Ambitious plans for a new innovation hub that's set to create 100 new businesses and more than 250 new jobs will help transform Wrexham's economic prospects.
More details will be unveiled by the Welsh Government's Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure, Ken Skates, at the next meeting of Wrexham Business Professionals (WBP) at the Ramada Plaza on July 14.
The group is made up of successful businesses and highly skilled professional firms of solicitors, accountants and other business professionals working together to raise the profile of enterprise and expertise that exists in the region and beyond.
They're expecting a bumper audience of around 150 people.
Mr Skates said: “The Welsh Government has been working with the Welsh Centre for Enterprise to develop the new innovation hub that will support the creation of 100 new businesses and at least 260 jobs in Wrexham between now and 2020.
“It’s a huge opportunity for Wrexham to carve out a distinct identity as a place of innovation and technical excellence.
“This will build on some investments that we’ve already announced concerning job creation in financial services.
“Wrexham has a huge opportunity to become known as a centre of excellence for financial services and innovation and there are also particular strengths in the area in life sciences and the digital economies.
“I’m very optimistic for the future of the economy in Wrexham. The development of 100 companies with many new jobs associated with that is going to be hugely exciting and will also contribute to the regeneration of the town centre and be enormously beneficial the people of the area.
“It will only take one or two of these businesses to flourish as, for example, the Village Bakery, Pendine Park and Moneypenny have done and we could be looking at hundreds more jobs in addition.
“I’ve got great belief in innovators living in and around Wrexham and by supporting them to make their ideas and thoughts a reality we’re hoping...
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People should be more aware of the importance of the agriculture sector to the economy in general.
That’s the message the boss of a successful Wrexham machinery firm which itself started down on the farm will have for business leaders next month.
Paul Reeves, Managing Director of Malpas Tractors, is one of the keynote speakers at the next meeting of Wrexham Business Professionals (WBP) in the Catrin Finch Centre at Glyndwr University on Thursday June 8.
The group is made up of successful businesses and highly skilled professional firms of solicitors, accountants and other business professionals working together to raise the profile of enterprise and expertise that exists in the region and beyond.
The topic for discussion is Powering Regional Prosperity – Growing the Welsh Economy and it will have a distinctly agricultural feel.
The other guest speakers will be Lesley Griffiths, Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for the Environment and Rural Affairs and Assembly Member for Wrexham, and John Mercer, Director of The National farmers’ Union Cymru.
Paul took over the running of Malpas Tractors in 2006 from his parents who founded the firm and it has since grown into a major concern with a chain of depots across North Wales and the North West of England.
Based on Wrexham Industrial Estate, it is a main line supplier of some of the biggest names in agricultural machinery including New Holland tractors and harvesters, Kuhn Farm Machinery mowers, feeders and cultivation equipment, Hi-Spec feeder wagons, slurry tankers, slurry pumps and industrial tankers.
It also deals in Bomford hedgecutters, Simba cultivation equipment, Trima & Quicke loaders and groundcare machinery for the professional and leisure industry.
The company has its roots in the Cheshire countryside where husband and wife Edward and Rachael Reeves started it off working the farm they still own in Malpas not far from the Welsh border.
Back in 1983 the couple, as joint directors, started to repair and service their own farm and contracting...
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It's vital that Wales doesn't lose out as a result of Brexit and that we carry on having access to the single market in Europe, according to a leading figure in the Welsh Government.
Professor Mark Drakeford, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government, says the same amount of money must continue to come into Wales after Britain's departure from the European Union.
That was the key message when he spoke to 120 members of Wrexham Business Professionals (WBP) at the town's Ramada Plaza hotel.
The group is made up of successful businesses and highly skilled professional firms of solicitors, accountants and other business professionals working together to raise the profile of enterprise and expertise that exists in the region and beyond.
The topic for discussion at their latest meeting was Powering Regional Prosperity – Taxing Times.
Prof Drakeford was one of three guest speakers who addressed the theme along with food entrepreneur Phil Brown and Rachel Clacher, co-founder of Wrexham-based telephone answering giant Moneypenny.
The Cabinet Secretary said he had been representing the Welsh Government on Brexit matters, adding: “Since the referendum to leave the EU, we have been working to protect and promote the interests of Wales. We have published our White Paper Securing Wales’ Future – a comprehensive, credible plan for the future as the UK prepares to leave the European Union.
"The Welsh Government has called on the UK Government to make good on promises made during the referendum campaign that Wales will not lose a penny in funding as a result of the UK leaving the EU. This remains one of our priorities – Wales should not be worse off when it leaves the EU and we will hold the UK Government to account on this.”
He added: “In the negotiations our top priority is to have full and unfettered access to the single market. We don’t want tariffs getting in the way of our most important markets. That will be...
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“In North Wales we’re very well served for food producers and I see opportunities everywhere I look."
“It's clear to me North Wales could play an important role in helping Britain to produce more of her own food.”
Phil’s new Sea Shanty Café on Lon St Ffraid, which he runs with his business partner Neil Gitton, celebrates beaches, holidays and the village’s links with sailing and local history.
The nautically-themed bistro, just a stone’s throw from the beach, stands on the spot - and bears the name - of an old wooden café that was once a much loved haunt of holidaymakers for decades.
The new café’s ceiling is hung with historic sailing boats, while the walls are decorated with sand and shells collected from beaches around the world plus other sailing memorabilia and curiosities.
On the back of rave reviews from foodies, families and tourists the café recently added to its 50-strong team by taking on an extra three chefs and five front-of-house staff.
But Phil says that just as with everything else he’s done in business the Sea Shanty didn’t happen overnight.
“All my past successes have been the result of careful consideration and observation,” he said.
Gill Kreft, the chair of Wrexham Business Professionals, said: "We're delighted that we have such a high-powered line-up for our next meeting.
She said: "Phil Brown's many business successes are an inspirational example of what can be achieved when you have a great idea and the drive and determination to see it through.
"I am sure Phil, Professor Drakeford and Rachel will have some fascinating insights to share with the audience who will be able to apply some of those lessons to make their own businesses even more successful."
For more information contact Kate Edwards from Wrexham Business Professionals kate.edwards@wrexhambusinessprofessionals.com or ring her on 01978 752500.
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Wrexham is to receive a massive funding boost of £150,000 to help encourage more disabled women to take part in sport.
The good news was revealed by Jon Morgan, Executive Director of Disability Sport Wales, when he was a keynote speaker at the Christmas gathering of Wrexham Business Professionals (WBP).
The influential group is made up of successful businesses and highly skilled professional firms of solicitors, accountants and other business professionals working together to promote business and raise the profile of enterprise and expertise that exists in the region and beyond.
He told an audience of 160 business leaders at the Ramada Plaza Hotel that his organisation, which promotes participation in sport and physical activity across Wales, has just won a challenge fund award from Spirit of 2012, an independent trust, established with a £47m endowment from the Big Lottery Fund, that empowers people to get out, be involved and feel better about themselves.
The £450,000 award will be split between three areas of Wales, with Wrexham picking up £150,000.
Mr Morgan said: “We’re really excited about winning this award and the total funding will go to Pembrokeshire, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Wrexham, which has been chosen as the host area for North Wales.
“The £150,000 will be paid over three years and will be used to fund schemes which encourage disabled women to engage in sport.
“We will be targeting women rather than girls and be looking to help the most inactive of them.
“The idea is to get them off their couches, give them healthier lifestyles and teach them new skills.”
Mr Morgan outlined the work of Disability Sport Wales, detailing its growth since he became its head in 2002.
“We were then providing 1,200 disabled sport opportunities a year across Wales and now it is around two million,” he said.
“In North Wales we have 115 clubs for disabled sport providing over 300,000 opportunities a year.
“In Wrexham we have a very...
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Wrexham’s new super-prison has already pumped £34 million into the local economy - and there's a lot more to come.
That was the message from Russ Trent, governor of HMP Berwyn, when he was one of the keynote speakers at the latest meeting of the influential Wrexham Business Professionals (WBP).
The group is made up of successful businesses and highly skilled professional firms of solicitors, accountants and other business professionals working together to raise the profile of enterprise and expertise that exists in the region and beyond.
Also speaking at the meeting at the Rendezvous restaurant at Coleg Cambria in Wrexham was the former North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner, Winston Roddick CB QC, who stepped down earlier this year after making history as the first person to do the job.
The theme of the meeting in was powering regional prosperity and it was chaired by Coleg Cambria's chief executive, David Jones OBE.
Wrexham Business Professionals were among those who campaigned in favour of the new prison as a “once-in-a-generation” £250 million investment that will supercharge the economy of North East Wales.
HMP Berwyn, which is due to start taking its first men from next February, is the largest in the UK and the first public sector prison to be built in over 30 years.
It will see over 1,000 staff supervising 2,016 category C male prisoners.
Being built at a cost of £212 million on the former Firestone factory site on Wrexham Industrial Estate, the new jail will have three cell blocks each housing 700 men along with 12 workshops, an education block, health centre, pharmacy, gym, sports hall and football pitch.
According to Mr Trent, who is a former Royal Marines officer and has already been in charge of a number of successful prisons and young offenders institutions across Britain, the prison had already generated £34.4 million – considerably more than its initial estimate of £30 million – in local spending.
He said:...
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The vote to leave Europe is a chance to devolve some key decisions to North Wales instead of them being taken in Cardiff, according to a Government minister.
Guto Bebb, Under Secretary of State for Wales, told the influential Wrexham Business Professionals (WBP) the Brexit negotiations were also an opportunity for the region to develop stronger economic links with the North West .
The theme of the meeting in the Rendezvous restaurant at Coleg Cambria in Wrexham was powering regional prosperity and it was chaired by the college's chief executive, David Jones OBE.
The WBP group is made up of successful businesses and highly skilled professional firms of solicitors, accountants and other business professionals working together to raise the profile of enterprise and expertise that exists in the region and beyond.
Mr Bebb, who revealed he was born in nearby Cefn y Bedd, stressed that Wrexham businesses must have a say in how Wales looks after Britain leaves Europe and that the whole of Wales must be at the heart of UK Government thinking when it comes to Brexit talks.
The Conservative MP for Aberconwy said: “The guiding principle of the UK Government over the next four years will be Brexit and how we respond to it will be a key issue for North Wales.
“We are facing a challenge but it’s all about how we respond to that challenge and deal with the risks and also the opportunities.
“However, it is important that we keep the business community and the general population informed about what we want to achieve.
“We need to put Wales at the heart of our thinking when it comes to the Brexit negotiations and as far as the Welsh Office is concerned there is a huge amount of consultation going on at the moment with businesses.
“This is because we need to have a compromise agreement in place in due course which looks at all the opportunities.
“It is vital...
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One of the Bank of England's monetary experts has given an "invaluable insight" into the economy to businesses in North Wales.
Deputy Governor Ben Broadbent attended a lunch organised by the Bank and the round-table session at the town's Ramada Plaza was attended by around 20 of the area's top business leaders.
Mr Broadbent was appointed as the deputy governor in charge of monetary policy in 2014 and was previously an external member of the Monetary Policy Committee.
He's acted as an economic adviser to the Treasury and was Assistant Professor of Economics at Columbia University from 1997-2000, followed by a decade as the Senior European Economist at Goldman Sachs.
Steve Hicks, the Bank of England’s Agent for Wales and who organised the visit, said: “Meetings like this are immensely valuable for Bank of England policy makers to hear first-hand from business leaders how the economy is performing, to add real colour to official statistics and to directly inform policy decisions.
“We are entering what is likely to be a period of significant change for our economy, with the vote to leave the European Union ushering in a new era for the UK’s relationship with the rest of the world.
"Some of the adjustments to this new reality may prove difficult and many will take time. So it is particularly important now that we hear directly from business.
“At challenging times like this, what is always striking is the resilience and versatility of the business community in Wales.
"As circumstances change, companies will adapt to take on new challenges and embrace new opportunities. And we hope that recent policy actions taken by the Bank of England will play a part in helping them to do that.”
"On August 4 the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee unveiled a comprehensive package of measures to support the economy.
"The package includes a reduction in Bank Rate from 0.5% to 0.25% - the first change in interest rates for seven...
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North Wales is still open for business after the Brexit vote to quit the European Union.
That was the message to business leaders in Wrexham from Welsh Government Economy and Infrastructure Secretary Ken Skates.
Mr Skates, who is also the AM for Clwyd South, said every effort was being made to secure cross border working opportunities and to mitigate any negative effects of Brexit on the economic stability of the region.
The assurance was delivered at a breakfast meeting of Wrexham Business Professionals at the town’s Ramada hotel.
The influential group is made up of successful businesses and highly skilled professional firms of solicitors, accountants and other business professionals working together to raise the profile of enterprise and expertise that exists in the region and beyond.
According to Mr Skates, the success of the Wales soccer squad at the Euros 2016 tournament was a prime opportunity to turn more of the world’s eyes on Wales.
The football festivities had put ‘Brand Wales’ in the global spotlight, according to another speaker, Mr Skates said the Welsh Government will demand full involvement in talks formulating the terms for UK withdrawal from the EU.
In the interim, he said, the focus is firmly on maintaining positivity and confidence, and continuing to market Wales as an attractive place for British, European and global businesses to invest in.
“Wales is open for business and will remain open for business.”
The audience made up of scores of local entrepneurs, high level managers and company directors listened intently to Mr Skates, who headlined the morning’s agenda, followed by further talks from Chris Nott, chairman of the Welsh Government financial and professional services sector panel and Paul Barlow, site lead of Wrexham-based financial services company DTCC.
Wrexham Business Professionals chair Gill Kreft, of Pendine Park care organisation led the meeting.
She said Brexit absorbed the conversation as members gathered for refreshments in the run up to the talks. There was also much concern...
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THE boss of a booming financial services company, which has more than doubled its workforce over the past two years, is urging others to set up shop in Wrexham.
Paul Barlow, Site Lead at DTCC Wrexham, based on Wrexham Industrial Estate, says the town is a “great place to do business” and this should be shouted from the rooftops.
That will be his message when he addresses a meeting of Wrexham Business Professionals (WBP) at the Ramada Plaza Hotel on Thursday, July 7.
The group is made up of highly-skilled professional firms of solicitors, accountants and other businesses working together to raise the profile of expertise and enterprise that exists across the Welsh region.
The event will focus around “powering regional prosperity” with special reference to the burgeoning local financial services sector.
Other speakers include Ken Skates AM, the newly-appointed Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure, and Chris Nott, Welsh Government Chair of the Financial and Professional Services Panel.
The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC)’s Avox Data Services was established in 2003 to deliver high quality information about companies involved with global financial markets, such as company names, addresses, ownership structure and industry classifications.
Its team of analysts independently research information on companies in more than 180 countries.
In the spring of 2014, DTCC began an expansion programme, which has seen its team in Wrexham more than double to 550.
Its success has won praise from Prime Minister David Cameron, who hailed its expansion as a “great vote of confidence in Wrexham”, as well as Wales’s First Minister Carwyn Jones, who commended DTCC’s approach to investment in the local communities it operates.
Mr Barlow joined DTCC after a 26-year career with Barclays Bank, the last decade of which he headed up global change management programmes.
He joined in 2006, and has since played a prime role in growing the Wrexham-based operation to its current headcount of over 550, with additional job opportunities...
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