ZETEX WINS NW CHINA AWARDS

During the prime minister’s visit to China in January, a number of key agreements were signed and Manchester played a prominent part.  Manchester Metropolitan University signed a memorandum of understanding on training in what is called ‘sustainable aviation’ with CAAC (Civil Aviation of China) University and Arup, which resulted from the UK-China Civil Aviation Working Group

The importance of that visit was picked up during UKTI Northwest’s most recent China event at Manchester City Stadium, which took place on 8th February. The watchword for the day, and the event was “design” in its very broadest sense:

• designing a company’s strategy for China
• product design for companies looking to have goods manufactured in  China
• design as a key element in selling goods into China

Andrew Cahn, Chief Executive of UKTI, set the scene for the UK government’s approach to China. After recently returning from accompanying the prime minister, Gordon Brown, other ministers and a senior business delegation to China, he delivered the keynote presentation at the event.  Christine Losecaat identified opportunities for northwest companies which included design management services that will have an increasingly important role to play in the future.

A national government-to-government MOU level was signed to allow for co-operation in maximising trade and investment in the environmental sector of Wuhan (Manchester’s sister city).

Seminar sponsors HSBC provoked companies into looking at their designing their strategies for China, as speaker Clare Hammond highlighted the changing demographic trends and the progress of urbanisation.

On the theme of design, one of the speakers at the seminar, Christine Losecaat identified the following opportunities for northwest companies:

• design consultancy for Chinese companies looking to sell direct into overseas markets
• design consultancy in some disciplines for Chinese companies looking to westernise local products for local market
• design education consultancy
• inward investment opportunities for Chinese businesses to locate European design and marketing offices in UK

She predicted that design management services will increasingly have a role to play as the market continues to evolve.

Companies looking to have products or components manufactured in China are frequently concerned about quality, design and how to protect their intellectual property.  Two speakers - Jeremy Offer, the creative director for Geo, a product design consultancy based in Wilmslow, and Jonathan Butters of JAB Design in Liverpool, shared their experiences of handling these issues, and succeeding, in China.

The seminar was followed by a Chinese New Year Banquet and the presentation of the North West Greater China Awards 2008, sponsored by Finnair.

The winner of the Business Award was Zetex, an Oldham-based company which designs and manufactures integrated circuits and semiconductor products using wafer processing technologies.

The runners-up were CDC Microtron, a Warrington-based company which makes dispersing and mixing equipment for applications within the coatings, chemical and pharmaceutical industries, and the Knowsley-based company Caldeira, which makes and supplies cushions and throws.

Also to be congratulated are the finalists Audio Design Services, Rosemead Designs and Syddal Engineering.

The award recognising the contribution of individuals and support organisations was presented this year to Professor David Brown, director of Lancaster China Management Centre, Lancaster University Management School, Lancaster.

Strong nominations were also received for finalists Keith Davies from Bolton Council; Jan Schraibman for the Bond Scheme, British Council; and MIDAS, Manchester Science Park &  Manchester City Council for SinoVentures.

For more information on developing trade with Greater China contact the International Trade team on 0845 603 7053 or info@uktinorthwest.co.uk