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Edinburgh Chamber - UK Chamber of the year 2010
Contents
Ron Hewitt
chiefexecutive
June/July2010 BC 3
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25 24
03 Introduction/contents
04 ChamberAwardsincentive
07 Capitalview
08 Neweventsbookingsystem
08 GetonlinewiththeChamber
13 Bethebest
15 Goinginternational
16|18 Inspiringconnections
19 60seconds
22|23 Theinterview
24|25 Coverfeature
27|31 Financefeature
34 PR&marketingfeature
37 Inthespotlight
38 Chambernews
39 Legal
41 Asktheexpert/getwithIT
44 Gettingstarted
45 Businessnews
47 Arts
49|50 Movers&shakers
Dont let September
SLIP you by
June/July2010
Every cloud eventually moves on to let in fresh sunshine. It might
not be doing so in a hurry, and we may feel weary of the effects
of recession, but as surely as summer eventually comes, fresh
challenges and opportunities arise.The art of business is to stay
awake to such opportunities constantly.
I am excited by the prospect of what the low carbon economy
can offer our businesses by way of new products, services and
customers. I am also aware that meeting the imperatives of a new
way of thinking about energy presents diffculties which have to
be solved.
Our oil has not run out yet, and we have signifcant reserves of
coal; these are vital (alongside nuclear) for providing our present
electricity base load. But our previous profigate energy habits
cannot continue; environmental considerations and booming
global demand dictate we have to get lean and mean on this one
too.
The big opportunity is that new approaches to renewable
energy for transport, electricity generation and heating, as well as
judicious planning of buildings and conservation measures, offer
a rich store for future businesses that are willing to risk exploring
them.
Our temperate Northern maritime climate means we have
always had a high need for energy to warm our buildings and
light the long winter nights, and our early self-suffciency fuelled
the industrial revolution.The multitude of opportunities for
renewable generation is driving forward fast as the latest round of
Crown Estate offshore licensing creates the possibility for 11GW
of fresh generation capacity.
More importantly, it creates a whole new prospect
for Scotlands businesses to become world-wide
providers ahead of the game not just in products,
but also in know-how and services globally.
I am delighted we have been asked to stage
the Scottish Governments conference on the
28th of September at EICC, with a Holyrood
reception and a dinner at The Castle to progress
the Low Carbon Investment Plan (SLIP).
If youre a player in the industry itll be an
unmissable event and if youre not, it might be
your perfect chance to fnd out how you could
be. See you there.
Cover photo Christine Fiedler, courtesy of Paul Lucas Productions and Richard Jordan Productions.
Business Comment is an Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce publication.
All edi tori Al And generAl enqui ri es:
Edinburgh Chamber Customer Services Team
Phone: 0844 736 2992 email: customerservices@edinburghchamber.co.uk
Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, Capital House, 2 Festival Square,
Edinburgh EH3 9SU www.edinburghchamber.co.uk
President: Robert Carr
Chief Executive: Ron Hewitt
Busi ness Comment edi tor
Josef Church-Woods, Marketing & Communications Executive
Phone: 0131 221 2973 email: josef.church-woods@edinburghchamber.co.uk
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4 BC June/July2010 June/July2010 BC 5
Chambernews
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FOR ALL YOUR MAILING NEEDS
EDINBURGH MAILING SERVICES LTD
info@edinburghmailingservices.co.uk
Tel: 0131 552 4085 Fax: 0131 551 5145
24 New Broompark Edinburgh EH5 1RS
For more information or a Free Quotation
dont hesitate to contact us.
An exciting new arts project called
ARTERY, initiated by not-for-proft
organisation 26, aims to transform one
of Edinburghs main bus routes the
number 26 route into urban artand
businesses are invited to get involved.
ARETRY is the brainchild of Henzteeth copywriter Stuart Delves, 26s
Director in Scotland, who, in association with The Scotch Malt Whisky
Society, developed previous 26 project in Edinburgh, 26 Malts, in 2005.
Supported by Lothian Buses,The City of Edinburgh Council and
Edinburgh Zoo amongst others, ARTERY will see writers work in
collaboration with visual artists, involving neighbourhood communities
within the city and outlying East Lothian towns along the 26 bus route.
The project intends to make bus stops along the 26 route into urban
shrines by February 2011, with text pieces, posters, sculptures, pavement
graffti and sound installations. Selected 26 buses are to sport art instead
of ads on their exteriors, with panel poems, sound installations and Wi-Fi
reception for down-loadable clips inside.
Core funding for the ARTERY project is currently being sought, as well
as one or two major commercial sponsors. Businesses along the route are
also being offered the opportunity to sponsor an artist or writer/artist
pair, in return for a prominent position on the number 26 bus route map.
26 strives to raise the profle of words and language, both in business and everyday
life.The organisation has staged a number of public-facing creative projects since
2004, working in high profle partnerships with the likes ofThe British Library,
Arts &Business Scotland, London Underground andThe GlobeTheatre.
tofnd outmore aboutArterY ortogetinvolved, please contact
stuarton 01316535080oremailhim: stuart@henzteeth.com
ARTERY adds
to Edinburghs
creative pulse
bmi has launched two new routes from
Edinburgh to Berlin and Vienna, via London
Heathrow, to make business travel to and from
Scotland even easier.
The airline now operates four daily fights to
Germanys vibrant and cultural capital city,
renowned for its design expertise and creative
industries, whilst fights to Vienna will operate
in conjunction with Austrian Airlines, to offer
fve fights a day, seven days a week to the
Austrian capital.
Both cities offer a fascinating dynamic between
old and contemporary, where historical
buildings, monuments and museums jostle for
space alongside modern plazas, contemporary art
galleries and gourmet restaurants.
There has never been a better time for business
travel with bmi.With improved schedules,
outstanding benefts and fantastic value, bmi
offers business travellers a greater range of
connections across Europe, Africa, the Middle
East and Russia.
Edinburgh-based customers can make the
most of business travel budgets with bmis
re-launched shorthaul product on all services
across the UK and Ireland to and from
London Heathrow.The introduction of a
single Economy cabin and enhanced services
for customers travelling on Flexible Economy
fares offers excellent value and gives customers
the ability to keep business travel costs down.
Passengers travelling on to Vienna and Berlin,
can experience all the benefts of a full service
business and economy class product onboard.
Customers travelling with bmi will beneft
from excellent onward connections, high-
quality service, bmis Company Rewards
programme for SMEs and the UKs leading
loyalty programme, Diamond Club, where
destinations miles can be spent on fights
with Star Alliance member airlines, hotel
accommodation and a range of gifts and treats.
Formore information ortobook fights visit
www.fybmi.com. return fares toBerlin and
viennastartfrom174, includingtaxes.
Mix business with pleasure in Vienna
Go continental with bmi
Berlins iconic Brandenburger Gate
Edinburghs number 26 bus route is to get a makeover
26 malts a previous 26 project in Edinburgh, with
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society
To encourage our members to showcase
their talent by entering the Chamber
Awards 2010, we are offering a reward
to any business within our network that
submits an application!
We will commit to giving all our
members who enter one or more
categories of the awards, run by the
British Chambers of Commerce, a
free advertising slot in one of our
e-newsletters, worth 200*.
Better still, we will give any member
who is crowned a regional winner a
years free membership to the Edinburgh
Chamber of Commerce. If thats not a
win, win deal, we dont know what is!
Formore information aboutthe
awards, howtoenterand alistofaward
categories,
goto: www.chamberawards.co.uk
The Chamber Awards 2010 entry
deadline is the 25th of June.
ifyou wanttodiscuss any ofthe
above with someone atthe edinburgh
Chamber, callourCustomerservices
teamon 08447362992.
Enter the
Chamber
Awards its a
win, win deal!
*The timing of your free advertising slot
will depend on the number of applicants as
well as the availability in our e-newsletters.
There are 5-6 advertising slots per month
and paid-for advertising will be prioritised.
Adverts need to be supplied by the advertiser,
to Chamber specifcations. One free advert
per member company.
Capitalview
June/July2010 BC 7
The recent volcanic ash cloud cast a large
shadow over many of us, not least Edinburgh
Airport and the many businesses we support.
Beyond the initial week of no fying, the
ramifcations of the crisis are still unfolding.
The potential reluctance of people to fy, the
ongoing impact on the tourism industry and
the large dent in the reputation of aviation all
remain with us and pose big challenges for
Edinburgh Airport and the capital alike.
The crisis underlined the importance of
aviation to a country like Scotland.Were a
nation at the north-west periphery of Europe.
Tourism is one of our biggest employers and
exports and aviation is still the main access to
the vast majority of our overseas markets.
The crisis showed the capital in a great light.
When the disruption initially hit, we asked
Edinburghs tourism and hospitality trade to
assist us with the many passengers stranded
here.Within a matter of hours we had a list
of discounted hotels, restaurants and bars, to
help ease the stay of those stranded. City of
Edinburgh Council did its bit too, with its
social work department offering help to those
in fnancial diffculties.
So adversity has again shown us the intrinsic
links between Edinburgh and its airport.
Were a big employer in the City Region,
supporting around 5,000 jobs on the airport
campus and many more in the surrounding
community. Our economic contribution in
2009 was estimated as 118.4m.
And the capital is a huge factor in that success.
Sometimes we can forget how great our city
is when we get distracted by local issues and
challenges. But lets not forget how others
perceive us and it is generally something to
celebrate.
Edinburgh Airport has managed to build a
reputation for value for money.This doesnt
mean that were the cheapest, but what it does
mean is that we work hard to understand and
meet our airline customers needs.
Were aggressive commercially as we know
that every penny counts for our customers
and their passengers.The more we can invest
in our airport and the more revenue we can
generate from elsewhere, the less we need
to charge our customers.This will continue
to grow the choice and frequency of fights
from Edinburgh, all delivered without any
public money unlike most of our European
competitors.
Growth airlines like Ryanair and easyjet are
not in this industry to fy to airports and cities
that will not be proftable.We need to blend
our expertise in running an airport with
Edinburghs world class status to maintain the
unbeatable product that has already seen huge
growth over the past decade.
So in order for us to truly be Scotlands
airport of choice, Edinburgh must be
Scotlands city of choice.We will only be
successful if Edinburgh is successful.
We intend to build on what weve achieved
together. Im ambitious for Edinburgh and
the airport and believe that together with my
team we can attract more routes and open up
further parts of the world for our enterprising
businesses to exploit.
Were working with our partners in
Edinburgh such as the excellent Edinburgh
Chamber of Commerce and development and
tourism groups such as DEMA and ETAG
to ensure that Edinburgh is the best that it
can be.
Despite the challenges that our city has faced
recently, Im optimistic about the future.
We all live and work in Scotlands city of
choice. Lets keep our eyes on that as we
compete on the European and global stage.
Getting Edinburgh ready for take off
How the capitals airport is helping Edinburgh to global success by Gordon
Dewar, Managing Director, Edinburgh Airport
Gordon Dewar
Managing Director
Edinburgh Airport
MODELS FEATUREDARE A MERCEDES-BENZ E 200 CDI BLUEEFFICIENCY SE SALOONAT 28,440.00 ONTHE ROADINCLUDINGOPTIONAL METALLICPAINT AT 630.00, A MERCEDES-BENZ E 350 CDI BLUEEFFICIENCY SPORT ESTATE AT 40,175.00 ONTHE ROADINCLUDINGOPTIONAL METALLIC
PAINT 630.00, AMERCEDES-BENZ E 250 CGI BLUEEFFICIENCY COUP SPORT AT 37,080.00 ONTHE ROADINCLUDINGOPTIONAL PANORAMICSUNROOF AT 1,315.00 ANDDIAMONDWHITE METALLICPAINT AT 1,080.00 ANDAMERCEDES-BENZ E 350 CDI BLUEEFFICIENCY CABRIOLET SPORT
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Ofcial government fuel consumption gures in mpg (litres per 100km) for the E-Class range: urban 15.0(18.8)-42.8(6.6), extra urban 30.4(9.3)-
64.2 (4.4), combined 22.1(12.8)-54.3(5.2). CO2 emissions: 299-137 g/km.
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