LOCAL NEWS
LOCAL BUSINESS
LEISURE & LIFESTYLE
Business news from in and around East Durham
Learning Curve Group (LCG), a leading training provider headquartered in County Durham, raise over £10,000 in support of the LCG Charity Foundation at their 9th annual charity ball. The annual charity ball, this year held at Ramside Hall, Durham and sponsored by NCFE...
Dedicated to helping businesses go further, UMi has offered a home for another like-minded business in the area following their move to Navigator’s Point. Located in Belmont Business Park in Durham, Healthcare Management Trust (HMT), a registered charity delivering...
Peterlee-based electrical test and measurement company Seaward has taken on a new cohort of apprentices as it continues to invest in its workforce to support growth and skills development. Jack Robinson, Emma Barker and Karl Pollard have joined Seaward’s...
Rapidly expanding Asbestos Audit Ltd, has appointed Kieran Hunt as laboratory manager of its new, asbestos laboratory, located at its headquarters in Peterlee. He is joined by another new recruit, Keren Hague, who takes up an asbestos analyst role, working closely...
Nathan and Josh Cockburn were featured in EDB a year ago, as they were just starting out in new jobs. We caught up with the brothers to see what the past twelve months had taught them. We last chatted to the pair on 1st August 2022, the day Nathan had started his...
A fast-growing business support group has announced the appointment of an experienced Operations Director as it plans for continued growth across the North East and beyond. MINT Business Club, which was founded by entrepreneur Nicola Jayne Little six years ago, has...
North East accountancy firm Mullen Stoker has appointed its former apprentice Courtney Lynn as its new office co-ordinator. Courtney, 21, started with the company for 18 months, having been employed as a trainee administrator. During her time with Mullen Stoker,...
Ellie Walton is HR Assistant and former apprentice at Peterlee-based global automotive technology leader ZF. Ellie, 24, tells us more about her role with the company, what it’s like working for a large multi-national and what she likes most about the job… EDB: You...
The Peterlee boss of the Dogger Bank Wind Farm HQ in South Tyneside celebrated the first electricity from the world’s largest offshore wind farm arriving in England this week. The electric current, which arrived from 130 kilometres out in the North Sea was recorded...
FI Real Estate’s Rob Woolley on his firm’s new development project in East Durham. In this issue’s What’s Trending Now, we chat to Rob Woolley, Asset Manager at FI Real Estate Management, about their latest development at Gemini Point on Bracken Hill Business Park…...
East Durham Business editor Leanne Fawcett has welcomed her first (and third) child, Ellis. Here she chats about juggling newborn parenthood with running a business, the challenges it brings and what she loves most about ‘workternity leave’… When I tell people I run...
It’s three years since John Delanoy and Julie Stout launched their partnership, Delanoy Funeral Services. Driven by a desire to make a difference to the way funerals are conducted, the duo have not only won praise from families across the region for their compassion...
Ranjeet Gill and Gursh Kahlon are on a journey to play their part in the ongoing regeneration of their hometown of Seaham which they helped start. Today, their investment in commercial and residential property can be seen in all corners of the town and they have no...
Peterlee company Harbro Lighting and Electrical is opening its doors to showcase some of its most popular products. The Trade Show Calibration Day takes place on Thursday, September 28, at the company’s showroom on the South West Industrial Estate in Peterlee. The day...
A new programme to help businesses enhance their productivity and accelerate growth has been launched in County Durham. Durham County Council is funding the Durham Business Growth Programme, a new scheme which has been launched today by Business Durham, the council’s...
BoxWay Packaging Group in Peterlee has enlisted Cramlington-based Reproflex3, a leading prepress, flexographic plate manufacturer and FMCG packaging print specialist, to support its transformation into a premier player in the corrugated packaging industry. The...
East Durham Business Network will host its next networking event on Tuesday, September 19, at Seaham Hall Hotel. The event will see the introduction of the group’s new co-chairmen, Ranj Gill and Gursh Kahlon, directors of commercial property company Clearwater...
Peterlee’s biomedical device test and measurement specialist Rigel Medical has appointed a new application engineer as it invests in developing its international capabilities and customer operations. Bringing extensive technical and product engineering experience and...
Leading Durham law firm, Swinburne Maddison, has concluded work on a management buy-out (MBO) at NE&C Windows and Doors (NE&C) in Washington. The law firm advised the current management team in respect of the acquisition of the entire issued share capital of...
A pioneering scheme which allows disused medical and care equipment to be given a new lease of life has been extended. Durham County Council teamed up with Medequip and HW Martin Ltd for the initiative which allows people to bring equipment they no longer use to three...
Work is underway on the £61m expansion of one of the UK’s premier science parks following the appointment of a contractor. Led by Durham County Council, the development of phase three of The North East Technology Park (NETPark) at Sedgefield has begun, after Kier was...
Following significant investment to bring the 10,000 sq. ft. premises up to the highest environmental and sustainability standards, Durham-based B Corp certified business UMi have now moved into their new office space at Navigators Point. The office space, based in...
Improving capabilities is an ongoing priority at CustomerKNECT and to support this the company has opened a new business unit within its existing premises in Seaham. The ‘Managed Services’ business unit is situated within the 140,000 sq ft main facility at Foxcover...
Hundreds of residents across County Durham will be helped to find work through a new regional employability partnership. Durham Employment Connections (DEC) has formed to generate more collaborative working across employment and skills services. DEC will support the...
A family-owned industrial cleaning company has welcomed a new member of the management team to support its ambitious growth plans, following a six-figure investment in premises and equipment. Orca Cleaning Group, which recently moved to a larger unit on Belmont...
The creation of a new landscape-led garden village on the Durham Coast is underway as three housing developers lay the foundations for the development of a new thriving community. Existing infrastructure works are underway on the new Seaham Garden Village development,...
After nearly eight years in Newton Aycliffe, the firm is about to complete it’s move to flagship premises in Bowburn as it embarks on an ambitious growth journey. AAA is also under new leadership, as MD Alison Stephenson takes over from dad Richard H Tucker MBE who is...
Over 70 business people have booked their place at the next East Durham Business Network event. The event will take place on Tuesday, July 4, at Seaham Hall Hall and Spa. Networking and registration will open from 8.30am and the event itself will start at 9am. As...
Everflow, the UK’s leading multi-utility provider, is relocating its headquarters to a new, purpose-built facility in Peterlee, Durham. The strategic move brings together all of Everflow’s North-East offices under one roof, fostering collaboration and supporting...
North East accountancy firm Mullen Stoker has announced the appointment of its fourth director. Client manager Faye Allan has been promoted into the senior management role, joining founding directors Neil Mullen and Gary Stoker along with appointed director Stephen...
The next East Durham Business Network event will take place on Tuesday, 4th July within the stunning setting of the Ballroom suite of the 5* Seaham Hall Hall and Spa. Networking and registration will open from 8.30am and the event itself will start at 9am. Already...
Gateshead technology specialist Advantex has won a five-figure contract to provide state-of-the-art digital surveillance and security technology at a County-Durham automotive bearings manufacturer. The move sees the Follingsby Park-based firm supplying Peterlee’s NSK...
The next East Durham Business Network event will take place on Tuesday, 4th July within the stunning setting of the Ballroom suite of the 5* Seaham Hall Hall and Spa. Networking and registration will open from 8.30am and the event itself will start at 9am. As always...
Visit County Durham’s long-serving Chair has announced he will retire next month after 14 years of dedicated service. Ivor Stolliday was appointed Chair of the Visit County Durham Ltd board in 2009 and has proven a dedicated and inspirational ambassador for the...
A grassroots County Durham charity is extending the support it can provide to dozens of people facing addiction issues with the help of a four-figure grant from Newcastle Building Society. Free The Way has used a £3,000 Society grant to provide emergency food parcels...
Bellway Durham is preparing to open a sales arena at new housing development in Bowburn. The housebuilder is building 91 homes at Clarence Gate, which forms part of the Integra 61 commercial and residential scheme situated just off Junction 61 of the A1(M). The...
How one man’s passion to make a difference has changed the lives of almost 400 people from East Durham. It’s just over 10 years since businessman Bill Marley founded charitable organisation The Employability Trust – created to help disadvantaged people gain the skills...
Electricians, plasterers, civil engineers and business administrators are among more than 40 apprenticeships roles on offer at Durham County Council. Applications are open now, with a closing date of Sunday 21 May, and successful applicants will take up their posts in...
Automotive manufacturer TMD Friction has secured over £2m of investment to upgrade three paint lines and technology for some of its grinding machines. Bosses at the Hartlepool plant put forward a business case to upgrade the paint lines and were successful in securing...
An established North East chartered accountancy firm has opened a second office in the region as it continues to grow. Mullen Stoker, whose head office is based at Mandale Business Park at Belmont in County Durham, recently moved to One Trinity Green in South Shields...
Nissan has brought the world of engineering and manufacturing to life for 1,700 youngsters with its inspirational two-week Schools Engineering event. Children from 35 schools visited Nissan Sunderland Plant to see how car manufacturing has evolved over the past 30...
FI Real Estate Management (FIREM) is offering businesses the opportunity to win a free 12-month tenancy - worth tens of thousands of pounds - at its new Gemini Point development on Bracken Hill Industrial Estate in Peterlee. To enter, businesses are invited to submit...
Since launching four years ago, the County Durham Growth Fund has supported the creation of hundreds of jobs and helped dozens of businesses expand. And recently the fund has helped two East Durham companies to move to new premises and invest in state-of-the-art...
One of the North East’s largest rooftop solar pv installations has been installed on a factory unit in Peterlee by a Wearside family run renewable energy business. Advanced Renewable Power (AR Power) based in Washington is run by husband-and-wife team Mark and Maria...
A Seaham-based property developer is transforming a former care facility into four residential homes after securing £770,000 funding support from the North East Property Fund (NEPF) managed by FW Capital on behalf of the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP)....
East Durham Business editor and owner of LEC, Leanne Fawcett on maternity, paternity and being a working parent. In this issue’s What’s Trending Now feature, EDB designer Alan Sawyers chats to EDB editor and MD of communications, digital and publishing company LEC,...
Work to create new headquarters for a growing family cleaning business has now completed, supporting the creation of at least 10 new jobs. AAA Caring Caretaker identified the 0.8 acre site at Bowburn North Industrial Estate after the company outgrew its current...
Charity and cheese have joined forces to raise vital funds to fight poverty in County Durham. The staff team at Prima Cheese, in Seaham, chose the Poverty Hurts Appeal as their Charity of the Year in 2022, and piled on the fun to raise £1,214.62. A charity car wash,...
Issue 10 of the area's flagship magazine, East Durham Business, is due out next week. This issue is packed with features and news from businesses around area, including The Employability Trust, East Durham Trust, The Royal George, Delanoy Funeral Services, AAA Caring...
Two paid work placements have been created by believe housing, and they are offered exclusively to customers of the housing association. The part-time administrative roles are open to people aged 24 or older, who have no prior experience but are looking to start or...
After a five month hiatus the next East Durham Business Network event will take place on Wednesday, 8th March within the stunning setting of the Ballroom suite of the 5* Seaham Hall Hall and Spa. Networking and registration will open from 8.30am and the event itself...
Nicki Clark OBE, Chief Executive of business support consultancy UMi, has been appointed to on the board of Trustees for B Lab UK, the non-profit network championing B Corps and driving high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and...
The son of a former County Durham miner is set to take charge of the day-to-day running of the world’s biggest wind farm - a £9billion renewable development capable of powering one in five home UK homes by 2026. Peterlee-born Mark Halliday, whose father, Billy, once...
Automotive manufacturer TMD Friction has announced that it is creating five new apprenticeship roles within the business. The vacancies are in a range of disciplines, including IT, maintenance and Research and Development. TMD Friction has a long history of recruiting...
After a five month hiatus the next East Durham Business Network event will take place on Wednesday, 8th March within the stunning setting of the Ballroom suite of the 5* Seaham Hall Hall and Spa. Networking and registration will open from 8.30am and the event itself...
CoreHaus, a County Durham-based modular housing manufacturer, has promoted Dan Selby to managing director to drive its continued growth and expansion. Dan originally joined the company as operations manager in 2020 and was instrumental in setting up the production...
UMi makes it easier for businesses across the UK to do more and go further by finding and packaging the best information, expertise and finance to help them make better business decisions, more quickly. The Better Health at Work Award recognises the efforts of...
The next issue of East Durham Business magazine is due out next month and there's still time to advertise your business in it. The publication is hand delivered to companies, organisations and leisure outlets across the region and posted to a database of a further 300...
Experienced leadership coach Claire Walton, who runs Leaders are MAD (Making a Difference) has teamed up with business support organisation RTC North to deliver a two-day peak performance workshop for small business leaders. When and where Date and time Tue, Mar 7,...
Peterlee-based electrical test and measurement company Seaward has announced several senior appointments as it continues to invest in resources and develop expanding national and international operations. Alison Thompson has been appointed as HR Manager in a new role...
A catering company which provides equipment to hotels, restaurants and bars is fast-tracking plans to become a £50m turnover business. E Catering, based at Jade Business Park, has seen operations grow by 700 per cent since the current owner bought it in 2019....
ZF has produced over 50 million cameras for global customers – the most of any automotive supplier First supplier to manufacture more than 10 million cameras in a single year Builds on its longtime expertise in developing innovative camera technologies for advanced...
The majority of businesses in the North East expect 2023 to be more successful than 2022, despite challenging economic forecasts, according to the latest data from Lloyds Bank. Eight in 10 of the region’s firms (80%) said they are confident they would have greater...
An up and coming County Durham businesswoman has topped off a successful year with a prestigious award win and a promotion to head up her family’s business. Alison Stephenson was recently named the winner of the ‘Rising Star’ award at the North East Business Women of...
Automotive manufacturer TMD Friction has announced the appointment of Michael Hoggart as new UK Plant Manager. Michael was previously employed at Gestamp in Newton Aycliffe as Operations Manager and with over 32 years working for the company, he brings a wealth of...
Smart Manufacturing Solutions was founded by directors Pete Williams, Craig Wood, and Adam Smith at the peak of the coronavirus pandemic. Many people called them crazy for even trying to launch a business during such challenging times. But the trio backed themselves...
A growing design and technology company has completed the purchase of a historical office building to support continued expansion and job creation. Founded in 2016 by Ryan Carter, Creator was initially located in a single office space within Castle Eden Studios....
Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) is asking businesses to consider donating the cost of one extra meal at the staff Christmas party to help keep the helicopters in the air over the festive period. It is entirely charitably funded with each mission costing on...
A growing North-East estate agency has expanded its brand further into the region after the launch of Igomove Durham North. Helen Archer will lead the latest branch of a hybrid agency that prides itself on delivering a ‘more personal service at a fair fixed price’ –...
A new £5,000 grant has been launched to encourage residents across the North East to switch from traditional boilers to more energy efficient and greener air source heat pumps. OFGEM has introduced the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) which enables home owners and...
FI Real Estate Management (FIREM) has completed a new £3.5m business park comprising nine industrial units in Peterlee, County Durham. Gemini Point is located at Bracken Hill Business Park and offers businesses a range of spaces with units from 5,400 sq ft to 7,400 sq...
Entrepreneurs from County Durham are set to benefit from the hugely successful Durham City Incubator (DCI) accelerator programme. The latest six companies on the programme together make up one of its most diverse cohorts yet, covering sectors including TV production,...
Work to upgrade the energy efficiency of 1,000 County Durham homes has reached a milestone, just in time for the arrival of winter. North East housing provider believe housing is working with contractor RE:GEN Group to improve customers’ homes in a scheme worth more...
The UK’s largest supplier of heat pumps has opened its first national training centre to meet the rising demand from businesses and householders moving to renewable energy technology. Karbon Homes is just one of the organisations which will take advantage of Go...
Chief Executive Officer of Learning Curve Group, Brenda McLeish OBE, was presented with her OBE for her services to further education after being named as a recipient in the New Year Honours in 2022. She also bagged the Businesswoman of the Year Award at the 2022...
A fund which has invested more than £10m in County Durham businesses has brought about an additional £30m of spend and created or safeguarded more than a thousand jobs. These will be the figures reported to Durham County Council’s Cabinet next week, when members...
Avison Young has been instructed to market Spectrum 5 at Spectrum Business Park in Seaham. Spectrum 5 is a detached 39,958sq ft (3,712sq m) Grade A, 3 storey office building on the busy business park. The property comprises three, metre floor to ceiling heights,...
Plans for a new £78 million zero carbon energy generation facility in County Durham submitted by North East planning specialists Hedley Planning Services for Landmark Power Holdings have been approved. The facility at Mill Hill in Peterlee is designed to capture and...
A fast-growing Teesside engineering and management services consultancy is driving forward two multi-million-pound projects that are helping to bolster Britain’s energy security. Stockton-on-Tees-based Encora Energy is engaged with an investment team to successfully...
Smart Manufacturing Solutions was founded by directors Pete Williams, Craig Wood, and Adam Smith at the peak of the coronavirus pandemic. Many people called them crazy for even trying to launch a business during such challenging times. But the trio backed themselves...
It’s just over two years since John Delanoy and Julie Stout launched their partnership, Delanoy Funeral Services and opened in Peterlee. Their mission was to change the way funerals are conducted, to give people the send off they want and deserve. EDB editor Leanne...
A teenager has turned her love of gothic art into a new business venture with the help of a newly created partnership. Seventeen-year-old Amy Fielding from Hartlepool has launched Luna Designs after being drawn into the dark world of the occult, Halloween and gothic...
A bid to create a new Investment Zone on two sites in County Durham has been submitted. The government recently announced plans for the introduction of new Investment Zones across the country. The sites would have lower business taxes and time-limited tax incentives...
This week we held our quarterly networking event at Seaham Hall Hotel with dozens of businesses in attendance. The event also saw the official launch of Issue 9 of East Durham Business magazine. Among the business attendees were Katmex, Power Roll, Nala Engineers, FI...
Work has started on a 0.8 acre site which will house a growing family cleaning business, supporting the creation of at least 10 new jobs. AAA Caring Caretaker was founded by CEO Richard H Tucker MBE in 2015 to complement an existing property company he was already...
Plans to expand a business park which will provide new investment and jobs have been approved. Jade Business Park, in Murton, is owned and run by Durham County Council after being created in 2020. Its seven units currently employ 160 people, with this number expected...
A North East technology specialist has completed an undisclosed contract to supply ultrafast Wi-Fi connectivity to support growth at the UK’s largest independent supplier of non-food consumables, paper disposables and janitorial products. Gateshead-based Advantex has...
Seaham-based Sphera, developer of raw materials for the built environment, has completed a place on the WSP USA Emerging Growth Partnership Programme, following a meeting at the OneVoice, North East England Construction Summit 2021. The Summit delivered by...
A funeral services company which launched in Peterlee during the coronavirus pandemic has marked two years in business with the expansion of their team. Delanoy Funeral Services was formed by John Delanoy and Julie Stout after they were introduced by a mutual friend...
A family business which employs 17 ex-armed forces personnel has beaten off global brands including Amazon and Barclays to win a prestigious national award. AAA Caring Caretaker has been crowned Employer of the Year at the Ex-Forces in Business Awards. The awards,...
A County Durham firm has won funding to train more than a hundred new air source heat pump installers as the region gears up to the generational challenge of switching to renewable energy. The Go Green training academy in Peterlee - the first heat pump training centre...
East Durham Business Network has announced the date of its next networking event and already over 50 people have booked. The event, with a skills theme, will be held at Seaham Hall Hotel on Wednesday, October 12, from 8.30am. To book your place register here:...
National training provider Learning Curve Group (LCG) is delighted to announce the acquisition of Yorkshire-based White Rose Beauty Colleges (White Rose), one of the largest beauty therapy training providers in the UK, in a move which will complement its existing...
An international partnership is helping companies from County Durham to promote their products overseas. Durham County Council’s international relations team is instrumental in building partnerships around the world to promote economic development and cultural...
One of the North East’s fastest growing renewable energy firms has secured a lucrative contract with a prestigious city centre commercial property development. Clear Climate in Peterlee has been chosen to supply air conditioning systems for the £100m Bank House...
East Durham Business Network has announced the date of its next networking event. The event, with a skills theme, will be held at Seaham Hall Hotel on Wednesday, October 12, from 8.30am. To book your place register here:...
Clock ticking on innovation funding Time is running out to take advantage of a hugely popular scheme that’s helped dozens of businesses unlock grant funding towards projects totalling £1.16million. Gillian Middleton, Innovation & Enterprise Manager at the North...
Global automotive technology leader ZF has renewed its partnership with Cancer Research UK. It is the second time the Peterlee location has joined forces with the national charity, having initially teamed up in 2019. Sadly, ZF’s fundraising efforts were disrupted by...
The Health and Safety Manager at TMD Friction has received a top national football coaching award. Shaun Wilson was named Adults Grassroots Coach of the Year at the National Grassroots Football Awards. The award was presented by Sir Geoff Hurst in Leicester during the...
Footwear giant Skechers has become the latest addition to Dalton Park Outlet Shopping Destination. Stocking its hugely popular footwear, clothing and accessories for men, women and children, the new outlet store, which opened on Friday 5th August, has created 14 new...
In this issue’s My Working Day feature, we chat to Tony Norton, Operations Manager at Peterlee-based rainscreen manufacturing company Sotech. Tony, who has worked for the company for 10 years, tells us more about his role within the business, what turning 60 meant for...
A trio of experienced businesswomen have launched a new venture to help established entrepreneurs and growing SMEs take their success the next level. Denise Fielding, Alison Machin, and Leanne Fawcett have joined forces to launch Novus Business Collective. The new...
