News | Page 32

The Corn Exchange building in central Manchester is set to be redeveloped by its owner, Aviva Investors, and transformed in order to house a collection of independent restaurants and food retail outlets.

Phonak, a company specializing in the development of advanced hearing aid solutions, has revealed plans to extend to a new 42,000 sq ft manufacturing hub in Warrington.According to a media report, the new base is set to become a European manufacturing centre employing more than 200 staff, with bespoke laboratories, production and logistics space and capacity for further expansion.

British Engines is set to expand and improve its Tyneside base using an £800,000 government grant obtained from the 'Let's Grow' Regional Growth Fund (RGF), a news report in the local media has revealed.The company will invest the money into its St Peter's site in Newcastle, aiming to set a solid basis for the expansion of its BEL Valves division, a supplier of high-pressure valves to the oil and gas industry.

A new business park development on the Threemilestone Industrial Estate in Truro has just received a total of £3m in funding from the European Regional Development Fund through the Convergence Programme, a news report in the media has revealed.

RF Micro Devices' manufacturing facility in Newton Aycliffe is set to be sold to Compound Photonics, a US headquartered technology company, a deal that, beside safeguarding employment at the site, could also lead to the creation of up to 200 jobs.

Celtica Foods, an associate company of Castell Howell, will invest £2.8m in a new meat processing facility at Cross Hands Food Park in Carmarthenshire, in a bid to extend its business.As a new report in the local media has revealed, the company plans to merge its boning plant with the Castell Howell butchery department, which will involve the company relocating to a 37,000 sq ft purpose built facilty at Cross Hands Foods Park.

Logistics experts Norbert Dentressangle have recently revealed plans to open a new distribution centre in Taunton for its specialist services operation, at some point later on this month.

Crafter's Companion, a County Durham-based designer, manufacturer and supplier of craft-related products, has recently revealed plans to invest more than £100,000 to improve its packing and distribution facility in Coundon.According to a media report, this move formed a key part of its expansion plans over the next five years. Crafter’s Companion’s products are sold through retail outlets and TV shopping channels, as well as via an online platform.

Parcel delivery giant DPD has been granted permission to build a brand-new £100m parcel hub at Hinckley Commercial Park in Leicestershire, a move that should lead to the creation of no less than 1000 new jobs.

A UK health informatics research institute is set to receive a total of £20m in funding and is expected to attract further solid investments from the pharma and IT industry, a news report revealed.The Farr Institute will be used to support the safe use of patient and research data for medical research and will also support research which is set to lead to advances in preventative medicines and better development of commercial drugs and diagnostics.

Modern clocking and access control systems are a world away from the punch cards and keys of old, with the vast majority relying on fast and reliable smart cards.

After securing a major contract for supplying to a major supermarket, fruit and vegetable packaging maker T & B Containers has opened a new 15,000 sq ft site at Formal Business Park in Camborne, a news article on this topic reveals.