Products & Services Review Issue 805

SymplySPARK

This is the selected exhibitor chosen by Products & Services review which is to attend The Photography Show & The Video Show on the 17-20 September 2022.

Storage technology is the backbone of your business. When we designed our range of disk, tape, and cloud solutions, we went back to basics and built products made to solve the challenges of modern workflows.

Powerful Shuttle RAID

For fast, affordable, Thunderbolt-enabled shuttle

RAID SymplySPARK is the perfect live storage platform. Eight hot-swappable drive bays, robust metal-alloy construction, and whisper-quiet cooling all make SymplySPARK the ideal tool. But it’s the user serviceable fan and power supply that make it really shine.

User Serviceable

By using our Symply Self Assist Maintenance (SAM) kit users can swap out key components in the field without needing to send the unit back to base or even back to us. Both Spark and SAM ship in protective carry cases, too, so you can rest assured that nothing will come loose or go missing during transport.

Hyper Fast MACH.2

When you need even more speed from your shuttle RAID you can go for SymplySPARK XT equipped with Seagate’s MACH.2 HDDs to deliver SSD speeds without compromising on capacity or cost. MACH.2 drives utilise innovative dual actuator technology to dramatically increase performance across the drive.

Find out more about SymplySPARK by visiting: www.gosymply.com

Please also visit: www.globaldistribution.com

Reco Surfaces: Reco panels tiling alternative

This is the selected exhibitor chosen by Products & Services review which attended the Surface Design Show 2022 in February, this can be found on page 4.

Why choose Reco panels

Reco™ panels are a PVC wall cladding system offered in various designs, patterns and 3D format, most panels are offered in a 2,440 x 1,220 x 3mm format, the panels have been developed over several years to overcome the problems associated with traditional tiles and laminate wood panels. Consequently, they offer huge advantages and benefits in terms of material costs, fitting time, and significantly reduced ongoing maintenance.

Installation up to 85% quicker than tiling

Physically fitting the panels is much quicker than tiling. Plus, there’s no grouting or drying days required, reducing labour on-site and re-visiting site reducing carbon footprint.

50% less wastage

There’s no chipping or cracking and our panels can be trimmed exactly, with any off cuts used elsewhere,

all offcuts can be recycled either generically or by us direct into manufacturing processes.

Huge savings on sundries

Reco only requires adhesive, tape and silicone. We have demonstrated savings of 70% on some projects, along with the financial savings come the lowered carbon footprint from not transporting heavy sundries and re-visiting site for application work.

No need for expensive tilers & specialist tools

Any relatively capable site staff can fit Reco panels. Traditional tiles can need up to 14 specialist tools whereas Reco™ can be fitted with regular tools, with current and foreseeable labour shortages any competent individual is able to successfully install Reco panels.

No waterproofing or matting required

The joins are totally sealed, and the material is 100% waterproof. No need for the added time and expense to prepare the wall. Fits to any surface, even breeze blocks or existing tiles.

No need for expensive and time-consuming wall preparation. Just dust down your even surface and begin fitting. 100% Waterproof.

We offer a 10 Year Guarantee and haven’t had a single report of a leak in over 8 years of manufacturing and supplying both trade and domestic customers.

T 01205 330244 info@recosurfaces.com www.recosurfaces.com

Regulations for Smoke and Carbon Monoxide alarms will change to ensure greater protection for homes in England

The government has published the results of a consultation proposing amendments to the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide (CO) Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 and Approved Document J.

There are several amendments to the requirements for CO alarms. Private and social landlords must install a CO alarm in any room of a property that contains a fuel burning appliance. Cookers are excluded, however, the use of CO alarms in rooms with

fuel burning cookers is still recommended within BS EN 50292.

New build and materially altered properties in England must have a CO alarm installed wherever a fuel burning appliance is present (excluding cookers), and any CO alarm installed must comply with BS EN 50291-1.

Landlords can use battery or mains-powered alarms; there is however no requirement for CO alarms to be interconnected with a

Consistent quality on a grand scale: The Rational solution

More banquet chefs are relying on modern technology to ensure ‘no compromise’ results

Hotels, sports venues, event caterers – all face similar challenges. On the one hand, there’s the need to serve hundreds of diners, at the same time, with all the food having to be consistent quality and at exactly the same high standard. On the other, there’s frequently changing staff, some temporary, others of differing abilities, an issue that has been highlighted by the pandemic and Brexit. However, Rational says that modern multifunctional cooking systems, such as the iCombi Pro and iVario Pro, have advanced cooking systems that can deliver effective solutions with maximum benefit to their customers.

Rational’s iCombi Pro combi steamer and the iVario multifunctional cooking system, which replaces tilting fryers, boiling pans and pressure cookers, are both intuitive to use, work independently, and automatically adjust the cooking process to the current circumstances.

In the iCombi Pro, the intelligent assistant technology recognises the size and load quantity of the food, adjusts the cooking process accordingly and reliably delivers the desired result.

For information and brochures, or to find out about free Rational Live online demonstrations, call: +44 (0)1582 480388, freephone 0800 389 2944 or visit: www.rational-online.com

Arrow Valves

Arrow Valves manufactures and distributes a wide range of water associated products. They are specifically designed to assist compliance with the latest UK Water Regulations for use in public and multiple occupancy buildings. Arrow Valves products are designed exclusively to meet specific requirements and manufactured to the highest possible quality.

To eliminate the risk contamination of your water supply, our wall mounted ‘MIDI-Break’ (model BTMIDI) offers Fluid Category 5 protection and has been developed by Arrow Valves Ltd to provide point of use backflow protection and boost pressure.

‘Midi-Break’ operates automatically and is available with a choice of 3 models within the range – Midi-1 is often used for a basic shower, Midi-2A for more pressure & Midi-3A for highest flow & pressure, such as a single Hose Union tap.

We offer the following taps that are compatible with our ‘MIDI-Break’:

◆ ‘HUTB Tap Box’: Tamperproof and frost resistant external hose union tap, housed in a stainless-steel box.

◆ ‘Conceal-A-Tap’: To reduce risk of injury and vandalism, the telescopic ‘Conceal-A-Tap’ is flush with the wall when closed.

All our expertly engineered MIDI-Break units are backed up by a 5 year warranty period.

T 01442 823123

marketing@arrowvalves.co.uk www.arrowvalves.co.uk

property’s existing Smoke alarms. Social landlords will be required to install at least one Smoke alarm on each storey of their properties, where there is a room used for living accommodation. Any Smoke alarms installed must comply with BS EN 14604.

Read more: https://bit.ly/3I2dwgR

T 01691 664100 www.aico.co.uk

Solutions to your packaging needs

In this issue of Products and Services Review, we are pleased to announce Zeus Packaging as our Packaging Solutions Company of the Month.

Head-quartered in Dublin, Ireland, Zeus Packaging is globally known for its innovative sustainable quality packaging solutions that can be tailored to the modern consumers lifestyle needs. As a leading specialist distribution and manufacturing group that has reached a global revenue of upward £400 million, the company has built a prestigious network of operations that are overseen by its 850+ employees worldwide. The company operates in 26 countries across 45 locations, to which some of these include the UK, Europe, Australia, Germany, Spain, New Zealand, Canada, China and the US.

“We are a solutions led business providing innovative packaging solutions to our customers. Through people excellence, innovation and technology we proactively develop new, better and leaner ways of packaging that reduce waste, improve quality, increase efficiencies and

to service customers globally through its strategically placed facilities. The company provide solutions for a wide variety of applications from Food Services to Manufacturing and Agriculture sectors. Its product offering includes packaging for Industrial & E-commerce, Food and Retail, Janitorial and Hygiene, Hospitality, Agricultural, Fashion and Retail. Its full ranges are ZEUSPACK – Industrial Packaging, ZEUSFOOD – Food & Beverage Packaging, ZEUSEPICROP – Agricultural Packaging, Zeus Russell Will – Hospitality Supplies, ZEUSSTYLE – Fashion Packaging, and ZEUSHYGIENE

and can be seen, touched and taken away on the day, and lastly; Solutions, where each designer works collaboratively with the customer to understand and access their needs and packaging operations which then helps form an overall solution to the trickiest of

enhance the unboxing experience. We are specialists in packaging solutions, designed to maximise our customers’ profits,” stated Keith Ockenden, CEO of Zeus Packaging.

Since its establishment in 1998 by Irish businessman Brian O’Sullivan, Zeus Packaging’s customer focus has always remained a long-term strategy that has helped develop and maintain a solid loyalty and trust from its customers. “We are constantly focused on our customers. We assist our customers to improve their efficiency and productivity within their organisations by providing the best-in-class customer experience. Our aim is to ensure our customers are at the cutting edge of performance and presentation,” said Keith.

Working alongside its strategic partners, together with their own manufacturing capabilities to develop new and innovative products, Zeus Packaging has the ability to then anticipate upcoming trends in the industry. “These encompass new packaging technologies, high performance materials and creative new systems,” added Keith. In support of this, the company also has sourcing and production capabilities across Europe & Asia, and can assist its customers in consolidating their packaging supplies across its ‘One Stop Solution’ that can help leverage businesses economy of scale for more competitive pricing, standardise product range, reduce working capital, and reduce administration costs. Zeus Packaging holds a wide range of generic stocks, but also offer ‘Stock & Serve’ solutions with the ability

– Janitorial Supplies.

In recent news, Zeus Packaging officially opened its Packaging Experience Centre at its UK Head Office in Biggleswade in April 2022. “This 1,000 sq. ft. stateof-the-art facility is the next step in Zeus’s strategic growth plans, following our recent acquisitions in the UK, Ireland and Canada. Bringing together our packaging technologists and marketing, sales and design teams, our Packaging Experience Centre is a creative space where our customers can discover the latest innovations in the packaging sector and receive impartial advice on best practice, new and improved materials, and the latest sustainable options. Our Packaging Experience Centre provides an end-to-end review for customers of their packing needs and existing business processes. We partner with our customers to rethink and optimise their approach to packaging, reducing waste and improving the end-user’s overall brand experience,” explained Keith.

The Packaging Experience Centre delivers a complete packaging solution that falls in line with the customers brand values. The Centre’s solutions are built on four pillars: Innovation, where the latest and greatest packaging in the world is showcased and can be completely tailored to the needs of its customers business; Sustainability, which is a key driver in helping customers rethink their packaging solutions; Design, where each designer is encouraged to create packaging solutions that work harder for its customers brands

problems.

Zeus Packaging also offers a packaging audit driven by six sigma and lean management, and additional key services such as on-the-spot CAD designs, creation of tailor-made samples and the delivery of training by inhouse experts. Its team of Packaging Technologists take a consultive approach to helping unlock hidden value with your business through best practice, materials and innovation.

Looking to expand its reach and to complement its overall service, Zeus Packaging is currently rolling out a €35 million investment strategy, the latest acquisition being Agri-Flex, a Canadian supplier of crop packaging products and horticultural consumables. In October 2021, the company acquired Limerick Packaging, a leading supplier to the Irish industrial and transit

chain security to our business within Ireland. “Growth in the home delivery sector is seeing demand for packaging increase by over 20%. This acquisition brings our combined corrugated packaging scale to over €35 million, positioning us as one of the top three suppliers for corrugated packaging in Ireland. It will better enable us to provide both bespoke and off-theshelf solutions to Irish businesses and cements our ambition of becoming the leading industrial and transit packaging supplier across Ireland and the UK.”

packaging market.

Speaking at the time of the announcement, Keith said, “The acquisition of Limerick Packaging is a major step in the next phase of our growth plan. Integrating both Limerick Packaging’s and Zeus’s industrial and transit packaging reach in Ireland, coupled with our foothold in the UK market, will deliver economies of scale, operational efficiencies, and customer service improvements. It will also allow us to provide a more comprehensive range of products and services for our combined customers. Zeus has sourcing capabilities across Europe and this move will realise greater supply

With COVID-19 causing many disruptions within the packaging sector, from the move to remote working to the impact on the global supply chain, Zeus Packaging has strategically navigated its way through to come out the other side on top. This is mainly due to the change in consumer dynamics as the rise of E-commerce has exponentially hit new heights. As a result, the company has started to see a rise in demand for its food and supermarket-based products and packaging for those sectors. In response, the company has accelerated its online retail and home delivery services for both its foodto-go and food packaging solutions.

With a bright future ahead, Zeus Packaging is set to lead the way in best business practice and high-quality customer service for many years to come.

For more information, please see below:

T 0333 200 0757 sales@zeuspackaging.com www.zeuspackaging.com

Keith Ockenden, CEO of Zeus Packaging

SURFACE DESIGN SHOW REVIEW – SELECTED EXHIBITORS

A triumphant return for Surface Design Show 2022

These are the selected exhibitors chosen by Products & Services Review.

Surface Design Show 2022 took place at the Business Design Centre in February with the overwhelming response from both visitors and exhibitors being ‘it’s great to be back.’ After a year of virtual events, the appetite from visitors to engage, network and be updated on the latest surface materials and designs was clearly visible.

More than 160 exhibitors showcased the best in surface design, with almost 5,000 architects, designers and specifiers visiting over the 2½ days.

Once again, Surface Design Show attracted a high-quality audience.

84% of visitors worked in the architecture and design sector and 73% have direct purchasing authority.

69% of the audience came to source new products and 50% were looking to discover new design trends.

The overriding theme of the show ‘Sense of Place’ which looked at putting

humanity and the planet’s wellbeing at the heart of all decision making, was first introduced at The Opening Night Debate. Held in partnership with RIBA, Climate Change and Future Proofing featured a stellar line up of industry experts hosted by Simon Sturgis, Founder of Targeting Zero.

One of the most visited areas of the Show was the New Talent section. Sponsored by Canon UK and curated by Jennifer Castoldi, the 2022 show saw 35 participants display a range of sophisticated and innovative designs from textile designs to augmented reality to 3D tiles.

Plans for Surface Design Show 2023 (7-9 February 2023, Business Design Centre, London) are already well

Amron Architectural

underway with a healthy rebooking of exhibitors from 2022.

“We are looking at a number of new ideas for next year’s Surface Design Show,” said Christopher Newton, Event Director. “But first, in late June, we will be launching the Surface Design Awards 2023 and announcing our line-up of judges.”

This is our pick of the best exhibitors from this year’s event, listed here in alphabetical order: Amron Architectural, Embleton Interiors, FRESCOLORI®, Marq Design & Soundtect including Reco Surfaces on the front page. Further details can be found on this page.

For further information on Surface Design Show, contact Christopher Newton on: christopher.newton@ montgomerygroup.com, +44 (0)7771 915182 or www.surfacedesignshow.com

Creating sophisticated and opulent interiors

Situated in the North East of England, Embleton Interiors specialises in sustainable and opulent home furnishings, creating breathtakingly, stunning designs for all interior styles and budgets.

Embleton Interiors is a surface pattern design brand, established by Daniel Embleton, a qualified FirstClass BA(Hons) Surface Pattern and Design degree holder, Daniel provides designs with a unique spin on modern trends.

Whether it’s for handmade lampshades using the best fabrics available, to cushions, washbags, art prints and footstools; Embleton Interiors ensure that each and every design is fashioned to provide

the perfect complement, for your interior space.

Consisting of a multi awardwinning design portfolio, renowned by prestigious companies in the interiors market like Liberty; Embleton Interiors’ designs have built a strong reputation for exquisite details and compositions, that bring life and imagination to a room.

FRESCOLORI®

The manufacturer FRESCOLORI® is a producer of high-quality marble lime plasters for individual and creative surface coatings, especially for floors and walls.

The company’s own brand CARAMOR® titles the basic product in which, among other things, marble from Carrara is processed. In 1993, Frank Ewering, a master painter in the 3rd generation, set up his own business and developed a distinctive basic mixture according to his own recipe, from which further numerous products and surfaces were created. This recipe is based on great practical experience as well as a special

Embleton Interiors places the utmost importance on creating captivating designs, offering a stylish, opulent, and thoughtprovoking design, to complement and enhance any interior setting. The range consists of products and designs that incorporate many of art movements and historical periods, including: Victorian, Arts and Crafts Movement and Baroque styles, while providing a unique modern twist, making them commercial in today’s market.

For more information, please see below: T +44 (0)7713 161492 www.embletoninteriors.co.uk

Amron Architectural has been in the industry for nearly 20 years form a humble husband and wife team back in the early 2000’s, supplying metal meshes to contractors, fabricators and joiners. Over the last 5 years, the company has grown significantly and moved its premises to a modern factory in Faversham. No longer just supplying woven metal meshes, Amron now supply expanded and perforated sheets, bespoke profiled sheets and also metal drapery, to give the architects and designers a full suite of ‘Metal Solutions.’ As a company they have been exploring the special finishes that go hand in hand with these products, such as powder coating, patina textures, PVD and anodising and work with the country’s leading suppliers of these finishes to ensure the project no matter what size looks perfect.

Alongside these products, Amron are also at the forefront of bespoke ceilings, gantry’s and partition systems either bespoke or even off the shelf, Amron operate a consultancy approach to projects offering advice on the best products for

the project and a full CAD service to bring the ideas of the clients to reality. If you have any questions about metals or meshes for internal or external applications, contact Amron Architectural.

T 01795 228583

M 07721 592703

DD 01795 383176

info@amronarchitectural.co.uk

www.amronarchitectural.co.uk

Sustainable Sound Solutions from Soundtect

Sustainable acoustic solutions for commercial fit outs

The Soundtect ranges of acoustic wall and ceiling panels are a superb solution to environmental pollution whilst adding a highly absorbent and decorative treatment for unwanted reverberation.

Using up to 70% recycled material of post-consumer content each sound-absorbing panel is actually a third generation product that began life as a plastic bottle, and is certified 100% recyclable. The used plastic is firstly turned into exhibition carpets before Soundtect recycles them again, cleverly layering the fibres to create a super absorbent felt from which it manufactures the architecturally inspired acoustic ranges.

The Soundtect acoustic technology achieves a finely tuned reverberation and sound control rating of NRC 0.35 at 10mm board thickness and NRC 0.65 at 20mm for the Freestyle but a superb 0.95 for their 3D and Class ranges, which are widely used across all sectors.

The contemporary designs are suited to a wide range of commercial applications that wish to improve a room’s acoustics and absorb any unwanted sound

which quickly gains industry recognition for its unique product characteristics. Many prestigious projects (corporations, hotels or even cruise ships) as well as excellent quality features in the design area ‘seamless’ (floors, shower, bathrooms) contribute to this. Products such as PURAMENTE® the seamless shower, FRESCOTON®, the trowelled concrete, and MARANZO®, the seamless floor, have won many design awards.

reverberation in the form of baffles, rafts, a standout feature wall, ceiling or a screen divider. Soundtect can easily create bespoke designs for any eco-conscious project so if your next project is looking to achieve a high level of sound absorption, sustainability and style, look to Soundtect for the solution.

T 0203 040 2939 enquiries@soundtect.com https://www.soundtect.com

sensitivity to raw materials. The basic products contain 96% natural substances, which combine so harmoniously during the four-day maturing process that the secret recipe cannot be dissolved.

In 1998, the FRESCOLORI® brand is registered,

FRESCOLORI® places great importance on the perfect result for the end customer and sells its products exclusively directly to professional previously trained installers.

T +49 (0)2871 234776-0 info@frescolori.com www.frescolori.co.uk

Marq Design: Innovations in modern marquetry

The ancient art-form of marquetry is the highly skilled craft of applying pieces of veneer to a structure to form decorative pattern, design or pictures. Whilst this beautiful art form is still very much in evidence today, the desire to modernise and re frame marquetry for a new generation, lies behind Marq-Design’s exciting innovation. Laser cut and hand applied, our natural or dyed veneers are delivered on either melamine or aluminium sheets and, with the correct contact glue are ready to apply to the

substrate, adding stunning surface design without the need for heavy furniture presses. For those who want to incorporate the design at the time of manufacture, we can deliver our marquetry paper backed and ready to press.

We offer a series of pre-commissioned designs on our website, all customisable, and always made to order. If clients prefer something entirely unique, we also offer a fully bespoke service. The essence our applied marquetry is simply to deliver high quality marquetry, more relevant to and reflective of today’s interior trends. Whether adding lemons to a larder door or floral designs on a mid-century sideboard, we offer highest quality veneer designs, made to order and ready to apply.

Contact Tim Venables, T 07710 954045 Tim@marq-design.com www.marq-design.com @_marqdesign

©EmilyLabs

80Noir Ultra: Much more than hot chocolate

In this issue of Products and Services Review, we are pleased to announce 80Noir Ultra as our Mental and Physical Performance Enhancing Food and Beverage Company of the Month.

Crammed with natural antioxidants, minerals, vitamins and mind and body boosting ingredients, 80Noir Ultra is a beautiful and unique chocolate that is available to eat as chocolate and training bars or to drink as hot chocolate. “80Noir Ultra is a multi-award-winning dark chocolate company designed to improve your mental, physical wellbeing as well as fitness performance. We specialise in producing 80% dark chocolate without the bitterness, so you receive all the benefits of high % cacao without sacrificing on flavour made into daily doses.” stated Carole Armitage, Company Owner.

Founded by Carole, who for over 35 years has been researching, experimenting, and developing ways to understand dark chocolate and how it affects mental and physical wellbeing. “From training to be a personal trainer and wellness writer, I have integrated my learnings into my life, and used dark chocolate as my medicine,” said Carole.

Established in October 2020, the company has rapidly evolved into an industry leading revolution where its products are currently endorsed by GB athletes, Olympians, professional athletes, doctors, and mental health speakers around the world. “It doesn’t come in powder form, so you are getting pure dark chocolate which is packed full of mind and body nutrients to aid your mind and body. We are here to change people’s minds on their understanding of chocolate and prove that dark chocolate has its place in being an alternative solution to improving our wellbeing, along with being a true disrupter in the tea and coffee market,” added Carole.

Indulge yourself in the rich and creamy bespoke dark chocolate that leaves a smooth texture on the tongue with no bitter aftertaste. Catering to most dietary requirements, 80Noir Ultra is palm oil free, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Vegan friendly, High in fibre, sourced from sustainable produce, and is a perfect dietary addition for those following a Keto, Coeliac, Gluten-free, Vegan or Vegetarian diet. Boasting less is more, the depth of flavour delivered by even just a small amount means that a standard 1kg bag of 80Noir Ultra will make 74 cups of pure dark hot chocolate compared to other brands who may only make 30.

Furthermore, in a world where sugar intake is at its highest, 80Noir Ultra comes in daily doses so it only equates to 20% of your daily recommended allowance of chocolate and 2% of your sugar intake, again when compared to other brands that usually have over 56% of your sugar allowance per cup.

But what is it made of that makes it so healthy?

Carole explained, “Our dark chocolate is made from cacao mass, cacao butter, beet sugar and natural vanilla flavouring so very few ingredients, and from three locations Equateur, Saint Dominique and Tanzania to give you the powerhouse of dark chocolate greatness that comes from the cacao pods and therefore works harmoniously with your mind and body and allows you to absorb all the nutrients that much faster. With only 70 calories a cup, it is the perfect night cap to help give you a beautiful night sleep and restore your body, or alternatively, a great coffee replacement in the morning depending on whether you make with milk or hot water. It is so versatile that you can cook, bake, eat it raw, or drink it, a little bit goes a long way.”

80Noir Ultra is recognised and associated with many global brands such as Forbes and Strava and has

recently become the tender for Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse in Heathrow beating the chocolatier giant, Cadburys, who is known as the mainstream hot chocolate brand. Further industry awards received include Farm Shop & Deli 2022 Bronze winner, Great Taste Retailer award 2019 and 2020, Women’s Running Product awards 2019 & 2020, shortlisted for the Great British Food Awards in 2019, as well as being a member of the UK’s Finest Food & Drink Buyers Network.

For an on-the-go snack, 80Noir Ultra has 3 training bars which are designed specifically to balance, boost and revitalise the mind and body throughout your training or busy day lifestyle. A great pre-workout choice would be the Apple Pie bar designed to soothe nerves and boost

Hot Chocolate trailer called Daisy, that will, alongside a team of ultrarunners (from the UK and USA) be attempting the JOGLE World Record Team relay in under four days, completing a total of 853 miles. We are also looking to raise capital to further grow the business and continue being a positive alternative solution to improved mental health,” mentioned Carole.

With mental-health cases still on the rise in a postpandemic world, 80Noir Ultra is so much more than just great tasting, premium chocolate. It’s a movement, a change, a revolution that will one day be accessible to more people around the world. Merging into the mental health and wellbeing space, 80Noir Ultra has monthly boxes and retreat discussions taking place to aid this sector. Adding a moment of calm to an everbusy world, 80Noir Ultra is set to be the go-to leading Premium Hot Chocolate of choice to consumers and

energy levels. The booster bar is designed to maintain energy levels and provide electrolytes, and then for post workout the funky monkey is designed to aid in muscle recovery and promote relaxation. “We are specialists in creating beautiful hot chocolate that is perfect for resetting the mind and soothing your soul, on top of that, we also have a new training bundle out which is perfect for someone wanting to practise their fuelling before a big event and keep energy levels topped up,” added Carole.

Barely two years old, 80Noir Ultra has made a massive impact on the healthy food and drinks market and has just announced it has partnered with Runtheedge to create an epic challenge that will raise £250,000 for three mental health charities in the UK and USA which will take place in September 2022. “The challenge is set to push the positive association between mental health, dark chocolate and exercise, by sending a ‘Positivity in Motion’ message to the world. We have refurbished a

businesses worldwide.

For more information, please see below: info@80noirultra.com www.80noirultra.com

A box for the future of food delivery

“52% would order more home delivery if food was delivered at the right temperature.” This is one of the findings of a unique white paper featuring profitable growth opportunities in the home food delivery businesses.

There is a huge demand for high-end food delivery, yet physical products are lagging behind. So, what does the future of food delivery look like?

Dometic used its expertise in temperature-

Dean’s Shortbread

Dean’s are proud to share a new range of all butter shortbread to celebrate The Open, including a limited edition tin designed to

commemorate The 150th Open at the iconic Old Course at St Andrews. The range includes three 200g tins of all butter petticoat tails, a 75g tin of all butter shortbread rounds and three 300g cartons containing an all-butter shortbread assortment featuring stunning imagery from the Old Course at St Andrews and will be available to buy from May.

Dean’s is a family-owned business based in Huntly, Aberdeenshire, producing hand-baked, premium, melt-in-the-mouth shortbread and biscuit products as well as savoury cheese bites. The business was founded in 1975 by Helen Dean, who began baking shortbread in her kitchen to raise funds for the Huntly Pipe Band. Today, Dean’s is a household brand with a strong brand presence within all major supermarket retailers in Scotland, across the gift sector and has a growing export business.

For more information on stocking The Open x Dean’s range or any of our products, please call us on: 01466 792086 or visit our website: www.deans.co.uk

Beauty, flavour and excellence in every bite!

Bella Chocolate was established in 2020 by Anna Sanina. Inspired by her passion for simplicity and beautiful designs, Anna drew inspiration from some of the finest chocolatiers, leading to an intricately designed, stunning and flavoursome range of Belgium chocolate products.

Bella Chocolate creates unique chocolate creations, all handmade using the highest quality ingredients, including the highest quality couverture chocolate and the finest natural ingredients. Furthermore, Bella Chocolates uses the fine art of hand tempering to create something extra special.

In terms of its range, Bella Chocolates maintains a delectable, beautiful range of all handmade chocolate goodies, comprised of bonbons of different shapes and colours, luxury chocolate and coffee hampers, truffles, chocolate clusters, candied fruit in dark chocolate and includes an extensive vegan range of the above. The company is dedicated to sustainability and only sources 100% sustainable cocoa for its finest Belgian chocolate from Callebaut, which is considered one of the finest Belgian purveyors of chocolate and funds the Cocoa Horizons Foundation. Additionally, Bella Chocolate places an equal importance on sourcing sustainably grown, well-fermented and sun-dried main crop cocoa beans, which is fully traceable to farmer communities in Ghana, Ivory Coast and Ecuador.

If you would like to find out more information, please see the details below: www.bella-chocolate.co.uk

controlled solutions to create something new and unique that fills an important market need in the food and beverage industry.

Its industry-first Dometic DeliBox is designed to preserve the quality and temperature of food and perishables seamlessly throughout the delivery process. It keeps the air inside clear, hot items hot, cold as cold and guarantees a better customer experience.

Meals are stored in the temperatureretention box system during delivery and

arrive on a customer’s doorstep just as they left the kitchen. It maintains full flavour and safe delivery.

This means restaurateurs, ghost kitchens, and last mile delivery platforms get an opportunity to build trust and brand loyalty. The solution can be a real differentiator.

By taking in this future of delivery, a business can stand out in the crowd.

www.dometic.com

Got that gut feeling?

Bottlebrush Ferments was established in 2017 by co-founders Ben and Hesh. Amongst many things they had in common, a passion for health and nutrition bought them together. Working as a personal trainer Ben witnessed first-hand the problems many people struggle with when it comes to gut and digestive health.

Chef Hesh has vast experience of working within the food industries most prestigious restaurants, therefore, after combining their separate individual health experiences and nutritional knowledge of such a niche area of health foods, Ferments food was born.

Based in Spa Terminus, South East London, Bottlebrush Ferments has a broad range of gut friendly products that

OTC Beverages: Original Caribbean Beverages

Shirley White is the founder of the multi award winning Caribbean style drinks, OTC Beverages.

Despite the turbulent backdrop of the global COVID-19 pandemic, Shirley and the team have managed to not only launch OTC Beverages but has overseen the huge success they have enjoyed over the last couple of years. Whilst the global corporations have come through unscathed, so many of the smaller companies have not which is why it’s particularly heartening when you hear about an organisation like OTC Beverages that has managed to buck that trend and thrived despite the challenging climate.

OTC have won a plethora of highly acclaimed industry awards for the quality of their product range so their achievements have clearly been no accident. What has been behind that success? Clearly there are many factors. OTC has

great taste, is based on traditional Caribbean recipes, is refreshing, has high quality organic and extract of flavours, has functional benefits associated with drinking them and they have been assessed by the Great British Food Award judges who awarded them a shortlisting in one of their categories and a high mark of 12/15 for their new Butterfly Pea Flower with Lime flavour which they launched in 2020.

Check out OTC Beverages at: https://www.otcbeverages.com

are vegan, free from and packed with some of the healthiest vegetables in the world. Specialising in fermented foods including live, raw kimchi and sauerkraut, Bottlebrush Ferments products can be found across various wholefoods markets and health food stores across London.

“Honestly, our products are perfect for anyone looking to add some great tasting food to their diet whilst also doing them some good. We have customers who are vegan, vegetarian or people who just want a healthy addition to their burger, charcuterie or cheese board,” stated Ben.

Made from natural ingredients with an emphasis on fermentation, its kimchi and sauerkraut are the easiest

Cooking up a storm at the Good Food Show

way to meet your recommended daily portion of vegetables. Just one tablespoon delivers an abundance of flavour and high-quality nutritional ingredients that awaken the taste buds.

There are currently six products in the range. The three original flavours are: The Yellow One, inspired by their Aussie heritage, depicts a sweet pineapple, ginger and turmeric flavour, The Purple One is great on eggs, smoked salmon or avocado, and boasts an earthy yet versatile flavour with red cabbage, beetroot and caraway, and thirdly The Red One, that is their take on Kimchi with lots of fresh Chinese cabbage, moolie, carrot, spring onion, garlic and chilli.

Emba

Cookware is a range of cast iron cookware developed and manufactured by Chamberlin & Hill, a leading UK Cast Iron foundry, with an impressive history of manufacturing castings on its site for over 125 years. Since its inception, Chamberlin & Hill has been producing high quality iron castings and precision components, from its Walsall foundry. The company supplies first class engineering solutions to a diverse range of industry sectors including: automotive, construction, power generation, steel, rail, hydraulics and industrial product sectors.

Serving such a breadth of industry sectors, Chamberlin & Hill has been able to diversify to meet growing demands in consumer-led products. Through this demand, the company created its cookware brand: Emba Cookware.

Cast iron has proven itself to be an incredible material for cookware, providing high durability and longevity. Using the company’s expertise in cast iron, Emba Cookware was launched to provide one of the finest ranges of cast iron cookware.

Emba Cookware exhibited at the Good Food Show 2021, Emba Cookware used the opportunity to launch its first two items; the cast iron skillet and cast iron reversible griddle.

The reversible griddle consists of a ribbed side and smooth side, which enables it to be able to provide a great char look and tasting quality, making it the perfect tool for meat, and the smooth side is ideal for food such as pizzas or pancakes.

The 10” skillet is ideal for cooking many dishes and creates great tasting meals, including favourites such as a full English breakfast.

For more information, please see below: https://embacookware.co.uk

Spicing up your catering options

The latest additions are The HOT Red one, which is their usual kimchi recipe with added Thai Birdseye chillies. The Green One, includes the same Kimchi base but with added fresh cucumber, pak choi and coriander for a clean, fresh taste. Finally, The White One, is a classic sauerkraut with distinct flavours of horseradish and dill. Each product has won numerous Great Taste Awards since launch and are completely versatile. Can be used as an addition to salads, buffets, meat dishes or even simply, spooned straight out the jar.

Bringing humble and misunderstood fermented foods to the masses, pure and simply Bottlebrush Ferments make looking after your gut health easy. Ben and Hesh have achieved an incredible range of products that are not only packed with gut friendly superfoods, but also taste amazing. Ben commented, “We both have a genuine love for fermented foods and have eaten them for years. Our knowledge of the health benefits of including these types of food in your daily diet are tried and tested by ourselves. The fact that they also taste great is just a bonus.”

With lots of new products and concepts in the pipeline, the future of good gut health is in safe hands with Bottlebrush Ferments.

For more information, please see below: benpayne@bottlebrushferments.com www.bottlebrushferments.com

HAZARDEX

Hazardex in the Regions 2022

Hazardex events are widely recognised as the most important global events specific to hazardous area operations across all major industries. Hazardex brings together the process safety community on an annual basis to review current or forthcoming legislation and stay up to date with best practice and the latest research in those areas key to managing process safety effectively. Every aspect of Hazardex events aims to strengthen and expand the community that looks to the Hazardex website and journal for industry intelligence and information.

Petrel Ltd: Hazardous area lighting solutions

Petrel Ltd is an established UK manufacturer of highperformance Lighting solutions for use in harsh and hazardous area applications, providing a wide range of fixed and portable lighting for sale or hire.

This is complemented by Lighting design and consultancy services from an experienced team of inhouse engineers providing customers with the support and reassurance they need when making important decisions.

Based at its manufacturing facility in Birmingham UK, the company provides innovative high-quality products designed and manufactured in house. A simple yet robust design philosophy provides customers with safe, reliable, and efficient solutions.

The company was established over 40 years ago and provides products and services to customers in the UK, European and International markets.

The in-house, single site UK production facility brings significant benefits for customers including highly competitive lead times and considerable flexibility of manufacturing to supply bespoke or customised solutions for customers providing added value beyond the standard catalogue offer.

Petrel’s supply chain is built on the firm foundations of British design and engineering utilising a broad scope of talented technical experts. The management team is passionate about creating the highest quality hazardous area lighting solutions by providing products and services that go beyond customer’s performance and value expectations.

Contact Petrel Ltd, T 0121 783 7161 sales@petrel-ex.co.uk www.petrel-ex.co.uk

RUGGED MOBILE Systems

RUGGED MOBILE Systems are specialists in the provision of Tough Technology for Tough Environments including Industrial and Vehicle PCs, Rugged Smartphones, Tablet PCs, Notebooks (Detachable and Convertible), communication headsets & RFID/Barcode Readers some with ATEX Zone 1/21 or 2/22 approvals. We also offer devices certified for use in IECEx Mining areas. Currently in our 15th Year, we have the experience and expertise to advise you on the best mobile hardware for your requirements.

In addition to ATEX certifications the robust mobile computing hardware we provide are powerful, highly configurable, well supported PCs running Windows or Android platforms, hosting a range of rugged features including:

◆ Ingress protection ratings

◆ Drop resistance

◆ Sunlight readable displays

◆ MIL-STD-810G certifications

◆ Digitiser Displays

◆ Sub-metre accuracy GPS.

T 01691 900222 sales@rm-systems.co.uk www.ruggedmobilesystems.co.uk

The Hazardex in the Regions dates and locations are:

◆ Swansea: Village Hotel – STAGED

◆ Ellesmere Port: Holiday Inn Hotel –18 May 2022

◆ Aberdeen: Airport Jury’s Inn Hotel –15 June 2022

◆ London: Hilton Dartford Bridge Hotel –14 September 2022

The specifically selected locations are key geographical areas for operators within the UK

high hazard industries and COMAH sites, making the Hazardex events not only extremely pertinent but accessible to many local facilities too.

All four events will also have a table-top exhibition area with many leading high hazard industry-related companies on show to share their latest products and services. Each event provides exceptional opportunities for networking, with attendees from government agencies, regulators, certification bodies &

training providers, consultants and product manufacturers meeting up with senior engineers and safety managers from the high hazard and process industry owner and operators to share their experiences.

For more information, please see below: https://www.hazardex-event.co.uk/index.aspx

INDUSTRIAL & ENGINEERING PRODUCTS & SERVICES

Your daily nutritional upgrade

In this issue of Healthcare Matters, we are pleased to announce Vitmedics as our Specialist Healthcare Company of the Month.

Located in the heart of the Peak District, Vitmedics is the brainchild of pharmacist Michael Wakeman, with Masters in nutritional medicine, pharmaceutical analysis and clinical oncology alongside his extensive career in the health and nutrition sector.

Frustrated by the build-up of fad products and supplements available on the market, Michael developed a platform enabling customers to feel confident in finding the answers to their nutritional needs. “We deliver personalised nutrition recommendations and products to consumers and healthcare professionals. We operate in the sector of specialist healthcare, working with doctors, pharmacists and healthcare practitioners to ensure the consumers nutritional status and personal wellbeing is optimised. The technology we have developed is unique within this industry and is the result of five years academic research into factors that can impact an individual’s nutritional status and that might also have

detrimental effects on their health,” stated Michael.

With a number of companies operating in this space providing generic recommendations around lifestyle and diet, Vitmedics is the only company on the market that takes into account the effect of medications on the nutritional status of an individual. Its unrivalled service includes a database of medications containing every used drug in the UK and the proprietary technology assesses the impacts these may have on an individual to therefore offer a truly individualised recommendation for each client.

“The uniqueness of the technology has been recognised

within the healthcare industry and the business has won several international awards as a result,” said Michael.

With over 1.1 billion prescriptions issues each year, 390 million are for the top 20 medications. Research suggests that 84% of these medications have a direct impact to an individual’s nutrient status. Vitcheck is a complex algorithm developed by highly experienced healthcare professionals to assess an individual’s life stage, lifestyle, dietary habits, and any possible medicinal impacts on their micronutrient status. With over 5,500 medications on file, every recommendation has a hyperlink that delivers a peer reviewed reference source to verify the evidence of any recommendation made. If needed, VitCheck can then deliver a personalised supplement programme as well as corrective dietary changes customised to the individual resulting in a better quality of life.

Recently, the company has adapted its Vitcheck diagnostic software to integrate it into a pharmacy focussed system which will enable pharmacists to make recommendations about dietary changes or nutritional supplement

needs as they dispense medications.

Michael explained further, “Because any recommendation made can be verified by a hyperlink to the peer reviewed data source from which it is derived, this has the added benefit to pharmacists of an evidence-based validation in their practice.”

As a result of its hard work and dedication, Vitmedics has recently licensed its software to the largest chain of health food stores in Australia, as well as a number of pharmacies in UK and Ireland. Moving forward, we asked Michael what the future holds for Vitmedics, he answered. “We intend to adapt the medication database from the current UK version to accommodate similar formularies which are used in other countries to make the tool a truly international asset.”

For more information, please see below:

T 01335 350935 info@vitmedics.com www.vitmedics.com

SPECIALIST HEALTHCARE COMPANY OF THE MONTH KEY REPLACEMENT SERVICES, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY & EMERGENCY SERVICES MATTERS

ZX10 fully rugged tablet

The ZX10 fully rugged tablet is a versatile new 10in device built around the Android 11 Operating System (OS).

Launched in March 2022, the tablet’s combination of Android

11 OS, Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 Mobile Platform and Adreno™ 512 GPU delivers a seamless user experience, enabling efficient workflow in a wide range of field scenarios. Dual hot-swappable batteries ensure full-shift operation, while the LumiBond™ sunlight readable display (boasting 800nits of brightness) with rain and glove touch capability helps maintain productivity in a range of weather conditions.

The ZX10 also has options of up to 6GB LPDDR4 RAM and 128GB storage to help customers prepare for future industry demands. An 8MP front camera and best-in-class 16MP rear camera deliver exceptionally high-quality photo/ video capture, while dual integrated microphones filter out loud background noise for enhanced audio quality.

Emergency first responders require real-time access to electronic patient health records (ePCR’s) to deliver appropriate care and medication, often in high pressure environments. The ZX10’s powerful connectivity options allow them to quickly access this information, while optional barcode/RFID and smart card readers help verify IDs, check operational procedures and ensure patient confidentiality.

MIL-STD-810H and IP66 certification means it can easily withstand drops of up to six feet, shocks, rain, vibration, dust and liquid spillages. Furthermore, an operating temperature range of -29°C to 63°C (-20°F~145°F) delivers year-round usability. With all these built-in rugged features, the ZX10 is still only 17.9mm thick and weighs just over 1kg, offering excellent portability and mobility in the field.

Contact Hamish Findlay, Public Sector Lead UK, T +44 (0)7725 222527

hamish.findlay@getac.com

https://www.getac.com/en/ products/tablets/zx10 Rugged Mobile Computing Solutions

KIDZ TO ADULTZ EXPO REVIEW – TOP EXHIBITORS

Kidz to Adultz exhibitions

Disabled Living has an excellent reputation of organising the very prestigious Kidz to Adultz event since 2001 and now hold five of the largest FREE UK exhibitions totally dedicated to children and young adults up to 25 years with disabilities and additional needs, their parents, carers and all the professionals who support and work with them. These FREE exhibitions are a one stop shop for the most up to date advice and information on mobility, funding, seating, beds, communication, sensory, transition, education, housing, employment, accessible vehicles, transport, style, sports, leisure and much, much more.

On 17 March 2022, Kidz to Adultz Middle event was held at the Coventry Building Society Arena where over 120 exhibitors were on hand offering advice and information on many areas including funding, mobility, seating, beds, communication, accessible vehicles, education, legal matters, sensory and much more. FREE CPD accredited topical seminars were also available to attend alongside the exhibition that covered a wide range of issues and interests to families and carers of children with disabilities and special needs, and the professionals who work with them.

Bespoke powerchairs from Precision Rehab

The next must-attend Kidz to Adultz events are:

: Kidz to Adultz Wales & West 7 July 2022, International Convention Centre Wales (ICC).

: Kidz to Adultz Scotland, 8 September 2022, Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh.

: Kidz to Adultz North 1 November 2022, Manchester Central.

This is our pick of the best exhibitors from this year’s event, listed here in alphabetical order:

360 Wheelchairs, Bealies Adaptive Workwear, BES Healthcare, BundleBean, Cura Seating, Designability, Disable the Label, Moorings Mediquip UK, Murrays Medical, Precision Rehab, Slater & Gordon Lawyers, Space Saver Beds & Whizz-Kidz. Further details can be found on the next two and a quarter pages.

For more information, please see below: https://www.kidzexhibitions.co.uk

Whizz-Kidz: We are here for young wheelchair users

Whizz-Kidz is the UK’s leading charity for young wheelchair users.

Our vision is a society in which every young wheelchair user us mobile enabled and included. Our purpose is to provide the wheelchairs, mobility equipment, support and confidence-building experiences they need, and campaigning for a more inclusive society.

There are around 75,000 young people in the UK that need a wheelchair to be mobile, however most young people aren’t getting the wheelchairs or support that fully meets their needs, which can significantly impact their health, independence and chances to socialise and participate in society.

We provide confidence-building experiences to support young people to become confident and independent young adults. Our Activity Programmes support young people to learn new skills, reduce isolation and grow their social networks, our Wheelchair Skills Training help young people use their wheelchair safely and confidently and our Employability Programmes provide vital experience, boost their skill sets and increase confidence within the workplace.

Designability and the free Wizzybug loan scheme

Designability is a national charity that enables disabled people to live with greater independence.

With a diverse mix of designers, engineers, occupational therapists, technicians, fundraising and administrative staff, Designability work closely with disabled people to develop products and solutions they want, in order to live the life they choose.

Designability have several products designed and developed in response to the needs of disabled people and their families, one of which is the Wizzybug.

Through the Loan Scheme, Wizzybug provides fun, independence and mobility to young children throughout the UK (including NI) for free.

Wizzybug is an innovative powered wheelchair designed specifically for young children. This includes children living with cerebral palsy, spinal muscular atrophy, spina bifida or muscular dystrophy, as well as children with amputations or other conditions that affect their ability to walk.

Find out more, including stories of how families have benefitted, and keep-up-to-date with projects:

T 01225 824103

info@designability.org.uk https://designability.org.uk

@DesignabilityUK

These experiences reduce isolation, enhance young people’s health and wellbeing, improve confidence, increase employability opportunities and build leadership skills. Our support is tailored to suit a range of ages and needs and also includes healthcare support so that young people can attend independently.

T 020 7233 6600

info@whizz-kidz.org.uk www.whizz-kidz.org.uk

We’re here for young wheelchair users

Precision Rehab is recognised as being at the forefront of bespoke powerchair solutions in the UK and works with many of the leading powerchair manufacturers including Paravan, Dietz Power UK, Eurovema, Sunrise Medical, NHD and TrackMaster. With nearly three decades of experience in the assessment, sales and servicing of specialist powerchairs, the Precision Rehab team works closely with the client, their occupational therapist, family members and anyone else involved in their day-to-day care from the first assessment through to delivery and beyond.

Matt James, the founder of Precision Rehab strongly believes that the chair should fit the person as opposed to the person fitting the chair and will always go the extra mile to ensure every client receives the best possible level of customer care. “It is our goal to ensure every client can live as independently as possible.” commented Matt.

The company will be exhibiting its full range of powerchairs on Stand D40 at Naidex which takes place on July 6th & 7th at the Birmingham NEC.

For more information on the full range of powerchair solutions available or to book an assessment call: 01256 300111, email: info@precisionrehab.co.uk or visit: www.precisionrehab.co.uk

Moorings Mediquip UK Ltd

With its headquarters in Ballymena Co Antrim, Moorings Mediquip UK Ltd are a leading supplier to the healthcare industry in UK and Ireland.

Established in 1992, the Company is passionate in sourcing the best equipment possible for those with special needs.

If your needs relate to sitting, standing, walking, riding, or even sleeping, then look no further.

The Company serves as the exclusive distributor in the UK and Ireland for a number of products – the range changes for each area but depending on location includes Seating, Sensory Equipment, Walkers and Standers, Trikes,

Buggies, Wheelchairs and Sleep Systems. An experienced and committed team of Area Consultants are based throughout UK and Ireland giving nationwide coverage. They work alongside your existing therapists ensuring a fully professional approach to the provision of equipment.

Free home assessments can be arranged to ensure that a piece of equipment is fully suited to the needs of the patient.

Full details of all products can be seen at: www.mooringsmediquip.com or for more information, call: 028 2563 2777 or email: sales@mooringsmediquip.com.

Too many young people aren’t getting the wheelchair or support that fully meets their needs. Without the ability to be independent young wheelchair users are restricted in their ability to socialise and participate in society.

Our new strategy, Empowering Young Wheelchair Users, is here to change that. Our new strategy has three ambitious initiatives:

Doubling the number of young wheelchair users that receive high quality wheelchairs and equipment support

CloudCuddle: Multi-award winning safe & calming long term sleeping solution

The CloudCuddle bed tent has found a place in the UK as a long term sleeping solution for children with Special Needs, through Paediatric Occupational Therapists’ recommendation. The CloudCuddle can be fitted to all types of domestic single beds as well as electric Hi/Lo beds or used just on a mattress on the floor. It then creates a safe sleeping environment that allows a child to relax and unwind in a truly calming space as well as being safe and secure, for peace of mind of parents and carers. It’s a great help towards good bedtime routine.

The Cloud Cuddle meets the very highest specification required and is a European CE marked Class 1 Medical Device. Home Demonstrations are Available throughout the UK.

T 01905 347538 info@spacesaverbeds.co.uk www.spacesaverbeds.co.uk

360 Wheelchairs

360 Wheelchairs, specialist in providing bespoke wheelchairs and seating for both powered & manual wheelchairs for a variety of needs, function, positioning and environments. We are premium suppliers of market leading equipment which we can offer unparalleled aftercare & support. A new wheelchair is an important and intimate purchase, we are here to guide you through this process and ensure that you get the wheelchair you need and deserve. We take the time to ensure that the wheelchair you choose will suit your daily activities and work in all aspects of your life. We also offer a comprehensive support and service pack to keep you rolling. Get in touch to find out more.

Murrays Medical UK are independently voted as one of the top exhibitors at the Kidz to Adultz exhibitions

T 0330 3801411

info@360wheelchairs.com

https://www.360wheelchairs.com

Also check us out on Social media, Instagram, Facebook & Youtube: @360wheelchairs

Disable the Label CIC

a service or a product to disabled children and their families. The podcasts, also available on the app, provide interviews with people, businesses, parents, children telling their stories and information about disability. We have had the pleasure of interviewing two Paralympians telling their journeys of becoming athletes, attending various Paralympic games and what it feels like to win gold! We hope these stories can inspire, inform and help parents find out about information that is out there for their children and their families.

2 new 2022 innovations for sleep and calming

The New Safety Sleeper The New Safety Sleeper has been designed to provide a safe and calming bed for night-time wanderers and those that have no sense of danger.

It allows parents to sleep in the knowledge that your child is safe and relaxed. Once you put your child to bed, they cannot get out without your involvement, at last, allowing you a full night’s sleep in readiness for the next day’s challenges.

Made from robust, hard wearing, hospital grade, materials that last, it makes bedrooms look homely, welcoming and not institutional.

All Kids love The Safety Sleeper, because it’s a tent bed, also because it calms and relaxes them at night. It doubles up as that safe sanctuary for going to during the day when they want to withdraw.

The Safety Sleeper is supplied inside its own suitcase, with a pump and air mattress, is quick to assemble, making overnights with family or holidays, a safe and relaxing possibility. It also works with standard single beds, where the single mattress simply slides into the

Safety Sleeper and Velcro straps anchor it safely in place. Call us now for information on our free home trial or advice with social services, OT’s/nurses or charities.

The Sensory Pod

The Sensory Pod is an inexpensive, exciting, new, innovation, designed for Schools, Universities, Hospitals, Libraries, in fact any public buildings, as well as at home. It was selected for its innovation at the international Expo2020. in Dubai last year.

Providing a calming and relaxing space to allow children and adults with neurodiversity’s, anxiety or panic attacks to withdraw and avert meltdowns. Deceptively spacious, it offers an instant and more economical alternative to Sensory Rooms, because it’s simply assembled, without the expense of building/fit out and most importantly, finding a free room. At only 8’ long by 4’ deep x 6’ high it can fit in small spaces. The Sensory Pod is mostly used for calming, but we can also offer an interactive monitor for school SENCO’s to achieve more intensity in 1 on 1 work. Call us for information, a quote or site visit: Murrays Medical UK, Bromsgrove, T +44 (0)28 9187 7951

www.murraysmedical.co.uk

Cura Seating: Helping you find a seating solution

We are a family run business with 40 years’ experience in manufacturing specialist neurological care chairs.

At Cura Seating, we pride ourselves on providing the best solution for our customers needs no matter how complex or non-complex they may be.

Disable the Label CIC is on a mission to empower and support parents of disabled children across the UK. We have a free app where we can provide parents the information they need to navigate their child’s life.

Our app consists of a free directory where we have hundreds of organisations and businesses that provide

Disable the Label CIC are aiming to bring a parent portal to the app, to provide more in-depth information for parents on the subjects they want to hear and learn more about, with the ability to ask questions and have the research done, giving them back the precious time they need with their families.

T 07572 497686

info@disablethelabel.co.uk

www.disablethelabel.co.uk

www.facebook.com/disablethelabelcic

www.instagram.com/disablethelabelcic

Bealies Adaptive Wear

In 2016, my son Emile, suffered a spinal cord stroke, which left him paralysed from the chest down. Emile has no bladder or bowel function, and we self catherterise to empty his bladder.

I have designed Bespoke joggers/ trousers with a unique opening to enable comfortable dressing and catheterising. They are higher at the back to avoid sagging whilst sitting and transferring to ensure everything is covered! We will be launching Bealies jogger shorts and pastel colours in the summer 2022 and presently trialing different materials for Autumn/Winter 2022.

Testimonials

“The Bealies Joggers have been well thought out, well designed and well manufactured and you should buy

George Dowell, Owner Worthing Football Club, Bealies wearer

yourself some today.” Phil, Cheshire

“I wore them on Tuesday for teaching PE. They were good as they did not fall like other pants. Plus, the zip bit at the side helped when catheterising. The leg part fitted well-especially when transferring. Plus, I was able to pull them up while in the chair. Overall, I loved them. If I were to buy a pair, I would get the next size down.” Andrew, Lancs

You can find us at: www.bealiesadaptivewear.co.uk quote ‘healthcare10’ for 10% discount off the joggers. Check us out on social media, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @bealiesaw

Our chairs can be modified or adapted to support service users conditions through any changes that may require additional after-care support. Often these adaptations can be carried out on-site, causing minimal disruption to customers.

Our expertise is providing specialist seating solutions to some of the most complicated cases. We are

proud to have closed some of the hardest cases in the UK.

Every chair we produce is designed and manufactured in-house with the support and feedback of occupational therapists and healthcare

professionals. This ensures our products can support service users most current needs and requirements.

T 0870 242 1358

info@curaseating.com https://curaseating.com

BundleBean: Cosy waterproofs for babies, toddlers & wheelchair users

BundleBean is delighted to have increased its range of cleverly designed products for wheelchair users. As well as their best-selling wheelchair cosies and coordinating organiser bags, they now offer ponchos in both adult and child sizes.

These colourful ponchos are easy to put on, fully waterproof and have a peaked hood to protect faces from the rain. Designed especially for wheelchair users, they are designed to be longer at the front to cover the thighs and to stop at lower back height – no nasty wrinkles to worry about and easy to get on and off. The fabric is silky soft against skin and doesn’t rustle!

Coming in four designs – the ever popular Grey Elephants and Seagulls designs and two brand new designs – Zebras on a zingy yellow and a fabulous wavy Retro Rainbow, these ponchos are sure to cheer anyone up on a rainy day. And when the sun comes out again, they pack away neatly into their own matching stuff sac!

Check out BundleBean’s full range of colourful

and practical travel products, designed to make everyday adventures more fun and make the outdoors accessible whatever the weather.

T 020 3795 7225

mail@bundlebean.com

www.bundlebean.com

https://bundlebean.com/collections/wheelchairrange

Reduce the risk of infections in communal spaces with SteraSpace

The SteraSpace Air & Surface sanitiser provides continuous protection from the spread of harmful bacteria, viruses, mould and odours. The unit works by combining three advanced technologies in order to emit a constant flow of disinfecting plasma which is proven to eliminate micro-organisms both in the air and on surfaces.

: Low-level ozone for continuous use while people are in the room

: Proven to kill 98.11% of airborne and 99.6% of surface micro-organisms

: Controls infections by killing bacteria, viruses, mould etc.

: Provides 24 hour protection, 365 days a year.

The SteraSpace range caters for a wide range of room types and sizes, and is suited for use in medium to large areas of continual operation, for example: offices, waiting rooms, consultation rooms, communal rooms, washrooms and within care homes.

The SteraSpace range is available from BES Healthcare Ltd, which has been serving the UK market for almost

Slater and Gordon: Full-service law practice

Whether your legal issue is straightforward or complex, our experts at Slater and Gordon will provide you with uncomplicated advice about your options whilst guiding and supporting you through your everyday legal challenges. We’re a full-service law firm and our experts can advise you on a variety of matters. This includes claims for medical negligence, Court of Protection applications, family or childcare matters, employment disputes, or even offering you support to draft your will.

30 years, providing decontamination and assistive technology solutions to the NHS and private healthcare providers.

For more information, please get in touch with BES Healthcare Ltd, T 01179 666761 info@beshealthcare.net www.cleanourair.co.uk

THERAPY EXPO REVIEW – TOP EXHIBITORS

Practical education and learning for the whole therapy community

Therapy Expo is the must attend event for therapy professionals and is marked as one of the largest gatherings of therapy professionals in Europe.

Therapy Expo is the leading educational event for physiotherapists, sports therapists, osteopaths, chiropractors, soft tissue therapists and massage therapists. This is a multi-professional event for all therapy professionals from both graduate and vocational education backgrounds. The expo is designed to connect and link together all parts of the therapy community over two days.

Therapy Expo 2021 took place on 24–25 November at the NEC in Birmingham and was the first in person event in two years. Attendees marked the expo as innovative, engaging, immense, inspiring, excellent and amazing. The 2021 expo was a great opportunity for networking with fellow industry professionals as well as potential clients. Therapy Expo 2021 responded to the needs of the community, where people wanted to hear from speakers who had presented at the show yearly as well as newly involved speakers who were there for the first time. The expo hosted a number of lectures, seminars

and masterclasses from well-known professionals and brands in the industry, giving visitors advice and information on the latest insights of the industry as well as new and upcoming products and services.

Therapy Expo 2022 will take place on the 23–24 November at the NEC in Birmingham.

This is our pick of the best exhibitors from last year’s event, listed here in alphabetical order: Baffin Technology Systems, Gait & Motion Clinics & Keiser UK. Further details can be found on this page.

For more information and to book your tickets, please see below: https://www.therapyexpo.co.uk/welcome

We have extensive experience in assisting children and their families with disabilities and additional needs, including helping parents of children who’ve sustained severe injuries at birth obtain compensation for much needed therapies, aids and equipment to help their child gain the best quality of life possible.

You may have seen articles in the press about how we’re leading the claim against disgraced breast surgeon, Ian Paterson, who negligently operated on thousands of patients in unnecessary or incorrectly performed breast surgeries, or the Mercedes-Benz emissions scandal.

We’re one of the UK’s leading consumer law firms with offices based around the country and we also have access to an in-house midwife and benefits advisors should you need support in these areas. The range of support we offer is huge, so if you need advice for any of your everyday legal needs, then please give us a call.

Contact Emma Doughty, Head of Clinical Negligence, T 0330 995 5571 emma.doughty@slatergordon.co.uk www.slatergordon.co.uk

Is foot, knee, hip or back pain affecting your daily activities?

With over 250 specialist practices nationwide, Gait and Motion Clinics are the UK’s largest network of private healthcare practices, leading the way in innovative gait and movement analysis to aid rehabilitation, reduce injury risk and improve performance.

Experience the latest footscan® technology and award-winning Phits 3D-printed insoles, as trusted by many British and World Champion athletes. Phits have revolutionised the prescription of insoles by considering a fundamental measurement that has previously been overlooked, human movement. As part of the assessment, you complete an advanced gait analysis using footscan® which monitors your foot mechanics to identify any movement asymmetries or abnormalities.

This cutting-edge approach provides data that simply cannot be seen by eye or on a treadmill. The footscan® intuitively translates your dynamic data into the Phits insole design to complement the knowledge

Introducing Second Spine® Technology

Second Spine® Technology is available on all multifunctional sit-to-stand and seating solutions available from Baffin Technology Systems and is unlike anything else currently available in the UK. The technology was designed to create and support optimal positioning of the user’s spine and pelvis. In addition, this technology helps to prevent or significantly slow down the development of certain conditions and all this can be achieved while the user remains comfortable at all times.

Second Spine® Technology achieves this by anatomically mapping the patient's spinal curvatures to allow passive correction of the spine in a seated position by supporting the entire length of the back to reduce pressure on the individual vertebrae. By doing this, the Second Spine® Technology also helps to prevent further distortions. The system includes side and hip supports and a seat featuring a unique

balance system to create the optimal positioning of the user’s spine and pelvis. Whether the user is at home or school, by using the Second Spine® Technology they are receiving continuous stressfree rehabilitation.

With an incorrect posture, there is increased pressure on the diaphragm, spinal discs and abdominal cavity and which can all have serious health implications. However, by using the Second Spine® Technology, the user’s posture is improved which greatly enhances their quality of life as it allows their respiratory, circulatory and digestive systems to work correctly.

For more information on the full range of products available from Baffin Technology Systems or to arrange an assessment, call: 01788 892056, email: office@baffin.co.uk or visit: www.baffin.co.uk

Keiser: Commercial & home fitness equipment

Using pneumatic technology, Keiser strength equipment provides a consistent force through the full range of motion to help strengthen muscles. Physiotherapists can control the movement isotonically and isometrically with the ability to incrementally add load during any phase of these movements. With the ability to modify resistance levels at just 0.1kg at a time, perform single limb movements and measure peak force, physios can assess, measure and prescribe safer, scientifically based exercises to treat a wide range of conditions.

Manny Patel, Consultant Physiotherapist for Keiser UK notes that many professionals are keen to learn more and to elevate their exercise prescription but are unsure where to start and shares some key tips:

Increase your options

Many physiotherapists avoid traditional strength-based machines based on research and feedback from clients. Often, therapists’ default to what is safe and known to avoid pain and never truly push their application of exercise prescription for their clients.

Improve your understanding

Physiotherapists should remember that they

can strengthen a muscle in a variety of ways from isometric, concentric and eccentric movements. When designing a strengthening exercise plan, ensure that you also include the principles of overload, specificity, progression, and reversibility into the client’s programmes. Upsell services Providing strength-based exercises as a home exercise plan is an effective way to help the customer recover quicker. For clinics wishing to grow, consider if your clinical space has the scope to extra services or equipment to help improve the client experience and add real value to their problems.

To learn more about Keiser Clinical solutions, head to: www.keiseruk.com

We

of the clinician and help alleviate your pain.

Whether you’re aiming for Olympic podiums, or just want to live and walk pain free, their expert clinicians help people of all ages to live their best life. Visit www.gaitandmotionclinics.co.uk or scan the QR code to be connected with your nearest clinic!

017888 92056

www.baffin.co.uk office@baffin.co.uk

How The OT Show reunited the

On the 24-25 November 2021, The Occupational Therapy Show welcomed thousands of Occupational Therapists of all bands and specialisms back to the NEC, Birmingham for the must attend event in the OT calendar.

It had been two years since the last edition, making it the first major reunion for the OT community since the pandemic began. It brought together a multitude of different practitioners from health organisations, social care services, housing, education, to voluntary organisations, plus many more.

OT

To see the OT community reunite and meet each other in real life after supporting one another online for over a year “was an empowering and exciting experience,” commented Janet Tulip, Specialist Practitioner Occupational Therapist.

community

through networking. This year, there was a real buzz in the air as visitors, exhibitors and world-class speakers came together once more.

The OT Show is a place to educate, inspire, and raise the profile of an important allied healthcare profession. The two day event consists of a comprehensive free conference programme, with over 270+ leading healthcare suppliers in the exhibition hall and is a place to facilitate important discussions

The Occupational Therapy Show highlights included welcoming some very important people to the OT community reunion, including Tanni, Baroness Grey Thompson DBE, DL, one of Britain's greatest Paralympic athletes and the hilariously funny Lee Ridley AKA Lost Voice Guy winner of Britain’s Got Talent 2018. The Occupational Therapy Show returns to NEC,

SOFTWARE & TECHNOLOGY MATTERS

Birmingham from 23-24 November 2022. www.theotshow.com

Integrity® Static Cushion Range

Here at Sumed, we manufacture and distribute a wide range of medical products and services. Our products are designed for the healing and maintenance of healthy skin, including pressure ulcers, with products ranging from very low risk to very high risk of developing a Pressure Ulcer. One product that we supply is Integrity Static® Cushion Range. This is a new range of cushions, with the risk levels ranging from comfort to very high risk. This cushion range offers 3 weight limits, 17st, 28st and 50st making this cushion suitable for the majority of users. We can also provide custom sizes in this range so if there isn’t a size that is right for you, we can make one to suit your needs. We supply this cushion to both the NHS and also to trade customers. At a suitable price, this cushion is cost-effective for the qualities it provides, such as being lightweight. The cushions are clearly colour labelled with the weight limit and risk level which helps you identify which cushion is which.

www.sumedinternational.com

https://sumedinternational.com/integrity-staticcushion-range

Raising the standard of stair climbing solutions

The Stair Climbing Company is one of the leading providers of powered Stair Climber solutions, which have been specifically designed to assist those struggling with mobility and independence issues facing people with disabilities.

The Stair Climbing Company offers an excellent range of compact, easy to use, powered Stair Climbers that are ideal for use in both home and commercial settings. Offering innovative designs, all of the company’s Stair Climbers can be separated into two pieces, for safe storage and are easily transported and charged. In addition, all of its Stair Climber’s come with a two year manufacturer’s warranty.

The Stair Climbing Company maintains one main mission; to improve quality of life, through its range of high-quality and custom devices with built-in seats. The safety and comfort of its customers is of the utmost importance to the company and it ensures that each wheelchair carrier model is designed to cater to individual customers’ specific needs, and works with all stair types. Furthermore, the company provides Stair Climbers for all ages, making them suitable for everyone, and offers a free assessment for customers.

If you would like to find out any more information, please see the details below:

T 01787 379160

www.thestairclimbingcompany.com

NURSING & CARE MATTERS

Solicitude Training

Training packages are engaging and bespoke to individual organisations to ensure that they are relevant to that particular service and therefore optimise learning and include accredited as well as awareness courses. Solicitude Training is a registered centre with Qualsafe.

Training can be delivered virtually, face to face or via e-learning or through a combination. The benefit of using a blended approach is that it can reduce delivery time (and therefore cost), but knowledge can be checked during the face to face delivery, to ensure that not only have the staff gained the knowledge, but that they can apply it to practice.

E-Learning courses are flexible, can be done from the comfort of the individual staff members own home and at a time that suits them. This enables all individuals to learn at their own pace, without any pressure, to keep up with other staff. The on-line courses are designed to be engaging, interactive and relevant to the individual to help staff learn and retain knowledge and so content is designed to enable staff to relate theory to practice.

A well-trained workforce is an essential requirement to enable outstanding care to be delivered and these e-learning courses are designed to support the whole employee life cycle from

“We’d be lost without it”

Wendy Barton lives with her family just outside the town of Corby in Northamptonshire

In August our son Logan, aged 5 months, had his first seizure, during which he stopped breathing. He was rushed to hospital by ambulance and had to go straight into resus. During an extended hospital stay he underwent a series of tests, but no cause could be found.

Logan then had several more seizures over the next few weeks, all requiring hospitalisation. They became an almost daily occurrence, and we quickly realised they were happening in his sleep. As parents we didn’t want him to go through them alone, so we started monitoring him constantly, taking it in shifts overnight.

At first, we used a baby monitor with a movement sensor that sat under a mattress, but we began to wonder if a product existed that did the opposite – detect the movements of a seizure, rather than the absence of movement. We researched online, and found that only a few companies manufactured such a device. We opted for EasyLink UK,

as it seemed they had the device best suited to our needs – an MP5UT Epileptic Seizure Movement Monitor.

We purchased the device around two months ago, and since then, Logan has been diagnosed with epilepsy resulting from an extremely rare genetic disorder. The Easylink team provided excellent after-sales service, which ensured we got the device set up correctly. It comes out of the box fully assembled – you only have to put the batteries in the pager – and can be set off by movement and/or sound. There’s also a delay function, so that normal movements such as rolling over won’t set the monitor off.

The sensitivity of the mattress sensor pad can be altered, which

New Panaway-M1 bedpan machine

Haigh are specialists in the design, manufacture, and support of waste & sewage handling in a care environment.

The latest developments from Haigh include the Panaway-M1. A rapidly deployable disposal machine that introduces unprecedented flexibility and responsiveness to a healthcare facility.

The flexibility Panaway-M1 introduces allows the infection prevention and economic benefits of disposable pulp to be delivered where and when it would previously simply not have been possible to achieve.

Haigh’s core range of Quattro, Solo and Incomaster bedpan, pulp and incontinence product disposal machines all bring proven reduction in costs, logistics and landfill associated with yellow bagging.

Established in 1965, Haigh has a reputation for delivering reliable, innovative, efficient waste handling systems. Long product lifespans, a manufacturing and supply chain commitment towards net zero carbon and the inherent low energy requirements of the products themselves sets Haigh apart from others.

T 07500 626463

info@haighmed.com

https://haighmed.com

induction through to career development, which in turn empowers staff to feel valued and continue their personal and professional development.

E-learning enables services to ensure that all staff are compliant with their training in a costeffective and timely manner. With multi-buy discounts available, this enables services to reduce costs and budget for the years training. Packages can also be purchased that facilitate blended learning, enabling all learning styles and needs to be accommodated.

For further information, you can contact Solicitude Training on:

T 01256 242272 info@solicitudetraining.co.uk www.solicitudetraining.co.uk https://www.facebook.com/SolicitudeTraining

was very helpful in our case. Logan’s seizures can sometimes consist of a light ‘shaking’ of one or more limbs, so it was great that it could be set to detect these subtler movements as well as those involving the whole body.

It took a few goes to get the device set up just as we wanted it, but it now works perfectly. Most of all, it allows us as parents to sleep again, as we trust the device to wake us when our son needs us. So far, it has alerted us to two seizures whilst he has been in his cot asleep – we’d be lost without it.

To find out more about the MP5-UT monitor and the other products available from Easylink UK, contact: 01536 264869 or visit: www.easylinkuk.co.uk

The role of an Occupational Therapist as an expert witness

Some of you reading this will not have heard the term expert witness before and may wonder how an occupational therapist can work in this role. An expert witness is someone who has appropriate qualifications, knowledge, and experience to assist in the process of litigation. The role of the occupational therapy expert witness being to assess and determine the functional impact of an accident or injury and to advise the courts as to the value of the loss incurred in respect of care, equipment, accommodation need and other areas of an individual’s life that has been affected objectively and independently.

Occupational therapists are ideally suited

to this role, as we undertake holistic assessments anyway which focus on an individual’s physical and psychological well-being and the impact a health condition, injury or accident has on their ability to function in their day to day lives.

As recommendations for care, equipment and therapy are not necessarily bound to that which can be provided within statutory services, it gives occupational therapists the ability to think more widely and creatively, which is both exciting and challenging.

Alongside this, they need to have the ability

to analyse medical evidence and identify where the evidence either concurs or disagrees with the findings of their assessment.

This role requires a high level of accuracy, attention to detail, excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to clinically reason your opinion throughout the duration of the case, which may run to 4/5 years (longer for paediatric cases).

T 01494 792711 www.somek.com

Your dream kitchen tool is real?!

Barbara Franks, Occupational Therapist & Care Expert

Fed up with tripping over the multi-tool myth –tools that promise to do a variety of tasks – but in the end don’t do anything particularly well?

We wanted something that would be our go-to for a specific task because it was consistently the best tool for the job, simple to use and virtually indestructible. So, Lid & Leverage strap opener (the prototype of which we’ve effectively used in our home for over 21 years) was born.

Lid & Leverage adjustable strap opener fits around objects of any shape to loosen, tighten, or hold them without surface damage – perfect for a variety of jar lids.

Opening a jar or undoing a lid is not about strength, but about grip and leverage.

The strap, a combination of webbing and rubber is strong, won’t stretch and grips exceptionally well. The handle is made with British steel formed for strength and comfort. It will give you all the leverage you need to open even a stubborn lid.

Easy to use whether you’re left-handed or righthanded.

Available in a range of beautiful colours, which one will you choose?

Use HCM10 to get an extra 10% off at: www.lidandleverage.com

An introduction to Arts Therapies

By Daniel Thomas, Managing Director at Chroma Therapies

Music Therapy (MT), Art Therapy (AT) and Dramatherapy (DT) all come under the umbrella term the Creative Arts Therapies and provide clients and patients with a voice to express their emotions, when talking about issues that are not so easy.

Music therapy is proven to help improve mood in those living with Dementia as well as promote social interaction and reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness. This can come in the form of playing an instrument, listening to music, or even song writing.

Art Therapy incorporates numerous creative methods of expression, such as drawing, painting, clay modelling, animation, and collage as well as other visual art media, for therapeutic goals. This is a vital therapy for those who do not wish to talk or are unable to speak due to a stroke or trauma.

The Creative Arts Therapies are playful in nature, fun and motivational. They allow strong therapeutic relationships to develop and achieve outlined therapeutic goals whether delivered individually or in a group setting.

Each element of creative arts therapies plays a major role in improving the mental health and wellbeing of each participant in feeling happier and becoming more optimistic. Those who participate are better able to make positive changes in their lives.

For more information on Chroma’s work, go to: www.wearechroma.com, call: 0330 440 1838 or email: sayhello@wearechroma.com.

Throw in the towel

In this issue of Healthcare Matters, we are pleased to announce iDry as our Innovative Cleanliness Technology Company of the Month.

COVID-19 has exposed the health effects of poor sanitation and the impact of how this can negatively affect the future of our environment. Good hygiene is key to avoiding the spread of germs and avoiding any harmful bacteria that can build up over time through bathroom items such as hanging wet towels. Not many people would think to wash their towels, but the harsh reality is, that if it’s not every three uses then it’s probably home to large amounts of bacteria, viruses and fungi that are unseen to the naked eye.

With this in mind, let us introduce to you iDry, the world’s first original body dryer. Invented by founder Michael Godwin in 1991, as the Apres Body Dryer, the evolution of the product range has been revolutionising bathrooms for over 30 years. By switching to the iDry body dryer, you are making the best decision for a cleaner and healthier way to dry yourself after a shower, and a decision your skin will most certainly thank you for.

Designed, manufactured and distributed here in the UK, iDry is designed to dry you in as little as two minutes through its calming air stream that will warm you from top to toe, leaving your skin feeling silky smooth. Using completely hands-free technology, the design concept is both clean and green, making it the best choice for you and the planet.

But how does it work?

iDry is the sustainable, cleaner alternative to towel drying. The innovative technology is displayed through a wall mounted, fixed body dryer that has been designed to fit in the corner of any shower cubicle or wet room without causing disruption to your shower routine. The iDry was built to be accessible for all, regardless of age or ability. Its air pressure remote is easy to operate and can be positioned at the perfect height for the user. Just turn it on and let the dryer do the rest. The on/ off switch can be placed on the floor or the wall, wherever is most convenient

and reachable. The size of the dryer can be cut to suit specific space and height requirements. The standard size of the iDry is 205cm tall, including the foot, both legs, and the pod. The depth of the pod is 26.5cm and if needed, the dryer’s bottom leg can be reduced by up to 44cm.

The iDry was designed and developed as an innovative drying solution for both humans and animals. A large market that iDry caters to is the disability sector, as by taking the effort out of drying, iDry is perfect for people with limited mobility or care needs. Its automated drying system allows users the privacy and the freedom to shower when they wish whilst simultaneously offers respite for carers. “Being able to clean is a fundamental of life. The iDry provides dignity to those who cannot dry themselves with a towel due to health restrictions or complications. It gives the power back to the user,” stated Gary Seale, Managing Director.

As the original inventors of body dryers back in 1990, iDry products have progressed and moved with the times. Made using high quality, durable materials, the body dryer has proven it can stand the test of time and remain a market leader since its first inception into the market. Customers boast of the product, leaving reviews such as, “My wife has Parkinson’s, so it is very difficult for her to dry herself. iDry allows her to bathe without me having to be with her all the time.” iDry is also perfect for large families who don’t want to be using wet towels after each other, as one customer mentioned, “I live in a house with four women. I haven’t seen a dry towel now for ten years, so this is great!”

As well as being much more cost-effective by eliminating any running costs that occur from washing machines and tumble dryers used to clean towels, the iDry has been designed with sustainability in mind. By choosing iDry, you’re not only saving water and energy, but you’re also

saving money too. Using an average of 0.15 kilowatts of energy per three-minute cycle, the iDry body dryer costs as little as 3p per use. Cheap to run and easy to maintain, the financial savings of iDry are incredibly advantageous, especially with the current increase in living costs the UK is currently facing.

With no real competitors within the UK, the company is doing well and iDry recently extended its business and obtained the rights to Regal Care’s Body Dryer product manufactured and designed for accessible bathrooms. “We have successfully managed to make some cost savings this year too, due to the fact that we manufacture and assemble everything here in the UK. Due to COVID-19 and there being certain restrictions to the supply chain, we managed to source some motors from Taiwan for our products, but everything else is done here in the UK. COVID-19 has actually broadened people’s perspective of self-cleanliness and heightened their awareness of the importance of healthcare and homecare for the elderly and disabled. One of the fundamentals of care is to be

able to be clean and our products are perfect for the current market focus,” mentioned Gary.

With iDry already taking the market by storm, there are still further innovations and improvements the company is looking to add in the future. “We have been working on a more aesthetically pleasing prototype that we exclusively showcased at the Occupational Therapy Show back in November 2021. To add to this, we are working on additional features such as a remote control for Alexa, so users with Parkinson’s can use the product more easily. This has also opened the door for a new market of aspiring bathroom users, which we have noticed is quite male dominated, as they tend to not like wet towels hanging around the bathroom. So the future is very busy but exciting for us,” stated Gary.

For more information, please see below:

T 0800 933 0020

www.idry.me

Where quality design and style matters

In this issue of Products and Services Review, we are pleased to announce Paul Edwards Interiors as our Interior Designs Company of the Month.

Paul Edwards Interiors launched at Grand Designs

Live in 2014. After receiving glowing feedback from attendees, customers and trade partners the stand was voted ‘Best Stand on Show.’ This marked the achievement of a long-standing dream to work in the retail home interiors industry. Based off 25 years of hard work and dedication to gain the vital knowledge and experience required to start his own business, Paul is now the successful owner of Paul Edwards Interiors.

Paul Edwards Interiors is best known for stocking a wide variety of home furnishings from the UK and Europe’s most premium furniture brands. Their interior design services are second to none, using only the best materials to piece together the finest designs and constantly adapting to market trends. It’s no surprise that Paul Edwards Interiors has become one of the industries up and coming most talked about companies.

Off the back of the company’s successful launch at Grand Designs Live, Paul Edwards Interiors launched its first showroom based in Hinckley, Leicestershire. The original showroom is still going strong, albeit a change of location. Since then, the doors opened to three other locations, expanding the business and clientele massively. Just before COVID-19 hit, Paul Edwards Interiors decided to expand, trading through a tough period gracefully and has since grown exponentially. Based in Coventry, the company’s flagship showroom is an emporium of interior furnishings, décor, and art for every room. Later, a third store in Warwick was opened, closely followed by a small outlet stand at Harley Equestrian in Northamptonshire.

design service to which Paul often spends much of his time outside of the office visiting interior design projects intended to give him a greater view of the room’s layout and design ideas “Our speciality, if you like, is getting the clients designs together and rolling it out from top to bottom. Upon agreeing the design, we will very often pick up the necessary fabrications the next morning. This includes carpets, curtains, and wall coverings. We fit the fabrics in the afternoon, deliver all the furniture and pretty much roll out the whole job in one day. You could almost call it a professional bespoke 24-hour makeover,” stated Paul.

“The benefits of our service are that we work very hard to remove the risk factors for our clients. There is nothing worse than going through the purchasing process to find out it doesn’t fit when it gets to your home. We do all the hard work, so our customers don’t have to. We are not into high pressure sales; we will listen to what our clients ask for and then express our expertise on how best to bring their dreams into reality. We are as competitive as any other company, however, our strong and trusted relationships that we build with each client is what keeps our customer retention high and feedback positive.” commented Paul.

From initial consultation to delivery of products and full installation, Paul Edwards Interiors also offer a complete decorating service for all clients which is a completely unique add-on benefit to its services that goes distinctly unrivalled in the current industry. “My vision for our customers is to create an environment where, like you would your local hairdresser, you remain loyal to them because firstly, they are very good at what they do so you trust their service, secondly, because no-one else does it better, and thirdly, you feel great when you leave because you always have a good experience with them. My vision is to create this environment for customers but for furniture,” stated Paul.

Its brand-new website boasts over 500 products and furnishings for the Living room, Dining room, Bedroom, and Home Office that ooze inspiration and character. Be inspired by such products as beanbags consoles & sideboards, dining benches, dining chairs, lamp and nest tables, vintage additions, vintage sofas, stools & barstools, vintage Kernow and patchwork, coffee tables and many more of which are all currently available with a 15% off discount to celebrate the launch of the new website.

With a host of inspirational collections to choose from Paul explained some of the most popular, “our vintage tweed & leather collection is very popular and one that we have showcased at the Grand Designs Live show on a couple of occasions and has had a fantastic response. We also deal with Duresta and Gascoigne Designs which are both upholstery manufacturers that we do good business with.” said Paul.

Paul Edwards Interiors don’t just design interiors for houses but for businesses too. Previous work includes interior design for The RoeBuck Inn, The Coda Restaurant at the Royal Albert Hall in London, Leicester City FC Directors Lounge and Creacon Lodge hotel in Ireland which was a huge project incorporating the design and decor of over 14 individual bedrooms, reception and guest areas throughout the hotel.

“Like every other business has found, the last two years have been hard. But, in this time, we have grown quite considerably. This led to a company-wide expansion, opening two new showrooms and a growing market presence. We also annually present at the Grand Design Show and the Ideal Home Show,” stated Paul. Supported by long term trusted colleague Jayne, Paul and Jayne hold over 50 years’ experience in home interiors. This aims to offer customers a combined warm, friendly, and high-quality customer experience.

Paul Edwards Interiors offers a full top to bottom interior

Predominantly known as a furniture retailer, Paul Edwards Interiors is host to a completely unique service, steering well clear of any large competitor such as DFS or SCS. “We are unique in what we offer, and we are proud of that fact. We work very hard with our manufacturers to develop good relationships that ultimately allow us to deliver a better, more personalised service to our customers that leaves them with a very pleasurable shopping experience,” said Paul. With quality in mind, each member of staff is highly trained and qualified in delivering a high standard of customer service whilst simultaneously being able to offer advice, expertise, and a friendly no-nonsense service.

Going forward, the aim is to increase brand awareness through various online marketing channels as well as investing further into its Coventry store which will be the hub of the business for the future. “We will also be expanding into bedroom furniture, fitted bedroom furniture and beds very soon. We are fast becoming a one-stop-shop for all interior design furnishings which we have worked very hard to achieve. My dream is to have the best furniture showrooms in the area, and we are well on our way to achieving this,” said Paul.

For more information, please see below:

T 02476 443480

pauledwardsinteriors.cov@gmail.com

www.pauledwardsinteriors.co.uk

www.vintagesofasandfurnishings.co.uk

A dynamic duo event

B2B Marketing Expo is Europe’s leading marketing event, connecting the most proactive marketing professionals with the tools, techniques and innovations they need to be at the forefront of the ever-evolving world of marketing. B2B Marketing Expo returned last year for its first live event post COVID-19 and attracted some huge brands in the industry including Meta who marked its first ever appearance at the show. The show including some fantastic seminars from key note speakers from companies including Ninjas, ExtraDigital, 360WORK, and Meltwater, and created many networking opportunities for those looking to progress and develop their marketing.

You have spent time and money writing your sales message – only to send it out into a noisy digital world and risk it not been read.

Imagine if your sales message could not be deleted!

You will always use email but what about a support printed hard copy to increase impact?

Why not create a more personal approach and stand out from your competitors.

With your own branded hard covers and binding machine this approach is extremely easy. Print the inner sheets and bind in seconds.

Put your brand firmly in your customers’ hands and take your message to the next level.

Our customers tell us that our covers are so quick and easy to use but have great WOW factor – hard to achieve with email only.

Call & Contact Centre Expo showcases the latest and most effective technologies, strategies and advancements to

Kingsline Solutions Ltd

Kingsline is an experienced direct mail and digital print service provider. We are here to guide, advise and help our clients develop their direct marketing campaigns. We understand the need to link marketing collateral with the digital world and offer a truly bespoke direct mail and digital print service to help you engage with your customers.

Data Hygiene: like any successful journey it’s all about the preparation, our data services will help prepare client’s data to be in the best possible shape before any print takes place, giving valuable insight.

Direct Mail: Our staff expertise and production facilities provide the perfect foundation for producing a full livery of direct mail formats from simple correspondence mailings to complex targeted campaigns.

Web to Print: Print has many facets, web to print offers a medium which saves time and money, whilst having a positive effect on the environment.

Fulfilment: How we communicate to customers is ever changing and we recognise that developing a service that supports the most of complex of campaigns is a must, providing clients with direct mail that exceeds ROI.

For more information, contact Gill on: 01435 813143, email: gsaunders@kingsline.net or visit: www.kingsline.net

Dialfire: Not yet another dialer

Established in 2015 in Dresden, Germany, Dialfire is a powerful, flexible and easy-to-use predictive dialer for any type of telemarketing campaign. It will boost productivity, no matter whether Dialfire is to be used for simple campaigns, such as making appointments, or for complex multi-level sales campaigns, be it one or one thousand agents working on it.

While Dialfire’s industry leading dialing algorithms and intelligent inbound call routing are a key ingredient to campaign performance, Dialfire goes way beyond typical dialer functionality.

With an extensive set of customising and integration features and a built-in workflow engine, Dialfire will not just handle calls but drive the complete business process.

Dialfire’s exhaustive real-time reporting

capabilities and a unique call analytics module bring hidden success factors to light and let one take informed decisions.

All that comes in a hassle-free package, as it takes no more than a web browser and 3 minutes of spare time to get started with Dialfire. And the no-commitment pay-per-use payment model even makes it a perfect fit for temporary campaigns.

Contact

T +49 351 44529800 info@dialfire.com www.dialfire.com

call and contact centre professionals and those in IT, general management, HR, marketing and operations who are looking to excel in customer engagement. Call & Contact Centre Expo 2021 was a great opportunity for attendees and exhibitors to discover the latest trends shaping the future of call and contact centres in a unique educational programme with expert seminars and panel debates. Live demos were given showcasing the latest technology, as well as industry leading companies equipped with the industry’s finest solution led products and services. Combining both events, on 22nd–23rd November

2022, register now for the next show at the Excel in London.

This is our pick of the best exhibitors from last year’s event, listed here in alphabetical order: bakergoodchild, Burnt Orange Creative, Dialfire, Harte Hanks, Kingsline Solutions Ltd, Opus UK & UR Promotions. Further details can be found on this page and a quarter.

For more information, please see below: https://www.b2bmarketingexpo.co.uk https://www.callandcontactcentreexpo.co.uk

bakergoodchild print.mail.post

Our mailing services include: direct mail, personalisation, print management, data processing and bulk postage rates. Whether you need us to help with all, or just part of your mailing activities, we'll work as part of your team to help you get the job done in the most cost-effective and efficient way.

We post 7,000,000 items each month, store over 1,000 tonnes of paper store in our warehouse and the papercuts to match.

We make your budget go further and do it quicker than most other print and mailing houses.

Atbakergoodchild, you can utilise our years of printing, mailing and posting experience, with investment in the latest technology, to obtain high speed, environmentally friendly mailing services at very competitive prices.

We can support your business by providing print, mail and postal solutions from end to end – from initial planning, through to postage savings on despatch, plus all the elements in-between.

The world doesn’t need any more partners who overpromise and under-deliver. It needs bakergoodchild, and with a free postage health check and audit available on our website, there’s never been a better time to work with us on your print, mail and post.

T 0800 612 1972 info@bakerg.co.uk

www.bakergoodchild.co.uk

Harte Hanks: The Customer Company

Harte Hanks enjoyed a successful return to events at the 2021 B2B Marketing Expo, one of the first in person events since the pandemic. We were able to connect with lots of existing and potential customers with challenges with data, martech and marketing execution, and explore how we could help them.

As a global marketing services provider, Harte Hanks is uniquely placed to help companies deliver great experiences (CX) to their customers, prospects, and partners, made relevant to different local markets. We enable, execute, and optimize across different elements of the customer journey, with solutions for data, ABM, marketing automation, contact centre, fulfilment, print, digital, social and more.

Whether it’s helping select, configure, and operate technology, fuelling activity with data, deploying integrated campaigns, fulfilling kits to send to

customers or delivering real-time customer care and support, we make it easy for our clients to connect and engage their key audiences across multiple markets and languages. We are a new breed of experience enablement and execution partner.

Explore our range of B2B solutions and services at www.hartehanks.co.uk or contact us for a free marketing workshop.

T 0203 983 5455

hello@hartehanks.com

www.hartehanks.com

You have done the hard work crafting words, getting images and positioning your brand, but what if no one clicks on it?

UR Promotions: Be memorable

UR Promotions can design and supply promotional marketing merchandise for any business in the UK. We offer a first class service where you will receive a dedicated account manager who will be your point of contact for the design and printing service. We have over 175,000 different products on offer which can be customised to fit with your businesses brand. Our personalised merchandise are cost-effective and competitive, they are a great way for businesses to market to the public with their message by using our promotional products. In addition to this, they are also a great reminder to your current customer as well as future customers about your services. UR Promotions has a range of promotional merchandise is designed to raise awareness and promote your business. No matter what project or promotion your

CENTRE EXPO REVIEWS – TOP EXHIBITORS

Burnt Orange Creative

At Burnt Orange, we offer Creative Marketing executed with passion and commitment. We align ourselves with your goals and integrate with your company strategy. From marketing consultancy to vibrant, eye catching graphic design, we add more marketing power, exactly when you need it:

Marketing Strategy

We can work with you to deliver a marketing strategy to achieve your business and marketing objectives.

Graphic Design Vibrant, eye catching graphic design can help you stand out in a crowded market!

Digital Marketing

From HTML Emails to Interactive Sales toolkits, we create targeted, measurable content to drive your campaigns.

company is involved with, we are sure to have a suitable product within our vast selection of products that we have on offer.

T 02476 269401 sales@urpromotions.co.uk www.urpromotions.co.uk

Fleet & Mobility Live 2021

Fleet & Mobility Live is the UK’s biggest and most important show for fleet decision-makers and key influencers. The event brings together the very best in the industry, offering a chance to learn and network with other industry professionals. The event is designed to deliver strategic insight and operational excellence presented by experts in their fields and is the perfect place to get all your fleet strategy, purchasing, sustainability and operational questions answered – in two days!

Fleet and Mobility Live 2021 received fantastic feedback and received a welcome return as the first live show since COVID-19. The show consisted of many presentations taken by industry professionals that delivered a deeper understanding of what is happening within the industry. Event attendees and exhibitors were delighted to once again meet face to face and discuss the latest trends and changes in the industry over the last 18 months.

Many world-renowned brands were in attendance of last year’s show including Polestar, Kier Fleet

Animation

2D & 3D Animation is a powerful, visually impactive and cost-effective way to engage your clients.

Exhibitions

Our award winning exhibition design and build service puts your brand in front of customers for maximum impact.

Web Design

Striking, responsive, user optimised web design.

Get in touch to find out more:

T 01908 672252 info@burntorangecreative.co.uk www.burntorangecreative.co.uk

FLEET & MOBILITY LIVE REVIEW – TOP EXHIBITORS

Improving fleet safety with reliable video telematics

For over 20 years, VUE have been at the forefront of fleet risk management; their reliable and effective hardware solutions combined with their innovative and simple software helping to improve fleet safety and mitigate fleet risk.

Services, M Group, TCH Leasing, Cancer Research UK, Siemens, Nissan, Leaseplan, and many more. Don’t miss out on this year’s show, which will be held on the 11–12 October 2022 at the NEC, Birmingham.

This is our pick of the best exhibitors from last year’s event, listed here in alphabetical order: Bluelite Group, Haynes Pro & VUE CCTV. Further details can be found on this page.

For more information, please see below: https://www.fleetandmobilitylive.com

Customers of the video telematics company have seen significant improvements and ROI as quickly as within a year. Through using VUE’s systems as both a preventative and reactive solution, fleets have been able to improve driver behaviour, identify areas of risk, and make their operations more efficient.

With the recent launches of their new Driver Distraction AI and VUE360 AVM systems, VUE have placed even more emphasis on preventative measures and reducing the chance of an incident.

Driver Distraction AI monitors driver behaviour in realtime. If a distraction is detected (such as tiredness or smoking), the driver is audibly alerted, helping to stop accidents before they happen.

With VUE360, blindspots are eliminated. Ideal for HGVs driving in built up areas, the system provides the driver

with a 360° view displayed on an in-cab monitor, alerting the driver if anyone is detected near the vehicle. And, if an incident does occur, VUE are on hand to help make the ensuing process as efficient as possible. With HD footage instantly accessible and shareable through their secure media-sharing platform, VUEcloud, claims can be resolved within minutes.

T 0161 877 2257 hello@vue-cctv.co.uk https://vuegroup.org

Chevronshop.com: ‘highly visible’ for 15 years!

Chevronshop.com, the market-leading online resource for commercial vehicle markings and chevron kits, is celebrating 15 years of support for vehicle safety.

Since 2006, Burgess Hill-based chevronshop. com – part of the Bluelite Group – has developed a portfolio of over 470 products to meet the vehicle livery safety requirements of highway users and commercial fleets. The company’s specialist advisors are experts in the use of prismatic and retroreflective materials in line with Chapter 8 recommendations for different vehicle types and environments to ensure that the correct ‘R’ rating is used.

Lorraine Avery, Managing Director of the Bluelite Group, commented, “We work with many different vehicle operators, from emergency and essential services to commercial fleets and construction companies, to provide the high visibility markings and chevrons that help keep all road users safe.

“We do all this with an increasing focus on sustainability. For example, we generate a significant proportion of our energy from solar panels and we are removing single use plastics – including bubble wrap – from our operations wherever possible. We are also accredited to the ISO 14001 environmental

management standard, and use independent assessors to chart the progress we continue to make. In this way, we are contributing to a more sustainable supply chain that will ultimately benefit the low carbon plans of our customers.”

In addition, Bluelite Group is also accredited to the nationally recognised Cyber Essentials standard, which confirms that the company has the necessary processes in place to offer secure services online.

Contact T 0800 9998 997 www.chevronshop.com

New fleet management system from HaynesPro UK

Aweb-based platform managing the servicing, maintenance and repair schedules of your fleet vehicles, holding all the relevant data you need to make the process seamless.

A dynamic user-friendly interface enables you to organise bookings with your preferred franchised and non-franchised repair network at the touch of a button.

OEM part

service history in one easily accessible place. This is the latest product offering from HaynesPro UK, a leading solutions provider to the UK automotive industry.

To find out about the full range of products and services HaynesPro UK offers, please visit our website.

T +44 (0)333 320 8636 enquiry@haynespro.com www.haynespro.co.uk

Your global partner in precision

In this issue of Products and Services Review, we have selected Sonoco TEQ as our custom Packaging and Components Company of the Month.

The company Q Holdings was formed in December 1979 by Graham Drake and Steven Percival, trading under the name Plastique Ltd, this was then acquired by TEQ in Feb 2016 and TEQ was later acquired by Global giant Sonoco in Jan 2020.

Sonoco TEQ provides concept-to-completion thermoforming and injection moulding solutions, specialising in sterile medical, pharmaceutical and consumer product packaging. The company creates custom packaging and specialty components, which deliver innovative and sustainable design, engineering and manufacturing solutions to healthcare and commercial markets.

Sonoco TEQ holds a global presence, with locations in Nottingham UK, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Poznan Poland, Huntley and Fremont USA. In total, Sonoco TEQ has more than 30 thermoforming lines in Europe and the U.S., and maintains one of the largest installations of Kiefel machines in North America. The company also boasts redundant cleanroom manufacturing cells

in all of its Sonoco TEQ locations, to maintain the high integrity of its packaging and components across locations. Its injection molding facilities house 30 additional injection molding machines, both in and out of cleanroom environments.

“Sonoco TEQ is proud to offer a friendly and flexible approach of a smaller business with the resources and expertise of a global corporation in the vacuum forming, packaging, design, and manufacturing industry. Boasting In-house design and manufacture resulting in a dynamic development department that improves flexibility, reduces lead times, and ultimately costs which continue to benefit our customers and their requirements to ever changing demands.

Our clean room facilities, equipment and processes are identical in all locations offering a turn-key solutions and flexible, secure approach that can tailor to each customer’s requirements while reducing the carbon footprint of both companies,” added Asia Heathcote, Regional Sales Manager UK and Ireland.

Sonoco TEQ works in collaboration with every customer, to create custom packaging and components that meet their specific packaging needs, sustainability objectives and testing requirements. The company offers a

comprehensive range of in-house capabilities including: custom design and development, Kiefel thermoforming, injection molding, rapid prototyping, deep draw forming, process validation, stability testing and supply chain management.

Through its comprehensive range of services, Sonoco TEQ has positioned itself as an industry leader in the design, manufacture and supply of innovative healthcare, pharmaceutical, and consumer packaging and custom products by providing total solutions through its in-house capabilities and industry partnerships.

A noteworthy recent development, the company recently acquired an injection moulding facility in the Netherlands. Sonoco Plastics BV is based near Rotterdam, Netherlands and produces millions of injection molded parts with high optical properties, which is used in Diagnostic and Clinical Chemistry instruments. Through this recent acquisition, Sonoco TEQ is now able to offer a range of cleanroom manufactured thermoformed and injection molded packaging and devices to the pharmaceutical and medical sectors.

In other developments, after the recent implications caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, many industries have faced new challenges and adaptations to their normal operations. Sonoco TEQ also noticed these challenges, however the company’s loyal customer base and its ability to react to increased demand, placed the

SYSTEM AUTOMATION COMPANY OF THE MONTH

company in firm position throughout the pandemic. “As we are an essential business in many ways it was business as usual, but we have had to change and adapt with the new industry dynamics, but the flexibility of our business model has been of a true benefit to both our company and our customers,” stated Asia.

As a forward-thinking company, Sonoco TEQ maintains many plans to continue on it trajectory, furthering its offering for customers and to continue searching for more environmentally friendly solutions. Asia explained, “We are dedicated to finding more sustainable and userfriendly packaging solutions for our customers, striving to continuously improve our products and services while growing our brand and presence in the medical, pharmaceutical and consumer sectors.”

For more information, please see the details below: www.teqnow.com

Showcasing industry excellence in system automation

In this issue of Products and Services Review, we are pleased to announce Phoenix Handling Solutions Ltd as our System Automation Company of the Month.

Established in 2010 by Andrew Lawless, current Sales Director, Phoenix Handling Solutions Ltd (PHS) supplies palletisers, wrapping machines and warehouse automation systems, as well as standalone machines and complete turnkey solutions that incorporate robotic/layer palletisers/depalletisers, cobots, pallet wrapping machines, case packing, shrink wrapping of products, pallet shrink, pallet stretch hooding machines, AGV’s, and LGV’s automated warehouses with stacker cranes.

Using its wealth of knowledge and 65 years of industry experience, the company is well established in the supply of end of line packaging machinery and is able to integrate different technologies into a complete ‘turnkey’ solution for customers who are mainly based in the food and beverage sector but also in the paper and board, and pharma industries. PHS represent some of the world’s finest and most experienced supplier’s, who in their own right, have hundreds of references in large Blue-Chip companies around the world. Some of PHS’s typical references include Coca Cola, Morrisons, Cepac, Haribo, Vimto, Burton’s Biscuits, Premier Foods, Smurfit Kappa, Heineken and many more.

Headquartered in Whalley, Lancashire, PHS has a large product range consisting of well proven products that it supplies to some of its long-standing principal suppliers based in the Netherlands and Italy. One notable product to mention is the Entry Level SRP Cobot Palletiser, which is a compact, versatile and fully automatic palletising system that is based on a Doosan H2017 industrial collaborative robot. With a reach of 1,700mm, the Doosan H2017 is extremely well suited for palletising onto larger pallets including UK size (1,000x1,200). It has a maximum payload of 15kg, and because it can carry out multi-picking it can create a higher capacity with up to 18 products p/min, depending upon product specifications. It has a compact footprint and can be easy to relocate by pallet trolley or forklift. The collaborative industrial robot comes complete with safety fencing, is CE certified and is ideal for food or pharmaceutical industries.

Another mentionable product is the Nipper Compact AGV, which is a compact AGV for unmanned internal pallet transportation. The Nipper works in spaces where people are active and meets the most stringent safety requirements. Equipped with safety

laser scanners, emergency stop bumpers, emergency stop buttons and Blue Spot, the Nipper increases safety, saves labour costs and prevents damage and accidents. The Nipper has the capabilities to lift up to 1,000kg, and after training and installation, it can be programmed to customisable routes and react to commands using its intelligent software. Requiring no infrastructure, inductive wires, magnets or reflectors, its intelligent software communicates over Wi-Fi using structures and contours in the work environment as a reference for localisation.

We asked Andrew if any recent changes had occurred within the company and what its future plans were, he answered. “We are pleased to announce both turnover and profit have increased generally, and this could be because since COVID-19 automation is now playing a major part as companies have realised the impact that the pandemic has had on their business and employees.” The future looks very bright indeed for PHS.

As specialists in turnkey systems, PHS is an extensively experienced integrator of varying technologies, and has the industry connections and partnerships to collaborate with others if it does not have all the required products available. If you have a requirement for a stand-alone palletising machine/ robot, cobot, pallet stretch wrapper, shrink or stretch hooding machine, or a complete system, PHS would be pleased to discuss its range with you.

For more information, please see below:

T 0845 265 7570

sales@phs-uk.com

www.phs-uk.com

Spring Fair closes on a high

From 6-9 February 2022 at Birmingham’s NEC, the UK’s largest and longest running trade show for home, gift and fashion, has generated millions of pounds worth of business kickstarting and refuelling the retail industry. A return in buyer confidence and the buzz, enthusiasm and energy throughout the show has been backed up by reports of huge volumes of orders and the average order values going up.

Buyers including John Lewis, Next, Morleys, Wayfair, Oliver Bonas, Fortnum & Mason, Fenwick, National Trust, V&A, Merlin Entertainment, Tesco, Sainsbury, Argos, B&Q, Paperchase, Scribbler, Funky Pigeon, Waterstones, Hobbycraft, Matalan,

as well as garden centres such as Squires, Notcutts, Dobbies, Blue Diamond, British Garden Centres, and Barton Grange attended. Charlotte Overend, Buyer from La Redoute, said, “We have been to the Spring Fair a few times now and it's better than before, so happy with meeting all our suppliers and new ones too, placed a few orders and it’s definitely the show to be at. Will be back for Autumn Fair.”

Julie Driscoll, Divisional Managing Director, Spring Fair & Moda, said, “It’s been a truly extraordinary four days at Spring Fair, we’re so pleased to be able to report on such overwhelming success stories & hear the brilliant

feedback from our visitors and exhibitors.”

Spring Fair returns to Birmingham’s NEC next year from 5-8 February 2023. This is our second pick of the best exhibitors from this year’s event, listed here in alphabetical order: AK Frames, Lara-May Collection, Jex Shoes, JVL Homeware Solutions, Nemesis Now, Richard Lang & Son, Ruby Macaw, The Yorkshire Candle Company & The Puppet Company. Further details can be found on this page and a half.

Contact www.springfair.com

https://www.facebook.com/SpringAutumnFair

Lara-May Collection

The Lara-May brand evolved on Boxing Day 2018. What began with a catch up and a quiet bite to eat with good friends, swapping stories of all the hysteria of Christmas, turned into a brainstorming evening of what would follow, the founding of Lara-May, January 2019.

We knew that in an ever-evolving world where the demand for recycling was on the rise and online marketplaces were leading the way, the only way forward was to take the plunge and step into the E-commerce world. We knew not only did we have to provide a high-quality product but equally we had to match that with exceptional customer service.

With the help of our friends, who are 4th generation heel and sole makers, we were able to tap into the recycled leather market.

Based in Northamptonshire where for almost 900 years the leather industry has thrived, it is here we began our journey, creating a highquality recycled leather placemat and coaster range in an exciting collection of current trending interior colours that will go with most decors.

In 2022, we transitioned into the personalisation market, enabling us to provide a unique product to the corporate world where quality is at the forefront.

T +44 (0)7912 989884 sales@lara-may.co.uk www.lara-may.co.uk

The Yorkshire Candle Company

We began developing home scented products in October 2014, the goal was to create a product which was produced locally, to use responsibly sourced materials and to take inspiration from the surrounding area and popular outdoor spaces where the public spend recreational time.

To this day each of our products is produced by hand at our workshop in Yorkshire. With a range of

over 25 fragrances and over 110 products, we offer a comprehensive range of home scented products, which include our signature range of Yorkshire inspired scents. These include popular fragrances such as The Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire Moors, Peak District and Scarborough Coast.

We are working to expand our offering and will soon be launching a range of reed diffusers, alongside our

room mists which are produced with pure essential oils. All of our materials are responsibly sourced, we use the highest quality ingredients and produce in small batches to provide the very best results from every product we produce.

Aside from our range of products we are able to offer a white labelling and contract manufacturing. If you would like to know more about our business, our products or the services please do get in touch.

Contact T 0114 327 2323 info@theyorkshirecandleco.co.uk https://theyorkshirecandleco.co.uk

AK Frames: New frame, new look

AK Frames is a small-family run business that manufacture picture frames. The idea of bringing life into people’s homes started with the Ali brother’s, 20 years ago.

Over the years, the company has adapted to the digital world and overcame the challenges faced during COVID-19.

The Scottish based company take pride in being a family-run business and credit their unity for their aptitude in taking great care of their customers. By procuring the highest quality materials, AK Frames ensures their frames are of the best possible standard while being great value for money.

AK Frames has supplied well-known chain stores across Britain, such as; Aldi, What Everyone Wants, Klick Munro, Vikings Direct and now supply customers worldwide.

The leading manufacturer are known for their ability to produce bulk orders with a very quick turnaround while maintaining a 100% customer satisfaction rate.

The business also has a logistics warehouse to accommodates online sellers and offer drop-shipping services which has grown over the last year.

“At AK Frames, we offer our customers a tailored service, including a point of contact to help provide a quality experience with us. We are especially excited to launch new products that our dedicated team have been continuously working on to address the changing needs of our customers.” explains

The Puppet Company

Afamily business started in 2001, we are now the World’s leading supplier of beautifully made and well-functioning puppets. Our puppets capture the essence of what makes a really fine toy – allowing the user to be creative, to entertain and have fun! The range of hand puppets include full bodied animals, ‘monsters,’ dinosaurs, large primates and birds all the way to our impulse range of finger puppets! They include dinosaurs which will be very hot this summer!

We have a sister company ‘Wilberry Toys’ that specialises in gorgeous soft toys. From our everpopular Minis, stunning Knitted and petite Collectables, there really is something for everyone. We have a new Eco range coming this June made from recycled plastic bottles! The Eco Cuddlies will feature 16 designs including animals, pets and even a dragon!

Azam, the next generation of AK Frames. Contact T +44 (0)7897 635538 sales@akframes.co.uk www.akframes.co.uk

We firmly believe in quality and innovation; hence our products are highly sought after.

We trade to over 1,500 retailers across the UK and produce premiums for clients for events, charities, and organisations. Our extensive range of over 600 luxurious and creative products, from sockettes, knitted toys, dinosaurs, gift and play sets are available from our website at: thepuppetcompany.com. Perfect plush and puppets for every occasion and age.

T 01462 446040 info@thepuppetcompany.com www.thepuppetcompany.com

Sam Lockey, Sales Director, (pictured) sam@thepuppetcompany.com

Ruby Macaw Ltd: Add some colour

Ruby Macaw Ltd is a small family business focused on providing a range of hospitality products to retailers enabling them to offer the perfect colour solution for every event. It was the first time we had exhibited at the NEC Spring Fair this year, where we showcased our ranges of candles, napkins and table covers and had a huge amount of interest in our taper candles which is probably the biggest variety of colours in the country.

Retailers, Cash & Carry’s, Wholesalers, On-liners, Interior Designers, Hotels, Restaurants and Wedding Organisers were among the new customers who stopped by and

Richard Lang & Son

The team from Derbyshire based gift and homeware supplier, Richard Lang enjoyed a tremendously successful show at the NEC’s Spring Fair. Head of Design, Jane Bourne said, “This event has always been important for us, but this year seriously blew our minds! It was fantastic to see so many familiar faces, as well as many new ones –particularly those who came from overseas for the show. It’s been such a long time for everyone over the pandemic – we were all very ready to get back in the swing of things.”

Jane – whose team designs the whole Richard Lang range in-house from its Derbyshire headquarters – is responsible for creating the stand to show off its unique and contemporary gifts and homewares. A job she clearly does very well, as the Lang’s stand is consistently one of the most eye-catching (and busiest!) at the show. She added, “We’ve had such fabulous feedback from our long-standing customers and new contacts about our stand – both at the show and since. It’s so satisfying seeing it all come together on opening day.”

The top selling collections on display were Christmas, Fall/Halloween and Spring/Summer, and the volume of orders taken at the show has broken all Lang’s records.

Contact Jane Bourne, Head of Product and Design, T 01332 226892 jane@richardlang.co.uk www.richardlang.co.uk

placed orders. To complement the candles, we can also offer accessories such as holders, co-ordinated table covers and a large variety of napkins, including designed options, to ensure the colour scheme is completed. All of our products are manufactured in Europe guaranteeing the highest level of quality and are held in stock in our warehouse in Kent, ready for immediate despatch. See our new website at: www.rubymacaw.co.uk, call us on: 01622 470400 or email us on: sales@rubymacaw.co.uk to request a hard copy catalogue.

Nemesis Now: Merchandise, giftware & collectibles

Nemesis Now create and realise imaginative collectibles, giftware and merchandise for distributors, retailers and tourist attractions worldwide. Our licensed and own brand collections are expertly designed and sculpted by our in-house design team creating products you won’t find anywhere else! We have products that suit every style, taste and genre.

Select your next best-seller from our ever-growing collection of licensed collectibles featuring worldrenowned brands including, Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, IT, Original Stormtrooper, Iron Maiden and Assassin’s Creed just to name

a few. Our products range from collectible tankards and goblets, highly detailed, hand-painted busts and figurines, hanging ornaments, bookends and much more!

Our highly skilled in-house team of artists, designers and sculptors provide customers with highly detailed exclusive collectibles. With technology-driven processes

JVL Homeware Solutions

and solutions which enable us to provide innovative services, as well as being able to deliver professional promotion with market ready products with assets, images and data.

To register for a trade account and get access to over 2,000 products, prices and quantity discounts, please register here: https://www. nemesisnow.com/apply

When completing the ‘provide any additional information to support your application’ section add in the referral code ‘NEM22’ to receive an introductory offer if your application is successful.

Colour-in stuff for kids!

Jex offers a range of colour-in trainers, eco-backpacks & clothing. They are the perfect gifts for creative kids!

At Jex, we believe the imagination of children is amazing and something that should always be encouraged. They are so creative and should be allowed to express their ideas at every opportunity; they’re only kids once!

Our exclusive range of children’s products are all stylish and comfortable with fun and eye-catching designs. They look awesome in black and white but they are transformed

GREEN PRODUCTS & SERVICES

On a Roll! Printed laminate containing over 30% PCR content

Cake Décor is the UK’s largest manufacturer of cake decorations, producing extensive ranges for Plant Bakeries, Blue Chip Food Manufacturers, Artisan Businesses and Major UK Supermarkets.

They were founded in 2006, owned by Orkla since April 2021 and have built a strong reputation for quality product and the highest customer service. They have a ‘right first time’ approach to NPD and have innovation at their very core, so when Waitrose wanted to change to printed film for their Ready to Roll Icing it was an easy discussion to have to suggest changing from a traditional laminate to one with post-consumer recyclate to beat the Plastic Tax being introduced in April.

According to the Government website, the new tax is being introduced to “encourage the use of recycled rather than new plastic within plastic packaging. This will in turn stimulate increased levels of recycling and collection of plastic waste, diverting it away from landfill or incineration.”

“Moving to a PCR film was made easy by working with National Flexible. It ran first time on our packing lines and both we and Waitrose are very happy with the result,” said Robert Simpson, Cake Décor.

T 01274 685566 sales@nationalflexible.net www.nationalflexible.co.uk

With30 years’ experience, JVL is a leading supplier and distributor of household products in the UK. Based in Mytholmroyd, West Yorkshire, they operate from a large distribution warehouse, meaning they can hold stock and ensure a fast turnaround for orders. They work with many national and high street retailers, wholesalers and independents.

into truly, unique and personalised masterpieces when the colour is added. Jex trainers and clothing come complete with a set of 7 pens on a Jex keyring as standard. Our exclusive sustainable backpacks come with a set of eco 12 pencils (yes pencils, not pens!) and are machine washable so they can be coloured in time and time again.

For more information, please visit: www.jexshoes.com or to discuss becoming a trade customer please contact us on: 0843 507 1147 or via email at: info@jexshoes.com.

What’s great about JVL is their inhouse team of graphic and textile designers, they keep on top of their game and constantly research the latest trends and colour palettes to ensure there’s always something new and fresh to offer. This is a great service to offer as it means not only can they offer their own range of products, JVL can create bespoke designs for you as well. They also have a large onsite showroom for customers to visit and see their range. They have an array of products spanning from doormats, runners, to cleaning and storage. Seasonal lines covering everything for laundry indoor and outdoor, plus fireside products and more.

Why chose JVL… they strive to offer the best possible customer service, offering our customers quality and excellent value for money, ensuring customers’ needs are at the heart of everything they do.

If you would like to become a JVL stockist or would like further information on their product range, please contact them on: T 01422 888535 telesales@jvl.co.uk www.jvl.co.uk

WAREHOUSE & LOGISTICS PRODUCTS & SERVICES

WP Group

WP Group was founded in 1988 as West Pennine Storage Equipment Ltd providing pallet racking, shelving and related storage systems. WP Group now provides a full-service

design, delivery and installation service, backed by three decades of industry knowledge.

As a leading national UK supplier of warehouse racking systems, WP supports all industry applications including mezzanine floor installations and cantilever racking. Our extensive range of high-quality racking systems are designed to meet the specific requirements of any industrial environment. Our top-quality steel racking and shelving systems are highly competitive, offering long service life and exceptional value for money. All our storage systems are designed to maximise your workspace, meeting your individual storage needs with practical solutions. The WP Group product range includes everything from light storage shelving to heavy duty pallet racking. Our bespoke consultation service aims to provide the most suitable solutions to suit your business environment. Specialist solutions include drive-in racking, narrow aisle racking, carpet racks, mezzanine flooring and cantilever racking systems. Our solutions include cold storage warehouse racking, multi-tier storage systems and mobile storage racks each providing increased storage space. In addition to warehouse projects, our online shop offers over 8,000 items of storage equipment, components and accessories and accepts payment by card at: www.westpenninesd.co.uk – Please feel free to contact us for any further information or to discuss any particular needs which you may have in your warehouse or storage area.

Contact

T 01706 875500

info@thewpgroup.co.uk www.thewpgroup.co.uk

RECOMMENDED SUPPLIER DIRECTORY

Established in 1975, Dual Pumps Ltd is a leading supplier of pumps, fluid handling components, agricultural & industrial spraying products, pressure washers, pressure wash accessories & cleaning equipment. Preferred supplier for many leading manufacturers, distributors, hire shops across a broad range of industries in both the UK and export markets.

ELAFLEX Ltd, Hoddesdon is associated with Elaflex Hiby, Germany and supply ZVA fuel nozzles and components for LNG and CNG. In our program are rubber flexible hoses and Dry Disconnect couplings for the pharma, marine bunkering and petrochemical industry. We also produce bespoke hose reel kits and ERV Rubber bellows.

Manufacturers and suppliers of quality curtain rail and blind systems to the healthcare and commercial sectors for over 25 years. Working from our modern factory in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, our range covers everything from basic hand drawn rails to state of the art electrically operated products.

Looking to create your dream home? Paul Edwards Interiors offers a full interior design service: sofas, carpets, rugs, curtains, wallpapers, accessories, and furniture from leading manufacturers. A visit to their flagship store in Coventry or their satellite stores in Hinckley and Warwick is a must. Browse through their collections online. pauledwardsinteriors.co.uk | vintagesofasandfurnishings.co.uk 02476 443480 | pauledwardsinteriors.cov@gmail.com

The WP Group offers intelligent storage equipment solutions for any environment. Ranging from custom built warehouse pallet racking and industrial shelving to office shelving and storage systems, our space efficient solutions are designed with only the greatest precision in mind.

ESI Technology Ltd designs and manufactures pressure transducers and transmitters for the aerospace, defence, oil & gas, subsea, medical, automotive, marine, process and general industrial markets. Our unique Silicon-on-Sapphire technology provides outstanding stability and performance throughout a wide range of our catalogue.

ELAFLEX Hiby provides a worldwide first solution for LH2 truck refuelling of cryogenic hydrogen

In this issue of Products and Services Review, we have selected ELAFLEX LTD as the recipient of our Industry Excellence Award.

ELAFLEX LTD is associated with the family-run company ELAFLEX Hiby of Germany and covers the UK and Ireland markets. Established in 1987, ELAFLEX LTD is headquartered in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire with a specialist technical facility in Manchester where the company provides additional specialised technical work with LPG and white lining equipment as well as training, service repair, assembling, testing and maintenance of hoses, nozzles and couplings.

ELAFLEX LTD is the supplier of ZVA fuel, LNG and CNG nozzles, speciality rubber flexible hoses, ERV rubber bellows, MannTek dry disconnect couplings and Elaflex bespoke hose reel kits and more.

“We mainly focus on and base most of our expertise on standards compliant technically advanced hoses, dry disconnect couplings, expansion joints and nozzles. Our products are distributed and supplied across various industries needed for everyday life. For example, if you are a motorist, you will most likely be using our ZVA fuel nozzles and hoses when you refuel your vehicle, if you fly, the aircraft will most likely have been refuelled with an Elaflex Aviation hose, and in the supply line it is likely that the bitumen used on the road has been through an Elaflex hose,” stated Anton Martiniussen, Director and CEO at ELAFLEX LTD.

the art,’ made to the highest possible standard. Our hoses have many unique technical features in their construction including light weight, lifelong flexibility and superior flow rates,” said Anton.

ELAFLEX LTD holds a large hose stock, comprising of all commonly used types and are available in sizes DN 9mm up to DN 200mm. The hose range is ideal for products used in process manufacturing industries as well as petroleum, L.P. gas, chemicals, pharmaceutical, and food. ELAFLEX is always researching more ways to

Accredited to ISO 9001, ELAFLEX LTD’s hoses are a true smooth bore and are designed for purpose to handle the most complex fluids, and in return, offer manufacturers and operators’ excellent results as well as exceptional service life. The hoses can be supplied in long lengths or as complete assemblies fully tested. For decades, this has been the company’s core competence, therefore customers can be sure to receive a suitable combination of hose and coupling for both self-assembling and ready-to-use hose assembly.

“Hoses are an important asset in a company’s manufacturing process. Our technical rubber flexible hoses are of an extruded construction rather than the traditional types that are wrapped or tube inserts. They are made at our factory in Germany and are ‘state of

resolve some of the complex industrial challenges manufacturers are faced with to handle new advanced fluids moving into the next generation.

The company’s product portfolio boasts excellence for an abundance of applications from petrol station equipment, AdBlue® refilling, aircraft refuelling, chemical and pharma, LPG refuelling, rubber expansion joints, hose reels, and fast fill systems for CNG. Anton explained, “In the HVAC sector, we produce rubber bellows for a wide range of applications especially in areas such as pipe construction, where you need compensators to absorb thermal expansion to reduce vibration and noise. Due to their construction and premium quality, our expansion joints have become the international industry standard. In our developments, ELAFLEX introduced to petrol filling stations the Open Active Stage II Vapour recovery system which has become the industry standard on forecourts. Recently, we have seen some of these systems in use on marinas to fill speed boats as well as in factories to recover harmful vapours.”

The extensive range of hoses is backed and complimented by a thorough, well-established hose awareness training program that is aimed at creating awareness of the key safety critical elements of the refuelling hose and fitting assembly in use. The training program is certified and delivered to a formalised documented process by in-house trained engineers and is particularly beneficial to drivers, fitters and operators and includes elements of assembling as well as a briefing on the latest industry standards.

Further to its services, ELAFLEX also has a modern sand casting foundry

where it produces complex bronze and gunmetal products as well as aluminium alloys. It is at this foundry ELAFLEX manufacture components for many diverse customers within the automotive industry. Based on the specific requirements of the aluminium segments, be it cast bronze and gunmetal, ELAFLEX Hiby has a great wealth of experience, making it a very competent business partner, which could be in regard to advice for material and component selection, or to the creation of foundry optimised 3D drawings. Consistent quality planning, audits, systems, products and systematic quality management leading to process optimisation is key and enquiries for tight tolerance production components are always welcomed.

More recently, ELAFLEX has developed a robust LNG nozzle ‘N-LNG’ addressing many real-world hazards experienced on truck refuelling forecourts. “The N-LNG nozzle is easy serviceable and compatible with traditional types of LNG equipment and designed for easy interchangeability. As well as being lightweight, easy to repair, and user friendly with fast filling, it is suitable for refuelling of heavy vehicles with an interface to EN ISO 12617. Furthermore, we have also developed a new CNG nozzle and a nozzle for Liquefied Hydrogen,” stated Anton.

Providing a worldwide first solution for LH2 truck refuelling of cryogenic hydrogen, the handling is comparable to its dry disconnect couplings and the nozzle features an integrated purging function. The refuelling components are suitable for a temperature range of -253°C up to +50°C and a working pressure of 25 bar (2.5MPa). They also come with a combined vacuum insolation for

for the transfer of hydrogen up to 100%. The continuous smooth inner lining enables the processing of hydrogen with low permeation, and the robust hose construction with 20 bar (2MPa) operating pressure has a very low permeation of 0.36Ncm³/h. The H2 hoses DN 13-50 are available with crimping ferrules, SPANNLOC or SPANNFIX clamps.

So if you are working in some of these industries why not give Anton or ELAFLEX a call.

For more information, please see below:

T 01992 452950 sales@elaflex.co.uk www.elaflex.co.uk