a step to consider
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
THE economic volatility of the last three years has made life difficult for companies thinking about listing on the stock market - but the decision to go public via a flotation on the London Stock Exchange is still one to be considered by any ambitious company. Read
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Plaudits and challenges
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
SOME 70% of the 2020 workforce is already in the workplace but most will need to upskill or reskill to meet needs of the emerging business sectors and the modern, technology-led economy, says Graham Henderson. Read
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We can tackle that £900bn debt
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
TACKLING the deficit in public finances needs bold policy initiatives and willingness to take unpopular decisions, says Keith Proudfoot. Read
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We still have drawing power
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
TYNE and Wear continues to support growing businesses and investors, despite the challenges of the economic environment, says Paul Buie. Read
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Jobs and investment are indivisible
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
LIKE other industries civil contractors and construction firms - Top 200 achievers and all - welcome the Government's £200m allocation to support apprenticeships. Read
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So diverse, so professional
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
DAVID Bowles pays tribute to the region's totally transformed service sector. Read
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Success in region despite economic headwinds
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
A YEAR ago, the UK economy was in the throes of recession with only a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. Read
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New era is not serendipity
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
THE business community, including the CBI, is working with the region's 12 local authorities on proposals to secure economic development and ensure growth and diversification continues. Sarah Green explains. Read
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Heading for a European best
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
EVERYONE at Business Link is committed to helping even more firms reach their potential and help make the North East Europe's best region in which to start or grow a business, says Alastair MacColl. Read
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Young minds crucial to us
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
PROGRESS of our process and other manufacturing industries will rely heavily on young people’s willingness to take opportunities available to them, says Dr Stan Higgins. Read
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Rise and rise of baker
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
HOW often do you watch street interviews on TV’s national news and spot in the background a Greggs takeaway? More often than coincidence would suggest. It’s an illustration of just how far the UK’s biggest retail bakery chain has extended its reach. Read
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Let's see the opportunity
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
WE need private enterprises to thrive so we are not overly reliant on public bodies, and a mark of this region's economic health is the ability for its larger companies to grow, says James Ramsbotham. Read
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Funny old time for success
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
STRANGE though it seems, a Top 200 in arduous economic times actually shows up a firmament of star performers. The Big Climbers list – of firms improved by 20 places or more – often comprises around 25 to 30 names, or even as few as 11. But look at this year’s string - no fewer than 84. Read
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Prestige in the balance
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
ARRIVA'S uncertain future in the Top 200 arises from its agreement to a £1.59bn takeover in April by Deutsche Bahn. Read
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Sunderland soars up the table
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
SUNDERLAND is the shooting star on the business side of North East football. It has rocketed up 155 places to 82 in this year’s Top 200, its income up by around £1m to £64.4m. Read
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Heidi-ho, and running well
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
NORTHUMBRIAN Water, which entered the rarified atmosphere of the North East top companies list at 20th in 1990, is this year up two places from last at ninth - its best performance yet. Read
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It's up to us to get region moving again
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
A SUCCESSFUL business community has never been more important. Read
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Making a Vertu of success
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
EVERY time you turn your back, Vertu under chief executive Robert Forrester has bought another dealership. Or so it must seem to car sellers in competition. Read
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Sage on the bounce back
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
EVEN Sage, whose steady climb in global software markets had previously been almost uninterrupted, was challenged in recession. Read
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No standing still at this time
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
RECESSION gnaws at consistency. Only four companies this year have proved level peggers - firms retaining their existing position in the standings after a year. Read
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Arriva tops the North East Top 200 Companies list
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
ARRIVA tops the North East Top 200 Companies list for the second year running, staying ahead of carmaker Nissan which it toppled from the perch in 2008. Read
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The end is nigh - thank goodness
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
THE region has progressed in the last year, has great companies, a good workforce and reason to feel encouraged, says Paul Woolston. Read
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New names, old favourites
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
SAICA Pack, the highest new entry this year at 24, secures its place despite cutbacks in Hartlepool recently. A new name on the scene, it acquired in 2008 the corrugated cardboard manufacturing business of SCA, whose Darlington operation was 20th in last year’s list. Read
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The strong get stronger
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
WITH the UK recession officially over, the year's Top 200 listing proves especially fascinating. Read
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Something very positive
Jul 14 2010 | Top 200 Businesses
IN the North East we continue to manufacture and to export, which stands us in good stead during the recovery, says Alastair Thomson. Read
