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Partnership to bring world-class opportunities to Tees Valley

º£½ÇÖ±²¥ has joined forces with one of the North-East’s leading manufacturers to create world-class opportunities in the Tees Valley.

The University has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Nifco UK which will see the two organisations work closely on skills, innovation and research and development. Nifco UK, which is a wholly owned company of Nifco Group of Japan, manufactures a range of injection-moulded plastic products and has several factories across the world, including one at Stockton-on-Tees, with a second facility – which will be used for manufacturing and research and development - set to open in April.

Nifco already enjoys a close relationship with º£½ÇÖ±²¥ and the Memorandum of Understanding will see the partnership extended even further.

Nifco UK’s Managing Director and European Operations Officer Mike Matthews visited º£½ÇÖ±²¥ to sign the document with Vice-Chancellor Professor Graham Henderson CBE DL.

Mike said: 'Our ambition as a company is quite simple – to be world-class at everything we do.

'Very often, the thing that bridges the gap between where we are now and where we want to be, is education.

'Working with º£½ÇÖ±²¥ will strengthen the depth of education and innovation in our business and we will be able to use that relationship to attract world-class talent and, more importantly, develop world-class talent and bring world-class business to º£½ÇÖ±²¥.'

He added: 'It is important to us that we find as many solutions as possible to build the most highly-skilled, capable team we possibly can.

'Through a combination of the Memorandum of Understanding with our local University, strong partnerships with training providers who support us with apprenticeships and by up-skilling our people by investing in training, we are ensuring that we have the skills base to continue to grow Nifco, year by year.

'Talented, committed people are what power this company, and we believe that helping them grow is the key to unlocking the potential in Nifco UK.'

Professor Henderson contributed to the recently-published Witty Review, a government commissioned report which called for universities to be drivers of economic growth.

Professor Henderson said the partnership with Nifco was a perfect example of a university working with business to stimulate the local economy.

He said: 'Nifco is a great asset to the Tees Valley and the North East and we’re delighted to be working with the company.

'The way in which Nifco has invested in skills and innovation and research and development is to be admired and if we can help with that, that’s fantastic.

'Signing this Memorandum of Agreement is a landmark event and it’s saying that we want to be a part of the economic development of the Tees Valley and want to work with companies like Nifco.'

Professor Cliff Hardcastle, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Business Engagement) added: 'This is the culmination of years of working together and the beginning of a much closer relationship in the future.

'I am confident that this partnership will help Nifco succeed in its aims and we will benefit from its sector expertise and discipline and its reach across the world.'

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