Electronic and Electrical Equipment feed - This is Business Staffordshire

System helping to save time and lives

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 08:20:00 GMT

EQUIPMENT made in Stoke-on-Trent is helping save lives across the country.

Tunstall firm Terrafix develops and manufacturers integrated location and data transfer hardware and software used by most UK ambulance services.

The kits are used to co-ordinate emergency service vehicle movements efficiently and to pass information between ambulances and stations.

They show which vehicle is free to attend an incident most quickly and guide it to the exact location.

In addition, details of an emergency can be transferred to a touch-screen computer in a vehicle, allowing medical staff to prepare in advance and saving vital time.

Now Terrafix's systems are being used worldwide, and the Newfield Industrial Estate firm has expanded its workforce to cope with demand.

Terrafix managing director Chris Green said: "I did 12 years in the Royal Navy and moved back up here as an engineer when I left.

"Keeping employment in the area is something we do because it's good for Stoke-on-Trent.

"We export equipment all around Europe and as far afield as Australia.

"Our customers are 24/7 organisations and we have to respond to that and be available 24/7 and 365 days a year.

"In the last two years we have gone from employing 48 people to 62, so we're taking people on even at this really difficult time.

"We have got five doctors of engineering here and one professor and everyone else is of at least graduate standard or ex-military."

Terrafix was set up in 1983 on Keele University Science Park, developing navigation and location products for the military and governments.

The business moved to Tunstall when there was enough demand to tailor-make specialist systems, rather than just combining off-the-peg technology made by other companies.

Sales this year will hit £12 million, compared to £5 million five years ago, and further recruitment is likely.

Most of the products use the mobile phone network, and Terrafix teamed up with North Staffordshire employer Vodafone to develop its systems for ambulance services.

Other customers include foreign governments and a Canadian steel company that needs to keep track of huge steel ingots being stored outside.

The North American firm makes all grades of steel from low-value metal to valuable surgical steel and the ingots are left to cool in huge fields.

Terrafix also hosts systems at its Tunstall base that can be used by customers in an emergency.

Mr Green said: "If there is a catastrophic problem, whether it's a terrorist attack or someone driving a JCB into the server by accident, it tends to be geographically specific.

"We offer a back-up system for them."

Bryan Carnes, chief executive of the North Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce, said: "If all businesses were like Terrafix, North Staffordshire would soon be one of the most prosperous business centres in the country."

Is your business expanding? Email us at businessdesk@thesentinel.co.uk

e-Auction deal could be worth £4m

Mon, 17 May 2010 08:20:00 GMT

COMPUTER maker Stone Group has landed an 'e-Auction' deal worth a potential £4 million.

The Stafford firm will supply desktops, laptops and monitors to the Eastern Shires Purchasing Consortium – a buying group made up of a variety of public sector organisations.

Stone was successful after taking part in an online tendering process co-ordinated by the Office of Government Commerce (OGC).

James Bird, Stone Group chief executive, said: "Our success in the most recent OGC e-Auction is an important step towards consolidating Stone Group's position as a leader in the public sector."

The business employs more than 230 people at its Granite One Hundred facility.

50 new jobs created by university link-up

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 08:20:00 GMT

FIFTY jobs have been generated by a Stafford computer manufacturer – and more are on the way.

Stone Group has consolidated production at new 9,300 square metre (100,000 sq ft) facilities at Granite One Hundred.

About 50 jobs have been created as a result of the move and the headcount will increase further this year as the company presses ahead with expansion plans.

Stone, which makes laptops and desktop computers for the public sector and recycles unwanted IT equipment, currently employs 232 people.

The news comes on the back of a £13 million contract win from the University of Nottingham.

The four-year deal will see Stone Group supply the university with all its information and communications technology (ICT) equipment, including desktops, laptops, notebooks and hardware maintenance services.

The agreement, which started on April 1, also includes the provision of secure data erasure and recycling services.

James Bird, pictured below, chief executive of Stone Group, said: "We are delighted to add another leading university to our higher education client roster.

"We believe it is our cradle to grave philosophy which sets us apart from other leading contenders – a complete service, from unit manufacture, through to support and maintenance and finally to data erasure, recycling and reuse.

"In fact we are the only UK manufacturer to have its own recycling facility."

Stone's move to Granite One Hundred will allow it to produce 150 units an hour, compared to 50 previously.

That means potential annual production of 500,000 machines, and there is also a new line for installing upgrades to branded notebooks.

In 2008, Stone Group was bought out by managers in a £28 million deal.

In the same year, the group bought laptop supplier Rock and it now supplies directly to consumers under this brand.

Mr Bird said: "I am very proud of all the team at Stone, who work tirelessly to drive the company forward and contribute to the unparalleled growth we are currently enjoying.

"The move to Granite One Hundred is an important landmark for the company as it shows that Stone Group is a Staffordshire company bucking the recession trend.

"We have ambitious growth plans beyond this new facility, and will surely be looking over the coming months for new staff as a result."

The firm had a turnover in 2009 of £70 million and in February it was named among the top 100 fastest-growing private equity-backed firms in Britain.

The business was ranked at number 75 in the Sunday Times Deloitte Buyout Track 100.

The league table features private equity-backed firms with the fastest-growing profits.

According to the information, Stone enjoyed a 37 per cent annual profit increase since 2006, reaching £4.25 million for the year to December 2008.

Graham Ward, commercial director at the University of Nottingham, explained why Stone Group won the £17 million tender.

He said: "Stone was selected against criteria because of the innovative and proactive approach shown during their response to this tender.

"Not only did they offer us significant cost savings, but these savings were aligned with a high quality, through-life service."

Is your business expanding? Email us at businessdesk@thesentinel.co.uk

Stone Group moves offices to Stafford

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:50:00 GMT

COMPUTER manufacturer Stone Group is moving to the south of Stafford.

The firm will leave its two sites in Stone and relocate to the Stafford 88 development near to junction 13 of the M6.

Directors say the transfer will make the business more efficient, paving the way for further growth.

James Bird, chief executive of the group, said: "Relocating to new premises, demonstrates Stone's resilience in difficult times.

"The move is a result of our success, providing us with an opportunity to redesign our internal layout to better suit our company strategy for the future.

"With more modern and efficient facilities, it will position Stone Group as the number one choice system builder to the UK's public sector.

"Stone is moving forwards with its strategic goals and we all agree we have very exciting times ahead."

The group employs just under 300 people and last year's turnover was about £70 million – largely from the public sector.

Last year the group bought laptop supplier Rock and it now supplies directly to consumers under this brand.

In April, Sentinel Business reported that Stone Group had landed a slice of a £30 million Government pilot scheme.

The Home Access project aims to make a computer and the internet available to every child in the country.

Stone was selected as one of the hardware suppliers to the pilot.

Factory closes after making £1m profit

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 08:20:00 GMT

MORE than 20 Staffordshire jobs are being lost as a hi-tech company transfers production to Germany.

Thermo Fisher in Stone is being shut by its German head office in a move described as a "disaster" for the town.

The scientific equipment maker, based on Stone Business Park, made a profit of £1 million last year.

And former managing director Chris Green, who was axed last week, is baffled by the decision to close the plant.

The 52-year-old said: "We were told it was a result of the economic situation.

"I asked for a copy of the justification for the plans, because shutting a site like this down costs a lot of money, but they declined to give me that.

"Unfortunately we have seen five or six separate examples in the last two years where Thermo have closed or reduced sites in the UK and moved them to Germany.

"We don't know why they are doing this, because the cost of employing people in Germany is far higher than it is in the UK.

"The costs of the components and the raw materials are also higher in Germany than here."

The Emerald Way facility employed 33 people. Twenty-three are being made redundant, although four are considering an offer to move to Germany.

The balance are sales executives who will work in the UK, but report to the Karlsruhe office.

In 1991 Mr Green founded the company which eventually became part of Thermo Fisher after a takeover in 2001.

He said the job cuts had been handled well by the U.S.-owned parent group, with enhanced severance packages, redundancy counselling and jobseeking advice for employees.

But he believes the loss of highly-skilled, relatively well-paid positions will harm Stone's economy.

He said: "Some people have 15, 16 or 17 years of service, and most have been there for about 10 years.

"The tragedy is that it's a team with a fantastic number of years' experience that's getting broken up.

"Those skills could now be lost overseas at the expense of Stone and Staffordshire.

"You just can't pick people up with these sorts of skills at the Jobcentre. It's very disappointing."

Stone Rural county councillor Ian Parry, pictured, believes Thermo Fisher is being closed because it is cheaper to get rid of workers here than in much of Europe.

He said: "It smacks of a sort of protectionism that seems to go on.

"When nations are faced with a downturn they go into domestic job preservation mode.

"It's a disaster for Stone because these are high-end, skilled jobs.

"We also have a problem that although Britain is a place where it easy to employ people, it is also really easy to dismiss them."

No-one from Thermo Fisher was available to comment

Trucks deal keeps Navman on track

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 08:20:00 GMT

VEHICLE tracking specialist Navman Wireless has secured a deal which could see its technology being fitted in more than 7,500 lorries.

The Keele-based firm has signed an agreement with Pall-Ex, the UK-wide network of road hauliers, to become the preferred supplier of tracking systems for its members.

Pall-Ex, which has 100 members boasting a combined fleet of more than 7,500 vehicles, sees companies sharing trailers with other freight bound for the same destination, reducing costs and benefiting the environ-ment. It plans to use Navman's technology to develop a cutting-edge transport management information system designed to give members access to a streamlined labelling and tracking process that will boost efficiency and productivity.

Navman major accounts manager Scott Hutchins said: "This is a significant opportunity for us and we have already started taking the Navman solution to Pall-Ex's membership base. It's difficult to say how much it will be worth to us because I think it will take us a number of years to get the system into all of the vehicles.

"Individual contracts will also depend on the size of the company. Some Pall-Ex members just have five or six vehicles, but there are larger ones which have hundreds in their fleet."

Navman Wireless, which employs around 38 people at Keele University Science and Business Park, and 180 worldwide, has fitted its technology in at least 100,000 vehicles so far and has more than 7,500 customers in 10 countries.

A study by the Institute of Transport Management found that its tracking system can reduce fuel consumption by 14 per cent, which can save companies thousands of pounds a year.

Executive vice president Tony Neill, pictured left, said: "We are delighted Pall-Ex has chosen Navman Wireless to support its innovative new transport management system.

"Its decision to position us as its preferred supplier further strengthens our reputation as a world leader at the fore of the vehicle tracking industry."

Pall-Ex IT director Sean Sherwin-Smith added: "We researched the vehicle tracking market place, conducted a thorough process of due diligence and found that Navman Wireless's system was the one most worthy of our endorsement.

"We feel particularly confident in recommending it to our membership because of its proven reputation for reliability, security and its advanced functionality.

"The integration with Navman Wireless will allow us to introduce our members to some really clever technological developments, such as enabling them to track individual vehicles through our system."

Has your company won a big deal? Email us at businessdesk@thesentinel.co.uk

Workers return to five day week

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 08:30:00 GMT

WORKERS at manufacturing giant Siemens have returned to a five-day week after more than 100 people lost their jobs.

The Congleton company commenced a four-day working week in March as part of a continued production downturn, but has now resumed its operations full-time.

About 340 people are currently employed at the Varey Road plant, which produces drive mechanisms for industrial machinery.

Managers at Siemens axed 49 temporary positions and up to 70 permanent jobs earlier this year, blaming the economic downturn and a reduction in demand.

But bosses say the size of the company's workforce reflect its order book and are hopeful for the future.

Finbarr Dowling, managing director, said the redundancy process had been a "painful experience".

He said: "Our business saw a large drop in volume at the turn of the year. We had to make some very difficult decisions regarding short-time working and there were also some redundancies.

"The purpose of that was to get the factory to a size which could deal with the new volumes. And that's what we have achieved.

"Our overriding thoughts are still with our colleagues who had to be made redundant.

"The site has been at Congleton for more than 30 years, and many people have worked here for all or a large part of that time.

"There is still a feeling of loss that those guys are no longer with us.

"On the other hand, everyone is now back from four days to a five-day week, which is great news because they had been sacrificing around 20 per cent of their pay.

"The factory is busy, but with fewer people – it's important we don't forget that."

Mr Dowling said Siemens now hoped to build on its reputation.

He added: "The Congleton factory already has a fantastic reputation as being a product manufacturer of the highest order.

"The job losses had nothing to do with the quality of what is produced but was purely to do with economic demand.

"We are going to prepare ourselves for an upturn in the future, and build on what has made Congleton successful in the past – its workers, quality products, and its competence in the global market.

"The company has now entered a new phase and we hope when the economic upturn comes we'll be in a position to take advantage and make a full recovery."

Peter Whiers, chief executive of the Congleton Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise, said he was delighted staff at Siemens were back to a full working week.

He said: "Obviously it's good news for the town. It can only be good for staff, and hopefully before too long the company can start recruiting. again locally."

Tekdata wins telescope deal with NASA

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 09:35:00 GMT

High-tech components made in North Staffordshire will be blasted a million miles from earth as part of NASA's flagship space project.

Electronics manufacturer AWS secures £5.5m investment

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 08:48:00 GMT

Electronic manufacturing firm AWS Group has boosted its coffers with a £5.5 million equity deal.

Kidsgrove firm Converteam lands £10 million deal

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 08:54:00 GMT

Engineering firm Converteam has secured a £10 million deal to supply devices for oil rigs after seeing sales boosted by the spiralling cost of crude.The power conversion specialist, which employs 295 staff in Kidsgrove, has agreed the two-year deal with U.S. drilling equipment firm LeTourneau Technologies.

Tamper-proof call equipment in demand

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 09:02:00 GMT

A call-monitoring technology specialist is on course to double its turnover in the next three years thanks to tough new rules brought in by the Financial Services Authority. Sales are on the up at Voiceproof after the watchdog said financial services firms would have to record all telephone conversations and other electronic communications to help uncover and deter market abuse.

EOS takes advantage of demand for security products

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 09:01:00 GMT

Two Stoke-on-Trent security consultants are exporting equipment designed to end sieges and ward off attacks from pirates. Hanley-based EOS Risk Management has sold the Magnetic Audio Device to military and private clients in the Middle East, the Caribbean and across Europe.

Jobs hope for pioneering aircraft

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 08:59:00 GMT

Inventor Simon Scott is set to unveil plans for a pioneering aircraft which he hopes will create 200 jobs in Stoke-on-Trent. The Congleton-based aeronautic expert, who appeared on BBC2's Dragons' Den in 2005 with another aircraft design, has outlined proposals for a vertical take-off machine.

Dutch deal boosts facilities management firm

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 08:57:00 GMT

Facilities management group GSH has strengthened its foothold in mainland Europe with a £1.9 million takeover. The Festival Park firm, which employs 250 workers in North Staffordshire, has bought out Netherlands-based electrical installation company Utilitec as part of growth plans.

Inventor is placing his faith in old concept for new energy

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 08:55:00 GMT

An inventor who flunked his GCSEs claims to have come up with a concept which could revolutionise the energy world – and is now looking for financial backing to prove he's right. Chris Swinson, of Uttoxeter, has spent 15 years and £15,000 developing his Tesla-inspired generator in the garage of his Bunting Road home.