Saturday, May 3, 2025

Business communications specialist set for growth with multi-million pound investment

Tess Egginton
-
0
Business communications specialist set for growth with multi-million pound investment

Wakefield-based business communications specialist NGC Networks is targeting £10 million turnover in the next year, backed by significant new investment from CloudClevr.

NGC Networks was established 20 years ago by joint Managing Directors Dean Harrop and Nikki Guest and has grown to be a leading player in its sector across the North of England.

The company employs 45 people and has more than 800 customers, providing them with telephony, unified communications, connectivity, mobile, contact centre solutions and managed services.

CloudClevr is a new venture with majority investment from specialist investment business Rigby Technology Investments (RTI), part of Rigby Group PLC, a £3.3 billion privately owned technology group and one of Europe’s leading technology investors.

NGC Networks will use the investment to drive its growth across Yorkshire and the North, increasing its customer portfolio, capability and creating jobs in the coming 12 months. CloudClevr will support NGC with enhanced cloud-based propositions and investment in sales and marketing, enabling NGC to concentrate on customer management, sales and technical leadership.

Dean Harrop, joint Managing Director of NGC, said: “We are delighted to secure the investment and support of Rigby Group and to benefit from the ambition and technology investment going into CloudClevr. It’s great for our colleagues who will benefit from being part of a growing, national business allowing them to develop and succeed in an ever-changing marketplace.”

Nikki Guest, joint Managing Director of NGC, said: “We are committed to remaining our customers’ trusted advisor, helping them navigate the growing complexity of converged IT and communications. I’m very excited about the market opportunity we have ahead and to continue building NGC as a powerhouse of the northern region as part of CloudClevr.”

Steve Harris, CEO of CloudClevr, said: “I am pleased to be working alongside Nikki and Dean. In NGC, they’ve created a fantastic business with strong potential. They have a brilliant team in place and I’m really looking forward to starting this new journey together.”

The investment in NGC is the first in a series of strategic investments which will see CloudClevr emerge as a next generation managed services provider focused on delivering converged Cloud, IT and communications services.

Sheffield becomes home to first-of-a-kind campus for Government employees

Stuart Pearcey
-
0
Sheffield becomes home to first-of-a-kind campus for Government employees
A first-of-its-kind campus for government staff in key policy roles has been launched in Sheffield, as new figures show Yorkshire and the Humber have benefitted from more than 2,400 relocated roles. It comes as the Cabinet Office announced the pilot of a new regional fast stream, part of the government’s ambitious plans to bring jobs and drive local economic growth across the UK. The scheme will prevent graduates having to leave the Yorkshire region to move into decision-making policy teams. There are also plans for expanded policy apprenticeships and events to attract university-leavers within the city, providing greater opportunities for the young people of Yorkshire. Traditionally most civil service teams based outside of London have been operationally-focussed, but the aim of the policy campus is to create a hub of core policy jobs, where people can advance their careers in key decision-making positions. Under these new plans, people will no longer have to move to, or work in, London to have a long and fulfilling career in the civil service. This forms part of a broader strategy to ensure people from all regions and backgrounds are contributing to the creation of government policies. Levelling up the civil service in this way is key to ensuring it  reflects the communities it serves, whilst delivering on the Government’s priority to grow the economy. Latest relocation studies suggest a local economic benefit of £30 million per 1,000 roles relocated. Cabinet Office minister Alex Burghart said: “This Government is delivering on its promise to level up across the country by ensuring that we create opportunities for people across the country. “This policy campus is a commitment to the people of Sheffield that local people will have a central role to play in the development of major national policies. “Relocating roles out of London and establishing skills clusters will provide a fantastic economic boost for the people of Yorkshire and the Humber, a region that has an immense array of talent and I’m delighted that we’re going to make use of it.” Around 1,000 civil servants working a range of departments including the Department for Education, the Home Office and the Department for Work & Pensions are based at the site. The Department of Health and Social Care, the Department for Transport and the Cabinet Office have moved the most roles to Yorkshire and the Humber. 637 roles have relocated into Sheffield, primarily in the Home Office alongside more DWP, DfE and Ministry of Justice jobs which have moved to the city under the scheme. Sheffield also has 75 senior civil servants based in the city, one of the highest proportions outside of London.

Farming businesses can bid for share in increased funding for equipment to boost sustainable food production

Stuart Pearcey
-
0
Farming businesses can bid for share in increased funding for equipment to boost sustainable food production
Farm businesses can benefit from new equipment and technology to boost sustainable food production and reduce emissions and waste after a fund of £17m was upped to £31m in this week’s latest round of the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund. Applicants can now claim for grants under the Productivity and Slurry budget to help cover the costs of over 90 pieces of equipment, from rainwater harvesting tanks to reduce water scarcity for farmers in the summer; tree shears to help stop the spread of pests and diseases; to equipment to minimise grass contamination and ammonia emissions when spreading slurry. The Farming Equipment and Technology Fund provides funding to farming businesses so they can invest in the tools they need to improve sustainable production across agriculture, horticulture and forestry. Productivity and Slurry grants will specifically support the procurement of equipment and technology that will help farmers use fewer inputs, reduce emissions and cut waste. With more than 3,000 applications received for the FETF 2023 Productivity and Slurry grants, the government is matching this high demand by increasing the total funding offered from £17m to £31m. Twenty-one additional items have been added under the scheme in 2023, including camera-guided inter-row sprayers to help reduce herbicide usage, and mulchers for forestry, orchards and vineyards to help reduce input costs and improve carbon retention in the soil. This will ensure as many farmers as possible can claim for the equipment they need to run a profitable farming business that delivers for both food production and the environment. Secretary of State for Food and Farming Thérèse Coffey said: “The tremendous interest shown in the FETF 2023 Productivity and Slurry underscores the determination of our farmers to drive ever more productive and sustainable farming practices to keep food on our plates whilst protecting our important landscapes and habitats. “By empowering farms to invest cash in new kit, we are ensuring our farmers, growers and foresters have the equipment they need to embrace innovation, protect the environment, and contribute to a thriving and sustainable agricultural sector.” Items applied for in the FETF 2023 Productivity and Slurry budget include:
  • Direct drill with fertiliser placement for precision drilling of arable and cover crops to help reduce crop establishment costs and increase efficiency of fertiliser usage. 250 applicants to be offered this grant worth £6.25m.
  • Robotic drill and guided hoe – an autonomous robotic vehicle which can precisely place seed in the ground and return to mechanically weed – this helps to reduce herbicide usage and associated costs. Ten applications accepted with a value of £250,000.
  • Rainwater harvesting tanks with a minimum capacity of 5,000 litres which will help to reduce water scarcity for farmers in the summer months. This equipment will now benefit 86 recipients with a value of £110,802.
  • Tree shears with the capacity to fell 300mm diameter trees to stop the spread of pests and diseases across our woodlands. This funding helped 113 recipients with a total value of £363,747.
  • Dribble bars with a minimum working width of 6m designed to apply slurry to the soil surface as accurately as possible to minimise grass contamination and ammonia emissions. This equipment was made accessible to 94 farmers, amounting to a value of £403,200.
  • Direct drills with a width of 3m to conserve moisture and reduces soil erosion. This initiative assisted 129 applicants, totalling £1.555m in value.

Labour leader tours British Steel’s Scunthorpe steelworks

Stuart Pearcey
-
0
Labour leader tours British Steel’s Scunthorpe steelworks
Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer has visited British Steel’s Scunthorpe site to discuss the significant challenges faced by Britain’s steelmakers. British Steel is the UK’s only manufacturer of structural sections, which it supplies into three out of four major construction projects in this country, and is the only company in the UK which makes rail and special profiles. In addition to this, it provides thousands of highly skilled and well-paid jobs while an estimated 19,000 people are employed in its supply chain. During its first three years of ownership, Jingye has invested £330 million in capital projects at British Steel. The company says its decarbonisation strategy is underpinned by a Low-Carbon Roadmap which will help secure low embedded carbon steelmaking in the UK. A spokesman for the company said: “However, we need the UK to adopt the correct policies and frameworks now to back our drive to become a clean, green, and successful company. Governments in the countries where our major competitors operate have adopted such policies and the longer we wait for their implementation in the UK, the more impact this will have on our competitiveness and the country’s ability to meet its carbon objectives.” Alun Davies, National Officer for Community, the steelworkers’ union, said: “It was good to meet today with Keir and discuss Labour’s plans to deliver a decarbonised steel industry at the core of an ambitious industrial strategy. Britain needs its steel industry and Britain’s steelworkers need government to do far more to support our steelmakers to go green and prosper. All us steelworkers ask is the chance to compete on a level playing field with EU producers.” Sir Keir was joined on his visit by Ed Miliband MP, Shadow Secretary of State of Climate Change and Net Zero, and Sir Nic Dakin.

Sewell Construction joins ranks of firms to share in £305m of capital works

Stuart Pearcey
-
0
Sewell Construction joins ranks of firms to share in £305m of capital works
Sewell Construction has been chosen as one of the suppliers for procurement organisation Fusion21’s Refurbishment, Construction, New Build and Modular Buildings Framework. The framework is designed to support public sector organisations to deliver up to £305m worth of housing, education and healthcare capital works programmes, including building and refurbishing schools and hospitals. Sewell Construction Joint MD Chris Soper said: “We’re really pleased to have been awarded a place on this framework, which compliments our place on the Fusion21 Decarbonisation Framework.  Our team have extensive expertise across the public and private sectors, but some of our highest profile projects have involved constructing and refurbishing schools, colleges, universities and healthcare buildings.  We’re looking forward to working with partners across the North of England to ensure that education and healthcare professionals can deliver services in world-class facilities.” Paul Towers, Framework Manager (Construction & Decarbonisation) at Fusion21 said: “We welcome Sewell Construction to the framework. The tender process was highly competitive and has identified the best contractors for our members to use for the delivery of a whole range of construction programmes. “Members accessing this framework will benefit from flexible call-off options, UK-wide coverage, and the option to deliver social value to their communities, aligned to their organisational priorities.” Sewell Construction, based in Leads Road in Hull, has more than 150 years’ experience in construction projects across Yorkshire and the Humber. Recent successes include the design and building of the new Broadacre Primary School, the construction of West Hull Health Hub (pictured above), the refurbishment of The Edge fitness centre at the University of Leeds and the ongoing conversion of the former Central Fire Station in Hull into a high performing, low carbon-impact extension of the Ron Dearing UTC, housing a renewables innovation lab, creativity hub and sixth-form centre.

Refurbishment programme leads to full occupancy for Rotherham business park

Tess Egginton
-
0
Refurbishment programme leads to full occupancy for Rotherham business park
An extensive £1m refurbishment programme has led to full occupancy at a 112,000 sq ft Rotherham business park.New tenants Fourways Traffic Management, introduced to the industrial scheme by property consultants Knight Frank, have completed the line-up of 20 occupiers at Waleswood Industrial Estate, while two lease renewals have been agreed for a further five years.The well established MLI estate, comprising of 22 units across three terraces, was purchased in October 2021 for £9.95m by BCCIM, a joint venture between Barwood Capital Ltd and Caisson Investment Management, in their Urban Industrial Income LP, who undertook a substantial refurbishment of the development.Tenants have been attracted by the refurburbishment works which were recently completed, which included ESG works to improve the energy efficiency of the estate with new roof coverings, cladding and the replacement of windows and doors across the whole estate resulting in EPC upgrades, and also its ideal position within South Yorkshire, at the boundary of Sheffield and Rotherham allowing easy access into Sheffield and onto the M1 motorway.Harry Orwin-Allen, senior surveyor at Knight Frank in Sheffield which marketed the units with CPP, said: “The offer of modern refurbished units, tailored to occupiers needs, has satisfied the continued need for good quality accommodation, and subsequently achieved strong headline rent levels.”Fourways Traffic Management has joined the local and national occupiers at Waleswood including Yorkshire Crisps, Pollybrook Ltd and Xpress Sameday Ltd.

Engineering boss urges plastics manufacturers to be ready for new legislation

Stuart Pearcey
-
0
Engineering boss urges plastics manufacturers to be ready for new legislation
Doncaster-based precision engineering company Agemaspark is urging plastics manufacturers to get ready for the changes in legislation coming later this year and in 2024. The company is keen to ensure that businesses are ready for October 2023, when the single use plastic ban comes into force in England and, for the July 2024 changes, requiring tethered caps and lids for plastic containers up to three litres across Europe. Paul Stockhill, MD at Agemaspark said: “These are big changes that are coming into force in the UK and across Europe. They are important changes to help businesses find more environmentally sustainable ways of working. This is an opportunity for the industry to review and modify production processes to identify areas that may need modification to meet the new regulations. “We want to make sure that all businesses working in plastics manufacturing are aware that the legislative changes are coming and that they have solutions in place to help them to continue to deliver their products in a way that meets the new requirements. “Working together we can devise efficient and sustainable solutions that align with the legislation.” The EU will implement a new regulation in July 2024 requiring all plastic containers up to three litres to have tethered caps and lids. This measure aims to reduce the number of caps and lids that become litter and contribute to plastic pollution. “Plastics manufacturers must prepare for this change by modifying their manufacturing processes to incorporate tethered cap solutions. Ensuring these caps and lids remain attached to the containers throughout their lifecycle will not only comply with the regulation but also demonstrate a commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility. This will impact not only on drinks bottle manufacturers but shampoo, shower gel and many make up products too. “One thing is for certain, the plastic industry is on the verge of significant legislation changes that demand the preparedness of plastics manufacturers, by being proactive and embracing improved manufacturing processes they can help to reduce their environmental impact.”

Green light given for commercial TV and film studios at historic Church Fenton aerodrome

Tess Egginton
-
0
Green light given for commercial TV and film studios at historic Church Fenton aerodrome
On behalf of Makins Ltd, Pegasus Group has secured the approval of reserved matters for three new sound stages/studios, office space and new landscaping at the Church Fenton media complex in North Yorkshire. This follows the grant of outline planning permission, also submitted by Pegasus Group upon the site in 2020. Having hosted productions such as ITV’s Victoria, the approval of this reserved matters application is a further step in the transformation of this former RAF airbase into a state-of-the-art commercial TV and film studio facility, creating opportunities for the creative, digital and media industries. The proposals will deliver over 15,000 square metres of new floorspace improving facilities for filmmaking and further cementing the importance of Church Fenton Aerodrome in delivering on wider economic growth aspirations for the council within the creative industries. Chris Makin, Managing Director at Makins Ltd, said: “This latest permission is an important step forward in our exciting plans for the aerodrome’s future. The ongoing commitment to the site’s revitalisation highlights the dedication of all parties involved in transforming the Church Fenton Aerodrome into a thriving multi-use destination for TV production, events and businesses. “We are committed to delivering an exceptional facility that will showcase North Yorkshire’s potential and attract talent from around the world.” Leading the project, Pegasus Group has acted as project manager on the site since 2016, led on the site master planning and landscape design, delivered the heritage input and coordinated the planning application, ensuring the TV and film studio proposals aligned with the council’s economic vision, the site’s historical significance and the community’s interests. Heidi Boot of Pegasus Group said: “The site’s redevelopment is an excellent example of making best use of previously developed land to generate economic opportunities. The decision recognises the immense potential of the Church Fenton Aerodrome as a location that can attract investment, drive economic growth and foster the development of the creative industries in the region. “The latest approval will deliver purpose-built studio space to go alongside the existing hangars creating around 1,800 full-time equivalent jobs and adding around £0.94 billion GVA to the UK economy over a ten-year period.”

Andritz wins furnaces contract with Sheffield Forgemasters

Tess Egginton
-
0
Andritz wins furnaces contract with Sheffield Forgemasters

International technology group, Andritz, is to supply new furnaces for the UK’s largest open die forge.

Following a formal tender process, Andritz, which has its headquarters in Austria, has received an order worth more than £20 million from Sheffield Forgemasters, to supply seven new furnaces for the company’s proposed 13,000 tonne forging line.

With no UK companies able to deliver furnaces of the size required within the time-frame and a number of large European suppliers also unable to meet the tender requirements, Andritz won the contract to supply three forging and four heat-treatment furnaces.

Steve Marshall, manufacturing transformation director at Sheffield Forgemasters, said: “The challenge of finding a company with the capability of delivering such large furnaces in the timeframe that we are working to has been substantial, with a number of Europe’s largest suppliers unable to tender against our scope and delivery requirements.”

The furnaces with up to 1,000 tonnes of capacity will feature rail-mounted ‘car-bottoms’ which can roll in and out for the loading of ultra-large components and adopt state-of-the-art burner technology for optimal efficiency.

Steve added: “The furnaces will be the mainstay of our new heavy forging line, delivering both heat-treatment and main forging heating cycles, using the latest burner technologies for optimum efficiency and heat control.

“Andritz demonstrated an ability to work with us on the scope and delivery of the seven major furnaces, crucial to bringing our new forging line into operation.

“New innovation in furnace technologies includes dual-fuel burners which can switch to hydrogen if the technology to move away from natural gas becomes viable.

“The largest furnace will measure 18.5m long x 9.4m wide x 8.1m tall and a separate tender process for smaller, ancillary furnaces for the forging line is underway and will be announced in due course.”

Advanced burners for the main forging furnaces will deliver up to 30 per cent reduction in primary heating gas consumption, a more consistent heat to the steel components and highly accurate temperature control.

The forging line will be serviced by seven overhead cranes, supplied by Jaso Industrial Cranes in a contract recently announced by Sheffield Forgemasters and work is underway to demolish existing buildings for the new 12,700 sq m forge facility.

The UK’s largest open die forge will replace the company’s existing 10,000 tonne forging press and will complement its smaller 4,000 tonne press to serve defence and commercial markets.

Pure Block Management takes on estate management for Immingham housing development

Tess Egginton
-
0
Pure Block Management takes on estate management for Immingham housing development
Hull-based property firm Pure Block Management has won a contract to provide estate management services for a new housing development near Immingham in North East Lincolnshire. The company, which is part of property specialist Garness Group, has taken on the management of the open spaces on the Peter Ward Homes Lindofen View development on the outskirts of the village of Habrough. Under the contract it will maintain the site’s large, landscaped tree belt as well as four lagoons created to manage water drainage and reduce the risk of flooding. It will also provide company secretarial duties for the development, which, when complete, will be made up of over 130 three, four and five-bedroom homes. Pure Block Management director Liam Parker said: “We’re very pleased to add this popular housing development to the portfolio of properties we manage. “Most of our clients are based in Hull and East Yorkshire so this contract is important for us not just because we are working with one of the best-known housebuilders in the region, but also because it represents our expansion south of the Humber. “The contract also reflects the breadth of the services we provide to developers, who can rely on us to take care of any aspect of property or estate management on their behalf.”

Edward’s pill dispenser idea wins £5,000 development prize

Stuart Pearcey
-
0
Edward’s pill dispenser idea wins £5,000 development prize
University of Lincoln student Edward Pitts-Drake has won £5,000 to support development  of his idea for an automatic pill dispenser. The first-year paramedic science student won the money in a Dragons’ Den style competition run by the University’s Student Enterprise service. Inspired by his grandma who has dementia and struggles to remember to take her medication at the correct dose and timing and Edward’s business, Pills 365 Ltd, designed, manufactured and programmed a machine to help with this. Edward’s invention could be used in a range of clinical settings, including care homes, hospitals, as well as domestically. The design holds several weeks’ worth of tablets and is equipped with an alarm to alert the patient to their next timed dose. Should they forget to take their pills, the motion sensor will detect nearby movement and re-sound the alarm reminder. Additionally, there is the option to send an email alert to a designated person. To prevent medication being tampered with, the device can only be accessed with specific tools. It also houses an internal battery which will switch on in the event of a power cut and is equipped with an internal 4G Wi-Fi modem. Edward said: “The Swans’ Den competition presented me with a unique and challenging competition to win funding as part of a business grant through Student Enterprise and the University of Lincoln Student’s Union. The competition has guided me in business planning and challenged my decision making to create a robust business plan that will allow my design to succeed for many years to come. “Pill Dispenser v3 is in the prototype stage and built on the successes of version two, it will be the next level of automated medication dispensing management, as well as being an extremely easy device and ecosystem for the device user and carers. The funding has enabled me to speed up the process of prototyping and testing, which will allow the product to come to market in a shorter timeframe than I’d previously planned.”

European retail leader calls for fairness for front line workers

Stuart Pearcey
-
0
European retail leader calls for fairness for front line workers
Debbie Robinson, the Central Co-op CEO and European Vice President of Euro Co-ops, has rejected talk of “levelling up” and said what the north needs is to get its fair share back, as well as fairness for front line workers. She said: “When I hear that the Bank of England is worried that an increase in the minimum wage is going to impact inflation it’s just ridiculous, so the pay thing is crucial. It’s got to be significantly higher than where it is today.” Debbie was speaking at the latest in the series of Elevenses interviews, launched by Paul Sewell at the 2021 edition of Humber Business Week. During the interview, which is available to watch in full on the Humber Business Week website, Burnley-born Debbie demonstrated how her career decisions have been influenced by her childhood and her role as a mother and grandmother. She also underlined the values of fairness which inspired the Co-op even before its formal launch in 1863 and which are still at the heart of an organisation employing over 7,500 people across 21 counties. She said: “I think people are a bit fed up at the moment. When you’ve got your nurses and your doctors and your rail strikes going on it’s a strong indication that people have had enough. “Something I really believe in is pay and entry-level workers, and we just need to pay people a bit more money to help them through. Central Co-op is trying to lead the way on finding ways that we can improve the terms and conditions for all of our colleagues. “You should be able to earn the money to buy your own food. I don’t think anybody down the food chain should be supplementing it for anybody else. If somebody isn’t being paid enough to put food on your table how are they going to be able to afford food? Surely people deserve to earn enough money to be able to buy their own food, heat their own homes and have a decent life? Make work pay!” Debbie added that she sees young people as particularly hard hit by the cost of living crisis. “The idea behind the Co-op was that people were working really, really hard and they couldn’t get by. Does it sound familiar? Here we are in 2023. Working was not enough to pay for your food and your housing. “My heart bleeds for young people. It might have been difficult in terms of unemployment in the 70s and the 80s, and it really was, but the challenges now are absolutely immense.” Debbie also demanded fair treatment for workers from their customers, revealing that her biggest fear is for the welfare of her team. She said: “Now times are really hard financially and the levels of abuse that people are facing in that environment are really shocking. I think of what people have to face every single day. Everybody has a right to go to work and return home safely.”  

£180m Green Hydrogen Facility set for Hull

Tess Egginton
-
0
£180m Green Hydrogen Facility set for Hull
px Group’s Saltend Chemicals Park, in Hull, has been selected as the site for the build of a Green Hydrogen facility and an investment of between £180m and £240m by Meld Energy, the green hydrogen industrial developer. Meld Energy is an international hydrogen development company and is working with the global energy management company, World Fuel Services Corporation, to develop green hydrogen supply chains. World Kinect Sustainability Ventures, a subsidiary of the publicly listed US Fortune 500 company, acquired a 50% stake in Meld in late 2022. Meld is currently bidding for development support from the UK’s Net Zero Hydrogen Fund. Should the bid win government backing, FEED (Front End Engineering Design) is expected to begin in November 2023 and would run concurrently with planning application processes. Building would commence less than a year later with a target operation in 2026. The facility would be the UK’s largest green hydrogen production facility (if built today), with an initial installed capacity of 100MW and the potential to increase its capacity to over 200MW in a second development stage. The green hydrogen would be produced at the facility using electrolysis, which involves using electricity to split water into its constituent elements: hydrogen and oxygen. Through using renewable electricity for this process, the hydrogen produced would be “green” hydrogen, as compared to grey and blue hydrogen, which is more carbon-intensive. Meld would utilise PPAs (Power Purchase Agreements) with renewable energy suppliers. The hydrogen produced by Meld would be used to provide energy on-site at Saltend, helping to switch over from more carbon-intensive fuels and chemical feedstock to emissions-free green hydrogen. The Humber is the UK’s most carbon-intensive region. The UK Government considers hydrogen to be a vital component in the UK energy transition and its journey to Net Zero. Hydrogen has the potential for use in a variety of applications, from powering transport and industry to energy storage, with its only emission being water or steam when consumed. Geoff Holmes, CEO of px Group, says: “Meld Energy’s decision to invest at Saltend Chemicals Park proves once again that Saltend is the go-to location for industrial decarbonisation and the UK energy transition. “Meld’s plans are on a scale that will make a significant impact on domestic decarbonisation – it is a project that the government should find impossible to ignore. We have a host of world-class industrial companies on site at Saltend and this potential major investment shows once again the strength of the Saltend offering.” Chris Smith, CEO & founder of Meld Energy, says: “Saltend Chemicals Park is the perfect site for our green hydrogen facility. Saltend has a rich knowledge of decarbonisation projects and, importantly, has future users of the hydrogen to be produced already in place. “This project can be online within three years and would deliver an immediate reduction in emissions once production commences. The facility will have the potential to double its production as demand for hydrogen increases in the future to meet Net Zero targets.”

Engineering consultancy prepares for further growth following management buy-in

Tess Egginton
-
0
Engineering consultancy prepares for further growth following management buy-in
Leeds engineering consultancy, RWO is preparing for further growth and expansion following a management buy-in. Current directors Alex Erskine and Reece Kesson have each taken a 25% stake in the holding company of the RWO Group as part of an undisclosed deal. Founder and current Managing Director Ross Oakley retains a 50% stake in the business. Alex will look to build on his position as group director for civils while Reece will continue to develop his role as group director for structures. Both will have responsibility for each of their disciplines within the business as part of an overall strategic plan to take the business forward and drive growth in national construction, building, infrastructure, leisure, healthcare and residential sectors. The move also ties the business closer together, facilitating greater collaboration and improved client service across the civils, structures and its geotechnical departments which form the core services RWO provide. Managing Director Ross Oakley said: “I believe the future is extremely positive for the company and we look forward to developing further the range and quality of the services we offer and supporting our clients as they too invest in developing their operations despite the challenging times. “We have in place a growth strategy for the business and several strategic partnerships, which will help progress the business further and bring even greater opportunities. I’m already extremely proud of what RWO has become and look forward to us achieving even more success in the future.”

Bradford mermaid washes up on Yorkshire beach to highlight plastic waste issue

Stuart Pearcey
-
0
Bradford mermaid washes up on Yorkshire beach to highlight plastic waste issue

The Yorkshire-based co-founder of social enterprise Be The Future has ‘washed up’ on the shores of Runswick Bay as a reclaimed waste mermaid, to highlight the sheer amount of plastic waste in the sea for World Ocean Day.

Helen Hill from Bradford created her costume, weighing in at 6kg and four metres long, using hundreds of plastic bottles, a broken tent, broken toys and other waste products. She says 42 such costumes would be needed to reflect the amount of plastic that’s tipped into the sea every second.

Be The Future is set to crowdfund to raise £18,000 to help launch ‘EDUtainment’ kits aimed at young children to engage them on the topic of climate change. The “EDUtainers” are about to launch a crowdfund to raise £18,000 to help them launch new ‘EDUtainment’ kits combining learning with fun activities. Featuring a new book, game and activity pack aimed at young kids (age 4 to 7) bursting with hope, wit and playful action to engage them on the topic of climate change.

It comes as a survey of 2,000 people in the UK by Be The Future shows over a third of parents (37%) would love to teach their kids more about climate change if they had the right tools or ideas. Two in five parents (42%) said they aim to teach their kids as much as they can about climate change and a similar number (38%) said they’re not worried about sharing the realities of it with their children – even if it might scare them.

Helen Hill said: “As David Attenborough famously said, “what happens next is up to every one of us” – but crucially this doesn’t have to be a scary fact. Our collective fear, anger and paralysis won’t turn this climate beast around – nurturing a reaction of active hope rather than despair is the only way forward. Our reclaimed waste mermaid tails symbolise the fact that one of the best ways to engage and teach kids about climate change is through play.

“The new Little Mermaid film has been released by Disney – and with UNESCO saying that by 2050, plastic will likely outweigh all fish in the sea, it’s the perfect opportunity to raise awareness about the sheer amount of plastic pollution in the sea for World Ocean Day.”

Government pledges £7m to support internet connectivity for businesses in rural areas

Stuart Pearcey
-
0
Government pledges £7m to support internet connectivity for businesses in rural areas
Farmers and businesses in rural communities will benefit from better internet connectivity thanks to government plans to invest £7m in growing the nation’s rural economy.
The new fund aims to bring together satellite, wireless and fixed line connectivity to help farmers and businesses take advantage of the latest agricultural technologies on offer by improving the connectivity on farm. This is in addition to a number of government pledges to boost rural digital connectivity announced within the last year, which included an £8 million grant scheme to offer internet connectivity by satellite to the most remote homes of the country, and ‘Project Gigabit’, the government’s flagship £5 billion programme to improve internet speeds in rural areas. The new plans were formally announced at the Future Countryside Conference by Defra Secretary of State, Thérèse Coffey.
The new announcement comes off the back of the NFU’s campaigning for better digital infrastructure in rural areas. The NFU’s recent Digital Technology Survey highlighted that more than a fifth of members believe their broadband speeds are a barrier to their further use of digital technology. Over a third of members also said that if their business had faster broadband speeds, they would use this to improve their speed, efficiency, and frequency of business tasks.
The new announcement means that there is more opportunity for businesses in remote areas to make use of new technologies for agriculture and tourism that may require internet connectivity on farm. NFU Vice President David Exwood said: “We have been campaigning for further investment in the country’s rural digital technology infrastructure for some time, so we welcome the government’s £7 million funding package which will help make farming businesses more productive and efficient. “The NFU’s recent Digital Technology Survey revealed fewer than half of our members have broadband speeds adequate for their business needs. Fibre is often too expensive for farm businesses to install and the rollout is not happening fast enough.
“The government’s commitment to invest in alternative broadband solutions will be vital to enable farmers and growers to access good broadband speeds, regardless of where they live. “With UK food security high on the political agenda, there is an urgent need to produce more of what we do well here. That means providing our farming businesses with the tools they require like decent broadband to enable them to meet their huge potential in producing food for the nation, helping tackle climate change and deliver on our net-zero ambitions.”

University of Bradford gears up to launch first-ever management summit

Stuart Pearcey
-
0
University of Bradford gears up to launch first-ever management summit

Some of the UK’s leading business minds will help launch the University of Bradford’s first ever MBA Management & Leadership Summit starting on Friday June 16th.

Nicola Thompson, ex-CEO of MADE.com, who has also worked with fashion brand ASOS, will join alumni Ian Adams, a director with NHS Resolution, and Paul Donovan, Chair of Eku Energy Group & action.ai, to launch the summit. The summit will be hosted by the University of Bradford’s School of Management, as it ventures into a year celebrating 25 years of the Distance Learning MBA, as well as the School’s 60th Anniversary. Professor Amir Sharif, Dean of the Faculty of Management, Law & Social Sciences, said: “This is a very exciting time for the School of Management, as we venture into a year celebrating 25 years of the Distance Learning MBA, as well as the School’s 60th anniversary. “We are pleased to offer alumni from the MBA programme an opportunity to join us in our home city of Bradford, for our first Management and Leadership Summit. This is a great opportunity for our global MBA peers, alumni, and Bradford academics, and to take advantage of a free programme of talks and activities. MSc and DBA alumni would also benefit from attending.” Throughout the summit, speakers and guests will explore a range of activities relating to the latest developments in leadership and management.

Businesses warned about using rogue business rate agents

Stuart Pearcey
-
0
Businesses warned about using rogue business rate agents
The Valuation Office Agency is urging businesses to protect themselves from rogue business rates agents who’ve started to operate since new rateable values for business properties came into effect in April 2023. Councils used these new values to calculate business rates bills, but businesses can challenge their valuation if they think it’s incorrect. They can use a rating agent do this. Alan Colston, Chief Valuer at the VOA, said: “Be cautious of anyone who guarantees they can secure big business rates reductions. The vast majority of agents are reputable and provide a good service. But there is a small minority promising big reductions in business rates, based on incorrect information. “These rogue agents often charge substantial fees for providing poor quality submissions using our online Check and Challenge service, which is free to use. “We strongly advise businesses do their own research and explore different options before appointing an agent. Make sure you choose your own agent – don’t let an agent choose you. “And remember, you can manage your business rates yourself by creating a Business Rates Valuation Account on GOV.UK.” The VOA offers a checklist to help businesses intending to use an agent:
  • Anyone can call themselves an agent, but this does not mean they are a member of a professional body. Check an agent’s background before signing a contract.
  • If an agent is a member of the Rating Surveyor’s Association (RSA), Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), or Institute of Revenues, Rating, Valuation (IRRV), they must follow rating agent standards. This provides business owners with extra reassurance.
  • Check the length of a contract before signing. Rogue agents have been known to tie business owners into costly, long-term agreements.
  • Make sure you read the small print and fully understand the services you are paying for. Legitimate agents should not pressure you into signing a contract, or demand large sums of money up front.
  • Familiarise yourself with the VOA’s Check service and create a Business Rates Valuation Account to manage your property and view correspondence between the VOA and your agent.
  • It is your responsibility to ensure the information your agent provides to the VOA is correct.
Gary L Watson, IRRV Chief Executive, said: “Ratepayers should take extreme care when employing agents. It is easy for rogue agents to create the impression that they are a reputable organisation. “Business owners should make sure that any agent belongs to a professional body, like IRRV, RICS or RSA. The agent will then be subject to that body’s rigorous disciplinary procedure. “Furthermore, you can obtain advice on many issues from the VOA or your local council. Applications for relief should be made direct to your local council without having to engage with a rating agent.”

British Steel secures four-year contract to supply Belgian rail network

Stuart Pearcey
-
0
British Steel secures four-year contract to supply Belgian rail network
British Steel’s Scunthorpe-based rail business has signed a four-year contract with Belgian railway infrastructure manager Infrabel to supply 40,000 tonnes of rail in various profiles for the maintenance and renewal of track across the Belgian rail network. Jérôme Bonef, British Steel’s Export Sales Manager, Rail, said: “Deliveries are scheduled to start this month, and we look forward to working in partnership with Infrabel over the next four years. “We operate in a highly competitive market so it’s extremely pleasing that Infrabel has selected us to supply rail for the Belgian network once more. It’s a great endorsement of our proven technical record, ability to develop products to meet demand, superb logistics solution and excellent delivery performance – securing another contract with a national network operator is a source of enormous pride.” The 100-metre-long rails will be manufactured at British Steel’s Rail and Section Mill in Scunthorpe, before making their way by rail to Infrabel’s welding facility in Belgium. Today’s announcement comes a short time after British Steel announced it had secured a contract to supply the Guinea Bauxite Company with 244,000 steel sleepers – its largest ever order for rail sleepers. Jérôme said: “By working in partnership with our customers we can offer superb value for money by reducing the need for costly and time-consuming maintenance and replacement works. The less disruption to a network, the greater the flow of traffic – major benefits felt by passengers and freight operators. “We look forward to continuing to work together collaboratively with Infrabel as we deliver high-quality products into this partnership.”

Lindum-built store will create 35 new jobs in Mablethorpe

Stuart Pearcey
-
0
Lindum-built store will create 35 new jobs in Mablethorpe
A new B&M store built by Lincoln company Lindum on land just off Peter Chambers Way in Mablethorpe will officially open its doors at 8am on Thursday, June 22. Jon Quick, Lindum Construction Manager, said: “It is fantastic news that the new B&M store will be opening very soon and creating so many jobs for the local community. “Lindum has been involved in the Mablethorpe area for 15 years, and so we are fully invested in the local community. We hope the new store will continue to benefit the people of Mablethorpe once it opens.” A spokesperson for B&M said: “We’re feeling extremely positive about the creation of more jobs for local people, and we hope customers are going to be delighted with their new store. We are all really excited to get the doors open and welcome our new customers through the door.”
1...266267268...467Page 267 of 467

ABOUT US

It’s been the undisputed market leader since 1985. Why? Because it delivers results for advertisers, month after month. For 30 years, Yorkshire & Lincolnshire Business Link magazine has carved an excellent reputation for providing businesses in the region with intelligent research. It has become a must read publication for all those in industry and commerce; from boardroom executive to senior manager and professional advisors.

Contact us: newsdesk@blmgroup.co.uk

FOLLOW US

© Copyright 2020 - Business Link Magazine Group