Gearing up for growth

SMEs are ready to push on after years in survival mode. Insider's round table discussed the challenges facing them as they progress and poses the question 'What can help SMEs grow?'

Arnab Dutt, managing director of Texane, said his business used innovation in the last few years to protect margins. Growing turnover was not a priority for the polyurethane components manufacturer and it instead targeted work with the highest growth margins.

"It meant a lot of investment in new technology and development which is difficult because sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't," said Dutt.

Read the full article by buying a copy of Midlands Business Insider here.

Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

Manufacturing Innovation Roundtable

It's easy to say we need creative cultures in businesses - producing them is a far harder task. Midlands Business Insider East Midlands brought together experts and entrepreneurs to find out how to incite innovation.

Arnab Dutt, Texane - "The past few years for us have been about developing new products for new markets and, rather than just being industry-facing, looking at consumer sectors, anywhere where we can develop our core competency.

"That's meant investing in new machines, developing new polyurethanes where we seee high margins and values. To do this we've had to innovate and look for where demand is, and be imaginative. We do not want to do the same as everyone else because you just end up fighting a lot of people on price alone."

Buy the September issue to read the full article.

Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

Zero hours contracts: 'Bad for morale – bad for business'

Business owner Arnab Dutt says zero hours contracts are harming the economy and should be scrapped.

It has been claimed that zero hours contracts make the UK more competitive by providing labour market flexibility.

The evidence challenges this. In reality, the widespread abuse of these contracts has harmed the economy and the fabric of our society.

Read the full article on the Leicester Mercury here

Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

Wheel manufacturer Texane wins airport contact

Picked up a copy of the Leicester Mercury today? If so, turn to page 3 of the Business Weekly section to see a feature all about Texane's fantastic three-year contract win for Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris.

Texane, of Market Harborough, will be supplying super tough polyurethane wheels for travelators throughtout Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, which ahs more than 60 million passengers a year.

The contract is worth £410,000 over three years to the company, which also supplies wheels for London's underground system and the New York subway.