In this issue
New Innovation Programme for SMEs
The latest quarterly (January – March 2017) InterTradeIreland Business Monitor Results released
Navigating Brexit - Time to Plan, Act and Engage for a Better Brexit
Belfast City Council - Pre Tender event - Heron Bros
Supplier Engagement Event - Local Government
Sweet Spot Sourcing - Naas, Co.Kildare
Brexit Readiness Events - various dates & Locations
Business Planning workshops - Various dates and locations
Water Industry Repair & Maintenance Category Briefings - Various locations & Dates
Co-Innovate Programme - Innovation Advisor and Executive Officer
Cyber security -'WannaCry' guidance for home users and small businesses
Disclaimer
Upcoming Events
Brexit Readiness Events - various dates & Locations
Register for FREE now!
Business Planning workshops - Various dates and locations
Register now
Water Industry Repair & Maintenance Category Briefings - Various locations & Dates
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Latest News
New Innovation Programme for SMEs
 
Co-Innovate is a new programme supported by the European Union’s INTERREG VA Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body. InterTradeIreland is proud to be lead partner in delivering this project.

With Co-Innovate, SMEs can learn about the benefits of innovation, identify opportunities for growth in their business and create a vision to make it happen. 

Each company’s needs around innovation development will differ, so every company’s journey through the programme will be unique. 

To be eligible you must be :
  • A manufacturing or tradable services company
  • Located in the entire eligible region of Northern Ireland, the border counties of Ireland (Monaghan, Leitrim, Cavan, Louth, Sligo and Donegal) and Western Scotland (Dumfries & Galloway, East Ayrshire and North Ayrshire mainland; South Ayrshire; Lochaber. Skye & Lochalsh, Arran &Cumbrae and Argyll & Bute and Eilean Siar/ Western Isles). 
For full eligibility criteria and to find out how to register for the programme please visit the website - http://www.co-innovateprogramme.eu/ci/

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Business Monitor
The latest quarterly (January – March 2017) InterTradeIreland Business Monitor Results released
 


The latest quarterly InterTradeIreland Business Monitor Report issued last month reveals evidence of an intensely competitive economic environment. Companies are taking advantage of buoyant levels of market confidence, however this is balanced with challenges caused by rising energy, overhead and supply costs, new competitors and difficulties recruiting appropriate skills


Summary of the latest findings:
  • 82 per cent of firms across the island are reporting stability or growth
  • 98 per cent of firms have not made plans to deal with Brexit
  • Half of businesses surveyed report that the cost of overheads is an important issue, followed by energy costs (38 per cent)
  • 7 per cent of firms have increased employee numbers, with 4 per cent reporting a decrease
For more details
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Business Blog
Navigating Brexit - Time to Plan, Act and Engage for a Better Brexit
 
 

In this month's blog, Aidan Gough Director of Strategy & Policy outlines the importance of helping SMEs to be Brexit ready. He says ''InterTradeIreland’s message is simple, while we recognise the pressures facing small business owners dealing with the here and now, there is, nevertheless, a window of opportunity now that must be grasped to prepare for the challenges and indeed the opportunities that will be presented by a new cross-border trading relationship that is set to emerge over the next few years.  

Read the full blog
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Business Supports
Belfast City Council - Pre Tender event - Heron Bros
 

26th June 10am - 12 noon - Great Hall, Belfast City Hall

Heron Bros has recently been awarded the largest ever capital contract by Belfast City Council. Under Phase 1b of the Leisure Transformation Programme,
Heron Bros will re-develop:
•Andersonstown Leisure Centre,
•Robinson Centre, and;
•Brook Activity Centre.

To ensure that Heron Bros have an effective supply chain to deliver this contract and to maximise the impact of the project for Belfast; they have partnered with the Economic Development Unit of Belfast City Council and InterTradeIreland to host a briefing session for those wishing to be considered for the supply chain opportunities within the contract.


This briefing will be held in the Great Hall, Belfast City Hall on 26 June from 10am-12pm and end with a light lunch.

The briefing session is designed to inform companies, suppliers and smaller contactors of the specific opportunities and the process that Heron Bros will use to assess and select our suppliers.

This will also be an opportunity to hear about and access the practical support that is available in preparing for the tendering opportunities, such as the InterTradeIreland Go-2-Tender programme.

Register for FREE here
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Supplier Engagement Event - Local Government
 

Wednesday 21st June 2017

Glenavon House Hotel, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone

InterTradeIreland in conjunction with its partner organisations is holding a Local Government Supplier Engagement event. This event is aimed at SMEs interested in tendering their services or products to local authorities in Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland.

Businesses will get an opportunity to meet procurement representatives face to face and to hear from them directly about their specific requirements and upcoming opportunities.

The event is free to attend with registration from 8.15am and closing at 1.30pm.

For more information and to register click here
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SME in focus
Sweet Spot Sourcing - Naas, Co.Kildare
 

Sweetspot Sourcing specialise in the sourcing and manufacturing of own label products, using a worldwide network of suppliers and factories. 

Sweet Spot Sourcing was founded by Susan Dempsey and Fiona Craul and offer clients direct access to the capabilities of these suppliers and factories.

Their head office is in Naas Co Kildare, and in 2013 they opened an office in Fujian, China.  Clients buy from Sweetspot – when they want to buy better, cutting out the middle man and buying directly from factories, examples of products; shopping bags, charity products, sports merchandise, branded give away. They offer a full service solution from design, sampling, manufacturing, quality control, importation and delivery.

Finalists in the SFA Awards for Outstanding Small Business and more recently a county finalist in the NEAwards 2016.

Find out more
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Now Recruiting
Co-Innovate Programme - Innovation Advisor and Executive Officer
 


CO-INNOVATE  PROGRAMME:

The Co-Innovate programme is a transformational innovation programme designed to increase the proportion of SMEs engaged in cross-border research and innovation in the Interreg eligible region. The programme involves activity that engages over 1,408 SMEs providing education and capability development support tailored to their needs and will complement existing R&I resources in the target area. 
InterTradeIreland is lead Partner of the programme which is supported by the European Union's INTERREG VA Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).


JOB TITLE:                               Innovation Advisor  

EMPLOYING AUTHORITY:        InterTradeIreland   

DURATION:                               4 years fixed term 

GRADE:                                     Manager (Grade 7 £47,384 - £52,588) 

REPORTS TO:                           Co-Innovate Programme Director 

CLOSING DATE :                       12.00 noon on Thursday 22nd June 2017                                          

The Innovation Advisor will report to the Co-Innovate Programme Director and will have ultimate responsibility for the development and delivery of the programme workshops and for advising on all innovation activity across the Co-Innovate Programme. They will evaluate and support project applications, and lead development of business-to-business R&I Partnerships.

 
JOB TITLE:                               Programme Executive Officer  

EMPLOYING AUTHORITY:        InterTradeIreland   

DURATION:                               3 years fixed term 

GRADE:                                     Executive Grade (£23,618 - £26,377) 

REPORTS TO:                           Co-Innovate Programme Director 

Closing date :                              12.00 noon on Monday 26 June 2017                                         

The Executive Officer will provide an efficient and pro-active support within this team, including, completing high level administrative tasks, working on their own initiative and taking the lead on work projects assigned to them.

        

 

Find and more and Apply
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And Finally......
Cyber security -'WannaCry' guidance for home users and small businesses
via The National Security Cyber Centre website
 
Cyber security, ransomware, 'WannaCry' -  seems to be the hot topic at the moment and in the media most days, but as a small business how secure are you from these attacks? I checked out the National Security Cyber Centre's website to find out more and would like to share their advice with you here.

On their site they explain what 'WannaCry' is and how you can protect your business...enjoy!
Read More
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Disclaimer
Note: Links to third-party websites are provided for convenience only. InterTradeIreland is not liable for the content, availability or use of such third party websites and you use such links entirely at your own risk.
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