*** This programme is now closed ***

Helping small businesses achieve great things

The newly launched SME Growth Programme is now available to assist SMEs across Durham, Tyne and Wear and Northumberland to provide business growth support to those wishing to become established suppliers within the region’s chemical processing industry.

The programme, which is a spin-off from NEPIC’s highly successful business acceleration for SMEs project, will utilise the cluster’s extensive knowledge and network to mentor companies into new business and also assist with energy management for growth.

What is SME Growth?

The SME Growth programme has been established to help the vibrant small business community across Durham, Tyne and Wear and Northumberland achieve ambition and growth via business mentoring and facilitated industry engagement.

Through NEPIC’s network of experts and mentors, we want to help you take your business forward; helping you to overcome growth barriers and seek success within the region’s vibrant chemical-processing sectors.

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How can SME Growth help me?

Through the SME Growth programme, we will work with eligible companies, not only to help grow businesses through mentoring and industry insight, but also arm companies with the invaluable green credential know-how and data that will put them ahead of the competition in the bid to win new business.

NEPIC has 100s of members in the regional process sector, and its supply chain, so has a unique understanding and network of connections within this cluster.  NEPIC will use these connections and knowledge to help project SMEs understand the needs of the cluster for products and services. In addition, we will facilitate the meeting of SME representatives with NEPIC members to help them sell into the sector.

We also offer expertise in energy management. We have found from previous experience that some SMEs, despite a significant energy usage, are not aware of how energy and, therefore money, could be saved. NEPIC will support companies on how to manage and save energy. Advice will also be given on carbon foot printing, which is becoming increasingly important when selling to larger customers.

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Who is it for?

SME Growth is here to support ambitious small to medium size businesses across Durham, Tyne and Wear and Northumberland. We offer a flexible service that has been crafted to suit businesses that are both new to and established within the chemical-processing sector. The programme is open to both members and non-members of NEPIC.

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Who are we?

NEPIC is an award winning membership cluster organisation working with the chemical-using industries in the North East of England. We cover a broad sweep of chemistry focussed industries including petrochemicals, polymers & materials, fine & speciality chemicals, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and renewables.

Together with our member companies, we work to build upon the already powerful industrial base located here and make this region one of the most competitive and successful chemical-processing locations in Europe.

We are privately-owned, led by industry and work to support cluster members to become successful and sustainable organisations, in a collaborative business environment that helps them to grow.

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Eligibility, funding & timeframes

SME Growth is a free service available to growth-orientated Durham, Tyne and Wear and Northumberland-based businesses employing less than 250 staff and with an annual turnover no greater than £40m per annum.

Supported by the North East Local Enterprise Partnership and part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund, the NEPIC SME Growth programme will support eligible SMEs throughout 2016 – 2018 inclusive.

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