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Sept 2022

Last Updated: 10/09/2022

Business

Business Breakfast: Harrogate business announces first Chinese Board of Directors

by Tamsin O'Brien

| 12 Sept, 2022

In business news today Belzona Molecular Technology makes a significant next step in its international expansion strategy and a Knaresborough business park goes carbon negative.

Belzona which manufactures polymeric repair and protection systems and has a base on Claro road in Harrogate, has announced the appointments of Charli Yu Walton as Corporate Development Director (China) and Fred Lu as Technical Director (China).

The appointments follow the creation of Belzona Molecular Technology (Nanjing) Ltd in 2019 and mark a significant next step in the company’s international expansion strategy.

Mrs Walton originally from Harbin, China, joined the company’s Harrogate-based marketing team in 2011. She will be responsible for creating and implementing marketing strategies to consolidate and accelerate Belzona’s growth plans in China.

Speaking of her new appointment, Mrs Walton said:

“I am delighted and proud to be appointed to the first Board of Directors of Belzona’s new Chinese company. China has, for many years, been a significant market for Belzona and the formation of the new company demonstrates Belzona’s commitment to growth in the region.

“Through our great brands, products, and distributorships, we bring cutting-edge solutions to our customers in China. We have set an exciting growth agenda for our brands, where innovation, digital marketing excellence, sustainability and collaboration play a crucial role."

Mr Lu will continue to lead Chinese business from the technical perspective and will head up the development of Belzona’s training programme and technical service support in the region.

He said:

“I am proud to be a member of the Belzona family and am honoured to take on this new role. Belzona has unrivalled experience and expertise globally. Our new Company is a technical hub, providing extensive and customised training programmes to our Distributors and customers in China.

I will keep working hard and do my best to ensure that we achieve our goals and fulfil our great potential in the Chinese market.”

Belzona’s technical support centres based in Harrogate (UK), Miami (USA), Chonburi (Thailand), Ontario (Canada), and now Jiangsu, provide a worldwide presence, enabling the organisation to support its customer and distributor network.

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Knaresborough Business Park goes carbon negative

Rabbit Hill Business Park in Knaresborough has announced that it is now a carbon negative business.

The park has been mapping its carbon footprint to develop and improve its carbon reduction strategy and has been working with Mark Thwaite from CarbonNow on an audit.

The report highlighted:

"Rabbit Hill has already made great strides to reduce their carbon footprint, for example using solar panels. Our report reflects the excellent work that they have done and acts as a benchmark so that they can continue to set their fine example as a beacon for other low carbon businesses.

"Rabbit Hill has also invested in sources that contribute to offsetting carbon. They have a solar panel grid on their premises from which they sell generated electricity back to the grid and onto their clients. They also have a very well landscaped site, with trees and hedges that contribute to carbon sequestration."

Richard Kay, MD of Rabbit Hill Park, said:

“Working with Mark has been very inciteful. We now have several strategies to help reduce our carbon footprint even further, which we will implement over the next 12 months. I would recommend the services of Mark's team at www.carbonnow.co.uk and get your carbon mapping journey started.”

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Knaresborough Business Park goes carbon negative