Aycliffe Today Business Aycliffe Today Business Issue 39 | Page 9

The magazine for Aycliffe Business Park | 9 /NEWS BUSINESS BRIEFS Crafter’s Companion appoints new commercial boss after sales growth AZUMA TRAINS TO ENTER SERVICE Trains for the East Coast main line which are being built in Newton Aycliffe are to enter operation in May. The Azuma trains, which are being manufactured by Hitachi at its purpose- built factory on Aycliffe Business Park, are to be used by London North Eastern Railway (LNER) from May 15. The trains have been through rigorous testing with engineers and technical staff from Hitachi, Network Rail and the Department for Transport to ensure they will meet the high standards LNER sets for outstanding customer service. N ewton Aycliffe-based global phenomenon Crafter’s Companion has appointed a new head of commercial after seeing sales grow more than a third in the last year. The award-winning craft supplies firm – which opened its new Aycliffe HQ in 2016 – saw its global turnover grow 38% in 2018, with an export sales growth of 59%. And with its global employee count now standing at 180 strong, Crafter’s Companion is primed to continue leading the craft market with this new appointment. Ross Brown brings a strong knowledge of the UK craft market and years of experience in the TV shopping and e-commerce sectors from roles at Ideal World, Bid-Up TV and Hochanda. His key achievements include helping to launch Hochanda TV and establishing it as a major TV player with a profitable status within the space of three years. “I am extremely excited to be offered the opportunity to join Crafter’s Companion,” said Brown, who will be relocating to Aycliffe for his new role. “Having worked indirectly with a number of the team, it is a privilege to now be directly part of such a dynamic and Ross Brown – Crafter’s Companion’s new head of commercial. successful company. “It is clear that Crafter’s Companion cares about the crafting community and helps to drive industry innovation and standards forward in such a positive direction, something I’m looking forward to being a part of. “My priority is to lead by example and to invest my time and knowledge to develop and support the whole team. My main aim is to ensure we continue to drive the global company forward, and I look forward to working with Sara, Simon and the board to increase the success of Crafter’s Companion.” Crafter’s opened two retail stores – in Aycliffe and Chesterfield – in 2016, and a further store at Evesham in 2017, to complement its presence online and in thousands of retail stores across the world. Young engineers visit 3M WIND IS IN TEKMAR’S SALES Newton Aycliffe-based Tekmar Energy is celebrating another major wind energy deal. The firm has been elected by offshore installation contractor Jan De Nul Group to provide its patented Tekmar Cable Protection System (CPS), TekLink Mechanical Latch, for the Northwester 2 offshore wind farm. The product will be produced within Tekmar’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility on Aycliffe Business Park this year. Northwester 2 will be the sixth windfarm in the North Sea off the Belgian coast, consisting of 23 turbines and will provide a total of 219 MW from its location off the coast of Zeebrugge, in water depth of approximately 40m. The project is set for completion in 2020. SALES SOLUTIONS EXPAND S ixth formers visited 3M’s Aycliffe site ahead of British Science Week (BSW) to learn about manufacturing and devise projects that will inspire their scientific creativity. Promoted by the British Science Association (BSA), BSW is an annual 10-day festival, celebrating the STEM subjects of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. As a major partner of BSW, 3M has been hosting activities at its sites across the UK with the aim of inspiring the next generation to pursue careers in these fields. Three students from Framwellgate School Durham’s STEM internship programme attended the science-based technology company’s manufacturing site on Heighington Lane. The day began with a short talk about 3M and what happens at the 192,000 sq ft plant, which employs around 380 workers and makes disposable and reusable respirators, as well as car care products. Next, the Year 12 students were given The first Azuma train will run on the London King’s Cross to Leeds route, with further trains being phased into service on the rest of the route over the coming months. Complete Sales Solutions, a specialist sales consultancy helping businesses increase their sales, has signed a new long-term lease at the Incubation Business Centre, on Durham Way South, to accommodate the recruitment of two new staff. a tour of the facility, during which they learnt about the processes, technology and challenges involved in making respiratory protective equipment. They then brainstormed ideas for an extra- curricular project they could work on over the coming months, based on what they had seen and learnt. The group chose to work on a project looking into the automation of packaging for 3M’s respiratory filter cartridge production. The team will return to the 3M site in May to present its work to a panel of 3M STEM Ambassadors, who will then provide feedback. The extra space will also enable the firm to recruit four business development consultants over the next 12 months. AYCLIFFE TODAY BUSINESS The business magazine for Aycliffe Business Park We’re now working on the 40th issue of Aycliffe Today Business, due out in May. Advertising from £75, and half-page advertorial features from just £250 (including print and online). Booking deadline is 5pm on Friday April 19 – to get involved call 01325 728024 or email [email protected]