South Yorkshire firm transforms storage warehouse into base to trial cancer-curing therapies
BGES Group, which has its northern HQ at Dinnington in South Yorkshire has worked with Irish company Asgard Controlled Environments to instal a BMS and monitoring system providing precise environmental control for a turnkey medical clean room facility in Oxford.
Formerly a storage warehouse, the new facility was transformed into a research environment by clean room specialists Asgard Controlled Environments Ltd. Asgard engaged with BGES Group to design and install a BMS and monitoring system which would provide precise pressure, temperature and humidity control. The facility is being used to trial new cancer curing therapies – so this is a critical requirement to avoid contamination and spoiling of materials.
Ross Schofield, Operations Manager at Asgard said: “We have a great relationship with BGES, having worked with them on several turnkey clean room projects. We know we can trust them to deliver a technical solution that meets the needs of these unique spaces. We welcomed their collaborative approach and detailed input on this project, from proposal stage through to commissioning.”
Council launches Storm Babet recovery grant scheme for SMEs
Applications for £2,500 flood recovery grants from eligible West Lindsey businesses are being accepted to help support recovery in the aftermath of Storm Babet.
Funding is being provided by the UK Government Business Recovery Grant, through the Flood Recovery Framework. It is used in exceptional circumstances to support businesses impacted by severe flooding.
Cllr Lesley Rollings, Chairman of the Prosperous Communities Committee at West Lindsey District Council, is calling on all eligible businesses to apply to West Lindsey District Council, which is leading on the application process locally. She said: “Eligible businesses can make an application to the fund until 5pm on the 29 December 2023. I would encourage businesses impacted by Storm Babet to visit our dedicated webpage now to establish if they are eligible to make an application for a grant, which will support the recovery of their business operations.”
To qualify to make an application to this fund, businesses must be both:
- an SME; and;
- have been trading at or from the property in West Lindsey at the point that the property was impacted by Storm Babet (19 October 2023 to 25 October 2023).
- directly impacted by Storm Babet – for instance the business suffered flood damage to the business premise; or;
- indirectly impacted by Storm Babet – for instance access to the business premise was severely restricted as a result of flooding, including no/highly restricted access for customers, suppliers or staff.
Cash boost for Keighley businesses
Cash boosts from the Keighley Towns Funds have recently bolstered two local businesses, creating four jobs and two apprenticeships, and other businesses are still invited to apply.
The Capital Assistance to Business Growth Programme is part of the government-funded Towns Fund and there is £4m available to support local businesses in the Keighley and Shipley areas, with approximately £2m allocated to each. Grants are allocated by Towns Fund boards for each town, made up of private sector representatives, with support from Bradford Council.
Funding has so far been spent on a wide range of projects by businesses across the district such as expanding and modernising facilities, as well as replacing older equipment with more efficient, up-to-date systems.
One of the latest businesses to benefit has been George Green of Keighley Ltd, the designers, suppliers and installers of pipework and fabricated metal products. Over the past 20 years, George Green has worked with many clean and wastewater industry clients, helping them successfully deliver major projects.
In the last twelve months, the business has secured new contracts and wanted to invest in new equipment. This new equipment comprising dual welding console and pipe expander has enabled them to become the sole UK supplier of thermal sleeve and socketed pipework to the UK water market. Previously this pipework had to be imported into the UK. The £21,192.49 grant from the Keighley Towns Fund means they now have new machinery and technology, and have created two new jobs, alongside two apprenticeships.
Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council’s Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, explained: “It’s so positive to see how this funding is already making such a significant impact. It has directly translated into growth for the businesses who have received it so far and the welcome creation of new jobs for the area.
“Grants ranging from £1,500 to £315,000 are still available for businesses within – or looking to move to – the Keighley and Shipley Towns Fund Areas, and other businesses are invited to apply.”
Ian Hayfield, chairman of Keighley Towns Fund, said: “We are delighted to have made such a significant difference to these local businesses in a relatively short space of time. Keighley has a proud industrial heritage and a thriving and enterprising business community.
“There is funding available for businesses who would benefit and we’re keen to help Keighley’s businesses to grow. I would encourage anyone interested in applying to get in touch.”
Print and Direct Mail business Fretwell Print and Design, of Goulbourne Street in Keighley, recently received £19,989 towards replacing their printer with a new model. It has created two new production operative roles, to join the 48-strong team.
Joint Managing Director Andy Gillett said: “We produce high-quality printed packaging, literature and direct mail products for many large blue-chip companies and organisations both here in the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
“We used the Keighley Towns Fund grant to purchase a Kyocera 4-colour inkjet machine, enabling us to increase productivity as well as saving time and resources. The machine also means we’re making an 86 per cent saving in energy consumption.
“The process in securing the grant was straightforward and we were guided through by Bradford Council. It’s an investment that means we’ll be able to grow our existing customer base and open up new markets, as the speed of service will make us even more competitive.
“I’d definitely recommend other businesses contact the team to see if they can benefit – this kind of support for local businesses is crucial in the current economic climate.”
2024 Business Predictions: Graham Edward, Managing Director, Edward Architects
It’s that time of year, when Business Link Magazine invites the region’s business leaders to offer up their predictions for the year ahead.
It has become something of a tradition, given that we’ve been doing this now for over 30 years.
Here we speak to Graham Edward, Managing Director at Edward Architects.
Edward Architects has experienced a consistently high workload in 2023 and has enjoyed continued growth which has led to investment in a new Leeds studio. The market definitely feels tighter though. This is primarily as a result of interest rates which have affected investment in Real Estate and property sales.
We are finding that our residential workload remains strong however. The housebuilding machines keep rolling as they do deals with housing associations to keep sites churning. This does though affect their margins.
Industrial demand remains high and off shore investment is allowing this market to remain buoyant.
Strategic land remains a solid workload for us as these clients take the long term view.
The UK has experienced more than a decade of consistently low interest rates and the last year or so of bigger numbers has been a bit of a shock to the system. There are signs that they are stabilising and may even start to come down in 2024. This has also happened with construction costs which is encouraging news.
The government is doing its best to stabilise the economy, which is helping trading conditions, but Britain’s incredibly resilient business world needs to remain so in 2024 as I think it will remain a bumpy ride though global uncertainties and a government focused on the next General Election.
So more belt tightening is required in 2024, but I don’t see a reduction in the order book.
At Edward Architects we are excited to face the challenges that 2024 is going to throw at us and will spread our specialisms of residential, strategic land and accessible design into new client bases. We are ready for the next phase of continued growth.
Merrion Centre to evolve as plans submitted for Leeds student accommodation
Leeds-based property investor and developer, Town Centre Securities PLC (TCS), has unveiled the next phase of evolution for the Merrion Centre in Leeds, with a planning application that is set to transform the 1m sq ft mixed used scheme.
For the first time, the Merrion Centre is looking to introduce residential accommodation to its offering that has been part of the retail, office and leisure landscape of Leeds for the last 60 years.
In a bid to address the burgeoning demand for accommodation in the area, TCS’ planning application introduces two new buildings within the Merrion Centre. These structures are designed to deliver 1,110 student bedrooms, comprising a range of studios and cluster bedrooms.
The student accommodations will be complemented across both buildings with a range of amenities, including residents’ lounges, co-working spaces, meeting spaces, cinema, gym, karaoke room, 191 secure cycle spaces and external terraces.
This development would involve the conversion of the 13 storey Wade House, a 1960’s office building which has been predominantly vacant since May 2021. This sits adjacent to a new 35 storey tower, on the site of 100MC which was previously consented as a new build office scheme.
Edward Ziff, chairman and Chief Executive of TCS, said: “We have identified significant untapped potential within our Merrion estate, strategically positioning it for future growth.
“We are delighted to submit this crucial planning application which signifies the commencement of our upcoming strategy for the Merrion Centre. Our dedication to investing in and enhancing this mixed-use city centre destination is resolute, and we are excited to embark on this next phase of development.
“The surrounding location and demographic has continued to evolve over previous decades, more recently with the first direct arena and numerous student and residential developments. These changes are set to continue with further developments coming forward including the proposed Convention Centre on Merrion Way.
“Our proposition and offer across the Merrion Centre has consistently evolved to address the changes in demand across the retail and leisure elements. This application has been carefully considered to strike a balance of reuse first with the re-invention of Wade House.
“The two buildings provide a rare opportunity to deliver a complimentary student offer which will benefit from the vast array of retail and leisure amenities that the wider estate offers.”
New technology means better performance is on the cards for Riverside Greetings
Supported by a team of academics at Leeds Beckett University, Wakefield-based greetings card company Riverside Greetings is introducing new Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology which it’s confident will enhance the performance of greeting cards in the convenience and forecourt sector.
Andrew Glen, MD of Riverside Greetings, said: “Many small businesses struggle to access the resources they need to innovate effectively and at scale. By participating in a Knowledge Transfer Partnership we’ve been able to work closely with a team at Leeds Beckett University who have helped us to develop this initiative.”
The team has created an automated inventory and category management system combining AI with RFID technology to analyse and increase the performance of greeting cards – whilst significantly improving the productivity and effectiveness of Riverside’s merchandising service.
The new, patent pending, technology, is now being piloted in several test stores in England. It will allow merchandisers to complete a full stock count of hundreds of cards by design in less than two minutes, with 100% accuracy – versus the current manual counting system which can take 30 to 45 minutes.
Mr Glen said: “The project is innovative in a number of ways: firstly, because it employs RFID with relatively low value items; and secondly because it will utilise tags close to each other. This revolutionary new technology is going to provide us with real-time information and transform the overall performance of greetings cards in the sector.
“We are very excited about this new approach. Our conservative estimate for the scale of the opportunity for the sector measures it at £25 million, a sales figure which will generate about £12.5 million of incremental profit for retailers.”
Dr Akbar Sheikh Akbari, Reader in the School of Built Environment, Engineering and Computing at Leeds Beckett University, said: “I am delighted with the transformative level of innovation and efficiency provided through the combination of AI and RFID technology in facilitating greeting cards delivery. Benefits include: efficient management of card stocks in shops, delivery vans, and production lines; reduced costs; reduced waste; increased accuracy; and a reduced carbon footprint.”
Riverside Greetings estimate that this new approach will grow sales with existing customers by more than 20%. Riverside’s operational model provides consignment stock for retailers who then only pay for what they sell, which means that they don’t have cash tied up in stock.
Heating network provider extends supply system to more homes in Leeds
Within the next six months heating network provider Vital Energi will have extended the Leeds Pipes district heating scheme to hundreds more homes and the Leeds Conservatoire music school.
259 council properties in Lovell Park Heights, Lovell Park Grange, and Lovell Park Towers will be set up to receive heat from the network within the next six months.
Private leaseholders of properties in the Little London tower blocks will also be able to benefit from the network if they opt to connect their homes to the system.
Households that are benefiting from the upgrade can expect to see the cost of heating their home reduce using Leeds PIPES, compared to their existing heating systems, and will also enjoy better reliability and control.
Meanwhile, Leeds Conservatoire (formerly Leeds College of Music) has become the thirteenth non-residential customer to have signed a contract to connect.
Mike Cooke, Vital Energi’s Managing Director (North and Scotland), said: “Leeds PIPES continues to be the UK’s landmark heat network and we’re delighted to announce these new connections, which means more people will benefit from low-carbon, cheaper heat to businesses and residents, making a real difference in their day-to-day lives.
“We look forward to welcoming another 259 homes and Leeds Conservatoire to the fastest growing heat network and will work closely with the council to ensure they have the best possible customer experience.”
The new connections are expected to reduce the city’s annual carbon footprint by 279 tonnes, supporting efforts to end the city’s contribution to climate change by transitioning to ‘net zero’ emissions.
By using heat and energy recovered from non-recyclable waste at the Recycling and Energy Recovery Facility to provide warmth and hot water to buildings in the city, the Leeds PIPES district heating project is helping businesses and residents to move away from costly fossil-fuel powered heating systems.
The council estimates that the network, delivered in partnership with Vital Energi, is helping existing customers to collectively save nearly half a million pounds (£490,000) in reduced energy costs this year alone.
The £62 million network continues to expand and is regularly connecting to new buildings. Leonardo & Thoresby student accommodation buildings and St James’s Hospital are the latest buildings to have begun taking heat from the scheme.
Leeds City Council is currently in discussions with dozens of potential customers. Buildings and developments located near the underground pipes can choose to connect at any time and can register their interest on the Leeds PIPES website.
Last year, the network of insulated underground pipes supplied 22,029 megawatt-hours of heating in total and helped reduce the city’s carbon footprint by 3,975 tonnes.
Councillor Mohammed Rafique, Executive Member for Climate, Energy, Environment & Green Space said: “Residents in the Lovell Park estate will join the thousands of council tenants and hundreds of private sector renters already benefiting.
“Too many families in our city struggle to pay their energy bills—in part because the UK’s homes are some of the least efficient and most reliant on costly fossil fuel gas in Europe.
“Whether it’s by connecting homes to affordable low carbon heating like Leeds PIPES, or investing in energy-saving measures like insulation, this council is committed to helping households by making our homes greener and fit for the future.”
Agemaspark founder wins lifetime achievement award in Doncaster
A lifetime achievement prize has been awarded to Paul Stockhill, Founder and MD of precision-engineering company Agemaspark at Doncaster Chamber’s 25th annual business awards evening attended by 900 people.
Chamber President Andy Morley said: “It was a privilege to present this trophy to Paul, who has done so much for Doncaster, its economy and communities.
“While growing his business, which was founded back in 2002, he has helped to drive forward innovation in the manufacturing industry by embracing new technologies and really thinking outside the box. In the process, he has supplied parts for use in aviation, medicine, robotics and oil drilling, with Agemaspark’s global clients spanning both sectors and continents. They even have interstellar components that can be found in places like Mars and the International Space Station.
“Of course, Paul’s open-minded thinking is not only evident in his use of cutting-edge technology but also in the way that he nurtures the next-generation of talent. Indeed, he has mentored dozens of apprentices over the years, sits on various skills and education- related boards, and was instrumental in getting Doncaster’s first UTC off the ground.
“For all of this and more, Paul has been showered with accolades and praise throughout his distinguished career and we are pleased to recognise this with our 2023 Lifetime Achievement award.”
There were also accolades for standout SMEs, major corporations, inspiring apprentices, caring charities, promising start-ups, exemplary education providers, intrepid entrepreneurs and more; allowing the ceremony to really do justice to our phenomenal business community here in Doncaster. All of the finalists underwent a rigorous judging process — which saw them being scored by expert panels and being interviewed by their peers— to ensure that the most deserving recipients were selected for each trophy.
Dan Fell, Chief Exec of Doncaster Chamber, said: “It’s hard to believe that our Business Awards have been going strong for 25 years now and Doncaster has certainly come a long way in that space of time.
“Last night was an opportunity to reflect on the progress we have made since that inaugural ceremony in 1998, to recap the biggest highlights from the past quarter century and, of course, to shine a spotlight on our city’s best and brightest.
“It was a real honour to be in the presence of such remarkable businesses last night, all of whom exemplify the uniquely tenacious, determined and forward-thinking spirit of Doncaster. It’s always difficult to single out just a handful of winners — especially with all of the impressive finalists that put themselves forward, of whom there was a record amount in 2023 — but I believe that our judges have picked some truly fantastic organisations and entrepreneurs this year.
“When I look at those who were recognised, I am reminded just how extraordinary our local business community is and how they are constantly driving forward growth and taking us to new heights. With incredible businesspeople like these right at our doorstep, I know that the future for Doncaster is truly bright and cannot wait to see where they take us next.
“With that said, I would like to thank everyone who made this inspiring evening possible, from our hosts at Doncaster racecourse right through to our amazing roster of finalists, our generous sponsors and, of course, the fantastic team I am privileged to lead at the Chamber.”
Creative agency’s input bolsters teaching resource in Cleethorpes
Work done by Lincoln-based creative production agency Ruddocks has helped a educational project led by the Greater Lincolnshire LEP to be recognised as an example of good practice in a national report.
Ruddocks has worked with the Greater Lincolnshire Careers Hub to stage a summer Teacher Encounter programme for students at Cleethorpes Academy.
What made the project stand out was the interactive educational handbook that Ruddocks’ Managing Director Paul Banton provided to teachers following their encounter.
The handbook contains several curriculum-related activities that can be used by teachers to bring their subjects to life, and each task is directly related to the work of the company, such as a creating a design brief or providing quote estimates.
The report, entitled Evaluation of The Careers & Enterprise Company’s Teacher Encounters Programme and published by academics at the University of Derby, highlighted the handbook and the Teacher Encounter at Cleethorpes Academy as an example for others to follow.
The handbook is currently being used by Cleethorpes Academy to help develop students’ knowledge in media, and the academy is in conversation with Ruddocks to develop the resource further so that it can be incorporated into more subject areas.
Alex Nightingale, Enterprise Co-ordinator at the LEP Careers Hub saids: “As soon as Paul Banton of Ruddocks revealed that he planned to create a handbook to support the Teacher Encounter I was really pleased.
“One of the integral aims of the programme is to support subject teachers to enrich their lessons with content from the world of work. The fact that Cleethorpes Academy is keen to develop this further shows the value of our Teacher Encounters programme and of the resource kindly created by the team at Ruddocks.”
Mr Banton said: “My experience of the Teacher Encounter has been really positive. Having undertaken several different initiatives over the years, engaging with schools in various ways, the concept of hosting teachers from myriad schools here on site, so they can see at first hand the skills and roles we have available as an employer, is without doubt the best.
“There’s nothing like being able to get up close to the different functions within our business and talk to some of the team for getting a real sense of where the employability opportunities lie. I really felt the participants were fully engaged and I’m pleased and excited to see how things develop with Cleethorpes Academy as we continue the journey together.
“It’s the first time we have been involved in anything quite like this, and having Cleethorpes working alongside us to develop the scheme and workbook we created will be really interesting. I very much hope that we are piloting a blueprint for the future that enables young people and enterprise come together and create pathways into employment that I do not believe exist today.”
Connor Russell, an ICT teacher at Cleethorpes Academy, added: “Exploring Ruddocks proved to be incredibly insightful. Led by Paul, the team demonstrated the start-to-end process of designing creative graphics, which has given me a comprehensive understanding of their entire process, from the initial client enquiry to the distribution of the final product.
“Our visit highlighted the cutting-edge technology required to print for the masses, but also showcased the skillsets required to work at a printing company. When I returned to the academy I passed on the knowledge I gathered to other members of the department so they can also implement this into their teaching.”
Connor said that in future he and his colleagues would embed the handbook in aspects of their teaching.
“Whenever we teach a creative topic such as graphic design, we will look at using some of the elements of the handbook such as asking students to create a design concept before creating the product. We could also look at setting the lessons around a client (the teacher), providing students with a brief to work from and getting students to pitch their intended product which will allow them to get feedback that can be considered when developing their product.”
Agreement with EU and Norway gives UK fishing industry opportunities worth £700m
The UK fishing industry will have access to 420,000 tonnes of fishing opportunities worth up to £700 million after agreements were reached with the EU and Norway, the UK Government has announced.
This brings the total fishing opportunities secured for the UK fleet in 2024 in the main negotiating forums to 750,000 tonnes – 80,000 tonnes more than in 2023 – worth up to £970 million based on historic landing prices.
The deal with the EU has secured UK fishermen access to opportunities of 130,000 tonnes for 2024, worth up to £340 million.
The trilateral deal with the EU and Norway secures access to opportunities of 290,000 tonnes of North Sea stocks, worth around £360 million.
This is on top of 330,000 tonnes, worth around £270 million, from catch limits agreed earlier in the year on widely distributed stocks with coastal States in the northeast Atlantic.
As a result of quota share uplifts agreed in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, the UK has up to 120,000 tonnes more quota from the 2024 negotiations than it would have received as an EU Member State.
In the fourth year of the UK operating as an independent coastal state in the negotiations, catch levels were agreed for over 80 important total allowable catches (TACs). This included key commercial stock across the industry, including northern shelf cod, North Sea saithe, and Nephrop stocks in the Celtic/Irish Sea.
Fisheries Minister Mark Spencer said: “These significant deals give UK fishermen access to important fish stocks worth £970 million and take advantage of our position outside the EU to independently negotiate in our fishing fleets best interest.
“They are based on the latest scientific advice and support a sustainable, profitable fishing sector for years to come while continuing to protect our marine environment and vital fishing grounds.”
