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Airport transformation programme welcomes 100th apprentice

Blog

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11/03/2019

Airport transformation programme welcomes 100th apprentice

Manchester Airport’s £1bn transformation programme has celebrated its latest milestone as it welcomed its 100^th apprentice onto the project.

With just four weeks until the first phase of the development opens to passengers, Ross Wainwright, 24, from Stoke, joined the scheme to work for R&H Installations.

Ross decided to do an apprenticeship because he was looking for a career change and is now working on the duct and pipe work across the project.

He said: “My apprenticeship on the Manchester Airport Transformation Programme has helped me to get my foot in the door, providing valuable experience on site whilst being able to learn as I go along.

“The Manchester Airport Transformation Programme is one of the largest construction projects in the North of England, so it is really exciting to be working on it.”

He joins apprentices working on scheme in areas such as engineering, painting and decorating, plumbing and project management. Over the course of the project more than 150 apprentices will be recruited. It comes as the number of people currently working on one of the largest construction projects in the North of England has reached more than 1750.

The transformation programme will see Terminal 2 grow by 150% to become the airport’s main terminal. The first pier and multi storey car park are set to open to passengers from the beginning of April.

Andrew Cowan, CEO at Manchester Airport, said: “This is another significant milestone for our transformation programme. When we started the project, we made a commitment that businesses and people from around the region would benefit from the development.

“It’s pleasing that as we get closer to the opening of the first phase that work is continuing at pace on the rest of the site and we’re continuing to see more apprentices like Ross getting an opportunity to work on the scheme.”

Bryan Glass, Project Director at Laing O’Rourke and on the Manchester Airport Transformation Programme, said: “It’s rewarding to see so many apprentices begin their careers here on one of the UK’s largest construction projects. Everyone involved in the project – Laing O’Rourke as main construction partner, together with our supply chain is committed to developing the talent of the future and I’d like to welcome Ross, the project’s 100th apprentice on board.”

pro-manchester promotes Nicola McCormick to Chief Operating Officer

Appointments

Sam Whitear

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11/03/2019

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pro-manchester promotes Nicola McCormick to Chief Operating Officer

Pro-manchester has announced the promotion of Nicola McCormick to the role of Chief Operating Officer.

The promotion is the first Sam Booth has made since she became chief executive in September last year.

Formally events and operations director, Nicola has been with pro-manchester for nine years, bringing to life the hugely popular conference programme, as well as the organisation’s largest events, such as the Annual Dinner, key lunches and visit from the Lord Mayor of London, all of which attract thousands of business professionals each year.

Nicola has worked in the events industry for more than 15 years. Prior to working for pro-manchester, Nicola was head of events for Travel Counsellors. Before this, she worked her way up from events assistant to head of events at Manchester agency, Gilds Events, with regular clients including JD Williams, Bupa and Siemens to name but a few.

Nicola’s new role will see her oversee the company’s day-to-day operations, creating strategies and policies alongside chief executive, Sam Booth, as well as taking over Sam’s former responsibility of managing pro-manchester’s wider team. Nicola will also continue to work on pro-manchester’s key events programme.

Of the appointment, chief executive Sam Booth, said: “I am delighted to recognise Nicola’s hard work and ongoing commitment to pro-manchester with this new appointment.

“Nicola is a hugely important member of the team and I believe she will support the strategy I have created to take the organisation to new heights in the coming years.

“This promotion is the first step in pro-manchester’s plans to expand even further and create a strong and vibrant business community.”

Of her appointment, Nicola said: “I am really looking forward to working alongside Sam to develop pro-manchester and the team furthermore.

“It is a pleasure for me to take on this new role and to have the trust from Sam to do so. We already have some exciting plans and look forward to sharing them with our members and board in the coming months.”

Clough & Willis professionals quiz raises £700 for Bury Cancer Support Unit

Blog

Sam Whitear

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11/03/2019

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Clough & Willis professionals quiz raises £700 for Bury Cancer Support Unit

Bury and Bolton based law firm Clough & Willis raised over £700 for Bury Cancer Support Unit at its 22^nd annual quiz. The unit provides support through complementary therapies, information, and the friendship of other patients and staff. The centre is available to anyone living in the North West who is affected by cancer whether as a patient or a carer.

The event took placed at Elton Vale Sports Club on Thursday 7th March. Over 90 people attended with 26 teams competing from across various industries including banking, marketing, property, accounting, IT and financial services.

This year’s winners were Lex Business Solutions who scored 47 points followed by runners up I-Com International Limited who notched up 43 points. There was a three way tie-break for second place with I-Com beating Affordable Accounts Group and Towergate Insurance Brokers after correctly answering a killer question.

Lee Marston, managing partner at Clough & Willis, said: “This year’s quiz was once again a fantastic success and it was great to see so many local business people in one room having fun and networking. We’d also like to thank all the participating teams for raising so much for such a vital and worthwhile cause.”

TUI Group commissions Milk Jnr’s & Kidworks for new projects

Blog

Sam Whitear

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11/03/2019

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TUI Group commissions Milk Jnr’s & Kidworks for new projects

Milk Jnr’s & Kidworks, the Manchester-headquartered agency which specialises in creating engaging kids activity kits for some of the world’s biggest family brands, has been commissioned by TUI Group for a series of new projects that will launch over the coming year.

Milk Jnr’s & Kidworks has worked with TUI Group since 2014 across its airline, cruise and retail brands. The agency has delivered 10 projects so far including in-flight, onboard, check-in and in-store packs that have included a range of bespoke and individual games, puzzles and characters. All have been created in line with educational guidelines and reinforce TUI’s strong sustainability message.

TUI is the world’s leading tourism group. The broad portfolio gathered under the Group umbrella consists of tour operators, 1,600 travel agencies and leading online portals, TUI aviation airlines with around 150 aircraft, over 380 hotels, 16 cruise liners and many incoming agencies in all major holiday destinations around the globe. It covers the entire tourism value chain under one roof. This integrated offering enables TUI Group to provide our 27 million customers with a holiday experience in 180 regions.

Zoe Telfer, Client Services Director at Milk Jnr’s & Kidworks, said: “We are delighted to have been commissioned by TUI Group once again. Our focus will now be on further adding value to each brand we work with and to help create holidays to remember for young travellers.”

Sophie Hughes, Product Lead, Inflight Supply Chain Group Inflight Services, at TUI Group, added: “Over the past few years Milk Jnr’s & Kidworkshas really understood the TUI brand and has worked to our strategy and objective to appeal to our younger travellers. This strong and successful partnership means we have confidence the team at Milk will continue to deliver innovative and engaging solutions that reflect our values.”

UKFast CEO agrees land deal with Council to guarantee future growth

Blog

Sam Whitear

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11/03/2019

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UKFast CEO agrees land deal with Council to guarantee future growth

Lawrence Jones MBE, founder and CEO of Manchester technology firm UKFast, has agreed a deal with Manchester City Council to acquire the 120,000 sq. ft. plot of land opposite UKFast’s Campus HQ in Birley Fields, Hulme.

The planned acquisition of the site is key to the continued growth and acceleration of UKFast and its associated companies, which together employ more than 400 people in Manchester and beyond.

The current Birley Fields Campus incorporates two identical 40,000 sq. ft. buildings, 1 and 3 Archway. The Campus is also home to the FastForward tech incubator, managed by Tech Manchester – a not-for-profit initiative funded by UKFast to support tech startups.

FastForward already provides a base for 15 startup and scaleup businesses, with Jones currently providing space in the incubator to these businesses free of charge.

Lawrence Jones and UKFast co-founder and MD Gail Jones have a long-term aspiration to create a dedicated tech campus, stimulating the UK tech community, creating jobs for Manchester and adding value to the city.

Proposed developments for the site are phased, with Phase 1 including an office building of at least 30,000 sq. ft. with surface car parking and Phase 2 bringing additional office accommodation and a multi-storey car park. An underground data centre may be included within the basement of one or both phases.

Lawrence Jones, said: “From the moment I walked into the first Archway building I saw a much bigger picture, and knew we needed the building opposite and the land over the road. This is the first step in an incredibly exciting and ambitious move to support our development, but also to help the wider tech community.

“We’re investing to ensure the future development of our workforce and to support Manchester’s fast-growing economy. Across the FastForward incubator, UKFast and our associated businesses we’re set to support the creation of 300 long-term, sustainable job opportunities during the first phase alone.”

Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council, said: “This expansion is important news. UKFast is an innovative company with a strong sense of social responsibility, helping Manchester’s people gain digital skills and access opportunities. Not only will this create hundreds of new jobs in a wide range of roles but it also reinforces the company’s commitment to the city.

“This is the final piece in the jigsaw of the Birley Fields development and will make a major contribution to the ongoing regeneration of Hulme and the surrounding area.”

WestBridge Capital backs MBO at APEM Limited

Blog

Sam Whitear

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11/03/2019

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WestBridge Capital backs MBO at APEM Limited

Westbridge has backed the management buyout of APEM Limited, Europe’s leading independent environmental consultancy specialising in the aquatic environment and remote sensing.

The deal has seen WestBridge invest £9.8 million in a combination of equity and loan notes, which will support the company’s growth ambitions as it develops complementary service lines to support its clients’ needs.

The transaction has allowed the business founder Dr Keith Hendry to retire and pursue his long-standing non-commercial interests.

Dr Adrian Williams and Dr Stuart Clough, who have been instrumental in growing the business over the past decade, will continue to take the company forward. They are supported by a broad and experienced executive team, who will benefit from the wider share ownership that this transaction has allowed.

Established in 1990, APEM provides environmental consultancy, laboratory services, field surveys and remote sensing capabilities to a range of sectors including water, power, engineering, construction and transport.

Services include water quality and pollution analysis, species and habitat surveys, and aerial surveys, all of which assess the potential impact of developments and operations on the surrounding environment. APEM also provides on-going monitoring and consultancy to minimise environmental damage.

The business is considered the thought-leader in its niche with clients that include blue chip companies, government bodies and regulatory authorities, such as the Environment Agency and DEFRA.

Headquartered in Stockport and with a turnover of £10 million, APEM has eight offices across the UK, one in Germany and one soon to open in the USA, all supported by over 100 highly qualified staff.

The transaction was led by Guy Davies and Valerie Kendall, founding partners at WestBridge, who will both join the board, supported by investment managers Edward Minton and James MacLeay.

Valerie Kendall said: “This is exactly the type of authoritative business we like to invest in and, most importantly, the chemistry with the team feels right. We are very much looking forward to working with Adrian, Stuart and their colleagues, who are acknowledged experts in this fast-growing niche sector.

“Although APEM is already successful, we have collectively identified areas of untapped potential to help grow the business further, both organically and through acquisition.”

Guy Davies added: “APEM is a well-respected and well-run business providing a number of essential services that are resilient to market forces and underpinned by government policy and regulation, which is becoming increasingly stringent.

“The UK government is committed to delivering its 25-year environment plan, which includes the delivery of clean and plentiful water, while the UK must comply with EU environmental regulations after Brexit, all of which means that demand for environmental consultancy is set to grow.

“We are also delighted with the work undertaken by the Dow Schofield Watts team, led by Peter Barkley, who supported WestBridge with this transaction. Their strong environmental consulting M&A credentials assisted us greatly.”

Dr Adrian Williams, managing director at APEM, said: “We are delighted to conclude this deal. As well as enabling us to develop a wider suite of specialist services across the UK, it allows us to exploit the huge growth potential presented by the US offshore wind market.

“We already have a strong foothold in the United States, having won four major offshore wildlife photography survey contracts in the last couple of years but there is much more to come. We’re delighted that our methodology for conducting aerial surveys has become adopted both by regulatory bodies and developers alike.

“Our success to-date, across the whole of APEM, has been due in no small part to our team of highly qualified and loyal colleagues and we would like to take this opportunity to thank them for all their efforts.

“We were impressed with the WestBridge team and feel our respective strengths herald an exciting future. We are looking forward to partnering with WestBridge over the next few years.”

Yorkshire Bank provided senior lending and working capital facilities to the group. Jane Hartley, senior director, said:

“The team at APEM are influencers in their field, their expertise and approach is extremely well-respected and there is huge potential to take the business forward. At Yorkshire Bank, we are committed to supporting SMEs in the north west grow and develop and it’s an exciting time to be working with such an impressive business, like APEM, as they look to the next stage of their journey, including expanding their international presence.”

Tom Kelleher, partner at Capital Law, said: “We have had a strong relationship with WestBridge over many years and we have enjoyed supporting them on this transaction, our ninth deal for WestBridge. In APEM, WestBridge has again backed impressive individuals and a great business. We have no doubt that the WestBridge team together with Adrian and Stuart can build upon the existing success enjoyed by APEM and we look forward to working with them to support the future growth of the business.”

Peter Barkley and Thomas Dutton of Dow Schofield Watts Corporate Finance provided bid support and debt advisory to WestBridge. Peter Barkley commented: “We are delighted to have assisted WestBridge in making this investment and to have worked with them and management in developing their joint vision for the future of APEM. WestBridge’s experience and ambition combined with APEM’s outstanding reputation is a great fit and we look forward to seeing the business continue to grow.”

Bury business leaders come together for International Women’s Day

Blog

Sam Whitear

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08/03/2019

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Bury business leaders come together for International Women’s Day

Three of Bury’s most prominent female business leaders appeared together at a panel discussion to discuss their experiences in business to coincide with International Women’s Day 2019.

Hosted by GC Business Growth Hub in partnership with Bury Council, the Recharge Bury event took place at The Fuselier Museum this afternoon.

The panel consisted of;

Angela Davies, CEO of testing laboratory MSL
Julie Ann Forbes, sales & marketing director at property management company Hamilton Heath
Elizabeth Clarke, CEO of award-winning advertising technology company Dream Agility Ltd

Coral McFarlane, marketing manager at GC Business Finance, was also part of the panel discussion, which was chaired by Hilary Centeleghe of GC Business Growth Hub.

The discussion was lively, funny and frank, with each panellist’s business journey, the innovation challenges faced by businesses in the UK compared to other countries and Brexit among the range of topics covered.

In particular, all of the panel addressed the continuing gender pay gap, saying that pay levels in companies need to be transparent and based upon skill, while also making a point of encouraging the next generation of female business leaders to continue striving for equal representation in what can still be a male-dominated business world.

On this point, Julie Ann Forbes summed up the feelings of the panel when she told the audience: “Be brave, be confident and don’t be intimated.”

Hilary Centeleghe said: “It was a joy to chair today’s panel and highlight the fine work and outstanding contributions all of today’s panellists have made to the business community in and around Bury.

“For me, two things should be clear following today’s event; opportunities exist within a wide range of sectors in the Bury area, and these opportunities are open to everyone on merit, regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexuality or any other identifying characteristic.”

The Insights People expansion into Europe boosted by new client wins on both sides of the Atlantic

International

Sam Whitear

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08/03/2019

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Manchester-based The Insights People, the award-winning research company behind Kids Insights and Parents Insights, have expanded into Europe boosted by a raft of new client wins in the US and the UK.

In the UK, new client brands signing up for its real-time surveys include Liverpool FC, Warner Bros and Immediate Media – the publisher of LEGO’s UK magazines, Radio Times, and Top Gear and Match of the Day magazines under licence from the BBC.

The firm’s US arm Kids Insights USA have signed handicraft company Crayola and Kraft Foods, owner of famous brands such as Kool-Aid and Philadelphia cream cheese.

All these companies, along with The Insights People’s existing clients like games business SEGA, toy manufacturer Hasbro and broadcaster Turner, will now be able access, in real time, insights into emerging trends to support advertising, content, licensing, product and marketing investments.

The Insights People have also launched Kids Insights across Europe, with the service launching in mainland Europe at the start of the month. Kids Insights will be surveying more than 200 children every week in Germany, France, Italy and Spain, resulting in a total of 40,000 children being surveyed in continental Europe each year, as the business continues to work towards its vision of being the global leader in child-focused market intelligence.

To support this growth, the company has also made three new hires; Tim Burge will join as Research & Trends Director heading up the team’s growing research team, Penny Wolfe will join to coordinate operations at the firm’s global headquarters in Manchester, and Martin Felando joins Kids Insights US as an Account Director and will be based in New York.

Nick Richardson, CEO of The Insights People, said: “It is testament to the strength of our proposition that we continue to enjoy significant growth as more and more leading brands look to us to provide them with their market insights, not just in the UK but now on a global basis.

“Based on demand from our customers, we are delighted to announce that we are now launching Kids Insights in Germany, France, Spain and Italy, where we will be providing organisations with access to the most comprehensive and dynamic market intelligence on kids, tweens and teens in real-time.

“I am also very happy to welcome Tim, Penny and Martin to The Insights People team as we continue to look for more talented people to join our research and tech teams to aid our global expansion.”

FW Capital’s NPIF £500k loan propels people business

Blog

Sam Whitear

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08/03/2019

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FW Capital’s NPIF £500k loan propels people business

A Bolton-based recruitment business has received £500k funding from NPIF – FW Capital Debt Finance, managed by FW Capital and part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF).

Workforce recruits highly skilled labour for industries including Furniture, Textiles, Automotive, Transport and Healthcare, priding itself on being able to service both large blue chip companies and smaller SMEs through its innovative ‘Recruit, Relocate and Retain’ business model.

Workforce is run by CEO Simon Hayton, who completed a management buyout in 2016. The company currently has a turnover of £10m and employs 40 staff at its Bolton Head Office.

The funding from FW Capital will be used to hire additional colleagues which will enable Workforce to drive its growth in new sectors. The firm has also invested in a series of bespoke, multi-language jobsites, which will allow Workforce to open up and control a variety of new candidate streams across the UK and Europe.

Workforce CEO Simon Hayton said: “Our highly differentiated business model supplies clients in sectors of the UK economy where there are fundamental skills shortages. We have worked very hard to develop long-term partnerships with our clients and our strategy now is to take Workforce to the next level, by opening new markets in healthcare, construction and hospitality & leisure.

“We are in advanced discussions with a number of high profile new clients who are looking to introduce our recruitment solutions, including one of the UK’s largest care providers, a major OEM automotive manufacturer, and we have significant interest from a number of national hotel chains and construction companies.

“FW Capital have been really supportive. They are very efficient and engaging and made it clear early on in the process what was required. They worked really closely with the lawyers involved, which made the process run smoothly and completed the deal quickly.

“The funding is vital to unlock our growth strategy. We will create a significant number of jobs and expect turnover to double to around £20m in the next two to three years.”

FW Capital senior investment executive, Simon Berry said:“I was impressed by the team at Workforce. They have grown a fantastic company with a very distinct business model which is transferrable to other sectors and will allow them to grow.

“They have already made progress with their expansion plans and I am delighted that our funding will make such a positive impact on their business. I am looking forward to working closely with them through this period of development.”

Sue Barnard, Senior Manager at British Business Bank, said: “We’re very pleased that the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund has helped to boost jobs in the Bolton region, by funding Workforce. This NPIF investment is set to increase staff numbers within the company itself, and allow Workforce to expand their offering to overseas clients. We look forward to NPIF assisting another business to scale up and target significant growth.”

Wigan tech firm doubling turnover each year secures £55,000 NPIF investment

Blog
Finance

Sam Whitear

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07/03/2019

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Wigan tech firm doubling turnover each year secures £55,000 NPIF investment

Wigan based software provider Outsource Management Services (OMS) has secured investment of £55,000 from NPIF, BFS & MSIF Microfinance, a fund managed by GC Business Finance in partnership with MSIF and part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF).

OMS has developed Vitesse, a cloud-based productivity management tool that delivers real time analytics to help businesses managing supply chains or warehouses to reduce operating costs and improve efficiency by providing full visibility of the performance of every activity, process or procedure.

Having already established itself as a successful challenger brand and with turnover doubling year on year, Vitesse is now being adopted by a growing number of household name retailers, warehouses and supply chain organisations. The subscription-based software solution is able to match resources with demand, to cost orders accurately as well as analysing staff activity ensuring that companies are able to reduce downtime, optimize productivity and to create a fair and transparent working environment. Unlike conventional systems which only track output units per hour, Vitesse builds a range of other key factors into its analysis from warehouse size to parcel weight which creates a fairer and far more accountable logistics and staff performance data map.

OMS will use the new funding injection from NPIF to create five full time customer service roles based in Wigan and servicing the company’s countrywide client base, to further develop the Vitesse software and subscription service, and to bring to market a number of other products that are already in the pipeline.

OMS is run by Managing Director, Martin O’ Grady and Chief Technology Officer, Gareth Dodd both former directors of the Caudwell Group and having held senior logistics and IT roles at the Hut Group, Iceland and Brightstar.

Gareth Dodd, Chief Technology Officer of OMS said: “Warehousing and logistics businesses will usually have full visibility of where and how well utilised all their vehicles are. They will also know exactly where all their inventory is, it’s value and stock-turn. However, when it comes to one of their biggest operating expenditure; people, they have little to no information. How well utilised are they? How well balanced across teams and departments are they? What processes are stopping them from achieving their potential? Who needs additional training? In times of constrained labour supply, likely to become more acute with Brexit, retaining, training, incentivising and measuring staff fairly are not luxuries – they are essential. Vitesse is a cloud-based, easy to deploy solution that helps businesses grapple with these issues, improve profitability and treat people fairly.

“We are delighted to be able to invest the NPIF funding into really building our sales team to ensure that we are able to reach and meet with the customers who are hearing about and wanting to trial our product.”

Mark Gibbons of GC Business Finance said: “Martin and Gareth have developed a highly innovative and competitive product that offers many more relevant functions than anything else o the market. Not only will it help save companies money from wasted man hours, it also improves management skills by allowing the business to build a true picture of the work needed to produce its orders and to reward and incentivize the teams delivering them.

“Having already exceeded their growth targets for last year, this funding injection will enable OMS to put in place their ambitious expansion plans and to really shake up the market with this and a range of other products.”

Sue Barnard, Senior Manager at British Business Bank, said: “OMS provides significant benefits to its clients, helping businesses to manage supply chains and reduce their operating costs. The company has established itself as a well-known business, and it is good that NPIF has supported its further growth as it looks to create jobs and develop new products.”

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