Crouzet Ltd Opens New Headquarters in Basingstoke

Crouzet Ltd, a multi-national company specialising in automation and control components with applications in aerospace, defence, marine and industry markets, has opened a new corporate headquarters at MEPC Chineham Park.

Crouzet has moved into the Cedarwood area of the park, following a growth in business.

Valerie Noens, global sales support for the UK at Crouzet Ltd, said: “At Crouzet we were looking for the right place to locate to, it had to be somewhere that would facilitate the driving forward of our business and we found that at Chineham Park.

“Chineham Park is an excellent location for our UK head office, the road, rail and air links that we can benefit from on the park are essential to our business as is the professional service provided by MEPC along with the prestigious offices from which our team operates.”

Rupert Batho, managing director for MEPC Chineham Park, said: “Chineham Park is the leading destination for business in Basingstoke. To be able to welcome a company like Crouzet who has experienced growth and required new offices is good news for everybody.

“This globally recognised company is a leader in its field and demonstrates once again that Basingstoke in general and Chineham Park in particular is very successful at attracting top performing companies.”

Chineham Park hosts Be Inspired 09

The Chineham Park team were delighted to host the Be Inspired 09 event at its award winning Central 40.

Over 1,000 people came to the truly inspirational event for Business link – take a look at the video footage and images!

Be Inspired 09 Proves To Be A Huge Success

Special guests Richard Farleigh, Liz Jackson and Levi Roots provided three inspiring keynote speeches to over 1,000 delegates inside Chineham Park’s Central 40.

Local business leaders from across Hampshire networked, collaborated, enjoyed seminars and discussion forums and visited over 80 business stalls showcasing their expertise.

Business Link’s Deborah Wyatt said: “Our keynote speakers were so inspiring, Levi was very entertaining and wowed the audience with his charm and personality. Richard packed the event with his opening address and he provided fantastic encouragement for local entrepreneurs. Liz Jackson is a truly inspiring lady and it was an honour to meet her.

“We are also delighted to contribute a donation to Naomi House, as requested by Liz Jackson, who waived her normal fee for Be Inspired 09.”

Be Inspired 09 delivered its promise and was a new and innovative event designed to create a one stop shop for business advice and information for local business leaders.

Deborah Wyatt added: “The event was a huge success and I am so pleased from the feedback we have had from delegates, our partners and the exhibitors. There really was a buzz of excitement in the air and I am delighted that local entrepreneurs took the time out of their busy day to come along.”

Photographs, seminar presentations and a short film capturing the event is available now on the Be Inspired 09 website at www.beinspired09.co.uk

Ray Mears Invites You To New Event

Ray Mears, survival and bushcraft expert, is encouraging Chineham Park companies to sign up for a new corporate event, the Great Escape Challenge in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Care.

The challenge takes 60 corporate teams of four on a head-to-head, multi-sport adventure designed to test the mind, challenge the body and build team spirit. Taking place over the weekend of 21 May 2010 entrants will camp in the stunning backdrop of the Brecon Beacons, the perfect office getaway.

Featuring a series of unique group challenges in a fun and competitive environment, the winning team will depend not simply on fitness levels, but on making smart decisions, thinking laterally and communicating effectively.

The Great Escape Challenge brings a variety of benefits back to the workplace including delegation and team working skills. As an exclusively corporate event, it also presents some serious networking opportunities with companies from across the UK.

Ray Mears said: “I’m urging companies to sign up for Marie Curie Cancer Care’s Great Escape Challenge. It will test teams on a variety of skills and strengths as well as bringing them together. I believe the wilderness is also a great leveller, making this an ideal adventure for companies to go head-to-head on.

“Following the death of my wife to breast cancer, I have seen first hand the wonderful work that Marie Curie Nurses do and the money raised from the Great Escape Challenge will help them to provide free care to patients with terminal cancer and other illnesses in their own homes.”

Companies can enter the Great Escape Challenge in teams of four, with at least two people from the same company. Entry costs just £600 + VAT per team with a minimum fundraising amount of £2,000.

For more information about the Great Escape Challenge or to register your entry, please call 08450 504321 or visit: www.greatescapechallenge.com

Business Park Responds To Survey Results

We had nearly 400 responses to the occupier’s survey that was issued earlier this year and we would like to thank those of you who completed it. From this questionnaire a number of points were raised and we have responded to these by taking the following actions.

Overall, 73% of you thought Chineham Park was a good or great place to work and 82% of you believed the landscaping was good to excellent.

However, a few of you commented about the limited number of benches around the estate. Chineham Park is now intending to create a variety of “outdoor rooms” by the spring of next year so that the environment can be enjoyed more fully when the sun returns!

Several of you noted the approach to the park was only average. Chineham Park is now looking at ways to improve this and you will start to see the results before Christmas.

98% of you mentioned the courtesy coach service ran on time, but despite over 50% of you living within ten miles of the park, the number of you regularly using the courtesy coach has fallen. Therefore Chineham Park will now be upgrading the coaches in early 2010 to encourage more usage.

Those of you who walk to work expressed concern over safety, especially on the public footpath into the park from Hanmore Road via the railway underpass. Chineham Park has now raised this issue with the Chineham Village Security Forum and budgeted for enhanced lighting and a security camera to cover the footpath from the estates boundary.

Finally, 88% of you said the food selection at Dayer’s Fine Foods was good to excellent, but there was room for improvement with the speed of delivery. Chineham Park has been working closely with Dayer’s Fine Foods to undertake a range of measures to improve this and you may already be benefitting from some of the changes.

Congratulations to Jo Hartshorn from Gist who won the £150 gift voucher for Festival Place in the prize draw.

For more information, please email Wendy Fletcher at wfletcher@mepc.com

UKN Group Ltd Relocates to Chineham Park

UKN Group Ltd, a global IT services provider and experts in the innovative use of IT and service management, has relocated to MEPC Chineham Park.

UKN has acquired a lease on a building totaling over 4,000 sqft in the Lindenwood area of the park, following continued business growth and expansion.

Michael Eaton, chief executive officer for UKN Group Limited, said: “We were looking for prestigious accommodation in a business park with excellent transport links and amenities to enable us to grow our business.

“The relocation of our head office to Chineham Park has provided us with the positive business environment that will facilitate further success for our business and its people.”

Rupert Batho, managing director for MEPC Chineham Park, said: “It is a pleasure to welcome UKN Group Limited to Chineham Park, where we wish them every success.

“To date we have welcomed more new businesses to the park than we did in the whole of 2008 and we are on track to achieve more key lettings before the end of the year.”

Picture shows from left to right: Michael Eaton, chief executive officer for UKN Group Limited and Paul Foster, sales manager for UKN Group Limited.

Chineham Park Celebrates Summer Party Success

Chineham Park is celebrating the success of its Mexican themed summer party held on Friday 31 July 2009 between 12h00 and 14h00.

The annual fun day, in the Spindlewood area of the park, was free to attend for all those working on Chineham Park.

Jo Szegota, asset manager for MEPC Chineham Park, said: “Chineham Park is home to over 40 organisations and the summer party is a great opportunity for occupiers to interact with neighbouring businesses.

“It is our way of giving something back to these organisations to thank them for making Chineham Park such a great place to work.”

Party-goers tucked into Tex-Mex inspired cuisine including chilli, fajitas and burritos and took part in a competition to see who could stay on a bucking bronco the longest.

Here’s what a few of the guests said about this year’s event:
“The Tex-Mex lunch was lovely, I can only imagine the amount of organisation that goes into making such events happen.”
Julie Andrews, supply management administrator for Gist Ltd.

Sue Keen, head of corporate services for UKN Group Ltd, said: “On behalf of all our staff, I would like to thank the Chineham Park team for the Lunch and entertainment on Friday.

“It was very well received and there were lots of compliments on the organisation and the food.”

More photographs from the event are available on Parklife.