< Previous20Business Link www.blmforum.netPORTS & LOGISTICSThe supply chain must now movefaster than ever before, thanks to ever-increasing demands from consumersand retailers. As the cut-throatcompetition between large brands andnew foreign alternatives continues tofester, the pressure often falls ontothose who work behind the scenes, assupermarkets and retailers attempt tobring goods to shelves fresher, faster –and most importantly - cheaper. At the same time, the supply chainfaces its own challenges. Costs areever-increasing, and with freshdemands from customers theinvestment cannot stop yet. On top ofthis, warehouse space is at an all-timelow, pinching an industry which isalready under a lot of strain. New principles in supply chainmanagement are making a major impacton efficiency. The latest routing andscheduling software, for example, helpssupply chain managers discover howeach low carbon technology will work indifferent scenarios. While manycompanies are looking at introducingbiofuel, for example, this can becomplicated by the added difficulties inacquiring it. New software can calculatehow many extra miles will be added totrips for refuelling with biofuel, with theadditional mileage set against therequired reductions in emissions. Thiscan therefore give an explicit andvaluable factor to assist companies inreviewing their carbon emissions – nowoften a prerequisite – and allow them toformulate effective ideas that best suittheir operations.With the issues of cost and efficiencyunder the spotlight like never before,multimodal solutions are becomingmore and more attractive to supplychain managers. It’s certainly the casethat many companies aren’t followingroutes that could be more effective – forexample, while 63% of containers arrivein the UK through ports in the SouthEast of England, only 10% of largedistribution warehousing is actuallybased there (much of it is transported toour region). The vast majority of theitems therefore have to travel across thecountry in trucks that will inevitablyramp up the carbon emissions.It is not simply an issue of buildingFromroadtowarehouseMore pressure on the supply chain is squeezing an already leanindustry, yet there are still improvements that can be made.Fromroadtowarehouse20-22_Layout 1 31/10/2016 12:21 Page 1www.blmforum.netBusiness Link 21Carillion completesmajor tunnelimprovements Carillion has completed a long-term project to strengthen WoodhouseTunnel in Leeds to sustain the city’s business infrastructure.The three-year programme of repairs has been part of a broaderproject of essential maintenance on the Leeds Inner Ring Road (A58M)carried out by Leeds City Council and Carillion to ensure the road cancontinue to be a key part of the highway network in Leeds used by morethan 80,000 vehicles a day.The works to the tunnel, which supports structures including Leeds General Infirmary, strengthened the walls and central pier to resist vehicleimpact as well as repairing areas of the roof. To carry out the work, 2,630 cubic metres of concrete and 550 tonnes of steel reinforcement wereused. With the A58(M) being such a key route through the city all the construction took place during 730 overnight closures, along with 12weekend contraflows.While the structural work on the tunnel was being carried out, the council and its street lighting partner Tay Valley Lighting along withcontractor SSE Contracting Limited also chose to look at updating the lighting in Woodhouse Tunnel, opened in June 1966.PHOTO: WWW.NORTHERN-EXPOSURE.CO.UKmore warehouses in the south; there isn’t enoughroom. Rather, concepts need to be put in place tosmooth the transition between the north andsouth, of which Yorkshire and Lincolnshire willlikely benefit. Improved rail freight links could beone option, but multimodal transport alreadymakes use of sea freight and ports – and ourregion has those in abundance. It’s not just the vehicles on the road that havean impact on efficiency, either – those confined tothe warehouse play an equally important role.Effective warehouse management has made amajor difference to the smooth running of asupply chain – and can help companies meet thestringent traceability and security requirements ofthe major retailers.The new breed of warehouse management anddistribution tools, are however, ensuring completetraceability throughout the entire process. Eachitem can be monitored, traced and accounted forat every step of the way – and records of all thesetransactions can be easily made available, whichis now often required by retailers in any case, aswell as customs and excise. In an industry wherea fast response is necessary (for example the foodand drink industry) it is not unusual to see retailersdemanding a point of origin or batch numbers forany recalls within 24 hours, it’s obviously ofparamount importance that the traceabilitysystems don’t falter upon reaching the supplychain. Due to the high profile nature of many largeretailers, both in terms of the media and publicopinion, retailers are very quick to drop supplierswho show failures or delays in terms of tracingback problems – so having a good system in placecan help prevent loss of major contracts. Despite this, however, there are still businessesthat are working at a rather slower speed and arecent survey of 250 companies suggested that26% of those surveyed wouldn’t be able toidentify product recall items within four hours,while 11% would need at least a day and 10%wouldn’t be able to carry out those requirementsat all. These companies would therefore have nochance when it came to winning major blue chipcontracts.Materials handling remains a major factor in thesupply chain, with the human element predictablybeing the one with the greatest potential for lossof efficiency. Forklifts, for instance, are a staple ofthe materials handling industry, with almost everywarehouse or distribution centre in the countryoperating a few at least. What can causeconfusion, however, is the wide array of forkliftsavailable on the market, and what roles they mightbest be suitable towards. Industrial reach forkliftsare best suited to taller racking systems, verycommon within the food and drink industry due tothe sheer quantity of stock that is kept in awarehouse, often necessitating that operatorsstack their products tall as well as wide. If yourwarehouse has unusually thin aisles, possiblybecause of even higher levels of stock, then a 3-wheel forklift can offer more manoeuvrability,allowing it to operate in these thinner aisles. 22 ÁPHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/K.D.P20-22_Layout 1 31/10/2016 12:21 Page 222Business Link www.blmforum.netPORTS & LOGISTICSPotter Logistics enlargesrail terminal inCambridgeshireYorkshire-based Potter Logistics has increased the capacity of its railfreight terminal in Ely in Cambridgeshire.Building on more than 25 years’ rail freight distribution at Ely, 5.7 km of newtrack, spread across 13 sidings, has been introduced on 10 acres of the site fortrain storage.The terminal, which benefits from Potter Logistics’ existing rail connections,was bought by the company in 1981. Security at the site is assured with highsecurity fencing, CCTV and remote monitoring as part of the new development.Thanks to work carried out by Potter Logistics and suppliers Alma Rail, the site boasts up-to-date and improved rail freight opportunitiesfor the Ely and wider Anglia region. Potter Logistics’ commitment to the area does not stop there with another 15 acres of the site primed forB2 and B8 land development.Stuart Taylor, Potter Logistics’ Commercial Director, said: “The latest expansion of the terminal’s facilities is one more step in the site’ssuccess story and we look forward to seeing the benefits that this growth – and future land developments – will bring to the area.”What a company needs can depend ona hundred different factors, from the widthof the aisles, the height of the stacking,weight of palletised goods, or even howfar back on a rack they are stacked.Almost all forklifts will come with healthand safety precautions such as shieldedroofs as standard, but there might alsoneed to be considerations in terms of useraccessibility, or even ergonomics. While many may scoff at the idea thatergonomic design should warrant a moreexpensive forklift system, one shouldremember that in an average day anoperator might move their arm over athousand times an hour, and their headtwice that number. Dragging that out overan eight hour day is going to causeserious strain and fatigue on workers, andwhile this might not lead to injury, it willcertainly have an impact on efficiencylevels, as workers begin to pause toloosen muscles or take quick rests – all ofwhich can damage efficiency, and yet canbe easily avoided with a little bit offorethought. In many cases the improvements thatcan be made to the supply chain toincrease efficiency are neither overly-expensive or esoteric, but are simplyones that operators have taken forgranted. What is for sure however, is thatwith the increasing demands beingplaced on manufacturers, both byretailers and the general public. Thesupply chain is going to be facing someserious challenges in the coming years,and will remain an important part of thefood and drink industry. PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/ESB PROFESSIONAL20-22_Layout 1 31/10/2016 12:21 Page 3SECURITYIt’s the time for celebration andrelaxation, yet companies in Yorkshireand Lincolnshire should be quick toremember that not everyone takes thesame holidays we do. Criminals seethe Christmas holiday period as ripepickings, and in some situations wemake it all too easy for them.Over the Christmas break companiesregularly report increased levels ofcriminal activity, both in terms ofrobbery and damage caused bycriminals. The biggest problem forbusinesses over the period is that it isa known fact that most premises willbe abandoned. Many businesses putthemselves at increased risk by activelypublicising the dates of their holidays,or by having automated emailresponses unwittingly informingthieves of exactly what their availabletimeframe is. Yorkshire and Lincolnshire are twocounties with an unusually largenumber of industrial estates, due to theopen nature of the counties. These areat particular risk since they are often farremoved from residential areas, withnot much in the way of traffic to act aswitnesses. As such it is perhapsunsurprising that Yorkshire andLincolnshire report a high number ofbusiness related criminal activity overthe Christmas break. One way to combat thieves is toarrange for staff members to comeround one time each over the holidays,simply to drive around the building tosee if there have been any signs offorced entry. Even the simple act of adifferent vehicle being in the area atrandom times each day can be enoughThe festive season may be approaching but keep in mind thatnot everyone is full of festive goodwill. Barrier toentry PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/MRS_YA24 Á23-25_Layout 1 31/10/2016 12:30 Page 124Business Link www.blmforum.netSECURITYPHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/WK1003MIKEto prompt thieves to look for easieropportunities elsewhere. The build up to Christmas is also akey time to look at what security youhave in place and the condition of itemssuch as perimeter fencing, gates andshutters. Ensure your CCTV and alarmsystems are working effectively andinform staff who to get in contact with ifthere is any sign of criminal damage. Ifpolice need to investigate the property,which key holders are available? It’simportant to keep in mind that certainstaff members might be unavailable, sokeys should be kept with someone whois staying in the region and who can bereached by phone. In addition somealarm systems can be keyed in to alertparticular staff members if a break-in isdetected, but it is important to find out ifthese individuals will be staying in theregion over the holiday. In many cases a company might beunable to prevent a determined burglarfrom gaining entry, but you can still takesteps to limit the losses to the companyitself. Valuable stock and equipment canbe either moved off site or stored away– particularly computers and otherelectrical equipment. The problem withmany burglaries over Christmas is thatthieves will be willing to visit a sitemultiple times over the holiday toensure they get every last item of value.Hence the importance of havingsomeone - either a staff member orperhaps a manager - visit the site overthe break to take note of any points offorced entry and alert the police.Quite often, however, the most likelybusinesses to be targeted are those thatmake the entry only too easy. Ladders,tools, bricks or anything that can beused as an aid to entry will invitethieves to take their chance. And, as23-25_Layout 1 31/10/2016 12:31 Page 2said earlier, companies are increasinglyusing automated telephone and emailsystems to inform people of theirclosing periods. Police records also show that thelevel of arson attacks over the periodincrease, and while most of these arethought to be failed attempts at gainingentry, they can potentially have greaterimpact than a burglary actually would.As such, companies are stronglyadvised to look at anything that mightbe combustible around their premises,particularly large empty bins orrecycling containers. In most caseswww.blmforum.netBusiness Link 25these will neither be emptied or filledover the period, so chaining them tofences or moving them into enclosedstorage can help reduce risk.Companies are even being advised nowto fit cages over letter boxes, and havesomeone empty them regularly.The best way to protect yourcompany is to create the appearancethat the business will remain busyduring the holidays, while also ensuringthat your security is well maintained. It’s not just physical security thatneeds to be updated, however. In arecent study undertaken by Dell, it wasfound that malicious attacks over theinternet had increased dramaticallywithin the Business environment. Interms of specific attacks, there hadbeen a dramatic increase in the amountof `point of sale` malware, increasedmalware traffic through encrypted webprotocols, and perhaps most alarming –twice the number of attacks onsupervisory control and dateacquisition (SCADA) systems. The latter is of particular danger tomany companies in the UK, and ourregion, due to the prevalence ofSCADA systems within many of ourmost common businesses. Includingmost manufacturers with a centralplant, recycling and waste managementfirms and logistics and transportcompanies.Point of sale malware can be farmore devastating, and has affectedmany large brands including Sears inthe US. How PoS malware works isoften that it infects card transactionmachines, and begins to record andtransmit the card information of anyonewho uses the machine. Thisinformation is then collected in adistant location for a period of time,before the bank accounts of thosepeople are then broken into, andmoney withdrawn. The Christmasperiod is naturally a big lure tocriminals operating this, since one cansafely assume there will be a lot morepeople making transactions in stores. In many cases it is not thatcompanies are placing no effort intoupdating their IT security, but that theyare not taking the correct steps. Thehuge range of available IT securityproducts for industry is a double-edgedsword for many companies. Althoughthere are a lot of options to choosefrom, inexperienced companies caneasily end up spending a fortune on ITsecurity systems that might not beappropriate for their specific needs.Correctly identifying through whatmedium a breach has occurred can bea daunting task for many, particularlywhen internal IT members might not beup-to-date on the latest malwareattacks and what causes them – andsince these cases are incredibly recent,few can be. While external IT supportcompanies will usually be moreconcerned with fixing the currentproblem, than identifying what causedit in the first place. PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/DEREK HATFIELD23-25_Layout 1 31/10/2016 12:31 Page 326Business Link www.blmforum.netSUPPORTING BUSINESS GROWTHIn any business there lie pitfalls andchallenges which can hinder acompany’s growth plans and affect itsfinancial health. Remaining competitivein an increasingly competitivemarketplace puts a great strain onbusinesses, which are forced to assumean ‘adapt or die’ attitude. Crises such asfinancial downturns or the Brexit forcecompanies to confront the flaws in theircorporate structure, but businessesshould be in a state of continuousimprovement, with ongoingdevelopment to ensure workers are attheir very best. The STEM industries are most at riskfrom the looming skills shortage which,in its simplest terms, occurs when anaging workforce reaches retirementwith a lack of new workers coming in toreplace them. If a company can’t attractsufficient numbers of qualified andskilled workers, then productivity andgrowth suffer. Although the digitalindustries continue to flourish, there’salso a threat of not being able to attractthe level of highly skilled workersneeded to maintain the sector’strajectory. If tooling existing staff with industryspecific skills is one half of the battle,then recruitment is the other. As far asrecruiting new staff goes, there are anumber of short term options at anorganisation’s disposal. Perhaps themost obvious solution is thatPHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/MATEJ KASTELICSowing skillsStaff need to be equipped with the latest skills to help businesses remain competitive inuncertain times and help plug the widening skills shortage. 26-29_Layout 1 31/10/2016 12:32 Page 1Modal Training launchesfirst coursesModal Training, the region’snew £7 million training centre ofexcellence for the ports, energy &logistics sectors, is takingbookings for a number of coursesahead of the facility’s 2017opening. The courses are classroom-based and cover basic safety,competencies and proficienciesfor individuals and businesses inthe road, sea and rail sectors. Driving and road coursesinclude: DriverMetrics Driver RiskIndex; Transport ManagerCertificate of ProfessionalCompetence (CPC); Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC); ADR HazardousGoods; fuel & driver efficiency; health & safety, and legislation.For those working in maritime and offshore, Modal Training is delivering a range ofStandards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) courses. For rail safety, courses range from initial Personal Track Safety (PTS) and IndustryCommon Induction (ICI) tickets, to Engineering Supervisor (ES), Controller of Site Safety(COSS), Safety Procedures for Working on Electrical Equipment (SPWEE) and OverheadLine Equipment Construction (OLEC).For more information, visit www.modaltraining.co.uk.www.blmforum.netBusiness Link 27Online Health and Safety Training CoursesHow would you like to save time and money on your next IOSH or NEBOSH trainingcourse? Health and safety training doesn't have to be expensive or boring. Book your course now and you can start within five minutes.Newlands House, Newlands Science Park, Hull, HU6 7TQ01482 211989 • info@wiseglobaltraining.com • www.wiseglobaltraining.comcompanies can invest in theirrecruitment strategies in order to attractthe best talent available, from skilledsenior workers to fresh faced graduates.Headhunting and aggressive marketingmight enable one company to taketalent from its rivals, but this approachcarries with it the risk of opening riftsbetween companies who might havehad otherwise positive relations.Likewise, employees who have beentempted away once might beencouraged to do so again, meaningthat a counter-push by anothercompany might have them moving onmore than once. Trade with the European Union, theUK’s biggest trade partner, remainsambiguous, and many of the nation’sbusinesses are already looking beyondcontinental Europe. This presents a glutof new opportunities for businesses inour region, looking to secure businessoverseas and, by extension, reinforcetheir domestic operations. But in orderto do this, companies must becomemore competitive and differentiatethemselves from rivals. Introducing newskills to a workforce is a proven meansof strengthening operations, whilst alsoappealing to potential new investorsand customers. For example, savvybusinesses could look to hire bilingualemployees and provide the frameworkto teach current staff to speak anotherlanguage. The validity of the English language inthe EU has already been criticised bythe French, meaning UK businessesworking in overseas markets may wellhave no other choice than to adoptanother language. Getting ahead of thistrend may well prove fortuitous, givinga business an edge over rivals. Staying ahead of the curve is crucial,especially at a time when businessesare ceasing to trade and falling intoadministration, citing the uncertainty ofthe Brexit. As Grimsby has reinventeditself as a world-leading renewableshub, training for the growing ports,energy and logistics industries isentwined with the future of our region.It’s a lot like dominoes – if one industryfalls, it begins a chain reaction wherebyothers will suffer. But this cause andeffect can go both ways, so reinforcingworkers with industry leading skills willstrengthen the sector and those relianton it. Training staff can sometimes seemlike a box-ticking exercise rather thanequipping a company with the toolsneeded to achieve new heights. In-house training isn’t the answer for everybusiness but, fortunately, there’re avariety of other options. Courses have long proved a popularoption for keeping staff updated withthe latest changes within their givenindustry, as well as getting to grips withthe latest innovation or development.When it comes to new technology orpolicies, a business leader cansometimes know as little as their staff,meaning that they themselves don’thave the knowledge required to pass iton. While outsourcing training andusing these courses comes with anumber of advantages, there are thingsa business needs to consider. Investing in any training requiressome short-term expenditure, thoughthe long-term results can often beadvantageous and more than offset theinitial cost. This is certainly the casewhen it comes to courses, which comewith an initial expense that needs to beweighed up against the end result.Another option is to commissionindustry or academic experts toprovide bespoke, in-house training.While this does present an expensiveoption for businesses, particularly at atime when finances might be spreadthin, it does cater to the growingcomplexity of the STEM and digitalindustries. In that regard, generictraining might not be up to the task oftooling staff to cater to the changing28 Á26-29_Layout 1 31/10/2016 12:32 Page 2expand their skillset. Thiscan also boost motivationand morale within theorganisation, improving itsoverall esteem andreputation, something thatmay encourage new workers into thefold organically. While budgets for training anddevelopment came under pressureduring the recent economic downturn,they are now firmly back on the agendain the financial services sector,28Business Link www.blmforum.netSUPPORTING BUSINESS GROWTHAccountancy firmlaunches free financialadvice seminarsYorkshire accountancy firm Wintersgill Associates is sharing its financialexpertise with other businesses in the region through free of charge advicesurgeries.Wintersgill Associates has devised ‘The Secrets of Financial Mastery’workshops to inspire, offer skill development and provide financial tips to helpbusinesses grow, and Managing Director Paul Wintersgill will run them every fortnight.The workshops will cover the importance of direction for a business, understanding and measuring your company’s results whiledemonstrating the steps that need to be taken. Attendees will also have chance to discuss issues specific to their industry and theirorganisation.Mr Wintersgill, pictured, said: “These workshops are aimed at anybody who wants their business to grow and they’re open to businessowners from all sectors – the principles remain the same. Once you know and understand your business, you can then grow it and maximiseits success.”needs of the organisation and itscustomers. The added benefit ofbringing in an outside perspective isthat a company can fall into routine andcan’t see the proverbial wood for thetrees. An outsider force might be justthe ticket to reinvigorating operations. Developing the skills of existingemployees over recruiting new staffcan give a workforce a new lease of lifeand, in some cases, may even promptstaff to stay loyal, as the company hasinvested in helping the employeeaccording to new research fromrecruitment consultancy, Robert HalfFinancial Services. Recognising theperceived value of training andcertification to employees, nearly fourin 10 of financial executives state theyBusinesses urged to be involvedin growth strategy for LeedsLeeds City Council is calling forevidence to support a review of thecity’s growth strategy. Theconsultation, which runs until 11thNovember, will involve businessesand other key stakeholders.The revised strategy will form thebasis of a delivery plan to supporteconomic growth. It will identify keysectors and locations for growth,alongside regeneration, housing,skills, transport and infrastructureopportunities.Growing the economy has manybenefits, improvements toproductivity has a direct correlation to living standards. It will mean more money for publicservices, reduced unemployment and increased wages. Judith Blake, Leader of Leeds City Council, said: “Leeds has enormous potential for growthand we have had some real success stories in recent years. But we cannot be complacent, Leedsstill doesn’t have a modern integrated transport system and recent flooding has impacted onmany businesses.“We are determined to continue building a strong economy and this growth strategy is anopportunity to build on our position of strength, working closely with business and partners tosee what we are doing well and where we can work better.”PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/ALBERT PEGO26-29_Layout 1 31/10/2016 12:32 Page 3www.blmforum.netBusiness Link 29PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/PITCHRLincolnshireeconomystabilisingfollowing BrexitvoteLincolnshire’s latest Quarterly Economic Survey(QES) has revealed that the reported negativeimpact that many businesses were bracing forpost-Brexit has not materialised, with currentconditions better than most expected. The Survey is conducted in conjunction withLincolnshire County Council and the University ofLincoln four times a year. It takes a health checkon the local business community, and is used bydecision makers in Whitehall to lobby policychanges.“In the run up to the Brexit vote we saw ratherdisappointing results around sales and orders,both home and overseas,” said Simon Beardsley,Chief Executive at Lincolnshire Chamber ofCommerce. “But this quarter’s results show aswing back to a more measured outlook, eventhough businesses are still feeling twinges ofuncertainty as to what lies ahead.”Many business commentators agree that thetimings of the last two QES surveys, one justbefore and one after the Brexit vote, may beadversely affecting the results.will increase investment in professionaldevelopment in the year ahead.From preparing for successionplanning, to increased employeemotivation, job satisfaction andefficiencies in processes, the benefitsof training and development are welldocumented with employers andemployees alike reaping the rewards.According to the research, companies’investment in training anddevelopment will increase, on average,by a fifth in the next 12 months.Certification courses (49%) andmentoring (48%) offer the greatestcareer development opportunities forfinancial services professionals,PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/PRESSMASTERfollowed by on-the-job training (39%)and tertiary & post graduate education(34%). “As employers continue to seekways to improve their staff’smotivation, engagement andproductivity, they should not overlookreviewing their training anddevelopment plans,” says Luke Davis,Vice-president, Robert Half FinancialServices. “The planned increaseshighlight the importance of attractingand retaining the best people,particularly in light of the current skillsshortage. Professionals today areeager to find ways to advance theircareer and professional development.The most successful training anddevelopment programmes are thosethat are tailored to the individual andtheir personal career path within thebusiness.”The long-touted skills shortage is oneof many threats to modern businesses,but developing the competences ofexisting staff while developing newrecruits will help take much of the stingout to the tail. There are a number ofoptions open to businesses dependingon its needs and outcomes. The futureof our region lies in the hands of thehands of the next generation, inproviding them with necessary skillswe in turn help ourselves to prosper. 26-29_Layout 1 31/10/2016 12:33 Page 4Next >