Business News ...from page 8


AFL Architects: Undertakes architectural design across all sectors with sports club, local government, NHS Trusts and developers among their clients. AFL is one of the few practices in the UK to use Building Information Modelling (BIM), technology used in the design work for two major stadiums in Turkey. As a result of their BIM R&D investment, they are procuring larger and more complex projects making them more cost effective and streamlined.


Crown Highways: The construction business specialises in highways infrastructure, including drainage, lighting, signs and technology. Their technology and innovation is designed to reduce the negative impact on millions using the roads by reducing delays and risk. A major project is reducing traffic management on the roads by introducing technology that will cut the number of cones on the roads. It is also working on the technology that will be needed by drivers of electronic cars.


Indestructible Paint Ltd: Makes what it says on the tin for aircraft engines, gas turbine coatings and other specialist parts. The company’s focus has been on inventing new and more environmentally acceptable alternative or replacement products. They have also been researching the re-formulation of aero engine coatings to comply with EU legislation in collaborative research with Rolls Royce among others.


Managed Enterprise Technologies Ltd: The cyber security business has made significant investment in technologies, people and processes. It has launched METCloud for the SME market designed for businesses to take advantage of the Cloud but who may have major concerns with cyber security and data protection. METCloud has been built with high levels of cyber defence and surveillance technologies which enables clients to trade securely on line.


Omni Cyber Security: Their wide customer base includes banks, non- profit organisations and public bodies. As well as offering state-of- the-art security operations against cyber and physical threats, the company has developed ways to help companies meet their payment card industry data security standard and general data protection regulations. Omni also uses technology developed by NASA to protect premises and data.


10 CHAMBERLINK April 2018


PLANit Global: The digital careers information platform has tackled the “hit and miss” issue in careers information by creating a platform that allows companies of any size a place to showcase their business and inspire their next-generation workforce. It gives clients the chance to say what is great about their business or sector and showcase some of the job opportunities available.


SOTI: The Canadian software development company based in Solihull specialises in simplifying business mobility, making it smarter, faster and more reliable. They have developed innovative technology to manage, support and secure mobile and IoT (Internet of Things) devices. The SOTI ONE platform is designed specifically for the mobile-first era which allows all areas of business to think and work together with real-time analytics.


Excellence in Training and Education


Sponsors:Wesleyan


Aston University: Established in 1966, Aston is a research-led university known for its world-class teaching and strong links to industry and commerce. It is recognised for equipping students with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in a professional career. Last year Aston won the acclaimed Gold standard for teaching excellence, the highest level available. It was commended for its outstanding teaching and learning practices for all students.


Common Purpose: The learning and development organisation helps people to be better leaders, giving


them an on-going network and opportunities to keep developing. The team in Birmingham are looking forward to a period of stability and growth as it works through a multiplicity of support programmes to expose leaders to new experiences and new perspectives and improve their own leadership.


Key Stages Online Ltd: The company provides educational services for children at KS2 to help improve their numeracy and literary skills before moving to secondary schools. They also provide teachers with a working environment that does not have the heavy after-school workload associated with working in private and state schools. Their TargetTeach methodology ensures they can deliver a personalised programme for every child.


Millennium Point: The company launched the regeneration of Birmingham’s Eastside with a commitment to promote STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education and training. It has created Work Point units for start-up enterprises and Connect, an events suite and Auditorium, which features one of the largest projection screens in the West Midlands. Birmingham’s first park in 130 years fronts the building, which will also overlook the HS2 station.


National College for High Speed Rail: The FE college in high speed rail, engineering and management disciplines trains students for a Certificate in Higher Education or apprenticeship qualification as well as helping employers wishing to train new or existing staff. It also caters for members of industry


hosting events. The ethos of the college is to provide the skills and expertise required to build and operate HS2 and provide students with life-long careers.


Oxbridge Home Learning: A distance learning provider that has achieved notable pass rates which are comparable to traditional classroom-based colleges. They created their Classroom Heroes programme to improve accessibility to the course after research showed that 60 per cent of their learners did not have an academic background and 30 per cent did not have English as their first language.


Services for Education: The charity supports schools primarily in Birmingham schools, delivering education and training, including music tuition for children and young people. It also provides professional development for staff working in schools. This nationally- recognised success story is dedicated to contributing and developing the city’s rich cultural and artistic fabric. Each year the charity touches the lives of nearly 38,000 children in Birmingham.


Titan Partnership Ltd: The education charity works with 40-plus primary and secondary schools, FE colleges, universities and private training providers to transform the life chances of young people. They have re-organised to enable them to adapt quickly to the needs of business and reached a 100 per cent pass rate in 2016-17 among many other achievements. It works to build vital bridges between education, employers and communities Birmingham.


Business of the Year: Paul Kehoe, Phil Innes (Loki Wines), Brigadier Simon Bell (West Midlands Reserve Forces and Cadets Association) and Gyles Brandreth


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80