Case Study: The REACH Centre Ltd
Lancaster University offers a wide range of support for businesses and aims to develop long term relationship wherever possible. Experienced enterprise and partnerships teams across campus collaborate together to make sure each company taps into the support they need. One example of this is The Reach Centre Ltd, which benefited from support from 3 University Centres, as well as support from Lancaster City Council and the North West Regional Development Agency.
About The REACH Centre Ltd
The REACH Centre is a private limited company set up specifically to support registrants in meeting their duties under REACH and to effectively manage and comply with current and future chemical legislation. The company is based at Lancaster University in Lancaster Environment Centre (LEC). The REACH Centre is active in various market sectors and one of the leading global providers of REACH services to industry, with offices in the UK (Lancaster) and Italy (Venice) and in Japan (Tokyo) through an affiliate organization, JEMAI. Clients include chemical manufacturers, formulators, importers, distributors, and retailers. Their consultants are among Europe’s most renowned REACH experts and their in-depth regulatory knowledge is reinforced by excellent technical and legal expertise.
Company Formation and Co-Location at LEC
“The REACH Centre would not have been formed without the strategic support provided by LEC and would not be sustainable without the resources made available through locating here. There are tremendous benefits from locating in LEC over other business parks both in terms of the quality of resources the building has to offer but more importantly, in terms of the quality of people which we are able to work with, enabling us to utilise the specialist knowledge that the university can provide.”
Jonathan Lutwyche, CEO of The REACH Centre Ltd.
Adam Rowntree
Graduate Recruitment and ICT Support from InfoLab21
The REACH Centre has expanded, both in terms of personnel and the business itself, with help from Graduate Recruitment and ICT Support in 2007 and from InfoLab21.
Adam Rowntree, Systems Co-ordinator and Lancaster University Computing Graduate:
“At the start of 2007, I took a job working as a consultant in the InfoLab21 Graduate Academy supporting companies here in the North West. The IT support we provided ranged from creating new websites to the complete analysis of business systems. One of the companies we provided support to was The REACH Centre, where I first met Jonathan. I moved from InfoLab21 to the REACH Centre in June 2008.”
The REACH Centre continues its relationship with InfoLab21 also benefited from further web development work from InfoLab21.
MBA support and Management Development from IEED
The Institute for Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development (IEED) assisted The REACH Centre through two MBA New venture Challenge projects, where small companies team up with a group of experienced Lancaster MBA students in helping to drive forward new ventures. Jonathan is also currently on the LEAD programme, which has been specifically designed by LUMS for SME owner managers. The programme concentrates on both the business itself and the personal development of the owner-manager, providing a framework to increase profitability, diversify and grow the business.
“The LEAD programme has been the catalyst for us to re-defi ne the way we operate as a business. I have learnt a great deal from other members of the cohort and as a result The REACH Centre has re-structured its operations to allow for further expansion at LEC. The coaching and action-leaning sessions have been thoroughly rewarding and enabled me to reflect upon some key challenges within our business.” Jonathan Lutwyche.
The Reach Centre has also benefited from a Rent Grant from Lancaster City Council and intensive coaching from the High Growth Programme.
