Leeds offers firms help to make employees healthier and happier

Stuart Pearcey
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Leeds offers firms help to make employees healthier and happier
Active Leeds has launched a new corporate wellbeing service to support businesses across Leeds in creating healthier, happier and more resilient workforces. Tom Riordan, chief executive of Leeds City Council, said: “I am really looking forward to witnessing the positive impact that Active Leeds’ new corporate wellbeing service will have across the city prioritising employee health and wellbeing and supporting firms across the city to develop resilient work forces. “The service is a first for the public sector, bringing the extensive experience in health and wellbeing from across the council and public sector to deliver innovative and tailored solutions to support firms and employees across Leeds.”
The new corporate wellbeing offer is based on a partnership approach, with Active Leeds using its unique position to support businesses to develop strategies, design interventions and deliver projects that can support better workplace health and wellbeing. Active Leeds is owned and run by Leeds City Council, with the corporate wellbeing service supporting the council’s clear ambitions to prioritise health and wellbeing and support economic and inclusive growth. Having worked with leading organisations across the city including John Lewis, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, N-Power and Network rail through a range of pilots, the service is now ready to be rolled out to firms across the city. Servicing a significant growth within organisations wanting to improve employee health and wellbeing, Active Leeds is in a unique position to join up employees with the extensive range of health and wellbeing services the council, public and voluntary community sector partners provide. To mark the launch of the corporate wellbeing service Active Leeds are bringing business leaders together at the University of Leeds to share learning and insights to date from the successful pilots on November 24th. Click here to RSVP to the event.

Mid Yorkshire Chamber boss reacts to Liz Truss’s resignation

Michael Fisher
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Mid Yorkshire Chamber boss reacts to Liz Truss’s resignation
Martin Hathaway, managing director of the Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “Liz Truss’s resignation comes at a crucial time for businesses. We are on the cusp of a recession with a multitude of challenges to tackle, both here in Yorkshire and the UK, and further afield with ongoing global conflicts. “Our firms need clear, strong action now more than ever. Recent weeks have shown a lack of firm guidance and leadership, with policies changing and decisions being backtracked on from one day to the next. “How can our organisations expect to plan, grow and look to invest if the roadmap keeps changing? “I urge the Government to come to a quick resolution, and that whoever next takes on the role of Prime Minister immediately gets to work to help businesses tackle the difficult months ahead. “Energy, skills and our economic standing on the international stage are the three crucial threads to business survival and must be addressed as matters of urgency. “Our firms rely on people to keep going and produce the outstanding calibre of work that we pride ourselves on here in Yorkshire. “The new administration must take action to support individuals and businesses alike, one cannot work without the other.”

Leeds academics support Welsh company’s growth ambitions

Stuart Pearcey
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Leeds academics support Welsh company’s growth ambitions
Leeds Beckett University is leading a new partnership with pioneering Welsh manufacturer ABER Instruments to apply academic expertise in management and business process to support the company’s growth and future ambitions. ABER Instruments Ltd is a global company supplying advanced systems for use in the Brewing, Biorenewables and Biotech industry. Formed in Aberystwyth in 1988, ABER started life as a university spin-out and, in 2011, became an employee-owned company. ABER has experienced rapid growth and is now making the transition from being a small niche manufacturer to becoming a medium-sized company with a larger value proposition. Their customers now include some of the world’s biggest pharmaceutical and brewing companies – including Glaxo SmithKline and Heineken. The company recognises the need to review and adapt its structures and management processes to ensure it is fit for sustainable growth, whilst retaining its employee-owned status. ABER will be working with academic experts from both Leeds Beckett University and the University of Leeds on the two-year Management Knowledge Transfer Partnership (mKTP), which is led by Leeds Beckett and co-funded by UKRI through Innovate UK and the Welsh Government. Dr Catherine Ashworth, Senior Lecturer in Marketing at Leeds Beckett University and academic project leader, explained: “ABER is a rapidly growing company – with many opportunities to develop and innovate new products, to diversify and expand into new markets. The company wants to achieve a position where they have a pro-active plan for innovation and sustainable growth that fits with their distinct values as an EO business. We are delighted to be working on this mKTP with Professor Andrew Robinson at the University of Leeds – a leading international expert in EO. “The aim of the project is to provide ABER with the knowledge to transition into a more structured and sustainable growth-oriented business. We will equip them to make strategic decisions based on long-term market opportunities that also have the capability of internationalisation, adding resilience and sustainability to navigating growth, whilst retaining the unique aspects of ABER’s EO culture.”

Boris Johnson pulls out of leadership race, leaving Sunak in clear position to be next PM

Michael Fisher
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Boris Johnson pulls out of leadership race, leaving Sunak in clear position to be next PM
In a startling move, Boris Johnson has pulled out the leadership race for PM, saying that although he had the necessary backing of 100 MPs (over 50 have come forward at this time, but not 100) he feels that it is “not the right time” to run for PM. Saying that the Conservative party needs unity and that Rishi Sunak did not accept his offer of withdrawing and granting him the position, Boris Johnson will not run. This has obviously placed Sunak in pole position to become the next Prime Minister, although Penny Mordaunt is said to be working to gather votes to challenge him.

Leeds Packaging manufacturer teams up with leading universities for industry open day

Michael Fisher
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Leeds Packaging manufacturer teams up with leading universities for industry open day
Leeds based packaging manufacturer Roberts Mart has partnered with Sheffield Hallam University and Lancaster University Management School to provide current and prospective customers with the latest industry insights. Roberts Mart, winner of 11 awards at the recent FIA UK Awards, has a staff of 220 and supplies printed flexible packaging to clients across the UK and Europe in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector, for companies such as Taylors of Harrogate and John Cotton Group. “With the many challenges in the marketplace currently, it felt like the right time to provide our customers with a deeper insight into what we do and what is happening in the market so that they can better plan for the future,” explains Roberts Mart Marketing Director Ben Roberts. The Open Day, held at the firm’s headquarters at Aire Valley House, offered visitors a chance to see the facility in operation, to meet colleagues and gain insights on some of the key issues and challenges affecting packaging in today’s volatile environment. Sheffield Hallam offers the only undergraduate degree in England dedicated to packaging. Course Leader Peter Macqueen welcomed the opportunity to speak directly to manufacturers on the future of packaging education and the issues around providing the sector with a skilled workforce. “Sustainability has moved to the top of the agenda for the packaging industry, but the sector is facing more than one crisis,” Macqueen told the assembled group of over 40 manufacturing professionals.  “A skills shortage, ageing workforce and limited educational pathways are the main drivers for establishing our Packaging degree course.” According to Macqueen, packaging Production represents almost 4% of all UK Manufacturing, directly employing 85,000 and over 500,000 indirectly. Lancaster University also has a packaging focus and Dr Savita Verma and Professor Linda Hendry, part of the ‘Plastic Packaging in People’s Lives’ project, highlighted the environmental impacts of plastic products and the challenges and opportunities with regards to recycling and composting. CEFLEX, of which Roberts Mart is a member, is a collaborative initiative covering the entire value chain of flexible packaging, and Liz Morrish was on hand to talk about their key role in creating a circular economy for this type of packaging. Other presentations included a discussion on polymers from Mike Boswell of leading plastic raw materials distributor, Plastribution, and Dr Peter Coleman from Simon-Kutcher Partners who covered product pricing strategies. Roberts concluded: “It was a great day all round, highlighting challenges but also the positive initiatives that will take our industry forward.  Our thanks to all the presenters and to those who came to share the day with us. We now plan to hold similar events on a bi-annual basis.” Ester Bettinson from Taylors had this to say: “Thanks for a great day–very effective, worthwhile and a really good spectrum of presentations. Certainly not just a run of the mill sales pitch!”

Multi-million pound investment brings 37 new gritters to Yorkshire and The Humber

Stuart Pearcey
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Multi-million pound investment brings 37 new gritters to Yorkshire and The Humber
A £44m national investment by National Highways includes 37 new high-tech gritters for Yorkshire and the Humber to help keep road users on the move when severe weather hits. The region has two new winter maintenance depots, one just off the A64 at Malton in North Yorkshire and another off the A63 near Newport in the East Riding of Yorkshire. Senior Network Planner for Resilience Gordon Thackeray, who heads up National Highways’ winter operations in the region, said: “The rollout of our new state-of-the-art gritting vehicles is complete, with every machine in position and ready for the winter season ahead to help keep our road users safer on the roads, whatever weather conditions we face. “National Highways always strives to explore and embrace innovation to benefit our road users. These vehicles are environmentally friendly, have cutting-edge technological features and can be driven at a higher speed than older models. “We now have a total of 58 vehicles ready to be deployed across Yorkshire and the North East and all of them will play their part in helping our autumn and winter operations team, including our drivers, to carry out their vital work over the next few months to treat the road surfaces whenever and wherever it is needed.” From Newport, the gritters will salt more than 70 miles of the M62 and A63 from Hull docks in the east to Ferrybridge, West Yorkshire, to the west. Malton operates two precautionary routes which treat 61 miles of the A64 from near the coast at Scarborough to York. Across Yorkshire and the North East there are 14 winter maintenance depots, ten in Yorkshire and four in the North East, and 58 gritters treating a total of almost 950 miles of trunk roads and motorways. The region also has four snow blowers.

Local authorities will take over running Supertrams when Stagecoach contract ends

Stuart Pearcey
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Local authorities will take over running Supertrams when Stagecoach contract ends
In 2024 South Yorkshire’s tram network will be taken over by the area’s Mayoral Combined Authority when Stagecoach’s current contract for operation of the network ends. The plan forms part of the region’s wider ambitions to upgrade Supertram, as part of a fully integrated public transport network. South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard said: “Our transport ambitions – for how our communities get to jobs or education, and how they visit family and friends – must work for the whole of our region and for a generation to come. “Supertram has been part of South Yorkshire’s fabric for nearly thirty years. In the next thirty years, it will play a critical role in helping us reach our net zero goal. Now, I am pleased to be able to say that it will do so as a publicly owned, publicly operated venture. “Full public control of Supertram is an exciting new chapter for our tram network. It will help us to develop a long-term, integrated approach that fits with our wider plans for buses, rail, walking and cycling across South Yorkshire.” Opened in 1994, South Yorkshire’s Supertram system cost £240m and now serves major residential and employment sites in Sheffield. A Tram Train project extended the network to Rotherham in 2018. SYMCA recently secured a £100 million Government grant to modernise parts of the system, including track and infrastructure improvements and better facilities for passengers. A 2018 consultation on the Future of Supertram found strong public support for proposed investment running at nearly ninety-percent (88%) of local residents, businesses, visitors and community groups. The majority of respondents (68.3%) stated they would travel by car if the tram was no longer available. South Yorkshire leaders approved proposals to create an ‘arm’s length’ publicly owned company to run the region’s tram system at the Mayoral Combined Authority Board meeting on 18 October. Stagecoach’s operating contract for Supertram ends in March 2024.

Government pumps more than £200m into battery research and innovation

Stuart Pearcey
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Government pumps more than £200m into battery research and innovation
The UK’s world-leading manufacturing industries will be boosted thanks to £211 million in new government funding for battery research and innovation, Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg confirmed today. The record funding uplift will be delivered through the Faraday Battery Challenge, which began in 2017 and supports world-class scientific technology development and manufacturing scale-up capability for batteries in the UK. It will help to seize on opportunities for private investment and economic growth in industries where powerful, fast charging batteries will be essential – such as domestic energy storage and electric vehicles. The funding, from last year’s settlement, will be delivered between 2022 and 2025 by UK Research and Innovation with support from the Faraday Institution, Innovate UK and the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre. It’s claimed it will help the sector deliver 100,000 jobs in battery gigafactories and the battery supply chain by 2040. Supporting the scale-up of these technologies and unlocking further private investment supports the sustainable growth of the economy, which will boost tax revenues and put public services on a more secure footing for the longer term, helping improve life for people across the UK. Speaking on a visit to the £130 million UKBIC, the UK’s centre of excellence in battery manufacturing, Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg said: “Safe and powerful batteries are central to our plans to grow the industries of the future. From our world leading renewables industry, to our growing electric vehicle sector, secure supplies of batteries are key to delivering jobs and prosperity.

“The Faraday Battery Challenge has brought the UK’s greatest minds and best facilities together to develop the innovations that will help us achieve this goal. The work it has done since 2017 has laid the groundwork for our future economic success and I am pleased to confirm this work will continue, supported by record funding.”

Ravago Chemicals relocate business operations to Barnsley

Tess Egginton
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Ravago Chemicals relocate business operations to Barnsley
Global speciality chemical distributor, Ravago Chemicals, has opened its main UK headquarters in Barnsley, signing a long-term lease on 33,000 sq ft commercial premises at Everill Gate Lane, Barnsley, where their offices and warehouse are fully integrated on-site to deal with shipments arriving by rail, road and ocean. A bulk liquid decanting station is due to be commissioned in 2023 as the business continues to grow. There is expected to be a continued focus on sustainable and eco-friendly products, which is a big driver within the chemical industry. Everill Gate Lane business park was developed by Lazarus Development following investment from Barnsley Council through its Property Investment Fund. Twelve initial jobs will be created, with the potential to increase each year. Councillor Robert Frost, cabinet spokesperson for regeneration and culture, said: “It’s fantastic to see such a successful company, and leading global distributor, choosing to set up headquarters here in Barnsley. “We look forward to Ravago Chemicals continuing to grow their business operations right here in the heart of the borough. “We’re committed to providing high-quality commercial premises for businesses across Barnsley, and it’s great that our team at Enterprising Barnsley have been able to support in identifying and establishing this new headquarters. “We wish Ravago Chemicals continued success for the future.” Gary Ogden, Managing Director at Ravago Chemicals UK, said: “We’re delighted to be moving our UK chemicals business to Barnsley and putting Ravago on the map here in the heart of South Yorkshire. “As a business, we’re always planning for the future and being able to secure a top-quality facility at Everill Gate means we can fulfil our growth ambitions. “When we began this project, we identified a geographical area optimum for our business, so Barnsley had some tough competition but ultimately won the race. “We have created strong relationships with Barnsley Council through the process, and they have supported our plans. Now we’ve completed the planning, the real hard work starts – making sure we continue to run a successful business that can be a part of the local community, something we can be proud of. “Ravago Group emphasises the human element, so we always make sure we have a respectful and thoughtful approach towards people, whether this is our colleagues, business partners or the local community. “Ravago are delighted to be here, and we’re delighted we chose Barnsley.”

Singapore private equity firm swoops for major new student accommodation scheme in Leeds

Tess Egginton
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Singapore private equity firm swoops for major new student accommodation scheme in Leeds
A new student accommodation scheme on Merrion Street in central Leeds has been sold to Q Investment Partners (QIP), a Singapore headquartered private equity real estate firm that connects residential real estate to capital markets, in a deal worth approximately £15 million. The 88 high specification studio apartments with associated amenities, are being built at 26-34 Merrion Street. Work will start this month, and the scheme will be ready for occupation in time for the start of the 2024/25 academic year. The part five, part seven and part nine storey building has been designed by Brewster Bye Architects and will be delivered by Urban Developments (York) Ltd for QIP. This latest transaction forms part of a larger student housing fund managed by QIP and backed by a consortium of institutional investors, launched this year to invest in purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) projects. The fund currently manages a c.£150 million portfolio that consists of approximately 1,000 student bedrooms in the UK across top-tier student cities – Edinburgh, Nottingham, Sheffield and Greater London. The Merrion Street property is located in the heart of Leeds city centre, within close proximity of both the University of Leeds and Leeds Beckett University. It will be operated by Homes for Students, a leading student accommodation operator in the UK with 40,000 PBSA beds nationwide in the UK. Peter Young, CEO & co-founder QIP, said: “QIP is pleased to be transacting in another PBSA development asset, further expanding our residential living platform in the UK. It is a particularly interesting time to be buying and finding value in the specialist UK residential housing sector. Without a doubt, the current macro market influences are presenting valued opportunities in PBSA, and we are thrilled to continue to work with one of the leading institutional investors in transacting this opportunity through one of our funds.” Nick Gould, from Urban Developments (York) Ltd, said: “It’s a great site, located right between the city’s universities and key retail areas. Brewster Bye’s design meets all of the needs of modern students, and we are looking forward to delivering this much needed, purpose-built student scheme for QIP.” Mark Henderson, from Brewster Bye Architects, said: “After designing this scheme and securing planning permission for it earlier this year, it’s fantastic to see work starting on site. For a global property fund to invest in the development, at this early stage, speaks volumes about the quality of the scheme and Leeds’ student market as a whole. “All 88 studios will have en-suites and the new building will also include a lounge, gym, study rooms, a cinema room and laundry facilities for residents. Four of the studios are accessible and there are two larger premium studios. The development will also include a staffed reception area and 23 cycle spaces.”
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