BPCC announces new regional partner in the North of the UK!
(Date: 2011-04-11)
Rotherham announces international partnership agreement with Poland
Rotherham Investment & Development Office (RiDO) has launched the first international collaboration for its soft landing zone project by announcing a strategic partnership agreement with the British Polish Chamber of Commence (BPCC).
The agreement will see RiDO and the BPCC working closely to maximise both the potential for Rotherham and South Yorkshire based companies to increase their contacts and business opportunities in Poland, whilst Polish companies interested in the UK could be supported through the soft landing zone (SLZ) project to make the appropriate business contacts in this country.
Rotherham already has established links with Poland through its twin town of Zabrze, which is situated in southern Poland. The town with a population of 195,000 is located in the Silesia Province, close to the borders with Slovakia and the Czech Republic. A co-operation agreement was signed between Rotherham and Zabrze in July 2007 with the aim of promoting and supporting social, economic and cultural development in the two areas.
Tim O’Connell, Business and Retail Investment Team Manager for RiDO said; “Through our new soft landing zone project we will be establishing strategic partnerships with a select number of locations around the world, and are pleased to announce the first of these with Poland and the BPCC.
"Rotherham has established links with Poland and given the opportunities we see for both Polish companies in the UK, and for our local businesses increasing their trade with Poland, it was a natural choice to choose Poland as our first international partner."
Martin Oxley, Chief Executive of the BPCC said; "Poland is the most attractive growth market In Europe. The UK is Poland's 3rd largest trading partner. As Poland's Presidency of the EU rapidly approaches the BPCC and its partners are pleased to promote the huge bilateral trade opportunity which exists between our two countries.
"It is a source of immense inspiration and promise for us to be able to partner with RiDO, one of the UK's leading business incubators to create a landing zone for Polish start ups in the UK and a focal point for South Yorkshire based companies to seize the international trade opportunity which Poland presents."
The RiDO Business Centres are the only business centres in England that have the National Business Incubation Association’s (NBIA) Soft Landings International Incubators designation, and offer a great location for companies to establish their operations in the United Kingdom. The soft landings project will provide a comprehensive array of services for potential investor companies. These include fully equipped modern office facilities, available on flexible easy in/easy out terms, and with full reception & admin support.
The quality of RiDO's business centre offer was recently confirmed by UK Business Incubation (UKBI), the leading professional body on the development and support of business incubation environments that support high growth and technology centres as well as those focussed on regeneration.
They presented RiDO with the Incubation Champion Award for 2011, at their annual international incubation awards; the second time that Rotherham has won the award in recent years, having previously held the title in 2005.