Rotherham in international business elite first
Mittwoch, 13 Januar 2010
Rotherham has become the first place in England to join one of the world’s most elite groups of business locations.
The borough, which has just chosen by the UK Government as the location for its Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, joins 15 others recognised internationally as excellent for supporting businesses.
After a tough judging process, the US-based National Business Incubation Association (NBIA) awarded the borough ‘Soft Landing Zone’ status giving it an “excellent” rating for helping overseas investor companies set up there.
Rotherham joins the likes of Boston University and several other US centres, Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks, Australia’s National Innovation Centre, Technopolis, in Finland, and other mainland Europe centres in France, the Netherlands and Belgium.
The accolade could help Rotherham, which already boasts 90 overseas firms, attract further international companies bringing investment and jobs to the region.
The UK’s only other such zone is in Wales.
To win acceptance, Rotherham Investment & Development Office (RiDO), the borough Council’s regeneration arm, had to show how its support for business particularly start-up, existing and incoming companies made a significant different to their arrival, survival and success.
RiDO did so by explaining how it helps entrepreneurs start their businesses, existing companies grow, and national and overseas companies relocate to the borough.
A big factor was the council’s four purpose-built business centres, fully managed by RiDO, which offer a range of facilities and support including office and workshop space and services such as administration.
RiDO business development manager Tim O’Connell said of the award: “It justifies the council’s commitment to creating the business centres across the borough, and our effort to help the excellent public-private partnership here to bolster the local economy. If we were a restaurant, this would be the equivalent of winning three Michelin stars.”
The NBIA, which is based in Athens, Ohio, promotes the incubation of new companies and others relocating to other countries.