NWDA k1-22

February 2010

Renaissance House, Centre Park, Warrington, WA1 1QNTel: +44 (0) 1925 400 100 Fax: +44 (0) 1925 400 400

www.nwda.co.uk

Printed on Revive 100% Uncoated, sourced entirely from post consumer waste

Looking toimprove yourresourceefficiency?

We can help.

ENERGY AND WASTE SUPPORT FOR YOUR BUSINESS

Improving your Resource Eff 2:Layout 1 9/2/10 13:04 Page 1

If you’re looking to improve and grow your business, making better use all of yourresources is essential. Each year businesses lose 2%* of profit through inefficientmanagement of energy, water and waste.

As the UK tackles the wider agenda on climate change and moves towards a lowcarbon, resource-efficient economy, minimising waste and reducing energy and wateruse offers significant opportunities for your business. These include the chance toreduce costs, differentiate against competitors and develop new markets, as well asproviding insurance against uncertainty in the supply of materials and price volatilityin global markets.

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) offers a range of support tohelp the region’s businesses take advantage of these opportunities. This bookletexplains the specific support we provide, all of which can be accessed throughBusiness Link Northwest, an NWDA service providing businesses with access to allpublic and private sector business advice and support. Our assistance forms part ofSolutions for Business, a suite of publicly funded business support designed to helpcompanies start and grow.

* DEFRA resource efficiency research report, October 2007

IMPROVING YOUR RESOURCE EFFICIENCY SUPPORT AT A GLANCE

Free, independent advice that identifies practicalways to save your business money by reducinguse of raw materials, energy and water.

Embedding resourceefficiency

Specialist support to help you enter and exploit themarket for sustainable, low-carbon products andservices.

Helping youeco-innovate

Expert advice to help construction companiessecure new contracts with demanding sustainabilityrequirements.

Specialist support forconstruction businesses

Specific support to help with the installation ofrenewable energy technology within your business.

Installing renewableenergy technology

Access to networks and workshops that put you intouch with waste companies and suppliers ofrecycled products and services.

Help with waste, recycling andbuying recycled

Financial support for capital investment projectsthat contribute to reduced CO2 emissions,reduced water and material use and otherenvironmental benefits.

Grant for improving yourresource efficiency

Since 2003, NWDA-funded resourceefficiency initiatives have helped5,200 Northwest companies identify:£80m efficiency savings

270,000 tonnes CO2 reductions

3.5m m3 water savings

2.9m tonnes materials savings.

Improving your Resource Eff 2:Layout 1 9/2/10 13:04 Page 3

businesslink.gov.uk/northwest

0845 00 66 888

Business Link Northwest

EMBEDDING RESOURCE EFFICIENCY

Free, specialist advice to help cut bills and savemoney through reductions in energy, water andmaterial use. This is achieved by reviewing the full lifecycle of the businesses activities including design andspecification, process efficiency and maximising thevalue of residual waste.

This service also offers support to minimiseenvironmental risk by adapting your business forclimate change and preparing for compliance withforthcoming environmental regulations and tenderingrequirements.

Support is tailored depending on the business andincludes:• an on-site audit (ranging from half a day up to 3

days) which reviews your activities and provides an action plan of recommendations identifying opportunities to manage risk or make savings

• access to bespoke software to record, track, prioritise and report your cost and environmental savings

• staff training, knowledge transfer, workshops, networking events

• an electronic update service on environmental news relevant to your business

• compressed air leak detection, energy monitoring and thermal imaging

• ongoing assistance to implement improvements.

What is it?

All businesses in the Northwest are eligible. Moreintensive support is available for businesses withmore potential to save (i.e. those where greater costsavings and CO2 savings are possible) and for thosein the priority sectors of food and drink, advancedflexible materials, chemicals, aerospace andautomotive.

Who is it for?

Upon contacting Business Link Northwest, an initialtelephone assessment of your needs will be carriedout. You will then be put in touch with a specialistadviser.

How to access

• Are you looking to lower your energy costs?• Do you want to save money on your water bills?• Are you keen to reduce your material and

packaging usage?• Do you need to get ready for new

environmental regulations?• Are you looking for help with meeting

environmental criteria in tenders?

To access any of these products and services andconfirm your eligibility contact:

Checklist

CASE STUDYAdvanced Composites Group is a leadinginternational manufacturer of pre-pregnatedplastic materials. The company was keen tomake savings on their overhead costs andreceived support to improve the energyefficiency of their compressed air and heatingsystems.

“The support was very good in that we were ableto have people come to the company, andundertake a site survey. They advised us wherethe key areas were and then carried out thetesting that needed to be done to prove that thecost savings were actually there”Tony Hankinson, Operations Manager, Advanced Composites Group, Manchester

HELP WITH WASTE, RECYCLING AND BUYING RECYCLED

Free support to help you access recycled productsand services. Includes advice on how and where tofind suppliers of sustainable goods, services andenvironmental technologies; how you can increasethe recycled content of your products; and assistancewith waste and reprocessing. You can also become amember of the Buy Recycled Code providing accessto a purchasing framework, events and members’forum to help you embed buying recycled into yourprocurement policies and to source substituterecycled products.

The support includes:

• assistance with identifying local providers

• waste contract / tender support

• distribution of tender opportunities

• meet the buyer events

• focused workshops to address waste issues.

What is it?

All businesses in the Northwest are eligible.

Some aspects of this service are only eligible tobusinesses with a minimum waste/recycling contractvalue of £100,000 per annum.

Who is it for?

Business Link Northwest will carry out an initialtelephone assessment of your needs and put you intouch with a specialist adviser.

How to access

• Do you want to source local suppliers of environmental technologies and services?

• Do you want help to procure recycled products and materials?

• Are you looking to procure regional recycling and waste services?

Checklist

CASE STUDYBirse Civils was the first civil engineeringcompany to sign up to the Buy Recycled Code. Itis consistently proactive in search of continuousimprovement relating to its own sustainabilityand to meet the exacting environmentaldemands of clients.

"The use of recycled materials, and ourrelationship with the service provider, has beeninstrumental to winning many awards, specificallywhere the use of recycled materials is associatedwith reduced site traffic and therefore diminisheddisruption to the local area. We have found theuse of recycled materials to be a cost effectiveoption, translating into lower costs to ourcustomers."Dave Lowiss, Regional Managing Director, Birse Civils Limited - North West region

Improving your Resource Eff 2:Layout 1 9/2/10 13:05 Page 5

businesslink.gov.uk/northwest

0845 00 66 888

Business Link Northwest

To access any of these products and services contact:

GRANT FOR IMPROVING YOUR RESOURCE EFFICIENCY

Financial support for businesses undertaking capitalinvestment projects, which will contribute to reducingCO2 emissions and generate wider environmentalbenefits in the region. They are discretionary andusually take the form of a grant.

The maximum level of support available is 50% of thetotal project cost up to a maximum of €200,000.

What is it?

Any small to medium-sized business in the Northwestseeking to reduce their carbon footprint can apply.Businesses must have been unable to access fundingthrough the Carbon Trust interest free loans scheme.

If your project is in one of the region’s key industrysectors it is more likely to be supported. The sectorsinclude:

• Advanced Manufacturing• Biomedical• Business and Professional Services• Digital and Creative Industries• Energy and Environmental Technologies• Food and Drink.

Who is it for?

Contact Business Link Northwest in the first instancewho will advise on the viability of your proposedproject. You will need to complete an onlineapplication form and provide supporting informationsuch as a current business plan, full project costs andwhy the grant is required.

How to access

• Does your project demonstrate significant energy savings?

• Does your project demonstrate significant water, material or waste savings?

• Does the project involve a minimum capital spend of £20,000?

• Can you demonstrate that the project cannot proceed without a grant?

• Does your project involve capital investment on fixed assets?

Checklist

CASE STUDYImpregnation Ltd is a casting recovery serviceprovider specialising in porosity sealing. Thegrant they received will enable the company toconsolidate two existing production lines into asingle, more efficient line that processes moreproducts. Carbon savings will amount to 550tonnes over 20 years.

“The grant has given us the opportunity toimprove our process capability and in doing soreduce the running costs to our business and ourenvironmental impact. The new process line willincrease capacity whilst using fewer resources.We’re hopeful that the planned efficiencies willgive us the competitive edge required to growour business and bring more employment to thearea.”Justin Benson, Managing Director, Impregnation Ltd, Lancashire

INSTALLING RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

Free advice and support to help businesses seekingto install renewable technologies to save money andreduce carbon emissions.

The service provides free, confidential advice andtechnical support (up to a maximum of £10,000consultancy) on the following:

• identifying the best renewable energy technology for your needs (onshore wind, solar, photovoltaic, heat pumps, biomass or anaerobic digestion)

• finance and funding• achieving planning consent • connecting to the electricity network.

What is it?

All businesses in the Northwest seeking to installrenewable technologies are eligible.

Who is it for?

Business Link Northwest will carry out an initialtelephone assessment of your needs and put you intouch with a specialist adviser to discuss your specifictechnology needs.

How to access

Checklist

The Solaris Centre, Blackpool - A zero carbon building

• Do you want to secure your future energy needs and control your energy costs?

• Do you need help identifying the most suitable renewable energy technology for your needs?

• Do you want help to secure finance or funding for your installation?

• Is your renewable energy installation being delayed by the planning process?

• Would you value advice on how to connect renewable energy to the grid?

Improving your Resource Eff 2:Layout 1 9/2/10 13:05 Page 7

businesslink.gov.uk/northwest

0845 00 66 888

Business Link Northwest

To access any of these products and services contact:

HELPING YOU ECO-INNOVATE

Tailored support to help businesses exploit the marketfor sustainable products and low-carbon solutions.This is achieved by developing new products andservices or innovating existing ones.

Support includes specialist one-to-one advice on thedevelopment of new products, processes andservices including low carbon technology andservices, product design enabling recycling andre-use, and low or zero waste products.

The level of support will vary depending on the needsof the business, but may range from one or two daysconsultancy, up to six months of placement of agraduate consultant to help develop a specific projectadopting an eco-innovative approach. Companies canbe provided with a combination of support, forexample:

• how to identify and select new products and processes

• evaluation and validation of new products and processes

• design, development and testing methodologies • planning and management• setting up new research and development

programmes or collaborations • development of a new design or manufacturing

process and• new venture creation and incubation.

What is it?

Any small to medium-sized business in the Northwestis eligible. It is important that the business candemonstrate a commitment to exploit theopportunities which a growing global market forenvironmental products and services has to offer.

Who is it for?

Upon contacting Business Link Northwest, an initialtelephone assessment of your needs will beundertaken following which you will be put in touchwith a specialist adviser.

How to access

• Do you want free advice to help you re-design or develop a new product or service?

• Could your existing products be used in an environmental context?

• Would you benefit commercially from access toa dedicated company mentor or graduate placement?

• Do you have a strong new business idea but need help with research and development?

Checklist

CASE STUDYEnviroSystems developed a new applicator toapply microbial silage inoculants allowingcustomers to apply it in a fine mist, rather thanlarger droplets. They were confident that it wouldbe of significant business and environmentalbenefit but needed to gain a greaterunderstanding of how the bacteria contained inthe inoculants behaved. Information gainedthrough the support was essential to thecompany and has proved effective in theirmarketing and information provision.

“The help and technical support we received hasbeen pivotal in achieving quality and consistencyof product. We know we can go forward withconfidence now.”

Liz Russell, Managing Director, EnviroSystems, Lancashire

SPECIALIST SUPPORT FOR CONSTRUCTION BUSINESSES

Specialist advice and support to help small andmedium-sized construction businesses become moreproductive and efficient, whilst reducing their costsand environmental impact.

Up to three days of personalised business supportand advice is provided to help develop innovativeconstruction and refurbishment services and securenew contracts, particularly from the public sector withdemanding sustainability requirements. The supportincludes on-site visits, desk research and free accessto workshops.

Companies are offered specialist advice regarding:• innovative products and processes that are the

‘best in class’• information on what construction clients and large

firms are looking for when procuring and how to respond effectively

• ways to reduce waste to landfill and carbon emissions

• access to university knowledge of applied researchand development

• evaluation, key performance indicators and benchmarking, kitemarks and awards.

What is it?Small or medium-sized construction businesses inthe Northwest.

Who is it for?

Business Link Northwest will carry out an initialtelephone assessment of your needs and put you intouch with a specialist adviser. When requesting aspecialist site visit you will need to demonstrate yourcommitment to adopt a sustainable approach todesign and construction through recycling, wastemanagement and carbon reduction.

How to access

• Are you a construction company that wants to adopt sustainable approaches, especially to winnew work?

• Would you benefit from knowing about the opportunities from sustainable construction?

• Do you want advice on how to embed recycling,waste management and carbon reduction into your specifications of building designs and construction?

• Do you want specialist support to help you develop new, more eco-friendly construction services?

Checklist

CASE STUDYMcGoff & Byrne Ltd attended a workshop tounderstand procurement frameworks and howbest to apply in order to win more contracts.

“Through the advice that we received we havegained entry onto the client’s constructionframework and rated amongst the highest scoreswithin all submissions. This is the first successsince we revamped the submissions includingthe ISO accreditations and focusing on themessage of local SMEs adding better value.”

Dave McGoff, Managing Director, McGoff & Byrne Ltd, Cheshire

Improving your Resource Eff 2:Layout 1 9/2/10 13:05 Page 9

OUR ROLE IN SUPPORTING BUSINESS SUMMARY OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES BY COMPANY SIZE

By providing a range of grants, loans and equityfinance.

In the last financial year the NWDA has provided over£23million to help the region’s businesses to start up,grow and expand.

To access finance:

By providing specialist advice to help companiesreduce their carbon footprint, develop and introduceinnovative products and process and increase theirprofitability.

Since 2003 the NWDA has supported over 5,200companies to identify cost savings of over £80millionthrough resource efficiency support

To increase innovation andresource efficiency:

By providing advice and support to help new andgrowing businesses start up and achieve theirpotential.

In the last financial year the Agency helped over 5,800businesses to set up.

To set up and grow:

By providing a range of support to improve workforceskills and grow leadership expertise.

In the last financial year the Agency supported 2,000businesses to improve their leadership skills.

To improve management skills:

By providing specific advice to help companies breakinto new international markets and increase sales.

In the last financial year Agency support helpedNorthwest companies increase their internationaltrade by £52million.

To trade Internationally:

The NWDA works to build the competitiveness of our region’s Businesses,Places and People - the vital ingredients of economic success.

We provide effective business support to help companies weather theeconomic downturn and emerge stronger. We support a number ofprogrammes to offer practical support which help businesses

businesslink.gov.uk/northwest

0845 00 66 888

Business Link Northwest

To access any of these products and services contact:

Access to FinanceEnterprise Finance Guarantee SchemeSmall Loans for BusinessGrant for Business InvestmentVenture Capital and Loan FundNorthwest Business Angels

Pre-Start

Business Finance

Innovation Advice and GuidanceInnovation VouchersKnowledge to InnovateGrant for Research and DevelopmentImproving Your Resource Efficiency• Embedding resource efficiency• Help with waste, recycling and buying recycled• Installing renewable energy technology• Grant for improving your resource efficiency• Helping you eco-innovate• Specialist support for construction businessesKnowledge Transfer PartnershipsManufacturing Advisory Service

Innovation and Efficiency

Training and Development

Advice for New and High Growth Business

Developing Your International Trade PotentialAccessing International MarketsExport Credit Guarantee

International Trade

Sector Development

Sector Development

Skills Brokerage ServiceApprenticeshipsTrain to Gain – People DevelopmentTrain to Gain – Leadership and Management Advisory Service

Mentoring Leading Enterprise and Development (LEAD)

Starting a BusinessIntensive Start Up SupportEnterprise CoachingHigh Growth Programme

SME(up to 249 employees)

Large firm(250+ employees)

Improving your Resource Eff 2:Layout 1 9/2/10 13:05 Page 11