North East BIC becomes ict active Leading Edge

First property in the region undergoes ict active assessment.

A Sunderland business centre has become the first in the region to successfully pass the ict active accreditation.

The North East Business and Innovation Centre (BIC) has undertaken the ict active assessment and has achieved the highest rating possible – Leading Edge.

The BIC is a 14-acre site which can accommodate over 160 companies in purpose-built offices and work spaces. The site was a former shipyard before it was converted into a business centre in 1994.

Since then the site has been constantly developed and expanded and has now achieved the Leading Edge ict active status.

Paul McEldon, Chief Executive of the NE BIC, says, “We try to provide tenants with as many business support services as we can, and that includes ICT. We are in fact an internet service provider in our own right – we provide the internet and email services to all our tenants onsite. We also have a helpdesk ICT team who deal with our clients plus three back-up internet lines to ensure our tenants have the best possible connection.

“We can also provide a full ICT contract for tenants where we can help provide equipment, install software and perform repairs. So we feel we have an excellent range of ICT services, facilities and infrastructure in place here.”

Paul continues, “Over the years we’ve seen ICT become so integral to businesses that it is impossible to ignore. Business’ minimum specification has increased so significantly that we’ve had to invest in what we believe is good quality infrastructure and also good quality service.

“ict active backs up our claims that we do offer excellent services. It will ensure that tenants know they are coming into a centre with exceptional ICT in place. It gives us real credit for the work we have done here and will continue to do in the future.”

Liz Wallis, managing director of ict active, says, “We are delighted that the North East BIC is now ict active. It is an excellent centre and a flagship development in the whole region.

“The BIC offer so much more than just office space. It is an excellent example of a centre doing everything it can for its tenants. It offers a superb level of ICT services, support and facilities that fully warrants its Leading Edge accreditation.”

Jim Farmery, Assistant Director of Business at Yorkshire Forward, said: “We had significant success in the Yorkshire and Humber region with this scheme so I’m pleased, but not surprised, to see it doing well elsewhere.

“With technology playing such a large part in every modern business, achieving the ict active standard will encourage new and expanding businesses to fill empty offices and buildings because they know that key technological requirements have been met.”

The BIC's Paul McEldon (left) with ict active's Richard Vaughan