Category: Global Business

The Made Smarter Adoption programme in the North West has worked with more than 1,200 businesses since 2019, supporting them to introduce digital tools and technologies to help boost productivity and growth, and navigate the impact of Covid-19.

Among these, 160 businesses have secured matched funding to develop projects using technologies which enable them to integrate systems, capture and analyse data, and even create simulations of their plants and processes. Others are using 3D-printing, automation, and robotics to solve business challenges and meet increased demand.

These manufacturers are upskilling 1,822 roles to meet the demands of these emerging technologies and ensure successful digital transformation.

But SME leaders are also navigating the cultural challenges of digitalisation: good digital leadership; bringing the team along on the journey; effective communication of the benefits of change; capturing the technical skills and know-how of older workers before they leave the industry; attracting new digital talent … Read the rest

Britain is to begin the process of joining a Pacific trading bloc in what would be a significant post-Brexit boost after trade with the European Union dropped.

The UK’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) would create a trading area almost the size of the EU, the Japanese economic minister said.

On Wednesday night the 11-member CPTPP agreed that Britain could begin formal talks with a view to joining the bloc, which removes tariffs on 95 per cent of goods. The union comprises Japan, this year’s chair, Canada, Australia, Mexico, Singapore, New Zealand, Malaysia, Chile, Vietnam, Peru and Brunei. These countries are home to about 500 million people and accounted for £110 billion worth of trade with the UK in 2019, according to a government estimate.

Liz Truss, the international trade secretary, said that membership of the CPTPP represented “a huge opportunity for Britain”. She … Read the rest

George Bramble, founder of pet food brand Beco, explains why sustainability and the environment is at the very heart of his business.

Tell us about your business and the inspiration behind it?

I grew up surrounded by dogs and spent most of my childhood holidays outdoors in the Outer Hebrides. It was here that I really fell in love with the natural world and fostered an interest in learning more about the environment. At University, I studied Geography and Environmental Sciences and learned about the environmental pressures we’re facing both in terms of climate change and biodiversity.  It became clear to me that I wanted to set up my own business, building a brand responsibly and doing business in a different way by ensuring looking after the environment was at the heart of everything we did.  It was clear that the pet product manufacturers weren’t then considering sustainable practices and … Read the rest

Online based casinos have taken over the world of gambling.

Many casino players around the world now prefer to play with their mobile phone as www.gameseek.co.uk mentions. This looks  like an ideal opportunity to earn money from the comfort of your own home. Actually  mobile games are still comparatively new but because competition amont online casinos is getting bigger and bigger  –  in order to attract new players there is a great choice of games and many lucrative bonuses offered by the online casinos if you play on their mobile apps.

Huge jackpot options

You can win BIG, as well as play your favorite slots online directly on your mobile device. In addition to the multiple slot games, you can play all of your favorite online casino games like blackjack, roulette, baccarat, bingo and scratch cards on your mobile device using various online mobile gambling apps.

It doesn’t matter … Read the rest

“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need” according to the philospher Marcus Cicero. However, to ensure that you enjoy the beauty of your garden to its complete potential then you need to have high-quality and appealing outdoor furniture.

A garden furniture webshop is an excellent source of going through the list and selecting something for your garden. In the modern times, we often tend to spend all our time working either in office or sitting infront of the television. While it is the preferred lifestyle choice of numerous people, having an outdoor activity can be really refreshing, giving you a much-needed break from the hectic routine.

There are numerous reasons why you should invest in outdoor furniture. It includes: –

A comforting break

One of the main reasons why you should spend some time outdoors is because of the fresh air. It provides a … Read the rest

In 2021, cyber security is never far away from the headlines. In the last month alone, the Irish health service was hit by a significant ransomware attack, leading to a total shutdown of its computer systems and widespread disruption to services.

On the other side of the Atlantic, the owners of a gas pipeline which delivers 45% of the fuel supplies to the populous east coast region of the US were hit by a similar attack. The pipeline was temporarily shut down amid safety and security fears and only reopened after a ransom, reported to have been over £3 million, was paid. These attacks on critical national infrastructure show just how sophisticated and dangerous ransomware attacks can be.

A ransomware attack involves criminals unlawfully accessing computer systems and then encrypting (and sometimes stealing) data. Victims are left a message saying that they can only recover their data by paying a … Read the rest

More than £700,000 is lost to bank transfer scams every day, which works out at £491 a minute, according to research by the consumer body Which?

It claimed the banking industry’s approach to reimbursing victims of this type of fraud was “unfair and inconsistent,” with less than half of losses being returned to those affected.

Fraud in the UK payments industry has soared in recent years, with a sharp rise in authorised push payment (APP) scams. These typically involve email accounts being hacked in order to trick individuals and businesses into sending money to bank accounts operated by criminals posing as genuine customers.

Some people have had tens of thousands of pounds stolen.

Figures from the banking body UK Finance show that a total of £412m has been lost across 189,000 cases of bank transfer fraud between the introduction of a voluntary industry code on reimbursement in May 2019 and … Read the rest