Gettinginto gearEngineering excellenceEDUCATIONEncouraging fresh talentHEALTHCAREKeeping the region fitfor purposeGRAVITY FIELDS How Grantham isgrowingAUGUST 2012£3.50YORKSHIRE & LINCOLNSHIRE’S LEADING BUSINESS MAGAZINEwww.blmgroup.co.ukVOLUME 27ISSUE 08Gettinginto gearEngineering excellence01:Layout 1 30/7/12 11:30 Page 102:Layout 1 30/7/12 10:30 Page 113ContentsAugust 2012On the coverPhotograph courtesy ofwww.shutterstock.com / Roma Koshel16263844Features9KC Business LightstreamBusinesses based at office parks in Hessle are thelatest in the region to have access to KC’slightning fast fibre broadband service12Commercial propertyDespite delicate trading conditions, the propertysector continues to innovate and look for solutions14GranthamGrantham is set to come alive with its first everfestival this September. Gravity Fields shouldtransmit the message that the town is a buzzingplace to visit and do business.16EngineeringThe engineering sector is vital to the UK’sprosperity – and our region is ensuring itcontinues to excel• ABP19Accountancy ReviewIt’s around a year since the Bribery Act arrived,but surveys are suggesting a lack ofunderstanding 20Food industryWith Yorkshire and Lincolnshire already leadingareas for food and drink, maintaining this successand boosting the region’s profile seems to be theorder of the day22SecurityWith business crime rates on the rise, we take alook at the different aspects of business securitythat every company should adhere to24Interview with...Ric Metcalfe Leader of City of Lincoln Council25BeneluxBenelux is a union within a union, but how arethey faring in the current economic crisis?27EducationOne of the best ways to get a competitive edge isto have higher trained staff, but it takes so longand costs so much. Or does it? 31HealthcareYorkshire and Lincolnshire’s healthcare sector isexcelling – while businesses should soon be ableto benefit from new thinking in its provision42ConferencingWe take a look at how companies are usinggames and activities to stand out from the crowdat exhibitionsEnvironmentalBusiness Link Environmental is your ultimate guide to therapidly expanding world of green business.34Environmental newsThe latest news from this fast-moving sector36Health & SafetyMaintaining health and safety practices can mean cost savingsand peace of mind39TrainingRenewable energy companies are calling for an overhaul intraining to ensure our region can take best advantage of thenew opportunities availableRegulars4From the Editor5News8TaxationEmployed or self-employed – that is the question says KatieHacker, Assistant Tax Manager, Streets Chartered Accountants10LettersReader’s letters and replies11Business SceneStreets Chartered Accountants charity golf day44AutoLinkExamining vehicles that save money at the pump and in tax 46EventsWe take a look at business events happening around Yorkshireand Lincolnshire48Classified49Appointments50And finally…03:Layout 1 30/7/12 11:31 Page 1A few years before the recession someone at Westminstersuggested we should think less about money and more about thequality of life. Perhaps we should revisit that suggestion given thelatest news on the fiscal recovery... or rather, the lack of.Apparently GDP has shrunk by around 0.2% between April andJune making it the third quarter of contraction in a row. By myreckoning, that makes it the longest double-dip recession on record– even bigger than the one in the seventies at the time of miners’strikes and soaring oil prices. In fact, even that only lasted two quarters, if memoryserves correct. George Osborne still has his supporters, though. It seems as some city analysts arguethe UK may not be back in recession at all and say it’s all the gloomy official figures thatare damaging confidence.To be fair, these figures hardly come as a surprise – the warnings were there fromindustry leaders over the effects of the extra bank holidays. Add to this the fact that fewof us have dared venture out without a wetsuit and snorkel of late and you can see whythe economy might be taking a bit of a battering. In fact, there’s so many Brits headingfor the sun at the moment, the sunnier parts of Europe should be rubbing their handswith glee.Traditionally, the summer months are quiet, and so while we should brace ourselvesfor more disappointing news on the economy next quarter, we also have a chance tobounce back in the Autumn. I’m convinced these figures are a blip, and that themeasures the government put in place to stimulate growth in the private sector will startto show themselves early next year. Now is the time to make sure we’re all ready andprepared for the upturn when it comes – which it will.That’s illustrated in this month’s issue as we highlight the latest innovative thinking inour region. In Lincolnshire, we examine how the Gravity Fields development could makea major difference to the prosperity of Grantham, while in Yorkshire we take a look athow the engineering sector has the potential to enjoy huge export success. That’s inaddition to our regular features celebrating the innovation that abounds in our region. Good reading as always,W S FisherEditorEditorSteve Fisher (s.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk)JournalistsSteve Williams (s.williams@blmgroup.co.uk)Mike Shields (m.shields@blmgroup.co.uk)Elis Ballard (e.ballard@blmgroup.co.uk)Michael Fisher (m.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk)Editorial contactnewsdesk@blmgroup.co.ukTel: (01472) 310305 Fax: (01472) 310317Sales DirectorTeri Cooper (t.cooper@blmgroup.co.uk)AdvertisingTel: (01472) 310310Kim Collins (k.collins@blmgroup.co.uk)Kelly Robertson (k.robertson@blmgroup.co.uk)Accounts & SubscriptionsAngela Sharman Dawn CookTel: (01472) 310301 Fax: (01472) 310311Design & ProductionGary JorgensenMark CassonRachel GreenTel: (01472) 310304 Fax: (01472) 310314(studio@blmgroup.co.uk)E-Mail:yorks-lincs@blmgroup.co.ukWebsitewww.blmforum.netAddressHaychart Ltd,Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby,N.E. Lincs., DN31 2QE.ISSN No:1462-2092All rights reserved. No part of this publication may bereproduced, transmitted, photocopied, recorded or otherwisewithout express permission of the copyright holder, for whichapplication should be addressed first to the publisher. Whileevery reasonable care is taken, neither the publisher nor itsparticipating agents accept liability for loss or damage toprints, colour transparencies, negatives or other material ofwhatever nature submitted to this publication. The viewsexpressed in this publication are not necessarily the views ofthose held by the publisher.This magazine is now fully recyclable. By recyclingmagazines, you can help reduce waste and add to the 5.5million tonnes of paper already recycled by the UK paperindustry each year. Before you recycle your magazine,please ensure you remove all plastic wrapping, free giftsand samples. If you are unable to participate in a recyclingscheme, then why not pass your magazine onto a localhospital or charity?From theEDITORThe magazine that caresWE CARE because we want to leave our world a better place than wefound itBusiness Link believes that being socially and environmentally responsible is the key tomaintaining a flourishing business that our customers will be pleased to use and our staffwill be proud to be part of.Community-From a very local point of view, we strive to be a ‘good neighbour’. We alsoextend that into the much broader local community, through financial support of local causesand charities. Environment-Our actions extend to: conservation of energy and natural resources,minimisation of waste and ensuring our trading partners do likewise.04:Layout 1 30/7/12 10:31 Page 1Nick Clegg opens EOA officeat GrippleDeputy PM Nick Clegg, MP for SheffieldHallam, underlined his belief in employeeownership by officially opening a secondoffice of the Employee OwnershipAssociation, on the premises of Gripple inSheffield.The EOA’s chief executive Iain Hasdelljoined Gripple chairman Hugh Facey and anumber of the company’s business associatesto witness Nick Clegg cutting the ribbon andparticipate in a question and answer forum.Nick Clegg said, “Employee ownership is away of being your own boss and I want to doeverything possible to see it entering the bloodstream of the British economy.Therefore, I am delighted that our city will be home to an Employee OwnershipAssociation office dedicated to promoting this way of doing business.”Every member of Gripple’s 350-strong workforce is a shareholder of the manufacturer ofunique wire joining devices, and has a vested and personal interest in the values-driven,single-status company’s continuing success at home and overseas.Wakefield company cements bright futureCarlton Manufacturing, developer and manufacturer of sustainable construction materials, hascemented its future with a £400,000 Seedcorn investment from Finance Yorkshire. Carlton moved toits new 17,000 sq ft premises on Newmillerdam Business Park in April and has expanded itsworkforce as a direct result of the investment.Max Smith founded the company in 2011, together with brother Guy and financial director ChrisBlaxall. Carlton produces a range of sustainable cements, mortars and concretes for construction andDIY sectors that contain a high proportion of locally sourced waste materials rather than freshlyquarried new material.Heather Roxborough, Finance Yorkshire Investment manager, pictured with Chris Blaxall, says, “Wewere delighted to be able to provide the finance required to help Carlton set up their manufacturingfacility in Wakefield and bring their first products to market. Importantly, the investment will also beused to help commercialise the other sustainable building products that Carlton currently has indevelopment.”www.blmforum.net5newsyouryourAssay Office and silversmiths putin sterlingperformanceThe Sheffield Assay Office has workedalongside one of the city’s finestsilversmiths to provide the first sterlingprize for a new award to celebrateexcellence in innovation within thehallmark industry.The Touchstone Award, a 12-inch silverdish worth £3500, was presented toinaugural winners Birmingham CityCouncil by the British HallmarkingCouncil. The award, made by Carrs Silver of Sheffield, bears the hallmarks of the four UKAssay Offices, namely Birmingham, Edinburgh and London along with Sheffield, as well asthe unique Diamond Jubilee mark.Ashley Carson, Assay Master at the Sheffield Assay Office, says, “We are extremely proudthat this national and prestigious award was created in Sheffield, and delighted with the finaldish. This city has a rich heritage in precious metals and silver, so we felt it was only right thatthe award was designed and made here.”Sheffield YoungCarers project namednew Chamber charitySheffield Young Carers Project has been named asthe new Sheffield Chamber of Commerce Charity ofthe Year. SYCP, which was awarded the title at theChamber President’s Dinner, offers support to youngpeople who care for someone at home, usually afamily member with a physical or mental illness,disability or substance misuse problem.Liz Church, managing director atSheffield Young Carers Project,says, “Our partnership with theChamber will enable us to raiseour profile significantly, aswell as attracting a range ofsupport, including businessadvice.”Amanda Pilgrim, head ofbusiness development atSheffield Chamber, adds,“Across the UK around onein twelve young people puttheir own lives to one sideto care for a family memberand the charity providestireless support to those whichmake this unselfish act.”In our picture, Helen Mather,fundraising officer at Sheffield YoungCarers Project, collects the ChamberCharity of the Year award from Chamber PresidentSuzanne Liversidge.Leeds& London Land, anewly-formed propertyinvestment company, hassecured a £1.33 million loanfrom Santander Corporate Bankingto fund the acquisition of threecommercial freehold properties and acar park in Bradford city centre and afourth commercial property in Hull. Theproperties in Bradford are FraternalHouse, Elton Lodge and StonegateHouse, all of which are fullyoccupied by long term tenants,as well as Broadgate HouseCar Park. The property inHull is HaworthHouse.05-08:Layout 1 30/7/12 11:35 Page 1newsyouryourEmployers rewarded formotivatingteenagersMore than a hundredcompanies were honoured for thevital role they are playing inhelping teenagers make the rightcareer choices through the offer ofwork experience placements.The Lincolnshire & RutlandEducation Business Partnershippresented some of the county’s mostpro-active employers with Investors in Education Awards, at a ceremony at TheShowroom in Lincoln. The EBP applauded the high value that businesses – ranging fromhairdressing salons to construction companies - place on Work Experience and theirwillingness to offer young people insights into the world of work.The EBP currently works with 115,122 companies with new companies joining theprogramme every year. During 2011, a further 801 new firms decided to offer placements.Our picture shows Streets LLP being presented with its award – Elaine Lilley appearsalongside Kelly Goodchild and Erica Manderfield of Streets in Lincoln and EBP Boardmember Mel Holliday.TheEducation Team at law firmWalker Morris has been appointed asthe main legal provider to the GrimsbyInstitute Group, following a recent tender process.The appointment, which is for two years, will cover alllegal services other than conveyancing matters and willinclude employment, commercial, governance andcapital procurement. This latest win follows on fromthe Team’s recent appointment to Leeds College ofBuilding and the conversion of fifteen schoolsto academy status.6www.blmforum.netHundredsof businesses in Lincolnshire areadding their voice to a campaign whichaims to improve broadband services in thecounty. Since the Broadband Means Businesscampaign was launched at the Lincolnshire Show, 239firms have registered with www.OnLincolnshire.org– and that list of businesses will then be used tolobby service providers to put a betterinfrastructure in place.Million-pound investmentenhances Acorn’s globalreachA thrivingdistributor ofengineering productsis powering aheadwith a £1.25 millioninvestment in newpremises on DenbyWay in Hellaby,Rotherham.Acorn Industrial Services supplies bearings, power transmissions andlinear systems to a global customer base. The company’s success hasled to its expansion into three separate warehouses – still a tightsqueeze for its 38,000 product lines and eighty-strong team of office andwarehouse staff.A £700,000 injection of funding from Barclays has enabled the £18million turnover Acorn to purchase new 40,000 sq ft premises – twicethe size of the existing sites combined and more than capable ofhousing the company’s £4 million worth of stock alongside all headoffice functions. Acorn is also investing a further £250,000 of its owncapital in refurbishing and refitting the building. Acorn was advised byhlw Keeble Hawson Solicitors .Lincoln will be showcasing its attractions and sharing best practiceabout how the city is managed, when it plays host to a majorgathering next year. Up to two hundred delegates are expected tocome to Lincoln for the Association of Town Centre Managers’Summer School in 2013. The event will be centred on theUniversity of Lincoln’s School of Business and Management, butdelegates will be given plenty of time to explore the city.05-08:Layout 1 30/7/12 11:35 Page 2SHE Knows wins Omanpetrochemical trainingcontract SHE Knows Health & Safetyhas secured a six-figure, four-year contract to help train fivethousand petrochemicalworkers in the Sultanate ofOman. The deal was struck forhealth, safety andenvironment courses andrefreshers for PetroleumDevelopment Oman, Oman’slargest oil producer.The work, to be conducted through its formal partner in Oman, theKnowledge Grid, requires the writing and production of 23 level 1 and level2 courses, and teacher training and support.As the contractors are from all parts of the world, SHE Knows, whichhas offices in Hull and Grimsby, will produce course material in nativelanguages including Hindi and Arabic, as well as English. The companyexpects to take on a limited number of extra staff including in IT and safetytraining, and have full-time trainers in Oman.Linda Crossland-Clarke of SHE Knows Health and Safety is pictured withVaughan Clarke of the Knowledge Grid.www.blmforum.net7newsyouryourWorld class wisdomcomes to YorkshireOver seven hundredbusiness heard worldlywisdom and wit at theseventeenth YorkshireInternational BusinessConvention in Leeds.Over the past seventeenyears, the event hasbrought together some ofthe world’s mostinspirational and influentialspeakers, from Bill Clinton to Mikhail Gorbachev. This year’s sell-out eventwas run in a purpose-built marquee at Wellington Place, Leeds with aparallel presentation at Bridlington Spa and a two-way helicopter taxiservice for the speakers. The Leeds event was the last in the series,although YIBC will continue to be staged at Bridlington Spa.The complete audio visual production was supplied by Saville AudioVisual. Saville Technical Project Manager Richard Zamberlan says,“Holding the event in a marquee brings its own particular set of challengeswhich we had to deal with to deliver a professional show.”This year’s keynote speaker was His Holiness the Dalai Lama, whoaddressed the subject of ethics in business.You can now read Business Linkon thego!Digital Editions now available on iPad & iPhoneWWW.BLMFORUM.NETIdeal for those who spendtime away fromtheir office‘Join the theatre community’ – that was the call from actor anddirector Richard Wilson OBE, associate director at Sheffield Theatres,at the Sheffield Chamber’s Annual President’s Dinner. More than 340people attended the black-tie dinner at the Sheffield Cathedral, andRichard Wilson said, “There is a real buzz in the industry about what ishappening in Sheffield. I love the Crucible, I love Sheffield and I lovethe people of the city.”05-08:Layout 1 30/7/12 11:35 Page 3newsyouryour8www.blmforum.netTAXATIONEmployed or self-employed –that is the questionsays Katie Hacker,Assistant TaxManager, StreetsCharteredAccountantsDuring the recession it may betempting to cut payroll costs byengaging former employees as self-employed contractors, but there arerisks associated with this and thecorrect position is not a choice. ForHMRC to accept the self-employed status it should be evidencedthat the worker operates a business assuming risks such asrectifying work, invoicing and waiting for payment, the worker isnot required to work for a particular engager, and the engager isnot obliged to use that worker’s services. The engager also doesnot have the right to control what the worker does.Employees are taxed under the PAYE system and are liable toClass 1 national insurance contributions. If the worker is anemployee, the employer also has to pay Class 1 NI over a limitset each year, the employee’s NI rate reduces to 2%, but foremployers, NI continues at the full rate, with no upper limit. Theemployer also assumes responsibility for paying statutorypayments such as statutory sick pay and statutory maternity pay.Employees have rights under health and safety andemployment laws, such as the rights to redundancy paymentsand not to be unfairly dismissed. Moreover, the range of socialsecurity benefits is greater for employees than for the self-employed.Self-employed workers are taxed under self-assessment, andare allowed more scope in claiming expenses. They also payClass 2 and Class 4 NI contributions, the combined burden ofwhich is lower than Class 1 NI. Their ‘employers’ are not subjectto NI. It’s therefore not surprising many businesses show amarked preference for self-employment status for their workers!It’s the responsibility of the person making the payment to getit right. If you treat a worker as self-employed and he or she issubsequently ruled to be an employee, you could find all thepayments made will be treated as net payments, and you willhave to pay the corresponding tax and employees’ NI, as well asthe employer’s NI. You may also have to pay interest andpenalties for incorrect returns.Kate Hacker is Assistant Tax Manager with StreetsChartered Accountants, a top 40 UK accountancyfirm. Telephone 0845 880 0320, emailinfo@streetsweb.co.uk or visitwww.streetsweb.co.uk Harrogate InternationalCentre hosts CrownJewelsThe HarrogateInternational Centreteam pulled out all thestops when theytreated eighty VIPguests to an exclusivenight at the Tower OfLondon. Guests weregiven a private viewingof the Crown Jewelsbefore heading ontothe Wakefield Terrace for a reception.Simon Kent, deputy director at HIC, says, “The aim of the evening wasto get London buyers to consider Harrogate as a venue of choice for theirevent. Harrogate is a safe, cosmopolitan and event focused destinationwhich offers the perfect solution for buyers. The Tower of London eventwas a memorable evening and one which guests will remember for a longtime to come just as their delegates do when they bring their event toHarrogate.”Paul Domeney, sales manager at HIC, is pictured with Amit Kotecha andMegan Buckingham.Caddick Construction has chosen Leeds civil and structuralengineering consultancy JPG to design a new bottling hall forCarlsberg’s Northampton Brewery. The £20 million expansion projectwill allow the fourth largest brewer in the UK to start production inMarch 2013. Chris Harding, JPG’s managing director, says, “Ourability to respond rapidly and our vast food and drink productionexperience were key considerations in our appointment.”Student gets inspired atInEnergyA Bradford company isbenefiting from the use ofinternships to find skilledstaff.InEnergy is one of agrowing number of SMEsstruggling to find skilledstaff without stretchinglimited finances. IanThompson, director of theenergy brokeragecompany, turned toBradford University. Its Get Inspired internship scheme pays students togo on work placements at no cost to employers.Student Zainab Mir landed herself a job at InEnergy after her internshipended. The 22-year-old from Leeds says, “I never thought I would beworking in the energy sector or in sales but I’ve been really surprised byhow much I’ve enjoyed it. There’s much more to it than I thought.”Ian Thompson says, “This is definitely the way to do it – students arelooking for a fresh new career and employers like me are looking forpeople with drive and new ideas.” Ian and Zainab are pictured with clientTony Brooks of Control Applications.05-08:Layout 1 30/7/12 11:35 Page 4KC BUSINESSwww.blmforum.net9KC Business Lightstream, whichoffers download speeds of 100Mbps, isnow available at Hesslewood CountryOffice Park off Ferriby Road in Hessle.Meanwhile, firms based at Priory ParkWest, Waterside and Livingstonebusiness parks in Hessle can have theservice installed from August.Since its launch earlier this year,more than 150 local businesses havesigned up to KC Business Lightstreamacross the initial roll-out areas ofWoodmansey, Beverley and PrioryPark East.Debbie Barbor, Managing Director atBrooklands Property Holdings, says,“Having the best communicationsinfrastructure is vital for businesses,whatever their size or the marketthey’re in. We’ve seen the reactionfrom local businesses that already haveaccess to KC’s fibre broadband serviceand we’re delighted to be working withKC to offer the same advantage to ouroccupiers based at Hesslewood OfficePark.”Gary Young, Director of BusinessMarkets at KC, says, “The speeds KCBusiness Lightstream delivers are thekey to unlocking a whole range ofservices and business applications,such as cloud computing andvideoconferencing. Customers acrossall industry sectors are telling us thatthe service is making them moreefficient, productive and competitive.“Our desire is for local businesses tobe the best-connected in the UK andwe’re looking forward to making KCBusiness Lightstream available to moreof our customers over the monthsahead.”To find out more, visitwww.kc.co.uk/lightstream orcall 0800 915 5777.More businesses set tobenefit from lightningfast broadband boostBusinesses based at office parks in Hessle are thelatest in the region to have access to KC’s lightningfast fibre broadband service09:Layout 1 30/7/12 10:33 Page 1Next >