NG expands again with new department and key hire
Commercial property specialist NG Chartered Surveyors is expanding with a fresh hire and new Facilities Management division.
The Nottingham-based company has appointed experienced property professional Jamie Pervin to head up the new offering. Jamie will work alongside NG’s growing Management department and assist the Building Surveying team.
Jamie worked as a Property Manager for an estate agency, before moving onto a Midlands commercial property consultant, where he spent almost six years. He is studying for my APC in Facilities Management
Jamie said: “NG has a fantastic reputation within the East Midlands commercial property sector. The opportunity to join a progressive, fast-growing company – and to head up a new arm of the business – was an offer I couldn’t refuse.”
“I look forward to working with my new colleagues at NG, and with new clients – and those who I already have a relationship with.
James McArthur, director at NG, added: “It is an exciting time for our company and I am delighted that Jamie has chosen to join us. I look forward to working with him very closely.”
GE Power Conversion gets solar underway in Leicestershire
Specialist solar development company, Ortus Energy, has completed the first phase of a fully funded Power Purchase Agreement (PPA*) for one of the leading electrical engineering organisations, GE Power Conversion.
Ortus Energy have worked in conjunction with GE Power Conversion UK to provide and integrate a 400kW PV system into GE’s Marine Power Test Facility in Leicestershire, UK.
The supply of this system by Ortus has contributed a further part to GE’s journey towards carbon neutrality goals, in line with the organisation’s ongoing corporate commitment to sustainability. GE’s Marine Power Test Facility is now equipped with a 400kWp roof-top system of 962 panels that will save around 70 tonnes of CO2 annually and generate an estimated 315,000 kWhs of clean energy per year to help run the facility.
The four-and-a-half-acre site is dedicated to land-based innovation, test and emulation of full scale, multi-megawatt (MW) integrated electric power and propulsion systems and new energy technologies for naval and other maritime platforms. The facility needs energy to run extensive tests on its electric ship equipment. These include both high and low voltage systems, AC and DC, fixed and variable frequency electrical systems which are all highly configurable and fully interconnected via the land-based, integrated marine micro grid.
The facility’s existing architecture enabled Ortus’ PV system to be accommodated and optimized to work in conjunction with GE’s energy management system and an array of existing energy sources including grid, vessel prime movers, diesel generators, energy storage, and other equipment with varying energy-demand profiles.
To help optimize the solar power utilization, the PV system provided by Ortus was implemented as four separate but interconnectable roof-mounted arrays, to allow the best configurability into the Marine Power Test Facility’s automation and energy management system.
Peter Oram, Sales and Commercial Director at GE Power Conversion UK, said of the collaborative and forward-thinking project: “The system upgrade has been conceived and integrated in such a way that all sources of energy, from fuel to grid supply, can be optimized for efficiency, carbon reduction and operating cost. It’s important for this advanced Marine Power Test Facility and the customers that rely on it, providing a full-scale demonstration of future, greener maritime technologies and their deployment within a micro grid.”
GE, an energy infrastructure leaderis already part of the UK government’s Supply Chains for Net Zero initiative, aimed at driving industrial decarbonization, and this latest solar initiative continues their mission to make operations more sustainable, as well as lowering energy bills in today’s increasingly volatile market.
Phase two will commence in early 2023 at GE Power Conversion’s systems and manufacturing facility in nearby Rugby and has the potential to be nearly five times the size at 1.8MW output.
Having recently signed a deal with international assets investment company, Fiera Infrastructure, to deploy £100m of investments into the UK market, Ortus Energy is a major new player when it comes to guarding against energy uncertainty and currently have 300MW of commercial and industrial solar PV projects in development.
Ortus Managing Director, Alistair Booth explained: “We’re delighted to help GE improve their environmental profile, ESG commitments and carbon footprint, as well as locking-in a sizeable portion of their energy price for 25 years, at no upfront cost. Our fully integrated approach to building, financing and operating distributed energy streamlined the project for them and the solar PV system will be particularly beneficial for the Marine Power Test Facility site, as it looks to decrease its reliance on grid electricity.”
*Commercial & Industrial (C&I) PPAs are longer-term deals that fix a set rate directly from the energy source. They ensure organisations benefit from low-cost, clean energy, without any capital expenditure, that’s independent from the grid and not exposed to the volatility of open-market forces and prices – and increasingly the most cost-effective and sustainable options are distributed renewable energy sources.
Grant helps PR business, 1284 continue its success story
Loughborough-based PR and communications strategy business 1284 used a business growth grant to increase productivity – translating time saved into the launch of a new service. The business was founded in 2020 from its base at the Loughborough University incubator LUinc. and grew turnover by more than 120% in its second year. Moving into Year 3, founder George Oliver applied through the Business Gateway Growth Hub for help towards set-up costs for new service line 1284START.
Before launching 1284, George had never run his own business. After 15 years as a journalist, he decided to form his own agency, aiming to specialise in corporate communications relating to the Innovation sector. At the time, George was completing an MSc in Strategic Leadership at Loughborough University’s Business School and he applied to launch 1284 from the university incubator on the LUSEP enterprise zone.
Two years on, 1284 was a Chartered PR Practitioner providing communications strategy to clients ranging from SMEs to local government and universities. From launch, George had been interested in working with innovative start-ups, providing PR consultancy both at reduced rates and pro bono to support the development of exciting new businesses emerging from Loughborough and Leicester. The Growth Grant presented an opportunity to formalise that activity as a niche premium PR service at affordable rates for emerging East Midlands entrepreneurs.
1284START launched in October 2022 – two months after the Growth Grant was awarded. The 35% match-funding was used towards the purchase of a laptop and AI software to improve the efficiency and monitoring of PR campaigns. George then created 1284START to pass his company’s efficiency savings on to client startups, meaning that selected new businesses could access quality services in Leicestershire at a reduced rate.
1284START is already being used by purposeful early-stage businesses in the region. Projects include copywriting for award-winning med-tech startup ACT Medical, which is developing a life-saving device to stem blood loss from knife wounds. 1284 is already in talks with two further startups about supporting them with press releases, media relations, and other comms. It means 1284START had reached around 10% of its Y1 revenue target before its official launch in late October.
George was introduced to the Business Gateway Growth Hub by attending free sessions on marketing and pricing while establishing his company in 2020. He said: “I had never run my own business before 1284 and needed to learn a lot quickly about process, accounting, sales and more. The incubator was helping with that and I also learned quite quickly that the Growth Hub provided sessions with experts who were offering a lot of specialist insight at no cost.
“When I saw on Twitter a couple of years later that the Growth Hub was inviting applications for Growth grants I began to think about how it could be a chance to formalise what I was trying to achieve with really purposeful startups. Three months later, I had funding and kit in place, a new website live and clients on the books.”
In December 2021, 1284 won a public tendering exercise to provide media releases for the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP). Efficiencies made possible by 1284START mean that the company can deliver such big contracts while continuing to grow within the existing headcount. However, the next stage for 1284 is to consider the staffing required for further expansion. George said: “I think we are at a point many growing businesses will experience in that 1284 is close to having made all realistic measures to increase productivity and now needs to think seriously about onboarding new people.”
1284 is shortlisted for the CIPR’s Midlands Independent Practitioner of the Year and the East Midlands Chamber’s Leicestershire Entrepreneur of the Year. “I never thought of myself as an entrepreneur, but the support I have received gave me the confidence to invest in the IT I needed to improve my service offer, increase efficiency and compete with larger agencies,” said George.
Business Gateway Adviser, Paul Bennett added: “1284 has been growing significantly over the last few years and George’s passion for supporting start-ups through affordable PR is commendable. He put an excellent case forward to the grant panel, not only to prove his project was viable but also how much it was really needed in the start-up community. It’s been a pleasure supporting George and seeing his ideas become a reality. He listened to my advice and feedback and has even taken away ideas to help his own clients with funding and award applications. I wish him well for the future.”
New centre to support disruptive business and industry transformation launched at Nottingham Business School
A new centre led by international experts is to promote innovation, empower business transformation and nurture future business leaders.
The Centre for Business and Industry Transformation (CBIT) has been launched by Nottingham Business School, part of Nottingham Trent University, to bring together industry transformation research, disruptive business practice, and personalised education.
Aiming to foster future leaders, CBIT offers both full-time and part-time masters’ degree programmes, specifically designed for transformational entrepreneurs, family business successors and senior managers who are likely to become the next CEO.
CBIT has also launched its Venture Builder for early-stage businesses. The programme aims to enhance the founder’s capability in business transformation practice. It takes a unique “sparring partner” approach to co-creating and co-executing transformational methods and innovative business model adoption.
The CBIT research team has a proven track record in high-impact research that supports wider society to achieve better sustainability and accelerate towards Net Zero. Their key research covers fields such as digital economy; new business and economic models; technology-driven innovation; IoT, machine learning and artificial intelligence; and business transformation methods.
The Centre will be led by Professor Xiao Ma, an internationally recognised thought leader and educator in entrepreneurship, business transformation, and digital economy, as well as a seasoned entrepreneur. He has led transformation projects for many businesses, including some Fortune 500 companies and PLCs.
Professor Ma said: “Through the work of the Centre, we want to transform those industry “norms”, build disruptive businesses and maximise positive impact in society and the environment. We will do this by working with industry partners to co-identify, co-design and co-deliver high-impact, world-leading education and research, informed by challenges the industry partners are facing.”
The Centre will hold an official launch event at Nottingham Business School on Thursday 10 November aimed at both emerging and established entrepreneurs and researchers interested in investigating how businesses become disruptive and transform the industry norm. Speakers include:
Nikhil Chikhliwala, a recent graduate, who will share his experience of the CBIT previous Masters’ degree programme. Nikhil will discuss how this programme helped him to build his venture, and made him a Strategist at Bow&Arrow, the Venture builder arm of Accenture.
Manish Pillay and Kris MacCrory, co-founders at Dock-y, (a CBIT Venture Builder cohort). Kris and Manish will share their experience of the CBIT venture building programme.
Roger Maull, Professor of Management Systems at the University of Exeter Business School and Academic Director of the Initiative for the Digital Economy at Exeter (INDEX). Roger will share his experience of working with the CBIT team on industry transformation research and explain the benefits of being part of this research agenda.
Haines Watts welcomes new trainees to its Ashby-de-la-Zouch office
Leading accountancy and business advisory firm Haines Watts has welcomed new trainees and graduates to join the firm’s operation in Ashby-de-la-Zouch.
The graduates and school leavers will take up a host of positions across its office on Charterpoint Way and other bases across the West Midlands, joining their current crop of 24 other regional trainees.
To welcome the new team members on board, the graduates attended a regional welcome induction at the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) headquarters in London recently, where they met their peers from around the country and heard from previous trainees and partners on their career progression.
Baljit Kaur, Regional HR Advisor in the West Midlands, commented: “Our trainee induction was a fantastic opportunity to welcome our 2022 cohort of new starters.
“They had a fun-filled, informative day getting to know each other and gaining insights from our existing trainee group, about life as a trainee and the journey ahead. They also heard from senior partners and owners of the firm about their stories, the values that run through our people and brand, the clients we work with and ambitions our leaders have for the future of Haines Watts.
“The innovative ideas generated during various tasks were excellent and I was delighted to see them developing relationships with their peers from other offices across the UK. They’re at the start of a very exciting journey at and I look forward to seeing the ideas and energy that they bring.”
Haines Watts prides itself on its commitment to talent development, investing over £20K per candidate in creating an academy dedicated to the continued development of staff, as well as an accredited training programme.
This commitment will continue with all the new starters, who will be joining different training routes, including ACA, ACCA or the tax pathway.
Kasim Khan, Audit and Accounts Trainee, said: “The reason I chose to join Haines Watts was due to the personal aspect of the course and training; it seemed like a firm that you were more accepted into and somewhere that really cared about my progression.
“If I had chosen to accept an offer from one of the top four, I would have been seen as a number not an individual. I can already really see the connection, and support from colleagues and managers alike.
“The highlight from the induction day was meeting a group of semi seniors. They were very supportive, given they have been in the same position as us and understood our feelings and what was running through our minds.”
Charlie Gordon, Audit and Accounts Trainee, concluded: “What drew me to Haines Watts was the emphasis it has on employee wellbeing, as well as the focus on communication with clients, instead of just focusing on the numbers.
“The day was really useful for making new connections with likeminded individuals across the country. I’m now really looking forward to getting stuck into work, getting involved with the team and meeting clients.”
Leicestershire Innovation Festival 2023 launches
The fifth Leicestershire Innovation Festival will take place in the new year – with organisers placing the spotlight on small business.
The Business Gateway Growth Hub is again leading preparations for the festival – themed on productivity – as 20 events are staged between 6 and 17 February.
Productivity and innovation are central to plans for growth in the UK economy. As 89% of businesses in Leicester and Leicestershire have fewer than 10 employees, small businesses have a key role to play.
Dr Nik Kotecha OBE DL, Chair of the LLEP Innovation Board, said: “The festival will showcase ideas that increase productivity and quality in small, mid-sized, and large organisations.
“People often think of Innovation as being about inventing things. But we also want to hear the stories of entrepreneurs who are making ‘new to business’ changes that can be made by anyone.”
This year’s festival was the biggest to date, with almost 1,000 registrations across 24 events. Organisers aim to build on that in order to grow next year’s fortnight-long festival.
De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) was recently nominated for Outstanding Entrepreneurial University of the Year at the Times Higher Education Awards and is a sponsor of the 2023 festival.
Helen Donnellan, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Regional Business and Innovation, and LLEP Innovation Board member, said: “Workplace innovation isn’t necessarily about specific teams working on future projects.
“Rather, the biggest business impact can come from simply questioning how things could be done better.
“This could be anything from how your business creates its products, to processes for how you operate or how you engage with customers.”
Meanwhile, the fifth LeicestershireLive Innovation Awards continues to be the festival’s flagship event – and nominations are open now.
Businesses and organisations of all sizes can be nominated across 10 regional sector-based categories.
Adam Moss, Editor of LeicestershireLive, said: “We never cease to be amazed by the standard of the nominations we receive, as they really do showcase what Leicestershire’s best and brightest minds have to offer.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing this year’s entries come in and know for a fact that our judges will have some very tough choices when they decide our winners for this year.”
Cleaning pad business just scratching the surface when it comes to growth
Twelve months ago Harry Green, decided it was time to sell his cleaning pad business in Leicester. After all, he was 95, maybe it was time to close the business! However, neighbours Priyesh, Amit and Niraj Mandalia, inspired by Harry’s character and business ethos decided to take it on. As Harry approaches his 97th birthday, Silver Lady Cleaning Products has been given a new lease on life. Already an international business, it is now on a mission to go digital, become sustainable and conquer the UK.
Silver Lady Cleaning manufactures non-scratch scourers and pads under the brand name Miracle Cleaner. With a background originally in knitwear that spans over 100 years, the third generation of Harry’s family works in the business today. The Mandalia brothers are garment manufacturers and had a unit above Harry’s for 10 years. They now own Silver Lady Cleaning along with Harry, who is still very much a part of the business. Mum, Jayshree and dad Chiman Mandalia are also part of the Silver Lady team and work in the business.
Priyesh Mandalia explains: “Harry has a wealth of knowledge and experience. We bought the business, asked him to continue working with us for as long as he wanted and made him a shareholder. He’s a phenomenal guy with a great mind and work ethic. He was going to close the business and it would have been a shame to let that all go.”
Currently the business export to New Zealand, South Africa and Spain. Products are manufactured on unique machines built by Harry, with many parts taken from old knitwear machines. As well as scouring pads, new lines have been introduced such as dishcloths in microfibre and swede.
Priyesh described how this year they’ve spent time finding ways to lower their carbon footprint and be more sustainable. Silver Lady has swapped its product header cards to recycled paper and uses disposable cotton to stitch the pads together. Work is also currently underway with De Montfort University to make their sponges bacteria-free. If they succeed, the sponges could then be reused in playgrounds for example or bouncy castle pits.
The outside of the sponge is lurex and plastic coated. If they can take the plastic out, the lurex will also be completely recyclable. The business also sources locally or within the UK and all their products go by ship to international customers. All these measures help reduce their carbon footprint and support their journey to becoming a sustainable business.
Despite its international success, Silver Lady doesn’t have any UK customers. Priyesh said: “We sell about 12,000 pieces each month to New Zealand but nothing here. I’d say one of our main challenges is exposure. We don’t know who to target or which doors we should be knocking on but I know we want to expand.”
While searching on the internet for advice and funding he came across the Business Gateway Growth Hub. Priyesh continued: “We were contacted by Russ Pacey following our initial enquiry. We had an amazing conversation about Harry, our plans to grow in the UK and what help might be available. Our timing must have been spot on as just that week a new £2,500* business support grant had opened, which Russ talked through. We applied straight away for funding to help with marketing support.”
Priyesh comments: “We want to expand because we love this product and want to share it. Harry is a shrewd businessman and has built a unique product with longevity. He’s such an inspiration and makes us want to do better. The possibilities are endless.”
Harry added: “This has given me a new lease on life and I’m learning lots of things. I’ve joined the Mandalia brothers to bring our product to the local market and I’m excited to see where the business goes with our combined experience and backgrounds.”
Russ Pacey, Business Adviser Manager said: “This is a fantastic story transcending barriers of background, age, culture and experience. People working together with a common goal.
“I’m pleased I was able to signpost the grant. This kind of one-off grant or support programme pop up from time to time so it’s always worth staying in touch with the Business Gateway.”
Notts developer calls upon government to confront post-Covid home building challenges head on
The MD of one of the Midlands’ longest standing family-run house-builders has called upon Rishi Sunak’s newly announced Housing Secretary, Michael Gove, to give more support to small developers in the challenging post-Covid construction landscape.
Steve Midgley, Managing Director and co-founder at Fairgrove, which he established in 1995, has voiced concerns over the spiralling issues with supply chains and labour shortages in the wake of Brexit and Covid, as his teams work around the clock to deliver excellent low-energy homes in the midst of a very turbulent mortgage market.
Fairgrove is currently active on three sites in the East Midlands – The Brewery Yard and Nine Corners in Kimberley, as well as Swanwick Fields in Alfreton. All sites, which will eventually comprise more than 100 stunning new homes, are experiencing major challenges and Steve and his team, plus their newly appointed Quality Manager, are disheartened to find themselves behind schedule for completion.
Steve, who spent 10 years as Chairman of the Small Developers Group, and more recently 6 years as main Board member, of the Home Builders Federation, said: “Our vision to create places where people aspire to live, work and enjoy life is as strong as ever, given the tough times we’ve all come through over the last few years. A home is literally where the heart is and so we understand how important it is that our customers arrive at their perfect dream home on move-in day.
“That’s why we are so disheartened to have handed over some homes with a few aspects unfinished and to be behind schedule – it just is not the quality finish and experience we are known and respected for. Our 25 year plus heritage is all about comfort, high standards, excellent customer service and great workmanship and design.
“So I’m urgently calling on the new Housing Minster to address the challenges faced by smaller house builders in this extremely difficult construction climate. Key problems are the supply chain delays which have come about through a perfect storm of factors, culminating in vital materials not arriving on our sites in time.
“A shortage of skilled workers post Brexit has certainly had, and continues to have, a really negative impact on house building, as does the terrible situation in Ukraine. Timber, for instance, is a big problem. We have had a real struggle getting hold of fencing as a result, similar to how we’ve finding it very hard to secure ground workers and scaffolding. The supply chain and labour market is in a state of chaos.”
Steve added that it wasn’t just his company that was experiencing these ongoing problems. “At a recent meeting with more than 15 other developers, we all reported the same thing. We’re all being hit by delays for at least one vital skill or product as we strive to deliver houses on time. It doesn’t seem that bigger developers are feeling the squeeze in the same way – and this needs addressing.”
To give a specific example of how Fairgrove’s current projects are being affected, Steve touched on the piling process. He said: “Some of the properties we are building at our luxury development in Alfreton have to be supported in the ground via a process called piling. The piles are steel tubes, imported ex-Russian oil and gas pipeline pipes. We have lost over 3 months whilst these have been stuck at a Norwegian port as a result of the war in Ukraine.
“This delays construction by weeks and puts our buyers at risk of their mortgage deals running out, hence the real sense of urgency to move people into homes that we are not 100% happy with. The situation needs some serious attention from those calling the shots in Government.”
UK businesses have almost £59 billion worth of assets sitting idle
New research reveals UK businesses have nearly £59 billion worth of capital tied up in working assets and equipment they no longer need.
As pressure mounts to find new ways to reduce the cost of doing business, reuse specialist, Ramco, is urging businesses to contribute to the circular economy and find new homes for idle items – rather than letting them go to waste.
The new data shows 67% of respondents – as many as 3.7 million UK businesses – admit they have good quality, working equipment they no longer need. The survey also revealed individual organisations could have an average of over £10k worth of assets sitting idle.
Conducted by Censuswide, Ramco’s research highlights 75% of senior managers dislike the idea of unwanted equipment being scrapped or left to ruin in their business. Despite this, 59% say they have disposed of working equipment by sending it to landfill in the last five years.
With demand for second-hand business assets at the highest point in Ramco’s 26 years of operation, founder and MD Neil Sanderson says the research findings are frustrating: “The second-hand market for consumer goods is booming through platforms like eBay, Vinted and the rise of fashion rental. It’s the same picture for the commercial second-hand market so to discover businesses have such huge capital tied up in good assets they no longer use when costs for doing business are rising, is hard to hear.”
Topping the list of second-hand business equipment sought by Ramco’s buyers are electrical goods, followed by industrial and plant machinery. And 66% of businesses say they regularly seek to purchase second-hand equipment before looking to buy new.
Neil continues: “It’s frustrating to see how much untapped potential there is when it comes to second-hand business goods. From catering equipment to plant machinery and vehicles, across the country there’s a mountain of good quality items being unused and left to ruin.
“As the cost of doing business spirals, we’re urging businesses to use this opportunity to review their assets and where they’re no longer needed, give them a new lease of life instead of letting them go to waste. It’s an opportunity to reduce an organisation’s carbon footprint, minimise storage costs and generate capital. None of us can afford to waste resources – for the planet and for profit.”
To help organisations see the potential in their unwanted equipment, Ramco has launched a new value finding tool to illustrate the carbon savings and financial return which can be generated by giving assets a new lease of life.
Business confidence remains steady in East Midlands reveals new report
As Business confidence fell in six of the UK’s twelve regions and nations, the East Midlands has managed to hold steady reveals a new report.
The Business Barometer from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking reveals that firms’ expectations for wage growth eased back this month, with the proportion expecting 3% or more for their staff in the next twelve months falling to 26% from 29%. Nevertheless, pay growth expectations remain high relative to pre-Covid outcomes and suggest that difficulties persist in finding the right staff to fill vacancies.
Hiring intentions rose for the first time in five months. Firms’ expectations regarding their staffing levels for the year ahead improved for the first time in five months. Nevertheless, with the net balance trending lower in recent months, it still points to slower employment growth ahead for the economy. Forty-two percent (up from 39%) anticipate a higher headcount and 21% (down from 23%) forecast a smaller workforce. The resulting net balance rose to 21%, from 16%, a three- month high but still lower than the first half of the year.
Business confidence in the manufacturing sector across the UK fell for a fifth straight month, down 1 point to 13%, the lowest since February 2021. Weaker confidence was also evident among firms in retail and services. Confidence in the retail sector declined 6 points to 9%, while services confidence edged down 1 point to 16%, both the lowest since early 2021. Construction confidence moved up 10 points to 20%, but it remains weaker than in the first half of the year.
London, the North West and the West Midlands were the most upbeat regions, with confidence above the UK average and rising by between 8 and 16 points, while the East of England and Wales also recorded stronger confidence, albeit from a lower base.
Commenting on the figures, Hann-Ju Ho, Economics & Market Insights for Lloyds Bank Corporate & Institutional Banking says: “While business confidence has marginally fallen this month, along with a drop in forward looking economic optimism, it is encouraging to see businesses still looking to increase their headcounts. However, cost pressures remain evident as businesses raise prices to protect their margins and wage pressure continue to be impactful.”
Paul Gordon, MD for SME and Mid Corporates for Lloyds Bank Business & Commercial Banking adds: “While confidence has marginally decreased this month, this also comes at a time of great economic uncertainty. The fact that it has only fallen by 1% suggests that businesses are showing resilience. As we head into the winter months and pricepressures continue, energy price increases will start to bite and we are seeing continued pressure on pay expectations…”
Former Aston Martin VP joins Browne Jacobson Manufacturing & Industrials sector board
Law firm Browne Jacobson has appointed former Vice President and Chief Planning Officer (CPO) of Aston Martin Lagonda, Nikki Rimmington as its first Non-Executive Director (NED) of its Manufacturing & Industrials sector strategy board.
This is one of several sector-driven appointments for the firm’s corporate sector in recent months which includes leading General Counsel (GC), Anneliese Reinhold as the firm’s first Non-Executive Chair of its corporate sectoral strategy board.
Working closely with partner Declan Cushley who leads the firm’s corporate sector market group, and partner and head of Browne Jacobson’s Corporate Manufacturing & Industrials sector, Paul Kirkpatrick, Nikki brings significant expertise in strategic planning and implementation, corporate finance, project delivery, operational performance management and business transformation which will support the firm and its lawyers in driving the Manufacturing & Industrials sector strategy, which is part of the firm’s wider corporate sector strategy.
Nikki has over 20 years’ experience predominantly in the automotive and industrials sector but has worked across various other business service lines during her career. Nikki is currently the Strategy Development Director for InoBat Auto – a European company specialising in the pioneering research, development, manufacture and recycling of innovative electric batteries. Before that, Nikki spent 13 years working in multiple roles at Aston Martin which included being Vice President and CPO where she was responsible for product lifestyle planning, the implementation of major revisions to the product plan, leading on business performance analysis and being involved in a significant restructure of Aston Martin’s planning function. Before that, Nikki worked as an associate at A.T. Kearney Management Consultants and spent five years at Jaguar Land Rover as a vehicle safety integration engineer.
This appointment endorses the firm’s commitment to making the legal profession more diverse and inclusive. It also follows on from its official partnership with O Shaped in May 2022, which is an innovative movement with a mission to drive positive change within the legal sector.
Speaking on the appointment, Declan Cushley, said: “We are delighted to have appointed Nikki as the NED for our growing Manufacturing & Industrials sector. She has had a very successful career in the automotive industry, working with some of the UK’s finest motor brands and has a deep understanding of market changes and trends including the challenges that the assembly line and supply chain is coming up against, the technological landscape and the key legislative changes that are changing the face of both the UK and global automotive sectors, as well as the wider industrial sector.”
“Nikki’s appointment underpins our commitment to bolstering our Manufacturing & Industrials offering and to being an O Shaped law firm that is striving for effective change, not only in the legal landscape but across the sectors and industries we are supporting .”
Paul Kirkpatrick added: “Nikki is an absolute expert in her field and was an essential part of Aston Martin’s ambitious and successful growth strategy over a 13-year period so we are pleased to welcome her to our board, where she will support us to work even more creatively with our broad manufacturing client base and gain a deeper understanding of how this fast moving sector is going to transform in the future and what impact this will have on our clients and on the consumer.”
Nikki commented: “Browne Jacobson has a strong reputation for continuously providing its clients with creative solutions to complex problems. They have extensive experience of working with some of the world’s leading brands and suppliers, helping them make the right decisions for their business and connecting them to the right commercial opportunities. They are also deeply invested in having a positive impact on a host of societal issues that affect their clients such as sustainability, so I am pleased to be supporting this dynamic and forward looking firm and practice in continuing to deliver great results to its clients.”
Browne Jacobson’s national Manufacturing & Industrials practice has a diverse range of specialist industry knowledge from our experience of advising and representing a rich portfolio of world-leading brands and household names from across the automotive and the food and drink sector. The team works with manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, national retailers, restaurant chains and principal businesses within the supply chain. The team specialise in business-critical projects, multi-jurisdictional data protection and privacy issues, commercial issues, regulatory and compliance matters, mergers and acquisitions, trading arrangements, brand protection, competition issues, property management and a variety of employment matters.
GXO Logistics expands into 170,000 sq ft facility in Wellingborough
Logicor, a leading European owner and manager of logistics real estate, has let its 170,598 sq ft Wellingborough distribution / production facility to GXO Logistics, on a new long- term lease.
Wellingborough170 will be used by the leading supply chain partner to help their customers fulfil increasing orders.
Located on Park Farm Industrial Estate to the West of Wellingborough, a strategic logistics location in the East Midlands, with access to the M1 and A14 East Coast ports, Wellingborough159 is positioned in an established industrial and logistics park. Nearby occupiers including TNT, DHL and Co-Op.
Jack Garrett, Senior Asset Manager – UK, Logicor comments: “Increasing numbers of occupiers are being attracted to the connectivity credentials offered by this location, along with its strong population growth and highly skilled local workforce.
“GXO Logistics already have a presence nearby and know the area well, making this refurbished, high-quality distribution facility the ideal choice for them.”
Burbage Realty and DTRE advised Logicor.
All remaining employment and trade units snapped up at Nottingham development
A leading investor in UK urban logistics has completed the acquisition of all the trade and employment units at a mixed-use development at Teal Park in Nottingham.
Northwood Urban Logistics has purchased the third and final phase from joint-developers Warwickshire-based AC Lloyd Commercial (ACL) and Nottingham-based Henry Davidson Developments (HDD).
Selling the six large employment units totalling 116,835 sq ft is the final part of the deal, meaning the specialist investor in UK logistics sites now owns the entire park with the exception of Storage Giant.
Northwood Urban Logistics had already acquired phase one and two of the 56,511 sq ft trade park which includes Toolstation, Screwfix, Howdens, Trent Valley Windows, Trent Vehicle Charging, Karcher UK and Paintwell.
Mark Edwards, managing director at AC Lloyd Commercial, said Teal Park was proving to be a huge success for businesses from a wide range of sectors.
He said: “This was our first major development in the East Midlands and the Teal Park site has proved to be a fantastic success.
“The final piece of the jigsaw has been the legal work on selling the final phase of the employment and trade units to Northwood Urban Logistics which has been completed, and Teal Park is certainly thriving.”
Richard Croft, director at HDD, added: “The final six employment units which range from 9,606 sq ft to 31,553 sq ft are now under the ownership of Northwood Urban Logistics who will have responsibility for marketing the site. The development is a real success story for the local area, so far Teal Park has attracted a number of high-quality operators and I’m sure it will go from strength to strength.”
Multi Million proposal for retirement/care village in Lincolnshire
Plans for a new retirement/care village in Welton have been submitted to planners by Saunders Boston Architects on behalf of Lace Housing.
The plans allow for some 62 apartments featuring communal and staff facilities, and 10 bungalows complete with gardens, vehicle access and parking.
A design and access statement states: “The main objective of the proposed development is to enable older people to live as ordinary a life as possible in their own homes”
It continues: “The proposed accommodation will be purpose built to meet the changing needs and requirements of older people. Residents will able to access support and enablement services.
The company is looking to develop land to the north western edge of the wider development, bordering Prebend Lane to the east to encompass up to 72 extra dwellings; specifically for elderly residents.
The design of the development, according to the developer, seeks to create a modern, relaxed, spacious and welcoming addition to the housing stock within the town using a mix of local materials and spatial planning to integrate the proposals into the existing fabric of the town and the surrounding new development.
The development will also promote the feeling of a community that integrates residents of both the apartments and the bungalows with the wider development through the creation of new high quality public spaces and pedestrian links through the site.
An essential element of the service is the effective management of both the accommodation and access to a provision of support services that allow residents to regain and retain a level of independence.
The design of the facilities provided also ooks to offer older people a wide range of social, recreational and intellectual opportunities. It will be designed to offer flexibility so that some space is available for additional uses, which may be demanded in the future.
West Lindsey planners will discuss the proposal at their upcoming meeting.
Co-op completes £600m sale of forecourt estate
The Co-operative Group has completed the £611m sale of their petrol forecourts estate to Asda as stated on the London Stock Exchange this morning.
The transaction includes 129 petrol forecourt sites, spread across the UK and represents 5% of Co-op’s retail estate of 2,564 stores.Recently appointed Shirine Khoury-Haq, the Chief Executive at the Co-op Chief Executive at the Co-operative Group comments: “This transaction is in line with our strategy to move away from operating petrol forecourts and supports our vision of Co-operating for a fairer world while building our core leading convenience business.
“I would like to thank our incredible colleagues in these stores, and we will work closely with Asda to ensure a smooth transition.”
The transaction is due to complete in Q4 2022, although the acquisition is subject to review by the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA).
The co-op has stated that its primary focus is on developing further its leading core convenience proposition, and the proceeds from the sale of its relatively small non-core petrol forecourt business, will be used to:
· Reinvest into Co-op’s leading core convenience business centred around its retail estate, as well as its growing wholesale, franchise and e-commerce operations, including new convenience stores in the heart of more communities
· Invest in Co-op’s pricing, store operations, technology, and logistics
· Support the reduction of Co-op’s net debt
Reopening the Ivanhoe Line would have significant business benefits, says East Midlands Chamber
A bid to reopen a passenger railway line between Burton upon Trent and Leicester has taken a significant step forward – and East Midlands Chamber says there could be significant benefits for businesses along the route.
The Campaign for Reopening the Ivanhoe Line (CRIL) has led a movement to restore the 31-mile line, which was sacrificed in the 1960s and 1970s as part of the Beeching Cuts – when British Railways chairman Dr Richard Beeching closed thousands of stations and hundreds of branch lines to make the nationalised railways profitable again.
After receiving Government funding to conduct a feasibility study on its reopening last year, the Department for Transport announced in June that CRIL’s scheme was among nine – chosen from 39 schemes – rail projects authorised to move on to the next stage as part of the Restoring Your Railway initiative.
Network Rail will now provide funding to conduct a detailed study of the costs of construction and scrutinise the benefits as part of a full outline business case. If this confirms the line’s viability, it will carry out design work and, subject to Government approval, work could begin in mid-2024 should it receive parliamentary approval ahead of a potential opening 2026 opening date.
The route includes eight possible railway stations – in Drakelow & Stapenhill, Castle Gresley (for Swadlincote), Moira, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Coalville, Ellistown, Meynell’s Gorse and Leicester South. However, at this stage of the project, only Gresley, Ashby, Coalville and Leicester South are included in the business case Network Rail is reviewing.
East Midlands Chamber is now supporting CRIL to engage with businesses along the route, with a member of the group presenting at a recent forum for Leicestershire-based members.
The Chamber’s chief executive Scott Knowles said: “Following the monumental efforts from the CRIL team of volunteers to reopen this historic railway line, bringing the project into the scope of Network Rail is a welcoming development and will raise hopes it can be brought to life.
“While there is still a long way to go, bringing this important rail route back to life would provide a boost to the economy for the many communities along the route by opening up further connections with the rest of the region and country.
“Improved connectivity would enable companies to tap into a wider labour pool across Derbyshire and Leicestershire. The proposed Leicester South station, meanwhile, would complement Leicester City’s plans for an expanded King Power Stadium and wider development scheme.”
Network Rail and Campaign for Reopening the Ivanhoe Line want to engage with businesses
CRIL, which was founded in 2019, will support Network Rail as a member of the programme board by engaging with local politicians and businesses. The relevant local authorities will decide on where stations, access and car parking are located. The group’s business liaison manager Stacey Ash said: “The decision to take our project to the next stage is a fantastic boost for the communities along the Ivanhoe Line, which could benefit from improved journey times and better connectivity across the region, regeneration of areas surrounding stations and a healthier environment. “We now need to engage even more closely with our local stakeholders, including businesses and residents, to help us understand their needs so we can fully articulate the benefits a reopened Ivanhoe Line will deliver.” A Network Rail spokesperson said: “We welcome the opportunity to work with all stakeholders along the line to further develop the business case to justify the reopening of the Ivanhoe Line to passengers, building on the work done so far by CRIL. “We encourage businesses to think about how a reopened line may be incorporated into their future business plans and to feedback via CRIL any economic or employee benefits they feel it might bring to them.” To speak with CRIL about how the Ivanhoe Line would support their business or employees, contact Stacey Ash at crilbusinessliaison@gmail.com. For more information on the CRIL, visit www.ivanhoeline.org.Two weeks to go until the East Midlands Expo!
In just two week’s time, on Monday 14 November 2022, the free to attend East Midlands Expo will return!
Taking place at the East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham, the established event of over 20 years has everything you require for a great day of business generation, with the chance to meet more potential clients in one amazing cost effective day, than it would take months out on the road.
A well targeted exhibition and networking opportunity, aimed at the construction, property, business, investment, finance, professional services and related B2B markets, register to attend the event for free here.
The day, for which Business Link is a proud partner, will begin with exhibitor breakfast networking, with the exhibition opening to attendees at 9am.
A seminar will take place between 10:45am and noon with BSP Consulting’s directors Mark Rayers and Tony Goddard lined up to present ‘Sustainability and how engineering plays its part’.
Not to be missed, a special networking lunch (for which tickets can be purchased here) will then take place between 12:15pm and 2:15pm, and the exhibition will close at 3:30pm.
For more information on exhibiting at the event click here.
To register to attend the event for free click here.
To secure tickets for the networking lunch click here.
From property agents to developers, architects, contractors, investors, PR firms, and more, see the list of current exhibitors here.Businesses advised to act now ahead of 2025 landline switch off
Businesses are being urged to act now ahead of the switch off of the UK’s analogue phone network in 2025.The move will see the traditional landline system transfer to a fully digital phone network in order to meet the demands of modern internet and mobile technology, with telephone wires and buried copper cables becoming a thing of the past.
Colin Hewitt, BT Product Specialist with Integrity IT Solutions, is advising any businesses which still rely on the analogue network to make the switch to digital now so they can take advantage of better connectivity and communications.
He said: “The transition to a digital phone service has been underway for some time, with many businesses and organisations having already made the move.
“This is an opportunity to not only ensure that you are ready for the future but also to make the most of the improved connectivity which comes with it. From making calls on any device from anywhere on the same number, to linking business applications with video calls and chat, the technology is there to help your business operate more efficiently and effectively.”
In 2015, Openreach announced that the existing copper Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) network would be switched off by the end of December 2025, with calls instead routed over Internet Protocol (IP), a faster, more reliable and more cost effective voice system.
Colin said: “These traditional technologies have been the backbone of the UK’s landline network for decades but we’re now demanding much more from them than they were designed to deliver. It’s a similar situation to when the UK switched from analogue to digital television in 2012.
“Although 2025 may seem like a long time away, from September 2023 Openreach will not install any new PSTN or ISDN lines so it’s worth looking into the alternatives sooner rather than later so your business isn’t caught out.”
Colin said upgrading to a digital system offered opportunities to change the way you communicate.
He said: “It’s not just about doing what you do now but digitally; it brings new ways of working. For example, rather than simply choosing like-for-like hardware replacements, consider how your current set up could be improved, taking into account how your team currently uses technology.
“Most businesses use phone lines for more than just calls so you’ll need to identify items such as alarms, door entry systems, payment terminals or cash machines and plan how these devices will operate in the future.
“By making the move to digital now, you will see immediate benefits to your business including reduced ongoing costs, seamless maintenance and upgrades to software and services, and better security thanks to the reliability and flexibility of cloud-based applications.”
The 2025 switch off covers the whole of the UK, including any rural areas where broadband is not currently available. As part of the process, these areas will be upgraded or services accessed via alternatives such as 5G solutions.
Nottinghamshire homebuilder helps pupils look on the bright side for walk to school month
Pupils at Brinsley Primary and Nursery School in Brinsley have recently received a donation of hi-vis kit bags from David Wilson Homes to help them shine bright during Walk to School Month in October.
The Nottinghamshire housebuilder gifted the school 35 of the bags for its pupils to use whilst walking to and from school, ensuring they can be easily seen on the roads as the darker nights draw in.
Walk to School Month takes place throughout October each year and encourages pupils to celebrate the journey to school on foot.
According to figures from the 2021 National Travel Survey (NTS) and 2020-2021 Active Lives Survey (ALS), the number of children walking or cycling to school is falling. In 2021, 46% of children aged between five and 16 walked or cycled to school, a decrease from 50% in 2020.
The Government’s Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy features a target to increase the percentage of children that usually walk to school to 55% in 2025.
Jason Osprey, Head Teacher at Brinsley Primary and Nursery School, said: “One of the things we always try and encourage is for children to be more active. This is part of our whole child focus – academic achievement, healthy body and mental health.
“We are very grateful to David Wilson Homes for their kind donation. The hi-vis kit bags will be very useful when we take children out on local walking visits, as well as visits further afield.”
Brinsley Primary and Nursery School is located near the homebuilder’s Old Mill Farm development, and the donation of hi-vis kit bags is another part of David Wilson Homes’ outreach to the local community.
Walking to school benefits children and their parents by increasing exercise and saving money on fuel, and it can even increase social interaction with other families who choose to walk to school and prevent stress by not driving during the rush hour.
Mark Cotes, Managing Director at David Wilson Homes North Midlands, said: “We want to ensure pupils in the local communities remain visible now the darker nights are here, and our donation has hopefully encouraged them to safely practice Walk to School Month.
“This is a campaign we actively support each year as we endeavour to help local school children in their efforts to commute on foot, and the hi-vis bags have proven to be both effective and practical.”
Lincolnshire Council compete against 250 authorities to win FSB Local Government awards
North East Lincolnshire Council has just been awarded a prestigious national award after winning the best in region in England for its support for the local small business community.
North East Lincolnshire Council was among 250 councils in England who entered the inaugural Local Government awards run by Britain’s biggest business representation group, and it emerged triumphant in the ‘All Round, Small Business Friendly’ category.
Local authorities from across England responded to the call when FSB (Federation of Small Businesses) launched their inaugural Local Government awards sponsored by Maybe*, which were aimed at celebrating and recognising those that had made the biggest impact on local SMEs during the Covid crisis and beyond.
Over the last few years, North East Lincolnshire Council has led a new approach to providing a comprehensive business support offer to small and medium enterprises, catering to varied needs of small business.
Paula Gouldthorpe, FSB Development Manager for South Yorkshire and the Humber said “It is really pleasing to see North East Lincolnshire Council rewarded for their consistent hard work and effort to help businesses through what has been a very challenging couple of years. This was amid a high-quality field of entries by local councils! “Both the quality and quantity of entries from this region and beyond was incredibly high so the Council, its teams and individuals involved in supporting the business community should feel very proud to be among the winners. We look forward to continuing to work with them – and all our other business-supporting councils – to ensure we have a vibrant and strong local small business community.”
Cllr Philip Jackson, leader of the Council, said: “Small businesses are the real lifeblood of our local economy, with more than 95% of all businesses in North East Lincolnshire employing under 49 people. This award is testament to the great work that many people put in and to the partnership and collaboration across our borough.”
In its round up, the FSB praised the joint approach to supporting small and medium enterprises and said that the collegiate, holistic approach has been transformational and created an environment conducive to long term success for local businesses.
Projects highlighted included business workshops and events, business festivals, sector specific Business Growth Advisors, start-up programmes, managed and coworking spaces an Investment Hub and access to Business Investment Advisors.
In recent years, a range of support for our small businesses has been put in place with partners, that includes:
e- Factor: A local, not-for-profit social enterprise founded in 2010, offering business workshops, business events such as the ‘Great Big Small Business Festival’, tailored 1-1 support via sector-specific Business Growth Advisors, and important programmes such as Smarter Energy NEL, and the Start Up Academy Programme launched in 2021 which provides a comprehensive 12-month support programme for new businesses.
Investment Hub: A unique service created in 2016, this small team has a combined 100 years’ background in finance. They put businesses in contact with commercial lenders including banks, finance companies, gap funders and peer to peer lenders to help their business move forward. The team invests their time and knowledge in supporting local, small businesses to achieve their goals, for example, Hub Advisors will attend and support business owners in-person when they speak to commercial lenders.
Business Investment Advisors: Business Investment Advisors provide a set 12-week programme to small business owners to access £1,000 in funding for specialist support. They know that the needs and circumstances of every business is unique, and they find creative solutions to support businesses to achieve their goals
The council’s economy and growth team: With access to information about commercial property being offered to market we are able to match this with local business needs and requirements and present tailored property portfolios of available land/property that matches their specification. Our InvestNEL website offers businesses a raft of information, and we offer regular newsletter updates on activities and opportunities for local business.
The Council also runs a number of Business Centres, ideal for small and micro businesses across the borough.
Vikki Wilson, who manages the Council’s business centres, said: “In a place like ours with so many small businesses thrive, it’s easy to see why Business Centres are popular. Their flexibility of office sizes, provision of communal facilities and opportunities to collaborate with other small businesses make them a compelling choice of workplace.
“With break-out rooms and conferencing facilities for up to 64 people on-site, locations like the Innovation Centre on Grimsby’s Europarc make the high-quality workspaces and services associated with big corporations accessible for the area’s many micro-businesses.”
