- 63% 107 of secondary school teachers surveyed in the East Midlands agree that AI should be part of their school’s syllabus, while 82% 43 of teachers in the East Midlands surveyed believe access to free AI and computer science learning resources linked with the curriculum would help students better engage in computer science.
- Among teachers surveyed in the East Midlands, almost two thirds (62%) 61 have limited access to computer science resources, rising to three quarters (76%) 70 when focused exclusively on AI.
- While two thirds (67%) 125 of secondary school teachers surveyed in the East Midlands believe that education in computer science better prepares students for future careers in all sectors, less than one in three (31%) 152 say AI learning is only part of an opt-in or extra paid-for club and not part of the syllabus.
- Two thirds (66%) 198 of secondary school teachers surveyed in the East Midlands say children don’t have enough information to understand future career opportunities that involve computer science and AI.
- Three quarters (74%) 92 of secondary school teachers surveyed in the East Midlands who think schools should be making an active effort to increase education and resources around AI and CS, say that without increased STEM education and resources, there will be long-term skill gaps
Amazon brings Alexa Young Innovator Challenge to the East Midlands as new research reveals STEM gaps in local schools
New research from Amazon reveals a need to boost the STEM skills gap in schools in the East Midlands to help meet future demand for jobs in computer science and AI.
The research, which quizzed secondary school teachers in the East Midlands, is released as it’s also revealed that teaching Artificial Intelligence (AI) skills in secondary schools could help to fill increasing demand for computer science and AI related roles, supporting on average £71 billion of economic output annually to 2030 in the UK economy, according to a report published by Amazon and Capital Economics.
The need to boost AI learning in schools in the East Midlands is supported by new YouGov research –commissioned by Amazon – among secondary school teachers and parents. The research shows:
Mansfield secures £2.95m investment for businesses and communities from Government
Nearly three million pounds has been confirmed by the government for projects to support Mansfield’s businesses and communities.
Mansfield District Council has been allocated £2.955m from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) for over three years. The funds will be used for community projects, business support, and to promote new skills and employment opportunities.
It will also help to deliver the aspirations in the Making Mansfield strategy, which sets out council aims and ambitions between now and 2030.
Elected Mayor Andy Abrahams said: “I am thrilled we have been successful in securing these resources to bring more opportunity and investment to Mansfield.
“The £2.955m will help support long-term fundamental change, growth and regeneration across the district and open up more opportunities across Mansfield bringing new jobs and skills opportunities.
“The creation of a dedicated community grant will also have a huge impact, and I believe it is a core and innovative feature of our approach. Local community groups know best what their communities need, and will now be able to make a difference on the ground. I look forward to seeing this roll-out begin in the New Year.”
The Mansfield Community Grant Fund will offer a maximum of £15,000 in grant for community and voluntary groups to apply for projects that will make a difference in their local neighbourhoods. The council will work collaboratively with Mansfield Community and Voluntary Service. It is expected it will be open to applications shortly.
There will also be an opportunity for direct bidding for projects over £15,000 that must demonstrate that they contribute to the council’s communities and place ambitions. Applications will be invited directly from Mansfield District Council.
The plan will see the council deliver some of the projects itself, some via partners and commissioning, and others through grass-roots activity, targeted towards priority areas and themes and carried out in collaboration with community groups and partners. Plans for business support projects and skills related activity will follow in future financial years.
Councils in England have drawn up the plans with a wide range of local partners that deliver for people in their areas. The authorities have chosen to spend the money on a range of initiatives, such as supporting people into jobs, helping local businesses to grow and fighting anti-social behaviour, and can now begin to deliver these.
The Mansfield submission reflected on local opportunities and challenges to ensure the programme reflected local needs.
The UKSPF marks the first availability of funding to replace EU funding streams previously available and was approved by Government on 5 December.
Levelling Up Minister Dehenna Davison added: “We are taking full advantage of being outside the European Union and unlocking billions of pounds of investment to help level up communities and spread opportunity across the UK.
“The UK Shared Prosperity Fund will have tangible benefits for people up and down the country, from a young entrepreneur in need of a helping hand or those who want to gain the skills they need to secure a decent, well-paid job.
“The UK government has worked closely with local leaders across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, giving them a greater say in how this money is spent and ensuring funding is directed to where it is most needed.”
The Government’s approach also means that councils and local partners will have the opportunity to adapt each plan to reflect new economic priorities over the period to 2025.
Elected Mayor Andy Abrahams added: “We have looked to work closely with our partners on the submission, not least via the Place Board and we are pleased to have had their support. We look forward to continuing this relationship as the programme develops.”
Auctioneer celebrates record year
Nottingham-headquartered auction house, John Pye & Sons Ltd, is celebrating business success having exceeded £33 million turnover for its last financial year. The firm improved on the previous year’s turnover of £26.4 million by over 28 per cent, as it continues to realise its ambitious plans for growth.
Despite the impact of the pandemic, John Pye says it has enjoyed a consistent period of year-on-year growth thanks to its focus on innovation and ability to quickly implement changes. Over the past two years, the auction house has invested heavily in improving its 1 million square feet of auction sales space, implementing new technology and adapting its policies and procedures to mitigate the challenges of the pandemic, which have helped drive the whole business forward.
Investments have included the introduction of a delivery service across its entire UK network and a new client reporting and operations audit system. In addition, the auctioneer has introduced an app for internal stock management and inventory tracking, as well as a cutting-edge trade sales platform for bulk sales and converted all payments to online.
John Pye has also invested in its staff, expanding its team by over 20 per cent in the last year. Currently, around 720 staff are employed across more than 60 auction rooms throughout the auctioneer’s UK network. Last year, in recognition of the firm’s strong period of success, employees were rewarded with £1 million in bonuses, amounting to 40 per cent of the year’s profits. The same profit share is planned again this year – working out as £1.3 million to be paid before the end of the year.
Adam Pye, Managing Director at John Pye & Sons, says: “Reaching this momentous milestone is a huge success story for our business. We’ve invested heavily in our people and procedures over the past two years and to have this investment rewarded in such a significant way is incredibly humbling.
“Despite a fast-moving and transient business landscape, we are fully focused on expansion. Our next major milestone is meeting client needs in Europe, driven by our newly owned facility in Zaragoza, Spain. The launch of our in-house bespoke auction bidding platform will see a big movement in client reporting and customer bidding activity, while our new website will greatly enhance the customer journey.
“It’s an incredibly exciting time for the business and we look forward to building on this success to deliver an exceptional retail experience to every client across our growing network. I would like to say a huge thank you to our clients which have supported us over the last few years.”
Nottingham becomes one of five English cities to enter partnership bolstering healthcare technology sector
Nottingham has become a partner city with the Association of British HealthTech Industries (ABHI), making it one of just five in England, following the signing of a new agreement with the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University.
With the highest number of HealthTech companies in any region of the UK, the Midlands boasts several world class universities and centres of excellence, with Nottingham alone being home to the NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre and NIHR Nottingham Clinical Research Facility, the Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre and the Medical Technologies Innovation Facility (MTIF), making it a thriving hub for HealthTech.
As leaders in the development and implementation of healthcare technologies, Nottingham’s universities and their civic partners will provide access to university facilities, support the ABHI in its national policy work and international engagement, and facilitate collaborations between ABHI member companies and regional stakeholders.
Professor Sir Jonathan Van-Tam MBE, pro-vice chancellor for Medicine and Health Sciences at the University of Nottingham, said: “We’re delighted to have entered this new, exciting partnership with ABHI. This builds on our existing industry partnerships to establish a framework that will enable us to work closely together for the mutual benefit of the Nottinghamshire region, industry and, crucially, patients here, across the UK and the world.”
The partnership forms part of the shared commitments under the Universities for Nottingham Civic Agreement, a collaboration between Nottingham’s two world-class universities and eight key anchor institutions; the agreement sets out partners’ commitments to working across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire for the benefit of the local community, its people and place.
One of the key ambitions of the agreement is to establish a Nottinghamshire MedTech innovation cluster, building on the combined expertise and world-class facilities of the two universities.
Professor Van-Tam continued: “We’ve already made progress forging strong relationships in the industry, thanks to our existing collaboration with Medilink Midlands, and firmly believe that this new partnership with the ABHI will help bring our ambitions even closer to reality, making Nottinghamshire into a leading destination to invest in, or establish, new health and life sciences businesses both nationally and internationally.”
Dr Robert Reisel, Managing Director of the Medical Technologies Innovation Facility at Nottingham Trent University, said: “This extremely exciting strategic partnership creates a platform to promote our shared vision, to make good use of the region’s world-leading expertise, innovation and manufacturing facilities as well as strong ties with local communities and MedTech and HealthTech industries.
“The partnership will further support the acceleration and commercialisation of innovations aiming to reduce the cost of care while most importantly improving the lives of people needing care and treatments, and consequently strengthen the region’s aim to become the most desirable MedTech and HealthTech location for investors, innovators and industry nationally and internationally.”
As part of its commitment to Nottingham, the ABHI will provide developers of medical technology with advice, market and regulatory intelligence and networking opportunities to further their areas of research.
Peter Ellingworth, Chief Executive at the ABHI, said: “By bringing in ABHI’s long-standing expertise in areas like regulation, and our deep connections within the NHS, UK government and the wider HealthTech industry, this partnership allows us to provide focussed support for companies, and the broader HealthTech network, in Nottingham.
“The East Midlands has a compelling offer, and we look forward to collaborating to further strengthen this ecosystem, to benefit patients and stimulate growth of the HealthTech sector.”
Platelet Services celebrates record year
Nottingham-based pre-clinical contract research organisation, Platelet Services, has reported another successful year as it celebrates its fourth anniversary.
Platelet Services offers an array of standard and customised platelet testing assays to determine the effect of compounds on platelet function. Working with both small drug discovery companies and large pharmaceutical corporations, Platelet Services offers comprehensive expertise and support in drug discovery and development where platelet function testing is required.
Founded in 2018, Platelet Services has seen year-on-year growth as global demand rises for the company’s core platelet function testing offering, reporting a 60% increase in turnover over the past twelve months.
Earlier this year, the company doubled its lab space at BioCity in Nottingham, in response to the increase in client projects. The space continues to provide the team with greater capacity and flexibility and has helped to drive greater efficiencies including a reduction in the cycle time from agreeing a package of work with a client to the delivery of results.
The company also bolstered the team with the appointment of Dr Paul Cato as senior research scientist back in March.
Natalia Dovlatova, CEO, says: “The company has come a long way over the past four years. During 2022, we have focused on consolidating the team and our core services and are now in a good place to expand our offering both in terms of capacity and flexibility.
“We have been tapping into an ever-improving understanding of client types and needs, and team capabilities, which is helping us to expand what we can offer in terms of capacity, flexibility and new assays.
“Looking ahead to 2023, we are anticipating more of the same and have a strong pipeline, with increased demand from overseas. Our focus is also to provide thought leadership and highlight the importance of platelet function testing in drug discovery projects and target safety assessment.”
Center Parcs settle discrimination claim after amputee denied use of activity slide
CenterParcs UK has settled a discrimination claim following a case where a visitor to their Sherwood Forest Village was denied use of an activity slide due to having a prosthetic leg.
The claim was submitted by Chattertons Solicitors on behalf of Andrew Shaw who was on holiday with his family in November 2021.
During the holiday, Mr Shaw had approached the entrance to one of the activity slides and was stopped by a member of staff who stated that he was not allowed on the slides due to his prosthetic leg and asked him to remove the prosthetic before going on the slide.
Mr Shaw stated that he was unable to do this as he was unsafe without it. The staff member then refused to allow him on the slide. Following further discussion, it was later confirmed that it was Centre Parcs company policy and that he wouldn’t be allowed to use the slides unless he removed it.
Carrie Clewes, head of Chattertons’ Equality team, said: “Acting on behalf of Mr Shaw we wrote to Center Parcs to point out that in providing an activity centre and accommodation service, Center Parcs are providing a service within the meaning of Section 29 of the Equality Act 2010 and are therefore, obliged to comply with the provisions of Section 29.
“This includes the obligation to make reasonable adjustments. By refusing to allow Mr Shaw to partake in the activities, it was alleged that they had discriminated against him and treated him unfavourably because of something arising directly in relation to his disability – his prosthetic.”
In agreeing the settlement, Center Parcs responded by confirming that it was not their intention to discriminate against Mr Shaw and apologised for any inconvenience, embarrassment and upset caused.
They confirmed that they have now amended their internal policy and safety information, to remove any restrictions in relation to guests wearing a prosthetic and ensured that all staff are appropriately trained on the new policy. They further submitted a written apology to Mr Shaw and made a compensatory payment to reflect his injury to feelings, they further covered his legal fees.
2023 Business Predictions: Seb Saywood, investor at BGF
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 Seb Saywood, an investor at the growth capital investor, BGF.
Despite predictions that the UK is facing a protracted recession, indicators are pointing towards a softer landing than previously feared.
The price of gas is already much less than at its peak, with inflation, dare we say it, also probably having already reached its highest point. However, there’s no doubt that it will remain a tough environment for discretionary consumer spending, particularly in the mid-market.
While in the medium term spending is likely to hold up, thanks to savings generated during the COVID-19 pandemic, in certain demographics consumers may choose to trade down, resulting in wins for the likes of fast food versus casual dining.
From an East Midlands perspective, the region has a strong reputation in sectors like healthcare, biosciences and more generally in business services, with a growing digital economy too. These sectors are less exposed and will hopefully remain resilient. The good news is that employment also remains high. That, combined with high historical saving levels, will hopefully result in a more benign environment compared to previous recessions.
Whilst energy costs will be painful, rising interest rates may have less of an impact on home owners than initially feared, as the majority of mortgages are on longer-term fixed deals. A steady recovery in the value of sterling will also be very helpful. As with any difficult economy, strong, well-capitalised businesses in resilient sectors will find opportunities to seize market share, particularly from less nimble, over leveraged rivals. I expect to see increased consolidation which could drive fund raising activity.
In terms of the M&A landscape, a more cautious view on valuations is starting to come through for certain types of buyers in some sectors, particularly where leverage is involved. However, valuations for the best, most scarce assets, are likely to hold up. This valuation pressure, which is driven by several macro factors, will affect the timing of exits and might result in an increase in minority deals in 2023. Owner managers looking to sell may be disappointed with headline valuations compared to historical expectations. This will encourage some to retain more equity to maximise the upside.
Go ahead given for new funeral home, commercial space and flats in Clifton
A.W. Lymn The Family Funeral Service has received the green light from council planners to move ahead with a brand new, purpose-built funeral home with additional commercial space and three residential flats on Clifton high street.
The successful planning application comes as the business further invests in its offering to the Clifton community, relocating from the current branch, Chaworth House on Varney Road.
The new branch on Southchurch Drive will provide more space, measuring 169.1m2 compared to the current home’s 65m2, for both families and team members, a waiting room next to the chapel to allow more privacy and ease for the bereaved, onsite parking, and accessibility. And, as with all A.W. Lymn branches, the new Clifton location will have a cold room, a facility the company prides itself on and is included in all its funeral homes.
Alongside the funeral home, the granted planning permission will see A.W. Lymn create residential and commercial opportunities. With the UK facing a “critical rental shortage,” the creation of three flats above the branch will be a welcome addition to the local high street, as well as the opening of a commercial space next door.
The new location, set to open in 2023 as a more visible face to the community, will be run by funeral director Joanna Widdowson, who has been a part of A.W. Lymn for the past six years.
Joanna said: “I am delighted that we have received planning permission to carry out the new work and am excited to continue delivering the high level of service that we pride ourselves on out of a bigger and better branch. The added space and improvement of the facilities will benefit families and the team, with even easier access as we will be located on the tramline and have onsite parking.”
Pete Clarson, commercial director at A.W. Lymn, said of the move: “It is crucial that we are a visible, easily accessible face within the community. After serving the people of Clifton since 1990, we feel now is the right time to move to a more spacious branch and are investing in a purpose-built funeral home right in the heart of Clifton, with a residential and commercial offering.”
A.W. Lymn is a fifth-generation family business headquartered in Sneinton, Nottingham and has been helping the bereaved in the region for more than 115 years. It employs over 120 staff and operates 27 funeral homes across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.
Cawarden acquires new equipment after securing £600k funding
Derbyshire-based specialist contractor Cawarden has added a Komatsu high reach demolition excavator to its equipment portfolio, thanks to fresh funding from Paragon Bank.
Based in Derby and a provider of demolition, land remediation, earthworks, civils and groundworks project services throughout the UK, Cawarden secured over half a million pounds to acquire a PC490HRD-11.
The new funding agreement is the latest in a series between Cawarden and Paragon’s SME Lending division, which has seen the two firms work together for over two decades.
Founded over 35 years ago by William Crooks, Cawarden today employs 120 people and has a turnover of £22 million. It provides clients with an integrated ‘destruction to construction’ solution, allowing them to deal with only the delivery contractor.
Terry Lloyd, head of construction at Paragon, has worked closely with William Crooks throughout Cawarden’s commercial relationship with Paragon – which now totals funding of over £10 million.
Commenting on the latest funding agreement between Paragon and Cawarden, Terry Lloyd said: “Building close partnerships with businesses is key to what we do. By listening to our clients, understanding their needs, and then providing funding solutions that work for them has allowed us to build our reputation in the sector as a trusted financial partner.
“I’m delighted that we were able to put this experience and expertise to excellent use with our latest funding arrangement with Cawarden.”
He continued: “For our economy to thrive it is vital that fantastic firms such as Cawarden can access the funding they need to ensure they continue to grow and deliver essential services. Without the construction and demolition sector, our country would grind to a halt – and I am proud of the work Paragon does in keeping it moving.”
Commenting on Paragon’s funding support for Cawarden, William Crooks said: “Providing our clients with the highest standard of service is central to our business, and with the addition of a Komatsu PC490HRD-11 to our industry-leading equipment portfolio we will continue to keep doing so in the years ahead.”
He continued: “Working with Terry and the team at Paragon has been an invaluable driver of our growth as a business. Thanks to their commitment to understanding our operations and providing funding solutions that are tailored to our requirements, we’ve been able to develop a partnership that will continue to benefit Cawarden and our clients for years to come.”
Freeths bolsters real estate offering with strategic promotions
Law firm Freeths has promoted partner James Hart to lead the real estate team across the Midlands region and Patrick Adie has also been named national head of housebuilding & strategic land.
James is now responsible for coordinating the firm’s real estate teams across its four Midlands offices in Birmingham, Derby, Leicester and Nottingham. With a long-standing reputation in the region, he leads the relationship for some of the firm’s largest clients.
Patrick Adie has also been promoted to national head of housebuilding & strategic land, with responsibility for promoting the firm’s offering in these key sectors. Patrick is an award-winning solicitor and is ranked as ‘Up and Coming’ in Chambers and Partners 2023.
Partner and national head of real estate at Freeths, Darren Williamson said: “It is our mission statement to be the best national real estate practice in the UK and to be the destination firm for real estate clients.
“We have been consistently ranked as ‘Tier 1’ in the leading directories’ legal rankings where James and Patrick operate, and these appointments will help further our aims.
“Both James and Patrick are ‘home grown’ talent, having trained at Freeths and built outstanding practices over their careers, which serves to highlight why Freeths is such a great place to work. It is a huge pleasure to welcome them into their new roles.”
James Hart added: “Freeths is a national, full-service law firm but our heart is the historic Midlands-based property practice – it is the ‘engine room’ of what we do. I’m looking forward to supporting the team’s growth over the next five years of our business plan.”
Patrick Adie continued: “We have an outstanding reputation in the housebuilding and strategic land sectors, including having acted for many of the top-10 housebuilders for several decades.
“It’s exciting to be able to lead the team on the next stage of our growth plans. I look forward to working with colleagues across our 12 offices so that we can continue to build on our outstanding service for clients, both at regional and national level.”
Frasers Group serves eviction notice to Coventry City
Coventry City has received an eviction notice from Shirebrook-based Frasers Group, new owners of the Coventry Building Society Arena.
The football club says it has been told that it must agree a new licence to play at the Arena, following the Frasers Group acquisition of the stadium from administrators in November.
In a statement Coventry City said: “We were surprised to learn of this intention by Frasers Group, given that discussions with Coventry City prior to the completion of their purchase of the Arena led us to understand the existing terms would continue unchanged with Frasers Group as the new owners of the Arena.”
Coventry City Football Club has an existing long-term licence to play at the Arena, which was agreed in March 2021 to run until 2031.
Coventry City added: “Frasers Group have now presented to Coventry City a new agreement with new commercial terms, which have been presented to us without any dialogue or negotiations, and are less favourable to the Football Club. In addition, this licence would only run until May 2023.
“Frasers Group have said they would negotiate for beyond May 2023, but this leaves us without the security and certainty that our current deal provides to us and our fans.
“To confirm, Coventry City are happy to continue under terms of the current licence which we already have in place to play at the Arena.
“Following Frasers Group’s purchase of the Arena, one of the great assets of the City of Coventry, they stated they were ‘looking forward to working with Coventry City Football Club’.
“Coventry City hope that they will act on those words for the good of the Arena, the Football Club, our fans and the City and community that they are now part of.”
Ambitions Personnel named as Crown Commercial Service Supplier
Recruitment firm Ambitions Personnel have been named as a supplier on Crown Commercial Service’s (CCS) Permanent Recruitment 2 Framework agreement.
The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) supports the public sector in gaining the greatest commercial value when buying common goods and services. In 2019/20, CCS helped the public sector to achieve commercial benefits worth over £1bn – supporting world-class public services that offer the best value for taxpayers.
Ambitions Personnel will be delivering recruitment services to Lot 2 – Non-Clinical / General Recruitment, which includes hiring into roles such as administration, customer service and IT.
Managing Director of Ambitions Personnel, Mandy Watson, said: “It’s great that we’re now a named supplier on the esteemed CCS framework. We’ve had many success stories of recruiting into the public sector spanning over 30 years, and now it’s time to expand this – we want to be the go-to recruitment agency.”
Since 2010, the government has launched several initiatives to help support SMEs across the UK.
Mandy continued: “The government’s SME Action Plan allows smaller businesses to compete with much larger organisations. Ambitions Personnel will play a prominent role in efficiently hiring new staff into government roles, helping the government achieve their spending targets for helping small businesses.
“With this step, we’re already looking forward to seeing what the future holds.”
Nottingham digital agency sweeps aside stateside competition to land contract with American cleanroom giant
A Nottingham digital agency has landed its first major transatlantic contract after it was appointed to run the online paid advertising campaign on behalf of a market-leading American cleanroom company.
Repeat Digital has been chosen to manage the online paid advertising for Angstrom Technology, which is based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and even appointed the Long Eaton firm ahead of its own American-based digital marketing agency.
Repeat, which employs six people and is based in Bramley Road, Long Eaton, was founded by entrepreneur Olly Fisher in 2017 and offers a number of online services, including pay-per-click and SEO management for a range of companies in a number of sectors, including legal, manufacturing and ecommerce industries.
Its contract with Angstrom came following its work with Connect 2 Cleanrooms (C2C), a Lancaster-based supplier of modular cleanrooms and cleanroom equipment for organisations requiring hygienic spaces, such as pharmaceutical companies and healthcare providers.
Repeat has been looking after the company’s online lead generation work and its e-commerce store, which sells cleaning supplies, sterile clothing and furniture, for the past 14 months, raising awareness of the brand and increasing sales by more than 100% over a nine month period.
Its success came to the attention of Angstrom Technology when the American firm took over C2C earlier this year.
The companies will now embark on a joint strategy to increase sales of their services and products all over the world, with Repeat being asked to carry on with its work with C2C and take on Angstrom’s own digital marketing in America as well.
Olly said: “The US market is massive and so for a company of our size to get a foothold over there with such a prestigious client is huge news and an amazing opportunity for us.
“What makes it more special is that we won the contract having previously demonstrated what we can do through our work with C2C. Theirs is a very specialised market and we were able to use our ability to target potential customers more accurately in order to generate more leads and increase sales through their online shop.
“It’s testament to the skills and ability of our team that Angstrom were impressed with what they have achieved and this proves that any agency with the right skills and approach can serve large and well-established clients no matter where they are in the world.”
Sean Fryers, marketing manager at Connect 2 Cleanrooms, said: “The results that Repeat Digital have achieved on behalf of C2C have had a significant effect on its business and we have enjoyed working alongside them.
“With that in mind we felt it was in everybody’s interests for them to begin working on behalf of Angstrom Technology as well and we look forward to seeing what great results Repeat Digital can achieve on its behalf as well.”
Acres says “Viva Espana” as it opens Malaga office
Derby-based Acres Engineering is celebrating after opening a new base in Malaga, Spain.
The family business, which is located on Castle Lane Industrial Estate, Melbourne, has appointed Alejandro De Castro to head up the company, which will be trading as Acres Engineering Europe S.L.
Alejandro has worked at Acres Engineering in Derby for over 4 years, where he has been involved in the creation of more than 1,500 products across Acres’ range of markets and as a senior member of the management team.
Luke Parker, Managing Director at Acres Engineering, says: “This is such an exciting moment for all of us. Spain is a global leader in automotive components (one of our major markets) and is actively investing to increase and enhance the industrial sector.
“This is a positive statement of intent from us as a growing business and a move which will also give us crucial access to the European common market. I am delighted to be working with Alejandro on this new venture, he has incredible talent as a designer but also as a manager and leader.
“By continuing to work closely together we will bring our knowledge, experience and processes from the UK to the European market and naturally learn a great deal from how Spain has built its own reputation for manufacturing excellence. That can only be a good thing for our customers here in the UK and across the continent.”
Speaking about the new business and market opportunity, Alejandro said: “Our focus with this new adventure will be not only to supply our customers with good quality and innovative products but also to champion the industry as a whole in Spain.
“It is not simply about wanting Acres Europe to be a success for ourselves but also for our supply chain. I feel very grateful for this opportunity and the faith that Luke and the management team have shown in me. We cannot wait to get started.”
Regeneration firm signs option agreement on Northamptonshire site capable of delivering 1.6m sq ft of employment space
Harworth Group, a regenerator of land and property for sustainable development and investment, has entered into an option agreement to purchase the freehold to a 168-acre site south of the Junction 15 of the M1 in Northamptonshire.
Located within a prime Midlands industrial area, Harworth intends to promote the land for sustainable employment use as part of the emerging West Northamptonshire Strategic Plan (WNSP).
Proposals for the site include the development of up to 1.6 million sq ft of Grade A industrial & logistics space, alongside unique landscaping features and an ecological enhancement area.
Together, these elements will provide a net increase of biodiversity and protect the heritage assets and vistas of the local area. The plans also include proactive management of existing woodland areas to further improve ecosystem resilience and connectivity across the scheme.
The proposed development will target Net Zero Carbon status, an EPC rating of A and BREEAM ‘Excellent’ certification. The landscaping and amenity elements of the design will also enhance the wellbeing of those working at and visiting the site.
The site is situated in an area identified for employment growth in the local Development Plan and is one of those being considered for allocation in the emerging WNSP. Harworth says it will work with local stakeholders to bring forward a planning proposal that delivers significant economic and social benefits to the local community while being an exemplar for sustainable building design, environmental protection and historic preservation.
The deal follows Harworth’s acquisition in November 2021 of its Rothwell site, elsewhere in Northamptonshire, which the company is currently promoting for employment use.
David Cockroft, regional director – Midlands, Harworth Group, said: “At Junction 15, Harworth will use its placemaking skills to deliver an industrial & logistics scheme with excellent sustainability credentials that meets the need for jobs and investment in the region, and positively responds to landscape and habitat requirements, while protecting the heritage of the local area.
“Harworth has significant experience of creating sustainable places where people want to live and work, and we look forward to working with local stakeholders to bring forward our vision for this site.”
Rising costs top concerns for Midlands businesses in the run-up to Christmas
Rising costs for energy, borrowing and products and materials in the build-up to Christmas are the top concerns for Midlands businesses in the coming weeks, according to the latest report from accountancy and business advisory firm BDO LLP.
The bi-monthly Rethinking the Economy survey of 500 mid-market businesses has revealed that the rising cost of products and materials is causing the greatest concern for nearly a third of businesses in the region.
The survey showed that a third see higher energy costs as their biggest challenge in the final few weeks of the year, together with rising interest rates and the cost of borrowing (32%).
As businesses in the region face significant cost pressures, many are taking proactive steps to address the latest challenges facing their business. According to the Rethinking the Economy survey, 29% of Midlands companies are taking on new debt or extending existing overdraft facilities – the highest rate of any other UK region – while a further 27% intend to launch new products and services to create additional revenue streams.
However, despite the challenges facing businesses in the final month of the year, an overwhelming number of Midlands businesses (76%) stated that they feel more optimistic about business prospects going into 2023, compared to this time last year, marking a shift in sentiment since COVID-19 restrictions were lifted.
Kyla Bellingall, regional managing partner at BDO LLP in the Midlands, said: “Hearing businesses report that they are in a better place than this time last year is a positive but there’s no doubt that trading conditions remain extremely challenging for many Midlands businesses, following a period of sustained pressure over an extended period of time.
“However, despite the concerns surrounding rising costs, the Midlands is a resilient marketplace and many businesses are well positioned and primed to ride out the economic storm.”
The Rethinking the Economy survey showed that more than half of Midlands businesses have changed their approach to raising funding in the last three to six months due to the economic climate, with 17% admitting that they are seeking funding earlier than planned to ease inflationary and other pressures on the business.
Bellingall added: “With rising costs set to be an enduring theme throughout next year, Midlands businesses cannot do this alone and are calling for more targeted support to help secure the long-term future of mid-market businesses – the engine of the UK’s economy.”
According to the survey, nearly a third of regional businesses believe the Government should be providing more investment in apprenticeships and skills programmes for businesses in 2023, with a further 30% looking to the Government for new education and skills policies at a local level, to align qualifications with businesses’ needs and help to ease skills shortages.
Plans submitted for Leicester’s Pilot House regeneration
Plans to transform Pilot House in Leicester have been submitted after receiving a boost from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund last year.
The £11.4m proposals, initially revealed in 2020, will see the cluster of heritage buildings on King Street redeveloped into a home for creative businesses with a central courtyard and atrium for shared use, a business zone for technical and digital businesses, and a co-working lounge.
The city council proposes to deliver the phased refurbishment of the 100,000 sq ft former factory, to create office and workspace to meet demand from inward investment, the professional sectors and creative/design businesses.
It is hoped that Pilot House will build on and extend the success of the city’s LCB Depot in the Cultural Quarter and will be a hub providing workspace, events, exhibitions and host key projects and services to support the growth of its business communities.
Speaking on the plans, City Mayor Peter Soulsby previously said: “This project will transform a group of architecturally significant heritage buildings into a landmark destination that will become a source of pride for Leicester.
“Not only will it contribute to the wider regeneration of the Belvoir Street, Market Street and New Walk areas, and complement exciting new developments like the Gresham Building, but it will also create and support hundreds of high quality new jobs.”
Subject to planning permission, work could start on site in early 2023, with the building open for business from spring 2024.
East Midlands Growth Hubs secure £3m to support manufacturing sector
The East Midlands Growth Hubs, led by Lincolnshire County Council, have successfully bid to secure £3m to support East Midlands manufacturing sector businesses over the next two and a half years.
The Government is extending the Made Smarter Programme to the East Midlands following a proposition from Lincolnshire County Council and the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership.
The investment is estimated to generate £80m in additional productivity, based on data from other Made Smarter Adoption Programmes.
Cllr Colin Davie, executive councillor for economy at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “This funding supports small and medium sized manufacturing firms to boost their productivity by implementing digital technology and improving leadership and management skills.
“It has already been running in the North East, West Midlands, North West, Yorkshire and the Humber, with impressive results.
“I’m proud that we’ve led the East Midlands bid from Lincolnshire and that our manufacturing businesses will benefit from increased productivity and a higher skilled workforce as a result.”
The funding aims to provide advice to over 400 small and medium sized businesses, undertake 133 business assessments, provide intensive support to 70 businesses and boost the leadership and management skills of 36 senior manufacturing leaders.
The programme helps businesses implement more automation and take advantage of new technologies such as 3D printing, artificial intelligence and virtual reality, creating more high skilled jobs in the process.
Darren Joint, chair of the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership’s Manufacturing Board and MD of Viking Signs, said: “Our board had three priorities this year: to develop the GLEAM network, to work with the further education sector to increase employer engagement, and to land a Made Smarter programme for Lincolnshire.
“I’m delighted that we have been successful with our Made Smarter proposals, not only for Lincolnshire but for the East Midlands.
“My business Viking Signs has benefited tremendously from digital adoption, and this programme will give manufacturing businesses in Lincolnshire the chance to embrace digital transformation and increase productivity by as much as 25% while boosting employee skill levels and increasing the number of highly skilled, well paid jobs.
“The programme will be launched imminently and I encourage businesses to get involved.”
The East Midlands exports £16.6bn, 6% of all UK manufacturing exports, and accounts for nearly 9% of the UKs total manufacturing GVA making it an important contributor the UKs overall manufacturing sector performance.
2023 Business Predictions: Greg Guilford, CEO, HR Solutions
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 HR Solutions CEO Greg Guilford.
As we enter 2023, planning for the year ahead has never been more important. The UK’s employment climate remains volatile due to several significant domestic and global influences. These include the rebuilding after the pandemic, a change in Government, the war in Ukraine, a cost-of-living crisis, and a recession as well as potential new employment legislation. Together, all these major influences have had a direct impact on employment in some way.
The next few months are crucial for business, especially leading up to setting their budgets for the 2023/2024 financial year.
It is perhaps obvious that due to recession, cost cutting is likely to become a priority for many firms. However, there can be a fine line as to which area of spend you freeze.
For example, you may initially think that training costs should be frozen; but have you considered that investment in training and development may help the business to grow and become more productive?
With the cost-of-living crisis, a recession and job certainty waning, employers are wise to focus on employee wellbeing during 2023 not only to support employee engagement, but to limit employee mental health issues. Mental health issues can not only lead to high absenteeism, but for those who try to deal with them whilst working, they can lead to performance issues.
And at a time when businesses continue to re-build post COVID-19 and respond to a challenging recruitment market, it is more important than ever to demonstrate flexibility. Flexible working will be a key factor for many companies in order to increase morale and employee engagement, aid employee retention, and improve productivity, as well as provide greater diversity and inclusion.
Derby composite firm wins national net zero award
A Derby composites firm has won a national net zero award, thanks to its pioneering work to find a more sustainable composite manufacturing process.
Composite Braiding Ltd, based at the iHub innovation centre on Infinity Park, was awarded the ‘Sustainability Award: Net-Zero’ from Composites UK, the trade association for the UK composites industry, at an awards dinner in Birmingham.
The company impressed the judges by developing a lower carbon manufacturing process for structural composites, which also enables higher production volumes and lower costs. The initiative was part funded by an Innovate UK loan.
It’s the second Composites UK award in as many years for Composite Braiding, who last year won the ‘Innovation in Composite Materials’ category.
The new manufacturing process reduces energy consumption by up to 99%, compared to traditional processes, and uses tooling that is 50% lighter. The process even reduces consumable waste.
On top of the decarbonisation benefits, the innovation means the firm can produce composite parts in minutes instead of hours, enabling them to increase volumes and reduce costs.
Commenting on the award, Steve Barbour, Managing Director of Composite Braiding, said: “We’re thrilled to have won another prestigious Composites UK award this year for our work to decarbonise composite manufacturing processes. It just goes to show what small companies can do, when you have an innovative team and funding behind you.
“This is a game-changing capability. If this process is adopted by multiple users, which is our aim, it will help deliver decarbonisation at scale. We are already talking to third parties about broadening the awareness and availability of our capabilities.”
