British Steel wins contract to supply a quarter of a million railway sleepers to Africa
British Steel has won its largest ever order for rail sleepers with a deal to export almost a quarter of a million sleepers to a bauxite mill in West Africa.
British Steel’s Export Sales Manager, Rail, Jérôme Bonef said: “This is fantastic news for our business, particularly given the high level of competition we faced to secure this contract.
“Our steel sleepers provide the perfect technical solution to the challenges facing rail operators in this region and we’re proud to have been chosen to support such a major project.”
Guinea is estimated to possess more than a quarter of the world’s supply of bauxite, and as it continues to increase its export capacity, it needs to upgrade existing freight lines.
British Steel’s contract with the Guinea Bauxite Company will see it deliver 20,000 tonnes of its 436 profile steel sleepers over the next year. The UK manufacturer has partnered on the project with Trackwork, which processes the rolled sleeper into its finished form, and Pandrol, which is providing the railway fastenings to secure the sleepers.
Jérôme said: “We have long-term partnerships with Trackwork and Pandrol. Together we’re able to provide a complete global supply chain solution involving processed steel sleepers and railway fastenings. This enables us to meet all heavy-haul technical requirements and deliver a cost-effective and timely solution to our customer.”
Steel sleepers are stronger and more durable than wooden ones, which have been traditionally used in African regions. Steel sleepers are also 100% recyclable.
Additionally, the transportation of steel sleepers is much more efficient than the transportation of their concrete equivalents as they are lighter and easily stacked – road vehicles can carry 3 times more steel sleepers than concrete, meaning lower transportation costs.
Trackwork Sales Manager Dave Roberts said: “We are absolutely delighted to be part of securing this contract; the most significant single order for steel railway sleepers in the long history of our partnership with British Steel. Succeeding in the face of such high-level competition bears full testament to the expertise, competence and quality within our long-established global supply chain.”
Pandrol Sales and Commercial Director UK Iqbal Chadda said: “Pandrol are proud to have collaborated in this unique project, which brings together the finest range of British products and expertise in order to provide a complete sleeper and rail package for West Africa. The Pandrol team worked alongside British Steel to design a bespoke cast steel shoulder with an E-Clip, that together provide an anti-vandal feature.”
Wilkin Chapman appoints sustainability specialist
Wilkin Chapman solicitors has appointed sustainability specialist Helen Barton as a partner at its Lincoln office.
With more than 15 years’ experience, Helen will focus on all aspects of commercial property work, with a particular emphasis on development work and the energy and renewable sector, and will provide services to landowners and commercial clients.
Having begun her career in Lincoln, Helen spent six years at a company in Scunthorpe before joining Wilkin Chapman in January 2023. She said:
“I always had in the back of my mind that I wanted to come back to Lincoln someday. I hit a bit of a crossroads in my career. The opportunity came up to come back and reconnect with people in Lincoln so I grasped it.
“Wilkin Chapman has been a firm that I’ve known of for years from when I worked in Lincoln. I’ve watched it grow and become the entity that it is now. There was only going to be one firm that I would come back to Lincoln for and that was Wilkin Chapman.
“The way that it’s grown, the fact that it’s forward thinking and the different sectors that it’s moving into made it a very attractive prospect.”
Helen’s work will focus on helping landowners and businesses with a range of commercial property matters, with a particular focus on renewable energy projects. Helen explained:
“Renewable energy is an increasing and ever changing sector. Where landowners have been approached by developers interested in renewable projects such as solar farms and battery storage facilities, we’re helping them in negotiating and agreeing the documentation, including option agreements and leases. As technology progresses in the sector, we need to keep up to date with developments. It’s an exciting sector to be a part of.”
Helen said: “At my previous firm I did a mixture of commercial property work and aside from the renewable projects and development work, I was also involved in sales and purchases, and landlord and tenant work, particularly for repeat clients.
“I really enjoy working with commercial clients on a repeat basis, getting to know their business, getting to know how they like things done and building up relationships with them.”
With over 400 partners and staff located across a network of legal offices in Grimsby, Lincoln, Beverley and Louth, Wilkin Chapman is the largest law firm in the Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire region. The Lincoln office overlooks Brayford Pool in the city centre.
Tradespeople owed an average of £7,000 in overdue payments, says Direct Line
New research from Direct Line business insurance reveals tradespeople are currently owed an average of £6,984 past its due date for payment.
Late payments are a long-standing issue and many tradespeople have had to write off significant sums. On average, the largest single invoice they have given up chasing on payment comes to £4,757 with nearly a quarter losing out on payments worth over £2,500. More than three quarters have at some point tried to make a legal claim to recover payments. Over half were either unsuccessful in their claim or still have unresolved claims.
At a time when expenses are rising sharply due to inflationary pressures, late payments are significantly impacting tradespeople’s personal lives, business operations, and mental wellbeing, says Direct Line. Almost a quarter worry about not being able to cover their family or personal expenses, and one in five is concerned about how late payments are impacting their mental health.
To reduce the impact of late payments on their business, many tradespeople are changing the way they bill for their work. Over a quarter refuse to start work until they receive up-front payment in full, with a quarter choosing to take payments immediately with a card reader or mobile payment. Nearly a quarter charge a ‘late payment fee’ to their clients, and the same number of tradespeople take half of the payment in advance and then the remainder once work is complete. A fifth (20 per cent) of tradespeople offer discounts to clients for paying quickly.
Alison Traboulsi, Product Manager at Direct Line business insurance said: “Tradespeople are vital to the UK economy, and it’s worrying to see that so many are struggling to get paid on-time. Their time is hugely valuable, so effort spent chasing monies owed could prevent them from taking on more work or completing jobs on time. Late payments can also have a huge impact on business operations, finances and, at times, tradespeople’s mental health.
“Times are tough and it is difficult to see so many tradespeople miss out on payments they are legitimately owed due to concerns around legal costs, amongst other reasons. Direct Line business insurance policies come with Legal Essentials, a service that provides tradespeople with unlimited access to a team of DAS legal experts for confidential legal advice and access to a library of legal templates, tools, and guides to help them run their business, including guidance on how to pursue late payments.”
Penistone heritage site to be restored following acquisition
A partially Grade II listed Penistone heritage site that has been derelict for years has been acquired by a local business that plans to invest in and renovate the area, restoring the local ‘eyesore’ to its former glory.
Family-run, Barnsley-based property and land specialists, Fairbank Investments Ltd, have acquired the Coal Drops, signal house, and former railway siding site in Penistone in Barnsley, signalling a new chapter of growth and development for the area.
The Coal Drops, which are located west of the bridge under Penistone Woodhead Railway, were Grade II listed in 1988. It is thought the six arched stone segmented structure dates back to the mid-19th century.
The acquisition of the circa 1 acre development which is located on St Mary’s Street in Penistone, will introduce numerous positive changes to the area and will bring it into line with other development work and projects.
Restoring the unique and culturally significant location will also create a significant number of jobs as well as future prosperity for the site, which has fallen into a state of disrepair.
Through the site acquisition, Fairbank Investments Ltd has fully committed to developing the site, to benefit the local economy and the environment. The company has a track record of successful, sustainable development projects such as the old David Brown factory on Green Road, Penistone revitalising the site by transforming it into a new business park with 15,000 sq ft of offices and a further 66,000 sq ft of warehouse space, creating new jobs and attracting multiple businesses to the area, prioritising eco-friendly design and building practices.
Antony Green, Managing Director of Fairbank Investments Ltd, said: “The Coal Drops is a hugely important site of cultural and historical interest in Penistone and we want to help preserve this heritage, rather than see the site continue to fall into further disrepair. We are thrilled to be taking on this new project in Penistone and are looking for the co-operation of neighbouring land owners to enable us to deliver a scheme that will benefit Penistone.
“As a business we are passionate about supporting local communities, and we believe that this iconic restoration of the Old Signal House and Coal Drops will be a major step forward for the area. We’re excited to bring new businesses, jobs, and opportunities to the region, while also prioritising sustainability and environmental responsibility wherever possible.”
The Coal Drops, signal house and former railway siding site represents a prime location with significant mixed-use development potential. Active planning consent for residential development on the goods yard section of the site is under full review as Fairbank feel that there is a better scheme suited for the site. As part of the planning phase of the project, led by Fairbank Investments Ltd, working with M Booth Design Ltd, consultations are ongoing with local authorities and community groups to ensure that any new development fully aligns with the requirements of the entire community of Penistone.
In addition to the economic benefits of the development scheme, Fairbank Investments Ltd is also committed to minimising its environmental impact. The company plans to use sustainable building practices and technologies throughout the site clear and build, including renewable energy sources, to reduce the carbon footprint of the development.
Antony Green added: “As a responsible business, Fairbank Investments Ltd has a proven track record of implementing successful development projects, particularly where restoration and heritage preservation is concerned. The acquisition of the Coal Drops, signal house, and former railway siding site is sure to be another major success story that will see the whole area transformed into a thriving and progressive development. We’re very excited to help bring new growth and prosperity to the region and are looking forward to working closely with the community to make the project a resounding success.”
UK plans revision of European GDPR rules to cut down ‘pointless paperwork’
New data laws to cut down pointless paperwork for businesses and reduce annoying cookie pops-up are being introduced by the government today in Parliament with a new common-sense-led UK version of the EU’s GDPR.
It’s claimed the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill will reduce costs and burdens for British businesses and charities, remove barriers to international trade and cut the number of repetitive data collection pop-ups online.
Its said the revised bill will:
- Introduce a simple, clear and business-friendly framework that will not be difficult or costly to implement – taking the best elements of GDPR and providing businesses with more flexibility about how they comply with the new data laws
- Ensure the new regime maintains data adequacy with the EU, and wider international confidence in the UK’s comprehensive data protection standards
- Further reduce the amount of paperwork organisations need to complete to demonstrate compliance
- Support even more international trade without creating extra costs for businesses if they’re already compliant with current data regulation
- Provide organisations with greater confidence about when they can process personal data without consent
- Increase public and business confidence in AI technologies by clarifying the circumstances when robust safeguards apply to automated decision-making
Second Coney Street Riverside planning application submitted
Yorkshire property specialist Helmsley Group has submitted a second planning application for its ambitious Coney Street Riverside masterplan.
The plans, submitted to City of York Council (CoYC), feature numbers 3-7 Coney Street and include proposals to create a new snickelway connecting Coney Street to the riverside walkway outlined in the initial planning application. This new riverside connection will create a route by which the River Ouse can be accessed and this part of the city can be explored.
The land is currently used for bin storage and is not utilised by the general public. Opening up this new connection will play a key role in re-connecting Coney Street to the river.
The development will open up the ground floor of 5 Coney Street and create access through to the new snickelway and the riverfront. The existing shopfronts of the listed buildings at 3-7 Coney Street will also be sensitivity regenerated to reflect their historic character.
In addition to the creation of additional public realm through the introduction of the access route, the plans also introduce residential apartments into the currently unused upper floors of buildings 3-7.
Retail space of a size aimed at independent businesses is proposed on the ground floors, and the creation of the new ginnel will allow for the introduction of new restaurants or cafés with external seating. This aligns with the ethos of Helmsley Group’s initial planning submission, which seeks to support local businesses, and attract independent retailers and leisure owners to the area.
Helmsley Group is working with current tenants on Coney Street to relocate them within the existing scheme, should they wish to retain a presence.
Max Reeves, development director at the Helmsley Group, said: “This further planning application forms part of our long-held ambition to reconnect Coney Street with its riverfront, create much-needed public realm of national standing and improve both connectivity and accessibility within central York. It builds on our vision to honour the area’s rich heritage while sensitively taking the necessary strides required to secure its long-term future.
“As well as creating a welcoming, family friendly offer through the realisation of these plans, we’re also seeking to introduce much-needed affordable housing within the city centre. This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reinvigorate a much-loved but sadly under-appreciated area of the city centre, and one that has played such an important role in York’s history to date.”
Led by York-based developer the Helmsley Group, the Coney Street Riverside masterplan seeks to create 250,000 sq ft of mixed-use retail, leisure, commercial, residential and student space, alongside extensive public realm.
The project team for the scheme includes Helmsley Group, Vincent & Brown, O’Neill Associates, Corstorphine and Wright, Montagu Evans, Aspect4, Gillespies, Troup Bywaters & Anders, Billinghurst George & Partners, Jane Simpson Access, Knight Frank, DS Emotion and Aberfield Communications.
Converted mill in Leeds sold for £17m
JM Construction has sold a converted mill at the Victoria Riverside development in Hunslet, Leeds to global real estate investment and fund management firm, LRC Group for £17m.
Comprising 93 apartments, Mill F was the final mill to be sold in a wider project converting a mix of grade II and II* listed former Hunslet and Victoria flax spinning mills to create a new £50m residential site.
Now completed, Victoria Riverside comprises 350 one, two and three-bedroom units, including penthouse apartments, across six individual buildings.
A team from law firm Gordons, led by partner and head of residential development, Michael Finnett advised JM Construction on the sale.
John Mulleady, Managing Director at JM Construction, said: “Victoria Riverside is a development where classic meets contemporary and is truly a landmark scheme for Leeds.
“It was great to work with Gordons on this latest sale. The firm’s effective, practical and straight-talking advice has been instrumental throughout the development’s entire journey.”
Gordons partner, Michael Finnett added: “JM Construction is a developer with a strong track record for converting derelict buildings and brownfield sites to create modern housing.
“It is exciting being involved in this award-winning development turning buildings that were once the industrial fabric of Leeds into modern properties without sacrificing their character.”
James Smart, Managing Director of Smart Investments, who acted as agents for the sale, said: “Victoria Riverside is an opportunity for tenants to live in an historic building with a modern architectural design and excellent location next to the River Aire – a great asset for the purchaser to add to their portfolio.”
A quarter of Yorkshire businesses to improve workplace inclusivity by august 2023
Research from Lloyds Bank, ahead of International Women’s Day, found almost two thirds (60%) of businesses in Yorkshire plan to introduce new policies and training to improve inclusivity in the workplace – and one in four (25%) plan to act in the next six months.
The survey found that firms in Yorkshire plan to prioritise joining inclusivity schemes (37%) as they strive to build a more inclusive working environment. Almost one in three intend to train their staff on diversity and inclusion (32%) while a similar proportion (30%) intend to hire a more diverse team.
But for many businesses, delivering their plans will require external support and guidance. Almost two fifths (38%) said they need access to specialist HR skills, while nearly a third (30%) said financial incentives from government would help with their progress towards building a more inclusive workforce. Peer-to-peer support was cited by more than one in four (27%) as essential to help them move forward.
Steve Harris, area director for Yorkshire at Lloyds Bank, said: “It’s great to see that the majority of firms in Yorkshire are concentrating on building a more diverse and inclusive workforce. Bringing in training and support from peers and networks will help as businesses strive to create workplaces that represent the communities they serve across the region and beyond. We’ll be by the side of businesses, and sharing our learnings on this important topic, as we all work towards building the economy of the future.”
Three women trailblazers from Yorkshire and the Humber win national award and £50,000 each
From converting the use of synthetics to wool in aquafarming for more healthier shores to a unique community-led digital training platform for health and social care professionals, Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation Awards will empower three pioneering women from Yorkshire and the Humber to scale their innovative businesses.
These three women entrepreneurs are amongst this year’s 50 winners of Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation Awards who are developing novel solutions to major social, environmental and economic challenges. Each winner will benefit from a £50,000 grant, one-to-one business coaching, and a suite of networking, role modelling, and training opportunities.
Coinciding with International Women’s Day (Wednesday 8 March), the Awards reflect the government’s ambition to give more support to women innovators and business leaders.
The range of innovations from across the UK are vast, from health tech to education and from protecting lives to new ways to play music. The entrepreneurs from Yorkshire and the Humber are recognised today on International Women’s Day which is encouraging people to “embrace equity.” They are:
- Kirsty Smitten, from Sheffield, is a Forbes 30 Under 30 and Sheffield University’s Turner Prize awardee who developed a new game-changing class of antibiotics with her company MetalloBio that will prevent and treat bacterial infection. Fuelled by seeing the negative effects of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) on her family members and closest friend, Kirsty is determined to stem AMR’s rapid rise, which currently contributes to 1.2 million deaths globally.
- Katherine (Kate) Drury, from West Yorkshire, founder of Sustainable Rope, who aims to convert marine and aquafarming to using 100% wool rope as a viable natural fibre alternative to synthetics which are causing significant ecological problems in our rivers and seas.
- Tammy Banks, from York, founder of Taye Training, who, after a complex childhood and spending her teenage years homeless, has designed an experiential, community-led training programme and first of its kind qualification for trainers of health and social care professionals that ensures their training is consistently impactful and relevant.
Business leaders invited to share in peer-to-peer networking to boost international growth
Business owners across Lincolnshire and Rutland are being invited to join a peer-to-peer networking programme that has been designed to support international growth.
Delivered by Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce on behalf of Business Lincolnshire, the Peer Networks programme gives directors, senior managers, and business owners the opportunity to share common business challenges and objectives relating to overseas growth.
Regular sessions take place over several months and are facilitated by experts in the field and supported by specialist guest speakers.
Charlotte Watson, Deputy Chief Executive of Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce, is heading up the programme. She said: “Peer networks are quite different to a traditional classroom development programme, they are much more informal as the agenda is set by the wants and needs of the group members.
“Where we think the added value is the development of support channels outside of the group, which are nurtured over the longer term and bringing businesses together in such a way to share, learn and support is an area the Chamber is particularly well placed to lead on.”
Eve Farley, International Trade Coach at Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce who’ll be delivering the programme, said: “International Trade is a key area for the Chamber and there is a world of opportunities out there for businesses whether that be through expanding in to new markets or starting completely from scratch with exporting, these peer networks are designed to support businesses with international growth and the challenges that come with it.”
To qualify, businesses must be based in Greater Lincolnshire, including North and North-East Lincolnshire or Rutland; have operated for at least a year; employ fewer than 250 people; and have aspirations to export or expand current activities.
Up to 10 individuals are involved in each cohort and are required to give a time commitment of about 18 hours across the duration of the fully-funded programme.
Anyone interested in taking part in the Peer Networks may register their interest via the Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce website: https://www.lincs-chamber.co.uk/international-trade/peer-to-peer-networks/
