Live: Breaking news, traffic and travel across Teesside

The Evening Gazette's live breaking news blog brings you regular updates, pictures, video, tweets and comments covering the latest Teesside and North Yorkshire traffic, travel, weather, crime and council news for today, Monday 3rd November, 2014.

You can contribute to the live blog by posting your comment below, and you can also tweet us @EveningGazette to share breaking news stories, pictures and opinions.

Our Teesside breaking news live blog begins at 07:00am every weekday and is updated throughout the day and into the evening.

Business leaders highlight Export Week

Next week is Export Week - and the The Institute of Directors in the North-east has teamed up with UK Trade & Investment to help open the event.

Hosted by Graham Robb, the North East Chairman of the Institute of Directors, a special event at manufacturing specialist Tharsus Group on Monday, November 10 will highlight some of the region’s export success stories.

Business and export specialists from UKTI, North East Chamber of Commerce and Square One Law will take part in an Export Panel Discussion on the day.

Tharsus Group, which has its specialist production facilities in Blyth, is a pioneer in the field of Original Engineering Design and Manufacture (OEDM).

Graham Robb, North East Chairman of the Institute of Directors, said: “It is no accident the North East has the only positive balance of trade in the UK.

“Its skills, products and services are globally-recognised and in demand. Export Week is an ideal opportunity for businesses that want to emulate the international trade success of companies like Tharsus to learn from their experiences.”

Brian Palmer, Chief Executive of Tharsus Group, said: “I am looking forward to welcoming fellow business people to Tharsus for an engaging debate on the importance of exports.

“Exporting has become a core element of our business. Six years ago we were very locally focused, but the change to our operations and the introduction of OEDM means we have evolved from making components into full products with a CE Mark, which enables us to export globally.”

Organised by UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) in conjunction with partners and business organisations, Export Week aims to encourage companies to take up the export challenge and highlight the wealth of support and knowledge available.

Events will be held across the region, including UKTI’s flagship ExploreExport roadshow at Newcastle Racecourse on Tuesday November 11.

SMH Products' new Teesside supercentre will create 40 new jobs

An award-winning decontamination equipment maker is creating 40 jobs with the opening of a new “super centre” on Teesside.

South Shields-based SMH Products is investing £2.5m in the new centre, a converted former HMRC building on Skippers Lane in Middlesbrough.

It will hold the majority of SMH’s UK stock which will be transported to one of the company’s UK distribution centres or directly to the end customer.

The new Teesside-based roles will include warehouse operators, field engineers, training specialists and administration support staff as well as call centre staff who will provide technical support and advice on SMH’s range of products.

The new Teesside recruits will take total staff numbers at the company to 250, although this could rise by a further 100 if planned acquisitions in the pipeline are completed. SMH is in talks with several buy-out targets, including distribution specialists in Holland, the UK and Belgium.

Oliver Smith, chief financial officer at SMH Products, said: “The Teesside super centre is a vital part of our growth plans. We’re looking to recruit now and get people in position as soon as possible.

“Group turnover is about £38m but we’re hoping to increase this to £54m next year.

“In terms of the acquisitions we can’t say too much about them but we are hoping to complete as many as four or five by the end of this year.”

SMH has grown rapidly in recent years by expanding its geographical footprint and product portfolio.

Originally it specialised predominantly in the supply of decontamination and safety equipment for asbestos removal but has now diversified into other sectors, including nuclear, petrochemical and food safety, petrochemical and fire safety. Now it aims to break into new export markets and increase its range of in-house manufactured products as it looks to grow turnover to £100m in five years. Germany, Italy and Switzerland are targets in Europe, whiler further afield the compoany is eyeing South America, the Middle East and Far East.

Headquartered in South Shields, SMH has several UK branches including Newcastle, Birmingham, Glasgow and Nottingham as well as overseas depots in France, Spain, Australia and New Zealand.

In 2013, the company was named the winner of the Fastest 50 Awards which recognise the achievements of profit-making private North-east firms that demonstrate rapid growth in turnover.

Top national award for Stockton work skills company SureTrax

A Stockton learning scheme has been named top Enterprise Learning Product at the 2014 Celebration of Enterprise Awards.

Educational product specialist SureTrax provides young people with the “tools and confidence” to succeed in the world of work.

Its Self Marketing and Personal Enterprise Programme helps learners boost their employability and enterprise skills and engage with employers in a professional manner, according to the company. And now the scheme is being adopted by a growing network of colleges and training organisations.

Suretrax, which is based at Stockton Business Centre on the town’s Brunswick Street, was presented with its award at a prestigious event at the House of Lords.

The annual Celebration of Enterprise awards, hosted by the Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurs (IOEE) and the Small Firms Enterprise Development Initiative (SFEDI), bring together key figures from the UK’s small business, enterprise and skills sector. It’s held to celebrate the best in enterprise learning and skills.

Suretrax’s programme, which is Ofqual recognised and SFEDI accredited, has fast gained a reputation for ‘helping learners to help themselves, building their self-belief and equipping them with practical skills’ to succeed in the jobs market.

It’s made up of six ‘easy’ steps to break into the world of work - and sustain a job.

These steps, Suretrax claims, help them to take control, realise and fulfil their potential through being organised and the skills and knowledge to continue developing their life and career.

Founder, Tony Osborne, said: “Our innovative approach promotes entrepreneurial and enterprising attitudes and creates a culture of ownership and action and provides learners with the confidence, skills and knowledge to proactively engage with the business world.

“Delegates are able to access a wider range of opportunities within the employment market by thinking like an employer.

“The SureTrax programme development team is experienced in leading high-performance business and sales teams in multi-national, blue-chip organisations with extensive knowledge of new business start-ups, recruitment, the Welfare to Work sector and labour market intelligence.”

The programme has been developed over three years with the input of more than 1500 participants, a “high percentage” of which have moved into sustainable employment, self-employment or further training according to Suretrax.

Ruth Lowbridge, Executive Chair of SFEDI and IOEE, said: “We’re delighted to present SureTrax with this award. The company’s programme is making a real difference to the lives of those striving to get a job in today’s competitive marketplace”.

Other winners at the event included John Timpson CBE, CEO of the Timpson Group and Jason Holt, CEO of the Holts Group and the Government appointed Small Business Ambassador for Apprenticeships.