Airport boss helps couple launch baggage weighing business
21.01.08
A husband and wife team are set to create 100 jobs in the North East after securing financial backing to manufacture a baggage weighing machine that they hope could soon be seen in every airport in the world, and thanks to the help of the boss at Durham Tees Valley Airport.
Ged and Carole Stewart have already spent £50,000 of their own money on their dream of building an accurate baggage weighing machine for customers to use at airports. They have now secured the support of a major German airport service company, and expect to be employing 100 people within 3 years and will be creating 20 jobs by the summer.
The project began 4 years ago during a series of trips to Spain after they witnessed angry scenes at airport check-ins over baggage allowances. They had an idea to create a weighing machine - now called bagweighahead - to be sited inside airport terminals which would allow travellers to check if their baggage met weight allowances.
Since then the couple has spent £50,000 of their own cash plus £20,000 from various Government and support agencies developing the project. A major breakthrough came after a meeting in late 2006 with Durham Tees Valley Airport managing director, Hugh Lang, who then introduced them up with a company from Hamburg called Bagport.
Bagport managing director Sven Stohn said: 'We were immediately interested in what Ged and Carole had done. We encouraged them to develop a prototype and the reaction among the airport operators when they saw what they had created was very positive.'
'In fact, it was far more positive than we could have anticipated and every airport we spoke to was extremely interested in taking the product. Bagport is prepared to invest a significant amount into this venture and we hope to see this in every airport in the world.'
Ged added: 'Since bagweighahead was showcased at the Airport Operators Association exhibition last November, the response has been overwhelming. At the end of the month, the prototype of weighahead is to be trialled at Bristol Airport. Once any difficulties are ironed out, it will be marketed and a manufacturing and assembling facility will be established in the North East.'
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