70 BLACKPOOL
A GROWING ENTERPRISE
The new purpose-built home of leading carbon fibre manufacturer Multi-ply stands as a statement of intent.
It points to a bright future both for the ambitious business and Blackpool’s developing airport enterprise zone (EZ).
The £10m investment will enable to company to drive forward its expansion plans as it also embarks on a recruitment drive to grow its 70-strong workforce to around 100.
The state-of-the-art manufacturing facility is also a flagship development for the EZ and its ambitions to attract high-tech businesses to the strategically important site.
Founded more than 30 years ago in Inskip by Peter and Sue Bourne, Multi-ply is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of carbon fibre components. The business is now owned by MedCap AB, a Swedish investment firm which specialises in medical equipment.
The £7m turnover business, which sells 100 per cent of its products overseas, had been operating from three separate sites. Managing director Darren Dowdall says: “It is a big investment, but it is what we needed to be able to expand and grow.”
The company will occupy the new building on a 25-year lease and Darren adds there is room
Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone
to build another factory in the future as the business develops.
Darren says the business is also fully committed to growing and developing local talent as part of that growth plan.
The 40,000 sq ft development was delivered on time and to budget by Lancashire based Eric Wright Construction on behalf of Blackpool Council with Lancashire Enterprise Partnership’s Growth Deal funding.
The sense of optimism isn’t confined to the EZ. Richard Greathead, chief executive of leading international food supplement and health product manufacturer Nutrition Group, believes the town is heading in the right direction.
He says Blackpool is an ideal base for the family-owned venture, which employs 150 people. Its manufacturing operation can be found on the outskirts of the town, a stone’s throw from the M55 motorway.
Multi-ply manufacture carbon fibre parts
Richard says: “Operating here suits us very well in terms of recruiting the staff we need and we’ve good rates of retention. There’s been great progress made in the town over the past few years, you can see things are beginning to happen.”
BLACKPOOL IS ON THE MOVE
Over the last five years, Blackpool has brought together a unique local partnership between the council, businesses and the voluntary sector, supported by Business in the Community, to find new ways to tackle the town’s long- standing issues together.
The plan includes the protection of over 10,000 jobs, and growing the economy by £1bn. Blackpool is ready to be turbocharged to become a vibrant place to live and an attractive destination for tourists, businesses and investors.
The Blackpool Pride of Place Partnership is a flagship initiative of Business in the Community.
Jane Cole, one of the Pride of Place board members and managing director of Blackpool Transport, shared her insights with Chris Brown from Brown & Co.
Both are members of the Responsible Business Network, a network created by the Blackpool Pride of Place Partnership, and are committed to supporting the local community.
What makes Blackpool a great place for business?
Blackpool has changed and is changing even further. It’s not just a coastal resort anymore.
It has two enterprise zones, great business networks, high-speed internet connectivity and a great transport network including mainline trains, tram and buses, improvements to roads and the possibility of tramway extensions. So all the infrastructure is coming together.
You’ve got the ability to have your business here, be in a great location which is healthy, but also connected to Manchester, Liverpool and further afield through the train network. It’s going to become like the epicentre of somewhere to do great business and to live, but to be able to connect as well.
How does the Responsible Business Network help?
The local business people are really harnessing their ability to be able to show that by working together they can help to tackle some of the bigger issues in Blackpool. Government will be able to see that we’re trying to do our bit as well as just asking for funding all the time.
The network has started to grow now and a lot of the local businesses are using their skills and resources to go into schools and colleges, so that our younger people are really getting the fact that Blackpool has a lot of investment – why wouldn’t you want to stay and live here?
www.brownandco.uk Jane Cole Chris Brown
Blackpool is somewhere you can promote your business by showing you’ve got social corporate responsibility to this town, and by giving a bit back that’s where you get a return on investment.
To watch the full interview online, scan this QR code
Brown & Co is a fast-growing and dynamic firm of chartered accountants. We support and provide growth strategies to many large clients in Blackpool and further afield in Lancashire. Talk to us for no-nonsense, straight-talking advice about taking your organisation to the next level.
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 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84
