'Innovate or die', says ex-minister

'Innovate or die' says ex-minister at unveiling

A SENIOR advisor to David Cameron has used a visit to Runcorn to warn firms they must innovate or die.

Steven Norris (2nd from R) with John Lewis (SOG), Len Williams and Arthur Duffy of Progressive SolutionsFormer Government minister Steven Norris was speaking at the unveiling of Progressive Solutions' new offices at The Heath Business and Technical Park.

During the visit he applauded the efforts of Progressive Solutions together with SOG Ltd, which owns and manages the business park, and RJ Lewis Projects, the Liverpool-based company responsible for the design and building management of the construction project.

But while all three organisations are bucking the current economic trend, other companies are destined to be less successful, the former transport minister warned.

He said: "Businesses need to pull together as a team and work hard.

"People of quality and teams of quality that work will together be the ones that survive.

"Being efficient, being innovative and being dedicated to actually deliver a quality outcome. "What we do have to recognise is that times are genuinely very hard indeed and they are likely to remain so for some time.

"It's important to distinguish genuine green shoots from some of the weeds that are likely to emerge but which distract at a time like this from what the real issues are."

Progressive Solutions aims to add 180,000 square feet of new accommodation – potentially increasing the total workforce on site from 2,000 to more than 3,000 – within five years.

 

© 2009. Kindly reproduced courtesy of Runcorn Weekly News.

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    Operations Director, CF Anderson

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    Operations Director, CF Anderson

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    Eric Jones, IT Manager, Alsford Timber

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    Gerwyn Thomas, partner, TL Thomas (builders' merchant)

  • "Once we started building up information we could trust, we started seeing real benefits. If stock accuracy was the main benefit, then quality of management information was next."

    Peter Kerr, FD, Palmer Timber

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    Gary Brookshaw, Product Director, Progressive Solutions

  • “Hargeaves are ideally placed to take advantage of the offer – whilst we plan to continue using e-Xact to update our product file we also want much better control over special product sales and purchases."

    Gordon Rothwell, James Hargreaves MD

  • "Our staff have margin figures right in front of them now, so they're much more aware of the profit they are making."

    Robert Blumsom, Blumsom Fine Timber

  • "It's a very nicely laid out system with easy to follow structural menus and taskpads which, even if I haven't used a particular function before, I find relatively simple to complete."

    Chris Pratt, Pratts Timber and Builders Merchants Ltd

  • "Our relationship with PSI has been transformed this year. This is due almost entirely to having an Account Manager as a single point of contact, who knows our system and our business."

    Eric Jones, IT Manager, Alsford Timber

  • "We spent a long time evaluating several systems and I'm confident that bisTrack is the best available."

    Andrew Laver, Arnold Laver Timberworld

  • “Hargeaves are ideally placed to take advantage of the offer – whilst we plan to continue using e-Xact to update our product file we also want much better control over special product sales and purchases."

    Gordon Rothwell, James Hargreaves MD

  • "The people at Progressive Solutions are likeable, straight_

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    commitment to continuously develop and push the software forward."

    Joe Tipper, Walter Tippers Ltd

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