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Rooms with a view at new MediaCityUK offices

Property

Sam Whitear

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09/10/2020

Rooms with a view at new MediaCityUK offices

MediaCityUK has unveiled refurbished office space in the 16 storey White Tower, completely refitted by Consensus Workspace.

The 12,000 square foot area within MediaCityUK’s newly expanded ‘Arrive’ managed workspace for creative, digital and technology businesses, boasts stunning views across Salford, Manchester and beyond.

Says Andy Plastow, Managing Director at Consensus: “Working alongside Jefferey Bell Architects to complete the works and sticking to the design brief, we were able to complete the high quality fit out based on the design specifications in 16 weeks.”

The completed office space allows for changes necessitated by Covid, but will still work long-term if and when rules are relaxed. This has involved Consensus using specific materials and creating bespoke booths for private meetings and calls, building safe social spaces and meeting rooms as well as large open plan areas that make the most of the views.

Chris Reay, MediaCityUK Property Director said: “We’ve worked with Consensus on a number of projects now and they always complete before deadline, within budget and to the highest specification. As the UK workforce is adapting its approach to office life, the brief was very much to create a welcoming, modern place of work that provides a safe and socially responsible environment.

“White Tower is in the heart of MediaCityUK and we’re delighted to be welcoming new tenants to this new, refreshed space.”

11 Degrees Appoints 3PL as Fulfilment & Logistics Partner

Transport

Sam Whitear

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09/10/2020

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11 Degrees Appoints 3PL as Fulfilment & Logistics Partner

Fulfilment & Logistics specialist 3PL, has been appointed by Ath-leisure brand 11 Degrees as their multichannel order fulfilment partner.

The announcement comes as the North West based 3PL enters its key trading period of the year with UK based sellers preparing for the biggest online sales season in history.

The Eleven Degrees fashion brand has marketed itself as a leading destination for modern street style sports fashion with collections for Men, Women and Juniors and has collaborated with a number of high-profile ambassadors for recent campaigns as it continues to expand its global reach.

3PL has agreed a long-term contract that will see them deliver a tailored solution to provide order fulfilment solutions for all online sales and key retail accounts. The partnership will also allow the fashion brand to offer their customers an extended range of delivery options for online orders.

The announcement comes as 3PL continues to oversee millions of orders each year supporting an increasing number of high growth brands encompassing multi-channel operations from its various fulfilment centres.

“We are particularly excited to be welcoming Ath-Leisure leader 11 Degrees into our growing stable of high growth brands here at 3PL.” John Scully, Business Development Manager at 3PL, commented on the partnership “It was clear that the intelligent use of technology and data driven decision making on offer would assist the team at 11 Degrees with their dynamic and ambitious growth plans. We are excited to be working alongside the team at 11 Degrees on their journey.”

“We’re delighted to have chosen 3PL as our fulfilment partner and we look forward to working with them to deliver the next stage of our growth plans for 11°.” Andy Hayton, Director of 11 Degrees commented “Being able to provide a global service model with the flexibility to scale as we respond to demand, allows us to better connect with customers all around the world and build the brand in key markets, in an ever increasingly competitive space we must stay ahead, stay agile and continue to surpass customer expectations in everything we do.”

4,000 SMEs to benefit from £7m to bridge workforce skills gaps

Business support

Sam Whitear

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09/10/2020

0

4,000 SMEs to benefit from £7m to bridge workforce skills gaps

The Growth Company has been awarded a £7m contract to help 4,000 SMEs across Greater Manchester reskill their workforces, supporting the city region’s long-term economic recovery in response to Covid-19.

Funded by the European Social Fund and commissioned by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), the Skills for Growth – SME Skills Support package will be delivered in partnership with the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce (GMCC).

The scheme will support businesses that need to better understand and develop their staff skill sets and business models to ensure they are future-proofed and in a strong position to grow.

Initially, the scheme will target SMEs who are adapting their businesses models to survive the economic impact of the pandemic. These businesses urgently require new technical and vocational skills within their workforces to respond to new opportunities and challenges.

Skills for Growth – SME Skills Support will work with 4,000 SMEs across Greater Manchester over the next three years to identify the skills gaps within their teams, supporting them to become more productive and increase turnover. Approximately 17,000 individual skills plans will be developed to help employees maximise their potential and reduce the risk of redundancies.

The project will link individuals with existing and new skills programmes run at a city-region and national level and will also align with other initiatives seeking to boost productivity in the region. It will refer SMEs to Bridge GM, a project to connect employers with young people looking for work experience, and the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter, which is working to improve employment standards across the city-region.

In addition, Skills for Growth – SME Skills Support will provide critical skills intelligence to the GMCA to help shape and inform future regional and national skills strategies and support requirements for SMEs.

Mark Hughes MBE, Chief Executive of the Growth Company, said: “Ensuring Greater Manchester has a workforce with the right skills for the future is a critical step in unlocking and enabling our city region’s economic growth.

“By working closely with SMEs to identify needs at all levels of their organisation, Skills for Growth – SME Skills Support will help shape the future landscape of skills across the region and beyond.”

Cllr Sean Fielding, GMCA portfolio lead for Employment, Skills and Digital, said: “We’re building a Greater Manchester where our employers have the information, support and tools to shape the skilled and talented workforce they need to thrive.

“Our ambition is for everyone to have the opportunity to get on, from making sure our young people are equipped for life to ensuring our workforce has the right skills to grasp the opportunities on offer across the city-region. SMEs are key to achieving this ambition and this contract will ensure those businesses and their employees have the support to maximise the opportunities available to them.”

Clive Memmott, Chief Executive of Greater Manchester Chambers of Commerce, added: “This is a vitally important opportunity to help make sure that Greater Manchester has the right workforce with the right skills to face the challenges ahead and ensure that, as a city region, our people and businesses can prosper and grow.”

The Growth Company is an award-winning, not-for-profit social enterprise with a mission to enable growth, create jobs and improve lives. We provide individuals and businesses with a wide range of services that improve employment, skills, investment and enterprise for the benefit of all, and have been working in the Greater Manchester city region for more than 30 years.

Skills for Growth – SME Skills Support will run for 30 months until 2023. To find out more, please contact Paula.Ackers@growthco.uk.

This project receives funding from the European Social Fund as part of the 2014-2020 European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme in England.

The Department for Work and Pensions is the Managing Authority for the England European Social Fund programme.

Established by the European Union, the European Social Fund helps local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support skills development, employment and job creation, social inclusion and local community regenerations. For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding.

Manchester Metropolitan University and The University of Liverpool join Lancaster University in supporting SME manufacturers to gain digital leadership skills to grow their organisation through technology

Sam Whitear

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09/10/2020

0

Manchester Metropolitan University and The University of Liverpool join Lancaster University in supporting SME manufacturers to gain digital leadership skills to grow their organisation through technology

An innovative leadership programme equipping business leaders with the vision and the skills to pursue smarter manufacturing is being rolled out to leading universities.

The Made Smarter Leadership Programme, developed in partnership with Lancaster University Management School (LUMS), is a blend of workshops, site visits to SME manufacturers who are already on the journey of adopting digital technology, facilitated-learning sessions, and special project sprints to test new ideas.

With 22 leaders already empowered to transform their individual businesses, Lancaster University is readying for its third intake on October 22, while the University of Liverpool and Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) will begin delivering the programme on November 4 and 12 respectively.

The roll-out gives more SME leaders, based in Cheshire and Warrington, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and the Liverpool City Region, the opportunity to learn the strategies to support the adoption of hi-tech and digitally-based manufacturing techniques into their own production processes. It also explores organisational culture and how to engage and enthuse employees and other stakeholders about their digital transformation journey.

Sarah Poynter, operations manager at Arden Dies, the Stockport-based die and tooling manufacturer, has signed up for the programme.

She said: “As a company we are at the start of a transformational journey. We have always invested in the best technology and machinery, but there are historic challenges that need our focus if we are to capitalise on the next stage of our growth.

“I was drawn to the Made Smarter Leadership Programme because it combines leading academic expertise with practical activities to apply that knowledge into our business.

“I am looking forward to connecting and collaborating with other leaders from different types of business and learning how they do things.

“Digitalisation should be the focus for all manufacturers and this programme is the perfect place to start.”

With social distancing measures likely to stay in place for the foreseeable future, the programme will initially be delivered predominantly online with a view to move to face-to-face workshops when this is safe to implement.

These include seven workshops led by both academics delivering leading edge thinking and business practitioners demonstrating adoption in real business settings.

Through the programme delegates will also embark on ‘sprints’ where they would test their ideas with employees from the business to build engagement and learning from each other.

Site visits will also be conducted virtually, until it is safe to do in-person.

For the Lancaster cohort they include Runcorn-based Hosokawa Micron, a manufacturer and supplier of powder processing systems and equipment which has transformed its production performance through the application of digital technologies, and Veka, a Burnley-based manufacturer of PVCu window systems.

The Liverpool cohort will also gain vital insights from visits with Hosokawa Micron as well as The Materials Innovation Factory, the centre of excellence at the University of Liverpool which is part-funded by Unilever and provides a collaborative workspace for academics and industry to share open innovations, robotic tech and digital capabilities to accelerate R&D.

Donna Edwards, director of the Made Smarter North West adoption pilot, said: “The Made Smarter Leadership Programme has been a success story, giving 22 of the region’s leaders the vital tools and insight to accelerate the adoption of advanced digital technologies within their business.

“The roll out of the programme means more SME manufacturers will have the opportunity to take time out of their business to reflect on the bigger picture and share ideas and experiences alongside their peers in manufacturing, and then return to their own business and develop a digital strategy to create growth and efficiencies.”

Professor Angus Laing, Dean of Lancaster University Management School, said: “To secure the roll out of this innovative programme we developed in partnership with Made Smarter further reinforces Lancaster’s outstanding reputation for devising and delivering world-class business leadership development.

“While the way that the programme is taught has changed, with sessions being completed virtually, the feedback from delegates is that the new approach has worked very well. In fact, we hope that the flexibility offered by the new format will encourage more leaders to sign up.”

Dr Benito Giordano, Senior Lecturer in Innovation Management and lead academic on the Made Smarter programme at the University of Liverpool, said: “We are very pleased to be involved in delivering the Made Smarter Leadership Programme along with colleagues from Lancaster and MMU.

“This is a great opportunity for us to work closely with a cohort of innovative local small and medium sized businesses to help them deliver digital transformation to drive further growth.”

Mandy Parkinson, Head of Business and Public Engagement at Manchester Metropolitan University, said: “The Made Smarter Leadership Programme will provide vital support to business leaders at such a critical time. Since 2015, Manchester Metropolitan has supported more than 1,000 SMEs in areas including growth, innovation and resilience and we are looking forward to seeing the difference our range of expertise will make to many businesses across the region.

“This innovative programme builds on our expertise in delivering practical programmes aimed at helping business owners to successfully develop their company and grow themselves as modern leaders.”

Registration for the next Leadership Programme is now open. For more information or to apply for your place visit madesmarter.uk

ENDS

Notes to editors:

Companies who have completed the programme include: Technoprint in Winsford; DT Engineering in Widnes; Flexitallic in Ellesmere Port; Abbey England in Knutsford; Forth Engineering in Barrow; Primasonics in Penrith; Fintek in Ramsbottom; Heatsense Cables in Rochdale; Inscape Interiors in Chorley; Forsberg Services in Lancaster; Gencoa in Liverpool; Milexa in Liverpool; Createc in Cockermouth; Actikem in Warrington; and Twinfix in Warrington.

For all Made Smarter media enquiries contact Stuart Greer and Melanie Antao Fernandes at Antao Greer Communications on 07799 289650 or email stuart@antaogreer.com or melanie@antaogreer.com

Tech firm makes eight new hires after flurry of client wins

Sam Whitear

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09/10/2020

0

Tech firm makes eight new hires after flurry of client wins

A North West-based tech company has marked its 10th anniversary with eight new hires and 11 contract wins.

Everything Tech has just completed a record 12 months with turnover up 28 per cent to £2.5m and gross profit up 36 per cent following a surge in demand from clients wanting to work from home during Covid-19.

Co-owner and director Ruth Hall has stepped up to the role of managing director to help oversee the company’s ambitious growth strategy.

The eight new hires bring the workforce up to an all-time high of 31 and founder Lee Wrall, who is the sales and marketing director, said the investment would allow Everything Tech to grow turnover to £3m next year.

Mr Wrall said: “It’s been a memorable decade but we feel we’ve only just started our journey.

“Our 11 new client wins in September take us to over 150 and, as the business has grown at the front end, it’s really important we invest heavily in the back end as well.

“Our eight new hires have bolstered the administration, project management and procurement teams. We’ve also added a couple of people to the second line help desk and recruited a new technical lead in Lee McNaughton.”

The other seven new recruits are Becky Herrington; Jason Clark; Antony Bond; Paul Whittaker, Matthew Woods; Lyn Holt; and Jacob Atherton.

The 11 new contract wins secured in September include Milk Media; Five Wealth; All Traffic Products; Fletcher Bond; The Binary Box; and Vale Holiday Parks.

Mr Wrall said the company’s move into a 2,500 sq ft city centre office in Hanover House, Manchester, earlier this year had been crucial to attracting new staff.

“Securing a prime city centre office space has been one of the catalysts for our growth,” he said. “We also pride ourselves on our customer retention rate of 97 per cent and visit our customers very month, which makes us feel part of the team.”

Everything Tech is a Microsoft Gold Partner and saw demand for its Microsoft 365 expertise soar during the lockdown, enabling up to 500 people a week to work from home.

“Our decision to specialise in Microsoft 365 three years ago has been crucial during Covid-19,” said Mr Wrall.

“We recognised that Microsoft 365 had the potential to transform businesses so we became experts. Over the past four years we’ve built our business around that product and become experts in it.”

He said Covid-19 had put a lot of projects on hold but Everything Tech had seen a huge spike in clients wanting to be able to work from home.

“The three buzz words in working from home are security, collaboration and communication,” he said. “Everyone is having to adjust to a new way of working and it’s going to go on a lot longer than people first thought.

“Our 150+ clients are at the heart of our business and they range in size from companies with five employees to over 300.”

Everything Tech is co-owned by Wrall, technical director Anthony Hautin and managing director Ruth Hall.

The company signed a five-year lease with landlords Epsilon Real Estate Partners for the entire third floor of Hanover House.

Mason Advisory officially named one of the UK’s Best Places to Work in Technology

Awards

Sam Whitear

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08/10/2020

0

Mason Advisory officially named one of the UK’s Best Places to Work in Technology

Mason Advisory, independent IT consultancy, has been featured in the Great Place to Work In Technology 2020 report announced this morning.

Based at MediaCityUK in Salford, the company placed 9th in the small companies list (between 20 and 50 employees) – confirming that employees feel Mason Advisory is a great workplace.

The report is compiled by Great Place to Work®, an organisational consultancy working with businesses to become great workplaces, and reviews insights, workplace culture and people practices among employers in the technology sector. The methodology behind the rankings is one of the most rigorous and highly regarded in the UK and the report analyses recruitment, retention, growth, upskilling and training, and diversity and inclusivity. It bases the results on the opinion of employees, as staff feedback makes up the results of the Trust Index to ensure the full workforce is included in the survey.

Mason Advisory is continually investing in and implementing improvements in workplace culture, employee wellbeing, and career development. During the pandemic, it has continued to operate effectively and flexibly with staff working remotely, but with the choice of coming into the office should they need to, and within strict safety guidelines. This recognition confirms that employees at Mason Advisory feel a strong sense of trust, fairness and camaraderie.

Steve Watmough, Mason Advisory CEO, says:“We’ve had to be agile, adapt to new working conditions and acknowledge the impact these changes will have on our team, both inside and outside the working day, while maintaining the same high quality of work delivered for our clients. We’re so proud to have received this recognition and it’s a morale booster for our whole workforce under the current circumstances. Our employees are the heart of our business and we appreciate their commitment, enthusiasm and sheer hard work – it’s impressive to see how they have thrived while working from home and been able to continue their professional and personal development.

“2020 has had plenty of highs and lows for us as a company but this award will stand us in good stead and gives us the confidence that our team is happy with our working practices and company culture. Thank you to all our employees for helping us to build a great workplace.”
Benedict Gautrey, Managing Director of Great Place to Work® UK, says: “Especially during these times of crisis and uncertainty, it’s incredible to see the number of organisations within UK’s tech space that have prioritised building a positive employee experience.

“In this, our third year of recognising UK’s Best Workplaces in Tech, we’ve seen many organisations find innovative and creative solutions in continuing to drive their great workplace culture remotely. We hope that by highlighting our Tech list recipients, other employers will be encouraged to put their people strategy at the heart of their business and continue to implement policies, practices and programmes that sustain an impactful and consistently great employee experience for all.”

With offices at MediaCityUK, Salford, and London, Mason Advisory provides IT consultancy and advisory services, solving complex business challenges through the intelligent use of IT resources including IT strategy and transformation, sourcing, architecture, cybersecurity and IT delivery. It operates in sectors such as finance and banking, health, insurance, emergency services, education, retail, government, not for profit, and transport.

Earlier this year, Mason Advisory was also listed in the Financial Times’ Leading Management Consultancies 2020 report.

Manchester SaaS firm expands business model following 250 per cent revenue uplift

Growth

Sam Whitear

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08/10/2020

0

Manchester SaaS firm expands business model following 250 per cent revenue uplift

Summize Ltd, a Manchester-based software provider for the legal sector, has reported a 250 per cent revenue increase each quarter for this financial year as a result of growing demand for its time-saving technology.

The firm has secured ten new significant contracts since the start of the year, as well as diversifying its business model with the development of an entirely new revenue channel.
Summize clients are now being offered a managed services option, enabling them to extend the artificial intelligence and machine learning-driven software to their own clients.

As a leading developer and supplier of intelligent software, Summize gives users the ability to understand, manage and review contracts in their own way, as well as analysing and summarising multiple contracts at once. It allows users to build bespoke clauses, making contract reviews easier and more flexible for time-poor professionals.

The platform, which supports SMEs, in-house and private practice teams, has been created to automate a traditionally time-intensive manual process and can save clients up to 85 per cent in time cost per review. Summize clients include Brabners, Elior, Zuto, and Flexicare.

In addition to its sales and customer increase, Summize has also been focused on its team development during the COVID-19 pandemic. It has made three new hires in the last month, taking its current headcount to 15, up from two co-founders in 2019.

Tom Dunlop, founder and CEO of Summize, said: “It is a really exciting time for Summize and the software sector as a whole. Having only brought our product to market this year, we have already welcomed an impressive roster of clients, which has accelerated in recent months despite the current economic pressures. We are growing at a fast rate financially, geographically and across our client base, and the influx of market demand has only accelerated that growth in recent months.

“Legal professionals are notoriously time-poor and the digital transformation agenda has historically lagged in this sector. Additionally, given the added pressures implied by the coronavirus pandemic, they are looking to autonomous platforms like ours to make their lives easier. We are constantly reviewing and developing our technology to keep ahead of the curve and that’s why we have added this managed services option, to allow our customers to provide a better service to their network.”

In 2019, Summize received a £500,000 investment from NPIF – Maven Equity Finance, managed by Maven Capital Partners and part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund.

MEADOWSIDE SUPPORTS MOODSWINGS ON MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS DAY

CSR

Sam Whitear

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08/10/2020

0

MEADOWSIDE SUPPORTS MOODSWINGS ON MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS DAY

Moodswings, the charity to help people recover from mood problems and the severe emotional distress they can cause, is marking this year’s World Mental Health Awareness Day with a partnership with neighbour, FEC, the property company developing MeadowSide at Angel Meadow.

The New Mount Street based charity which was established in 1999 helps people copes with mood problems which can range from periods of severe anxiety or depression to episodes of high and low mood. The effects on education, employment, relationships and family life can be devastating and the charity team works with visitors to deliver a message of real hope and optimism for individuals and their families and friends.

Relying on donations and grant funding means that the charity, led by Linda Wilson, is constantly concerned about offering its vital service which reaches out across the north west. Now, having struck up a partnership with neighbour FEC, the developer of MeadowSide at Angel Meadow, the team feel a level of support that has taken away some of their own worries about the future path of the charity.

Workers from FEC’s contracting arm, Dex Construction, have already visited the premises and measured up to help remodel the interiors to adhere to Government guidelines to do with social distancing and to become compliant for when the building is allowed to re-open. They plan to help with the structure of the building and to assist with the exterior to help provide a pleasant external area where clients can visit and relax. They are also helping to scope out

ideas about the popular Thumbs Up Community Cafe which has remained closed since lockdown began.

“As neighbours we want to support this charity in whatever ways we can and we are starting our relationship with assistance with their building to help make it welcoming and safe for their visitors,” says Rebecca Kirkland, community liaison manager at developer, FEC.

Added Moodswings CEO Linda Wilson, “We welcome the support of the team to upgrade our building and make it inviting and comfortable. It is wonderful to mark World Mental Health Awareness Day with news of this practical support which will be a real help as we prepare to re-open to help those in real need.”

Moodswings is planning a series of events via Zoom this week to mark World Mental Health Awareness Day on Saturday 10th October including Walkeoke on Thursday 8th at 11am and Mindfulness on Friday 9th at 11am.

Made in Manchester Awards 2021 Reimagined

Awards

Sam Whitear

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08/10/2020

0

Made in Manchester Awards 2021 Reimagined

At pro-manchester we recognise there is still a lot of uncertainty about future plans due to COVID-19, however we feel it is important more than ever to recognise and reward Greater Manchester’s young business talent, which is why we are delighted to be pressing forward with MiMA 2021.

The show must go on. Given the most recent government announcements we have decided to make MiMA 2021 100% digital!

pro-manchester will continue to innovate and find new ways to support Greater Manchester and our amazing young professionals and embrace a digital awards experience.

The deadline for award nominations is 15th November 2020.

In addition to nominations, the awards are also open for sponsorship opportunities, with ticket bookings to follow shortly.

The Made in Manchester Awards 2021

Date: Thursday 4th February 2021

Time: 06.30 PM – 08.00 PM

Venue: Virtual (booking and joining instructions will be released in the coming weeks)

To find out more and to enter visit www.madeinmanchesterawards.co.uk

For sponsorship opportunitieshttps://www.mimamcr.com/sponsorship.html

LANDWOOD GROUP LAUNCHES PROJECT AND BUILDING CONSULTANCY DIVISION

Property

Sam Whitear

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07/10/2020

0

LANDWOOD GROUP LAUNCHES PROJECT AND BUILDING CONSULTANCY DIVISION

Landwood Group has marked the launch of its new Project and Building Consultancy division with a string of new instructions.

Property firms, administrators and private investors, including London & Scottish Investments, DFDS, Assetcorp, Derwent Lodge Estates and RBH Properties, are among those already benefiting from the dynamic, director-led commercial advice it provides.

The new service lines are delivered by directors Chris Mann (ex Hollis) and John Edwards (ex Avison Young), who are both RICS chartered surveyors.

Between them they provide in excess of 35 years of project management, cost consultancy and building surveying experience alongside extensive practical, design and consultancy expertise.

Landwood Group Director Anna Main comments: “We’re delighted to expand the services we offer with our new Project and Building Consultancy lines.

“Chris and John bring with them considerable knowledge and experience that will allow us to provide clients with unbeatable expertise alongside best-in-class commercial advice.

“While the economic outlook is uncertain, we remain committed to identifying opportunities that will drive meaningful commercial results.”

Chris Mann adds: “There is a clear demand in the market at the moment for concise, expert commercial advice.

“The Project and Building Consultancy service lines are a natural fit alongside Landwood’s current offering.

“We’ve hit the ground running with our new client wins demonstrating how we’re already trusted to add value to businesses.

“Myself, John and our colleagues look forward to working closely with Landwood’s existing teams to grow this division further.”

The new division, which launched in September, will offer advice across the whole life cycle of assets with typical instructions including project management, dilapidations and advice on acquisitions and disposal.

Headquartered in Manchester, Landwood Group are experts in property, plant and machinery and business assets. Their team of chartered surveyors, asset managers and auctioneers provide unrivalled expertise.

Among the services they provide clients are property and machinery asset valuations and appraisals for secured lending and recovery situations; residential and commercial property management and property and business asset sales.

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