Agritech, Blog

Celebrating one year of the Shropshire Office

The Jonathan Lee blog section is a great place to discover all the latest news and views on the
sectors we work with and the services we provide.

We can’t quite believe it has already been a year since we opened our Shropshire office within the Agri-EPI Centre premises.

We set up offices within the centre based in Edgmond, Newport in 2023 to aid our strategic growth plans as it became apparent at the time that having a permanent presence at the centre would offer a great opportunity for us to be part of an evolving and innovation-centric agritech market space as well as allowing us to add even more value to the engineering, manufacturing and technical sectors.

As Grant Nisbet, Jonathan Lee Recruitment Director says ‘We already had specialist consultants who lived in the area so it made sense to explore such an opportunity, it was an easy decision to invest in supporting the industry with a new office facility.’

One year on from the office opening, we wanted to showcase some of our highlights:

Upp Mark Thackwray and Jonathan Lee

Partnership ‘bearing fruit’

The Opening of the new office has led to more conversations, more enquiries, and new clients, this is especially the case in the world of agri-tech.

As Grant says “There are some really exciting innovations happening in agri-tech right now which are transforming the UK agricultural industry to become more efficient and more sustainable.

“Being at the heart of that community, both in Telford and the Agri-EPI Centre itself, is enabling us to add even more value to the sector. It’s opened many doors, including giving us immediate access to a 200+ membership of businesses in the agri-tech sector.

“We even helped the start-up in the office next door, UPP, to find a design engineer to work on the development of their unique new broccoli harvesting machine. It’s almost certain we wouldn’t have had this opportunity if we weren’t based in the centre.”

UPP has pioneered new technology which uses AI and automation to harvest broccoli crops more efficiently while significantly reducing waste by collecting the previously discarded parts of the plant to turn into sustainable proteins.

The company was struggling to find a suitably qualified and experienced design engineer to help take the prototypes forward and Jonathan Lee was able to find the perfect candidate with an agricultural and engineering background who, not only had the right skillset, but was also looking to escape the city rat race.

You can read more about this story in the Shropshire Star.

Shropshire CoC

Jonathan Lee Recruitment joins Shropshire Chamber of Commerce

For businesses in Shropshire and beyond, the Shropshire Chamber of Commerce has been a steadfast advocate, offering a range of services and opportunities to promote growth. With their finger on the pulse of the local economy, the Chamber is a valuable resource for businesses seeking to expand their reach, enhance their visibility, and engage with fellow entrepreneurs. The Chamber’s commitment to fostering a thriving business ecosystem aligned seamlessly with Jonathan Lee Recruitment’s vision for a prosperous and interconnected community, leading to Jonathan Lee  becoming a member in 2023.

Dan Plimmer, Principal Consultant at Jonathan Lee Recruitment said about the membership –

‘In an era where partnership and collaboration are crucial for sustainable growth, the synergy between Jonathan Lee Recruitment and the Shropshire Chamber of Commerce is a promising development. Businesses, regardless of size or sector, can expect enhanced access to resources, knowledge-sharing platforms, and networking opportunities through this partnership. The combination of Jonathan Lee’s recruitment expertise and the Chamber’s business facilitation services is a recipe for bolstering the region’s economic resilience and innovation.’

Moreover, the move aligns with our commitment to staying ahead of industry trends and providing tailored solutions for our clients. By immersing ourselves in the Chamber’s diverse ecosystem, we aim to further understand the evolving needs of local businesses in the world of agri-tech and beyond.’

Otis Powell, Membership Manager, Shropshire Chamber of Commerce said “It is a pleasure to welcome Jonathan Lee Recruitment to the Chamber Community, learning how this Shropshire business is driving the bustling manufacturing, advanced tech and engineering sectors forwards is exciting and hopefully advantageous to many of our members. We look forward to helping Jonathan Lee Recruitment grow however we can.”

To read more about Jonathan Lee Recruitment joining Shropshire Chamber of Commerce click here.

 

Grant and Matt at Agri-Tech Centres breakfast morning

Sponsorship of Agri-Tech Centres breakfast networking events

It has been a real privilege to sponsor Agri-Tech Centres breakfast networking events over the past year. The sponsorship has taken us all around the UK, from Shropshire to Scotland.

It has been the perfect opportunity to connect, talk, and explore potential collaborations in the field of agritech as well as engineering and manufacturing as a whole.

We have really appreciated the chance to present our offerings to members too. Thanks to all who have organised and attended these events… If you can get to one of these events, we thoroughly recommend them and we haven’t even mentioned the amazing breakfast the group put on too!

To read about our agritech recruitment services click here

 

Jonathan Lee Recruitment Shropshire office team

Continued expansion

The Jonathan Lee Recruitment Shropshire team has continued to grow over the past 12 months. Supporting Grant Nisbet and Associate Director Matt Johnson, right from the first day of opening, are Adam Wheatley, Carl Jones and Natalie Smith.

The team have since been joined by Ben Hughes and James McGinn.

 

Ben Hughes, Jonathan Lee Consultant

Ben Hughes

Ben is our IT recruitment specialist, he has worked in recruitment since 2016 and has a strong background in recruiting UK-wide IT professionals.

He specialises in helping clients build IT teams or attract IT skillsets into their businesses, as well as helping IT candidates who are looking for their next challenge.

To discover more about Ben Hughes click here

 

James McGinn, Jonathan Lee Recruitment Consultant

James McGinn

James also began his recruitment career in 2016 recruiting for both contract and permanent staff within the Engineering and Manufacturing sectors.  James is able to deliver both contract and permanent recruitment and prides himself on offering first-class customer service to clients, candidates and colleagues. He is currently focusing on recruitment within the North West.

To discover more about James McGinn click here

Contact the Jonathan Lee Recruitment Shropshire Office

Interested in working with the Jonathan Lee Recruitment Shropshire office? Call us on 01952 987032 or click here

Telford team in meeting

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