< Previous10Business Linkwww.blmforum.netAldi prepares to bulk buywarehouse space in 2015Proposed floorspace for supermarket warehousing is being spearheadedby Aldi, new data reveals.According to the latest report from Barbour ABI, planning applications forproposed floorspace for UK supermarket warehousing is at 82,757 sq m for2015 so far, of which 60,000 sq m has been proposed by Aldi.This reflects the activity from 2014 with 94% of proposed warehousingfloorspace came from Aldi. In regards to the ‘big four’ supermarket retailers,Asda was the only one to seek any type of warehousing planningpermission in 2014 with 10,695 sq m of floorspace, whereas Tesco have not solicited any planning permission for warehousing spaceover the last two years.Michael Dall, lead economist at Barbour ABI, says, “With Aldi planning to spend a total of £109 million in 2015 on new build stores, theyhave also planned over 235,000 sq m of warehouse space across the last two and a half years to meet future demand.”First look atLincolnTransportHubThe first artists’ impressions of the proposed £29 millionLincoln Transport Hub have been revealed.People are now able to view the images, which show the newbus station, thousand space multi-storey car park andfootbridge, as well as the new plaza area in front of LincolnCentral Station, online after the planning application wassubmitted.Councillor Ric Metcalfe, Leader of City of Lincoln Council,says, “This is a hugely significant project for everyone in thecity as these vastly improved transport facilities and publicrealm enhancements will help remove barriers to furtherinvestment and growth while providing a more welcoming andattractive gateway to Lincoln.“Along with our partners we are committed to progressingwith this much-needed hub and are delighted to have submitted the scheme for planning consentso we can hopefully secure the £11 million indicative funding from the Department forTransport.”Lincat appoints export managerLincat has appointed Diane Pawlett as Export Manager to develop the company’s export businessand raise the profile of the Lincat and FriFri brands internationally. Diane will be responsible for thegrowth of overseas sales, including the development and implementation of the export sales strategy,as well as the training and motivation of sales staff and distributors.Diane joins Lincat with over twenty years’ experience in export, working with wholesalers,distributors, agents and end users in the food and drink sector.Sales Director Rob Gibson says, “Although we already have an extensive dealer network across theglobe, we are constantly looking to expand our export activities and raise brand awareness. WithDiane’s solid experience in this field, along with her multi-lingual skills, we are certain she can workwell with our existing distributors, as well as establish new partnerships and widen the network tosupport our export efforts on an international scale.” PORTS & LOGISTICS10-14_Layout 1 29/06/2015 14:08 Page 1Potter makes it personalwith acquisition of two newtrucksPotter Logistics took delivery of two new Mercedes Benz Antos 26-tonne rigid lorries with personalised registrations as part of thecompany’s fiftieth anniversary celebrations.At this stage of their continuing vehicle expansion and upgradeprogramme the two trucks, supplied by Northside Truck & Van, willreplace two older Euro IV Mercedes Axors. Fully liveried in Potter’sdistinctive yellow and 50th logos the vehicles will primarily be usedas part of the Potter Palletline fleet operating from Potter Logistics’York DC.The registration numbers Y50PL and D50PL are a mark of Potter’sfiftieth celebrations and founder Derrick Potter who started thecompany in 1965. Nick Brightey, Potter Logistics Transport Director,says, “Our trucks are the first encounter many customers and thegeneral public have with Potter Logistics this is why we continue tochoose Mercedes Benz. Derrick started this business fifty years agowith a rigid yellow lorry and we have celebrated that with the twonew trucks.” Exporting SMEs expect salesincrease SMEs in Yorkshire andHumber which exportbelieve international saleswill increase in the nexttwelve months, according tonew research by YorkshireBank. In total, exportingbusinesses are anticipatinginternational sales to makeup 16% of their total annualturnover and more than halfexpect sales to increase inthe same period.This optimism isencouraging in the face ofwhat appear to bechallenging trading conditions for UK exporters where demand for UK products hasweakened. However, only 2% of Yorkshire and Humber SMEs expect their exposure tooverseas markets to decrease.Alan Young, Regional Director for Business and Private banking at Yorkshire Bank inYorkshire and Humber, says, “In recent years the challenging conditions in our economyhave pushed UK businesses towards more buoyant overseas markets for growth. Britishbusinesses have a rich and proud heritage of producing goods and expertise which areinstantly recognised for their quality across the world.”Exclusive sponsorsG L COMMERCIALScommercial trailer hirewww.blmforum.netBusiness Link 11UK hauliersconfident Tories willdrive growthLogistics firms believe their businesses will growbetween 10-15% over the next five years, thanks to thevote of confidence in electing a majority ConservativeGovernment.Ahead of the Government’s Emergency Budget,hauliers from up and down the country have made theirvoices heard in a new post-election poll commissionedby Pall-Ex. However, half of all business ownersquestioned felt unable to comment on the abilities of theTransport Secretary, despite Patrick McLoughlinreturning to the role for a second consecutive term.Kevin Buchanan, group managing director at Pall-Ex,says, “It’s our members who are at the forefront of ourservice, as they deal with retailers and customers everyday. If hauliers struggle with new policies initiated by thisConservative Government, the backbone of supply chainsin all sectors will be at risk. The Government needs tolisten to these concerns, and act accordingly.”10-14_Layout 1 29/06/2015 14:08 Page 212Business Link www.blmforum.netPORTS & LOGISTICSSupplyand demandDespite new developments, demand for quality warehouse space in the region continues tobe outstripping supply…PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/DON PABLO10-14_Layout 1 29/06/2015 14:08 Page 3www.blmforum.netBusiness Link 13industry and the local area, and how itwill benefit the parent company asopposed to a potentially cheaperservice from abroad. The region however, also has a partto play in increasing the number offoreign investors coming to our shores,both in terms of making our regionmore attractive to investors. But also inmaking the region itself accessible. The amount of high-quality warehousespace has not been keeping pace withdemand though, not just within our twocounties but also nationally. This is duemore to a lack of speculativedevelopments taking place during thecredit crunch, than any weakness in theindustry. Now with the economyrecovering, companies are expanding tonew premises and purchasingwarehouse space, without their beingenough new builds to sustain it. Now however, a new wave ofspeculative developments are takingplace across Lincolnshire andYorkshire, with many of these alsosecuring tenants in the speculativestage. A large amount of this is centredaround the Leeds and Wakefield area,particularly with Wakefield being adistribution hub close to the M1. Wilton Developments have alreadysecured a lease for one of theirbuildings on its £5 million Connex 45development in the Leeds CityEnterprise Zone. Leasing out 50,000 sqft to an international distributor for 10years, to begin when construction iscompleted in July. Wakefield Europort is another suchexample, also being the first `100,000sq ft big box` scheme developmentsince 2008, before the credit crunchbegan. In total, property agents JLLbelieve there is over 600,000 sq ft ofspeculative industrial space underconstruction in the region. Beyond that there are many othercases of new warehouses and industrialparks being developed, from a tradepark being built, from the SkegnessTrade Park who have also secured theirfirst speculative tenant, to a new multi-let business park in Doncaster. When itThe Lincolnshire and Yorkshireregion remains one of the mostimportant in the country as alogistics hub, be it by road or sea. Withthe M1, M18 and M62 among the UK’smost important routes, plus a largenumber of commercial ports servingWestern Europe, it’s not surprising thatlogistics and distribution companies areconstantly expanding into Yorkshire andLincolnshire. A good location and high levels ofroad-access is no excuse for poor qualityhowever, as many companies in the areaare finding out. Competition has neverbeen stronger than it is now, particularlywith several large internationalmanufacturers showing interest in thearea. Each of these businesses fromoverseas likely already has an existingsupply chain and logistics chain set-up,so local companies now find themselvescompeting with overseas logistics firmsas well. The goal is to convince theseinternational companies of theknowledge and experience a localcompany has, both in regards to the14 Á10-14_Layout 1 29/06/2015 14:08 Page 414Business Link www.blmforum.netPORTS & LOGISTICScomes to warehouse and distributioncentres, there is certainly going to be anincreased supply in the coming years.Despite that however, JLL’s RichHarris, Director in their industrial andlogistics team says, “Despiteexpectations of a continued pick-up inspeculative development in 2015, weexpect that overall level of supply ofindustrial/warehouse space will continueto fall in 2015. New speculative space islargely being taken as quickly as it isbeing built, adding little to existing stocklevels of quality space.”According to JLL’s research, supplyof quality warehouses is critically shortin Yorkshire, which in turn is drivingrental growth in some of the moreYour worldwide freight and logistics partnerT: 01709 529709 www.daviesturner.co.ukPIONEERS IN SERVICE SINCE 1870popular areas, such as Leeds. This hasled to the possibility of increased rentalcosts, and warehouses in Wakefield andNormanton have already shown amodest 50p per sq ft increase. This is where accessibility forinternational investors comes into play.In many cases manufacturing firmsfrom further abroad, will require largeramounts of industrial and warehousespace, due to being too distant fromtheir domestic storage facilities. If anarea is lacking in these regards, then itcan be difficult to attract new investorsto the area, due to potential weaknessesin the supply chain. This may not be abig problem at the moment, sinceYorkshire and Lincolnshire remains oneof the strongest regions in the countryfor logistics and warehouse space. Butit does lead to a situation of a potentialinvestor being forced to choose thebest of a bad situation, which mightlead to them deciding to skip the UKentirely, and settle in France or someother nearby country. At the end of December 2014, therewas some 28.9 million sq ft of floorspace available across Yorkshire andHumberside, a figure which was down11% on December 2013. This course isexpected to continue, while demand isanticipated to rise. Making our regionone of the best for prospective newdistribution developments in thecountry.PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/CHRISVANLENNEPPHOTO10-14_Layout 1 29/06/2015 14:08 Page 5www.blmforum.netBUSINESS SCENEBusiness Link 15A bloomingfantastic BallKind-hearted Kelly Bloom invited a host of guests into the grounds of his house in Askhamfor his annual ball to raise funds to research to battle Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and the BluebellWood Children’s Hospice.The evening included live music from Black & Gold, while Countryfile presenter AdamHenson entertained the audience with stories from his career and his views on the future offarming. The generosity of guests knew no bounds with a raffle and auction on the night raisinga huge total of £24,000.Adrian andKaren SwanJohn andKirstyMartin-HoyesAndrew and Melanie Davidson and Nick andMelissa AgostoDavid andRuth AtkinsNeil andDebra RandallAlan and CarolPalmerAdam Hensonwith Kelly BloomPaul Lester andGail WilliamsThe ClaireMorrispartySimon andSarah MarshallPHOTOS BY RICHARD PICKSLEY15_Layout 1 29/06/2015 14:09 Page 1Rail service workdoubles at SiemensLeedsRail servicing contract work has almost doubled in twelvemonths and continues to grow at Siemens Process Industries &Drives in Leeds.The success story comes as the Stourton site celebrates thestart of its second year of servicing rail gear units, includingmotors, gearboxes and couplings, since the significant £1 millioninvestment Siemens made in the site just over a year ago. Theinvestment expanded capability and improved efficiency; most ofthe rail service work now involves full overhauls for some of theUK’s biggest names in rail transport rolling stock, such as CAFRail and Network Rail. A number of specialised rail personnel were taken on at thebeginning of the year to work on assembling and servicing railmotor units, and two new engineering apprentices at theLeeds site are also spending time working in the rail section.Lean techniques have almost halved the time it takes torebuild a Desiro City motor to specification and SiemensLeeds has delivered 100% of its rail service contractcommitments to customers to date. 16Business Link www.blmforum.netENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTIONWork starts onaffordable homesschemeWork has started on a £2.2 million development by Leeds &Yorkshire Housing Association to build 25 affordable rentedhomes at Aldham House Lane in Wombwell, Barnsley. A range of Yorkshire-based companies are working on theproject with Leeds-based architects Acanthus WSM designingthe scheme of 20 bungalows and five houses. The homes willbe built by Termrim Construction from Huddersfield who hascommitted to using local labour to transform the site andprovide a further boost to the economy in Barnsley. The one and two bedroom homes will be built to Level 3 ofthe Code for Sustainable Homes. This aims to reduce bothrunning costs and carbon emissions for each propertyensuring that the homes which should be available to rent byMarch 2016 will be both affordable to rent as well as to live in. As well as providing much needed new homes, several of the bungalows are being built tosupport customers with mobility issues now or in the future including full wet rooms.Britcon completes£1.2 million highwayprojectBritcon has completed a £1.2 million project to install a new scheme to easetraffic flows at one of the busiest highway routes in Beverley. The project forEast Riding of Yorkshire Council involved significant improvements toSwinemoor Lane to keep traffic moving following the opening of the town’s new£22 million bypass.Britcon was awarded the contract under the YORBuild Framework coveringYorkshire and Humber. Paul Clarkson, Managing Director at Britcon, says, “Thiswas an intensive project given that we had to complete upgrades to the busyroad in just six months. It was much more complex than a simple resurfacingjob and included major improvements to traffic control and public access.”The work was carried out by Britcon as part of the council’s BeverleyIntegrated Traffic Plan, to coincide with last month’s opening of MinsterWay – the Beverley Southern Relief Road.16-19_Layout 1 29/06/2015 14:11 Page 1Morgan Tucker’s Leeds officetriples in sizeA Leeds consulting engineering company is celebrating outstanding growth after tripling staff numbers and turnover, just ayear after opening a base in the city. Morgan Tucker opened their Leeds office on Park Square West in June 2014 and hassince increased their staff numbers by more than 250% in order to meet customer demand. Michael Crown, regional director for Morgan Tucker, pictured, says, “Leeds and Yorkshire is a really vibrant area andwe have been warmly welcomed since opening our office here. We are meeting new customers on a daily basis tounderstand their needs, allowing us to tailor our services to meet their requirements.”Morgan Tucker is well known for the work it carried out at the London 2012 Olympic Games where it deliveredthe biggest freight logistics site in Europe. It works with big names in the housing and transportation sectors aswell as working for local authorities, private developers and national and regional house builders. Forgemasters’ record 607tonnes take six weeks to coolSheffield Forgemasters International has completed its biggest ever pour with astaggering 607 tonnes of continuous molten steel transferred into a vastsubterranean mould.The record breaking feat in the company’s foundry beats the biggest everprevious pour by seven tonnes and will create an ultra-large casting componentwhich will weigh around 320 tonnes once finished, taking six weeks to coolsufficiently to be excavated. The pouring is the fifth in a series of eleven castings destined to becomesome of the largest cast components ever made by the South Yorkshiremanufacturing giant for a landmark 19m USD contract for German companySMS Meer.SFIL will deliver six more similar castings over the next eight months aspart of the contract which will see more than six thousand tonnes ofmolten steel produced in total. Each casting requires multiple ladles ofsteel to be poured continuously.www.blmforum.netBusiness Link 17Langleys advises on key merger dealYork and Lincoln-based Langleys Solicitors has acted on a key merger deal involving GHD, oneof the world’s leading engineering, architecture, environmental and construction servicescompanies.GHD has boosted its UK presence by merging with GHA Livigunn, a multi-disciplinary consultingengineering business. Christian Hunt and Alex Birch of the corporate team at Langleys Solicitors,pictured, advised GHD on the deal.GHD has UK offices in London and York. The merger adds more than 160 people to the GHDteam, as well as a network of regional offices. GHA Livigunn serves the water, energy, waste,buildings and transport markets and also operates in the buildings sector, trading as BSCP.Christian Hunt says, “GHD has demonstrated clear management direction and a focused growth strategyover the last few years. This transaction will help GHD continue to achieve those aims and enhance its service offering. The deal with GHA Livigunn,alongside others that we have advised on recently, offers clear evidence that the corporate M&A market is in excellent health.”Four accolades inthree months forBowcliffe HallBowcliffe Hall’s Blackburn Wing continues to build on its awardssuccess after being shortlisted in the Constructing ExcellenceYorkshire & Humber Awards. The copper and glass centrepiece of a£6 million project is a finalist in the Project of the Year category.The scheme – part of a multi-phase restoration of the nineteenthcentury estate where redundant space has been converted intooffices – pays tribute to aviation hero Robert Blackburn who wasthe first Yorkshireman to design and build a powered aeroplane. The brainchild of the Bayford Group CEO Jonathan Turner andbuilt by Conlan Construction, the project features a ‘DriversClub’ restaurant for business tenants and guests whichcaptures the golden age of aviation when the Blackburns’played host to guests including aircraft pioneer AmyJohnson and Winston Churchill.Described as a ‘tour de force’ by judges, thescheme has scooped the Tourism & Leisureaward at the RICS Pro Yorkshire Awards alongwith two RIBA awards – and been enteredfor both the RICS and the RIBAnational finals. 16-19_Layout 1 29/06/2015 14:11 Page 218Business Link www.blmforum.netENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTIONFor many companies, leanmanufacturing has helpedconcentrate minds and ensurequality, eliminating waste throughoutthe assembly process and adaptingtheir practices. That could be via shortproduction runs, multiple variants orjust in time manufacture. Minimising the risk of operator erroris just one area that can therefore makeall the difference. Companies continueto face price increases for rawmaterials, manpower and energy usage,with few opportunities to pass these onto customers, who are looking to cutcosts, so the only realistic way toensure profits and continued success isby simultaneously achieving totalcompliance and driving up efficiencies.It’s not to say that only newcompanies have the talent and skills tocope with the new challenges andcreate efficiencies, and many of ourregion’s longest established companieshave been able to innovatesubstantially. Hull-based Sam Allon, forexample, have been in business fornearly a hundred years but theycontinue to excel and have, in recentyears, become specialists inconstruction material recycling.When Sam Allon work, all theirmaterials are recycled whereverpossible. They separate and salvageeverything of value or which can beused instead of new materials on otherprojects and not only does this helpprotect the environment but it alsomeans they’re able to remove costsfrom your project and future works.These savings are passed on directly totheir customers and are a greatexample of how established companiescan move as swiftly and effectively asthe very newest.For many manufacturers, one of themajor issues in ensuring excellence hasbeen locating and identifying highcalibre staff. The importance of skills tothe food industry, for example, cannotbe overestimated. That’s why industry skills body theNational Skills Academy for Food &Drink in the UK is urging foodbusinesses to have their say on newbuilding block standards designed todrive professional job performance incrucial food technologist and foodengineering roles. It’s a sector that is ofparticular interest for our part of theworld as Sheffield Hallam University ishome to the UK’s only degree in foodengineering.The Academy has issued an openinvite for food firms to get involved in asummer-long review of NationalOccupational Standards. Businessinvolvement will ensure the benchmarkindustry standards of performance andknowledge keep pace with changingindustry needs and effective workingpractices.Justine Fosh, Academy CEO, says,“Advances in production technology,demand for new product developmentand constant prioritisation of food safetyand quality has brought change and newrequirements into Food Technologistroles. There is an industry skills shortageand contributing to NOS development isa great way for businesses to be part ofthe wider solution. The best way tosecure these skills is to ‘grow your own’by helping to confirm the NOS thatattractive apprenticeships can then bebuilt around.”The value of skills for engineering inall sectors is illustrated with the amountof funding now available. Indeed, aseries of apprenticeship wage subsidiesare bringing benefits to Hull and EastRiding businesses in the renewableenergy supply chain, by helping them totrain engineers of the future. Thesubsidies are implemented by theEmployment and Skills Developmentstrand of the Green Port GrowthProgramme, which has been created toestablish our region as a world-classcentre for renewable energy. The wagesubsidies were put in place followingearly discussions with investors aboutwhat skills and training they would need.The Engineering Manufacturing CraftExcellenceis expectedManufacturers have had a tough time during the recessionbut those that have survived have honed theircompetitiveness by modernising and streamlining theiroperations.16-19_Layout 1 29/06/2015 14:11 Page 3www.blmforum.netBusiness Link 19and Technician apprenticeshipframework was the first framework tobe supported by the wage subsidy, andthe range of frameworks eligible isconstantly developing as the skillsneeds of the offshore wind sectorthemselves develop.Bob Ferraby, GPGP’s Employmentand Skills Development Strand Lead,says, “The Engineering ManufactureCraft and Technician framework hasbeen the framework of choice within theengineering sector for some time and issufficiently flexible to cater for a broadrange of skills within the renewablessector. We are, however, always opento discuss renewable sector skills needswith employers and are prepared tosubsidise other frameworks.“The programme will support therecruitment and employment of 850apprentices. Businesses will recruit theapprentice and then be free to use thetraining provider of their choice. In thecase of a three-year framework, theemployer receives a wage subsidy of£80 per week for the first year of theapprenticeship framework and £60 perweek for the second year, with nosubsidy during the third year of theapprenticeship framework – thusproviding support when it was mostThe Engineering Manufacturing Craft andTechnician apprenticeship framework wasthe first framework to be supported by thewage subsidy from GPGPWork has also beencompleted on BradfordCollege’s new state-of-the-art £10 million AdvancedTechnology Centre, readyfor a September openingneeded.”Work has also been completed onBradford College’s new state-of-the-art£10 million Advanced TechnologyCentre, ready for a September opening.As Ronan O’Beirne, Director of Learning,Development and Research, points out,about one in four people in Bradfordworks in advanced technologies and theATC will play an important role in thefuture prosperity of the region, meetingindustry demands and developing skillsin shortage areas. Applications are nowopen and both high-achieving studentsand adults can choose newprogrammes of study.Our region has always been a leadingname in advanced engineering and asnew markets open there are newopportunities to allow it to continue toexcel. The challenge to is ensure itremains at the cutting edge.16-19_Layout 1 29/06/2015 14:11 Page 4Next >