The Industry, Commerce and Environment Action Group.

Business Champion:
Martin Hardy. Commercial Manager of Cerestar a Cargill Company, Tilbury.

Key areas of interest:
manufacturing; the environment; best practice; procurement; links with schools.

Contacts:
Business Forum Secretariat: 01375 652227, economic.regeneration@thurrock.gov.uk
Business Champion: 01375 851122, martin_hardy@cargill.com

Under the leadership of Martin Hardy the ICE Group has developed into one of the most successful Action Groups of the Thurrock Business Forum with a committed membership and a track record of successful projects. The ICE Group is broadly composed of manufacturing firms, as well as Forum Members with an interest in environmental matters. Recent meeting have been held at Cargill, Procter & Gamble and Vopak amongst others.

The main aims of the ICE Group so far have centred upon identifying best practice and spreading awareness of this across the full Forum. In particular 2003 saw significant attention to the issue of truck top safety which enabled Members to discuss in detail various approaches and new trends becoming apparent. In addition the ICE Group have hosted seminars on staff retention/absenteeism and efficient use of resources (EnviroWise); ICE have also welcomed external speakers on subjects such as the Environmental Business Action programme and the purchasing of recycled materials (ReMaDe Essex). The ICE Group also coordinated a survey which demonstrated clear business desire for the retention of the Tilbury Ferry – at a time when the crossing was in serious danger of closure.

A major and ongoing ICE project aims to combine the spreading of best practice with a strategic goal of increasing the amount of business performed locally. This is being achieved through a programme of Supply Chain Integration <link to new ‘Supply Chain Project’ section> whereby all Business Forum Members identify key trusted local contractors and also gaps in their current procurement strategies which could potentially be filled by local firms. The most recommended firms are then identified and offered the chance to join the Programme subject to various quality control processes. The result in time will a comprehensive database of trusted and quality local firms all of which originated from a personal referral from a Business Forum Member and all of which can be authoritatively recommended to other Forum members and the wider business community. The Supply Chain Project is therefore a sizeable undertaking with the potential both to advantage Member firms and to benefit the Thurrock SME sector and the wider local economy.

The Supply Chain Project will continue to develop throughout 2004. The ICE Group have also identified building links with local schools and working to improve the general appearance of Thurrock (with particular attention to littering) as their priorities for the next twelve months.