Moxy Manchester City, a Marriott concept, from KE Hotels, will bring more style and socialising to Manchester’s Spinningfields as it opens a brand new 146-modern bedroom hotel, with a cool living room lobby and hip bar this November. A boutique hotel at heart, Moxy Manchester City is the life and soul of the party, ensuring guests have a good time from the minute they arrive.
SLEEP WITH MOXY: The 146 vibrant Spinningfields bedrooms are cleverly designed to be as productive or as playful as you want. From plush platform beds to a fun-size workspace and comfy lounge chairs, there’s something for all your needs. Moxy Manchester City rooms also feature walk-in showers, TVs with Netflix, open-wall closets, and motion activated LED guidelights. Plus, they’re pet friendly, so pooches can come too.
MAKING AN ENTRANCE: Moxy Manchester City has done away with the front desk. Head straight to the bar where a complimentary cocktail is served at check-in, alongside the room key.
Bar Moxy is the place to be, for work or play, with hand-crafted drinks, small plates, and upbeat background music. Set in the communal living room lobby, here you can hang out with your closest friends, party with new ones, or keep it strictly business with spaces to work and meet and free & fast WIFI.
Keeping the vibe high, make the most of the barista counter for those early morning wakeups and afternoon-pick-me-ups. Snacks and beverages are available 24/7 to satisfy all your cravings.
LOOKING GOOD: Transforming a former hat factory, the new hotel will give a fresh lease of life to the 18th century building, which is clad in weathered-effect metal panels to give an urban contrast to the original façade that has been retained as part of the new nine-storey structure.
#PLAYON #ATTHEMOXY: Join the scene at Moxy Manchester City for affordable fun and endless adventure. A new neighbourhood hotel and hangout, located between Spinningfields and Deansgate; a vibrant district with cool and cultural attractions, stand-out restaurants, and shopping destinations all close by. Moxy Manchester City has thoughtful crew members, offering a first-class Marriott service and a whole load of fun.
Commenting on the opening, Director at KE Hotels, Anil Khanna said: “Moxy Manchester City will be a new playground for the neighbourhood and city. Our play and stay concept is a new way of travelling, designed to give guests everything they want at an affordable price.
“Located in the city’s vibrant Spinningfields district, Moxy Manchester City won’t take itself too seriously, but it is serious about showing guests a good time. We have smartly spaced rooms, stylish communal areas that are ideal for work and meetings, and a new cool bar for the city.
“We wanted the design of the building to fuse together traditional and contemporary – the exterior is stunning and something very unique, whilst the hotel’s interior will feature nods towards the building’s industrial past. We can’t wait to show Manchester the Moxy lifestyle.”
LEADING UK law firm Shoosmiths which has an office in Manchester’s XYZ Building, has announced Birmingham partner David Jackson is to become its CEO from 1 May 2022.
Simon Boss, who remains CEO at Shoosmiths alongside chairperson Peter Duff, did not stand for re-election.
David currently leads Shoosmiths’ award-winning national Commercial Group and has been at the forefront of the development and launch of major LegalTech solutions (such as matters+ and Cia®) and other innovative offerings including its complementary non-legal service arm, Shoosmiths8 Connected Services. He has been a Shoosmiths partner for 15 years, having joined the firm in 2006 from Compass Group Plc, where he was legal counsel. Prior to that, David was at DLA Piper.
David said of his appointment: “I am honoured and excited to be taking on the role of CEO of Shoosmiths. And it is no small challenge to follow in Simon’s footsteps, given the exceptional job he has done over the last three years in steering us through the pandemic and delivering impressive growth across all our business areas. Those turbulent times have brought out the very best in our management team, our partners and our people, and I feel truly privileged to have the opportunity to work alongside Peter in leading them through the next chapter in Shoosmiths’ story.
“The rate of change in the legal profession has never been greater, and that trend is only going to continue, bringing with it many opportunities. So, I am really looking forward to the journey ahead and all along the way we will put our amazing clients and our exceptionally talented people at the heart of everything we do.”
Simon Boss commented: “I have absolute confidence that David, with his spirit, energy and expertise, will excel in the role of CEO from May next year and build upon the successes we continue to enjoy. Although I have decided to step back from the CEO role, I intend to continue my focus on social mobility and other aspects of the ESG agenda.
“What we have achieved collectively as a firm so far is nothing short of remarkable, and we continue to evolve every day. I am especially proud of what has been achieved during my tenure – the growth, development and recognition of the firm, the operational continuity through a challenging period, the establishment of firmwide ESG goals, such as our ambition to be Carbon Net Zero by 2025, our focus on social mobility and the launch of the Shoosmiths Foundation.
“I would like to thank the firm and everyone I have worked with closely with over the last three years. I remain as active as ever until May comes.”
Peter Duff said: “I congratulate David and look forward to working with him leading Shoosmiths into its next chapter.
“The firm is at an exciting point in its journey and I would like to personally thank Simon for his contribution. In his role as CEO he has played a huge part in the strategic decision making that has seen Shoosmiths enjoy success after success, and wish him the very best.
“David is another topflight lawyer, who has consistently delivered for the firm and has brought new ideas and innovations to life. I have no doubt he will make a brilliant CEO for Shoosmiths and am excited to work alongside him as part of the senior leadership team from May next year.”
Luxury, online home decor and furniture brand CARME Home continues business expansion in Europe, following the company’s incredible success.
Manchester based luxury online home retailer, CARME Home, recently launched a second distribution centre in mainland Europe, based in Rotterdam, to expand its delivery services and current UK offering following the brands continuous success and growth.
During its launch, CARME Home released a number of products, designed and manufactured in house, which sold out in the first three months of trading. The consumer demand led to an overall business expansion including new hires, a new office, and exciting new product lines.
Over the last three years, CARME Home has doubled its sales year on year and continues to manufacture, design and market its products in house for customers globally. In 2022, the company plans to continue its impressive growth with plans underway to launch additional distribution centres in the US, Canada and South America.
Co-founder, Marc Epstein, has more than 20 year’s experience in the sector with a background in sales and distribution. After finding a passion for design, Marc teamed up with his now business partner and founded CARME Home. Soon after, his wife, Creative and Branding Director, Rachel, joined the business to continue the business’ growth and expand their empire in Europe and beyond.
Marc Epstein, Co-founder of CARME Home and Interior Design Specialist, said: “Expanding to Europe is a huge milestone and achievement for the business. Over the last 18 months, sales in home interiors have rocketed and our sales continue to grow beyond the national lockdown spikes. We now have big plans for the business to expand our offering into the North and South American markets. We are passionate about creating trends and delivering the most advanced furniture thanks to our impressive fusion with technology.”
CARME Home is a high-end online decor retailer offering high quality, timeless and stylish furniture pieces, bringing luxurious pieces into the home. CARME Home products are fused with modern technology to provide exclusive home and beauty-based products to the consumer. The vast majority of Carme’s products are design registered, meaning they own the design rights and making them truly unique and always keeping one step ahead of the competition.
CARME Home also offers e-gift cards ranging in value from £20 to £500.
Apprenticeships have been a point of particular interest for the government since early pushes to adopt them in the 2010s. They provide useful ways for businesses to benefit from low-cost labour, while creating an experienced and educated workforce for future years. But could your business benefit from one? We’ll discuss the ins and outs of apprenticeships, the benefits an apprentice can bring to your business, and exactly what you need to do to welcome an apprentice into your workforce.
What Is an Apprenticeship?
An apprenticeship is a government-funded program, an alternative to higher education which allows young people to gain real on-the-job experience in a vocation while receiving training, resulting in a certificate of apprenticeship and a promising future in the vocation of their choice.Such a scheme should help to create a valuable employee who understands their role and the importance of safety measures such as appropriate footwear. The position lasts anywhere between 1 and 6 years, with apprentices earning the minimum wage while they study and learn. Eighty per cent of an apprentice’s time is spent working for their company, with the remaining 20% given to training. Apprentices arefor all intents and purposes employees, entitled to 28 days holiday including bank holidays.
Firstly, the government pays 95% of the training costs incurred by hiring an apprentice, making the onboarding process an inexpensive endeavour. The government also pay up to £4000, including incentive payments, for the offering of apprenticeships in your business – and with apprentices earning the minimum wage, your wage-profit turnover is not greatly affected.
Where it might seem like training up an unskilled apprentice in your field would be time-consuming and detrimental to business, 1 of 5 days in the week is given to training, conducted by an external training providerlargely paid for by the government. Apprentices are there out of genuine interest in, and aptitude for, your business’ field – making them an excellent choice for the bottom rung of the career ladder. And, after the apprenticeship has ended, your apprentice may well be valuable enough to keep on your workforce.
How do I Hire an Apprentice?
Firstly, you need to decide what kind of apprentice your business would benefit from having. Once you have done this, reach out to an apprentice training provider in that field, and discuss the needs of your business with them. With a training provider on board, it is now time to create a profile on the government’s apprenticeshipportal. This profile will give you access to funding and resources, as well as the ability to create openings – for which you can advertise externally.
Once you have received applications, the hiring process is just like any other job. Select your most favouredapplicant and bring them onto your team. From now on, the apprentice is your responsibility – and as such, it is your responsibility to source the resources they may need to work for you. You can use the government’s incentive funding to pay for this, which may include: the installation of a new workstation; the purchasing of additional equipment or uniforms; or the preparation of a training area.
A free to access marketing masterclass has been developed for digital technology entrepreneurs from Greater Manchester to upskill in the use of digital marketing and brand promotion.
Developed by innovation hub HOST, the Home of Skills & Technology at MediaCity, Promote Your Tech, is a 12-hour masterclass spread over three days to support businesses with their specific marketing needs.
The masterclass will offer a deep dive into digital marketing with a focus on how to attract new customers and create a growth action plan, as well as one-to-one business support, networking and peer group mentoring.
Promote Your Tech is part of HOST’s Your Tech series and follows the success of Fund Your Tech, which helped 25 businesses access funding support and advice on grants and alternative finance options.
Through its programmes, HOST has identified that a lack of understanding of digital marketing is an ongoing issue for entrepreneurs and has developed the masterclass in response to this need.
Promote Your Tech is open to Greater Manchester-based digital technology businesses with less than 250 full-time employees, a turnover of less than £43 million or a balance sheet of less than £37 million with the ambition to grow, innovate and scale up.
Bella Copland, Director of Programmes at HOST, said: “We have seen an emerging trend with entrepreneurs and start-ups wanting to learn more about how they can maximise the impact of their digital marketing efforts and bring greater returns for their business.
“We hope to meet this demand with a flexible, fully-funded hybrid masterclass that has been developed specifically for entrepreneurs in mind, so they can access the marketing support they need to help them accelerate their journey to success.”
Promote Your Tech is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund and also supported by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Greater Manchester local authorities.
IN4 Group, operator of HOST, is working with GC Business Growth Hub, part of The Growth Company to provide fully-funded business support. The Hub assists businesses at all stages of their growth journey with a broad range of services, including one-to-one and peer-to-peer support, events, specialist programmes and funding.
Fast-growth fintech Fluent Money has announced plans to donate £100k to charities in the next 12 months.
The pledge is central to the business’s new Environment Social and Governance (ESG) programme, Fluent Giving.
Over the last two years, the group has donated more than £80,000 to charities both at home and abroad, working with a number of organisations that support young people and children.
Fluent Money’s CEO Kevin Hindley is an Ambassador of the Charity KidsOut, raising money to give disadvantaged children positive early-life experiences by providing them with opportunities and activities otherwise not available to them.
Fluent Money also has a long-standing relationship, supporting Education for the Children (EFTC), who work to provide educational scholarships to underprivileged children in Guatemala, giving young people and families access to education, healthcare and social support
As part of its new Fluent Giving initiative, the business has introduced a number of ways in which staff can help raise money for the charities, in addition to the money donated on the back of the case completions. This includes matching fundraising efforts, volunteering and allowing staff to become involved in charitable initiatives in work time.
More recently the business has also announced its partnership with Bolton Lads and Girls Club, becoming a patron of the charity for 2021/22.
Group Marketing Director, Suzanne Aspden said: “We’re really proud of our ongoing support and work with charities both at home and overseas. Education for the Children has been our principal charity for many years and will continue to receive our support, however as the business has grown we would like to share the money we raise more widely.
“Like most businesses, we saw first-hand the impact the pandemic has had on the local community here in Bolton. Over 80% of our workforce are from the local area and the Group Board wanted to help.”
Founded in 2008, Fluent has become one largest specialist lending distributors in the UK. They deliver services through its businesses Fluent Money (second mortgages), Fluent Mortgages, Fluent Lifetime (equity release), and Fluent Protect (insurance). The group, based out of the historic Loco Works in Horwich, has also recently recruited nearly 100 new staff, taking its headcount to 400, and is planning further expansion.
Manchester-based, global social media agency Social Republic, has been commissioned by the British Red Cross to deliver a ground-breaking climate change filter for social media.
The augmented reality (AR) filter which can be accessed exclusively on Instagram, highlights the impact of extreme weather conditions caused by climate change.
Users can immerse themselves in multiple locations that have been severely affected by wildfires, drought, heatwaves and flooding.
The British Red Cross is working in 192 countries across the world and help communities stand strong in the face of climate change.
From providing vital training, to using innovative technology, their teams are reaching people in the here and now – so that when the next flood, cyclone or heatwave happens, they are ready.
Richard Blewitt, Executive Director of International at the British Red Cross said:
“People around the world are feeling the impacts of climate change, not just abroad but in the UK too.
“Red Cross teams are on the ground now, helping communities adapt, respond and recover to the impacts of climate change, whether that’s supporting those whose homes have been destroyed in flooding or farmers whose livelihoods have been damaged by extreme drought.
By working with Social Republic to create these innovative and educational AR filters, we are able to raise awareness that climate change is happening right here, right now and the Red Cross are always there to support those in crisis.”
CEO of Social Republic, Rob Illidge added:
“It’s an honour to work alongside the British Red Cross to deliver an insightful climate change filter on Instagram to showcase the effects of climate change.
As an ethical agency that is aware of our impact on the planet, we are passionate about highlighting the devastating impact extreme weather is having on communities around the world.
We all have an opportunity to make a difference, and the time is now.”
The filter can be found on the British Red Cross’ Instagram page by selecting the filter icon, or by opening the Story camera and searching for ‘Climate Change by British Red Cross’.
Social Republic has established itself as a leading global agency, having developed a client base in the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States.
Carl Hirst breaks down the nitty gritty of renewable electricity tariffs, including what to look out for, the right questions to ask your supplier and how to report it in your carbon footprint.
One of the simplest ways for you to reduce your impact on the climate is to switch your energy supply to renewable electricity. There is now a plethora of options available on the market for ‘renewable’ or ‘green’ tariffs, but what exactly do those terms mean? The answer is a little more complex than many energy suppliers would like to admit.
Here is our guide to what you need to know about renewable electricity tariffs.
First things first
Before we get into the detail of how renewable tariffs work, note that switching to renewable electricity shouldn’t necessarily be at the top of your carbon reduction to-do list.
The cleanest form of power isn’t wind or solar power; it’s the power you don’t use in the first place. Prioritising energy efficiency measures that minimise your base demand will result in lower bills and resilience to rising energy prices, while making sure the electricity you’re supplied with isn’t going to waste.
Renewable electricity 101
The UK’s electricity grid is supplied with power from a range of sources. Until relatively recently, most of our electricity was generated by coal and gas, but today coal has almost disappeared entirely. Filling this gap is a growing share of renewables – chiefly wind power, followed by solar and a small amount of hydroelectricity. These are called ‘renewable’ because the power comes from natural sources that are unlimited in supply. Renewables are the cleanest way to produce electricity.
A sizeable portion of our electricity also comes from nuclear power (the actual mix fluctuates daily – you can see a live breakdown here). Renewables and nuclear power together are often called ‘zero carbon’ electricity, because neither produce greenhouse gas emissions at the point of generation.
In the long-term, the UK will transition to completely zero carbon electricity delivered almost entirely by renewables. Until then, energy suppliers are offering customers specific ‘renewable’ or ‘green’ tariffs as a way for you to support the growth of renewables and reduce your carbon footprint.
The good, the bad and the ugly of ‘green’ tariffs
In reality, nothing changes to your actual electricity supply when you switch to a ‘renewable’ tariff. Everyone on the grid receives the same electricity mix, regardless of the tariff they are on. Suppliers are able to offer these tariffs by making sure they purchase enough power from renewable sources to match the electricity their customers use. Unfortunately, some suppliers do this more honestly than others.
Double exposure graphic of business people working over wind turbine farm and green renewable energy worker interface. Concept of sustainability development by alternative energy.
The good
In the UK, a renewable electricity generator (such as a wind farm operator), is eligible to receive a special certificate called a Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origin (or REGO) for every megawatt hour of power it produces. This certificate is proof that the power generated comes from a renewable source. When a supplier purchases this power directly, they also obtain the certificate. At the end of the year, the supplier then ‘retires’ these certificates to Ofgem as proof that they have bought enough renewable electricity to cover their customers’ needs.
The not so good
However, because of the way the market works, the electricity and the REGO certificate that comes with it can in fact be sold separately. And as there is far more renewable power being generated than customers on renewable tariffs, and some buyers of renewable power have no need for the certificates, there is a big surplus of certificates in the market. This means that suppliers can buy up certificates very cheaply (at a cost of about 50p each in 2020) to cover their obligations, without needing to purchase any renewable power at all.
In other words, they can have all the right paperwork to say their tariff is ‘100 per cent renewable’, all the while buying electricity from the wholesale market that includes fossil fuels, nuclear and other power sources.
In theory, this type of tariff could still provide a valuable source of revenue for renewable electricity generators, but the extremely low cost of certificates on the market is preventing this from happening.
The ugly
Suppliers can also cover their renewable tariff obligations by purchasing the equivalent of REGO certificates from elsewhere in Europe. Because of the way the market works, there is a serious risk these can be double counted, and even if not, they mean less support for renewables here in the UK.
There is a strong argument that ‘green’ tariffs backed by certificates alone, whether from the UK or elsewhere, is greenwashing – customers are potentially being misled into believing they are directly supporting renewable electricity, when in fact their supplier is doing nothing of the sort.
The most transparent way for a supplier to guarantee the provenance of their electricity is to purchase renewable power directly from generators through a contract known as a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). PPAs gives the generator the long-term certainty they need to invest in their wind turbines or solar panels, while giving the end customer (you) certainty of where the electricity came from.
To understand how ‘green’ a tariff really is, ask the supplier to provide:
An annual breakdown of the electricity mix they purchase (some suppliers provide this on their website)
Disclosure of how much of the power they supply is backed by PPAs (and the associated certificates), and how much by just certificates alone.
The more detail the supplier provides, the better. Ultimately, if a tariff looks too good to be true, it probably is.
Other ways to source renewable electricity
There are of course other ways to obtain a genuine renewable electricity supply. For example, there is nothing stopping businesses from arranging their own PPA with a power generator, just like energy suppliers do. One way to do this is to allow a renewable energy company to install solar PV on your rooftop, under a contract to sell the electricity back to you. It may even be possible to arrange a PPA with a local renewable energy project.
Alternatively, you could install solar PV yourself, in which case you own the asset itself and have full control over the power you generate, as well as benefit from selling any excess electricity back into the grid.
How to report renewable electricity in your carbon footprint
If you are formally calculating and reporting your organisation’s carbon footprint, you may understandably want it to reflect the fact that you source your electricity from renewables. Again, things can get complicated here! I suggest you skip this section if you are completely new to this.
If you’ve read our beginner’s guide to calculating your carbon footprint, you’ll know that electricity from the grid comes under the Scope 2 category of greenhouse gas emissions. Typically, your Scope 2 is calculated based on the average carbon footprint of the UK’s electricity mix for the reporting year, regardless of the type of tariff you have. This is called the ‘location-based’ method of measuring Scope 2.
There is a second method of measuring your Scope 2 emissions called the ‘market-based’ method. This allows you to report emissions based on the specific source(s) of your electricity. In the case of a 100 per cent renewable tariff, providing it meets Scope 2 quality criteria (check with your supplier), this means you can technically report ‘zero’ emissions, because renewables do not generate greenhouse gas emissions.
However, while the market-based method allows you to demonstrate a positive impact to your carbon footprint, it could be misleading. The reduction in emissions you report should only be a direct result of your own actions; in other words, the reduction would not have occurred without you (this is called ‘additionality’). This may be the case if your electricity is procured via PPAs with generators that do not rely on any other form of financial support (such as government subsidy). But it is almost certainly not the case if your electricity is just backed by certificates.
In the spirit of transparency, there are good reasons to report your Scope 2 emissions using both the location-based method and the market-based method if you have a 100 per cent renewable tariff:
It provides full disclosure of the actual electricity mix you use, while also showing that you have taken measures to support renewables
It ensures you still have an incentive to reduce your energy consumption.
Overall, renewable electricity tariffs are a valuable tool in your arsenal to cutting emissions. But keep an eye out for greenwashing and remember – reducing your energy usage should always come first.
Get support
If you’re confused by any of the above, our Resource Efficiency team is here to help. Contact us for one-to-one support and consider joining our next Journey to Net Zero course to build your own strategic plan to make progress towards net zero emissions.
Led by Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and a group of private investors, Shopblocks has completed a £1M equity investment. The current 50-strong team based in Greater Manchester, UK, plans to hire a further 100 staff across all divisions including its growing US operation and new Australia office.
Shopblocks provides websites to all types of business but specialises in online shops. The Shopblocks platform is feature-rich and flexible enough to handle the complex needs of larger businesses.
“A few years ago, as businesses outgrew basic template-driven platforms such as Shopify, Wix and Squarespace, their only option was to have a specialist digital agency create a bespoke solution for their needs which requires a lot of time and a huge budget.” said Stewart Reynolds, Shopblocks Chief Commercial Officer.
“For businesses taking the next step on their ecommerce journey, Shopblocks provides custom online shops at scale, without the need for one-size-fits-all templates or developers, at a fraction of the cost of a web development agency,” continued Reynolds.
Shopblocks has more than doubled revenue each of the past four years in a row and this growth is set to continue. Each day, millions of transactions are processed via the platform for merchants in UK, US, Australia, New Zealand and many other countries around the world.
“The pandemic has accelerated the already booming drive to online commerce. Despite the challenges, Shopblocks has doubled in size through the lockdown period and this investment will see us grow faster than we’ve ever grown before,” said Kevin Jones, CEO of Shopblocks.
“The shift to ecommerce has been brought forward a full decade, ” Jones continued, “we’ve seen thousands of businesses re-platform to Shopblocks and benefit from our advanced features for both B2C and B2B organisations. Good things come to those who migrate.”
Jones added, “We believe in speaking to our customers and our presence in Australia will enable us to deliver 24/7 global support for all customers, worldwide, an ambition I’ve had for some time. No other website platform provides this.”
Councillor David Molyneux, Portfolio Leader for Investment and Resources at the GMCA said: “We are delighted to provide follow-on funding to Shopblocks in support of the rapid growth of the platform and customer base. The significant growth in the Shopblocks team is set to continue in Stockport, with the Company actively supporting the Kickstart and GM Good Employment Charter schemes through hiring and upskilling people in Greater Manchester in Digital & Creative roles.”
The former chief executive of Siemens UK has hailed the planned Advanced Machinery and Productivity Institute (AMPI) in Rochdale as an opportunity for UK manufacturers to sell machines around the world.
Juergen Maier, who is also the vice chair of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, praised the entrepreneurial approach of Rochdale businesses like Crystal Doors and PTG Holroyd but called on the Government to deliver on its levelling up pledge.
The Kingsway Business Park-based AMPI has been described as a ‘game-changer’ and is set to create more than 1,000 jobs across the region.
Maier said alongside Northern Gateway, which crosses the boundary between Rochdale and Bury, AMPI would put the North on the map.
“AMPI is massively important,” he said. “When you’re developing a new industrial revolution the real value is not only the new products that you’re making but the machines that make it. It’s inevitable that these products will eventually be made elsewhere in the world but you can export all the machinery to these places.”
He also highlighted the importance of the Northern Gateway to levelling up the economy.
“As we know, levelling up can’t just be in cities, it needs to be in all the towns around,” he said. “Now is the time to spread that prosperity into the towns and the way to do that is to take some of the technology ideas and start-up ideas that emerge in our universities – and that could be advanced materials – and scale this up.
“You’re manufacturing for the world and that sort of scaled up manufacturing we want to do in the Northern Gateway and that’s why AMPI has been developed.
“When you scale up that sort of manufacturing you need machinery, you need automation, you need robotics and that’s where AMPI comes in.”
Mr Maier said it was ‘now or never’ when it came to the Government’s levelling up promise.
“We’ve been talking about it for an incredibly long time,” he said. “I was very pleased to be involved in the original set up of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, which was five years ago but the conversation was going for a full decade before that.
“Some good things are happening in Greater Manchester. We have in that time invested in great innovation ecosystems around advanced materials, advanced manufacturing, health innovation, cyber security (and) now is the time to really scale all of that up.”
The leading UK industrialist praised the ambitions of Rochdale’s businesses.
“I’ve been up in Rochdale quite a lot recently,” he said. “I visited Crystal Doors and you have (PTG) Holroyd making advanced machinery.
“What you get is a real entrepreneurial sense and a real global outlook on what Rochdale’s place can be in the world. There’s a huge level of ambition.
“What we want to do with AMPI, and what’s happening in Greater Manchester, is provide a few levers that can help more companies like Crystal Doors and Holroyd to establish themselves (and) become great global companies while operating in Rochdale.”
Earlier this year Hopwood Hall College unveiled plans for a £6.1m extension to its Technology Centre in Rochdale as it prepares to start teaching T-Level qualifications, especially in advanced manufacturing and advanced construction.
Mr Maier added: “You need the innovations, you need the products, you need the ideas that are going to be manufactured and exported, you need the machinery to create that and then of course you need the skills.
“It’s fantastic that we’ve got a major college in Rochdale absolutely helping prepare the future generations with T-Levels that are providing the skills for these future industries.”
Mr Maier said Rochdale had the opportunity to form part of an ‘innovation supercluster’.
“Everything we’re talking about with AMPI and the Northern Gateway will be part of Greater Manchester and the North West’s innovation supercluster based on advanced materials and advanced machinery production,” he said.
“Developing these innovation superclusters will turbo charge these high innovative, high technology and high value economy.
“We’ve heard the Government talking about a high wage and high skilled economy and I’ve long argued that the best way to create that is to create industries that are highly innovative and productive. It is these businesses that can pay people the highest wages.
“The more you can grow your innovation sectors like advanced machinery and creative industries using AR and VR, the higher salaries you can pay people.”
Mr Maier highlighted the importance of apprenticeships and said they shouldn’t be seen as being inferior to going to university.
“Nations like Germany are very clear that at least half the population will want to pursue a more vocational education route in things like engineering while the other half of your population wants to go down a university and academic route,” he said.
“What we still haven’t got right in the UK is most families and most mentors of younger people will prefer their children, nieces, nephews etc to go down an academic route because that’s seen as the better route for social acceptance and success in life.
“That’s what we’ve got to change. Both routes are different and suit different types of people. Through both routes you can create success for you and your families.”
