4D Capital Partners has acquired Hepworth Clay, the UK’s last remaining producer of vitrified clay drainage systems, in a move that signals renewed investor interest in vertically integrated manufacturing assets.

The Yorkshire-based firm, formerly part of Orbia subsidiary Wavin, operates across two production sites totalling over half a million square feet. Its operations span the full value chain, drawing raw materials from its own 18-million-tonne clay reserves, an increasingly rare advantage in UK industry. Alongside its core drainage systems, Hepworth also produces terracotta components for flue and chimney ventilation.

The acquisition positions Hepworth as a standalone business under private equity ownership, with 4D Capital expected to focus on expanding its capacity, modernising operations, and driving long-term value through operational independence.

The deal was supported by advisers including Quantuma, Shoosmiths, Dickson Minto, K3, and Ford Campbell Freedman.

Alex Silk, founder of 4D, said: “We are delighted to have invested in Hepworth Clay and very proud to become the custodians of this heritage brand. There is an excellent team in place with some exceptionally talented people who share our passion for high-quality manufacturing. We look forward to working with them to realise the full potential of Hepworth Clay.”

Small businesses across York and North Yorkshire can now apply for a Digital Adoption Grant aimed at supporting investment in new technologies to enhance productivity and growth. Launched by the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub, the scheme offers between £1,000 and £3,000 to eligible firms seeking to improve their digital capabilities.

The funding is intended to help businesses create or upgrade digital assets such as websites or e-commerce platforms, with a broader focus on streamlining operations, boosting lead generation, and enabling long-term growth through digital transformation.

Backed by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund via the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, the grant forms part of a wider initiative to equip local enterprises with the tools needed to stay competitive in an increasingly digital economy.

Applications close on Monday, 14 July. Interested businesses are encouraged to prepare early to secure funding that could significantly improve their operational efficiency and customer reach.

British Steel has secured a £500 million contract to supply track to Network Rail over the next five years, reinforcing its strategic role in the UK’s domestic infrastructure supply chain. The deal will see the Scunthorpe-based firm continue to supply around 80% of Network Rail’s steel rail requirements.

The contract, which begins on 1 July, is a critical development for the UK’s remaining virgin steel production facility. It guarantees long-term work for British Steel’s Scunthorpe site, home to 2,700 workers and the last operational blast furnaces of their kind in the country.

This follows the UK government’s recent intervention to prevent the site’s closure, after relations broke down with parent company Jingye over concerns that the Chinese owner planned to shutter the blast furnaces. Shutting them down would have eliminated the UK’s capacity to produce virgin steel, raising significant concerns about national security and industrial resilience.

The agreement also comes as the government signals a renewed commitment to strengthening domestic manufacturing through major infrastructure procurement. While British Steel remains in a precarious position, with partial public control but no final decision on nationalisation, the Network Rail deal is seen as a stabilising measure ahead of further industrial strategy announcements later this week.

UK employers are being urged to make practical workplace changes to better support emerging generations, particularly neurodivergent individuals expected to make up a significant share of the future workforce.

According to new findings from Benenden Health and Neurodiversity in Business, 77% of surveyed HR professionals are already taking steps to adapt office environments and policies with neurodiversity in mind. Recommendations include integrating flexible working patterns, quiet zones, mental health days, and mentorship programmes to foster inclusion and psychological safety.

The report frames these adjustments as essential, not optional, as diagnoses for conditions such as autism continue to rise rapidly. Businesses that fail to evolve their workspaces and culture may struggle to attract and retain the next generation of skilled workers, particularly as expectations for inclusivity and support increase.

While many organisations have made progress, the study highlights the need for ongoing structural and cultural improvements to accommodate a workforce that is not only more diverse but also more vocal about their needs.

Suffolk-based HVAC provider Climate Care Solutions (CCS) has acquired a majority stake in Bingley-headquartered Europe Air Conditioning (EAC), strengthening its UK market presence.

Established in 2006, EAC offers nationwide design, installation, repair, and maintenance services for heating and ventilation systems. Its client portfolio spans sectors including healthcare, leisure, education, construction, retail, and transport.

This acquisition adds to CCS’s growing network of specialist businesses, which already includes Sapphire Cooling Systems in East Anglia. The group’s strategy centres on integrating technically strong firms with complementary values, while allowing each company to maintain its operational independence.

The transaction was supported by KBS Corporate, with Mackrell Solicitors advising on the sell side and Ansons Solicitors representing the buyer.

This move reflects CCS’s ongoing consolidation efforts within the HVAC sector, targeting regional players with established customer bases and technical expertise.

A new case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) has been confirmed at a small poultry farm near Ravensthorpe, West Yorkshire, raising fresh concerns for the sector just weeks after national housing measures were lifted.

The affected farm, which sold eggs and poultry products directly to consumers, housed approximately 60 chickens, 20 ducks, and five geese. All birds on site are being culled, and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has implemented a 3 km protection zone and a 10 km surveillance zone to contain the spread.

While the mandatory housing order for birds in England was lifted in May, strict biosecurity requirements under the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) remain in force across England, Scotland and Wales. This incident highlights the ongoing risk and the need for vigilance, particularly for producers operating mixed flocks or selling directly to the public.

The outbreak also arrives as pressure mounts on UK legislators to fast-track legislation for gene editing in farmed animals. A cross-party parliamentary group has called for urgent implementation of provisions under the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023, citing bird flu as a growing threat that could be mitigated through advanced breeding techniques.

With commercial losses, movement restrictions, and reputational risks at stake, producers and agri-supply chains are advised to reassess contingency plans and biosecurity protocols.

The latest KPMG and REC, UK Report on Jobs: North of England survey revealed further decreases in both permanent placements and temp billings in May. The decline in the former gained momentum, while the contraction in the latter slowed noticeably from April. Recruiters meanwhile recorded much softer falls in vacancies, and candidate numbers rose at a softer pace (albeit still sharply overall). At the same time, starting salaries and pay for short-term staff both rose at a stronger rate than in April. The KPMG and REC, UK Report on Jobs: North of England is compiled by S&P Global from responses to questionnaires sent to around 150 recruitment and employment consultancies in the North of England. Decline in permanent placements quickens in May Recruiters in the North of England continued to signal a decrease in the number of people placed into permanent roles in May, stretching the current period of reduction to nearly two years. Panellists noted lower demand for staff, in part due to restructuring, and a lack of suitably skilled candidates as reasons behind the latest reduction. The rate at which placements fell quickened from April and was marked overall. It was, however, noticeably softer than those seen through the opening quarter of the year and also slightly weaker than the UK average. May survey data signalled a further decrease in billings received from the employment of temporary workers in the North of England. Anecdotal evidence indicated that firms were cautious in their hiring decisions as they looked to control costs. The respective seasonally adjusted index has now posted in contraction territory for seven consecutive months. Though solid, the rate of reduction was the slowest seen over this period. The downturn in billings seen across the North of England was similar to that seen across the UK as a whole. Latest data signalled a fall in the number of permanent job openings, stretching the current trend of contraction to seven months. The rate of decline was noticeably softer than that seen in April, and the slowest over the aforementioned period. Temp vacancies fell for the seventh month in a row in May. That said, the rate of decline was the weakest seen over this period and only modest. The North of England recorded softer falls in demand for both permanent and short-term labour than those seen on average across the UK. Further substantial rise in permanent staff supply As has been the case since the start of 2024, permanent candidate numbers in the North of England rose in May. The uplift was predominantly due to companies restructuring and increased redundancies, panellists reported. The rate of expansion was substantial, but the softest in three months. The North of England also saw the quickest rise in permanent labour supply of all four monitored English regions for the third month running. The seasonally adjusted Temporary Staff Availability Index posted above the 50.0 mark in May, signalling an increase in the supply of short-term staff across the North of England. The rate of expansion slowed to the weakest in nine months, but remained marked overall. Survey respondents often linked the latest increase in candidates to job losses and a slowdown in hiring activity. Of the four English regions monitored by the survey, the North of England saw the slowest rise in temporary staff supply. Starting salaries rise at quickest rate in 2025 so far Salaries awarded to new permanent joiners increased for a second straight month in May. The increase reflected greater competition for skilled staff and attempts to attract sought-after candidates, recruiters noted. The rate of salary inflation was the strongest in the year-to-date and solid overall. However, steeper increases in starting salaries were recorded in London and the Midlands. As a result, the upturn in the North of England was softer than the UK average. Average hourly rates of pay for short-term staff in the North of England rose again in May, thereby extending the current sequence of wage growth to one-and-a-half years. The rate of inflation was sharp and the strongest in nearly a year. Qualitative evidence highlighted that employers had increased pay due to recent and stronger than average rises in the National Minimum and Living Wage rates. The North of England recorded the most pronounced upturn in temp pay of all four monitored English regions.  Commenting on the latest survey results, Phil Murden, Leeds Office Senior Partner at KPMG UK, said: “It’s clear that the North’s labour market remains under strain, with permanent placements continuing to fall during May. At the same time, there are signs that the downturn is slowing, with the rate of decline easing compared to the first quarter of the year. “While temporary hiring remains subdued, signs of optimism are emerging. The pace of decline in temporary billings has slowed to the weakest in seven months. This shift points to a more measured approach from employers, who are managing cost pressures but still recognising the need for flexibility in workforce planning. “Perhaps most encouraging for job seekers, pay growth is gaining momentum with starting salaries for permanent roles rising at the strongest pace so far in 2025. This reflects continued demand for key skills and a more competitive market for talent, particularly as restructuring drives more candidates into the labour pool.” Neil Carberry, REC Chief Executive, said: “More encouraging signs for the UK in temp billings, vacancies, and stabilising private sector demand offer a measure of optimism as we head into the second half of the year. In the North the decline in permanent billings was noticeably softer than those seen through the opening quarter of the year and the fall in temp billings was the slowest seen for seven months. “The big test now is whether the Spending Review convinces more employers to dance at the party by turning intent on hiring and investing into action. The Spending Review delivered a big hit in terms of eye-catching spending on technology and energy, but the lack of announcements on workforce matters is badly out of step with its desire to build a deep pool of talent. “With the Industrial Strategy imminent, businesses are looking for more than talk of renewal, they want a clear plan for an economic revival. One that acknowledges the central role of good workforce policy – beyond just employment rights. That means putting workforce matters at the heart of the agenda, not treating it as a compliance issue.”