Monday 7 October 2013

Choosing most effective route to market

You can have the best product in the world but you will fail if you are unable to put it in front of the right customer.  In order to achieve business success you must be able to identify and focus on the most effective routes to market.  This requires you to understand your ‘ideal’ customer and their buying behaviour and, more importantly, articulate clearly why they should buy from you.  Securing this information will help you to choose the best sales channel for your product.

The masterclass, delivered by Rhona Campbell who is an expert in global product management and product marketing, will take you through a step-by-step guide on how to undertake the necessary market research as well as assess which route to market is the right one for you.  It will provide pragmatic advice on the most cost effective approach to take as well as outline real life success stories and how to avoid some of the pitfalls.

Rhona has over 15 years experience working with small and medium-sized technology companies to achieve growth and success in both the UK and overseas markets.  Her practical know-how has helped companies to commercialise and launch new products, enter new emerging markets as well as develop and implement international marketing strategies.  Rhona has recently set up her own Edinburgh-based consultancy, Rhona Campbell Associates, working with start-up and investor-funded technology companies to assess commercial feasibility of new products, formulate product strategy/roadmap and take leading-edge technology to market.

This masterclass is aimed at senior managers in SMEs who are responsible for driving their business growth and sales strategy.

The cost to attend this event is £30.00.  A discounted rate of £20.00 is available for clients of HPIC, Hillington Park, Alba Innovation Centre, the Atrium, Interactive Scotland, members of Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire Chambers of Commerce.

Please select the 'members only' ticket to access this discount.  Click here to book your place>>> https://hillingtonmasterclass.eventbrite.co.uk/

This event is being run by Hillington Park Innovation Centre in conjunction with MEPC and is open to all companies on Hillington Park.

New Carstore to open creating seventy new jobs

A new, flagship ‘Carstore’ is to open at Hillington Park in December with the creation of seventy new jobs.

The 70,000 sq ft ‘Carstore’, located on a six acre site, will be opened by Peter Vardy Limited, the rapidly-expanding car retailer.

The enormous new facility, at the M8 entrance to the Park, will be home to 400 pre-owned cars which will be displayed indoors in a heated showroom.

The company is currently recruiting to fill the seventy new vacancies including sales executives, parts advisors, parts supervisors, service administrators, showroom hosts, technicians, vehicle progressors, workshop controllers, sales controllers, sales manager, vehicle administrator, accounts assistant, apprentice technicians and drivers.

Jamie Cumming, commercial director at Hillington Park said: “Hillington Park is already home to around 500 businesses employing over 6000 people so we’re delighted that another high profile business is to open on the Park adding a further seventy new staff to the large business community.

“We know that the location, just off the M8 motorway, is one of the main reasons why companies choose to base themselves here as it provides one of the most connected business locations in Scotland.”

Chief executive Peter Vardy said: "With this fantastic new Carstore, Peter Vardy Ltd is changing the face of the motor trade in Scotland. It is designed to be a destination dealership, where people can take their time in comfortable surroundings to find the car of their dreams.”


Global recruitment company is new addition to Hillington Park

Growing and internationally renowned company PG Global have become the latest new arrival at Hillington Park’s Merlin Business Centre.

PG Global, who were previously based in the Park’s Innovation Centre, have moved into a suite on the third floor which will allow them to expand significantly over the next year.

The company, which has offices all over the world, traditionally offers recruitment services to the oil, gas, energy and marine industries but has experienced recent growth after moving into the renewable energy sector.

Paul Caruana, Business and Commercial Development Manager, PG Global said: “We are a global company with offices around the world including Spain, Malta, USA, Norway, Angola, and our Glasgow office is extremely important to us, not only because of the oil and gas in our country but because of the growing importance of renewable energy. We believe that we can be at the forefront of both sectors, which are closely connected, for many years to come.

“Due to our belief that we will continue to see substantial growth, we have moved into Merlin Business Centre as it will allow us to accommodate the planned growth, with the new office providing the necessary expansion space. At the moment our Hillington Park base is home to a team of five, but we hope to increase this by the end of the month and then again by the end of the year. Merlin is an ideal location for us and as an added bonus, allows our CEO and other senior figures to access us, easily and quickly from Glasgow airport.”

“We are delighted that PG Global has chosen to move into Merlin Business Centre as the company is undergoing continuous growth,” says Alison Clark, Marketing and Customer Manager, MEPC, “We have invested in the reception, shared facilities and communal areas to create more space and better facilities so that we not only attract flourishing companies but help to nurture that growth and support their success.”

Merlin Business Centre occupiers are in a prime position with commanding views of the Campsie Hills and Ben Lomond. Merlin offers a wide variety of office accommodation over four floors while the serviced office package and flexible Greenlite Licence agreements ensure that property issues are taken care of so that companies can concentrate on developing their business.

Former Rolls Royce site at Hillington Park purchased for £2.85m

Acquisition plays part in £50m plans for Scotland's largest business and industrial estate.

The site of the former Rolls Royce engine factory at Hillington Park has been purchased, 75 years after the Park’s formal opening.

MEPC, Hillington Park’s majority owners, completed the £2.85M deal for the 28 acre site from St Modwen Developments, 75 years after Hillington Park was formally opened by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1938.

The acquisition is part of a planned investment by MEPC of up to £50m over the next ten years at Hillington Park. The plans include significant investment in infrastructure, new commercial buildings and further supporting retail and other service amenities.

Hillington Park, which is home to around 500 businesses employing in the region of 6100 people, covers 419 acres including 43 acres of development land on the edge of Renfrewshire and Glasgow regions, next to the M8 motorway. It is also home to the award winning Hillington Park Innovation Centre and the Merlin Business Centre which provide incubation and flexible office spaces for start-up and small growth businesses and regional offices for national and international companies.

Occupiers at Hillington Park come from sectors including retail, manufacturing, engineering, life sciences, technology and the public sector. Notable organisations include Balfour Beatty Engineering Services, Heathrow Airport Holdings, NHS, Red Cross and BMI Healthcare.

Rolls Royce moved onto the Park in 1939 as a ‘shadow’ aero engine manufacturing facility for the Merlin engines that powered the Spitfire and Hurricane fighter planes for the war effort. After the war [in 1947] Rolls Royce took ownership of the Hillington factory manufacturing turbojet engines as well as almost all other aero engines that the company went on to develop. The company moved from Hillington Park to a purpose built facility in 2005. At its peak it employed 25,000 people turning out 400 engines a week.

Jamie Cumming, Commercial Director for MEPC in Scotland said: “Hillington Park has made, and continues to make, a major contribution to the Scottish economy and in particular, the economies of Renfrewshire and Greater Glasgow. Our research indicates that the Park’s occupiers generate over £340m of economic wealth every year. Today the Hillington Park business community represents a wide variety of sectors and business activity including renewables, light engineering, software design, logistics and the food & drinks industry.

“The purchase of the currently vacant, former Rolls Royce site is part of MEPC’s plans to further grow Hillington Park’s appeal as a location for local and national companies. This plan includes a new master plan, signage strategy and commitment to make a case for investment of up to £50M over the next 10 years in infrastructure, commercial buildings and supporting retail and other service amenities.

“We know from feedback from the current occupiers that Hillington Park’s location is unrivalled, so by making new development space available we hope to attract further ambitious businesses looking for buildings to meet their specific requirements. Through the realisation of these plans Hillington Park will become the next generation of business space in Scotland’s central belt.”

MEPC manages some of the UK's best known commercial property, with seven Business Estates [including Hillington Park and Clyde Gateway East] set in prime locations throughout the UK. Together they provide over 7 million sq ft of high quality space for more than 1,000 organisations, employing over 21,500 people. With a portfolio in excess of £700 million, we stand as a leader in our field.