BQ2 Special Feature

SPECIAL FEATURE

Meet the Humber Bondholders, working together to promote the region

INSIDE: BONDHOLDERS 18 PAGE FEATURE

WELCOME

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Bondholders BQ special feature

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C ARAVAN MAN

Swift Leisure’s success in selling a lifestyle

CONTENTS 08

L O G I S T I C S G A T E W AY

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RESOURCE FOR ALL

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ENERGY ES TUARY CHAMPOION

The Humber as international hub

Hull University working for business and changing lives

Vivergo Fuels works for a sustainable economy

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PEOPLE FOCUS How Sewell Group builds on its culture

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Getting down to business in the Humber The feeling of community has never been stronger on both banks of the Humber, as the spotlight of worldwide attention is turned on the area, highlighting the opportunities that are on offer here Hundreds of businesses large and small from all corners of the region have chosen Bondholders to amplify their voices – whether sole traders, SMEs, start-ups or multi-nationals operating at a senior management level.

The Bondholder scheme is a powerful network of more than 300 engaged and influential businesses. Meeting throughout the year at Bondholder Breakfasts, they work closely together towards the ultimate goal of promoting the region to create jobs and wealth so that new investors won’t be able to resist bringing their plans here to join a thriving environment in which businesses can prosper.

Every member makes a difference through financial support and being a critically important ambassador for the region. With every new member the message is louder, stronger and travels further, with over 30 million people being reached with positive messages about the Humber through the work of the Bondholder Scheme last year alone.

The Humber region is perhaps the most diverse in the UK and is a microcosm of the whole country, with long-established sectors like manufacturing, logistics and fisheries working alongside game-changing digital, wind power and leisure sectors.

The area has changed and Bondholders has changed with it, growing and developing to reach new businesses in areas that didn’t even exist a decade ago. Such diversity is set against a level of unity, co-operation and collaboration

other regions can only dream of achieving – which is the very reason why Bondholders holds such a crucial key to our future prosperity.

City of Culture is the headline-grabbing signal to the rest of the world of how far Hull alone has come and how bold its aspirations are. Amidst tough competition from Dundee, Leicester and Swansea Bay, Hull had shown it could host the UK’s most awe-inspiring cultural event by setting out ambitious plans for a unique and thrilling programme of cultural activity that the whole world will be watching.

The events, led here by the man every city wanted as their team captain, 2012 Olympics opening ceremony maestro Martin Green, are the essential balance to all the commercial activity.

Culture is well recognised as a catalyst for regeneration, inward investment and crucially the bringing together of communities and businesses. Bondholders seeks to harness the opportunities that Hull 2017 presents to the wider region, through media and marketing initiatives to maximise the Humber’s position.

“We understand that whether a business or individual chooses to relocate here, or is already rooted within the region, they expect the full package since lifestyle is as important as industry,” says Anita.

“They deserve a strong combination of investment, infrastructure and culture that creates a thriving economy. Alongside this, a major asset is offering quality housing at

WELCOME Bondholders BQ special feature

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“We now have 6,500 business leaders who receive our e-newsletter, more than 6,700 followers on Twitter and since becoming a Humber-wide organisation two years ago have more than doubled our network”

Picture: Neil Holmes affordable

prices, creating a sense of community and a place where children can be well-educated and trained and build careers here.

“Businesses won’t come here just to be supportive, or just because we have one year of culture. Like Siemens, multi-nationals and SMEs alike will only put down roots if they know they can grow. They need five and ten-year projections to be rock-solid and to feel secure about returns on investments that can take decades to come through.

“That is the wider view of the Bondholders’ mission – to tell the full story chapter by chapter to potential employers and investors.”

Since its inception, Bondholders has been a powerful voice for businesses, whilst also seeking to challenge outside perceptions of the region and to consistently raise awareness of its assets both in the UK and internationally.

From business leaders to investors, through to those seeking to live and work here; through its work Bondholders has helped to connect people across the Humber. Core activities include regional and national PR, the development of professional marketing materials, business engagement, events and networking – all with a strong thread of communications.

Being very much of the moment, the Humber is fuelling demand for high quality offices, hotels, restaurants, shops and leisure facilities with new investments being made consistently across these areas – never more so than right now, linked to the City of Culture reign.

With its expertise in demand around the world, the development of a knowledge-rich society

has become ever more important to the Humber.

Developing and harnessing talent has become a major focus, and linked to the progressive nature of its industrial sectors, investment in educational excellence and leading training facilities is being made within the region to solidify its legacy.

Bondholders work is also about winning the hearts and minds of the people who live here

and the ones looking at the region from across the world. The contents of this Bondholders section will highlight just a part of the regionwide story being told.

In the following pages you will meet some of the members, and see the ground-breaking work they are doing here and how it is helping build the foundations of the new Humber. n

PORTS & LOGISTICS The Humber has the UK’s busiest ports complex, with its location and connectivity making it the natural home for a unique combination of port-related logistics and manufacturing knowhow.

CHEMICALS World-class expertise in chemical research, innovation and manufacturing is also put in to use every day, with the Humber having the second largest chemicals cluster, bringing eight world-class chemicals and green energy businesses together.

RENEWABLES The Humber is leading the UK renewables sector with a collective of over £700million being invested through Siemens, Able, ABP and the development of Greenport Hull. Between 2015 and 2020 Dong Energy will have invested a colossal £6bn, including the development of the world’s largest Offshore Wind Farm right here in the Humber. This will support an average of 1,600 construction jobs per year and an estimated 500 long-term jobs could be created in the company’s operations and maintenance activity post 2020.

FOOD The region is also a vital food provider, at the centre of the UK’s seafood industry and having the largest concentration of food manufacturing research, storage and distribution in Europe. Over 500 companies within the Humber contribute £1bn to the UK economy and employ over 28,500 people.

DIGITAL Worth an estimated £7bn its Digital Sector is thriving too, boasting the largest cluster of digital expertise outside of London and some of the most advanced broadband in the country. 58,000 people work across digital activities regionally and in late 2015, Hull opened a new £4m Centre for Digital Innovation in further demonstration of its commitment to developing its leading approach.

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INTERVIEW Bondholders BQ special feature

INTERVIEW Bondholders BQ special feature

Business built on 100 acres of Yorkshire James Turner, MD of Swift Leisure, tells BQ editor Mike Hughes why caravanning is cool and sales are soaring Let me start at the end...

If you’ve got a few minutes before you go I’ll show you the site, offered James Turner in one of the offices at the very smart Swift Leisure headquarters at Dunswell Road, Cottingham, just outside Hull.

We strolled out... and fifteen minutes later we still have not reached the other side of the 100acre site. It is a vast area, but with everything filed away in its own section.

James keeps himself fit with a walk through the site every morning, along routes defined by full pallets of parts, caravans, motorhomes and access into the huge production area, to check all is right for the day’s production.

Most impressive of all is that the hundreds of caravans here – soon to be moved to a new storage area at the furthest part of the site to allow expansion of the main production facility are either already sold or being sold.

Forget Clarkson and his Amazonian mates, caravans are cool.

Now back to the beginning, MD James Turner says his business is in a good place thanks, in part, to a stronger UK economy and better consumer confidence, but inevitably helped by

a bit of good British weather. There is a great divide between caravanning in the wind and rain and the same under blue skies and warm sunshine.

“It gives the whole industry a good footing on which to base their performance,” he tells me.

“I guess what is different at Swift is that we are pressing on with product development all the time, introducing new ones and changing how existing ones look to give an advantage to the consumer.

“If you put the economy and the consumer enthusiasm together you get a reasonable result. We are a fashion industry and often track domestic trends, but consumers like to see a new product so that’s what we give them.”

Those products, brought together by more than 1,000 employees, cover a vast range from a £14,000 Sprite, the UK’s best-selling caravan brand, to an £80,000 luxury version of the longestablished Kon-tiki motorhome and on to 11 different holiday homes.

James, aged 46, is proud of that range, which makes it pretty much impossible to visit any campsite in Britain and not see one of his Yorkshire-grown products being used.

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“The majority of our products change on an annual basis, but that could just be small cosmetic changes, but then we are also more akin to the car industry in that we will make major engineering changes and deeper styling changes on a rolling periodic basis around every three to five years.”

It all started more than 50 years ago, when the present chairman’s father, Ken Smith, started Swift in 1964, later passing the title to his son Peter.

“I joined 22 years ago as a production engineer, so I have quite a long history with the firm,” said James.

“I spent the bulk of my time in manufacturing, but have worked my way through the business in various positions, including engineering and production management, which means I tend to know my way around the site and the product reasonably well.

“Even 22 years ago when I was working in the aerospace industry in Leeds, Swift was a well-known organisation and a market leader.

I wasn’t enjoying what I was doing because it was a difficult place in which to make visible changes.

“I hadn’t planned on a return to Hull, but Swift is a business where you can see your output on a daily basis and make effective and positive change. I saw the advert, applied and got the engineering job.”

James’s role back then was important for the future development of the brand as he helped define new methods and processes for the factory and bought the equipment those new processes needed to change the way the product was put together.

“We have changed a reasonable amount over the years, including adding holiday homes to the portfolio, which is now a really good growth area for us, and the way we construct the vehicles has also changed in terms of materials and methods.

“It’s very important to us that alongside marketing the actual products we make, we believe in very positive promotion of the lifestyle they can give our customers. It is a way of

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INTERVIEW Bondholders BQ special feature

spending time with your family, which is very special, and getting to the outdoors. It is very much a ‘hearts and minds’ campaign where the caravan is the hero of that moment when the family needs a holiday together.

“If the family is talking at Christmas about what they have been up to together over the year, the holiday that the kids remember is the week in the caravan or holiday home as opposed to the fortnight abroad. That happens because you’re closely connected and living in a comfortable space together. That’s a powerful message.”

He’s right, and my own mind flashes back almost 50 years to holidays in Bude and Perranporth in Cornwall, filled with buckets and spades, the smell of the gas mantle, sand on the floor of the caravan and box after box of games behind those sliding doors under the bench seats.

There was a unique warmth – and affordability – of those times for the Hughes family, and although the gas mantles have long gone, the boxes of games are still a part of the atmosphere James’s customers are looking for.

“We understand why people who try it get really hooked and in terms of the way the

“The company has exported to Holland for many years, has recently started selling in Germany and has just added Sweden to the list” product performs, it is much more robust now,” he says.

“We have two construction techniques, Smart Plus and Smart HT. The HT is entirely timberless and is put together with large aluminium extrusions where the panels interlock. Where we do see the occasional accident, the caravan always comes off better than the car.”

James’s answer to the obvious follow-up question is that yes, he has tried his firm’s caravans, motorhomes and holiday homes with his own family and is a big fan of the freedom and the time they allow with the children.

Back to business: founder Ken Smith was from Hull, which is why the group grew at Cottingham, but now a remarkable 80% of the UK’s holiday homes are built by firms in this area, including Beverley and Hull.

“We are here because our chairman’s father was here,” says James.

“But there was a huge amount of timber being imported into Hull at that time which was one of the drivers for the growth of the sector. Swift now has three sites, 100 acres here where we make the touring caravans and also base the admin, design and sales teams.

“At our site in Hull we manufacture about 60% of our holiday homes and in Mexborough, which we acquired when we bought Autocruise Motorhomes, we now build about 80% of our motorhomes – all built on Fiat cabs.”

That’s the UK side of the operation but, perhaps surprisingly, there is a strong exports market for these little pieces of Yorkshire craftsmanship.

The company has exported to Holland for many years, has recently started selling in Germany, a notoriously tough market for English products, and has just added Sweden to the list.

“The work is predominantly in touring caravans and motorhomes. We have a little export of holiday homes, but they are a very large object and they are not flat-packed, so you are shipping quite a lot of fresh air when you export them to France or Belgium.

INTERVIEW Bondholders BQ special feature

“On a more global scale, we are exporting to South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, where the attraction starts with the fact that they drive on the same side of the road as us. So our vehicles that are right-hand drive with the habitation doors on the left are already 90% engineered for those markets.

“There has been a trend in Australia – where the market is about 18,000 -19,000 units a year – to move more towards a European-style product rather than the locally produced ones that are more off-road to cope with the Outback conditions. Our models are made for sealed Tarmac roads and Australia has more of them now because it has come a very long way in the last decade or so and customers look for a more luxurious and lightweight product.

The South Korea sales started in a reassuringly old-fashioned way, with a conversation at a trade fair and a growing awareness of lifestyle choices being made there.

Back home, James senses a confidence in the air for the whole region, driven by the Siemens headlines and the awarding of the City of Culture for next year.

“The Siemens move is driving expectations in the labour market and we are an organisation looking to employ more people – and we are not unique in that. Our industry is doing well, so some of our competitors are looking to recruit along with other local industries.

“We have just launched the Swift Academy, which recognises the need to develop people within the organisation and means around 10% of our employees are in some form of education activity.

“We also took on a number of apprentices last year and are committed to doing that on an annual basis, as well as recruiting from graduate schemes into areas throughout the company.

“This is all part of what makes this such an interesting place to work, we do the lot, accounting, joinery, fabrication, 3D modelling, rapid prototyping all the skills associated with the car industry but we just don’t shout as much about them.

“It doesn’t look like a very glamorous or exciting industry, but it is and if we carry on as we are we will get to the stage where people instinctively say they would like to buy a Swift rather than just buy a caravan.”

With the company now making more than 8,000 caravans a year, working 24 hours a day

to keep up with demand, there is momentum and commitment here that has taken it to top spot for touring caravan and motorhome sales, and third spot for holiday home manufacturing.

With that label of ‘market leader’ comes the expectation of innovation and Swift has certainly changed the look of caravans since the Hughes family invaded Perranporth.

Instead of the gas mantles, for instance, Smart Command lets you control the heating and lighting from your phone or tablet, neither of which we had in the Sixties and Seventies.

“The saying is ‘innovate or die’ and as the technology changes we like to be at the forefront, grasping the challenges,” said James.

“That keeps the pace of development and delivery relentless, with computer simulation at all stages, then put it all through a lifecycle around a test track at Millbrook in Bedfordshire.”

Looking ahead, there is a rolling five-year plan for all Swift’s ranges which allows James to see what will be changing and when it will happen, and what technological or manufacturing advances will be needed to get there.

“My role in the organisation is to make sure that all the facets are knitted together and all aligned in one direction, and that people have the scope within their roles to be creative so that we can draw out of them all the ways they think they can improve the company.

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“It is a very broad role that takes in everything from pricing a product, to making sure we get the right margins to finding out how engineers will make a particular new element and where that will sit in the factory.

“From a customer’s perspective a product is tracked using a system called Connect. From its initial build through to dispatch and onwards through every point of service and contact with the vehicle dealership.

“We also allow customers of our high-end products to access parts of Connect, so they can order a spare part from us directly and we can send it out there and then.”

Backed up by a 13,000-member social media community called Swift Talk, this is innovation at work and shows there is a confidence and depth of experience at Swift that is allowing it to look deeply into its own organisation and constantly refresh the four Ps - products, people, processes and profits.

A 100-acre business can hardly be a secret, but the speed of growth at Swift and its dominance and influence in a global market might still be a surprise to many in the region.

The company’s approach to a market and product it knows down to every last nut and bolt is impressive –and the fact that those nuts and bolts are sitting in some of the most scenic surroundings on the planet is something for every Yorkshire business to applaud. n

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OVERVIEW Bondholders BQ special feature

The Humber: The international gateway for logistics Currently experiencing brisk growth and an economic revival, the Humber region is building on its rich maritime heritage and emerging rapidly as the UK’s Energy Estuary, an international hub for energy and renewables.

As home to the country’s largest, multi-purpose ports complex – ‘HumberPort’, the region is experiencing significant growth in the trade of fuel, cars, food, freight, passengers and petroleum. Over £6bn of private investment and Government funding are helping to drive the Humber’s prosperity, with industry-leading developments placing the spotlight on the region’s rich ambition.

CAPITALISING ON THE HUMBER’S STRONG POSITION The projected increase in employment opportunities in the ports, energy and logistics sectors presents a fantastic opportunity for the Humber region, as well as in the wider UK economy. In the UK alone, 2.2 million people are employed in logistics – a number that is set to rise. However, recruitment remains a challenge. There are worker shortages, with an ageing workforce a contributing factor, along with the fact that the industry struggles to attract young people.

In order to reach the potential in the thriving Humber region, the Grimsby Institute and the Humber LEP have joined forces to create Modal Training, a leading training initiative for the region. It will ensure that businesses operating in the ports, energy and logistics sectors have access to the training support they need to take advantage of this once in a lifetime opportunity.

Modal Training intends to work with them to develop their existing teams, train new members and raise the profile of career opportunities in these sectors to facilitate future recruitment.

Once in full operation in September, Modal Training will enjoy an ideal location in Immingham, on the south bank of the Humber, Europe’s fourth-largest trading estuary. Until now businesses and their employees have

Kongsberg’s Class A full mission K-Sim Offshore vessel simulator, which will form the centrepiece of the maritime simulation kit at Modal Training

had to travel to access this specialised skills training. Now it’s available in the Yorkshire and Humber region. Not only will it help businesses in this area benefit, but Modal Training will serve companies from across the UK and internationally.

THE IMPORTANCE OF MULTIMODAL Multimodal logistics plays a key role in the Humber, connecting businesses in the region with the rest of the UK and beyond, via road, rail, air and sea. Modal Training will be the first in the UK to offer integrated, multimodal logistics training, as well as a full range of support services. The idea of having everything under one roof is to centralise training for

businesses who often have more than one requirement, or who are part of a supply chain with multimodal disciplines that need more consistency and connectivity between them.

INVESTMENT IN WORLD-CLASS SIMULATOR TRAINING Modal Training’s new £7million centre of excellence will be located in a 5,696 sq m bespoke designed facility, equipped with stateof-the-art simulators for training maritime crew, truck and crane drivers.

It will deliver realistic training in a wide range of settings. The first phase of work is currently underway and will include the learning resource centre, with its ICT suite, classrooms and

OVERVIEW Bondholders BQ special feature

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“Modal Training’s new £7million centre of excellence will be located in a 5,696 sq m bespoke designed facility, equipped with state-of-the-art simulators for training maritime crew, truck and crane drivers”

Modal Directors Sam Whitaker, left, Vice-Principal for Strategic Projects at the Grimsby Institute and Board Member of Modal Training, and Patrick Henry, CEO of Modal Training, at the Humber Bridge

seminar and conference facilities, followed by the installation of simulators, as well as a live rail track centre. It will also include warehouse operational training and working at height training to support the renewables and energy sectors in the region. Modal Training has recently made its first investment in simulation – a full suite of advanced ship, offshore vessel, engine room and radar simulators from Kongsberg Maritime, the global leader in marine training technology. The equipment, which includes a detailed 360 degrees model of the Humber, will be used to support the delivery of advanced training courses for maritime professionals and businesses.

The simulators will enable Modal to offer training that effectively replicates the working

environment for a wide range of maritime roles, including bridge crews, navigators, maritime engineers and Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) operators. Each part of the simulator system can be operated independently, or be interconnected to provide full vessel operation exercises for an entire crew.

Modal Training listened to leading companies from across the maritime, offshore and renewables industries, and is now in the process of developing an extensive suite of equipment designed to meet their real-world training requirements exactly.

INDUSTRY-LEADING EXPERTISE The idea behind Modal Training is to provide training of the absolute highest quality to

businesses across the logistics supply chain.

Not only does there have to be investment in advanced equipment and facilities to achieve this, but also a solid, knowledgeable team to develop and deliver these courses – through in-house staff, as well as training provider partnerships.

Modal Training is currently designing and creating courses and workshops for freight forwarding in the logistics industry. This includes workshops that are specific to the HMRC AEO accreditation application process, which businesses can take advantage of from May 2016, when changes in EU customs rules come into force. n Visit www.modaltraining.co.uk

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CASE STUDY Bondholders BQ special feature

Open for business The University of Hull has played a pivotal role in supporting businesses

Fact file

Haydn Ward, R&D project leader at BemroseBooth Paragon and University of Hull chemistry graduate, and Rob Burgin, managing director of BemroseBooth Paragon.

• The University of Hull generated nearly £1bn for the UK economy and supported 8,000 jobs last year.

• The University advises and supports Governments all over the world.

• It made the UK’s top 50 institutions for research power.

• A £200m investment programme is well underway to create an outstanding student experience.

CASE STUDY Bondholders BQ special feature

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Hull University does more than getting the best from undergraduates. Last year, they made critical breakthroughs for industry, celebrated the success of the University of Hull’s lifesaving work and helped fledgling businesses get off the ground. Here we take a look at a few examples of the University’s work VIRTUAL STARS Gaming is a growth industry in the region because education and business have combined to create a fertile breeding ground for creative entrepeneurs. Hull graduates have founded a number of companies making their mark in global industry. These include Gateway Interactive whose debut title Spectre has been launched on the Xbox One and VISR whose virtual reality headsets were used to view 3D scenes at the UK premier of Star Wars: The Force Awakens in Leicester Square. Knowledge gained from the University coupled with support from mentoring organisation Platform Studios helps graduates make Hull the springboard for them to enter the global digital gaming market. BetaJester’s director Adam Boyne said: “BetaJester would not be where we are without the opportunities and support available at the University of Hull and through Platform.”

“Without a shadow of a doubt BetaJester would not be where we are without the opportunities and support available at the University of Hull and through Platform.”

MAKING A GLOBAL IMPRESSION Ink developed by Hull Chemistry graduate Haydn Ward is being used on tickets for everything from the New York Subway to the Paris Metro and UK rail tickets.

Haydn graduated with a first class honours in Chemistry in the summer of 2014. A day later he began work at BemroseBooth Paragon (BBP), in Hull, after signing up to undertake a Knowledge Transfer Partnership scheme, a part governmentfunded programme to encourage collaborations between businesses and universities. Haydn’s primary task was to formulate magnetic ink that could be used in the manufacture of tickets.

Adam Boyne, Ryan Lay and Josh Porter, University of Hull computer science graduates and Co-Founders of BetaJester

“We have been extremely impressed by the University, by the knowledge, the commitment, the enthusiasm and support.”

This was followed by ‘scale-up’, through the design and development of a full-scale ink manufacturing plant.

For several years BBP had been buying magnetic ink from an external supplier but it became essential for the company to develop its own solution for the ink. Twelve months after beginning the KTP, Haydn, who was keenly supported by the University partners, had developed ten types of magnetic ink. The ink has helped BBP to secure a multi-million pound contract with UK rail and other organisations around the globe.Haydn said: “If I look back at what I have achieved over this last year, I find it incredible. I couldn’t have been given a better opportunity than this.” Haydn is now trying to develop new products using the ink he has developed as well as undertaking a higher degree in Chemical Engineering. Rob Burgin, MD of BBP, said: “We have all gained a great deal from our partnership with the University. Haydn is an asset to the company and his work has contributed to the future stability and profitability of the company. We have been extremely impressed by the University, by the knowledge, the commitment, the enthusiasm and the support.”

LIFE SAVING DEVELOPMENT This year marks the tenth anniversary of the University of Hull’s development of critical software to help fire fighters in their

lifesaving work.

In 2005 Cleveland Fire Brigade asked the University of Hull to help them develop 999 emergency mobilisation systems so that fire fighters could use computer technology. Today SEED, a unit within the University’s Department of Computer Science, has a portfolio of ten products, but its flagship software remains the Mobile Data Terminal (MDT), first used a decade ago. The refined and updated MDT helps firefighters from all over the country get to the scene by the most effective route, provides vital hazard information, rescue procedures and secure communications. Firefighters say it helps them save lives. Humberside Fire and Rescue Operations manager Robert Hawkins, who has been a firefighter for 29 years said: “It has changed how we approach a job. When we are on our way to a fire or an accident I can see exactly where we are going and I can begin to plan how we will manage the situation before we arrive. For example, if we are going to a fire in a terraced house, I can see the street before we arrive and I can work out how the crew can get round the back of the house. The clock is always ticking for us, particularly if someone is trapped

“The University of Hull has changed how we approach an emergency.” in a burning house and this equipment saves us time which is vital – it could be the difference between life and death.”

SEED now serves more than a third of the UK fire and rescue services. n

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CASE STUDY Bondholders BQ special feature

A champion of the energy estuary At the heart of the Humber’s ‘energy estuary’, Vivergo Fuels is not only a major contributor to the regional and wider UK economy but is significantly reducing transport emission levels

CASE STUDY Bondholders BQ special feature

At the heart of the Humber’s ‘energy estuary’, Vivergo Fuels is not only a major contributor to the regional and wider UK economy but is significantly reducing transport emission levels.

Vivergo Fuels was established in 2007 and has grown into one of the UK and Europe’s largest producers of protein rich animal feed and bioethanol – a renewable transport fuel blended with petrol.

Occupying a major site on the Saltend Chemicals Park, Vivergo represents a £350m investment into the Humber region and wider UK economy.

The Vivergo Fuels plant commenced production in 2013, and directly employs more than 100 highly-skilled people at its two sites in East Yorkshire. Vivergo, owned by AB Sugar and Dupont, produces 420 million litres of bioethanol a year – enough to meet half of the UK’s current demand. Importantly, the bioethanol produced

by Vivergo Fuels is already blended seamlessly in the UK’s petrol pumps hundreds of thousands of times a day with its bioethanol offering greenhouse gas savings of more than 50 per cent against standard petrol production, the equivalent of taking 180,000 cars off the road.

The plant also produces up to 450,000 tonnes of animal feed per year.

“At Vivergo Fuels, we produce sustainable and environmentally friendly feed and fuel. We take locally sourced animal feed-wheat that would normally be exported, and turn it into bioethanol and highly nutritious animal feed, benefitting the environment, the economy and the food chain,” explains Rick Taylor, Commercial Director of Vivergo Fuels.

Vivergo Fuels’s strategic location in Hull is a key reason for its success.

“The Humber region has proved to be the ideal location for Vivergo Fuels’s world-scale biorefinery and we are proud to be leading the advancement of biofuels here,” says Rick.

“Our administrative head office is in Hessle which has excellent transport links. And although numerous sites were considered for our plant, Saltend Chemicals Park offered clear advantages.

“Firstly, it boasts an attractive combination of existing infrastructure and utilities, available land and a skilled workforce.

“It is also in close proximity to the UK’s wheat belt area; one of the highest yielding in the world, as well as offering combined heat and power technology, which supplies sufficient steam and power to our bio-refinery.

“Finally, Saltend Chemical Park’s deep port

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“We produce sustainable and environmentally friendly feed and fuel.

We take locally sourced animal feed-wheat that would normally be exported, and turn it into bioethanol and highly nutritious animal feed, benefiting the environment, the economy and the food chain” location helps to optimise supply chain logistics, by providing us with easy access to both UK and European ports.”

And the company is rightly proud of its location in Hull. “Vivergo Fuels is a champion for the Humber region, its economy and its aspiration to be the UK’s ‘energy estuary’”, explains Rick.

“We are proud to employ a skilled workforce – recruiting many of our colleagues from the Humber region - and to date we have raised and donated in excess of £300,000 in support of local charity and community groups.”

During the construction and operational stages of its development Vivergo Fuels worked closely with Jobcentre Plus to offer training and employment opportunities to the local population.

Almost a dozen local apprentices worked on the construction site while 24 unemployed people were offered training opportunities through Jobcentre Plus, six of whom have gone on to secure permanent employment within the company in highly skilled positions. And Vivergo Fuels recently recruited two apprentices to work in its plant maintenance team.

At full production, Vivergo Fuels is the UK’s biggest single-source supplier of animal feed, providing enough protein to feed around 20 per cent of the UK dairy herd, the equivalent of

feeding 340,000 cows per day.

“We buy feed grade wheat direct from UK wheat and arable farmers – and supply high quality protein back to dairy farmers, with almost half the volume of wheat returned as animal feed.

“This has clear advantages for the agricultural sector, with our bioethanol manufacture boosting the fortunes of wheat farmers across the region to the value of £1m a month, as opposed to the smaller export value they could achieve.

“Vivergo Fuels provides a uniquely sustainable option for alternative energy production, efficiently converting UK feed-wheat into both bioethanol and animal feed.

“The sustainable, traceable and high quality protein produced replaces imports that historically have accounted for up to 80% of the protein needed for UK agriculture.

“And as the UK’s biggest wheat buyer, we offer a 365 day demand for local arable farmers – providing a new sales channel, often giving more competitive rates for their feed-wheat as opposed to the previous export of the product.

“We aim to source from local farms within a 50mile radius; which has created a new market for animal feed grade wheat, and directly supports local farmers and agriculture in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.” n

E10 - The Greener Fuel Vivergo Fuels is supporting industry calls for the Government to support the introduction of E10, a renewable transport fuel containing 10 per cent ethanol – roughly double the amount contained currently in the petrol motorists buy from the pumps.

The use of E10 in transport fuel has the potential to help significantly in reducing global emission levels. It has been introduced at pumps all over the world, including the USA, New Zealand and Brazil, as well as in Europe where it is proving increasingly popular in Finland, France and Germany.

All cars built since 2000 can use E10 without any changes to the vehicle, and from this March onwards, every new vehicle will be optimised for E10.

Although Vivergo Fuels is enjoying positive progress from its Humber base, the company is keen to support the wider industry.

“We’re keen to support the UK Government in the adoption of E10 as the fastest, most cost effective and straightforward channel for the UK to meet vital renewable energy renewable energy targets,” concludes Rick.

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OVERVIEW Bondholders BQ special feature

Over 100 years old and still “one to watch” Wilkin Chapman has expanded throughout the Humber region and beyond, but it has not outgrown the values which lie behind its success Pan-Humber law firm, Wilkin Chapman Solicitors

they prepare to expand in a number of areas.

substantial clients, such as the Brocklesby Estate.

welcomed the arrival of new chief executive, Des

The firm’s history started in 1900, when Wilkin &

The firm’s commercial property team, led by Ruth

Mannion in April 2015, taking over from, Julia

Chapman was created by James Whiteley Wilkin

Brewin also has a very impressive portfolio of

Whittaker who had served 28 years. In her time,

and Ben Chapman. Grange Wintringham, with

clients throughout the UK. The large team act for

Julia led Wilkin Chapman through five mergers and

whom the firm merged in 2010, came into being in

5 regional divisions of Linden Homes along with

acquisitions, leading to it being recognised as one

the 1860s. Beverley-based, Cooper & Wright, with

award winning local developer Cyden Homes and

of the region’s legal powerhouses. Prior to joining,

whom it merged in 2005, was created in 1880. In

Maltgrade, the owner and developer of the hugely

Des fulfilled the role of operations director in Grant

a fascinating and complex history where the past

successful leisure complex at Meridian Point in

Thornton’s UK Advisory Practice, London, but was

has shaped the present, one of the constants is the

Cleethorpes. Moving further afield, the firm acts

drawn to the fantastic opportunity of leading a

firm’s core values which place the client at the heart

for national clients such as Aga Rangemaster PLC,

thriving and well-managed regional business.

of the firm.

manufacturer of the iconic Aga.

Upon joining Wilkin Chapman’s head office

Wilkin Chapman has continued to expand

The firm also has a specialist division acting in the

in Grimsby, Des said: “The Humber has great

experiencing yet another successful year in 2015,

healthcare sector with clients such as Care Plus

opportunities for businesses with ‘The Northern

with turnover rising by 10.4% to £20.3m, up from

Group and Navigo.

Powerhouse’ offering exciting developments. 2015

£13.38m in 2013-14. Revenue has risen by 44% in

The Corporate and Commercial arm of the business

saw the World Seafood Congress descend upon

the last five years - achieved by organic growth and

has substantially developed, currently advising on

Grimsby, the offshore wind sector continues to

mergers on both sides of the Humber.

deals worth in excess of £350m. Grimsby-based

develop and business as a whole appears

Now employing over 400 staff, of which 47 are

partner, Ian Sherburn, views client relationships

very buoyant.”

partners through 9 regional offices, this full service

as an integral part of the service, and with an

Now, almost a year in to the role, Des has embarked

law firm has recruited professionals with expertise

impressive list of regional, national and international

on a process of increasing partners’ involvement in

in very specialist areas to ensure they can deliver the

clients, acts for firms such as Yara UK Limited,

management and cross-departmental integration.

best possible service locally, regionally and nationally.

Grimsby Fish Dock Enterprises and those

Wilkin Chapman has begun 2016 taking on 11 new

The firm prides itself on not just delivering excellent

listed below.

staff members, appointing seven legal executives,

legal advice but commercially aware business advice.

The employment team, led by partner Teresa

a senior solicitor, solicitor and two modern

The agriculture sector is one of the largest specialist

Thomas, delivers HR and employment law advice

apprentices. In late 2015 the firm increased the

areas the firm serves. Appointed for the seventh

to clients based across multi-sectors and includes

number of trainee solicitors from 4 to 8, reflecting

consecutive year as the NFU legal panel member

national clients such as Mizkan Euro Limited who

their structured growth and development plans as

for the East Midlands region, the firm acts for some

manufacture the popular brands Branston pickle,

OVERVIEW Bondholders BQ special feature

15

Sarson’s Vinegar and Haywards, as well as Dunlop

recommendations and seven individual lawyer

Oil and Marine, North East Lincolnshire Council and

rankings, singling out the firm’s agricultural and

Total UK.

rural affairs expertise across York, Hull and the

A recent growth area for the firm is the education

surrounding region. Corporate and commercial

sector. With the introduction of academies, the

property teams, as well as several of the firm’s

conversion of schools to academy status and the

partners were also acknowledged – further

establishment of multi-academy trusts, the firm has

testament to Wilkin Chapman’s knowledge and

developed an expertise which supports the sector

proficiency. Putting this into context – there are over

through the entire conversion processes and future

10,000 law firms in the UK.

development needs, acting for clients such as Tollbar

Whilst favouring the top flight, the firm can also

Multi Academy Trust. Jane Eatock, partner in the

boast client confidence. In the 2015 edition of

employment law team, has recently organised and

Legal 500, compiled through feedback from

delivered the second education conference drawing

clients and those working in the legal market,

in speakers from Osfted to address delegates from

Wilkin Chapman was recognised for its ‘excellent

across the region.

practice’, ‘intelligence and experience’. The results

The future for the firm is further enhanced by the

reinforce the firm’s reputation as a leading national

move later this year into new four-storey offices on

recoveries specialist across a wide range of sectors, with their recovery, insolvency and corporate

built around staff training and development, a

“The Cartergate development is great example of local partnership to create a winwin scenario for the Council, Wilkin Chapman and the wider community as part of the regeneration of Grimsby town centre.”

commitment that we work very hard to maintain.”

DES MANNION, CHIEF EXECUTIVE

instructions are generally a sign of more activity

the Cartergate site in Grimsby.

The site, has been derelict for at least seven years, and Des said: “We are the biggest law firm in the area by some margin and we like as much as possible to work in partnership with the Council in terms of regenerating the town.

This is also a key part of our own progression and development. We want to invest in the local community and all that comes with it. As an ‘Investor in People’, we have a very clear ethos

Having been situated within the Humber since infancy, its location has led to the firm’s expertise in renewables - working with landowners, developers and investors on wind farm projects ranging from single 300/500KS – 1MW turbines, through to multi-landowner projects of 15 – 40 megawatts.

They have also built considerable expertise in the biomass field, advising on projects such as the acquisition and construction of a 400kw anaerobic digestion facility in Huddersfield.

In the recent well respected Lawyer UK 200 publication, which ranks the top 200 legal firms by

turnover, Wilkin Chapman moved up the rankings six places to 105th nationwide. Identified as a ‘regional trailblazer’ and as one of only two firms mentioned in Yorkshire, Humber and the entire East and West Midlands, Wilkin Chapman was cited as the ‘one to watch’.

Adding to their national accolades, Wilkin Chapman gained further legal recognition in another of the UK’s prominent legal publications, the Chambers 2016 guide.

The law firm received five practice area

recovery department being specifically recognised.

The recoveries team, headed by partner Chris Grocock, achieved a tier one ranking for the third consecutive year, experiencing a remarkable first six months of 2015, with growth of 18% achieved across a number of significant contract wins. The firm’s commercial property and agriculture teams also sit in the tier one position. CEO Des Mannion explained: “Our business growth is a reflection of increasing consumer confidence. Increases in within both the consumer and business markets. For example, the growth of our recovery team over the past six months has meant the breadth and depth of this service has been strengthened, enabling us to enhance our national debt recovery expertise for the utilities, local authorities, properties and credit union sectors.”

With more than a century of experience behind them, and with leading sector commentators describing them as ‘one to watch’ Wilkin Chapman is set to continue its remarkable growth, underlining its position as one of the country’s top law firms. n

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OVERVIEW Bondholders BQ special feature

A people-focused culture is still at the heart of company’s success Trusting in its own culture and seeking long term partnerships has brought customer loyalty to the Sewell Group

OVERVIEW Bondholders BQ special feature

A business leader has reaffirmed his belief that people and relationships are at the heart of business growth.

Hull-founded Sewell Group is famous for being a Sunday Times ‘Best Company to Work For’ business and has delivered over £500m of new and improved buildings within East Yorkshire over the past decade.

Now, its project management expertise and people focused culture are being sought-after further afield.

The firm has recently transformed a Grade II listed Print Hall into a stunning library and learning space on behalf of Leeds City College in the emerging South Bank of Leeds, and is currently on site preparing the second Print Hall for a significant refurbishment scheduled for later this year.

Sewell is also working with the University of Leeds, refurbishing a four storey geography block into a new School of Fine Arts, and is supporting Huddersfield based Greenhead College with an extension building.

Managing director Paul Sewell explained that the business has not proactively planned to stretch its geography so rapidly, but has been fortunate in finding partners that regard relationships and ‘cultural fit’ as highly as Sewell.

“What we think we do really well is work as a single team with our partners and their consultants to find and deliver solutions, whether that be through investment, construction, or facilities management” said Paul.

“We want long term partnerships with likeminded partners, who believe in honest and open relationships and see the benefits when we’re in it for the long haul.

“We have our own investment portfolio, and over the years we’ve developed our learning in sustainability and flexible design, so it’s in our nature to approach every project as if it was our own investment, thinking about the whole life of the building, rather than just the immediate project that’s in front of us.”

Sewell Group’s construction division has been recognised for its approach in a published academic journal, written by Professor Terry Williams, Dean of University of Hull Business School. The internationally recognised paper echoes that culture and a single

17

University of Hull’s £30m student residences.

“It has been refreshing to work with a partner who not only espouses collaboration but truly believes and delivers on their promises.”

JASON CHALLENDER, DIRECTOR OF PHYSICAL RESOURCES AT LEEDS CITY COLLEGE team, partnership mentality breeds construction excellence.

Paul continued: “When I look at our success over the past ten to fifteen years, it has been all about our culture. We know who we want to be and who we are. It is not easy but we trust our culture and believe that, as long as we deliver construction excellence, our customers will remain loyal.

“We have to stick to what we believe in a crowded market place. We’re not the knocking on doors kind of business. Our partnership approach will suit some customers, others it won’t.

“We’ve been fortunate to find some fantastic partners in Leeds who have the same partnership ethos as us. We work as a single team and when there are problems, we run towards them together and put them right.”

But the firm is far from turning its back on its

home city.

Sewell is project managing The University of Hull’s £30m student residences. Work on the University’s new complex at its Cottingham Road campus is progressing at a pace and will see six new accommodation blocks, housing 560 students, open in September 2016.

Paul said: “It is a pleasure and a privilege to be carrying out such a significant and prestigious project for our own University, in our home city.

The benefit of the completed project to the University will match the benefit to the local economy.

“At this stage it’s very much a volume project. In the last 20 weeks of the development we’ll be completing 33 bedrooms each week.”

Sewell is also supporting Hull City Council with its legacy projects as part of the UK City of Culture celebrations in 2017, a 365 day programme of arts and cultural events to be hosted in the city.

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OVERVIEW Bondholders BQ special feature

Managing director Paul Sewell with Hull2017 chief executive Martin Green

Subject to financial close, the Hull New Theatre scheme will include a part demolition of the building to the rear of the facility, a reconfiguration of the backstage access and stage improvements. The customer experience will also be much improved with improved front of house facilities.

Reinforcing its support and commitment to Hull, the business has also given its backing to the nation’s next major cultural event, signing up to a major sponsorship deal.

“Hosting UK City of Culture 2017 is a phenomenal accolade for Hull and it is only right that local businesses and their partners now support them in making the most of the year” said Paul.

“This is a major investment for a company like ours, but it’s also a major national and international event. No one wants to look back in 2020 feeling they could have made more of it. We have to grasp these opportunities now.” n

“We want long term partnerships with like-minded partners, who believe in honest and open relationships and see the benefits when we’re in it for the long haul”

Subject to financial close, Sewell will be refurbishing Hull New Theatre

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