Leeds-based TPP Retail Group has acquired a one-third stake in software provider InFormed Software, marking a strategic move to accelerate the growth of this digital form-building platform.
Known for digitising paper-based reporting and processes, leading to significant operational and efficiency benefits for its customers, InFormed allows businesses to create, copy, and instantly deploy operational documentation such as workflow recording, task reporting, compliance checks, and health & safety forms through its powerful document creation and replacement software.
This partnership aligns with both companies’ shared vision of prioritising customer satisfaction and fostering long-term relationships. By combining InFormed Software’s technical strength with TPP Retail’s robust sales and marketing engine, the collaboration sets the stage for exponential growth.
“We’re excited to partner with the InFormed team, recognising the strong synergy between our technologies and our shared commitment to solving critical challenges for our customers,” said James Ussher-Smith, Managing Director at TPP Retail Group.
Sales Director Tony Rainbow said: “We are delighted to partner with the TPP Retail team and excited about the opportunities this collaboration will unlock for our businesses and customers alike.”
As part of the agreement, James Ussher-Smith will assume the role of Commercial Director at InFormed Software, working alongside founding members Tony Rainbow as Sales Director and Jacob Boston as Technical Director.
Future potential of 270-acre site on outskirts of Flaxby to be explored
Scarborough Group International (SGI) has partnered with Greyfriars Investments to explore the future potential of a 270-acre site on the outskirts of Flaxby, Harrogate.
Situated next to Junction 47 of the A1(M), this site was previously a golf course. The land was acquired from administrators in 2016 with consent for a hotel and golf resort. Alternative proposals, including an eco-village resort, were considered in the past but did not move forward.
Following a strategic review of the site in 2022/23, SGI has joined as a new partner to help shape its future. As part of this process, SGI has submitted the site for consideration in North Yorkshire Council’s new Local Plan. This plan will guide development across the county for the next 15 to 20 years.
With the council currently issuing a ‘Call for Sites,’ SGI is actively engaging in this initiative to ensure the land’s potential is properly assessed.
Development Director, Adam Varley, said: “Our partnership with Greyfriars Investments represents an exciting step in understanding how this site can support North Yorkshire’s wider development strategy.
“While it’s still early days, we’re committed to working with local communities and stakeholders to ensure any future plans reflect their priorities and concerns. With our proven track record in delivering major mixed-use developments, such as Thorpe Park in Leeds, we are well-positioned to contribute meaningfully to this conversation.”
Greyfriars Investments’ Jamie Macnamara said: “We’re pleased to be working with Scarborough Group to explore the opportunities for the Flaxby site. Their expertise in employment-led developments and deep understanding of regional priorities make them the perfect partner as we seek to create a sustainable, deliverable vision for the site.”
Magtec motor forwards with funding to advance innovation in defence
Rotherham-based SME Magtec has been awarded funding through the latest rounds of the Defence Technology Exploitation Programme (DTEP). They will collaborate with a higher-tier supplier who will mentor them over the duration of a forthcoming defence project.
They will receive a government grant worth 50 percent of the project value with the aim of developing innovative new solutions that meet UK defence challenges and increase capability in the UK defence supply chain.
Magtec is a designer, manufacturer and integrator of electric and hybrid drive systems for customers in the defence, rail and commercial sectors. The company is a member of the British Army’s programme to develop technologies for battlefield electrification and holds an Armed Forces Covenant Bronze Award in the Employer Recognition Scheme.
Founded in 1992, Magtec is privately owned and headquartered at a bespoke design and manufacturing facility in Rotherham.
The firm was recently visited by Secretary of State for Defence John Healey MP who described Magtec as “deeply impressive” and said that they have the “long established manufacturing skills and creative flair to improve the battlefield performance and the environmental performance of military vehicles.”
The DTEP programme, which seeks to improve the competitiveness of the UK Defence supply chain, is sponsored by the MOD’s Directorate of Industrial Strategy and Exports (DISE) and delivered through the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA), Innovate UK, and ADS.
Magtec’s innovative Permanent Magnet Motors (PMM) will provide superior power to submarine systems with significantly reduced size and weight. This will in turn reduce maintenance costs substantially while increasing submarine availability and operational capacity. Magtec will be working with higher tier partner MacTaggart Scott on developing and producing the PMM.
Andy Sloan, Engineering Director at Magtec, said: “We are delighted to have won funding from the Defence and Security Accelerator and to be collaborating with MacTaggart Scott.
“Our team is developing permanent magnet motor technology for submarines, reducing weight, space, heat and noise and making the Silent Service even quieter. As a UK-based company, we are proud to be strengthening our sovereign capability.”
The SDA Supplier Management Team said: “Magtec have previous defence development experience, therefore easing their learning and journey into becoming a potential defence supplier for the Submarine Enterprise. The product they offer will be bespoke, offering the many advantages as stated, and others besides.”
Daiser partners with South Yorkshire Digital Health Hub to drive digital health innovation
Healthtech startup Daiser has partnered with the South Yorkshire Digital Health Hub to accelerate the development of digital health solutions. The hub, supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), is a collaboration between the University of Sheffield and Hallam University. It aims to foster innovation to address healthcare inequality and improve health outcomes in the South Yorkshire region.
Daiser, launched in 2024, is a digital platform designed to help create and deploy health services quickly. It uses an AI-driven modular system, allowing care providers to customise a single platform to address a range of patient needs, from diabetes to dementia. The platform is user-friendly and requires no technical expertise to operate.
Under the new partnership, Daiser will work with the South Yorkshire Digital Health Hub to launch five clinical services, including heart monitoring and contraceptive care. The platform promises to be secure and scalable, enabling faster development of health tech solutions that can reach broader audiences, including researchers and end-users.
Sheffield Forgemasters signs multi-million pound contract with GH Cranes
GH Cranes has been awarded a multi-million pound contract with Sheffield Forgemasters to supply brand new overhead cranes for a world-leading machining facility.
The 11 overhead cranes and a 400-tonne lifting beam will be installed in Sheffield Forgemasters’ planned new 35,000sqm machine shop at its Brightside Lane site, to advance its UK defence-sector output, including AUKUS.
GH Cranes beat four other world-class crane manufacturers in the tender process to be awarded preferred bidder status for the design and supply of all overhead cranes required for the state-of-the-art facility, ranging from 40 tonnes to 250 tonnes individual lifting capacity.
Craig Fisher, Programmes Director, said: “GH Cranes has been awarded as our preferred bidder for 11 overhead cranes, with a 400-tonne lifting beam for tandem lifts, which will operate in our new machining facility, serving 17 machines, including ultra-large Vertical Turning Lathes.
“The tender process was very closely run, but GH Cranes has more than 65 years of experience in the supply of industrial cranes and provided the best technical solutions and the best value for money to win a competitive tender against the other bidders.
“We will be installing two 150/40-tonne cranes, four service cranes with 200/40 tonne capacity and five 250/50 tonne cranes, with a tandem lifting bar for up to 400-tonnes lifting capacity, spanning up to 35 metres.”
Aimar Villa Iñurrita, Special Solutions Business Unit Director at GH Cranes, said: “We are delighted to be supplying cranes for Sheffield Forgemasters’ new machining facility. This is a nationally important project, and the cranes will service an advanced facility, which is designed and built for the very best efficiency in manufacture.”
The cranes will be shipped from GH Cranes’ manufacturing facility in Northern Spain, with the first shipment due to be delivered to Sheffield Forgemasters in 2026.
Sheffield-based Professional Lifting Services (PLS) have been contracted by GH Cranes for installation of the cranes.
Trafalgar wins tender process to operate Bradford Live
Trafalgar Entertainment has won the tender process to operate Bradford Live, the iconic city centre venue.
Mark Cowgill, president of Bradford Chamber of Commerce, said: “The news that a new operator has been announced for Bradford Live is a fantastic development for the city.
“Bradford Live will provide the whole country with a world-class 3,000-seater venue that will attract the biggest events in entertainment and pull in an audience of thousands every year.
“As Bradford’s year as City of Culture swings into full force, the news could not have come at a better time.”
Skills shortages keep wage growth strong, says BCC
BCC Deputy Director of Public Policy Jane Gratton says the latest ONS data shows clear signs of a further loosening in the labour market with fewer vacancies, although they remain just above pre-pandemic levels – but she adds: “However, pervasive skills shortages mean firms are competing for talent and wage growth remains strong.
“This is supported by BCC research which shows four in five firms cannot easily find the staff they need to fill roles. At the same time, three quarters of businesses say labour costs are the biggest pressure they face to raise prices.
“All of this is a continuing headache for employers and is putting the economy under increasing strain.
“Firms will face even more difficulty in the months ahead with the imminent rise in employment costs, driven by National Insurance and National Living Wage hikes. Many will be reconsidering their recruitment plans as they try to balance the books.
“There is a limit to how much additional cost business can absorb without employment and investment opportunities being damaged. The Government must do all it can to minimise costs for business and ensure they have access to a skilled and healthy workforce.”
Seven Leeds organisations get £25k innovation-boosting grants from City Council
Funding has been confirmed for seven projects that will provide support to business trailblazers in Leeds and strengthen the city’s reputation as an innovation hotspot.
Leeds City Council’s Innovation@Leeds programme selected them from 40 applications from organisations able to use their expertise to turbocharge the development of a new wave of digital and tech-savvy companies.
The successful seven will now use the funding to run a range of knowledge-sharing events and mentoring programmes aimed at people from diverse communities and backgrounds who want to launch or further develop their own innovation-led businesses.
The initiatives chosen to receive funding are:
- GreenTech Gathering, four full-day workshops that will provide green technology businesses with expert insight in areas such as investor readiness and brand strategy. The sessions will be delivered with support from madeby.studio, Sustainable Ventures, Bruntwood SciTech and Optimo;
- A programme of mentoring, workshops and public speaking opportunities – delivered by FinTech North – that will help aspiring entrepreneurs and future business leaders develop their pitching and presenting skills;
- The Brand Lab, which will see creative design studio Buttercrumble running a series of workshops focused on how tech organisations can connect with target audiences through the use of techniques such as visual storytelling and inclusive communication;
- Athena VC Elevate, a venture capital-focused programme – being run by Lifted Ventures – that will aim to give business founders the tools and knowledge they need to achieve rapid growth and long-term success;
- A programme of business support – including grant-writing assistance and one-to-one mentoring – delivered by Quick Labs, a science innovation hub that provides affordable, fully-equipped laboratory space for early-stage tech start-ups;
- Global Innovators, a project designed to help innovative businesses better understand – and realise – their international growth potential. The programme will be delivered by Creaticity, Synhrgy and Investor Ladder;
- AI 360 Leeds, an AI Tech UK business support programme that will give start-ups, entrepreneurs and others the chance to find out more about artificial intelligence strategies and how they can be used to power growth.
CMA provisionally clears Boparan’s purchase of ForFarmers feed mills
An independent inquiry group has provisionally cleared Boparan’s deal to buy ForFarmers’ Burston and Radstock feed mills in an interim report published today.
The Competition and Markets Authority’s independent inquiry group has provisionally cleared Boparan’s proposed purchase of ForFarmers’ Burston and Radstock feed mill sites, following an in-depth Phase 2 investigation.
ForFarmers and Boparan, a subsidiary of which is the w2 Sisters For Group which iterates in Scunthorpe, both make and supply poultry feed in the UK.
The inquiry group’s investigation has provisionally found that Boparan’s purchase of ForFarmers’ Burston feed mill site could reduce the capacity available to manufacture chicken feed for chicken suppliers in the area around the mill in East Anglia. However, these suppliers will still have choice and the option to switch providers due to competition from other chicken feed providers in the market. Therefore, the inquiry group does not believe the merger would lead to a substantial lessening of competition as a result.
Kirstin Baker, chair of the independent inquiry group, said: “Having assessed the evidence, we have provisionally found that Boparan’s purchase of ForFarmers’ Burston feed mill does not raise competition concerns. We’re reassured by the evidence which shows that farmers and chicken suppliers in the UK will continue to have options when it comes to choosing chicken feed providers, should the deal go ahead.
“We’re now seeking feedback and views on our interim report before reaching a final decision.”
British Steel to host suicide awareness event
British Steel will host one of Britain’s biggest suicide prevention initiatives when the Baton of Hope visits Scunthorpe later this year.
On 15th September, the baton starts the North Lincolnshire leg of its journey at British Steel in Scunthorpe where representatives of North Lincolnshire Council and members of the Baton of Hope will deliver speeches to highlight suicide prevention work.
The baton will then go on to Scunthorpe United’s ground, the Baths Hall and the Humber Bridge, in order to spread the message as widely as possible.
Baton of Hope was formed by dads Mike McCarthy and Steve Phillip who lost their sons to suicide. Determined to create hope for others facing the despair their sons had encountered, they set up the Baton of Hope to raise awareness about the biggest killer of both men and women under the age of 35 in the UK.
Baton bearers from different locations nationwide take turns holding the baton as they walk as they run. This year, the tour will take place in 20 locations across Great Britain and Northern Ireland, starting in Blackpool on 1 September and ending in London on 10 October.
Martin Welch, Compliance and Occupational Health Manager, said: “We are very proud to be hosting such an event. “We hope our participation will provide colleagues with the courage and confidence to talk about their mental health and wellbeing, and increase knowledge and understanding of suicide prevention.”
