IP specialists, Adamson Jones, increase depth and breadth of experience
East Midlands-based patent attorney and trade mark attorney firm, Adamson Jones IP Ltd, has welcomed four new team members in the last twelve months.
Natasha Walker (neé Hybner) joined the business in November as Associate and Chartered Trade Mark Attorney and specialises in brand protection, trade mark registration and enforcement of trade mark rights.
Natasha brings additional expertise to the Trade Marks team with her experience in actioning social media infringement takedowns and brand enforcement across third-party selling websites such as Amazon, eBay & Etsy. Natasha is also involved in the Amazon Brand Registry enrolment program.
Having been actively involved in the start-up of the Derby Junior Lawyers Division of the Derby & District Law Society in 2017, Natasha became active President in 2018, a role that she still holds to date.
James Tagg is training at the firm to become a Chartered Patent Attorney, having joined the patent profession in 2016 as an Associate Patent Examiner at the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) in Newport and qualifying as an Examiner in early 2020. James’ knowledge and experience of the UKIPO provides valuable insight into the inner workings of the UK patent application process and he assists the Patents team in all aspects of UK and European patent drafting, searching and prosecution.
The addition of Sedella Hearson and Jade-Akina Charlton to the IP Support team has seen an increase in capacity as well as experience. Sedella brings a huge amount of knowledge to the Formalities team as a qualified IP Administrator holding both the CIPA and CITMA qualifications. Sedella began her IP career with Boots where she coordinated their patent work before moving onto Saint-Gobain where she worked with both patents and trade marks. Jade is providing administrative support to clients and the team whilst training in all areas of IP formalities.
Simon Cooper, Managing Director of Adamson Jones IP, said: “We hope to continue attracting the very best talent in the IP profession to the East Midlands. We believe in teamwork and by expanding the capabilities of each area of the business – patents, trade marks and IP support – we can meet the varied needs of clients at the highest standards.”
New train fleet supports local supply chain jobs
East Midlands Railway is supporting jobs in the local supply chain after the awarding of contracts linked to manufacturing its new train fleet.
Hitachi Rail is currently building the new Aurora trains for the Derby-based train operator – and is using some local firms for the project.
Among them is Mors Smitt, which manufacturers Automatic Warning Systems (AWS) / Train Protection & Warning Systems (TPWS) and the Automatic Power Control (APC) systems, at its factory in Burton.
The contract with EMR and Hitachi Rail helps support Mors Smitt and the 65 employees it has across the Midlands.
The TPWS safety systems it produces assists the driver in the safe operation of the train, providing them with information about the upcoming signal status and applying the trains emergency brake if the train passes a restricted signal.
The APC safety system ensures the train is not drawing power from the overhead line when it passes through a neutral section – preventing electrical arcing that can damage the overhead line and the train.
Another Midlands company, Ripley’s Forbo Flooring Systems, was also chosen to supply parts for the Aurora fleet.
The flooring product, which was developed purely for the rail sector, has been designed to be easy to clean, hardwearing to cope with the heavy footfall of passenger numbers and simple to maintain.
When it enters service in 2023, the Aurora fleet will offer significant advances on EMR’S existing fleet, with passengers benefiting from more seats and modern interiors.
The trains, which will have the ability to run on overhead electric lines, will also include features that passengers have said they want to see, including air conditioning, free WiFi throughout, plug sockets and better passenger information screens.
Lisa Angus, transitions and projects director at East Midlands Railway, said: “It is great that the production of our Aurora Fleet is able to support UK businesses locally – helping to maintain and create jobs.
“These local specialist companies will help turn our new trains into something special which I’m sure our passengers will love to travel on.”
How to set up a Quality Management System at manufacturing plants
The Quality Management System (QMS) is the backbone of any successful manufacturing plant. They provide a framework to ensure that products have consistency and quality by identifying potential problems before they happen. A QMS ensures that production can be scaled up or down as needed without sacrificing product quality.
This post discusses what you need to know about setting up a Quality Management System at your manufacturing plant.
1. Map Your Processes
The first step in setting up a QMS is to map out your processes. It’ll help you identify where
potential problems could occur and assist you in creating procedures to prevent these problems from happening. It’d help if you also created flow charts and diagrams to illustrate your processes visually. Using customized systems like X-ray inspection system ensures the safety and quality of products in your business.
Remember to include all steps involved in each process. It’s also an excellent way of caring for consumers’ health. This step also forces the organization to take action back and look at the big picture, which can help identify areas that may need improvement.
2. Define A Quality Policy
The next step is to create a quality policy. The goal of the QMS in any organization should
include information about your company’s commitment to meeting objectives for product or service quality. In short, write down what you plan on achieving with your Quality Management System.
When developing a quality management system, it’s essential to keep the entire process, not just the final product. It’s also vital to include the customer in this process to ensure they get a quality product and satisfaction from products and services.
3. Outline Objectives
Your objectives should be concise, measurable, and achievable within a given time frame.
Objectives can include reducing waste by a significant percentage. It should also compare
specific business complaints about a particular period.
Some objectives include reducing customer complaints by 20% in a month, increasing quality inspections from 50 to 100 per day, and many more. Setting objectives allows you to see what is working well and where your QMS may be lacking. Others include:
- Product quality
- Team member satisfaction
- Market share
- Process improvement
2022 Business Predictions: Kevin McGrath, managing partner, Smith Partnership
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 Kevin McGrath, managing partner at Smith Partnership.
Before committing to giving my predictions, I thought I ought to check out what I said in a similar piece this time last year. It didn’t inspire confidence.
“The optimist in me would hope that by the spring society will return to some form of normality but the realist accepts the summer is more likely.”
With the pandemic showing no signs of abating and being fuelled by the new Omicron variant of Covid I’m not going to be so confident this year.
Thankfully, in other ways my predictions proved more reliable – the hugely successful vaccination programme, the gradual opening up of society and the return of economic confidence were all very welcome in 2021.
For me and all of my colleagues at Smith Partnership, 2022 will be a year to build on the lessons we have learnt in the last two years.
We will continue to find new, innovative ways to meet the needs and expectations of our clients through rapidly evolving technology and continue to embrace flexible working for our staff so they continue to benefit from being able to find the right balance between home and office working.
The irresistible optimist in me still believes that things will get better next year and when they do, we will be able to shift focus to the really important issues affecting not just business but all of society.
Inclusivity and the environment will be issues none of us can ignore in 2022.
Rolls-Royce appoints new chief people officer
Rolls-Royce has appointed Sarah Armstrong to the post of chief people officer, with effect from 1 January 2022, providing strategic leadership of the company’s People agenda.
She will join the Executive Team from Civil Aerospace, where she was most recently people director and instrumental in delivering the firm’s restructuring programme.
Sarah replaces Harry Holt who leaves the business at the end of the year. Separately, Ben Story, strategic marketing director, has decided to leave, after five years on the Executive Team, to pursue new opportunities.
Warren East, CEO, Rolls-Royce, said: “Sarah has held many senior positions during her 15-year career with Rolls-Royce, providing great organisational leadership and delivering innovative people initiatives. I look forward to welcoming her to the Executive Team.
“I would also like to wish Ben well in his next endeavours. He was attracted to Rolls-Royce by the opportunity to help drive change across the Group and in the last five years we have renewed our brand, vision and strategy and we are now well-positioned to lead the transition to net zero as a global power group and to benefit from greater digitalisation.
“I am grateful for the central role that Ben has played in bringing about these changes.”
Plans to transform Virgin Media offices into homes recommended for approval
Plans to transform the former Virgin Media offices on Daleside Road, Nottingham, have been recommended for approval.
Nottingham Community Housing Association are behind the proposals which will see 82 homes created. This will consist of 40 one and two-bed apartments and 42 two and three-bed houses.
There are currently two interlinked buildings on site, Diamond Plaza 1 and 2, along with two hard surfaced areas for car parking.
It is proposed that Diamond Plaza 2 and the east wing of Diamond Plaza 1 be demolished to make way for the affordable rent and shared ownership homes.
Virgin Media will retain its technical hub at the site, on the ground floor of the west wing of Diamond Plaza 1.
LLEP unveils ambitious four-pillar strategy for decade of economic growth
The LLEP has unveiled its strategy for responding to the twin challenges of Covid-19 and EU transition while delivering a decade of economic growth.
The Leicester and Leicestershire Economic Growth Strategy 2021-30 sets out how local strengths, innovation and skills will be harnessed to create a productive, inclusive and sustainable economy for the future.
It describes, in broad terms, the LLEP’s ambitions for its area and how they will inform decision-making over future funding bids and allocation of resources.
The strategy is supported by four pillars:
- Productivity. The LLEP aims to increase the region’s existing output and productivity as it continues to develop a leading science and technology-led economy.
- Innovation. The LLEP will work closely with Leicester and Leicestershire’s three universities and local businesses to build upon the region’s existing strengths in R&D to become a global leader in innovation while simultaneously transferring knowledge to SMEs.
- Inclusivity. The LLEP will create a resilient and adaptive workforce in which all residents have access to skills and career progression while being paid at least the living wage.
- Sustainability. The LLEP will become a leader in zero carbon, with principles of sustainability built into everything it does.
East Midlands unemployment rate rises slightly – with economic warning from Chamber
Unemployment in the East Midlands has increased for the first time since the strictest Covid-19 restrictions were rolled back, new figures show.
The region’s unemployment rate rose from 4.1% for the three-month period between July and September to 4.2% between August and October, according to the Office for National Statistics’ (ONS) latest labour market report.
This rate had previously decreased between May to June, while it has now fallen into line with the national average having been lower every month since April.
Across the UK, the number of job vacancies in the three months to November soared to more than 1.2 million, another record and 419,000 more than the pre-pandemic period of January to March 2020.
East Midlands Chamber Chief Executive Scott Knowles said: “While the jobs market has been in a much better place than many people may have expected – and the East Midlands unemployment rate is far below the 5.9% peak we saw in the three months to December 2020 – we should be slightly concerned about it going in the wrong direction.
“This reflects the ongoing difficulties many businesses have faced in hiring people with the right skills. In the Chamber’s latest Quarterly Economic Survey for Q4 2021, two-thirds (64%) of East Midlands businesses attempted to recruit – but four in five (80%) of those faced problems in filling those vacancies.
“This meant that while a net 17% of our region’s organisations grew headcount in the previous three months, there was a slowdown compared to the previous quarter when a net 25% of businesses did so.
“Despite some predictions that the end of the furlough scheme in September would release workers back into the labour market, the latest ONS figures suggest this just isn’t the case and our issues are far more deep-rooted.
“We have skills gaps across the board that urgently need to be addressed. Many of these are longstanding but as Brexit and Covid have driven a more deep-seated decline in labour supply, they have come to the fore more prominently.
“The concern here is that an inability to address the skills gap and bolster productivity will dampen the economic recovery, which is now in a very delicate situation as UK output has stagnated – rising only 0.1% in the month ending October – and inflation rising fiercely to put a squeeze on finances.
“The reintroduction of Covid-19 restrictions to combat the Omicron variant could cause a further drag on confidence as many businesses may hold back from investing in recruitment while uncertainty reigns.
“So while the labour market data may not show the most alarming trend, it’s another warning light for the Government about the serious damage that could be caused to the economy if we continue this stop-start approach – particularly without the necessary financial support for businesses.”
Sills & Betteridge LLP complete another East Midlands corporate deal
Two of Lincoln’s largest property specialists, Brown & Co and JH Walter LLP, recently joined forces in a deal handled for JH Walter by Sills & Betteridge’s Lead Corporate Partner, Martin Walsh. The combined business which provides property, business, planning and energy services to corporate and private clients, will continue to operate from both JH Walter’s Lincoln city centre location and Brown & Co’s existing offices on Doddington Road Lincoln, and its other offices throughout East Anglia and the East Midlands. The new trading name of the Lincoln operation is Brown & Co JH Walter. John Elliot, Managing Partner of JH Walter, explained the firm’s decision to bring Martin on board to deal with the sale: “Having been approached by a number of interested parties with a view to merging our long-standing chartered surveying and property sales business, we needed an experienced senior corporate lawyer to assist us in the process. “We had no previous experience of combining with another business. Fortunately for us, the law firm Sills & Betteridge, with whom we have worked for a number of years, had such a lawyer, in Martin Walsh. “Throughout the whole process his experience shone through. He guided us through our preliminary discussions with various interested parties before we reached a conditional agreement with Brown &Co to combine our respective businesses. “During the process to give effect to the combination, Martin’s advice was commercial, practical, clear and concise. In addition, he worked calmly and tirelessly in making sure each issue was properly considered, negotiated and settled to meet the agreed deadline for completion of the combination of the business of JH Walter LLP with that of Brown & Co. “I know I speak for all of the partners in JH Walter in saying we have no hesitation in recommending Martin Walsh and the law firm Sills and Betteridge to anyone considering selling or buying a business as Martin made the process so much more manageable, leading to a successful outcome for all involved.” Martin Walsh added: “JHW have been a very long-standing client of the firm. I was delighted to be able to help JHW and its partners successfully transition their business to that of Brown &Co resulting in a larger complimentary client base and so increased business opportunities for the combined firm. I very much look forward to seeing the business continuing to thrive.”
Logistics developer to invest £46.5m in Derby
St. Modwen Logistics, a logistics developer and manager, is set to deliver its most sustainable high-quality warehouse space to date that could create up to 1,250 new jobs, boosting the local Derby economy and transforming a 67-acre brownfield site.
The initial phase will comprise investment of £46.5 million to acquire land from joint venture partner Network Rail and deliver the first four logistics units. Phase 2 is expected to follow within the next two years and will deliver the remaining 550,000 sq ft of warehouse space, completing the transformation of the site.
The announcement is the culmination of seven years’ work between St. Modwen Logistics, Derby City Council and Network Rail, to bring forward the land for regeneration which previously formed part of industrial railway sidings.
As part of the first phase of development, St. Modwen will speculatively build four high-quality industrial and logistics units of 39,000 sq ft, 54,000 sq ft, 79,000 sq ft, and 131,000 sq ft. Totalling 303,000 sq ft; Phase 1 is due to be completed and ready for occupation in September 2022.
St. Modwen Park Derby will showcase the St Modwen Swan Standard – a set of sustainable development guidelines, with a focus on responsible building practices and the needs of its customers and employees.
The Park will target BREEAM Excellent standard. Each unit is to come complete with a photovoltaic (PV) system, and combined with enhanced building fabric, building services and on-site generation, is expected to achieve over 50% carbon reduction compared with energy requirements set out in the UK Building Regulations (Part L).
The Park will feature a number of health and wellbeing enhancements such as a fitness trim trail, landscaped areas with outdoor seating for customers’ employees, riverside walks, and a cycle path. Biodiversity and sustainable environments will also be integrated into the Park, which is bordered by The Sanctuary Bird and Wildlife Reserve.
Polly Troughton, Managing Director at St. Modwen Logistics, said: “St. Modwen Logistics is committed to investing in regeneration projects with the aim of supporting local economic growth and generating jobs for local communities.
“Through the development of this high-quality warehouse space, underpinned by our ESG commitments and the needs of our customers, we hope to welcome new and existing businesses to St. Modwen Park Derby and look forward to seeing them grow and thrive here.”
Gary Walsh, route director at Network Rail East Midlands, said: “We have been working closely with St. Modwen Logistics over recent years to bring this brownfield site forward for redevelopment. We’re delighted to have concluded the sale of the land to St. Modwen and look forward to seeing our joint vision come to fruition over the coming year.”
Councillor Steve Hassall, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Decarbonisation & Strategic Planning & Transport, Derby City Council, added: “Following on from the recent completion of the A52 Wyvern Improvement Scheme, we are delighted to see St. Modwen bring forward this key employment site to the city.
“The land has been sitting empty for some time and will soon undoubtedly provide a very attractive option for businesses in the region, with easy access to Derby city centre, as well as the A50 and M1.
“This is yet another excellent example of investment confidence in our fantastic city and demonstrates that Derby is not only open for business, but is fast becoming the go-to location for businesses who can see the huge potential of operating from here.”
