CHAMBERNEWS
Manufacturer is making most of Collaborate grant
A newly-engineered lifting system is raising the bar when it comes to the manual handling of goods thanks to Desford-based M J Products. The advanced manufacturing business has used a grant from the Leicestershire Collaborate project to purchase equipment which is proving to be a significant game changer for the company. M J Products was formed by
engineer Mark Jackson in 2009. The company operates as a design and supply business creating bespoke solutions with over 30 different products in its range designed to specific customer requirements. Mark brought manufacturing in-
house in 2017 and one of the key drivers in doing this was the development for VanMate, a version of his products which uses an innovative light weight modular lifter. A Collaborate grant of £25,000
has helped towards the purchase of a press brake - sheet metal folding equipment - which means M J Products can make VanMate in- house, overcoming its challenges in sourcing repeatable and accurate folded parts from local suppliers
while reducing lead times and saving money in sub-contracting. The grant has also helped towards the purchase of a demo van fitted out with VanMate technology and company livery, enabling it to demonstrate the new system on customer sites. Mark said: “The funding has
allowed me to invest in the business and develop a manufacturing infrastructure to enable growth. “An increase in turnover on last
year has meant we have employed one new person and we expect our new manufacturing facilities will allow us to grow through significant improvement in responsiveness, leading to an additional full-time role. Without this funding it would have been a lot more difficult to move forward with our innovations. We already have an order worth £100,000 for VanMate and our turnover forecast for next year looks set to nearly double, nearing the £800,000 mark.” Joanne Maltby, Business Adviser
for Collaborate/Growth Hub, said: “It’s been a pleasure to support M J
Forum launched for food and drink industry
Skills, recruitment and marketing were top of the agenda for the brand new Chesterfield Food and Drink Forum, which was launched last month by Destination Chesterfield. The new forum builds on the continued success of the annual
Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards and is designed to further raise the profile of the town’s thriving food and drink sector. Open to Chesterfield Champions, the group will meet twice a year and
has been established to encourage a closer working relationship between businesses operating within the sector.
‘Chesterfield’s food and drink scene is thriving as evidenced by the annual Food and Drink Awards’
It aims to support business growth by providing access to training and
development and signposting to local business advisers. It is also hoped the group will spark new marketing ideas to further boost the sector and encourage the whole town to get involved. Hospitality and tourism is the UK’s fourth-largest industry, supporting
4.49 million jobs and generating one tenth of the country’s economic wealth. Chesterfield is no exception. Recent developments include the arrival of Deliveroo in Chesterfield in May, the creation of new food and drink units in the former Co-Op building on Elder Way and the redevelopment of the outdoor space at Vicar Lane. The inaugural event was attended by a number of representatives, including Chamber members Casa Hotel and Brampton Brewery. It was chaired by Laura Ashby and Richard Alsop from Edge Events, the company behind the Chesterfield Food Festival, and included information for local producers from the Food and Drink Forum. Peter Swallow, Destination Chesterfield Chair, said: “Chesterfield’s food and drink scene is thriving as evidenced by the annual Food and Drink
44 business network July/August 2019 Delegates at the inaugural Chesterfield Food and Drink Forum
Awards that have grown year on year since their launch in 2012. Launching the forum was the next step in bringing together the many individuals and businesses that operate in the sector. “The forum will enable them to work together to make the most of opportunities and also collectively find solutions for industry issues such as skills shortages. As the inaugural forum evidenced, together Chesterfield’s food and drink sector is definitely stronger.”
If you are a business operating within Chesterfield’s food and drink sector and would like to attend the next meeting in November, contact Tara Underhill at
tara.underhill@chesterfield.co.uk
VanMate parts are welded together in-house at M J Products
Products. Mark is not just a clever engineer, he’s a first-class innovator and I am thrilled he is starting to see a return on the time and effort he has put into building his business and developing products. The substantial increases in turnover and staffing are just the tip of what is set to be a considerable growth curve.” Although Collaborate funding
has now been allocated the project continues to offer free, specialist
business advice along with a range of business growth workshops. Collaborate is funded through
the European Regional Development Fund and partners Leicester City Council, Leicestershire County Council, East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire) and the Food and Drink Forum.
Visit:
www.llepbizgateway.co.uk/ Collaborate
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