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News

Work on Supreme Court lands architects award nomination

Norwich-based architects Feilden+Mawson have been shortlisted for the prime minister's Better Public Building Award for their work on the United Kingdom Supreme Court in London.

The firm renovated and converted the buildings, which were opened by the Queen in the autumn.

Hugh Feilden, a partner at Feilden+Mawson, led the design team which transformed the former Middlesex Guildhall in Parliament Square into a home for the highest court in the land and kept within a £33m budget.

US break for Norwich record label

A conversation in a pub which “got out of hand” has transformed into a record label which has broken into the US market.

Hungry Audio, based in Elwyn Road in Norwich, has had two songs from its label placed on major US shows, One Tree Hill and True Blood.

Co-founder Adrian Cooke says he is now hoping to represent other labels as an agent and expand the firm into publishing by copyrighting songs and music as well as licensing tracks.

Engineering firm to expand into aerospace

Engineering firm Beru F1 Systems is set to expand into the aerospace sector after budget cuts in Formula 1 wiped £1.23m off sales.

Diss-based Beru, a division of US/German automotive supplier Borgwarner Beru Systems, provides advanced design and manufacturing services in motorsport, providing components to every F1 team across the globe.

But accounts for 2009 showed that turnover fell from about £6.5m in 2008 to £5.3m last year after new regulations by motorsport body FIA saw F1 teams forced to cut their budgets by 50pc.

Is this Norfolk's best kept secret?

A quiet industrial estate on the outskirts of a Norfolk town may seem a world away from the production lines of Jaguar, Audi and Subaru.

But, for more than two decades, the Dove Company on the Rash's Green Industrial Estate in Dereham played a key role in the development of some of the world's most famous cars in one of East Anglia's best kept secrets.

We've got the talent, China's got the money to pay for it

Businesses working in the creative industries sector in Norfolk could be invited to Hong Kong on a trade delegation as part of a bid to open them up to overseas business.

Richard Cox, chairman of the creative industries group in Shaping Norfolk's Future, an economic development partnership, says businesses in Norfolk and the UK need to look overseas for work as the economy in their home country contracts.

Flybe growth could lead to new Norwich routes

A multi-billion pound investment in new planes could pave the way for new routes from Norwich International Airport, according to Flybe chief commercial officer Mike Rutter.Exeter-based Flybe - the main operator of flights from Norwich - yesterday unveiled plans for major European expansion after confirming a £1.3bn order for 35 Embraer E175 aircraft, with the possibility of 105 more to follow.While two-thirds of the planes will serve airports in continental Europe, one third will target routes between the UK and Europe.

Facility offers machining technology to small firms

Small manufacturers across the region are being offered access to high-tech digital machines to help develop innovative products with the launch of a new £250,000 facility.The Direct Digital Manufacturing Centre (DDMC) was officially launched at the Hethel Engineering Centre near Norwich yesterday, following investment by regional development agency EEDA and Norfolk County Council.

Excitement - Norwich City of Culture Bid

Today the UK City of Culture 2013 will be announced.

Stephen Fry and hundreds of businesses, organisations and individuals connected to Norfolk are supporting the bid for Noriwch to become UK City of Culture.

A delegation from the team which put together the bid is travelling to Liverpool to hear the announcement of the winning city, later this evening which will be broadbast live on BBC 1's The One Show at 7pm.

Olympic turnaround for building blocks firm

Building blocks manufacturer Lignacite has returned to profit after securing a string of Olympic contracts.

The company, based in Brandon, suffered losses in 2008 and 2009 after the construction industry was hit in the recession.

But managing director Giles de Lotbiniere said fortunes had improved after the business was chosen to supply building blocks and specialist masonry products in six projects in the London 2012 Olympic park.

Wind Energy Opportunities Announced

The wind energy revolution will provide massive opportunities for business in the region over the next three decades, a conference was told on Wednesday.

Delivering the keynote speech at the East of England Energy Group's Conference at Great Yarmouth Racecourse, David Hodkinson, head of UK development for wind power at energy firm Vattenfall, set the vision of a rapidly developing industry that will create thousands of jobs in the region across the supply chain.