Chemicals Northwest Awards 2023

Otto Simon • March 31, 2023

Otto Simon was once again proud to sponsor the 'Supplier to the Chemical Industry Award' at the 2023 Chemicals Northwest Awards.

Chemicals Northwest is an industry-led support cluster focussed on supporting and promoting the North West chemical sector and its extended supply chain. The annual Chemicals Northwest Awards honour excellence across a wide spectrum of business activity; from innovation to young talent and from manufacturing to sustainability.

The awards ceremony was held on 23rd March at the Hilton Manchester Deansgate Hotel and saw more than 300 engineers and executives from across the North West come together to celebrate success in the chemicals industry.

Twelve awards were presented during the evening, and Otto Simon was delighted to award Dr Knoell Consult Ltd with the 'Supplier to the Chemical Industry Award' for their work to help chemical companies understand and trade under the new UK REACH regulations. Unfortunately, the representatives from Dr Knoell Consult Ltd were unable to accept their award in person, but we’ll make sure the award gets to them!

Steve Elliott, CEO of the Chemical Industries Association welcomed guests on behalf of Chemicals Northwest wishing everyone success in the year ahead. The evening was hosted by Sam McAlister, and was rounded off with some excellent music from local band, Fleur and the Flamingos.

It was a fantastic night, honouring the vibrant chemical industry in the north west of England, and it was great to be able to celebrate in person with our clients and partners from across the sector.

Find out more about the award winners in the different categories on the Chemicals Northwest website: www.cia.org.uk/chemicalsnorthwest/awards_2023

Slide title

Write your caption here

Button
Slide title

Write your caption here

Button
Slide title

Write your caption here

Button
Slide title

Write your caption here

Button
Slide title

Write your caption here

Button

< Older Post Newer Post >

Back to Blog

Recent Blog Posts

North West Chemicals – Why Us?

By Clees • February 17, 2025

Otto Simon has a unique selling point in comparison with the multitude of engineering contractors plying their trade to the chemical manufacturers in the North West of England. The North West chemical industry is of great importance to Otto Simon and we are dedicated in the provision of service and support to our chemical clients. Our USP? Otto Simon’s engineers have extensive experience of working on site and being in the ‘thick of it’. We know what the issues are, we understand the challenges, whether these arise from getting products to market on time, increasing manufacturing capacity or improving energy efficiency and being compliant with safety and emissions legislation. We can help. The North West is strong in chemical manufacture and accounts for 25.3% of the UK Chemical Sector GVA employing some 27,325 people, exports amount to £7.9bn and the data available from the CIA goes into greater depth to underline how our region is a significant strategic UK asset.

Foresight Hydrogen Live 2025

By Clees • February 14, 2025

Otto Simon attended the two-day H2 Conference in Liverpool on the 5th and 6th of February at the Titanic Hotel. There was cautious optimism on the part of the attendees in respect of the UK H2 developments as the economy currently has sluggish growth forecasts and the HAR 1 Contracts between the H2 producers and the Government are slowly reaching conclusion. HyNet is moving forward but at a pedestrian pace. Interest in hydrogen is high and there are more potential off-takers of H2 than there is projected supply over the next five years, but this imbalance is being addressed. Questions were raised about the current funding model, which if maintained, could add up to £200- £300 per year to the average domestic consumer’s household bill. It was suggested that just burning H2 as a natural gas replacement was a futile exercise, whereas using it to create energy from powering turbines and developing H2 storage would be a more economically effective use of H2. Apparently, Air Products is the world’s biggest global H2 producer with some 9,000 tonnes per day and they intend to grow this business. The EU has a plan to produce 1,000 tonnes per day and is on track to achieve this. The UK has some catching up to do. There were altruistic comments calling for greater collaboration in the sharing of innovative ideas and how to tackle emergent issues together which have arisen from the numerous H2 projects involving the H2 community. However, whilst this notion was tepidly received, the companies concerned, often in competition with each other to get awarded H2 projects, will remain naturally protective of their technologies, their IP and their commercial aspirations therefore co-operation will be somewhat limited and transactional. Cadent and others highlighted the planning issues associated with developing the intended H2 cross- county pipelines and urged the local authorities to work together. Modular Nuclear Generation was discussed. At the present there are only five sites in the UK where these can be legally located. The manufacturers stressed the safety case for considering locating reactors in areas where there are greater densities of population to supply energy closer to intended H2 facilities. A promising idea in principle?

Otto Simon Achieves Cyber Essentials Certification

By Clees • February 12, 2025

We're thrilled to announce that Otto Simon has achieved Cyber Essentials certification! This significant milestone demonstrates our unwavering commitment to protecting all that we have been entrusted with in today's increasingly complex digital landscape. Cyber Essentials is a UK government-backed scheme designed to help organisations of all sizes protect themselves against common cyber threats. It provides a clear set of security controls that, when implemented correctly, significantly reduce the risk of cyber-attacks. Achieving this certification validates our dedication to maintaining the highest standards of cybersecurity and ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information. What does this mean? In a world where cyber threats are constantly evolving, knowing that your partners prioritise security is paramount. Our Cyber Essentials certification provides the assurance that: We take data security seriously: We've implemented robust security measures to protect against common cyber threats, including malware, phishing, and hacking. Your data is in safe hands: We adhere to best practices for data handling and storage, minimizing the risk of data breaches. We're committed to continuous improvement: Achieving Cyber Essentials is not a one-time event. We will regularly review and update our security controls to stay ahead of emerging threats. We're a trusted partner: Our certification demonstrates our commitment to meeting industry-recognized security standards. What is Cyber Essentials? The Cyber Essentials scheme focuses on five key controls: Boundary Firewalls: Protecting our network from unauthorized access. Secure Configuration: Ensuring our systems are configured securely to minimize vulnerabilities. User Access Control: Restricting access to sensitive data based on roles and responsibilities. Malware Protection: Protecting our systems from malicious software. Patch Management: Keeping our software up to date to address known vulnerabilities. Our Ongoing Commitment Achieving Cyber Essentials certification is a significant step, but it's just one part of our ongoing commitment to cybersecurity. We will continue to invest in security measures, train our staff on best practices, and stay informed about the latest threats to ensure we maintain the highest level of protection. We believe that security is a shared responsibility, and we encourage everyone to be vigilant online. By working together, we can create a safer digital environment for everyone.