Ryder Architecture, based at Cooper Studios in Newcastle, snapped up London architectural practice Doone Silver Kerr, a company which is involved in major projects around the UK as well as overseas.
The company, which was established 12 years ago, has developed a respected track record in the commercial, residential and hospitality sectors worldwide and is currently involved in schemes including 103 Colmore Row in Birmingham, Stow-Away Hotel and 63 Compton Street in London, and Roppongi Hills in Tokyo.
Mark Thompson, managing partner at Ryder, said that Doone Silver Kerr’s expertise will bolster Ryder’s existing capability and that the combined team will be moving into a new base in London.
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He said: “We are delighted to welcome Doone Silver Kerr to Ryder at a time of growth and success for the practice. This is an exciting and important step in our ambitious long term plans to further strengthen the business.
“Our new colleagues will be a welcome addition to our capability in London as we open the doors to a new, larger base in Fitzrovia.”
Cramlington sweet manufacturer Sweet Dreams is set to boost its operations, create jobs and break into new markets after tapping into funding.
The confectionery company, which makes the popular Choc Nibbles brand as well as supplying sweets to leading retailers throughout the UK, has secured £92,000 from the North of Tyne Growth Fund. The company, led by husband and wife team Matt and Cath Stephenson, is using the grant to hire more staff, buy new machinery and increase its product range to include chocolate bars as well as plans for vegan and plant-based products.
The funding comes from the North of Tyne Combined Authority and the European Regional Development Fund. Mr Stephenson, said: “It’s the first time we ever had any support. Our chocolate bar line wouldn’t have happened without NTCA’s investment. We’ve got an exciting thing here – and the new funding took the pressure off.
“Adding to our ability to offer chocolate-coated confectionery, we now have a state-of-the-art depositing line, that can produce plain bars, bars with inclusions and even plant-based vegan options.”
Tyneside ethical school uniform supplier Etika Clothing is aiming to quadruple its customer base after securing a five-figure investment.
The Gateshead based firm is the first in the UK to supply ethically sourced uniforms to the primary school market, after developing a manufacturing partnership between the UK and India which delivers full transparency and ownership of the supply chain.
Launched in 2019, the firm currently supplies uniforms to around 20 primary schools, most of which are around the North East, and it is aiming to double that number by the end of the next academic year before increasing it to three figures by summer 2024.
The Etika management team has worked with regional fund management firm NEL Fund Managers to secure a £20,000 Small Loan Fund investment, which will be used to boost its business development activity and bring in skilled staff to help meet growing demand. Around six new jobs are expected to be created as the business expands, with the aim of reaching an annual turnover of £1m by 2025, establishing the firm as a national brand.
Growing Tyneside engineering group NTG is expanding its capabilities and resources after a deal to acquire fellow North East firm ABS Precision.
Longbenton-based ABS, which supplies global customers in the hydraulic bolting markets, will join the NTG group of companies and continue to scale its operations as part of a larger business.
NTG said it would support ongoing investment in people, technology and business development functions that would help ABS grow its market presence in specialist industries including hydraulic bolting, electric vehicle and precision engineering.
Mike Hutchinson, managing director of NTG Holdings Limited, said: “There are some excellent synergies between the two businesses, which together will provide a wider client base with complementary and expanded capabilities.
“The cultures within the two organisations are remarkably similar, which will ensure a smooth integration and enable us to quickly get on with scaling ABS further, while helping to further build NTG’s capabilities with the skills and technologies that exist in our newly acquired business."
North tech manufacturer Filtronic announced a £400,000 deal with an aerospace and defence company - its second sizeable deal in a week.
The company, which designs and makes products for the aerospace, defence, telecoms infrastructure and critical communications markets, said the new contract win is with an existing customer, for a series of filter related developments.
The new contract is a prototype order after a long development cycle, using its expertise in complex microwave switched filter bank technology.
The order is expected to be delivered within the 2023 financial year, and chief executive Richard Gibbs said there is a good chance of follow-on orders being received in the future for the product.
He said: “We are delighted to have been selected as the supplier of these switched filter bank products. We have worked hard to develop further opportunities in the aerospace and defence market and this contract flows from the credibility we have built with this important customer.”
