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Car accident management firm finds new home

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Claimsline, a Manchester-based accident management company, has relocated to a new 2000sq ft office to support ongoing growth. 

It has leased an office space at 3 Archway, Birley Fields, which will serve as its new headquarters. The new office, will provide space for 28 staff, working both in person and remotely, as Claimsline intends to grow its team to over 30 by the end of the year. 

The new office also offers several employee benefits, including a free on-site gym, free parking, and an award-winning and subsidised on-site restaurant.  

The business has seen steady growth since it was founded in 2019, resulting in a major expansion of the team, which has grown by over 50 per cent so far this year. Meanwhile, key partnerships with windscreen repair giant, Autoglass, and garage comparison website, WhoCanFixMyCar, have expanded Claimsline’s offering to customers. 

The move to 3 Archway will provide a base for the team to support its increasing customer base, with the business on track to earn a staggering £8m in its fourth year of trading, a 112 per cent increase from 2021.  

Regulated by the FCA, Claimsline provides a fast and reliable recovery service to drivers who have been involved in a motor accident. Its service offers manufacturer approved repairs and like-for-like replacement cars with no impact on a motorist’s no-claims bonuses. Each customer is given their own dedicated claims handler who negotiates between insurance companies whilst providing real time updates on the progress of their claim.   

Andrew Franks, commercial director at Claimsline, said: “The team are all really excited about the move, which comes at an exciting time for Claimsline as we build on our strong vision for the future. We’re looking forward to making our mark on the thriving SME landscape in Greater Manchester.” 

“It’s the perfect place for us to set our roots as we continue to develop and expand our team. I’m incredibly proud of the work of our team to date, and a new office really marks the turning point for the business. We aim to substantially grow in the North West to become the first port of call for motorists who have been in an accident.” 

CARTIME BOOST AS REVILO FOUNDER JOINS CAR SUPERMARKET TEAM

MANCHESTER car supermarket cartime has welcomed the founder and chief executive of Revilo Group to its team as non-executive chairman on a consultancy basis as the firm looks to strengthen the development and operational efficiency of the business.

Lee Collins brings more than three decades of experience with him to cartime, which has dealerships in Bury and Rochdale, and the firm’s boss is delighted to have him join the company to help the business grow further.

Matt Kay, founder and CEO of cartime, said: “In recent years the business has grown significantly, we added Rochdale and the 4×4 Centre to our list of locations, whilst also dealing with significant ‘headwinds’ from the arrival of Covid.

“I recently invited Lee Collins to assist me and the management team in the further development of cartime. The aim is to improve operational efficiency to help maintain our profitably and improve customer satisfaction. I am pleased to say Lee has now joined the management team on a consultancy basis as non-executive chairman.

“He brings with him a huge amount of automotive experience, along with extensive Board Level experience, not least with Jaguar Land Rover, having served almost ten years on their Dealer Council as Regional Chairman and as the UK Sales Panel Chairman.”

Lee has spent 35 years in the Automotive sector, with Rover, Fiat, BMW, Land Rover & Jaguar franchises; starting his career as a car salesman at Lookers Austin Rover in Rochdale, before moving through sales management into senior management, before completing a management buyout of the franchise dealer group where he was then managing director.

Almost ten years later, he went on to sell the group to Vertu PLC. Along with his dealer group, he also owned and managed his own marketing company, Image Red, which he also sold to Vertu PLC.

Following his appointment, Lee said: “Matt and I have known each other for a while now, and it is good practice for rapidly growing businesses to seek the support of other experienced Directors to help with their development, to ensure the owner of the business additional management support at senior level, when the demands on their time are excessive.

“To Matt’s credit, he had the vision and experience to create Cartime and now, to invite me to join the company during this growth phase, to ensure Cartime has the right management structure, process and procedures in place as it heads towards £100million in turnover.

“After 35 years in the automotive sector, 24 years as a company director and as a business owner, I have a strong track record in creating and operating high performing businesses with an enviable record of customer satisfaction. This and my experience at board level, will allow me to support Matt, to ensure Cartime continues to build on its already successful past performance.”

Awarded as the UK Car Supermarket of the Year for two years running, cartime currently employs 120 staff. It is one of the fastest growing independent used car dealerships in the region stocking more than 1,000 vehicles, from family saloons and 4x4s to high-performance sports models.

Number of UK businesses grew by 808,000 this year – still close to recent record highs despite struggling economy

The number of new businesses in the UK grew to 808,000 in the past year*, near recent record highs in spite of the stress of inflation and rising interest rates on the economy, says Growthdeck, the private equity investment firm

Growthdeck says that the Covid-19 pandemic unleashed a new wave of entrepreneurialism in the UK. Many individuals have taken advantage of the opportunities available through technology and flexible working to start new businesses.

The number of new businesses created last year was only slightly down on the 836,000 created in 2020/21, which was a record high.

The sector that saw the most new businesses created in the past year was retail, with 98,000 started last year, largely driven by online retail. The online retail sector has been a major growth industry for a number of years. The pandemic supercharged this trend as entrepreneurs took advantage of a more accessible e-commerce marketplace to turn hobbies into business ventures.

The red hot jobs market in the past two years means that recruitment is one of the sectors seeing the biggest rise in new businesses being created. Growthdeck’s figures show that the number of new businesses created in the recruitment sector rose by 11% from 8,000 to 8,900 in the last year as more recruiters sprang up to meet demand from both businesses and individuals.

Ian Zant-Boer, CEO of Growthdeck, says: “Despite the economic uncertainty hanging over the country, the number of small businesses that have been created is a sign of longer-term optimism.”

“The economic headwinds facing the UK mean we’re likely to see the number of startups start to fall in the coming months. It’s worth remembering however that the last recession triggered a wave of new startups. New businesses can grow strongly out of a recession so long as funding is in place to help them thrive.”

Growthdeck says the continued high level of new business creation highlights the need for finance to help these businesses scale up. As the country heads towards a recession, banks are likely to pull back on lending to small businesses so it is vital that the Government does everything it can to ensure businesses have access to the investment they need to scale up.

Schemes such as the Government’s Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) and Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) offer access to crucial equity finance for scaleup businesses – something that can be in short supply during a recession.

Zant-Boer says: “EIS and SEIS already have a track record of funding some of the best British businesses to emerge from the 2008/9 financial crisis. We expect to see the same happen again through the current period of economic stress.”

* Year end August 31 2022. Source: Growthdeck analysis of Companies House registrations

Datasite Announces Manchester Office as Part of Continued Global and UK Expansion

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Datasite®, a leading SaaS-based technology provider for global mergers and acquisitions (M&A) professionals, has opened a new office in Manchester. The location was chosen given the city is one of Europe’s fastest growing digital and tech hubs, which is well-positioned to help Datasite better service M&A deals across the North of England with local resources and support. The new office is Datasite’s second in the UK after London, the company brings its global expertise to meet the UK’s growing demand for innovative M&A technology and services.

Merlin Piscitelli, Datasite Chief Revenue Officer for EMEA, comments: “We continue to invest in innovation and global expansion, and we are delighted to open a new office in one of Europe’s fastest growing digital and tech hubs. Manchester and its surrounding region are a great fit for Datasite, and our new office ensures our international expertise and leading technology are on the doorsteps of M&A professionals in the North with on-the-ground resources to make the management of their deals even more effective and efficient.”

Datasite’s office opening comes at a time of year when dealmaking is typically busiest and amid optimism from UK M&A professionals about deal activity despite challenging market conditions.

“Some of the world’s biggest companies run important operations out of Manchester. We wanted to invest in the growing local economy and have a dedicated team based in the city to cater to the specific and uniquely local needs of the businesses here,” adds Jon Hughes, Vice President of Sales for UK and Ireland at Datasite.

The Manchester office follows ten new offices opened globally in the last two years and reflects the company’s growth, which has been powered by the introduction of new products to address management pain points across the entire deal lifecycle, from deal sourcing and preparation to post-merger integration.

Dealmakers in more than 170 countries make their deals in Datasite, including 74 of the top 100 legal firms and all the top 20 global financial advisory firms. In 2021, Datasite facilitated more than a third of the top 100 global deals, including a third of the top 61 US deals, and close to half of the top 25 EMEA deals.

The company has been recognized for numerous awards in the last 12 months, including a BIG Artificial Intelligence Excellence Award, a silver Best in Biz Awards International for enterprise product of the year, a gold APAC Stevie Award for innovation technology development – financial services industries and a bronze Stevie Award for Datasite Prepare – fintech solution.

Datasite’s new Manchester office is located at 125 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 2LH, UK.

Three is the magic number for Dukinfield-based Contact Originators with treble success at industry Awards

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Dukinfield-based packaging origination and flexographic plates manufacturer, Contact Originators, achieved a momentous hat trick by taking home three Gold prizes at the prestigious 2022 Flexographic Industry Association UK (FIAUK) Awards.

Following double Gold successes in the 2021 and 2020 ceremonies, Contact went one better in 2022 by scooping three Gold awards in front of over 400 leading figures from across the flexographic industry. The origination leaders won Repro Company of the Year and Supplier of the Year, both for the third year in a row, before winning the Technical Innovation Supplier Award to complete a remarkable treble.

The company was commended for another year of excellent customer service and the successful introduction of its innovative PrintHQ technology, an automated digital shim printing system for corrugated printers developed in collaboration with AV Flexologic.

Steve Mulcahy, CEO of Contact Originators, was jubilant, saying: “Everyone at Contact has worked tremendously hard over the last year and it is wonderful to see our team get the plaudits they deserve.

“To take home a hat trick of Gold awards in three highly competitive categories is a testament to the skill and passion of every member of our team, which drives the business to continually improve. The fact we are not only maintaining these award-winning standards, but building on them every year through the introduction of innovations like PrintHQ, is only good news for our customers.”

This year’s awards were hosted at the iconic Silverstone motor racing circuit, with the biggest names from across the print and packaging industry in attendance. As always, the winners were judged by a broad range of brands and experts from across the industry, and separated into Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards, as well as a Highly Commended category for particularly impressive runners-up.

To find out more about Contact Originators and its range of products and services to packaging printers and brand owners, please visit contact-group.co.uk.

How Switching to an EV Fleet Can Benefit Your Business

Earlier this year, more than 30 companies were fined as part of a regulated effort to reduce emissions. As such, there has never been a better time for your business to consider switching to a green vehicle fleet.

Firms that lease fleets, such as Select Car Leasing, are advocating for UK drivers to make the switch to electric vehicles, and companies that adopt a green vehicle fleet can play a huge part in making our roads more sustainable.

Not only will going green with your company’s vehicle fleet be beneficial for the environment, but it will also have a positive impact on your employees, as one expert explains.

Sarah Worthington, Fleet Specialist at Select Car Leasing says that growth in electric vehicles for the Corporate Fleet Team has been ‘record-setting’.

She reveals: “In the last year, the number of electric vehicle fleets leased has increased from 25.12% to 37.25%.

“Fleets are placing record-setting orders for electric vehicles (EVs), and all evidence suggests that these numbers will continue to rise.

“EVs work a little differently to petrol or diesel vehicles. Whereas those sorts of vehicles burn fuel to create heat that can be converted into movement, EVs directly convert electricity into movement.

“This means that EVs do not waste half as much energy as petrol or diesel vehicles do when they use fuel.

“EVs will also cost far less money to keep running in the long run. Thisismoney.co.uk estimates that an electric car can work out being 61% cheaper than its petrol equivalent.

“Therefore green car fleets come with the advantage of helping companies meet their Scope 1 (direct) emissions and Scope 2 (indirect) emissions targets.

“The UK is on target to reach net zero emissions by the year 2050, and climate change schemes are in place for UK-based companies to ensure that the nation reaches that target.

“Earlier this year, more than 30 companies were issued with fines by the Environment Agency as part of nationwide efforts to reduce emissions.

“As such UK companies are making a considerable effort to go green. Data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) recently revealed that 58.5% of EVs on UK roads are company registered.

“Furthermore, Reuters claims that as retail sales have fallen, leasing has become the more popular method for companies that use vehicle fleets.

“Another benefit that EV fleets present businesses is the potential for saving money through tax reductions.

“Tax benefits for electric vehicles introduced in April 2020 mean that businesses can claim up to 100% of the cost of an electric vehicle against the profits of the year of purchase.

“Plus, employees that use a private electric vehicle for business purposes may be entitled to claim an annual tax-free mileage allowance of 45p per mile for the first 10,000 miles driven and 25p per mile after that.

“Employees may also be eligible for grants under the Electric Vehicle Homecharge scheme, which contributes 75% towards the cost of a single charge point and its installation, up to a maximum of £350 per household with an electric vehicle.

“Despite this positive trajectory towards greener vehicle fleets in the UK, there are still barriers in place that are enough to put some companies off switching to EVs.

“One concern that some companies have regards infrastructure, in that they believe there is simply not enough accessible EV charging stations in the UK to support a fully green fleet.

“Another barrier that is affecting some companies switching to a green fleet is that the demand for EVs is, at times, outweighing the supply. This situation is not helped by a variety of global issues.

“However, we are seeing the supply of EVs getting better, as manufacturers are prioritising EV build slots since they too have their own production emissions targets that they need to achieve.

“Furthermore, the leasing industry can provide an answer for companies who may find themselves struggling to upgrade to an EV fleet.

“With our Select buying power and close manufacturer relationships, there is no better place for a customer to secure the best pricing and vehicle availability.

“Overall, it is worth remembering that the long-term environmental and financial benefits of switching to an EV fleet far outweigh the headache that any of these stumbling blocks might pose.

“EV fleets are an essential part of our collective fight against the climate crisis since there is already a significant impact on the environment caused by the fuel consumption of petrol or diesel vehicle fleets.

“Switching to a greener fleet is also a way of demonstrating both to your employees and the broader community that your company cares about their long-term health and well-being.

“With an EV fleet, you are making a statement that you are dedicated to delivering services in a sustainable way, which can only reflect well on the public opinion of your company.”

WHN Solicitors bolsters Bury arts charity coffers

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North West law firm Woodcocks Haworth and Nuttall Solicitors (WHN) has thrown its support behind the arts in Bury.

WHN Solicitors, which has eight offices across Greater Manchester and Lancashire, has committed to a year-long sponsorship of The Met, an independent arts and entertainment venue in Bury.

The Met opens access to the arts for the Bury community and helps develop musical talent in the region. It is run by Bury Metropolitan Arts Association and is a registered charity supported by Bury Council, Arts Council England and Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

WHN has handed over a £1,250 donation to the charity, adding to the £4,055 the firm has committed over the past three years.

The sponsorship will help the charity fund its outreach and education work, which is designed to get people of all ages and abilities involved with the arts, explore their creativity, build confidence, and improve wellbeing.

Creative learning workshops include theatre groups, music tuition, dance and yoga classes, as well as sessions for the over 50s to tackle loneliness and isolation.

Daniel Long, director, WHN Solicitors, said: “As a sponsor of The Met and a firm committed to the communities in which we operate, we recognise just how important the support and work the charity does locally is.

“The Met makes a really positive difference to the wellbeing of those in Bury and the surrounding areas, so we’re more than happy to extend a hand of support.”

Victoria Robinson, chief executive of The Met, added: “We firmly believe that access to the arts is a right for our community and we work hard to make our organisation as accessible for everyone as possible.

“As a charity, the generosity and support of local businesses helps us to provide sessions both inside our building and across Bury and promote the wider benefit of accessing creative activity. The sponsorship and continued support from WHN Solicitors ensures we can continue our work and remain a hub for our local community.

“WHN has been a firm supporter of The Met for a number of years, so we’re absolutely thrilled to see them commit to another year of support.”

NEW £30K HOSPITAL SUITE RESEARCH FACILITY OPENS IN STOCKPORT – A UK FIRST

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A highly innovative mock hospital, which cost £30K, has been opened this month by Aspect Viewing Facilities in Stockport and is the first of its kind in the UK.

The facility will enable research to take place, including the testing of medical devices such as inhalers, injection pens, catheter, and stoma products in an environment that replicates a number of clinical settings.

Aspect Viewing Facilities creates an immersive experience, recreating a medical facility right down to the finest detail. It consists of a full scale hospital room complete with hospital bed, saline drip, portable and functional medical sink and medical mannequin to mimic patient interaction. It can be set up to replicate an operating theatre, outpatient, hospital or other clinical setting for a highly realistic research environment.

Ultra-powerful cameras have been installed which can move throughout all fields of vision and zoom in on the tiniest detail for experts to review. One way viewing mirrors allow clients to comfortably watch the testing without impacting those taking part in the research.

Lydia Fuller, one of the owners of Aspect Viewing Facilities, commented: “We spotted a gap in the market for medical device research. Manufacturers want to test their products in the way that they are designed to be used but currently there is no medical setting within any other viewing facility in the UK. This allows medical professionals to test devices in as similar surroundings as they would be used to in real life giving our clients the highly accurate feedback which can be used to take their products to market sooner, leading to better patient care and treatments.”

Nick Bradley at Bergo recently said:

“In May 2022 I hired the Aspect Hospital Viewing Simulation Suite to run a usability study of a medical device in development for one of my clients.  A room was set up similar to an operating theatre for surgeons to simulate an implantation procedure using a medical mannequin.  High-quality cameras in the study room recorded close-up interaction of the procedure, which was also displayed on monitors being viewed by the client in an observers’ room. Overall, the Suite provides an ideal setting for simulating medical procedures for research, training and medical device evaluations.”

There is also an additional space within the facility which is set up as a GP surgery, complete with a GP consultation room which is also a fully immersive space, replicating the environment with an adjacent room which is set up as a GP surgery waiting room.

The setting could also be utilised for first aid training and other human factors studies where a clinical setting is required.

Aspect Viewing Facilities also has other research spaces which are set up for traditional market research such as focus groups and individual interviews for a range of any consumer research topics. Aspect is affiliated with Acumen Fieldwork, who manage and organise market research studies throughout the UK and beyond. Their services complement Aspect’s Healthcare Simulation Suite with their expertise in recruiting healthcare professionals and patients to take part in the research.

Aspect and Acumen run side-by-side as sister companies, sharing the same Founders and Directors. This close relationship enables us to work together behind the scenes to deliver the best research experience for our clients.  We take care of the small, yet important details, allowing clients to focus their attention on running the research and gathering the all important insight.

Aspect Viewing Facilities is aimed at market research agencies and medical device manufacturers directly. It is open now and more information can be found at https://www.aspectviewingfacilities.com/venue/stockport/the-healthcare-suite/

The facility will be also holding a Open Day on Friday 7th October between 10am and 4pm.

Productivity could stagnate: 40% of young workers vow to ‘act their wage’

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Almost half of workers under the age of 30yrs have stated that they only intend to do the ‘bare minimum’ of their job description if their pay or progression remains unchanged – according to a new poll from recruiter Robert Walters.

The new phenomenon – termed ‘quiet quitting’ – is seeing young professionals performing just the basics of their job role, ensuring that they bring no further initiative or betterment to the position.

Toby Fowlston – CEO of global recruitment consultancy Robert Walters comments:

“This behaviour isn’t something entirely new – there have always been less motivated individuals in the workplace. However, the real concern here is that unlike those few workers who tend to consciously be less productive at work – ‘quiet quitting’ is often a subconscious act borne out of frustrations toward the workplace.

“It is easy for managers to pull their employees up on lack of productivity, but unless they get to the bottom of the ‘why’ their motivation has dropped, then quiet quitting could well become a silent movement that has a damaging effect on businesses productivity and profitability.”

Young Workers ‘Acting their Wage’

According to recruiter Robert Walters, the leading reason for workers under the age of 30yrs choosing to ‘quit quietly’ is pay.

Whilst we have seen a record year for pay increases – with those moving to a new employer getting pay hikes of +25%, and those remaining at the current company receiving +10-15% increases – this isn’t close to the +54% increase in household energy bills seen in April 2022, and the 80% increase we’re anticipating in October {source}.

The inability for wages to match cost of living is creating a culture of younger workers ‘acting their wage’ – younger workers suddenly feel heavily underpaid for their role due to rising costs and inflation and some are therefore refusing to do more outside the parameters of their job description.

Toby adds: “In all cases of economic hardship it is young workers who are on lower salaries who feel the financial burden more. Their lack of experience – exasperated further by the pandemic – puts them in a much weaker position than their older, more experienced counterparts when trying to bargain for higher pay.

“Employers will be unable to increase pay at the same rate of inflation – that’s a fact, so this is where softer perks and benefits really do have a chance to make a difference. Increasingly we are seeing utility vouchers, travel cards, and streaming subscriptions all being offered to prospective employees.”

Remote Working a Breeding Ground for Quiet Quitters

When surveying managers, more than half feel that they are taking on more workload due to a dip in productivity from younger workers.

According to the poll, 39% of managers state that hybrid and remote working makes it difficult to measure the output of their team – with a further 24% stating that the flexibility to choose differing work patterns and hours means that there is no universal indictor for productivity, making it easier for ‘quiet quitters’ to go under the radar.

Toby comments: “Quiet quitting creates a real imbalance in the team – where engaged workers will find that they are having to pick up the slack or deal with the lack of output from their disengaged colleagues. This in turn will either burnout or frustrate those workers who are going above and beyond to deliver a high output.

“Business leaders can’t allow ‘quiet quitting’ to become a norm – accountability is a central part of this. If ‘quiet quitters’ are benefitting from being ‘out of sight, out of mind’ then employers should not hesitate to make more office facetime mandatory.

“As much as we learnt new ways of working in the pandemic, we also had some great working habits before Covid. These more traditional structures and systems should not be overlooked.”

EAS Extends Places for Complimentary Software Automation Webinar

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Software automation firm Endpoint Automation Services (EAS), which has a Manchester-based office, has extended places for its complimentary webinar on Organisational Productivity. The virtual session takes place on 13 October.

Entitled ‘Get Smarter Work Done’, the seminar will offer attendees insight into how to identify and prioritise processes for automation and how to scale beyond task-level automation.

In delivering the complimentary workshop, EAS has partnered with international technology company Soroco, and Chris Duddridge Vice President of Sales will be giving a short presentation, followed by live demos of a technology platform in action.

Russell Lawrie, EAS Commercial Director comments: “We have already held two very successful and over-subscribed webinars, so have taken the decision to make this next session accessible to a larger number of businesses.

“The series will be particularly beneficial for business managers, procurement teams and IT specialists, who are keen to acquire real insight on saving resources and increasing productivity through automating organisational processes.

“We expect the webinar to be especially useful for existing automation users and teams, to provide them with the discovery tools that will allow them to further identify automation opportunities, potential, and insight.”

More information on the Get Smarter Work Done webinar can be found at https://easuk.co.uk/events/get-smarter-work-done

With a business model perfectly suited to today’s business challenges, software solutions business EAS, was founded in 2015 and produces intelligent software automation solutions to organisations nationally including, pharma and public health bodies (including the NHS), manufacturing industries, insurance, legal and higher education sectors.

Physical robots have already transformed the plant floor, and now software robots are transforming everything else. EAS’s automation drives efficiencies in R&D, operations, supply chain management, customer engagement, and employee productivity.

EAS specialises in producing Robotic Process Automation (RPA) solutions, and with a background in complex IT and cloud automation, offer automated processing. Since establishing the business in 2015, EAS has achieved to date over £3 million in cost savings for its clients, through the development and deployment of software robots to replace manual, repetitive processes and freeing up valuable employee time to focus on more complex tasks.

The company achieved a turnover of in excess of £1.8m for 2021, up from £820,000 in 2020, and is now targeting sales of £2.2m for 2022.

For more information on the EAS visit: www.easuk.co.uk