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Offices are final piece of potato empire puzzle by Dave Laister Business Editor
dave.laister@gsmg.co.uk
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early £3-million has been invested into making northern Lincolnshire a central hub for the needs of some of the UK’s biggest potato sellers.
TRANSFORMATION COMPLETE: Richard Arundel, managing director of potato processor AKP. Picture: Jon Corken
Nappy rush!
Elsham Wold has just become the new headquarters for AKP Group, supplier to supermarket giant Morrisons and major chip manufacturer McCain. A state-of-the-art office block, temperature controlled potato storage facility and grading line, together with extensions to existing handling areas have just been completed, with the 13-year-old firm headed by Richard Arundel moving the whole administration back into the area from York. The son of Grimsby town centre and Freeman Street markets grocer David Arundel, who also used to act as a potato merchant to the area’s fish and chip shops, joined forces with Suffolk businessman Bruce Kerr in 1999. The former KP potato storage further increases has now been put employed, handling 120,000 tonnes Park on Grimsby’s flagship facility which has now been in place. Europarc development, will be of potatoes a year. Of that, 35,000 substantially developed, was tonnes are self-grown, with a officially opened this week by “We have taken two years to get acquired in 2007, when a project Agriculture and Horticulture to this,” said Mr Arundel. “We got growing group in this region and began to grow skin finished aroundBebe, another in Suffolk, the grant funding for storage and potatoes on the Isle of Axholme. aids, viasite dedicated productionDevelopment Board chairman NNOVATIVE floatation by Dave Laister John Godfrey CBE, himself a contributing the in balance. operations “Weswimwear wanted to show could facilities Taiwan, where around and we pool toys aregrading Business Editorin 2009, and North Lincolnshire farmer. built the storage throughout 2010, Recently employees were produce the required qualitybusiness 200 15 people are employed. ensuring a baby dave.laister@grimsbytelegraph.co.uk to be open for that harvest. We Mr Arundel added: “We’re added, with three graduate pound turnover locally that supermarkets were havThe multi-million blossoms internationally, have had potatoes in from 2010 and trainees also part of the company, looking forward to opening the buying in from Herefordshire, company now has another dedicated ing established an enviable From jackets to the first 2011, and thefloatation whole project has new cold store and grading facility specialising in growing, logistics Scotland or even importing,” he marsupplier coming on line in ket-leading position a first sealed – the Happy beenproven finished withpants the offices just – the uncharacteristic weather and technical elements, including said. “Morrisons backedwith us with it in Ma. uThe ritiuremaining s. agronomy conditions have brought us a ‘floater’ preto veYorkshire ntion. Forward now.Nappy, recognised as the only design and we went to protect against faecal Mrs Beach “We are in 30 challenging year, but the opening investment has seensaid: a fleet of six desire is to have morenappy leaks (the scrapped regional Splash About is an award-winning “Our – the offer producers has been significantly event is just rewards for everyone’s Mercedes rigs brought in to deliver quality potato local to development agency) putting countries and just trying to crack brand brought to Grimsby from as sales up.the potatoes to We customers, hard this widened site. It would cut have downramped on together a plan. We then tied the the US. have justwith beenthe taken on work. France by shareholding director primary Morrisons’ Offices have recently been transport costs. There is still a lot supply and got the “The new facility will not only byroute Amazon there, sopacking we are hoping Lesleychain Beachup five years ago. operations near Harrogate. established on Europarc, of potential, it will help the as a seven funding.” enable us to meet the demand of for big things. A former buy-out specialist in the environmental strong teamfootprint outgrewand her this adapted Keen to cultivate a prosperous our biggest customers, but we’ve That equated to £700,000. With “We spend a lot of money on food industry, she was introduced to Healing home, with a further four part of the world has the ability to future for Lincolnshire potato also successfully improved the Morrisons’ rapid growth in the research and development. We want and freshness of our the company by an investor she had now based in Chester. farmers, the 32,000sq ft storage quality retail world, the business has been grow some of the best potatoes in to lead the way and aspire to pioneer previously worked with, and is now the country, that is what wesought-after are Together they supply potatoes by reducing facility and 4,000 sq ft two storey propelled quickly, and working the baby and– learn-to-swim making waves in major global& majoring on.” to the likes of Boots, office development swimwear transportation, handling and using which drew market. with Eastoft-based L Harrison ● Continued on page two. mathe rkeinfrastructure ts. Argos, Jo Mamaninspiration the latestDIVE cold IN: store technologies.” from Genesis Office A total of Amazon 44 peopleand areJo now Co, to allow for Lesley Beach.
How an expanding town business is aiding the pre-school swimmer boom
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State-of-the-art crane Will Mary approve simulator suiteleases? preview high street see see page page 23 22
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64 St Peters Avenue Cleethorpes N.E. Lincolnshire SPEAKERS: Sir Roger Carr, left, DN35 and Gavin 8HPEsler.
Top table is set for CBI dinner
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Sir Roger Carr, president of the CBI and Gavin Esler, best known for his role as a presenter on BBC Newsnight, have been confirmed as the guest speakers at one of the region’s leading business gatherings later this year. The CBI Yorkshire and Humber Annual Dinner takes place at Leeds University on October 10. It will be one of the first events with John Fitzgerald, port director for Grimsby and Immingham, as chairman of the region. Mr Esler is an award-winning television and radio broadcaster, novelist and journalist. His latest book, due to hit the shelves next month, focuses on lessons that can be gleaned from leaders in how they tell stories, and will be the subject of his speech to the area’s business bosses, and their guests. For more information about the dinner, which is frequently well represented by the South Bank and features a drinks reception within Parkinson Court, home to the famous Marks & Spencer archive and art gallery, e-mail katya.menhennet@cbi.org.uk or visit http://yorkshire-annual-dinner.eventbrite.com
Looking for new business premises?
£20m milestone passed A FURTHER £4-million of investment across the Search commercial region this last quarter has seen the total funds issued by Finance Yorkshire climb to £23-million. The money, available to firms in northern properties for Lincolnshire in seedcorn, loan and equity linked investments – ranging from £15,000 to £2-million – is there to help smallor and medium sized businesses sale to rent meet their growth and development requirements.
The figure amounts to 224 investments in 183 small and medium sized enterprises since August 2010, leading to more than 4,600 jobs created and safeguarded in the region. In the last quarter alone, the venturewww.humberbusiness.com/ capital and loan fund completed 30 investments totalling more than £4.3 million. commercialproperty Alex McWhirter, chief executive of Finance Yorkshire, said: “We are looking forward to building on these figures and helping more companies achieve growth in the coming months. “We urge established and early stage companies to continue to speak to us to see if Finance Yorkshire can help turn their ambitions into a reality.” Supported by the European Union, it has attracted £30-million investment from the European Regional Development Fund, £15-million from Yorkshire Forward’s Single Programme, and £45-million match funding from the European Investment Bank. For information visit www.finance-yorkshire.com
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CONTENTS:Energy P8 Food Process P8 / Chemicals Ports &10 Logistics 13Support Energy 16 Support 18 Tr aining 1915 CaFood reers 16 20 Training Commercial Vehicles 23 Vehicles Commercial Property 28 Laister’s CONTENTS: P610 Chemicals Ports and12 Logistics Business 12Business Careers 14 Business Solutions 17 Commercial 18 Commercial Diary 20 Commercial Property 21Last Word
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