Enterprise Europe South East^UK, with the support of the co-funded European project EcoMind, is inviting businesses interested in the environmental innovation sector to attend JADDE 2011 in Lille, on 5 October.

JADDE is one of the key business events in Northern France. It is open to all industries, with many medium and small businesses exhibiting products and services developed to be more environmentally and socially conscious or eco-innovative products… Last year visitors saw a carpet made of recycled materials, a new food packaging material, a sustainable snooker table along with many other new eco- construction materials and products.

Looking for more than just networking? This 8th edition of JADDE, with the support of Enterprise Europe Network, offers Kent businesses the possibility to have pre-arranged meetings with their French counterparts; a service especially relevant to companies looking for partners, distributors, industry specialists or potential customers across the channel.

JADDE 2011, with its 1,400 visitors and a day of English thematic and translated workshops provides local south east companies with the chance to really get a feel for the French market and how smaller local businesses, like themselves, take on the challenge of sustainability.

Check the JADDE website for more information, including the event agenda: www.JADDE-lille.com.

For any small company feeling their French is a bit rusty, access to English/French translators can be pre-arranged.

The EcoMind team would encourage more South East businesses to attend JADDE and will be providing to a limited number of companies committed to eco-innovation an allowance towards transport costs.

If you are interested in knowing how the French market is responding to sustainability, innovation and low carbon and would like to find out what opportunities this could bring your company, please contact BSK-CiC.

As many of you will know we thrive on ideas and tough challenges… and one thing we can be sure of in the new premises is that we will certainly not lack in inspiration. For those of you who come and visit us you will be surprised to find a large wooden chalet in our back garden! Here Charles Dickens wrote much of ‘A Tale of Two Cities’, ‘Great Expectations’, ‘Our Mutual Friend’ and ‘The Uncommercial Traveller’. The 156 year old building provided the author with a space for thoughts and imagination and we look forward to the same experience, albeit it at a slight distance. The Chalet is not currently open and funds are being raised by the Rochester and Chatham Dickens Fellowship to allow visitor access in 2012.

So we hope that when you next visit us you will enjoy not only the BSK buzz, but also our rooms with a view.

We would also ask that you bear with us in the days around the move, and on 26 August in particular, when we will be busy packing and unpacking. After that date, it will be business as usual. There will of course be no change to telephone numbers.

And please don’t forget to update your records with our new address!

BSK-CiC
Foord Annexe,
High Street,
Rochester,
Kent
ME1 1EW

At the Kent Excellence in Business Awards (KEiBA), now in their third year, BSK-CiC was delighted to see several Kent based companies that they have supported, as both finalists and winners. The awards were the culmination of many weeks of deliberation and were presented at the Leas Cliff Hall in Folkestone on 30 June. Over 430 people attended the ceremony with introductions to the awards from Geraldine Allinson, Chairman of the KM Group. Kent County Councillor Kevin Lynes followed with a stirring address on the strengths of Kent business and a plea to those companies present to take up the challenge of encouraging apprenticeships, launched at Kent 2020 Vision.

Hearty congratulations from the BSK-CiC team to all those who reached the finalist stage and especially to those winners they have had the pleasure of working with over the last few years. Aquaread was delighted to win the ‘Start up Business of the Year’ award. “We are extremely proud to win this award” says Aquaread’s Managing Director, Craig Harrison. “Recognition for our achievements as a business really backs up our claim that we are on track to be the world leaders in our industry. This award has not only raised our profile for existing customers, but will also give confidence to any new customers that they are dealing with an award winning respectable business.” Aquaread was also short listed as a top three finalist for the ‘Best Technology and Science Business’. The company has been assisted by several BSK-CiC programmes; the Kent Innovation and Growth Team, Enterprise Europe Network and EcoMind.

Broadhembury Caravan and Camping Park was delighted to win ‘Best Leisure and Tourism Business’ and whilst owners Jenny and Keith Taylor were not able to attend, two staff members, Pat and Beryl collected the award on behalf of everyone at the Park. Caroline Murdoch, from the BSK-CiC Low Carbon Essentials programme, encouraged them to enter in two categories and was thrilled they won. For Jenny “constant re-investment and high standards has been our business ethos since we started Broadhembury Caravan and Camping Park back in 1969. Therefore we are delighted that this has been recognised by the KEiBA judges.  We hope that winning the ‘Best Leisure and Tourism Business in Kent’ will raise our profile even further, making the people of Kent aware that they do not have to travel for miles to enjoy the perfect holiday or short break.”

Ecosan, a small company that started in a back bedroom with just enough money to keep trading for three months, received the ‘Business Commitment to the Environment’ award. The company has continued to grow, employing more staff and recently moving into larger premises. Sonja Wood was excited at winning and said “this is just the tip of the iceberg… just watch us now!” Ecosan deals with sanitary and nappy waste and not only are they one of the first companies in the UK to offer recycling, they believe passionately in taking an environmental approach to all they do, encouraging their suppliers to embrace this ethos.

And finally congratulations to a winning company that reached the finals but did not get a category award; ID&C.

BSK-CiC continues to support the KEiBA awards by encouraging Kent companies to enter each year.

To find out more about the KEiBA’s, please visit www.keiba.co.uk.