JANUARY 2019 £3.50YORKSHIRE & LINCOLNSHIRE’S LEADING BUSINESS MAGAZINEwww.blmgroup.co.uk VOLUME 34 ISSUE 1IT AND TELECOMS Keeping up to dateFOCUS ON THE FUTUREFOCUS ON THE FUTURERENEWABLES The region for renewablesCOMMERCIAL PROPERTY The shape of things to come01 .qxp_Layout 1 04/01/2019 09:34 Page 1Meetings & Conference Facilities The Best Western, Oaklands Hall Hotel, Grimsby offers an array of meeting and function spaces perfect for one on one meetings or functions and conferences for up to 200 people. Whether it's a private board meeting requiring absolute discretion, an annual conference for 200 delegates or a canapé and champagne reception for your annual party, here at the Oaklands Hall Hotel, we can cater for your every business need. lEasy access to A18 (M180) and A46 l15 minutes of Humberside Airport and Grimsby Town rail links l Free wi-fi throughout the Oaklands Hall Hotel, Grimsby l Effective communication – The use of phones in function rooms l Prompt responses to enquires – Our reception team are on hand 24 hours a day l Comprehensive half day, day and 24 hour delegate packages starting from £16 p/p For room hire, delegate rates and more information on catering and availability, please get in touch with a member of our meetings and events team via telephone (01472) 872248 or email meetingsandevents@oaklandshallhotel.co.uk The Oaklands Hall Hotel Barton Street, Laceby, Grimsby, Lincolnshire DN37 7LF Telephone (01472) 872248 www.oaklandshallhotel.co.ukContact us for further information 01472 872248A helping hand in a crisis.:KDWHYHU¿QDQFLDOSUREOHPV\RXDUHH[SHULHQFLQJ LQ\RXUEXVLQHVVZHFDQKHOSOffices across the UK. www.begbies-traynorgroup.comBegbies Traynor Group plc is a company registered in England and Wales No: 5120043. Registered Office: 340 Deansgate, Manchester M3 4LYThe Group operates from a national network of offices including:Bradfordbradford@begbies-traynor.com 01274 892 492Doncasterdoncaster@begbies-traynor.com 01302 760 329Huddersfieldhuddersfield@begbies-traynor.com 01484 887 679Hullhull@begbies-traynor.com 01482 483 060Leedsleeds@begbies-traynor.com 0113 224 0044Lincolnlincoln@begbies-traynor.com 01522 899 920Scunthorpescunthorpe@begbies-traynor.com 01724 389 630Sheffieldsheffield@begbies-traynor.com 0114 275 5033Yorkyork@begbies-traynor.com 01904 479 80102.qxp_Layout 1 04/01/2019 09:35 Page 1Happy New Year to all our readers, and welcome to this, our first issue of the new year. 2019 is here and with it many challenges that will face our region and even the entire country. While many will be looking to make fresh starts on streamlining their operations, it’s impossible to miss the complicated waters ahead. Brexit rears its ever-present head and the Government are in the midst of a publicity push to make the public, and businesses, aware of the specifics behind a no-deal Brexit. Yorkshire and Lincolnshire is likely to be particularly susceptible to a no-deal Brexit, with many of our manufacturers exporting to mainland Europe, and the ports naturally benefitting from the increased trade. Understanding the implications is important, and that means business owners can’t afford to stick their heads in the sand. It’s not all doom and gloom on the horizon, however, and while it would be foolish to ignore the implications of a no-deal Brexit, it would be pessimistic to focus solely on that. A new year brings new opportunities, and for the business owner savvy enough to grasp them, this can pay dividends. Others may look to make their operations leaner, with a focus on pushing for more efficiency. A New Years resolution for business as it were. Our January issue runs with that in mind, highlighting trends in the manufacturing sector, while also taking a look at employment law moving into a new year. Our security feature explores the challenges behind not only physical security but cyber and data, while our commercial property feature looks at some of the biggest deals taking place in our region last year. Good reading, as always Michael Fisher EditorThe magazine that cares We care because we want to leave our world a better place than we found it Business Link believes that being socially and environmentally responsible is the key to maintaining a flourishing business that our customers will be pleased to use and our staff will be proud to be part of. Community - From a very local point of view, we strive to be a ‘good neighbour’. We also extend that into the much broader local community, through financial support of local causes and charities. Environment - Our actions extend to: conservation of energy and natural resources, minimisation of waste and ensuring our trading partners do likewise.From the Editor03.qxp_Layout 1 04/01/2019 09:36 Page 1CONTENTSJANUARY 20196News The latest business news and success stories from around our region 12Employment law It’s a fair bet that a huge chunk of any company’s time is spent on staffing issues – whether that’s locating potential employees or dealing with issues regarding current staff. It’s not surprising given the consistently changing legislation in the field of HR. Even the most conscientious employer could well find themselves inadvertently breaking the law 14OPM (labels & packaging) Group Ltd Q&A We recently had the chance to sit down and chat with Chris Ellison, Managing Director at OPM (labels & packaging) Group Ltd, to discuss management styles, the importance of automation and the benefits of running a family-owned business 16Commercial property Business Link explores the key trends facing the global real estate market and how they can be applied to regional commercial property 20Productivity and efficiency in manufacturing Yorkshire is renowned for its manufacturing prowess, but if it is to remain competitive on a global scale, manufacturers must embrace automation 24IoD Greater Lincolnshire annual lunch 130 guests attended the IoD Greater Lincolnshire annual business lunch, held at the Bentley Hotel, Lincoln recently. 26IT and telecommunications With more and more parts of offices, warehouses and manufacturing facilities going digital, it’s important to keep up to date 29Renewables Yorkshire and Lincolnshire are a leading light in the renewables sector. With numerous offshore wind farms operational and in the works, the region is unsurprisingly key to the UK’s plans for a greener, cleaner energy future 32Transport and logistics A key location of choice for the UK’s logistics firms, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire provide access to major roads, rail links and ports. But what does the future hold for goods transport? 35Corporate hospitality To kick off the New Year, Business Link has put together this helpful piece exploring the ins and outs of securing new business and safeguarding existing contracts with the fine art of corporate hospitality 38New year, new suppliers Business Link is calling on businesses to make examining and – if needed – changing their suppliers a New Year’s resolution 40AutoLink 2018 was a packed year for car launches and we will be kept just as busy in 2019. So, without further ado, let’s see some of what we’ve been driving since the last issue • We put the new BMW 8 Series through its paces 46Events We take a look at business events happening around Yorkshire and Lincolnshire 50And finally…Yorkshire-Lincolnshire-Business-Link @blmforum blmforum.netCONNECT WITH US20263204-05.qxp_Layout 1 04/01/2019 09:37 Page 1Group Editor Steve Fisher (s.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk) Editor Michael Fisher (m.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk) Journalists Dominic Cuthbert (d.cuthbert@blmgroup.co.uk) Stuart Pearcey (s.pearcey@blmgroup.co.uk) Tess Egginton (t.egginton@blmgroup,.co.uk) Editorial contact newsdesk@blmgroup.co.uk Tel: (01472) 310305 Fax: (01472) 310317 Sales Director Angela Cooper (a.cooper@blmgroup.co.uk) Advertising Sam Trott (s.trott@blmgroup.co.uk) Vicky Hunt (v.hunt@blmgroup.co.uk) Kerry Randerson (k.randerson@blmgroup.co.uk) Nicolle Sizer (n.sizer@blmgroup.co.uk) Emily Bakes (e.bakes@blmgroup.co.uk) Tel: (01472) 310310 Accounts & Subscriptions Angela Sharman, John Downes Tel: (01472) 310301 Fax: (01472) 310311 Design & Production Gary Jorgensen, Mark Casson Tel: (01472) 310304 Fax: (01472) 310314 (studio@blmgroup.co.uk) E-Mail: yorks-lincs@blmgroup.co.uk Website www.blmforum.net Address Haychart Ltd, Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby, N.E. Lincs., DN31 2QE. ISSN No: 1462-2092 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, photocopied, recorded or otherwise without express permission of the copyright holder, for which application should be addressed first to the publisher. While every reasonable care is taken, neither the publisher nor its participating agents accept liability for loss or damage to prints, colour transparencies, negatives or other material of whatever nature submitted to this publication. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily the views of those held by the publisher. COVER PHOTOS: BMW/MARK FAGELSON PHOTOGRAPHY • SHUTTERSTOCK - IMACOCONUT • PA0_STUDIO • M-SUR • MILOS MULLERwww.blmforum.net2904-05.qxp_Layout 1 04/01/2019 09:37 Page 2£1m Saudi transport contract win for Leeds manufacturer Leeds manufacturer Airedale International Air Conditioning has secured a £1 million export order to supply air conditioning units for the Riyadh metro system in Saudi Arabia. The Airedale ‘EasiCool’ units are designed for precision applications and will be used to cool the server rooms incorporated in the new metro stations currently under construction. Riyadh’s new £18 billion metro will consist of six lines covering 110 miles and will incorporate 85 stations, with the first phase due to open next year. Asim Ansari, Airedale’s Export Sales Manager, said: “Exports now make up around 30% of our sales at Airedale and we have been growing our presence in the Middle East over the last few years, after establishing an office in Dubai in 2014. “This has allowed us to strengthen partnerships in the region, in this case with Saudi Temco, SETRA and the BACS Consortium, which are heavily involved with the design and construction of the project.”6 Business Link www.blmforum.netNEWSFlood protection for businesses in £2.6m Calder Valley scheme More than 1,000 businesses and 2,000 homes in the Colne and Calder Valleys are to be protected from floods in a scheme backed by £1.3 million from the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership. With a total cost of £2.6 million, the investment will introduce measures to mimic natural flood management, including increased woodland cover, peat restoration at Wessenden Head, Marsden Moor and Gorpley Reservoir, as well as the introduction of small dams in the outlet streams at all three sites, helping to slow the flow of water across the catchment and reduce peak flows. Work will start on site in January, with expected completion in December next year. It is planned at multiple locations in the Colne and Calder river catchments, including in Gorpley, Wessenden and Hardcastle Crags. As well as providing long-term benefits protecting houses and businesses downstream from flooding, the programme will also increase biodiversity over 236 hectares of land and boost local recreation and tourism.Bibby takes funding for northern firms beyond £100m SME funder Bibby Financial Services (BFS) has provided more than £100 million in funding in the North during 2018 through its specialist corporate team, significantly boosting its commitment to support SMEs in the region. BFS has supported corporate businesses across a wide range of sectors including recruitment, manufacturing, catering and retail. These northern-based businesses have used the funding to embark on the next stage of growth, manage cashflow and suppliers and entering new markets. BFS’s corporate team supports business with a turnover above £5 million with asset-based lending solutions including trade, stock, invoice and asset finance as well as commercial mortgages and cashflow support. Successful businesses that have received funding this year include: media advertiser, Open Outdoor Media and pharmaceutical wholesaler, Veenak International, and manufacturer, Thornhill. Dan Burton, Regional Head of Corporate, at Bibby Financial Services, said: “It is vital that investors recognise the opportunities that northern SMEs provide for the wider community and economy.”© Shutterstock /gemphoto© Shutterstock violetkaipa06-10.qxp_Layout 1 04/01/2019 09:40 Page 1www.blmforum.netBusiness Link 7 Firms told they must explain themselves over executive pay New regulations have come into force requiring UK listed companies with over 250 employees to justify their pay for top bosses and account for how those salaries relate to wider employee pay. Regulations introduced recently mean that, for the first time, the UK’s biggest companies will have to disclose and explain every year their top bosses pay and the gap between that and their average worker. The pay ratio regulations will make it a statutory requirement for UK listed companies with more than 250 employees to disclose annually the ratio of their CEO’s pay to the median, lower quartile and upper quartile pay of their UK employees. Companies will start reporting this in 2020 (covering CEO and employee pay awarded in 2019). In addition to the reporting of pay ratios, the new laws also require all large companies to report on how their directors take employee and other stakeholder interests into account and require large private companies to report on their corporate governance arrangements.Drax buys power stations for Spanish company in £702m deal Drax is set to play a bigger role in the UK’s energy system following the New Year’s Eve completion of its £702 million purchase of power stations in England and Scotland from Spanish company Iberdrola. New power stations acquired by Drax will increase its electricity generation capacity by 60%, meaning the company will now provide enough power for the equivalent of more than 8.3m homes. CEO Will Gardiner said: “We are investing in Great Britain by acquiring this portfolio of flexible, low-carbon and renewable generation assets. They complement our existing activities by providing very flexible power which not only keeps the lights on for thousands of households, but also provides crucial system support services to the grid, maintaining secure supplies and enabling more renewables like wind and solar onto the system.” The deal adds 2.6GW of generation capacity to Drax’s portfolio, reinforcing its position at the heart of the Great Britain’s energy system. Government offers funds for firms to attend trade shows Businesses can apply for grants of up to £2,500 to attend international trade shows through the Department for International Trade’s Tradeshow Access Programme, Beverley and Holderness MP Graham Stuart has announced. The scheme provides financial support for UK SMEs to participate in overseas exhibitions and conferences that cover a range of sectors, from education to aerospace and creative to maritime. Successful businesses can use the grants to fund direct exhibiting costs, including stand costs and conference fees. 55 events are on the list, ranging from the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, to Cannes Lions Festival, to Summer Fancy Food in New York, and Mobile World Congress Shanghai. Attending international conferences and events are an effective way for those new to exporting, or exploring new territories, to meet potential customers face-to-face and start the exporting process.NEWSWill Gardiner© Shutterstock /bluedog studio© Shutterstock /Beer502006-10.qxp_Layout 1 04/01/2019 09:40 Page 2TOWER FIELD SERVICES Cat Tech Tower Field Services offers bespoke mechanical services to oil refinery and petrochemical plants all around the world. Our team has vast experience in overseeing and undertaking the installation of all types of Tower internals. Our Tower tray, packing and other internals installation services has deep roots, with several of the senior team at Cat Tech being involved in the founding of the Cana-Tex organisation. Since 1971, Cana-Tex had been the premier global Tower speciality contractor; performing Tower maintenance and plant turnaround projects around the world. These origins, with the addition of new team members, make Cat Tech Tower Field services a global operation which is both cost effective and technically experienced. We strive to create new ways to make your Tower work safer, faster and more productive and that can make very good things happen for your business.We thrive on exceeding our clients expectations and understand the need for upfront communication in relation to timescales and costs. No-one likes surprises in this industry and we ensure that everything is done, from pre-job planning, on site activities to post job reporting in a manner which allows our customers to concentrate on their core business. Let us show you what we can do. We work hard to maintain an industry reputation for safety, speed and dependability. Ours crews have been trained by us, this allows us to staff a project with the proven skills necessary to produce customer satisfaction. It is our intention to demonstrate the benefit of utilising Cat Tech for all of your Tower work. The benefits of engaging Cat Tech are: l Experienced Tower specialists. l Proven track record. l Ability to supply spares and replacements. l Spade to Spade service. l Revamps or modifications to Towers / Internals. l Inspection of Tower internals. l Supervision of external/client labour force. l Detailed inspection reports. l Cleaning of tower internals. l Reactor tray field services. l Turnkey reactor tray field services.At Cat Tech, we continue to create new ways to make Tower work safer, faster and more productive. And that can make very good things happen for your business. Contact us for further information. Our well established sales team have a wealth of experience. We take pride on ensuring all enquires are dealt with quickly and efficiently.UK: Cat Tech (Europe) Ltd., 1 South Park Road, South Park Industrial Estate, Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, DN17 2BY UK Phone: +44 (0) 1724 871747 Fax: + 44 (0) 1724 861928 Bulgaria: Cat Tech Services (South Eastern Europe) Ltd., Devnia, Varna District, Povelyanovo, 20 Droujba Str, R Bulgaria, 9160 Phone: +(35) 9519 92052 Fax: +(35) 9527 46770China: Cat Tech Services (Shanghai) Ltd., Room 1230 No.1, 58 Nong Huachi Road, Putuo District, Shanghai 20061 CN Phone: +(86) 2152 9175 08 Fax: +(86) 2152 9175 05 Singapore: Cat Tech Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., 17 Fan Yoong Road, Singapore 629794 Phone: +(65) 6264 6261 Fax: +(65) 6264 6401 South America: Please contact the UK office on +44 1724 871 747Thailand: Cat Tech Services (Thailand) Ltd., 2/1 Soi Banbon Nuenpayom Road, Maptaphut Sub District, Muang Rayong District, Rayong Province 21150 TH Phone: +(66) 894 064 100 Fax: +(66) 638 692 382MAKING YOUR PLANT WORK…SMARTERwww.cat-tech.comPHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/KAWINNINGS06-10.qxp_Layout 1 04/01/2019 09:41 Page 3www.blmforum.netBusiness Link 9‘Steady as she goes’ for private sector in last quarter of 2018, says CBI UK private sector activity was stable in the quarter to December, according to the latest ‘CBI Growth Indicator’. The composite measure – based on more than 600 responses across distribution, manufacturing and services – showed the balance of firms reporting a rise in output at +3%, broadly unchanged from +2% in the three months to November. Falling services volumes were partially offset by strong manufacturing growth and steady distribution growth, underpinned by a solid expansion in wholesaling and motor trades. Meanwhile, retail volumes fell at the fastest pace since November 2014 in the three months to December. Looking ahead private sector activity is expected to remain steady over the three months to March (-1%), with declining services volumes set to continue alongside slower distribution and manufacturing growth.ABP signs deal with Maersk to link Hull with the rest of the world ABP Humber has signed a deal with shipping giant Maersk to develop deep-sea connections between Hull Container Terminal and the rest of the world. The service into the 21-acre container terminal in Hull will begin soon, with ABP handling around 240 boxes per week, equivalent to 12,000 containers annually. Simon Bird, ABP Humber Director, said: “Unlocking this new trade gateway to the rest of the world is not only significant for the local economy, but also for the national and international economy. “We’re proud to welcome the world’s largest container shipping line, Maersk, on board to the Hull Container Terminal, and we look forward to strengthening our partnership and building further trade links.” ABP Humber has recently invested £50 million into its container terminals at Hull and Immingham. This includes two £10.5 million gantry cranes at Hull, which can now handle about 240,000 containers per year.© Shutterstock/Neil MitchellNEWSAlmost 2,000 sign up to ‘Working to Win’ project Almost 2,000 people have now signed up to a ground-breaking research trial in the Sheffield City Region, testing employment support for those with mental and physical illnesses. One of only two such schemes in the UK, the Working Win health-led employment trial was launched in May 2018. It aims to assess the best type of support for people who are out of work, or struggling in their current job, due to low-level physical or mental health conditions. Dan Jarvis, Mayor of the Sheffield City Region, said: “It’s great to see the Working Win trial helping people across South Yorkshire get into, and stay in, jobs that are right for them. “When I was elected, I promised to work hard to achieve prosperity for all of the Sheffield City Region’s communities. I’m therefore especially proud that our region is leading the way, as one of just two areas in the UK to be trialling this new personalised employment support.”© Shutterstock/M-SURDan Jarvis06-10.qxp_Layout 1 04/01/2019 09:41 Page 4Next >