Investsefton Wishes You a Happy New Year!

Invests efton wishes you a Happy New Year!

A Message from InvestSefton

InvestSefton is busy preparing for a busy 2017 supporting business growth in Sefton. The Sefton Local Growth Hub is a single point of contact for Sefton businesses of any type, size and sector. If you are looking to invest in new premises, want to take on more staff or access new markets we can help.

We know that business owners and managers are busy people, and don’t have time to research all of the help and Mike Mullin, Service Manager: Business Support support available to them across the City Region. So we do & Investment this for you, providing impartial information and managed referrals to a range of free services and providers. Below is a round up of some of our activities in 2016, together with information on business support and businesses who have benefited from working with the Local Growth Hub.

Call Dominique today on 0151 934 3452 or email [email protected] and tell us what you are looking to achieve, and let us make those important connections for you in 2017!

Sefton Economic Forum - Brexit, the Economy and Sefton

Over 90 delegates from across all business sectors attended the Sefton Economic Forum on 25 November, at Crosby Lakeside Adventure Centre. Keynote speaker Christian Spence from Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce gave an insightful talk on the potential impacts of Brexit, and Peter Dowd MP for Bootle and Shadow Financial Secretary gave a contrasting view from Westminster. Simon Hooten of Regeneris talked about the Council’s plans for a new Economic Assessment and Strategy. The Spring Forum will focus on how SMEs can gain a competitive advantage by using digital technology in their business. View the SEF presentations at www.investsefton.com Virtual Minutes at the SEF

Get Ready for Growth in 2017!

Delegates at the Sefton Economic Forum were able to browse a broad range of funded assistance at the SEF, at the ‘Business Marketplace’.

Advisers from the Local Growth Hub were on hand, to advise businesses about the support available, through investsefton Liverpool John Moores University, MSIF, Sefton@Work, The University of Liverpool and Agent Marketing. The Business Growth Programme is fully funded, and is open to qualifying businesses in the Liverpool City Region. Hundreds of businesses are already benefiting from support tailored to their specific needs.

 New Markets  Help for Manufacturers  Staff recruitment  Sales and Marketing  Graduate Placements  Energy Efficiency  Leadership Training  Cost Reduction  Export  Access to Finance

To find out more and arrange a free Business Diagnostic and Action Plan call Dominique on 0151 934 3452 or email [email protected].

Business is Booming in Sefton!

Featured businesses: Stormspell Ltd, Presidential Travel Ltd & Domino UK Ltd

Stormspell Ltd is a wholesale supplier of roofing supplies to the Construction Sector, with outlets in Southport and Maghull. The business is growing, and they needed to identify a new site in Southport, to meet demand.

Once premises were identified, InvestSefton assisted Stormspell Ltd with a grant application to the Merseyside Jobs & Growth Grant Fund. Assistance was provided with the application form, business planning and cashflow projections, following which the business was awarded a grant. Stormspell Ltd moved into their new premises in October, and the business is going from strength-to-strength. Stormspell Ltd was delighted with the assistance received from Investsefton in supporting this important phase in their business development.

Presidential Travel Ltd is a coach and bus operator in Bootle. The business provides corporate travel services, and is an approved supplier to public agencies in the Liverpool city

region, including schools and Sefton Council. The company operates its own in house training facility, has worked closely with Invest Sefton through participating in tendering workshops, supplier days and chest training in a bid to help win more business. The business says this has been a real help, and they are delighted to have recently won a large contract with a local authority.

Global developer and manufacturer of coding and marking technologies Domino UK Ltd has started work on a new factory in Bootle. The business makes fluids products at its current facility in Sefton, which are shipped directly to major customers, sales channels and more than 200 distributors worldwide. Representatives from Domino, Sefton Council and InvestSefton were joined by Peter Dowd, MP for Bootle, at the ground breaking ceremony. The new factory, (L-R): Rachel Hurst, Domino; Cllr Ian which will be located in the vicinity of the current facility, Maher, Sefton Council; Peter Dowd, will be approximately 170,000 sq ft, two to three times MP for Bootle; David Jenkinson, Domino; and Cllr Marion Atkinson, larger than their existing facility. Sefton Council

Sefton Business Networking & Events

Networking is one of the most effective ways to grow a business, especially if your business is new or not well known. It can help you with finding new clients, suppliers and services, and to forge new relationships to strengthen your business. There are a range of networking groups running in Sefton including Sefton Economic Forum, Professional Sefton, Sefton Exporters Network, Plan B, BNI and Sandra Gee Connecting Business. Many are free to join, or at a small cost. This month we spoke to Sandra and asked her to tell us a bit more about the network she runs. ‘Sandra Gee Connecting Business’ allows businesses of all sizes and stature to have the chance to meet potential new clients and to talk to other people facing the same issues as themselves. The network meets monthly in various venues throughout Sefton. For further information call 07854 823 877 email [email protected]

For information on networking groups running in Sefton call Dominique on 0151 934 3452 or email [email protected]. If you run a network in Sefton and would like it included in future editions of this newsletter please contact us on 0151 934 3452.

And finally…..

We would like to wish everyone a very Happy New Year! Mike Mullin and the InvestSefton Team

(L-R) Julie Swarbrick (Business Growth Adviser), Ev McCowan (Senior Business Growth Officer), Kris Swift ( Business Development Manager), Dominique Byron (Business Growth Officer)