Business Network Dec 23 Jan 24

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WHAT CAN THE REGION DO TO ATTRACT MORE FOREIGN INVESTMENT? LOCAL BUSINESS LEADERS AND STAKEHOLDERS ANSWER THE QUESTION ON PAGES 62-67

INTERVIEW POLITICS EAST MIDLANDS AIRPORT MD STEVE GRIFFITHS ON RECOVERY AND GROWTH

BUSINESSES GIVE THEIR VERDICT ON THE AUTUMN STATEMENT

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THE FIRST WORD

CONTENTS DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024

NEWS UPDATE 4

MEMBER NEWS £4.6m investment in biochemistry lab, creating 200 jobs

24 APPOINTMENTS Finance expert joins new accountancy group

trengths in nationally-critical sectors like advanced manufacturing and logistics, a diverse and resilient economy, and an entrepreneurial culture. These are just some of the reasons why investors are attracted to the East Midlands, according to experts we speak to in the focus feature (p62) of this edition of Business Network.

We often highlight how the East Midlands is bottom of the table for public spending, but when it comes to inward investment, research suggests our region fares much better. Research puts us mid-table but with huge recent growth in both the volume and value of this investment.

One of our region’s biggest economic assets is East Midlands Airport, which as the UK’s busiest cargo airport has attracted significant investment in the surrounding area. We speak to managing director Steve Griffiths about growing this operation, as well as the recovery of the passenger side, in our big interview (p27).

There is some way to go to attract the levels of inward investment that will truly drive forward our economy, creating the high-skilled jobs and prosperity our communities crave, however.

As a region, we must ask a few questions of ourselves. Firstly, how well equipped are we to meet the demands of the inward investor? The three priorities for most investors are highquality people, energy supply and connectivity.

We are making strides in this area – the Chamber-led Leicester and Leicestershire Local Skills Improvement Plan, which aims to bridge the skills gap between employers and educators, has moved on to its next stage (p38) – and our November edition covered how we are at the centre of the future energy agenda, but infrastructure is sorely lacking.

We also need to consider how we sell ourselves. Do overseas investors really know who, what or where the East Midlands is? We desperately need a cohesive regional identity that can rival others in our country to make businesses want to move here.

The hope is that devolution in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire will go some way towards helping this by providing a figurehead in the form of an elected mayor, while the East Midlands Freeport is crafting our region-wide proposition to foreign investors.

And finally, for those who do want to work with us, do we make it easy enough for them to do business? The approach to inward investment discussions can often be overly bureaucratic when all an investor will want to know is who to pick up the phone to get something to happen. Sometimes the best solutions are the simplest – less can mean more.

We are edging closer but there is much work ahead.

S

Dan Robinson, Editor, Business Network

THE BIG INTERVIEW 27 Steve Griffiths, managing director of East Midlands Airport 32 STRATEGIC PARTNERS AND PATRONS Fibre network provider in £100m funding deal 34 CHAMBER NEWS Meet the partners delivering Chamber-led Accelerator project

EVENTS 46 Business Awards 2023 winners revealed

SUSTAINABLE EAST MIDLANDS 52 Focus on making supply chains sustainable

INTERNATIONAL TRADE 54 Don't forget your trade fair goods need a passport too

POLITICS 56 Autumn Statement reaction and devolution moves forward

FEATURES 58 UPSKILLING YOUR STAFF The benefits of apprenticeships 60 Cultivating diverse talent 62 FOCUS FEATURE What must the East Midlands do to attract more inward investment?

70 MADE IN THE EAST MIDLANDS Making packaging leaner and greener 74 WordPress security best practices

DIGITAL & TECHNOLOGY

Editor Dan Robinson T: 07764 431028 E: dan.robinson@emc-dnl.co.uk Contributor Jasmine Thompson All Submissions E: magazine@emc-dnl.co.uk Chamber Membership E: membership@emc-dnl.co.uk Follow the Chamber W: www.emc-dnl.co.uk Twitter: @EMChamberNews

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78 Sales consultancy launches online membership programme with Accelerator support

BUSINESS SUPPORT 80 LEGAL New legislation that gives employees right to request more predictable working patterns explained

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BUSINESS NETWORK is produced on behalf of East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire) by Kemps Publishing Ltd and is distributed to members without charge. The Chamber and the publisher are committed to achieving the highest quality standards. While every care has been taken to ensure that the information it contains is accurate, neither the Chamber nor the publisher can accept any responsibility for any omission or inaccuracies that might arise. Views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the Chamber. This publication (or any part thereof) must not be reproduced, transmitted or stored in print or electronic format without prior written permission of Kemps Publishing Ltd.

82 FINANCE Getting your investment strategy right in 2024 84 SKILLS Students can offer businesses fresh perspective 87 PROPERTY Lace Market developer takes new direction 88 MOTORING Nick Jones tests the Toyota bZ4X 89 INFORMATION Importance of a green brand

THE LAST WORD 90 Chamber president Stuart Dawkins on the role of 'place' in inward investment December 2023/January 2024 business network

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MEMBER NEWS

Upgrade to get you sitting comfortably East Midlands Railway (EMR) has launched a £3m project to completely replace the standard class seat covers and foam padding used in its Intercity fleet.

The project, which will revamp 5,272 standard-class seats and 243 tip-up seats, is a significant investment in the 222-strong fleet and will benefit rail passengers even once it eventually transitions to life after EMR when the Aurora trains arrive next year.

The seats will be changed to a neutral grey colour and will be refurbished during routine maintenance without the need to take any trains out of service. The project began last month on trains that use the Midland Main Line.

Materials from the old seats will be recycled, with the foam being deployed for rubberised safety matting used in children’s play areas.

Ian Hyde, fleet director at East Midlands Railway, said: “This is great news for our Intercity customers while we await the exciting introduction of the Aurora fleet.

“The refurbishments will significantly improve the experience and environment for our customers – all without the need to take any trains out of service.”

Revamped laboratory to create over 200 jobs More than 200 jobs will be created through a £4.6m investment in revamping laboratory space at Charnwood Campus.

More than 100,000 sq ft of highly-specialised lab space, which is currently unused, is to be reactivated to create a world-class biochemistry building.

Existing facilities will also be upgraded as part of the first phase of an Innovation Centre project, which will cater for Leicestershire’s life sciences cluster.

Investment is provided through enterprise zone retained rates

funding from the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP), in partnership with Charnwood Borough Council.

Andy Reed OBE, LLEP co-chair, said: “This lab space will bring inward investment through the arrival of the first tenant.

“But it will also support the development and growth of businesses in the pharmaceutical, biotech, and medtech sectors by offering research, development and small-batch manufacturing capacity here in Leicestershire.”

Charnwood Campus was the

UK’s first Life Sciences Opportunity Zone and forms part of the Loughborough and Leicester Science and Innovation Enterprise Zone.

Located on the former AstraZeneca campus on the outskirts of Loughborough, it provides an ecosystem of businesses, research institutes and government organisations.

Its purpose is to grow medtech and biopharma businesses by simplifying and accelerating the pathway from concept to commercialisation.

A start-up worth keeping an eye on A University of Nottingham spin-out company has been named as one of Bloomberg UK’s “start-ups to watch.”

Cerca Magnetics was founded in 2020 to commercially develop wearable brain imaging technology, which can provide accurate measures of brain function in freely moving patients, created by scientists at the university.

It is one of only 25 start-ups selected from more than 1,500 applications for the inaugural Bloomberg UK's Startups to Watch, which canvassed the UK to find 25 companies that represent the diversity and innovation of the country's startup scene.

The University of Nottingham and Cerca Magnetics, in partnership with Colorado-based atomic physics company QuSpin Inc, have pioneered

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the rapid development of a new type of brain scanner, which employs quantum technology to measure magnetic fields above the scalp.

In the past 12 months, Cerca has received Innovate UK funding to gain medical device approval for the OPMMEG system and should see the device approved for clinical use by the US Food and Drink Administration.

David Woolger, director of Cerca Magnetics, said: “The team at Cerca and I have worked incredibly hard to get our cutting-edge functional brain imaging equipment in use by some of the leading neurological research centres in the world. We are excited about the massive societal impact that we feel the technology can have for conditions such as epilepsy, dementia and Parkinson’s, among others.”

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MEMBER NEWS

Adam bids to be top business leader

This latest project will create 222 high-value jobs within five years and a further 1,110 in the supply chain.

Councillor Jewel Miah, leader of Charnwood Borough Council, said: “This project is another example of the opportunity we have to bring significant inward investment to Charnwood through making effective use of world-class life sciences infrastructure.

“Not only will this create cuttingedge lab space, but it will also create hundreds of quality jobs and strengthen the supply chain for our local economy.”

A leader of a national auction house has been named one of the Lloyds Development Capital (LDC) Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders for 2023.

Adam Pye is the managing director of Nottinghamheadquartered John Pye & Sons.

He oversees the whole business and trading departments, including business assets, property, luxury, government, vehicles, retail, trade and shipping.

Under his tenure, pre-tax profits have increased by 67.3% from 2020 to 2022, with more than 200 additional staff employed, an increase of 28.7% in headcount.

Created by trusted investment partner LDC – part of Lloyds Banking Group, and supported by The Times – the top 50 listing champions the business leaders who are pushing for growth and building successful medium-sized businesses.

The leaders featured hail from every corner of the UK and span every sector of the economy.

Together, they employ more than 6,700 people and turn over more than £1.2bn.

Adam said: “It’s humbling to be recognised in this way, particularly among such esteemed peers. I am incredibly proud of John Pye’s achievements and have ambitious plans for the future, including reaching £50m turnover within the next two years, becoming a household name within the UK over

Adam Pye

the next five years and expanding into more countries.

“All these aims are achievable, but it is very much a collective effort. I’m a big believer in doing the right thing by our customers and team, which, in turn, delivers a positive return back to the business.”

A family business established in 1968, John Pye Auctions has evolved into one of the UK’s largest commercial auction houses, with 21 sites across the UK and Europe providing more than 3,000 online auctions a year.

Sally receives MBE from the King The chief executive of North Notts BID has formally received her MBE in recognition of her contribution to supporting businesses in Bassetlaw.

Sally Gillborn was awarded the title in the New Year Honours List 2023 for her services to business and to the economy in Nottinghamshire.

She was awarded her medal by King Charles at an investiture ceremony, held at Buckingham Palace in October.

Having been responsible for securing and leading the UK’s first district-wide, place-shaping business improvement district, Sally oversaw a successful first five-year term, introducing several business support measures, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Sally and her team secured a second term for North Notts BID in July 2022 and has continued to evolve its business support services to members and deliver free community events.

Sally said: “This award is a great representation of the tireless work that myself, the BID team and board do to ensure that we are always creating value and opportunities.

“It is extremely important that we continue to support and champion local companies, and we’ve also made great strides to help reduce the opportunity for

Sally Gillborn (second from right) receives her MBE at Buckingham Palace

crime and enhance the night-time economy in our towns. From introducing the Night Angels scheme to launching Best Bar None, we’re always looking to provide valuable services that support businesses district wide.”

Smaller firms look to external finance again The use of external finance among small businesses in the East Midlands is showing signs of recovery, after a decline in most regions in 2022, according to the British Business Bank’s third annual Nations and Regions Tracker.

The report found that 46% of small businesses in the region anticipated needing finance in the next 12 months, despite a 3% decline in equity deals.

The bank supported 596 businesses in the 2022/23 financial year through interventions and finance – a 33% increase on the previous year, showcasing a continued need for external support among small businesses in the East Midlands. The region accounted for about 7% of UK equity deals and 6% of the UK’s investment value.

The national tracker also identified 33 innovation-led clusters as key drivers of growth and technological progress, with academic spinouts attributing a large contribution to equity activity in many of these clusters.

The East Midlands has been host to one of the most exciting and innovative clusters in the UK, with Derby, Leicester and Nottingham having a significant contribution from life science spin-outs to local equity activity.

In 2022, the region experienced an 11% increase in equity deals involving academic spinouts, contributing to 4% of the UK total.

Dr Sophie Dale-Black, UK network director for the Midlands, said: “The East Midlands is a region that is growing and finding a specialism in the sub-sector of life sciences that really sets it apart from other regions across the UK. “The figures we are witnessing from the Derby, Leicester and Nottingham innovation cluster, in particular, show the steps that are being taken by the British Business Bank in the region.

This is creating an exciting trajectory for innovation while creating a positive impact in the region.”

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MEMBER NEWS

James Butcher

Supply Pilot in acquisition Nottingham-based Supply Pilot has been acquired by US product development platform Bamboo Rose to create an extended offer for suppliers through the retail lifecycle.

The combined companies, which manage more than $1.2tn of transactions each year for thousands of products and users across hundreds of leading brands, provide endto-end supplier engagement and supply chain technology.

The collective platform offers enhanced supplier collaboration capabilities, to further support supply chain visibility and foster environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives for fashion and apparel, food and consumables, and general merchandise retailers around the world.

James Butcher, CEO of Supply Pilot, said: “We are delighted to join forces with Bamboo Rose to conquer complex retailer and supplier engagement pinch points. As one company, we’ll offer the most extensive supplier collaboration platform in the market.

“We’re eager to join this growing team of talented retail technologists to dramatically improve digital transformation for our global partners.”

HVM Catapult launches energy assessment pilot The High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult has used technology from Nottinghambased Pressac to launch a pilot energy assessment that aims to support small manufacturers with their energy costs.

The HVM Catapult has created a Manufacturing Energy Toolkit to helping SMEs make their processes more energy-efficient, cutting operational costs and greenhouse gas emissions while improving profitability.

It follows a guided assessment or roadmapping process undertaken by experts from the organisation.

The aim is to build a full understanding of a company’s energy usage and energy sources in production, as well as potential efficiency-boosting solutions.

Katherine Bennett CBE, CEO of the HVM Catapult, said: “SMEs are the backbone of the UK economy, but they often have to shoulder the greatest burden under external pressures like seasonal energy price rises. That’s why the HVM Catapult is offering free support to help

manufacturers become more efficient – both environmentally and financially.

“The Manufacturing Energy Toolkit will give SMEs the expert insights they need to make smarter, more sustainable choices in their factories and on their production lines. The results speak for themselves, with companies saving over 20% of their energy costs on average.”

The process begins with a fullyfunded visit to a company’s production site for an in-depth assessment of its energy mix and usage.

Using technology from the pilot’s supplier Pressac, experts identify key energy inefficiencies in the production line, offer energy-saving suggestions and analyse the greenhouse gas emissions.

IOT TECH TO HELP FIRMS REACH NET ZERO Pressac has partnered with a market-leading software and technology company Spacewell to create a sustainable energy monitoring system.

The manufacturer of internet of things (IoT) technology aims to reshape industries through the partnership, addressing crucial needs from operational efficiency to compliance with legislation such as ISO 50.001.

The new technology will combine Spacewell’s analytics platform and Pressac’s IoT expertise to generate data and insights that will help facilitate a company’s transition to net zero.

Mark Lawrance, director at Pressac, said: “The combination of Spacewell’s and Pressac’s expertise delivers a complete solution that not only saves money but also promotes sustainability across various sectors – sustainability that can be measured.”

Helpful staff learn to help themselves too

Shona Neish (left) and Sheila Taylor, chief executive of NWG Network, at the workshop 6

business network December 2023/January 2024

Frontline staff at a housing trust who are helping previous homeless residents to forge a more positive future are receiving free training sessions to support their own wellbeing.

Housing and support officers, as well as team leaders, at Derventio Housing Trust enrolled on the workshops led by Neish Consultancy, based in Derby.

Derventio’s staff help those who have faced homelessness, many of whom have a range of difficulties including severe mental health issues, along with drug and alcohol use.

Neish Consultancy delivered two days of training to Derventio staff aimed at giving them tools to boost their own resilience and look after

themselves emotionally.

Penny Wiltshire, funding and development manager at Derventio Housing Trust, said: “Our frontline staff are working every day with residents who have all been going through the toughest times in life.

“We have programmes at Derventio Housing Trust to support residents, but we are very keen to offer support to our employees as well. The emotional labour of supporting people who have been through dark times can be significant which is why it was brilliant to have been offered free training by Shona Neish, from Neish Consultancy, and to have been given free rooms

by NWG Network too.”

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MEMBER NEWS

Cultural event to return with Sanjib's help A partnerships and events specialist is partnering with the Chamber to deliver its first major event of 2024.

Sanjib Sahota, who worked for the Chamber as strategic partnerships manager for more than four years, will work with his former colleagues in managing the Celebration of Culture and Communities event, which will return to Leicester on 29 February next year.

‘A fantastic occasion to get people together to celebrate the diverse communities in our region’ Sanjib, who has a wealth of experience supporting global, national and regional brands, set up his own company Sanjib 8 in May this year.

He said: “Celebration of Culture and Communities is an event that is very close to my heart as I played a key role in its creation, so when this opportunity arose I was extremely excited to be forming a partnership with the Chamber.

“It’s a fantastic occasion to get people together to celebrate the

Sanjib Sahota

The University of Leicester Asian Dance Society at this year's Celebration of Culture and Communities event

diverse communities in our region, which is very much aligned to the Chamber’s commitment to supporting businesses and communities.”

Sanjib’s career, spanning more than two decades, has involved working for organisations including Sony Pictures Entertainment, Library House, Volleyball England and the NHS. He has also been a director of the Leicester Belgrave Mela festival.

Leaning on his track record in

delivering major events, awards ceremonies, brand management, marketing, activation, partnerships and sponsorship, he felt it was a natural progression to set up his own business.

Sanjib 8’s core services are aimed at supporting businesses with event management, business representation, brand marketing, business development, social media, partnerships and sponsorship.

Clients already on the roster, alongside the Chamber, include PPL

PRS, Scope Construction, Mosaic 1898, Abacus Flooring Solutions, Sanjay Foods, Access Rating, 2Funky Music, Kayal Restaurants, Kwoklyn Wan, Paradigm Wills, Merchant of Venice and Watson’s Cocktail Bar. “I’ve always worked for other organisations and I’m grateful to all the people who have supported and encouraged me to set up my very first business,” said Sanjib. “I have already exceeded expectations by working with 10 clients and 15 brands to date.”

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MEMBER NEWS

Managing mental health makes business sense The world of work is changing, with employee engagement, flexible working, resilience, and talent management now common currency. Kate Wood (pictured), Mental Health Productivity Pilot and Work Health Hub manager at the University of Derby, explains how positively managing mental health underpins these approaches and can reap rewards in terms of staff morale, productivity and loyalty.

The latest Deloitte report records the cost of mental health to the UK economy is now between £53bn and £56bn a year.

The overall increase in total costs is attributable to higher turnover, with more individuals saying they left their job in the previous year or intend to do so over the next 12 months for mental health or wellbeing reasons.

Smart employers know that organisations are only as strong as their people. They also know that people perform better when they feel able to put everything into their job. and when they are confident, motivated and completely focused on doing that.

By positively managing and supporting employees’ mental wellbeing, employers can ensure staff perform to their potential – and this allows the business to achieve peak performance.

Investing in employee wellbeing can lead to increased resilience, better employee engagement, reduced sickness absence, and higher performance and productivity. However, wellbeing initiatives often fall short of their potential because they stand alone, isolated from the everyday business.

To gain real benefit, employee wellbeing priorities must be integrated throughout an

MHPP CAN SUPPORT EMPLOYERS The Mental Health and Productivity Pilot (MHPP) is a collaboration of Midlands universities and other partners, which have worked together since 2019 to support the region’s businesses and their employees to improve workplace mental health and to reduce the impact it has on sickness absence, presenteeism and productivity.

Funded by the Government and supported by the Midlands Engine, it provides practical tools for businesses to support mental wellbeing within their organisation.

For more information, visit mhpp.me

organisation, embedded in its culture, leadership and people management.

Employers need to take the first step by sending a signal that staff mental health is valued, and people can feel confident that disclosure will lead to support.

In addition, employers can utilise the following to embed holistic mental health and wellbeing strategies within the workplace: • Commit to a senior management buy-in The need for strong leadership and a positive, transparent and clear organisational culture is key to embed mental health and wellbeing policies from the top down.

• Consider your mission and values Do your values reflect a positive

working environment? It is important to consistently review your values as your organisation changes overtime.

• Engage staff Consider a staff wellbeing survey to establish how your workforce are feeling. This will give an idea of the key areas that need addressing and help you to create an action plan moving forward.

• Train and equip all managers Equip managers with the skills to empower them to start conversations around their employees’ mental health.

• Weave mental health and wellbeing initiatives into the everyday These initiatives should be the golden thread that run through

every organisation and apply to all staff.

• Revise your existing policies The Mental Health and Productivity Pilot can help organisations implement key wellbeing initiatives through fully-funded support.

• Review methods of communication Are your communication methods accessible across the organisation?

It is important mental health and wellbeing policies are clearly communicated.

• Consider recruiting mental health first aiders or wellbeing champions Mental health first aiders or wellbeing champions can assist in planning activity to support the organisation’s initiatives.

Funeral firm extends partnership with Rams

Helen Wathall 8

Wathall’s has renewed its partnership with Derby County Football Club for the sixth year.

The company, which is Derby’s longest established independent funeral directors, remains a Rams preferred partner – enabling families to have special access to Pride Park Stadium following the unique and personal funeral of their loved one.

Options include the chance to

business network December 2023/January 2024

place a commemorative brick and ashes around the stadium perimeter, using the club logo and colours for service sheets, flower arrangements, coffins and urns.

All are available either as part of a funeral pre-payment plan for someone who is in the process of planning their own funeral or for the bereaved family.

Managing director Helen Wathall MBE said: “As Derby’s longest

established funeral directors, we are proud to not only support the Rams but also to provide special features for families who entrust us with planning their loved one’s funeral.

“The bricks create a lasting memorial at Pride Park Stadium, and many families gather at the spot to share memories and celebrate their loved one’s life, particularly before and after the special ‘Rams Remember’ matches.”

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MEMBER NEWS

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MEMBER NEWS

Consultants keep deal for train simulators on track Invise Limited reaches milestone A firm of chartered surveyors that launched from a spare bedroom with a few hundred pounds and a seven-year-old laptop is celebrating a growth milestone as it marks three years of business.

James Baker (pictured) wrote his business plan for Derby-based Invise Limited as a back-up plan while on furlough with his previous employer during the Covid-19 pandemic.

With an initial float of just £450, an old laptop and zero clients, James arranged payment holidays on most of his household bills and launched Invise from the back bedroom of his family home.

After returning a healthy turnover of more than £60,000 in his first year, Invise has grown rapidly in the two subsequent years, increasing turnover by about 95% and 60% respectively.

As a result, James has this year taken on fellow chartered surveyor Nathan Lovett as an associate director and business development expert Alex Kowalczuk as a consultant.

The firm has since recruited a more junior-level candidate to join the team, which is now based in Sadler Bridge Studios, off Sadler Gate, having moved last month from smaller premises at nearby Riverside Chambers.

James said: “Invise was something I came up with during Covid when work ground to a halt. I wrote a three-year plan and had a really clear vision, with a proper strategy in place. I wanted to create a chartered surveying business that was different to the rest.

“I sat down and worked out what was really important to me personally. The things I arrived at – integrity, honesty and accountability – remain the company’s three core values, and I strongly believe they have been the key to our rapid growth and success.”

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A Derby firm has been at the centre of a major deal to secure state-of-the-art train simulators for one of UK’s top rail operators.

FPA Consulting provided guidance to Northern Trains Limited (NTL) and facilitated the procurement process of the technology from Polish firm SIM Factor.

The company lent its expertise to NTL for its plan to invest in the simulators, which will be used for driver and conductor training.

‘NTL made the investment to ensure its team is trained to the highest standards’ It offered commercial advice and a range of support services to facilitate the procurement of six full-cab immersive train simulators and 24 compact desktop train simulators, along with the associated software and ongoing support.

With about 3,500 drivers and conductors stationed across its network and an influx of 400 new recruits annually, NTL made the investment to ensure its team is trained to the highest standards before stepping into the real-world railway environment.

It is the UK’s first train operator to employ motion platform simulators, accompanied by plans to establish two new training academies in Leeds and Manchester.

Ian Coates, director at FPA Consulting, said: “Our support extended to encompass procurement strategy development, engagement with the supply market and active management of the procurement process. This involved ensuring compliance with the Utilities Contract Regulation 2016, defining the contract, leading negotiations and ultimately awarding the contract.”

One of Northern’s new train simulators

Memorial benches to tell a story Anne and Rob Barlow with a TDP bench

business network December 2023/January 2024

An award-winning sustainable business making outdoor furniture from recycled plastic is helping tell the stories of people who have passed away with an innovative new digital platform for memorial benches.

Wirksworth-based TDP, recently crowned with a coveted King’s Award for Sustainable Development, has launched the new initiative, titled “My Place and Story”.

The platform will allow those who buy one of TDP’s commemorative benches in memory of a loved one to add a QR code so anyone sitting on it can scan the code and read the life story of the person commemorated. The QR code can also be used to record information about the place where a bench has been situated, with one of the first examples being Shipley Country Park in Derbyshire.

TDP commercial director Kym Barlow, whose parents Rob and Anne set up the company, said: “Memorial benches are a lovely way to remember those who have left us. Here at TDP, we have created a digital platform so that people sitting on a memorial bench can, if they choose, find out about a person’s life by simply scanning the code.”

One of the first life stories to be commemorated in the benches is former Welsh international rugby player Brian Davies, who passed away in September 2020.

The bench commemorating Brian, who won three rugby caps for Wales in the 1960s, sits outside the rugby club house at Pentrych near Cardiff, his last club.

TDP’s benches are made from 100% British recycled plastic.

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MEMBER NEWS

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MEMBER NEWS

IT manager appointed to inspire the next generation A quality and compliance manager from Derby-based Fortitude Nicsa Global has been invited to be a part of the Inspiring the Future organisation.

Debbie Harriott has a wealth of experience and passion for promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

My HR Hub receive their award

Award success for Chamber members

‘Her commitment to promoting understanding and equality are phenomenal’ With Jamaican origins, she has been actively involved over the past three years with Inspiring the Future, which connects young people with the world of work, attending numerous events at schools and universities to share her inspiring story and experiences.

Debbie has also worked in management positions in the IT sector for more than nine years.

As the sector is still regarded as

Debbie Harriott at work

male-dominated, Debbie’s leadership, and commitment to fostering understanding and celebrating black contributions, make her a valuable addition to her organisation and the sector as a whole.

Katy Upton, HR and finance director at Fortitude Nicsa Global, said: “Debbie’s contributions to the Inspiring the Future organisation and her commitment to promoting understanding and equality are phenomenal.”

A host of Chamber members have been recognised at the East Midlands Business Masters Awards.

Byron Dixon OBE, the founder and CEO of Leicester-based MicroFresh was named Ambassador of the Year at the awards, organised by online news site The Business Desk and held in front of more than 300 business leaders from across the region in October.

Abacus Flooring Solutions (Startup Company of the Year), Furnley House (Community Impact Award), LDC (Investment Award), Duncan & Toplis (Professional Services Firm of the Year – Regional), My HR Hub (Professional Services Firm of the Year – National), Precept (Small Business of the Year – up to 50 employees) and Luxfer Gas Cylinders (Small Business of the Year – 51-250 employees) were also among the Chamber members recognised at the ceremony.

Businesswoman earns double award recognition The founder of Nottinghamshirebased Challenge Consulting has been recognised through two awarding bodies that celebrate the achievements of businesswomen.

Dawn Edwards (pictured) was awarded Outstanding Female Leader in a Market Town at the East Midlands Women’s Awards, and achieved a silver award in the Best Business Women Awards in London.

As well as being managing director of the multi-award winning leadership and management development company, Dawn is area leader for the Federation of Small Businesses for Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, and is chair of her local village council, Lambley Parish.

The business was also shortlisted as a finalist in the Great British Entrepreneur Awards in the Service Industries Category, held at Grosvenor House in London in November.

Dawn, a former Chamber board member and president, said: “It really is such an honour to have been recognised in this way and

Innovation Festival to focus on small changes

among such an array of inspiring women.

“I’ve been in business for 27 years, and these awards mean so much since they are for the unpaid work I do in the community as much as they are for the day job.”

The Leicestershire Innovation Festival will return for 2024 – with a focus on productivity gains from small changes.

The theme of the sixth annual festival, which takes place from 5 to 16 February with 20 events staged at venues across the city and county, is “Small Change, Big Impact”.

It will include the flagship LeicestershireLive Innovation Awards on the evening of 15 February.

Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP), which leads the festival, invited organisations from a host of sectors to a warmup event at the Phoenix in Leicester in November.

The event was organised by the Business Gateway Growth Hub, with the aim of promoting ways in which SMEs can get involved with the festival.

Sue Tilley, the LLEP’s head of business, innovation and partnerships, used the event to tell guests the story of Leicestershire’s innovation journey over the past five years.

She covered the launch of the Innovation Festival with three events in 2018, through completion of MIT REAP, foundation of the LLEP Innovation Board, launch of the regional Innovation Strategy, and last year’s biggest festival to date.

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MEMBER NEWS

Energy firm powers cost savings Nottingham-based Geo Green Power has enabled a local veterinary clinic to save more than £15,000 on energy costs.

Minister Vets can now attribute around 75% of its future energy usage from the sun, having commissioned the renewable energy expert to design and install solar photovoltaic (PV) panels to its premises in Bingham, Southwell, Newark and Burton Joyce.

As well as reducing its energy costs, the practice will cut carbon emissions by 15 tonnes per year, the equivalent of taking three cars off the road.

The Geo Green team put together a comprehensive installation plan to work behind the scenes while each surgery maintained 24-hour access for customers and their pets.

James Cunningham, managing director at Geo Green Power, said: “We’re now seeing a lot of businesses getting really serious

James Cunningham

‘We’re now seeing a lot of businesses getting really serious about renewable energy’ about renewable energy. Modern renewable systems have become much more efficient in recent years and, at the same time, installation costs have reduced.

“Coupled with mounting evidence of the damage done by fossil fuels, huge increases in energy costs due to the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, the

calculations for business have completely changed and renewables make more sense than ever.”

It is estimated the £83,000 capital cost of the solar PV installations will be recouped by Minster Vets within six years, including ongoing maintenance costs. The practice’s energy bills will be negligible from that point onwards as the solar panels are under guarantee for 25 years.

Peter Chalkley, clinical director at Minster Vets, said: “We use a huge amount of electricity throughout the day and all of our costs have risen dramatically over the past three to four years, so we need to make savings where we can to minimise the effects.

“By taking control of our energy costs, we aim to continue offering a great service at a fair price, with the savings made directed to new equipment and new treatment services.”

Collaboration is a bridge over troubled water

Former apprentice wins SME employer award Chesterfield-based Dalton Roofing has been awarded SME Employer of the Year at the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Apprenticeship Awards 2023.

The business was started by Philip Dalton more than 30 years ago as an apprentice himself, and he has since gone on to employ over 30 people, working alongside wife Helen and two children Olivia and William to take on multiple apprentices each year.

The award reflects the company’s commitment to apprenticeship schemes, alongside the training and mentoring they receive on the job from site manager Paul Stephenson.

Apprentice William Thompson was also shortlisted in the Construction Apprentice of the Year category at the ceremony, which was held at The Village Hotel in Nottingham in October.

Philip said: “I always want to encourage more people to get into roofing. Winning this award really means everything to me, I am so proud of all our apprentices and all of our work team, we wouldn’t be where we are today without the hard work and dedication from everyone.”

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business network December 2023/January 2024

Researchers from the University of Nottingham are collaborating with Luleå University of Technology in Sweden on a project that aims to improve the resilience of the world’s bridges – making them safer and more sustainable as traffic levels rise.

In the UK alone, the cost of repairing bridges due to corrosion damage is estimated to cost millions of pounds, and the ongoing crisis around reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete demonstrates that much of the UK’s current infrastructure is nearing, or has exceeded, its expected design life.

The universities have come together to create the Climate Adaptation for REsilient Bridges The Luleå University of Technology lab

(CARE) project, which aims to find a durable and sustainable solution to reinforcing the country’s bridges, in response to deterioration worsening due to rising temperatures and traffic levels.

The project group will investigate how different temperatures and accumulated damage caused by repeated load cycles affect the performance of fibre-reinforced cementitious mortar (FRCM) when used in bridge strengthening.

FRCMs are compatible with concrete, breathable, resistant to fire, applicable on wet surfaces, sustainable and reversible, making them a low-carbon and costeffective alternative to the traditional fibre-reinforced polymer used in strengthening systems.

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MEMBER NEWS

The 2023 MOD award winners

Forces-friendly firms honoured Fourteen of the East Midlands’ greatest champions for the Armed Forces have been celebrated at an awards ceremony held in the Officers’ Mess at Prince William of Gloucester Barracks.

Winners of the Ministry of Defence’s Gold Award for 2023 include Alstom, Gleeds and Toyota Manufacturing UK. Campbell Cain Wealth Management, Everyone Health, Fred Sherwood Group and Rail Operations Group have also been awarded the highest accolade in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme for recognising the value of defence personnel in their business.

Completing the list are Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Northamptonshire Police, Nottinghamshire Police, SRC UK, United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust, Wescom Group and West Northamptonshire Council.

The Gold Award recognises organisations which proactively demonstrate their forces-friendly credentials as part of their recruiting and selection processes.

They also, among other policies, provide reserves within their workforce with at least 10 days of additional paid leave for training.

Each recipient was handed their award by Lieutenant General Tom Copinger-Symes CBE, deputy commander of UK strategic command. They were joined by special guests, the LordLieutenants of Lincolnshire, Derbyshire and Northamptonshire, and the Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Leicestershire.

Fred Hopkins, head of engagement at East Midlands Reserve Forces and Cadets Association, said: “Achieving the Gold Award is a remarkable accomplishment and I would like to congratulate our 2023 winners.

“We are very proud of the support and advocacy our Gold holders provide to defence, especially for reserves and cadets.

“I very much look forward to building on these mutuallybeneficial partnerships and establishing even more through the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme in the years ahead.”

A mock-up of the new canal bridge

Crowdfunder to create canal community spaces The Chesterfield Canal Trust has launched a Crowdfunder appeal to create new community spaces by the canal in Staveley.

The six-week crowdfunding campaign is run in association with the AVIVA Save Our Wild Isles Community Fund, which will start the appeal with £500 and will give the trust £2 for every £1 it raises, up to a maximum of £15,000.

This means that if the trust can raise £7,500, AVIVA will turn it into £23,000, or up to £24,500 with gift aid.

The works will take place at Hartington, where over the next 18 months a new Trans Pennine Trail bridge and lock will be built, and the canal will be restored. The trust wants to create a canalside environment for people and wildlife around the new bridge, giving nature a head-start and creating a suitable setting for the new lock, which will be built early in 2025.

To contribute to the appeal, visit chesterfield-canal-trust.org.uk

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MEMBER NEWS

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Banner Jones Solicitors - celebrating 145 years of supporting local people and businesses

or almost a century and a half Banner Jones Solicitors has played a pivotal role in supporting organisations and individuals across the East Midlands.

Offering expert legal advice across a wide spectrum of services within the region and further afield, the firm (then Jones Middleton) moved into its offices on Chesterfield’s Glumangate in 1878 and is quite possibly the oldest surviving business in the town today.

F

145 years of growth Focused on supporting its clients, championing the local communities it serves, and nurturing its staff, while Banner Jones has certainly evolved over the years, it has remained committed to its core values throughout its history.

Over the last 20 years it has completed on various mergers, and invested heavily in new technologies, systems and processes, facilitating its growth ambitions and making its wide range of legal services even more accessible to those who need them, when they need them.

Today, Banner Jones is a highly regarded, award winning law firm employing 140 people with offices in Chesterfield, Mansfield, Dronfield and Sheffield.

Serving the local community Banner Jones has a number of strategic partnerships with local businesses offering a full range of commercial legal services, from company 16

business network December 2023/January 2024

formation and business sales/purchases to commercial property transactions, but it is also used by many generations of local families.

The firm’s friendly and caring legal experts guide individuals through difficult times including divorce, probate, employment issues and personal injury claims, as well as exciting times such as buying their first home.

The team understands that instructing a lawyer can be intimidating, which is why they always go the extra mile to guide their clients through each stage of the legal process.

Supporting local charities Raising funds for charities including Ashgate, St Luke’s Hospice and The Samaritans, as well as participating in events such as Free Wills Month, Mission Christmas and the Kingsmill Toy Appeal, Banner Jones has a long-standing history of supporting great causes across the region.

Investing in our team Recognising that the staff at Banner Jones are integral to its ongoing success, it invests time heavily in the health and wellbeing of the team, as well as their own personal and professional development.

The firm has a detailed and robust internal training programme, with nine trainee solicitors currently undertaking their solicitor training, two apprentice solicitors and various others working on CILEX qualifications, licensed conveyancer exams and legal diplomas.

Fifteen per cent of employees have been with the business for over 20 years, and eight for over 30 years! One such person is CEO Simon Wright (pictured), who undertook work experience with the firm aged 16 years old, before ultimately joining the firm in September 1987.

Simon said: “The firm’s journey to date has been long and impressive and the ongoing development of its people and its work are continuing to make it a great place to work and I believe, a great firm with which to do business.”

Find out more about our award-winning legal services for businesses and individuals at www.bannerjones.co.uk

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MEMBER NEWS

Royal accolade for saving rare church books

Team-up gives university a real sporting chance Loughborough University’s 20year partnership with global sports brand adidas won the 2023 Royal Academy of Engineering Bhattacharyya Award in recognition of its academiaindustry collaboration.

Drawing on the university’s capabilities in engineering, aerodynamics, ergonomics and sports science, the collaboration has worked to make sport safer, more accessible and allow people to perform at their best, while developing the adidas talent pipeline.

The Bhattacharyya Award was presented in October by Dr Hayaatun Sillem CBE, CEO of the Royal Academy of Engineering, with the partnership receiving a £25,000 prize to further extend its impact.

‘Adidas has enabled the university to raise the level of its research ambition’ Funded by the UK’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, it is awarded to a university or college that has demonstrated a sustained, strategic industrial partnership in any academic discipline that has benefitted society and is deserving of national recognition.

For the first time, joint winners were presented with the award alongside the University of Manchester’s partnership with the nuclear decommissioning sector, providing expertise for quicker,

safer nuclear decommissioning.

Loughborough University vicechancellor Professor Nick Jennings said: “I am hugely proud the university’s outstanding collaborative track record with adidas has been recognised by the Royal Academy of Engineering as the UK’s most exceptional industryacademia partnership together with the University of Manchester and the nuclear decommissioning sector.

“Adidas has enabled the university to raise the level of its research ambition, creating a world-class environment that continually opens new opportunities to advance original knowledge, drive innovation and enrich our student experience.”

Agency gets a slice of US market Dan Wild

A Derby-based digital marketing agency has gone Stateside after its reputation for handling restaurant opening campaigns spread across the Atlantic.

Alphageek Digital has been employed by New York-based Williamsburg Pizza to help launch its new branch in Omaha.

The company’s campaign with the US firm reached one million people, which is more than double the population of Nebraska, outperforming industry standards.

The move came after the company, which is based at Century House, in St James’ Court, worked on the digital campaigns for national Indian restaurant chain Tamatanga, which has opened branches in Birmingham, Nottingham, Leicester and Leeds, with a fifth site in Sheffield

scheduled for later this year.

Dan Wild, head of paid marketing for Alphageek, said: “We've been lucky to work with clients who are great at what they do as this always helps with marketing, but working with an agency that has a tried and tested strategy in place for launches is also helpful. Time difference and location aren’t important these days – we're happy to be able to deliver our service worldwide.

“We saw some really strong results in the Omaha campaign and feedback from the client suggests this has translated into success in the restaurant too.

“We work with companies across so many different sectors, but we do seem to be getting a reputation within the food and drink market, which is great for us.”

A Nottinghamshire firm that specialises in reducing the carbon footprint of buildings has been praised by the Princess Royal for helping to preserve a rare collection of books in an historic church library.

Viridis, based in Collingham, near Newark, recently completed work to optimise energy efficiency, costs, ultraviolet exposure and humidity control at St Botolph’s Church, in Boston, Lincolnshire.

Part of the medieval church, also known as the Boston Stump, houses a library containing around 1,200 historic books that are often sought after by academics.

Viridis was commissioned by the Boston Stump Restoration Trust to design a new energy system that would help to preserve the historic books for enjoyment by future generations.

The finished project, which also included improving energy efficiency in the main church and neighbouring Blenkin Memorial Hall, was inspected by the trust’s patron, Princess Anne, on a recent visit.

Lee Marshall (pictured), managing director of Viridis, said: “Princess Anne accompanied me to the library with just a small handful of other staff and proceeded to spend a number of minutes discussing the improvements we had designed.

“I was amazed at her deep level of interest – she was really keen to find out more about what we had done, and she was extremely impressed by the achievement.”

In the main church, parts of which date back to 1309, Viridis re-ordered the heating system.

It reduced the building’s boiler capacity by 50% and reduced its operation and energy use by up to 400%, vastly increasing energy efficiency and reducing emissions.

As a result, the building is now much warmer than before, costs less to heat and, significantly, the church has reported a huge increase in visitor numbers, which it puts down to the warmer environment inside.

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MEMBER NEWS

It’s time to adopt safer recruitment It is more important than ever for employers to review and update their recruitment procedures after reports of individuals abusing their positions of trust to carry out heinous crimes, according to the head a Derbyshire child exploitation charity.

Tracy Harrison (pictured), CEO of Safe and Sound, highlighted the need for safer recruitment procedures in light of the case of South Wales police officer Lewis Edwards, who was jailed for life in October for grooming more than 200 young girls.

‘The key is the adoption of safer recruitment’ She said: “Sadly, a day rarely goes by without us reading or hearing about men and women grooming, abusing and exploiting the very people they should be supporting and protecting – whether that is police officers, sports coaches, teachers Scout leaders or the clergy.

“The key is the adoption of safer recruitment, which is a set of practices to help make an organisation’s staff and volunteers are suitable to work with children and young people. It's a vital part of creating a safe and positive environment and making a commitment to keep children and vulnerable adults safe from harm.”

Advisers support footy tournament The Leicestershire & Rutland County FA kicked off its 2023/24 County Cup programme with the support of local business Westerby, which has sponsored all the ladies and men’s over-18s tournament finals this season.

The Leicester-based Westerby Group is comprised of Westerby The Pension Specialist, which offers trusteeship and administration services for SIPP and SSAS pensions, and Westerby The Wealth Advisers, which gives independent financial advice to individuals and businesses across the UK. Westerby Group managing director Stephen Harvey said: “Getting involved in our local community is very important to us, and what better way could there be to do that than by sponsoring the County Cup finals?”

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Safe and Sound team receives a funding cheque

Tracy outlined a number of principles organisations can adopt to achieve a safer recruitment policy, including deterring unsuitable applicants from applying, rejecting unsuitable applicants through preappointment checks, and preventing any opportunities to abuse young people once appointed, and detecting and responding to concerns about an individual once appointed.

Good practices she identified for employers to follow include outlining the responsibilities relating to safeguarding clearly in job descriptions and adverts, obtaining references to support appointment decisions, using interviews to explore not just skills but also the motivation for working with children, and ensuring members of an interview panel have completed safer recruitment training.

CHARITY EARNS FUNDING FOR WELLBEING Safe and Sound has become the first organisation to win funding from British Safety Council to improve and support its employees’ wellbeing.

The funding of up to £10,000 was awarded to the charity via the council’s Keep Thriving campaign to improve workplace wellbeing.

Tracy Harrison attended the first three-hour workshop in November 2022 to help her and other SMEs develop a wellbeing strategy, delivered by experts from the council’s Being Well Together programme.

Workshop attendees are invited to apply for funding six months after attending workshops, with only the most effective and innovative proposals receiving approval.

Tracy said: “As a charity, we champion diversity, personal development and inclusivity and our team represents the local communities that we serve.

“This grant will enable us to implement our wide-reaching strategy to ensure the wellbeing of our staff who do an incredible job in sometimes the most challenging of circumstances and we are extremely grateful to British Safety Council’s Keep Thriving campaign for its support.

“Initiatives we are planning as part of our new wellbeing strategy include bespoke training, team building and wellbeing workshops.”

From teabags to moneybags!

The winner of a Nottingham-based Dragons Den-style competition has joined the panel to support new start-ups in the county.

Krisi Smith, who won the competition 10 years ago with business partner Mike Turner, will join the panel of business leaders for next year’s contest, which is facilitated by Nottinghamshire Community Foundation (NCF).

The duo used a cash grant they won to develop their company, now called the Bird & Blend Tea Co. The business now has 17 stores nationwide and a thriving international online shop.

Nina Dauban, CEO of NCF, said: “We are thrilled to have one of our previous winners sit on the panel as a new ‘dragon’. We use the term ‘dragon’ so people understand the concept, but they are really ‘angels’.

“It is wonderful to see our successful business leaders fight to become the kindest and most helpful on the panel. Winners not only get a bit of cash, but they get lots of help, advice and gifts in kind.”

The next “Den” is set for early 2024 and the application portal is now open at www.nottscf.org.uk/ grant/angels-den-2024 Individuals aged between 18 and 30 seeking a business start-up grant without attending a Den can also apply to NCF’s other enterprise scheme at www.nottscf.org.uk/grant/swef-grant-programme

business network December 2023/January 2024

Krisi Smith with business partner Mike Turner

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MEMBER NEWS

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MEMBER NEWS

BrightLife launches 2024 awards BrightLife, a charity that supports elderly people living in Chesterfield, Bolsover and North East Derbyshire, has launched its awards programme for 2024.

The BrightLife Champions Against Loneliness Awards will acknowledge and celebrate members of society – individuals, businesses and charities – who have gone above and beyond in their actions to ensure that loneliness and isolation doesn’t occur among older people.

It will take place at the SMH Group Stadium, home to Chesterfield Football Club, on Saturday 16 March.

The event’s various sponsorship opportunities and ticket sales also helps to raise funds for the charity.

Hopkinson Waste Management, a skip hire and waste management company based in Chesterfield, has been confirmed as the Champion Business Award category sponsor.

emc-dnl.co.uk/EMComingTogether

Derby IT firm makes ‘lifechanging’ laptop donation Derby IT services provider Infuse Technology donated laptops to a school in The Gambia to help transform education for disabled children studying there.

The laptops will help 15 children, who are aged five to 15 years old and suffer from sight impairments, to see text more clearly and learn more effectively.

‘The laptops will prove life-changing for these children’ The donation is part of a wider fundraising project organised by the Rotary Club of Leicester Impact Group.

Diana Esho, chair of the group and a passionate philanthropist, has led fundraising efforts for Wullinkamma Lower Basic School since visiting The Gambia eight years ago, fundraising for school meals and powdered milk for babies who have lost their mothers.

Paul Howard, managing director at Infuse Technology, said: “IT is a

The Infuse Technology team with laptops it donated to The Gambia

fundamental part of our day-to-day lives but largely taken for granted, making it easy to overlook the impact it can have, especially in communities where tech is hard to come by.

“We hope the children enjoy their new laptops and that our donation contributes to providing a

more fulfilling education.”

Diana, managing director at Easy Internet Services, added: “The laptops will prove life-changing for these children, who will now have a much better opportunity to receive the education they deserve and become productive members of the local community.”

Partnership rolls out lifesaving resuscitation skills

Randal Charitable Foundation chairman Dr Nik Kotecha OBE (centre) at the opening of the KAGIS plant in Uganda

Tackling period poverty A major initiative to help combat period poverty in Uganda has been launched by a Leicestershire-based charity.

Significant funding from the Randal Charitable Foundation has enabled a landmark social enterprise project to open a factory to produce sanitary pads, which will improve the lives of up to 50,000 girls and women in the East African country each year.

The plant, in Namakwa, part of the Mukono district of Uganda, will manufacture 200,000 reusable sanitary pads annually – directly helping to tackle missed educational opportunities for girls, who may miss 18% of the academic year 20

because of poor sanitary protection during their period.

It will also create locally-based, skilled employment opportunities for vulnerable women, who will be trained to make and market the pads and ensure the long-term sustainability of the facility.

The Keep a Girl In School (KAGIS) plant was officially opened in August by Uganda Red Cross Society secretary general Robert Kwesiga and Dr Nik Kotecha OBE DL, founder and chairman of the Randal Charitable Foundation, together with the director for basic and secondary education at the Ministry of Education and Sports in Uganda.

business network December 2023/January 2024

A Leicester-based manufacturer has joined forces with a charity to roll out life-saving training for its employees and in schools.

Druck, an industry leader in pressure measurement technology and instrumentation, is collaborating with Heartwize, which aims to increase the provision of basic but vital heart resuscitation skills.

The company will make training available for its 600 UK staff, enabling them to perform basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and use a defibrillator if they witness a cardiac arrest.

In addition, some Druck volunteers will receive enhanced training from Heartwize, enabling them to deliver resuscitation skills training to local secondary school students.

Gordon Docherty, general manager of Druck, said: “We know of at least three Druck colleagues who have saved a life by applying CPR. Offering 600 Druck team members the ability to perform CPR and use a defibrillator not only reduces the risk of fatalities through cardiac arrest on site, but it means our colleagues can apply their lifesaving skills to family members, friends or members of the public.”

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MEMBER NEWS

Kevan Liles MBE (left) receives his Lifetime Achievement Award from VAL CEO Kevin Allen Khimani

Rebuild lives in the season of giving

Community heroes are honoured at awards night Community champions from across Leicestershire were celebrated at the VAL Awards 2023 in Leicester.

The annual awards, established by Voluntary Action Leicestershire (VAL) in 2019, shine a spotlight on the invaluable work of volunteers, community groups and charities that go above and beyond to make a positive impact in their communities.

More than 230 people attended the event, which was hosted by BBC Radio Leicester presenter Rupal Rajani and VAL CEO Kevin Allen Khimani on 10 November.

Kevin said: “I have shed many tears listening and learning about some of these incredible individuals who, without their tireless efforts and determination, so many people would live more difficult lives.

“I’m immensely proud the VAL Awards 2023 enable us to celebrate some of these inspirational people and stories that might not otherwise be recognised.”

WINNERS OF THE VAL AWARDS 2023 Funded City Charity of the Year: Big Difference Company County Charity of the Year: Helping Hands Community Trust Social Enterprise of the Year: Team Hub CIC Volunteer-Led Organisation of the Year: Feed the Need Coalville Trustee of the Year: Eileen Perry MBE DL Fundraiser of the Year: Chris Shaw Charity & Business Partnership of the Year: Pedestrian Kathryn Burgess Volunteer of the Year: Jas Kainth Inspiring Leader of the Year: Jaimini Bharakhada Charity of the Year: Helping Hands Community Trust Lifetime Achievement Award: Kevan Liles MBE

The Carpenter’s Arms, a Leicestershire charity that supports men rebuilding their lives after drug and alcohol addiction, has launched its Christmas appeal.

With the festive period being an emotive time for the charity’s residents – who are often away from their families and, in many instances, experiencing their first sober Christmas in many years – it is more important than ever they feel fully supported.

Suggestions on gift ideas include books, donations for sober group activities like a group cinema trip, clothing accessories such as gloves and scarves, toiletry gift sets, downloadable music vouchers, sports equipment or anything else that can help bring a smile to the face of residents.

The Carpenter’s Arms CEO Richard Spence said: “We believe the act of giving plays a pivotal role in building this sense of community. By sharing thoughtful gifts and spreading the warmth of the season, we lay the foundations for a stronger, more connected community at The Carpenter’s Arms. Contributions from local people and businesses go a long way towards helping us to achieve this goal.”

Donations can be made at the charity’s centre in Wharncliffe Road, Loughborough.

College students raise pounds for Pudsey

Science and theatre students were among the fundraisers at the college

West Nottinghamshire College was a hive of fundraising fun as students and staff came together in support of BBC Children in Need.

Activities at the Chesterfield Road campus, which were spread over two days in November, included a tombola, bake sale, “name the teddy bear” and “guess how many sweets are in the jar” games, plus a clothing sale.

The event was organised courtesy of second-year applied science students supported by achievement coaches. Meanwhile, staff gamely volunteered to be “sponged” by students in return for a donation, with more than £200 raised in total.

HR team gets on board!

An HR consultancy supported a campaign to bring a skatepark to Stapleford.

Kraft HR Consulting, based in Nottingham, donated £500 to a Crowdfunder campaign by Skate Nottingham to create the space for young people.

The campaign, also supported by Broxtowe Borough Council, aimed to raise £12,000 in order to receive £4,800 match funding from Sport England, which will enable applications for larger grants that make a new skatepark a reality.

Following the closure of a previous skatepark in Hickings Lane when it reached the end of its natural life, Skate Nottingham plans to build a new facility in a nearby location. It expects up to £250,000 needs to be raised.

John Krafts, who founded Kraft HR in 2007, said: “We are very proud to be able to support this local initiative to bring a skatepark to Stapleford. I love skating because it is a sport that has no snobbery, is uber-inclusive and always develops its own local community of skaters.”

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MEMBER NEWS

MEMBER FOCUS: BLABY ELECTRICAL Tell us what your company does and a brief overview of its history?

Blaby Electrical, including Blaby Alarms, is a complete electrical, fire and security systems contractor based in Leicestershire.

Established in 1986, we have been approved by the National Inspection Council for electrical installation contracting, and accredited by the Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board since the early 1990s, with some of our existing clients dating back as far as our beginnings.

Starting out with, and maintaining, an ethos of quality and care, our client base has grown, with most clients entrusting us with their maintenance and projects year on year.

Who are your main customers and what is your USP to them?

Over the past 36 years in business, we have developed a very diverse range of customers from local domestic clients to offices, food factories and manufacturing plants, all the way to heavy industrial sites such as cement plants and former quarries.

Our USP is we are one of the only contractors within the

still on the lookout for a talented electrical estimator or business development manager in order to help push the company on further.

Leicestershire area that offers full coverage of electrical, fire and security systems in-house. One of our clients famously said to me, “if it has a wire in it, I want you to look after it for us”, and coincidently that’s exactly what we do.

What are the company’s plans for the future?

Having recently undergone a management buyout in July 2023, myself and co-owner Elliot are keen to see the company progress further.

We are already approved installers of many major EV chargers and some battery storage providers. It feels that solar PV would be the next step on this for ourselves to offer a more complete ecofriendly offering.

What is your position in the business and what does your day-to-day role involve?

As managing director, my days generally consist of talking with clients – be that good conversation or on the odd occasion to resolve an issue, quoting works, meeting with suppliers, helping with technical support and the general day-to-day running of the business, and of course, the odd golfing event.

What challenges have you faced in recent times and how have you tried to overcome them?

We have struggled with finding the right candidates for a couple of positions within the business, which has stalled potential growth at present. I don’t think we are unique in this struggle – in fact, it seems to be the thorn in many businesses’ side.

In order to ensure we get engineers with the right training,

Location: Wigston, Leicester, Number of employees: 14 Spokesperson: Ben French, managing director

knowledge and character, we now have apprenticeships running in both the electrical, and fire and security, elements of the business.

Previously, we had only offered this for the electrical route, but we are

How long have you been a member of the East Midlands Chamber, and how have you engaged with the membership benefits to support your business activity?

We’re looking forward to creating informative articles to feature in the Business Network magazine and taking advantage of the business support services like workshops and networking sessions.

We’re confident we’ll find many ways to benefit from the invaluable opportunities made available by East Midlands Chamber and look forward to getting stuck in.

NEW MEMBERS In October, the Chamber welcomed 33 new members:

• Alpha Construction Ltd • Anniseeds • Apprentice Team Ltd • Authentically Balanced • Barclaycard Payments • Breadsall Priory Marriott Hotel & Country Club (pictured) • Cudot • Digitech Security Solutions Ltd • East Midlands Roller Doors Ltd • Exphand Prosthetics • F Brazil Reinforcements Ltd • Fifteen • Geo Green Power Ltd • Harry Dalby Engineering & Regent Engineers • Hosta Consulting Limited • Hygge Supplies LTD • Infinity Flow Ltd

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business network December 2023/January 2024

• Inspire Resourcing Ltd • Inspirations • Ketna Butron Makeup and Microblading • Dusting Doctors • KranLee Logistics Ltd • Max Gimson • Mullen & Kelly Construction Ltd • Oadby Flooring • Powder Blue • RandalSun Capital Limited • Francis Hammond Estates • Step Up Rehab Physiotherapy Clinic • The Tshirt Factory Europe Ltd • Tsunami Computers Limited • Westley Lansdowne Safety Consultancy • Woodborough Hall

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MEMBER NEWS

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APPOINTMENTS

New accountancy group welcomes finance expert New lead appointed to children’s charity Derbyshire’s specialist child exploitation charity, Safe and Sound, has appointed a new team lead to support and grow the organisation’s group of volunteers.

Rach Bricknell (pictured) joins Safe and Sound from a children’s charity, where she both volunteered her time and worked on fundraising and events. Previously, she set up her own candle-making business, and has worked in a variety of accounting, business administration and retail roles.

At Safe and Sound, Rach will support the volunteering team, which carries out vital work across the organisation – from outreach sessions and youth activities to administrative and ambassadorial roles.

She said: “I am relishing the role – both in working with our existing volunteers and to recruiting more people to keep pace with the growing demand for Safe and Sound’s support services. Their input really can make a positive difference to the lives of so many people in our local communities.”

The ex-CEO of an accountancy firm Blick Rothenberg is taking on the role of group chairman in a new accountancy group formed by Blixt, following the private equity firm’s investment in Duncan & Toplis.

Nilesh Shah brings more than 30 years’ experience to help steer the group’s overall strategy and priorities.

‘I will ensure everyone involved in this journey is working towards our collective ambition’ The first pillar in the group is Duncan & Toplis, which has an ambitious growth strategy following the Blixt investment in September.

Nilesh said: “I have a passion for

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Nilesh Shah

Key appointment made at EM IoT Rachel Quinn

PR firm strengthens team with new hires Nottingham-based Eden Public Relations has expanded its team by appointing Sara Vermes as PR and digital senior account executive, and Daniela Loffreda as PR and digital account executive.

Sara joins the PR and marketing consultancy with a wealth of experience, having previously worked with a diverse clientele in the tech, AI, software, manufacturing, signage and construction sectors.

Daniela comes to Eden having worked as a senior journalist across two regional titles in the East Midlands. She has a strong background in writing, particularly for news, features and lifestyle topics and events.

Emily Winsor-Russell, director and head of new business at Eden, said: “Sara and Daniela are both excellent additions to our growing team, bringing with them a host of valuable skills and experiences from the PR and media worlds.”

building high-growth, peoplecentric businesses. By overseeing group strategic decisions and advising on who we partner with going forwards, I will ensure everyone involved in this journey is working towards our collective ambition to create a leading people-driven accountancy group.

“I am very excited to kick off this journey with Duncan & Toplis as the first pillar of the group. They bring almost a century of experience in developing quality talent and providing excellent advisory services to clients.”

Adrian Reynolds, managing director of Duncan & Toplis, added: “Nilesh’s appointment to the role of group chairman gives us access to guidance and insight from some of the best minds in the industry as we embark on delivering Duncan & Toplis’ accelerated growth strategy.”

Rachel Quinn has been appointed executive director of the East Midlands Institute of Technology (EM IoT). A social policy specialist, Rachel previously held senior roles in public sector, not-for-profit and social enterprise organisations, including the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership. She will lead the development of the EM IoT, which opened in September with a remit to develop technical skills in the region.

Rachel said: “I will be drawing on the experience and knowledge I have gained over the past 17 years in skills, education and inclusion agendas, among others, to ensure the IoT is best placed to meet the skills demands of the future economy in our region and beyond.”

The EM IoT is a partnership between the University of Derby, Loughborough College, Loughborough University and Derby College Group. Working closely with leading employers including Rolls-Royce, Toyota, National Grid ESO, Uniper, Alstom, Bloc Digital and Fujitsu, it offers courses from T-levels to postgraduate degrees.

Courses focus on addressing technical skills gaps in key areas of engineering and manufacturing technologies, information and communication technology, science and maths, and construction, planning and the built environment.

Amber climbs on board with new role Trentbarton has welcomed Amber Fairweather as its new marketing and communications assistant.

Amber joins the bus operator from an account manager role at the news publisher National World.

Prior to that, she was a wholesale and corporate business development team leader at Derby-based artisan doughnut bakery Project D. Working alongside, Scarlet McCourt, who earlier this year was promoted to marketing and communications manager, she will apply her multimedia campaign skills to trentbarton’s advertising and digital marketing, helping to attract people to travel by bus more often.

Amber said: “Having worked with trentbarton over the years to help build its advertising campaigns, I am now so excited to be part of its marketing and communications team.”

business network December 2023/January 2024

Amber Fairweather

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APPOINTMENTS

Michelle Wakefield and Joseph Bentley

Apprentice starts career at DBCP

Scientists join team at Test Your Intolerance A company that has reported escalating demand for its at-home allergy, intolerance and health tests has increased its workforce by 25%, including the appointments of two experienced scientists.

Test Your Intolerance, based in Castle Donington, has hired Joseph Bentley as laboratory manager and Michelle Wakefield as laboratory and compliance director.

It follows almost 400% growth in demand over the past 12 months for self-testing kits supplied by the business, which has customers in 40 countries.

Joseph has previously worked for Source BioScience, in Nottingham, and as senior scientist for The Rosalind Franklin

‘The company is ready to take the next step in expanding our global network’ Laboratory in Leamington Spa – the Government’s flagship testing site – at the height of the pandemic between 2020 and 2022.

He will be responsible for managing the laboratory, creating processes and documenting procedures, overseeing staff as well as calibration and quality control.

Michelle spent six years working for Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust as a specialist biomedical scientist. She is a HCPCregistered biomedical scientist with

an MSc in pathological sciences, has more than 15 years’ experience in clinical biochemistry, toxicology and point-of-care testing within NHS Laboratories.

She will be responsible for the regulatory side of the business ensuring the laboratory operates to the highest standards and remains compliant with MDR and IVDR regulations.

Cris Wootton, who runs Test Your Intolerance, said: “With appointments like this, the company is ready to take the next step in expanding our global network and furthering our research to support more people in overcoming debilitating allergies and intolerances.”

Firm founder to lead law society The founder of BP Legal Solicitors has been named the new president of Leicestershire Law Society.

Bhumika Parmar (pictured) took up the position on 31 October, succeeding Gina SamuelRichards.

She brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to the legal profession. An active member of the society for many years, she has demonstrated a passion for advancing the legal community and promoting justice.

Bhumika founded Leicesterbased BP Legal Solicitors in 2009 and serves as director.

She said: “During my tenure, I intend to continue the great work done by my predecessors and encourage young people into a career in law. I will dedicate myself wholeheartedly to the welfare and progress of our profession.”

DBCP, a provider of building control services across Derbyshire and Staffordshire Moorlands, has hired an apprentice to its Chesterfieldbased technical team.

Lucy Jones (pictured), a former Tupton Hall Sixth Form student, has secured a Level 3 business administration apprenticeship with the firm and will support its team of building inspectors.

She said: “I am really excited to start my career at DBCP. University wasn’t for me – I wanted to get a job and start working immediately. DBCP has given me the opportunity to continue my learning with an apprenticeship.

“There is also the option to go on and do a degree-level apprenticeship in building control and eventually become an inspector, which really appeals to me.”

DBCP’s long-running apprenticeship programme helps the business to attract local young people who want to progress their careers within the field of building control.

The company employs seven apprentices, who are at different stages of their training, including degree level.

BID welcomes board members

Raft of appointments as Freeths goes for growth Law firm Freeths has made eight appointments across its employment, pensions and immigration practice, led by Rena Magdani, as it continues to achieve record growth.

The new starters join at an exciting time for the firm as it recently announced its financial results for 2022/23, revealing turnover was up by 14.9% to £129m.

They are split across various offices, with Ella Sheppard joining the employment team in Leicester as a senior associate.

Rena Magdani, partner and national head of employment, pensions and immigration, said: “These appointments bring a wealth of experience and will significantly contribute to our commitment to provide our clients with highly responsive, pragmatic, and commercial advice.”

A business owner, retail boss and a priest have been appointed to the board of the Derby Cathedral Quarter Business Improvement District (BID).

Dean Jackson (pictured), founder and owner of Derby sportswear firm HUUB; Tony Ozman, manager of Primark in Derby; and the Very Reverend Dr Peter Robinson, Dean of Derby; were voted in as new BID directors at the AGM in September.

They join the existing board of eight directors in representing businesses across the Cathedral Quarter. The role of the BID board director is to support the governance of the BID and its delivery of the business plan objectives.

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MEMBER NEWS

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THE BIG INTERVIEW

Why East Midlands Airport is flying high As the gateway to foreign horizons for not just people, but goods produced by businesses, East Midlands Airport is a hugely important cog in the region’s economic chain and the landing strip for many inward investors given its position as the UK’s busiest air freight hub. Managing director Steve Griffiths, who has been in post for just over a year, speaks to Dan Robinson about his initial reflections on the East Midlands and plans for growth in both the passenger and cargo operations.

onvenient. Easy to find. Hassle-free.

Effortless. Perhaps not the types of buzzwords someone touching down at Heathrow, Birmingham or Edinburgh might face when walking past shiny place marketing campaigns adorning the arrivals hall, but these descriptors used by Steve Griffiths are indicative of acute selfawareness when it comes to East Midlands Airport’s USP to passengers and businesses.

It is, after all, located slap bang in the middle of England, its Castle Donington base next to major road networks including the M1, M42, A42 and A50, and near key railway stations such as Derby and Nottingham.

Being within a four-hour driving distance of 90% of England and Wales’ population has made it a magnet for major logistics providers, with DHL, UPS and FedEx among the industry titans to base their UK hubs at the airport, which handles 440,000 tonnes of freight each year and connects businesses with 185 major cities.

“Our mantra is about effortless travel,” says Steve. “We want all our customers to find us easy to get to and to use. We want it to be easy and convenient for our passengers to find us, to park, to get through security without long queues and then relax in the departure lounge, where they can start their holidays with a strong customer offering before boarding their flight.

“We have a direct catchment area we serve around the region but we have an opportunity to tap into a wider geography of people within a two-hour drive. We’re an airport that’s small enough to care, and we commissioned some research that found people are prepared to travel further if their journey is effortless, so this is a growth focus.

“The cargo operation at EMA is another hugely exciting side of the business, delivering seamless trade that powers the UK, and we think there’s a huge opportunity to grow this operation too.”

C

Steve Griffiths joined in autumn 2022

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THE BIG INTERVIEW

STEVE LANDED IN the East Midlands in autumn last year but is in familiar surroundings, corporately speaking, having worked for operator Manchester Airports Group (MAG) for the past five years.

Initially joining the group – which runs Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands airports – as chief operating officer in 2018, he was appointed managing director of Stansted in the throes of Covid-19 lockdown in summer 2020, one of the toughest periods to ever face the aviation industry, before his appointment at East Midlands Airport (EMA) in autumn 2022.

Passenger numbers at EMA, like in all airports, had been decimated before he arrived, dipping under one million in 2020.

After a period of stabilisation, they grew to 80% of pre-Covid levels during Steve’s first year in the role – reaching 90% in the summer months – and could soon topple these numbers.

‘While we don’t own the whole journey, it’s important we’re a key player in it, which requires having welcoming staff, as well as strong alignment with our partners and passengers’ In October this year, 413,259 people travelled through EMA, nearly 60,000 more than the same month in 2022 and representing 98% of pre-Covid levels. This pushed the total number for the 2023/24 financial year to 3.1 million and it is on course to break through the four million barrier by March, with winter routes to Prague, Krakow, Berlin and Budapest among the popular destinations.

“It’s great that passenger confidence has returned and to see them choose EMA in such large numbers,” says Steve.

“We knew where our glidepath was for 2023 and we’ve had a very successful summer. Again, it reflects the fact we offer people an effortless travel experience – one that we know people are prepared to travel from across the Midlands and beyond for.”

Another key statistic for Steve is the time it takes for passengers to pass through security.

Ninety-nine percent completed the process within 15 minutes this summer and he is proud of a 160-day period in which this was 100%.

Focus on such details – as well as strong assisted travel provision for people with disabilities and reduced mobility – reflect his customer service background at companies including Virgin Atlantic and Transport for London, having moved into senior roles following an engineering apprenticeship at RollsRoyce.

Running an airport carries a different type of complexity to those organisations, as he explains: “When I was at TfL, one of my mantras was I work for a customer service business that happens to run trains.

“It’s the same now with planes, but a slight difference is that across the customer journey we are doing handshakes with different entities.

A passenger checks in with their airline and then the airline hands over the customer to us for security. We hand them over to retail, food and beverage outlets, and then the airline and ground operations.

“So while we don’t own the whole journey, it’s important we’re a key player in it, which requires having welcoming staff, as well as strong alignment with our partners and passengers.

“In any customer service business, first and last impressions count for how people view an experience. The fabric of our customer proposition is in the departure lounge, so we have to keep innovating to enhance that experience.”

East Midlands Airport is the UK's busiest air freight hub

MADONNA TOUR ARRIVES IN LONDON VIA EMA

More than four million passengers are expected to pass through EMA in 2023/24

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When pop megastar Madonna landed in the UK for her Celebration Tour, she arrived with a huge amount of staging equipment – which was transported via East Midlands Airport.

Freight forwarding firm Rock-it Global, which had been contracted by the singer’s touring production company, chose to move all the kit via EMA. It could then be delivered via road to The O2 in London, where she performed in October.

Steve says: “While we have the major logistics providers like FedEx, UPS and DHL here, we’re certainly not a closed shop and are open to further business, particularly for incoming cargo from the ad-hoc cargo market that is driven by activities like sports events or repatriation.

“A great example was in supporting Madonna’s UK tour by helping her team transport the staging equipment over to the UK. “With other airports priorisiting passenger flights, we were able to provide the certainty and flexibility her team was looking for and demonstrate we are a viable alternative to London’s congested and slot-constrained airports.

“Even when the equipment was destined for The O2 in London, the freight forwarder favoured the reliability we could offer and recognised the drive-time from EMA was not very long.”

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THE BIG INTERVIEW

STEVE’S CV INCLUDES ROLES AT ROLLS-ROYCE, VIRGIN ATLANTIC AND TRANSPORT FOR LONDON

AMONG STEVE’S FIRST impressions of the region was a recognition that EMA occupies a “huge presence” in its community and economy.

Almost 9,000 people work across the EMA site, a tenth employed directly by the airport.

“We’re not a Toyota, JCB or Rolls-Royce, but the airport employs a huge number of people and is a really important hub for connectivity,” says Steve.

“There’s a halo effect from the airport to the other big economic initiatives happening in this region, as we have seen with the freeport, and there is an opportunity to bring more trade through the airport as these develop.”

While EMA was already home to the UK’s largest dedicated air cargo hub prior to the pandemic, this part of the business was propelled to the fore nationally and internationally as Covid-19 took hold.

Lockdowns grounded many long-haul flights, which transport goods in the belly hold of passenger aircraft, meaning pure freight carriers like DHL and the other big players at EMA took on new load. There was a 13% increase in annual air cargo volumes in 2020, with the value of goods exported through EMA in March 2022 alone worth £1.3bn.

“EMA performed exceptionally well during Covid as the gateway to bringing goods in and out of the UK as the long-haul airlines stopped flying,” explains Steve.

“This airport really capitalised on the freight-only operations to grow by 30%

Steve Griffiths arrived at EMA following a career spanning almost four decades in the transportation industry, but it was a wellknown name in the region’s business community that fired the starting gun.

It was at Rolls-Royce’s helicopter division – albeit based in Leavesden, near Watford, rather than Derby – where he started out as an apprentice engineer.

“I decided further education and an apprenticeship was the pathway that best suited me to get straight into industry,” recalls Steve.

“I took the long route to getting a degree in engineering, something I did later in my career. Looking back, that was foundational in my career and what I’ve achieved.”

‘It’s all about leading people and delivering for our customers’ After about a decade with Rolls-Royce, he moved to Virgin Atlantic in the mid-1990s, a critical moment in its growth trajectory under the stewardship of founder Sir Richard Branson.

Over an 18-year stint until 2013, Steve moved up the ladder via a number of positions – including senior development engineer in propulsion, technical and design manager, director of engineering and, finally, chief operating officer.

By now accustomed to running day-to-day operations, he took up a similar role at Transport for London (TfL), where he led 17,000 employees from frontline customer operations through to engineering and maintenance, with a £1.7bn annual budget.

Key achievements included delivering a stations transformation programme that moved staff from ticket offices to the station floor to support passengers, and launching the London Underground night tube. TfL was followed by a management consultancy role before he joined MAG. Steve, who has also been a non-executive director of Turkey’s low-cost airline Pegasus Airlines for the past seven years, reflects: “I’m very proud of the brands and businesses I’ve worked for, and when I look across all of them they are broadly in transportation. They are large-scale, complex, safety-critical, regulated, customer-focused businesses.

“I’ve been at the frontline of airline operations, stepped across to rail and then into the other side of the aviation industry, whereby the airlines are the customers and we are an asset management business. But it’s all about leading people and delivering for our customers.”

A practical individual – his brain is wired “to see through complexities and break down problems to find solutions” – he has risen from the shop floor as an engineer to oversee huge operations with customer service front of mind.

This transition began at Virgin Atlantic, a company with a razor-sharp focus on customer service, and Steve admits working in this environment has provided solid grounding for the rest of his career.

“Even as an engineer, when you are maintaining an aircraft or a Tube train, you are delivering for the customer because the end outcome is it must work and be on time for them,” he says.

“So you’re already part of the chain of events that delivers for the customer, which is something that came to the fore of my mind when I moved into operational roles.”

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THE BIG INTERVIEW

Rynair, Jet2.com and TUI are EMA's three core airlines

during the pandemic and achieve some record figures. As the long-haul routes have come back online, there’s been a rebalancing of cargo being carried through belly hold and pure freight, while carriers are also telling us about the continuing impact of Brexit, cost-of-living crisis and the war in Ukraine on parcels.

“So there’s some stability in the world needed to get back to normal growth but our cargo levels remain higher than they were in 2019, and one of the outcomes of the pandemic period was it crystalised the importance of express freight, which can be delivered through EMA. “Moving forward, MAG has a desire to grow this airport as part of UK national infrastructure and work in partnership with the main players here.”

Steve's career includes roles at Rolls-Royce, Virgin Atlantic and Transport for London

NEW SECURITY SCANNERS COMING TO EMA A £20m investment in East Midlands Airport’s security hall will introduce new technology and expand the space to help passengers pass through quicker.

New 3D body scanners and CT scanner technology will be installed to make the security process quicker and smoother.

It will prepare EMA for the scrapping of rules that prevent passengers from carrying liquids above 100ml, and means they won’t have to unpack baggage to separate certain electrical items.

Work will ramp up in January and the project is expected to be completed by summer 2025.

Steve says: “This investment will significantly enhance the security experience and we are extending the hall to accommodate the new equipment.”

This is just one spoke in a modernisation

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programme for EMA. Steve plays a key role in supporting and standardising MAG’s digital transformation strategy across all three airports. Other initiatives in the works include introducing cashless and barrierless entry in the car park's rapid drop-off zone.

In total, MAG has committed £120m investment in EMA over five years to enhance customer experience, including the security upgrades. This will also cover refreshing seating areas, retail units and toilets in the departure lounge, upkeeping the terminal, installing bilingual signage provision and upgrading airfield infrastructure.

“It’s a big focus of mine to have the right business plan to secure the long-term future of the airport, and this involves investing to make sure it is in the condition it needs to be to serve both the cargo and passenger airlines,” adds Steve.

THE AIRPORT HAS proven its worth as a major component in both the UK’s global trade ambitions and the East Midlands’ own economic prospects, attracting investment in and around the site, such as at the huge logistics park at East Midlands Gateway.

EMA’s cargo hub connects businesses with 185 cities worldwide within one stop. These represent 76% of the world’s largest cities – including New York, Singapore, Dubai, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Paris, Mumbai, Jakarta and Frankfurt – and 51% of second-tier cities, such as Bogota, Tel Aviv, Cape Town, Seattle, Nairobi and Panama City.

The “one-stop network” relies on a hub-andspoke model in which EMA links directly into hub destinations such as Leipzig, Milan and Cincinnati for DHL; Cologne and Philadelphia for UPS; and Liege, Cologne and Paris for FedEx.

We’re an asset of national significance and play a pivotal role in driving the economy Research commissioned by MAG and conducted by aviation consultancy York Aviation in November 2021 found the value of goods exported through the airport is worth £335,000 per tonne – roughly twice both the UK airport average and EMA’s imported goods value – illustrating a regional economy that is adding significant value to UK plc.

This is also worth 168-times the value of cargo passing through other UK ports on average and explains why bringing the UK’s only inland freeport to the East Midlands provides a strong USP for the region.

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THE BIG INTERVIEW

NET ZERO PLANS PROGRESSING AT EMA Net zero is one of the biggest challenges facing the aviation industry and EMA is doing its bit to look at ways of decarbonising its operations.

The airport is part of East Midlands Hydrogen, a partnership that aims to maximise the potential of hydrogen, which is due to be produced at the nearby Ratcliffeon-Soar power station site.

EMA could be one of the largest users of hydrogen in the region, estimating it could see a demand for about 700,000 litres of liquid hydrogen a day by 2050 – the year the global

Derby North MP Amanda Solloway with Steve Griffiths on the EMA tarmac

East Midlands Freeport – which provides a package of tax and customs incentives to entice businesses to move there – locates its port at EMA, whose services are critical for the global supply chain of companies in sectors such as advanced manufacturing and aerospace.

Of the 440,000 tonnes of goods it expects to handle this year – equating to well over one million individual packages a night that include everything from car engines and nuclear reactor parts through to microchip boards and boilers, and Amazon Prime orders in between – 55,000 tonnes will originate in the East Midlands.

The US is the top country for both exports, valued at £2.3bn, and imports, at £2.13bn, meaning the East Midlands contributes to a

EAST MIDLANDS AIRPORT IN NUMBERS • 440,000 tonnes of cargo handled per year • £335,000 value for the average export tonne of goods passing through EMA – 1.9-times higher than the UK airport average and 168-times higher than the average for a tonne passing through other UK ports • 55,000 tonnes of cargo originates from the East Midlands, representing 29% of all volume, with 41,000 tonnes (21%) originating from the West Midlands • 185 cities served by EMA’s “one-stop” network, including 76% of the world’s “alpha” cities and 51% of “beta” cities • 90% of England and Wales’ population is within a four-hour lorry drive • 4.2 million passengers are expected to pass through the airport in 2023/24.

trade surplus with one of its biggest growing markets.

“We’re an asset of national significance and play a pivotal role in driving the economy,” adds Steve, who stresses the need to be a good neighbour to nearby communities both in existing and future operations.

“The significant cluster of businesses in the advanced manufacturing, aerospace, healthcare, pharmaceuticals and automotive sectors in the region rely on us to move predominantly highvalue goods quickly and efficiently around the world.

“When the cargo operation kicks into gear as the last passenger flight of the evening leaves, it really is a sight to behold.

“We will use our central England location and the benefits of the freeport to help us position EMA as the UK’s best placed airport for facilitating air cargo, to attract new cargo airlines that we have capacity to accommodate.

“As the port of East Midlands Freeport, a popular gateway to Europe for a growing number of people, an early adopter of green innovation in the aviation industry and a site at the heart of the country with further untapped potential, I believe there is a bright future for us.”

PARIS, BELFAST AND Newquay are among the new destinations added to the roster at EMA in recent years.

In particular, the addition of Paris Orly, operated by Eastern Airways, in April this year is regarded as something of a coup as passengers could book via the Air France website along with onward travel to global destinations.

“It was a very significant development as it opens up the world to our passengers, bringing regions such as Africa, the Caribbean and South America within one-stop of EMA,” says Steve.

In total, there are about 60 popular European

aviation industry has set to reach net zero.

EMA, which has its own ambition to be net zero by 2038, is also in talks about the increased use of other sustainable aviation fuels.

“We’re serious about doing what we can to decarbonise our airport and the wider aviation industry,” says Steve. “We’re committed to our target of net zero carbon operations by 2038.

We also continue to do all we can to be a good neighbour to our surrounding communities, including reducing the impact of noise on them.”

destinations served by the three core airlines at EMA – Ryanair, Jet2.com and TUI. These have also increased their fleet sizes, with Ryanair now operating eight aircraft, JET2.com seven and TUI operating five in the peak summer months compared to three last year.

TUI also brought back three routes this summer to Antalya (Turkey), Hurghada (Egypt) and Gran Canaria.

“Our catchment area from being in the centre of England and the type of travel we offer here, which is predominantly leisure, means we have a seasonality between summer and winter.

“So for us, it’s about offering more route choices to the right destinations, and maximising the opportunity we have with the terminal size and demand for passenger aircraft.

“It’s really important we maintain the base of the three low-cost carriers we have at EMA and, beyond that, there is an opportunity for us to identify regional connections to destinations like Glasgow and Edinburgh.

“After adding Paris Orly, we’re also looking at hub connectivity into Amsterdam, as that’s when we can connect with the major network of KLM, Air France and Lufthansa.

“The other opportunity is leisure aircraft based overseas. Turkey is a huge market that’s grown a lot and we think there’s an opportunity for some of the Turkish carriers to run into EMA as well.”

Some routes, of course, were lost during the pandemic as a number of airlines – most notably Flybe in Britain – collapsed, leading to a period of consolidation by those that survived.

Steve acknowledges many airlines are now focusing on rebuilding their network at core airports like Manchester and Stansted for the time being, but with demand for overseas travel returning strongly since the end of lockdowns, there will be space at EMA for servicing that growth.

There is huge potential for the region, yet like many who have come before him in the airport hotseat, and countless other business and political leaders across the region, he acknowledges the need for the region to coalesce behind a common identity for itself.

“When we look outside the UK in regions such as Europe and Asia, they all know where London is, and probably recognise Heathrow and Gatwick,” adds Steve.

“In some of the work we’ve done in research, working with cargo operators and attending international summits, we’ve found that not a lot of people understand where the East Midlands is because it’s not a city or town, it’s a region.

“There’s a need to really establish what the East Midlands is, where its place within the UK is and the opportunity it presents for connectivity.”

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STRATEGIC PARTNERS AND PATRONS

Fibre network provider in £100m funding deal Mukesh Patel

Bursary to aid aspiring students National law firm Freeths has established a bursary programme for law students at the University of Leicester and De Montfort University in memory of Mukesh Patel, former managing partner of Freeths’ Leicester Office.

The bursary will provide local undergraduate law students with an award of £4,000 a year for three years, with a focus on the socioeconomic backgrounds of students who want to pursue a career in law.

The firm launched the scheme to honour Mukesh’s legacy, and his commitment to diversity and equality within the legal profession and to the local business community.

A respected and popular member of both Freeths and the local legal community, Mukesh, who was born and went to school in Leicester, led the firm’s dispute resolution team in Leicester and subsequently became managing partner of the Leicester office in 2014. He died on February 18, aged 54, leaving behind his wife Rita and their two sons.

Lisa Gilligan, managing partner of Freeths Leicester, said: “Mukesh was always ready to help, encourage and support students, particularly those from less privileged backgrounds.

“We hope this bursary will not only ensure we continue to honour his vision and passion, but also help to support a pipeline of local law graduates to progress their careers in our region.

“Graduate retention in Leicester is a well-documented challenge and the bursary will help Freeths to play its part in addressing this head on.”

A statement from Rita Patel and her sons added: “From humble beginnings himself, Mukesh was a firm believer that anyone with passion and drive should be afforded every opportunity.”

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Business fibre network provider ITS Group has secured £100m of debt financing from global investment firm Avenue Capital Group.

Together with the significant existing facility provided by Aviva Investors, this investment further underpins the delivery of ITS’ growth target for its full-fibre Faster Britain network to pass 50% of the UK’s commercial premises.

The £100m funding will also help to finance strategic merger and acquisition activity.

‘This investment is great news for the future expansion of Faster Britain’s business network’ ITS Group CEO Daren Baythorpe said: “We’re really excited to welcome our new investor Avenue Capital Group. This additional funding recognises the strength in our business plan as we continue to expand our network, as the fibre market adapts to changing technology and undergoes consolidation.”

Following strong growth over the past five years, ITS has established itself as a national full-fibre infrastructure operator, building a robust, reliable network with industry-leading technology, bringing a gigabit-capable, fullfibre network to UK businesses.

Daren Baythorpe

Marcus Harrison

ITS’ infrastructure supports symmetrical services up to 10 gigabits per second (Gbps) using XGS-PON technology, providing an open-access network to more than 500 partners in the UK. It supports some of the UK’s most progressive business and public sector bodies.

Jonathan Ford, senior portfolio manager and head of Europe strategy at Avenue Capital, said: “We’re delighted to be supporting ITS’ business-to-business fibre rollout in the UK. The company’s management team not only has very deep industry relationships to execute on its business plan, but it has also coupled it with a strong delivery track record. This funding fits well with our European strategy

of investing in high-quality companies with sustainable business models.”

Marcus Harrison, Faster Britain ambassador for the Midlands added: “This investment is great news for the future expansion of Faster Britain’s business network.

“Thanks to our partnership approach to building more digitally-inclusive communities, the East Midlands is firmly on the business connectivity map, and Faster Britain networks powered by ITS are ready to meet some of the most pressing business and community needs. We can’t wait to see what that future holds and how we play our part in the future prosperity of the region.”

Double award win for KTP team Project leaders from the University of Nottingham have scooped a double win at a prestigious awards ceremony that celebrates collaboration between academia and businesses in tackling real-world challenges.

The university’s knowledge transfer partnerships (KTP) team, along with two KTP associates embedded in businesses, picked up gongs at the Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Partnership Awards in the Future Leaders category.

The unique arrangement of KTP embeds university employees in a business or not-for-profit organisation to manage a project from 12 months to three years.

While they are technically managed and paid by the university, they work day to day for their respective businesses.

By doing so, they bridge the gap between the two worlds, working like any other employee, but applying specialist research knowledge and skills that ultimately benefit both parties.

The two KTP associates recognised were Leonardo Rodrigues, analyst and web developer for XAIS Asset Management, and Alexandra Spencer, data scientist at Gleeds Cost Management.

business network December 2023/January 2024

From left: Philippa Ryan, knowledge transfer adviser covering Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and Derbyshire, with KTP associate Alexandra Spencer and University of Nottingham business development officer for KTP, Andrea McCluskey

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STRATEGIC PARTNERS AND PATRONS Radisson Blu Hotel East Midlands Airport

Find new partnerships at EMA ‘speed dating’ event A “speed dating”-style business event to match local firms with prospective clients is to be hosted

by East Midlands Airport (EMA) for the first time.

Interested companies are being invited to register for the inaugural “Meet the Buyers” event, which takes place at Radisson Blu Hotel East Midlands Airport on Thursday 25 January 2024.

It will bring a wide range of businesses from across the region together under one roof. While it will give firms access to potential airport-related clients, the event isn’t limited to that sector, with invitations extending to SMEs across many industries.

Those on the hunt for suppliers will include public sector buyers

and private sector primary contractors with new projects, contracts and other supply chain opportunities.

Previous Meet the Buyer events at Manchester and London Stansted Airports, also owned by EMA’s parent Manchester Airports Group (MAG), have netted more than £28m of contracts for local SMEs. MAG’s procurement team will attend the event as prospective buyers.

Marcella M’Rabety, group head of education, skills and employment at MAG, said: “EMA sits between Nottingham, Derby and Leicester – and this central location, and its huge cargo operation providing links to the world’s major trading cities, means it plays a crucial role

in the regional economy. It’s a role we take seriously which is why we are hosting this event.

“We hope to attract hundreds of attendees and will run a series of meetings throughout the day between buyers we have matched with suppliers, which we expect to result in many new business partnerships being forged.

“Events like this help businesses make introductions to the right contacts while removing the need for endless cold calls, email chasing and speculative meetings. We hope to establish it as the region’s leading procurement event.”

For more information and to register, visit www.eastmidlandsmtb.co.uk

Platinum accreditation for college

One of the college’s beauty therapy students at work

SMB College Group has been recognised as a Platinum College of Excellence by Ragdale Hall Spa. The accreditation recognises the group’s great reputation, high standard of teaching, and consistent support and communication from tutors regarding events, visits and talks.

Platinum status opens the college to new benefits, including guaranteed work experience for certain students, workshops to help educate and upskill students for future employment, and a continuous professional development day programme for lecturers.

SMB College Group has sent beauty therapy students to the luxury retreat, in Melton Mowbray, for work experience alongside their studies, often resulting in part-time and full-time employment.

University invests in net zero efforts Nottingham Trent University (NTU) is investing £1.5m into developing skills, research, training and consultancy to support the UK construction industry reach net zero.

The university will launch the Centre for Sustainable Construction and Retrofit to develop solutions, skills and support locally and nationally to enable the transition to net zero within the built environment sector.

This will take the form of new courses and skills training, socio-technical research, and consultancy opportunities for business.

Led by Professor Richard Bull (pictured), deputy dean of the School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment, the centre will bring together a range of expertise to help the sector reach the ambitious net zero climate change targets by 2050.

Prof Bull, an expert in energy, sustainability and the built environment, said: “Net zero by 2050 presents a huge challenge to the construction sector, which accounts for up to 50% of carbon emissions.

“An absence of skills, knowledge and expertise threatens to derail plans for the UK’s important net zero targets. But this groundbreaking centre will enhance the way in which existing buildings and new construction can meet those all-important climate change objectives.”

THE CHAMBER IS HONOURED BY THE SUPPORT OF ITS STRATEGIC PARTNERS AND PATRONS

December 2023/January 2024 business network

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CHAMBER NEWS

Why partnership matters for the Chamber’s Accelerator project The Chamber has secured £8.9m of funding until March 2025 to deliver a new generation of business support schemes via the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Innovate UK EDGE and Made Smarter schemes under the Accelerator project brand.

Diane Beresford (pictured), deputy chief executive of the Chamber, explains why partnership is a key part of the project’s delivery and introduces each of those key partners. hen the Chamber put forward proposals for our new Accelerator project, we knew an integral part of delivery would be working together with long-established partners that could offer specific support to key business audiences within our region.

Firstly, NBV Enterprise Solutions has been contracted to offer specific support to pre and early-start businesses.

Supporting companies within their first three years of trading is a vital intervention. According to the Office for National Statistics, an average of 91% of enterprises in Nottinghamshire are still active after their first year of trading (from 2019), but this figure drops to 56% after three years. While it is a statistic that fares well against the national average, relevant interventions through NBV’s Start-up Accelerator are necessary to support young businesses to sustain, grow and innovate.

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Secondly, The Food and Drink Forum will provide support to food and drink producers, suppliers and manufacturers seeking to innovate and grow.

According to Datacity, collectively, the counties of Derbyshire, Leicestershire and

Nottinghamshire host more than 1,421 food and drink-related businesses, providing employment to more than 193,000 people.

Turnover is estimated to be £36.34bn and GVA is about £58bn. A Midlands Engine report on the food and drink sector found the Midlands was the second highest exporting region, behind London, for food in 2021 with a £1.8bn value.

As lead partner of the area’s official local visitor economy partnership (LVEP), Visit Peak District & Derbyshire will provide sector-specific support including events, workshops and conferences for visitor economy businesses.

The visitor economy contributes £2.59bn annually to the local economy, according to 2022 STEAM figures, and supports 28,000 jobs across the Peak District and Derbyshire.

Working alongside these partner organisations are the Chamber’s own business advisers, who will offer advice, support and guidance to businesses across all sectors.

A guiding hand for Nottinghamshire’s entrepreneurs

By Andrea Huscroft, regional director for the East Midlands at NBV Enterprise Solutions Ltd. • Our role in the Accelerator project: To support individuals looking to start a business or who are in the early stages of running a business, typically within their first three years of trading • Areas of operation for the Accelerator project: Broxtowe, Mansfield, Rushcliffe and Bassetlaw • Nature of support: Start-up bootcamps, skills development, one-to-one advice, mentoring and growth support.

NBV is a not-for-profit organisation that has been supporting enterprise across the East Midlands for 40 years.

We are approached every day by people wishing to explore setting up in business, start-ups and earlystage businesses looking to grow.

We provide bespoke, targeted business support, drawing upon our years of experience in the field of small business support.

Free support includes highquality skills development and oneto-one advice, accommodating a diverse range of business start-up 34

Andrea Huscroft

WHAT BUSINESSES SAY “I contacted NBV for mentorship and guidance on where to go with my new business. My business adviser guided me in areas I hadn’t even thought about. This has helped massively in both personal development and business growth and development.”

Samuel Ansell, of SDA Recruitment, based in Ashfield

needs, mentoring support once the business has commenced trading, and business growth.

business network December 2023/January 2024

In the past six years, NBV has provided in-depth business advice and support to 1,445 organisations

and helped over 2,586 people start a business across Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.

Alongside our one-to-one and one-to-many business support services, NBV offers grant funding to new-start and growth businesses via our comprehensive wellestablished processes.

We have distributed £1.59m of grant funding to more than 800 businesses, attracting £6.3m in private sector matched investment.

As an official referral partner of The Start Up Loans Company, we have further supported over 100 newstart companies to obtain a business loan.

Our business advisers and trainers draw from their wealth of knowledge and experience to provide one-to-one support for business leaders and entrepreneurs who may be looking to manage a period of rapid growth, improve organisational productivity and profitability, or simply survive. A key part of our Accelerator offer will be our monthly start-up bootcamps.

For more information, visit www.nbv.co.uk

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CHAMBER NEWS

Attracting visitors to Derbyshire

By Jo Dilley (pictured), managing director of Visit Peak District & Derbyshire.

• Our role in the Accelerator project: To support tourism and hospitality businesses • Areas of operation for the Accelerator project: Derbyshire • Nature of support: Sectorspecific workshops, events and conferences, primarily focused around driving growth, and improving accessibility and sustainability for tourism-related businesses.

Ensuring product safety and stability within the food and drink sector

By Andrew Collinson (pictured), director of operations at The Food and Drink Forum.

• Our role in the Accelerator project: Essential support to food and drink producers, suppliers and manufacturers seeking to innovate and grow • Areas of operation for the Accelerator project: Nottinghamshire, Derby and Derbyshire • Nature of support: One-to-one adviser support, webinars, workshops, and the opportunity to work with innovation specialists to develop new products and processes within our own test kitchens.

The Food and Drink Forum is a not-for-profit membership organisation that has been supporting food and drink businesses across the region for 25 years. Starting out as a group of like-minded producers in Nottinghamshire, the scope of our activity and impact has increased considerably since our establishment in 1998.

During that time we have secured more than £55m of public funding for the sector, which helped increase its performance by over £84.4m of additional GVA since 2005.

Through the FEAST programme, partly funded via the European Regional Development Fund between 2016 and 2023, we delivered more than £6m to the sector through capital grants and one-to-one support.

The knowledge and skills of our technical team are at the core of what makes us unique. Experienced and highly qualified, this team works with businesses to ensure they have the fundamentals of their future success in place – a safe and stable product.

We have five fully-equipped test kitchens, including a bakery, dairy and drinks kitchen that businesses can hire on a sessional basis. Drawing on the breadth of our expertise, along with our test facilities and extensive regional network, we can support businesses producing everything from baked goods, alcoholic beverages and ambient store cupboard staples, through to chilled and frozen ready-to-eat products.

In addition to one-to-one consultancy support, our technical team provides a comprehensive range of professional development opportunities, including workshops, online courses, guides, tools and templates.

For more information, visit www.foodanddrinkforum.co.uk

Visit Peak District & Derbyshire (VPDD) is the official LVEP for the Peak District, Derbyshire and Derby, together with Visit Derby.

Our mission is to develop and grow a successful and sustainable visitor economy, working closely with member businesses, stakeholders and partners to drive overnight stays, extend the visitor season and increase visitor spend.

VPDD has a successful track record in delivering a wide range of sector-specific business support to help visitor economy businesses grow, increase productivity and access new markets.

For more information, visit www.visitpeakdistrict.com/industry

ACCELERATOR TRAINING WORKSHOPS The Chamber has contracted a team of expert trainers to deliver a range of free action-planning workshops on topics including finance, HR, digital marketing and sales. Upcoming workshops include: Using video in content marketing: 12 December, 9.30-4 – The Grand Hotel, Mercure Leicester An introduction to environmental legislation for business: 12 December, 10-11 – online Cultivating a culture of trust: 13 December, 9.30-4 – Delta Hotels by Marriott, Nottingham Using video in content marketing: 14 December, 9.30-4 – East Midlands Chamber, Chesterfield Igniting a culture of creativity: 10 January, 9.30-4 – Delta Hotels by Marriott, Nottingham Reasons and benefits for implementing ISO 14001: 16 January, 10-11 – online For the latest events, visit bit.ly/AcceleratorEvents

HOW TO GET INVOLVED Businesses interested in benefitting from Accelerator support are invited to contact the Chamber’s business support team on 0330 053 8639 or info@emc-dnl.co.uk to arrange an exploratory meeting with a business adviser. Alternatively, they can select their district from the dropdown box on the Accelerator landing page at www.d2n2growthhub.co.uk/accelerator and complete an expression of interest form.

WHAT IS THE UK SHARED PROSPERITY FUND? The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the Government’s levelling up agenda and provides £2.6bn of funding for local investment by March 2025. The fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK by investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills.

WHAT BUSINESSES SAY “The Forum has supported us from the very start of our journey. From guiding us through our SALSA audit to training our team, their expert support has been invaluable.”

Jess Barnett, founder of TTK Confectionery

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CHAMBER NEWS

Index shows effects of Covid but hopeful signs Earlier this year, the Chamber partnered with De Montfort University (DMU) and others to publish the East Midlands Top 500 Companies index. David Rae (pictured) professor of enterprise at DMU’s Leicester Castle Business School, takes a deep dive into the data to unpack what it shows about different sectors in the region.

We analysed the 500 firms across 41 business sectors based on Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) coding.

This was distilled to a framework of seven aggregated groups of sectors – business support services, construction, manufacturing, motor vehicle trade, retail trade, wholesale trade and others.

When we compare the 2023 index with 2022, the sectoral analysis shows there has been an increase in the complexity of company ownership structures and the number of holding companies.

This has affected the classification and the results in some sectors, and led to changes in the analysis from previous years.

The number of “other” sector companies has increased, in line with the increase in holding companies.

KEY SECTORS ANALYSED There is a reduction in the number of manufacturing companies – seven have moved, consolidated or dropped out of the index. Revenue has fallen proportionately by 25%, and employment also decreased.

Within this sector, food, drink and tobacco manufacturing (12 firms) and motor vehicle manufacturing (three firms) are the largest in revenue with over £2.2bn each.

The retail sector increased by two companies, while turnover and jobs were static, although it remains the biggest category in revenue at £19.67bn.

Wholesale traders also increased significantly in number, although this may be due in part to classification changes, but employment fell and turnover changed little. In construction, there were five more companies added to the Top 500, with revenues and jobs also increasing.

Business support services companies have reduced in number; in part, this is due to classification changes, as employment has increased but 36

KEY BUSINESSES IN EACH SECTOR Manufacturing Toyota Motor Manufacturing (UK) – £2.11bn revenue; 2,725 employees Samworth Brothers – £1.05bn revenue; 9,659 employees Rolls-Royce – £925.73m revenue; 4,337 employees Retail Frasers Group – £3.62bn revenue; 26,496 employees Next – £3.53bn; 24,491 employees Dunelm Group – £1.33bn revenue, 10,572 employees

revenues reduced. The motor vehicle trade is static in the number of companies, with reductions in turnover and employment.

REGION’S ECONOMIC RESILIENCE OWES TO HEALTHY SECTORAL MIX The diversity in the mix of sectors continues to be a strength of the regional economy. During the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown periods in 2020-21, previously healthy sectors including aviation, travel, hospitality and retail encountered impacts on their financial performance, which are apparent in these sectoral figures.

This picture reinforces the picture of decline in most sectors during the Covid period, but some saw recovery in this period and wider cyclical increases are expected to be visible in the next reported period.

Motor vehicle trade Sytner Group – £4.87bn revenue; 9,466 employees Pendragon – £2.92bn revenue; 7,351 employees Motorpoint Group – £721.4m revenue; 769 employees Construction Barratt Developments – £4.81bn revenue; 6,422 employees Bowmer and Kirkland – £1.11bn revenue; 1,577 employees Miller Homes Group – £664.8m revenue; 1,007 employees Business support services Staffline Group – £927.6m revenue; 2,357 employees Experian – £551m revenue; 2,923 employees Porterbrook Holdings – £453m revenue; 144 employees Wholesale trade XMA – £399.17m revenue; 435 employees Pattonair – £312.49m revenue; 622 employees The East Midlands Top 500 Companies index lists private and public limited companies with their registered offices located in Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.

The 2023 index uses historical data from Companies House accounts filed for the period between 1 July 2020 and 30 June 2021. To read the index on the Chamber’s website, visit bit.ly/EMTop500-2023

EAST MIDLANDS TOP SECTORS ANALYSIS 2022-2023 Rank (by Sector Description percentage)

Number of Number of Number of Number of Revenue companies companies employees Employees 2022 2022 2023 2022 2023

Revenue 2023

1 (28%)

127

OTHER SECTORS

138

104,000

122,000

£13.16bn

£12.34bn

2 (26%)

MANUFACTURING

135

128

115,000

70,000

£20.21bn

£14.98bn

3 (14%)

WHOLESALE TRADE

45

70

41,000

23,000

£5.32bn

£5.75bn

4 (11%)

CONSTRUCTION

50

55

31,000

33,000

£11.4bn

£13.57bn

5 (8%)

BUSINESS SUPPORT SERVICES

78

42

27,000

38,000

£6.4bn

£4.67bn

6 (7%)

RETAIL TRADE

33

35

124,000

124,000

£20bn

£19.67bn

7 (6%)

MOTOR VEHICLE TRADE

32

32

28,000

24,000

£14bn

£11.11bn

TOTAL

500

500

470,000

434,000

£90.49bn £82.1bn

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CHAMBER NEWS

Taking a look at the state of our regional economy Key events that have influenced the East Midlands economy throughout 2023 will be under the microscope and issues set to shape 2024 prospects explored at an upcoming Chamber event.

The Annual State of the Economy Conference takes place at the University of Leicester’s Peter Jackson Lecture Theatre on 14 December from 9am to 12.15pm.

Featuring input from expert economists, politicians and business leaders, the free conference is aimed at those who want to learn more about the global and local factors influencing operating conditions, providing opportunities to share ideas on how future business growth can be best supported. The agenda includes: • Year in review – Chris Hobson, director of policy and insight at the Chamber • View from the markets – Katie Lewczynski, assistant vicepresident for corporate FX at Barclays • Developing a manifesto for East Midlands businesses – Richard Blackmore, head of special projects at the Chamber • Coping strategies for business and how Government can help – Jonathan Geldart, director-general at the Institute of Directors

Jonathan Geldart

There will also be political input from local Conservative and Labour MP candidates, along with two panel discussions on “economic performance and prospects”, and “what businesses want from the next 12 months”. Panellists include senior leaders from Freeths, PwC, Turner & Townsend, Future Life Wealth Management and the University of Leicester School of Business.

The Annual State of the Economy is held in partnership with the University of Leicester, Institute of Directors and Leicestershire Business Voice. To register, visit bit.ly/AnnualStateEconomy23

AGM a chance to engage with leadership team Members will have the opportunity to engage with the Chamber’s board of directors and senior leadership team at the annual general meeting (AGM).

The event, which also features an update on the Chamber’s progress and achievements over the past 12 months, takes place at The Link Hotel, in Loughborough, on Wednesday 13 December.

Stuart Dawkins will give a speech reflecting on his year as president and award donations to the three community foundations supported by the Chamber’s Charitable Fund.

Chief executive Scott Knowles will give a business update to members, the three Business of the Year winners are invited to give speeches, and longstanding members will be celebrated. There will also be a vote to elect six new individuals to the board of directors.

The event will include a breakfast expo, networking and marketplace event – featuring charities, social enterprises and community interest companies – from 8.30am to 10.30am, followed by the AGM from 10.30am to noon.

The AGM open to all members and is free to attend. To register, visit bit.ly/EMC-AGM23 AGM papers, proxy and voting information has been issued electronically to members. Anyone who has not received these should contact Lesley Young via Lesley.young@emc-dnl.co.uk

December 2023/January 2024 business network

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CHAMBER NEWS

Funding boost for skills training Further education colleges across Leicester and Leicestershire have been successful in securing £3m in Government funding to enable them to a respond to an East Midlands Chamber-led skills initiative published last summer.

The new programmes, to be delivered as part of the Government’s Local Skills Improvement Fund, will aim to develop future green and digital skills across the city and county.

Following the bid by a consortium of colleges, the Department for Education has awarded £3.07m to further education colleges to deliver a range of programmes responding to the Leicester and Leicestershire Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP), published in August.

‘A game-changing initiative in shaping future skills, knowledge and behaviours’ Work led by Leicester College, North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College, Loughborough College and SMB College Group will focus on addressing four priority areas in skills needs for the area – decarbonising transportation, green leadership skills, digital upskilling and employer skills training – via new initiatives.

These areas were earmarked for intervention in a series of recommendations that followed a trailblazer project for the Leicester and Leicestershire LSIP. Launched in autumn 2022 and led by the Chamber with its partners, it aims to bridge the gap between the skills and attributes employers need in their workforce and what is on offer from local educators.

An innovative new data-led approach was

developed by the Chamber, which led to the creation of Insight Unlocked, a “collective skills intelligence observatory” that pulls together insights from existing data sources around job adverts, occupation projections and qualification levels.

A mobile app was also used to engage businesses via short daily surveys on their live requirements for skills, knowledge and behaviours, with findings from this pilot published in summer 2023.

Chris Hobson (pictured), director of policy and insight at the Chamber, said: “Businesses have been telling us for a long time now that skills gaps are one of the biggest issues holding them back from achieving sustainable long-term growth.

“The Leicester and Leicestershire LSIP is a game-changing initiative in shaping future skills, knowledge and behaviours by aligning local education with the needs of local employers, with the overall aim of improving employability.

“Having provided the evidence base through our innovative data-led approach, we are delighted that colleges have now received funding to address some of the issues identified, with a key focus on developing the green and digital skills that will be needed in the future.

“This will help us to establish Leicester and Leicestershire as the best place in the country for developing people with the skills needed for businesses to thrive, the economy to grow and individuals to succeed.

LSIPs were introduced by the Department for Education to support more people to gain the skills they need to secure rewarding careers, while ensuring the training on offer better meets the current and future skills needs of local areas.

LSIP FOCUS AREAS Examples of activities in each of the four areas of the Leicester and Leicestershire LSIP are: • Decarbonising transportation: Skills training for staff at levels three to five in green transport technologies to support a step-change in becoming carbonneutral. New qualifications will include IMI Level 3 electric and hybrid system repair and replacement, and IMI Level 4 in diagnostics, testing and repair of electric and hybrid vehicles and components.

• Green leadership skills: Collaborative development of short, contextualised Level 3 courses, including a new green leadership health check tool for leaders, managers and decision-making staff within organisations to assess the viability of implementing sustainable energy, waste and building technologies.

• Digital upskilling: New easy-access, flexible short courses between levels three and five for digital skills in business, including digital marketing, social media, cloud computing, data analytics and an introduction to artificial intelligence.

• Employer skills training: Review further education training across Harborough and the surrounding districts, including adult provision and English as a second language across Leicestershire. Data scientists will analyse training needs of industry to gain a deeper understanding of the area and how to engage employers.

Workplace equity inquiry calls for evidence A call for evidence has been launched by the British Chambers of Commerce Workplace Equity Commission – which is urging businesses, stakeholders and interested parties to contribute towards making change happen.

The commission includes representatives from the UK and 38

international chamber networks, business leaders and experts from across civic society. Meeting regularly over the next 12 months, the group will produce practical recommendations to help SMEs create more fair and equitable workplaces.

It defines workplace equity as

business network December 2023/January 2024

creating a level playing field for individuals, recognising we do not all start from the same place and that adjustments may be required to provide fair access to opportunity.

The inquiry, which considers workplace equity from the perspective of SMEs across all sectors and UK geographies, will

focus on workplace equity for everyone in work, and those wishing to access work.

Businesses, individuals and organisations with views and experience are being encouraged to contribute to the research at bit.ly/BCCWorkplaceEquity

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CHAMBER NEWS

Expo set to ‘Blast to the Future’

VAT registration goes paperless

Visitors at next year’s Love Business Expo will have the opportunity to grab a selfie with an iconic DeLorean DMC-12 – made famous by the Back to the Future movie trilogy.

Great British Car Journey – a museum based in Ambergate, Derbyshire, exhibiting 150 British cars – will display an original DMC-12 at the event, which takes place at Holywell Park Conference Centre, in Loughborough, on 15 February 2024.

‘Love Business is all about giving visitors an unforgettable experience’ The theme of next year’s event is “Blast to the Future”, exploring how AI and digital tools will drive business growth, and how best to introduce the next generation of talent into the workforce.

The DMC-12 was produced by the DeLorean Motor Company for the American market from 1981 to 1983.

Only about 9,000 units were made before the company went bankrupt and is now a sought-after collectible due its role in the movie franchise.

Phil Megson, director of Love Business founder Quiet Storm Solutions, said: “Love Business is all about giving

visitors an unforgettable experience, so what better way to mark next year’s event than with a chance to get up close and personal with a piece of movie history?

“The visitor economy in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire is world-renowned thanks to attractions like Great British Car Journey, which bring people into the region and help put it on the map.”

Great British Car Journey will be among hundreds of exhibitors at Love Business Expo, for which the Chamber is headline partner.

Chamber patron SMB College Group has been confirmed as sponsor of the VIP hospitality lounge, which provides a space for delegates to relax and recharge.

To book a free delegate pass for Love Business Expo, visit www.lovebusinessexpo.co.uk/delegate-booking

Businesses registering for VAT registrations must now use HMRC’s online portal.

The VAT Registration Service (VRS) is already used by 95% of organisations and sole traders that register for VAT but it was made mandatory from 13 November.

It is part of HMRC’s plans to increase the use of digital services, including Making Tax Digital, to make registration quicker while reducing the need for paper forms.

Users will need a Government Gateway user ID and password to register for VAT and use online services.

These can be created when signing into the Government Gateway or the first time.

When registering for VAT, they should have their company’s details to hand and take time to input them correctly.

For more information about registering for VAT, visit www.gov.uk/register-for-vat For anyone unable to access or use digital technology, they can contact HMRC via a VAT helpline on 0300 200 3700.

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CHAMBER NEWS

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Annual turnover increases to 1.2 billion euros

he Schumacher Packaging Group, one of Europe's largest manufacturers of customised corrugated and solid board packaging (www.schumacherpackaging.com), has successfully continued its growth trajectory in 2022.

Despite high volatility and difficult economic conditions on the world markets, the company was able to increase its annual turnover by almost 40 percent to around 1.2 billion euros compared to the previous year after sales deductions.

Decisive factors for the strong growth were the development of new product fields as well as strategic decisions. Nevertheless, Schumacher Packaging is concerned about the development of Germany as an industrial location. The familyowned company is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year.

The sales target of 1 billion euros was clearly exceeded across all areas of the group of companies. Against the backdrop of increased energy prices, strong inflation and falling consumption, which shaped market events with the outbreak of the war against Ukraine, the packaging specialist's sales remained almost constant compared to the previous year. No growth was achieved in the primary business areas.

The growth in sales was mainly achieved through the acquisition of additional plants and the development of new product fields in the area of plastic reduction, especially for the food industry, but also for online retail. The number of employees rose from 3,700 to 4,111 in the past calendar year.

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Top priority: security of supply and production capacities "Last year, our top priority was to secure supplies to our customers," explains company boss Björn Schumacher, who runs the company in the third 40

business network December 2023/January 2024

generation with his brother Hendrik. "We succeeded in this because, as a family-run company, we act very flexibly and quickly and have made courageous investment decisions - especially in our own paper production and the expansion of renewable energies," says Schumacher.

Through the acquisition of the Kaierde board mill, the majority stake in the Italian corrugated base p aper manufacturer Cartiere Modesto Cardella SpA and the purchase of the Leipzig Land GmbH board mill, the corporate group has significantly increased its own production and processing capacities.

In addition, part of the 700 million euro investment programme was already brought forward to last year in order to make energyintensive production increasingly independent of natural gas.

Nevertheless, the high energy and labour costs are of great concern to the business leaders. "Industrial companies based in Germany are under immense strain. Some of our customers have already informed us that they will no longer make investments in Germany or that they will relocate their production facilities abroad, where the political framework conditions are different. As a result, we are also having to critically question our planned investments in Germany at the moment," says Schumacher.

Trend: intelligent solutions and combination products "The turbulent year led to less consumption and caused the demand for corrugated and solid board packaging to shrink compared to the previous year. Nevertheless, the trend towards paper-based packaging and intelligent combination products continues among manufacturers and in the trade," says Hendrik Schumacher, Managing Director of Schumacher Packaging.

The food industry in particular has proven to be crisis-proof in terms of packaging over the past year. Products such as HALOPACK®, which reduces plastic by up to 90 per cent, and Stackpack, which is made of solid board and can completely replace conventional plastic trays for fruit and vegetables due to its bio-based protective barrier, were in high demand.

The company is also developing paper-based solutions for polystyrene parts in packaging, which can even be used for sensitive and heavy electronic products. In areas where plastics still have their place due to their technical properties,

the packaging specialist is developing intelligent combination products together with its joint venture partner Verpa Folie.

European packaging regulation: shaping the legal framework In this context, Schumacher Packaging is also concerned with the new draft of the European Packaging Regulation (PPWR), which the European Commission presented in November 2022.

Schumacher Packaging supports the objectives of the regulation, which is intended to reduce the volume of packaging, ban overpackaging and further develop the circular economy in Europe. However, the family-owned company considers the fact that the regulation provides for the use of reusable packaging for household appliances and in non-food mail order to be worthy of criticism, although according to a recent study by McKinsey, these can cause up to 200 per cent more emissions in online retailing.

"Flexible solutions that reduce air in packaging are important to further reduce CO2 emissions," Björn Schumacher emphasises. The company also relies on this, for example, in its cooperation with the software provider Skrym.

Based on existing data and artificial intelligence, packaging sizes and thus emissions and logistics costs can be reduced by up to 15 per cent.

"Packaging made of corrugated and solid board already offers many advantages in terms of volume reduction and material efficiency across all industries. We hope that these important aspects will be taken into account for the elaboration of the PPWR."

For more details contact Naomi Harvey at Schumacher Packaging sales_bir@schumacher-packaging.com

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CHAMBER NEWS

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CHAMBER NEWS

The Enterprising Women STEM breakfast panel at Chesterfield College

Backing of a network gives us chance to grow STEM panel a huge success

By Jean Mountain and Eileen Perry MBE DL, Enterprising Women co-chairs In November, co-chair Eileen Perry MBE DL chaired an Enterprising Women panel at Chesterfield College, delving deep into the landscape of Women in the STEM industry.

The event (pictured above) invited female panellists from a variety of STEM sectors, including Emily Smith (Michael Smith Switchgear), Aarti Raj (Pick Everard), Joanne Bekis (Medilink Midlands), Elizeh Bennett (Chesterfield College) and Sandra Wiggins (DPI UK).

The discussion soared as the panel explored the remarkable increase of women in STEM roles, celebrating the strides made in breaking traditional barriers.

Job satisfaction emerged as a key theme alongside diversity and inclusivity, which highlighted the importance of cultivating STEM role models to inspire future generations, stressing the need for visibility and representation.

Gender bias and pay gaps were tackled head-on, sparking conversation on the necessity for systemic change. The panellists, with their wealth of experience, shed light on both challenges and triumphs throughout their career to date and their positive outlook for the future generation of women in STEM. We would like to thank Chesterfield College for hosting, the fantastic panellists for sharing and the attendees for their insightful contributions.

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Sandra Wiggins (pictured), co-founder of signage manufacturer DPI UK and coaching business Authentically Balanced Leadership, joined a panel of female leaders in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) sectors at a recent Enterprising Women event. She talks to Jasmine Thompson about her career and the importance of the network.

What does your business do?

DPI UK is a proud manufacturer of bespoke textile soft signage. Our products are used for branding, advertising, or creating an environment in many sectors such as retail, events, exhibitions, experiential and corporate spaces.

It is hard to do justice to our products in words – when dressed with the client's artwork, they are something visual that creates that emotive experience, connecting the viewer to the brand on a large scale.

Tell us about your career to date and your current role?

Since leaving college early, choosing to earn over learning, I've worked in various sectors – engineering, logistics, hospitality, print, sign and display, and manufacturing. My first step into going it alone was running a pub.

I have made a career out of working in sectors with a heavy male influence. The one thing in common with all those roles is I had the people responsibilities and the pressure to deliver financial results.

I've had several entrepreneurial businesses, including DPI, where I have concentrated on the strategic direction for the past nine years.

My remit is to structure and build an independent, cohesive team that gets on with the job safely and productively.

On being close to successfully delivering that, I will shortly be stepping away from day-to-day operations to pursue my ambitions for my “side hustle”, coaching and mentoring business Authentically Balanced Leadership, and another project currently under wraps.

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What challenges have you faced in your career and how did you overcome them?

Where to start? I've suffered character assassinations for my strong personality, and visionary and strategic brain. Faced more misogynist attitudes than I’ve had hot dinners.

I've been intimidated, made to feel insignificant, thick, personally threatened and compromised, mainly when delivering hard decisions or misreading my boundaries – by both genders.

I've had to do a lot of inner work to break out of the cycle of limiting beliefs imposed on me by history, heritage, others and myself.

Learning to balance feminine and masculine energy with strong morals to make decisive, intuitive decisions that could have consequences for others has been my saviour, and grounding to not lose myself in the process – still a work in progress.

When were you introduced to Enterprising Women and how has the network supported your career and business?

In 2017, I met a fantastic business adviser called Jo Maltby through the Business Gateway Growth Hub. She instigated a fabulous ongoing relationship with Enterprising Women, encouraging me to go to my first female event held at the Leicester Tigers stadium.

Let’s say it was a gamechanger for me and kickstarted my journey to be seen and respected (in my eyes) as a professional in my industry. I’ve given talks and been

shortlisted for numerous Enterprising Women Awards since, with that win still a little elusive – I’m competitive.

These networks are essential to creating a safe space, giving support, sharing experiences, building confidence to address those gaps. I will add – not to the detriment of our male counterparts.

In these spaces, you migrate to your role models, find like-minded people – those who have challenged the status quo by breaking through that supposed glass ceiling – and, in turn, make a systemic change that opens up space for others to follow.

What steps could be taken to make the manufacturing industry more inclusive?

Perception! Influencers – Government, education, parents and employers – must take a realistic and informative look at manufacturing to change those outdated industry views.

We all play a role in demystifying those outdated opinions that it's a sweatshop, dirty, noisy and dull – a place where you will end up if you don't get your exams and not a place for girls. I've heard all the phrases and it frustrates me when I look at my own team of forward-thinking, problem-solving, resilient, invested people who collectively want to be the “best of the best”.

The industry is evolving quickly, and we don't fully appreciate the skills, needs and job opportunities this change will bring. And the bottom line is gender shouldn't be a barrier to doing what fulfils us.

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CHAMBER NEWS

Self-care is key in our roles supporting others

By Emma Williams, executive assistant at Venture.10 and East Midlands PA Awards committee member.

In our roles as business support professionals, we are often the go-to person for both the executives that we support as well as our wider organisations.

Taking care of others is in our nature, it’s often what draws us to the profession in the first place, but it’s important to remember to take care of ourselves too – after all, you can’t pour from an empty cup!

When we’re busy and have huge demands on our time, it can be all too easy to dismiss self-care as something we don’t have time for.

However, prioritising ourselves, far from being selfish or a nice-to-have, is sometimes the most productive thing we can do.

Self-care often isn’t what is portrayed in the media. It doesn’t have to be taking time off work, it isn’t necessarily about spa days and holidays – more often, it’s the simple everyday practices we can implement that make the biggest difference.

Things like taking regular breaks, eating healthily, getting enough sleep, practising mindfulness and meditation, journalling about things on our mind, getting regular exercise and fresh air.

‘It’s important to remember to take care of ourselves too – after all, you can’t pour from an empty cup!’

While they’re not the most exciting things, they can all really help to manage stress, put things into perspective and build resilience.

So, as we enter the madness of the Christmas period, take some time today to think about what you can do and how you can prioritise your physical, emotional and mental well-being to hopefully lead to a happier, healthier and more productive you.

The East Midlands PA Awards 2024 will launch in January. Individuals and organisations interested in attending, supporting or finding out more information about the awards or other PA Forum events across the East Midlands can contact Daniel Skermer on daniel@paforum.co.uk or Lesley Young on lesley.young@emc-dnl.co.uk

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CHAMBER NEWS

Daniel to remain in chair role Daniel Nikolla is retaining his title as Generation Next chair for 2024.

Daniel, who is recognised as a chartered marketer by the Chartered Institute of Marketing, will continue to lead the Chamberled network for young professionals.

Scarlett Canavan, business and marketing manager at ER Recruitment, was promoted to vice-chair and is set to take over Daniel’s duties in 2025.

The Generation Next board, known as “champions”, takes an active role in developing activities and profile for the network, which supports professionals aged between 18 and 35 to build their soft skills and connections among the East Midlands business community.

the new year. They include: • Isabella Sellers, HR lead at HelloFresh • Benjamin Wileman, leasing consultant at Select Car Leasing Burton-on-Trent • Joshua Leach-Aslam, general manager at Ocean King • Nicole Perkins, procurement officer at Futures Housing Group • Preethi Kang, commercial manager at Qinesis • Ruby Birks, project manager at Purpose Media.

‘I am delighted to have the opportunity to remain in the role for another year’

Returning to the board are: • Amber Siddall, student and graduate engagement manager at the University of Derby • Byron Burghart, investment manager and assistant director at Brewin Dolphin • Beth Bearder, legal director at Halborns • Harsh Shah, data analytics manager at East Midlands Chamber • Rikan Patel, director at Business 2 Business.

Daniel, marketing manager at Hardy Signs, said: “I have loved being part of the Generation Next team ever since the early days of the network and believe we have done a brilliant job together in shaping our offer for the fantastic young talent that exists in our region’s businesses.

“It has been a great honour to be chair over the past 12 months and I am delighted to have the opportunity to remain in the role for another year, during which time we have some very exciting plans – beginning with the inaugural Generation Next Conference on 12 January.”

Members from the network’s ambassador programme, which support the champions’ ambitions, will also transition to the board in

The Chamber’s director of resources and Generation Next lead Lucy Robinson said: “We are delighted to have Daniel and Scarlett leading the Generation Next board into the new year.

“Daniel has been a wonderful support to our members and ambassadors over the past year, helping to raise their profile among the business community and building Generation Next’s presence throughout the East Midlands.

“Scarlett has also been with us from the very beginning, and is a fantastic supporter of the network, so I am delighted to be working with both of them, as well as the rest of the board closely next year to further develop Generation Next.”

Scarlett Canavan

Daniel Nikolla

CONFERENCE TO KICK OFF 2024 The inaugural Generation Next Conference will be held on Friday 12 January at Nottingham Forest Football Club.

The half-day morning event, which is held in partnership with ITS Technology Group, features a series of guest speakers who are all within the network’s 18 to 25 age bracket and linked to thriving businesses.

They will share their own inspirational stories, explain how they have overcome adversity in their own lives and give their own take on what entrepreneurial thinking means to them.

Speakers include Jon Watts, an ex-offender who turned his life around to become a renowned chef, and Stephen Fern, managing director of Nottingham-based 200 Degrees Coffee.

Dave Ferry, head of enterprise at ITS Technology Group, and Callum Griffiths, a wealth management consultant at Mattioli Woods, will also lead a Q&A panel that explored adversity and entrepreneurial thinking.

The Generation Next Conference is free to both members and nonmembers of the network and Chamber, and includes a stadium tour.

To register, visit bit.ly/GenNextConference23

Clarity needed on key infrastructure projects The East Midlands All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) has called for greater long-term certainty on the delivery of major infrastructure projects in the region following an inquiry into the social and economic opportunities of investment.

The report comes in the wake of the cancellation of HS2 to the East Midlands and the Government’s publication of Network North, which outlined how funding from the cancelled high-speed line could be redirected into transport infrastructure projects across 44

England and Wales.

The APPG launched the inquiry in May this year with support from the Chamber. It heard evidence from local leaders and business representatives, highlighting the crucial relationship between infrastructure investment and local activity to create more prosperous and inclusive economies.

The report recommendations are: 1. There should be greater longterm certainty about the delivery of major infrastructure to provide a firm basis for complementary local public and private

business network December 2023/January 2024

investment 2. There should be agreement around a common framework for describing the wider societal impacts of infrastructure investment to inform investment decisions 3. There should be a better balance between investment in existing infrastructure and in new infrastructure to ensure the region’s long-term economic resilience 4. There should be greater collaboration between infrastructure providers and

between the public and private sectors to ensure the wider benefits of infrastructure investment are fully realised 5. A credible and transparent “regional infrastructure pipeline” should be established to reflect regional priorities, and linked to a skills and training strategy to ensure that sufficient human resources are available for delivery.

To read the full report, visit bit.ly/EM-APPG-Infrastructure

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CHAMBER NEWS

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AWARDS

Awards nights celebrate the resilience of our businesses

Chamber president Stuart Dawkins gave a keynote speech at each awards ceremony

uccess in enterprise across Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire was celebrated as the East Midlands Chamber Business Awards returned for 2023 in November.

Gala dinners were held in association with headline partner Mazars at The Venue@DMU for Leicestershire on 3 November, Derbyshire County Cricket Club for Derbyshire on 10 November and the Nottingham Belfry for Nottinghamshire on 17 November.

Hundreds of people turned out at the three ceremonies, which recognised 150 finalists across 13 categories – ranging from Excellence in Innovation and Environmental Impact at organisational level through to individual honours for Entrepreneur of the Year and Apprentice of the Year – in each country.

An overall Business of the Year title was also awarded to Midland Lead in Derbyshire, Unique Window Systems in Leicestershire and BFY Group in Nottinghamshire.

Winners were chosen by a judging panel of the Chamber’s senior leadership and board of directors, as well as sponsors.

‘It’s always important to celebrate these achievements and shout about the great things happening right here in the East Midlands’

businesses continue to find new ways of succeeding and contributing to the communities in which they are based.

“It’s always important to celebrate these achievements and shout about the great things happening right here in the East Midlands. We know it’s a fantastic place to do business and these organisations are shining examples.”

The Leicestershire Business Awards were hosted by ITV weather presenter Emma Jesson, while the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire ceremonies were hosted by former badminton world champion Gail Emms MBE. Each event featured live entertainment from high-energy party band Central Avenue.

Raffles held at each awards raised £2,738 for the Chamber Charitable Fund, which comprises president Stuart Dawkins’ three chosen charities for this year – Foundation Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Community Foundation, and Nottinghamshire Community Foundation.

“Despite some of the relentless challenges that have been thrown their way, our region’s

For more information on Business Awards, visit www.emc-dnl.co.uk/business-awards

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Scott Knowles, chief executive of the Chamber, said: “The winners of our Business Awards are testament to the resilience, ingenuity and hunger for growth within the East Midlands business community, which never ceases to amaze.

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AWARDS

DERBYSHIRE BUSINESS AWARDS WINNERS BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT THROUGH TECHNOLOGY SPONSORED BY PURPOSE MEDIA Coach Hire Comparison

COMMUNITY IMPACT SPONSORED BY UNIVERSITY OF DERBY Derventio Housing Trust

OUTSTANDING GROWTH SPONSORED BY AMAZON EcoTech Engineers

EXCELLENCE IN COLLABORATION SPONSORED BY ITS TECHNOLOGY GROUP Colleague Box and Blue Light Card

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT SPONSORED BY FUTURES HOUSING GROUP HSG UK

TOP: Derbyshire Business Awards winners

COMMITMENT TO PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT

CENTRE: Awards host Gail Emms MBE

SPONSORED BY THINK3 Midland Lead

INSET RIGHT: The Chamber’s director of sales and marketing Rashmi Overthrow (left) and strategic partnerships manager Trace Voss

APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY TOYOTA MANUFACTURING UK Leah Bancroft – Longbow Bars & Restaurants

ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY EAST MIDLANDS MANUFACTURING NETWORK Steven Thai – Ocean King

EDUCATION AND BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP SPONSORED BY THE VERTAS GROUP EMA Training

EXCELLENCE IN CUSTOMER SERVICE SPONSORED BY HOWDEN Reformed IT

EXCELLENCE IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE SPONSORED BY EAST MIDLANDS FREEPORT Bloc Digital

DERBYSHIRE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

MIDLAND LEAD Midland Lead supplies construction firms across the world with building products made from recycled lead. The Swadlincote-based, family-run business, which produces more than 15,000 tonnes of lead per year, has transformed company culture and making longterm investments in its 36-strong workforce.

These have included weekly team meetings, feedback mechanisms, company talks, external reward specialists, staff benefits, and a clear pay and progression matrix for people so they can build a career within the firm – with the result being increased attendance, staff retention and productivity.

SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY UNIVERSITY OF DERBY Bloc Digital

EXCELLENCE IN INNOVATION SPONSORED BY ROLLS-ROYCE Rose Cottage Doggy Daycare

BUSINESS OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY MAZARS Midland Lead

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AWARDS

LEICESTERSHIRE BUSINESS AWARDS WINNERS BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT THROUGH TECHNOLOGY SPONSORED BY EAST MIDLANDS MANUFACTURING NETWORK DWS Legal

COMMUNITY IMPACT SPONSORED BY EMH GROUP Mosaic 1898

OUTSTANDING GROWTH SPONSORED BY BUSINESS 2 BUSINESS Unique Window Systems

EXCELLENCE IN COLLABORATION SPONSORED BY SANJAY FOODS Hyve – Hydrogen Skills Collaboration

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT SPONSORED BY CAMBRIDGE & COUNTIES BANK Abacus Flooring Solutions

COMMITMENT TO PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT SPONSORED BY DE MONTFORT UNIVERSITY Pick Everard

ABOVE: Leicestershire Business Awards winners INSET RIGHT: Awards host Emma Jesson

APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY LOUGHBOROUGH COLLEGE Muhammad Delair – emh group

ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY BRADGATE ESTATES Gurdev Mattu – Fashion UK

EDUCATION AND BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP SPONSORED BY BLUEPRINT INTERIORS Leicestershire Cares

EXCELLENCE IN CUSTOMER SERVICE SPONSORED BY ER RECRUITMENT Assured Energy

EXCELLENCE IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE SPONSORED BY EAST MIDLANDS FREEPORT Druck

SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY SMB COLLEGE GROUP Menphys

EXCELLENCE IN INNOVATION SPONSORED BY RSM Abacus Flooring Solutions

BUSINESS OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY MAZARS Unique Window Systems

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LEICESTERSHIRE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

UNIQUE WINDOW SYSTEMS Unique Window Systems is a designer, fabricator and installer of uPVC and aluminium windows, doors and curtain walling. The Leicester-based company supplies the trade, new house build and commercial markets across the UK. It was recognised by the London Stock Exchange Group as one of the 1,000 Companies to Inspire Britain for three years in a row, having built its name as a market leader, doubling its eight-figure turnover between 2020 and 2022, and growing its team from 200 to 300 people in the same period.

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AWARDS

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE BUSINESS AWARDS WINNERS BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT THROUGH TECHNOLOGY SPONSORED BY AIR IT Turner & Townsend

COMMUNITY IMPACT ABOVE: Nottinghamshire Business Awards winners CENTRE: Dan Seaton, of Ryley Wealth Management BOTTOM: Central Avenue performed for guests

SPONSORED BY SIX DEGREES ASSOCIATES Primary Integrated Community Services

OUTSTANDING GROWTH SPONSORED BY BUSINESS 2 BUSINESS BFY Group

EXCELLENCE IN COLLABORATION SPONSORED BY EAST MIDLANDS MANUFACTURING NETWORK Think Pink Taxi Driver Alliance – Rosie May Foundation and DG Cars

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT SPONSORED BY EAST MIDLANDS FREEPORT Murphy & Son

COMMITMENT TO PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT SPONSORED BY NOTTINGHAMSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL Ryley Wealth Management

APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY EIGHT DAYS A WEEK PRINT SOLUTIONS Alicia Anderson – The Motorfinity Group

ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY EVERSHEDS SUTHERLAND Mary Storrie – Rosie May Foundation

EDUCATION AND BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP SPONSORED BY UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM Base 51 Training Academy

EXCELLENCE IN CUSTOMER SERVICE SPONSORED BY EXPRESS RECRUITMENT Rothera Bray

EXCELLENCE IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE SPONSORED BY DHL Medigarments

SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

BFY GROUP BFY Group is an energy and water consultancy that has tripled in size over the past year.

The Nottingham-based company works with three-quarters of the UK energy retail market and has helped suppliers in onboarding two million customers.

Driven by a mission to become the management consultancy of choice for the utilities industry, it has guided energy suppliers through the price crisis in order to reduce debt and support their own customers. It aims to almost double headcount to 45 employees this year.

SPONSORED BY NOTTINGHAM TRENT UNIVERSITY BatFast

EXCELLENCE IN INNOVATION SPONSORED BY GELDARDS BatFast

BUSINESS OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY MAZARS BFY Group

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PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

Manufacturers making the most of engagement

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The East Midlands is a region with a strong manufacturing heritage and with the potential to have an equally strong future. To mark the importance of the sector to the region’s economy, the Chamber established the East Midlands Manufacturing Network in 2021. Head of leadership and training programmes Vicki Thompson, who has been involved in the network since its inception, reflects on how manufacturers have been supported over the past two years.

300 MEMBERS AND COUNTING

Recent Award successes include:

Establishing a dedicated, supportive peer network to bring together key knowledge and skills seemed the most appropriate way in which to secure the future success of manufacturing in our region. The Chamber’s East Midlands Manufacturing Network has steadily expanded its membership and has recently welcomed its 300th member.

It is a fitting time at which to roll out a new brand for the network.

Our new logo and soon-to-belaunched dedicated website will offer a clear way in which to engage with makers and partners across the East Midlands.

1. Pennine Healthcare Derby-based Pennine Healthcare is recognised as one of the UK’s leading employee-owned medical device manufacturers. It has a 60year heritage in manufacturing and distributing single use, sterile ward and theatre consumables, and custom procedure packs.

The business recently won Make UK’s Midlands & East of England Manufacturing Matters Award for 2023 as a result of its adaptability and resilience in improving lives and society.

CELEBRATING THE SUCCESS OF NETWORK MEMBERS The network forums, typically held every eight weeks, take place at university venues across the Derbyshire Dales and High Peak, Nottinghamshire, Nottingham, Derby and Leicester.

What characterises many of the businesses in regular attendance at these forums is the desire to remain positively engaged with what’s happening with business support, funding and policy at a regional and national level.

This level of engagement doesn’t start and end with the network, but runs through each of our members’ businesses, and is often applauded by others.

2. TDP Wirksworth-based and family-run TDP designs, manufactures and sells recycled plastic garden furniture. To date, it has repurposed some 4.5 million plastic bottles in this way.

In April, the company’s commitment to combating climate change and putting people and the environment at the heart of its strategy was honoured with the King’s Award for Enterprise for Sustainable Development.

3. Midland Lead Based in Swadlincote, Midland Lead has been manufacturing lead and roofing products since 1983.

It is the only UK lead manufacturer to offer the entire range of lead products to markets as diverse as construction,

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healthcare and heritage.

Its expertise in cast, rolled and sandcast lead has seen it produce over 600,000 tonnes of lead sheet for UK buildings, and offer vital radiation protection to hospitals throughout the world as well as weatherproofing for historic landmarks such as Cardiff Castle.

The business was selected as a finalist in the Best SME People Management Initiative of the CIPD People Management Awards 2023. It also won the Commitment to People category and was crowned Business of the Year at the Chamber’s Derbyshire Business Awards 2023.

LISTENING AND REACTING TO OUR MEMBERS Between our eight-weekly forum meetings, we work on how we might best respond to our members’ changing needs. This has led us to bring in a number of expert speakers on topics ranging from a prison warden’s talk on recruiting ex-offenders to upskilling existing staff through degree apprenticeships, and energy saving measures.

Our series of manufacturingfocused digital webinars have so far attracted 150 delegates on topics such as LinkedIn, and how,

why and when to use other social platforms.

We have also welcomed the Manufacturing Technology Centre as a strategic partner of both the Chamber and the network. The centre offers manufacturers the opportunity to try out new technology, assess impact and determine whether to invest.

UPCOMING FORUMS East Midlands Manufacturing Network’s regional forums affords attendees the opportunity to harness the cross-industry, business, funding, engineering and manufacturing knowledge needed to evolve and expand.

Upcoming dates are as follows: • Derby – 9 January (7.30am) • Nottingham – 17 January • Derbyshire – 19 January • Leicester – 24 January • Nottinghamshire – 31 January For more information and to book your place, visit www.emcdnl.co.uk/emmn To discuss how your manufacturing organisation might benefit from East Midlands Manufacturing Network membership, contact Vicki Thompson on vicki.thompson@emc-dnl.co.uk

Course will support your development as a director The Chamber’s Director Development Programme returns in the new year, supporting directors or senior leaders to grow their organisations or departments they lead.

The five-day programme, which runs from 25 January to 21 March, equips delegates with 50

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the skills and confidence they need to drive the business forward and achieve objectives.

Each section, delivered roughly two weeks apart, covers the following topics: • Developing vision, values and strategy leadership • Planning, direction and priorities

• Finance for non-financial directors • People management approaches • Driving performance and leading change.

The course costs £1,450 + VAT for Chamber members. For more information, visit bit.ly/EMC-DDP

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SUSTAINABLE EAST MIDLANDS

Supply chains must be sustainable too www.emc-dnl.co.uk/sustainability

Dr Helena Gomes

Universities team up to cut carbon Researchers from the University of Nottingham and Technical University of Denmark (DTU) will collaborate for the first time on a project that could minimise the global carbon footprint through the recovery of rare earth elements in waste.

Metals are an essential part of modernday life – even smart phones are pocketsized vaults of critical metals containing several rare earth elements that produce colours, give the screen its glow, or make up the magnets in the speakers.

However, there is only a finite supply and, currently, these are mainly accessed through mining, which has a detrimental impact on the environment.

‘By speeding up this method, we’re creating a more efficient, sustainable process’ To reduce global reliance on critical metal mining, Nottingham and Denmark have received a six-figure investment from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) for Project BEAR, which aims to identify a new efficient, low-cost, environmentally-friendly solution to recover these precious metals.

Dr Helena Gomes, assistant professor in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Nottingham, said the project will use low-level electric currents to transport and separate metals quicker in the existing bioleaching process, which uses acidproducing bacteria to make metals soluble.

She added: “By speeding up this method, we’re creating a more efficient, sustainable process that can be scaled up for use in different types of waste.”

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By James Butcher (pictured), CEO of Supply Pilot.

Given the headlines generated by Rishi Sunak’s autumn U-turn on climate targets, you could be forgiven for thinking that carbon reduction is the only part of sustainability that matters.

This focus has brought about some really useful discussions on carbon accounting, how products are labelled and tackling embodied carbon – all of which have led to businesses taking tangible action to reduce their carbon emissions and make a lasting impact.

However, there is a significant risk of “carbon tunnel vision”, focusing almost entirely on one issue and not giving the due credence to other ESG pillars and the rest of the Sustainable Development Goals.

DITCH THE CARBON BLINKERS Biodiversity and deforestation are excellent examples of areas that have potentially gone under the radar, but are now set to quickly become front and centre of discussions.

With the EU passing a law to help stop a significant share of global deforestation and forest degradation late last year, the pressure is mounting for similar moves to be introduced in the UK. These regulations essentially mean proof will be needed that any products placed on the EU market have undergone strict due diligence to ensure they have not contributed to deforestation in any way, with those that have being expected to pay a tariff.

However, with so much focus on carbon, there are large gaps in the supply chain’s knowledge about this potential legislation and how it will impact them.

The impending legislative changes around perand polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) – which is likely to be the largest chemical regulation to date – will likely throw up a similar scenario.

Currently, just two of these highly pervasive chemicals are regulated in the UK, yet there are about 4,500 chemicals that fall under the banner of PFAS, pervading everything from clothing to packaging, fire retardants to water repellents, with no real oversight. Should wider regulation

‘With so much focus on carbon, there are large gaps in the supply chain’s knowledge about this potential legislation’ come into force, some parts of the supply chain are at risk of being blindsided.

It’s easy to see these as disparate issues, but the reality is they are all interlinked with other sustainability areas, including carbon.

Greener chemistry and halting deforestation will positively impact carbon but will also lead to more competition for materials. It’s therefore imperative we are engaged with our supply chains to educate, inform and empower positive transition.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR SUPPLIERS However, it isn’t a case of simply handing down mandates of what suppliers should or shouldn’t do – it’s about understanding their capabilities, readiness and appetite, and taking them along on the journey with you.

In simple terms, that journey needs a clear explanation of what the end goal is and why we want to get there, but the “how” of reaching that goal is where you need a granular understanding of your supply chain’s knowledge and capabilities. You can only get this by engaging with your whole supply chain, so you can truly understand where they are on that journey.

By having this understanding across all suppliers, you are then in position to reap rewards of the marginal gains you can achieve from leveraging hundreds or even thousands of suppliers pulling in the same direction.

James Butcher will deliver a free Chamber webinar titled “Supply chain sustainability: Managing the environmental risk to business” via MS Teams on Wednesday 7 February from 10am to 11am. To register, visit bit.ly/EMCSupplyChainSustainability

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SUSTAINABLE EAST MIDLANDS

Business makes a splash with green prize A Derbyshire business that designs and manufactures canoe and kayak equipment has been recognised with an international award for a sustainable product range.

Peak Paddlesports, based in Darley Dale, won the Sustainability Award at the International Paddlesports Show, held in Strasbourg, France, in September.

The honour recognised the company’s Circular Ready watersports garment range, which have been designed to be deconstructed and recycled back into materials at the end of life.

‘Over the past few years, we’ve started using almost entirely recycled materials to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels’ It was the second win in this category for Peak Paddlesports, having took home the award in 2021 for its range of recycled textile garments and use of zero product packaging.

Owner and product co-designer Peter Astles said he was “really proud to win this award and be recognised for our efforts”.

“Our industry relies on plastics for material sourcing,” he said. “Our kayaks, paddles and equipment are all sourced ultimately from fossil fuel oil. Over the past few years, we’ve started using almost entirely recycled materials to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and therefore reducing our carbon footprint.

“We’ve become ‘more sustainable’ and by that I mean better for the environment than we were before. We’re doing our best and leading our

The Peak Paddlesports team collects the award

industry, but by no means are we net zero. There is still far more that we can do in the future.”

He said the company was looking at more ways to adopt a circular economy model within its product range.

One way of doing this was constructing garments with the goal of using a single type of plastic. For example, if it was making a jacket from polyester, then all elements within the product, where possible, would need to be of a polyester or polyethylene composition – including not just the main materials, but the thread, Velcro, seam seal tape, webbing cord and plastic parts.

“This is exactly what we’ve done with our latest products,” added Pete. “Hopefully at the end of these garments’ life, with the correct polyester textile recycling partners, these items can be made back into textile yarns once again.”

Zero-emission buses on route An ambition to deploy 150 zero-emission, hydrogen-powered buses on UK roads by 2024 could be a step closer in a partnership between Nottingham-based Luxfer Gas Cylinders and global engineering consultancy Ricardo.

Joining forces for the first time, worldleading gas cylinder manufacturer Luxfer supplied its alternative fuel expertise to Ricardo, supplying a fit-for-purpose hydrogen storage solution for a Stagecoach North East prototype double decker bus.

The vehicle, which was converted from a diesel engine to run on hydrogen fuel cell technology, underwent trials in Teesside for six weeks, before being put through its paces on hilly routes around Brighton and Hove.

The project, part-funded by the Department for Transport via its Hydrogen Transport Hub Demonstration competition, aims to demonstrate the benefits of hydrogen as a sustainable passenger transport option by extending the life of existing diesel buses.

Jim Gregory, European business development manager at Luxfer Gas Cylinders, said: “Supporting the UK transport sector’s shift from diesel and petrol to more sustainable fuels means we need to offer options that are not only clean and green, but commercially viable too.

Many operators that have invested in diesel vehicles are now left with stock that has a much-shortened lifespan. Retrofitting buses to run on hydrogen makes sense, and at Luxfer we have the capability to work with partners to bring bespoke projects to fruition.

“Companies like Ricardo are making strides in adopting hydrogen technology, and we’re proud of our role in providing the right environment for others to do the same.”

Solar installation helps firm generate clean energy

Copley Scientific’s building

A specialist electrical contractor has helped a fellow Chamber member to develop its own source of clean energy.

Fusion Electrics, based in Leicester, installed a 51.8-kilowatt solar PV system with battery storage at Copley Scientific’s office in Colwick Quays Business Park, Nottingham.

Clean energy now accounts for 36% of annual usage at the pharmaceutical testing equipment supplier, helping it to reduce operational costs and cut carbon emissions by 8.7 tonnes annually – the equivalent of planting 367 trees each year.

The project involved overcoming challenges,

including the building having three roofs each facing a different direction and receiving varying amounts of sunlight each day.

Copley Scientific was supported by funding from the Sustainability in Enterprise programme at Nottingham Trent University, backed by the European Regional Development Fund.

Richard Postlethwaite, chief operating officer at Copley Scientific, praised the Fusion Electrics team for completing the installation within a tight timeframe, adding: “We are now starting to generate the benefits expected from the system.”

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INTERNATIONAL TRADE

The Kranlee team with Theresa Hewitt (second right) and David Pearson (right), from the Chamber

Chamber welcomes Kranlee as new ITOPS sponsor An international logistics company has joined forces with the Chamber to support its International Trade Operations and Procedures (ITOPS) programme.

Chesterfield-based Kranlee, as the programme’s latest sponsor, will support delegates by adding its expertise to the course content. Members of the Kranlee team will also take part in the course, which is accredited by the British Chambers of Commerce.

The ITOPS programme provides delegates with practical experience of the procedures associated with an international trade administration environment. The course, which is co-delivered by Fidelitas Training, runs over eight half-days and is followed by an assessment.

‘The ITOPS programme is our flagship course as part of our international trade training service’ Each workshop covers the main elements of export administration, where delegates learn how to avoid costly mistakes and improve their international trade procedures.

Kranlee specialises in worldwide transport logistics. It was set up in 2020 by siblings Karen Mosley and Lee Wells, who together have more than 30 years’ experience in freight forwarding.

The company is dedicated to excellence, creativity and customer satisfaction, driving success through cutting-edge technology and expertise to create bespoke logistic experiences for its clients.

The Chamber’s director of partnerships David Pearson, who heads up the international trade department, said: “The ITOPS programme is our flagship course as part of our international trade training service. More than 1,400 delegates have achieved the qualification, with many of them reporting significant cost savings for their business.

“We are delighted to welcome Kranlee on board as the new ITOPS sponsor and thank the team for supporting the programme’s delivery. I look forward to seeing its team members thrive on our future courses.”

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Don’t forget your trade fair goods need a passport too When taking goods temporarily out of the UK, businesses may need to obtain an ATA Carnet – a document often referred to as the “passport for goods”. Lucy Granger, international services team leader at the Chamber, explains what it involves.

Are you exhibiting at a trade fair this year?

Are you taking professional or sporting equipment out of the UK on a temporary basis?

Are you temporarily taking commercial samples overseas?

If you are temporarily exporting goods from Great Britain, you need to check what documentation is required.

One of the documents that can be used is the ATA Carnet. This can be used for professional equipment, samples and for items like exhibition stands at trade fairs and expos.

WHAT IS THE ATA CARNET? The ATA Carnet acts as a passport for goods and simplifies the customs formalities by reducing

the amount of paper required. It is valid for a maximum of 12 months and can cover multiple trips to the EU and other countries in the scheme.

Information needed to apply for an ATA Carnet includes details of the Carnet holder (the company responsible for payment of any duties to foreign customs), details of the individuals who will be travelling with the goods, intended use of the goods, and finally a list of goods taken.

All the goods must be individually itemised, with each item having its specific description (such as make and serial number), weight and value to facilitate customs identification, and prevent substitution of goods.

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INTERNATIONAL TRADE UPCOMING INTERNATIONAL TRADE TRAINING COURSES

COURSE OF THE MONTH: CUSTOMS PROCEDURES AND DOCUMENTATION DATE: 16 January TIME: 9-3.30 (online) COST: £285 + VAT (members) £399 + VAT (non-members) Do you understand the critical data for a customs declaration or the legal responsibilities of the importer or exporter?

Which documentation do you need to use and why? Do you understand the customs simplifications and authorisations that are available to help streamline your process or perhaps ease cashflow?

All too often, companies are unaware of the array of customs regulations that apply to their international business transaction and the need for compliance.

This workshop is delivered by Becky Stark, an accredited member of the Institute of Export for 20 years who runs Stark Export Focus. By the end of the day, delegates will have a comprehensive overview of the legal framework that governs customs procedures in international trade and the key areas of customs compliance – including recordkeeping back at the office.

Beginner’s guide to import procedures DATE: 12 December TIME: 9-12.30 COST: £160 + VAT Suitable for people who are new to their role in international trade, providing a highlevel overview of the import process and including a practical session on creating clearance instructions from a pre-defined set of trade documents

ITOPS – International Trade Operations and Procedures DATE: 17 January TIME: 9-4 COST: £1,950 + VAT Four-day course resulting in the ITOPS qualification, designed to prove candidates have the necessary skills to accurately operate the procedures in international trade

Export documentation By using an ATA Carnet to temporarily import your goods into other countries, you can avoid paying import duties and taxes on those goods.

This is because an ATA Carnet acts as a “guarantee” to foreign countries and territories that all goods will be re-exported within a certain time frame.

WHEN AND WHERE TO USE ATA CARNETS The Chamber can handle all these enquiries, and the practical elements, for you – taking away any confusion and ensuring you’re using the right documents while avoiding unnecessary costs and charges.

It can be used for a number of countries, including those in the EU. If you're visiting the EU in a commercial capacity, an ATA Carnet could help you to comply with EU customs requirements for temporary admission.

DO I NEED TO MAKE A CUSTOMS DECLARATION WHEN USING AN ATA CARNET? If the goods are hand-carried then no separate customs declaration is usually required, other than presenting the Carnet to HMRC and foreign customs. If the goods are freighted and are bound for an “inventory-linked” port or airport, they may need to be included on an Import and export customs clearance request (C21) form. If goods move through a port that uses the Goods Movement Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS), you will need to obtain a GVM number to get your goods through customs.

The Chamber’s international team is able to guide businesses through any export and import queries. Call 0333 320 0333 (option 4) or for information specifically on ATA Carnets, email carnet@emc-dnl.co.uk

DATE: 24 January TIME: 9-4 COST: £285 + VAT Practical programme equipping delegates with necessary skills and knowledge to prepare and process documents when exporting goods overseas

Import procedures DATE: 6 February TIME: 9-3.30 COST: £285 + VAT Learn about the import process from initial contact with a potential supplier through the import customs clearance process to ensure receipt of goods in time and within budget *Prices listed are exclusively for East Midlands Chamber members Book on to courses at bit.ly/ EMCinternationaltraining

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POLITICS

Business leaders gathered at Geldards’ office in Nottingham to discuss the Autumn Statement

Chamber reacts to Autumn Statement Business leaders came together for a Chamber roundtable hosted by Geldards in its Nottingham office to discuss Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn Statement on 22 November. Scott Knowles, chief executive of the Chamber, summarises the general feeling among business leaders during the discussion. here were a lot of big headlines in the Autumn Statement but many of the underlying fundamentals weren’t addressed, leaving businesses feeling somewhat underwhelmed.

The Chancellor rightly identifies the importance of supporting businesses to invest to grow the economy. Our members have expressed a real frustration with issues such as their people and skills needs, planning red tape and access to the energy grid, so it was reassuring to hear the Chancellor use the same language in responding to these concerns.

But ultimately there was limited content to suggest Government is getting a firm grip on tackling these persistent problems, which continue to hamper firms’ ability to invest, grow and create jobs. For example, while there was some mention of boosting the number of

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apprenticeships in key sectors such as engineering, it feels like policies are teetering around the edges rather than informing a dedicated skills strategy that will set the foundations for businesses’ people needs both now and into the future.

And while changes to late payments and extending business rates discounts for retail, hospitality and leisure sectors are a short-term boost for small firms, what we really need is a full overhaul of the business rates system.

In our regional economic blueprint, titled A Centre of Trading Excellence: A Business Manifesto for Growth in the East Midlands and Beyond, we have stated the importance of economic policy focusing on the ‘four Is’ – investment, innovation, infrastructure and international trade.

With this in mind, it was pleasing to see the

EMCCA plans move forward The proposed East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) has moved one step closer to reality after key legislation was approved in Westminster.

The Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill has been granted royal assent after completing its passage through Parliament, paving the way for the creation of the EMCCA and the region’s veryfirst mayoral elections in May 2024.

Derbyshire County Council, Nottinghamshire County Council, Derby City Council and

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Nottingham City Council will now decide whether to move forward with devolution plans, with decisions expected before the end of the year.

The East Midlands devolution deal, agreed with Government ministers last summer, would bring £1.14bn funding to Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Derby and Nottingham, which can be invested in local projects related to transport, education and skills, housing, the environment and economic development.

Chancellor confirm the full expensing regime made permanent as this incentivises businesses to invest in their plant and machinery in order to innovate and raise productivity levels – a crucial component in meeting demand with supply and bringing down prices for end consumers.

The new East Midlands Investment Zone, anchored by private investment from RollsRoyce and Laing O’Rourke, also showcases how Government can work in partnership with industry to create thousands of new jobs in key sectors such as advanced manufacturing and green industries.

But there was little mentioned about delivering the infrastructure our businesses need to grow and succeed, or in tackling the international trade barriers that have put a drawbridge for exporters.

We know the uncertain period before a General Election will typically have an adverse effect on business sentiment, so it was important not to do anything that sets the hares running. In this sense, it was mission accomplished for the Chancellor, but businesses will have hoped for more extensive policies that deliver the confidence needed to really get the economy growing again.

Councillor Barry Lewis

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POLITICS

Urgent call for electric rail network switch-on

Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles

Rishi Sunak was urged to “switch on” the East Midlands rail network as fast as possible by accelerating work to electrify the region’s main link to London.

The Midland Main Line carries 3.75 million passenger journeys a year between Chesterfield, Derby, Nottingham, Leicester and London, but trains must still ravel on diesel power for part of the journey – impacting emissions, reliability and the time it takes to travel.

While the Midland Main Line section between London and Bedford was switched to electric power in the 1980s, the final section into the heart of the East Midlands still hasn’t been upgraded 40 years on. Now, the region’s local authorities have come together under the banner of Transport for East Midlands to call on the Prime Minister to name the date when work will start on a project that has been planned for years and was

highlighted as a transport priority two years ago in the Government’s Integrated Rail Plan.

Sir Peter Soulsby, the elected mayor of Leicester who also chairs Transport for the East Midlands (TfEM) said: “If we’re not proceeding with high-speed rail then we must upgrade our existing infrastructure as a matter of urgency. Midland Main Line will be able to offer a better service for more people on upgraded trains if the final stretch into the East Midlands is at last electrified.”

TfEM has set out the case for electrification in a new report titled The Future is Electric.

The Chamber’s director of policy and insight Chris Hobson added: “Given the growth challenges our economy faces, we can’t afford to wait any longer for an investment that is long overdue – Midland Main Line electrification must happen now.”

AUTUMN STATEMENT HEADLINES • The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) predicts an average inflation rate of 2.8% by the end of 2024 and 2% by 2025 • It forecasts overall UK growth in 2023 to be 0.6%, followed by 0.7% in 2024 and 1.4% in 2025 • Borrowing will be 91.6% of GDP in 2024 and then 92.7% in the 2024/25 financial year • Minimum wage will rise to £11.44 per hour from April, an increase of £1.02, with the eligible age brought down from 23 to 21

From left: Chris Hobson, Sir Peter Soulsby and East Midlands Railway MD Will Rogers

• National insurance for employees will be cut from 12% to 10% from 6 January

from every pound spent on other types of investment, will be made permanent having initially been due to expire in 2026

• For self-employed people, Class 2 national insurance will be abolished, saving £192 per year, and other reforms will save about two million people an average of £350 per year

• The 75% on business rates of up to £110,000 for firms in retail, hospitality and leisure will be extended for another year, while alcohol duty will be frozen until August 2024

• The full expensing regime, which allows firms to write off the entire cost of spending on new plant and machinery while also saving 25p

• Financial incentives offered by freeports and investment zones will be extended from five years to 10 years

Councillor Barry Lewis, leader of Derbyshire County Council, said the legislation was a “key milestone” in devolution, which would “move major decision-making to the people who best know our communities, rather than Westminster”.

The powers and funding will be held by the proposed EMCCA, for which there will be an elected mayor from next May, and is presently being steered by the elected leaders from the two city and two county councils that signed the deal.

Representatives from district and borough councils, alongside wider partners from business and other sectors, will further support

the organisation’s development and governance. Devolution plans for the East Midlands are similar to those already in place across other mayoral regions like Greater Manchester and the West Midlands.

If the plans go ahead, the EMCCA – spanning two counties and cities – would be the first combined county authority in the country, with a new elected regional mayor at the helm, representing about 2.2 million people.

Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles explains how devolution could benefit East Midlands businesses – page 67

• A new East Midlands Investment Zone will be established with a focus on green industries and advanced manufacturing, helping to leverage £383m in private investment and supporting 4,200 jobs over the next 10 years • £50m was pledged for regeneration projects in communities, with Bolsover among four namechecked • £4.5bn funding has been made available to unlock private investment in “strategic manufacturing sectors”, including aerospace, advanced manufacturing and life sciences.

• A £50m pilot project will aim to stimulate apprenticeship training in engineering and other growth sectors • Plans were announced to cut grid access times for large projects by half, speed up major grid upgrades and offer £10,000 off electricity bills over 10 years for those living closest to new transmission infrastructure • The planning system will be overhauled so local authorities can keep fees from major business planning applications in return for meeting guaranteed faster timelines.

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FEATURE

UPSKILLING YOUR STAFF

Unlocking potential The benefits of apprenticeships Engaging with apprenticeships offers numerous advantages for business leaders. Elizabeth Draper-Smethurst, employer engagement lead at Priory Apprenticeships, explores why businesses leverage apprenticeships to upskill, recruit and retain their staff, enriching the workforce.

1. SKILLS DEVELOPMENT Apprenticeships are instrumental in nurturing employees with job-relevant skills. They provide tailored training, addressing specific skill gaps and bolstering overall workforce competency. They can build confidence through recognising their abilities and gaining formal qualifications.

By customising programmes where possible to meet their organisational needs, business leaders ensure their employees gain the expertise most pertinent to their roles.

2. COST EFFICIENCY The financial implications of apprenticeships favour employers especially as so many businesses are underutilising their levy funds. Government incentives and subsidies further diminish the financial burden.

The cost-effectiveness is underscored by the fact that training apprentices often prove more economical than recruiting experienced professionals.

3. TALENT PIPELINE Apprenticeships allow businesses to cultivate a pool of skilled talent from within, reducing the need for extensive external recruitment.

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This not only streamlines the hiring process but also assures a supply of qualified employees who are wellversed in the company's ethos and operations, which can help future-proof the business.

4. DIVERSE WORKFORCE Apprenticeship programmes provide a platform for diversification, attracting individuals from varied backgrounds and demographics.

This commitment to diversity fosters inclusion and equity, promoting a culture of creativity and innovation that enhances decision-making and problem-solving.

Employing a multi-generational team has many advantages, such as experience and confidence alongside innovative and creative approaches, plus a variety of skills.

5. EMPLOYEE LOYALTY Investing in the career growth of apprentices nurtures a sense of loyalty among employees, leading to higher retention rates and reduced turnover.

Apprentices are more likely to stay with a company that has empowered them with valuable skills and prospects for advancement.

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UPSKILLING YOUR STAFF

‘Business leaders engaging with apprenticeships embody a commitment to workforce development and holistic growth’

FEATURE

6. INCREASED JOB SATISFACTION

9. COMPLIANCE AND GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

As apprentices become more proficient in their roles, their job satisfaction often increases, contributing to a more positive work atmosphere and higher employee morale.

Elevated job satisfaction can boost productivity and enhance customer service. Colleagues supporting and mentoring apprentices often grow within the role too.

Using Government incentives and subsidies helps businesses reduce the expenses of apprenticeships, promoting their broader use.

Additionally, following the right rules ensures apprentices are paid fairly and work in a safe environment, which can improve the company's reputation and social responsibility.

7. CUSTOMISATION AND FLEXIBILITY Business leaders can fine-tune apprenticeship programmes to align with their specific industry needs.

This customisation ensures that employees receive training tailored to the organisation's unique requirements.

The flexible nature of apprenticeships enables adaptations as business needs evolve, ensuring ongoing relevance.

8. STRONGER COLLABORATION Partnerships with educational institutions and training providers foster collaboration and knowledge exchange.

This collaboration helps create training programmes that mirror the dynamic demands of the industry.

10. COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE Businesses that invest in apprenticeships often gain a competitive edge by nurturing a skilled, adaptable and motivated workforce capable of addressing industry changes and challenges. Employees contribute to innovation, quality and customer satisfaction, differentiating the company from its competitors.

In summary, business leaders engaging with apprenticeships embody a commitment to workforce development and holistic growth.

By investing in apprenticeships, these leaders can upskill their employees, foster a culture of learning and development, and diversify their workforce – helping to future-proof their organisation.

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CHAMBER FEATURE NEWS

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FEATURE

Cultivating diverse talent A partnership approach

By John Fisher (pictured), employability coach at Purple Beard.

n the rapidly evolving tech landscape, the demand for skilled professionals is surging, leading to a pronounced skills gap. This gap is further intensified by a lack of diversity, which hinders innovation and growth.

Addressing these challenges, apprenticeships and skills bootcamps are emerging as powerful tools in fostering a diverse and skilled tech workforce.

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APPRENTICESHIPS: A MODERN-DAY LAUNCHPAD FOR TECH TALENT Apprenticeships are being reimagined and expanded in the tech sector. They are no longer limited to traditional trades but have evolved to become essential for nurturing and developing tech talent.

These programmes now provide a comprehensive combination of hands-on practical experience and theoretical learning, ensuring that apprentices acquire the necessary skills and knowledge required for today's rapidly evolving tech jobs.

By embracing apprenticeships, the tech industry is creating a robust pipeline of talented individuals who are well-prepared to contribute to the ever-growing demands of the tech sector.

‘By embracing apprenticeships, the industry can create opportunities for individuals from diverse backgrounds’ change their careers. These bootcamps play a key role in quickly equipping individuals with in-demand tech skills.

DIVERSITY IN TECH: A NEW PERSPECTIVE The tech industry's diversity issue is not just about fairness; it's about bringing in a wide range of perspectives that drive innovation and propel the industry forward.

By embracing apprenticeships, the industry can create opportunities for individuals from diverse backgrounds, including recent school leavers, those looking to make a career change and members of under-represented groups.

These apprenticeships serve as a stepping stone for individuals to enter the tech field and contribute their unique experiences and skills.

This diversity fosters a richer, more dynamic and more inclusive tech environment, where ideas can flourish and breakthrough innovations can be realised.

SKILLS BOOTCAMPS: FAST-TRACKING TECH CAREERS Skills bootcamps are intensive, short-term training programmes focused on specific tech skills. They are designed for rapid upskilling and cater to a diverse cohort of participants, including those seeking to advance or

THE IMPACT OF GOVERNMENT SUPPORT Both apprenticeships and skills bootcamps often receive Government backing, making them accessible and affordable. This support is crucial in democratising tech education and opening doors for a wider range of participants.

THE BROADER IMPACT ON THE TECH INDUSTRY The collective impact of these educational pathways is profound. They not only provide individuals with career opportunities but also contribute to a more diverse, skilled and innovative tech workforce. As the industry evolves, these programmes are essential in driving its growth and diversity.

In conclusion, apprenticeships and skills bootcamps are more than just educational programmes – they are catalysts for change in the tech industry. By embracing these opportunities, we can cultivate a tech industry that is as diverse and dynamic as the world it serves.

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FOCUS FEATURE

EAST MIDLANDS INWARD INVESTMENT

Making our region the place to invest he most successful regions are magnets for attracting inward investment and the East Midlands appears to be faring strongly – but with plenty of work to be done to catch up with the highest performing regions. EY’s 2023 UK Attractiveness Survey recorded a 23% growth in foreign direct investment (FDI) projects between 2021 and 2022, with 48 projects in 2022 – the highest number in a decade of research – putting it roughly mid-table in the regional rankings.

It cited the East Midlands’ strengths in manufacturing and logistics, as well as growth in transportation and digital technology, for its attractiveness to investors.

Further research by the Midlands Engine recorded 99 FDI projects – assessed using separate criteria – in 2021/22, an increase of 27 projects compared to the previous year.

The 38% increase in FDI projects, as well as the 221% increase to 6,888 jobs created by FDI, represented the second highest growth behind the North East. In total, FDI accounted for 8% of new jobs created during this period.

So what can be done to help the East Midlands drive more inward investment that spurs economic growth, creates new jobs and provides life opportunities for our communities?

Dan Robinson speaks to senior leaders in the region about why they believe people, businesses and investors come to the East Midlands, what its strengths are and where improvements can be made.

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ATTRACTING INVESTMENT THROUGH GOOD GROWTH AND PRODUCTIVITY

Alex Hudson

By Alex Hudson, East Midlands market senior partner at PwC. Attracting inward investment is key to a region's economic growth. The East Midlands is an attractive region for investors, with strong transport links, world-class education institutes and a plethora of industry hubs.

In fact, the region regularly performs above the UK average when attracting foreign direct investment and is set to benefit from the investment zones announced earlier this year, where we will receive £80m of support over five years.

Our latest edition of the PwC’s Good Growth for Cities Index, which ranks 50 of the UK’s largest cities, showed the East Midlands is faring well, with Leicester, Derby and Nottingham outperforming the UK average on key indicators such as transport and work-life balance. Additionally, Derby and Leicester performed ahead of the UK average for income distribution, measured by the ratio of median to mean income, an indicator of wealth equity.

A ‘MAP OF OPPORTUNITY’ FOR THE REGION AND ROLE OF PLACEMAKING Out of the three, Leicester was the highest performing East Midlands city for the second year running, scoring 16th place in the index and continuing to perform well for overall economic growth. This was followed by Derby and Nottingham coming in at 24th and 36th respectively. While the outlook in the East Midlands is a positive one, the report

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highlighted some areas in which the East Midlands performs behind the UK average, including income and house prices, as well as weaker predicted economic growth. This should be used as a map of opportunity, showing where continued support can have a real impact on improving the region.

‘Place-based strategies can encourage inclusive growth, creating thriving communities’ Additionally, the index found that placemaking – the process of creating quality places that people want to live, work, play and learn in – can contribute significantly to the UK’s productivity, a hot topic on the mind of many investors and business owners.

The index’s agenda for action outlined that place-based strategies can encourage inclusive growth, creating thriving communities with opportunities to improve economic and social wellbeing. Aligned with the Government’s levelling up agenda, local government and employers have a part to play in providing opportunities for people to grow their businesses, careers and skills right across the region.

FOCUS ON PRODUCTIVITY UPLIFT Looking at productivity and how this can encourage economic growth, we recently launched our second instalment of the PwC

Productivity Tracker. The tracker takes a human-led and tech-powered approach to analysing the various components that make up productivity, and in this iteration we focused on the regional differences in terms of productive growth.

Out of the 12 regions, when comparing rates of productivity growth, the East Midlands achieved fourth place, highlighting the opportunity we have to increase our regional output.

The tracker indicated that the regions who perform the best prioritised change and innovation, be it through development, regeneration or investment, to name a few. It also underlined the close relationship between strong productivity growth, talent availability and high skills levels, all of which we have here in the East Midlands.

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‘THE EAST MIDLANDS IS A GREAT PLACE TO DO BUSINESS, LIVE AND RAISE A FAMILY’

By Gordon Docherty, vice-president at Leicestershire-based manufacturer Druck.

For those readers who are unfamiliar, Druck is a world leader in pressure measurement technology, in particular pressure sensors and instrumentation.

Owned by Baker Hughes, a global energy technology company, Druck specialises in developing technology and products that excel in harsh environments. From the upper echelons of motorsport, Chinese bullet trains or military aircraft to the highest mountains and deepest oceans, and even outer space, our technologies provide customers with unrivalled levels of accuracy and reliability.

Druck is proud to be an East Midlands export success story. We develop about 400,000 sensors every year – around 90% are exported overseas.

WHY THE EAST MIDLANDS IS A GOOD PLACE TO DO BUSINESS AND TO LIVE Founded in 1972, Druck’s strategy has always depended on exports. As a result, our location is inextricably linked to the success of our business. Overall, the East Midlands and Leicestershire is a good place to do business.

For us, there are two key factors: people and transport.

Druck employs about 850 people globally, with 650 based at our global headquarters, in Groby just outside Leicester.

Given the complexity of developing highquality, silicon-based pressure sensors, we employ a highly talented workforce, a large proportion of whom are engineers (software, electronics, mechanical, physicists). They are all

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

Gordon Docherty

tasked with pushing the boundaries of innovation to develop next-generation pressure measurement technology. We also employ a range of skills, from marketing to finance, commercial to project management.

So the most important consideration for us, when we think about our location, is access to highly skilled labour and professional talent.

Leicestershire and the East Midlands serves us well.

We’re fortunate to be surrounded by some excellent colleges and universities – many of our colleagues have graduated from Loughborough University, and we run a highly successful apprenticeship programme through Loughborough College.

East Midlands Airport and Gateway Cluster – East Midlands Gateway SEGRO Logistics Park

Druck has also benefitted from the manufacturing traditions of the East Midlands.

There is a high propensity of manufacturing businesses in this area, which has helped attract strong manufacturing talent to the area.

Just as important, Leicestershire is a lovely place to live. Druck’s HQ is close to Leicester, but we’re also blessed with a nice mix of countryside villages, all of which helps us attract and retain good people. We also have, in the main, good schools, housing and local amenities, as well as a rich variety of sport.

For a business that exports products to every corner of the globe, good transport links are essential. We have good access to the M1, connecting us to London and the rest of the UK’s motorway network, and close to large freight distribution hubs. Rail links, and the locality of East Midlands Airport and Birmingham Airport, serves us well.

We also believe in supporting the local economy, so wherever possible we try to keep our suppliers local, but for higher volume products we do make use of emerging markets for our supply chain.

CAN’T STAND STILL How could the East Midlands become more attractive to foreign investment? Being able to make decisions on local planning applications faster for business development, continued investments in our road infrastructure, more investment in housing and local amenities – we can’t afford to stand still. I’m also passionate about investing in our energy infrastructure and having access to sustainable power.

Originally from Ayrshire in Scotland, I moved to Leicestershire 18 years ago, and my family and I love it here. Many of my colleagues from Druck hail from other parts of the UK and were attracted to the area by the local amenities, opportunities for further education, transport links and career opportunities.

The East Midlands is a good place to do business, and a great place to live and raise a family.

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AMBITION, CONSISTENCY AND STABILITY: WHAT BUSINESSES NEED FROM OUR POLITICAL LEADERS

By Becky Valentine, co-owner, and sustainability and building health consultant at Nottingham-based property consultancy Spenbeck.

As business leaders, we want so many things.

No, not want, need.

Firstly, we need ambition. Like any investment decision, companies are looking for areas of the country that demonstrate they want to succeed.

That they have the drive, passion and commitment to make the region a continued success, and a place you definitely want to do business in.

The East Midlands is in constant competition with the rest of the country. How do we stand out? What do we even stand for? We ask these questions of financial institutions when we make personal investments, and they are even more relevant here when the financial stakes are often

so much higher. What do we offer as a region that others don’t?

DO WE KNOW WHO WE ARE? We saw this play out in 2005 when the Robin Hood logo was dropped by Nottingham in favour of the controversial “N”. The reception was frosty, with questions asked internationally about why a city would effectively denounce its heritage when trying to attract inward investment.

It demonstrates the importance of knowing who you are, as a city, county and as a region.

Manchester currently does this fantastically with the bee plastered far and wide. Companies and residents alike have an identity to be proud of, celebrate and foster – all essential factors to an inward investor.

‘Pride, courage, ambition, certainty, clarity, honesty.

These aren’t simply buzzwords’

Alongside this, we have to ask what messages are being sent to the national and international business communities by our actions, such as when major inward investment vehicles such as Nottingham’s Creative Quarter Company are shut down.

CONSISTENT AND STABLE POLICIES We also need to see coherent strategies. Being a part of the Midlands Engine will hopefully reap rewards for our region. But within this, disparities of political ideology and more contextual county-wide requirements remain.

It is hoped that devolution and an elected mayor will bring us on a par with Manchester and Birmingham in terms of funding and wider consideration. Though I am not entirely convinced this won’t simply become another layer of bureaucracy and something of a vanity project for the successful candidate, rather than the spearheading of the decisive, courageous action necessary to put our region firmly on the investment map and create a strong trading environment.

So what does such an environment look like?

Well, mostly we need certainty and stability.

While inflation has slowed, giving some respite to economic uncertainty, replacing it is the political uncertainty that inevitably comes with an impending general election but which could be over a year away.

As we saw with Rishi Sunak’s rather spectacular net zero U-turn, alongside many others, the lack of certainty makes major investment decisions incredibly difficult.

It was heartening, and not surprising after so much volatility over the past few years, that many businesses are simply cracking on regardless. After Brexit and Covid-19, UK plc is now rather too well-placed to weather such uncertainty, but it will have a significant impact on all investment decisions and particularly those from overseas.

Pride, courage, ambition, certainty, clarity, honesty. These aren’t simply buzzwords to put on the side of a civic van or use for political slogans. These are an essential part of what makes a region stand out as the place to invest and we need to embed these into everything we do in the East Midlands if we are to flourish in the years to come.

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Professor Mohamed Shaban

DIVERSITY, LOCATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP ATTRACTS INVESTORS TO THE EAST MIDLANDS

By Professor Mohamed Shaban, associate dean for business and civic engagement at the University of Leicester School of Business.

According to the EY 2021 UK Attractiveness Survey, the East Midlands region recorded a resilient year for inbound foreign direct investment in 2020, outperforming the UK overall. The region also recorded 10% growth in the number of FDI projects in 2022.

It is crucial to maintain such a healthy growth level or, in the best-case scenario, increase it further.

The key drivers of FDI, in general, are investing in new markets, access to cheaper resources, access to assets or complementary resources, and access to natural resources.

The East Midlands is blessed with most of these drivers, except natural resources. The question is, what is the proportion of these resources in the East Midlands compared to other parts of the UK that make it stand out among some of the UK’s most attractive areas for FDI?

INVESTORS ATTRACTED TO THREE KEY SECTORS It is evident from the economic indicators of the region that the business environment in the East Midlands can be described as thriving, accommodating and resilient.

Three regional sectors will likely be crucial in attracting FDI to themselves, and their related sub-sectors and extended supply chains – space, transport and trade.

Currently, the leading sectors in the region are retail, followed by transportation and manufacturing.

The presence of Alstom and Toyota has provided an attraction to the area with related industries that attract FDI from many countries.

THREE KEY REGIONAL CHARACTERISTICS Diversity, location and entrepreneurship will contribute to the continuous success, growth and attraction of FDI. The business environment enjoys a diverse culture and community bond like no other UK region, contributing to the resilience of businesses and the preservation of wealth in the area.

East Midlands Intermodal Park is one of the East Midlands Freeport sites

The location and proximity to the inland freeport will drive economic regeneration across the East Midlands. The potential of expanding in international trade, capitalising on the multicultural business environment and having multilingual business leaders in the region will help to create jobs and boost economic growth.

Entrepreneurship, particularly in Leicestershire, is blessed by having 15% of its businesses as start-ups, which is higher than the regional and national level.

The region can attract more investment in the critical sectors mentioned above by focusing on high-tech projects with a specific commitment to net zero through low-carbon energy investments.

Increasing collaboration between universities and businesses in the region in projects that address the future demand of the country will be crucial in this respect.

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Dr Huw Bowen speaking at Chesterfield Investment Summit.

‘BUSINESS IS BOOMING IN CHESTERFIELD’

By Peter Swallow, chair of Destination Chesterfield.

Destination Chesterfield had the privilege of hosting the eighth Chesterfield Investment Summit at the Casa Hotel in October.

The room was buzzing with more than 200 delegates in attendance, who had all gathered to learn about the remarkable growth that Chesterfield has been experiencing.

The statistics were impressive – in 2022, we saw a record number of start-ups, marking a 4% increase in business registrations compared to the previous year. What's even more promising is that 2023 forecasts a 7% increase, with over 1,100 new businesses expected to launch.

CHESTERFIELD’S STRATEGIC PROPOSITION What's driving this surge in activity, and why are more businesses choosing Chesterfield? At the summit, we had the chance to hear from investors who highlighted Chesterfield's central location, excellent transport connections, and access to a pool of talented individuals as significant advantages.

The town's proximity to major cities, all reachable within two hours by rail, and its strategic location next to the M1, make it a hub for connectivity and talent attraction. Some 56% of the local workforce holds qualifications at NVQ Level 3 or higher.

One success story that truly caught my attention is NeoDyne, an Irish electrical engineering company that opened its first UK office in Chesterfield in August. The company cited our town's history of engineering

Matt Close, of NeoDyne, and Emily Smith, of Voeberg, speaking at Chesterfield Investment Summit

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excellence and the presence of several local universities as key factors in its decision.

NeoDyne is just one of 106 new professional services companies established here in 2022, marking a significant 29% increase compared to 2021.

Chesterfield is actively encouraging professional services firms to establish themselves here, with a vision of achieving a 15% increase in higher-wage, knowledge-based occupations by 2030.

KEY DEVELOPMENTS ON THE WAY During the summit, we heard Dr Huw Bowen, chief executive of Chesterfield Borough Council, share exciting news on the town’s office developments. The seven-storey One Waterside Place development is now fully occupied, and the Northern Gateway Enterprise Centre, located in the heart of the town, is over 80% full, providing a home to dozens of companies.

‘With plans for 4,000 new homes to be delivered by 2035, Chesterfield is also focusing on building net zero-carbon homes’ The growth in business activity has inevitably created a higher demand for housing. In 2022, we saw 99 construction start-ups, a 10% increase from 2021. With plans for 4,000 new homes to be delivered by 2035, Chesterfield is also focusing on building net zero-carbon homes.

Gemma Smith, managing director of Strata Homes, spoke at the summit about how the company is supporting the council’s goal of becoming a carbon-neutral borough by 2050.

One thing that stands out in Chesterfield is the collaborative investment environment. Emily Smith, Director of Voeberg, shared her experience, speaking about how supportive the local authority was during the planning stage.

Voeberg is developing The Holywell Hotel in Chesterfield town centre, and it's one of several hospitality businesses drawn to the town. In 2022, we witnessed the creation of 92 new

Peter Swallow, chair of Destination Chesterfield

companies in this sector, a remarkable 10% increase from 2021 and more than three-times the number established in 2012.

GATEWAY TO THE PEAK DISTRICT Chesterfield's visitor offering continues to expand. During the summit, we learned that a planning application has been submitted for the highly-anticipated Gateway @Peak. Spanning 300 acres, this resort will serve as a base for visitors to explore the natural beauty and surrounding attractions in Derbyshire. Developer Milligan predicts the destination will attract 2.8 million day visitors and 76,000 overnight visitors each year.

In addition, Chesterfield is also investing in its cultural assets. Dr Huw Bowen announced that work has begun on a £17m renovation of the Stephenson Memorial Hall, which houses the historic Pomegranate Theatre and Chesterfield Museum.

We’ll see a boost to our high streets too, with almost £9m earmarked for improving connections across the town centre. Furthermore, a £6m project will transform Staveley's town centre as part of the £25m Town Deal scheme.

Chesterfield is undoubtedly a place on the rise, and I'm thrilled to see our regeneration continuing to take shape.

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DEVOLUTION PRESENTS NEW OPPORTUNITIES In May 2024, a new East Midlands Combined County Authority (CCA) will be established in Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. East Midlands Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles, who has been involved in devolution discussions as a stakeholder, explains how this could help drive new investment to the area. or decades, the Chamber has made the point to successive governments and local politicians that the East Midlands receives a far smaller slice of the cake than other regions.

Treasury figures consistently show the East Midlands ranks either bottom or near the bottom for spending on transport infrastructure, health, education and economic affairs when adjudged per head of population.

We received just 60% of the UK average in transport spend for 2021/22, the lowest level of any UK region or nation and a gap worth £1.28bn per year.

From this starting point, all investment into the East Midlands is welcomed. The devolution deal for Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire provides a guaranteed funding stream of £1.14bn, or £38m per year of the next three decades. There will also be an extra £16.8m for new homes on brownfield land.

F

great opportunity for communities and businesses in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire to attract much greater investment, both public and private, than it has been able to historically.

WHAT DEVOLUTION IS AND ISN’T

It’s not just about the new money that will come into Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, but how it will be spent that means the new CCA has the potential to deliver significant positive economic benefits.

The devolution of powers from the centre to local means key decisions will be made by those who know their area best. This is a

The agreement between the twocity and two-county area, and Government, has established the somewhat provocatively titled East Midlands devolution deal, despite not including Leicester and Leicestershire.

This is a unique deal, the first of its kind that will establish a combined county authority, not to be confused with simply a combined authority that many may be familiar with in city regions like Birmingham and Manchester.

New political structures have brought about a substantive amount of local government reform in those areas. For Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, however, current local government structures will endure.

To get the additional £1.14bn investment, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire needs to have a democratically elected mayor whose role it is to create a landscape that provides economic stimulus and allows the private sector to thrive.

The voice of business, and how it’s represented within this new political structure, is absolutely key. The Chamber’s role is to articulate the views of our members in order to influence the creation of these thriving economic conditions across the two cities and counties, which will in turn stimulate investment that creates jobs at all levels.

Andy Burnham

Andy Street

‘The voice of business, and how it’s represented within this new political structure, is absolutely key’

Scott Knowles

IMPORTANCE OF THE ELECTED MAYOR

CONCERNS TO ADDRESS

The success of the role of elected mayor is pivotal to this as the role facilitates conversations much further up the tree in Westminster and Whitehall than Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire have been able to as a non-devolved area.

We saw this during the pandemic as the West Midlands and Greater Manchester mayors Andy Street and Andy Burnham were banging on then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s desk, successfully demanding greater levels of support.

The Government’s £72m package for better train services in Manchester announced in May this year and a £60m investment into sport and culture in Birmingham to preserve the Commonwealth Games legacy are good examples of the influence of elected mayors.

We would certainly like to see the exploration of mass transit networks that facilitate mobility between urban and rural areas.

One of the mayor’s powers is to produce an integrated transport plan that transcends local boundaries, so there is the potential to champion their own projects that could reopen obsolete train lines running across different regions.

Changing political structures does create issues elsewhere to consider. Local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) have provided an invaluable mechanism in bringing together the private and public sectors for the past 13 years, using evidence-based research to determine where investment was needed to have the greatest impact on the largest number of people.

With the Chancellor’s announcement in the Spring Budget that LEPs will be defunded from April 2024, it’s very important that any emerging combined county authority utilises the skills and experience that exist within the D2N2 and LLEP teams.

Meanwhile, Leicester and Leicestershire are pursuing a level two devolution deal, which provides reduced powers compared to the level three deal for Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire as it comes without the elected mayor, Leicester of course already having an elected mayor.

The Chamber will continue working with political leaders in Leicester and Leicestershire to showcase investment into the city and county, and bring political leaders and the business community together to debate devolution in all its forms.

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BUSINESS NETWORK

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FEATURE

MADE IN THE EAST MIDLANDS

Packaging solutions all wrapped up

By Sarah Rutland (pictured), market development manager at Filtrona Tapes.

hey say expectation feeds frustration. And that sentiment is causing more and more headaches for those charged with plotting the future of packaging.

Well, we're here to tell those tasked with developing packaging consumer goods that it needn't be that way, but also there are a few non-negotiables those seeking success should not circumnavigate.

As businesses grapple with honouring both their sustainability commitments and ever-changing consumer demands, e-commerce continues to shape how we package goods. From the materials we choose to the overarching strategies we deploy, everything is up for discussion.

With virtually any product in the world now able to be sold online, we are faced with an incredible diversity of challenges and requirements. Businesses often walk the line between maintaining the safe and secure arrival of goods, and ensuring the user experience is unhindered.

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SOLVING FOR TOMORROW In an increasingly digital world, packaging represents many consumers' first experience with the tangible reality of a product. That first impression is vital for securing customer retention. Packaging that is unnecessarily difficult to open risks damaging the fragile relationship between consumer and brand.

There are few more frustrating household tasks than struggling to open a jar that won't budge. Except, perhaps, trying to prise open the impenetrable, fingerslicing plastic that wraps everything from toothbrushes to ink cartridges.

It's not only annoying – wrap rage can be dangerous, too. Stories abound of homeowners resorting to scissors, pliers, nutcrackers and even hammers to tackle stubborn packaging, often with painful consequences.

In a recent survey, 57% of consumers reported openability as a key issue with packaging. Furthermore, cartons with no opening device ranked number two in the most frustrating pack types.

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Instead of opting for multiple layers of packaging material or twist ties, some brands offer frustration-free packaging as the solution. And for many of these, tear tapes are integral.

LEANER AND GREENER Eco-savvy consumers demand that retailers focus on using recycled packaging materials and focus on packs that can be reused or recycled.

So, the call for change in the packaging industry is also being sounded on another front, with the need for environmental responsibility taking centre stage. Fortythree percent of consumers told our packaging survey their packaging was difficult to recycle.

This compounds a problem for the e-commerce sector as time-poor consumers are frustrated they can't get to their product easily, and they also have to spend time figuring out how or if they can recycle the remaining materials.

EXPECTING THE SAME IN RETURN No business wants returns – they equate to lost sales and if handled poorly, reputational damage. However, the dominance of e-commerce over retail has changed the game.

Making returns hassle-free is key in today’s market.

This can be achieved by including something as simple as a glue line and paper release liner, which enables the consumer to easily re-pack their purchase in the same pack that it arrived in before dropping it off at a convenient collection point. This frustration-free process is now integral to building a long-lasting relationship between consumer and brand.

If you've taken the time and effort to tailor your product and packaging, your customers will see and value this, creating loyal customers who shout about what you've sent. Better still, it doesn't need to cost the earth to create your unboxing experience.

A selection as simple as choosing a tape can enhance brand communication and protection, bolster consumer convenience, and contribute to an unforgettable opening experience.

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MADE IN THE EAST MIDLANDS

Securing your business website WordPress security best practices SMEs are the lifeblood of the East Midlands, and an online presence can help widen their reach. WordPress is a great tool for business owners – but how can they keep their websites secure? Ben Carrick (pictured), director of Chimera Studio, offers his top tips. n the digital age, a secure website is not just a luxury, it’s a necessity. As cyber threats grow more sophisticated by the day, the security of your website should be at the top of your priority list.

WordPress is known for its robust framework and security features, but because of its popularity, it is a target for hackers looking for known weaknesses.

As a website owner, there’s some essential practices that will help to keep your website safe from malicious actors.

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REGULAR UPDATES Updates are crucial because they often contain patches for recently discovered vulnerabilities. To ensure you're not leaving your site open to unnecessary risk, enable automatic updates for WordPress core, themes and plugins.

If you’re worried about updates potentially breaking your site, consider using a staging environment or local server to test them first and run a backup prior to making any changes (more on this later).

SECURE HOSTING Your choice of web host is the foundation of your website’s security. Don’t just go for the cheapest option; ensure that host provides strong security measures. This includes active scanning for malware, firewalls and regular, reliable backups.

Some hosts offer specialised hosting plans that come with additional security features tailored specifically for WordPress sites.

These often include simple management dashboards that

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report on available updates and security issues.

WP Engine, Hostinger, Kinsta, Fly Wheel and Bluehost are all great examples of specialist WordPress hosting providers.

STRONG PASSWORDS AND USER PERMISSIONS Use complex, unique passwords for your WordPress admin area and insist all users do the same. Avoid obvious passwords like “password123” or ‘admin” — they're the first guesses for any automated hacker’s script.

Additionally, only give users the access level they need to do their job. Do your blog contributors, shop managers or SEO experts really need full admin access? In most cases, the answer is no.

SECURITY PLUGINS Just as a security system can help protect a physical store, security plugins can help protect your WordPress site. There are plenty of reputable options out there, such as Wordfence, Sucuri, and iThemes Security, which can help with everything from firewall protection to regular security scans.

But remember, website plugins are like the apps on your phone – choose wisely to ensure they’re reputable and necessary for your specific needs.

REGULAR BACKUPS Backups are your safety net, your plan B when all else fails. If your site is compromised, having a recent backup can mean the difference between a minor interruption and a full-scale business disaster.

Set up a system that regularly backs up your website’s files and database and stores them in a secure, off-site location. The ideal solution for backups is to run two discrete and separate systems that automate your backups and store them on remote, cloud-based servers.

How often you should back up depends on how often you update your site. Daily backups are a sensible choice for active sites, hourly backups are available for e-commerce sites and business-critical data, but at the very least perform a backup immediately before any major changes or updates.

Now that you’re armed with these best practices, take a moment to review your current website security measures.

Are your themes and plugins up to date? Is your hosting as secure as it could be? Are your passwords strong and permissions strict? Do you have an effective backup and restoration process in place? By taking the time to review and implement these practices, you’re not just protecting your website – you're safeguarding your online presence, business data and the trust of your customers.

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Our team of experts has the knowledge and experience to guide you through the process and ensure that you can take advantage of the rapidly expanding and lucrative KSA market. We can provide you with the necessary resources and support to help you start, establish, and expand your business in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

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By Annalie Sheils (pictured), client director at Konsileo. n the past few years, we have encountered unprecedented challenges – from Brexit to the Covid-19 pandemic, in addition to the ongoing economic crisis. This has compounded a growing list of challenges for businesses, which may need to budget for buying more insurance cover to remain resilient.

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IMPACT ON POLICYHOLDERS Professional valuations are highlighting the shortage of materials and labour, raising costs and lead times. The Building Cost Index is currently at 8.3%, the accumulative effect that two years of unprecedented rebuild cost inflation has had on the adequacy of sums insured.

Sums insured must be adequate for businesses to survive a major loss. British Insurers suggest 20% of household policies are underinsured, whereas professional valuation services suggest that figure rises to 60% to 70% for commercial risks due to the complexities of commercial covers.

WHAT IS UNDERINSURANCE? Underinsurance occurs when your sum insured isn’t enough to cover the cost of repairing, replacing or rebuilding the items listed on your policy.

Underinsured ultimately means the amount you can claim may be reduced, meaning you can’t claim for the full loss. This is where the “average clause” will apply.

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WHAT IS THE AVERAGE CLAUSE?

WHY IS UNDERINSURANCE CO COMMON?

Insurance policy wordings typically include an “average clause”. When underinsurance is present, this clause enables a claims settlement to be made but reduced in proportion to the level of under insurance.

An example would be a declared value of £500,000 against an actual value of £1m. This represents 50% underinsurance – if the claim value is £200,000, the claim settlement will be £100,000. The policy excess will also be payable, so the final settlement will be lower.

Reasons include:

‘Underinsured ultimately means the amount you can claim may be reduced, meaning you can’t claim for the full loss’ The Charted Institute of Loss Adjusters estimates uninsurance to be present in 40% of claims. It states: “Underinsurance has always been an issue in property insurance. In the current economic environment of high inflation and supply chain disruption, underinsurance has the potential to become exacerbated further. It is therefore even more important than usual to review values currently to ensure that cover is adequate.”

Additionally, 43% of business interruption insurance is underinsured by 53% on average.

Getting the business interruption indemnity period wrong is another form of underinsurance.

• Lack of understanding of what sums insured must represent • Not considering factors such as inflation, debris removal costs or seasonal increases • Reinstatement versus market value • Reluctance to spend money on a professional valuation to establish the true value • Financial pressures to cut back on insurance costs – a false economy.

HOW TO AVOID UNDERINSURANCE Actions you can take from today include: • Ensure valuations and cost assessments reflect the current replacement value of the asset or property • Maintain an up-to-date asset register accurately account for fluctuations in the value of the property insured, such as new buildings, capital expenditure, and disposal or acquisition of assets • It is good practice to discuss your insurance renewal with your broker well in advance, to ensure they have up-to-date information.

Discussions should include changes to your business, such as updates on your current asset register, turnover figures, gross profit calculation, to name just a few.

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MADE IN THE EAST MIDLANDS

FEATURE

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Forklift safety expertise in the heart of the East Midlands ased just outside Leicester, Transmon Engineering are experts in the design and installation of advanced driver assistance, safety and speed control solutions for the forklift truck and materials handling sector.

We have a long history here in the East Midlands, starting out in 1996 under the steerage of Steve Coley (pictured), managing director and electronics expert extraordinaire. At the time, Steve had a customer whose constant challenge was forklift operators “hotshifting” causing major damage to the transmissions on their forklift truck fleet. Not only were the repairs expensive, the loss in productivity was even more so. Steve researched the problem in depth and developed a prototype controller, which became the first generation of Gear Saver, and Transmon Engineering was born.

Since our inception, we have been developing and manufacturing our suite of safety systems and solutions. Our speed limiter continues to be highly sought after, both for our UK market and throughout the world, with our overseas network of distributors taking our products to every corner of the globe.

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Additionally, our technologies continue to serve as game changers and the team at Transmon were pioneers within our industry, developing a range of speed controllers, access control keypads and impact sensors. We continue to devote considerable time and investment in R&D at our Leicestershire base.

Through our expertise we can offer unique products and systems that deploy advanced technologies including laser and radar, alongside our bespoke speed and braking control solutions for truck collision avoidance – making the warehouse a safer place for everyone to work.

We are extremely proud of our heritage and dedication to the manufacturing sector in the UK and showcase this as members of Made in Britain.

With continued investment through product development and manufacturing in the East Midlands, there is much to look forward to, but we’re delighted just how far we’ve come and our impact on making the warehouse a safe and productive environment.

Contact the team today to enhance the safety potential for your forklift truck operations on 0116 260 4200, email sales@transmon.co.uk or visit www.transmon.co.uk

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DIGITAL & TECHNOLOGY

Helping to build social media skills The Rushcliffe Digital High Street project, funded

by Rushcliffe Borough Council and delivered by the Chamber, has already supported more than 50 businesses and is set to continue into 2024.

Business Network finds out how it has supported two companies to date.

Rachel Hyman

THE FRUIT BASKET

The family-run business, which sells a range of fresh produce, dairy, eggs, bakery and dry store goods from its shop in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, wanted to ramp up its social media activity to retain new customers attracted during the pandemic, when it began an online delivery service.

It was supported by the Rushcliffe Digital High Street programme by attending a social media workshop, and collaborating with digital consultant Paul Ince on a social media audit and business adviser Steve Phillips to deploy digital tools including an online menu accessed via a QR code.

“Having an expert on hand to audit our social media in such a systematic way gives us greater confidence in knowing what we should be doing and where we can create best impact. It’s really reassuring to have both Steve and Paul at the end of the phone whenever I need advice.” Rachel Hyman, co-owner

Kate Stephenson

THE STYLE ROOM Owner Kate Stephenson had created a loyal following of customers to her ladies clothing and accessories shop, based in Bingham’s Market Place, since setting up in November 2019, but she recognised the need to develop her own knowledge in the technical side of her company’s website and social media channels.

She was introduced to the Rushcliffe Digital High Street programme when business adviser Steve Phillips visited the premises and she enrolled on a 12-week series of free webinars on subjects such as building a brand online.

With Steve’s encouragement and insight from the webinars, confidence has grown for Kate and her sales assistant Ellie to deliver weekly Facebook and Instagram live videos, as well as use digital photography to promote new products in a visually and engaging way.

Digital consultant Ian Lockwood also undertook a full audit of the website, including content and SEO performance.

“We refer to our Chamber adviser as ‘Social Steve’ as we’re always picking his brans on what more we can do with Facebook and Instagram.” Kate Stephenson, owner

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Leisa Pickles (centre), founder and owner of Find me the Leads

Accelerator leads the way towards business growth A sales consultancy has launched a new online membership programme to help independent food and drink producers expand into retail after support from the East Midlands Chamber Accelerator project.

Find me the Leads, a microbusiness based in Newark, has established the portal to support a larger customer base, which it can help to get products discovered and bought by more consumers.

The company received one-toone specialist consultancy and training from Chamber business adviser Richard Crowden to install the portal, which can be accessed from the existing company website.

This support was worth £2,000 and provided via growth vouchers as part of the Financial Accelerator element of the project, which is backed by the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).

Founder and owner Leisa Pickles said she was grateful for the support from the Accelerator and Richard in particular.

“By accessing the services of a Chamber consultant, supported by investment from a UKSPF growth voucher, I have been able to introduce a new product to market, improve the productivity of my business, safeguard the jobs of the existing workforce and secure longterm business growth and prosperity,” she said.

Established in 2018, Find me the Leads works exclusively with independent food and drink producers to help them get products into more places, predominantly in the hospitality, speciality fine food and health food markets.

Leisa turned to the Accelerator

‘Achieve sustainable long-term growth for the company by adding a new revenue stream’ after encountering challenges in relation to growth and achieving the long-term goals set out in its business plan. She also wanted to achieve sustainable long-term growth for the company by adding a new revenue stream that would generate a recurring income, which could be reinvested back into the organisation.

In particular, she wanted to know how to reach more customers by utilising the skills and resources that already existed in the business more effectively.

Introducing the online membership programme with the Chamber’s support has already had a “huge impact” on the business, Leisa said, enabling it to support a larger customer base by providing companies with the same product they can access to suit their needs and requirements.

By adopting a digital solution, the current workforce is also able to spend more time developing and introducing new products and services. Longer term, Leisa hopes the product will establish Find me the Leads as an expert in its field, making it the “go-to business for food and drink producers that want to expand into retail and grow their existing sales”.

• Find out more about how to get involved with the Accelerator project on p34.

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DIGITAL & TECHNOLOGY

Technology must be embraced by all

By Gary Hawkesford (pictured), sales manager at BrightBridge.

There’s no doubt that technology is helping businesses in a range of sectors achieve efficiencies that allow them to maintain a competitive edge and protect profit margins.

The kind of technology that enabled us to stay connected and do our jobs during the pandemic is now commonplace, with many a business using the likes of Microsoft Dynamics 365 and utilising Teams to facilitate the hybrid working that has become the norm. But to keep apace with evolving technology, and the way in which we all now buy goods and services, no business can afford to sideline technology solutions – regardless of size or sector.

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) technology can help transform vital business operations, enabling firms to automate timeconsuming tasks and gain a 360degree view of the business for realtime, informed decision-making.

But ERP can be a completely unknown term for many business owners. For those who have heard about it and not yet dipped a toe in

this world, the barrier to adoption can often be lack of understanding of the capabilities and benefits, fear of perceived hassle and cost, or the misconception their business is too small to need it.

‘But businesses of all sizes can benefit from cloud-based solutions’ But businesses of all sizes can benefit from cloud-based solutions that allow the easy implementation of technology without hardware costs – which for smaller businesses is a real bonus.

Their employees have access from any device and anywhere they choose to work from. With all business operational information available on one unified system, there’s no risk of error or duplication of data input.

In the case of a small business with limited staff resource, where often there might be just one operative per business area like finance, many hours could be lost due to data errors.

And when a solution can automate repetitive accounting tasks like invoicing, bank reconciliation and purchase orders, it enables businesses to make the most of limited resources, freeing up operative time to concentrate on other tasks such as strategies to help drive business growth.

Businesses in all sectors can benefit from ERP solutions.

Although early adopters were those in sectors like manufacturing, wholesale distribution and retail – and organisations of a certain size – those operating in professional

services and hospitality and leisure, for example, are now realising the benefits and efficiencies it can bring.

Data is becoming hugely important to smaller businesses wanting to drive cost savings, and ERP can help them achieve this through efficiencies in day-to-day business tasks – ERP solutions can automate repetitive accounting tasks like invoicing, bank reconciliation and purchase orders.

Smaller businesses that may struggle to afford marketing services shouldn’t miss out on sophisticated marketing activities.

Many ERP solutions like NetSuite enable the creation of highly targeted campaigns based on data such as purchase trends and demographics, and facilitate personalised marketing to optimise sales and upselling opportunities, as well as providing templates for fast content creation.

For those businesses that might not know where to start with generating dashboards to monitor and measure the right data, many solutions offer out-of-the-box dashboards to make life easier, and enable role-based access, so everyone can access the data or function relevant to their job role.

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LEGAL

Tim Hastings with Rik Pancholi

Nelsons makes double acquisition Nelsons has acquired two East Midlands law firms in a matter of weeks as part of its ongoing drive for growth.

Its takeover of Leicesterbased Pattersons Commercial Law and Nottingham-based Cleggs Solicitors were both announced in the first half of November.

The deals followed Nelsons’ own acquisition by Lawfront in May 2023. This enabled Lawfront, backed by private equity firm Blixt Group, to double the size of the business, take revenue to more than £45m, and gain a foothold in the East Midlands with Nelsons having offices in Derby, Leicester and Nottingham.

These deals reflect Lawfront’s strategy to back the management of regional law firms to achieve their own growth ambitions, both organically and by acquisition.

Nelsons chairman Tim Hastings said: “Becoming a Lawfront firm has given us access to resources and additional expertise that will help us to realise our own bold growth plans.”

Rik, who trained with Nelsons and qualified in 2008 before leaving in 2011 to move to Singapore, said: “This move feels more like coming back home for me personally, and into a space where I know our team will thrive and our clients will be incredibly well supported.”

Mark Williams, managing director and head of private client at Cleggs Solicitors, added: “Having become the sole equity partner at Cleggs I wanted to maintain the growth and future of our talented team, as well as continuing to offer more to our loyal client base. The Nelsons brand has a personable feel, and the firm believes in building long-term relationships.”

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Shifting to predictable patterns of working As new legislation gives employees the right to request more predictable working patterns relating to the number of hours, times and days of the week they work, Katie Ash (pictured), head of employment law at Banner Jones Solicitors, explains the impact this will have, who it affects and when.

WHAT IS THE LEGISLATION AND WHO DOES IT APPLY TO?

WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR EMPLOYERS?

The Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Bill received royal assent on 18 September, becoming the Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Act 2023.

Once the Act comes into force, workers whose existing working patterns lack certainty will be able to apply for certainty in respect of any part of their working pattern – such as the number of hours worked, days of the week worked and times on those days they work.

In addition, if a worker is on a fixed-term contract of 12 months or less, this will be considered to have a lack of predictability, and the worker will be able to apply to extend the fixed term or to remove the fixed term element of the contract altogether – in other words, making it a permanent contract.

The request from the worker must explain it is being made under the Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Act 2023, the change they are asking for and when they propose it would take effect. This reflects the current regime for flexible working applications that employers and employees will be familiar with.

Employers will be required to deal with any requests in a reasonable manner and notify the worker of their decision within one month of the request being made.

If a request is granted, employers must offer the new terms within two weeks of granting the request.

They can’t make detrimental changes to other contractual terms at the same time as granting the predicable working request.

An employer may only reject a request on certain, specified, grounds including the burden of additional costs, there not being enough work during the periods the worker wants to work, or a detrimental effect on recruitment.

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The Government previously indicated the qualifying period for this right would be 26 weeks’ service. However, it isn’t expected workers will have to have worked continuously for the employer during that 26-week period. It is also expected workers will only be allowed a maximum of two requests during any 12-month period.

The right will also extend to agency workers, who can choose whether to make their request to the agency or the hirer. However, they will need to meet certain other qualifying criteria, and this is expected to be more complicated.

WHEN DOES IT COME INTO FORCE? The Government said measures in the Act will come into force within 12 months of receiving royal assent – September 2024 – which ensures employers have sufficient time to prepare for the changes. A new code of practice will be produced

by ACAS to provide guidance on how to make and handle requests for a more predictable working pattern.

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BUSINESS NETWORK

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FINANCE

Why the right investment strategy is imperative for 2024 The arrival of 2024 is the ideal opportunity to look afresh at your strategy to both savings and investments. Jillian Thomas (pictured), divisional director of Renishaw-based Future Life Wealth Management, lends her award-winning insight into some of the key considerations.

A strategic approach to savings and investments is always essential. But developing the right strategy has never been greater as we prepare for 2024.

To state the obvious, we're currently living and working through an unprecedented chapter of global uncertainty and change – and the economy is frequently a barometer of this.

Put simply, the impact of the pandemic has been compounded by the horrific invasion of Ukraine and, in more recent months, the equally horrendous conflict in the Middle East, among other key events. It was perhaps unsurprising therefore when, in October, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) claimed Britain’s economy will be the worst performing in the G7 in 2024.

It warned that UK inflation would remain the highest in the G7 for both the remainder of 2023 and 2024, before adding that higher interest rates are also weighing on households and businesses. Accordingly, it downgraded the UK’s growth forecast from 1% in 2024 to just 0.6%.

POLITICS AND INVESTMENTS So, what about the impact of politics on the UK’s economy – and that of other countries – over the next year?

Few would argue that 2024 is going to be a big year here in the UK, where an election is widely expected to take place.

There are also leadership votes in some key international hotspots, including India, Taiwan, Russia and Ukraine.

The EU parliamentary elections will take place in summer 2024 and last – but by no means least – the US will take to the voting booths in November.

‘The financial world is complex, ever-evolving and becoming increasingly regulated’ Down the years, I’ve regularly been asked how the outcome of elections affects investment portfolios.

It might come as a surprise to many to learn that politics just doesn’t really make too much difference. Data from FactSet and 7iM shows the average annual return for the S&P 500 for the four years from 31 July of first year in office has been the same for each party at 7.2%.

THE RIGHT STRATEGY But achieving the best outcome for your savings and investments invariably depends on having the right strategy in place.

In short, ensuring your money is working as hard as possible for you and your business is one of the best ways you can set yourself up for the most secure future.

The financial world is complex, ever-evolving and becoming increasingly regulated – and specialist financial planners tailor their advice to your specific circumstances, priorities and objectives.

They’ll also make a point of acting in your best interests and make certain they understand your tolerance to risk before suggesting a course of action.

That way, you’ll always be confident your strategy is based on fully-informed financial decisions that align with both your ultimate goals regardless of what unravels in the wider world in 2024 – and beyond.

Disclaimer: No individual investment advice is given, nor intended to be given, in this article and liability will not be accepted in respect of any action you may take as a result of reading this article. If you are unsure, you are urged to take independent investment advice.

R&D tax relief reform: How will reduced rates and increased simplicity impact investment decisions?

By Sheetal Sanghvi (pictured), office managing partner in Nottingham and head of innovation reliefs in the central region at RSM UK. Over the past 18 months, we have seen a range of changes to the research and development (R&D) tax relief regime in the UK, in part driven by HMRC’s focus on reducing levels of fraud and abuse in the system.

A crucial point still needs to be concluded – the move to a single UK scheme, modelled on the principles of the R&D expenditure credit regime.

This is to sit alongside a separate proposed regime available to lossmaking SMEs, for whom more than 40% of their total expenditure is eligible for R&D relief. HMRC is currently consulting on the draft legislation introducing these changes and inviting feedback from stakeholders. Our overriding concern is the speed of 82

implementation, with the intention being to introduce a single scheme from 1 April 2024. Despite this being a little over six months away, key elements of the scheme remain unresolved – in particular, the approach to subcontracted and subsidised R&D. In a recent survey undertaken by RSM UK’s clients and contacts, despite the majority of respondents confirming that R&D tax reliefs were a valuable way to reduce the net cost of investment, it came as little surprise that over 50% also felt the reduction in rates of benefit made it less worthwhile to make a claim.

More than half of respondents went on to state they felt the merged scheme would have a detrimental impact on their claims.

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BENEFITS OF A SINGLE R&D SCHEME A single R&D scheme in the UK would certainly bring simplicity and would align the UK with most other countries that each have a single scheme. However, there is a risk the current proposals don’t achieve this.

Alongside the single scheme, HMRC intends to retain a scheme akin to the current SME scheme, available only to “R&D-intensive” SMEs for whom over 40% of their total expenditure is eligible for R&D relief.

A threshold of 40% is a high bar indeed, and retaining a separate scheme appears to add complexity rather than bring simplicity.

More than three-quarters (80%) of respondents agreed the new R&D intensive scheme was too complicated.

In summary, it would seem that businesses claiming R&D relief should be prepared to embrace further periods of uncertainty and change as the reforms take their course, and early advice should be taken to ensure businesses manage the impact of these changes.

Despite the feedback around challenges, our survey found the majority of respondents would not be changing their investment decisions as a result of the proposed changes.

This should be seen as very good news at a time where enterprise and innovation are a critical factor in the UK’s ability to strengthen the economy.

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FINANCE

Are loanbacks back on the agenda for SMEs?

By Doug Ryan (pictured), wealth management director at Mattioli Woods.

If there is one thing that never changes in the pensions world, it is that things will always change.

While we have seen massive alterations again recently, certain long-standing facilities do become more or indeed less fashionable depending on the economic environment, and none more so than now, bearing in mind the tightening of the banks’ purses to lend and the increased cost of it.

In fact, family businesses have been struggling to obtain lending for quite some time and, in many cases, have been forced to request lending from smaller and challenger banks (as they have been known), usually at a relatively high cost, especially compared to what one would expect to be paying even in times when interest rates have been increasing.

As a pension provider, we have been seeing more enquires about the ability of a small selfadministered scheme (SSAS) to loan money back from a pension scheme to that of its sponsoring or adhered employer.

In years gone by, this has been central to the development programme of many businesses, with the use of funds from their own pension fund being provided at a commercial rate, which incidentally is 1% above the average of the base lending rates for the six leading high street banks, as set down as the minimum in the Pension Tax Manual. However, commerciality ultimately needs to be determined, dependent on the individual position.

In addition, with the complexities of the investment world still very much in clear focus, the ability for the pension fund to receive a good return that will be secured by way of first charge on a fixed asset, seems like a great deal.

Furthermore, an employer looking to borrow money effectively does not have to deal with huge levels of banking bureaucracy.

SO HAVE LOANBACKS COME BACK INTO FASHION – AND WHO IS USING THEM AND WHEN? Very simply, if profits are available, many SSASs are receiving pension contributions to reduce the relatively higher rate of corporation tax, which has jumped considerably.

At the same time, cashflow is obviously a very important aspect

and the ability to loan money back –after making a pension contribution, if structured correctly with the necessary securities in place – protects the beneficiaries of the pension fund and provides them with a decent return. It also allows the business to reduce its corporation tax bill and retain most of the cash, if not all, dependent on the situation.

Any interest received within the pension fund for the beneficiaries is free of tax and also offset against corporation tax. All in all, the circulation of funds here is a very useful way to use loanbacks and we are seeing increasing requests for this to be considered.

However, loanback facilities are still limited due to HMRC rules.

They are for a maximum of five years and the loan amount can be no more than the capital value of the asset upon which it is secured plus the interest over the period.

Complexity and multiple rules naturally follow when pension funds are used to lend, but as long as the general principles around commerciality are adhered to, the facility should work well.

Loanbacks could therefore be used a great deal more over the coming few years, as we continue to see banks recapitalise in view of the nervousness around a further banking crisis, but also due to the extension of pension contribution allowances. For many business owners, the fear of not ploughing through the lifetime allowance means a loanback could once again be a fundamental planning tool for small to medium-sized enterprises.

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SKILLS

University partnership offers fresh perspective Greg Kemp and Andrew Martin

Young bricklayer in award success A bricklaying apprentice who is studying with SMB College Group was a finalist in a national competition.

Greg Kemp, whose apprenticeship is with developer Barratt Homes, was shortlisted in the Young Builder of the Year Awards, held by Youthbuild UK at the House of Commons in October.

Youthbuild UK helps disadvantaged young people aged 14 to 25 who are either at risk of social exclusion, already excluded or young offenders to find employment in the construction industry.

The Young Builder of the Year Awards celebrate the achievements of young people, who despite having to overcome a range of challenges, have succeeded in training for and gaining employment in the construction industry.

Greg’s college tutor Andrew Martin said: “I have no doubt Greg will become a fully qualified bricklayer and succeed in life, following on from the challenges he has met and overcome from his past.”

Businesses are being urged to work with Nottingham University Business School students to gain a fresh perspective on an issue they face.

The business school, part of the University of Nottingham, runs its Company Consultancy Challenge every year in June over a threeweek period.

It gives groups of master’s students the opportunity to engage with local firms and gain commercial experience of real-life challenges, while for participating businesses it offers the chance to have young talent from a range of business disciplines take a fresh look at an issue facing their organisation.

Professor Andrew Bacon, associate dean for external engagement, said: “Our MSc students study a range of business disciplines and can help your company in project areas such as market analysis, process modelling,

‘It is a competitive process, with students going through a stringent selection process to take part’ efficiency improvements, strategic analysis, marketing and financial analysis. It is a competitive process, with students going through a stringent selection process to take part.”

Companies that take part set the challenge in advance, agreed in partnership with the school to make sure it is realistic and achievable within the timeframe.

Selected teams of students – representing the full range of MSc programmes – are then invited to work with the company to help solve a specific real-world issue.

They are allocated a mentor within the business school – usually either a professor of practice or an entrepreneur in residence. They

also receive training from the careers and academic adviser teams to help prepare them for the opportunity.

For students taking part in the Company Consultancy Challenge, it is an opportunity to develop a range of skills, including project planning, issue-based problem solving and team working. They will work with the business to learn about the organisation and its challenges, then find solutions to the challenge and present their ideas to the company in a competitive process.

The challenge culminates with a celebration event to congratulate the students on their hard work and to thank the companies that have taken part.

For companies that would like to take part in the Company Consultancy Challenge, contact dan.gill@nottingham.ac.uk and to find out more, visit nott.ac/ companyconsultancychallenge

Technology institute celebrates milestone More than 42,500 students and delegates have enrolled at a further education college specialising in emerging technology areas in the automotive industry over the past five years.

The MIRA Technology Institute (MTI) has provided accredited qualifications – ranging from a Level 1 Institute of the Motor Industry certificate through to master’s degrees – to more than 3,000 students and delivered over 850 apprenticeships during this period.

More than 17,000 automotive workers have also taken part in professional development activities.

MTI reported these successes as it marked its fifth anniversary, having opened its doors in 84

September 2018 to develop a develop a sustainable supply of future technical specialists and engineers in areas such as electrification, connected and autonomous vehicles, functional safety, and cyber security.

Marion Plant OBE FCGI, chair of

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the MTI operations board, and principal and chief executive of lead partner North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College (NWSLC), said she was “very proud” of its achievements to date.

“This has been a remarkable period of disruption, change and growth for the automotive industry, and we are pleased to be able to support the sector, especially with one its key challenges – the increasing need for skilled individuals who are able to adapt to the changes and embrace new technologies,” she added.

The college was formed as a unique partnership between NWSLC, global automotive engineering research and test services provider HORIBA MIRA,

Coventry University, Loughborough University, and the University of Leicester.

It was built with £9.5m investment from the Government’s Local Growth Fund via the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP) after research showed rising demand for specialist technical skills across the automotive sector.

Key activities launched to date include new postgraduate and short courses in connected and autonomous vehicles, innovative training programmes in hydrogen fuel cell technology, a responsive electrification programme for Jaguar Land Rover employees, and a dynamic schools outreach programme.

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SKILLS

Campaign continues important work A campaign that aims to close skills gaps in Chesterfield by providing young people with tours of leading manufacturing, engineering and construction businesses returned for the 10th time.

Made in Chesterfield has already introduced more than 3,600 young people to the prospect of a career in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) sectors, with more gaining valuable insights this year.

‘We know a career in manufacturing can be extremely rewarding’ The campaign – co-ordinated by Destination Chesterfield and Direct Education Business Partnership, and sponsored by Chesterfield College – was officially launched at a celebration event alongside the town’s network of Chesterfield Champions on 8 November.

The Chamber’s Quarterly Economic Survey for Q3 2023 revealed that 58% of manufacturers across the region that tried to recruit experienced problems in finding suitable staff. At the same time, Chesterfield Borough Council has forecast that 3,750 people across the borough are expected to be working in the sector by 2030.

These figures outline the requirement for a strong, skilled pipeline of talented individuals to secure the future growth of these industries across the town.

During Made in Chesterfield, secondary school

Rhys Robinson, of Chesterfield College; Ivan Fomin, of MSE Hiller; Abi Lawson, of United Cast Bar; Cllr Tricia Gilby, of Chesterfield Borough Council; and Michael Timmins, of AECOM

pupils will gain access to firms such as Weightron Bilanciai, an international firm that makes industrial weighbridges; Superior Wellness, a hot tub manufacturer listed as one of the UK’s top 50 fastest-growing businesses; and Dalton Roofing, a family-run business operating in Chesterfield’s property and construction sector.

Ivan Fomin, managing director at MSE Hiller and Destination Chesterfield board member, said: “Made in Chesterfield continues to play an important role in showcasing the wide range of career options available to young people in our town.

“Having hosted several tours at my own

business, I’ve seen first-hand how the campaign inspires those thinking about their future options. We know a career in manufacturing can be extremely rewarding, and our sector needs to keep generating a strong pipeline of talented individuals for the future to keep our business and wider economy thriving.”

Julie Richards, principal and CEO of the Chesterfield College Group, added: “As a stepping stone between student and employer, we are proud to help this campaign to inspire young people considering a rewarding career in Chesterfield’s growing manufacturing, engineering and construction industries.”

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BUSINESS NETWORK

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PROPERTY

Fullwood Rise warehouse

Lace Market developer shifts in new direction After more than 40 years of fulfilling its founding vision to regenerate and preserve the heritage of Nottingham’s Lace Market, niche developer Spenbeck is selling its 46,000 sq ft commercial portfolio to focus solely on its award-winning consultancy support.

The family-owned company, founded by brothers Mich and Don Stevenson in 1981, has overseen the transformation of The Shire Hall into the National Justice Museum, the Adams Building into part of Nottingham College’s campus, and space in The Birkin Building, which included a former nightclub, and neighbouring properties into creative spaces for businesses.

It has been led by Mich’s daughters Victoria Green and Becky

Go-ahead for regeneration work A Derby-based planning consultancy has secured the green light to transform a Grade II-listed building in its home city.

Planning & Design worked with Clowes Developments on its plans to refurbish the Royal Exchange Buildings, located within a conservation area in Victoria Street, Derby.

With the project requiring the heritage significance of the property and the impact of restoration to be assessed, the practice’s in-house team of heritage specialists submitted a listed building application to Derby City Council.

This was approved, with the council praising the “positive and proactive manner” in which it worked with the planning agent to make “appropriate and proportionate improvements to the scheme which relate to the proposal and preservation of the historic fabric”.

‘We are excited to be scaling up what we have done over the last 40 years’ Valentine since 2011 and they have evolved Spenbeck’s offer to include interior design, sustainability, and building health consultancy support and training, alongside office lettings within The Lace Market.

Victoria, an interior design and heritage regeneration consultant, said: “Having put our own stamp on Spenbeck for the last 12 years, it was always our intention to move into new areas.

“Our expertise has been in such demand in recent years, and focused our desire to share our passions and wealth of experience

Becky Valentine and Victoria Green

in heritage buildings, sustainability, building health and interior design to support companies as they navigate increasing demands created by current sustainability and recruitment requirements.”

Becky, a sustainability and building health consultant, added: “We are immensely proud that Spenbeck and the Stevenson family will forever be synonymous with the long-term regeneration of The Lace Market and our significant contribution to the cultural, social, historic, and economic heritage of the city of Nottingham.

“We are excited to be scaling up what we have done over the last 40 years to now support a wider audience across the public and private sectors, both nationally and internationally.”

Warehouse sold as demand grows A large warehouse located near Junction 28 of the M1 has been sold in a deal overseen

by FHP Property Consultants.

The transaction involving the 40,000 sq ft industrial building, based at Fulwood Rise in Sutton-in-Ashfield, was one of the few for a property of this size in the East Midlands, according to the agent who led the deal.

Tim Gilbertson, director at FHP, said he continued to encounter strong demand for opportunities to buy industrial and distribution space in the region.

“Stock remains thin on the ground, particularly on a freehold basis, but certainly also in terms of leasehold space for manufacturing or distribution purposes of all sizes,” he said.

Residents meet housing ombudsman Residents across the East Midlands had the chance to hear from the housing ombudsman for England, as part of an event to raise awareness of its role in the resolution of complaints against social landlords.

Emh group and North West Leicestershire District Council teamed up to invite residents to meet Richard Blakeway, who has held the role since 2019.

More than 60 residents, attending either in-person or online, had the chance to ask Richard questions on all aspects of the Housing Ombudsman Service and how the organisation can help if anyone feels a complaint hasn’t been dealt with well.

The organisation, a nondepartmental public body, investigates complaints and resolves disputes involving the tenants and leaseholders of social landlords, as well as for voluntary members.

Questions posed at the hybrid event, held at emh’s Coalville office and online, included how residents

Richard Blakeway (centre) with Allison Thomas, chief executive of North West Leicestershire District Council and Chan Kataria OBE, chief executive of emh

could influence policy, as well as what they can expect from a landlord on engagement and service delivery.

Chan Kataria OBE, emh group chief executive, said: “Of course, our aim is to deliver the best possible service and to continually improve how any complaints are handled, but it is important that residents know who is on hand to help if they are ever dissatisfied with our complaint response.

“We have recently reviewed our own approach to complaints to improve the speed and process for residents, and have increased our pool of involved residents to more than 1,600 to ensure direct influence on service design, service delivery and service improvement.

“The Meet the Ombudsman event added great insight into what matters most to residents, and we will build on that learning across the coming months.”

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MOTORING

Just what’s in a name?

FACTFILE MODEL Toyota bZ4X

PRICE OTR From £54,500

PERFORMANCE Top speed: 100mph 0-60 mph: 7 seconds

POWER 214 horsepower

RANGE 290 miles (single charge)

By motoring journalist Nick Jones oyota has always been forthright with naming of vehicles, but this is one that baffles me. The new Toyota bZ4X sounds like an algorithm or some kind of formula, but there is logic behind the name.

The bZ bit stands for “beyond zero” (how battery electric vehicles can do more than deliver zero emissions on the way to carbon neutrality), the 4 denotes the size of vehicle (this one is mid-size). and the X is the vehicle type, for concept crossover SUV. Phew, glad that tidies everything up!

It’s the first of a whole new raft of electric vehicles we can expect as Toyota moves away from petrol and diesel engines.

Seems a good time to do this as the market is fiercely competitive now, and the demand is soaring as the masses are starting to take in the fact we now are getting used to doing without the traditional tankful.

The car is all-new where the batteries are actually integrated into the chassis, beneath the floor to improve strength, stability and driving dynamics. It comes in both single-motor front and dual-motor, allwheel-drive, to suit whereabouts you reside, and also conditions most of the time.

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Charging time is pretty impressive – only half an hour up to 40 minutes to get to about 80% battery fill, and that’s using a 150kW charger. Range is around 300 miles.

Its looks are sharp and angular, which will be the platform for subsequent models that arrive over the next few years.

On the inside, one is compelled to like the futuristic approach Toyota has sided with, if not a tad heavy with the plastics, albeit it will be able to stand up to years of use but build quality – as you’d expect – is robust and commendable.

From the quirky name to the futuristic interior, from the design to the finished article, it certainly ups the ante for an EV – I can’t wait for folk to rush into the showrooms or online, and say or input “bZ4X”.

Times, they are a-changing – and the pricing certainly is starting to look a tad over the top.

‘From the design to the finished article, it certainly ups the ante for an EV’

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INFORMATION

The importance of a green brand As businesses recognise the need to adopt sustainable practices, sharing their sustainability efforts within the workplace is increasingly becoming a valuable part of internal brand activity. Mark Robinson (pictured), director of Creative62, explains the benefits.

BOOSTING EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT AND MORALE Sharing sustainability efforts within the workplace serves as an effective means to engage with our employees and boost their morale.

When employees know their company's commitment to sustainability, it creates a sense of purpose and belonging.

Employees often become more motivated and aligned with the organisation's values, in turn increasing job satisfaction and productivity.

By involving employees in our sustainability initiatives, we can tap into their skills, ideas and enthusiasm, creating a positive and collaborative working environment.

STRENGTHENING INTERNAL BRAND IMAGE Internal brand activity is crucial for establishing and maintaining a solid corporate identity. Sharing our sustainability efforts demonstrates

a company's dedication to responsible practices and its role as a responsible corporate citizen.

This transparent approach helps to strengthen the internal brand image, fostering trust and loyalty among employees.

ATTRACTING AND RETAINING TOP TALENT As sustainability becomes increasingly essential for jobseekers, sharing our sustainability efforts within the workplace can be a powerful recruitment tool.

Prospective employees are more likely to be drawn to organisations prioritising sustainable practices.

By highlighting sustainability initiatives, businesses can attract and retain top talent, creating a competitive edge in the job market.

INSPIRING BEHAVIOUR CHANGE Sharing sustainability efforts internally catalyses behaviour

change among employees. When individuals witness the positive impact of sustainable practices within their organisations, they are more likely to adopt similar behaviours in their personal lives.

The workplace can serve as a learning hub, raising awareness and providing practical examples of sustainable actions. This ripple effect can extend beyond the office walls, promoting sustainable living and contributing to a greener society.

ENCOURAGING COLLABORATION AND INNOVATION Internal brand activity centred around sustainability can foster collaboration and innovation within the workplace. Organisations tap into diverse perspectives, knowledge and expertise by involving employees in sustainability initiatives.

This collaboration can lead to the development of innovative

solutions and practices that further enhance sustainability efforts.

Furthermore, sharing success stories and best practices internally encourages exchanging ideas, creating a culture of continuous improvement and learning.

By showcasing commitments to sustainable practices, organisations contribute to a greener future and enhance their internal brand image, creating a positive and purposedriven work environment. So get your activity, commitments and results out there. Think of your office as a blank canvas – be bold.

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COMMENT

THE LAST WORD Chamber president Stuart Dawkins reflects on the role of ‘place’ in the East Midlands’ ability to attract inward investment. he topic of this month’s magazine is inward investment. The East Midlands was the birthplace of modern industry, a concept adopted across the world. In our region today, we see a rich mix of homegrown initiative of the type that led to the world’s first factory being built in Derbyshire and also standout examples of international businesses choosing to invest right here on our patch.

Inward investment decisions are complex.

They include aspects of international economics, aspects of the national and local political climate, something about blunt economics such as subsidies – and also, at heart, something about place.

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‘PLACE’, GEOGRAPHICAL POSITIONING AND INVESTMENT DECISIONS “Place”, like many such jargon words, is a useful way of alluding to a concept, but tricky to define in detail. As ever, I will muse a little based on some personal experiences and observations.

Over centuries, London became a dominant location in the world for finance (a position under serious threat as a result of Brexit but that’s another story).

When my then-employer, Alliance & Leicester plc, decided to close its head office in London to move to Leicester, I experienced “place” in two ways. I had recently been made director of corporate communications and had the task of recruiting around a dozen people to build a new team in Leicester – a challenge also faced by our group treasurer, who was building a new treasury team.

We found something interesting in that process. For some potential candidates, the location – Leicester – was a complete roadblock as they felt they needed to be near to London for either personal reasons or to remain close to the London financial cluster.

For them, in this context, “place” was about that cluster. For others, ours was the ideal opportunity to do the job they wanted to do for a FTSE 100 bank but away from London, bringing them all the lifestyle advantages of being in the 90

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East Midlands. For them, “place” was about geographical positioning, and about the perception of working and living in a location.

Geographical positioning is a major reason why the East Midlands has such strengths in the transport and logistics sectors. Put simply, you can fairly quickly get to most of the country from here, and that geographic fact has led to a clustering effect for those industries.

The East Midlands is also now home to the only UK freeport that is not on the coast. The East Midlands Freeport has the airport at its heart and adjoins the Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station, which has plans to be at the centre of green industries. This provides an opportunity for a vibrant cluster right in the middle of our patch for the industries that will drive our future – how we power things and how we move them.

This opportunity surely needs to be seized.

STREAMLINING PLANNING AND REGULATION TO SPUR INVESTMENT Which brings me on to another consideration – the politics and regulation surrounding investment decisions.

When chairing Chamber president’s roundtables, which often include representatives of major international businesses, the impression I get is that dealing with the UK about matters such as planning, infrastructure and much else compares unfavourably with that experienced elsewhere.

The UK seems fragmented, reflecting something about political structures and something about how planning issues are managed. There are arguments as to why this fragmentation might be for good cause – to ensure proper democratic oversight, for example – nonetheless, it undeniably can have an impact on investment decisions.

A NEW POLITICAL DAWN FOR THE REGION Here in the East Midlands, we are about to experience the first significant change in political structures in a long time.

The recent passing of legislation in Parliament means the creation of a combined mayoral

authority (CMA) for the East Midlands is well underway. As I have mentioned before, it is not the “East Midlands” as anyone would normally define it – it is the two counties and two cities within Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.

My point here is not to comment on the absence of Leicester and Leicestershire – although that is a significant topic at most Chamber meetings I attend in that city and county – it is to reflect on how this might impact on matters such as inward investment.

And this is happening at the same time as local enterprise partnerships are being wound down or their functions being absorbed into other political structures. As I write this, we at the Chamber are not clear how inward investment might be placed in future within these structures – nor, even more importantly, where the voice of business will sit.

Will these changes lead to smoother processes, making the wider East Midlands an even more attractive place for investment? I do not know. But I would argue the transition requires a couple of things.

It requires a voice for business that has sufficient influence within the new structures. It also requires political and civic leadership, which can balance the legal and moral duty to represent the needs of their electorate with the recognition that how those needs are met can be heavily influenced by matters not just within their own political boundaries. These matters are also heavily influenced by those less tangible boundaries that make up “place”.

With a General Election looming and with the new CMA being formed, the Chamber will be heavily engaged in these matters over the next year. I say often the East Midlands has few regional voices. The Chamber will do its bit to be such a voice, to ensure its mission – to enhance the business and communities of the East Midlands – can be driven forward during these political changes.

And, as always, we will do this by listening to our members – it is they who provide the economic drive and determination, which forms a fundamental and vital part of our “place”.

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