Frontier Software support Festival of Work
Frontier Software support CIPD Festival of Work at ExCel London on 12th and 13th June 2024.
The Festival of Work, organised by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), returns for its sixth year bringing together the latest insights, trends, and innovations in HR, L&D, and internal communications. The event includes over 150 inspirational speakers and experts, sharing their knowledge and expertise on a wide range of topics, from employee experience, learning and development, to personal wellbeing.
The festival floor is a must-visit destination, with over 170 exhibitor stands showcasing the latest innovations, cutting-edge workplace technology, business management tools and services. Visitors can expect to gain valuable insights, network with peers and discover new solutions to drive business success. Whether you’re looking to enhance your skills, stay up-to-date on industry trends, or find new corporate solutions, this event is not to be missed.
An experienced and trusted provider, Frontier Software has been delivering innovative HR software solutions for over 40 years. Their extensive product range is continually being developed to meet the complex demands of HR professionals. The Frontier Software comprehensive suite of integrated software modules is designed to provide personalised employee interactions, striking the perfect balance between organisational and individual needs. With highly configurable automation tools, you can tailor your HR processes to fit your unique business requirements.
Real-time data is always at your fingertips, empowering users to make informed and accurate decisions. Furthermore, the ChatHR feature enables seamless, conversational interactions between employees and your HR database, streamlining employee engagement and support.
Visit Frontier Software at the Festival of Work to learn more about HR and/or Payroll cloud-based solutions, and outsourced payroll processing services for organisations of every size and sector.
FEO moves into new office and partnership with John Good Group
Hull and East Yorkshire focused Community Interest Company For Entrepreneurs Only has formed a new partnership and an office base with John Good Group at Quarry House, in Hesslewood Office Park, Hessle.
Adam Walsh, John Good Group’s CEO is already a member of FEO and is looking forward to strengthening the relationship. He said: “I’m a huge fan of the FEO and the work they do for the business community in our region. You cannot fail to be impressed by the range of peer-led programmes and initiatives created to help and support those running or starting a business in Hull & East Yorkshire.”
FEO is made up of like-minded entrepreneurs representing successful businesses of all sizes and sectors. Its members employ over 25,000 people and contribute over £4.5bn to the local economy each year. The group is passionate about improving the local economy and run a wide range of peer-led programmes and events throughout the year. In 2021 FEO was awarded The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in recognition of the time and commitment given by members and key partners.
Jan Brumby, FEO’s Chief Executive, looks forward to working with Adam and the John Good Group. He said:“I’m proud to welcome the John Good Group as an FEO key partner. As a sixth-generation family business, their range of companies continues to focus on people, planet and performance. Adam and his team actively support FEO’s mission, vision and values, giving something back to the local economy in which they are based. Their support, along with that of our other valued key partners helps us to continue the great work our members do in helping entrepreneurs to start, develop and grow their businesses. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank them all for their continuing active support and involvement.”
Adam added: “There’s so much alignment between FEO, its members and partners, and the John Good Group – all are ambitious and growth-minded organisations who strive to thrive. Being able to support the FEO with a home at our offices and opening our facilities to FEO members is something I’m really excited about and another important milestone for our organisation. Having operated over three different centuries alongside the Humber, we’ve a real sense of place and are always keen to support the local economy and the businesses that operate here.”
The John Good Group has interests in Shipping, Corporate Travel, Warehousing & Haulage, Property, and is a keen supporter of social impact causes, through its foundation, the Matthew Good Foundation. It joins FEO’s 8 local key partners: Connexin, Cranswick plc, Gosschalks, Horncastle Group, MKM Building Supplies, Neill & Brown, Smailes Goldie and The One Point.
Farmers urged to get election candidates ‘down on the farm’
Said NFU Head of External Affairs Scott Pepe: “Getting candidates on farm is a great opportunity to get across specific local issues, as well as informing candidates about the broader problems impacting farmers up and down the country. So far we’ve met almost 250 candidates on farms or in one-on-one meetings.”
Mr Pepe advises farmers:
1. Get in touch with your county adviser
2. Set the agenda
3. Plan an itinerary for the visit
4. Know your candidate
5. Come prepared with solutions
JMG Group cleans up with GLEAMING INSURANCE acquisition
Cleaning industry specialist GLEAMING INSURANCE is the latest broker to have been acquired by Leeds-based JMG Group.
GLEAMING INSURANCE brings cleaning industry expertise to JMG Group, offering bespoke insurance policies for cleaning professionals, underwritten by Hiscox Insurance. Launched by MD Martin Holden in 2011, the business will continue to operate as GLEAMING INSURANCE.
MD Martin Holden began his insurance career in 1989 as an underwriter for a large national
insurance company before a long career in the broking market. He went on to establish GLEAMING INSURANCE which provides direct online services with a strong customer focus as well as giving access to the scheme to other brokers and their clients.
Martin Holden says: “The business is in a very strong position and with the help of JMG Group this will allow us to build the brand further and become the go-to broker for all the cleaning industry’s insurance needs.
“JMG Group will help to open up market opportunities and support me in establishing and fostering even more partnerships. This move will also allow me to focus on its further development and growth.”
As part of JMG Group, GLEAMING INSURANCE will have access to a broader pool of expertise and market advantage from within the group which will support its ambitious plans.
Nick Houghton, JMG Group CEO, says: “The relationship we’ve built with Martin over the years made this acquisition a very easy decision for both of us to make. As a successful niche business Martin would have had his pick of investors and so I’m utterly delighted that he and his team have chosen JMG Group to support the business’s next chapter of growth.”
Renewed rise in Yorkshire & Humber business activity in May
The headline NatWest Yorkshire & Humber PMI® Business Activity Index – a seasonally adjusted index that measures the month-on-month change in the combined output of the region’s manufacturing and service sectors – posted back above the 50.0 no-change mark in May, rising to 50.5 from 47.3 in April.
The index therefore signalled a renewed expansion of output in the region’s private sector, ending a three-month sequence of reduction. That said, the rate of growth was only marginal and the slowest of the 12 regions and nations of the UK covered by the report.
The increase in business activity was in line with the picture for new orders, which also returned to growth during May. In turn, a renewed rise in employment was signalled. Meanwhile, input costs continued to rise sharply, albeit at a softer pace. Moreover, the rate of output price inflation was the slowest since September 2020.
May data signalled a renewed expansion in new orders at companies in the Yorkshire & Humber region, thereby ending a one-year sequence of decline. Greater sales volumes were reported by a number of companies, in some cases linked to successful advertising and improved market confidence.
That said, the rate of growth in new business was only fractional and weaker than the UK average.
Business sentiment was unchanged in May, remaining solid but just below the series average. More than half of respondents predicted a rise in output over the coming year, linked to business investment plans, plus expected improvements in new orders and economic conditions.
Manufacturers were more optimistic than their service sector counterparts.
Companies in Yorkshire & Humber responded to the return to growth of new orders by taking on additional staff in May. The slight rise in staffing levels ended a three-month sequence of job cuts.
Firms in the region increased employment to a slightly stronger degree than the UK average.
Although new orders increased in May, the marginal expansion was not strong enough to erase evidence of spare capacity in the region’s private sector. As such, backlogs of work decreased for the fifteenth consecutive month. The latest fall was solid, albeit the least marked for a year.
Outstanding business was down across both monitored sectors.
After hitting a one-year high in April, the rate of input cost inflation slowed sharply during May and was at a seven-month low. That said, input prices continued to rise at a marked pace. Where input costs increased, panellists reported higher wages and rises in prices for raw materials such as aluminium.
Service providers posted a much faster increase than manufacturers.
Although output prices continued to rise in May, the rate of inflation eased for the third consecutive month to the weakest since September 2020. In fact, the increase in charges in the region was the second-slowest of the 12 UK areas covered, faster only than the North West.
Some firms increased selling prices in line with higher input costs, but others indicated that muted demand had reduced their pricing power.
Malcolm Buchanan, Chair of the NatWest North Regional Board, said: “The latest PMI data for the Yorkshire & Humber region make for encouraging reading, with local firms seeing renewed increases in output, new orders and employment during the month.
“The hope will be that the recent soft patch is behind us and that growth can start to solidify and speed up over the coming months. One other development of note was that selling prices increased at the slowest pace in approaching four years, potentially providing a further boost to demand conditions.”
JMG Group motors ahead with latest acquisition
Leeds-based JMG Group has completed its acquisition of Eastbourne-based Executive Insurance Services, bringing additional commercial and motor trade insurance expertise to the business.
Directors Martyn Owen and Martin Davies will continue to lead Executive Insurance’s team of 18.
Martin Davies became a shareholder of Executive Insurance in 2010 and then the sole owner in 2012. His now business partner Martyn Owen joined Executive Insurance 13 years ago and is the director in charge of the broker’s day to day operations.
Director, Martin Davies, says: “We are proud of what we have achieved so far in our journey and have big plans for the future. JMG Group will provide the support to help make those plans a reality. The sale has been such a straight forward process, thanks to our internal processes and the expertise of JMG’s M&A team.
“As well as taking away some of the heavy lifting associated with running a broker, this will help us to further develop our team and continue to expand our client base.”
Tim Johnson, JMG Group chairman, says: “Executive Insurance Services is an ideal partner for JMG. Not only does the business extend our geographic footprint, it brings a specialist capability in the motor trade sector underpinned by an experienced team who share our client first ethos.
“This partnership will bring added value to our joint customers up and down the country and we’re excited to work together to further build on their successes to date.”
TDR Capital to become majority owner of Asda
TDR Capital has agreed to acquire Zuber Issa’s shares in Asda and will become the majority shareholder with 67.5% ownership.
TDR Capital invested in Asda alongside the Issa brothers, and together they took majority ownership of the business in June 2021.
Gary Lindsay and Tom Mitchell, Managing Partners of TDR Capital, said: “We first invested into Asda over three years ago, seeing a huge opportunity to cement its position as one of the UK’s leading retail brands.
“As majority owners, we will continue to work closely with the Asda management team and colleagues across the business to support its growth strategy, which we believe is the right one to continue to move Asda forward.”
GMB Union, however, has raised concerns about TDR Capital taking a bigger stake in Asda.
Nadine Houghton, GMB National Officer, said: “TDR Capital has serious questions to answer about their asset-stripping of Asda.
“Their private equity ownership has already been bad for consumers – with Asda now the most expensive retailer for fuel – and bad for staff, with millions of working hours cut from the shop floor.
“Further involvement from TDR can only spell more bad news. Bosses must change course to protect Asda workers and stop this British retailer further losing more market share.”
Yorkshire law firm Gordons advises Warburton’s on 65,850 sq ft distribution centre pre-let
Law firm Gordons has advised Britain’s largest bakery brand on the pre-letting of a new, bespoke 65,847 sq ft distribution centre to be developed in Biggleswade, near Bedford.
Warburtons has agreed to take a 25-year lease of the distribution and office facility at developer Tritax Symmetry’s Phase 3 of the 150-acre Symmetry Park Biggleswade scheme.
The highly sustainable building, with on-site EV charging and solar PV arrays, is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2025.
A team led by Gordons commercial property partner, Sarah Ratcliffe, advised Warburtons on the deal.
Commenting on the support from the Gordons’ team, Jim Norton, head of distribution network transformation at Warburtons, said: “As the largest bakery brand in the UK, we have a responsibility to lead and constantly innovate. That’s not only true with our products but also with the facilities in which we bake and distribute.
“The practical commercial advice provided by Sarah and the team at Gordons played a pivotal role in enabling us to secure the pre-let of our new depot.”
Bolton-headquartered Warburtons currently produces more than two million products every day at its 11 bakeries, including one in Wakefield. It delivers fresh to 18,500 stores across the UK every morning from the company’s 18 depots.
Gordons’ Sarah Ratcliffe added: “It was a pleasure to advise Warburtons on the pre-let deal.
“The new facility will only serve to further strengthen Warburtons’ business. We look forward to seeing the state-of-the-art highly sustainable building coming to fruition now that the deal has been agreed.”
Wykeland adds Leeds office building to growing property portfolio
Leading Yorkshire property development and investment company Wykeland Group has acquired an office building in a prime location in Leeds city centre.
Elizabeth House is situated just off Wellington Place in the heart of the city centre and is a short walk from Leeds Station.
Wykeland has acquired the building from an institutional investor, which had owned it since 2014. The building comprises 25,000 sq ft across five storeys and includes 15 car parking spaces.
Elizabeth House is let to Clarion Solicitors, which was recently recognised as one of the fastest-growing law firms in Europe.
Wykeland Property Director David Donkin said: “We’re delighted to have acquired this property in a prime location in the centre of Leeds, the commercial capital of Yorkshire.
“It adds to our growing portfolio of buildings in key town and city centre locations in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.
“We’re continuing to actively explore opportunities to acquire properties that are in attractive locations and add value to our asset base.”
Sheffield renewable energy installer acquired
Hometree, the residential energy services company, has acquired Sheffield-based renewable energy installer IMS Heat Pumps.
Founded in 2015, Hometree has become a challenger brand in residential energy services. With an initial focus on home emergency breakdown and insurance, Hometree has since expanded into renewable installations and financing.
With demand set to surge for renewable energy installations, Hometree is in a prime position to accelerate the change from gas boilers to heat pumps and other renewable forms of technology across the UK.
With targets set to have 600,000 heat pumps installed by 2028, Hometree is capitalising on this switch to renewables by acquiring IMS Heat Pumps, which has pioneered heat pump installations across England and Scotland since 1997.
IMS Heat Pumps will gain access to Hometree’s customer base, its suite of financing products and insurance services.
Meanwhile, the acquisition will enable Hometree to bolster its engineering force and re-train more of its 5,000 engineers to be able to install, repair and maintain renewables.
Hometree founder & CEO Simon Phelan said: “I’m incredibly excited to be partnering with Emma Bohan and the IMS team and look forward to helping them scale the company significantly.
“If the UK is to achieve its net zero ambition, we will need an army of installers right across the country and we’re committed to bringing together these skills, supported by financing and in-life repair and maintenance services, to make Hometree the first choice for homeowners who want to do the right thing by the planet.”
Emma Bohan, Managing Director of IMS Heat Pumps, said: “We’ve been installing heat pumps for over 25 years and we’ve watched the renewable home energy industry grow and grow in that time.
“By partnering with Hometree, we can bring our specialist expertise to many more homeowners and look forward to working closely with the Hometree team to drive uptake of sustainable heating solutions across the country.”
