< Previous30 Business Link www.blmforum.net MEET THE EXPERTS T here’s a wealth of industrial sectors across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire from its pedigree in manufacturing and construction to emerging fields such as cloud computing and game development. With experience comes knowledge and so we use our regular meet the experts feature to invite businesses from across the region to share their knowledge and offer an insight into their success. This latest edition brings you leaders in professional advisory services, print solutions and food industry education, with companies that have carved out a renowned reputation for their services and continued excellence. Doing business locally has often been a phrase trumpeted by those in the region who want to have more customers, with some cynically using it as a way to try and shame local companies into using them as suppliers. Nowadays, however, the focus has changed, and local companies are promoting themselves not only on how close they are geographically, but upon their expertise and incredible customer service. Over the next pages, you’ll meet businesses that have risen to leaders in their respective fields so you can trust that the knowledge you’ll receive is trusted and proven. Who knows, you might even find a new supplier or get the ball rolling on a new contract. © Shutterstock /Alexander Supertramp Experts Industry experts from specialist sectors across our region share their knowledge, insight and experience. in their field 30-31.qxp_Layout 1 04/02/2020 09:03 Page 1www.blmforum.net Business Link 31 MEET THE EXPERTS Lincoln Print & Copy Centre 9 Clifton Street, Stonefield Park Industrial Estate, Lincoln, LN5 8LQ Tel: 01522 546118 Email: sales@lincolncopycentre.co.uk Web: www.lincolncopycentre.co.uk Company profile: Lincoln Print & Copy Centre has been providing the best print solutions for customers in the Lincoln area for 40 years. Aiming to provide the service and advice customers need to run and promote their businesses and organisations. With experienced and friendly staff, a modern range of equipment they can adapt to suit each customer’s requirements. Product profile: Offering a same day service on many items, customers can get the rapid response required. Whether you need a straight forward print, copy or scanning service or something more complicated involving design or print finishing, discuss it with the staff at Lincoln Print & Copy Centre and you can be sure a solution will be found. Products include business cards and business stationary, leaflets and brochures, carbonless pads, architectural drawings and posters. An Ordnance Survey Map Data Centre, providing maps for planning applications, historic & area maps from the Ordnance Survey archive. Call or email today to discuss your requirements. PRINT SOLUTIONS Celebrating over 40 years in business Sheffield 3rd Floor , Westfield House, 60 Charter Row, Sheffield, S1 3FZ Tel: 0114 275 5033 Email: sheffield@begbies-traynor.com Lincoln George Boole House, D1-D2 The Point, Weaver Road, Lincoln, LN6 3QN Tel: 01522 899 920 Email: lincoln@begbies-traynor.com Company profile Providing advice and practical solutions for distressed businesses facing cash or other pressures. Leading independent strategic and business reviews to identify the options available and feasibility of implementing strategies. Gareth Rusling, Partner Gareth Rusling has over 30 year experience in the accountancy and insolvency sector. He is a Certified Accountant and licensed Insolvency Practitioner. Gareth joined Begbies Traynor in 2016. He has a wealth of experience dealing with various kinds of insolvency procedures and turnarounds, with corporate assignments being his area of outstanding expertise. He has delivered successfully both locally in the Lincolnshire and South Yorkshire regions and nationwide. The National Centre for Food Manufacturing (University of Lincoln) Holbeach Campus, Park Rd, Holbeach, Spalding PE12 7PT Tel: 01406 493000 Email: www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/holbeach Web: ncfm@lincoln.ac.uk Company profile: An internationally recognised provider of education, research and technical business support and a national hub for food and drink sector skills development, NCFM has specialist technical facilities including a dedicated food factory with full-scale and pilot plant, food chemistry and microbiology laboratories, test kitchen, sensory suite, and a technical library. NCFM is recognised for its highly innovative learning delivery models and research. Dedicated to helping employees advance their careers, NCFM understand the demands of studying while working in this fast-moving, dynamic industry. Its comprehensive range of further education and higher-level apprenticeships enables flexible study for those working across a range of areas. Increasing productivity and performance by attracting and developing the very best talent is key for the apprentices at all levels (2 to 7) to achieve and their companies, including technical, new product development, manufacturing management and supply chain qualifications. FOOD INDUSTRY EDUCATION NNBC Financial Tel: 0800 009 6066 / 07918 027657 Web: www.nnbcfinancial.co.uk Email: Commercial: neil@nnbcfinancial.co.uk Residential: neil@yourmortgageplus.net Company profile We are an independent specialist broker providing commercial and business support to SME clients across the UK. As an independent business consultancy, we support and advise the SME community providing the support needed, not just finance. We provide mortgage and protection servicing to the residential and protection needs to our clients. Product profile We have a broad product portfolio in commercial and residential finance covering over 250 lenders in the commercial sector and the whole of the market in the mortgage and protection space. Underpinning our wide financial offerings, we have access to over 180 specialist seasoned consultants to ensure businesses have access to the disciplines and experience needed to grow or optimise their businesses. BUSINESS FINANCE 30-31.qxp_Layout 1 04/02/2020 09:03 Page 232 Business Link www.blmforum.net APPRENTICESHIPS AND TRAINING E ngineers. Teachers. Doctors and nurses. You can’t go a week without hearing of a shortage of one or the other and business in our region is no exception. With Brexit now set in stone but the specifics up in the air (as always) this isn’t likely to get any better. The UK is going to be expected to stand on its own and simply doesn’t have the infrastructure to do so. Jingoism isn’t going to fill the gap, so it turns to business to step up and address the problem. Luckily, Yorkshire and Lincolnshire are blessed with fantastic educational establishments who have forged effective links with business to ensure a more informed and enthused workforce. This issue is compounded by the fact that in many ways, the economy is suffering from an ageing workforce and new recruits need to be found to replace those who are leaving companies due to retirement. In addition there are concerns about the quality of those entering the workforce from schools and universities – with many businesses across our regions suggesting there is a lack of real-world skills. As such, both businesses and Governmental bodies in the region are working together to try and boost the number of skilled candidates entering the workforce. One challenge in this regard has always been to impress potential new talent the value of specific sectors, especially those that may appear less glamorous. Traditionally, engineering was one such sector, and this has not Filling roles It’s no surprise that more high-tech roles than ever are going unfilled in our region. A critical shortage in skills of manufacturing and engineering is rocking the region, and perhaps the whole country. © Shutterstock /hxdbzxy 32-34.qxp_Layout 1 04/02/2020 09:05 Page 1www.blmforum.net Business Link 33 APPRENTICESHIPS AND TRAINING changed – but now there is a specific focus on drawing engineering candidates for the renewables industry. While steps taken by councils and schools will help to bridge the gap in coming years, there’s no arguing that the problems faced by many companies in the region is a short term one as well. Where the promise of skilled applicants in five to six years might create hope for the future, there is still a more immediate problem to be addressed. Many businesses in this situation are faced with one of two options. Either they can look to up-skill their current workforce, be it through training or sending select employees to ascertain degrees at a university or through online courses. Or they can consider taking on an apprentice, and training them to handle the specific roles as they work. Apprentices are a more long-term solution, as the training provided can be tailored towards the role you ultimately want the candidate to handle, and because the employee is younger – there is the potential for them to stay longer with the company. Taking on an apprentice comes with the same risk as hiring a new member of staff however. And although the interview process can be used to get a good idea of their personality, there is no assurance that they will be competent or loyal employees. And although the lower wage costs associated with apprentices can help to combat this, the very same lower Helping companies meet their Safety, Health and Environment needs CH Training Ltd, Office 2, Craven Park Training and Enterprise Centre, Preston Road, Hull, HU9 5HE T. 01482 379502 M: 07780704350 E: INFO@CHTRAININGLTD.COM W: WWW.CHRISHYAM.CO.UK 34 Á © Shutterstock /Phovoir 32-34.qxp_Layout 1 04/02/2020 09:05 Page 234 Business Link www.blmforum.net APPRENTICESHIPS AND TRAINING Winners revealed for 5th annual Verner Wheelock Awards The Verner Wheelock Excellence Awards recognise those students who have been outstanding in advanced level training in HACCP, auditing and food safety. An ‘Individual Excellence, Company Excellence and Ethical Excellence Award’ is also presented by the Skipton-based company. All recipients of the Awards receive a trophy and vouchers against forthcoming training. The 5th annual awards are for delegates on courses provided through Verner Wheelock during 2019, either at the company’s training centre in Skipton, or in-house at client sites. The competition is always very strong, but the winners are: ‘HACCP Student of the Year’ – Kathryn Bird ‘Food Safety Student of the Year’ – Chi-wai Man ‘Auditing Student of the Year’ – Yibo Huang (Tangerine) ‘Individual Excellence Award’ – Pio De Gama (Pladis) ‘Company Excellence Award’ – Morrisons plc ‘Ethical Excellence Award’ – Cranswick Gourmet Bacon For more information, visit www.vwa.co.uk. wages might make looking for work elsewhere an attractive option. Using training companies to up-skill your own workforce removes some of the risk involved, particularly if the training is used as a reward for particularly competent or valuable employees. While these newly skilled employees might expect higher wages – there is the assurance of their commitment to the company, as well as their ability to perform in their given role. Investing in their future is also likely to go a long way to improving their job satisfaction as well. There are certainly plenty of examples of effective links between our region’s universities and businesses, such as Hull University’s Logistics Institute, Grimsby Institute’s pioneering work in seafood and the University of York’s prowess in science. The University of Sheffield, meanwhile, offers exceptional benefits for business thanks to its Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre. It’s clear that, thanks to the region’s exceptional educational establishments, the talent is most certainly there, but the challenge now is to assist and encourage businesses into making best use of it. It’s not enough for directors and owners to simply bemoan the state of the industry. That their new employees lack motivation or impetus, or that the skills are just not there. The simple fact of the matter is that no one is born with the skill or experience necessary to run a company, handle accounts or even operate heavy duty machinery. All these skills needed to be trained and taught – and if the prospective staff are not coming in with those qualifications. Then it might be necessary to ensure they earn them. © Shutterstock /goodluz 32-34.qxp_Layout 1 04/02/2020 09:05 Page 3www.blmforum.net Business Link 35 BUSINESS TRAVEL I magine the office of yesteryear, with its fax machines, tethered telephones and reams of paper. Now compare that to typical premises today, with conference calling technology, computers, tablets and so on. The modern workplace is unplugged and always on the move. The world is our workplace now, with mobile data connections and public Wi-Fi ensuring that no matter the location – a hotel, coffee shop or park bench – that the busy businessperson can keep on top of their work. Despite the technology available to workers, especially in terms of telecommunications, there’s simply no replacing face to face meetings. Likewise, if a company is looking for new recruits, they’d rather interview in person than quiz a perspective new staff member over Skype. Businesspeople are still among the most time-pressed of all workers, and with smartphones and tablet devices, there’s no other option than to take one’s work home with them. While this has in no small amount contributed to the nation’s chronic tiredness epidemic, it does come with an upside. It used to be that downtime spent travelling between meet and greets and other appointments, was wasted time. Of course, an individual could get some paper work done, they could even tinker with their Filofax, but this was impractical at best. Now, however, the back seat of a taxi, a train carriage and a private hired vehicle are all surrogate offices. Indeed, many modern business leaders will likely find they spend more time out in the field than sat behind their desks. There are a number of reasons behind business travel, not least in travelling to and from the office. Car ownership is on the decline, predominantly among young Arrive in style © Shutterstock /Ivanko80 Business travel is a booming industry, but what are the reasons behind this? 36 Á 35-37.qxp_Layout 1 04/02/2020 09:06 Page 136 Business Link www.blmforum.net BUSINESS TRAVEL people, with analysts forecasting that ownership will likely never return to the levels seen in the mid-nineties. The gap left by waning car numbers is being plugged by public transport, particularly busses and trains. However, cycling has become increasingly popular for office workers, especially those looking to stay ahead of the Government’s looming phase out of diesel and petrol engines. For a business leader, travelling by bus or by train often isn’t a viable option. Indeed, if a company boss or other senior management want to take out a client, perspective or loyal, they likely won’t want to meet them at a bus stop. This is where car hire comes into its element. Though ownership and the manufacture of new vehicles is on the decline, a luxury car is still very much a statement of wealth, style and success. For that reason, a company boss might want to take advantage of one of the region’s hire companies and turn up instead in a Mercedes, Rolls-Royce, BMW or whatever takes their fancy. Or they can go a step further and hire a car and driver. This is a good option for taking clients out rather than meeting them; especially if there will be alcohol involved. Travelling to any meeting or business event usually throws up the question of a hotel stay over, particularly with the latter. If a company is exhibiting at a business event, especially one of the bigger ones, they often have to add a day either side of the main event in order to set up their stand and products and then to take it © Shutterstock /Atstock Productions 35-37.qxp_Layout 1 04/02/2020 09:07 Page 2www.blmforum.net Business Link 37 BUSINESS TRAVEL down and pack it up again. But not all hotels and establishments are run with the business traveller in mind. If a hotel is geared more towards families, it’s probably better to give it a miss. The sound of screaming kids is hardly conducive to sealing deals now is it? Many hotels across our region specifically cater for businesspeople, especially those in our big cities – Leeds, Sheffield, Lincoln et al. Often these will include restaurants and entertainment facilities, such as gaming rooms or even a full blown casino. If a company boss was looking to take out a client, or even to reward staff, this would make quite the impression. There seems to be a lingering idea that businesspeople are totally all- consumed by their work at the expense of all else. While workaholics exist in any profession, and businesspeople do indeed work incredibly hard, they are not “all work and no play” and like to let down their hair as much as anybody else. Combining business and leisure in this way is not only a great way to bridge the gap between clients, or staff, but also is a real boon to a boss’ health and wellbeing. We’ve all heard the horror stories in Japan of people literally working themselves to death. It’s such a big issue they even have a word for it – Karoshi. So long as businesspeople need to attend meetings, nurture relations with clients and customers and attend exhibits, the business travel sector will continue to flourish. The Government’s planned departure from diesel and petrol engines will only add fuel to the fire. In amongst all these meet and greets and corporate commitments is the need for bosses to let loose to the leisure industry’s benefit. © Shutterstock /perfectlab 35-37.qxp_Layout 1 04/02/2020 09:07 Page 338 Business Link www.blmforum.net CORPORATE HOSPITALITY Team events are a fun way to bring your employees together. Whether organised in- house or through an operation that specialises in such events, it is vital to select an activity based on what you are trying to achieve (it must be worth the investment) as well as the age, interests and fitness levels of your staff - one must choose an activity which everyone can get involved in. Some staff may have physical limitations and medical conditions, or religious and personal beliefs leaving them feeling unimportant to the organisation if they are unable to take part in chosen activities. It is therefore essential to be inclusive. Consider collating a few ideas and sending them to employees to vote on to see what is most popular and build excitement. Location, time and budget are also important to think about. How much budget is allocated will decide how extensive the event is, while the location may decide how much time needs to be set aside for the activity. Though having an event at the workplace is preferable for some and will reduce costs, it is key to make sure that it doesn’t simply feel like another part of the work day, or one will fail to truly gain the benefits that can be achieved by team building activities. Holding these events in-house comes with distractions, with ringing phones, email pings and simple proximity to desks reminding participants of tasks waiting to be completed. By taking employees away from the office, one can ensure a team building event is effective and undisturbed. It is also recommended that team building events take place during office hours to avoid possible resentment stemming from taking up weekend “free time,” which may negate hoped for positive outcomes. Additionally, one must decide whether to organise team building activities yourself or use a company that specialises in such events. While the former will give you full control, the latter will see aspects like venue and audio- visual equipment hire, catering and scheduling taken care of for you as required. Though images of trust falls and hesitant staff might arise when thinking of traditional team building, today these events have become much more enjoyable and engaging. Primarily, such events are split into indoor and outdoor activities. Which is chosen will often depend on the weather. There are a variety of interesting activities available for team building events across the region. One such example is a soap box derby, which encourages creativity, time manage and teamwork. Other activities include raft Let’s talk team building Ready to enhance your employees, there are a variety of team building activities available across the region, from the creative to the mentally and physically challenging. 40 Á 38-41.qxp_Layout 1 04/02/2020 09:09 Page 1www.blmforum.net Business Link 39 CORPORATE HOSPITALITY © Shutterstock /fizkes 38-41.qxp_Layout 1 04/02/2020 09:09 Page 2Next >