Welcome To Furness Economic Development Forum (FEDF)

FEDF is a public – private sector partnership delivering its Delivery Plan 2018-23 vision and priorities for infrastructure improvements, education, employment and skills, business support and quality of life improvements throughout the Barrow and Furness Parliamentary Constituency Area. 

The vision seeks to capitalise on a period of prosperity, promote social inclusion enable all individuals to optimise their potential and benefit from the economic and sector business, landscape, heritage and other strengths of the area.

One of FEDF’s chief roles is to work closely with Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) to influence the emerging Cumbria Local industrial Strategy,policies and programmes of government , its agencies and extending the Furness area’s influence beyond its boundaries. All being designed to attract more resources, skills into the area, extend social inclusion and enable businesses and individuals to optimise their potential 

FEDF through its partner organisations is also integrally involved in realising major new investment in Furness. investment at Waterfront Business Park and Marina Village Barrow and GSK’s site in Ulverston,are three principal locations for new investment

The easiest way to contact FEDF is by calling 07836 254 721 and 01229 314 100. You can meet with its expertise at  its office, open 08.00 to 17.00 Monday to Friday, in Unit 4, Trinity Enterprise Centre, Furness Business Park, Barrow-in-Furness, LA14 2PN.

Direct telephone and email links are Stuart Klosinski, Tel: 07836 254 721, 01229 314 100, Email: stuart@fedf.co.uk or calling  Steve Solsby 01229876359, Email: ssolsby@barrowbc.gov.uk .there is also access by twitter  using   @fedfsupplychain.

FEDF’s Board meet 4 to 6 times a year. the chairman is Carl Bevan of Associated British Ports. The board comprises Associated British Ports,the MP for Barrow and Furness, GSK,BAE SYSTEMS,Furness College, Barrow Business Improvement District, FEDF, the 3 local authorities Barrow Borough, South Lakeland District and Cumbria County Council and Cumbria Chamber of Commerce.

FEDF offers you one of the best insights into and ways of finding and positioning to bid for new supply chain opportunities across SW Cumbria, its bespoke insights into the nature of investments taking place the local economy and its overview and coordination of economic growth initiatives mean it is an invaluable resource for existing and incoming companies.

Examples of how FEDF can help your business to expand its capacity and develop new markets include:

• facilitating introductions that enable your business to develop new supply chain relationships.
• evaluating options before selecting sites or premises;
• identifying skills;
• sourcing of funding and innovation support for your expansion;
• involve your business in making the case for better transport connections;
• accessing business support from other organisations;
• finding office and workshop space in the area’s managed business centres.

One of the main ways FEDF engages with businesses is by delivery of bespoke events via its Furness Energy Forum.This energises business networking,focuses on energy and wider opportunities. Events are open to all sizes of business and take advantage of excellent event spaces at places such as The FORUM in Duke Street, Furness College, Trinity Enterprise and Phoenix Business Centres in Barrow or Coronation Hall and Ford Park in Ulverston.

FEDF’s Accommodation Hub service helps companies find accommodation for incoming work-forces in apartments, flats, houses or other facilities locally.Its second role is to enable accommodation providers to be provided with market intelligence and forecasts through the Furness Accommodation Forum to anticipate and meet accommodation demands

FEDF also supports the work of Furness Education and Skills Partnership (FESP)  which inspires young people to optimise their potential through facilitating direct engagement between businesses, primary, secondary and further education in a joint initiative funded by Royal Academy of Engineering, FEDF, Coastal Communities Funds and the Orsted Community Fund.

FEDF also collaborates with British Business Bank in promoting Northern Powerhouse Funds, Department for International Trade to help companies export and to attract inward investment.

In association with industry and trade union partners It also promotes the strategically important roles Furness plays in delivering the “national endeavour” of the £44bn UK submarine programme and the global underwater engineering, electronics / electrical and energy sectors expertise that resides in the companies and skills base of the Furness area.

An Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District  in Furness is being championed, along with development of the Lancaster and South Cumbria Economic Region (LSCER) initiative due to be formally lunched on 14 June 2019.

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