Changes to Increase Competitiveness by Providing Relevant
Business Support
2007 ended on a planned high. During the early part of the year, work started on developing improved membership services, including new information packs designed to increase business support after project closures. With this action, we were able to provide members with continued vital support and we secured an extension to the ERDF Business ICT Bureau project.
EMTEX, over the years, have been extremely successful in bidding for and securing projects. These schemes have been instrumental in providing businesses with support, from IT assistance and global education, through to range and product developments, marketing and enabling efficiency control. Via these projects we have supported many overseas trips and missions, helped the industry to develop their web presence and encouraged business competitiveness in design and production. Over 1,000 companies have been supported to date.
Design Challenges
Being the world leaders in textile and product design and development, the UK has a strong hold to protect. The Designer Forum, a division of EMTEX, has worked with 000’s of UK wide businesses to support and heighten their material and product capabilities. Students, graduates, freelancers, high profile ‘designers’ and highstreet design teams all swarm to use the online and publication trend facilities of the Designer Forum, as well as attend their comprehensive range of seminars and events. This centre of excellence provides an unrivalled service to the sector and helps increase the UK’s dominance in the world of textile design.
New Start Support
There’s a whole raft of support out there for new starts, but without sector specific knowledge, new start courses aren’t always relevant. During 2007 and into 2008, EMTEX have seen a flood of companies starting out and it’s vital to capture these in order to preserve and protect the sector for the future. With this in mind the Designer Forum run the new business start up course several times throughout the year.
Increasing and Controlling Efficiency
EMTEX have been instrumental in encouraging companies to adopt better, more efficient, newer technologies to help them improve their ICT capabilities, web presence/ e trading, and communications networks. We also provide costing and budgetary help. In this increasingly fast turnaround, global, price sensitive environment, several EMTEX projects have significantly helped companies to be more competitive and forward thinking.
INVESTMENT...
Grant and Loan Projects
The INVACT ERDF/SP project has successfully assisted 55 companies with grant and loan support. This is an innovative approach to assessing, handling and helping existing and new business as well as supporting job creation, safeguards and business growth. Assistance in these areas still continues, please call the office for more information. Tel: 01623 440612
Looking Forward
With a busy year behind us and some positive steps forward, 2008 and the future look strong, stable and re-aligned.
Paula King
Board of Directors as at 31st December 2007
Chair Paul Curtis Monarch Textiles Limited Kirkby-in-Ashfield
Secretary George Wright M Wright & Sons Limited Quorn
Tom Clark TC Threads Limited Hucknall
Nick Buckland Price & Buckland Limited Hucknall
Tony Mellors Tony Mellors Textile Agencies Alfreton
Richard Lamb Buckley Lamb Limited Sutton-in-Ashfield
John Roskalns Melas Limited Mansfield
Iain Finden Industry Representative Nottingham
Keith Chell Industry Representative Leicester
Ash Mahomed Ashfield (UK) Limited Leicester
Richard Burnet Aburnet Limited Draycott
Accountants Stopford Associates Mansfield
Solicitors Hopkins Solicitors Mansfield
Registered Office Ashfield Business Centre The Idlewells Sutton in Ashfield Notts NG17 1BP
Registered Number 2864917