Issue 47
May / June 2015
MP’s urged to keep strong ties with industry - page 22
27
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Skills Skills shortages? shortages? If the growth growth of y our business is b If your being eing held back b by y job v vacancies acancies you can’t can’t fill e ccan an help you fill,, w we help.. Our Our Skills Skills for for Employment Emplo E yment programme programme can help your your business link with local schools and ccolleges olleges tha have young young people thatt have aged 16-18 lea leaving ving this summer. summer. Some Some will be ‘A’ ‘A’ lev level l el students students work rather rather than go to ersity. choosing to to start start work to univ university. We We can help you you to to offer off ffer er a one or two two week week work-experience work--experience opportunity opportunity for fo or a studen studentt this summer or tto o host a visit fr from om a group group of students. students. Alternatively, Alternativelyy, yyou ou ccould ould visit a school or ccollege ollege tto o talk about yyour our business and ype of people yyou ou wish the ttype to recruit. recruit. to SSome ome yyoung oung people lea ving leaving school or ccollege ollege this summer will wish to take an to Apprenticeship that that Apprenticeship to enables them to continue learning learning while continue work in their new job. job. they work
ire s h s ick ncil i n w r Wa ty Cou millio o n £2.4 st u r o a C ing ye 3 t s t e ks x inv he ne ve lin ess in t impro busin n. en catio e w bet d edu an
d out more email: sk skillsforemployment@warwickshire.gov.uk illsforemployment@warwickshire.gov.uk or call 01926 418027
A Apprenticeship pprenticeship Hub O Our ur A Apprenticeship pprenticeship Hub off offers ers fr free ee impar impartial tial advic advice e tto o help y you ou decide if A Apprenticeships pprenticeships ar are e righ rightt ffor or y your our business business..
To find out ut m more mor call 01926 412649 or go to www.warwickshire.go ov.uk/getanapprentice
Coventry & Warwickshire in business
Foreword
Growth must be a priority for the new Government Dear Member, Well, what a surprise, an outright Conservative majority! Let us all hope that this brings continued stability and growth in the economy, with the right economic conditions for growth, the right negotiations being made about our membership of the EU (not least a call for less red tape) and some sensible and pragmatic negotiations with Scotland that keep us as one, strong nation. We as Business Leaders certainly need to hold-on-to-the-fact that, at the moment, the economy is in a good position and all good growth is created by business. We may not like the outcome of the election (or we may be really pleased with the outcome), but we must all seek to continue to be confident about our businesses and the opportunities presented to the dynamic economy of Coventry and Warwickshire. The one thing that business must demand from our new Conservative Government is stability and the creation of the right conditions for growth, such as a low business taxation environment, less red tape, the right investment in the right skills and investment in our infrastructure. On your behalf, your Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce will continue to lobby for these very things. Indeed, many of our Members were engaged in our pre-election events where local businesses met with local parliamentary candidates from all parties. Having met many of the parliamentary candidates, I have to say that they were all pro-business and fully understood that it is business that creates wealth in an economy. We, as your Chamber of Commerce, will be holding-to-account our re-elected or newly elected MPs and we will be asking that they deliver on the promises that were made, to business, prior to the election. Here at the Chamber of Commerce, we are working hard to provide you with opportunities to grow your business and with the kinds of support you might need along the way. Our Business Networking & Trade Expo, at the Ricoh Arena in March, was a sell-out with 130 exhibitors, 400 attendees and 4 seminars and workshops running throughout the day including our successful Women in Business Lunch and an excellent seminar on how to grow your business through export.
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We are now fast approaching the next big event in our locality, which is the Coventry Telegraph "Business Awards" held in association with your Chamber of Commerce. This excellent evening of networking, entertainment and enjoyment will be held at the Ricoh Arena on Friday 19th June and the event will celebrate the very best of business in Coventry and Warwickshire. You can book your Business Awards table or seat via your Chamber of Commerce by contacting Beth DeThierry on bethanydt@cw-chamber.co.uk
CONTENTS May / June 2015 Business and Trade Expo 4-5 Service of the Month
6
News
7
Events
8-9
Talking of awards, as a Deputy Lieutenant of the West Midlands, I am keen to visit any business that is interested in putting themselves forward for a Queens Award in Enterprise. I visit so many fantastic businesses in our locality and I really want as many of you as possibly to be recognised for the amazing and leadingedge work that you do.
News
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Business Support
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Your Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce has moved into its new financial year and we are focusing our attention on how we can continue to do what we do well (supporting businesses), improve our value-add to businesses in areas that you ask us to focus on (for example, delivering more Networking & Trade Expo events) and deliver a whole range of great specialist services, such as 'export support', placing apprenticeships into your business, working with new start-up businesses and much more. We are investing in areas such as our on-line advice, support and web service; and in our customer environment/s with building works going on at Commerce House (in Radford) and improvements to our workshop and hospitality space at Chamber House (Innovation Village, CUE).
Legal &Finance
As always, please utilise your Chamber services and b2b networks and get in touch on 02476 654321. Kind regards Louise Mrs L Bennett-Bayliss OBE, DL Chief Executive
International Trade
12-13
CWT
14
News
15
Property
16-17 18
Profile
20-21
Policy
22-23
Around the Region
24-31
News
32-40-43
Business Direct
33-38
President &People
44-45
New Members
46
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Business and Trade Expo 2015
CONTACTS At the Chamber
News desk
Expo ‘the best yet’
Members are encouraged to send any news about their firm – new orders, staff, new products, expansions or relocations – for publication in C&W in business. Whilst every effort will be made to publish submitted articles, we cannot guarantee inclusion. Send them to: news@cw-chamber.co.uk Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce Chamber House Innovation Village Cheetah Road Coventry CV1 2TL T: 024 76 65 4371 F: 024 76 45 0242
At the publishers
Publisher
Ian Fletcher
Benham Publishing Limited 3tc House, 16 Crosby Road North, Crosby, Liverpool L22 0NY 0151 236 4141
Advertising Contact Alison Seymour alison@benhampublishing.com 07841 115444 Production Manager Mark Etherington Accounts Director Joanne Casey Media Number 1378 © Benham Publishing 2015. C&W in Business is produced on behalf of Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce by Benham Publishing Limited and is distributed to members free of charge. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information contained in C&W in Business, neither Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, nor the publisher can accept responsibility for any omissions or inaccuracies it contains. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Chamber.
Peter Burns (front) with a group of exhibitors and visitors to the Expo
The Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce’s Business and Trade Expo at the Ricoh Arena has been described as the ‘biggest and best yet’ About 130 exhibitors and 500 visitors attended the event, sponsored by WarwickNet and the Ricoh Arena, and got to network with a range of companies and organisations across the region as well as hearing from experts in a variety of fields. Peter Burns, the president of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “It really was an excellent day. The biggest and best expo yet. “The economic picture has improved dramatically in the past 12 to 18 months
and companies are keen to get out, network and do business with one another, which is great to see. “Plans are already being put in place for the next expo and I would urge companies to make the most of the opportunities it brings.” The event was kicked-off with a seminar looking into trading with Turkey before a meet-the-buyer session with Warwickshire County Council. That was followed by a workshop around apprenticeships and the benefits they can bring to a business, before a Business is Good for Women seminar in the afternoon.
Delegates heard from Laura Bielinski, of Trinity Mirror, on the changing face of the media before being given a fascinating insight into the world of being a McDonald’s franchisee by Sarah McLean. Speed networking sessions were also held during the day with Julie De Thierry, Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce membership and business advisor. The next Chamber Business and Trade Expo will take place in October at the Warwickshire Exhibition Centre. For more information, contact the Chamber on 024 7665 4321 or email events@cw-chamber.co.uk
C&W in Business is printed and distributed by Headley Brothers Limited The official publication of the Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce
The official publication of the Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce 4
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Coventry & Warwickshire in business
News
Healthy living initiative starts in style
From the left, Coventry South MP Jim Cunningham, Peter Burns (Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce), Darren Jones (KM&T) and Deputy Lord Mayor of Coventry Cllr Michael Hammon
Sporting stars, organisations and business professionals kicked off a round-the-world challenge to launch a major initiative to help staff at a Coventry company become healthier. KM&T, whose UK headquarters are at the Coventry University Technology Park, has started the Lean Towards Life project to improve the health and wellbeing of its 150 staff who are based across the globe. Former 5,000m world record holder Dave Moorcroft, Invictus
Games gold medalist Carolyne Dufley from Help for Heroes, David Busst from Sky Blues in the Community, Paralympic swimming gold medalist Dave Moreton and Coventry’s top cyclo-cross rider Darren Atkins along with Jamie Whittaker and Simon Lee from KM&T cycled the first seven miles of the mammoth 23,872 mile challenge. KM&T staff are set to swim, cycle, run or walk to complete their tough task over the next 12 months as the consultancy firm, which specialises in
implementing innovative business improvement techniques, aims to improve the health of its workforce. The company has joined forces with the Coventry University, Coventry Sports Trust and Coventry City Council’s Workplace Wellbeing Charter in the year-long scheme. Peter Burns, president of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, Deputy Lord Mayor of Coventry Cllr Michael Hammon and Coventry South MP Jim Cunningham also attended the launch. Steve Boam, Chief Executive Officer at KM&T, said the launch of Lean Towards Life had been inspirational. “It was fantastic for athletes who have achieved so much in their careers to come along and pedal the first few miles of our 23,872 miles,” he said. “The first target is to reach our office in Windsor, Ontario in Canada before we then head to Australia, Belgium and then the relatively short distance of 300 miles back to Coventry. “We want this to be fun and for everyone to be involved and
pedometers have been handed out to everyone taking part so that we can keep track of our progress. “A cycling machine has been set up in our boardroom for anyone who wants to pedal a few miles in their lunch hour. “We are working with our partners at the Coventry Sports Trust and Coventry University to let people know of walking or running routes as well as giving advice on a wide range of subjects such as nutrition, general exercise and work/life balance. “It is all about taking small steps because the health and wellbeing of your workforce can sometimes be overlooked. It is a subject which is extremely important because it can impact not only on the life of each employee but their families and colleagues. “We hope the Lean for Life initiative will improve the performance, productivity, engagement, retention and job satisfaction of KM&T staff – the challenge has been started and I am sure it will energise everyone over the next 12 months.”
Support allows music label to hit the right notes A West Midlands music label is thriving at home and in Hollywood thanks to backing from specialist business advisers. I’m Not a Machine Music is an all-Female record label and publisher for soul-centred singer-songwriters established by Verity Pabla and based in Coventry. The company has received continuing support from the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, initially from the startup team, and more recently from James Ahearne, of UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), with a view to breaking into the American market. I’m Not a Machine Music specialises in sync licensing, an agreement whereby music is allied to film, television, advertisements and video games, and Verity attended the 10th annual Sync Licensing Mission to Los Angeles, as a representative of UKTI, the British Phonography Industry and The Music Publishers Association. This was part of UKTI’s Passport to Export scheme, which seeks to pair local companies with the key decision-makers in their respective fields. Such exposure has provided the label with an unparalleled platform for growth, with potential entry in the US market at the highest level.
“The guidance and support has been invaluable,” said Verity. “Through our international trade adviser and the Chamber of Commerce, I have received multiple opportunities to develop my brand, build the right partnerships for the business, access financial support and training, and map out the best strategy for moving ahead. “We are not yet a year into incorporation and the company is in a great position within the music industry and the wider business world and I can't overstate the importance of gaining solid business advice and partnering with the right organisations “The team at UKTI and the Chamber are incredibly understanding of the unique nature of each business. It is a relationship, which can yield amazing results. “ Margaret Bull worked with I’m Not a Machine Music in her role as a Chamber adviser and is delighted to see that the support has pushed the firm in the right direction. She said: “When I’m Not a Machine Music approached us, initially for start-up support, we knew it would require a bespoke plan in place given the unique nature of the field of business. “After assisting with the transition into becoming a limited company we were able to establish links between the firm and key
organisations and individuals in the music and entertainment industry. “It just goes to show the variety of companies that can benefit from the range of services on offer from the Chamber of Commerce and UKTI, and the impact they can have.” For more information about business support from the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce or UKTI contact 024 7665 4321
James Ahearne, Verity Pabla, Margaret Bull
Coventry Recruitment Firm lays path to new Business
A Coventry recruitment and training firm is expanding with the launch of a new specialist division which will focus on permanent recruitment to help fuel the booming economy. Employment group eResponse has launched Path Selection – a side of the business focusing on permanent roles in the accountancy, HR, technical, engineering and IT sectors. The specialist venture will also see expert consultants supporting applicants with CV tips and career advice. The move by eResponse, which has its Coventry base in Greyfriars Road, sees it branching out for the first time from its established training and recruitment
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expertise for industrial work and into more senior professional roles. Path Selection will be led by respected recruiter Chris Folly who has been appointed general manager. With 15 years’ experience in the region’s finance recruitment market, he will work closely alongside head of commercial, Tina White who has held a variety of senior commercial and marketing roles at eResponse since joining in 2011. He will lead a new team of nine across eResponse’s six branches in Warwickshire nd Worcestershire. Chris said: “The economy is growing but to make the best of it,
businesses need the right mix of skills to fill the vacancies they have. “At eResponse we have led the way for years in industrial roles and in training people for warehousing, manufacturing, logistics and office based jobs. “But Path Selection brings something different to the group. It allows us to partner with clients and candidates on the permanent roles previously un-catered for in finance, accountancy, technical, engineering, HR and IT. “We’ll be expanding our offering across the business as we grow and bring in even more recruiters who are experts in their field. We are very excited for the new venture and look forward to
supporting local businesses with building their teams.” The unveiling of Path Selection is the latest in a long line of good news for eResponse. It’s only weeks since the firm was ranked 31st in the prestigious 2015 Sunday Times 100 Best Small Companies survey. Last November they were also placed at number 45 in the Sunday Times Fast Track 100 – the second year in a row eResponse had featured in the national business barometer since being founded in 2003 by brothers Paul and Joe Alekna.
Midlands Businesses losing potential employees by being ‘too slow’ Businesses that take more than 24 hours to make a decision about interviewees are increasingly losing candidates to other vacancies. A sign of buoyant times and the skills shortage mean that the ‘availability cycle’ of a potential employee has fallen to just 24 hours rather than the 2-3 weeks that businesses have been used to during the recession. This is according to monitoring of current vacancies in the Midlands by consultants at Leamington based Expectations! Recruitment Services. Jo Long, Director, Expectations! Recruitment Services, said “Traditionally, applicants apply for one or several roles in their industry or geographic location, dictated in part by their current employment status and future prospects. During a recession, employee loyalty increases as job scarcity and insecurity drive employees to stay with their employer; in turn employers have weeks or even months to fill vacancies, responding to market pressures and expecting excellent value for money. “Once the market returns to buoyancy, and in this case entering a period of extreme skills shortage, the tables are turned and employees have far greater choice of where to apply and offer their skills.” Consultants at the Leamington branch of Expectations! Recruitment Services worked with local businesses and candidates to collect anecdotal data, identifying appointment times and availability of candidates. Hospitality and Leisure employers had the shortest ‘appointment cycles’ (24 hours) at the same time having the highest volume of vacancies and applicants, whereas skilled industries including engineering and software programming had marginally longer cycles (48-72hours), but significantly lower volumes of candidates. Opting to appoint a recruitment agency increased the length of the ‘cycle’ by 50-65%, depending on the industry, due to their ability to manage expectations and keep candidates engaged for longer, but the cost of professional recruitment was considered non-essential for many low-skilled jobs. Victoria Maddock, Managing Director, Expectations! Recruitment Services, said: “Our consultants have been talking to businesses in Leamington, Coventry and The Midlands, as well as monitoring applicant behaviour and market trends, and they have found that speed is of the essence when it comes to employing candidates. This means that the time employers have to make decisions about a potential employee are now 85-95% less than they were just eighteen months ago, and unfortunately businesses and HR teams have yet to adapt to these changes. In the majority of cases, employers will make a decision 10-14 days after the original interview, and in nearly two thirds of cases will lose their top and fall-back candidates to another vacancy due to this delay. “Businesses can increase the time they have to appoint a candidate by properly planning their recruitment process. Holding all interviews in a 24 or 48 hour window, including professional recruiters or assessment centres, and communicating daily all help to increase the likelihood of ensuring a potential employee is happy to wait.”
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Service of the Month
Mailing list proves the perfect tool for generating increased business Pictured from l to r Angela Lennox, C&W Chamber Membership Support, Wayne Russell, RentUrApp, Keely Hancox, C&W Chamber Operations Director
The smart way to increase business contacts Making the right contacts is essential for any business. Wouldn’t it be great if you could access an up-to-date list of high-quality contacts at an incredibly low price? Well, with the Chamber Business Mailing List service you can do just that. You’ll gain access to a subscriber-only database that gives you the ability to search more than 7.5 million businesses based on location,
across the whole of the UK, and business sector using standard Industry Codes for far less than you might think. The service is available to members for a discounted price of 20p + VAT per listing and nonmembers for 45p + VAT per listing. So, do the smart thing like RentUrApp™ and get in touch with our Membership Team to find out more. Either call 024 7665 4321 or email info@cw-chamber.co.uk
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Westfield Health provides the Chamber Primary Health Plan - a corporate paid employee benefit that’s available to all members of Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber. But as well as providing health cover to more than 8,000 businesses across the UK, the not for profit health insurer also works hard to give something back to the community. With a long history of supporting the NHS and medically related charities, Sheffield based Westfield Health has donated more than £11million since 1996 to many different hospitals, hospices and charities, helping them to raise funds to buy medical equipment and combat a diverse range of health problems. Some of the charities to have benefited from Westfield’s Charitable Trust in recent years include St Luke’s Hospice,
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A Rugby-based business software applications company has secured significant new business with the help of the Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce. RentUrApp™ delivers bespoke applications designed to streamline business processes, increase efficiency and provide a competitive advantage to their clients. Every application they deliver is designed specifically around the client’s unique business needs - once the app has been thoroughly tested, it’s then rented to the client. Chamber members since 2001, RentUrApp™ originally joined to gain access to wider business opportunities in the local area. The broad portfolio of services Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce provides was an additional attraction. Recently, RentUrApp™ secured a discounted mailing list of 450 East &
West Midlands-based Haulage businesses with a view to ramping up its marketing activities in the search for new business. The contacts proved invaluable and following an in-house telemarketing campaign led by team leader Wayne Russell, new business quickly came rolling in. They secured the contract to provide a bespoke product, HaulSist™ - Haulier Assistant, for a Rugby-based Haulier designed to simplify the process of tracking and transferring information related to milk collections and deliveries. Data is automatically updated to the cloud by a wizard driven interface, simplifying the data-capture process and eliminating the need for local data storage.. And it’s not the only successful outcome from the mailing list. They’ve recently secured another contract with a Haulier based in Stoke on Trent which improves the management of container
shipments from source to destination. On the back of this contract a new product, SmartSist™, has been developed which provides a quick easy way to report defects on lorries before starting their journeys. The Mailing list service has proved to be an invaluable resource for RentUrApp™ and it’s continuing to make high-quality contacts using that information. In turn they help bring in even more business, not only from outbound marketing activities but also from increased inbound enquiries. RentUrApp™ clearly saw the benefit of Chamber of Commerce membership when joining up in 2001, the recent success of the marketing campaign it’s established with the help of the Mailing list service has confirmed that belief and, as Wayne is keen to point out, “justified the cost of membership on its own.”
Working harder to nurture health and wellbeing in our communities two Midlands based hospices (Nottinghamshire Hospice and Treetops Hospice in Derbyshire), Macmillan Cancer Support, Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital and The University of Nottingham Children’s Brain Tumour Research Centre. Last year, the insurer donated £60,000 to Age UK Rotherham in South Yorkshire to help tackle intense loneliness in elderly people and the health issues arising from it. And the biggest donation in Westfield Health’s 95 year history – £350,000 - was awarded to Weston Park Hospital Cancer Charity in Sheffield, making up a significant chunk of its fundraising
appeal to build a world class research and treatment facility. Westfield Health is also a strong advocate for organ donation and a long term supporter and sponsor of the annual British Transplant Games, which were held in Coventry in 2009 and this year take place in Newcastle Gateshead. If you’d like to know how to apply for a donation and what the criteria and requirements are, simply email charity@westfieldhealth.com. And to find out more about how the Chamber Primary Health Plan can benefit your business, you can visit westfieldhealth.com/chamber or call 0845 602 1629.
“Some of the charities to have benefited from Westfield’s Charitable Trust in recent years include St Luke’s Hospice, two Midlands based hospices (Nottinghamshire Hospice and Treetops Hospice in Derbyshire), Macmillan Cancer Support, Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital and The University of Nottingham Children’s Brain Tumour Research Centre.”
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Coventry & Warwickshire in business
News
sponsored column
Group launches new division Fundraising drive tops £10,000
A Coventry-based property firm has launched a new facilities management division so it can do for others what it has done successfully for itself for years.
Are my affairs in order?
Ten is the magic number for a Coventry and Warwickshire based accountancy firm which has raised £10,000 for charity to mark a decade in business. Harrison Beale & Owen (HB&O), which has offices in Coventry and Leamington, has celebrated its 10th anniversary by boosting the coffers of two local good causes – Zoë’s Place Baby Hospice and the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance. The company organised a flurry of events throughout 2014 including an anniversary ball, bring and buy bake sales, charity golf days, benefit gig and a charity theatre night. Ten members of staff also took part in the gruelling 10km Wolf Run event, overcoming a variety of muddy off-road challenges all in the name of charity. A total of £10,074 has now been split equally between the two nominated charities and representatives from each attended an official cheque presentation. Rob Kendall, managing director at HB&O, said: “With it being our 10th anniversary we wanted to aim high with our corporate charity drive and help make a difference by supporting two local good causes. “We were all extremely pleased when we finally achieved the £10,000 mark. We have hosted some really successful events and it just shows what you can achieve when everyone gets involved. “ Zoë’s Place Baby Hospice provides 24hour palliative, respite and end-of life care to babies and toddlers from birth up to five years of age with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions. Muna Chauhan, corporate manager at Zoë’s Place, said HB&O’s donation will make a big difference at the charity. Katie Lockton, fundraising coordinator for Warwickshire and Northampton Air Ambulance, added: “We would like to say a really big thank you to all of the staff at HB&O for all of their hard work behind the scenes and for everyone’s generosity. “
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Do you know what will happen to your affairs if you lose mental capacity?
Picture caption: (from left to right) James Davies (The Wigley Group) with Tom Bromwich (Bromwich Hardy) and James Ellerington (The Wigley Group)
The Wigley Group, provides a range of property, facilities, and risk management services from its base at the Cobalt Centre on Middlemarch Business Park. Over the past 50 years, the company has built-up a strong network of service professionals who undertake the building and maintenance work across all Wigley Group sites. The team, which is currently led by asset manager James Ellerington, carries out a wide variety of projects including building and grounds maintenance, health and safety, security and utilities infrastructure. The new division has been launched to further build on this success with other landlords, property owners and agents in the region now able to tap into The Wigley Group’s expertise. James Davies, director at The Wigley Group, said: “We are delighted to announce the launch of our new facilities management arm which will greatly strengthen our offering in the property sector. “It is something we have been thinking about developing for some time having already achieved unparalleled success managing our own sites. “We currently employee 12 service professionals in-house and over the years have also developed a matrix of reliable sub-contractors who deliver high-quality results every time. “We are now looking to boost our success having realised the potential for other agents to utilise both our experience and expertise and feel confident that their sites will be managed to the highest standards. “People in the industry are already taking note of the benefits of effective facilities
management and we have already received enquiries from a number of agents in the region. “We only use approved sub-contractors which is a huge draw for customers, with each assessed using a software package which evaluates key performance indicators as well as legal requirements. They will then carry out at least two jobs inhouse at one of the Wigley Group sites before being hired out to external jobs. “For six months we have also been working with Warwickshire-based Bromwich Hardy to complete a wide variety of projects and have recently been instructed to carry out all facilities management work at four of the managed estates. “We are confident that the levels of enquiry will continue to grow further as we expand our operations.” James Ellerington, asset manager at The Wigley Group, added: “This is a really exciting opportunity for the facilities team as we will be able to expand our services and establish strong relationships in the industry. “Over the years, we have completed a wide variety of projects ranging from maintenance, utility repairs and building work as well as roof inspections, guttering work and site management. “From this we have not only created an in-house team of facilities experts but have also formed a database of maintenance and building professionals whose expertise are second to none.”
Where an individual has lost mental capacity it may become difficult to access their money even if the intended use is the payment of their care. Without a lasting Power of Attorney (‘LPA’) in place loved ones will need to apply to court to take control of the individual’s affairs. An LPA is a legal document that allows an individual to appoint one or more people to make decisions on their behalf. The application must be made when an individual has mental capacity and registered with the Office of the Public Guardian. LPAs cover either the individual’s health and welfare or their property and financial affairs; however both types of LPA can be made.
Do your loved ones know what assets you have? Do you have a list of the assets you own and who your estate administrator needs to speak to? Without a clear paper trail it can be very difficult for an estate administrator to locate and realise the assets of the deceased or individual who has lost mental capacity.
Do you have a will? People become hung up on the incidental items such as the bequest of a treasured watch or antique and lose sight of the practical administration of their estates. Consider a will that makes reference to a letter of wishes which can accommodate your wishes and be changed outside of the main body of your will. Individuals wishing to discuss inheritance tax and the administration of their estate should contact Paul Spencer or David Thomas on 02476 257481 or ps@sgduk.com/dt@sgduk.com. For more information please visit our website www.sgduk.com.
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Events
Companies enjoy speed networking event Speed networking for businesses moved into the “ultra-fast” lane with support from the company bringing a digital revolution to Coventry’ The latest speed networking event organised by Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce was held in association with Coventry CORE, the pure fibre network bringing ultra-fast internet speeds to the city’s business community. About 50 businesses from Coventry and Warwickshire attended the session at FarGo Village, the city’s newly-opened creative and cultural hub in Far Gosford Street that was among the first business locations to get connected to the Coventry CORE. Julie de Thierry, membership and business advisor at Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said the event had been a great success in helping businesses to expand their contacts. She said: “Speed networking is a fun and fast-paced way for businesses to grow their professional network and gives businesses an excellent opportunity to network with a large number of businesses at one event. “The fast nature of the networking made Coventry CORE an ideal partner to deliver this event and it was great to see so many businesses attend. There was a real buzz with lots of new contacts being made.” Coventry CORE, a strategic partner of Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, was joined at the event by HBT Communications, a key internet service
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Pictured, from left to right, are Brett Marshall (Coventry CORE), Julie de Thierry (Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce), Emma Harrabin (FarGo Village), and Chris Whelan (HBT Communications).
provider delivering a range of next generation communication packages over the network. Those at the event were able to hear firsthand about the benefits that businesses based at FarGo Village are experiencing since connecting to the Coventry CORE through HBT Communications.
They were also given the chance to experience the power of the network for themselves through a live test of ultra-fast internet connectivity. Brett Marshall, city business development manager for the Coventry CORE, said: “The network has already
made a huge impact on businesses at FarGo Village by helping them to deliver a more efficient and speedier service. “The speed networking event was a great opportunity for local businesses to find out how they can accelerate into the ultra-fast internet lane through our network.”
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Coventry & Warwickshire in business
Events
sponsored column
Food for thought at event
Digital Tax Accounts by 2020?
Laura Bielinski, sales director at Trinity Mirror, presenting to the Business is Good for Women seminar.
Consumption of information - and fast food - is growing in the West Midlands, according to two senior businesswomen in the region. Laura Bielinski, sales director at Trinity Mirror, and Sarah McLean, who runs 12 McDonald’s restaurants in the area as a franchisee, gave a fascinating insight into their world at a special Business is Good for Women event at the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce’s Business & Trade Expo. Laura said Trinity Mirror – the company behind the Coventry Telegraph, Birmingham Post and Birmingham Mail – was expanding its reach on a daily basis. She said: “There is a myth that the local media industry is dying but that couldn’t be further from the truth. “Our print reach has fallen and while it remains important to us, our digital growth is phenomenal. We have never reached more people in the West Midlands than we are now – it’s now up to 5.6 million people per month in the West Midlands.
“The way we deliver our information has changed and it’s something all SMEs have to wake up to too. People want to view content in their own way, not the way you want them to. Some want it on their PC, some on their tablet, some on their phone, some in print and some in all four formats. “Yet, the vast majority of small businesses don’t have a website that’s compatible with mobile or tablet. That has to be addressed. “We are getting to know more about our customers every single day. Social media gives you the chance to have a dialogue and we are finding that our customers want to talk to us more and more. “We can also see their habits – not as individuals but in trends. We can see when they want to read certain types of story and also the sort of news that keeps them interested. Believe it or not, the two biggest stories for web hits in this region in the past few months were related to retail and snow!
“So maybe the news our readers want to consume is different to what we’ve traditionally perceived.” Sarah employs 1,150 staff across the area and her franchise company, McLean Restaurants turns over £30million. She said: “McDonald’s welcomes new franchisees and as well as requiring investment, they also want to see entrepreneurial and people skills. “It’s a business that is very much about people and our 12 restaurants alone serve 6.5million customers a year. We do have some freedom as franchisees and also play a part in strategic decisions but we also have to work within the bounds of the overall company. “That’s what protects the brand and that is what helps make it such a successful business.” Angela Tellyn, partnership manager at the Chamber, said: “It was great to welcome two outstanding speakers for our Business is Good for Women seminar. It was a fascinating and insightful event.”
Turkey on the agenda at export event Businesses from Coventry & Warwickshire have been learning about export opportunities in Turkey. More than 40 delegates attended an event at the Ricoh arena as part of the Chambers latest Business and Trade Expo to hear about trade with this growing market. The event included a keynote address from Chris Gaunt, Chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce in Turkey (BCCT), on opportunities for British companies in the Turkish market and the kind of support that is available to help them along the way. The event also featured a presentation from Bob Hughes of The Forton www.cw-chamber.co.uk
Group on their experiences of successfully developing export sales in Turkey for their Leadership Development business. Ajay Desai, Head of International Trade at Coventry Chamber, said: “There are a wealth of opportunities for British companies in Turkey and hopefully this event has given everyone a better idea of how they could tap into this growing market. We are planning to take a trade mission to Turkey later this year so I would advise any companies interested in Turkey to contact us. Joining a trade mission is a great way to develop your business in a new market.”
To find out more about trade missions and other export events log onto www.cw-chamber.co.uk or call 02476 654321 and speak with a member of the international trade team.
The March 2015 budget introduced the concept of digital tax accounts and signalled the end of the annual tax return. By early 2016 HMRC expects 5 million small businesses and 10 million individuals to have a digital tax account and this figure is anticipated to reach 50 million by 2020. The new, online tax account will see us move away from the annual submission of a tax return to a system where information is submitted on an on-going basis to HMRC. How it will work? • Taxpayers will be given an online account with a login and password. Information will be submitted regularly, making tax bills more closely related to current performance. • Individuals and businesses will be able to link bank accounts and accounting software directly to their digital tax account. • Individuals will be able to go online to add additional details such as rental income, foreign income and capital gains. • Tax bills will be paid at any point throughout the year. • All the information for a taxpayer will be held in one place. A business will be able to take a single view of liabilities such as income tax, national insurance, VAT and PAYE. • If you use an accountant to prepare your tax return, they can continue to act as your agent via your tax account (as they do currently via your online tax return). Benefits The main benefit of the new system is that, in future, tax will be based on your “real time” income as opposed to HMRC’s projection of future income based on previous performance. For some people this will help eradicate the payment peaks and troughs experienced in the past and may therefore ease cashflow. The new digital accounts also provide the advantage of taxpayers and their accountants being able to spread the workload of providing tax information throughout the year, rather than in one time-consuming hit at the end of every tax year. If you would like to discuss how these changes might affect you, please contact Brian King, Tax Partner, on 024 7622 1046 or brian.king@dafferns.com
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News
Quiz night supports charity
Businesses get innovative
Top business brains in the Midlands have helped to raise over £500 at a charity quiz night. Poppleton & Appleby, which has offices in Birmingham and Coventry, celebrated 130 years in business by hosting its first charity big quiz night at the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry. Teams across the Midlands were invited to pitch their knowledge against each other at the contest which included nine rounds covering subjects such as music, history, dearly departed and sport. Coventry-based PR agency Advent Communications secured victory with 89 points while Handelsbanken Coventry came in at a close second with 85 points. A charity raffle was also held on the night with all of the proceeds being donated to Macmillan Cancer Support which provides specialist health care, information and financial support to people affected by cancer. Martin Coyne, of Poppleton & Appleby, said: “Our anniversary quiz night was a huge success with businesses across the region eager to test out their knowledge and raise money for a good cause. “Some teams showed off their sports knowledge while others aced the history round. The scores were very close right until the last round and we would like to congratulate Advent Communications on their victory. “We have raised over £500 for Macmillan Cancer Support and would like to thank all of the guests for their generosity on the night.”
For the 30 businesses that attended the Chamberís Innovation Masterclass run by Stocker Partnership, it's looking like 2015 will be the year of innovation. The well-attended event was relocated to the Conferencing facilities at Cheylesmore House due to high demand from business professionals wanting to learn how to apply innovation in their businesses. Innovation specialists Matt and Debbie Stocker from strategic innovation consultancy Stocker Partnership challenged participants to think differently about their businesses and to step beyond their everyday experiences. They opened the groupís eyes to the fact that it is possible to innovate anything and everything within a business, rather than innovation being limited to the creation of new products alone.
Sarah Hickman, from Public Marketing Communications, said: “Innovation can seem like a daunting subject that doesn't necessarily apply to your business on a day to day basis. When you think about innovation you tend to think of organisations like Apple. You might think, I could never aspire to be an organisation like that.” “The Masterclass has been useful because we've learnt ways that you can actually apply innovation to your business. Even if youíre a small business or a sole trader, you can still innovate and there are practical steps you can take to introduce innovation.” The Masterclass covered a number of powerful innovation tools, from disruptive thinking that challenges accepted norms in your marketplace or company, to using the power of silent crowdsourcing to generate ideas and solve problems through BrainSwarming.
It also looked at how approaches from another industry can be introduced to expand thinking and unlock new ideas as the latest Software as a Service revenue models were applied to create new income streams. Participants worked hard throughout the morning to develop practical ideas that they could implement as soon as they got back to the office. Matt Stocker, Director of Stocker Partnership, said: “It was great to see everyone beginning to view themselves as innovators and starting to understand the value of innovation in their businesses at a deeper level. Innovation is a hugely powerful tool that can be used to drive revenue growth, reduce costs, solve complex challenges and differentiate businesses from the competition. I'm excited to see how the great ideas that everyone came up with will be applied in their respective businesses over the coming year and the impact that this will have.”
AuthiMKMarketing enjoys success Coventry agency forms partnership to offer SEO for manufacturing A nationwide PR company has joined forces with a specialist marketing firm dedicated to the engineering and manufacturing sectors, to be able to provide a ‘total solutions’ content and search engine optimisation package to manufacturing companies.
Manjinder Kaur Authi has set up AuthiMKMarketing to provide a wide range of marketing services. Among its successes, AuthiMKMarketing was approached by Axle Training, an organisation who deliver medical and educational training courses, for and to companies throughout the UK and overseas.
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They needed a marketing strategy to find out about the organisation at present, its positioning in the marketplace and future plans. AuthiMKMarketing worked closely with Axle Training to produce the strategy. John Byrne, from Axle Training, said of working with Manjinder: “I found her very
pleasing to talk with and she took in what I wanted for my company.” AuthiMKMarketing, a marketing specialist based in Birmingham, offers market research, marketing strategies, direct mail marketing, PR, proof reading and email marketing to any sector wherever the client is in the United Kingdom.
Midlands-based Bridge PR & Media Services, which already has a modest manufacturing client base, has formed a strategic partnership with Lancashire agency KW Solutions and is now offering a range of industryspecific SEO and content packages to its clients. The move comes as Bridge launches its external creative network; a series of partnerships with specialist agencies that allow the PR and content specialist to offer a full creative service to its clients. Managing Director of Bridge PR & Media Services, Denise Taylor, said: “As a manufacturing specialist marketing agency, KWS is able to provide our manufacturing clients with an
industry-specific SEO strategy, which will complement and enhance any PR and marketing campaign that we deliver for them.” Rachel Wilson, Head of Digital Marketing at the company, said that the agency was open to working with other manufacturing specialist businesses in order to offer a full content package to customers.
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Coventry & Warwickshire in business
Business Support
Business expansion’s the icing on the cake for Love Lucia's Corporate Events It’s been an evolutionary journey through cupcakes, kid’s parties and on to corporate events for Love Lucia's, and Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber has been an important ingredient in its success story. Sharon Park, the driving force behind Love Lucia's, has built up the business following a successful career in Marketing and PR working for high-profile clients such as Emporio Armani, Jaguar Cars and A-list celebrities. “I always wanted to do something creative,” said Sharon “and when I saw just how popular cupcakes were becoming I realised there was a clear gap in the market in the Midlands. It was too good an opportunity to miss.” Like many business opportunities, however, the market very quickly became saturated and Sharon recognised that in order to maintain Love Lucia’s success she’d need to diversify. Inspiration arrived from an unlikely source – her nine-year-old daughter Lucia! She’d always taken a keen interest in the business – “she knows the business almost as well as me,” says Sharon, “and she suggested that her friends would love to have a go too. We held a kid’s party – a chocolate workshop - that was such a success we knew immediately that we were on to something.” Repeat business quickly followed and Sharon decided to expand the business into the corporate events sector, targeting individual companies, hotels, conferencing and event centres to use similar workshops for team building, corporate entertainment and hospitality events. Love Lucia's Corporate Events now offers a range of creative workshops specifically designed for the corporate client. In addition, the company also offers a specialist facilitator who can help teams make effective changes to how they work together back in the workplace which
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Turn your customers into advocates
If you’ve got the product, price and service right and people know about you, they’ll buy. Love Lucia's at the Ricoh Trade Expo. Pictured from l to r, Louise Wall, Group Commercial Director C&W Chamber, Sharon Park, Love Lucia's, Denise Taylor, Bridge PR, Richard Warren, Business Relationship Manager C&W Chamber
makes Love Lucia's stand out from the competition. “I joined the Chamber 4 years ago and they’ve given me fantastic support from the outset,” said Sharon. “There’s always an adviser on hand to help me out and services like the Member offers were a fantastic opportunity to target local corporate clients. I’ve also found the networking events really useful when it comes to raising awareness and promoting our brand and offering.” Sharon recently applied for a Growth Voucher through the Chamber and is using it to ramp up her strategic marketing activities with fellow Chamber members, Bridge PR. “It can be challenging working on your own and it’s been fantastic to have Denise Taylor, Bridge PR’s Director, on board to help me focus on strategic objectives for the business,” said Sharon. “We’ve worked collaboratively to crystalise
ideas and enhance Love Lucia’s marketing activities, which has helped to define and target effectively exactly the sort of clients that can drive the business forward,” says Denise. “I’d recommend the Chamber to any business,” says Sharon. “It’s been a huge support from so many perspectives. Take the C&W in Business Magazine, for instance. It gives me a fantastic insight into the local business landscape and it’s the kind of knowledge I couldn’t easily find anywhere else. But there are so many other elements to the service I think are essential to doing business. I always recommend that other businesses I deal with join up as they provide such an amazing service. As a small business I have to carefully consider all expenditure and given the support I’ve had from the Chamber, the membership’s been worth every single penny.”
New challenge for Liz Liz Taylor is celebrating her first year of business on the 1st May. She left her previous place of employment after seven years of working within a local Lettings Agency after gaining her Residential Letting & Property Management (QCF) Level 3 Qualification. Liz said: “'I wanted to set up a Lettings business that enabled Landlords to maximise their return on investments by renting their properties to the appropriate tenant and wanted to be the Letting Agent that listened effectively to both Landlords and Tenants, acting quickly and efficiently for both parties.” Liz, who wants to build successful lasting relationships between herself, the Landlords and the Tenants, said: “I offer a unique one-to-one service with a personal and friendly approach. One of the biggest problems that Landlords encounter is lack of communication from
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their letting agent and therefore small problems can quickly escalate, this is easily avoided by providing an excellent service. “I became a member of Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce and I am really pleased I did. It has allowed me the opportunity to attend marketing seminars, the Trade Expo and a Networking Event and I have more exciting events booked into the diary. “I have had the pleasure of meeting a variety of people from all kinds of different businesses, some of which I am looking forward to be working alongside in the future as they complement the Lettings Service. I have been lucky enough to of meet some Landlords at these events and I have been able to offer them free help and impartial advice.”
But if they feel connected to you, loyal, they’ll be your advocate. I get my weekly food shopping delivered; I can never find what I want in store and hate the queues and crowds. I switched to Waitrose for a change and now can’t stop singing their praises. Food at its sell by date is free and the drivers have goodies every day in the van they can give to customers as they choose. I’ve had two boxes of chocolates, a bottle of wine and, importantly, treats for my dogs! Advocates like me are powerful. Without the vested interests of the business we’re believable and persuasive. So how can you turn your customers into advocates? We are all social beings, categorizing ourselves into different groups according to all sorts of criteria from our values and political affiliation to the books we read or films we love. Our sense of self comes from membership of these groups and we behave accordingly. Even a slight affiliation can have a disproportionate effect. Tell some people they are in the red group and others are in the blue group and they will begin to favour those in their own group. It’s extraordinary but it’s well evidenced. Look up Henry Tajfel and Social Identity Theory. Imagine then how powerful it would be if your customers felt part of your social group, better about themselves for buying from you. As Waitrose has done with me you have to get the product and service right. Then it’s about building the unity of the group. There are plenty of tools and techniques you can use, for example customer magazines and tailored offers. Initiatives that add value can be particularly effective. But irrespective of the tactics you use, language is important. Sharpen your messages and express them in the right way and you will soon be creating advocates. Give me a call to find out how. Contact Cathy Connan of Communication Strategy on 07976 669089 or email cathy@cathyconnan.com.
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International Trade
Concerns over EU withdrawal Jim Cunningham praises exporting success of Coventry Company Ultraseal International A Coventry company that has won three exporting awards in just over a year was praised for its success by Parliamentary candidate Jim Cunningham when he visited its headquarters. The Labour politician described Ultraseal International as “one of those unsung industries that put Coventry on the map” with its success in exporting to more than 35 countries around the world. He toured the factory with Sales Director Dr Mark Cross, Marketing Director Stephen Hynes and Technical Manager Kevin Siviter, who told him about the challenges that globalisation brought. He heard that the company had scooped Exporter of the Year twice running in the Midlands Business Awards and SME Exporter of the Year at the West Midlands Business Masters Awards in 2014. Mr Cunningham said: “I’ve been impressed by Ultraseal International. It’s one of those unsung industries that put Coventry on the map by virtue of the fact that it trades internationally. “The diversification, the number of companies in the motor manufacturing trade that it has as customers, is very important. Also the work that it is doing in China – I was very impressed by that. “Ultraseal International puts Coventry on the map as a place where different businesses can come and locate and create more business, more jobs for the people of Coventry.” With most of its customers in the automotive sector Ultraseal International has had to adapt as global pressures caused the automotive supply chain to relocate around the world. Exports now account for 98% of sales. Ultraseal International designs and manufactures Vacuum Impregnation equipment and porosity sealants that together offer a reliable and permanent solution to a problem facing diecasters the world over: porosity.
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An expert in exporting, who has spent over 20 years urging businesses to make the most of selling abroad, has been facing up to the prospect of the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union. Adam Shuter, managing director of Rugbybased Exact Logistics, was part of the Confederation of British Industry team that worked on preparing businesses to make the most of opportunities in the EU when customs barriers were dismantled in 1992. With Europe being a hot topic on the General Election trail, Adam warned transport prices will rise and the system become less efficient should the UK withdraw its membership from the European Union. Exact Logistics has practiced what Adam has preached since the company, based on the Dunchurch Trading Estate, delivers pallets throughout the UK and Europe and specialises in UK-Germany-UK export routes. Adam, who wrote the book to accompany the CBI Initiative called Transport and Distribution, said it was ironic that after spending nearly 25 years urging businesses to export that the opportunity may be taken away from them. “In the early 1990s, we were looking forward to a brave new world where transporting goods to Munich would be as simple as sending goods to Manchester,” he said. “The vision that we had in those long forgotten days has undoubtedly been achieved. “These services give users more flexibility to trade with our EU partners adding wealth to our country. Exporters and importers can send and receive goods to and from EU countries as if they were domestic shipments. “But one of the big myths about leaving the EU is that we could still continue to trade as if nothing had changed. “This is incorrect as the UK would have to record all its imports and exports to the EU
Adam Shuter, of Exact Logistics
through a different method than that of today. That different method will be back to some form of customs clearance probably along the lines used by countries such as Norway and Switzerland. “The impact of this change will be to make the transport system to and from the EU more inefficient and cause transport prices to rise. “The inefficiency will come from the need to inspect a number of goods arriving in the country to ensure they are correctly declared. Anybody who has attempted to drive over the border from Germany to Basel at 8am will understand the problem. “Secondly, the fact that exports and imports need to be recorded will mean the return to completing export and import documents and submitting them to the authorities. “No doubt customers will expect their transport companies to help in this process which will mean we need more people and
Australian High Commissioner visits leading Warwickshire business Britain’s future High Commissioner to Australia has visited Warwickshire-based speed camera specialists Tele-Traffic, as they continue to expand their operations down under. Menna Rawlings visited the firm in Warwick, who already supply 98 per cent of the UK’s police forces, as part of a one day tour of the region before taking up her post in Australia. During the day she met with members of UK Trade & Investment, including Paul Noon OBE Regional Director for the West Midlands, before moving on to Tele-Traffic’s facilities. Upon her arrival she was met by Paul Garratt, the company’s CEO, who showed her around the firm’s factory and demonstrated their range of precision cameras and speed measuring equipment. Mrs Rawlings talked about Tele-Traffic’s involvement with police forces in Perth, New South Wales and Victoria State, where the firms TTRanger and Concept Systems are already in use, and she got the opportunity to try out the system currently in use by officers in Western Australia. She also discussed how she and her team might help the firm’s efforts in Australia and about help with a possible expansion to New Zealand.
The Chairman of Tele-Traffic, Frank Garratt, who was present at the discussions, said: “I feel extremely privileged to have received a visit from the future British High Commissioner to Australia and I am grateful for the support offered to our Australian business endeavours.” Tele-Traffic provides their systems to police forces around the world and is currently expanding their operations in Africa, where they are providing TruCam and TTRanger systems to police in Rwanda, Uganda and Nigeria, an area of business that Mrs Rawlings showed a particular interest in. Tele-Traffic has been working with Martyne Manning - Business Advisor with the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce - on the Growing Your Business programme funded by the ERDF.
systems. This will add costs that will have to be passed on to customers in the form of higher transport prices. “Flexibility will be impacted as customs clearance costs are broadly the same for a single pallet as a complete full load. The result will be transport prices will become driven by non-transport economics, and order quantities will need to rise to minimise the impact resulting in higher inventory and wastage costs. Again these will be passed on to the customer.”
Positive Export drive
Firms across Coventry and Warwickshire started the year 2015 with a positive export drive. Figures from the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce’s international trade hub show that there has been strong uptake of its export documentation service in the first two months of the year. More than £32 million worth of orders have been completed worldwide by companies across the region with the help of the service in January and February. That, said Gurpaal Virdee, of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, is indicative of improving export figures generally. He said: “We are delighted that this service continues to benefit exporters across Coventry and Warwickshire – from small businesses to larger, global brands. “Growing our exports is vital to growing the economy and assistance such as this make it much easier for companies to do business abroad. “Turkey, for example, is becoming an increasingly popular market and we offer special documentation for companies wanting to export there which allows any EU company to trade with Turkey without tariffs. “In February alone, we issued 45 export documents to clients trading with Turkey. “That put Turkey in the top five trading markets for companies utilising the export documentation service. The other four were the Ivory Coast, the UAE, Russia and Saudi Arabia which highlights the diversity of markets companies from this region are trading with.” As well as export documentation, the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce’s international trade hub also delivers the UK Trade & Investment contract in the region. That includes advice and support for exporting firms as well as arranging market visits and trade missions. For more information on exporting, call the Chamber on 024 7665 4321.
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Coventry & Warwickshire in business
International Trade
Manufacturing company goes global Warwick manufacturing company Selectrite Hardware have obtained the globally renowned UL certification for their unique product, their MK2 fire door selector. The International Trade Team based in Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber assisted Selectrite in developing their export strategy, and supported them with key training workshops and advice to ensure that their product can be used within global construction projects. The firm have been providing their door selector through UK distributors as a CE marked product for the last 20 years, however it was only when signing on to the Gateway to Global Growth export support programme that they saw the potential for further growth overseas. The UL marking for their door selector ensures that the product can be specified for projects throughout the United Arab Emirates, North America and Canada and will allow the company to develop sales in these areas. Mark Townend, the managing director of Selectrite Hardware, said: “Obtaining the UL mark for our product was the obvious next step for us as a business and we are excited to see what happens in 2015’. Brian Mountford, International Trade Adviser at the Chamber of Commerce, said, “It is great to see Selectrite Hardware making strategic decisions to open up new overseas markets. This a good example of the help that we can give to companies to help them develop new international markets and we will continue to work with them as they grow their business around the world.” To speak with an adviser about the support available to exporters call the Chamber of Commerce on 02476 654321 and ask to speak with a member of the international trade team.
Businesses urged to look to Turkey An expert in exporting to Turkey has urged companies in Coventry and Warwickshire to make the most of the significant potential for trading with the sixth largest economy in Europe. About 40 delegates attended the ‘Explore export opportunities in Turkey’ seminar at the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce Business & Trade Expo at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry. Chris Gaunt, chairman of the British Chambers of Chris Gaunt (left) with Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber president Peter Burns Commerce (BCC) in Turkey, was the keynote speaker at can open the levels of communication to the international trade breakfast which was create a major opportunity.” run in conjunction with UK Trade & Chris said the BCC has 400 members Investment (UKTI). from 28 sectors in Turkey and there are big The audience heard there has been a 40 opportunities for businesses involved in per cent increase in trade between the UK technology, creativity and design. and Turkey since 2009 with many “Turkey is a leader in construction but they businesses ranging from energy and renewables to automotive already trading in need help with added value services to provide technology, creativity and design and Turkey. that is where UK businesses can step in,” he Chris said there was huge potential for said. businesses to be successful with exporting to Turkey. Kati Hope, a UKTI adviser at the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, “It has never been easier to make that said the seminar had been extremely move into an emerging market,” he said. informative and urged companies to make “It is where the growth is. the most of the services on offer at the “Exporting is the driving force for Chamber’s international trade hub. businesses to expand and it is important for it to be part of your strategy. “Trade between Turkey and the UK is worth over $11 billion annually and Turkey is “There is a well-educated workforce in forecast to be among the world’s top 10 Turkey with great communication and economies by 2023,” she said. experience of dealing with senior management and executives in trading. “The seminar highlighted the massive “SMEs are the backbone of any economy. potential for growth for Coventry and SMEs want to engage with other SMEs. If Warwickshire businesses because there are you are an SME that is not sure if your opportunities in so many sectors. product would sell in Turkey or if the pricing “UKTI will be running a trade mission from is right then get in touch with the BCC in Coventry and Warwickshire to Turkey in Turkey. October and anyone interested in taking “Turkish SMEs want direct access to UK part should contact the international trade SMEs and working with the BCC means we team at the Chamber on 024 7665 4321.”
Support allows technology company to seek out new markets A Warwickshire technology company is on the up down-under following vital support from international trade experts. Rugby-based Smart Assessor, which provides electronic portfolio software for students, has broken into the Australian market after linking up with the UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) team. The firm was introduced to UKTI through its membership with the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce and after being invited on a UK trade mission to Australia, is due to launch its first product there in May. Smart Assessor was formed four years ago and its software is used by those studying towards vocational qualifications, such as apprenticeships and in colleges, as it allows accredited work to be uploaded to an online portal in video or audio form. The trade mission, and subsequent exhibitions around Australia, yielded huge interest, with no such product currently available in the market. As a result, and thanks to a helping hand into the market from UKTI, Smart Assessor is teaming up with Melbourne-based OzSoft, to launch its first product in the country later this year ahead of further possible expansion.
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Fiona Hudson-Kelly, marketing director at Smart Assessor, said: “We attended a UK trade mission to Australia with UKTI in order to research market opportunities and discovered there was a requirement for the product in Australia. “We visited Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Canberra on a roadshow, to exhibit our product, as well as getting to know all of the ‘movers and shakers’ in the industry, which was all organised by UKTI. “It helped too that we were able to meet interested parties at the British Embassy, which is quite impressive. “We are currently working on pilot projects and are due to launch our first Australian project in May, along with one of the countries biggest software firms, which will tailor the software to that market.” Fiona said: “We wouldn’t have been able to do it without UKTI, we wouldn’t have even known where to start. “We are now looking into expanding into other Commonwealth countries, such as Canada.” Kati Hope was Smart Assessor’s international trade adviser from UKTI, and is delighted to see
how the company has built on its breakthrough into the market. She said: “The team at Smart Assessor had never really consider breaking into an international market before our trade mission, but soon saw for themselves the opportunities that exist. “There was a high level of interest in their product and after we were able to introduce them to some of the relevant decision makers, they have gone on to make great progress and look set to make a big impact, not only in Australia but in other countries too.”
For more information on overseas trading contact the Chamber on 024 7665 4321.
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Should you stop caring about selling?
This month, I want to cover the importance of “not caring about your sales”. I was reminiscing about past sales jobs with a colleague in a taxi. She said that in the last month of any job she had, her closing rates always went up. When she knew she was leaving, for some reason, it had a positive impact on her sales. The taxi driver dropped her off and, as we were pulling away, he mentioned that he used to sell timeshares and hated it! He admitted he was awful at selling but the month before he left he closed three deals rather than his usual one. I asked him what was different about his approach in his last month? He said he just didn’t care if he got the deal. During that last month, he found himself challenging prospects by saying things like, “I don’t know if a timeshare is right for you…it’s probably too expensive” or “Why do you want a timeshare when you can get great holiday offers online?” The bottom line is that he just didn’t care anymore. Have you ever experienced this phenomenon? Here are some reasons why selling is easier when you don’t care: 1. You’re not emotionally involved in the sale. Emotions fog your view. They stop you from seeing the signals, good or bad. 2. You start being honest. You look at things from the prospect’s point of view and ask better disqualifying questions. 3. You are detached from the outcome. Nothing puts off prospects faster than a whiff of desperation. So the next time you go to a sales meeting or call a prospect, tell yourself this is your last month with your company. The truth is…..you really don’t have anything to lose. •••
Written by Neil Liddell of Sandler Training. Providers of Sales and Management Training Visit www.central.sandler.com to download the white paper ‘Why Salespeople Fail’ T: 0845 0573563 M: 07547 227442 E: nliddell@sandler.com
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CWT
Outstanding Apprentices Shine at Business Expo Our Business and Professional Services Apprentices also attended the event, gaining a valuable insight into the business world. The Apprentices learned more about marketing and promoting a business and had numerous opportunities to talk to local business leaders as well as having some fun at the various exhibition stands. Jan Ryan, Operations Director at CWT Chamber Training said “The Outstanding Apprenticeship Achievement Awards are a real opportunity for Apprentices and employers to gain the recognition they richly deserve for their commitment to Apprenticeships, and the hugely positive example they set for other individuals and organisations to follow.”
Young people getting the careers message
More young people are planning earlier for life after full-time education, according to a leading deliverer of apprenticeships in Coventry and Warwickshire. CWT Chamber Training has trained more than 1,600 apprentices with 538 employers in the past year and say there are still a high number of vacancies for apprentices within businesses and other organisations in the area. Speaking during National Apprenticeship Week, Sally Lucas, executive director of CWT, said the organisation had already placed young people leaving school this summer into apprenticeship jobs. She said: “There certainly seems to have been a shift in mindset and we are seeing more young people plan early for their future. It’s a case of not simply waiting to finish school and seeing what’s out there, some young people are looking to see the opportunities available to them now, several months before they leave. “National Apprenticeship Week is a great way to highlight to young people and their parents what opportunities there are and I believe we have made great headway over recent years in promoting apprenticeships as a great starting point in a career. “The fact that more young people are planning ahead, seems to bear that out. More and more, apprenticeships are being seen as the natural next step for many young people. “Around half of the 1,609 apprentices we have trained in the past year were at advanced or higher level which really does show the value that employers place in developing individuals up and beyond the foundation levels of their roles. “Apprenticeships also give young people the chance to really stand out to an employer. We’ve recently presented one of our apprentices with an Achieving Excellence Award where they have gone beyond the standards required for their qualifications and have demonstrated high performance. This, in turn, enhances their career profile. “So we are certainly seeing apprenticeships grow in popularity and credibility, which is great news for young people and employers.” If you are interested in learning more about Apprenticeships or know a young person finishing school in the summer that might be looking for an exciting career opportunity, call the CWT Chamber Training recruitment team today on 024 7623 1122.
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Congratulations to Thomas Richman, Andrew White and Elleisha Stinton who took 1st place in the CWT Chamber Training Outstanding Apprenticeship Achievement Awards 2015 The Outstanding Apprenticeship Achievement Awards recognise Apprentices who have made significant contributions to their workplaces, going above and beyond in their respective job roles. This year CWT Chamber Training received a host of outstanding nominations, more than any other year to date, and the overall quality was incredible. It really highlights the fantastic work that Apprentices do in the workplace and the many benefits they bring to their employers. The 2015 awards presentation took place during National Apprenticeship Week, providing the perfect opportunity to showcase Apprenticeship successes.
The benefits of apprenticeships are becoming increasingly obvious to more and more businesses as they are a key tool in developing a motivated, skilled and qualified workforce. Businesses that offer apprenticeships view them as beneficial to their long-term development and according to the British Chambers of Commerce, most employ an apprentice to improve the skills base within their business. Did you know that 81% of apprentice employers say they make their businesses more productive and that the average apprenticeship completer increases business productivity by £214 per week? If you would like to find out more about how Apprentices can benefit your business then talk to the CWT Chamber Training Recruitment Team by calling 024 7623 1122 or email enquiries@cwtcov.co.uk today.
Destiny is a ‘Cut above the Rest’ in National Hairdressing Competition Hairdressing Apprentice Destiny Scanlan has snapped up 3rd place in the National Hairdressers Federation Hair and Beauty Competition at the Blackpool Winter Gardens. Destiny qualified for the final round of the 1st Year Blow Dry national competition after finishing 1st place in the Bedworth regional competition earlier this year. Destiny works at ‘The Cut Above’ salon in Wyken and the skills she has gained, both in the training salon and through competing at events such as these, are enormously beneficial to her manager Gina. Destiny’s Tutor, Jayne Powell said “We are all so very proud of Destiny’s accomplishments at the CWT Hair Academy. Destiny is our 1st learner to be placed in the National Hairdressers Federation Hair and Beauty Competition!” Destiny was supported by her training mentor Emma Bond and Salon Manager & Owner Gina Vincent in the design of her look.
A staggering 10,000 visitors attended the 29th anniversary of the Hair and Beauty competition at the Winter Gardens, including a lucky group of first year Hairdressing Apprentices from CWT Chamber Training. The Apprentices attended the event to discover the latest techniques and products and gain valuable knowledge and skills which they can take back to the salons that employ them. The National Hairdressers Federation Hair and Beauty competition is a major event in the world of fashion, drawing interest from far afield. The event allows students and professionals alike to showcase the latest styles and products from the industry, gain new inspiration and share new ideas. Skills gained from experiences like these last a lifetime. Teamwork, communication and selfconfidence all help Apprentices to take their careers to the next level and become valuable assets for their employers. Apprenticeship figures speak for themselves, with 88% of employers believing that Apprenticeships lead to a more motivated and satisfied workforce. In addition, 57% of Apprentice employers report a high proportion of their apprentices go on to management positions within the company.
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Coventry & Warwickshire in business
News
Family business looks to expansion A thriving family-run farm shop is sowing the seeds for future growth with a major expansion of its business at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire. Farmers Fayre, which specialises in local produce through its farm and coffee shop and event catering, has outgrown its existing premises on the estate and work has now started on a 300 per cent bigger replacement. A major refurbishment of a redundant two-storey building on the site is under way that will increase the size of its premises from 1,500 sq ft to 6,000 sq ft, enabling expansion as well as food preparation, production and storage facilities to be brought under the same roof. The new-look Farmers Fayre due to open in September will house retail space, which at 2,000 sq ft is bigger than the whole of its current premises, and a restaurant, with an increase in seating capacity from 20 to 50, on the ground floor. Seating for a further 100 people will be available in a newly-created veranda and garden area, while the first floor will feature three large meeting and function rooms for hire, along with offices. It is the biggest refurbishment project yet undertaken by LaSalle Investment Management, as part of its on-going transformation of Stoneleigh Park into a centre of agricultural excellence. Farmers Fayre was founded by husband and wife team Nicola and Michael Reece, who work closely with local farmers, small producers and suppliers to source highquality produce within the region. Nicola said: “This is a major expansion for us, given that we started out at Stoneleigh Park in a log cabin eight years ago. The business has grown to such an
Pictured in front of the new home for Farmers Fayre are, from left to right, Michael and Nicola Reece with Colin Hooper.
extent that we are at full capacity so it is much-needed. “LaSalle has given us the confidence to move forward at Stoneleigh Park. There is no doubt that there is a real buzz around the estate with the investment and new businesses being drawn here. We are very excited.” The modern, environmentally-friendly building has been designed to complement the rural setting of Stoneleigh Park, with a variety of natural products being used in its construction, including burnt larch cladding. Colin Hooper, estates director at Stoneleigh Park, said: “Creating a new
home for Farmers Fayre is the biggest refurbishment project that LaSalle has so far undertaken at Stoneleigh Park and represents our commitment to supporting the development of businesses here. “Farmers Fayre is a real success story, having grown from being a small enterprise to a thriving business. It is a great asset and well-supported by the 1,150 people working here. “Outside of Stoneleigh Park, its presence here is somewhat a hidden gem. The new building will allow it to expand the core elements of its business and champion local produce to a wider audience.”
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Growth on the agenda for packaging manufacturer A Warwickshire manufacturer is thinking outside the box to drive future growth. The Box Factory manufactures a diverse range of corrugated packaging products for a growing list of customers across the UK including those in the food, medical, automotive and construction industries. Established in 1992, the company designs, manufactures and delivers every type of box imaginable from conventional brown boxes to display packaging, retailready components and tailor-made products. It has achieved significant growth in the industry and now operates from four sites located at the Sydenham Industrial Estate in Leamington, with annual sales of around £9 million. Having recently completed a major investment programme to open an additional factory building and bring in new machinery, The Box Factory has been able to significantly increase its capacity for new orders. The firm is now looking to identify new opportunities for growth and has appointed neighbouring accountants and business advisors Harrison Beale & Owen (HB&O) to help take the business forward. Neil Price, managing director at The Box Factory, said: “It is quite a large operation. We have a total of seven factory buildings, employ 63 staff and have around 450 live accounts with orders coming in from a huge range of industries. “It is amazing how many different design and style standards there are not to mention material grades and different types of print. It can be quite a complex process but our in-house design team ensures complete continuity from the initial www.cw-chamber.co.uk
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The Box Factory 11: Sarah Wilson (HB&O) with Neil Price (The Box Factory)
sampling stage through to full-scale production. “In the last few years we have grown nicely with our sales increasing by around half a million pounds last year. We also completed an investment programme which has allowed us to operate more efficiently and generate more sales. “We are now looking for more opportunities to be creative and felt it was the right time to appoint a larger accountancy firm which is able to offer additional services. “It is ironic that HB&O is located on the same industrial estate and has a fantastic track record of helping larger companies to fulfil their growth potential as a number of people had already referred us to them.
We are really looking forward to utilising its services and getting an outside perspective on our business operations.” Sarah Wilson, director at HB&O, said she is pleased to be working with The Box Factory as it looks to upscale its operations. She said: “The Box Factory had already invested heavily to expand its operations and was eager to explore new avenues that could benefit the business. “It is one of the largest independently owned manufactures of corrugated packaging and there are a number of strands to the business including design, research and development and the manufacturing and delivery of products.”
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Legal & Finance
Law firm launched for SMEs Special anniversary marked by lawyer
A Coventry legal eagle is celebrating 40 years service at one of the most established law firms in the city. Philip Costigan joined Band Hatton as an articled clerk in 1975 before rising through the ranks to become a senior partner at Band Hatton Button which was formed from a merger in 2013. Philip joined the firm aged 21 after attaining a law degree at Bristol University and completing his College of Law exams in Chester. He qualified as a solicitor in 1977 and began to develop his expertise as part of the property team. During the early days of his career, Philip assisted with hundreds of house sales and purchases and also advised on wills, trusts and probate matters. Philip was promoted to an associate partner before becoming a full partner in 1982. Philip now deals almost exclusively in commercial property and is skilled in dealing with a variety of property transactions, from small leases of office space to high-value and complex multi-million pound property acquisitions or disposals. He has also served as chair of Coventry and Warwickshire First and president of the Warwickshire Law Society and he is currently chair of the Warwickshire Law Society’s noncontinuous business committee. He said: “When I first joined Band Hatton as an articled clerk I was expected to complete both the legal work and also any other office tasks that needed doing – one partner once asked me if I could move the furniture, which he considered an essential part of my training. “After qualifying as a solicitor, one of the most satisfying parts of the job was helping young couples who were buying their first home. It was a great pleasure to guide them through the process and see it all come together. “I was definitely steered in the direction of property work and have enjoyed co-ordinating both the legal and administration aspects of a number of major projects both in Coventry and Warwickshire and further afield.”
A law firm has been launched in Coventry to provide expert advice specifically to SMEs. Richard Jenkins has set-up Claric Legal Services at the Coventry TechnoCentre at the Coventry University Technology Park in Puma Way after spotting a gap in the market. He moved to the site after receiving help from the Innovation University Enterprise Network (i-UEN) which is part of the Institute of Applied Entrepreneurship at Coventry University. Richard completed his law degree at the University of South Wales in Pontypridd and became a chartered secretary while working at Ernst & Young. He set-up an in-house legal support team at Coventry University before deciding to fulfil his ambition of setting up his own business to provide affordable legal support to SMEs. Richard provides advice on a wide range of matters including commercial contracts, confidentiality agreements, complex share purchase agreements, IP licenses, joint venture agreements and website terms and conditions. “I always felt there was a market need to provide SMEs with affordable legal support,” he said. “Often commercial and corporate lawyers work for larger firms which tend to be very expensive so SMEs will often leave themselves exposed by not taking legal
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Robin Underhay, of Coventry University’s Institute of Applied Entrepreneurship, said Richard was using the expertise he has built-up over the last 20 years to provide much-needed legal advice at value for money for SMEs. He said: “Richard is providing peace of mind in legal matters which can often be quite complicated for SMEs in a variety of sectors. “His knowledge is taking the stress out of legal situations for businesses which allows them to get on with the day-to-day running of their companies. “Our Flexi desks service provides businesses, like Claric Legal Services, with the flexibility and opportunity to use a hightech facility which suits their individual needs and budget while providing professional business services which is really important in the early stages.”
Success for Nina at Warwickshire Employee of the Year Awards
Fresh feel for law firm Regional legal services provider Brethertons has launched a new look that is designed to reflect the forward-thinking values of the growing firm. Brethertons is an established law firm with a heritage stretching back more than 200 years. The firm is one of the region’s largest and most highly accredited legal service providers and is one of the top 200 law firms in the country by size and financial turnover. Shaun Jardine, Chief Executive Officer at Brethertons, said: “Changing customer needs and pressures from new competition have prompted us to re-evaluate our brand image.
advice or putting in place robust legal documentation. “As well as providing traditional legal, contractual and commercial advice on a wide range of issues, I can act as an inhouse legal advisor. “My clients range from Coventry University and the University of Leicester to private sector businesses in Coventry, Warwickshire, Leicester and Worcester.” Richard said having a flexi desk at the Coventry TechnoCentre had given him the opportunity to meet potential clients as well as take advantage of its business services. He said: “There are about 70 SMEs based here just like me and some have now become clients because it has been a great way of introducing my services at networking events and chatting to people around the site. “Working here instead of at home means I can hire meeting rooms and have a prestigious business address. “The business is going very well and I am very busy. I would like to recruit a part-time colleague who has experience in commercial and corporate law and is a qualified lawyer, legal executive or chartered secretary who can help me as an associate. “It is also good to separate home and work life and there are a great deal of benefits from being based at the Coventry TechnoCentre.”
“The introduction of a new practice management system, which incorporates a modern customer relationship management system, highlighted the need to refresh the company’s image to bring it in line with customer values and the firm’s own unique and embedded culture.” The new branding adopts a clear focus on people rather than services. This follows research which showed that the most popular pages on the old website were the lawyer profiles. The current logo device remains part of the updated brand, but is presented in dynamic settings using large colourful imagery and snatches of bold text.
Coventry and Warwickshire law firm Alsters Kelley LLP has said that it is delighted that employee Nina Bolt was awarded a ‘Highly Commended’ award at the inaugural ‘Warwickshire Employee of the Year Awards.’ This award is reserved for an individual who has made a significant and outstanding contribution to the firm. Nina has worked for Alsters Kelley LLP for 28 years, starting as an office junior in 1986. Through her hard work, dedication and enthusiasm she has continued to develop at the firm, becoming a legal cashier The team says that this is not an exercise in rebranding, more a brand refresh which aims to express the firm’s existing culture and values in a more engaging and descriptive way. Deborah Atkins, Head of Human Resources at Brethertons, said: “At Brethertons, we have a strong culture of ‘people first’. We value our colleagues, our clients and are always looking for ways to excel through personal development and ambition. “The new website really reflects our philosophy with its focus on people and The Knowledge Within® strapline highlights the expertise our staff work hard to uphold.” Alison McCormack, Head of Client Services at Brethertons, said: “We’re confident that clients will welcome the new design and layout
before progressing to Accounts manager and in June 2014, she was appointed as the Practice Manager. Cathy Wahlberg, Operations and Finance Member at Alsters Kelley LLP said: “We are thrilled that Nina has been recognised and rewarded for her efforts and dedication. She is an essential part of the Alsters Kelley team and we can’t think of anyone more deserving.” The Warwickshire Employee of the Year Awards were organised by Plus One Personnel and Nina collected her award at a prestigious event held at Warwick Castle.
of the new website. It is far more interactive and dynamic than ever before. “The new site is easier to navigate and is now responsive to all forms of media, from smart phones and tablets to PCs and Macs. It really is the brand of the law firm of the future, making Brethertons even easier to do business with.” To celebrate the new image, the firm launched a short quiz to encourage visits to the website. Entrants should answer three questions to enter a draw for a chance to win an iPad. For every entry received, the firm will donate £1 to its charity of the year, SpecialEffect. To take part in the quiz and experience Brethertons’ new website, visit www.brethertons.co.uk to view the brand in action.
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Coventry & Warwickshire in business
Legal & Finance
Accolade for inspiring company
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Could George Osborne have done more for the region’s businesses with his budget? This was the final budget of the current coalition government and overall it was a pretty uneventful affair, which was not unexpected considering the timing of the upcoming general election.
Baldwins Accountants who have been named in the 1,000 Companies to Inspire Britain 2015 report by the London Stock Exchange Group.
A leading family-owned accountancy firm has been named as one of Britain’s inspiring companies. Baldwins Accountants, which has 13 offices across the Midlands, Shropshire and Wales, has been included in the second 1,000 Companies to Inspire Britain 2015 report by the London Stock Exchange Group. The landmark report identifies the UK’s most exciting and dynamic small and medium-sized businesses in a variety of sectors from food and drink and technology and digital to manufacturing and engineering to retail. Baldwins Accountants was among 88 businesses in the West Midlands named in the report which was first published in 2013. The company, which employs around 300 staff in locations including Walsall, Tamworth, Coventry and Shrewsbury, was set-up in 1971 by John Baldwin.
David Baldwin, a partner at Baldwins Accountants, said the 1,000 companies named in the report are proof that Britain’s economy is getting back on track. He said: “This is the second report to have been published by the London Stock Exchange Group and we are proud to have been included for the first time. “The breadth of companies named underlines the great entrepreneurial skill shown by SMEs even during the testing times of recent years. “Over the last 12 months, Baldwins Accountants has grown with the acquisition of five Turner Peachey offices in Shropshire and Wales as we extend our reach beyond the Midlands. “It can be difficult when the country is coming out of a recession to think about expanding but it is important to have faith in your services and your staff and acquiring Turner Peachey last November was a positive decision to take.
“Every business sometimes has to take risks but it is important to take calculated decisions for the long-term health of the company. “We believe the best way to grow in terms of turnover, staff numbers and offices is organically as we bring our vast array of business services to new areas. “The success of SMEs whether it is an independent family-owned business like Baldwins or a specialised engineer, is important to the success of Britain’s economy because we believe we can be the driving force in leading the country to greater financial prosperity. “I think we have been included in the report because we support the business growth of our clients, we are at the heart of the business community where our offices are based and we are not just good with numbers since we provide value added services which our clients appreciate.”
‘Tax decision the right one’ the system would be up-and-running by 2020 and it would allow companies to upload information in ‘real time’ and also to link it to their accounting software. Simon Gee has recently moved to Coleshill-based IT company ACUTEC and has a background in accountancy software and systems. He said small businesses would welcome the move and that the Government was implementing it at a time when technology and security are ready for it. Simon said: “It’s a move that will be broadly welcomed because anything that simplifies tax returns for businesses – especially smaller companies – will be seen as positive. IT experts in the West Midlands say technology and security are in the ‘right place’ to make the Chancellor’s recent decision to move tax returns online feasible. George Osborne announced in his final budget before the General Election that
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“Technology is where it needs to be to make this happen and security is where it needs to be too. We are in the right place from that point of view and it’s right that we use IT to its full capability. “We live in a world where business owners are on the move and this change
means that they don’t necessarily need to be in the office to sign things off. On that point, there has to be authentication in place as part of this process but I am sure that will have already been considered. “I guess some will ask why it is taking five years but the Government has to get this right. When it introduced online VAT returns there were issues with the website and then it was impossible to communicate with them when something went wrong. “Business has to have absolute confidence in the system and teething problems will have to be kept to a bare minimum. “It makes sense to link it through from accounting software because it means businesses won’t be filling out the same pieces of information twice. “On the whole, this is a positive move and really does highlight how the advance in technology can continue to bring new benefits to business.”
We believe there were two important areas for our clients that were not satisfactorily dealt with by George. Firstly, we would have liked an extension of the Annual Investment Allowance (AIA’s). This gives companies the ability to claim 100% in year tax relief for up to £500,000 of capital expenditure against their taxable profits. This is restricted to items qualifying as plant and machinery. From experience, we know this relief stimulates investment and for those companies who have made such capital commitments, the additional tax relief helps to support their cash flow. The current £500,000 limit for AIA’s ends on 31 December 2015, and without further intervention, will revert back to an annual allowance of only £25,000. George Osborne announced that he would need to consider this, but any new government will need to address this as a matter of urgency if businesses are not to suffer. Secondly, an overhaul of the IR35 tax system is required. IR35 is an anti avoidance measure which looks to tax contractors as employees if they cannot demonstrate that they are a genuine business. The system is far too complicated and HMRC struggle to enforce it correctly and there have been repeated calls for simplification. On the way out of recession it has been common place for companies to take on temps or contractors rather than employees, our view is that this reduces the risk to employers as if the business takes a downturn they can reduce their costs accordingly. The entrepreneurial nature of these individuals has stimulated our region’s employment and our economy as contractors have been taken on when companies would not have taken on employees. The contractors have taken a risk as they are not guaranteed employment rights and therefore should benefit from the tax advantages of having their own company. If you would like more information on AIA’s or IR35 please contact us today on 02476 518 555 or visit our website www.primeaccountants.co.uk
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Property
Agency advises on £3.2m deal
Former mill sold in £6.05m deal
The real estate team at Midlands law firm Lodders played a vital role in the sale of a converted mill building at the gateway to Leeds city centre by private company IM Properties plc. The Lodders team, led by partner Mark Lee, acted for Coleshill-based IM Properties plc. on the sale of the former mill, Vanguard House, for £6.05million to LaSalle Investment Management, which completed on 22 December 2014. Lodders has a long and established business relationship with IM Properties plc. and has advised it on many of its property and real estate transactions across the UK, with the sale of a portfolio of ten properties valued at £40.1million amongst other recent deals. Vanguard House, which is on Leeds’ Dewsbury Road at the entrance to the city centre, was refurbished in 2001 to provide 28,435 sq ft of office space.
Shortland Penn + Moore, the commercial property agency with offices in Birmingham and Coventry, has advised on the £3.2 million purchase of a Midlands industrial estate SP+M’s David Allen advised Grafton Associates Ltd, a newly launched family investment vehicle specialising in investments industrial estates, in its acquisition of Central City Industrial Estate, which is less than a mile from Coventry City Centre. The estate, which has been acquired from The Pears Group, consists of 24 light industrial units – totalling around 40,000 sq ft – and is fully let to 17 tenants. It generates
an income of £264,019 per year and the purchase price reflects a net yield of 7.8 per cent. David Allen said: “We are pleased to have advised Grafton Associates on this acquisition. “Historically, this estate has always been well-let and in the current climate it offers our client an excellent opportunity to add value through rental growth and further active asset management.” Grafton Associates director Charles Lochrane, a former investment partner of Strutt & Parker, said: “This is the first in a series of planned investments aimed at building a diversified portfolio of industrial
properties on behalf of the Fox family, building on their existing investment in the Chalcroft Business Park in Southampton.” Colliers International’s National Investment team advised The Pears Group. John Hanson, of Colliers, said: “This estate has performed very well for The Pears Group during its ownership. “The proximity of the estate to Coventry City Centre results in strong occupier demand. The estate has a history of good tenant retention and rental values on the estate have increased over the past 12 months. With the estate being fully let, this presented an opportune time for our client to dispose of the investment.”
New premises will help company grow A Coventry automotive company has supported its continued growth by moving into new premises. NSL Automotive, which specialises in the remanufacturing of steering products and brake calipers for the automotive trade, looks set to build on its rapid expansion after commercial property agents Shortland Penn + Moore introduced them to the ‘perfect’ new premises. Mick Parsons established the business in August 2013 and has since seen turnover treble to more than £1 million, necessitating the move from St Agatha’s Road to 5,725-sq ft headquarters on the New Inn Bridge Estate. The expansion will allow NSL Automotive to grow from 12 to 20 employees, with five apprentices joining the company, and could pave the way for the production of new products. “We are delighted with our new site as it has everything we needed with a mezzanine floor and office space. It’s perfect,” said Parsons. “We have experienced rapid growth since changing things around internally and needed to move in order to continue that, with space for more office staff and greater production levels. “We will now have 20 full-time employees including five apprentices, who we will be teaching the ropes at all levels of the business.
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“More and more people are tending to buy remanufactured units rather than new ones because of the reduced cost and impact of recycling, and many are looking to Coventry. “We can now continue with our natural growth, which we hope could take turnover to £1.4million this year while looking at the possibility of providing three or four new products. “After speaking with Shortland Penn + Moore they found something that fitted the brief very quickly and as they knew time was of the essence for us, they were able to push everything through swiftly.” David Penn, managing director of Shortland Penn + Moore, said: “NSL Automotive’s growth is a real success story for Coventry, demonstrating what can be achieved in the automotive sector from the city. “They came to us with an outline of what they needed in order to continue on their path to sustained expansion and our industrial specialist, Justin McVeigh, was able highlight one particular property that provided just what they were looking for. “It is always pleasing when two local companies can work together in such a way and we hope that Mick and his team can build on their recent success from their new base.”
Mick Parsons (left) with Justin McVeigh of Shortland Penn + Moore
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Coventry & Warwickshire in business
Property
New home for company which stepped back from the brink One of Coventry’s oldest manufacturers has sewn up its success by moving into new headquarters a year after it was saved from administration. Cash’s (now under the new name of Cash’s Apparel Solutions (UK) Ltd) has established a new 27,000 sq ft factory and office base in Wheler Road, on the Seven Stars Industrial Estate in Coventry, where it plans to enhance its operations and continue its growth in the textile labelling and brand security market. The 169-year-old woven labels and accessories manufacturer was assisted with its move by commercial property agent Reeves & Partners who, acting on behalf of private clients, introduced the property to Cash’s. The company was rescued from administration in February 2014 after it was bought by its former management team with the financial backing of Jointak, one of its key Hong Kong-based suppliers. The Jointak Group, with over 1,500 employees over three continents, is fast becoming a global supplier of trims and brand protection solutions, an ideal match for Cash’s. Cashs’s was originally founded by John and Joseph Cash in 1846 and was once one of England’s leading silk ribbon manufacturers. It has since evolved to supply woven clothing labels, name tags, badges and anticounterfeit labels to some of the best-known names in the world of fashion, sportswear, retail and major institutions. Gary Powles, operations director at the firm, said: “Our focus over the last 12 months has been to retain as many of our customers
as possible whilst trying to find the right premises. After administration, we had to move out of our former factory in Torrington Avenue and initially we were only looking to take forward a small selection of equipment and around half a dozen office staff. “When we had such positive support from people who had heard that we were back in business we realised it was possible to revise that business plan and move forward on a larger scale.” He added: “Over the last year, we have also remained a net exporter to China so it was great to be able to retain as much of our manufacturing processes as possible
together with the skills and knowledge of our staff. “Business is definitely improving. We have been able to increase our workforce to 35 and for the first time in 10 years we have also invested in new machinery. We have also recently secured contracts with two major Italian brands and are currently in talks with around half a dozen others. “ Richard Pomfret, of Reeves & Partners, who are based in Coventry and Leamington added: “Cash’s is one of the best-known names in Coventry and we are pleased that such a long-standing firm has been able to remain in the city. “
Specialists announce merger Specialists in commercial property and planning law are merging their complementary expertise to create a new partnership based in Warwickshire. Liz Williams, an expert in commercial property law, and Lucy Miles, who specialises in planning law, have joined forces to establish The Stoneleigh Partnership at the Rural Innovation Centre at Stoneleigh Park. Liz and Lucy, both from Kenilworth, have almost 30 years of experience combined in their respective fields and an extensive portfolio of clients throughout the country, ranging from private individuals to national developers. Liz spent almost a decade at Brethertons LLP Solicitors, based in Rugby, before becoming a sole practitioner. In recent years, she has worked as a consultant to legal and property firms. Lucy’s career began at top 15 global law firm Reed Smith LLP. Since 2009, she has run her own specialist planning firm based in Kenilworth and continues to work on a consultancy basis for Reed Smith’s former Birmingham office, now specialist commercial firm Hill Hofstetter, which offers advice to leading national and international corporations. Liz said: “We have both operated independently for some time but have often worked together due to commercial property and planning law being so aligned.” Lucy added: “It made perfect sense to formally come together and create this partnership built on the well-established and strong portfolio of corporate and
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individual clients that we already have.” Liz advises on a host of commercial property matters for clients including large and small businesses, charities, partnerships and individuals acquiring, selling, leasing or developing property of all types. Lucy acts for developers, businesses of all sizes and private individuals on all aspects of planning law, and is often instructed by planning and property professionals to advise and assist on complex issues. They believe the improving economic climate, in particular the movement and optimism within the construction and property sectors, bodes well for The Stoneleigh Partnership. Liz Burkinshaw, manager of the Rural Innovation Centre at Stoneleigh Park, said:
“We are delighted to welcome The Stoneleigh Partnership as our first new business in the Rural Innovation Centre for 2015. “The central location of Stoneleigh Park makes it ideally placed for the clients it represents throughout England and Wales, and the Rural Innovation Centre provides a modern and professional environment from which to develop.” The Rural Innovation Centre is part of the Warwickshire Rural Growth Network, funded by DEFRA and led by Warwickshire County Council on behalf of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership. The building was refurbished by LaSalle Investment Management as part of its ongoing transformation of Stoneleigh Park into a centre of agricultural excellence.
GrandstandStoneleigh Events announces rebrand
Grandstand-Stoneleigh Events, one of the UK’s leading exhibition and event hosts, has rebranded as the National Agricultural and Exhibition Centre (NAEC), Stoneleigh. The move follows a period of expansion for the business and will include a new bespoke website, social media channels, fresh branding, new onsite signage and a clear modern identity. The timing of the rebrand coincides with major new investments taking place surrounding the event spaces at Stoneleigh Park. N.B. LaSalle Investment Management are the landlords of the site NAEC Stoneleigh is one of the most versatile businesses in the UK, located on more than 800 acres in Warwickshire and hosting about 360 events a year. On-site facilities include a 58-bedroom hotel and free parking for more than 30,000 cars. All catering is delivered by the on-site team and in-house marketing support is offered to all event clientele. NAEC Stoneleigh is an extremely successful platform for events spanning numerous industries, many of which are at the top of their sector. Grandstand-Stoneleigh Events has been in operation at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire for two2 years and has, in that time, rejuvenated the existing exhibition and show calendar. It has been noted in the past that Grandstand-Stoneleigh Events has been assumed to be an event management company, however, the business promotes a versatile and impressive venue, with flexible space, able host a multitude of events. It is this train of thinking that was one of the contributing factors in the decision to rebrand the business. The National Agricultural and Exhibition Centre, Stoneleigh will now be identified through the use of a clean and redesigned branding. The name change brings together the venue’s heritage and strong connections to the agricultural, events and show sectors. The newly designed logo encompasses a landscape, drawing on the environmental component of the business. Together the new name and logo will provide consistency and ease of identity for clients, potential clients and members of the general public. Helena Pettit, managing director of Grandstand-Stoneleigh Events, said: “Who we are as a business and what we do needs to be reflected and instantly identified in our branding. “Amid this rebrand we have taken the opportunity to modernise our look and the way in which, going forward, we will present ourselves in various markets and to our existing, and future, clients”. The new strapline adopted by NAEC, Stoneleigh is ‘Plant the seed, Grow your event, Let your event flourish with the NAEC’. This strapline is central to the brand and clearly outlines what the NAEC can offer. It draws on the pastoral roots of the company, assuring clients that by bringing their existing or proposed events onsite, they will have the very important foundation on which it can continue to expand.
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John’s ambitious view for University’s future His office must have one of the best views in Coventry but such is the temptation of St Michael and the Devil that John Latham’s desk faces the wall and not the steps leading up to Coventry Cathedral.
“Coventry University is now a global institution and having people in management positions that have travelled and worked and operated in different markets, is fundamentally important.”
It’s a view that he deliberately shuns so as not to be distracted from his desk, but one that he embraces when opening his door to visitors, particularly those from overseas. “It’s not a bad marketing tool to have at your disposal,” he admits, allowing himself a rare peak out of the window on the first floor of the Alan Berry Building.
After graduating, he worked briefly for Plessey in Liverpool, despite having been tempted to stay on in Coventry. Once again, Plessey played a big hand in his destiny. When bosses said he couldn’t take up another job with Plessey at another location, his response was: “I don’t think so.”
It’s a view that would have first greeted him in 1979 when he arrived in Coventry from his small coastal hometown in North Wales at what was then the Lanchester Polytechnic to embark on a computer science degree.
That turned out to be a defining moment in a career that has spanned more than 30 years at Coventry University, first as a lecturer and now as Vice-Chancellor and CEO. What is more unusual is that he has progressed from being a student to head of the University with hardly a break.
Telecommunications firm Plessey had agreed to sponsor his studies, provided that he took up his undergraduate offer from the Lanchester, and not Manchester. Like any money-conscious student, John opted for sponsorship and in turn, Coventry.
“I’ve no idea how I got here,” he quips, referring matter-of-factly to his progression through the ranks which culminated in being appointed Vice-Chancellor in March last year. Asked why he hasn’t left, and the answer is more immediate. “Variety, opportunity and flexibility within the
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institution,” he says, without needing to pause for thought. “I have travelled and worked all over the place while employed by the University. I have lived and worked in France, Spain and Germany. I have been a research fellow at BT and have spent time working for Jaguar Land Rover, the regional development agency, government office for the West Midlands and the DTI in London. “Coventry University is now a global institution and having people in management positions that have travelled and worked and operated in different markets, is fundamentally important.” Business engagement is a top priority for Coventry University, and the breadth of John’s experience has been pivotal in many of its recent successes. Interestingly, the University was established by local industry in 1843 as a school of design “to combat
the French”. Today, it works with more SMEs than any other university in the UK. As Deputy Vice-Chancellor for business development, John played a key role in securing the creation of the University’s £32 million Institute for Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering, in partnership with Unipart. Opened last autumn, the ‘faculty on the factory floor’ gives students a ‘real world’ experience on industry’s frontline. And as Pro-Vice-Chancellor, he was the driving force behind the Coventry University Technology Park, which has been crucial in the success of the University’s engagement with business start-ups and SMEs. A giant image of that development hanging on a wall overlooking his desk is a view no doubt of far greater meaning to him.
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Coventry & Warwickshire in business
Profile: John Latham
“And as Pro-Vice-Chancellor, he was the driving force behind the Coventry University Technology Park, which has been crucial in the success of the University’s engagement with business start-ups and SMEs. A giant image of that development hanging on a wall overlooking his desk is a view no doubt of far greater meaning to him. ”
“We still have that founding ethos very much around supporting and working with local industry even though we are a global institution. It was always very vocational based and most of the courses were aimed at industry, working with industry,” he said.
the Civic Centre site. All of these things are important opportunities and all of them help the local economy both in terms of spend and also job creation.
very pragmatic, fast-acting and get-itdone organisation which is not very university like,” he said.
“In terms of investment our activities will result in close to £1 billion of spend over the next five years, which I think underlines our ambition.”
“We are also seen as disruptive in the marketplace and I think there is a lot more disruption that we can do. What we want to do is challenge the norm and not accept status quo.”
“We are in the top 25 universities working with business and are number one for working with SMEs. We support local industry in many ways and I think there is always an opportunity for us to do more – and that is important to recognise.
John may have reached as far as he can go in terms of the career ladder at Coventry University, but not in terms of his ambition for the first former polytechnic to make it into the top 30 universities in the UK.
He has described Coventry University College, opened in 2012 as an innovative model in higher education with access to more flexible and affordable professional and vocational courses, as a “game changer”.
“I think there is an opportunity for us to work with other players, like the city council and the Chamber, to raise the profile of the city and to support the globalisation of the city.
Under his leadership, the 55-yearold intends to accelerate Coventry’s reputation for being a make-thingshappen university. Its approach has also earned it another tag which John equally welcomes.
“We have just signed the deal with the city council to look at developing
“The Coventry Way of doing things is about making things happen. We are a
And having opened a successful London campus in 2010 – within just a year of the idea being conceived, the university is now expanding into Scarborough with a new university college campus being developed in partnership with the local council and business partners.
“We have huge ambitions. As a university, we have got a lot of quite innovative models of education provision that we are certainly looking to rollout and keep us ahead of the pack and it’s important we do that,” he said. “We can do things the traditional way, but we don’t have to do things the traditional way. It’s about double checking every now and again that the traditional way is still the best, and that’s what we do.” A flashback perhaps to his mindset as a graduate when he started his journey of work with Coventry University after being been told that he couldn’t do what he wanted to do with Plessey. “And if we decide to do something, we do it,” he added.
Biography: John Latham Birthplace: Education: Married: Children: Hobbies:
St Asaph, North Wales Flint High School, Lanchester Polytechnic No Andrea (18) Swimming – was part of a life-boat crew for 12 years in North Wales Favourite book: The Virgin Way Favourite film: Master and Commander Car: Land Rover Freelander Last holiday: Galway, Ireland Favourite gadget: MacBook Air
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Policy
Change in job figures’ cause for concern
A budget without surprises
Business leaders in Coventry and Warwickshire say the slight rise in the claimant count across the region should be a cause for concern rather than alarm. In Coventry, the count rose from 4,941 to 5,022 and, in Warwickshire, there was an increase from 3,632 to 3,749. Louise Bennett, chief executive of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “The national trend is that unemployment continues to fall and I don’t believe this is a cause for alarm in Coventry and Warwickshire – but, yes, a cause for concern. “We were never complacent as unemployment fell month after month in Coventry and Warwickshire and I certainly don’t think this is a time to overstate what these figures mean now there has been a rise. “Companies across the patch continue to grow and the current Government – and the one after the election – has to find as many ways as possible under very tight economic circumstance to give businesses the right help to expand and take on new staff. “It’s also about marrying the right people with the right opportunities and making sure they have the right skills. CWT, our training arm, has a strong number of vacancies for apprentices and we need more young people to come forward to take those opportunities. “So there is certainly more that can be done in the short term to get unemployment down further but backed up by longer term measures mentioned in the British Chambers of Commerce’s Business Plan for Britain that will help to ensure even better employment figures going forward.”
Business leaders assemble at the Chamber to consider George Osborne’s final budget before the General Election in May.
Businesses across Coventry and Warwickshire received the budget they were expecting rather than the one they were hoping for. Firms from a broad range of sectors met at the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce’s headquarters to watch Chancellor George Osborne deliver his final budget before the General Election in May. The general themes around reducing the deficit, supporting growth and enhancing the UK’s economic strength in the years to come were welcomed. Rosy Hughes, of accountancy firm Burgis & Bullock, said: “The abolition of National Insurance for under-21s is a welcome move and will help tackle youth unemployment but this was a measure that had been announced previously. “Something that may have gone unnoticed but will be very welcome in the rural areas was the opportunity for agricultural businesses’ income to be averaged over five years for tax purposes.”
Andrew Starnes, city development manager of Coventry CORE – the company delivering ultra-fast internet speeds to companies in Coventry, said he was pleased to hear a commitment to improving the digital infrastructure. He said: “It’s just good to hear it is so high on the agenda. The internet of things wouldn’t have been on their radar previously so we are pleased to see it is on the agenda now. “For the UK economy to compete globally, it must stay firmly on the agenda – thankfully Coventry is very much ahead of the game.” Peter Deeley, of the Deeley Group – a property and construction company, said he hoped to hear more about future plans. He said: “I hoped there would be more on longer term plans but there was actually very little from that point of view and there is clearly big support for Manchester and the way they are going about things.” Paul Carvell, vice president of the Chamber and managing director of Stewart
Fletcher Barrett, said: “There was a mention of continuing the Annual Investment Allowance but I must say I was disappointed that the Chancellor wouldn’t say at what level this would be. “Business needs certainty – especially around investment decisions – so I think that needed to be clarified.” Angela Tellyn, policy and partnership manager at the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “Businesses are, generally, pleased with the economic picture and the stability and growth that reducing the deficit is bringing, as set out in the budget. “I think some hoped the Chancellor might go further but with just seven weeks to go to the election it’s now really time to challenge all parties on how they will support economic growth – particularly here in Coventry and Warwickshire. “The British Chambers has published its Business Plan for Britain and that is what we will be pushing all our politicians on over the next few weeks.”
MP’s urged to keep strong ties with industry Business leaders in Coventry and Warwickshire have urged the region’s MPs to maintain strong ties with industry. Louise Bennett, chief executive of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said the organisation - which represents thousands of firms across the city and the county – had regular dialogue with MPs locally and looked forward to continuing that relationship on the back of the General Election. She said: “We look forward to working, once again, with those MPs we have developed a very good dialogue with over the years – Geoffrey Robinson and Jim Cunningham in Coventry, Mark Pawsey in Rugby, Marcus Jones in Nuneaton, Nadhim Zahawi in Stratford, Chris White in Warwick & Leamington and Jeremy Wright in Kenilworth & Southam. “We also congratulate Colleen Fletcher on her election in Coventry North East and Craig Tracey in North Warwickshire and will look to develop strong ties with both of them on behalf of businesses – small, medium and large – across the patch. “The Chamber is not a party political
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organisation but speaks up for members on a range of issues. It’s vital that we can take the concerns and issues of businesses to the very top and we’ve had great support from our MPs in doing that. “We like to meet them regularly here in the region and also have taken delegations down to Westminster to talk about specific issues. That must continue. “Business plays a huge part in any constituency and it’s vital that we maintain these ties over the next five years and strengthen them – as it’s our members who will be investing and creating jobs which, in turn, pays for vital services.” Nationally, Bennett said the final result had come as a surprise to many and urged the Government to continue to break down the barriers to business growth. She said: “Right up until the exit poll, very few were predicting an overall majority for either party. “What business needs is a stable government that helps to provide the certainty they need when it comes to investing and creating new jobs. We hope that, by achieving a majority, the Conservatives can provide that
and, as businesses, we are ready to work with MPs on a local level and the Government on a national level to achieve that. “Businesses recognise that the work to put the economy back on track after the recession is well underway, but there are still challenges ahead. “Only last week, several key figures within the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce met David Cameron during his visit to North Warwickshire and presented the British Chambers of Commerce’s Business Plan for Britain to him in person. “That plan sets down exactly what businesses need from this Government over the course of then next Parliament in order for the economy to grow. “We still need to see more companies exporting. Locally, that can be done by tapping into the support from the International Trade Hub
at the Chamber, which includes UKTI support. “Also, a very real issue that needs to be addressed is bridging the skills gap in order to fill the needs of those growing businesses who are seeking to create new jobs. “The Chamber, as ever, is ready to support that work and we look forward to working with all of our MPs in the coming weeks, months and years.”
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Policy
Business leaders take message to Westminster
Pictured (left to right): Paul Carvell, Peter Burns (Chamber president), Angela Tellyn (Chamber), Martin Gibbs
A group of business leaders in the professional sector in Coventry and Warwickshire has taken a strong message to Westminster on the support it needs from Government. The Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce took a group of companies, including members of Coventry & Warwickshire First, down to Westminster to meet representatives from the Department for Business Innovation & Skills and the British Chambers of Commerce. The 40-strong delegation also heard from Marcus Jones, the MP for Nuneaton and a small business ambassador for Prime Minister David Cameron, who told them to make their voices heard through organisations such as the Chamber. The companies took part in debate and discussion around the barriers and issues facing companies in the professional sector - which includes legal firms, accountancy practices, property agents and other professional service providers. Regulation was a hot topic of conversation as well as bringing through the next generation of professional business owners.
Chris Tollady, of the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills, also highlighted a need for more firms in the sector to export so that it could continue the trend that has seen it create 500,000 new jobs since 2010. Companies heard from Martin Gibbs, chair of Coventry & Warwickshire First, representatives from the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership and Paul Carvell, vice president of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce. Paul said: “We welcome this opportunity to come down to Parliament as a group and raise many of the issues we face as an industry. “Difficulties around attracting people with the right skills and around the next generation of business owners were raised, as well as red tape. “The point that came across strongly was that some companies are abiding by regulations from their industry bodies, yet firms in the same field that aren’t part of those bodies don’t have to adhere to them so there is almost a two-tier system.
“Many examples of misguided regulations were also raised and, pleasingly, Marcus Jones said he would raise them. He also urged companies to make it clear when they saw new regulations that could be damaging to raise the alarm as soon as possible either directly with their MP or through an organisation such as the Chamber.” Martin said: “We have to accept that the world is moving very quickly and that change is happening. We highlighted many ways in which the Government can improve conditions for businesses in Coventry and Warwickshire. “But we also recognise that, as businesses, some things don’t require legislation and there are responsibilities on us around training staff, business succession and the way we deal with one another.” Marcus Jones said: “I am always delighted to meet businesses and to hear directly the issues they are facing. There were some very interesting points raised – all of which I will take back to the relevant departments. “It’s important that businesses know that they can contact their MP direct or go through organisations such as the Chamber in order to ensure we hear about what is effecting them on a day-to-day basis.”
Confidence on the up, according to poll
Coventry and Warwickshire businesses continue to show increased confidence in the economy, according to the results of a new business poll. The Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce’s Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) found that as many as 82 per cent of companies operating in the service sector are expecting turnover to rise in the next quarter – with just two per cent forcecasting a drop. The QES is used as a barometer for the local economy and also feeds into a national survey carried out by the British Chambers of Commerce. The first survey of 2015 also revealed that 93 per cent of firms in the service industry either achieved an increase or constant domestic sales compared to the final quarter last year. In manufacturing, 65 per cent of companies attempted to recruit new staff in the last quarter, while 42 per cent reported an increase in overseas sales. Fifty per cent of manufacturers believe turnover is going to increase in 2015, the same as the previous quarter, although only 14 per cent are predicting a decrease - a drop of 10 per cent. In a further show of confidence, the survey also suggests that unemployment will continue to fall across Coventry and Warwickshire with 43 per cent of firms outlining intentions to increase headcounts in the next four months and 55 per cent planning to maintain staffing levels at the same level. Louise Bennett, chief executive of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “It is extremely positive news the buoyant outlook in both the service and manufacturing sectors has extended from the back end of last year into 2015. “Inevitably the upcoming General Election causes a degree of uncertainty in the market, so it is great news that businesses are forecasting increased growth and intentions to create jobs as we move ever closer to May 7. “While it is positive that the region continues to show confidence, it is important as a region not to be complacent and work together to help support businesses to meet their aspirations and continue to grow the economy. “Overseas trade is vital to the success of the region and we’re delighted more and more companies in our area have experienced an increase in international sales and orders. “The Chamber’s International Trade Hub works closely with companies to support firms to sell goods and services to new markets – which not only helps bring further wealth to the region but also enhances the strong reputation of Coventry and Warwickshire.”
Business voice opinions on economic climate
Graeme Chaplin (centre) with business people from across Coventry and Warwickshire www.cw-chamber.co.uk
Business people from a range of sectors across Coventry and Warwickshire have given their appraisal of the current economic climate to the Bank of England. Graeme Chaplin, the Bank of England’s agent for the West Midlands and Oxfordshire, met a group of ten firms at the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce. The companies – covering industries such as construction, law, IT, manufacturing and finance – gave their view on the economy to help Chaplin form a picture for the region. The meeting takes place every six months and, together with similar meetings around the country, help to give the Bank of England the
perspective of businesses on the ground. Angela Tellyn, policy and partnership manager at the Chamber, said: “The Bank of England weighs up all the statistics but also find it useful to hear what companies have to say. “The information and views shared remain very much confidential because it’s important that he gets a very honest opinion on some of the barriers businesses are facing and he also gets a steer on any new trends. “It’s a very worthwhile session and we are pleased that we can offer an economic insight into Coventry and Warwickshire to help the Bank of England in this way.”
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Area Focus: Coventry BDA becomes Regulated Agent for cargo screening Coventry based specialist time critical logistics provider Bespoke Distribution Aviation (BDA) has become a Regulated Agent for the screening of cargo, following a significant investment in new screening technology. The company has announced that its BDA NightExpress division has passed the stringent Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Security Audit and is now able to process air cargo to meet all aviation security regulations. From its Coventry hub in the UK, BDA NightExpress is already screening its own outbound freight to its Ireland hub, as well as scanning inbound and outbound freight to its hubs in Frankfurt and Maastricht. The move is part of a wider growth strategy for BDA which last year saw the company negotiate deals with such brands as Suzuki, Arvato STOK, GE Healthcare and Neways. The ability to screen outbound freight for Ireland, Netherlands and Germany is a particular boost considering recent growth in the Irish logistics market. As Irish consumers embrace ecommerce, spending ¤3.8m online every minute last year, the country currently offers strong potential for BDA in the etail, agricultural, medical and automotive markets that it serves. Regulated Agent status has followed a sixfigure investment by BDA in a cutting edge Rapiscan 632DV system for pallet and air cargo screening, which enables the company to perform its own dual-view X-ray screening of inbound and outbound cargo. The machine, which has been designed for the inspection of pallet and break bulk cargo screening, utilises dual view technology to screen items. Coupled with the machine’s impressive image quality, this allows a high throughput of screened items. BDA Managing Director Kevin Turner said: “We have ambitious growth plans at BDA and becoming a Regulated Agent for cargo screening is a major step in the right direction for us. Not only does it enable us to become more self-sufficient as a company, but it also means that we can ensure the cargo we carry on our dedicated In-Night flights is both secure and protected.”
Welcome boost for hospice The only dedicated children’s hospice in Coventry and Warwickshire has been given a welcome boost in hitting its £1 million a year fundraising target. Zoë’s Place Baby Hospice in Ash Green, Coventry, has been able to replace its wornout bear mascot thanks to the generosity of a local company. The boss of Inspire Insurance Services put up the £2,000 needed to make the new Zoë’s Bear, a giant costume worn at fundraising events and to help raise awareness of the hospice. And now Leigh Mackey’s staff have pledged to match his donation through fundraising of their own to support the hospice that cares for babies and infants suffering from life-limiting or lifethreatening conditions. Zoë’s Place was recently given the go ahead to open round-the-clock for the first time since launching in 2011 and needs to raise £1 million every year to enable it to keep its doors open 24/7 for families that rely on its expert care. Mick McCann, fundraising manager at Zoë’s Place, said: “Most people in Coventry and Warwickshire recognise Zoë’s Place via the bear. It is iconic in terms of what the hospice does. “The bear is a fantastic mascot to go out into the local community to encourage people to show their support by making a donation but it was well-worn after so much use and had reached a bad state of disrepair. “We are absolutely delighted that Inspire Insurance Services has enabled us to get a new one made. It is much bigger and friendlier looking, and it’s made of higher quality material so it should stand the test of time much better. “We have always relied on the support and generosity of the public and now we have been given the green light to open all the time due to the huge increase in fundraising
Leigh Mackey is pictured front centre at Zoë’s Place Baby Hospice with members of the team from Inspire Insurance Services and the new Zoë’s Bear.
over the last 18 months, that need is going to be even greater.” The managing director of Inspire Insurance Services first got involved in supporting Zoë’s Place when he took part in its Coventry to Paris bike ride last September and raised £1,700. Leigh said: “Having recently become a father, I am even more touched by the incredible care and support that the hospice provides to babies and young children, and their families. “Mick told me that they were desperately in need of a new bear suit and so I was happy to make a donation up front so that it could be made as it plays such a huge part as a mascot for raising much-needed funds. “My staff then decided that they would match the £2,000 by embarking on a variety
of their own fundraising initiatives which is a fantastic gesture as it means my donation will be doubled.” Several of the team at Inspire Insurance Services, which is based at Mercia Business Village on Westwood Business Park, Canley, have already signed up for the charity’s Snowdon Trek in May, raising money by climbing the highest mountain in England and Wales. The new Zoë’s Bear has already been out in force, attending a charity bike ride staged in the city by Guy Salmon Jaguar Coventry and Coventry Road Club at the start of February. Details on how to get involved in all fundraising challenges can be found at www.zoes-place.org.uk
University building project under way Work on Coventry University’s flagship new Science and Health Building got under way with a ground breaking ceremony to mark the start of the £37 million construction. The two-year project will consolidate the Faculty of Health and Life Science’s existing teaching and research facilities into a new building in Coventry city centre that will house state-of-the-art healthcare simulation, research and ‘super-lab’ environments. The world-class facilities will include a mock operating theatre, fully-equipped ambulance, and community house to demonstrate the latest developments in assistive living technologies. The super laboratory will be capable of accommodating up to 240 students for teaching and research in biological and analytical sciences. A running track, sports therapy clinic and facilities for food and environmental sciences will also be on site. The five-storey, 120,000 sq ft building on Much Park Street will link to the existing Coventry University Sports Centre in White Friars Street. A separate two-storey energy centre will also be constructed on site to efficiently power the Science and Health Building to world-leading environmental standards.
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The ground breaking event was attended by Coventry University Vice-Chancellor Professor John Latham, and Professor Guy Daly, Executive Dean of Faculty of Health and Life Sciences. Prof Latham said: “The new Science and Health Building is the second most important single building project after the Engineering and Computing Building that has been undertaken by Coventry University since full university status was attained in 1992. “It will provide world-class teaching and research facilities that befit our status of Modern University of the Year, and will equip our health and life science students with highly-advanced skills to enable them to excel into the workplace.” The total cost of constructing and equipping the build is expected to be in excess of £60 million. The project, which has been awarded a £4.9 million by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), is due to be completed in 2017. Prof Daly said: “The ground breaking represents a significant milestone in this flagship project for Coventry University and it will be exciting to see our ambitious vision unfold in the months to come.” BAM Construction was awarded the contract to build the new facility in January. The
contractor built The Hub at Coventry University, a modern high-tech building which is the social centre of student campus life, and also the Severn Trent Headquarters in the city centre. BAM Construction was represented at the ground breaking event by Regional Director Rod Stiles, Construction Manager Steve Roome and Project Manager Alan Bell. Alan said: “Coventry is a special place for BAM, where we have a lot of relationships with the University, its neighbours, and the
landscape we’ve helped to change over the years. “This is a special and complex building that we’ll be responsible for creating. It’s a great pleasure to partner our colleagues at the University and their team again, having created The Hub. “We will make sure this building benefits the whole community here, and we’ll build it with care and consideration for those around us. It’s great to make a prompt start.”
Pictured at the ground breaking for the new Science and Health Building are, from left to right, Prof Guy Daly, Prof John Latham, Rod Stiles and Alan Bell.
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Coventry & Warwickshire in business
Area Focus: Coventry Coventry manufacturer launches world’s first Hydraforce ecommerce website In a global first, Coventry based hydraulics manufacturer, Savery Hydraulics is offering Hydraforce products online through an ecommerce website. The responsive website, which is the only global online store for Hydraforce products, has just been launched in the UK. It transfers products listed in the official Hydraforce catalogue online, with the option to search for an individual item and request next day delivery for items already held in Savery’s Coventry warehouse. And customers who quote the promo code HYDRAPROMO1 can benefit from five per cent off their orders for the duration of the promotion. Bob Peacock, Managing Director of Savery Hydraulics, said: “Industry is moving at a faster pace than ever and engineering industry professionals need access to the latest parts quickly and easily. Our Hydraforce ecommerce portal not only allows an instant search for an item online instead of wading through pages in a catalogue, but for parts already held in stock, these can be delivered the next day. As the only global ecommerce site to offer such a quick and easy ordering process, this will help design and maintenance engineers to save time and money in their operations.” Hydraforce is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of hydraulic components for the mobile equipment industry, engineering a wide range of hydraulic cartridge valves and manifolds to control force, speed and motion as integral components in fluid power systems. The new e-commerce website enables customers to place multiple orders and save orders to make re-ordering of parts even quicker. Orders placed in the UK that are not already held in Savery’s warehouse can be delivered within two weeks of the order for parts manufactured in the UK and four weeks for parts manufactured in the US.
Connection project is up to speed Planned improvements at the Ricoh Arena Businesses in Coventry are benefitting from some of the fastest internet speeds in the UK with a connection to the city’s pure fibre network, the Coventry CORE. The CORE is transforming the city into one of the most digitally advanced locations in the world, providing businesses with speeds of up to 1000mbps. Businesses are realising the potential of ultra-fast connectivity and accessing all the advantages it brings including seamless online communication, VoIP technology, cloud computing and remote data storage, which can all save time and money. The city’s creative and cultural hub, Fargo Village, was the first business location to get connected to the network and it’s already reaping the benefits. The developer and landlord, Complex Development Projects, recognised the need small businesses have for ultra-fast connectivity and that poor connectivity could hold them back. They realised that as data consumption in business continues to grow, landlords can no longer afford to provide poor connectivity to their tenants. Even the smallest businesses need excellent connectivity to succeed and grow. With a diverse range of outlets in the village, Complex Development Projects had to come up with a solution that would suit all the businesses and worked in collaboration with the Coventry CORE and local internet service provider HBT Communications, to deliver an affordable internet solution which would meet the needs and demands of the various businesses. Brian Harrabin, director of Complex Development Projects, said: “As a brand new concept for Coventry, Fargo Village is at the cutting edge and needs the internet connection to match. It is great to be the first to connect to the Coventry CORE.” By upgrading to an ultra-fast connection Fargo was able to apply for funding through the Government’s SuperConnected Cities scheme. The programme encourages small and medium enterprises to upgrade their internet capabilities by awarding up to £3,000 in funding. Businesses at the development are delighted with the impact this new connection
has had on their business. Access to a gigabit speed network has opened up a range of opportunities for them to work more efficiently and deliver a superior customer experience. Al and Maggie Davison, who manage Astral Gypsy art studio and bookshop, commented on the difference they saw between a standard internet connection and gigabit speeds. Maggie said: “At our previous location the internet was very slow and we didn’t have access to wireless. Since HBT and Coventry CORE have completed the installation at Fargo Village file uploads take a matter of seconds to complete and we can deliver a speedier service to our customers” Michael McEntee, who owns The Big Comfy Bookshop, has found that enhanced services available with HBT and the Coventry CORE have allowed him to take advantage of cloudbased applications. Michael said: “I didn’t need to make a financial outlay for a cash register, instead I run my till through and online app from my tablet. This syncs with both my accounts and the card reader, which speeds up customer transactions and makes keeping track of my business finances a much easier job” For more information and to register your no-obligation interest in the Coventry CORE, visit www.coventryCORE.com
Automotive firm set to ‘XL-erate’ its growth A Coventry automotive repair company has received a jump-start on its way to a major expansion.. XL Accident Repair has undergone extensive development, creating new jobs in the process, thanks to significant investment. James Gosling, business development manager at the firm, insists such expansion would not have been possible without the guidance of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, which helped secure European Regional Development Funding (ERDF) and a ‘large cap grant’. As a result of this funding, XL Accident repair was able to add a new site and take on 11 new staff, branching out the business into new areas, generating further income. “We were looking at expanding within our industry and just like any big expansion it was going to require big investment,” said James. “We knew this would create employment opportunities in the local area, which would be of benefit to the local economy and so our managing director Rob Ally sought the advice of the Chamber. As we are members, it was our first port of call. “They were able to advise us on both the ERDF and large cap grant, which allowed us to complete the expansion. We would not have been able to do it without that help from the Chamber.
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“We have since brought on 11 new employees and opened our new site, Eyebox, in Longford, not far from our main site. “Most of the recruitment has been on the production side of the business, but some have been to help grow the business further. “We have also been able to move into other areas such as training, as well as training our staff in-house.” Support in the form of European Regional Development Funding and a ‘large cap grants’ is available to many businesses that fit a range of criteria. Helena Bassett, business advisor at the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “There are many firms in our region that could meet the criteria for such business support, but many do not think to look into it. “We are able to offer our companies information and guidance on a range of business support programmes, designed to stimulate growth in the economy as a whole, by backing businesses.
“We were delighted to be able to assist James and his team with their expansion, particularly given that it has gone on to, and will continue to, create a number of employment opportunities for people in Coventry and Warwickshire.” For more information about funding support, or business advice from the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce call 024 7665 4321 or email supportforbusiness@cw-chamber.co.uk
Rugby club Wasps have announced a series of planned upgrades at the Ricoh Arena over the coming months, which will improve access, customer experience and increase footfall. Access to Wasps’ new home will be further enhanced in June when a railway station opens on-site at the Ricoh Arena with direct links to Coventry and Nuneaton railway stations. The club has also announced that Hilton Worldwide have agreed terms for the conversion of the Ricoh Arena Hotel into a DoubleTree by Hilton. The Franchisee agreement will be signed upon finalisation of the refurbishment and Hilton Worldwide Board Approval. It is the intention that work will start on the conversion in the second quarter of this year with the new hotel brand launching in early Autumn. Further improvements will include upgrades to existing bars and restaurants. When finished, the Ricoh Arena will offer five bars, three restaurants on-site and more than 20 other food and beverage outlets. As well as being home to Wasps, the Ricoh Arena is one of the UK’s leading multi-purpose venues for business, sport and entertainment. In addition to the 121 bedroom hotel on-site, the Arena also houses a Grosvenor Casino, 20,000 sqm of flexible event space, 80 versatile suites, two restaurants, a Costa Coffee Lounge and the Jaguar Exhibition Hall, which can accommodate up to 12,000 for events, concerts and sporting occasions such as Davis Cup tennis, alongside the 32,600 seater stadium for rugby and football, which increases to a capacity of 40,500 for concerts within the stadium bowl. David Armstrong, Group Chief Executive Officer of Wasps, said: “We are thrilled that another global brand has recognised the powerful potential created by the combination of the Wasps brand and the award-winning venue of the Ricoh Arena - one of the UK’s leading conference, exhibition and entertainment centres. “Working with a high profile hotel partner is a key element in Wasps and the Ricoh Arena’s strategy to position itself as the UK’s leading multi-purpose venue. “Following Wasps’ transformational move to Coventry, we have not only seen the club’s match day attendances triple and hospitality increase by over 500%, but also ACL’s Conference & Exhibition business turnover increase by 50% in the first four months since Wasps purchased the Ricoh Arena. “We are proud to have established a wide range of blue-chip partnerships since our move, including partnerships with two Fortune 500 companies in our Main Club Partner Land Rover and official partner EMC, with more exciting additions to our partner family to be announced in due course."
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Area Focus: Coventry
Technology helps improve dogs’ health
Dr Joanna Miller from Cell Therapy Sciences (left) with Karen Aston of the University of Warwick Science Park’s Venture Centre
Owners can certainly teach their dogs new tricks thanks to stem cell therapy available from a Coventry company. Cell Therapy Sciences provides state-of-the-art technology to help relieve pain and disability in osteoarthritis and other joint problems in dogs. Vets perform a small operation to remove one teaspoonful of fatty tissue from under the animal’s skin along with a blood sample.
These are then taken to a specialist laboratory at the University of Warwick Science Park’s Venture Centre in Sir William Lyons Road where the stem cells are grown up and prepared before being returned to the vet for injection into the dogs. Dr Joanna Miller, science director at Cell Therapy Sciences, said she had previously worked at a company which had carried out similar stem cell treatments in horses to repair their tendons.
“Arthritis is more a problem in dogs than tendon injuries for horses and I knew stem cell therapy worked,” she said. “I wanted to set up a business where the treatment would be affordable for dog owners and give them an individual service. “Vets may discover a dog has arthritis usually because they have a bad leg and they find it painful to walk. “It takes about 10 days to grow up the cells and carry out all the tests to make sure they are healthy and ready to inject. “The key is that we’re growing the dogs’ own cells so that the vet can give them back to the dog to enhance repair naturally and make it easier for them to walk and play because they regain movement in their joints. “We have treated 60 dogs so far throughout the UK since June and vets have told us that they see rapid and long lasting improvements in the dogs’ mobility.” Joanna said Cell Therapy Sciences had an office as well as a
laboratory at the Venture Centre. She added: “It is very helpful working here because we receive parcels containing samples from vets which means we need someone here full-time to receive them which the receptionists do when we are out of the office at meetings or busy in the lab. “It is also useful being part of the University of Warwick and the connections that brings.” Karen Aston, manager at the Venture Centre, said Cell Therapy Sciences was carrying out ground-breaking work. She said: “Cell Therapy Sciences has carried out stem cell therapy for vets located from Scotland to Cornwall to reduce the levels of pain for their customers’ dogs. “The therapy is natural and safe and it is really interesting to see the advances in medical science helping pets. “The Venture Centre is a hive of such innovative businesses and our central location is a major advantage for staff from Cell Therapy Sciences when they are visiting vets throughout the UK.”
Health Education England chief visits Coventry University The chair of one of the country’s leading health organisations visited Coventry University to meet students and see first-hand the work being done to train the future generation of health professionals. Sir Keith Pearson, chair of Health Education England – which was set up by the Department of Health to coordinate healthcare education – was given a tour of the University’s clinical simulation suites and skills labs. Students from courses including nursing, midwifery, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and paramedic sciences met Sir Keith to showcase the knowledge and skills they are acquiring through the University’s NHS degrees. Sir Keith – who was joined on the visit by Jenni Ord, chair of Health Education West Midlands – was also brought up to speed with the University’s forthcoming plans for a £60m Science and Health Building which in 2017 will become the home of the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences and its NHS programmes.
Praise for volunteers Club signs a tasty deal Coventry City Football Club have agreed a tasty new partnership deal with one of the biggest pub chains in the UK. Sizzling Pub Company, which has more than 200 pubs & restaurants around the country – including 12 sizzling pubs in Coventry – has become an official club partner to Coventry City. The deal will see the company take advertising boards at all home matches as well as scoreboard advertising, alongside becoming the official sponsors of homegrown players Lee Burge and Ivor Lawton. Sizzling Pub Company will also have two places in the Legends Membership which includes a range of matchday benefits for their guests for the remainder of the season. During the term of the partnership, the company will also benefit from player appearances at venues in the city. Mark Walter, of Mitchells & Butlers – the company behind Sizzling Pub Company, said: “We are delighted to agree this partnership deal with Coventry City Football Club. “We have a strong presence in Coventry and the surrounding area, and this is good news for the Sky Blues and good news for us as it will help to raise our profile even further in the city. “We are looking forward to working with the club between now and the end of the season.” Tynan Scope, corporate sales manager for Coventry City Football Club, said: “This is a great partnership. Sizzling Pub Company is a national chain and we are extremely pleased to have them on board as one of our official club partners. “We’ve seen what they have done at one of their establishments in the city – The Wallace – by decorating it with City shirts from past and present and that shows the synergy with the club.”
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Coventry Ambassadors pictured with (from left to right) Cllr Faye Abbott (Coventry City Council), Cllr Ann Lucas (Coventry City Council), David Boughey (EnV) and Audrajean Elliott-Davies (CSW Sport)
Dozens of Coventry volunteers have celebrated their success at a glittering ceremony held at the Ricoh Arena. About80 people attended the celebration event which recognised the hard work achieved by those taking part in the award-winning Coventry Ambassador project. In 2014, more than 500 Coventry Ambassadors contributed 3,263 volunteer hours to support a wide range of events across the city. Highlights from the year included the visits of HRH The Duke of Cambridge and Irish president Michael Higgins, the Festival of Motoring, Wasps’ rugby home matches at the Ricoh Arena and the Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire Sport Sainsbury’s School Games county festivals. Coventry City Council leader Cllr Ann Lucas attended as a guest speaker at the event and was joined by Nick Eastwood of Wasps to thank
volunteers for their on-going support. The ceremony also marked the launch of EnV (Coventry) C.I.C, a new social enterprise which will sustain the management and development of the Coventry Ambassador project from 2015. David Boughey, managing director at EnV, said: “The Coventry Ambassador project was introduced to support the 2012 Olympic Games and has continued to grow in strength, having a positive impact right across the city. “The launch of EnV will now help to ensure that the project continues to thrive as we work towards a vision of providing quality events, training and volunteers in the community, by the community and for the community. “As a community interest company, all of the income is reinvested back into the social enterprise to support the on-going training, development and resource provision to our 300 volunteers.
“We are now looking forward to the start of our 2015 calendar of events with volunteers already set to support upcoming Wasps fixtures as well as the CSW Sport winter Sainsbury’s School Games Festival in March.” Audrajean Elliott-Davies, of CSW Sport said the Coventry Ambassador programme is a great asset to the city as it supports both big city events and grass root activities. She said: “We are really grateful to have the support of the Coventry Ambassadors at a number of our School Games events. Not only do they provide a helping hand on the day, but they are also a great point of call for any of our young competitors who may require assistance. “It is really important to have a project such as this within the community and we are delighted to hear that EnV has been set-up to sustain the management and development of the programme.” www.cw-chamber.co.uk
Coventry & Warwickshire in business
Area Focus: Mid Warks
Candidates make pledges to business at hustings event Creating the The candidates bidding to represent Kenilworth and Southam in parliament conditions for rounded off a series of hustings events by the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber growth of Commerce with a series of pledges
to business. Around 40 business people from a range of sectors heard a pitch from five candidates at the session held at the Holiday Inn in Kenilworth. The candidates – Jeremy Wright (Conservative), Bally Singh (Labour), Richard Dickson (Liberal Democrat), Rob Ballantyne (Green Party), and Harry Cottam (UKIP) – then had to face questions from the floor on subjects including housing, The Gateway, red tape and skills. The session was overseen by David Myskow, chair of the Mid Warwickshire Branch of the Chamber. He said: “The event was designed to give businesses and business people from across the constituency an early look at the candidates and to hear from them as they start their election campaigns. “The British Chambers of Commerce has produced its manifesto which has placed heavy emphasis on, among other things,
l/r, David Myskow (Holiday Inn), Rob Ballantyne (Green Party), Peter Burns (Chamber of Commerce), Bally Singh (Labour), Richard Dickson (Liberal Democrat), Jeremy Wright (Conservative), Harry Cottam (UKIP).
skills, supporting long term investment for business, ensuring business is at the heart of local decision making and helping the UK fulfil its export potential. “This was a chance to see how the candidates’ aims matched up to those, but also give a strong indication of where they stand on important local issues. “The fact that this was one of the earliest
hustings events the candidates had taken part in allowed business to give all the candidates a firm impression of what the commercial community is looking for from all of them.” Jeremy Wright went on to be elected to represent the constituency as part of the Conservative Party’s overall majority.
Company on the right track for success A Warwick-based IT company is proving that it has the software for success after expanding into larger office space where it plans to develop an existing strand to the business.
Zenzero IT Solutions, which was set up by Anne and Andy Tasker in 2003, provides bespoke IT support to businesses operating in a variety of sectors across the UK. The company enjoyed a substantial uptake in business during 2014 with expected growth of 50 per cent year-on-year. The firm has also recruited five new members to its team with plans to take on an additional technical analyst.
As part the expansion of its headquarters at the University of Warwick Science Park’s Warwick Innovation Centre on Gallows Hill, Zenzero is planning to further boost its offering with the expansion of Zenzero Software. The additional arm to the business utilises the latest proven Microsoft technologies to develop innovative software which is custom-built to meet specific business requirements of customers. Zenzero, which also has an office in Essex, recently became a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner in recognition of outstanding technical skills in data management, software development and cloud computing. Will Brooks, commercial director at the firm, said: “We are always looking at ways in which we can grow the business and with a highlyskilled team on board we felt it was the right time to promote the software development side of the business. “This has definitely been more of a focus since we moved into larger office space at Warwick Innovation Centre as it enabled us to expand our team, our skillset and also launch two new websites.” He added: “We have had a really good year having secured a number of large contracts as well as witnessing an increase in firms looking to refresh their IT infrastructure. “In particular, as part of establishing Zenzero Software, we have been working on
redeveloping products which were originally created for Legacy technology and aren’t compatible on modern desktops. “We have also seen an increase in demand for cloud computing services and we are currently helping businesses of all shapes and sizes move their IT systems to the cloud by using Microsoft’s Office 365 platform. “Becoming a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner has given us that extra certification, helping prospective customers are able to recognise our commitment to delivering high-quality support and services.” Karen Aston, centre manager at Warwick Innovation Centre, said: “Zenzero has been at Warwick Innovation Centre for over a decade and it is fantastic to see that the firm continues to achieve significant growth year-on-year. “Our flexible approach to property has enabled Zenzero to move to larger offices within the building several times over the last few years. “The IT sector is a fast-paced industry with new technologies being developed every day. We are delighted that Zenzero has been able to boost its offering as part of its expansion and we look forward to offering support to the company in the future. “Warwick Innovation Centre is well-placed to support companies looking to accelerate growth with a wide range of flexible office space available as well as providing links to the University.”
Football team well on the way to hitting its target A thriving junior football club is set to build on its early success after a Leamington law firm provided the assist for an important victory. Lillington Juniors Football Club was formed in November 2013 and, having grown from six members to more than 120, has been awarded charitable status following help from solicitors at Wright Hassall. Founder Ryan Cranton started the club and is delighted the work put in up to this point – off, as well as, on the football pitch – has been recognised. Ryan feels this will allow the club, which has recently become one of only 28 clubs out of the
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2,500 clubs affiliated to the Birmingham County FA to be awarded FA Charter Standard Development club status, to continue on its path to becoming one of the biggest junior clubs in Coventry and Warwickshire. Ryan said: “This status opens things up for us and secures our growth moving forward in terms of funding and sponsorship.” Robert Lee, corporate partner at Wright Hassall, has two children who attend the club’s sessions and oversaw the application for charitable status. He said: “It is great that we have been able to contribute to the long term success of a club, which does great work – as I have witnessed firsthand.
“We had to incorporate the club as a company in order to register it as a charity. This can often be difficult but we were able to demonstrate the club’s current and potential benefit to the community.
“This should allow the club to tap into government grants and other support measures to secure its future.” For more information about Lillington Juniors Football Club visit www.lillingtonjuniorsfc.co.uk
David Myskow, chair of the midWarwickshire branch of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce. The General Election is definitely creeping up and with George Osborne’s last Budget of this Parliament delivered, we are starting to see a final push for power. As businesses and certainly as the Chamber, we are not party political. We want to run our companies, create jobs, pay our taxes and contribute to society and let the Government set the conditions for us to grow. That was the message we wanted to get across at our recent hustings and I hope all of the candidates saw that the vast majority of businesses in Warwickshire make an enormous contribution to the welfare of the area. The Chamber is the voice of business and that is, naturally, more prominent around the time of an election or the Budget, but it’s very important for companies to know that if they have any issues or concerns, they can pick up the phone to me or anyone else at the Chamber at any time. The Chamber has excellent links with our local MPs (as well as at national Government level), with the local authorities and the Coventry and Warwickshire LEP so it means we can raise issues businesses have with the relevant body or person and help to address them. Locally, through the hustings events, we have delivered a strong message to our prospective MPs of what businesses need to sustain the economic growth – including enhancing skills, improving access to finance, funding better infrastructure and providing support for exporters. The British Chambers of Commerce has reflected that at a national level with its Business Manifesto. When it comes to exporting, it’s excellent news that the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce will continue to deliver the UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) support to companies in this area. The UKTI team at the Chamber does an outstanding job in assisting companies who have never exported before, as well as those who already sell overseas and are looking to branch out into different markets. I cannot stress strongly enough, what a wonderful service it is and how important it is for companies in this area to make the most of it. The more businesses we can get exporting from this region and the more investment we can attract into it, will ultimately lead to a stronger economy and, indeed, more jobs. So my advice to companies of all sizes and sectors across Warwickshire would be to get in touch with the team and see how they can support you and your business with overseas trade.
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Area Focus: North Warks
NFU Mutual in Atherstone
Left to right: Amy Croshaw, Wendy Deeming, Kim Thomas, Sarah Nolan, Laura Gillard (Account Manager), Sami Hewings, Rhydian Harris (Sales Advisor), Becky Hall (Account Manager), Kathryn Oliphant, Jess Warren and Emily Henton.
Founded in 1910 by a small group of farmers in Stratford upon Avon, NFU Mutual now operates a trusted network of over 300 offices nationwide, providing specialist insurance, backed up by award winning service – being named ‘Best Insurance Services Provider 2014’ by Which? the consumer champion. The local office, based on Long Street in Atherstone, is run by a 12-strong team of qualified advisers who work with businesses across Warwickshire to provide tailored insurance cover, health and safety advice through subsidiary NFU Mutual Risk Management Services, as well as financial planning services.
Larger commercial customers can also benefit from a central team of sector specialists in commercial underwriting and claims handling. This wealth of expertise, together with a personal local service enables NFU Mutual to fully understand its customers and the issues they face to deliver considered business solutions. NFU Mutual in Atherstone joined Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce in November last year and the organisation is sponsoring the British Chamber of Commerce National Small Business of the Year Award for the second year running.
Commenting on the support and benefits that becoming a Chamber member can bring, Laura Gillard, Account Manager at NFU Mutual in Atherstone said: “Personal, local service is at the heart of NFU Mutual and we’re delighted to be an active part of this thriving regional business community. “We’re looking forward to getting more involved with our local Chamber to help develop our own business and meet like minded business professionals. “Our reputation is built on putting our members first – a goal we share wholeheartedly with the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce.”
Putting election candidates on the spot Paul Carvell, chair of the North Warwickshire branch of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce. It’s been a very busy but very enjoyable few weeks with the Chamber – and that’s going to remain the case now that the General Election is over. In this area, we’ve held two events with Parliamentary candidates to give businesses the opportunity to put their point of view across to prospective MPs and also to ask how they would support business should they be elected. We held the first with the candidates for Nuneaton in our offices at Stewart Fletcher Barrett and, as chair of the Chamber branch, I took on the role of ‘David Dimbleby’ in order to make sure order was maintained throughout!
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It was, in actual fact, a very good debate between the three attending candidates – Marcus Jones (Conservative), Victoria Fowler (Labour) and Keith Kondakor (Green) – and while they didn’t agree on everything (as you’d expect) it was all very considered. Several subjects were raised and discussed including skills, transport and improving Nuneaton town centre and I have no doubt that it helped all three candidates gauge the views of business ahead of the election at the same time as setting out their own agenda. After that, we held a similar event in the North Warwickshire constituency at The Belfry with Mike O’Brien (Labour), Craig Tracey (Conservative) and William Cash (UKIP). I was away at the time so, unfortunately, couldn’t assume the role as chair of the event again but our
Chamber president Peter Burns stepped in and fed back that it was another excellent debate. Following the result of the election, I’d like to congratulate Marcus Jones and Craig Tracey on their election as the MPs for this area. Over the past five years, Marcus has been in regular contact with our branch. He has attended meetings and has also hosted us in Westminster when we have travelled to London to discuss key issues. We would like to develop that same kind of relationship with Craig in order to ensure the voice of business is heard right across the north of Warwickshire. It’s vital that we can raise issues that are affecting businesses in our area and that our MPs are in a position to take those messages down to Westminster in order to bring about change.
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Coventry & Warwickshire in business
Area Focus: South Warks
Consilium Group signs up One of the Chambers’ most recent members, Consilium Group is a specialist, award-winning recruitment firm which places skilled engineering and management professionals into the automotive, aerospace, engineering and energy sectors. With a team of 40, the Stratford-uponAvon based recruiter can boast an impressive list of clients it has built since being founded in 2001 by Adrian Elwell and Russell Tuck – global brands including McLaren, Jaguar Land Rover, Shell and Dyson. It has been a whirlwind 12 months for the team at Consilium – topped off by a £500,000 move into its new Stratford headquarters – a deal that also promises to boost the 40-strong team to over 60 by early next year. The relocation from Alcester came shortly after Consilium scooped two national awards – the first coming as they were ranked as the UK’s ninth best small business to work for by the Great Places to Work Institute. The second recognition came only months later when Consilium was voted as the Best Company to Work For at the 2014 IRP Awards – hosted and awarded by industry body the Recruitment and Employment Confederation. The Consilium story is one of growth and confidence. Driven by the management
team, they have launched an international division which is managing overseas appointments and building key relations across mainland Europe, the Middle East and Asia. “Over the past 14 years we have carved a reputation as a passionate recruitment firm who understands the market and who have a team with a frightening level of talent.” said Russell Tuck, director and cofounder of Consilium. “We’re really proud to provide highly skilled professionals to firms – the kind of
people they are craving to fill skills gaps, boost their productivity, or provide strategic direction from the boardroom table. “We love seeing our clients winning and progressing. But we’re also ambitious and are looking to grow further here in Warwickshire and also at our Worcestershire base. “2015 is a key year for us. It’s all about growth and vitally, cementing our reputation as a recruitment specialist who delivers.”
Coat of arms for pet dogs is launched The world’s first coat of arms for pet dogs to help prevent injuries during attacks from other canines has been launched in Warwickshire. Doggy Defender has been created by Advanced Pet Products Limited in Welford-onAvon, near Stratford, with a £4,746 grant from Funding 4 Innovation, a scheme offering grants to SMEs in rural Warwickshire. The bite resistant protective dog coat, which is the first of its kind in the consumer dog coat market, covers the flanks and backs of dogs where a substantial number of injuries are caused. The coat contains a non-toxic bitter substance to disrupt the attacking dog and enable owners to intervene before the violence escalates. Entrepreneur Mike Vaterlaws, who has developed and patented the product from a prototype, said the unique selling point of the Doggy Defender is that no other protective dog coats of this kind are available for the general public to buy. “Our dog Wookiee has been attacked once before without suffering many injuries and that gave me the idea,” he said. “Scientific research shows that one in four pet dogs are attacked by another dog, leading to distress for the animal and their owner so I applied to Funding 4 Innovation for a grant for a high resolution 3D printer and a fully automated pattern tacking machine to attach webbing to the coats.
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“An inert polyurethane foam is injected between two layers of soft insulating material which is infused with an extremely bitter substance. When teeth bite into the material the attacking dog will be left with an extremely foul taste in their mouth, halting the attack and reducing the severity of any injuries. “The military grade punctured resistant material has been tested by a United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) accredited laboratory. “Doggy Defender is bite resistant rather than bite proof because its aim is to reduce rather than eliminate the effects of an attack. “No-one else is currently manufacturing this type of coat for dogs and it will be available in six sizes from extra small to extra, extra large. “I brain-stormed over various names and I just thought Doggy Defender summed up the product neatly.” Funding 4 Innovation is managed by Coventry University Enterprises. The scheme is part of the Warwickshire Rural Growth Network, funded by Defra and led by Warwickshire County Council on behalf of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership. Mike was referred to Funding 4 Innovation by business coach Tanya King from Pera Consulting as part of business start-up support from the Warwickshire Rural Growth Network and she is continuing to work with him to develop and grow his business.
Doggy Defender inventor Mike Vaterlaws walking Neville the Golden Retriever wearing the coat with Judy Lambourne from Funding 4 Innovation
Judy Lambourne, project manager for Funding 4 Innovation, said Warwickshire is one of five Rural Growth Network pilots in the country which is designed to help innovative SMEs like Advanced Pet Products Limited. “Doggy Defender is a great idea and shows the need for grants to help rural businesses move from the prototype stage to producing a product ready for the market place,” she said.
“As well as selling through his own website, Mike will be selling directly to dog owners through Amazon to tap into the dog coat market which is worth millions annually in the UK alone.” Doggy Defender is available from www.doggydefender.com and for further information about Funding 4 Innovation, visit www.funding4innovation.co.uk For further information on the Rural Growth Network, visit Warwickshire.gov.uk/ruralgrow
‘Warm up your Cold Clients’ A new programme that helps professional services firms in the West Midlands develop new business opportunities by warming up cold clients has been developed by Weave Marketing and Communication Strategy, working in collaboration. The central goal of ‘Warm up your Cold Clients’ is to secure income for professional services firms, which is currently being lost due to inaction. Weave Marketing, established by Lorraine Francis in 2004, builds high value relationships for clients, getting them on the radar of those they wish to do business with. Communication Strategy was set up by Cathy Connan in 2009. Cathy develops and delivers strategic communication programmes designed to support her clients’ commercial goals. “Everyone has them, clients with whom for one reason or another you’ve lost contact,” explained Lorraine Francis. “You completed a project and they were pleased with the results but pressures of work mean they’ve slipped off your agenda. You know if you get back in touch there’ll be more work. But for one reason or another you never quite find the time to do it properly. “Our new service – ‘Warm up your Cold Clients’ – will re-connect professional services firms with former clients and help them explore the potential of new work.” ‘Warm up your Cold Clients’ integrates the expertise of Lorraine Francis and Cathy Connan. It will enable professional services firms to re-connect with a purpose. Delivered over a three-month period, ‘Warm up your Cold Clients’ involves a combination of detailed research, story development, highly tailored content with clear calls to action shared across multiple platforms and a private dinner with a compelling and relevant Guest of Honour. “’Warm up Your Cold Clients’ is focused and measureable,” said Cathy Connan. “The return is crystal clear. Presuming you identify appropriate clients and get the process right, reconnecting with former clients is incredibly profitable.” www.cathyconnan.com www.weavemarketing.co.uk Twitter: @LorraineFrancis; @CathyEConnan LinkedIn: LorraineFrancis; CathyConnan For further information contact Cathy Connan of Communication Strategy email cathy@cathyconnan.com.
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Area Focus: Rugby
Jim Griffin corner
Jim Griffin, chair of the Rugby branch of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce. It remains a very business time politically – what with the Budget and the General Election just around the corner. As a business owner, I want to get on and run my companies, turn a profit, create jobs and pay taxes that ultimately benefit everyone, and rely on the Government of the day to set the right conditions for me to do that. That was the message we wanted to get across at our recent hustings and I hope all of the candidates saw that the vast majority of businesses in Rugby and the surrounding borough make an enormous contribution to the welfare of the area. Our role as a voice for business in this region really comes to the fore around election time but it’s important for companies to know that if they have any issues or concerns, they can raise them with the Chamber at any time of year. We are in regular dialogue with local councils, MPs and the Coventry and Warwickshire LEP – along with a host of other organisations – so we will be able to take those concerns to the right places for you. As I said above, setting the conditions for economic growth is vital and from speaking to Chamber colleagues around the region, we all believe that enhancing skills, improving access to finance, funding better infrastructure and providing support for exporters are all key for the Government after the election in May. In this region, I am delighted to say that the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce will continue to deliver the UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) support to companies in this area. The UKTI team at the Chamber has done a wonderful job over the years in helping a range of firms either begin their export journey or to find new markets for those already selling their goods and services overseas. I would urge businesses of all sizes and sectors to get in touch with the team and really make the most of what is a fantastic service. If it’s the Government’s responsibility to set the conditions, it is up to us as businesses to make the most of them and the UKTI team at the Chamber is a perfect example of that. Companies who export are much more likely to grow and achieve greater success and it is certainly not limited to a specific sector or size of business. With the right help and effort, exporting can open up a world of opportunities to businesses right here in Rugby and it would be great to see an increase in the number of companies trading overseas. Through the help of the team at the Chamber, I have no doubt that can happen.
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Pioneering car hits the road A company which specialises in the manufacture of lightweight acoustic and thermal insulation materials for the automotive industry sent a specially adapted vehicle on tour to showcase its capabilities. The Autins Group in Rugby constructed a specially designed Mini One in collaboration with WMG, the Warwick Manufacturing Group, based at the University of Warwick. The Mini was the centrepiece of The Autins’ exhibition at the three week Automotive Technology Roadshow which travelled to countries across Europe, including Germany, The Netherlands and Belgium, as well as key automotive design and development sites in the UK. The demo car includes 3D and 2D NVH parts which showcase some of the technologies that the company use, such as thermoforming, drape moulding, cut and seal, die cutting and reaction moulding. The unit’s engine has been stripped out with a 32 inch screen in place of the steering wheel and dashboard. There is also a monitor under the bonnet and a surround sound kit in the boot, as well as a wireless touchpad inside the car itself. CEO Jim Griffin said: “The Automotive Technology Roadshow is a great idea which enables innovative British manufacturers like ourselves to demonstrate the technology that we have developed to some of the biggest names in the industry.
“However, instead of waiting for people to come to us, we travelled to them so they could see first-hand how we can help to make vehicles quieter, lighter and more environmentally efficient.” Developed in 2014, the Mini was exhibited at the Society of Motor
Manufacturers and Traders’ annual exhibition in November where it caught the eye of Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Chuka Umunna. The Mini also formed the centrepiece of the AI stand at the IZB international suppliers’ exhibition in Germany last year.
Manufacturer makes shortlist for international Investors in People award Potters Poultry – the UK based manufacturer and worldwide supplier of poultry house equipment has moved its Head Office and main manufacturing site to keep up with ever increasing demand for its products and services.
The company has relocated from its existing site, where it had been based for the past 21 years, to a large modern unit on an industrial estate in the town of Rugby, in the UK’s Midlands region. The move is a sign of further investment by the British manufacturer.
The new site - when fully operational will increase capacity and storage by around fivefold compared to the previous site at Willey Fields. Said Justin Potter, company director: ‘This new site reinforces our UK Midlands base, and offers easy access to both road and rail networks, and was an easy transition for our staff, being only 7 miles from our former site, and - significantly provides us with infinitely better modern communications capability. ‘We will not only have our new Head Office here, but are installing a mezzanine floor in the unit to increase floor space, and allow us to expand our warehousing, stockholding and distribution activities, as well as our manufacturing side. ‘It will also allow us to hold more lines in stock. We expect to double the number of lines we hold when fully operational. This new site will further increase our capability to service the growing global market for poultry farming equipment that responds to changing consumer expectations about poultry health and welfare.’
www.cw-chamber.co.uk
Coventry & Warwickshire in business
Area Focus: Rugby
Oliver is Rugby’s Apprentice of the Year
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Sponsorship opportunities available to support Rugby’s world cup plans 2015 is a unique year for the birthplace of the game as the world cup, kicking off in September, will be hosted in England. Even though Rugby is not hosting any games, the tournament organisers have given the a similar status as the venues which will welcome international teams and visitors. Businesses are being encouraged to be part of activities to support a festival celebrating the spirit of both the town and game.
Engineering apprentice Oliver Miller was awarded the title of Rugby Apprentice of the Year at a special ceremony during National Apprenticeship Week. The award, which is sponsored by Rugby Borough Council in association with Rugby College, saw twelve apprentices nominated from fields as diverse as motor vehicle maintenance, IT, business administration, professional cookery and engineering. Cllr Michael Stokes, Leader of Rugby Borough Council, Yousef Fouda, Director of Rugby College and Mark Pawsey MP handed out the prizes on the night and apprentices Georgina Oag and Claudia Trotman from MTC gave a presentation on “The Italian Job Rally” which saw them
restoring three Minis and driving to Italy to raise money for charity. Oliver, 21, is a Level 3 Advanced Apprentice with Jaguar Land Rover, spending one day a week studying at Warwick Trident College and he impressed the judges with his performance and attitude. Oliver said, “I’m so thrilled – I’ve never won anything like this before. I chose the apprenticeship as I didn’t feel that university would be right for me – I wanted to get my hands dirty! I’m part of the site services department which is involved in maintaining all the machinery and I specialise in the electrical side.
The other finalists were: • James Burrows, Level 3 Apprentice in Light Vehicle Maintenance and Repair with Citroen Peugeot Renault, Rugby • Emma Foster, Level 2 ITP Apprentice with Morgan Sindall • Danni Leadbetter, Level 2 Business Administration Apprentice at Orbit Heart of England • Daniel McGahey, Level 2 Business Administration Apprentice at Rugby Borough Council • Alec-John McLaren, Level 3 Business Administration Apprentice with Morgan Sindall • Joe Owen, Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship in Engineering at Cummins • Alice Rawlinson, Level 3 Business Administration Apprentice at Rugby Borough Council • Lauren Richards, Level 3 Business Administration Apprentice with NHS South Warwickshire Foundation Trust • Adam Yates, Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship in Mechanical Manufacture in Engineering at Orscheln Europ
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“I would definitely recommend apprenticeships to young people – you get paid to learn, get practical experience and at Jaguar Land Rover we get to give back into the community as well which is great.” Two other apprentices were highly commended. Emma Wilding is also a Jaguar Land Rover apprentice, and was unable to attend the ceremony as she was representing the company at an apprentice event at the House of Lords. James Stanley is a professional cookery apprentice at Avon Park School. The judges were impressed with James’ attitude and application and his employer described him as “A real ambassador for the school… much more than an apprentice chef”.
“The award, which is sponsored by Rugby Borough Council in association with Rugby College, saw twelve apprentices nominated from fields as diverse as motor vehicle maintenance, IT, business administration, professional cookery and engineering.”
Throughout the duration of the tournament a Rugby Village will be located in the town centre which will be a hub for match screenings and cultural events. The area will include a covered structure with a giant screen, stage, audio-visual equipment, food & drink and fan activities, whilst being spectacularly dressed to provide a unique experience to visitors. On non-match days a range of cultural events will take place covering art, music, entertainment, comedy, theatre, poetry, heritage and talks from guest speakers. Ahead of the tournament the town will be dressed in official branding and there are already lots of banners and flags installed as the excitement is building up. Local people are being encouraged to be part of a volunteer programme and an education package is being offered to schools in the area. There are number of different art projects including video productions, interactive trials and giant rugby ball sculptures to be placed around the town. If you would like to find out more about Rugby’s plans for 2015 and would like to be involved, please contact Michael Beirne on 01788 533734 or email michael.beirne@rugby.gov.uk.
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News Broadband Connection Voucher Scheme launched A new scheme has been launched in Warwickshire to enable eligible businesses and voluntary organisations to claim grants of up to £3,000 towards the cost of upgrading to superfast broadband. The Broadband Connection Voucher Scheme is now available to any business, charity or voluntary organisation and can cover both fixed solutions, usually fibre connections, or wireless solutions such as satellite or microwave broadband where fibre is not available. Organisations are usually eligible if they employ fewer than 250 people and have a turnover of less than £41m per year. Even sole-traders or businesses run from home can apply, so the scheme is open as widely as possible. The Broadband Connection Voucher Scheme will complement the broadband rollout under the CSW Broadband programme, and is administered by Coventry City Council, who have over 12 months’ experience of the voucher scheme in Coventry prior to its extension into Warwickshire. It is very positive that this scheme is now open to organisations in Warwickshire and organisations are urged to apply as soon as possible. This voucher scheme will help those businesses who need support to connect to the new technologies, and will also help those in areas where the fibre network has not yet reached by contributing to the connection costs of satellite or microwave solutions. Warwickshire has a high number of small enterprises and businesses run from home, and it is important that these should be able to compete against larger businesses in an increasingly global economy. The scheme has been running in Coventry for some time and so far over 300 vouchers have been issued, representing grants with a total value in excess of £500,000. Applying to the scheme is very straightforward and applications will be dealt with promptly, simply visit www.coventry.gov.uk/broadband All enquiries about the scheme should be directed to Coventry City Council by emailing sccbroadband@coventry.gov.uk Remember: A fibre connection may not be available in your area now, but the CSW Broadband network is expanding rapidly. It is a wholesale network that will offer a wide choice of Internet Service Providers, so if you are told that fibre broadband is not yet available in your area, check the CSW Broadband website for more information: http://www.cswbroadband.org.uk and of course, this voucher scheme also covers satellite or wireless solutions if you can’t wait for fibre!
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New charity sets up in Coventry A newly-formed UK charity has selected Coventry as its home for its head office and the base for its nationwide support and advice service for The Ambulance Services Community. TASC, The Ambulance Service Charity has established its UK head office at the Ensign Business Centre, in Westwood Way, where it will deliver a wide range of services to support both serving and retired ambulance personnel and their families and dependents. The move into the 1,350 sq ft premises has been funded mainly by a legacy to the charity and it is planned that up to six staff and other volunteers will be based at the new offices. The charity, which will be formally launched later this spring, aims to become the UK’s leading charity providing support for The Ambulance Services Community. TASC has been formed through a collaboration of funds including The Ambulance Services Benevolent Fund (ASBF), Amcare and The Beds and Herts Ambulance Benevolent Fund and will take forward the valuable work undertaken by ASBF since it was formed in 1986. Serving and retired ambulance service staff together with their families and dependents will be able to access confidential, impartial and independent advice and support through both the TASC support line and a small team of dedicated professional staff based at the offices. Services will include rehabilitation when recovering from illness, injury or disability, mental health support, bereavement and counselling facilities, debt and welfare advice in addition to grant and other funding options. TASC also aims to work with partners in higher education in order to create a range of scholarships for students in the Ambulance Services sector.
Lorna Birse-Stewart has been appointed the charity’s chief executive and will oversee the development of the charity and the delivery of its range of support and services. Lorna said: “TASC is delighted that we have chosen Coventry for our head office and we selected Ensign Business Centre primarily for its location and accessibility for our staff, who we have recruited locally. “Coventry provides a central UK base for visiting trustees, members of the Ambulance Services and supporters and we are keen to raise our profile in Coventry and Warwickshire. “The UK Ambulance Service receives over 10 million 999 calls each year and employs over
70,000 people across both the NHS and private sector. “Members of the service can face a huge number of challenges and demands while providing invaluable support whether it be in front line emergency services, call handling centres, patient transport or other areas of the service. TASC has been formed to support them and to provide help and advice in times of difficulty or urgent need. “The acquisition of a head office in Coventry has meant that we will be able to provide an increased range of support and services through our team of professional staff and the provision of a TASC Support Line.”
Surveying firm reaps benefits of external business development One of the UK’s specialist engineering and surveying consultancies is reporting a notable increase in repeat business orders, and is on course to achieve its growth plans after investing in strategic business development from ROM Consultancy. Smithers Purslow provide nationwide engineering and surveying services on insurance claims and bespoke private sector projects and has enjoyed consistent organic growth since becoming established in 1977. Like any company that has experienced organic growth, Smithers Purslow needed to go from being a business with an informal structure to one with a heightened infrastructure in order to sustain growth. The company wanted to align the vision of its management team, identify potential new market opportunities, and implement a strategy to ensure a consistent stream of repeat business from existing clients. In order to ensure that the business was agreed on a clear vision for future growth, ROM worked alongside the board of directors firstly at an individual level, to ascertain their personal visons, and later collectively, to create a unified business vision, of which the entire board of directors, and wider business, held a vested interest in its success.
Smithers Purslow Director, Andrew Bussey said: “Working individually with ROM, directors were able to really focus on what we wanted the business to do for us and also our staff and clients. As with any business that grows organically, often the internal infrastructure is forced to evolve without structure. This brings issues later on when projecting future growth, as each department has its own individual visions and goals, so it can be difficult to create a holistic growth strategy. Having ROM’s external assistance helped us step away from the business and implement an effective growth strategy together.” Alongside a strategic business vision, ROM also worked with Smithers Purslow to help develop the company’s five year business plan, incorporating a number of practical steps to help the company implement its vision and achieve its long-term growth plans. ROM Consultancy continues to work alongside Smithers Purslow, strategically helping the company with a number of business functions, including, business planning, new business development, and senior management development and succession.
Hereward’s College Champions awarded by Jim Cunningham MP Twelve students from Hereward College were presented with certificates for all their hard work acting as ambassadors for the College. Hereward’s College Champions are responsible for visitor tours and representing the College at external events. The students were particularly recognised for their work during National Careers Week where they collectively contributed 58 hours supporting a host of activities and events which took place
throughout the week. Their time was spent meeting and greeting, hospitality, visitor tours, catering and liaising with external exhibitors. Jim Cunningham MP said: “It is a privilege to present these awards and great to see so many students getting involved in all aspects of the college. Being a College Champion gives the students an opportunity to take part in activities they wouldn’t normally and a chance to think about what they might do in the future.”
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The invisible dripping tap Ever had a dripping tap? Most of us have. It annoys the hell out of you for a while and then you get it fixed, the annoyance goes away, and as a result of stopping the drip, you also end up saving money on your water bill. Energy waste is not dissimilar, but unlike a dripping tap you can’t see or hear energy waste - it just continues relentlessly in the background and you only realise what you’ve wasted when the energy bill hits your desk. That’s the nature of energy. We see it as an inevitable background cost to a business. We pay the bills grudgingly,
1. Cost The first thing you can do is simply buy your energy cheaper. If you’ve been with the same energy supplier for more than a couple of years, chances are you’ll be paying too much, so shop around. Using a broker makes life simple and they can get good prices, but be sure to ask what commission they are taking, as this can be significant.
2. Control The best way of cutting energy cost is not to use it at all. Sounds obvious, but bad control is top of the pile of all energy wasting causes. There are 168 hours in a week, but for many businesses occupation is probably only 50 hours. So, chances are that for more than 70% of the week, most of the energy you use is wasted. How many items of equipment are left on during these unoccupied hours? Computers, printers, lights, boilers – the list will be long. If you can’t be bothered to switch things off manually, then buy some 7-day digital timers and plug your IT and peripheral devices into these, setting main ‘off’ times to nights and weekend. You’ll get your money back very quickly. The worst culprits are usually heating and lighting and for these there are lots of clever controls available now. Web based systems, for example, so you can monitor and control operations miles away from the
not sure of how they come to be as high as they are, or indeed if we can do anything to reduce them. The truth is you can do something about your energy costs, saving thousands of pounds with very little effort. Here are a few clues on where to start. We call them the “Seven Cs” of energy saving.
office. Others use light level, or the proximity of people, to switch systems off when there’s no requirement for them. And these work when no one’s looking.
3. Containment If you use energy, then contain it; stop it from escaping and you’ll save. The main issues here are insulation and draft proofing to stop the loss of energy when heating and cooling. OK, it’s not exciting stuff like solar panels or wind turbines, but it’s simple, unsophisticated, reliable and very cost effective.
4. Consuming Equipment The primary efficiency of energy consuming equipment is a main driver to cost. Good examples are: • Boilers which, if based on an older design, might be operating at below 70% efficiency and could be replaced by equipment running at over 90% efficiency. • Lighting, where a revolution is underway, replacing tungsten halogen and old style fluorescents with either LEDs or high frequency fluorescents, saving in some cases up to 80%. • Refrigeration equipment, which has improved by over 40% in recent years.
5. Counting Here we mean measuring and monitoring. How can you hope to save if you don’t know where the energy is going? Monitors that clip onto your
meter and report to a simple desk display are a cheap useful reminder of your use. Plug-in meters or sophisticated web based reporting systems are also available.
6. Care Caring about your energy use is fundamental and must extend to everyone in the business. It’s common for people to be passionate about their energy use at home, but completely careless about it in the workplace. So educate, encourage and give feedback on energy use. Also, maintain and care for your equipment – boilers and refrigeration equipment are the most neglected.
7. Create Finally, you can create your own electricity or heat by using a renewable source. Both are now supported by long-term subsidies (20 years) from the Feed-in Tariff (electricity) and the Renewable Heat Incentive (heat). Many businesses are replacing old boilers with biomass units so they can claim a subsidy on heat that they use. Others are using areas of roof space to install solar panels – a great idea for a business which uses most of its electricity through the main part of the day and able to offset electricity bought from the grid.
We hope that this article has left you feeling inspired to go and save time, energy and money in your office. If you would like to find out more, we are holding a Chamber Masterclass on 6th July 2015.
“Are you taking care of your business energy, BUYING, SELLING, GENERATING.” Chamber members are invited to join us at Chamber House from 9.30am – 12.30pm for an informative morning about the necessary ingredients of successful energy management for your business. For more information please visit the Chamber website’s events page. If you can’t wait until then, or you’re not a Chamber member, contact us now on 024 7669 8888 to see how we can help you.
Gateway Energy Solutions is a local energy consultancy helping clients with energy purchasing, efficiency surveys, renewable feasibility and accreditation, energy taxation and compliance schemes. Email: info@gatewayenergy.co.uk Tel: 024 7669 8888
www.cw-chamber.co.uk
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Taking care of your business energy
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Call 024 7669 8888 or email info@gatewayenergy.co.uk The Energy Centre, Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth CV8 2LS
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Business Direct: Business Services
Teamwork - the key to success
Edmund Hillary was the first man to climb the summit of Mount Everest…….but he did not manage it on his own. He had a team, and each member showed equal amounts of commitment when planning and deciding how the climb could and should be achieved. It is a well-known fact that much more is achieved with a team effort, in fact when something is
done in a team you are expected to see an outstanding 63% more effective result. Here at Rhino we recommend a supportive, cohesive atmosphere where each member feels encouraged and confident to be able to say how they feel. When it comes to teamwork we recognise that the key skills include :
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Career coaching is relevant to all ages and stages of ĐĂƌĞĞƌ ĚĞǀĞůŽƉŵĞŶƚ͘ /ƚ ŵŝŐŚƚ ĨŽĐƵƐ ŽŶ ƐŽŵĞŽŶĞ͛Ɛ ƉĂŝĚ ǁŽƌŬ Žƌ ĂĚĚƌĞƐƐ ŚŽǁ Ă ƌĂŶŐĞ ŽĨ ĚŝīĞƌĞŶƚ career-related roles and interests work together. It ŵĂLJ ŝŶǀŽůǀĞ Ă ƐŝŶŐůĞ ŝŶƚĞƌĂĐƟŽŶ͕ ƐƵĐŚ ĂƐ Ă ŽŶĞͲƚŽͲŽŶĞ ĚŝƐĐƵƐƐŝŽŶ Žƌ ŐƌŽƵƉ ǁŽƌŬ͕ Žƌ Ă ůŽŶŐĞƌͲƚĞƌŵ ƐĞƌŝĞƐ ŽĨ ŝŶƚĞƌĂĐƟŽŶƐ ŽǀĞƌ Ă ƉĞƌŝŽĚ ŽĨ ŵŽŶƚŚƐ Žƌ LJĞĂƌƐ͘ ĂƌĞĞƌ ĐŽĂĐŚŝŶŐ ĐĂŶ ƚĂŬĞ ƉůĂĐĞ ŝŶ Ă ǁŝĚĞ ǀĂƌŝĞƚLJ ŽĨ ƐĞƫŶŐƐ ŝŶĐůƵĚŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ƉƵďůŝĐ ĂŶĚ ƉƌŝǀĂƚĞ ƐĞĐƚŽƌƐ͕ ƐŵĂůů ĂŶĚ ůĂƌŐĞ ŽƌŐĂŶŝƐĂƟŽŶƐ ĂŶĚ ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƚLJ ĐŽŶƚĞdžƚƐ͘ /ƚ ĐĂŶ ƚĂŬĞ ƉůĂĐĞ Ăƚ ďŽĂƌĚ ůĞǀĞů ĂŶĚ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ƐŚŽƉ ŇŽŽƌ ĂŶĚ ŽĐĐƵƌ ǁŝƚŚŝŶ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŶƚĞdžƚ ŽĨ ĞdžŝƐƟŶŐ ǁŽƌŬ Žƌ ƉĞƌƐŽŶĂů ƌĞůĂƟŽŶƐŚŝƉƐ͘ dŚĞ ĐŽŵŵŽŶ ƚŚƌĞĂĚ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚ Ăůů ŽĨ ƚŚĞƐĞ ĂĐƟǀŝƟĞƐ ŝƐ ůĞĂƌŶŝŶŐ͗ ůĞĂƌŶŝŶŐ ĂďŽƵƚ ƐĞůĨ͕ ĂďŽƵƚ ŽƉƟŽŶƐ ĨŽƌ ŚŽǁ ƚŽ ƐƉĞŶĚ LJŽƵƌ ƟŵĞ ĂŶĚ ĂďŽƵƚ ŚŽǁ ƚŽ ĐƌĞĂƚĞ ĐŚĂŶŐĞ͘
tĞ ŽīĞƌ Ă ƌĂŶŐĞ ŽĨ ĐŽƵƌƐĞƐ ŝŶ ŽĂĐŚŝŶŐ ĂŶĚ ĂƌĞĞƌ ^ƚƵĚŝĞƐ Ăƚ the University of Warwick ŝŶĐůƵĚŝŶŐ MA Career Development and Coaching Studies* and MA Coaching.
· Blended-learning with a ŇĞdžŝďůĞ͕ ŵŽĚƵůĂƌ ĂƉƉƌŽĂĐŚ ͼ &ƵůůͲƟŵĞ Žƌ ƉĂƌƚͲƟŵĞ ͼ ŶŚĂŶĐĞ LJŽƵƌ ĞŵƉůŽLJĂďŝůŝƚLJ ͼ džƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞĚ ůĞĐƚƵƌĞƌƐ
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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Listening – listen to what each member in the team has to say Question – never be afraid to ask a question, clarify each other’s ideas Persuade – exchange, defend and re-think Respect – treat everyone in the team with respect, everyone has an opinion Help – build mutual trust and be honest with people in the team Share – team loyalty and encourage Participate – contribute, manage and organise
Rhino Interiors Group has developed a reputation both locally and nationally showcasing outstanding teamwork in all areas of business acumen. Since we started selling furniture solutions in 1976 from our 30,000 sq ft showroom and premises, our success has been down to our effective teamwork ethos. Year on year sales growth of 42% in the office interiors industry has helped Rhino become one of the leading companies in the Midlands.
With the acquisition of five companies in the last 10 years, and clients including multi-nationals we are growing from strength to strength and we believe this is down to our teamwork. As one of the directors Ben Wheatcroft commonly states; ‘there is no ‘I’ in team.’
For further information visit www.rhinooffice.co.uk
“It is a well-known fact that much more is achieved with a team effort, in fact when something is done in a team you are expected to see an outstanding 63% more effective result.” www.cw-chamber.co.uk
CHARTERED SURVEYORS COMMERCIAL PROPERTY ADVISORS
Bromwich Hardy, award winning commercial property specialists
the mark of property professionalism worldwide
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LEESON BUILDING
BODMIN ROAD
LEAMINGTON SPA
COVENTRY
26,211 sq ft / 2435 sq m
16,798 sq ft / 1560.6 sq m
£165,000 pa
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Industrial Unit
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(from left): Tom Bromwich, David Penn, Richard Hardy
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Penn Signs for Bromwich Hardy A senior regional property figure has joined Coventry-based consultants Bromwich Hardy. David Penn, who has been in practice in the city for 17 years, has been appointed as a partner at the company based at the Cobalt Business Centre and joins from Shortland Penn + Moore. Penn is the only person to have twice won the Property Professional of the Year in the First Pro Awards and is a director of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce.
WEDGNOCK HOUSE 19838 sq ft / 1843 sq m
16,277 sq ft / 1512 sq m
He joins Tom Bromwich and Richard Hardy as partners in the business which has grown rapidly since being established in 2008.
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£2,300,000
COVENTRY Large Office
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Penn said: “I felt I was ready for a new challenge and am very pleased to join Bromwich Hardy at an exciting time for the business. The company has grown impressively and has a very good reputation in the property industry as well as across this region. “I know Tom and Richard very well, I know the way they work and how ambitious they are for the business. I am delighted that they feel that I can add to the team and can help drive forward those plans. “Coventry and Warwickshire is going through significant growth in terms of invest and development and while that brings challenges, it also brings opportunities which I believe can really benefit Bromwich Hardy.” Bromwich Hardy completed more than £50 million of deals last year, and acts for clients across the UK. It was named Coventry Agent of the Year, in 2014 and is listed as one of the top five independent agents in the area.
INTERNATIONAL HOUSE
WARWICK
20 THE PARADE
TECHNOLOGY HOUSE
LEAMINGTON SPA
UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK
1,880 sq ft / 174.72 sq m
4,653 sq ft / 432.35 sq m
£40,000 pa
£60,000 pa
Prime Retail Unit
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Tom Bromwich said: “We feel we are in a very good position to take advantage of the improving property market as well as the industrial and commercial scene in this region, and David can help us achieve that goal.
Period Retail Unit
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“He has great experience, knows the market extremely well and has a very extensive network of contacts across the region. He is a very exciting addition to the team.”
Client Services • Commercial Agency • Investment and Acquisition • Corporate Property Advice
Please Contact Richard Hardy James Brookes
Tom Bromwich David Penn
• Property Management • Development • Valuation
4020 MIDDLEMARCH COVENTRY
29 MILLERS ROAD WARWICK
Units from 3827 sq ft to 10350 sq ft
6,369 sq ft / 592 sq m
P.O.A.
£33,000 pa
tel: 024 7630 8900 office@bromwichhardy.com www.bromwichhardy.com
Industrial / Warehouse
Hi-spec,Trade Counter
Bromwich Hardy 1 The Cobalt Centre, Siskin Parkway East Middlemarch Business Park, Coventry, CV3 4PE
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Coventry & Warwickshire in business
News
Education enterprise expands into sustainable retail Hybrid Arts are a training provider based in Leamington Spa. Now 12 years old and recognised as a key provider of alternative education regionally, they use arts-based practice to support young people in becoming resilient and innovative in both work and wider life. The small team passionately believe that education should be about preparing young people to be versatile, adaptable and enquiring adults. With this ethos in mind, Hybrid Arts are developing a new way of delivering quality work experience that hopes to bring longterm impact for both individuals and the local economy. The company are developing a socially and environmentally conscious fashion and textile brand. Beauty & Truth will transform waste materials into limited edition fashion and interiors collections. The mechanics of the brand will provide opportunities for business and enterprise experience, in the form of internships and work placements that are firmly rooted in the practical application of a business model. The mission is to arm young people with world of world of work literacy through real life experience.
Founder, Stella Carr, said: “The launch of the brand empowers us to build on our strengths in creative education offering professional experience with real currency for local young people.” Hybrid Arts are currently building a network of businesses to inform the model, growing innovative partnerships that will bring employers and their future employees together in conversation. They are open to enquiries from local employers who want to have their say on the kind of skills they need in an employee. Bec Randle, of the company’s Employer Engagement Programme, said: “We need the advocacy and support of employers to help us make real, sustainable changes. We are particularly interested in hearing from
employers in Retail, Fashion, Marketing and Sustainable Development to support us in these early stages. We hope we can work together to create a local work-ready workforce.”
Ultraseal International wins Exporter of the Year for second time running Ultraseal International has scooped Exporter of the Year for the second time running at the Midlands Business Awards 2015. The Coventry-based company, which exports to more than 35 countries worldwide, retained its title in the SME category. Many of Ultraseal’s customers are automotive OEMs and Tier One suppliers as the company is a global leader in finding solutions to porosity in cast metal parts – a problem that can affect automotive parts. Managing Director Gary Lloyd picked up the trophy – an Oscars-style statuette – at a sparkling gala dinner at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole. Praising staff after the ceremony, Mr Lloyd said: “To win this award for the second year
running, given the tough competition, is indeed a major achievement. “I feel very proud of the ongoing team performance that has resulted in this welldeserved recognition – both in Coventry and overseas. “My congratulations and special thanks go to everyone whose daily contributions led to this fantastic achievement – including the Norman Hay Board who continue to support and aplaud Ultraseal’s ongoing hunger for export growth and success.” With a history of innovation, Ultraseal designs and manufactures Vacuum Impregnation equipment and porosity sealants that together provide a permanent and reliable solution to porosity in cast metal parts.
All of its Research & Development, and production of sealants, is carried out in Coventry, UK, and the company also has Joint Ventures in India and China, an office in Japan, an operation in the United States and a renowned job processing shop, Sterr & Eder Industrieservice GmbH, in Germany.
Changes announced at rugby club Wasps, the professional rugby union club, has announced that following the move to the Ricoh Arena and a highly successful start at their new home, it is expanding its senior management team. Derek Richardson, who bought Wasps in April 2013, will now be Chairman of the Board with Mark Rigby taking on the role of President, continuing his long association with the club which began as a player in 1982. Chris Wright, owner of Wasps during the glory years when the club won 11 trophies in 11 years, continues his role as Honorary Lifetime President. CEO, Nick Eastwood, will step up to become Deputy Chairman. In the role of Deputy Chairman, he will lead the longterm strategy for Wasps, including the academy and community programmes, and Wasps successful integration into the Midlands community and business infrastructure. David Armstrong joins the club full-time as Group CEO, and will oversee all commercial aspects of the club, stadium and Arena business. David, who played a significant role in the acquisition of the Ricoh Arena in Autumn 2014, alongside Eastwood, has since managed the integration of the Wasps and ACL (Arena Coventry Ltd) businesses and the preparation for Wasps opening games at the Ricoh Arena. Director of Rugby, Dai Young continues to head up all aspects of the professional playing side at Wasps, having recently extended his contract with the Club until 2019. Derek Richardson said: “We couldn’t have wished for a more successful start to life at the Ricoh Arena and we have been overwhelmed by the support of our loyal Wasps fans and the Coventry and Warwickshire community.”
Music to your customers’ ears An area where enterprising shop and retail owners are saving money is by finding an alternative to paying costly licence fees to PPL and PRS in order to play music in their business premises. PPL represents the musicians who have recorded the music whilst PRS represents the composers Business owners are aware of the benefits of using music as background within a retail unit from playing relaxing music in beauty salons to soothing soft background music in restaurants. With declining revenue from CD sales brought on by the digital download revolution PPL and PRS, who look after the interest of musicians and composers respectively, these organisations are now locating businesses who
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play music without a licence and demanding that a licence is bought in order to play commercially copyrighted music on premises open to the general public. It’s surprising to learn that a lot of business owners don’t realise that you can source good quality copyright free music or royalty free music from companies whose composers are not members of either PPL or PRS and so can play this music paying a one off fee and never have to pay any royalties to PPL or PRS ever again. Becoming a member of PRS or PPL is not mandatory but an option for the composer and so no law is broken by using Copyright or Royalty Free Music. This actually saves the small to medium business a fortune without having to compromise on
quality or rule out using music to relax or inspire their customers. They still have the ambience and atmosphere that music can provide but at a fraction of the cost. One Warwickshire based company in Kenilworth offer NON PRS PPL music for all business premises. AKM Music have a great range of music any business can use and issue certificates which you can send to PPL and PRS to avoid paying any fees to play music in your premises. There are no annual renewal fees , as you simply purchase CDs or CD download whenever you need them For more information visit www.akmmusic.co.uk
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Can recruiters support the opportunities in Coventry and Warwickshire? We recently saw headlines made with Jaguar Land Rover, and London Taxi’s International both investing significant amounts of money into the local economy, and therefore underpinning the confidence probably not seen in the city since the boom times of the sixties. Back then we had 128,000 people associated with British Leyland, mainly due to the subsidiaries and labour intensive methods employed in manufacturing vehicles. So why the investment now and why can recruiters offer a valuable service to these opportunities? Investment does not happen ad hoc, it comes with careful planning, strategy, and risk analysis that are tweaked continuously based on market reaction. Both companies see the opportunity to develop low / zero emission engines, coupled with performance to satisfy a global market. The investment then will be in technology and highly valued, skilled engineers, which according to Ann Lucas, the leader of Coventry City Council will see 7 further jobs created in the supply chain and service sector for every created by this twin investment. This is pure talent acquisition to fulfil these roles. So let us think about that for a minute ... Initial job creation is estimated at 7,000 for both companies. Extrapolate that using the figures from the local council, and we have an estimated 49,000 new jobs on the horizon! Great news indeed, but how do we then find these high value engineers to kick start the process? There is no secret that we have a shortage today without this opportunity. Average number of vacancies with Coventry and Warwickshire is 7000+ (source CV library), so we are adding a factor of 7x to the local market!
So where do recruiters come in to help and how do we rid ourselves of the “estate agent image of the 80s?” 1. Knowledge of the market – good recruiters maintain links with a lot of potential candidates and clients, and will know where the best talent is. They can be good partners and collaborators when searching for the right talent. 2. The ‘hidden candidate’- not all candidates are actively searching and remain passive. Our own experience is that we find candidates by matching them to opportunities, where our experience of both the client and candidate allows us to do this. 3. Applicants over candidates? – There will be a rush to apply for these positions and one of the biggest issues within HR is sifting through applications to find a suitable candidate. Many applicants use a ‘scattergun’ approach, driven by a desire to work somewhere, and also believe it or not, government rules for job applications. This is where an agency can pre-screen applicants to ensure quality over quantity of candidates. 4. Branding – JLR & LTI have no problem with branding, but SMEs looking to support this may have an identity problem. We ensure that we give a good insight, when promoting these companies what it's like to work there, benefits and career openings available, and a feel for the culture. Partnering closely with the right agency will allow them to represent you as an employer they want to work for. We actually have in-house social media capability to support companies in this area as part of our service to clients.
Leading Microsoft Partner is accepted as a supplier to G-Cloud 6 Tisski, a leading Microsoft Partner and global provider of CRM and ERP solutions, has been accepted as a G-Cloud 6 supplier. As a supplier, Tisski can offer affordable end-to-end solutions to the public sector. G-Cloud 6 was launched by the UK Government in February. The Digital Marketplace, of which Tisski will be a part, is designed to introduce public sector organisations, and suppliers of technology solutions to each other in a way that will benefit both parties. Suppliers can offer services across four different lots, Infrastructure as a Service, IaaS, Platform as a Service, PaaS; Software as a Service, SaaS, and Specialist Cloud Services.
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Anna Brookes, CEO at Tisski, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded a place as a G-Cloud 6 supplier, we have worked closely with public sector organisations on a number of occasions and they have found our products and services to be extremely beneficial. Our aim is to be accessible to organisations of all shapes and sizes, and across all industries, and being a G-Cloud 6 supplier supports that vision.” Becoming a G-Cloud 6 supplier is one of a number of Tisski’s recent achievements. The company was also recently accredited by Investors in People.
5. Interim access to key skills – the market remains buoyant, but there is always a time where interim roles may suit your business better during the cycle of working with your customers. The right agency will have access to these key skills allowing your business to fulfil peak demand, cover maternity leave etc. 6. Budget / Money – probably the most contentious, emotional part of why companies do not consider using an agency is cost. Take time to consider what the HR department has to do to fulfil vacancies. Scoping out the job role,
advertising, sifting through applicants, arranging interviews, creating job offers, and even contracts. The internal cost of that is pretty prohibitive but if you compare that to an agency that can deliver all of this for a fixed fee, you may see real competitiveness! For the opportunity to be realised, companies should embrace the services of agencies, ensuring that they choose wisely, and enter into any business relationship without limitation of service level agreements. It is a free market economy and the good companies should have no fear in working like that.
New auction house appoints specialist automotive agency A new classic car auction house, Classic Car Auctions (CCA), has selected Warwickshire based PR agency, Red Marlin, to spearhead its launch and ongoing awareness throughout the UK . With more than 20 years’ experience in marketing and PR for the automotive industry, Red Marlin will be helping to position CCA at the forefront of the burgeoning classic car market, which is worth an estimated £6bn a year in the UK, gaining interest and awareness in the company’s bi-monthly sales which commence in March. As well as providing communications consultancy support and ongoing media relations, the Red Marlin team will also manage the new company’s online communications and social media platforms. “The classic car market is enjoying a boom period so this is a fantastic time to be involved,” said Danny Rughoobeer, managing director, Red Marlin.
“We know the team at CCA extremely well and we are looking forward to helping drive the new business forward and create quite a stir in the marketplace.” CCA will specialise in the sale of ‘everyman’ classic cars, typically up to the value of £25,000. From April, sales will take place every other month in the stunning surroundings of Silverstone circuit pit garages following the special launch sale on 3rd March, which will see renowned classic car expert and motoring journalist Quentin Willson take to the rostrum to help auction the very first lot. Joe Watts, general manager of CCA, said: “Having worked with Red Marlin over the last three years, we knew they were the perfect choice to help us launch and grow CCA. With an intimate understanding of the market, bags of enthusiasm and ideas, they really are helping us to hit the ground running and make an impact on the market from day one.” www.cw-chamber.co.uk
Coventry & Warwickshire in business
News
Local businesses set to thrive Warwickshire County Council, on behalf of the Local Enterprise Partnership, has announced that it has approved an additional £200,000 of grant funding for small rural local enterprises. The new round of awards were made available following the success of the Micro-Enterprise grants, a £500,000 funding stream made available by Defra through its Rural Development Programme for England. Seven new enterprises have received funding between £6,000 and £25,000 to help them expand while two further companies, who have previously received grants, have been successful with other bids to enable them to continue to expand and create more jobs. In all, it is forecast that the funding will help to create nearly 20 new jobs, and safeguard more. The grants are directed towards small enterprises, those with less than ten employees, primarily in the manufacturing, digital media and low carbon technology sectors which are priorities for the Coventry and Warwickshire economy. Among the beneficiaries are organic food and drink specialists, web designers, a gin and whiskey distillery and an aviation engineering company. The previous round of micro-enterprise grants created around 80 jobs in the county and played a vital role in expanding businesses in rural areas. This latest round of grants takes that figure near the 100 mark. Cllr Izzi Seccombe, leader of Warwickshire County Council and CWLEP board director, said: “The new round of awards is an indication of how successful the Warwickshire Rural Growth Network
has been. Economic growth across Warwickshire has improved greatly and if we can encourage small businesses through grants to expand then this will benefit the local community through new jobs and greater business productivity.” Cllr Richard Chattaway, Chair of Communities Overview & Scrutiny at Warwickshire County Council, said: "Many of these small and rural businesses are still trading in difficult economic conditions so I am encouraged that this grant system is ensuring growth and benefitting the local community in all parts of the county." Sean Farnell, a board member of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local
Enterprise Partnership, said: “It is great to hear the grants from the Warwickshire Rural Growth Network are making such a significant difference in our area. The diversity of the businesses who have benefited highlights the tremendous entrepreneurial spirit which exists in Coventry and Warwickshire and we hope more businesses will apply for grants when applications open for the next round of funding.” The grants are part of the Warwickshire Rural Growth Network programme for businesses looking to start and grow. If you would like to find out more, call 01926 412709.
“The new round of awards is an indication of how successful the Warwickshire Rural Growth Network has been. Economic growth across Warwickshire has improved greatly and if we can encourage small businesses through grants to expand then this will benefit the local community through new jobs and greater business productivity.”
DSA celebrate 20 years of international success! DSA celebrated a 20 year-milestone, having established the business as David Sargent and Associates in April 1995.. DSA specialise in developing worldclass live environments for their international clients, using the latest knowledge and technology to enhance visitor engagement and deliver the most outstanding exhibition experiences across the world. Building in Las Vegas, Barcelona and even Dubai, DSA have developed a strong reputation for excellence with history and experience unrivalled by others.
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The company’s early days began in 1979 when founder and chairman, Dave Sargent moved from Surrey to Stratfordupon-Avon, making what is now the Baraset Barn restaurant, his flagship headquarters. The business focus was primarily exhibition stand design and build before the company developed their portfolio to include extensive strategic support and marketing services to its clients. In 1995, David Sargent and daughter Emma Lawrence formed DSA as we know it today, moving their office to the centre of Stratford. As the business has grown, DSA have expanded in size and expertise,
winning large contracts with international clients including Nokia, Hitachi and Sony, building on-going working relationships with global partners. Emma Lawrence, DSA’s Managing Director, said: “We are a family owned and run business that have expanded and grown to create exceptional exhibition spaces across the world and I am extremely proud of all we have achieved. Our investment in new skills, experience, and technology has enabled us to become leaders in our field, able to support our clients to generate a strong return on investment for their organisations.
Support group for children with Down Syndrome launches
Hereward College is hosting Archie’s Smile, a new support group for children with Down syndrome. Archie’s Smile is a charity set up by Rebecca Carless whose son, Archie was born with Down Syndrome in 2013. Its aim is to encourage the natural development of each child focusing on their strengths, gross and fine motor skills, as well as providing sensory play to enhance brain development and mood. The group is also an opportunity for families with pre-school children with Down syndrome to share experiences, advice and see their children interacting positively with each other. Archie’s Smile will also be funding a speech and language therapist to run sessions and provide support to parents. The stay and play group will meet weekly at the College on a Tuesday morning 10 – 12 am. For more information on Archie’s Smile visit their facebook page www.facebook.com/archiessmile
Change in job figures’ cause for concern’
Business leaders in Coventry and Warwickshire say the slight rise in the claimant count across the region should be a cause for concern rather than alarm. In Coventry, the count rose from 4,941 to 5,022 and, in Warwickshire, there was an increase from 3,632 to 3,749. Louise Bennett, chief executive of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “The national trend is that unemployment continues to fall and I don’t believe this is a cause for alarm in Coventry and Warwickshire – but, yes, a cause for concern. “We were never complacent as unemployment fell month after month in Coventry and Warwickshire and I certainly don’t think this is a time to overstate what these figures mean now there has been a rise. “Companies across the patch continue to grow and the current Government – and the one after the election – has to find as many ways as possible under very tight economic circumstance to give businesses the right help to expand and take on new staff. “It’s also about marrying the right people with the right opportunities and making sure they have the right skills. CWT, our training arm, has a strong number of vacancies for apprentices and we need more young people to come forward to take those opportunities. “So there is certainly more that can be done in the short term to get unemployment down further but backed up by longer term measures mentioned in the British Chambers of Commerce’s Business Plan for Britain that will help to ensure even better employment figures going forward.”
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Awards night is an inspiration
Denise Lewis (right) with her mum, Joan, and Arun Kang (Sporting Equals)
Olympic gold medallist Denise Lewis was crowned the Jaguar Lifetime Achievement Award winner at the first Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic sports awards at the Ricoh Arena. The Golden Girl from Sydney was presented with the award at the Lycamobile British Ethnic Diversity Sports Awards (BEDSA) for her services to sport and her fantastic work with children’s medical research charity, Sparks. The former heptathlete, who is now an athletics pundit for BBC Sport, was joined on stage in the E.ON Lounge by her mum, Joan, and Arun Kang from BEDSA’s official charity partner, Sporting Equals. Other winners on the night at the champagne reception and fourcourse gala dinner included
Huddersfield Town manager Chris Powell (The FA Coach of the Year), England cricketer Moeen Ali (The Lycamobile Sportsman of the Year), artistic gymnast Rebecca Downie (The Sporting Equals Sportswoman of the Year) and Paralympic powerlifter Ali Jawad (the UK Sport Inspirational Performance of the Year Award). Sports Minister Helen Grant was among the 500-strong audience along with executives from Sport England, UK Sport, the Football Association and the England and Wales Cricket Board. The public votes were announced to recognise the achievements and progress made by Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities as well as projects and people that support participation in sport from grassroots to the elite level.
Arun Kang, the chief executive of Sporting Equals, said it had been a wonderful occasion and had been a perfect opportunity to recognise the fantastic achievements of all the finalists. He said: “This was our first BEDSA but it won’t be the last. This will act as a catalyst for future years because everyone who attended said they felt the awards were worthwhile. “The awards will create a lasting legacy through the creation of a future champions programme as well as encourage even more participants next year.” Liz Cooper, marketing director at the Ricoh Arena, said the awards recognised individuals who had proved an inspiration to others as well as having made a difference in their chosen fields.
Hereward students prepare for life after college during National Careers Week O’Brien Contractors takes the Lion’s share at Goodman’s Browns Lane Scheme Leading groundworks and civil engineering contractor O’Brien has been appointed to work on Goodman’s regeneration of Browns Lane in Coventry. In the latest phase of the masterplan for the regeneration of the former Jaguar Land Rover site, the Lyons Park development will deliver 214,000 sq ft of modern industrial space to the local area. Appointed by principal contractor, John Sisk, the project will see O’Brien deliver a host of earthworks and groundworks, including: 36,000m2 site cut and fill to form a reduced level excavation for the building foot prints, pad foundations, new storm and foul drainage system and service yards - incorporating the petrol interceptors and an attenuation tank. Stuart Chamberlain, Director, O’Brien Contractors sees the contract as further evidence of the firms diversification strategy paying dividends. He said: “Our ongoing investment in cutting edge surveying equipment and state-of-the-art excavators and bulldozers; equipped with GPS control systems, enables us to continually improve the quality of our work and the speed of installation.” “Our technical expertise is essential in carrying out the works and assisting in creating cut and fill balance on complex and time restricted earthworks schemes. It enables our expert operators to deliver the design to the exact client specifications and ensures we provide the highest quality and level of service possible.” The £1.65m contract will see O’Brien Contractors on-site for 20 weeks, with the overall scheme due for completion this summer.
As part of National Careers Week, Hereward College worked in partnership with local employers to provide support, share information and prepare students for their future careers The new round of Students took part in a whole host of activities as part of Hereward's ‘Building On Week' which involved planning for the future, job applications and interview preparation, trying out different jobs as well as learning about living independently. Local businesses such as BBC Coventry & Warwickshire, Barclays Banks Life Skills, Royal Shakespeare Company and ALS Environmental provided an insight into the various job roles and career paths within their businesses. Students took part in radio interviews, beauty therapy demonstrations, and first aid revival techniques with guidance from St John's Ambulance. Organisations such as Remploy, the National Citizen Service, Vinspired, Evenbreak and Warwickshire Employment Services Team (WEST) were also on hand to provide advice and support. Living independently and the local community was also a key part of the week with West Midlands emergency services, Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, Take A Break Warwickshire and Xpress Yourself, among the organisations discussing independent living after college. Previous Hereward students also got the chance to share their experiences and career journeys once leaving college. The next phase of the students' career journey ‘Moving On' will take place in May with a series of events aimed at supporting them as they leave the college.
If other businesses and support providers would like to take part in future events please contact Employability Developer Tilly Neill on 024 7642 6185 or email tilly.neill@hereward.ac.uk Newly opened greengrocer in Binley Woods, Turnips, has agreed to stock spring plants and decorated plant pots made by Hereward College Students in readiness for mother's day. The students have been taking part in the Tenner Challenge - a nationwide competition to find the next generation of budding entrepreneurs. The competition has given students a chance to think of a
new business idea and put it into practice. Aptly named ‘The Potters', the Hereward team have been busy putting their products together and are hoping they will be a success. Job Coach, Debbie Jones visited the shop for their opening day ceremony with Hereward College student, Molly Griffin. Zoe Turner-Shepherd, owner of Turnips said: "At Turnips we are delighted to support an amazing enterprise which enables young people to gain invaluable employability skills to enhance independence."
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Coventry & Warwickshire in business
News
Arena’s excellence wins national recognition The versatility of the Ricoh Arena has been recognised nationally after the venue was shortlisted in the inaugural Conference and Hospitality Awards 2015. The finalists in 12 categories were announced at the Conference and Hospitality Show at Elland Road in Leeds which was attended by the Ricoh Arena’s head of sales Angela Perkins. The Ricoh Arena has been nominated in the Best Unusual Event Space category alongside Alton Towers Resort, Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Birmingham Hippodrome, Bolton Whites Hotel and Manchester Metropolitan University. The Ricoh Arena nominated Freeman Hall 3, Hall 5 and Bar 87 which was transformed from a canteen used in the building of the venue into an additional events space for business, entertainment and sports events. In 2014, there were 133 events held in the downstairs indoor halls and over the last few years the space has hosted events ranging from sell-out entertainment shows Psychic Sally Morgan and Peppa Pig to car launches by Jaguar and Fiat to White Collar Boxing and British Gymnastics’ trampolining and tumbling competition. It was also the place where season-ticket holders of Premiership rugby club Wasps, the venue’s new owners, were introduced to the Ricoh Arena. Andy Gibb, managing director of the Ricoh Arena, said Freeman Hall 3, Hall 5 and Bar 87 had become an integral part of its conference and hospitality business. “Originally the space was planned for the UK’s first Super Casino but when that plan was changed, it became a canteen for
contractors Laing O’Rourke during the building of the Ricoh Arena,” he said. “We pride ourselves on providing organisers with a versatile space for their events so that they can put their individual stamp on it. “Hall 5 has become a 650-seat auditorium with state-of-the-art AV, retractable seating and an in-built wireless translation service as well as a second exhibition space and break-out room for conferences and exhibitions. “Freeman Hall 3 links to the upstairs Jaguar Exhibition Hall which increases the space available to organisers and means we now have 20,000 sqm of flexible event space. “We have also converted G Casino’s poker room into Bar 87 which is a great
breakout space for meetings, exhibitions and conferences and we have built a dedicated entrance and reception area which is next to a car-park with 500 spaces. “This all adds to our offering for conference and hospitality events and has become one of the most popular areas of our business. “These new awards were open to hotels or venues outside the M25 and were judged by top industry professionals and decision-makers at agencies. “It is fantastic to be among the finalists and it underlines the Ricoh Arena’s versatility in providing unusual event spaces as well as traditional conference and hospitality suites.” The winners will be announced at The Queens Hotel in Leeds on Thursday, April 30.
The benefits of the cloud A Warwickshire cloud computing expert has told an international event that the security and flexibility of the cloud is benefitting small businesses. Hardeep Bains, technical director at Coleshill-based ACUTEC, was selected as a panellist in the Cloud Industry Forum as part of the Cloud Expo Europe at London’s ExCel Centre. He took his place next to the chairman of the event, the chief executive of CIF Alex Hilton, as well as Sander Haar, of multi-billion pound turnover company Ingram Micro, and Pankaj Vekria, from Lan2Lan, at the panel debate which was part of the wider conference. Hardeep said he was delighted to be chosen to talk about the way SMEs are now responding to cloud computing. He commented: “The industry has been talking about the cloud for some time but it’s taken a bit longer to get the message over to SMEs about the benefits. “There’s quite a few reasons. Security is one concern and if their systems are working ok they can take some convincing that strategically it’s good idea to plan ahead and move documents, files, projects to the cloud, sooner rather than later.
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“But I believe the message around safety and security is starting to come across now, especially when you can show smaller businesses that the information that they have in the cloud has the same security as Government agencies that require extremely high levels of security. “On the other hand, more businesses want to access information and files – anytime, anywhere. The cloud is the
easiest and most efficient way to do this. “It’s no longer a case of wanting to ‘dialin’ from home, they want information on the move, on laptops, on tablets and on their phones. It needs to come together seamlessly. “What we are seeing is technology and the needs of business merging and by moving their servers into the cloud, they have both the flexibility and the security they need.”
Shining a light on quality of life in Warwickshire An annual exploration into the Quality of Life in Warwickshire has once again uncovered findings ranging from earnings and employment, to house prices and the county’s booming population. The report says that by 2037 there will be almost 100,000 more people living in Warwickshire, and that one in six of the 624,000 people living in the county will be aged over 75 – around 100,000 people. Currently about one in 12 of the population is aged over 75, just over 40,000 people. The Quality of Life report says that while the ageing population can have health and social care implications, it can also have positives with increased volunteering, spending power and charitable donations. It also states that the population growth will be varied around the county, with North Warwickshire only seeing an 8.4 per cent increase, while Rugby Borough is predicted to increase by 18.9 per cent. There is good news for earnings in Warwickshire over the last year, with the average wage going up by four per cent in the county, ahead of both the regional and national figures. However, houses in Warwickshire are less affordable than the national average, and in particular in Warwick District ‘affordable decent housing’ was identified as an issue needing improvement. The Index of Multiple Deprivation highlights nine areas in Warwickshire that feature in the ten per cent most deprived communities in the country, all nine are in Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough. There are currently 1,100 people longterm unemployed in the county, and half of the long-term unemployed residents live in Nuneaton and Bedworth – 12 years ago the proportion was one fifth. There is good news for education in Warwickshire with pupils in the county performing well at both Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 4, outperforming their regional and national counterparts. Jim Graham, Chief Executive of Warwickshire County Council, said: “As ever, the Quality of Life presents a mixed view, but as a countywide picture earnings are up, education is performing well, and crime and anti-social behaviour is falling. ““I’m concerned that the levels of inequality in Warwickshire are growing. The more prosperous parts of the county have dealt well with recession and downturns in the economy. This is clearly demonstrated using unemployment as an indicator, where the proportion of long-term unemployed in the county is more skewed than ever, with Nuneaton and Bedworth suffering the most. “The Quality of Life report certainly gives an insight into what is happening in the county and guidance on where we might want to start focussing our energies.” To see the report visit http://www.warwickshireobservatory.org /quality-of-life-in-warwickshire-201415/
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President & People
Representing the views of business Dear Member, It has been a busy start to 2015, with lots of opportunities to work on your behalf, representing your views and striving to achieve a better place to do business for local businesses. There have been lots of highlights to my recent work, not least the Hustings and the visit, with Coventry & Warwickshire First, to the House of Commons and I want to thank the Chamber Partnership and Policy Team for all of their hard work and support. On the 19th February, I attended a Civic Dinner given by the Lord Mayor of Coventry, Councillor Hazel Noonan, at the Guild Hall of St. Mary, Bayley Lane Coventry to welcome His Excellency Mr Witold Sobkow, Ambassador of Poland to the Court of St. James. The Ambassador had spent the day in Coventry looking at various projects and places of interest as well as meeting people from the city’s Polish community and it is hoped that this will generate more trade between Coventry and Poland. On the 23rd February, I was pleased to attend the fifth of our Hustings events at the Belfry Hotel. This was the second event for our North Warwickshire Branch and was one of the most interesting debates so far. Our MPs and Parliamentary Candidates were Craig Tracey Conservative, Mike O’Brien, Labour, and William Cash UKIP. They were all to be congratulated for focusing their attention on business, during the event, and what needs to be done in the North. All had a business background. The 26th February saw a “Meet the Chamber” event hosted by Mallory Court Hotel. This was another great event with some 60-plus attendees who undertook some great networking after a short presentation by Louise Wall, Chamber Commercial Director, myself and a few others, including a representative of Coventry Warwickshire Chamber Training and the Chamber’s Conference Support. On behalf of business, I asked our MPs and potential MPs what they would do to support business at a further Hustings event held on the 27th of February. The Coventry Branch Hustings was held at Chamber House and we were joined by Jim Cunningham MP, Labour, Parvez Akhtar, Conservative, Russell Field, Liberal Democrat, Laura Vesty, Green
Party, and AvtarTaggar, UKIP. There was a good attendance and plenty of time for questions after each candidate gave a short presentation. The 4th of March saw a large group of business Leaders attend Westminster to meet some of our MPs. Our host was Nadhim Zahawi MP and we were joined by Jim Cunningham MP and Marcus Jones MP. During the morning, we had short presentations from a range of speakers, with a particular focus on issues that matter most to the professional and services sector. We had some time for discussion and questions as well as a short presentation from Marcus Jones. This was in Committee Room 11 after which we had a chance to go onto the terrace overlooking the Thames before going to lunch in one of the dining rooms during which we were again joined by Marcus Jones. After some discussion over lunch, we left Marcus with some thoughts on how businesses could be helped. The whole day was a great success and a “thank you” must go to Angela Tellyn and Blake Timms for organising such a good day. On the 6th of March I attended the last of our six Hustings events held at the Holiday Inn Kenilworth. In attendance were Jeremy Wright, Conservative, Bally Singh, Labour, Richard Dickson, Liberal Democrat, Rob Ballantyne, Green Party, and Harry Cotton, UKIP. After a presentation from each of the parliamentary candidates, there was time for questions and networking. I have to say that, having attended five out of our six Chamber Hustings events, I have found them interesting and informative. A wide range of topics have been covered and, importantly, the Chamber has been lobbying on behalf of business. Very few were forecasting the election outcome at that stage, but I would sincerely like to congratulate all of our local MPs and very much look to meeting them to discuss the many and varied issues that face business. A great Coventry Partnership Conference was held on 12th March 2014. At the Conference, we heard from Jonathan Browning, Chairman of the Coventry and Warwickshire LEP, who talked about what is happening locally to create growth. He was followed by Professor Andrew Oswald, who talked
about jobs, growth and happy communities. We then heard from Professor Christina Hughes, who talked about Building Partnership Working. This was followed by a fascinating presentation on “Young People - Shaping the Way” by Jamal Vincent, Sarah Boyle and Shelia Bates, followed by panel sessions and workshops. A very useful day organised by our City Council. If you did not come along to the Chamber Trade Expo, at the Ricoh, on 13th March, I have to say that you missed a great event with a real opportunity to network and create business opportunities. Sponsored by the Ricoh and Warwick Net, it was a superb event with some 130 exhibitors and an estimated footfall of some 500 visitors. The morning started with an export breakfast where we met the President of Turkey Chamber who are accredited to the British Chambers of Commerce. This was followed by the opening of the Trade Expo event with several seminars taking place throughout the day. We also heard from two guest speakers at the Women in Business lunch event taking place in one of the seminar rooms. Laura Bielinski, Regional Sales Director of Trinity Mirror Midlands, gave us a brilliant talk on the fast changing face of the media. This was followed by Sarah McLean, who owns and successfully operates 12 McDonald’s restaurants, employing 1,150 staff. Sarah spoke about the world of franchising under the brand of McDonald’s. We also met two of the three young apprentices from Coventry Warwickshire Chamber Training, acknowledged by their employers as outstanding, and it was a great pleasure for me to present them with their certificates. This was probably the biggest and best expo yet. On the 20th March, I attended the launch of KM&T’s Healthy Workforce Initiative; their aim is to bring the very best of Coventry health and sports organisations together and invest their efforts into promoting a healthy and energetic workforce. On the 25th March, I attended a launch of a new “100 Club” by the Heart of England, held in beautiful surroundings of
Peter Burns MBE
the Bishop’s House. The 100 Club is a Heart of England Community Foundation initiative and is about getting 100 businesses to donate up to £1,000, a year, which is just £83 per month, all to be used to help and support community projects. Your Chamber is a big supporter of Heart of England and wants to see the Top 100 Club be a real success. On the same evening, I dashed over to a Civic Dinner to celebrate Jaguar Land Rover’s major investment in our region, with JLR taking 62 acres of land on the Whitley HQ site. This is a doubling of their current footprint and adds a new R&D facility which will house highly-skilled engineers to support the company’s creation of high technology ultra-low emission vehicles for its customers in 180 markets around the world. Very exciting and great for our locality. Then as the month of March drew to a close, I was pleased to hear of the announcement by Geely Group (the owners of London Taxi Company) of their £250 million investment in a new R&D and assembly facility. This will aid the development of next generation electric and ultra-low emission Black Cabs on the Ansty site with the creation of 1,000 new jobs. In my role as your Chamber President, I frequently undertake media interviews and I have certainly taken the opportunity to welcome such great inward investment, but, equally, have had to point out why this makes all the more reason for the Gateway development to go ahead as such success means that we are, indeed, running out of good investment sites. As always, if you want to get in touch with me, please contact me on president@cwchamber.co.uk or contact our Membership Service on angel@cwchamber.co.uk
Appointments strengthen Commercial Banking Services Central Finance, an experienced and professional commercial finance company with offices in Birmingham, Worcester, Warwick, Oldbury and London have welcomed banking professionals Mark Durrant, former HSBC Commercial Banking and Loan Manager and Jackie Field who joins the independent, finance company from Lloyds Banking Group after fifteen years working with SMEs as Commercial Bank Manager. Mark and Jackie join a growing and experienced team at Central Finance heralding over sixty years collective experience in alternative business finance.
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Alison Bradley, Managing Director, Central Finance said the appointment of two new senior business development managers will enable the independent consultancy to boost its team of banking and commercial finance experts to offer its clients an enhanced service and work with more businesses. Central Finance, have worked with over 600 businesses in the last twelve months to raise over £30 million in finance packages, creating new jobs and further investment in research and development, new technology, machinery, infrastructure, training and additional services. www.cw-chamber.co.uk
Coventry & Warwickshire in business
President & People
New headteacher is named
A Coventry headteacher with 20 years’ experience of primary education in the city has been appointed the new head of King Henry VIII Preparatory School. Gillian Bowser will leave her current position of Headteacher at Alderman’s Green Community Primary School at the end of this academic year to take over at the helm of the independent school for three to 11-year-olds in September. She will replace Nicholas Lovell who joined King Henry VIII Preparatory School, which is based on Kenilworth Road and is part of the Coventry School Foundation, as Headmaster in July 2002. Mrs Bowser is from Coventry and was a pupil at Hollyfast Primary School and Coundon Court School before graduating
and qualifying as a teacher from the University of Warwick in 1995. Her teaching career began at Courthouse Green Primary School, followed by Pearl Hyde Primary School. Whilst undertaking her Headship qualification, she was a leading teacher for numeracy with Coventry Local Education Authority. She went on to be part of the leadership team that helped to bring Moseley Primary School out of special measures. The foundations for taking on her first headship at Alderman’s Green in 2008 were cemented at Walsgrave CE Primary School where she spent three years as Deputy Headteacher.
During her time at Alderman’s Green, the school doubled in size with a £7 million new building and achieved its best ever OFSTED outcome. It was also voted Outstanding School Team of the Year for the Midlands at the Pearson Teaching Awards in 2013, and recently won a Pupil Premium Award for being one of the most improved schools in the country for progress with disadvantaged pupils. Mrs Bowser said: “I am really excited by this new opportunity at King Henry VIII Preparatory School. As part of the Coventry School Foundation, it has an incredible reputation and I share its values which centre on the achievement of excellence and the educational experience that goes beyond the classroom.” Mrs Bowser is the first woman to be appointed Headteacher within the Coventry School Foundation, and her appointment follows on from Julia McNaney recently becoming the first female Chair of Governors of Coventry School Foundation. Mrs McNaney said: “Mr Lovell is retiring as Headmaster after 13 years of exemplary service to King Henry VIII Preparatory School and Coventry School Foundation, and he will be sorely missed by staff, pupils and parents. “The Governors are extremely pleased to be able to bring Mrs Bowser to King Henry VIII Preparatory School. She has the experience and the passion to take the school forward in this new era, and we look forward to welcoming her at the start of the next school year.”
Tax Partner appointment for Burgis & Bullock Midlands-based Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers, Burgis & Bullock has further strengthened its tax division with the appointment of Rosy Hughes as the firm’s private client tax partner. As a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Tax Adviser, Rosy has particular expertise in tax planning and advisory work for individuals, trusts and non-domiciles. She will be instrumental in the expansion of the range and depth of the firm’s tax services, with an emphasis on inheritance, capital gains and income tax planning. Rosy joined Burgis & Bullock as an Associate in April 2014 having previously worked as a Senior Manager for EY across the Midlands and nationally. With more than 11 years’ experience in personal and private client work, she will now be responsible for the department’s continued growth across Warwickshire, East Midlands and London. In addition, Rosy will work closely with Anne Rose, Partner and Head of Tax, to
increase and develop the firm’s tax client base which includes businesses and individuals across the UK and overseas. The firm, which has offices Leamington Spa, Leicester, London, Nuneaton and Rugby has a vast array of experience and knowledge to help with client needs including areas such as personal tax, corporate tax and VAT. Wende Hubbard, Managing Partner at Burgis & Bullock, said: “Rosy joined us from a top tier firm with an excellent reputation and her high level of tax experience will make her a significant asset to the firm. We look forward to her continued support and help in developing and driving the firm towards further success in the future.” Rosy said: “I am delighted to be part of a forward-thinking regional practice that is keen to expand its private client tax base and I am really looking forward to helping the firm in its future growth.”
Further expansion for Leamington agency Following its record start to the New Year, Leamington PR agency, Red Marlin is racing ahead with the addition of a new member to its team. Christie Garratt, a recent graduate in English language and literature, has been appointed to the role of account executive at the specialist automotive PR and communications agency and will provide support across a number of the firm’s accounts. This appointment comes during an exciting period of growth for the company, which has seen it secure a number of new clients since the start of 2015, working across areas such as road safety, alternative fuels and classic cars.
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Danny Rughoobeer, managing director of Red Marlin, said: “We’re delighted to have Christie join us at such an exciting time. This expansion of our team will help us provide even more comprehensive and innovative campaigns to new and existing clients in Warwickshire and beyond.” Based in the heart of the automotive industry, Red Marlin specialise in providing communications and marketing support for automotive related companies. The team offers a comprehensive range of services including social media, media relations and communications consultancy.
New team members sign up at specialist
Automotive software specialist Cooper Solutions has welcomed three new senior members to its team after enjoying a strong start to the year. The firm, based in Barford in Warwickshire, has brought in Liz Love as product manager, Ben Felt as senior developer, and also added Jade Costa as support manager. The appointments are all new roles and follow a series of new positions created by Cooper Solutions in late 2014. Liz joins the company following 13 years working on software teams in the clinical research industry and will play a key role bridging the gap between Cooper Solutions’ support teams. She said: “I’ll be providing a key support link between the business management and technical support teams, which will allow both teams to concentrate on their respective priorities and strengthen our support to clients. “It is a new role which I’m really excited about and I’m looking forward to making a difference and helping the business continue to grow.” Ben, who lives in Warwick and hails from California, is an experienced software developer who has worked with a string of high-profile brands during his career. “The company has a really talented software team and is constantly moving Cooper Solutions’ products forward,” he said. “I really enjoy both the creative and technical sides of the job and developing new functionality for products on the market and it was clear from meeting the team here that we are a really good fit for each other.” Jade joins the firm with a sales background in the housing market and will be responsible for providing general support to clients, including helping to broker deals between buyers and sellers using Cooper Solutions’ online auction site FullAuction. Cooper Solutions is one of the UK’s leading providers of specialist webbased software to the automotive industry and works with more than 1,500 dealerships to support online car fleet management, tax-banding compliance, used car stock management and auctioning, forecasting, financial and cash management. Managing director Barry Cooper added: “The growth of the business has put us in a fortunate position of having to create a number of new roles across the company. “We welcomed three new members to the senior team at the back end of the year and we’re delighted to follow that up with another three key appointments. “Liz, Ben and Jade have significant experience and skills to strengthen our team, fit the ethos of Cooper Solutions, and have the hunger to progress with the company.”
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New Members
Welcome to new members Beauty Courses 4 U Centenary Business Centre, Hammond Close, Attleborough Fields Industrial Estate, Nuneaton CV11 6RY 02477 671121 cindy@beautycourses4u.com www.beautycourses4u.com 1st Letting Property Services 95 Allesley Old Road, Coventry CV5 8DB 024 76717901 enquiries3@1stletting.co.uk www.1stlettingandsales.co.uk ABC Van Hire 6 The Stampings, Blue Ribbon Park, Coventry CV6 5RE 02476 700522 www.abcselfdrive.com AKM Music 2 Albion Street, KENILWORTH CV8 2FW 01926 864068 akm@akmmusic.co.uk www.akmmusic.co.uk Acne Cleaning Services 101 Ashington Grove,COVENTRY CV3 4DD 024 76303069 acne.cleaning@outlook.com www.acnecleaningcompany.co.uk Accumen Business Consultancy Ltd Coventry University Technology Park, Puma Way, Coventry CV1 2TT 02476 158146 tej@accumen-uk.com www.accumen-uk.com Armstrongs Accountancy 1 & 2 Mercia Village, Torwood Close, Westwood Business Park, Coventry. CV4 8HX 02476 715 111 paul.farmer@armstrong-accountancy.co.uk www.armstrongs-accountancy.co.uk ASC t/a The Ambulance Services 12 Ensign Business Centre, Westwood Way, Coventry CV4 8JA 02477 987922 jennyarmour@theasc.org.uk www.asc.org.uk B B X UK 'Bank of Spare Capacity' The Flat, 12 Bilton Road, Rugby. CV22 7AB dale.linehan@bbxuk.com www.bbx.com Blue Owl Therapy 1 Badgers Retreat, Leamington Spa CV31 1AH 07941 075831 info@blueowltherapy.co.uk www.blueowltherapy.co.uk Consumer Insight Unit 6, Charles Court, Budbrooke Industrial Estate. WARWICK CV34 5LZ 01926 626808 rupert.carter@consumer-insight.co.uk www.consumer-insight.co.uk
Events Chamber Networking 7th May 8:00 am -10:00 am Anya Court Care Home, 286 Dunchurch Road, Rugby CV22 6JA Free of charge Chamber networking is the perfect way to create new business leads and build long-lasting business relationships. Join us for this free networking event and grow your business contacts. •••
Networking with Neighbours - Solihull
13th May 10:00 am -12:00 pm Motorcycle Museum, Coventry Road, Solihull, West Midlands B92 0EJ Members £10+VAT | Non-members £25+VAT Keen to expand you business network beyond the Warwickshire borders? C&W Chamber and SolihullChamber are coming together to help you promote your business and gain new contacts. Come along and meet your potential business partners face to face and start expanding your business horizons.
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Coventry Sliding Wardrobes Ltd 40 Canon Drive, Ash Green, Coventry CV7 9HJ 02476 061272 info@coventryslidingwardrobes.co.uk www.coventryslidingwardrobes.co.uk Creare Communications Ltd Boughton Leigh House, Brownsover Road, Rugby CV21 1HL 01788 551591 kevin.ord@creare.co.uk www.creare.co.uk DCS Group (UK) Ltd Timothys Bridge Road, Stratford Enterprise Park, Stratford-Upon-Avon CV37 9YL 01789 208000 louise@dcseurope.com www.dcsgroup.com Decisions by Design Mansfield Cottage, Watling Street, Kilsby, Rugby. CV23 8YE 07941 259795 aread@decisionsbydesign.co.uk HR People Matters The Bank Cottage, Ash Lane, Bearley, Stratford-Upon-Avon CV37 0SP 01789 730364 gilly.bloxham@gmail.com Health Exchange CIC Ltd Avoca Court, 27 Mosely Road, Digbert, Birmingham B12 0HJ 0121 6630007 jennifer.jonesrigby@healthexchange.org.uk www.healthexchange.org HRHS Employment Services Ltd 8 Knights Templar Way, Tile Hill, Coventry CV4 9XU 07980 828263 helenhewsonscott@gmail.com Hues Books 27 Lyttelton Road, Warwick CV34 5EW 01926 498746 p2760@me.com www.huesbooks.com ID Genie B2 Abbey Industrial Estate, Bodmin Road, Walsgrave, Coventry CV2 5DB amanda@idgenie.co.uk www.idgenie.co.uk IP Cleaning (UK) Limited PO Box 10372, Leicester LE9 6XR 01455 284459 info@ipcleaning.co.uk www.ipcleaning.co.uk Icon Business Solutions Ltd Tudor Cottage, Kenilworth. CV8 2LE 07787 420786 georgehorton@iconbusinesssolutions.com www.iconbusinesssolutions.com
Jamieson Christie Wealth Management Ltd Regent House, 430-432 Kenilworth Road, Balsall Common, Coventry CV7 7DN 01676 532210 kris@jamiesonchristie.com www.jamiesonchristie.com Jigsaw Complete Communications Unit 1, Ground Floor, Willenhall Lane, Coventry CV3 2AS 02476 017676 audrey.spriggs@jigsawccs.co.uk www.jigsawccs.co.uk Just Ask Jean Ltd PO Box 15025, Shirley, Solihull B90 9FB 0121 2887384 info@justaskjean.co.uk www.justaskjean.co.uk Kids Naturally Photography 38 Node Hill, Studley, Warwickshire B80 7RG 01527 854010 lawrence@kidsnaturally.com www.kidsnaturally.co.uk Lucion Environmental Unit 5 Cosford Business Park, Lutterworth LE17 4QU 01455 248602 robertocallaghan@lucion.co.uk www.lucion.co.uk New Century Global Limited 171 Cherry Tree Drive, Coventry CV4 8LZ 07759 733775 totowanda@gmail.com NSL Automotive Components Ltd Unit 1-3, St Agatha's Road, Stolle, Coventry CV2 4DX 02476 443944 mickparsons@nsl-acltd.co.uk www.nslautomotive.co.uk Not Just A Number Recruitment 14 Park Avenue, Attleborough, Nuneaton CV11 4PQ 02477 045954 jsimms@notjustanumberrecruitment.co.uk www.notjustanumberrecruitment.co.uk Nyra Trading Ltd 101 Lockhurst Lane, Coventry CV6 5SF 027 7767 2210 bohoui@nyra-trading.co.uk www.nyra-trading.co.uk Onefruit IT Ltd 111 Glendower Avenue, Coventry CV5 8BD 07811 939518 ben@onefru.it www.onefruit.co PCK Chocolatiers Ltd T/A Polly's Country Kitchen 698 Woodway Lane, Coventry CV2 2AE 02476 614279 david.pollyscountrykitchen@gmail.com www.pollyscountykitchen.co.uk
Meet Your Chamber Lunch
Chamber Networking
22nd May 12:00 -2:00 pm Glebe Hotel, Church Street, Warwick, Barford, CV35 8BS Free of charge This event will give new and existing Chamber members the opportunity to understand how we can support your business and how to make the most of your membership. It offers members the chance to network with local companies and expand their business network. •••
11th June 8:00 am -10:00 am Coleshill Leisure Centre, Packington Lane, Coleshill, Birmingham, B46 3JE Free of charge Showcase your business to local companies, create new professional contacts and spread the word about your business. Join us for this free networking event at the Coleshill Leisure Centre and meet like-minded business people. •••
Networking with Neighbours Lunch
3rd June 12:00-2:00 pm Holiday Inn, Crick, M1 Jct18, NN6 7XR Member 17+ VAT | Non member £25+ VAT Keen to expand you business network beyond the Warwickshire borders? C&W Chamber and NorthamptonshireChamber are coming together to help you promote your business and gain new contacts. Come along and meet your potential business partners face to face and start expanding your business horizons.
Chamber Networking
23rd June 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm HR Department, Camden House, Warwick Road, Kenilworth, CV8 1TH Free of charge This popular event is the perfect way to generate new leads and create long-lasting business relationships. Come along, meet like-minded people and expand your business contacts.
Find out more information or to book a place please see the events pages at www.cw-chamber.co.uk or contact events@cw-chamber.co.uk
Peter Evans 19 Greenleaf Close, Mount Nod, Coventry CV5 7BG peterevans1965@yahoo.co.uk Phlash Worx Ltd 19 Victoria Business Centre, Leamington Spa. CV31 2AZ 01926 257676 info@phlashworx.co.uk www.plashworx.co.uk Power For Health 14 Sovereign Close, Kenilworth CV8 1SQ 01926 864263 elizabeth@powerforhealth.com www.powerforhealth.com Pro-Actions Business Improvement Ltd Ashley House, Upper Farm Meadow, Gaydon, Warwickshire CV35 0HJ 01926 645999 david.thomas@pro-actions.com www.pro-actions.com Profit-Growth Unlimited 21 Ruskin Close, Rugby CV22 5RU 01788 812050 john@profit-growth.co.uk www.profit-growth.co.uk Purple Monster Training Unit 13, Althorpe Enterprise Hub, Althorpe Street, Leamington Spa CV31 2GB 01926 333288 danielle@purplemonster.co.uk www.purplemonster.co.uk Quattro Display Ltd Runway Farm, Honiley Road, Kenilworth CV8 1NQ 01676 534982 ashleyb@quattrodisplay.com www.quattrodisplay.com Quotidian Investments LLP The Moat House, Dorsington, Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 8AX 01789 721184 peter.richards@quotidianinvestments.com www.quotidianinvestments.com RMS Networks Sherbourne House, Humber Avenue, Coventry CV1 2AQ 07833 449050 mark@rmsnetworks.co.uk www.rmsnetworks.co.uk Redware Ltd The Old School, Holly Walk, Leamington Spa CV32 4JG 01926 659444 mark.lloyd@redware.co.uk www.redware.co.uk Richard Franklin 133 Mantilla Drive, Styvechale, Coventry CV3 6PW 02476 514399 richard@franno.fsnet.co.uk
Rohit Sehgal Unit 4, Slingsley Close, Attleborough Fields Industrial Estate, Nuneaton CV11 6RP sehgal_1984@yahoo.com Steinbock Ltd 3 Badgers Way, Stratford Upon Avon CV37 0UJ 020 32395168 hello@steinbock-interim.co.uk www.steinbock-interim.co.uk Suffolk Clinic 8 Spencer Road, Earlsdon, Coventry CV5 6PA info@suffolkclinic.co.uk www.suffolkclinic.co.uk Suzy Mcs Corporate Catering Ltd Silverstone Drive, Coventry, CV6 6PA 07954 464486 suzy_mc@hotmail.co.uk The Happiness Academy Ltd Glynwood, Tamworth Road, Fillongley, Coventry CV7 8DY 07930 282 802 mo2203@aol.com www.thehappinessacademy.com The Recruitment Initiative Ltd 16 Athena Court, Athena Drive, Tachbrook Park, Leamington Spa CV34 6RT 01926 424111 jobs@2tri.com www.therecruitmentinitiative.com Thompson & Co Insurance Brokers Ltd The Old Exchange, Haslucks Green Road, Shirley B90 2EL 0121 7960123 jennie@thompson.insure www.thompsoninsurance Walpole (Holdings) Ltd Union House, 7-9 Union Street, Stratford-Upon-Avon CV37 6QT 01789 509001 swalpole@walpoleholdings.co.uk www.walpoleholdings.co.uk Waypoint Coaching and Training Ltd 23 River Drive, Atherstone CV9 3SR 07711 070103 nick@waypoint.org.uk Wild Creature Feature 15 Hadrian Close, Leamington Spa CV32 7ED 01926 832407 wildcreaturefeatures@hotmail.com Your School Mind 6 Brookside, Stretton on Dunsmore, Rugby CV23 9LY 02476 545740 contact@yourschoolmind.org www.yourschoolmind.org
Join Export Week (May 18-22) This year’s world fair, Milan 2015, will run from May to October and is set to attract thousands of international visitors. The Expo has the theme ‘Feeding the Planet: Energy for Life’ and will explore topics including sustainability and innovation. To coincide with the key sectors of the Expo, the West Midlands is hosting a week of local events. Network with likeminded companies, hear from expert speakers and explore your potential in high growth international markets. Monday 18 May Automotive opportunities in Mexico Jaguar, Castle Bromwich Companies interested in investing in or delivering to the automotive supply chain in Mexico will benefit from hearing from expert speakers and local companies that have found success.
Tuesday 19 May Global Agritech Opportunities Harper Adams University, Shropshire Join a specialist panel of speakers, find out more about key markets and network with likeminded companies in the agritech sector. Gain an insight into support and advice available locally.
Wednesday 20 May Creative Industries Federation launch roadshow Fazeley Studios, Birmingham A new voice for the industry; the launch will bring together up to 200 representatives from the creative, arts and cultural education sectors to discuss the vibrant community in the West Midlands.
Thursday 21 May Masterclass: labelling and packaging food and drink for export Wythall, Worcestershire Increase your understanding of the requirements for nutrition labelling overseas, including the importance of language, legibility and positioning.
Friday 22 May Business Lunch: Create and grow your business overseas The Moat House, Staffordshire An invitation only lunch will give local women at the head of creative businesses the chance to be inspired by local export success stories including British designer Jan Constantine.
To find out more about any of the events, or to secure your place, call 0345 222 0159 or email enquiries@uktiwm.co.uk.
www.cw-chamber.co.uk
Coventry & Warwickshire in business
Training Dates CWT Training Dates 2015 Customer Care & Communication Customer Service Essentials Account Management NEW Communicating Assertively Complaint Handling NEW Professional Telephone Techniques Business Email Writing Sales & Marketing Marketing and Promoting your Business Succcessful Sales Techniques Telesales - Getting Results Negotiation and Persuasion Skills On Line Marketing Social Media Strategy - Facebook, Twitter and Blogs Practical Social Media Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) Google Analytics Director & Senior Management Inspirational Leadership Project Management NEW Making Business Decisions Branding for Business NEW Middle Management Essentials Internal Quality Auditing ISO9001:2008 Time Management and Delegation Finance for Non Financial Managers Presentation Skills Managing Change in the Workplace Appraising People & Performance Investment Appraisal / Financial decision making NEW Managing Effective Meetings NEW Techniques for Team Leaders Effective Communication Conducting Team Briefing / Buzz Meetings Building the Team NEW Motivating the Team Setting Goals & Targets NEW Training & Coaching the Team NEW Managing Difficult People Understanding Discipline in the Workplace Understanding Budgets NEW Problem Solving Skills NEW Techniques for Team Leaders Suite Full Programme Accredited Qualifications Level 3 Award in Education & Training (City & Guilds) NEW 6 Days Level 4 Certificate in Education & Training ( City & Guilds) NEW 18 Days Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM Level 3) Variable Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM Level 5) Variable Higher National Certificate (HNC) - Business 12 months Foundation Degree in Leadership & Management 2 Years B.A. Honours Degree In Business Management 1 year Foundation Degree in Early Childhood Studies 2 Years 6 Months Health and Safety Health & Safety in the Workplace (CIEH Accredited Level 2 Award ) Risk Assessment - Principles & Practice (CIEH Accredited Level 2 Award) Principles of Manual Handling (CIEH Accredited Level 2 Award) Emergency First Aid in the Workplace (EFAW) HSE Approved First Aid at Work (Accreditation for First Aiders) 3 International Trade Understanding Export and Import Procedures Export Documentation - Getting it Right Letters of Credit for Exporters - A Practical Guide Import Procedures IT for Business Efficiency Microsoft Excel - Basic to Intermediate Microsoft Excel- Intermediate to Advanced Microsoft Excel Advanced Plus Microsoft Word - Intermediate to Advanced Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Project (An Introduction )
Duration
May
Half Day-am Half Day-pm Half Day-am Half Day-pm Half Day-am Half Day-pm Full Day Full Day Full Day Full Day Full Day Full Day Half Day Full Day Full Day
June
14 14
17
18 6
Full Day Full Day Full Day Half Day-am 3 Full Day Full Day Full Day Full Day Full Day Full Day Full Day Half Day-am Half Day am Half Day-pm Half Day-am Half Day-pm Half Day-am Half Day pm Half Day-am Half Day-pm Half Day am Half Day-pm Half Days x 10
Full Day Full Day Half Day-am Full Day Full Days Full Day Full Day Full Day Full Day 30 Full Day Full Day Full Day Full Day Full Day Full Day
July
5 12
24
7
2 2 9 9 16 16 23 23 30 30
8 10,17,24
3
15 5
10
Course dates for the quarter are shown above, please contact CWT Chamber Training on 024 7623 1122 or visit www.cwtcov.co.uk for other course dates and further information www.cw-chamber.co.uk
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