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University helps company save money through innovation

04 July 2017

 

A North-East company has been helped to save money on cutting-edge innovation thanks to help from Teesside University.

From left - Suhail Aslam, Aman Chahal and Nicola Bellerby.
From left - Suhail Aslam, Aman Chahal and Nicola Bellerby.

A North-East company has been helped to save money on cutting-edge innovation thanks to help from Teesside University.

Tapered Plus, an independent roof design company specialising in tapered insulation for flat roofs, has developed a state-of-the-art app which customers can use to specify roof requirements.

The app ensures that customers receive exactly the right specification for their needs, making the design process much more efficient.

After attending an event at Teesside University, Tapered Plus was advised that it could access Research and Development (R&D) tax credits through their work on the app.

With the help of Nicola Bellerby, of accountancy firm Clive Owen LLP, Innovate Tees Valley Project Manager Suhail Aslam was able to assist Tapered Plus to recoup two-thirds of the cost of the development of the app.

Tapered Plus is continuing to work with the University to reclaim tax credits as it develops the app further.

Aman Chahal, director and founder of Tapered Plus, said: 'In many respects the building industry is quite old fashioned and hasn’t moved with the times, so developing an online app as we have done is something that is quite unique.

'It provides clients with exactly the correct information and makes the whole design process much easier.

'As a result we’ve had inquiries from as far afield as the Middle East.

'With the money that we have saved through the tax credits we are able to develop the app even further and make it accessible on Android and iOS platforms.'

Tapered Plus is based on Stockton’s Northshore at Fusion Hive, a business and innovation centre operated by Teesside University.

As well as modern offices and meeting spaces, superfast broadband, and high-tech facilities, tenants of Fusion Hive also get access to Teesside University’s significant business networks, expertise and training provision and the help it provides in sourcing potential funding.

Aman added: 'Fusion Hive has been very good for us as a business. Just being able to network with like-minded businesses is extremely useful.

'It’s allowed us to see the bigger picture and think outside the box.'

Nicola Bellerby added: 'We have worked with Suhail and Teesside University on a number of R&D tax credits and the technical insight that can be offered by them really adds credibility to our report and helps maximise every claim we make.'

Innovate Tees Valley is an innovation supernetwork delivered in partnership with NEPIC, Materials Processing Institute (MPI), DigitalCity and Teesside University.

Suhail Aslam said: 'It is fantastic to see companies like Tapered Plus look at new and innovative ways of doing business.

'We are delighted to have been able to help Aman and his company recoup some of the investment in their online app and hope to support them as they continue to grow as tenants of Fusion Hive.'


 
 
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