< Previous10Business Link www.blmforum.netSomething to say? Write to: Business Link Magazine, Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby,North East Lincolnshire DN31 2QE or email: letters@blmgroup.co.ukReaders’LETTERSReaders’LETTERSWhat a conundrumDear Sir,I have to disagree with your reader C Herring’.The employment market hasgained strengththroughout 2014 which reflects the fact that theUK’s economy is stabilising after the recession.Other businesspeople, that I speak with, seem farmore empowered and are creating new jobs againas they pursue the growth opportunities that arestarting to emerge. The problem however lies infinding suitable employees, as the drive and,often, the work ethic of today’s workforce is, toput it mildly, somewhat different than it once was. Too many graduates these days seem to want aGoogle type employer where we can all huddle inmeeting pods and work in a trendy environment -as a result, where we once saw twenty applicantsshortlisted for a skilled job we now see only asmall fraction of that apply. Quite how we address that issue, is theconundrum.P Steeper LeedsClassics for commuting? Dear Sir,I enjoyed reading your article on classic cars, as I’ve long been a fan of vintage cars but whether such carscould really be used for the daily commute I’m unsure. Many classics had question marks over reliabilitywhen they were rolling off the production line, as any Stag owner will testify, and unlike todays cars withtheir 10-15,000 mile service intervals, some of the pre-1960 models had service intervals of about a thousandmiles or so - and for good reason! As you point out, many classics are so much simpler under the bonnet than their modern counterparts -so, when they do need attention, motorists have a good chance of being able to fix them. Whether I’d beinclined to risk ruining a perfectly good Bruno St Hilaire suit, by trying is questionable.S TaylorYorkTime for change…Dear Sir,On the run up to the general election I can’t help wonderinghow many of us voted Tory last time for their promises toshrink the number of quangos, reduce the number of MPs by10% and so get rid of the deficit within one parliamentaryterm. Unless I’m mistaken, the government has failed in all ofthese. Instead we have an underfunded NHS, moreprofessional politicians - albeit in the guise of policecommissioners, quangos with different names and politicianswho are self-serving egotists. Like so many others, the last thing I want is a party such asUKIP, but the voter needs a new breed of politician - one thatserves the public not helps themselves and makes excuses fornot delivering. A government that doesn’t treat its electorateas a bunch of mindless numbskulls. To achieve this, the closedparty system should be removed as it has no place in amodern society and if it means we have to vote for UKIP toachieve that then count me in.D Brierly Wakefield10_Layout 1 28/11/2014 10:09 Page 1Business Link 11www.blmforum.netCOMMERCIAL PROPERTYIn the last few months the commercialproperty industry has seen some of its largestdeals for 2014, suggesting that the momentumis here to stay.South Yorkshire has seen the largest deal ofthe past few years completed early this month,as Developer TCN UK completed thedevelopment of a 110,000 square footRotherham site for Tesco. The developmentitself cost £39 million, of which included £4million to be spend on Rotherham’s publicrealm improvements, including revisions toroad and utilities infrastructure. Beyond creating a potential 450 jobs in theregion, TCN UK are also hoping that thedevelopment will act as a milestone in the13 ÁPropertygoingstrongThe commercial property market continues to pullahead, and some of the largest deals of 2014 havetaken place in recent months.The Blokhaus property inLeeds has been let out toSearch Laboratory, in what isLeeds’ largest out of towndeal of 201411-13_Layout 1 28/11/2014 10:11 Page 1ArmstronghouseOffering a prime position in Grimsby, Armstrong House onArmstrong Street is ideally located. Close to the ports ofGrimsby 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 officesare 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 contractmean confidence when it comes to affordability and with a rangeof office sizes there are opportunities for all types of business. Ifyou require virtual office services, prices start from just £15 permonth. For more information, or to discuss your office requirements,give Scotts Property a call today on 01472 267000 and askabout Armstrong House.Ground floor offices to letPrime location in GrimsbySuperb Location -- Close to the ports of Grimsby &Immingham- Great motorwaylinks- Close to the town centreSecure off street parkingHigh speed internet availabilityEasy in/out termsA range of affordable office sizes333335 Town Hall Street, Grimsby DN31 1HNed@scotts-property.co.uk www.scotts-property.co.ukwww.shutterstock.com/terekhov igorwww.shutterstock.com/Yentafern11-13_Layout 1 28/11/2014 10:11 Page 2www.shutterstock.com/YentafernBusiness Link 13www.blmforum.netCOMMERCIAL PROPERTYregeneration of Rotherham’s towncentre – paving the way for futureinvestment in the area. Stephen Holme, DevelopmentDirector of TCN UK warns, “What iscrucial now is that Rotherhamcapitalises on this level of change.South Yorkshire has huge developmentpotential but is not yet witnessing thelevels of investment and pace ofchange that we are witnessing acrossother sites in the UK such as Bristol andBirmingham.” It’s not just South Yorkshire which iscelebrating their largest deals of theyear, however, as Leeds-based propertyfirm Rushbond PLC has completedLeeds’ largest out of town office deal of2014.The Blokhaus building itself, which isa newly refurbished five-storeyproperty, will be let to SearchLaboratory, a website analytics, SEOand digital marketing specialist. Themove will see Search Laboratory mergetheir two existing Leeds offices into thenew property. Blokhaus is a landmark buildinglocated in a key commercial area on theLeeds outer Ring Road at West Park.The building’s unique layout offers alarge 12,000 sq ft, contemporary openplan office space on the ground floorwith a further four floors of flexiblespace above.What is clear, as the year draws to aclose, is that the commercial propertysector is continuing to prove itsdominance in an era of businessuncertainty – proving that the largedeals and transactions of 2014 willsurely continue the pace into 2015. The Rotherham Tescosuperstore was completed twoweeks early by TCN UKWhat is clear, as theyear draws to aclose, is that thecommercial propertysector is continuingto prove itsdominance.11-13_Layout 1 28/11/2014 10:11 Page 3INTERNATIONAL LINK / BUSINESS TRAVEL14Business Link www.blmforum.netIn recent years the links between ourregion and the rest of the world havebecome increasingly strong. After thearrival of cycling fans from acrossEurope to Yorkshire this year, Grimsbywill be welcoming hundreds ofdelegates for the World SeafoodCongress in 2015 and Hull is alreadypreparing for its moment on theinternational stage in 2017.As well as welcoming visitors to ourregion, so too are many companieslooking towards Europe, and evenfurther afield, for new opportunities.Many companies are taking the chanceto attend trade missions or attendinternational conferences, andalongside these host their own eventsand seminars. The challenge is toconsider the different approachesrequired when networking overseas.Mike Stokes of Exportential, ChiefExecutive of The Business ClubLincolnshire, regularly helps businessesmount such events. He says,“Businesses are already experienced atorganising events in the UK, so whatsort of difficulties might they experiencewhen doing the same thing in othercountries? There are a number of areaswhere they can get caught out.“Local technical difficulties can oftencause problems if they are notanticipated – such as power supplies,water pressures, ambient temperatures,levels of humidity, accessibility tobroadband, mobile phone coverage,standards and approvals. Theavailability of vital equipment can beseriously affected by such issues, andthe distance from home base can be anissue, as it is often too far to allow forlast minute rush actions to save theday.“Language and culture issues alsopresent huge challenges. Even afterprofessional translation and interpretingservices have been engaged,unexpected cultural differences canmean the difference between successand failure – sometimes even causingoffence! Aside of personal etiquette andgeneral differences in culture,differences in business culture cannotbe overemphasised. Just becauseEnglish is spoken in a country, it cannotbe assumed that the business culture isthe same as ours – just look at the USAas the prime example.“So, how do British businessesminimise the chances of falling into allof these pitfalls? The answer is verysimple but the implementation is notnecessarily easy – preparation, trainingand support. It’s important to preparebefore all events but when organisingevents overseas it’s crucial to conductresearch into the environment in whichthe event is taking place – its history,religion, culture, customs and language.Understanding local attitudes andexpectations will help enormously tomake the mission successful. It will alsobe necessary to arrange travel, hotels,Spreadingtheir wingsBusinesses in our region are using the fantastic transport linksto look overseas for new opportunities – but it’s something thatrequires careful studyAbove: Chinese-speakingstudents from theUniversity of Sheffield areto be placed with UKcompanies to help thembreak into the thrivingChinese marketRight: The WTC areopening a new branch atthe Humber SeafoodInstitute in Grimsby’sEuroparc“Language and culture issues also present huge challenges.Even after professional translation and interpreting services havebeen engaged, unexpected cultural differences can mean thedifference between success and failure”Mike Stokes of Exportential, Chief Executive of The Business Club Lincolnshire14-16_Layout 1 28/11/2014 11:27 Page 1Business Link 15www.blmforum.netvisas, car hire and so on well in advance.“Training those individuals who willparticipate in the event is often overlookedbut if done effectively it will ensure thatthey perform with maximum impact.Speakers, trainers, sales staff, receptionstaff and demonstrators must be fully awareof the conditions to expect. They will thenbehave and perform appropriately.“To make sure all of this thinking isjoined-up, time should be taken tounderstand what sort of support isavailable. There are any number ofseminars and training courses with whichto find out about overseas markets,conditions and people – so ignorancecannot be excused. In addition, there cansometimes be modest funding supportavailable to soften the blow. Mostimportantly, there is usually support16 ÁPHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/HXDYL14-16_Layout 1 28/11/2014 11:27 Page 2INTERNATIONAL LINK / BUSINESS TRAVEL16Business Link www.blmforum.netavailable from UK diplomaticresources abroad – so contactwith the local British Embassy,Consulate or High Commission ishighly recommended.”There are certainly manyorganisations that can help in thisregard. The World Trade CentreHull and Humber have helpedmany local companies tap intotheir network of contacts aroundthe world, and a great example ofthis came when it recentlyworked with its counterpart inThe Hague for a specialmatchmaking event in the Dutchcity. The event also involved theEnergy Group from WTC Twente,the Association of DutchSuppliers in the Oil and GasIndustry and Team HumberMarine Alliance, and followed thetwo Centres meeting up at theWorld Trade CentersAssociation’s general assembly inBucharest last year – an event Hull ishoping to host itself in the future.Laurens Kok of WTC The Hague says,“Both regions are the home base formany companies involved in activitiesin the North Sea and this will be anopportunity to get to know each otherand team up for future cooperation. Forcenturies the British have had traderelations with our country and therehave been many acquisitions andinvestments indicating that it is gooddoing business between the twocountries.”The WTC are also now opening anew branch at the Humber SeafoodInstitute in Grimsby’s Europarc. Thishas been made possible with supportfrom North East Lincolnshire Council,which is keen to support the not-for-profit organisations to have a base onthe South Bank.The new premises will be occupiedby representatives from the HumberLocal Enterprise Partnership, HumberBondholders, Team Humber MarineAlliance and UK Trade & Investment.The move to open offices to serve theNorth and North East Lincolnshirebusiness communities formed a keypart of the World Trade Centre’sdevelopment plan, which was publishednearly two years ago and it’s hoped thatthe offices will create openings for theWorld Trade Centre to engage withmore businesses involved ininternational trade.Our region’s educationalestablishments are also hugely valuablein creating links with internationalcompanies. Indeed, Chinese-speakingstudents from the University ofSheffield are to be placed with UKcompanies to help them break into theChinese market or find new investment.The University of Sheffield has beenchosen to pilot a pioneeringprogramme which is run by UKTI toprovide valuable and cost-effectiveaccess to Chinese language,cultural and business knowledge.The University has one of thelargest Chinese studentpopulations in the UK, as well asone of the largest and mostestablished schools of East AsianStudies in the country.China was chosen as the targetmarket for the pilot as thecountry’s import demand isexpected to dwarf all otheremerging powers, rising by $3.4trillion during the course of thedecade. China also has morestudents studying in the UK thanany other overseas group, withmore than 70,000 according tothe most recent figuresProfessor Paul White, Deputy-Vice-Chancellor at the Universityof Sheffield, says, “I amdelighted that the University ofSheffield has been chosen to bethe host institution for the GreatAmbassadors China pilot project andam looking forward to watching thescheme grow.“The project will not only provide awide range of long term benefits for ourstudents who will be getting the verybest foundations to their future careers,but it will also have a lasting impact onthe businesses involved. This schemegives our Chinese speaking studentsthe unique opportunity to acquirevaluable employability skills withinnovative companies who are lookingto develop and expand their trade linkswith China.”Schemes such as this will be of greatassistance for businesses looking totake advantage of our region’s fantasticand growing links with mainlandEurope, and even further afield. It’s amove that can sometimes be a toughone but by doing your research andmaking use of the services available,the benefits can be huge.Mark O’Reilly of TeamHumber Marine Allianceis among thosepromoting closer linkswith the NetherlandsHere to helpTo grow your businessglobally… you have to speak thelanguage! Translations/Localisations, Interpreting, Voice-Over, Language Tuition, Cultural Workshops and more. Over 4000 qualified linguists world-wide. Visit our web site today: www.languagesforlifeltd.comISO 90001Reg: 56279014-16_Layout 1 28/11/2014 11:27 Page 3Business Link 17www.blmforum.netCONSTRUCTION MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT19 ÁHarvard Engineering’s 80,000 sqft custom built facility in Wakefieldis one of the latest constructionprojects in our region, andCouncillor Peter Box, leader ofWakefield Council, attended thesite to ‘break ground’ alongsideJohn McDonnell, managingdirector of Harvard Engineering,and Andrew Winter, operationsdirector at Harvard Engineering.BUILDING A FUTUREConstruction opportunitiesabound for our region’scompanies – but they mustbe prepared to meet thehighest standardsOne of the most obvious signs thatthe recovery seems to be continuingapace is the large number of majordevelopments that are taking place –across the region and further afield.Indeed the recent RICS UK ConstructionMarket Survey suggests the workload inthe third quarter of 2014 is the highestin two decades. That brings with it ahost of opportunities for businesses ofall shapes and sizes, most obviously forthe construction sector.Yorkshire and Lincolnshire’scompanies have certainly benefitedfrom some of these major infrastructureprojects. The largest in the whole ofEurope is Crossrail, which involves theconstruction of ten new stations, 21kmof tunnels and over 100km of track, andthere are opportunities for fit-out,mechanical and electrical and systemsspecialists. Indeed Leeds City RegionLEP are staging a conference atRotherham’s AMP Technology Centre onWednesday 14th January to highlight theopportunities for the region’s companies.Many local companies have alreadymade an impact in these and othermajor infrastructure projects. Sheffield-based Mechan, for example, arespecialists in rail depot maintenance andhave recently completed their first orderfor a mobile sand filling system forMidland Metro, to replenish stocks onnew trams serving Birmingham andWolverhampton. The installation formspart of work to increase the size andcapacity of the depot and updateexisting equipment installed in 1999.The challenge in construction now isnot just to ensure an effective job butalso an efficient one. The industry isobviously a voracious consumer ofresources and companies areincreasingly required to meet toughenvironmental standards to wincontracts. Although this may involve thepurchase of new equipment and changesto working practices, the benefit of doingso is saving money in the long run.Companies such as PenninePneumatic Services, who specialise incompressed air solutions, have assistednumerous companies in this regard.They recently worked withmanufacturer Plasmor ConcreteProducts at their sites in Heck andKnottingley. At the latter, they were ableto offer advice on sizing a compressoron a secondary processing plant, as ithad been having ongoing problemswith an old undersize compressor,which wasn’t really up to the job.The company hired out a brand new11KW Atlas Copco VSD+ compressorin its place, and an audit showed thatthe new machine was not only morepowerful and reliable, but also cost lessto run than the old compressor.Plasmor therefore decided to purchasethis new machine and the hire fee wasreturned as part of the agreement. Aftera data logging exercise at the other twoKnottingley plants, Plasmor bought twofurther Atlas Copco VSD+compressors, powerful enough toreplace the two existing 18KWHydrovane compressors.17-19_Layout 1 02/12/2014 07:52 Page 1At Pennine Pneumatic Services (PPS), weknow compressors inside out – and we prideourselves on finding the best solution for eachand every customer. You won’t get pushy salesstaff or baffling jargon, just solid, no-nonsenseadvice from a friendly bunch of Yorkshire folkwith many years’ experience in the field. As an Atlas Copco premier UK distributor,PPS specialises in:nSales– new and second-hand air compressors, VSD+, acuum, nitrogen, pneumatics, heat-recovery equipment and treatmentsnService– highly qualified engineers, all the key accreditations and service contracts with a true 24-hour call out service seven days a weeknSpares– a comprehensive range at our onsite Sales Counter, including air tools and OEM kits, with next-day delivery nationwidenPipework, including galvanised, stainless steel, copperand aluminium smooth bore up to 168mm, turnkey installation packagesnEquipment hire– save down-time costs during breakdowns and major servicingPassionate about energyefficiency and energysavings, we offerprofessional advice tocustomers working inmany industriesincluding:n Food and drink n Automotive n Pharmaceutical n Engineeringn UPVC Window manufacturen Glass manufacturen Petrochemicaln Chemicaln Constructionn Joinery manufacturen Paintn TextilesnWater/water treatmentn Paper/cardboard boxesn Foamn Electronicsn Waste managementn Dental surgeries and labsPennine Pneumatic Services Ltd5-7 Pellon New Rd, Halifax HX1 4UBTel: 01422 321772 Fax: 01422 342430sales@pennine-pneumatic.co.ukwww.pennine-pneumatic.co.ukWinner of the Atlas CopcoCompressors’ Distributorof the Year Award 2013CONTACT US TODAY FOR YOUR FREE ENERGY AUDITWe use the latest data, pressure and flow meter logging and leak detection to identify potential energy savings. Did you know that switching to energy efficientcompressors can save you up to 50%onyour running costs?But don’t just take our wordfor it…“The team at PPS reallyknow their stuff and givegreat advice – I can alwaysrely on them to solve myproblems. Not only do theytake the stress out of myjob but they have alsosaved our company a lot ofmoney over the years.”Alan Maycock,PPG Architectural Coatings17-19_Layout 1 02/12/2014 07:52 Page 2Business Link 19www.blmforum.netCONSTRUCTION MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENTAs well as being impressed with theenergy savings, Plasmor were surprisedthat their plant could be run bymachines that had such a smallfootprint and were so quiet to operate.James Marshall, Production Director forthe Plasmor Group, was initiallysceptical about the energy savings thatwere being used to justify thecompressor replacements, but nowsays, “The ongoing audits throughoutall the Plasmor sites, and subsequentreplacement of the old machines, arenot only financial incentives, but alsokey factors in achieving objectives aspart of our environmental commitmentsthrough ISO 14001.”The move towards greener ways ofworking and the various developmentsin the renewables sector in our regionbrings with it fresh challenges for manyexisting companies. The Green PortGrowth initiative can help in this regard,as it supports businesses to make themost of the new opportunities. Forexample, they have recently assistedPrecision Drilling in gainingaccreditation with the ContractorsHealth and Safety Assessment Scheme,which brings together all of thecompany’s existing health and safetypre-qualification assessments underone nationally recognised and acceptedstandard – making it easier for them totender for work and understand thepotential pitfalls of the new ways ofworking.Preventative maintenance has alsobecome common across the industry –ensuring companies don’t suffer fromextensive downtime, improvingproductivity and reducing overall costs.Sheffield-based Neilson Hydraulics areamong those providing such anopportunity by taking part in the ‘BackTo New’ service through BoschRexroth, where original componentscan be repaired and replaced back totheir original specification.Construction companies now alsohave to deal with a host of newmaterials and building methods. A TornConstruction of Kirton near Scunthorpe,for example, have recently secured twodesign and build contracts for ABP, andtheir 6000 sq m bulk store for ABP Hullwill be the first bulk store to have ahighly sophisticated fire detectionsystem which includes heat probes,carbon monoxide monitoring, smokeextraction, incipient fire detection and afire suppression system. ATCdeveloped an innovative solution withdesign partner HBPW Consulting toovercome stringent parameters set bythe client. In addition to the buildingthere is over 10,000 sq m of hardstanding area with drainage and surfaceworks.ATC are also constructing two Dutchbarn storage areas on the InternationalFertiliser Terminal in Immingham. Bothsheds total 13,000 sq m of storageincorporating open storage and rackingbays, and as a design and buildproject, the innovative foundationsolution offered the client significantsavings and won ATC the competitivetender.With large scale construction projectsspringing up across the region,businesses certainly have plenty ofopportunities to land contracts – butthey need to ensure their methods ofworking and the equipment they use isof the highest standards to meet thetough criteria specified by clients.Sheffield-based Mechan have recentlycompleted their first order for a mobilesand filling system for Midland Metro17-19_Layout 1 02/12/2014 07:52 Page 3Next >