Category: Business

iSH isn’t a place. It is about a place.

iSH Managing Director John Maddison is keen to stress the difference.

iSH is about making a positive difference to people’s lives, to the economy and the environment across the whole of West Cumbria and the soon-to-be Cumberland region.

It will achieve that by building capability through collaboration, creating jobs, which will in turn regenerate our communities, our place.

It is anticipated that 700 jobs will be created at the iSH Enterprise Campus (iEC) alone, by creating opportunities for businesses and organisations to collaborate, enhancing skills and capabilities.

But iSH isn’t all about the iSH Enterprise Campus (iEC), Phase 1 of which is due to be delivered in two years time by Copeland Borough Council, owner of the Leconfield Industrial Estate where it will be situated. The iEC campus is an important part of the business ecosystem we are looking to help create. But it’s about far more than that.

iSH is about joining the dots – a way of working together, connecting what already exists across multiple places in West Cumbria in industry, business, research and development, academia, charities and communities to multiply the opportunities created and ensure potentially life-changing chances are open to, and inclusive for, all sections of our society.

iSH is about maps and gaps – mapping what already exists so as not to duplicate the great work already being carried out by so many individuals and organisations across the region, mapping a view of what the future may bring and what may be needed to deliver that future and then encouraging collaboration to fill any gaps – such as in capability.

We are here to enable growth and the three pillars that lead to it – Collaboration, Innovation, and Diversification – maximising the opportunities which the West Cumbria supply chain can capatilise upon and building on that nuclear decommissioning capability, much of it linked in some way to Sellafield’s presence, to apply that innovative solution-focused expertise to other industries across the region, the UK and around the world.

And, most of all, iSH is about ensuring the outcome of all those jobs and opportunities delivers a positive sustainable difference to our communities.

Working in collaboration with our partners we have already started delivering opportunities.

We joined forces with DASA and FIS360 to hold an event at Rosehill Theatre, Whitehaven last month to help SMEs in the region understand how they can access work and funding in the defence and security sectors.

We played our part in welcoming local authority officials from Fukushima, Japan to West Cumbria last week to demonstrate the capability of businesses and organisations across the area and to showcase the region’s expertise to the world.

We have fulfilled our pledge to operate from the heart of the community by recently opening our iSH office in the centre of Cleator Moor.

We have also said that we will create opportunities for local people within our own organisation and we are delighted to have made the first, of what will be several appointments over the next six months, by welcoming Lynn Huddart from Cleator Moor to our team as office manager. We thank Lynn for already making a positive difference.

It has a busy time for iSH, rolling up our sleeves and getting on with doing and delivering.

But this is only the beginning. There are more exciting days and weeks ahead.

Cleator Moor is to receive £40.9m in funding for its ambitious Town Deal programme, it has been announced today.

The government has confirmed an award of £22.5m and an additional £18.4m has been secured from match funders.

The huge financial boost follows the submission of four exciting projects to the Department for Levelling Up, Communities and Housing in July.

It means the projects – that will provide long-term benefits to the town’s health and wealth, whilst boosting employment opportunities and inward investment – can now be delivered.

Bob Metcalfe, chair of the Cleator Moor Town Deal Board, said: “The future for Cleator Moor is very bright. The funding we have secured will allow our four projects – which will touch on every aspect of life in the town – to move forward.

“This is a watershed moment for the town, made possible by the hard work, commitment and expertise of many people, whom I would like to thank for their input, passion and professionalism.

“Health, wellbeing, inward investment, jobs, skills, connectivity and much more will be positively impacted as work begins on these projects. It’s a great time to be a resident of Cleator Moor.”

Copeland Borough Council’s Executive Committee has also welcomed the news.

Mike Starkie, the Mayor of Copeland, said: “This is a fantastic result for Cleator Moor and its residents. Opportunities to access funding on this scale rarely present themselves for towns of this size.

“To have successfully secured the money required to deliver four exciting and transformational projects is incredible, and a testament to the hard work put in by so many over the last year.

“I would also like to place on record my sincere thanks to the match funders. Together they have contributed a significant sum of money that will make a real and tangible difference to Cleator Moor.”

Working with Copeland Borough Council, the Cleator Moor Town Deal Board secured a provisional offer of £22.5 million from the Government’s £3.6 billion Towns Fund initiative last summer.

Business cases, which confirm the positive impact and long-lasting benefits the projects will deliver, were approved by the government after being signed off by the Town Deal Board and Copeland Borough Council.

The promised government money will now be unlocked over the next four years.

Significant match funding sums have also been pledged by the NDA, Sellafield, and the Copeland Community Fund.

Further contributions have been made by Copeland Borough Council, Cleator Moor Town Council and Regen North East Copeland.

The four projects included in the Town Deal are:

• Enterprising Town – the redevelopment of the existing Leconfield Industrial Estate to provide employment and training opportunities for residents in Cleator Moor as well as helping to diversify the local economy. The proposal will create new buildings on site including an Enterprise Campus Hub, the refurbishment of existing units and extensive landscaping. The development of the site forms part of the wider regeneration programme being delivered across West Cumbria by iSH, the Industrial Solutions Hub.
• Revitalised Town – to increase activity and footfall around the Town Square by bringing vacant and under-utilised buildings back into active use while creating an attractive new public realm. Uses will include a new cultural community hub and enhanced business space.
• Healthy Town – To enhance existing sports and leisure provision to create a modern multi-purpose centre including an indoor sports hall, flexible studio space, gym and café, alongside wider health and well-being provision. This will improve population health and generate more reasons for people to visit and spend time in Cleator Moor.
• Connected Town – this scheme will deliver a high-quality integrated and sustainable transport network which improves connections between employment, education, amenities and leisure and transforms the accessibility and attractiveness of Cleator Moor.

For more information on the Cleator Moor Town Deal, visit cleatormoortowndeal.org.uk

Today is a great day for Cleator Moor and the surrounding West Cumbria region, and one which iSH is delighted to be able to celebrate with the community.

Congratulations to everyone at Copeland Borough Council, Cleator Moor Town Deal Board and all partners for playing their part in securing £40.9m – £22.5m from government and an additional £18.4m from match funders – to deliver four transformational projects.

It’s a fantastic result which creates a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make a positive difference to people’s lives.

One of those projects, Enterprising Town, the redevelopment of the existing Leconfield Industrial Estate, forms part of iSH’s wider regeneration programme across West Cumbria, which will have a positive impact on people, the economy, and the environment.

Our managing director John Maddison said: “This is brilliant news for the whole community of Cleator Moor.

“Congratulations to everyone at Copeland Borough Council and Cleator Moor Town Deal Board who helped make this happen.

“The Cleator Moor community and the area’s business community have already played an active role in supporting iSH’s ambitions.

“With today’s funding announcement, it’s now all systems go for the Enterprising Town campus which is a key component of our wider programme across the region.

“We are fully focused on creating jobs, opportunities for businesses and organisations to collaborate, enhance skills, and bring a range of economic and social benefits to the community.

“These are truly exciting times for Cleator Moor and the surrounding area. The time is now to roll up our sleeves and get cracking to deliver for the whole community.”

For more information on the Cleator Moor Town Deal, visit cleatormoortowndeal.org.uk

An event will take place in Cumbria next month to help Cumbrian businesses access opportunities in Defence and other industries.

iSH (Industrial Solutions Hub) has joined forces with FIS360 and the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) to share how businesses can work with them.

Attendees will also be able to find out what funding opportunities are available to work across different industry sectors.

The “Innovation for the future – right here, right now” event takes place at Rosehill Theatre, Whitehaven on Tuesday, November 8, 10am start.

Delegates will hear from a range of speakers, including Jonathan Jones, Innovation Partner, Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA), for a discussion on what opportunities in Defence mean for Cumbrian businesses.

DASA finds and funds exploitable innovation to support UK defence and security quickly and effectively, and support UK prosperity. DASA’s vision is for the UK to have strategic advantage through the most innovative defence and security capabilities in the world, welcoming ideas from innovators small and large, providing support to those who have not previously worked with Government.

FIS360 is a Cumbria-based SME formed in 2013. The company has an exceptional reputation for designing and delivering successful innovation programmes and for helping small businesses and organisations through the challenges of technology commercialisation. Independent and international, the work of FIS360 extends across the UK and Europe with activities in North America and previously as far as the Middle East. Its engagement extends across many industrial sectors including nuclear, chemical processing, computer modelling, robotics, renewables.

There will be a Q&A session featuring all the speakers and a chance to book 1-1 sessions after a networking lunch.

John Maddison, Managing Director of iSH, said: “Collaboration and innovation are key to the Cumbrian business community maximising opportunities to grow and diversify in a range of sectors and across different regions.

“By working alongside DASA and FIS360, we are delighted to bring these opportunities to Cumbria and provide opportunities for businesses to learn about how they can work with different industries.

“We know there are amazing businesses in Cumbria achieving brilliant results and we want to give as many organisations as possible opportunities to grow and build an even more sustainable business ecosystem across the county.

“We hope to spark that conversation by bringing opportunities to their doorstep and giving business leaders a chance to discuss how these opportunities might have a positive impact on their business, their people and their community.”

Businesses are invited to register for the event on Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/opportunities-in-defence-and-other-industries-for-cumbrian-businesses-tickets-444148910347

Young apprentices are being given a unique training experience through a new collaboration between two world-renowned organisations.

Teenagers Ellis Doran and Tyler Lister have become the first Cumbrian control systems engineer apprentices at Jacobs, the global technology-forward solutions company, through a partnership with Sellafield which will see them join the current cohort of seven apprentices learning their trade at Sellafield’s Engineering Centre of Excellence.

As part of Sellafield’s plans to expand its annual training programme which welcomes a new intake of apprentices each year, Dave Jones, the company’s head of Operational Technology Group (OTG), approached Jacobs and asked if it would be interested in collaborating on its apprenticeship pathway programme, which would leverage the benefits each company can offer the students.

The apprentices will predominantly learn their trade at Sellafield’s Centre of Excellence facility at Leconfield Industrial Estate in Cleator Moor but will also benefit from training from experts at Jacobs throughout the course.

Dave said: “As part of our training programme, we have seven apprentices working from our centre of excellence facility so we thought it made sense to extend this to accommodate two more from Jacobs.

“The partnership is about growing the capabilities of businesses across West Cumbria, not just Sellafield, to help all local companies improve and develop their skill sets.

“This collaboration has many benefits as the apprentices will receive ongoing training from Sellafield, while also gaining specialist training from the brilliant team at Jacobs.

“It’s a very exciting partnership and it’s all about sharing resources and facilities to make sure local companies can continue to grow and expand their services.”

In the space of two years, the control system apprenticeship programme at Sellafield’s Centre of Excellence has more than doubled from four students to ten this year.

Mark Quin, Technical Manager at Jacobs, said the partnership was of great mutual benefit and forging collaborations with local companies would support the world pioneering work being carried out in West Cumbria.

He said: “Working with Sellafield’s Centre of Excellence to provide our apprentices a more rounded and mature pathway is a huge advantage to our capability within Jacobs.

“Through excellent relationships with Dave’s team, we have been able to tailor the pathway to benefit both our new apprentices and improve the already market leading pathway that Sellafield has created through support from supply chain members and the varied project lifecycle offering.

“This collaboration creates an innovative culture where client-contractor relationships are uniquely improved to provide a more efficient and agile delivery model, by building early networks and improving stakeholder management and engagement.

“I am excited to see this collaboration grow and to raise the profile of the discipline where we are attracting the best talent to support the industry for years to come.”

More than 700 jobs are set to be created across West Cumbria as a result of the newly launched community regeneration initiative iSH (Industrial Solutions Hub).

The Copeland Borough Council-backed initiative will bring employment, skills and training opportunities to the area, and encourages collaboration between local businesses, organisations and education providers.

iSH Managing Director John Maddison said: “This partnership between Sellafield and Jacobs is a perfect example of how companies can work together to upskill their workforce and provide innovative training opportunities to young people in the area.

“By sharing resources, businesses across West Cumbria can showcase the excellent capabilities of the local workforce and provide more solutions to industry problems across the world.”

A multi-million pound refurbishment of Leconfield Industrial Estate is planned as part of iSH’s vision to regenerate communities in West Cumbria.

A future innovation campus site was the focus of the UK drone community for an event looking at how cutting edge technology can be used across a range of industries.

Sellafield Ltd’s Engineering Centre of Excellence at Cleator Moor, Cumbria, hosted a national COMIT2drones (C2D), event earlier this month when representatives from a range of industries and SMEs shared ideas on opportunities to deploy the latest drone technology.

The centre is based at Leconfield Industrial Estate where iSH (Industrial Solutions Hub) plans to develop a programme of cross-industry collaboration and innovation which will lead to 700 new jobs.

Amanda Smith, UAV Equipment Programme Lead for Sellafield Ltd, hosted the Power Up Sellafield event which attracted 30 representatives from across the UK, including drone specialists such Cyberhawk, Vantage UAV Group, COPTRZ, and Herotech8, as well as industry representatives such as Jacobs, Kier and National Highways.

The event showcased Sellafield’s capabilities through its Remote Technologies Group, which includes UAVs, ROVs and Robotics.

Amanda and her Sellafield team of highly-skilled equipment engineers/remote pilots flew more than 200 asset inspection flights in 2021 delivering in excess of £5m cost avoidance savings.

Most of the flights were at Sellafield. But leading the way in UAV innovation in the UK nuclear industry, Amanda’s team has also carried out flights at other Nuclear Decommissioning Authority sites at Bradwell, Essex, and Sizewell in Suffolk. Sellafield’s ROV team have also carried out work at Dounreay in Caithness, Scotland.

At the Power Up Sellafield event held at Cleator Moor, Amanda shared learnings with delegates by demonstrating her team’s expertise, the type of work they are carrying out, and the positive difference it is making in safety, time and money savings, and improving productivity.

Dave Jones, Sellafield Ltd’s head of Operational Technology Group (OTG),

and Kev Rishworth, Delivery Manager at Sellafield’s Engineering Centre of Excellence representing Engineering Development Solutions, also both gave talks to delegates about innovations across different parts of the business.

COMIT2drones attendees shared their own experiences and discussed opportunities to collaborate in the future.

Amanda said afterwards: “I am elated with the way the event went. It was amazing to see our base in West Cumbria pulling in all these experts from all over the UK.

“What was great to see was how amazed they are at what we can deliver, both on Sellafield site and off site.

“The big advantage we have is that as well as being governed by the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) we also have to meet the extra hurdles of the nuclear safety case. It means that if you can achieve something with drones at Sellafield you should be able to achieve it anywhere else.

“We achieve that with the support of our supply chain partners such as Global Drone Training, PAR Systems, and Forth.

“By working together in collaboration with the supply chain across multiple industries, and talking to members of the COMIT2drones community, we can help solve each other’s problems.”

COMIT2drones is the UK home for professional drone technology and services companies that operate in construction and infrastructure. Members are drawn from a wide variety of organisations and solutions providers.

Tony Shooter, chair of COMIT2drones , said: “The UAV Team at Sellafield Ltd delivered an outstanding event.  Their skilful, structured and insightful portrait of Sellafield left no one in doubt that the team is truly a pioneer in the COMIT2drone community.

“The feedback from members has been fantastic with a real appreciation of the team’s achievements and commitment to setting the standards and embracing shared learning across our group.

“It was a great day at the Engineering Centre of Excellence.  A venue and team that certainly lived up to its name.”

John Maddison, Managing Director of iSH which will have a campus at Leconfield as it looks to help organisations and businesses grow through collaboration across industry, SMEs, academia and the community, said: “It’s brilliant to see events such as this taking place at Leconfield and is why we are so excited about what can be achieved through iSH.

“It’s part of our ambition to enhance capabilities in robotics and artificial intelligence, engage SMEs with opportunities across a range of industries to help solve global challenges, and promote West Cumbria to the world.

“We are lucky to have a workforce with unique skills across the region and events like this show that building that capability is all achievable through people who are passionate about innovation and collaboration.”

To find out more about iSH visit www.ishco.co.uk

Photos:

From left:  George Burne, Business Development Manager, COPTRZ;  Amanda Smith, Sellafield’s UAV Equipment Programme Lead, Remote Handling Equipment Programmes; Luke Henley, UAV Equipment Engineer, Remote Handling Equipment Programmes.

Do you want to know more about 3D printing? Come along to this free event at Eagle Labs, Cumbria on Thursday, October 20, 5pm-6.30pm, to find out more.

This event is aimed at helping anyone who is interested to understand the various forms of 3D printing and differing applications for its use.

3D printing or additive manufacturing is the construction of a three-dimensional object from a CAD model or a digital 3D model, Zoe Crossan, our Lab Engineer will guide you through the world of 3D printing and talk you through the capabilities we have here at Eagle Labs Cumbria in our new Maker Space.

Register your place at the event here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/demystifying-3d-printing-tickets-402346127097?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

To gain access to The Eagle Labs for this event please come to the door that situated in between The Peddler and The Shipwright Arms and ring the doorbell marked Maker Space upon arrival. what3words location : – ///basin.soft.herd.

MORE than 100 young people, aged 5-13, were inspired by science and engineering when Sellafield Engineering Centre of Excellence hosted a UK-wide initiative.

The Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) held events all over the UK in the school holidays to give young people hands-on experience of science.

Sellafield Engineering Centre of Excellence at Cleator Moor, with its dedicated innovation bays, was chosen as an ideal venue to show young people future opportunities.

Craig Branney, Sellafield’s Head of Off-Site Developments, said: “The buzz around the place was amazing. We had children and parents in all the bays having fun trying out the engineering challenges. It was fantastic to feel the energy and excitement.

“It was an honour to host such a prestigious nationwide event and hopefully we have inspired young people from all across West Cumbria what the future might look like for them.”

Holly Maxwell, Lead System Engineer, and Lorna Devine, System Engineer, both at Sellafield, attended the event to inspire girls about careers in engineering.

“It’s about showing young girls that females are engineers and all the opportunities are open to them. If we weren’t here maybe they wouldn’t see someone they identified with or were comfortable approaching to speak to and find out more. It’s about making sure those barriers don’t existing and showing girls that they can absolutely do this.”

Jenny and Peter McCullough were one lots of families attending the event. Their sons William and Thomas enjoyed taking part in some of the fun challenges.

Jenny said: “It’s great for them to actually see what goes on and be able to have a go at the hands-on stuff instead of just hearing about it from adults. It brings it to life and hopefully they see from a young age the possibilities which are open to them. You don’t know what you don’t know. So this is a brilliant way of showing them.”

Thomas said: “It’s been really good. Spot the Dog robot was amazing and it’s been fun being able to try some of the challenges.”

Shawn Ackerlay, commercial manager at Shepley Engineers, said his company sees the value in engaging with schoolchildren from a young age.

“It’s good to be here and show the young people what engineering is all about. I think it’s important to get this type of stuff into the curriculum so young people know more about it and further down the line they might choose an apprenticeship.”

Sellafield engineering manager colleagues Stephen Kitchen and Mike Foy, who represent the the Institute of Engineering and Technology, came up with the idea of holding the event at the Engineering Centre of Excellence and worked with Matt Walton, Senior Corporate Account Manager for the Institute of Engineering and Technology, to make the event a reality.

Artur Majchrowski, Sellafield Electrical and Electronic Engineering Graduate who is building a local IET group in West Cumbria, worked with colleague Dharmesh Premchande to deliver the event with the help of Claire Roper, Sellafield’s Engineering & Maintenance Capability Lead for Professional Development and Claire O’Connor, Sellafield’s Engineering Centre of Excellence socio economic lead.

Artur said: “It’s great for Sellafield to open its doors to kids in this way and the Engineering Centre of Excellence is the ideal place to do that.

“It’s all about encouraging kids and giving them a never-seen-before experience of what industry looks like.

“These sort of events couldn’t happen without the hard work of Claire Roper and Claire O’Connor. They work so hard on the work experience programmes to ensure as many young people as possible are given these opportunities and are inspired by engineering and STEM subjects.

“Everyone has come together to achieve this and make everything visible for the young people and give them this experience to show them what jobs and opportunities are open to them.”

The event is exactly the sort of activity to inspire people about future opportunities and create clear pathways into future employment and skills and training opportunities that iSH (Industrial Solutions Hub) wants to see.

iSH is set to transform Leconfield Industrial Estate in Cleator Moor by creating a campus where industry, SMEs, academia, and community come together to collaborate, as part of its wider programme across West Cumbria which will regenerate local opportunities.

John Maddison, Managing Director of iSH, said: “The more people we can introduce to the opportunities and the possibilities for them the better.

“I am sure many young people who have had this experience at the Engineering Centre of Excellence have gone away inspired about what they could achieve in the future.

“Congratulations to everyone who helped make this happen and inspire the young people. We look forward to being involved in future events and programmes to maximise this opportunity for everyone of all ages across the community.”

Calling all SMEs.

The next cohort of Barclays Eagle Labs Funding Readiness Programme, powered by Capital Enterprise, will go live on October 3.

This is free to attend for any SMEs regardless of where they bank.

Barclays Eagle Labs online sessions cover:

• Grant funding
• Crowdfunding
• Equity investment
• Alternative ways of funding your business

By joining you will:

• Improve your knowledge of the funding landscape
• Learn about the available innovation grant funds and what makes a compelling grant application
• Understand how to plan, market and deliver a successful crowdfunding campaign
• Connect, network and learn from a cohort of ambitious businesses like yours who are looking to grow
• Gain access to educational content
• Receive additional support from the Eagle Labs team after the programme ends as well as mentoring from growth experts
• Receive 1:1 mentoring support from a grant and/or crowdfunding expert*
• Benefit from tailored and 1:1 investor readiness support to help you shape and deliver a compelling pitch to potential investors*
• Attend a demo day*

* selected businesses only.

Register now Applications close September 23, 2022. 

Find out more here: Eagle Labs Funding Readiness powered by Capital Enterprise | Barclays Eagle Labs (uk.barclays)

Contracts have been awarded for initial work to start on the redevelopment of the Leconfield Industrial Estate at Cleator Moor.

The former skip site clearance contract has been awarded to Cumbria Waste Management who are expected to start on site on Monday, September 12 and complete the works by mid October.

Warden Construction has been awarded the contract to relocate the BOC yard from Unit 11 to its new location behind Brannan.

Galliford-Try has been awarded the contract to undertake refurbishment work to 11 existing units on site.

SMEs across West Cumbria are invited to attend a business engagement meeting with iSH on October 6 at Cleator Moor Civic Hall, 10am-noon.

iSH is particularly focusing on opportunities to enhance capabilities in Advanced Manufacturing, Cyber Security, Digital, Robotics and AI across the region.

SMEs are now invited to attend this engagement event to find out:

*how iSH can help their business

*how they can help shape the future of the region’s business eco-system

John Maddison, Managing Director of iSH, said: “We have been very busy at iSH in recent weeks and making great progress on a range of opportunities.

“We are now very keen to engage with SMEs across the region and discuss how iSH can help businesses grow.

“It’s very much a two-way conversation. We are just as interested in how those SMEs see the opportunity to shape iSH and ultimately the future of the wider region.

“We have held community group meetings which have been a great way of exchanging information and views to help shape iSH and what happens across the community.

“These SME meetings will very much focus on business outcomes and we look forward to hearing the views of those running businesses across the region.”

The iSH SME engagement event is due to take place from 10am-noon, with refreshments and a chance to network after the event.

To reserve your place for the event please book on EventBrite https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ish-sme-engagement-event-tickets-415292138967

Collaboration and joint ventures are becoming ever more prevalent for SMEs looking to combine their skills and expertise to bid for major industry contracts across a range of sectors.

McMenon recently announced that, as part of the NWEC Alliance, it has secured two major contract wins, worth more than £4million with Programme and Project Partners at Sellafield.

NWEC – a collaborative partnership between McMenon and TIS Cumbria – will provide process cabinets for the SIXEP Continuity Plant (SCP) with a total contract value of £3.5 million.

This will include the fabrication, assembly, testing and supply of wash and process cabinets to be used in the site’s new-build facility that will ensure the existing Site Ion Exchange Effluent Plant facility, which has been running since 1985, can continue its vital work for decades to come.
Another contract is for 191 fabrications for theSellafield Product and Residue Store Retreatment Plant (SRP) with a contract value of just over £800,000.
This includes a manufacturing package for specialist trolleys, handling equipment, personnel access and machine operating and maintenance tooling.

McMenon CEO, Anand Puthran, said: “Winning two new contracts with PPP, worth more than £4million, is a ringing endorsement for the skills and quality within McMenon and TIS Cumbria – who make up the NWEC Alliance.
“Not only does it meet McMenon’s diversification aims but also puts us firmly on the map among top class manufacturing companies in West Cumbria and the wider UK civil nuclear infrastructure community.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase our engineering and manufacturing expertise and show what two independent SMEs on the west coast of Cumbria can achieve through collaborative working.

“NWEC’s aim was always to help establish a long-term and sustainable legacy for the West Cumbrian and wider UK economy through the provision of opportunities, skills, engagement and employment. And this contract win is a huge boost to our aims.

“We are all excited to get started. Our thanks go to Programme and Project Partners for the endorsement and we look forward to developing our relationship with Sellafield Ltd moving forward.”

McMenon Chief Operations Officer, Shiby Bernard, who manages the engineering and manufacturing side of the business, said: “This is a fantastic achievement and showcases the ability of our highly skilled workforce.

“This contract win will allow us to support more young people into engineering careers and I personally would be looking to encourage more females into the sector. This is a cause we have always championed through our apprenticeship and schools programme.”

The collaboration also benefits different sectors, including professional services.

Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors supported McMenon Engineering Services with the legal framework underpinning its NWEC Alliance with TIS Cumbria Ltd.

Sam Lyon, Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors Head of Corporate and Commercial, said: “It’s great to see so many businesses across Cumbria and the North collaborating and being successful in winning such major contracts. It’s fantastic news not only for them, but for the wider economy and the community.

“We are seeing more and more businesses collaborating in this way. We work with a business to make sure it is clear who will be responsible for what. Is a new joint venture company to be formed for the bid or will the collaborating businesses remain separate and enter into a contractual joint venture? In order to have a chance to win bids it’s vital that this work is done upfront.

“We made sure we put in place all those structures to keep all the partners happy and allow them to progress smoothly, which it is great to see has resulted in the recent £4m contract win. This level of expertise and service is available in Cumbria. Businesses don’t have to go further afield.

“It’s brilliant to see that it has been a successful outcome for McMenon and the NWEC Alliance as it will support more jobs in the county.”

Anand said: “We have collaborated with a range of organisations to help make this happen and we thank Sam and the team at Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors for their expertise. We are looking forward to working on the PPP and further developing our relationship with Sellafield Ltd.”

John Maddison, Managing Director of iSH, said: “It’s brilliant to see the success McMenon and TIS Cumbria Ltd have had through forming the NWEC Alliance.This is a great example of the enhanced capability from collaboration and the benefit it brings to SMEs, industry, the West Cumbria community and the wider economic region.”

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/latest-win-for-west-cumbrian-firms-with-sellafield-partnership

TWO long-established Cumbrian companies have formed a collaborative partnership to complement each other’s strengths and provide a more comprehensive service to their clients.

Engineering company Forth, which specialises in providing bespoke solutions to industry-wide problems, and design consultancy Actemium Design UK, formerly North West Projects, have entered a formal agreement to join forces to provide ‘cradle to grave’ services all under one roof.

The partnership was agreed as both companies identified the other could provide expertise in areas they were lacking in, with Actemium providing design and substantiation services and Forth developing these assets through its mechanical and electrical engineering skill sets.

The newly agreed collaboration is already reaping the rewards following successful tenders for design, build and testing on two projects, including the creation of specialist underwater lifting equipment for use within the legacy ponds at Sellafield.

Mark Telford, the Managing Director of Forth, said: “This partnership will provide a one-stop shop for clients that require engineered solutions to their problems within challenging timescales through the ability to provide concurrent trials and testing at the early phases of design.

“Forth cannot provide design and substantiation services to as high a standard as Actemium can while we can provide the agility to develop and manufacture equipment for suppliers of high quality with a quick turn-around time, so it’s a case of both companies recognising its strengths and weaknesses and working together, rather than against each other, to offer the best value for money to our clients.

“Collaboration is key to SMEs across Cumbria and by streamlining our services and joining up with other businesses means that we’re offering a better service to our clients in highly regulated industries without compromising on the high quality we both work to.

“By working together, we are keeping jobs in the local area because it removes the requirement for clients to look elsewhere to plug the gaps that we wouldn’t be able to provide on a project.”

Pooling resources together will also go a long way in addressing the ongoing recruitment crisis most industries are currently experiencing.

As both companies are actively recruiting for suitable candidates to join their teams, the collaborative working removes the need to employ somebody to carry out the roles the firms cannot currently deliver themselves, therefore saving money for the company and subsequently the client.

Forth and Actemium will also share staffing resources and provide ongoing training for apprentices over the two bases.

Mark said: “SMEs are experiencing huge difficulties in recruiting the talent they need to fill vacant roles, but this partnership means that we don’t have to continue to struggle finding somebody suitable as we can provide the required expertise between us.

“It’s mutually beneficial to both businesses and it means that we are in a much stronger position to provide a better service to clients.

“It opens doors for us to share staff on projects and also provide practical training opportunities to employees at the respective companies, and that will bring out the best in our workforce.”

Actemium Design UK, which operated as North West Projects for more than 30 years, is now part of the globally-renowned Vinci Corporation and has a base at Whitehaven Harbour.

Brian Berry, Actemium’s Business Unit General Manager, said: “It’s great to be collaborating with such an innovative company like Forth, and we are looking forward to a long and successful partnership.

“As a company, our specialisms lie in mechanical and electrical design across highly regulated industries such as nuclear, decommissioning, pharmaceutical and oil and gas, and we have a long history of providing a first class service to our clients.

“By combining our capabilities, this partnership is a really exciting collaboration to be involved in and working together will enable us to provide an even more comprehensive, industry-wide service.”

Forth has offices in Flimby, Cleator Moor and Barrow-in-Furness, all in Cumbria, while Actemium Design has a presence in Lancashire and Hampshire in addition to its Cumbrian base.

John Maddison, Managing Director of iSH, said: “It’s great to see a collaboration like this which delivers enhanced capability and benefits SMEs, industry, and the wider economic region.”