17
PRO INSTALLER APRIL 2014
PRO NEWS
@proinstaller1
Small businesses ‘at the heart
of government’s long term
economic plan’
Small businesses throughout the country are at the heart of government’s
long term economic plan, Skills and Enterprise Minister Matthew Hancock
told the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) on 28 March 2014.
Addressing the 40th
annual FSB conference
in Manchester, Mr Hancock set out the steps
the government is
taking to link small and
medium-sized businesses with the development of policy.
The measures he outlined
complement and support
the growing confidence
highlighted in the FSB members’ survey this year, which
shows that more companies
have aspirations to grow
and expand than at any time
in the past two years.
‘funding will also
help in giving
them access
to expertise
and equipment
that will help
them develop
their product’
The Minister announced:
• the opening of the
recruitment process for
two new Entrepreneurs in
Residence, who will work
closely with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS)
• 20 business schools
which will become trailblazers in establishing the
Small Business Charter
• a £1 million education
technology design competition for small businesses with innovative
ideas which want to see
them become a reality
Mr Hancock said:
“Small businesses are the
lifeblood of our economy
and with two-thirds preparing to expand, it is our
desire to make sure they
have everything they need
to thrive. Small businesses should influence and
inform government on
what advice and support
works best for them, so
I’m pleased to be able to
announce further measures
that allow them to provide
their input.
“In launching our search
for two new Entrepreneurs
in Residence, we are asking
for business people to tell
us what more we can do,
and I hope the programme
proves to be as popular as
it was last time.
“It is an essential part of
our long term economic
plan that businesses are
given the right environment to achieve their lofty
ambitions.”
John Allan, National Chairman, Federation of Small
Businesses (FSB) said:
“The FSB welcomes this
ongoing focus on small
businesses at the heart of
government, and especially
efforts to sharpen up the
support offered to them.
Maximising the expertise
business schools offer can
only enhance growth prospects for small firms, and
the development of growth
hubs should provide a
much clearer signposting of
the wide range of support
there is available.”
The Minister also welcomed the launch of a
growth hub in the South
East Midlands, which will
nurture small business in
the region, and credit the
success of the government’s
Start Up Loan programme,
which has offered 15,000
loans worth more than £80
million to aspiring business
people
The Entrepreneurs in
Residence will spend a year
working closely with BIS
helping officials to design
and guide policy that will
benefit small businesses.
This year BIS is searching
for an entrepreneur who
can help them to help
scale-up businesses; and
also an entrepreneur who
can help the UK develop
a new industry from the
emerging new science of
synthetic biology.
The main aim of the Small
Business Charter is making
business schools ‘anchor institutions’ in the local business landscape. The Association of Business Schools is
leading the implementation,
with a Board chaired by Sir
Peter Bonfield that includes
business school and small
business representatives.
The Small Business Charter
plans to recognise business
schools that support small
businesses by allowing them
to hold a Charter Award if
they meet the robust criteria
that show they prioritise the
needs of small firms.
The Technology Strategy
Board (TSB) competition,
which promises the winning
company £1 million in funding will also help in giving
them access to expertise and
equipment that will help
them develop their product.
The minister also launched
further support that he
said will help to provide an
environment that engenders
growth for small business
throughout the country,
which was included in Small
Business: GREAT Ambition
– the government’s commitment to make it easier for
small firms to get on.
SO WHAT FOILS US?
Prefix Systems is the UK’s largest
independent conservatory manufacturer and have helped open up in a
new era for the conservatory market
that will affect everyone throughout
the supply chain, culminating in increased consumer demand for more
coloured conservatories.
The humble white conservatory still
dominates sales in terms of volumes, yet the
sales of coloured and woodgrain roofs show
an incredible and broad split. As the largest
independent conservatory roof fabricator in
the UK, Prefix has a broad grasp on trends
and now see 1 in 5 orders for through their
factory with a foiled finish.
Interestingly over the last 6 months grey
has increased to 38% of all foiled roofs,
with foiled white and foiled black each
equating to 16%. Chartwell Green remains
popular with 13%, cream 10% and the first
woodgrain, Irish Oak at 7%. Some of the
grey foiled pre-fabricated conservatory roofs
are going into installations with bi-folding
doors, which often necessitate additional
structural strength in the form of Prefix’s
cost effective and exclusively engineered
Bi-Span system.
‘Conservatory specification
is clearly on the rise’
Conservatory specification is clearly on the
rise with new colours, enhancements such
as Cornice and Pilaster and Ultraframe’s
impressive new Loggia Prestige system. This
system consists