Robotics innovator Wootzano has expanded into the US , having launched a partnership with a Californian business.
The County Durham-based maker of dexterous robots that can pick delicate fruit and vegetables has launched the first of its Avarai systems in the US which will be used for grape packaging. It hopes the technology will appeal to producers facing labour shortages in packaging sheds.
Following Ƶ research and development of the system, which use a "skin" that gives the robotic arms greater sensory awareness needed for careful packing work, Wootzano hopes it will encourage more tech-based employment opportunities in the sector. It says the US move is part of its global expansion ambitions, marking a milestone in its growth since its launch just five years ago.
Read more: People on the move - key appointments and promotions of the week
Now Wootzano's founders hope to tackle the sizeable agricultural market in the States, where sustainability and efficiency are sought. The firm has been helped by the Fresno County Economic Development Corporation, a public-private partnership which supports new businesses with site selection, among other things, and The British Consulate General - San Francisco, and other organisations.
Dr Atif Syed, CEO and founder of Wootzano said: "We are thrilled to announce our expansion into the US. Our team is dedicated to delivering exceptional customer experiences and driving growth in this dynamic market. Together with our US partner, we look forward to making a positive impact and delivering a new level of sustainability and quality in the fresh produce industry."
Tyneside trend forecasting agency TrendBible is aiming for future expansion after investing in its own Newcastle offices for the first time.
TrendBible delivers products and services that give clients a detailed insight into how the future of life at home will be in two to five years’ time, enabling them to develop and shape their future customer offerings in response. The company has been based in rented space in Ouseburn for the last 10 years, but has now purchased a three-storey office on Leazes Park Road in Newcastle city centre.
Its new city centre 2,000 sq ft space has been designed to provide a flexible base for members of the growing, 22-strong TrendBible team to use when they need it, while also being big enough to accommodate the team when it comes together for quarterly company ‘connection’ events. The business is also planning to use its new base to provide more opportunities for local young people to break into the industry.
Joanna Feeley, founder and CEO of TrendBible, said: “We have a fully flexible working model, with our team members often working from home or from outside the region, but we still needed a space that could accommodate some or all of them as the need arises, as well as provide room for future new recruits. Buying our own office gives us a solid base from which to grow, and also underpins our position as a North East born-and-bred business that’s here for the long term."
The founder of an equestrian clothing company is making moves into the mainstream female sportswear market after becoming the sole owner of the business. Jordan McCabe now owns Aztec Diamond outright, after buying out her mother Jane, nine years after the pair initially launched the business. Ms McCabe was just 18 when she set up the company, having spotted a gap in the market for equestrian wear for fashion-conscious young women.
Since then, Aztec Diamond has become a global name, exporting her designs to dozens of countries around the world, with key markets including the US, Canada, Australia, South Africa and Tokyo. Having fulfilled her childhood dream of starting such a business, Ms McCabe - winner of awards including Lloyds Bank entrepreneur of the year, and named on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list - is now keen to push the growth of Aztec Diamond to the next level by widening its focus beyond the equestrian market.
Backed by a team including non-executive finance director Brenda Readman-Bell, a former financial director at clothing company Barbour - she is now keen to grow the potential of their market size by opening their offering.
Ms McCabe said: “I’ve always wanted to take the business as far as I can, to really see what is possible for the brand, that’s the goal. My mum has always been there with support and advice, anything I’ve needed, it will be strange without her, but I know we’re both so ready for this next step. I want to continue what we have built and take it so much further. I’ve got a great team to build on, and Brenda’s experience will be very valuable, she has so much experience in retail.”
North East fashion rental firm Hirestreet is tapping into the soaring popularity of watersports by working with a South West firm to rent out wetsuits.
The company has struck up a partnership with Finisterre, a Cornwall-based surf brand which makes sustainable wetsuits, helping more people to get into the water by renting its products without having to pay a fortune. The deal was made after founder Isabella West was introduced to Finisterre founder Tom Kay through an investor – and within days of offering suits-for-hire, demand has led to the company adding more stock.
Finisterre is using Hirestreet’s white label Zoa platform to rent out suits, charging a daily rental fee of 2.5% of the total recommended retail price of the wetsuit.
Isabella West, CEO of Hirestreet, said: “Activities like wildswimming have dramatically increased in the Ƶ in recent years - communities of advocates cite its ability to reduce stress and improve mood. However, it’s expensive to get started if you don’t already own a wetsuit, our collaboration with Finisterre is helping to reduce that barrier."
Newcastle architecture firm GT3 is looking to opportunities in the US market thanks to a new partnership with a Boston-based design firm. The practice has joined forces with Sasaki, which also has offices in New York, Denver and Shanghai, to create an alliance of more than 400 architectural design specialists. The firms say the combined expertise will benefit projects in various sectors and specialisms including sports and leisure, masterplanning, workplace design and landscape architecture.
Sasaki employs about 300 people and has delivered projects around the world, including what is claimed to be Europe's largest urban development scheme in Greece, an international school in Chile and an exhibition centre in China. Meanwhile, GT3's team of about 50 has created designs for everything from leisure centres to offices, from its Tyneside and Nottingham bases.
Simon Dunstan, director at GT3 Architects, said: "This is a valuable alliance for both organisations that opens up numerous opportunities in the Ƶ and the US. When we met with the Sasaki team, we were able to explore a number of potential projects and very quickly established a shared culture with lots of common values – the perfect bedrock for our alliance.
Occupational health specialist PAM Group has acquired part of Newcastle-based Connect Health in a move it says will boost annual revenue by £2m. The undisclosed deal means 60 of Connect Health's staff in its occupational health physiotherapy business will transfer to PAM Physio Solutions (PPS) - part of the Warrington-based group. It will give PPS a 120-strong team and annual revenues of £5m.
The acquisition is the second this year for PAM, which established its physio business in 2010 and offers physiotherapy treatment, assessments and the management of musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders. For Connect, the deal follows a year in which it made strides in winning new NHS community services contracts.
Mike Turner, CEO at Connect Health, said: "At Connect Health we continue to have an ambitious growth strategy that is focussed upon providing health and wellbeing services within a Health and Social Care setting. The transfer of the Occupational Health Services (OHS) business to PAM Group means it will be able to grow within a specialist provider. I would like to thank colleagues transferring to PAM Group for their contribution, commitment and hard work that has made a huge difference to the success of the OHS business."
Leisure developer Stack is set to breathe new life into a derelict Midlands shopping centre with a £12m plan for a drinking and dining destination. Market Walk shopping centre in Northampton town centre has lain empty for a number of years but is now set to become Stack’s first Midlands venue, as part of the regeneration and development project.
Stack last week completed a deal to take on the Market Walk site and plans to transform the retail space, subject to planning and licensing permissions. The firm said the repurposing of the shopping centre will enhance the town’s vibrancy and vitality, supporting both the daytime and evening economy.
The plans for a Stack in Northampton is the latest in a number of announcements made by the company as it rolls out its plan to become a nationally recognised brand. A new home for Stack Newcastle at Worswick Chambers is currently under way, joining Stack Seaburn at Seaburn which continues to attract huge visitor numbers.
The American energy arm of global giant GE has launched a £4m research project in Northumberland, to explore some of the biggest challenges facing the offshore industry.
The Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult in Blyth and the offshore wind business of GE Vernova – the industrial group’s energy division based in Massachusetts, US – has announced the signing of the new multimillion-pound collaboration, paving the way for a multi-year collaboration between the two organisations.
Together, GE Vernova and ORE Catapult will create a programme to help drive down costs for the global offshore wind market with reliable, enhanced, sustainable technologies. The partnership builds on the success of their previous Stay Ashore programme, and will focus on boosting turbine performance through smart tech solutions.
