Publisher partners with university to accelerate growth and sustainability
They’re loving learning at Riverside Greetings with the launch of a new partnership between Leeds Beckett University and the major card and wrap supplier to the convenience and forecourt sector.
The publisher has teamed up with marketing and engineering experts at the university to bring academic knowledge, experience, and insight into the business to accelerate its growth and sustainability.
The link-up will bring training and development opportunities for Riverside’s staff as well as live commercial projects for students to work on, as a team of academics work with the publisher on the two-year Management Knowledge Transfer Partnership (mKTP), which is part-funded by the Government through Innovate UK.
Riverside md Andrew Glen said: “We are delighted to be working with Leeds Beckett on a mKTP which will transform the greeting card category in the growing convenience sector, while creating a step change in the growth of our business and additional jobs.
“Our mission is to help convenience retailers sell more greetings cards and they will benefit from performance improvements – and their shoppers will benefit from a proposition which is better tailored to their needs.”
He explained the relationship between the Wakefield-based company and Leeds Beckett started when he took part in the Small Business Leadership Programme, has included members of Riverside’s management team in the Women Empowered Through Coaching And Networking (#WECAN) programme, and is developing further with the exciting new partnership.
A skilled graduate has been recruited to conduct the project as a full-time staff member within the business with the full support and input of the uni’s academic team, who all have experience of working with small and medium-sized enterprises on knowledge exchange projects.
Dr Nick Halafihi, head of subject for marketing, public relations and journalism at Leeds Beckett, is co-leading the partnership. He explained: “Riverside Greetings design and supply cards to convenience shops including Spar, Nisa, and Costcutter. They are an ambitious company who want to embrace new innovations in technology.”
Co-leader Dr Esther Pugh, senior lecturer in business strategy and marketing, added: “Our mKTP will bring together experts from across the university – our focus will be on strategic marketing, productivity, and developing cutting-edge new technology for managing and analysing data within the company.”
