< PreviousTOWER 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. lSpade to Spade service. lRevamps or modifications to Towers / Internals. lInspection of Tower internals. lSupervision of external/client labour force. lDetailed inspection reports. lCleaning of tower internals. lReactor tray field services. lTurnkey 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 06-11.qxp_Layout 1 30/09/2021 11:06 Page 5Fewer sectors grow as staff shortages bite The number of UK sectors reporting output growth fell to a six-month low in August, as the impact of labour shortages intensified, according to the latest Lloyds Bank UK Recovery Tracker. Nine of the 14 UK sectors monitored by the Tracker saw output rise during August, down from 12 in July and the lowest number since February when the UK was still in lockdown. Labour shortages and supply chain disruption caused the output of UK transport (42.9) businesses, chemicals (45.0) and metals and mining (47.9) manufacturers to each fall for the first time in six months. A reading above 50 signals output is rising, while a reading below 50 indicates contraction. The output of transport firms was most acutely affected by recruitment challenges. Firms said their ability to complete orders was significantly reduced by a UK-wide shortage of haulage drivers. The chemicals and metals and mining sectors also saw a contraction in output, as both sectors experienced longer supplier delays compounding the impact of raw materials shortages and supply chain disruption in overseas markets. Overall, the haulage driver shortage combined with global supply issues caused UK manufacturing sector lead times to lengthen to the greatest extent since the peak of the pandemic in April 2020. Meanwhile, input cost inflation eased for the first time since January. Reduced price pressures were seen in eight of the 14 sectors monitored by the Tracker during August, up from seven in July and just four in June. Manufacturing sectors, including metals and mining, automobiles and auto parts and industrial goods, cited lower commodity prices for the easing of cost inflation, with falls in the price of key inputs, such as oil, iron ore and chemicals. However, the overall rate of cost inflation was still the third highest in the Tracker’s history, as UK firms continued to experience materials shortages and higher wage costs driven by recruitment challenges. www.blmforum.net Business Link 11 NEWS RSK adds two more businesses to its portfolio RSK Group, the integrated environmental, engineering and technical services business, has added two more UK businesses to its portfolio. Electrokinetic and EiB are the latest companies to join forces with RSK in what has been an active year for the group. West Yorkshire-based Electrokinetic provides innovative solutions for remediating unstable slopes and dewatering slurries and sludges based on patented electrokinetic geosynthetics (EKG) technology. Working alongside RSK’s Central Alliance business, Electrokinetic will continue delivering its innovative solutions to clients while exploring and developing new applications. Meanwhile EiB, based in Birmingham, provides specialist strategic work- winning support to transform client’s performance and ensure they win and/or retain significant projects and service contracts across the public and private sectors. Becoming part of the RSK group will enable EiB to grow and develop into new markets and explore new sales opportunities across the businesses within RSK. Both businesses will continue to operate under their current branding and will adhere to their core values and ways of working. North Lincs Engineering Ltd We specialise in the Supply, Installation and Reconditioning of Industrial and Marine Diesel Engines and Generating Sets. Our team of Service Engineers can Repair, Maintain or Commission Land based or Marine Installations Worldwide. Tel: 01507 328787 • Email: mark@northlincseng.co.uk • Website: www.northlincseng.co.uk INDUSTRIAL & MARINE DIESEL ENGINES & GENERATING EQUIPMENT © Shutterstock/PanyaStudio © Shutterstock/New Africa 06-11.qxp_Layout 1 30/09/2021 11:06 Page 612 Business Link www.blmforum.net COMMERCIAL PROPERTY Office opportunities This month, Business Link highlights fresh office deals in Yorkshire as activity increases while occupiers consider how they want to use office space in the future. 12-15.qxp_Layout 1 30/09/2021 11:09 Page 1www.blmforum.net Business Link 13 COMMERCIAL PROPERTY 15 Á 26 Whitehall Road Office deals continue to be made in Yorkshire despite the supposed “death” of such working environments. Indeed many businesses in the region are expanding, seeking out offices to accommodate their growth, yet others are following a country-wide move to offices with less but higher quality floorspace, as hybrid and remote working styles become permanent. Simultaneously affecting office choice are renewed considerations for wellness, environmental features and amenities. Yorkshire Housing, for example, recently signed a ten- year lease that will see them move into Leeds’s first zero carbon office building, developed by Citu. The move comes as part of a ‘hub, home and roam’ working approach, which enables colleagues to work from home, out in their communities, a nearby café, a park, or from a central hub. The move to ‘The Place’, in the Climate Innovation District of Leeds, follows the sale of their previous city centre HQ, Dysons Chambers, and sees Yorkshire Housing take over 10,000 sq ft. Chief Executive, Nick Atkin, said: “We’re thrilled to be the first business to commit to a zero-carbon workspace here in Leeds. This move represents a remarkable milestone for Yorkshire Housing and the housing sector as a whole. We always intended to move to a flexible way of working and delivering services, however the pandemic has accelerated our plans. By offering colleagues a more flexible working pattern that removes the need for unnecessary commuting, The Place allows us to make a significant contribution towards reducing our carbon footprint as well as providing a great place to come together and collaborate.” The new Yorkshire Housing hub has been designed to promote innovation and collaboration, and will include features such as an indoor garden, outdoor meeting and leisure area and breakout spaces that will create a working environment that is focused around wellbeing. Staff can also take advantage of the dedicated roof terrace which houses a multi-use games area, yoga spaces and space for events, exercise, and socialising. Nina Evison, director of people and culture at Yorkshire Housing, said: “This won’t be a conventional office but an innovative, high-tech workspace where people come together to collaborate, share ideas and socialise, supported by a network of other local venues around the region.” Meanwhile, Genuit Group, a provider of sustainable water and climate management solutions for the built environment, is set to be the new tenant at Leeds City Centre’s 4 Victoria Place. The manufacturer has signed a ten-year lease on the 11,750 sq ft office building, which is in the South Bank district of Leeds, and will move its corporate office team to the new headquarters. Remaining in the city, a trio of deals have been made at The Pinnacle, Yorkshire’s tallest office tower. The new lettings include 5,100 sq ft of Grade A office space taken by a global recruitment company on the 12th floor, and 5,100 sq ft of Grade A office space taken by Support Warehouse, who provide IT support services for Hewlett Packard, on the 19th floor. The leases were signed at £23.50 per sq ft, reflecting record rents for the tower, and highlight the ongoing strength of the Leeds office market, which continues to attract 12-15.qxp_Layout 1 30/09/2021 11:10 Page 2Armstrong house Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby DN31 2QE Tel: (01472) 310301 • Email: s.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk Superb Location - - Close to the ports of Grimsby & Immingham - Great motorway links - Close to the town centre Secure off street parking High speed internet availability Easy in/out terms A range of affordable office sizes 3 3 3 3 3 Last remaining office suites Prime location in Grimsby Offering a prime position in Grimsby, Armstrong House on Armstrong Street is ideally located. Close to the ports of Grimsby and Immingham, motorway links and the town centre, off-street parking is also available for all staff and visitors, meaning it’s convenient too. Our spacious, welcoming offices are located on the ground floor and are both secure and CCTV-monitored, giving you the ultimate peace of mind. At Armstrong House, the flexible in/out terms of contract mean confidence when it comes to affordability and with a range of office sizes there are opportunities for all types of business. If you require virtual office services, prices start from just £15 per month. For more information, or to discuss your office requirements call 01472 310301. 12-15.qxp_Layout 1 30/09/2021 11:10 Page 3www.blmforum.net Business Link 15 COMMERCIAL PROPERTY national and global businesses, and suffers from a lack of available high-quality office space. This is further evidenced by global consumer finance business, International Personal Finance (IPF), recently taking a 10-year-lease on 15,600 sq ft of Grade A office space at 26 Whitehall Road (the fifth floor of the building). The rent is £23.50 per sq ft. Moreover, Highways England has relocated to a new 15,861 sq ft office in Leeds at 2 City Walk, on a decade long lease. It is said the office will provide a modern, flexible, and agile environment that will help drive efficiencies and enhance employee wellbeing. Deals are, of course, also being made further afield, across the county, outside of Leeds, with for instance the historic Grade II listed textile mill in the heart of Park Valley Business Park in Lockwood, Huddersfield, now fully let following three agreements with expanding businesses AHCI Ltd, The City Partnership and Ash Products. The 20,600 sq ft heritage Mending Rooms building has been converted to business accommodation, completing last November. Martin Duckett, of developers Park Valley Huddersfield Ltd, explained that the radically refurbished Mending Rooms were delivering prime SME employment space on a successful site to support inward investment and company expansion. Furthermore, in Sheffield, the SEO Works has doubled its office space, signing a lease on 8,600 sq ft of space at Fountain Precinct. This sees the firm move from its current 3,788 sq ft base on Scotland Street to its new third floor home with open plan offices, meeting rooms and break-out areas for its growing team. The Pinnacle Mending Rooms 12-15.qxp_Layout 1 30/09/2021 11:10 Page 416 Business Link www.blmforum.net IT AND COMMUNICATIONS SPOTLIGHT © Shutterstock /Gorodenkof f Don’t get left behind 16-19.qxp_Layout 1 30/09/2021 11:13 Page 1www.blmforum.net Business Link 17 IT AND COMMUNICATIONS SPOTLIGHT M ost businesses will have at least broadband in their premises and likely a half decent telecoms system in place, so they may be looking to augment their IT and communications rather than replace it altogether. Yet simple solutions such as file sharing services, software and apps still go neglected by many. WeTransfer and Dropbox et al enable companies and individuals to securely send – and in the case of the latter, store – documents, images and other important data. This can be accomplished in the office or remotely from a smart phone or tablet and both services are free-to-use up to a certain capacity whilst also offering paid- for subscriptions for businesses. The topic of Dropbox brings us on to cloud storage. At its simplest, the ‘cloud’ refers to software and services that run or are stored on the internet rather than locally on one’s computer. As with the internet itself, the cloud isn’t owned or managed by any one organisation but is rather a collective term for a variety of applications operated by different organisations. Though, it’s fair to say, that some organisations have more of a monopoly than others – big names being Google, Amazon and Microsoft. For businesses, this allows more flexible, accessible and trust-worthy storage than a hard drive or local servers – both of which can malfunction, be ruined in fire or flood or corrupt and erase data. Because of its inherent flexibility, cloud computing is perfectly suited to remote workers who can access everything they need from a home office. The same can be said for working on-the-go, with staff able to access files via a smart phone, tablet or laptop, whether that’s on the way to a meeting or during a networking session. Surely that’s preferable to the oft-forgotten memory stick. As businesses continue to adapt to home working, cloud computing has never been more critical to a company’s success and future trading. Despite the obvious benefits to business, there are companies that still refuse to implement a cloud storage strategy into their operation. There are several reasons why, from misconceptions around the initial investment and subscription costs, to a simple fear of new technologies – something that many Updating an outmoded telecoms system not only helps to streamline and modernise a company’s internal process, but also improves competitiveness in an increasingly difficult marketplace. At a time when companies are facing economic pressure, bosses can’t afford not to update. 18 Á 16-19.qxp_Layout 1 30/09/2021 11:14 Page 218 Business Link www.blmforum.net IT AND COMMUNICATIONS SPOTLIGHT heritage SMEs struggle with. But perhaps the biggest fear concerns security. However, the security of cloud storage and similar services is improving all the time. Those regular updates on your smart phone usually contain security fixes, meaning they need to be installed as soon as possible. Compared with, say, the telephone, digital technologies are still very young, but it’s important for companies to be cognizant of security risks such as hacking and phishing and tool staff up with the knowledge they need to operate and work more securely. A robust suit of virus protection services is also a must. Some businesses may think they’re saving money by using a cheaper – or even free – virus protection but, ultimately, it’s a false economy. Businesses cannot afford to cut corners when it comes to cybersecurity, especially in this economy. Though hacks are never welcome, bigger businesses are often in a better position to endure them and may even have insurances in place to cover them in such an event. But for SMEs, a hack can be truly devastating and something they may not ever fully recover from. But the benefits outweigh the risks. Take, for example, video conferencing, which has existed in one form or another since the eighties. But now with web- based video conferencing, teams can convene in virtual meeting rooms. Most video conferencing solutions typically come bundled with online collaboration tools such as document sharing, text chat and screen sharing. The benefit, of course, is that teams can collaborate over distances and meetings can be hold from parties in two or more different countries. © Shutterstock /Marko Aliaksandr 16-19.qxp_Layout 1 30/09/2021 11:14 Page 3www.blmforum.net Business Link 19 IT AND COMMUNICATIONS SPOTLIGHT It’s all well and good saying that businesses should adopt digital communications and cloud technologies, but that’s often easier said than done. Given Yorkshire and Lincolnshire comprise the nation’s two biggest counties, and that both have wide rural areas, it’s no surprise that connectivity is a challenge for many businesses. It’s critical that businesses future-proof themselves where possible and sure-up their operations, and that means guaranteeing they have good broadband in place – after all. The continuing rollout of 5G connectivity is taking businesses to the next level with promises of lightning- fast uninterrupted connectivity. As major towns and cities across our region continue to enter the new age of digital connectivity, it’s important that our vital rural businesses are included. One of the biggest business communication trends tipped for growth is unified communications – that is the integration of real-time and near real- time communications systems. This means bringing together chat services, phone, video conferencing, messaging, feedback and commenting systems into a unified system which reduces infrastructure and boasts more features for a more responsive experience. What has taken place with video conferencing becoming near inseparable from other collaborative communication tools will happen right across the sector as companies bring their communications increasingly into one unified solution. Necessity in the wake of the pandemic has driven the widespread adoption and use of video conferencing applications such as Zoom. Likely, these tools will simply become part of a business’ toolkit rather than just being a means of surviving the coronavirus crisis. Though none of us would have asked for the pandemic, we can use it is a catalyst to usher in step changes in outdated IT and telecoms systems and usher in an age of more unified, interconnected business communication. © Shutterstock /PopT ika 16-19.qxp_Layout 1 30/09/2021 11:14 Page 4Next >