NEW YORK SHARES

Lafarge financial services Leicester have received a top business accolade at the 12th annual European Shared Services & Outsourcing Network (SSON) Excellence Awards.

The shared service centre which provides all accounting services for building materials sister companies Lafarge Aggregates & Concrete UK in Syston and Lafarge Cement in Solihull, was named the winner in the Culture Creation category.

Up against shared services from across Europe, it was also shortlisted in the Innovation category, narrowly missing out on an award at the ceremony in Amsterdam.

Phil Lanyon, director Lafarge UK financial shared services said : “I am really proud of this award, it is a fantastic award and a reflection of all the efforts our people have put in to making the shared service centre work so well.

“Importantly it also recognises on a major scale, among other global companies  the way the UK business units work with us and the way we work with them to make financial shared services such a success.

“It is a supreme example of working together as ‘one Lafarge’.”

IBM and Microsoft were also in the running for awards at the ceremony, indicating the firm’s shared services role.

Naomi Secor SSON conference producer said : “The calibre of applications has been increasing every year.
“We were delighted with the number of applicants, as well as the originality displayed.”

The Business Secretary is visiting Speedo’s Nottingham headquarters to witness how the firm develops swimwear for top athletes.

Vince Cable will tour the firm’s global research and development facility to see how Speedo designs equipment including the Fastskin Racing System worn by Great Britain swimmer Rebecca Adlington OBE. Speedo will also discuss its contribution to the local economy with the Minister.

Afterwards, the Business Secretary will visit Nottingham University Innovation Centre and learn more about university and private sector collaboration with businesses such as GlaxoSmithKline Carbon Neutral Laboratory for Sustainable Chemistry, Ordnance Survey and technology firm e2v. e2v has received £6.25 million from the Regional Growth Fund and has licensed technology from the innovation centre.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said: “Nottingham is clearly a place for innovative businesses and individuals to thrive and that’s thanks to the investment firms and universities are prepared to put into researching new products and design.

“Speedo is a world leader in swimwear products and is using cutting-edge technology, as well as first class skills, to ensure it remains at the forefront of its industry.

“And with centres such as Nottingham University’s Innovation Centre creating a space for the research base and business to come together in partnership, Nottingham is a place for companies and ideas to thrive and grow.”

Vince Cable will announce that the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and GlaxoSmithKline are to jointly fund a new Chair in Sustainable Chemistry who will be based in the planned Carbon Neutral Laboratory for Sustainable Chemistry at the University of Nottingham.

He will also announce £670,000 of EPSRC funding for a new photoelectron spectrometer that will give accurate measurements of liquids – the first of its kind in the UK.