Leeds accountancy practice merges into financial services group

Tess Egginton
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Leeds accountancy practice merges into financial services group
Leeds-based accountancy practice, BCL Accountants Limited, has merged into the Yorkshire and Derbyshire-based SMH Group. The merger took place on 1 November, with the firm continuing to operate from their office on Pavilion Business Park in Leeds. The new company, called SMH BCL Accountants Limited, sees existing Managing Director, Chris Nunn start a phased retirement over the next three years, with current co-director, Stacey Pocklington stepping up into the partner role. James Hartley and Jonathon Dickens, who lead all operations within the SMH Group, also join as directors. The SMH Group offer a full range of business and personal financial services, including accountancy, financial advice, commercial finance, wills & probate, and mortgage advice, to businesses and individuals across region. Chris Nunn, Managing Director of BCL Accountants Ltd, says: “Having joined BCL Accountants Limited in 1993, and becoming Managing Director in 2002, it is the right time to start phasing in my retirement. We’re delighted to join forces with the SMH Group, a regional firm that has a similar ethos and client focus to ourselves. They’re the perfect fit to ensure we can take BCL Accountants to the next level. “It is very much business as usual for us – all the current staff will still be on hand, but we now have the resources of a larger firm to ensure we can offer the best all round service for all our clients’ business, personal and family financial requirements. “Myself, and fellow director at BCL Accountants Limited, Stacey Pocklington will be continuing, so will be on hand to ensure there is consistency for our clients going forward. “SMH Group have the expertise to continue to deliver the highest quality service to our clients, as well as introducing their full-service offering meaning they can access all their financial requirements under one roof. I am confident the merger will be of benefit to all our clients and staff alike.” Jonathon Dickens, partner at the SMH Group, adds: “This latest merger into the SMH Group is an excellent opportunity for both firms – it provides long term security and more added value services for clients of BCL Accountants and allows us to expand the SMH Group into a new area in Leeds, which has been a long-term objective of ours. “Our thanks go to CMP Legal and Mason Thomas Law, who advised on all the legal aspects of the deal. “We would like to offer a warm welcome to Chris, Stacey and all staff and clients into the SMH family.” BCL Accountants specialise in providing accountancy services to a range of businesses, in particular the licensed trade, engineering and building trades. The addition of BCL Accountants Limited into the SMH Group is the sixth merger to take place since 2018, and the second in quick succession with Matlock-based Malcom J Harris Ltd joining the group in September 2022.

Jobs saved as North Yorkshire glazing business bought out of administration

Tess Egginton
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Jobs saved as North Yorkshire glazing business bought out of administration
York-based Orion Windows Limited has been bought out of administration by Orion Home Improvements Limited, saving the jobs of all 16 staff. Established in 1989, the independently-owned company supplies conservatories, orangeries and extensions as well as high performance windows and doors. It has a showroom in Clifton Moor, York, with a large display of fully finished conservatories, orangeries and solid roofs in a range of styles. Phil Booth of Booth & Co was appointed as administrator on 18 November 2022 and the sale of its business and assets was immediately completed to Orion Home Improvements, a company owned by a consortium that includes the directors of Conservatory Outlet Ltd, Orion Windows’ main manufacturer and supplier.
The administrator was advised by Alice Pratt, Estelle Oates and Joseph Young from Clarion’s Business Restructuring and Insolvency team. Phil Booth of Booth & Co said: “After 30 years of successful trading, Orion Windows has been faced with a number of issues over the last couple of years; having suffered from the impact of multiple Covid lockdowns which resulted in a fall in revenue, it was then hit by the escalating costs of raw materials and energy. “The company was marketed by Mark Rowlands of SIA Group in Leeds and a pre-packaged sale was subsequently agreed to Orion Home Improvements, securing the future of this long-established business. This deal is great news for staff, customers and suppliers.” Alice Pratt, partner at Clarion, said: “Like many businesses, Orion Windows was adversely affected by the disruption of the pandemic as well as the pressure of spiralling costs, but in the hands of a new owner with significant experience in the sector, it has a brighter future ahead.”

Acquisitive Leeds insurance broker snaps up Wokingham firm

Tess Egginton
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Acquisitive Leeds insurance broker snaps up Wokingham firm
Leeds-based JMG Group, the acquisitive insurance broker that has swooped for 14 businesses over the last two years, has added BJP to the group. The move will see headcount increase by 60 to over 420 and strengthen the JMG Group’s presence in the south.

Established in 1997, BJP Insurance Brokers is based in Wokingham. The firm specialises in the building, construction, security, and agricultural machinery sectors and has its own specialist underwriting division – Focus. BJP places over £37m in GWP annually across its retail and underwriting divisions.

BJP Managing Director Andrew Brown will remain invested and at the helm of the business following the sale. He says that joining JMG Group will facilitate a smooth retirement for founding directors Barry McGoun and John Finch, whilst giving the team access to resources and capital to help support their growth plans.

“It was important for us to find a home where we could continue building on all we have created over the last 25 years,” he says. “When we met the JMG team, they just felt like the right partner for us. The JMG support, scale and approach will undoubtedly be good for our team, our customers, and our retail and underwriting divisions. One chapter closes, another one opens – and we can’t wait to get cracking.”

JMG Group CEO Nick Houghton adds: “In BJP, we have found another great business to join forces with to help Andrew and his team with their growth plans. The added dimension of an underwriting division is exciting as this is something we’ve been thinking about for some time now. On behalf of everyone at JMG Group, I’d like to extend a warm welcome to Andrew and his team: we look forward to supporting them to achieve their growth plans.”

Manufacturers report rise in output, but decline expected to resume next quarter

Tess Egginton
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Manufacturers report rise in output, but decline expected to resume next quarter
UK manufacturers reported a rise in output in the three months to November, the first increase since the three months to July 2022, according to the CBI’s latest Industrial Trends Survey. However, production is expected to decline in the next quarter. The survey found that while stocks remained broadly adequate, total order books and export order books were reported as below normal. Selling price inflation is expected to remain historically high in the next three months (though below the record high reached earlier this year). The survey, based on the responses of 230 manufacturing firms, found:
  • Manufacturing output volumes rose in the three months to November (balance of +18%, from -4% in the three months to October), the first increase since the three months to July 2022. However, output is expected to fall in the three months to February (-10%).
  • Output increased in 9 out of 17 sectors in the three months to November. The increase in output reported this quarter was largely driven by the food, drink & tobacco, motor vehicles and transport equipment, and chemicals sectors.
  • Total order books were reported as below “normal” in November, and to a similar extent to October (balance of -5% from -4%). Export orders were also seen as below normal, but to a lesser extent than last month (-7% from -14%). Nonetheless, both total and export order books remained above their long-run averages (-13% and -18% respectively).
  • Expectations for average selling price inflation for the next three months remained at a broadly similar level to last month (+47% from +46%), although this remains comfortably below the multi-decade highs seen earlier in the year (+80% in March). Expectations for selling price inflation remained well above the long-run average (+6%).
  • Stocks of finished goods were seen as broadly adequate in November, to a similar degree as in October (+5% from +7%).
Anna Leach, CBI deputy chief economist, said: “The rise in manufacturing output this month appears to be at least partly driven by improvements to supply chains, with several companies reporting they were able to fulfil orders as materials and components became more readily available. Total order books remained much weaker than earlier in the year, however, and output is expected to fall again in the quarter ahead. “Against a difficult economic backdrop, manufacturers welcomed aspects of last week’s Autumn Statement, notably business rates relief and commitments to R&D and infrastructure spending. “But little was said about two of the most pressing issues that are currently holding the sector back: the future of the business energy support scheme and access to skills. This leaves big question marks hanging over the competitiveness of UK manufacturing.”

Brighouse PR agency celebrates 15th birthday with hattrick of client wins and new appointment

Michael Fisher
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Brighouse PR agency celebrates 15th birthday with hattrick of client wins and new appointment
Brighouse based communications agency, Faith, has secured three new client contracts and welcomed a new member of staff as it celebrates its 15th year in business. To top off the celebrations, the agency also received the Silver CIPR PRide Yorkshire and Lincolnshire Award for Small Agency of the Year. The PR, social and content agency, has welcomed Woodley BioReg, Bed Kingdom and the Poetry Book Society to its client roster. Woodley BioReg is a team of expert industry professionals, with over two decades of experience, who offer trusted advice and guidance to manufacturers on the development of pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical products, devices and diagnostics. It has appointed Faith to take over its PR, email marketing, social media and blogging to boost brand awareness regionally, nationally and internationally. Bed Kingdom, part of Flair Furniture Ltd, is a Heckmondwike based national bed retailer which has recorded a 50 per cent increase in year-on-year revenue, taking its turnover to more than £15m. Faith will be taking on the firm’s digital PR and organic social media outputs to drive awareness and boost sales for the retailer. The Poetry Book Society was founded by T S Eliot and friends in 1953 to share the joy of poetry books. In 2016, supported by Arts Council England, the Poetry Book Society moved to Newcastle to join Inpress. Faith will be supporting the Society with email marketing, social media advertising, SEO content and influencer outreach. Dr Ash Ramzan, Woodley BioReg’s principal consultant, said: “We’re really looking forward to working with the Faith team. “After a long search for the right PR partner, and having reviewed the credentials of other local agencies, Faith’s appointment was based on their expertise and experience in the healthcare sector, as well as its proficiency to use PR to raise our brand visibility regionally, nationally and internationally. “We have some really exciting international plans in the pipeline and I’m confident that the agency will help us meet the goals we’ve laid out.” Following this period of growth, Faith has appointed a new content writer, Katie Sessions, to support the team with content, blogging and PR. Katie studied Ancient History and English Literature, at the University of Swansea, before undertaking a post graduate digital marketing apprenticeship. She brings with her nearly two years’ worth of digital marketing and copywriting experience and hopes to expand on her current skills in her time at Faith. To top off the celebrations, Faith was awarded the CIPR PRide Yorkshire and Lincolnshire Silver Award for Best Small Agency of the Year, recognising the team’s performance over the last 12 months. This included investing more than £200K in a new building and appointing a new account director to lead its digital outputs. Managing director of Faith, Stefanie Hopkins, added: “Woodley BioReg, Bed Kingdom and the Poetry Book Society are well-established and professional organisations doing incredible work in their respective fields. “We have extensive experience in their sectors and believe that this knowledge, combined with our ability to offer paid, earned, owned and shared marketing communications, will help achieve their communications goals and enhance brand awareness to reflect the excellent work they do. “I am delighted to have so much to celebrate in Faith’s 15th year and am very much looking forward to continuing our growth in the years to come.”

New Generation Net Zero facility to inspire engineers of the future

Tess Egginton
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New Generation Net Zero facility to inspire engineers of the future
Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult and Engineering UTC North Lincolnshire have launched a brand-new facility at the college, that will inspire the next generation of STEM leaders in the region. Holly Mumby-Croft, MP for Scunthorpe, cut the ribbon at the recent opening of the facility, with pupils from local schools, and representatives from North Lincolnshire Council, Greater Lincolnshire LEP and industry touring the centre. Generation Net Zero was created with ORE Catapult funding to ensure school children from Northern Lincolnshire can access high quality STEM teaching in their formative years. Crucially, the facility will also provide a space for businesses across the Humber and Lincolnshire to inspire young people as they think about their future careers. Ben George, general manager of the Humber region at ORE Catapult, said: “ORE Catapult  works closely with schools, colleges, and universities throughout the UK to promote STEM subjects and activities, ensuring that all pupils can be inspired by the opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and maths. “Generation Net Zero is a perfect example of that positive impact in action as it will provide excellent STEM learning opportunities for the engineers of the future, inspiring them to consider how we build a better, more sustainable world and protect the planet.” Anesta McCullagh, principal at Engineering UTC Northern Lincolnshire, said: “We are excited to launch this partnership project with ORE Catapult which brings together primary and secondary education with industry in one hub. Businesses from across the Humber and Lincolnshire will now be able to deliver inspirational workshops alongside our Student STEM Leaders. “Thanks to this sponsorship from ORE Catapult, the students using the facility will learn about renewables, carbon capture and decarbonisation. As our future leaders, it is vitally important that we develop their creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving skills now to enable them to change the future for everybody.” The name ‘Generation Net Zero’ was created by students at the technical college to reflect that school pupils using the facility now and in the near future will be the leaders driving technology, innovation and science in 2050, when our Net Zero targets are to be met.

Significant investment set to drive further growth for Barnsley engineering company

Tess Egginton
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Significant investment set to drive further growth for Barnsley engineering company
A Barnsley engineering company has made major investments to support continued growth as demand for its products continues to soar. Local company LNS Turbo has invested £850,000 in new machinery, creating ten new jobs in the last year at their site at Waterside Park in Wombwell. The continued investment by new owners is helping to increase productivity and bring automation into their processes. LNS Turbo opened in 1999 and manufactures chip disposal systems for industrial cutting machines, selling them across the UK and Europe. The Barnsley site is the company’s only manufacturing site for chip conveyor systems in Europe and currently employs 76 people. Throughout 2021 the company saw an extraordinary hike in demand for its products, far exceeding growth projections, which has continued this year. Working closely with Enterprising Barnsley, the council’s business support team, LNS Turbo has received support over several years in reviewing their business operations and achieving efficiencies. Councillor Robert Frost, Cabinet Spokesperson for Regeneration and Culture, said: “LNS Turbo are a well-established business in Barnsley, and it is excellent news that they are once again investing to drive further growth and create jobs in the area. “They have a thriving business model, supplying right across Europe, and we are delighted they are achieving such success here in our borough.” LNS Turbo UK operations manager Mark Scanlan said: “The investment in new machinery, equipment and facilities is helping us to increase capacity to satisfy our growing customer demand and enabling us to change the manufacturing environment in which we operate. “New facilities include offices, locker rooms and canteen facilities on a purpose-built mezzanine floor, freeing up much valuable floor space for further improvement activities. “The support we have received from Enterprising Barnsley has been invaluable in helping the company access funding streams and having the support to develop our operation. This has provided job security and opportunities for our employees as we continue to grow and enables us to show that manufacturing is alive and well in Barnsley and the surrounding regions.”

Plans submitted for £16m apartment scheme in Halifax town centre

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Plans submitted for £16m apartment scheme in Halifax town centre
A build-to-rent provider has submitted a full planning application for 122 apartments in Halifax town centre. Plans by Placefirst for the £16m project at Cow Green will see the prominent former multi-storey car park site transformed into high-quality homes for rent. If approved, the scheme will deliver a mix of one and two-bedroom apartments with bike storage and electric car charging points. Designed as a nine-storey building by JM Architects, the development takes inspiration from the town’s rich heritage and will integrate with the Council’s wider Cow Green highway improvements through attractive landscape features and public realm. Placefirst is working collaboratively with West Yorkshire Combined Authority on the delivery of the scheme. Pre-application advice has been sought from Calderdale Council and a public consultation took place in October. Maddox Planning is acting as planning consultant. Plans for Cow Green represent Placefirst’s most sustainable project to date as it transitions towards ‘net zero’. A fabric first approach has been taken to maximise the thermal performance of the building in addition to renewable and efficient technologies including photovoltaic panels, air source heat pumps, mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, and wastewater heat recovery. This will deliver a superior EPC rating which will limit energy consumption and allow for lower bills for residents. The proposal links closely to Calderdale’s vision for Halifax as a vibrant place to live, work and visit, and plans dovetail with current and future ‘Calderdale The Next Chapter’ proposals for the town centre such as the refurbishment of the bus station and the train station gateway. If approved, work is expected to start in mid-2023 and would be completed by 2025. James Litherland, planning and development manager at Placefirst, said: “We are excited to submit our plans to regenerate this area in the centre of Halifax with our most sustainable scheme to date. We have worked closely with the Combined Authority and Calderdale Council to ensure the scheme delivers the shared objectives of all partners and sets the standard for high quality build-to-rent in Halifax. “We hope that the proposals are well received and look forward to starting work next summer to create new homes for residents.”

Private equity firm to acquire Yorkshire-based manufacturer

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Private equity firm to acquire Yorkshire-based manufacturer
OakNorth Bank has provided a loan to Rubicon Partners, a London-based investment partnership, to acquire CMD Limited, a premium British power and connectivity manufacturer. Founded in 1984, CMD creates solutions to meet the challenges of integrating power and AV/data access for people working in offices and commercial spaces. It provides a broad product range including: underfloor powertrack and power hub power distributions systems, floor boxes, workstation power and AV/data modules to monitor arms, CPU supports, and cable management solutions that are designed to be quick and easy to install and adaptable for contractor, client and end-user. With a head office in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, CMD employs 158 people, and has won several industry awards. The existing management team, led by Jon Holding, will continue to lead the business and work alongside Rubicon to develop the business further. Established in 1993, Rubicon Partners has invested in 78 UK and international companies valued between £15m-£250m to date. It is currently invested in 10 companies, including CMD, via its Fund V and had previously invested in CMD during 2001-2008. Stewart Haworth, debt finance director at OakNorth Bank, said: “CMD is a strong business that has demonstrated its resilience during previous economic downturns, including the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, remaining profitable throughout. “Whilst new construction is likely to decline in the next 12 months, demand for CMD’s products will remain through office renovation and refurbishments, driven in part by EPC rating enforcement and demand for hybrid working spaces. “With over three decades of experience in the office power and furniture sectors, Jon Holding has been instrumental in growing the business into the market-leading company it is today. With the backing of a strong sponsor in Rubicon Partners once again, the business is well-equipped to meet future demand and continue its successful scaling strategy.” OakNorth Bank was introduced to the transaction by FRP Advisory and received legal support from Squire Patton Boggs.

Broadland wins battle for Stamford Bridge investment opportunity

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Broadland wins battle for Stamford Bridge investment opportunity

A long income and strategic land opportunity at Stamford Bridge near York has been sold in a multi-million-pound deal to well-known North Yorkshire property group, Broadland Properties.

The site, known as Bridge Works, has been sold by Columbia Threadneedle, which was advised by the investment team at Leeds property consultancy, GV&Co. Scarborough-based Broadland Properties was represented by CBRE.

Bridge Works is let to global manufacturer, XANDOR Automotive and offers 143,989 sq ft of buildings and office space, within a 7.41 acre site, with more than nine years unexpired on the lease.

Garry Howes, director of investment at GV&Co, said: “Bridge Works is a very well-maintained, income producing prime strategic investment opportunity, located in an affluent area, just five miles from the City of York.

“When this is combined with the fact that it is let to a global company and offers asset management potential through the regearing of the lease, we were able to generate significant interest in it from both local and national investors.

“As a result, the sale to local company Broadland Properties, completed just 12 weeks after we were instructed, which is a great result for our client and continues to demonstrate the amount of demand and capital in Yorkshire for robust investment opportunities.”

Senior director, Alex Whiting, from CBRE, said: “We were happy to advise Broadland Properties on this purchase. With a reliable tenant and good investment potential, the deal made perfect sense.”

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