AUGUST 2017 £3.50YORKSHIRE & LINCOLNSHIRE’S LEADING BUSINESS MAGAZINEwww.blmgroup.co.ukVOLUME 32 ISSUE 8CORPORATEHOSPITALITYA corporate ChristmasACCOUNTANCYREVIEW More than balancing the booksHUMBER BANKCarry on up theHumberCONNECTINGTHE REGIONCONNECTINGTHE REGION01_Layout 1 07/08/2017 11:51 Page 1NORTHERNCOLLEGEE: enquiries@aprobinson.biz | www.aprobinson.bizA P Robinson & Co is a well-established firm of Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors – providing accountancy, taxation and business advisory services to a wide range of business and private clients.T: 01472 345888 | F: 01472 345777 (Grimsby)T: 01652 660630 | F: 01652 637601 (Barton)02_Layout 1 07/08/2017 11:51 Page 1With August upon us, we areofficially moving towards the latterhalf of 2017, which feels strange sincewe’re already writing it off as beingjust as politically frustrating as 2016.On the business front however, thingsare both looking up.The Government’s decision to delaythe Making Tax Digital plans was amove welcomed by many in thebusiness community, and somethingwe’ve delved into more detail on, inour Accountant’s Review in this veryissue. It’s a rare moment in whichwe’re reminded that sometimes thosein power can, and do, listen to ourconcerns. On the other hand, news thattribunal fees have been illegal, andtherefore scrapped, has produced amixed reaction. While this may beseen as a step in the right direction forthe 95% or more of people who woulduse it honestly, the potential forspurious claims cannot be denied, andmany businesses are rightfullyconcerned.From theEditorIt’s a raremoment inwhich we’rereminded thatsometimesthose in powercan, and do,listen to ourconcerns.Despite this, there are success storiesto be had, and Yorkshire andLincolnshire has no shortage of those.This month, we look at supply chainmanagement and how this demandingsector has flourished in the region. Wealso investigate the skills shortage andhow local establishments are working atfixing it.Our commercial property featuretakes a look at the ever-strong propertysector, which remains unbowed byBrexit. Alongside that, we have regularand up-to-date news and analysis onbusiness in our region. With all that,motoring, events and more – there’splenty to read, and a lot of informationto get stuck into. Good reading, as always…Goodreading, as always…Michael FisherEditorAnd the Business Link teamGLGLGLCommercialsEuropa Way, Grimsby, N E Lincolnshire DN41 8DSTelephone: 01469 574239 Mobile: 07711 496138Email: glcommercials@btinternet.comwww.glcommercials.co.ukGLC REPAIRS LTDGLC REPAIRS LTDGLC REPAIRS LTDEUROPA WAY, STALLINGBOROUGH, N. E. LINCSRELIABLE TRAILERHIRE• Flat Bed Trailers• Skeletal Trailers• Taut LinersTRAILER REPAIRS &SERVICING EXPERTS• 30+ Years of Experience• Trailer Servicing Bay• Breakdown Call-out Service• MOTPreparations03_Layout 1 31/07/2017 10:35 Page 1CONTENTSAUGUST 20176NewsThe latest business news and success stories from around ourregion11LettersReaders’ letters and replies 10PropertyThe quality and attractiveness of our region’s commercialproperty market has been laid bare as Sheffield, Leeds, Hull andmore lay out their bid to become the new Northern HQ ofChannel 415Printing & packaging spotlightInnovation in the packaging sector is heralding greatersustainability along the supply chain, from warehousing todistribution19Business sceneStreets Chartered Accountants, the Lincoln-based accountancypractice, hosted their sixth annual Charity Golf Day in Julyraising a grand total £6,039 for the Air Ambulance 20Accountancy reviewAn accountant may not work for your company, but there arefew who want you to succeed more than they. Choosing theright one can be a difficult process, however – and many smallbusinesses put far too little thought into it• Duncan & Toplis24SecurityDifficult economic conditions often exacerbate the criminalproblem, and the winter months are to their advantage27Supply chain managementMore pressure on the supply chain is squeezing an already leanindustry, yet there are still improvements that can be made30Education and trainingIt has been said that employees are pools of untapped potential,and yet many businesses do little to reach into that32Humber bankRenewable energy developments, fresh investment and the Cityof Culture are spurring business growth along the Humber • PureSpeed Broadband38Corporate hospitalityIt may be summer, but now is the time to organise the annualChristmas party, after all, with so many benefits, a business can’tafford not to42AutoLinkThe car industry is constantly innovating –probably just as wellgiven that one minute we’re all told to buy diesels becausethey’re better for the environment, only to be told a few yearsdown the line that we shouldn’t• Ford Mustang Fastback 5.0 litre V8 GT Manual50EventsWe take a look at business events happening around Yorkshireand Lincolnshire54And finally…Yorkshire-Lincolnshire-Business-Link @blmforumblmforum.netCONNECT WITH US10154804-05_Layout 1 31/07/2017 10:36 Page 1Group EditorSteve Fisher (s.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk)EditorMichael Fisher (m.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk)JournalistsDominic Cuthbert (d.cuthbert@blmgroup.co.uk)Stuart Pearcey (s.pearcey@blmgroup.co.uk)Editorial contactnewsdesk@blmgroup.co.ukTel: (01472) 310305 Fax: (01472) 310317Sales DirectorAngela Cooper (a.cooper@blmgroup.co.uk)AdvertisingSam Trott (s.trott@blmgroup.co.uk)Vicky Hunt (v.hunt@blmgroup.co.uk)Kerry Randerson (k.randerson@blmgroup.co.uk)Tel: (01472) 310310Accounts & SubscriptionsAngela Sharman, John DownesTel: (01472) 310301 Fax: (01472) 310311Design & ProductionGary Jorgensen, Mark CassonTel: (01472) 310304 Fax: (01472) 310314(studio@blmgroup.co.uk)E-Mail: yorks-lincs@blmgroup.co.ukWebsitewww.blmforum.netAddressHaychart Ltd, Armstrong House, ArmstrongStreet, 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.COVER PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK - TRAVEL MANIA • DANIEL J. RAO • GUTEKSK7 • PRESSMASTER • SIMKOEwww.blmforum.net2704-05_Layout 1 31/07/2017 10:36 Page 26Business Link www.blmforum.netNEWSCrisp maker grows exportsales with major AustraliadealSeabrook, the Bradford-based crisp maker, has secured a major newcontract to supply discount supermarket chain Aldi in Australia.The company said this latest deal keeps it on track to achieve 4% of itsannual £30 million turnover in export sales by the end of this financial year.The contract follows a slew of similar deals made by Seabrook in lucrativeexport markets including the United Arab Emirates and China, among others,after gaining strategic export development advice from ChamberInternational.Seabrook started planning to export in 2015 after LDC – the private equityarm of Lloyds Banking Group – acquired the company for £35 million.Marketing and International Sales Director Kevin Butterworth, said: “Weengaged with Chamber International from the start and they immediatelyadded value with strategic consultancy by looking at where we wanted to getto and how best to achieve this.”Homophobia studyprobes UKconstruction industryA study involving lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgenderemployees aims to explore the effects of institutionalhomophobia within the £100 billion British constructionindustry.The two-year project will involve interviews with LGBTworkers, as well as focus groups to investigate the range ofexperiences with the view to improving organisationalpractices nationwideDr Sarah Barnard, of Loughborough University’s School ofBusiness and Economics, and Professor Andrew Dainty, of theSchool of Civil and Building Engineering, plan to interviewLGBT employees and highlight the issues they face, which theysay will “provide a platform for those minority voices to beheard”.The testimonies will be debated during a second phase ofthe project by a select panel which has the goal of creatingrecommendations aimed at developing more inclusivepractices in a sector which contributes more than £100 billionto the economy each year.Unprecedentedgrowth for QuornFoodsQuorn Foods has achieved an unprecedented 19% rise duringthe first half of 2017 as the company invests £150 million at itsBillingham facility.The North Yorkshire company is expected to become a billiondollar brand by 2027. Its latest investment is part of wider effortsto achieve this aim.The company achieved 15% growth in the UK market in H1 ofthis year, with an overall growth rate of 19% globally. This growth has been attributed to the rise of ‘flexitarianism’with mainstream consumers supplementing their meatconsumption with alternative proteins. The company’s investment will cover the expansion of its mainmanufacturing facility at Billingham, Teesside; making it the largestfacility of its kind globally.“We are proud to be contributing to the UK’s export drive andto be investing in a British innovation that is vital to addressing thefuture need for protein across a growing global population,” saidQuorn Foods CEO, Kevin Brennan.© Shutterstock / Bartosz Luczak © Shutterstock / SergeBertasiusPhotography Seabrook’s Kevin Butterworth withChamber International senior exportadviser, David Attia06-08_Layout 1 31/07/2017 12:51 Page 1Sheffield Unispearheading £7.6mwind power projectThe University of Sheffield will lead a £7.6 millionresearch project to improve the country’s offshore windpower (OSW) technologies.This is part of a wider £138 million investment intoresearch partnerships to strengthen ties between the UK’sresearch base, industry and business partners.The project will see Sheffield and collaboratinguniversities, Durham and Hull, partnering with SiemensGamesa Renewable Energy and DONG Energy on a five-year programme to address problems that will help toreduce the cost of electricity from offshore wind.It also aims to lay the foundation for the next generationof wind turbines and farms at a significantly higher level ofpower generation, helping to meet clean energychallenges.By partnering with industry, Sheffield will create thelargest joint industry-academic wind power researchpartnership in the UK. It will strengthen the nation’sposition as a global leader in OSW research and acceleratethe engagement of UK skills and manufacturing in theOSW supply-chain.www.blmforum.netBusiness Link 7GainsboroughEngineering unveilhorizontal stand uppouch machinesEquipped with thelatest technology,electronic andpneumatic combinedwith a constructionobjective of simplereliable mechanics,the new GHP170&250 stand uppouch machines offerflexibility andreliability with lowoperating costs.The GHP 170&250are fully automatedforming the stand uppouch from the reel.Any adjustments canbe made ‘on-the-go’resulting in less downtime and higherproductionthroughput achievedfrom having the latest in PLC technology. The modern design of the machine makes it possible to have amultitude of dosing systems.The machine can be set up to accommodate a wide range of stand-up pouch sizes. With the focus on tight seals – a must for modernpackaging – this allows for an almost unlimited variety of productswhich can be packed by the machine, including granules, liquids,powders, gels and many more.Agents appointed topromote YorkshireEnergy ParkGVA and Hull’s Garness Jones have been appointed to secureadditional national and international end users at the proposed£200 million Yorkshire Energy Park.They will promote the location to companies which couldpotentially set up home on the former aerodrome site.It comes after energy supplier E.ON, Almax, IBM, L&GInvestment Management, SSE Utilities, ZTE, Vodafone, and localeducation provider Hull College pledged their support for theenergy park plans.The scheme, located within the boundary of Preston Southvillage in the East Riding of Yorkshire, could generate a multi-million pound investment boost for the Yorkshire and Humbereconomy.Yorkshire developer Sewell and Eco Parks Developments havepartnered with London’s Chiltern – a national renewable energy,infrastructure and technology project facilitator – to deliver theproposed scheme. Subject to a successful planning application, work on theYorkshire Energy Park could begin in early 2018.© Shutterstock / v.schlichting PHOTO: YORKSHIRE ENERGY PARK06-08_Layout 1 31/07/2017 12:51 Page 28Business Link www.blmforum.netNEWSWordsandSpacesLtdtel: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 businessUS export deal forHarrogate medicalsupports maker Neo G, a Harrogate-headquartered manufacturerof medical gradeorthopaedic supports, hassecured a deal with USpharmacy giant Rite Aid.As part of the deal, Neo Gwill launch its products in1,600 stores across theUnited States.Founded in 2007, Neo Gsells orthopaedic supportsonline and through retailsand pharmacies.This latest deal, however,marks the first time its Class1 medical devices have been available in the US through a national retailer.The Harrogate brand aims to become the “number one brand in thepremium orthopaedic support market”.The deal with Rite Aid is part of the company’s mission in achieving theabove, it said.Commercial Director Dan Jones said: “Our ongoing research anddevelopment programme means we have been able to develop manypatented, unique solutions to help patient recovery and pain management,and we are constantly testing new products with the input of medicalspecialists.”Sumo Digital acquiresdigital design studioSumo Digital, theSheffield-based videogames company, hasacquired theGateshead-headquartered digitalart and design studioAtomhawk.Founded in 2009,Atomhawk’s portfoliofeatures work onblockbuster moviesand games across PC, console and virtual reality platforms:including Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy, and gamesInjustice 2 and Eve: Valkyrie (VR).Carl Cavers, CEO of Sumo Digital, said: “Atomhawk continues tobuild an impressive track record across games, film and digitalmedia. Both companies will continue to operate independentlywith the acquisition allowing us to accelerate growth across thegroup.”Cumron Ashtiani, Managing Director of Atomhawk, added: “Thisinvestment and strategic support enables us to realise ourambitions to drive Atomhawk forward – expanding the creativeservices we offer and the imminent opening of a second studio inNorth America.”Backed by Perwyn, Sumo Digital adds Atomhawk to the groupwith terms remaining undisclosed.Carl Cavers, CEO of Sumo Digital withAtomhawk MD Cumron AshtianiDan Jones, Neo GCommercial Director06-08_Layout 1 31/07/2017 12:51 Page 3readers’www.blmforum.netBusiness Link 9Could UK-US tradepave way for abetter Brexit ?Dear Sir,One has to wonder what Trump means when he says ‘aUK-US trade deal could be ‘big and exciting’ As we allknow Trump backed Britain on the Brexit and the way theEU has so heavy handedly tried to impose fines andsanctions on the UK since that day beggars belief. The EU itself estimates that 90% of global growth in thenext decade will come from outside Europe so let’s hopeTrump backs the UK by threatening to boycott the EU ifthey continue to act like the mafia – if I can quote NigelFarage (it’s not often I agree with him but on thatoccasion even I had to laugh) T Burgess LeedsTribunal feesnonsenseDear SirsWhat nonsense that the coalition’s decision to makeemployees pay an employment tribunal fees should beoverturned. From an employee’s perspective, this is obviouslypositive news as this means they can take a claim no matter howfrivolous and hope that companies will settle out of court to savethemselves the hassle of defending a claim.But from an employers point of view it doesn’t bear thinkingabout – this decision will undoubtedly give rise to malicious,weak and vexatious claims against them and have to investvaluable time and resources in defending them or makingsettlements to avoid the processes involved, which can beonerous at best. This is another case of legislation being heavily weighted infavour of the employee and needs to be addressed before thegenie is set free from the bottle.T SwiftSheffieldSomething to say? Write to:Business Link Magazine, Armstrong House,Armstrong Street, Grimsby,North East Lincolnshire DN31 2QE or email:letters@blmgroup.co.ukPHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/NIKODASHVintage issue Dear Sir,I have recently discovered a vintage edition of theHumberside and Lincolnshire Business Link within mylate grandfathers possessons, which I would be happyto send to you for preservation purposes. Themagazine is dated July 1988 and is Volume 3 issue 6.If this would be of any interest to you, I would behappy to send it your way. I look forward to hearingfrom you.A Slingsby BeverleyEd: I can’t believe it’s still in existence out there! Iwould be delighted to receive the magazine and atoken of our appreciation is on its way to you.09_Layout 1 31/07/2017 10:38 Page 1Next >