Member Article

Dozens of businesses pledge support to new identity and website

DOZENS of businesses from across Peterlee Business Park have pledged their support to a new identity and website which were unveiled to Grahame Morris MP today (Friday).

The www.peterleebusiness.co.uk site is now live and has been created to showcase Peterlee as a leading business destination, promote its vast business landscape, act as a shop window for potential inward investors and share good news.

And the town’s three industrial estates, the South West, North West and North East, and Bracken Hill Business Park and Whitehouse Business Park, will all come under the newly created Peterlee Business Park brand, which has been designed to reflect the area’s geographical profile.

Both the identity and website, which have been supported by Business Durham, were unveiled at a breakfast meeting attended by many of Peterlee’s largest employers, including Mecaplast, Walkers, Seaward and HMRC, Grahame Morris MP and the area’s newest company, The AMA Group, which is bringing clothing manufacturing back to East Durham.

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Steve Metcalfe, HR Manager at NSK Bearings, is Chairman of the Peterlee Business Park Group steering group which was set up to drive forward the development of the new identity and website and give the wider group a more strategic focus to help realise the full potential of the area and promote everything it has to offer.

He said: “The turn out at today’s meeting was fantastic and shows there’s a real desire among the business community to work together for the good of the area.

“If we are to maximise and build on everything Peterlee Business Park has to offer, we all have to work together. We as businesses, the area’s education providers, business support and training organisations and our MP all have a responsibility to do their bit and make it work.

“Through our new website, we have a real platform to build on and we hope businesses in the area embrace it and use it as a tool to benefit them.”

The Peterlee Business Park Group steering group also includes Valda Goodfellow, Managing Director of fine dining catering equipment specialist Goodfellow and Goodfellow; Richard Egginton, Business Systems Manager from manufacturing firm Sotech; Joanne Urquhart-Arnold, Business Development Area Manager (East) for Business Durham; and Leanne English, Director of communications firm LEC Consultancy.

Leanne English, who led on the development of the brand and website, said: “We’ve created a website and identity which we believe celebrate this area and everything it has to offer. We want to move away from the negative images associated with Peterlee and East Durham and instead say ‘look at everything we’re doing well’. We shouldn’t be afraid to shout about our successes and help put this area on the map for all the right reasons.”

Peterlee Business Park Group was formed by Business Durham to encourage companies across Peterlee’s industrial estates and business parks to share ideas, best practice and identify future opportunities, which will strengthen the area’s offering regionally, nationally and internationally.

During its first year, the focus was to address and resolve issues which members felt affected the image of the park including traffic congestion, road markings, illegal parking, litter, fly tipping, dog fouling and broadband connectivity in the area.

Over the next 12 months and beyond the priority is to showcase Peterlee as a premier business location, promote the achievements of businesses on the park, support the area’s growth and encourage a thriving business network which allows companies to share opportunities, learn from industry experts and gain exposure for the work they’re doing.

Grahame Morris MP has been a supporter of the Peterlee Business Park since its creation. He said: “I am delighted to support the Peterlee Business Park initiative that will help to advertise and promote the success and benefits of doing business in Peterlee. It is so important that businesses support one another to grow and help this area realise its full potential .In my capacity as the MP representing the area. I will do everything I can to help.”

The next meeting of the Peterlee Business Park will be on Friday, June 20, at East Durham College from 8.30am. The theme will be funding support for businesses.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Leanne English .