SEPTEMBER 2020 £3.50 YORKSHIRE & LINCOLNSHIRE’S LEADING BUSINESS MAGAZINE www.blmgroup.co.uk VOLUME 35 ISSUE 9 FOOD & DRINK INDUSTRY Forward thinking food manufacturers FINANCE The key to bolstering cashflow EDUCATION AND TRAINING Upskill to compete FORWARD FOCUS FORWARD FOCUS 01.qxp_Layout 1 03/09/2020 10:15 Page 1Kingston Engineering Co. (Hull) Ltd Pennington Street, Hull, East Yorkshire. HUB 7LD. UK Tel: +44 (0)1482 325676 Email: sales@kingston-engineering.co.uk Website: www.kingston-engineering.co.uk Specialised precision machined components Corrosion prevention Component reclamation and enhancement Production machinery maintenance and repair Ex-stock power nuts and screws Specialised power screw products Leading Specialist Manufacturer and Producers of Bespoke Power Screws Over One Hundred Years Of Engineering Excellence Freephone: 0800 328 5492 Email: sales@allertonuk.com Website: www.allertonuk.com The Dependable Choice in Drainage In rural areas without a mains drainage system, and where septic tanks will no longer reach environmental standards, Allerton can provide the ideal solution. Trading since 1974, Allerton are leading specialists in efficient treatment systems. They pride themselves on their individual, problem solving approach to dealing with alternative means of treating and disposing of raw sewage. The Allerton ConSept converts your existing Septic Tank or Cesspit into a fully functioning Sewage Treatment Plant. Servicing & Maintenance on a wide range of Sewage Treatment Plant and Pump Stations by BRITISH WATER ACCREDITED ENGINEERS. The Diamond Sewage Treatment range is suitable for either individual homes or small population applications When Gravity Drainage is not possible choose Allerton Pumping Stations for Sewage or Dirty Water ACCREDITED ENGINEERS 02.qxp_Layout 1 03/09/2020 10:16 Page 1It’s business as usual. That’s the motto of the Government, it seems, and a more unnatural and inaccurate depiction we’ve never heard. With furlough slowly being slashed, guidelines constantly changing and a consumer base still for the most part locking itself away, it’s anything but business as usual. There’s this strange concept that’s started to take over British business lately, though, and I tend to think it comes from our politics. The business of “if we lie hard enough, it will become the truth”. It goes without saying that we “want” it to be business as usual, but we can’t and perhaps shouldn’t ignore the ways that we as businesses have adapted and grown from COVID-19, the measures we have put in place to protect customers and staff. Many businesses have even found new opportunities by marketing services specifically to other businesses on lockdown. All of this points to a level of resilience and strength that goes beyond “business as usual” and would feel cheapened by it. It’s not business as usual despite how much we may wish it, but it can be something more, something new and exciting and, if we let it, something profitable. To horribly misquote a famous pioneer, “It’s business, Jim, but not as we know it…” Stay safe and good reading, as always, Michael Fisher Editor The magazine that cares We care because we want to leave our world a better place than we found it Business Link believes that being socially and environmentally responsible is the key to maintaining a flourishing business that our customers will be pleased to use and our staff will be proud to be part of. Community - From a very local point of view, we strive to be a ‘good neighbour’. We also extend that into the much broader local community, through financial support of local causes and charities. Environment - Our actions extend to: conservation of energy and natural resources, minimisation of waste and ensuring our trading partners do likewise. From the Editor 03.qxp_Layout 1 03/09/2020 10:16 Page 1CONTENTS SEPTEMBER 2020 6 News The latest business news and success stories from around our region. 10 Business Lincolnshire Q&A COVID-19 and the end of the transition period mean trading standards legislation is more complicated than ever. Fortunately, Angela Kane, Business Lincolnshire’s Trading Standards adviser, is here to guide businesses during this uncertain time. 12 Commercial property Though we are witnessing a tumultuous year for offices, key developments continue to move forward. 16 Food and drink industry spotlight Food and drink manufacturers must invest in technological and digital innovation to boost productivity, meet demand, address industry challenges, and remain ahead of competition. 20 Finance Many financial issues have been heightened in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, leading businesses to secure finance to fill the shortfall, and take measures such as redundancies to improve cashflow. • Paul Michel Finance Q&A 26 Education and training As a skills shortage plagues the UK, businesses must invest in training and interact with education and government to overcome the hurdle stifling productivity. 30 Office solutions With many businesses coming off furlough and back to offices, there’s never been a better time to think about how your office is laid out. 34 Recycling and waste management Efficient waste management is needed now more than ever. 38 Corporate hospitality Business went on pause during lockdown, but even after it comes back out, how viable is wining and dining your clients in a world where social distancing and facemasks are king? 42 AutoLink Electric and hybrid vehicles have long been penned as the next step in cars but have often been seen as too expensive for their perceived quality. As the technology becomes more commonplace, however, the bar is being raised. Business Link takes a look at the new offerings that may be on our roads in the coming years. 46 Events We take a look at business events happening around Yorkshire and Lincolnshire 50 And finally… Yorkshire-Lincolnshire- Business-Link @blmforum blmforum.net CONNECT WITH US 12 16 20 04-05.qxp_Layout 1 03/09/2020 10:17 Page 1Group Editor Steve Fisher (s.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk) Editor Michael Fisher (m.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk) Assistant Editor Dominic Cuthbert (d.cuthbert@blmgroup.co.uk) Journalist Tess Egginton (t.egginton@blmgroup.co.uk) Editorial contact newsdesk@blmgroup.co.uk Tel: (01472) 310305 Fax: (01472) 310317 Sales Director Angela Cooper (a.cooper@blmgroup.co.uk) Advertising Sam Trott (s.trott@blmgroup.co.uk) Vicky Hunt (v.hunt@blmgroup.co.uk) Kerry Randerson (k.randerson@blmgroup.co.uk) Tel: (01472) 310310 Accounts & Subscriptions Angela Sharman, John Downes Tel: (01472) 310301 Fax: (01472) 310311 Design & Production Gary Jorgensen, Mark Casson Tel: (01472) 310304 Fax: (01472) 310314 (studio@blmgroup.co.uk) E-Mail: yorks-lincs@blmgroup.co.uk Website www.blmforum.net Address Haychart Ltd, Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby, N.E. Lincs., DN31 2QE. ISSN No: 1462-2092 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, photocopied, recorded or otherwise without express permission of the copyright holder, for which application should be addressed first to the publisher. While every reasonable care is taken, neither the publisher nor its participating agents accept liability for loss or damage to prints, colour transparencies, negatives or other material of whatever nature submitted to this publication. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily the views of those held by the publisher. COVER PHOTOS : PEUGEOT • SHUTTERSTOCK - VLADIMIR MULDER • NATEE K JINDAKUM • ZEDWARD _ INDY • VCHAL www.blmforum.net 34 04-05.qxp_Layout 1 03/09/2020 10:17 Page 2Yorkshire work safety firm launches to help companies create safer workplaces A new Yorkshire-headquartered engineer-led work safety business has launched to help organisations create safer, cleaner working environments post-COVID. Having worked within the medical technology sector for the last 12 years, sister and brother, Samantha and Jamie Moore have set up Moore MedTech in response to the problems businesses and facilities management specialists face when re-opening and operating workplaces safely following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. The company will initially offer two product ranges which can be supplied individually or as part of a fully managed solution. “With Samantha’s experience building teams of medical engineers, and mine in business development for tech companies, we were approached to use our expertise to provide solutions to some of the urgent problems currently facing companies,” said Jamie Moore. “We believed that technology had a vital role to play, but that it had not been identified or delivered as a service in a way that businesses could easily use.” 6 Business Link www.blmforum.net NEWS PE firm takes majority stake in Hermes UK Global private equity firm, Advent International, has acquired a majority stake in Hermes UK, the Leeds-headquartered consumer delivery company. This follows news from Otto Group that it has formed a partnership with Advent for its Hermes Group businesses in the UK and Germany. The deal will see Advent partner with the current management team to acquire a 75 per cent stake in Hermes UK. Otto Group will continue to own 25 per cent of the company. The transaction will facilitate further investment by Hermes in technology and infrastructure and support the future growth of the business in the rapidly growing parcel delivery sector. The management of Hermes UK will continue to lead the business as an independent company, with ‘business as usual’ for employees, suppliers and customers. The acquisitions comes as Hermes UK is preparing itself for an upsurge in demand for its services. The company predicts that parcel volumes will reach “record levels” during the Black Friday and Christmas period. Back to the classroom at Verner Wheelock Food industry training experts, Verner Wheelock, are pleased to announce that they are resuming their classroom-based courses from 15th September. The company, based in Skipton, North Yorkshire, have been providing their range of HACCP, food safety, auditing and specialist courses remotely since lockdown began. “The Zoom courses have proven extremely popular with our customers, but many are pleased to have the option of returning to face-to-face courses in our training centre.” Said MD Alison Wheelock. “We have undertaken a full risk assessment and put measures in place to ensure the safety of all delegates, trainers, staff and visitors. This includes temperature checks, hand sanitising stations, wearing of appropriate PPE and a new layout in the training room to facilitate social distancing procedures.” To comply with social distancing guidelines, classroom places are limited to 6 per course, but all courses are also available remotely. For more information, visit www.vwa.co.uk Samantha and Jamie Moore 06-09.qxp_Layout 1 03/09/2020 10:19 Page 1Leeds tech, engineering consultancy expands into Portugal BJSS, the Leeds-headquartered tech and engineering consultancy, is expanding into Portugal in a move that’s creating 150 new jobs. The investment in the region will exceed €12 million within 18 months and marks the company’s first international location outside of North America. The initial focus for the Portuguese operation – based in Lisbon – is recruiting up to 150 IT consultants to support BJSS’ technology, engineering, consulting, cloud, data and AI services. This will include dedicated strategic and account management leadership, with a focus on regional delivery. The operation will be led by Pedro Ferreira, a Portuguese national and three-year veteran of BJSS. Stuart Bullock, Managing Director of BJSS, said: “The decision to expand to Lisbon as our first European base was a logical step in this strategy. It means that we can establish even closer ties with our European clients, while strengthening our service capabilities in the fast-growing Iberian markets.” www.blmforum.net Business Link 7 NEWS DFS sells subsidiary Doncaster-headquartered DFS Furniture has entered into an agreement to sell its wholly-owned subsidiary, The Sofa Workshop, to Halo Furnishings. The £300,000 deal is conditional on regulatory approval from the FCA. The company said that following the disposal, it will benefit from the reduction in the cash costs of funding Sofa Workshop’s operating losses. “Over the course of the past few months we have reviewed our strategy and plans across the Group with a focus on ensuring our brands are in the best possible position to support the Group in maximising its return on capital,” said DFS CEO Tim Stacey. “After careful consideration, we have decided to sell Sofa Workshop to Halo. This transaction represents a great opportunity for Sofa Workshop and I’d like to thank all our colleagues for their hard work and commitment since the business was acquired by the Group seven years ago and wish them every success in the future.” © Shutterstock/Gor odenkof f © Shutterstock /Jevanto Productions Gov-backed project to boost Yorkshire manufacturers‘ productivity A taskforce of academics, bankers and consultants is helping twenty Yorkshire manufacturers to boost their productivity, as part of a government-backed project researching how firms in the region can increase their output. The year-long scheme, co-led by Leeds Beckett University, Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, management consultants Fluere and accountants Kirk Newsholme, has been backed by a £60,000 grant from Innovate UK. The project aims to give businesses the understanding and tools needed to measure their own productivity and to develop an effective improvement plan. The project comes as figures from the Office for National Statistics reveal that output per hour in Yorkshire and the Humber has fallen by 2.5 per cent, sitting 16.5 per cent behind the national average, making it the second least productive region in the UK. The project also aims to create more aligned, enhanced ways for businesses’ day-to-day advisers, such as banking relationship manager or accountants, to help identify and narrow productivity gaps. © Shutterstock /ESB Professional 06-09.qxp_Layout 1 03/09/2020 10:19 Page 2TOWER FIELD SERVICES Cat Tech Tower Field Services offers bespoke mechanical services to oil refinery and petrochemical plants all around the world. Our team has vast experience in overseeing and undertaking the installation of all types of Tower internals. Our Tower tray, packing and other internals installation services has deep roots, with several of the senior team at Cat Tech being involved in the founding of the Cana-Tex organisation. Since 1971, Cana-Tex had been the premier global Tower speciality contractor; performing Tower maintenance and plant turnaround projects around the world. These origins, with the addition of new team members, make Cat Tech Tower Field services a global operation which is both cost effective and technically experienced. We strive to create new ways to make your Tower work safer, faster and more productive and that can make very good things happen for your business. We thrive on exceeding our clients expectations and understand the need for upfront communication in relation to timescales and costs. No-one likes surprises in this industry and we ensure that everything is done, from pre-job planning, on site activities to post job reporting in a manner which allows our customers to concentrate on their core business. Let us show you what we can do. We work hard to maintain an industry reputation for safety, speed and dependability. Ours crews have been trained by us, this allows us to staff a project with the proven skills necessary to produce customer satisfaction. It is our intention to demonstrate the benefit of utilising Cat Tech for all of your Tower work. The benefits of engaging Cat Tech are: l Experienced Tower specialists. l Proven track record. l Ability to supply spares and replacements. l Spade to Spade service. l Revamps or modifications to Towers / Internals. l Inspection of Tower internals. l Supervision of external/client labour force. l Detailed inspection reports. l Cleaning of tower internals. l Reactor tray field services. l Turnkey reactor tray field services. At Cat Tech, we continue to create new ways to make Tower work safer, faster and more productive. And that can make very good things happen for your business. Contact us for further information. Our well established sales team have a wealth of experience. We take pride on ensuring all enquires are dealt with quickly and efficiently. UK: Cat Tech (Europe) Ltd., 1 South Park Road, South Park Industrial Estate, Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, DN17 2BY UK Phone: +44 (0) 1724 871747 Fax: + 44 (0) 1724 861928 Bulgaria: Cat Tech Services (South Eastern Europe) Ltd., Devnia, Varna District, Povelyanovo, 20 Droujba Str, R Bulgaria, 9160 Phone: +(35) 9519 92052 Fax: +(35) 9527 46770 China: Cat Tech Services (Shanghai) Ltd., Room 1230 No.1, 58 Nong Huachi Road, Putuo District, Shanghai 20061 CN Phone: +(86) 2152 9175 08 Fax: +(86) 2152 9175 05 Singapore: Cat Tech Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., 17 Fan Yoong Road, Singapore 629794 Phone: +(65) 6264 6261 Fax: +(65) 6264 6401 South America: Please contact the UK office on +44 1724 871 747 Thailand: Cat Tech Services (Thailand) Ltd., 2/1 Soi Banbon Nuenpayom Road, Maptaphut Sub District, Muang Rayong District, Rayong Province 21150 TH Phone: +(66) 894 064 100 Fax: +(66) 638 692 382 MAKING YOUR PLANT WORK… SMARTER www.cat-tech.com PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/KAWINNINGS 06-09.qxp_Layout 1 03/09/2020 10:19 Page 3Revenue rise for Forgemasters despite challenging period Despite operating through a challenging period including last year’s flooding, a decline in steel demand, and the coronavirus crisis, Sheffield Forgemasters has delivered a rise in revenue. For the year ended 31 December 2019, the heavy engineering specialist recorded revenue of £79.3 million – up from £66.3 million in 2018. However, pre-tax profit declined from £2 million in 2018 to £0.8 million. The company reported a significant reduction in net debt from £20.3m to £8.8m in the year and has extended its lending facilities with Wells Fargo to December 2021. “We are optimistic about the long-term prospects of the business given its unique capabilities in the Defence Nuclear supply chain and we continue to work with external stakeholders to secure our role on future defence programmes,” said CEO David Bond. “We also see strong prospects in support of the UK Government zero carbon agenda, particularly supplying complex steel products into Civil Nuclear power applications and large off-shore wind structures.” www.blmforum.net Business Link 9 NEWS © Shutterstock/Smile Fight Seed investment for Sheffield EV start-up Sheffield-based Electric Vehicle (EV) tech start- up, Mina, has secured significant seed investment during the lockdown period supported by NorthInvest, valuing the business at £2 million. Private angel investors from a range of backgrounds including Energy, EV Charging and Vehicle Lease sectors contributed to the round led by NorthInvest Angel Investor Gary Shuckford and supported by equity finance advisor, Mick Morris at Compellor. Duncan Firman and solicitor Amy Pierechod of Yorkshire law firm Gordons LLP also offered legal support to the group of angels. Mina’s EV charging software makes managing electric fleet vehicles simple, and the company is already supporting a number of EV fleets across the UK. This latest investment round will support the start-up’s ambitious growth plans. 06-09.qxp_Layout 1 03/09/2020 10:20 Page 4Next >