Business & Innovation Magazine - Issue 17 January 2019

MAKE IT BOX IT SELL IT

INTERVIEWS:

JARL SEVERN, OWEN MUMFORD

MARTIN ST. QUINTON, GLOUCESTER RUGBY AND CHELTENHAM RACECOURSE

REGIONAL APPRENTICESHIP REPORT

BUSTING HR MYTHS

EVENT MAGIC

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY Regional NEWS

Feature special: 100 TOP EXPORTERS

OXFORDSHIRE & THAMES VALLEY

Editor-in-Chief and Co-Publisher

Nicky Godding

Tel: 07966 510401

nicky.godding@nkmedia.co.uk

Commercial Director and Co-Publisher

Kirsty Muir

Tel: 07971 912020

kirsty.muir@nkmedia.co.uk

Chairman, NK Media Ltd

James Palmer

Regional Account Manager

Rosemary Henderson

Tel: 07889 227432

rosemary.henderson@nkmedia.co.uk

Operations and Events Manager

Lizi Clapham

Tel: 07955 855817 lizi.clapham@nkmedia.co.uk

Customer Services enquiries@nkmedia.co.uk

Accounts accounts@nkmedia.co.uk

Lead Magazine Designer – Louise White Brace Creative Agency www.brace.co.uk

Magazine Printers

The Manson Group www.mansongroup.co.uk

Chief Photographer

Rob Lacey www.roblaceyphotographer.co.uk

Contributing Editor

Anita Syvret www.syvretmedia.co.uk

Contributing Columnist

Ian Mean

Sub Editor

Joyce Matthews

Guest Editor

Peter Davison

Regional Coverage:

Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire & The Thames Valley Worcestershire, Coventry & Warwickshire and North Wiltshire

NEXT ISSUE: MARCH/APRIL 2020

PRINT DEADLINE: 17TH FEBRUARY 2020

Business & Innovation Magazine is a bi-monthly magazine published by NK Media Ltd. Our readers are business owners, senior executives, key influencers, entrepreneurs, innovators and those working in further and higher education, and government departments. Any opinions expressed by those quoted in this magazine are their own and do not necessarily represent or reflect those of Business & Innovation Magazine, or of NK Media Ltd. No part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any form of advertising or promotion without the written permission of the Editor-in-Chief or Commercial Director.

The editor’s view

Nicky Godding Editor-in-Chief

07966 510401

nicky.godding@nkmedia.co.uk

@Nickywritesbiz

This magazine goes to print the day before the UK General Election, so I can’t provide any wise words on the result. Actually, I doubt anyone could. Even the most seasoned commentators struggled to make sense of the chaotic campaigning so close to Christmas.

What will 2020 mean for businesses? Probably not the clear vision that the phrase “2020” is normally associated with.

But that’s what the UK economy needs if we are to get through arguably the most challenging times the world has seen in modern times.

However, this magazine always looks to the positive, and to the future. In this issue we focus on the next generation in our 10-page apprenticeships feature. We also celebrate just how much the UK still makes, contrary to widespread received wisdom that our country “doesn’t make anything any more”. Yes, we do, and with some reshoring going on (bringing manufacturing back to the UK from overseas), more is being made across the region. There’s also more collaboration going on between manufacturing companies too, as those who participated in our final Manufacturing Live event of the year at Spirax Sarco in Cheltenham will attest.

We also export more, and to every corner of the globe, as you will read in our special Oxfordshire and the Thames Valley exporters feature.

All in all, across our region the ambition and determination to succeed and grow by businesses of all sizes, never fails to make me proud.

IN THE HEADLINES

WHAT MAKES THAT EVENT MAGIC?

BUSTING THOSE HR MYTHS

INTERVIEW:

WE MEET MARTIN ST. QUINTON, GLOUCESTER RUGBY AND CHELTENHAM RACECOURSE

FEATURE SPECIAL:

FRONT COVER FEATURE: MAKE IT, BOX IT, SELL IT

INTERVIEW: JARL SEVERN, OWEN MUMFORD

Four Oxfordshire businesses are sitting pretty in the latest Deloitte 2019 UK Technology Fast 50.

Oxford Nanopore, which has developed the world’s first nanopore DNA sequencer, the MinION, and recently opened a new manufacturing facility at Harwell Campus near Didcot, sits at eighth in the Deloitte Fast 50 list. The the MinION is a pocket-sized, portable device for biological analysis which could radically transform diagnosis speeds.

Oxford Nanopore’s Chief Executive, Dr Gordon Sanghera, says that within a generation, the MinION will be as ubiquitous as the mobile phone.

In 22nd position sits Venture Harbour, a digital marketing agency based at Howbery Business Park, Wallingford. The company was founded by Marcus Taylor, 28, who built his first computer at aged 10 and taught himself coding by building websites for bands. Venture Harbour has a portfolio of ventures valued at more than £10 million.

At 34 in the Deloitte 2019 UK Technology Fast 50 sits Vocovo, based at Shipton-under-Wychwood. Vocovo’s Rob Gamlin is a former electronics

OXFORDSHIRE BUSINESSES SET THE STANDARD FOR UK TECH

smart devices, call points and more, Vocovo also harnesses data to drive further efficiencies.

and software engineer who turned his passion for technology into a thriving business. His product is helping businesses boost their team communications.

Vocovo is used by the likes of Tesco, Primark and Asda, enabling shop floor staff to stay in contact and provide a more efficient service. Beyond headsets,

The company currently employs 40 people.

Oxgene sits at 48 in the list. The Oxford-based company, which says it works

“at the very edge of impossible” finds solutions to seemingly unsolvable problems through science, precision engineering science, advanced robotics and bioinformatics to accelerate the design, discovery and manufacture of cell and gene therapies.

Broadway Tower lights up Worcestershire in marketing

For the first time in its existence, the 200-year old Broadway Tower, which can be seen for miles across Worcestershire and the Cotswolds, has been lit up with huge images promoting life in the county.

It was part of the “More in Worcestershire” campaign which has been running across London and the Midlands.

The campaign highlighted people living and working in the county, projected their stories on to the Tower, with the spectacular light show shining out

across the area. Emma Heathcote-James was one of those beaming out into the night sky.

Emma, founder and Chief Executive of The Little Soap Company, based in Broadway, said: “Seeing the tower lit up for the first time was a unique experience.”

Richard Soper from the Worcestershire 1,000 business network, who organised the event, said: “The Tower was the brainchild of Capability Brown and I am sure that he would have shared our pride seeing it lit up for the very first time to showcase the beauty of the county.”

“Venture Harbour has doubled its turnover year on year and has a portfolio of ventures valued at more than £10 million”

Venture Harbour founder, entrepreneur Marcus Taylor, meets students from his former school, King Alfred’s Academy in Wantage

Oxford Nanopore’s MinION

Broadway Tower lights up the Cotswold hills

It’s best foot forward for award-winning Gloucester business

A family business based in Gloucester has secured a major industry award, winning Distributor of the Year 2019 in the Drapers Awards, which recognise the top performing and most innovative businesses in fashion.

Gardiners started life in Alvin Street, Gloucester in 1860. Five generations later the footwear wholesaler now distributes more than 1.3 million items a year, employs nearly 150 people and is recognised as one of the largest UK footwear and clothing distributors to the trade.

Its diverse portfolio consists of globally recognised brands including Hush Puppies, Caterpillar, Muck Boots, Skechers, Base London, Dunlop, Dr Martens and Rocket Dog.

Director Ben Gardiner, said: “We were ecstatic to win Drapers Agency/Distributor of the Year. This award is a testament to the strength of the close and trustworthy relationships between the best global brands and our distribution channels.”

Meningitis charity benefits from lashings of vegan porridge

In the headlines

A porridge brand which only launched in 2014 celebrated the sale of its one millionth pot late last year by donating a portion of its Black Friday sales to the charity Meningitis Now.

James Horwood, Commercial Director and joint owner of Stroud-based Kitchen Garden Foods, which owns the Wolfys porridge brand, said: “When we sold our onemillionth pot we were over the moon.”

Wolfys porridge, which is suitable for vegans, is now sold in Waitrose and Co-Operative stores, through the online food company Ocado, on GWR trains and the German low-cost airline Eurowings. It’s also available in in hundreds of independent outlets.

drive to showcase beautiful county

Worcestershire has been recognised as one of the top places in the UK for business start-ups, with a total of 38,764 registered companies. Its fastest growing midsized companies delivered a total of £3.15 billion in annual revenues last year.

The idea to build Broadway Tower, which was completed in 1798, came from the great 18th century landscape designer, Capability Brown. It was designed by renowned architect James Wyatt, who created the tower as an eccentric amalgamation of turrets, battlements and gargoyles.

Changing food habits and a rising demand for healthy meals have seen the sale of porridge rise sharply, trumping the falling sales of traditional breakfast cereals.

Breakfast is the cheapest meal of the day. According to research company Kantar, just £1 of every £8 spent on groceries is spent on breakfast, but it does account for 28 per cent of all eating and drinking occasions.

Kitchen Garden Foods, which owns Wolfys, was founded by Barbara Moinet in 1989. A woman ahead of her time, Barbara focussed on small batch production of jams, preserves and condiments using high quality products which she insisted were sold through independent retailers only.

The company now exports to Europe, the USA, The Middle East and Asia, recently winning new orders to the USA through British Corner Shop based in Yate which is an exporter of well-known UK brands.

James Moinet and James Horwood of Kitchen Garden Foods

Ben Gardiner

DRONE RACING IS ON THE UP, AS NEW TECH SPORT TAKES HOLD

Apparently drone-racing is a thing. FPV (first person view) drone racing is a fast-growing tech sport where pilots fly purpose-built racing drones at up to 80 miles an hour around obstacle courses.

Born in the USA, it’s now firmly in the UK and one Coventry-based entrepreneur has set up the world’s first university-dedicated drone racing company, the International Universities Drone Racing Organisation (IUDRO). The organisation, which facilitates and

regulates inter-university drone racing events, wants to propel the sustainable adoption of drone technology to boost understanding of how drones are used, and their future potential.

It was set up by Aerospace Engineering undergraduate Alejandro Perez-Llabata who is now the company’s CEO.

Alejandro recently took part in a Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Growth Hub Round Table

“FPV (first person view) drone racing is a fast-growing tech sport where pilots fly purpose-built racing drones at up to 80 miles an hour around obstacle courses” held at the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) at Ansty Park in Coventry.

From November 30 last year it became illegal to fly a drone or model aircraft without registering and passing a theory test.

Berkshire pet product company rocks — and secures big Canadian contract

A natural pet products company based in Maidenhead has secured an international contract with a Canadian pet supplies company which is set to increase its annual turnover by 20 per cent to £2.4 million.

Founded in 2006 by three ex-athletes with a passion for pets, Podium Pet Products develops and manufactures a wellbeing and grooming range for domestic animals which includes aloeenriched shampoo bars, soothing balms and odour eliminating candles.

The new deal will see the company’s complete range stocked in 600 PetSmart stores across Canada with this expected to extend to the chain’s American stores as well.

Podium Pet Products’ flagship product is

Dog Rocks – a natural solution to prevent dog urine marks on grass. It’s already being sold across the 1,500 PetSmart stores in the United States.

The Department for International Trade has been supporting the company since 2012 with exporting advice, market reports and trade show access grants.

Carina Evans, CEO at Podium Pet Products said: “Exporting was an important part of our business strategy from the very beginning. It was a no brainer

as the North American market is huge. International contract wins are always exciting, and to be able to say that we have a relationship with all the major pet buyers in the United States and Canada is something that we are quite proud of.”

Podium Pet Products employs around half a dozen people and outsources warehousing, digital media and consultancy. The company has an annual turnover of more than £2 million, with exporting accounting for 65 per cent of this.

IT’S A TOUGH JOB,

BUT SOMEONE HAS TO DO IT

By Nicky Godding

As if being the boss at one legendary UK sporting organisation wasn’t enough, Martin St. Quinton is Chairman of two

Martin St. Quinton has been Chairman and outright owner of Gloucester Rugby Club since 2016. Last year he was appointed Chairman of Cheltenham Racecourse.

Which does he prefer, rugby or racing?

“That’s not fair, it’s like asking which of your children you like best.”

But horseracing is a passion. He hasn’t missed the Cheltenham Festival for 40 years and can boast three winners as an owner – in 1995, 1996 and 2004.

Martin’s involvement with Gloucester Rugby began in the 1990s after meeting its previous owner Tom Walkinshaw. At the time, he was a senior director at the international business systems company Danka Plc. “We sponsored Tom’s Formula 1 Arrows team for something like $10 million. I love sport, and travelled to many of the races, but I’m honestly not that enthusiastic about F1.”

But when Tom invited him to watch Gloucester Rugby, Martin was hooked.

“I asked Tom if he’d sell me a share of the club. To begin with he wouldn’t consider it. A few years later he changed his mind and sold me 20 per cent, and a further 20 per cent 12 months later.

But in 2010 Tom died and his son Ryan took over. With motor racing often taking Walkinshaw junior overseas, the family finally approached Martin to buy the club outright. He didn’t hesitate.

Gloucester Rugby is now thriving. Last year it welcomed new CEO, Lance Bradley, formerly Managing Director of Mitsubishi in Cirencester, and a new coach.

Successfully making a stand

Martin chaired the committee which raised £45 million to build the stunning Princess Royal Stand at Cheltenham Racecourse that opened in 2015, although he wasn’t the Jockey Club’s first choice to fundraise.

That was Sandy Dudgeon, but before the businessman chaired his first meeting, he was relocated to Hong Kong by his employers, so he asked Martin to step in.

How do you go about raising £45 million? “We asked our banks, but it was only a few years after the 2008 crash and the terms they were offering were absolutely off the scale,” said Martin. “So we had to rethink.”

With so much real estate, the Jockey Club, which owns Cheltenham Racecourse, is asset rich. The committee seized this advantage, developing a novel solution for its time.

They raised money through a retail bond. “We offered a five-year bond with a 4.75 per cent return on an investment, which could be anything from £2,000 to £100,000,” said Martin. “We also offered investors a three per cent interest which we called Rewards 4 Racing. It was like a voucher which they could redeem at any Jockey Club racecourse.”

A loan of £10,000 would give an investor £475 a year for five years, plus their £10,000 loan back. On top of that the racecourse would give them £300 to spend at any of its racecourses.

“Our advisers told us that people would’t take up the Rewards 4 Racing, but they were wrong,” said Martin. “Investors were quick to redeem their rewards. Many put them towards discounts, such as for a table for 10 at a meeting. It was an unbelievable success. We secured £25 million on those terms with investors and the banks lending us the other £20 million at the same low rate we enjoyed before.”

It was the first retail bond of its type, and a turning point as the racecourse began to realise the passion its supporters have for Cheltenham.

The stand got built ahead of time and on budget, and has cemented

Cheltenham Racecourse’s reputation as one of the best sporting facilities in the country.

A master copy stroke

Martin was born and brought up in Yorkshire. He attended Pocklington School which boasts two other notable old boys: William Wilberforce whose campaign led to the abolition of slavery in 1807, and the playwright Tom Stoppard.

While Martin was at Durham University his mother died of cancer. So after graduating, he returned home to work alongside his brother in the family business which sold drawing office materials to architects, and artists’ materials.

By 1981, the market for plain paper photocopying was taking off and Rank Xerox’s 25-year patent on the machines, which had given it a world monopoly, had run out.

Martin seized the chance to import cheaper photocopying machines from Japanese manufacturers such as Canon and Toshiba. He was so successful that the American company Danka came calling. Martin merged his business and became CEO of Danka’s International Operations.

Martin St. Quinton

Martin St. Quinton

“Gloucester Rugby is thriving. Last year it welcomed a new CEO, Lance Bradley, formerly Managing Director at Mitsubishi in Cirencester, and a new coach”

Danka was the first company to put its logo on racing jockey’s silks when the rules changed in 1995 to allow companies to advertise in this way.

“That was the year Kim Bailey won the Champion Hurdle with Alderbrook and the Gold Cub with Master Oats,” said Martin. “Three weeks later Jenny Pitman won the Grand National with Royal Athlete. Their jockeys all wore the Danka logo, for which we paid a small amount in comparison to today. The outcome was the Danka logo appearing in racing reports on news stands in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Sydney – all over the world.”

For six years, Martin travelled the world acquiring more than 50 companies in 30 countries and Danka became the world’s second largest photocopier company, with sales in excess of £1 billion. But leaving his wife and four children at home for long periods of time was increasingly miserable.

Martin’s lightbulb moment came when one morning he received a letter from Delta Airlines. “It said “Congratulations Mr St. Quinton, you are now a member of our million air miles club”. But I hardly ever used Delta. I usually flew BA or American Airlines. Delta was my third choice.” If he’d flown one million miles with Delta, he must have flown many more with the other two airlines. With a heavy heart, he bowed out of Danka a year later and redirected his business focus to the UK.

Using private equity investment he set up UK telecoms company Azzuri. “We bought 16 businesses in the UK, merged them and sold to Prudential in 2007.” He was awarded the title

Entrepreneur of the Year for his effective buy-and-build strategy.

Since then Martin has taken on nonexecutive roles for companies from pharmaceutical and recruitment to property management, but most of his time is taken up with Gloucester Rugby, and now Cheltenham Racecourse.

What Gloucester rugby supporters and Cheltenham racegoers should love about Martin is that he enjoys getting under the skin of both.

“Last October I arrived early for the Cheltenham Showcase. We did the team briefing, then some of the staff showed me what they did on gate access and cash collection. I watched England beat the All Blacks in the World Cup with our Regional Director Ian Renton, then drove to Gloucester, and headed straight for the Shed. It’s a great place to be when Gloucester’s winning.”

His plans for Gloucester are to drive the club up the premier league, but what are his ambitions for Cheltenham? He won’t be drawn as to whether The Festival in March will expand to five days. “We love the four days, but we are always open minded on ways to develop the business.”

What concerns him more is racing’s funding issue following the government slashing the stakes to £2 per spin on fixed odds betting terminals which could close thousands of betting shops.

“Of courese the government needed to tackle the problem. I like watching horse racing in betting shops but hated watching people piling £20 notes into these wretched machines.

“The consequences of a gambling addiction can be brutal, but I think that the pendulum might have swung too far the other way. Those with a serious addiction will gamble online. It would have been a gentler landing for the betting shops and their employees facing redundancy if the stakes had been cut to £5 or possibly £10.”

Less money going through betting shops means that the industry has to look at other ways to build up the prize money. Selling global media rights could be one solution, or securing more money through the Tote, in which The Jockey Club has a stake. Sponsorship and hospitality are also opportunities, but Martin also wants to broaden racing’s fan base. “We should get more young people involved.”

The racecourse is winning here too. It currently has more than 1,000 members aged between 18-28, a big increase on last year.

“Whatever your age, if you love horses, or even if you don’t, but you love the atmosphere, a day at the races is one of the best things you’ll ever experience.”

“Whatever your age, if you love horses, or even if you don’t, but you love the atmosphere, a day at the races is one of the best things you’ll ever experience”

Town drives £22million West Cheltenham Transport scheme

CUT A DASH WITH GRASS CARRIER BAGS

British clothing brand Weird Fish, which has its headquarters in Tewkesbury, has introduced grass paper carrier bags into its retail network – a major step forward in the company’s “The Only Way Is Ethics” sustainable policy.

The grass paper bags will replace singleuse plastic carrier bags in Weird Fish stores. The company is the first UK retailer to put grass paper bags across its entire retail network.

Grass paper is a pulp-based product consisting of at least 30 per cent grass fibres. No chemicals are used in the production of grass pulp and the production process is more water and energy efficient. The raw material production uses up to 75 per cent less CO2 emissions compared to wood pulp.

John Stockton, Managing Director of Weird Fish, said: “While we appreciate that we still have a long way to go as a

“By continuing to take these relatively small but important steps, we become ever closer to reaching our goals”

company to be able to say we are a completely sustainable brand, by continuing to take these relatively small but important steps, we become ever closer to reaching our goals.”

The Weird Fish sustainable policy, introduced last year, has already rolled out a number of initiatives, including the introduction of sustainable fabrics within the clothing range, including Tencel, bamboo and linen, and providing fabric offcuts, old trims and spare parts to fashion university departments to recycle into clothing.

Weird Fish has 17 branded stores nationally and more than 1,400 stockists across the UK.

Gloucestershire County Council is expected to begin the search for a highways contractor to deliver £22 million of transport improvements, considered vital to support the UK Cyber Business Park planned for West Cheltenham.

The county council is a key partner in the Cyber Business Park plan which includes the development of 45 hectares of employment land to support companies bringing skilled cyber jobs to the area.

The four phases of the transport scheme have an estimated total value of £22 million.

A sum of £13.7 million will be initially allocated by the county council to carry out phases one and two.

The funding for the scheme is coming from the Gloucestershire First Local Enterprise Partnership (GFirst LEP) Growth Deal and is subject to its approval of a full business case.

Gloucestershire County Council was asked to take the scheme on from Cheltenham Borough Council following a GFirst LEP board meeting last year, thanks to the council’s successful delivery of a number of major transport projects.

National UK cycling charity Cycling Projects has joined forces with Gloucesterbased trike manufacturer Tomcat SNI Ltd to design an affordable range of trikes.

The result is “The Dragon”, a quality, robust, stable and affordable single speed trike for independent teenagers and adults weighing up to 125kg.

Tomcat is one of the largest suppliers of special needs tricycles in the UK, building an average of 700 tricycles for children and adults of all abilities year on year.

Ian Tierney, Charity Director said: “We first started talking to Tomcat six months previously about collaborating on a trike design that better suits our end users.

“Using our years of expertise and insight of inclusive cycling sessions we recognised what was lacking in our existing trike provisions.

“We combined this with Tomcat’s skill and innovative design capabilities to produced a trike that everybody wants to ride.”

New grass carrier bags

Tomcat’s Dragon bike

COTSWOLD TWEED SPOTTED ON THE PISTE

On the face of it, tweed suits might not appear to be the most appropriate clothing for the ski slopes, but that hasn’t stopped customers of Cirencester-based tailor, Barrington Ayre, clamouring for them. The tailor has been commissioned to make 11 in the last two years.

“The ski suits are made entirely from natural wool and cotton,” said Tom Wharton who is principal tailor at Barrington Ayre.

This aids breathability and helps control body temperature, trapping air to insulate when it is cold and keeping away heat and moisture when it is warm.

Clarkson Evans wins Sub Contractor of the Year Award

New-build house wiring specialist Clarkson Evans has scooped the Sub Contractor of the Year trophy at the national Housebuilder Awards.

Managing Director, Nathan Evans said: “While it was great to be recognised by our peers when we were awarded the Electrical Contractor of the Year by the Electrical Contractors Association earlier this year, this award is particularly special to us because it’s judged by our customers.

“We are so proud to have won and it’s the icing on the cake for what’s been another record-breaking year.”

“Wool is naturally waterproof and the cotton Ventile lining provides further waterproofing, allowing air to circulate around the body,” he added.

The ski suit echoes a project Tom took on in 2016, making a Gabardine jacket for British adventurers the Turner Twins, who were following George Mallory by climbing Mount Elbrus in the Caucasus mountains, which stands at 18,510 ft above sea level.

For his latest ski suit Tom was asked to design something classic but practical for the slopes. “It was a brilliant project,” he added.

A Cirencester healthcare technology firm that works with more than 100 hospitals across the UK has secured a project in the Baltic States.

Intouch with Health has launched its patient flow management platform at The Bernu Kliniska Universitates Slimnica (BKUS) in Latvia.

The hospital will now use Intouch’s digital technology to improve the flow of outpatients during their appointments.

The firm’s self check-in kiosks allow patients to register their arrival via a touch screen, minimising the requirement for a receptionist.

Intouch’s digital patient calling boards have also been launched in the hospital’s waiting areas and enable BKUS healthcare staff to display individual names electronically to call patients to a specific treatment room.

Patient flow management software developed by the firm enables hospital staff to track the location of each patient during their appointment.

Clarkson Evans is the UK’s largest electrical contractor serving the new-build housing sector. Last year it wired around 25,000 properties. Based in Gloucester and with 21 branches nationwide, the company directly employs nearly 1,000 staff (not sub-contractors) and trains large numbers of apprentices.

“We’re proud of what we do but we don’t take anything for granted and such national recognition means a lot to us,” added Nathan.

Mike Sanders, Chief Executive at Intouch with Health, said: “The first phase of this project has seen us successfully integrate our software with the hospital’s existing IT infrastructure and translate it into the Latvian language.

Kaspars Grosu, Head of Customer Services at Children’s University Hospital in Riga, added: “This was a great challenge for the Intouch with Health and BKUS teams because of the cultural, legal and systematic differences. We are proud to be first to break all these barriers and to announce that all is achievable.”

Latvia contract furthers overseas growth for Cirencester health tech firm

Style on the slopes

Lindsey Young, Nathan Evans (MD), Tim Bisp, Leigh Mason with TV Presenter and comedian Dara O’Briain

“Wool is naturally waterproof and the 100 per cent cotton Ventile lining provides further waterproofing while allowing air to circulate around the body”

GLOUCESTER RUGBY CLUB OWNER REVEALS NEW INVESTMENT

Owner and Chairman at Gloucester Rugby Martin St. Quinton (read our exclusive interview with him in this issue) is one of three new investors on board at Gloucester Brewery.

The other two are Simon Thomas, founder and former owner of Thomas Legal Group, and now a business and property investor, and Cheltenham businessman Dave Lewins, who is the brewery’s new Sales and Marketing Director.

Between them, they have taken a 35 per cent share of the business owned by Jared Brown who founded the brewery in 2011.

With the additional investment, new fermenting tanks will double the brewery’s brewing capacity to around 800,000 by the end of 2020. Negotiations are under way to open

Aerospace

another bar and plans are in place to install a distillery on site to produce branded vodka and a range of gins.

They have also embarked on a £30,000 refurbishment of Tank bar and doubled its brewery sales force.

Jared said: “This has put us in a fantastic position where we have a healthy cashflow to fund our plans for growth.

composite manufacturer

wins major contract

with Leonardo Helicopters to protect our troops

A market leader in the manufacture of composite materials for the aerospace, defence, rail, automotive and medical markets has been contracted by Leonardo Helicopters to supply comprehensive ballistic protection for the Royal Navy’s new Commando Merlin Mk4 helicopters.

The requirement, valued at more than £2 million, will create and sustain skilled composite manufacturing jobs at Permali’s Gloucester factory.

The Commando Merlin is an advanced battlefield helicopter designed for amphibious operations, and will deliver troops and supplies into conflict zones as well as supporting humanitarian operations.

Permali’s ballistic protection will protect the troops against small arms fire.

This project joins the wide range of ballistic armour that Permali has supplied to armed forces and original equipment manufacturers around the world for equipment operating on land and in the air and sea.

Permali’s Director of Special Projects, Nick Baird, said “We are delighted to continue our close relationship with Leonardo Helicopters.

“We are honoured to be entrusted with the protection of British military personnel.

“The majority of the UK’s Joint Helicopter Command aircraft rely on Permali’s composite ballistic protection expertise, including the Chinook, Puma and Merlin fleets.

We are delighted to be working with our three new investors to shape a really exciting future for the brewery.

Martin, who is also chairman of Cheltenham Racecourse, said: “I decided to get involved with Gloucester Brewery because I love supporting local businesses and young entrepreneurs who are trying to develop ideas and create something interesting. Gloucester Brewery ticked both of those boxes.

Lucky Onion opens three pubs in six weeks

The Lucky Onion pub and hotel group, owned by Julian and Jade Dunkerton, wrapped up a busy year by hosting three openings in less than six weeks before Christmas.

The 17th century Cotswold stone Hollow Bottom pub at Guiting Power reopened after being bought by the group earlier in the year. That was followed by the renovation and reopening of The Crown at Minchinhampton, which closed its doors five years ago.

The final hurrah for 2019 for this ambitious pub company was the launch of The King’s House at 131, next door to The Lucky Onion’s established hotel on The Promenade in Cheltenham.

“This has put us in a fantastic position where we have a healthy cash flow to fund our plans for growth”

Sales and Marketing Director of Gloucester Brewery Dave Lewins, Gloucester Brewery founder Jared Brown and Gloucester Rugby owner Martin St. Quinton

JUST 100 WINDMILLS COULD POWER GLOUCESTERSHIRE SAYS ECOTRICITY’S VINCE

The founder and Chief Executive of Stroud-based green energy supplier Ecotricity has said that Gloucestershire could be powered with just 100 windmills.

But he warns that there would need to be changes to planning and how many of the county’s residents view where they live.

Council kick-starts new plans for Gloucester’s King’s Square regeneration

renewable energy is ideal for this. It’s here that a big opportunity exists.”

“We could power all those homes with just 100 modern windmills, taking up just three per cent of the hilltop land area of the county”

In a Facebook post late last year, Dale said: “We need to get from 30 per cent renewable energy today to 100 per cent in10 years. The technology exists to do this and the economics make sense. We have to build a lot of new generation to get there and a new energy system using technology such as smart meters and battery storage, and the unique attributes of renewable energy – scaleable, decentralised and democratised.

“The most efficient place to make any energy is close to where it is used –

Gloucestershire has a little over 250,000 homes and 600,000 people, he said. “We could power all those homes with just 100 modern windmills, taking up just three per cent of the hilltop land area of the county. Those windmills could be owned by the district and county councils, harnessing the economic benefits of generating green energy – and using them to boost the local economy and support public services.

“It’s a chance to create energy industry sector and a new role for the public sector. These 100 mills could return between £8 million and £10 million per year to local authorities, net of debt repayments – that’s a big contribution to local public sector budgets.”

EDF Group buys battery storage and electric vehicle charging network

EDF Group, which employs around 2,000 people at its Barnwood base in Gloucester, has bought London-based start-up Pivot Power, specialising in battery storage and infrastructure for electric vehicle charging. This move will allow EDF, already the largest low carbon electricity producer in the UK, to become a leader in battery storage.

Pivot Power has an extensive portfolio of projects in more than 40 locations across the country. There are plans to install batteries connected directly to the highvoltage transmission system – with a total

capacity of up to 2 gigawatts. The first two storage projects at Cowley in Oxford and Kemsley, Kent have land, planning and grid connection agreements in place and are expected to be commissioned this year. As part of its projects, Pivot Power will develop a private wire infrastructure to enable, among other opportunities, the development of mass rapid charging points across the UK.

Battery storage and EV rapid charging infrastructure are two significant enablers for the UK’s goals to reach net zero by 2050.

Images revealed by Gloucester City Council show how King’s Square in Gloucester could look if plans for a multi-million-pound regeneration of the area gets the go-ahead.

The computer-generated images show how the square, which has undergone a long history of failed regeneration projects, could become a focal point for visitors to the city and people who live and work in the area.

Spaces for markets, outdoor dining, a temporary stage, outdoor cinema and other leisure uses are proposed to breathe new life into the area. New feature fountains – inspired by the Severn Bore – are proposed to create a new landmark.

Plans have been submitted by Gloucester City Council to support the next stage of Gloucester’s King’s Quarter transformation, featuring proposals for new homes, office space, restaurants and shared workspace in the heart of the city. If approved, the plans will see a number of buildings in the city centre replaced with 150 homes (including homes for key workers in the city), 40,000 sq ft of office space and new shops, bars and eateries.

CGI image shows how Gloucester’s King’s Square could look

AMBITIOUS GLOUCESTERSHIRE BUSINESSES BARE ALL AT SCALE-UP LIVE

Held in collaboration with The Growth Hub in Gloucester and sponsored by Hazlewoods and BPE Solicitors, Matt Cleevely of Cleevely Electric Vehicles, Lucy Beresford of SLG Brands and Arthur Hindmarch of Commercial Group told their stories of ambition, adversity, determination and success.

Matt set up Cleevely Electric Vehicles two years ago. The sister business of 55-yearold Cheltenham-based Cleevely Motors, it advises on, sells and services the new generation of electric vehicles.

Lucy Beresford is Chief Commercial Officer at SLG Brands, one of the UK’s fastest-growing beauty and male grooming brand companies. Born in Gloucester in 1985, SLG Brands is now

was

inspiring evening and our guest speakers were generous with their stories, revealing the successes of their businesses, and the challenges they face”

a multi-million pound turnover global beauty brand company with a whollyowned subsidiary in Shanghai.

Arthur Hindmarch is Chairman of Commercial, the Cheltenham-based business services group offering office supplies, IT services, managed print services and outsourced print as well as interiors. The Group is now turning over around £100 million annually.

Each speaker shared their business growth stories, revealing some of their biggest challenges to date, and took questions from the audience.

Cleevely Electric Vehicles helping to drive electric vehicle ownership into the mainstream

The registration of new cars in the UK continues to decline, but there is one bright ray of hope. In November, electric vehicle registrations almost tripled, up more than 150 per cent to 3,162 units.

This number could be even higher if more people better understood the benefits of EV cars, according to Matt Cleevely, who set up Cleevely Electric Vehicles to

provide electric vehicle and hybrid advice, servicing and maintenance for drivers and fleet owners.

The interest in electric cars is immense. Scale-Up Live guests questioned Matt on every aspect of buying and owning an electric car. But the servicing and repair required on a car powered by a battery is low. How can Matt scale up his business?

He is currently researching the potential of manufacturing spare parts.

He is also offering a vastly superior sales and service support. “Some well known electric car companies, such as Tesla only offer online support. Those who have spent thousands on a car won’t be happy engaging with an app. That’s where we can offer a more personal customer service.”

The stories of three of Gloucestershire’s most exciting businesses were revealed to 50 invited guests at Business & Innovation Magazine’s first Scale-Up Live event.

“It

an

Arthur Hindmarch, Lucy Beresford and Matt Cleevely

Driving success is a beauty must-have for SLG Brands

SLG Brands is aiming to double its turnover every five years and achieve a £75 million turnover by 2024. Lucy Beresford described how the company is driving growth through its wholly-owned brand portfolio and scaling sales internationally.

Family bonds and friendship take business services company from crisis to Commercial success

Commercial Group is now a hugely successful business services company, but it was born out of necessity and hard graft.

Arthur Hindmarch’s father ran a successful office equipment company which provided his family with a good income to support a happy home life and education for his children. But in the late 1980s, as the business was expanding, recession hit.

On graduation from Durham University, Arthur had joined his father’s company but in 1991 it collapsed and Arthur found himself thrust into the business spotlight.

“All of a sudden dad’s company was in crisis and I was responsible for my whole family’s future,” said Arthur. “I felt fear and responsibility. Our future depended on how well I could do.”

Arthur threw himself at the problem. Holidays were out for four years, but from adversity, Commercial was born.

What sustained Arthur during the toughest years was the support of his sister, Simone, an international swimmer and

Commonwealth Games medal winner, and Alastair, a great friend from university days working alongside him.

Thanks to Arthur’s business savvy, Simone’s tenacity honed by years of gruelling training regimes and Alastair’s staunch support, the company now turns over £75 million and is on course for £100 million.

Along the way the company became an early pioneer of ethical business, establishing a raft of sustainable initiatives, including becoming one of the country’s first carbon-neutral businesses. This has given the company a distinct personality in a sector where it can be difficult to differentiate one from another.

Commercial remains ambitious.

“We were ahead of the pack in embracing ethical business practices and we continue to apply that progressive thinking across the business,” added Arthur. “It’s an approach that has been instrumental in our success story.”

Last year the business relocated to 25,000 sq ft offices in Cheltenham, a funky and inspiring space that cements its creative and progressive culture. This investment is helping attract skilled employees to boost its growth ambitions. SLG Brands’ key priority is to build a profitable and scalable business that makes the most of the return on its considerable investments and resources.

“Making brave decisions to deprioritise short-term sales in lieu of long-range scalable and lucrative plans is essential to successful scale up,” said Lucy.

And managing the transition takes courage. “There is comfort in seizing opportunities there for the taking. Rejecting them can feel counter intuitive, but without focusing on scale, you will reach a ceiling to your ambition. If we invest in our capabilities and skills that allow us to trade a brand globally, if we control elements of our proposition that truly differentiate us, and create products and marketing skills that make our product relevant to a global audience, we will succeed,” she said.

SLG Brands is creating brands that speak to a global consumer which can be taken to multiple retailers worldwide. Lucy added: “In the last six months of 2019, we secured more than 10,000 stores in America for a brand launch. It’s great to see our plans come to fruition.”

Business & Innovation Magazine hosts Scale-Up LIVE

Three of Gloucestershire’s most exciting businesses revealed their unique business stories at Business & Innovation Magazine’s first Scale-Up Live event, in front of specially invited guests. Matt Cleevely, Managing Director and third generation family member, of Cleevely Electric Vehicles, Lucy Beresford, Chief Commercial Officer, SLG Brands and Arthur Hindmarch, Chairman and CEO, Commercial Group told their stories of ambition, hard work, heartache, opportunity and growth. Held in collaboration with The Growth Hub in Gloucester and sponsored by Hazlewoods and BPE Solicitors.

The guest speakers were interviewed by Nicky Godding, Editor-in-Chief of Business & Innovation Magazine, who invited them to share how their businesses are scaling up and where the challenges lie. Following the interviews, Paul Fussell of Hazlewoods, Dale Williams from BPE and Chris Gibbs from The Growth Hub, along with the audience questioned the guest speakers kick-starting a room-wide debate and comment on the issues of scaling up a business and where the opportunities lie.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ROB LACEY

Arthur Hindmarch, Commercial Group, Chris Gibbs from The Growth Hub, Lucy Beresford, Chief Commercial Officer, SLG Brands, Dale Williams from BPE Solicitors, Matt Cleevely from Cleevely Electric Vehicles, and Paul Fussell from Hazlewoods

Arthur Hindmarch from Commercial Group and Stephen Shortt from Hawkins & Brimble

Patrick Downes from PACT Property and Nicky Godding from Business & Innovation Magazine

David Funnell from Stewart Golf and Jo Draper from QuoLux

Scale-Up Live hosted at The Growth Hub

Andy Kime from The Growth Hub and Lucy Beresford from SLG Brands

Stewart Barnes from QuoLux and Matt Cleevely from Cleevely Electric Vehicles

Patrick Jones from Tewkesbury Park Hotel and Brian Morman from Brunsdon Financial Services

Sue Waters from GB Solutions and Nigel Chute from Chute Design

Andrew Bence from Indectron and James Whittaker from Hazlewoods

Jonathan Viney from Simplicity in Business with Nigel Chute from Chute Design and Claire White from Tewkesbury Park Hotel

Stephen Shortt from Hawkins & Brimble with Neil Brimble from Abbey Business Interiors and Kirsty Muir from Business & Innovation Magazine

Martyn Rees from Direct Online Services and Miles Greenslade from Adjacency

David and Sandra Arthur from Delapena Group Delapena

Sarah Bryars from Target PR and Claire Maddox from Eurolink Connect

Peter Brown from The Growth Hub and Sue Emery from Optimising IT Mark Robinson from BPE Solicitors and Julian Starling from Freeman Clarke

Andy Kime from The Growth Hub with Katy Taylor Winkworth and Will Spiers from CamperVin

Mark Powles from RRA Architects with Stewart Barnes from QuoLux and David Jones from Evans Jones

David Woodward from i2i Recruitment and Russell Walters from Move Sales & Lettings

Unipart Logistics wins five-year Selco supply chain contract

VICON TEAMS UP WITH RED BULL DIAGNOSTICS AND TRAINING CENTRE

Oxford-based Vicon, a world leader in motion capture, has signed a contract with Red Bull Diagnostics and Training Centre, for its inertial tracking solution.

The Austrian-based Diagnostics and Training Centre rehabilitates and trains Red Bull’s world-class athletes across a multitude of sport disciplines such as athletics, ultrarunning and triathlon.

As an existing customer using a Vicon optical system to look at its athletes’ performances, Red Bull has now invested in Vicon’s inertial tracking to help reduce the risk of injury.

Red Bull will use a combination of the Blue Trident inertial sensors – Vicon’s newest wearable which provides immediate analysis in the field or in water – and IMeasureU’s Step app to monitor lower limbs during training, reduce reinjury risk and optimise the performance of their athletes.

Christian Maurer-Grubinger, of Red Bull Diagnostics and Training Centre, said: “We have been using a Vicon optical system for more than four years to help understand and improve athletic performance. Now, with Vicon inertial tracking, we can obtain precise diagnostic metrics to better manage injury risk and maximise the performance of our athletes.”

Imogen Moorhouse, CEO of Vicon, added: “Red Bull Diagnostics and Training Centre look after some of the best athletes in the world and when they are competing at that level, ensuring they stay fit and injury free, is vital.

“Through Vicon’s unique combination of optical and inertial solutions, Red Bull will better track, analyse and optimise its athletes’ performance. We look forward to watching their athletes compete around the world.”

Oxfordshire bakery’s wholegrain is best in the world

An Oxfordshire bakery’s wholegrain bread has been voted the best in the world. Malt Crunch Sourdough made by Nicola Cooper of Blake’s Kitchen, Clanfield, was announced winner in the

hotly-contested Wholegrain category of the of Tiptree World Bread Awards with Brook Food.

Blake’s is a third generation, familyrun shop, post office and microbakery on the edge of the Cotswolds. It bakes loaves and homemade cakes daily.

It wasn’t the only Oxfordshire baker to take a slice of the evening’s action. The Quinoa & Millet Loaf made by Tanya Young, of the Knife & Fork

Unipart Logistics, part of Unipart Group, one of Europe’s leading private manufacturing, logistics and consultancy companies, has won a five-year contract with Selco Builders Warehouse to run their end-to-end supply chain in the UK.

Unipart will provide warehousing and distribution services from its distribution centre in Cowley, Oxford. As part of the contract Unipart will store products and materials on behalf of Selco and deliver daily to its branches in dedicated, Selco-branded vehicles.

Claire Walters, Unipart Logistics

Chief Commercial Officer, said: “We are looking forward to introducing the latest advancements in supply chain innovation and technology to support Selco’s impressive growth trajectory and plans.”

Howard Luft, Selco Builders

Warehouse Chief Executive, added: “Geographically, Oxford is a central location for our entire branch network and means we can get requested stock into our branches in a very short space of time.

“The warehouse space will also enable us to purchase products in greater quantity, savings which we will be passing on to our customers.”

Bakery, Deddington, was announced as third in the gluten-free category.

Oxfordshire had a big showing on the night, with one of its top sponsors also hailing from the county – Matthews Cotswold Flour of Chipping Norton, the sixth generation family-run flour mill.

The Red Bull Diagnostics Centre

Nicola Cooper of Blake’s Kitchen receives her award

What does R&D mean and how can it help to fund your business?

Vicki Strachan, Head of the Oxford office at leading intellectual property firm Mathys & Squire, talks to TBAT Innovation about R&D Tax Credits…

Research & Development (R&D) Tax Credits are a UK tax incentive, designed to encourage investment in R&D, which enable businesses to reduce their tax bill, or claim payable cash credits as a proportion of their R&D expenditure.

R&D Tax Credits can be a hugely effective way to inject additional finance into a business, and in recent years, there has been a steady increase in the number of businesses claiming them. However, there is still a large proportion not taking advantage of the scheme and for those that are, they may not be claiming all they’re entitled to, as qualifying R&D is potentially being overlooked.

Business Development Manager, Vincent Seddon, from TBAT Innovation, who provides business support for SMEs and, in particular, R&D advice nationwide tells me.

expertise to build a robust and maximised claim on your behalf?”

Some of the definitions on the right can be a little ambiguous, but if you and your business have said ‘yes’ to any of them, then you may be able to claim back some of your R&D spend.

To make an R&D Tax Relief claim, it’s important to invest time gathering relevant information in relation to your spend, as this can have an impact on the claim value. It is also crucial to include technical reports to demonstrate that R&D has been completed, focusing on the technical uncertainty faced.

Vincent goes on to explain, “It’s a long process to follow and can be quite timeconsuming if it’s done in-house. Important elements can be perceived not to be R&D, and potentially be omitted, or even worse, overlooked. Using a specialist R&D Tax Credit consultant can help avoid this from happening and serve as a fresh pair of eyes overseeing the claim.”

To make a claim for R&D Tax Credits, your business must have done the following:

 looked for an advance in science and technology

 identified a technical uncertainty and tried to overcome it; and

 ensured the technical uncertainty could not be easily solved by a competent professional in the field

Your project may result in a new process, product or service, or improve on an exisiting one

He goes on, “It can be difficult to navigate areas of the HMRC guidelines, and it’s important for an R&D Tax Consultant to take the time to fully consider and understand your business’s technical projects to identify all eligible activities. In many cases, making an R&D Tax Credit claim is left to the company’s accountancy firm, but do they have the experience, the time and the technical

Vicky Strachan added, “When I work with businesses, I find that it is always a sensible approach to ensure that there is a robust IP strategy in place which takes R&D into account. Quite often R&D is focused on crowded technical areas and it is important to work with an IP firm to help you uncover any prior art or patents from other businesses where R&D efforts may provide limited scope.

At Mathys & Squire, we work directly with R&D teams and technical directors, and can provide advice such as patent searching and identification of any prior art which could be used to help companies

ensure they do not embark or invest time in developing new technologies which may, or may not be eligible for R&D claims.”

In summary, if you are not claiming R&D Tax Credits, or are claiming, but are unsure whether you are including all your eligible spend, get in touch with an R&D Tax Relief expert.

For help with your IP Strategy contact:

Vicki Strachan

Patent Attorney & head of Mathys & Squire’s Oxford office

vjstrachan@mathys-squire.com www.mathys-squire.com

“There seems to be a lack of understanding in relation to what R&D means when it comes to making R&D Tax Relief claims, and consequently, what can and cannot be claimed.”

Vincent Seddon, Business Development Manager

LISTEN WITH MOTHER? NOT QUITE WITH DEEPZEN’S NEW TECH

The Oxford Centre for Innovation, which provides workspace and support for young companies, has welcomed DeepZen, which has created a realistic voice using artificial intelligence that can convert text to audio, regardless of length.

Traditional speech systems generate every word separately, putting them together to form a sentence. DeepZen’s technology synthesizes the human voice to replicate emotions and intonations. Visitors to its website can hear artificial intelligence voices reading Ian Flitcroft’s The Reluctant Cannibals and Kafka’s Metamorphosis.

The new tech means that an audio book can be produced in days rather than weeks. DeepZen Chief Technology Officer and founder, Kerem Sozugecer, said: “A typical audiobook will cost around $5,000 to produce. We aim to reduce that significantly. A 10-hour audio book can be produced by us in just a few hours; the rest of the time is spent on

“We are currently creating audio books for publishers and simply charging for production, but we are also co-publishing with the independent UK publishing companies”

Oodle Car Finance wins Growing Business Award

editing to check for continuity, context and emotion. This will get quicker as our algorithm improves.”

DeepZen’s main focus is on audio books – currently an $8 billion market worldwide and set to grow by 25 per cent per year.

Kerem said: “We are currently creating audio books for publishers and simply charging for production, but we are also co-publishing with the independent UK publishing companies Legend Press and Endeavour Media and are in conversation with the big six publishing houses.

“Only three per cent of the two million books published annually are converted into audio books, so there’s a big gap in the market for DeepZen to fill.”

Oxfordshire Business Awards reveals new official media sponsor

The Oxfordshire Business Awards (OXBAs), which celebrate the county’s dynamic and growing businesses, has nominated Business & Innovation Magazine as its official media sponsor.

The OXBA’s 2020 awards will be launched at Oxford Science Park on January 9.

Paul Lowe, Chairman at OXBA, said: “We are delighted to welcome Business & Innovation Magazine as our official media sponsor.

“Its editorially-driven content is a perfect fit for the Oxfordshire business community, and we look forward to working with the team.”

Oodle Car Finance, the company that is aiming to change the way people buy used cars, has been recognised for its leadership and management with an Employer of the Year award at the Growing Business Awards.

Now in its 21st year, the Growing Business Awards recognise privately-owned UK companies.

Oodle Car Finance launched three years ago. Founder and Chief Executive Jonny Clayton said: “Winning the Employer of the Year award is of huge importance to us.

“We’ve created an inclusive, transparent and energetic culture, with a clear set of values to inform, inspire and engage Oodle’s community – our people and our partners.”

Oodle Car Finance’s Academy provides employees with training, skills and personal development. Launched in 2018, training ranges from influence and persuasion through to presentation and negotiation skills. Management training is also available to all its leaders.

Jonny added: “In the past nine months we’ve doubled in size so you can imagine, as the fastest growing business in Oxford, recruitment has been a huge focus for us.”

The DeepZen team Kerem Sozugecer CTO and co-Founder, Spyridoula Papandreous, and Omer Gunes

The Oodle bus which recently completed a car dealership roadshow across the UK

Help for small businesses with big ideas in Oxfordshire…

Small enterprises (SMEs’) are an important part of Oxfordshire’s innovation landscape. OxLEP Business, the county’s Growth Hub, is helping them overcome the challenges they face getting access to funding, resources and opportunities to improve their business skills.

The Innovation Support for Business (ISfB) programme connects SMEs to the wider innovation community with tailored support.

“We’re supporting smaller businesses to build the relationships they need, get the right commercial resources and to help them bring new ideas and products to market” said Tracy James, Programme Executive at OxLEP Business.

- One early ISfB Go-Create grant award winner is UKAEA spin-out Luffy AI, who are developing the control units for legs on multipurpose walking robots.

and his colleagues are using ISfB grant funding to undertake simulation testing of their controllers which will guide robotic limbs. The artificial intelligence learned in the simulations will ultimately lead to physical tests using models and accelerate the path to commercial operations.

“Boosting opportunities for SMEs, many of them with groundbreaking ideas, is at the heart of our programme. These vital resources and the infrastructure around research and innovation are essential, yet it can be difficult for SMEs to access them as easily as larger companies.”

Up until now, achieving this has been amongst the hardest challenges for applied AI and robotics. Based at Culham, Dr Matthew Carr The

Tracy James, Programme Executive, OxLEP Business

Dr Carr said: “This testing would not be happening without the grant from ISfB. Equally important to us has been the expert advice we’ve received about finding finance and creating our business plan.”

DIDCOT TRAVEL AGENCY SELLS TO TRIANGLE TRAVEL

Independent travel agent, Triangle Travel, has bought John Allan Travel, Didcot’s long-established independent travel agency.

The agency has been based at 128 Broadway in Didcot for 29 years, and now John Allan who has worked in the travel industry for 50 years intends to retire.

Rob Kenton, Managing Director of Newbury-based Triangle Travel, said:

“John has built up a really strong business over the years and we are honoured that he has entrusted us to take on the stewardship of John Allan Travel. It has an excellent reputation and we very much plan to keep it the same way.”

The addition of this latest store boosts Triangle Travel’s overall network of stores to five, with its other agencies based in Mortimer, Newbury, Pangbourne and Wallingford.

Oxford’s 300-year-old department store could close

Boswell & Co, Oxford’s oldest department store, could close next year after trading for almost 300 years, it has been reported.

Francis Boswell started selling travel goods at 50 Cornmarket Street in 1738 and it is rumoured that Captain Cook took Boswell suitcases on his voyages of discovery.

The business remained in the Boswell family until 1890 after which it was passed to Arthur Pearson, who at that time owned the Oxford Drug Company.

has been an important fixture of our wonderful city for more than 280 years. The owners have a long-term lease on the site and are considering their options.

“The City Council, as the freeholder of part of the site, will work with the owners to try to achieve the best outcome for the city.

“Although it would be sad to see Boswells close, despite the internet and changing shopping habits, Oxford is performing significantly better than most UK city centres ”

“Although it would be sad to see Boswells close, despite the internet and changing shopping habits, Oxford is performing significantly better than most UK city centres.”

Current Pearson family members are the Managing Director and Company Secretary.

The company has put the possible closure down to “adverse retail conditions”.

Gordon Mitchell, Chief Executive of Oxford City Council, said: “Boswells

Around half a billion pounds has been invested in the city centre in recent years, the council said, and significant redevelopments are ongoing by Jesus, Lincoln and Nuffield colleges and in the Covered Market.

More than a dozen retail stores, cafes and restaurants have opened in the city in recent months.

OxLEP Business, which supports small and mediumsized Oxfordshire businesses, has announced Escalate, a new programme for two important parts of Oxfordshire’s economy: social enterprises and growing businesses.

According to Grant Hayward of Oxfordshire Social Entrepreneurship Partnership which is partnering with OxLEP, the number of social, community and environmental enterprises in Oxfordshire has grown significantly “They are important to our economy and Escalate is providing six community hubs for socially conscious enterprises.”

Nigel Tipple, Chief Executive at OxLEP said: “Our other target is to provide a boost to the fastgrowing businesses to help them succeed. These scale-up companies can get help accessing finance and other support in a new package aimed at increasing their capacity to grow. These enterprises have the greatest potential to generate employment and wealth, but they experience specific challenges to achieve their potential.”

Oxfordshire has the highest growth rate in the country among its scaleup businesses. It also has one of the highest five-year survival rates for small businesses anywhere in the UK. At almost 50 per cent, Oxfordshire is well ahead of the UK average for businesses reaching their fifth anniversary.

The Escalate programme, funded by the European Regional Development Fund, will help growing businesses to boost productivity and capitalise on opportunities.

OxLEP announces new programme for social enterprises and growing businesses

Rob Kenton with John Allan

CHAMBER CELEBRATES BEST

BUSINESSES IN THE THAMES VALLEY

Thames Valley businesses have been recognised at an awards ceremony, with Hungerford electronic ticket machine supplier Ticketer being crowned Business of the Year.

The firm, which celebrated its 10th anniversary this year, is the UK’s largest ETM supplier outside London, with ticketing machines on buses across the UK. The company also won the High Growth Business of the Year award at the Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year Awards.

High Wycombe-based Aircraft Materials UK, which supplies aerospace, high tech, and speciality alloys to businesses worldwide, was named Export Business of the Year, while the award for Family Business of the Year went to Aston and James, the Witney-based office supplies distributor. Ryemead Commercial Cleaning, based in High Wycombe, was named Small Business

of the Year, and Maidenhead sales consultancy London Bridge Project – which helps global businesses access UK markets – was named Newcomer of the Year.

Hungerford training provider eLearning Marketplace was named E-Commerce Business of the Year and Best Use of Technology was jointly awarded to Newbury cloud security firm Cyberhive and the Oxford Bus Company.

High Wycombe accountants Seymour Taylor scooped Employer of the Year Award and solicitors BP Collins won the Workplace Wellbeing Award.

Abingdon IT support firm claireLOGIC won Customer Commitment, and the Education and Business Partnership Award was presented to Oxford-based Activate Learning.

Slough companies are among Tech Nation’s Rising Stars

Two Slough companies are among 33 regional winners of Tech Nation’s Rising Stars competition, the UK’s only national early-stage tech scale-up competition

Tech Nation is the UK’s leading network for ambitious tech entrepreneurs.

IMGeospatial deploys artificial intelligence in unconventional ways to digest and disseminate data efficiently,

regardless of how imperfect or vast the amount of data becomes.

Seakr Carer helps home carers choose their hours, clients and income so that they receive recognition and reward for delivering care.

The company vets, trains and supports carers and matches them with elderly and vulnerable clients.

REGIONAL ROUND-UP THAMES VALLEY

Thames Valley firms join reactor programme

Firms from the Thames Valley are part of a consortium that will develop a lowcost nuclear power programme to help Britain hit its zero-emissions target.

The Swindon-based governmentfunded UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has awarded £18 million to the consortium, matching the £18 million invested by project leader Rolls-Royce.

Bracknell-based BAM Nuttall and the Oxfordshire-based National Nuclear Laboratory join Assystem, Laing O’Rourke, Atkins, Wood, The Welding Institute and the Nuclear AMRC on the project.

It is hoped that by 2050 a network of 16 Small Modular Reactors will be producing low carbon electricity and creating significant export opportunities of up to £250 billion.

Components for the power stations would be manufactured in regional UK factories and transported to existing nuclear sites for rapid assembly inside a weatherproof canopy.

Each power station would cost £1.8 billion to construct, with a lifespan of 60 years, and could deliver 440 megawatts of electricity – enough to power a city the size of Leeds.

Paul Stein, Chief Technology Officer for Rolls-Royce, said: “Tackling climate change requires collaboration across industries and governments to find effective, affordable and sustainable ways of achieving net zero by 2050.”

Ticketer wins Business of the Year

Small modular reactor

TAKING MEDICAL INNOVATION FROM WOODSTOCK TO THE WORLD

Medical device manufacturer Owen Mumford is making its biggest ever investment in research and development

By Nicky Godding

The Managing Director of Owen Mumford, the Oxfordshire-based international medical device design and manufacturing group, is not a man for complacency.

Under Jarl Severn’s watch, Owen Mumford’s sales have increased by more than three-quarters since he joined as managing director in 2008, and it has opened two facilities in Asia.

Now, and for the next three years or so, Owen Mumford is investing more than eight per cent of its annual turnover, around £21 million, into research and development for new products.

“We design devices that improve the delivery of healthcare and home health treatments for people around the world, and this is the biggest investment we have ever made in new product development,” said Jarl.

The company was established more than 60 years ago. Set up by John Mumford and Ivan Owen with his father Thomas, it is still a family business with the next generation, Mark Owen and Adam Mumford now respectively chairman of the Group and chairman of the holding company.

One of the company’s first products, launched in 1952, was a novel artificial respiration device they named the Oxford Inflating Bellows, but it is fair to say that for a while some of its products were not quite so innovative. These included window handles for the automotive industry, showerheads for B&Q and even, at one point, Christmas decorations for Woolworths.

Such low-tech diversions are now a distant memory. By the 1980s Owen Mumford had launched itself spectacularly into the medical device market with the world’s first automatic blood sampling lancing device. For the first time, diabetics could monitor blood glucose levels by taking

blood samples from their fingers, rather than relying on less accurate urine samples, which had previously been the case.

Fast forward 60 or so years and the company has four Queen’s Awards for Enterprise and 175 patents under its belt. It is also still selling its original concept for the lancing device, along with many other products invented by the company.

Research and development already delivering results

But even the most innovative product will eventually see itself replaced with a new way of doing things, hence Owen Mumford’s constant and substantial investment in R&D.

The company is known best for its devices to help diabetics, but it currently generates the biggest revenues from auto injectors and injection pens which administer drugs to those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and infertility as well as many other therapy areas.

Owen Mumford

More than £20 billion worth of drugs are injected each year by patients around the world using auto injectors made in Oxfordshire by Owen Mumford.

However, as more drugs are developed using biologics and therefore requiring subcutaneous injections, and more people are diagnosed with diabetes, the demand for Owen Mumford’s medical devices continues to grow.

“China and India in particular are seeing a rise in diabetes, partly because of a change of diet, but also because diabetes is increasingly being seen as a treatable condition,” said Jarl. “Doctors in these countries are checking people for diabetes at an earlier stage, increasing demand for our products.”

In 2017 Owen Mumford won its latest Queen’s Award for Innovation for the Unifine Pentips Plus, an all-in-one pen needle for diabetic injections. It contains a new pen needle and a convenient removal chamber for interim disposal.

The company’s latest investment in R&D is delivering results. Last year saw the global introduction of Owen Mumford’s

unique springless pre-filled safety syringes, Unisafe, arousing interest in almost all the top 20 pharmaceutical companies in the world. Later in September it launched a new safety pen needle, again designed to provide a safer product for healthcare professionals to minimise the risk of accidental needle stick injuries.

A race to be the first

The market is seeing huge investment into finding an alternative to injecting insulin. Few diabetics enjoy their routine injections and would prefer, if one was available, swallowing an insulin tablet. This would make some of Owen Mumford’s products currently on the market redundant over time as uptake increases and costs come down.

Except noone has successfully produced one yet. “Insulin is a biological drug, a living thing,” explained

Jarl. “Currently, the only way to get it into a human’s system is by subcutaneous injection. Some of the big insulin companies claim to be close to achieving it in tablet form, but we haven’t seen it commercialised yet.”

And Owen Mumford’s original finger pricker (lancing) device, also remains the most effective way of measuring glucose in the blood.

“There are other ways of measuring a person’s glucose levels: saliva, urine – Google even made a contact lens that took tears from your eyes and measured the glucose in them, but finger pricking still remains the most accurate,” said Jarl.

“If a person takes too much insulin, it can kill them, so absolute accuracy is essential. And the new technologies, so far, have been short of the age-old capillary blood sampling using the finger prick method.”

But Jarl is not complacent and knows that new technology will appear to solve these problems in a different way. “And we, like everyone else, are looking for solutions in that area,” he said.

“We design devices that improve the delivery of healthcare and home health treatments for people around the world and this is the biggest investment we have ever made in new product development”

Jarl Severn, Managing Director at Owen Mumford

Owen Mumford

The challenges of overseas expansion

Owen Mumford runs two manufacturing facilities in the UK, at Woodstock and Chipping Norton, employing more than 700 people. These sites are working at almost full capacity and the company is already considering the development of a new manufacturing facility at Witney, where it owns around 12 acres of land.

It also has factories in Malaysia, sales offices in Germany and France and employs more than 60 people in sales and distribution in North America where it is planning to open up its established distribution channels to other UK health tech companies seeking to move into the region.

Owen Mumford opened its first overseas factory in 2015, and Jarl says it was fraught with problems. “One of the big challenges of setting up abroad is you don’t know what you don’t know, and nor does anyone else. You can’t totally rely on consultants, however expert they appear to be. You must visit the countries, be prepared for unknown factors and have enough buffer in the project plan.”

But persistence paid off for Owen Mumford. “With nearly 100 people engaged in Malaysia we are now hitting our stride and producing high quality products with confidence.

“And after a long and painfully slow start, China has been a great success for us. In the last 12 months we have doubled our business. Not least because of the Union Jack, but also our Queen’s Award for Enterprise on our product packaging.”

Understanding global markets drives growth

While the NHS remains its most important customer in the UK, Owen Mumford is a global company. It has a significant presence in North America, a solid customer base in Australia and on Continental Europe and a fast-growing business in South East Asia.

“Asians are increasingly aware of the benefits of good health care,” said Jarl. “Consumers in markets such as China are insisting on systems or items from the West when they don’t have adequate confidence in their local manufacturer suppliers.”

Conversely, in Northern Europe, the focus is increasingly on cost. “We are now shipping goods to China from Oxfordshire while the NHS is importing the same type of products from China. It is quite extraordinary,” he added.

“What sets the UK apart from others in terms of high-quality manufacturing, is our adherence to regulatory requirements. We treat regulatory compliance very seriously as a nation. We play by the rules and that’s a very important asset for the UK.”

The big, untapped pool of future STEM experts

Oxfordshire’s almost full employment is a problem for companies such as Owen Mumford, because to continue growing, it needs more skilled people.

The company is very active in the local

community, including working with Marlborough School in Woodstock, and Chipping Norton School where a full university degree scholarship for the student with the best A level results in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects is just one of the programmes being sponsored by Owen Mumford.

It also offers apprenticeships, employing around a dozen apprentices at a time. “But there is a big, untapped potential pool of STEM subject experts,” says Jarl. “They’re called women. I was delighted to see more women than men achieving better A-level results in STEM subjects this year for the first time ever. This could be a huge opportunity for women to shine in a sector where they are currently severely under-represented.”

Jarl and his Head of Research and Development, Andy Vardé, are always on the lookout for young companies to support.

“Over the years we’ve supported Oxford University spin-outs and invested in other companies,” said Jarl.

One such company is Londonbased Forte Medical which has designed a unique urine collection device. Catching urine midstream is difficult, but if you don’t, it’s immediately contaminated. Forte Medical has developed a product that automatically catches midstream. Owen Mumford is now a shareholder and its exclusive distribution partner in the USA.

It’s connections such as these which drive Jarl’s ambitions for Owen Mumford.

“The business will do just fine on its own, but it will do even better if we support people to develop their ideas from which we can all benefit,” he said.

Owen Mumford Owen Mumford

Owen Mumford

A great idea can come from anywhere

Owen Mumford

100 TOP EXPORTERS

The United Kingdom is the 10th largest exporting economy in the world. Figures released last September showed that exports of goods grew by just over one per cent, boosted by shipments of machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels, food and drink. Exports of services also grew.

Here we look at some of the most exciting and entrepreneurial exporting companies across Oxfordshire and the Thames Valley. It’s not a top exporters list, but a list of 100 ambitious exporting companies which are actively pursuing world markets.

In September 2019, UK exports rose to more than £634 billion, up 2.7 per cent from the previous year, of which goods made up more than £350 billion and services £283 million according to government statistics.

And more UK companies are exporting. The government has reported a rise of more than six per cent, to 235,800 companies now trading overseas, but that’s still less than 10 per cent of UK companies overall. More businesses need to be brave and take the exporting plunge.

The automotive industry is leading the charge, being one of the UK’s most important export sectors. In 2017 more than £33 billion cars were exported.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders says that every day more than 1,100 trucks for UK car plants cross into the UK from the continent – the vast majority without being checked at customs – to deliver some £35 million worth of components to UK vehicle and engine plants. And every day, these components help build 6,400 cars and 10,500 engines – the bulk of which are then shipped back to EU customers and assembly plants.

The medicinal and pharmaceutical product sector is the UK’s second largest exporter, with more than £24 million of exports in 2017.

Whatever Brexit deal the UK secures, or not, what businesses across the UK want more than anything is for the doors in and out of the UK to remain open.

Top 10 UK export markets in 2018

Berkshire

Buckinghamshire

Oxfordshire

THAMES VALLEY

Fewer than one in 10 UK companies export, but there are huge growth opportunities for those willing to take the plunge. We meet some of them

“COMPANIES SEIZE THE INITIATIVE TO GROW INTERNATIONALLY”

Says Cameron Rathwell,

HSBC Area Director & Head of Corporate Banking in the Thames Valley

In a politically uncertain world, against the backdrop of two failed Brexit attempts last year, the resilience of many UK businesses has been impressive.

While the UK’s divorce from the European Union poses businesses with challenges, many see these as opportunities rather than threats.

As a result, businesses are finding new markets, embracing new technologies, mitigating risks and cutting costs.

Innovation is the name of the game

There isn’t a single industry that hasn’t been disrupted by technology. Businesses are harnessing technological advances as a powerful enabler for business efficiency, sales growth and increased productivity.

British businesses believe they can grow by investing in technology, introducing new products and services and motivating their workforce.

In the next three to five years, businesses expect data security, artificial intelligence (AI), 5G, robotics and the Internet of Things (IoT) to be increasingly important to improve product and service quality, alongside productivity.

Our latest HSBC Navigator Report surveyed more than 9,000 business decision-makers across the world to understand the challenges and opportunities they face. And the report offers lessons for this region’s business community.

Despite US-China trade tensions, growing protectionism and geopolitical changes, and the potential impact of Brexit, companies are surprisingly positive about their future.

This perhaps can be attributed to a number of factors. Economies are growing more slowly, but most are still growing. Agile companies are taking advantage of the shifting trade landscape to grab market share and expand. And firms are increasingly recognising global trade as a force for good. It can spur innovation, help raise incomes and support policies for inclusion.

This list of 100 top exporters reveals some of the biggest companies across Oxfordshire and the Thames Valley, and some smaller but no less exciting.

Many young and agile businesses are building expansion plans into their early growth strategies, rather than bolting on an ill-fitting export plan at a later date.

Nearly eight in 10 UK companies are projecting growth in the next year, just under the global average. They are also focusing increasingly on sustainability and workforce wellbeing. And the most confident high-growth firms believe that their growth will be 15 per cent or more.

Protectionism can boost local supply chains

A majority of British businesses think that protectionism by governments across the world to protect their countries’ economies, is increasing.

But despite the threat of higher tariffs and charges on the supply chain, almost two-thirds of UK companies expect their businesses to gain more than they lose. They plan to tackle the problem through sourcing from local suppliers, shortening supply chains and entering joint ventures with local companies.

Trading within Europe remains fundamental for the UK, but rather than the traditional reliance on Germany and France, UK companies are much more positive about trading outside Europe.

Businesses also think 2020 will be another year of growth. In Europe, where the impact of Brexit is more of a consideration, 78 per cent of companies remain confident that they will grow their sales. But the continent has the lowest proportion of firms (30 per cent) expecting growth of more than 10 per cent.

Read the HSBC Navigator report: www.business.hsbc.com/navigator

Cameron Rathwell, HSBC

Developing life-saving therapies is what drives Immunocore

JSP takes protection seriously as business grows globally

Established in 1964, JSP is internationally recognised as the leading manufacturer of innovative “above the neck” personal protective equipment (PPE) specialising in head, eye, face and respiratory protection.

From its head office near Witney, and with modern manufacturing and testing facilities in seven factories across three continents, JSP aims to improve occupational safety, health and wellbeing of people in the workplace worldwide.

The company has also been voted European leader in industrial head

protection by international consultancy company Frost and Sullivan. JSP invests heavily in research and development, designing innovative, award-winning PPE equipment which performs to the highest levels even in extreme environments.

JSP, which reported a rise in turnover to more than £58 million in its last set of accounts, employs around 300 staff and is as ambitious as ever, planning to grow business in its core product ranges through its network of offices and partner distributors in more than 90 countries worldwide.

SAS International flies high on global success

SAS International is a leading manufacturer of quality metal ceilings and bespoke architectural metalwork. Based in Reading, its products are installed in iconic, landmark buildings worldwide.

The company leads through innovation, design and technical acoustic expertise. Its success is built on continued investment in manufacturing and worldclass engineered solutions.

Last summer SAS International’s work on the redevelopment of London Bridge station was recognised at the Architect’s

Journal Awards. Designed by Grimshaw Architects, and containing striking architectural metalwork manufactured and installed by SAS International, London Bridge station was deemed the natural winner, commended for its sustainability, ingenuity and modest grandeur.

SAS International has also won international recognition for its work on both Microsoft and LinkedIn’s headquarters in Ireland.

The company’s turnover in 2018 was more than £97 million.

Immunocore is a leading T cell receptor (TCR) biotechnology company developing therapies with the potential to radically improve the lives of people with serious diseases.

From its headquarters at Milton Park in Oxfordshire, and other sites in the USA, the company’s most advanced therapeutic programmes are focused on oncology. It also has programmes in infectious and autoimmune diseases.

One of the greatest challenges in immunotherapy is the identification of new and safe target antigens (a toxin or other foreign substance which induces an immune response in the body). Immunocore’s approach is based on an engineered TCR-based targeting system. The company is expanding its portfolio to address a broad spectrum of cancer indications, including solid tumours as well as infectious and autoimmune diseases.

The company is making substantial progress towards commercialisation of its key therapy, most notably obtaining agreement with the USA’s Federal Drugs Administration in 2018.

Immunocore’s partners include Genentech, GlaxoSmithKline, AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

THE ART OF SMART

What causes companies around the world to make one decision over another? Can a business be inspired by another’s decisionmaking, even if it’s thousands of miles away?

Stuart Weekes, at audit, tax, advisory and risk firm Crowe UK, discusses the issues

Ranked the eighth largest accounting network in the world, Crowe Global has more than 200 independent accounting and advisory firms in 130 countries.

Drawing on this extensive knowledge and network, The Art of Smart is the most comprehensive study of corporate decisionmaking in the world which explores the different facets of decision-making by companies across the world.

This year’s Art of Smart reveals risk as a strong motivator for bold decisions and innovation. That’s good news for Oxfordshire and the Thames Valley companies, where courage has never been in short supply.

The report suggests that bolder companies are often operating in more challenging business conditions, and the tougher a situation, the bolder the company.

Innovative companies tend to be more prevalent in sectors where growth is sluggish, and, contrary to popular belief, younger companies do not necessarily innovate more. The research found that successful companies operating in slowgrowing industries were backed by robust research and development and had a higher number of recognisable innovations.

Biotech is a standout sector in this year’s Art of Smart data, which is great news for Oxfordshire and the Thames Valley where there are hundreds of British-born companies in the sector already exporting across the world.

However, while the UK remains full of innovative ideas, of which many can be supported through grants and R&D tax credits, too often companies are short of investors with deep enough pockets to help them scale up. Stand-out businesses such as Protim, Penlon and Norbar are the exceptions, having secured investment from US companies, which thanks to its entrepreneurial healthrelated infrastructure, is supported by large amounts of venture and corporate capital wanting to buy into their success.

On a local level, our list of 100 Top Exporters also reveals that, despite the view that Britain doesn’t make much any more, the contrary is true.

The biggest number of exporters by far are manufacturers, making anything from food or furniture to one of the most iconic cars in the world, the MINI, alongside world-beating motorsport and technology.

Retail brands also feature in our list too. Britain is known for producing worldclass brands and we’ve included some of the newer, fast-growing ones, which might not be immediately familiar.

Interestingly, two pet product manufacturers are listed, tapping into a pet care market estimated to hit a value of $269 billion by 2025, according to market intelligence company Global Market Insights.

Read The Art of Smart www.crowe.com/global/insights/art-of-smart

A diverse workforce can deliver explosive growth

There are other ways to drive a smart business and investment in workforce diversity is an important one.

Increasing numbers of companies are recognising that a more inclusive culture will feed into (and draw from) a wider talent pool, providing different viewpoints on which to base strategic and operational decisions.

Research for this year’s Art of Smart revealed that overall, companies that scored highest in diversity also achieved explosive growth in terms of revenue per employee – an incredible 3,680 per cent.

Be bold and brave

Boldness and innovation help companies across the world to overcome challenges. Those that do nothing increase their likelihood of business failure, those that are proactive increase their chances of survival and success. In difficult scenarios, companies that make bold moves, such as entering new markets or developing new products and services may still fail, but they’re unlikely to be successful without making those big decisions. It’s all about changing the balance of probabilities.

Watch designer ticks up annual sales

Bremont is an award-winning British company based in Henleyon-Thames producing beautifully engineered chronometers (watches to the uninitiated).

Nick and Giles English established Bremont in 2002, having spent their childhood making and restoring things in their father’s workshop, a former RAF pilot with a PhD in Aeronautical Engineering.

The brothers are both pilots of historic aircraft and had a narrow escape in the 1990s while flying their vintage biplane in France, landing unexpectedly in a field.

The farmer who rescued them turned out to be a gifted engineer, who had wall clocks all around the house. His name was Antoine Bremont.

Bremont watches are now designed, manufactured and assembled in England and the company has invested heavily in its Henley-onThames facility.

The company continues to invest in its brand, and its last accounts reported a 24 per cent growth in annual sales, to more than £2 million.

Timber treatment business fizzes with global success

Marlow-based Protim Solignum Ltd has been manufacturing wood preservatives since 1934 and supplying timber preservative systems along with specialist fire retardants.

Five years ago, the company was bought by Koppers, a leading global supplier of carbon compounds and commercial wood treating products and services.

Protim Solignum has been exporting for the last 60 years. In fact, the Solignum brand is as well recognised across Asia as the Coca Cola brand, the company said.

With around 50 people at its European headquarters in Marlow, Protim Solignum has 2,500 employees worldwide and the brand is now present in 48 countries.

Precision engineering and training the envy of the world

Thatcham-based Xtrac designs and manufactures precision mechanical engineering components and transmission systems for use in motor sport, high performance automotive and specialist engineering applications for customers across the world.

This highly successful company offers significant opportunities to graduates and apprentices and has won a Princess Royal Training Award in recognition of its

investment in skills and training. In fact more than half of the apprentices it has trained over the last 25 years remain with the company.

The company is currently working on confidential projects for a host of manufacturers to supply their technology and highly integrated transmissions for the next generation of highperformance hybrid and electric road vehicles.

100 TOP EXPORTERS OXFORDSHIRE

Turnover rose more than two per cent in 2018, to £50.9 million, the same year the company completed a £4.8 million extension of its Thatcham facility.

& THAMES VALLEY

100 TOP EXPORTERS

SOFTWARE, IT & COMMUNICATIONS

CitNOW

Video software designed to make buying, selling or fixing a car more efficient

Alistair Horsburgh, Chief Executive Officer

Wokingham www.citnow.com

Livingstone Technologies Ltd

Provides organisations including Nissan and BT with software licences from companies such as Microsoft, and IBM.

Tim Green, Chief Executive Officer

Reading www.livingstone-tech.com

Wireless Logic Group Ltd

Technology to connect and control the wireless transmission of data via the Internet of Things for products such as vehicle trackers, card payment systems and CCTV cameras.

Oliver Tucker, Chief Executive Officer Hurley, Berkshire

www.wirelesslogic.co.uk

Chipside Ltd

Specialist software and development of parking and traffic management systems.

Paul Moorby OBE, Chief Executive Officer

Chippenham

www.chipside.com

Kerridge Commercial Systems Ltd

Specialist software and services to integrate trading and business management systems to customers across the world.

Ian Bendelow, Chief Executive Officer

Hungerford www.kerridgecs.com

Teneo Ltd

Specialist integrator of next generation technology.

Piers Carey, Chief Executive Officer Reading www.teneo.net

Roc Technologies Ltd

IT Services company providing business and technology transformation to multinational companies and public sector organisations.

Matt Franklin, Chief Executive Officer

Newbury www.roctechnologies.com

Redwood Technologies Group Ltd

Providing communications technology and services to hundreds of the world’s largest organisations.

Sean Taylor, Global Chief Executive Bracknell

www.redwoodtech.com

Focusrite plc

Global music and audio group which markets proprietary hardware and software products.

Tim Carroll, Chief Executive Officer

High Wycombe, Bucks

www.focusriteplc.com

Invenio Business Solutions

IT consultancy and services provider.

Arun Bala, Chief Executive

Reading

www.invenio-solutions.com

European Electronique

Technology solutions provider offering everything from hardware and software through to IT consultancy.

Yolanta Gill, Chief Executive Officer Witney www.euroele.com

Podium Pet Products Ltd

RETAIL BRANDS

Sabre Retail Fashion Ltd (trading as Mint Velvet)

Women’s clothing retailer.

Liz Houghton OBE, Co Founder and Chief Executive

High Wycombe, Bucks

www.mintvelvet.co.uk

Podium Pet Products Ltd

Develops and manufactures wellbeing and grooming products for domestic animals.

Carina Evans, Chief Executive Officer Maidenhead

www.podiumpetproducts.com

Pet’s Kitchen Ltd (trading as Vet’s Kitchen)

Says it is the only pet food brand with an in-house vets practice.

Jenny Philp, Managing Director Swindon

www.vetknowhow.co.uk

Oxford Products Ltd

Motorcycle and bicycle products, from clothing and helmets to accessories.

Andrew Hammond, Owner and Managing Director Witney

www.oxfordproducts.com

Allmakes 4x4

Supplies original equipment and aftermarket parts and accessories for Land Rover, Jeep and an increasing number of pickup brands.

Richard Howe, Managing Director Abingdon

www.allmakes4x4.com

Ella’s Kitchen (Brands) Ltd

Organic baby foods brand.

Mark Cuddigan, Chief Executive Officer

Henley-on-Thames

www.ellaskitchen.co.uk

Direct

Wines Ltd (trading as Laithwaites)

Retailer and producer of wine. Sells in the UK, US and Australia, and has franchise and distribution agreements across the world.

Tony Laithwaite, Founder Theale

www.laithwaites.co.uk

The Entertainer

Toy retailer. Part of TEAL Group Holdings, a family of brands which also includes Early Learning Centre and Addo.

Gary Grant, Co-founder

Amersham

www.thetoyshop.com

Christopher Ward (London) Ltd

Premium British watch brand, specialising in mechanical and quartz watches, designed in the UK and manufactured in Switzerland.

Mike France, Chief Executive Officer

Maidenhead

www.christopherward.co.uk

Bremont Watch Company

Premium crafted pilots’ watches made in the UK.

Giles English and Nick English, Joint Co-Founders

Henley-on-Thames

www.bremont.com

100

Paul Mason Consulting Ltd

Retail technology consultancy.

Paul Mason, Chairman

Abingdon

www.pmcretail.com

Venture Life Group plc

Self-care products including for oral healthcare, women’s intimate health, neurology, cardiovascular and dermatology.

Jerry Randall, Chief Executive Officer

Bracknell

www.venture-life.co.uk

World Wise Foods

Supplies responsibly sourced products to leading retailers across the globe.

John Burton, Chief Executive Officer

Ascot

www.worldwisefoods.co.uk

First Line Ltd

Supplier of premium quality automotive components to the vehicle aftermarket.

Peter Joyner, Chairman

Banbury

www.firstline.co.uk

E.P. Barrus Ltd

Partners with major international companies representing leading brands in the garden machinery, garden tools, marine and industrial engine markets.

Robert Glen, Chairman

Bicester

www.barrus.co.uk

TOP EXPORTERS OXFORDSHIRE & THAMES VALLEY

PHARMACEUTICAL

PsiOxus Therapeutics Ltd

Aiming to be the world’s leading cancer gene therapy company, delivering medicines of value to patients with cancer.

John Beadle, Chief Executive Officer

Abingdon

www.psioxus.com

Oxford Immunotec Global plc

Global diagnostics company, focused on developing and commercialising proprietary tests for under-served immune-regulated conditions.

Dr. Peter Wrighton-Smith, Chief Executive Officer

Abingdon

www.oxfordimmunotec.com

Isansys Lifecare Ltd

Digital healthcare company which has developed a simple-to-use, advanced patient monitoring platform - the Patient Status Engine.

Keith Errey, CEO and Co-Founder

Abingdon

www.isansys.com

Owen Mumford Ltd

Designs and manufactures an innovative range of medical devices and disposables for drug delivery and capillary blood sampling.

Jarl Severn, Managing Director

Woodstock

www.owenmumford.com

Wasdell Packaging Group

Contract clinical and commercial supply company, with a particular focus on flexible, small batch packaging and oral liquid manufacturing.

Vincent Dunne, Chief Executive Officer

Swindon

www.wasdell.co.uk

Circassia

Specialist pharmaceutical company focused on respiratory disease

Steve Harris, Chief Executive Officer

Oxford

www.circassia.com

Adaptimmune Therapeutics plc

Leader in T-cell therapy. Its SPEAR T-cell therapies offer promise to patients who often have no other options.

Adrian Rawcliffe, Chief Executive Officer

Abingdon

www.adaptimmune.com

Oxford Biomedica plc

Pioneer of gene and cell therapy with a leading position in lentiviral vector research, development and bioprocessing.

John Dawson, Chief Executive Officer

Oxford

www.oxfordbiomedica.co.uk

TOP EXPORTERS

Penlon Ltd

Medical device company. Key areas of business are anaesthesia delivery, airway management, suction control and oxygen therapy.

Peter Worrallo, Managing Director

Abingdon

www.penlon.com

Immunocore UK

Leading T Cell Receptor biotech focused on delivering first-in-class biological therapies that have the potential to transform the lives of people with serious diseases.

Dr Bahija Jallal, Chief Executive Officer

Abingdon

www.immunocore.com

Intersurgical Ltd

Global designer, manufacturer and supplier of high quality medical devices for respiratory support.

Charles Bellm, Managing Director

Wokingham

www.intersurgical.com

CliniMed Ltd

Markets and distributes innovative medical products for Stoma Care, Urology and Continence and Wound Care.

Sean Farbrother, Group Chief Executive

High Wycombe, Bucks

www.clinimed.co.uk

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Veolia Nuclear Solutions UK (was Oxford Technologies)

Delivered the world’s first remote handling equipment to operate inside a nuclear fusion reactor. Now part of the Veolia Group.

David Loughborough, UK Managing Director

Harwell

www.nuclearsolutions.veolia.com

Oxford Technical Solutions Ltd

Its inertial navigation technologies provide position, roll, pitch, heading and other measurements of vehicles on land, sea and in the air.

Chris Hocking, Managing Director Upper Heyford www.oxts.com

Oxford Instruments plc

Provider of high technology products, systems and tools to industrial companies and scientific research communities.

Ian Barkshire, Chief Executive Officer

Abingdon www.oxinst.com

Oxford Metrics plc UK

Through its divisions Vicon and Yotta, the company helps clients in motion measurement and infrastructure asset management.

Nick Bolton, Chief Executive Officer

Oxford

www.oxfordmetrics.com

P2i Ltd

Global consumer electronics giants Sony, Lenovo and Xiaomi use this firm’s nano-coating technology.

Ady Moores, Group Chief Executive Officer Milton Park, Oxfordshire www.P2i.com

Oxford Space Systems

Pioneering the development of deployable antennas and structures that are lighter, less complex and lower cost than those in current commercial demand.

Sean Sutcliffe, Chief Executive Officer Harwell, Oxford www.oxford.space

Oxsight Ltd

Innovative solutions for sight degeneration that balance style and intuitive technology. Helping people with visual impairment take back control of their vision.

Dr Rakesh Roshan, Chief Executive Officer

Oxford www.oxsight.co.uk

100

EXPORTERS

TOP

OXFORDSHIRE & THAMES VALLEY

Wasdell Packaging Group

Vicon, part of Oxford Metrics plc UK, has signed a contract with Red Bull Diagnostics and Training Centre, for its inertial tracking solution.

MANUFACTURING

Aircraft Materials UK Ltd

Supplies aerospace, high tech and speciality alloys worldwide. The company also sources speciality metals and “difficult to obtain” grades and alloy.

Chris Justice, Managing Director Stokenchurch

www.aircraftmaterials.com

Banking Automation Ltd

Pioneered the design, development and integration of automated self-service cash machines.

Jonathan Simpson Tarling, Managing Director Wokingham

www.bankingautomation.co.uk

Bentham Instruments Ltd

Manufacture and supply of standard instruments and custom systems for applications involving the study and measurement of light.

John Hughes, General Manager Reading

www.bentham.co.uk

BMW Group UK - Mini Plant Oxford

BMW Group’s central assembly plant for the Mini car.

Dr Peter Weber, Plant Oxford Managing Director Cowley, Oxford

www.mini.co.uk

Bullitt Group Ltd

Design and distributes innovative products and services that bring together global brands and connected device technologies.

Colin Batt, David Floyd, Richard Wharton, Co-Founders

Reading

www.bullitt-group.com

Castle Microwave Ltd

Supplies high technology, RF and microwave products with expertise covering components and subsystems used in military, space, telecoms, smart energy, test and measurement.

Richard Eldridge, Managing Director

Newbury

www.castlemicrowave.com

Crowcon Detection Instruments

Part of the Amersham-based Halma family, a group of organisations dedicated to providing safety, health and environmental technologies.

James Gravestock, Managing Director Abingdon

www.crowcon.com

DCS Group (UK) Ltd

Sales and distribution of health, beauty and household brands. Manufactures for Aldi, Lidl, Wilko, Poundland and more. Owns the Enliven health and beauty brand.

Denys Shortt, Chief Executive Officer

Banbury

www.dcsinc.co.uk

100 TOP EXPORTERS

e3d-online.com

3D printer developer.

Sanjay Mortimer, Commercial Director and Co Founder

Chalgrove, Oxfordshire

www.e3d-online.com

Essentra Components Ltd

Manufactures and distributes vital component parts.

Scott Fawcett, Managing Direcctor

Kidlington

www.essentracomponents.com

Flightline Support Ltd

Designs and manufactures aircraft refuelling vehicles and aviation refuelling equipment.

George Maguire, Chairman

Witney

www.fsluk.com

Frog Bikes Ltd

Designs and manufactures lightweight child-specific bikes using research from experts in sports science.

Jerry Lawson, Founder Ascot

www.frogbikes.co.uk

Frog Bikes Ltd

Frontline Developments

Restores the driving experience of classic MG cars without losing any of the car’s character or charm.

Tim Fenna, Founder and Technical Director

Abingdon

www.frontlinedevelopments.com

Hypnos Ltd

Family-run mattress and bed maker. Its handcrafted beds are slept on by the world’s royalty and celebrities.

Peter Keen, Chairman

Princes Risborough

www.hypnosbeds.com

ICEoxford Ltd

Designs and manufactures specialist ultra low temperature equipment for the cryogenic research community.

Chris Busby, Managing Director and Co-Founder Witney

www.iceoxford.com

JSP Ltd

Manufacturer of innovative “above the neck” personal protective equipment specialising in head, eye, face and respiratory protection.

Mark Johnstone, Chief Executive Officer

Witney

www.jspsafety.com

Langley Engineering Ltd

Supplies predominently cable tools to electrical contractors.

Adam Lloyd, Managing Director Reading

www.langleyengineering.co.uk

Leverton-Clarke Speciality Chemicals

Manufacturer of speciality chemicals, including lithium chemicals. Winner of the Queen’s Award for International Trade last year.

David Hicks, Chief Executive Officer

Basingstoke

www.levertonlithium.com

Loadpoint Ltd

Develops and manufactures high precision dicing machines and offers in-house subcontract service, along with service and support.

Clive Bond, Managing Director

Cricklade, Swindon

www.loadpoint.co.uk

Lucy Group Ltd

Diversified group operating across a number of sectors: Lucy Castings, Lucy Controls, Lucy Electric and Lucy Real Estate.

Richard Dick, Executive Chairman and CEO Oxford www.lucygroup.com

Matrix Plastics Ltd

Plastic fabrication company. Produces colour compounds and masterbatches.

Nigel Batt, Managing Director Slough

www.matrix-plastics.co.uk

Meech Static Eliminators Ltd

Manufacturers static control, compressed air technology and web cleaning systems, both contact and non-contact.

Chris Francis, Chief Executive Witney

www.meech.com

Norbar Torque Tools Ltd

Design and manufacture of torque control equipment.

Neill Brodey, Managing Director Banbury www.norbar.com

Origin Frames Ltd

Manufacturer of luxury aluminium sliding doors and windows.

Andrew Halsall, Managing Director High Wycombe, Bucks

www.origin-global.com

Oxford Nanopore Technologies

Manufacturer of nanopore sequencing products for the direct, electronic analysis of single molecule.

Dr Gordon Sanghera, Chief Executive

Oxford

www.nanoporetech.com

Oxford Plastics Systems Ltd

Designs and manufactures safe, temporary products for the work-site. 75 per cent of products are made from recycled plastic, 95 per cent are recyclable.

Chris Whiteley, Managing Director Chipping Norton

www.oxfordplastics.com

Oxkem Ltd

Manufacturer and supplier of chemicals.

Michael Head, Chief Executive Officer

Reading www.oxkem.com

Premier Diagnostics Ltd

Designs and markets test emission equipment for the UK MOT aftermarket and export markets.

Mavis Connell, Managing Director Banbury

www.premierdiagnostics.ltd.uk

Prodrive Holdings Ltd

Motorsport and advanced technology company.

David Richards CBE, Chairman Banbury www.prodrive.com

SAS International

Manufacturer of quality metal ceilings and bespoke architectural metalwork. Installed in iconic, landmark buildings worldwide.

Todd Altman, Chief Executive Reading www.sasint.co.uk

Silbury Marketing Ltd

Manufactures high quality food ingredients sold to the foodservice and food manufacturing sectors.

Adrian Hall, Managing Director Banbury

www.silbury.co.uk

Stuart Turner Ltd

Designs and manufactures products from a simple domestic shower pump to large water boosting systems for commercial and industrial projects.

Richard Harden, Chief Executive Officer

Henley-on-Thames

www.stuart-turner.co.uk

Surelock McGill Ltd

Manufacture and installation of high performance door locking and bolting systems. Used by International Government Agencies around the world.

John McGill, Group Managing Director Wokingham

www.surelockmcgill.com

Systech Instruments Ltd

Specialises in online, portable and laboratory gas analysis equipment.

Leigh Butler, Director of Operations Thame

www.systechillinois.com

Unipart Group

Works with clients across automotive, technology, financial services, healthcare, utilities, manufacturing, transports and defence, retail and distribution, and the public sector.

John Neill CBE, Chairman Oxford

www.unipart.com

United Shield International

Manufacturers personal ballistic and fragmentation protection equipment.

Alan Hudson, Managing Director Andover

www.unitedshield.com

WaveOptics Ltd

Designs and manufactures see-through near-eye displays. Known as waveguides, these are key components in augmented reality wearable devices and smart glasses.

David Hayes, Chief Executive Abingdon

www.enhancedworld.com

Williams Advanced Engineering Ltd

The technology and engineering services business of the Williams Group, providing innovation, testing and manufacturing.

Craig Wilson, Managing Director Wantage

www.williamsf1.com

Williams Jet Tenders Ltd

Design and build of jet tenders for yachts.

Mathew Hornsby and John Hornsby, Joint Co-Founders

Wallingford

www.williamsjettenders.com

WOSPerformance Ltd

Designs and manufacturers starter motors, alternators, distributors and cooling fans etc.

Luke Wos, Managing Director

Aylesbury

www.wosperformance.co.uk

Xtrac Ltd

Designs and manufactures transmission systems.

Adrian Moore, Chief Executive Officer

Thatcham

www.xtrac.com

Yasa Ltd

Manufactures electric motors and motor controllers for automotive and industrial applications.

Dr Chris Harris, Chief Executive Oxford

www.yasa.com

100 TOP EXPORTERS OXFORDSHIRE & THAMES VALLEY

VARIOUS AND SERVICES

Sandbag Ltd

Full service merchandise company with offices in the UK and USA. Working for acts such as Rag & Bone Man and Radiohead.

Mel Maxwell, Owner

Reading

www.sandbagheadquarters.com

Oxford Summer Courses

Residential tuition business operating out of 14 Oxford colleges. Also runs courses in Cambridge, London, USA, Bangalore and Singapore.

Harry Hortyn, Co-founder

Oxford

www.oxfordsummercourses.com

British Medical Auctions

Buys end-of-life and retired equipment from the NHS and private hospitals. Sells everything from x-ray systems to examination lamps to more than 5,000 buyers globally.

Markus Grad, CEO and Founder Bracknell

www.britishmedicalauctions.co.uk

Austin Fraser UK

Recruitment consultancy with offices in Britain, Germany and America. Operates in the technology, digital, life sciences, automation and aviation sectors.

Peter Hart, Chief Executive

Reading

www.austinfraser.com

Westcoast Ltd

Distributes IT products and services. One of the UK’s largest privately-owned companies, and the largest privately-held business in the Thames Valley region.

Joe Hemani, Chairman Reading

www.westcoast.co.uk

WMP Creative

Creative agency working across digital, exhibitions, graphic design, film and video, live events, product design and sports events.

William Martin, Founder and Chief Executive Oxford

www.wmpcreative.com

Cherwell Valley Silos Ltd

The company’s business areas include animal feedstuffs ingredients manufacture, grain trading, road transport services and property.

Andrew Cherry, Managing Director Banbury

www.cherwellvalleysilos.co.uk

Westminster Group Plc

Specialist security and services group operating worldwide through an international network of agents, with offices in more than 50 countries.

Peter Fowler, Chief Executive Banbury

www.wg-plc.com

Risk Decisions Ltd

Collaborates with global organisations to create risk strategies for their businesses.

Val Jones, Chief Executive

Oxford

www.riskdecisions.com

HR

Wallingford

Independent civil engineering and environmental hydraulics business delivering practical solutions to complex water-related challenges globally.

Bruce Tomlinson, Chief Executive Wallingford

www.hrwallingford.com

Cash Processing Solutions

Provides cash centre consultancy, data and software and sorting machines.

Barrie Foley, Chief Executive Basingstoke

www.cps.world

Oxford PharmaGenesis Ltd

Health science communications consultancy providing services to the healthcare industry, professional societies and patient groups.

Chris Winchester, Chief Executive Tubney, nr Oxford

www.pharmagenesis.com

Protim Solignum Ltd

High performance wood treatment products. The wood preservatives, termiticides, decorative coatings and ancillary products are used around the world.

Ian McConnell, Chief Executive Marlow

www.solignum.com

HR Wallingford’s Fast Flow Facility is one of the world’s largest marine test facilities

North Worcestershire Business Awards 2019

The first North Worcestershire Business Awards were held by North Worcestershire Economic Development and Regeneration (NWedR) and North Worcestershire Business Leaders (NWBL) at Hogarths Stone Manor Hotel. More than 170 business leaders from across North Worcestershire attended to celebrate the rising stars in the area. Six winners took home crystal trophies. Business & Innovation Magazine was delighted to be proud media partners to the inaugural awards.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ROB LACEY

Would you like to feature your business event, launch or party in our business events section?

Please contact: kirsty.muir@nkmedia.co.uk or visit businessinnovationmag.co.uk

Melanie Hawkett from North Worcestershire Business Leaders and Rose Padmore from Opening Doors and Venues with Ostap Paparega and Jane Doyle from NWedR

Andrew and Kim Baker from Eureka Financial Solutions

Audience Pic

Jeremy Strong from Invoco and Kevin Brent from BizSmart

Jess Antley from WINN and Jane Doyle from NWedR

Andrea Borwell-Fox from Circle2Success and Steve Borwell-Fox from Borwell

Amy and Doug Marshall from Wyre Talent

Lee Hawkett from North Worcestershire Business Leaders and Aaron Merryweather from Lloyds Banking Group

Ian Miller and Cllr Fran Oborski MBE from Wyre Forest District Council with Sophie Hughes from Citizen Communications

Emma Porter from OGL Computer and Edward Vickery from DRPG

Nicky Godding and Rosemary Henderson from Business & Innovation Magazine

NEW

£2 MILLION

DISTRIBUTION

CENTRE TAKES CENTRE STAGE AT KETTLER HQ

Leading outdoor living provider, Kettler has opened the doors to a £2 million facility in Redditch, which the company says reflects its market-leading presence and demonstrate its long-term vision for sustained growth.

The extra high facility, next to its current warehouse, will treble the company’s current capacity. The new facility has 120 tonnes of steelwork and three miles of racking that will accommodate 5,500 pallets, which will significantly improve its stockholding and efficiency. The new distribution centre is also primely positioned for Kettler’s national network of retailers.

“We are delighted to launch this state-of-the-art facility and mark another major milestone in Kettler’s journey”

Winners revealed at the first North Worcestershire Business Awards

More than 170 business leaders from across North Worcestershire attended the region’s first business awards, with six companies taking home crystal trophies.

The winners included Redditchbased commercial heating company Ignis Group which won Best StartUp Business and Bumblehole Foods of Bromsgrove which won Best Contribution to the Community.

Invoco Telecom of Bromsgrove secured Best Customer Service and Peter Hill of Redditch-based Petvictus won Entrepreneur of the Year.

Kettler Managing Director, Paul Bevington, said: “We are delighted to launch this facility and mark another major milestone in Kettler’s journey.

“We can now store all our stock and operate from one single location, which will ensure we continue to efficiently respond to customer demand and to prepare for more innovation in an everchanging marketplace.”

OGl Computer, based at Stourporton-Severn, secured Best Employer of the Year and Unique IQ of Redditch, won the award for Innovation of the Year.

Unique IQ is a software provider serving the health, social care and cleaning sectors with two key products, the IQ:timecard and IQ:careplanner.

Worcester address verification company goes global with Chinese partnership

Address verification company Loqate, formerly Postcode Anywhere, has formed a partnership with Netherlands-based NavInfo Europe to provide address data for mainland China.

In 2017, the Worcester-based business success story Postcode Anywhere, which provided UK and international address validation services, was bought by global identity data intelligence company GBG for £66 million, and renamed Loqate.

Loqate now processes millions of transactions every day for some of the world’s largest e-commerce companies. It’s also used to enhance the quality of data held within CRM systems and to

improve user experience and customer conversion rates.

NavInfo is the leader in location and autonomous driving services in China.

The partnership will allow Loqate to boost its global reference data and enable customers and partners to accurately deliver their goods and services in China.

David Green, Managing Director of Loqate, said: “The Chinese marketplace is immensely important to our global customers and partners. Our relationship with NavInfo Europe means they can effectively verify and

enhance their Chinese address data and serve customers in that market.”

Ralf Stollenwerk, Managing Director of NavInfo Europe said: “This agreement builds a strong foundational step in advancing the strategic objectives of both companies.”

GBG, which owns Loqate, brings together data relating to the identities of nearly 4.5 billion people.

This “identity data intelligence” helps organisations capture and manage personal data, manage risk, fight fraud and consider whether or not someone is suitable for employment.

Kettler’s new distribution centre

Hallmark Hulme Solicitors – Introducing the Commercial and Business Law Team

As Worcester’s oldest and most experienced law firm established in 1790, Hallmark Hulme Solicitors boasts a team of 34 legal experts, backed up with years of successful practice. Strong, lasting relationships are what drives their business forward.

Central to Hallmark Hulme’s success is their people. The Firm employs the very best, highly experienced experts in the following areas of law:

Commercial Property and Leases (Kate Walton – Partner)

If you are looking to purchase or lease your premises our property expects can assist – we are ideally placed in the local community to advise and liaise with local property contacts. We advise our clients on the production, negotiation, and approval of land purchase agreements (both freehold and leasehold), option agreements,

promotion agreements and ancillary documentation in relation to commercial and mixed-use developments.

Commercial and Business (Rebecca Hastings – Solicitor)

We are passionate about your business and establishing the structure required to ensure future success such as terms and conditions, partnership agreements, shareholder agreements, articles of association, GDPR compliance, distributor or agency agreements.

Employment (Claire Cole – Partner)

We advise employers on all aspects of employment law including restructures, TUPE transfers, drafting director service agreements, employment contracts and Staff Handbooks, negotiating settlement agreements and representing clients in unfair dismissal and discrimination claims in the Employment Tribunal. We provide a bespoke

HR solution for clients who need practical HR support.

Litigation (Sarah Watson – Associate)

Protracted litigation can be damaging and costly – let our team assist to minimise impact on your business. We draw on our extensive experience to provide intelligent, pragmatic and positive solutions no matter what your business size.

Debt Recovery (Sarah Watson –Associate)

In business we all face the “bad payer” from time to time. Why not ask us to get involved in the process. We can help you with debt collection to free up your cash flow and ultimately allow you to invest and grow your business.

We understand you need practical guidance and support from real people.

Call for Worcestershire businesses to diversify into agri-tech

A new project promoting entrepreneurship in Worcestershire’s agri-tech sector has launched at Pershore College.

REDDITCH BUSINESS HAS

SPRING IN ITS STEP AFTER SECURING LOAN

Two Worcestershire companies have benefited from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking support.

Specialist springs and pressings manufacturer Vernier Springs and Pressings, based in Redditch, has invested in four new CNC machines with the support of an asset finance facility worth £420,000 over two-years.

Vernier, which operates two sites in Redditch, produces springs and pressings for more than 120 customers worldwide.

Exports account for approximately 55 per cent of the business’s annual turnover.

businesses across the Midlands, to invest in new disposal vehicles. The move comes after a surge in demand for its services, which has also created three new jobs, with support from a £600,000 hire purchase facility from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking.

From its at Rushock Trading Estate headquarters, Clearway Ltd collects and recycles waste from factories, restaurants, schools and colleges across the West Midlands and the Black Country.

“The business completes 250,000 collections annually and following a 20 per cent uplift in demand in the last year, asked Lloyds Bank for funding to support expansion”

The privately-owned firm expects the new installations to boost its annual turnover by five per cent in 2019 and its 60-strong team to increase by four employees.

Lloyds has also helped Droitwich recycling and waste management firm Clearaway Limited, which serves 5,000

The business completes 250,000 collections annually and following a 20 per cent uplift in demand in the last year, asked Lloyds Bank for funding to support expansion.

The funding has boosted the company’s fleet to 20 vehicles, enabling an additional 50,000 collections a year. The new vehicles will also allow Clearaway to access clean air zones on collection routes.

GrowAgri Worcestershire, a £2 million initiative between the college and the European Regional Development Fund, will support the development of technologies for use in horticulture and agriculture.

The project is being led by the Worcestershire Local Economic Partnership-funded Agri-Tech Research Centre based at the college and will deliver business support, workshops, technical demonstrations and bespoke consultancy.

The initiative is open to all small to medium-sized Worcestershire businesses.

Agricultural technologies are classed as any innovation that makes horticulture or agriculture more efficient, productive and profitable. They can be derived from science, technology, engineering or social innovation.

GrowAgri Project Manager, Mark Harwood-Browne, said: “This project will be of particular interest to engineers, food technologists, agronomists, systems analysts or anyone developing technologies that could be transferable across different industrial sectors.

“It is also a unique opportunity for Worcestershire enterprises not familiar with the sector to establish key contacts and get an introduction to horticulture and agriculture.”

The project has grants available to support capital purchases that will enable an enterprise to develop technologies or move their business into the agri-tech sector.

Wayne Hawkins (Managing Director, Vernier Springs & Pressings); Corin Davies (Financial Director, Vernier Springs and Pressings); Rob Taylor (Relationship Manager, Lloyds Bank); Julie Cranmer (Associate Director of Asset Finance, Lloyds Bank)

Clearway lorries

Positive trial results for breakthrough waste-to-energy innovation

AIRBAND ANNOUNCES FURTHER GROWTH

Worcester-based internet service provider Airband has announced an office expansion and new recruitment drive following several large contract wins.

The move follows rapid business growth and the appointment of Mark Stansfeld as chair earlier this year, as part of the firm’s wider strategy to drive growth and invest in digital transformation in rural and hard-toreach areas.

Mark is Chair of Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership, a member of the UK5G and Midlands Engine boards, among other appointments.

Human Resources Director, Miranda Peel, said: “We want to attract the best engineering and digital talent, who will thrive in a vibrant and rapidly expanding business like Airband.

“Our mission is transforming connectivity for people and communities who deserve better and in order to do this we need to grow our engineering teams and our sales team.”

Automotive software company expands Malvern HQ

Global automotive software company Sofico, is expanding its UK headquarters in Malvern.

The company develops software for automotive finance, leasing management, fleet and mobility management companies.

Established as a start-up in Belgium in 1988, Sofico now turns over £39 million a year developing mobility software for companies and leasing fleet management in 24 different countries.

Sofico employs 310 staff in eight offices worldwide, in countries including Japan, Australia, France and Mexico.

Its UK headquarters currently employs 12 people and the business hopes to nearly double that number within the year.

The business based its UK headquarters in Worcestershire because of the county’s location and reputation as a tech hub.

Sofico was supported by Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership and the Department for International Trade, which connected the business with Hewett Recruitment, to support the early recruitment of Sofico’s workforce.

An invention which could revolutionise how people fuel their homes and businesses by converting domestic rubbish into energy could prevent 13.5 million tonnes of valuable resource entering the UK’s waste system, says its inventor.

And now, following more than 8,500 hours of testing and six months of field trials, Nik Spencer says the initial results are pointing to his invention HERU (Home Energy Resources Unit) as a major breakthrough technology.

The HERU takes everyday items, which would have been destined for disposal, such as coffee cups, plastics and nappies, and converts them into energy to heat water for the home or commercial buildings.

The HERU operated five days a week, every week for six months at Wychavon District Council, which covers the towns of Pershore, Droitwich Spa and Evesham.

To date it has processed up to four kilograms of resource per day, equating to 420 kilos of diverted resource from entering the waste system.

Nik Spencer said: “I am incredibly pleased with the reliability of the trial unit. The effort that went into testing before we delivered the HERU into the field has paid dividends.

“Through policy change to behavioural change, the HERU has the potential to change our relationship with what we currently discard, misbelieving it to be rubbish,” Nik added.

“Our mission is transforming connectivity for people and communities who deserve better and in order to do this we need to grow our engineering teams and our sales team”

Airband’s engineering team

LET THERE BE LIGHT, AND THERE WAS HIGH TECH LIGHT

A new natural light growing centre has been opened at the University of Warwick’s Wellesbourne Campus.

Thanks to funding of £500,000 by Innovate UK, the high-tech greenhouse facility was designed and built by RIPE Building Services in partnership with agritech innovation centre Crop Health and Protection (CHAP).

CHAP is one of four agri centres being funded by £90 million of government investment, in collaboration with industry and academia.

The structure, named the Natural Light Growing (NLG) Centre, is an experimental hub for horticulture to investigate the effect of full spectrum growing conditions on crops in a protected environment.

Rather than being constructed from glass, the centre uses a new type of ETFE film, which transmits the full spectrum of UV light.

Fraser Black, Chief Executive of CHAP, said: “The NLG Centre at Wellesbourne Campus is another vital openaccess facility for UK agriculture. We look forward to welcoming British growers to explore some of their key productivity challenges.”

Phillip Lee, Managing Director of RIPE Building Services, said: “We’re incredibly excited to be officially launching our new prototype greenhouse.

“The location is ideal for the facility, being part of Warwick’s innovation community as well as a major growing area in horticulture.”

Coventry and Warwickshire companies combine to win contract

Two Coventry and Warwickshire businesses have won a major tender for one of the world’s leading museum groups after joining forces to bid for the contract.

Market research companies Protel Fieldwork and XV Insight made a joint submission and won the contract to design and conduct research that would provide National Museums Liverpool with a better understanding of the visitor experience at the Merseyside Maritime Museum.

Expansion at recycling firm with zero waste to landfill ambitions

A South Warwickshire family business is expanding its Long Marston recycling facility to help it meet its ambition to achieve zero waste to landfill.

MRW Waste Recycling provides skip hire and waste collection services across South Warwickshire.

It specialises in separating construction and demolition waste into saleable, reusable aggregates.

The company has now purchased brownfield land alongside its Sharry Lane yard, just outside Long Marston, where it is to build a new facility to wash construction and demolition waste that would have previously been sent to landfill. The material can then be sold as aggregates.

In addition, waste timber is shredded and pulped, to be sold as biomass for the power generation industry.

Alastair Frew, a partner in the real estate practice of Lodders Solicitors, provided MRW’s owner Mick Williamson with legal property advice to secure the land.

Helen Roberts, Director of Leamington-based XV Insight and Tina Lunn, Director of Coventrybased Protel Fieldwork, have since gone on to partner on other UKwide research projects, working together with new clients across different sectors and industries.

Tina said: “By working with XV Insight we have been able to win additional major national tenders that would be otherwise unattainable without the right research partner.”

Alastair said: “MRW is one of the area’s largest and most well-known waste collection and recycling companies and an excellent example of real recycling in operation.

Mick Williamson added: “Our aim is to recycle 100 per cent of all construction and demolition waste, and this new site will allow us to operate even more efficiently, with approximately 99 per cent of all material being sold for re-use. Even the water in our new washing plant will be circulated and used again.”

“The NLG Centre at Wellesbourne Campus is another vital open-access facility for UK agriculture”

Fraser Black, CHAP, Prof Janet Bainbridge OBE, Ian Cox, Innovate UK, Prof Lorenzo Frigerio, University of Warwick, Phillip Lee, RIPE

Leamington Business Awards 2019

Now in their 6th year in Leamington, these awards were organised last year by Leamington Business Forum. The Awards celebrate the fantastic work being done by businesses, charities and individuals in and around Leamington Spa. Businesses celebrated at the black-tie gala awards dinner held at the Leamington Pump Rooms. Business & Innovation Magazine was proud to be the official media partner for this event.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ROB LACEY

Would you like to feature your business event, launch or party in our business events section?

Guenther Schmalz, Abbie Fisher, Andi McConnell and Josh Miller from Withers & Rogers LLP

Andy Cartwright and Neil Allcroft from Harrison Beale & Owen

Kim Klahn and Louise Igoe from Lodders Solicitors

Jane Waight, Mark Hughes-Webb and Laura Wrench from SPACE-2 Group

Mark Ashfield from Harrison Beale & Owen and Nigel Granger from Lockwoods

Marianne Pitts from The Leamington Society and Adrian Gains from Temperance Gregg Olner and Wayne Gutteridge from Harrison Beale & Owen

Stephanie Kerr from Leamington BID with Sarah Windrum from Emerald Group and Roger Scott from Lloyds Banking Group

Rebecca and Drew Newey from Symonds & Newey

Rhys Jarman, Susan Hopcraft and Keri Harwood from Wright Hassell

Nicky Godding from Business & Innovation Magazine with Jonathan Smith from Business Forums and Rosemary Henderson from Business & Innovation Magazine

LEADING GAME DEVELOPER MOVES TO NEW LEAMINGTON PREMISES

One of the UK’s leading independent video game developers has relocated to bigger premises in Leamington Spa.

Sumo Digital, which also has studios in Sheffield, Nottingham, Brighton, Newcastle, Leeds, Warrington and India, has moved to Bishops House in Homer Close at Tachbrook Park which is owned by property development and investment company AC Lloyd.

The new premises are the expanding company’s first studio dedicated to mobile games development, an extension to the wide range of creative

and technical services that Sumo Digital offers its high-profile, global publisher and development partners.

Under the leadership of experienced duo Chris Southall, Studio Director, and Harinder Sangha, Operations Director, Sumo Leamington has grown significantly since opening in early 2019.

The new office accommodation was secured by Warwickshirebased commercial property agents Bromwich Hardy.

Codemasters goes “Slightly Mad” buying fellow gaming studio

Video game developer and publisher Codemasters, based at Southam near Leamington Spa, has agreed subject to conditions, to acquire London-based Slightly Mad Studios, another leading racing video game developer, for more than £150 million.

Slightly Mad Studios, founded in 2009, develops commercially successful racing franchises and games including Project CARS and Need For SpeedTM Shift.

The purchase of Slightly Mad Studios diversifies Codemasters’ intellectual property portfolio, bringing three incremental game launches to the company during the year ending March 31, 2021.

Frank Sagnier, CEO of Codemasters, said: “Codemasters’ acquisition of SMS will create a global leader in the racing genre.”

Coventry security company builds links with Saudi training company

A Saudi Arabian business is set to benefit from the expertise of a world-leading security company based in Coventry.

Stadium recently signed a joint venture agreement with Saudi training company Bayt Alkhibrah to support the training of running large events safely and efficiently.

Stadium, which works with a string of Premier League clubs on security, safety and traffic management, will devise a bespoke training programme to teach its joint venture customers best practice.

Stadium’s founder David McAtamney, said: “Bayt Alkhibrah could have chosen companies closer to home to work with, but they’ve chosen us thanks to our great reputation in delivering international

bespoke training programmes. Our tutors will help train our customers to not only keep crowds safe when working at events, but to make sure the visitor experience runs as smoothly as possible.

“While many countries rely on their police forces to operate security, their main priority is operating traffic management and policing.

“Poorly-planned traffic and crowd management can ruin fans’ experiences.

“Stadium’s methods ensure anyone attending large events, whether that’s a football match, a music concert or an outdoor market, have a great time as well as a safe time.

Harinder Sangha and Chris Southall from Sumo Digital with Tony Hargreave of AC Lloyd) and Michelle Mills, Bromwich Hardy

Ibraheem A Alfuraih, General Manager of Bayt Alkhibrah, with David McAtamney, founder of Stadium

Stratford Business Show 2019

The 11th annual Stratford Business Show 2019 held at the Stratford upon Avon College saw more than 100 businesses visit the exhibition and networking events throughout the day. Business & Innovation Magazine was delighted to be official media partners for this event.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ROB LACEY

Would you like to feature your business event, launch or party in our business events section?

businessinnovationmag.co.uk

Please contact: kirsty.muir@nkmedia.co.uk or visit businessinnovationmag.co.uk

Charnjit Saranna, Lash Saranna and Sukhi Saranna from Electric Zoo

Brian Peavot from Riverside Stratford

Nicole Platten and Cameron Ross from Burgis & Bullock

Joshua Schram, Karla Hill and Joe Crowley from NFU Mutual

Jonathan Smith from Business Forums and Rosemary Henderson from Business & Innovation Magazine

Daria Gniech, Claire Purbhoo and Rashpal Virdee from Baldwins Accountants

Laura and Andrew Styring from LMR Insurance

Lovell Watson and Sarah Armstrong from Simplify IT

Jason Savidge and Henri Collins from Stratford Energy Solutions

Anne Solomon from Venture House Stratford and Adam Plumb from CWLEP Growth Hub

NUNEATON SECURITY FIRM SMASHES

TARGETS 18 MONTHS AFTER SETTING UP

A Nuneaton security firm has smashed its targets in the first 18 months of business.

Sue Yildiz and Gennine Cope established Kopek Security in 2018 in Dunns Close, Nuneaton after working as dog handlers in the security industry.

The firm has now moved to a new headquarters eight times the size and the business is winning contracts all over the UK, which has seen it earning in a month what was projected for a year.

Kopek has been supported by Gavin Barnett, of the CWLEP Growth Hub who recommended that the business work with the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce.

He introduced Sue and Gennine to Business Adviser, Helena Bassett, who supported them through the Accelerated Growth Programme. This project forms part of the Coventry & Warwickshire

Business Support Programme partfunded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Kopek now has around 50 subcontractors working for the business from Stockton-on-Tees down to Brighton

Warwickshire firm gearing up for zero-emissions growth

An engineering business creating power solutions for zero emission vehicles is aiming for growth after securing a key role in a major project.

Lyra Electronics, based at the University of Warwick’s HRI site in Wellesbourne, will work as part of a consortium to create a supply chain for automotive power electronics in a £33 million government-funded project called ESCAPE.

ESCAPE aims to advance the UK’s transition to zero emissions transport, with Lyra helping to create a hyper charger to fully charge electric vehicles.

Led by McLaren Applied Technologies, ESCAPE is one of five projects awarded funding, ranging from the development of high-performance battery packs and electrified construction equipment to hydrogen-powered engines.

After recently doubling the size of its base, the company is pressing ahead with ambitious growth plans to double staff numbers on the back of securing a role in the project, with assistance from the University of Warwick’s Business Ready programme.

Peter James, co-founder of Lyra Electronics, said: “Working on ESCAPE

on everything from construction sites through to residential property.

As part of the company’s expansion, it has introduced three new services –key holding, mobile patrols and emergency response.

is a major project for us and we are delighted to be working as part of such an esteemed consortium.

“We are aiming to roughly double our staff total over the coming months and will continue to expand our site this year.”

Sue Yildiz, Gennine Cope, Helena Bassett, Gavin Barnett

“As part of the company’s expansion, it has introduced three new services –key holding, mobile patrols and emergency response”

Regional round-up

Peter James of Lyra (left) with Dirk Schaffer, Business Growth Adviser at University of Warwick Science Park

EMPLOYERS GET WORKING ON APPRENTICESHIPS

National Apprenticeship Week, now in its 13th year, will take place from February 3-7. This week-long celebration of apprenticeships across England aims to recognise apprenticeship success across the country

We’re showcasing some of the region’s businesses, companies and colleges of further and higher education which offer apprenticeships in skills as diverse as farriering to space engineering.

According to a report published by the CBI late last year, Education and Learning for the Modern World, more than four in five businesses polled for the report now offer apprenticeship programmes. However, before we celebrate this figure, it should be pointed out that the report only surveyed 208 businesses and trade associations.

Nevertheless, there does seem to be wider acknowledgement that education is becoming a top priority for business, which understands its impact on productivity and living standards.

There is widespread criticism of the apprenticeship levy which the new government must address, and a quarter of companies are reportedly absorbing

the levy as a tax on doing business, rather than claiming it. But in the process they miss the opportunity to use it to fund skills training for their workforce.

Speaking as the report was released, Matthew Fell, CBI Chief UK Policy Director, said: “Turning the UK into a nation of lifelong learners will be critical to ensuring our country is well placed to reap the benefits of digital, technology and other changes in the workplace.”

Bringing a fresh approach to business

The theme of this year’s National Apprenticeship Week is “Look Beyond” and it will celebrate the diversity and value that apprenticeships bring to employers, apprentices and communities across England.

All the employers we interviewed already recognise the value that apprentices bring to their business, citing in particular their fresh viewpoints and ideas. For many companies, doing what they have always done comes too easily, and a new perspective, however disruptive it might appear, can be a real boost to company owners and senior management courageous enough to listen to ideas offered by enthusiastic young people keen to contribute.

But the number of apprenticeship starts has fallen sharply. Government statistics published at the end of November show a drop of more than 22 per cent since the introduction of the apprenticeship levy in 2017.

Figures show that there have been just 1.9 million apprenticeship starts since May 2015. The government has missed its three million new starts by 2020 pledge.

“Turning the UK into a nation of lifelong learners will be critical to ensuring our country is well placed to reap the benefits of digital, technology and other changes in the workplace”

The gamification of skills and training could inspire more young people

Last November, the UK’s best young apprentices were revealed at WorldSkills UK Live, a set of skills competitions for young people and adults designed and delivered by industry experts.

This gamification of apprenticeships seems a great way to engage with young people and boost the popularity of training.

Last year’s event held in Birmingham attracted more than 80,000 people, according to WorldSkills UK, a partnership between business, education and the government.

The competition runs each year covering more than 70 skills across the UK. Top scorers from across the regional heats and selection events are invited to compete at WorldSkills UK Live National Finals.

Winners at WorldSkills UK, which is the nation’s largest skills, apprenticeships and careers event, then go forward to represent the UK at WorldSkills International, a competition for 72 nations dubbed the ‘skills Olympics’.

Across this region, aeronautical engineering apprentices from QinetiQ, and floristry students from Warwickshire College Group, walked away with awards, and are waiting to hear if they will be selected for the squad heading for WorldSkills Shanghai 2021.

Perhaps competitions like this could inspire more people to start apprenticeships.

2019 WorldSkills UK

By Sue Parr, Director of Apprenticeships WMG, University of Warwick

Discussions about apprenticeships and the apprenticeship levy often seem to be associated with negative comments.

It’s certainly true that many elements of the programme introduced in 2017 are challenging and could be improved, but there are also many more things to celebrate.

When talking to apprentices on our engineering and digital and technology programmes I am struck by their enthusiasm and commitment to programmes that require a challenging combination of full-time work and study.

Most have chosen the apprenticeship route because they like to apply their learning to real work situations and value the chance it gives them to begin their career working alongside experienced professionals and making significant contributions to their employing companies from the moment they start work. Apprenticeships provide a unique and valuable combination of study, real work and the opportunity to develop professional skills.

Companies are now more regularly building apprenticeships into their talent development plans because they value the real enthusiasm and commitment that many apprentices bring to their organisations and the speed with which their become highly competent.

In a world where rapid changes in markets and technology demand responsiveness from companies and different skills from the workforce, reskilling and upskilling existing staff is also vital.

also vital.

Let’s celebrate apprenticeships, says the WMG, University of Warwick

“Apprenticeships provide a unique and valuable combination of study, real work and the opportunity to develop professional skills”

Enthusiasm drives

Tom’s success at Hatton Court Hotel

Tom Blackford works as an apprentice hospitality supervisor at Hatton Court Hotel near Gloucester, undertaking his apprenticeship through Gloucestershire College.

Steve Gardner-Collins, Sales Director at The Hatton Collection, the family-owned group of independent hotels and inns which owns Hatton Court, is full of praise for Tom’s enthusiasm and positive attitude.

He said: “Tom is willing to meet the needs of our customers and his employers, and it’s a refreshing approach.

“We work with Gloucestershire College because they offer a wide variety of courses which go handin-hand with our business needs.

“The business team has been a huge support to provide the links we needed for the courses themselves. Our apprentices can have a hands-on approach to their work and learn at the same time.

“Apprentices have become a valuable asset in our hotels and pubs,” added Steve. “Learning and development are a big focus for us and a driver of our success.

“And we benefit from our apprentices bringing a fresh approach and current knowledge of the hospitality sector which they are learning through the academic side of their apprenticeship. It’s a win-win from all angles.”

PIONEERING ENGINEERING COMPANY TAKES APPRENTICES SERIOUSLY

One of the South West’s most successful manufacturing companies, Renishaw, works with Gloucestershire College on apprenticeship schemes.

There are currently 13 Embedded Electronic Design and two Electronic Design, higher (degree) apprentices being trained with the college, which began offering higher degree apprenticeship schemes in 2010.

Four Embedded Electronic apprentices are being supported by Gloucestershire College as they complete their final years at UWE Bristol.

Pete Leonard, Electronic Design Manager at Renishaw, said: “Gloucestershire College is committed to getting the best out of our apprentices and providing the academic knowledge they need to complete their BEng degree courses. These higher apprenticeship schemes are delivered over five years with the first three delivered by Gloucestershire College, and the later years in UWE Bristol. They are normally on a day release basis, but for the first year the college offers additional day release to support the Practical Engineering Operations, delivered to NVQ standards, complimenting practical skills learnt in industry, alongside health and safety.”

Pete praised the working relationship between Renishaw and Gloucestershire College. “We receive a very high level of support on the college campus and at Renishaw, with regular visits to review the standards and progress for each individual apprentice.”

Apprenticeship (Higher) schemes in general are an alternative approach to developing a successful career without attending full-time at university. They have the added advantage of the integration in industry. With that comes the knowledge and involvement in company processes, tools and standards needed to develop into an engineer. There is also the additional support from experienced engineers to encourage apprentices to develop real projects.

Julie Russell is the Apprentice Lead at Renishaw. She said: “We benefit greatly from having apprentices in different departments. It ensures we have a pool of talent allowing us to plug foreseen skills gaps where recruiting experienced people may be a challenge.

“Apprentices also bring skills and new ideas with them and help us challenge perspectives and ways of working. It’s also a great opportunity for the development of existing staff, as they can become apprentice mentors and placement managers, or perhaps even be inspired to undertake an apprenticeship themselves, as part of upskilling.”

“Gloucestershire College is committed to getting the best out of our apprentices and providing the academic knowledge they need to complete their BEng degree courses”

Gloucestershire College works collaboratively with more than 1,200 employers to deliver training across 17 industries including Engineering, Professional Services and Construction. Each year it is seeing an increase in the number of employers keen to grow their own talent in-house via apprenticeships, rather than relying solely on external recruitment to bring in the skills required. The introduction of apprenticeship standards (schemes of work developed by employers) means that apprenticeship training is now even more deeply rooted in the requirements of the job.

Andy Bates, Chief Financial Officer at Gloucestershire College, said: “One of the college’s key focuses is our higher level apprenticeship programmes which enable people to gain qualifications right up to degree level, without attending University. These allow employers to gain access to highly technical and specialised people who can be developed in line with their organisational goals. Our latest Cyber Degree Apprenticeship which we are delivering in partnership with University of the West of England (UWE), launched last September.”

Gloucester-based thinkproject UK recruited Remy Thompson in April 2018, and he began an apprenticeship on software testing the following July. It has been a big success.

Thinkproject UK’s cloud-based contract and event management and reporting system (CEMAR) helps quantity surveyors, engineers, facilities managers, project managers and project professionals in construction and engineering. It reduces time spent on administration and frees teams up to concentrate on innovation and teamwork.

Nick Oram, Quality Manager at thinkproject, says the level of support that the apprentice and the company receive from Gloucestershire College’s apprenticeship team is exemplary.

Nick says that apprenticeships are usually scheduled for 18 months, but are often completed within a year.

“Apprentices are invaluable to our company, because they make an everincreasing contribution while they are learning the tools of the trade.”

Remy added: “The apprenticeship route is a brilliant entry point to a profession. I’ve been able to learn from practising industry professionals at work, and experienced tutors at college. The progression from the college course was fantastic to bring me from knowing very little regarding the intricacies of software testing to having industry-recognised qualifications and accreditations.”

Remy is one of a number of staff at thinkproject UK to successfully complete an apprenticeship with Gloucestershire College. These individuals have become crucial to the company’s success.

working day – is very helpful and

“Our apprentices are in constant contact with the college and we are kept informed of their progress and asked to report how things are going in the work environment. The checking procedure – ensuring the apprentice is getting exposure to the correct areas during their working day – is very helpful and allows the company to ensure the right balance is achieved at all times.

“The college also ensures that the apprentice has successfully completed foundation level ISTQB certification, which positions Remy perfectly to move forward with his career as a Test Analyst.”

ISTQB certification, which

sponsored by Gloucestershire College

Remy has his head in the clouds, but his feet trained to the ground

Remy Thompson

Jack Stubbs (left) and Tom Dingle started as IT apprentices at Renishaw last summer

The sweet smell of success for Jacobs Douwe Egberts

Jacobs Douwe Egberts supplies an incredible nine per cent of the world’s coffee. With brands including Kenco and Tassimo alongside its Douwe Egberts brand, the company sells more than 4,200 cups of tea and coffee every second.

Its UK market is served by its Banbury facility, which produces 20,000 tonnes of coffee a year and employs around 300 people.

The company apprenticeship scheme has run since 1983, putting 74 young people through. It currently has 12 apprentices (10 in manufacturing and two in research and development).

Offering strong training and support is a priority for the company and it works with Trident College, part of Warwickshire College Group.

The young people receive a thorough grounding in engineering. Apprentices spend their first year at Trident College studying basic engineering. In the second year, they experience different departments and trades within the manufacturing facility.

By Christmas of their second year they will follow either a mechanical or electrical route. In the third year they will have established which area of engineering most interests them and by the fourth year they are preparing themselves for their chosen manufacturing career path, while attending college on day release to gain their HNC qualification.

Since the company’s apprenticeship scheme began, 55 of the apprentices stayed with the business, of which 39 are still working there. Four hold senior management positions.

In 2010 Tim and Jayne Whittington began building their business, The Forge, a remedial shoeing unit and farrier training centre at Inkberrow in Worcestershire.

Tim is a qualified farrier and Jayne, an amateur showjumper. The couple started from scratch, living in caravans as they built the business up, and were delighted when Tim’s son Alex said he wanted to be a farrier.

It took Alex four years, training alongside his father and studying at Moreton Morrell College, part of Warwickshire College Group, which offers students the opportunity to study land-based skills on a working commercial farm.

After Alex graduated, along came Joe Hosie from Wrexham, who also wanted to become a farrier, and the Whittingtons took on their second apprentice.

“The difference in our rural sector is that our apprentices live with us,

so we are not only responsible for their training, but helping them develop as young adults as well,” pointed out Jayne.

“We even have to get them through their driving tests, as well as their farrier exams.

“It’s also as important for farriers to know how to communicate well, as it is for them to know their trade. They will work for those who ride as a career, as well as owners whose much-loved horses live in fields next to their home. And we have to work with vets, and in race yards.”

EQUINE BUSINESS FORGES A STRONG PIPELINE OF TALENT FOR THE FUTURE

“The partnership between us and Moreton Morrell College is a great way into a fulfilling career”

Joe Hosie, Tim and Alex Whittington

Charity business goes the extra mile to support apprentices

Give as You Live was launched in 2010 to provide an easy way to raise free funds for charity just by shopping online.

The Evesham-based company now works with thousands of charities, fundraisers and retailers to raise money.

The company has been employing apprentices for four years to help harness local talent. It has so far trained six in social media, customer service, technical assistance and marketing and is currently training two apprentices in digital marketing and business administration.

Give as You Live’s expansion plans mean that from 2020 it plans to increase its apprenticeship intake from two to three a year and widen training opportunities into departments such as development and finance.

The company has always advocated introducing fresh talent into the business and over the past two years staff satisfaction has risen due to better working relationships, partly down to its apprenticeship strategy.

Rachel Layton completed a Customer Service apprenticeship with Give as You Live last year, winning “Intermediate Apprentice of the Year” at the recent Worcestershire Apprenticeship Awards. The company says that the effect Rachel has had on the business has been invaluable.

Laura Gorin, Give as you Live’s Head of Marketing, said: “We have seen a decrease in customer enquires due to her ability to answer queries thoroughly, and an increase in customer satisfaction via our Feefo rating.

What’s your specialist subject?

Warwickshire College Group (WCG) is the largest college training provider in the Midlands, training around 2,500 apprentices each year.

One thing that makes it almost unique in apprenticeship delivery is the breadth of professions it can accommodate. Its seven colleges cover wide-ranging specialisms such as landbased industries, automotive engineering and dental nursing, to name a few.

WCG also provides training for the most popular professions such as marketing, accounting, business administration and social care, which means that almost any employer, large or small, is likely to find that their new or existing staff can become apprentices with WCG.

As a trailblazer training provider, WCG worked on the development and introduction of new Apprenticeship Standards with national giants such as Jaguar Land Rover. As a result it is one of the largest training providers for higher level apprenticeships, right up to Honours degree level.

Joe proved to be a natural, winning a double honours. He’s since moved into a house in the village and continues to work at The Forge.

And that was it, thought the Whittingtons. As a small employer they’d done their bit in skilling up the next generation. But last year they agreed to take on another, and now have Charlie training with Tim and Moreton Morrell College as a farrier.

“He didn’t enjoy his previous apprenticeship, so we took him on,” said Jayne. “Tim is a fantastic tutor and Charlie is doing really well. We gain great satisfaction through their enthusiasm and achievement and we love to see young people succeed.

“The partnership between us and Moreton Morrell College is a great way into a fulfilling career.”

WCG apprentices have the opportunity in a number of professions to progress from Level 2 (Intermediate) right up to highly skilled Level 6 (Degree), making apprenticeships a careerspanning progression pathway for many people.

The Give as you Live team win at The Worcestershire Apprenticeship Awards

CREATIVITY DRIVES SUCCESS FOR DRPG APPRENTICES

Where apprentices are concerned, one of the UK’s most successful creative and events agencies, DRPG, puts its money where its mouth is.

DRPG board member Richard Hingley started his career as an apprentice 20 years ago. He’s now the group’s Creative Director.

The company’s aim is to grow and nurture a constant pipeline of people and talent for the future, and over the last two years in particular, its apprenticeship scheme has been a big part in helping to support this.

The company, based at Hartlebury near Kidderminster, currently has 10 apprentices within its workforce of around 315.

Jez Light is Head of Learning and Development at the company. His approach has been to take the prescribed apprenticeship as the base, then build a much more intensive training programme around it to produce work-ready young people within 15 months, rather than the average three years.

“When our apprentices join they are given a really robust introduction to the company,” he said. “This includes understanding our values and behaviours, and our DRPG Essentials course – 14 hour-long training sessions to give them the rounded skills they need as individuals and which will help them in the workplace.

“Some are game-led, and they are designed to be fun. The apprentices can choose which ones they want to participate in, and we follow their sessions up with e-learning to reinforce what they’ve learned.”

This is particularly important in the creative sector the apprentices have joined, where the name of the game is deadlines and meeting and exceeding client expectations. This all takes good communication skills and common sense.

“There’s no point an apprentice knowing how to code a computer or save files and spreadsheets but not being able to have a conversation with another human being,” said Jez. “We make them proud to work for us and our retention is excellent.”

Each apprentice spends around 20 per cent of their working week learning. The rest of the time all of them are working

directly on events, with four working directly in the events team and the others spread out across departments supporting them.

And DRPG’s investment is working. One apprentice, Tom Smith, 23, who is working in the company’s IT department, won both Higher Level Apprentice of the Year and Worcestershire Apprentice of the Year in the county’s 2019 apprenticeship awards.

“Tom didn’t join as an apprentice but decided to follow that route when we offered it to him,” said Jez. “When he’d completed his first apprenticeship, he did a year of practical work and then decided to head back into studying and undertake a higher apprenticeship.

“It’s taken him five years to achieve but his hard work has paid off handsomely for Tom, and for the company.”

The DRPG team and their apprentices win at the recent Worcestershire Apprenticeship Awards

“There’s no point an apprentice knowing how to code a computer or save files and spreadsheets but not being able to have a conversation with another human being”

Phosters fosters training and support in Worcestershire

Last year, Kidderminster-based Phosters (FM) Ltd was named as the Worcestershire Apprenticeship Employer of the Year.

Phosters is a facility service provider offering building maintenance services across the UK and Europe.

With roots stemming back to 1918, the company is a leading provider within the industry. It has a management team with more than 100 years of collateral knowledge serving different markets and operations.

The company has been employing apprentices for around four years and has taken on 10 young people, almost all studying business administration with one accountancy apprentice.

Phosters employs apprentices with their future career in mind, offering a good training programme with excellent career prospects. It sees its apprentices as future

leaders and is keen to offer them as much training and support as possible.

Alexandra Kavanagh, Head of Business Support at Phosters, said: “Apprentices are excellent employees. They offer innovative ways of thinking and are very committed. Apprenticeships are quite often our first point of call when recruiting and since 2017 we have offered degree apprenticeships which has been invaluable to the company.”

Phoster’s current degree apprentice is Cameron Hamilton-Patel who is completing a chartered manager degree apprenticeship. “Cameron has

REGIONAL APPRENTICESHIP REPORT sponsored by Worcestershire Apprenticeships

become an integral member of the team and has analysed and reviewed multiple budgets leading to cost savings and improved efficiencies across the business,” said Alex. “He is a great support to the business and we are excited to see where his apprenticeship takes him.

“One of the key things we pride ourselves on is the support we offer to our apprentices, in their working life and their personal lives too. If there is anything they wish to pursue, any difficulties they are experiencing we will always offer as much support as possible. Apprentices are the future and we are invested in supporting the young people in Worcestershire.”

Want to take on an apprentice? Find out how from the Hub

The Worcestershire Apprenticeships Hub helps employers implement apprenticeships in their organisations.

The Hub makes apprenticeships easy for small and medium-sized businesses. The team gives advice on many topics, from succession planning and talent management to choosing the right provider and apprenticeship standard, accessing

grants to support them to recruit and supporting registration on the apprenticeship service.

The Hub also offers an impartial referral service to the right training provider, to help businesses recruit and develop their apprentice or upskill an existing employee through an apprenticeship.

It also helps employers to encourage

the growth of apprenticeship opportunities and increase the number of young people becoming apprentices in Worcestershire. The Worcestershire Apprenticeships website currently has more than 3,000 employers listing their vacancies with around 110 training providers.

www.worcsapprenticeships.org.uk or phone 0300 666 3666

“One of the key things we pride ourselves on is the support we offer to our apprentices, not only in their working life but in their personal lives too”

Cameron Hamilton-Patel with Alexandra Kavanagh and colleagues from Phosters at the Worcestershire Apprenticeship Awards

Eynsham-based SST Technology designs and manufactures advanced fabrications with a particular expertise in tubular components and high-performance insulation products.

Part of the Polar Technology Group, which owns a number of engineering businesses operating at the leading edge of technology, SST design systems and components, often working with its customers’ design teams. The company works with the highest performance materials such as Inconel, Titanium and stainless steel and employs advanced processes such as CNC Bending, Hydroforming, pressing and six-axis laser cutting.

The company takes on up to four apprentices at a time, most training to be engineers, although it is also putting one through an apprenticeship in finance this year.

Sharon Barrett, Head of People and Performance, said: “We train our own apprentices because it can be difficult to find enough engineers who possess the skills we need for our sector of engineering.

“We use a number of training providers, but Oxfordshire Advanced Skills gives us the benefit of being able to provide full-time training to apprentices in their first year so that when they arrive to work here in their second year, and continue their training on day-release to college, they will have a useful level of knowledge and maturity which will benefit the business as well as give them a sound skills foundation to a career in engineering.”

The new Oxfordshire Advanced Skills (OAS) Training Centre at Culham Science Centre near Abingdon, welcomed 100 young people last September to began their apprenticeships.

OAS offers training for the Level 3 Engineering Technician Apprenticeship Standard. This qualification has been designed by employers to give the technical and practical knowledge required to work in the engineering sector. The OAS is also introducing training in BTEC Level 4 Higher National Certificate in Engineering with degree apprenticeships in the planning for September 2020.

The training centre, which is being run by the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) will make a significant contribution to developing the next generation of engineers to support the future skills needs of businesses across Oxfordshire, the Thames Valley and the surrounding area – one of the UK’s high-tech hotspots.

David Martin, Director of Oxfordshire Advanced Skills Centre, said: “The OAS is an employerled skills hub providing high

quality training contextualised by being delivered in the workplace. Based as we are at one of the most exciting science and technology hubs in the UK, we have created something very special that has the potential to impact careers and business performance for decades to come.”

The new 3,800 sq metre training centre at The UK Atomic Energy Authority at Culham incorporates some of the country’s most advanced equipment on which the apprentices are learning.

It will provide more than 160 apprentices a year with the technical skills Oxfordshire and the Thames Valley’s economies need, and a springboard for future career success.

Training at the new facility is being delivered by MTC Apprenticeships, replicating the industry-leading tuition provided at the Advanced Manufacturing Training Centre (AMTC) on the MTC campus at Ansty Park, Coventry. The AMTC has a reputation for equipping apprentices not only with core engineering skills but also the latest advanced manufacturing techniques.

More than 20 of Oxfordshire’s most exciting science and technology companies are currently placing their apprentices with Oxford Advanced Skills.

When the skill-set is scarce, SST trains its own

OXFORDSHIRE APPRENTICES TRAIN IN THE HEART OF UK SCIENCE AND TECH

Oxfordshire’s new Advanced Skills Training Centre at Culham

sponsored by Oxfordshire Advanced Skills

Working for Reaction Engines is out of this world

Reaction Engines, based at Culham Science Centre, is currently putting three apprentices through their training at Oxford Advanced Skills Centre. One electrical apprentice is in his first year of full-time training while a second year mechanical apprentice is completing his BTEC certificate and a fourth year mechanical apprentice is completing his HNC.

Reaction Engines offers an Advanced Level 3 Apprenticeship Scheme to ensure its apprentices have cutting-edge engineering and science disciplines.

Nothing less will do for those who want to build a career with one of the UK’s most exciting companies which is developing the technologies needed for a new class of innovative hypersonic propulsion system it has named the Synergetic Air-Breathing Rocket Engine (SABRE).

Reaction Engines propose to take on at least one apprentice a year, with applications opening for the 2020 intake.

Apprenticeship Scheme Manager, Barry Coulling, said: “Our apprenticeship programme nurtures the skills our workforce will need in the future. Having such a new and well-equipped apprenticeship training centre on site is of huge benefit to us.

“The collaboration between the OAS and Reaction Engines will benefit us and our apprentices as they train to build their careers in engineering and aerospace with a future-focused business.”

Lisa Rudzki, Reaction Engine’s Head of HR, said: “An apprenticeship at Reaction Engines offers the best of both worlds. Each individual gains a recognised qualification while getting valuable work experience by learning on the job.

“We are delighted to offer schemes that take outstanding young people and train them in academic and real work environments developing them into our next generation of designers, technicians and engineers.”

Apprentices fly high at Oxford Space Systems

Oxford Space Systems is an award-winning space technology business based at Harwell which is pioneering the development of a new generation of deployable antennas and structures that are lighter, less complex and lower cost than those in current commercial demand.

Chief Operating Officer, Mat Rowe, is passionate about the value of apprenticeships. He was an UK Atomic

Energy Authority apprentice, as was David Martin the new Director of the Oxfordshire Advanced Skills Centre.

Mat also sits on a trailblazer space technology apprenticeship group, which is working on setting standards for a pioneering new space apprenticeship to be rolled out soon.

“We launched Oxford Space Systems in 2014 and took on our first apprentices in

2016. It’s unusual for an SME to take on apprentices at such an early stage but I felt it was essential as there is such a vacuum of engineering talent since apprenticeships petered out in the 1990s.

Mat welcomed the opening of Oxfordshire Advanced Skills. “We need smart, bright technicians to work in our facility and build spacecraft hardware alongside our really experienced team who work here full-time,” he said.

“An apprenticeship at Reaction Engines offers the best of both worlds.”

Reaction Engines apprentices getting valuable work experience

THE MEAN VIEW

This should be the age of the apprentice

By Ian Mean

A new government and a new year.

Never before has there been so much interest in apprenticeships as young people and their parents are really getting to understand the stark reality of finishing university studies with debts of up to £50,000.

Our new government really needs to grasp the nettle on apprenticeships.

That’s my view after reading the Learning and Work Institute’s Youth Commission Report Fit for Purpose? Education and Employment Support for Young People which was published shortly before Christmas.

It says: “Apprenticeships are less prevalent than in other countries and the number for young people has fallen since the introduction of the apprenticeship levy and other reforms.

“The new system does not encourage employers to focus on young people or reflect the costs of supporting those new to the labour market.

“In this way, it disincentivises apprenticeships for young people.

“We need a higher ambition for education, skills and employment for young people so they can achieve their potential in work and life.”

Quite an indictment.

However, if our new government did something very obvious it would help our businesses – large and small – become far more apprenticeship-friendly.

Ian Mean

The obvious is a back-to-basics explanation of the Apprenticeship Levy so that it is simplified and less complex.

Perhaps the biggest barrier to employers taking on apprentices is their concern that there will be 20 per cent of time “off the job”. In reality, this isn’t the case at all.

But here again, things are not joined up properly or communicated in a simple way that firms can take on board without facing what many of them see as a bureaucratic brick wall.

As a result, they often simply give up the ghost trying to navigate the apprenticeship maze.

But while urging the government to take a long hard look again at how apprenticeships are organised and funded through our futher education colleges and degree apprenticeships at our universities, we need more companies stepping up to the plate.

A declining population, particularly here in Gloucestershire, means that we must do all we can to retain our young people in the county, and especially those who are disadvantaged.

In Gloucestershire, the performance of disadvantaged youngsters is something like 50 per cent worse than other parts of the country.

They must not be left on the employment scrapheap. Is this problem really on our politicians’ agenda? And companies just have to realise that the demographic axe continues to fall. We are running out of

young people to be trained. There are trailblazing companies with apprentices at their heart but far too many are just not investing for the future.

Isn’t it amazing that something like 75 per cent of companies here in Gloucestershire spend less than £5,000 a year on staff training? Can you really believe it?

How can these companies hope to increase productivity when they don’t train their people properly? The productivity puzzle is simply down to people – having good people who have been trained and are enthusiastic about their jobs and their company.

And it really all starts with apprenticeships.

I hope our new government gets the message for 2020 when we are promised funding for 5,000 more new apprenticeship starts.

We simply must deliver for our young people and our economy.

We must ensure they get the skills they deserve to have a worthwhile career.

Ian Mean is Gloucestershire Director of Business West, and a former regional newspaper editor.

He is an honorary vice-president of Gloucestershire College and has an honorary doctorate of philosophy from the University of Gloucestershire for supporting business in the county.

Ian is also chairman of the Gloucestershire Hospitals Trust Organ Donation Committee and a board member of Gloucestershire’s Local Enterprise Partnership, championing small and medium-sized businesses.

BUSTING THE MYTHS ON TALENT RETENTION

Recruiting talented people costs money, so losing them is to be avoided if possible. But with a shortage of skilled people across many industry sectors, how do Human Resources deliver the people a company needs to thrive, and then keep them?

Is talent retention all about the money and the perks? What else does it take to attract and retain good people?

We asked HR professionals across the region for their views on this hottest of topics

Is talent retention all about the money?

Caroline Taplin: “My view is “know your people” as we all have different motivators. For some, material gain and wealth will be important, especially at certain stages in life and moving for money might be a key consideration. But not for all.

“One common motivator is learning –many people like variety and to learn new skills. The most talented person will want to continue in their personal and professional growth and know that they are achieving. A good employer will offer opportunities which best suits such an employee. That could be training programmes, job enrichment or a job move within the business. A big part of our culture at Ecclesiastical is social purpose and the amount of volunteering and fundraising opportunities we offer to employees.”

Claire Hill: Money is not always a motivator – more likely is the opportunity for career advancement and work-life

CAROLINE TAPLIN HR Director at Gloucester-based Ecclesiastical Insurance Group. Ecclesiastical employs more than 1,650 staff in the UK, Ireland, Canada and Australia. Around half are based at the Group’s Gloucester head office

CLAIRE HILL Principal at Worcestershire-based consultancy Hill HR Services

TRACY EVANS Group HR and Quality Director at Pertemps, Meriden in Warwickshire

SHELLEY GUNNELL Chief HR Officer at Worcester-based software development company Titania

SAMANTHA STEW HR Lead at manufacturing company Spirax Sarco, Cheltenham

balance. Baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) are largely motivated by money, perks and positions of authority. Generation X (born between the mid-1960s and 1980s) are motivated by flexible schedules, wellbeing, recognition and monetary rewards. Gen Y (1980-1994) want learning, opportunities and good working environments and Gen Z (1995-2015) are motivated by socialisation, mentoring and constant feedback.

“Often it is the company culture that retains good people.”

Tracy Evans: “It’s a job seeker’s market. Competitive pay and good benefits are a common factor that contribute to employee decisions, but they are also

looking for a strong company culture where everyone is truly valued.

“Millennials are currently the largest generation in the workforce. According to Bullhorn’s Global Recruitment Insights and Data, 45 per cent of UK recruiters consider millennials the most difficult generation to engage with and hire. It’s crucial to remember that their expectations include different workplace values and objectives. Employers need to understand their goals and aspirations to offer tasks and projects that give them a sense of entitlement.

“Within such a competitive environment, companies need to shift their focus on the values of their employees, rather than focusing on what the company has to offer.”

Caroline Taplin

Tracy Evans

Shelley Gunnell Samantha Stew

Claire Hill

Professional Headshots Corporate & Business Portraits

Relaxed & confident professionally shot headshots for your business, marketing, staff profiles, websites & social media. Sessions for individuals, small teams through to large groups, in a style to fit your corporate brand - All shot at your location

Based in Gloucestershire covering the Midlands, South West & The Thames Valley T: 01242 861 118 | M: 07802 542 598 www.roblaceyphotographer.co.uk

Providing HR solutions to support you and your business

Many years of experience and passion make Hill HR Consultancy Limited a key player in local HR provision.

As well as working in partnership with many small businesses across Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, the West Midlands and beyond, owner of Hill HR, Claire Hill, enjoys educating businesses by giving talks on topical HR subjects that will advise, inform and keep them updated on things they need to know. In addition, and recognising that young people are our future employees, Claire is also passionate about working with schools on a voluntary basis, coaching employability skills, such as interviewing and CV writing.

After 20 years of working in Police HR, Hill HR was formed in November 2015. Its aim is to save small business owners time, money, undue worry and sleepless nights by supporting them with their people issues.

Hill HR offers pragmatic and commercially based HR advice, given in an honest, open and friendly way.

Support is offered either on a retainer, ad-hoc or project basis, allowing clients the flexibility to use Hill HR’s services as they require, ensuring value for money. This flexibility and tailored support has given Hill HR the excellent reputation that it has. “We are a small business working for small businesses. We understand the challenges of running a small business and offer very specific advice and support tailored for that particular client.”

The types of services that Hill HR provide are ensuring essential documentation is embedded into the business: this would include contracts of employment and the staff handbook. Hill HR provide advice and support with day to day issues such as discipline, grievance, unsatisfactory

performance and absence, and managing business change. As well as reacting to problems, Hill HR also help businesses plan and ensure their HR and people support the business as it grows and develops.

With an exciting future ahead, Hill HR will continue to do what they love and do best: providing practical, commercial and professional advice to small businesses.

I love HR and I’m here to help you with yours. Please contact me, Claire Hill, via: Hill HR Consultancy Limited

T: 07483 253984 | E: claire.hill@hillhr.co.uk www.hillhr.co.uk

Claire Hill, HR Consultant

Professional headshots sessions from £149 (1 hour session – shot on location at your office)

Shelley Gunnell: “In an increasingly competitive labour market, employers must look beyond remuneration. We are seeing two main talent retention trends: supporting a work-life balance and providing a sense of purpose and fulfilment.

“More people are looking for a job that complements important parts of their life, such as family, health and leisuretime. Achieving this balance is not just about flexible working hours, which helps, it’s about being collaborative and communicative to ensure that the team aren’t under needless pressure or working unreasonable hours to achieve success.

“Increasingly, people are also looking for a company’s vision and values to be in harmony with theirs. Employers who are clear about these will attract and retain people who believe in their mission and want to add value.”

Samantha Stew: Money will always be a factor but demonstrating to employees the whole benefit package will always aid retention, whether it’s holiday entitlement, the ability to work flexibly or a great pension provision. People value different benefits at different points in their lives and careers and companies that can articulate the true whole package will help to retain their employees.”

What else does it take to attract and retain the people you need to help your business grow?

Caroline Taplin: “Again, it’s about knowing your people. You can get into a rut thinking employees are happy by not asking them if they are – some wait to be asked rather than volunteer the information themselves. And people’s needs change.

“The most important relationship is between an individual and their line manager. We offer our line managers training and ongoing support, including encouraging them to do regular one-to-ones which will form the basis for their relationship with their staff.”

Claire Hill: “Employees want the freedom to work when they want to (for example part-time, compressed hours, term-time) and where they want to (from home or from a library or cafe). Businesses must start thinking about offering jobs flexibly from the start, rather than an employee having to request it.

“A business should develop a

culture that caters for a multi-generational workforce. Attracting talent is different now. Advertising in different ways, on different platforms and adverts written in different ways, depending upon who you are trying to attract and knowing where they hang out.”

Samantha Stew: “When this question is asked within engagement surveys, (across a number of businesses not just Spirax Sarco), generally the responses indicate that people are attracted to interesting work and they like to feel that what they are doing has an impact.

“At the moment there is a lot of news around global sustainability. As a steam specialist business, we can pay a huge part in this and by advertising the impact we are having, which will attract people to our business.

“We must also consider different ways of working and that we are clear on our approach and strategy around diversity and inclusion. These are topics high on peoples’ checklists when they research potential future employers.”

Titania has invested significant sums in an attractive staff breakout space at its Worcester headquarters

When I was young I watched my mum and step dad make fantastic changes in peoples lives showing care, understanding and compassion. They worked with people with learning disabilities, some profound disabilities, however, every person was treated with dignity, respect and compassion and the impact on their lives was outstanding. I wanted to be able to follow their lead in my area of interest…Human Resources.

Looking to 2009, I found my career had taken me too far away from my core HR values, and I realised that I could be supporting directors and managers in working with their teams, and getting the best from each individual to deliver the required results for the company. Acorn was born.

I believe in supporting the development of employers, to achieve fair and equitable treatment of their employees, to bring out the best in everyone. Our passion is to have the right treatment of all, to follow the right processes within the framework of employment legislation, the case itself and the direction of the business. Our professional training, knowledge and experience is honed to identify the points of pain for a business, to work through the complexities of a case and to deliver the right outcomes for all.

At Acorn, we strive to treat people with compassion, understanding and equity and is at the forefront of the work we do with our clients.

Why employers choose Acorn is summed up in a phone call in September 2018. It was from an ex-employee of a client, where he had been dismissed and had since moved into a new role. He respected and valued the professionalism of the Acorn team through the most difficult of times, and how we had cared for him as an individual, that he wanted us to support his new employer. I was blown away by this and believe this sums up the impact of the work we do.

Claire Lawton, Director, Acorn

Our vision is to support our clients in being first class employers, resulting in loyal and dedicated employees, profitability and business success

Ecclesiastical volunteers spruce up local area

A big part of Ecclesiastical’s culture is social purpose, so the insurer’s employees needed little persuasion to tidy up and improve a neglected green space near its new head office site at Gloucester Business Park.

They cleared away weeds and brambles, planting daffodil bulbs along a pathway which will be visible from its new offices. The volunteers were supervised by local landscaping contractor Charlton Abbotts.

What else does it take to attract and retain the people you need to help your business grow?

Shelley Gunnell: “It takes effective leadership, communication, collaboration and culture. Developing a culture that is values-driven and celebrates the team’s successes helps to provide a positive working environment, where people can see the difference that they make to the business.

“If you get the leadership right, the rest will follow and the end result is a motivated, productive and diverse team.

“At Titania, we’ve also invested in a vibrant recreational area where the team can visit at any time of day. As well as a kitchen, we have a library, board games, pool table and games room with arcade games and an Xbox. We run a free breakfast club where the team can have toast, cereal or pancakes before they start their

day. We’ve had positive feedback and we think it embodies our culture and values, which has helped us stand out in a buoyant labour market.”

Tracy Evans: “As the mantra goes, “hire for attitude, train for skill”. We should hire individuals whose values are in sync with our own. Skills can be taught, experience gained and qualifications obtained. Candidates want a clear career path. Supporting wellbeing in the workplace is vital to maintain optimal productivity.

“Mental health problems in the workplace costs the UK economy around £70 billion annually according to Forbes. With 91 million UK workdays lost due to symptoms of mental illness, investing in mental health training and support will benefit a business and its employees.”

Let’s try busting some common HR myths

leave – treat them well enough that they don’t want to.

proactive recruitment methods and exposure to better offers.

Tracy Evans: “Not true. Companies often counter-offer when a key employee advises that they wish to leave. What’s interesting, though, is that the employee will tend to stay only for a short time if whatever the underlying issues are, or were, have not gone away.”

Claire Hill: “Developing and investing in your employees is a big part of employee retention. However, sometimes businesses develop and invest in employees in order that they can leave and progress. There is a famous saying by Richard Branson: “Train people well enough that they can

“Employees leave a bad manager – not a bad company: bad management can be a factor in leaving, however, the person will leave a company which has done nothing to correct the bad management.”

Shelley Gunnell: “Another HR myth is that ‘People don’t leave bad companies, they leave bad managers’. While ineffective management will have a negative effect on retention, employees’ reasons for leaving are more complex. People are becoming far more selective and particular about their employers and what they offer. There’s also more competition among employers in the labour market, which leads to more

“Employees will only leave for more pay elsewhere”

Claire Hill: “Not true, however they may leave for more pay elsewhere if they are unhappy where they are.

Tracy Evans: “Again, not true. Businesses commonly presume employees leave due to salary, which is important, but there will be an underlying issue that encourages them to be open to new opportunities. Constant communication can boost employee retention rates by taking the time to find out what they are thinking.”

“If a good employee wants to leave, a company won’t be able to change their mind”

Ecclesiastical’s David Byrne, Charlotte Sanville, Sally Meadows, Natasha Harwood and Adam Daw

MAKING EMPLOYEE INCENTIVES PAY

Retention of talent is a key issue for all businesses.

Heyma Holmes, Partner in the Employment Team at BPE Solicitors, examines why culture, rather than remuneration, is leading the way in retention strategies

The historic belief that employees are only interested in money has long been cast aside and businesses are coming up with more creative incentives and working environments to complement traditional benefits.

Finding the right balance for a business doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, it is likely to save money as recruiting and training employees costs the business financially and in time spent in recruitment.

A report by ACAS in 2014 suggested that the cost of replacing an employee was around £30,000 with a large proportion of this caused by the time it takes to find the right candidate.

Right from the start

A business’s relationship with its employees begins before they have even entered the workplace. Setting expectations and exposing a candidate to the company’s culture straight away sets the tone for the rest of the employment relationship.

Irrespective of the urgency to recruit, the business and employee need to be a good cultural fit. A business needs to understand its culture and how to frame it, while presenting benefits that match its image and help it to stand out from the crowd.

Making it personal

Statistics show that long term retention is rarely connected simply to salary and it is often alternative benefits that attract and retain employees. Organisations should

therefore try to understand what drives potential employees.

 Historically, a more prevalent drinking culture led to perks like Friday night drinks. However, as wellbeing moves up the agenda, this idea is out of kilter with many people’s motivations, such as spending more time with their family or getting to the gym.

 Corporate Social Responsiblity can be an excellent way of engaging with employees. Getting employees to vote on a charity of the year or encouraging activities such as volunteering allows employees to support projects which mean something to them.

 Mental health and employee welfare is fundamental. Work can create high-pressure situations which can risk employees burning out. A proactive employer will ensure appropriate support is in place. Whether this is confidential counselling services or management training to allow people to recognise symptoms of stress, a workplace should look to alleviate the symptoms and be sympathetic to the pressures of working life. Other perks such as sabbaticals allow employees to recharge and explore projects that matter to them, knowing they remain valued by their employer.

 Family and home time are priorities for many, so offering benefits to reflect that can improve both recruitment and retention. That could be extending medical care to

include families, providing enhanced benefits for paternity and maternity leave, and flexible or remote working capabilities to make the workplace more agile and flexible.

Growing with your culture

For businesses scaling up, holding on to a culture is challenging. Let it slip, and they risk losing longstanding and experienced employees who valued the way it used to be. However, retaining the old culture may see you fail to react to changing trends and expectations from candidates.

Irrespective of culture, the average employee turnover rate in the UK is around 15 per cent a year. Regularly reviewing your culture will help you retain employees and ultimately create a place where people are proud to work.

Ask for (and take on board) feedback from employees to help check and shape the business. Listening to feedback will help the company to develop in line with the views of its employees – the leadership merely steers the ship.

Your employees are the most important part of the business. Create and encourage a culture that keeps them there.

BPE is holding a scale-up event aimed at owners and HRDs focusing on retaining your culture on Thursday February 6. For more information and to book a place visit www.bpe.co.uk/scaleup.

Heyma Holmes, Partner in the Employment Team at BPE Solicitors

HOW DO YOU LEAD A TEAM, RATHER THAN HEAD UP A LARGE WORKFORCE?

Leading from the front is the best way to inspire, encourage and motivate your workforce with the ultimate aim of boosting productivity. We talk to two business leaders about how they are tackling the issue and where leadership training has helped them.

“It is a big investment in leadership training,” admitted Hayley. “But because of the practical nature of the QuoLux training, it allows us to take our learning straight back into the business to develop our teams and complete projects.”

“Everyone is now working to a 12-week plan,” Hayley explained. “The purpose is to ensure the whole workforce understand what we are trying to achieve and their role in getting there.

“We have done a lot of leadership training through QuoLux and it has really changed our approach to organisational development. Most of our senior management team have gone through QuoLux’s LEAD and GOLD training which has helped us to lead and communicate better and develop our business’s vision and strategy into something that the entire workforce understands and buys into.”

Hayley has gone further, studying through QuoLux’s GAIN, which focuses on the leadership of innovation, and later this year will begin an MBA in leadership.

MF Freeman believes so strongly in the value of training that the company is investing in its middle management team, inviting them to participate in a special six-month development programme along similar lines.

One such project the company is working on is around the concept of Good Dividends.

“We are exploring what business value is for us and considering social concept as key to our vision. We believe that a focus on the social concepts, such as working more closely with local communities, can create positive impact for the business. Rather than perceiving such social good as a cost, we believe this helps us to drive innovation and profitability.”

The company’s workforce also feels more involved – a great way to develop loyalty.

MF Freeman’s senior team is increasingly thinking ahead and involving everyone within the business, so that every individual knows their purpose and how it fits into the company’s business plans.

“We start with presenting the high-level objectives, then each team discusses and agrees their team’s role in achieving this. Each individual then agrees what part they will play, and these tasks and projects form the basis of the individual’s 12 week plan. This keeps everyone focused and makes sure every individual understands what they have to achieve, by what date and mostly importantly, why it matters.”

It sounds simple, but it has been a huge amount of work for the business. The outcome, however, is positive. All the staff have a much better understanding of what the business is trying to achieve and their personal contribution to the overall objective. “It is certainly better than each individual feeling that they are a small cog in a big wheel,” added Hayley.

“Everyone’s work is valuable to the business. We want to show them that it’s appreciated and that they have a role in the business’s success. And leadership training is helping us communicate that better.”

“Everyone’s work is valuable to the business. We want to show them that it’s appreciated and that they have a role in the business’s success”

Hayley Coombes, Sales and Marketing Manager at MF Freeman Group of Companies in the Forest of Dean

Hayley Coombes, Sales and Marketing Manager, MF Freeman Group of Companies,

STRONG LEADERSHIP HELPS THE CARING SECTOR BECOME MORE EFFICIENT

Cheltenham-based Saracen Care is a specialist domiciliary care company supporting children and working-age adults with complex needs. Funded primarily by the NHS and Social Services, the company supports a client base of 75 individuals across Gloucestershire and North Wiltshire, either in their own homes or in supported accommodation within their local communities.

Co-owner and Director of the business, Julia Everard, manages a workforce of 140 people.

“We support our clients to learn life skills, empowering them to build the same quality of life and opportunities enjoyed by others.”

Julia says emphatically that her workforce is values-based. “Even if those seeking a job with us don’t have experience in care, as long as they have the right values such as compassion, patience and integrity, we will train them appropriately.

“We really value our workforce. It’s an easy thing to say, but we put it into practice.”

Her assertion is backed by a Care Quality Commission rating of Outstanding, which the company secured for the second time last November.

“Our CQC assessment rated us as Outstanding in three areas of inspection asking ‘Is the service caring, responsive and well-led?’ We are the only domiciliary care company in Gloucestershire with three Outstanding ratings.”

This accolade is especially impressive when you consider that the very nature of Saracen Care’s work is done by lone workers visiting clients in their homes. We make sure our staff are well

supported, confident and competent in all they do and ask them to ‘do everything well’ said Julia.

As the company has grown, and with the business on a sound financial footing, Julia felt she needed to learn how to relinquish the tight grip she had on the company’s management to allow others to take responsibility. So she put herself through QuoLux’s LEAD training.

“The biggest piece of work we undertook, thanks to QuoLux, was to really identify the lines of accountability and responsibility throughout the workforce, which included managers and support workers alike. Everyone is now clear about what they are responsible and accountable for.”

Julia

Everard,

Co-owner and Director at Saracen Care

“We make sure our staff are well supported, confident and competent in all they do and ask them to “do everything well”

Julia Everard, Co-owner and Director, Saracen Care

This sounds simple, but it takes time to really assess the roles and responsibilities of every employee, and too many businesses don’t do it.

What has been the outcome? “In the past, if a colleague was struggling, another manager would quite often take over the problem. That sounds sensible, but it’s not. Now one manager will support another, working to overcome the problem, rather than taking the responsibility off the person who is struggling and solving the issue themselves. This avoids the classic rescuing effect that has an adverse impact on productivity.”

The point being, of course, that if someone takes a problem away from you, you’ll never have the confidence or knowledge to solve it yourself. But if you know what you are accountable and responsible for, then you will be capable of solving it for yourself.

Julia has gone further. “Up until three months ago I was involved in all the management team meetings. I now step back and while I read the minutes, I let my team shoulder the responsibilities I know they are capable of.”

This new way of working hasn’t happened overnight. “We ran a number of workshops so that everyone was fully aware of their role and responsibilities within the business.

“If they make a mistake, that’s OK, we operate under a no-blame culture. It is essential in the care sector in particular to feel confident enough to be open and transparent, with good communication at its heart.”

For Julia, the outcome of the training is a feeling of liberation. “I don’t need to be in the office all the time, and it is a deliberate move not to be there, but I’m always available.

“And if I do need to get involved, I’ll often start by putting the problem back to the questioner. It helps them feel more empowered and is a good coaching and mentoring strategy.”

“Now I really am working on the business, not in the business, and because my management team are shouldering more of the load, I think they feel more liberated to make the decisions they are capable of as well.”

By Jo Draper,

An organisation able to recruit, develop and hold on to great people may be the difference between flourishing or floundering. Studies show that employee engagement – bringing one’s best and full self to work – is not just a “nice-to-have”. It is a business imperative, linked to retention, productivity, profitability and customer satisfaction.

Sadly, research shows that 56 per cent of new employees are disengaged after just six months in their job. By not having the appropriate culture, the bright, lively new employee is being turned off in the workplace.

What does it take for leaders to retain talent?

Employees respond positively to more responsibility and authority and often prefer autonomy. In other words, people generally do well when they are empowered to make choices and decisions for themselves.

Sandwiched between senior management and the wider staff, ‘middle leaders’ play a crucial role in an organisation’s success. That’s why we created LEADlight. It’s designed for the middle business leaders in any sector; from family firms to scaling small and mid-sized companies and not-for-profits. Its aim is to help middle leaders develop their skills, improve their performance and get better results from their teams. Fully engaged middle leaders are well placed to engage others, creating a ripple effect throughout the organisation.

There’s a compelling business case for investing in organisational development. Statistics suggest that the cost of recruitment is £36,000 which includes advertising, fees and the lower productivity for the first six months as someone gets up to speed. Imagine a 30-person business with 20 per cent turnover of staff, that’s six people per year, costing £216,000. Introducing greater engagement with staff and development opportunities could halve the churn to 10 per cent, saving the business more than £100,000.

As you consider your plans for this New Year, if developing middle and first-line managers is important then enrol them into LEADlight. Business leaders need to invest in their own leadership, as well as creating a culture in which personal development is encouraged company wide.

www.quolux.co.uk

Securing a team of well-equipped and motivated people is fundamental to effective leadership

Director, QuoLux

CAREER AHEAD

CASH CONSULTANCY SECURES NEW CEO

Basingstoke cash centre consultancy Cash Processing Solutions, which also provides software and sorting machines, has appointed Barrie Foley as Chief Executive Officer. Barrie previously worked for companies including Exxon, Mars, Smiths and Invensys.

LAW FIRM BOOSTS COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TEAM

Clare Regan has joined Worcestershire’s Mfg Solicitors as Partner and Head of Commercial Property, having represented some of the property industry’s biggest brands. Clare is pictured with Lisa Morrison, who has joined as an associate, with Mfg Solicitors’ chairman Maynard Burton.

THAMES VALLEY ROLE FOR SUSANNAH AT BLAKE MORGAN

Law firm Blake Morgan has appointed Susannah Treherne as its new Head of Succession and Tax in the Thames Valley. Susannah joins from Slade Legal, where she headed the private client team. She will join the firm’s Oxford office at Seacourt Tower.

FORMER UBICO MANAGING DIRECTOR MOVES TO COUNCIL

Gareth Edmundson has been appointed Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service for Cheltenham Borough Council from Ubico which he led to commercial success. Previous to that, he held senior positions in Lambeth and the Royal Borough of Greenwich leading a range of council services and capital projects.

CREATIVE COMMUNICATIONS GROUP SECURES NEW HEAD OF FILM

Video professional Carl Timms in joining Kidderminster-based DRPG as Head of Film. He is an award-winning director and producer with a background in large scale corporate accounts and small, independent films.

PROMOTIONS TAKE LAW FIRM OVER 100-PARTNER MARK

Andy Stewart has been appointed Centre Manager at the Blythe Valley Innovation Centre following a similar role at Basepoint in Evesham and UBCUK in Henley-in-Arden. Previously he owned Business Telecom Solutions and Cygnet Telecom in Tanworth-in-Arden which he sold in 2013.

Five partners have been announced at Harrison Clark Rickerbys, taking the firm’s number to more than 100. Syed Alam in real estate (Worcester), Rachel Parkin and Rachel Roberts in employment and immigration (Cheltenham), Jenny Staples in corporate (Wye Valley) and Marieta van Straaten in insolvency (London) are the latest to make partner in the firm, which has eight offices across the country.

BARNWOOD CONSTRUCTION APPOINTS NEW MANAGING DIRECTOR

Barnwood Construction, which has built many impressive commercial and industrial buildings for major UK clients, has appointed Ben Ramsay as its new Managing Director. Ben moves from his previous role as Operations Director for Kier Construction. Simon Carey is now the Gloucester-based Barnwood Group’s Chief Executive.

NEW MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR ECCLESIASTICAL’S UKGI BUSINESS

Richard Coleman has been appointed as the new Managing Director of Ecclesiastical’s UK general insurance business. Richard moves from his previous role as European Director & Global Head of Insurance & Assistance at Collinson. He is also an advisory board member at Cytora, the artificial intelligence insurance tech company.

09 10 12

VITRUVIUS ATTRACTS EXPERIENCED COMMERCIAL MANAGER

Vitruvius Management Services, based at Gloucester Business Park, has appointed Malcolm Tyre as Commercial Manager. Malcolm brings expertise from a background of development, property and construction across all sectors.

DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR APPOINTED TO OXFORD INNOVATION

A leading light in the economic development of the Thames Valley has joined Oxford Innovation in a new role focused on the day-to-day running of the company. Tim Smith MBE was previously the Chief Executive Officer of the Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

13 11 14

FORMER PLAYER SECURES RUGBY CLUB’S COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR ROLE

Former player Alex Brown has been appointed Gloucester Rugby’s Commercial Director. Alex made more than 200 senior appearances for the club. Following injury he retired from the field and took over as Rugby Operations Manager, a post he has held successfully for the last six years.

COVENTRY CITY COUNCIL MAN TO SPEARHEAD WELLESBOURNE CAMPUS DEVELOPMENT

Martin Yardley, CEO of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) will swap his second role of Executive Director of Place for a senior role at the University of Warwick in April, leading the Wellesbourne campus development He will remain in his position at the LEP.

LONTRA SECURES FORMER MAKE UK BOSS AS NED

Warwickshire-based advanced engineering company Lontra, has appointed Terry Scuoler CBE as a Non-Executive Director. Terry was formerly CEO at EEF (now known as Make UK) where he helped raise the profile of British manufacturing, and Managing Director of Ferranti Technologies.

LAW FIRM’S RALLY KEEPS THE FUNDRAISING ROLLING FOR LOCAL CHARITIES

Cars, costumes and challenges came together in a rally taking staff from Worcester and Gloucester law firm Harrison Clark Rickerbys across the country and into Europe to raise money for local charities, bringing fundraising to more than £50,000.

The Gumball Rally saw 19 teams taking part from across the firm performing challenges ranging from a group “flossing” performance and creating a human pyramid to taking a picture of the white cliffs of Dover along the way.

Heading to France and Belgium, each team had a theme for car and costumes –

Housebuilder supports Banbury junior hockey club

A junior hockey club in Banbury has received a funding boost from a local housebuilder.

Banbury Hockey Club, which plays its home games at North Oxford Academy off Warwick Road, received a donation of £900 from Ashberry Homes.

The money will help to provide new kits for the U14s and U16s teams.

The housebuilder is building a development of two, three, four and five-bedroom homes at Cherry Fields, off Southam Road in Banbury.

from Scooby Doo and the Mystery Machine to Mario Kart, Toy Story, the Flintstones and pirates. The teams travelled in costume throughout.

The law firm’s Foundation has raised and distributed close to £250,000 to charities since it was set up. Harrison Clark Rickerbys Partner Richard Wilkey,

Brunsdon Financial’s Lisa on the run again

Fresh from her Barcelona Ironman challenge last October, in which Lisa Morman completed the gruelling 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile cycle ride and 26.2 mile marathon in 12 hours, 32 minutes, the Financial Adviser from Gloucester-based Brunsdon Financial headed off again before Christmas.

A team of eight, including Lisa, took on the even more daunting ‘Run for Love’ challenge in The Azores, where around 100 athletes competed.

The world’s toughest island race is a charity event on behalf of the TRIBE Freedom Foundation which is raising more than £250,000 to support victims of modern slavery and human trafficking. The team ran more than 270 kilometres in six days, on one day

said: “The rally was great fun. A lot of work went into its organisation and staff really entered into the spirit of it all; performing Baby Shark outside a house with a shark in its roof, recreating a scene from Titanic on the ferry and generally being ready to look silly for a seriously good cause.

“The Foundation trustees will decide how the money raised will be distributed – we want to make sure it has maximum impact.”

alone doing more than 80 kilometres, in the process climbing the equivalent of one and a half times the height of Mount Everest, and wild camping while out on the run.

Gloucester’s Brunsdon’s Heartfelt Charitable Foundation weighed in with £500 sponsorship and the team secured an incredible £10,350 in sponsorship.

The Run for Love team preparing to take on their latest challenge last November

Banbury Hockey Club juniors

“The Foundation trustees will decide how the money raised will be distributed – we want to make sure it has maximum impact”

Redditch businessman heads for South Pole on charity challenge

Redditch businessman Dean Attwell is undertaking the second biggest charity challenge of his life – to reach the South Pole.

Dean, the Group Chief Executive of Redditch-based business Oakland International, is self-funding his polar expedition to ensure that all money raised will go directly to support children’s charity Molly Olly’s Wishes.

After successfully completing a North Pole challenge in 2017, Dean has been training with specialist endurance coaches at Forder PT. The challenge begins with a 14-hour flight to Punta Arenas with the rest of his expedition group where they check kit, review the expedition procedure and undertake final preparations before flying on to Antarctica.

Molly Olly’s Wishes Co-founder and Trustee Rachel Ollerenshaw, said: “The team at Molly Olly’s Wishes are extremely grateful to Dean and everyone at Oakland for their support. Dean and the team have only recently been introduced to the charity but have got stuck in straight away.”

The charity, based in Warwick, was founded by Rachel and Tim Ollerenshaw following the death of their daughter Molly who was diagnosed with a Wilms tumour.

Dean added: “We’ll be skiing between six to10 hours a day at an altitude of approximately 3,100 metres before we finally arrive at the South Pole on January 14.”

Amy’s thank-you marathon for Headway

Oxford-based Shaw Gibbs junior accountant Amy Gordon is running the London Marathon in 2020 to raise awareness and money for brain injury charity Headway Oxfordshire.

Last January Amy was admitted to hospital with a bad ear infection. Doctors hoped they could clear up the infection with a round of strong intravenous antibiotics. Three weeks and several near-death experiences later, an MRI scan showed that the infection had spread to Amy’s brain. She was rushed to Addenbrookes hospital in Cambridge for emergency brain surgery but has been left with the lasting effects of damage to both her brain and ear.

Last July Amy found the Headway Oxfordshire website. The charity works with brain injured people and their carers to help their rehabilitation. It also provides activities and services that complement formal rehabilitation, including a subsidised transport service, socialisation and peer support.

Amy says: “My brain infection very nearly killed me. Since I came out of hospital in February, Headway has helped me get as much of my pre-brain injury life back as possible. I am running the marathon to thank them for their continued support and to raise as much money as possible so they can support even more brain injury survivors.”

Sharelle Holdsworth, Marketing and Events Officer at Headway Oxfordshire, added: “Last year, 3,789 people in Oxfordshire were admitted to hospital with a brain injury. This is a 43 per cent increase in the number of hospital admissions over the past 10 years, so there has never been such an urgent need for our support services.”

Amy Gordon

Dean Attwell

HCR WELCOMES INDIAN PARTNERS WITH ENGLISH HOSPITALITY

From a trip in a Morgan to lunch on The Promenade in Cheltenham, Harrison Clark Rickerbys welcomed counterparts from the India Law Alliance when they visited the firm’s Cheltenham and Worcester offices.

The firms announced their collaboration late last year, and partners Anupam Dighe and Kamlesh Kharade came to the UK to meet new colleagues. As well as touring the Morgan factory and enjoying the most English of pastimes, a cream tea on the Malvern Hills, they visited the firm’s Cheltenham office and lunched with partners before heading off to visit the Black Country Museum.

The firms have come together to meet the needs of their clients in the UKIndia corridor. Thanking the firm for its hospitality, Anupam Dighe said: “I

“I am looking forward to using the strengths of HCR and ILA for a mutually beneficial association. We are looking forward to your visit to India soon”

am looking forward to using the strengths of HCR and ILA for a mutually beneficial association. We are looking forward to your visit to India soon.”

Nicolas Groffman, Head of International at HCR, said “It was great to welcome our friends Anupam and Kamlesh and give them the chance to meet people here as well as discussing what we can offer clients because of the collaboration.”

Midlands accountants see turnover soar

A Midlands accountancy firm has dramatically exceeded its own growth projections with an impressive surge in turnover.

Prime Accountants Group, which has offices in Coventry, Birmingham and Solihull, has seen turnover soar from £4 million to £7 million in just three years.

These figures are two years ahead of Prime’s target for growth, which had projected the accountancy firm would hit £7 million in 2021.

Managing Director Kevin Johns said the remarkable success was the result of a strategic investment in the business, along with recruiting – and often retaining – top quality staff.

“This significant growth has come from a two-pronged approach of investing both in the business and in talented new personnel,” he said.

The company now employs more than 100 people.

Prime is now one of the largest independent accountancy firms in the region and Kevin is predicting a continued upward curve for the business.

Gateley Legal advises on management buy out of ‘House of Rock’

Reading-based law firm Gateley Legal has advised YFM Equity Partners on the financing of a management buyout of Professional Music Technology, which styles itself the House of Rock.

Professional Music Technology, founded 28 years ago by Simon Gilson and Terry Hope, is the UK’s leading multi-channel retailer of musical instrument and professional audio products.

The business operates both online and through 15 stores across the UK including in Oxford, Bristol and

Birmingham and employs more than 200 staff, generating revenues in excess of £40 million per annum.

Sarah Souter, a senior associate for Gateley Legal’s corporate team, said: “We are pleased to have played our part in this management buyout.

“Following years of hard work from the management team, this news serves to

further strengthen PMT’s market-leading position by continuing to finance the company’s growth strategy.”

Jamie Roberts of YFM said: “The founders of Professional Music Technology have done a great job in building the brand in a growing niche. They are bucking the high street trend with a plan to open new stores, but we also see a huge opportunity to invest in its existing online presence to continue the company’s impressive growth.”

Kamlesh Kharade and Anupam Dighe of the India Law Allance, with Syed Alam and Robert Capper of Harrison Clark Rickerbys

BREXIT HAS BECOME PROBABLY THE LONGEST GAME OF WILL WE OR WON’T WE IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD…

For businesses, strategic planning and forecasting is incredibly difficult at such an uncertain time – and it’s the last thing anyone wants to do when suffering from a malaise. But planning and forecasting is vital. If we get a “Brexit Bounce” (and, goodness knows, we need one), we all need to be fighting fit to take advantage of it.

Fortunately, in intellectual property, there are some effective cures out there.

First things first; innovators that rely on patents are the lucky ones. They have natural immunity because patents will not be affected by Brexit. This is because the European Patent Office

is not an EU institution – the Europe referred to here is geographical Europe, not political Europe.

In contrast, those whose intellectual property health depends wholly or partly on the European Union Intellectual Property Office (which handles trademarks and designs) have good cause to feel under the weather. Brexit means the UK will no longer be part of the EU trade mark and design systems, and so EU trade marks and designs will no longer cover the UK.

However, the good news is that there are various fast and effective cures, depending on how Brexit affects you:

 If you have existing EU trade mark registrations and design registrations, you should be able to rely on a brand new cure that will mean new, separate UK registrations will be created automatically by the UK IPO for each of your EU ones. This should also happen for International trade marks and designs that designate the EU.

 If you start your treatment at an earlier stage, when you have applications to register EU trade marks and designs, you will need a different medicine. In this case, you will need to apply to register corresponding UK trade marks and designs. As long as you do so within nine months of Brexit, the treatment should lead to a cure.

One of the most noticeable side effects of the available cures is that the vast majority of UK trade mark attorneys will not be able to handle European Union

Until, that is, we have the re-match and start negotiating our future relationship with the EU. If you are suffering from the illness called Brexit Fatigue, you are not alone. There’s a lot of it about.

“If we get a Brexit Bounce, we all need to be fighting fit to take advantage of it“

trademarks and designs after Brexit. On the flip side however, European trade mark attorneys will still be able to handle UK trade marks putting UK practitioners in an unfavourable position. The effect on the UK profession will be felt deeply.

In the age in which we live, there are, of course, many so-called cures on the internet. But, can these be relied upon and how do you tell the difference between ones that work and ones that don’t and actually may end up doing more harm than good? Many UK trade mark and design attorneys have tried to broker deals with EU based contemporaries, and some have even opened their own EU offices. However,

none of these are a proven cure. The former involves middlemen (so possibly extra cost), and the latter is not on its own sufficient to meet the requirements of the EU IPO.

Fortunately, in Wynne-Jones IP, we have inherited natural immunity as a result of our ownership (with three other IP firms in France, Germany and Benelux) of the EU based law firm, AIPEX BV. AIPEX BV is a pan-European IP firm incorporated in Rotterdam, and with offices in eleven European countries, and it is a ready-made IP cure for Brexit.

We’d like to take credit for this but, in truth, AIPEX was formed long before the EU referendum. But hang on, maybe

we can take a little credit? Prevention is, of course, better than cure. And keeping fit is a good way of keeping energy levels high. Yep, we’ll take that. No Brexit Fatigue here!

For more advice on how Brexit might affect your IP talk to our Brexpert please contact

Victor Caddy, Director and Trademark Attorney

On 01242 267600

victor.caddy@wynne-jones.com

Victor Caddy

10 website and e-commerce mistakes to avoid:

Based in Cheltenham and with a passion for software, 16i are experts in the design, build and delivery of ecommerce solutions. Whether you have outgrown your current platform or require more flexibility and customisation, our team can help.

With more users than ever, the internet has become a fundamental aspect of modern life; allowing us to do almost everything from shopping, to booking GP appointments, without needing to go outside.

It is therefore vital that your website provides users with an easy, efficient experience they won’t mind repeating – here are 10 of the most annoying mistakes to avoid:

1. Slow loading speed: statistics show that 47% of online consumers expect a site to load within two seconds; leave users waiting too long for content, and they’re likely to move on to one of your competitors. Reducing content, optimising images and changing your hosting provider can however help to improve your site speed.

2. Not having an SSL certificate: SSL certificates are the easiest way to provide assurance to your customers that you’re a valid retail provider and that any data provided, or payments taken are 100% secure – without one, customers will be wary of your site and may shop elsewhere.

3. Unresponsive design: with a dramatic increase in mobile and tablet use, it’s imperative that websites are optimised (so they adapt to different screen sizes) in order to not only ensure a stress-free user experience and retain customers, but also help with search engine (Google) rankings.

4. Complicated navigation: if the navigation is too complicated, people may get frustrated and be less likely

to enquire about a service or buy a product. By streamlining your navigation, you are simplifying the user journey, and making the user experience simple and engaging.

5. Automatic modals/pop-ups: users don’t want to be bombarded with pop-ups advertising a mailing list or offers, especially if it prevents them getting to a service or product. A/B tests are a good way to see which of your calls-to-action (CTAs) are the most effective (or off-putting) and ultimately help to retain more of your visitors.

6. Autoplay multimedia: having multimedia (such as audio or video) on your site can help to showcase your products or services, but it needs to be used in the right way – nobody wants to unexpectedly have music blaring from their computer! Make your multimedia optional to play, and you’re more likely to keep people on your website.

7. Using poor quality imagery: poor quality imagery is one of the most common ecommerce mistakes and top causes of missed conversions. As the customer is unable to physically see or hold the item, it’s vital that they can view a clear, true-tolife image (ideally through high-res, quality imagery, zoom functionality and/or video).

8. Lack of promotional tools: a key goal of any site is to maintain the user’s interest, until they complete a conversion. A lack of promotional

tools and prompts (such as CTAs, ‘related products’ or ‘customers also bought’) can however cause the user to lose interest and shop elsewhere, so it’s vital they are included.

9. Not utilising lifecycle emails: people like to shop comparatively, so will often fill their basket to buy items later; however, if they return and the items are no longer available, they may abandon the purchase altogether. Items therefore need to be stored (for access later) or email cycles put in place to remind users about them and prompt to ‘buy now’.

10 Not including reviews: most people will be influenced by someone else’s experience when buying a product, and favour websites which provide product reviews over those that do not. By encouraging users to provide post-purchase feedback, you’re already one step ahead of your competitors.

Ultimately, the most important job of any website is to make life easier for the user. If you can provide your products or services clearly, securely and with a quick and efficient user journey, you’re more likely to have customers who both want to return, and who will recommend you to others.

Concerned about your website or ecommerce site and have questions for the team?

EXPERT CALLS FOR RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING OF MORE CYBER SECURITY PROFESSIONALS

Sky-rocketing demand will lead to a global shortfall of 3.5 million trained cyber security operatives by next year, an industry expert has warned.

Ian Fish is Chairman of the Information Security Specialist Group at Swindonbased BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT.

“Since 2014, the number of UK organisations reporting a problematic cyber skills shortage has more than doubled from 23 per cent to 51 per cent,” he said. “By 2021 we face a global shortfall of 3.5 million cyber security jobs.

“Large organisations will take steps to protect their ICT systems and will have in-house cyber security experts, but SMEs may have more difficulty in attracting and keeping the requisite expertise.

“For all industry, commerce and government there are problems in recruiting from what is a vast shortfall in expertise and unfortunately the gap between need and provision is getting wider every year.

“The training available at technical, undergraduate and postgraduate level has increased massively over the last few years but still the sector suffers from the

same lack in takeup of STEM-related training and courses as the rest of science and engineering.”

BCS is at the forefront of delivering training and professional standards in the field.

In November it hosted its first-ever live cyber security eSport - the Cyber Crime Cup – at Cyber Crime 2019 in Manchester, with hacking teams from UK universities competing for a trophy.

The Wannacry cyberattack which hit NHS computer systems in 2017, the private customer data leak at British Airways in 2018, and cyber attacks against the Labour Party’s website during the 2019 general election campaign demonstrate the importance of building a phalanx of qualified cyber security professionals.

“Many approaches are being tried to address this problem,” said Ian, “including, most notably and hopefully most likely to have an effect, a concerted effort to tap into the diversity and latent talent of the UK population.”

Cheltenham software engineering specialist sells to CACI

Cheltenham-based software engineering specialist Deep3 has been bought by CACI Limited, the national information systems and marketing company.

Deep3 provides secure-by-design application, cloud development, data engineering and digital transformation services to clients in the

national security sector as well as defence and law enforcement.

Richard Yorke, co-founder and CEO of Deep3, said: “Joining forces with CACI gives us greater capacity, capability and support to provide scalable and adaptive solutions to organisations of national importance.”

Malvern firm chosen to work with partner, the National Cyber Security Centre

Cyber certification company IASME has been chosen by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), to be its sole Cyber Essentials Partner from next April.

Based at the Wyche Innovation Centre in Malvern, IASME is a specialist in certification for cyber security and information assurance. It has been an Accreditation Body for the Cyber Essentials Scheme since its inception in 2014.

The Cyber Essentials Scheme has so far helped to protect more than 30,000 UK businesses from the most commonly seen cyber-threats. The scheme was developed to protect organisations against low-level threats.

Naming IASME as the single delivery partner will streamline and grow the scheme and ensure it keeps pace with the changing nature of the cyber security threat.

Ian Fish, Chairman of the Information Security Specialist Group at BCS

“By 2021 we face a global shortfall of 3.5 million cyber security jobs”

IN THE MOST INSPIRING SPACES.... THE BEST MEETINGS ARE HELD

It is one of Cheltenham’s most stunning interiors, with the main banking hall now re purposed as a restaurant, adorned with a fabulous circular bar among the dining tables.

Tucked away at the back of The Ivy Montpellier Brasserie in Cheltenham is a private dining room, called The Papworth Room, which can accommodate up to 30 seated guests or 40 for a standing reception.

It was in this room that Business & Innovation Magazine hosted our family business round-table meeting. The event was so successful that our guests stayed much longer than we had anticipated, and were relaxed enough to discuss and debate the issues their business challenges over a specially created delicious two-course lunch, one of a selection offered to private parties by The Ivy’s Executive Chef, Sean Burbidge.

“We loved the Papworth Room, the attentive staff and General Manager, who made our round-table event one of the most enjoyable we’ve ever hosted and our business guests feeling a true taste of The Ivy experience.”

For further information contact The Ivy team T: 01242 894190 events.ivycheltenham@theivy-collection.com

The Ivy Brasserie opened in Cheltenham in December 2017, in the former Lloyds Bank, in the iconic Grade I listed Rotunda Building, in the heart of Cheltenham’s boutique Montpellier district.

IT’S NOT ALL BEER AND SKITTLES AS A FAMILY BUSINESS

Two-thirds of all businesses across the UK are family owned. Together they generate more than a quarter of our GDP and most see the benefit of promoting their family business status.

But it’s not all beer and skittles. Many face problems unique to family businesses, a key one being what happens when the next generation either doesn’t want to join the family business or worse, wants to but isn’t suited to it?

We brought 13 family businesses together to discuss some of the challenges they’re facing.

Peter

Founded in 2014 to create a brewery that is part of the local community. It’s now a popular destination with space for private and corporate events.

Sister business to 55-year-old Cheltenham-based Cleevely Motors. It is focused on sales and service of the new generation of electric vehicles.

Solid, reliable, traditional and safe — all words which come to mind when talking about family businesses. That may be the case, but they still have compete alongside the corporates in a commercial world

Neil Grundon, Group Chairman, Grundon Waste Management, Oxfordshire

A three-generation business, Grundon Waste Management helps companies divert waste from landfill for recycling.

Anna Herbert, Marketing Director, Hobbs House Bakery

Five generations of baking experience with a sixth being primed. The company sells online with five shops across South Gloucestershire and Bristol.

Williamson, Director, Hillside Brewery, Longhope, Gloucester

Matt Cleevely, Managing Director, Cleevely Electric Vehicles

Nick Latimer, Partner, Crowe UK Chris Mould, Partner, Crowe UK Accountancy firm offering audit, tax, and advisory services. With roots in key local regions, it has a global network across more than 130 countries.

“Major business decisions are best made when everyone is getting on. If the family is expanding, it’s essential to set a framework. For all family businesses, decisions can’t be put off just to placate family tensions”

IS IT ALWAYS BENEFICIAL TO BE KNOWN AS A FAMILY BUSINESS?

Neil

Grundon

In the late 1980s and 1990s there was a move to become more corporate, so we went with the fl ow. Our strapline, like so many others then, was fairly bland: “Caring about tomorrow today,” But my cousin, who worked with me at the time, said it sounded more like a condom advert.

Today, it’s different. We are happy to be a family business, it’s a part of who we are – and actually always has been.

Anna Herbert

In our sector of food and drink, now is totally the time to be called a family business. While we are a new generation with new ideas, we are still a family business, and that’s important.

Peter Williamson

It’s important for us too, but you do have to be careful to take into account the views of different generations and be clear about who is making the decisions.

Peter Bell

Keeping the core of our family business is very important. But it is a double-edged sword. Your clients believe and trust in you, but they will often have your mobile phone number, so they can call at any time.

Paul Bence

People trust us because they know we’re independent and family run. Customers can pick up the phone and talk to us directly anytime. This does open us up at times, but in our sector we are competing with national chains, so personal contact with our customers gives us the opportunity to compete on pricing and provide a higher level of service. With this, most of our customers ‘want’ to deal with us, even if we are more expensive on some items as across the broad spectrum of products we will be more cost-effective.

Michael

Carter

For us it’s not really to do with being a family business. It’s to do with scale. We have not chased turnover or increased the size of our business, preferring to remain

masters of our own destiny and I can’t think of a single reason why we wouldn’t promote ourselves as a family business. We can’t compete with the larger entities, but sometimes customers don’t want to work with the bigger companies for the reasons that Peter and Paul outline, because you lose the family, the personal service.

Alex Rose

Our relationships with customers are stronger because we are a family business, but we compete with companies with multiple stores and deep inventories, which have every option in every brand somewhere in their network. If we don’t compete with that as a smaller family business, then we run the risk of not being able to provide clients with the choice they need.

To a certain extent our level of service, and flexibility counteracts it. That’s where the family business has strength.

You can’t win every customer by promoting yourself as a family business – customers want a slick retail offer, such as John Lewis offers online. The unique experience and the corporate experience both have a place.

Peter Bell, Managing Director, K W Bell Group Ltd

A third-generation business, the Group includes building contractors, groundworkers and house developers.

Michael Carter, Group Chairman, E G Carter & Co Ltd

A fourth-generation family-owned residential and commercial construction company operating across South West England.

Paul Bence, Managing Director, George Bence & Sons

Independent builders’ merchant. The fifth-generation business maintains traditional high standards of customer service alongside the latest technology.

Where family businesses must step up is to be as good, if not better, than customers expect for a hassle-free automated system when speed and efficiency is what they seek from a retail offer.

Anna Herbert

I agree. An earlier version of our website had a lot of information on our family heritage on the front page. But people are used to the Amazon model and want to buy as quickly and easily as possible. So, while our family story is on there, our front page is product led. And then it’s about people having the quickest and best buying experience.

Tom Lister

We provide the customer service that the big corporates, such as BT can’t always provide. Our family business started as agricultural contractors in Dursley in the 1860s. When we set up Lister Communications, we wanted to

incorporate our original family values. Most people know that we are honest and straightforward because we are active in the community, and that feeling is reciprocal. I know that another family business won’t rip me off because I’ll probably see them at a Gloucester rugby match.

Chris Creed

The culture of a family business is important, but sometimes it needs to change with the times. As Alex said, we also have to present a more corporate face if that is what is needed to meet a customer’s expectations.

Kevin Pope

My brother and I started ProTrack around 10 years ago and I agree with Tom, it’s not just about family, it’s also about local. We are in telematics, as are many other businesses, but people often want to deal with local people and that is where we have an edge. We feel the same

ROUND TABLE: FAMILY BUSINESSES

about buying from local businesses, as well as selling to them.

Matt Cleevely

We’ve seen that recently. Tesla moved their whole service support on to their app. If you are a Tesla customer with a problem, you now have to report it online and someone might come back to you, or you might have to wait. We have had so many customers call us over the last couple of months call to talk to us because they can no longer talk to Tesla.

Moreton Cullimore

The gravel and quarry industry is full of multi-nationals, and for smaller businesses such as ours, it’s difficult to build an identity in that competition. Being a family business helps because we can imbue a real culture of services and respect in our employees.

Kevin Pope, Group Managing Director, Protrack Group Kevin set up the business less than 10 years ago with his brother Tracey and specialises in off-the-shelf and bespoke tracking.

Alex Rose, Managing Director, Beards Jewellers

A sixth-generation family jewellery business on the Promenade in Cheltenham. It opened its first London showroom on Old Bond Street, in 2017.

Moreton Cullimore, Managing Partner, The Cullimore Group

Born out of a farming family, this third-generation business provides aggregates to businesses and communities across the region.

Tom Lister, Director, Lister Communications Ltd

Born out of a seventh-generation business, Lister Communications now provides telecoms, business mobile services, cloud solutions, data and networks.

Chris Creed, Chairman, Creed Foodservice Leading family-owned foodservice wholesalers, the original family business, now in its second-generation, was founded in 1972 with the first Linbar supermarket.

“The culture of a family business is important, but sometimes it needs to change with the times”

HOW DIFFICULT IS IT TAKING THE FAMILY BUSINESS INTO THE NEXT GENERATION?

Michael Carter

Following the death of our chairman, my father, four years ago we had a big conversation about where we were going and whether we should keep the business, which we decided we wanted to do. Recently we have been doing a big piece of work to support the fourth generation into the business. No one invited them, no one asked them, but they wanted to come and are already proving that they are worth keeping.

Matt Cleevely

When I joined the business, I soon became more ambitious for it than my father and uncle. They were happy to have it ticking over and paying everyone a wage. But the business had potential and I wanted to invest to grow. As a result, my uncle is no longer involved in the business.

Kevin Pope

You can have family employees who are not directors, but we need to ensure our decisions are good for the business, not just the family. We ask ourselves: “Am I making this decision because it’s good for the family, or because it’s good for the business?” If you fall out with family, it can go several layers deep. If I fell out with my brother I’d probably fall out with my mother, my brother’s family and nephews and nieces.

Peter Williamson

My son Paul and I set up the business and thankfully we have a great relationship. But my mentoring of Paul could have got incestuous, so we invited

in external mentors. As a result, I have stepped back and Paul is now Managing Director. That input from other people has been vital in our growth.

Alex Rose

While we are a sixth-generation family business, I am the only one in it on a daily basis and welcome the experience of others. I still revert to my mum when I’m faced with new challenges, and she will often be able to reassure me that the same problems have been overcome before. However, I have brought in expertise. Our accountants, Crowe UK, have given us solid financial advice and acted as a devil’s advocate when we’re faced with important decisions.

diverged. Our board is now very professional and the business since 2011 has tripled its turnover and had year-onyear double digit profit growth for the past five years.

Neil Grundon

Working with families can be the same as building a business with close friends. If the business diverges from they wanted, there is likely to be blood on the carpet but undoubtedly with family it’s going to hurt more. We have always had independent directors, as the business passed from my grandad to my dad and me, and we have had to let one of them go too. It was still awful, even when they weren’t family.

Chris Creed

It’s just trying to get people to be realistic. If you can get people communicating and realising that if they take a certain course of action, they will be better off and be taken care off, then it’s likely to work out well. That’s what my brothers and I have done, and we are lucky, it succeeded for us.

Tom Lister

Paul Bence

My father and I get on outside of work, but we have different ideas and views on how the business should be taken forward. Do you get a job because of your surname or your CV? I wanted to prove that I deserved to be here. My brother worked for the business for a short period but left as our opinions

When we looked at succession planning, we looked at family coming into the business, but we also asked ourselves, if we were to sell the business, what is its market worth? We looked down the generations – did they want to be in the business and were they good enough? If the aim of your business is to provide the shareholders with cash, there’s nothing wrong with that. But it keeps it leaner and cleaner if you keep it just with those who are actively working in the business.

“Four years ago we had a big conversation about where we were going and whether we should keep the business, which we decided we wanted to do”

Peter Bell

My father started with a shovel in his hand many years ago. He was a grafter – and then he was a businessman. Now he’s got a multi-million-pound company. But like Moreton, there were generational challenges which had to be overcome, including divorcing ownership and management so that I could take over the day-to-day running of the business. My daughter joined the business five years ago and is developing some great initiatives which will benefit the business in the future.

Chris Mould

I worked with a family business which initially would not have these discussions. We finally facilitated an annual off-site meeting. All the shareholders and family came, even if

they weren’t involved in the business. All they discussed was dividends, what was in their wills, where would it go, how many children and future thinking.

As a result, some of the family realised what a business burgeoning with family could look like and stepped away for the sake of their children. But without having that structure away from the working day, they would never have spoken about it.

Nick Latimer

Major business decisions are best made when everyone is getting on. And if the family is expanding, it’s essential to set a framework for the business. For all family businesses, decisions can’t be put off just to placate family tensions. These will only get larger the longer they are left.

ROUND TABLE: FAMILY BUSINESSES

Moreton Cullimore

I’m the third generation, the only son of an only son and never envisaged being part of the business, but I knew my father wanted me in it. I dipped my toe in a couple of times but found it difficult working with my father. He could heatedly debate business issues with me and then switch back into being my dad. I found that more difficult.

But I finally did join and there were some frustrating times. I never met my grandfather, he died before I was born, but I always feel I have to live up to their achievements and do even better.

Now I’m running the company and we are not a hierarchical business as I respect my employees and their opinions. For me it’s all about finding people you can trust, and that can be a challenge.

The Papworth Room at The Ivy, Montpellier Brasserie, Cheltenham

WHAT MAKES THAT EVENT MAGIC?

What makes a party memorable? The people? Venue?

Entertainment? What the guests got up to?

The team at Business & Innovation Magazine attended the first North Worcestershire Business Awards late last year. It was a lovely, sparkly event, but the guests were stunned when, in a rush of triumph and enthusiasm, one of the prizewinners leapt up on stage. In front of more than 250 people, he proposed to his girlfriend.

For 30 seconds, everyone in the audience held their breath – but it was good news. Reader, she will marry him. We’re all now waiting for our invitation to the wedding.

More companies are investing in increasingly elaborate events for their staff, clients and customers. And with good reason. A fantastic event lives long in the memory – and on social media. But get it wrong and your company could be remembered for the wrong reasons. So it makes sense to invest in brilliant event planners and companies.

The best parties we’ve been to (and the Business & Innovation Magazine team love a good party), delight and surprise. The food will be fantastic, the entertainment,

fun and the air conditioning won’t be on overdrive dial, which might keep the tuxedo-ed guests cool, but often leaves those in strappy numbers with goosepimples.

We asked professional event companies to share their most memorable parties.

“A fantastic event lives long in the memory –and on social media. But get it wrong, and your company could be remembered for the wrong reasons”

Guests at charity fundraising party in the old Gloucester Prison

Guests go racing at the 2019 South and Vale Business Awards, at Williams F1 Conference Centre

Cocktail-making courtesy of Marlow-based Exquisite Cocktails at Business & Innovation’s Anniversary Party held at Cheltenham Racecourse

A festival atmosphere for 350 close friends and family

Oasis Events is one of the UK’s most experienced and creative event management companies, specialising in bespoke event design, planning and management, and transforming venues from ordinary places into extraordinary spaces for private clients and businesses of all sizes.

Oasis has been in the events industry for 20 years as a supplier of hired and bespoke services, and leading projects in areas as diverse as weddings to festivals, venues for public events to private parties.

As one example, the team organised a private festival for 350 guests – family and friends of the host.

Because it was a private festival, the clients could curate the experience to provide something for everyone, in terms of and food and drink, venue styling and entertainment.

The event took place in a field with excellent rail and road links just outside Oxford. An event like this could be staged in any large outdoor or indoor space that is flat and well drained.

The biggest wow factor at the event was the spectacular environment. The team transformed 2,500 sq m of an ordinary field with high, colourful sight lines all around, using authentic festival flags to surround the perimeter and multiple large themed structures.

Significant “bang for your buck” was achieved with the impact of all the colour and scale, with the lighting at night creating a festival atmosphere and a memorable event space.

www.oasisevents.co.uk

The British Motor Museum is home to the world’s largest collection of historic British cars. Designed in 1993 as a purpose-built conference centre as well as a museum, it has nearly 300 cars in its collection which span the classic, vintage and veteran eras. And it’s Gaydon location is perfect, near the homes of Jaguar Land Rover and Aston Martin Lagonda.

The museum hosts many events, one of which was the annual dinner for around 80 members of The British Veterinary Orthopaedic Association.

The Association was looking for a different type of venue. With a drinks reception in the Welcome Gallery, guests dined in the main museum and were given a box of British Motor Museum biscuits to take home as a memento.

www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk

Oasis Events

The British Motor Museum, Gaydon, Warwickshire

Oasis Events

Creating a new event from scratch in North Worcestershire

The first North Worcestershire Business Awards brought together businesses from the north of the county to recognise outstanding companies across six categories.

One hundred and sixty guests gathered last November for a black-tie banquet in a sparkly decorated, extended marquee from the Garden Room of Hogarths Stone Manor near Kidderminster.

Hosted by BBC Newsreader Joanne Malin, the cost-neutral event involved the close collaboration and goodwill of a local planning group.

Hagley-based events company Opening Doors & Venues provided event production and on-theday running, including full script writing, host and speaker briefings, presentation slides and animations development.

Expectations were high and the event did not disappoint, with a tangible feel-good vibe throughout.

The event’s impact was evident on the night and created the perfect launching pad for a repeat celebration of North Worcestershire businesses in future years.

The British Motor Museum welcomes the British Veterinary Orthopaedic Association

CREATIVE CONFERENCES and LIVE EVENTS

Mercian Events are a specialist event company providing skilled AV technicians and project managers, presentation audio visual equipment and delegate aids for Meetings, Conferences, Awards, Roadshows and Special Occasions.

With over 60 years’ experience in the conference industry we have covered nearly every type of events including:

 Roadshows with 40 venues within three weeks.

 Large international conferences.

 Highly confidential VIP meetings throughout the UK.

 High-security military level conferences locally and nationally.

We regularly organise large and small conferences for companies covering Pharmaceutical, Manufacturing Industries,

Finance, Legal and Accountancy Businesses, we are also very involved in events organised by National and Local Government Agencies as well as Charities and our Local Communities. We have also gained trust from many large conference booking agencies who would always use and recommend our services and are happy to put their important clients in our trusted hands.

We offer very creative conference sets that are designed by us to fit and even exceed our clients’ expectations. Our latest audio visual and sound equipment provide our clients with events that they enjoy being part of.

Recently we have purchased 86" large professional LED screens to replace LCD/Laser projectors, which takes up a lot less space and allows 15 to 20 more delegates, for events with up to100 delegates to sit in the same room.

We strive to provide creativity-led design into all our conferences, we believe that any event can look amazing regardless of its budget.

www.mercianevents.com

Please feel free to call us on 01905 726665 to discuss any events you may be planning or just talk to our friendly team to expand your imagination for your next event.

Above: Bi-Annual Conference for Staff Union, St John’s Hotel Solihull

Below: Launch of new software, Hogarth’s Stone Manor Hotel Kidderminster

Mercian Events gives apprentices an event to remember

Worcester-based Mercian Events is a leading conference and events company providing audio visuals for every occasion. Its team looks after and takes full responsibility for all the technical aspects for live events.

Mercian recently delivered the Worcestershire Apprenticeship Awards, hosted by Paralympic gold medallist Marc Woods. The black-tie event welcomed 320 guests including apprentices, employers, schools and training providers.

Held in The Treetops Pavilion at the West Midlands Safari Park, an enormous marquee which hosts many major events, Mercian created the perfect atmosphere with bespoke staging, sound and lighting built around the client’s branding. It incorporated mood lighting and welcoming LED screens in the main entrance walkway, an 86-inch LED screen showing the table plan and two large projection screens on either side of the stage which showcased pre-recorded videos, social media feeds, finalists and winners. The proceedings finished with a confetti burst celebrating the winners.

Lights, sound … action for major conference in Warwickshire

LNP Sound, based in Wolverhampton, are audio isual specialists, working with venues across the UK and Ireland.

Good visuals and sound will define the success of an event. LNP pays close attention to how their clients represent themselves, focusing on their entire images, because first impressions really do count.

From sound, lighting and stage hire for conferences, fashion shows, theatre tours, product launches, gala dinners and many other events, the company has everything covered.

Last November, LNP supported the Frazer Brookes Success Summit at Stoneleigh in Warwickshire for one of its biggest events of the year.

A year of planning led to LNP Sound delivering its biggest conference production. More than 1,300 delegates saw how they converted a cowshed into a two-day conference, with people from all over the world attending.

The Worcestershire Apprenticeship Awards 2019 at West Midlands Safari Park

LNP Sound converted a cow shed (above) into a stunning events venue (below)

20 Years of Exceeding Event Expectations

North Worcestershire conference organiser Opening Doors & Venues Limited, more familiarly known as ‘Team OD&V’, are excited to be celebrating 20 years of Exceeding Expectations in Conference and Event Management.

Founding Director, Rose Padmore, started the business at the turn of the millennium with invoice number 1 raised for Age Concern’s ‘Building Bridges Conference’ and her feet have hardly touched the ground since. Rose has continued to apply her exceptionally accurate and creative project management skills to more than 170 events locally, nationally and internationally.

“In the early years, I mainly worked on my own with part-time support and the help of a small network of freelancers”, says Rose, “but in 2011 I was introduced to a young student at University College Birmingham and have never looked back. Some 9 years later,

Madalina Marincas, with a BA Honours in Event Management and an MA in Marketing for Events, is a full time Project Manager, highly respected and valued by our clients.”

In 2018, the core team grew from a ‘dynamic duo’ to a ‘terrific trio’ when Sarah Brooks joined as Event and Marketing Support. Sarah had previously supported on an ad-hoc freelance basis and was thrilled to become permanent. This skilled team continues to call on a tried and tested network of diverse suppliers and experienced freelance event colleagues, so that OD&V can reliably manage, produce and deliver large scale conferences and awards events.

“We pride ourselves on an accurate project management service, with the only problem being that much of what we do pre-event can go unnoticed,” says Madalina. “However, we are incredibly proud of our established and trusted client relationships and it is particularly worth mentioning the longevity of some, including Worcestershire LEP Annual

Conference 2012 to 2018, Worcestershire Apprenticeships Awards 2018 and 2019, and the National Lottery Funded Talent Match and Ageing Better Conferences and Awards 2016 to 2019, to name but a few.”

With 2020 set to be another busy year and 2021 already with some confirmed dates, the team are excited about delivering events regionally, nationally and internationally including Cambridge and Canada.

“Hopefully we will have some time to arrange our own 20th anniversary celebrations” explains Sarah. “It will make a lovely change to create an event for ourselves!”

Madalina Marincas, Sarah Brooks & Rose Padmore

Lygon Arms luxury for delegates

The Lygon Arms, a luxury Cotswolds coaching inn at Broadway, hosted a four-day pharmaceutical conference with 20 global delegates. Managed by Swindon-based Venues & Events International, the principal meeting took place in the spacious and bright Edinburgh Room with floor-to-ceiling windows, balcony and seating for 22 around a single table. Delegates made excellent use of the entire property with the welcome dinner served in the Lygon Cocktail Bar and another dinner served in the Italian Lygon Wine Bar. The Lygon Spa offered a retreat from the day’s meetings.

The group also enjoyed exploring Broadway, a Cotswolds beauty spot, visiting Trinity House Art Gallery for a private viewing with cocktails and canapés provided by The Lygon Arms and dinner at a local restaurant. The conference ended on a high with a barbecue on the Lygon Rooftop Deck, complete with blankets, heaters, music, lanterns and candles.

You couldn’t make it up at the Ricoh Arena

Coventry’s Ricoh Arena welcomed BAFTA and Oscar winners from some of the world’s biggest films and TV shows last November to showcase their visual talents at a major industry show.

Prosthetic make-up artists from Harry Potter, Game of Thrones and Star Wars visited the arena for The Prosthetics Event, which made its debut in Coventry to accommodate a sixth consecutive year of growth.

More than 200 prosthetic make-up artists, retailers and show staff welcomed 2,000 hobbyists and students to watch individuals being transformed into monsters and creatures, gaining an insight into the industry.

“We needed extra room to accommodate growth and the Ricoh Arena was perfect, as well as being at the heart of the UK,” said Lisa Gorton, from The Prosthetics Event.

The Lygon Arms

The Lygon Arms

Coventry’s Ricoh Arena hosts The Prosthetics Event

WHY THE UK IS STILL A NATION OF MAKERS

Don’t believe the gloom-mongers, manufacturing

By guest editor, Peter Davison

In the summer of 2019, something surprising happened in the world of political policy-making.

The perceived wisdom is that manufacturing output accounts for nine per cent of our national income. But in the middle of 2019, a report came out of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. It was based on a study by Cambridge University to determine how vulnerable manufacturing exports would be to EU tariffs. And the report contained some unexpected news.

The size of the manufacturing sector, said the authors of the report, Inside the Black Box of Manufacturing: Conceptualising and counting manufacturing in the economy, has been underestimated for years. In fact, once activities tied to the sale of UK-made products, including engineering support and contracted

Manufacturing matters

The manufacturing sector supports 2.7 million jobs, makes up just under half (49 per cent –around £275 billion) of UK exports, and, according to a 2018 report from the Office for National Statistics, contributes 66 per cent of all UK research and development business expenditure.

services, are included, it is nearer to 15 per cent of GDP.

One of the authors, Dr Jostein Hauge from the Centre for Science, Technology and Innovation Policy at the University of Cambridge’s Institute for Manufacturing, said policymakers needed new ways to assess the value of manufacturing activity:

“The difficulty lies in trying to measure manufacturing as a single category. It is inherently more complex. Economic value of manufactured goods increasingly depends on activities that are officially categorised as belonging to other sectors of the economy. A range of manufacturingrelated services are excluded from the manufacturing category.”

Seamus Nevin, Chief Economist at Make UK – the manufacturers’ organisation which rebranded from the Engineering Employers’ Federation a year ago – had this to say:

“Despite the common sense of declinism, manufacturing businesses contribute nearly three million mostly high-paying jobs, half of UK exports, the bulk (69 per cent) of this country’s R&D spend, and the UK is today the ninth largest manufacturing economy in the world in GDP terms.”

UK Aerospace industry flies high across the globe

Manufacturing is also an extremely diverse sector. Our aerospace industry is the largest in Europe, and second in the world only to the US. Around 130,000 UK workers are employed directly in aerospace, with around the same number employed indirectly. Annual turnover is around £30 billion, and we’re exporting 90 per cent of what we make.

Eighty per cent of a car can be built in the UK, according to The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. The automotive industry employs around 170,000 workers, with another 78,000 in the supply chain.

Chemical and pharmaceutical is our largest manufacturing export sector –adding £60 million to the balance of trade every day, according to the Chemical Industries Association and employing 135,000 workers directly, and more than half a million indirectly.

The UK is the fifth largest manufacturer of electronics, according to TechUK. More than 800,000 workers are employed in the field, contributing to an annual turnover of nearly £80 billion.

is a much bigger element of the UK’s economy than some would have us believe

Small and medium-sized businesses drive food and drink sector

At 16 per cent, our largest manufacturing sector by turnover is the food and drink industry. Nearly all the producers are micro-businesses or SMEs (96 per cent, according to the Food and Drink Federation), and exports are worth around £13 billion a year.

British nuclear is a growing industry, as we look for alternatives to fossil fuels to meet our energy needs and hit our environmental targets. The Nuclear Industry Association says more than 60,000 people are directly employed in the industry, with another 80,000 working indirectly.

Meanwhile plastics is a £23.5 billion industry that employs more than 170,000 people. Around a third of our manufactured plastics are exported, and we’re recycling twice as much (3.3 million tonnes) than we’re making (1.7 million tonnes), according to the British Plastics Federation.

Finally, with 340,000 workers in the industry, Cool Britannia is the third-largest fashion employer in the EU, behind Italy and Germany. Our textiles are in demand the world over – and the industry adds around £12 billion a year to the UK economy.

Manufacturing will be an important element in the government’s eagerly anticipated local and national Industrial Strategies. Despite Brexit worries and a US-China trade war, Britain’s manufacturers are still on the make, selling domestically and – importantly – abroad. Over the next seven pages, Business & Innovation salutes the manufacturers.

White Horse Plastics brings manufacturing home

Precision plastic components manufacturer White Horse Plastics has reported renewed success in both the reshoring of contract manufacturing work from overseas and in the exporting of injection moulded expertise to an automotive system supplier on the continent.

The Faringdon-based company said its commitment to fail-safe technical solutions is part of the reason that it is now recouping or reshoring business that was being relocated to Far Eastern sources.

The firm’s expertise was recently engaged by a European first-tier supplier looking not just to source parts and tooling from WHP, but also to have the White Horse Plastics team help it specify the required plant.

Managing Director Paul Bobby said: “We’re delighted to help our original equipment manufacture customer. The facility has now been successfully commissioned, and we believe that industrial partnerships such as these are the way forward.”

“We are looking forward to replicating this success in other ways with other customers this year.”

Enterprising Mira is showered with royal praise as it expands

Construction work is continuing on Mira Shower’s £20 million, 158,000sq ft distribution centre at Worcester Six Business Park.

It follows the manufacturer’s success in winning a second Queen’s Award for Enterprise for its innovative Mira Sport Max Shower.

Last year’s Queen’s Award was the second the Cheltenham-based company had won, following success with its Mira Flight Safe anti-slip shower tray in 2017.

The latest Queen’s Award for Enterprise recognised the company’s world-first design for electric showers, which uses patented technology to increase water flow by up to 30 per cent, without using any more water.

Mira Showers Managing Director, Craig Baker, said: “This award highlights our commitment to innovation and the hard work and level of detail we put into the research and design stages.

Mira Showers

LUXURY SPORTS CAR MANUFACTURER

ASTON MARTIN LAUNCHES ITS FIRST MOTORBIKE

Gaydon-based luxury sports car manufacturer Aston Martin has teamed up with the 100-yearold motorcycle manufacturer Brough Superior to produce the AMB 001.

It’s unlikely, though, that you’ll see one on a street near you. Only 100 will be produced worldwide, with a price tag of £93,000, and the bike is designed for track racing only.

Unveiled at the Milan Motorcycle Show the AMB 001 is a fi rst for both companies. It’s the fi rst time the Aston Martin badge has appeared on a motorbike, and the fi rst time a Brough Superior product has been fi tted with a turbocharged V-Twin engine.

Aston Martin Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Offi cer, Marek Reichman said:

“This is what we believe a cuttingedge motorcycle should be and we are very proud to see the Aston Martin wings on a motorcycle for the fi rst time.

“In addition to applying the skills we have developed for cars such as the Aston Martin Valkyrie we have also been able to bring our expertise in the traditional craft techniques to this project. The fi nished product is a truly

beautiful motorcycle; a design and engineering work of art.”

Taking their inspiration from the new series of mid-engined Aston Martin cars, the Aston Martin Design team worked on clear principles of form and function, where design and engineering had to work together.

The result is a motorcycle which, they say, is a high-performance work of art.

The Stirling Green and Lime Essence-painted body is made of carbon fi bre with components that have been specially designed using the best processes and materials, including carbon fi bre, titanium and billet aluminium.

New battery application centre

Johnson Matthey is to open a new battery application centre at Milton Park near Didcot.

The global science and chemicals company has taken 22,857 sq ft at 142 Park Drive, a newly-built office and laboratory development.

Johnson Matthey is developing nextgeneration battery materials for the automotive industry that will go further between charges, allowing for improved acceleration and safety. The family of ultra-high energy density eLNO cathode

between charges, allowing for improved

The AMB 001 by Aston Martin and Brough Superior

“This is what we believe a cuttingedge motorcycle should be and we are very proud to see the Aston Martin wings on a motorcycle for the fi rst time”

Philip Campbell, Head of Asset Management at Milton Park with Dan Baker, Baker, Financial Director, battery materials at Johnson Matthey at the company’s new Milton Park battery facility

Cheltenham recovery drink is an export triumph

A Cheltenham-based soft drinks supplier has secured a contract with a United Arab Emirates (UAE) importer set to be worth £4.29 million over the next five years.

Founded in 2014 by father and son duo Steve and William Wilkinson, NFSG Ltd is the business behind the natural recovery drink, Overhang.

Based on an old Italian family recipe, Overhang is a preservative-free, natural blend of ginger, orange and lime, with added milk thistle, burdock, raspberry leaf and vitamins.

In the first year, the new deal will see the company’s recovery drink stocked in an

set to open at Milton Park

active materials will also minimise the use of expensive and scarce raw material such as cobalt.

Dan Baker, Financial Director, Battery Materials at Johnson Matthey said: “Our site at Milton Park will be at the leading edge of battery technology.

expected 500 stores across the UAE through ELS Export Trader General Trading FZC, with the contract estimated to increase NFSG Ltd’s annual turnover by up to 50 per cent.

The business applied to the Department for International Trade for support after being contacted by the UAE distributor via its website.

NFSG co-founder William Wilkinson

said: “The prospect of our treasured family recipe being shipped abroad and enjoyed by people in the UAE for the first time is really exciting.”

The Cheltenham entrepreneurs have now partnered with one of the largest soft drink manufacturers in the world to help produce Overhang at scale.

In the UK, the recovery drink can be found in Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Tesco, Holland and Barrett, WH Smith, Bargain Booze and on Amazon UK.

Premium pet food business goes global

Premium pet food business Vet’s Kitchen has secured wins in 10 new countries including markets across Asia and the Middle East – just 10 months after it began exporting.

With support from the Department for International Trade (DIT) the company generated more than £100,000 of revenue in the first six months of exporting. Within three years it is forecast to generate more than £1 million from international sales alone.

the fastest growing pet food markets in the world. Vet’s Kitchen secured a deal with distributor, Top Pet, which will see the Swindon brand sold across speciality pet channels in the region. A deal with FairPrice, the largest grocery chain in Singapore, will see the premium pet food brand sold in 40 stores across the country.

Paul Shand, DIT’s Head of Trade in the South West, said: “In markets like the Middle East and Asia, British-made products are synonymous with quality which presents a golden opportunity for UK businesses to explore these international opportunities.”

and here

“We will use our science and problem-solving ability here to work with leading automotive companies to develop tailored solutions for their applications.”

Ben Hutton, Vet’s Kitchen Sales Director, which employs 36 people at its Swindon base, said: “The trends of humanisation, premiumisation, and health and wellness are prevalent now the world over.” South Korea is one of

Vet’s Kitchen is one of the fastest-growing pet food brands in the UK with a current annual turnover of £5 million.

Steve and William Wilkinson of Overhang

DIRECTOR HONOURED WITH ENGINEERING FELLOWSHIP

Professor Gareth Hankins, Director of Group Manufacturing Services at Renishaw, has been elected as a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering.

The Academy’s Fellowship represents the UK’s best engineering researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs, business and industry leaders.

Professor Hankins joined Wotton- under-Edge-based Renishaw as an apprentice aged 16 in 1988, before achieving a degree in Manufacturing Systems and Manufacturing Management at Cardiff University.

He was appointed to his current role as the Director of Renishaw’s Group Manufacturing Services Division in

GWP boxes clever to reduce waste

Packaging and materials handling specialist GWP Correx has announced the launch of a new returnable packaging system, which aims to cut the waste created by single-use cardboard boxes.

The Rapitainer system –manufactured from durable Correx plastic – is targeted at businesses using high volumes of standard corrugated cardboard packaging.

The returnable boxes can yield significant cost savings when compared with single-use cardboard boxes, with reductions of up to 75 per cent possible.

2006, before also being made the Director of its Irish subsidiary in 2011. “Being made a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering is a real honour for me personally, but it also recognises the successes of the manufacturing team,” he said.

Up to 60 engineers are elected to the Academy each year by their peers. This includes Honorary and International Fellows who have made an exceptional contribution to engineering.

Renishaw is one of the world’s leading engineering and scientifi c technology companies, with expertise in precision measurement and healthcare.

Ian Cook, Managing Director at the Cricklade-based company said: “Many businesses may be needlessly wasting money by using single trip transit packaging.

“As a typical example, single use cardboard boxes could cost around £1.50 per unit, depending on their specification. While an equivalent Rapitainer could cost between £10 and

£15 per unit, it can be used for well in excess of 200 trips.

Ian Heskins, Business Development Director at GWP Group, added: “Most people think of plastic as the very opposite of environmentally-friendly.

“But by reusing the cartons over hundreds of trips, the materials and energy involved in manufacturing and then recycling single-use cardboard boxes is greatly reduced. Plus, Rapitainer is fully recyclable at the end of its useful life.”

“Being made a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering is a real honour for me personally, but it also recognises the successes of the manufacturing team”

Professor Gareth Hankins, Renishaw

GWP’s new returnable packaging system

PRODRIVE CELEBRATES THE INNOVATION OF OTHERS

Innovation in engineering and manufacturing was celebrated at the Banbury headquarters of world-leading motorsport and advanced technology company Prodrive as the winners of The Rapid Challenge were revealed.

Launched last Spring by Prodrive Ventures – a division established to use Prodrive expertise in support for engineering ideas from an array of sectors – the challenge was aimed at early-stage businesses and entrepreneurs who are developing and commercialising physical hardware products.

The Challenge attracted 25 submissions from across the UK, with five companies invited to pitch to judges.

Three winners were announced on the night. Each received a share of a £50,000 prize package which included

support from Prodrive and legal and financial advice from Challenge partners including Natwest, KPMG, IP Asset and Clayden Law.

E-cargo van manufacturer EAV was named overall winner of the challenge.

The Bicester-based start-up has set off at a blinding pace, teaming up with the UK’s top domestic parcels carrier, DPD, to create an urban delivery vehicle, the P1 e-cargo bike.

The runners up were Bristol-based Actuation Lab which wants to replace the piston – a mainstay of the manufacturing industry for hundreds of years, and London-based Njori which is developing a piece of smart kitchen tech due to be launched with a crowdsourcing campaign in May.

Record sales for the London EV Company

The Warwickshire-based producer of London taxi cabs has recorded two months of record sales of its fully electric TX.

The London EV Company sold 333 electric TX taxis in October, bringing its tally to more than 3,000 since the launch in early 2018. It followed record sales of 352 units in September.

An estimated 18 million passengers have now enjoyed a ride in an electric TX. While London remains the biggest market, the world’s most advanced cab is on the streets in more than 20 cities across the UK, including Birmingham, Coventry, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

It is also proving extremely successful overseas, with sales in Germany, Norway, the Netherlands, France, Sweden, Hong Kong and Malaysia.

By 2022, LEVC expects that 70 per cent of the vehicles built at its Coventry factory will be for export.

It is reckoned the introduction of the new electric TX has prevented 9,700 tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere, saved 5.5 million litres of fuel from being used and has reduced drivers’ running costs by £5.4 million.

Canadian oil rig workers safer thanks to Gloucester innovation

Fireproof materials toprotect workers from explosions are being used on oil rigs in Canada.

The fireproof construction is put together on land, with integrated thermal insulation and passive fire protection panels designed and manufactured by Gloucester-based

Advanced Insulation. The rig is scheduled to be floated offshore and mated with the concrete gravity structure in time for the first oil in 2022.

Advanced Insulation’s systems protect offshore equipment and personnel from jet fire and hydrocarbon pool

fire. They also provide protection against freezing temperatures and saltwater corrosion.

In 2018 the company won a Queen’s Award for Innovation for its ContraFlame MS400 system, which now represents 27 per cent of the company’s turnover.

EAV founder Adam Barmby in the EAV Cool e-cargo bike

Bright sparks working on better battery storage

A Gloucestershire manufacturer is chasing the holy grail of renewable energy by developing a new battery storage solution that promises to hold on to more generated power while reducing the reliance on dangerous materials.

Severn Drives & Energy – part of Quedgeley-based Severn Glocon – is developing a vanadium battery that will store the power generated by wind farms and solar arrays, while outperforming traditional lithiumbased batteries.

Vanadium flow batteries can be discharged over an almost unlimited number of charge and discharge cycles without wearing out and have a proven life of at least 25 years without degradation.

Once the battery has reached the end of its life, the electrolyte can be reused in another battery or recycled for use as commodity vanadium.

Systems start at 250kW/1MWh and can be as large as 100MW/800MWh in size, installed at utility, commercial and industrial sites, in support of solar or wind farms or in isolated microgrids.

Fastener business secures Queen’s Award for International Trade

A manufacturer of specialised high-quality fasteners, components and hardware for the aerospace, defence, motorsport and industrial markets has been presented with a Queen’s Award for International Trade.

Initially specialising in the distribution of aerospace hardware into motorsport and Formula 1 in particular, Swindon-based Clarendon Specialty Fasteners is now a market leader for the supply of fasteners for use in niche and specialist applications.

Since 2001 and following the acquisition by London-based international business group Diploma Plc, the company has seen growth in overseas

sales with export sales increasing from £3.6 million in 2016 to £6.4 million in 2017 and £8.6 million in 2018. Its top five export markets are Italy, France, Germany, South Africa and Thailand and it is in the process of establishing physical locations in Germany, Thailand and the US.

John Hunt, Managing Director, said: “We were honoured to receive the Queen’s Award for International Trade. It serves as a testament to all employees – without their sheer determination and hard work, we would not be in this position today.”

Machine tool maker invests in Worcester manufacturing plant

Machine tool manufacturer Yamazaki Mazak has made a series of major investments at its UK-based European manufacturing plant in Worcester.

The multimillion-pound investments include two new manufacturing cells making component parts for new Mazak machines produced at the Worcester facility.

The cells are equipped with automation systems designed to deliver extended periods of unmanned running.

Mazak’s Worcester facility is the Japanese company’s European headquarters and only manufacturing site on the continent, producing more than 1,000 machine tools every year, 80 per cent or more of which are exported to mainland Europe.

Richard Smith, European Group Managing Director, said: “Our Worcester facility has always been at the forefront of manufacturing innovation as we strive to become even more productive and efficient. The new investments are a clear illustration of our dedication to manufacturing excellence and continued commitment to manufacturing in Europe.”

Clarendon Specialty Fasteners

MANUFACTURING LIVE LETS OFF STEAM

AT SPIRAX SARCO

More than 50 delegates from manufacturing companies across the region attended Business & Innovation Magazine’s latest Manufacturing Live event.

The event was hosted by Spirax Sarco, Cheltenham’s largest manufacturing employer and a world leading manufacturer of products for the control and use of steam and other industrial fluids.

Guest speaker was Dr Andy Jones, the Manufacturing Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund Director of Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

Paul Oakley, Supply Chain Director at Spirax Sarco for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, kicked off the event by giving an overview of the company.

The company’s global headquarters are in Cheltenham and it employs more

UKRI is the government’s national funding agency investing in science and research in the UK. Operating across the whole country, with a combined budget of more than £6 billion, UKRI brings Innovate UK together the research councils and Research England.

than 1,000 employees across its two sites in the town. Globally, the Spirax Sarco steam business employs in excess of 4,250 people. The company was first established more than 130 years ago and quickly became a specialist manufacturer of steam traps. Today, the company produces the widest range of specialist industrial steam equipment in the world.

In addition to its Cheltenham site, Spirax Sarco, which is part of the FTSE 100 company Spirax-Sarco Engineering plc, has manufacturing centres around the world.

Despite not sounding very high tech, steam is still by far the most efficient way

of transferring heat energy into industrial processes. The other most prevalent technology able to do that is electricity, between them providing up to 80 per cent of all industrial heating requirements.

Steam can heat or sterilise almost any industrial process. From food producing to oil refining, beer making to drug manufacturing, steam delivers safe, sustainable and efficient energy transfer and continues to evolve.

“This diversification of our markets benefits the business as when one global industrial activity weakens, it is balanced by customers in other sectors,” said Paul.

Spirax Sarco designs, manufactures and sells products across the whole steam and condensate loop. For example, it makes the systems, controls and valves that are required on an industrial steam distribution system and is the world leader in this sector by far.

Together with smaller sister company, Getsra, Spirax-Sarco Engineering’s steam business reported revenues of more than £730 million last year. The company invests significantly in research and development and has been voted one of Britain’s “Most Admired Companies”.

Dr Andy Jones

Paul Oakley

Investing in research and development to drive up UK productivity

The average percentage of gross domestic product spent on research and development across the 36 member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is 2.4 per cent, said Dr Andy Jones, speaking at Manufacturing Live. The UK spends around just 1.7 per cent.

“This country is a long way behind, and public funding in research and development is also lower than some other countries,” he added.

“The goal of the UK’s industrial strategy, launched in 2018, is to get the country’s investment in research and development up to the OECD average to drive productivity across industry.

“Just 400 companies carry out 75 per cent of all the UK’s research and development, but we have a fantastic engineering and manufacturing heritage and we need to build on that.”

Dr Jones urged delegates to consider whether they would benefit from government support to invest in research and development. “Think about what you do. Think about the challenges and the monies that are available. The government’s priorities are listed in the Industrial Strategy on the Innovate UK website.

“Our goal at Innovate UK is to boost jobs, growth and exports. We will generally match fund big companies’ investment in research and development and will often more than match fund investment made by smaller companies.

“There is money available now and the organisation best placed to help companies access funding is the Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN). This is Innovate UK’s network partner which also provides innovation networking for other funders. KTN links new ideas and opportunities with expertise, markets and finance through its network of businesses, universities, funders and investors.”

Behind the scenes at Spirax Sarco

The highlight of every Manufacturing Live is the factory tour. Delegates were accompanied around the Spirax Sarco factory in Cheltenham by key members of staff explaining the process from research and development through to design, manufacturing and distribution.

Spirax Sarco invests continually in product research and development. To manufacture new products and continue to speed up the manufacturing processes themselves, the company also commits significant capital expenditure to new processes and equipment.

Integrating new process equipment on to the factory floor, while embracing the new technology available to boost efficiency and maintain factory output, is a science in itself and the way that Spirax Sarco has achieved this is impressive. The company recently invested £2 million in a dedicated clean steam facility in Cheltenham and is investing more than £4 million a year to further upgrade its UK manufacturing facility, while also investing in its other eight manufacturing sites across the globe.

is impressive. The company recently invested £2 million

Business & Innovation Magazine organises two Manufacturing Live events every year. These bring company owners, production engineers and heads of manufacturing from businesses of all sizes across the region together at a host manufacturing company. This encourages collaboration between companies geographically close but which may not have met to encourage better communication and support wider innovation.

Manufacturing Live

Business & Innovation Magazine hosts Manufacturing Live at

Spirax Sarco UK

Plc

Guests joined Business & Innovation Magazine for its autumn Manufacturing Live event hosted by Spirax Sarco UK’s Technology & Research Centre in Cheltenham. Sponsored by Crowe UK guests heard from Paul Oakley, EMEA Supply Chain Director at Spirax Sarco, Dr Andy Jones, Manufacturing Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund Director, Innovate UK and Chris Mould, Manufacturing Partner at Crowe UK, before taking a tour of Spirax Sarco’s impressive manufacturing facilities.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ROB LACEY

Spirax Sarco UK’s Technology & Research Centre in Cheltenham

Germain Forgeoux from Sarfran Landing Systems and Matthew Taylor from Poeton

Behind the scenes tour of Spirax Sarco UK’s manufacturing Facilities

Rob Meyrick from Ontic Engineering and Tim Plunkett from Plunkett Associates

Chris Mould from Crowe UK and Joanne Collison from Helipebs

Keynote Speakers, Paul Oakley, EMEA Supply Chain Director at Spirax Sarco, and Dr Andy Jones, Manufacturing Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund Director, at Innovate UK

Steve Rawse from Injection Mouldings and Simon Reitter from Own Mumford

Steve Chittock and Giles Simcock from Oxford Instruments

Eloise Walker and Paul Butler from Rotec Engineering

Guests on a tour of Spirax Sarco UK’s manufacturing Facilities

Paul Oakley from Spirax Sarco UK and Dr. Salah Al-Majeed from University of Gloucestershire

Richard Mayall from Ultra Electron Pres with Gemma Brindley from Crowe UK and Dr Alex Reip from Oxford nanoSystems

David Arthur from Delapena Group and Helen Harrison from Star Hydraulics

Paul Denny from Snow Business and Ian Hind from AGD Systems

Jon Marshall from Kohler Mira and Eloise Walker from Rotec Engineering

John Zbihlyj from T2 Alloysand & Lino D’Ambrigio from EuroCollimators Dr Mark Swift from WMG with Tony Kent from Boiswood LLP and Jim Budd from MOOG

Dan Town from Crowe UK and Matthew Taylor from Poeton

Andrew Brock from Malvern Panalytical and Mike Branigan from A E Oscroft & Sons

Jon Caple from Stratos Precision Engineering and Jon White from GE Aviation

UK SCIENCE PARK ASSOCIATION

CONFERENCE ATTRACTS RECORD NUMBERS

A record number of delegates attended the 2019 UK Science Park Association (UKSPA) conference, held at Culham Science Centre near Abingdon

More than 200 delegates from across the UK converged on the home of the UK’s fusion energy programme.

The popularity of the conference revealed the growing interest in the science and innovation sector and the

Owned and managed by the UK Atomic Energy Authority, Culham Science Centre sits in one of the most successful science locations in the country. It is a partner in Science Vale UK, along with other public and private sector organisations, to promote southern Oxfordshire as a global hotspot for scientific and technology enterprise and innovation.

determination of members of the UK Science Park Association to share best practice more widely.

Jim Duvall, the Association’s Executive Director, said: “We are delighted with the number of delegates at this year’s conference.

“UKSPA events are a good forum for science park managers to share best practice, and the increase in our association’s membership shows the wider interest being shown in the future of the science and innovation sector.”

Speakers at the two-day conference included Ian Chapman, Chief Executive at the UK Atomic Energy

“The increase in our association’s membership shows the wider interest being shown in the future of the science and innovation sector”

Authority (UKAEA), who gave an overview of the UK’s fusion ambitions, Rob Buckingham, Director of UKAEA and Remote Access in Challenging Environments (RACE), Tim Bestwick, Director of Business and Innovation at UKAEA and Ahmed Goga, Director of Strategy and Programmes at Oxfordshire’s Local Enterprise Partnership.

Rob Buckingham, Director of UKAEA and RACE

Sharing Culham Science Park’s knowledge across the UK

Culham is the home of the Joint European Torus (JET), the world’s largest and most powerful tokamak and the focal point of the European fusion research programme. Around 350 scientists from Europe, plus more from around the globe, participate in JET experiments each year, co-ordinated by a programme management unit.

The tokamak at Culham is one of several types of magnetic confinement devices being developed to produce controlled thermonuclear fusion power.

However, the value of the groundbreaking science being done at Culham has to benefit the whole of the UK economy, not just the wider scientific community. How is that knowledge being shared across the country?

Rob Buckingham, Director of UKAEA and Remote Access in Challenging Environments (RACE), pointed out that there is a lot going on across the country. “The government is investing around £2 million every year into West Cumbria to work on decommissioning the Sellafield site. And we have been talking about Cumbria and Oxfordshire working together in the robotics space. While a lot of the work on robotics is indeed happening in the South East – because of the expertise that lies here, we are actively reaching out to make sure we are addressing markets across the country.”

Ahmed Goga, Director of Strategy at the Oxfordshire LEP, added: “In the space

sector, Harwell is home to the largest space cluster in Western Europe. where more than 100 companies operate in the space sector. Their work is powering opportunities elsewhere in the country.”

He listed Westcott in Buckinghamshire, the spaceports planned for Cornwall and Scotland, along with manufacturing opportunities in the East Midlands, including at Leicester Science Park. He also cited the motorsports technology which is delivering huge changes in supply chains across the country. However he admitted that perhaps more could be done to highlight how the work in Oxfordshire is powering other regional economies around the country.

Another UK-wide collaboration is the recent opening of the UKAEA facility in Rotherham, said Tim Bestwick, Director of Business and Innovation at UKAEA. “The new facility will bring 40 skilled jobs to South Yorkshire, fostering collaboration with research organisations including the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) and its sister centre, the University of Sheffield AMRC.

“This is mobilisation of collaboration on a national scale. The fusion challenge is far too big for one region alone to carry. It has to be on a national scale and a national endeavour.”

Oxford’s science parks aiming for closer collaboration

A panel session on the second day of the UKSPA conference included representatives from Oxfordshire’s science parks, including Philip Campbell, Commercial Director at Milton Park, Dr Elen Wade-Martins, of Oxford’s BioEscalator, Alistair Cory, Director at Begbroke Science Park and Piers Scrimshaw-Wright, Chief Executive at Oxford Science Park.

Philip presented an overview of Milton Park’s 2040 vision, which has the potential to bring the park’s total working population to 20,000. Milton Park, near Didcot, is one of the UK’s largest business parks. The 2040 Masterplan will make more efficient use of the existing 300-acre site, with 41 per cent of new space for creating world-leading labs. The plans will play a crucial role in assisting local authorities to deliver the Oxford Industrial Strategy and contributing to the area becoming a global leader in science, technology and high-tech engineering.

Oxford’s BioEscalator offers business and lab space for early stage businesses, supporting companies which are working on early-stage innovative science and have the potential for high growth.

The Oxford Science Park, which covers more than 75 acres, is home to more than 2,500 people and almost 100 companies, with state-of-the-art office and laboratory space. The Park is continuing its expansion plans with the proposed development of two new buildings on Plot 16.

Philip Campbell, Milton Park, Alistair Cory, Begbroke Science Park, Steven Moss, UKAEA, Piers Scrimshaw-Wright of Oxford Science Park

Ian Chapman and Tim Bestwick of UKAEA, Ahmed Goga, Oxfordshire LEP, Jim Duvall, Executive Director UKSPA, Steven Moss, UKAEA and David Hardman, Hon Chair of UKSPA

UKSPA hosts Autumn conference at Culham Science Centre

Business leaders from the world science, technology, property and construction attended the United Kingdom Science Park Association (UKSPA) autumn conference hosted at the world leading science park and home to UKAEA, Culham Science Centre in Oxfordshire. The event saw leading experts discussing the latest innovation trends and opportunities within the UK’s Innovation and technology sectors. Across the two days the conference looked at the drivers for Oxford’s knowledge economy and current national trends for the science and innovation sector. Business & Innovation Magazine were delighted to be proud media partners for the event.

PHOTOGRAPHY: MIKAL LUDLOW AND ROB LACEY

S&T – Culham Science Centre and home to United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA)

Nigel Shaw an UKSPA Companion with and Steven Moss from UKAEA

Nicky Godding from Business and Innovation Magazine and Adrian Sell from UKSPA

Peter Lancaster from University of Oxford – Begbroke Science Park and Placi Espejo from Oxford Technology Park

Caroline Livingston from Culham Science Centre – UKAEA and Dr Elen Wade-Martins from BioEscalator, at the University of Oxford

Day 2 Keynote Speakers from Delivering the Future: Leading figures from UKSPA member locations in Oxfordshire session, Philip Campbell, Commercial Director, Milton Park, Alistair Cory, Director, Begbroke Science Park with session chair, Steven Moss from UKSPA and Piers Scrimshaw-Wright, CEO, Oxford Science Park

Hugh Blaza from Hugh Blaza Consulting and Jon Silversides from Carter Jonas

Mark Rogers and Dave Hockton from MIRA Technology Park

Day 1 Keynote Speakers from Driving the Knowledge Economy: Culham, the Oxfordshire Cluster and UK Innovation session, Chair: Ian Chapman, CEO, UKAEA, Tim Bestwick, Director of Business and Innovation, UKAEA, Ahmed Goga, Director of Strategy and Programmes, Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership, Jim Duvall - Chief Executive, UKSPA and David Hardman, Hon Chairman UKSPA

Tim Smith from Oxford Innovation and Penny Rinta-Suksi from Blake Morgan

David Williams from Bidwells and Tim Bestwick from UKAEA

Matt Francis from The Oxford Trust and Pete Wilder from Oxford Sciences Innovation

Session keynote speaker – Dr Rob Buckingham Director of RACE at UKAEA

Peter Canavan and Nicky Brock from Carter Jonas

Nick Flanagan Director from AECOM and Richard James from Willmott Dixon

Jim Duvall from UKSPA and Jo Stevens from Oxford Innovation

Briony Lumb from Willmott Dixon and Alethea Cininas from NBBJ Design

Trevor Reeve and Colin Boyd from Bouygues UK with Andrew Burns from george james ltd

Jim Duvall from UKSPA and Jo Stevens from Oxford Innovation

Creative Quarter takes shape in Leamington

A home for creative businesses and community events in Spencer Yard will be one of the first redevelopment sites going ahead in Leamington’s Creative Quarter.

Warwick District Council’s Executive has given the go-ahead for regeneration experts Complex Development Projects to start the work ahead of the town hosting the lawn bowls and Para bowls during the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

The existing buildings in Spencer Yard, including the disused Grade II Listed United Reformed Church, will be revamped to provide flexible workspace.

Katie Harrabin, Senior Development Executive at CDP, said: “Spencer Yard is an exciting opportunity to showcase the beginnings of what the Creative Quarter has to offer by mid-2021.”

GROUNDBREAKING MARKS START OF WORK AT ST. MODWEN PARK CHIPPENHAM

Developer St. Modwen has broken ground on a 106,000 sq ft speculative unit at St. Modwen Park, Chippenham.

The 79-acre site, formerly known as Chippenham Gateway, has planning permission from Wiltshire County Council for units ranging from 100,000 sq ft to 1,000,000 sq ft.

The site near M4 junction 17 is expected to create around 1,300 jobs as well as training and apprenticeship opportunities through a partnership with Wiltshire College.

The developer plans to complete site-wide preparation and deliver a further phase later this year. Longer term, St. Modwen Park Chippenham will generate inward investment with a growth potential of around 1,000 jobs once fully operational.

“St. Modwen Park Chippenham is a key industrial and logistics site. We have had a significant amount of interest due to its excellent location”

Peter Davies, Development Director at St. Modwen Industrial & Logistics, said: “St. Modwen Park Chippenham is a key industrial and logistics site. We have had a significant amount of interest due to its excellent location.”

The contractors are Winvic Construction Ltd. Joint agents are Alder King, DTRE and JLL.

Ding dong – containers ring the changes

The former Victorian church of St Mary in Wythall, Worcestershire, has been converted to offices and renamed Carillon House after the carillon bells that once hung in the church tower.

It is now home to Budget Shipping Containers, thanks to property agency John Truslove.

The former church provides 1,562 sq ft of high specification office space, with car parking.

Groundbreaking took place at St Modwen Park Chippenham

Adam Hough from Budget Shipping Containers with Ben Truslove of John Truslove

The United Reformed Church in Leamington

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY IN THE HEADLINES

A&H Construction wins contract for Pilkington

M&G Real Estate and Trebor

Developments have appointed A&H Construction Ltd as main contractor for a new 325,000 sq ft industrial facility in Redditch.

The new tenant, glass specialist Pilkington Automotive, should be able to move in by the summer.

The project involves the construction of a 72,000 sq ft extension and alterations to the existing structure in Old Forge Drive to create a new manufacturing operation – all being undertaken while Pilkington’s distribution operations continue.

The development will provide manufacturing and national distribution facilities for Pilkington which is moving from Kings Norton. The company, owned by Japan’s NSG Group, is consolidating its UK operations at the Redditch site.

Chris Jeffs, Director, Investment Management at M&G Real Estate, said: “Securing a pre-let to an existing occupier for this extension makes it a natural investment choice that will deliver rental income and grow the value of this industrial holding.”

Rob Purcell, NSG Group’s Head of Automotive Original Equipment across Europe, said: “Redditch will become the consolidated centre for our automotive operations throughout the UK. This new future-proofed facility will allow us to continue to develop glass products for our customers’ vehicle automation and electrification initiatives.”

Move to Witney HQ goes swimmingly for Certikin

Certikin International, the country’s largest manufacturer and distributor of swimming pool and wet leisure equipment, has agreed a pre-let for a new 125,000 sq ft headquarters in Witney.

Since 1990, Certikin’s HQ and main distribution hub has been based in Station Lane industrial estate, Witney where it has more than 8,000 product lines for domestic and commercial pools and spas.

The new HQ will be in Downs Road near the A40 and forms part of the 24-acre site being developed by Tungsten Properties.

Certikin aims to move its 130-strong

workforce into the new building by the end of 2020.

Neil Murray, Managing Director for Certikin, said: “Having outgrown our existing premises, we needed to move to a bigger, better site but we were determined to stay in Witney to cause the least possible disruption to our highly-valued and experienced employees.

“All our products will be under one roof with increased picking locations and more efficient order preparation. We will also benefit by bringing stock held in third-party storage back into our main warehouse.”

The company also has a swimming pool liner and cover manufacturing plant in Leeds.

Former Richard Read transport site at Longhope to become business park

A former warehouse and transport depot in Longhope, Gloucestershire will be transformed into a business park following its sale to investors, Dr Roger Head and Jim Ruddy.

Previously the home to Richard Read Transport, which ceased trading last March, the site had been used as a warehouse and distribution site for more than 60 years.

Robert Smith at Bruton Knowles’ Gloucester office, who brokered the

deal, said: “The former owners wish the purchasers every success for the future with their plans for the property.

“The site has huge potential and with Roger Head and Jim Ruddy at its helm, it has an exciting future ahead as a business park.”

Roger Head said: “We intend to start as soon as possible on what will be a multimillion pound refurbishment. We already own a number of industrial estates and are pleased to add this to our portfolio.”

The site of the new Certikin HQ in Witney

Artist’s impression of the new Pilkington Automotive facility at Redditch

Construction firm Barnwood is building a better future for women in its industry

Barnwood is an important employer in the region. Established in 1962, it now boasts a 250-strong workforce with projects reaching right across the UK recently with real estate developer MEPC’s science park at Silverstone, right next to the world famous Grand Prix circuit).

Managing Director of Barnwood Construction, Ben Ramsay, said: “With consistent growth over the last 10 years our employees remain our most important resource.

"We are passionate about construction which continues to be an exciting industry to work in with a wide range of different jobs available. The traditional front line trade-based roles all still remain, but there are also increasing opportunities in marketing, accountancy, project management and shopfitting.

“Unfortunately the ‘wolf whistling builder’ stereotype at times still dogs our industry and is something we are trying to break.

“I’ve been in construction for over 20 years and disappointingly, the number of female site managers available to employ remains extremely low, which is really frustrating.

“As an inclusive employer we are looking to recruit the best talent into the industry and our company, across all walks of life. To do this we are setting plans to dispel these stereotypes and attract a

“Women in Construction’ is an organisation already doing great work to encourage females into the industry. We are working with them to assist this activity and showcase some of the reasons to work in construction... Site management, design management, commercial management, plant operators, crane drivers, ground workers, brick layers, carpenters… the list of roles goes on and Barnwood is keen for each appeal to young women.”

Ben Ramsay, Managing Director, Barnwood Construction

diverse workforce to come and work in our industry."

There has been engagement with local primary and secondary schools and promotion at careers fairs as well as further education establishments including Gloucestershire College students who were recently given a site tour.

“Primary schools are important because even at that young age children are starting to form ideas – it’s an opportunity to break down misconceptions,” adds Ben. “Likewise secondary schools – teenagers

about to embark on A Levels are at a stage when they will soon start to make their career decisions.”

“We are working with a number of clients and our supply chain to further improve the image of construction, to help re-adjust the current gender imbalance and bring the best talent into the industry.”

Barnwood employee Nikki Rowlands (Health, Safety, Quality & Environment) is very much at the construction ‘front line’. So too is Vicky Harker, Contracts Manager for Gloucester based Aluminium Sashes which works closely with Barnwood on many projects.

Nikki said: “Construction is equally challenging for men and women because you deal with complex problems, sometimes harsh working conditions and time pressures.”

“However that can make the job really rewarding. You certainly don’t need to be physically strong to work on site – more strong-willed and not let bad days knock your confidence. “Besides, any decent employer will resolve problems such as abuse or exclusion with discretion and dignity. Bullying, discrimination and unconscious bias are also better understood these days and

How Gloucestershire business

Barnwood is stamping out stereotypes in construction such as ‘the wolf whistling builder’. It is prioritising a code of conduct across its sites to make the industry a much more attractive career option for women

Attracting and retaining the most skilled and experienced people is essential to our business going forward. At Barnwood we rely on the skill, dedication and enthusiasm of all our employees to meet industry challenges and build a successful business. Our strong market position and forward-looking strategy means we have a positive approach and work in partnership with our employees to help them excel and achieve their potential. We are always on the lookout for contracts managers, surveyors, site managers, assistants and trainers as well as trades people in groundworks, carpentry and brickwork.

barnwoodconstruction.com/careers

you hand over projects. Barnwood and Aluminium Sashes have assisted with my learning in all aspects of the job and this shows their willingness to support women in to the industry. I’ve never had any issues with the Barnwood site teams; I’ve always been treated as an equal on building sites."

MEPC’s Roz Bird, Commercial Director at Silverstone Park, (one of Barnwood Groups’ current projects) is highly supportive of Barnwood’s approach.

Roz said: “Gender equality in the workplace is a society issue not a women’s issue. If we want to attract and retain the best people then we need to remove gender stereotypes from schools, our high streets and our homes and give both men and women an equal chance to be the best they can be.

progressing on schedule with the first signs of steel construction works in mid-November. Roz added: “Barnwood Construction Ltd has made a really good start on site, in spite of some challenging weather conditions.

For over 55 years, Gloucester-based Barnwood Construction has been building a reputation for quality, collaboration and delivery. Barnwood Group includes Barnwood Construction, Barnwood Shopfitting and Barnwood General Works (which undertakes specialist construction projects).

It has seen considerable growth over the last decade and last year turned over more than £100 million, a record for the business to date.

people are more mindful of their actions and others.

Vicky says that in four years she has had mixed experiences in terms of recognition by male colleagues. “However,” she adds, “I do see attitudes changing and people being open minded. It’s nice to get positive feedback from site managers when

“MEPC can effect a positive change in the areas in which it operates and has influence, so we talk about the negative impact of casual sexism such as ‘pink jobs and blue jobs’, and we are championing Women in Construction with Barnwood and our other key contractors working on the exciting new developments at Silverstone Park.”

MEPC’s latest 258,000 sq. ft speculative industrial scheme at Silverstone Park is

For information call: 01452 614124

Email: enquiries@barnwood.co.uk

Visit: www.barnwoodconstruction.com

“I very much doubt any woman would have any issues being a site manager or engineer for Barnwood. The business has a strong work ethic and the people are supportive of each other.”

Nikki Rowlands, Health, Safety, Quality & Environment, Barnwood Construction

Looking for a career in construction, could we be the team for you?

Gloucester’s St. Oswald’s Retail Park snapped up by local council

Hammerson plc has sold St. Oswald’s Retail Park in Gloucester to an unnamed local authority for £54 million.

The sale price reflects a net initial yield of 8.5 per cent.

St. Oswald’s offers a mix of retail and leisure outlets. Tenants include Homesense, B&Q and Wren Kitchens.

Hammerson developed the site in 2005 and has since increased the number of units to improve the brand mix.

David Atkins, Hammerson Chief Executive, said: “Despite a challenging investment market, we are successfully executing disposals in line with our priority to reduce debt and strengthen our balance sheet.”

Hammerson has a portfolio of high-quality venues with a value of £9.5 billion, including 21 flagship destinations. Its key retail venues include Bullring & Grand Central in Birmingham, Bicester Village in Oxfordshire, Freeport Lisboa Fashion Outlet, Dundrum Town Centre in Dublin and Les Terrasses du Port in Marseille.

PATRIZIA COMPLETES SALE OF ABINGDON BUSINESS PARK FOR £61.5M

Patrizia AG has completed the off-market sale of Abingdon Business Park in Oxfordshire to Royal London Mutual Insurance Society for £61.5 million, reflecting a net initial yield of 5.8 per cent.

Patrizia acquired the 415,000 sq ft park in 2015 and has since undertaken a comprehensive refurbishment.

Occupancy of the 50-acre site near Abingdon has since increased to more than 90 per cent with 35 tenants in place.

XLB acted as adviser to Patrizia throughout the hold period. Patrizia was advised by JLL and Bidwells acted for Royal London Mutual Insurance Society.

Duncan White, Director of UK Fund Management at Patrizia, said: “This

off-market sale is ahead of our business plan for Abingdon Business Park and crystallises extremely strong and market leading returns for our investors. The transaction is further evidence of the continued institutional appetite for UK multi-let commercial real estate in strong regional locations such as this.”

James Orr, Senior Fund Manager and Head of Industrial at Royal London Asset Management added: “Abingdon Business Park is a great acquisition for us and aligns with our investment strategy to acquire best-in-class multi-let commercial estates in locations with strong growth potential.”

Patrizia manages more than 41 billion Euros of real estate assets, primarily as an investment manager for insurance companies, pension fund institutions, sovereign funds, savings and co-operative banks and as a co-investor.

Timberworld takes final unit at Grovelands

Arnold Laver Timberworld, part of the National Timber Group, has opened a new trade counter unit on the Grovelands Industrial Estate in Exhall, just off junction 3 of the M6.

The company created seven new jobs after securing the 26,000 sq ft building through commercial property agents Holt Commercial. The industrial estate is now fully let.

Abingdon Business Park

St Oswald’s Retail Park

“Abingdon Business Park is a great acquisition for us and aligns with our investment strategy to acquire best-in-class multi-let commercial estates in locations with strong growth potential”

Chris Whitlock of Arnold Laver Timberworld with Rupert Gillitt of Holt Commercial

Bruton Knowles Launches Arbitration Service for Region

National property consultancy, Bruton Knowles, has launched a new arbitration service, based from its headquarters in Gloucester, covering Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Oxfordshire – the first that the region has had in over three years.

John Williams, Team Leader for the firm’s Lease Advisory Services, holds a Masters in Arbitration and is a full Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. He will lead a new division within the Commercial Practice that will ultimately provide this vital service for commercial landlords, tenants, their surveyors and legal teams nationwide. Here he explains the benefits this arbitration service can offer.

“This service has not been available in our region for over three years with landlord and tenant disputes having to be referred to arbitrators in Bristol, Birmingham or even West London, which can lead to both an increase in costs and in delays. Now Bruton Knowles is able to fulfil that role from within the region, alongside its expert witness services both for arbitration and court proceedings – all under one roof.

“Disagreements between landlords and tenants are generally classed as either rent (typically rent review) or non-rent (often renewal lease terms or repairs). Lease renewals can be particularly difficult as they can involve disputes over both rent and lease terms and if agreement can’t be reached then court can be a long and expensive process. It can be a complex area, and it is often difficult to find a single arbitrator with the experience to take these cases on.

“However, with over 30-years’ experience in this field and a detailed knowledge of the legal framework that applies to both rent valuations and updating lease terms, we are ideally placed to offer a service that saves the parties both time and money and in which they can have absolute faith.

“Similarly, non-rent disputes such as dilapidations claims involve questions of liability for, and cost of, works and of complex valuation issues. Such claims are on the rise but again it can be difficult to find a single arbitrator able to cover the whole of the dispute. With over 20-years’ experience in this field, we are again able to offer a service that can be both quicker and cheaper than court and in which the parties can have complete faith.

“With the sheer pressure of litigation, County Court timescales are getting longer not shorter and in the meantime, both parties are caught in a state of uncertainty. Tenants waiting on their lease renewal cannot invest in their business when there is no certainty over their new lease. With a property vacated in substantial disrepair a landlord may not have funds to carry out repairs and return it to a lettable condition, meaning it stays empty with no rental income. Arbitration can resolve these situations swiftly, cost effectively and with a flexibility that suits the parties and the nature or scale of the dispute.

“The service is available now and I would encourage law firms and surveyors in the region to think carefully about whether a local arbitrator may be a better option for their clients.”

John Williams

Bruton Knowles plans to extend its arbitration and expert witness services to the wider South West and Midlands regions with Ashleigh Phillips, a Partner in the company’s Plymouth office, building on his long experience in this field and with Sarah Naughton, now joining the team in the Nottingham office to work alongside John.

For more information please contact John Williams at Bruton Knowles on 01452 880000 or email

john.williams@brutonknowles.co.uk

www.brutonknowles.co.uk

John Williams, Team Leader, Lease Advisory Services

COTSWOLD HOTELS GO UP FOR SALE

Dumbleton Hall Hotel, a beautiful and historic property close to Cheltenham and within the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, is being marketed by global real estate adviser Colliers International for offers in excess of £6 million.

Colliers is acting on behalf of Post Office Fellowship of Remembrance, which is seeking offers for the freehold hotel in a private setting of nearly 16 acres of parkland, complete with ornamental lake.

The house dates from the mid-1880s and has 38 en-suite bedrooms.

Peter Brunt, Director of Hotels Agency at Colliers International, said: “In my opinion, this is the most significant single asset hotel opportunity to become available in the Cotswolds for a generation.

But Colliers has yet to find a buyer for another beautiful hotel near Bicester.

The 32-bedroom Manor Hotel at Weston-on-the-Green is now being offered at the reduced price of £4.8 million. Colliers is acting on behalf of administrators at Moorfields Advisory, which is continuing to trade the hotel fully.

Construction Innovation Hub will drive new ideas and technology in the sector

Coventry’s Manufacturing Technology Centre(MTC) has joined an alliance of experts in manufacturing, digital, building performance standards and construction technology. The alliance has been awarded leadership of a new national Construction Innovation Hub to drive innovation and technological advances in the construction and infrastructure sectors.

Innovate UK awarded £72 million to the Transforming Construction Alliance to deliver a national innovation hub, which is a key element of the Transforming Construction programme.

Turnoverup after challenging year in construction

A Warwickshire construction company has reported a 12 per cent increase in turnover from £146 million in 201718 to £164 million. The firm has also seen a four per cent rise in gross profit.

Stepnell, a 151-year-old family-owned firm which operates across central and southern England, has attributed its robust performance to a range of successful projects during the year.

It also has a strategy of competing in diverse markets including healthcare, retirement and education, extending to commercial business, retail and leisure premises, and also civil engineering works.

The alliance brings together the specialist expertise of the MTC, Building Research Establishment and the University of Cambridge Centre for Digital Built Britain.

Construction Innovation Hub Programme Director, Keith Waller, said: “The Construction Innovation Hub and Constructing Excellence will be working closely to harness the energy and enthusiasm which is already out there in the sector, so we can drive the large-scale transformation we so badly need, delivering better outcomes not just for the sector, but for wider society and the environment.”

Tom Wakeford, Joint Managing Director, said: “We welcome these results after a challenging year for the construction industry. The market remains mixed with a number of our competitors struggling, and as such a few projects had their challenges, particularly through terms and conditions that proved to be more onerous that expected and subcontractors going out of business.

“We remain cautiously optimistic that our revised business model, with a focus on lower risk terms and conditions, will hold us in good stead. Stepnell has a more diversified range of projects than ever before and this will position us to withstand market risks.

“In my opinion, this is the most significant single asset hotel opportunity to become available in the Cotswolds for a generation”

Dumbleton Hall

2020 Vision for Roberts Limbrick...

Roberts Limbrick Architects are extremely positive about the future and kick off 2020 with a strong list of major projects across all sectors including Commercial, Residential and Sport & Leisure as well as a number of exciting projects in Healthcare, Education, Hotels and Retail.

The Gloucester-based firm continues to build upon their established success, both nationally and regionally, and have expanded to become a thriving practice of over 100 highly skilled and experienced people. Their success has been firmly founded on a reputation of reliability and quality, delivering award winning projects but always putting the client first and providing the highest standards of service.

2019 was another highly successful year for Roberts Limbrick as the regions premier Architects practice. Some of the high profile local projects that were successfully delivered last year include the new Bouncers Lane Crematorium, a major new R&D centre in the Cotswolds for high tech engineering firm Renishaw, and Honeybourne Place – a stunning new office development in Cheltenham’s business quarter.

Roberts Limbrick have been consistently growing year upon year, gaining new clients and continuing to build on their success. 2020 already looks to be even more successful with a superb range of projects, including the new aquatic centre in Sandwell, Birmingham, various residential schemes including stunning

apartments development, Rivershill House in Cheltenham and the major new retail outlet centre in Ashchurch, Tewkesbury.

“It’s been fantastic to work for Roberts Limbrick while studying for my HNC and go on to get my Architectural Technician qualification. The ability to balance working on real projects with day release for study has been great and also getting mentoring support has really helped me to develop and understand the industry”

Holly Frost Roberts Limbrick

Sustainability is an important aspect of their approach, with a desire to always achieve the highest standards within client affordability criteria, through good design principles and a detailed understanding of the key issues involved. This approach has led to a number of projects successfully achieving an ‘Excellent’ level of energy performance.

Roberts Limbrick firmly believe in investing in their staff and helping people come into the industry with the right skills, which

brings real value to their business and benefits the local community. They have an established apprenticeship strategy that has been running for a many years to ensure they have the skilled staff they need for the future.

This includes a programme of employing a junior staff of school leaving age and supporting them with mentoring, fees and day release to undertake courses at Gloucester College and become qualified Architectural Technologists whilst working in a major architectural practice and gaining experience on real projects.

The Future… Roberts Limbrick seem to have a winning formula for developing the right skills to deliver fantastic service to their clients and quality buildings, and will enable them forge on successfully into 2020.

JOIN OUR TEAM:

Roberts Limbrick nurtures the best talentand skills by investing in people and the technical resources to support them. If you are interested in a career working for an award-winning practice email recruitment@robertslimbrick.com

www.robertslimbrick.com

DEALS

Four new tenants

mean Coronation Square is fully let PLUMBWORLD GOES FOR GROWTH AT ASPARAGUS POINT

The Coronation Square shopping parade in Cheltenham is fully let for the first time in more than 10 years after four new tenants signed up for the final retail units.

Eastern European supermarket Biedronki.com, which has shops in Tewkesbury and Gloucester, is to open a 1,556 sq ft store at 4-5 Gresham Court. It has agreed a 15-year lease with LCP, the national commercial property and investment company that manages the parade on behalf of Sheet Anchor Investments (part of the LCP group of companies).

Golden Spa has exchanged contracts for 44 Goldsmith Road, a 408 sq ft unit, and plans to convert it into a health and beauty salon.

An organisation that provides care services to older people has signed a five-year lease for 92 Edinburgh Place.

Rakesh Joshi, senior asset manager at LCP, said: “Since we took over the management of Coronation Square in 2018, we’ve been refurbishing the available units to help attract new tenants and have plans to carry out high level works to the external fabric and structure of the building and yards.

“Now we have a full complement of tenants, local shoppers have a vibrant mix of retailers on their doorstep, from nationally known names to small, independent shops.”

Coronation Square in Hester’s Way includes 30 stores, anchored by Farmfoods, Savers, BHF and Iceland.

Asparagus Point at Vale Park in Evesham is fully occupied following the letting to online bathroom retailer Plumbworld.

Online Home Retail Limited, trading as Plumbworld, has agreed a new 10-year lease on 39,100 sq ft with landlord Hortons’ Estate.

The new unit, close to Plumbworld’s existing base in Enterprise Way, will be used for storage and distribution and enable the company to expand.

Richard Norgrove, Property Director at Hortons’ Estate, said: “Just months

after construction of the units at Asparagus Point was completed, we’re extremely pleased the park is fully occupied, justifying our decision to speculatively build the scheme.”

Mark Satterley, Finance and Operations Director at Plumbworld, said: “Moving into Asparagus Point will allow us to handle much more of our product fulfilment in-house, reducing our reliance on our third-party logistics partner.”

Joint agents Fisher German and Harris Lamb advised Hortons’ Estate on the letting. Paul Rabbette acted for Plumbworld.

Blade motor group leases two petrol stations to Ascona

Heritage Automotive, which recently acquired Blade Motor Group, has sold the leasehold interest in two Gloucestershire forecourts to Ascona Group Holdings with the help of Christie & Co, for an undisclosed sum.

One is on the A40 bypass near Longford, next to Blade’s Honda dealership. The other is in Twigworth on the A38 next to a Skoda dealership. The A40 forecourt is supplied by AF Blakemore and Shell. The Twigworth forecourt is supplied by BP.

Heritage leased the forecourts to a third party shortly after acquiring Blade. It now operates 19 car dealerships across the South West.

Owned by Darren Briggs, Ascona Group Holdings has rapidly expanded over the last two years and this acquisition takes it to 18 operational forecourts.

Duncan Morris, Group Property Director, said: “This is just the first of a number of planned multi-site acquisitions expected to be completed in the near future.”

Petrol station at Twigworth

Kit Rabbette with Andrew McCluskey and Mark Satterley, James Slater, Rob Champion and Lewis Giles

“Moving into Asparagus Point will allow us to handle much more of our product fulfilment in-house, reducing our reliance on our third-party logistics partner”

LIDL, PURE GYM AND B&M

ARE

ON THEIR WAY TO KINGSWAY

Construction has begun on two major developments at Kingsway in Gloucester.

Developer Robert Hitchins is bringing a Pure Gym and a B&M Home Store with Garden Centre, plus 205 parking spaces, to a threeacre brownfield site in Newhaven Road.

“Kingsway has emerged on the site of the former 340acre RAF Quedgeley. The original masterplan included 3,300 homes and a 40-acre employment site”

to Lidl GB’s existing store portfolio of 770 and forms part of the company’s growth plans which envisage opening up to 50 stores a year.

The contractor for both sites is Barnwood.

Construction has also begun on a Lidl store on a neighbouring site which will bring up to 40 jobs to the area.

Lidl will take a long-term lease from Robert Hitchins. The new store will add

Kingsway has emerged on the site of the former 340acre RAF Quedgeley. The original masterplan included 3,300 homes, a 40-acre employment site, community and leisure facilities, retail, sports area and primary school.

Stoford unveils next stage of Worcester Six

Stoford has put forward plans for the next development stage at Worcester Six Business Park after attracting ZwickRoell, a global supplier of materials testing machines.

The commercial developer is seeking planning permission for three units, two of which will be occupied by ZwickRoell which plans to move its UK headquarters from Leominster.

Plans submitted to Wychavon District Council are for a 19,849 sq ft office

and 10,000 sq ft assembly building at Worcester Six, near junction 6 of the M5.

Stoford has also submitted a planning application for unit 10C, situated behind the ZwickRoell unit, which comprises 37,800 sq ft of flexible employment space.

Edward Peel, Development Manager at Stoford, said: “It is encouraging to see the continued development on site where we have seen more than 700,000 sq ft of commercial space secured in the last three years.”

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION

Deeley teams up with church charity to provide homes for the elderly

A topping out ceremony was held at a new £6.8 million housing development for older people in Coventry.

The project, to be known as Bond’s Lodge, is the final piece of the jigsaw at Belgrade Plaza. It features a threestorey building providing 45 one and two-bedroom apartments.

Coventry-based Deeley Construction is working on behalf of Coventry Church (Municipal) Charities to carry out the project which has been designed by Nicol Thomas Architects.

It is funded by the Coventry Church (Municipal) Charities’ own resources as well as through fundraising, a grant from Homes England and a loan from the Charity Bank.

Victor Keene, Chairman of Coventry Church (Municipal) Charities, said: “It is great to see the dream of adding this to our other almshouses here in the city centre.”

Benno Sadowski, Managing Director for ZwickRoell, said: “We are delighted to be expanding our UK and Ireland operation. As a family-run business, we believe that this new facility will offer some excellent opportunities for growth.”

Once fully developed, Worcester Six will provide 1.5 million sq ft of accommodation.

Mike Plimmer (RHL), Adam Twine (RHL),Simon Tothill (RHL), Ben Ramsay (Barnwood), Jaroslaw Kubaszczyk, Cllr Richard Cook

Victor Keene MBE, Eleanor Deeley, Nikki Finnegan John Crabtree OBE

PROFESSIONAL: