24
FEBRUARY 2014 PRO INSTALLER
PRO NEWS
www.proinstaller.co.uk
LOVE IT WHEN
A VAN COMES
TOGETHER
A-Team’s van named
nation’s favourite.
Merseyside Innovation
Awards Seek Region’s
Most Ingenious
Businesses
Those grown up
“meddling kids” have
a soft spot for the
Scooby Gang’s M ystery Machine sending
it to second place in
the rankings
Mange Tout! Del Boy’s
Supervan three wheels to
third place on the list
New research published
by Direct Line for Business, reveals the A-team’s
classic GMC Vandura is
the nation’s favourite
van. Despite the cult TV
show ending way back in
1987, the A-team van has
become an enduring pop
culture icon capturing 43
percent of the vote. T
Thousands voted the
iconic black and metallic grey vehicle with is
characteristic red stripe,
driven by Sergeant Bosco
Albert “B.A” Baracus
played by Mr T, in the
show as their favourite.
The intrepid Scooby
Gang’s Mystery Machine,
a modified Chevrolet
Greenbrier van often
featured in the animated
series along with Shaggy,
Scooby, Fred, Velma and
Daphne, was voted the
The Merseyside Innovation Awards for 2014
has launched is search for the most ingenious
businesses and products in the region.
This is the 19th year of the MIA.
nation’s second favourite
van with 20 per cent of
the vote. This was followed appropriately in
third place by Del Boy’s
three wheeled Reliant
Regal ‘Supervan’ from the
enduring classic television show Only Fools
and Horses.
Nation’s top five favourite vans:
• The A-Team’s Van (43
per cent)
• Scooby gang’s Mystery
Machine (20 per cent)
• Delboy’s Reliant Regal
Supervan (12 per
cent)
• Wallace & Gromit’s
Anti-Pesto, pest control
van (10 per cent)
• Postman Pat’s Bedford
HA (7 per cent)
Jasvinder Gakhal at
Direct Line for Business,
commented: “More than 25
years later, the A-Team still
holds a special place in the
heart of motoring enthusiasts, though it is unlikely
Hannibal, B.A. and company would have been able
to get insurance given their
unique line of work.”
Rounding out the top five
favourite vans were Wallace
and Gromit’s Anti-Pesto,
pest control van, with 10
per cent of the vote and
Postman Pat’s Bedford HA
with 7 per cent. The Postman Pat movie scheduled
for release in 2014 may,
however, stir affections for
the classic postal van.
www.directline.com
“With this being the Merseyside Innovation Awards it seemed only fitting that we
launch in cyberspace first,” said awards
founder Brian McCann. “Those who were
sharp to it got their entries in early and
already we have seen some astonishing
submissions.”
There are still plenty of opportunities to
submit your entry for this year’s awards.
MIA is committed to seeking out and recognising the pioneers of commercial innovation in the region. The judging panel, made
up of sponsors from some of the leading
firms in Merseyside, will select a monthly
winner from entries received that month.
They will then be assessed and refined to
a shortlist of three who will present their
submissions in the final. The winning company can look forward to an ultimate prize
of £10,000 in cash while the runners-up can
win specialist business support worth up to
£2,000.
At the end of the entry period, the applicants will be whittled down to three final-
ists. They will be invited to give a presentation to the judges at the final taking place
at the Crowne Plaza next July when one of
them will be crowned Merseyside Innovations Award winner 2014.
For McCann, partner and director of MC
Vanguard Corporate Finance, discovering
unseen or unknown projects and highlighting them to the wider public is important
as it demonstrates the breadth of skills,
expertise and creativity there is on Merseyside.
“We are looking forward to seeing some
very exciting applications this year,” he said.
“With competition expected to be fierce I
would encourage entrepreneurs to enter
early. We want to leave no stone unturned
in our quest to spotlight the greatest innovations in the region.”
To find out if you or your firm is eligible
to enter, or to submit an entry, visitwww.
merseysideinnovationawards.co.uk,
contact Jean Hughes atjean.hughes@
mcvanguard.co.uk or call 0151 255 2300.
Thousands predicted to leave UK for New Zealand
As New Zealand enjoys its
biggest construction boom in
40 years, migration experts
are predicting that thousands
of Brits will leave the UK for
a new life Down Under.
Paul Arthur, managing director
at Chester-based The Emigration
Group said: “New Zealand is on
the brink of a property and construction boom, with a predicted
150 per cent rise in housing
demand in the next five years in
some cities. This will fuel migration from the UK as New Zealand
seeks to fill skills shortages with
British workers.”
The National Construction
Pipeline recently reported a 10
per cent per annum growth in
New Zealand for four years, leading to an unprecedented level of
building and construction work.
The report, which is determined from economic forecasts
and data from public and private
sectors, predicts nationwide
growth. The main driver is
Auckland, which is set to see a
150 per cent increase in housing
demand over the next five years.
The Emigration Group is urging qualified British workers to
consider seriously the benefits of
taking their skills Down Under.
The boom is also having a positive effect on the property market
which will lead to further jobs for
migrants.
Paul Arthur said: “New Zealand’s economy is on the up and
there has never been a better
time for qualified professionals
to live and work overseas. The
recent boom in construction will
provide great opportunities for
both newly trained and experienced construction professionals.
The salary and lifestyle in New
Zealand is unique and is one of
the most desirable places to live
in the world.”
New Zealand is expected to see
more project plans being taken
forward and further investment in
skilled staff in the next five years.
For more information and
advice on migrating to both
Australia and New Zealand call
01244 321 414 or visit www.
emigrationgroup.co.uk