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A Coventry weighing company is tipping the balance in its favour for further success after a grant helped with its growth plans
From the left, Cllr Jim O’Boyle (Coventry City Council), Tom Marren (Coventry Scale Company), Kierandeep Bal (Coventry City Council) and Gary Thyeson (CWLEP Growth Hub)
Coventry Scale Company, which has been based in the city since 1975, provides industrial and commercial weighing equipment for a wide range of sectors including automotive, logistics, pharmaceutical and food production, for customers across the Midlands and the UK, as well as in Europe, the Middle East, the Far East, and East Africa.
The team moved from a 2,400 sq ft premises on Barker Butts Lane in Coundon to a purpose-built 4,300 sq ft unit in Spitfire Close, Coventry Business Park, earlier this year. The new premises has a larger workshop and warehouse, additional office space, plus a product demonstration and training room.
The Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) Growth Hub put the company’s directors, Tom Marren and Neil Keegan, in touch with Coventry City Council and they successfully received a grant of £11,700 from the Investment Fund. This is part of the Coventry and Warwickshire Business Support Programme which is funded through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
The grant has been used to help towards the funding of new office furniture, workshop equipment, plus IT and security systems.
Tom Marren, Managing Director at Coventry Scale Company, said receiving the grant was a welcome addition to the company’s investment in the move.
He commented: “Back in 2015 we changed our business model to focus on industrial weighing which has resulted in year-on-year growth for our company and the need to move to a more fit for purpose business unit. We’ve invested heavily in our move to larger premises, so the funding support from the Growth Hub and Coventry City Council was very much appreciated and helped bolster the amount of capital we’ve been able to spend on new equipment.
“The move has also given us the space to grow our team, and we’ve recently recruited an additional service and calibration engineer, and a business and sales administration assistant.
“This is the start of a new chapter for Coventry Scale Company, and with the added support from the Growth Hub, we’ve been able to create a working environment that provides a strong foundation for our team and business to grow and develop over the coming years.”
Gary Thyeson, Account Manager at the CWLEP Growth Hub, said Coventry Scale Company’s success was emphasised by the fact it has nearly doubled the size of its workspace following its move.
He said: “Tom, Neil, and the rest of the team are innovators in their field, and their expertise is testament to their use of the latest technology as well as their drive to export their goods all over the world.
“Just like the Growth Hub, they provide a tailored and personalised service, and we are here to help businesses of all sizes and in all sectors with their growth to boost the economy here in Coventry and Warwickshire.”
Cllr Jim O’Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change at Coventry City Council, said: “I’m really pleased that the grant support made a positive difference and helped Coventry Scale Company to create two new jobs. That’s exactly what the investment fund is for – to support local businesses to ensure they can grow and to create and protect jobs for local people.
“Like many small businesses in the city, Coventry Scale Company is driving new innovation in its field. I wish them every success for the future.”
Studio space for automotive firms and engineers
Drake Howard Property has been given a unique commission by Envisage Group to market studio and office space to automotive and other engineering sectors.
Envisage has a global reputation for engineering expertise, craftsmanship and quality of service in low-volume automotive manufacturing. The company has created a centre of digital design excellence at Progress Close, Coventry, with unrivalled facilities for engineering special projects.
Aimed primarily at the automotive industry, the space is adaptable for the aerospace, robotics, pharmaceutical, machine tool and other transport and engineering sectors.
The Design Centre provides stateof-the-art studios and ancillary office suites for product development, concept and prototype design, manufacture and restoration projects.
Five studios are available within a highly secure environment. Three feature coordinate-measuring machine (CMM) plates and arms with integral office areas. CMM plates facilitate precision inspection, calibration, measurement and marking out, with modern scanning technology to create threedimensional digital modelling.
Occupation is proposed by licence for periods of between three and 24 months for flexibility with contractled projects. Monthly rents include for parking, business rates, heating/ cooling, utilities, and services such as security and building management.
We are proud to announce that we have been certified against ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems for our recruitment services. The internationally recognised standard demonstrates we meet the needs of our customers through an effective quality management system.
Unitemps certification was obtained through extensive external audits performed by BSI, the business improvement and standards company. The certification aims to enhance customer satisfaction through the effective application of a company’s system, including processes for continual review and improvement.
Carla Whyte, global head of key client engagement at BSI, said: “Huge congratulations to the team at Unitemps for this achievement. Attaining certification to ISO 9001 will provide confidence to Unitemps’ customers and stakeholders that it is carrying out best practice in quality management, and is focused on continually improving its products and services.”
Our decision to work towards the ISO 9001:2015 certification demonstrates our ongoing commitment to continually improving our recruitment services, delivering quality outcomes for our clients, candidates and employees, as well as the high standard of service we currently provide.
Emma Durrant, operations and compliance manager at Unitemps, said: “As one of the most rigorous and wellregarded standards in the world, achieving certification against ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems is a testament to Unitemps’ dedication to the quality standards of the service we provide to our customers. This not only adds to our company goals but offers further assurance to our customers of the excellent and efficient service we deliver with every placement.”
For more information visit www.unitemps.com
Council launches property & development group
Warwickshire County Council has launched Warwickshire Property & Development Group (WPDG) to deliver new homes and commercial, mixed-use and renewable energy opportunities across the county.
WPDG will play an important role in shaping Warwickshire as a place to invest, live and thrive following the COVID-19 pandemic, as part of the council’s Warwickshire Recovery Plan.
It will help the county’s economic recovery, creating jobs and shaping the county as an attractive and desirable place to live and do business. It will also provide a financial return for the council that will enable it to support its priorities through re-investment.
The council has named the first non-executive chair of WPDG and announced details of the organisation’s first board members.
Ian Cox, who has more than 40 years’ experience in the housing and property sector, has joined WPDG as non-executive chair. He brings a wealth of skills and knowledge to the position and is an experienced property developer senior executive who has operated at managing and group director level for 19 years.
Dena Burgher, who has more than 30 years’ experience in FTSE 250 construction companies and public sector organisations, and Mark Hallett, a highly experienced property and regeneration professional with over 30 years’ involvement in the sector, have been appointed as WPDG’s first non-executive directors.
In addition, chartered surveyor Steve Smith has been named as Warwickshire County Council nonexecutive director at WPDG.
Monica Fogarty, chief executive of Warwickshire County Council, said: “I look forward to working with Ian and the board to ensure that WPDG makes a positive impact for Warwickshire residents and businesses.”
WPDG is part of a broader £300m package of investment alongside the Warwickshire Recovery and Investment Fund (WRIF), which Warwickshire County Council has launched to revitalise the local economy.
WPDG will speed up existing regeneration opportunities and identify new regeneration opportunities for county-owned property and land, with the aim of building more affordable and market-priced homes and commercial buildings for new business.
Cash boost to improve college learning provision
Classrooms and workshops at a Midlands college group will be transformed to deliver new technical qualifications after receiving £1.2 million of government funding.
WCG (formerly Warwickshire College Group) has been granted the funding from the £50 million T Level Capital Fund.
T Levels are new national qualifications that form part of the government’s flagship reforms to technical education in England.
The courses combine classroom theory and practical learning with industry placements of at least nine weeks to give students real experience of the workplace.
WCG is among the first college groups to introduce the technical qualifications, with its digital support services T Level being delivered from September 2021.
The college group will be delivering T Levels in engineering, health & science and construction from September 2022.
The government funding will see existing buildings, workshops and classroom space refurbished at WCG’s Rugby College, Pershore College and Royal Leamington Spa College sites for its engineering, health & science and construction T Levels delivery. This is in addition to funding already received to support the delivery of the digital support services T Level at Royal Leamington Spa College.
Rugby College will see a large open space on the second floor transformed into a specialist engineering teaching space, with engineering facilities to be installed for those studying the engineering T Level.
Pershore College will convert a large open space into a series of classrooms and laboratories to assist the delivery of the health & science T Level. This will include the addition of hospital beds and other equipment to provide students with the best learning environment.
Royal Leamington Spa College’s former ceramics building will undergo a major refurbishment with new workshops and classrooms for its construction T Level, with additions including a construction material testing laboratory.
Peter Husband, chief operating officer and group principal of WCG, said: “This successful bid for capital funds to support our T Level provision in 2022 and beyond will ensure we provide a suitable and modern environment in which learning can take place.”
For more information visit www.wcg.ac.uk/tlevels
How has COVID-19 affected the need for commercial space?
During the pandemic, people have discovered that they can be more productive at home and enjoy the freedom of a more relaxed schedule. Very few openly mourn their morning commute so COVID-19 has accelerated the trend for home-working.
However, there are limitations to this where many businesses still depend on face-to-face interaction. Businesses are in the midst of considering whether to keep their commercial spaces at pre-pandemic levels or face the following question: do we need to downsize our commercial space and if so, how?
There are a few options available if you want to downsize your space and we will consider each of the following:
Exercise any break rights – if your lease contains an option to break your lease then you need to ensure that you follow all requirements contained in the lease to be able to validly exercise your break option. The most important points to note (which apply to most leases) are: (a) Check whether any type of consideration is payable to the Landlord upon exercising the break right. (b) Serving the break notice must be in accordance with the notice period contained in your lease – usually this is six months before the break date. (c) If you are in rent arrears, you will most likely be required to pay the outstanding amount before the break notice can be effective.
Sell your lease – if your lease contains provisions allowing you to either assign or sublet, it could be worth trying to find a new tenant to take over your lease.
Speak to your landlord – many tenants are currently dealing with this issue of downsizing and you may find that your landlord would be open to either surrendering your lease, agreeing to downsize your space or simply negotiating a break right into your lease for later in the time.
At Askews Legal LLP, we have a dedicated team of specialists in the commercial property department to deal with commercial property issues.
Business Partnership Warwickshire celebrates 20th anniversary
Warwickshire business owners, Tim & Nikki Bayley, are celebrating the 20th anniversary of their business broker company, Business Partnership.
Two decades after launching their business in Nuneaton, Tim and his wife, Nikki, still feel the same sense of achievement being able to help clients achieve their goals 20 years on from when they took on the business.
Whilst COVID has had many effects on businesses and the UK economy over the last 18 months, Business Partnership has continued to achieve growth and seen an increase in demand from buyers in the e-commerce and manufacturing sectors.
Prior to becoming regional partners with Business Partnership, Tim and Nikki had lived all over the world. Tim left Loughborough University in 1983 with a degree in mechanical engineering and joined British Coal as an underground shift charge engineer. With an eye for the figures, Tim moved over to the regional headquarters and held various project management roles on an exciting major project to develop one of the largest new deep coal mines in Europe, which he saw through to the planning application phase. Tim left to pursue more senior project management opportunities around the world, reporting at board level to large corporations in countries including West Africa, Canada, China, India and Ghana.
By 1997, the couple had their son Josh and decided it was time to move back to the UK. Tim set up his own engineering consultancy in Warwickshire, offering project services to the water and sewerage treatment industry. It was while operating this business that Tim and Nikki took over Business Partnership Birmingham.
Nikkis said: “We saw the advert for Business Partnership and because of my sales background and Tim’s project management background, we thought it would be the perfect fit for us. We are able to run the business around our lifestyle, which allows us to work from home, as well as take work away with us if we’re travelling.”
Entrepreneurial haulage operator drives efficiency with TruTac
Bentons Haulage, experts in UK general haulage, has significantly improved fleet efficiency and compliance across all areas of its operation by using multiple TruTac software products.
Family-run since the 1920s and based near Coleshill, Birmingham, Bentons has used TruTac’s compliance products for more than ten years but only recently added TruFleet maintenance software to manage workshop and vehicle inspection procedures.
Director Shane Benton said: “The impact was instant. It was like the missing piece of the puzzle. We reduced vehicle downtime and workshop maintenance administration by more than 30%, which is driving performance improvements throughout the entire operation.”
Since taking over the reins from his father and uncle with his cousin Ross Benton, Shane is trailblazing a highly respected career and says TruTac is one to watch in the industry. Shane’s keen interest in technology and utilising ‘big data’ from integrated systems is delivering on his goals of working smarter and constantly driving growth.
The investments in technology coupled with an abundance of entrepreneurial spirit and sheer determination have seen Bentons Haulage land multiple large contracts and diversify into new areas at a time when other firms have struggled.
Shane added: “There was a time when we kept a folder in the garage for every vehicle and all information, from maintenance intervals to defect reports, which would be handwritten on various forms. Now, using TruFleet, it’s all done using EPMI electronic documents which means we can quickly enter all information relating to each vehicle and driver without shuffling through reams of paperwork.
“My team, my workshop and even my main dealer can quickly access the on-screen calendar events and vehicle history to see maintenance records, safety inspections, LOLER checks, defect reporting, MOTs, rectifications and audit checks – all at the click of a button, in real time and captured in easy-to-view digital format.”
Shakespeare Distillery toasts double award success
Shakespeare Distillery is celebrating after scooping two recent awards in a challenging year which has seen the business go from strength to strength.
The independent artisan spirit producer has been awarded the Trip Advisor Travellers’ Choice Award 2021 and claimed a silver medal in the International Wine & Spirit Competition 2021 for its Jester White Rum, which was the joint highest placed Britishmade unaged white rum.
The rum was awarded a high-scoring 90 points out of a possible 100 and the judges described the drink as “highly drinkable and packed full of tropical fruit flavours”.
Shakespeare Distillery launched its Jester White Rum in April followed closely by its Jester Spiced Rum in June. The distillery is proud to be one of only a handful of distilleries in the UK to create rum in its entirety onsite.
Each year, Tripadvisor, the world’s largest travel website, pulls together reviews and ratings that travellers share from across the globe and uses that information to spotlight the best. Traveller’s Choice recognises businesses that earn consistently great user reviews and winners are ranked among the top 10% of businesses on Tripadvisor. As challenging as the past year has been, Shakespeare Distillery stood out by continuously delighting travellers; 96% of visitors rated their experience as ‘excellent’. The experiences at the multiaward-winning visitor centre are now running at normal capacity and these include distillery tours, gin schools, cocktail masterclasses and River Avon gin cruises.
Peter Monks, director at Shakespeare Distillery, said: “Our growing team are absolutely delighted to have won these two awards and have something to celebrate. We are immensely proud of the positive feedback that we’ve received and would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to leave a review on Tripadvisor.”
For more information visit http://www.shakespearedistillery.com/
Monica Brown, Warwick Based communications coach and media engagement trainer used her combined expertise as a Broadcaster, Journalist, Speaker, Teaching Fellow, Advocate and Corporate Trainer to support Steven Sainsbury, Technical Director of Haynes Solutions.
Steven confessed, “I didn’t know what to expect initially but after each day I felt so much better generally, even inspired about
Face their fears and fly
doing the final presentation. Given this was my biggest fear and has been since I was very young. it’s a big transformation to be at the point where I’m not trying to run away.”
Monica said “Businesses need to identify the individuals who will be the spokespersons to explain a new service, introduce a new product or process or respond to a problem. These individuals should be trained to respond to questions from journalists, appear on live or recorded television or present explainer videos on the company’s website. Sometimes business leaders themselves hesitate to speak at conferences or industry events because of deep fears of speaking in public. They should anticipate their Communications and Media Engagement needs and make sure they invest in training to prepare team members to tell public stories which win results.”
One 2019 pilot study associated the fear of public speaking with decreased career and professional opportunities. This is evident in many individuals who are otherwise skilled and competent professionals. The ability to present and explain a new process, service or product is essential to business success. However, many professionals working in Digital Finance, the Health, Education, Marketing, and other sectors, confess to a quiet terror which paralyzes their potential to be the voice and face of their organisation.
Monica Brown is keen to work with these professionals from the inside; confronting those long held fears and negative self-talk to crafting and delivering business stories which win results. Monica delivers face to face/online Master classes so her clients can ‘face their fears and fly’.
Monica also designs and delivers face to face or online Master classes for business leaders who must condense their business story into a two-minute interview on Sky news or local radio!
Glide Group appoints new CFO
Glide Group, a market leader in ultra-fast broadband connectivity and deployment of fibre infrastructure, has announced the appointment of Chris Bates as chief financial officer (CFO).
Chris Bates joins Glide having previously worked in private equityowned businesses covering technology, engineering, contracting, construction and service sectors. With more than 35 years of experience in finance, Bates has spent the last decade within CFO roles for organisations such as VPS Holdings, Survitec Group, Hydro International and Supplier Assessment Services.
This latest appointment marks the continued strengthening of Glide’s senior management team. Earlier this year, the group added two other members to its leadership team: chief technology officer, Sean Lowry and chief operating officer, Phil Duggan.
These announcements were soon followed by Glide’s acquisition of fibre network builder, Concept Solutions People (CSP). Now, continuing the organisation’s 2021 momentum, Chris Bates will be responsible for managing Glide’s financial portfolio and future planning as it continues to grow.
He said: “It has been a very exciting and fast-paced year for Glide as it further strengthens its services and adapts to the increased demand for ultra-fast connectivity, which has developed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m looking forward to seeing Glide continue to evolve and mature during this period of growth, creating an infrastructure-based business that delivers excellent networks.”
Tim Pilcher, CEO of Glide Group, added: “Chris’ experience speaks for itself and we are really pleased to be able to welcome him into the organisation. It has been a pivotal year for Glide and following a strong first half to 2021, we are keen to continue with the same upward trajectory. Chris will play a significant role in helping us navigate the future and ensure that we can proceed with development at an exciting time in the coming months.”
Midlands firm announces new hires amid rapid growth
Left to right - Kieran Allen, John Carter, Joe Laird, Tom Branson and Luke Hall A Midlands accountancy firm has recruited six new members of staff and promoted three key seniors across various divisions following a period of “phenomenal” growth.
The new team members at Prime Accountants Group, which has offices in Solihull, Birmingham and Coventry, will play a key role in supporting the company’s rapidly expanding client portfolio.
Kelly Henderson, Luke Hall, Haleemah Razaq, John Carter, Adiba Rauf and Shehla Parveen join Prime from a range of financial backgrounds and bring with them an impressive array of expertise to drive the business forward.
Reflecting on the new appointments, Kevin Johns, managing director at Prime said: “We constantly aim to strengthen and expand our team. We’re delighted to make this a priority once again following a challenging year where we paused our usual recruitment to prioritise the safety of our current team.
“While we have recruited a small number of new staff members over the past year, we are pleased to have welcomed six new members in the last two months alone.
“They have all settled into our team well and we are delighted to have them join the Prime family.
In addition to the new hires, the business has made three senior promotions. Kieran Allen and Joe Laird, who joined Prime as trainees in 2015 and 2017 respectively, have been appointed as audit and accounts manager and audit and accounts senior. Tom Branson, who joined the business in 2017, has also been promoted to an accounts manager.
Shortage of easy access properties is stumping home-hunters
Loveitts properties provide much sought-after easy access and spacious living.
After witnessing a drop in single level easy access properties available within Coventry and Warwickshire, Loveitts Estate Agents has warned that the lack of homes suitable for older people is fuelling the current housing crisis.
Usually associated with conventional reports of avid home-hunters being priced out of jumping onto the property ladder due to the cost of buying rising faster than the average wage, the housing crisis has now taken a new turn.
The lack of appropriate housing available to the elderly or those with disabilities has sparked what Loveitts said was a “hidden” crisis – but a crisis that’s very much being felt across the entire country, with Coventry and Warwickshire no exception.
With many inner-city properties untenable for elderly or disabled people, matters have only been worsened by housing policy which focuses prominently on helping first-time buyers.
Last year, NHBC registered a total of 123,151 new homes in 2020, compared to 160,319 in 2019 and of these, just 1,942 were bungalows. This means that those living with disabilities and the older population are left struggling to find suitable accommodation due to the lack of appropriate homes available.
According to analysis conducted by the Habinteg Housing Association, more than two thirds of all homes set to be built in England over the next ten years will not be accessible for the elderly or those living with disabilities.
Sally Smith, director of Loveitts, said: “The lack of availability of easily accessible homes is not only hugely problematic for the country but for the city of Coventry as well. Cities and large towns are proving a turn-off for older home-movers, including those who have lived in Coventry their whole lives.”
Accountancy firm seals multiple deals
A regional accountancy firm has helped to seal deals worth more than £70 million for its clients over the last year.
Burgis & Bullock’s corporate finance team has completed 12 deals in the last 12 months – one of the most active years in the firm’s history.
The deals have been completed across key sectors including healthcare, IT, manufacturing and engineering.
Its largest deal saw the sale of Plastic Bottle Supplies following its growth from one machine to a major business in the sector over the course of 20 years.
The substantial sale saw the business sold to IPL Plastics, a manufacturer of packaging for a wide range of industries globally including food, consumer products, logistics, agricultural, and automotive.
Burgis & Bullock also supported the shareholders of Microtrading, a Midlandsmanaged service provider focused in the SME sector, in its sale to Nottingham based Air IT.
The deal came as demand for IT support services for remote working grew rapidly during lockdown and marked the first acquisition for Air IT since it received backing from buy and build private equity investor August Equity.
Burgis & Bullock completed several healthcare transactions during the last 12 months, including the sale of domiciliary care business The Care Bureau to Vida Care. The firm helped to identify Vida Care as the right partner for sale and completed the deal.
Simon Chapman, partner at Burgis & Bullock, said: “We’ve seen a lot of activity particularly in the IT, healthcare and manufacturing sectors – which in the case of IT and healthcare can be put down to a boost to these sectors during the pandemic.
“Corporate acquirers and private investors are on the look-out for good quality assets and are particularly keen on companies that have thrived over the last 18 months and shown good adaptability despite the difficult circumstances.
