Member Services
NEPIC - a One-Stop-Shop
Companies often complain about the expansion and shifting landscape of public service initiatives. One of the key tasks of the Cluster is to act as a knowledgeable and value adding interface for companies with regional and national government.
In addition NEPIC can help advise companies on the appropriate contacts within partner organisations such as academic institutions, national and regional government and trade associations.
(Members value: saves many wasted hours trying to find the right contact in the right organisation)
NEPIC Events
NEPIC events range from social events such as the Annual Dinner and Annual Golf Day, which attract up to 460 senior industrialists, to those of a sector specific or technical nature, which attract on average 120 senior industrialists. Members can attend as delegates or as exhibitors and they provide an excellent opportunity to meet potential customers, new suppliers and explore new opportunities. To see the list of NEPIC events please visit the NEPIC website.
(Members value: saving of £60 per delegate and £350 for exhibitors per event potential of £4,600 per annum plus valuable learning from experts and sharing of best practice saving up to £5,000)
NEPIC Marketing Literature, PR, Career & International Promotion
Brochures have been specifically designed as executive summaries which enable NEPIC to promote the region and its capabilities at international events and exhibitions.
Raising the public’s awareness of the importance of the region (in 2007 NEPIC received the Chemical Industries Association award for Building the Trust and Reputation of the Process Industry).
Raising the profile of North East England as the location of choice for investment
Raising awareness of the career opportunities within the sector with graduates within the UK Promotion of Stem subjects within schools through STEMNET, CIEC, PSEP, etc. (Members value: £10,000 per annum)
NEPIC Collaborative Projects
NEPIC works with its members to identify specific projects eligible for UK & EU Grant
Funding, and provides project management where appropriate.
Recent examples include:
- ENCAP - for SME organisations in the industry supply chain
- North East Biorefining project
- Low Grade Heat Recovery Project
- Energy Hub Development
- Logistics Infrastructure Study
(Members value: circa £20,000 per project per company)
Grant Advice
We can advise companies where the best advice can be found for any issue and especially important is advice on how best to approach the “system” for public sector support on any issue; Investment, R&D, Export Support, Productivity and Training. We work closely with One North East and other sub regional partners to ensure companies get the best advice and opportunity for financial support. Many members have benefited from NEPIC’s guidance in these matters.
(Members value: £1,000 per day)
Good News, Bad News & Incident Support
The cluster provides experienced insights for the local, national and international media when your company makes the news. We can help in all situations, especially in troubled times, and the media will call us first for comment as we are the “voice of the industry”. Member companies also ensure we are first on the list for news releases as we can help distribute and promote your news through our contacts, the NEPIC website and FocalPoint.
(Members value: £1,000 per day)
International Trade, New Business Opportunities & Supply Chain Connections
A comprehensive range of services including:
- Collaboration on Overseas Market Visits and Exhibitions, both with access to grant support
- Import/Export/Customs Advice & Information
- Signposting to other support bodies to ensure access to all information sources
- Opportunity to trade with or joint venture with other NEPIC members
- Developing links with similar clusters globally
(Members value: Contracts of up to £300,000 have been won through NEPIC’s introductions)
Energy & Resource Efficiency Programmes
- Specialist resource in identifying waste and inefficiency
- Support resource for improvement projects
- Access to regional & national programmes
- ERE (Energy Resource Efficiency) programme in North East
- Envirowise programme - waste minimisation
- Carbon Trust programme - carbon emission reduction
(Members value: savings of up to £250,000 per annum have been reported)
Productivity Programmes
- NEPIC links together programmes for the Sector
- The MAS NE Service
- Picme - Process Industries Centre for Manufacturing Excellence - Includes world class know how in applying Lean Manufacturing in this sector
- 5 Year Track Record of proven returns
- Substantial Financial Support possible
- Specialist sector skills available for
- Maintenance Improvement
- Energy Efficiency
(Members value: savings of up to £1.2m per annum have been reported)
Access to World Class Technology
- Close links with the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI), a world class innovation resource for the process sector, and Centre for Excellence for Life Sciences (Cels)
- Strong links with the five -regional universities providing spin out opportunities and conducting leading edge stem cell & regenerative medicine research and a range of other key research activities
- Sharing best practice
(Members value: Signposting can lead to millions of pounds of business opportunities)
Education, Skills & Training
- Access to SME support and Train to Gain
- Support to workforce recruitment & development
- Competency Assurance Framework
- NEPIC attends Graduate career fairs on behalf of the sector offering career advice to students and handing out promotional literature such as the directory and our Graduate DVD
(Members value: already exceeds £7,000)
NEPIC also hosts other industry activities including:
- National Skills Academy Process Industries
- NEHSN - The North East Higher Skills Network is charged with the development of level 4 (foundation degrees or above) training programmes at the North East England Colleges and Universities
(Members value: £7,000)
NEPIC Buying Group
Benefits
- Saving member companies time and money
- Powerful leverage in 100+ common purchasing categories
- Purchasing agreements with leading high quality suppliers updated daily
- Onsite savings analysis by Independent Buyers
- Specialist resource to help make it happen
- Guaranteed savings
(16 members have already identified combined savings in excess of £456,000 per annum)
Health, Safety & Environment
NESHEP (North East Safety, Health and Environmental Partnership) enables practitioners to collaborate and share best practice, which helps to keep our workforces safe and our customers sites accident free. Benefits Include:
- Progressive sharing of current SHE initiatives and best practice in the region to achieve continual improvement
- A forum to contribute your ideas and to seek solutions to your SHE management problems
- Access to useful, economic and local SHE training programs
- Hear the HSE perspective on current health and safety issues
- Network with contractors and customer representatives who are also committed to
- SHE improvement
- Recognition of your commitment via your membership certificate and use of the NESHEP logo etc
- Annual SHE Improvement Awards
(Members value: Best practice sharing could save lives. NEPIC has created a competency framework for the industry)
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