DECEMBER 2024 EAST MIDLANDS LEADING BUSINESS MAGAZINE www..co.uk WWW.EASTMIDLANDSBUSINESSLINK.CO.UK WWW.EASTMIDLANDSBUSINESSLINK.CO.UK £3.50 Protecting what’s important Bright spots in the gloomA golden marketArmstrong house Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire DN31 2QE Tel: (01472) 310301 Email: s.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk Superb Location - - Close to the ports of Grimsby & Immingham - Great motorway links - Close to the town centre Secure off street parking High speed internet availability A range of affordable office sizes 3 3 3 3 Last remaining office suites Prime location in Grimsby Offering a prime position in Grimsby, Armstrong House on Armstrong Street is ideally located. Close to the ports of Grimsby and Immingham, motorway links and the town centre, off-street parking is also available for all staff and visitors, meaning it’s convenient too. Our spacious, welcoming offices are located on the ground floor and are both secure and CCTV-monitored, giving you the ultimate peace of mind. At Armstrong House, when it comes to affordability and with a range of office sizes there are opportunities for all types of business. If you require virtual office services, prices start from just £15 per month. For more information, or to discuss your office requirements call 01472 310301.www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.ukEast Midlands Business Link 3 EDITORS NOTES Merry Christmas! Tis the season to be jolly – but tis also the season to rush to get everything in order before the Christmas break. December is always a hectic rush for many businesses, and magazines is certainly no exception when all January issues need to be written before people break up. You may have your own affairs to set in order but spare a thought for accountants and financial businesses having to process criminally late tax returns. Something to keep in mind about the Christmas break is how many people look for new jobs over it. Time away from work gives employees a chance to reflect and ask themselves big questions about their future. This is why so many employers choose to invest in Christmas parties and gifts for their staff – not because they’re full of Christmas spirit (though they may be) but because it’s a tried and tested method of keeping loyalty high. The last thing a business needs is its staff handing in their notices come January because all their friends had big business parties and they didn’t. It’s enough to make someone question how much their employers really care. Do be careful when it comes to gifts, however. The tax around them can be iffy and it’s always best to spare a thought for what is and what isn’t tax-deductible. Don’t be caught on the wrong side of the divide. Good reading, and merry Christmas! Michael Fisher Editor@BLMEastMidlands BLMEastMidlands Latest news 6 A round-up of the latest news from our region. Commercial property 16 Hosting the Golden Triangle for logistics, the East Midlands continues to be sought after by investors and occupiers. End of year success stories 20 2024 has been another bumpy year for our region and its businesses, but there have also been bright spots. Invoice and finance solutions 24 While the government considers how it can interject, businesses are left on the brink of closure as a result of late payments. Tax 28 Michael Ball, tax partner at Streets Chartered Accountants, considers the impact of upcoming changes to National Insurance contributions and minimum wage. Health and safety30 The crux of health and safety is not to avoid claims but to preserve the profitable asset that is an employee, and yet many companies are losing them by refusing to consider stress management. Logistics and transport 34 AI is still in its infancy and prone to mistakes, but that doesn’t mean the industry isn’t looking at how best to incorporate it. Public relations 38 Greg Simpson, founder of Press For Attention PR, shares his media relations ‘don’ts’. Engineering 40 Changes in technology are provoking fast adaptations in the region’s engineering industry. Corporate hospitality 44 Giving gifts may be in the Christmas spirit but HMRC aren’t known for their good cheer. How much is tax deductible and how does it work? AutoLink 46 All we want for Christmas is new cars, new technology and new advancements. These cars all bring it in spades. • We take a look at the Ferrari Purosangue Events52 A timely look at forthcoming business events around the East Midlands. And finally...54 Here’s Frazer’s collection of the weird and wonderful ‘news’ that came his way over the last few weeks. Contents December 2024 16 30 40 Cover photographs courtesy: • stock.adobe.com/panuwat • Daria • Jadon B/peopleimages.com • Neil • Naknakhone34 Group Editor Steve Fisher s.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk Editor Michael Fisher m.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk Journalist Tess Egginton t.egginton@blmgroup.co.uk Sales Director Angela Cooper a.cooper@blmgroup.co.uk Tel: (01472) 310310 Accounts & Subscriptions Angela Sharman accounts@blmgroup.co.uk Tel: (01472) 310301 Fax: (01472) 310311 Design & Production Gary Jorgensen, Mark Casson studio@blmgroup.co.uk Tel: (01472) 310304 E-Mail: eastmidlands@blmgroup.co.uk Publisher Haychart Ltd, t/a Business Link Magazine Group, Huntingdon House, 278-290 Huntingdon Street, Nottingham NG1 3LY All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, photocopied, recorded or otherwise without express permission of the copyright holder, for which application should be addressed first to the publisher. While every reasonable care is taken, neither the publisher nor its participating agents accept liability for loss or damage to prints, colour transparencies, negatives or other material of whatever nature submitted to this publication. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily the views of those held by the publisher. East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk GENERAL NEWS Jointline makes £300,000 investment in hydroblasting Lincolnshire-headquartered specialist civil engineering firm Jointline has fuelled its continued expansion with a £300,000 investment in hydroblasting technology. Established in 1987, the privately-owned company – which works across highways, airport runways and internal lining projects – is on track to achieve a record annual turnover approaching £18m. The hydroblasting equipment delivers rapid line and rubber removal and retexturing across concrete, asphalt and composite surfaces. The new investment has enabled the company to add a service that had been wholly outsourced to its raft of in-house capabilities. Two members of staff have been recruited to operate Jointline’s new hydroblaster unit, which benefits from a bespoke fit-out, eight-hour operation and low noise emission. Gary Massey, Managing Director of Jointline, said: “The demand for hydroblasting from airfields, National Highways, tier one contractors, and local authorities led to our strategic decision to invest in bespoke machinery and boost our in-house capabilities. While we will continue to work with preferred supply partners on some major projects, by self-delivering this service we can be more flexible and reactive to client needs.” Nottingham company’s Tourette’s wristband wins backing from NHS spending watchdog A device developed by a Nottingham company to ease the symptoms of Tourette’s syndrome has been recommended for use in the NHS by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the NHS spending watchdog. Neupulse’s digital wristband stimulates the median nerve in the wrist to help control the tics or involuntary movements caused by Tourette’s. The company raised £500,000 earlier this year from the Midlands Engine Investment Fund II, through fund manager Mercia Ventures, to help it gain regulatory approvals. It expects the device will be approved for use in the UK before the end of 2026 and plans to make it available to patients directly. The NICE recommendation is currently in draft format and will need to be agreed by a committee following public consultation, but if the current guidelines are passed, it could mean the wristband is made available on the NHS free of charge and prescribed by doctors once the device has been approved for use by regulators. Worksop company acquires importer of Italian foods Worksop-based food and ingredient suppliers Kiril Mischeff has acquired Annessa Imports Limited, which imports supplies for the Italian retail and food service trade. Kiril Mischeff Group MD Dimiter Mirchev said: “I would like to welcome the company and its valued staff, customers, and suppliers to the Kiril Mischeff Group family. We look forward to exploring the possibilities and exploiting the synergies that will be created in the combined Group for the benefit of all.” Domenico Annessa, one of the founding directors of Annessa Imports Limited, said: “Along with all the Annessa Imports staff, I am looking forward to working with all the fellow members of the Kiril Mischeff Group. They are an established and well-respected business and I am looking forward to increasing and enhancing even further the product offering we bring to their customers, old and new and contributing to the future success of the Group.” Pictured from left are Paul Cable, CEO of Neupulse, Dr Barbara Morera, Chief Research Officer Neupulse, Sandy Reid of Mercia and Dave Tindall from the British Business Bankwww.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link GENERAL NEWS • Commercial • Events • Headshots • Automotive • Fashion CALL OR EMAIL FOR A QUOTE 07506 998855 STEVE@STEVEEDWARDSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM STEVEEDWARDSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM Creating eye-catching images to help businesses build their brands and engage with clients. Value of tourism in Nottingham & Nottinghamshire grows to £2.36bn Marketing Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, its visitor economy team – Visit Nottinghamshire and partners, have revealed impressive growth in the city and county’s tourism sector. Based on the latest 2023 STEAM tourism data measuring trends and impact of visitor economy in the region, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire have witnessed a significant increase, underlining the importance of tourism in driving local economic growth and job creation. The total value of tourism in Nottingham city and county in 2023 reached an economic impact of £2.36 billion, marking a 15.40% increase from the previous period. This reflects the rising appeal of the region as a destination for both day and overnight visitors. In 2023, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire welcomed 34.33 million visitors, an increase of 4.12%. The average spend per visitor continues to climb as well, with an overall rise of 10.81% to £68.94 economic impact per trip. Tourism in Nottinghamshire continues to play a crucial role in supporting local employment. The sector currently sustains 22,437 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs, reflecting a 9.33% growth. Chesterfield’s Superior Wellness expands global presence with acquisition Superior Wellness, the Chesterfield-based manufacturer and distributor of hot tubs and wellness products, has acquired the ongoing trading business of Portcril, a well-established Portuguese hot tub company. This strategic move marks a significant milestone in Superior Wellness’s ambitious growth strategy. With a robust network of over 500 partners worldwide, Superior Wellness is the parent brand of some of the best-selling hot tub, ice bath, and sauna brands, including Platinum Spas, AquaSolus, HEKLA, and Chill Tubs. “We are incredibly excited to welcome Portcril into the Superior Wellness family,” said Rob Carlin, Managing Director of Superior Wellness. “Portcril has a strong legacy in the hot tub industry, and we look forward to working closely with José and Diogo, from the founding family and current Executive Directors of Portcril, to build on their success. “This acquisition not only strengthens our product portfolio but also allows us to continue delivering exceptional products and services to our customers, with the addition of a European production facility and operating base to our global network of manufacturing and operational facilities.” © stock.adobe.com/ Lucian Milasan © stock.adobe.com/FornStudio L-R: Diogo Teixeira - Operations Director of Portcril by Superior Wellness, Gareth Ward – Global Sales Director of Superior Wellness, and José Teixeira – Sales Director of Portcril by Superior WellnessAPPOINTMENTS Sandra Lukoseviciene joins digital innovators Cube Purple Cube Purple, a software company, has welcomed Sandra Lukoseviciene, CEO and founder of the award-winning OK’s Digital, to their expanding team. Sandra’s expertise and visionary approach bring a transformative shift to Cube Purple, strengthening its ability to drive revolutionary solutions in today’s technology landscape. Sandra has earned acclaim across the UK for her work in digital solutions, celebrated for empowering businesses with accessible tools that elevate their digital presence. Through OK’s Digital, she has simplified complex processes, helping business owners leverage high-end visuals and cutting-edge digital training. Her mission aligns seamlessly with Cube Purple’s commitment to innovative and effective software solutions. In joining Cube Purple, Sandra’s creative approach to digital solutions combines with Cube Purple’s robust software development capabilities. Together, they will offer a comprehensive suite of products, from time management systems and fire safety tools to custom app and software development, cloud solutions, in- house systems, and advanced AI-driven automations, all designed to empower businesses to thrive in today’s competitive environment. East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk BDO makes over 160 Midlands promotions, including two new partners Accountancy and business advisory firm BDO LLP has promoted 169 people across its Midlands offices, including two promotions to partner. BDO has promoted 136 people in its Birmingham office, with a further 33 promotions in Nottingham. Nationwide, the firm has promoted over 2,400 of its people, including 36 new partners. As part of the audit leadership team in the Midlands, new audit partner Cindy Hrkalovic has extensive experience in delivering high-quality audits and business assurance services to large private, private equity owned, and listed audited entities across a range of industries. She has more than 20 years’ experience and is also Head of Food and Drink at BDO, leading the firm’s strategic development in the sector. Meanwhile, new business restructuring partner Ben Peterson is a licensed insolvency practitioner with 25 years’ experience across a broad range of restructuring and insolvency work. He specialises in both contentious insolvency and assignments within the manufacturing sector, leading the Business Restructuring stream’s food and drink manufacturing team. He has dealt with a number of complex and high-profile insolvencies in recent years. Allan Dunn Altia appoints Chief Operating Officer Investigative and intelligence tech specialist Altia has expanded its senior leadership team with the addition of a Chief Operating Officer (COO) as it looks to deliver on its expansive growth ambitions. The move sees Allan Dunn join the tech company as COO and as a new member of its Board of Directors. This significant hire links with Altia’s ambitious growth strategy, with Allan taking on responsibility for executing mergers and acquisitions and supporting the company’s expansion goals. Headquartered in Nottingham, Altia serves a global audience, providing law enforcement agencies, government departments, and private sector businesses with intelligence and investigation software. The appointment comes during a period of growth for Altia, with the company having recently hired Sarah Saxton-Jones as Head of Product in September this year, which was preceded by two senior appointments in the company’s Asia Pacific team to strengthen its presence in the region. Allan joins Altia from private equity firm NorthEdge, where he served as Portfolio Director for the past eighteen months, advising Altia’s CEO and the Board. As COO, Allan will ensure Altia’s operational plans are seamlessly executed, enabling CEO Rob Sinclair to focus on long-term strategy. © stock.adobe.com/GajusCaitlin Southall joins WBR Group as Head of SSAS Proposition Leicester-headquartered WBR Group, the independent provider of SSAS services and tax experts, has appointed Caitlin Southall as the Head of SSAS Proposition, a newly created role. Caitlin has over 12 years of self invested pensions experience and joins WBR Group from Nucleus Financial, bringing a wealth of experience and expertise in the pension sector. Caitlin’s appointment is effective immediately, she reports to Martin Tilley and will be based at WBR Group’s Wimbledon office but will spend time between all six offices. Her role will include the review, development and promotion of the professional services offered by the group to their SSASs and sponsoring employers. Caitlin Southall has an impressive background in the financial services industry. Prior to her role as Senior Technical Marketing Manager at Nucleus Financial, she served as a Pension Technical Manager at Curtis Banks, where she was responsible for developing and managing pension products, providing technical support, and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements. Caitlin was also active in thought leadership, contributing to industry discussions on topics such as the gender pension gap and pension policy reforms. Harris Lamb makes appointment to oversee East Mids Agency operations Harris Lamb has strengthened its Commercial Agency team with the appointment of Scott Osborne, who joins the business to focus on the East Midlands region. Scott, who has spent the past 17 years with Innes England, joins the business as a Director, overseeing Commercial Agency operations at Harris Lamb’s Nottingham office. Scott began his surveying career after graduating in 2007 with a Masters degree in Property Investment and Management from Nottingham Trent University, joining Innes England shortly afterward on a graduate placement, and working his way up to Director. While Scott’s primary specialism is acquisition, disposal and development consultancy, he also has extensive experience of providing advice and support on landlord and tenant matters, property management and business rates guidance. Neil Slade, Director at Harris Lamb, said: “We are extremely pleased that Scott has joined our team. He has a superb reputation within the East Midlands and is very connected and well respected throughout the sector. His experience and knowledge of the marketplace throughout the region will be a huge asset to the business.” Scott said: “I am excited to be commencing a new path on my career. I take great pride in offering bespoke advice to clients and maximizing return on their property through strategic asset management, ensuring full, transparent communication with key stakeholders throughout.” www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link APPOINTMENTS Maven appoints Investment Manager for East Midlands Maven Capital Partners has appointed Paul Davis as Investment Manager in the East Midlands, where he’ll lead on deal origination and execution, with a focus on deals and opportunities for MEIF II Debt Finance East and South East Midlands. Paul has more than 17 years’ experience within the business and commercial banking sector, and has worked for several major high street banks and alternative lenders including Barclays, Allica Bank, Metro Bank and The Co-operative Bank. His deal experience spans a wide variety of industry sectors, particularly in manufacturing. Paul will lead on sourcing and executing deals in the South East Midlands, as Maven continues to back ambitious and entrepreneurial companies across the region. Maven has a long-established deal team operating in the Midlands, and earlier this year was appointed as Fund Manager for the initial £46 million debt fund for the East and South East Midlands, part of the overall £400 million Midlands Engine Investment Fund II. The new addition to the growing team underscores Maven’s commitment to nurturing innovative businesses across the Midlands and driving their growth to realise their full potential. He said: “I am proud to join and be part of the MEIF II team, as it’s really rewarding to support SMEs operating in the same area I live. I’ve grown up seeing local businesses thrive and create new employment opportunities and I get great enjoyment in knowing I’ve had a small part to play in growing the South East Midlands economy.” Paul Davis Scott Osborne Caitlin Southall Photo courtesy of Sapiens CommunicationsNext >