Member Article

Added value at OKTOBERFEST 2011

Participants at this year’s Oktoberfest are set to reap further benefits with the addition of an exclusive professional services section.

Oktoberfest is the north east’s largest engineering and manufacturing showcase, set to take place on Wednesday, October 19th at the XCEL Centre, Newton Aycliffe. With over 90 exhibitors signed up to take part the event is a must for anyone with a stake in the region’s manufacturing and engineering sector.

Now in its fourth year, a select number of companies will be on hand to offer a range of professional services and support. As well as Cellular Solutions, ITPS and Swinburne Jackson, one of the latest companies to sign up to exhibit is NEL Fund Managers Ltd.

NEL is the north east’s most active business investor, and has been successfully investing in north east businesses for more than two decades. The firm is responsible for the management of the £20m Finance for Business North East Growth Fund, which is aimed at established companies based anywhere in the north east which are at a development and growth stage, and which is designed to facilitate the creation of over 1,500 new jobs in the region by the end of 2014, as well as helping to safeguard a further 1,300 jobs.

Jane Siddle, Investment Executive at NEL says the company is aiming to make investments of between £50,000 and £400,000 in at least 130 regional firms during the lifetime of the fund. She said “We are especially interested in hearing from manufacturing and engineering businesses, as these sectors have traditionally provided a high proportion of its investee firms.”

Another company looking to highlight their expertise and offer advice on a range of finance issues is BLA Consulting. Experts on tax advice and cash flow solutions, BLA will be sharing their stand with Howarth Lynch, an independent chartered tax consultancy firm specialising in Research and Development (R & D) relief and credits. Partner at BLA Consulting David Bradshaw said; “We work with clients to maximise their profit, cut their tax bills and improve their personal wealth. Research and Development Tax Credits are a spectacularly underutilised government incentive. The relief works to give 200% tax relief for research and development spend so long, of course, that the right conditions are met. The thing that businesses don’t realise is that those conditions are present more often than not. It’s just a matter of knowing where to look!”

Anyone interested in finding out more about how to get involved in Oktoberfest should contact Engineering Clusters County Durham on 01207 585 816, email info@durhamoktoberfest.org.uk or visit the website at www.durhamoktoberfest.org.uk.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Lorraine Schapira .