Reusabox wins place amongst final eight for national award
Reuseabox, based in Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire, has been chosen as a finalist for the Net Hero award at this year’s Small Awards.
Now in its eighth year, The Small Awards is a nationwide search for the smallest and greatest firms in the UK, across all sectors. It is organised annually by Small Business Britain, which champions, inspires and accelerates the nation’s 5.5 million small firms.
Reuseabox is a B Corp certified packaging company dedicated to promoting the benefits of cardboard box reuse. With a commitment to reducing waste and carbon emissions, Reuseabox provides innovative solutions for businesses looking to minimise their environmental impact with their packaging.
The company has been selected as one of just eight finalists for the Net Hero Award for best sustainability-focused business that recognises an organisation with an exceptional commitment to environmental sustainability.
With eleven different categories, the Small Awards celebrate the dynamism and resilience exhibited in the UK’s small business sector, across everything from sustainability heroes to digital stars, to long-standing family businesses.
Michelle Ovens, Founder of Small Business Britain, said: “The Small Awards is all about celebrating the inspiring small business owners who are at the heart of the economy and their communities.
“They are an opportunity to recognise and applaud the passion and resilience of the nation’s small firms, particularly amidst such turbulent times. Reuseabox is extremely deserving of being shortlisted for this award and we can’t wait to celebrate with them in May.”
Founder of Reuseabox Jack Good said: c“Being selected as a finalist for Britain’s best Net Hero business at the Small Awards is a testament to our unwavering commitment to environmental sustainability. It’s an honour to be recognised among the nation’s finest small firms, and we’re thrilled to continue leading the charge towards a greener future within the packaging industry.”
Judged by a panel of industry experts, the winners of all categories, including the overall winner of the Small Business of the Year award, will be announced at a splendid awards ceremony in London on May 16th.
Business start-ups could find new home at Pockington’s Burnby Hall
Start-up businesses could be one of the new uses for Pocklington’s Burnby Hall, which is to be leased to Pocklington Town Council at a peppercorn rent for the next 125 years.
The Hall will be declared surplus to the requirements of East Riding of Yorkshire Council after it becomes vacant at the end of September this year.
The building is currently underused, and also needs significant expenditure on maintenance. It will be vacated by the end of September, and the council’s registrars will transfer to the Pocela Centre in the town.
Pocklington Town Council has previously asked for the building to be transferred to them as a Community Asset Transfer. They now plan to create a Community Hub and Enterprise Centre, including a meeting space, and offices for community interest groups and business start-ups, as well as space for a Youth Group, a Food Bank, and an Archaeological Museum.
The Town Council will lease the building at a peppercorn rent, and will establish a Charitable Incorporated Organisation to manage and run it.
Throughout the process, the Stewart Trust have supported these proposals, and a public meeting was held last August, which saw unanimous support for these plans for the building.
Councillor Anne Handley, leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said : “I am delighted that we have today agreed this transfer of a much loved feature of Pocklington to Pocklington Town Council. This will be an excellent solution to secure the future of Burnby Hall, and opens up some wonderful possibilities for its future use, and for the local community.”
Burnby Hall dates back to the 1860s, and is adjacent to Burnby Hall gardens. The hall and gardens were bequeathed in trust to the people of Pocklington by Major Percy Stewart and his wife Katherine, with the Burnby Hall Garden and Museum Trust being established in 1964 to manage the Gardens and administer the Stewart Museum.
The hall was sold to Pocklington Rural District Council to raise money to maintain the gardens. It was extended in the 1980s with the construction of the Community Hall. It transferred to East Riding of Yorkshire Council when the authority was created in 1996.
Covenants, which can be enforced by the Stewart Trust, mean that the building must be used by the public sector.
Inflation creeps towards Bank of England’s target, easing less than expected
Inflation came in at 3.2% in March, declining from the 3.4% reported in February.
Measured by the consumer prices index (CPI), though slightly higher than forecasts (3.1%), it is heading slowly towards the Bank of England’s 2% target.
The largest downward contribution to the monthly change came from food, with prices rising by less than a year ago, while the largest, partially offsetting, upward contribution came from motor fuels, with prices rising this year but falling a year ago.
Meanwhile, core inflation, which takes out volatile factors like energy, food, alcohol and tobacco to give a clear picture of underlying trends, came in at 4.2% in the 12 months to March 2024, down from 4.5% in February.
Alpesh Paleja, CBI Lead Economist, said: “While March’s fall in inflation was smaller than expected, it’s still likely to move closer to the Bank of England’s 2% target in the next few months. But the path beyond this will be bumpy – the CPI rate is likely to rise again in the second half of 2024, thanks to base effects from energy prices.
“The Bank of England will look through these ups and downs, so it’s still likely that they will cut interest rates this summer. But it’s notable that inflation is now higher than the Bank expected, and in view of this they will also be keeping one eye on the resilience in pay growth. Recent developments in the Middle East could also slow the path of inflation back down, if they feed through to higher global energy prices.
“Therefore, while it’s reasonable to expect some loosening in monetary policy ahead, this is by no means a done deal.”
ABP ready to launch new Border Control Posts on the Humber
Staff and facilities are in place ready for the opening of the Border Control Posts operated by ABP at Immingham and Hull to keep the region at the forefront of trade with Europe.
The posts have been built to Government specifications, and are fully equipped to handle a huge range of products.
The team operating the BCPs is headed by Kerry Costello, who’s preparing for the end of the month opening when new Government requirements come into force for the biosecurity of trade with Europe. The Assistant Operations managers involved in running daily operations and managing the various inspection agencies and government bodies who will be working the units, have all come from within ABP.
Kerry, who previously worked within the Humber’s safety team, has a background in setting up new operations and has relished the challenge to get the two buildings off the ground and operational.
Simon Bird, Regional Director of the Humber ports, said: “We have worked very hard and committed millions of pounds of investment to deliver these two new state of the art border check posts. The Humber is a critical gateway to European and global markets – the UK’s largest by volume – and we’ve put the right resources in to manage them and provide customers with the options they need.”
Kerry and her team haven’t been daunted by the high-profile nature of the BCPs and the difficulties of delivering high quality port operations in a complex government led context. They’ve rolled their sleeves up and taken the challenge on.”
Kerry added: “My predecessor did a great job to get them to where we were at the start of the year and my team have picked up and completed the tasks in hand. Each relishing the challenge and bringing their ideas to the table in the process.
“The level of communication between ABP and North East Lincolnshire Council Port Health and Hull and Goole Port Health Authority has been phenomenal. We’ve built up good relationships with the other regulatory bodies and ensured that communication has been clear.
“We’ve run some live tests with Cabinet Office, Port Health Authority, and shipping lines which have all gone well so as to ensure systems and infrastructure all communicate behind the scenes.”
The Border Control Posts at Immingham and Hull ports have been approved in line with GB legislation for carrying out checks on animals, animal products (meat, seafood, dairy), plants and plant products arriving through the ports. Border Force will also have a presence at both sites for custom checks and procedures.
There are 17 bays in Immingham and seven in Hull and allow checks to be carried out in a safe and controlled environment.
Biffa acquires Hull pellet plant
Biffa, the waste management firm, has strengthened its Resources & Energy capability following the acquisition of a business that transforms residual waste into fuel.
Biffa has acquired the entire share capital of Eco-Power Green Energy Ltd, a subsidiary of Eco-Power Environmental Ltd, along with a dormant plant in Hull and seven new members of staff.
The plant has the capacity to produce more than 100,000 tonnes of solid recovered fuel (SRF) pellets each year from non-recyclable household waste.
SRF pellets are a high quality, sustainable, alternative to fossil fuel used primarily by the cement industry. Biffa will recommission the plant over the next few months.
Biffa’s Resources & Energy Division also transforms non-recyclable waste into renewable electricity for the grid, and organic compost for agriculture.
Mick Davis, Biffa’s Chief Operating Officer, Resources & Energy, said: “The recommissioning of the pellet facility allows us to further diversify our capability to divert more difficult-to-deal-with wastes away from landfill and help reduce customers’ carbon footprint.
“It’s an exciting opportunity for us to develop our expertise in the alternative fuels market and could potentially be a stepping stone to a broader strategy in this space.”
Louis Calders, Eco-Power’s Group Commercial Director, said: “We are delighted to finally complete the sale. The acquisition of the business is testament to the vision, hard work and commitment of the Eco-Power team for the past seven years.
“We believe that Biffa have all the necessary expertise and resources to take the business on to the next level and we wish them every success in doing so.”
Plans submitted for multi-million pound maritime hub
A £10 million scheme for a new Maritime Hub in Whitby has taken a major step forward.
A planning application has been lodged with North Yorkshire Council for the development, which the authority is set to build in Endeavour Wharf if the proposals are approved.
The hub will provide training and certification opportunities for the maritime, marine and offshore industries, to residents of Whitby and the wider area.
The application has been submitted following a public consultation in January and February when 69 per cent of those who responded to the survey were supportive of the scheme.
Chief executive, Richard Flinton, said: “Submitting the planning application is an exciting step forward for this project.
“The Maritime Hub will open doors to new economic growth in Whitby and help provide a route for young people into the maritime and marine industries.
“I encourage everyone in the community to look at the plans on our website and leave comments if they wish.”
Concerns about the hub being located on a flood plain have also been mitigated as the building will be designed to flood. In the event of a flood, the ground floor units will allow water to enter, and all services will be raised above one metre. After water levels drop, the units would be easily washed out.
Corporate director of community development, Nic Harne, added: “We have listened to stakeholders and consultation feedback throughout the planning process before submitting this application.
“Endeavour Wharf will still retain around 200 parking spaces and the height of the Maritime Hub will match the surrounding buildings such as The Angel Hotel.
“We have received some suggestions that following Eskdale School’s merger with Caedmon College this summer, the school site would be a better location. But existing and potential future tenants of the wharf have stated they need direct access to the water and as such the school site would not be a suitable alternative.”
The project has been developed to address a local need to develop a better supply of technical abilities in the maritime sector and put the town at the forefront of the growing renewable energy sector.
The hub will also provide accommodation for maritime businesses and service providers.
Workshops on the hub’s ground and first floors will house the current and new wharf-based operations and functions of the Harbour Authority.
There will be classroom space, engineering workshops and marine biology laboratories, offering opportunities for training and employment in areas ranging from marine biology to off-shore wind.
The second floor will be an office space for marine-based start-up businesses and other maritime industries. The space is intended to be occupied by local, regional and national businesses and organisations, making Whitby a hub of maritime activity.
University of Lincoln appoints Founding Director for new research centre
Professor Fiona Strens has been appointed as the Founding Director of a new University of Lincoln research centre focused on innovations in the use of artificial intelligence and technology in security and defence.
She’ll join the University of Lincoln in next month from the University of Strathclyde, where she is currently Professor of Practice in Security and Resilience.
With more than 30 years’ experience in government, industry and academia, she is one of the UK’s thought leaders in the application of novel technology, including AI, automation, machine learning and computer vision for enhancing security and building resilience.
Professor Strens began her career in the Ministry of Defence after graduating with a Master’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Cambridge, undertaking several technical and policy roles before becoming a Senior Civil Servant with responsibility for science and technology policy.
After moving into consultancy for clients in the national security sector, she co-founded and served as CEO of CrowdVision, an innovative computer vision and analytics company, growing the company from start-up to an international business providing real-time people movement data for the safe, secure and efficient operation of major events, airports and venues.
She is an advocate of science and technology skills and careers, serves as an adviser to UK Government. and is a non-executive director for Ordnance Survey, the UK’s geospatial authority, and Corps Security, a profit-for-purpose social enterprise supporting veterans’ charities.
She said: “The University of Lincoln has a well-earned reputation for its approach to industry-aligned research, for supporting innovative organisations and partnering nationally and locally to deliver impact and drive growth in the Greater Lincolnshire region. The University has expertise in a range of disciplines essential for advancing defence, security and resilience capabilities. I am particularly excited by the potential to build on the University’s strong AI foundations.
“These qualities attracted me to the University and this exciting new position as Founding Director of the Centre for Defence and Security Artificial Intelligence. I look forward to meeting colleagues and partners as we establish this significant new centre for academic, industry and government collaboration.”
Major General (Retd) Julian Free CBE, Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Lincoln, said: “The appointment of Professor Fiona Strens as Founding Director of the new Centre for Defence and Security Artificial Intelligence is testament not just to the existing specialisms and partnerships in Lincoln and Greater Lincolnshire but the potential to grow the technical capabilities which keep people and infrastructure safe and underpin tens of thousands of jobs in the future.
“The CDSAI will address challenges in all areas of national security, including building security and resilience in multiple sectors, such as food and energy, and supporting effective strategic, operational and crisis decision-making in the defence sector and beyond. Professor Strens brings a remarkable range of expertise and experiences across the public and private sectors, which can help the CDSAI play a significant role in solving complex challenges facing governments and businesses in the 21st Century.”
Connectus expands nationwide reach with acquisition of Grimsby firm
Business managed service specialists Connectus has acquired tech specialists IT For Growth. The deal is the second in the space of five months.
By acquiring the Grimsby-based firm, Connectus, which has offices in Salford and Doncaster, will be able to extend its reach into North East Lincolnshire.
Roy Shelton, CEO of Connectus, said: “This is another major chapter in the story of Connectus. As we continue to scale, we will continually explore potential acquisitions to ensure we can provide our range of fully managed services to as many businesses as possible.
“This acquisition will allow us to extend into North East Lincolnshire and beyond. The MSP space is experiencing huge consolidation at the moment and as we continue to remain focussed on sustainable growth and outstanding customer services. As a result we will be aiming to complete several more transactions this year.”
The deal comes five months after Connectus acquired Mango Tech.
Outlining his future vision for Connectus, Mr Shelton added: “At the heart of the service Connectus delivers is the Connect-Protect-Collaborate mantra. We can now extend these principles into new areas, offering clients cutting-edge and industry leading services.
“We have an ambitious growth plan, which is focused on delivering quality outcomes to businesses that mitigate cost, lower complexity and reduce risk. This acquisition will further help to deliver that.”
Jonathan Cozens, the CEO of IT For Growth, said: “I’m delighted to confirm this acquisition. Connectus demonstrated to me that the support, growth and long term development of our customers are of the highest importance to them. They offer a notably better support level than we can deliver at our current size.
“Although we have been very successful at delivering a first class customer experience over the last seven years, the limited size of our team means we don’t have the breath strength in depth to deal with the size of the opportunity around our client base and the local area.
“Connectus’ superior scale means they will be able to provide an ongoing technology partnership for your business as you grow. Their track record in enterprise IT systems means they can advise from a position of authority on how best to achieve the commercial outcomes you want, regardless of intended size.”
JMG Group acquires large independent insurance broker
Leeds’ JMG Group has acquired BQI Insurance and sister company BQI Protection.
The acquisition of BQI Insurance represents a strategic move for JMG Group, strengthening its profile in the construction, fleet and liability insurance sectors and enhancing its client servicing capabilities.
It will increase the JMG Group team by 46 people and gross written premium by £25m. It also expands the group’s geographical reach with a presence in London, Wellingborough and Perth.
BQI Insurance was established in 2006 by co-founders Andy Brown and Sean Quinn, who have a strong track record of building quality insurance broker businesses. BQI Insurance specialises in construction, fleet and motor trade, as well as difficult to place risks.
Andy Brown, BQI co-founder, says: “The investment is a great opportunity for our businesses to continue to flourish whilst retaining our identity.
“We never rest on our laurels; we want to be on the front foot and we believe partnering with JMG Group will give us the added competitive edge we desire. It offers a significant opportunity for our employees to grow their portfolios and develop professionally.
“JMG Group is an excellent fit for our business as it aligns with our family style and people focus, allowing us to do what we do best which is looking after our clients and winning business. We’re excited to collaborate, grow and learn from our colleagues across the group, which does not feel too large.”
JMG Group has also acquired BQI Protection, a personal cover, business protection and employee benefits insurance broker. It was established in August 2018 by Andy, Sean and Malcolm Robertson, who holds a 50% stake in the venture.
Under Malcolm’s leadership, the team is expanding through recruitment, broadening the range of insurer options, and experiencing notable revenue growth. Malcolm says: “Being a part of JMG will provide a tremendous opportunity for the group to leverage the advice and products we can provide, fostering substantial growth for all involved.”
Nick Houghton, JMG Group CEO, says: “Andy and Sean have built a great business and absolutely share our obsession with organic growth and data. Welcoming Malcolm on board will also bring valuable expertise to the wider group.
“To have an opportunity to invest in the team and help them continue their growth and success is a real privilege, and one I’m looking forward to being part of. A big thank you must go to Andy and Sean for approaching us when they were thinking about their next chapter.”
Private equity firm backs specialist Maintenance, Repair and Operations business
NVM Private Equity (NVM) has backed a specialist Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO) business, MRO+ Solutions Limited (MRO Solutions).
NVM are backing the incumbent team led by Matt Cattell who has overseen a 50% expansion in revenue since joining four years ago.
Grimsby-based MRO Solutions is a highly technical, value-added distributor of critical products to a range of process and manufacturing industries. The Group operates nationally through its wholly owned subsidiaries, MJ Wilson and Helix Tools.
MJ Wilson is a specialist value added distributor of process instrumentation and control products servicing the energy, power generation and process industries. Helix provides technical support to a range of precision manufacturing clients supporting their tooling requirements.
The market is highly fragmented providing the backdrop for an attractive buy and build opportunity to supplement organic growth plans. As part of the investment, funding for acquisitions has been reserved to enable the group to accelerate the M&A strategy post investment and consolidate the market.
On completion, Kevin Appleton will be joining the board as Non-Executive Chairman; Kevin has significant experience in the distribution sector and extensive M&A expertise.
Matt Cattell, Managing Director of MRO+ Solutions, said: “We are thrilled to join forces with NVM Private Equity. This partnership will enable us to further strengthen our position in the market and capitalise on new opportunities, through organic and acquisitive growth.
“With NVM’s support, we are confident that we can continue to deliver exceptional value to our customers and team members, driving long-term success for our business.”
Charlie Pidgeon, Investment Partner of NVM, said: “We have been highly impressed with the quality of the senior leadership team, the growth they have achieved and their vision for the future. We look forward to fully supporting the team in achieving their organic growth plans and pursuing acquisitions to consolidate what is a highly fragmented market.”
