Thames Valley

Thames Valley and Reading win awards

Thanks to the work of TV EP�s inward investment team, the Thames Valley won the accolade of being voted runner-up in the contest for best foreign direct investment strategy in Europe. Reading also wins an award for best infrastructure....[more]

Thames Valley News Media

Business news from the major Thames Valley Newspapers and from BBC Radio Berkshire....[more]

Job seekers up, worries about competitiveness

The number of job seekers in the Thames valley rises, with a particularly sharp rise in Slough, and worries grow about competitiveness...[more]

Reading to try again for city status

After two unsuccessful attempts, Reading Council is to mount a campaign to get city status in the Queen's jibilee year in 2012...[more]

Thames Valley welcomes European connections

TVEP worked with the property team at PruPIM, SEEDA and representatives of Reading UK CIC to play host to the French development agency for Val-de-Marne and the regional development agency for Paris, France, on February 12th at Green Park, Reading. ...[more]

Recent Investors endorse the Thames Valley

Three Thames Valley tech businesses talk to Berkshire News about doing business in the Thames Valley, their aspirations and why they have chosen to invest here....[more]

TVEP sets up 'Launch Pad' to help newcomers

TVEP and its members are launch a brand new service to help companies thinking of coming to the Thames Valley significantly reduce both the time and cost in planning, establishing and growing a presence in Britain. ...[more]

Happy New Year for Thames Valley economy

The Thames Valley goes into 2010 in better shape than last year with significant falls in unemployment in almost every part of the region, and with a large increase in job vacancies despite some big employers like Vodafone shedding jobs....[more]

Boost to Thames Valley as $4.5 billion US company moves in

Global semiconductor maker Microchip Technology Inc has moved its European headquarters into a prime Thames Valley building at Winnersh Triangle, near Wokingham. Microchip Technology - a $US 4.7 billion company whose home base is in Arizona and whose stock is listed on the NASDAQ - is one of the leading providers of microcontroller , memory and analog semi conductors. ...[more]

Cheaper buses, new MRT to cut congestion planned

Bus fares cut by nearly a third, new bus lanes to speed journey times, a new mass rapid transport scheme, a third Thames crossing at Reading, and four new park and ride locations are promised if the Government backs a bid of nearly �60 million from Reading and other Thames Valley councils for cash from its transport innovation fund. But motorists are likely to have to pay for part of the price through road charging if they drive to the city centre in peal times. ...[more]

British Airways and Iberia to merge

British Airways and Iberia haveagreed the terms of a merger to create Europe's third-largest airline by revenue, one of the biggest deals in the global aviation industry. Investors in BA will have 55 per cent of the combined group - yet to be named - and Iberia's shareholders will have the remaining 45 per cent. ...[more]

The Spanish factor in the Thames Valley

Spain is set to play a bigger role in Thames Valley business as a result of the agreements of its national airline, Iberia, to merge with British Airways. Meanwhile Spanish-owned O2 has overtaken BT to become Britain�s leading telecoms provider by customer numbers. Both UK companies are leading members of TVEP....[more]

TVEP to expand trend setting breakfasts

It has been one year since TVEP launched its series of economic outlook breakfasts � and a quarterly outlook bearing the same name. Five events have been held, and each has featured a top national business leader with a strong commitment to the Thames Valley....[more]

Economy recovering, CBI chief tells Hilton breakfast

After a torrid 18 months, the economy is recovering, Richard Lambert, director-general of the Confederation of British Industry, told TVEP�s latest economic outlook event. But, Mr Lambert told more than 100 business and community leaders at a breakfast at Reading�s Hilton Hotel, �there are still a lot of headwinds out there". The CBI chief�s view was supported by James Close, a partner in the consulting firm Ernst and Young, and by TVEP�s own Economic Outlook, which showed that the Thames Valley is one of the few parts of Britain where unemployment has started to fall. Mr Lambert, who for ten years was editor of the Financial Times, and a member of the Bank of England�s Monetary Policy Committee, before being recruited to the top job at the CBI, had addressed a regional dinner of the CBI at Bracknell the night before , where he discussed the wisdom of his� hero�, the management guru, the late Peter Drucker. He told the TVEP breakfast: � World trade is stabilising, but we are not out of the woods yet. There are still likely to be more write offs at banks, and although Asia and the American economy are showing signs of growth much of it is on the back of stimulus packages�. In Britain he said he �worried� about companies that had to refinance, and the impact of higher VAT, likely to rise in the New Year, but identified the biggest single problem as �the need to get to grip with public finances�, and to reduce Government debt. At the Bracknell dinner, the CBI director general was told by his Thames Valley members that transport infrastructure and skills shortages were the too biggest problems confronting the Thames Valley, and he picked up on this theme in his Reading address, saying government had shown in the past a mistaken approach to infrastructure investment, and needed to ensure that money devoted to rail and energy projects continued even as public spending was cut, by whichever party wins the next election. ...[more]

Network Rail urged: stick to plan

TVEP seeks assurances Network Rail still plans 'full speed ahead' on GW main line electrification...[more]

As economy flops, CBI chief to address Thames Valley breakfast

Another poor quarter for the economy, as Britain fails to follow the US and European countries out of recession. CBI chief will discuss the prospects at a special breakfast on the Thames Valley economy on November 12. ...[more]

Expenses probe clears Reading MPs

Both Reading MPs have been given the official seal of approval from Sir Thomas Legg investigating the dodgy expenses claims. ...[more]

Cisco zooms in on videoconferencing scene

Cisco Systems, one of the largest and most innovative Thames Valley employers, has made an offer for the acquisition of Norwegian videoconferencing firm Tandberg....[more]

WIPRO scale up Reading operation

Indian technology conglomerate Wipro Limited was joined by local dignitaries earlier this month as it commerated the opening of its Reading office....[more]

Dell lifts prospects with $3.9b purchase of Perot Systems

Dell has made it bigger ever acquisition, buying Perot Systems for $3.9 billion, and giving it a seat at the high end of the IT market....[more]

Life under a fragile recovery

A �fragile recovery� was how the Bank of England�s regional agent for Central Southern England saw the coming months in his latest presentation to business and community leaders at TVEP�s quarterly economic breakfast. O2's CEO Ronan Dunne describes how to survive and prosper in a recession....[more]

Councils grasp for ways to rein in costs

In the cost-cutting, self-preserving environment of the global economic downturn, Thames Valley local authorities are looking at ways at paring costs...[more]

Fujitsu cuts jobs as revenue slows

Fujitsu, the IT systems, services and products company, will shed almost 10% of its UK workforce by the end of 2009, in response to revenue figures that fell short of company expectations....[more]

Mobile move puts heat on Vodafone and Telefonica

Vodafone and Telef�nica of Spain are under mounting pressure to strengthen their positions in the UK after France Telecom and Deutsche Telekom set out plans to create Britain�s leading mobile phone operator....[more]

Alice and export markets

If you are a Thames Valley company and want to build exports, there is no single right strategy. You have, says Geoff Wills of Reading marketing consultancy Slipstream to remember the story of Alice asking the Cheshire Cat which way to go? ...[more]

Global businesses flock to Reading

Reading continues to be a popular business destination with a clutch of overseas companies flocking to the town in the past year. The Thames Valley Economic Partnership’s (TVEP) annual review shows 40 foreign-owned firms set up home in the region during 2008-09, which will create more than 400 new jobs....[more]

Talend: Thames Valley is centre of expertise

Just over 6 months after setting up its first UK office in Maidenhead, French data transformation firm talend has backed the Thames Valley’s credentials as the number one choice of foreign hi-tech companies looking for a base in the UK....[more]

Innovation open house at Thales draws 100

Over 100 Thames Valley businesses gathered at a TVEP meeting hosted by global technology company Thales UK at it’s research & technology facility in Reading, on how to find commercially successful markets for new technologies and ideas. ...[more]

Electric trains to cut UK travel times

Millions of passengers on some of Britain’s busiest rail routes will on Thursday be offered the prospect of faster, more reliable and cleaner journeys when the government unveils plans for major electrification for the first time since rail privatisation....[more]

How to get Britain's railways back on track

The nation that pioneered the train has squandered the legacy of Brunel and Stephenson. It’s time to say ‘all change,’ says Andrew Adonis in The Times....[more]

More than 100 crowd in for Thales event

Over 100 Thames Valley businesses gathered at a successful TVEP meeting hosted by global technology company Thales UK at it’s research & technology facility in Reading, on how to find commercially successful markets for new technologies and ideas. ...[more]

�1bn plan to electrify rail line

A £1bn plan to electrify the main rail route between London and Swansea has been announced by the government....[more]

Government orders immediate start to Thames Valley electrification

Immediately after the end of the Network Rail consultative process on electrification, the government has given a quick go-ahead to electrification of the Great Western main line....[more]

2008/09 a good year for Thames Valley inward investment

TVEP's annual review for 2008-09 has revealed that the Thames Valley continued as the top performing area in the South East in attracting new inward investment....[more]

Great Western electrification a priority

The electrification of the Great Western Main Line has been slated as a priority in Network Rail's new proposals for electrifying UK railways....[more]

For French businesses, Thames Valley opens doors to the US market

Several French companies have chosen to set up business in the Thames Valley for its ease of access to big Information and Communications Technology players such as Microsoft, Cisco Systems and Logica. The Thames Valley is altogether a simpler and more cost effective alternative to locatin in the U.S. itself....[more]

Experts see commercial property recovery

The Thames Valley office market is expected to spring to life as businesses begin to take advantage of lower rental terms and other incentives, say three leading experts. They say companies are increasingly environmentally-aware, and looking to maximise efficiency as well. ...[more]

Atkins study: Heathrow's westward connections

Extending the London Underground to Slough is one of the options to link the Great Western main line railway to Heathrow Airport contained in a study by engineering consultancy Atkins....[more]

New chairman for TVEP

TVEP has a new chairman - Andrew Beshaw - and he is planning a radical shake up of the board...[more]

New Hilton opens its doors in Reading

The international hospitality chain, Hilton Hotels Corporation, has expanded into the Thames Valley with the opening of the Hilton Reading. ...[more]

Surge in interest in Thames Valley

A record number of potential new investors have been checking out the prospects of setting up in the Thames Valley, a well attended economic outlook breakast organised by TVEP was told on May 21....[more]

Thames Valley firms to recover fast, says PwC

Business sectors that feature prominently in the Thames Valley are likely to be among the first to recover from the economic downturn, the professional services firm, PwC, forecasts....[more]

TVU faces threat of closure

Thames Valley University faces an uncertain future as doubts are cast over its course offerings. The Vice Chancellor admits the university must realign itself to meet the vocational needs of local employers if it is to survive....[more]

Sage has cut 700 jobs since November

The Newcastle-based software firm Sage releases grim figures on cost-cutting redundancies....[more]

Crossrail Reading route 'saved'

The government has left open the possibility of its ambitious Crossrail project being extended to Reading....[more]

Low cost business accommodation for local people

Competitively priced small business units are being offered to local businesses in a bid to buck the economic downturn....[more]

Station Hill must be redeveloped if Reading to prosper, says Madejski

Sir John Madejski unveils his £400m plan to transform the scrubby Station Hill, saying it's crucial to the city's future....[more]

A hotel above Kennet shopping?

Kennet Shopping owners have investigated plans to build a 100-bedroom hotel above the retail centre. ...[more]

Foster Wheeler wins prestigious Queen's Award for enterprise

Foster Wheeler said it's the only company in the Thames Valley to receive an award this year, having been awarded the Queens Award for Enterprise 2009, for demonstrating 'substantial growth in overseas earnings and commercial success.'...[more]

Oracle pays US$7bn for Sun Microsystems

Sun Microsystems has found a buyer in the form of Oracle Corp., with the American IT giant agreeing to pay $7bn for one of the world's leading software companies....[more]

Museum of Reading could scoop �100,000

The Museum of Reading is in line for a national and regional award thanks to its art to the community drive....[more]

�680k university boost to aid industry

The University of Reading has received more than �680,000 to offer a lifeline to the pharmaceutical industry in the recession. ...[more]

Crunch hits three more stores

In hard economic times, falling turnover sends shops at Reading's Oracle Shopping Centre into administration ...[more]

Thames Valley businesses weather the storm

Companies in Reading are continuing to weather the economic storm with many reporting strong sales across the sectors, according to new figures....[more]

Heathrow third runway - Royal Borough joins call for judicial review

Local authorities, green groups, and resident bodies are calling for a judicial review of the government's approval of a new runway at Heathrow, in a desperate effort to reverse the decision....[more]

Blade skyscraper ready for launch

A £32m skyscraper, the tallest in Reading, is to open later this month....[more]

Another honour for Reading transport

The key Thames Valley city draws more praise in a recent public awards ceremony for its green buses....[more]

McDonalds creates 30 jobs to give hope

The mammoth fast food giant has announced the creation of jobs for those who have had a hard time finding it, allowing them to show their mettle. ...[more]

3-star rating for Reading Council

"Three-Star" Reading Council Providing Value For Money." Reading Borough Council Website, accessed 13.3.09. Reading Borough Council has achieved three out of a possible four stars in terms of the key services it provides for residents, and continues to provide good value for money under the Audit Commission's `harder test' assessment. The Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) is a process by which the Audit Commission judges the performance and progress of local authorities nationwide. Inspectors visit every local authority, assessing how key council services are run and identifying areas for improvement. Reports on each service are then collated to give each council an overall star rating for performance. The CPA findings mean Reading maintains its status as a three star authority. Inspectors also judged it was `improving adequately'. ...[more]

Latest victims of the credit crunch

Fort, L. "Latest victims of the credit crunch." Reading Evening Post. 13.2.09. The town's most prestigious hotel and a flagship gym in West Reading are the latest to hit the rocks. Five-star Reading hotel The Forbury called in administrators on Wednesday but it will not be closing down. Meanwhile across town yesterday bailiffs took away equipment from Express Gym in Oxford Road. A staff member claimed it was undergoing a £1 million refit, but police, who were present during the removal, told the Evening Post bailiffs had asked for police assistance to deal with a possible breach of the peace. Express Gym made no further comment. The Forbury Hotel opened two years ago in the Grade II-listed Old Shire Hall in The Forbury after a glamorous £6 million renovation. Matthew Wilds and Mark Wilson of Baker Tilly Restructuring and Recovery of Guildford are the administrators and now preparing to market the hotel for sale as a going concern. ...[more]

O2 applauded for worker care

Greenshields, M. "Looking after the workers." Slough Observer. 13.3.09. A Slough based company has reason for a double celebration after being praised by both its employees and the government. Communications giant O2, which has its headquarters in Bath Road, was named the third best big company to work for in the South East in a Sunday Times survey, just weeks after being commended at the House of Commons by Slough MP Fiona Mactaggart for its long-standing apprentice programme. ...[more]

Uni department faces axe

Mbubaegbu, C. "Second department faces the axe at university." Reading Evening Post. 13.3.09. A university school that trains social workers looks set to close following a vote on Wednesday while another department faces the chop. Campaigners said they are not giving up hope they can save the School of Health and Social Care, despite The University of Reading Senate having voted for closure at Wednesday's meeting. ...[more]

CAP voted best small firm to work for

Mbubaegbu, C. "The best small firm to work for - again!" Reading Evening Post. 12.3.09. Christian debt counsellors in Reading were celebrating after their company scooped a prestigious Sunday Times award for the second year running. Christians Against Poverty (CAP) - a national charity with a local base run in partnership with Reading Community Church in Tilehurst - was named the Sunday Times Best Small Company to Work For 2009. The charity fought off competition from nearly 1,000 other small companies to be crowned the winner, becoming the first to win back-to-back titles since the awards were launched six years ago. ...[more]

John Lewis staff earn 13% bonus

Robins, P. "Joy as John Lewis staff earn 13 per cent bonus." Reading Evening Post. 12.3.09. Staff at John Lewis have been rewarded for their hard work with a credit crunch-busting 13 per cent bonus. Employees at the Broad Street department store were overjoyed yesterday when managing director Gordon Stenton unveiled their hefty handout - worth average seven weeks' pay. ...[more]

Reading looking good for future

Robins, P. "Town looking good for the future." Reading Evening Post. 10.3.09. Business bosses have hailed the Chancellor's visit to Reading as a "ringing endorsement" of the town's economic resilience. Alistair Darling described the region as the "driver" of the UK economy during a whistle-stop tour of the town centre last Monday, adding that it was well-placed to weather the financial downturn. He then joined Business Secretary Peter Mandelson and Employment Minister Tony McNulty for a meeting of the Regional Economic Council at Davidson House in Forbury Square - the first time it has met outside London. And Tim Smith, executive director of Reading UK CIC, reckons this proves Reading is rising up the national agenda. ...[more]

Go ahead for town centre improvements

ALMOST £2m of new investment will be put into Reading town centre over the next five years after businesses voted to support plans to a new and enlarged Business Improvement District (BID). ...[more]

Microsoft job fears

SOME staff at Microsoft in Reading could face redundancy after the company announced 5,000 job losses worldwide....[more]

TVEP members - Pinewood Studios BAFTA awards success

TVEP members Pinewood had a happy night as they picked up three BAFTA awards...[more]

James Cowper launches dedicated insolvency practice

Thames Valley accountants and business advisers James Cowper LLP has expanded its practice with the launch of James Cowper Insolvency Services LLP. ...[more]

The rails to recovery

The recently announced Heathrow rail link could stimulate investment in the Thames Valley – but will anywhere apart from Reading reap the benefits? Our chief executive Shaun Whittaker talks to Property Week ...[more]

New Hilton hotel springs into life

Reading's newest hotel will burst into life this spring with a host of unique features...[more]

Amazon joins the Thames Valley Economic Partnership

Brian McBride, Managing Director, Amazon UK descrives TVEP as 'one of the key forces for progress in the Thames Valley'....[more]

Don't starve the Thames Valley

Starving the Thames Valley of funds needed to improve transport infrastructure and using the money elsewhere would be a mistake for Britain, says Chris Giles, economics editor of the Financial Times. ...[more]

Revealed: how the recession will affect your city

A massive programme of regeneration has helped bring new self-confidence to Hull, transforming the city after decades of post-war decline. But the Yorkshire port is the city hardest hit so far by Britain's economic meltdown, suffering the fastest leap in unemployment. Alongside Hull, Liverpool, Belfast and Wigan are the cities worst-equipped to recover from the recession, according to research. ...[more]

US giant opts for Reading

Engineering giant CCE has strengthened Reading’s claim as a magnet for trade by becoming the latest blue chip company to relocate to the town....[more]

Google bucks trend as it profits in downturn

Google’s sales rose as online retailers spent more to achieve greater site traffic, while traditional retailers attempted to harness their online sales to in part make up for falling high street sales. ...[more]

Supplementary rates plan - a kick in the teeth�

Plans to allow councils to levy an additional rate on top of the Government’s business rate were called a “kick in the teeth” for local firms by leading Tories....[more]

Latest Government proposals for transport infrastructure in the Thames Valley

Members will be aware of the announcement by the transport secretary, Geoff Hoon, that the government will support the building of a third runway and a sixth terminal at Heathrow airport. ...[more]

TVEP hosts ICT dinner

The Thames Valley Economic Partnership, this week worked with local borough councils and Clarkslegal LLP to facilitate an evening of networking and business discussion....[more]

TVEP welcomes new members

TVEP has been busy already this year, recruiting six new members...[more]

UK in recession as economy slides

The UK is now in recession for the first time since 1991, official government figures have confirmed. Gross domestic product fell by 1.5% in the last three months of 2008 after a 0.6% drop in the previous quarter. That means that the widely accepted definition of a recession - two consecutive quarters of falling economic growth - has been met. ...[more]

Fast rail hub plan for Heathrow

An expanded Heathrow airport could be at the heart of a new high-speed rail system, with fast links to the north of England and the rest of Europe through the Channel Tunnel, under plans being drawn up by ministers. Gordon Brown is expected this month to approve a new third runway at Heathrow, but ministers will try to limit the environmental and political fallout of the decision by proposing improved rail links to the airport. ...[more]

Interest rates hit all-time low

The Bank of England has cut interest rates to 1.5%, the lowest level in its 315-year history, as it continues efforts to aid an economic recovery. The half percentage point reduction brings interest rates below 2% for the first time since the Bank of England was founded in 1694....[more]

Strength and diversity of University of Reading’s research recognised in latest ratings exercise

The renowned research strengths of the University of Reading have been recognised in the outcomes of the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) published today, with over 87% of the University’s research rated as of international standing¹. ...[more]

Rail plan proposed for Heathrow

The government is putting forward plans for an international rail interchange at Heathrow alongside its proposals for a third runway at the airport. ...[more]

Entrepreneurs of the future given thumbs up by Thames Valley businesses

Over 180 students from the University of Reading showcased their business ideas and proposed business start-up strategies to a panel of local business experts this week, as part of the Thames Valley Innovation Festival. ...[more]

Runway decision deferred

Splits within the cabinet have delayed the decision on whether to build a third runway at Heathrow, Britain's busiest airport. The government says it is behind the plan, but that more time is needed to synthesise submissions from business and environment groups....[more]

Big Ambition - Olympians back UK bid to get more young people into IT

A major event to mark the start of e-skills UK’s BigAmbition campaign was held today at Microsoft’s Head Offices in Reading. Two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, sailor Sarah Webb, kicked off the new initiative in the presence of nearly 200, 13 year old girls, while her teammate Sarah Ayton also supports the campaign. ...[more]

Crunch Time for Finance Recruitment?

I can’t help feeling, as a result of the plethora of dire reports on the economy, that in the words of Private Frazer from Dad’s Army; “We’re doomed, Captain Mannering, we’re doomed!” I have visions of visiting a local soup kitchen or sleeping rough in a shop doorway. Is it really that bad? Is there an economy left at all? If so, how is it affecting the recruitment market? I have definitely heard whispers of “belts being tightened” and the occasional “headcount freeze”. Where once the topic of conversation aound the water coller was football, Eastenders and the Olympics, is now the recession, crashes in the stock market and the collapse of the economy. In real terms what difference is all this making to the common man? ...[more]

Thames Valley Innovation Conference

“Innovation is crucial to the future success of the region’s economy in these troubled times.” That was the message from top business bosses and trailblazers speaking at the third Thames Valley Innovation Conference. ...[more]

TVEP welcomes announcement of third Heathrow runway

The government has announced its approval for the building of a third runway at London's Heathrow Airport. TVEP supports the plan, but as CEO Shaun Whittaker points out, we still want action on improved Western access to the country's biggest gateway....[more]

Oxford based Rutherford Appleton Lab plays its part in India mission to the Moon

The unmanned Chandrayaan 1 spacecraft blasted off smoothly from a launch pad in southern Andhra Pradesh to embark on a two-year mission of exploration. ...[more]

The region�s business innovation facility holds an open day as part of the Thames Valley Innovation Festival

The University of Reading’s innovation lab, InnovationWorks at Reading, will be offering local businesses a free taster day as part of the Thames Valley Innovation Festival in November. ...[more]

BA chief says Tory aviation policy

British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh has criticises Tory plans to build a high-speed rail network instead of a third runway at Heathrow airport and described the party's aviation policy as "all over the place"....[more]

Tories want trains to take the strain

British Airways chief executive says it "beggars belief" that the Conservatives should think that high speed trains could replace a third runway at Heathrow Airport. But The Economist reports that this is precisely what David Cameron intends to do - and in so doing earning plaudits from the environmentalists...[more]

Britain is the first choice in Europe for foreign direct investment

Britain is the first choice in Europe for foreign direct investment...[more]

UK number one destination in Europe for inward investment

The year 2007 saw the UK as the number one destination for inward investment in Europe. ...[more]

Credit crunch less crunchy here

AS banks and financial behemoths tumble almost as fast as house prices, the Reading area has every reason to be optimistic....[more]

Business urges Heathrow expansion

A hundred companies and organisations, many of them in the FTSE 100, have backed a third runway for London Heathrow Airport. The companies, which include the Thames Valley Economic Partnership, signed a full page advertisement in the national press, saying Heathrow was vital for business. ...[more]

TVIN investment helps make energy visible - �800,000 of new cash into Green Energy Options

Thames Valley Investment Network (TVIN) members have invested �250,000 in energy-efficiency monitor developers Green Energy Options, as part of an �800,000 funding round. The investment by TVIN's members was matched by an investment of �250,000 from the Bank of Scotland Corporate's Growth Capital team under the unique Co-Investment Programme arrangement between the Bank and the TVIN Network. TVIN is a business angel network that helps growing companies to raise funding and operates in Reading and the Thames Valley. The balance of the new funds came from high net worth individuals....[more]

Reading station's �400m revamp

A £400m plan to transform Reading railway station has been unveiled. Five new platforms, an elevated railway, a new station entrance and a new train depot are among the improvements laid out by Network Rail. ...[more]

Kyocera calls for entries to its annual Green Light Environmental Awards

Reading, UK, 4th September 2008: Kyocera, the pioneering printer and copier manufacturer, is calling for entries into its annual GreenLight Environmental Awards. ...[more]

Boyes Turner comes up trumps in The Lawyer UK 200 Report

Moving up 11 places in just one year, Thames Valley heavyweight Boyes Turner is the 145th largest law firm in the UK according to The Lawyer's annual report which ranks the UK's top law firm's by turnover. ...[more]

Syngenta's £35m for Thames Valley

TVEP member Syngenta has committed a further £ 35 million to its Thames Valley international research centre at Jealots Hill, near Bracknell. – as part of a £100 million investment in UK manufacturing and research and development.....[more]

Innovative Thames Valley company gets national publicity

DTEX, an innovative Thames Valley company, is starting to reap major benefits from the government's call for industry to overhaul the way it uses sensitive data. Dtex uses its own software to track everything employees are doing on corporate IT systems. That enables it to mount covert investigations of missing or problem data, and conduct data audits to ensure regulatory compliancy.For full details read the story in the Financial Times...[more]

Reading pioneers bio buses

Innovative new buses that cut carbon emissions and use fuel produced from beet sugar are now running on suburban routes in Reading, whose council owned bus company has also radically improved frequency in an attempt to tempt people from their cars. ...[more]

Corporate culture key to innovation success

Government policies aimed at encouraging innovation in manufacturing may be doomed to failure unless companies learn to take more risks, according to academic research....[more]

SEEDA's US team tour Thames Valley

A team of SEEDA overseas representatives made a visit to the Thames Valley to learn about what the Thames Valley has to offer potential US investors. ...[more]

New fund enables Reading University to boost business links

A major increase in funding for Reading University for its work with business has put it on a par with Oxford and Cambridge...[more]

TVEP told:prove need for better transport

The Thames Valley has been asked to produce “solid evidence” for arguments that doing nothing about the region’s crumbling transport infrastructure will damage the economy and cut as much as £1 billion from its £4 billion annual contribution to Britain’s wealth....[more]

Latest Victims of Credit Crunch

The town's most prestigious hotel and flagship gym in West Reading are the latest to hit the rocks. Read more ...[more]

Explosion on Slough Trading Estate

Fire broke out after a "large explosion" at a chemical plant on a Berkshire trading estate. ...[more]