SOUTH WEST BUSINESS NEWS inform
Bristol Port is pivotal to the global gateway
By Katherine Lovell, PR & communications executive, The Bristol Port Company
Dr Liam Fox, the Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade, praised Bristol Port as a “perfect example of a dynamic, global business” in a keynote speech to workers at the end of 2018. The MP for North Somerset called for Parliament to
deliver Brexit, saying the UK will play a pivotal role in shaping 21st Century trade. The port was chosen as the backdrop for the speech
to showcase its international trade links, especially as the closest British port to the east coast of America. The UK and US are due to begin trade negotiations for a new free trade agreement after the UK leaves the EU on 29 March 2019, which is expected to increase trade across the Atlantic. CEO, David Brown said: “As a global gateway and the nearest British port to the US we are in a unique position to enable rapid and reliable trade with America.” The port handles 66% of cargo from outside
‘We are in a
unique position to enable rapid and reliable trade with America’
the EU, and believes Brexit will provide more opportunities. Dr Fox said: “The work done here at Portbury and Avonmouth contributes over £1bn to the British economy. Now that is something to be proud of.”
The MP also praised the transformation of the Port,
adding: “Since the port was privatised almost 30 years ago and reborn as The Bristol Port Company, over £500m has been invested to turn this into one of the most capable and advanced ports in the UK.” The Bristol Port Company held a number of exporting events with the Department of International Trade and Business West last year including hosting
Bristol port the export hub roadshow which came
to the Port’s head office under its “Exporting is Great” slogan. The ‘Export Hub’ travels across the UK, inviting businesses of all sizes on board, and
offering bespoke training sessions, export champion case studies, and information on global opportunities. The Port’s team joined the Government’s North America Heads of Trade and highlighted how businesses could build success in Transatlantic trade, and as the UK’s nearest port to the east coast of America, Bristol Port provided key insights during a presentation and in Q&A discussions.
If you would like to discover more about exporting with Bristol’s global gateway, call 0117 982 0000 and speak with the Commercial team or visit
www.bristolport.co.uk
Support for innovators of AI
The Bristol-based Centre for Modelling & Simulation (CFMS), a not-for-profit specialist in digital engineering capability, recently announced it is participating in the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Accountable, Responsible and Transparent AI (ART-AI), led by the University of Bath.
UKRI recently announced a
£200m initiative that will see 16 new CDTs set up in 14 different universities. One of those selected, the CDT for ART-AI, will seek to produce the next generation of leaders and innovators in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) by teaching interdisciplinary graduates how AI can be deployed ethically, safely and effectively.
As a founder partner and The Nao robot with University of Bath PhD students
member of the CDT’s Strategy and Partnerships Board, CFMS will host student placements, provide industrial challenges and offer access to its state-of-the-art, agile and independent high- performance computer cluster and digital test bed. Professor Ian Risk, chief technology officer at CFMS, said: “AI will continue to be a disruptive technology across all sectors, including engineering design and manufacturing, so it is important that we understand the benefits, and potential implications, of adopting such technology. “CFMS is delighted to be involved in the ART-AI CDT, working alongside the team at University of Bath. “The CDT will build a community that has the skills to create the AI solutions of the future while ensuring these systems are ethically sound.”
Steve Radcliffe and Martin Tedham
Swindon’s the logical choice for expansion
Liverpool-based logistics firm Sovereign Transport Services has chosen Swindon as its first location for expansion. Since 1 February, Sovereign Transport Services has been operating from Groundwell Industrial Estate, having taken over the Swindon Palletways operation, formerly based in Royal Wootton Bassett. The firm has taken on 25 employees, including those from the former depot, and plans to triple that number in the next three years. Attracted to Swindon
thanks to its position on the M4 corridor and potential ongoing opportunities for growth, managing director Steve Radcliffe turned to local businessman Martin Tedham, of Wasdell, for advice thanks to the success Martin’s businesses have had since relocating to the town. Steve explained: “The South
of England has a lot of opportunities for Sovereign Transport. “I’ve known Martin Tedham
for a number of years before he took over Wasdell and have followed with interest the rapid growth of Wasdell since he moved the business to Swindon. Martin has always said that there are good staff available in the town too, so it seemed a good choice for our southern expansion.” Martin Tedham, chief executive of Wasdell, added: “When Steve told me he wanted to expand into the South, I knew that Swindon would be an obvious choice for him thanks to its location on the M4 corridor as well as the wealth of great staff and support that can be found in the town. I’m sure Sovereign Transport Services will bring a lot of growth and opportunities with their success.”
MARCH/APRIL 2019 insight 9
Photo courtesy of: University of Bath
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