MORE than 800 jobs have been created or safeguarded in Stoke-on-Trent over the last nine months thanks to an inward investment service.
Make It Stoke-on-Trent was set up last August with the aim of attracting firms to relocate to the city, by raising its profile as a good place to do business.
So far 290 jobs have been created by companies moving to Stoke-on-Trent, while a further 590 have been saved due to expanding businesses being persuaded to stay in the area.
The �800,000 scheme, which is set to run until 2015, has been funded through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Stoke-on-Trent City Council.
Councillors and business leaders today hailed Make It Stoke-on-Trent a success.
Bryan Carnes, chief executive of North Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce, said the scheme was playing a vital role in regenerating the city.
He said: "The number of new jobs we need to balance the North Staffordshire economy far outweighs anything we can generate internally, which is why we need inward investment.
"But we are competing with other parts of the country, and other parts of the world.
"North Staffordshire is an attractive place for people to invest as it has good transport links, expansive land available and a very willing workforce. However, there are lots of other places that have those same things.
"Therefore we have to get on people's radar. Things like the Enterprise Zone and Stoke City doing well in the Premiership help raise the profile of the city, but we also need the Make It Stoke-on-Trent team so we can capitalise on those opportunities."
Mr Carnes said the chamber of commerce was looking to work more closely with Make It Stoke-on-Trent in the future.
Councillor Mark Meredith, cabinet member for economic development at the city council, pictured, said: "The Make It Stoke-on-Trent investment development team is providing a red carpet service for potential investors to the area.
"North Staffordshire has a lot to offer and with the current regeneration such as the city's new bus station, the redevelopment of a �350 million regional shopping centre and the first phases of an extensive business district, it is important that we are able to attract and support investment.
"The ERDF funds will provide an added resource to promote the area on a wider scale helping to reach international audiences."
The scheme has received �415,000 in funding from the ERDF, administered through Advantage West Midlands, with a similar amount being provided by Stoke-on-Trent City Council.
This money will pay for staff costs, marketing and a website, and will allow the service to target businesses and raise awareness of the city nationally and internationally.
Make It Stoke-on-Trent helped industrial engineering group Aerotherm and its 50 employees relocate from Longton to Tunstall in March.
The move helped the company both expand and diversify into three divisions.
Chris Bramhall, group marketing manager at Aerotherm, said: "In Longton we had reached the absolute limit in terms of storage space. But we still wanted to stay in North Staffordshire, as it is such a good location.
"Since moving to Scotia Road we have taken on five new employees and we will be looking to hire a further five."
To find out more about the inward investment service, contact Make It Stoke-on-Trent on 01782 234747.
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