West & North Yorkshire Business: Q3 2017

West & North

Business Yorkshire

Q3 2017

FEATURES

Driven by local talent

Gordons LLP makes the case for customer care Janet Street-Porter lets off steam at National Railway Museum Grand ambitions for new restaurant

ARTICLES

Brexit means business Entrepreneur begins adventure

West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce British Chambers of Commerce Accredited

CONNECTING, SUPPORTING & REPRESENTING BUSINESS

Connect worldwide from Leeds Bradford Airport Fly to London Heathrow up to 3 times daily

West & North Yorkshire Business

Q3

WELCOME 3

The adventure begins We are extremely fortunate that business people give their time and expertise to the Chamber Leadership Groups in Bradford, Leeds and York & North Yorkshire to influence decision-making and help not just other companies but also the places in which they work. All three Presidents have completed their two-year roles, having been very active in giving a voice to the concerns of members. You’ll find their reviews of the experience in this issue.

The team established to help people creating high-growth business, called AD:VENTURE, is busy supporting businesses across West and North Yorkshire. We feature one of their early successes in a case study.

Sandy Needham Chief Executive West & North Yorkshire Chamber

The policy and representation team have been gathering views on what the Government should focus on, including the priorities for the Brexit discussions. Cyber-crime is a major concern and you’ll find guidance in this magazine. Elsewhere we will also be looking at getting ready for the new EU General Data Protection Law that will come in May 2018. It has some serious implications for all kinds of companies (regardless of Brexit), so events and guidance will be offered to members.

Lastly, I’d like to congratulate Geraldine Howley of Incommunities on being awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list. Anyone who knows Geraldine will be aware of how well she has led Incommunities, not just in providing homes, but in giving opportunities to residents. She is also a leading light in the housing world nationally and has spoken at international conferences too. editor@yorkshire-business.co.uk / 08455 240 240

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West & North Yorkshire Business

4 CONTACTS EDITORIAL editor@yorkshire-business.co.uk DESIGN design@yorkshire-business.co.uk ADVERTISING advertising@yorkshire-business.co.uk SUBSCRIPTIONS subscriptions@yorkshire-business.co.uk GENERAL hello@yorkshire-business.co.uk WEBSITE yorkshire-business.co.uk TWITTER @WNYorkshire_Biz

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MEMBERS NEWS News from Bradford, Leeds, York and North Yorkshire

12 14 18 19 20 22 23 24 25 26 30

REGIONAL NEWS News from across the region

FEATURE Virgin Trains

TRANSPORT On the buses

REPRESENTATION Getting a good deal

BREXIT A plan for business

CHARITY

West & North Yorkshire Business is a quarterly business magazine produced by the West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce. The audience for this publication is comprised of a targeted audience of the major decision makers and senior executives across both the Yorkshire region and the wider UK business community. © 2017 West & North Yorkshire Business - No Part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any form of advertising or promotion without the express permission of the editorial team.

West & North Yorkshire Business has taken all reasonable care to ensure that the information contained in this magazine is accurate on the date of publication.

This magazine is published by the West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce.

Printed by Hart & Clough www.hartandclough.co.uk The Chamber group includes Chamber International, Business Enterprise Fund and West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce.

West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce British Chambers of Commerce Accredited

Money for good causes

CYBER-CRIME Prevent or you’ll wannacry

QES SUMMARY Overview of the latest results

BCC COMMENTARY Growth forecast slows

PROFILE Gordons LLP

INTERNATIONAL CASE STUDY

32 36

Pecan Deluxe

INTERNATIONAL Being clinical in China

LIFESTYLE Service and style on The Rise

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EXECUTIVE INSIGHT

44 47 49 50 55 56

Made in Yorkshire, enjoyed all over the world

FINANCE CASE STUDY Custom Controllers

FINANCE Allegro gets up to speed

PROFILE Portakabin

PROPERTY CASE STUDY Engineering expansion

CASE STUDY AD:VENTURE

ANNUAL DINNER

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York & North Yorkshire Chamber

RAISING THE BAR

60

Ucan Recycling remember their roots

PROFILE

56 56 64

Hungate continues its educational endeavours

PROFILE HSBC Commercial Banking

PROFILE Saville AV

EVENTS ROUND UP

66

Photographs of last quarters’ events

EVENTS Networking, training and business lunches

West & North Yorkshire Business

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CONTENTS 5

Platform for success Steering customer care in a new direction

40

50 Australian TV show spurs export growth

44 Motoring on

New premises for expanding online sales

Loan is a game changer

36

Splendid service

26 The case for customer care

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West & North Yorkshire Business

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BRADFORD NEWS

The future’s bright Given the quite extraordinary series of shifts we have seen in the national and international political agendas, it is striking just how resilient the domestic SME sector has been. At a recent leadership group meeting we had a temperature check on the state of business. Overall it was pretty positive stuff, with the one common low light being recruitment issues – a hardy perennial that the Chamber has consistently lobbied on.

Whether it is manufacturing, legal services or the digital sector it seems a crying shame that opportunities for new, skilled jobs and increased shared prosperity are being held back.

From my perspective, the past two years as President of Bradford Chamber have been most striking in the emergence of some fundamental opportunities and issues for a rapidly growing, diverse and youthful city. Right now, the campaign for a high speed station (‘Next Stop Bradford’), as part of the Northern Powerhouse Rail project, seems the most obvious of these. Whatever the final outcome, the good progress we have made thus far has been an excellent example of what can be achieved when local politicians, stakeholders and the business community all come together to support an issue that could have massive long-term regeneration potential, not just for Bradford but also the wider region.

Andy Caton President, Bradford Chamber

Inspiring scientists Airedale Chemical is celebrating 25 years with the launch of a new partnership with one of its local primary schools in Cross Hills.

Pupils from Sutton-in-Craven Community Primary School will have their science lessons brought to life with a day of experiments. Laboratory Technician, Madeleine Lofthouse, kicked off the partnership with a visit to year four pupils who are studying ‘living things’ as part of the national science curriculum.

Madeleine explained how she began a career in science, took questions from the youngsters about what it is like working in chemistry and encouraged pupils to consider following STEM subjects later in their academic life.

Stepping up on CSR

Turning on the heat

Award-winning Ilkley-based Approach PR is celebrating its sixteenth year in business by donating time and expertise to charitable causes.

Directors and employees at Keighley Laboratories Limited are celebrating the successful results of two audits in recent weeks.

The six-strong team has been given 16 hours each to volunteer for an organisation of their choice as part of the consultancy’s corporate social responsibility commitment. Suzanne Watson, Managing Director of Approach PR, will be helping to raise awareness for Ilkley and District Good Neighbours, a charity that improves the lives of the most vulnerable members of the community.

The Heat Treatment Division has achieved the Nadcap (Heat Treating) accreditation for their Nitriding process, to add to the company’s growing list of accreditations and prime approvals. This achievement is important for Keighley Laboratories as it demonstrates their commitment to delivering the highest standards of Heat Treating to the aerospace industry.

West & North Yorkshire Business

Food for thought

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Customers at the award winning Tong Garden Centre have been taking advantage of the latest in a two-year programme of improvements to the site thanks to a refurbished food hall.

With new flooring and butchery fridges, a patisserie counter and improved layouts for the cook shop, it is now a perfect showcase for the regional produce they stock.

The food hall has increased its product ranges and configured new layouts to upgrade the space, improve the shopping experience and attract new customers.

Going, going, gone

Riding high

Sparkling gems

Eddisons’ Bradford-based auctions team has won an international contract to value and dispose of the assets of a Chinese-owned clothing factory in Malta.

The Tour de Yorkshire’s April visit to the region was not the only major cycling event starting in the city during spring.

In mid-May, a keen bunch of amateur riders rode in ‘Packetts’ Tour de Dales Charity Bike Ride’.

Twenty-five young people are celebrating completing the latest learning programme run by Incommunities, aimed at setting them on course to build careers in housing.

Leisure Clothing, which manufactured women’s clothing for a range of high-end high street brands including Emporio Armani, Jaeger, Hobbs and Karen Millen, produced 20,000 garments a month at its Maltese factory and had a turnover of 5 million Euros. Its parent company, Chong Qing-based CICET, is to end production at the facility after almost 30 years of operation.

Assets at the Leisure Clothing production plant include hundreds of industrial sewing machines, pressing equipment, CNC laying-out tables as well as over 5,000 ladies garments, raw material and a fleet of eight vehicles.

Starting from the insurance brokers Saltaire head office, Packetts staff rode to Masham for an overnight stop, riding back to Bradford the following day, thus completing a round trip of nearly 200 miles. Pressing the start button in Saltaire was Bradford City FC legend, John Hendry.

Out in front of the Packets peloton was Marshall Sugden, Managing Director who said: “Last year’s inaugural event attracted 26 riders and raised an incredible £17,540 – that is £730 a rider. As soon as we’d regained our breath we all agreed that we had had such a great time we would repeat it in 2017.”

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A number of students from the Graduate Employment Mentoring (GEM) Programme joined young people from Buttershaw Business and Enterprise College, who had completed a Junior GEM scheme, at an awards presentation in Shipley.

The GEM Programme lasts 12 months and includes paid traineeships with a range of housing associations and Councils in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland as well as Canada and is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Housing.

Since 2009, 97 graduates completing the qualification are now working in the housing sector.

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LEEDS NEWS

Determined and undaunted Being asked to become the President of Leeds Chamber in April 2015 was an unexpected honour and quite a daunting prospect, but it has been an exciting and vastly rewarding role and one I have never regretted accepting.

Despite the outcome of the election throwing up more uncertainty than was necessary, we will continue to make sure all our politicians and civil servants deliver for the benefit of the national economy. In holding decision-makers’ feet to the fire on national issues, we must also continue to press the regional case with vigour and determination. Rebalancing the UK economy, particularly in a post-Brexit world, has never been more important.

We can be optimistic about our future, and although we are facing some headwinds, I know that this part of the world has the ambition and resolve to make Leeds and the wider region a place in which all our people can live, work and have a successful and prosperous future.

We cannot, however, rely on others.

We have to pick up the mantle and state our case and make things happen. Everyone can play a role in that, and by far the best way is through the Chamber, so consider getting involved if you want to make a difference.

Gerald Jennings President, Leeds Chamber

Awards keep coming Roberts Mart & Co Ltd is celebrating international success for its print skills.

At this April’s Flexographic Technical Association (FTA) 2017 Excellence in Flexography Awards in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, Roberts Mart picked up a Silver Award for the print quality of a wrapper designed for Cap’Mundo Artisan Espresso coffee capsules, which the judges described as “a clean print with excellent registration.”

This accolade followed more awards closer to home at the 2017 European Flexographic Industry Association (EFIA) Awards Gala Dinner in Birmingham in March, where the company collected two Golds for ‘Cadbury Dairy Milk Medley’ and ‘Bounty Hot Chocolate 140g Discounter’ in the Best Use of Flexo for Brands and Retailers category.

Building future talent

Crowning glory

International real estate advisor Savills has secured its position as The Times Graduate Employer of Choice for Property for the eleventh consecutive year, a position it has held since the category’s inception in 2007.

Not just one, but five teams from the Customer Services department of HSBC in Leeds took part in Leeds Mencap’s exciting corporate charity challenge.

The awards, which reflect the feedback from face to face interviews with over 20,000 final year students, took place in March, at Kings Place in London, and were presented by Martin Birchall from High Fliers. Savills retained its number one position as The Times Graduate Employer of Choice ahead of competitors JLL and Knight Frank, who were ranked in second and third place respectively.

Team Wright beat teams from their department and several local businesses when they were challenged to take a £50 loan and raise as much money as possible for Leeds Mencap.

The Apprentice champions were visited by the charity’s patron Danny McQuire at their offices as a way of thanking them for their ongoing support of the charity following a Velodrome event and support for the charities capital appeal last year.

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DLA Piper boosts pensions team DLA Piper has announced that Andrew McIlhinney has been promoted to partner and will relocate to the Leeds practice.

Joining him in Leeds will be Simon Evans, who comes to DLA Piper from Eversheds.

Expanding presence KC Communications, the Huddersfield-based Marketing & PR agency has relocated to larger premises in response to its continued growth. The business, which was established in 2014 by Katrina Cliffe, has moved to the newly built business centre, Independence House.

The agency has increased its office space by 900% as it continues to grow its client base and staff numbers. KC’s office space is also undergoing significant refurbishment following investment from the Leeds Enterprise Partnership’s AD:VENTURE funding.

The new office benefits from several private areas while the meeting room also doubles up as a gym.

A south facing roof terrace also serves as a venue for entertaining clients and hosting meetings.

Andrew McIlhinney joined DLA Piper in 2003 and to date has worked alongside UK Head of Pensions, Ben Miller, in the Liverpool office. He has extensive experience of advising both trustees and sponsoring employers of occupational pension schemes on issues such as scheme closures,

Leeds celebrates first Giga-versary The UK’s leading alternative infrastructure provider, CityFibre, celebrated one year since launching Leeds’ Gigabit City. Transforming and bolstering the city’s ultra-fast, pure fibre network, the ‘Giga-versary’ lands just in time for Leeds Digital Festival.

Now extending to 117km of 100 percent full-fibre network, CityFibre has underpinned its success by making Leeds one of the best connected locations in which to do business in the UK, and a worthy contender for the title ‘Digital Hub’ of the Northern Powerhouse.

Alongside its partners, Diva Telecom and Exa Networks, CityFibre has made world-class internet services both accessible and affordable to thousands of large businesses, startups and public services including schools, libraries and hospitals.

benefit redesign, liability management and corporate transactions. Simon qualified as a solicitor in 2000 and has focussed on pensions law since then. He has considerable experience advising businesses and the trustees of their pensions schemes on a broad range of pensions-related matters.

Architect plans growth National planning consultancy Pegasus Group have hired architectural technology specialist James Wilson to strengthen its growing team.

The appointment is in response to the increasing success of the design division and will complement the team of over 50 architects, urban designers and master planners.

James previously worked as an architectural technologist for Prestige Homes working across a variety of commercial and housing projects from the planning stages and through the construction process.

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YORK & NORTH YORKSHIRE NEWS

Turbulent times I can’t believe it’s two years since I became President and what an honour it’s been for me! I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time and have met many fascinating people along the way.

It has certainly been a turbulent couple of years, what with Brexit, another election and President Trump. The UK economy has remained robust, weathering both unpredictable times and harbingers of doom.

The value of Sterling remains a concern, causing inflation to rear its ugly head. Following the election, Brexit negotiations began - let’s hope the politicians listen to the voice of business, apply some much needed common sense and we have a soft Brexit.

Once my role is over, I’m also standing down from the Chamber board and retiring completely although I do intend to do some charity work. Life has been good to me so it will be nice to try and put a bit back.

In closing, I would like to thank my fellow Presidents and directors on the board, members of our Leadership Group, our esteemed Chief Executive, Sandy Needham.

A great big heartfelt thank you to Susie Cawood for her support, patience and sense of humour!

My successor, Bridget Davies, will be a fabulous President and I wish her the very best in the role which I know she will relish, her appointment is thoroughly deserved!

Ed Everard President, York & North Yorkshire Chamber

Waste not, want not York-based Autohorn Group has invested in ASL Environmental, a £2.7 million waste management company based in Bristol, as part of its on-going ambition to expand its business portfolio.

The investment in ASL Environmental follows on from the Autohorn Group establishing a national waste management business in 2015, bringing 40 new jobs to the city has grown to a turnover of £3.4 million. The investment in ASL Environmental marks the Group’s intention to reinvest in the waste and recycling industry.

Marathon Dan

Digital advantage

York business owner Dan Taylor raised money for Cancer Research UK at this year’s London Marathon after having his stomach totally removed to prevent developing aggressive stomach cancer.

A £1.6 million project to help businesses in North Yorkshire enhance their use of digital technology is being launched.

Dan, founder of web development company See Green said: “I had always wanted to run a marathon, but after the life-changing operation, I couldn’t imagine myself being in good enough shape. But a year after the surgery I started exercising, and gradually began to feel I might be able to manage longer runs.”

CU Scarborough, part of the Coventry University Group, is launching a Digital Advantage project which will deliver digital technology workshops and oneto-one support to 150 SMEs across the county. Support will cover the use of new digital and mobile technologies.

Grants of up to £5,000 will also be available for SMEs to fund external expertise to help address digital issues unique to the business.

Vöost boost

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Premium Australian vitamin brand VÖOST has selected York digital marketing agency Tailor Made Media to help build its UK market share.

Part of the Australian Vitaminhaus brand, the team is looking to attract a share of a growing UK market and has chosen Tailor Made Media to run its UK digital marketing activity through 2017.

Tailor Made Media is a young and fast growing digital marketing agency, based at York Science Park, providing website, branding, digital marketing and lead generation services to clients across the UK and overseas.

Tailor Made Media specialise in the construction, building products, hotel and food and drink sectors.

Two talented young wood machinists at Treske of Thirsk, who recently completed their apprenticeships, attended a special graduation ceremony in York.

A cut above

Justin Bartlett, Managing Director of the award-winning furniture designers and manufacturers said: “Both Chris and James are hardworking and talented young men, who are very much part of the Treske family. I am delighted they have been recognised in this way.”

Law firm relocation

Plasmor gets the bug

Forsyth House, an office building at Monks Cross, York, has been sold by Flanagan James Property Consultants, on behalf of undisclosed private investors.

Plasmor, the Yorkshire-based manufacturer and supplier of concrete products, has helped the pioneering Three Hagges Wood-Meadow by providing money to buy a golf buggy.

The high quality detached office unit has been acquired by Rollits LLP Solicitors to facilitate the relocation of their York office from Rowntrees Wharfe.

Rosalind Forbes Adam, Chair of Hagges Woods Trust said: “We are incredibly grateful to Plasmor. The buggy makes the riches of our native wildlife familiar and accessible to people of all ages and abilities.”

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Hunters in fundraiser Three public-spirited York businesses have thrown their weight behind a major charity event that raises thousands of pounds for cancer awareness and research.

Hunters Estate Agents, home care experts Riccall Care and sports player management agency i2i Sports Ltd all sponsored R U Taking the P?, the annual run that took place in Rowntree Park on Father’s Day. The males-only race made more than £7,000 for prostate cancer research, conducted by Professor Norman Maitland at the University of York, and the same again for York Against Cancer’s work in cancer care, education and research.

The three businesses have each given £250 towards this year’s 5k and had their logos proudly emblazoned on participants’ shirts on the day of the event.

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WEST & NORTH YORKSHIRE

Stepping up lobbying In last quarter’s issue, I referred to the world’s uncertainties, adding that there is a ‘real buzz around the county’. Well, that uncertainty has not been quelled since the election, despite the best intentions of the Prime Minister.

How she must be kicking herself for what now seems a selfindulgent act to call a snap election in the pursuit of the now ridiculed phrase, ‘strong and stable leadership’!

It seems trite to say that business will carry on as usual despite the embarrassing and awkward situation in which the government and the country now finds itself, yet this is exactly what we must do. The lobbying goes on to ensure that our members’ views are heard and, if anything it steps up a gear.

The Chamber now has its own Brexit Advisory Group, chaired by Andrew Latchmore of Shulmans.

The group met recently with British Chambers of Commerce staff to ensure that views and concerns are fully aired and that we are all singing from the same hymn-sheet.

The Chamber continues to provide services to business and strives to ensure that we will be able to meet your needs in the years to come. If there is a service you feel that is not available, contact the Chamber to speak to us – we will see what we can do.

Stephen Wright Chairman, West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce

Seeing double Leeds-based executive search business, Hudson James Human Capital, has acquired a boutique senior appointments competitor, Vitae Selection, for an undisclosed sum – creating one of the largest consumer recruiters in the North.

Established in 2008, Vitae Selection specialises in consumer, packaging, ingredients and energy sector appointments in the UK and international markets.

The acquisition will see Hudson James Human Capital Group double in both turnover and headcount, growing to a team of 22.

Innovation rewarded Simon steps up A Leeds school has earned a national accolade for its innovative approach to sustainable travel.

Andrew Jones, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Transport, presented the 2017 National STARS School Travel Awards at the Houses of Parliament.

The Grammar School at Leeds (GSAL) won the National STARS Secondary School of the Year award, in recognition of a 9% reduction in car use following the introduction of their in-house bus service that transports pupils within a 30-mile radius of the school.

BT has appointed a new senior executive, Simon Yellowley, to head up its public sector business in the North of England and implement a new strategic direction to increase local presence.

Simon has worked at BT for 19 years, in which time he has built up a wealth of experience in BT’s public sector business – working on everything from consultancy to major deals and sales management.

He will lead a team of 20, with a strategic focus on building local relationships with customers in the North of England such as local authorities, local NHS organisations, universities and housing associations.

West & North Yorkshire Business

Batting for Yorkshire

York-based property agent Croft Residential is supporting Yorkshire County Cricket Club with the sponsorship of two of its star players.

The firm, which specialises in selling luxury properties in Yorkshire and across the North of England, is sponsoring opening batsman Alex Lees and up and coming fast bowler Matt Fisher, who also captained the England Under-19 team on its tour of India at the start of the year.

Croft Residential Director, Toby Cockcroft said: “As a keen amateur cricketer in the North Yorkshire leagues, I’m passionate about supporting the up and coming stars at a county level.”

Rail vision signals new era for Halifax The Leeds office of global professional services and engineering consultancy WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff has been appointed by Calderdale Council to take forward plans to deliver the ‘Halifax Station Gateway’.

The company will set out a strategic programme to deliver the existing station master-plan and improve connectivity for the town centre which is currently undergoing a multi-million-pound transformation.

WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff will conduct a feasibility design and business case appraisal for the remodelling and regeneration of the station and surrounding public realm and will be working with design architects BDP and C Spencer Ltd.

£6 billion of lending for SMEs CYBG PLC, the owner of Clydesdale and Yorkshire Banks, is making a minimum of £6 billion of lending available to help fuel the growth of small and medium-sized businesses in the UK. The Bank’s long-term commitment to lending includes: • £1 billion available to support the day-to-day finance needs of SMEs • £350 million targeted at providing facilities for medium sized businesses seeking funding for growth

Barclays boosts expansion Hull-based business, Rob Hatfield Limited, has announced expansion plans with investment in a new warehouse and new financing solutions from Barclays.

The business specialises in haulage, transport and storage and the new funding has supported the launch of a new state of the art warehouse, increasing the storage space and which is excellently located for the port.

The company was set up in 1990 and now employs 45 staff locally, and turnover is expected to exceed £5 million this year.

• Up to £200 million in lending available to SMEs in the agriculture sector supporting the UK’s rural economies • £650 million available to support our other key areas that provide credit for major property purchases, financial services and the UK’s industrial base.

The commitment comes as research conducted on behalf of CYBG suggests that 35% of SMEs continue to find accessing finance from banks a challenge.

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Iconic brand gets local investment Virgin Trains is going places, and with West & North Yorkshire as its biggest and, in their words, primary market, the region should expect some exciting developments to an already vastly improved network.

Spearheading the customer experience on the muchimproved East Coast Main Line are customer relations managers, Natasha Wilding and Claire Ansley. With both Natasha and Claire growing up in the county, they are passionate about the work being done and the exciting developments ahead.

Claire Ansley, General Manager for the North at Virgin Trains, spoke of her excitement.

“I think for Yorkshire and particularly York this is an incredibly exciting time.

The enormity of changes is revolutionising the network which is invigorating to see come to life. From technological improvements to new services, there are so many things for customers to look forward to.”

Natasha Wilding, Virgin Trains General Manager for the Central region primarily oversees the Leeds team, as well as Wakefield, Doncaster, Retford and Newark stations.

“I have a large team of management that work for me,

and we have responsibility for all the on-train and station activities. I joined the team at Virgin Trains in January 2017, and I am excited to bring nearly 30 years of experience in the rail sector to Virgin.

Already some way into a journey started in March 2015, the first thing Virgin Trains did differently was – as you might expect from a Virgin company – add a splash of red paint to the exterior of the trains.

However, their approach has been much more than just a lick of paint and adding their iconic brand to the trains, stations and marketing material. With £50 million of investment in the first two years already under their belt, the company has committed to a further £140 million in the franchise over the course of the next eight years. A key component of their continued investment is the inclusion of 65 new Azuma trains from 2018 which will replace the old fleet of diesel and electric vehicles inherited on the takeover of the franchise.

West & North Yorkshire Business

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FEATURE 15

“I think for Yorkshire and particularly York this is an incredibly exciting time.

The enormity of changes is revolutionising the network which is invigorating to see come to life.

From technological improvements to new services, there are so many things for customers to look forward to.�

Clare Ansley General Manager for the North Virgin Trains East Coast

All aboard the customer journey

West & North Yorkshire Business

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FEATURE 17 Implementation of the new fleet is something Natasha is particularly excited about.

“What I am most looking forward to seeing is our new fleet of Azuma trains, and with the first arriving in September, I feel it will be a truly transformative time for the company and something passengers will immediately reap the benefits of. However, we knew our customers wanted a better experience right away and three years was far too long to wait, so we invested £21 million into the refurbishment of the interior of our current fleet.

Part of the upgrades that our passengers have been responding positively to is our new on board entertainment system Beam. It offers something truly unique, with hours of entertainment for the whole family completely free.”

“On board food offerings are now something that I am proud of. The inclusion of local produce is something I am particularly glad to see as the region has such an enviable array of producers.”

Natasha Wilding Virgin Trains General Manager Virgin Trains East Coast

Another part of the £140 million investment plan, Virgin Trains announced back in May that customers can take advantage of even more trains on its East Coast route with more affordable fares on those services. As part of the growth, Virgin confirmed that 22 additional Saturday services would run from stations including Leeds, Wakefield, Doncaster, Peterborough, and Grantham.

The new timetable means there will be an extra 600,000 seats available compared to a year ago.

Improvements made to the timetable include introducing a half hourly service to/from London, six days per week, for the first time on this route.

These latest changes increase the number of seats by 410,000, representing a significant investment in services.

One such improvement was the acquisition of Yorkshire’s own James Martin as Executive Chef.

James has implemented a new seasonal menu that proudly showcases fresh, local flavours and champion producers on the train operator’s route.

Breakfast, casual dining and, on selected services, evening meals are all set to be reinvigorated by James’ distinctive flair. For breakfast, James has created an exclusive range of jams produced by Yorkshire-based The Fruity Kitchen. This is something both Claire and Natasha are keen to talk about the benefits this will have on the overall journey and experience.

For Natasha, it is refreshing to see something that is so often overlooked in the sector given this level of consideration.

“On board food offerings are now something that I am proud to talk about, and something customers have also been commenting on. The mere inclusion of local produce is something I am particularly glad to see as the region has such an enviable array of producers.”

For Claire, it just further cements Virgin Trains commitment to the overall experience.

“This is just another step in Virgin Trains journey of improving each element of our customers’ experience when they travel with us. It is something that we will continue to develop and having James on board is truly exciting.”

With record levels of investment and a keen eye on the customer experience, Virgin Trains setting the benchmark to which others will aspire.

For more information on train timetables and services visit www.virgintrainseastcoast.com

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West & North Yorkshire Business

18 TRANSPORT

Keeping the region

on the move Initiatives aimed at keeping West & North Yorkshire on the move were presented to Chamber’s Property Forum in Leeds.

A panel of specialists outlined a few specific projects and the impact they can have on the business community and the economy generally.

As well as seeking funding for the dualling of York’s outer ring road ((A1237), improvements to York station, the cycle network and park-and-ride are also planned. An East Leeds Orbital Road (connecting the outer ring road at the A58 with the M1 near Thorpe Park), Aire Valley Enterprise Zone park-and-ride, and airport link road are among the schemes in the pipeline for that city. Station improvements (including the possibility of a new one), Tong Street anti-congestion scheme, and improvements around Keighley are all in line for the Bradford District.

The ‘West Yorkshire Plus’ Transport Fund currently has 31 listed projects as part of its £1 billion package to deliver more capacity and economic output, some of which can be found at the WYCA website www.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/wytf. As was pointed out at the forum, travel is not bound by local authority areas, so many of WYCA’s transport schemes do not stop at council boundaries. Schemes to better connect Bradford and Leeds, for example, plus the other urban areas in our patch, are in WYCA’s sights.

Jeff Pearey of JLL, who chairs Leeds Property Forum, said: “We organised this latest Property Forum at the request of members who felt that, despite reading quite a lot in the media about planned transport improvements across our region, they needed to know more detail. We invited a panel of experts from Transport for the North and WYCA plus senior council officers from York, Leeds and Bradford to discuss their ambitions for the future of

transport in our region. Property is all about location, however it’s also about connectivity and accessibility by workforce. Transport therefore is fundamental to the success of this region’s property market.”

While many of our businesses may think of road capacity and speed as the priority for them, bus and rail also featured in the event. WYCA wants to see more partnership working between operators to make bus use easier and to reduce emissions.

With rail, Northern has had to meet a 37% increase in peak-time capacity into Leeds, adding 280 new carriages plus several refurbishments. Trans-Pennine Express has increased capacity by 66% with six trains per hour between Leeds and Manchester.

Eamonn Keogh for York Property Forum added: “It was good to hear from the bodies charged with keeping traffic moving in York & North Yorkshire. Our area is enjoying success on many fronts, with one of the best connected rail stations in the country that is ideally placed to benefit from HS2 and HS3. However, these significant opportunities’ must be supported by other transport infrastructure schemes that address congestion in the city centre, and on the northern ring road and support the move to low emission modes of transport if the city is to enjoy continuing success. We recognise that infrastructure schemes take time but we’ll be pushing for delivery as much as we can.”

Allan Booth of Bradford Property Forum said: “There are always some influential people at the Chamber’s Property Forums so, as well as receiving some interesting information on the planned transport improvements, it’s good that those people hear direct from businesses as well about the issues affecting them.

That way, the forums become more than just networking groups, they become part and parcel of the lobbying activities and policy-making procedure that makes the Chamber such an effective voice of business.”

West & North Yorkshire Business

Q3

REPRESENTATION 19

Give business a

good deal Now that the dust has settled on the general election, and the various claims and counter-claims are put to one side for the time being, businesses will be hoping for a sense of normality (whatever that is) in politics and Parliament.

“There are always influential people at the Chamber’s Property Forums.

It’s good that those people hear direct from businesses about the issues affecting them.

“The forums are more than just networking groups, they are part and parcel of the lobbying activities and policy-making procedure that makes the Chamber such an effective voice of business.”

During the campaign, we stressed, via our business manifesto and other communication platforms, that the election was not just about Brexit and that there needs to be some clear thinking on how to best deliver more growth and productivity in the economy. We set out in that manifesto key themes for the incoming government to address, plus tools by which to deliver success. It is now up to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet to deliver.

Adam Marshall, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, said during the campaign: “The best Brexit deal imaginable would be of little use if business communities continue to face near-record skills shortages, gridlocked roads, poor digital and mobile connectivity, high upfront taxes and costs, and other constraints resulting from inaction or ignorance in Westminster and Whitehall. UK productivity will only improve by supporting businesses from the ground up.”

“UK productivity will only improve by supporting businesses from the ground up.”

He added: “The prospect of higher up-front business costs, more government intervention and perceived indifference toward enterprise and wealth creation would have a chilling effect on firms – at precisely the wrong time. The animal spirits of Britain’s ‘civic businesses’ require a boost, not a knock, in order to play a strong role in navigating the Brexit transition and laying the groundwork for our future success.”

We said in our manifesto that the new government would be judged on a range of measures, but that we wanted the ones below to be the yardstick by which to decide on success.

• Business Environment: Lower costs, higher skills • Local Growth: Unlock business growth across all regions and nations • Infrastructure: Revolutionise physical and digital connectivity • Trade: Stronger practical support alongside trade deals • Brexit: The best possible deal between the UK and the EU. It’s now time to knuckle down and get on with the job that they were elected to do – run the country successfully!

Q3

West & North Yorkshire Business

20 BREXIT

A Brexit plan In autumn 2016 I was asked to chair the Chamber’s Brexit Advisory Group, which gathers the views and concerns of members, ensuring regional business interests are represented in discussions with government. Last year, 55% of Yorkshire’s exported goods went to the EU, compared to the UK average of 47%. So, as we embark upon the journey towards Brexit we must ensure the importance of this trade is not lost or forgotten in negotiations.

“Brexit has if anything had a positive effect on us. With a weaker pound customers who had never purchased from us, within 24 hours of the pound dropping, their deposits were in our account.

“The rest of the world is open for business, and most importantly they want to trade with the UK. That leaves us in an excellent position to negotiate trade deals that are beneficial for us.”

Victoria Hopkins Managing Director Hopkins Catering

The opportunities that Brexit presents must also not be overlooked; we need to take advantage of our strong economy and the improving global economy and secure new trade deals around the world. Our Chamber International team are here to support businesses to reach new customers, assisting with market entry strategies and providing the practical advice and guidance in getting our members’ goods and services to the world.

Our ‘Business Brexit Priorities’ document (produced earlier this year) sets out our priorities in the forthcoming negotiations. They are resolutely practical – focused on ensuring that business communities can continue to trade, invest, flourish and grow. Seven key themes – trade, customs, taxation, regulation, labour market, EU funding, and the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland – are at the top of our agenda. Our most recent International Trade Survey showed that more than one-third of businesses plan on putting even more resources into the European market over the next five years. Another third said they have no plans to change their approach to selling into Europe, and only 4% said they plan to put fewer resources into selling to the region. It is therefore imperative to get the best possible deal from the negotiations, as Europe will remain a key UK market for years to come.

Businesses want the government to prioritise the sequencing for future trade deals as follows: • Secure the EU trade deal on the best terms possible, including grandfathering of existing Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with third countries (with a proviso to revisit later).

• Sign FTAs with large key trade markets (e.g. USA).

• Focus on additional high growth markets.

This is supported by the International Trade Survey results, which show that Europe remains the top priority market for businesses when it comes to future investment, followed by North America, with other regions roughly equal thereafter.

Of course, we recognise that the UK is now in a negotiation with its (soon to be) former EU partners and what we ask for and what we end up with may be two significantly different things, but the Government needs to start the negotiation process knowing what its priorities are and these are our requests.

West & North Yorkshire Business

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BREXIT 21

for business EU funding priorities Developing a new economic development funding system with maximum local autonomy remains important. We need a strong voice for business priorities, and effectiveness in supporting economic growth.

Core principles for this system and the necessary transition should include: • No funding ‘cliff-edge’ for areas in receipt of EU convergence or transition monies.

• No reduction in the overall quantum of funding destined to local and regional growth.

• Greater flexibility for local areas to use funding for local priorities.

• Greater transparency and simplicity in its operation.

• No funding gap for R&D and innovation in transition to new system.

• Alignment with a place-focused industrial strategy.

Maintaining our access to the European Investment Bank As a major European Investment Bank (EIB) shareholder, the UK should look to maintain its access after it leaves the EU. EIB loans are critical for major infrastructure and utilities programmes that support the productivity of business communities across the UK.

Timing Both businesses and financial markets respond well to certainty and badly to uncertainty. The issues being discussed as terms for withdrawal from the EU are immensely complicated and have the potential to be drawn out over several years.

The Government should bear in mind that if the opportunity arises, it may be better for the Government to settle for a reasonable deal that can be agreed in, say, two years rather than holding out for better terms which may take an additional three or four years to negotiate. The damage done to our economy by the uncertainty in the meantime could well exceed any advantage gained by such protracted negotiations.

If you are affected by or concerned about these issues and are not already part of the Chambers’ Brexit Advisory Group, please email either Mark.Goldstone@wnychamber.co.uk or Mike.Cartwright@wnychamber.co.uk.

We welcome members joining the Group. The more hands-on experience we have to call on the better we can represent the businesses of this region.

Andrew Latchmore, Brexit Advisory Group Chair, and Senior Lawyer, Shulmans

“In the hospitality sector, addressing the rights of EU nationals currently working in the UK is a priority. Without EU workers, the sector as it is right now would be crippled, as many businesses rely on European staff.

“There is a large skills shortage within British workers. Colleges, schools and universities need to offer a greater range and an exciting curriculum to engage individuals in this great industry.”

Craig Atchinson Executive Chef The Grand Hotel & Spa

Q3

West & North Yorkshire Business

22 CHARITY

The globally-coordinated ransomware attack on thousands of private and public sector organisations across dozens of countries in May certainly brought cyber-crime into the spotlight.

Annie Keogh, Tracy Calcraft and Ed Everard

Charities thank Chamber for fund-raising York & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce has raised more than £3,000 for its nominated charities The money was raised at the Chamber’s Annual Dinner; and has been handed over to St Leonard’s Hospice in York and Saint Catherine’s Hospice, Scarborough. The charities were chosen by York Chamber President Ed Everard.

Annie Keogh, Corporate Fundraiser for Saint Leonard’s Hospice, said: “We are very grateful to Chamber President Ed Everard for choosing us as a beneficiary. It is rewarding to see the business community come together in this way and a bonus that a fantastic sum of money has been raised. This money will be put to good use providing care for patients and their families, both here at the Hospice, and through our Hospice@Home service. A huge thank you to all members, guests and sponsors.”

Tracy Calcraft, Fundraising and Marketing Director for Saint Catherine’s Hospice continued: “We are enormously grateful for the continued support of the Chamber and its members. The funds raised will enable us to provide services free of charge benefiting local patients and their families across the 1600 square miles we cover.”

Commenting on the handover of the funds, Ed Everard, York & North Yorkshire Chamber President: “York & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce is not simply about business support; it is also about engaging with key partners and organisations to make the best possible contribution that we can to ensure that our region can thrive and prosper. I’m therefore delighted to be able to support Saint Leonard’s and Saint Catherine’s Hospice, as they are both doing tremendous work that is widely welcomed.”

The Chamber is proud to be continuously supporting businesses, charities and other key partners in the region. York Chamber is part of West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, which also covers Bradford and Leeds.

The way these attacks work means that compromises of machines and networks that have already occurred may not yet have been detected and that existing infections from the malware can easily spread.

It is always possible that further cases of ransomware may occur, possibly on a significant scale. Our national focus must, therefore, be on two lines of defence.

The first is to limit the spread and impact of the attacks that have already occurred. Due to broad government and partner efforts, tools are now publicly available to help organisations to do this. This guidance can be found on our homepage – ncsc.gov.uk – under the title Protecting Your Organisation From Ransomware: www.ncsc.gov.uk/ guidance/ransomware-latest-ncscguidance There have been attempts to attack organisations beyond the National Health Service. It is therefore imperative that organisation that believes they may be affected follow and implement this guidance.

NCSC is working with the National Crime Agency to get ahead of cyber-threats and to increase protection against further attacks in the future. The country’s security and law enforcement agencies are working round the clock to protect the public. The Chamber has members that specialise in this area so check the directory or call us for details.

West & North Yorkshire Business

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CYBER-CRIME 23

How to guard against

cyber-crime Guidance

For businesses

Two pieces of guidance are available: one for organisations and one for private individuals and SMEs which can be applied regardless of the age of the software in question. These will be updated as further mitigations become available, with announcements made on Twitter (@ncsc) and elsewhere.

Three simple steps for companies

Secondly, it is possible that a ransomware attack of the type affecting the NHS could recur, though there is no specific evidence. What is certain is that ransomware attacks are some of the most immediately damaging forms of cyber-attack that affects home users, enterprises and governments equally.

However, there are several easy-to-implement defences that considerably reduce the risk of attack and the impact. These simple steps to protect against ransomware should be applied as thoroughly as possible.

1

Keep your organisation’s security software patches up to date

2 Use proper anti-virus software services 3 Most importantly for ransomware, back up data that matters to you, because you can’t be held to ransom for data you hold somewhere else.

For consumers

Home users and small businesses can take the following steps to protect themselves: 1

Run Windows Update

2 Make sure your Anti-Virus product is up-to-date and run a scan – If you don’t have one install a free trial version from a reputable vendor 3 Back up important data – as point 3 above.

This article was produced by the National Cyber-Security Centre

Q3

West & North Yorkshire Business

24 QUARTERLY ECONOMIC RESULTS

75%

Manufacturers CONCERN WITH RAW MATERIALS COSTS

RECRUITING

52%

70%

FULL TIME

41%

18%

DECREASE

Recruitment, looking for staff

INCREASE

UK sales in last quarter

SKILLED TECHNICAL

38%

31%

PROFESSIONAL MANAGERIAL

INCREASE

26%

56%

DECREASE

Recruitment

Export sales

West & North Yorkshire Business

Q3

BCC COMENTARY 25 Growth to slow says Chamber review The British Chambers of Commerce produce a four-page monthly economic review that provides useful statistical information. It is possible that, for some firms, the info may help with planning and preparation, and can be used in conjunction with our own Quarterly Economic Report to assess economic trends.

While BCC’s document contains national data, it can nevertheless be useful to compare with a member company’s own experiences. As well as growth projections, the review contains labour market information, input costs, household savings ratio, UK current account deficit, and a summary chart for the last 12 months.

Data and information from the latest edition include the following: • The UK economy grew by 0.3% in Q1, slower than the 0.7% recorded in Q4. In annual terms, the UK economy grew by 2.1% in Q1, up from the growth of 1.9% recorded in Q4. Economic output is around 8.8% above its pre-recession peak in Q1 2008. The BCC’s growth forecast of 1.4% for 2017 is the weakest since 2012.

• The slowdown reflects a decline in output from consumer-focused industries such as retail sales and accommodation services.

• Rising prices for food, clothing and footwear were the main upward contributors to the increasing inflation rate, now at 2.3%. The trend looks set to continue in coming months.

• Annual earnings growth, excluding bonuses, slowed from 2.4% to 2.2%. Prices are growing at a faster rate than pay growth for the first time since 2014. If this trend continues, it will increase the squeeze on consumer spending, a key driver of UK growth.

• The UK trade deficit widened by £0.7 billion to £3.7 billion. This was driven by a £0.3 billion rise in imports and a £0.4 billion decline in exports.

Trading conditions for UK exporters may improve as weaker sterling, and an improving global economic outlook boosts demand, but the extent of that improvement will be limited by the rising cost of imported goods and raw materials.

The four-page review is available at http://chmbr.co/4t

Years of service rewarded with royal reception Every business has its heroes – and Chambers of Commerce are no exceptions.

The British Chambers of Commerce team recently had the privilege of hosting seven exceptional Chamber employees, who have collectively served Chamber members in their areas for over 233 years, and inviting them as our guests to the Queen’s Garden Party at Buckingham Palace. Tim Bailey of West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce was among that group.

Tim has been with the Chamber for 35 years, yet he continues to deliver top-drawer quality services to importers and exporters, not least of all through innovative digital services. He was also recognised recently on his work, by being made a Fellow of the Institute of Export & International Trade, one of only two fellowships announced this year. The award came as a total surprise to Tim, who had no prior knowledge of the honour to come when he attended a celebratory graduation event supposedly as a guest.

Others to attend the Queen’s Garden Party were: Jennifer Hurley, with South Wales Chamber for 44 years; AnneMarie Hughes, Glasgow Chamber, 33 years; Lisa Wroe, Greater Manchester, 34 years; Jill Smith, North East Chamber, 35 years; Dave Roberts, West Cheshire & North Wales, 25 years; and Wendy Chaplin, Suffolk Chamber, also 25 years.

These are just seven long-serving Chamber heroes. Among the 1,500 people working for accredited Chambers across the UK, there are much more. Year after year, they sustain Chambers as private-sector businesses, operating in an always-complex, always-competitive environment.

And to a person, they are dedicated to making the places they call home better – not just for business, but for the community as a whole. So here’s to the everyday heroes in each accredited Chamber across the land – who help our proud, passionate local and regional business communities grow and thrive.

Pictured: Chamber Chief Executive Sandy Needham at the Queen’s Garden Party as part of a long-serving staff delegation.

Q3

West & North Yorkshire Business

26 PROFILE

People first, lawyers second Gordons partner, Victoria Davey, explains why understanding clients as people sets her law firm apart and sits at the heart of being able to successfully help them achieve their personal and commercial goals.

A better kind of different Yorkshire’s legal marketplace is crowded and highly competitive, so how can firms stand out and attract and retain clients? It’s a question law firms constantly ask themselves, but all too often they end up communicating similar marketing messages focused on services and capabilities.

According to Gordons’ Victoria Davey, this approach misses a key point by not addressing the real world needs and wants of clients.

“There is a huge amount of navel-gazing in the legal sector that stops firms empathising with their clients and understanding what either excites them or, as importantly, keeps them awake at night,” she said.

“The fact is most law firms’ services, and capabilities are similar. The difference – and it is a massive difference – is how these services and capabilities are delivered and how lawyers are able to benefit clients by advising on subjects and situations often unrelated directly to the law.”

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West & North Yorkshire Business

28 PROFILE Clarity, not complexity

This is because we know our clients need people able to empathise with them, clarify rather than complicate and make things happen.

Victoria speaks from experience having been instrumental in shaping Gordons’ distinctive way of providing legal services to create commercial advantage, solve problems and plan for future events. She is the most senior woman in Gordons’ history having joined the firm’s three-partner executive board in 2007.

“We want our firm to be full of talented people with a great attitude and approach, so we don’t care where they start out in life or what school they went to. This thinking led us to create our multi-award winning Gordons Apprenticeship Programme, which was the first of its type in the legal sector when it launched in 2011.”

Victoria continued: “What we have known for a very long time at Gordons is that it’s not businesses that are our clients, it’s the people who own or manage them. Rather than thinking of clients as purchasers of legal services, we think of them as people with hopes, concerns and aspirations.

This year saw the programme celebrate its first graduate when 23-year-old Bryony Russell qualified as a chartered legal executive employment lawyer.

By understanding them as people, we understand what drives their thinking and what they want to achieve professionally and personally. The two objectives are often linked, so by concentrating on the client as a person, it enables us to advise with clarity and certainty on complex matters to deliver favourable outcomes. We work very hard to establish deep client relationships because we know by walking in their shoes we can plan and react to situations in an ideal way for their particular set of circumstances.”

Person-to-person, not lawyer-to-client With a different type of approach to other law firms, it follows that Gordons’ lawyers must also offer something out of the ordinary. It all comes down to some fundamental characteristics that can often be eroded when people train as lawyers and can be further diminished when they embark on legal careers.

“When we recruit, whether it’s an apprentice or a partner, we apply our maxim of ‘people first, lawyers second’.

Academic and technical ability are prerequisites for any role at the firm, but so is high emotional intelligence.

A survey by careers advice company AllAboutSchoolLeavers.co.uk, placed Gordons in the UK’s top 30 higher apprenticeship employers and in the top 100 employers for school and college leavers for 2016-17, a list which included Barclays, National Grid, JP Morgan, Bentley Motors, PwC, BBC, Sky and IBM.

Our clients state our case The ‘people first, lawyers second’ approach has also seen the firm form long-lasting relationships with some of Yorkshire’s leading business people and organisations, including advising Bradford-headquartered supermarket chain Morrisons for over 50 years.

The firm has made a virtue of the strength of its relationships and commitment to always putting its clients’ interests first with its ‘Our clients state our case’ marketing campaign which first appeared in 2009.

One client to feature in the campaign was John Tordoff, Chief Executive of £1.2 billion turnover Bradford-based motor retailer JCT600. Commenting on the firm he said: “We’re a longstanding Gordons client because its people understand our business, use plain English and offer a joined up commercial approach to the law just what a business like ours needs.”

With an established reputation within the retail, food and drink, and leisure and hospitality sectors, Gordons is further expanding its client base regionally and nationally. Despite differences between various sectors, Gordons’ approach is proving universally popular across all of them.

The firm advises York-based footwear retailer Pavers on a wide range of property and commercial matters and deals directly with Managing Director, Stuart Paver. He defined the Gordons difference when he said: “Gordons’ lawyers are accessible and approachable human beings who are very easy to work with and who understand our business. We’d certainly recommend them.”

Another participant in the firm’s ‘Our clients state our case’ campaign was Keighley brewer Timothy Taylor’s Chief Executive, Tim Dewey. He focused on the practical way Gordons’ people apply their advice when he said: “We use Gordons because of the breadth of their service; their ability to understand our business; and their ability to deliver what we need quickly and efficiently.”

Staying ahead With a clear understanding of what makes the firm different and how to provide an altogether more personally relevant, highly effective service, Gordons has set itself apart in the legal marketplace. However, as Victoria explains, there is no room for complacency at the firm.

“We know that our success is intrinsically linked to that of our clients. We think and act entrepreneurially on their behalf to create a commercial advantage for them,” she said. “We never lose sight of the hard benefits that we are there to deliver, so we constantly evolve and enhance the ways we work with every client we have.

By combining the strength of the relationships we build with smart ways to provide a competitive edge, we will remain trusted as people and valued as lawyers.”

“By combining the strength of the relationships we build with smart ways to provide a competitive edge, we will remain trusted as people and valued as lawyers.�

Q3

West & North Yorkshire Business

30 INTERNATIONAL CASE STUDY A major Yorkshire food company, which exports more than 75 percent of its bespoke cakes, biscuits, sauces and desserts to the EU, has hired overseas trade specialist, Chamber International, to help it continue to prosper in Europe after Brexit takes effect.

Leeds-based Pecan Deluxe Candy, which supplies food and beverage companies, quick-service restaurants and bakeries across the EU, says it is harnessing the range of expertise at Chamber International to improve its exporting efficiency and enhance its marketing within the EU to help offset any challenges posed by the UK’s decision to leave.

Pecan Deluxe Candy, a family business that exports to continental Europe, the Middle East and Africa from its UK headquarters in Sherburn-in-Elmet, says it already has to work harder to combat challenges posed by the fall in the value of the pound as the company imports 90 percent of raw materials used in its products.

Pecan Deluxe European and Asia Pacific Managing Director, Graham Kingston, said: “We are a big company trading successfully within the EU and we are determined to ensure that this remains the case. We want to adapt to any changes and challenges in trading circumstances which arise from the UK’s impending departure from the EU as smoothly as possible.

“But we have to be realistic about the challenges and prepare now. All our main competitors are on the continent, and we need to avoid the perception that leaving the UK leads to us being perceived as ‘an outsider’. We also want to ensure that we can continue to recruit people with the right skills if any eventual deal about the UK leaving the EU reduces worker migration.

“For these reasons, we have engaged Chamber International to help ensure we are on the front foot and fully prepared in two years’ time. We intend to use Chamber International’s whole range of services with an initial focus on improving our marketing within EU countries and export training, enabling us to handle any new export documentation which is required post-Brexit in-house.”

Pecan Deluxe was founded as retail ice cream business in Dallas, Texas, by the first generation of the family, Jason C Brigham, in 1950. The business was sold in 1983, so the company could concentrate on manufacturing and supplying the ice cream inclusions, such as nuts and sauces, where the family saw greater future profitability.

The company which, also supplies milkshakes and has a bakery, making fudge brownies, cakes and biscuits, supplies items specially tailored to customer needs according to taste, texture, design, colour, price and religious requirements, broke into the European market with the acquisition of fudge maker, Harriet Websters, Sherburn-in-Elmet in 2000. Today the business, which still has members of the Brigham family on the board, has 120 people based in Yorkshire and a turnover of around £12 million.

The US operation has a turnover of $115 million.

Sweet taste of success

Fluent in the language of trade China clinics help businesses sharpen their strategies

West & North Yorkshire Business

Q3

INTERNATIONAL 33 The clinics

The customer

The benefit

The first series of China 1-1 clinics held by Chamber International’s China affairs associate, Matthew Grandage, have been judged a success and demand means more are planned soon.

Matthew, who spent 15 years living and working in China, says: “In most cases I was asked to mine information from Chinese websites which the clients had never had access to before. This enabled them to gather lots of new data about their competitors’ activities, market expectations, and how their own products appear to potential customers in China. Others asked for advice about specific problems they were encountering with Chinese suppliers and distributors.

Managing director, Tony Day says: “The scope of the clinic addressed precisely the range of topics that are key to successfully marketing and selling our products into the Chinese market. Matthew’s experience and his ability to speak and write fluently in Chinese has, in a few hours, allowed us to develop a new strategy for increasing our sales to China. Without Matthew’s input, we could well have been still thinking about this 12 months from now.”

Eight of the two-hour clinics, where Matthew, a fluent Mandarin speaker, visits client companies and sits with managing, or export directors, or both, at a computer and helps them to research the complex Chinese web to understand their Chinese market potential and their competitors, were held in March and April.

Most businesses benefiting from the clinics were SME manufacturing companies in towns and cities, including Bradford, Harrogate, Huddersfield and Skipton, involved with medical equipment, instrumentation, industrial abrasives, electric motors, health products, musical instruments and a bathroom design company which wanted to explore sourcing products from China.

The Chinese web, which is a crucial source of information for companies wanting to trade there, is hard for most British businesses to access due to the language barrier, and because China's online environment is so different to that in the West. The Chinese web is written in Chinese; web searches must be conducted in Chinese and there is no Google, different social media platforms and an alien e-commerce culture.

The 1-1 clinics combine each client company’s product and marketing knowledge with Matthew’s specialist linguistic and research expertise to establish how they and their competitors are positioned within the Chinese market and how their products are being marketed.

“The fact that these clinics are held privately at the client’s own premises meant they were able to address sensitive marketing and strategy questions which they would not have felt comfortable raising at a more typical training event.”

One company was shocked to find that their sole distributor in China was making no visible effort to market their products online. Another was surprised to discover their competitors using new channels to sell in China while a third was relieved Matthew was able to demonstrate that their products were not being sold inappropriately as they feared.

Matthew adds: “Every company said that their China strategy would need to change as a result of the information we unearthed. The ones who appeared to benefit most were company owners, directors and senior managers with real responsibility for brand and strategy.”

One company benefiting from a China 1-1 Clinic was Marrose Abrasives, Keighley, which was founded in 1976 and has been exporting to glass processors in China since 2004. The company, which has a turnover of around £1.5 million, of which 80 per cent is exports, specialises in manufacturing ‘elastic’ abrasives used worldwide in the aerospace, engineering and glass sectors.

Matthew adds: “Brexit is challenging British businesses to widen their customer base and engage with global markets. At the same time budgets are tight, and few are willing to invest in attending large events where there is no guarantee that their needs will be met.

“In the China 1-1 Clinics, we’ve found a model that businesses appreciate.

They can bring in top managers and a range of staff without expensive away-from-desk time, knowing that their specific questions about China will be addressed immediately and confidentially.”

For more information contact info@chamber-international.com Follow Chamber International on Twitter @ChamberInt and on Facebook for the latest in international trade.

Follow @ChamberIntChina for China-specific updates and business opportunities.

Q3

West & North Yorkshire Business

34 INTERNATIONAL

Family business grows export success “Winning a major contract with help from Chamber International in the Far East due to the A major Far East contract to supply frozen vegetables to global food giant Heinz in Japan is set to open more overseas markets for a North Yorkshire family business.

Frozen vegetable supplier, JE Hartley, Thorganby, near York, which is being advised by overseas trade specialist, Chamber International, is now working with international buyers at Heinz to secure more significant contracts with its overseas plants, including in South East Asia and the US. The company’s contract with Heinz Japan is to provide frozen peas and mixed vegetables for products to be sold by retailers and used in the country’s food services sector including catering companies.

JE Hartley General Manager, John Pick, said: “We are thrilled to win our first really large Far East contract with one of the world’s bestknown food companies. We are hopeful that this will lead to additional arrangements with other Heinz overseas plants around the world and are excited about the future.

“We already supplied Heinz in the UK, and had a modest contract with the company in Italy, but this export contract is enabling us to step up investment in our factory, where we have spent £6 million during the last five years. We are acquiring a new X-Ray machine which will enable us to achieve even higher levels of safety through more efficient screening and a new packaging machine which will increase our packaging options for clients, including longer-life zip seal bags.

“Chamber International has been very helpful, giving excellent advice and consistent support covering many different legal and regulatory aspects which were all new to us. They continue to be our first port of call for on-going guidance as we seek to capitalise on this success.”

quality of an existing relationship is exactly the sort of acumen that British companies will require when Britain leaves the EU and aims to fulfil the Government’s pledge to become a truly global trading nation.

We are pleased to be supporting JE Hartley as it seeks to open more export opportunities in the same way.”

Tim Bailey Chamber International Director

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Small plates,

big ambition How The Rise is adding to York’s splendid hospitality sector

West & North Yorkshire Business

Q3

LIFESTYLE 37

York’s newest culinary experience The Rise, at the iconic 5-star Grand Hotel & Spa, opened its doors in June 2017.

The latest venture from the Grand’s award-winning food and beverage team is a unique offering to the vibrant dining scene in the city.

Whether it’s food, service or the aesthetic, The Rise is a perfect combination of contemporary and classic.

The restaurant’s striking and iconic decor pays homage to the building’s vibrant history. Features include a

pressed tin ceiling, darkly stained oak panelling and as a nod to the North Eastern Railway (the building’s original 1906 resident), a locomotive-inspired black steel bar front, emulating the comfort and style of first class train travel in the early 1900s.

We caught up with the hotel’s renowned Executive Chef, Craig Atchinson, to discuss the project and the inspiration behind The Rise’s stand out dining experience.

“For The Rise, we wanted to break away from the traditional and sometimes limiting ‘hotel restaurant’ menu.

That is how we fell upon the idea of a small plate concept.

We want the guests’ experience to be exactly that – an experience. By embracing the small plate menu, we are crafting a journey where guests pick and choose from multiple different flavours and textures.

Q3

West & North Yorkshire Business

38 LIFESTYLE

Top picks

from the menu Marinated artichoke, sun blushed tomatoes and Yorkshire Fettle salad Leven Farm confit duck leg, Yorkshire chorizo, and butter bean ragout Garlic and mustard grilled beef skewers with shitake ketchup, using 6oz hanger steak Charred octopus, fennel salad, capers, aioli

The Rise at the Grand Hotel York is open 12 pm till late Monday to Sunday For bookings visit www.theriseyork.co.uk

“At the Grand, we felt that there was a demand for this style of flexible dining. We want people to feel that they can just come into our restaurant and not feel pressured to sit at the table for two to three hours. So whether you want a quick lunch with one plate and a glass of wine, or you want to stay for two hours and go through the menu dish-by-dish, the choice is there for you.”

With the new menu, Craig and his team have placed a particular emphasis on providing seasonal, ethically sourced and where possible local produce.

“I believe local produce leads the way and is part of what makes the menu so special.

The producers around the area are some of the best in the country, but it does not stop at that – there are some international influences on our menu. Ultimately, it is about creating the best dish possible, and that means the best ingredients. We are just fortunate to have so many brilliant local producers.”

Accompanying the original menu is an equally impressive drinks offering including a wellcrafted wine list and a well-thought out cocktail list comprising of ingredients from an enviable back bar.

The food and beverage team behind The Rise have left no stone unturned and when considering the customer experience and the importance of service on the overall dining event. Craig continues: “Throughout the hotel, we opted for a more informal approach to service, without sacrificing standards.

People, on the whole, can find the fine-dining approach to service quite daunting, and that detracts from the experience.

“We want our guests to relax and for them to feel like they are at home. I eat like this all the time at home, everything goes in the middle of the table, and people just help themselves and get as much or as little as they want, and I believe it is the best way to eat and create memories and it is certainly the most pleasant way to dine. Great food needs the support of excellent service, and our belief is that the team at The Rise delivers both.”

The launch of The Rise will be followed later this year by the addition of The Grand Hotel & Spa’s new accommodation wing and the refurbishment of Hudson’s fine dining restaurant.

“In the three years I have been here, the hotel has gone through an amazing transformation.

This year, with the current extensive development and refurbishment, the Grand will become one of the largest 5-star hotels outside of London and the only 5-star hotel in York.”

chip off the old block Listening to Victoria Hopkins, Managing Director of Pudsey-based Hopkins Catering, it’s clear that ambitions at the long running family business are as high as they have ever been.

With the redevelopment of their old mill building into a crisp and contemporary facility, as well as improving their online offering, Hopkins are cooking on gas.

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EXECUTIVE INSIGHT 41

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42

“Selling a skill-set, not just a product.�

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EXECUTIVE INSIGHT 43 You are in the process of a renovation project at your facility in Pudsey. What triggered this investment into the site and what is the plan?

We have rented our current facility for 30 years, and we had outgrown it. The building was falling apart and needed money investing in repairing it, and I was ready to move on. While looking for a new property, this building came on the market. I put in an ambitious offer and got it for a steal.

Phase one, which wasn’t a cheap exercise, was replacing the roof. Phase two was renovating the reception, drawing office and factory area. My grandad’s office has now been renovated to the drawing room. Phase three will be the main office area, which we hope to complete this year.

Is there any other aspect of the business that will have to develop with your now increased capacity?

Another thing for this year is our website. We are in the tender process for this at the moment. Our current product list is 5,000, and that will be going up to 20,000, so we need to make sure our B-2-B e-commerce solution is ready to cope with the increased stock size.

Online is an area of the business that we have turned our focus to, and not just recently; it has been an on-going process of improvement over ten years. In the catering equipment sector we were one of the first companies to move into that market, but since then a flooding of the market has pushed down prices.

When we shifted our attention back to the factory, knowing the cost that we would incur, we put our digital strategy on the back-burner until our facility redevelopment was complete.

Now we have completed the factory refurb and reconstruction, we have once again set our focus on digital.

At Hopkins, we feel that digital will be key to the next five years and we think

that combined with our new business development team, it will increase our turnover ten-fold in coming years. The old purchasing style was very much new businesses would come and visit our showroom and view our equipment.

On design and planning, we found that people were taking our recommended equipment list and buying a cheaper product elsewhere. What we are looking to do is have a system where people can go on and design a kitchen online, and we will step in and offer advice where needed.

It sounds like the focus of the company is evolving.

What spurred the rethink?

I had to change the focus of the company to stay ahead, whereas before we were very much a fish and chip range manufacturer, now we are an engineering company that produces fish and chip range fryers.

So the e-commerce side of the business is very much a drop-and-ship approach where we buy in products from other producers and distribute them to the catering industry. As for the manufacturing side of things, we increased our efficiency, so something that once took us eight weeks to produce now takes us eight days. This means that, as victims of our success, we have to fill that space in our production schedule.

Efficiency savings forced us to take a look at who we were as a company.

What we realised is that the key product we offer is a skill. We are a traditional manufacturer in every sense of the word. Our range of fryers are produced predominately by hand with very little automation used in our production. We have highly-skilled craftsmen on our floor who are innovators in fabrication.

I can see us being a go-to manufacturer for prototypes. We have some brilliant items in development at the moment. People come to us and

ask us for working prototypes that may be taken to the Asian market for mass production.

You mentioned international markets. Is international trade important to Hopkins or are you solely UK focused?

We did not go looking for international trade, it is something that found us purely by chance. One day we came into the office and had dozens of enquiries from Australia. It all stemmed from a reality TV show that had aired following a British couple that emigrated to Australia and set up a fish and chip shop.

We have now in a short time sent over 20 frying ranges to Australia and have seen demand continue. Following the success in Australia, we then started to look at the North American market.

What we found that was interesting was that for a country that consumed as many fries as the US was the lack of chipping and peeling machines that were in use.

Our chippers will cut a 56lb bag of potatoes in a minute and a half, as you can imagine, that is something the American market have been very enthusiastic about bringing onboard. Production of these machines is currently based here, but we are looking at moving production for the North American market to the US. Export is an ever-increasing aspect of our business and now accounts for 12% of turnover.

What does the next year hold for Hopkins Catering?

We are excited to see all the hard work with site and web development come to life.

With Brexit rumbling on in the background, it has meant that we are seeing a bigger demand from overseas for our products with the pound being weaker. I think the next year is going to be our best yet and a real landmark for the company.

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West & North Yorkshire Business

44 FINANCE CASE STUDY

Gaming entrepreneur progresses to the next level Custom Controllers UK, Europe’s leading manufacturer for customised gaming controllers moved into its new 5,500 square foot premises in South Leeds and required additional funding to develop the warehouse.

A ÂŁ30,000 loan from Business Enterprise Fund (BEF) enabled the business to buy new computers and equipment to support the growth of the operation.

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45 “As a 22-year-old businessman with little previous trading experience I found it extremely difficult to source support and funding. I’m very thankful to BEF for its backing, the loan has allowed Custom Controllers UK to grow and meet high demands.

The support from my mentor, Jeremy, has been great. He’s always there to offer advice when needed – if things get too much, I know he’s there ready to catch up over a coffee.”

Ben said: “I have always loved gaming and I identified a gap in the market for customised controllers when I was still in high school. Unless you had £180 to spare there was no way of getting unique, bespoke controllers. So I turned to modifying them myself and soon started taking orders from school friends!”

Custom Controllers UK has worked with hip-hop artists JME and Wretch 32 and has partnered with internationally known gaming vloggers, Sidemen.

With a social media following of over 215,000, Ben has plans to further expand his business into the European market over the next 12 months.

He added: “After selling my controllers on eBay and Amazon, I set up and launched my website. In my final year at university, Custom Controllers UK, which was once just a logo and a few social media platforms, truly blew up and I rented a small office just outside Leeds and employed six staff.

Jeremy Meadowcroft, Investment Manager at the Business Enterprise Fund, which has recently been named a regional director for the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund, said: “I was thrilled to offer our support to Custom Controllers UK. It is another great example of a thriving Yorkshire-based business.

We became the top seller on Game’s online marketplace, and after passing a 13 store trial with the retailer in November 2016, our products will now be placed in 120 stores around the UK in the coming weeks.

The business is growing from strength to strength.”

“Ben and his team are a fantastic success story which I am very pleased to be part of. There are some exciting things in the pipeline for his business, and I am looking forward to watching it continue to develop and grow.

Watch this space!”

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FINANCE 47

Up-beat after funding

L-R: Sheryl Doe and Julie Micklethwaite

Two entrepreneurial musicians have brought their business vision to life, opening ‘Allegro Optical’ in Meltham.

Sheryl Doe and Stephen Tighe’s idea was put in focus after receiving a Start Up Loan from the Business Enterprise Fund (BEF).

Spearheading the business is the couple’s unique glasses range for musicians.

Stephen explained: “As people’s eyesight changes and fades, day to day tasks can become very difficult. Imagine then, if a musician struggles to simultaneously focus on their music score in front of them, and the conductor, who’s several feet away. It can become impossible and eventually end people’s music careers.”

“The technology behind our innovation is a closely guarded secret. It involves complex algorithms, but every case we see is unique,” said Sheryl.

Allegro’s offering immediately gained traction, with a high volume of customers flowing through the shop as well as customers from around the world.

“We love seeing innovation in start-ups. Sheryl and Stephen could see a business within their idea, all they needed was the finance to get things started.”

Julie Micklethwaite BEF Investment Manager

Having suffered this at first hand, Stephen, a trombonist and conductor, met Sheryl in 2013 as she attended to his eye condition as an optician. Together they took the opportunity to create and develop specialist glasses to allow Stephen’s passion to continue.

“We have the technology on site to deal with clients from a distance. Word of mouth in the industry has travelled far over the last two months; we are heading to Switzerland soon to run some clinics,” said Stephen.

On an opening day in March, Allegro sent out balloons with information about the business, one of which was found – appropriately, by a musician in Vienna!

“This has already created opportunities for us,” said Sheryl. “Music is a way of life, and it’s a joy to see how we can help bring it back to people who think they’ve lost it forever.”

The funding from BEF contributed to fitting the shop and purchasing equipment, as well as developing a website.

Book your Christmas party now Phone no: 01132 439510 Email: leeds@pryzm.co.uk Web: www.pryzm.co.uk/leeds/christmas-parties 16-18 Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS2 8LX

West & North Yorkshire Business

Building for the future

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PROFILE 49

As a pioneer of modular construction across the UK and continental Europe, Portakabin delivers interim and permanent bespoke buildings, of any size and to fulfil virtually any application, site and design.

Designed and manufactured off-site, Portakabin has provided award-winning solutions of outstanding quality and exceptional service for over 50 years.

Employing more than 1,750 people across seven European countries, Portakabin creates offices, hospitals, schools, laboratories, universities and factories where before there was only empty space. Today it delivers spaces to work, to heal, to learn, to innovate, to study and to create. It does this quicker and with less impact on the environment than traditional buildings and with the precision, passion and pride of our specialist employees.

Recently, Portakabin has added a suite of classrooms for York St John University. These have been installed on the footprint of the old students’ union which was taken down last summer.

With a 4 Star rating by the recognition scheme Investors in Zero Waste, the business diligently invests in its recycling and waste management processes; the manufacturing site in Huntington has achieved zero waste to landfill every year since 2011, encourages employees to cycle to work or carshare and instils sustainable logistics policies.

Its commitment to quality is demonstrated by a succession of industry-firsts and innovations, which include pioneering customer charter and warranty packages, the most technically-advanced off-site modular systems, and an unparalleled range of buildings produced to engineering tolerances of millimetres. Combined with the wide range of sustainable design options that are on offer, Portakabin is able to enhance the environmental performance of each product it manufactures.

The new Head Office building in Huntington, which is currently under construction, will have 36m2 of high efficiency photovoltaic (PV) panels, air source heat pump powered heating and hot water and LED lighting throughout.

Customers in both public and private sectors benefit from a series of market-leading products and services which have been engineered to meet a range of diverse and continually changing requirements – quickly, efficiently and with much less disruption than traditional site-based construction.

Buildings from Portakabin include facilities for long or short-term hire; award-winning and architecturally innovative off-site building solutions; washroom facilities; site accommodation and completely refurbished Portakabin buildings.

Portakabin www.portakabin.co.uk

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50 Zed Ali Key Account Manager MM Engineering

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PROPERTY CASE STUDY 51 The view from the desk of MM Engineering’s Director Mohammed Patel has changed dramatically over the last twelve months.

Their story of growth over the previous five years and specifically the last 12 months is a testament to the hard work Mohammed and his team have invested into the company, and their success story is part of a wider picture of export growth within the city.

A supply chain company with humble beginnings MM Engineering, from their new base in Bradford Chamber Business Park, now provide electrical equipment around the globe with the main markets in the Middle East at the forefront of their operations.

MM Engineering’s growth was not by chance. The team put it down to a concentrated focus on their digital offering, something they feel separates them from their competitors and the key to their ongoing success. For the Bradfordbased company, it was all about a strong web presence. They invested in organically improving their online presence through a calculated SEO strategy combined with well thought out AdWords campaigns to elevate their offering to the top of the online pile.

The other side of their online focus is their bespoke customer portal that allows them to increase their output and the success of which meant they could employ more staff and ultimately move into premises that matched their ambitions for the future.

“The Bradford Chamber Business Park is fantastic; it has a professional feel as soon as you walk in. All the businesses have an open door, making it easier to meet and talk with other businesses, which has led to working partnerships.

As many start-up companies come to the Business Park, this has also given us the opportunity to mentor small businesses and pass on advice.”

Key Account Manager, Zed Ali, describes other aspects of the Chamber tool kit that has helped them grow: “Chamber International has been a vital part of our business. As we export to countries such as Saudi Arabia, the customs require a particular set of documents; Chamber International helps us acquire these and ensure the goods are delivered smoothly.”

Space to

expand We caught up with MM Engineering in the Bradford Chamber Business Park, speaking to Director Mohammed Patel, he takes us through how his business has grown over the past five years.

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West & North Yorkshire Business

Specialist lending for businesses in Yorkshire Businesses in Yorkshire could be missing out on opportunities due to a lack of finance or delays in funding, warns specialist lender Together.

they consider cases on their individual merits, rather than relying on strict lending criteria set out by mainstream lenders.

Together’s Regional Development Director for Yorkshire, Barry Dillon, said: “There is growing demand across the region, particularly in cities such as Leeds and York, for fast and flexible finance.”

Specialist finance is available to deliver vital funds to allow business growth, whether it’s needed to improve shortterm cash flow or for major investment in a new project.

“However, there is a ‘general lack of awareness’ among SMEs over available funding options, other than through mainstream banks, said Barry.

“This can often mean missed opportunities for businesses to grow,” said Barry. “At Together, we have greater flexibility than mainstream lenders and are able to act fast. This can often allow businesses to move quickly on a purchase or investment, and ensure they don’t miss out because of tight deadlines.”

Alternative finance providers like Together have experienced an increase in demand in recent years, because

Commercial finance

Together, for example, had a 27 percent growth in its turnover between 2015 and 2016, and, by the end of last year, total new lending stood at just under £1.1 billion.

Barry, who has over 12 years’ experience in banking added: “My role at Together involves me developing relationships by offering a personalised, common sense approach to clients in the Yorkshire area. This approach gives those working in the professional sector the opportunity to improve their offering and bring in new business.

“I work closely with a wide network of professional introducers including

accountants, solicitors, banks and financial advisors, who will refer clients to us knowing that they can be assured of excellent service and a fast funding decision.

“The alternative finance sector had a very positive year in 2016, indicating that, while there have been dramatic changes to the landscape of the finance market, there are various options available for businesses to find and secure the finance to suit their needs – it’s just about knowing where to look.”

Together is a specialist lender with over forty years’ experience in the financial services industry. It offers a wide range of finance including short-term finance, auction finance, buy-to-let, residential and commercial mortgages and secured loans.

Visit www.togethermoney.com/ yorkshire for more information, call Barry on 0113 4510563 or email barry.dillon@togethermoney.com

Bridging finance Auction finance Commercial mortgages Buy-to-Let mortgages Development funding

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As a principal lender, with over 40 years’ experience, we’re dedicated to working closely with our professional sector partners. Our expert team is here to support you and your clients in a range of shortterm property funding requirements.

Taking a common-sense approach, we aim to put your clients in the best possible position to complete.

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Call Barry on 0113 451 0563 or visit togethermoney.com /yorkshire

This advertisement is intended for professional intermediary use only and must not be distributed to potential clients.

Business Current Account

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West & North Yorkshire Business

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CASE STUDY 55

Funding an adventure Infinity Works is a software consultancy with offices in Leeds and London. Consisting of leading IT engineers and technologists, offering a variety of consultancy services to help organisations solve any problem, deliver any project and strengthen their team.

Infinity Works has seen tremendous growth over the last 12-18 months, growing existing key accounts with other Leeds based firms such as NHS Digital and SkyBet, at the same time as establishing new customer accounts. A good proportion of those new customers were requesting that work is completed by their specialist teams in Leeds.

“We loved working with Bal at AD:VENTURE as the grant process was surprisingly simple. Having our business plan and strategy in place was a key element of this.”

As growth over the previous two years showed, there was significant demand for the service in the regions Infinity Works operated in and those further afield.

The company planned to build their client base across Leeds and London while continuing to provide an excellent service for existing customers.

Moving to a new larger Leeds office was the way to address this and with the help of grant funding through the AD:VENTURE programme it has enabled the team to transform the office into a collaborative working space with the capacity to help run and drive new customer accounts. Also, they now have the space to deliver community events!

Paul said: “We loved working with Bal at AD:VENTURE as the grant process was surprisingly simple. Having our business plan and strategy in place was a key element of this of course, but Bal and the team were happy to support wherever possible and helped us right through the application, to get the thumbs up from the grant panel!”

With project costs of £74,000, the company used the funding from AD:VENTURE to help leverage the benefits their new 10,000 square feet office space provides.

The grant application was a success, and the company secured £16,400 towards the project costs.

The new office will support recruitment of 12 new staff members, including graduate recruits and high skilled IT engineering roles.

The team are now in the new office and excited about more growth yet to come.

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West & North Yorkshire Business

56 YORK & NORTH YORKSHIRE CHAMBER ANNUAL DINNER

Loose woman talks about her life Taking centre stage in March, the York & North Yorkshire Chamber Annual Dinner proved once again why it is the stand out event on the business calendar.

Over 400 guests filled the iconic National Railway Museum in the heart of York. Business leaders from all sectors across the region were entertained on arrival by the talented musicians of Pocklington School’s swing band. Setting the tone for the evening the band performed well-known standards amongst imposing feats of 20th-century engineering.

The highlight of the night came in the form of guest speaker Janet Street-Porter. Janet, a resident of Yorkshire for over 40 years gave attendees a glimpse of her life including her career, from her beginnings in Fleet Street all the way through to her most recent work in television on the likes of The F Word and Loose Women.

Covering everything from country life to causing controversy Janet delivered her story in her own inimitable style.

Following her speech, Janet answered questions from guests at the dinner.

Attendees gave generously to the Chamber’s chosen charities and managed to raise over £3,000 for St Leonard’s Hospice and St Catherine’s Hospice. This year’s charities were selected by retiring York & North Yorkshire Chamber President Ed Everard.

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57

Raising the Bar AWARDS 2017 Enter now www.raising-the-bar.info

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RAISING THE BAR 59

Raising the Bar - one year on Being presented with the award as the overall winner at last years’ Raising the Bar awards was a very proud moment for us all at Ucan Recycling. It felt like a pat on the back to receive external recognition of the work we do with those that volunteer on the work experience schemes. That good feeling rippled throughout the company, cementing beliefs that our unique approach to staffing is making a positive step towards helping the long term unemployed back into work in Bradford.

We act as host employer to people who are wanting to get back into the routine of work yet may lack confidence, social skills and generally feel not employable. After working with us for eight weeks we see how people change and realise their self-worth and become job ready. It really is a win-win situation.

Internally, staff morale increased massively, they are proud of the way they help train up the volunteers and treat them as colleagues. We have found that we are now more credible with the volunteers when we show them our awards, that we are genuine in our pledge to help and not to exploit them in any way.

We have also seen an increase in local collections of redundant IT from people reading the follow up piece in the magazine, so all-in-all, thank you to the Chamber for this opportunity for us spread the word and hope that it encourages others to set up something similar.

Whilst the scheme does present some challenges, winning the award re-affirmed why we continue with our business model, something we have been doing as part of our ethos when we set up the IT re-use business seven years ago.

We are pleased to say that this recognition has opened several doors in all areas: For instance, the exposure lead us to work with other organisations and charities that help people back to work and increased our network in order to help volunteers go on to find permanent work.

It also helped re-affirm with our current suppliers that we are more than a just a recycler, we have a strong social conscious. It has also opened doors with new suppliers who have not only been impressed but have decided to adopt a similar approach to staffing.

Ucan Recycling Specialising in IT recycling and re-use, this not for profit organisation was set up by in 2010 with the social aim to not only strive for a 100% re-use rate, but more importantly, to create jobs for the local long term unemployed.

0113 242 4421 justask@ucanrecycling.co.uk www.ucan-recycling.co.uk @UcanRecycling www.facebook.com/ucanrecycling

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West & North Yorkshire Business

60 PROFILE

Hungate raises the bar for education The Chamber’s Raising the Bar awards serve to reward those who continually go above and beyond within the community.

As the 2016 winner of the education category, Hungate (a residential development in the heart of York by Lendlease & Evans Property Group) continues to find new ways to exceed expectations, with dedicated training, charitable giving, and community engagement initiatives implemented in the heart of York.

Building for a better future Lendlease has collaborated with a number of colleges within York, including New Durham College and York College, to deliver a series of skills and training workshops and inspire the next generation of York’s construction industry.

The company has developed training programmes for students studying construction-related topics, and the students further benefit from sessions dedicated to Mental Health First Aid and First Aid, in addition to Lendlease’s leading Injury and Incident Free workshop.

The workshops aim to develop and enhance job prospects, and skill sets, in order to safeguard York’s construction industry.

Education for all ages

Putting mind and people first

Working with those of all ages within the York community, the Hungate Partnership is committed to delivering a number of initiatives that work with younger ages, developing core educational skills such as reading and literacy, to understanding the environment that surrounds them.

Lendlease is committed to bettering awareness of the importance of good mental health.

In 2016, Lendlease organised a competition for local students to submit their drawings of wildlife found in and arround the River Foss, in partnership with the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and local schools.

The competition provided a means to engage young people, to teach them everything from the history of the site to the wildlife that can be found coexisting alongside the residents.

The winning entries were used on a informative plaque which can be found on site.

Lendlease staff have also undertaken the Right to Read training programme, one of York Care’s oldest programmes, which aims to raise literacy standards in the city. Volunteers were taught coaching and listening methods, and now visit local schools to encourage Key Stage 1 and 2 children to improve standards of literacy.

In April 2017, 11 volunteers from Carecent - a charity for the homeless in the centre of York - participated in Mental Health Lite, an accredited mental health first aid programme.

The all-day training session, run by the staff at Hungate, aimed to provide greater understanding and awareness of mental health issues for volunteers, when dealing with vulnerable people.

Carecent provides those who find themselves homeless and unemployed in York with a friendly and safe environment in which to find food, clothing, and advice.

History and heritage at the heart of the development Throughout the summer, a collection of artifacts, found as part of the development’s latest archaeological dig, will be on display in the marketing suite at Hungate. The project has been supported by the Yorkshire Archaeology Trust, and some findings date back to the Viking and Saxon eras, revealing more of York’s rich and exciting history.

Image for illustration purposes only. Prices correct at time of print.

PREMIUM COLLECTION NOW LAUNCHED A new collection of one, two and three bedroom apartments

Prices from £194,000 Premium Collection prices from £260,000

To book an appointment, please call our sales team on 01904 676 797 or visit www.hungateyork.co.uk

Q3

West & North Yorkshire Business

62 PROFILE

For 150 years we have been where the growth is, connecting customers to opportunities. Today, HSBC Commercial Banking serves businesses ranging from small enterprises focused primarily on their domestic markets through to corporates operating globally.

Whether it is working capital, term loans, trade finance or payments and cash management solutions, we provide the tools and expertise that businesses need to thrive. As the cornerstone of the HSBC Group, we give businesses access to a geographic network covering more than 90% of global trade and capital flows.

HSBC has had a significant presence in the City of York for many decades, and its area office is based in Parliament Street. The office is the hub for HSBC’s Commercial Banking activities across the whole of the North Yorkshire and Humber area.

They offer a full range of commercial banking services to businesses, from start-ups to those with £350m turnover. With HSBC’s significant expertise in both UK and international trade, they are perfectly placed to help clients take advantage of these.

HSBC’s Knowledge Centre on its website offers expert insight, comprehensive briefings and a range of other tools and resources to help launch, run and develop a business. www.hsbc.co.uk/commercial-banking Telephone: 03457 606060

HSBC COMMERCIAL BANKING 03457 606060 www.hsbc.co.uk/commercial-banking

West & North Yorkshire Business

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PROFILE 63

The complete audio visual service With a unique national network and over forty years of experience, Saville is the leading AV supplier to the conference and live events industry, providing innovative, creative solutions for events on any scale, including presentations abroad.

With an unrivalled inventory of the latest technologies, the company’s regional conference production centres offer one of the UK’s largest stocks of state-of-the art audio visual equipment. From stage-sets, widescreen HD digital projection and mapping, LED video walls and backdrops, professional lighting and sound through to live streaming video feeds and interactive technologies, the teams at Saville provide an unrivalled level of professional experience in conference and live event production.

A committed advocate for continuing innovation within the audio visual arena, Saville also provide an exclusive range of Digital Event Services including conference presentation recording, streaming and webcasting facilities, interactive voting systems and more recently Saville IDEA – a bespoke platform utilising mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets and designed to provide the highest levels of engagement for live delegate collaboration and feedback at conferences.

With a reputation for uncompromising customer care, the company’s team of over 100 full time conference and live event specialists take a professional and passionate approach to events whatever the size and wherever it takes place. The true measure of any business is a loyal and happy client list, as reflected in the many letters of thanks and praise, plus a string of national awards.

corporate, education, healthcare and public sectors, on a global scale.

Leaders in the field for over 40 years, the company is a reseller for all major equipment brands and a fully accredited key partner for the world’s leading videoconferencing and collaboration technology manufacturers including Polycom, Cisco, Logitech and Microsoft. As a specialist, accredited reseller and systems integrator, Saville is the perfect partner to provide organisations AV solutions that increase business, productivity and ROI. As a unified communications specialist, Saville design, build and install projection and display solutions, videoconferencing and collaborative environments, interactive technologies, digital signage networks and a complete range of custom audio visual furniture.

Saville Audio Visual is also one of the UK’s leading audio visual integrators, providing bespoke AV/IT solutions to a diverse client base across the Saville Audio Visual 0370 606 1100 head.office@saville-av.com www.saville-av.com @SavilleAV www.linkedin.com/company/savilleaudio-visual www.facebook.com/SavilleAV

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West & North Yorkshire Business

64 EVENTS ROUND UP

“ I always come along to the lunchtime events because not only do they have fabulous speakers, but the quality of the other Chamber members in attendance is fantastic.”

Amanda Selvaratnam University of York

Bank of England meeting with ‘third sector’ representatives

West & North Yorkshire Business

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EVENTS ROUND UP 65

Shipley MP Philip Davies speaks to a Bradford property audience

“ The Chamber is great at organising events in incredible locations, and it is always one of the must-do events of each month.�

Andrew Digwood Rollits Solicitors

L-R: Juliette Healey and Andy Haldane from the Bank of England with West & North Yorkshire Chamber Chief Executive Sandy Needham

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West & North Yorkshire Business

66 EVENTS July 14 Learning Lunch 12:00 – 14:00 £20 / £30 Clarion, Leeds 18 Property Forum 08:00 – 10:00 £15 / £30 Bradford City FC, Bradford 19 Property Lunch 12:00 – 14:00 £30 / £42 National Centre for Early Music, York 25 Property Forum 17:00 – 19:00 £15 / £30 DLA Piper, Leeds 26 Pure Networking 07:30 – 09:00 £20 / £30 Middletons Hotel, York 27 Speed Networking 07:30 – 09:30 £20 / £30 Kala Sangam, Bradford .

August

September

02 Business Lunch 12:00 – 14:00 £30 / £42 Novotel, York 03 Pure Networking 07:30 – 09:30 £20 / £30 Bremner Suite, Leeds United FC, Leeds 09 Learning Lunch 12:00 – 14:00 £20 / £30 Devere House, Bradford 16 Networking Afternoon Tea 16:00 – 18:00 £20 / £30 Bettys Tea Room, Harrogate 17 Napoleon’s Networking 16:00 - 18:00 £15 / £24 Napoleon’s Casino, Bradford 22 Pure Networking 07:30 – 09:00 £20 / £30 Bar Convent, York

04 Property Forum 17:00 – 19:00 £12 / £18 The Grand Hotel & Spa, York 06 York & North Yorkshire Chamber Annual Lunch 11:45 – 14:30 £42 / £54 York Racecourse, York 07 Pure Networking 07:30 – 09:30 £20 / £30 The Tetley, Leeds 13 WNY Chamber AGM & Lunch 11:45 -14:30 £42 / £54 The Midland Hotel, Bradford 20 Learning Lunch 12:00 – 14:00 £20 / £30 Clarion, Leeds 21 Pure Networking 07:30 – 09:00 £20 / £30 Middlethorpe Hall, York 28 Speed Networking 07:30 – 09:30 £20 / £30 Kala Sangam, Bradford 29 Business Lunch 12:00 – 14:00 £30 / £42 Downe Arms, Nr Scarborough

International Training Understanding Incoterms

12 July – Addleshaw Goddard LLP, Leeds

Export Documentation

26 July – Addleshaw Goddard LLP, Leeds

Understanding Exporting

1 August – Addleshaw Goddard LLP, Leeds

Methods of Payment & Letters of Credit 30 August – Santander, Leeds

Chamber International Networking Reception 31 August - Addleshaw Goddard LLP, Leeds

Export Documentation & Import Procedures 19 September – Addleshaw Goddard LLP, Leeds

Understanding Exporting & Incoterms 26 September – Addleshaw Goddard LLP, Leeds

Understanding Exporting

17 October – Addleshaw Goddard LLP, Leeds

Export Documentation

“Networking events are an excellent way to meet people, interact and find out what’s happening in the business world.”

26 October – Deloitte, Leeds

Suzanne Burnett

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