Multi-disciplinary built environment consultancy secures £40m investment

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Multi-disciplinary built environment consultancy Ridge and Partners, which has offices in Leeds, has secured a significant investment of more than £40 million from Horizon Capital.
Horizon’s investment supports Ridge in delivering the next phase of its ‘Quality, Innovation and Growth’ vision, which sets a strategy for expanding expertise and nurturing talent in a progressive way.
The success of this strategy is clear in Ridge’s recent expansion from 577 people and £61 million turnover in 2020 to 1,000 people and a forecast £105 million in 2023 across its 13 UK offices. Strategic acquisitions in the last three years have included Scott Hughes Design and Projex.
Ridge’s broad multi-disciplinary offering to clients, which includes depth in architecture, building services, engineering, planning, surveying, sustainability and transport, will be expanded by investing in talent across its core disciplines as well as through new acquisitions. New acquisitions will complement Ridge’s existing practices and develop new services to enhance its track record of strong client relationships. Strategic opportunities include the digital revolution, the net zero carbon and social impact agendas and changing ways of living, working and learning. Through its investment in Ridge, Horizon Capital is adding built environment services to its portfolio of 14 technology services, business services, software and data companies. Adrian O’Hickey, senior partner, Ridge, said: “This is a transformational deal for Ridge – a catalyst for some of the most ambitious changes in our strategy. We’ve already been successful in turning up the dial on this business, introducing new initiatives and developing our people. We want to continue that progress, with the benefit of new investment, while maintaining our core values of quality, collaboration and agility all the way.
“Progressive growth is crucial for us and that means creating better and more sustainable places while offering cutting edge services for our clients and career opportunities for our colleagues. “Horizon Capital’s focus on professional services and technology makes them a strong fit for Ridge and protects the personal culture of our 75-year-old business. Horizon understands the personal touch that distinguishes the Ridge culture and our willingness to exploit the latest technology to work more efficiently and more accurately.”
Luke Kingston, managing partner, Horizon Capital, said: “Horizon is providing the first institutional capital to Ridge in its 75-year history. Its partners have already taken opportunities for sustained growth in recent years, and we will help them to be even more ambitious in the firms and talent they reach out to.
“This professional expertise will be vital in the next few years as the UK upgrades its infrastructure and brings its building stock up to net zero standards. The winners in this market should be the consultants who have the trust of their clients and a track record of maintaining the highest standards throughout their businesses.”

Jaso wins cranes contract worth more than £10m with Sheffield Forgemasters

Jaso Industrial Cranes has been awarded a contract worth more than £10 million to supply brand new overhead cranes for the UK’s largest open-die forging line. The seven cranes will service Sheffield Forgemasters’ new 13,000 tonne Heavy Forge, which is under construction at its Brightside Lane site and will range from 20 tonnes to 380 tonnes individual lifting capacity. Jaso beat five other world-class crane suppliers in the tender process to be awarded preferred bidder status for the design, supply and installation of all overhead cranes required for the state-of-the-art facility. Steve Marshall, manufacturing transformation director at Sheffield Forgemasters, said: “Jaso Industrial Cranes has been appointed as our preferred bidder for all seven of the overhead cranes required to operate our new forging facility. “The tender process was very tightly contested, but Jaso have a significant amount of experience in supply of cranes for hot metal and steelworks, which is extremely important for the work that we are undertaking. “We will be installing a single 25 tonne crane, two service cranes with 100/20 tonne capacity, a 180/40 tonne capacity crane, one 250/50 tonne crane and two main 380/120 tonne forge cranes in our new 12,700 sq m forge building.” The cranes are due to be supplied and fitted between March 2025 and July 2025. Aitor Guesalaga, general manager at Jaso Industrial Cranes, said: “Sheffield Forgemasters is installing a high-specification heavy forging line and we are delighted to be bringing our expertise in the design and manufacture of overhead cranes for these types of facilities to this project. “The forging line will be one of the most advanced in Europe and the largest of its kind in the UK.” Sheffield Forgemasters’ 13,000 tonne forging line is part of a substantial recapitalisation programme for the company, which will also include new machining facilities to service its defence contracts.

Knight Frank makes appointment to drive growth of shopping centres team

Knight Frank, the property consultancy, has appointed Ben Hill as a partner in its commercial property asset management team in Leeds. Hill, who has twenty years’ experience in the commercial property sector working with Europe’s largest and most complex retail assets, joins Knight Frank from British Land where he was a director and member of the retail property management senior leadership team. At British Land, Hill was responsible for the management of approximately £1bn worth of assets in Sheffield including Meadowhall Shopping Centre and surrounding sites. Earlier in his career Hill spent twelve years working as a director of property management at Smith Young Partnership in Sheffield. Based between Knight Frank’s Leeds and Sheffield offices, Hill’s newly created role will have national coverage and his appointment as partner will strengthen Knight Frank’s shopping centre management capabilities and bolster the shopping centre portfolio. Michael Lewis, head of property & asset management, Knight Frank said: “Hill has a proven record as one of the leading property management experts across UK retail space and will have a key role to play in our expansion of our shopping centre team in Leeds. Shopping centres are an integral part of our retail capability. “Servicing a range of REITs, institutions, property companies and local authorities, our experience in the core market of strong regional centres is unrivalled. Hill brings with him an in-depth knowledge of one of the UK’s most complex and well-known retail assets and we are delighted to have him on board.”

Executive search company promotes principal to divisional manager

Leeds-based international executive search agency Spencer Riley has promoted Adam Dowson to divisional manager as it continues to invest in its team and expand its specialist cold chain and life science logistics division.

Adam joined Spencer Riley in 2017 as a trainee and has progressed through the ranks to executive, senior executive search consultant and then principal search consultant before his latest promotion to divisional manager.

Adam has established himself as an experienced global consultant in the highly regulated cold chain and life science logistics sector. Spencer Riley continues to invest and grow this and other specialist teams.

His clients comprise market-leading couriers, temperature-controlled packaging solutions innovators and major integrators providing complete supply chain solutions across Europe, Asia-Pacific and North America.

Adam Dowson said: “It is great to have my role at Spencer Riley recognised with this latest promotion. My ambition now is to build my team further and to expand into niche areas within the life science logistics and packaging sectors.”

Managing Director Scott Ellam said: “Congratulations to Adam on his latest well-deserved promotion which recognises his drive and commitment as well as his consistently exceptional performance on behalf of clients and candidates.

“Adam has been with me from near the beginning and is a key member of our team.  Adam’s skill set and experience is invaluable to Spencer Riley as we continue our journey. We’ve had a great 12 months in terms of growth, and I look forward to supporting Adam as he builds his team and expands his portfolio offering.

“Adam’s clients, candidates and colleagues will know how much their successes matter to him and his character is reflected in the relationships he builds both within the company and with our partners. I look forward to seeing him developing the future generations of trainees as we increase hiring through 2023.”

Prime Leeds city centre retail building changes hands in £2.5m deal

A prime retail building in the heart of Leeds city centre’s main pedestrianised area, on the corner of Commercial Street and Trinity Street, has changed hands in a £2.5 million deal. The 6,500 sq ft building, which is spread across five storeys, has been sold by a major UK Fund Manager which was advised by Leeds property consultancy, GV&Co’s investment division. The property has been acquired by a private investor and is let to Japanese and Asian-inspired restaurant and take-away chain, itsu. The purchase reflects a net initial yield of 3.38% rising to 6.77% in July 2023 following a fixed uplift in the rent. Garry Howes, director of investment at GV&Co, said: “This is a landmark building on one of Leeds city centre’s busiest streets as well as being next to the northern entrance of Trinity Leeds, meaning thousands of people walk past it every day. “It also benefits from a very popular tenant in itsu, a long lease until 2032, and a fixed uplift in the rental income. This made it a sought-after investment opportunity with a number of UK fund managers and private companies all expressing an interest.”

Second phase of Bradford student development launches

Integritas Property Group (IPG), an ethical property developer based in the North West, has launched its second phase of the ‘Bijou’ project. Following the completion of the first phase, ‘Optima’ has been designed to capitalise on its location in the heart of Bradford city centre.
Designed for student accommodation, Optima will host a total of 54 student pods and 4 accessible studios.
Speaking on its investment in Bradford city centre, Integritas Property Group founder and Managing Director Mitchell Walsh said: “Bradford is the tenth largest city economy in England, worth an estimated £11.6 billion, so it’s a great area to concentrate on regenerating. It’s a well-connected city with direct rail access to London and has been awarded the UK City of Culture for 2025. 
“Over the coming few years, the city will see a whole host of redevelopment with the local authority planning to improve large areas of the centre, following a £20 million grant from the UK Levelling Up fund. The rental yield in Bradford also sits at 6%, which is 2.4% higher than the national average, making it a great time to invest in the area.”
Construction of the new Optima site will start in June 2023, with the expected first completion in June 2024.

How green is your property? Conveyancers told of duty to advise on climate legal risks

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Conveyancing solicitors have been warned by the Law Society of England and Wales that they have an overall duty to advise on climate legal risks when acting in transactions. They must now consider whether climate searches are required for every property transaction they oversee, with the caveat that they ‘should not advise on climate change physical risks where it is outside their knowledge or qualification’. The new guidance reflects the 2008 Climate Change Act, which commits the UK to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 68% by 2030 and 78% by 2035. Chris Watson of X-Press Legal Services Lincolnshire said: “The Climate Change Act is already having a significant impact on the construction and housing sectors so to see it now filtering into property transactions is of little surprise. “For the home buyer this guidance means many solicitors will now feel duty bound to recommend a climate change report as part of the suite of property related searches undertaken during the conveyancing process. “Climate risks can be physical, transition, or liability related, and can negatively impact the value of land and buildings. In view of that, these searches will provide home buyers with an extra level of insight into their purchase and any climate related risks.”

Leeds-based civil engineering consultancy opens premises in the north west

Leeds structural and civil engineering consultancy Dudleys has opened a new office in Prestwich in the wake of a ten percent increase in turnover to £1.82m for 2022 and a further projected 10% year-on-year growth for the next three years to achieve £2.66m by the end of 2025. A more permanent presence in the north west has been spearheaded by client activity, including Voyage Care with new-build projects in Burnley, Ellesmere Port, and Liverpool, and Home Bargains with developments in Leigh and Great Harwood. Dudleys is also appointed to assist in the delivery of the latest phase of development at Logistics North, a strategic employment site near Bolton, with further projects including Runcorn Services and new trade units on Carl Fogarty Way in Blackburn. Dudleys, which counts Leeds United, Leeds/Bradford Airport and Bettys & Taylors of Harrogate as long-standing clients, has doubled the size of its Leeds office space in the last twelve months with board director Paul Brownlow now heading up the new office in Prestwich. MD Andy Walker said: “Whilst we have served clients in the region for some years, our expanding portfolio now requires a more locally-based team.  We are optimistic about future business growth in the region and look forward to making our presence more widely known across the industry.” Dudleys provides structural and civil engineering advice across the UK. Established more than 12 years ago, the privately-owned consultancy employs a team of 25 highly skilled engineers. It operates in all key real estate sectors including residential, industrial, commercial, retail and education.

Outdoor advertising operator expands into Scotland

Outdoor advertising operator 75Media has moved into Scotland with the acquisition of 122 new billboard sites, including Scotland’s largest roadside advertising structure, the M8 Tower in Glasgow.

The Leeds-based company’s expansion into Scottish territory comes as part of its long-term partnership with Wildstone, the provider of outdoor media infrastructure. As well as Glasgow’s iconic M8 Tower, 75Media will now operate the Edinburgh Airport Tower which, combined with the M8 Tower, will offer brands almost 2.5 million impacts a fortnight in Scotland’s busiest roadside locations. A further 70 classic 48 sheets, 43 digital 48 sheets and six digital 96 sheets will also launch 75Media’s Scotland billboard portfolio across Glasgow and Edinburgh conurbations. The acquisitions are expected to generate revenue of approximately £5 million for the operator. Speaking about the Scottish expansion, 75Media’s Managing Director, Paul Inman, said: “This is a pivotal milestone in our growth strategy and will be instrumental in us realising our goal of becoming the number one billboard advertising network for brands in the UK. “This new Scottish network will enable us to become a dominant player in the Scottish out-of-home (OOH) market, with more sites still to come.” Founder and CEO of Wildstone, Damian Cox, added: “We are delighted to have extended our framework agreement with Paul and his team through this Scottish expansion. 75Media represents a platform of exceptional media assets which we are excited to help grow rapidly. Their sales strategy is extremely interesting and shows how driven businesses can exceed revenue expectations without always relying on the mainstream agency model. “We believe that DOOH is still very much in its infancy in the UK. Both broadcast and the premium side of the market will see significant growth and innovation within the next five years and we at Wildstone are excited to be spearheading that with our tenant base.” Paul continued: “It is an incredibly exciting time for us as a company and also a great honour to be taking on these prestigious sites, and we look forward to working with agencies and brands of all sizes across Scotland to help tell their stories, out-of-home.”

Trio of fine knitwear companies sold out of administration

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Interpath Advisory has secured the future of three fine knitwear businesses based in Yeadon, near Leeds. Jack Brodie Limited is a retailer of cashmere clothing and accessories primarily to high-end retail customers based in the UK and USA, but also sells directly to consumers via its website. The Edinburgh Knitwear Company Limited is a retailer of pima cotton and cashmere products, while Pennine (London) Limited is a retailer of cashmere clothing and accessories. The three companies are connected by virtue of common directors and shareholders.  The companies had seen significant revenue growth in recent years, prompting management to invest in stock to meet demand, as well as investing in their direct-to-consumer channels including their websites. However, more recently, the companies began to experience significant pressure on working capital and, after assessing all their options, Rick Harrison and Howard Smith were appointed joint administrators to the entities on 19 April 2023.  Immediately following their appointment, Interpath Advisory concluded a sale of the business and certain assets of Jack Brodie Limited and The Edinburgh Knitwear Company Ltd to Jamm Logistics Limited. In a separate transaction, Interpath Advisory concluded a sale of the business and certain assets of Pennine (London) Ltd. to Belgium-based Amitex NV.  As part of the two transactions, all of the companies’ 38 employees will transfer to Jamm Logistics Limited and Amitex NV. Rick Harrison, Managing Director at Interpath Advisory, said: “We’re pleased to have concluded these two transactions which will enable these long-established fine knitwear businesses to trade.” Howard Smith, Managing Director at Interpath Advisory, added: “We’re particularly pleased to have been able to safeguard the jobs of all employees and wish them, and the respective management teams, all the best for the future.”