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Merry Christmas!
Otto Simon • December 21, 2021
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from everyone at Otto Simon. Here’s to better things in 2022!
Once again, Otto Simon is raising money in aid of Cancer Research UK with our Christmas cards. Every e-card we sent out to our clients and partners this year represented a £1 donation made in support of vital research into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the disease. For more information, or to make your own donation, please visit: www.cancerresearchuk.org.
We also joined in with Christmas Jumper Day on Friday 10th December to raise money to Save the Children. Even though a lot of us are still working from home, we all donned our best festive knitwear and got together on zoom to help transform the future for children. Every pound we raised will give children in the UK and around the world the chance to grow up healthy and happy, and change the future for good. Visit Save the Children’s website for more information: www.savethechildren.org.uk/christmas-jumper-day
2021 has been another strange year for everyone, but we’re incredibly proud of how our team has adapted to working through the pandemic and has continued to deliver top quality projects for our clients. We’re hopeful that things might be able to return to ‘normal’ in 2022, but know we’ll be able to continue working hard to support our clients no matter what happens.
Wishing you and your families a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from everyone at Otto Simon!
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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.
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?
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.