Invest in West Lothian - July Newsletter

Celebrating Good News Stories in West Lothian

Support from Invest in West Lothian Helped Impact Solutions Improve Sustainability While Generating Long Term Financial Savings

Impact Solutions is a leading test laboratory and innovation centre based in West Lothian. Established in 2002, the business supports industry in testing and developing new materials, products and methods. Since relocating to Livingston in 2021, the business has received a range of support from the Invest in West Lothian team.

Most recently, they were supported through a Growth Assistance Project (GAP) and received funding to install roof mounted solar panels. This project will not only allow the business to generate a significant portion of its own electricity and make optimal use of the energy produced, it will also generate expected savings of £1.78 million over 25 years.

Watch this short video to learn more about the project:

Read the full case study here.

Funded Consultancy Support Available for Eligible West Lothian Businesses

We are thrilled to announce that our popular Expert Help Programme is back!

This Programme has been created to give eligible local businesses access to fully or part-funded consultancy support to help develop effective strategies in selected business disciplines.

The Expert Help Programme is designed to support businesses looking to grow and develop by giving them the opportunity to access specialist support in areas including:

• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Business Development
• Digital and Social Media
•  Exporting
•  Finance
• Marketing and Branding
• Productivity and Lean Management
• Procurement and Quality Assurance
• Sustainability

The support will be available in the form of surgery sessions, workshops, and 1:1 strategy sessions.

You can learn more about the Expert Help Programme and view our full brochure here.

Funding for Businesses in West Lothian

The Invest in West Lothian team have extensive experience of preparing funding packages for local businesses of all sizes. Each month, we will highlight a new funding opportunity that is currently available to eligible businesses in the area.

Applications are Open for Funding Support!

We are delighted to be accepting applications from eligible West Lothian-based businesses for funding support. This support exists to help local businesses overcome obstacles and achieve their growth goals.

Current opportunities include our:

• Business Development Grants
• Digital Development Grant
• Energy Resilience Grant
• Trade Development Grant
• Project Grant
• Start Up Funding
• Employment Pathway Grant

You can learn more about the grants here.

Upcoming Events

We are delighted to be hosting the following free event in July:

1:1 Marketing and Branding Surgery Session

We are offering eligible West Lothian businesses the opportunity to have a 1-hour virtual 1:1 Surgery Session with Marketing and Branding expert, Paul Hunter. During the session, you can ask any questions that you have about Marketing and Branding or discuss a specific challenge your business is facing. These appointments are booked on a flexible basis on a day and time that works for you.

Please note that there is a maximum of 1 Surgery Session per business.

To request a Surgery Session for your business, please email invest@westlothian.gov.uk and provide a brief description of what you would like to discuss during your appointment.

If you have any questions about any of the topics covered, please email invest@westlothian.gov.uk .

We hope you have a brilliant Summer!