AIDC (UK) Ltd has received a further boost by being accredited by Business Link as a supplier under the Innovation Voucher scheme. The scheme, which is funded by Yorkshire Forward and the European Regional Development Fund, provides support for small and medium enterprises in the region who want to introduce innovation into their business. The AIDC European Centre of Excellence in Barnsley has become the latest accredited organisation to be able to offer guidance and advice on innovation of new technology under the Business Link scheme

Since its opening in 2007, the AIDC Centre has developed an international reputation as a leader in automatic identification and data capture. It works with businesses across the region to advise them on the best applications of technologies such as barcodes, 2D codes, RFID, smartcards and biometrics. The company recently relocated from Halifax to a suite of offices in the Digital Media Centre in Barnsley to be part of the Digital Region developments in South Yorkshire. Digital Region is the first major regional deployment of 'Superfast Broadband' in the UK, not only bringing improved access to a whole range of entertainment, business and public sector services, but importantly attracting new investment and new jobs into the region. The project marks the start of a new 'Digital Age' in South Yorkshire putting the region at the Digital centre of the UK and Europe. The network is being designed, built and operated by Thales UK, with funding from Yorkshire Forward, the regional development agency. It will bring Superfast Broadband to 1.3 million people, 540,000 homes and 40,000 businesses right across the region.

Peter Collins, Marketing Director for AIDC feels that this latest recognition shows how highly regarded AIDC has become within the business community. “The majority of organisations accredited with the Innovation Vouchers scheme are universities with large research departments,” he said. “Compared to them, AIDC is a small technical consultancy. But we are delighted that Business Link recognises the value we can bring to clients by being independent, not-for-profit experts in our area of specialism.”

According to Geraldine Hackett, Innovation Project Manager for Business Link, the Innovation Vouchers have helped literally hundreds of Yorkshire companies improve their business through the application of innovation. “We support 50 companies a month through the scheme. And we know that companies who are keen to apply innovative thinking in their business stand a much greater chance of making a success of what they do.”