More money means more railway innovation at Goole
A new world-leading railway research and innovation centre is to be established at Goole by the University of Birmingham, supported by Siemens Mobility, which has been awarded £15 million by the UK Research Partnership Investment Fund.
The investment will mean the University of Birmingham, working with the University of Huddersfield, be able to establish a new Centre of Excellence for Railway Through-Life Engineering alongside the major new Siemens Mobility train manufacturing facility in Goole, due to open in 2024.
The funding is part of £30m announced through the UKRPIF fund to establish two new world-leading railway research and innovation facilities, with the other being a new Centre of Excellence for Railway Testing, Validation and Customer Experience in South Wales.
The funding bid includes a wider commitment from the rail industry to co-invest £60m, with a further £16m being invested by the University of Birmingham. In total the package represents a £106m boost for UK research and development.
The new Centre of Excellence for Railway Through-Life Engineering in Goole will be next to the Rail Accelerator for Innovation Solutions and Enterprise business centre and within the major new Siemens Mobility rail village.
This Centre will provide cutting-edge facilities to support the build, service, maintenance, and modernisation of railway rolling stock with a focus on robotics, sensing, and automation.
Siemens Mobility is investing up to £200m in Goole, a site that spans 67 acres. The new train manufacturing facility will create up to 700 skilled jobs, as well as up to 1,700 in the supply chain and 250 during construction. In April 2023 the components facility opened, this is where gearboxes, traction motors and other parts for trains and tram fleets across the UK are maintained. Trains for the UK market will be built at the new factory, starting with new Piccadilly line Tube trains for London, with manufacturing due to begin in Goole next year.
Professor Clive Roberts, BCRRE Director, said: “With the new factory and centre of excellence underway we are determined to build, grow, and innovate the UK railway system.
“As a global leader in railway research and education, we work with partners across the world to develop their workforce and their technical and operational capabilities and it starts on our doorstep. We champion SMEs and work closely with supply chains to introduce new ideas, new ways of working and cross sector collaboration.
“With this new funding our aim is to have the capabilities and tools for through life engineering from conceptual design all the way to end of life with a focus on robotics, sensing and automation, coinciding with our Centre of Excellence in Digital systems.”
Sambit Banerjee, MD Siemens Mobility UK Rolling Stock and Customer Services, said: “This is fantastic news, not just for Goole but the rail industry as a whole. Our vision was always much more than just building a train factory, we want to have a full rail village for the industry and to create a lasting skills legacy in Goole. Bringing academia, with the University of Birmingham and University of Huddersfield, and industry together in one site is exactly the kind of opportunity that will continue to foster collaboration and innovation across the UK rail industry as well as support the economy.”
Farmers to get more powers and security over dairy pricing
Regulations set to come into force later this year will ensure supply contracts in the dairy sector are fair and transparent, with farmers being paid a fair price for their produce.
The regulations will mean:
- Farmers have clearer pricing terms, with contracts setting out the factors which generate the milk price and allowing them to challenge prices if they feel this process isn’t being followed. This is a major advance in transparency, which ensures fairer pricing and addresses historical discrepancies in the dairy industry.
- Changes to contracts can’t be imposed on farmers without their agreement. This will encourage dialogue between the parties where changes do need to be made – improving trust within the supply chain.
- Farmers’ contracts will all include a straightforward way to raise concerns about their contracts, promoting accountability and timely issue resolution.
- There will be clear rules put in place on notice periods and contractual exclusivity, protecting the rights of both buyers and sellers. This will remove any ambiguity from contracts and protect the rights of both buyers and sellers.
- An enforcement mechanism is created to guarantee the regulations are followed, ensuring a fully fair and transparent dairy industry on a solid foundation to thrive in the future.
Huddersfield printers complete epic loch row to raise over £4,000 for Yorkshire charity
The Aura Print team has successfully completed an awe-inspiring rowing challenge across the Scottish Highlands, defying unforeseen obstacles and raising over £4,000 for The Howarth Foundation.
With determination and shared commitment to support their local community, the team embarked on this epic adventure, showcasing resilience, camaraderie, and a passion for making a difference.
The row, which took place over 2 days at the end of June 2023, brought together Aura Print employees, friends, family, and business sponsors who generously supported the fundraiser.
Originally planning to row Loch Ness, the team were forced to adapt to adverse weather conditions (gale-force winds being of primary concern with the tides and white-capped waves of Loch Ness) and expertly navigated their way to Loch Ness instead, via slightly more sheltered Lochs.
The team navigated Loch Arkaig, Loch Lochy, the Caledonian Canal, and Loch Oich instead, covering roughly the same distance. Despite the challenges, including torrential rain, gusty winds, and relentless midges, the team’s spirit remained undeterred.
The fundraising efforts were dedicated to The Howarth Foundation, a local charity committed to rehabilitating the homeless and empowering them through meaningful training and employment. Aura Print’s support of THF aligns with their corporate responsibility to uplift their community and create lasting change.
By raising over £4,000, Aura Print and their sponsors have directly contributed to providing essential services, including mental health support, medical expenses, training opportunities, and occasional living support. The funds will help THF continue their invaluable work in providing individuals with a second chance at life fostering a safe and healthy future.
Reflecting on this extraordinary journey, team members shared their personal insights and heartfelt gratitude. John from Aura Print expressed: “Rowing the Lochs surrounded by the amazing beauty of Scotland really helped me clear my mind, reset, and push myself physically. All for a great cause, of course!”
Zoey from Aura Print added: “Shoulders ached, mosquitoes bit and kits got wet, but it was amazing to turn off my phone for a few days and sink my teeth into something truly different for an incredible cause.”
Aura Print extends their sincere appreciation to River to Sea Scotland for their guidance and support in the lead-up and throughout the row, ensuring a memorable and rewarding experience. The team also thanks their brave adventurers and the community for their donations, sponsorships, and encouragement.
The Aura Print team’s remarkable journey serves as an inspiration for individuals to take action, get involved, and make a positive impact on their communities. To support their fundraising cause and learn more about their adventure, please head to their GoFundMe page.
Window supplier expands into new premises with help of £1.2m deal
South Yorkshire-based business New Design Windows, which supplies and installs windows and doors to the new build sector, has secured a £1.2 million finance package with NatWest and Lombard to drive further growth.
The investment has enabled the firm, which trades from the North East down to Birmingham, to buy a new 20,000-square-foot warehouse in Mexborough.
The acquisition will treble the firm’s production area, enabling the fast-growing business to expand and meet demand from housebuilders.
Managing Director Lynne Darwin founded New Design Windows in 2019 after working for more than 25 years in the industry. Along with her management team, Lynne has grown the business to turnover more than £6m in the last financial year and is now setting her sights on £10m turnover once the new production site is fully up and running.
Similarly, from starting out with five staff, Lynne has grown the firm to employ 45 local people, with an additional 12 roles to be recruited to as part of the next phase of expansion, which will also see trade sales offered for the first time.
Lynne, who decided to buy the new premises after her NatWest relationship manager Michael Bettinson highlighted its availability, attributes the company’s success to a commitment to giving good customer service.
Lynne said: “While it’s important to be competitive in terms of pricing, our success over the last few years is down to our focus on building relationships and giving all of our customers the very best service we can.
“Customer service is vital to us and we know that it’s valued by our customers too, as much of our growth is down to larger orders from repeat customers, which is a fantastic testament to the hard work and commitment of everyone in the team.
“Our growth has been absolutely phenomenal over the last few years and I’m so excited to be in our new premises with the help of NatWest and to begin direct selling to the trade for the first time too.”
To mark the deal NatWest staff from the bank’s North Regional Board visited the company to meet with Lynne, see the new site and learn about the growth of the business.
Michael Bettinson, senior relationship manager at NatWest, said: “It’s been fantastic to support Lynne and the team at New Design Windows with a flexible finance package that has allowed them to buy a new premises and will help them expand their production capacity and increase their turnover. Their growth to date has been fantastic and I look forward to seeing them thrive in the next phase of the journey.”
The finance package with Lombard will also enable the purchase of equipment that will allow automation of some elements of the manufacturing process, further adding to production capability. While the new premises will also be equipped with solar panels to reduce energy consumption and the firm’s carbon footprint.
Ben Tomlinson, relationship director at Lombard, said: “It’s great to continue to support a local business that we’ve supported from day one. To see the growth achieved to date is a testament to Lynne and her colleagues at New Design Windows. To hear the plans for the new premises and how our facility is going to assist in the future, is something we’re looking forward to being a part of.”
Halifax leisure centre plans back on track
Plans for the new Halifax Leisure Centre and Swimming Pool have moved a step closer following a review of the leisure services offered by Calderdale Council in the town.
In November 2022 the Council was forced to pause the development of the new Leisure Centre at North Bridge after rising inflation meant the anticipated cost of delivering the project had become unsustainable.
The review which followed covered the options available to the Council for providing leisure services in Halifax in the future. It examined the cost of the new Leisure Centre and Pool scheme and whether, as an alternative, it would be possible to reopen the former Halifax Pool building in Skircoat Road.
Working with an Architect and a Cost Consultant, the Council has adapted, simplified and tested the plans for the scheme, removing some of the facilities, such as the Wellness Suite, steam room and sauna, to make sure it can be delivered using the available project budget.
Cllr Jane Scullion, leader of the Council, said: “This is very encouraging news and gives us real grounds for optimism. We made the very difficult decision in the Autumn to pause the programme because the financial risk to the Council was too great. It’s essential that this project, which is so important to the town, is sustainable.
“Since then, Officers have been working hard to rationalise and refine the proposals, reducing costs wherever possible but still making sure that we will have fantastic new leisure facilities which are accessible and affordable.”
The team has already reduced the total project costs by an estimated 6-10%, bringing it close to the approved budget for the scheme. Work will continue to identify further cost savings as the plans are developed.
The new design for the leisure centre and pool should be finalised by early 2024, with contractors invited to submit cost proposals in the Spring.
The leisure services review also explored the possibility and potential cost of refurbishing Halifax Pool in Skircoat Road. A survey in January 2023 examined the condition of the building which has continued to deteriorate since it closed in 2021.
There is significant evidence that the concrete has failed and there is corrosion of the steelwork within the structure of the building; the roof is unsafe, and it is likely that the cladding system on the external walls has also failed.
The pool tank requires significant repairs and many of the doors and windows would need to be replaced.
The pool opened in 1966 and it’s clear from the survey that large parts of the building’s structure are now no longer safe and that the extent of the refurbishment required to bring it to modern standards would not be economically viable.
The building will now be demolished, and the site made available for redevelopment.
Calderdale Council was awarded £12.2 million from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund to support the development of the new leisure centre and swimming pool.
Mining company backs ‘Made in Whitby’ event for town’s businesses
Mining company Anglo American has funded two days of stalls, talks, demonstrations and live music in a celebration of “Whitby’s creative spirit” businesses.
The event, taking place at Whitby Brewery in East Cliff and supported by the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub, was organised by a collective of Whitby businesses.
Darren Archibald, Director, Whitby Sea Salt, said: “The idea for the Made in Whitby Festival came from conversations with local producers and manufacturers with a view to showcase their skills, ingenuity and entrepreneurship that runs alongside and supplements the already very successful tourism industry.
“The festival has been a great success for all involved, with both stall holders and festival goers happy and smiling. We had interest to be involved from many businesses but could only accommodate a small number within the courtyard of Whitby Brewery. We are looking into the possibility of increasing the numbers of stall holders and festival goers at the next event with the help of very passionate organisations and businesses.
“We were looking at doing the festival at the back end of summer 2023 or early summer 2024 but with the support and energy of Anglo American and York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub we were able to bring it forward to July 2023. We have had amazing help from both these organisations.”
A variety of Whitby businesses took part in the festival, with some using the event to launch new products.
Vicky Bolton, Anglo American’s Social Programmes Manager, said: “Anglo American wants to support local economic growth and connect people to opportunities, supporting the creation of new businesses and supporting existing businesses to expand, develop and innovate.
“Made in Whitby is a fantastic opportunity for businesses from the local area to showcase their world class products and increase awareness of their offering, and Anglo American is delighted to have supported it.”
Harriet Stainton, Business Relationship Manager at York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub, said: “Made in Whitby Festival has been a fantastic showcase of the town’s businesses, local produce and creativity. At the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub, we connect businesses of all sizes to what they need to drive success and manage growth, so we were pleased to support the festival. It’s brought many businesses together and we look forward to working with them further to build on this success.”
Businesses invited to shape policy for Lincolnshire’s tourism economy
Businesses across Lincolnshire are being invited to feed into to new strategic plan for tourism and the visitor economy in the county.
Six workshops are to take tak place across the county in an initiative organised by Destination Lincolnshire, with support from councils across Greater Lincolnshire.
This new plan will be the roadmap that underpins these collective ambitions and will feed in to Visit England and national Government.
There will also be an option to join a virtual workshop online for anyone who is unable to attend, plus an online survey that everyone can fill out to give people the opportunity to be included.
More information and booking links can be found by following this link – Destination Lincolnshire.
UK’s largest-ever electricity ‘superhighway’ will connect Drax to Scots wind farms
National Grid Electricity Transmission and SSEN Transmission have formed a JV company that will ultimately build a 270-mile electricity ‘superhighway project’ which will be the UK’s single largest-ever electricity transmission project.
The ‘Eastern Green Link 2’ (EGL2) project will see the creation of a 525kV, 2GW high-voltage direct current subsea transmission cable from Peterhead in Scotland to Drax in North Yorkshire.
The subsea HVDC cable system is approximately 436km in length with new converter stations at either end to connect it into the existing transmission network infrastructure. HVDC technology provides the most efficient and reliable means of transmitting large amounts of power over long distances subsea.
The EGL2 link will support the growth of new renewable electricity generation, creating jobs and delivering a pathway to net zero emissions targets, as well as helping to alleviate existing constraints on the electricity network.
Eastern Green Link 2 is part of the significant amount of new network infrastructure required for net zero and will play a critical role in supporting the UK’s future security of supply, reducing dependence and price exposure to volatile global wholesale gas markets.Carl Trowell, President of UK Strategic Infrastructure at National Grid said: “The government ambition of 50GW of offshore wind by 2030 demands unprecedented scale and complexity of action. It’s essential that we find new ways to work and unite as a sector to rise to this challenge and this joint venture with SSEN is a prime example.
“Eastern Green Link 2 is part of our Great Grid Upgrade, the largest overhaul of the grid in generations. This new infrastructure will connect more clean, renewable energy from where it’s generated to where it’s needed, helping contribute to lower energy bills over the long-term and make the UK’s energy more self-sufficient.”
Sewell Construction wins award for sustainability achievements
Hull-based Sewell Construction has won the sustainability category at the Constructing Excellence in Yorkshire and Humber Awards.
The judges were impressed by the company’s commitment to net zero goals, the innovative approaches taken to decarbonising its work, and dedication to delivering social value.
Sewell Construction Joint Managing Director Mark Boothby said: “This includes using electric diggers and plant equipment, solar powered cabins on site, maximizing digital technology and replacing diesel with vegetable oil-based fuels.
“We also divert 97% of waste from landfill, and have created a community project where over 100 school children created their own bug hotels to enhance biodiversity in their back gardens.
“The Sewell Construction team also uses a sustainability tracker, which monitors the benefits to the community from each project. This includes opportunities for young people to be involved, either in apprenticeships and graduate schemes, or through school engagement, volunteering by staff, support for charities and training.
“We’re thrilled to have won this award, as it demonstrates the commitment we have to making a difference in the community.
“Our whole team is working really hard to make sure every part of our business is as green as sustainable as possible, delivering a positive impact and legacy in our communities wherever we go.
“Over the last year, we’ve created over £90 million of socio-economic impact in the Yorkshire region, and we’re not stopping there. We’re determined to keep on making every effort to bring our emissions down, continue creating value in our communities and be at the forefront for sustainability in the construction industry.”
Record growth for firm drawing confidence from crises
A training business which helps people take confidence from crises is reporting record growth after steering clients through Covid and economic decline.
Debbie Kuhr-Jones, Director of K2 Training Services, said her workload has doubled from the combination of increased demand for remote training and recurring interest in her long-term specialist area of re-training after redundancy. Debbie was driven to setting up the business after experiencing redundancy twice herself. In 1998 she lost her job as a typist so used her pay-off to upskill herself while also picking up various jobs it pay the bills and learn about technology. That commitment led to her becoming training manager at a Hull-based IT company and when that closed in 2007 she decided to go it alone offering specialist Microsoft tuition. As a one-woman business Debbie provides regular work for two freelance trainers with a client base which includes such major employers as the NHS, a number of global businesses with operations in the East Yorkshire area and her own landlord – The Deep Business Centre in Hull. As she delivers services to clients as far afield as London, India, Singapore and the United States, Debbie says she noticed two big changes in the use of technology by big businesses as a result of Covid. She said: “The obvious one has been the use of Teams. Some of my clients are in sectors which never stopped at all during lockdown and they had to have all their training delivered remotely rather than in person in our training suite or at their offices. “I wasn’t sure it would work because sometimes you couldn’t see the people, just their initials on the screen. It’s important to watch them to make sure they are picking everything up, but we got there. In 2020-21 about 75 per cent of our work was on Teams. It’s still big, but now about 85 per cent has gone back to face-to-face work.” The second stand-out change has been a stronger commitment by businesses to train their staff. Debbie’s work for The Deep highlights two scenarios. She said: “We have been doing training for staff at The Deep, filling some of the gaps and training in Excel, Word and Outlook specific to their roles rather than including things that aren’t relevant for them. “We also trained a chef who wanted to move into a different role and suddenly needed to develop his IT skills to work on things like training plans and product contents, dietary requirements and other procedures and policies. “The Deep is one of the majority of businesses which have always been serious about training, but elsewhere there were some employees who had never received formal training on computers. It was just assumed that we all knew how to use them. “If someone’s laptop breaks a company has no qualms about replacing it but when technology changes they rarely show the same commitment to help people use it properly. That changed as a result of lockdown because IT became more important than ever in terms of keeping a business running.”