In this issue
Policy
Tax returns for 2015 €3.3 bn ahead of expectations
Number of new start-ups at highest level since 2000
Small Businesses Flooding Support
SMILE Resource Exchange
Subsidised Training
Time to get Lean!
Events
Empowering your Digital Future
International
Expand Your International Opportunities
Member Updates
Forward to a colleague
Visit our website
Newsletter archive

twitter    linkedin  youtube
Printer Friendly Page
Policy
Tax returns for 2015 €3.3 bn ahead of expectations

New figures from the Department of Finance confirm that Exchequer returns in 2015 amounted to €45.6 billion, which is €3.3 billion more than forecasted at the start of the year. As evident from the figures, this improvement in state finances stems from both increases in employment, higher corporation tax returns, as well as more VAT due to higher consumer spending. Compared to 2014, the underlying Exchequer deficit has improved by approximately €5.2 billion which brings the expected end 2015 deficit to around 1.5% of GDP.

 

Further information can be found here.   



Number of new start-ups at highest level since 2000

The number of new start-ups established in 2015 totalled 19,472 which amounts to the highest figure since 2000.

Cork, Dublin and Galway led entrepreneurial activity with professional services, wholesale and retail, and social and personal services sectors seeing the biggest increase in new businesses set-up. Further information available here.   



Small Businesses Flooding Support

The date for applications for funding for small businesses affected by flooding has been extended. Forms and eligibility criteria is available on the Irish Red Cross Website. Click here to view all the required information.



SMILE Resource Exchange

SMILE Resource Exchange is Irelands Industrial Symbiosis programme that provides a FREE platform for businesses to connect and identify synergies where a waste in one business can be a resource in another.  Potential synergies are identified through an online platform  where businesses can request or offer reusable materials, by-products, surplus stock that could potentially be a raw material in another business.



The goals of the programme are both economic and environmental supporting business to reduce their waste costs, reduce their purchasing costs through accessing cheaper reusable materials and through identification of new business opportunities from turning a waste into a resource. All this equates to less waste going to landfill, an increase in the levels of recycling and reuse of materials and the associated environmental benefits with these measures.


Technical Assistance:

SMILE have recently added a new dimension to the programme and are now offering technical assistance to companies nationwide.  There is a technical consultant located in each of the three waste management regions who are assisting businesses in identifying reuse outlets for their waste or indeed identifying resources which they can reuse in their processes. The technical consultant in the Southern region is Mark McConnell from ECOS Environmental, Shane Mooney from SPeco Services in the Connacht Ulster region and Kara Flannery & Elisabeth Nagel from Flannery & Nagel Environmental in the Eastern Midlands Region.  They would be more than delighted to engage with businesses in your region.  

 

Businesses that could benefit:

SMILE are looking to engage with businesses from across the sectors and in particular the SME sphere where often the technical knowledge to identify such economically beneficial synergies are usually not in-house.   To get an idea of the type of businesses SMILE work with and the resources that have been exchanged please visit here.For example there is a company in Dublin, Rebox Recycling who, following a synergy with Xerox identified by SMILE, received 87 tonnes of cardboard boxes which they remade into new boxes generating revenue and creating 1 job. Xerox previously would have sent the resource to recycling and ultimately this would have been exported, along with the economic value. This ongoing synergy and other synergies identified through SMILE has helped Rebox sustain over 6 jobs they claim. A company in Cork called Mamukko, who design high end quality bags from reusable materials, have through SMILE been connected with over 10 companies to help them access different reusable materials.  

 

Contact:

The Project coordinator Katherine Corkery can be contacted for further information by email here or 026 20520 if anyone has any questions. SMILE Resource Exchange are based in Macroom E Enterprise Centre, Macroom Environmental Industrial Park Ltd, see here for more information.

 

 


Subsidised Training
Time to get Lean!
 

It’s January, the beginning of 2016 and the month for new years’ resolutions and promises. Why not take this opportunity to invest in yourself and in your business with our accredited Lean Six Sigma Programme.


Lean Six Sigma (Green Belt)

Dates: 22nd & 23rd February, 3rd & 4th March, 14th & 15th March, 25th March & 8th April


Member Rate:
€980


  • Lean Six Sigma is about Continuous Improvement and implementing changes for the better.
  •  Lean Six Sigma Green Belts are vital assets to any business
  • A Flexible weapon in reducing costs
  •  Green Belts help a business become better & faster
  • Green Belts impact the BOTTOM LINE!

Starting on the 22nd February next, this is a great opportunity to improve your business in 2016! BOOK NOW!

 

Why train with us? We have small class sizes of an average of 10 persons per class (individual attention guaranteed) Top Trainers (all are leaders within their respective fields), locally delivered and exceptionally good value for money.

 


Events
Empowering your Digital Future
 

Date: Thursday 21st January
Time: 6pm – 8pm
Venue: Clarion Hotel
Cost: €15 members / €25 non members
To book: online


Cork Chamber and the Marketing Institute in Cork are proud to bring you the “Empowering your Digital Future” event on Thursday 21st January.


This event will look at the Digital Landscape and what is emerging in terms of marketing, advertising and sales with particular emphasis on the challenges and opportunities for SME businesses. We will hear from Marie Davis, Head of SME Sales for Google Ireland on the issues that businesses need to think of now in order to be ready for the future.

 

MORE HERE…

 



Promotion
Explore Your Chamber Membership
 

This Friday 8th January from 9.30am to 12.30pm you are invited to the Cork Chamber Offices on Summerhill North. You will get the opportunity to have a one to one meeting with a member of the team and to learn specific ways in which Cork Chamber can help your business.This is open to both members and non-members. 


Please forward this information to anyone who may be interested in learning more about Cork Chamber or please feel free to pop in for a cup of coffee and a chat about maximising your membership. Contact Danielle on 021-4530136 or 086 0770432 to book in advance.



Faces of Cork Business
 

Cork Chamber are running a Social Media campaign focusing on the what makes Cork a great place to do business. The campaign will use short video and photographs of business people throughout the city and county to capture their personal experiences which will be pushed out on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To get involved please contact Deborah on 021 4530149.



International
Expand Your International Opportunities
 

Kick-start your 2016 with some healthy networking at the Enterprise Europe Network’s events! Participate in free webinars or attend some of EEN's cross-border business networking events.

See ‘read more’ for full information or contact Eimear.


Kick-start your 2016 with EEN's webinars and brokerage events

The Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) has over 600 branches across the EU and beyond. All EEN branches organise a variety of events, many of which are free, where you can meet potential business partners and learn about expanding your business overseas. In the past three years alone, the Network has held more than 19,000 local events for small businesses, with more than 742,000 participants. View the calendar here for a list of all upcoming EEN events.

Participate in free webinars from the comfort of your own desk!

Webinar: About Japan Tax and Public Procurement Helpdesk

Date: 19 January 2016
Time: 9.30 am to 10.30 am GMT
Registration Deadline: 18 January 2016
Host: EU Japan Centre
To Book: Click here

Description:

The Japan Tax and Public Procurement Helpdesk will hold a FREE webinar that is targeted at EU companies seeking to provide products and services to Japanese governmental organisations and who wish to participate in tender procedures. The webinar will take place on 19 January 2016 from 09.30 am to 10.30 am GMT.

Why participate?
Japanese governmental organisations require their suppliers to qualify before participating in public procurement tender procedures. The government uses the qualification system to assess their prospective suppliers’ financial strength and delivery capabilities. With the qualification system, companies are classified according to size and capabilities. This classification system is used to reserve specific tenders for suppliers. The seminar will provide a further insight into the procedures that currently exist in Japan and what kind of documents are necessary to obtain a qualification as a government supplier.

Learning outcomes:

Participants can discover how to:

  • Understand the Unified Supplier Qualification (USQ) system operated by Japan’s national government
  • Obtain the qualification from a practical viewpoint
  • Understand the Supplier Qualification System (SQS) for public works construction and design
  • Obtain the qualification for public works construction and design from a practical viewpoint
  • Grasp how the supplier qualification system works at a local level

Programme:

  • Introduction
  • Presentation by Lyckle Griek, project manager at the Japan Tax and Public Procurement Helpdesk 
  • Q&A session
  • Conclusion

To register your place on this webinar or for further information, click here.

 

Webinar: Presentation of the Services of the European Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Helpdesk

Date: 20 January 2016
Time: 9.30 am to 10.15 am GMT
Host: European IPR Helpdesk
To book: Click here


This free webinar aims to present the European IPR Helpdesk’s services, with a particular focus on the services available to assist participants in Horizon 2020. The webinar will comprise of a 30 minute presentation and of a 15 minute Q&A session. The European IPR Helpdesk offers free-of-charge, first-line support on IP and IPR matters to beneficiaries of EU-funded research projects and EU SMEs involved in transnational partnership agreements, especially within the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN). To register your free place on this webinar, please click here.

Webinar Guide: For further information on how to join the IPR Helpdesk’s webinar sessions, please have a look at our quick guide available for download here. For our web-based training sessions we use WebEX Conferencing Technology. Please note that you will be asked by WebEx to install a browser application (i.e. the WebEx event centre) on your computer when you use WebEx for the first time. This will only take a few minutes, but you should take this step into account when joining the session, and possibly inform your system administrator.

Assistance: For any technical issues or questions, please contact the training team at here

 

Kick-start your 2016 with some healthy networking at the Enterprise Europe Network’s events!

International Conference on Ocean Energy  

Date: 23-25 February 2016

Where: Edinburgh

A brokerage event will take place at the International Conference on Ocean Energy (ICOE), a global marine energy event focused on the industrial development of the sector. Collaboration across the entire supply chain is critical to commercial success, so Renewable UK and the Enterprise Europe Network have teamed up to offer business partnering to all Edinburgh 2016 delegates, enabling you to meet specific business contacts during the event. This is an ideal opportunity to target marine energy research, development, testing, device developers, investment and commercialisation partners for short one-to-one meetings to explore business development and collaboration options.

Once registered, participants can browse the online catalogue and request meetings, receive a personal meeting schedule, and have short 20-minute pre-scheduled meetings at the event. To register your interest in this event contact Eimear.

 

Low Carbon Heat & Water International Showcase & Conference 2016

Date: 23 February 2016
Where: Glasgow
To book: Click here
Registration deadline: 19 February

The International 2016 Low Carbon Heat and Water Conference and Showcase is an opportunity for customers to see and hear from companies with the latest solutions for low carbon heating and cooling and water and wastewater. Representatives will be there from the UK, Europe and further afield to make new connections in low carbon heat and water.

This free one-day event will enable more than 500 delegates to connect and explore opportunities, discuss challenges and learn about innovative solutions, all within an international context.

The event will cover:

  • Inspirational headlining speakers
  • Breakout sessions on:
    • World leading innovations in water & low-carbon heat
    • Saving money through low-carbon solutions and emerging opportunities
    • Efficient use of water and heat
    • Support available to companies to innovate and grow
    • Developing financing and delivering projects
    • Working with water utilities in the UK
    • Doing business internationally
    • EEN B2B matchmaking
    • Exhibition of Scottish-based solutions providers
    • Company presentations
    • Drinks reception

Who should attend?

  • Water and energy utility companies
  • Companies supplying into the water and/or heat sectors
  • Companies with solutions in the generation, distribution and monitoring of heat and water
  • Large industrial water users and heat generators
  • Facilities managers in local authorities, housing associations, universities, NHS and other large public or private estates
  • Project developers, investors, planners, consultants, government agency enablers, researchers

 

Ecobuild and Resource matching 2016

Date: 9 March 2016
Where: London
To book: click here

Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) is organising a B2B matchmaking event during Ecobuild, one of the biggest events in the world for sustainable construction and resources and a major event for the circular economy.

The free matchmaking event will afford attendees the opportunity to meet potential business and technology partners during pre-arranged 30 minute meetings and create real opportunities between companies, active in the construction sector and energy efficiency.

  • Focus of the matchmaking event:
  • Sustainable design
  • Innovative and efficient eco-technologies
  • New building materials and technologies
  • Systems and equipment using energy from alternative sources
  • Waste management
  • Renewable energy
  • Bioenergy
  • Recycling

For further information about EEN’s B2B event at Ecobuild 2016, click here


Member News
Latest News
 
  • The Outlook for SMEs in Cork in 2016 - read more
  • Musgrave Marketplace January Sale offers - read more
  • An Evening with Cara at the Everyman Theatre, Cork - read more
  • Musgrave Group plant 900 trees at the Cork Association for Autism - read more
  • New Appointment to Board of Henry Ford & Son Ltd - read more


Members Offers
Free Human Resources Consultation
 
Period of the offer available: January 2016

Cork Chamber members can avail of a free one hours’ consultation. Moloney HRM offers outsourced Human Resources for SMEs. Does your business have Contracts in place for employees? If so are they up to date and do they give you proper protection from employee claims? Is your business NERA compliant? 


To book, please email Michelle or call (087) 2022810


Period of the offer available: January 2016

Cork Chamber members can avail of a free one hours’ consultation. Moloney HRM offers outsourced Human Resources for SMEs. Does your business have Contracts in place for employees? If so are they up to date and do they give you proper protection from employee claims? Is your business NERA compliant?  


What you can expect: 
  • One hours’ consultation to review any existing HR documentation that you may have in place
  • Advice regarding accuracy of same
  • Times arranged to suit your schedule

To book, please email Michelle or call (087) 2022810


Member Events
The Official Launch of Fortuity
 
Date:  25th January 2016
Time: 7.30 – 9.30am
Venue: The Clarion Hotel
Cost: FREE
To book: here 

Avalon is now Fortuity. Minister Dara Murphy TD will officially launch the new Fortuity brand at a breakfast briefing in the Clarion Hotel, Cork on Monday 25th January 2016. The briefing will cover Cyber & Data Security issues pertaining to the SME sector and is free to attend. Tea/coffee and light refreshments will be served, registration is essential here.     


Network Cork January 2016 event
 
Date: Wednesday 13th January 2016
Time: 6pm – 8pm
Venue: The Clarion Hotel, Lapps Quay
Cost:  Free to members / €25 for non- members
To book: online 

Network Cork kicks off this year with an event which features one of the heaviest hitters in media and communications in Ireland – broadcaster, columnist and communications expert Terry Prone.

Network Cork is really packing a punch with the first of this year’s events which takes place in the Clarion Hotel on 13th of January with successful business woman, renowned communications specialist Terry Prone as its first special guest speaker.