2022 Made in Chesterfield festival inspires girls to consider careers in engineering and manufacturing
Girls have been inspired to consider a career in engineering and manufacturing thanks to this year’s Made in Chesterfield festival, co-ordinated by Destination Chesterfield and Direct Education Business Partnership (DEBP).
Maddy, a Year 9 pupil from Whittington Green School who visited performance vehicle specialist Scooby Clinic in Wingerworth, Derbyshire, said: “I would definitely consider a future career in STEM. There’s a stigma about STEM being just for boys but actually more women should give it a go; they can do it. It’s not just for boys.”
Maddy was one of more than 150 male and female students from secondary schools throughout Chesterfield that took part in workplace visits to companies operating in the science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) sector during the four-week festival.
The visits, which were organised by Direct Education Business Partnership, were designed to introduce secondary school students to the varied STEM careers available in the local economy.
Sonya Martin, Out of School Tuition Tutor at Whittington Green School, praised the campaign, saying: “We’ve had quite a few female students say they didn’t realise engineering was open to them and that, actually, the work would be a lot of fun. Having the chance to bring them around different workplaces, especially Scooby Clinic, has been really good for them because we very rarely get to know what goes on in our local environment.”
Scooby Clinic was one of a number of businesses that welcomed students into the workplace during the festival. MSE Hiller, Weightron Bilanciai, United Cast Bar, Superior Wellness, Atlantic Pumps, Robinson PLC and Aztec Oils also opened their doors to students.
Aztec Oils, which is based in Bolsover and is one of the UK’s leading specialists in high-performance lubricant manufacture and distribution, welcomed students from Springwell Community College.
During the visit Year 9 pupil Lara commented: “Being here today has made me reconsider my GCSE options. It’s shown me that STEM is more than science and there are lots of jobs and so many opportunities out there.”
Julie Richards, principal of The Chesterfield College Group, explained: “It is so positive to see the impact of raising aspirations in STEM subjects with girls across the region thanks to initiatives like Made in Chesterfield. This is the latest in a long line of positive actions to breakdown any perceived barriers for young women who enter a career in STEM.
“Year on year we are delighted to see more and more young, driven women studying programmes and apprenticeships at Chesterfield College in STEM industries. These students consistently inform us that when talking to school age girls about getting into a STEM related career they should ‘just go for it!’
“Whilst they admitted they felt daunted when first entering the industry, that apprehension quickly subsided when they realised how supported and valued they were by their classmates or work colleagues.”
According to a report by The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Diversity and Inclusion in STEM, only 27% of the UK’s STEM workforce is female compared to 52% of the wider workforce.
Made in Chesterfield, which is sponsored by the Chesterfield College Group, is now in its eighth year. The annual festival is playing a key role in addressing the technical skills shortage amongst local businesses.
Research by the UK Commission for Employment & Skills found that 43 per cent of national STEM vacancies are hard to fill due to a shortage of skilled and experienced applicants.
Ivan Fomin, Destination Chesterfield board member responsible for manufacturing and engineering in the Borough, said: “I am delighted at the impact the Made in Chesterfield festival has made with students, schools and businesses this year. Seeing so many mixed groups of students undertaking visits to STEM workplaces in Chesterfield is incredibly encouraging. Ensuring that our workplaces are diverse is critical to tackling skills shortages in the sector both locally and nationally.”
Clare Talati, Chief Executive of DEBP added: “DEBP are delighted to work in partnership on the initiative; at a time with increased pressures for schools and employers, the feedback demonstrates just how important workplace visits are in enabling young people to understand more about the amazing opportunities available locally.”
Since its 2014 launch, Made in Chesterfield has introduced over 3,500 young people to the jobs and careers available operating in the STEM sector within local businesses.
National construction firm’s Midlands and North division celebrates record year
McLaren Construction’s Midlands and North arm is reflecting on a year of record turnover and growth, with ambitions plans set for 2023 and beyond.
Alongside achieving £142m turnover for the financial year ending July 2022, the company has achieved 75 percent repeat business, winning multiple awards for its developments and expanding its team and portfolio into new sectors.
Projected turnover for the present financial year is £258m, an increase of 80 percent on 2022, and the Midlands and North division has already secured projects exceeding £100m into 2024.
McLaren’s strategy in 2022 was to focus on nurturing key client relationships, supporting valued customers through the delivery of quality developments, whilst enhancing social value through its sustainability and charitable efforts.
McLaren Construction as a whole, finished its financial year on 31 July 2022 with a turnover for the previous 12 months of £726.2m, exceeding pre-pandemic levels with an increase of £184.1m on the previous year. Turnover for the year ending July 2023 is currently forecast at over £850m, with 80 percent business already secured.
Gary Cramp, Managing Director, said: “We are extremely proud of our success in the last year, and this is all down to the amazing work of our team and our consistent approach to planning.
“The challenges following Covid have presented themselves during a busy construction market in 2022, and the industry has been presented with inflationary pressure on materials and labour resource to carry out projects.
“Despite these pressures, our solid preparation has allowed us to secure early procurement to mitigate risks to the business and we are excited by the value and rich variety of projects we have in the pipeline next year, and into 2024.
“While there are lots of positives to look forward to in 2023, we are prepared for the emergence of a tougher market, but our focus will remain on key relationships and supporting our valued customers, whilst investing centrally to enhance our social value, diversity and sustainability offering.”
2023 Business Predictions: Nishi Patel, Managing Director at N-Accounting
It’s that time of year, when Business Link Magazine invites the region’s business leaders to offer up their predictions for the year ahead.
It has become something of a tradition, given that we’ve been doing this now for over 30 years.
Here we speak to Nishi Patel, Managing Director at N-Accounting.
We will be in recession in 2023, and in a recession it is much harder to borrow, so businesses must be far more organised with their cashflows in the coming months.
If borrowing is needed it must be planned for in advance.
It is vital that companies find ways to add value to their offering, and attempt to do more with the same resources.
The main focus for all should be on maintaining profitability, and in order to do that, businesses must hold their nerve and, whatever the circumstances, never discount.
During the 2008 recession, most businesses slashed their prices, but that caused long term issues for them when they tried to pull themselves back up.
In a recession, people don’t stop spending money, they just want better value. And they are more likely to part with cash if they can see a business’s credibility.
Therefore, it is important for businesses to work harder on their marketing and be specific about who they are helping.
They need to ensure that their culture is clear, accessible for all and owned by the whole team so that everyone is performing at their best to remain competitive and deliver value.
Finally, companies must also work harder on their solution and be clear on how they can help.
Even if businesses have a dip in sales, or a quieter time, they should focus any capacity they’ve got on creating good quality content, because even if they’ve got a good solution, they need to get the word out there and tell their story.
12,500 sq ft property deal completed at Evo Park
Commercial property specialist NG Chartered Surveyors, working in tandem with FHP Property Consultants, have completed the letting of Pod 1 at Evo Park Business Park, north of Nottingham.
Chauvet Lighting, innovator, developer and manufacturer of entertainment lighting, is the new tenant in the 12,500 sq ft Grade A office and warehouse space.
This letting is the latest in a number of deals the NG and FHP firms brokered during 2022 on Evo Park. These have included the sale of Pods 2 and 3 to owner-occupiers and the investment sale of Pod 5.
NG and FHP have now been instructed to sell or let Pod 1 and Pod 4 on behalf of landlord client M7 Real Estate.
Richard Sutton at NG said: “This just shows that, with the right product, priced in the right way and with two proactive agents, what can be achieved in what can still be a challenging market.
“We are seeing more and more companies opt to take space away from city centres and onto developments like Sherwood Park. When you have a client like M7, who is in tune with the market and their agents’ advice, it makes the project a positive one.”
Mark Tomlinson at FHP added: “The Evo Pods have proven very popular with investors and occupiers alike. They have given the unique opportunity to acquire good quality self-contained industrial/warehouse space with ready-made offices in a business park environment as opposed to an industrial estate.
“FHP and NG have concluded over 50,000 sq ft of deals on Evo Park in the last 15 months to breathe new life into this estate – which is very pleasing.”
Nottingham adventure golf development site sold
Acting on behalf of multi-site mini golf operator, Adventure Experience, Christie & Co has sold the lease of the company’s development site in Nottingham to Skegness-headquartered leisure and entertainment operators, Teen Spirit.
The development will occupy a high-profile site within Stockhill Park at the junction of the A610 Nuthall Road and Stockhill Lane, midway between junction 26 of the M1 motorway and Nottingham city centre.
Planning and full design is in place for the construction of an 18-hole adventure golf centre, with a former pavilion building to be refurbished as a retail kiosk, together with associated car parking on a site of approximately 1.5-acres.
As part of the transaction, Teen Spirit has entered into a new 25-year lease with Nottingham City Council, with construction due to commence early in 2023.
Director of Teen Spirit, Charlton Cooper said: “Our current portfolio of businesses including the likes of Skegness Aquarium, the Tower Cinema and a variety of family entertainment centres including our own adventure golf operation is focussed on coastal locations. The opportunity to grow the adventure golf business and incorporate a more suburban concept with a fantastic catchment and with planning already in place fitted our plans perfectly.”
Head of Leisure & Development at Christie & Co Jon Patrick, who brokered the sale, said: “The adventure golf market has changed over the last few years with a drive towards indoor concepts from a variety of operators. However, the outdoor version is arguably a more straightforward business to operate and with the growth in on-line booking and CRM marketing, the ability to manage these types of business as well as optimise the customer experience can deliver excellent returns on investment.”
BDO strengthens Midlands Risk Advisory team with partner hire
Accountancy and business advisory firm BDO LLP has strengthened its Midlands team with the appointment of Ian Bennington.
Ian joins the Digital & Risk Advisory Service’s (DRAS) team as partner. He brings more than 20 years’ experience to the firm, with expertise in delivering internal audit, risk and compliance services to large global organisations across industry sectors, and a particular focus on life sciences.
At BDO, Ian will take on a national role, leading the firm’s Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) service, helping to build BDO’s capabilities in the area of ethics and compliance and organisational culture. He joins from Deloitte.
Tim Foster, partner and national head of BDO’s Risk Advisory Service, said: “Ian is a valuable addition to both the Midlands and National DRAS teams. His experience in guiding organisations through the complex area of corporate compliance will be vital, as we look to strengthen our footprint in this field.
“He will play a key role in helping large global entities to protect themselves against the reputational damage and business disruption that comes from non-compliance in areas, such as bribery and corruption, fraud and modern slavery.”
According to BDO’s latest bi-monthly ‘Rethinking the Economy’ survey of mid-sized businesses, 38% of those based in the Midlands intend to speed up their investment in recruiting risk management talent in 2023.
Ian said: “Crucial to the success of businesses in the future will be their ability to manage risks effectively in an increasingly challenging environment and embed ethical decision making into their organisation. At BDO, we have an important part to play in helping organisations to understand and manage their risks and to help them understand and change their organisational culture to improve standards of compliance, and help them to establish the culture they need to deliver their purpose and improve their business performance.”
He added: “I am looking forward to contributing to a collaborative organisation and helping others to succeed, by sharing the breadth of my experience and my network of relationships. I am passionate about helping both our clients and our people succeed.”
Wathall’s donation supports local families
Family-owned funeral directors, Wathall’s, have donated five computers to Derby’s specialist child exploitation charity Safe and Sound which will be passed onto local families in need.
The computers have been wiped clean of content and will be protected with high privacy settings before being given to young people who at present do not have access to computers to support their education.
Safe and Sound also took the opportunity to present Wathall’s with a trophy and specially designed poster to celebrate their nomination as Supporter of the Year which was decided by young people involved with the charity.
Helen Wathall MBE is the fifth generation of her family to run Wathall’s – Derby’s longest established independent funeral directors.
She said: “We were proud to be one of the companies who supported Safe and Sound during this, their 20th anniversary year. Therefore, when we replaced some of the office computers – we contacted Safe and Sound to see if they could be put to good use.
“I hope that they will be useful to young people who are still facing a challenging time to catch up with their education which was so badly disrupted during the pandemic and will take the pressure off families who are struggling with the cost of living at this expensive time of year.”
Tracy Harrison, CEO of Safe and Sound, added: “Wathall’s have been an amazing support to our charity for many years and we are delighted to be able to pass on these computers to families who really need them.
“In these challenging times, donations such as this show what can be achieved to improve people’s lives by businesses recycling unwanted equipment to charities so that they can be given to those who need them.”
Safe and Sound also have an ongoing recycling programme for unwanted mobile phones and tablets which are recycled and a proportion of the profits donated back to the charity.
Sluggish growth predicted for East Midlands economy as UK emerges from recession in mid-2023
Cities in the East Midlands will see their economies return to growth in the second half of 2023 but at a slower rate than Birmingham and cities in the South East, according to a new study by law firm Irwin Mitchell.
The Irwin Mitchell City Tracker has been produced by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) and examines 50 locations across the UK, forecasting future growth in terms of GVA and employment.
The report, which estimates that the UK entered into a recession in the second half of 2022, expects economic growth to resume in the second half of 2023.
According to the research, Nottingham and Leicester’s economies are predicted to be 0.6% larger in Q4 2023 than they were in the final quarter of 2022. Derby is expected to be further behind at 0.5%.
Derby however leads the way among East Midlands cities in terms of job creation with a 0.9% year-on-year increase expected in the final three months of 2023. This is set to take total headcount to 135,300.
Leicester is predicted to see job growth of 0.7%, whilst Nottingham’s rate of growth in this area is predicted to be 0.5%.
Charlotte Rees-John, partner and head of Irwin Mitchell’s consumer sector, said: “Last year presented numerous challenges and the downward pressure on spending activity, which continues to be concentrated in the consumer sector, looks set to continue throughout the first half of 2023.
“The consumer sector has however been one of the most resilient, agile and innovative sectors in recent times and those businesses that succeed during 2023 will be in a very strong position to take advantage of a more stable economic environment in 2024.
“Considering longer-term aspirations, such as the transition to carbon net zero, is something all businesses, irrespective of the sector they are in and the pressures that they are facing, need to do. ESG is fast becoming a priority for the majority, particularly at a time when there is huge pressure and scrutiny from consumers and investors who are increasingly making their decisions based on ethical as well as financial factors.”
Josie Dent, managing economist at Cebr, said: ”2023 will be a difficult year for consumers and businesses across the Midlands, with the cost-of-living crisis expected to lead to falling economic activity. However, Cebr forecasts that economic growth will resume in the second half of 2023, with most cities expected to see an annual expansion in GVA by Q4 2023.”
M&E firm solidifies Nottingham presence
Sustainability and M&E firm CPW has solidified its presence in Nottingham with its recent relocation to a new city centre office space.
Having been located on Stoney Street within the Lace Market area of Nottingham since 2008, the move to a 3,500 sq ft space in the Imperial Buildings on Victoria Street marks a new chapter for the firm, aligning with the firm’s consistent growth and success in Nottingham and the surrounding areas since joining the region’s business community in 2003.
Rising staff levels, flexible ways of working and the resurgence of client facing activity were key drivers in the decision to relocate CPW’s Nottingham team.
Carl Humpage, director and Nottingham office lead at CPW, said: “We wanted to create a space that enables us to produce the best possible work for our clients, while also achieving a flexible office setting for our 26 staff with all the modern facilities and intricacies needed for growth in the sector.
“Larger screens for building information modelling (BIM) capability, a boardroom with the ability to cater for larger meetings, a virtual reality room to bring our projects to life and the sustainability of air source heat pumps are just a few of the ways the new space is optimal for our line of work.”
Craig Waldron, director at CPW, added: “The new office has provided us with an opportunity to re-invest. It’s an exciting and creative workspace that our colleagues are already loving. It’s brilliant how the new environment has reinvigorated the team and really enhanced the energy, drive and passion for what we do.
“The location also provides us with easier access to the city centre and all its amenities, with a close tram stop improving connectivity for commuters and promoting more sustainable transport options.”
The fully refurbished office includes facilities to promote staff capacity and wellbeing, including larger spaces for social evenings, breakout spaces for varied meeting environments and a pool table for friendly competition.
The firm’s new fit-for-purpose space provides the opportunity for CPW’s already strong presence in the region to grow further. Carl Hubbard, director and Nottingham office co-lead at CPW, said: “Our work in the East Midlands is something we are really proud of and the mission to deliver low or zero carbon design solutions is never ending. Projects with the University of Nottingham and our involvement in The Island Quarter scheme are examples of the significant work we are involved in with local stakeholders.
“Looking ahead to our 20th year in Nottingham, we are excited to build further on our current client base and our new office plays a vital role in our position as a leading business in the regional construction community.”
CPW is an international M&E consultancy with more than 250 staff based across 12 offices.
Over 5,000 items donated as part of 200 Degrees’ Swap Shop initiative
More than 5,000 new, unused and unopened hygiene items were donated, as part of 200 Degrees Coffee’s annual Swap Shop initiative, in exchange for a free cup of coffee.
The event, which took place on Tuesday 6 December across all 18 coffee shops, saw customers and local businesses donate deodorant, shower gel, shampoo, toothpaste and toothbrushes, toilet roll, nappies and baby products, washing powder, makeup, perfume, sanitary products and everyday household cleaning products.
The 200 Degrees team delivered a total of 20 coffee sacks, which were filled with a variety of products and donated to its charity partner Switch Up, to help those who need it most.
To provide much-needed funding, the coffee roasters recently announced its commitment to Switch Up in a three-year partnership, which included creating a special roast of coffee and coffee pods. £1 in every kilo sold will go directly to the charity, supported with a minimum donation of £10,000 a year.
Commercial director Will Kenney said: “Many people in the UK are unable to access basic hygiene products, and everyday essential items, and these donations will make a huge significance to helping vulnerable families across Nottingham this Christmas.
“We are thrilled and overwhelmed by all the donations that were made at the event and we’d like to say thank you to our customers for their kindness and generosity.”
Marcellus Baz, founder and CEO of Switch Up, said: “My team is absolutely determined to support vulnerable young people and their families through the bleak and dark time this country is currently experiencing. The cost-of-living crisis is crippling people across the UK, especially those from the lower socially economic groups that Switch Up supports.
“People are telling us that food and energy are priorities over toiletries and Christmas gifts this year. This collaboration has been essential in ensuring that vulnerable people and families across Nottinghamshire don’t need to make this heart-breaking choice.
“200 Degrees has ethics and values that align with those of Switch Up and this makes for a very strong partnership. Thank you to their team and everyone that has donated items, allowing us to continue helping those most in need.”
In addition to its work with 200 Degrees, Switch Up will continue its Community Appeal until 31 January. The team will be collecting financial contributions to create its own food parcels for distribution across the city and Mansfield, as well as accepting physical donations of food, toiletries, books, new toys and gifts. Items can be dropped off at Switch Up on Woodborough Road, Nottingham or at its Mansfield hub. Monetary donations can also be made via its donation page.
Founded in 2013, Switch Up has continued to support over 800 young people at any one time from its boxing gym in St Ann’s, Nottingham, and earlier this year, from a second location in Mansfield. The charity has further plans for expansion, to reach and support more young people and their families.
Enrok Construction appoints new project manager
Enrok Construction has appointed a new project manager to lead activity on its latest scheme in the West Midlands.
Mantas Tobulevicius, who has worked in the construction industry for over 12 years, will add his considerable experience to the Enrok team, particularly on the company’s new Wellington Road scheme. This new project, with leading social housing provider Citizen, will see the creation of 19 new build affordable homes in Handsworth, Birmingham.
Prior to joining Enrok, Mantas has worked for some of the UK’s leading housebuilders including Taylor Wimpey, Persimmon, Countryside and Wates Group. As project manager at Enrok, he will have full responsibility for the successful delivery of the Wellington Road project, from pre-construction through to completion, along with all health and safety, quality assurance and ensuring the scheme is delivered on time and on budget.
Commenting on his appointment, Mantas Tobulevicius said: “It is an exciting time to be joining Enrok and I am looking forward to delivering affordable homes in the West Midlands, and other future projects once this is completed. Enrok’s directors are developing a very experienced and talented senior team which I am proud to be a part of.”
Simon Bennett MCIOB, operations director at Enrok, adds: “Mantas’ appointment was partly about getting the right person for the right project, but also about the future of the business and succession planning. Once the Wellington Road homes are completed, we hope that Mantas will play an integral part on other projects and in the future growth of Enrok.
“I have previously worked with Mantas when we were both at Wates Group and he has a reputation as a conscientious, capable, and driven manager. I have no doubt that his leadership of Enrok’s latest residential project will result in a fantastic scheme that will be delivered on time and on budget, whilst providing the client and occupiers the high quality of home that Enrok is known for.”
Enrok Construction is a privately owned construction company, operating across the UK from its headquarters in Derbyshire and a newly opened office in the West Midlands.
Nottingham councillors agree £29m of saving proposals, with 110 jobs cut
Nottingham residents are being invited to have their say on savings proposals agreed by councillors as the City Council sets its budget for 2023/24.
At an Executive Board meeting, councillors endorsed £29m of savings proposals, over £10m of which require public consultation.
Like all councils, businesses and households, the City Council’s finances have been impacted by the cost-of-living crisis created by soaring inflation, fuel and energy costs. A challenging employment market, increased demand for services and post-pandemic issues also add to financial pressures.
Proposals agreed by the Executive Board include raising Council Tax by the full 4.99% permitted under Government proposals – made up of 2.99% Council Tax and a further 2% precept specifically towards Adult Social Care costs. Eighty percent of Nottingham’s homes are in the two lowest Council Tax bands – almost twice the national average – meaning this increase would equate to between £1.25 and £1.46 more per week for the vast majority of city residents.
Other proposals, involving a workforce reduction of 110 full-time equivalent posts, include:
- Changes to adult social care, including more independent living support instead of residential or nursing care
- Reviewing fees and charges for parking, cremation and burials, leisure centres and cafes
- Reviewing grants to community groups, community centres and cultural organisations
- Withdrawing the Shopmobility service at the Victoria Centre
- Stopping collection of household bins put out on the wrong day
- Short-term mothballing of two floors of Loxley House pending the review of options for the council’s offices and depots
- Increasing tariffs for EnviroEnergy customers.
Aggregate Industries appointed to £1.3bn national roads delivery framework
Leicestershire-based Aggregate Industries has won a place on a billion pound national contract to maintain surfaces on the country’s motorways and A roads.
National Highways, the Government company which maintains and operates England’s strategic road network, announced its selected suppliers for the £1.3 billion Pavement Delivery Framework (PDF), with Aggregate Industries one of the 12 successful companies.
Aggregate Industries won a place to deliver the contract, which covers the supply of materials, plant and labour to carry out National Highways’ road surfacing (“pavement”) and construction works for National Highways’ Operations Division, in both the North and South “super” regions for the next five years.
The new agreements, which run from April 2023 to March 2028, promote the use of low-carbon materials. As part of this focus, National Highways has designated warm mix asphalt (WMA) as the contract’s default material of choice.
Aggregate Industries made the switch to WMA as standard earlier this year. Mixing at temperatures 20°- 40°C lower than hot mix asphalt (HMA) it allows for a significant reduction in CO2 emissions by using less fossil fuels and resources during the manufacturing process. It is also more durable and quicker to lay, meaning roads can be reopened to traffic faster.
Thomas Edgcumbe, Managing Director for Aggregate Industries’ Surfacing Solutions, welcomed the news. He said: “We’re extremely proud to successfully secure a place on this vital framework serving the south and north of the country.
“We have the knowledge, experience and expertise of working on big strategic infrastructure projects and look forward to delivering on this over the next five years.
“It is also really important that we will be able to continue our long standing partnership with National Highways focusing on carbon reduction, social value and efficiency.
“Sustainability is a central pillar of our own business strategy and we have been leading the way on innovating and bringing new low-carbon asphalt products to market. We use warm mix asphalt as standard and have introduced products including SuperLow Carbon and Foamix® this year.”
Duncan Smith, executive director of Operations at National Highways, said: “We are very happy to have secured these new agreements. Engaging an increased range of organisations from across the industry is a hugely positive step for us, allowing us to expand our supply chain and improve our resilience.
“We’re also happy to be working with some organisations that we haven’t worked with previously, and we look forward to building these new relationships. These contracts will also support our Net Zero Carbon Plan, which underpins all of our work now and in future years.”
Wearable system allowing engineers to ‘see’ with their hands trialled for aerospace industry use in Nottingham
A unique system that allows engineers to use their hands as their eyes when working in confined environments is being trialled for use within the aerospace industry and other sectors.
The wearable system, EyeGlove, has been developed by researchers based in the Rolls-Royce University Technology Centre (UTC) in Manufacturing and On-Wing Technology at the University of Nottingham. It contains a vision glove and a wearable display unit, including three tiny cameras, which gives the user’s hands the ability to ‘see’ inside cramped environments when conducting inspection and measurement tasks.
The inspection function uses one or two of the cameras to investigate restricted areas, while the measurement function utilises all three cameras and an artificial marker to assess object dimensions. The results are then presented on a wearable display for easy observation.
“Due to the incredibly restricted, and sometimes unsighted, environments we’re working in – for example, gas turbine engines – inspection and measurement tasks can’t be achieved using conventional rigid tools,” said Professor Dragos Axinte, director at the Rolls-Royce UTC in Manufacturing and On-Wing Technology.
Professor Axinte continued: “In some cases, borescope and endoscope cameras, or even robots, can be utilised to accomplish these tasks – but none of these are as flexible and dexterous as human hands. That’s why we’ve developed this novel wearable system, which allows the operator to undertake inspection and measurement tasks by using their hands as manipulators. In addition, each prototype of EyeGlove system is low-cost and affordable, costing less than £150, with further development, it has the potential to be a real gamechanger in the future.”
The research team led by Prof. Axinte and Dr. Xin Dong have created three different prototypes; two containing a disjointed camera configuration that offers high flexibility, and a third miniaturised version that configures all the cameras in one finger.
Preliminary testing was undertaken by six people, five of whom were beginners to the system and were given three opportunities to practice before measurements were taken. The results found that the average relative measurement error of five artificial targets was just 1.89%, with them giving the hardware a rating of 4.6 out of five.
“It was great to see how quickly participants adapted to using the EyeGlove system and to have received such positive feedback to this bespoke technology. Now we’ve successfully established the concept, our next step is to liaise with suppliers about the customisation, optimisation and, eventually, commercialisation of the EyeGlove system,” said Erhui Sun, research associate at the Rolls-Royce UTC in Manufacturing and On-Wing Technology, who developed the system.
EyeGlove has been funded through REINSTATE, a £21 million Aerospace Technology Institute funded project aimed at developing a portfolio of sensing, inspection and repair techniques for use within on-wing installed engines in the aerospace industry, as well as a variety of neighbouring sectors.
Andy Norton, REINSTATE programme manager and Rolls-Royce technology specialist, said: “The University of Nottingham continues to develop and demonstrate cutting-edge techniques that support our aerospace aftermarket business. EyeGlove is a fantastic example of how the REINSTATE team are working creatively and collaboratively to develop inspection methods for use across the product’s lifecycle to increase engine uptime, decrease cost and customer disruption, and improve through-life sustainability.
“While further maturation of the EyeGlove prototype is required, the team have achieved an important milestone through demonstration of key functionalities and its applicability within the aerospace sector.” 2023 Business Predictions: Tracy Harrison, CEO, Safe and Sound
It’s that time of year, when Business Link Magazine invites the region’s business leaders to offer up their predictions for the year ahead.
It has become something of a tradition, given that we’ve been doing this now for over 30 years.
Here we speak to Tracy Harrison, CEO of Derbyshire’s specialist child exploitation charity Safe and Sound.
With budgets continuing to be squeezed but businesses still keen to fulfil their CSR objectives, Tracy encourages companies to think outside the box when it comes to charity and community support in 2023.
Like all charities and community organisations, we learnt some pretty tough lessons during the pandemic on how we could best work with businesses and individuals when the opportunities for fundraising were not possible.
We discovered that businesses of all shapes and sizes totally embraced the opportunity to form collaborations and partnerships rather than simply be asked for money.
I will be forever thankful just how many came through for us at a time when demand for our services soared due to the increased time that young people were spending on social media and gaming platforms – increasing their vulnerability to online grooming.
We all continue to face tough decisions due to the economic climate and many businesses will not be able to donate money or fundraise this coming way so my plea is to think differently about CSR in 2023.
Firstly choose a charity that fits and enhances the company’s brand and values longer term. Think local as this makes a greater impact to social mobility in the community where employees and probably customers live. Research what pro bono support you can offer and could your employees volunteer their time to the charity?
So before slashing charity and community budgets, consider how your company can create a legacy that will make a difference to people’s lives and enhance your brand for many years to come.
Making promotional videos on a phone costs A LOT more than you think
Filming promotional videos on a phone is one of the fastest ways for your business to lose credibility. It’s easy to see why companies adopt this approach, because it seems at face value like it will save a lot of money to film on a phone, rather than paying to hire a video production company.
However, filming on a phone – with no knowledge of videography – inevitably leads to the creation of low quality videos, which in turn associates your brand with low quality. You will ultimately pay more in the long-run, when you lose out to competitors who have invested in high quality video marketing.
There is a direct correlation between how good your advertising videos are, in terms of production standards, and how the viewer therefore feels about the professionalism of your business and quality of your product. Consequently, making your own videos on a phone will actually result in far fewer sales, as viewers will instead consider your competitor to be a better and more trustworthy choice, based on the quality of their professional promo videos.
86% of marketing professionals reported that they use video as a marketing tool – 78% of which considered videos to be responsible for a direct increase in sales.[1] These marketers are the ones who hired a specialist video production company, rather than those who tried to cut corners and ‘do it on the cheap’ by filming on a phone.
Hiring a production company isn’t as expensive as you might think. You could get a mini-series of videos for YouTube, a complete explainer video for your website, or a high-impact social media advert, all made to exceptional standards, for around £1000 or even less – depending which production company you choose. Glowfrog offer the best rates across the Midlands for premium grade business videos and they specialise in corporate style video production. Make high quality video marketing your priority for 2023 and enquire with Glowfrog for a free consultation at www.glowfrogvideo.com.
Sources: 1. TheSocialShepherd.com
East Midlands business confidence hits 10-month high
Business confidence in the East Midlands rose 16 points during December to 28%, the region’s highest reading since February, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking.
Companies in the region reported higher confidence in their own business prospects month-on-month, up nine points at 28%. When taken alongside their optimism in the economy, up 24 points to 29%, this gives a headline confidence reading of 28%.
East Midlands businesses identified their top target areas for growth in the next six months as investing in their teams (35%), evolving their offering (28%) and introducing new technology (26%).
The Business Barometer, which surveys 1,200 businesses monthly, provides early signals about UK economic trends both regionally and nationwide.A net balance of more than a third of East Midlands businesses (37%) expect to increase staff levels over the next year, up 15 points on last month, and the highest levels of any UK nation or region.
Overall UK business confidence rose seven points during December to 17%. The proportion of businesses that felt positive about the wider economy was up 10 points month-on-month to 8%, while their outlook on their own future trading prospects increased by two points to 27%. Businesses also remained optimistic about job creation, with 16% of firms planning to hire more staff in the next 12 months – up two points on November.All UK regions and nations reported a positive confidence reading in December, for the first time since July, with eight out of 11 recording a month-on-month increase in confidence. Of those, the North West (up 31 points to 40%), North East (up 24 points to 34%) and South East (up 23 points to 14%) saw the largest monthly increases, with the North West now the most optimistic overall.Dave Atkinson, regional director for East Midlands at Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said: “It’s fantastic to see East Midlands businesses ending what has been a challenging year for many on a high. While economic headwinds have caused confidence to waver in recent months, there is cautious optimism about the economy among businesses as we embark on 2023.“Given the region’s strength in fashion, design and manufacturing, many of its retailers will be hoping for prolonged consumer demand throughout the January sales. Busy trading periods like this can also put a strain on firms, and companies must try to maintain financial flexibility to capitalise on spikes in demand.”
The manufacturing sector reversed a six-month trend of falling confidence, with a nine-point rise to 13%. Confidence in construction and services also increased by nine points to 29% and 18% respectively. However, retail confidence fell slightly, by two points to 13%.
Hann-Ju Ho, senior economist, Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said: “Business confidence has received a boost in the run up to Christmas as firms anticipate a better festive trading period than last year.
“While firms report being hopeful for a more successful 2023, inflation and the risk of an economic downturn remain the biggest concerns for businesses, with rising costs evidenced by the number of firms expecting to raise prices.
“Wage growth is expected to remain high for now as retaining existing staff and attracting new talent will continue to be priorities for many businesses going into next year.”
LDC’s East Midlands team leads investment in water specialist Stonbury
The East of England and East Midlands team of mid-market private equity firm LDC has made a significant investment in Stonbury, the UK water and environmental sustainability specialist.
The national business, headquartered in Bedfordshire, has a 40-year heritage of working with UK water companies and environment agencies to deliver innovative, low-carbon solutions to maintain, repair and refurbish their critical assets, from drinking water provision to wastewater treatment, helping to protect supplies and extend asset lives.
The company also delivers nature-based solutions to help customers operate more sustainably and mitigate the impacts of climate change. These range from restoring rivers to increase their capacity to retain water and boost biodiversity, to implementing natural flood management programmes that include artificial wetland creation and river channel works.
Stonbury employs around 300 people across 11 locations in the UK. It recorded revenues of £44.7m in its latest financial year ending June 2022.
LDC’s investment will support the business’s existing management team, led by CEO Trevor Hoyle, former CEO of environmental consultancy group RPS’s EMEA divisions. The team will increase its support for customers by expanding its range of water, wastewater and nature-based, low-carbon environmental services, through organic growth and acquisitions. LDC will also help the business to further expand into clean energy solutions.
The transaction was led by David Bains, partner and head of East Midlands and East of England at LDC, and investment managers Nicole Wong and Mikayil Salahov. David and Nicole will join the Stonbury board, with Ian Burnett also joining as non-executive chairman. Ian brings board-level experience of working with other private equity-backed businesses.
Trevor Hoyle, CEO of Stonbury, said: “Sustainability sits at the heart of the challenge water companies and environmental organisations are facing. Creating a more resilient and efficient water network and a healthier, safer environment will be vital to reduce the impact of significant weather events. Stonbury is well-equipped to support our clients with low-carbon and nature-based solutions.
“We knew from the moment we met David and the LDC team that they were the right investment partner for us. Their relationship-first approach and extensive network of connections were important factors in our decision. With LDC’s support, we are actively exploring organic and acquisitive opportunities to expand our range of services.”
David Bains, partner and head of East Midlands and East of England at LDC, added: “LDC is committed to helping companies that contribute to a more sustainable future. Stonbury’s clear purpose focuses on sustainability and its experience and expertise over many years make it well-placed to support the water and environment industries in mitigating the impacts of climate change.
“We’re looking forward to supporting Trevor and the rest of the management team to continue building Stonbury into one of the UK’s leading critical infrastructure services businesses.”
Stonbury was advised by MacIntyre Hudson (Corporate Finance) and Howes Percival (Legal).
LDC was advised by FRP (Corporate Finance and Debt Advisory), Browne Jacobson (Legal), KPMG (FDD) and Armstrong (CDD).
SourceBio International set to go private
SourceBio International is set to go private after shareholders voted in favour of plans to delist from the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange.
The shareholders of the Nottingham-based provider of laboratory services overwhelmingly supported the resolution.
The proposal was revealed in November, when SourceBio noted that while one of the main benefits of a company being on AIM is the potential to issue new shares to raise additional funds for investment or to issue new shares as consideration for acquisitions, the company has been unable to raise money at what the directors believe to be a fair valuation and, due to the low liquidity, the shares do not represent an attractive currency.
Further, the board believed that the company’s current share price does not accurately reflect the future potential of the business.
The group also said that as a private business corporate development and restructuring needed to drive and develop growth may be executed faster and more nimbly, and that it would be able to command a much higher valuation for the business on eventual exit, serving in the best interest of shareholders.
SourceBio estimates that it could save annualised costs of £600,000 per year in the move.
Jay LeCoque, executive chairman, said: “We are confident that we can potentially grow the business faster as a private company.”
Landscape architecture practice closes the year with 25% growth
East Midlands-based Influence Landscape Planning and Design has reported a 25% growth in turnover in 2022, and is forecasting double digit growth in 2023.
Chartered landscape architects Influence provide expertise in project management, environmental planning, feasibility and concept development, master planning and urban design, landscape design, landscape/townscape, visual impact assessment, expert witness and arboriculture.
A surge in public sector work and a strategy to work on projects which align with the wildlife, heritage and regeneration ethos of the practice, have been key factors in the growth.
Influence expanded its team this year to accommodate the growth, with the recruitment of four professionals, as well as investing in young people who joined the company from school.
This year the practice was appointed on a number of major public realm schemes including two high street regeneration projects in Northamptonshire and Norfolk, and on environmental-led schemes from a number of Wildlife Trusts nationally.
Closer to home, Influence delivered multiple SEND schools in Lincolnshire, as well as working on ‘the hub’ – the first building at the new Food Enterprise Zone (FEZ) in Holbeach in the county.
For 2023, Influence is again forecasting double digit growth, further recruitment and will be partnering with Naomi’s Garden, a charity which offers therapies and services for those affected by disability, sickness, suffering, isolation and hardship.
The team have been appointed on a number of significant schemes to be delivered in 2023, including a nature-led project on the Lincolnshire coast and a major public realm project in the Midlands.
Managing Director of Influence, Sara Boland, said: “As we reflect on a year where the team and I have really pushed forward with our growth and diversification strategy, I’d like to say a huge thank you to our clients who have chosen us to deliver landscape services for them. I am continually grateful for their support and trust in us.
“To deliver those services, over the years we have built an incredible team here and the practice’s performance is very much a joint effort. I’m proud of the diversity, specialist skills and dedicated attitude of the team and they also deserve a big thank you.
“We have delivered on and are actively working on the type of projects I used to dream about securing; for the public sector, private operators and not-for-profit environment-led organisations that I admire. Our strategy for 2023 is to continue to create special places that provide pivotal rejuvenation to communities, attracting people and nature in balance.”
