Easby Group snaps up Matrix Electronics
Easby Group, the North Yorkshire-based specialist electronics company, has acquired Matrix Electronics, an electronics kitting and supply chain solutions provider.
The deal has been completed by its subsidiary business, Delta Impact, and is a major milestone in Easby Group’s strategic development to become the independent technical distribution partner of choice, for a full range of added value services across electronics supply chains.
The announcement follows the £24 million management buy-out of Easby Group which was backed by NVM Private Equity in February 2022.
Delta Impact MD, Eamon Francis said: “This is a significant step in our goal to be the electronics industry leader in kitting and tailored solutions that help customers to optimise their electronics supply chain performance. On a personal level, I am delighted to be welcoming David Piddington, Delta Impact’s founder, back into the business.”
Matrix Electronics MD, David Piddington said: “We are thrilled to be joining the Easby family. The Matrix and Delta Impact businesses are highly complementary and the merger of skills, knowledge and shared values in our new combined facilities will take us to new heights and create the next chapter in our growth story.”
Easby Group chairman, Jonathan Simpson-Dent said: “We are excited to bring together two dynamic and focused businesses under Eamon and David’s joint stewardship. This is an important step on our journey to expand Easby Group into a real market leader in electronics supply chain solutions.”
Developer plans to start Leeds housing project this month
Work is due to start on site this month for 54North Homes to build 58 affordable and sustainable homes on Railway Street in central Leeds, close to Quarry House.
The scheme will include 28 one-bedroom, 25 two-bedroom and five three-bedroom apartments designed to a high specification throughout.
Built on the site of the former Yorkshire Rider Social Club, the homes will be energy efficient, with heat pumps providing hot water, EV charging points and cycle storage to facilitate green travel.
They will also have a flexible layout, including workspace areas to accommodate the increase in home working.
Outside will be landscaped with grass and trees to enhance biodiversity and each of the ground floor apartments will have their own garden.
The £12m scheme is the first new-build development to be built by affordable housing provider 54North Homes, which manages over 3,000 homes throughout Yorkshire.
The new development has been designed by Brewster Bye Architects and will be built by Caddick Construction. Grant support has been provided by Homes England Strategic Partnership funding, Leeds City Council and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, through its devolved Brownfield Housing Fund.
Joanna Chambers, director of assets and growth at 54North Homes, said: “We have been working closely with Leeds City Council for almost four years to develop the plans for this attractive new development and are excited that building work is finally beginning.
“There is a significant need for more affordable housing in central Leeds and this scheme will regenerate a currently unused area of land into a vibrant living space close to the excellent transport links and amenities the city centre has to offer.”
The land at Railway Street was sold by the council to 54North Home
New appointments aim to enhance impact of science on agriculture
Land-based academics Dr Dave George and Professor Jonathan Leake have been appointed as the new Chair and Vice Chair of the Farmer Scientist Network, a group supported by farming charity the Yorkshire Agricultural Society.
The Network works with the Yorkshire Agricultural Society to advise policymakers in the UK and beyond on issues such as farming practices, food security, sustainable productivity and the ways in which new science and technology can solve problems and underpin innovation in agriculture.
Jonathan Leake is the New Farmer Scientist Network Vice Chair. He’s Professor of Plant-Soil Interactions at the University of Sheffield’s School of Biosciences, whose areas of interest include soil health, regenerative agriculture, the use of leys in arable rotations to regenerate beneficial soil organisms, carbon sequestration, soil structure, and the use of minimal tillage.
He said: “We are at a very exciting place in farming and science where there is a lot of unrealised potential to link them together.
“Scientists need to be better informed about farming’s challenges and farmers need a better understanding of the ways in which science can help to make their farms more sustainable, environmentally and economically.”
The Farmer Scientist Network, guided by its new leadership team, will now work with the Yorkshire Agricultural Society to effect positive innovation in the industry by working with the crop and livestock sectors. Through a series of events, farmers are being offered opportunities to learn about regenerative techniques that are being adopted to drive farming profitability and productively in harmony with the environment.
Recruitment specialist launches new construction site services brand
Following the dissolution of a competitor, apprentice to boardroom talent solutions provider Nicholas Associates Group (NAG) has acquired a number of key construction labour contracts and has launched a new brand called Cra-Cro Site Services which will specialise in helping skilled, experienced construction workers and tradespeople find jobs across the UK.
Cra-Cro is an original brand name used by NAG founder Nick Cragg when he launched his first company back in 1975. The brand has been revived and will sit alongside the NA Construction brand which recruits professionally qualified roles such as quantity surveyors, commercial managers and site management professional roles in order to differentiate and complement each specialism.
Cra-Cro Site Services will focus on the recruitment of skilled construction workers such as brick layers, plasterers, joiners, electricians, plumbers, painters, decorators and general labourers and will be able to place over 100 labours in work each week. Working with both local subcontractors and leading construction companies, the new division currently has contracts to provide skilled labour to Seddon Construction, Horbury Group, and Henry Boot.
The new company will be led by Steve Davies who will report to Paul Brammer, Managing Director of NAG, and work alongside Matt Wainwright who is head of NA Construction recruitment.
Paul Brammer said: “NAG brands are renowned for delivering exceptional experiences to both the employer and the employee. Our intention is to develop Cra-Cro Site Services as the go to specialist recruiter trusted by construction firms to source and place reliable and highly competent temporary construction workers.”
Operating from a UK wide network of over 33 offices, the Cra-Cro Site Service and NA Construction team are recruitment experts and specialise in helping companies improve their talent acquisition and engagement strategies.
Hessle food group signs supply deal with Pets at Home
Hessle-based food producer Cranswick has signed a new supply partnership deal with pet care company Pets at Home to supply dry dog food from a site at Lodge Farm in Lincolnshire under their brands of Wainwrights and Step Up.
Supply will start in the second half of the financial year following initial production and stock building during the summer. This will place Pets at Home as Cranswick’s lead strategic customer from the facility.
A spokesman for Cranswick said the move cemented the company’s strategic ambition to grow its share in the pet food business, and represented a significant growth opportunity for the group, which will continue to be supported by future capital expenditure in new capacity and capability.
The pet food market is worth £3.7bn per annum and is grew at 14% over the last 12m.
Croda tower with Universities to develop sustainable polymers
Snaith-based Croda International is to work with the Universities of Nottingham and York to develop novel, sustainable polymers for everyday liquids like personal care and crop protection products, and in doing so eliminate millions to tonnes of plastic waste.
Their objective is the development of biobased and biodegradable polymers for liquid polymer formulations.
Used in a number of day-to-day items including crop protection and personal care products, these special polymers for liquids provide the key function of emulsification and stabilisation, without which widely-used items wouldn’t meet consumer requirements. Despite their critical part in formulations, there has so far been no coordinated effort to develop more sustainable versions, and it is estimated that more than 36 million tonnes (enough to fill Wembley Stadium 32 times over) of these polymers are not recovered after use, entering the environment as plastic waste.
Dr Ian Tooley, Vice President – Chemistry at Croda said: “Croda’s ambition to be the most sustainable supplier of innovative ingredients is key in our drive to find sustainable solutions for these widely used polymers. We are excited to be partnering with these like-minded, innovation driven universities to help bring sustainable, biobased and biodegradable alternatives to our markets.”
Steve Howdle, Professor and Head of School of Chemistry at University of Nottingham said: “Working with our industrial and academic partners we will create new sustainable polymeric materials that are going to have an impact on our supermarket shelves. I’m excited.” Professor Helen Sneddon, Director of the Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence, University of York added: “This is a great opportunity to further explore the potential of bioderived, biodegradable soluble polymers, understanding the different properties they can offer relative to current petrochemically-derived ingredients, and having an impact in an important, and often overlooked area.”Companies come together to celebrate Net Zero journey
UK holiday home builder Willerby has taken part in a major event focused on how businesses can play their full part in the drive to net zero.
Willerby’s CFO Sue Allan and Project Manager Duncan Collins joined a panel of business leaders and shared news of the company’s progress on its sustainability journey.
They were joined on stage by former BBC Science Editor David Shukman, former Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Amber Rudd and Hull City Council leader Mike Ross at an event celebrating the first year of the Oh Yes! Net Zero initiative.
The collaborative campaign has so far been backed by more than 150 organisations from across the Hull and Humber region, together employing more than 46,000 people. The campaign supporters are all committed to reducing their carbon footprint and supporting the transition to a net zero economy.
Leading businesses supporting the Oh Yes! Net Zero campaign include Willerby, global consumer health and hygiene company Reckitt, FTSE 250-listed food producer Cranswick and Ideal Heating.
As a major employer in Hull and market leader in the UK holiday homes industry, Willerby has invested significantly as it pursues environmental excellence across all its operations.
Sue said: “Every business, large or small, must play their part in meeting the challenges of climate change, but for many it can be difficult to know where to begin when it comes to reducing your carbon footprint.
“At Willerby, we started the process by understanding the impact of all of our operations and examined our supply chain and where we source materials and products from.
“We’ve made strong progress so far on converting our sites in Hull to run on renewable, clean energy, and we have also encouraged our staff to consider their own actions and how they can play their part.
“If every person starts by making simple, small changes to the way they travel to work, the products they consume and their behaviours, then it adds up to make a significant difference.”
National Grid opens public consultation on power line plans to connect Hull to Nottinghamshire
National Grid is inviting communities in the East Riding of Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire and Bassetlaw in Nottinghamshire to comment on proposals for a new electricity power line project which will help deliver the UK’s energy security strategy and net zero targets.
The eight-week public consultation runs until 27 July, and will share proposals for a new high voltage electricity power line connecting North Humber to High Marnhan.
National Grid says the way electricity is generated in the UK is changing rapidly, transitioning to new sources of energy like new offshore windfarms, and it has to change its network to suit.
The company’s existing power lines between the North and the Midlands have insufficient capacity to accommodate the increased power flows from new sources of renewable electricity, so it’s proposing to build about 90 kilometres of new 400,000 volt overhead power line, between new substations at Creyke Beck and High Marnham, to increase the capacity of the network. The proposed corridor for the new line runs close to an existing overhead power line for much of the route.
Rachel Tullis, Project Director for National Grid said: “The government’s net zero target means an increase in new renewable electricity generation such as wind and solar power.
“We’re proposing new infrastructure which will connect this green energy from areas around the Humber and in the North Sea to the grid and allow clean electricity to power homes and businesses across the Midlands and to the whole country, boosting our home-grown energy security and progress towards net zero.
“As we continue to develop our plans, we want to work with local communities and organisations to ensure local employment, skills and opportunities for local businesses are delivered in the East Riding of Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire, and Nottinghamshire.
“This consultation launch is the beginning of our engagement with communities and stakeholders along the proposed route corridor and we encourage people to share their views.”
Members of the public can take part in the consultations and speak with National Grid’s team by attending consultation events and online webinars, or by visiting nationalgrid.com/nh-hm
York estate agency moves offices and sponsors city’s junior athletes
Less than a year after expanding into York, estate agency Dacre, Son & Hartley has relocated into new city centre premises on Micklegate and has marked the opening by supporting grassroots sport and sponsoring City of York Athletics Club’s junior teams.
As part of the sponsorship, the company is providing the club’s championship winning junior teams with distinctive warm up shirts for the 2023 UK Youth Development League campaign.
Led by experienced estate agent Nick Udovicic, the new Micklegate office specialises in selling all types of homes across a wide area, spanning York city centre, the North York Moors, out to the Yorkshire coast and all the city’s surrounding towns and villages including the likes of Malton, Pickering and Helmsley.
Nick said: “York has been very welcoming to us since we opened last year and we’ve enjoyed plenty of early successes. We’re already building a reputation for marketing every type of property across the city and beyond, which has been key to Dacre, Son & Hartley’s longevity in Yorkshire.
“Expanding into Micklegate will enable us to continue growing in York and gives us a superb base in a busy and central location on one of the city’s most attractive and best-known streets.
“We’re also very excited to be supporting the local community through this latest sponsorship agreement. We’ve been very impressed by everyone at City of York Athletics Club which is undoubtedly one of York’s most successful grassroots sports teams and we’re looking forward to building a lasting relationship with them.”
Clarion appoints another two ‘home-grown’ partners
Clarion has promoted two of its home-grown talents, Stephanie Parish and Sarah Harrison, to the position of partner – taking the number of partners in the firm to 31.
Stephanie is one of the many successful lawyers who have progressed their careers within the firm having joined in 2008 as a trainee and now having over 13 years’ experience as a private wealth lawyer. She was promoted to senior associate in 2016 and became a legal director in 2020.
Stephanie now heads Clarion’s growing Private Wealth team. She provides expert technical advice on all private wealth matters regionally and nationally, such as lifetime estate/succession planning through the use of wills, powers of attorney and trusts for high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, with an emphasis on protecting family wealth and maximising tax efficiency. It also includes advising on the administration of high value or complex probate matters post-death.
Stephanie’s specialism is assisting business owners and entrepreneurs in particular about protecting their wealth and their business succession plans. She works closely with external tax advisers, accountants and financial advisers on pre-sale planning and family investment companies.
Sarah also began her legal career with Clarion, having secured a training contract with the firm and joining a year earlier to work as a paralegal nearly 12 years ago. On qualification in 2014, she joined Clarion’s corporate team, rising to senior associate in 2019 and legal director two years later.
She provides the full range of corporate advice from delivering large transactions including acquisitions, sales, management buy-outs, private equity investments and employee ownership trusts, to assisting companies with their ongoing development including group re-organisations and Enterprise Management Incentive (EMI) schemes.
Sarah has significant experience working with clients in the digital marketing and tech sectors. She is renowned for her technical ability and pragmatic approach, being able to adapt her approach to each client’s needs. Sarah also works closely with Clarion’s private wealth team to deliver estate planning solutions for business owners and high-net-worth individuals, including implementing family investment companies.
“It is always a genuine pleasure to see loyal and talented lawyers forging their careers with Clarion and we are very proud to welcome Stephanie and Sarah to the ranks of our 30-plus partnership,” says Richard Moran, senior partner of Clarion.
“Stephanie has built a strong reputation as a specialist in her field and demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the firm and our values. In addition to being technically adept, she has proved able to bridge the gap between private and corporate clients and will be an intrinsic part of the continued success of our private wealth practice which she now leads.
“Over the last ten years, Sarah has become an indispensable member of the corporate team, establishing herself as a dealmaker in her own right and repeatedly being approached by name for new mandates.”
Moran continues: “Stephanie and Sarah are real Clarion success stories, having trained and developed their skills and careers within the firm. Both are also graduates of our recent Management Development Programme and play a key role in developing, motivating and supporting colleagues as well as being inspiring role models.”
Stephanie is STEP (Society of Trusts and Estate Practitioners) qualified and a fully accredited member of Solicitors for the Elderly.
Lincoln shopping centre snapped up
Lincolnshire Co-op and Wykeland Group have acquired Waterside Shopping Centre in Lincoln.
The two organisations have come together in a 50/50 partnership to secure the prime retail and leisure destination in the heart of Lincoln city centre.
The 130,000 sq ft Waterside scheme is 95% let with an impressive line-up of leading retailers including H&M, Next, New Look, Superdrug, O2, Office and Skechers.
Following the success of the Cornhill Quarter development, the purchase extends Lincolnshire Co-op’s role in the regeneration of Lincoln and also brings Wykeland’s property asset management experience and expertise to the city.
The partners will work together to operate Waterside Shopping Centre as a primarily retail scheme, while also aiming to develop the centre’s leisure offering.
Lincolnshire Co-op head of property Kevin Kendall said: “Working together with other local organisations, we’re proud of the schemes we’ve developed which boost the economy of the city and county, improve the local environment and provide a range of valued services.
“We’re always looking for opportunities where we could further support the retail and leisure offer within Lincoln and this partnership with Wykeland, focusing on a key site, is a perfect fit.”
Dominic Gibbons, Managing Director of Hull-based Wykeland, said: “We have been looking for opportunities such as this in high-quality locations and we’re delighted to have come together with Lincolnshire Co-op to acquire the Waterside Shopping Centre.
“We see this as a highly attractive asset in a vibrant city centre location benefiting from significant and ongoing investment, particularly the neighbouring Cornhill Quarter scheme where Lincolnshire Co-op have undertaken a fantastic regeneration scheme.
“This is great news for Waterside, as the centre is now in the hands of organisations with outstanding track records of commercial property asset management and development in Lincolnshire and the wider region.
“We share the same values, as investors with a long-term view and a deep commitment to supporting local communities. We look forward to working together to ensure Waterside makes the fullest possible contribution to Lincoln’s exciting future.”
Waterside draws from Lincoln’s 104,000 population and benefits from the city’s strong visitor economy and significant student presence. The centre has an estimated overall customer base of 376,000 people in its wider catchment area.
Siemens’ maintenance contract extension secures TransPennine Express work at York and Cleethorpes
Siemens Mobility has been awarded an eight-year contract extension to maintain the Class 185 fleet on TransPennine Express routes linking Manchester, Sheffield Cleethorpes, and Hull. The majority of maintenance work will take place at Ardwick Depot, Manchester and subsidiary depots at York and Cleethorpes.
Sambit Banerjee, MD for Rolling Stock and Customer Services at Siemens Mobility, said “This contract extension is fantastic news and a real testament to the team working so incredibly hard to ensure the trains perform at a continued high standard. We will work closely with the operator to keep the trains well maintained and continue to offer the best passenger experience.”
David Walker, Head of Fleet Commercial for TransPennine Express, said: “We have had a long and productive relationship with Siemens Mobility and we are delighted to continue working together with the award of this eight-year contract extension. We are looking forward to Siemens Mobility, Eversholt Rail and TransPennine Express delivering further improvements to one of our key fleets through building upon our strong, collaborative partnership. Suppliers like Siemens are vital in making sure that customers remain at the heart of everything that we do and we are committed to offering the best passenger experience when people choose to travel with us.”
Siemens Mobility has been maintaining the fleet since 2006 and has delivered a programme to provide a full digital upgrade to the 51-strong fleet leading to improved reliability. The technology-based solutions have given the trains a new lease of life and ensured they remain as one of the UK’s most reliable fleets.
The Class 185s use Siemens Mobility’s cloud-based Railigent X application suite, this means the trains are fitted with remote condition monitoring which allows the teams to get direct updates on each train and how it is performing, including any areas that need to be prioritised for maintenance. The technology provides updates on individual vehicles as well an accurate picture across the whole fleet, ensuring the 20-year-old trains can give the best passenger experience. This technology has meant the train fleet has performed consistently well, winning industry reliability awards.
The contract means Siemens Mobility will work closely with operator TranspennineTrains Limited and the trains’ owners Eversholt Rail Leasing Limited until at least 2031.
Doncaster Chamber offers high powered line-up for business conference
Two senior figures from the British Chamber of Commerce lead the speaker line-up at the Doncaster Chamber’s annual Doncaster, What’s Next? Business Conference on June 6th.
Both Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the BCC, and its President Baroness Martha Lane-Fox, will deliver authoritative keynote speeches about the state of the national economy and the relationship between business and central government. Of course, they will also be ready to hear from Doncaster’s business community as well.
With illustrious careers — having, between them, worked in senior positions for the likes of Disney, Twitter, Chanel, The Open University, The Cabinet Office, and LastMinute.Com — they will have plenty of great insights to share.
On the subject of nurturing local talent, Lindsey Glasby, Senior Vice Principal at Doncaster UTC, Colonel Stephen Padgett OBE, Chief Executive of The National Horseracing College and Chris Nicholls, Area Director for Workforce with the Association of Colleges, will all be offering their unique perspectives. Also sitting on this panel will be Luke Lawson, Automation Engineer at Polypipe Building Products, who was recently named Apprentice of the Year at the 2022 Doncaster Business Awards.
Elsewhere, Jon Duffy, CEO of Clean Power Hydrogen, So Him Fong, MD of King Asia Foods, and Rebecca Crawforth, the Founder of internationally-recognised makeup brand Navy Professional, will be talking about how to nurture a climate more conducive to growth in Doncaster.
Dan Fell, Chief Exec of Doncaster Chamber, said: “I am immensely looking forward to next week’s conference, as we have a packed agenda and a long list of heavyweight guests.
“Hearing from our incredible entrepreneurs and business leaders always proves to be a true highlight for the event and this year’s iteration is looking to be no exception in that regard.
“From major investors — such as Hybrid Air Vehicles, who are doing game-changing things right now in the aviation industry — through to our anchor employers, like LNER, and those inspiring success-stories from our SME community, I am confident that Doncaster will be shown in its best light here.
“Of course, we will also get to hear from those who have a major role to play in shaping our economic destiny. The local authority, government stakeholders and our very own umbrella body, the BCC, will be outlining what they envision for the economy and places likes Doncaster. They will also be listening attentively to what firms on the ground have to say and will hopefully be going away with homework set by our delegates and members.
“With that being said, this is intended to be an open forum, where attendees can join in with the debate and generate their own ideas. And now is certainly the appropriate time to speak up.
“We have to acknowledge that the last twelve months have taken a toll on South Yorkshire, and things haven’t exactly been going our way. Our GBR campaign ended with a near-miss, we’ve had to reckon with the closure of our region’s international airport and businesses have been met with an onslaught of economic challenges.
“Doncaster is fiercely resilient and I still believe that we can rebound quickly from these setbacks. Yet it’s imperative that this journey begins as soon as possible. The business conference is a chance to help get us back on track, to identify new opportunities that are available to us, and to reinject some much-needed optimism back into the community.”
NW Trading signs long-term deal on UK’s only all-weather cargo and storage terminal
Logistics, supply chain, and storage specialist NW Trading has agreed a long-term deal with ABP for an All Weather Terminal at the Port of Hull.
The 16,630 sqm fully enclosed cargo-handling and storage facility is unique in the UK and provides uninterrupted all-weather working and cargo storage for weather-sensitive products. Cargo can be effectively handled from ship to shore without weather delays. The terminal is segregated into three stores, two designed to store dry bulk cargo and the third to house breakbulk cargo. The breakbulk facility benefits from five, 25 tonne automated overhead gantry cranes, a designated undercover rail-freight connection, and HGV loading facilities.
NW Trading Limited will now be operating the facility on a long-term lease where they will be handling and storing both bulk and bagged dry bulk commodities.
NW Trading Limited Director Zara Giles said: “NWT is long established in the Shortsea sector partnering with multiple blue-chip companies to provide Stevedoring services across the Humber and Mersey. The addition of the All Weather Terminal to our facilities in Hull opens up access for our customers to deep water enabling more flexibility in their supply chain and allowing the procurement of product from further afield, key to staying competitive in today’s turbulent commodity markets.”
Director Humber, Simon Bird, said: “ABP has a longstanding relationship with NW Trading, which has been delivering operations at ABP Humber’s Port of Goole for many years now. We are thrilled to be supporting their continued business expansion into the Port of Hull, enabling them to make the most of the opportunity afforded by the port’s deep-sea connections and excellent road link to the M62 corridor.”
The Port of Hull is home to the UK’s largest commercial roof mounted solar array, part of which is installed on the All Weather Terminal.
Work to start on new town square in Goldthorpe
Work will begin next week on the development of a new town square in Goldthorpe as part of the £23.1m Towns Fund investment.
The Heart of Goldthorpe project is one of the five main Towns Fund projects. The works will include hard and soft landscaping with curved planting beds, informal seating and contrasting paving patterns where children might play. There will be an area for reflection and a space which will host the new market. It will also host a variety of community events.
Views from local residents and businesses have helped shape the design of the new square. Architects looked at feedback following several face-to-face consultations on the site and in the library, and through an online survey.
N T Killingley Ltd have now been appointed to carry out the works. They will begin setting up the site on Monday 5 June with preparations for the work continuing throughout June.
Paving, edgings and Market Stall bases will be fitted throughout July and the planters will be installed in August. Planting and the fitting of benches is planned for the end of August. It is hoped all work will be completed by September.
Matthew Stephens, acting chairperson of the Goldthorpe Town Board which is overseeing the Towns Fund projects, said: “Through Towns Fund investment we’re working together to create a thriving community where people can choose to live, invest and excel. Projects have been drawn up in response to local people’s priorities following consultation with local communities.
“It’s really exciting to see the Heart of Goldthorpe project getting underway. This is going to be a really high-quality square local people will enjoy using and will help give a lift to the wider town centre.
“This is just one of five key projects we’ve been able to fund through this once-in-a-generation investment, and I know local people will be impressed when they see this work completed.”
Atomic Energy Authority debuts West Burton fusion energy masterplan in Gainsborough
The first opportunity for the public to see proposals for developing West Burton Power station near Gainsborough as the home for ‘STEP’ – a protype fusion energy powerplant – takes place at an event in the town on Wednesday 14 June.
The UK Atomic Energy Authority wants to share information with anyone in the community who is interested in the proposals for the West Burton site, and will stage the event from 3pm to 7pm at the Trinity Arts Centre..
This event will be the first time the team has shared its draft masterplan, showinghow the site might be used in the long term. There will be an opportunity for discussion on the masterplan, with feedback encouraged to inform the team’s thinking at this early stage of the process.
Members of the STEP technical team will lead live and interactive ‘what is fusion?’ sessions in the auditorium. During these sessions the team will take questions from the audience.
The event will also include a session on potential future supplier opportunities.
Paul Methven, STEP’s Programme Director, said: “We’re looking forward to getting out into the community and share our plans for the West Burton site.
“We have an action-packed agenda planned for the event in Gainsborough and are excited to invite people to come along and meet the team and find out more about fusion and the STEP programme.”
The event will close with a screening of a documentary that follows the lives of the engineers and scientists working at UKAEA as they overcome challenges in their attempt to achieve a world record in sustained fusion energy.
Event details: Doors open to the public 3-7pm and there is no need to register in advance.
Live in the auditorium:
- 3.30pm: What is fusion – live & interactive
- 4.30pm: Future supplier opportunities and timeframes
- 5.15pm: What is fusion – live & interactive
- 6pm: Documentary film
Environment Agency encourages comments on carbon capture project at Drax
The Environment Agency has launched a consultation on Drax Power Ltd’s proposals to develop Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage at its power station site near Selby.
Drax Power Ltd wants to capture the carbon dioxide emitted during electricity generation, to prevent the majority of it from entering the atmosphere. The carbon dioxide captured will be transported via a pipeline for permanent storage under the North Sea.
To capture carbon dioxide from the combustion process, Drax will need an environmental permit from the Environment Agency. It will also need a Development Consent Order, following a process led and examined by the Planning Inspectorate.
Kathryn Richardson, Environment Manager at the Environment Agency said: “The Environment Agency has an important part to play in permitting many of the energy technologies that are likely to emerge over the coming years.
“Our role is to ensure that these new technologies, including carbon capture, are conducted in a way that protects people and the environment.
“We’re now seeking views from the local community and interested groups on this application. We encourage them to come and see us at our engagement events so they can find out more and view the plans in detail.
The consultation will run until 29 June and will include a drop-in event in Drax village and a virtual drop-in session:- Tuesday 6th June, 2pm to 5pm at Drax Village Hall, 168 Main Road, Drax, YO8 8NJ
- Tuesday 13th June, 6pm to 7pm – more information on how to sign up for this event
Wetherby life sciences company snaps up Belgian diagnostic test business
Avacta Group, a Wetherby-based life sciences company developing targeted oncology drugs and diagnostics, has acquired Coris Bioconcept SRL for an upfront cash consideration of £7.4 million, with an earnout based on future business performance, payable in cash, of up to £3 million.
It follows the acquisition of Launch Diagnostics in October 2022.
Coris, based in Gembloux, Belgium and established in 1996, develops, manufactures and markets rapid diagnostic test kits, mainly lateral flow tests, for use by healthcare professionals.
Unaudited revenues for the year ended 31 December 2022 (FY22) were £4.6 million, the majority of which were non-COVID-19 related. FY21-22 gross margin was approximately 50%, with EBITDA in FY22 of £0.35 million and a loss-after-tax of £0.02 million. Net assets as at 31 December 2022 were £6 million.
Operationally, Coris employs 35 members of staff split across production, sales, marketing, quality control, regulation and administration. In March 2023, the business completed the construction of a new 10,700ft2 production, offices and warehouse facility in Gembloux.
Coris’ product portfolio comprises diagnostic tests for respiratory, gastro-enteric and blood-borne pathogens (bacteria, viruses and parasites) and for the detection of antibiotic resistance markers. As part of this portfolio, Coris markets a COVID-19 lateral flow test. Due to this, Avacta has taken the commercial decision to halt the redevelopment of its own AffiDX® SARS-CoV-2 antigen lateral flow test.
The existing Coris management team will remain with the business and work closely with Avacta Diagnostics businesses to drive growth and margins through improved distribution channels and an expanded product range. Avacta will transfer its lateral flow product development activities to Coris and support that activity through ongoing development of Affimer® reagents for new products or to enhance existing ones.
Dr Alastair Smith, Chief Executive Officer, Avacta Group plc, said: “The acquisition of Coris provides the Group with a broad, professional-use rapid test product portfolio. Complementing the acquisition of Launch Diagnostics last year, the acquisition represents an important step in establishing a full-spectrum in-vitro diagnostics business covering centralised, pathology laboratory diagnostics, as well as decentralised, point-of-care testing solutions outside the hospital setting.
“Antibiotic resistance is a major global challenge and we strongly believe that the market for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) testing is one with good future growth prospects. We are particularly pleased, therefore, to have added an AMR product portfolio to the Group with this acquisition.
“With this acquisition, our Diagnostics division has taken another important step towards realising its mission to support healthcare professionals and broaden access to high quality diagnostics.”
Law firm makes raft of promotions
Regional law firm Sills & Betteridge LLP has promoted five fee earners to Partner level and three to Associate, in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the firm’s management and development.
Partnership appointments go to the firm’s Head of Crime Christopher Hogg and his Department Manager Katie Scott, Matrimonial Solicitor Emma McGrath, who heads up the Skegness Family Team, and Conveyancers Diane Coultas, who joined the firm through its merger with Bridge Sanderson Munro, and Tracy Wray who has been with the firm for almost 40 years.
Kelly Credland is also to become a Partner. Kelly is the firm’s Chief Operating Officer and a member of the Leadership Team.
Family Solicitor Ailsa Tennant, Family Emergency Team Paralegal Grace O’Neill and Conveyancer Talisa Hammond are to become Associates.
Senior Partner Karen Bower-Brown said “I would like to offer my congratulations to each of our new Partners and Associates, in whom we recognise commitment to the firm and ambition to be our future leaders.
“Some of my colleagues have reached these milestones having joined us at the very start of their careers, but what really stands out to me as the firm’s first female senior partner in 260 years is the number of women – eight of the nine appointments – who are rising through the ranks, in testament to how inclusive and progressive the firm has become.”
The firm also reports a pleasing year-end position, in line with growth expectations from some senior hires across the business and expansion into Yorkshire – with exciting relocation and refurbishment plans very much underway for a number of its offices across the East Midlands. It continues to explore opportunities in new markets across the region.
Bank signs up as long-term partner to women’s cricket
Metro Bank has signed up as a long-term partner to the England and Wales Cricket Board designed to help deliver transformational growth to women’s and girls’ cricket across England and Wales.
Through the partnership, Metro Bank – which has branches in Sheffield and Bradford – will have a presence across the international, domestic and recreational game.
It will support programmes designed to make cricket more inclusive, bring more women and girls into the game and retain those who are already in it. The Fund is made up of equal contributions from the ECB and Metro Bank who will co-develop programmes which will power the future of women’s and girls’ cricket, accelerating its progress towards becoming a more gender-balanced sport.
Danielle Lee, Director of Brand and Marketing at Metro Bank (left in the picture): “This is a real partnership with purpose built on Metro Bank’s commitments to local communities and diversity and inclusion. Sport acts as a catalyst, helping to increase confidence and social skills, and together with the ECB we will use the Fund to empower more women and girls to reach their full potential in cricket and beyond. We will do this by changing perceptions and providing women and girls with the means to overcome the obstacles to maximise their participation in this great sport. This partnership will help to deliver a lasting legacy for women’s and girls’ cricket.”
Clare Connor, ECB Deputy Chief Executive Officer and MDA of England Women, said: “Metro Bank share our passion, determination and energy to break down barriers and build on the huge progress we’ve made in women’s and girls’ cricket in recent years. We’re thrilled to welcome them on aboard as our first ever champion partner of women’s and girls’ cricket ahead of the highly anticipated Metro Bank Women’s Ashes Series and are excited by the potential of what this partnership can achieve.
“Whilst we have seen a period of huge growth and increased profile across the women’s game, we know there is still much more to do to make our sport truly gender balanced. By working together with partners such as Metro Bank who share our ambition for the sport, I am confident we will make our sport more inclusive and inspire many more girls from all backgrounds to pick up a bat and ball.”
