Funding secured for new Sheffield research project to enhance sustainability in food processing
Sheffield Hallam University has secured funding to lead a new partnership project to improve energy efficiency and make food processing more sustainable through the development of new technologies.
The University’s National Centre of Excellence for Food Engineering (NCEFE) has secured £232,000 to lead the project which will trial a new heating system for sauces aiming to reduce carbon impact while enhancing nutrition and taste.
Partnering with Premier Foods, the project involves the development and application of innovative Continuous Flow Ohmic Heater (CFOH) technology, which will be tested on a range of the company’s sauces.
Premier Foods is one of the UK’s largest food producers, supplying a range of retailers, wholesale, convenience, and food service customers. This research project is partnering with the company’s dedicated research and development team, based at its manufacturing site in Worksop.
Ohmic heating passes electrical current through food, heating it up evenly and requiring less energy than current processes.
The funding has been provided by Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, as part of the Better Food for All Programme, an investment of up to £20 million to support the development of innovative solutions to address significant nutrition challenges.
The pilot scale study will address challenges faced by the food industry, such as uneven heating, reduced food quality through over-processing, energy inefficiencies, and negative environmental impacts and could inform future spending on food processing technology.
Dr Caroline Millman, senior lecturer and healthier lives research theme lead at Sheffield Hallam University, said: “This is an exciting project, bringing together industry and academic partners, combining our expertise to jointly develop a scalable and energy-efficient heating solution. It will build on existing technology developed by NCEFE and apply it in real-world processing conditions.
“This approach will bridge the gap between research and practical applications and has the potential to transform conventional heating and processing methods. This in turn could create new business opportunities, secure jobs, and contribute to the UK’s food and energy security.”
In 2023, the global cooking sauces and condiments market was valued at $242.8 billion, with the UK market worth £3.9 billion. Food systems are major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, both in the UK and around the world, accounting for around one-third of total emissions.
Chris Horton, Head of Creative Solutions at Premier foods, said: “As a leading manufacturer in the food industry we can’t wait to embark on this innovative project alongside our esteemed academic partners.
“Under our Enriching Life Plan, Premier Foods is committed to helping create a more sustainable food system and to reducing our energy consumption to meet ambitious targets on carbon emissions.
“By harnessing our collective expertise in this way, we stand the best chance of making a breakthrough on a more environmentally friendly heating approach which could revolutionise cooking and processing methods within our sector. I’m excited to see what we can achieve together.”
The project is due to be launched in October 2023 and will last 18 months.
Insurance broker wins planning approval to create flagship HQ in Leeds
Leeds-based international insurance broker W Denis has received planning consent to remodel 8 St Paul’s Street in Leeds City Centre by extending its total floor space by approximately 30% and adding a roof terrace.
The 20,000 sq ft, 6 storey property was purchased by W Denis earlier this year in a deal negotiated by Carter Towler.
Commenting on the planning approval Carter Towler Director Richard Fraser said: “We are absolutely delighted; this is excellent news for W Denis. They have exciting and extensive plans to redevelop the property and create a flagship head office facility for their growing business.
“Their plans include recladding the building, replacing all windows, completely stripping out all interiors and refitting to provide extremely high-quality modern offices with all the very best facilities such as meeting rooms, break out areas, gymnasium, showers and changing areas, coffee lounge and roof terrace. Incorporating all the latest communications and energy saving technology, this will be one of the most prestigious head offices in the city.”
Simon Thew, W Denis Managing Director, added: “This a landmark day for our business. Since the birth of our company in Leeds employing 4 people, we now have more than 100 employees working in Leeds, Manchester, the Midlands, London and Europe. We provide insurance services and complex risk transfer solutions to businesses in over 20 countries. Our development of 8 St Paul’s Street means we are now ready to create the kind of head office facility that will fully support our staff and our future growth.
“We have selected a fantastic team to work with us to achieve this including architects brown + company, interior designers R U Creative and Carter Towler’s Building Consultancy. We are very much looking forward to seeing work start on site and even more so to the completion which is scheduled for Autumn 2024.”
Acting on behalf of W Denis, Carter Towler managed the sale of W Denis’ previous office building Brigade House on Kirkstall Road to The Birmingham Property Group. The residential development property company has plans to demolish the existing building to make way for the construction of up to 198 apartments.
Welders’ work enhances exhibition stand at defence show
Three members of the Sheffield Forgemasters welding and fabrication team have undertaken an innovative project to furnish an exhibition stand for the world’s largest defence exhibition.
Joel Lascelles, Elliot Kemplay, and Mark Swan designed and produced a one-of-a-kind set of steel flowers to display on the company’s stand for the recent DSEI 2023 at London’s Excel, styling the blooms on the its iconic logo.
Apprentice Elliot said: “This was a great, creative project to be involved in. I was asked to create a unique set of flowers in the style of the company’s logo for the world’s largest defence exhibition after a company director noticed my fabrication work in our team submission for our site-wide Workplace in Bloom competition.
“The flowers project provided a huge challenge due to the logo’s specific geometry – trying to tie that in, but still make it look like a bunch of flowers.
“With the support of the team, we delivered on the project, which took three and a half days of design and fabrication, and I was delighted to hear how well they went down with everyone who saw them at the event.”
DSEI takes place in London every two years and is attended by thousands of VIP visitors from countries across the globe, who get to see the latest advances in defence manufacture.
Ryan Edmonds, Director of Customer Programmes, said: “The whole of the Sheffield Forgemasters team was so proud of this piece, created by our young apprentice and the welding/fabrication team. The flowers were a huge success at the event, and the finished article displayed the initiative and skills-set of our apprentices to a global audience of customers and key stakeholders within the defence industry.
“Throughout the show, the steel flowers provided an interesting talking point for visitors to the stand, who loved the craftsmanship on display.”
Omni-Pac joins forces with Lindsey Lodge Hospice, pledging one year’s worth of medical supplies
Omni-Pac Group has kick-started a year-long partnership with Lindsey Lodge Hospice, by welcoming the Hospice team to its Flixborough and Foxhills sites, for a tour of the facilities and to present a £1,000 donation.
After numerous donations to the Grimsby charity, Omni-Pac Group has, this year, chosen to support the vital work the 119-strong team at Lindsey Lodge Hospice undertakes by pledging one year’s worth of medical supplies – speeding up the delivery time of essential supplies, cutting out the middle man and reducing CO2 emissions in the process.
Every year it costs £4.4 million to keep the Hospice open – that’s £8.50 every minute. And with overheads at the Hospice doubling if not trebling from 2022 – with more than £100,000 being spent on food and energy this year alone – it is donations in kind that help keep the work Lindsey Lodge provides free to so many.
James Gallacher, Omni-Pac UK Managing Director, said: “Supporting the community is vital to how Omni-Pac Group operates, and to be able to provide some substantial support locally, here in Scunthorpe and to such a worthy cause, is priceless for us.
“The work that Lindsey Lodge Hospice does is of the utmost importance to those in the area, and, having supported the Hospice with cash donations previously, it means so much more to be able to have a hand in making their operations easier, and deliver medical supplies to aid the care and support the team delivers day-in, day-out.”
Omni-Pac UK currently supplies the NHS with over 100 million disposable medical products annually. The product portfolio includes bedpan liners, slipper pans, GP bowls, measuring jugs, kidney trays, wash bowls and urinal bottles – all products Lindsey Lodge uses daily.
Karen Andrew, Operational Matron at Lindsey Lodge Hospice, added: “This donation will help save our local NHS a significant amount of money, as they would usually fund the cost of these products to us. Due to the nature of what we do at Lindsey Lodge, these products are key to our care and the comfort of the patients. It’s great to see local businesses supporting us in this way, by donating essential goods to our care team.”
Hosted by James Gallacher and Alex Mihai, Marketing Manager at Omni-Pac UK, the tour was organised to give the Lindsey Lodge team an inside look into the operations behind the donation. With sustainability at the heart of Omni-Pac Group, not only will the hospice be benefitting from a year’s worth of medical supplies, but this partnership will also ensure the team can continue driving towards being environmentally conscious while supporting the community.
During the tour, Kathryn Stuart, Fundraising Development Manager at Lindsey Lodge Hospice, added: “To be able to visit the two Omni-Pac sites and see the products we use on a daily basis being made, was really eye-opening. To kick-start our year-long partnership with Omni-Pac with a tour, was the perfect opportunity to strengthen our developing relationship and get to know the team and the story behind what they do.
“We couldn’t do what we do without the support of the North Lincolnshire community and that of course includes businesses donating both funds and products, as well as volunteering.”
James concluded: “We are passionate about supporting the community in any way we can. We’re striving for Omni-Pac UK to be seen as a key player in both the local business community as well as the Scunthorpe community itself.
“Collaboration is integral to ongoing operations here; our door is always open to those who feel a partnership with Omni-Pac would benefit the community. As an active member of Team Lincolnshire, we want to make sure the county knows we are here, and that we can support the local people.”
Office expansion and board restructure as Leeds-based G&H Group marks 25th year
Leeds-based mechanical, electrical and public health service (MEP) provider, G&H Group, is celebrating 25 years in business with the opening of a new office in Pudsey and a restructure of its senior team to support future growth. The MEP service provider is also planning to launch a new energy division.
Founded as G&H Pipe Services in 1998, the Group has grown from a two-strong pipework subcontractor to a multi-million-pound business employing more than 180 staff across five divisions – building services, projects, maintenance, engineering services and air conditioning.
G&H Group has marked its 25th birthday celebrations with the announcement that the Group’s maintenance division will move to new offices in Pudsey, with 20 members of staff relocating in December, as a result of strong growth across all areas of the business.
The firm has also announced, following a management restructure to support its future growth plans, that managing director Graham Kelly will become chairman of G&H Group. Pre-construction director David Davis and commercial director Mark Craven, who have been with the business since 2009 and 2012 respectively, will increase their shareholding.
G&H Group’s chairman Graham Kelly said: “G&H Group has always focused on delivering solutions to our clients by being innovative, hardworking and always going above and beyond.
“I’m very proud of the success and growth we have achieved. This is testament to the team’s commitment to always delivering projects to the highest standard and in turn developing an unrivalled reputation. We have stayed true to our roots and remained a family business, investing and supporting our staff, with many dedicating years of service.
“As we expand premises, adopt a new management structure, and plan our new energy division launch, the future for G&H Group looks extremely bright. With a strong pipeline of business and exciting growth strategy, this is just the start of our next 25 years and beyond!”
Croda names Chair Designate to replace Anita Frew
Snaith-based Croda International has appointed Danuta Gray as a Non-Executive Director and Chair Designate, and she will join the Board with effect from February next year.
She’ll succeed Dame Anita Frew as Chair after the Company AGM in April, when Anita will retire from the Board after nine years as Croda’s Chair.
Danuta has held Board positions with both FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 companies across a range of sectors for the past nineteen years. She is currently Chair of Direct Line Insurance Group Plc and a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Remuneration Committee at Burberry Group plc. She is also a member of the Employ Autism Development Board.
She has extensive Non-Executive listed company Board experience having previously been Chair of St Modwen Property plc and also having served on the Boards of: Aldermore Bank plc, Old Mutual plc, Page Group plc, Paddy Power plc and Aer Lingus plc as well as a Non-Executive Member of the Defence Board of the UK Ministry of Defence.
She said: “I feel tremendous affinity with Croda given the Group’s strong customer focus, market-leading innovation and passion for using smart science to improve lives. With its talented employees, positive culture and refocused portfolio, Croda has an exciting future and I look forward to working with the Croda team to deliver on opportunities that are ahead.”
East Yorkshire travel conference is back after four-year gap
Visit Hull & East Yorkshire’s annual tourism conference returns tomorrow after a four-year break caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The 2023 conference is VHEY’s first major business-to-business event since the pandemic and the first since being named among VisitEngland’s first Local Visitor Economy Partnerships.
The event is open to any business working in the local visitor economy and will feature high-profile guest speakers, including Simon Calder, travel journalist and broadcaster, Professor John Lennon, dean of the Glasgow School for Business and Society, and Alan Raw, lead creative practitioner at Sustainability and Beyond.
Simon Calder said: “I look forward to taking part again in what is always a lively and inspiring event.The pandemic reminded us all of the value of tourism, emotionally as well as economically. Like many people, I rediscovered the joy of travelling in the UK – including another visit to Hull and East Yorkshire.
“The question now: how can the area leverage LVEP status to deliver great experiences to more tourists?”
Lady Victoria Borwick will be attending in her first official visit as the new chairman of the VisitEngland Advisory Board, along with former interim chair Fiona Pollard, who will also be among the speakers.
She said: “I am very pleased to be visiting this wonderful part of England and to be attending this conference in my first official visit as the new chairman of the VisitEngland Advisory Board. Local Visitor Economy Partnerships are at the heart of transforming the visitor economy landscape in England and we are delighted that Visit Hull and East Yorkshire is embedded into the programme.
“I am looking forward to hearing from industry and business leaders about the challenges and opportunities for the visitor economy and how we can support to drive growth, working with stakeholders across the region.”
The conference will take place at Tickton Grange Hotel, Beverley, on Wednesday between 9.30am-2pm.
Sheffield’s Leadmill granted premises licence
An application for a premises licence for ‘The Leadmill’, 6-7 Leadmill Road, has been granted, with conditions, by Sheffield City Council’s Licensing Sub Committee. The application was submitted by MVL Properties 2017 Ltd, the landlord of the building.
The venue is able to remain open and continue to operate under its current licence conditions.
Councillor Tom Hunt, Leader of Sheffield City Council, said: “The Leadmill is a much-loved venue which has hosted some of the world’s best bands. It holds an important place in our city’s music scene, and I know many residents have very special memories of The Leadmill.
“The application for a shadow licence was approved because the council’s Licensing Sub Committee found that the applicants demonstrated they could uphold all four of the licensing objectives.
“As a statutory Licensing Authority, the council has a legal duty to be fair, unbiased and treat each licence application the same. The application for a shadow licence for ‘The Leadmill’ by MVL Properties 2017 Ltd was treated impartially and the case was considered on its own merits.
“I’d like to reassure residents that the premises licence held by The Leadmill’s management team remains valid and the venue is able to remain open and run as normal.”
Andy joins Pugh auction house in Director role
Auction house Pugh has boosted its senior team with the appointment of award-winning auctions specialist Andy Thompson, previously a director at SDL Property Auctions.
Thompson joins Pugh as a director, and has over 15 years’ experience of the North West auctions market, starting out in his property career with Edward Mellor before joining SDL Property Auctions in Manchester as a valuer in 2017. He was appointed SDL director of auctions in 2022.
Thompson’s appointment comes after Pugh joined forces with South Yorkshire property auctioneer Mark Jenkinson this summer to combine the two firms’ monthly auction listings/
Pugh MD Paul Thompson said: “Andy has rapidly become one of the leading lights of the North West auctions industry and we’re really pleased to welcome him to the Pugh team, where I have no doubt he will go from strength to strength and help to drive the continued growth of the business.”
Andy Thompson said: “This is an exciting time to join Pugh, which is fast becoming the go-to property auction house in the north and more widely across the country.
“I am looking forward to playing a key role in the firm’s continuing growth, building on my experience of selling a vast range of residential and commercial properties on behalf of both private individuals and corporate clients across the North West.”
Henry Boot Construction re-establishes Yorkshire framework position and expands into the East Midlands
Henry Boot Construction has been re-appointed to the £8bn Procure Partnerships National Framework for its second iteration.
In addition to securing its position in the Yorkshire region again, having been originally selected in 2019, the business has now been added to the East Midlands region of the framework as well.
The second framework will start to support the procurement of projects from November 2023 and run until 2027.
Henry Boot Construction’s Framework Manager, Jason Thompson, shared his thoughts on the appointment: “The framework really aligns with our own company values ambitions – putting social value, sustainability and technical innovation at the heart of the projects we undertake.
“In the first edition of the framework we represented Yorkshire, seeing us secure the £7.5m Weston Park Hospital Linear Accelerator contract.
“We are now thrilled to be able to increase our coverage and add East Midlands to the programme. This will offer us and our supply chain even more business opportunities further afield and continue to grow our reputation across the UK.
“It is also a fantastic opportunity to be able to build on the strong, successful working relationships we at Henry Boot Construction have developed with those in the Procure Partnerships team.
“Developing these relationships is essential to the success of frameworks such as this one. Collaboration and shared learnings are key to frameworks succeeding and that is something that we value greatly.
“This is not just an opportunity to bid for and hopefully win projects, but it also will help to provide us with the support and growth opportunities that will allow us to expand our regional supply chain – supporting the wider sector in the Midlands and the North of England.”
Speaking about Henry Boot Construction’s appointment Robbie Blackhurst, Director at Procure Partnerships Framework at Procure Partnerships, added: “Henry Boot Construction has an extensive portfolio of delivering successful projects and we’re delighted to welcome them back onto the second iteration of the Procure Partnerships Framework.
“The new edition of the framework is set to transform public and private sector procurement and we look forward to seeing what Henry Boot achieves over the next four years.”
Established to support public sector bodies to procure contractor partners, the Procure Partnerships Framework is divided regionally, supporting the framework values of local delivery with national governance.
The Procure Partnerships Framework pushes the boundaries of how procurement can support public sector bodies to deliver their strategic targets. The framework is designed to be flexible and provides clients with different call-off options and up to eight forms of call-off contracts.
