In our latest Spotlight On feature, we chat to Samantah Vassallo, who is managing director of marketing company Horizon Works, which is one of this year’s EMCON silver sponsors and a member of EMN.

Tell us more about Horizonworks and the companies you work with.

Horizon Works is based at Northumberland Business Park near Cramlington, Northumberland and was founded in 2010 by managing director Samantha Vassallo.

We support innovators in complex industries and offer a wide range of integrated marketing services across strategy, PR, design and digital.

Horizon Works specialises in grasping complex technologies, products and services and translating this information into compelling messages and campaigns.

We work with regional, national and international clients in sectors including manufacturing, engineering, healthcare and life sciences, technology, professional services and the public sector.

Our current clients include INVISTA Performance Technologies, one of the world’s largest integrated producers of chemical intermediates, Fera Science Ltd (formerly the Food and Environment Research Agency) which is based at the National Agri-Food Innovation Campus near York; Middlesbrough-based hydraulic engineering specialist Industrial & Marine Hydraulics (IMH); expanded metal mesh manufacturer The Expanded Metal Company, commercial law firm Watson Burton; and asbestos management consultancy Franks Portlock.

Horizon Works is the official marketing partner of The Advanced Manufacturing Forum (AMF) and is a member of Engineering & Manufacturing Network (EMN), the North East of England Process Industries Cluster (NEPIC), North East Automotive Alliance (NEAA), Digital Union, North East England Chamber of Commerce (NEECC), and the Entrepreneurs’ Forum.

You’ve exhibited at EMCON in the past. What appealed to you about the silver sponsorship?

We have always been impressed by EMCON – it is an event which has helped businesses in our region connect with each other in a fantastic environment and generate valuable new business opportunities.

We took up the silver sponsorship because we wanted to support an event which attracts businesses from the engineering and manufacturing sectors and helps them to grow. EMCON aligns perfectly with our own business aims and we’re delighted to be more embedded into the event this year.

What do you hope to get from the event?

Increased profile in the industries we work with, new business opportunities, new connections and the chance to meet up with friends from across the business spectrum. EMCON is a great place to have the conversations that can lead to new partnerships. We’re really looking forward to it.

What does the future hold for Horizonworks?

We moved into a new headquarters in Northumberland Business Park recently and this has given us a platform for further expansion, as well as a dedicated events space which our clients, industry partners and other businesses can use. We have the space to grow and have invested heavily in a modern working environment for our staff.

Recent appointments to our team, including Scott Duncan, our new business development director, and new creative and digital specialists, will also support our growth.

It’s a really exciting time for the company!