ABP completes £4.8m container terminal extension at Hull
ABP has completed a £4.8m extension to its Humber Container Terminal at the Port of Hull, creating 17,600 sq m of heavy-duty paving to expand the terminal’s storage capacity.
The Humber Container Terminal in Hull welcomes a dozen vessels per week from Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Ghent, serving customers Samskip, iMotion and BGF, and complements the 15 vessels served by the Humber Container Terminal at the Port of Immingham.
The two terminals work to ensure that the container business continues to grow in the Humber over the coming years, by offering additional storage space, state-of-the-art equipment, and access to the North of England and Midlands.
Simon Bird, Director Humber, said: “ABP Humber has made substantial investments in the Humber Container Terminal at the Ports of Hull and Immingham. Having completed a £50 million investment at the start of 2021, the Humber’s provision to serve the container sector goes from strength to strength with these ongoing investments. The extra space and equipment is further evidence of the growing value the terminals have in the economic life of the North of England and the Midlands.”
Clearance works for the extension were carried out by Stoneledge Ltd. and the construction works were completed by CR Reynolds.
Attenuation tanks have been incorporated into the drainage design to avoid overloading the downstream drainage system during stormy weather.
In addition to the new container storage area, the Hull Container Terminal now boasts a fantastic new gatehouse that better serves the operations team. The new facility was installed over a weekend to help minimise any disruption to the terminal.
Yorkshire authorities share in funding for EV charge points
Local authorities in Rotherham, West Yorkshire, and York are to benefit from £56m of Government funding to increase electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints across the country.
The funds are in addition to money already being in vested in North Yorkshire for the same purpose.
The announcement by Transport Minister Jesse Norman will help deliver up to a further 2,400 chargepoints in the short term, while working to support local councils to deliver tens of thousands more in the long term. “The government is giving local authorities across England additional help today to energise their chargepoint roll-out plans.
“Today’s commitment will lead to thousands of new chargers being installed, and plans for tens of thousands extra in due course, so that more people than ever can make the transition to using EVs.”
In total, £22 million of government funding for the pilot areas is supported by an additional £17 million of private funding, and £2 million from public funds across local authorities. In addition to expanding the pilot scheme, today also sees the launch of the £8 million LEVI Capability Fund which will equip local authorities with the skills and ambition to scale up their plans when it comes to their charging strategy. The funding will help local authorities work in tandem with private business and chargepoint operators to drive the sustainable growth of local networks, building and utilising their collective knowledge and expertise to deliver the most ambitious chargepoint plans for their area. Today also sees the government bringing forward a further £7 million funding for the existing On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme, bringing the total funding this year to £37 million. Three thousand chargepoints have already been installed under ORCS with a further 10,000 in the pipeline.New campus predicted to be ‘economic game changer’ for Skegness
East Lindsey District Council have given their consent to plans for a new learning campus described as an ‘economic game changer’ to be built at Skegness.
It will offer vocational skills training across a range of subjects, and has been designed to ensure programmes will be developed to meet the needs of the local area.
The new facility is one of the transformational Connected Coast Town Deal projects for Skegness with the campus set to benefit from £14m in Town Deal funding from the government. The principal focus of the project is to create a new purpose-built college of further and higher education.
Ann Hardy, Chief Executive Officer of TEC Partnership, is leading on the campus development and said: “The Skegness TEC campus development is designed to enable a transformational employment and skills programme to tackle the net outward migration of talent and deliver local skills that match the economic vision for the area.
“The development of a college within Skegness is intended to drive up the levels of aspiration, improve local access to skills, training and employment, and support upskilling the local workforce.”
Contemporary in design and advanced in functionality, the collaborative development of an exemplary Skegness TEC education facility will support the delivery of the highest quality learning in a range of disciplines including construction, engineering, hair and beauty, hospitality, tourism, sports, public services, health and social care, business, digital, sustainability, advanced manufacturing, renewables, electric vehicles and higher education.
Chris Baron, Chair of Connected Coast said: “This new learning campus is an economic game changer for Skegness. Through the new state of the art learning offer, people will be able to gain the skills, knowledge, and training they need to access a whole range of employment opportunities. The new campus will enable people to achieve their ambitions, fulfil their potential, and aspire to more.
“We are proud to be working together to help to bring this new campus to our community, and we look forward to seeing the significant impact it will have for Skegness and the surrounding area.”
Cllr Steve Kirk, Portfolio Holder for the Coastal Economy at East Lindsey District Council said: “The Skegness TEC provides a new learning and training opportunity for young people and adults to train in their vocations right here in Skegness without the need to travel to other towns to study.
“A Further and Higher education facility has been much needed in the town and is something I have been pushing for ever since I became a Councillor. I am very pleased that the £14m of Town Deal funding and the consent through planning permission is now able to make this vision a reality.”
Nuclear AMRC signs new company to help in pursuit of clean energy goals
Workholding specialist Brown & Holmes has joined the Sheffield-based Nuclear AMRC to collaborate on technology development and expand its presence in the nuclear sector.
Tamworth-based Brown & Holmes provides advanced workholding solutions, prototyping and precision machining to customers in sectors including aerospace, automotive and power generation. It operates two sites in Tamworth, and is developing a new dedicated facility for clean assembly in Derby.
MD Kevin Ward said: “The opportunity to sit alongside and collaborate with industry leaders will help us build on our past experiences working in the sector. We firmly believe this will be a major growth area in supporting the world achieve its goals for clean energy and sustainability, and one we wish to be a part of.”
Brown & Holmes previously worked with the Nuclear AMRC through the Fit For Nuclear supplier development programme, as part of a strategic move into the sector. Even before being granted F4N in late 2020, the company won new contracts from clients working in decommissioning and submarine propulsion programmes.
Sean Murphy, strategic relationship manager for the Nuclear AMRC, said: “I was very impressed with the operations at Brown and Holmes, and feel that the Nuclear AMRC has much to gain from collaborating. Their expertise in fixturing, assembly and machining will enhance our research board and other areas of work, and I see us working together to jointly solve problems or innovate with new ideas.”
As part of its tier two membership, Brown & Holmes will provide specialist design and technical services to support projects at the Nuclear AMRC, including consultancy on workholding solutions for the centre’s array of production-scale machining and fabrication cells at its research factory in Rotherham.
Later this year, the centre will open its new Nuclear AMRC Midlands facility at Infinity Park, Derby. The £20 million facility will focus on new technology areas which will deliver the maximum impact for the UK’s nuclear manufacturers, and supply chain development across the Midlands region.
The Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (Nuclear AMRC), based at the University of Sheffield and part of the UK’s High Value Manufacturing Catapult, collaborates with companies of all sizes to help them innovate and win work in the nuclear supply chain.
Struggle to fill job vacancies will hold back Humber economy, says Chamber President
Companies throughout the Humber region are struggling to fill every type of job you can think of, according to feedback from firms of all sizes during the February round of Hull and Humber Chamber Area Council meetings.
From micro businesses to big multinationals where welders can earn more than GPs, the message is the same – we can’t find enough suitable staff to fill our vacancies!
The Chamber’s Quarterly Economic Surveys have been highlighting the same issues for months and feedback from Chamber members is consistent. The survey for Quarter 1 is now live and all businesses are urged to take part by clicking here Hull and Humber Chamber of Commerce (hull-humber-chamber.co.uk)
The British Chambers of Commerce is also flagging up concerns nationally following the latest ONS Labour Market Figures. A spokesman said: “Businesses are crying out for people to fill job vacancies at all skill levels, and this must be the number one focus for government if it’s serious about economic growth.
The Chamber has also been consulting with local stakeholders as part of its role as a delivery partner for the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) for Hull and East Yorkshire in a bid to identify the key priorities and changes needed in the area to help ensure post-16 technical education and training is more closely aligned with employer and local labour market needs.
Nationally, the BCC says there are still a huge number of vacancies, currently sitting at 1.134 million, and this is stopping firms in their tracks. It means they are struggling to meet the orders on their books, and it puts any plans for growth far out of reach.
Chamber President Mike Whitehead said: “There is so much going on in the Humber at the moment with so many exciting projects, but we know firms are struggling to recruit the right people to fill these jobs.
“I am pleased the Chamber won a contract to deliver LSIPs locally, and this will help with the future direction of training, but companies need to be able to recruit people to these vacancies now or it will hold back our region’s development.
“We need to find a way to bring the long-term unemployed back into the jobs market and equip them with the skills our local businesses need today, so we can be even more successful tomorrow!”
Harrogate insurance firm snapped up
PIB Group has added to its portfolio of businesses and specialisms with the acquisition of Jigsaw Insurances Services. With over 20 years’ experience in the industry and specialising in motor, breakdown and pet insurance, the arrival of Jigsaw is an exciting development for PIB in the personal lines space.
Their expertise will also complement the existing commercial lines products and services offered by PIB Group, particularly through synergies in the motor and fleet sectors. As a plc company, the proposal has received backing from its directors, and its shareholders have voted favourably in support of the continued growth and expansion of Jigsaw.
Formed in 2000 and headquartered in Harrogate, the business has grown significantly. Managing Director Neil Richards-Smith will remain at the helm and the team will join the Schemes & Affinities division, which is home to PIB’s direct, partnership and affinity businesses.
Nick Mountifield, CEO for Schemes and Affinities division, said: “Jigsaw is a very special business, and I am absolutely delighted that PIB Group will become their new home. Over the past 20 years, Neil and the team have built an excellent business and earned a loyal customer base.
“Their deep expertise in their specialist areas is an obvious draw for PIB as well as their genuine concern for their people, customers and integrity that is firmly engrained in their culture. Their presence in the personal lines market represents a fantastic step into a new market which will provide many more opportunities for growth, which will also bolster our existing products and services across the Group.”
Specialising in motor, breakdown and pet insurance, the business, which started out trading in a loft, is now home to 130+ employees in Harrogate. Joining PIB will open opportunities to extend their proposition internationally.
Neil Richards-Smith said: “We are very excited to be joining the PIB Group. Since our first introductions, it was without doubt that PIB was the business we wanted to be part of as our future home. Everyone we have met from PIB has been brilliant, and already made us feel very welcome.
“The values that we hold dear to us for our customers and people are well aligned to those of PIB, so we already have a huge amount of synergy and similarities that we feel makes the perfect match. We look forward to collaborating with new colleagues and working together to open new doors that sometimes just aren’t available to independent brokers.”
Sights are set now on doubling in size in the next five years with the investment and support of PIB.
Fras-le expands global operations with Doncaster acquisition
Car parts manufacturer Fras-le has acquired Doncaster-based AML Juratek in an £18.2m investment.
AML Juratek is the controller company of Juratek and BettaParts, which operate in the UK and in the European aftermarket, commercialising braking products such as brake discs, brake pads, calipers and actuators.
“This movement is part of our strategy of expanding the business in the aftermarket sector inserting the company in mature markets such as the European one, through product diversification and brand expansion in the portfolio,” says Fras-le’s Managing Director, Anderson Pontalti.
In 2022, AML Juratek recorded revenues of approximately £25m.
“With this strategic action we reaffirm our position as one of the largest portfolios of brands for the auto parts aftermarket, expanding the model that has been working in Brazil for new markets; allowing even more growth, important operational synergies and adding value to our business and quality in delivering solutions to our customers,” added the president and CEO of Fras-le, Sérgio L. Carvalho.
Yorkshire Country Properties starts work on new developments
West Yorkshire-based Yorkshire Country Properties (YCP) has begun work on Phase 2 of its Knowle Grange residential development at Abbey Road, Shepley, near Huddersfield.
At the same time, YCP has unveiled a trio of brand-new developments in North and West Yorkshire.
Phase 1 of Shepley comprises 31 stone-built houses, ranging from one bed to five beds, of which 17 have already been sold. Work has just started on site on Phase 2, comprising a further 52 homes, which are scheduled to be completed by July 2025.
A spokesperson for Yorkshire Country Properties, based in Huddersfield, said: “We are tremendously proud of our Knowle Grange development in Shepley. Phase I has proved very popular, with more than half the houses sold already and with strong interest in the remaining 14.”
Meanwhile work is now underway at YCP’s development at Station Road, Skelmanthorpe, near Huddersfield, where 30 houses will be ready for occupation next year.
Prime sites have also been bought at Denby Dale and Church Fenton, between York and Leeds. All sites have been carefully chosen for their excellent facilities, including schools, shops and leisure facilities, and for their easy access to nearby commuter towns and cities. Work has now started on site for 34 homes at Denby Dale.
Urban Group (York) boosts senior team with two new managers
Urban Group (York) Ltd has recruited a new managing quantity surveyor and project manager to its growing team.
Nicholas Bryant brings 15 years of project management experience, having previously worked at Esh and Mace, he specialises in the delivery of student, residential, care and education development.
His previous projects have included a 58-home retirement living scheme for Housing 21 Doncaster and the £250 million Climate Innovation District development for CITU. He was also the project manager delivering the renovation of the Grade II Lady IDA Lodge at Cookridge Hospital which recently secured the Constructing Excellence award for Conservation and Regeneration project of the year.
Jamie Wilkinson also joins the Construction Division as the new managing quantity surveyor. He previously worked in commercial management and quantity surveying roles at Fortem (part of the Wilmott Dixon Group) and Kier Group, where he managed multi-million-pound contracts, handling traditional tendered contracts to long-term framework agreements for a variety of local authority clients and social housing providers.
Jamie and Nicholas will both work on the high-profile Aire Straits boutique student accommodation scheme which Urban Group is delivering on Merrion Street in Leeds. The nine-storey high specification development will provide 88 en-suite studios with on-site cinema, gym, lounge, dining and study space.
Nicholas explains: “Urban Group specialises in residential schemes, from new-build, buy-to-let and student accommodation, to housing association frameworks, an area where both Jamie and I have extensive experience.
“It is a fast-growing team, working with a strong team of sub-contractors and supply-chain partners. The role will also give me the opportunity to continue my passion for mentoring the next generation of project managers.”
Brendon Hutchinson, Group Managing Director at Urban, said: “It’s a coup to appoint two senior team members with the calibre of experience Nicholas and Jamie offer. They will be a fantastic addition to the construction team.
“We have recently secured a number of high-profile developments, from flagship student accommodation in Leeds to land-led Housing Association build contracts across Yorkshire and the East Midlands and will continue to grow the team as a result.”
HMRC ‘nudges’ 2,000 companies to clamp down on R&D tax fraud and error
HMRC has written to more than 2,000 companies as part of its ever-increasing compliance activity to crack down on fraudulent and inaccurate R&D tax relief claims.
The ‘nudge’ letters encourage recipients to check that their previous R&D tax relief claims are complete and correct, and where inaccuracies are identified, companies are urged to make amendments to their company tax return.
HMRC has also warned companies that they may face formal tax enquiries and rejected claims if their returns are found to be incorrect.
There has been growing concern about a rise in R&D tax relief fraud in recent years.
In January this year, the Lords Finance Bill sub-committee published a report which highlighted an escalation in the abuse of R&D tax relief, noting that the relief was subject to large-scale organised criminal attacks and the activities of rogue advisers.
In its latest annual report and accounts, HMRC estimated that £469m was lost through fraud and error in its two R&D schemes in 2021-22, equivalent to 4.9% of Corporate Tax R&D reliefs.
To address these concerns, the government has increased compliance resource and activity, and the specialist R&D team focused on SME compliance has more than doubled in size.
Commenting on the nudge campaign, Carrie Rutland, Innovation Incentives partner at BDO, said: “Companies that have been nudged by HMRC may face higher tax penalties if their claims contain errors. Getting an expert review of past claims by a specialist is the best way to identify and rectify any mistakes in past years’ tax relief claims – both for returns that are in date to amend and for any previous years where voluntary disclosures are required.
“However, it’s important for all businesses to review their past R&D claims to make sure there are no potential skeletons in the company closet. It’s always better to make a voluntary disclosure for errors before you are nudged by HMRC, as this should be treated as an ‘unprompted’ disclosure which carries a much lower penalty – if any. I would expect HMRC to keep on issuing these nudge letters, so the window of opportunity to get past claims put right at a lower cost could be closing soon.
“Past R&D claims often come up whenever a potential purchaser is doing due diligence, so management considering a sale will want to make sure there are no barriers to getting a successful transaction over the line.”
The government is currently consulting on reforms to R&D tax relief regime to ensure taxpayers’ money is spent as effectively as possible through a simplified, single relief.
