< Previous10Business Link www.blmforum.netNEWSYorkshire racing car maker swoopsfor Lincs racing trackYorkshire car manufacturerGinetta has purchased BlytonPark Driving Centre, a test trackin Gainsborough.Former owner Richard Usheris staying on board at the circuitand will continue to manage dayto day operations for Ginetta – asubsidiary of the LNT Group.As one of the UK’s busiest testfacilities, Blyton’s businessproposition fits well withGinetta’s wider dedication to thesport making the Yorkshirebusiness a logical buyer for thecircuit.As the new owner of Blyton,Ginetta said its priority will be toprotect the flexibility it offers todrivers, manufacturers andmotorsport fans alike across thesport.Improvement plans are already in motion to enhance Blyton’s customer experience through progressive development of thecircuit. These include additional circuit configurations within the existing complex, along with improved facilities forcompetitors.Ginetta will continue to use the circuit for all car shakedowns, as well as a venue for customer and corporate track eventswith plans to make dedicated areas.WordsandSpacesLtdtel:01724 352156 mob:07736 952885 fax: 0871 989 5784 email: stuart@wordsman.co.uk twitter:@stuartpearcey Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, DN31 2QEI’ll write blogs, websites, ads, articles, leaflets, news releases and newspapers; I’ll design print and buy it. I’m Stuart Pearcey. How can Imake your life better today?www.wordsman.co.ukWhere goodcopywritingmeans business06-10_Layout 1 03/04/2017 13:59 Page 5readers’www.blmforum.netBusiness Link 11NHSoverspendingridiculousDear Sirs,If, as we all know, the NHS needs totrim its overspending, how then canthey justify allowing patients onrepeat prescriptions to stockpilemillions of pounds worth of drugswhich then ended up going to waste,or paying for obese people to join agym –many of whom presumably dontturn up - or provide suncreams,gluten free foods and omega 3 andfish oil capsules, all of which can bebought at a fraction of the price onthe high street. Apparently, theserepresent a large percentage of the£400m of overspending that can becut and no doubt the NHS paid a‘consultant’ a small fortune to identifywhat must surely be pretty obviousitems to anyone with half a brain.R SwabyGranthamBattle of the booksDear Sir,Couldn’t help following your reader’s comments over recent monthson the Brexit referendum. While everyone seems to be blaming theBrexit for things that are going awry, let’s not lose sight of thepositives. Firstly, we should rejoice that it removed David Cameron fromnumber 10. Then there was Nigel Farage who, feeling rather satisfiedwith himself stepped down from politics (for now anyway) and hassince promised to emigrate if the Brexit is a disaster. But, quite apart from the political aftermath, there’s also been anumber of books published which we might otherwise not have seen :Nick Clegg Politics ‘Between the Extremes’, Boris Johnson’s‘Adventures’ (always a man who gets to the point) and of course thememoirs of the pro-EU former chancellor and home secretary,Kenneth Clarke and his ‘Kind of Blue’. None of these come near totrumping the erotic novel mentioned by Frazer in your magazine,which depicts a relationship between a man and a “massive, sentient”pound coin but on the whole we must thank everyone who voted toleave for thinning out the political arena and gifting us what can onlybe described as ‘a battle of the books’.T BarnettLeedsCharity scammersDear Sir,I received a warning recently to watch out for ‘Fake charities’ theseare companies that try to take advantage of our generosity andcompassion for others in need. The warning states: ‘scammers will steal your money by posing as agenuine charity. Not only do these scams cost you money, they alsodivert much needed donations away from legitimate causes.’Hmmmm, given the rather incredulous salaries and overheadslegitimate charities take from donations before passing the remainderon to worthy causes, then isn’t this also true of these? I for one wouldbe far more inclined to donate, if it wasn’t for the likes of certain highstreet charities, which according to a leading newspaper report,spending only 46 per cent of its money on charitable work. Frankly,these appear to be some of the better examples, as I discoveredrecently, following a recent donation to Unicef, when my £10 permonth was almost all used up to call me, incessantly, to get me to upmy spend. Grrrr.R BlowHullSomething to say? Write to:Business Link Magazine,Armstrong House,Armstrong Street,Grimsby,North East LincolnshireDN31 2QE or email:letters@blmgroup.co.ukPHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/JAG_CZ11_Layout 1 03/04/2017 14:02 Page 1We have developments across Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Rutland!Developments coming soon: Oakley Rise, Corby Doddington Grange, DoddingtonThe Normanby4 bedroom detached home. For only £179,995 The Barns3 bedroom detached homes. From only £369,495 The Hexham2 bedroom mid-terrace homes. From only £161,995The Towcester2 bedroom coach houses. From only £168,995The Epsom4 bedroom detached homes. From only £249,995The Bath4 bedroom detached home. For only £389,995The Redcar4 bedroom detached homes. From only £309,995www.larkfleethomes.co.ukGeneral EnquiriesLarkfleet House, Falcon Way, Bourne PE10 0FF 01778 391555Prices and information correct at time of going to print. Images are for illustrative purposes only.Bourne Heights Bourne, LincolnshireButtercross Park Oakham, RutlandGreetham Square Greetham, Rutland3, 4, & 5 beds from £202,995More homes coming soon!4, & 5 beds from £249,9953 beds from £369,495The Chelmsford4 bedroom terrace homes. From only £244,995 Gretton Valley Corby, Northamptonshire1, 2 & 4 beds from £123,995The Sailsbury4 bedroom detached homes. From only £244,995Whittlesey Green Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire2 & 4 beds from £155,9953 & 4 beds from £172,9954 beds from £309,9952, 3, 4 & 5 beds from £147,500Thorney Meadows Thorney, CambridgeshireHempsted Park Peterborough, CambridgeshireLangham Barns Barleythorpe, RutlandThe Cheltenham5 bedroom detached home. For only £405,995 Only 2 homes left!Parson’s Prospect Eye, CambridgeshirePinchbeck Fields Pinchbeck, LincolnshireThe Morgan5 bedroom luxury home. For only £689,995 Last home left!The Paddock Stamford, LincolnshireSpringinto a brand new homeAll currently sold at this development!m onl2526 031712-16_Layout 1 03/04/2017 14:03 Page 1www.blmforum.netPROPERTYBusiness Link 1315 ÁDespite Article 50 being triggered,international investment remainsstrong within our region, bucking allpredicted trends as a robustcommercial property market maintainsinvestor interest. That’s the news fromSheffield, which according to KnightFrank has seen the highest level ofoverseas investment ever recorded inthe city. The city’s office market droverecord investment levels for the year,with foreign spend topping 60 millionpounds and amounting to 82 per centof turnover, with prestige propertieslike Vulcan House at the J2 RiversideExchange and Riverside East office,home to law firm Irwin Mitchell, beingsnapped up.Nick Wales, partner at Knight Frank,says: “Overseas investment is the keyheadline for 2016, complemented byoverall office investments which are ata six year high. Investors are seeingthe potential of Sheffield beingunlocked through excitingdevelopments such as the new retailquarter, which is a long awaited boostfor the city centre and is expected tobe a catalyst for further inwardinvestment, together with theAdvanced Manufacturing andCommercial marketremains strongThe commercial property market has remained robust, even in the face ofnumerous challenges.Majestic Building in Leeds City Centre© Rushbond 12-16_Layout 1 03/04/2017 14:03 Page 2ArmstronghouseOffering a prime position in Grimsby, Armstrong House onArmstrong Street is ideally located. Close to the ports ofGrimsby and Immingham, motorway links and the town centre,off-street parking is also available for all staff and visitors,meaning it’s convenient too. Our spacious, welcoming officesare located on the ground floor and are both secure and CCTV-monitored, giving you the ultimate peace of mind.At Armstrong House, the flexible in/out terms of contractmean confidence when it comes to affordability and with a rangeof office sizes there are opportunities for all types of business. Ifyou require virtual office services, prices start from just £15 permonth. For more information, or to discuss your office requirements,give Scotts Property a call today on 01472 267000 and askabout Armstrong House.Last remaining office suitesPrime location in GrimsbySuperb Location -- Close to the ports of Grimsby &Immingham- Great motorwaylinks- Close to the town centreSecure off street parkingHigh speed internet availabilityEasy in/out termsA range of affordable office sizes33333Armstrong House, Armstrong Street,Grimsby DN31 2QETel: (01472) 310301 • Email: s.fisher@blmgroup.co.ukwww.shutterstock.com/terekhov igorwww.shutterstock.com/Yentafern12-16_Layout 1 03/04/2017 14:03 Page 3www.shutterstock.com/Yentafernwww.blmforum.netPROPERTYBusiness Link 1516 ÁInnovation District, which has helpedto give the City Region its own identityon an international level.”The largest investment deal of 2016was the acquisition of the 119,000 sq ftVulcan House at the J2 RiversideExchange by Spanish investor, TrinovaReal Estate, with purchase price of£30.9 million. The Home Office are thecurrent occupants of the building witha lease running to 2028.Notably, the Trinova acquisition wasthe largest transaction to completesince 2014 and was one of two salesover £10 million during the year. Thesale of the 75,600 sq ft Riverside Eastoffice building for £23.4 million was theother, bought by 90 North Real Estateon behalf of Arzan Wealth and SidraCapital, the building is let to UK lawfirm Irwin Mitchell until 2027.In terms of deal number however,UK investors were the most active,accounting for five of the 10 dealscompleted. The largest transactionfrom a domestic buyer was thepurchase of Derwent House byPramerica Real Estate Investors onbehalf of John Lewis Pension Fund for£8.7 million. Despite huge investmentsuccess, the report highlights that thecity’s Grade A office availability fell to ahistoric low in 2016 with little changeexpected until late 2017. This doesprovide opportunity, however, and© Shutterstock / Shahid Khan© Shutterstock / Shahid Khan12-16_Layout 1 03/04/2017 14:03 Page 416Business Link www.blmforum.netPROPERTYmany companies are seeking to takeadvantage of it.That’s not to say other regionsaren’t performing just as admirably,however. Leeds remains a populardestination and central business hub,with many new developments beingundertaken on its borders. WiltonDevelopments recently completedtheir £8 million speculativedevelopment, Kinetic 45 in the heartof Leeds’ Region Enterprise Zone.At a recent on-site event, JasonStowe, Managing Director of WiltonDevelopments, said: “We deliveredthe first ever speculativedevelopment in the Enterprise Zone,Connex 45, which was swiftly let toFed Ex and Perspex Distribution Ltd.This enabled us to recycle theK45 launch L-R Mark Mills Leeds City Council; MikeBaugh CBRE; Jason Stowe Wilton Developments;Roger Marsh OBE Chair of Leeds City Region LEP receipts into this next project, againusing a Yorkshire based design andconstruction team. This ensures thatthe investment Wilton Developmentshas made stays within the region,boosting the economy and creatinglocal jobs.” Kinetic 45 incorporates a standalone60,000 sq ft industrial unit with highquality office space and two smallerunits of 11,000 and 12,000 sq ft whichcan be combined to deliver 23,000 sqft. All of the buildings have their ownhigh quality office and receptionfacilities and are set with secure yards.Business Rates relief exist for newoccupiers at this Enterprise Zonelocation. Office space remains at a premium inmajor cities, with buildings beingconverted into commercial use, suchas plans proposed for the MajesticBuilding in Leeds being converted intoGrade A office space. This landmarkdevelopment, which secured planningpermission at the turn of the year, willsee an amazing new officeenvironment, over six floors, beingcreated right in the heart of Leeds. Anadditional three storeys are to beadded to one of Leeds’ most iconicbuildings which will provide the floorplates and internal qualities of Grade Aoffice space appropriate for the super-prime status of a City Square address.The development, being undertaken byRushbond, will see the buildingconverted into 65,000 sq ft of officespace and is set to start in thesummer. 12-16_Layout 1 03/04/2017 14:04 Page 5www.blmforum.netBusiness Link 17CARBON FOOTPRINTLincolnshire and Yorkshire is amanufacturing powerhouse and a keypart of the northern industry. It shouldcome as no surprise, then, that ourcarbon footprint is something we needto take seriously. Numerous businesseshave demonstrated the value ofreviewing their carbon footprint inrecent times and benefited fromdecreased energy bills. Yet manycompanies still aren’t aware of thesavings that can be generated byproper consideration of their emissions.A recent report based on the views ofsix hundred businesses across the UK,revealed that one in three of thoseresponsible for energy managementsay the issue is not being takenseriously by their organisation. As asignificant area of cost for UKbusinesses, it’s perhaps surprising tofind that 27 per cent of board directorsdid not know what their energy bill was,while one fifth admitted they did notknow what their investment in energymanagement would be over the nextthree years. On the positive side, 70 per cent ofbusinesses are planning investment inenergy efficiency projects in the nextthree years. Food and automotivemanufacturing organisationsdemonstrated the strongestcommitment to energy management interms of their knowledge and attitudes,current behaviours and investmentplans.Fortunately, effective environmentalmanagement needn’t be a majorcomplication for businesses, and thosethat can make changes are likely tomake major savings. Many of thesechanges can be made by increasing orintroducing efficiencies, and come withtheir own financialbenefits.The transport andlogistics industry, forinstance, has long been one of thegreater contributors to a company’scarbon footprint. This is not due to theirbeing any inherent fault with theindustry, and it is a necessary one, ofcourse. More often than not, it is still anarea where savings can be made,however, and this is due to inefficiencyin how the supply chain is operated.As carbon comes hand-in-hand withfuel used, savings made will inevitablyrequire less road miles, and less roadmiles means a more cost-effectivesupply chain – leading to bottomline benefits. Were it a simplematter, everyone would have doneit already, but innovation andinvestment is helping to make itmore affordable and accessible. Forthose willing to go a little further,however, there are options available.One solution, and something that isbeing utilised in the US, is that ofexchanging a company’s transport fleetfor CNG (Compressed Natural Gas)-powered vehicles, such as the VolvoVNM 200 model. This has not seenquite the same exposure in the UK, andCapturing carbonCarbon footprint is something we’ve been hearing about for over a decade now, butare any companies truly taking steps to reduce it – or is it just smoke in our ears?© Shutterstock / Boyan Dimitrov18 Á17-19_Layout 1 03/04/2017 14:05 Page 118Business Link www.blmforum.netCARBON FOOTPRINTsome believe it is due to a lack offunding to help companies in makingthe switch, as the US has numerousfinancial incentives for companieslooking to move from traditionalpetrol/diesel fleets to CNG. NGV’s or Natural Gas Vehicles, emitup to 25% less greenhouse gasemissions than their diesel-poweredcounterparts, and as such are anattractive option for waste managementspecialists. Ultimately however, the finaldecision often comes down to thebottom line – what will the runningcosts be if a change is made?When it comes to pricing CNG iscurrently priced competitively withdiesel, though the recent falls in oilprices have left some in a position of“wait and see.” In recent years the priceof gas could be quite volatile, mainlydue to a relatively small amount of itbeing produced (at least in comparisonto the vast quantities of oil), but nowwith a more steady supply available theprice has fully stabilised. Carbon emissions now account forthe fastest growing contributor toecological overshoot, with our carbonfootprint making up a staggering 60 percent of humanity’s demand on nature.In order to adhere to the goals laid outby the Paris agreement (which wereadopted by some 200 countries back inDecember 2015), this carbon footprintwill need to gradually fall to zero by2050. Of course, doing so requires afundamental overhaul of the way welive and behave. Key to this aim is the deployment ofrenewable energy solutions in favour ofcarbon heavy fossil fuels, but thelogistics and production of thesesolutions can and do result in emissionsthat contribute to our collective carbonfootprint. All industries produceemissions that are harmful to theplanet’s precarious ecology, andcounteracting those emissions iscrucial. “Humanity’s carbon footprint alonemore than doubled since the early1970s, when the world went intoecological overshoot. It remains theCertex invests in Hull asrenewable industry enjoysupsurgeCertex UK, the Doncaster-headquartered supplier to the international windenergy market, is expanding its renewables and lifting operations in the Humberregion with a new office and workshop in Hull.As part of its expansion plans, the company also unveiled long-terminvestment in the local community.It said the new facility is fundamental to its support plans for the burgeoningoffshore wind energy market.Certex’s specialist inspectors travel across the country and Europe, workingoff- and on-shore. The new Hull location will co-ordinate work undertaken toensure all turbine installations and safety precautions adhere to UK legislation.It will be the company’s eighth in the UK, with another located in Huddersfield. Certex is amongst the first support businesses to commit to new investment since the Humber region saw a significant boost of £310 millioninto the wind turbine industry, creating up to 1,000 jobs directly, with additional jobs during construction and indirectly in the supply chain.© Certex UK17-19_Layout 1 03/04/2017 14:05 Page 2www.blmforum.netBusiness Link 19CARBON FOOTPRINTfastest growing component of thewidening gap between the EcologicalFootprint and the planet’s biocapacity,”says Mathis Wackernagel, President ofinternational think tank Global FootprintNetwork and the co-creator of theEcological Footprint resourceaccounting metric. “The globalagreement to phase out fossil fuels thatis being discussed around the worldahead of the Climate Summit in Pariswould significantly help curb theEcological Footprint’s consistent growthand eventually shrink the Footprint.”CCS is defined by the Carbon Capture& Storage Association as: “a technologythat can capture up to 90 per cent ofthe carbon dioxide (CO2) emissionsproduced from the use of fossil fuels inelectricity generation and industrialprocesses, preventing the carbondioxide from entering the atmosphere.”Carbon dioxide is the leading cause ofthe greenhouse effect, where the sun’senergy is trapped in the planet’satmosphere, causing the temperature torise which itself leads to a variety ofecological issues such as the polar icecaps melting and the warming andrising of the ocean. There are three core elements thatcomprise the CCS chain: the actualcapturing of the CO2, transporting theCO2 and then securely storing theemissions underground in depleted oiland gas fields or deep saline aquiferformations where it is turned into aliquid or solid for ease of transportation. Although CCS is already widespread,it can’t exactly be termed commercial.With that in mind, it still needs to bescaled up in order to prevent carbonemissions en masse from entering theatmosphere. Scaling up CCS alongsidethe ongoing deployment of renewableenergy solutions and ever moreenvironmentally friendly productionmethods will help us to move awayfrom the need of an overshoot dayaltogether. © Shutterstock / Brian A JacksonUK’s cleanenergyindustrygrowingfaster thanrest ofeconomyA new report by the Government’sadvisory body, the Committee onClimate Change, highlights thebenefits that wind and marine energybring to the economy by growing newindustries and providing insuranceagainst volatile international fossil fuelprices.The study ‘Energy Prices and Bills2017 – impacts of meeting carbonbudgets’ states that having renewableson the system drives down bills byproviding more competition among awide range of energy sources.It notes that offshore wind costshave fallen dramatically and willcontinue to do so, and that onshorewind offers a cost-effective way tokeep bills down, so it is one of thetechnologies which can provide newgeneration in the 2020s.Emma Pinchbeck, RenewableUK’sExecutive Director, said: “This reporthighlights the fact that the UK’s low-carbon sector is growing faster thanthe rest of the economy, alreadyemploying hundreds of thousands ofpeople and contributing 2-3% of GDP,which is comparable in size to energy-intensive manufacturing.”© Shutterstock / Daniel J. 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