Leeds City Region local enterprise partnership (LEP) has chosen the Aire Valley Leeds as its preferred location for an enterprise zone.

Enterprise zones are a Government initiative to encourage private sector growth by allowing LEPs to choose areas that can enjoy benefits such as reduced business rates and simplified planning rules.

It said that after a detailed analysis of each proposal the Aire Valley Leeds was identified as…

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Tags: Aire Valley Leeds, Enterprise Zones, Investment, Leeds City Region

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Britain’s manufacturers are continuing to drive UK economic growth on the back of export-led demand, with manufacturers optimistic about growth prospects in the short term, according to the second quarter 2011 Manufacturing Outlook survey published today by EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation and BDO LLP.

The survey shows output and orders balances turned out as strong as expected in the last quarter, marking the sixth consecutive quarter of growth. And…

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Tags: Engineering Employers Federation, Export, Manufacturing growth, UK economy

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Chinese manufacturer Power Link Machine Co has unveiled its new European HQ in Yorkshire, creating at least 15 new jobs.

The fast growing international company is aiming for its UK operation, based at Sherburn Enterprise Park near Leeds, to grow to a turnover of £10m within two years.

From its Yorkshire base Power Link is looking to establish itself as a European leader in the manufacture and distribution of diesel power…

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Tags: Investment, Leeds, Leeds Manufacturing, power generation

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The majority of manufacturing firms in the Leeds City Region who attended a keynote business breakfast in Leeds this week say they are planning to invest for growth this year. Nearly every firm at the Leeds Manufacturing breakfast seminar said they have growth plans in 2011.

While the skills gap and over-regulation present continuing problems for manufacturing companies, management from firms including…

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Tags: EEF, Engineering Employers Federation, Investment, Leeds City Region, Leeds Manufacturing, Skills

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The verdict is still out on the prospects for the UK economy, according to Andrew Cook, chairman of William Cook Holdings, interviewed this week in the Yorkshire Post. But he is confident about the future for the family-owned steel castings manufacturer, which is investing £5 million in its Leeds site and expects to create up to 150 skilled jobs across the group this year.

Cook says the new…

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Tags: Future of UK Manufacturing, Investment, Leeds Manufacturing, William Cook Holdings

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Following a turbulent few months, funding has finally been secured which will enable the Manufacturing Advisory Service Yorkshire & Humber (MAS Y&H) to continue to play a vital role in supporting the region’s small and medium-sized manufacturers.

MAS Y&H provides hands-on advice and support to manufacturing businesses to improve productivity and efficiency. It is jointly funded by Yorkshire Forward and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and is…

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Tags: Leeds Manufacturing, Manufacturing Advisory Service

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Posted by guest blogger, David Raistrick UK manufacturing industry leader for Deloitte, based in Leeds

The number of manufacturing companies falling into administration in the first quarter of this year declined by 18 per cent to 86 compared with 105 in the same period last year, according to research by Deloitte, the business advisory firm. 

David Raistrick, UK manufacturing industry leader based at Deloitte in Leeds, comments:

“The…

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Tags: Deloitte, Future of UK Manufacturing

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Bus manufacturer Optare has announced that it will keep its main manufacturing operation in Yorkshire after signing a 17 year lease on a new 140,000 sq ft factory in Sherburn in Elmet. It is the first new bus assembly plant to open in the UK for 40 years. Facilities at the new plant will allow the company to build up to 1,200 buses a year. According to reports on

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Tags: Leeds Manufacturing, Optare

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The manufacturing recovery continues with home and overseas sales growing at their fastest for 15 years, according to the latest CBI survey.
 
The survey reports 36% of manufacturers seeing output increase in the last three months and only 15% reporting falls.
 
Companies are also predicting output growth remaining at the same pace with domestic and export orders forecast to grow above their long term averages.

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Tags: Confederation of British Industry, Future of UK Manufacturing

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More than half of businesses in Leeds, York and North Yorkshire are under serious pressure to increase prices as a result of rising overheads, fuel and raw material costs according to research carried out by Leeds University Business School.

But, aware of the potential impact on their competitiveness, rather than passing price rises on to customers they are working hard to find new ways of reducing overall costs and reduce…

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Tags: Economic Challenges, Leeds Chamber, Leeds City Region, Leeds University Business School

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