< Previous40 Business Link www.blmforum.net GETTING BACK ON TRACK Of course, the presiding concern for companies throughout the pandemic has been self-preservation. Not only have business owners looked to safeguard their own interests, but those of staff and their customers and clients. After all, when a business is forced to cease trading, it’s not only one company that suffers. Nevertheless, companies across all sectors in our region have joined the fight against coronavirus over the last four months, supporting the NHS and reminding all of us that we’re in this together. Even before lockdown, it was clear the NHS was overwhelmed – understaffed, underfunded and seriously lacking in equipment to adequately handle a pandemic. It therefore put out a rallying cry calling on manufacturers to produce vital parts such as visors and ventilators, as well as PPE and antibacterial gels. Within days, companies had switched production, either partially or in full, to produce these much needed parts and solutions. Antibacterial hand gel has become indispensable as part of our collective efforts to stamp out the coronavirus. When it became clear that COVID-19 was more than just a passing flu-like virus, demand for these hand gels massively spiked with manufacturers rapidly running out of stock. To help, alcohol producers across our region switched production to produce their own hand gels to meet the deficit and keep people safe. If the demand for hand gel spiked, it was nothing compared to the increased need for PPE – especially where the NHS was concerned. As above, some companies have been manufacturing parts for visors, but other companies have taken other measures. Some bosses had to take the difficult decision to furlough staff, while others have been put out of a job entirely as their businesses shutters for good. However, some companies have switched their workers from their usual tasks to sew scrubs for the NHS instead. Not every company produces a tangible product, but there have been numerous other ways to support the NHS. This has included raising funds, whether donating to existing fundraising efforts, or from company bosses starting their own. Companies that already counted the NHS as clients, meanwhile, have ramped up their output to keep up with the increase in demand. This includes bed makers and manufacturers of ventilators and other vital medical equipment. Some firms have even been working around the clock to ensure the service has all it requires to continue its efforts. Many companies have been providing their services or products entirely free of charge to NHS workers, giving frontline Navigating the new normal There’s no denying that the continuing coronavirus crisis has taken a toll on the economy. Although this has dented many company’s growth prospects and future plans, businesses across our region are adapting and evolving to not only weather the current crisis but to flourish against an uncertain backdrop. 40-42.qxp_Layout 1 04/08/2020 17:36 Page 1www.blmforum.net Business Link 41 GETTING BACK ON TRACK staff one less thing to worry about. This includes cars, accommodation, mobile data and so on. All of this is evidence of how companies have helped support the government, the NHS and the general public during the pandemic, but how have businesses themselves been supported? One of the most important financial aids that the government has introduced is the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS). Launched back in March, the scheme provides financial support to SMEs across the UK that are losing revenue, and seeing their cashflow disrupted, because of the outbreak. As the pandemic worsened and the financial situation grew bleaker for SMEs, the scheme was expanded, with changes to allowing more smaller businesses to access funding. CBILS will remain in place until the end of September 2020. But this may be extended by the government which has said there is no maximum limit set for total lending supported through the scheme. Announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak back in April and opening to applications in May, the ‘Bounce Back Loan Scheme’ aimed to get businesses back up and running and help the economy to, well, bounce back. As with CBILS scheme, it is delivered by lenders accredited by British Business Bank. The loans, ranging from £2,000 up to twenty-five per cent of the business’ turnover with a maximum loan of £50,000, are intended for small and micro businesses in all sectors. Crucially, it allows businesses to obtain a six-year term loan at a government set interest rate of 2.5 per cent a year with the government covering interest payable in the first year and no principle repayments required for the first twelve months. Another key financial support service offered by the government early into the pandemic, is the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. The scheme provided a lifeline to businesses who were forced to shut down during lockdown. It allowed the government to pay eighty per cent of furloughed worker’s salaries, up to £2,500, allowing bosses to avoid 42 Á © Shutterstock /gpointstudio © Shutterstock /JessicaGirvan 40-42.qxp_Layout 1 04/08/2020 17:36 Page 242 Business Link www.blmforum.net GETTING BACK ON TRACK redundancies. New flexibility was introduced from August with the aim of getting employees back to work and boosting the economy and, back in May, the chancellor announced that the scheme will remain open until the end of October. With some 9.5 million UK workers from 1.2 million employers still on furlough, it’s even likely the scheme will need to be extended beyond this point. So far, we’ve touched on how businesses have – and are continuing – to aid in the battle against COVID-19, and explored the financial support open to businesses, but how are companies evolving in the wake of the coronavirus? One of the biggest, most obvious changes for a company’s day-to-day operations is the workplace itself. With many previously furloughed workers having returned to offices and other places of work, company bosses have put social distancing measures in place. Of course, many of these are now legal requirements, but some companies have fundamentally redesigned their workplaces. In some cases, many of these measures will likely become the new normal – especially in the retail sector where cough shields will almost certainly become a permanent fixture. As well as spacing staff further out, offices have also had to think about ensuring they have a rigorous and regular cleaning and hygiene in place, especially on contact surfaces and where multiple staff frequent – such as bathrooms – and supplying PPE. But not all workers have returned to offices. The lockdown meant that many companies had staff working from home for the very first time. Although it has no doubt brought a unique set of challenges, the advantages of digital technologies have shown that, in many cases, office-based companies can work from home. To preserve public safety, companies are welcoming some staff back to the office, with others still based at home, or, in some cases, changing shifts and staggering start times. This will, of course, depend on the company, though these measures are certainly worth exploring. Other companies have adapted by becoming delivery-friendly, predominantly in the retail and hospitality sectors. Indeed, lockdown saw some companies create an online presence for the first time as the pandemic has forced them to fully embrace the digital age in order to stay connected to customers and to remain afloat and competitive. Then, of course, construction and building companies have bene gradually re- opening sites once again with social distancing measures in place. Getting back on track means businesses are combining financial support from the government with their own initiative as the navigate the new normal and look towards a brighter future. As always, we’re all in this together. © Shutterstock /richardjohnson 40-42.qxp_Layout 1 04/08/2020 17:36 Page 3www.blmforum.net Business Link 43 AUTOLINK By the time you’re reading this, around two months will have passed since car dealerships were given the green light to re- open. As any financial analyst will attest, a two-month period is hardly conclusive when it comes to extrapolating data and drawing meaningful conclusions. However, it does offer the opportunity to identify sales patterns and potentially glean the shape of the motor retail industry both in the present and to make predictions for the coming months. With dealerships open once more, it’s no surprise that there has been an increase in sales, but concerns remain over the pace at which new registrations are picking up. During lockdown when dealerships were closed, new car registrations dropped to their lowest monthly level since 1946, with only 4,000 cars registered in April compared to more than 161,000 for the same month in 2019. Although registrations are rising, progress will be slow due to stock limitations and lead times and, of course, how long the demand that built up over lockdown will last. What Car? has been polling over 6,000 would-be buyers each week, and its data suggesting that there is a pipeline of interest that stretches well beyond this autumn. Though this will no doubt be welcome news for car sellers, demand beyond that is hard to quantify and predict at present. One of the solutions that could help to drive demand is a new scrappage scheme. Polling from Wh at Car? highlighted that twenty-nine percent of buyers were holding off in expectation of a new scrappage scheme being introduced. Indeed, with the opening of dealerships, leaked details of a stimulus package emerged. However, the © Shutterstock /Nestor Rizhniak False start The motor industry remains in a precarious position with dealerships open and mandatory MOTs resuming, but the full impact of the coronavirus is likely still to be felt. 44 Á 43-45.qxp_Layout 1 04/08/2020 17:38 Page 144 Business Link www.blmforum.net AUTOLINK government has since changed its stance. “We have no current plans to change the existing incentives or to introduce a scrappage scheme,” the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy said in a statement to Autocar. Now that some stability has returned to motor retail and more drivers are returning to the roads, MOTs have once again become mandatory. Readers will notice that this falls short of the original six-month test exception introduced by the government during the pandemic. The exception was originally introduced on 30 March in a bid to slow the spread of COVID-19, leading to MOT test volumes falling from the 7.2 million recorded in April and May 2019, to 2.2 million. Restrictions had been introduced as part of lockdown measures to restrict the use of car use. When these driving restrictions were lifted back in May, concerns arose that, without MOT testing in place, many vehicles could be unsafe. The government therefore prematurely ended its testing exception. Although there are fears of bottlenecks, with garages booked up for weeks – if not months – the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has confirmed that ninety percent are now open. Elsewhere in the motor industry, fuel duty revenue fell by £2.4 billion in April and May compared with the same period in the previous year, the latest figures from the RAC show. The findings show that revenue from the duty on diesel was hardest hit, with the duty down by forty- nine percent during this period, resulting in 31.5 billion in revenue, down from the £2.9 billion in the previous year. This same 2019 period saw petrol duty generate £1.6 billion in revenue but, in during the 2020 lockdown, generated only £634 million. To put that into © Shutterstock /Standret 43-45.qxp_Layout 1 04/08/2020 17:38 Page 2www.blmforum.net Business Link 45 AUTOLINK EUROPA WAY, STALLINGBOROUGH, N. E. LINCS Telephone: 01469 574239 Mobile: 07711 496138 Email: glcommercials@btinternet.com • www.glcommercials.co.uk GLC REPAIRS LTD GLC REPAIRS LTD GL GL GL Commercials GLC REPAIRS LTD perspective, that breaks down as less than the average duty petrol has brought in each month since 1990. The lockdown has come with a silver lining for motorists, however, with industry data showing that the cost of motor insurance has reached an almost four-year low. In short, insurers are passing lockdown savings onto motorists. Figures from the Association of British Insurers (ABI) show that between April and June, drivers paid an average of between £460 for comprehensive cover. This was down £14 on the previous three months and, the ABI says, is the lowest quarterly figure since July- September 2016. As the economy stabilises, levels will likely rise to their pre-pandemic levels. Despite the industry figures we’ve touched on, which would seem to convey the impact of the coronavirus on the motoring industry, most analysts, industry professionals and commentators predict that the full impact won’t start to unfold in earnest until September when the furlough scheme comes to an end and mass redundancies will become a likely necessity for the industry. © Shutterstock /Mr Doomits 43-45.qxp_Layout 1 04/08/2020 17:38 Page 346 Business Link www.blmforum.net events West Yorkshire Expo Thursday 15th October Cedar Court Hotel, Huddersfield An event for businesses across all sectors in the region and beyond, the West Yorkshire Expo is to host over 40 exhibitors and will feature a programme of seminars, workshops and networking sessions. For more information visit https://westyorkshireexpo.co.uk © Shutterstock/Alexander Supertramp Building-in Resilience into your Export Strategy Wednesday 12th August Online This event will consider how to identify and review external variables beyond a business’ direct control, to research alternative solutions and develop probable scenarios that can assist in weathering potentially disruptive trading trends. Financial planning, sourcing alternative suppliers, funding support, freight and logistics options, and legal commitments will be covered in the webinar. For more information visit https://www.humbergrowthhub.org/event/b uilding-in-resilience-into-your-export- strategy-managing-external-variables/ Leading in a Virtual World Tuesday 18th August Online Demands on leaders of people and organisations have never been greater. Juggling maintaining effective relationships, while providing vision and direction to focus the workforce on enhancing company performance, leading virtually has created more challenges. How you choose to lead during this unprecedented time will have lasting effects on your business. This webinar will give delegates the opportunity to reflect on their leadership focus, recognise the traits of a successful virtual leader, identify how virtual leaders should support and lead people and offer time to connect with other leaders and focus on what’s important in the new reality. For more information visit https://www.iod.com/events- community/events/event- details/eventdateid/24508 Manufacturing & Engineering Forum Tuesday 25th August Online This information and support session will comprise of a 20-minute presentation from expert speaker Eliza-May - CEO & Co- Founder of th4ts3cur1ty.company, PocketSIEM and founder of the Ladies Hacking Society - followed by an interactive Q&A. The webinar will consider what manufacturing business are up against when it comes to securing industrial and corporate environments. With industrial control systems and often hybrid network environments, cyber security challenges have never been more convoluted. Attend this event to hear why, and where to direct security concentrations and resources. For more information visit https://wearedoncaster.co.uk/events/chambe r-digital-manufacturing-engineering-forum/ Pivoting your Business Thursday 13th August Online Designed for small businesses, this virtual workshop is for those looking to pivot - alter the way they operate, offer new products and services, or tackle new markets and opportunities. The event will examine successful pivots, analyse why they worked and review the strategic considerations around changing a business at this time. It will also give practical advice on how to plan for and achieve a pivot. For more information visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/pivoting- your-business-tickets-114667302990 © Shutterstock/Rei Imagine 46-47.qxp_Layout 1 04/08/2020 17:47 Page 1www.blmforum.net Business Link 47 Greater Lincolnshire LEP Skills Conference Tuesday 13th October Epic Centre, Lincolnshire Showground The first ever Greater Lincolnshire LEP Skills Conference will help businesses get ready for the future workplace. The conference aims to dispel myths surrounding apprenticeships, provide advice and tips on recruiting staff and accessing support, and is focused on the businesses delegate, as well as schools, colleges, training providers, universities, local authorities, career leaders, politicians, civil servants and policy makers. It will also home in on delivering skills to businesses to drive economic growth and will feature keynote speakers, strategic panel discussions and debate, and skills demonstrations. For more information visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/greater- lincolnshire-lep-skills-conference-2020- tickets-99512169578?aff=ebdssbdestsearch Yorkshire Cyber Security Cluster Meeting Wednesday 21st October Shulman’s, Leeds Looking to help Yorkshire businesses collaborate and build a stronger standard of cyber security, the Yorkshire Cyber Security Cluster is a collaborative group of experts within the cyber security industry that are committed to reducing cyber-crime in the region. The cluster brings together SME’s, governing bodies, universities and the police to present free expert advice and guidance to businesses. For more information visit https://www.scrgrowthhub.co.uk/event/yorkshire-cyber-security- cluster-meeting-9/ Digital Innovations in Manufacturing Thursday 22nd October Advanced Manufacturing Park, Catcliffe Aimed at directors and CEOs within the manufacturing industry, this event will show how digital innovation provides clear visibility into an entire business, complete control over all aspects of operations and can help improve existing business processes and workforce efficiency. There will be short talks from Matt Sinclair from SAP Business One, Jeremy Praud from LI Europe, Mark Prince from Yorkshire Powerhouse and Made in Yorkshire. For more information visit https://wearedoncaster.co.uk/events/digital-innovations-in- manufacturing/ UK Border Customs Controls from 01/01/21 Tuesday 18th August Online This event is for companies that trade goods anywhere in the world, who will need to prepare for new border controls starting when the EU transition period ends. As we will leave the single market, current trade agreements may be lost and others won, and border and customs arrangements will be different from the way they operate today. In the webinar Liam Smyth, Director of Trade Facilitation at the British Chambers of Commerce, will provide insight and comment on the new UK Border Operating Model, advise on the actions traders need to take now, signpost funding opportunities for trader readiness and discuss prospects for future trade. For more information visit https://www.scci.org.uk/events/uk-border-customs- controls-from-01-01-21-what-it-means-for-your-business-18-08-20/ © Shutterstock/Pavlo L ys 46-47.qxp_Layout 1 04/08/2020 17:48 Page 2FEATURES Food & Drink Industry Spotlight Finance Office Solutions Recycling & Waste Management Education & Training REGULARS Commercial Property Section Motoring Section Corporate Hospitality Watch out too for the latest news from across the region in every sector Next month in September 2020 - Deadline 19th August Visit us at www.b lmforum .net where you’ll find the latest news as it breaks – and why not subscri be to our newsle tters so you can have the latest news emaile d to your inbox, in betwee n printed issues? 48.qxp_Layout 1 05/08/2020 10:46 Page 1MARKETING OPPORTUNITY Business Link Magazine Group is currently seeking a focused driven and enthusiastic individual to join our busy team. This exciting role involves networking with a wide variety of diverse businesses, developing relationships and ensuring the highest possible level of advertisements are generated. You will explore new business opportunities and contact existing clients to promote the company’s portfolio of services. Duties will include: l Acquiring and developing a portfolio of local key accounts l Growing business from existing and new clients l Developing a high level of knowledge of your territory As an account executive you should also have the ability to work to deadline and have good IT skills and proven negotiation skills. In return for your commitment we offer a competitive salary and great career prospects. Please contact Michael Fisher on 01472 310310 WWW.BLMFORUM.NET/CAREERS yorkshire & lincolns h h ire’s leading business m a a gazine april 2020 £3.5 50 TO T RES CTHE SPOND CRISIS DING S YYFACTOR C TTHEAL OFFTHCARE FICE safety Ensuring e TTHEAL e of factoriesThe futur TION TAUTOMA YYAFACTOR fices healthyfKeeping of SOLUTIONS OFFICE employee THCARE V w VOLUME 35 ISSUE 4 .blmgroup.co.ukwww INTER N FoodFood &&& FoodFood & N ATI O N &&Drin DrinDrin &&Drin AL nknknkk app A r f h hi ts a ews Ingredient spotlight End offline packkaaging MAY 2020 Un T ingi ehh e M£2.95 cou U yttyun ii y hhe H llhlocal he Suppor d ti training Online garden H lockdo Health i WWW LINC e30+ y WWW . LINC OLNSHIRETO ooears y OLNSHIRETO ODAY NET oung ODAY . 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