CS Storage from Bamber Bridge has recently converted lockers at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester to accommodate the new one-pound coin as a result of the coin’s recent introduction.
From 15 October this year, the old one-pound coin or ‘round pound’ will no longer be accepted as legal tender, so the race is on for businesses to update their facilities for use with the new twelve-sided pound coin.
“It’s vitally important that companies ensure all their facilities are up to date and accept the new pound coin” commented Stuart Jardine, Operations Director, CS Storage. “We were therefore delighted to help the Museum of Science and Industry to update their lockers and give them the peace of mind that the new coins will be accepted.”
Chris Hanley of the Museum of Science and Industry added: “We’re delighted to have converted our lockers to accommodate the new pound coin. CS Storage did a fantastic job and we’re sure visitors to the museum will continue to see the benefits of these lockers.”
The storage specialist offers a wide range of services including the alternation of locks, provision of lockers, revenue sharing storage equipment, and the rental of storage equipment.
Sale Sharks and C&C Insurance Brokers have today announced the extension of their partnership for a further three seasons.
The sponsorship deal will see C&C – one of the top 50 independent insurance brokers in the UK – feature heavily throughout Level 2 of the AJ Bell Stadium during all of the Premiership rugby club’s home fixtures in 2017/2018.
In addition to sponsoring the main hospitality suite, which hosts over 300 guests from the North West’s top businesses, C&C have also taken the naming rights to the club’s platinum suite, which offers top class seating and bar facilities to rugby fans. They will also sponsor Sale Sharks full back Mike Haley for the 2017/18 season.
The news comes after just under £2,000 was raised during Sale Sharks’ annual corporate golf day, sponsored by C&C Insurance Brokers at The Mere last month.
Malcolm Cooke, Managing Director of C&C Insurance Brokers, said: “It’s been a fantastic four years with the Sharks and we’re excited to take our sponsorship deal into the 2017/18 season and beyond, amplifying awareness of the C&C brand to company owners and decision-makers in first-class hospitality facilities.
“We are also pleased that just under £2,000 was raised for the Sharks Academy during the recent Sale Sharks corporate golf day which C&C will continue to sponsor.”
Mark Cueto MBE, Sale Sharks Commercial Director, said: “To continue to be able to offer our corporate guests a premier matchday experience through C&C Insurance Brokers is fantastic.
“The past four years have gone incredibly well with our partnership proving to be extremely beneficial for both parties. We’re excited to see what the future will hold.”
He added: “As always, the corporate golf day was a hit and enjoyed by all who attended. It’s a great opportunity for team bonding away from the pitch as well as for the players to spend some time with our brilliant corporate supporters.
“We’re also extremely pleased with how much money was raised to support youth coming up through the Academy. It’s really important to support our youngsters by providing the best facilities.”
Local businesses in Greater Manchester to gain easier access to cutting-edge expertise at the University of Manchester
Business Growth Hub, part of The Growth Company, has appointed a new Business Development Manager to support SME access to the University of Manchester, in their journey of growth and innovation.
Vicki Taylor, who had previously worked in similar roles for the Royal Bank of Scotland Group and its’ partners for the last decade, joins a network of already-established business development managers at Manchester Metropolitan University, the University of Salford and the University of Bolton, completing a team that enables local businesses to access expertise and facilities at Greater Manchester’s four universities.
The group work closely alongside the universities’ engagement teams and academic schools, offering businesses technical and sectoral advice, and helping them access university resources to develop new products and services or reinvigorate their business models.
Previous success stories from the University of Manchester that have received Business Growth Hub support include Lankem, who have accessed expertise in diesel emissions, and Kenny Waste, collaborating on an image analysis project.
Vicki Taylor said: “I am excited to join the Business Growth Hub and look forward to working with the team, further developing their offering to businesses across Greater Manchester. I have a background in managing successful entrepreneurial relationships and am looking forward to continuing that tradition with the University of Manchester.”
Chris Greenhalgh, head of innovation and programme development at Business Growth Hub, said: “The world-class academic knowledge and research facilities on offer at our region’s universities allow us to create an unparalleled innovation network of research capabilities, knowledge, and facilities with the potential to make a real difference to businesses across Greater Manchester.
“Vicki comes to the role with a wealth of experience, having gained over a decades-worth of experience of offering support for start-up and scale-up businesses for an international banking group.
“We are very happy to welcome her to the Hub, and are confident her guidance will help to generate even more business success stories from the University of Manchester.”
Luke Georghiou, deputy president and deputy vice-chancellor at the University of Manchester, said: “In a globally competitive environment where knowledge and innovation is a key driver of economic growth, the ability of institutions such as major universities to collaborate and share knowledge is vital.
“These new partnerships will allow businesses across Greater Manchester to tap into a network of world-class research and expertise, and help to surmount challenges, deliver key research objectives and spark innovative ways of thinking.
“It has the potential to make a profound difference to the success of both the regional business community and wider economy, and I am confident that with Business Growth Hub we will create a thriving culture of entrepreneurship competing at the forefront of this new knowledge-based economy.”
The Hub’s innovation service has been developed to guide and support entrepreneurs and businesses through the innovation challenge, from idea conception through to launch.
Businesses who are looking to innovate can get access to specialist support and cutting edge research by visitingwww.businessgrowthhub.com or calling 0161 359 3050.
Business Growth Hub projects are part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the GM Business Growth Hub project designed to help ambitious SME businesses achieve growth and increase employment in Greater Manchester.
It is now less than 9 weeks to the inaugural Smarter Business Tech LIVE event, which will be held in Manchester on 15 and 16 November.
Looking to assess capability & competency in your marketing team? Come to stand 422 at #cipdldshow & find out how we can help #marketingdna Smarter Business Tech LIVE will be the largest business technology EXPO for the North and Midlands. Ian Stone, who is organising the event said, “In today’s technology-fueled, hyper-competitive business environment, SMART use of technology-based solutions across IT, Business Management, Sales & Marketing is now crucial to be competitive & achieve dynamic & sustainable growth. We are therefore bringing together three powerful events to empower business teams to reach the next level in agility & performance. Packed with unmissable ‘intelligence’, ‘guidance’ and ‘latest tech demos’ from 200+ expert contributors we promise this is not to be missed!”
CIM is headline partner of the Smarter Sales & Marketing Technology Show, providing FREE marketing advice for businesses from local Chartered Marketers, FREE careers advice for marketers using their diagnostic tool and FREE taster sessions of their qualifications in partnership with some of their Accredited Study Centres.
At 13:30 each day Michael O’Flynn, Sales & Marketing Director at Professional Academy, will deliver a taster session on the brand new CIM Level 7 Marketing Leadership Programme. This has been created to nurture the next round of marketing leaders – focusing on innovation within the marketing sector, challenging marketing managers and directors alike to really change the game when it comes to marketing; not just for themselves and their company but for the industry as a whole. Michael said, “We will look at ways a company can inspire a spirit of innovation within their marketing process and how these innovations can not only help deal with the challenges facing your business today but lead your business into the future.”
Diane Earles, Network Manager for CIM, said, “Michael will be available on the CIM stand after his session to discuss our qualifications in detail with attendees and answer any questions.” She continued, “We are looking forward to the event. We have plenty to talk to people about, so we’re sure to have a busy two days!”
We already know how great the UK is for business, but which cities are leading the way when it comes to entrepreneurship? To find out Instant Offices analysed vast amounts of Companies House data and compared population estimates with business growth. This helped determine which UK city ranks high on Instant Offices’ ‘Entrepreneurial Index’.
Surprisingly, London only turned up in 12th place, with Brighton taking the top spot for Most Entrepreneurial City in the UK.
John Williams, Head of Marketing at Instant Offices says “I can understand the appeal of Brighton and the south coast of England. It is a bit of an antidote to the hustle and bustle of the capital while possessing a strong, creative industry and really appealing to business owners and workers seeking a more relaxed alternative to London. We have seen record demand for office space in Brighton and also a large increase in the number of operators trying to set up space in the city to cater for its growing business community.”
City
Total Co. Launched Feb-16
Total Co. Launched Feb-17
Entrepreneurial Index
Brighton
15 710
15 734
11%
Manchester
24 476
32 934
11%
Nottingham
12 750
16 288
9%
Leicester
13 858
16 324
9%
Newcastle upon Tyne
10 720
12 848
8%
Coventry
12 532
14 664
8%
Birmingham
32 234
52 758
8%
Bristol
13 614
16 610
7%
Cardiff
10 568
12 694
7%
Edinburgh
15 450
16 432
6%
Glasgow
16 012
22 228
6%
London
228 796
312 794
6%
Liverpool
10 904
15 166
6%
Leeds
12 842
14 434
4%
Belfast
1 626
1 916
1%
Comparison: Cities Leading the Way
UK for Business
The UK ranked 8th against 137 other countries in the Global Entrepreneurship Index (GEI) for its healthy entrepreneurial ecosystem. And London hit the top spot in the European Digital City Index for the second year in a row in 2016, with the UK capital being named the best city in Europe for digital entrepreneurship and startups.
This positive upward trajectory for startups in the UK shows no signs of slowing. According to a report by the Centre for Entrepreneurs, a record amount of businesses was launched in the UK in the last year.
With such a dynamic business environment, it’s no wonder the entrepreneurial spirit persists in the UK, a country with solid infrastructure, a huge talent pool and a vibrant startup culture. To support this, there is a large flexible working scene in London – which makes it one of the largest coworking markets in the world.
With high demand for office space in the ‘donut’ around the capital in areas like Kingston, Croydon, Richmond, and Harrow, securing a desirable UK address is not only possible, but a top priority for many businesses looking to thrive.
John says, “according to many ranking systems London has been hailed as the greatest city in the world, with its combination of thriving financial hub, vibrant culture, strong education system and multi-cultural appeal. And for entrepreneurs in particular, the capital continues to be an international draw with relatively low corporation tax, an ever-growing pool of talent and strong global client base. London now also boasts a diverse selection of places to work, in a variety of locations that really drive creativity and collaboration. As one of its greatest citizens Samuel Johnson said: “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.” You cannot put a price on its vibrancy and the collective buzz that drives business, perhaps more than in any other time in its wonderful history.”
Companies are regularly overlooking the need for safety in mechanical services because they are blinkered by more obvious risks, warns compliance training specialist Develop Training Limited (DTL).
To raise awareness of mechanical safety – particularly relating to pressure systems – DTL has published a new white paper, Mechanical safety at work: developing competence with pressure systems for compliance.
Steve Braund, Marketing Manager of the company, which provides health and safety training to some of the biggest names in construction and energy, said: “While most companies recognise the need for ensuring electrical safety at work, policies and processes for mechanical safety are often overlooked. But mechanical services such as pressure systems can cause serious injury and damage if health and safety rules are not followed.”
Mr Braund points out that companies risk heavy fines and reputational damage if they allow incidents to occur: “It is vital that employers understand their duties and responsibilities, and have the correct systems and procedures in place, to ensure the safety of those operating and maintaining pressure systems and other mechanical services.”
The white paper recommends ensuring that there is sufficient competency in the business relating to working with pressure systems. That will allow for more efficient training programmes to be developed with external providers tailored to the company.
Mr Braund explained: “Developing competence in-house ensures that safe working policies and written systems of examination can be tailored to your individual equipment and process requirements and any sector-specific regulations, while still meeting professional standards.”
The white paper, the latest in a series from the company focused on major training issues, is available to download free at http://resources.developtraining.co.uk/download-mechanical-safety-at-work-whitepaper
Develop Training Ltd (DTL) has appointed Dean Hingley as Compliance Manager for Learning, Diversity & Development.
Dean is an experienced professional specialising in quality assurance and in learning and development provision, including the approval and audit of organisations, learning programmes and trainers. With nearly 20 years’ experience in training and apprenticeships, he brings with him key skills in lead verification and accredited centre management, apprenticeship management and consultancy, and the delivery and facilitation of training.
Dean joins DTL from Energy and Utility Skills where, as Quality Officer, he was responsible for the development and implementation of a quality framework.
He says: “I am looking forward to bringing my experience and practical, common sense approach to the integration of quality and compliance into DTL’s programme design and delivery.”
Away from work, Dean is a keen angler targeting big carp and in 2009 successfully caught a known big fish called ‘The Scar Fish’ at Les Graviers Lake on the outskirts of Dijon in France. The carp weighed a whopping 89.5lbs when Dean landed it, although it had weighed 99lbs when previously caught, setting a then world record.
Customers looking to redecorate their kitchens, bathrooms or bedrooms can now accurately measure their rooms and start the design process quicker and easier than ever before, by using a new augmented-reality (AR) tool.
The innovative measurement tool, Survey, uses AR to allow a user to quickly, accurately and easily create a floor plan of the room they want to decorate by simply walking about the room using the app.
Developed by mixed reality start up DigitalBridge, the app acts as a virtual tape measure to precisely take a room’s measurements.
It is currently available for Apple devices that are compatible with ARKit, and is soon to be available for Android devices that support ARCore.
The app has been developed to work in conjunction with DigitalBridge’s forthcoming and highly anticipated design visualiser, which uses AR, computer vision and machine learning to allow customers to “try out” new kitchen, bedroom and bathroom designs in their own rooms.
DigitalBridge has developed the new AR applications to help overcome the problem of the “imagination gap”, which occurs when consumers walk away from purchases because they can’t imagine what products will look like once they get home. New research commissioned by the Manchester-based company has found that more than half of homeowners (51%) have decided against a kitchen, bedroom or bathroom renovation project in the last year, because of this issue.
David Levine, CEO of DigitalBridge, said: “Being unable to visualise what a new and expensive bathroom or kitchen would actually look like in their home has been a long-standing frustration for consumers – and a commercial challenge for retailers.
“That’s why we have developed Survey, and our upcoming Aspect design visualiser tool, to help transform the shopping experience for consumers.
“A new kitchen, bedroom or bathroom is usually one of the biggest investments people make after buying their home, so our AR technology essentially brings the showroom to customers so they can try out the products they like in accurately measured designs of their rooms.”
While still a relatively young company, DigitalBridge has quickly become established as an innovative retail technology business, having received investment from John Lewis and innovation specialist L Marks. It’s also been named best company at the retail giant’s JLAB accelerator programme in 2016, and recognised as one of the most innovative start-ups in the retail technology sector by Retail Week Live and Wired Retail. .
Most recently DigitalBridge was named as one of the world’s top tech companies to watch by California based NVIDIA, after winning its retail inception accelerator scheme.
The Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF) has shown its continued commitment to investing in the North West with the £60 million purchase of Salford’s iconic Soapworks development from The Carlyle Group.
GVA represented GMPF in the purchase.
The Soapworks, formerly the Colgate-Palmolive factory, is situated within 8.5-acres on the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal. Following closure of the original facility, The Carlyle Group has carried out a major refurbishment to turn the area into a modern and dynamic centre for business, creativity and leisure.
At present the Soapworks includes 230,000 square feet of Grade A office accommodation, with notable tenants including Talk Talk, Secretary of State and MWH producing around £4,000,000 rental income per annum.
Following the purchase of the Soapworks development, GMPF intends to build on this success by creating an additional 150,000 square feet of Grade A office space and a new multi storey car park. The plans also call for 240 new residential homes and 150 hotel rooms as part of the wider Ivy Wharf regeneration.
Councillor Kieran Quinn, Chair of Greater Manchester Pension Fund, said:
“For some time I have been in no doubt that Local Government Pension Schemes have a vital role in driving economic growth through investment.
“As the largest local government pension fund in the country, the Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF) has a proud history of investing in both Greater Manchester and the North West through projects such as Matrix Homes and One St Peter’s. I’m delighted that we’re continuing to deliver on that goal with the purchase of the Soapworks development.
“I look forward to seeing this iconic development come to life. This innovative and prestigious scheme will attract businesses and support economic growth in Salford and the wider Greater Manchester region. The returns on this investment will also help enable us to achieve our over-riding aim of meeting our pension commitments to the GMPF’s 350,000 members.”
Paul Dennett, Salford City Mayor, said:
“The purchase of the Soapworks by the Greater Manchester Pension Fund, shows the continued confidence that investors have in Salford. The re-development of this former factory to a modern working environment compliments the sustained growth of MediaCityUK and the Quays and has been at the forefront of transforming Ordsall riverside. It represents the opportunity for continued employment in a development which successfully blends the old and the new.
“I believe that this quality development is a positive addition to this part of the City which already boasts significant employment opportunities in Exchange Quay, a nationally important heritage asset in Ordsall Hall, together with the flexible space at The Foundry side by side with a growing residential community.
“I look forward to the continued success at the Soapworks and the opportunities for the people of Salford.”
Over 650 people from across the UK attended this year’s Venturefest Manchester 2017, providing further evidence of the North West’s place as an emerging force in the global economy.
The event, now in its fourth year, was held at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall earlier today (Thursday 14 September) and was organised by Business Growth Hub, part of The Growth Company.
Greater Manchester’s influence on the world was also reaffirmed by the day’s speakers. In his welcome to delegates, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, highlighted Manchester as a city that has long been recognised as an innovative city, historically playing host to exceptional minds such as Ernest Rutherford and Alan Turing, as well as Geim and Novoselev, who isolated graphene and are now transforming 2D materials technology, while also calling for stronger links between the region’s businesses and universities.
Furthermore, Mr Burnham also praised the strength of the business support infrastructure in Greater Manchester provided by the Business Growth Hub and its partners.
Headline speaker Lasse Sørensen, Senior Business Advisor at Vaeksthus Copenhagen, who has extensive experience with business start-ups and in the financial sector, also put the focus on creating an international presence, highlighting the importance of putting people rather than the idea first, and that it was crucial for any start-up to clearly understand its purpose, its customers and its market from a global perspective. Lasse also made a point of saying integrity was the key ingredient to sustained business success, along with passion and commitment.
Finally, Venturefest’s host, Prof. Vikas Shah, the CEO of Swiscot Group, set the tone for the event by encouraging collaboration, highlighting that, in his experience, three of the most important factors in success are building strong networks, learning from others’ experiences and harnessing the latest innovations, and applauding Venturefest’s ability to bring together entrepreneurs, professionals and investors.
Other speakers who appeared at the event include Keith Morgan, Chief Executive of the British Business Bank, and Pippa Hall, Director of Innovation and Chief Economist at the Intellectual Property Office (IPO).
At the centre of this year’s event was the annual Innovation Showcase competition, which was open to start-up and scale-up businesses from across the region. Prior to this year’s competition, Prof. Shah conducted an interview with Mike Anderson, Co-Founder of Nothing But Epic, who outlined the numerous successes, including international expansion, the company has had since winning the 2016 Innovation Showcase competition.
One of the highlights of the day saw ten companies pitted against each other in two categories – Best Start-Up Business, and Best Growth Business – in front of this year’s audience in the hope of securing the prize of a business support package worth more than £20,000 (one in each category).
Following impressive and informative pitches that demonstrated the outstanding level of variety and innovation at the heart of the region’s business landscape, the Best Start-up category was won by Beatstream Media while the Best Growth category was won by Mello (see notes to editors for details of all finalists).
Richard Jeffery, Director of Business Growth Hub, part of the The Growth Company,
Richard Jeffery (BGH), Matt Walsh (Beatstream), Rose Aldean (Mello), Vikas Shah
said: “Now in its fourth year, Venturefest Manchester is going from strength to strength and the buzz around Bridgewater Hall has been incredible all day.
“In addition to the fantastic speeches and presentations, we’ve also witnessed some impressive pitches from all of our Innovation Showcase finalists, and I’m delighted for our winners Mello and Beatstream who had some very tough competition today.
Our Meet the Expert advice clinics, break-out sessions and expert panels have also been of the highest quality, and the whole event has epitomised the creativity, innovation and ambition that define our region.
“Venturefest symbolises what the Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is all about; bringing businesses together, sharing expertise and stimulating economic growth through innovation and collaboration.”
Venturefest’s host, Professor Vikas Shah, said: “Today has brought hundreds of company owners, professional consultants, lawyers, finance experts, investors and policy makers together under one roof to celebrate enterprise, support growing business and inspire Manchester’s next generation of entrepreneurs.
“It has been a pleasure to be part of today’s event, and I have been incredibly impressed by the enthusiasm of the delegates, the calibre of the Innovation Showcase finalists, the expertise of all the panellists and advisors, and the overall passion for business which the event has generated.”
Beatstream Media’s CEO Matt Walsh said: “We’re absolutely delighted. We’ve got the right foundations in place for the business already but the support package and the kudos that comes from winning at Venturefest Manchester ensures that the sky’s the limit for Beatstream.”
Mello’s co-founder Rose Aldean said: “We really excited and really happy. This will help put Mello on the map as a food and drink business. We’re also really proud to be a North West company, and the fact we can represent an innovative new category is great. It will also bring us more recognition for what we have achieved, and our innovation.”
Venturefest Manchester 2017 was sponsored by Appleyard Lees, Avensure, Catax, Lombard, NatWest and Pomegranate Consulting, all of whom took part in the event’s Meet The Expert or Meet The Funder sessions.
Andy Burnham
Venturefest Manchester 2017 and the Innovation Showcase competition were both run by the Business Growth Hub, part of The Growth Company, and are part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the GM Business Growth Hub’s innovation service, which is part of a portfolio of services designed to help ambitious SME businesses achieve growth and increase employment in Greater Manchester.
Businesses looking to access specialist support can visit http://www.businessgrowthhub.com/ for more information about the organisation’s extensive range of services.
For more information on Venturefest Manchester 2017 and the Innovation Showcase competition, please visitwww.venturefestmanchester.com.
At the centre of this year’s event was the annual Innovation Showcase competition, which was open to start-up and scale-up businesses from across the region. Prior to this year’s competition, Prof. Shah conducted an interview with Mike Anderson, Co-Founder of Nothing But Epic, who outlined the numerous successes, including international expansion, the company has had since winning the 2016 Innovation Showcase competition. 
