chesterfield business news

Chesterfield Property and Construction Group: “We are truly excited by what lies ahead for Chesterfield”

Chair of Chesterfield’s Property & Construction Group, Andy Dabbs has penned his thoughts on a productive 2022 for the sector. Andy also shares his optimism for the group and wider investment and developments across Chesterfield as we head into 2023.

It is hard to imagine that it was only in the December of last year, we were still operating under the cloud of the pandemic, uncertain if the rise of a new variant would threaten the recovery of our industry and our attempts to return to ‘normal’ business activity.

However, as we sit here now, reflecting on 2022 and looking forward into the new year, uncertainty feels like it has become the only thing we can be certain about. The formation of Chesterfield’s Construction and Property Group (CCPG) in 2020 was ultimately about providing greater sector focussed support for the Town and local property businesses through public and private sector collaboration, and now heading into its third year, I believe we have never been better placed as a network to support each other in an exponentially changing and increasingly volatile industry.

Positively, throughout this period and now its 2nd year since its formation, Chesterfield Property Group members has continued to work hard maintaining a meaningful platform for engagement connecting both the public and private sector together. The group has maintained a clear focus on key themes centred around promoting the town, the skills and future talent agenda, business engagement, the climate emergency and importantly providing support to our Local Authority who continue to work tirelessly in their efforts to support the town and the property sector.  The group has tailored its activity over throughout 2022 focussing on delivering tangible and meaningful outputs, some of these including:

  • Property Forums – updating local property businesses on the latest market activity
  • Skills and Talent masterclass – bringing key figures from property and construction alongside key skills and training providers to discuss how the sector can overcome the skills issue
  • Quality and Sustainability masterclass – discussing sustainable development in Chesterfield, and why this is critical for future of the town
  • Investment Summit – hosting a property focussed Q&A session with Chief Executive Hue Bowen and Council Leader Trisha Gilby
  • Regular social media activity – highlighting some of the key issues in the industry such as skills, sustainability, diversity in the sector and promoting developments taking place in the town etc.
  • A variety of networking and social events including walking tours, and brewery visits. supporting business to business relationship development

Property and Construction Masterclass Chesterfield

There is no question that the current economic outlook will pose challenging for those operating in the Property sector, but we must be careful not to be consumed by negative media, and instead businesses must focus on their ‘own economy’ and work even harder to invest in building resilience against any uncertainty. The property group believes that the best way of doing this is by working collaboratively together, sharing our experience, and working hard to unlock and connect each other to the wide array of opportunities across the region.

Despite everything, Chesterfield continues to attract interest from the investment market, and with the secured levelling up funding, will see the continued regeneration and development of our built environment over the coming years. The town is rich with potential and opportunity, and we are delighted that the Property Group has played a small part in supporting in its success over the last few years.

As the Property Group looks forward to the year ahead and the activity plans start to take shape, we are truly excited by what lies ahead for Chesterfield and the wider Borough. We will look forward to building upon our existing relationships whilst forging new ones as the Group continues to evolve and adapt to support the developing needs of the town.

If you work within the Property and Construction Sector and would like to hear more about the groups developing plans, please get in touch by emailing PropertyGroup@Chesterfield.co.uk

Property and Construction Group Chesterfield

Posted in About Chesterfield, Blog, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Property and Construction, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , ,

2023 Made in Chesterfield festival inspires girls to consider careers in engineering and manufacturing

Girls have been inspired to consider a career in engineering and manufacturing thanks to this year’s Made in Chesterfield festival, co-ordinated by Destination Chesterfield and Direct Education Business Partnership (DEBP).

Maddy, a Year 9 pupil from Whittington Green School who visited performance vehicle specialist Scooby Clinic in Wingerworth, said: “I would definitely consider a future career in STEM. There’s a stigma about STEM being just for boys but actually more women should give it a go; they can do it. It’s not just for boys.”

Maddy was one of more than 150 male and female students from secondary schools throughout Chesterfield that took part in workplace visits to companies operating in the science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) sector during the four-week festival.

The visits, which were organised by Direct Education Business Partnership, were designed to introduce secondary school students to the varied STEM careers available in the local economy.

Sonya Martin, Out of School Tuition Tutor at Whittington Green Secondary School, praised the campaign, saying: “We’ve had quite a few female students say they didn’t realise engineering was open to them and that, actually, the work would be a lot of fun. Having the chance to bring them around different workplaces, especially Scooby Clinic, has been really good for them because we very rarely get to know what goes on in our local environment.”

Scooby Clinic was one of a number of businesses that welcomed students into the workplace during the festival. MSE Hiller, Weightron Bilanciai, United Cast Bar, Superior Wellness, Atlantic Pumps, Robinson PLC and Aztec Oils also opened their doors to students.

Aztec Oils, which is based in Bolsover and is one of the UK’s leading specialists in high-performance lubricant manufacture and distribution, welcomed students from Springwell Community College.

Scooby Clinic Made in Chesterfield

During the visit Year 9 pupil Lara commented; “Being here today has made me reconsider my GCSE options. It’s shown me that STEM is more than science and there are lots of jobs and so many opportunities out there.”

Julie Richards, Principal of The Chesterfield College Group, explained: “It is so positive to see the impact of raising aspirations in STEM subjects with girls across the region thanks to initiatives like Made in Chesterfield. This is the latest in a long line of positive actions to breakdown any perceived barriers for young women who enter a career in STEM. Year on year we are delighted to see more and more young, driven women studying programmes and apprenticeships at Chesterfield College in STEM industries. These students consistently inform us that when talking to school age girls about getting into a STEM related career they should ‘just go for it!’ Whilst they admitted they felt daunted when first entering the industry, that apprehension quickly subsided when they realised how supported and valued they were by their classmates or work colleagues.”

According to a report by The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Diversity and Inclusion in STEM, only 27% of the UK’s STEM workforce is female compared to 52% of the wider workforce.

Made in Chesterfield, which is sponsored by the Chesterfield College Group, is now in its eighth year. The annual festival is playing a key role in addressing the technical skills shortage amongst local businesses.

Research by the UK Commission for Employment & Skills found that 43 per cent of national STEM vacancies are hard to fill due to a shortage of skilled and experienced applicants.

Ivan Fomin Destination Chesterfield board member responsible for manufacturing and engineering in the Borough said: “I am delighted at the impact the Made in Chesterfield festival has made with students, schools and businesses this year. Seeing so many mixed groups of students undertaking visits to STEM workplaces in Chesterfield is incredibly encouraging. Ensuring that our workplaces are diverse is critical to tackling skills shortages in the sector both locally and nationally.”

Clare Talati, Chief Executive of DEBP added: “DEBP are delighted to work in partnership on the initiative; at a time with increased pressures for schools and employers, the feedback demonstrates just how important workplace visits are in enabling young people to understand more about the amazing opportunities available locally.”

Since its 2014 launch, Made in Chesterfield has introduced over 3,500 young people to the jobs and careers available operating in the STEM sector within local businesses.

Whittington Green Made in Chesterfield Scooby Clinic Visit

Posted in About Chesterfield, Apprentice Town, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Manufacturing, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Optimism over ‘green shoots of recovery’ in 2023, says East Midlands Chamber study

The East Midlands economy has suffered a series of knocks throughout the year, with cost pressures hitting businesses hard – but there are hopes for a more optimistic outlook in 2023.

This is the verdict of East Midlands Chamber after its latest research, which showed a decline in customer demand for products and services, investment intentions and recruitment prospects – yet a slight upturn in business confidence for the year ahead.

As part of its Quarterly Economic Survey (QES), which is delivered in partnership with the University of Leicester School of Business and gauges the health of the region’s economy, the Chamber produces a State of the Economy Index to provide an “at a glance” picture showing the direction of travel for the local economy based on aggregated indicators.

It has trended downwards every quarter since the start of the year to reach its lowest level since the end of 2020 – a period of local Covid-19 restrictions and the beginning of a second national lockdown – but underlying data in the Q4 2022 survey offers room for optimism.

East Midlands Chamber director of policy and external affairs Chris Hobson said: “2022 has been a difficult year economically, with a series of events negatively impacting activity and sentiment – some out of our control and others self-inflicted.

“Domestic demand and international activity has softened slightly as the year has gone on, with cashflow deteriorating and investment intentions down.

“Recruitment difficulties have been the perennial issue, with this final set of data suggesting a drop-off in businesses seeking to grow their workforce.

“However, within that data lies a multitude of experiences, not all negative, and some signs for positivity as we enter 2023.

“Although business confidence – which affects tangible decisions like investment – has dropped significantly from where it was at the start of the year amid the war in Ukraine, political stability and policy flip-flops, there has been a small rise in optimism over profitability and turnover prospects during the final quarter of the year due to a more consistent approach to policy.

“While the gradual slowdown in demand has created capacity within the economy – opening the pressure valve on prices that has been one of the inflationary drivers – there are also signs that other drivers of inflation are starting to soften.”

Key findings from the Quarterly Economic Survey Q4 2022 for the East Midlands*, which was conducted between 7 November and 1 December 2022, included:

  • UK sales stagnated between the third and fourth quarters of the year, with UK advanced orders down by 9%
  • Overseas sales were up by 5% quarter on quarter but advanced orders decreased by 2%
  • The proportion of businesses that added to their headcount in the past three months fell by 8% compared to the previous quarter, while there was a similar decline in firms expecting to recruit new staff in the next three months
  • A net 57% of businesses expect they will be forced to raise prices as they grapple with rising costs for energy, interest rates, people, raw materials and fuel – although this is down from 62% and 58% in the previous two quarters
  • A net 17% of firms reported a decrease in cashflow, marking a 3% rise in the proportion of companies affected
  • A lack of room at the margins means investment intentions continue to trend downwards – falling by 6% quarter-on-quarter for plant and machinery, and 8% for training
  • After nosediving in recent months, business confidence in the prospects of profitability improvements rose 10% compared to the previous quarter, although optimism over improved turnover was down by 1%.

Chris added: “To turn these green shoots into real economic growth in 2023, it is essential that policymakers work with businesses to support them in their growth aspirations.

“Our Business Manifesto for Growth, launched at Westminster in November, provides a blueprint for this.

“While there is no one silver bullet, an immediate action Government could take is to better incentivise business investment in equipment and training, reducing inflationary pressures by both creating further capacity and softening the impact of high staff costs.

“Policy and geopolitical events aside, the biggest thing businesses will be hoping for in 2023 is a bit of calmness and consistency from those taking decisions on the direction of the UK economy – along with meaningful engagement with those businesses that will ultimately deliver the growth to ensure any recession is not just shallow, but short.”

The results will be discussed at the Chamber’s Annual State of the Economy Review on Friday (16 December), held in partnership with the University of Leicester, Geldards and emh group at Memorial House, in Coalville.

Professor Mohamed Shaban, associate dean for business and civic engagement at the University of Leicester School of Business, said there was support available for businesses affected by the economic climate.

He added: “We are proud of our long heritage providing research-informed knowledge exchange to businesses in the East Midlands and beyond through degrees, management development courses such as Help to Grow: Management, business support services, internships, placements, consultancy, knowledge transfer partnerships and contract research.

“Our academics thrive on solving business problems with world-changing research and innovative solutions providing real-world impact.”

To read the full Quarterly Economic Survey report for Q4 2022, click here.

East Midlands Chamber supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development, Home, Manufacturing, Property and Construction, UncategorisedTagged in , , , ,

Toys worth a five-figure sum donated to Chesterfield FC’s charity appeal

Toys worth a total of around £10,000 will be distributed to worthy causes this Christmas following a fantastic response to Chester’s Christmas Toy Appeal.

Organised by Chesterfield FC and the club’s Community Trust, the initiative provides toys at Christmas for children’s charities and families who have experienced hardship.

The appeal was supported by residents and businesses across the town, with local people getting involved in the community effort.

A number of locations opened their doors and storage space as drop-off units for toys, including:

  • Ideal Flooring – behind Morrisons on Chatsworth Road.
  • World Choice Holidays inside Tesco.
  • Chester’s Den.
  • Rosewood Wealth Management Ltd.
  • GSM Electrical Supplies, Holmewood
  • TSB, Bolsover.
  • Spencers Solicitors, Chesterfield.

Bridget Ball, marketing manager for the Spireites, said: “We have been overwhelmed by the response, particularly at a time when finances are tight for everyone.

“It is amazing to think that we will be providing toys for so many children who would otherwise miss out.

“Our grateful thanks go to Brett Martin Ltd, who have sponsored the appeal, together with the many businesses and individuals who have donated toys.”

The Spireites have also been busy elsewhere in the community in the run-up to Christmas, with first team players making themselves available for photos and autographs with fans in the club shop earlier this week.

The club’s official radio station, 1866 Sport has also been named as the official radio partner of the upcoming Santa Fun Run in Queen’s Park, taking place on Christmas Eve. Find out more about the event below:

Find out more about some of the fabulous festive initiatives being carried out by Chesterfield Champions across the town at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/2022/11/how-chesterfields-business-community-is-supporting-local-people-this-christmas/

Chesterfield Football Club supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Chesterfield FC Toy appeal

Image by Chesterfield FC Community Trust

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Development, Home, Leisure, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , , , , , ,

Multiple accolades for Superior Wellness at UK Pool & Spa Awards

Chesterfield based Superior Wellness were successful in winning several awards at the prestigious event held on 8 December 2022 in Birmingham.

The first award success was for the International Team of the Year, with the Superior Wellness Logistics team winning. Luke Shiels, Logistics Manager said: “We are over the moon to win this award, it’s great for the team to be acknowledged at the UK Pool & Spa awards. I am extremely proud of my team for all of their effort and hard work this year! We have all pulled together to make partner deliveries as smooth as possible and ensure that trade show season went ahead without any issues. Well done to all of you!”

The second accolade was for Marketing Initiative of the Year – for the location shoots. Superior Wellness has invested heavily in its marketing department with location shoots being a main focus throughout 2022. The team have travelled all over the country to many beautiful destinations and from this has been able to produce high quality marketing material for brands and partners.

Sarah Elphick, Head of Marketing said: “I am delighted that we have won the Marketing Initiative of the Year Award.  Our content has gone up a level with our new marketing studio and on location photoshoots. The team have worked incredibly hard, and I am very proud of them all.”

Superior wellness marketing team

Superior Wellness also received a Gold Award for the following categories:

  • Energy Efficiency/Eco Award – AquaSolus Eco-Heatlock
  • Energy Efficiency/Eco Award – Platinum Premium Shield
  • Spa Product of the Year – Ruby hot tub, Thermals Spas
  • Spa Product of the Year – Tokyo hot tub, Platinum Spas
  • Pool and Spa Supplier of the Year – Platinum Spas
  • Marketing Initiative of the Year – Marketing Studio

Rob Carlin, Managing Director said: “It is a great honour for us all to end the year with the award success, the team have been working hard all year and it’s great to see that all of their hard work has been recognised. I am extremely proud of the whole team.”

Showcasing the very best examples of pool and spa design from across the country, the UK Pool & Spa Awards celebrated its 12th anniversary with featured projects and products.  With 225 entries from 60 companies to assess, 22 judges were involved in the 2022 decision-making.

Entrants were awarded gold, silver or bronze standard in the competition covering both home and public pool and spa facilities in a contest that attracted over 2,000 on-line votes and votes from judges, before being scrutinised by an independent jury.

Winners across 30 categories were announced during the presentation at the National Conference Centre in Birmingham on Thursday 8 December which featured a guest appearance from The Pool Guy, a pool maintenance specialist from Bedfordshire, who boasts 13.7 million followers on Tik-Tok and over one million likes on You Tube.

More information on the awards, including a full list of winners, can be found at www.ukpoolandspaawards.co.uk

Superior Wellness supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Superior wellness team

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Chesterfield hair and beauty salon expands into new town centre premises

Chesterfield-based hair and beauty salon, Autumn House has announced an exciting expansion in the town centre.

It paves the way for the business to open a whole new range of services, enabling it to offer a full range of party and events packages and even a bar for customers.

In addition, owner Hayley Milner is looking to deliver hair training courses on a larger scale and is looking for new stylists and beauty therapists to join the team.

Commenting on the move, Hayley said: “Moving into the town centre into such a big building, after being in what was essentially a two-bedroom terrace turned into a salon for the last 5 and a half years, was incredibly scary.

“But myself and the girls I work with are so excited to be in and working, now the renovation is finished. We were at full capacity in the last space we had, and with the amount of footfall passing by, hopefully we will attract some new clients.”

Hayley also spoke about why she loves having her business based in the town: “I love my business being based in Chesterfield, as all of my new shop neighbours have been so friendly and supportive.

Autumn House Team

Autumn house, Image supplied by Brand Photography by Wings

“Obviously my clientele is mainly from Chesterfield and they’re all so lovely. I wouldn’t move my salon anywhere else!

“It’s so important for people to continue to support small and local businesses, especially at the moment. I always try and buy from fellow smaller businesses where I can, instead of the huge chains. You’re supporting someone’s dream and their family.

“My clients are amazing, and most have been with me since day one, supporting and pushing my business.”

Find out more about Autumn House on Facebook, and to explore the great range of independent retail, hospitality and leisure businesses in Chesterfield, go to: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/visiting/

To get more infomation on the benefits of locating your business in Chesterfield, visit: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/business/invest-in-chesterfield/

Autumn house

Autumn House Interior – Image supplied by Brand Photography by Wings

 

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Destination Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Leisure, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , , , , ,

Markham Vale extension to create 800 new jobs locally

An extension has been approved to build on the hugely successful Markham Vale business park, next to the M1 in Derbyshire.

Markham Vale was established as a joint venture between HBD and Derbyshire County Council back in 2006 and now hosts more than 2,700 jobs across a wide range of sectors, including advanced manufacturing and logistics.

Markham Vale is home to a range of business uses, including Daher Aerospace which is exporting monorail parts to Cairo, Grangers International which manufactures waterproof outdoor products and shoe care products, and Sterigenics, which makes sterile healthcare products.

Devonshire Property Group will continue its work with the commercial developer HBD at Markham Vale and hopes to create around 800 new jobs for local people, with a scheme that pays strong attention to its natural surroundings.

The project includes an extensive landscaping plan that makes the most of the site’s existing features, whilst protecting and improving the river corridor. Significant planting will include c. 5,700 new trees (including 2.15ha of new woodland planting), 3.7ha of new grassland habitat and two kilometres of new native hedgerow to screen the development and create areas of new habitat.

This creates a 10% improvement of biodiversity net gain over the existing ecology value, in excess of current policy.

The success of the existing business park has led to the site running out of space to accommodate large space users and without this new development, Markham Vale will have to turn away investment from the growing industrial and logistics sectors, who require large units at locations with good access to the motorway network.

The site itself comprises two non-protected agricultural fields, bounded by the M1 to the south and keeping a large separation distance between the business park and the village of Woodthorpe. The final design of the buildings will be in accordance with the established design code for Markham Vale, which fixes a limited palette of colours to minimise visual impact. All vehicular traffic will use the existing highway network to allow easy access to the motorway.

Andrew Byrne, speaking on behalf of Devonshire Property Group commented: “The extension to the business park at Markham Vale is expected to create up to 800 new jobs for local people at what is a very successful development already supporting 2700 jobs in a variety of sectors.

“We’ve put in place an extensive landscaping plan, which includes protecting and improving the river corridor, and extensive tree and hedgerow planting as well as a large area of grassland. We’re also working with the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust to improve the wildlife habitats on a nearby site that will result in an overall 10% net gain in biodiversity. This is a high-quality extension to a highly successful employment location, with the aim of making a real contribution to the strength of the local economy.”

Devonshire Group and HBD support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Markham Vale Business Park

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Celebrate Chesterfield, Development, Featured, Home, Property and Construction, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , , ,

NIBE officially opens newly refurbished Chesterfield training academy

A newly refurbished training centre for heat pump installers has opened its doors in Chesterfield.

The grand reopening of NIBE Energy Systems Ltd’s flagship Heat Pump Training Academy in Chesterfield took place on Friday December 9th, after the closure of the site for refurbishment.

NIBE’s UK employees along with Phil Hurley, UK Managing Director, and Stefan Nordenfors, Sales Director EMEA, were joined by The Worshipful Mayor of Chesterfield Tony Rogers and his wife Mayoress Sharon Rogers for the unveiling of the newly refurbished centre.

NIBE’s state of the art technology and innovative products were showcased at the event – including the award-winning S2125 Air Source Heat Pump, which uses a natural refrigerant for a low environmental impact. Visitors also viewed NIBE’s ground-breaking and award-winning PV-T panel, which transform ground source heat pumps into multi source heat pumps as well as other low carbon home heating products and controls.

The reopening event provided a chance to gain insight into the low-carbon training opportunities available with NIBE as the industry gears up for the growing demand for heat pump systems across the country. The much-needed improvements will further help installers deliver the government’s net zero targets. To meet these targets, the UK will need over 50,000 installers by 2030 delivering 600,000 heat pump installations per year by 2028.

The Chesterfield Training Academy is vital for supporting the heat pump installer base, providing comprehensive installation and commissioning and service and maintenance courses, alongside the industry leading NIBE Pro training. This RQF Level 3 Award in Heat Pump Technology provides training and requirements for MCS, is recognised by NAPIT and is LCL Awards approved. The Ofqual regulated course forms part of the support provided on the NIBE Pro installer partnership scheme.

Partnerships between NIBE, colleges and other training centres have also been formed to boost access to training across the country for installers. These centres, alongside the Chesterfield site, are at the forefront of levelling up installers to possess the in-demand skills needed to install heat pumps into new and existing homes in the coming years.

Phil Hurley, Managing Director, at NIBE Energy Systems, said: “We’re really excited to reopen this flagship NIBE Training Academy and were delighted to welcome attendees on Friday. We’ve been working hard to ensure the facility gives the best possible learning for installers so they can effectively and confidently install heat pumps right here in Chesterfield and across the UK.

“At NIBE we’ve started to address the gaps in industry training for heat pumps, through courses such as our MCS & NAPIT recognised NIBE Pro installer training. All our courses have a hands-on learning approach, facilitated by our new Academy’s working displays. We are looking forward to working with new and existing installers throughout their heat pump journey.”

NIBE supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development, Featured, Home, Manufacturing, Uncategorised, VisitingTagged in , , , , , ,

Chesterfield Champion assists in bringing The Institute of Quarrying to new Derbyshire HQ

A Chesterfield Champion and member of the town’s Property and Construction Group has assisted in bringing forward a planning application to transform Derbyshire’s National Stone Centre into a world-class visitor experience.

A detailed planning application for a £6.5m transformation of the centre which draws on influences from local rock formations for the building’s form, has now been jointly submitted.

The proposed new National Stone Centre will embody strong references and links to the area’s geology and industrial heritage, including the overhanging rock formations found in local gritstone outcrops, such as Black Rocks and Stanage Edge.

Phase One of the project includes proposals for a 100 seater café/restaurant; four naturally lit classrooms with a combined capacity of 120 learners; 700m2 of museum/exhibition space; a souvenir shop; Changing Places facilities; a new thematic children’s playground; and a 1200m2 open-air circular piazza for community events.

Working closely with The Institute of Quarrying and Babenko Associates, Rodgers Leask prepared a Transport Statement, Travel Plan and Flood Risk Assessment to support the application.

Commenting on the job, Jack Lindsay, Senior Transport Planner at Rodgers Leask, said: “Having visited the site a number of times to support design development, it is clear to see that the proposals will result in a fantastic facility for all future users and it’s great to have been able to support a site that considers and enhances access opportunities for all”.

Rodgers Leask’s Traffic and Transportation team helped Babenko Associates develop a masterplan that caters for the predicted increase in multi-modal trips to the centre, with improved pedestrian connections, the installation of electric car charging facilities, bicycle storage and the commitment to implementing a range of suitable travel plan measures.

James Thorne is chief executive officer of the Institute of Quarrying, which has merged with the National Stone Centre. He says: “In 2021 the value of tourism to the Peak District and Derbyshire’s economy was estimated at £1.96 billion. A reimagined and reinvigorated National Stone Centre will bring new visitors, as well as providing a focal point for engaging the public, schools and colleges in the science, history, present and future of the quarrying and mineral products industry.

“We are delighted to have reached this point in the project, which makes everything feel so much more real. This planning application is the end result of over a year’s consultation and engagement with all of our stakeholders. We have listened and learned, taking on board feedback that has helped shape our application.

“We firmly believe that our plans represent an exciting moment in the history of the National Stone Centre, delivering a unique building that is both fit for purpose and inspiring for generations to come. It’s the home that such a significant collection deserves, as well as proudly representing what is now the largest manufacturing sector in the UK.”

Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire says: “We’re proud to support the Institute of Quarrying’s exciting plans for the National Stone Centre near Wirksworth. These plans signal a positive step towards their goal of creating an extraordinary new centre of excellence that will not only attract visitors from across the UK but will also support local jobs and provide unique educational opportunities that will benefit both visitors and residents alike.

“As a valued Strategic Partner, the Institute of Quarrying shares our commitment to increasing the value of tourism and promoting the Peak District and Derbyshire as a sustainable, world-class destination. The National Stone Centre is a great public asset that will help deliver these goals and more – and securing its future is so important.”

Rodgers Leask and Marketing Peak District and Derbyshire support the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

National Stone Centre plans

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Chesterfield’s CBE+ invests £2m in Europe’s first robotic automated Electroless Nickel Plating line

Engineering supply chain provider CBE+ is installing the first 6+1 robotic Electroless Nickel Plating (ENP) line in the UK and Europe at its 70,000sq ft state-of-the-art manufacturing facility.

Representing a £2 million investment, the automated plating line will allow the company to undertake a range of innovative projects at its Chesterfield base, including the processing of small, precision-engineered components in high volumes and the ability to deliver high-quality parts at a consistently high standard.

The automated line from Sidasa Engineering will also facilitate a highly repeatable surface treatment process, reducing the time taken to complete and send large orders to customers and significantly increasing CBE+’s Electroless Nickel production capacity.

Chief Executive Officer, Marie Cooper, said, “This is a significant investment for CBE+ and one that will bring many benefits to the business and our customers. The new plating line reduces the scope for human error by automating dosing control and deposition monitoring and measuring. This results in a consistently high-quality finish on the products we process.

“Automating these tasks means we can redeploy skilled employees to projects that require higher levels of expertise. As well as freeing up time from the plating line, we are also automating parts of the jigging process in partnership with the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC). This will enable the team to use their skills and expertise on projects that will interest and challenge them, as well as helping to drive the business forward.”

This investment continues CBE+’s commitment to sustainability and innovation, the new nickel-plating line will be linked with the newly commissioned effluent water treatment plant and combined heat and power (CHP) system. The CHP system captures heat generated as a by-product of electrical power generation which is then used to provide heat energy for the surface treatment processes. The effluent plant filters and neutralises all waste chemistry on-site and allows for environmentally safe disposal and recycling.

Mark Lawson, Managing Director said, “The Effluent and CHP investments are both critical steps made to Ensure CBE+ are reducing our Environmental footprint.”

The new ENP line will be delivered in December. The line will be commissioned from February and fully operational in March 2023.

CBE+ supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.

Posted in About Chesterfield, Business, Development, Home, Manufacturing, UncategorisedTagged in , , , , ,

New town centre café ‘beyond excited’ to open its doors to customers

A new café in Chesterfield town centre promises to provide a ‘warm and friendly service’ to visitors, after recently opening its doors to the public.

Café One is the latest in a range of new independent food and drink businesses in Chesterfield, with the owner aspiring for the venue to become a place for people in the community to relax, drink great coffee while they meet a friend, get work done, or meet a loved one for some lunch.

The Café has an industrial feel, inspired by nature – from the colour scheme to the plants that have been incorporated. The team hopes to have created a place where people feel welcomed and cosy, and leave feeling refreshed with a smile.

Explaining what customers can expect to find on the menu at Café One, owner Bee Jaansoo commented: “We have an extensive drinks menu, offering great coffee, variety of hot drinks, teas, soft drinks and seasonal options.

“We have a selection of European cake and homemade brownies (Vegan & Gluten free available). We also offer toasted tea cakes, cheese and fruit scones, toast (White, brown or rye bread) with an option of butter (dairy free option available) or jam, sausage rolls (English & European version) and MOMA porridge pots (Gluten, sugar free & vegan options available).”

“In the near future we want to offer sugar and gluten free cakes, protein bakes and protein shakes.”

Bee explained why she decided to take the plunge and open a new café in the town, despite having experience in the beauty sector.

“My background is beauty, but it’s something I didn’t want to do. So, I thought about what else I love; coffee and people.  So, that’s how we came up with the idea of opening a Café in Chesterfield town centre, as we live in Inkersall. I love coming to the town centre, so it only made sense to open a café here.

“What I love most about Chesterfield is the people and the community. As Chesterfield has become our home, it made sense to invest locally. Choosing local keeps the town alive and the people in the community thriving.”

Bee has also thanked the Cafe’s staff for helping to get the new venture off the ground. She added: “I want my team to feel proud and happy to be working at Café One. We are a small business, just starting out, but we care about our staff and we want them to feel valued and appreciated. They have been an incredible help in the opening of the café.”

“I am beyond excited and I feel very grateful that I’ve been able to do this work. As I mentioned I love meeting and talking to people, so being able to give something to people that they enjoy and makes them happy makes me happy.”

You can find Café One at 1 Soresby Street, Chesterfield, S40 1JW. For more details on the business, head to its Facebook Page and website.

Find out more about the fabulous range of food and drink businesses in Chesterfield at: https://www.chesterfield.co.uk/visiting/eating-out/

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