STOCKTON Borough became home to 1,000 new start-up businesses in 2015, figures published by Tees Valley Unlimited show.
Last year saw 1,000 private sector businesses in Stockton-on-Tees register with Companies House – up from 822 newly registered businesses in 2014.
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council provides a range of specialist services to start-up companies. This includes employment and skills support, help to find the right premises and information about business loans, awards and networking opportunities.
One of the new start-ups is technology business RectrixAS, which uses unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), also known as drones to providebespoke asset integrity inspection and surveying solutions for a wide range of sectors including oil and gas, petrochemical and renewables such as wind and solar.*
The company, founded by Alex Westwood and Chris Young, started life at Durham Road Industrial Estate but moved to Fusion Hive on Stockton’s Northshore in November.
Chris Young, Business Development Manager at RectrixAS, said: “The support so far has been fantastic and now we are based in Fusion Hive the opportunities for us to work with other tech and digital companies means we are able to network effectively and grow and expand. We are looking forward to develop our business in the coming months to provide more of our UAV services to a range of companies and to spread the word about the advantages UAVs bring. One area we will also be targeting is the introduction of these technologies to blue light services across the UK.”
Leader of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, Councillor Bob Cook, added: “These positive figures show that start-up businesses are booming in Stockton-on-Tees. The support on hand from the Council and its partners is helping start-ups such as RectrixAS get up and running as well as helping fledging businesses develop and expand. Stockton Borough is certainly a great place to do business and as a business-friendly council we work closely with our excellent Local Enterprise Partnership, Tees Valley Unlimited, to create a supportive environment in which our enterprises can prosper.”
Paul Booth, Chairman of Tees Valley Unlimited, said: “What is being achieved in Stockton, and indeed the wider Tees Valley, economy is due to effective partnership working that has created a support network, which is helping entrepreneurial individuals turn commercial concepts into reality and start-up enterprises grow and develop.”
Fusion Hive was developed in partnership between the Council, the Homes and Communities Agency, Teesside University and Muse Developments.
For business support and advice contact Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council’s Business and Enterprise team on telephone 01642 528384 or email business.enquiries@stockton.gov.uk
The Northshore Innovation Centre is part financed from the North East European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Competitiveness Programme 2007 – 2013.
The Department for Communities and Local Government is the managing authority for the European Regional Development Fund Programme, which is one of the funds established by the European Commission to help local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support local businesses and create jobs. For more information visit www.gov.uk/browse/business/funding-debt/european-regional-development-funding