Manchester Airport City to boost its marketing efforts to attract global companies
Manchester airports “Airport City” says it will be a “£800 million landmark property development, creating a globally connected business destination” and a “vibrant economic hub with connectivity at its heart, the UK’s first Airport City will provide 5m sq ft of development, a mix of offices, hotels, advanced manufacturing, logistics and warehousing. Airport City is expected to be one of the largest regeneration schemes in the UK since the 2012 Olympics redevelopment”. It executives are now trying to create thousands of jobs by luring global firms to the area. They have now appointed two Manchester marketing agencies,Start JudgeGill and theEword to “focus on a strong and impactful international strategy to take Airport City to key territories” such as China and the Middle East. Airport City sits at the heart of Greater Manchester’s Enterprise Zone, which means companies relocating there can get tax breaks and other incentives. Last year, a deal was done to secure investment in the scheme from the Beijing Construction and Engineering Group. Meanwhile work is starting on a 4th platform at the airport’s rail station, which the airport say is key to boosting passenger numbers, and luring businesses to its Airport City scheme.
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The Manchester Airport City website says of itself:
Airport City is a £800m landmark property development, creating a globally connected business destination located at Manchester Airport. A vibrant economic hub with connectivity at its heart, the UK’s first Airport City will provide 5m sq ft of development, a mix of offices, hotels, advanced manufacturing, logistics and warehousing. Airport City is expected to be one of the largest regeneration schemes in the UK since the 2012 Olympics redevelopment in East London, developing one of the world’s most accessible and engaging commercial locations. http://www.airportcity.co.uk/
Airport City scheme marketed
Bosses of the £800m Airport City scheme, which aims to create thousands of jobs by luring global firms to the area, have turned to the Manchester office of creative design agency Start JudgeGill and Trafford Park-based digital agency theEword.
Two Greater Manchester marketing agencies have been appointed to support one of the region’s most significant projects.
Bosses of the £800m Airport City scheme, which aims to create thousands of jobs by luring global firms to the area, have turned to the Manchester office of creative design agency Start JudgeGill and Trafford Park-based digital agency theEword.
They have been appointed to work on the project by Argent, the scheme’s development manager.
Angela Fielding, project director at Argent, said: “As Airport City grows and develops we decided we needed to focus on a strong and impactful international strategy to take Airport City to key territories.
“The plan is to work with our selected agencies to develop the brand to ensure it echoes and rings true with key audiences from the likes of MIPIM, [an international property event], , China, Middle East and beyond.”
John McHugh, marketing manager at Manchester Airports Group said: “We are really pleased to welcome two well respected agencies with a Manchester heritage.
“Both have a specific brief to bolster Airport City’s objectives and we have the utmost faith each will deliver.
“When selecting and shortlisting agencies through a competitive process, we were keen to stay within the region, to help support, grow and utilise local talent from within the region, which Manchester has in abundance.”
Airport City sits at the heart of Greater Manchester’s Enterprise Zone, which means companies relocating there can get tax breaks and other incentives.
Last year, a deal was done to secure investment in the scheme from the Beijing Construction and Engineering Group, which has formed a joint-venture with The Greater Manchester Property Venture Fund and Carillion.
Start JudgeGill has been commissioned to conceive and deliver a compelling international marketing proposition for the brand.
Work commenced last month and the finished campaign will be designed to appeal to a range of industries, and it will be unveiled when Airport City Manchester visits MIPIM, in March this year.
David Judge of StartJG said: “This is a big win for the agency in terms of its geography – it’s a global project with roots in Manchester.”
TheEword has been retained to boost Airport City Manchester’s online presence through a dedicated SEO and link-building campaign to raise it up through the Google rankings.
Daniel Nolan, managing director at theEword, added: “We’re extremely honoured to be selected to work on a project of this scale.
“As a Manchester-born business, it’s very exciting to be working alongside an internationally-backed project which will continue to strengthen Manchester’s already fantastic reputation as a key international business destination.
“The appointment is a big vote of confidence for the agency and the team can’t wait to get started.”
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/business/media/airport-city-scheme-marketed-6676858
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George Osborne kicks off £600m Northern Hub investment at Manchester Airport
The chancellor marked the start of work to build a fourth platform at the airport’s rail station
The biggest investment in Manchester’s railways since the Victorian era was today set to be launched by Chancellor George Osborne.
The £600n Northern Hub project was due to be kicked off with the announcement a fourth platform will be built at Manchester Airport train station.
And bosses say that project – costing £20m – will be delivered 18 months earlier than hoped, with works carried out in parallel to the expansion of Metrolink lines to the airport.
Completion of the platform, set to be by the end of 2015, will mark the first milestone for the wider Northern Hub, a scheme to lay new track to improve the region’s heavily-congested rail network.
It will run alongside the current £400m scheme to electrify the lines between Manchester, Liverpool, Preston and Blackpool by 2016. Combined with the £44m Victoria Station facelift it takes total investment to more than £1bn.
The Tatton MP was set to say: “The government’s long term plan is about securing a recovery for all parts of the country.
“Because of the tough decisions we’ve taken on day-to-day spending, we’re able to invest in key infrastructure projects like the Northern Hub, which will create billions for the region.
“Each part of this project, like the first work at Manchester Airport station that I’ve kicked off today, will help us build the infrastructure we need to compete in the global race. [What race??]
“This investment will ensure growth is not concentrated in any one place by keeping Britain connected and creating thousands of local jobs, delivering a brighter economic future for the whole country.”
Martin Frobisher, area director for Network Rail, said: “Providing a faster, more regular and reliable railway between key towns and cities in the north of England provides significant benefits to passengers and helps to boost the economy, making it quicker and easier to travel further for work or pleasure.”
Construction work at the airport will take place from March 14 to April 7 and will include two weekend closures on March 14-15 and April 5-6.
There will be replacement bus services for trains into the airport and all First TransPennine Express, Northern Rail and Arriva Train Wales services into and out of Manchester will be affected.
Passengers are warned to leave more time for their journeys. There will also be road disruptions – with clearly marked diversions in place.
Andrew Cowan, the airport’s chief operating officer, has heralded the scheme as key to boosting passenger numbers, luring businesses to its £800m Airport City scheme and even securing a direct route to China.
He said: “We welcome the fourth platform at the airport station. It will further open up the airport for our catchment area across northern England.
“Furthermore it will provide direct access for businesses and employees to our £800m Airport City development, which is transforming the area around the station into an international business hub.
“The fact the development can be completed ahead of schedule and alongside other construction works taking place will be advantageous to employees, the local community and of course our 20m plus airport passengers each year, many of which use the station, which operates 24 hours a day.
“The Northern Hub will benefit not only the airport but for the whole region.
“There is a huge amount of investment in this region – creating infrastructure for the future and jobs, it’s great for the local economy.”
Transport bosses say The overall Northern Hub will allow 700 extra trains to run every day by 2019, boosting yearly passenger capacity by 44m, bringing £4bn to the region’s economy, along with up to 30,000 jobs.
A major element of the Northern Hub is a new rail bridge to connect Victoria and Piccadilly.
Dubbed the Ordsall Chord – and subject to a public enquiry in April – it’s aimed at unblocking the congested city centre and giving direct access to the airport from Rochdale, Halifax and Bradford by December 2016.
Councillor Andrew Fender, chair of the Transport for Greater Manchester committee, said: “I am pleased that we have been able to work with our partners to deliver this crucial addition to the airport’s railway station 18 months ahead of schedule.
“That’s made possible by capitalising on the delivery of our new Metrolink line to Manchester Airport, funded entirely by the 10 Greater Manchester authorities, which will add yet further links to this key employment centre.
“The fourth platform will, of course, be the first of several significant improvements delivered by the vital Northern Hub programme that will transform our incredibly popular railways and provide the foundation for sustained economic growth across the region.”
Nick Donovan, FTPE managing director, said: “These works will further enhance the railway station and provide yet more service reliability and customer choice as part of the wider Northern Hub project whilst also offering customers from across the north of England greater connections from rail to air.
“I am delighted that we have been able to work closely with Network Rail and Manchester Airport to facilitate the early delivery of this investment in additional platform capacity.
“Currently an eighth of our business is initiated with journeys to and from Manchester Airport. From May this year we will be increasing the number of seats on our services from the airport by nearly 30%.”
Alex Hynes, managing director, Northern Rail said: “Millions of pounds worth of investment in rail in the north equals travel benefits to millions of passengers. The development at Manchester Airport will mean more reliable connections between rail and air, offering more opportunities to our customers to travel throughout Britain and beyond from the north of England.”