Pictured above: (l-r) Dave Smith, Michelin Development Business Development Manager, Mike Cole, Michelin Development Director, Alan Powner, Filter Plus Managing Director and David Powner, Managing Director

Michelin Development's Stoke Challenge to regional businesses is continuing to be met as a new firm set up in the industrial pollution control sector becomes the latest beneficiary of the loans fund.

North Staffordshire based Filter Plus Ltd have just launched Filter Cages Ltd with the help of a £20,000 loan from the Michelin Development fund. Spotting a gap in the market for industrial filter cages - equipment designed to regulate dust particle emissions generated within industrial processes - Filter Cages Ltd was set up this year with an automatic, multi-dimensional filter cage production line installed to complement the existing filter servicing business.

New jobs have been created to man and operate the production line, in turn immediately fulfilling one of the main Michelin Development loans criteria that new jobs have to be created as part of any funding agreement. With production now up and running and substantial orders for filter cages in place, the new venture has got off to a flying start with further jobs to be created in the future as the manufacturing process reaches full capacity.

David Powner, Managing Director of Filter Cages Ltd, who are based in Davenport Street,Stoke-on-Trent, said: "Due to the in-depth knowledge Filter Plus has gained in the business of pollution control,there was an awareness of the potential for yet another specialised supply of products - namely filter cages. 

"So a new company was first established in 2009 - Filter Cages Ltd - and finance was sought  to set up the business. We approached Michelin Development for assistance and the whole package from them has played an integral part in getting this business off the ground. 

"Everything has taken off really quickly and we anticipate growth to continue for a number of reasons. Our markets are not affected by the economic downturn as companies are obliged to regulate their emissions to a minimum level, there is a far greater market than can be handled and there is little in the way of competition."

Filter Plus Ltd specialises primarily in providing direct and sub-contract pollution control services to a wide range of industries, with most work coming from the aggregates,steel and food sectors. These services involve the provision of of trained operatives to undertake maintenance of dust extraction equipment at short notice,regular contacts and ad-hoc visits to examine, test and report   on such equipment and troubleshooting operations across the UK.

Almost two years ago Michelin Development - the business development arm of Michelin Tyre Plc - issued a challenge to North Staffordshire companies to become more entrepreneurial after figures revealed by the tyre giant's loans fund arm 12 months ago, showed the area as the worst performing region for new business development and start-ups. But entrepreneurs and business people in the region have picked up the challenge gauntlet with 11 loans approved for 11 companies and around 139 jobs created since the call went out to business.

Dave Smith,Michelin Development Manager, said: "When we issued this challenge we did so to  spark interest in the  loans fund from companies like Filter Plus. We were looking for progressive, forward thinking individuals and firms who were looking to take their ideas and businesses to the next level, meeting their obligations to us and the wider business community by creating growth, wealth, and jobs in the region.

"Filter Plus has really hit the ground running with this new arm of their business and are already meeting the requirements in place for creating new jobs and future jobs - an essential part of the ethos of the Michelin Development loans fund."  

Michelin Development Ltd is dedicated to helping small and medium sized businesses that can create new employment in the areas of the UK, including North Staffordshire, East Lancashire, Dundee and Ballymena, where Michelin has present or historic links with the community. The UK operation, which is part of a European initiative to support entrepreneurs and a cornerstone of Michelin's Corporate Social Responsibility Programme, helps expanding businesses through the offer of unsecured loans at Bank of England base rate and the provision of free business advice. 

0ver the five years since it was formed in the UK, Michelin Development has helped over 100 new enterprises in industries as varied as engineering, construction, IT and fine china. 

Michelin Development is in the next year looking to loan a further £1 million, help another 30 companies and create around 250 jobs.