BBP North West - Edition 3 by BBP Media

MANCHESTER BUSINESS POST

www.bbpmedia.co.uk

bbpMedia

Edition 03

T: 08000 807 809 E: hello@bbpmedia.co.uk

50018 AP_HorseWorld 16/01/2017 11:15 Page 1

An Alternative View Drone photography is growing in popularity, and can provide stunning, low-altitude, aerial filming and photography using remote multi-rotor UAV drones. The elevated filming angles provide an alternative viewer experience which has previously only been possible with expensive helicopters.

Aerial photography is useful not just for panoramic shots of beautiful scenery, but is also widely used for surveys in construction and archaeology. The aerial view giving visual access for hard or hazardous to reach areas and showing up differences in vegetation which may indicate the presence of underground features, such as pipes or the remains of buildings.

Longstaff Media is one of the country’s leading Aerial filming and UAV inspection specialists, has captured many great aerial projects and aided in many industrial and domestic inspections across the UK, inspections using UAV's also dramatically reduce the risks that an individual would face while working at height. Instant video and images of your site or project, won't just save you time but it will save you money. Longstaff Media is a team of media professionals, based among the stunning scenery of North Wales and was founded by Richard Longstaff who is a Welsh BAFTA award winning cameraman, and has over 20 years of broadcast filming experience working on current affairs, documentaries, and entertainment programmes.

He is used to working in all kinds of locations, having worked on over 50 programmes all over the world for BBC Scotland’s ‘Eorpa’ series, which gave him very valuable experience of working in difficult and sometimes hostile conditions; filming grave thieves in Crimea, alcoholism in Greenland and the harsh lives of the inhabitants of Siberia.

Aerial Inspections & Surveys

TV & Video Production Production

Aerial Filming & Photog Photograph raph

Richard now lives in North Wales with bases in London and Cardiff, and works on a wide range of projects from 'Arts' programmes to 'fly on the wall' documentaries in the UK and abroad. The use of drones is very strictly regulated, but Richard is CAA approved and a qualified UAV drone pilot.

Richard’s wide experience of aerial photography proved especially useful when he was asked for an aerial video of the Menai Bridge, it gets pretty windy up there! Another recent highlight was the fantastic opportunity to film Prince William – HRH the Duke of Cambridge over a 6 month period with RAF search and rescue. Richard said, “Filming in the iconic Sea King helicopters had its problems but the outcome was well worth the effort, living on base filming the heroic rescues with the pilots and crews of the Sea King Helicopters.”

The result was thrilling rescue footage and real-life drama as the crews of Helicopter Rescue answer cries for help in the iconic yellow Sea King helicopters. The series follows the working lives of RAF Search and Rescue crews patrolling Wales. The series captured real life rescues as they unfolded - from mountainside to hospital bedside.

Whatever your aerial photograph photograph or video photog raphy needs please g ive Whatever photography give discuss your requirements on 07931 272989 Richard a call to discuss stafff@btinternet.com richardlongstaff email: richardlongstaff@btinternet.com visit the web web site: www.longstaff or visit www.longstaff.media f.media view examples examples of his work. to view

Stay connected connected::

Manchester Edition 3 Contents_Layout 1 22/01/2017 12:16 Page 1

C O N T E N T S

Welcome to Edition 3 of the Manchester Business Post, the free magazine for the business community in the North West packed with news, tips and stories from across the region.

First4Skills

The Apprenticeship Levy

Illuminate Training Solutions

The Role of a Finance Director

Johnson Reed

Gazprom Energy

Wesleyan Bank

Mitchell Consulting

Aitken2

Full Circle IT Solutions

Business Communications

Exponential-e

iData

RM Information Security

No business is an island

R-Com Consulting

Business Finance looks at the increasingly diverse role of the Finance Director, while we also review the help and advice available for companies hoping to Export.

Heron Press UK

Print is Dead?

Zimmer Group

In the meantime take a look at our website, bbpmedia.co.uk and keep sending your business news and stories to us at newsdesk@bbpmedia.co.uk we love to hear from you.

Manufacturing Technology

Advanced Couplings

High Value Manufacturing Catapult

Active8 Robots

Warehouse Layout

Kammac PLC

ATL Fulfilment

Multipack Logistics

Get ready to Export

Exportwise Solutions

ACC Freight Management

Coface

Incentivise and Retain!

Halcyon HealthCare

CityCard Manchester

Denplan

Vizual Management Solutions

Mary Lambert

A Bright Outlook for UK Hospitality and Tourism

Storthes Hall Park

Clough Manor

In a busy edition we look at the contribution Travel and Tourism makes to the economy and discuss the issue of Staff Retention and Incentives. We give some advice on Warehouse Layout and consider the range of technologies available to help us mange our Business Communications, while renewing the focus on Cyber Security. We take an overview of how the UK Manufacturing and Engineering sector is powering growth and how the government is attempting to tackle the skills shortage through the Apprenticeship Levy.

BBP Media 11 Canalside Office Complex, Lowesmoor Wharf, Worcester WR1 2RR Tel: 08000 807 809 Fax: 01905 726 467 E: hello@bbpmedia.co.uk W: www.bbpmedia.co.uk Publisher: PIL (Europe) Limited Print & Design: Heron Press UK ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Reproduction in whole or part prohibited without permission. Colour transparencies, prints or any pictorial media for this publication are sent at owners risk and whilst every care is taken, neither PIL (Europe) Limited or its agents accept liability for loss or damage. No editorial submissions will be returned unless accompanied by a Self Addressed Envelope.

DISCLAIMER Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that adverts and articles appear correctly, PIL (Europe) Limited cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage caused directly or indirectly by the contents of this publication. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of its publisher or editor.

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What are apprenticeships and how can your business benefit from them? An apprenticeship is a workplace-based training programme, designed to give the apprentice relevant skills and experience in their chosen business sector. One of the biggest apprenticeship providers in the north-west region, First4Skills, will in this article explain what a typical scheme involves, and – importantly – how they can benefit SMEs in particular.

“But at First4Skills, our training assessors offer support through all stages of the setting-up and administration of an apprenticeship scheme, so both you and your apprentice know exactly what’s expected.

Phil Hitchcox, who is in charge of commercial and business development at First4Skills, explained: “An apprenticeship is an effective way for an SME to fill skills gaps in its operation.

“Our teams of experts offer advice and guidance, designing training that meets your business needs. First4Skills aims to make the process as simple as possible helping with recruitment, access to funding and ensuring your new or existing colleagues develop the skills needed.”

“Employees can study at an appropriate level to enable them to carry out the duties involved in the day-to-day job, and an apprenticeship particularly suits a small or medium-sized business, as the company can tailor the training received by its apprentice(s) to its own needs.”

Its help includes the important pre-enrolment assessment of wouldbe apprentices for your business, the drawing up of a personal learning plan in consultation with you and the apprentice, and dayto-day support of the apprentice through a nominated mentor.

Mr Hitchcox also stressed that apprenticeship training programmes are delivered in an employer’s workplace – so meaning that it does not have to disrupt the running of the business.

Soon to be introduced changes to apprenticeships will see the governing standards change to include greater input from employers from a range of sectors. This input will be used to create the standards which will determine the award of a range of work-based qualifications.

Apprenticeships are geared to providing experience and appropriate in-work qualifications at one of three levels – Intermediate, Advanced or Higher. But regardless of which level a scheme runs at, it will consist of a number of basic standards.

SMEs are often the hardest hit by skills shortages, but, added Mr Hitchcox, “apprenticeships offer a highly beneficial way for an SME to unearth the next generation of talent. Ninety per cent of apprentices stay in work after finishing their apprenticeship - more than seven out of 10 with the same employer.”

“The prospect of offering such a broad-based programme can seem daunting to many SME owners – especially when it has to be fitted around all their other day-to-day responsibilities,” said Mr Hitchcox.

It’s also been found that businesses achieve a productivity boost worth £214 a week through hiring an apprentice, while nine out of 10 firms say their business has benefited in other ways, such as freeing up existing staff to concentrate on what they are best at.

For an in-depth discussion about how your business could partner with First4Skills to give a genuine ‘foot on the ladder’ to potential apprentices, and to read testimonials from businesses which have already signed up, visit https://www.first4skills.com/clients/employertestimonials/ call 0330 024 9363 or email info@first4skills.com 4

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The Apprenticeship Levy The government drive to encourage apprenticeships is getting a massive boost this year, but many businesses should be planning now to ensure they get the most benefit. It’s the new Apprenticeship Levy by which the Government aims to fund three million apprenticeships in the UK by 2020.Some are calling it another tax on business but the idea is to persuade companies to take on more apprentices. The new system was announced in the Summer Budget of 2015 and will not only see a requirement for some employers to contribute; it will also bring changes to the funding for apprenticeship training for everyone. Apprentices don’t have to be brand new to an organisation, they can also be employees looking to make a move up the career ladder or make a change in work direction. It all kicks off on April 6, 2017, and while it does apply to all employers, a £15,000 allowance means that only those firms whose pay bill exceeds £3 million will actually have to pay - 0.5% - into the levy each month, subject to the rules on connected companies and variable pay. It is also possible that there will be certain circumstances in which some employers with an annual pay bill of under £3 million will have to pay some levy at some point during the year or that a group of companies with a combined pay bill under that figure will be subject to making a payment. It’s not just the private sector which will be affected; the public sector is liable too. Local councils and other organisations will be required to pay 0.5% of their wages bill. The sector will also have to meet the legislative requirements that are found within the Enterprise Bill stipulating that all public sector organisations must ensure that at any one time, 2.3% of their workforce are apprentices. In practice that means, for example, as well as paying the levy, local councils would need to manage and train 100 – 200 apprentices annually.

For those that do not have to pay there will be a new system in which, having decided upon the apprenticeship and training provider and agreed the cost, you will contribute towards that cost and the Government will pay the rest up to a cap directly to the provider. The Government says the levy will not affect the way businesses fund training for trainees who started an apprenticeship programme before May 1, 2017. Companies will just need to carry on funding training for these apprentices under the terms and conditions that were in place at the time the apprenticeship started. The introduction of the new system will, the Government maintains, put apprenticeship funding into employers’ hands while at the same time encouraging them to invest in their apprentices and take on more. Those who pay the levy in England and are committed to apprenticeships training will, it points out, get more back than they pay in thanks to its 10% top-up paid directly to a specifically created online digital apprenticeship service account, which they will be able to set up from January. As the monthly payment goes into this account, it gains the top-up, in effect 10p for every £1 that’s entered. But the money does have to be spent on apprenticeship training, it can’t just be left to accrue, and if it isn’t spent after 18 months it will expire - top-ups too - and used to fund apprenticeships training for SMEs.This new digital apprenticeship service is also

available to those who don’t have to pay the levy as it is aimed at helping all businesses select an apprenticeship framework or standard, chose a training provider, deliverer and assessor and advertise apprenticeship vacancies. Not surprisingly, the announcement of the new levy has been met with mixed reactions. Some organisations fear that larger business will have to find additional funds to pay for the ‘on costs’ of recruiting more apprentices while others view it as a way to raise funds to increase the quality of apprenticeships across the board and of ensuring apprenticeships are built into the skills plans of all larger businesses. The British Chambers of Commerce, which has broadly welcomed the scheme, has also sounded a note of caution. Director of Research Mike Spicer says: “The government’s apprenticeship target is laudable, and businesses see them as a vital way of narrowing the skills gap. “But the focus must be on high-quality apprenticeships rather than purely as a numbers game. “We look forward to inputting our member views in this complex area going forward.”

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Illuminate Training Solutions (ITS) was created to expand and diversify the employer arm of Blackpool and The Fylde College, an Ofsted Grade 1 Outstanding college which has been recognised as the highest performing large FE college in England for student success for two consecutive years. At ITS, we believe an apprenticeship gives people the best of both worlds: the chance to work towards a nationallyrecognised qualification and get a foot on the career ladder at the same time.

We focus on aspects of education and training that are needed to drive the economy and deliver a skilled workforce for industry. Many of our higher and degree apprenticeships have been co-created with employers to meet their specific needs. We are recognised for the quality of service we provide for our customers, with more than 1,800 businesses locally, regionally and nationally choosing us to deliver education and training programmes for their staff through us. These include sector leaders such as Ford, DONG Energy, The Wood Group, Morrisons, BAE Systems, Jaguar Land Rover, Merlin Entertainment and the NHS. People like what we offer and we have high levels of repeat business. Additionally, as a national training provider, we are constantly looking to expand our provision and introduce ways to add value and increased flexibility for our customers, so please get in touch to see what we can do to help your business.

Having a dedicated employer-facing brand allows us to be more responsive to our customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; needs, with our experienced team able to focus solely on supporting businesses and providing high quality training and education for your employees. Building on the strengths and successes of Blackpool and The Fylde Collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s traditional education provision, we support business growth through bespoke and off-the-shelf training and through our full suite of apprenticeships. We offer apprenticeships at a range of levels in more than 60 different career areas and with our vacancy matching service we can support businesses to find the ideal apprenticeship to suit your employees. With expert tutors and assessors, high levels of support and strong relationships with employers, we have an excellent reputation for delivering quality apprenticeships.

With the forthcoming government apprenticeship reforms, businesses also need to be aware of how the legislative changes will affect them and we are offering advice and guidance to companies of all sizes. From spring 2017, larger businesses will be required to contribute to a new apprenticeship levy. However, there will be changes to the funding for apprenticeship training for all employers so we can help you ensure you are getting the most out of the support on offer and are aware of your obligations under the new legislation. We look forward to working with you. We also welcome your feedback moving forward to ensure we continue to exceed expectations and deliver maximum impact for our customers.

Find out more about our services and solutions via our website at www.illuminatetrainingsolutions.com

and contact us on T:

0330 024 1234 or E: info@illuminatetrainingsolutions.com

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The Role of a Finance Director You’re far too busy running, building up and providing strategic direction for your business to be able to take care of much to do with figures beyond making sure the money comes in. But at some point in your firm’s development, you’re going to either have to recruit someone to carry out the pivotal role of finance director, or will need to take on the job yourself. You, or the person you appoint to this role, will have a broad range of skills, and the acumen to become a senior member of your management team. An effective finance director can remove barriers to a business’s growth, while at the same time they need the gravitas to be able to earn the confidence of stakeholders and other potential investors. They will also be responsible for the administration of the company’s pension scheme and the appointment of professional independent pension trustees and may also serve as a trustee.

- Identify opportunities for increasing the value of the business - Act commercially - Ensure that all significant contracts are beneficial to the business’s cash flow, negotiating on them where appropriate, especially with the raising of debt and equity and sale of the business - Be the visible presence of the business’s finance functions - Be able to quantify the costeffectiveness of new projects - Develop accurate, accessible and comprehensive financial models, showing changes to value and cash as well as profit - Generate and be able to explain with authority clear and actionable reports on a business’s financial performance - Ensure that everyone understands aspects of the business’s performance, and their ramifications for its future and prospects

In a nutshell, they need to be able to think strategically, act commercially, and always be able to delve into the figures and effectively analyse them, identifying any areas of weakness, and suggesting ways in which they can be addressed.

- Provide context for and relate financial performance measurements to overall business performance

In order to win the support of their fellow senior managers, they also need highlytuned influencing skills. Yet part of their role is also to carry with them members of the workforce at all levels, encouraging them to ‘buy into’ their employers’ strategic direction, and their intended ways for achieving these objectives.

- Ensure that the business’s assets are protected, and this is reconciled with the need for the business to grow and develop, and to keep the confidence of its customers

What an FD should do - Act as sounding board for, and earn the full trust of the CEO or MD - Listen with empathy and provide financial intelligence and wisdom - Think strategically - Ensure that financial plans facilitate the achievement of strategic objectives

- Assume overall control of the firm’s finances

- Make sure that heads of any individual departments ‘own’ responsibility for any specific budgets which are allocated to them - Be able to assess and control any risks to the business, and take all possible steps to mitigate them, including to the pension fund. - Provide the lead for the finance function, and act as a figurehead for junior colleagues, mentoring them and encouraging them to develop their skills

- Ensure that external advisers give the most appropriate guidance for the current and future interests of the business. Easy, eh? What Will You Get Out Of The Job? Above all, an FD who proves that they can achieve all these objectives can expect to be given considerable autonomy to stamp their presence on the direction and aims of a business. At the same time, they can expect to become the central point for addressing and solving any problems arising in a business. This is why many FDs may start their career in a large business or organisation, before moving on to help smaller, growing firms. The knowledge of what a top-class finance function looks like can bring tremendous benefits to a small or medium-sized business, while the challenge of helping an SME become established and able to contemplate a solid, successful future can be hugely rewarding. Yes, you need technical and analytical skills – but the role is first and foremost commercially-centred. This means that your own commercial acumen can be a driver for the growth and development of the business. So alongside the satisfaction of seeing a business grow first-hand, in large part due to decisions and guidance you have given, you can also find an outlet for your passion for the particular field of industry or commerce in which you work. For someone with the right qualities and commercial outlook, a finance director role can offer an opening for them to bring real passion for their work, and that of their company, to bear on the firm’s bottom line. And that’s sure to bring personal and financial rewards in equal measure.

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Leading the March in Common Sense Underwriting So you need a new piece of equipment in order to expand your business, fulfil a new order, or to replace existing equipment that has come to the end of its useful life, but where are the funds to come from? Rather than extend your overdraft or bank loan, take a look at leasing.

The company has made a speciality of what Mark has trademarked “Quirky Kit Finance”, defined as mission critical equipment, perhaps made to measure or with little or no identifiable residual value outside the business, such as IT software or items for an office refurbishment. They have lent for mezzanine floors, airconditioning, partition walls, bespoke catering equipment, laundry, specialist machine tools, indeed almost anything business related, against which the banks may refuse to lend because they cannot recognise the residual value or the value the asset brings to the business. Schools, colleges and local authorities borrow for gym kit, apparatus, flooring, and classroom equipment, Mark told us they recently even provided funding for a supply of wooden toys for a day nursery.

Mark Johnson, the MD and owner of Johnson Reed, who has been working in business finance since 1999 and established his own lending business and brokerage in 2005, explains that they have a unique way of viewing equipment leasing, with a common sense approach to funding necessary equipment. They provide businesses with a fixed term finance option with fixed repayments and built-in tax relief, without impinging on an existing credit facility. The company is proud of its personal approach. They will sit down with you and discuss your business, rather like an old fashioned bank manager, which allows them to get to know you and your business in order to offer a diverse range of options. Although originally the company only offered equipment leasing finance, they now also offer business loans. When we spoke to Mark he was keen to stress that they take a pragmatic approach saying, “If it looks right, if the proposal has rationale and if the client seems reasonable, we will probably have a lender or lend our own funds.” Johnson Reed also have their own portfolio of funds which they can utilise on behalf of clients to speed up the process - often in the case of a developing business or new start up. Their experienced underwriters will talk a new business owner through their idea and work out the best financing option for them. Mark said it can be a bit of a hand-holding exercise on occasion.

Their flexible, open minded attitude to business finance has seen them become particularly strong when it comes to providing finance for “Quirky Kit” in the areas of hospitality and catering, particularly bespoke chip shop equipment, office refurbs, beauty salons, construction, gyms and fitness, surgeries and medical, and recently trampoline parks, indeed anything needed to help you grow your business! Johnson Reed heavily support the SME market, and encourage businesses to challenge the capabilities of their ‘Quirky Kit Finance’.

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Should out of date equipment need upgrading within the term of the lease, IT equipment for instance which may be out of date 18 months into a 3 year contract, the client has options, either extend the loan to cover the extra expenditure having negotiated a part exchange with their original supplier or take out an additional lease. These days leasing is replacing short term overdrafts, many large corporates prefer to lease and to take advantage of the tax savings, which is another aspect that makes such arrangements particularly useful for growing businesses watching their costs.

Case Studies • “I was approached by Johnson Reed at just the right time when planning the fit out for our second estate agency office in Liverpool. Having learnt and realised from our first fit out that costs can spiral and eat away at cash flow, using finance for the fit out seemed like a great idea for the second branch. It allowed us to spend that little bit extra on fixtures and fittings and really go for a high-end look. Mark, who dealt with me, was great and explained everything clearly and once agreed on everything, it was very smooth, quick and easy. I would highly recommend Johnson Reed and their services.”

Dan Pennington, Managing Director of Century 21 Liverpool

Johnson Reed are able to offer leases with no deposit, particularly in the case of an established business and in the case of new/or startup business a personal guarantee may be all that’s needed or possibly a guarantor from among the customer’s friends and family, as is generally recognised as common sense business practice. They have their own portfolio of funds able to provide traditional asset finance at market-leading rates and the company can always compete with other reputable lenders on price. Much of their funding comes from international lenders; Mark is finding that international lenders are very much committed to the UK, that they have plenty of money and are very ready to lend. He explained that international lenders are bringing low cost money to the UK and Johnson Reed provides a platform to introduce lender and customer.

Hallidays – more than just accountants, based in Stockport, approached Johnson Reed for an IT hardware leasing package. The prompt turnaround allowed the company to have immediate use of the new equipment, without tying up vital cash reserves in the initial purchase. The agreement enables Hallidays to take advantage of tax-efficient repayments, spread throughout the fixed term of the lease.

• “On taking over my parent’s long established Fish & Chip shop it was quickly apparent that a full refit was in order. In the past I have always used regular bank financing for projects such as this, despite a long successful track record my own bank and other high street banks were to be proved “less than helpful”. After quick look at the National Federation of Fish Friers website I contacted associate members Johnson Reed, I explained the position and my plans, Mark said it made perfect sense and that more and more successful businesses are finding bank finance difficult to arrange. After a few basic checks the finance was quickly arranged for a new Scotrange frying range, a walk in freezer and other assorted fridges and freezers. Thank you Johnson Reed.

Stuart Atkinson About a year ago they launched cash flow loans, “Money for Sweets”, as Mark calls it, which is proving very popular and a valuable resource for businesses, especially for those clients nearing their existing credit limit who want to keep the facility available.

Mark Johnson

Whether you’re looking to inject some funds into your business to stabilise your cash flow, or simply want to provide a cash buffer for an upcoming tax or VAT bill, their business loans provide a practical and viable solution, and are available over a term of just three months, up to three years.

Please contact them for an initial confidential discussion on 0161 429 6949 or visit the web site www.johnsonreed.co.uk for more information and to review case studies relevant to your industry.

  

Mark Johnson, MD and owner of Johnson Reed

50045 AP_HorseWorld 09/01/2017 09:56 Page 1

A beginner’s guide to business energy buying

By Stephen Beard, Manager of SME Sales at Gazprom Energy Whether you’re a business owner just starting out, or an already-established small business considering switching energy suppliers, getting to grips with energy buying can be a difficult and time consuming process. There are four key areas that small businesses should consider when it comes to better energy buying.

3. Choosing your contract A fixed contract, popular with small businesses, offers the assurance of a fixed rate for both the energy price and often all associated charges, paid over a set period. Fixed contracts definitely provide budget certainty, particularly for cash light businesses who want long term price security, but there are variances to consider. Some products fix all elements of the bill, while others include variable third party costs such as transportation and metering charges.

1. Price comparison Comparing rates per kilowatt hour shouldn’t be your only financial consideration, as standing charges can vary significantly. Some suppliers could be a few pence cheaper per kilowatt hour, but if they have a high daily standing charge then their total cost could be higher.

4. Understanding your bill It’s key for business energy buyers to understand the following key terms and factors of their energy bill so they can truly judge its accuracy: •‘A’ vs. ‘E ’: The ‘A’ stands for ‘actual’ and denotes that the given meter reading figure has been confirmed by a person or an automated meter reading device. The ‘E ’ stands for ‘estimated’ and means that the figure is based on previous consumption patterns. To ensure you are only paying for what you consume, you need to ensure that ‘actual’ meter readings are used to calculate your bill each month, which you can do by proactively providing correct readings to your suppler. • Unit rate: This is simply the amount you pay per energy used, and you’re billed with this figure multiplied by the amount of kilowatts used or estimated. Remember that standing charges are added on top of this.

2. Evaluating service Energy suppliers aren’t just selling you a product, but also a service that requires ongoing maintenance and support. Some energy providers may offer cheaper rates, but without good service to boot they may not be giving adequate value for money. It’s important to understand the level of service and additional support that suppliers offer, which you can establish through customer reviews or referrals. For help and advice please contact

0845 873 2295

email tenders@gazprom-energy.com or visit

www.gazprom-energy.co.uk

• VAT: Unit prices don’t include VAT charges. Usually a standard VAT rate of 20% is payable on business energy bills, but smaller businesses with average daily consumption of energy lower than the ‘de minimis’ threshold of 33kWh (1000 kWh per month) of business electricity or 5 therms or 145 kWh (150 therms/4397 kWh per month) of business gas are eligible for 5% VAT.

Now it’s down to you

As a business owner, becoming savvier with your energy bills and the service your provider gives you is one way to keep on top of your overheads. By improving your understanding of energy bills you can be more confident that you’re getting the service you pay for.

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More than half of SMEs are missing out on R&D tax benefits By Steve Deutsch, Chief Executive, Wesleyan Bank Corporate tax “scandals” dominated the headlines in 2016 and placed businesses under greater scrutiny from specialist Government taskforces. As a result, HMRC has unveiled plans to triple the fine given to SMEs for late payments, increasing the maximum penalty of outstanding tax bills from 5% to 15%. Despite the intensifying clampdown on compliance, there is a legitimate tax benefit that more than half of UK SMEs are failing to take advantage of which could help to boost their cash flow and fund future investment projects.

The unknown gem of tax credits? Launched by the Government in 2000, the Research & Development (R&D) Tax Relief Scheme was introduced to encourage innovation and global competitiveness. It enables companies to reduce their tax bill or claim payable cash credits as a proportion of their qualifying R&D expenditure. Under the present criteria, loss-making firms are eligible for a repayment of up to 33% and businesses which are in-profit can save tax at 46% of qualifying expenses.

Steve Deutsch

According to statistics released by HMRC, SMEs claimed £970 million in R&D tax credits in 201415, up from £780 million in the previous year. However, the number of SMEs who claimed R&D credits in this same period rose by only 7% and it is estimated that £1 billion in tax credits is currently going unclaimed every year.

R&D tax credits qualifying criteria – it’s the thought that counts Some businesses are aware that R&D tax breaks exist but many wrongly perceive they are not entitled to claim even if they have qualifying expenditure. Registered businesses investing to enhance products and services through technological advancements, where the outcome of their project is uncertain, have a good chance of gaining R&D tax credits. Businesses are not restricted by their industry sector, nor must they employ ‘specialist scientists’ either. Even if your project is unsuccessful, businesses can still receive tax relief if they were trying to strengthen their competitive edge

by harnessing innovative or pioneering technologies. R&D tax benefits are not reserved for just ‘small businesses’. Organisations that pay Corporation Tax, employ fewer than 500 staff and which have a turnover under €100 million and a balance sheet not exceeding €86 million may also apply for this relief.

It doesn’t have to be a taxing time of year As 31 January payment deadline looms, tax season is a stressful period for SMEs which is likely to further be exacerbated by the economic uncertainty surrounding Brexit. Businesses which are not entitled to R&D relief should not despair - there are many other ways that they can reduce their tax bill and preserve vital cash reserves. The Chancellor’s Autumn Statement recently announced that the personal allowance – the amount you can earn tax-free each year – will increase from £11,000 to £11,500 from April 2017 and rise to £12,500 by 2020. Claiming for various company expenditure and leveraging the Annual Investment Allowance, in which businesses can write off the costs of purchasing certain assets against profits in the year of purchase, are also effective ways to save tax. Furthermore, an increasing number of SMEs are turning to tax funding from alternative finance providers as a simple and effective means to pay their tax bills without putting a strain on their cash flow. Wesleyan Bank offers an extensive range of solutions to enable businesses to spread the cost of their tax bills over six or 12 months, limiting the impact on their day-today finances so they can utilise working capital where they really need it.

Please visit www.wesleyanbank.co.uk for further information 11

50007 AP_HorseWorld 09/01/2017 15:30 Page 1

How do you begin to solve your company’s GHƓQHG EHQHƓW pension problem?

So how desperate is the situation for employers who are SME’s? Many companies are certainly in a difficult position - but the good news is that there is much which can be done to help – and the starting point has to be a carefully constructed long-term practical plan of action.

Many UK companies who sponsor defined benefit (DB) pension schemes face a serious problem. It has been estimated that (for a population of around 6,000 schemes) UK DB pension liabilities are now over £1 trillion, and the deficits associated with these schemes are in excess of £600 billion (PwC, October 2016). The majority of DB schemes are in deficit – simply put, the financial assets of the scheme do not currently cover the estimated pensions (the ‘liabilities’) that it has to pay to members during their retirement.

In order to create a realistic plan, it has to first be decided what the desired outcome might be. For many companies it will simply be to reduce the deficit in the scheme to as close to zero as possible, freeing the sponsor from the requirement to commit significant additional cash to the scheme. For others, the desired end result might be the transfer of the entire DB scheme to an insurer, a process commonly known as a buyout. Buy-outs are expensive to undertake, but the major benefit for the employer is that all future risks associated with the DB scheme (such as further increases in longevity, etc.) are reduced to zero as the insurance company becomes responsible for these. Other considerations within a long-term plan include the scheme investment strategy, liability and riskreduction exercises and understanding the cash requirements of the sponsoring employer.

Many of these DB schemes are ultimately a ‘legacy’ issue for the sponsoring employer – the majority having closed to new members and the future accrual of benefits some time ago, and replaced by more ‘modern’ defined contribution (DC) arrangements. However, many DB schemes have commitments to their members that could continue for another 30 or 40 years at least. Funding the deficit associated with a DB scheme can be a massive drain on the financial resources of the sponsoring employer and companies do ultimately fail as a result. The recent high-profile cases involving BHS and Tata Steel are stark evidence of this. The DB scheme funding problem doesn’t just affect ‘UK plc’ by any means. Far from it - the SME sector has also been badly hit. The problem has arisen for a number of reasons, but ultimately it can be narrowed down to two principal factors – longevity and economic conditions. In essence, people are living much longer than they were 20 years ago and this represents a significant additional drain upon the assets of a DB scheme. Difficult economic conditions in recent years have meant that scheme assets are also unlikely to have grown as quickly as originally predicted. This combination of increased longevity and reduced investment returns has placed all but a few, lucky, DB schemes in a position of deficit.

Develop a long term strategy for the Scheme Scheme wind-up 100%-120% funded

Take even less risk preservation

Liability Management Stratergies

Buy-in/ Buy-out

Take less risk - bank what was gained Take some investment risk vs liabilities grow funding level

85%-95% funded

Here at Mitchell Consulting we work with over 100 clients in respect of managing their DB schemes. We work closely with our clients and we put in place practical and affordable solutions to the problems that they face. Based in central Manchester, we have a national reputation in the areas of complex cases, distressed or financially challenged businesses and we have helped many companies where a DB pension scheme was threatening the ongoing viability of the business.

If you believe that we can be of assistance, then please do not hesitate to contact Neil Barton neil.barton@mitchellconsulting.co.uk or 07904 492 921 for a FREE of charge initial meeting to discuss your requirements.

50012 AP_HorseWorld 05/01/2017 15:57 Page 1

WOULD YOUR BUSINESS BENEFIT FROM AN INJECTION OF WORKING CAPITAL WITHOUT INCURRING ANY DEBT OR INTEREST CHARGES?

If you are an innovative engineering or manufacturing company you may be able to claim significant repayments of Corporation Tax or payments of Tax Credit which will help your business grow.

Aitken2 works closely with such companies, utilising incentives such as the Research & Development Tax Credit Scheme to bring expansion funds into their business.

The R & D Tax Credit Scheme is an HM Revenue & Customsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; incentive to encourage innovation in companies operating in the UK. The Governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s aim for the scheme is to encourage increased R & D spending to make the UK more competitive internationally.

There is a widespread misconception that R & D Tax Credits only apply to the most high tech companies, with advanced laboratories staffed by white coated development engineers. This is not the case; any company which has invested in developing a new process or technology, whether they are successful or not may qualify, the key being that the process represents an improvement on what has gone before.

It follows that many business owners in the engineering and manufacturing sectors are unaware that these schemes are suitable for them and are missing out on saving, or claiming back, thousands of pounds of Corporation Tax and National Insurance every year. Aitken2 has developed considerable expertise in this area and with a combined 50+ yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; engineering background, are there to talk you through the process and prove it is an opportunity not to be missed. The company boasts a 100% success rate for R & D Tax Credit Claims.

An often voiced fear is that these reliefs may be expensive, and complicated to claim.

Glenn Aitken of Aitken2 is reassuring, saying, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We offer a reliable, professional and efficient service based on a â&#x20AC;&#x153;no win, no feeâ&#x20AC;? system. One face to face meeting will be enough for us to determine whether you are likely to be eligible for the scheme; there really is â&#x20AC;&#x153;nothing to lose.â&#x20AC;? If your company qualifies, with our comprehensive assistance and experience it will probably only take about 1 to 2 days in total of your staff time to bring a very significant amount of repayment.â&#x20AC;?

Business owners are often nervous of â&#x20AC;&#x153;stirring up the Revenue,â&#x20AC;? but Glenn adds further reassurance saying, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We prepare a comprehensive package of project and financial information for submission to HMRC to explain why you qualify under the scheme. We have only ever had questions from HMRC on one of our clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s applications. HMRC donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t intend to deter you from claiming, they are keen for companies to claim on the scheme.â&#x20AC;? If your company is innovative and you have ever wondered â&#x20AC;&#x153;Are we eligible for R & D Tax Credits?â&#x20AC;? the answer is often â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yesâ&#x20AC;?. The amount of credit will depend on the size of your company, its tax rate and which of your activities are eligible.

www.aitken2.co.uk

Aitken2 13

50015 AP_HorseWorld 12/01/2017 15:34 Page 1

Transform your Business with Full Circle IT Solutions

The choices a small business needs to make when deciding on which of the many IT systems today’s world of advanced communications technology offers can be daunting. We know we need it, but just what do we need, how can we be sure that we are making the most of what we choose, and where can we turn to for advice without being overwhelmed by a load of jargon that to many of us can seem like gobbledegook?

pass : *****

Full Circle IT Solutions Limited is a family run, owner-managed IT consultancy based in Bolton, North West England that was launched to help smaller businesses ensure they are getting the full benefits and results from their IT, business systems and investments.

They work very closely with their clients, offering a friendly, jargon free, personal IT consultancy service to ensure that they are maximising the efficiencies and automating as many of their processes as possible. Full Circle IT can help with all your IT needs and offers Cloud, Anti-virus, On-Line Backup, Office 365, Hosted Exchange Email services and Remote Service Assistance. Mark Brocklebank, Technical Services Director, is keen to stress that the ethos of the company is geared to helping customers make the most out of their IT systems, saying “Our team of consultants, developers, support technicians and back office support staff delivers solutions to help streamline your business and cut costs, whilst facilitating growth and expansion.” Cloud based solutions are seemingly everywhere, but there are many valid and widely publicised security concerns, particularly with the

advent of the GDPR regulations. The Full Circle IT Solutions offering means that all your cloud services are managed via online portals that enables better security management. For example, portal based anti-virus software can set alerts for your devices, virus scans can be triggered, security threats removed and firewalls managed by the team. There is also the option to content filter your devices to better control what your employees can access through the internet.

The advantages of an advanced anti-virus system are well established and the main benefit of a cloud based antivirus is that as threats are found on any device, it will send a patch out to all devices that have the software installed, giving you real time protection whenever you access the internet. The option of Advanced Security adds an additional layer of protection against spam and virus threats, ensuring that +99% of all spam is identified and removed before it reaches your mailbox. The company also offers a fully monitored, secure cloud backup service which can run on a single PC, Server, or on multiple user PCs. The backup is configured to run on a schedule and can be configured to run hourly, daily or on a specific date of the month. As Mark says “Our aim at Full Circle IT Solutions is to provide a better service, for less cost, and ensure the businesses we work with get the results they want. This ethos allows us to develop long lasting relationships with companies with a clear understanding that if they are successful, we will be successful too”.

12930 1pg_Transport Warehousing 25/05/2016 13:52 Page 1

Business Communications Whether you are running a small startup business or a worldwide enterprise, effective communication is critical to your businessâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success. No business can succeed long-term if its workers do not communicate effectively with one another, and with clients and suppliers, and such lack of communication will quickly become evident in the form of missed appointments, disjointed meetings and wasted time. Email is one of the most popular forms of business communication, you can write and edit your message before sending it and answer incoming mail in your own time. While companies may use many different and newer forms of communication, email is still one of the most effective communication methods available. Email can also be used for internal communications and is especially useful when the business has multiple offices in multiple areas. Setting up an intranet site is one of the best ways for businesses to keep all their workers in the loop and communicate new information. Setting up a "what's new" section on the website is the perfect way to brag about new business wins, post job opportunities and gather the input of employees through periodic surveys. Project managers can use specialized websites to share documents and information, and this can help the project run more smoothly and effectively. Instant messaging can be a valuable tool for business use, and in many ways it is far superior to email. With an instant messaging program, supervisors and managers can see which workers are signed in and at their desks, which ones are in meetings and which ones are out of the office. Employees can often get muchneeded answers more quickly using an IM system than by phone or email. Just knowing who is available can save valuable time and help small business owners find the right resources when they need them. Microsoft Office Communicator is one of the most widely used instant messaging programs, but many small businesses use Web-based instant messaging programs from Yahoo, Google and other sources.

When installing a new telephone system there are several important considerations, first do you need a full phone system that includes physical office telephones, or could your business get by with a virtual phone service that relies solely on cell phones instead of traditional office phones? Secondly if you do need office telephones, what kind of service do you want? You will need to choose between a traditional landline telephone service provided by a local or regional phone company and a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system, which runs over the Internet. If you choose VoIP, do you want to house the VoIP system at your business location (self-hosted) or have it hosted by your service provider (cloud-based)? If you choose a self-hosted or premisesbased system your business will pay for and own the equipment â&#x20AC;&#x201D; most notably, the private branch exchange (PBX) hardware that is needed to keep phone systems running. (A PBX system is the hardware that allows circuit switching within an organization's phone system.) The main benefit of a self-hosted system is that you are always in control of your service. It is up to you to ensure it is up and running and configured how you like it. The flip side is the significant upfront cost, since you have to buy all of your equipment. Additionally, you need someone on staff who can service and maintain the system, and it is as well to have a back-up of some kind.

You can set up and configure the system for your business, all from your computer. The downside of a cloud-based system is that you aren't in control of the hardware. If the system goes down, you have to rely on your provider to get it fixed as quickly as possible. Most providers, however, maintain back-up storage and provide data security. The security of your company information is a key consideration when setting up new communication systems for your business, particularly when so many workers bring their own mobile devices into the office. So as you install whatever system, or indeed combination of systems, you choose, make everyone aware of basic data protection precautions and regulations. Some of the greatest data breaches are accidental rather than deliberate, but the effects on your customers and reputation are just as great.

Alternatively, with cloud-based systems, there is no maintenance or hardware, other than IP phones, to worry about. The service provider houses and maintains all of the PBX technology. The cloud also offers growing businesses the opportunity to easily add new lines.

50037 AP_HorseWorld 14/12/2016 13:31 Page 1

Exponential-e Revolutionising the UK! Empowering businesses through Network strength. Exponential-e is expanding, investing and supporting the digital transformation in the North of England. From Cloud and Data Centre solutions, to IT Services and Security - we tailor our services and solutions to meet your business requirements. With 24 / 7 x 365 customer support every step of the way, we deliver Peace of Mind-as-a-Service to our highly valued customer base.

InterHVWHG LQ Ç&#x160;QGLQJ RXW PRre? Join us for a morning seminar on the 23rd February 2017 at Malmaison in Manchester. For further information and to register visit: www.exponential-e.com/Malmaison

We were looking for a partner that understood Cloud and could deliver on our requirements. Exponential-e were the perfHFW Ę?W and even delivered our Cloud services a month ahead of schedule. - Vita Group

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+44(0)161 669 4050 3 Hardman Street | Manchester | M3 3HF

50029 AP_HorseWorld 15/12/2016 15:52 Page 1

Most business people will agree that deciding upon the best communications options for a company can be a bit of a minefield. That’s why having iData and its team of experts on your side and ready to guide you through the myriad of options available is the perfect solution. Based in Mold, Flintshire, this respected firm is spot on at finding ways in which emerging technology and products can benefit clients while saving them money and establishing superb relationships with them.

Three years ago it provided Flintshire’s 96 schools with wireless access points and a restructuring of their data cabling networks as part of the Learning in Digital Wales (LiDW) initiative and it is also a preferred supplier for the structured cabling framework agreement with the National Procurement Service (NPS). This was after achieving the highest score in the procurement criteria which included sections such as technical capabilities and quality of service. Having won this tender it can now offer its services to any North East and North West Wales government, emergency services and third sector organisation. Customer’s security concerns are also top priority, as demonstrated by iData’s Cyber Essentials certified status. The accreditation is a minimum requirement for suppliers bidding for certain sensitive information and personal information handling government contracts and immediately signposts iData’s continuous commitment to providing secure services and solutions to all its clients. Its core business areas include:

• Business mobiles, providing Vodafone, EE and O2 business tariffs.

• IT support, including computer security, Cloud solutions, Cloud Lync, Microsoft SharePoint, Microsoft 365 and Data Capture. “Is your public sector organisation trying to find the most effective way to achieve a transformational agenda or is your large company striving to achieve better ways of operating? asks iData’s Managing Director James Wilson “Whatever your priorities, our professional key thinkers will provide inspirational ideas and invaluable advice on the latest workplace trends and how they can benefit your business.” Formed in 2008 by three individuals each with a knowledge and passion for all things mobile, iData has quickly supersized to 23 employees, all of whom share that passion alongside the desire for excellent customer service and value for money. Now incorporating an extensive IT and structured cabling department alongside a dedicated sales and customer service team, the company has already notched up some notable achievements.

• Hosted telephony, specifically Horizon phone systems. • Landline telephone solutions billed via its own billing platform.

• Business broadband, ranging from business grade to fibre broadband.

• Structured cabling, including Cat5, Cat6 7 and Fibre networks. The provision of all associated services puts the business at the forefront of data cabling. “However your business works, we at iData take pride in understanding it and will work closely with you to find an ideal solution that will not only cover all its communication and technology needs, it will noticeably improve and develop it,” promises James.

For further information about iData and its services, go to www.idata.uk.com telephone 0844 84 76 766 or email info@idata.uk.com.

50024 AP_HorseWorld 11/01/2017 10:10 Page 1

Cyber Security Confidence

Your website is important to your brand and reputation, but is it secure?

RM Information Security delivers cyber security confidence to your business through our unique website health check service.

I N F O R M AT I O N SECURITY

Why would a hacker be interested in my website?

Is it expensive?

Most attacks don’t target businesses directly; automated processes seek victims with weak security regardless of industry, size or status. Often smaller businesses are a soft target for the attacker whose motivation is to access your website and host malicious activities.

No!

It is vital for an attacker to remain undetected, so you could be compromised for quite some time without knowing.

How do websites get compromised?

Attackers know about vulnerabilities in common platforms, such as WordPress, Drupal, Umbraco, etc. These can range from technical exploits to simple password guessing attacks. Rather than attacking specific sites, they set their net wide and scan the Internet for targets matching the vulnerabilities they have exploits for.

Isn’t everything secure by default?

Sadly no, as the Internet and technology have evolved there are very few platforms and solutions that are identical. This gives the attackers many potential avenues to explore, especially if you are using older versions of technology.

Penetration testing is expensive, however building on our corporate experience we have designed a service called “RM – Website Health Check” focussed on smaller businesses to provide a good level of security at an accessible price.

How does it work?

Provide us with your URL and complete our simple order form to authorise the test. The testing is automated and usually takes around a day. Once completed our consultants will collate, review and securely send you the report.

Improve your security

The true value of the health check is realised when you implement the recommendations and improve the security of your business. Our reports include detailed descriptions of any findings and we are always available to support you via our dedicated help desk.

What is the impact to me?

Mark Wityszyn

Even if you don’t take payments or hold sensitive data, a compromise will have a financial impact in both recovery time and costs as well as reputational impact. Reacting to a breach can be stressful and finding people to help at short notice is very expensive.

Technical Director RM Information Security

How do you test a websites security?

At RM Information Security, we have years of experience carrying out manual security assessments of all types of websites and technologies. This is commonly referred to as Penetration Testing. We are usually engaged by large enterprises where we use a mixture of tools, custom scripts, manual techniques and our 20+ years of IT experience to test for weaknesses and then provide recommendations on how to improve security.

To find out more please visit our website or call

www.rminfosec.co.uk/sme 0161 209 3939

Bringing the power of penetration testing to small and medium enterprise

Get a website health check for £199! www.rminfosec.co.uk/sme

12982 1pg 2_Transport Warehousing 14/07/2016 12:37 Page 1

In the cyber world – even post-Brexit

no business is an island Brexit isn’t just causing ripples among the physical business community – it could also have implications for online business and, in particular, the UK’s ability to influence future wide-scale regulations aimed at promoting its potential and protecting its users. That’s the view of tech sector lobbying group TechUK. It believes there are both concerns and opportunities following the decision to leave the European Union. On the positive side, it believes that being outside the EU could give the UK freedom to develop legislation which directly addresses the concerns of operators in its own IT industry – but it balances this with a fear that our voice will not be heard so loudly when it comes to framing regulations governing the global cloud and IT sectors. Leading up to the ‘leave’ vote, the UK “had a very positive voice in Europe on the importance of cloud and driving the market forward, and now we have potentially lost that voice,” Sue Daley, head of cloud, big data and mobile at TechUK, told an event on future development of cloud technology. “Now the UK has less influence in the discussions that will affect the market,” she added. That is sure to mean the UK’s businesses having to take more decisions around the security of their systems and operations without having ready access to the best work being done by our European neighbours.

And in the light of further recent research, which suggested that only three out of 10 organisations have a recognised cybersecurity expert working in their IT department, and, more alarmingly, that over half (55 per cent) of those polled don’t have access to any form of IT security experts, either internal or thirdparty, there must be concern at the level of potential for a large-scale and damaging cyber-security alert. This is, though, one area where SMEs, working independently of big business and the public sector, can – and probably will – take a lead. Speaking at the same event at which Ms Daley made her remarks, Nicky Stewart, commercial director of public sectorfocused cloud provider Skyscape Cloud Services, said one of the biggest challenges of framing effective guidelines for the sector lay with its regulators, who face “a very dynamic industry where the technology is changing all the time [and which] doesn’t fit easily into the regulatory environment or with global standards.” She next addressed one of the biggest barriers for SMEs in keeping pace with both the threats facing them, and their obligations under the constantly-evolving legislative landscape: cost. There were particular implications for this from the government’s decision to replace the Impact-Level-based (IL) data classification, she said. “The cost of compliance is very high. One of the things we did was secure IL-3 accreditation for our services to show our services were capable of processing restricted data,” she told the gathered expert audience. “Two years later, the government changed their mind about security standards and accreditations, and that cost us millions to achieve that standard and that recognition.”

But she also said the SMEs involved in monitoring and protecting other businesses from the threats presented needed to be allowed to innovate and widely promote their work, which could result in “clearing a path for the US giants to get around all this stuff.” Looming in the background of all these considerations is the expected introduction by the EU of a revamped set of data protection regulations which, says Ms Daley, UK businesses would ignore at their peril. “What is coming out of Brussels is still going to be important for any cloud provider,” she said. “We cannot afford to turn our backs on it.” And that last sentence must also act as the warning for every SME when it comes to the security of their systems, applications and processes. The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office was quick to issue guidance, following the Brexit vote, emphasising that any company – cloud or otherwise – that wishes to do business in the EU will need to have an equivalent piece of legislation in place, post-Brexit, to cover themselves. The positive implications for this were seized upon by Sam De Silva, a partner at law firm Nabarro, who said this could present the UK with an opportunity to create more sympathetic data protection laws that still satisfy the EU’s minimum requirements. “Brexit is obviously a challenging time and could provide an opportunity for the UK to get data protection legislation that is practical, commercial and pragmatic,” he said. “The challenge will be to see if Brussels consider it to provide an adequate level of protection. That’s the key thing, because – if it doesn’t – it all falls apart,” he added.

50039 DPS_BBP Template 16/01/2017 15:39 Page 1

Award Winning, Market Leading IT Solutions & Training Provider Today’s world of rapidly-evolving technology, has highlighted the importance of cyber security to businesses of all sizes. Over the coming months it is critical for companies to prepare for readiness of the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). Research suggests this will be the number one priority amongst IT decision-makers in 2017. When it comes to finding the right solutions partner to mitigate the risks of cyber-attacks, R-Com Consulting provide a breath of fresh air in the ever-changing landscape of security. R-Com has a reputation of listening to their clients, understanding their requirements whilst offering complete support in navigating their most complex business-critical IT projects. They cut through the intricacies of the most technical architectures and provide total peace of mind, particularly in the areas of hyperconvergence, cyber security and cloud.

So who are R-Com Consulting?

Security is a matter of priority, especially in light of the rising numbers of reported cyber-attacks. Over the last two years in particular, Palo Alto Networks have seen a dramatic change in both the attacker and the techniques they use. By many estimates cybercrime is now a $1+ trillion industry according to Palo Alto Networks. Don went on to explain that R-Com Consulting and Palo Alto Networks work with businesses to build a prevention-focused architecture with complete visibility into all traffic; natively integrated in such a way that no gaps exist and context is delivered to ensure minimal action is needed, only where threats are critically important. The platform is highly automated to reduce or remove manual response; and enables users to drive policy seamlessly throughout their organisation, reducing attack surface and eliminating unnecessary risk. Don stressed that companies need well thought-out strategies to deal with threats and while some may find the hackers abilities to intercept our data frightening, it shouldn’t be thought of as such. He said, “Frightening? No. Complex? Yes!”

R-Com Consulting have been quietly building and growing an IT solutions and training business over the last 20 years. Their stylish, newly designed, state-of-the-art headquarters are located on the banks of the River Mersey near Didsbury, Greater Manchester. Since R-Com’s inception, they have won many industry awards underlining their expertise in the IT industry. Most notably, R-Com have appeared in the prestigious Sunday Times Tech Track Top 100 for two consecutive years. They have developed partnerships with the world’s most cutting-edge, global technology companies. With an impeccable reputation, they are trusted in delivering professional services and solutions to both large and enterprise companies. We recently spoke to Don Phillips, R-Com Consulting’s Sales Director. He told us that increasingly, customers require IT as a service. He explained that most clients have a long way to go before confidently using a hybrid solution whilst maintaining confidentiality. Don said, “In the past, we helped people virtualise and now we are helping them use their cloud platforms, secure data and maintain their competitive edge… it is a natural progression.” With security at the forefront of technology concerns, R-Com have forged a formidable partnership with Palo Alto Networks, who deliver next-generation security, leading a new era in cyber security by safely enabling applications and preventing cyber breaches.

When we asked, “What’s next?” Don added “We are forging the way as the go-to partner for security solutions. We’ll continue to deliver hybrid cloud, security and hyperconvergence computing to our clients and aim to grow our business from £12Million to £30–£40Million.” He concluded, “Our mission is straightforward… tomorrow’s solutions made simple today. Delivering ‘best of breed’ leading-edge technology with the highest levels of service and support, ensuring customers continually improve their IT performance, whilst reducing overall infrastructure costs.”

Find us on



50039 DPS_BBP Template 16/01/2017 15:39 Page 2

BRINGING

PRINT TO LIFE D E S I G N

P R I N T

F I N I S H

M A I L

www.heronpress.co.uk f /Heronpressuk l @Heronpressuk 22

12341 1pg_Transport Warehousing 23/07/2015 16:02 Page 1

"Print is Dead?" Angela Dyer Director The Creative Consortium

We are all aware that this is the digital age – and sharp businesses must have a solid on-line presence, however print marketing design can also be essential to your business’ success. We’ve all heard the saying “print is dead,” but this is simply not true. For certain business sectors print is still an effective form of marketing – creating a far more emotional connection with your customers. Over the last decade there has been noticeable change in the way the web has evolved. Once perceived as the one stop shop for your business – sites became over complex and content heavy – ultimately losing appeal and customer retention. They are now seen as a valuable tool for presenting up-to-date information – interacting with your customers and potential customers through social media. Print is often perceived as a luxury – "Why do I need a brochure, when I can say everything on my website and change it whenever I like". In principal that's true – however, with a strong brand image, your marketing materials are the face of your business and print has real advantages over web. But firstly we must address the capabilities and differentiate the print techniques that are still applied. Litho printing is also known as lithography or lithographic printing or planography or planographic printing. Litho printing works on the basic principle that oil and water do not mix. Unlike relief printing and intaglio where the image and non-image areas are at different levels, in lithography

there is only one surface. Litho printing is one of the few printing processes that are used as an art form and commercially as well. Commercially, litho printing or litho is often used synonymously with offset printing. Litho is widely used on quality publications, for larger formats and larger print runs. Web Offset is a commonly used technique in which the inked image is transferred (or “offset”) from a plate to a rubber blanket, then to the printing surface. When used in combination with the lithographic process, the modern “web” process feeds a large reel of paper through a large press machine in several parts, typically for several metres, which then prints continuously as the paper is fed through. Perfect for large print runs, ie. magazines, newsprint, direct marketing / mailings. Digital printing refers to methods of printing from a digital-based image directly to a variety of media. It usually refers to professional printing where small-run jobs from desktop publishing and other digital sources are required. It also allows for ondemand printing, short turnaround time, and even a modification of the image (variable data) used for each impression. The savings in labour and the ever-increasing capability of digital presses means it can match or supersede offset printing technology however the quality is compromised.

are more commonly being used, creating well designed print materials can actually work to your advantage – so having professional print design in addition to a web marketing strategy can actually help you stay ahead of your competition. Print is tangible asset to your marketing and many consumers still prefer it. It creates something solid and versatile that they can hold onto. Web can be a very effective form of marketing but it isn’t permanent like print media. Print marketing solidifies your brand. Having more than one route to market, establishes brand recognition. The more you allow your brand to be seen, the more recognizable it becomes. Often you only get one chance to impress your potential customers, and your branding and image are the first contact-points your customers have with your business. Value the importance of relevant, well designed print – print is definitely not dead.

So what are the benefits of print marketing design? Print marketing can help you stand out from the competition. Because web and digital marketing

50026 AP _HorseWorld 05/12/2016 14:24 Page 1

34211 1pg_Transport Warehousing 20/10/2016 15:48 Page 1

Manufacturing Technology The manufacturing times, they are achanging. Banish all thoughts of a factory floor that’s gloomy and dirty, populated with machines and busy workers fixed on the same repetitive task. Factories of the now and not-too-distant future are visions of gleaming efficiency, positively humming as information is buzzed between machines which collaborate seamlessly together. This is all backed up by a techno-savvy workforce which brings production and data together, keeping connections around the globe in a perfect marriage of manufacturing and IT. It is the smart factory. It is the dawning of the age of Industry 4.0. Hang on a minute - what’s that? Not even the majority of manufacturing executives have heard of it but it’s the title that’s capturing the ongoing revolution in the sector, often partnered with another moniker: Internet of Things. These are the days when those factories and plants which are hooked in to the internet are proving to be more efficient, more productive and, yes, even smarter than their non-connected and increasingly communications-isolated counterparts. Those in the know describe Industry 4.0 as the latest phase in manufacturing’s digitisation, a fast and sweeping change that’s being viewed as the fourth industrial revolution. Industrially, things started with the Victorian-age move from farming to factory production while the arrival of steel in the 1850s saw the onset of the second industrial revolution, a time when mass

production and electrically-powered factories came into their own. The third happened much more within living memory, between the 1950s and ‘70s when digital technology began to take over from existing mechanical, electrical and analogue technologies. With Industry 4.0, digital is well and truly taking hold. Powerful systems are at our fingertips to process massive amounts of data and bring a fast revelation of insights which can be acted upon immediately, sensors can gather information of vital use to manufacturers and producers, communications infrastructures are now advanced - and secure - enough to be used by heavy industry. Touch interfaces and augmented reality systems are bringing digital instructions into physical reality, such as robotics and 3D printing. When it comes to 3D printing, that’s coming on in leaps and bounds of its own as printers’ abilities grow to handle differing materials, including productiongrade plastics and metals, to create final products. While 3D printing was first used by engineers and designers to create, form and fit testing prototypes more quickly and cheaply - rapid prototyping before gearing up a factory to produce the actual item, their uses are now morphing toward functional testing of prototypes under working conditions and the manufacture of final products. Printers of the 3D variety are certainly moving out of the R&D lab and on to the factory floor, so quickly in fact that it’s predicted that by 2020, 50% will be creating final products instead of prototypes.

The rise of the machines is also an inextricable part of manufacturing’s transformation. With smart factories comes intelligent automation as forwardthinking enterprises look for robotic and automated technologies which encompass elements of predictive analytics and cognitive computing to help them compete globally; combatting the threat posed by low labour costs in other parts of the world. So change is not just coming, change is upon the world of manufacturing, in house and outsourced, and is destined to affect every corner of the factory and right across the global supply chain. It’s not as fast as the arrival of steam power or robotics which saw pretty much 90% of equipment replaced overnight, but it is happening at a fair pace. Some of our manufacturers have their fingers on the pulse. A study which quizzed 300 sector leaders found that 48% considered themselves ready for Industry 4.0 while 78% of suppliers said they were prepared, with many estimating that up to 50% of today’s machines will need upgrading or replacing. But that’s still more than half who need to be aware of the emerging technologies. Many have been in the pipeline for a while and have now reached a point where their lower cost and higher reliability makes them an increasingly sensible option for more and more industrial applications. You say you want a revolution? Well here it is in Industry 4.0 which is destined to change global competitiveness, restructure production and redefine both manufacturing processes and what a product is.

50023 1pg_HorseWorld 12/01/2017 09:29 Page 1

Advanced Couplings Ltd COUPLINGS FOR ADVANCED INDUSTRY

Great News at Advanced Couplings Limited Keighley based Advanced Couplings, an engineering company which specialises in stainless steel, clamp type tube connections, based in the West Yorkshire town of Keighley, is delighted to have achieved the highly regarded ISO 9001:2015 (Quality Management Systems) quality accreditation.

The great news doesn’t stop there either; the company has made a significant investment in a state-of-the-art Coordinate Measurement Machine and ISO 14001:2015 (Environmental Management Systems). Designed to ensure the accuracy of the design of Advanced Couplings’ components, the CMM will check that the tolerance of the measurements of each finished component is correct. “We invest a great deal of time and energy into the development and improvement of our products and the CMM is part of our overall strategy to ensure outstanding quality throughout our product range and guarantees virtually 100% compatibility between Advanced Couplings’ components and the systems which they are used in,” added Jamie.

To see our full range of products please visit our website at: www.advanced-couplings.co.uk or call us to discuss how we may help you on: 01535 669216

ISO 9001 quality accreditation is a real feather in the company’s cap. As Jamie Kendrick, Advanced Couplings’ Quality Assurance Manager, explained, “ISO 9001 allows assured quality control which means that our customers can have 100% confidence in our manufacturing processes and our products. Here at Advanced Couplings we’re incredibly proud of the high standard of our products and whilst ISO 9001 puts a further stamp of quality on our components, it also enables full traceability which means that we’re able to offer an even higher standard of service to our customers.”

Leading Manufacturer & Stockist Buy our of Stainless Steel Hose Fittings products Tube Fittings & Adaptors online We are proud to support Advanced Couplings Ltd For more information call 01274 852066 or email MRJS%GYWXSQǻXXMRKW GSQ

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50033 AP_HorseWorld 09/01/2017 16:56 Page 1

The go-to place for advanced manufacturing technologies in the UK

The High Value Manufacturing Catapult offers companies access to worldclass equipment, expertise and collaborative opportunities. Our seven centres help manufacturing businesses of all sizes and sectors turn their innovative concepts into commercial applications by accelerating the transfer of technology innovation into economic value. Contact us to find out how we can work together.

www.hvm.catapult.org.uk info@hvm.catapult.org.uk +44 (0) 121 506 9780 @HVM_Catapult 27

50001 AP_HorseWorld 16/11/2016 12:45 Page 1

Leading robotics firm, Active Robots, can give your business a major boost with cutting edge technology. If you’ve ever pondered what the wide world of robotics might offer your business as it sets out on the path to growth, you can find both help for all your needs and inspiration about what can be achieved from Somersetbased Active8 Robots. Born from a company whose roots go back to the beginning of this century, its main original purpose was to supply robots, robotics components, kits and a wide range of electronic items and accessories, and its initial target audiences were hobby builders, as well as schools, colleges and universities. Today, the company’s main strength has shifted along with the growth in e-commerce, and it now boasts a fully transactional website, www.active-robots.com listing more than 3,000 products. These now run right to some of the most sophisticated robots which help run many highly automated manufacturing plants and processes. “The services offered through Active8 Robots focus around providing our clients with solutions to automate production lines, whether that’s using a traditional robot, or the newest technology, in the form of collaborative robots,” explained company chairman and managing director Antony Lovedale. Mr Lovedale has gathered a strong collection of talent, taking in cybernetics engineers, mechanical and electrical engineers and robot programmers, as well as a range of people with other top-level technical skills. Active8 Robots is also a unique in its field in using technology known as point cloud scanning for the evaluation of manufactured products. This enables it to carry out highly detailed feasibility studies to help businesses find out whether automation is right for their needs. “We then deal with our clients’ projects right through from conception to completion, entirely using our in-house specialist team, as this enables us to completely tailor our offerings to their needs, and harness the latest available solutions in every instance,” Mr Lovedale said.

That could mean using a traditional autonomous robot, or even a more modern, state-of-the-art collaborative machine. It is particularly proud to have been appointed the only approved UK distributor of the Sawyer robot, the newest iteration of this latter type, which has been featured in Time magazine, which particularly noted its potential to automate many tasks which have previously been considered too menial, dangerous or undesirable for humans. If you think your business will never be touched by the onward march of robotics, consider that the International Federation of Robotics has predicted that the industry is set to grow by 12 per cent a year for many years into the future. And the feeling in the sector is that these new robots will work alongside, rather than replace, human labour. So it will be doing the ‘dirty work’ we have traditionally not wanted to do – and with a great deal of precision – leaving humans to tend to and maintain them, and bring new levels of accuracy and safety to many critical industrial processes. Active8 Robots has a friendly and approachable team on hand to answer any of your questions, and help you explore the true potential for its products to make sure your own are perfectly made – every time. Call them any time from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday on 01761 239267, and they’ll be happy to set up a demonstration of their main products and their potential uses, or explore the possibilities which robotics and the latest automation products can open up for your business by visiting www.active8robots.com

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Warehouse Layout The success or failure of most warehouse design projects comes down in a lot of cases to layout; assessing storage requirements, the movement of goods into, around and out of the warehouse, access requirements and the siting of utility services and staff facilities. There are lots of decisions to be made before you start work on the design, but in this article we have summarised the most important ones. Hopefully by making these decisions at the outset you’ll avoid some of the pitfalls that can dog warehouse installation projects. Do it yourself or bring in the professionals? A tricky one, the budget may already be tight, so will the services of a professional warehouse designer be cost effective? Generally the professionals are accustomed to take into consideration the details that you might not, they are aware of the latest warehouse management system tools and have dedicated design software to plan for the optimum use of space. You will need to explain the way your business works, the nature of your goods and plans for expansion need to be factored in.

Forecasting your stock profiles and access requirements are key factors to consider before any re-planning of your warehouse space can begin. Stock control is a key part of managing your space and good stock control systems can make a huge difference to the underlying profitability of your business. Stock and space are a cost to your business, so it makes sense to only carry what you need. Most of the major manufacturers operate a “Just in Time System”, only buying what they need as and when they need it. Look round your existing stock holding, how much of it has been in your warehouse for appreciably longer than your suppliers’ delivery times to you? Do you stock in breadth or in depth? How much of your storage is taken up by Goods in Transit, could the transit time be shortened? Stock control forms just a part of an effective warehouse management system, it is not an exact science, and you need a little elasticity because you can’t predict every nuance of demand. Even though you can’t know every detail of your future orders, keep ease of adaptability in mind when designing the original layout. Now that you have developed systems to estimate the actual volume of storage you will need, the question arises of how the goods are to be stored. Do your goods require a temperature controlled environment? What sizes and types of racking, cages, pallets or shelving do you need? Typical warehouse storage solutions include, pallet racking, long span racking, industrial shelving, boxes and pick bins. Whilst pallet racking is most suitable for storage of pallets, long span racking and industrial shelving are great ways to increase square footage, store larger quantities and create

easily accessible pick locations. Standard racking shelves are incredibly adaptable – not to mention very simple to assemble and dismantle as required, which makes them perfect for smaller spaces as well as large open areas. Will you need to allow aisles wide enough for fork-lifts, are most of your goods still picked and packed by hand or mechanically, and do you use a conveyor belt system? A major factor drastically affecting warehouse layout is the flow of goods within the facility. If your warehouse is an existing structure then the decision may already be made for you due to the current positioning of docks and loading bays, but if you are building a new facility, think about which system best suits your needs. ‘U Flow’ is the most favoured system. This is when both goods in and goods out functions are located at the same end of the building, usually sharing a dock. The flow of goods follows a ‘U’ shaped pattern, with faster moving product lines being stored nearer to the doors to improve efficiency. This system provides excellent lift truck utilisation, facilitates cross-docking and improves security (as all access points are located nearby). When designing your warehouse layout it is not just about storage, and flow, it is also about people. It is important to consider how the various parts of the business and teams working within the warehouse/logistic function will effectively communicate with each other and work together. Try to site co-dependant departments within a short distance of each other. This will enable easy communication between relevant personnel, and also ensure you are wasting as little time as possible with continuous walking back and forth. It may seem like a minor consideration but over time those lost minutes can equate to a significant expense.

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50031 AP_HorseWorld 05/01/2017 16:16 Page 1

“We say to all our clients: You buy and sell, leave the rest to ATL.” How can a business which operates large warehouses and benefits from the major economies of scale which can be achieved by doing so tailor its services to meet the needs of today’s small-scale enterprises?

From landing to delivery, your shipping needs are all in hand! If you don’t want to spend your business’s time dealing with shipping, storage and distribution, leave it all in the capable hands of ATL Fulfilment. Providing a complete management service, from container receipt and offloading, checking in stock and coding it, to posting of your packages and customer aftercare, it offers tailor-made logistics solutions from its 30,000 sq ft base in Chorley. From here, ATL Fulfilment handles all types and sizes of products from food to furniture, car accessories to novelty toys. Its warehouse, storage and distribution facilities are available on an as-needed basis, you only pay for what you use. “By offering our clients a tailored fulfilment solution, they benefit from our wide-ranging expertise in the logistics sector and our scale to provide a highly efficient and cost-effective solution for small ecommerce start-ups to larger distribution multi-channel marketing companies” said Andy Lewis, the company’s Business Development Director. Tony Allen, who heads the operations side of the business, teamed up with Andy Lewis three years ago, and their combined decades of experience in logistics and business development has built one of the fastest-growing 3PL companies in the north-west. They believe the key to their success has been their personal attention to each new client’s specific requirements and tailoring a solution that meets their needs in an affordable manner. Today they have over 30 clients in a wide variety of markets. “We enable our customers to work on their business rather than in it by taking away the all the product storage and distribution issues” said Mr Allen.

Operating carefully-proportioned and planned warehouse facilities requires innovative use of the available space, but also enables ATL Fulfilment to tightly control all operations, whether that’s storage, pick-and-pack or dispatch. ATL’s volumes of shipments, which now exceed 20,000 per month give it great purchasing power for the lowest costs from all major courier companies. Another major benefit for any business looking to reach the strategically important markets of the north of England is the central location of ATL Fulfilment’s base, in Chorley, near Bolton. Within easy reach of the motorway network, businesses also benefit from easy access to Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds Bradford airports, and a number of rail-served container terminals which link into most domestic destinations. “We appreciate that SMEs which take the major step of outsourcing their whole fulfilment process need it to appear a seamless and controllable part of their overall operations,” said Mr Allen. “That’s why we are constantly updating our fulfilment processes, and looking to capitalise on the newest advances in technology and communications.” ATL Fulfilment is used and trusted by many of today’s leading e-commerce businesses, including eBay and Amazon. But its customisable solutions can equally help small-scale online traders, and mean that they can easily scale up their businesses as required. It will even take care of all your returns handling and processing, applying the same cutting-edge technologies to this end of the supply chain as to the “happening end” – ensuring that customers are kept happy throughout all stages of their transactions.

Find out how ATL Fulfilment can help your business right along its delivery chain, by visiting ATLFulfilment.co.uk or calling 01257 273812.

50030 AP_HorseWorld 04/01/2017 14:47 Page 1

Logistics provider targets growth on all fronts after MBO Following a management buy-out in August 2016, it’s all systems go for Liverpool-based Abbey Logistics. The MBO capped five years of strong growth, the last of which saw turnover grow to £45m, largely as a result of acquisition, organic growth and large contract wins.

nationwide full load, pallet and part-pallet distribution. In 2011 Abbey began transporting food powders and through a series of acquisitions and business wins Abbey now boasts the largest bulk food powder fleet in the UK. Abbey has big plans for the future and CEO Steve Granite is targeting a £100m turnover by 2021. To achieve this, Abbey will focus on its core markets of foodgrade liquid and powder transport but also expand its large non-food customer base which includes non-hazardous chemicals, minerals and construction products. Abbey is also concentrating on maximising synergies for customers through its warehouse and distribution network offering supporting services where appropriate. Most of Abbey’s business is in the UK but Granite believes there is a strong opportunity to build on its current European business focussing on deliveries to and from Northern Europe.

Founded in Birkenhead in 1990, Abbey began as an operator of liquid food tankers and has grown to become the UK’s largest bulk liquid food transport provider. In addition to liquid products, Abbey began providing general haulage in 2010. This business has grown and the company now operates a UK-wide distribution service from its modern 140,000 sq ft warehouse facility in Bromborough on the Wirral. From here Abbey provides

Despite Abbey’s rapid growth, the company has an enviable record of customer retention. Granite puts this down to a number of factors including close account management and transparency but also a strong focus on getting to know customers’ businesses and understanding the challenges and problems they face, then working with them to solve these issues. “Abbey interacts with our customers closely to understand what matters most

to them. We design bespoke solutions tailored to each individual customer and never apply a one-size fits all model which we know will not be as efficient and achieve lower levels of service,” said Granite. This means that Abbey is all about flexibility. Its customers’ markets are often seasonal, which presents extra challenges of providing efficient resourcing. Abbey uses its fleet size and depot network across the UK to support a core fleet for each customer as and when required, which gives customers both the flexibility they need and efficiency that is often lost during busy periods. Having these assets available is one thing, but to successfully deliver the userfriendly and reliable service essential to their customers, Abbey’s team of highly experienced operators, planners and drivers need to be able to also go that extra mile, which Granite is quick to point out they do: “The teams that support our customers are the best I have ever seen and our strongest asset. We are very lucky to have such a dedicated and skilled group of people in the company. They always put our customers’ interests first and operate with a positive, can-do attitude that is often lacking in our sector.” While all this shows that Abbey is prospering through thinking big, the flexibility and adaptability of its operations is also key to opening up the benefits of its wide-reaching operational capabilities to businesses across a number of sectors.

To get on board with Abbey Logistics, and learn more about its offerings, visit www.abbeylogisticsgroup.com or call 0151 541 9191

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All wrapped up, as members of the British Contract Manufacturers and Packers Association (BCMPA) Multipack Logistics have every aspect of your packing, storing and distribution covered.

The business is continuing to invest in new machinery to meet demand and is in the process of moving to a new warehouse which will triple their current capacity.

The company has grown almost out of recognition since the mid1990s when it started out as a contract packer for the leisure software industry. As a packing company it then seemed a natural progression to offer packing services to other industries while looking for other opportunities and to add procurement to their capabilities.

Two new companies have been added to the group – Multidisk, which specialises in CD, DVD and vinyl records manufacturing and Multipack Foods, which offers packing services for companies in the food industry.

Multipack’s offering now includes Procurement, Contract Packing, Cellowrapping, Shrink-wrapping, Overlabelling, Project Management, Product Assembly, Warehousing & Distribution, Mail Order, Liquid Filling, Digital Printing, Point of Sale materials and CD & DVD duplication. The company are able to oversee your project from the initial planning stages, through production, assembly, packaging including printing, to distribution. Specialising in Just-In-Time operations, their pick and pack department, coupled with an efficient stock control system ensures that your orders will be accurately shipped with full traceability on time, every time.

Multipack Logistics was re-formed in 2014, after purchase of the company from its previous owners and re-branding. While keeping existing staff and clients, a small sales team was formed with the task of bringing in new custom, within a few short months their client portfolio has expanded and continues to rise. The increase in work load has led to a doubling of staff numbers in recent months and an expansion of the sales team.

When we asked what next? Simon said “We plan to update our systems and gain ISO9001 accreditation which we feel will not only increase our efficiency, but will also give our customers further confidence that their projects are in safe hands. When ISO9001 has been achieved, we’re also looking to gain SALSA / BRC accreditation which would allow us to offer more services through Multipack Foods.

Both men are very proud of the business and the fact that it has grown so quickly. As Paul says, “We pride ourselves on the quality of the work we do, and the high success rate we have.”

Considerable investment in new machinery was needed to underpin this expansion of their services, and to reach out to new customers, but it has proved well worthwhile, the Cellowrap machine in particular greatly increased their penetration of the music, film, cosmetics and tobacco industries. While the liquid filling service enabled them to expand into the paint industry (filling tester pots) and even further into cosmetics (filling aftershave product). Simon Fayle, MD, and Paul Sunter, Business Development Manager, told us that the early days were not without their challenges saying, “The first 18 months of the company saw massive growth in a very short space of time. The high volume of work our new clients brought in was unanticipated. We struggled initially, but we overcame the issues we were having and now have an efficient team of people to get the work done.”

For more information please call 01254 706316 or visit the website www.multipacklogistics.co.uk

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Get ready to

Export

IT’S a big world out there - are you considering making it your company’s oyster? Of course, exports are not part and parcel of every firm’s modus operandi but for many of these there comes a time when their management team find themselves considering moving their products and services out into the global marketplace. It’s an exhilarating moment and a daunting decision at the same time. Where do you start? How do you do it - and why should you do it? Well, exporting is known to boost growth and productivity and provide greater economies of scale: studies have already reported that companies who start selling internationally have seen 34% rises in productivity - and become 11% more likely to survive. The activity also compensates for any downturn in one market as others can pick up the slack. Meanwhile, acquiring an international presence can enhance a business’s domestic credibility, as well as extend the life of products, providing better return on research and development investment. So, good reasons to export then. But how ready is your business for such a move? Certain basic things need to be in place: a sales channel, either direct or through partners, the physical capacity and funds for increasing production to meet new orders, a capable sales and admin infrastructure and a website that can be understood by international visitors, particularly those in your target market. Make sure too, that you’ve factored in plenty of opportunity to visit these new target markets several times before you even send your first item across seas.

Then there’s other broader, but equally critical considerations. Will you need to adjust your packaging for the new customers? Ideally, they’re all after your goods in their current format but regulatory restrictions, for example, mean that considerable adaptions may be necessary. If you’re taking a previously unknown product or service into a new area then you have to create the market for it in the first place, which usually means a high spend on marketing which could impact upon overall success. Here’s where the big R comes in. Research - and SWOTting up on your research can’t be underestimated enough. Performing a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis will shine an illuminating light onto the various facts that will affect your decision as to whether, when or where you enter overseas markets. They’re clamouring for what you have to offer but will your transport costs enable you to compete costs-wise against more local competitors? How high are import duty levels? They could nobble any competitive advantage. Will you be able to meet local product standards or testing requirements and how compatible are you in terms of things such as measurement? You may be metric but the US, for example is, on the whole, imperial. The research tick list isn’t complete yet. Other important considerations include: Genning up on your targeted market, not just the business statistics but the culture,

how it operates and whether you will need to adjust how you work in order to be successful. Your price won’t just be affected by the aforementioned import duties and transport costs. What is the local equivalent of VAT, what payment methods (and their costs) are used and how long do they take? If product modifications are required, what kind would be necessary to ensure success? All that vibrant red packaging may be a wow in China - it’s a lucky colour there - but South Africa associates it with mourning. Similarly your trade name or that of your product. We’ve all sniggered at those online photos of chocolate bars with what we consider rude titles but which are perfectly acceptable in their country of origin. That could work in reverse for you. Translation is also important. In some countries you are legally required to work in the local language. We could probably fill the entire magazine with all the points to ponder when taking your business from the domestic to the global market; selling internationally is clearly very complex but there’s a wealth of support out there to help you on your way, from Government agencies to chambers of commerce and many other business organisations and federations. If you are currently producing that item on your kitchen table or in your garage, that big world may seem just a little too big right now, but then Steve Jobs and Wozniak started building computers in a garage, and look what happened to them.

50034 AP_HorseWorld 08/12/2016 16:27 Page 1

UK SPECIALIST EXPORT ADVICE & MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS There has been much talk about exports since Brexit, and, if we are to achieve the Government ambition to reach £1 trillion by 2020, from £515 bn in 2015, (Office for National Statistics) then a seriously committed and practical approach is needed.

UK exports have reduced in the last 3 years (HMRC) 99% of UK businesses are SMEs, of which only 21% export (fsb 2016 survey) UK firms export less than their French, German and Italian counterparts despite the language advantage

There are a number of reasons why SMEs are reluctant to consider exporting which I would group into 2 categories: Mindset

✔ lack of interest

✔ lack of awareness of opportunities ✔ fear of the un-known ✔ misconceptions

There is evidence that:

✔ periods of economic turbulence can bring significant new business opportunities ✔ engaging with exports invariably provides businesses with increased turnover and profit ✔ companies generating steady export growth are significantly more secure in the long term ✔ exporting has been proved to stimulate increased product development, skills, recognition and overall performance at Home as well as overseas Export is like the Olympics: no chance of winning a gold medal without commitment, planning, competence and managing expectations

Exportwise™ has been involved with all aspects of hands-on exporting for decades. This is what SMEs need and why they come to us.

Exportwise™ don’t just talk about exports; we’ve achieved export success

Operational

✔ costs and resources

✔ products suitability for several markets ✔ capacity

✔ compliance issues

✔ financial exposure and risk

✔ internal expertise to handle admin and sales ✔ lack of language skills

With the correct approach, training, and expert guidance fears around exporting can be alleviated

How do we help businesses overcome perceived obstacles to achieve export success?

Exportwise™ provide a wide spectrum of practical solutions needed by new and established exporters to make the most of global opportunities available to them.

Starting exporting by desire enables companies to prepare and plan for exports. Starting by default brings the risk of stumbling over problems and learning - at high cost - by trial and error. Exportwise™ provide practical export development & management solutions

Despite challenges on the way, exporting is one of the most rewarding activities for any business

Exportwise™ provide bespoke tailored services that will meet clients’ needs:

• Preparing and planning for export Understanding the basic essentials to save time, errors and costs.

• Strategic export planning Opportunity analyses to indentify suitable markets

• Export action plan & routes to market Practical planning and best routes to markets

Florence Deniel

• Export implementation & management Clients and partners search, leads generation, selecting and appointing agents/distributors. Business development activities.

• Trade fairs services Our special packages allow clients to make the most of exhibiting at international trade fairs

• Compliance queries We provide this type of support either directly or via our network of export associates in the relevant fields such as HMRC, VAT, IP, FX, legal, logistics.

Available on an out-sourced basis for ad-hoc or on-going projects, Exportwise™ services are cost effective. As such they are an ideal solution for many companies, allowing new exporters to test opportunities, and established ones to expand

Exporting isn’t just for Jaguar and JCB, it’s also for the thousands of SMEs who offer amazing products and services

Achieve export success with Exportwise™ solutions

To discuss your export projects contact Florence Deniel MIEX: T: 01484 310 030 E: mail@exportwisesolutions.com W: exportwisesolutions.com Follow us on twitter: @exportwise To benefit from our special offers quote: Manchester Business Post-February

13091 AP_HorseWorld 07/12/2016 11:11 Page 1

Experts in road, sea and air transport services

Our wheels have been keeping the country's industry on the move for 20 years, and we want you to join us on the next part of that journey. An award winning and dynamic business with a multi-million pound turnover, we have always been driven by our customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; varied freight requirements. From our offices in Iron Acton, near Bristol, we provide road, sea and air freight services to manufacturers and businesses across the UK, specialising in imports and exports across Europe. We possess a breadth and depth of knowledge, accrued by working successfully with a wide range of industries, that has given us the know-how to deal with anything; from chemicals and machinery through to homeware and food and beverages. We offer full loads, part loads and groupage, plus a range of specialist services to cater for just-in-time deliveries, outsized goods, hazardous and fragile cargo.

Our ethos of not transhipping cargo on full or part loads is welcomed by our customers, we simply collect your shipment and take it to where it is needed without any offloading and reloading in between, keeping transit times to a minimum and ensuring your goods avoid the typical issues faced when they are unduly handled. We are proud to still be working with clients whom have been using our services since our infancy and are delighted that every one likes working with us because we offer a great service at competitive prices. So whether the route ahead for your business is exporting or importing contact our expert team for a quotation or to discuss your freight requirements.

Phone: +44 (0)1454 227 500 Email: hello@accfreight.com www.accfreight.com 37

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Confidence in an uncertain world How can you attract new customers and increase sales without taking unnecessary risks? Coface’s Phil Hendy has some great advice to help you trade with confidence this year. 2017 promises to be a momentous year for Manchester. Already one of the UK’s most culturally dynamic places to live, the City is now experiencing an economic rebirth which also makes it an increasingly attractive place to do business. One reason is Manchester’s prominent role in the Northern Powerhouse project which aims to improve transport links, skills, overseas investment and boost productivity throughout the region. According to EY’s UK Region and City economic forecast1, Manchester outperformed other Northern cities in 2016, achieving Gross Value Added growth of 3%, compared with the average of 1.2% for the North West region. The City boasts one of the largest tech business clusters in the UK2 and is also enjoying a revival in its textile industry, largely driven by the emergence of fast fashion retailers who want to be close to their customer base. This growth in economic activity and inward investment is creating exciting commercial opportunities, but it also creates some significant business challenges. Of course, uncertainty about the UK’s Brexit deal and inflationary pressures could inhibit household spending and squeeze company profit margins. But I think that the greatest threat, especially for SMEs, is one that is sometimes seen as a fact of business life and is not addressed until it is too late. Bad debt (and late payment) should be a serious concern because it interrupts cash flow and poor cash flow is the number one cause of business failure. And the risk increases when companies overcommit themselves in pursuit of growth.

In my experience, the key to sustainable business growth is an informed approach to trading risks, rather than simply chasing sales. That’s why I recommend that every business takes active measures to reduce the possibility of a bad debt and protect their cash flow. The following five steps are key to any successful credit management plan: 1. Consistent credit checking obtain accurate details of each customer and check their financial health and payment history with a reputable credit assessment provider. Credit decisions should always be based on hard evidence. 2. Written agreements show customers that credit is not an automatic right by insisting on signed contracts, conditions of sale and credit agreements, setting out the interest charges for late payment. 3. Proactive credit control as well as sending out statements and chasing overdue invoices, your accounts team should be primed to monitor customer payment behaviour so they are alert to changes from their established pattern. 4. Communication credit control and sales staff should be expected to share new intelligence about customers that might affect their credit risk. 5. Protection obtain credit insurance which alerts you to potentially high-risk customers and protects your cash flow by reimbursing losses arising from a customer’s bad debt. Over 40,000 companies worldwide currently have a Coface credit insurance policy, from start-ups to multi-nationals. Options range from single buyer policies to comprehensive credit management solutions which provide credit ratings, insurance cover and debt collection for an annual premium

An effective credit management policy makes your company stronger because it helps you to focus time and effort on financially healthy customers. And by insuring your credit sales, you have the reassurance you need to pre-order stock, explore new domestic and overseas markets and seize new opportunities in 2017. To find out more about Coface credit insurance, contact us on 0800 085 6848 or visit www.cofaceuk.com References 1 Rebalancing the economy: time to seize the opportunity. EY UK region and city economic forecast Issue 2: Winter 2016-17, EY, December 2016 2 TechNation 2016, Tech City UK, February 2016

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Incentivise and Retain! The job market is hotting up, recruitment professionals are having to work harder to find good candidates, prospective employers are having to make hiring decisions more quickly or risk losing out, so it makes sense to do everything you can to hang on to your good people. After all you have invested in training and developing them and they are crucial to your company’s growth and success. Review your company’s remuneration package. Offering a good salary is obviously important, but money is rarely the whole story, research indicates that it is often fringe benefits that are the deciding factors, in determining whether a good candidate will accept your job offer or a valued employee decide to stay with the company. Attracting new employees is only the start of building a strong and productive organisation. Next, you have to keep them. High employee turnover can cost business owners dearly in time and productivity. Try these tactics to retain your employees. Targeting retention measures at the right people using a tailored mix of financial and nonfinancial incentives is a crucial management tool to achieve long-term business success, because while financial incentives do play an important role in retention, money alone won’t do the trick. Offer a competitive benefits package that fits your employees’ needs. Providing health insurance, life insurance and a retirement-savings plan is essential in retaining employees. But other perks, such as flexitime and the option of telecommuting, go a long way to show employees you are willing to accommodate their outside lives. One-size-fits-all retention packages are usually unsuccessful in persuading a diverse group of key employees to stay long term. Instead, companies should tailor retention approaches to the mindsets and motivations of specific employees.

For example, family oriented folk will appreciate the option of flexitime, telecommuting, a health package that extends to their family members and vouchers for family-friendly outings such as theme parks. With career-driven people retention can be more about promotions, an upmarket company car with all the bells and whistles, funded training opportunities and regular discussions with each individual about his or her future career and leadership opportunities in the organisation within the context of the company’s own plans for expansion. Praise from one’s manager, attention from leaders, frequent promotions, opportunities to lead projects, and chances to join fast-track management programs are often more effective than cash. Indeed, a 2009 McKinsey Quarterly survey found that executives, managers, and employees rate these five nonfinancial incentives among the six most effective motivators when the main objective of the exercise is to retain people. It is important to incentivise and reward everyone, not just the high fliers, but the folk who may get overlooked because they do just what they are supposed to; those who turn up on time, are never or vary rarely absent and who turn in a good day’s work day in and day out. A time management system which monitors staff attendance is not just useful for checking regular absences leading perhaps to some underlying problem, but also to recognise your unsung heroes, the star attendees. A word of praise, or some other recognition, perhaps in the form of vouchers to be used however the employee chooses can be very effective, praise and reward are far more powerful motivators than censure or criticism

pickup and delivery may seem insignificant to you, but if they help employees better manage their lives, they’ll appreciate it and be more likely to stick around. Use contests and incentives to help keep workers motivated and feeling rewarded. Done right, these kinds of programs can keep employees focused and excited about their jobs. Promote from within whenever possible, give employees a clear path of advancement, and offer training and opportunities to gain further qualifications. Require your managers to spend time coaching employees, helping good performers move to new positions and minimizing poor performance. Keep everyone involved by holding regular meetings at which employees can offer ideas and ask questions. Have an opendoor policy that encourages employees to speak frankly with their managers without fear of repercussion. Away days and team building events are another good opportunity to make everyone feel part of things. Incentives help to ensure that employees know what you expect of them. It may seem basic, but often in small companies, employees have a wide breadth of responsibilities, and if they don’t know exactly what their jobs entail and what you need from them, they can’t perform up to standard.

Generally try providing some small perks. Free bagels on Fridays and dry-cleaning

50041 AP_HorseWorld 04/01/2017 15:38 Page 1

Have you Protected your greatest asset your people? WHY CHOOSE

Halcyon HealthCare? We insure our factories, plant and machinery, our houses and our cars and protect ourselves against public liability, but how well do we look after our greatest asset - our income generators – our employees and their families? Halcyon HealthCare’s longstanding company clients say that their company private medical insurance pays for itself many times over by getting employees, and in particular key members of staff, back to work more quickly. An employee, worried about undiagnosed and potentially serious medical symptoms suffered themselves, or by a family member, cannot be expected to be fully effective at work and that can cause a disruption to production costing many times the cost of prompt private treatment. Company health insurance policies cost much less than comparable cover available for employees to buy for themselves and at the employers discretion, can provide not just cover for the employee but cover for their family members, which would usually be paid for by the employee, but at company rates. Furthermore, a company policy may cover sufficient employees to be underwritten to cover pre-existing conditions. Medical History Disregarded underwriting can be particularly valuable for senior members of staff and their partners who have already suffered an adverse health history. Unfortunately, serious ill health and injury can strike indiscriminately, regardless of age or position, at any time, and sadly, even with prompt treatment, it may be weeks or months before an employee is fit to return to work. In that situation, Group Income Protection can be a lifestyle saver for the employee and relieves the employer of the difficult decision of when to cease paying the employee. Where there is a willingness to maintain salary payments for many months, Income Protection

can release the employer from that burden and free up funds to pay a temporary replacement. Healthcare Cash Plans start from as little as £1/employee/week for everyday health costs such as opticians, dental, physiotherapy and alternative therapy fees and may even including an MRI scan and follow-up consultation. Halcyon HealthCare is directly authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and by obtaining quotes and benefits from a wide range of insurers, recommends policies that best fit your budget and your particular healthcare needs. Since 2003, Halcyon HealthCare has been using its know-how to contain your costs without compromising your cover, helping companies, private families and individuals to obtain private medical insurance, life, critical illness & income protection insurance, hospital cash plans and travel insurance, from leading insurers that best fit their needs. As an independent specialist health and protection insurance broker, Halcyon HealthCare looks for cost-effective policies that are sustainable with both increasing age and after the need to make claims. The broker is not misled by short term headline starter discounts and endeavours to cover pre-existing conditions whenever possible.

PRODUCTION

EMPLOYEE HEALTH & PROTECTION

RESEARCH

SALES

For more information please visit the web site, www.halcyon-healthcare.co.uk, or to arrange an initial confidential conversation about your requirements, telephone 0333 123 0707 or e-mail advice@halcyon-healthcare.co.uk Halcyon HealthCare Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

50046 AP 2_HorseWorld 12/01/2017 09:40 Page 1

citycard manchester 8QORFN H[FOXVLYH PHPEHU RQO\ R΍HUV LQ 0DQFKHVWHU

MANCHESTER

NIGHTLIFE RESTAURANTS ENTERTAINMENT SPA FITNESS SHOPPING

Struggling to find the best way to reward your workforce? Or not seeing much return for company social events or incentives you’re currently offering?

CityCard could be the answer! CityCard is a fantastic scheme that allows members to unlock exclusive member-only offers at a wide range of Manchester restaurants, bars, spas, salons, entertainment venues and attractions - giving the opportunity for the recipient to tailor their reward to their own taste: whether wanting to Segway, go ten pin bowling, the football, Sea Life Centre, or Alton Towers with the family, or meals out at a high end restaurant, theatre visits or luxury hotel stays with a loved one, the choice is theirs; the CityCard is a gift that just keeps on giving, Research shows that these sort of discount and pick-n-mix life-style schemes are becoming more and more popular with employers and employees alike: whilst employees get access to a great range of deals and can enable them to better enjoy their free-time, these kind of schemes are very cost effective (indeed, the price of an annual membership for one employee can work out less than the price of a single staff meal – but see far bigger increases in staff loyalty and productivity). Unlike other discount schemes, there are no limitations on how many times you can use CityCard in any venue - you can use it as many times as you wish. If you want to use it every Friday and Saturday in the cute little restaurant near you that serves great food then that's fine - just be sure to mention CityCard when you book! The smartphone app makes using your membership even easier. Just login to the website on your smartphone and follow the instructions. They have made it as easy and simple as possible for you, and it can be downloaded onto any type of smartphone – and once it’s downloaded then you can save it to your home screen to use offline!

Now available on your smartphone!

The company runs exclusive member only events throughout the year including a Manchester Walking Tour, Gallery viewings, Flash Mob style bar nights with fantastic offers, talks from inspirational business leaders, and much, much more. It adds an extra dimension to becoming a CityCard member Currently, personal membership costs just £55 for a year's subscription, or the cost can be spread through the year with a monthly £5 plan (and no contract) - considering you can save as much as £20 on one meal at the likes of Rosso, we think this is extraordinary value for money, but, further the firm offer special B2B rates are available for employers with greater than 10 employees.

Head to

www.citycardmanchester.co.uk right now to check out some of the deals they currently have on offer, or to get in touch.

With CityCard you save money at 100s of amazing venues in Manchester. 41

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A new year, with health and wellbeing at the top of the agenda With workplace health and wellbeing constantly rising up the public agenda¹, a Health plan could help your business’ needs. When it comes to reviewing employee benefits, it’s understandable that budget and cost are a big factor to organisations. Yet some make the mistake of thinking that every day Health plans are just an additional perk, rather than seeing them as a preventative health offering. Sometimes it’s the preventative benefits that are difficult to pin ROI to. These include benefits like cash plans, dental plans and other wellbeing benefits. What’s often unknown is how much these products can help businesses. Given that the average cost of absence to employers is £552 per employee, per year², it’s not surprising that employers are focusing on promoting a preventive approach to healthcare in a bid to reduce their expenses. With a cash plan, not only can employees claim towards treatment costs, they also have access towards services such as 24/7 GP helplines, reducing the amount of time spent off work. Dental plans are also a highly thought of benefit; our health and wellbeing survey 2016 shows that 64% of employees without a dental plan would consider one if their employer offered it.

More than just an employee benefit

Many employers are now faced with a multi-general workforce. In some cases, employees’ ages range from 16 to over 70. Being able to support loved ones of all ages will become increasingly important for employees in future. Cash plans and dental plans can be extended to include cover for the family. Cash plans allow partners to be added to the cover, with majority of plans offering to cover up to four children. Better still, our dental plans also allow employees to cover up to four of their older relatives through Denplan’s eldercare cover.

We offer a payment method to suit all needs. Employers that directly fund a plan will generate the biggest buy-in from employees, however that is not to say that offering these benefits voluntarily will mean that employees will not value the plan. Successful schemes can often see take up of around 75%, so, just offering these health plans as a benefit (at no cost to your business) can still have a very valuable impact.

Engagement is key

Although employees will remember that they have these plans when they visit their dentist or physiotherapist, it pays to promote these types of plans more than once a year. Using health and wellbeing campaigns throughout the year can remind employees of the importance of looking after their health and the value of the benefits on offer. Focused campaigns can increase engagement and encourage employees to sign up to a dental or cash plan. A healthy workforce is a productive workforce and by offering every day Health plans, companies can really unlock employees’ potential. ¹ CIPD, 2016, Growing the health and wellbeing agenda: From first steps to full potential ² CIPD 2016 – Absence Management report

Simple and affordable springs to mind

Arranging these plans is practically admin free and quick to set up. Price is often important, however service and product understanding are key to a successful benefit. We pride ourselves on being able to offer flexible products to meet your business needs.

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13086 AP v2_HorseWorld 06/01/2017 11:30 Page 1

Saving £6,500 every year across just 30 employees should be of interest! It is a fact that, for the vast majority of UK businesses, their major cost is their wage bill. As such, it makes good sense to make sure that your workforce provides good value for money. This means ensuring you understand vital metrics, such as absenteeism, lateness, sickness, overtime and the like.

Every year, we talk to hundreds of companies who did not realise just how much money they are throwing away by not really understanding and acting upon these metrics. For example, if 30 employees lose just 5 minutes each day through lateness, taking a slightly longer lunch or breaks and so on, then you’re looking at a cost of £6,500 per year, minimum. To prevent this, Vizual Management Solutions helps

Triggers & Alerts

A good time and attendance system should not require you to go looking for items that require action – it should tell you! As such, Capture-it provides alerts and triggers when a whole range of events occur, such as lateness, leaving early, lunch too long, overtime to be approved, return from absence and many more.

Fire Register and your Duty of Care

Knowing who is on-site is fundamental to your duty of care. That is why an automated Fire Register is built into Capture-it as standard. The fire alarm sounds, and low and behold, multiple fire registers are printed automatically for your fire marshals to collect on their way out.

Access Control

best value from your workforce. For example:-

Keeping employees and property safe is a popular requirement. For this reason, access control is built into Capture-it as standard. Factoid: the most common reason an employee ‘forgets’ to clock in, is because they arrived late. However, with Capture-it you will know what time they accessed your building.

Unplanned, short-term absences can be massively disruptive. Capture-it alerts you to these, so that you can take action. If you have not heard of the Bradford Factor, then you should. This is a proven method to track and alert you to unwanted absence behaviour and is built in as standard.

Finally, if you are a manufacturer and wish to record the time spent by employees on jobs, then Capture-it can help. Employees are able to book on and off jobs, such that you understand which employee worked on what job, when and at what cost.

companies better understand employee activity in claiming back that lost time. Our Capture-it system goes far beyond just recording employee clockings and is a fully integrated

Workforce Management System that helps you get the very

Absences, Lateness & Holidays

Lateness can be tracked and reported in real-time, including letting you know by email.

Job Costing

Holidays are also tracked, with each employee’s entitlement, days/hours taken and remaining balance instantly available. You can even set up rules to make sure that key personnel, such as First Aiders and Fire Marshalls, are not off at the same time.

Payroll Made Easy

Capture-it supports a range of payrolls, with Sage being the most popular. Just a few mouse clicks results in the agreed attendance data being electronically transferred into your payroll. Time is saved and no risk of keying errors!

VIZUAL

Management Solutions Ltd

I I I

To find out more on the ways in which Capture-it will help you save money, whilst better managing your workforce, contact Vizual on 0800 288 8632 or email us at info@vizualms.co.uk

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Mary Lambert Mary Lambert, the popular family run artisan bakery and restaurant that has been serving up delicious treats to highly appreciative customers since 1960, broadened its scope to include fish and chips about four and a half years ago. The family are used to plaudits for the quality of their baked goods, their Chia bread in particular is very popular, but they were absolutely delighted as relative newcomers to be named Hartlepool’s Chippy of the Year. Phillippa Lambert Shaeen is the third generation of the family to work in the business which was founded by her grandmother the original Mary Lambert. “We have only been doing fish and chips for the last four-and-a-half years, so to be named Chippy of the Year is a real honour,” said Phillippa. Although customers are familiar with Lambert’s as a great place for a sit-down meal, many are still surprised to discover it also offers a traditional fish and chip takeaway service. “We are a wellknown restaurant, so a lot of people think that we don’t do take away - but we do. “Our fish and chips are eat-in or take away.” But, as another family member Eric Lambert, told us, the awards didn’t stop there though, as more evidence of the public’s move towards wholesome tasty food showed, when Mary Lambert was also awarded Best Food Stand at the Living North of York Show. Other awards the company has won include the Quality award, Highly Commended Best Newcomer from the National Fish and Chip Awards and if that wasn’t enough they were voted as one of the Top 50 Fish and Chip shops by Fry magazine

“We only use fresh fish, completely fresh cod and haddock from Hartlepool Quay, which we have delivered everyday” said Phillippa. Having been awarded 5 Stars for Food Hygiene, in addition to being part of the busy bakery, restaurant and fish and chip shop, Philippa also runs her own training company in Food Safety, and goes out and about usually training on clients’ own premises.

To try for yourself, visit them at 1 Villiers St, Hartlepool TS26 9DD telephone on 01429 279077 or visit the website to take a look at the menu, www.mary-lambert.co.uk

Quality food

and top class service

The whole family are passionate about top quality fresh ingredients and firmly believe them to be the basis of all good food. Therefore the fish is fresh every day, their potatoes are sourced locally and all dishes are cooked fresh to order.

We wish Mary Lambert Fish & Chips every success for the future North East Catering Services, suppliers of Chips and Peeled Potatoes produced from the best quality frying potatoes.

Congratulations on your award from Bidvest Foodservice Bidvest Foodservice Gateshead 0370 3663 450

North East

Catering Services

Call us on 01642 829616

www.bidvest.co.uk

13132 1pg_Layout 1 19/12/2016 15:05 Page 1

A Bright Outlook for UK Hospitality and Tourism. In the best visitor tradition the British tourism and travel industry has taken a snapshot of its own status - and the picture’s looking pretty. The first ever study, the BTTS Industry Snapshot survey, quizzed tour operators, visitor attractions, destinations and hotels to discover a positively buoyant and domestically upbeat tourism market. The news couldn’t be better for our regions which all have healthy helpings of some of the most popular visitor destination attractions outside London and local economy-boosting incomes. The North West’s jewels in the crown feature the Lake District and the vibrant and popular cities of Manchester, Liverpool, Chester, Blackpool, each a magnet for visitors in its own right. Bristol, regarded as the capital of the South West of England, with the delights of Cornwall and Devon on its doorstep, enjoys a tourism economy, worth more than £1.2bn, which supports over 27,000 jobs. A leader on the green scene, and the only UK city to hold a European Green capital title, Bristol visitors are drawn to Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s Clifton Suspension Bridge and SS Great Britain as well as the many thriving museums and galleries and Bristol Zoo Gardens.

The once grim industrial Birmingham, meanwhile, is now a shining tourist hotspot, and was recently ranked the fourth most popular city to visit behind London, Edinburgh and Manchester. Apart from its retail, shopping, arts and cultural attractions, ‘Brum' is a heartbeat away from the beauties of Shakespeare country and the rural wonders of Worcestershire, the Cotswolds, Herefordshire and Shropshire. So the UK is well placed to take advantage of the good fortunes 2017 is expected to bring, according to the BTTS Industry Snapshot which found that visitor bookings have already risen around 15% and that a significant 90% of all respondents were either fairly or very optimistic about the future of the domestic tourism trade. Looking specifically at visitor numbers and types, 66% of respondents cited rises in the last year, with destinations and attractions reporting a 25% and 18% growth respectively. Bookings by seniors, international visitors, families, and luxury travellers were also up. One of the key trends emerging for next year is an increase in staycations domestic tourist expenditure on hospitality and leisure is set to grow to almost £69bn, and domestic tourist spending on retail goods is set to reach £15.6bn - but foreign visitors have a worthy contribution to make, too. In fact, overseas tourism spend is expected to rise 33.6% faster than domestic (25.3%), their expenditure on retail goods growing by 36.3% and on hospitality and leisure by 33%. Add their contribution to domestic tourism and the total expenditure is expected to increase by 27% to just over £135.5bn by next year. For the hospitality sector, holiday visitors are only part of the equation. The conferencing and corporate markets are also important income generators. The news is good here too as well, on a global level, even after the political rollercoaster of the EU referendum and the US election.

The latest report from MICE Knowledge, which provides research and consultancy services for the Meetings, Incentive Travel, Conferences and Events (MICE) industries, forecasts the industry’s performance in 2017 and analyses the major trends of 2016. Dr Rob Davidson, Managing Director is predicting global growth, despite the turbulent geopolitical and economic environment saying, “Given the result of the EU referendum and the US election there is a strong probability that our industry will be once more obliged to show that it is capable of prospering in the face of new challenges, some of them as yet unknown. “But we are much better placed to respond to these challenges now than at any other time, as our industry is robustly underpinned by widespread professionalism and a sound education and training system that supports our existing and future professionals.” He predicts that cost per attendee per day, as well as group sizes will increase in almost all world regions and that this year’s growth will continue, particularly in Europe despite fairly flat national economic performances. “This is balanced out as a result of companies being more prudent about spend and therefore not travelling too far afield for meetings and using more midscale venues,” he says. “Europe has been extremely successful in winning conferences of international associations with over half of the top cities and countries selected as destinations for international association conferences being in the region.” So we can confidently forecast a bright future for the tourism and hospitality sector, despite uncertain economic times.

50040 AP_HorseWorld 11/01/2017 12:53 Page 1

£¾m refurb helps create the perfect conference venue Mind mapping sessions and office away days, which are often where the magic happens in terms of ideas and team bonding, can sometimes be a real challenge to pull off – but look no further, we have found the venue which will help everything else fall in to place. Storthes Hall Park which is located only ten minutes from the centre of Huddersfield and easily accessible from the M62 and M1 has just benefitted from a huge refurb costing £750,000. It is now a unique venue set in beautiful surroundings that can cater for any important event you may choose. From conferences to weddings or team building to summer activities, the facilities at this recently revamped venue are versatile enough to fit anyone’s bill. It also offers high quality in-house catering and affordable accommodation to help make your event run smoothly – what more could you want? At this fantastic venue guests and visitors can enjoy a number of walking and cycling trails, while archery and a host of other team-building activities can also be arranged.

Why Give Your Staff an ‘Office Away day’? Outside the formalities of the typical office environment – a wide range of benefits are likely to be experienced, both by the individuals taking part, and the company as a whole. Mandy White, Commercial Manager at Storthes Hall Park, says that many of the visitors particularly appreciate and enjoy the games rooms, with table tennis and pool tables and tend to take the opportunity to utilise these facilities as part of the away day schedule. “We even have our own cinema room, which makes for a great venue for a presentation or product launch – a popular touch is the popcorn machine just outside, as it helps give your event a memorable twist,” she added. Whatever the objective of your event, one of Storthes Hall’s four meeting rooms, each with its own character, but sharing top-quality facilities against a distinctive and memorable backdrop, is sure to make a fitting venue. All meeting rooms have the added benefit of free Wi-Fi.

Memorable Events Make A Major Morale-Booster Storthes Hall Park doesn’t just offer a series of ‘off the peg’ conference and meeting facilities and packages – it specialises and prides itself in building bespoke team-building experiences which make full use of not only the newly refurbed facilities, but the pleasant and spacious grounds

You can find more details at Stortheshall.co.uk or obtain full details of the facilities and packages by emailing mandywhite@stortheshall.co.uk or call 01484 270154 46

too. The events team specialises in staging a range of themed gatherings, such as “It’s A Knockout”, bake-off, and even an old-style sports day. “It really is down to the individual to suggest to us what kind of event would be best for them to achieve their goals,” added Mandy. ”Even our catering operations are versatile enough to be able to match any type of occasion, so that every event is bespoke, and can be memorable for all the right reasons.” Best of all, with so much space at guests’ disposal, there’s no need for the weather to put a dampener on events at Storthes Hall Park. The main objective of any event staged here is to give participants a fun time, and an experience they can take away with them and long remember. “With so many great facilities all on hand, and our lovely setting, we’re happy to invite event organisers to come and see it all for themselves before they book” said Mandy.

50038 AP_HorseWorld 16/01/2017 14:48 Page 1

A rural idyll that is easily accessible...

Looking for some traditional Lancashire hospitality, friendly staff, great food and all in a fantastic setting with panoramic views across the moors? Then a warm welcome awaits you at Clough Manor in the village of Denshaw, near Saddleworth. Clough Manor is a comfortable hotel, converted from an 18th century farmhouse and added to over the years to provide 23 double or twin en suite rooms, function suite, restaurant, lounge bar, and one private dining room. A new management team took over in October 2015 and are breathing fresh life into this well-loved hotel and eatery, with a programme of sympathetic refurbishment providing a chic, stylish but above all comfortable interior. Each en suite guestroom is individually designed and many have magnificent views over the surrounding countryside. The ground floor is fully air conditioned and the hotel has free Sky TV and WiFi connection for all guests. The new team are building a great reputation for hospitality, customer service and the outstanding quality of their food. A typical Trip Advisor comment reads â&#x20AC;&#x153;Very friendly staff who remember your name, delicious food and comfy bedsâ&#x20AC;?. The Head Chef has created a seasonal menu built around fresh local produce which offers besides many traditional favourites, such as a proper Sunday lunch with a choice of meats, fluffy Yorkshire puddings (yes even in Lancashire) crunchy roast potatoes and plenty of fresh vegetables, innovative modern dishes, such as Tapas, which is rapidly becoming a popular lunchtime favourite. Their menus also feature gluten free dishes and interesting vegetarian options.

At only a 5 minute drive from both J21 and J22 of the M62 motorway between Manchester and Leeds, Clough Manor is easily accessible whether for a lunch, a special family occasion such as a wedding, a business meeting or conference, a weekend break or simply a stop off as part of a wider tour of the area. It is an ideal location for a confidential business discussion between a select few, a full on business event or training session with rooms available to hire for groups of 2 up to 150, a dinner dance, or a family celebration. The hotel is happy to cater for parties of between 6 and 200. The private dining room that can accommodate up to 25 guests with its appealing atrium ceiling making it a very popular choice. The hotel offers a range of inclusive packages including the possibility of hiring the whole hotel and will be happy to discuss special rates for businesses or large functions. With beautiful scenery, top quality customer service and ample parking, they will be able to make your event that little bit extra special.

Find us on... https://www.facebook.com/cloughmanordenshaw/ @CloughManorDen

To complement your meal there is a well-balanced wine list featuring wines from around the world, together with a comprehensive drinks list including real ales and cider.

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For more details, to view the menus, or to make a booking please visit the web site www.cloughmanor.com, give one of the helpful team a call on 01457 871040 or email info@cloughmanor.com

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