Consortium Could Mean ‘Sweeter Life’ For Food And Drink Firms
14 January 2008
Tony Salt and Nici Matlow, of Swizzels Matlow Ltd, and Angela Crawford, Regional Business Development Manager at the University of Derby Buxton, pictured at the finals of the Food and Drink Manufacture Excellent Awards in London.
We are very keen to be linked with the University in this exciting new concept of a consortium of food manufacturers...
”Mr Salt, Swizzels Matlow Training and Development Manager.
A sweet plan cooked up by a university and a confectionery firm could see large and small food and drink manufacturers reaping the rewards of working more closely together.
Business managers at the University of Derby’s Devonshire Campus in Buxton, are in talks with award winning sweets manufacturer Swizzels Matlow, based in New Mills, Derbyshire, about establishing a local Food Manufacturing Training Consortium.
It would aim to help food and drink manufacturers, whether small local producers or those linked to multi-national businesses, do better by working more closely together.
The proposed consortium would give companies involved in a similar line of work more chance to network and to share information, market research and best practice on staff development.
It’s anticipated that by working together consortium members would enjoy:
- opportunities for joint staff training and to influence the type offered
- greater influence in accessing Government financial aid for businesses
- more opportunities for smaller firms to develop.
The proposed consortium would work closely with existing initiatives already supporting the food and drink industry in the region, such as those established by business group the East Midlands Incubation Network.
A meeting will be held at 11am on Wednesday 16 January at the University of Derby’s Devonshire Campus, Buxton, to further discuss the establishment of the Food Manufacturing Training Consortium.
It will be attended by Tony Salt, Training and Development Manager at Swizzels Matlow, and key staff from the University of Derby Buxton as well as Improve, the independent Sector Skills Council set up to promote skills and productivity for the UK food and drink industry.
Angela Crawford, Regional Business Development Manager at the University of Derby Buxton, said: “We have already worked closely with local food manufacturing firms to provide locally sourced, relevant training and development, and we have identified the need to do more for this sector in our area.
“The University is uniquely placed to be able to provide training, development or consultancy from basic requirements (such as Teaching English as a Foreign Language) to undergraduate degree or postgraduate level.
“We would like to extend this capability to more local food and drink companies, as well as developing a meaningful consortium where organisations can have their identified needs met quickly and cost effectively.”
The University of Derby Buxton and Swizzels Matlow have worked together on various staff training and related projects for more than two years and, in October 2006, were joint finalists at the Food and Drink Manufacture Excellent Awards in London.
Mr Salt, Swizzels Matlow Training and Development Manager, added: “In recent years Swizzels Matlow Ltd has developed a strong working relationship with the University of Derby and has found it to be professional and supportive of our training needs at all times.
“We are very keen to be linked with the University in this exciting new concept of a consortium of food manufacturers, and see this as the way forward for developing and strengthening training provision for local businesses of all sizes.”
Representatives of other interested food and drink manufacturers are also invited to attend the meeting.
Further information about the proposed Food Manufacturing Training Consortium can be found at www.derby.ac.uk/business-development-unit/news.
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For further media information please contact Press and PR Officer Sean Kirby on 01332 593004, or 07876 476103, or email s.kirby@derby.ac.uk.
