Thinking Business April 2019

• OFFICIAL MAGAZINE FOR KENT INVICTA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE • April - May 2019 •

Inside:

Folkestone and Hythe A place to broaden your horizons. Page 16

Stuart Stepney MD of Castle Corporate Finance on keeping the money flowing in uncertain times. Page 22

Is Cash King in Challenging Times?

10 Tips to get your business Export ready.

Page 39

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Welcome

Welcome & Contents

An antidote to gloom and doom

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Jo James

Chief Executive

Welcome to the latest edition of Thinking Business. At a time of political and economic uncertainty, it can be very tempting to slip into a disillusioned state of mind.

This edition of Thinking Business should prove an excellent antidote!

Looking at the articles we have included, I was struck by the idea that business just keeps on doing what business does, whatever kind of mess the politicians make of things like Brexit.

The news pages in this edition make the point beautifully. They are packed with stories of investment committed, contracts secured, qualifications gained, and all to the benefit of the Kent economy.

Also making the point is our piece on page 8, chronicling the results from our awards event held on 21 March.

It was an occasion that celebrated the very best of Kent business.

The idea was further reinforced when I read our Big Interview with Stuart Stepney, Managing Director

Contents 4 5 6 7 8-9 10-11 12-15 16-18

Chamber News Legal Update Members News Focus on Finance Chamber Awards Patron News Members News Spotlight on Folkestone & Hythe

Our Patrons

of Castle Corporate Finance, which can be found on page 22.

Castle Corporate Finance helps business people navigate the process and, as Stuart says: “The large majority of our clients continue to thrive and grow, and the funding arena continues to expand and be buoyant: these are positive enough signals for us to continue looking to the future with a good degree of optimism”.

Similar optimism can be found in our Person Behind The Business feature on page 33, which focuses on Jason Smith, Managing Director of Bedfont Scientific Ltd. Bedfont has shown what can be achieved if a business looks to grow through exporting and this was recognised when it won an award from the South East Health Technologies Alliance in February, a well-earned recognition for a company that has truly embraced international markets.

The family-run business, which has specialised in the design and manufacture of exhaled breath and gas monitoring instruments since 1976, has been growing

21 22-23 24-28 29 31 33 36-37

Economy & US Big Interview Cover Feature Finance for Business Ask the Expert 24 Hours with...

The Person behind the Business Members News

steadily and Jason strikes an optimistic note. As he says: “We are pleased with the growth the company has achieved and we are confident about the future.”

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Similar optimism is voiced in our area spotlight on page 16, which examines some of the exciting things that are happening in Folkestone and Hythe to support local businesses.

Finally, on page 46 you can read details of the Chamber’s new partnership with RIFT R & D to spread the word to our members about the benefits of R&D Tax Credits.

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So, yes, these are uncertain times, yes Brexit has cast a long shadow and will continue to do so, and yes there will be plenty of setbacks as the UK and Europe come to terms with a new political and economic reality, but there remains plenty of reasons to look to the future with a sense of optimism.

39 41 42-43 44 46 47 48-49 50

International Trade Members News Chamber Events Chamber Exhibitions Member Benefit Business News New Members Movers & Shakers

Editorial and General Enquiries

Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce, Ashford Business Point, Waterbrook Avenue, Sevington, Ashford, Kent.

TN24 0LH Chief Executive: Jo James Tel: 01233 503 838 Fax: 01233 503 687 info@kentinvictachamber.co.uk www.kentinvictachamber.co.uk

Published April 2019 © Benham Publishing

Disclaimer

Publisher

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Benham Publishing Limited, Aintree Building, Aintree Way, Aintree Business Park, Liverpool L9 5AQ Ian Fletcher Tel: 0151 236 4141 Fax: 0151 236 0440 admin@benhampublishing.com www.benhampublishing.com

Advertising and Features

Karen Hall Tel: 0151 236 4141 karen@benhampublishing.com Media No.1657

Production Manager

Mark Etherington Tel: 0151 236 4141 mark@benhampublishing.com

Thinking Business is published for Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce and is distributed without charge to Chamber members. All correspondence should be addressed to the Editor at Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce. Views expressed in Thinking Business are not necessarily those of Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce. Reprinting in whole or part is forbidden except by permission. © 2019. Please note that submitting an article does not guarantee publication. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in this journal, Benham Publishing and its agents can accept no responsibility for the veracity of claims made by contributions in advertising or editorial content. Benham Publishing cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies in web or email links supplied to us.

Thinking Business

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Kent’s leading business membership organisation announces launch of its new website to help support growth of Kent-based businesses

Chamber News

Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce (KICC) announces the launch of its new website, which has been designed to help Kent-based businesses to achieve their commercial ambitions and to navigate their way through the implications of Brexit - whatever the outcome.

This new launch, which is being delivered as the result of more than a year’s worth of work, will enable KICC’s members to access a range of features that will support them in growing their businesses and helping them to reduce costs.

CEO, Jo James said of the launch “We are delighted to see this project being delivered at such a crucial time for Kent’s businesses.

When we started out, our goal was to deliver a platform which could support our members’ needs and help them to grow their businesses, but over the past year we have been seeing an increasing demand for advice and representation, resulting from the uncertainty around

Brexit. We are confident that our new website will make it easier for our members to find the information and support they need.”

At the core of the new website is a fully optimised membership directory which enables users to significantly increase the visibility of their their product or service offerings through a variety of channels, using video, images and social media.

The new website also makes is easier for members to leverage up to £20,000 worth of member benefits, including Breakdown Assistance, Private Healthcare and Legal Assistance, plus being able to access more than 100 business networking events each year.

The website can be found at: www.kentinvictachamber.co.uk

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Thinking Business

Late payment laws to help businesses

Legal Update

Ailsa Fairchild, Debt Recovery Manager at Girlings, looks at what is being done to address the UK’s late payment culture and what a business can do to stop going into the red.

ast year was tough for L many businesses struggling against currency volatility,

higher business rates, political uncertainty as well as high levels of unpaid debts and unfavourable payment terms.

The stark reality is that when compared to our Western European counterparts, UK businesses have the greatest level of overdue invoices and also face the longest B2B payment delays. FSB research published in June 2018, found that 17% of SMEs were paid more than 60 days after providing an invoice and 44% between 31 and 60 days, with only 17% seeing all their invoices paid on time and 32% seeing at least a quarter of their invoices paid after agreed terms.

A report, Small Businesses and Productivity published by the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee (BEIS) in December 2018 brings with it a glimmer of hope for SMEs struggling against a culture and climate of late payment.

The report concludes that bad payment practices are causing many SMEs to fail and preventing others from capitalising on growth and productivity. It recommends that the Government should introduce a statutory requirement for companies to pay within 30 days and give the Small Business Commissioner powers to fine those who pay late. It also proposes a tougher regime to address the practice by some larger companies of enforcing lengthy payment terms on small suppliers. The FSB has also recently launched the Fair Pay Fair Play campaign, a three point plan calling for reform.

As we all know the legislative process is long, so what can be done in the meantime if you are a business owed money by another business?

Firstly, a solicitor’s letter before action can cost as little as £9.50 I have lost count of the clients who have expressed surprise at being paid an aged debt after a dreaded “solicitor’s letter”!

Consider informing your debtor in advance that a solicitor will be instructed if the debt remains unpaid. Girlings offers fixed fee debt recovery so that you know from the outset exactly how much you are investing, some of which could be recoverable from your debtor.

You may also be entitled to claim interest, compensation and recovery costs under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998. You can claim under the Act if you have supplied goods/services to a business and the contract does not contain provision for interest on late/delayed payment.

You do not have to tell your customers that you will be claiming late payment interest, compensation or costs in the event of late payment. However, we would advise you to include warnings to this effect on your invoices, statements and in your terms of business.

Interest becomes payable 30 days from the date of supply of the goods/services or after receipt of the invoice, whichever is later. You can also claim interest on invoices not paid on time but which have since been paid.

The Act also allows you to charge a fixed sum for compensation for recovering a late commercial payment.

The amount of compensation you can charge depends upon the amount of the debt.

The key to successfully collecting your debt is to take control and act swiftly and firmly. And, finally, don’t be afraid to consult a solicitor, you might be pleasantly surprised!

girlings.com

Ailsa Fairchild Debt Recovery Manager Debt Recovery 01233 664711 ailsafairchild@girlings.com Thinking Business

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Members News

Helping with Health and Wealth naturally One Drop at a Time I was introduced to DoTerra in 2017 by a close friend who had a powerfully positive experience of DoTerra Oil. The impact was literally life changing.

Sue, for years suffered from a hiatus hernia, was prescribed high levels of medication and in 2013 had surgery, resulting in her being reduced to a liquid diet.

Unfortunately the intervention was not successful long term and she had to return to taking high levels of prescription medication with the worrying prospect of further surgery, which did not come with a guarantee of a successful outcome.

In July 2017 Sue’s friend said try DoTerra’s peppermint oil.

Her reaction was ‘don’t you think I have tried every peppermint remedy’. She was invited to put a single drop onto on her tongue.

Sue thought what have I got to lose. Miraculously the DoTerra peppermint oil took her discomfort away. Sue was amazed at how powerful and fast acting the DoTerra essential oils were and now only takes a drop of peppermint each day to maintain a normal life and healthy well-being.

On hearing this from a trusted source, I wanted to learn more about these oils so could not wait to start using them myself and experiencing the many health benefits. I am now educating and sharing the oils showing there is an alternative and helping make a difference to so many with how these oils are changing lives one drop at a time.

Linda McNeill

Open Water merges with Wonderful to form digital creative agency

Two Kent-based agencies have announced their successful merger, combining their specialisms in brand and digital.

Open Water started in 2007 as a design-led agency, specialising in branding and brand strategy.

The agency worked on branding projects with clients such as HSBC, Caixa Bank, Kent Police and Moët Hennessy, winning several awards.

Wonderful was founded in 2010, specialising in fusing creativity and technology for businesses ranging from fast growth start-ups through to global brands. The merger sees agency founders Dan Maudhub and Philip Hansen join forces to further

establish Wonderful as a new type of agency that is focused on transforming business and growing brands.

Philip said: “We are so excited to be forming an agency that can help create and define digital native brands, bring them to market and measure their effect. The opportunity for businesses and brands that can balance their creative brand thinking, with the power of tech and digital is enormous; we’ve created an agency that can help them do that.”

Barton Willmore – about us

Barton Willmore is the UK’s largest independent, integrated planning and design consultancy.

From our 13 offices nationwide, we combine national influence with local knowledge to offer the very best advice at every stage of the development process, from concept to completion. Our highly experienced teams of experts focus on providing insightful, commercial and innovative advice to help our clients gain support for their proposals and to maximise value from their investments. Our Kent office has been established for more than 30 years and is presently located in the heart of the emerging Ebbsfleet

Garden City which is rapidly becoming the gateway to Kent and transforming the region.

Working throughout Kent and the wider south-east, we pride ourselves on our local knowledge and influence, bringing together clients, local authorities and stakeholders in the planning process to realise the full potential of sites and delivering exciting and innovative schemes.

We actively seek to influence wider policy making through our thought leadership intelligence and have

shops, phenomenal growth.

Moving to EAT, I held the roles of Retail Director and Brand Development Director and led their growth to 120 shops.

I founded Grovewood Retail Consultants in September 2018, after spending 25 years in the food and hospitality industry. I joined Pret A Manger when they had just 32 shops. I spent a decade at Pret with the last two years in the role of Head of Operations. When I left they had over 150

In my last three roles over the past 15 years, I have led brands through periods of rapid growth, be that through opening more stores, opening up new revenue streams or opening up new markets. I have done this whilst creating and embedding processes to improve operational

performance, service, efficiency and profitability.

At Grovewood, I am now in a position to share my skills and experience to help other brands to grow and develop. My clients include brands that want to open up a retail footprint in the UK, brands that are starting from scratch and multi-nationals that want to develop their business; 80% of my clients are based abroad but are keen to access the vibrant, UK market.

Initially drafted in June 2016, the plan has been subject to a number of public consultation events, including Ashford Borough Council has officially adopted its Local Plan 2030. an examination in public in 2018 by two independent Planning Inspectors.

The plan aims to make sure that community infrastructure and Thousands of responses were environmental issues such as adapting future development is well planned, received and taken into account to climate change and ensuring high helping to create great places and during the preparation of the plan. quality design. strong communities, and provides a consistent approach to planning Now that the plan has formally been The general principle of the Local across the whole borough. adopted it will supersede the current Plan is to encourage growth within suite of documents contained within It allocates sites for development the borough to provide homes, the Local Development Framework as well as establishing planning employment, retail floor space and (Core Strategy 2008, Town Centre policies and guidance to ensure infrastructure such as community local development is built in Area Action Plan 2010, Tenterden & facilities and green spaces. While accordance with the principles of Rural Sites Development Plan growth in the economy is important, sustainable development. the plan also seeks to protect valued Document 2010 and the Urban Sites & assets such as heritage, leisure, Infrastructure Development Plan The plan also addresses housing, nature and open spaces. employment, retail, leisure, transport, Document 2012), as well as the Thinking Business

recently called for greater joint working with Local Planning Authorities throughout Kent to help deliver a more holistic approach to the delivery of infrastructure and homes.

By pushing the standards of legislation, stakeholder engagement and sustainability even higher, we aim to influence methods of practice and projects, for the good of our clients, local communities and help shape the property industry and the environment.

Grovewood Retail Consultants

Local Plan 2030 is officially adopted

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Based in Kent and London, Wonderful serves clients globally, with recent client acquisitions seeing Wonderful secure partnerships with RS PRO (electronics giant) and Quandoo (restaurant booking platform), both global leaders in their respective industries. This merger will see Wonderful progress even further in its quest to be a UK Top 100 agency by delivering lasting change through brand transformation.

As a fluent French speaker, I have been lucky to work with several French clients to develop their UK customer-base.

I am now looking to expand my business further by working with more UKbased businesses who want to grow their number of stores, their client base, their access to new markets or simply their sales, profits and customer experience.

Ed Grimes, Director, Grovewood Retail Consultants

remaining policies in the previous local plan dating from 2000. However, the Chilmington Green Area Action Plan (2013) will continue to form part of the development plan for the borough alongside the Local Plan 2030, as will the ‘made’ Neighbourhood Plans of Wye (2016) and Pluckley (2017).

Cllr Paul Clokie, portfolio holder for planning and development, said: “The adoption of the Local Plan 2030 is a key milestone and an important document which will shape future development in our borough.

For more information on the Local Plan visit www.ashford.gov.uk/local-plan-2030

Focus on Finance The additional 3% SDLT surcharge, which was introduced back in April 2016, applies to all additional properties purchased, which are not replacing a main residence. This also applies where the property chain has broken down – you can read more about this in a previous post here (link to https://news. wilkinskennedy.com/mindthe-gap-replacementresidence-relief/).

There may be other situations where the additional surcharge applies, here is one example to consider.

Inherited property?

Watch out for SDLT sting later on

If you inherit property, there is usually no Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT), unless the beneficiary is paying money into the estate or paying other beneficiaries.

However, there are an increasing number of people getting caught up in an SDLT ‘trap’ when circumstances relating to the inherited property change.

David and Sarah, who are brother and sister, have inherited a freehold property in London from their late father, worth £500,000. They already own one mortgaged property each, which are their main residences.

The siblings will pay no additional SDLT on inheriting their father’s property, however, Sarah then chooses to sell her half to David. He agrees, but at the point of handing over £250,000 for her share, he will also be caught out by the additional SDLT surcharge. Before April 2016, the brother would have paid Stamp Duty of £2,500, but, following the introduction of the surcharge, he is now liable to pay £10,000 in SDLT.

The additional 3% surcharge applies because the brother is already a homeowner.

Therefore, the transaction with his sister would mean he’d acquired an additional dwelling even though he has already inherited part of it – in the same way as if he’d bought a completely different house.

If David was not a homeowner, he would not pay the additional surcharge. If he had never owned property, and was in fact a first time buyer, he wouldn’t pay any SDLT at all, as the price he is paying is fully covered by the First Time Buyer relief. However, if he then chooses to purchase his own home at a later stage, but retains his father’s property,

he will need to pay the additional 3% surcharge on the value of the new home.

This is because David will own a main residence, as well as his father’s property.

The 3% charge still applies at the point of David’s new home purchase, even if he chooses to rent out his late father’s property, and not declare his father’s home as his main residence. This is because there will be a second transaction, which will result in David owning more than one property, and therefore the charges will apply.

However, should David choose to sell his father’s home within three years of inheritance, he can apply for a refund of the 3% SDLT he has paid.

There is further good news.

Where a half share (or less) of a house is left directly to a beneficiary, who within three years purchases another property, the interest in the inherited property can be ignored for purposes of calculating the additional SDLT surcharge.

In David and Sarah’s case, as joint owners of their father’s house, if Sarah chooses to sell her own main residence within three years, no higher SDLT is chargeable when she purchases her replacement main residence. This is because she only has a 50% share of the inherited property and inherited it in the three years before her purchase.

If Sarah owned more than 50%, or indeed she purchases her new residential property after the three year period, the higher rate of SDLT will apply as the inherited property will be considered a major interest in another dwelling.

Every situation is different so it is best to seek advice for your particular circumstances. For further information, speak to the tax team at Wilkins Kennedy’s Ashford, Canterbury, Maidstone, Orpington and Sandwich offices.

Steve Jacob

Partner (Kent Region)

01622 690666

steve.jacob@wilkinskennedy.com

www.wilkinskennedy.com

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Chamber Awards

Winners: Newton Waterproofing Systems

Chamber Business Awards 2019 - An evening of celebration

Chamber members joined together to celebrate business success at the Chamber Annual Business Awards Dinner on Thursday 21st March 2019 at the prestigious Canterbury Cathedral Lodge.

The Awards have been a great catalyst to promote excellence in business that is in abundance within the County.

The quality and quantity of applications continues to increase year on year, just going to show that Kent is truly a entrepreneurial County, demonstrating business at its best.

The Awards were in 9 categories: • Business of the Year 2019

Sponsored by University of Kent

• Construction Project of the Year 2019

Sponsored by Golding Homes

• Employer of the Year 2019

Sponsored by YOUR LONDON AIRPORT Gatwick

• Entrepreneur of the Year 2019

Sponsored by University of Kent Hub for Innovation & Enterprise

• Excellence in Customer Service 2019

Sponsored by Wilkins Kennedy

• Exporter of the Year 2019

Finalists: Nim’s Fruit Crisps & Portafina

Construction Project of the Year 2019

Winners: BBS Construction Ltd

Thinking Business

Finalists: WW Martin Ltd & Betteridge & Milsom

Sponsored by Locate in Kent

• Manufacturer of the Year 2019 Sponsored by Locate in Kent

• Most Promising New Business 2019

Sponsored by MidKent College

• Technology Business of the Year 2019 Sponsored by RIFT R&D Tax Credits

Employer of the Year 2019

Winners: Reflect Digital

The Chamber would like to congratulate all of this years Winners and very worthy Finalists. In addition to our category sponsors names above, we would also like to thank our Dinner sponsors, Southeastern.

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Business of the Year 2019

Finalists: Bedfont Scientific Ltd & Total Accounting Kent Ltd

Chamber Awards

Winner: Danny Lucas Lucas UK Group

Entrepreneur of the Year 2019

Winners: Total Machining Solutions Ltd

Finalist: Jack Parkinson - HR GO plc

Finalist: Oliver Trailor Runway Training

Winners: Sleeping Giant Media

Finalists: Red Alert Telecare Ltd & Advance FM

Exporter of the Year 2019

Excellence in Customer Service 2019

Finalists: Nim’s Fruit Crisps & The Glass Wipe Board Company

Winner: DayOne Design

Most Promising New Business 2019

Finalists: Giant Campus & Amy Jayne Aesthetics Limited

Technology Business of the Year 2019

Winners: Orbital Internet Group

Winner: Bedfont Scientific Ltd

Finalists: Halton Foodservice Ltd & Kemet International Ltd

Manufacturer of the Year 2019

Finalists: Kayo Digital Ltd & Bedfont Scientific Ltd

Thinking Business

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Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce Patrons 2019 Patron News

Jo James, CEO, Kent Invicta Chamber thanking Patrons followed by certificate presentations to the following businesses and organisations.

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Members of the Kent Invicta Chamber Board, along with Chief Executive Jo James, gathered in February at the Tudor Park Marriott Hotel in Bearsted, to acknowledge and recognise the twelve businesses and organisations that will be the Kent Invicta Chamber Patrons for 2019.

Patrons, through this scheme, get the opportunity to build an exclusive, mutually beneficial relationship with Kent Invicta Chamber and its members.

The Patrons represent key sectors in the county and organisations that support and service the local business community. Ten Patrons have re-committed to the Patronage Scheme from 2018.

They have been joined by two new Patrons, HR GO plc and One Ashford Hospital.

Jo James, addressed the Patrons and thanked them for their commitment to the Chamber before presenting them with their prestigious certificates, designed and produced by local businesses, Oak Creative and Frameworx.

Nick Lee Evans, Partner, Lee Evans Partnership

Carol Ford, Commercial Director, AC Goatham & Son

Tracey Kerly, CEO, Ashford Borough Council

Joanna Worby, Managing Partner, Brachers LLP

David Gurton, Director, Caxtons Chartered Surveyors

Roddy Barrow, Group MD & Jack Parkinson, Chairman, HR GO plc

Alyson Howard, Partner, MHA MacIntyre Hudson

Chris Hare, Executive Director, MidKent College

Richard Evans, CEO & Jo Nolan, Hospital Director, One Ashford Hospital

David Armstrong, Area Managing Director, Towergate Insurance Brokers

Tony Inglis, Business Relationship Manager, University of Kent

Thinking Business

The Patrons’ Annual Reception recognised the Patrons’ commitment by presenting them with certificates which can be displayed proudly at their offices for clients and staff to see.

Patrons 2019

Ruby Langston, Commercial Executive, Sleeping Giant Media

Industry Placement

Patron News

Like many employers, we’re often approached at this time of year by young people looking for work experience placements eagerly wanting a taste of their chosen career or business sector.

As a College we’re in the privileged position of working with businesses to secure placements for our students too, which means that from both angles we can see with absolute clarity that work experience…works.

At the risk of showing my age, for me work experience was a week filing paper records with a local solicitor. It was convenient and easy but it was dull, made absolutely no use of my skills, or did anything to help me think about my career.

But for Colleges and post-16 education providers, that kind of non-descript placement that really doesn’t benefit anyone is a distant memory. Gone are the days when work experience meant making tea.

Since 2018 the focus has shifted to delivering substantial ‘Industry Placements’ where a

young person spends up to 350 hours working in a business that’s directly linked to their area of study.

As an employer, when we’ve offered placements we’ve been impressed by the commitment and determination of young people who see real value in the work they do with us and bring up-to-date training, enthusiasm and a fresh pair of eyes to our business. As I write this, our team is in the middle of a hosted placement with a trainee Graphic Designer who spends two days per week completing real briefs from internal clients. As well as an extra pair of hands to get the work done, it’s also helped me develop the management skills of a team member who is supervising the placement, quality controlling the work and passing on their skills and knowledge.

At the end of 2018 a survey from the CBI reported that almost half of young people aged 17-23 believe that their education did not prepare them for work.

As a training provider, Industry Placements are changing that.

We see our students returning from placements with refined skills gained through putting their learning into practice, an enhanced CV, personal connections with local employers and confidence that their career aspirations are on track.

Too often we think of offering placements as ‘giving back’.

While it’s true that they can transform the opportunities of the young person, there are solid benefits to your business too, so next time you’re approached about a placement why not give it a chance?

Towergate Insurance Brokers – Ashford’s new insurance protection

Already a major insurance force across the UK, KICC Patron Partners Towergate Insurance Brokers have moved into Ashford as the newest inhabitants of the Connect 38 building.

As David Armstrong, Area Managing Director, explains, the Chamber’s East Kent members now have great insurance support just around the corner.

“Whilst we’ve had two offices in Kent for some time (the second being in Sevenoaks), we’ve been relatively quiet on the marketing front and Chamber members could be forgiven for knowing little about us. Many only know of one of the Group’s larger offices in Maidstone which houses colleagues in operational roles, but we have 70 highly-trained insurance and risk advisors able to provide solutions and protection to the county’s business owners.”

“Our move from Faversham to Ashford was part of a strategic decision to deploy our expertise in more areas across the county and our new space is large enough for any future expansions of the team so we can continue to support local clients. We also saw that there is investment going into the area and Ashford is close to East Kent’s business community with great transport routes which reach out across the East.”

Towergate are now into their third year as Chamber Patrons and have already assisted in giving risk guidance to members through ventures such as seminars on Cyber risks and the insurance thereof.

“We provide technical insurance advice to businesses both big and

small and in almost every business sector, plus we look at traditional risks posed to our clients such as underinsurance and business interruption, in addition to growing modern risks, such as cyber, credit or terrorism and political violence. Now we just need to make sure that the business owners in the area know that we are here and ready to help.”

The Towergate Insurance Brokers team are ready to assist KICC members with a free assessment of their insurance and risk management requirements to ensure they’re receiving the best advice on how they can be adequately protected against today’s uncertainties and much more.

“Our move from Faversham to Ashford was part of a strategic decision to deploy our expertise in more areas across the county and our new space is large enough for any future expansions of the team so we can continue to support local clients.”

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Members News

Taking full advantage of your enterprising spirit

By Alison Wright

As a successful business owner, you know how to make your business to succeed.

Getting it right Successful businesses need the right people, so the appropriate recruitment, remuneration and management policies are crucial. It all costs time and money if you get it wrong.

Whitehead Monckton’s Employment Law team specialise in supporting businesses, helping them to develop their teams and manage staff performance, all against the background of ever changing legislation and procedures.

So check out how we can help you to get it right – simply contact us today.

Tel: 01622 698047 E-mail employment@whitehead-monckton.co.uk www.whitehead-monckton.co.uk Whitehead Monckton Limited (no. 08366029), registered in England & Wales. Registered office 5 Eclipse Park, Sittingbourne Road, Maidstone, Kent ME14 3EN. Authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under no. 608279.

TB10/18

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Thinking Business

You, your employees and business advisers focus on creating value for customers, maintaining competitive advantage and exploiting market opportunities.

However, this often happens at the expense of personal needs.

A key challenge is converting your enterprise into wealth.

If your business has a track record of strong, growing profits it will be of great value and interest to potential purchasers.

To maximise this value, the business must be able to stand alone without your involvement.

Your products and services should also be scalable and your business should have unique selling points, whilst you keep an eye on competitors.

When considering your options, you should take advice and consider the taxation consequences of the variety of options available; and where to invest.

While it may be practical to delay any investment decisions until you know what funds you will have at your disposal, it will increase the tax-efficiency and flexibility of your options if you put a plan in place ahead of time.

To achieve this, you need an adviser who will ensure you obtain maximum benefit from your hard work.

••• The value of an investment with St. James's Place will be directly linked to the performance of the funds you select and the value can therefore go down as well as up. You may get back less than you invested.

The levels and bases of taxation, and reliefs from taxation, can change at any time. The value of any tax relief depends on individual circumstances. www.alisonwright.co.uk

The Partner Practice is an Appointed Representative of and represents only St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of advising solely on the Group’s wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the Group’s website www.sjp.co.uk/products The title ‘Partner Practice’ is the marketing term used to describe St. James’s Place representatives.

HR GO extends UK reach

Members News

HR GO plc has expanded its UK regional coverage by agreeing deals with two East Sussex recruitment businesses.

Jack Parkinson, HR GO Group executive chairman (centre left), seals the deal with Stephen Hopkinson, founder of Sussex Recruitment and Gel Resourcing, joined by colleagues including, left, Roddy Barrow, HR GO Group Managing Director.

Sussex Recruitment Limited and Gel Resourcing Limited, both based in Eastbourne, are the latest additions to the fast-growing recruitment and business services group.

Sussex Recruitment is a wellestablished independent recruitment consultancy that has provided employment solutions across the South East and UK since 2007. The business places candidates in permanent and temporary roles in commercial,

engineering, manufacturing and financial sectors.

Company founders Stephen and Margaret Hopkinson have retained a substantial minority stake in the new business and Stephen will continue to manage it under its new name HR GO Recruitment (Sussex) Limited.

Gel Resourcing was set up by Stephen and Chris Rose as a specialist division of Sussex Recruitment and specialises

in the recruitment of high-calibre people for permanent and contract roles in occupational health, pharmaceutical, biotechnology and life sciences sectors throughout the UK and Europe.

Chris Rose, the firm’s managing director, will continue to run Gel Resourcing and both businesses will continue to operate from their offices in Seaside, Eastbourne.

Roddy Barrow, HR GO Group Managing Director, said: “We see both acquisitions as strategic, expanding our footprint of national coverage along the South Coast of England. Gel Resourcing adds to the expertise in pharmaceutical recruitment offered by our long-established RHL joint venture.”

Stephen Hopkinson said: “We are pleased to join the dynamic HR GO group.

We were impressed by its level of resources, sophisticated technology and digital services, a stimulating vision, and rich heritage of recruitment achievements over the past 61 years.”

Jack Parkinson, HR GO plc Executive Chairman, said: “We have much to offer and we are always keen to hear from other recruitment businesses interested in finding out more.”

Kent business beats the competition to exclusive partnership

Kent-based corporate stationery experts Noted in Style have been appointed the first ever ‘official branding partner’ to Paperblanks Journals.

The partnership sees Noted in Style become the exclusive supplier of customised Paperblanks journals for corporate customers across the entire Europe, Middle East and Africa regions.

Paperblanks, part of the Hartley and Marks Group, produce decorative journals inspired by the works of the world’s greatest artists and the heritage of traditional craftsmanship.

Keen to expand further into the corporate market, Paperblanks trialled a number of branding houses across Europe and found Noted in Style’s production

quality and customer service levels to be the best.

Marketing & PR Manager, Emilie Langlade, said that Noted in Style are “a company whose core principles align with ours, provide excellent quality products alongside fantastic customer service. They endeavour to be exciting, creative, passionate and to have integrity – values they have proven to encompass time and time again”.

Specialists in the design and customisation of notebooks, journals and diaries for the corporate market, Noted in

Style combine traditional print techniques and hand finishing with modern digital technology to produce creative products for their clients.

They work with companies from all sectors and the quality of their work has won them a client list, including household names such as Adidas, Google, BAFTA and HSBC. Creative Director Gerald Glover said: “Having always been inspired by the Paperblanks collections and the quality of their products, it's now fantastic to be working with them as their EMEA branding partner.”

Lawyer announced as Women in Property chairman A property dispute specialist from leading law firm Cripps, incorporating Pemberton Greenish, has been announced as chairman of the Women in Property’s South East Branch.

Freddie Jackson, who has been a member of Women in Property for eight years, will lead the national organisation’s South East Branch from March 2019 for one year.

With more than 1,100 members, Women in Property seeks to enhance the profile of women in the construction and property sector, both by providing a dynamic forum for women in these professions and by inspiring young women considering a career in the industry.

This is particularly important given the skills shortage across the industry.

Freddie said: “Over the coming year, as an organisation, we will be focusing our attention on the skills shortage that is already evident. This means getting into schools to talk about how great it is working in this industry, the variety and the opportunities out there.

“We believe that inspiring children at a young age is particularly important.

We will also continue to organise the numerous and varied events that Women in Property is well known for and which provide great networking opportunities for our members.”

Cripps has offices in Tunbridge Wells, London and Kings Hill. Gavin Tyler, managing partner, said: “I am delighted that Freddie has taken up this position. Women in Property plays an important part in bringing gender equality to the property and construction industry, creating new opportunities and inspiring change.

Our firm is committed to promoting diversity and I am looking forward to supporting Freddie in this role.”

Thinking Business

13

Members News

Lessons learned over ten years in business

GeoMedia is ten years old. With this milestone, comes cause for celebration and reflection.

Over the years, I have discovered that being a director is very similar to being a designer.

Sometimes it’s hard to identify which one I am.

The one consistent thing between them both is that they are based on identifying potential obstacles and finding the best ways to overcome them. I have been doing this for years!

Over the past ten years, I have many things to be proud of. Certainly, GeoMedia working with big brands such as Costa Coffee, Bel UK and London's Air Ambulance is an aspect.

To me, however (and the reason I started Geo) is that there is as much satisfaction in helping a new business on their first daunting steps, as in helping an established global brand to develop even further.

It may be a cliché, but I believe wholeheartedly

that a business's biggest asset is its people. Even beyond the work, at Geo, this is my biggest source of pride.

Our team share a fixed and unflinching passion for the industry and a desire to grow Geo and our clients together. In a small business, it is vital that you share a similar vision.

We believe strongly in the work that we produce and are grateful for the opportunity to help brands grow. To us, it’s not always the way something looks that matters, (that, as designers, should be a given) to us the most important thing is the approach to finding the solution, this is what is really important.

For us at GeoMedia it’s not just what the destination looks like, it’s how you get there that really counts.

I believe it’s the same with business, whatever your end goal is, whether its money or pride. Developing a brand is tough and you will encounter many obstacles, but it’s selecting the best way to breakthrough that really matters.

2018 was a challenge.

Having seen steady growth for a number of years, we suddenly saw a steep rise in workload, turnover and overheads. With this came new challenges and risks with bigger margins.

We took a few risks and although many paid off, there were inevitably some mistakes along the way too.

So long as you learn from these errors then the experience was worth it.

There are many ways to grow a brand, whether it is digital or print, social or direct. So as you move into 2019 you are probably asking what you hope to achieve for your business and where you want it to be.

But our question is always, how are we going to get there? What will be your brand breakthrough for 2019? We look forward to finding the solutions to help grow your reputation.

Thank you to all clients, suppliers, family and friends that have supported over the last ten years.

Andrew Dicker is the owner of GeoMedia

more than just a radio British Wireless for the Blind Fund has been providing free audio equipment to visually impaired people in your community for over 90 years.

blind.org.uk Registered Charity Number : 1078287 Scottish Charity Number : SC041582 Thinking Business

Kent law firm Furley Page is urging local people to check their eligibility for a lasting power of attorney (LPA) fee refund, after almost two million people were overcharged by the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) between 2013 and 2017.

Claimants can expect to receive a refund of up to £54, with any accrued interested since the registration was made.

So far, only 200,000 of the 1.8 million people owed have claimed their refund. In total, £12 million has been paid out, with over £77 million yet to be claimed.

An LPA is a legal document that gives a loved one the power to make decisions on behalf of a family member when they can no longer do so, for example if they lose mental capacity.

There are two types of LPAs; one for property and financial affairs and the other for health and welfare.

Val Prosser, Senior Associate and Elderly and Vulnerable client specialist at Furley Page, said: “The refund option has been available for some time now but only a small proportion of people have submitted a claim.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been affected by this error, so there are

clearly still many people out there who are eligible for a refund.

“Anyone who feels as though they are due a refund has until February 2021 to apply.

It takes about ten minutes to claim online and applicants only need the donor’s bank details and a copy of the LPA, if they have it.”

To apply for a refund visit: http://gov.uk/power-ofattorney-refund If you need help or more information about making a claim, there’s a Refunds Helpline you can contact, either via telephone on 0300 456 0300 or email poarefunds@justice.gov.uk The exact amount will depend on when the registration was made, and claims must be made by 1st February 2021.

Lee Evans Partnership

appointed as architect for Folkestone College redevelopment

Lee Evans Partnership is pleased to announce that we have been chosen as the Architect for the proposed redevelopment of Folkestone College.

Find out more about how we change people’s lives and how we could support you or someone you know by visiting blind.org.uk

14

Residents urged to check refund eligibility

Following a thorough tender process, design competition, and interview, LEP was chosen by EKC Group based on our approach to the development and its alignment with the Group’s vision for the future of the site.

The redevelopment will help rationalize and consolidate the buildings on the site, and will include a new welcoming entrance frontage on Shorncliffe Road. The works will be divided into strategic phases, allowing the College to remain operational throughout the works, minimising disruption for students, and maintaining a safe and nurturing

environment. Folkestone College has an ethos of embracing creativity, empowering potential and making ambitions a reality.

The College in Shorncliffe Road, Folkestone, already provides fantastic opportunities for students, whether developing their technical skills, up-skilling in their job, or changing their careers.

The new redesigned college site will provide enhanced facilities in modern and inspiring spaces, providing a wealth of opportunities for the local community. www.lee-evans.co.uk

Heart of Kent Hospice brings first-ever art trail to Maidstone

Members News

A spectacular public art installation is coming to Maidstone in the summer of 2020, thanks to a collaboration between Heart of Kent Hospice, creative event producers Wild in Art and independent children’s books publisher Andersen Press.

The Hospice announced the news, and generated support from an invited audience of business, local authority and community leaders, at a launch event in Maidstone Town Hall.

At the same time, the charity revealed that it would be hosting the first-ever sculpture trail in the town; the star of the show was revealed to be Elmer the Patchwork Elephant.

Elmer, who turns 30 this year, is one of the most iconic and widely read children’s book series of all time.

From June until September 2020, a herd of beautifully decorated Elmers will be marching off the page and onto the streets of Maidstone, providing a stunning tourist attraction in the town for the public to enjoy.

Each Elmer will be uniquely designed by a different artist, and the Hospice aims to have more than 40 Elmer sculptures available for sponsorship in iconic locations around the town.

Sarah Pugh, Chief Executive of Heart of Kent Hospice, said: “We’re really excited to bring this high quality, temporary tourist attraction to the community we serve and, who in turn, generously support us.

“Elmer’s Big Heart of Kent Parade will bring together all areas of the community to put Maidstone on the map, showcase the wealth of talent in the area and contribute to the economic, cultural and social life of the town, whilst at the same time raising valuable funds and the profile of the Hospice.”

At this first stage Heart of Kent Hospice is inviting businesses and community organisations to sign up and benefit from the opportunities the project will bring, whilst also supporting a much-loved and much-needed, local charity.

Some corporate supporters of the charity have already pledged their participation, including Westerhill

Homes, part of the award-winning Kent-based property and construction company Chartway Group, which is the first Official Presenting Partner of Elmer’s Big Heart of Kent Parade. KM Media Group has agreed to be the Official Media Partner, Scarbutts Printers the Trail’s Official Print Partner, MCM Net the Official Social Media Partner, Clive Emson Land and Property Auctioneers the Official Auction Partner, Maidstone Borough Council the Official Heritage Partner, Gallagher Group the Official Logistics Partner and One Maidstone, the Official Events Partner. Gullands Solicitors became the first to sponsor an Elmer.

Charlie Langhorne, Director of Wild in Art, said: “By joining forces with Andersen Press and creating a blank 3D canvas inspired by the famous patchwork elephant, we just know that this big parade will have a positive impact on Maidstone’s

residents and visitors, and, of course, Heart of Kent Hospice.”

Paul Black, PR and Brand Director of Andersen Press, said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Heart of Kent Hospice and Wild in Art to bring this free, public, family art trail to Maidstone – Elmer has been a part of Andersen Press’ work for over three decades now, and we hope through this activity to really bring him to life.”

Organisations are invited to register their interest in a partnership or sponsoring a sculpture by emailing elmer@hokh.co.uk.

Offering a cleaning service second to none Recruitment Firm Brexit-proofs IEC are a contract cleaning company established in 2002. business by expanding in Poland Since then we have gained and receiving our individual attention.

HR GO plc, the independent recruitment and business services group and Kent Invicta Chamber Patron, has expanded its operations in Poland.

Dominik Kostecki, Recruitment Manager for HR GO in Poland, with Kamila, a member of his team.

HR GO Recruitment (Poland) is based in the offices that joint venture Eclipse, the group’s specialist IT business, established as its head office in Wroclaw last year.

Wroclaw is a growing hi-tech town with a population of more than 600,000 and a thriving IT industry.

The new business is looking to recruit UK-based Polish workers who wish to return home, as well as well-qualified people in Poland looking for high-quality roles in the UK. Jack Parkinson, HR GO plc executive chairman, celebrated

his birthday on March 1 by cutting the ceremonial red ribbon to formally open the Wroclaw campus.

He said: “I’m very impressed by the new campus and pleased that we are at the heart of Wroclaw’s burgeoning high-tech district. This really is Poland’s Silicon Valley.”

Roddy Barrow, Group Managing Director, said the expansion marked a new focus on opportunities in Europe and beyond. Its joint venture RHL is already operating in Sydney, Australia.

He said: “We expect more sales growth from expanding our operations in Poland where we have opened a 120-seat office as a hedge to Brexit. We are looking at other countries where we can add value.”

Poland recruitment manager Dominik Kostecki said: “We are initially planning to start with three recruitment consultants and grow to a full size branch through 2019.”

retained many customers including offices, schools, gyms, golf clubs and letting and land agents for end of tenancy cleans.

Additional services include window cleaning, carpet and floor cleans and building services and maintenance.

A family business, we offer service second to none, with each customer

Our contracted employees are all trained and fully supervised.

Based in Wrotham, our customer base covers Kent and London and we will never take on a job unless we believe we can deliver exceptional results.

If you need your premises or rental property Improved, Enhanced or Cleaned – contact IEC Services Ltd.

Providing quality training

Ixion are an Ofsted grade 1 national training provider operating in Kent.

We provide traineeships and apprenticeship programmes for local business.

We have a vision to "transform people lives through Skills, Employment, Enterprise and Innovation, for growth".

We are learning experts, providing thought-leadership and curriculums programmes which build industry-led career pathways.

We have recently been successful in receiving funding to provided traineeships to local business, helping to build their workforce and support the local area.

What are traineeships? Traineeships are work skills training programmes which provides work experience and unlocks the great potential of young people, preparing them for their future careers by helping them to become ‘work ready’.

At its core are English & Maths qualifications, work preparation training and a high quality work experience placement giving the skills and experience that employer’s are looking for helping them secure to an Apprenticeship or a job for the future.

Key points:

• Nine week programme

• 100+ work experience with your business • We pay their wage for the duration of the traineeship • Ready to employ at the end of their programme

• No cost to your business

• We complete the pre employment training.

Thinking Business

15

Spotlight on Folkestone and Hythe

Folkestone and Hythe

A place to broaden your horizons

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Thinking Business

Folkestone Harbour Arm Credit: Creative Folkestone

Spotlight on Folkestone and Hythe

Think of Folkestone and Hythe and it’s hard not to let your eyes look out to sea.

This coastal facing district with artistic enclaves, stunning shoreline and unique history has long commanded attention.

But look around and you’ll discover a place with bigger horizons; a dynamic part of Kent now realising its potential, with plans in place to deliver an even more exciting, prosperous future.

The area boasts a diverse coast dotted with imposing Martello towers, built to defend England from Napoleonic invasion and miles of beautiful countryside at the foot of the North Downs, a designated Area of Natural Beauty.

There’s also the unique landscape of Romney Marsh and by contrast, the creative buzz of Folkestone town itself.

And it’s all just 52 minutes from London by high-speed train and half an hour from Europe.

Its attraction as a location to live, work, visit and invest has not gone unnoticed with the proposed garden town of Otterpool Park and the rapid growth of Folkestone’s Creative Quarter and transformation of the Harbour Arm proving what is possible.

Otterpool Park

attracted some of the biggest names in the world - from Antony Gormley to Yoko Ono. It’s one of a number of festivals organised by Creative Folkestone, a visionary arts charity dedicated to the regeneration of the area, which has played a leading role in putting Folkestone and Hythe on the map.

Live

Otterpool Park a proposed garden town, located seven miles from Folkestone, is poised to significantly contribute to the area’s housing need, providing up to 10,000 high quality homes over 30 years, as part of a carefully thought out scheme that is sensitive to its setting but fully set up for contemporary living.

Half of this ambitious new development will be green space with all the facilities needed to support a new community, as well as improvements to transport infrastructure. An outline planning application was submitted in February 2019.

Other new housing developments coming on stream include Shorncliffe Heights on the edge of Folkestone, providing more than 950 homes, a new primary school, improved sports facilities and public open space. Close to Romney Marsh, the Martello Lakes scheme is taking shape, with 1,050 homes with 150 sea front homes on the way at Princes Parade, Hythe.

Work

Folkestone Creative Quarter was launched in 2002 to regenerate the town through the arts, the creative industries and education. Today, it is home to a thriving collection of artist’s studios and creative businesses.

Its success has made the area a key location in Kent for the creative and digital industries with the success of companies like Sleeping Giant, Cognitive Media and Progress ensuring Folkestone and Hythe are leading the industries of tomorrow.

Martello Lakes

Visit

The fourth most visited town in Kent, Folkestone together with historic Hythe and evocative Romney Marsh has undoubtedly helped create one of Kent’s unmissable destinations.

In 2017 tourism contributed £252m to the district’s economy, boosted by events such as the internationally recognised Folkestone Triennal arts festival that since 2008 has Thinking Business

17

Spotlight on Folkestone and Hythe

"New employers relocating to the district can benefit from the support of flexible planning and funding advice."

Folkestone Creative Quarter Credit: Creative Folkestone

Brewery and live/work space or room to grow for big name brands such as Saga, Holiday Extras and Church & Dwight.

providing direct financial incentives to nurture business growth.

With excellent connectivity, a supportive business environment, a high quality of life and a cost effective location, it’s no surprise Folkestone and Hythe features high as a Kent destination for investment and growth.

Sir Roger De Haan has been responsible for much of that, with a part in helping to drive

millions of pounds in to the district, from the regeneration of Folkestone Old Town to the transformative Folkestone Harbour Arm. The Roger De Hann Charitable Trust, together with acclaimed local architect Guy Hollaway, is bringing a world-class skatepark to Folkestone this summer, which will be the world’s first multi-storey 'Urban Sports Park'.

Investment

Credit: Creative Folkestone

With commercial rents up to 60 per cent lower than London, more businesses are seeing the advantages of Folkestone and Hythe as an excellent location for their business, whether it be startups like the Romney Marsh

Available commercial space ranges from start-up incubator units to large office and manufacturing facilities. Over 30 years, Otterpool Park will offer 82,418m2 of commercial business space, business park and light industrial business park. Now, emplyers relocating to the district can benefit from the support of flexible planning and funding support.

Folkestone and Hythe is one of only a few local authorities

Well connected

Less than an hour from London by rail with two stations on the High Speed 1 rail link and the Channel Tunnel bringing Europe close. The M20 and M2 provide excellent road connections to the rest of the UK.

The place to visit

In 2017 visitors contributed £252m to the district’s economy. Sandy beaches, Folkestone Harbour Arm, historic Hythe, the RSPB Dungeness Nature Reserve and the Royal Military Canal have put the area on the tourism map, bolstered by internationally recognised events such as the Triennal, The Hythe Festival and the Folkestone Book Festival.

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Thinking Business

Urban Sports Park Image: Guy Hollaway Architects

The place to work

Folkestone and Hythe is home to around 4,000 business - large and small - attracted by commercial rates up to 60% lower than London. Digital hub, The Workshop, is an example of the kind of new office space now being developed small office, fixed desk and co-working space.

Discover more about the Folkestone and Hythe district: www.folkestone-hythe.gov.uk www.folkestone.works www.otterpoolpark.org www.folkestonecommunity.works www.visitfolkestoneandhythe.co.uk www.creativefoundation.org.uk

Credit: The Workshop

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5 Ways The Cloud Can Make Your Business Greener

To book visit www.kentinvictachamber.co.uk under ‘events’

You may not know this, but the benefits of moving to the cloud go further than the benefits of freedom, security and time saving discussed in the previous Thinking Business issue.

Moving your business to the Cloud can bring you savings in energy usage, travel and carbon emissions that many businesses are increasingly working to tackle.

Here are 5 ways your business can become more eco-friendly and sustainable, by moving to the Cloud.

Lower Energy Bills Small businesses that move from an in house email and / or file server, to Google’s cloud services use 65-85% less energy.

Lower Carbon Footprint Apple and Google’s data centres run on 100% renewable

energy, while Microsoft has been carbon neutral since 2012.

A business using Gmail can reduce the GHG emissions impact of its email service by up to 98% compared with running email on local servers.

If your team often travel for meetings, utilising video conferencing can drastically cut your need to spend unnecessary time and money on the road.

Less Waste Using Cloud services to do the heavy lifting your computers currently do, extends the life of your devices. You reduce your costs and your contribution to rubbish going to landfill.

Go Paperless Instead of printing, use Cloud tools for signing documents, this lowers the amount of paper and toner you use.

Toner is expensive and toxic, so can make a big difference.

Get A Grant If your business is operating in the South East of England (Essex, Kent, or East Sussex) you may be eligible for an EU funded government grant until 2020.

Check http://locase.co.uk/about/ for more information.

Summary Cloud technology can help your business become greener, and more responsible, while still saving you time and money.

Paul Goggin has over 20 years’ experience in the IT industry; Innovo Consulting can help you use the Cloud to save time and money in your business.

Chamber Members can book a free Cloud assessment, worth £100 at www.innovo-it.com/chamber

20

Thinking Business

The Economy & Us Planning: What’s realistic?

The Economy & Us

Nick Rowell

Director of Policy Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce Direct line: 01622 753568 Email: nick@tpbs.co.uk

Soon Brexit will pale into insignificance. Its most important legacy will not be our terms of trade, but how we choose to live together on this planet, because our world is changing, fast.

During their 40,000 years of occupancy, aboriginal Australians developed a territory-based pattern of tribal interdependence to enhance cooperation at individual, tribal and continental level. Evidence is mounting that we must do likewise, urgently: our consumption-driven culture looks increasingly obsolete.

What’s more realistic: stick, in denial, to our current way of life - or try to change?

Already our demographic timebomb is exploding: 50% of men and >50% of women live well into their 90s. Can you fund 25 years retirement by 45 years work?

Hand-to-mouth state pensions are paid by today’s taxpayers – no pension pot. Think of them as paid by today’s workers. Take the Teachers Pension Scheme, defined-benefit till 2012. In recent years teachers have contributed

“If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to one another.”

@ 9% of salary, topped up by their school @ 16% of salary.

From September 1st 2019 every school has to contribute 23% of each teacher’s salary, on top of the usual NIC @ 12%. After preliminary easing, the schools must fund the uplift themselves, a hefty overall on-cost. Realistic?

There is a theme here. We can’t afford the past half-century’s enormous and accelerating rise in consumption. As predicted, it’s unrealistic. Global warming is self-reinforcing, exponentially: oceans warm faster as ice-caps shrink. We can’t alter this inconvenient truth. This creates food instability – as does decimating wild life to maximise short-term agricultural yield.

Unrealistic, and dangerous.

And in real life there is no ‘undo’ button.

Britain has a long tradition of exploitation when the ruling class could get away with it.

Historically this led to loss of Empire. More recently our motor industry, returned to viability only by Japanese and German respect, treating the workforce

Mother Theresa

rationally and fairly, is at risk again from a referendum that apparently the Prime Minister expected never to call (see Baroness Warsi and Guru-Murthy interview, YouTube 6/2/2019). The ‘left behind’, meanwhile, are still left behind.

This habit of a ruling class suiting themselves is persistent.

It’s a shame – and unrealistic? – to want to reinvent the redblooded Empire in preference to the mutual cooperation of the Commonwealth and, some even imagine, the EU. Likewise the Good Friday peace agreement, arguably Britain’s most successful cooperation in a generation, was brokered by a British politician notable for her realism and courage to break the cycle of disrespect.

We now need the same realism and courage, domestically and internationally, to reshape our way of life. Instead of forever outdoing one another in maximising consumption (unrealistic), we have to rediscover a more sustainable ideal. Research suggests the best bet is some deep respect for the life in one another and around us; see The Inner Level

by Wilkinson & Pickett (2018) and Identity by Fukuyama (2018).

A sense of right and wrong, and of the humanity we all have in common, is universal.

Realistically, might it help us towards more thrift, more choices, more mutuality, less stress, more wellbeing - and survival?

“We can’t afford the past half-century’s enormous and accelerating rise in consumption. As predicted, it’s unrealistic.”

Thinking Business

21

Big Interview

Keeping the money flowing in uncertain times

Stuart Stepney Managing Director of Castle Corporate Finance

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Thinking Business

Tell us a little about yourself

I live in West Sussex with my two teenage daughters. I spent 20 years at Grant Thornton, where initially I qualified as an accountant, and then went on to specialise in Mergers & Acquisitions for much of my career there, with a remit across London and the South East.

In 2013, I left Grant Thornton to join Castle Corporate Finance, which is an independent advisory practice providing owner managers with corporate finance advice (buying and selling companies and fundraising), based in Tonbridge.

Big Interview

In 2016, I became the owner and Managing Director of Castle.

I have been proud to win a variety of industry awards during my career, which I think recognises my efforts to go the extra mile for my clients.

Is the finance out there for businesses seeking to expand?

If I look back, the recession of 2008-2013 and the banking crisis that ensued actually helped bring other sources of finance to the market, to fill the voids that beleaguered High Street banks were otherwise creating.

Since that time, we have only seen the plethora of funders increase, and I don’t think appetite to fund in the SME arena has ever been stronger.

Alongside a variety of debt products, we are also seeing new entries into the equity market that have raised relatively large funds and are now looking to deploy those to the owner manager space for growth and acquisitions. These new entries are complementing the challenger banks and the continued rise of the assetbased lender as viable alternatives to the establishment.

The Government has also been keen to encourage growth in business for all the obvious reasons and so, for example, we have seen the upsurge of Venture Capital Trust funding as a primary source of growth funding for ambitious business owners.

Of course, not every business will be viable for funding and there is still a heavy bent towards due diligence of applicants and the checklists are long but for those businesses lucky enough to fit the right profiles and pass scrutiny, the competition is fierce and some very good deals are possible.

What role does your business play in helping companies to secure finance

Building relationships is fundamental to our business, so we spend a lot of time getting to understand the owner’s aspirations, and then look to source the right finance partners who we know will best match that particular business and the personalities behind it.

For us it’s all about tailoring a solution that fits the business now and into its long term future, rather than a superficial involvement and boiler plate options. If a business is not ready for funding immediately, for whatever reason, we can help them prepare so that the process is easier down the line when they do embark upon it.

We tend to be involved in the more complex funding situations, where the day to day banking relationship is not sufficient for new plans and business owners seek alternatives to finance growth plans, or help to reengineer the balance sheet to be more robust going forward.

For these reasons, our involvement is very much handson and we lead the transaction from start to finish: our role will involve negotiation and project management as well as preparing the business for diligence, and the initial sourcing of potential funders. The team at Castle has more than 60 years of

combined experience to bring to bear, and our extensive network of contacts enables clients to access a huge range of possible funding partners.

Are you confident about the next 12 months?

Interestingly enough, we are in the process of creating a fresh three year plan for our own business, which will see further investment in training, people and marketing to push Castle to the next level. Like everybody though, it is hard to determine the future, with the current headwinds giving very mixed messages.

What we do know, though is that, at a micro level, the large majority of our clients continue to thrive and grow, and the funding arena continues to expand and be buoyant: these are positive enough signals for us to continue

“Building relationships is fundamental to our business, so we spend a lot of time getting to understand the owner’s aspirations, and then look to source the right finance partners who we know will best match that particular business and the personalities behind it.”

looking to the future with a good degree of optimism.

Are you finding that Brexit is having an impact when it comes to businesses seeking finance to expand?

When Brexit was first announced back in 2016, we did see the market cool as the full extent of the news was absorbed.

We have also seen some funders using Brexit to overengineer the diligence process or delay making important decisions until after 29th March, but these are the minority.

Certainly from our perspective, we have experienced a recordbreaking start to the year and we have good visibility of the pipeline for the next six months.

We are also seeing more proactivity in the market with funders actively seeking to put deals together and be pragmatic with funding solutions in order to get deals done.

With the Brexit decision heading towards its long-awaited climax, it will be interesting to see how the market behaves when we all know which way the UK is heading in the years to come, but at present we believe the climate is very good for those businesses seeking additional capital to expand.

Thinking Business

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finance

Cover Feature

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Is Cash King in Challenging Times?

Thinking Business

What can businesses do in

times of massive uncertainty

where capital expenditure and recruitment decisions are

constantly impacted by seismic political and economic events and where routes to market are under threat?

finance

Cover Feature

“Business rates remain an issue for many and the increase in employer contributions to staff auto enrolled pensions from April 2019 will have an impact.”

I am old enough to remember the winter of discontent, the three day week, national strikes and the 1974 stock market crisis. I’ve lived through Black Monday, Black Wednesday and the 2008 crash and there’s been one recurrent theme. If there is a recession, joining is not compulsory. Sadly, while many people lost a lot of money in these contractions, some still did very well. How did they do it? The arguable difference was access to cash and, dare I say it, a certain amount of luck.

I write this at the beginning of March for publication in April by which time we ought to know whether the UK has left the European Union and if so on what terms. Unless of course the politicians kick the can further down the road / opt for a people's vote or if there’s a general election! But whatever happens most forecasters predict that GDP will remain sluggish for the rest of 2019, and that puts us all under pressure.

Business rates remain an issue for many and the increase in employer contributions to staff auto enrolled pensions from April 2019 will have an impact.

There are also signs of some upward pressure on wages as employment levels rise. If the only certainties in life are death,

taxes and change - and the times are certainly changing.

What can be done?

Banks have money but it's been said they tend to hold out an umbrella when the sun is shining and take it away as soon as it starts to rain.

Banks are businesses with shareholders to satisfy and while no bank is keen to pile on risk against an uncertain backdrop - if your business can make a compelling case you could be pleasantly surprised.

Bank borrowing aside what else can businesses do?

Making your own cash work has to be a priority and that starts with careful cash flow management. Let's look at cash flow from the ground up: 1. Is your proposition properly priced?

2. Are you controlling your costs?

3. Is your proposition appropriately sold and marketed?

4. Do you invoice on time?

5. Do your debtors pay promptly? And if not why not?

These are business fundamentals, but we can all get so busy that these fundamentals

sometimes slip. When was the last time you reviewed your own prices against your peers?

What do your customers think about your prices? How many sales do you lose on price?

On the other hand, how much unprofitable business do you do at cost or under?

A businessman once told me the way he had ridden out the last recession was by countersigning every purchase order that left his business.

This literally halved his raw material spend.

He went on to realise that what he’d thought of as a good profit in good times could have been outstanding. Overordering was rife in his business, as was waste. When he took back control, they purchased only what was needed and no more.

His close attention in hard times kept his company afloat, and

paved the way to a highly profitable recovery.

There is no space for a treatise here on sales and marketing.

But I am amazed at how many businesses have failed to embrace the internet. I received a letter from a law firm this week.

The firm has one email address: mail@veryoldschoollawyer.co.uk and you can bet that someone prints it in house and puts it on a paper file, before the partner dictates a response for his secretary to type up.

Unsurprisingly I couldn’t find a website for the firm. In our business 80% of our client communications are by email and we store all paperwork electronically. Ask yourself how fresh is your website? Would you buy from your company based on your online offering?

“A businessman once told me the

way he had ridden out the last recession was by countersigning every purchase

order that left his business. This literally halved his raw material spend.”

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finance

Cover Feature

Could you use everyday technology to cut your costs and save time. Squeezed between business rates and the internet the UK high street is under severe pressure.

But those with a decent online offering seem to be doing better. These days most people seem to “Google” everything.

So, whatever your business if you can engage with more potential customers online you can be sure of more sales.

Many smaller businesses are so busy “doing the work” that they can’t find the time to write the invoices and if you don’t invoice promptly you can’t get paid promptly. On line accounts packages for c £20 a month make invoicing and keeping track of unpaid invoices simple.

I like QuickBooks. It’s easy to use and downloads bank transactions online. With the advent of real time information from HMRC a decent book keeping system is now a business essential.

Once an invoice has been issued, we all need to be paid as soon as possible. Do you check how fast you are paid?

Do you chase late payers, or do you continue to work for people who still owe you money from three months ago? An aged debt list from you accounts package will tell you who owes what and for how long they’ve owed it. But you then need to

get on the phone and ask for your money.

As a financial adviser I have to mention pensions. If you own your office or factory personally or your company does, what about buying it with your pension. You or your business then gets the cash. Clearly you need enough money in your pension to make that happen, but it is an easy way to free up much needed cash. If you pay rent for your premises, consider using your pension to buy something. There is no capital gains tax in a pension fund.

So, they make a great vehicles to hold commercial (but not residential) property.

If you are lucky enough to be sitting on cash, what investment opportunities are available to you? When others are holding back discounts may be available for capital purchases; suppliers may be prepared to do deals for prompt payment; competitors may be feeling the pinch and open to takeover offers.

BBC Radio 4’s Money Box Talks Late Payments

Ailsa Fairchild, Girlings’ Debt Recovery Manager joins Radio 4’s Money Box

If you are a small business or self-employed, what happens when clients pay late or do not pay at all? How does it affect your cash flow and what changes are needed?

Girlings Solicitors’ Debt Recovery Manager, Ailsa Fairchild, was invited to join an expert panel

In difficult times there are plentiful opportunities to save and to invest - you need to look out for them.

Simon Webster Business Development Consultant Talis Independent Financial Advisers www.talisifa.com

“Many smaller businesses are so busy “doing the work” that they can’t find the time to write the invoices and if you don’t invoice promptly you can’t get paid promptly.

On line accounts packages for c £20 a month make invoicing and keeping track of unpaid invoices simple.”

Working with YOU, not just for YOU • Tax planning

• Inheritance tax advice

• Pro t improvement strategies

• Succession planning

• Business development advice

• Payroll

Get in touch now to arrange your free consultation Assisting businesses and individuals since 1992 www.mageegammon.com

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Thinking Business

on BBC Radio 4’s Money Box in February to answer these and other questions posed by listeners.

To find out more about what you can do about late payments and what is being done to address the UK’s late payment culture, take a look at Ailsa’s article on page 5.

01233 630000

mg@mageegammon.com

EVERY SUPERHERO NEEDS A SIDEKICK Batman has Robin Harry Potter has Hermione Sherlock has Dr Watson Shaggy has Scooby-Doo You’ll nd Dr Watson keeping Sherlock on the straight and narrow; Robin next to Batman; Scooby right behind Shaggy.

A strong leading man (or woman) is nothing without a quippy, slightly less attractive partner at their side somebody with an extra bullet or little bit of advice when it’s needed. Which pretty much describes us and our great relationship with accountants.

breakthrough partnership

Our Breakthrough Partnership programme provides R&D Tax Relief assistance designed especially for Accountants.

We can give your team CPD Accredited R&D training at your of ces or a nearby venue and full support in submitting returns and the defence of any formal HMRC enquiries.

We’ve completed 750 R&D claims in the last 4 years with a 100% success rate, helping our clients get back £40 million.

Let us help you too.

Email brady@breakthroughgroup.co.uk or nd out more at www.breakthroughfunding.com/for-accountants

PROTECTING BUSINESS IN KENT Business owners across Kent need to protect their businesses, their staff and their investments, and that’s where our team of insurance experts in Ashford and Sevenoaks come in. Providing peace of mind.

With over 70 insurance professionals in our local teams, and 1,700 across the UK, you can call upon a wide array of skills, knowledge and experience to help protect and develop your business.

From starts ups to global groups. From small shops to large property developments. From sole traders to thousand strong workforces. Our experience, our knowledge and our power in the insurance market enable us to find solutions that fit each business owner’s unique needs.

For more information or a full review of your insurance needs, please call 0344 892 1300 email: sevenoaks@towergate.co.uk or visit www.towergate.com/locations/Sevenoaks/Ashford

Towergate Insurance Brokers is a trading names of Towergate Underwriting Group Limited. Registered in England No.4043759. Registered Address: Towergate House, Eclipse Park, Sittingbourne Road, Maidstone, Kent ME14 3EN. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

asktheexpert

Ask the Expert

What a bookkeeper does and why your

business needs one Accounting is the interpretation of that data, to turn it all into self-assessments, VAT returns, projections and forecasts.

Traditionally, accountants would only see the books once a year.

Here at Total Accounting Kent Ltd, we can do both bookkeeping and accounting.

Isn’t bookkeeping an old-fashioned thing?

Bookkeeping isn’t dusty old ledgers or stuffy people telling you how to run your business!

“What’s the difference between a bookkeeper and an accountant?”

This is probably the number one question we’re asked when we meet new clients, speak to people at networking or talk about our services.

And it’s very simple – bookkeeping is keeping the records daily, weekly or monthly.

Bookkeeping can include recording expenses, mileage, invoicing and payroll – although we do offer much more! Because we are involved in the day-to-day transactions, we are proactive and can often spot a problem before it arises.

It’s much more modern than that and can be vital to your business success.

We’re leaders in technology, picking up new systems when they launch, to test and trial them, ready to share with our clients who can save time and money once implemented.

Training is provided – we don’t leave anybody in the lurch with pressing buttons on new apps or software!

Is bookkeeping expensive?

Most of us don’t really enjoy spending time recording expenses, mileage, reconciling invoices or searching for transactions…or have time to do it. We have many clients who found that not investing in their accountancy function was a

costly mistake, and then they came to us to pick up the pieces – which we can always do.

If you’re like most of our clients and just want to get on with the job you’re good at then you may find that having a bookkeeper is very much time and cost-effective.

“I hate technology – and everything’s going digital.”

We give training and make sure our clients know how to use their software or app, before we ask them to use it, because if they don’t, we know they won’t!

We match our clients to the best technology for their business in terms of their skills, functionality, cost and time efficiencies they can gain.

How will it help my business?

Bookkeeping is a key component to building a financially successful business, because it allows you to see what funding you have at any given time and when’s the best time to make the next investment or growth move. We empower you around your finances!

Regular bookkeeping means you know what’s coming in and what’s going out. Through our own business support services, we can help businesses to focus,

Run your business, not the finances

identify issues and find solutions.

We also partner with a number of other businesses to offer further services to help business owners get to where they want to be.

How do you choose a good bookkeeper?

First and foremost – make sure they are qualified!

If you just want someone to send the information to for input and reporting, we can do that – and so can many other bookkeepers.

But if you’re looking to either be more involved with your bookkeeping and finances or want to know that there is someone keeping a watchful eye for issues that need addressing, that’s us.

We pride ourselves on offering a very personal service, with regular contact with our clients and help when they need it to maintain and grow their businesses.

We do this all in the background whilst our clients carry on with their part of running the business.

Contact:

Ann Spickett

ann@totalaccountingkent.co.uk

totalaccountingkent.co.uk

Tel : 01634 560755 Thinking Business

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One Ashford Hospital Your Local Private Hospital One Ashford is Kent’s local private hospital, developed and designed with the patient in mind. We are easily accessible, located just off the M20 at Junction 10 and provide free onsite parking for all patients and visitors.

We all know that keeping our digestive system healthy is important, and so, if you experience certain symptoms such as persistant indigestion or a change of bowel habit, your doctor may suggest that you be referred for an endoscopy test to investigate these.

At OneAshford Hospital we have a purpose built Endoscopy suite, housing the latest endoscopy equipment. This enables us to offer a wide range of procedures in an enviroment which prioritises patient privacy and confidentiality. If your doctor advises that you need an endoscopy, our dedicated staff will seek to find the earliest possible appointment for you, offering speedy access to our highly skilled and experienced endoscopy team. Our service is led and delivered by experienced Consultants in the fields of Gasteroenterology and Gasterointestinal Surgery.

Why choose One Ashford Hospital?

At One Ashford, you will be treated in a brand new purpose-built hospital where we offer excellent, dignified patient care in a private calm environment.

One Ashford Hospital

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For further information, contact our Reservations team on 01233 885777, or email ashford.info@onehealthcare.co.uk

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Our Consultant Lead is Mr Thanesan Ramalingam (Consultant Surgeon) and Nurse Lead is Mrs Anita Hodgson.

*Terms and conditions apply

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Our Consultants are happy to discuss their findings with patients at the time of the procedure, and will also see patients for a follow up appointment to discuss any test results. We understand that many people are apprehensive about being referrred for endoscopy tests and we are always happy to discuss any aspect of the process, from the initial referral through to follow up care.

We also offer competitive fixed priced packages on our self-pay procedures, with 0% and low interest finance available*

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A gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy investigation uses a long, flexible tube with a very small camera and light on the end to look inside the gastrointestinal tract. An upper GI endoscopy (OGD, or gastroscopy) is used to look into the oesophagus (gullet), stomach and small bowel, and a lower GI endoscopy, called a colonoscopy, examines the large bowel. These investigations are very effective at finding out if you have a problem in your GI tract such as inflammation, polyps or cancer, and enable the Consultant to take biopsies (small samples of bowel lining) for investigation under the microscope.

We are welcomed and recognised by all major insurers, so if you have private health insurance, it is worth checking your policy to see if your insurer could cover the cost of your stay.

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Providing a Consultant Delivered Service and Allaying Patient Fears

Based in the heart of the community of Ashford and surrounding villages, One Ashford is perfectly placed to serve all its local residents.

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Kennington Way, Willesborough Ashford, Kent TN24 0YS ashford.info@onehealthcare.co.uk | 01233 885777 www.oneashfordhospital.co.uk

Mr Thanesan Ramalingam, Consultant Colorectal Surgeon.

24 Hours with...

24 Hours with ...

Anna Ware

Clear Voice

For Anna Ware, the main focus of her day working as Director of Dover-based interpreting agency Clear Voice is to bring about growth for the company.

And she knows that, if she is successful, she will be helping a vitally important cause, which becomes ever more important as the world faces up to its migrant crisis.

Clear Voice was established more than ten years ago as a social enterprise company that channels all its profits to support the work of Migrant Help, a charity, which helps people seeking asylum in the UK or who are victims of slavery and human trafficking.

Today, Clear Voice has grown to use 400 freelance interpreters, based all over the UK and proficient in a wide range of languages, and is continually signing

Growing company that works for a crucially important cause

up new clients, including businesses and charities.

Anna said: “I tend to get into the office about eight thirty and the first job is to make a coffee for the team.

“After I have done that, I go through my emails and will also sit down with the team members to catch up with what they are doing.

“My days after that can be divided between working in the office, supporting the operations team, or being out and about, meeting existing and prospective new clients, discussing how we can work together in partnership.

“One of my key roles is to explain the way that we work. Although we support the work of a charity, we operate very much as a commercial company,

offering high quality interpreting and translation services.

“A key part of my job is to oversee the company’s growth.

We have grown significantly over the past six months and we expect that to continue throughout 2019.

“Our clients use our services for all sorts of reasons. They may, for example, ask us to provide interpreting services on the phone, or they may need face-to-face services.

“One of the things that we do is translate written material.

For instance, we have just finished work on a website in a number of different languages.

“We work with companies that are exporting and importing and one of the things we get asked to do is to prepare staff members who may be about to travel abroad on business trips.

“In terms of my working day, I tend to work until the job is done. That is usually about five o’clock but it can be later as, although we have set office hours, our customers don't so we are always on call.”

• Migrant Help was founded in 1963 by Helen Ellis MBE and was originally known as the Kent Committee for the Welfare of Migrants. Helen, a leading figure in the provision of welfare support to migrants, established the charity to give support to the high number of distressed migrants arriving at the Channel Ports. Currently, the organisation provides advice and guidance to asylum seekers across the UK and supports victims of modern slavery in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, as well as Syrian refugees being resettled in East Kent.

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Award recognises company’s exporting success

When Kent company Bedfont Scientific Ltd won an exporting award from the

South East Health Technologies Alliance (SEHTA) in February, it was a well-

earned recognition for a company that

has truly embraced international markets.

The Person behind the Business The family-run business, which has specialised in the design and manufacture of exhaled breath and gas monitoring instruments since 1976, took the decision to begin exporting in 1988 when it was approached by a distributor with international connections.

Since then it has steadily increased its presence in global markets with the determination to export gathering pace after family member Jason Smith joined the company as a Sales Executive in 2007, eventually taking over as Managing Director from his father Trevor.

Jason said: “Initially, our move into exporting was carried out ad hoc after we were approached by the distributor but, in time, we realised that trading internationally made strong economic sense.

“We had been selling 80 per cent of our products in the UK but, if things had changed in the UK market, that would have left us in a precarious situation so we took the decision to spread the risk by selling into more countries.

Today, 80 per cent of our products are exported.

“We learned some hard lessons along the way.

To export effectively, you do not just have to understand the language but also have people who understand the culture of the country with whom you wish to trade.

“We realised very quickly that it does not work if you simply have a group of English guys looking to export.

“For instance, we employ people who can speak the likes of Malaysian and Chinese because the Far East is a big market for us but when we started exporting, we had a Polish-speaking employee who we asked to develop our market in Spain.

It was very difficult due to the dichotomy in culture. However, our Eastern Europe presence went from strength to strength under the same individual.

“We realised that, in addition to people speaking the right language, we had to have people who understood the culture. The award from SEHTA was a recognition of what we have achieved.”

Throughout it all, the company has retained its family ethos.

The company, then called Bedfont Technical Instruments Ltd, was established in 1976

by Dr John Marron. It remained a one-man business until Trevor Smith joined as marketing director in March 1985.

A chartered chemist with an extensive career in the chemical gas industry, Trevor channelled his ideas and innovation into the company that has today become a pioneer in breath analysis for medical applications. Trevor is now the Chairman.

Located in Harrietsham, in Kent, termed the ‘Gateway to Europe’ for being close to major roads, railways and airports, Bedfont now employs 42 people and its products are available in more than 70 countries.

Jason said: “When we started exporting, we set out to double turnover which we achieved and our big targets over the next two years are the US and China.

“We have been trying to break into the Chinese market for years and that is now going to happen through a partnership with a company out there that will be selling our products under their brand.

“Europe remains important to us as well and Brexit has caused a lot of uncertainty. We had to spend a lot of time and money switching our certifications over should we leave with no deal because otherwise that would mean our products would not be available in Europe if Brexit happened with no deal.

“But we are pleased with the growth the company has achieved and we are confident about the future.”

“We learned some hard lessons along the way.

To export effectively, you do not just have to understand the language but also have people who understand the culture of the country with whom you wish to trade.”

Thinking Business

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Skills

Having an apprentice in your business will: • Improve productivity • Fill skills gaps, including specialist skills • Be skills specific to your industry • Make your business more competitive • Reduce training costs • Reduce recruitment costs • Assist with succession planning

• Motivate staff and reduce staff turnover • Provide a significant return on investment

To recruit an apprentice, firstly get in touch with us.

To support your recruitment, we will:

• Discuss your needs with you • Help you choose the best training options for your business

Develop your business Recruit an apprentice • Start the recruitment process Write the job description and recruitment adverts

Advertise your vacancy Find the best match for your business Support you through the recruitment process – we have direct access to the freshest young talent in Kent through our college and education networks .

You choose your ideal candidate through application, interview and the apprenticeship begins.

Existing employees can become apprentices too – we can assist you in this process. We will of course support you and your apprentice continually throughout the training programme.

Call 01322 629400 Email : business@northkent.ac.uk

. s s e n i s u b r u o y p o .

Devel e c i t n e r p p ps i a h s e n c i t a n t i pre p u a / r k c u . c e a .

R kent h t r o n . w ww ship pprentice a r o il a t to e can help ility and the ability w , s t r e p x of e exib am. h our team ments, giving you it w g gement te in a k n r a e m ir u e r q By wo u re fut es to your into your programm ack young people fast-tr

If you need advice on how to recruit and train an apprentice, information about the Apprenticeship Levy or how to move existing employees onto apprenticeship programmes, please email apprentices@northkent.ac.uk us or call us on 01322 629400

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Thinking Business

Looking for a fantastic location to grow your manufacturing business?

Kent is the place.

This future facing county has a long-standing manufacturing and engineering heritage, from shipbuilding at Chatham Dockyard to the seaplane works that brought early success to aviation pioneers Short Brothers on the banks of the River Medway. manufacturing interior business to Kent from South-East London in 2010. The move has provided a springboard to success, growing from a 7,000 sq. ft. unit to more than 30,000 sq. ft. of space. A new £700,000 finishing shop, one of the best equipped in the UK, will launch this year.

“It’s always a gamble where you base yourself, so it’s good to affirm that your choice was the right one,” says Dean Risov, managing director, Bulgaro.

“We found the right location with a great pool of people in a county that has a great tradition of manufacturing businesses. It’s a really exciting time to be playing a part in Kent’s success.”

“Kent is known as the Garden of England,” added Gavin Cleary, CEO Locate in Kent, “but there’s a huge range of advanced manufacturing and engineering businesses in the county with an excellent supply chain that any new businesses can tap into.

“There’s also an impressive talent pool that continues to grow, excellent transport links, cost effective industrial premises and a great quality of life offer in Kent. These are key factors that have helped to lay the foundation for an exciting future for the manufacturing sector in Kent and Medway.”

• Need help growing your manufacturing business?

From property and site selection to access to funding; skills advice and sector expertise, call: 01732 520700 or visit: www.locateinkent.com

Advanced technologies for tomorrow’s discoveries.

Manufacturing the future.

Kent innovates.

Image: Dean Rizov, Managing Director, Bulgaro Limited, Sittingbourne

This well-established and growing manufacturing base remains among the most dynamic and innovative in the South East, with companies like Church & Dwight in Folkestone and Contracts Engineering in Sittingbourne embracing the potential of the latest wave of technology, the so-called fourth industrial revolution.

The UK is the 9th largest manufacturing nation in the world, with manufacturers contributing 10% of the country’s total output and 45% of UK exports totalling some £275bn. Kent and Medway is a key part of this success, generating an estimated £3.2 billion GVA in 2016.

With half of all manufacturing businesses in the county involved with advanced engineering, this wellconnected part of the South East is poised to make a vital contribution to the jobs of the future.

This is also a county building the skills for the future with the help of an industry focused higher education sector.

Leading the way in Kent are the University of Kent’s School of Engineering and Digital Arts and Canterbury Christ Church University’s Kent and Medway Engineering, Design, Growth and Enterprise Hub. Across the region, businesses large and small, from producers of electronics and medical devices to precision engineering and manufacturing construction projects have seen the benefits of the county as a location.

Companies like Bulgaro, which relocated its design and

Contracts Engineering, Sittingbourne

Join the makers The world’s leading manufacturing, engineering and pharmaceutical companies are growing in Kent, generating more than £3.2bn for the UK economy. You can build your success with us.

www.locateinkent.com

ThinkingBusiness Business Thinking

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Members News

Brachers celebrates appointment

Kent law firm Brachers is the only firm in the South East to have been appointed to the NHS Commercial Solutions Framework, following a successful retendering process.

The firm is contracted to the framework for a period of four years, delivering legal services to the NHS across six selected areas: •

Corporate & Commercial

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Property Law

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Employment Law

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Health Law

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NHS Governance and Public Law

•

Primary Care Law

NHS Commercial Solutions is a collaborative procurement organisation, providing strategic procurement and commercial support to all NHS organisations, and to local authorities and wider public sector organisations.

Firmin Xpress continues to develop division

Firmin Xpress continues to drive forward its courier division with investment in the latest technology, to not only deliver a first class customer experience, but also foster improved environmental performance. solutions offered by our pallet distribution, general haulage and container service divisions”.

Since its launch in 2017, the van delivery service has been working hard to forge close business relationships with Kentbased companies to provide appropriate solutions for their specific transport requirements, whatever the size of their consignment.

Firmin Xpress Divisional Manager Stuart Birchley said: “Investment in the new service has been made to respond to requests from clients for a reliable, time critical service for smaller loads.

It also fittingly complements our existing range of transport

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Thinking Business

Technology plays an important part in their success. The modern fleet of vans are fitted with a minute-by-minute tracking system, providing complete traceability of

A welcome at The Plough

Firmin are also able to gather driver performance data and control its environmental impacts by managing harsh acceleration and braking, mpg performance and excess idling, so training can be targeted to promote improved driver performance behind the wheel.

The Plough is a 17th Century free house in Basted, Borough Green.

It is based on Plough Hill within some of the most beautiful countryside Kent has to offer and serves food and drink throughout the week. The Plough offers everything from the traditional Sunday roast to steak night Wednesdays and

fish & chip Fridays. They supply local and organic produce and offer options for those with dietary requirements or allergies. There is also a dedicated children’s menu and a selection of bar snacks.

Regulars, families, groups and dogs are welcome.

John Sheath, Head of Healthcare at Brachers, said: “We are pleased to have been successful on all lots we tendered for and we believe the quality of service and added value benefits that the agreement will deliver will be welcomed across the hub.

The NHS works hard to provide a high standard of care against the backdrop of funding squeezes, lifestyle changes and an aging population, not to mention the looming impact of Brexit. We’re excited to be working closely with the NHS Commercial Solutions and their customers and partners as they navigate through these challenges.”

As the newest addition to the long-established transport business, Firmin Xpress also provides a platform for a new generation of drivers to join the industry and work towards attaining a vocational driving qualification.

vehicle movements, locations, status, direction and even speed.

The ability to monitor live movements enables real time and accurate estimated delivery and collection time information for clients.

Owner Sean Broad, whose business has now celebrated its twentieth anniversary, said: “Sign writing vehicles was the foundation at the start. With new software, better printers and improved vinyls, almost any design is now possible and, although vehicle graphics remain a strong footing of the business model, the range of products have increased significantly.”

The team at Broad Signs Ltd can cater for every conceivable need

The Plough caters for functions, buffets, parties and often has live music and events.

Kent Invicta Chamber members can take advantage of their ‘members only’ 10% discount on all food and drink.

Business is showing all the right signs for continued success

Broad Signs was established from simple beginnings in a bedroom back in 1998, armed only with a Prince’s Trust investment cheque of £5,000.

including retail shop signage, external stack signs, internal signage and window manifestations. The most recent addition to the product line, however, is aimed solely at the construction and developer sector.

With a large format digital printer and a compressed air mounting system, hoarding signage can now all be produced in-house and at a more cost-effective method than before. The team can assist developers right from the

starting point of land acquisition signage, then on to hoarding, site safety signage, developer stack signs, marketing flags and show home graphics.

Working across Kent and into London, your dedicated account manager will carry out site surveys, offer fixed price quotations, cater for design or collaborate with your own creative team. Manufacturing is then overseen personally through to final installation.

Cabinet agrees to solar farm proposal as Ashford leads the way in Kent

Ashford Borough Council’s Cabinet has agreed to a proposal for a solar farm project in Shadoxhurst.

The 50 acre site (equivalent to 20 football pitches) was purchased by the council in 2017 and is currently used for grazing with little scope for alternative agricultural use.

It is believed that Ashford would be the first local authority in Kent to build and run its own solar farm, joining around 20 other pioneering councils across the UK in investing in such an eco-friendly initiative.

Following the procurement of advice from the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) the proposal is for a system 9MWp (9 megawatts or 9000KWp) in size and would directly feed the National Grid.

Cabinet has agreed that, subject to planning approval and public consultation, a solar farm is the optimal use for the site and would provide a significant income stream while having a low environmental impact.

The installation would consist of rows of frames each holding several panels in order to have minimal impact on the ecology of the field and to enable grazing to continue. It is estimated that the project could generate £7m over a 25 year period, which supports the council’s entrepreneurial ethos, securing future council services in a challenging economic climate.

Following numerous reports on air quality the council is actively taking a shift to sustainable energy as a key element in tackling air quality issues.

The project will also support the reduction of the borough’s carbon footprint and contribute toward tackling the climate change agenda.

The next step in the process is to carry out a local consultation with parish councils and the community which will inform the planning application. If the

project then proceeds to a formal planning application then there will be a further statutory consultation. Further expertise would also be sought at planning and procurement stage from APSE. Cllr Graham Galpin, portfolio holder for Corporate Property said: “At Ashford Borough Council we are proactively seeking ways in which we can secure funding in order to continue providing the services our residents need.

“We also feel it is our duty to take the lead on improving air quality by producing electricity through greener, more sustainable means.”

Developing a solar farm will add to a corporate property portfolio which already includes office blocks, a shopping centre, Elwick Place cinema and leisure complex, industrial estates and a business park.

Work of RBLI’s Employment Solutions team praised

The national performance of the Employment Solutions team at Royal British Legion Industries (RBLI) has been praised by the Government.

Employment Solutions helps people with health needs, disabilities or learning disorders to remain and progress in employment through the Department for Work & Pensions’ Access to Work programme to people in England, Scotland and Wales. Enabling individuals to maximise their potential in the work place is at the core of this programme.

The DWP highlighted the team’s success in delivering the programme and congratulated

it on the levels of customer service and performance being achieved against key targets.

Employment Solutions handles an average of 1,000 Access to Work assessments each month, and its 40 strong team of coordinators and assessors satisfied the DWP’s rigorous performance standards in terms of handling referrals and applications.

Andy Milton, Director of Employment Solutions based at RBLI’s head office in Aylesford, said: “The Government has set an ambitious target of helping one million more disabled people into employment by 2027.

“Thanks to the hard work and positive approach of our team we are playing our part in achieving this. It is great to know our efforts

are appreciated, which will undoubtedly motivate us to build upon our already strong results.”

Steve Sherry CMG OBE, Chief Executive of RBLI, said: “RBLI was established as a military charity in 1919 providing crucial welfare and employment support to ex-service personnel. Over the past 100 years we have developed a wealth of experience in supporting people into work and so now also deliver employability programmes to the wider community.

“Employment Solutions is an integral part of our work and supports those who may be struggling to remain in employment or to fulfil their potential in the work place.

While we might be better known

Members News

Total Accounting Kent is awardwinning!

Chatham-based Total Accounting Kent beat off countywide competition to win the Best Accountancy Practice 2018 – Kent.

The team of four, who are based at the Innovation Centre, offers bookkeeping, accounting, software training and business development help to their clients, ranging from small to large companies.

The award was given by Wealth & Money Management Awards, run by financial news provider Wealth & Finance International and judged on customer service, innovation and standards.

Managing Director Ann Spickett, said: “The judges focused on our use of technology, in particular our free Tax App and variety of accounting software we offer to our clients, including training them to use it themselves.

“Our bespoke service was also commended, as we work with businesses in the way they need us to, is best for them and suits their business – we don’t operate a ‘one size fits all’ system.

“It’s great for the team, especially as the trophy arrived in January, a really busy time for us with the self-assessment deadline looming at the end of the month so it really lifted our spirits.” for our work supporting disabled or former armed forces personnel we are increasingly being called upon to apply our expertise and experience to help individuals across the country overcome multiple challenges by securing and sustaining a job.”

RBLI’s Employment Solutions division, which has been supporting people into work for more than 20 years, delivers numerous employability programmes across Kent from a range of main and outreach offices including in Ashford, Chatham, Dartford, Dover, Margate, Sheerness and Tonbridge. During 2017/18, Employment Solutions helped more than 11,000 people find a job or stay in work.

Thinking Business

37

The name for all your business needs in Maidstone & Canterbury

LEON

Why choose FG Barnes?

We offer a great range of brands including Vauxhall, SEAT, MG, Subaru & SsangYong, so we’re sure we have the car or van to suit every need for your fleet.

We’re also celebrating our 120th year of business this April.

COMBO VIVARO

MOVANO

CORSAVAN

For more information about our Business & Fleet offers, contact our Fleet Sales Manager Graham Hawkes on

01622 755 531 FG Barnes Maidstone Sutton Road, Maidstone, Kent ME15 9FB

01622 755 531

FG Barnes Canterbury Car Care House, Ashford Road, Chartham, Canterbury CT4 7HH

01227 731730

Official Government Test Environmental Data. Fuel consumption figures mpg (litres/100km) and CO2 emissions (g/km). Vauxhall range: Urban: 12.7 (22.3) – 74.3 (3.8), Extra-urban: 23.9 (11.8) – 91.1 (3.1), Combined: 18.0 (15.7) – 85.6 (3.3). CO2 emissions: 373 – 88g/km. Fuel Consumption for the SEAT range in mpg (litres per 100km): urban 31.7 (8.9)–70.6 (4); extra-urban 47.9(5.9)–91.1 (3.1); combined 42.2 (6.8)– 83.1 (3.4). CO2 emissions 158–89g/km. Fuel consumption mpg (1/100km) for the MG Range: Urban: 37.7 (7.5), Extra Urban 57.6 (4.9), Combined 48.7 (5.8), CO2 Emissions 136 g/km. Fuel consumption figures for the SsangYong range mpg (l/100km): Urban 28.8 (9.8) – 34.5 (8.2), Extra Urban 49.6 (5.7) – 52.3 (5.4), Combined 39.2 (7.2) – 44.1 (6.4) km. Fuel consumption figures for Subaru range in mpg (l/100km): Urban Cycle 25.2-41.5 (7.6-9.0), Extra Urban 44.1-61.4 (5.7-5.8), Combined 36.2-52.3 (5.4-7.0). Official EU regulated test data is provided for comparison purposes and actual performance will depend on driving style, road conditions and other nontechnical factors. Vehicles shown for illustration purposes only. Calls may be recorded for training and quality purposes. Please contact for details on offers available and terms.

10 tips

Intenational Trade

to get your business export ready

Are you ready to take your brand global?

By Siddharth Shankar Exporting your goods is a key way to drive growth and this is an optimum moment to begin exporting. UK exports are at a record high and, with a weaker pound, British products are much more competitive in the global marketplace.

UK goods are known for their quality and are in demand across the world. If the UK economy is performing poorly post-Brexit, exporting could also be crucial to ensuring your business continues to thrive.

Here are ten top tips to get your business export ready:

1. Follow the demand Where in the world is there a demand for your product?

Do your research on the regions where exports of your goods are on the up and where the economic and political landscape means this is likely to continue. For instance, heavy industrial products are valued across emerging markets like India, Thailand and Cambodia right now because huge infrastructure construction is underway and the country’s own heavy industry manufacturing is relatively weak.

Where have your competitors been successful in exporting similar products to? Where do the Department for International Trade’s figures show there is a growing demand for products within your sector?

2. Research your target markets carefully Exporting to a new market requires a significant initial

outlay of time, effort, internal resources and investment. It’s crucial to research the market thoroughly before you commit to prevent costly mistakes.

Before you work out projected figures for exporting to a market ensure your expectations are realistic. In-depth research into the local culture, legal restrictions and regulations, language barriers (finding reliable translators if necessary), the local network of individuals and organisations you’ll need to work with and the PR and marketing activity required is essential. This will help you work out a realistic time frame for the project as well as the costs of entry.

3. Undertake an in-depth brand analysis Undertake a market study for the export market you’re entering – this can either be done in-house or, if you lack this expertise internally, by a third party. Once you have this in place analyse how your brand aligns with this.

Do you need to brand your product differently for each individual market? What is the most effective way of marketing your product to local consumers? Hammer out a brand strategy for each target market.

4. Ensure your production processes up to speed Establish how, if at all, you will need to adapt your internal processes in order to begin exporting. Determine how your

production process can be managed in order to absorb the additional manufacturing pressures that the much larger order quantities from abroad will put on your current system.

and nurture a working relationship directly with distributors and retailers?

Consider language and cultural barriers when you determine how achievable this is.

6. Register your intellectual property in each market Before you begin exporting it’s essential to register your intellectual property in the market. The ease of doing so varies hugely, depending on if you’re exporting to Germany or China. Investigate the intellectual property structure in your target market carefully and begin the necessary registration formalities as soon as possible.

Avoid signing up with any partners without carrying out thorough background research and providing clear and enforceable paperwork and responsibilities.

5. Be a SWOT There are risks to exporting.

It’s essential to do a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis in order to identify and prepare for any potential issues.

In some Asian countries, for instance, this process can take years. Start to make legal arrangements as well exploring the customs and tax hoops you’ll have to jump through.

All of these elements have to be cleared and well managed before you begin exporting to a country.

7. Get the logistics right How will you physically transport your goods to a region? What distribution options are open to you? Is it best to enlist a local partner in your target market to handle the logistics and distribution to retailers? If not, how do you plan to develop

8. Choose your partners carefully Some markets favour their own national companies over foreign companies – so it can be more effective to find a local partner.

9. Get trade credit insurance The average credit period and rates for importers/distributors on payment of goods changes from country to country – securing your transactions using trade credit insurance can prove to be a lifeline.

10. Think about taxes Every country has their own unique tax structure and method of payment. Consult a tax professional to properly calculate all the taxes applicable to your product and the revenue that would be generated by its sale.

Siddharth Shankar is a leading expert in exporting and CEO of Tails Trading, an innovative new solution helping UK SMEs to export their goods.

Visit www.tailstrading.com to find out more.

Thinking Business

39

Does your business have the capacity and ambition to grow?

Scale Up is the Chamber’s newly launched high growth, executive coaching service.

Identified as an exemplar service by the Scale Up Institute, it’s aimed at dynamic businesses looking to expand and grow.

Using our in-house trained coaches, we apply a methodology that delivers proven tangible results to both the

bottom line of your business and the development of the senior management team. You will be guided through a programme of development that will embed a culture of goal setting, accountability, adherence to core values and achievement.

call us +44 (0) 1233 503 838

www.scaleupkent.co.uk

FrancisKnight win Yorkshire signage commission

Award-winning Kent-based Public Art Consultancy FrancisKnight have been commissioned to deliver eighteen design-led boundary signs for the Craven District Council area on key road and waterways entrances as part of an innovative programme with Great Places Lakes & Dales

(GPLD) - one of 16 pilot projects funded by Arts Council England (ACE) and the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) which utilises arts, culture and heritage to retain and attract younger people to develop its sustainability, resilience and economy.

The signage will be in place for the 2019 Cycling World Road Championships on 21st September.

Louise Francis, who with Laura Knight is Founder and Director of FrancisKnight said, “We are delighted to be awarded this project in

Yorkshire, which expands our portfolio nationally and enables FrancisKnight to commission artwork across a beautiful county. The range, scope and diversity of the many projects we are able to work on makes being public art consultants so exciting – as well as the chance to work with multidisciplinary teams that include artists, designers, developers, architects and local authorities.”

Members of the Kent Construction Focus Group, FrancisKnight were appointed by Medway Council to work on the

Chamber Member BJF Connections Rebrands as BJF Group

BJF Connections Ltd launches new website and is now trading as BJF Group following a major rebrand.

BJF Group has grown and evolved since their early days as a mechanical and electrical specialist when the business was started twelve years ago.

The group now incorporates four complementary divisions (construction, facilities management, M&E and project services) providing all of the

services necessary to design, construct, maintain and manage a range of buildings and assets.

Securing prestigious public and private sector clients such as the Ministry of Defence, HM Prison Service, EE, BT and Skanska has cemented BJF’s place as a leading contractor not just in Kent but nationwide.

Waterloo Air Products

announces Head of National Sales Waterloo Air Products, market leaders in the manufacture of ventilation grilles, diffusers, weather louvres and VAV systems, has announced the appointment of Andy Wardle as Head of National Sales.

Previously the territory manager for the North of England, Andy has been at Waterloo for 13 years and has an impressive track record of over 34 years’ experience in air distribution.

The appointment reflects Waterloo’s continued growth and the appreciation that many customers work on a national basis. His new role will act as a catalyst for the creation of framework agreements, centralised purchasing and the creation of a national account to provide an enhanced customer

experience. Part of this will be the use of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) to streamline the process across the supply chain and operations, as well as the application of technology across the Waterloo product portfolio.

The appointment also comes at a time when Waterloo is moving to an integrated product proposition, enabling a more efficient specification process amongst the company’s key audiences including architects, consultants, contractors and building owners.

£4 million government funded public realm regeneration project Chatham Placemaking, and current projects include the £400 million Rochester Riverside development with Countryside Properties (UK) Ltd and The Hyde Group, and the multi million-pound Conningbrook Lakes development in Ashford with The Chartway Group Ltd, Latimer Developments Ltd and Ashford Borough Council. www.francisknight.co.uk office@francisknight.co.uk Twitter:@artbirds

Along with the rebrand, BJF Group has launched a brand-new website at www.bjfgroup.co.uk. Managing Director Barry Foster, who recently featured in Thinking Business Magazine, said: “The new name and associated branding better reflects the size and scope that BJF is proud to have and makes a clear statement to the market about our future.”

Members News

Foundation to receive PR support

Bowden PR has announced that it will be working with Kent Community Foundation on its PR Strategy.

Kent Community Foundation (KCF) was established in May 2001 and has distributed more than £34m to support charities and deserving causes throughout the county.

KCF supports local charities of any size but particularly smaller charities where a modest sum of money can make a huge impact.

If you or your business would like to do more local charitable giving, KCF can establish and administer your charitable funds to support local causes, or alternatively, if you volunteer for a Kentbased charity, why not suggest they apply to KCF for a grant?

More information is available at https://kentcf.org.uk

Your short stay let provider

Hampton Leigh Relocations was started with the aim of providing exceptional accommodation and service for corporate and professional clients across Kent.

They provide a comfortable ‘home away from home’ experience for contractors and professionals working across the area.

Their high standards are reflected in their clients and the services that they provide. It’s not just high-speed broadband and quiet working spaces, it’s the personal touch they bring to every dwelling that allows clients to relax and enjoy their stay.

Unlike hotels, all their apartments come with full-sized kitchens and relaxing lounge spaces so you can work and rest in a stress-free space that you can call home.

Every apartment has high-speed broadband with WiFi, and all have allocated parking at no extra cost.

The company uses super-king zip and link beds with orthopaedic mattresses in their apartments,

giving them the flexibility to cater for four or more individuals.

The business has professional cleaning teams that will maintain the highest standards of cleanliness both before and during your stay.

Their team carefully choose all of their locations to provide the best experience possible for clients and the apartments are always within a short walk of amenities such as grocery shops, restaurants, bars and gyms.

Thinking Business

41

Business Scale Up & Access to Funding

Chamber Events

We are delighted to offer you another Information Session on 'Business

This seminar will take you through some simple, interactive steps to help you establish a model that will allow you to sustainably grow your business.

We have put together a workshop to help you:

• Understand the financial model of your business • Know which 6 levers influence your model

• Appreciate what you can do to improve your business model

Scale Up and Access to Funding'.

- Any business owners wanting to re-define their future

• Provide information on grants to help grow your business

- Anyone feeling stuck in a business rut that isn’t delivering currently

- Everyone that is interested in growing their business with guidelines on grants and funding available in your area

- Managers who want help in implementing change

Who should attend?

- Anyone responsible for business planning

You will go home with a plan of how to successfully grow your business.

Wednesday 10th April 2019 9.00am – 12.30pm Basepoint Centres Ltd – Folkestone Folkestone Enterprise Centre Shearway Business Park Folkestone Kent, CT19 4HR Members : Free Non-members : £15.00 + VAT

Business Togetherness

Business is done better together. You don’t have to run your business on your own.

At the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce we are dedicated to getting you exactly what you need to make your business fly. And while there are sure to be challenges ahead, your membership will give you access to a network that has a wealth of expertise and support to share.

That’s really what Business Togetherness is about.

• Raise Your Profile

• Training & Skills

• Networking & Events

Business Togetherness Ashford After Hours * 2nd April 2019, 6.00pm

Business Togetherness “Behind The Scenes” at Salmestone Grange * 30th April 2019, 2.00pm

Business Togetherness Coffee Connections * 15th May 2019, 10.30am Business Togetherness Canterbury After Hours * 15th May 2019, 6.00pm

More details about the Business Togetherness events can be found on the Chamber Business events page, and are marked with an asterisk *

42

For further information on all events please contact events@kentinvictachamber.co.uk or call 01233 503838 Thinking Business

Thursday 3rd October 2019 Kent Event Centre, Detling

The South East’s largest gathering of construction industry professionals, contractors & suppliers

Produced by the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce, the Expo delivers a multitrack conference programme, over 150 market-leading exhibitors, and a unique opportunity for the construction sector to come together for an invaluable day of networking and innovation. The packed programme also includes over 600 free meet-the-buyer appointments, a Big Networking Breakfast and Gala Dinner.

Exhibitors include:

Produced by

Managed by

Register for your FREE place at: www.KentConstructionExpo.com

CONSIDERING A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT? LJPM Ltd is a Construction Consultancy serving London and the South East.

WE HAVE OVER 40 YEARS OF

EXPERIENCE IN DESIGN AND

PROJECT MANAGEMENT ON

A BROAD RANGE OF PROJECT

TYPES FROM SMALL TO LARGE

SCALE DEVELOPMENTS.

Our services includes providing professional and technical advice, assisting with project planning from concept to completion.

Collaborating with other Architects and consultants, providing Principal Designer services and Client advice in accordance with CDM 2015 Regulations.

Working closely with private and commercial clients on various projects, including private residential, schools, offices and other building types.

Our approach and expertise will add value to your project saving you time and money in achieving your goal.

The Services we offer include:

Architectural Services:

• Client Advisor

• Principal Designer (CDM 2015 Regs)

• Design Risk Management

• Independent Certifier / Monitor of construction works

• Project Management

• planning and building regulation submissions

• construction drawings

Building Surveying Services: • Building Defects

• Condition Surveys

• Party Wall Matters

• Contract Administration

LJPM Construction Consultants Zealds House, 39 Church Street, Wye TN25 5BL & 3 More London Riverside, London SE1 2RE

www.ljpm.co.uk email: info@ljpm.co.uk

Contact Les Johnson on 01233 800808, 020 313 79808 or 07931 231 898 Proud members of the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce

Membership Benefit

RIFT Partnership: Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce

RIFT R&D is delighted to

announce that we’ll be

working with Kent Invicta

Chamber of Commerce to spread the word about R&D Tax Credits.

Kent has an amazingly diverse and innovative business community, but so many firms still aren’t getting the tax relief their work entitles them to.

We’re setting out to fix that, bringing a valuable cash boost within their reach.

As the UK’s leading light in R&D Tax Relief, RIFT R&D specialises in getting innovative businesses the credit they deserve. Together with Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce (KICC), we’re building an accessible and hassle-free service for Chamber members, demystifying the process and maximising its rewards.

Our partnership with KICC means we can offer: • A comprehensive service that handles every stage of the claim process.

• Professional introductions to trusted partners specialising in fundraising, grants, Intellectual Property and more.

• A dedicated telephone helpline specifically for Chamber members.

• Quarterly clinics and one-to-one sessions to talk through your specific circumstances, questions and needs.

• An exclusive, reduced fee for KICC members.

RIFT stays with you for every step of the journey, from establishing eligibility to final submission. We keep you up to date throughout, and each claim is handled with the expertise, confidentiality and professionalism you expect.

RIFT has already claimed over £12.5 million for R&D Tax Relief clients. Our partnership with KICC means we can do even more.

How do I know if I can make an R&D Tax Credits claim?

Research and Development is about much more than lab coats and test tubes. In fact, a great deal of your day-to-day problem solving could well qualify you for tax relief.

Despite this, so many forward-thinking businesses still aren’t getting the credit they deserve for their innovations.

Ask yourself these simple questions: • Are you paying, or eligible to pay, Corporation Tax? • Are you solving problems or tackling challenges with fresh ideas and expertise?

• Are you making use of trial and error to improve existing products and processes, or to develop new ones?

• Are you taking steps forward in what you know or can do in your sector?

• Are you working to make your business activities safer, more efficient or “greener”?

If you’re answering “yes” to questions like these, there’s a good chance that what you’re doing qualifies for R&D Tax Relief. In fact, even if your innovations don’t work out, or if your business makes a loss, you could still have a valid claim. That’s why it’s so important to make sure companies who are taking risks and making advances get the full benefit of the R&D scheme.

To find out if you are eligible to make a claim contact us on the dedicated Chamber helpline 01227 653009 or Email info@riftresearch.com

The Chamber is committed to ensuring that their members receive excellent support from their Chamber and we look forward to assisting them with this by adding value through providing an easily accessible R&D Tax Relief service.

46

Thinking Business

Connect 38 is shortlisted for major award

Connect 38 – the largest office block to be built in Kent for 20 years – has been shortlisted for an RICS South East Award.

The building was designed

by Canterbury based Clague Architects for Quinn Estates in partnership with George Wilson Developments, and is the first part of the proposed Ashford Commercial Quarter.

Connect 38, situated close to Ashford railway station and only 38 minutes away from St Pancras on Southeastern’s highspeed trains, has been shortlisted in the RICS South East commercial property category.

Karl Elliott, Managing Partnerat Clague Architects, said:“It’s great to be shortlisted by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. What is equally rewarding is to help deliver what marks a step-change in terms of the design and quality of commercial

development being brought forward in Kent, and east of London.

“Connect 38 and other buildings will make up Ashford Commercial Quarter, a 600,000 sq ft office and retail campus.

Our team is finalising the masterplan for Quinn Estates and, when developed, the Quarter will ensure Ashford is a very strong destination for ambitious businesses.”

It is fully let and provides 80,500 sq ft of office, restaurant and retail space and will be home to around 481 full-time jobs when all the tenants are fully in place.

Mark Quinn, CEO and chairman, Quinn Estates said: “We are delighted to have our landmark commercial scheme, Connect 38 shortlisted for a prestigious RICS Award.

This project is one of my

proudest achievementsto date both for Quinn Estates and the fantastic work of partners like Clague who helped to make it happen.

It’s great to see the scheme get national recognition for the positive impact it has had.”

“Connect 38 is already playing a role in the ongoing success of Ashford as a business location and, in our opinion, sets the standard for quality office space in the South East. We’ve had great feedback with this first phase of Ashford’s Commercial Quarter laying down a marker for the area’s ambitions, a real legacy of great things to come.”

The building’s first tenants include infrastructure consultants Peter Brett, Towergate, accountancy firm Wilkins Kennedy and dental practice Pennypot Dental.

Business News

Kent and Medway presents priorities

Leaders of the National Infrastructure Commission, which provides impartial advice to Government on infrastructure, visited Kent to see the regeneration and development under way.

Commission delegation, led

by Chairman Sir John Armitt CBE and Commissioner Bridget Rosewell CBE, met representatives from the Kent and Medway Economic Partnership (KMEP), part of the South East Local Enterprise Partnership, which includes local business and council leaders. The visit provided an opportunity to discuss the

Commission’s first National Infrastructure Assessment, as well as KMEP’s infrastructure and investment priorities for the county.

These include the new Lower Thames Crossing; the dualling of the A2 to Dover, the world’s busiest roll-on roll-off ferry port, and improved links between the M2 and M20.

Thinking Business

47

Welcome to our new members

New Members

Amvill Technologies Ltd

St Leonards-on-sea 0800 082 2868 www.beaming.co.uk Voice and Data Connectivity

Ashford 01233 227841 azcaringservices.co.uk Domicilliary Care Agency & Supported Living

Tonbridge 01732 852777 www.broadsigns.co.uk Sign Manufacture

AZ Caring Services Ltd

A1WebStats

Canterbury 01227 251251 www.a1webstats.com Website Success Software & Consultancy

Broad Signs Ltd Bulmac Ltd

Dover 01304 822411 www.mattheeuws.co.uk Logistics/Transport

Business Change Masters Ltd

Alison Wright Wealth Management

Gillingham 01634 959000 www.businesschangemasters.com Business Advice and Mentoring

AM Marketing

Canterbury 020 3004 8338 www.convertenergy.co.uk Renewable Energy

Longfield 01474 573820 www.alisonwright.co.uk Financial Adviser/Wealth Management Canterbury 01227 392112 www.ammarketing.co.uk Marketing, Google Advertising, Consulting, Website & Graphic Design, Advertising

Ancon Technologies Ltd

Canterbury 01227 811705 www.ancontechnologies.com Science, Security, Medical Device, Air Quality

Avanti Tax Accountants

Belvedere 01322 783118 www.avantitaxaccountants.uk.com/medway Accountancy (Accounts & Tax)

Barton Willmore

Ebbsfleet 01322 374684 www.bartonwillmore.co.uk Planning & Design Consultancy

48

Beaming Limited

Maidstone 01622 840093 amvilltech-ltd.co.uk Tech Development

Thinking Business

Convert Energy Ltd DDL Group

Isle of Sheppey 01795 668182 www.ddl-group.com Civil Engineering and Labour Supply

eXroid Technology Ltd Sandwich 0800 999 3777 www.exroid.com Health Care

GP Strategies Training Limited Maidstone 03301 000 610 www.gpstl-apprenticeships.co.uk Training

Hampton Leigh Relocations Rochester 01634 519986 www.hamptonleighrelocations.com Relocation Agency

Hearbase Ltd

Folkestone 01303 254416 www.hearbase.com Private & NHS Audiology Services

Inchcape Audi Tunbridge Wells

Tunbridge Wells 01892 703000 www.inchcape.co.uk/audi/ Sales & Service of Motor Cars

Kent Supply Teachers

Chatham 01622 600105 www.kentsupplyteachers.co.uk Education Recruitment & Consultant

Light and Imagination

Whitstable 07950 481728 www.lightandimagination.com Photography

Lowther Accounting & Business Solutions Ltd

Medway 07921 376191 www.lowtheraccounting.co.uk Accountancy Services

M2 Koi Ltd

Rochester 01634 650111 www.m2koi.com Aquatic Pond Contractor & Designer

MADE Worldwide Ltd

Ashford 07738 714425 www.madeworldwide.co.uk AV/IT Installations & Solutions

Media In A Box Ltd

New Romney 01233 878233 www.mediainabox.co.uk Media & Marketing Consultancy

New Members

Millennium Printing & Stationery Ltd West Kingsdown 01474 853190 www.mpsltd.biz Office Supplies

Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure Ltd Canterbury 01227 467277 www.morgansindall.com Design, Construction

Mr OK Transport Services Ltd

Sittingbourne 01795 420 123 www.mroktransport.co.uk Same Day Courier Deliveries, Removals & Haulage

New Group Solutions

Folkestone 01303 244288 www.newgroupsolutions.co.uk Facilities Management

NIT Facility Services Ltd Chatham 0800 092 6016 www.nitfacilityservices.co.uk Delivery of Property Services in the Cleaning Sector

Oakenwoods Group Ltd Dartford 020 3912 6990 www.oakenwoods.com Carpentry & Joinery/Fit-Out

Perfect Circle

National 0345 045 0050 www.perfectcircle.co.uk Multi Disciplinary Consultancy

Pure Abodes

Old Romney 01233 690970 www.purelysa.uk Serviced Accommodation

RSR - Reed Specialist Recruitment

Maidstone 01622 608280 www.reedglobal.com/branches/ reed-maidstone Employment & Recruitment Agencies & Consultants

Sahara Presentation Systems PLC

Dartford 020 8319 7707 www.saharaav.com AV Distribution and Clevertouch Brand

SeeKent Ltd

Broadstairs 07751 071808 Website Under Construction Publisher

Shep-Pay

Hythe 07860 506724 www.shep-pay.co.uk Card Payment

Sky Media - Adsmart

London 020 7032 6130 www.skyadsmart.co.uk Media/Advertising

SRD Group Ltd

Tesouros de Portugal

Rochester 01634 405600 Retail, Catering

The Education People

Maidstone 03000 416 192 www.theeducationpeople.org Education Services

The Red Lion

Sittingbourne 07761 406125 Public House

Tonbridge Consulting Group

Tonbridge 07538 035532 www.tonbridgeconsultinggroup.com Sustainable Business Performance Improvement

TydenBrooks

Rochester 01634 393565 www.tydenbrooks.com Security Marketing Equipment

Ultimate Finance

Bradley Stoke, Bristol 01454 207050 www.ultimatefinance.co.uk Finance/Lending to SMEs

Viridor Waste Management Ltd Sales Team

Tonbridge 01732 373920 www.srdgroup.co.uk Stage lighting & AV Installation, Hire & Sales

Rochester 01227 861200 www.viridor.co.uk Waste Management

Folkestone 01303 290878 www.stennings.co.uk Financial Services

Maidstone 01622 963210 www.wessexarch.co.uk Archaeology, Heritage Services

Dartford 01322 406487 www.stones-throw.org Import & Export Agency

Broadstairs 07809 423377 www.yprime.com Exporting Electronic Device for Clinical Trials

Stenning Insurance Services Ltd Stone's Throw Import, Export & International Representation

Wessex Archaeology Yprime Inc.

Thinking Business

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News

Become Makaton Friendly

Canterbury is hoping to follow in the footsteps of Romsey, which became the first Makaton Friendly town in the world in February 2018.

But Canterbury wants to become the first Makaton Friendly city in the world, by May 2020! To achieve this, 40 Canterbury organisations need to become Makaton Friendly.

Becoming Makaton Friendly strengthens community ties, increases business potential, and provides great publicity. You will gain recognition from your community that you want to go the extra mile to support people with their communication needs. Help give them the opportunity to have their independence, feel included within the community and support with boosting their self-esteem. After all, it’s not only about understanding, it’s also about being understood!

To be a part of this fantastic initiative all you need to do is attend a Makaton Taster session, where you will learn 30 signs and symbols that are relevant to your organisation.

You will then need to display a few Makaton symbols around your building, to support navigation and requests, and pay a small fee.

You will then receive a Makaton Friendly pack and a place on the Makaton Friendly map on our website.

To find out more go to makaton.org/MakatonFriendly

Follow Canterbury’s progress on social media; look for the hashtag #MakatonFriendlyCanterbury2020

There are a team of Makaton Tutors within Canterbury eager to support you with gaining your Makaton Friendly status.

To find out more, get in touch with Stephen King: stephen.k@st-nicholas.kent.sch.uk

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Thinking Business

Sophie Robins joins expanding Commercial Property team at Girlings Solicitors

Movers and Shakers

Girlings is delighted to welcome Associate Solicitor, Sophie Robins to its Commercial Property team in Canterbury.

Sophie joins the Firm from asb Law LLP and brings with her a wide range of commercial property transaction experience.

She has acted for individuals, investors and corporate clients including SMEs and banks. Recent career highlights include

acting on the sale of a mixed use multi-let property in East Kent for £2.5m and a property portfolio refinance over £5m.

She is also regularly involved with property management work for landlords or tenants.

Sophie said, ‘Girlings’ Commercial Property team is highly regarded throughout East Kent for its technical expertise and client focus. This is a great opportunity and I am looking forward to working with the team and growing the business.’

Furley Page appoints outstanding real estate lawyer

A highly experienced property lawyer has been appointed as a senior associate by leading south east law firm Furley Page.

Darren Philpot specialises in residential property and rural and agricultural matters, having worked at top tier firms in both the City of London and West Kent prior to joining Furley Page.

He graduated from the University of Kent and qualified as a solicitor in 2008. His expertise covers the full spectrum of residential property transactions including acting for high-net-worth individuals and landed estates. He also handles a wide range of agricultural and rural issues, from

buying and selling farms, to handling issues involving rights of way, and rural development.

Darren has joined Furley Page’s highly-regarded Real Estate team from a large south east law firm, where he was recognised by the latest The Legal 500 guide for his expertise in

Leading family lawyer joins Furley Page

Kent law firm Furley Page has appointed a new Partner to head its Family Law team.

Rayma Collins, the highly regarded family law specialist, has joined Furley Page from West Kent lawyers Warners, where she had held the position of Head of Family Law.

Rayma is recognised by legal guides Chambers UK and The Legal 500 for her expertise. She specialises in all aspects of family law including divorce, asset protection, complex child-related disputes, unmarried couple disputes and pre- and post-

marriage contracts. Peter Hawkes, Senior Partner at Furley Page, said: “I am delighted to welcome Rayma Collins to the firm. She is amongst the top practitioners in her field in Kent. Rayma has vast experience of family law and her appointment is a sign of our commitment to build a strong and talented team that delivers outstanding service for our clients.

agriculture and estates.

Jeremy Licence, Managing Partner & Head of Real Estate at Furley Page, said: “I’m confident Darren will prove a great asset to the firm and his skills and expertise will ensure that the Real Estate team continues to go from strength to strength.”

experience in family law and divorce. With offices in Canterbury, Whitstable and Chatham, the firm offers a comprehensive range of family law services to clients across the South East.

Rayma said: “I am looking forward to working with the team in strengthening the support we are able to offer clients during what is often a very distressing time in their lives.”

MFW trio secure accreditation Furley Page’s six-strong Family Law team has wide-ranging

MFW has received a license to undertake non-contentious probate work from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

Two of the partners, Amanda Ireland and Leigh Jones, along with associate Alison Collier, have obtained the necessary qualifications to become Probate Practitioners.

Previously, only solicitors could carry out probate work but MFW are now one of only a handful of

Kent accountants to receive the accreditation.

McCabe Ford Williams, which was established in 1936, is one of the leading accountancy, auditors, taxation, business services and insolvency firms in Kent, with seven offices located across the county.

Amanda Ireland

Leigh Jones

Alison Collier