If you, like us, have got fed up with all the political wrangling on earth, look up to the stars. The news has been full of exciting space-related news all summer. With life on earth proving ever more challenging, scientists are now looking toward space to see how humankind can benefit from its secrets and opportunities. We report on some of the most exciting innovations (Pages 86-93).
If you want to expand, if space is a bit far, then look overseas and consider exporting. Apparently only 10 per cent of UK companies do so, but there are massive opportunities there for the taking. Our exporting feature (pages 10-21) lists 100 successful exporters from across the region to inspire others to follow their lead.
We also look at the pitfalls – because exporting is full of them. But get it right and success will follow. Companies that trade internationally open up new markets for themselves, are more productive, more innovative and diversify their risk profile.
Closer to home, cyber attacks are a real and present threat to the basic functioning of society and could even mean the difference between life and death. Our cyber feature (pages 62-69) looks at the issues for business – and the big career opportunities in what is a relatively new sector. The pay’s good, and there are hundreds of thousands (yes really), of cyber security job vacancies.
These jobs need people who act with integrity and can think creatively as well as logically. Think of the satisfaction in knowing you’ve prevented a cyberattack which saved thousands of lives.
Remember the infamous WannaCry ransomware attack in 2017 which targeted computers all over the world, including in our precious NHS? The virus encrypted data and demanded ransom payments in the Bitcoin cryptocurrency.
The virus was defeated by Marcus Hutchins, a 22-year-old British computer security researcher who figured out how to stop it when international software companies were still baffled.
In this issue we also meet other inspiring people from manufacturing and life sciences. Gaizka Bilbao is the Site Leader at Dowty Propellers (pages 80-83). We regularly report on new sustainable fuel technology for the aerospace sector. But whether you use fossil fuels, hydrogen or electric to power flight, you’re always
going to need a propeller to thrust an aircraft through the air. And that’s why there will always be a market for Dowty’s world-leading propellers.
Sean Smith is CEO at Eden Research, a life sciences company working in crop protection and biopesticides. As the global population increases, we need to produce more food from less land.
In our interview (pages 96-98), Sean tells us how Eden Research is developing sustainable biopesticides and plastic-free formulation technology for use in global crop protection to make agricultural land more productive.
The world economy might be suffering, but there are always great business opportunities if you look for them.
we reveal some of the fastest-growing sectors for regional businesses to captureKirsty Muir Head of Print and Advertising Nicky Godding Print Editor
Rolls-Royce, which has its principal defence site at Filton near Bristol, has been awarded the most innovation funding of any UK company over the last 18 years.
The research, conducted by intellectual property services and R&D tax credit company GovGrant, analysed publicly available Innovate UK data.
Over that time, the global aerospace manufacturing giant has been awarded £689 million in funding by national innovation agency Innovate UK, equivalent to £38.2 million each year.
This is more than four times more than any other company received for innovation projects, and accounts for seven per cent of all Innovate UK awarded funding, according to GovGrant.
Rolls-Royce employs about 3,000 people in Bristol and approximately 20,000 across the UK.
Overall, businesses across the South West region attracted just over 11 per cent of Innovation UK funding since 2004, worth more than £647 million. This is the third highest figure from the UK’s 12 regions, ranking above East of England, East and West Midlands.
A third of the UK's aerospace and defence GDP emanates from Bristol, where Airbus and Boeing also have
major sites. Airbus Operations Ltd and Airbus UK Ltd are other Bristol-based companies featuring in the top five bestfunded businesses for innovation, winning combined total funding of more than £210 million from Innovate UK since 2004.
Luke Hamm, CEO at GovGrant, said: “Rolls-Royce is a compelling success
story and it highlights the vital role that innovation funding plays in supporting local economies, and could contribute to the wider ‘levelling up’ agenda if targeted correctly. Innovation awards for Rolls-Royce are clearly contributing to the wider UK economy by financing training academies, filling the country’s talent pool with highly-skilled people.”
A Gloucestershire company which says it is the UK’s leading designer and manufacturer of wildlife-friendly products for the garden, is to use a seven-figure funding package from HSBC UK to expand across the UK and internationally.
Wildlife World plans to increase its volume of exports to Europe by 50 to 100 per cent over the next 12 months.
The award-winning business, which is based next to The Wild Carrot Cafe at Manor Farm Barn, Chavenage House at Tetbury, has fulfilment centres across the US and Europe and sells to businesses across both continents, in addition to a large market in the UK.
Wildlife World is anticipating a 20 per cent increase in turnover during the year.
Norman Sellers, the 70-year-old founder and CEO of Wildlife World, said: “It’s been great to begin our international expansion plans here at Wildlife World.
“Conservation is at the very heart of what we do, and this business growth means we have the opportunity to support even more wildlife across the UK and Europe with our range of sustainable products.”
David Butler, Area Director for Business Banking in the South West at HSBC UK, added: “From planting native hedgerows to using recyclable cardboard for packaging, Norman and the team have a clear passion for conservation and sustainability. They have demonstrated a commitment to this cause, and a drive to design innovative products.”
Wildlife World works with a range of European conversation organisations including the RSPB, National Trust, Bat Conservation Trust and Buglife.
With the spiralling costs of tuition, accommodation and basic living (not to mention socialising), university life is expensive enough without undergraduates having to pay hundreds of pounds for textbooks every year of their degree course.
BibliU could be the answer.
Launched in 2015 at the University of Oxford’s start-up Incubator, BibliU helps university students access online course books more affordably, and is now used by 112 leading universities from Oxford and Cambridge to Cornell and Phoenix in the United States.
The platform allows higher education institutions to license textbooks and courseware, primarily in digital format – for all students for a single, low, standardised per student/per class fee.
The costs of university textbooks have risen by four times the rate of inflation
since 1977, with many students turning to second-hand, rented or even pirated copies to make ends meet. This has led to publishers increasing their prices to recover lost revenues, exacerbating the problem further.
BibliU is now expanding in the USA, having raised $15 million in a Series B funding. The fundraise will help new product development, additional publisher partnerships and further investments in sales and marketing.
Investors included Bristol-registered Wealth Club. Alex Davies, Wealth Club CEO said: “BibliU is solving longexisting problems with modern-day tools. It allows students to access course materials at little or no costs, helping to improve the accessibility of education while improving learning outcomes. This has delivered great commercial success in a growing market and the pandemic has only accelerated demand.”
BibliU co-founder Dave Sherwood, added: “The funding will enable BibliU to develop technology that further automates content management for publishers, streamlines the complexities for institutions associated with managing learning content, and –most of all – support our clients’ goals to advance student success in an equitable manner.”
Nick Dixon-Clegg, Principal at Oxford Science Enterprises, said: “We have invested in the company since 2017 and are impressed by the growth delivered by simultaneously solving problems for students, higher education institutions and publishers.”
In 2021, BibliU achieved 236 per cent revenue growth and launched its universal learning solution, aggregating digital content from thousands of publishers and open educational resources sources on one platform for one low price, per student, per class.
Oxford-born BibliU makes access to university text books more a ordableNorman Sellers, CEO of Wildlife World
Beard Construction had to take to the water to complete a £6.2 million restoration of Cleveland Pools in Bath, the UK’s oldest lido.
The 15-month project to restore the 207-year-old Georgian site to its former glory posed significant logistical challenges for the Oxfordshire and Thames Valley construction company.
All plant and materials could only be brought to the site by boat on the adjacent River Avon.
The £9.3 million restoration is the culmination of an 18-year community
campaign by the Cleveland Pools Trust, supported by thousands of Bathonians.
The restoration was led by project director Anna Baker, a chartered architect who specialises in historic buildings.
She said: “It’s been complex and very challenging. But it’s also been unique, the project of a lifetime.”
Beard’s project manager Mark Tregelles added: “Having access only by river really tested our initiative, not only getting materials in and out, but also in the method of construction, given the limited plant and equipment that we could get to the site.”
Redditch-based Halfords Group has become the UK’s leading commercial tyre provider after buying Lodge Tyre for £37.2 million.
Lodge Tyre, based in Staffordshire, services business-to-business customers from 50 garages and 248 mobile vans.
The acquisition takes the Halfords garage services business to 656 garages, 253 consumer vans, 440 commercial vans and nine warehouses.
Halfords is already the UK’s market leading motoring service provider to consumers and will now also be the UK’s largest B2B commercial tyre
provider by revenue and national coverage.
Graham Stapleton, Chief Executive Officer of Halfords, said: “The acquisition of Lodge Tyre will mean that motoring accounts for more than three-quarters of our total revenue. The current trading environment reinforces the rationale for building ever-more resilient, needs-based revenue streams, which is exactly what the motoring category offers.
“Lodge perfectly complements our existing commercial tyre businesses of McConechy’s and Universal Tyres and gives us a much greater reach across the UK.”
Derriere, the first equestrian undergarment range in the world to provide riding underwear for the comfort of riders’ bottoms, has been sold to its brand ambassador Laura Thyer.
Oxfordshire-based Laura, a chartered certified accountant, has been associated with the brand as an ambassador since 2015, and in 2020 started advising on Derriere’s finances.
The company, based at Great Tew in Oxfordshire, was launched in 2013 by dressage rider and equine therapist Claire Gale.
Having tried all the equestrian underwear on the market in search of a truly supportive and non-chafing product, she decided to design her own.
She worked with the University of Padova in Italy incorporating the most advanced pressure testing technology and with leading cycle pad manufacturer CY Tech to design a pad system specifically tailored to the horse rider. She then turned to a French lingerie designer to fine tune her designs using minimal seam processes and fabric bonding.
Cheltenham-based BPE advised Claire on the sale.
As a recruitment company, here at RE Recruitment, we are known to do things a little differently to traditional recruiters. We are proud of how we take an innovative approach to the way that we work and are not afraid to step out of our comfort zone and try something new. And with two recent developments, we believe that our efforts are really paying off.
Firstly, following a rigorous tender process, we have been named as a supplier on Crown Commercial Service’s recruitment framework. The Crown Commercial Service supports the public sector to achieve maximum commercial value when procuring common goods and services. For us, it means that we will be recruiting for Senior Manager and Director level positions, across a range of government departments.
Secondly, our selection as one of only two UK recruitment agencies to be awarded the licence to recruit overseas workers under a Temporary Visa for the poultry industry. It enables us to recruit personnel from inside and outside the EU without the need for workers to be part of the Settlement Scheme.
Supporting an important British industry during its busiest time
The Seasonal Worker visa route is a new government initiative so organisations in the poultry supply chain can recruit overseas workers.
RE Recruitment has been supporting the Poultry sector with staffing solutions for over 20 years and was chosen following the DEFRA RFI and Home Office endorsement process where we demonstrated our high standards and effective service to the sector.
We are proud to be able to offer this service to our clients, who will benefit from the opportunity to hire skilled candidates from all over the world.
As the employment market in the UK continues to shrink and with labour shortages across multiple sectors, we
have taken a bold step and opened our first overseas office. The new office in Bucharest, Romania will help us source seasonal temporary workers for the poultry industry. Bucharest is also home to one of the largest Universities in Europe, giving us access to graduates who may be looking to work in the UK under the Government’s Settlement Scheme. We are always looking for new ways of doing things and this is just another example of that.
We pride ourselves on delivering the very highest standards of service to our clients and believe that this has been recognised with these recent wins for our business.
As an independent owner-managed company, RE Recruitment has grown by building a reputation for commitment and service excellence. We could easily have continued to operate within the comfort of the recruitment world we know – but by challenging ourselves and through the hard work and dedication of the whole team, we have proved that a local independent recruitment company can succeed at national and international levels.
In recruitment you need to use innovative approaches to reach a variety of audiences and cater for their varying needs; one size does not fit all.
If you are looking for a completely di erent recruitment experience where you can expect more support, accountability, innovation, and personal service, then do get in touch with me for a chat by emailing JamesG@reRECRUITMENT.com or call 01242 505 403
James Gibbs, Group Managing Director at RE Recruitment, takes a look at how stepping outside of your comfort zone and doing something di erent can have real benefits for your business.James Gibbs, Group Managing Director at RE Recruitment
This success is a real achievement and demonstrates our commitment to delivering sound, ethical, and compliant solutions to recruitment challenges.by Nicky Godding, Editor
Fewer than 10 per cent of UK businesses currently export.
That’s according to the CBI, but companies that trade internationally open up new markets for themselves, are more productive, more innovative and diversify their risk profile.
With tough economic challenges ahead for us all, why wouldn’t a business look overseas for expansion?
The CBI has called on the government to work with business. Ensuring companies of all sizes seize global trade opportunities will be crucial for growth and resilience, it said.
Will McGarrigle, Head of Global Trade, CBI, said: “The UK’s innovation, creativity and outstanding goods and services have never been more relevant to a changing world. Whether it’s leadership in environmental services or expertise in advanced manufacturing, the UK is home to products in demand overseas.”
Selling in the UK is relatively easy. The culture and geography is familiar, the legal framework understandable and it’s easier to chase payment if the purchaser uses the same time zone and language.
None of that is true if you want to enter new markets overseas. Companies new to exporting need to understand the potential new markets and how to reach them –both selling to them and then shipping the goods (no mean feat if you want to sell to the European Union now that the UK has Brexited).
You also need to understand the culture of the new market, the trade terms the UK
Exporting is complicated, but the benefits can be huge
government has agreed with that country, its local customs and country regulations, and then set up a fail-safe method of getting paid.
One Oxfordshire company opened its first overseas factory in 2015. Despite investing heavily in consultants, the process was initially fraught with problems, but persistence prevailed and med-tech company Owen Mumford has since become a highly successful exporter.
Jarl Severn, the company’s Managing Director, said: “One of the big challenges in setting up abroad is that 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 your plans.”
Richard Muller, Executive Chairman of Gloucester-based dental bur manufacturer, Prima Dental, agrees. Prima Dental began expanding globally around 12 years ago. He said: “If you can, you should manufacture close to the marketplace, and that’s what we try to do. When we began to export, we had to learn to do it properly, and be patient.
“We started in India, then Brazil and China. But we faced challenges. Pitting your wits against different cultures can be difficult and we had to overcome significant challenges even to set up bank accounts – and the regulatory issues can be horrendous.”
Catherine Stephens is the Head of International Trade Services at Business West. She has decades of exporting knowledge under her belt.
“There’s lots of information on the government’s main website, in fact so much that those looking to export can find themselves bogged down in the detail,” she said.
“Begin by researching the markets you are considering entering. Pick one at a time as every country has their own rules and regulations. Before Brexit, the easy option was to begin by exporting to the EU and go from there. That’s no longer the case.
“Understand what documentation, licensing and other information you’ll need for that country. Talk to a decent freight forwarder because they’ll often have agents overseas who can give you the information you’ll need. Don’t pick the cheapest freight forwarder, select one with experience.”
Know your product – all products are recognised internationally by their commodity code, advises Catherine. “If it’s wrong on your documentation you could end up paying incorrect amounts of duty, or the goods may not be recognised.”
A customs agent will ensure your goods clear customs successfully. A list of agents can be found on the government’s website.
Another thing you’ll need is an EORI number. That stands for Economic Operator Registration and Identification number. Most VAT-registered UK companies will have one. Type EORI checker into your search engine to find it. You cannot export or import without the number.
Catherine recommends setting up a letter of credit. “This is a document, generally from a bank, guaranteeing that a specific payment will be made in a business transaction. Importantly, the process involves an impartial third party in the transaction.
“It’s all about getting the documents correct on the letter of credit.,” she adds.
“The letter will tell the exporter what they need to provide such as a certification of origin, invoice packing list, a bill of lading made out to a specific party. Attention to detail is key here because if there are any discrepancies it will slow things up or stop things completely.”
There are other ways of getting paid, adds Catherine. “Cash against documents is similar to a letter of credit but there’s not so much detail on it.
“Are you expecting to get paid up front, or receive a percentage? It depends on your relationship between the seller and the overseas customer.”
If an exporter is going to fail, it will most likely be because they don’t understand the overseas country’s particular requirements, so learn everything you can to make sure that you do, Catherine advises.
For the rooky exporter, learning to export is time-consuming and you need your wits about you, but get it right and the benefits far outweigh the challenges.
“I would advise would-be exporters to begin by contacting their local Chamber of Commerce, as most have an export section with a myriad of information,” says Catherine.
Initial advice from most Chambers is free, and new exporters will only pay when they start using a Chamber’s dedicated services, such as processing a letter of credit or an export declaration.
Most importantly, advises Catherine, is understand your new market intimately. “Speak to potential overseas customers and get information from them. There is a lot of market research you can do yourself, building relationships overseas is also a big plus.
“And there’s no substitute to visiting the country you hope to export to and seeing it for yourself.”
Over the next four pages we celebrate 100 successful exporters from across the region.
They’re not selling ice to eskimos, but they are selling valuable British-developed innovations, technology and a host of other services to countries around the world.
“The UK’s innovation, creativity and outstanding goods and services have never been more relevant to a changing world”
Will McGarrigle, Head of Global Trade, CBI
3P innovation Ltd Warwick Nicolas Brooks
AIS (Formerly Advanced Insulation)
Alice Caroline Ltd
Designs and manufactures production equipment and machinery, from lab-scale to commercial scale and from pharma equipment to custom automation
Gloucester Andrew Bennion
Tewkesbury Alice Garrett
Allmakes 4x4 Abingdon David Beddow (Managing Director)
ALS Mechatronic Ltd
Alvan Blanch Development Ltd
Cheltenham Andrew Steward, Managing Director
Malmesbury Andrew Blanch
Animal Dynamics Oxford Kevin Allington
Auger Torque Ltd
Cheltenham Alistair Brydon, Managing Director
Aurora Energy Research Oxford Dr John Feddersen
Avon Specialty Metals Ltd
Bamboo Technology
Gloucester Steven Munnoch
Cheltenham Kevin Harris
Bay's Kitchen Cheltenham Hayley Burdett
Boxraw Coventry Ben Amanna
Blu Wireless Technology
British Corner Shop
Bristol Alan Jones
Bristol Tom Carroll
Global leader in the engineering, manufacture and application of insulation and passive fire protection systems, as well as buoyancy and SURF (subsea, umbilicals, risers and flowlines) products
Alice Caroline was founded by Alice Garrett after a life-long passion for Liberty fabrics led to her creating handbags for student fairs, before selling the fabric on Etsy, and then eventually setting up her own business from her home. The company sells curated packs of fabric, quilting kits, and patterns, with its two biggest markets being the USA and Japan
Allmakes 4×4 has been supplying high quality Land Rover parts and accessories to parts businesses, workshops, governments, charities and NGOs across the world for more than 40 years
ALS Mechatronic specialises in the design, build and installation of bespoke factory automation systems, control systems, plastic container handling, vision systems and robotics
Specialise in the design and supply of machines and systems for processing agricultural crops and waste materials. Exports across the world and three-times exporting winner of Queens's Award for Enterprise
Helping to address the world’s urgent, complex, and dangerous operational challenges by building an intelligent autonomy solution inspired by the movement of nature
Global manufacturer of hydraulic attachments which improve efficiency in earthmoving, construction and agriculture. Winner of two exporting Queen's Awards for Enterprise
The largest dedicated power analytics provider in Europe, producing critical analytics to almost all major market participants in Europe and Australia
Globally recognised metals recycling company, specialising in recycling complex nickel and cobalt superalloy scrap from aerospace and power generation industries. Winner of Queen's Award for Enterprise in Exporting
IICT infrastructure and support. The company has been expanding its overseas customer base for the last few years. In the past year exports of Bamboo Technology’s software to Australia have grown by 112 per cent.
Specialising in food products for people with dairy-free, gluten-free and low carb diets. Began exporting to Australia last year
Developed a comprehensive machine learning model for boxing training. Now sells to around 120 countries across six continents. Winner of Queen's Award for Enterprise in Exporting
Ultra-fast 5G mmWave solutions for emerging connectivity needs – from smart city networks to connected vehicles. Expanded into the USA last year and this year launched first outdoor mmWave 5G testbed site in France
Online grocery store for British expats around the world. It stocks more than 6,000 products from Britain’s most-loved brands. More than 95 per cent of its products are exported from the UK
Chance Glass Malvern Geoff Davies, General Manager Specialist glass manufacturers and suppliers of glass products such as pyrex glass tubing and precision bore glass tubes
Christie International Stroud Andrew Christie
Christy's Hats Witney
Circassia Oxford
Clarendon
Jonathan Boston Managing Director
Johnathan Emms, Chief Operating
Provides export management service for UK food and non-food SMEs who do not have a dedicated export department of their own. Winner of Queen's Award for Enterprise in Exporting
Founded in 1773, Christy's is one of the only true British hat makers left
Diagnostics and management company focused on asthma. Its market-leading NIOX® products are used by physicians around the world to help improve asthma diagnosis and management
Specialty
Fasteners Swindon Paul Saunders, Managing Director
Corrmed Huntley Katie Houghton
Duralock Chipping Norton
Jonathon McGovern
Eden Research Oxford Sean Smith
Entaco Redditch Sue Cole General Manager
Excool Bromsgrove Duncan Williams
Distributor of aerospace and commercial fasteners, hardware, and associated products worldwide. The business has locations in the United Kingdom, Germany, Thailand, Mexico and the United States.
Manufacturer and producer of infection control products including infection resistant medical bags. Opened a specialist warehousing and fulfilment depot in the Netherlands last year
Global supplier of high quality PVCu horse and camel racing fencing. Has offices in Germany, France and North America
Develops sustainable biopesticides and plastic-free tech for use in global crop protection, animal health and consumer products
Manufactures cleanroom contamination control and infection prevention industry supplying the popular InSpec brand of disinfectant sprays, wipes and hand sanitation products. Exports to more than 50 countries
Manufactures and services large-scale energy and water-efficient cooling equipment for data centres worldwide
EP Barrus Bicester
Robert Muir, Managing Director
One of the UK's leading importers and distributors of engines, engine-powered equipment, garden tools and accessories
Gantrail Gloucester Peter Bygrave, Managing Director Specialists in the design, manufacture, supply and installation of crane rail systems for projects of all types worldwide
Geollect Bristol Cate Gwilliam
Green Fuels Berkeley James Hygate
Huboo Bristol Martin Bysh
HR Wallingford Wallingford Dr Bruce Tomlinson
Immersive Labs Bristol James Hadley
V-Farm Coventry Stuart Green
JSP Group Witney Mark Johnstone
JMDA Ltd, Pershore Pershore Derrick Barker, Managing and Creative Director
Kelcie's Horse Treats Alcester
Kevin and Mary Elizabeth Nairne, directors
Kohler Mira, Cheltenham Cheltenham Craig Barker
Harris Brushes (LG Harris & Co Ltd)
Bromsgrove Johannes Hoeg, Director
Severn Glocon Gloucester Perttu Louhiluoto
LEVC Coventry Alex Nan
Meech International Witney Chris Francis
Mettis Aerospace Redditch Gordon Fraser
Mirius Coventry Steve Quinlan
Data science company comprised of former UK and US intelligence communities and academics with advanced geospatial data and intelligence analytic capabilitie
Pioneering renewable fuels. Since 2003 has supplied biofuel equipment, with a total capacity of more than 420 million litres a year, to customers in more than 80 countries
One of the UK’s fastest growing fulfilment technology providers. Has opened warehouses across Europe, including in Germany, Spain and the Netherlands in the past year
Solving the world's most complex water-related challenges
Powers the real-time measurement of human cyber capabilities across technical and nontechnical teams. Its tech is already helping more than 300 enterprises around the world, including Airbnb, P&G, Citibank, Sophos and the NHS
Vertical farming business, collaborating with developers from around the globe including in Norway and Sweden and in the USA and Spain on medicinal plant production units. In India, China, Singapore and Australia V-Farm is collaborating on urban farm projects
Designs and manufactures above the neck PPE safety products and exporting to customers across the world
Design engineering and product development company with offices in the UK, China and Italy. Winner of Queen's Award for Enterprise in Exporting
Equestrian food supplier, specialising in horse treats. Established a manufacturing facility in the USA and now moving into Europe
Bathroom and shower manufacture, alongside Rada, its commercial division which provides water control for healthcare, education, sport, leisure and commercial facilities around the world
Manufacturer of paint brushes and decorating products with manufacturing and headquarters in the UK. It also has a manufacturing facility in China
Manufacturer of bespoke engineered products capable of deployment in the most extreme environments
Has sold more than 7,000 TX – the world’s most advanced electric taxi. TX is the world’s most, sustainable electric taxi, available in more than 20 countries
One of the world’s leading manufacturers of static control, web cleaning and compressed air technology. With seven offices across the globe
Designs, manufactures and assembles precision forged and machined components. The company says that "there isn’t a single commercial aerospace programme that doesn’t feature Mettis forgings"
Manufactures cleaning and hygiene products for the professional, retail and healthcare (mainly animals) sectors. Exports to more than 80 countries across the world
MNB Precision Coventry Luke Benton, owner Precision engineering company. Winner of Queen's Award for Enterprise in Exporting
Moog Controls
Limited – Industrial Group Tewkesbury Chris Curr, General Manager and Director
Nisbets Bristol Andrew Nisbet, Chairman
Norbar Torque
Tools Ltd Banbury John Reynertson
NP Aerospace Coventry James Kempston
Oakland International Redditch Dean Attwell
Ocere Limited Cheltenham Tom Parling
Worldwide designer, manufacturer and integrator of precision control components and systems
The UK’s largest supplier of catering equipment, from refrigeration to pastry, cooking machines to knives, and everything in between. Exports to more than 100 countries
Design and manufacturing of torque control equipment. Sells into global markets
Global armour technology manufacturer and vehicle integrator with an extensive portfolio developed using ultra-lightweight, high-performance materials
Supply chain company specialising in contract packing, storage, picking, food distribution and brand development support provider for ambient, chilled and frozen food
Digital marketing focused on search engine optimisation and content creation international. Winner of Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade
Olpro Worcester Daniel Walton
OrganOx Oxford Craig Marshall
Owen Mumford Oxford Jarl Severn, Managing Director
Oxford Biomedica plc Oxford Dr Roch Doliveux, Chair and Interim CEO
Oxford Products Ltd Witney Andrew Hammond
Oxford Instruments Oxford Ian Barkshire
Oxford Nanopore Technologies Oxford Gordon Sanghera
Oxford Metrics plc UK Oxford Nick Bolton
Oxford Pharmagenesis Tubney Chris Winchester
Oxford Technical Solutions Middleton Stoney Chris Hocking
P2i Ltd
Abingdon Chris Saunders, Executive Chairman
Perceptual Robots Bristol Kostas Karachalios
Pennant International Group Cheltenham Philip Walker
Penlon Oxon Peter Worrallo, Managing Director
Camping equipment and accessories – design and supply
Transforming liver transplantation, enabling functional assessment of donor organs prior to transplantation. Expanding into the USA and Europe
Develops pioneering products under its own brands as well as custom devices for the world’s leading pharmaceutical and diagnostic companies
Leading gene and cell therapy group. Manuafacturer of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine
Global supplier of motorcycle and bicycle aftermarket products
Provider of high technology products and services to the world's leading industrial companies and scientific research communities
Developing new generation sensing technology that uses nanopores – nano-scale holes – embedded in high-tech electronics, to perform comprehensive molecular analyses
Enabling the interface between the real world and its virtual twin, introducing the Vicon motion capture system. Now around 10,000 active customers in more than 70 countries including some of the biggest names in healthcare, research, sports, engineering and entertainment
Provides health science communications services to the healthcare industry. Preferred supplier to nine of the top 10 global pharmaceutical companies
The design and manufacture of high precision satellite-aided inertial navigation measurement systems for automotive and surveying. Exporting to more than 30 countries across six continents
Expert in liquid repellent nanotechnology. Works with original equipment manufacturers to enhance devices by enabling them to survive liquid exposure from everyday accidents and environmental conditions. HQs in UK and China
Autonomous drones can inspect massive structures in minutes, performing repeatable data acquisition for high quality predictive analysis. Offices in UK and Greece
Global provider of training technology and product support with offices in Europe, North America and Australia, supporting the defence and aerospace sectors
Medical device company. Key areas of business include anaesthesia delivery, airway management, suction control and oxygen therapy. Exporting across the world
Pharma Packaging Systems Pershore Andrew Kennedy Packaging systems for the pharmaceutical industry. Winner of Queen's Award for Enterprise in Exporting
Premier Health Products Coventry Simon Petros, Joint Managing Director
Manufacturing and exporting food supplements. Its own brand, Basic Nutrition is exported to more than 30 global markets.
Prima Dental Gloucester Alun Jones Manufacturer of dental burs, exporting across the world
ProCook Gloucester Daniel O'Neill Direct to consumer kitchenware brand
Proteus Instruments Bromsgrove Robert Stevens, Managing Director
Redspeed International Kidderminster Tom Duckham
Renishaw WottonUnder-Edge Will Lee
Ripjar Tewkesbury Jeremy Annis
Rotech (Swindon) Ltd Swindon Justin Walshe, Managing Director
Rovco Bristol Brian Allen
Real-time multiparameter sensor for environmental monitoring and process control. Its probe, which won a Queen's Award for Enterprise in Innovation has been installed in the River Ganges, the Chicago River and the docks in Swansea – and a high demand is anticipated across the globe
Advanced road safety through applied camera technology aiming to achieve better road safety outcomes through smarter engineering, enforcement and education. Its products sell around the world
Global company design and manufacturer with core skills in measurement, motion control, spectroscopy and precision machining
Global cyber security company. Its data intelligence platform, Labyrinth, combines automation, AI and data visualisation to help financial institutions, governments and corporates analyse and mitigate threats in real time
Technology for kegging breweries worldwide for hygiene and product quality. Has installations with most major brewing groups worldwide, including Carlton & United, MolsonCoors, SAB-Miller, Heineken, AB-InBev, Carlsberg and many smaller groups and independents
Global provider of autonomous underwater vehicles, remote operated vehicles and hydrographic services using AI tech
Safetyflex Coventry Marcus Gerrard, Director Designs and manufactures anti-terrorist security barriers and bollards selling to companies and organisations around the world
Manufactures video wall controllers, conference technology and professonal audio visual equipment and systems. Winner of Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade Sense
Seada Technology Redditch Wen Jing Qian
Biodetection Abingdon Timothy Still
Shiner Bristol Charlie Allen, Managing Director
Spectrum Medical Gloucester Steve Turner
Molecular diagnostics business. Its Veros Covid-19 test delivers fast, accurate and instrument-free testing. With offices in the USA
International lifestyle and action sports licensee, distributor and manufacturer with facilities in the Netherlands and USA
Operating in the global medical device market, its technologies include quantum informatics, quantum technologies and quantum sterile, single-use technologies working with hospitals in more than 60 countries
Spirac Banbury Joakim Ramén Solids handling for municipal, wastewater and industrial applications. Has sales and manufacturing facilities in the UK, Australia, USA the Netherlands and Sweden
Spirax Sarco Cheltenham Nicholas Anderson
Staeger Clear Packaging Coventry Brendan Cowey, Managing Director
Global company specialising in steam solutions, electric thermal energy management, pumping and fluid path technologies
Specialises in designing and manufacturing high-quality clear plastic packaging – also known as acetate packaging – for businesses, using British recycled plastic. Company has sites in Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Germany. Winner of a Queen's Award for Enterprise
Design and manufacture of remote control and other golf buggies. Exporting worldwide Stiltz Coventry Mike Lord
Stewart Golf Gloucester Mark Stewart
The Lawton Tube Co Ltd Coventry Robert Lawton, Business Development Director
The Little Car Company Bicester Ben Hedley
Home life manufacturer. In February, Stiltz was ranked 944 on the fastest-growing European companies FT1000 list
Manufacture and distribution of copper tubes and associated products for the construction and medical industries. Now sells to more than 35 companies globally
Builds junior cars in partnership with elite car manufacturers. Every vehicle built in the UK is an official licensed product of the brand
The Morgan Motor Company Malvern Massimo Fumarola Famous across the world for craft and heritage. The cars are still manufactured in Malvern
The Wentworth Wooden Jigsaw Company Ltd Malmesbury Sarah Watson, Managing Director
Triomotion Tewkesbury Tom Alexander, President
True Tension Bristol Chris Frappell, Managing Director
TruffleHunter Ltd Cirencester Nigel Whitehouse
Ultraleap Bristol Tom Carter
Wasdell Group Swindon Vincent Dunne
Westminster Group Plc Banbury Peter Fowler
Wheatway Gloucester Colin Smith, Managing Director
Whitefurze Coventry Geoff Thomas
Wildlife World Tetbury Norman Sellers
WMP Oxford William Martin
Yellow Dog Bristol Noel Hurley
Zenthis Ltd
(trading as Payara) Malvern Steve Millidge
Producing unique and intricately hand-crafted wooden jigsaw puzzles manufactured using laser technology and sold across the world. Won Queen's Award for Enterprise in Exporting
Designs industrial automation controls. Has additional facilities in Italy, Bulgaria and China. Application development teams are located in the UK, USA, Italy, India and China with a global sales network
Designs, manufactures and sells a range of high quality bicycle maintenance equipment and accessories. Now established in US market where it is offering maintenance for bicycles, motorcycles and karts
The supply of fresh truffles and the production of truffle products for sale in food markets. Selling into more than 30 markets globally, exporting 65 per cent of production
Advanced hand tracking with the only haptic technology that creates the sensation of touch in mid-air. Employs more than 150 people across Europe, North America and Asia with customers worldwide
Contract service business enabling the supply of critical medicines. Operating across multiple sites in Europe and shipping to more than 47 countries
The supply of advanced security, long-term managed services, guarding, consultancy and training
Designer and manufacturer of construction, agricultural and recycling equipment. Has recently expanded into multiple global marketplaces
Injection moulded plastic consumer goods for storage, housewares, food storage and garden products. Main markets are Ireland, Canada, and Europe. Won a Queen's Award for Enterprise in Export
Recently secured a seven figure sum from HSBC to continue expanding internationally. Plans to double exports to Europe over the next 12 months
Full-service creative agency in the UK and Qatar, from product and graphic designers to developers, film makers and event managers working on projects across the world
Cloud workload management. With customers in more than 45 countries and a partner network across the globe
Open source software for mission critical production systems. Established an office in the EU and won an Exporting Queen's Award for Enterprise
In October 2022 it was announced that the podcast, hosted by serial entrepreneur Oliver Bruce and produced by his company PinPoint Media, would be partnering with Virgin Atlantic to provide the show's top 10 episodes to passengers flying with Virgin.
With this partnership opening up a potential audience of 5 million listeners through Virgin Atlantic’s ‘Vera’, Success Is In The Mind has gone from strength to strength since launching in 2021.
Initially self-funded by Oliver’s business, the podcast has reached the top 30 in the UK with the growth and success of the podcast being put down to the consistent high-quality production, the calibre of guests and the genuine passion from those involved in the show. It has gone on to win the Campaign PR & Publishing Award for Best Business Podcast and has been reported to generate revenues of six figures through sponsorship deals and speaking events.
This new partnership deal with Virgin Atlantic is set to last a minimum of 6 months and will likely open the podcast up to a whole new global audience.
The self-proclaimed ‘Podcasting CEO’ has had such guests on the show as the founder of WPP Sir Martin Sorrell, ad man Johnny Hornby, co-founder of Huboo Martin Bysh, Octopus Energy CEO and founder Greg Jackson as well as founders from the likes of THIS, Ecologi, Thursday Dating, HERA and Tenzing Drinks.
“I started the podcast because during tough times, which we all go through, I wanted to see how other founder entrepreneurs dealt with issues and barriers first-hand. It just so happens I wasn’t the only person that was interested in this.
Bespoke factory automation and control systems company ALS Mechatronic is experiencing exponential growth. Last year the Cheltenham-based company was awarded a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade, recognising its outstanding growth.
Overseas sales have grown fivefold in its leading markets of North America, Qatar, Mexico, Ireland and Portugal and it has offices in Texas, USA.
With fewer holiday options available during the Covid-19 pandemic, many more of us embraced the great outdoors and went camping.
And with the cost of living going up, it’s likely that camping will continue its rise in popularity thanks to being a relatively cost-effective way to enjoy a holiday.
And that’s not just in the UK. Worcester-based tents and camping equipment company Olpro says that an increase in international sales enabled the business to move into its new 10,000 sq ft office headquarters earlier this year.
The company, founded by Daniel Walton in 2011, has so far sold goods to nearly 20 countries this year, and those sales represent around eight per cent of its output.
The company says it is currently prioritising growth in European to
markets before expanding into the USA and Australia.
This year Olpro won The Federation of Small Business’ International Business of the Year, which follows it winning a Queen's Award for Enterprise in International Trade last year.
And all this despite a global supply chain crisis, which continues to place massive pressures on its delivery timescales due to escalating delays in the global supply of electronic component parts.
By April this year, the company had already matched its total revenue for the entire previous year.
ALS Mechatronic works with companies of all sizes, from start-ups to multi-nationals, dairies to pharmaceutical companies to help improve efficiency and production capabilities. It typically automates end-ofline, repeatable labour-intensive processes at speed by designing and building novel machinery, integrating robotics and vision inspection.
Like many companies, Covid-19 presented the company with challenges for overseas trade. At the height of the pandemic and despite the odds, an ALS Mechatronic team was able to travel to Ireland as essential workers to rescue a milk bottling facility, travelling by any means due to limited flights. The team also went to great lengths to gain North American travel ban exemptions, to allow them deliver on projects critical to local economies – from water and milk bottling plants to sanitising wipes manufacturers and fully automating and upscaling the production of pharmaceutical vials.
ALS receives more revenues from overseas than from its domestic customers. However, despite its global presence, the company plans to keep manufacturing in Gloucestershire and to build on 30 per cent additional manufacturing capacity by the end of this year.
“The company is prioritising growth in European markets before expanding its presence into the USA and Australia”
Coventry-based Premier Health Products has doubled its global growth since 2017.
The company is a brand owner and private label specialist in the nutraceutical sector (that’s any product derived from food sources with extra health benefits).
The firm invested £3 million in a new custom-fitted 31,000 sq ft facility in Falkland Close in the city. The move also included significant investment in machinery and staff, seeing the team grow from 25 employees to 32.
Exporting today now accounts for more than 50 per cent of the company’s total sales, with sales across more than 27 countries including the Middle East, Africa and South East Asia.
Excool supplies cooling equipment to the emerging and rapidly growing data centre market.
The Bromsgrove business developed as a technology and service-led company which manufactures and services large-scale energy and water-efficient cooling equipment for data centres worldwide. It developed a superior technology which uses up to 50 per cent less energy and 65 per cent less water than those comparable.
Over six years to March 2021, its overseas sales grew 740 per cent, and now makes up 70 per cent of all sales. Its main markets are Germany, Switzerland, Norway, France, and China. It has set up a division in North America and also entered into a joint venture with a Chinese partner in Beijing.
Fresh truffles have been a chef’s choice for centuries, but it’s only recently that the potential to broaden their appeal was spotted.
TruffleHunter, established by Nigel Whitehouse in 2007 near Cirencester, has grown into a £10 million plus turnover business, trading across the world
The business, now employing more than 50 people, makes luxury products using imported truffles from Italy and other European regions, and sells them to more than 30 countries across the world, with plans to expand into more international markets.
With the taste and aroma of truffle suited to
so many global cuisines, as well as the growing interest in the umami taste (the savoury or meaty taste of foods), the company has seen many opportunities to introduce its products to new markets.
When looking to export to a new market, the Trufflehunter team conduct extensive market research and new product development to make sure the product offering and logistics are well suited in each case. This helps the business be a step ahead when reacting to consumer demand.
Alongside the UK, Trufflehunter’s most successful export areas are North America and the Asia-Pacific region.
At the time of writing, the pound is at £1.10 to the dollar, up from the earlier low of £1.03.
While this represents a drop of 9%, it still provides massive opportunities, and we need further government incentives to encourage UK industry.
I would also question the green credentials of importing by slow boat or fast air freight when the reshoring revolution is gathering pace in the UK. I would like to see the government lead a campaign to drive pride in buying British.
The UK can carve out a green route to growth if the government puts the right incentives in place.
The reaction to the slide of almost all global currencies against the dollar for a few days at the end of September diverted attention from major opportunities for UK business.
The reaction to a range of measures, most of which do not come into effect until April 2023, was unseemly and intemperate.
While currency volatility creates short-term uncertainty, UK manufacturing should be focused on the opportunity to strike deals at highly advantageous rates, in one of the largest global markets – the United States of America.
I am aware of one manufacturer who, in the week when the world was “in turmoil”, signed their first export, and largest-ever order, worth several million dollars.
When discussing the future energy security of the UK, it should be noted that, according to Imperial College London, 8% of the electricity generated in Britain in the three months to June 2022 was sent to other European countries through undersea power cables.
It raised circa £1.5 billion for the UK.
We can build on this and while industry can currently obtain 24.7% relief on installing solar panels on factory roofs until it drops to 19% in April 2023, I would call on the government to do more.
Before laying solar farms on agricultural fields that should be bolstering our food security, it would be good to fill up all the south-facing factory roofs across the UK with solar panels. I don’t think that they were ever aesthetically pleasing.
I would suggest a short-term 200% relief allowance to really kick-start solar power across the industry. While we might suffer a drop in short-term taxation receipts, we would turbo charge our future energy security.
It is often seen as an “old chestnut”, but nevertheless it remains valid. Now is the time for every UK business to drill down into their supply chain and ask themselves why they are importing materials and parts.
Is it just cost, or are those materials and parts just not available in the UK? We need to be making what we need here in the UK. I do not understand why we cannot have our own semiconductor manufacturing sector in the UK. Is it purely investment or technology?
Surely this is remediable on both counts and is a sure way of creating the high paying British jobs that successive prime ministers have acclaimed as the way forward.
We have, within a short time period, had three major global events – the COVID-19 pandemic the conflict in Ukraine and the recent global financial firestorm. I believe there is a need for a more measured debate in the media when serious issues present themselves.
Perhaps we need to listen more to those who manufacture and make their money in the UK?
To start the conversation on how we can help your business, please get in touch with Chris Mould on 01242 234421 or email chris.mould@crowe.co.uk www.crowe.co.uk
Chris Mould, Audit & Assurance Partner at national audit, tax, advisory and risk firm Crowe in Cheltenham, considers why the government must do more for UK manufacturing.
For nearly 50 years Oxford Products has waved the flag for British innovation and now has distribution partners across the world.
Established in 1973, the company distributes to more than 100 partners worldwide.
Its huge range of products include everything from security, bike covers, clothing, cycle helmets, accessories and anything to make life on bikes better.
When the UK and global economies were hit by Covid-19, Oxford Products adapted to support online and export customers. And its cycle business doubled almost overnight, as lockdown reminded people of the benefits of pedal power.
Oxford Product’s motorcycle business bounced back hard and the company broke multiple sales records, finishing the year on a massive high in 2021 and it was back exhibiting at the leading global trade shows in 2022.
Meech International is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of static control, web cleaning and compressed air technology.
With an established worldwide network of subsidiaries and distributors, including seven office across the globe, around
Bristol-based, Ultraleap, a world leader in hand tracking and mid-air haptics, secured £60 million earlier this year to further develop and commercialise its revolutionary technologies.
The company, which now has a global team of more than 150 people, has seen considerable international expansion over the last few years.
Hapics provide the sensation of digital touch feedback, without actually touching. And with the pandemic having given the world a new understanding of how pathogens can transfer, it’s increased the demand for touchless self-service solutions.
New research has found that consumers across the world are still concerned about using public touchscreens due to fears of germ transmission. Some are even changing their behaviour to avoid using them altogether in public venues.
Companies like PepsiCo and Lego are already using Ultraleap’s technology to encourage people to return to public settings with confidence.
80 per cent of the systems produced by Meech are sold in 45 overseas markets.
Earlier this year it announced the expansion of its Oxfordshire headquarters with a new 29,000 sq ft production facility at Tungsten Park, Witney.
Chris Francis, Meech International
CEO, said: “Our expansion into the new building demonstrates the substantial growth we are seeing to our business. It enables the teams to operate even more efficiently with one another and gives each of them the space they require to continue driving growth further still.”
Gloucester-based global footwear and clothing distributor, Gardiner Bros & Co (Leathers), has nearly tripled its warehouse space in the city and is on a recruitment drive.
The company has opened two new specialist pick, pack and despatch units at the newly-built St Modwen Park facility, at Junction 14 of the M5, bringing its total bespoke warehouse area to just over an impressive 230,000 sq ft.
The company has seen significant growth over the last five years, with staff numbers up 80 per cent, and 50 new jobs being filled in the past few months alone.
Last year, despite the lockdown, business grew 45 per cent as the company focused on its digital offering to mitigate the decline in its traditional wholesale trade while stores remained closed.
Once they reopened, Gardiners’ sales grew again, driven also by additional new brands, new omni-channel retail partners and by adding more products to its listings.
Gardiners started life in 1860 as a traditional tannery in Gloucester. It tanned gloving leathers then horse harnesses, and with the advent of the motor car, the company began to supply shoe leathers and cut soles to cobblers.
Gardiners now distributes leading lifestyle and safety brands to the footwear and clothing trade.
The five-generation family business manages global brands including Hush Puppies, Caterpillar, Skechers, Muck Boot, Hunter, Base London and have new partnerships with Hard Yakka and Dickies.
Distributing more than 2.8 million items a year, Gardiners wholesale business is the largest UK footwear and clothing distributor to the trade.
The company has a unique range extension model, virtual distribution and drop-shipping scheme.
It has built efficient e-commerce systems which integrate into its retailers’ systems,
and its listing management and omnichannel marketing have helped improve the retail customer experience.
James Gardiner, Gardiners’ CEO said:
“We are very excited to be using our new facilities at St Modwen Park.
“The team at Gardiners and (our sister company) Footsure have worked incredibly hard to maintain and grow our services in line with our vision to be the best partner that brands and retailers have.”
“We are very excited to be using our new facilities at St Modwen Park”Gardiners distributes leading lifestyle and safety brands including Hush Puppies
Football fans can watch a match in the Gloucester Brewery Stand at the TigerTurf Stadium this season thanks to a major new partnership to support sport in the city.
Daylesford Organic Farm Shop near Moreton-in-Marsh, one of the UK’s most luxurious and sustainable farms and food retailers, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.
Carole Bamford opened the first Daylesford Organic farmshop and café in 2002. The upmarket brand now has four further farm shops with cafés in London at Pimlico Road, Notting Hill, Marylebone and Brompton Cross in South Kensington.
Daylesford has always promoted the organic farming
movement, with full organic certification from the Soil Association, and set the standard for what farm shops around the UK could aspire to.
It has launched a special anniversary range of 20 food and drink items in commemorative packaging alongside celebratory homeware pieces to mark the milestone. The collection represents some of Daylesford's most iconic products, some of which have been bestsellers over the past 20 years.
The Docks-based brewery has teamed up with Gloucester Sport in a three-year deal to back Gloucester City AFC and Gloucester City Queens women’s basketball team.
The deal will see a standing terrace being renamed and a newly-branded bar serving Gloucester Brewery beers. It will be named Container 4 after the brewery’s waterfront taproom Warehouse 4 at Gloucester Docks.
The brewery’s name will also feature on the Queens’ new shirts as they begin their second season in the Women’s British Basketball League.
Gloucester Brewery’s Managing Director Jared Brown said: “We have followed the impressive progress of the football club and Gloucester Sport and so we’re really pleased to be working with them.
“This partnership also fits with our sustainability goals to be doing as much business as we can in Gloucestershire and the surrounding area. By supplying pubs, sports clubs and other organisations locally, we can massively cut down on our beer miles which is much better for the environment.”
Chief Executive of Gloucester Sport, Jay Marriott, said: “It doesn’t get any more exciting than two local businesses working together. These things are often explored but it’s very rare that things align for it to happen.”
Waste management company Grundon is deploying artificial intelligence (AI) to improve the sorting and recovery of plastic waste at its Bishop’s Cleeve site in Cheltenham.
The company has invested in an AI robotic picker which it is training to sort the increasing amounts of industrial and commercial plastic waste arriving at its Cheltenham facility.
According to government statistics, in 2018 the UK generated almost 44 million tons of commercial and industrial waste. The latest estimates for England only in 2020 was almost 34 million tons.
Grundon’s new AI-driven Fast Picker, supplied by Helsinki-based supplier of robotic waste separation technology, ZenRobotics – a TEREX brand, can target and pick up to 80 items a minute. It has a recovered materials purity of up to 99 per cent and works alongside Grundon staff adding a further level of scrutiny to the process.
It picks at a “human” rate, visually scanning the belt before deciding which items to pick and every item picked is analysed and added to its AI memory for the next time.
Thanks to its AI capability, the Fast Picker can be trained to sort objects both positively and negatively to remove unwanted contaminated objects such as herbicide cans, silicone cartridges and oil cans from food grade plastic.
Ed Fagan, Grundon’s Head of Projects, Engineering and Design, is leading the project. He said: “The Zen Robot represents an exciting first step in the Grundon R&D journey towards our ultimate aim of a fully autonomous sorting plant.”
“Where we can really see robotic sorters making a difference is in environments which are less well suited for humans, such as the sorting of contaminated waste or working in areas with high levels of noise and dust.”
Puredrive Energy, an award-winning developer and distributor of solar energy storage has received a £4 million lending facility from assetbased lender, Cynergy Business Finance.
Puredrive, which is based in Cheltenham, provides solar energy storage to help deliver a more efficient, and sustainable energy source.
Its unique battery is at the heart of all its products, The system’s technology and software makes the whole system run seamlessly, keeping imported grid energy to a minimum and maximising renewable energy consumption.
Manufacturing its products in the UK and distributing internationally, it says its technology helps consumers to increase their renewable energy consumption by up to 85 per cent.
Puredrive has been working closely with many of the UK’s energy district network operators to design a feature allowing the system to help balance the national grid in times of need – something homeowners might welcome this winter if we are threatened with blackouts.
A Gloucestershire designer is designing a special mastectomy swimwear line supported by the Gloucestershire NHS Foundation Trust.
Driven by the lack of attractive swimwear options available to those who have been through the procedure, Natasha Griggs,
Founder of Topaz Swimwear based in Cheltenham, has created a line that she hopes will emulate the elegance of her wider offering and use the same luxurious fabrics.
Natasha said: “One concern for women after breast surgery is a perceived loss of
femininity, which is at the forefront of their post-surgery psychological needs.”
Currently in the research stage with Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust as the supporting partner, Topaz Swimwear is working with the Gloucester Cancer Institute and the Hospital Charity.
Most business owners when viewing their business for a potential sale, attribute a significantly higher value than what would be achievable if they looked to exit at that point in time.
It’s understandable why they would think this. As a business owner you’ve quite often grown your business from the start, put in long hours and gone through some turbulent times along the way when cash-flow wasn’t always stable, to achieve a business that’s now successful and profitable.
Buts it’s all been done with a purpose in mind.
Whether that’s to achieve the lifestyle you aspire to, buy that dream home, sell your business so you can retire comfortably or move onto the next exciting venture.
But what do you need to fund that next adventure?
How do you know that your business will be worth what you need it to be when you want to sell? How long will it take to achieve that value? Or, could it be, your business already there and you didn’t know it?
An exit plan is the vital first step, you can then get clear on what your business is valued at now and get your business exit ready. So when that perfect offer comes along, you can move quickly and secure the sale.
The key elements of an exit plan should cover:
• Planned exit date
• Financial return required
• Initial business valuation
• Financial forecast
Once you understand what it takes to achieve the business valuation you need, you can:
• Design that saleable business
• Get clear on what needs to be done to achieve this
• Formulate an action plan to get from where you are now to where you need to be
As founder of Veloci-Tech, and owner of established business Cole Accounting, I’ve been helping business owners in Gloucestershire and the South West gain financial clarity and direction in both their personal and business journeys for over 11 years.
If you feel you don’t have all the answers and would like to have a conversation to discuss getting your business exit ready, call Danielle Cole on 01242 371317 or email activate@veloci-tech.co.uk
Gravit8, which develops software for events and brand experience centres, has launched what it claims is a world first DIY SAAS (software as a service) virtual event platform.
Based on its Virtual Event Platform (VEP), a true-to-life 3D virtual environment, Gravit8’s tools include virtual exhibition halls, networking spaces, conference auditoriums and event spaces which can now be accessed by organisers, exhibitors and delegates via a fully configurable DIY platform to use in a SAAS format.
Gravit8 has developed virtual solutions for global brands such as Dixons Carphone Warehouse, Shell and ITV throughout the pandemic, and the new Gravit8 VEP expands upon the continued need of engaging and connecting brands to delegates without, or alongside, in-person interaction.
Alastair Reece, Managing Director of Gravit8, said: “Our Virtual Event Platform is a true example of innovation in the tech-sector. Our solution provided a much-needed alternative to plain, flat, dull video conferencing and continues to grow in demand despite a return to in-person events – due to allowing exhibiting brands the freedom to really express themselves and their message.”
Cheltenham-based luxury British fragrance brand Marmalade of London has secured a six-figure funding package from HSBC UK to expand in the US and Canadian retail market, buy a new commercial unit and expand its product range.
Marmalade of London, which has sold millions of products, has traded in the UK for 10 years and in the US for the past two.
HSBC UK’s funding will help the company launch a wellbeing range and open new permanent showrooms in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Toronto.
The funding has been secured from the £15 billion HSBC UK SME Fund, a ringfenced fund for small and medium-sized businesses to support local economies and increase employment opportunities.
Piers Flook, Marmalade of London’s Managing Director, said: “We’re increasing our domestic and international business, expanding our product range to enter new markets including skincare, and increasing our investment in innovation.
“Our new, eco-friendly warehouse facility will decrease our CO2 emissions and our occupying costs, too. As we pursue multiple growth opportunities and a range of innovations. We’re incredibly grateful to have HSBC UK’s support and expertise.”
Mark Lupton, Area Director for Business Banking at HSBC UK, added: “Marmalade of London is taking full advantage of the buoyant US consumer fragrance market, having sold hundreds of thousands of products in the first two years of trade in the US.”
owner to see if he would swap his fruit for some preserves, and the Artisan Kitchen was born.
Sarah, a trained chef, set up the business in 2011, inspired by a local Mirabelle plum tree that shed its wonderful fragrant fruit on the pavement every year, with no takers. She approached the tree’s
Sarah knows what she’s doing, having worked in some of the UK’s finest hotels and restaurants, most recently at Daylesford Organic near Moretonin-Marsh.
Businesses in Bristol city centre have voted overwhelmingly to renew the Business Improvement District scheme for a further five years.
Of all the votes cast by levy payers, 79 per cent were in favour of giving Bristol City Centre BID another five-year term.
Over the past five years a total of £5 million from the BID levy has been invested in making the city centre a better place to do
business, along with additional grants and funding to the value of £500,000.
Projects over the past five years have included safety initiatives with the police and street pastors, enhanced street cleaning, and the creation and delivery of innovative events and campaigns to attract visitors to the city centre, including Bristol Light Festival (pictured), Hearts in Parks, Christmas Adventures and the annual festive lights.
The BID has pledged that Bristol Light Festival and Light Up Christmas will be two key annual events that will support businesses through the winter months by encouraging visitors to the city centre.
Street safety and cleaning initiatives will continue, alongside projects to 'green' parts of the city centre and support for individual businesses to reduce their environmental impact.
Bristol-based tech firm Anaphite, which is developing new technology to improve batteries for electric vehicles, has raised £4.1 million to develop the use of graphene in electric vehicles (EV) batteries to help cut manufacturing costs and charging times.
Anaphite’s technology incorporates graphene into the core battery electrode materials that store energy.
It is already in trials with a major EV battery manufacturer in Europe.
The firm was launched four years ago by two university graduates, who claim their technology can be “dropped in” to current manufacturing processes and could be used in commercial electric vehicle production by 2028.
The £1 million investment came from Bristol-based Wealth Club clients. Other investors included Blue Wire Capital, OION, Zero Carbon Capital, Silicon Roundabout Ventures and Deeptech Labs, which is highly regarded as an accelerator for deep tech companies.
Alex Hewitt, COO and Co-founder of Anaphite said: “I’m proud to have such a great group of investors joining our already wonderful backers as we move forward into the next stage of our growth.
“I truly believe we are in a great position to have a significant impact in the fight against climate change by accelerating the mass adoptions of EVs with our fastcharging graphene enhanced cathode technology."
The University of Bristol has one of the UK’s top commercialisation teams, according to new data from Research England.
Sugar dots to supercharge photosynthesis, a quantum camera and a “genuinely ground-breaking probiotic” are among Bristol innovations to have attracted more than £19 million investment over the past nine months.
The results of Research England’s 2022 Knowledge Exchange Framework, highlight Bristol’s strengths in Intellectual Property and commercialisation. The framework uses data covering a wide range of a university’s activities to form a comprehensive series of metrics against which universities are assessed in relation to other Higher Education Providers for each area.
Research England’s figures reveal that The University of Bristol is one of the highest performing universities in the UK for driving commercialisation of research, and third in UK for average investment per spin-out.
Technology incubator SETsquared Bristol is relaunching its Breakthrough Bursary for the fourth year.
The bursary is for UK tech entrepreneurs from a minority ethnic background, providing access to tailored business support at heavily discounted rates.
This includes coaching and mentoring, advice clinics, events, skills and training workshops and support to raise investment.
Awardees also benefit from SETsquared’s supportive community and three months’ free access to desk space in a shared office at the city’s Engine Shed.
Fourteen companies have been recipients of the bursary to date including South West-based start-ups FluoretiQ, Gritty Talent and LatchAid, and have raised a combined £2.7 million in investment.
Marty Reid, SETsquared Bristol director, said: “Inclusive and sustainable growth is more vital than ever in our current climate. Our ambition is to work towards levelling the playing field for minoritised groups within the tech sector by improving access to support, investment and networks. We look forward to welcoming new awardees with exciting ideas to our community.”
Since SETsquared Bristol launched the Breakthrough Bursary in 2019, companies at the incubator with founders from a minority ethnic background have increased from 14 per cent to 24 per cent. This compares favourably to the UK average where less than nine per cent of senior tech leaders are from a minority ethnic background.
Any UK-based entrepreneurs from a minority ethnic background can apply for the Breakthrough Bursary if they are developing a tech start-up, or growing an existing company.
Bristol will be celebrating its 650th anniversary next year with a trail of unicorns.
Unicornfest will see a giant herd of unicorns, decorated by Bristol artists and schools’ creatives displayed in prominent locations across the city from July to September next year.
A pair of unicorns feature on the city’s coat of arms, so it seems fitting that the mythical beasts will follow on the heels of Wow! Gorillas – which kicked the whole art trail craze off in 2011 with 61 decorated life-sized fibreglass gorilla sculptures based on Bristol Zoo’s famous Alfred. It was followed by Gromit Unleashed, a collaboration between Aardman Animations and Bristol Children’s Hospital which saw 80 giant Gromits pop up around the town in 2013.
There will be at least 50 unicorns in two varieties – large, decorated by professional artists, and foal, painted by schoolchildren – around the city.
Businesses are being invited to sponsor a unicorn for the duration of the festival and they’ll be sold by auction in October in aid of Leukaemia Care.
Leukaemia Care CEO Zack PembertonWhiteley said: “We’re looking forward to working with businesses, schools and community groups to bring this exciting trail to life.
“As well as the many fantastic promotional benefits that being a sponsor brings, you will also be helping to raise money for Leukaemia Care and enabling us to continue our work supporting anybody who is affected by a diagnosis of leukaemia.”
Deposit return schemes aimed at consumers are not new. As early as 1803 Schweppes offered an allowance of 10 old pennies per dozen bottles returned, because it was cheaper for them to reuse what they already had than buy new.
The most successful goodwill return schemes maximised the convenience of the consumer, enabling them to return the bottle to their local retailer, or drop them into a reverse vending machine.
Up to the late 1980s, firms such as fizzy drink manufacturers R Whites and Corona encouraged the return and reuse of empties, but thanks to our increasingly throw-away society, the practice “fizzled” out in the 1980s.
Now the system is being reworked for the 21st century and this time it’s applying technology to support the reuse of goods.
Re-universe, based in Bicester, has developed patent-pending technology to keep items in the circular economy for longer. It uses blockchain to do this.
Blockchain, for those still not entirely sure, is a distributed ledger shared across the wider computer network which stores information in digital format.
A block has certain storage capacities and when each one is full, it links to the previous block, forming a chain of data which cannot be amended or edited in any way.
How does re-universe’s recycling system work? Simplicity is the key, according to Chief Executive Steve Clarke, who joined
the company a couple of years ago after retiring as Managing Partner for Thames Valley accountancy practice James Cowper Kreston.
“We have designed a system which gives a unique code to every single bottle or can.
“These codes are different to bar codes which only tell you what the product is, but not a lot else.
“We can digitise home recycling systems, allowing users to simply scan the code on the container next to the bin to receive their deposit back.”
But won’t it be expensive for local councils to replace all their bins with ones which are tech-enabled? Not necessarily, says Steve – Re-universe can retag existing council bins.
There is also downloadable app for those
wanting to throw away items while out and about instead of lugging all their empty cans or bottles home.
The software was developed by Re-universe founder Tony McGurk, who also owns Witney-based software IT support company Twincentric.
Having done a blockchain course at Oxford University’s Saïd Business School, one evening he was taking part in his local village hall quiz. Sitting next to a couple of guys from the drinks industry he heard them talking about deposit return schemes and fraud. And he thought: “I know a way of solving that”.
By digitising returns and putting them in a block chain you can trace every return, right from the point a can or bottle is filled
“I know a way of solving that”The Re-universe returnable cup scheme in action
and purchased, when the code can be activated, through to when it’s recycled.
Fraud is prevented because each item has a unique code. If a person has claimed the deposit, they can’t do it twice and if the product is thrown as litter and retrieved, their fraud will be spotted, they could be taken off the system and lose out entirely.
The beauty of this system is that it doesn’t matter what country or currency the goods are purchased in, the unique code will recognise that and reward accordingly.
As the world enters a new era of belttightening, every opportunity to earn money, however little, is becoming more attractive and this system not only offers all of us the chance to earn money, but also gives us the feelgood factor of doing it for our planet.
And it doesn’t have to be restricted to bottles or cups, any item can be tagged, including clothes – even beauty product containers.
Re-universe has just launched a further pilot project in the Walled Garden at Blenheim Palace, which follows an earlier
pilot run with Evian water at Wimbledon this summer. It is selling the reusable cups (made by Circular & Co out of fully recyclable polypropylene which can be washed at least 500 times) and providing tagged bins so that customers can wander around the garden with their drinks. When finished, the cups can be scanned as the customer throws them in the bins. In this pilot project, those using the scheme will be entered into a Blenheim Palace prize draw.
Re-universe, which changed its name from Reward4Waste earlier this year, is a young company which can see huge opportunities to use its unique tech-driven approach to solve a growing problem.
The business, currently self-funded by Tony McGurk, is now in talks with several large retailers, producers and major event suppliers, which can all see the technology’s potential in helping them meet their recycling and ESG (environmental, social and governance) goals.
Steve said: “Our solution uses green blockchain and AI to provide anonymity, security, rich data and behavioural modelling. The technology creates transaction records that are immutable, and enable transparent ledgers where updates are nearly instantaneous.
“Our green blockchain has also been designed to be as close to carbon neutral as possible,” he added.
But great new tech takes time to embed into regular consumer behaviour. What will it take to encourage people to adopt this cash-for-returns scheme?
Re-universe undertakes detailed analysis into consumer behaviour and surprisingly reports that while those aged between 18-30 say they are most concerned about the planet and the importance of recycling, they are the worst recyclers. Those who are aged between 40-70 are the best.
Steve says a large motivator for the younger group to change their behaviour will be convenience.
“If you can claim your deposit back simply by doing what you are, or should be doing, by dropping into your home recycling, then it’s simple. We can also send nudges to people so that if something hasn’t been returned, we can gently remind them.
“Encouraging the adoption of responsible behaviour will cost consumers nothing.”
Technology is as close to carbon neutral as possible
We can then digitise home recycling systems, allowing users to simply scan the code on the container next to the bin to receive their deposit backDavid Green Head of Innovation at Blenheim with Nicole Nielsen-Pike, Guest Services Supervisor
A new £50 million UK cyber training centre is to be built at Shrivenham in Oxfordshire to support the training of world-class cyber experts, domestically and internationally.
The launch of the academy comes after the Department of Culture Media and Sport revealed cyber-attacks across government, including espionage activity and ransomware infiltration, cost an estimated £100 million in the last year.
The new Defence Cyber Academy will develop sovereign and international courses and support the UK in developing the national cyber profession.
It will boost the ranks of the UK and its international allies including the United States, training high-quality defence personnel in cyber technology, strategy and operational preparedness. Closer alliances between nations, delivered through shared experiences and training, will allow personnel to better prepare for NATO, joint and multi-domain operations of
the future, the government said. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: "Defence co-operation between the United Kingdom and the United States is the broadest and deepest of any two countries in the world and will continue to expand in the coming decades.
"The Defence Cyber Academy builds on that collaboration.”
Commander of Strategic Command, General Sir Jim Hockenhull said: "As Defence’s leader for the cyber domain, Strategic Command is committed to ensuring our personnel have the cyber skills needed to maintain a competitive edge against our adversaries.
“The Defence Cyber Academy will allow us to expand the training opportunities we offer, and share these with our international allies. This new development will help us share our expertise and better conduct the integrated operations needed in a modern battlespace."
Bicester-based Peach Pubs for £16.5m
Bar operator Revolution has acquired gastropub chain the Peach Pub Company for £16.5 million.
Revolution, which operates 69 bars across the UK, said the acquisition of 21 premium food-led pubs serving the daytime and mid-week market from mainly out-of-town locations would compliment its city centre bars and
restaurants aimed at a night-time and weekend audience.
Rob Pitcher, CEO of Revolution Bars Group said: “This is an exciting and transformative opportunity for Revolution. Peach is a quality business with great pubs/ It has rebounded strongly from the dark days of the pandemic.”
AMTE Power, an Oxford-based manufacturer of lithium-ion and sodium-ion battery cells, has signed a contract to manufacture its Ultra High Power cells at The UK’s Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC) in Coventry.
This is a significant milestone for AMTE Power. Under the agreement the company can request UKBIC manufactures up to 60,000 of its Ultra High Power cells each year, over an initial term of 24 months.
This will enable AMTE Power to deliver its first Ultra High Power cells in sufficient scale to allow customers to progress through to in-vehicle trials.
In August 2022, AMTE Power announced good progress in manufacturing trials for the Ultra High Power cell at UKBIC, with cells performing well against the company’s target specification when produced on UKBIC’s commercial scale equipment.
Kevin Brundish, CEO, AMTE Power, said: “Having secured significant early interest in our Ultra High Power cell from major automotive partners, this contract will enable us to bring our products to market sooner while we progress our own megafactory.”
Jeff Pratt, Managing Director, UK Battery Industrialisation Centre, added: “Advanced battery cells manufactured at volume in the UK are a vital component of ensuring the UK prospers from the energy transition towards Net Zero.”
ARC, a leading network of science and innovation clusters, has launched RE:CODE Oxfordshire, a partnership with The Institute of Imagination (iOi), the LEGO Group, UTC Oxfordshire and Raising Robots.
The project gives children across the county the chance to use their imagination and creative skills to tackle real-life coding challenges.
ARC concentrates companies in Advanced Research Clusters in major knowledge economies like Oxford and London. These are unique ecosystems that accelerate commercial growth by providing the best possible working environments for our members.
RE:CODE, originally launched in London to build coding and creative problemsolving skills in pupils, while boosting 21st century skills. The World Economic Forum estimates that 65 per cent of children entering primary school today will ultimately end up working in new job types that don’t yet exist.
More than 200 children from Oxfordshire primary school schools and 28 young mentors from UTC Oxfordshire, took park in the eight-week programme; inventing, creating and coding robotic models that solve real issues such as climate change by building an eco-home or an electric car.
The programme aims to steer children towards STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and maths) subjects and demonstrate how they can be applied in real life.
Stuart Grant, Chief Executive of ARC said: “Solutions to some of the greatest challenges that we face are yet to be designed, developed or even imagined, that’s why allowing the next generation of innovators and scientists the opportunity to think creatively and use their imagination is extremely important.”
Tom Doust, Executive Director of The Institute of Imagination said: “From the first mark on a cave wall, to the first footsteps on the moon, our greatest developments have begun with leaps of imagination.”
Unipart Logistics has won a five-year UK supply chain partner contract with JCB.
Under the deal Oxford-based Unipart will collaborate with Maersk, which has been appointed lead logistics provider for JCB’s global supply chain. It will take responsibility for the JCB World Logistics warehouse in Staffordshire together with UK in-plant operations, additional off-site UK warehouses and packer operations, a 30-vehicle transport fleet, and the implementation of a new warehouse management system.
Transense Technologies has signed a memorandum of understanding with Meggitt SA to evaluate the use of the former’s surface acoustic wave technology. Meggitt SA designs and manufactures monitoring and measurement solutions for the aerospace and energy markets.
Under the agreement, Bicester-based Transense will support Meggitt’s evaluation of potential market opportunities for the use of its surface acoustic wave technology in the aerospace sector.
Transense chairman Nigel Rogers said: “We have developed close working relationships with Meggitt SA and have a shared vision of the many advantages that SAW technology offers to customers in this rapidly changing sector.”
Pierre-Alain Brodard, Acting SVP, Engine Sensing Meggitt, added, “Transense’s unique technology has the potential to become a great addition to our Engine Sensing portfolio.”
More than 400 employees will transfer to Unipart Logistics when the contract starts in early 2023.
They will support JCB’s ambitious growth and sustainability plans through the continuous improvement philosophy of The Unipart Way, driving digital transformation and supply chain excellence.
JCB is one of the largest privately-owned engineering and manufacturing companies in the UK, and the world’s third largest manufacturer of construction equipment.
It was a hugely successful return for Kidderminster-based creative communications group DRPG’s annual Bigtalk event after the pandemic forced it to become a hybrid event for two years.
The Kidderminster company welcomed 150 clients from across Europe to its’ headquarters and studio complex in Worcestershire.
Now in its sixth year Bigtalk is DRPG’s flagship thought-leadership event where the team shares their industry’s latest trends, discoveries and best practices with partners and suppliers.
In what it said was a world-first for the industry, DRPG partnered with broadcast technology experts Creative Technology and German audio company Holoplot to showcase Ghostframe AV technology. This distributes content from a single
LED screen with Holoplot’s 3D audio beamforming technology to steer audio and target down to just one individual in certain environments.
The blended technology can deliver four presentations in multiple languages from one stage and presenter at the same time.
The overall theme for this year’s DRPG event was performance, following on from the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games where the Group was Official Event Services Provider.
Guests listened to Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medallist and Team England boxer Delicious Orie, who discussed his career challenges and successes with DRPG CEO Dale Parmenter.
Dale said: “We were able to showcase
some of the incredible technology that we’ll be seeing in the future event and comms landscape. Our clients got handson with realistic metaverse solutions and innovations that increase inclusivity in events and experiences.
“It’s great to get the vast array of industries together to discuss the commonalities and shared experiences to learn from and move forward collectively.”
Earlier this year, DRPG won a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the Sustainability category.
In its latest accounts DRPG saw a rise in turnover to more than £26 million from £20.4 million the previous year.
The year 2021 also saw the Group invest in all areas of the business, from infrastructure to new facilities and people.
“It’s great to get the vast array of industries together to discuss the commonalities and shared experiences to learn from and move forward collectively”
The owners of Evesham-based reusable bag designer and supplier Jutexpo have sold a stake of the business to their Chinese partners.
After a five year partnership with manufacturing partners Baichuan Best Trade Group Limited and FeiFei (Lai Guang Zhou), Barrie and Sam Turner, owners of Jutexpo, have announced the Chinese firms will become shareholders in their business.
Jutexpo has become the UK market leader in reusable bags and products made with rPET (from post-consumer plastic bottles), along with Jute,Juco, Cotton, and its core principle is ‘Beyond the bag’ which focuses on integrity through ethical production, social responsibility, quality and trust.
The company supplies clients such as Sainsbury’s Waitrose, John Lewis, Tesco and Marks & Spencer.
Baichuan converts used plastic bottles to yarn, and ultimately the fabric the company uses in various standards and qualities. FeiFei manufacturers the finished products.
Chairman of Jutexpo, Barrie Turner said: “In the true sense we have become an international business, with a strong technical base, both at the core of the raw material, and in our product range.
“As senior shareholderb and chairman of the company, I believe that taking this cooperative step is good for all staff, bankers, customers and our suppliers.
Potter Space, which owns and operates five business parks across the UK, is on course to invest a total of £18 million in doubling the size of its Droitwich site, as construction begins on the first phase.
The company was granted planning permission earlier in the year to speculatively build an additional 105,000 sq ft of industrial units at Droitwich, to add to the existing 286,000 sq ft occupying the 38 acres.
With £10 million of investment committed to this initial phase,
construction of the first two units will be complete by spring next year.
Jason Rockett, Managing Director at Potter Space, said: “Although we have had nearly 300,000 sq ft of buildings on site, we were close to 100 per cent occupancy and recognised the need to meet demand and the growing number of enquiries we were receiving for high quality warehouse units in the region.
“We are looking forward to the opportunity to develop the site further bringing new investment to the area.”
“Moreover, the blend of ownership underpins expansion and security – leaving the business free to concentrate on developing our range of unique products.”
Sam Turner, Managing Director of Jutexpo added: “Working collaboratively with our partners on the bottles to bags over the past five years has added to our success and this next stage in our business will shake up the reusable bag sector.
“We are excited in taking the first steps in reducing the globalisation of the industry, reducing the manufacturing process for our clients. Decreasing the current three to five month lead time to just a couple of weeks will be a gamechanger for our retail clients over the next couple of years.”
Worcester-based human resources specialist Clover HR is forecasting 50 per cent growth in the latest financial year after appointing eight new members of staff and securing 10 new clients on retained deals in the last six months.
Formed in 2017 Clover HR has grown to 32 staff, based at offices in Birmingham, London, Manchester, Cardiff and its Friar Street Worcester headquarters, and recently appointed Jenny Riley as its new Director of Service Delivery and Compliance.
Michael Doolin, Managing Director of Clover HR, said: “The hunt for talent has become tougher for employers and, in turn, we have seen this drive up the value of a new recruit as people want greater reassurances before taking on a new role.
“Since forming in 2017, Clover HR has worked with 150 SMEs.”
In our latest ‘new look’ edition of Figure 1 we look at a few of the forthcoming changes to the IP landscape.
First and foremost, we look at what the new proposed Unified Patent Court and Unitary Patent will mean for our clients who are doing business and protecting their inventions in Europe.
With rising costs, high energy prices and a cost-of-living crisis, saving money and maintaining cash flow is going to be a key consideration for any business. On page 10 of the magazine, Albright IP Director, Adrian Hocking, highlights some interesting figures around the use of Patent Box (or lack of it) and looks at the missed opportunity for considerable corporation tax savings.
We also talk about how IP training can help to capture innovation and hear from Patent Attorney, Cloe Loo, on why she chose a career in IP.
We hope you enjoy this latest edition.
Robert Games, Managing Director, Albright IP
Albright IP – latest edition of Figure 1 out now wrapped with this issue of Business & Innovation magazine.
Malvern-based EV and smart energy technology business Indra has revealed early results from the first users of its pioneering V2H (Vehicle-to-Home) charging technology.
And some participants are reporting huge savings of around £200 on their monthly energy bills.
This has been made possible by Indra’s bidirectional V2H Charger, which accesses surplus energy stored in an EV battery. This technology can be used to lower energy bills and help reduce demand on the grid at peak times. EV owners are able to charge their car with off-peak energy, which is often not only cheaper but also derived from higher volumes of renewable energy sources, and then discharge energy back from their vehicle during peak times to power their homes.
Further benefits can also be accessed thanks to the solar matching capability of Indra’s sophisticated V2H charger. Rather than exporting this electricity to the grid when solar panel generation is at its highest but demand low, the Indra charger diverts the energy into the EV’s battery,
where it can be stored for use later.
One of the first to sign up, Carl Nicholson, has already seen significant reduction in his grid energy use since he started using his Indra Vehicle-to-Home Charger in May. With two Nissan LEAFs on his drive and three solar arrays that deliver between four and five megawatt hours a year, Carl could make use of the unique qualities of the Indra charger.
“The savings I’m making are massive,” Carl said. “My first full month's electric bill since setting up the V2H is going to be about £30. Before that I was paying between £130 and £200 a month, depending on the time of year.”
Earlier this year Indra announced plans to run the world’s largest V2H trial to build on the pre-trial users and gain a wider range of use cases from across the UK.
Mike Schooling, Indra Founder and CTO, said: “These initial customer results show that Indra’s pioneering Vehicle-toHome charger can significantly reduce a customer’s domestic energy bills as well as maximise renewable energy choices.”
A Worcestershire advanced manufacturing firm has secured £250,000 to create new jobs, diversify its product line and grow its customer base.
Handling Concepts received funding from the Midlands Engine Investment Fund (MEIF) provided by The FSE Group Debt Finance Fund and backed by the Recovery Loan Scheme.
Established in 1994, Handling Concepts provides specialist engineered solutions for materials and industrial process handling. Solutions range from standard production line products to custom designed installations that enable manufacturers to manage their production process safely and efficiently.
The business has seen progressive growth and works primarily with UK blue-chip manufacturing businesses in different sectors.
Karie Burbeck, Chief Operating Officer of Handling Concepts, said: “The MEIF loan comes at a crucial point, enabling us to meet high customer demand as we recover from the effects of the pandemic. This is an opportunity for significant growth and the funds will allow us to invest in jobs and better service our customers.”
Worcestershire’s first tech accelerator, BetaDen, has been named the UK’s Best Tech Accelerator at the Business Tech Awards.
The Malvern Hills Science Park team has supported six cohorts of technology entrepreneurs since 2018. The award judges described BetaDen as “a clearly impressive project”.
Kate Snell, programme manager at BetaDen, said: “This is national recognition of the work going on in Worcestershire to support the next generation of technology entrepreneurs. To date, BetaDen has supported 42 early-stage businesses to develop technologies, from cyber security and blockchaindriven innovations to autonomous vehicles and industrial internet of things software.”
Worcester city centre has been awarded the prestigious Purple Flag accreditation for its evening and night-time economy (ENTE), following a successful application process by the city.
The Purple Flag is a nationwide award; it recognises Worcester as a vibrant destination for dining, entertainment and culture between the hours of 17.00 and 05.00, successfully promoting the safety and wellbeing of visitors and local residents.
The accreditation process in Worcester has been led over the past seven months by Worcester BID, in partnership with other city organisations Worcester City Council, and West Mercia Police.
Sam McCarthy, Chief Executive for Worcester BID, said: “Purple Flag assesses all areas of the night-time economy, looking at safety measures and how partners work together utilising city resources such as CCTV and the CityNet radio scheme. They also look into city enhancements, ensuring a feeling of greater safety. For example, New Street and Friar Street’s festoon lighting recently added by Worcester BID
creates a vibrant atmosphere but also adds additional lighting to the area, making it feel safer.”
Sam McCarthy continues: “Worcester achieving Purple Flag status reassures and builds consumer confidence that our city is a safe and vibrant place. It will also help to put Worcester on the map and encourage prospective investors to set up businesses, families to make Worcester their home, and students to select Worcester University as their first choice to study.”
Councillor Marc Bayliss, Joint Leader of Worcester City Council: “Worcester has a growing reputation as a great destination for shopping, sight-seeing, leisure and much more. Purple Flag status confirms that our city is a great place for a relaxing, enjoyable, and safe night out and provides a great basis for boosting Worcester’s popularity even further.”
Worcester BID has been supporting the local business community through implementing free monthly bill clinics by teaming up with local bill expert.
These clinics have been provided at no cost to help support our business community and their staff.
Worcester BID members have been able to book to meet on a one-on-one basis with utility bill expert Philip Fowler to look at ways to reduce bills within the business and at home. All BID business team members have also been able to utilise the expert help to tackle the rising costs associated with the home. The free clinics provide the user with a bill review, price checks to see where you can save in the current market, tailored advice on reducing bills and ongoing support and advice.
work. I am delighted that 22 out of 25 Showstopper objects have been generously sponsored so far from a wide range of sectors. The Showstopper Trail showcases Worcester’s heritage of innovation, skill and ambition as a pioneering centre of porcelain manufacture and international giant of the ceramic industry. We are thrilled to share the special stories of our Showstoppers’ and engage audiences with this fascinating and prized part of Worcester’s history. It is exciting to work together with businesses and partners to recognise their support, draw visitors to our heritage city, and inspire people to get creative.”
Reindeer Court, Worcester, has become a city-centre businesses powerhouse. Over the last year, more and more independent businesses have moved into the shopping area and trade is booming. The area adds to the fantastic offering of independents in Worcester, with 68 per cent of retailers being independents, Worcester is the perfect place to explore this Christmas season.
The Showstopper Trail has now launched! The Showstopper Trail brings Worcester’s arts history into the modern day. Follow the physical trail and scan QR codes that reveal rarely seen, behind-the-scenes archive material concerning 22 fascinating and extraordinary objects in the museum collection.
For the first time businesses, organisations and individuals have joined the Museum of Royal Worcester in supporting the museum and its preservation of Worcester’s porcelain heritage by sponsoring a trail object. You can even hear from sponsors as you tour the trail. The objects and their stories will also be brought to life on film and social media by trustees John Sandon, Philip Serrell and Museum Director, Sophie Heath. This is supported by the stunning online gallery.
Museum Director, Sophie Heath explains: “The Showstopper Trail brings together businesses, supporters, art and design lovers and Worcestershire residents, to celebrate 250 years of excellence in quality and ceramic design. We are excited to launch this opportunity for organisations and individuals to become Showstopper sponsors and join with us to share in and support the museum’s
Charlotte Thornton-Smith of Harrison Clark Rickerbys Solicitors explains: “We are sponsoring the Showstopper ‘Angler under a Willow Teapot’ from 1755. The reason Worcester Porcelain became commercially successful was that they included soapstone in the recipe so it did not crack when boiling water was poured into it, so it could meet the demand for consuming tea from China. Royal Worcester is synonymous with our region and its history. We are delighted to support the museum with its Showstopper Trail which is insightful and exquisite, a perfect showcase. People are our passion and we are dedicated to supporting the communities in which we operate.”
It costs £568 a day to look after and open the museum. Funds from sponsorships of the trail items will help to celebrate and engage with a place of regional and national importance. If you or your organisation would like to take part and support the work at The Museum of Royal Worcester, the museum would love to hear from you.
Find out more at www.museumofroyalworcester.org/ support-us/sponsor-a-showstopper-pot
Izzy’s Ices and Donuts opened their first shop in Reindeer Court, back in 2021, serving up decadent donuts to the city. A year on, they are now moving to a new shop on the High Street and investing in bigger premises to keep up with the demand for sweet treats.
Steve Arthington, owner of Izzy’s Ices and Donuts said “In 2021 many shops in Reindeer Court were empty. With help from Worcester BID, and management changes within Reindeer Court, all the shops are now occupied and footfall has massively increased, resulting in sales for Izzy’s Ices & Donuts going through the roof. This has enabled us to relocate to Cathedral Square on the High Street. We owe our thanks to our supportive customers and Worcester BID.”
These success stories keep on coming, with new venues opening including 2 havens for dog owners, Paw & Co and Hugo and Ted, plant-lovers dream, Plantamamita and Jaks Coffee Shop These newcomers join long standing traders such as Bottles Wine Shop and Merchants and Fuel Clothing
Discover Reindeer Court precinct for yourself and see why Worcester is worth investing in.
comprise 160,208 sq ft and 286,328 sq ft respectively and will be developed on the southern side of the 78-acre Redditch Gateway site, which is fully serviced and delivers a 9.5 MVA power supply. Features will include integral hub and office space, 15m clear eaves height, secure yard space and parking, as well as the creation of an external gym area and upgrades to the existing trim trail. Construction of the new units is expected to begin imminently, with work likely to be completed in autumn 2023.
Stoford has secured planning consent for the speculative development of almost 450,000 sq ft of new industrial and logistics accommodation near Redditch.
The leading commercial property
developer will build two new warehouse units at Redditch Gateway, a multimillion pound logistics and manufacturing scheme off the A4023 Coventry Highway.
The new net zero carbon units will
Redditch Gateway is being marketed by Burbage Realty, Colliers International and Savills.
For more information, visit: redditchgateway.com
BetaDen’s Cohort 5.0 founder, Paula Bedborough of Secure Socialising, has won a Tech Entrepreneur Award at this year’s Women In Tech Awards.
Secure Socialising is a project that Paula took to BetaDen, Worcestershire’s first technology accelerator, to elevate her route to market and gain professional support and funding. The project looks at how technology can be used to promote safe socialising and support outstanding customer experiences. They have developed a keyless smart locker system made for spaces where people meet or socialise, and are currently working on a new app for smartphones to make the Secure Socialising experience even more intuitive. Their smart lockers will help to reduce crime and vulnerability and help people to have a stress-free experience.
Paula said: “I am absolutely delighted to have won the Tech Entrepreneur Award. What an amazing event… A huge thanks to the BetaDen team and all the mentors for all of your invaluable advice and support. It’s been an absolutely
incredible few months since I was lucky enough to join you”.
Find out more about Secure Socialising and BetaDen on their website. beta-den.com
Businesses in Worcestershire can access FREE 1-2-1 business support around sustainability and clean energy thanks to the Worcestershire Growth Hub’s, Professional Advisor programme.
With rising energy costs affecting many households and businesses across the country, this support comes at a vital time to support local organisations with understanding their environmental impact, identifying new sustainable processes and energy generation methods and sourcing potential funding for adopting these processes.
The Professional Advisor programme is open to all Worcestershire businesses and specialises in bringing in professional experts to provide advice and guidance to businesses on an individual basis. This support also compliments the existing portfolio of sustainability support for Worcestershire businesses which includes grant funding, a net zero guideline portal and much more, which can all be accessed via the Worcestershire Growth Hub team.
To find out more about the Professional Advisor programme, or the Clean energy and sustainability support available for your business, please contact Worcestershire Growth Hub on 01905 677888 or email info@worcestershiregrowthhub.co.uk
Over 50 businesses joined the Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and Worcestershire Growth Hub for the second Worcestershire Business Forum.
Building on the inaugural business forum held in May, this second forum was focused on the skills and recruitment challenges facing many businesses, listening to feedback gathered from the business community.
The structure of the forum focused on asking attendees to share their challenges and where they felt the opportunities were with recruiting and retaining staff. After this, attendees were given a chance to brainstorm what new support programmes could be introduced to meet their needs, and also heard an update on the current skills and recruitment support programmes.
The data and intelligence from this discussion was collected by the LEP and Growth Hub to inform future delivery and decision making amongst public sector partners.
Gary Woodman, Chief Executive of the Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “The discussions that took place at the second Worcestershire Business Forum were highly engaging and it was fantastic to have a great selection of businesses in the room to hear from and inform on our current programmes of support. “The team will now work on the intelligence gathered to make sure that the LEP and Growth Hub can work closely with public sector partners to build solutions that can help businesses going forward.”
The Worcestershire LEP and Growth Hub aims to run several Business Forums throughout the year on key business topics to help gather business feedback to inform future delivery.
If you are a Worcestershire business who could benefit from free business support, contact the Worcestershire Growth Hub on 01905 677888 or email info@worcestershiregrowthhub.co.uk
worcestershiregrowthhub.co.uk
Shakespeare Distillery has opened a new experience space in Stratfordupon-Avon which it says will create an additional six jobs.
The independent spirit producer has taken a long-term lease at No 1 High Street in the town, which houses a retail shop on the ground floor.
Shakespeare Distillery first opened on the high street as a pop-up shop but has now converted two floors above the retail premises into a rum school and tasting room named ‘Judith’s’.
No 1 High Street was once home to Judith Shakespeare, William Shakespeare’s daughter.
The expansion builds on the success of its distillery tours and gin school at Drayton Manor Drive.
Peter Monks, Director at Shakespeare Distillery said “Stratford-upon-Avon is once again a busy and vibrant town after the pandemic and presents the perfect opportunity for us to expand our business. Having a tasting room in town will make it easier for our customers to try our products.
“We look forward to starting an exciting new chapter, not only for the distillery but for this historic building.”
Shakespeare Distillery has been distilling gin for the last six years and began distilling its own brand of British rum last year, as the demand for rum rises.
Shakespeare Distillery is one of a small handful of UK distilleries to create rum on site and there are only a small number of rum schools in the UK.
An enterprising husband and wife from Leamington who both walked away from their successful careers to set up balance bike business Kidvelo Bikes are celebrating their latest triple national awards success.
Kidvelo Bikes, run by Karen and Gary Wood was named the winner at the 2022 British Business Awards in the Start-Up Category as well as scooping Gold for the Best Balance Bike in the Made for Mums 2022 Toy Awards and Best Bike in the Organic Baby Awards.
Kidvelo specialises in manufacturing top-quality, but affordable, balance bikes designed to help children learn to ride, from their base in Warwick Street’s Chandos Business Centre.
Launched last year, the founders set out to improve the performance and quality of children’s bikes and make them available to parents at affordable pricing, using their combined 40 years of knowledge gained from specialist balance bike distribution, teaching thousands of kids to ride and hosting balance bike racing.
Leading lingerie retailer Bravissimo has agreed a 10-year deal to lease new office space on a Midlands development.
The deal is one of a pair concluded by commercial property specialist Bromwich Hardy for the Tachbrook Park site at Leamington Spa.
Bravissimo, which is based in Leamington Spa and employs some 600 people, has agreed to sub-let 14,500 sq ft of office space at 1 Athena Drive from Co-operative Energy Limited, which closed and vacated the property in May 2019.
Meanwhile the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) has also agreed a 10l-year lease for 7,600 sq ft of space at neighbouring 2 Athena Drive.
Panivox, the Leamington Spa company behind the RichCast next-generation media platform has been awarded a £500,000, SMART Grant from Innovate UK, the Government’s innovation agency.
RichCast has been developed by video games industry veterans Neil Campbell and twins Andrew and Philip Oliver.
It promises to open a new world of usergenerated media experiences, called Titles, ranging from interactive adventures and games to stories and learning tools.
The platform’s “NoCode” approach allows creators – including writers, gamers, podcasters and YouTubers – to make, own, distribute and monetise content that players can stream through a single app across multiple devices.
The main interface for controlling Titles is voice recognition. Players can talk to the ‘in-game’ characters, who can understand and respond, allowing conversations as part of an immersive storytelling experience.
The Innovate UK grant will support Panivox, in collaboration with Staffordshire University, to research and develop new features and experiences to showcase RichCast’s use in education and serious
games, alongside building a global community of creators, players and commercial partners.
Panivox CEO Philip Oliver said: “Being awarded a SMART Grant by Innovate UK is not only a ringing endorsement of all the hard work the team at Panivox has poured into creating RichCast, but will also enable us to further develop the platform and add features that extend its use into serious games and education.
Staffordshire University Project Lead Luke Haslett said: “This funded project has two distinct aims. Firstly, we’ll be working with their innovative RichCast software to teach our first-year students, getting them used to industry-standard games development and publishing the games they create which will help to build their portfolios.
“We will also be employing a researcher to see how we can have public impact with this technology in Education and Serious Games in areas such as culture, healthcare and climate change.”
Warwick and Leamington MP Matt Western said: “I was blown away by the technology behind Panivox’s pitch. I’m thrilled by the prospect that this sort of pioneering innovation could be born in Leamington.”
Made Smarter, a West Midlands scheme which supports manufacturing and engineering firms upgrade their technology to boost productivity was among the winners at the Innovation Awards.
The programme won the “Engineering Innovation Champion – Organisation Sector” at a ceremony held in Birmingham.
Craig Humphrey, Managing Director of CWLEP Growth Hub, said: “The success of Made Smarter since it launched in our region has surpassed all expectations and this award win is testament to that.
“Our Digital Transformation Experts have done brilliantly in reaching out to businesses, giving them advice suitable to their needs, and helping them access the capital they need to implement improvements.”
Launched in the West Midlands in 2021, Made Smarter has advised more than 200 businesses on productivity improvements through technology uptake, generating millions in GVA.
Originally intended to run for one year, the scheme has been successful enough to see the government renew it for another three years.
Paul Sullivan, Digital Transformation Expert at Made Smarter, added: “Many of the businesses we have visited over the months were either unaware of what tools were out there to help boost their productivity, or knew what they needed but did not have the funds available.
“It’s been a real pleasure to visit these businesses and watch them flourish once they’ve adopted the new technology.”
The former Woodside Hotel and Conference Centre in Kenilworth has been sold to national housebuilder Vistry Group (formerly Bovis Homes).
Land, development and property agency Newton LDP has completed the sale of the property at Glasshouse Lane on behalf of Archel Homes for an undisclosed sum.
Vistry Group is reportedly set to build 620 homes on the adjacent land.
A Leamington café which has become a hotspot for live music in Warwickshire is launching its own record label on the back of its growing success.
Temperance, on Bath Street in the old town, was established by Adrian Gains in 2018 as a café and art gallery by day, and a bar and music venue by night.
It quickly established itself as a hub for creativity and a space to showcase local talent, expanding to National Theatre Live, film, spoken word and comedy nights and serving vegan food and drink sourced from local independent suppliers.
However, after the hospitality industry took a hit during Covid-19, Adrian was offered support through Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce’s Project Warwickshire – a free recovery and growth business support programme to help companies in the tourism, leisure and hospitality sectors in the county, in the wake of the pandemic.
Adrian was given support and training to help raise the profile of the café and market its events.
He is now taking the next step to launch his own record label “Temperance Live”.
“We have a great technical set-up and superb sound engineer and our reputation is growing fast.
“We can now offer musicians the opportunity to record their amazing live performances and get them heard by a much wider audience.
“We’ll have live sessions released on platforms such as Bandcamp and will be selling CDs.”
Archel Homes, bought the building less than a year ago for around £5 million, according to reports.
The freehold property – a former Victorian country house – sits within 5.5 acres of land in an area which has been allocated for housing within the Warwick District Council local plan.
US engineering firm Parker-Hannifin has completed its £6.3 billion takeover of Coventry-based aerospace company Meggitt.
The Ohio-based firm – which makes engineered products for the aerospace, automotive and manufacturing industries says the acquisition will provide complementary technologies and increase the aftermarket mix of its aerospace business.
The closing of the acquisition came following a review of competition and security concerns by the British government.
“We have a great technical set-up and superb sound engineer and our reputation is growing fast”Adrian Gains (Temperance), Cllr Martin Watson and Gillian Dale (Warwickshire County Council), Sarah Humphreys (Coventry Chamber of Commerce)
Dental bur manufacturer Prima Dental Group has expanded its executive leadership team. David Creed (right) joined Prima Dental Group in 2018. He is now Head of Finance. Paulo Raquel (left) has been hired as Chief Operating Officer. He has an impressive background in engineering in leading multi-national companies.
Cheltenham-based automation engineering company ALS Mechatronic has made two new appointments to its board of directors, promoting Chris Fitzsimmons (left) to services director and Daniel L’estrange (right) to engineering director.
YASA, the Oxfordshire-based pioneer in ultra-high performance electric drive technology bought by Mercedes-Benz last year, has appointed Juergen Banken as its new CEO, succeeding Dr Chris Harris. Juergen was recently at Integrated Electric Drives, Mercedes-Benz.
Telent Ltd, the Warwick technology and network services company, has appointed Paul Lester CBE as chairman of the company. Paul succeeds David Naylor-Leyland who is stepping down as Chairman after 12 years in the position.
Cybersecurity specialist, Core to Cloud, has appointed, Matt White as Finance Director. The Cirencester company is forecast to increase turnover by more than 170 per cent by the end of the year.
Two of the region’s leading advisers to the science and technology sector have joined property consultant Bidwells. Emily Slupek (pictured) joins as a Partner from project management firm Buro Four, where she led its Science and Technology division.
Experienced Oxford agent Duncan May also joins as a Partner.
The Commercial Property team at BPE Solicitors has welcomed back Paul Engelbrecht as a Partner and Notary Public to provide commercial and practical advice to the firm’s clients. Paul had previously been a partner at Hughes Paddison.
Slicker Recycling has announced a series of appointments. The Stourporton-Severn company, which specialises in the collection and recycling of lubricating oils previously used in motor vehicles and machinery, has revealed a variety of promotions and appointments within its 18-strong interceptor team. Commercial manager Leanne Tillson (pictured centre),
08
will now lead the team’s sales and administrative functions.
Lennie Hamilton has been appointed as operations manager and Noemi Kedves is promoted to planner, with Nicola Stocks taking up the role of customer adviser. Emily Knight has been recruited into a sales administration role and four drivers have also joined the team.
Strategy Officer for Bristol-based CFMS
Independent digital engineering consultancy The Centre for Modelling & Simulation has appointed Dr Mark Woods as Chief Strategy Officer. The new role will see Mark work with the organisation’s senior leadership team to oversee the organisation’s direction and support the development of new robotics capabilities.
Oxford-based biotech company Exscientia, has appointed Caroline Rowland as its first chief people officer. Caroline, who joins from Arm, will leading the firm’s People (human resources) and Places functions while developing its talent, training and employee experience strategies.
Banbury-based Norbar Torque Tools has appointed a new managing director to lead the manufacturers’ global operations.
John Reynertson (left) will replace the outgoing Andrew Lobo (right). John joins from his role as president at Sturtevant Richmont, a US company recently purchased by Norbar’s owner Snap-on, that designs and manufactures torque wrenches and torque control equipment.
West Midlands Gigafactory joint venture has appointed battery industry technology expert Richard Moore to spearhead its strategy and global contact with leading cell manufacturers. This key appointment will support the development of what it is hoped will become the UK’s largest Gigafactory.
Gloucestershire College is investing £500,000 in equipment to kit out the county's first electric and hybrid vehicle training centre.
The centre, which will open in the new year, will offer a range of short courses for automotive technicians, who will be able to gain qualifications up to Level 4 – one step above A level.
It is also investing in training to up-skill its entire team of industryexpert lecturers to deliver faceto-face training in everything from maintenance and diagnostics to testing and repairs.
Currently, most local electric and hybrid electric vehicle training is delivered online, with local garages having to venture out of county for face-to-face delivery.
Gloucestershire College will provide a closer-to-home solution that upskills technicians, taught in person by experienced lecturers in real working garages on their doorstep.
The launch of the centre will support the college's net zero ambitions while filling a skills gap – fewer than five per cent of UK motor technicians are currently qualified to work on electric vehicles, despite their growing popularity.
Principal Matthew Burgess said: “Gloucestershire College is committed to working with our employer partners to meet local skills needs, as well as supporting the wider skills and sustainability agendas.
"We plan to bridge the skills gap in low-carbon vehicle mechanics and future-proof the skills of our own talent-in-training, to make them even more employable when they move into industry."
The University of Bristol and University of Warwick are part of a new £6.75 million national network to accelerate UK innovation.
The Innovation Launchpad Network+ brings together leading universities, the Catapult Network and regional innovation ecosystems to enrich the exchange of ideas and knowledge across these organisations.
Funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the network is a national collaboration, led by the University of Sheffield with the Universities of Leeds, Strathclyde, Warwick, Bristol and Exeter, and the Catapult Network.
There are currently nine Catapults, each
established by and working in partnership with Innovate UK. They support businesses across healthcare, energy, emerging technologies and manufacturing in transforming great ideas into valuable products and services.
To foster new links between individuals or groups and the Catapult Network, the programme will deliver 100 world-class Researchers in Residence programmes and will focus on the themes of net zero, healthcare and wellbeing, and resilience.
The programme builds on the successful Catapult Fellows and Researcher in Residence programmes and aims to create a truly inclusive and integrated scienceinnovation community.
An increase in the number of girls taking GCSE computing exams in 2022 has been welcomed by Swindon-based BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT.
This summer 81,000 students were awarded a certificate in computing.
And record numbers will start a computer science degree this year, with faster growth in women taking computing than for any other university subject group, new figures show.
Computer Science is now the fastestgrowing degree subject, with 24,900 people starting courses in September – up seven per cent.
While fewer girls took a GCSE in computing than boys – a ratio of 3.7 to 1 – females
outperformed the male cohort.
Figures show 40.6 per cent of female entrants in England gained a grade 7 or above – the former GCSE Grade A – compared with 32.2 per cent of male entrants.
Julia Adamson, director of education at BCS, said: “It is fantastic news that girls continue to take up the computer science qualifications at similar levels to previous years and achieve good grades.
“However, we cannot be complacent. One thing we all learnt during the pandemic is that digital skills are vital for all, providing the tools to take an active part in society, aid career prospects and improve the UK economy in the long run."
Enabling the growth and development of Gloucestershire’s Agri-Tech businesses
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Coventry manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover has announced a global up-skilling drive in a bid to train 29,000 people in the next three years for its connected and data capabilities, and to support the rapid transition to electrification.
The company’s Future Skills Programme will see more than 10,000 Jaguar Land Rover and franchised retailer employees in the UK, and nearly 19,000 across the rest of the world, trained in skills vital to electrification, digital and autonomous cars.
Barbara Bergmeier, Jaguar Land Rover Industrial Operations Executive Director, said: “We are rapidly scaling up our future skills training programme to ensure we have the right talent to deliver the world’s most desirable modern luxury electric vehicles.
“I’m proud to say we are committing to help plug the electric and digital skills gap with a comprehensive, global training programme, which will power charge electrification both here in the UK and abroad.”
Currently around 80 per cent of nearly 1,300 franchised Jaguar Land Rover retailers around the world offer electric vehicle servicing, so to tackle the skills gaps, the company is ensuring the majority of servicing technicians will receive electrification training this year.
As well as technicians, Jaguar Land Rover plans to retrain thousands of automotive engineers and production employees, who previously worked on the development of internal combustion cars, to specialise in electrification, digital and autonomous cars.
Bristol based Bud, which provides specialised software as a service to apprenticeship and other training organisations to enable the delivery of highquality, compliant training whilst improving the visibility of progress and performance, has secured £3 million investment from venture capital company Maven.
Bud brings together learners, training providers and employers from enrolment through to reporting and regulatory compliance.
The company was co-founded by Heather Frankham, who has a successful track
record in the training sector, having founded, grown and exited the UK’s largest apprenticeship provider, Lifetime Training.
Since then, she has supported educational business and charities, helping them to drive high quality scalable operations most notably chairing the turnaround of Paragon Skills.
Heather remains with Bud as a NonExecutive Director. Bud CEO John Ingram is also experienced in the education sector having scaled and exited businesses in the space, most recently at Pamoja Education which was sold to Faria Education in 2020.
Hartpury has been named as the top specialist science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) university for local growth and regeneration.
The finding was made in the second publication of Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF) results released by Research England, which placed Hartpury in the highest possible band for Local Growth and Regeneration.
The institution has also improved on its 2021 performance in the Working with Business and Working with the Public and Third Sector.
The KEF celebrates the breadth of how English universities serve the economy and society, for the benefit of the public, business and communities.
The results follow a busy 12-month period in which Hartpury has helped to secure £20 million from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund.
Improvements in the Working with Business category have been bolstered by the launch of the £2 million Tech Box Park at Hartpury, part of a 10-year strategic vision to provide a world-class hub for agricultural facilities, education and research.
The Tech Box Park is home to the Agri-Tech Centre, a hub for agri-technologies that encourages innovative tech companies to collaborate and grow through shared knowledge.
Oxfordshire firm Hedges Law has raised more than £2,000 for the grief support charity SeeSaw.
The latest fundraising effort saw two members of the Oxfordshire law firm’s team, Head of Business Development, Rebecca Kashti and Trainee Solicitor, James Overton sky dive.
Jumping from 10,000 feet and freefalling at more than 120mph, the pair had originally set out to raise £400. However, thanks to colleagues, friends, family and members of the public, they smashed their original target.
Rebecca said: “SeeSaw is a fantastic local Oxfordshire-based charity, providing essential support to young members of the community and their families at a time of such uncertainty, worry and sadness.
“Jumping from 13,000 feet was daunting,
but worth it to know we were doing what we could to help these families at a time they are experiencing the loss of a loved one.”
Further fundraising at Hedges Law is taking place later this year. This month, Director of Culture and Innovation, Nicola Poole, is heading to Africa to take on the Sahara Trek, an expedition taking place in the Moroccan Sahara, covering around 50km in temperatures of up to 40c.
Clare Mather Allkins, Fundraising Manager said “As a small charity, SeeSaw relies on the support of countless individuals, families, community groups, businesses and schools to keep going.
“Fundraising is essential to SeeSaw so we can continue to give vital support to young people and their families, in the community.”
Bishop Fleming is merging Gloucestershire practice Bespoke Tax Accountants into its business as part of an ambitious strategy to double the firm’s size over the next few years.
It will be integrating the business of Bespoke Tax Accountants, adding its Cheltenham base to its offices in Bath, Bristol, Exeter, Plymouth, Torquay, Truro and Worcester.
Thursfields has helped close deals totalling more than £100 million in the first six months of its financial year – almost as much as it achieved in the whole of its last financial year.
Gareth Burge, director and head of corporate at the Worcestershireheadquartered law firm, said:
“The team has had a great start to the financial year, picking up a number of significant buy and sell side instructions for our SME and investor client base.
“Despite economic uncertainty, the outlook is still looking positive, with deals in the pipeline.
A selection of the deals completed in the first half of 2022 include Thursfields advising the shareholders of Demma Group on its sale to Swedish private equity backed Nordomatic Group, the shareholders of Compco Fire on their sale to Irish private equity backed Writech and Questgates on several acquisitions.
Other deals include advising on the sales of Wiper Blades to AIM-listed Vertu Motors plc, PJM Properties to FTSE 250 listed LondonMetric Property plc and Network Catering Engineers to Airdale Group.
The move comes on the back of impressive financial results which saw fees grow by nearly 19 per cent, in 2021-2022, led by considerable growth by its Bristol and Worcester operations.
Bishop Fleming’s Manager Partner Andrew Sandiford, said: “It has been a long-term strategic ambition to strengthen our footprint between our Bristol and
Worcester offices, not only as a platform for further growth, but now also to meet the economic challenges that lie ahead.
“Integrating Bespoke as our new Cheltenham office provides the perfect foundation to support and grow our clients in the three counties of Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, and Worcestershire.”
HEDGES LAW RAISES MORE THAN £2,000 FOR OXFORDSHIRE GRIEF
Battery materials developer and manufacturer Nexeon has received a boost to its plans for high volume manufacture with the awarding of almost £2 million from the government’s Automotive Transformation Fund (ATF).
The Milton Park-based business will use the funds to install a larger scale manufacturing facility, meeting the rapidly increasing demand for silicon anode material for battery evaluation and cell qualification programmes in the UK automotive industry.
The ATF fund is managed by the Advanced Propulsion Centre, based at the University of Warwick.
Dr Scott Brown, CEO of Nexeon, said: “We have already doubled in size this year, and this will support our commitment to achieve large-scale manufacturing capability.”
Ian Constance, CEO, Advanced Propulsion Centre. added:“I am pleased this project has been successfully funded, sharing part of £15 million from our Scale-Up Readiness Validation competition.
“With this support, the APC aims to increase confidence in large-scale manufacturing investments to build electrified supply chains in the UK.
“It is vital, in the transition to net zero, that the automotive sector seizes the opportunity to grow the industry, create or safeguard jobs and build on the expertise anchored here in the UK.”
Last month, Nexeon announced a further major expansion programme following a successful funding round resulting in more than $200 million raised from investors including Ingevity Corporation and SKC.
Training tech provider Pennant International Group, which has its headquarters in Cheltenham, has seen a return to positive earnings for the first half of the year.
It reported Group revenues for the period of £6.9 million of which around 65 per cent were recurring.
More than half of its revenues were generated from software licensing and associated activities, up from 35 per cent in the same period last year, and gross margin doubled to 41 per cent, up from
21 per cent in the first half of 2021. Chairman John Ponsonby said: “As a result of management’s continued efforts to deliver the Group’s strategy, we now have a leaner, more streamlined organisation, with an increasing proportion of recurring revenues from software and services.
“This provides greater forward visibility and a solid platform from which to grow the business and enhance shareholder value.”
Pennant’s three-year order book at the end of the half year stood at £27 million.
Oxford-based Plyable, which says it is the world’s leading custom composite mould producer, has raised £2.85 million in its latest funding round.
The fund-raise was led by Maven Capital Partners one of the UK’s most active investors in growing businesses, alongside Solvay Ventures. Existing investor Forward Partners has also returned to participate in the round.
Plyable has developed proprietary software that uses the latest AI and machine learning technology to automate the quoting, design and manufacture of composite tooling. Its innovative platform is helping clients to create prototypes that are 20 per cent cheaper while significantly reducing end product lead times compared to standard methods. It works by taking a customer’s CAD file, analysing its mould-ability as well as highlighting potential areas for improvement in seconds. Machine learning is then used to build quotes solely based on component geometry
Transdermal Diagnostics (TD), a Bristolbased MedTech spin-out, has secured £1.1 million to develop the world’s first 100 per cent needle-free platform for blood sugar monitoring.
The company’s technology will allow pain-free and continuous monitoring of sugar levels for people with diabetes using affordable disposable patches. The new round of funding will be used to strengthen the company’s engineering team and prepare for clinical trials.
The funding round was led by QUBIS Innovation Fund, which specialises in innovation focused spin-out companies, and includes Pioneer Group, Immetric, Bristol Private Equity Club, Science Angel Syndicate as well as Innovate UK.
Technology touches every aspect of business nowadays, and it continues to influence on our lives.
The tech sector is growing at an extraordinary rate both globally and regionally, and there’s an infectious enthusiasm from within BPE and amongst the clients we work with at the moment thanks to the growing possibilities that technology is presenting.
BPE’s team is made up of transactional, commercial and data lawyers wholly focused on the tech sector, from software, data and digital markets to science and industry, and always on commercial delivery.
We have a great track record of working with entrepreneurial start-ups, pulling together our specialists across our Corporate, Commercial, IP and Employment teams to support scale ups as they continue to grow.
We are passionate about helping businesses to embrace technology, so much so, we have developed innovative products that solve problems people may not know exist. Digital Assurance as a Service is a collaborative product
which delivers digital resilience across entire supply chains – identifying the vulnerabilities from top to bottom – so businesses can take steps to put further protection measures in place.
From blockchain and metaverse to augmented (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies, the team works with cutting-edge technologies and works with businesses of every size and life stage to help bring these products to market.
Combining our passion of evolving technologies with the significant expertise of our team members, BPE can work with clients to help them achieve their goals.
“BPE has navigated us through many minefields and represented us in some challenging contract negotiations. Not only are they skilled at cutting to the chase and giving no-nonsense, practical advice on contractual issues but they also ‘have our back’. I consider the team at BPE to be trusted advisors. The icing on the cake, is that the team also introduce business opportunities to us, with one referral, now one of our top clients!”
Mark Mannion - Managing Director, Extra technology Limited.
We lead the way in the future of data sharing. We’ve always been innovators. Now we’re the first law firm in the UK to establish and help operate data trusts, also known as ‘data institutions’.
A data trust is a legal framework with independent stewardship which facilitates data ‘pooling’ for the purposes of running analytics and obtaining insights in response to agreed problem statements. This framework allows multiple organisations to submit data to the trust safely and ethically, in response to multiple, rolling projects. In return, the members receive data analytics and reports (without receiving the underlying data itself) for public or industry benefit. Only through common rules for data security, competition, privacy, and confidentiality are members of the trust able to collaborate in this way.
What excites me most about tech is finding innovative ways to improve our everyday lives and working practices. In the field of virtual reality for example, we are already seeing how it can transform sectors such as gaming and entertainment in addition to more immersive and interactive video calls with the use of avatars. In the next 5-10 years, home and office life will be irreversibly transformed through VR and emerging augmented reality tech.
christine.jackson@bpe.co.uk | 01242 248449
Growth in the Compound Semiconductor industry will be hindered by a lack of mature supply chains for end market applications such as EVs, Next Generation Communications and Green Energy. Industry needs support in talent development and skills, supply chain convening, specialist support services, and access to scale up funding. BPE’s expertise in the sector is such that it is uniquely positioned to provide relevant specialist legal services and its network can help to provide access to scale up funding.
rob.bryan@bpe.co.uk | 01242 248228
Effective sharing and usage of data. In an increasingly digital world, we have access to an enormous amount of data, that used effectively can provide key insights across all industries and sectors. Data Trusts will be a key part of this, and it is something I am delighted to be helping drive forward.
sarah.kenshall@bpe.co.uk | 01242 248475
I am excited by the impact that both scientific and technological developments can have on medicine and healthcare. Nanotechnology for example could revolutionise diagnostics and treatment, making it less invasive for the patient. Genomic medicine will also be transformative allowing us to predict, manage or mitigate health risks and to develop bespoke treatments.
macaulay.james@bpe.co.uk | 01242 248274
The most exciting area of tech right now is blockchain technology. This technology is not confined to the volatile world of cryptocurrency and is central to the new age of digital trust. It is critical in the execution of smart contracts and can be used in amazing ways such as in agriculture to enable the traceability of information in the food supply chain to improve food safety. I predict that in the future we will rely on blockchain every day in some critical way.
Thomas.lattimore@bpe.co.uk | 01242 248476
For more information about BPE’s Technology team or how data trusts can be used email tech@bpe.co.uk
The damage caused by cyber attacks can affect the basic functioning of society and could even mean the difference between life and death.
Gloucester City Council’s planning application portal suffered a cyberattack last year. Months later the council is still trying to rectify the problem, and the final bill to sort the problem out could be more than £1 million.
In 2017, a cyber attack named WannaCry cost the NHS £92 million and 19,000 appointments were cancelled. The cyber attack severely disrupted more than 80 hospital trusts and almost 10 per cent of GP practices.
Since then, many more essential services such as transport, energy and finance – even local council services have
become increasingly dependent on digital technologies.
Gloucester isn’t the only council to have been affected. Insurance company Gallagher investigated the scale of cyber crime against councils across the UK, with 161 local authorities sharing information. Based on the proportion of councils which shared data on cyber attacks, the size of
Solicitors are being asked to play their part in keeping the UK safe online by helping tackle a rise in payments being made to ransomware criminals.
In a joint letter sent this summer to the Law Society, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) said paying a ransom will not keep data safe.
The NCSC, part of Cheltenham-based GCHQ, and the ICO say they have seen evidence of a rise in ransomware payments, and that in some cases solicitors may have been advising clients to pay, believing it will keep data safe or lead to a lower penalty from the ICO.
The organisations advised the Law Society that this is not that case. They do not condone paying ransoms, which can
incentivise criminals and will not guarantee files are returned.
Ransomware involves the encrypting of an organisation’s files by cyber criminals, who demand money in exchange for providing access to them. These attacks are becoming more sophisticated.
Last December, the government launched its National Cyber Strategy, providing £2.6 billion to help strengthen the UK’s role as a responsible cyber power.
NCSC Chief Executive, Lindy Cameron, said: “Ransomware remains the biggest online threat to the UK.
“We have seen a recent rise in payments to ransomware criminals and the legal sector has a vital role to play in helping reverse that trend.”
the problem is likely to be significantly greater, possibly more than 11 million by the end of the year, predicts Gallagher.
While most cyber attacks are intercepted by IT security in place, the councils revealed that collectively they had paid out more than £10 million over the past five years due to cyber crime in monies lost to hackers, legal costs and fines.
Technical Cyber Security expert Patrick O’Connor, writing for BCS, the Chartered Institute of IT, which is based in Swindon, said: “In a year of global inflation and massive rises in energy costs, it should come as no surprise that the cost of a data breach has also reached an all-time high.
“Trends for 2022 are still being analysed but it seems that many of the usual suspect groups are still active. Ransomware is still a major and terrifying threat to many companies. Surveys, like the IBM Security Cost of Data Breaches 2022, illuminate that most companies could do much better with just basic security best practices.
“The main attacks continue to be credential theft and phishing emails so it is vital to continue to raise awareness through corporate training and public ad campaigns.”
“A cyber-attack named WannaCry cost the NHS £92 million ...”
There are currently around 300,000 cyber security job vacancies across the UK, but never has this sector been more important to UK security.
So why are the jobs so hard to fill?
The pay’s good. According to careers website Future Learn, the average salary for a cyber security professional is between £50,000-£80,000 and the sector also performs well in terms of job satisfaction.
Charlotte Smith is Gloucestershire cyber network CyNam’s Cyber Skills Growth Lead and Co-ordinator.
She said: “Those working in cyber security can travel the world, work flexibly from home, or any office of their choice – and what’s better than knowing in your day’s work that you might just have played a role in protecting the nation’s security,”
If you press any digital button as part of your work you are involved in the world of cyber, whether it’s programming or creating content for a marketing campaign, the list of jobs involving cyber just keeps growing with some not even created as yet.
So a lot of it is about perception and the newness of the sector, she adds.
“It’s only recently that cyber security companies are realising that to attract new people to fill vacant positions, they need to present what they do in a more engaging and simple way, rather than wrapping up a job description in unnecessary technical jargon that someone unfamiliar with the sector is unlikely to understand.
“That starts with the HR team where those writing cyber job specifications need to really understand the role and requirements.”
“I’ve never worked in a more inclusive, diverse and welcoming sector, but this doesn’t aways come across.”
There is a significant proportion of people successfully working in cyber who are neuro diverse, Charlotte points out.
But it’s not just young people who should consider a career in cyber security.
More companies are also looking at their existing workforce, of whatever age, to see if they can offer retraining, as well as welcoming applicants from wider communities such as veterans and women returners. This is why a flexible approach to work is important, so that it can meet the demands of a diverse community.
Many colleges across the region, such as Gloucestershire College, are offering boot camps for those seeking to retrain, and the Institute of Coding, through regional universities, also offers retraining opportunities for older employees.
This may be because they are particularly suited to the role’s requirements.
When a company’s systems are attacked, being able to solve and address the challenge needs multiple ways of looking at the problem to understand and solve it, and get that business back up and running.
Charlotte explains: “Jobs in cyber security often require people who can think creatively, outside of the box, as well as logically and laterally – and attention to detail is key. The job also requires integrity.
“The UK’s National Cyber Security Council and GCHQ understand this better than most and have widened their recruitment process.”
It’s also true that as a career in cyber security is relatively new, parents may not truly appreciate that it can be as sustainable, important and fulfilling a job as any of the more traditional professional careers.
It takes more than three months on average to develop the knowledge, skills and judgment to defend against breaking threats, according to Bristol-based cyber security training company Immersive Labs.
The two sectors slowest to train employees are infrastructure and transport, taking an average of more than four months (137 days) to ensure skills development after a threat emerges.
A long lag in human capabilities contrasts significantly with the widely-accepted need for swift technical remediation.
Rebecca McKeown, Director of Human Science at Immersive Labs and an exmilitary psychologist, said: “Cyber security presents a unique skills development challenge for humans.
“Responding to a hybrid real-world and digital battlespace which is always changing means continuous skills development is crucial to preventing skills decay and building cognitive agility.”
“Jobs in cyber security often require people who can think creatively, outside of the box, as well as logically ...”
Broadband and mobile companies will have to follow tough new security rules to better protect UK networks from potential cyber attacks.
The new telecoms security regulations will be among the strongest in the world, says the government, and provide much tougher protections for the UK from cyber threats which could cause network failure or the theft of sensitive data.
The Telecommunications (Security) Act, which became law last November, gives the government powers to boost the security standards of the UK’s mobile and broadband networks, including the electronic equipment and software at phone mast sites and in telephone exchanges which handle internet traffic and telephone calls.
• More than 95 per cent of cyber security issues can be traced to human error. That’s the findings of the World Economic Forum Global Risk Report 2022
• More than 60 per cent of people use the same password for multiple accounts. Meaning that a hacked or leaked password could cause wider damage to an individual
• A well-respected cyber training programme is Cyber Essentials. This is an effective, government backed scheme that will help you protect your organisation, whatever its size, against a whole range of the most common cyber-attacks.
• Google Safe Browsing helps protect more than four billion devices every day. It does this by showing warnings to users when they attempt to navigate to dangerous sites or download dangerous files. Safe Browsing also notifies webmasters when their websites are compromised by malicious actors
• The number of cyber attacks on the financial sector has more than doubled. Customers’ sensitive data and personal banking details can be sold on the black market for huge sums. (source, SoSafe, a cyber security awareness training and human risk management company)
The government’s recent announcement that it will ‘replace’ GDPR and pause the Data Reform Bill, has raised fresh questions about the UK’s EU data equivalence, according to a leading tech and data lawyer.
Dr Sam De Silva, Chair of Swindonbased BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT’s Law specialist group, and partner at international law firm CMS, warned that UK business may find themselves having to potentially ‘comply with two regulatory regimes’ following the legislation.
Dr De Silva said: “At the moment, the UK has the benefit of an EU adequacy decision that allows the free flow of personal data from
the EU to the UK. However, that adequacy decision requires the EU Commission to continuously monitor developments in UK law in order to assess whether the UK still provides ‘essential equivalence’.
“What this means is that significant deviation from the GDPR will risk the UK losing its adequacy.
“Interestingly, DCMS Secretary of State, Michelle Donelan, made it clear in her recent speech that the intention is that the UK would retain its adequacy decision.
“ It’s not clear how practical that is if the government is aiming to fundamentally move away from the GDPR.”
The Golden Valley, to be built on about 200 hectares of land, is the county’s biggest and most exciting industrial project and a real game-changer for Cheltenham Borough Council.
In my view, Cheltenham has been somewhat in the shadow of Gloucester in recent years with the development of the Docks and The Quays.
They had great insight in starting the project by buying land for £37.5 million – a huge investment for a medium-sized district council.
Since then, money has flowed in from government, Gloucestershire County Council and GFirst Local Enterprise Council among others.
“It is the biggest job that Cheltenham Borough Council has ever taken,” says Councillor Mike Collins, the Cabinet member for Cyber, Regeneration and Commercial Income.
He describes himself a “a Cheltenham boy” and is a former aerospace engineer.
I was impressed by his enthusiasm and
knowledge for the project, and how he hopes it will help retain young people in Cheltenham and the county.
“I am incredibly proud to have been a Dowty apprentice,” he tells me “and the retention of our young people is so very important. We can also re-train some of our older people too.”
The project aims to create 12,000 jobs and its own garden living community.
“It is important to point out that the 12,000 jobs we are talking about are new jobs,” says Mike. “We are not going to be renting out space to GCHQ so they can move a thousand of their people over.
“There will be new jobs in start-ups and innovation. We are talking about people re-training and retention of our schoolleavers.
“A lot of our young people grow up in Cheltenham, but they cannot afford to live here.”
And to achieve that, some 3,700 homes will be built on the site with Cheltenham Borough Council building 1,500 of those
with 35 per cent of them affordable.
“We want young people to move to Cheltenham. Ideally, some of the people who live in those homes will also work on the site,” said Councillor Collins.
“This isn’t just about posh homes for people at the top end of the innovation world,” added Paul Miniss, a former managing director of the South West division of Bellway Homes who is now Cheltenham council’s Director for Major Development and Regeneration.
He is obviously a top operator and needs to be as this is a huge challenge and carries a great deal of expectation.
Timelines for the development are not set in stone, but it is hoped there will be planning permission next spring with the building of the Innovation Centre of the project starting around the winter of 2025-26.
The Golden Valley development is currently Gloucestershire’s biggest business gamechanger and will be a key part of the government’s National Cyber Strategy and Levelling Up Plans.
At around £1 billion, Cheltenham Borough Council is driving a very big deal indeed to develop a nationally-recognised cyber and digital project on its doorstep for GloucestershireCGI of Golden Valley’s proposed cyber park Enterprise Partnership
A cyber security consultancy in North Wiltshire has received national recognition for its support of military veterans.
Computer Network Defence is one of only 19 regional firms to receive the Gold Award in the Armed Forces Employer Recognition Scheme 2022.
Representing the highest badge of honour for civilian organisations, the award goes to companies and organisations which employ and support veterans and their families, as well as those in active service as reservists.
A signatory to the Armed Forces Covenant, Corsham-based Computer Network Defence is also a cyber security recruitment agency with 56 staff at its headquarters in Corsham and on the Isle of Man, with many staff working remotely throughout the UK.
Andy Cuff, chief executive and founder of Computer Network Defence, said: “The scheme salutes private and public
organisations that provide exceptional support to the UK Armed Forces, going beyond the Covenant pledges.
“Gold is the highest accolade granted under the scheme and is reserved for businesses with the strongest commitment to supporting the military community; it is testament to Computer Network Defence’s dedication to actively engaging with and supporting the Armed Forces community.”
He added: “I am truly humbled to work with such a fantastic team here – nearly one-third of our permanent employees, and half of our sub-contractors, are veterans. The award is national recognition of our steadfast and practical support for the military community.
“It can be difficult for serving personnel and veterans to make the transition to civilian life – we hope other employers in the private sector will be inspired to help.”
Bristol-based cloud and cyber security specialist Stripe OLT has increased its headcount by 28 per cent following its accreditation as a Microsoft Gold Security Partner earlier this year.
The business provides cutting-edge technology services for clients including Bristol Airport, Hargreaves Lansdown and Sustrans.
Specialising in Fintech, Finance and Healthcare, recent client wins include MoneySuperMarket Group for whom the business technology provider will deliver a variety of Microsoft solutions.
Stripe OLT Client Director, Tom Robbins, said, “Since the pandemic, we have seen a spike in cyber security threats, and an increase in demand for complete solutions combining both cloud and cyber-security technologies. Our work at Bristol Airport is a great example of this full solution.
“Utilising Microsoft 365 technologies, we helped implement a modern workplace solution, to simplify Bristol Airport’s internal processes and empower its workforce.”
Following the national lockdown, Stripe OLT has also added National Health Services and National Rail to its client list.
Immersive Labs, whose online platform enables organisations to measure and optimise the cyber capabilities of their entire workforce, has launched a game that simulates a real-life cyber attack.
Research suggests 77 per cent of security leaders believe 'gamification' – turning training into a game – could be used to make their organisation safer.
Cyber Team Sim, which runs on Immersive Labs’ award-winning Cyber Workforce Optimisation platform, pits two teams against each other in offensive and defensive roles, carrying out or blocking a cyber attack.
The new simulations are supported by Bristol-based Immersive Labs’ multimillion-dollar acquisition of Snap Labs in 2021, which brought the technology to create complex custom virtual environments on demand.
“In the real world, cyber attacks take teamwork to defend against,” said Paul Bentham, Immersive Labs’ chief product officer.
“While the skills, knowledge, and judgment of each of those team members is crucial, the gold standard of assessing cyber threat preparedness comes from seeing how those individuals come together to co-operate in every stage of an attack, from identification to remediation.
"With regular exercising using realistic scenarios, the real-world performance of cybersecurity teams can be significantly improved, reducing the organisation’s cyber risk.”
Immersive Labs launches cyberattack game to train workforce
Successful companies recognise the importance of research and development in securing future growth and profitability.
That’s why the government offers R&D tax credits to businesses which are investing in innovative science and technology.
The more successful the project is, the greater the possibility that the company will succeed and potentially pay more tax, benefiting us all.
But imagine being able to legitimately pay less corporation tax because you have been able to obtain patents on that research and development after all the hard work has been done?
Too good to be true? No – although HMRC doesn’t make much effort to publicise it.
The government introduced Patent Box in April 2013 to reward the active exploitation of patented technology in the UK.
It aims to encourage companies to retain and commercialise intellectual property in the UK by allowing them to apply a lower rate of corporation tax to profits earned from their patented inventions.
By electing to use Patent Box, a company may effectively receive a 10 per cent tax rate, reduced from the current headline corporation tax rate of 19 per cent, on profits made from its patented inventions.
In principle, this tax reduction could easily “repay” many times over the cost of obtaining a UK patent and potentially generate a substantial cash injection to a business.
To be eligible for the effective corporation tax rate of 10 per cent, income will need to come from at least one of the following:
• The sale of patented products, or of products incorporating a patented invention
• The sale of spare parts designed for products containing the patented item (even if the spare itself is not patented)
• The licensing of patent rights
• The sale of patent rights
• Infringement income
• Damages, insurance or other compensation related to patent rights
• A company can also benefit from the Patent Box if it uses a manufacturing process that is patented or provides a service using a patented tool
HMRC offers a generous tax reduction for those companies which invest in patents, but they don’t make it easy
Who wouldn’t want to reduce their corporation tax bill by half on profits derived from exploiting patents that they own?
It’s a no-brainer. Yes, says Jemma Vaughan, Innovation and Technology Director at Cheltenham-based accountants and tax advisers Hazlewoods, but not nearly enough companies know about it or are claiming it.
According to the Office for National Statistics, in the tax year 2018–2019, 1,405 companies claimed relief under the Patent Box, and the total value of relief claimed was just £1.1 billion.
And of the companies that claimed in that tax year, 28 per cent were classified as ‘large’, but these companies accounted for the vast majority of the total relief claimed.
So what’s stopping smaller, innovative
companies from claiming Patent Box relief?
Claiming can be complicated, and not enough professional firms are geared up to help, particularly those servicing the SME market because they don’t encounter eligible companies in sufficient numbers to make it worthwhile investing time in understanding the Patent Box rules and promoting it to their clients. This tax incentive therefore remains in the realms of a “minority sport”.
While countless boutique firms offer to help companies identify and apply for R&D tax relief, they seldom touch Patent Box because of its complexity and its deeper roots in the wider tax legislation, according to Jemma.
“We find that many R&D boutique companies don’t have tax software powerful enough to be able to handle
Patent Box claims. While they understand R&D tax credits, and we work with a number who can very competently prepare R&D claims, for the unwary the Patent Box can open a Pandora’s Box of difficulties.
“We do try to encourage smaller accountancy practices to take advantage of our Patent Box expertise for their clients,” added Jemma.
Initiating a tax relief claim through Patent Box isn’t simple. But the long-term rewards are worthwhile for those businesses with a strategic plan.
When a company approaches Hazlewoods, Jemma’s team undertake initial calculations to see if it’s worthwhile for the company to elect to claim the Patent Box at all.
Not enough small companies are taking advantage of a governmentbacked tax benefit. We find out why from Jemma Vaughan at Hazlewoods Accountants and Business AdvisersJemma Vaughan, Innovation and Technology Director at accountants and tax advisers Hazlewoods
“It’s based on profit, so if you are at the very early stages of commercialisation, you are not necessarily going to be making substantial profits,” she explains.
“We have prepared an information pack to help companies collate the information we need, to gauge whether there may be savings available for them and, if so, an approximate idea of the amounts involved.
“We invest our time in the initial stages to work out whether it’s worthwhile going down that route at all.
“Generally, a company must have a certain level of margin on their projects to make it worthwhile, and that’s not an absolute percentage; it depends on the company’s overall tax position.
“Our initial calculations will help a company decide whether to take it further. Then it’s a matter of taking the data associated with the patent costs and crunching through the numbers.”
It sounds like a lot of work, and it is –mostly for the tax adviser. However, unlike claiming for R&D tax credits, which requires a company to write a report every year on its research and development activities even if the figures invested stay relatively similar, after the initial investment of time to set Patent Box up in the first year, with the right knowledge and tax software, it is relatively painless for clients to claim in subsequent years.
“It’s a reduction in your corporation tax bill and is there to encourage reinvestment in your research and development programme if you wish,” explains Jemma. “But ultimately it’s up to you what you do with the tax saving.”`
Jemma urges any business wanting to take advantage of Patent Box to factor it into their planning early.
“Looking at the potential for making a
Patent Box claim is worth doing even if you have been exploiting a patent for years. A few minutes of advice in the early stages of the company’s development cycle could save substantial sums later on.
“Think about taking advice before you start the research and development process, perhaps when you’re looking at potential grants, even before you have a product that could potentially be patented.”
Why? Because how you set up your business operations could affect whether you will be able to apply successfully for this valuable tax relief.
Jemma’s team has recently been doing some planning work for a client in the MedTech sector.
“They created a spin-off company to sell their product. The main trading company created the product, incurred all the production costs, put on a small margin to sell to the spin-off company and a larger margin is then realised through the spin-off company.
“But Patent Box can only apply to the one company, which they weren’t aware of, so by channelling sales through a separate company, they made part of the profits ineligible for the relief.
“We have been advising the group on planning to avoid such “leakage” from the Patent Box and to make sure that they maximise the tax savings to which they are entitled.
“The group is also looking at future patents so by planning now we are enabling them to make the most of the tax incentives in the future.
“We should be able to get them into a position where they will benefit strongly the second time around.”
IP holding companies are another classic example of a situation that requires careful planning and thought if you want to apply for Patent Box, she adds.
“Many companies think, quite rightly, that keeping IP rights in a separate legal entity is good because they can be ringfenced from business risks such as litigation or financial difficulties. While these are certainly very strong commercial reasons, from a Patent Box perspective separating IP rights into a different company can give rise to issues and traps that need to be carefully navigated.
So is it all worth it?
Definitely for many more companies than currently claim, says Jemma, and with British businesses facing some tough years ahead, why wouldn’t a company want to claim back every penny in tax possible?
“Why shouldn’t any business which has invested months or even years in developing new innovations benefit once the product is on the open market? And with the freedom to use those tax savings how you wish, your patent could not only pay for itself but could also make a considerable financial difference.”
“Why shouldn’t any business which has invested months or even years in developing new innovations, benefit once the product is on the open market? And with the freedom to use those tax savings how you wish, your patent could not only pay for itself but could also make a considerable financial difference”
Founded in 1968, TBS Engineering is a world-leader in producing automatic machinery for the lead acid battery industry.
It develops and supplies machines to original equipment and replacement battery manufacturers that go on to produce millions of batteries that power the world’s biggest names in automotive engineering.
The company now has one of the most experienced teams in the sector with more than 200 employees working around the world.
Over the years it has expanded and in 2014 alone invested more than £1 million in research and development to pioneer new technologies and support customers with class-leading battery assembly equipment. It
continues to this day to invest heavily in its R&D programme.
line sales. Due to the complexities involved, Hazlewoods arranged a meeting with HM Revenue and Customs at the company’s premises to discuss and agree its conclusions.
Jon Curtis, Group Finance Director of TBS Engineering Limited, said: “Hazlewoods made a complicated claim process relatively straightforward for us.
“After initial discussions to understand how the patented items incorporated into our products, Hazlewoods Corporate Tax partner David Clift, along with Jemma Vaughan liaised directly with HMRC on our behalf to ensure that all relevant income was fully captured.
When Patent Box was first introduced, Hazlewoods explained the intricacies of the legislation to TBS and how this could apply to the company’s assembly
“The services provided to us in respect of R&D and Patent Box reliefs has been invaluable.”
“Hazlewoods made a complicated claim process relatively straightforward for us ...”TBS Engineering’s Gloucester facility
The Traffic Group, based in Cheltenham, specialises in traffic technology.
With a strong focus on engineering excellence, the group has achieved three Queen’s Awards for Innovation in the last 12 years. The Traffic Group invests extensively in new product development and advanced production test facilities to ensure high standards of quality, reliability and regulatory compliance.
The group has a strong customer base within the UK and overseas, including major systems integrators, Highways England, local authorities, utilities and many leading traffic management companies. It also has an extensive distributor network.
The companies within the group include AGD Systems, one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of intelligence transport systems products to help create safer and more efficient traffic and transport environments, and MAV Systems which develops Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology. The group employs more than 100 staff across six sites in the UK and Australia.
The Traffic Group’s investment in research and development ensures that its product range incorporates the newest technology, and it patents this technology where possible.
Over the last few years, the group has acquired several businesses, with Hazlewoods providing reorganisation advice to assist in preserving or improving the R&D and Patent Box tax savings.
Pete Hutchinson, Director of The Traffic Group Limited, said: “Hazlewoods has been instrumental in helping the group identify R&D and Patent Box tax relief opportunities. It is also reassuring to know that Jemma is just a call or email away to give pro-active advice when we are planning to make any commercial decisions which may affect the financial position of the group.”
Cristie Software helps companies across the world recover and replicate critical systems.
The software marketed by the Stroud-based company was originally embedded into tape drives. The current owner saw the value in this software as standalone recovery software adding niche functionality to the data protection market. The software business demerged from the wider group and established global relationships with companies such as IBM and Dell which now market it globally.
This software has expanded over the years and is now used within Cristie for its recovery, migration and replication software.
Typically, a new feature within an existing product could take up to nine months in research and development, then into proof of concept and further development before releasing to the market.
This is elapsed time which includes a number of resources. If this was a new idea for which the company carried out research, development, prototype, patent and then included within a product it could be three to nine months of the initial R&D prior to speaking with a patent attorney which can then take a further three to six months prior to filing the patent. Once filed, the patent can take years before it’s awarded, with the investment easily running into more than £100,000 for a patent to be awarded.
Although Cristie has had unique IP for years with first-to-market technology, the company actually obtained its first patent as part of an acquisition and has gone
on to submit three further patents. The process for gaining a patent on software is complex, time-consuming and expensive. A company must prove it has a unique and novel idea that is able to solve a problem which cannot be otherwise solved.
It’s also important that any information available in the public domain or shared outside cannot be patented so the business can’t discuss the solutions with customers or anyone external to understand if the idea will work, it must be achieved through lab-based R&D.
The company was aware of Patent Box and asked Hazlewoods to provide guidance on what information was required, but it still took a lot of effort to identify exactly what could be claimed and what is not allowable.
Patent box relief has also recently become significantly more complex, and the company has relied on Hazlewoods to assist in the complex calculations.
But the outcome has made all the work worthwhile, and thanks to being eligible, Cristie has been able to invest and expand its R&D efforts with dedicated staff focused on researching whether future ideas are patentable.
Ian Cameron, CEO at Cristie Software, said: “There are significant resources involved in software development. A lot of ideas, code and prototypes end up not being patented or used within our software, either because they don’t solve the intended problem or we find better ways to solve the problem during the R&D. People see and hear about the patent, but often not the R&D investments that don’t lead to patents.”
sites in the UK, in Bourton-on-the-Water and Banbury, another in Vietnam with further sales offices in China, Indonesia, India and South Africa.
Developing a new product or process takes time and investment, from the laboratory through to prototype creation, customer testing and acceptance.
Milspeed first became aware of Patent Box (and R&D Tax Relief) through an industry contact.
Ian explained: “Initially, we worked with an external specialist company and then transferred our support for Patent Box and R&D relief to Hazlewoods when they became our auditors.”
Patent Box has enabled Milspeed to invest even further in its research and development.
Milspeed, based at Bourton-on-theWater in Gloucestershire, develops and produces extruded thermoplastic footwear reinforcement materials called box toes and counters designed to reinforce and keep the shape of the shoe.
These are made in the UK and exported to factories that supply the world’s largest shoe brands. Its patent covers the reprocessing of tri-laminate waste plastic materials and turning the waste into new shoe stiffening product.
The difficulty lies in successfully reprocessing the tri-laminate material when each layer of laminate has varying different melting points.
To tackle this, Milspeed successfully developed a range of footwear products based on taking back shoe factory waste and reprocessing it, resulting in zero waste materials and minimal carbon cost.
Developing the right reprocessing methods must be achieved while maintaining
the highest performance properties of a tri-laminate material made up of layers of adhesive, thermoplastic resilient film and nonwoven lining.
Cutting of components for shoes will always lead to waste but Milspeed can now reprocess this waste back into the original product. This has resulted in avoiding landfill and reducing the virgin raw materials used. It has been an economic and ecological success as well as providing the company with a competitive edge.
In addition to granting the patent for this process, the development resulted in Milspeed being awarded The Queen's Award for Enterprise for International Trade and consecutive annual awards for ‘Best in Class For Sustainable Innovation’ from one of the world’s top sports footwear brands.
Milspeed was founded in 1987 by Ian Milhench, CEO and David Speed, who retired some years ago. The business now employs 55 people with two manufacturing
Ian added: “Our customers require more cost effective, environmentally friendly and higher performance products across different thicknesses and compositions to meet the demands of new shoe designs. Our component development is targeted at researching and creating new products as well as reducing costs through new raw materials and combinations of recycled ingredients, using different types of waste available on the global plastic waste market.
“The lower rate of corporation tax on profits earned from our patented inventions provides incentive to continue developing new products and processes. We have developed more products, for which we currently have two further patents under consideration using reprocessed and other difficult to recycle waste.
“Patent Box has also encouraged Milspeed’s investment in new manufacturing machinery and people for the process. In recent years, we have acquired new recycling, shredding, washing and drying equipment to support the product made under the company’s patent.
“Ultimately, this is important because our customers like to see us investing in research and development.”
Established in 1998, Auger Torque Europe develops and produces hydraulic attachments for the construction and agricultural industry.
And its market is growing. With governments across the world investing in infrastructure to help dig themselves out of the economic downturn, there are lucrative new opportunities for companies in this sector. The continuing demand for transportation and infrastructure is constantly driving product development and service. As a result, the company is continuously expanding its product range.
Auger Torque works with customers, operators and machine manufacturers to research, develop, manufacture and bring to market innovative earthmoving products. As part of the German Kinshofer Group since 2015, it has manufacturing
bases worldwide and services customers in more than 70 countries.
Since 2013 Hazlewoods has worked closely with Auger Torque to understand the composition of the company’s sales and the nature of the patented technology, to assist the company in identifying the relevant income and profits for Patent Box purposes.
More recently, Hazlewoods has supported the company’s transition to new Patent Box rules.
Mike Cartwright, Chief Financial Officer at Auger Torque Europe, said: “Hazlewoods has been a great support to Auger Torque. They have taken the time to understand our business and the products that we sell and used this knowledge to submit successful R&D and Patent Box tax relief claims to HMRC.”
A new report published by asset management company Boost & Co, has found that more than a quarter of businesses are planning to focus investment on technology, research and development to improve or expand their business
The Geared for Growth surveyed 500 UK SME leaders. Bringing in new talent to support expansion was the second highest growth focus, with almost a quarter of business leaders saying that this was a priority.
Research from Deloitte earlier in the year found that 94 per cent of chief financial officers expect to invest more in digital technology for their business and 77 per cent expect to invest more in upskilling their workforce over the next three years. Evidently, businesses are placing technology and talent as key areas for investment going forward.
Joanna Scott, Managing Director at Boost & Co. said:
Last March the government announced its largest ever research and development budget, worth £39.8 billion, allocated across the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s partner organisations.
It sounds a lot, but when you consider that these partner organisations include the UK’s Research and Innovation Agency, UK Space Agency, the Atomic Energy Authority, National Academies and the Met Office to name a few, and
the huges costs incurred in research and development, perhaps it’s not as generous as it might appear. However, it does show a welcome increased level of commitment from the government, which wants the UK to be a science superpower.
The Spending Review committed record levels of investment over the next three years, with investment in research and development set to increase by £5 billion to £20 billion per annum by 2024-2025 – a 33 per cent increase in spending.
“Pandemic-induced factors such as mass home-working and rapid digitalisation increased many businesses’ reliance on technology. Business leaders are therefore enhancing their investment in this area as they seek to capitalise on the latest innovations and optimise efficiency. Additionally, we can see that there is a focus on investing in people, as SMEs look to secure the top talent in a highly competitive market.”
Investment in R&D is seen as priority by government and business
Successful Gloucester hydraulic cylinder design and manufacturing company, Helipebs Controls, has invested more than £100,000 in new facilities at its Sissons Road site.
The decision to invest was made after the costs associated with having its hydraulic cylinders shot-blasted and painted by external sub-contractors continued to rise. So Helipebs decided to bring the process in-house.
Having secured all the various critical coating inspection requirements, the company has invested in a power coating facility to run alongside its existing shot blast and wet paint shop.
Established in 1969 and still independent,
Helipebs supplies a wide range of manufacturers in more than 50 countries across the globe and has seen a rise in demand for its products particularly in the oil and gas sectors.
The new facility has been such a success that Helipebs has now set it up as a sister company, Helipebs Metal Finishing, and the team – alongside spraying industrial cylinders, are now welcoming domestic customers.
Andy Roberts, who heads up Helipebs Metal Finishing, added: “We are now regularly welcoming people who are asking us to shot blast and powder coat such items as garden railings and metal furniture. We have also powder-coated a car chassis for a classic sports car.”
Wantage-based Williams Advanced Engineering debuted its latest electric vehicle innovation at the Cenex Low Carbon Vehicle Show.
Cenex-LCV is the UK’s annual low carbon vehicle conference and exhibition.
The ultra-high performance electric vehicle platform has been designed to accelerate the ambitions of hypercar manufacturers, from start-ups to original equipment manufacturers.
The new concept enables brands to launch unique high-performance electric vehicles based on a platform combining
William’s vehicle and powertrain engineering experience in one package.
This year saw a record number of UK and international delegates at Cenex-LCV to see the latest automotive advancements and emerging innovations, which will play a significant role in realising the UK’s net zero ambition.
Almost 5,000 people, from industry decision makers and major stakeholders, including manufacturers, supply chain representatives and government officials, attended the event, held at motor industry test and event venue, UTAC Millbrook in Bedfordshire.
Ontic, the leading licensor and manufacturer of complex engineered parts for the global aerospace and defence industries, has licensed the RDR4A/B Weather Radar Systems product line from Honeywell on an exclusive licensing agreement.
The deal includes repair manufacturing, spare sales, repairs and support for the complete product line.
The weather radar platform line is an essential system for aircraft, and comprises a receiver/transmitter, antenna, antenna drive unit, control panels and mounting trays.
The product line is fitted to an number of platforms including the Boeing 737 family, 777 and 757, as well as the Airbus A320-CL, A330 and A340, serving some of the world’s biggest operators of these platforms.
Abingdon-based Reaction Engines is to work with Rolls-Royce, the Royal Air Force’s Rapid Capabilities Office, the government’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory and the UK’s National Security Strategic Investment Fund to significantly enhance UK defence capabilities through the development of innovative, reusable hypersonic technologies.
The Hypersonic Air Vehicle Experimental (HVX) Programme aims to establish the UK as a leader in reusable hypersonic air systems.
HVX’s immediate objective is to build on existing technologies which can cut the cost of developing a reusable high-Mach/ hypersonic air vehicle.
Reaction Engines’ novel precooler and SABRE (which stands for Synergetic Air Breathing Rocket Engine) is a new class of engine developed by the company for propelling high speed aircraft and spacecraft.
Air Vice-Marshal Linc Taylor, Chief of Staff Air Capability, Royal Air Force, said: “This activity presents a unique opportunity to experiment with pioneering UK technology
to inform the art of the possible and challenge traditional views on the cost and time associated with development and fielding of high-Mach platforms. This partnership benefits from a series of aligned initiatives, integrating world-class skills and technologies on a series of nearterm experimentations to inform our future capability planning.”
Mark Thomas, Chief Executive of Reaction Engines, said: “Reaction Engines is excited to be leading this ambitious, future-focused, programme with the Rapid Capabilities Office and Strategic Partners, bringing together the best of the best in technology, talent and innovation, to provide the UK with a unique capability in reusable hypersonic systems.”
Engineers at the National Composites Centre (NCC) in Bristol have completed a European first by manufacturing Ceramic Matrix Composites using Automated Fibre Placement technology. This could unlock the high-temperature capabilities of these materials within engines –making them more efficient and reducing CO₂ emissions.
The project was completed as part of the NCC’s Core Research programme, and supported by Rolls-Royce, Reaction Engines, MBDA and 3M.
Angus Braithwaite, Senior Materials Engineer at Reaction Engines, said: “Alongside the development of its air breathing, high speed propulsion systems, Reaction Engines recognises that CMCs will play an important part in optimising space-access, highspeed flight and other aerospace applications.”
“Reaction Engines is excited to be leading this ambitious, future-focused, programme with the Rapid Capabilities Office and Strategic Partners ...”Reaction Engine’s SABRE technology
by Nicky
Editor
At around 1am on February 4, 2015 fi re ravaged one of Gloucestershire’s oldest and most successful manufacturing companies. It started in the roof space of the Dowty propeller factory at Staverton Airfi eld near Cheltenham, where the company’s propeller systems were made.
It took 80 fi refi ghters to battle the inferno, but the fi re destroyed almost the entire factory.
While all 29 members of staff on site at the time were evacuated and noone was
seriously hurt, it could have spelled the end of Dowty’s illustrious almost 100-year history in the area. Instead, out of total devastation has come renewal.
The company, which was bought by the American conglomerate GE Aerospace in 2007, has been reborn in a new manufacturing facility at Gloucester Business Park based on the former Brockworth airfield, co-incidentally home of the Gloster Aircraft Company, where George Dowty, the eponymous founder of the company, worked before setting up his own business in 1931.
Bearing in mind that Dowty makes propellers you could say “what goes around comes around”.
Dowty Propellers is a global supplier of propeller systems and aftermarket services employing around 450 people globally, and 70 per cent of Dowty’s suppliers are UK based.
The company takes pride in its engineering excellence and advanced manufacturing techniques. It is one of only a few suppliers of type-certificated propeller systems for Part-25 aircraft in the world for civil aircraft and has more than 25,000 advanced
This 100-year old manufacturing success story is driving sustainable change
Godding,
composite blades in service with a faultless safety record.
Dowty manufactures and overhauls around 2,300 advanced composite blades every year at Brockworth, with significant presence in the military transport and civil regional sector. It provides products and services for iconic aircraft such as Lockheed Martin’s C-130J and De Havilland’s Dash 8-400 amongst others.
Dowty blades are made from composites. In fact, in 1984 Dowty designed and developed the world’s first blade manufactured from all-composite materials for the Saab 340 regional aircraft.
Starting from carbon fibre cloth, Dowty manufactures blades by applying advanced manufacturing techniques such as radial braiding, resin transfer moulding, nondestructive testing and assembly techniques to create strong, reliable and light propeller systems.
Back to that fateful night and Gaizka Bilbao, who is now Site Leader at Dowty in Gloucester. He explained how the team jumped into action immediately.
“At Dowty, and across the whole of GE Aerospace, safety is our top priority and making sure our staff were unharmed. Our emergency preparedness and evacuation procedures supported and preserved the safety of our employees.”
“That’s when being part of GE Aerospace’s global family became so important. We had support and expertise from all over the globe who joined the Dowty team in a joint effort to rebuild the business.
“Our close GE Aerospace colleagues in Bishop’s Cleeve made space available over the first weekend after the fire so that our engineers and other staff could work without interruption. Luckily our repair and overhaul services were unaffected as they were based nearby at the Metor business park at Gloucester airport, so we set up a crisis control centre there.”
Within two months, Dowty had secured a temporary factory in the Forest of Dean and invested millions of pounds in new
equipment. Within nine months, blades were again rolling off its production line with no major disruption to any of its civil or military customers.
This was a stupendous achievement, because even though the new facility was temporary, the same high quality and other regulatory standards had to be met.
And that was only the start, according to Gaizka. “When we began to buy new equipment we were quoted delivery times of almost two years on some critical machinery. We couldn’t wait that long, so a team headed to Germany to negotiate.”
Other businesses helped as well, including the National Composites Centre near Bristol, which allowed Dowty to set up a manufacturing cell to make blade de-icer boots just four weeks after the fire.
For three years the company operated from five sites in county. But this could only be temporary, so Dowty looked at options for a new factory. The Brockworth project was approved in 2017. By November 2019 manufacturing had begun.
You would think that one major disaster would be enough for any manufacturer to contend with enough. And then the pandemic hit.
By this time the crisis management expertise of Dowty was honed to perfection, and Gaizka and his team swung into action once again.
“Once we entered lockdown it was very difficult to get external contractors on site, so a lot of work fell on our own amazing maintenance and facilities team completing work which would normally have been done by specialised suppliers.”
The aviation industry was hard hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly on the commercial portfolio.
As we come out of the pandemic the industry is slowly recovering, now Dowty
is looking to the future – and being a leader in sustainable aviation is the top priority.
“Sustainability is a generational challenge for us and for the world,” said Gaizka. “It’s also a deeply personal one for me as my nine-year-old daughter will be living through the decisions we make.
“Flying allows us to connect people and transport goods. It helps the world. But how we do that in a sustainable way using new technology is the key challenge.”
Flying sustainably will require new technologies away from fossil fuels.
Such technologies are likely to enter the regional sector first and there are many new propulsion options, such as
fully-electric, hydrogen power, hybrid, sustainable aviation fuels.
There is one common constant in all these options - a propeller is needed to thrust an aircraft through the air. Dowty is well positioned to lead the race in sustainable aviation.
“We are looking at technologies which will help reduce noise and weight while improving efficiency,” said Gaizka. “We are also working towards reducing our own carbon footprint.” Dowty powers its plants with renewable energy and is improving the efficiency of its manufacturing operations as well as investigating re-use and recycle options for its materials.”
To do that the company continues to invest in research and development.
Last year Dowty completed a fouryear Digital Propulsion research and
development programme, called DigiProp, in collaboration with three of seven of the UK’s High Value Manufacturing Catapult centres. This was an ambitious £20 million project, part funded by the UK government, that sought to innovate every aspect of the design, manufacture and testing of its propeller systems.
Dowty is also looking to remove waste from its operations. Its new manufacturing facility in Brockworth is flexible and fully prepared for the future to enable machine connectivity to optimise its utilisation and carbon footprint.
Dowty’s key asset is its people, and developing this talent is an important investment for the company, It runs a very successful apprenticeship programme that gives students the skills and professional training they need to build a successful career in the aviation industry, and their apprentices have won regional awards.
Dowty welcomes around 15 undergraduate students every year as part of its internship programme where they get a feel for industry and participate in key sustainability projects in the company.
“We are involving the next generation with our own teams,” said Gaizka. “The new generation have a different way of thinking, and are passionate about the future, so a combination of their viewpoint and knowledge alongside the experience we hold in our teams can be a powerful force for positive change.”
Gaizka Bilbao, 44, was born in Bilbao, Spain. His father was an engineer, working at one point for an automotive multinational company in central Spain. When he took his young son to see what he did, Gaizka knew he wanted to be an engineer designing cars.
As he grew up, he was in the right region of Spain. The Basque country had previously been home to some of Spain’s biggest industries, including tool manufacturing and mining. When these industries began to decline, new sectors began to establish themselves, such as aerospace manufacturing alongside automotive.
Gaizka moved to the UK and completed a degree at Bath University, including a year in industry at Rolls Royce, Filton near Bristol. After his degree he joined GE Aerospace and hasn’t looked back.
“I began my career following my technical degree in an engineering role which gave me deep domain expertise in our products.
“Being so close to manufacturing operations attracted me towards process improvement and Lean Six Sigma activities. Working with teams to improve processes was a great segway into the operations arena where my heart lies. GE offers incredible training opportunities.”
That included two years working in Cincinnati, USA for GE as a Program Manager for Boeing before returning to the UK, first to work for GE in Hamble,
Hampshire before joining Dowty in 2015, just months before the fateful fire.
“I have been exposed to different disciplines throughout my career, from technical to commercial roles, but my heart is in manufacturing and the supply chain,” said Gaizka. “I love being close to the product, the people making it and the customers we serve.
“Manufacturing is about helping people in a tangible way and making lives better. During the pandemic we supported air forces across the world which played a key role in the transport of people, medical equipment and vaccines.
Our field service network is vast and supports our customers across the globe. It made us all incredibly proud to recognise the part we were playing”.
Tech Nation, the UK network for accelerating the growth of digital businesses, has selected two South West companies to join its latest support programme for late-stage tech companies
The 13 companies joining Future Fifty 11.0 operate in 19 countries, have raised more than $2 billion in venture capital investment (with average total funding being more than £150 million), and employ more than 4,000 people.
Both companies are based in Bristol. Graphcore has developed an Intelligence Processing Unit (IPU) specifically designed for AI computing.
Its IPU lets innovators create the next breakthroughs in machine intelligence to enhance human potential. Graphcore believes its IPU technology will become the worldwide standard for machine intelligence computing. The company says its PIU has real potential for positive societal impact from drug discovery and disaster recovery to decarbonisation.
Graphcore has raised a total of $710 million, with the latest major reported investment in December 2020 when it raised $222 million, in a round led by the Ontario Teachers’ Pensions Plan Board.
Huboo is a fast-growing ecommerce fulfilment provider, enabling retailers to access a complete fulfilment operation. It takes care of the picking, packing and posting of products to customers all over the world via a global carrier network through its unique micro hub model which combines technology with people.
With fulfilment centres across the UK and mainland Europe, its software provides
transaction management and quality control, order tracking and real-time billing, to integration with sales channels and marketplaces, enabling it to receive and process orders in real-time.
As at October 2021, Huboo had raised a total of nearly £80 million since April 2019, with the latest investment of £60 million, led by Emirati state-owned investment company Mubadala.
Companies joining the Future Fifty expect to grow rapidly over the next few months, with their average projected headcount increase for the next year sitting at more than 400 per cent, and planning to expand to 44 countries collectively within the year.
Tech Nation is a public/private organisation funded from both government and the private sector.
Huboo is a fast-growing ecommerce fulfilment provider, enabling retailers to access a complete fulfilment operation. It takes care of the picking, packing and posting of products to customers all over the world ...
The UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has completed a £10 million extension of its world-leading Materials Research Facility (MRF) at Culham Science Centre in Oxfordshire.
Specialist materials that can withstand extreme conditions are a critical part of delivering fusion energy as a safe, sustainable, low carbon energy supply.
They are also essential in the development of STEP – Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production – the UK’s prototype fusion powerplant targeting operations by 2040.
The new investment has doubled the MRF size, providing an additional 12 shielded research rooms, used to hold high-end analytical instrumentation, as well as extensive new active chemical laboratory
The winners of an £11 million funding pot from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to support food sector innovation, have been revealed. And they include innovative companies from across the region.
S&A Produce Ltd of Hereford, one of the largest independent soft fruit growers in Europe, has secured more than £870,000 to drive research and development.
Through developing automated technology incorporating machine vision systems, the project will improve crop yield and quality of fruits. S&A Produce supplies strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and asparagus to major retailers.
The company has invested in laboratories and trial facilities at its farm in Herefordshire, where it works with the renowned James Hutton Institute, which applies science to drive the sustainable use of land and natural resources.
Swindon-based CCm Technologies has secured more than £980,000 to develop its innovative process that turns by-products from industrial and waste processing facilities into fertiliser.
The technology is also being used by Severn Trent Water to recycle waste into a “super fertiliser” at Minworth treatment works near Birmingham.
CCm’s technology uses captured carbon dioxide from industrial power generation to stabilise materials such as ammonia and phosphates from agricultural and industrial
waste to create new fertiliser products with significantly lower carbon and resource footprints.
Chiltern Hills Farm Ltd based in Henley-on -Thames has secured around £50,000 to lead a project digitising the planning and mapping of vineyard infrastructure. It says this will maximise use of land and terrain features and minimise the capital costs of equipment and planting.
And finally Bristol-based LettUs Grow secured more than £347,000 to help design, prototype and manufacture an advanced aeroponic rolling bench system.
Lettus Grow designs and builds aeroponic technology and farm management software for indoor and vertical farms to help reduce the waste and carbon footprint of fresh produce by enabling more people to grow produce near the point of consumption.
The company has built an aeroponic research centre and scaled existing technology to deliver on growing sales pipeline and accelerate new product lines to market.
space, for scientists and engineers to develop more neutron tolerant materials.
Supported by the UK government’s National Nuclear User Facility (NNUF) and Fusion Foundations programme, the MRF is also part of the Henry Royce Institute for Advanced Materials and bridges the gap between university and nuclear licenced site laboratories.
Gloucestershire-based LatchAid, an app launched in July last year which helps new mothers learn to breastfeed, has been named in the top 50 innovators of 2022 in industry magazine Health Tech World.
Dr Chen Mao Davies, LatchAid’s founder, said: “Traditionally, the UK has one of the worst breastfeeding rates in the world, with the vast majority of women giving up before they want to.
“Breastfeeding is natural, it’s bonding and it gives the baby antibodies, but nobody tells you how difficult and painful it can be. In my own experience, I developed mastitis and thrush, the baby’s weight dropped and I often faced long lonely nights not knowing what to do.”
LatchAid says that early results show mothers using the app are more likely to continue breastfeeding for longer. An NHS trial lasting six months found that of the 271 respondents based in the UK, the number of mothers exclusively breastfeeding at six to eight weeks was 49 per cent, compared to a national average of 24 per cent.
Along with modelling and networking, the app features an AI-powered chatbot and live one-to-one support from human experts providing mothers with roundthe-clock expertise and companionship.
The big news was the delayed launch of NASA's most powerful ever rocket, Artemis, (September’s Hurricane Ian scuppered take off, which is now scheduled to take place in November).
Then there was NASA’s audacious plan to intentionally collide a spacecraft with the asteroid Dimorphos to see if it could be deflected should an asteroid ever threaten to hit Earth. Project DART (Double
Asteroid Redirection Test), successfully altered the asteroid’s orbit in September.
With life on earth proving ever more challenging, scientists are now looking towards space to see how humankind can benefit from its secrets and opportunities.
The space rocket Artemis has been designed to send astronauts and their equipment back to the moon more than
50 years after Neil Armstrong, followed by Buzz Aldrin, stepped on to its surface. Together with commercial and international partners, NASA aims to establish a sustainable presence on the Moon to prepare for missions to Mars.
Closer to home, investment in space tech start-ups has soared.
UK start-ups at the Harwell Campusbased European Space Agency Business Incubation Centre (ESA BIC UK), have collectively raised more than £100 million in equity.
Since 2011, the centre has supported more than 100 UK start-ups developing new space and satellite technologies across a diverse range of sectors.
This £100 million milestone follows substantial new equity funding raised by two companies, Smart Green Shipping and Mirico, which both started life at the centre. They have developed technologies to help industry reduce their greenhouse gasses and carbon emissions.
In fact, around half the companies at the centre are tackling climate change, from developing sustainable rocket fuels to helping commuters choose greener transport options.
The news has been full of exciting space-related stories all summer and there’s more to comeDr Thomas Zurbuchen and guests at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory cheer as they receive confirmation of DART’s collision with the asteroid Dimorphos. Image Credit: NASA/David C. Bowman
The shipping industry is responsible for around 940 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year. The International Maritime Organisation has set a 2050 target for this to be cut by a hefty 50 per cent.
To help meet this target, Smart Green Shipping (SGS), supported at Harwell’s ESA BIC UK, has raised £1.8 million to develop its marine technology that will use wind power to generate fuel savings of at least 20 per cent, and associated greenhouse gas emissions.
The funding, from Scottish Enterprise, is part of a £5 million project to develop and test its wind-powered wingsail technology for merchant ships, including 40,000 ships already in operation. SGS plans to demonstrate this technology on a commercial ship within the next 12 months.
The start-up uses satellite data to develop the software for its digital tool, “TradeWind”.
This enables vessels to predict available wind power for each journey, and to optimise its route to minimise fuel consumption but still arrive at a port at a designated time.
The founder and CEO of SGS is Diane Gilpin, who has worked for more than 30 years in technology, innovation,
communications and systems design. Among her many achievements, she was on the launch team for the first cellular telephone system in the UK in the 1980s and worked for several Formula 1 racing teams.
She has managed offshore yacht racing teams and pioneered renewable energy, wind power and anaerobic digestion with the Northern Ireland-based B9 Energy Group out of which SGS Ltd developed.
Diane said: “Shipping has a long history of harnessing the power of wind, but digital technologies are allowing us to work towards making zero emission vessels a reality. Smart Green Shipping’s FastRig wing sail technology offers a financially and technically robust solution to help support shipping’s green transition.”
The second company based at ESA BIC UK celebrating a recent fund-raise is Mirico, based at the Harwel centre.
A spin-out from the Science and Technology Research Council (STFC), Mirico has raised £2 million to help industrial companies monitor their greenhouse gas emissions and reach their net zero targets.
Mirico uses advanced laser techniques originally developed at STFC’s Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) Space, to analyse gasses in planetary atmospheres. These monitor very low levels of greenhouse gases.
Mirico’s technology enables a business to detect exactly where traces of carbon dioxide are coming from, for example if they originate naturally from plant respiration, or through the burning of fossil fuels.
Mark Volanthen, Chair of Mirico said: “I am pleased to see the unique technology my team and I developed at RAL Space enabling effective greenhouse gas monitoring.
“Investments like this are essential to ensure this important technology can play a key role in enabling industries to reach their net zero ambitions.”
A newly published Space Sector Outlook has revealed its growing contribution to UK prosperity.
The outlook, produced by ADS, the UK trade organisation for aerospace, defence, security and space industries, represents more than 1,100 UK businesses and includes input from UKspace and support from the UK Space Agency.
In 2021, the UK space sector’s contribution to the United Kingdom was:
• £16.5 billion in turnover
• £5.3 billion in exports
• £6.9 billion in value added
• 47,000 direct employees
• 2,300 apprentices
The Outlook also identifies new business opportunities which include: in-orbit servicing and manufacturing, earth observation and UK launch.
There’s a lot of rubbish in space. More than 27,000 pieces of orbital debris, or “space junk,” are currently tracked by space surveillance. Much more debris – too small to be tracked, but large enough to threaten human spaceflight and robotic missions –exists in the near-Earth space environment, according to NASA.
Since both the debris and spacecraft are traveling at extremely high speeds, an impact of even a tiny piece of orbital debris with a spacecraft could create big problems.
Astroscale Ltd, based at Harwell and the first private company aiming to clean up space, has received £1.7 million in funding from the UK Space Agency to continue developing its technology to remove defunct satellites from Low Earth Orbit. This latest mission phase of the Cleaning Outer Space Mission through Innovative Capture (COSMIC) will harness Astroscale’s robotic debris capture capabilities.
Dr Paul Bate, Chief Executive of the UK Space Agency, said: “With 1,700 satellites launched last year alone, the need to
safeguard space for the benefit of everyone on Earth has never been more pressing.”
Astroscale has selected a small number of potential UK satellites currently in congested orbit to capture and remove, two of which will be identified for removal during this latest Phase B of the mission.
Nick Shave, Managing Director of Astroscale Ltd, said: “Building a UK on-orbit servicing economy will help us to deliver the government’s ambitious plans to develop a sustainable space environment. We can make on-orbit debris removal and satellite servicing routine by 2030.”
The COSMIC mission will be developed in collaboration with 10 UK-based partner companies.
Astroscale employs more than 250 people, of which more than three-quarters are engineers. The company has its headquarters in Japan and subsidiaries in the USA, Israel and Singapore as well as Oxfordshire, where it has just moved into a new satellite manufacturing and operations facility at Harwell Campus.
Oxford Space Systems, a specialist in designing and manufacturing deployable antennas for space, has signed a contract with Surrey Satellite Technology to deliver a Synthetic Aperture Radar antenna for the Space Norway MicroSAR satellite system.
The contract includes the manufacture of an antenna to support the launch of the first satellite in early 2025.
The Space Norway mission will provide maritime surveillance for Norwegian Armed Forces and will also deliver maritime surveillance for the global market.
Oxford Space Systems will manufacture the radar antenna in its facility at Harwell.
Sean Sutcliffe, Oxford Space Systems’ CEO, said: “This contract is a milestone for the company’s growth strategy and another achievement for one of our key products which will be a gamechanger for future Smallsat radar missions.”
By the end of this year work will have started on a UK space energy system that will continually harvest solar power from the sun and beam it back to earth to be used to power our homes and businesses.
The Space Energy Initiative (SEI), based at the Satellite Applications Catapult at Harwell Campus is to benefit from the UK's Government's awarding of £3 million in grant funding for Space-Based Solar Power (SBSP) projects.
SBSP collects solar power through a constellation of large satellites in a high earth orbit and beams it securely to a fixed point on the earth. It promises to deliver clean energy throughout the year and in all weathers.
Martin Soltau, co-chair at Space Energy Initiative (SEI), said: “Increasingly, it is being realised that getting to net zero is incredibly difficult and it is important that we have energy security with affordable and resilient sources of energy.
“We need new energy technologies if we are going to achieve net zero and energy security.”
The SEI has planned a 12-year roadmap, starting this year, which aims to have its
first operational power station in space by 2035, before moving to a period of rapid production and scaling.
The team says that by 2050 a total of 25 per cent of the UK’s energy could be generated from space.
The project was sparked by a feasibility report, commissioned by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and compiled by the Frazer-Nash Consultancy.
Previously considered as an attractive but unaffordable source of clean energy, those who support space-based solar power suggest that over the last decade it has become technically feasible and economically viable because the cost of space launch has fallen dramatically, a trend set to continue, and modular satellites are increasingly designed for high volume commercial manufacture.
The Frazer Nash report estimates the first project could cost around £16 billion, of which the first phase would need to be fully funded by the public sector. “Thereafter the private sector could reasonably be expected to start investing an increasing proportion as shown,” the report suggests.
Harwell Campus-based space satellite company Open Cosmos has announced a new shared satellite infrastructure project, Open Constellation.
The Open Constellation project is a global, shared satellite infrastructure built and managed by Open Cosmos to enable anyone to access satellite data to address challenges around the climate crisis, energy, natural resources and more.
Leading space organisations across Europe such as UKSA, Satellite Applications Catapult, IEEC, AGAPA, CEiiA and ESA are supporting the pioneering batch of six satellites that will see its first launch this month.
Open Cosmos says it is democratising access to critical data which otherwise would only be available through owned satellites that would be prohibitively expensive to launch and manage for smaller countries, and even companies
Further batches of the constellation are soon to be announced from existing and new Open Constellation members.
More than 3,000 jobs were created in one year by companies in the UK space sector.
Employment in the sector hit 46,995 in 2020, according to latest government figures – up from 44,040 in 2019.
Spaceports in Scotland, Wales and England are expected to generate more jobs in the coming years, alongside the growth of regional space clusters, international investment, and emerging technologies
such as in-space manufacturing and debris removal, supported by the government’s National Space Strategy.
From astronaut to space project manager, earth observation specialist to space systems analyst and engineer, there are probably hundreds of job opportunities in the space sector for those who want a career with a difference.
But what sort of qualifications do you
need to move into space? According to the UK Space Agency, studying science, engineering, IT and maths – as well as related subjects, such as geography – will put you in a strong position for a wide range of space careers.
Most careers in space require innovation, creativity, teamwork and problem solving. Many jobs cover multiple disciplines and, as space is international, they often involve working with partners around the world.
The government has unveiled a new £15 million fund to support UK space businesses for the development of satellite communications technology.
The competition, running until next spring, aims to focus on creating entire new satellite constellations, ground systems or delivering new services to customers.
Ideas can focus on creating entire new satellite constellations, ground systems or delivering new services to customers, and will be funded through the UK Space Agency’s leading role in the European Space Agency (ESA) Advanced Research in Telecommunications Services (ARTES) programme.
The £15 million fund comes as a new report, Impact Evaluation of UK Investment in the European Space Agency, found that every £1 invested in the agency generated an overall return of £11.80 for the UK economy.
The report also showed the UK is in the top three nations in terms of scientific output, behind Germany and the USA.
The UK’s annual contribution of €420-450 million represents around 10 per cent of the European Space Agency’s €5 billion annual budget.
The UK is now one of ESA’s top four contributors along with France, Germany and Italy.
With the world increasingly experiencing climate emergencies such as flooding and hurricanes, the capability to predict weather events more accurately will save lives.
Now new technology offering more frequent and higher-resolution atmospheric monitoring will soon be available for use in resilience planning, flood warning and by the shipping industry.
The Hyperspectral Microwave Sounder (HYMS) is an advanced millimetre wave technology that delivers enhanced weather forecasting data. The instrument was developed at the Science and Technology Facilities Council's (STFC) RAL Space in Oxfordshire and has been licenced for space deployment with the USA space-based data and analytics company Spire Global Inc.
Satellites are the most important tool in modern weather forecasting, providing more than 90 per cent of the data that goes into forecasting models. Truly global weather data can only be gathered from the vantage point of space.
Old meteorological satellites are large, cost hundreds of millions of pounds and are expensive to launch. Because of the sheer size and mass of these traditional satellites, typically only two or three are in orbit at any time. They orbit the Earth twice a day – not ideal for monitoring fastmoving global weather events.
Spire and STFC are now working on a demonstrator mission of the HYMS, with the objective of launching a full constellation for atmospheric monitoring. This could allow meteorological agencies and markets all over the world to access an additional space-based weather data set for more accurate weather forecasting.
Virgin Orbit’s carrier aircraft, ground support equipment, and rocket arrived in Cornwall in October ahead of the first satellite launch from the UK.
Made possible by funding from the UK Space Agency, the mission, which is on track for a launch from Spaceport Cornwall, has been named Start Me Up in tribute to iconic British band, The Rolling Stones.
Start Me Up will mark the first orbital launch from the UK, meeting a key ambition of the government’s National Space Strategy, as well as the first commercial launch from Europe and the first international launch from Virgin Orbit.
The flight manifest includes payloads from seven customers, based in the UK and internationally, with companies from England, Scotland and Wales involved in their development and manufacture.
Ian Annett, Deputy CEO at the Oxfordshire-based UK Space Agency, said: “We are close to the first launch from UK soil and first launch of a satellite from Europe.
“This will be an iconic moment in the history of UK space endeavours.
“Developing new launch capabilities will build on the strengths of our space sector and attract companies from around the world to benefit from these commercial opportunities. This will catalyse investment, bring new jobs to communities and organisations right across the UK, as well as inspiring the next generation of space scientists and engineers.”
“Satellites are the most important tool in modern weather forecasting ...”The HYMS instrument in the lab at RAL Space. Credit: STFC RAL Space
With investment in space tech start-ups showing little sign of abating, the UK now has a thriving space industry from Cornwall right up to the north coast of Scotland.
And at the heart of the sector lies Harwell Space Cluster near Didcot in Oxfordshire.
It has become the UK’s space gateway supporting the space sector and is currently home to around 100 organisations employing more than 1,400 people who work in this growing industry.
Established multi-national businesses, such as Airbus, Thales Alenia Space and Lockheed Martin, work alongside space sector start-ups and scale-ups, all located alongside major publicly-funded organisations including the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) and its space hub for research and innovation RAL Space, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Satellite Applications Catapult.
Gemma Wilson took over as Harwell Space Cluster’s manager this summer. Having worked for more than six years as a regional growth manager for the Satellite Applications Catapult, she has the experience and a vast network of colleagues around the country
who the Space Cluster can call on to support the companies based at Harwell.
Gemma’s new role will see her work with colleagues to widen awareness of Harwell Campus’ unique facilities and capabilities by encouraging people to visit and see the opportunities available for entrepreneurs to set up, scale-up or collaborate with others to make their business ideas a reality.
“We want to encourage companies to use our facilities and expertise and take advantage of the national and international networks we have access to, as well as the network of scientists, technicians and experts from across the globe who either work here permanently, or visit regularly, to help them make the most of opportunities here,” said Gemma.
Alongside the Space Cluster at Harwell are a thriving Energy Technology Cluster and Health Technology Cluster. And a new Quantum Cluster is currently being established.
More than a third of organisations at Harwell collaborate with organisations from another cluster on the Campus.
“Cross sector collaboration is important on campus and with other clusters around the UK,” said Gemma. “All the cluster managers, including me, want to do more joint events to offer companies and entrepreneurs in other sectors the opportunity to meet together –formally and informally.
“Space is an enabler and the technology and data can be part of integrated solutions to solve challenges here on earth.”
The value of space-based technology is increasingly being recognised by farmers, agronomists, food manufacturers and retailers – and policymakers who want to enhance production and profitability, but not at the expense of nature and the environment.
For instance, remote sensing satellites are increasingly being relied on for the
monitoring of soil, rain, drought, insect infestation and crop development. All of which can help reduce the risk of food shortages and famines.
“We want Harwell to represent the true and full picture of the UK space sector, and to help international visitors tap into other local clusters of space capabilities as well as into other sectors which can benefit from space, Harwell really is your Gateway to the UK space sector,” added Gemma.
There are approximately 17 space clusters across the UK, each one with unique capabilities. From Cornwall, home to the world’s most capable satellite ground station, which also has plans for a horizontal rocket launch site, to the West of England’s Space Cluster, which includes the Universities of Bristol and Bath engaged in space research.
The North West Space Cluster at STFC’s Sci-tech Daresbury site has strong links to cyber security and advanced materials, while Sutherland in Scotland is planning to be the first spaceport in the UK.
The UK’s space sector has grown fast. In the years 2019-2020, UK space-related organisations produced £16.5 billion in income.
Over the past decade (2012 – 2021), 145 unique investors in 38 companies invested nearly £6 billion across 90 investment deals with UK space organisations.
And if the UK is to capitalise on the last decade of growth, the dynamic activity and expertise at Harwell needs to be more widely leveraged.
Gemma said: “We want to ensure that local, national and international visitors better understand what we do, and what we have here, because by doing that we can better shine a light on all the other space activity currently happening across the UK.
“And we want all those who want to bring their commercial space ideas to life to know that Harwell is where small companies are supported to gather the information and knowledge they need and meet the right experts to help them grow their business.”
Harwell Space Cluster started by nurturing young space companies working alongside a number of space primes, academia and public sector organisations. Now some of these SMEs, such as Astroscale – which is pioneering solutions to tackling the growing problem of space debris, and Oxford Space Systems – which builds lightweight satellite structures and was a start-up of the ESA Business Incubator managed by STFC – have successfully expanded through leveraging the capabilities of the Cluster ecosystem at Harwell.
It’s all about bringing people together, says Gemma.
“I enjoy working at Harwell because the people here are so inspiring and collaborative. From the scientists at RAL Space and other organisations, to Harwell Campus Joint Venture Partners who share their strategic plans for the site with us so we understand the opportunities for companies as they seek to scale up.”
Gemma understands the mindset of startups having worked in one and managing the European Space Agency’s Business Incubation Centre (ESA BIC) in the UK
“I completed a degree in business and worked at a start-up as one of the first
employees. I loved the different ways of thinking and ,working which sparked innovation in a small company, and when I moved to the Science and Technologies Facilities Council and became a project manager working with academics then working for the ESA BIC, I brought this experience to my new role.”
This understanding of the power of collaboration extends to her fellow managers in the Energy Tech and Health Tech Clusters at Harwell and the Health Tech, Digital and Space Cluster at Daresbury. All Cluster managers share an office at their respective sites and have weekly team meetings, as well as attending each other’s cluster stakeholders meetings to enhance cross fertilisation of activities between the sectors they represent.
“We enjoy sharing knowledge and looking at potential crossovers with companies in the different clusters, taking the opportunity to introduce companies to each other,” said Gemma.
“Then we often step back but are always ready to support their journey to help their ideas fly.”
Barbara Ghinelli, Director of Innovation Clusters and Campus at UKRI-STFC, said: “Space is our flagship cluster which inspired the development of the other clusters in Health, Energy, Digital and Quantum across the STFC Campuses. Our clusters collectively have stimulated exceptional growth for the UK, attracting and supporting hundreds of new organisations to/on our campuses and across the UK as well as enabling strong business to business collaborations and with the public sector and academics.”
Living in the UK, you could be forgiven for thinking that space missions, rocket launches and the exploration of space are things that only happen far away.
When you think about space, it is easy to bring to mind iconic events of the 20th Century where Russia and the US took centre stage with Sputnik and the Apollo missions. More recently, the US, of course, is re-opening the space programme both on a government backed basis and with private companies making great strides, such as Elon Musk’s company SpaceX launching its Falcon rockets. Meanwhile, China is also making its own great strides forward with its eyes set firmly on the moon (and beyond).
These powerful examples of science and innovation in action are usually associated with those three major super-powers. In reality, however, nothing could be further from the truth. The UK has a long history of pursuing its own space missions starting as far back as 1962 when the Ariel-1 satellite became the world’s first solar mission, followed by the launch of the Black Arrow rocket in 1971. The UK also invented and pioneered many technologies which have been key to the development of the global space industry including small satellites which were first developed by a team from Surrey University.
Despite this illustrious history, there has arguably never been a more exciting time for the UK’s space sector than now. Due to a combination in recent years of support from central government and significant
investment and innovation from the private sector, the UK’s space sector has gone from strength to strength.
Trebling in size between 2010 and 2020, the UK’s space industry now employs around 42,000 people and generates almost £15 billion of income for the UK every year. This trend shows little sign of slowing down with three UK space ports expected to be fully operational by 2023 and the government having ambitions to be the first European country to be able to offer an end-to-end solution for access to orbit, from initial satellite design through to launch.
A significant part of this growth has been generated by companies in the South and West of England. There is a particular hub at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus. Notable examples of Harwell based companies are Astroscale with its vital mission of clearing debris from orbit to allow the safe proliferation of satellite technology and Reaction Engines with its ground-breaking SABRE engine that can operate both in Earth’s atmosphere and in space. That being said, one of the exciting things about the UK’s space industry in 2022 is how widely distributed it is.
Bristol also boasts a high concentration of space focussed businesses, including Thales Alenia Space, one of the largest space focused companies in the UK, and Geollect which is a leader in geospatial intelligence technologies. Companies in the West of England are ideally located in close proximity to the UK Space Agency’s headquarters in
Swindon and with easy access to Spaceport Cornwall which will carry out its first launch within weeks, marking the first ever launch of satellites into orbit from UK soil.
Until 2018, the majority of regulation of space activities in the UK came from the Outer Space Act 1986 which was very light touch and did not contemplate the wide range of space activities that are now being pursued. To facilitate the rapid growth that we are seeing, and to achieve the government’s aim of making the UK a leader in the global space industry, the UK introduced the Space Industry Act 2018 which now sits at the heart of a fairly sophisticated regulatory and licensing regime. This covers space activities from running a spaceport to launching rockets and controlling satellites in orbit but also contemplates future capabilities such as manned space flight from the UK.
It is no surprise that launching a successful space mission can be hugely expensive and involve significant financial and logistical risk, with a very real chance that the mission never leaves the launch pad. The UK’s regulatory regime is overseen by the Civilian Aviation Authority and aims to ameliorate some of this risk by, for example, creating strict requirements around risk management for spaceflight and providing for a limit of liability for accidents so that operators do not have unlimited exposure should things go wrong. Some of these requirements were already present in the Outer Space Act 1986 but there are new obligations such as a need to fill certain prescribed roles, security requirements and some detailed
licence conditions that were introduced by the new regime.
In short, participation in the UK’s space boom comes with a significant number of rules and regulations. Of course, underpinning all space activities there are also numerous agreements and contracts for the use of land, intellectual property and logistics and interlinking regulatory issues, such as data protection which adds to the complexity. However, much of the regulatory regime is still relatively new, with many of the regulations only coming into force last year and the hope is that, as more space industry act licences are issued, compliance will become more routine for operators and their advisors just as necessary agreements will
become more familiar and standardised.
Satellite data impacts our lives every single day, whether through communication, travel, weather forecasting or any number of applications as well as being vital in the fight against climate change. Being at the forefront of this technical revolution could bring huge investment into the UK as well as giving us security over our communications technology.
On the flip side, while talking about space naturally lends itself to a huge sense of optimism and excitement, it is also vulnerable to criticism for being frivolous and spending large sums of money on space activities during a cost-of-living crisis may well be considered a low priority. However, the
space sector is a hugely important economic sector for the UK and will only continue to grow in importance, generating employment and income.
For companies working in the space sector it is important to uphold regulatory standards and to fully understand their obligations, which is an area that Freeths LLP actively supports to ensure companies can achieve compliance and public trust.
It certainly is a very exciting time to be working in, and following, the space industry. So, with the huge leaps forward being taken in the space sector across the UK, next time you look up at the stars, remember that the final frontier could be much closer than you may think.
Mona Schroedel Managing Associate
Associate
Number: 0345 030 5688
If you are as excited about space as we are, or if you would like to talk to us about UK space regulation and licensing, then please get in touch with Mona Schroedel or Meryon Roderick.
There has arguably never been a more exciting time for the UK’s space sector than now
Eden Research is leading the field in safe crop protection, and is poised to enter the USA market
by Nicky Godding, Editor
Each year, up to 40 per cent of global crop production is lost to plant diseases. This costs the agricultural sector more than $220 billion, according to the United Nations, while invasive insects cause losses of at least $70 billion.
At a time when the world’s population is increasing, with close to eight billion people needing to be fed, it’s an alarming figure.
And that’s with farmers using pesticides, which have boosted agricultural productivity for hundreds of years. However, since the 1960s it has become obvious that in many cases they have also inflicted massive damage on the environment and wildlife.
There is now greater regulation of pesticides around the world, with increasing numbers
of conventional compounds being banned. Most of us will be aware of the recent ban on neonicotinoids, which many experts say has caused a major collapse in honey bee colonies.
In the 15th century farmers used arsenic, mercury and lead to kill crop pests. In the 1940s DDT was developed as the first modern synthetic insecticide. It was highly effective but incredibly toxic to wildlife and humans. By 1972 the USA was first to ban its use, followed by countries.
But what are beleaguered farmers to do? They need pesticides to protect crops and boost harvest yields.
There is a solution. Biopesticides are safe crop protection products based on microorganisms, plant extracts and other natural compounds.
And Eden Research, based at Milton Park, Oxfordshire, is at the forefront of the revolution in crop protection and biopesticides.
The company develops sustainable biopesticides and plastic-free encapsulation technology which is already being used in global crop protection. The company is also deploying its formulas in the animal health and consumer products industries.
Eden has received approval from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), for two biopesticide products and its three associated active ingredients.
Eden Research’s technology is based on terpenes: naturally occurring chemical compounds found in plants.
Sean Smith has been the company’s CEO for more than eight years. He said: “We are taking the active components out of plant essential oils and developing products for farmers to tackle plant diseases, insects and parasites. Conventional pesticides target specific diseases. Our approach
is wider. It works through broad modes of action which are difficult for the target organism to work around.
“One day we will look back and think: why on earth were we burning coal when we can harness the sun, wind and tides around us? Why are we using synthetic compounds when there are so many natural resources to draw on?”
Eden Research is just hitting its stride and its latest approvals will enable it to sell into the USA’s vast agricultural sector, building on its growing sales to agricultural distributors across Southern and Central Europe.
“Thanks to our latest USA approvals, we now have authorisation for our first two
products, and authorisation for three active ingredients which make up those products,” said Sean.
The company has yet to receive UK regulatory approval but Sean is confident this will happen soon.
What has been the hold-up in its home country? Brexit apparently. Surprise surprise – but regulatory approval both in the USA and the UK, is a long and frustrating process, according to Sean.
“Covid delays took their toll,” he said. “The USA’s Environmental Protection Agency staff, like everyone else, had to adapt to working from home and that’s not conducive to speedy research and analysis. But it was also because although our formulas are derived from plants, we couldn’t assume they were safe. Look at digitalis, commonly known as the foxglove, which is poisonous to humans if ingested.”
Like any synthetic pesticide, Eden Research’s compounds had to be tested for every eventuality. Were they safe for people, animals, birds and fish? Would they be persistent in the environment (known as “forever chemicals” which don’t break down in the natural environment)?
“One day we will look back and think: “why on earth were we burning coal when we can harness the sun, wind and tides around us? Why are we using synthetic compounds when there are so many natural resources to draw on?”
Sean Smith joined Eden Research in 2014. A microbiologist by training, he had spent most of his working life in the chemical industry, much of it in intellectual property licensing, and was keen to broaden his experience.
A call from a headhunter when he was working on deals for a US private equity fi rm in Europe, sparked his interest.
“It was the convergence of everything I was interested in. While I didn’t have a great deal of experience in agriculture at the time, I was experienced in commercial opportunities across the food and chemicals sectors. For me the most interesting part of the chemical industry is the sustainable element. Nature gives us a lot of tools to solve humanity’s problems, it’s up to us to leverage those tools as much as we can. While this might not always be possible, with a creative approach there is always something that can be done.
“Regulators are increasing the standards they apply to environmental safety and effi cacy. As a result, there are fewer pesticides on the market.
“In crop protection the biggest trend is towards sustainable crop protection, and we are at the forefront of that.”
When Sean arrived at Eden Research (at the time based in a small village outside Cirencester in Gloucestershire), the company was patenting its formulas and licensing them out to manufacturers to develop.
Its fi rst product had been a formula to tackle Botrytis, a fungus that aff ects many plant species, most notably wine grapes. While it can have a devastating eff ect on a grape harvest, it’s wasn’t the largest market for Eden to sell into.
“I was hired because of my experience in licensing, but I looked at the company’s set-up and felt that its business model wouldn’t meet targeted revenue growth,” said Sean.
He changed the business model, and with a new board in place, the company has pivoted to develop, register and commercialise the products itself. It now targets growers of high value fruit and vegetables, vines, apples and pears.
The regulatory process has taken longer than hoped, but the opportunities for fi nancial growth are far greater.
In 2020, the company moved from rural Gloucestershire to Milton Park, Oxfordshire. “It was a practical decision,” said Sean. “We couldn’t attract the scientifi c talent we needed to continue product development where we were, so looked at larger centres of life sciences.”
When farmers are facing hugely increased costs to produce crops, aren’t biopesticides going to be more
expensive than conventional ones?
Sean says no.
“We are off ering a direct and costcompetitive alternative to conventional pesticides. It’s a biopesticide with no MRLs (maximum residue levels are the legal maximum concentration of a pesticide residue in or on food or feed) and our unique micro encapsulation delivery technology which we have branded Sustaine.”
Eden Research’s Sustaine technology are microcapsules – naturally sourced, plastic-free, biodegradable microspheres derived from yeast extract. They produce stabilised aqueous emulsions which are easy to mix and apply, have phased release patterns, are safer for the environment and have less adverse eff ects on plant growth.
“Our formulas are as effective as conventional products but better for the planet,” said Sean. “Growers are smart, they are not going to use more than they need and almost every one of them wants to use products that don’t inflict harm on their land.”
With EPA regulatory approval under its belt, Sean sees a bright future for Eden Research.
“We are working with Corteva, the world’s fourth-largest agri-business, on sustainable seed treatments and have an insecticide under development. We are also looking at expanding our product range and developing consumer and animal health products which we have had on the back burner for some years.
“We are developing a more balanced portfolio and expanding in Southern and Central Europe and into other territories.”
“Nature gives us a lot of tools to solve humanity’s problems, it’s up to us to leverage those tools as much as we can”
Britain has been hit hard by the energy crisis. In fact, according to the International Monetary Fund, we're the hardest-hit country in Europe.
The reason is our heavy reliance on gas to heat homes and produce electricity. The majority of homes in the UK – around 80 per cent, compared with 50 per cent each in France and Germany – use gas to provide heat: a legacy of the exploitation of our once-abundant North Sea gas fields.
We also rely on gas to create electricity more than any of our European neighbours, with the exception of Italy.
The windiest country in Europe has failed to fully embrace the possibilities of wind power. For years, renewable energy was treated as a niche product aimed at the eco-conscious.
But renewable energy is now nine times cheaper than once-cheap gas, and the phrase 'energy security' echoes in the meeting rooms of Westminster – if not the corridors of 10 and 11 Downing Street.
Dale Vince has spent decades beating the drum for renewables. In 1995 he founded the Renewable Energy Company Limited, with a single wind turbine he had used to power an old army truck in which he lived on a hill near Stroud, Gloucestershire.
Today, that company is known as Ecotricity. Still based in Stroud, it has around 200,000 domestic and business customers across the UK.
Dale, who earlier this year announced his intention to sell the company and go into politics, as a Labour Party candidate, was recently invited to address Parliament's Environmental Audit Committee about the energy crisis, and what he thinks the solutions to the problem are.
"Onshore wind is our cheapest, fastest form of renewable energy and it is currently shut out of the planning system by the Conservative government," he told the increasingly-influential committee.
"Onshore solar – the field version, not the rooftop version – is as equally fast and cheap, or almost as cheap, as onshore wind and has enormous capacity as well. "Both of those together could power our whole country 20 times over."
He told the committee that although 50 per cent of the UK's gas requirement comes from the North Sea, it does not cut costs for UK businesses and households because gas is traded on the international commodities market.
"There is no shortage of fossil fuels in the world. There is no reason why this winter we paid up to 10 times more for gas from the North Sea than we did last winter on certain days," he said, "except global speculation and the functioning of commodity markets.
"If we were powered entirely by renewable energy we could set our own price and that price can be fixed to the cost of production, not to global speculation.
Britain has been hit hard by the energy crisis – but regional firms are helping to find the solution
Renewables investment would give the UK a massive economic boost, Ecotricity founder tells Parliamentary committeeDale Vince, founder of Ecotricity
"There is no commodity market in wind and solar globally because it gets used where it is made."
He told the committee that changes to the planning laws would need to be made to make it easier to build wind and solar farms. He likened it to mobile communications masts – once subject to strict planning conditions, now permitted as default.
And he argued that renewables were more sustainable not just ecologically, but economically too.
"Before the crisis, as a country we spent £50 billion a year bringing fossil fuels into our country to burn them," he said.
"If we spent that £50 billion for two or three years, over a period of 10 years we could build all the infrastructure we need to make all of the energy we need from renewable sources.
"Then, after that, the £50 billion a year would stay in our economy instead of leaving our country. It would give us the most massive economic boost."
The core purpose of renewable energy supplier Good Energy has "never been more relevant," the firm's CEO said recently.
Nigel Pocklington was speaking as the Chippenham-based firm published its interim financial results for the first half of 2022.
"The global energy crisis is escalating further. Russia's stranglehold on gas supplies to Europe has been magnified by further shortages and uncertainty, driving energy prices in the UK to fresh highs," he said.
"We have been vocal in stating that the only solution in the short-term is government support and demand reduction, with an accelerated roll-out of renewables in the medium to longer term.
Touching on the government's Energy Price Guarantee for domestic customers, he said: "We are now pleased to see the government take meaningful steps to help customers through winter and beyond."
The CEO said everyday consumers were having to "pick up the bill" for the failure of multiple suppliers last year.
"(This) only serves to highlight a greater
need for renewables to play a vital role in our long-term energy strategy," he said.
"Not only will a shift to cleaner, local electricity sources cut the UK's carbon, it will cut the UK's ties to fossil fuel-driven global markets.
"As a trusted leader in local, decentralised clean power, Good Energy's core purpose has never been more relevant."
Good Energy began life in 1997 as Ofex, an offshoot of the German power company Unit Energy Europe. The business was later bought by its management and changed its name to Good Energy in 2003, led by its first CEO, Juliet Davenport.
She led the company until last year, when she stepped down and Nigel Pocklington took over.
In the same year the firm, which had built its own network of renewable electricity generators as well as buying and reselling units from small, independent generators sold its solar and wind farms for £21.2 million.
The company has 87,000 domestic customers and 10,000 business customers.
GOOD ENERGY'S CORE PURPOSE
“HAS NEVER BEEN MORE RELEVANT” SAYS CEONigel Pocklington, CEO of Good Energy
Ian Mean, MBE, Business West Director and Deputy Chair at GFirst LEP talks to SGS College about it green ambitions…
After winning £450,000 through Stroud District Council from the Gloucestershire Strategic Economic Development Fund, and over £700,000 via the Department for Education Strategic Development Fund, SGS are creating the Berkeley Low Carbon Training Centre.
It will be based on their campus at Berkeley and will train apprentices and upskill those working in the renewable energy sector. They will include installers and specifiers for solar, heat pumps and retrofitting for homes.
The new centre will also play a trailblazer role in developing training courses and materials that can be utilised by other training centres to expand capacity.
SGS Principal Sara-Jane Watkins said: ”There are lots of well-meaning individuals in Gloucestershire where they have all got an interest in climate emergency but nobody is co-ordinating it. We are trying to take that concern and turn it into something tangible”.
“The actual courses on the ground do not exist yet. In collaboration with the other colleges in Gloucestershire, we are trying to pull together the whole skills piece”.
“What we are missing are the individuals with the knowledge to retrofit all these new technologies”.
“We need to make them smart but also develop the knowledge to retrofit all these new technologies into existing homes, properties and industrial buildings”.
Pat McLeod, the SGS projects Assistant Principal, is in my view the very best person to deliver the curricula and training for the college’s new Low Carbon Training Centre and he is very clear about the importance of delivering a curriculum, for low carbon training after a long career driving apprenticeships.
“This is really pioneering work”, says Pat.” It is quite brave to develop a special centre like this. We have taken a big leap of faith”, He says the most immediate benefit of the centre will be felt by the college’s apprentices. “We are putting around 400 apprentices a year through plumbing and electrical apprenticeships.
“But now we have got to future proof them as they are not going to be spending a big proportion of their working life on gas boilers”.
Updating the existing plumbing and electrical apprenticeships can be a slow process. So, current apprentices will be the first through the new centre and will get some heat pump and solar training as a bonus.
The opportunities for apprenticeships and re-training are enormous.
“The forecasts for the number of green jobs in this sector are huge”, commented Pat.
It is said that about 350 000 heat pump engineers are going to be needed.
“I have seen comparisons with the smart meter challenge and how do we train up so many installers. But retrofit dwarfs this by factors of tenfold. Just think of every property that needs to be retrofitted.
“We are still building houses that need to be retrofitted - absolutely crazy”.
“If I was a young person, I would be looking at this space now and carving out a niche for myself by getting this expertise we will now be able to offer at Berkeley.
“This is going to be a burgeoning sector with good jobs for our young people in the future and great opportunities for employers in this world of green, low carbon technology.
“We have almost got to re-think how we define all our construction training curricula. As soon as you take a solar panel out of a box it is generating electricity”.
What we need now, of course, is a national policy from government so training experts like Pat McLeod and colleges like SGS know where the need is going to come first.
Pete Barrett, Group Property Manager of SGS, says that the college’s new Low Carbon Training Centre at Berkeley truly reflects the “Green” credentials of Gloucestershire as a county. When Berkeley was set up in 2016, Pete says GFirst LEP wanted the campus to be a “strategic economic asset”.
Pete commented: “Gloucestershire is a great Green county, and we are proud that the college is part of that whole low carbon mix as an asset and Stroud has almost a UK brand for being Green”.
“Our new centre is so important because the college wants to run training courses to ensure the local economy has all the skills it needs”.
“Time and again we are seeing housebuilders not putting green technologies into their new houses”.
“But they must start doing the right thing with the new technologies and they must do it now”.
Britain needs to take back control over its energy supply, says Corsham-based Luminous Energy.
In a joint venture with Penso Power, the company recently won planning permission to build a 350 MW connection capacity battery storage development at Hams Hall in North Warwickshire.
Battery storage means renewable energy suppliers can "respond rapidly and proportionately to imbalances in electricity supply and demand," making electricity generation reliant on sunshine or wind more reliable.
The partners had previously won permission to build a 100 MW facility at Minety in North Wiltshire – at the time Europe's largest energy storage site. Even with a further 50 MW capacity for which the firms won planning permission in 2020, it is still dwarfed by the Hams Hall project.
David Bryson of Luminous Energy said: “From our initial site selection through the planning process we have worked closely with the LPA, National Grid and local groups.
"Now more than ever the UK needs to take back control over its energy supply. Energy storage is critical in supplying affordable, clean power, while also enhancing the UK’s grid reliability.
"This project, one of a pipeline we have in development, will also contribute financially to sustainable and green initiatives locally.”
The Western Gateway Partnership is also leading the bid for another project with the capacity to create huge amounts of energy – a tidal power project on the River Severn.
The Severn estuary – with its famous Severn Bore – has the second largest tidal range in the world. Now an independent commission has been set up to see whether the time is right to use the Severn Estuary to create clean sustainable energy.
The commission has an open remit to explore a range of options including looking at what energy technology exists, which areas would be appropriate, and how environmental impacts can be minimised.
Katherine Bennett CBE, chair of the Western Gateway Partnership, said: "With the second largest tidal range in the world, it has been estimated that this could create up to severn per cent of the UK’s total energy needs.”
Manufacturing firm Swindon Powertrain has launched the first commercially available ‘off the shelf’ battery pack for electric vehicles.
The company, which hit the headlines in 2019 after retrofitting classic (19592000) Minis with electric engines, says its battery pack will ease light duty vehicle developers into electrification.
The battery pack – available in both 30kWh and 60kWh HED versions –can be used to power passenger cars, taxis, and light commercial vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes.
Before now, niche manufacturers have had to develop their own packs each time or source parts from used EVs.
The battery pack was developed in order to solve its own supply chain issues.
Now it has begun battery assembly in its facility that was originally used to build race-winning F1 engines in the 1970s, and today makes the engines for Hyundai's British Touring Car Championship cars.
“Niche manufacturers and conversion specialists told us they couldn’t source new, industry-grade batteries from the big suppliers who aren’t interested in low-volume supply,” said Swindon Powertrain’s managing director Raphaël Caillé.
“This has led to some recycling parts from used EVs, often of unknown provenance. HED means they have a fresh, turnkey battery pack complete with the peace of mind that comes from over 50 years of supplying to the motorsport and automotive markets.”
Swindon Powertrain launches first commercially available ‘o the shelf’ battery pack for electric vehicles
Leaders of the Western Gateway Partnership bid to bring the UK’s fusion energy STEP programme to Severn Edge say this is “not the end of the road” for the site as the government announced the UK’s first fusion plant will be built in Nottinghamshire.
The Severn Edge bid received support from the wider South West region, industry, four of the most researchintensive universities in the UK, businesses, political leaders and the local community.
During the process the profile of both Oldbury and Berkeley sites were boosted, gaining a wide range of interest within Westminster.
Despite being shortlisted as one of the last five sites to be considered home to the £220 million programme and receiving positive feedback in assessments, the government announced in early October that STEP will be developed at the West Burton A site in Nottinghamshire.
The Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production programme (STEP) is the national project to develop a prototype energy plant to prove the commercial viability of fusion.
Fusion has been described as having the potential to become the “ultimate low carbon energy” source, recreating the reaction that takes place within the sun.
Following the decision the UK Atomic Energy Authority, which is responsible for delivering the programme, stated that “the (Severn Edge) site has many attractive features and would likely be an outstanding candidate for a wide range of developments” and the decision was “testimony to the highly competitive nature of the process”.
They complimented the “partnership approach” that was taken and were sure that this “will result in Severn Edge site being utilised for other important projects in the future”.
Katherine Bennett CBE, chair of the Western Gateway Partnership, said: “I am reassured that this is not the end of discussions with UKAEA about a role for the Western Gateway and Severn Edge in supporting fusion and related technology.
“The Severn Edge site continues to be perfectly placed to benefit communities in England and Wales whilst also tapping into world-leading expertise and supply chains. This is by no means the end of the road for this project, I look forward to where Severn Edge goes next.”
While regional firms are finding strategic solutions to provide the UK with energy security in the future, innovative start-ups are using tech to help households and businesses address spiralling energy prices right now.
Abingdon-based EcoSync has developed smart tech to enable commercial buildings to stop heating empty rooms, reducing energy consumption and costs by a possible 50 per cent.
In September the firm – founded by Oxford University engineers – smashed its Crowdcube investment target, raising
just shy of £1 million against a target of £400,000.
Customer orders are up by 260 per cent, and the Ministry of Defence and Oxfordshire County Council are among the organisations showing an interest in EcoSync's technology.
Its energy management platform adapts temperature control to changing occupancy levels in commercial buildings and helps customers to achieve 30-40 per cent reductions in energy consumption by identifying rooms that are unoccupied and turning the heating off where appropriate.
EcoSync's research highlights that 50 per cent of heating energy in commercial buildings can be wasted by empty rooms.
EcoSync uses energy-harvesting IoT tech to easily retrofit to radiators making them intelligent to only heat rooms according to occupancy and need.
Its solution can be rapidly deployed with no interruption and complements other efficiency measures such as heat pumps and insulation. Payback, says the company, can be achieved in under three years.
Experimental fusion site won’t be built at Severn Edge, but ‘it’s not the end of the road’ say backersSevern Edge
In the dark old days of the 20th century, all a worker might expect from their employer was a desk, chair and phone in a poorlyadapted old building, or anonymous office block in a cheap-to-lease part of town. You’d even have to bring your own plant.
But those employers have had an epiphany. They now realise that a welldesigned commercial building, inside and out, where light and creative and collaborative space abound, boosts productivity and often encourages employees and users to stay longer.
Everyone should enjoy the space where they earn or learn, according to Aled Roberts, director at architect Roberts Limbrick. "After two years of staying at home more than ever before, we’re seeing a new generation of commercial buildings, designed to tempt people away from the comfort of their houses. Whether it’s beautiful buildings, collaborative spaces, or state-of-the-art technology, people are expecting more from the places they use to work or study.
“At Roberts Limbrick, we've updated our own offices since the start of the pandemic to create a more sociable atmosphere with a variety of spaces for everyone to work. This is a trend we’re seeing more of as companies realise that a great space can boost wellness, morale and productivity.”
The commercial buildings on this list cover everything from city centre research centres to countryside offices, showing the amazing variety this region has to offer.
are investing in their office buildings to encourage collaboration and boost staff morale – and you no longer have to bring your own plantThis former Victorian warehouse has won an award for its sympathetic refurbishment by Roberts Limbrick architects, which has created a vibrant town-centre space inside and out
This building won the RIBA South West Award 2022 and RIBA South West Project Architect of the Year Award 2022
The brief called for interaction between
The conversion of the former monastic storage rooms into the new Undercroft Learning Centre at Worcester Cathedral provides an innovative and versatile venue for the whole community.
departments and spaces which promoted collaboration between students, staff and visitors in order to more closely reflect how modern engineering, research and problem-solving are tackled in industry.
This year, food innovation company Green Gourmet became a certified Great Place to Work. We can see why.
The Engine Shed opened in 2015 after a £1.7 million investment to transform Brunel’s original station at Temple Meads and it’s still a cool space to work seven years on. Next door is the Boxworks, built out of shipping containers which offers 20 private studios – each suitable for up to six people.
Labouring away in your office and you’ll smell the fresh Oxfordshire countryside air wafting through the window. And as this business centre is fitted out with the latest technology, you won’t miss the city.
During the Second World War, Slade Farm – now home to Kirtlington Business Centre – was an RAF airfield specialising in aircraft repairs. Now it’s home to a dozen or more businesses.
Royal Worcester porcelain was established as in 1751, but the world-renowned manufacturer finally closed its doors in the city in 2009. The Royal Porcelain Works is now owned by the Bransford Trust and has undergone a multi-million-pound redevelopment offering event space and offices. It first opened in June 2018 with phase one, featuring the Henry Sandon Hall. The 1852 showroom is at the heart of the development, refurbished to become a 140-seat capacity multi-use arts and entertainment venue.
“The 1852 showroom is at the heart of the development, refurbished to become a 140-seat capacity multi-use arts and entertainment venue
The Clore Music Studios at New College, University of Oxford intelligently squeezes bespoke performance spaces into Oxford’s conservation area. The building, designed by John McAslan + Partners, was a national award-winner in the 2021 Royal Institute of British Architects Awards for Architecture.
Last year, the Professor Lord Bhattacharyya building, home to the National Automotive Innovation Centre, scooped the National Royal Institute of British Architects award. The NAIC is a partnership between Warwick Manufacturing Group at the University of Warwick, Jaguar Land Rover, and Tata Motors. It’s home to up to 1,000 staff working across design, engineering and research, as well as future engineers on degree programmes.
An office in a castle, with a gym, recording studio and cinema. Why would you ever want to go home? Perhaps staff at cyber security company Core to Cloud don’t.
The castle, on Cecily Hill in Cirencester, was built as a military barracks in the 1850s. It’s now Grade II listed, but that didn’t stop celebrated interior designer and “maximalist” Laurence Llewelyn -Bowen putting his unique stamp on the building in 2017 when a previous occupier invited him to undertake a £3 million renovation of the building.
There is anecdotal evidence that some big professional employers are saying adios to their spacious city offices.
They’re not abandoning them completely, but many are considering sizing down to something that will accommodate fewer staff – because with the cost of energy alone, why heat and light a huge office space if only a handful of staff are there at any one time?
“We are in a transition phase,” according to Guy Parkes, partner at commercial property agents Vail Williams. “There isn’t yet a clear trend from office occupiers. It’s more about getting staff engaged back in their workplace, wherever that may be.
“Office occupiers have been using this year to encourage their staff back into that rhythm and are starting to move from a defensive position into a planning phase.”
What is certainly happening is that large firms, which have traditionally occupied thousands of square metres of office space in central city locations, understand that how staff worked pre-pandemic, is not how they want to work in the future.
In August, Somerset MP Jacob Rees-Mogg,
then Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, made headlines after laying out plans to sell off £1.5 billion of government space in central London. He said taxpayers should not have to fork out for half empty buildings.
Other tenants and owners are likely to follow his lead.
But professional firms need to tread carefully. They don’t want to lose valuable staff by forcing them back into the office, equally they realise that collaborative office life boosts camaraderie and productivity –and helps maintain a company culture. It’s just not the same on Teams, Zoom or Slack.
As employees began to return to the office last year, employers said: “Come into the office if you feel you need to. Don’t if you don’t want to. It’s up to you”.
Many companies felt they had to offer flexibility in a tight job market, but employees are also realising they may need to be in the office more to ensure visibility to employers.
Few company bosses will admit this, but the expectation is that those who want promotion will return to the office. Employees who aren’t in every day could miss out on the corporate culture and real-time contribution to decisions and actions.
Some companies are starting to mandate at least three days in the office. A common suggestion is that they come to work on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday so work can be done together. Mondays and Friday can be for report writing or reflection time.
What does this mean for office real estate?
Guy Parkes at Vail Williams says that he expects companies to adopt a “hub and spoke” approach, although it hasn’t happened quite yet.
“When a tenant’s lease in London or another big city ends, it is possible they will look at a smaller hub space in London and grow their regional spokes to be closer to residential areas.”
That means that staff can work from wherever they are most efficient. If a workplace isn’t accessible, they can work from home, or serviced offices.
Are you fed up working from home but don’t want the hassle of heading into the big cities to work? We look at what’s happening in the work of office realThe Welcome Building, the biggest speculative office building ever built in Bristol city centre. Its auditorium, gym and wellness suite are in great demand
There are more boutique serviced offices than ever before. Old hands such as Regus are being joined by edgy new brands such as Work Life, which launched in London in 2015 and is now expanding out into other UK cities.
The Office Group is another company. Founded in 2003 by real estate professionals Olly Olsen and Charlie Green who wanted to convert beautiful buildings, the company now offers more than 50 buildings across the UK and Germany. Most are in London, but the company also offers office space in Bristol.
There are many others, including Yooserv in the Thames Valley, Clockwise in Cheltenham and Bristol, Perch in Bicester and the Wheelhouse in Oxford, Coventry and Cheltenham.
These spaces rely on people not wanting to travel into their main offices, but not wanting to work home alone either, preferring to be part of a community.
Guy thinks it’s likely that these office providers will begin to specialise in sectors – such as serviced offices for professionals, tech or the growing life sciences sector where laboratory space is automatically included.
Many new serviced offices are located centrally. And this could mean a revival of town centres.
Guy said: “Business parks, where many serviced offices have traditionally been located, might be easy to drive to and park, but they can be bland and soulless.
“What people lack working from home is community and amenity. But if their offices are in a town centre, there are coffee shops, other retail, bars and restaurants.
“And that can only be good news for town centre retail and leisure.”
Those views are broadly echoed by Simon Price, senior partner at Bristol-based property consultancy Alder King.
"The pandemic in 2020 was a major shock to the office market. And a number of occupiers thought ‘this is great, because we will never need to go back to the office again; we can just hand in the keys and everybody can work from home.
"But that hasn't proven to be the case and there's been a gradual return. And one of the key features has been a changing style of occupation and work patterns."
Many businesses have implemented hybrid working, with staff coming into the office to collaborate, train and interact with colleagues.
With many employers experiencing a smaller headcount, businesses are looking to downsize from pre-pandemic levels, says Simon.
"What we're particularly seeing at the moment is a flight to quality. Quite a large number of occupiers are deciding that they're going to take less space, but it’s going to be better quality.
Businesses are looking for premises where they can create an attractive work environment for staff and customers –something with the wow factor.
Occupiers are also looking for property that is more environmentally-friendly.
"The corporates are having to report what they are doing to improve the sustainability of their office space," says Simon.
"And rather than wait until the big push for net zero in 2030, what we're finding is a number of occupiers are now saying, 'okay, we're going to take that sustainable step now, and we're going to look to proactively
improve our ESG credentials so that we can start to report that on an annual basis'."
At the top end of the commercial property market this, combined with the general desirability of Bristol, is creating competition for space and driving up asking prices.
"Bristol currently sits at the top of the regional office market rental league, with a recently achieved top end headline rent of £42.50 per sq ft, which puts it above both Manchester and Birmingham.
"And that's partly because Bristol is leading the way in terms of the delivery of that more sustainable, environmentally attractive space to occupy."
Commercial property agents are also seeing a drive from out-of-town business parks to city centre locations.
"When the pandemic first hit, there was a lot of talk about people wanting to get out of ‘unhealthy city centres' and into the green or open spaces that business parks offer," says Simon.
"But that hasn't proven to be the case. What we're seeing, particularly among companies that employ lots of younger people, is that they are actually focusing their interest on city centres because their staff want amenities.
"The best place to get younger employees back into the office and working and socialising together, is the city centre.
"And it's easier to get to by bike or public transport, and there's a growing focus on cycling-related amenities like showers, lockers and secure cycle parking.
"A good example of this is the Welcome Building – the biggest speculative office building ever built in Bristol city centre.
"Pre-Covid it proposed dozens and dozens of car parking spaces. Now it's got 19 car parking spaces in the basement and hundreds and hundreds of cycle spaces."
"It's also being constructed with a focus on sustainability – so it will have an EPC A energy rating and will be BREEAM outstanding. There's an auditorium, gym and a wellness suite, and there's a lot of demand for it."
Developer Robert Hitchins has handed over the keys for a new store to MKM Building Supplies in Kingsway Park, Gloucester.
The company is the UK’s largest independent builders’ merchant.
Michael Plimmer, Senior Development Manager for Robert Hitchins, said: “We started discussions with MKM about our site in Kingsway in 2021. They had a requirement for Gloucester and it felt like Kingsway was an ideal fit to serve the south of the city, situated just off the A38 with direct access to thousands of new homes and alongside complementary retailers.
“Having worked closely with their property team over the last 12 months, we have been able to design and obtain planning for a facility that meets their exact requirements and we are really pleased that our contractor EG Carter has been able to deliver this 20,000 sq ft building for us, not just on budget but also ahead of time.
“It has been a really successful development and we wish MKM Building Supplies every success.”
The branch, in Newhaven Road, is due to open this month.
Branch Director for MKM, Charles McArthur, said: “Robert Hitchins and EG Carter have developed a wonderful new branch for us to build a business. Our property team are carrying out the shop fitting which includes a kitchen and bathroom showroom and landscaping display.
Mark Harries, Associate Director for EG Carter, said: “The project has been a true collaboration of all parties from the outset, which was completed to budget and under programme.”
The arrival of MKM on a 20-year lease marks the completion of the Kingsway Business Park which forms part of a major mixed-use scheme on the site of the former 340-acre RAF Quedgeley.
The government has revealed that the A417 ‘Missing Link’ infrastructure project between Cirencester and Gloucester is one of 86 priority projects it aims to accelerate, aiming to get the vast majority starting construction by the end of 2023.
The A417 Air Balloon Missing Link Project is a £435 million project to build
a new 3.4 mile dual carriageway linking the M4 and the M5.
The A417 running between Gloucester, Cirencester and Swindon, is a regular bottleneck and causes sometimes hours of delays. It has been described for years as one of the worst pinch-points on the national road network.
Real estate investment trust Picton has bought 109-117 High Street, Cheltenham for £5.3 million, which sits next to John Lewis.
The mixed-use property comprises 7,700 sq ft of ground floor retail space with 11,450 sq ft of office space over two upper floors, and is located in Cheltenham’s pedestrianised town centre.
Michael Morris, Chief Executive of Picton, said: “This is our second, mixed use acquisition this year. It is a quality, future-proofed building, that has recently been leased and after significant expenditure. The income profile and fixed rental uplifts will further improve our earnings.”
Commercial property agents Christie & Co has sold Ross Road Garage on the A40 in Huntley, Gloucester
The successful new owners, Dasitha Gamage and Janaka Watowita were drawn to the opportunity due to the large plot size and development potential.
They said: “We have many years of experience operating retail stores in the UK and we were keeping an eye out for an opportunity to acquire our first freehold forecourt business for over 10 years.
“We have several plans to develop this handy site into a modern-day forecourt and convenience store and we are excited at the prospect of working with one of the national fuel brands and symbol groups to bring these plans to life.”
Construction of a speculative industrial warehouse has started at Horizon38, the landmark regeneration and employment scheme in Filton, north Bristol.
Biotech firm Vectura, which specialises in inhaled drug developments, has been granted planning permission for its new 10,000 sq m facility in Bristol – an Inhalation Centre of Excellence.
The Chippenham-based company, which makes medical inhalers, hit the headlines earlier this year when it was acquired by tobacco giant Philip Morris in a £1 billion deal.
The new £58 million building at Bristol & Bath Science Park, which is anticipated to complete in 2025, will enable Vectura to expand its operations, and provide new career opportunities for research and development scientists and engineers in pharmaceutical and device development, as well as in manufacturing and laboratory services.
Michael Austwick, CEO Vectura, said:
“We are delighted that our plans to build a world-leading science facility have been approved by South Gloucestershire Council.
“The new-build will enable our already successful pharmaceutical company to continue its vital work, providing innovative inhalation and other advanced drug delivery solutions that have the potential to improve the lives of patients and consumers around the world.
“For nearly 25 years, Vectura has been providing formulation science, device technology and pharmaceutical development expertise, helping our partners and licensees develop products which are used by 10 million patients worldwide. This new facility will help us to build on this successful track record, increasing workspace capacity and attracting talent to the area.”
Unit G5, a 115,600 sq ft unit is being developed by St Francis Group and ALMCOR at Horizon38. Avison Young and JLL have been appointed to market the new space at a time when there is unprecedented demand for Grade A logistics and distribution space and a critical lack of available stock. It is the largest new build logistics unit available in north Bristol.
Horizon38 is the flagship 60-acre employment scheme being developed in Filton, on the site of the former Rolls Royce East Works alongside the A38, and accommodating over 1.3m sq ft of commercial space.
The new building, which will be ready for occupation in April, is being constructed by Warwickbased MCS Group.
Take-up in Bristol totalling 378,000 sq ft was the second highest first-half take-up since 2008, according to property consultancy Savill’s.
This was 71 per cent above the total first half of 2021 and represented a significant 50 per cent increase on the five-year
first half year average, said the surveyor.
Grade A take-up accounted for 41 per cent of the first quarter’s take-up. This represented a much larger Grade A proportion than the five-year first half average of 23 per cent.
This included the 24,000 sq ft acquisition by Pax8 at No 2 The Distillery and the
23,000 sq ft letting to Deloitte at Halo.
Supply currently stands at 770,000 sq ft. This equates to just 1.3 years of supply, and with Savills regarding anything under two years as an undersupply, availability within the Bristol city centre market remains extremely limited.
International investment management firm Brookfield has launched ARC (Advanced Research Clusters) Oxford previously known as Oxford Business Park.
With demand for lab space in Oxfordshire reaching almost 860,000 sq ft, ARC Oxford wants to build new science-ready space.
Brookfield, which also manages Harwell Campus, is set to invest more than £1 billion into Oxfordshire by 2030. Plans being considered could see the current 514,000 sq ft Oxford City space double
as it brings new laboratories, cleanrooms, offices and R&D facilities to the campus.
Dan Williams, Director of Asset Management at ARC Oxford, said: “Oxford has a thriving innovation ecosystem, however science-ready space is in short supply across the city.
“We’ve been working in partnership with our members to understand their needs, so that we can invest and build flexible research and development space on a speculative or pre-committed basis.”
Commercial property investor and developer Mantle Estates, advised by Carter Jonas and Savills, has secured three new tenants, comprising a total of 12,000 sq ft at The Lambourn building on Abingdon Business Park.
Retail fit-out specialist umdasch The Store Makers has agreed a 10-year lease on the 6,600 sq ft of space in ground-floor east wing.
Education provider Navitas UK Holdings
Private equity real estate investor Paloma Capital and Warwickshire-based real estate developer, Graftongate, have secured three new planning consents at a logistics location in Oxfordshire.
The joint venture partners will develop a drive-through Starbucks, new electric vehicle charging facility, and surface-level car park on a site off Southam Road in Banbury.
The property is located near Junction 11 of the M40 next to a recently refurbished 200,000 sq ft warehouse, let to Amazon.
Graftongate will develop a new 2,200 sq ft drive-through on a 0.85 acre site fronting Ruscote Avenue that will trade as Starbucks for a minimum term of 15 years.
A new 156 EV van charging station will be developed on an adjoining four-acre site. Both sites are owned by Paloma Capital.
Limited has agreed to lease around 3,400 sq ft on the first-floor east wing on a fiveyear lease.
And electric vehicle charge point manufacturer Compleo Charging Solutions has agreed a five-year lease, extending to approximately 2,000 sq ft of space.
Hertfordshire-based commercial property investor and developer Mantle Estates acquired The Lambourn Building in 2019.
The third development will see the demolition of a redundant, former office building owned by Jacobs Douwe Egberts to make way for a new 215-space surface-level car park, serving employees from its Banbury coffee factory. On completion of the new facility, Jacobs Douwe Egberts existing car park will be let to and occupied by Starbucks and a multinational technology company.
Work on all three projects is expected to be completed by Spring next year.
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