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Business round-up

Details of recent business news from across the University of Wolverhampton.

Contour Castings Ltd

A young company has created 12 new jobs and generated £1 million of sales with help from the University of Wolverhampton.
 
Telford-based Contour Casings Ltd. manufactures innovative radiator covers used in hospitals, schools and care homes.
 
Contour Casings wanted to modify the radiator casings to improve heat efficiency and reduce costs, and the University’s Department of Engineering and Technology was able to provide product design support to the company.
 
With funding from the West Midlands Technology Network (WMTN) project, Dr Ilias Oraifige modelled a radiator cover that would improve thermal properties. A second project was undertaken through the University’s Centre of Engineering Excellence (CEE), which produced 3D CAD models of the products for styling and manufacturing.
 
This enabled Contour Casings to obtain customer feedback without the need for costly prototypes.
 
For more information, visit: www.wm-technet.co.uk

SPEED

The University of Wolverhampton’s £5 million Student Placements for Entrepreneurs in Education (SPEED) programme has proved to be a huge success, and is now being rolled out to universities across the country.
 
Students from any course are given the opportunity to develop their business ideas whilst at University.
 
One success story within the creative industries is redworkshop, a collaboration between students Julia Rowley, a glass artist, and Glen Leech, who is a product designer specialising in furniture. Their venture includes furniture design and making, public art, site specific installations and lighting.
 
They received financial support, personal mentoring sessions and seminars covering topics, such as sales, marketing and business organisation from SPEED while at the University.
 
Julia says: ”SPEED has helped me open new avenues of thought process and provided an opportunity to make my business goals a reality.”
 
For more information, visit: www.wlv.ac.uk/speed

LEAD speakers

The University’s LEAD (Leadership and Development) programme has welcomed a number of high profile speakers to Wolverhampton Science Park this season.
 
Chief Executive of Ann Summers and star of the celebrity version of the Apprentice Jacqueline Gold was a recent visitor, following former Dragon’s Den panellist Simon Woodroffe in the Inspirational Leadership series. The founder of The Big Issue, Dr John Bird MBE, and TV documentary presenter Ken Hames were also recent speakers at the seminars, organised with the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education.
 
LEAD supports all University staff and staff in partner organisations and ensures they have access to development opportunities. The Inspirational Leadership seminars provide opportunities to strengthen leadership and management skills by practical knowledge gained from successful business leaders.
 
For further details, visit: www.wlv.ac.uk/lead