Project North East

Driving change with new technology

With heavy industry facing a serious decline, 20 years ago workers in the North East began the challenge of making alternative livings. Project North East (PNE) was set up to create new jobs and businesses in the region. Now, the company is one of the largest enterprise and economic agencies in the UK, creating Newcastle’s very own ‘Silicon Alley’.

PNE’s mission was to help make a once thriving area successful again. The organisation needed to attract top entrepreneurs who would run and grow their businesses in the region. And to attract them, PNE needed to offer the very best premises and facilities.

A sophisticated internet solution from ntl:Telewest Business helped to achieve this. We worked closely with the organisation to introduce high-speed broadband access for every tenant – enabling each company to trade online, and communicate quickly and easily with its market.

Sophisticated communications for successful businesses

From small beginnings, PNE has so far helped 2,000 people to start their own businesses. It has invested over £4m in new enterprises, and converted over 140,000 square feet of redundant buildings into workspaces, exhibition and conference facilities. We’ve developed a flexible and hardworking internet solution hand-in-hand with PNE, providing a formula that’s hard to beat.

Harnessing the power of the internet

PNE needed to attract entrepreneurs and businesses to run-down parts of Newcastle to achieve the regeneration of the area. To help attract these companies, the organisation offered DTI sponsored multi-media opportunities, and our engineers installed a 64Kb leased line to help demonstrate the possibilities.

As more companies were attracted to the area, and the business community blossomed, we developed the Leased Lines to provide each tenant with broadband internet access and email. Richard Clark, Director of North East Workspace, PNE, remembers, "We soon had six miles of 2Mb Leased Lines, some local fibre and copper and a router system. ‘Big Netty’ was born."

Making connections, doing business

Now a crucial sales tool for PNE’s tenants, the ntl:Telewest Business solution has grown bigger and more robust. 100Mb Leased Lines deliver a state-of-the-art internet service to match the contemporary workspace.

Design Works, Hawthorn House and Pink Lane are just some of the sites where growing businesses find fast internet connectivity a big help. PCs can be connected to the high-speed network in minutes, so staff can work more quickly and effectively. "PNE’s internet facilities are integral to the way we run our business," explains Ajay Sood, Managing Director of tenant company Orchid Software.

Business success in ‘Silicon Alley’

The resilience of our service is one of the many attractive features of PNE’s internet solution. It is also possible for valuable ‘bolt-on’ facilities to be added to allow tenant businesses to tailor the service to suit them. So far, these include a co-location centre, public access terminals and a whole host of websites.

Richard is delighted with the way that our consultants have helped to make PNE such a success: "The service provided by ntl:Telewest Business has been crucial. We now have 120 tenant businesses – all of which rely heavily on the internet."

What it has made possible

Ajay has seen business go from strength to strength: "Orchid Software moved into PNE premises at the turn of the millennium. As an intranet / extranet software developer at the forefront of our specialist field, the internet is an indispensable part of what we do." Ajay continues, "We work with a global client base ranging from SME start-ups to FTSE 250 companies, supplying innovative intranet services and round-the-clock support. PNE’s connectivity helps us to provide our clients with the reliable, responsive service they deserve."

PNE is thrilled with the number of businesses that have been attracted to the once-dilapidated buildings. Many of these tenant companies rely on the internet to compete and trade internationally. Our engineers are now ready to link a further 35,000 square feet of new space with 100Mb connections, helping PNE to grow this thriving, young business community even further.