Tory grandee visits Progressive

Tory grandee hails Runcorn's efforts in nurturing businesses of the future

The Heath Business and Technical Park, in Runcorn, reflects the UK economy of the future, said shadow business secretary Kenneth Clarke.

Gary Brookshaw and Ian Knox of Progressive Solutions, Charles Taylor and Simon Lewis of SOG, with Kenneth Clarke MP.During a visit to the former ICI site, he met tenants and site owner SOG, and also took part in a round-table discussion with local business leaders.

Former Chancellor Mr Clarke said: "The businesses I have seen are the kinds of businesses I think are going to be the economy of the next few decades."

The park is currently home to more than 185 organisations and 2,000 jobs, and SOG aims to expand to add another 1,000 jobs within five years.

Kenneth Clarke (right) at The Heath in Runcorn, with (L to R) Progressive Solutions' Gary Brookshaw and Ian Knox, Charles Taylor and Simon Lewis of RJ Lewis.

Mr Clarke added: "This is the future. You have to look to have new business.

"The speed of change we have got accustomed to in recent years is steadily getting faster. We have got to grow a business-friendly climate in which this kind of business can grow."

SOG chief executive Dr Peter Cook said: "We were delighted to offer Mr Clarke the opportunity to witness the developments taking place."

 

© 2009. Kindly reproduced courtesy of Liverpool Daily Post.

Testimonials

  • "Progressive's experience was important, as was the link with Microsoft. We think that's the way ahead for all merchant systems."

    Stephen Fairbairn, MD, Henry Alty

  • "The decision to go with bisTrack was based on the relationship we were developing with the Progressive team, a confidence in deliverability and their aggressive approach to overall cost."

    Stephen Mulhall, FD, McMahon

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    Andrew Laver, Arnold Laver Timberworld

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    Arthur Duffy, managing director, Progressive Solutions

  • "The time was right for a change of software at Alsford's and we selected bisTrack from a shortlist of three. The key criteria was 'business fit'. We wanted a Microsoft Windows, intuitive solution which would best serve our claim to be 'The Timber Experts' in all our 20 branches."

    Neil Fuller, MD, Alsford Timber

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    Stuart Hall, General Manager, Lawcris Panel Products

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    Progressive Solutions' guest blog, Builders Merchants Journal

  • "Performance across the system is continuously enhanced too. Since our last release, finding products is now significantly faster ...by up to 30%."

    Gary Brookshaw, Product Director, Progressive Solutions

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    David Biddle, MD, Huntingdon Timber & Roofing

  • "We improved net margin by 3% within 6 weeks of going live on bisTrack."

    Payne Timber

  • "To stand out from the crowd, you need great customer service. Really great customer service."

    Progressive Solutions' guest blog, Builders Merchants Journal

  • "Progressive's experience was important, as was the link with Microsoft. We think that's the way ahead for all merchant systems."

    Stephen Fairbairn, MD, Henry Alty

  • "If we hadn't changed to bisTrack we simply couldn't have grown like this."

    Nigel Williams, Chairman, Premier Forest Products

  • “A member of our buying group told us about bisTrack, although we looked at four or five other software packages. Key factors in the eventual selection of bisTrack were its SQL platform and our confidence in the people we dealt with.”

    Gordon Rothwell, James Hargreaves (Plumbers Merch)

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    Robert Blumsom, Blumsom Fine Timber

  • "Progressive's experience was important, as was the link with Microsoft. We think that's the way ahead for all merchant systems."

    Stephen Fairbairn, MD, Henry Alty

  • "We helped ourselves by getting bisTrack on board quickly and painlessly while business was slow, so we won't have disruption as we start to implement a very aggressive three year strategic plan."

    Neil Fuller, Managing Director, Alsford Timber

  • “A member of our buying group told us about bisTrack, although we looked at four or five other software packages. Key factors in the eventual selection of bisTrack were its SQL platform and our confidence in the people we dealt with.”

    Gordon Rothwell, James Hargreaves (Plumbers Merch)

  • "We chose bisTrack because we needed to move on to the next generation of software."

    Stephen Fairbairn, MD, Henry Alty

  • "Progressive's experience was important, as was the link with Microsoft. We think that's the way ahead for all merchant systems."

    Stephen Fairbairn, MD, Henry Alty

  • "I'm happy bisTrack will grow with us. If we find we need something which isn't already incorporated, I'm confident Progressive will work with us to fill the gap."

    Operations Director, CF Anderson

  • "I'm happy bisTrack will grow with us. If we find we need something which isn't already incorporated, I'm confident Progressive will work with us to fill the gap."

    Operations Director, CF Anderson

  • "We were drowning in paper and, as a business turning over £2.2 million, the time had come for us to invest in business management software."

    David Biddle, MD, Huntingdon Timber & Roofing

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

    Andrew Laver, Arnold Laver Timberworld

  • "If we hadn't changed to bisTrack we simply couldn't have grown like this."

    Nigel Williams, Chairman, Premier Forest Products

  • "Good customer service is easier to achieve with good IT to back up our staff. bisTrack gives provides an efficient system for dealing with customers. Good management tools enable us to concentrate our efforts in the right direction."

    David Dunmow, Group FD, James Latham plc

  • "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 improved net margin by 3% within 6 weeks of going live on bisTrack."

    Payne Timber

  • "Inventory accuracy is higher because everyone is more focused and our staff can see the benefit of getting it right."

    Ian Murchie, Operations Director, Howie Forest Products

  • "With bisTrack we now have real-time information on our profitability, which allows us to continually optimise and make decisions on our business plan."

    Stuart Hall, General Manager, Lawcris Panel Products

  • "Stock counting is one of the best facilities in bisTrack ever. Stock counting across multiple locations is effortless with multiple entries of the same product. Entering a count is even easier. Counting 10,000 lines used to take two of us 4 days. This time it was 8 hours."

  • "Inventory accuracy is higher because everyone is more focused and our staff can see the benefit of getting it right."

    Ian Murchie, Operations Director, Howie Forest Products

  • "We were drowning in paper and, as a business turning over £2.2 million, the time had come for us to invest in business management software."

    David Biddle, MD, Huntingdon Timber & Roofing

  • "We improved net margin by 3% within 6 weeks of going live on bisTrack."

    Payne Timber

  • "bisTrack is an excellent piece of software and getting better. Their approach to meeting our needs is excellent. eBusiness is not going to be big for another 12 months but PSI are there already, which means we’re ahead. They're very open to ideas and keep getting better at turnaround."

    Adam Myers, Beesley & Fildes

  • "The people at Progressive Solutions are likeable, straight-talking individuals who have a commitment to continuously develop and push the software forward."

    Joe Tipper, Walter Tippers Ltd

  • "The time was right for a change of software at Alsford's and we selected bisTrack from a shortlist of three. The key criteria was 'business fit'. We wanted a Microsoft Windows, intuitive solution which would best serve our claim to be 'The Timber Experts' in all our 20 branches."

    Neil Fuller, MD, Alsford Timber

  • "We chose bisTrack because we needed to move on to the next generation of software."

    Stephen Fairbairn, MD, Henry Alty

  • “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-talking individuals who have a commitment to continuously develop and push the software forward."

    Joe Tipper, Walter Tippers Ltd

  • "We helped ourselves by getting bisTrack on board quickly and painlessly while business was slow, so we won't have disruption as we start to implement a very aggressive three year strategic plan."

    Neil Fuller, Managing Director, Alsford Timber

  • “A member of our buying group told us about bisTrack, although we looked at four or five other software packages. Key factors in the eventual selection of bisTrack were its SQL platform and our confidence in the people we dealt with.”

    Gordon Rothwell, James Hargreaves (Plumbers Merch)

  • "The people at Progressive Solutions are likeable, straight-talking individuals who have a commitment to continuously develop and push the software forward."

    Joe Tipper, Walter Tippers Ltd

  • "To stand out from the crowd, you need great customer service. Really great customer service."

    Progressive Solutions' guest blog, Builders Merchants Journal

  • "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

  • "bisTrack is an excellent piece of software and getting better. Their approach to meeting our needs is excellent. eBusiness is not going to be big for another 12 months but PSI are there already, which means we’re ahead. They're very open to ideas and keep getting better at turnaround."

    Adam Myers, Beesley & Fildes

  • "The people at Progressive Solutions are likeable, straight-talking individuals who have a commitment to continuously develop and push the software forward."

    Joe Tipper, Walter Tippers Ltd

  • "Stock counting is one of the best facilities in bisTrack ever. Stock counting across multiple locations is effortless with multiple entries of the same product. Entering a count is even easier. Counting 10,000 lines used to take two of us 4 days. This time it was 8 hours."

  • "We have a responsibility to the environment. That’s why we’re trying to lower our carbon footprint. We introduced e-commerce, cut down on paper receipts & are introducing electronic billing for customers."

    Director, building materials supplier

  • "Implementation was achieved with absolutely no disruption to day-to-day trading. It was a joy! I'm working proactively with the system and having bisTrack doing much of our admin for us."

    Scott Anderson, FD, Woodbridge Timber

  • “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

  • "We improved net margin by 3% within 6 weeks of going live on bisTrack."

    Payne Timber

  • "I'm convinced there's no other system that can deliver better what we need. Apart from its Windows architecture and its powerful functionality, it now has ten years of development behind it."

    Peter Buttle, Buttle plc

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