Kirklees Business News, September 2008

September, 2008

231

Paper trail leads to a costly waste OFFICE workers in Huddersfield have been urged to save paper – to help keep company costs down and benefit the environment.

Experts at government-funded environmental advice body Envirowise said employees should think twice about the cost and environmental impact of “trigger happy” printing of e-mails and memos.

Envirowise regional manager Elin Crebbin said: “Paper has become one of the biggest waste challenges facing UK offices with around half of all office waste being paper-based.

“As it stands, 4.7m tonnes of paper and board is going to waste each year in the UK. And

contrary to the expected trend towards the ‘paperless office’, the UK currently consumes about 12.5m tonnes of paper and board a year.”

Ms Crebbin said office staff were guilty of needlessly printing out e-mails, multiple copies and massive documents that were unlikely to be read. The cost of generating office waste to businesses could be as much as 4% of turnover.

She said: “Most offices will find they can reduce waste costs by about 20% through simple no or low-cost actions.”

Tips on saving paper can be found on the Envirowise website at www.envirowise.gov.uk

■ UPWARD CURVE: Jonathan (left) and Andrew Taylor, of Specialist Glass Products, based at Milnsbridge

Clearly better!

AN award-winning glass making firm is enjoying smashing success after calling in experts to help boost its manufacturing processes.

Specialist Glass Products called in the Government-backed Manufacturing Advisory Service Yorkshire & Humber to help improve production systems at the firm’s Milnsbridge factory.

Now the company, a winner in the 2007 Examiner Business Awards, has invested almost £1m in new equipment, including a glass bending machine to enable the business to pursue new potential customers.

Brothers and joint managing directors Andrew and Jonathan Taylor launched the business in 2003 after working in the glass industry for

many years.

The company, which employs 32 people, is now a UK market leader in the manufacture and supply of bespoke glass laminates – particularly curved glass – for large commercial contracts.

Recent orders include manufacturing all the glass balustrades for the new Wembley stadium.

Andrew Taylor said: “Eighteen months ago, we felt confident that we had everything in place to beat our competitors, but needed to improve our production and management skills.

“MAS adviser Phil Warrington undertook a free diagnostic report and gave us some good, constructive advice.”

Through MAS, the Specialist Glass Products project team also learnt the fundamentals of “lean” manufacturing and a complete review of production and pre-production activities was undertaken.

MAS also arranged for the firm to get access to a technology grant to cover the cost of installing a new overhead crane.

Said Mr Taylor: “We have a full order book and are now starting to offer an installation service.

“We are very proud of the goals we have achieved in the past year, including increasing overall productivity from £634,786 to £1.4m, increasing our turnover by 18.5% from £2.7m to £3.2m and creating five new jobs.”

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2

September, 2008

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS

COMMENT

by

Henryk Zientek ACK of technology skills is L hindering efforts to increase flexible working for Yorkshire firms, a

report has revealed.

Forecasting organisation The Centre for Future Studies said that two-thirds of small and medium-sized firms in the region now claim to offer employees some form of flexible working – with the introduction of wireless and mobile technologies.

But the centre’s report, IT Skills for Flexible Working, showed that 62% of workers in Yorkshire said they lack the necessary IT skills and training to exploit existing technology fully.

The report, backed by telecoms giant BT Business, underlines the need for some clear, joined-up thinking.

Companies are being urged to make it easier for staff to work from home or other locations away from the office – to help cut commuter congestion and benefit the environment.

Yet too few employees have the skills or confidence to embrace the technology which would make this a reality.

Efforts to create a “virtual” office – where employees can operate independently and have control over the way they manage and plan their work – are eminently worthy.

The technology to support this is available to businesses of all sizes and sectors in Yorkshire and the Humber .

Perhaps a change of management thinking is the bit that’s lacking at the moment.

Read Henryk Zientek's Business reports Monday to Friday in ...

Inside Issues

● Putting quality on the menu – page 5 ● Changeover for blinds firm – page 6 ● Investment for Syngenta – page 8 ● Steely resolve pays of – page 17 ● Bursaries for students – page 18 ● Credit crunch concerns – page 19 ● Cabbies hail NVQs – page 20 ● Demand for offices slumps – page 21

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS IS MAILED FREE OF CHARGE TO NAMED INDIVIDUALS IN ALMOST EVERY BUSINESS IN KIRKLEES Editorial

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Recycled paper made up 75.5% of the raw material for UK newspapers in 2004

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FINANCIAL REPORT

Firms in Yorkshire trail behind rivals

TOP-RANKING firms in Yorkshire are in good health – but may lag behind their rivals across the Pennines when the economy improves, it is claimed.

A report earlier this year by accountancy firm BDO Stoy Hayward said the region’s top 150 companies, including 10 based in Kirklees and Calderdale, were in good financial health in the face of the credit crisis.

But a second report now suggests that firms in north-west England show stronger signs of sustained growth through increased revenue, investment and lower borrowing.

Ian Beaumont, Yorkshire man-

aging partner with BDO Stoy Hayward, who lives at Lightcliffe, said: “Yorkshire’s top 150 were highly productive in 2007, taking advantage of the benign conditions and successfully increased profitability and improved financial stability.

“However, it is the north-west firms who may be better placed to capitalise on the growth opportunities that emerge in two to three years’ time.

“For the second year in a row, north-west businesses have shown that they manage their tax charge more efficiently, make the most of opportunities in world markets and have increased sales by 7.1% com-

pared to Yorkshire’s 5.6%.”

The latest report shows that the biggest north-west firms have reduced their overall tax charge to 22% against Yorkshire’s 31.9%.

Overseas trade accounts for 56% of revenues for top-rated firms in the north-west against less than 10% for Yorkshire’s leading companies.

Said Mr Beaumont: “For Yorkshire to come out of the credit crunch in a strong position, the region’s businesses need to change their outlook to become increasingly global as the world’s fastest growing large economies lie beyond the European Union.”

■ WARNING: Ian Beaumont, managing partner at BDO Stoy Hayward in Leeds

Failure rate falls

Kevin opens the innings

A YORKSHIRE insolvency expert warned that a fall in company administrations in the region could be “the lull before the storm”.

Figures from accountancy firm Deloitte showed that the number of firms going into administration in the region fell by 32% during the second quarter of the year – with 34 cases against 50 in the preceding three months.

Dan Butters, reorganisation services partner for Deloitte, said: “The credit crunch is beginning to impact the wider economy and it’s likely there is more pain to come.”

Across the UK, there was a 16% rise in administrations during the first half of the year. The second quarter figure was down by 18% on the first three months.

Property, construction, electrical, installation and plumbing were the worst hit sectors.

ENGLAND cricket captain Kevin Pietersen opened the innings for a Leeds financial services firm.

The cricketer was invited to open the new offices of Henderson Corporate in the run-up to the second test against South Africa at Headingley.

Henderson Insurance Brokers which is one of the fastest growing independent insurance brokers in the UK, according to the latest Sunday Times PriceWaterhouseCoopers Profit Track 100 league table.

Founder and chief executive Joe Henderson said: “Kevin is a fantastic cricketer and we are delighted to have him at the launch of our new corporate division and the official opening of our new office in Leeds.”

“Kevin has many of the values we hold close at Hendersons.

“He is a team player who works hard on making the most of his talent in order to get the best results.”

Henderson Corporate’s new office at No 1 Whitehall Riverside is headed by directors Nigel Harrison, Ryhdian Thomas and Daniel Binks.

■ HOWZAT? : England cricketer Kevin Pietersen (below) with Henderson insurance Brokers' founder and chief executive Joe Henderson

Demand still strong DEMAND for businesses is running high in the Yorkshire deals market, it has emerged.

Figures from business advisory firm Deloitte and Barclays Private Equity showed buy-outs in the £100m-plus range totalled £1bn for the first half of the year against £800m for the same period in 2007.

However, the value of deals fell “materially” in the mid-market sector below £100m sector.

There were 36 buy-outs and buy-ins during the first six months of the year with three deals worth more than £100m

and 33 at less than £25m – including five worth over £10m.

There were no deals completed in the £25m to £100m.

By contrast, the mid-market was very strong last year with 10 deals worth more than £435m in that price range.

The first three months saw the most activity in the market – with transactions totalling £767m.

Significant deals so far this year have included the secondary buyout of Tunstall Holdings, the acquisition of Ultralase by 3i and the acquisition of Lowell Group

by Exponent, all in the first quarter.

Nationally, deals in the £100m to£500m range fell to £3bn in the first half of 2008 from £7bn for the same period last year.

The total size of the market wa s £ 1 1 b n , t h e l ow e s t six-monthly figure since 2004.

Martin Jenkins, partner and head of corporate finance at Deloitte in Leeds, said: “Good businesses with strong management teams are still bankable, but in general fewer businesses are being put up for sale.”

Whether you are looking at buying a new business or selling your existing one, there are plenty of things to think about including:

• Valuation range and structuring options • Financing arrangements • Tax-planning ideas For truly independent advice and guidance, backed by years of experience, please contact Am Hayer or David Butterworth Tel: 01484 423691 email: am.hayer@wheawills.co.uk www.wheawills.co.uk www.wheawill.co.uk

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3

September, 2008

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS

■ LOVIN’ IT: Serial franchisee Pritpal Singh, who is set to create scores of new jobs at his McDonald’s outlets, including 10 at the restaurant at Kirkgate in Huddersfield.

McDonald’s plans to recruit 650 people across Yorkshire and the north-east

TOWN TALK Sean Jarvis

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O begin with, I would like to pay tribute to the Huddersfield public and businesses for helping to make our Centenary game versus Arsenal – and effectively launch our Centenary season – go with a real bang.

Our supporters were brilliant and turned out if force – 19,044 to be exact, which made the Galpharm Stadium the place to be on Wednesday, August 6. What’s more the banqueting suites were packed to the rafters with companies from all over the UK. We had planned for an attendance of anything between 12,000 and 15,000 – but with some aggressive marketing we were quite surprised by the turnout. Which goes to show that if you put your mind to it you can make things happen and buck the economic doom and gloom.

In fact, it is that mantra that we are holding dearly at the club – to believe.. We do believe that we can put in a real challenge for promotion this season. We are also fully aware that the impact of a successful football club can have on its local town and surrounding areas and what it can generate for local business.

There was once some market research undertaken in East Anglia on the impact of promotion of their local team and the conclusion was that it attracted £5m to the area.

We want to achieve promotion and repay the great support of our community.

However the message is clear f– we can accelerate this kind of success if more businesses support the club and tap into our model of believing. In simple terms, we need your support in helping us achieve.

In terms of the supporting the club, we have numerous options to suit a variety of budgets ranging from high profile sponsorships to the entertaining of clients.

New for this season is the Corporate Blue and White Foundation. For as little as £10 a week, a business can become a member and enjoy the numerous benefits membership holds, including the opportunity to win £20,000 and the ability to join like minded businesses in a networking event at the club.

It’s our clear aim this season to try and build some of the former glories and mount a serious challenge for promotion. There is a real buzz this time around and we are keen for as many companies to join in this success as possible. Their participation will not only accelerate Town's success but also join us in helping to communicate our message to a wider audience.

Spreading the word about Town will not stop at these shores as we are looking to break into the international community.

Closer to home, I have been invited to Ireland to give a lecture to the CEOs of their clubs about how we at Town have caused a stir within football. I am incredibly proud to be representing not only the Terriers but also the town as a whole. I will send a clear message that Huddersfield is definitely a place to watch.

As for the club, we are starting to break record after record. We think this Centenary season is going to be a special one. My message is: don't let your business miss this opportunity. Join us –it’s going to be good!

Sean Jarvis is director of business development at Huddersfield Town

email: iwbtrain@peternicholson. orangehome.co.uk

01484 688226

Mobile 07825301988

McDonald’s in recruitment bid

FAST food chain McDonald’s is creating more than 650 jobs in Yorkshire and north-east England as part of a drive to recruit 4,000 new workers across the UK. About 10 extra staff will be recruited for the McDonald’s restaurant at Kirkgate in Huddersfield, which is owned by local franchisee Pritpal Singh.

The recruitment drive comes in response to “sustained growth” which has seen McDonald’s serve an extra 2m customers a month UK-wide compared with last year.

Mr Singh, who owns 23 restaurants across the region, said: “Creating new jobs is great for the local communities that McDonald’s restaurants serve and my business alone will be recruiting around 100 local people to fulfil the roles generated by this growth.

“This recruitment drive is a clear indication that customers are responding to the restaurant modernisation programme and menu changes that we’ve been rolling out

over the last couple of years.

“To maintain momentum in the business we need to keep delivering outstanding customer service to ensure they enjoy the McDonald’s experience more than ever.”

Mr Singh already employs almost 1,000 staff at his restaurants, which include ones in Leeds, Dewsbury, Shipley, Keighley, Harrogate and Knaresborough.

The recruitment drive will be backed with a “McJob” poster campaign on the benefits and career opportunities available working at McDonald’s.

McDonald’s said growth in business had been driven by improving the menu, extending opening hours, refitting restaurants and adding free Wi-Fi. The company has refurbished half its high street outlets and is on track to complete a £40m investment across 200 drive-through restaurants by the end of 2008. It will also open up to 10 new restaurants this year.

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Rebranding for telecoms firms A BRIGHOUSE telecom company with four businesses under its wing has rebranded under a single name at a high-profile launch event.

The four businesses – Vocall UK Ltd, Protocall Ltd, Vitel Systems and Vitel Networks – have been renamed Abzorb following an extensive rebranding exercise carried out by Shelley-based design agency Design Junkie.

The launch was held at the National Media Museum in Bradford.

The rebranding, which includes providing a new website, coincides with the firm’s plans to expand by targeting larger organisations and offering improved levels of personal service.

The company, which is on course to record turnover totalling £9m this financial year, lists The Controlled

Group, Stoneywood Ltd and Lex Leasing among its clients.

Abzorb's Vodafone Service Provider licence enables it to manage clients’ Vodafone accounts directly and provide more flexible solutions and packages. It is also one of a select few companies nationally to be given the BT licence.

Abzorb has also launched its in-house £500,000 Provida IT platform, which includes the ability to monitor and replenish stock levels, control accounts, improve customer relations and care and eventually incorporate Abzorb's billing and provisioning.

Mike Walsh, managing director of Abzorb, said: “We have already enjoyed great success but now is the time for us to change our outlook and take a new direction.”

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September, 2008

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS

TECH TALK Roger Pearson

Facing peer pressure?

HERE is more good news on virtualT isation this month – but first, do you remember Feargal Sharkey?

As ISPs, government and the British music industry (represented by Mr Sharkey) try to work out who is to blame for illegal “peer to peer” file sharing and what to do about them, is this really a problem for our businesses and what can we do about it?

I will leave the ideological debate of right and wrong-doing to others in favour of some practical considerations.

Peer to Peer, or P2P file sharing, is the distribution of files across the internet between PCs, usually media files such as audio and video with mp3 files by far the most popular.

Any PC can become a file sharing source by the downloading and installation of a small, freely available application and a small amount of configuration. This could affect your business in a number of ways.

In the first instance, peer to peer file sharing is commonly an infringement of copyright so if files are being shared from within your company network using company equipment then this potentially opens the company to the risk of prosecution.

Also, more directly, this type of file sharing is a notorious consumer of large amounts of network and internet bandwidth – which you are paying for. If this use is unsanctioned, not only is this a misuse of company property but it can also greatly reduce the performance of your key business applications such as e-mail, customer databases and other online services.

Finally, as the sources of file-sharing are on the whole unidentified individuals there is an increased risk of a virus infection or other network intrusion further risking your computer network.

So, my anti-virus software will pick this up, right? Not necessarily. Whereas leading security vendors often offer some file sharing protection, this is not always included by default and can be focused only on preventing virus infection via file sharing which does not address the issues of misuse of company property or internet bandwidth consumption.

To be sure, check with your antivirus provider how it deals with file sharing.

It may be possible to block P2P traffic using your firewall, but like viruses, P2P applications can adapt and change to work around firewall configurations which are largely static.

To protect your bandwidth from misuse in this way, a good compliment to anti-virus is to include some network monitoring in your defence mechanism. Why? Similar to reviewing sales performance, service levels or other company resources, by periodically monitoring network performance you can identify when a network or interconnection is over utilised or misused, find out why and correct the problem.

And finally, those of you still looking at virtualisation for disaster recovery or server consolidation will be interested to know that as Microsoft begins to bundle its virtual technology with new Windows Servers market leader VMware have responded by offering there competitive technology “ESXi” free of charge. Take your pick and happy virtualising.

Roger Pearson is a project manager at P2 Technologies Ltd, Lockwood

Senior solicitor joins firm Jas Sohal has been appointed a senior solicitor with the commercial property team at Huddersfield law firm Eaton Smith.

Mr Sohal (pictured) qualified in 2002 and has experience working with developers, landlords, tenants, pension funds, breweries and blue chip national retailing companies.

Mr Sohal, who was born and brought up in Huddersfield, joins the High Street-based solicitors from Bradford and Leeds-based law firm Gordons.

Malcolm Tracey, senior partner and head of commercial property at Eaton Smith, said: “We now have eight lawyers in the commercial property team providing advice to local businesses as well as to businesses throughout the UK and beyond.

“The appointment of Jas is a key part of our continued ambitious expansion plans.”

Cycle path to £2,000 BUSINESSMAN Peter Wilby got pedalling to help raise more than £2,000 for charity.

Mr Wilby, chairman of insurance and risk management specialist Wilby Ltd, took part in the 2008 Great Yorkshire Charity Bike Ride – a 70-mile run from Wetherby to FIley.

The event attracted 1,500 participants and raised more than £100,000 for charities including Heart Research UK, ChildLine and St John Ambulance.

Said Mr Wilby: ““I’ve participated in this event for the last 15 years and never raised as much money, so I am delighted.”

Digitally speaking A MARKETING agency based in Huddersfield is set for further success as part of a newly-formed media group.

Senior executives at Digital Therapy, which has offices at Fitzwilliam Street, have taken the agency into the newly-created Digital Brand Response Group and re-branded it as Enjoy Digital – or ED for short.

ED will stand under the DBRG banner alongside sister company Traffic Online Marketing to bring together teams with experience in a wide range of marketing and media skills.

Group managing director Simon Jones said: “This is a major step in terms of the strategic development of the agency and its ability to add value to both existing and prospective clients.

Mr Jones said he was confident about the future – and stressed that the group had “aggressive” plans for its growth.

“It is clear that to grow in line with our ambitions we are looking at acquisition as a route,” he said. “We believe that no one outside London has fully understood the requirement for properly bringing together brand, response and digital under one roof, though plenty have claimed to. Once you understand the need, the answer is staring you in the face!”

Mr Jones said: “Our primary objective is to ensure the best results for our clients and this model clearly does that. In fact, the structure of the group was something we actively discussed with our clients while we were developing it, to ensure that it fitted in with their needs.”

DBRG brings together specialists in branding, direct mail and digital media. Mr Jones, who was a member of the original production team at internet service provider Freeserve is joined by previous Digital Ther-

■ BRAND IMAGE: Simon Jones, group managing director for the Digital Brand Response Group

apy directors Adrian Brown and Jonathan Filewood. The senior management team is also augmented by Charlotte Britton, Steve Baker and Tim Newton.

Ms Britton previously worked for rival Stickyeyes.com while Mr Baker joins DBRG from Enyanga, a digital offshoot of PR company Poulters.

Mr Jones said a move from the Fitzwilliam Street premises was also on the cards.

The new group will continue to work with previous Digital Therapy clients such as

Bristol and West, COLT Telecom Group and The Rialto Consultancy. It has also won digital branding work from Bank of Ireland.

Said Mr Jones: “This is the first of a number of exciting announcements for the group.

“We’re confident that we have got our positioning spot on and a great team of people to continue to plan, execute and deliver great work for both our current and future clients.”

Summer is taking its toll SUMMER holidays are contributing to workplace stress in many Kirklees firms, it is claimed.

A poll by health plan provider LHF found that 89% of staff felt that the traditional two-week break from the office contributed to increased stress levels – not only for those working extra hours to meet deadlines before their holiday break, but also for those left behind to cover.

Raman Sankaran, member services director at LHF, said: “Holidays are import-

ant for relaxing and recharging, but it appears that all too often they can be a source of pressure and tension within the workplace.

“Our survey shows there is an obvious increase in stress levels for those departing on holiday, who feel that they have to work harder and put in longer hours in the run up to their holiday entitlement – but also an increase in stress levels for the colleagues that they leave behind who feel that they are left to cope with the additional

workload and pick up actions left by their colleagues.

“Managers can help alleviate holiday stresses by carefully co-ordinating holiday dates, balancing workloads accordingly and planning extra resource where required.

“The presence of a proactive health management strategy can also help as it provides employees with the means to stay healthy and well even during times of increased stress and pressure.”

5

September, 2008

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS

‘Temps’ now get equality at work

BANKER'S BLOG Jill Hague

Cash from vehicles

N this month’s article, I have been Ifinance speaking to Matthew White, our vehicle specialist about how companies

are generating cash from vehicles.

Here’s what he had to say…

In the current economic climate, cash is going to be extremely important to businesses from all market sectors and it is vitally important that businesses structure their balance sheets to make optimum use of their assets.

It is not uncommon for businesses to purchase cars and commercial vehicles from overdrafts.

But this is not necessarily the most efficient way.

A far more attractive option is to use the inherent value in the assets that they own to secure their borrowing, rather than packaging in with everything, which could mean the value of a car or commercial vehicle won’t be valued at its real market value.

Specialist financial organisations such as HSBC Vehicle finance will see the real value of both cars and commercial vehicles and be happy to reflect the higher value as security.

Businesses running fleets of vehicles need look at their current procurement strategy and asses if they are sitting on assets on the balance sheet that could be used to generate cash through a Sale and Leaseback agreement.

In addition to giving a business a cash injection there are a number of additional benefits a transaction of this type can bring – it controls the future cost and depreciation risk of a vehicle fleet; maintenance costs are fixed for the contract period and there is a defined renewals cycle; it allows the continued use of the current fleet so it’s easy and doesn’t disrupt a business; it allows businesses to settle expensive Hire Purchase agreements they may have else where; businesses can secure up to 120% of the market value of the vehicles if a cash injection is the priority; nusinesses can claim 100% of the VAT payable on all elements of the rental,.

Another area of interest is the new legislation around “green fleets” that comes in to force in April, 2009. The new scheme effects capital allowances and the lease disallowance. The message is clear – continue to drive high emission cars and the tax bill will rise.

Broadly, organisations are able to claim capital allowances on the cost of a car if they purchase it directly or, if they lease it, they can deduct the lease payment. Capital allowances are usually given by way of writing down allowances (WDAs), usually 25% on a reducing balance basis or – in limited cases – 100% first year allowances (FYAs), ie the full cost of the car can be set against tax in the year the car is purchased.

Capital allowances on cars are set for a radical change. From April, 2009, the availability of capital allowances will depend upon emissions and for these purposes cars will be divided in to three categories Cars with emissions of 110 g/km will qualify for 100% FYAs. Cars with emissions up to 160 g/km (excluding low emission cars) will qualify for 20% WDAs. Cars over 160 g/km will qualify for 10% WDAs Cars falling in to these categories will be pooled accordingly and allowances calculated on the given pool on a reducing balance basis.

The current rules for WDAs on expensive cars (those costing more than £12,000 where allowances are restricted to £3,000 until the car is sold and a balancing allowance/charge arises) will then no longer apply.

Jill Hague is Head of Commercial Banking for HSBC in Huddersfield

■ MEETING UP: Dame Deirdre Hutton (left, who chairs the Food Standards Agency; with Patrick Farnsworth, of the Reginoal Food Group for Yorkshire and Humber; and Janet Purcell, of the Denby Dale Pie Company

Pie firm puts VIP meeting on the menu

A PIE maker based in Denby Dale – home of the world’s biggest pies – met a senior government official during a fact-finding trip to Yorkshire.

Dame Deirdre Hutton, who chairs the Food Standards Agency, met some of Yorkshire’s key food producers at an event hosted by the Regional Food Group for Yorkshire and Humber at Rudding Park, Harrogate.

Delegates taking part included Janet Purcell, of the Denby Dale Pie Company, which last year raised £250,000 from two regional funding bodies to invest in new plant and machinery to cope with growing demand for traditional home-made pies.

The company has built up a reputation for making frozen pies made with high-quality, locally sourced ingredients. It has also worked with leading national retailers to develop products for their own brand luxury ranges.

The Food Standards Agency is an independent Government department charged with protecting consumers’ health and safety interests with regard to food.

Dame Deirdre discussed the impact of the FSA’s work on all aspects of food production in the region as well as the problems facing producers, hospitality businesses and retailers.

Hot topics raised by the industry included the future of food manufacturing

s t a n d a rd s, s t a n d a rd i s i n g o n - p a c k labelling, skill shortages and the rapidly rising price of raw materials which continues to put significant pressure on the industry.

Regional Food Group chief executive Jonathan Knight said: “The work of the Food Standards Agency touches many aspects of the food and drink business in the region, and the impact of its work continues to grow in order to protect consumers’ interests.

“This was a great opportunity for Yorkshire and Humber’s food and drink sector to meet Dame Deirdre and discuss issues of mutual interest.”

Said Dame Deirdre: “I was delighted to visit the Regional Food Group for Yorkshire and Humber. It provided a great opportunity for me to see some award-winning businesses and spend time with people who, like me, are passionate about food.”

The Regional Food Group supports and promotes businesses in the food and drink sector by acting as link between the industry and national agencies.

It also draws on the knowledge of experts in food technology, training, marketing and business development to promote innovation, efficiency and consumer awareness in an effort to boost sales and consumption of Yorkshire produce.

THOUSANDS of temporary workers across Kirklees are to get equal rights with permanent staff following a landmark ruling by the European Union.

The EU agreement means temporary and agency workers in Britain will be entitled to equal treatment with permanent employees on pay and basis working and employment conditions after 12 weeks in a job.

General union the GMB said the move would benefit some 107,600 temporary and agency workers in Yorkshire – about 4.7% of the region’s total workforce.

Across the UK, there are more than 1.38m temporary or agency staff accounting for 4.9% of the country’s workforce.

GMB figures showed there were some 7,400 temporary and agency staff in Kirklees, representing 4.5% of the district’s workforce.

Kirklees is sixth in the table of 15 local authority areas across Yorkshire for the number of temporary and agency workers.

Leeds tops the regional table with 17,700 agency and temporary staff followed by Sheffield (11,800), Wakefield (9,600, Bradford (9,200) and North Yorkshire (8,300).

Calderdale is 11th in the list with 4,500 while North Lincolnshire has the lowest number with 2,600.

Tim Roache, GMB regional secretary for Yorkshire, said: “Although the agreement does not give us everything we would have liked, it is nevertheless a big step forward for up to 1m temporary workers in the UK. “This protection is necessary to help offset the exploitation and abuse of temporary and agency workers which has been a stain on the British labour market – with over 1m workers without employment rights and no rate for the job or sick pay, pension or other benefits.”

Optimism plummets BUSINESS confidence has slumped among Yorkshire firms, a new survey has revealed.

The latest poll conducted by Ipsos MORI for regional development agency Yorkshire Forward showed a “distinct downturn” with companies in the region less optimistic about their prospects that their counterparts elsewhere in the country.

Firms reported weakening domestic orders, but were more positive about exports. Most companies said output remained below capacity, but businesses overall expect to invest more in buildings, training, research and development and plant and machinery over the next 12 months.

The least optimistic nclude construction, transport, hotels and catering.

6

September, 2008

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS

Small businesses need better advice SMALL firms in Yorkshire could save more than £8bn a year with better advice and support on health and safety, it is claimed.

A report by the Better Regulation Executive said the average company spends about 20 hours a year – or more than £350 – on administration to meet health and safety requirements.

Cutting the time spent by just five hours per company would save businesses £150m a year.

Recommendations in the report include improving website and telephone support and offering better advice to help small firms know when to buy in the help of health and safety consultancies.

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Changeover at blinds firm A COMPANY supplying bl i n d s t o c u s t o m e r s across Huddersfield is changing hands with the retirement of its owner.

John Taylor, who has run UK Blinds Direct in the town for the past 12 years is stepping down and moving to Bridlington – where he aims to devote more time to his hobbies of sailing and camping.

The business is now in t h e h a n d s o f L o n gwood-based Alan Cromwell, an apprentice trained mechanical engineer, who has worked for some of Huddersfield’s foremost manufacturing firms and spent 12 years in sales.

Mr Taylor took up the Huddersfield area franchise for UK Blinds Direct 12 years ago after seeing the opportunity advertised.

He said: “Business was very slow at first and I was on the verge of quitting on a couple of occasions. But the business has grown steadily. We have supplied schools, businesses and private householders with blinds for use in conservatories and children’s nurseries.”

Mr Taylor worked in hardware for 30 years before venturing into business for himself. He clocked up 40,000 miles a year as a salesman for firms including Dickin-

CITY TALK

Simon Kaye

Seeking a ray of hope QUITY markets have been hit by a E toxic interaction between the continuing credit crunch and the shock res-

■ ALL THE BEST: John Taylor (left), owner of UK Blinds Direct, hands over business to Alan Cromwell, Longwood

son Hardware in Warrington.

But he began his working life as a clerk with British Rail in Sheffield, his home city. Later, Mr Taylor worked for ICI on Teeside before moving to Yorkshire 14 years ago. A widower, he has a son Wesley and a daughter Caroline.

Mr Cromwell has been working alonmgside Mr Taylor at UK Blinds Direct for the past few months in preparation for taking over the business.

He served his apprenticeship as a mechanical engineer with Highfield Gears before working for

David Brown and later Taylor Valves. He has wide experience of sales and in recent years has also worked in the building industry.

Said Mr Cromwell: “Mr Taylor has built up UK Blinds Direct by providing outstanding service.

“The company gets a great deal of repeat business and orders by word of mouth. People ring asking for John personally. “I have met some of his existing customers and I am looking forward to maintaining those links as well as building new ones.”

University honour for top tycoon THE founder of electrical retailer Empire Direct has been honoured by Huddersfield University.

Jaswant Toor (right), managing director Empire Direct, has received an honorary doctorate from the university in recognition of his entrepreneurial skill. It was presented by vice-chancellor Bob Cryan.

Born in the Punjab, India, Mr Toor came to Huddersfield when he was eight years old and was raised in the town.

After graduating in chemistry, he decided to go into business with family friend Madan Showan and together they opened a small shop in Bradford selling branded household electrical goods.

The business took off with the arrival of the internet as Empire Direct became one of the first UK electrical retailers to set up an online sales website.

The company is now market leader in the UK with more than 400 staff and 12

retail stores across the country selling a range of more than 10,000 items, including TVs, DVD, laptops, camcorders, kitchen equipment and mobile phones. It also has a large national distribution centre, call centres and has invested in the latest technology.

Empire Direct, now based in Leeds, has also won several accolades, including the prestigious E-Commerce Awards. It also won the Top 100 Worldwide Website Award in 2004.

Mr Toor also raises cash for good causes by competing in several charity runs and walks.

ulting from the doubling of oil prices over the past year.

The credit crunch has reduced the amount of monetary fuel for economic growth. Banks are still disclosing new losses on securitised loan instruments linked to sub-prime US mortgages but the focus has switched from write downs to slowdowns. Banks typically see a sharp rise in the incidence of bad debts when economies slow. With their balance sheets strained by the sub-prime losses they are ill equipped to withstand this. As a result, banks have been forced to raise huge amounts of new capital which uncertainty about future losses has made them reluctant to use for new lending.

The intense surge in oil prices this summer was all the more unwelcome against this background of tightly rationed credit and the depression of consumer confidence as a result of falling house prices and rising mortgage rates. The rise in fuel costs has reduced the scope for individuals to spend on other goods and services and discouraged new investment by companies. It has also created inflationary pressures that have prevented interest rates from falling to mitigate the credit squeeze.

Indeed, central banks in many emerging economies have been raising interest rates to curtail inflation and even in the UK and the US the case for rate rises is being actively debated, despite economic growth being under severe pressure. The European Central bank went a step further, raising rates in July.

The costs of squeezing inflation out of economies where it takes hold are well known to students of the 1970s and 1980s and it is the Central Banks’ job to take a prudent view of the risks rather than hoping for the best. So far, much of the rise in inflation has resulted from the rise in fuel costs and those of other raw materials but it is not clear that this has spread to a more general inflationary surge. If commodity prices cease to rise, inflation is likely to decline during 2009, allowing interest rates to fall. However, the next few months are likely to see rising inflation rates, with disappointing rates of economic growth. This is what recent falls in equity markets have been coming to terms with.

There is a ray of hope in that the oil price appears to have hit a ceiling, as high prices are reducing demand for oil products. If oil prices fell sharply, the peak in inflation would be brought forward, encouraging investors to take a less risk averse view of the world.

However, they are likely to be cautious until it is clear whether the recent price fall will be sustained. Over the past year, the pendulum of sentiment has swung from complacency to acute pessimism. Whilst there are reasons to be cautious, nothing is for ever. The mutually reinforcing negative effects of the credit crunch and the oil shock could turn benign next year, if falling inflation ushers in a decline in interest rates at a time when banks have recapitalised to a point where they are willing to resume lending more actively. Although this may feel a distant or unlikely prospect at present, no-one sounds a gong at the top or at the bottom of market moves.

Simon Kaye is Divisional Director at Rensburg Sheppards Investment Management

7

September, 2008

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS

Top recruiter

Optimism wilts amid fears for economy CONSUMER confidence is plummeting across Yorkshire amid fears for the economy.

A survey by Nationwide Building Society showed that only 16% of people in the region were upbeat about the current economic situation with just one in 10 confident about future prospects.

Fewer than half of those polled in the region – 47% – were positive about current employment while fewer than a third – 31% – were confident about future job prospects.

While 18% think now is a good time to make major purchases such as a house or car, 28% of consumers are still upbeat about buying household items.

Steve Cowdry, spokesman for the Nationwide, said: “Consumer confidence fell still further during the second quarter of 2008.

“Weakening confidence is perhaps not surprising given the continuing uncertainty in the economy and the additional pressure on households from increased food and fuel costs.”

Consumers in Scotland, East Anglia, London, the south-east and the south-west were the most resilient while confidence has deteriorated sharply in Wales, Northern Ireland and the East Midlands.”

Outlook tough for profits TOUGHER economic conditions are taking their toll on business confidence and profits across Yorkshire, a survey revealed.

Lloyds TSB Commercial said optimism about prospects for the coming six months were at their lowest since 1992 following a sharp hike in the number of firms reporting a fall in sales in the first half of the year.

Companies were pessimistic about sales, orders and profits, according to

A RECRUITMENT company has won its fourth top award.

Relay Recruitment took the title for best marketing campaign the the Recruiter Awards For Excellence 2008. The firm was also shortlisted for a UK Skills National Training Award.

The Recruiter Award is the latest honour for a company that has already amassed an enviable array of silverware in its 11 years of operation.

The winning project was Relay’s We’re Ten Years Old campaign, which announced the Bradford company’s 10th anniversary in 2007 and presented the benefits of being a Relay candidate or client.

Relay managing director Steven Street said: “We place great emphasis on original, effective marketing communications that register with target audiences, rather than being clever for the sake of it.”

■ TEAM LINE-UP: Millers Oils sales and marketing director Steve Woollven (left) with (from left) Martyn Mann, technical director; Andrew Miller, non-executive-chairman; Bob Weale, director of operations; Nevil Hall, finance director. Below, a shot of the new warehouse at the firm’s Brighouse headquarters

Investment boost for motor oil firm

A C O M PA N Y s u p p l y i n g high-performance motor oils is moving up a gear with a £1m-plus investment at its Brighouse headquarters.

Millers Oils said it was undertaking a range of improvements to its production facilities and computer systems to improve services to customers in the UK and overseas – and set the firm on course for “a period of sustained business growth and expansion”.

The work includes introducing a new IT support system to provide up-to-the-minute information on order processing, stock levels and production schedules – enabling Millers Oils to respond more quickly to customer needs, reduce production times and speed deliveries.

The company has also fitted out two new warehouses and improved its haulage operations to increase storage space for more than 3,000 products and pack lines.

Millers Oils has also installed new blending vessels to doubled blending capacity at the plant –

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improving its ability to manufacture larger batches of lubricants and fuel treatments.

Sales and marketing director Steve Woollven said: “Millers Oils has been built upon a solid reputation of consistently producing high quality advanced formulations based on industry leading technical expertise.

“These necessary improvements and upgrades to our site will provide Millers Oils with the long-term foundations to support our growth and expansion aims.

“We now have a site that matches our ambition to provide our growing and increasingly diverse customer base with the service levels they demand.”

Director on board PAUL Cook has been appointed manufacturing director for Meltham Mills Group.

Mr Cook (pictured) has 13 years experience in industry, having helped Koyo Bearings develop its greenfield site at Barnsley and helping Toyota at its manufacturing site in Derby.

Meltham Mills Group – which is based at the former David Brown tractor plant – is made up of Meltham Mills Engineering, which makes transmission parts for heavy-duty off-road vehicles, and

Meltham Mills Treatment, which provides heat treatment and surface engineering services to precision engineering companies.

Recent developments include MMG building partnerships to supply Scania trucks and ZF gearboxes with components.

Sales and marketing director Peter Fletcher said Mr Cook’s expertise in best manufacturing practice would help the group adopt world-leading production techniques and develop its staff.

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8 New role just fine for hardworking David September, 2008

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS

A DISABLED man made jobless by the closure by a factory closure is back in work after learning new skills.

Linthwaite man David Miller, 39, lost his job with the closure of Remploy’s Halifax factory earlier this year – part of a major shake-up of provision by Britain’s largest employer of disabled people.

Now he is back in work and learning new skills with Sowerby Bridg -based printers Silk Screen UK Ltd. Mr Miller, who has City & Guilds qualifications in printing and graphic design, spent 14 years with Remploy binding books and foil printing book spines.

Following the closure of the Remploy factory, he was determined to find another job as quickly as possible and worked with Remploy’s specialist employ-

ment advisers to enhance his CV, brush up on his interview skills and search for suitable jobs.

Mr Miller, who has speech and hearing disabilities, said: “I enjoyed my time at Remploy and developed many skills over the years.”

However, I am always keen to learn new things and when the f a c t o r y c l o s e d , Re m p l oy ’s employment advisor Lynn Exley helped me investigate new opportunities. The result was an interview with Silk Screen UK Ltd and the rest is now history!”

Mr Miller now prints graphics and text onto aerosol cans and bottles.

Howard Cowley, of Silk Screen UK Ltd, said: “David’s proving a real asset to our team. He has three bus journeys each way from his home in Huddersfield, but he’s punctual, reliable and skilful –

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exactly what all employers look for in their workers!”

Remploy closed a number of loss-making factories earlier this year, but pledged no compulsory redundancies.

It said modernising the business would enable the company to find 20,000 jobs in mainstream employment for people with disabilities and health conditions by 2012.

Last year, Remploy found 6,600 jobs in mainstream employment for people with a range of disabilities with employers including BT, Royal Bank of Scotland, Royal Mail, the NHS, Marks & Spencer and ASDA. It retains several factories, including one at Waterloo in Huddersfield making car seat headrests for leading vehicle manufacturers.

■ NEW OPENING: David Miller, of Linthwaite, is learning new skills at Sowerby Bridge-based printers Silk Screen UK Ltd after the closure of the Remploy factory in Halifax, where he worked for 14 years

Syngenta invests more in its key UK business A CHEMICAL company has announced plans to invest millions of pounds at its Huddersfield works as part of a major expansion of UK operations.

Syngenta said it would spend more than £100m on manufacturing and research and development over the next three years to allow the company to meet increasing demand for its crop protection products –as growers around the world seek to improve crop yields.

Some £5m will be invested at Leeds Road, Huddersfield, on upgrading equipment used to make ingredients for Syngenta’s range of herbicides, fungicides and insecticides.

Another £65m will go to Grangemouth, Scotland, where the facility will be expanded

over the next three years to increase production of ingredients used in Syngenta’s Amistar fungicide.

And £35m will be invested at the research and development centre in Berkshire, which focuses on developing new crop treatment products and product safety. The investment will help speed up the introduction of new products to Syngenta’s markets worldwide.

A spokesman said: “The investment in Huddersfield demonstrates that the site plays a major role in increasing food production. it is a great vote of confidence in the Huddersfield works.”

The company said the investments would strengthen Syngenta’s position as one of the

country’s 25 largest investors in research and development while underlining its contribution to UK manufacturing and exports.

Mark Peacock, head of global operations, said: “World food supply needs to increase by 50% over the next 20 years if growing demand is to be met. The use of crop protection products is an immediate and sustainable way to increase agricultural productivity.

“This announcement will enable Syngenta and the UK to play a leading role in providing growers around the world with the tools they need to protect and improve yield.”

Syngenta employs some 21,000 people in more than 90 countries.

Meeting up STAFF at a Brighouse-based training organisation are celebrating a whole new look for their premises.

Kirkdale Industrial Training Services has revamped its conference centre at Armytage Road and rebranded it junction 25 – a name chosen to reflect its location close to junction 25 of the M62.

The facelift included new indoor and external signs, redecoration and an upgraded registration area.

Centre Manager Christine Spark said: “Many of our customers choose us due to our convenient location and our central location on the M62 corridor. It therefore made sense to reflect our key selling point in our name.”

Old and new customers had the opportunity to sample the changes first hand at a recent open day hosted by KITS staff led by chief executive David Todhunter.

Mr Todhunter is pictured with centre manager Christine Sparks (second left) and administrative assistants Kim Cocks and Rachel Horner.

9

September, 2008

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS

Pressure points for business A HUDDERSFIELD accountancy f i r m i s s p e a r h e a d i n g a n ew stress-busting programme.

Holmfirth-based Rogers & Co is among a group of PROBIZ accountants promoting the FNG HeartMath programme to help business people and their families cope with the stress of working life and school, improve their health and help them concentrate and learn.

The company is sponsoring a free two-hour HeartMath preview event on 6.30pm on September 11 at the Galpharm Stadium in Huddersfield.

Delegates will get a full introduction to the systems and get the opportunity to join.

The system teaches relaxation techniques to combat the stress associated with the body’s natural “fight or flight” mechanisms – reducing adrenalin levels and helping people to manage their psychological state and improve their cognitive func-

tion.

Supporters of the system say the benefits include improved memory, better decision-making, greater creativity and better behaviour and performance.

HeartMath has been used by students to combat exam stress and by sportsmenj and women to improve their performance. Those using the system include golfers Nick Dougherty, Ian Woosnam and Vijay Singh.

Ashley Barrowclough, partner at Rogers & Co, said the system had particular benefits for business in terms of reduced stress-related illness and depression – helping staff perform better in the workplace. BP, Unilever and Hewlett Packard are among businesses to use the system.

Said Mr Rogers: “Often, we have no control over our environment.

However, we can control how we

Birthday fun for CragRats POURING rain failed to dampen the spirits when a restaurant celebrated its fifth anniversary with a free Midsummer Ball for its diner club members.

CragRats Brasserie, near Hepworth, Holmfirth, was transformed for the event, which featured a “human archway” welcoming guests into a marquee draped with silks and decorated with fairy lights and lilac and peach flowers.

Two costumed performers provided a Shakespearean theme while music was provided by a string quartet, a harpist and a lively band that kept the party going until the early hours. Canapes and champagne cocktails were served throughout the evening.

CragRats managing director Rob Machon said: “CragRats Brasserie has become a real destination for ‘foodies’.

THE CORPORATE BLUE & WHITE FOUNDATION ■ HEARTH OF THE MATTER: Ashley Barrowclough, of Rogers & Co, is aiming to take the pressure of firms with the HeartMath system

react to that environment using the HeartMath programme.

“Excessive pressure directly impacts the internal psychological processes of individuals – undermining performance, reducing perceptual clarity and directly impairing personal performance as well as health, well-being, resilience and quality of life.

“HeartMath techniques can be used to counteract the effects of pressure or negative emotion as well as provide long-term benefits.”

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10

September, 2008

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS

ON THE MOVE

Directors named for regional posts

ROYAL Bank of Scotland has appointed Mark Burton (left) as head of the large corporate team and David Clarke (right) as relationship director.

Mr Burton, 33, will lead a 14-strong team across Yorkshire responsible for providing financial solutions to new and existing customers with annual turnover exceeding £50m.

He has worked in the corporate arena for more than 10 years and joins from the north-east RBS corporate team, where he was director of the debt finance and origination team.

Mr Clarke joined the bank in 2006 and has more than 25 years banking experience – with the National Australia Group, Standard Chartered, Yorkshire Bank and nabCapital in Scotland and northern England.

He joined RBS from the bank’s global transactional services team, where he was an associate director .

Loans expert HSBC Private Bank has expanded its Yorkshire team with the appointment of lending specialist Sharon Theaker as associate director in its Leeds office.

Ms Theaker (pictured) joins the team from HSBC’s Yorkshire Corporate Banking Centre, where she spent more than four years advising mid-sized and large corporates on their borrowing needs.

Before that, she took up a secondment at YFM Group, where

TWO new appointments have been announced in Yorkshire by the Institute of Directors.

Claire Morley-Jones, the former chairman of the Yorkshire and Humber IoD’s Young Directors’ Forum, has been appointed chairman of the IoD’s West Yorkshire branch.

Charlotte Britton has been appointed chairman of the Young Directors’ Forum following two years as its vice-chairman.

Ms Morley-Jones, who has been an active member of the West Yorkshire committee for the past three years, is managing director of hr180° – a human resources advice and support service for small and medium-sized firms.

She said: “The West Yorkshire committee are an exceptional and dedicated group of people whom I am pleased to serve in the capacity of chairman. Together, we shall deliver innovation and added membership value.”

■ DIRECT LINES: Charlotte Britton (far left) and Claire Morley-Jones have taken up appointments with the Institute of Directors in Yorkshire and Humber

The YDF was formed in Yorkshire in 2006 to provide opportunities for emerging leaders in the region to develop their professional skills through workshops, events and mentoring and to network with likeminded individuals.

Ms Britton, who is director of Pollenation, a software consultancy with experience in bespoke software development, web design and online marketing, said: “I am delighted to be taking

over as chairman. I am enthusiastic about delivering our vision of providing emerging leaders with the support and development to enable their personal and business success.”

Both women were responsible for organising the 2007 Young Directors Conference, which featured high profile speakers, including Sir Digby Jones and offered delegates the chance to develop business skills and knowledge.

Fit for her new career she developed an interest in the investment strategies of high net worth individuals.

In her new role, she will reort to regional director for Yorkshire C h a r l o t t e P l at t s, providing lending and banking advice to those with a minimum of £2m in investable assets.

BEV Coates has been appointed manager for Total Fitness in Huddersfield.

Ms Coates, pictured right with her son Harvey, has worked in the fitness industry since leaving school and has a wealth of experience, including 11 years with another fitness centre chain.

She began her career as a lifeguard and swimming instructor, progressing to aerobics and personal training before moving into management.

Ms Coates, 33, of Linthwaite, has also passed on her skills to other fitness tutors by teaching and assessing on the YMCA’s NVQ 2 fitness courses.

Total Fitness at Waterloo has invested £500,000 on upgrading its facilitie, including a facelift for its club cafe, the introduction of a Starbucks, plasma televisions and internet access as well as providing a children’s play area.

Three join accountants

RECRUITMENT agency Unity Personnel has made two new appointments to help meet demand for more staff.

Shazia Hussain (right) joins the Leeds firm’s IT recruitment team while Mini Hussain joins the engineering department. She spent seven years working in IT in the City of London before moving to Yorkshire. She has worked for several technology firms delivering computer software consultancy to the financial markets and will spearhead the development of Unity’s IT department.

Mini will focus on expanding the engineering business in South Yorkshire. She brings a specialist understanding of the regional market, as well as contacts to help build Unity’s profile as an expert engineering recruiter.

ACCOUNTANCY firm PricewaterhouseCoopers has appointed Katherine Bullock, Madeline Thomson and Matthew Gibson (pictured) as partners.

Ms Bullock (right) leads the firm’s private client team in the north. She is also the national leader of the firm’s inheritance tax network.

The private client team provides entrepreneurs, family firms and high net worth individuals with a broad range of financial services.

Mr Gibson leads the firm’s international tax structuring practice in Yo r k s h i r e a n d t h e north-east.

He is recognised as one of the premier specialists in his field.

Ms Madeleine Thomson leads the firm’s performance improvement consulting practice in the region.

Her area of expertise covers operational cost management, overhead reduction and HQ transformation.

Healthy choice HEALTH plan provider LHF has appointed Jennifer Colbert as a marketing assistant.

Ms Colbert, 22, will assist the Leeds-based company with its marketing and public relations.

She will also be responsible for working with the company’s marketing and PR consultancies and report to senior marketing executive Sarika Shah.

Ms Colbert (pictured) gained a degree in media studies at Leeds Trinity & All Saints University College. Born in Hertfordshire. In her spare time, she supports rugby team London Wasps and enjoys horse riding and swimming.

Partners named

FOUR new partners have been named at the Leeds office of Cobbetts.

Penny Tate, who head the constructino team, becomes assured equity partner, while Johnny Crew and Tiffany Cloynes in real estate and Chris Ramage in banking have all made the move up to variable equity partner.

Role in research STOCKBROKER and investment manager Fyshe Horton Finney Ltd has appointed Mike Estrey as research director and investment manager, based in Huddersfield.

Mr Estrey has more than 20 years experience in the industry. He m o v e s f r o m L o ndon-based Blue Index, where he worked as head of research. He previously worked as h e a d o f i nve s t m e n t s t r a t e g y a t s eve r a l Manchester fir ms, including Henry Cooke Plc.

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September, 2008

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS

13

Awards ready to recognise the best businesses in town

By HENRYK ZIENTEK Business Reporter

henryk.zientek@examiner.co.uk

HUDDERSFIELD companies have a deserved reputation for producing high quality and innovative products and services for customers at home and overseas.

Even in these straitened times, many of our companies are overcoming the obstacles to excel in their respective sectors.

So now it’s time to turn the spotlight on the best the town has to offer in the field of industry and commerce with the launch of the 2008 Examiner Business Awards.

The Examiner has been joined by event sponsor Chadwick Lawrence in the search for the outstanding businesses and individuals who provide the engine room of the economy in Huddersfield.

Last year’s competition attracted a crop of top-calibre entries and culminated with a glittering awards night at the Galpharm Stadium.

Leading figures from the local business community joined category finalists, sponsors and their guests in the celebrations.

Entries are now invited for this year’s awards, which promise to be just as keenly contested as the 2007 event.

Organisers are seeking nominations for a host of categories which will recognise businesses of all types and sizes and reward excellence in a wide range of achievements.

The categories are: New Business of the Year, SME of the Year, Business of the Year, Community Award, International Business/Trader of the Year, Regeneration Award, Employer of the Year, Creative Enterprise Award, Green Award, Young Business Person of the Year and Business Person of the Year.

A panel of judges will select the category winners, who will be presented with trophies and certificates at the spectacular awards night on Thursday, November 13, at the Galpharm Sta-

dium.

BBC Look North presenter Harry Gration will again host the gala event.

The judging panel will include Jeremy Garside, managing partner of law firm Chadwick Lawrence, who encouraged businesses to step forward for consideration.

Jeremy Garside, managing partner at Chadwick Lawrence, said: “2006 saw the successful launch of the Huddersfield Business Awards, sponsored by Chadwick Lawrence.

“In 2007 the awards proved that the Kirklees area is thriving, which is why we are determined to continue to promote and support business success in the area.

“It is important to recognise the achievements of local businesses and their proprietors. For that reason Chadwick Lawrence is proud to be supporting the awards once again in 2008.”

Said Mr Garside: “The prosperity of everyone in the Huddersfield area depends upon the success of local business in both traditional and new industries.

“The Huddersfield Business Awards provide a focus on enterprise, the championing of best practice and demonstrate the contribution that business makes to the community.

“It is right that this contribution be acknowledged whatever the size of the business.

■ TOP TEAM: Linthwaite company Thornton and Ross receive their award for Business of the Year from Vicki Davenport (left) and Richard Allen (right), of The Pink Link, at the 2007 awards.

Who will walk away with the accolade this year?

“Huddersfield and the wider Kirklees area as a place to do business, continues to thrive with a well deserved reputation for business excellence and enterprise. Long may this continue.

“I look forward to another successful Business Awards event and wish all nominees the best of luck.”

Roy Wright, editor of the Examiner, said: “The awards provide an opportunity to celebrate the success of companies and individuals who have contributed significantly to the good of their organisations and the local economy.

“Now’s the chance to get involved in the 2008 awards – to put your business in the spotlight with staff, customers and suppliers alike.

“It’s also a chance to shout about our achievements, celebrate business success and underline

Huddersfield's reputation for enterprise and excellence.”

The judges will draw up a shortlist of three entries for each category, with the exception of Business Person of the Year where only one winner will be chosen.

Shortlisted entries will be featured in the Examiner and the winners will be announced at the not-to-be-missed awards night.

Tickets for the event, costing £50 plus VAT, are available by calling the events team on 01484 437702.

Information on the awards – including facts about previous winners and category sponsors – will appear in the Examiner over coming weeks.

Visit www.examiner.co.uk/businessawards or email business awards@examiner.co.uk

Take your pick from these categories

New Business of the Year Did your business begin trading after January 1st 2007? Since then have you demonstrated a strong market position with prospects for growth? Judges will be looking for a solid business plan and a determination to succeed.

SME of the Year For companies employing less than 250 people. This award recognised outstanding performance in the region. Can you demonstrate that your recent past performance and/or future potential has, or will contribute to the development of the region’s economy?

Fyshe Horton Finney Business of the Year Does your company employ more than 250 people? Can you demonstrate business achievements, growing financial performance and contribution to local prosperity? The judges are on the look out for businesses that can demonstrate outstanding performance in the region.

Community Award Have you, your organisation or your employees made a committed and proactive contribution to the enhancement and benefit of your local community? The judges will be on the look out for evidence of how you have used good

business management to achieve these goals.

Natwest Bank International Business of the Year Has your business generated a substantial and sustained increase in activity outside of the region? The judges will look for evidence of the barriers that you have overcome and the degree to which national and international sales have created jobs in the region.

Eddisons Chartered Surveyors Regeneration Award Have you been involved in the renovation or redevelopment of a business, dilapidated property or area?

Has your organisation brought fresh employment into a district or introduced innovative solutions to overcome a long standing regeneration need? The winning organisation will be one that has contributed towards regeneration within local communities.

Employer of the Year Can your organisation demonstrate a contribution to the enhancement of its employees? The judges will seek evidence of training and development, personal care, pay, working environment and other terms and conditions of employment.

Creative Enterprise Award This category rewards business and individuals that have excelled at creative enterprise. This can encompass a wide range of businesses from graphic design, marketing, print, fashion and innovation. Can you show evidence of innovative use of creativity and new technology? Have you incorporated or implemented e-commerce opportunities throughout your business with a demonstrable impact on the commercial return of the business?

Green Award Can you show how your organisation has applied environmental policies in the workplace? Have your products or services made an outstanding contribution to environmental improvement.

Young Business Person of the Year

Are you, or do you know someone, aged below 35, employed by or running, a business in the region? Have you/they enhanced the reputation of a company or shown outstanding individual achievement?

Enter now to highlight the hard work and dedication that you/they deserve in your community

Chadwick Lawrence Solicitors Business Person of the Year Do you or one of your colleagues act as an inspiration to others? Do they stand out as an individual who has grown the reputations of both the region and of their company representing the entrepreneurial spirit that typifies the region’s resilience and resurgence? Could they be the Business Person of the Year?

To enter the awards you can download an entry form from www.examiner.co.uk/businessawards.

You can also get a form by phoning 01484 437702 or email businessawards’examiner.co.uk Closing date for entries is Friday, September 19

14

September, 2008

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS

Sponsors proud to back the search for our business elite

CHADWICK Lawrence LLP Solicitors is sponsoring the H u d d e rs f i e l d B u s i n e s s Awards for the third year running – having supported the inaugural awards in 2006 and last year’s competition.

Known as “Yorkshire’s Legal People” Chadwick Lawrence is one of West Yorkshire’s leading law firms and believes in both the importance of celebrating the success of local businesses and recognising the efforts of their people.

Chadwick Lawrence’s head office has been at its Huddersfield Railway Street premises since 1998.

The company employs 115 lawyers with over 40 at the Huddersfield site alone.

Support and administration staff take the team to over 200 across Yorkshire. Chadwick Lawrence is ideally placed to offer support and advice to the local business community.

The firm stages regular awareness seminars and training sessions both on its own account and with other business groups in the town to spotlight important issues impacting on the regional business community.

Jeremy Garside, managing partner of Chadwick Lawrence, said: “Our commercial team works predominantly for small to medium sized businesses with up to a £40m turnover.

“We offer a complete service to businesses, drawing on the wide range of expertise that we continually build, equipping us to handle almost all aspects of business law.

“The other division of our business is personal law and again we employ specialist lawyers to deal with the many facets of the law for

individuals and families.”

The growth and expansion of the Chadwick Lawrence commercial services team continued in 2008 – expanding geographically, particularly with the new Wakefield office, which opened in January, 2008.

Chadwick Lawrence is a keen supporter of the Huddersfield Town Centre Partnership and takes a keen interest in promoting efforts to foster economic growth.

The launch of a specialist legal team to assist businesses with commercial property advice and risk management has proved invaluable in helping the owners of commercial property and landlords – or indeed tenants – of the same.

The current economic climate has brought new questions and challenges for property based businesses meaning that we as a business and our lawyers need to be fully up to speed and flexible to economic trends.

The commercial services team is made up of three departments: corporate and commercial property, commercial litigation (including regulatory law) and employment law.

Accessing the right advice at the right time is crucial for business owners who are faced with making important decisions about the future of their business or indeed in handling any other problems, challenges or dilemmas they may encounter.

Business clients who work with Chadwick Lawrence are secure in the knowledge that the commercial services team's legal ability and commercial awareness is always on hand to give help and advice.

Specialist solicitors are happy to deal with issues such as employment law, commercial contracts, c o m m e rc i a l p ro p e r t y wo rk ,

■ CENTRE STAGE: Jeremy Garside (right) presents the 2007 Business Person of the Year Award to David Armitage, of Sellers Engineering, watched by Mr Armitage’s wife Carol

■ LEGAL TEAM: Chadwick Lawrence managing partner Jeremy Garside (left) with colleagues (from left) Nigel Wilson, Emma Pearmaine, Sarah Hallen and Michael Watson employee compliance and training, disputes, licensing and planning, health and safety and much more.

Chadwick Lawrence covers the whole of Kirklees, Calderdale and Wakefield.

As well as its Huddersfield base, Chadwick Lawrence has offices in Dewsbury, Halifax, Morley, Pudsey and Wakefield.

For further information, visit www.chadwicklawrence.co.uk

Law firm has strong record of providing support and sound advice to businesses

15

September, 2008

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS

New recruits join flooring specialist

A FIRM providing wood flooring and underfloor heating systems has bucked the trend to increase its business – and recruit more staff.

Warmawood Group, based at Miry Lane, Thongsbridge, said sales of its products were rising as homeowners and developers sought to improve the energy efficiency of their properties and focus on renewable energy in the light of Government targets to reduce the nation’s carbon footprint.

The company, headed by managing director Ian Roberton, is market leader in providing bespoke oak flooring for the underfloor heating industry.

Its latest expansion phase follows its successful appearance earlier this year at the National Homebuilding & Renovating Show, held at the NEC in Birmingham. It has also launched two new products and unveiled a new website and brochure in the past few months.

Warmawood is also opening new premises and a renewable energy centre – the only one of its kind in Yorkshire. It has also assembled a new fleet of vans for its national installation team.

The company has attracted outside investment and is getting advice on improving its operations from Dean Morgan, of the Manufacturing Advisory Service in Yorkshire.

Mr Roberton said: “Warmawood is experiencing massive growth as renewable energies are on the increase with the government’s push to reduce our carbon footprint by 20% by 2010.

“As Warmawood continues to expand, we have made a number of new appointments to bring the head office team to 20 employees.”

The new recruits include Lisa Hyde as sales executive, Nicky brown as PA to Mr Roberton, data entry officer Rebecca Mills, installations manager Kevin Devlin and Katrina Hawkins

Swift flies in A LOCKWOOD-based businessman has spearheaded a charity fundraising drive.

Chris Swift, managing director of Swift Blinds and Curtains Ltd, of Lockwood Road, is pictured presenting a cheque for £2,350 to Sally Watson, of Cancer Research UK. The money was raised during Mr Swift’s time as president of trade body the British Blind and Shutter Association, which represents more than 400 accredited members across the UK. Mr Swift, who served a two-year-term, chose Cancer Research for his second year in office – with the funds raised through events such as the annual dinner, a cricket match and a golf tournament.

UNIVERSITY VIEW John Thompson

Back enterprise OW can we best support those H university students who show a real interest in starting their own

■ TEAM WORK: Managing director Ian Roberton (left), with staff (from left) Kevin Devlin, Rebecca Mills, Craig Burley, Nicky Browne, Lorna Dearnley, Wendy Wilkinson, Lisa Hyde, Kathrina Hawkins

as marketing and public relations director.

Ms Hyde joins the company with extensive experience as a sales negotiator and team leader in estate agency and property valuation.

Ms Browne, who has been with the company six years, is promoted to PA from the post of installations manager while Ms Mills joins Warmawood’s graduate programme. She is a second year student at Leeds University studying English language.

Mr Devlin joins Warmawood after four years in the building industry and previous experience in a Royal Navy and as a firefighter.

He is a qualified maintenance fitter.

Australian Ms Hawkins joins the company after working for market leaders including Diageo, Pernod Ricard and SC Johnson at an international level in marketing, strategy development, sales, promotions and PR. She has degrees in business and commerce and text writing and philosophy.

business or becoming self employed after they graduate?

It is almost 10 years ago since we started to plan what became the Huddersfield Business Generator (HBG) in the Media Centre, and the HBG, together with its “sister” the on-campus Business Mine, has supported well over 200 start ups and contributed to the local economy.

But all of the students who passed through were developing their ideas outside their courses – either in their own time whilst a student or after they graduated.

Some of them would be studying entrepreneurship and small business courses, but not all of them.

A new initiative blends academic study with the experience of starting a real business. Our ground-breaking BA(Hons) Enterprise Development degree is being launched in September this year and will run from September, 2009.

Self-made retail millionaire and member of the Dragons’ Den panel, Theo Paphitis, has agreed to act as an ambassador for the degree and he will be at the September press conference.

In their first year, the would-be entrepreneurs will evaluate and screen a number of ideas to find an opportunity worth pursuing.

In their second year they will plan the business and study a range of relevant business modules. They will launch the business and then be running it during their third year.

They will study, just as they would on a less experiential degree, but they will also learn by doing and learn from doing.

They will be required to reflect upon their experiences and document their learning.

The degree will suit those people who are sure self employment is the route they want to follow after they graduate, but don’t feel ready to start without further study and qualification.

Some who have been actively engaged in Young Enterprise or who have started their own initiative either to make money or raise money for a good cause will know if they are inclined that way.

Their big challenge will be to convince us!

Why are we doing it? Entrepreneurship is no longer a strange path for a graduate; television programmes have helped change their perceptions.

More and more young people are showing an interest in start up. But many young businesses still struggle and may not even survive.

The people behind them may be technically competent but lack insight into how to actually run a business. This is the gap we want to fill.

John Thompson is Professor of Entrepreneurship at the University of Huddersfield

16

September, 2008

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS

Making sure manufacturing plays its part

THEY say that a week is a long time in politics.

As things stand, it seems we might be able to add the word “economy” to that maxim.

On a national basis, who would have envisaged, just a month or so ago, that the optimism surrounding UK manufacturing – so upbeat and forward-looking – is now much less confident than it was back then?

The most recent survey published by the CBI at the beginning of August reports that the bulk of manufacturers across the country expect production to fall in the third trading quarter of 2008 – with the West Midlands and Scotland expected to be hit the hardest.

According to this survey, a slowing economy and mounting inflationary pressures have exacerbated this gloomy picture.

Over the second trading quarter of 2008, average unit costs rose at their fastest rate since 1988 and manufacturers expect costs to rise further in the coming months.

So what has gone wrong in so short a time?

And is manufacturing in Yorkshire facing the same bleak outlook?

To answer these questions objectively, it is sensible to examine the underlying criteria driving this change in fortune, and seemingly significant, downturn in business confidence.

There has been a change in circumstances, which it must be recognised has occurred very suddenly and is in sharp contrast to the conclusions drawn in the recent report published by manufacturers’ organisation EEF in June entitled Modern Manufacturing – The High

ALAN HALL, director for EEF North East Region, provides an insight into the trading performance of manufacturing in our region as we enter the third trading quarter of 2008.

Performers (available at www.eef.org.uk).

This study painted a very different picture and reported that large parts of the UK’s manufacturing sector were outperforming the rest of the economy – which indeed they are and are well-prepared to weather the current ■ SCIENCE LESSON: Hi-tech industries help underpin Yorkshire’s manufacturing base economic situation.

The report also contains newly published competing successfully across the globe and reports that two out of three people believe analysis revealing the top twenty high perform- what is especially notable is the diversity of their employment prospects are worse now ing sectors within UK manufacturing. activities that are thriving. than they were a year ago and over a third It highlights the strengths of manufacturing Alongside the well-documented success stor- believe their jobs are less secure now than they in the UK – painting a picture of diversity and ies of aerospace and pharmaceuticals, are man- were then. vibrancy, from aerospace to pharmaceuticals. ufacturing sectors producing scientific Trevor Williams, Lloyds TSB’s chief ecoThe research concludes that not only are many instruments, mechanical appliances, food, nomist, said: “Job concerns will inevitably parts of the UK manufacturing sector high chemicals and basic metals – many of which affect people’s willingness to spend money, performing, but some are reporting stronger have demonstrated strong growth patterns and hitting the economy as a whole. If people don’t growth rates than their equivalents in France established solid reputations in international feel safe in their jobs and high prices are putting markets. Moreover here in Yorkshire – these incomes under pressure, then demand for disand Germany.

This report is the final nail in the coffin of the manufacturing sectors are more than well cretionary purchases will naturally slow.” myth that manufacturing is in decline in York- represented.

This may prove to be the accelerant that tips The latest study indicates that companies in the economy over the edge into full-blown shire. Here, the reality is of a dynamic, innovative and increasingly high value sector that is Yorkshire, Wales and Northern Ireland have recession and may become the catalyst that done relatively well in the last quarter, particu- further drives down demand in those manufaclarly those exporting into Europe. – their strong turing sectors which are reliant on the domestic performance aided by the weakness of sterling market for survival. against the euro.

Failing consumer confidence is also reflected The EEF Modern Manufacturing report in the findings of a Nationwide Building Socidraws the same conclusions, indicating that ety study published this month, which reports manufacturers are proving to be most resilient that 8% has been wiped off house prices in the to the worsening economic climate. past 12 months, reducing residual values by an We’re now into the third trading quarter of average £15,000.

2008 and what seems to have dented confidence If this trend continues, then Nationwide so markedly in certain segments of the manu- predict that by the end of the year 1.7m facturing sector is the increasing realisation households will be operating with negative that the domestic economy is verging on reces- equity. sion.

This then, does not bode well for buoyant Dwindling confidence seems to be more demand generating from the consumer sector prevalent among manufacturers active in low over the forthcoming period, as household technology sectors and selling predominantly budgets are squeezed through higher energy With ever changing legislation, into the domestic market. maintaining up to date Health & Safety costs, higher food bills, higher fuel prices and This is understandable when the slowdown and Environmental Management in the domestic economy, so well documented less flexibility in the housing market.

So what are the implications for manufacturSystems is as important to modern now, has shown demand fall significantly in ing sectors in our region? recent months. business, as effective sales techniques, It’s always easier to talk things down, rather Regionally – and probably why statistics and HR and quality control systems. reports appear to be contradictory about the than talk things up, but the fact remains – the As one of the largest specialist training true picture across the Yorkshire region – the next two to three years are going to be very successes of the high performing manufactur- difficult, not just for manufacturing, but also providers in the region, our remit is to enable ing sectors have tended to overshadow the for the economy as a whole. businesses to keep abreast of up to date legislative Here at EEF we will be focusing on supportperformance of those companies operating in ing manufacturing not just here in Yorkshire requirements and to provide skills levels and qualifications the low tech sectors. for your staff, which ensure implementation of best practice.

Recent events have been dictated by the but right across the UK through our close links global economy. More specifically, the record with government. We will continue to lobby the We run a comprehensive range of courses throughout the price of crude oil and the unprecedented government to provide additional support for year through our regional centres in Sheffield and Leeds increase in energy prices have combined not the manufacturing sector to further protect and only to increase the cost of production, but enhance business interests. and many of our courses are accredited.

Later in the year we will also be highlighting have also impacted heavily on consumer conopportunities for manufacturers in the Local fidence.

Training areas include:- Other business services include:Manufacturers trading into export markets Carbon Economy and our close relationship • Conferencing Facilities • Health & Safety have been able to pass some of these increased and work with the development agency on production costs on and a weak sterling skills issues is another ongoing initiative that • Occupational Health • Environmental exchange rate has further assisted in maintain- we will continue to develop.

Service Provision Management Here in Yorkshire, we have a strong and ing output.

But manufacturers relying on domestic thriving hi-tech manufacturing sector. We • Specialist HS&E and • Employment Law demand have not been able to pass these costs expect this sector to continue to grow in value, Environmental Consultancy • Professional Skills on so readily and have had to absorb many of as well as in stature, in the global marketplace • Training Room Hire Development these costs internally, at the expense of profit. over the forthcoming period. Our relationship This too, it should be remembered, has all with design and innovation centres will thereFor full details of all our courses, dates and venues happened within a very short time frame and fore be further strengthened to provide advice has to be viewed in the wider context of the and support to this manufacturing sector. visit our website at: www.training-eef.co.uk For more information on EEF or any of its domestic economy which, whilst not officially or email our dedicated support team at: in recession came perilously close in the last services call - 0113 289 2671(Leeds), team@eef-yandh.org.uk or call us on: 0113 289 2671 0114 268 0671 (Sheffield) or 0191 416 5656 trading period.

Research just published by Lloyds TSB (Washington) or visit www.eef.org.uk

Do your Health & Safety or Environmental Management Systems need a check up?

17

September, 2008

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS

Make a name for yourself A COMPANY making name badges and signs had urged Kirklees firms to make a name for themselves in an annual award.

Recognition Express, which has a site at Ruth Street in Newsome, has extended the deadline for its Recognition Awards, which aim to make small and medium-sized organisations more aware of the importance of acknowledging individual achievement in the workplace.

The awards, now in their fifth year, are a free and simple way for employers and staff to recognise the loyalty and effort of colleagues who go “that extra mile” for their organisation.

Entry forms are available by phoning 01242 245789 or at www.recognition -express.com The deadline for entries is August 29 and regional judging will take place in September. The national winner will be announced in the autumn.

Employer sparkles HIGH street jeweller Beaverbrooks is celebrating after being named employer of the year at the UK Jewellery Awards.

The family-owned company, which has a store at King Street in Huddersfield, was shortlisted for two other categories – retailer of the year and multiple retailer of the year. The awards were presented at a ceremony at Park Lane, London.

Earlier this year, Beaverbrooks was ranked third in the Sunday Times Best Company to Work For Index and sixth in the Financial Times Best Workplace 2008.

Beaverbrooks managing director Mark Adlestone said: “We’re so proud to be given the award for employer of the year.

It’s great to be recognised by the industry and for the efforts and successes of our people to be rewarded.

“At Beaverbrooks, we pride ourselves on creating a positive culture that inspires our people to achieve great results.”

Agency hits all its targets

■ SOLID SUCCESS: David Blakeborough (centre), partner at Eaton Smith, presents the monthly business award to Denise and Greg Collier (third and second right), of G&D Enterprises Ltd, watched by (from left) Stephen Baxter and Greg Robertson, of Robertson Baxter; Paul Shelton, of the Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce; and Malcolm Tracey, of Eaton Smith

Steel fabricators prove their worth

A STEEL fabrications firm has designs on a secure future after winning a business award.

G & D Enterprises Ltd was named as the latest winner of the monthly award run

by Huddersfield law firm Eaton Smith and the Lockwood-based Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce.

The award was presented to owners Denise and Greg Collier by Eaton Smith partner David Blakeborough.

Greg and Denise Collier set up G & D Enterprises in 2000 with less than £100 and a trust Rover Metro. They became known as much for their motto – No Job Too Small – as they did for their quality work and their security posts aimed at the

caravan industry.

Eight years on, their product range, team and business has moved on. Greg’s solid approach to engineering and Denise’s Antipodean charm and flair has established their company as a key supplier for well-designed steel fabricated security.

But their motto still holds true. They have worked with architects, councils and major corporations on a whole range of items.

Commissions have ranged from producing high temperature steel access doors for the Drax Power Station to architectural mesh braziers for the planting of flowers.

Unusual assignments have included providing “wibbly-wobbly” fencing in Chickenley, a “crown of lights” in Heckmondwike, flower-shaped rain shelters for schools and small items for the Chelsea Flower Show.

Their technical expertise and customer service have also gained the partners heritage commissions to replicate and restore established pieces of street and park furniture.

With a hefty portfolio behind them, a workforce of 15 and the continued desire to enter new markets, the future is looking very secure for this Lockwood-based company.

A GROUP promoting the Yorkshire economy has smashed all its annual targets set by Government.

Regional development agency Yorkshire Forward – which has more than £357m to invest in growing the regional economy – has exceeded or met all its targets since its was formed in 1997.'s economy.

Over the past 12 months, the agency has helped to create or safeguarded more than 25,400 jobs in the region – 13% above its target and the highest figure for for any regional development agency in England.

Through the re-launched Business Link Yorkshire, the agency also helped create more than 1,230 new businesses and supported more than 29,000 existing firms improve their performance, smashing the target of 23,575.

Collaboration between businesses and the region’s universities enabled firms to make use of ground-breaking research and technology. Yorkshire Forward helped 353 businesses to work with universities and reap the benefits during the past 12 months.

Investment for regeneration developments across the region totalled £271.6m against a target of £210.5m.

Working with the public and private sectors, the agency beat its target for regenerating disused industrial land by 8%.

In the past 12 months, Yorkshire Forward helped 35,165 people improve their skills and helped 11,200 people into work.

Recruitment online AN online recruitment service for marketing people has launched three new divisions – just three months after the business was set up.

Agencybods.co.uk, headed by Brighouse businessman Carl Hopkins, has formed the new divisions – firstagencybods.co.uk, newbusinessbods.co.uk, and tempagencybods.co.uk – in response to agency and candidate demand for roles within specific sectors.

Firstagencybods.co.uk will target university graduates keen to begin their marketing careers in the agency world. Two Huddersfield University graduates have already been placed into full-time positions and several other local institutions have expressed interest in the initiative.

Tempagencybods.co.uk will help place

agency people into temporary roles with more flexible working hours while newbusinessbods.co.uk is focused on finding suitable positions for new business managers and directors in marketing and creative agencies.

To promote the brand further, agencybods.co.uk also sponsored the Yorkshire Publicity Association’s annual ball.

The event also saw agencybods.co.uk strengthening its partnership with Breast Cancer Haven Yorkshire, which receives a donation for every candidate that registers with the service. The charity wass the main beneficiary of a raffle held during the awards.

Mr Hopkins said he was keen to develop greater links between education and enterprise.

managing & protecting your wealth

contact Greg Robertson or Stephen Baxter

T 01484 608 095 www.robertsonbaxter.co.uk

18

September, 2008

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS

Staff ratings come to the fore

EMPLOYERS' BRIEFING Neil Wilson

Disputed matters MPLOYMENT relations service E ACAS has recently announced that the number of employment tribunal

claims passed to them has risen by almost a quarter in the last year alone.

ACAS is involved in attempting to settle disputes before they reach the tribunal arena and the positive news is that figures show ACAS have successfully intervened and conciliated in 75% of cases.

This intervention ensures that fewer cases are heard in the tribunal and in the majority of cases it reduces the costs to the employer of such litigation.

Because of this intervention, 81% of work places have reported an improvement in employment relations which highlights the benefits of this conciliation service.

Ed Sweeney, who chairs ACAS, commented: “ACAS has continued to play a central role in the employment relations arena not only in resolving disputes but also in providing valuable advice and guidance to employers and employees.”

As a result of the Gibbons Review, which looked at employment tribunal procedure and in particular the statutory discipline and grievance procedures, ACAS will receive up to £37m of extra funding over the next three years.

Following the review, the Employment Bill is likely to come into force next year and will abolish the statutory discipline and grievance procedures.

Instead, the tribunal will look at the ACAS Code of Practice for dispute resolution in assessing whether an employer handled a particular matter reasonably or not.

Acas will use the increase in funding to prepare for the implementation of this Bill and improve further the services it offers.

Chief executive John Taylor explained: “Much of our work over the next 12 months will focus on expanding our services and intervening earlier in individual disputes in anticipation of the changes likely to come into effect in April, 2009.”

The code has received some criticism though, particularly in that it is aimed at medium to large businesses rather than small firms, many of which do not have HR departments and will find the code too complicated.

It is also felt that the code will not result in reduced costs being incurred or a reduction in claims being lodged at the Employment Tribunal.

A leading law firm has commented: “Hopes that the dispute resolution procedures will be replaced with more effective, less burdensome machinery will be dashed following the Government’s proposal to introduce a code of practice which has 43 points.”

The consultation on the code closed at the end of July and it remains to be seen whether these concerns will affect the final draft being put through Parliament currently.

Neil Wilson is an Employment Lawyer at Chadwick Lawrence Solicitors

■ MINE WORKS: Huddersfield University business mentors Paul Greetham (front) and Michelle Hoggard with candidates for the Business Mine Bursary

Budding tycoons bid for bursaries

FIVE budding businesses have been given a boost with bursaries worth thousands of pounds.

Students and recent graduates from Huddersfield University were invited to apply for five bursaries, each worth £2,400, to further their business ideas.

From 34 applications, 12 were chosen to make their “pitch” before a Dragon’s Den-style panel of judges.

The bursaries were awarded to Laura Pearce, of interior design business Concept & Spaces Ltd; Alison Whitmarsh, whose business Proper Maid provides luxury home baking; milliner and make-up artist Harriet Steele; Josh Reed, of independent record company Little Power Records; and sports coach specialist David O’Sullivan, of Sports Performance UK. Other businesses to reach the 12-strong shortlist included a music tutor, an animator and digital film maker, a textile designer and a firm designing

interactive table-top war games.

The judges were Business Link advisers Janet Wrathall and Lynne Martin; Chris Shaw, of public relations firm Pink Elephant; and Carol Cloughton, senior marketing lecturer at the university.

The event was organised by Michelle Hoggard, business start-up adviser for the university’s Business Mine and busniess mentor Paul Greetham.

Michelle said all the candidates had been offered one-to-one mentoring to develop their businesses.

She said: “Awards like this increase businesses’ chances of success and help candidates avoid the pitfalls as learning the hard way is not effective or fun!”

Business Mine, based at the Queensgate campus, provides support for students and graduates to research and try out their business ideas. It also run business advice workshops and provides facilities and support for business development.

Pareto in office move A GRADUATE assessment, placement and training company has moved to new regional offices in Kirklees.

Pareto Law has announced the move to Centre 27 Business Park, Birstall, as part of efforts to support its team working with major employers such as Northern Foods and Oval Insurance to select and train top graduates for sales roles across the region.

Pareto is also combining its East Midlands operations, originally run from the Yorkshire office, with its West Midlands business in new offices at Aston Science Park.

The company already works with organisations including Experian Payments, CAT Financial Services and NextiraOne in the Midlands.

The company said that its larger office and combined team aimed to enhance the service to clients.

Spokesman Sam Field said: “The new premises will allow us to hold assessment centres and training courses for a growing number of graduates and clients, ensuring we continue to provide exceptional service to businesses across the regions.”

STAFF appraisals can have a major impact on businesses, a Kirklees human resources specialist has stressed.

Julie Sykes, of JCS Human Resources Consulting, based at Shepley, was speaking after working with a Birstall-based family business to ensure that their staff appraisal procedures were up to scratch.

The company, formed more than 30 years ago, was asked to make improvements to its staff appraisal procedures by the British Standards Institute during a 2007 audit of the firm’s ISO 9001 accreditation.

Ms Sykes was hired to help turn things round.

She said: ““I reviewed the existing processes, which were a great starting point and assessed how and where improvements could be made.

“Working very closely with the senior managers, we made a number of simple, but significant improvements and the new processes were implemented in April, 2008.”

She said: “Employers mustn’t underestimate the power that appraisals can have.

“The real purpose of appraisals is to develop staff and improve their performance, therefore, improving business performance.

“However, as this case illustrates, appraisals can have an even more direct and immediate impact on a business.”

Company news to share?

Contact Henryk Zientek on 01484 437766

September, 2008

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS

New space saver

A NEW space-saving product has been launched by a Huddersfield firm – to help companies when staff normally working from home descend on the office!

Volume Products Ltd, based at Colne Road, has unveiled MOVE Work – a compact unit on castors that incorporates removable storage, power and pull out “work tablet”, which can be used by people who work in the office only occasionally.

Managing director Mark Partridge said: “Since petrol and diesel prices started spiralling out of control, enquiries regarding MOVE Work have increased significantly.

“Home working is heralded as one way of fighting the fuel costs. Advances in mobile technology, fast reliable internet access, video conferencing and cheaper laptops allow many individuals to work equally effectively from the comfort of their own home.

“This can drastically reduce the number of days commuting to the office each week, leading to significant savings at the pumps.”

But he said: “With about one in eight of us now working from home at least part of the week, organisations are suddenly discovering that desks are sitting empty for up to four or five days a week – a waste of expensive floor space.

“With this in mind, we’ve developed a range of workstations designed for people who only visit the office occasionally.

“When the employee is in the office, they simply pull MOVE Work over to a comfortable seat, pull out the work tablet, plug in their laptop and work away.

“At other times the unit, which takes up significantly less space than a traditional workstation, can be stored in a convenient corner or against a wall.”

Volume Products specialises in designing and building mobile office. Its first product, a mobile lockable office called The Macropod, was an award-winner at the London Workplace 01 exhibition.

■ OFFICE WORK: Mark Partridge with the company’s first big hit, the Macropod. Now it has developed a new system aimed at employees who normally work away from the office

19 Helpers get a helping hand in Kirklees

Take a stress-busting break THESE businesswomen enjoyed a networking break away from the office at an event organised by the HSBC. Some 18 people attended the HSBC Discover the Real You Day at the Willow Lodge Retreat near Penistone. Willow Lodge is a recent extension to the established occupational therapy business of Prohms Ltd. The day included sessions with a professional life coach to boost self confidence and well-being and find out how businesswomen could meet the demands of today’s society.

Delegates also learned de-stressing techniques

using yoga meditation in the workplace. They also talked with a homeopath and physiotherapist working at Willow Lodge.

The day ended with a choice of relaxing in a hot tub, taking a dip in the swimming pool or enjoy a therapeutic hand massage.

Jill Hague, head of Commercial Banking for HSBC in Huddersfield, said: “This was an excellent event for some of our leading business women in the area who rarely have the opportunity to take time out for themselves.

“We all deserve to switch off and have ‘me’ time and this was the perfect venue to do just that.”

More firms face ‘critical’ worries as crunch hits MORE than 400 firms across Yorkshire and the north-east face “critical problems” in the wake of the credit crunch, a survey has revealed.

Figures from insolvency firm Begbies Traynor show there were 405 companies with critical problems in the second quarter of 2008.

That is more than 22% up on the total of 328 companies on the critical list in the p rev i o u s q u a r t e r a n d almost six times higher than the 53 in the second quarter of 2007.

The annual increase is the fourth highest in the UK. Companies rated as “critical” are those facing county court judgements totalling £5,000 or more or those facing winding-up petitions.

Meltham man Peter Sargent, partner at the Halifax-based office of Begbies Traynor, said: “The combination of adverse economic conditions and tightening credit availability has had a serious impact

on companies in the second quarter of 2008.

“This trend is expected to continue and will undoubtedly lead to more companies being pushed into insolvency over the coming months.”

Nationally, 4,258 companies faced critical problems in the first quarter of 2008 compared with 3,309 in the first quarter of the year and just 542 in the second quarter of 2007.

The worst-hit region was the south-east with almost 2,000 companies with critical problems during the second quarter of this year.

But the highest percentage i n c re a s e s we re i n t h e north-west and Wales followed by the East Midlands.

Based on previous Begbies Traynor research, about 15% of companies experiencing the most difficult circumstances will enter into a formal insolvency procedure within 12 months.

■ WARNING: Peter Sargent, of the Association of Business Recovery Professionals, said the mix of adverse economic conditions and tightening credit availability had a serious impact on firms in the second quarter of 2008.

BUSINESS experts are set to lend a helping hand to social enterprises in Kirklees.

A series of free workshops will be held throughout the region by Business Link Yorkshire to help social enterprises – businesses that reinvest their profits into local communities.

They include workshops which will run from 9.30am to 12.30pm and from 1.30pm to 4.30pm on September 17 at the Media Centre, Northumberland Street, Huddersfield.

A n t o n y R a d l e y, head of social enterprise at Business Link, said: “Social enterprise is recognised as an increasingly important business model.

Young entrepreneurs in particular are often motivated by the ethical perspective of p l o u g h i n g p ro f i t s back into communities.

“Ideas can be as diverse as recycling schemes, services for older people or innovative childcare.

Increasingly, social enterprises might be providing services for the public sector.

“The common factor is that profit is reinvested into communities in order to have greater social impact, as opposed to being divided amongst shareholders.

“However, social enterprises still need the skills to compete in a commercial market and face the same challenges as more t r a d i t i o n a l b u s inesses.”

Workshop topics will include business ideas for social enterprises, legal issues and governance.

Others will cover areas such as business planning, how to find finance, how to win public sector work, employment, m a r ke t i n g , s o c i a l accounting and opportunities in the heath sector.

To register a place, call 0845 6048048 or go to www.businesslinkyorkshire.co.uk

20

September, 2008

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS

Get set for some savings

TAX TALK Colin Barratt

Wheeling and dealing FIT and healthy workforce can A have positive benefits on the performance of a business.

And there exists tax incentives for both employers and their staff to improve their financial and physical wellbeing.

Under a Cycle to Work scheme, an employer can buy or hire a bike and lend this to their employees without the employees having to pay any tax and employers can recover their costs in providing such bikes.

The scheme is open to any employer and all employees can take part. Employees taking part must do so on the condition that bikes are used mainly for qualifying journeys, which are between the employee’s home and work place or for work-related travel. In this case, mainly means 50% of the time used for qualifying journeys. Where these conditions apply, the loan of the bike will not give rise to a taxable benefit on the employee.

Businesses buying bikes and safety equipment such as lights and reflective clothing to loan to their employees can reclaim the VAT incurred (if registered). Also, they can claim an immediate write off against profits of the cost of the equipment under the new capital allowances Annual Investment Allowance regime as long as the total amount of all qualifying expenditure does not exceed the £50,000 per year.

Where bike and cyclists' safety equipment are leased, the leasing costs will generally be deductible as an expense in computing the business profits.

Under the scheme, bikes and safety equipment are then made available to employees on a long term loan. No changes to an employee’s salary arrangements are necessary, but an employer can choose to recover the cost of providing the bike – in which case, the employer and employee can agree to a salary sacrifice arrangement for the loan of the bike to the employee.

A salary sacrifice happens when an employee gives up the right to receive part of their cash pay due under their contract of employment in return for a non cash benefit.

In doing so, an employee saves tax and NIC on that part of the salary forgone and the employer also saves its NIC. A salary sacrifice cannot be used if in doing so the employee’s gross pay drops below the National Minimum Wage.

At the end of the loan period, usually 18 months, the employer may choose to give the employee the option to purchase the equipment. The purchase price must be at market value at the end of the loan period, in order to preserve the employee’s tax exemption.

‘Cycle to Work’ schemes are regulated under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 and participants are covered by an existing group consumer credit licence as long as the value of each bike does not exceed £1,000 inc.

VAT. With Team GB winning its first Olympic gold medal in cycling, getting to and from work by bike could produce similar successful returns for both businesses and their workforce.

Colin Barratt is tax partner at Wheawill and Sudworth, chartered accountants, Huddersfield

■ SAFE JOURNEY: Batley taxi drivers and ESTL trainers Gillian Sheard and Imran Iqbal undertake a practical session at ESTL’s Fenay Bridge offices using special life size dolls to demonstrate procedures of how to secure children in car seats

ESTL hails NVQs for local cabbies

A TRAINING company is running courses to help Huddersfield taxi drivers take better care of their passengers.

Lepton-based ESTL has won funding from the Learning and Skills Council for West Yorkshire to run the new City and Guilds National Vocational Qualification in road passenger vehicle driving for taxi drivers.

The company has joined forces with Huddersfield Technical College to run the courses, which have attracted “a huge response” from private hire and hackney carriage drivers across West and South

Yorkshire.

The course involves a series of workshops on passenger and driver safety, customer care and customer service.

Kirklees and Calderdale licensing authorities have encouraged drivers to sign up for the course – and gain a recognised qualification.

ESTL is an approved training provider for City and Guilds and is associated with Go Skills, the sector skills council for road passenger vehicle driving.

Helen Kain, training officer at ETSL, said that feedback from

750 learners currently on the programme across Kirklees, Barnsley, Wakefield and Leeds, had been very positive and had raised awareness of the need to provide a better and safer service to the public.

She said: “The sector is currently not recognised for the professional service given to the public and the essential services that are provided to children, the elderly, shoppers and for people attending social events.

“I am delighted that drivers will receive the recognition they deserve for a job well done.”

Degree gets backing from ‘dragon’ Theo DRAGON’S Den celebrity tycoon Theo Pahpitis is coming to Huddersfield – to launch a new degree course for buding business leaders.

The self-made retail millionaire casts an expert eye over the business plans of would-be entrepreneurs as one of the judges on the BBC’s Dragon’s Den. He will be in town in September to launch Huddersfield University’s innovative BA honours degree in enterprise development – as part of a drive to encourage successful entrepreneurial thinking among young business people.

Prof John Thompson, course creator and professor of entrepreneurship at the university, said: “We are delighted to have Theo supporting what our new course is designed to achieve.

“We are setting out to train people who have adequately demonstrated understanding, enthusiasm and knowledge in their

CUSTOMERS in Mirfield and Dewsbury will be able to enjoy money-off savings on goods and services at a range of local outlets following the launch of a new loyalty card scheme.

Businessman Bill Antill has signed up more than 50 businesses to the UK Websaver scheme. Customers using those businesses – which include stores selling telephones, furniture and door locks – will be offered UK Websaver loyalty cards.

To mark the launch of the scheme, UK Websaver also made a donation to Dewsbury Rangers Junior FC, which will benefit the wider community.

UK Websaver is designed to help local businesses compete with the national chains without the huge cost of running their own loyalty card schemes.

For just £4.99 people can buy a card which can then be used at a range of businesses who will promote their offers both online and in-store.

Mr Antill said the idea has taken off in the Dewsbury and Mirfield area with local firms keen to join the scheme and encourage people to shop locally.

■ DEGREES : John Thompson (right) professor of entrepreneurship at Huddersfield University; and TV “dragon” Theo Pahpitis (far right)

particular sphere of expertise and ensuring that they have the necessary complimentary skills in actually operating a successful and thriving business.

“This is an area that has been ignored for far too long and one that we now intend to lead on.”

The distinctive new initiative has been designed to help young entrepreneurs create and run their own businesses whilst studying for a degree.

As part of their three year studies, they will have the opportunity to talk with several successful experts, including Theo, who has agreed to act as an ambassador for the course and mentor students in his own masterclass.

Prof Thompson said the new course, which will run from September next year, had also been welcomed by business guru Michael Gerber, who had offered to

provide assistance with the degree.

Mr Gerber is an international seminar speaker and author of highly-acclaimed business books, including best-seller The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It. Said Prof Thompson: “Michael agrees wholeheartedly that we need to re-invent the way in which we start businesses because the current thinking just isn't working – witness the number of small businesses which fail in their first five years of trading.

“We need to build businesses to succeed and this is what this new and imaginative course is designed to accomplish.”

The new course builds on the university’s acknowledged record for helping students and recent graduates embark on running their own business.

September, 2008

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS

PROPERTY FOCUS

Demand for offices hits a 10-year low in region Spread the word about HD One A MARKETING firms based in Birstall is helping to spread the word about one of Huddersfield’s biggest developments.

HD One is a proposed new leisure development being undertaken by Kirklees Stadium Development Ltd for land adjoining the Galpharm Stadium, off Leeds Road.

The scheme includes shops, offices, flats and a hotel as well as leisure facilities including a casino, two nightclubs, a bingo hall, a pool hall, a bowling alley and an outdoor ski slope.

Fantastic Media was appointed to provide strategic marketing support for the plans.

The agency, headed by managing director Andy Hobson, of Lepton, set up a website, arranged for printed materials and organised an exhibition stand to publicise the proposals.

Ralph Rimmer (pictured), managing director for KSDL, said: “Fantastic worked with us as our marketing team on this project. I was impressed by the way they took our business aims and worked towards achieving them.

“The creativity and teamwork displayed was outstanding not to mention the ability to turn work around within tight deadlines.

“The project is about to go in for planning permission and as we move forward so will our relationship with Fantastic.” ends

DEMAND for commercial property in Yorkshire has slumped to a 10-year low, it was said.

A survey by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors showed that 67% of members in the region were reporting a fall in demand for office space.

That compares with 23% reporting a decline during the first quarter of the year. Nationally, 50% if RICS members reported a fall in demand.

All sectors – covering shops, offices and industrial units – reported a fall in demand for the third quarter running in the face of the continuing credit turmoil, a slowing

housing market and declining consumer confidence.

Richard Corby, RICS Yorkshire spokesman, said: “We have witnessed a fall in enquiries from occupiers across all sectors since Easter – a far later start to the downturn than many regions across the UK. “The prudent approach to development in the region means that traditionally the Yorkshire and Humber markets do not suffer from the over-supply of new buildings.

The exception to this rule would be city centre living units in certain cities in the region.”

He said the construction industry

had been dealt a blow by the postponement or “downsizing” of major schemes, including Lumiere in Leeds city centre, but said such adjustments were needed to prevent an over-supply of buildings.

He added: “Our high streets and shopping centres have an increasing feeling of recession, with empty units and closing down sales dominating – which does nothing to arrest the fall in consumer confidence.

“It’s becoming clear that the market downturn will take a year or even two before any improvement is tangible.”

Awards presentation for first class workers

HOUSEBUILDER Jones Homes (Northern) Ltd has presented awards to two of its top staff.

Steve Middleton was named site manager of the year by the Cleckheaton-based company for his work on the Brooklands View development Skelmanthorpe whileJo Knight was recognised as sales negotiator of the year for her efforts at the Beaumont Park site in Rotherham.

Mr Middleton, who lives at Leeds, joined Jones Homes three years ago and has been involved with the Brooklands View development from its initial stages. Ms Knight, of Sheffield, joined the company two years ago and has achieved “first class” results at the Rotherham site.

The recipients were presented with their awards by chairman Alan White and managing director Gary Hardy. Said Mr White: “Jones Homes is dedicated to recognising ability in our employees and we are remarkably proud of Steve and Jo. Both have constantly supported Jones ■ CUP BEARERS: Jones Homes managing director Homes to achieve great success in Yorkshire and Gary Hardy (left) with (from left) award winners Jo Knight and Steven Middleton, and chairman Alan White deserve to be recognised.”

Waste warning to Yorks developers

DEVELOPERS across Yorkshire face massive fines if they fail to comply with new rules requiring a formal plan for managing and reducing site waste.

New legislation means that any construction project costing more than £300,000, including building work, maintenance, alteration, decoration and demolition, now needs a Site Waste Management Plan in place before any work takes place.

Julie Morrissy, a partner in DLA Piper’s Yorkshire engineering and construction group, said: “Around 20m tonnes of construction waste is fly-tipped every year and the SWMP is being introduced to help reduce this figure and cut down on the amount of waste going to landfill sites.

“But the new legislation has come at a bad time for the sector – and a large fine is the last thing any developer or construction company needs.”

Ms Morrissy said: “The changes could affect hundreds of building firms across Yorkshire – and majority of construction projects top the £300,000 cut-off and so fall under the new act.”

If works commence without the appropriate documentation, both the developer and principal contractor are guilty of an offence.

Breach the new regulations could lead to a fine of up to £50,000 or – if in the Crown Court – an unlimited amount. Failure to produce the plan at any time could also result in a £300 on-the-spot fine.

The SWMP must include information about the client, principal contractor, and the person who drafted the SWMP as well as a description of the site, the work proposed and the estimated project cost. In addition, it should specify the type and quantity of waste being created and the measures to reduce it.

Said Ms Morrissy: “This new legislation is designed to help protect the environment by reducing site waste and encouraging the use of recycled materials.

“Eventually, it should make it easier for companies to manage the waste disposal process, which will help to reduce costs by encouraging contractors to provide stricter estimates of the materials needed.”

21 Property in Brief

AN historic building in Leeds city centre has secured a hat-trick of lettings. Fountain House, which dates from the 1930s, is in demand following a £5m revamp by developer Burford Park Estates. Now property agent Lambert Smith Hampton has completed a deal that sees commercial law firm Beachcroft take up 11,500sq ft on the ground, first and second floors.

Accountancy firm Lawsco Ltd has also taken the impressive seventh floor totalling 2,559sq ft while marketing company, Click Angel has the lower ground floor totalling 1,903sq ft. The redevelopment included installing a new penthouse office, restoring the building’s marble and Portland stone facade and refurbishing interiors.

Landmark move A MAJOR landmark building in Leeds has a new occupant. The North East Yorkshire and Humber Quality Assurance Reference Centre, part of the NHS screening service, is moving to Capitol Park, near junction 28 of the M62, from its current offices at Raynham House. QARC will take 4,200sq ft of space at Capitol Park at £18p a sq ft. Mark Bly, associate with property consultancy Knight Frank in Leeds, said: “Developers Sterling Capitol have created one of the most impressive business parks in Yorkshire, with an excellent mix of tenants.”

Clean-up praised REGIONAL development agency Yorkshire Forward has been praised for its speedy response to help firms hit by last summer’s flooding. More than £4m was paid to companies across the region to help them to clean up their premises, cover staff costs during the clean up operation and help with some uninsured losses. Yorkshire Forward co-ordinated the support with organisations including Business Link, local authorities and chambers of commerce.

Paragon fully let THE developer for Paragon Business Village in Wakefield said the first phase was now fully let – after a successful deal with West Yorkshire Police to occupy 6,000sq ft. Yorkcourt Properties said it had invested more than £45m to transform the former brownfield site into a thriving business destination that already employs more than 1,000 people. Having completed 285,000sq ft of development, Yorkcourt plans to start phase two.

22

September, 2008

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS

PROPERTY FOCUS

Bathrooms firm takes the plunge A BATHROOM supplier is splashing out on a move to new premises in Dewsbury after outgrowing its existing site at Grange Moor.

TC Bathrooms is switching operations to a new 205,000sq ft headquarters and distribution centre at Bretton Business Park, close to Dewsbury town centre. It means a move from its premises at Jubilee Way, Grange Moor, where it has been based for the past eight years.

TC Bathrooms is one of the UK’s fastest-growing bathroom brands offering extensive ranges of traditional and contemporary bathrooms suites. The company supplies a large number of leading independent retailers throughout the UK. The phased move will begin in next month and will be completed by the end of the year – at which stage all 180 staff will have transferred to the new premises.

Financial director Martin Chalcraft said: “This is a really exciting time for our business.

The move to new premises will strengthen our position as one of the largest bathroom manufacturers and distributors in the UK. “Bretton Business Park is the perfect location, giving us the capacity to stock our ever-expanding product range and enhance our customer service to retailers regionally

and nationally.”

Mr Chalcraft said rapid expansion of the business about two years ago indicated it would soon outgrow its existing facility. Several options had been considered, including extending the site at Grange moor by acquiring more land or using additional storage on a separate site.

But he it was decided that a move to the purpose-built facility would mean the premises could support future expansion as well as improving both stock control and customer service.

“The new purpose-built premises will incorporate the latest state-of-the-art warehouse and sales order processing systems, giving our customers an even more responsive service,” said Mr Chalcraft.

“It will allow us to offer even better customer service as well as bringing new products to market much more quickly. It will also allow us to drive down efficiencies to keep our customers as competitive as possible and enable us to offer an even wider product range than ever before.”

TC Bathrooms is one of a number of companies moving to the £40m Bretton Business Park.

Others include wholesale photography

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■ UNDER CONSTRUCTION: Bretton Business Park at Dewsbury will provide a new home for TC Bathrooms, which is moving from its existing premises at Grange Moor

company JP Distribution, which has signed up for a 48,000sq ft unit, and A&J Fabtech, a company which designs and makes steel work for items such as chimneys, bridges and pressure vessels.

Both companies are local to the Kirklees area – with JP Distribution moving from Heckmondwike while A&J Fabtech is quit-

ting its premises in Batley.

In total, Bretton Park will provide nine modern units. Six are already up and running while the remainder will be completed by November. Occupants already on the site include Kirklees Council, beds and bedding firm Sleepmode, Fast Alloys and plastic products firm Spafield Displays.

Call for rate cut on empty properties GOVERNMENT ministers have been urged to help struggling firms by invoking a “get-out clause” which allows local authorities to reduce business rates charged on empty property.

Commercial property consultancy Lambert Smith Hampton said the measures – allowing 50% relief on empty business premises – was needed to help prevent bankruptcies in the economic downturn.

LSH research shows that occupier demand is weakening amid growing global economic woes, hitting rental growth.

LSH rating director Richard Wackett said: “UK businesses are suffering a double whammy from the credit crisis and the introduction of the Government’s rating legislation.

“Why is a get-out clause that can save our economy millions of pounds being left in the Government's ammunition cabinet?

“UK business needs the Government's support now. It is high-time to revoke, or at the very least dilute the levy by giving greater discretionary powers to local authorities to bring in common sense and flexibility.”

Mr Wackett said one Sunderland engineering firm’s rates increased overnight from £55,000 to £277,000 due to the new rating system, adding: “This is leading to bankruptcy, the loss of up to 200 jobs and the loss of present and future revenue into the local area, and for what?

“Ridiculously, the site will remain derelict! Surely this was not part of the Government’s plan.”

Said Mr Wackett: “Legislation is supposed to provide incentives for effective

development and business growth, not poorly planned obstacles. There has to be a better way.”

In March, a survey conducted by LSH revealed that more than 50% of respondents would be reviewing, downsizing and slowing down development and property portfolios as a result of the new rating system.

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FOR SALE 5,175 sq ft on 1.34 acres Grade II Listed office building with ample on site car parking Junction 24 M62 approx. 1 mile distant Potential for conversion to residential (subject to planning) Contact Paul Collins

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23

September, 2008

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS

PROPERTY

FOCUS

Chief chosen for Yorks chartered surveyors

■ TALL ORDER: The former David Brown Tractors building at Meltham Mills is being revamped – complete with a roof covered in plants – for local firm ABG Ltd

Roof garden plan for mill

A COMPANY is going to unusual heights to show off its “green” credentials.

Meltham firm ABG Ltd plans to create a rooftop covered in plants when it moves into new premises later this year.

The firm, which makes specialist materials to tackle soil erosion, line landfill sites, reinforce roads and improve drainage, is set to rent a landmark building alongside its current premises at Meltham Mills..

The building, owned by property company Towndoor Ltd, is being renovated by Aspley-based N&R Contractors after the structure was badly damaged by fire earlier this year.

Wo r ke r s h av e n ow c a l l e d i n a remote-controlled machine to start demolishing the top three floors of the five-storey building, which was constructed in 1928 and for many years was known as C Block when it formed part of the David Brown Tractors site.

The remote-controlled machine, supplied by a Scottish company, has been craned up to the roof where it will drill through concrete and cut through steelwork to reduce the height of the building.

When completely refurbished, the five-storey building will be reduced to a two-storey block providing 20,000sq ft of warehousing and storage space for ABG Ltd. Features of the new-look building will include a truly “green” roof – with a thin layer of soil above the waterproofing to grow low-maintenance plants.

Nigel Dyson, of Towndoor, said: “Concerns about the effects of climate change are increasingly driving building owners to consider the benefits of a green roof.

“The plants look attractive, but it’s not just for the greenery. The green roof of the refurbished block will help to keep the building cool during the summer.”

ABG will also fit a unique pre-formed water storage layer that will act as a “sustainable” drainage system.

Said Mr Dyson: “Rainfall would usually go directly to the drains and into the rivers, but this new system will help reduce floods during storms when the drains can be overwhelmed.

COLIN Harrop has been appointed chairman of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors’ regional board for Yorkshire and Humber.

Mr Harrop is a senior associate with property consultants King Sturge in Leeds and has worked in the London and Yorkshire construction and property sectors for 11 years.

In his new role, he will represent some 7,000 chartered surveyors in Yorkshire and Humber – many of them holding key positions in land, property, construction and environmental projects now under way throughout the region.

Said Mr Harrop: “Chartered surveyors are at the heart of major development and regeneration across Yorkshire and Humberside and representing them is a great honour.

“An important part of my role is to get a clear idea of their views on the sector, so a priority will be to listen and to use that information to help inform regional policy and activity.”

He said: “The credit crunch is certainly presenting a challenge to the region. We have seen a major slowdown in the housing market, major construction projects put on hold and significant shrinkage in the jobs market.

“But it’s at such times that chartered surveyors can make a major difference, using up-to-date knowledge and skills to provide expert advice on the best way for-

■ VITAL ROLE: Colin Harrop, senior associate with property consultant King Sturge in Leeds, has been appointed chairman of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors for Yorkshire and

ward.

“RICS members are managing and working on some of the most significant public and private sector development projects currently underway in the region and they represent a huge collective pool of expertise.”

Mr Harrop takes over the post of regional board chairman from Kevin Wood, a chartered surveyor with Walker Sime, also in Leeds, who held the post for the past two years.

Warning to builders as shortage looms ■ REMOTE CONTROL: Machine operator Barry Prentice (right) with Nigel Dyson of Towngate and Martin Robinson of N&R Contractors

“As the rain falls, the green roof stores the rainwater, releasing it slowly and harmlessly after the storm passes. “The storage also helps to irrigate the plants through prolonged dry spells.”

Mr Dyson said the green roof would be one of the first of its kind in the area – and would also provide a showcase for ABG and its products.

C Block was constructed in 1928 and used by a textile company before David Brown bought it in 1936.

During the war, it became known as the “aero building” because it was used to make engine parts of Spitfires. Oddly enough, it is thought the roof was painted green during that period to camouflage it from enemy planes.

Towndoor bought the property 20 years ago after J I Case – which had acquired the tractor business – transferred operations to Doncaster.

Mr Dyson said Towndoor had already invested more than £1m at Meltham Mills Industrial Estate. The former David Brown complex is home to companies together employing more than 1,000 people – including textile firms Fred Lawton and Camira Fabrics as well as Meltham Mills Engineering, where Mr Dyson is co-owner and managing director.

BUILDING industry bosses in Yorkshire risk suffering a serious skills shortage due to its ageing workforce, training chiefs have warned.

Industry sector skills council ConstructionSkills said employers had to recruit and train from a wider pool of potential workers or face a “workforce timebomb”.

Now ConstructionSkills has launched Positive Image, a new recruitment campaign which aims to tackle the problem.

It said: “Despite 20% growth in the construction workforce since the early-1990s, the expansion has been uneven across different age groups. The number of workers aged 60 and over in the industry has doubled over this period, while those aged 24 and under has fallen by 27%.

“While the increasing age profile is most pronounced in the manual workforce, professional trades such as architecture, mechanical and civil engineering could also lose 20% of their manpower to retirement in the next ten years.”

ConstructionSkills said that more women and people from ethnic minorities were entering the industry. But as a proportion of the total workforce, the figures had remained almost unchanged since 1990 with women comprising 10 to 12% and ethnic minority workers making up 2 to 4%.

Ken Parker, area manager for ConstructionSkills Yorkshire and Humber, said: “We haven’t had a workforce this old since the Second World War when the construction workforce was hit by conscription and severe labour shortages.

“National data shows that the trend is

increasing, with those in construction aged 40 years and over rising on average by about 2% a year since 1990, and this looks set to continue.

“It’s time for employers to act. Construction faces a serious skills shortfall and yet we are turning away new recruits that the industry works hard to attract.”

Mr Parker said Yorkshire employers had to be more open-minded about who they recruited. He said: “Last year, we saw a 19% increase in female apprentice applications, but we were unable to translate this into the same increase in females placed.

“The industry needs to support potential new entrants and tap into the opportunity to recruit non-traditional applicants.”

ConstructionSkills said its scholarship scheme had received almost 1,000 applicants this year, yet only 68 employers had signed up to offer places.”

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WE BRING BUSINESS FACE TO FACE WITH BUSINESS

Identity theft hits business MORE than 15,600 firms in Yorkshire have fallen victim to identity theft – and thousands more could be at risk, a report has revealed.

Figures from Close Invoice Finance showed that 15,667 businesses across the region had been hit by identity fraud – with more than 220,700 companies falling prey to fraudsters UK-wide.

David Thomson, chief executive for Close Invoice Finance, said: “While the rise of personal identity theft is well documented, organised criminals are now turning their attention to the corporate market with small and medium sized businesses top of their hit list.

“The statistics show that at least 5% of small and medium-sized firms have already been targeted by identity fraudsters while separate figures from the Metropolitan Police indicate the financial damage to British businesses could be in excess of £50m a year.”

Said Mr Thomson: “Small and medium-sized businesses are especially vulnerable as they lack the manpower and systems to protect themselves.”

The report said a typical scen-

ario could see fraudsters changing the registered address and the names of a company secretary or a director of a business at Companies House.

The criminals could then appoint “new” directors, using them to open bank accounts and arrange for goods delivered to their “new” address – effectively ruining the credit rating of the business and leaving it with significant charges to clear.

Mr Thomson said: “Regardless of actual monetary loss, the damage fraud can have on the operation and reputation of a business can be terminal – so we are raising the alarm in the hope that more SMEs will take steps to protect themselves.”

He said: “Our business gives us direct online access to many of our clients’ accounts, so we make a point of flagging up any potentially fraudulent transactions as they appear.

“However, there’s no substitute for vigilance, especially as our research suggests that the tough economic climate is driving light-fingered individuals to go on a fraud offensive.”

■ KEEPING COOL: Yummy Yorkshire's staff get set to serve up the ice creams at the opening of the parlour

Venture gets warm welcome!

A DENBY Dale dairy has hailed the launch of its new ice cream parlour as a huge success.

Yummy Yorkshire ice cream and coffee parlour at Delph opened its doors with entertainment including children’s face-painting and a bouncy castle – and a chance to sample up to 12 flavours of ice cream, all made from milk and cream from the Holstein herd at Delph House Farm.

Visitors were welcomed by own-

Yorkshire’s Legal People.

ers Jeremy and Louise Holmes, who led the conversion of two adjoining pig pens during last winter to create the parlour.

Yummy Yorkshire is the third generation farmers with 46 years of business experience combining a modern business approach with traditional farming values.

Jeremy Holmes said: “Louise and I have spent time and money during the preparation stage and are pleased with the launch week-

end and the support that we have received so far.

“We hope that customers will enjoy their experience in our parlour and we look forward to welcoming both existing and new customers to our farm to enjoy our fresh products and to enjoy the rural environment.”

The farm produces fresh milk and cream from its 150 Holstein Friesians on 250 acres of grazing land.

Bosses gloomy about economy small business in Britain, compared to 64% who think it’s a bad time.

One in six are planning to increase staff numbers over the next 12 months against 30% in May last year.

Building and construction firms were the most pessimistic during the second quarter of the year while just 9% of businesses in the leisure, tourism and hospitality sectors say that they are operating at or close to capacity.

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ALMOST half of small business bosses in Yorkshire expect flat or negative growth this year, says a gloomy survey

by Bank of Scotland Business Banking.

The finding is part of the bank’s small business confidence index, which measures optimism across five key economic measures.

The regional index for the second quarter stood at 34 – a figure unchanged from the previous quarter.

More than 80% of York-

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shire's small business owners now expect general economic conditions to worsen over the next 12 months. That is more than double the number expressing a pessimistic outlook this time last year.

Some 73% of Yorkshire's entrepreneurs think that it will become more difficult to run their business over the coming year.

Fewer than one in eight small business owners in Yorkshire believe that now is a good time to be running a