Money Matters

Darlington businesses have one last chance to enter the Orange Small is Beautiful awards. Deadline day has been extended to tomorrow, giving more firms the opportunity to be recognised in a range of categories. The awards celebrate the achievements of companies in the UK with less than 50 employees. Patricia Rubio, small business marketing manager, Orange UK said: "The Orange Small is Beautiful awards celebrate the achievements of those people that have had the courage to set-up a small business." For more information log on to www.orange.co.uk/business/awards.

MAKING WAVES: Surf and fashion brand O'Neill plans to open its biggest UK store in its home town of Newcastle. The store will open in Eldon Square Shopping Centre on December 7, extending its retail expansion to ten flagship stores in the UK.

RISING STAR: Connor Solutions, the Houghton-le-Spring-based electronics manufacturing services company won the Rising Star award at the fifth annual Deloitte and Touche Technology Fast 50 Awards for the UK's Northern Region. The firm has also celebrated acquiring Surtech Interconnection Ltd of Basingstoke, which will take turnover to approaching £14m and staffing up to 140 people.

CHOPPER JOBS AXED: Bicycle maker Raleigh yesterday announced it was closing down its production line in Nottingham bringing to a end more than 100 years of history in the city. The firm, which created classic models such as the Chopper and the Grifter, will switch assembly to the Far East, with the loss of 280 jobs.

ELECTRIC SHOCK: About 150 jobs are to be shed at the Philips electronics factory, at Blackburn in Lancashire, as part of a drive to cut costs.

Positive elements: Speciality chemicals group Johnson Matthey said yesterday it was confident of progress despite the weaker dollar and lower metal prices. Both Johnson's catalysts and chemicals and pharmaceutical materials businesses achieved growth in the period and there is expected to be an immediate contribution from ICI's former catalyst business Synetix