< Previous East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk FINANCE NEWS Northampton transformation partner secures £5m investment BGF has invested £5 million in Socitm Advisory, an independent transformation partner working with UK public sector organisations to improve the services they deliver through people change, data, technology, and innovation. With over 100 consultants across the UK, Socitm Advisory provides a range of professional services to maximise organisational effectiveness and enhance customer and employee experiences on projects ranging from multi-million, multi-year enterprise resource planning (ERP) system transformations to broader digital and organisational change programmes. Founded in 2015, the business is headquartered in Northampton and is the sister company of Socitm – the membership network for more than 250 public services organisations engaged in technology-enabled modernisation. BGF’s investment will provide the foundations for the business to further expand its range of services and client base across local and central government and the wider public sector. Tony Summers, Chief Executive Officer of Socitm Advisory, said: “We are delighted to welcome BGF as an investment partner to support our vision of bringing inspiration to UK public services. For many of our client organisations, technology-enabled modernisation is a necessity. This investment will support our aspiration to be their trusted advisor for delivering sustainable change, shaping future policy, and improving the lives of local citizens, communities, and the environment.” Castle Donington company acquires Heathrow-based freight specialist International freight forwarding company Spatial Global has acquired Hollyport Logistics for an undisclosed consideration, advised by Browne Jacobson. Spatial Global, which is part of the Keswick Enterprises Group, is headquartered in Castle Donington and was founded in 1980. Hollyport Logistics is based near London Heathrow and was founded in 2010. Hollyport provides freight and customs services in various sectors, including the IT sectors and operates various international transport services including air, road and sea freight and custom clearance. It also has a dedicated storage, handling and delivery service within a third-party location (3PL) operation in Amsterdam for EU shipments. The transaction will enhance both parties’ capabilities of international & domestic freight movements, warehousing capabilities and customs brokerage and will offer access to a wider range of carriers. Nottingham Forest owner makes significant financial commitment Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has made a further significant financial commitment to the club with the conversion of £41m worth of loans into shares in the 2021/22 financial year. Converting the £41m debt into equity helps relieve the financial burden on the club, reaffirming Marinakis’ commitment to the continued development and future success of Nottingham Forest. The move forms part of the club’s financial accounting process for its 2021/22 accounts. Details of the arrangement have been submitted to Companies House. This follows a similar conversion of £12m of debt into equity in the previous year and over £20m in the year before that. Chairman Nicholas Randall KC said: “Nottingham Forest is incredibly fortunate to have such generous financial support from its ownership. “This latest financial commitment follows substantial spending on the playing squad in the Summer and January transfer windows, together with significant investment in infrastructure across the club. “This includes the redevelopment of the tunnel, dressing rooms and hospitality areas in the Main Stand at The City Ground and improvements to pitches and training facilities at the Nigel Doughty Academy complex.” © stock.adobe.com/ Ascannio © stock.adobe.com/ itchaznong 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2023 09:17 Page 5FINANCE NEWS www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link Notts green hydrogen pioneer backed with £36m investment Nottinghamshire-based green hydrogen pioneer GeoPura has received £36m investment from global industry leaders, with the round led by GM Ventures, the investment arm of General Motors, and co-led by Barclays Sustainable Impact Capital with participation from SWEN CP and Siemens Energy Ventures to scale its green hydrogen business, which is replacing diesel-fuelled generators and enabling zero- emissions energy across the board to create a more sustainable world. The world-renowned investors will also act as strategic partners for GeoPura as it scales its hydrogen power generation technology. GeoPura currently provides hydrogen power to Balfour Beatty, HS2, National Grid and the BBC among other sustainability-driven customers, replacing traditional diesel generators with its Hydrogen Power Unit (HPU) technology. The HPUs are used for temporary, supplementary, off grid and backup power. GeoPura plans to grow the use of hydrogen into other hard-to-decarbonise areas of our energy system, such as EV charging and supplementary grid power, as economies continue to electrify. The £36m investment will enable GeoPura to mass manufacture HPUs alongside partner Siemens Energy, increase the production of green hydrogen to fuel the units and drive green skills in the North East and throughout the UK, while supporting the global deployment of the technology. Waste and recycling business secures multi- million-pound funding package A Burton business specialising in waste and recycling management has secured a multi-million-pound funding package from HSBC UK to drive its expansion plans, helping customers to improve their carbon footprint and achieve zero waste to landfill. This will prove fundamental to reducing the amount of waste produced by companies that ends up in landfill. Zero waste to landfill is achieved through a combination of reusing and repurposing waste as well as turning residual waste into energy. This provides an essential boost to the environment as landfill waste is the most significant contributor of greenhouse gasses in the waste management sector. Willshee’s Waste & Recycling Limited will use the funding from HSBC UK to re-finance the recent modernisation of its three depots, and to fund future growth and modernisation of its large fleet of vehicles and sites based in Staffordshire and Derbyshire. Willshee’s expects to achieve its aim of reaching £30 million turnover in 2023. Having increased turnover by 20 per cent per annum over each of the last few years, the business is forecasting turnover of £50 million by 2026. John D’Aubney, finance director at Willshee’s, said: “As well as enabling us to help more businesses reach zero waste to landfill, the partnership with HSBC UK will be fundamental in helping us grow the business and expand our workforce, and enhance our services to customers in the region. The assistance provided by our relationship director Rakesh Patel has been incredibly valuable and we look forward to a long, mutually beneficial relationship going forward.” Debbie Harper, area director at HSBC UK, added: “Willshee’s provides a critical service and does so in a responsible way by ensuring minimal waste ends up in landfill. HSBC UK is committed to supporting businesses like Willshee’s that are leading the way to create a more sustainable future.” © stock.adobe.com/ chrisdorney GeoPura Hydrogen Power Unit (HPU) deployed at an HS2 construction site in London L-R: Dean Willshee (Willshee’s), Rakesh Patel (HSBC UK), John D’Aubney (Willshee’s) © Dave Warren/Picture Team 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2023 09:17 Page 6Derbyshire staircase manufacturer steps into employee ownership Derbyshire-based staircase manufacturer TwoTwenty has announced its sale to an employee ownership trust (EOT). The transition of TwoTwenty, along with its holding company Elephant Holdings, to a business that is 100 per cent employee-owned is believed to be the first such deal in the UK timber engineering sector and secures the jobs of 40 staff. TwoTwenty Ltd was incorporated in May 2005 and has a purpose-built factory and HQ in Foston, Derbyshire and another manufacturing centre in Kirby Lonsdale, Cumbria. No funding or contributions have been required from any employee to fund the purchase of the business by the EOT, and under the terms of the deal, all staff are expected to benefit from significant tax-free bonuses in future years as well as deciding the company’s future strategy and growth plans. All the existing senior leadership team will remain closely involved in the business as trustee directors, including TwoTwenty’s current Managing Director Scott Peden, commercial director Jason Stain, Jason Ward, and Lisa Richards of Dains accountants, which has advised on the sale of the business and creation of the EOT. Ali Wright, founder of TwoTwenty, will also become chair of the EOT. East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk MANUFACTURING NEWS Heating technology giant to create hundreds of jobs with new Derby production site Heating technology giant Vaillant has announced it is to open a production site in Derby creating hundreds of new jobs. The firm, which has its UK headquarters at Belper, has taken a 12,000 square metre unit at St. Modwen Park Derby, a brand-new industrial scheme being built by St. Modwen Logistics. Expected to open in 2024, the Derby site, which will create more than 200 jobs, will allow Vaillant to meet the increasing demand for heat pumps. Henrik Hansen, Managing Director at Vaillant Group UK, said: “This new, custom-built site at St. Modwen Park will play an instrumental role in delivering the low carbon heating solutions needed to deliver a net zero future, while also creating valuable new jobs within the local community.” Councillor Chris Poulter, leader of Derby City Council, said: “We’re thrilled that Vaillant has chosen to further invest in Derby. St. Modwen Park is an exciting development with the potential to bring huge investment and many jobs to the city.” £3.8m facility that will revolutionise the world of manufacturing opens at University of Nottingham A new £3.8 million facility that will revolutionise the world of manufacturing, making it more efficient and cost-effective, has opened at the University of Nottingham. The state-of-the-art OMNIFACTORY, a concept factory where different digital technologies are implemented to improve traditional manufacturing practices, was officially opened on Wednesday 1 March 2023 by Brian Holliday, Managing Director at Siemens Digital Industries and co-chair of the Made Smarter Commission, with a keynote contribution from George Freeman MP, Minister of State for Science, Technology and Innovation. Situated on the university’s Jubilee Campus, OMNIFACTORY is home to a bespoke test bed floor, developed in Nottingham, that provides a unique reconfigurable environment. The floor autonomously adapts itself to the next product’s environment and specifications, reshaping itself through a combination of digital technologies, robotics, and artificial intelligence. “OMNIFACTORY is a unique facility that will allow us to develop, demonstrate and rapidly implement the latest digital manufacturing technologies in industry,” said Svetan Ratchev, director of the Institute for Advanced Manufacturing. © stock.adobe.com/Gary L Hider © stock.adobe.com/teekawat 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2023 09:17 Page 7Derby train-maker opens new training academy Train-maker Alstom has officially opened a new national training academy at its Derby site, which will help produce future generations of rail engineers. During a ceremony at its UK train manufacturing site in Litchurch Lane, Derby South MP Dame Margaret Beckett opened the firm’s Apprentice Training Academy, accompanied by Nick Crossfield, Alstom’s Managing Director for the UK and Ireland. The academy, which will welcome 120 new apprentices and graduates this year, has been created following an investment of £250,000 over the last two years. Dame Margaret said: “I’m delighted to see Alstom continuing to invest in Derby’s young people, and in the Litchurch Lane facility, the only factory in Britain with the capability to design, build and test new trains for the UK and for export.” Alstom’s Derby site has been at the heart of UK railway manufacturing for 175 years since it was originally established, with generations of train-makers trained on site to manufacture the most technological advanced trains for Britain’s rail passengers. The new Training Academy offers 1,600 sq m of learning space comprising four classrooms, a canteen, coffee area, and break out study areas where new trainees are inducted. It also features a training hall, containing a carriage and cab from the AVENTRA programme – the UK’s largest train manufacturing programme in a generation currently on the lines at Derby. www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link MANUFACTURING NEWS Manufacturing output volumes fall at fastest rate in over two years Manufacturing output volumes fell at their fastest pace since September 2020 in the three months to February, according to the CBI’s latest Industrial Trends Survey. The survey found that expectations for selling price inflation were at their lowest since May 2021, having declined steadily from the multi-decade highs seen in early 2022. But expectations for selling price inflation remained well above their long-run average. The volume of total order books and export order books were reported as below normal, while stocks of finished goods were seen as broadly adequate. Anna Leach, CBI deputy chief economist, said: “Conditions in manufacturing remain challenging, with output disappointing and order books having thinned out since late last year. However, if growth is going to return to the sector on a sustainable basis, then manufacturers need more than the boost some will receive from lower energy prices over the winter season. “The Chancellor must use the upcoming budget to tackle one of the biggest threats to the future competitiveness of the sector. Following the Inflation Reduction Act in the US, manufacturers are worried about the relative competitiveness of operating from a UK base. They are calling on the government to deliver its own alternative to help drive a home-grown, secure, low-cost energy system and sector by significantly boosting incentives for green investment in the UK.” © stock.adobe.com/Ivan Traimak © stock.adobe.com/Destinos Espetacular © stock.adobe.com/Charles LIMA 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2023 09:17 Page 8PROPERTY NEWS Sanctuary for endangered animals set for Nottinghamshire following land deal Licensed zoo keeper Reece Oliver is forging ahead with plans to build a world class sanctuary for endangered animals after securing a 23 acre plot of land in Broxtowe in a deal agreed by commercial property consultants OMEETO. Plans have been submitted to Broxtowe Borough Council for the £10 million development on land near Station House in Trowell and, if approved, Mr Oliver is hoping to start the two-year construction project this spring. His plans for the sanctuary, named the Broxtowe Retreat, include reserves for rescued endangered animals as well as a tropical-themed spa complete with Rainforest inhabitants and an African water-hole themed restaurant and function venue. Visitors will be able to stay in 27 guest lodges, each with unique views into the expansive animal habitats. An on-site education centre with qualified teachers would provide ‘out of the classroom’ practical experiences for school children, college and university students, and apprentices. Swedish medical technology manufacturer chooses Derby for new HQ Swedish medical technology manufacturer Getinge has revealed plans to establish a new Global Centre of Excellence for Chemistry and UK headquarters at St. Modwen Park Derby. Within the facility, the MedTech company will bring together its chemistry and instrument decontamination business, as well as its UK sales offices, service functions and logistics operations. Getinge, which acquired Derby-based Quadralene in 2020, will be operational within the state-of-the-art, sustainable 78,000 sq ft building in August 2023. The site will also feature Getinge’s new Global Centre of Excellence for Chemistry – a department focused on chemistry and instrument disinfection which is led by a dedicated research and development team. Complete with microbiologists and full-time chemists, the centre aims to create new products and solutions for the healthcare industry. A new training academy will also form part of the new headquarters, allowing the company to supplement the current expertise of its specialist workforce with the brightest young talent available in the region. Finally, a dedicated showroom will also be installed to allow Getinge to showcase the wide variety of products across its portfolio. East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk Planning granted for 10,000 sq ft mixed-use development in Nottingham Hillcrest Properties has been granted planning permission for a 4,000 sq ft restaurant and bar, four apartments, four offices and a 1,000 sq ft retail unit on the site of the former Lloyds TSB Bank at 31 Plains Road. The site has a projected gross development value of around £2.25m. Landa Associates have been retained by the developer as letting and managing agents and have been instructed to find an operator for the new restaurant, as well as tenants for the accompanying first floor offices and ground floor retail space. Sunny Landa FRICS, director at Landa Associates who will be leading the marketing, said: “This scheme is yet to hit the market, but we are already being inundated with interest from major operators. Demand for these sorts of properties located in affluent areas is at an all-time high. This development will help satisfy that by bringing new high-quality space to this part of Nottingham. We are confident that the prestigious location coupled with the ambitious plans our client has for the development will stimulate economic growth and job creation.” Getinge’s new HQ at St. Modwen Park Derby © St. Modwen Logistics 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2023 09:17 Page 9Lead the field. Did you know that we’ve been supporting businesses since 1843? That’s over 175 years of providing advice, training, talent, facilities and so much more. We are a University that champions and supports big ideas. By working together with organisations across the East Midlands, the UK and beyond, we’re influencing positive change and helping shape the future of advanced technologies, climate change, information security and socioeconomic regeneration. Discover how we can support your business: ntu.ac.uk/leadthefield Discover how we can support your business: ntu.ac.uk/leadthefield Apprenticeships We are one of the UK’s leading providers of apprenticeships, and are the #1 Higher Education provider of degree apprenticeships in the East Midlands (RateMyApprenticeship Awards 2022). Student and graduate talent By hiring graduates or providing students from NTU with work-based learning, you can be confident that your new recruit will have the knowledge, skills and attributes to hit the ground running. Professional and Short Courses Upskilling your workforce isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity. Whether you are looking to enhance your knowledge and skills, work towards a university qualification or develop custom- made training solutions for your organisation – we can take your workforce to the next level. Expertise We drive change through research and innovation. By drawing on expertise from a range of disciplines, we aim to make the impossible possible for every business. 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2023 09:17 Page 10 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk NOTTINGHAM TRENT UNIVERSITY Q&A Can you tell us a little about the University’s “Lead the Field” program? Lead the Field is part of NTU’s commitment to supporting businesses in our region. Nottingham Trent University has been supporting businesses for over 175 years, and we have a long history of working with companies both within and without the region to help them realise their ideas, reach their potential, or gain access to quality talent from among our graduates. Our goal is to work with businesses, big and small, and to help them thrive. This may be in terms of helping them deal with their existing problems through short or long courses – upskilling, through to Executive MBA’s – all the way through to long-term partnering and sharing of ideas, and in some cases, businesses have even chosen to co-locate at the university to take advantage of our excellent location, sustainable buildings, and the easy access to young graduate talent. What do you think are the biggest challenges businesses face in these times? There are a lot of big challenges in the economy at the moment – the most obvious of which is the skills shortage and recruitment issues facing many companies. Right now, our country has the highest level of employment seen in a long time, and that’s left many struggling when it comes to finding new talent, especially in technical roles. Obviously, as a university, we have a vast array of young talent that will soon be looking to enter the workforce, with nearly 40,000 students currently, and thousands graduating every year, so we’re in a prime position to assist with this. Another challenge facing businesses, and whole country really, is that of spiralling energy costs. This is especially prevalent in manufacturing and industrial businesses with greater expenditure. This also ties into the challenges in reaching the Government’s Net Zero scheme, which can feel so unattainable for many SME’s. We’re currently working with over 250 businesses through our ERDF Sustainability In Enterprise programme which helps companies to review their processes and look at how to reduce costs through designing out waste, and designing in efficiencies. Environmental concerns are obviously of great interest to younger audiences nowadays, and as a result we have built teams and networks of former and current students who have specialised and taken great interest in sustainability and reducing waste, and who have pooled their knowledge together to help businesses in our region cut their energy expenditure by up to 50% in some cases! How exactly can businesses benefit from partnering with Nottingham Trent University? We’ve helped numerous businesses contend with economic issues, be it from working to up-skill their existing staff to technical and managerial positions, so that they can recruit at lower levels and have a Lead the Field We speak to Nottingham Trent University this month to learn about how they’ve been assisting businesses for over 175 years, and how they’re helping to address the big challenges faced in our region at this time. 16-17.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2023 09:18 Page 1www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link NOTTINGHAM TRENT UNIVERSITY Q&A greater pool to draw from, all the way through to putting businesses in touch with graduates and those soon to graduate, so that they can have an early chance to look at fresh talent that might not yet have been approached by competitors. We also run graduate placement schemes and degree apprentices, several of which are funded by subsidies and allow for businesses to take on young talent while offsetting some of the costs. There are some businesses who choose to go further and partner more deeply with the university, and that allows us to really get to know the ins and outs of how their business works and find better ways to help. Wherever a business first works with the University whether that’s Nottingham Business School, or one of our other Schools we can often find other parts of the university that they can benefit from, be those via use of special facilities, or through access to the research and expertise of other departments that might be applicable to their line of work. How will “Lead the Field” help address critical shortages in the recruitment market? Aside from putting businesses in contact with our graduates and students, through recommendations from us, the ability to advertise to our students, and employment fairs, we also work with businesses to help them appeal to new talent directly. Many companies have perfectly good positions available, but the conventional method of recruitment is not as effective as it used to be, especially if you’re looking to approach new and young talent entering the workforce. We not only assist in the language used, but we delve into what will make the position attractive to graduates, and how to reach out to them – be this through digital outreach, to social media campaigns. We also have many ways for businesses to get involved if this is something new, or an avenue they’re unsure about. Starting from the 24th July, we will be running our Graduate Internship Scheme, which gives businesses from any sector in the UK, the opportunity to take on NTU talent for a fully-funded placement. Participating businesses will play a fundamental part in providing experience to some of our unemployed or underemployed graduates. In doing so, you will access new perspectives and extra resource which could be used to help your organisation complete a project, get through a busy period or grow. Internships can be hosted in-house or remotely, depending on the needs of your business, and the team will be on- hand throughout the process to support your experience by managing applications for the company, directly paying salaries to the students, and matching graduates to the positions available. This is not only a great chance to fill a role and get some much-needed help, but it’s also an opportunity to see how beneficial a graduate can be (at no cost) and perhaps even to tempt that student into joining the company when they graduate. Getting in touch with us is easy. Simply give us a call or send us an email, and we’ll advise as best we’re able. Or you can visit our website at the links below and see for yourself the many schemes and programs we offer. To learn more about our Lead the Field Program visit www.ntu.ac.uk/c/lead-the-field or to look at what programs we have available to employ our graduates or take on interns, visit www.ntu.ac.uk/business-and-employers/recruit-students-and-graduates You can always visit us online at www.ntu.ac.uk or call directly on (0)115 848 2999. 16-17.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2023 09:18 Page 2 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk COMMERCIAL PROPERTY A fter transaction volumes dipped at the end of 2022 during heightened economic uncertainty in the UK, investment in East Midlands commercial real estate is expected to bounce back in 2023. Total investment volume in the region was £1.356 billion in 2022 — significantly down and nearly half (44%) of the previous year’s record-breaking volume, according to Innes England’s annual market review. The figure, however, was only slightly down (11.5%) on the five-year rolling average and just 6.75% down on the ten-year rolling average. With industrial & logistics remaining a dominating sector in 2022 for the East Midlands, 2023 has continued to see new deals made, and new developments spring up and complete. Prologis, the owner and developer of logistics real estate, recently completed and leased two distribution centres at RFI DIRFT (Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal), for example, adding over 514,000 sq ft of prime logistics real estate to the market. The two build-to-suit units, DC6 (232,302 sq ft) and DC7 (281,890 sq ft), have been leased to Warrens, part of Culina Group, a transport and logistics provider. Speaking about the two new units, Tim Burn, development manager at Prologis UK, said: “DIRFT is our largest asset in the UK, and it is always rewarding to watch the site grow and develop. The two new units are prime examples of the state-of-the-art facilities that we deliver for our customers, and what better location to do it in than the UK’s largest multimodal park. Culina Group is a longstanding Prologis customer, with Stobart, also part of the group, already operating out of DIRFT. We’re proud to welcome Warrens onsite and look forward to seeing the business further develop and grow.” Meanwhile a 93,000 sq ft facility at Centrum Logistics Park, Burton-upon-Trent, completed just last month, with Goodman aiming to meet continued demand for well-connected distribution space close to consumers. This development builds on Goodman’s long-term investment at Centrum Logistics Park, having previously delivered the largest drive-through distribution centre in Europe for Palletforce. Nigel Dolan, development director at Goodman, said: “Strategically located distribution and logistics space provides essential infrastructure for businesses seeking to improve supply chain efficiency, reduce costs and lead times. A sustainable property in a Grade A location means that Centrum 93 provides customers with space to support their own long term sustainability and growth ambitions.” Earlier in the process for delivering new industrial & logistics space, Mountpark Logistics has submitted a reserved matters planning application to Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council for a 947,650 sq ft development at Stanton Lane, Coalville. Known as Mountpark Bardon III, the proposed scheme comprises two buildings of 535,955 sq ft and 411,695 sq ft. The new development is the third and final phase of Mountpark Bardon, which is strategically located near Junction 22 of the M1, north of Leicester An eye on industrial & logistics property The industrial & logistics property market looks set for an exciting 2023. 20 Á 18-21.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2023 09:20 Page 1www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link Centrum 93 at Centrum Logistics Park RFI DIRFT 18-21.qxp_Layout 1 07/03/2023 09:20 Page 2Next >