Member Article

Coaching drives four top firms to success

Clients of the UK’s leading provider of specialist corporate coaching have swept the boards at the prestigious Northumberland Business Awards.

Oxford Innovation delivers the Business Northumberland High Growth Programme, providing free coaching to enable eligible firms in the county reach their full potential.

Four of the clients to have completed the programme were nominated for awards and all four took home honours from the ceremony which took place at Linden Hall Hotel on Thursday, 14 November.

The Best Start-up award went to Amble-based QuestUAV, manufacturers of small unmanned aircraft that carry digital photographic equipment for mapping and surveillance purposes. QuestUAV design and make the aircraft frames, fit the photographic equipment and software and can provide training to the customer should they require it. The firm’s range of products can be used to map wide areas of land, to monitor the effects of climate change and to provide geological surveys.

Solar Capture Technologies specialises in the research, development and production of photovoltaic systems, harnessing sunlight to provide sustainable energy for a range of end-uses. The Blyth-based company was named Best Micro-Small Business in South East Northumberland. They have identified key target markets and applications for their innovative product range, including road-side signage, rail network maintenance, mobile and remote communications and off-shore oil and gas.

Winner of the Best Micro-Small Business (Rural) was Berwick-based, First 4 Websites. The company provides a growing list of clients with the full range of digital design, website build and social media marketing services. The firm has only been trading for just over 18 months but already it employs nine people including one apprentice.

The All-In-One-Company manufactures ‘onesie’ suits in all shapes, sizes and designs. As well as leading the highly competitive UK market, the firm has so far exported to over 150 countries worldwide. The All-In-One-Company has recently expanded its premises in Ashington where it employs 23 people including apprentices and was therefore a worthy recipient of the Training award.

Oxford Innovation’s Mike Jobson leads the Business Northumberland High Growth Programme and he has coached all four winning businesses: “These four very diverse businesses each embraced the coaching programme and it was my pleasure to work with them. Coaching is still a relatively new concept in the UK but if it is bespoke to the individual client needs it can deliver tangible and lasting benefits to any business regardless of size or sector.”

Mike added: “I warmly congratulate the leaders and teams in these four award-winning businesses and I wish them continued success as they play their part in driving Northumberland’s economy forward.”

The Business Northumberland High Growth Programme is jointly funded by Arch, The Northumberland Development Company; Northumberland County Council and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The Programme provides free coaching and business support to existing businesses and start-ups across Northumberland.

Oxford Innovation’s methods have proved successful elsewhere in the UK, where the organisation has worked with over 2,500 high growth businesses and start-ups. And despite the challenging economic circumstances of the last three years, Oxford Innovation has helped its clients across the UK access over £100 million of funding, creating or safeguarding more than 1,600 jobs.

Anyone wishing to find out more about the Business Northumberland High Growth Programme and how Oxford Innovation can potentially support their business should call 01670 528403, email northumberland@oxin.co.uk or visit www.businessnorthumberland.co.uk.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Round Table Solutions Ltd .