The official publication of Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce
ISSUE 5 w 2019
A new order
Andy Burnham and Manchester’s future
Spinning revival
English Fine Cottons
Boxing clever
Newland Engineering
Blockchain
Transforming business
Hospitality
What’s new in the city
Welcome This is a special year for the Chamber as it marks our 225th anniversary. We can trace our roots back to the foundation of the Manchester Commercial Society in 1794, later renamed Manchester Chamber of Commerce in 1820, which in turn became Greater Manchester Chamber in 2004. Although Greater Manchester has changed dramatically over the course of two centuries, the Chamber remains at the heart of the local business community. One of our key roles continues to be to act as a forum where our members can debate the key issues affecting businesses. For example, with our Patron IT Lab we hosted a round table event for business leaders to discuss the evolution of the workplace. The event looked at a number of areas including the barriers to introducing new technology and how technology can promote a positive workplace. You can find out more about what was discussed at the event by visiting www.itlab.com/blog. Just as we blazed a trail as the first industrial city in the 19th century, the Chamber and its members continue to excel on the national stage. After being named Chamber of the Year 2017/18 at the Chamber Business Awards, we have followed this up by winning the Excellence in International Trade Services Award 2018/19.
The official publication of Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce
The Chamber provides more than 20 international services to support members from the beginning of their export journey, right through to delivery. These services will be even more important to business whatever happens after Brexit. Chamber members were also successful at the Chamber Business Awards, with Northcoders winning both Business of the Year and Education Business Partnership, and fellow member Join the Dots winning High Growth Business of the Year. In this edition of The Business you’ll find a link to Greater Manchester’s cotton industry heritage in the story of English Fine Cottons, which has brought cottonspinning back to the UK. And Newland Engineering shows how local companies are successfully exporting products around the world. Throughout the coming year The Business will continue to showcase the rich variety of businesses in Greater Manchester. If you have a great story to tell, let us know by emailing communicate@gmchamber.co.uk Simon Cronin Member Communications Manager simon.cronin@gmchamber.co.uk
“Although Greater Manchester has changed dramatically over the course of two centuries, the Chamber remains at the heart of the local business community.”
ISSUE 5 w 2019
The Business magazine is published on behalf of Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce by
Unit 2 Abito, 85 Greengate Manchester M3 7NA
A new order
Andy Burnham and Manchester’s future
David Smalley Director david@wearemixgroup.com Spinning revival
English Fine Cottons
Boxing clever
Newland Engineering
Blockchain
Transforming business
Hospitality
What’s new in the city
Commercial Sales Gary Williams 0161 946 6262 gary@wearemixgroup.com
The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the Chamber. This publication (or any part thereof) may not be reproduced, transmitted or stored in print or electronic format (including, but not limited to, any online service, any database or any part of the internet), or in any other format in any media whatsoever, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information contained in the magazine, neither the Chamber nor the publisher can accept responsibility for any omissions or inaccuracies it contains.
Editor Jim Pendrill jim@wearemixgroup.com Design & Artwork John Hope john@wearemixgroup.com Photography Dan Eden Printed by Stephens & George
www.gmchamber.co.uk
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CONTENTS
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THE BIG INTERVIEW
Away from Westminster, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is enjoying the challenge of running the city. In an exclusive interview he talks about the major issues facing the city’s transport system.
CASE STUDIES
Interviews with leading companies from across the region:
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CHAMBER NEWS
All the latest news and information from the country’s largest Chamber. Including key findings from our latest review of the Greater Manchester economy.
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w English Fine Cottons w Foilco w Newland Engineering
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Find out what’s coming up in the weeks ahead.
DEBATE
Greater Manchester has set out its stall for carbon neutrality within 20 years, but just how realistic is the target and how prepared are businesses?
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48 SECTOR REPORTS
In-depth analysis and comment on Greater Manchester’s key industries, as well as discussion of current issues facing business leaders.
w Manufacturing & Engineering w People w Finance w Technology w Marketing w Property, Construction & Development w Arts, Culture & Leisure
70 REGIONAL UPDATES 80
A summary of the latest news and views from around the ten boroughs of Greater Manchester.
AND FINALLY
Stella Bowdell, Director of Membership, Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce.
OUR PATRONS: THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT www.gmchamber.co.uk/patrons
Elliot House, 151 Deansgate, Manchester M3 3WD w E: info@gmchamber.co.uk w W: www.gmchamber.co.uk Membership: 0161 393 4321 w Events: 0161 393 4343 w International Trade: 0161 393 4348 w Chamber Space: 0161 393 4352 Marketing & Campaigns Director: Chris Fletcher: 07966904149 w chris.fletcher@gmchamber.co.uk w Twitter: @gmcc_fletch Member Communications Manager: Simon Cronin: 0161 393 4335 w simon.cronin@gmchamber.co.uk Digital Marketing Manager: Joanna Preihs: 0161 393 4336 w joanna.preihs@gmchamber.co.uk
@gmchamber
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/gmchamber
/greatermanchesterchamber
Greater Manchester Chamber
/gmchamber Teaching Intensive Research Informed
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CALLING ALL GMCC ENGINEERING MEMBERS
hEadlinE sPonsor
A 2-day conference examining best practices for manufacturers keen to digitalise their business
WElcomE to thE Fourth
industrial rEVolution HoW Will tHe digitAlisAtion of MAnufActuring Help your business?
10 -11 April 2019 manchEstEr, uK
As all Mancunians know, the city was the world’s first industrial city, and launched the first industrial revolution. We are now into the age of the 4th industrial revolution, otherwise known as the digital one, or as manufacturers know it Industry 4.0. For the third year, Manchester once more plays host to the Industry 4.0 Summit & Expo, the world’s first event for the 4th industrial revolution.
to answer questions SMEs have on industry 4.0 and to connect them with experts to guide them on the right path.
The event aims to educate manufacturers on developing their own industry 4.0 strategy, as well as providing a great platform to see the latest smart technology solutions, seek advice and finance from government, meet industry associations, and to network with over 2,000 attendees from 40 countries.
Attendees to the free Expo will be able to see a smart technologies covering automation, robotics, AR/VR, cyber security, 3D printing, big data and other relevant areas.
The event provides manufacturers with a comprehensive overview of industry 4.0, with insights on why to invest in industry 4.0, how to do so step-by-step, the real skills & training needed in this 4th industrial revolution, digital twins, understanding the new energy landscape as well as plenty of case studies of industry 4.0 in action. Since its launch in 2017, the summit has managed to attract a stellar line-up of speakers from industry, government & academia. The next event promises to deliver more great insights from speakers at the sharp end of both leadership and digital transformation. A key focus of the summit is engagement with SMEs and involving them in discussions and providing them with the ideas & tools to help them start their own digital transformation. The event has a special SME clinic onsite
30%
discount
Join us in april and get involved. here’s taster of what we will be putting on….
4 ages of the industrial revolution
1
st
steam Power & mechanised Production
2
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mass Production & Electricity
3
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A FREE to attend 2-day exhibition showcasing the latest products and services for Industry 4.0
computers, robots & automation
4th digital manufacturing
FrEE TICKETS
100 leading tech exhibitors including Bosch Rexroth, Siemens, Beckhoff, Omron, EDF Energy, Festo, IFM, Holovis, Panasonic, Atlas Copco, Ziess, Holovis, SMC, DELL, Microsoft Free to attend Open Technology Forum with over 30 expert presentations RobotZone demonstrating latest robotic technologies for industry IOT Workshops – free training organised by INTEL SME Clinic - for those starting their 4.0 journey to get free advice from industry experts.
Greater manchester chamber of commerce will be exhibiting at the industry 4.0 summit & Expo 2019. GMCC members are entitled to a 30% discount on the Summit fee (which includes free entry to the Expo). Anyone wishing to attend the Expo only will be able to gain free entry. Register Now!
E EXX PPO o 10 -11 April 2019 manchEstEr, uK
Join thE 4th industrial rEVolution
Visit www.industry40summit.com/gmcc | Email info@industry40summit.com
ON
BIG INTERVIEW
ANDY BURNHAM
BACK
TRACK
After last year’s annus horribilis for Greater Manchester transport, Mayor Andy Burnham insists the city is now moving in the right direction. Interviewing Andy Burnham the day after Theresa May’s Brexit deal was initially defeated by MPs in January you might think his mind would be elsewhere, surely missing the cut and thrust of Westminster. It’s a question he admits he’s regularly asked, but he couldn’t be more clear where his heart now lies. “I’m very happy here, I’m in the right job. The problem with asking me the question is that it genuinely implies that Westminster is the only show in town if you are in politics, and I believe that is part of the problem that created Brexit. Westminster is a dysfunctional world that hasn’t looked after all areas equally and, actually, if you carry on with that approach the disillusionment that came through the referendum is only going to grow.”
Instead, he genuinely believes that Manchester is building a new kind of politics that the country needs. “I cannot tell you how exciting it is to be part of that having been in the Westminster world for 16 years. The UK needs a different way of doing politics that empowers people in regions, that is more a partnership of business and voluntary sector, and is where places decide more for themselves rather than being dictated to. “We need a new political settlement. The idea of an over-centralised Westminster system where the London view of life dominates really hasn’t worked. Why have we got a north-south divide? It’s because Westminster has never looked after the north as well as it’s looked after the south, it is as simple as that.”
Transport challenge We are meeting Burnham today at his offices in the city to talk specifically about transport and the multitude of challenges that Greater Manchester faces. Challenges which came to a head in what he describes as the city’s transport ‘annus horribilis’ of 2018 when a flawed new rail timetable plunged the city into crisis. He says the problems “brought things to a head” and says there is now a well understood need for change within Whitehall. “At the start of the year we had a good meeting with the Transport Secretary and very much agreed that there needs to be an agenda for change now which responds. Where we got into difficulty with the rail service was that promises were made to the north that weren’t fully delivered when this new timetable landed, and that is the issue for Whitehall to take on board. Half promises are not good enough when it comes to transport, it needs to be fully backed with all the investment.” As such Burnham feels the profile around transport in the north is probably higher than it has ever been. It needs to be too as the city region faces a string of looming infrastructure decisions, particularly around the HS2 high speed rail line, and the lesserknown Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) initiative which includes plans for a major new east-west rail line and upgrades (see page 11). Joined-up? Are HS2 and NPR joined up enough? “The simple answer is no,” says Burnham. “It is a very complicated picture because you have all the infrastructure questions such as what is happening at Piccadilly Station, what is HS2 going to be in Greater Manchester, is NPR coming and where and how. And then you have more immediate issues of capacity through
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We haven’t done as much as other cities in creating opportunities for people to commute differently. We haven’t made it easy enough for people to rethink how they commute.
central Manchester, the northern hub, and improvements that should have followed on from Ordsall Chord but didn’t. So you have a very complicated picture on the infrastructure investment that Greater Manchester needs, alongside the whole question of day to day performance.” To bring clarity, Burnham says Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is currently developing a rail prospectus that is intended to put all these components together and outline a vision for the right rail system. As part of the wider government review of franchising, Burnham says just as Liverpool has with Merseyrail, so Manchester needs to start thinking of GM rail. “We need to separate out from the big northern rail franchises some of the obviously more GM commuter services so that we can knit them in with Metrolink and take more control of what are commuter services. “Really helpfully the National Infrastructure Commission, amidst the pain of last year, made recommendations for city regions to take more control of the finance of transport and the system itself. We are swimming with the tide but this is the year to make that big argument through the rail prospectus.” Burnham insists it mustn’t be an ‘either/or’ when choosing whether to invest in grand projects such as HS2 or improving existing, day to day services. “It has got to be both. If the north is to fulfil its potential in the 21st century it has to have a good rail service now and in the next five to ten years, but also that investment coming that will take us up to world-class standards in the second half of this century. It is about saying to government that the full attention of the Department of Transport has to be on the rail requirements of the north in a way that it has never been before.”
Integration Nearly two years into his role Burnham is now very clear in his own mind that Greater Manchester needs a far more integrated transport system. “We need a single integrated system that optimises people’s journeys and which allows people to shift easily between the different modes, and that has integrated ticketing. It is not actually that complicated. The trouble is that the transport system works in exactly the opposite way at the moment with individual modes all having different levels of accountability.”
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www.gmchamber.co.uk
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BIG INTERVIEW
ANDY BURNHAM
He says the city is already taking steps down this path. “Rather than just being a debate with the government there are things we can do ourselves. For instance I wouldn’t want people to think that last year was a wasted year. Look at Metrolink. It’s performing well in a difficult transport environment, carrying a record number of passengers, but last year I agreed with TfGM that we would go to a zonal system. That is not just an administrative thing, that gives the travelling public more for their money. I point to that example because I think it is the foundation of an integrated system.” He believes the city is now moving towards a London-style zonal, integrated system. “What we now need to do is add the functionality and the different modes into that system to make it knit together as a whole.” Burnham says there are real parallels between London in the late 1990s and Greater Manchester today. “I was living in London at that time and it had a very fragmented transport system. I’ve spoken to people who were involved in that period when the city first had an
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We have got a problem, transport isn’t good enough at the moment. I don’t control all the levers right now, so in many ways I am as frustrated as other people are…
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elected mayor with Ken Livingstone, and what it brought was a new focus on transport, one voice to cut through all the different competing vested interests of transport bodies. I think something similar is happening here now.” Levers To get there Burnham says the city needs more control of the levers, and cites a number of examples where Manchester can learn from London. “For instance we don’t have the same ability to manage our roads in the way that London has. The yellow box junctions in Manchester can only be enforced by the police. In London you can have a civil penalty, and I am asking for that here because I want traffic to move better. Another example is lane rental. In London, utilities get fined if they over-run on their works, here there is no such discipline. “Or take taxis. I am calling for the government to remove from legislation the provision that allows any taxi registered in any part of the country to work in Greater Manchester. I want us to have greater control over who works here, what standard of vehicle they have, and the level of training they have. We are emerging as a powerful city on the world stage, visitors here will expect to see a taxi service that probably has one livery and is easy to use.
“We also have a debate around clean air. If we are going to help the taxi industry rise to that, it is going to have to invest in its vehicles. My argument to the industry would be ‘we will give you support that you cannot be undercut, but the quid pro quo is you now have to invest more in your operation, your vehicle and your standards’.” Bus reform Significantly, London also has more regulatory powers over its buses. In 2017 the Bus Services Act became law, giving mayoral authorities like Greater Manchester powers to improve bus services by reforming the current market. In his manifesto Burnham made a commitment to use these new powers to make bus services more affordable and reliable. However he says the government hasn’t yet fully enabled him to use all the powers in that Act, but he is hopeful of resolving the issue soon. Meanwhile he adds that the bus industry is “open to change” and that this year the city will decide exactly how it can change. But what about roads, how are things progressing there in terms of reducing congestion? Burnham says it is more than just a mindset problem to get people out of cars, it’s a transport problem too. “In some places people have genuinely little alternative but to get in their car because public transport is not good enough.” He says one of the failings of Greater Manchester has been in an area such as park and ride. “We haven’t done as much as other cities in creating opportunities for people to commute differently. We haven’t made it easy enough for people to rethink how they commute. We have got to stop building for the car, which we have been doing too much in the past. We have got to link development much more to public transport. We have got to have a quality park and ride offer north, south, east and west across the city region, and we have to make it physically easier for people to change how they commute.” ´11
BIG INTERVIEW
Northern Powerhouse Rail
3 WAYS TO USE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TO CLOSE MORE DEALS Time is one of the most scarce resources of modern working life, but can artificial intelligence (AI) empower businesses to focus on more nuanced aspects of sales, such as building client relationships?
WHAT IS AI?
While rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) are providing myriad innovations in tech, many professional services firms are unaware of what it is, how it can prove beneficial, or where to start with it.
It can present itself in many different ways. From Google auto-suggesting search results, or Amazon hinting at what to buy next, to the predictive text feature on your smartphone.
Despite its sophistication, AI doesn’t need to be complicated to introduce into your business. Here are three easy ways you could adopt AI and automation into your processes and begin to reap rewards in 2018.
FIND MORE PROSPECTS
QUALIFY LEADS
CLOSE MORE DEALS
Automate research to find more leads faster One way is to take repetitive, time-consuming systematic tasks and use AI to help. This might be for a research task or to help generate relevant leads. It can be used, for example, to search for information based on predefined criteria, to help with recruitment or business development leads. Tools like Growbots can automate the process of researching and curating potential leads, using algorithmic learning to produce tailored lists of contacts that are highly matched to your specific requirements. Intelligent automation like this can save time and often provide better results than manual research.
Artificial intelligence is precisely that: intelligence shown by non-living things like machines and programs.
For example, our business development and deal management portal, Foleo, observes your prospects as they interact with your proposals or brochures, and uses complex algorithms to determine who exhibits behaviour that has led to a sale in the past. It will then automatically prioritise leads to follow up, highlighting the most interested parties on a per-deal basis - based on prospects’ behaviour and interest in your specific deal.
Anyone travelling regularly between Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds will know the pain of getting across the north, whether by road or rail. Attempts to tackle the north’s poor east-west transport connectivity are not new. Turn the clock back 20 years and one might recall John Prescott’s grand ‘Northern Way’ vision for improving the north’s transport infrastructure. However last year’s rail crisis in Greater Manchester appears to have definitely put the issue further up the agenda in Whitehall. The result has been a renewed focus on Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR), a major strategic rail programme designed to transform connectivity between the key economic centres of the north. Combining new, existing and already planned lines, its vision includes cutting rail journey times from Liverpool to Manchester down to 20 minutes, and Manchester to Leeds down to 30 minutes. Tim Wood, Transport for the North’s director for NPR, said: “The current drivers behind the network at the moment are just incremental changes, we’re looking at an economical transformational programme whereby we can get people quicker into the cities and quicker out of the cities.” NPR is also looking to increase freight capacity between east and west, while Manchester Airport also plays a key part in the plan. “We’ll be looking at Manchester Airport as a global growth area for the north, so we can get better transport links in and out of Manchester and the airport and further connectivity in the north as a whole,” adds Wood. In last October’s Budget the government committed £37m of development funding for NPR, although the total improvements are forecast to cost in the region of £25bn. w
And whilst it may sound like quite a futuristic technology, AI is already established in the business world. So how can you leverage it to improve your business processes or generate leads?
Qualify based on behaviour, not just demographics Qualifying new business leads is one of the most crucial aspects of the sales funnel, and AI can help take things one step further than simply filtering leads based on factual or demographic information.
ANDY BURNHAM
Speak your lead’s language with the help of AI AI excels at systematic and repetitive tasks, but it can also provide valuable insights into the more qualitative side of sales. Virtual assistants like Siri aren’t providing truly human-like conversations yet, but AI can be used to help us communicate with people on a more personalised level. For example, Crystal helps you to write emails to prospects and clients by examining the language they use and personality they show when interacting with you. Crystal then suggests tweaks and changes that can help you ‘speak their language’, and develop a rapport which can lead to much more productive conversations.
I’m Tom from Huddle Digital. We designed and developed Foleo after working with a variety of businesses who needed an intelligent lead generation and deal management tool. We know there is huge potential for AI to transform business, and Foleo could kick start the process for you, by helping your business to:
0161 327 2827
Become more productive when gathering new prospects
info@getfoleo.com
Prioritise effectively when cultivating leads
getfoleo.com/thebusiness
Make more informed decisions based on AI and data insights
Close more deals through intelligent automation
Get in touch with our details to the right to book a free consultation and demo.
If the north is to fulfil its potential in the 21st century it has to have a good rail service now and in the next five to ten years, but also that investment coming that will take us up to world-class standards in the second half of this century.
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Business input Burnham insists that businesses have to help him on this journey and play their part. “One of the things I have asked people to think about is the working day which is still quite traditional here. How do you get businesses to think about giving people a flexible working day, or more ability to work from home? It is a simple answer, productivity. You get more from people if you help them balance their working hours more with their home life.” To that end the Mayor’s office is currently working with the Chamber of Commerce and TfGM on the Sustainable Journeys initiative which is calling on employers to consider offering flexible working to reduce the number of people heading into the city centre during rush hour.
Burnham is keen to stress that he understands how central the issues of transport and congestion are to the success of the city region. “We have got a problem, transport isn’t good enough at the moment. I don’t control all the levers right now, so in many ways I am as frustrated as other people are, but I don’t want people to think that I am blasé about it because I’m not. I have a focus on the transport system from day to day to day. What can we do today to make it a bit better?” Devolution Can greater devolution play a part in this challenge? What about more tax raising powers for the city, wouldn’t that help?
“The whole question of tax raising powers is for a few years down the line,” he replies. “I would rather have control over the public money that is already spent in Greater Manchester. For me, the prior phase before you start talking about tax raising powers, is let us spend all the public money to one strategy so that we can get the best value for public money across Greater Manchester and bring bits of the non-devolved world into our world.” More generally, does he believe devolution is gaining more traction? “I wouldn’t want to overclaim at this point in time but I would certainly be able to say confidently there are things we are making progress on that puts us ahead of other cities and which are a product of devolution. Devolution is beginning to show its potential.” But with a government allconsumed by Brexit is there a risk that the wider devolution drive is derailed? “I don’t think it is derailing things now. It is distracting people to a point where it could begin to become a much bigger problem. The longer we go without resolution the more that distraction grows and the more worried people get.” w
Foleo is a Huddle Digital product. www.gmchamber.co.uk
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CASE STUDY
ENGLISH FINE COTTONS
SPINNING REVIVAL Andy Ogden from English Fine Cottons has led the team that has brought cotton spinning back to Manchester. Two years on, business is booming.
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On a winter’s morning the mist is hanging heavy over the river Tame as one drives up to Tower Mill, so much so that its upper floors are barely visible in the gloom. But within half an hour the sky has cleared and the tower once more stands proud on the horizon. The weather that greets our arrival is rather fitting. For just as the tower rises out of the gloom, so Manchester’s homespun cotton industry is once more rising out of the ashes. Andy Ogden has headed the project with support from fellow Culimeta Saveguard directors Brendan McCormack and Steve Shaughnessy. For Ogden this almost feels like a personal calling. “I used to walk past this mill when I was a lad on the way to school. It’s like if we don’t do this, who will? Here we were sitting on the last short staple spinning system in the UK. We knew that if we didn’t do this, then this industry would be lost forever and with it the skills. You know, in 1900 85% of the world’s cotton was spun within just 25 miles of Manchester.” Ogden, with his team, has turned this moral pressure into an extraordinary business opportunity. Indeed just two
years since reopening the mill business is booming, so much so that he is looking to buy new machines as we speak. After a couple of hours in his company you realise that the success of the venture is inextricably linked with Ogden and his team’s mentality. “When you’re a child you are constantly asking why. But then we seem to stop asking why even though it is inherent in all of us to keep asking questions. We seem to get out of the habit of asking why, of problem solving, of innovating. Why is this business succeeding? Because we do exactly these things. Yes, there are a myriad of challenges to face on a daily basis, there are hundreds of reasons why you should not do something. The biggest challenge is turning that mentality on its head.” It also helps that Ogden is passionate about the textiles industry, bemoaning those who put it down as an industry that is somehow outdated and irrelevant. “We need to take this conversation to a higher level. Textiles is actually an industry of the future that can be relied upon, people will always need to wear
We knew that if we didn’t do this, then this industry would be lost forever and with it the skills.
clothes. Technology will only enhance the industry, it won’t supersede it. “Yes, technology might be replacing sowing machinists in some factories. Yes, automation may simplify, streamline, and reduce costs. But the process of textile production will always be needed. People will still need to design and make machines.” Spark So where did the spark of the idea for resurrecting cotton production come from? The answer is to be found in the building opposite Tower Mill which is home to English Fine Cottons’ parent company Culimeta Saveguard. One of the hallmarks of that company is that it manufactures innovative, modern safety products using machinery built in the 1960s and 1970s, machinery that it has acquired from cotton mills that have closed across the city. But instead of spinning cotton on its machines, it uses them for the production of high-performing materials such as Kevlar yarn, stainless steel and glass fibres. As such Ogden had always harboured dreams of also using the machines for their original use. “We used to look out of our window when we were making a brew and see Tower Mill right in front of us. We started thinking, what if we could bring back cotton production, and began investigating. “We were confident that the demand for a product was there from weavers and clothing manufacturers across
the UK because we knew that in order to get hold of spun cotton they were having to buy volume in containers from the other side of the world which was not the most efficient way. They would often end up with more cotton than they needed, and paying more than they needed. So we thought what if we could start cotton production right here, supply weavers quickly, bring their lead times right down, be fleet of foot and be more sustainable?”
Barbados Ogden’s research initially took him to Barbados where he had learnt that the government was keen to revive the cotton industry on the island famed for its Sea Island cotton, one of the longest and finest in the world. “The product has a sheen and luxurious silk and we learnt that the country was looking to resurrect the crop. So we went and talked to firms and the government and looked at how we could develop a crop that was sustainable.” ´14
Tower Mill
Like so many mills of its kind, the 19th century Grade II listed Tower Mill has had a varied history since closing its doors to cotton production in the 1950s, being at various time either empty, used for other manufacturing purposes, or – in this case –as a film studio for the TV series ‘Making Out’ in the late 1980s. Ogden says the decision by Culimeta Saveguard to buy the 130,000 sq.ft building in 2014 made sense on a number of levels. “To be honest we were running out of space at our offices opposite, so for us taking on the mill was something of a low risk option. We knew that if the cotton project didn’t work we could use the space for other parts of our business which have continued to expand. “We had looked at acquiring other buildings in the vicinity, but we kept coming back to Tower Mill. One of the key reasons was our staff. Many live very close by and we didn’t want to be forcing them to travel further afield. We also wanted to reinforce the sense of community around our operations here in Tameside.” Today the inside of the mill is a revelation as serried rows of state-of-the-art machinery, some 50 times more efficient than machines of old, take the cotton through its nine stages of production. w www.gmchamber.co.uk
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CASE STUDY
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ENGLISH FINE COTTONS
However the plan soon came to a halt. “The initial idea was that the country could supply us 500 tonnes a year, but that year it grew only five tonnes of the type of cotton that we needed. We realised it didn’t stack up so went back to the drawing board. But this time we started by asking ‘what does best cotton actually look like?’ The answer was that it actually depends on who you are supplying to.” As the team began looking at other sources they were drawn to the California plain to the east of Los Angeles and San Francisco, and its supima cotton which is famed for extra-long staple fibres that give cotton its strength and softness. Ogden takes up the story. “We realised that this cotton had great appeal. For instance in those fields I can show any consumer how much water is used, who is working there, what the environmental impact of that production is. These things really matter to consumers today.” Having found the ideal supply, the company pressed ahead with its plan, and today English Fine Cottons is importing 300 tonnes of supima cotton from the US a year. Because supima is too hi-spec for some products, the company also imports cotton from Australia and a limited amount from Barbados for more exclusive products. Demand Ogden’s predictions over demand have been more than met. “Right now it’s coming from everywhere and that is the biggest shock to me. To be honest I expected maybe a dozen clients, maybe 50 brands, but it has turned out far in excess of that. I’m getting 50 inquiries every day.” He admits that some of this demand could be down to fears over Brexit. “Some people might be concerned about interruptions to
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supplies come March, we just don’t know. But what I am sure about is that a lot of this demand is down to changing consumer behaviour. “Consumers are now beginning to ask ‘what am I buying’. It is not fast fashion that is the problem, because we can move fast here if need be. What I don’t like is disposable fashion. People who send a cheap garment back after wearing it just once. To me, that is a failing of society. There is no moral review of how a manufacturer can possibly make a product for so little price. What is that doing to the economy? What is that doing to the environment? Where is that product going after I have worn it once?” That said, he thinks society is growing more of a conscience. “More people are now asking where products are made, where they are grown. More people are acting responsibly about waste and damage to the environment. However although there is a groundswell of change, we have a long way to go.”
The road to cotton
Andy Ogden started his career in the safety equipment industry, working on the production of military uniforms and chemically resistant boiler suits, as well as gloves and goggles. This background exposed him to the technology of textiles and taught him the importance of quality, process and problem solving. He would go on to work abroad for a number of large multinationals, but in the late 1990s decided he wanted to return to the North West and took on a role at Liverpool-based Mainline Safety which had a strong presence in the specialist glove protection market. One of its suppliers was Saveguard which had become well-known for supplying Kevlar yarn into safety gloves. As he recalls: “I remember being immediately struck by Saveguard. It was really innovative and could find inspirational solutions to problems. It had realised the tremendous added value of Kevlar and how good it was for abrasion and heat resistance.” So much so that he started working closely with Saveguard on various projects around technical
Conscience Ogden adds that as fashion becomes more individualistic this will further drive more locally sourced production. “You cannot make individuality in containers,” he quips. “Yes price is still king, but I think we are starting to go back to that time in the 60s when women built their whole wardrobe around a little black dress. Millennials are looking for quality, looking for products which are individual to them, looking for authenticity and traceability. It’s exactly what we are about here. I can make cotton here for anyone. UK manufacturing can be lower cost because we supply exactly what customers want in a more efficient and sustainable way.” Such is the level of interest that Ogden is now pressing ahead with further expansion and more investment in machines. But he stresses that it isn’t just about what happens at English Fine Cottons. “We are reviving and reestablishing a whole industry here, bringing back the infrastructure and the skills. This is about far more than the success of just one business.” w
yarn development and was asked to join the business in 2003. At the time Saveguard turned over just £3m and had 25 staff, but today is a $50m business with up to 450 staff and subsidiaries in the US, India and Italy, with a further subsidiary planned for China. The company has since been renamed Culimeta Saveguard after one of its largest suppliers in Germany bought into Saveguard and took a 50% stake. Ogden stresses he knew little about spinning before the Tower Mill project came to life. “I have only been able to deliver the business we have now with the wider strength of the team,” he insists. w
A passion for the details, every step of the way. Central to who we are. Be it a meeting for 10 or a conference for 3,000, you can expect the same outstanding experience. Welcome to the venue that’s ready to deliver your best event yet. To find out more, call 0161 834 2700 or visit manchestercentral.co.uk
CASE STUDY
FOILCO
BRIGHT
SHINING Working much closer with brands has ensured a bright future for family-owned Foilco, run by David Hornby and his sons Paul and Matt.
Whether it’s labels for wines and spirits, greeting cards, magazine covers, concert tickets, or even inscriptions on wheelie bins, Foilco products are all around us. Yet as Managing Director Paul Hornby alludes, the point is that we just don’t know they’re there. “The thing with our products is that you will see them every day, but it never dawns on you to think exactly where they have come from, and the process involved in making them.” In fact Foilco has been servicing the graphics industry for more than 30 years, offering a huge range of hot stamping foils across a multitude of sectors and working with customers to manufacture patterned foils which match their own products and designs. Keeping it in the family. (L-R) Paul, David and Matt
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As Hornby adds: “There’s a saying in marketing that it takes the average person around two seconds to make a buying decision in the supermarket environment. If you are not brand loyal then our foil can make a huge difference in influencing that decision. For instance take a newsstand magazine, and say you are running through a rail station or airport and want to grab something quickly. Think how you can often be drawn to that shiny front cover.”
Potential Although today foil is all around us, it wasn’t always the case. Indeed back in 1987 when Paul’s father David set up the company the product was pretty much only used in greeting cards. At the time David was a sales manager in the print and packaging sector selling foil, but he had the vision to see the potential of the product across a swathe of other sectors.
As David adds: “When I set up the company we purposefully set out to look at different markets and actually set ourselves the challenge of finding a new market every year. It was logical to look at what other sectors could benefit from foil, but also if we wanted to be a viable business then we needed to be looking at how other sectors could use our products. We had to be as nimble and as flexible as possible, while also bringing out new patterns all the time.” Today he says that Foilco is probably the only company in the world that can do what it does. “We are a distributor, importing foil supplies from the US and South Korea, and then converting the material into different sizes here at our factory in Leigh. But we are also much more than that. We work closely with our manufacturers to develop new grades and colours to meet the market needs.”
Fast-moving goods The FMCG (Fast-Moving Consumer Goods) sector accounts for up to 70% of the business which today employs 38 staff and has more than 1,500 customers, working with more than 1,000 individual brands and designers. Talking of numbers Paul, who joined his father in the business in 1991, has great pleasure in reciting how the company now manufactures some 814 different foil products and colours. “In the old days most foils were bright gold or silver, but today you can produce a huge range of colours,” he says, as he proudly shows us the colour directory. “Echoing what my dad says, we are definitely unique, not just in our product offering but also in the way we operate. We are very hands on and if we need to make changes then dad and I will literally sort things out over a coffee. Our motto is that ‘we are small enough to care, big enough to cope’ and we are a real family business, all working together. We all pull in the same direction. We all have the same focus, drive and vision.” Paul’s brother Matt also joined the business in 1998 and is today sales director. Paul and Matt are now joint shareholders of the business as David, now 75, gradually steps back from the day to day running of the company and focuses on product development. Downturn Over the last 30 years the business has grown consistently, posting healthy profits to boot. In fact the only year the business ever failed to make a profit was during the downturn a decade ago. David says the key to surviving those tough times was to go on the front foot. “We simply marketed our way out of it,” he says. “We decided that we could no longer just be a selling operation, we had to move up the value chain. We were always competitive on price but that is not the only business model. If all you do is sell on price then someone is always going to do it cheaper than you.” The company produced a range of new brochures and shade cards for customers and designers, while also taking the bold decision to support this marketing effort with high stocks of its full range of foils. “We also recognised that designers were increasingly approaching us for ideas around high quality brand identity, so we made a conscious move to make presentations to designers to help them understand the benefits and
We have produced literature, backed up by international research, to assure designers and brands that they can have the benefit of the high quality image on labels and cartons without any detrimental effect on the environment.
opportunities of foil,” he adds. “We went to the brands direct, educating them on how they could use foil products more widely and extolling the benefits.” David says in hindsight this range of measures put the company in an excellent position for when the upturn finally came, and the business has doubled turnover to £7m since 2008. “What we did back in 2008 put us in a very strong position for when the economy improved and for when there was a subsequent boom in rebranding and improved designs.” Exports Another piece of the jigsaw that ensured a strong bounce-back from the recession was export sales. Just before the downturn the company had taken the decision to expand its overseas presence to compensate for changes in the UK market. As David explains: “It was becoming clear to us that the UK alone could not sustain our growth as a lot of printers had fallen by the wayside and we could see that brands were increasingly having their products made abroad, such as in the greeting cards sector.” ´18
Case study: Burberry Indigo
Foilco say working with brands directly gives it the opportunity to be an integral part of the design stage right from the start. It says a good example is its work with Burberry’s Mr Burberry Indigo fragrance where it was asked to produce a range of navy foils for its cartons. Sales Director Matt Hornby takes up the story. “We put forward matt, gloss, metallic and holographic finishes. The next stage was then developing additional versions and degrees of gloss navy foils for their design and marketing team.” However, as is typical in the industry, it wasn’t until many months later that the ideas were put into practice. “Fast forward nearly two years and the project sprung into life with a challenging lead time request at the autumn peak time for the industry. Lots of rejigging of production planning saw us sending bespoke couriers direct from Foilco into the middle of France to allow
production of the Burberry Mr Indigo cartons for the new launch.” Hornby says the foil is inherently the last consideration in the print planning process. “Generally it’s the last part but it remains the most significant, being the element that distinguishes the product and creates the interaction. “Our industry is a pressured one and the justin-time approach remains a difficult daily scenario for us. But we have lived this way for so long that we have built the company around reaction time to support that culture. This is where we shine.” w
www.gmchamber.co.uk
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CASE STUDY
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FOILCO
A first step was for Matt to take the Passage to Export scheme offered by the Chamber of Commerce. As David continues: “We identified and trained agents in Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark in order to increase our presence in those countries as a starting point. As many clothing brands have their products made in Sri Lanka we also appointed an agent there, while we also employed an agent in Florence which is a centre for designers and from where many Italian brands supply throughout Europe.” Again, looking back, the decisions taken then have proved very fruitful. “Our target now is to take on one new country every year for the next five years and we pretty much already know where they are.” In total Foilco now exports to some 84 countries, and such is its overseas presence that the company has just applied for a Queen’s Award for international trade. However exports still only account for just over a third of turnover. “This is the right ratio for us,” adds David. “It is a viable and controllable balance between exports and imports.”
We decided that we could no longer just be a selling operation, we had to move up the value chain.
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MARRIOTT MANCHESTER AIRPORT HOTEL Hale Road, Hale Barns, Manchester, WA15 8XW
Multiplicity Meanwhile the company has also been stretching its wings in other directions, most notably beginning a series of ‘Multiplicity by Foilco’ events for the design industry, holding two events a year since 2016 in cities with a strong design culture, events which serve to increase Foilco’s own brand recognition. As Paul explains: “This is a unique event for the UK design industry where it gets the chance to listen to international speakers from the design world and to be introduced to foiling. At the end of the day designers love to hear from other designers and we are also helping designers play with foil and create metal effects. Keeping it simple is good in our industry.” In 2017 the company also began running workshops for universities and design colleges, enabling lecturers and students to use their design skills and leave the events with their own unique design finished with foil. Environment David says listening to younger voices at these workshops only reinforces the importance of ensuring that Foilco plays its own part on environmental issues. “There’s no doubt this has become arguably the most important topic within the industry and it is something we are acutely aware of. There is, for some, a misconception that foiled print cannot be re-pulped when in fact the foil, due to its very low weight, does enable the paper or board to be re-pulped. We have therefore produced literature, backed up by international research, to assure designers and brands that they can have the benefit of the high quality image on labels and cartons without any detrimental effect on the environment.” Last year Foilco also became the only company in the global foil industry to adopt the Zero 2 Landfill scheme which has been set up with the aim of reducing the amount of metalized polyester waste being sent to landfill, and which is approved by the British Printing Industry Federation. “It comes down to ensuring we do our bit for the environment, but you also have to inform people,” he adds w
Timeline
1987: David Hornby sets up the business in a converted transport garage in Leigh. Foils are imported from Germany and the US, and Foilco receives investment from German foil manufacturer Oeserwerk. 1997: David buys back stake from Oeser to become a solely owned business. 2000: Foilco moves to a new purpose built site in Lowton St Mary’s. Huge interest in the use of holographic effects leads Folico to set up a separate division to service the emerging requirements for holographic lamination films and foils. 2005: Actively starts developing export business.
MORE THAN JUST AN AIRPORT HOTEL A D E S T I N AT I O N H O T E L A D E S T I N AT I O N T O E X P L O R E
SURPRISE
ENJOY
PAMPER
PLAY
LOVE
MEET
START
PARK & FLY
EAT
2006: Passage to Export. 2008: Sets out on a strategy to better approach and engage with the graphic design community, 2016: Company hosts its first Multiplicity event in Glasgow. Winners of Wigan Family Business of the Year.
CASE STUDY
NEWLAND ENGINEERING
BOXING
CLEVER Lynn Kerfoot has spent her whole working career at Newland Engineering, rising to the top of the conveyor specialist. So what still keeps her motivated today?
Turn back the clock to 1975 and inflation was soaring above 20%, Margaret Thatcher had become leader of the Conservative Party, and Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody was top of the charts. Meanwhile in a corner of Hyde, Lynn Kerfoot was walking through the doors of Newland Engineering as a newly-qualified secretary about to take up her very first job. To this day it remains the only business she has ever worked in. “I honestly never really planned to stay that long,” she muses. “I always just saw it as a stepping stone to working somewhere else.” Time may have moved on, but on a visit to the conveyor specialist today it doesn’t always feel that way. Whether it’s the beautiful pencil designs of machines that Kerfoot pulls out of a filing cabinet, or the framed hand-driven board in the reception area showing whether directors are ‘in’ or ‘out’ of the office, or the giant old maps of both the UK and the world which dominate the boardroom, there is a real sense that the business has been remarkably unfazed by the technological revolution all around us. The latter depict where every single Newland conveyor has ever been sent to, with pins in virtually every corner of both the UK and the globe. Kerfoot says she thinks the maps have been here as long as she has. “I honestly cannot remember when they were first put in, but they do serve a purpose in reminding us just how far we reach.” Rising through the ranks Today you will find Kerfoot’s name inscribed on the aforementioned director board as Managing Director of the business which she has now headed up for the past 13 years. So just how did she get to the top? She says family circumstances have played a major part. “The founder Cecil Greasley had two sons and from the very earliest days I remember the whole family being intimately involved with the day to day running of the business, and I myself was very quickly made to feel like part of the family. As time progressed I was given the opportunity to perform lots of different roles, dealing with many different aspects of the business, and went on to become commercial manager.
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“Six years after Cecil passed away his younger son died very young, and as time went on his older son also started spending less time in the business, so much so that the family shareholding was eventually transferred to myself and ex-chartered accountant Mike Holland who remains our chairman. So in many ways it was an opportunity that was rather borne out of family tragedy. But Mike and I were inherently trusted to keep up the flame.” She adds that in fact she has Mike to thank for having been employed by Newland. “I spent two weeks working for Mike’s chartered accountancy practice through a secretarial agency. Newland were one of Mike’s customers and when he heard they were looking for their first full-time secretary, he recommended me. I had an interview a few days later and the rest is history.” Kerfoot is modest about her rise and her own talents. Although she stresses that today she delegates much of the engineering skills, she does admit that she has acquired “quite a technical knowledge”. “I do like to be very involved in the day to day running of the business. I like to visit sites with sales people. I like to meet people who buy from us.” She says such a hands-on role requires good organisational and firefighting skills. “People do say I have the patience of a saint,” she jokes.
….in many ways it was an opportunity that was rather borne out of family tragedy. But Mike and I were inherently trusted to keep up the flame. Business model Today the whole concept of manufacturing conveyors to load and unload goods seems ridiculously obvious. But back in the 1970s this was far from the case. As Kerfoot adds: “Cecil was actually a real visionary. He had come up with the idea that the containerisation of goods would become more and more common, and therefore equipment would be needed to load and unload goods. It seems so simple today, but back then it wasn’t at all. His legacy lives on to this day and some of our models are still based on ones he designed. I find that amazing.” Today customers can be absolutely anyone who has a loose product which isn’t palletised and which needs to get it into or out of a lorry or container. “It can be boxes, tyres, carpets, mattresses, flatpack furniture, you name it. Part of the beauty of this business is that we’re not restricted to any one sector and everything we produce is bespoke for the customer. We will build something to suit a particular site where goods need to be moved rapidly and efficiently.”
Recession The very diversity of its customer base was something of a saving grace for the business when it was struck by the economic downturn a decade ago. “Mike and I had only been running the business for a couple of years and we were suddenly faced with a huge challenge. One of the things we felt most keenly was the fact that everyone here is part of the family and they have all worked together for so long, so we were desperate not to lose anyone. In the event everyone agreed to reduce their working hours and we got through. “It took us quite some time to come back from the crisis, but one of the reasons we got through was that as well as manufacturing equipment we also recondition and refurbish conveyors. What we found during the crisis was that customers still needed to keep their existing machines in order, and after sales remains a very important part of this business, especially as our machines can be in operation for more than 30 years. It’s important we can support customers with spares and upgrades as need be.” ´22 www.gmchamber.co.uk
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CASE STUDY
NEWLAND ENGINEERING
Online retail could in time be huge for us and is a big part of our future. In the past three months alone I would say that half of our business has been linked to online retail. She adds that the fact that the company also operates a hire fleet was also very important in riding out the downturn. “That also remains a very good part of the business today. In addition to short or long term hire, this also offers the customer a chance to ‘try before they buy’.”
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Online This flexibility and nimbleness that the company can provide is invaluable during the peaks and troughs of the business cycle it operates in. For instance during the Christmas period the firm benefits from increased demand from parcel carriers, and in recent years has particularly benefitted from the rapid rise in online shopping. Kerfoot admits that the move to online will become more and more significant for the business. “Just recently we have installed a number of machines for online fashion companies as well as traditional retailers, helping each client develop computer controlled conveyors which suit their operations. Online retail could in time be huge for us and is a big part of our future. In the past three months alone I would say that half of our business has been linked to online retail.” And the company isn’t just looking to home markets. As the boardroom map testifies, the business has always been extremely open to export markets and today has customers in more than 90 countries. “To be honest the company has never thought twice about going abroad, it’s almost in our DNA and something that Cecil pushed from the outset. You talk to some people and they are almost frightened of exporting, but we have always been very open to it. In some years we have exported as much as 60% of our turnover, but at the moment it is about 50/50.
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“When we export the conveyors can be used for a wide variety of products. For instance we do a lot of business in Africa building conveyors for sacks at flour and sugar mills for instance, and we actually do very little business closer to home in the EU.” Brexit Which brings us neatly to the Brexit question. Presumably then the company isn’t too affected by whatever happens? “Although we don’t do much business with the EU, what does concern me is that some of our components such as gearboxes and motors do come from the EU, so there could be some impact there. Like everyone else we will just have to wait and see.” As well as Brexit, Kerfoot admits that there are other big day to day challenges such as finding skilled staff. “It can be a challenge,” she adds. And what of her own future? How much longer does she envisage being at the helm? “It’s not something I honestly think that much about. I still enjoy what I’m doing, it’s as simple as that. This business is all about traditional, personal, hands-on engineering, making things fit. No two days are ever the same.” w
Thought a conveyor was just a conveyor? Think again because Newland design, build and export a whole range of different conveyors. One of their most enduring is the multi-stage telescopic conveyor which uses a telescopic boom that can extend up to 18 metres. The machine can be installed either on a loading dock or on ground level when a high-level chassis and inclined tail conveyor are incorporated. Another product is its Autoloader, one of the world’s first totally automatic vehicle loading conveyors. An intelligent computer sensing system controls the machine as it moves automatically inside a vehicle, depositing loose parcels from the floor to its roof, and adapting to different vehicle sizes as it ‘feels’ its own way inside the vehicle. w
TIMELINE 1962:
Company founded by Cecil Greasley
1965:
First telescopic conveyor developed
1969:
First machine exported
1982:
Worldwide distributor network established
1990:
First Autoloader developed
BSRIA NORTH BSRIA NORTH Making buildings better Making buildings better
BSRIA NORTH delivering all your instrumentation and training needs BSRIA NORTH delivering all your instrumentation and training needs INSTRUMENTATION
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• Hire, sales and calibration of all the leading manufacturers INSTRUMENTATION •• Supplying whenofyou need it Hire, salesequipment and calibration all the leading manufacturers • Supplying equipment when you need it Improving the built environment Improving the built environment
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CHAMBER NEWS
THIS IS MEMBERSHIP Engineering & Manufacturing Forum As technology and digital innovation begins to snowball, expanding into almost every aspect of business life, the practical applications springing from the engineering and manufacturing sectors are also accelerating. In January, Greater Manchester Chamber hosted its annual Engineering & Manufacturing Forum, which saw over 80 delegates from all industries in attendance. The forum covered the future of green cars, payment risk and the digital revolution behind Industry 4.0, as the speakers shared the plans in progress for 2019 and beyond. In close collaboration with the NAA (Northern Automotive Alliance), the forum covered the
Wayne Jones from MAN Diesel & Turbo was among the speakers at the forum.
Making New Connections “We have been members of the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce for a number of years now and one of the biggest advantages has been the connections we have been able to make through the various events the Chamber puts on, but also through the introductions it can facilitate. Recently, we were introduced to a fellow member which was looking for support with a business event it was putting on and we were delighted to be chosen. This type of introduction shows the commitment Greater Manchester Chamber has towards supporting its members, and is an invaluable benefit of membership which enables us to grow our businesses.” w Helen Provart – Peak Translations
Business support
Networking
adoption of electric cars and overcoming the boundaries to widespread implementation over the next few years. Mark Whiteley, from Credit Risk Solutions, also gave advice on credit risk management, an issue particularly relevant for supply chains which rely upon credit terms at every stage. The final speaker was Mo Isap, a pioneer for Industry 4.0, who called for a return of the engineering and manufacturing ecosystem which has shaped the development of British industry. He championed the abundant opportunities which the digital revolution brings for Greater Manchester and highlighted the need for investment in engineering and manufacturing education for the future of innovation in the region. With Brexit dominating much of the news and public attention, development in other areas is easily lost. As engineering and manufacturing grows both in size and impact, it is imperative that the work which is done in this area is kept within focus and prioritised. Working with organisations from across the sector, Greater Manchester Chamber plans to build on the local industrial strategy to transport this sector into new markets and expand its reach. w If you work within this sector and would like to get involved, please email paul.richardson@gmchamber.co.uk
International Support “Two years ago when we became VTech’s European hotel phone distributor, the only orders we had ever shipped outside the UK were small, and all went to Ireland. Fast forward and we have now exported phones to 45 different countries right across Europe, and our overseas sales have grown dramatically. Exporting now forms a significant part of our business and we are even starting to add new product ranges to our export portfolio. We couldn’t have achieved what we have without the help and support offered by the Chamber’s export team. They always have the answers to our questions and are quick to respond every time we need them.” w Roy Stephenson – Trust Distribution
In 2018, through the Chamber Protect service, we delivered over £117,000 worth of business advice and support to our members, for free.
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As anyone working in hospitality knows, it can often be a struggle to make meaningful connections across the wider network and keep up to date with industry knowledge. The sector is thriving in Greater Manchester, but how do you stay informed, and grow your network effectively? Here at Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, Regional Membership Manager and Hospitality lead Philip Murphy (pictured) has transformed the work we do in this sector, providing new and exciting opportunities for businesses with his exclusive hospitality event, ‘Tasty’ Networking. Having just celebrated its second birthday, Tasty Networking has grown exponentially since its inception, with over 80 delegates now attending each quarterly event. Consistently boasting the highest quality of speaker, most recently Tasty played host to Sacha Lord, GM Night Time Economy Advisor and founder of both Parklife and Warehouse Project, who spoke about his experience in the industry and his vision for the future. Featuring a Q&A set in between networking opportunities, businesses were able to gain expert sector insights yet retain the chance to meet other like-minded businesses. Attracting delegates from every face of the industry, there is a wealth of knowledge and possibility to be found at every occasion. So, whether you’re a large luxury hotel or an up-and-coming independent bar, the vibrant atmosphere and vast opportunity on offer at Tasty is guaranteed to revolutionise your networking experience. The support and connections available for the hospitality sector through Greater Manchester Chamber are now unrivalled, with more on the horizon. Looking ahead, Murphy has now set his sights on the retail industry, hoping to open doors and increase support for this sector in Greater Manchester. w Are you a hospitality business in Greater Manchester who would like to get involved? Contact philip.murphy@gmchamber.co.uk for more information.
Find out more about Chamber membership by calling 0161 393 4321 ISSUE 5
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Westfield Health’s top five tips to boost employee engagement Employee engagement is about creating a high performing workforce, where your employees care about your organisation and strongly believe in your mission, purpose and values. It’s not just about how satisfied or happy your employees are, because this doesn’t always mean that they are working productively. Employees who are engaged have an emotional commitment to working towards your organisational goals – they aren’t just working for a promotion or pay cheque. It’s also important to remember that engagement can’t be forced – either by the organisation or employees. It has to be part of the company culture, ingrained into the business and each employee. Here are five top actionable tips towards creating a culture of employee engagement: n It’s not always about money You don’t always need to invest significant amounts of money to engage your employees. It’s more about taking the time to listen, so that staff feel seen, heard and recognised. By placing more focus on listening to staff, you can identify potential areas for improvement within the office environment. This can boost morale and increase engagement, and you may find that a lot of these ideas require little to no financial investment. n Give staff flexibility Offering flexibility around working hours can decrease stress levels, as flexible working can give employees a more positive work-life balance, in return making them more productive and engaged. It could be that family life is impacting on employee productivity and performance, so it’s important to listen to your staff and take into account the ever-changing demands of modern working life. Using this insight you can adapt your flexible working policy accordingly, which can help to reduce ‘leavism’ and prevent stress and burnout. n Volunteering We all know that it feels good to give back, so offering volunteering opportunities within the workplace is a great way to boost morale and positivity, and strengthen peer relationships which can in turn increase team productivity.
By offering your employees the opportunity to volunteer for a cause that they’re passionate about, you are deepening their connection to your organisation’s mission and purpose and increasing their engagement.
n Look after employee health and wellbeing The obvious benefit to this is that healthier employees are absent less often, so by encouraging a healthy workforce you are reducing sickness absence and making substantial cost savings. Healthy employees are also more motivated at work, at less risk of long-term illness, and recover more quickly if they do become sick. You can promote healthy living by providing resources and encouraging healthy eating habits such as encouraging staff to drink water and providing free fruit. In winter months, you could consider providing staff with a flu jab to help prevent winter illness. With mental health issues affecting one in four of us in the UK each year, it’s increasingly important that workplaces
are offering the right support and taking a positive approach to mental health awareness. When your employees know that they can comfortably discuss issues relating to their mental health, they are more likely to be engaged. n Practice what you preach You may state through policies that you have a positive approach to employee health and wellbeing, mental health, and other areas which make a positive contribution towards employee engagement. But your staff need to see this in practice to really experience the benefits. The way you promote your brand values internally should also reflect any promises made externally. Your claim to be a thought-leading, innovative provider of products or services won’t carry credibility if your employees don’t live and believe in the brand values and promises themselves. w For more information: https://www.westfieldhealth.com/chamber
As a Chamber member, you have access to bespoke and exclusive plans through Westfield which focus on employee health and wellbeing. Call 0161 393 4321 for more information. www.gmchamber.co.uk
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CHAMBER NEWS
Chamber hosts Virgin Atlantic transatlantic SME ROUND TABLE Greater Manchester Chamber played host to Virgin Atlantic and its guest speaker, Piers Linney, at a round table of SMEs looking to grow and expand their businesses. The discussion was specifically tailored towards growth and expansion into the US market, in response to calls for more ‘practical, no-nonsense guidance’ for SMEs and scale-ups in Greater Manchester. Chris Fletcher, Marketing & Campaigns Director at Greater Manchester Chamber, touched on improvements in Greater
Manchester’s growth over the last two quarters but stressed the need for a ‘devolution dividend’ to allow the region a say in where Northern Powerhouse money is being spent. Piers Linney, ex-dragon from BBC Two’s Dragons’ Den, joined the table to provide his insight from many years as a successful lawyer, banker, and entrepreneur. He mirrored Fletcher’s’ analysis. “There’s no shortage of ambition here… and no shortage of capital,” said Linney. With a huge talent pool in central Manchester, the potential for North West
businesses is vast, yet it is hampered by poor transport links and limited access to city centre resources. The event featured shared experience and advice around growth, from risk management and compliance regulations, to cultural differences overseas. Key themes which arose included contractually covering your business, ‘landing softly’, and above all, ‘doing your homework.’ When it comes to doing business anywhere, but in particular the US, the message was ‘plan carefully, execute carefully’. As Linney mentioned, if just 1% of the UK’s SME businesses scaled-up, then it would create an extra 250,000 jobs nationwide. This kind of growth is achievable, but rests on open discussions being shared with the scale-up community. A huge thank you to Virgin Atlantic for facilitating this much-needed discussion to start supporting businesses in their expansion journey, and to Piers Linney and our table of SMEs for providing a thought-provoking and forward-thinking discussion. Greater Manchester Chamber hopes that this can be a springboard to extend the conversation around trading in America and growing Greater Manchester businesses. w If you want to join the discussion, feel free to get in touch with us to share your thoughts on the topic by emailing communicate@gmchamber.co.uk.
Strategic partners, PwC, share TALES FROM AN INTERIM HEAD OF FINANCE CASE STUDY
“I am busier than ever, but my cash and profitability are suffering.” It’s easy to get lost in the detail when running a business. And that can make it difficult to spot the underlying reasons why your business isn’t growing as planned. In this series, Steve Feery (pictured) from PwC’s My Financepartner shares some lessons from his past as an interim Head of Finance.
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My client Pete was in the SaaS (Software as a Service) sector and growing year on year. All was going well, and cash was rolling in as the monthly subscriptions increased. In order to win larger clients Pete agreed to pre-load the software on to mobile devices and charge an upfront fee plus the subscription. Sounds good, you say! After several months of catering to the larger clients, with sales climbing like crazy, Pete asked me about overdrafts and loans. I was a little surprised and decided to look in to the cash and profit drain. It is normal for working capital to drain cash as the business grows, but with many SaaS products this should not happen at such an alarming rate. Typically, SaaS is signed up on a monthly direct debit or standing order. The ‘hole in the bucket’ soon became clear. Charging the client with the cost of the handset upfront masks the real cost of goods. Once the handset arrived the staff had to load the software, test, pack it up in a box and courier it to the customer. None of these costs were factored in so there was an upfront loss on every sale that was
dragging the profitability down and, of course, the larger clients were extending the payment terms. So, what can other businesses learn from this tale? Firstly, be careful to understand the true cost of each product and service that you sell. Look into getting a Finance Director (or at least a part-time one) to analyse the margin on each product and service you sell. And don’t be too eager to please a new larger client (they would have paid a higher upfront cost, but it is difficult to increase once started). There’s a lot to keep on top of when running and growing a business, which is why a fresh opinion can come in handy. We’ve combined our experience of helping all kinds of businesses with the common challenges they face as they grow with the latest in cloud technology to provide cost effective and agile solutions that can keep pace as they grow. w To find out more about how Steve and PwC could help you as a small business, please get in touch via benefits@gmchamber.co.uk
QUARTERLY ECONOMIC SURVEY
Q4 - 2018
Even as we seem to stand on the cliff edge amid a time of huge uncertainty and upheaval, the Manchester Index still powers forward, just down slightly from the Q3 high of 33.6 to a Q4 level of 33. Not bad at all considering the issues that businesses face, and not just those that are Brexit related, says the Chamber’s Chris Fletcher.
After two previous quarterly rises, the latest Greater Manchester Chamber Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) has seen all three sectors – construction, manufacturing and services – settle into a period of stability (some may prefer the phrase stagnation) with growth slowing slightly and strong domestic performances being offset by some increasingly poor figures from businesses trading overseas. The QES results were published in December, which coincided with a period of greater political instability than seen for a number of years caused by ongoing issues with Brexit. Such is the pace of change with this fast-moving and increasingly politicised issue that, by the time you read this, things may look very different from where they stand as I write this. So I shall refrain from any form of crystal ball gazing, forecasting
or trying to second guess what is going to happen as I could look very foolish indeed. But the continuing signs of upheaval, uncertainty and onshoring of business back to the UK are beginning now to become more obvious as we look through the results. Although there is still growth in the Manchester Index - down slightly from the Q3 high of 33.6 to a Q4 level of 33 - there can be no doubt that the brakes are being applied – whether that is through Brexit directly, or via a number of other big issues that businesses are facing up to at present. Namely everything from recruitment issues, tightening margins (especially for those businesses reliant on the high street) or the day to day impact of connectivity blockages hindering the ability to move people, data and freight around.
DOMESTIC SALES CONSTRUCTION
Q4
Q3
MANUFACTURING
Q4
Q3 SERVICES
Q4
Q3
INTERNATIONAL SALES Over the past three months have sales/ custom/bookings increased, stayed constant or decreased? For the first time in two years all three sectors have seen a dip in domestic sales over the preceding quarter. After a dramatic Q3 rise construction fell back to levels seen in Q2 but still historically at strong levels. The reduction in manufacturing and services were minor but gives some early indication of cooling off in domestic markets. w
DOMESTIC ORDERS CONSTRUCTION
Q3
Q4
MANUFACTURING
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Q4
SERVICES
Q3
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For some time now we have argued that, whilst government’s focus is rested firmly across the channel, at home the lack of action or direction will catch up at some stage and it feels like that time has come. Rightly Brexit is crucial, but of equal importance is the domestic bedrock on which we do our business and, quite frankly, that’s looking a bit shaky at present. Growth forecasts remain on the lower side with 0.1% increases or decreases now being the norm, with the Chamber still forecasting 2.0% – 2.25% growth here in Greater Manchester. It’s growth but not as we need it, and I repeat what I said in the last issue. Namely, future growth will need working at a lot harder than previously and every week that passes with continued uncertainty, lack of a clear strategy and even more clamours for some form of action, that all gets progressively harder.
CONSTRUCTION
Q3
Q4
MANUFACTURING
Q3
Q4
SERVICES
Q3
Q4
Over the past three months have orders/ advance custom/bookings increased, stayed constant or decreased? Q2 was a strong period for orders and this translated into strong performance Q3 in sales. This is one of the real strengths of the QES in tracking orders into sales. This quarter construction has cooled off whilst manufacturing’s steady growth continues with a sharp halt to services’ decline. But overall the pattern is more about stagnation with brief bursts of activity. w
Q3
Q4
MANUFACTURING
Q3
Q4
SERVICES
Q3
Q4
Chris Fletcher Marketing & Campaigns Director
TURNOVER CONFIDENCE Over the past three months have sales/ custom/bookings increased, stayed constant or decreased? The international woes for construction continue and the small growth seen last quarter has changed to a steady decrease – overall still a negative measure but holding its own. Manufacturing continues to rise and services shows a slight increase but again staying within the boundaries set over the last two years with so sign of a breakthrough moment. w
INTERNATIONAL ORDERS CONSTRUCTION
Looking back just a couple of months it’s hard to quite recall what the content of the Budget was. Remember Chequers? And who was the Brexit secretary before the one we have now (indeed can you name the current incumbent?). This is symptomatic of the current environment we find ourselves in. Business is still doing what it knows best, creating the wealth, jobs and opportunities at home and abroad. Canute-like it’s tried its best to ignore the tide of Brexit and remain focussed on the job in hand. However, as we near the end of March the real danger is that it too succumbs to whatever lies ahead and very real, fundamental, long-lasting damage is done to the only viable escape mechanism we have. w
Over the past three months have orders/ advance custom/bookings increased, stayed constant or decreased? Internationally there are slim pickings for construction in the first part of 2019 at least with further falls in the order books. However, manufacturing and service both show a positive response to Q3 results with upturns. Hopefully this will prove sustainable as recent exchange rate fluctuations have not made much impact on the sectors. w
CONSTRUCTION
Q3
Q4
MANUFACTURING
Q3
Q4
SERVICES
Q3
Q4
Over the next 12 months do you expect turnover to increase, stay the same, decrease? What the construction sector lacks overseas, businesses in the sector are confident when it comes to looking at their turnover for 2019. The same can’t be said for the other two sectors as manufacturing’s sharp rise in confidence in Q3 has come to an abrupt end and services still splash about in the shallow end of optimism. w
PROFITABILITY CONFIDENCE CONSTRUCTION
Q3
Q4
MANUFACTURING
Q3
Q4
SERVICES
Q3
Q4
Over the next 12 months do you expect profitability to increase, stay the same, decrease? All good things come to an end and the rise in confidence around profitability across all three sectors has dropped off markedly in Q4 – services less so but still heading south for the winter. w
CAPACITY UTILISATION CONSTRUCTION
Q3
Q4
MANUFACTURING
Q3
Q4
SERVICES
Q3
Q4
Are you operating at full capacity or below capacity? Following record levels of construction firms saying they were at full capacity numbers have nearly halved in the last quarter. Maybe a reaction to Q3’s numbers mixed with shifting targets of work and issues with accessing workers? Services have freed up capacity in the quarter whilst manufacturing shows a steady increase. w ´30 www.gmchamber.co.uk
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Q4 - 2018 QUARTERLY ECONOMIC SURVEY Where were we last quarter? Summary & The Manchester Index™ ³
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GDP % y/y
Manchester Index™
40.0
6
30.0
4
20.0
2
10.0
0
0.0
-2
-10.0
-4
-20.0
-6
-30.0 2005 Q1
2007 Q1
2009 Q1
2011 Q1
2013 Q1
Source: ONS Second Estimate of GDP; GMCC QES Q4 2018
The Manchester Index TM uses the seven indicators on the previous page, which are based on the responses of 482 businesses across Greater Manchester. The companies are split into either manufacturing, construction or services. Full QES analysis and all graphs are available online at the GM Chamber website. w
2015 Q1
2017 Q1
-8
IN • SUMMARY….. Manchester Index: 33 in Q4
n Overall Greater Manchester – Slight dip fromgrowth 33.6 last quarter businesses continue to report and confidence levels exceeding – Main driver is softening domestic sales across national level indicators. boardthe pace n However,the domestically of growth is slowing down with a – Business confidence remains high given the reduction in sales for Q4 pulling back political on advances made in climate Q3, but - it’s still growth! n Internationally, construction sales and orders are beginning rd to take a Brexit – related hit, or it could be in response to full domestic order books – time will tell. n Wages grew by 3.3% YTD in October but with inflation at 2.4% the full benefits of this has yet to filter in to boost domestic spending. n No further rate rises by the Bank – maybe again hanging fire in the final quarter before Brexit leaving some wiggle room if required. n The first few months of 2019 could be interesting especially with the result (at the time of writing) of any decision www.gmchamber .co.uk/chamber-research on a Brexit deal still in the balance. n Q1 2019 survey opens 18th February. Look out for all the news and ways to access this important piece of research that puts your finger on the economic pulse of Greater Manchester.
• UK GDP growth looking slightly better at 1.5%, 3 quarter of improvement but still lowest period since 2012
As part of the national British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) survey, we poll approximately 5,000 members every quarter with over 30 questions on the state of business. The results of the BCC national survey are closely watched by both HM Treasury and the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee. The great advantage of our Greater Manchester survey is that it is immediate. The GM QES is the first to be published in each quarter. w
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CHAMBER NEWS
Chamber President Jane Boardman, partner at accountancy firm Deloitte, has launched the Future of Skills 2028 campaign. We find out how it’s going. Remind us what the campaign is seeking to achieve? It is about working with businesses, education and young people to ensure that our skills system can be optimised both now, and in the future, for the benefit of all. Why do you feel so strongly about skills? I think there are three reasons. Firstly, I wanted to spearhead a campaign that everyone could understand and have a view on – and ultimately, engage with. Secondly, I work in a business where we don’t sell a product but sell the services of our staff, so day to day we see the shifts in terms of what employers and employees are looking for, and I can bring my own perspective to this debate. And thirdly, I have two young children and when I think about the world of work I want it to be a place of opportunity for them in the future and for their skills to be relevant. What has been happening with the campaign since its launch? One of the key things we have done is hold a series of round table discussions with business and education leaders to explore these issues, share perspectives, and challenge each other. What was striking from these conversations was that there are a lot of initiatives out there, some very successful, but wider awareness about them is patchy. For instance, we came across a number of social enterprises which were looking to fix these problems themselves by working closely with schools or colleges in order to build better links with business. How do we make people more aware of these examples of best practice? That is the great challenge. How do we make Greater Manchester’s skills offer more consistent? For me it is about awareness, consistency and branding. One of the big problems at the moment is that there are lots of initiatives all called different things and typically only having an impact – albeit a strong one – in a particular school or a particular part of GM. One of the best programmes we have is Bridge Greater Manchester, led by Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA). Bridge GM is all about growing the largest network of business, education leaders and careers professionals to provide young people with a careers programme fit for the 21st century.
I have two young children and when I think about the world of work I want it to be a place of opportunity for them in the future and for their skills to be relevant. What role can Mayor Andy Burnham play in bringing these various programmes across the city together? The Mayor has identified skills as a core focus and there is definitely an appetite from his office to play its part in addressing these issues. But there is an appetite from both business and education to make everything more joined-up too. Some people say more devolution is the answer to these complex problems, but I’m not so sure it is because of the very national way in which skills funding works, and the national lens through which some of the largest employers look. To what extent does the skills problem depend on what type of business you are? I think this is a very important point. Large global businesses like us at Deloitte have the resources to put students through courses ourselves if necessary, and provided we have people who are willing to learn in the first place. Equally, smaller companies only looking for one or two apprentices or trainees can typically be more flexible about where they get people from, and tend to sort out training themselves. The big problem is the medium-sized companies which need a constant supply of people to support their growth but often don’t have the resources, capacity or capital to find or train the right people. It is those companies that really need the support. Is the Apprenticeship Levy helping? In my view the Levy should be a skills levy because some businesses don’t need apprentices. As part of our campaign we are building up an evidential case around this to take to government, and there is a strong desire from the business community and authorities such as GMCA to help us. We need to all be pointing in the right direction and what is key is finding a solution that we can all lobby for.
Do businesses engage with students early enough? I don’t think they do and my view is that businesses and organisations need to be engaging with students much earlier than 16. Why not build up links from primary school age? Businesses need to be able to engage with education at a much earlier stage because a lot of this debate also comes down to instilling the correct core values in our young people from an early age. Apprentices need to be willing to learn and have the right attitude, and much of that needs to be instilled from a young age. What other challenges does the campaign face? A big issue is the sheer plethora of government initiatives that we have seen over recent years. By my count there have been around 100 changes in skills legislation over the past decade alone. But another challenge is that the world of skills is evolving so quickly. We are now seeing the significance of automation and IT across every sector and job. At the same time young people want agility in their careers and employers have to reflect that too. Another challenge is that companies are still engaged in continued cost management and cost reduction programmes in the wake of the economic crash a decade ago. How will you measure success? My two-year term as Chamber President ends in October and by then I would like to have a clear evidence-based lobbying campaign in place around the Future of Skills 2028 strategy. I know that we can’t solve issues as big as this over the space of a couple of years, but that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t tackle them. I want this subject to be reinvigorated and for us as a Chamber to be at the heart of raising awareness of the issues across the city and beyond. w *If you would like more information about the skills services offered by the Chamber, or want to get involved with the campaign, contact ProfessionalServices@gmchamber.co.uk or call 0161-393-4321
www.gmchamber.co.uk
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CHAMBER NEWS
Chamber has AWARD-WINNING INTERNATIONAL TRADE SERVICES
The Chamber’s International Trade Team
Standards are set high for the Chamber’s international trade team in 2019 after an award win to finish last year. The team received the Excellence in International Trade Services Award at the British Chamber Awards in November 2018. The Chamber was applauded for its integration of membership and international trade services, especially the Chamber’s collaborative way of working and excellent service for businesses. We offer 20 plus international services delivering these in-house and through our extensive network of partners and suppliers. Whether it be supporting businesses who are just starting their international trade journey or helping experienced exporters improve their global supply chain – we have a track record of offering high-quality advice, services, resources and recommendations.
Getting Started with International Trade When thinking about exporting, importing or investing internationally, selecting which market to enter can seem like an overwhelming task. Taking things one step at a time helps companies to approach market entry in a logical, measured way. Ultimately, it’s up to businesses themselves to take a leap into another market, but the Trade Team is on hand to offer a variety of useful services that aim to cut through the noise and offer practical, factual advice and services. SMEs may feel there is no defined ‘startingpoint’ for market entry. Companies can be thrown into the deep end, but without proper preparation, and internal capacity, businesses face bigger problems than first imagined. The Chamber’s free-of-charge International Trade Readiness Assessment is a great starting point to help businesses understand the challenges they may face before they happen. The free online assessment produces a report that scores companies’ current capacity to trade internationally. Smaller businesses are often priced out of international trade as they lack time and financial resources to thoroughly research new markets. Taking time to consider the pros and cons of each potential market is a key step to success. The Chamber provides a cost-effective Market
OFFICE OF FUTURE comes under spotlight The future of the workplace came under the spotlight at a panel debate supported by the Chamber at the recent Mix Design Collective in Manchester. The three-day Collective, held at the city’s Innside hotel, showcased the latest in workplace design and manufacturing as the sector goes through huge change driven by the health and wellness agenda and the technological revolution. The debate, held in association with the Chamber, looked at the specific changes sweeping through the Category A workspace today, and at what tenants are demanding from developers.
Oliver Thomas, Senior Director at CBRE, said there was no set example of what the workplace looks like today. “You go from one extreme to the other. At one end you have tenants looking to spend a minimum amount of money to get a nice office for their staff with furniture in. At the other you have tenants creating environments for people to live and breathe the work they are doing, going beyond the 9-5 with gyms and various wellbeing initiatives. “Investors and developers have to be quite bold because they have to put their focus onto one particular area and run with it, and that can put some tenants off but attract others. They have to put their eggs in one or two baskets when they are
Identification Service that identifies export and import markets depending on the company’s interest and product. It’s suitable for new and experienced exporters and the report includes: product demand/supply, market attractiveness and overview of macro-economic indicators such as ease of doing business, infrastructure and other specifics. Market Research and Entry Services The Chamber prides itself on constantly strengthening and expanding its global network of UK & Overseas Partners. They are ready to help with international trade strategy, competition analysis, finding agents, distributors, customers and suppliers in new markets, incubation services, product/services launch events and much more. With a host of trusted partners on hand, we can help make entering new markets as painless as possible. There are huge overseas business opportunities for UK businesses and, as the business landscape faces a great deal of change over the coming year, why not consider operating on a global scale? w For more information on how we can help you, email us at exportbritain@gmchamber.co.uk or visit our website www.gmchamber.co.uk/ international-trade.
conceiving a development, that is the challenge.” Jill Bancroft, Director at Brown & Bancroft Interiors, said another important element to the wider debate was redesigning existing workspaces and making them more agile. “It is about people understanding what different working environments are available. When people are looking at potential new environments for the first time they don’t know what the options are, and it is down to that design capability to share what is out there.” Also on the panel were Dan Crossley, Principle at Avison Young, and David Drews, Design Director at Allied London. w
UNLOCKING THE POTENTIAL of young people in Greater Manchester Many young people across Greater Manchester face complex and multiple barriers to finding employment. These include mental health issues, caring responsibilities, lack of training and experience, and not knowing what support is available. However, with the right support young people can find work enabling them to experience personal fulfilment, as well as having huge positive knock-on effects to communities and society as a whole. This is why last year the Chamber collaborated with Greater Manchester Talent Match (GM Talent Match), a Big Lottery-funded programme that tackles youth unemployment through one-to-
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one, long-term support for people aged 18-24. The aim of the partnership was to build relationships between GM Talent Match and local employers which could provide opportunities and jobs for young people. Throughout the year the Chamber showcased how employers can benefit from involvement at its 42 Action for Business events. From these meetings over 90 companies came forward to offer work experience placements. Local employers also spoke at GM Talent Match’s local quarterly forums with Talent Coaches (key workers who work one-to-one with young people) to help them understand their business needs.
The Chamber facilitated employer visits for young people through the year and shared research on growth sectors in each borough of Greater Manchester. In addition, the Chamber is recognising youth-friendly employers by including a GM Talent Match Award at its annual business dinner, and last year this was awarded to Walkdenbased Window Creations. Joy Sewart, Director of Skills Development & Social Enterprise at Greater Manchester Chamber, said: “We’re proud of our long legacy of helping businesses to support, nurture and recruit young talent into their workplaces, and we’re especially proud of the work we have done with employers to support the GM Talent Match Programme.” w
Investing in a zero carbon Greater Manchester We support Greater Manchester’s businesses. Leading the way and putting the infrastructure in place to enable a zero carbon future. In the last year we invested £500k a day in the North West’s power network. Our technology and innovation is key to the region’s success.
There will be up to
2.5 million electric vehicles in the North West by 2050
We predict Manchester will experience a
40%
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Renewable generation connected to the network could triple to
The North West’s electricity demand could grow from 4.4 GW to
by 2050
by 2050
7.9 GW
7.7 GW
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Find out more at www.enwl.co.uk/zerocarbonGM
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
February
We are BDP UK Ltd - Manchester
28 BUSINESS WOMEN’S NETWORK LUNCH Great John Street Hotel 12noon - 2.30pm
Offering comprehensive and flexible ocean, air, ground and project transportation services
March
Serving the Chemical, Oil & Gas, Life Sciences, Industrial and Retail industries
7 A4B BURY Village Hotel Bury 8.00am - 10.00am
Customized, all-inclusive visibility solutions tailored to our customers’ needs
8 DIGITAL BREAKFAST Elliot House 8.00am - 10.00am
Contact us! www.bdpinternational.com Email: mancontact@bdpint.com Telephone: +44 01614981550
14 A4B SALFORD The Lowry Theatre, Salford Quays 8.00am - 10.00am
Buck Brexit by saving money Whatever happens with Brexit, one thing will never change - your ambition.
Stop giving 40% margin away to your resellers and BECOME your own reseller. By going direct to your consumer you raise
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5 A4B STOCKPORT Bredbury Hall Hotel & Country Club 12noon - 2.00pm
Leveraging over 50 years of global international order management experience
Shopit is a Pay-as-you-Grow eCommerce platform - offering more native features than Shopify, lower development costs than Magento, and a more efficient pricing model than all of our competitors. You can manage multiple websites and marketplaces from the same single admin selling the same SKUs under different brands and in different languages - to different customer bases - and grow your reach.
26 A4B OLDHAM The Victoria Hotel by Compass Hospitality 8.00am - 10.00am
Global logistics & transportation solutions
Brexit may bring pricing and profitability pressures but the ongoing focus will always be on taking the world’s 5th biggest economy to worldwide shores. This is why Shopit brings GMCC members an exclusive and timely offer to take your business to the next level now.
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EXCLUSIVE GMCC MEMBER OFFER We are offering GMCC Members a website and platform licence worth £1000 to begin their multi site and/or international strategy. We have a series of customisable templates, a partner network of designers and marketers, and more features and functionality you can shake a stick at. If you would like to learn more visit www.shopitcommerce.com your profits, and dictate your marketing reach. Some of our really savvy clients actually operate B2B sites to support distance selling to wholesalers, whilst also creating their own B2C sites to go direct to market. Whatever your strategy, Shopit is the next generation platform for you. Powered by Google Cloud Platform, your focus becomes sales, marketing and inventory control, AND you save money - we bill based on usage with clients saving 30-70% on average.
19 A4B Tameside Village Hotel Manchester Ashton 8.00am - 10.00am 22 WIGAN, BOLTON & BURY CONSTRUCTION CLUB Village Hotel Bury 8.00am - 10.00am 27 MIPIM SEMINAR Elliot House 5.30pm - 7.30pm 29 PROPERTY & CONSTRUCTION LUNCH Legends Lounge, MCFC, Etihad Stadium 12noon - 2.30pm
Annual Business Dinner Our 2019 Annual Business Dinner is set to be bigger and better than ever before. Once again, we will be celebrating the best at our dinner on June 13th at the Victoria Warehouse. We’ll also take the opportunity to celebrate the Chamber’s history - as this year will be our 225th anniversary. And what better way to celebrate than highlighting the fantastic work of our members while also presenting the Greater Manchester Contemporary Arts Prize 2019 during the evening.
April
Our host for the evening will again be Andrew Ryan who stole the show for us last year. Andrew is one of the most indemand acts on the UK comedy circuit. The evening will close with a funk and soul DJ set at the after-dinner party with the fabulous Craig Charles. w For more information, email events@gmchamber.co.uk
3 TASTY NETWORKING Venue: tbc 3.00pm - 5.00pm
24 A4B MANCHESTER Cloud 23, Hilton Deansgate 8.00am - 10.00am
4 QES BREAKFAST Elliot House 8.00am - 10.00am
26 GM CHAMBER EXPO NORTH Leigh Sports Village 11.00am - 2.00pm
4 ASIAN BUSINESS NETWORK Elliot House 5.30pm - 7.30pm
30 BUSINESS WOMEN’S NETWORK LUNCH The Bridgewater Hall 12noon - 2.30pm
16 A4B TRAFFORD Emirates Old Trafford 12noon - 2.00pm
Please note all events are subject to change either date, venue or time - please check the website: www.gmchamber.co.uk for full and correct details To book on any event, if you have not used the website before, go to: https://www.gmchamber.co.uk/register/ and follow the process www.gmchamber.co.uk
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IN ASSOCIATION WITH
DEBATE Simon Warburton, Transport for Greater Manchester Simon is the Transport Strategy Director at TfGM, leading on the development of transport policy, investment and funding strategy. During his 18 years in transport policy work for Greater Manchester, Simon has been involved in the development of four Local Transport Plans, the Greater Manchester Transport Innovation Fund, and the Greater Manchester Transport Fund.
Helen Boyle, Electricity North West Helen is DSO Engagement Manager at Electricity North West, responsible for defining the engagement strategy for the company’s transition to becoming a Distribution Systems Operator. She engages with a wide and varied network of stakeholders on raising the profile of the company’s work in this area, facilitating the energy transition and promoting the opportunities of decarbonisation.
Mark Atherton, Greater Manchester Combined Authority Mark is Director of Environment at the GMCA. He originally joined the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities in 2012 as Director of Environment for Greater Manchester and transferred to GMCA in 2017. He provides strategic support to the Greater Manchester Low Carbon Hub by leading the development and delivery of strategies, policies, research and demonstration projects.
Alex Roy, Manchester Airports Group Alex is Head of Strategy at MAG and his work focuses on long-term surface access strategy and policy, from public transport through to low-emission vehicles, with a strong focus on the innovation agenda, including digital enhancements to the passenger experience, and new technologies such as connected and autonomous vehicles.
Steve Cox, Electricity North West Steve is Engineering and Technical Director at ENW. He has more than 30 years experience across the electricity supply industry in safety, commercial management, asset management, regulation, operations, training and development. He has managed teams across all aspects of distribution engineering, and currently leads ENW’s innovation, strategic planning and policy activities.
CITY EXEMPLAR Greater Manchester has set the ambitious target of carbon neutrality within 20 years. But is the target realistic, and what needs to happen right now to stand any chance of achieving the goal? We posed the questions to a panel of leading voices on the subject during a debate at the city’s Science and Industry Museum.
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Todd Holden, Growth Company Todd is Director for Low Carbon at the Growth Company which drives business growth by boosting employment, skills and investment. In a variety of local, regional and national roles he has spent his entire career helping North West companies adopt low carbon, low resource opportunities which have strong economic benefits.
Camilla Iftakhar, Swifty Scooters Camilla is co-founder with her husband Jason of Swifty Scooters which was launched in 2011 with their first foldable kick-scooter for adults. The couple work together with their team in Manchester where they have prototyping facilities, a workshop and a design studio. The idea to design a credible adult scooter first began in 2009 when they were both looking for a safe and fun way to commute.
Christian Spence, Manchester Metropolitan University Christian joined Manchester Metropolitan University in 2018 as a Reader in Economic Analytics, based within the new Future Economies University Centre for Research & Knowledge Exchange. Christian has worked in both the public and private sectors including for Manchester City Council’s economic and urban policy unit, Core Cities UK, and Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce.
How does Greater Manchester (GM) ensure that it puts in place the right infrastructure to achieve its carbon neutrality goal? We need to drill down and be clear in terms of what is the conversation we want to have with the transport sector, with energy providers, and with utilities. I think what we are getting ever better at doing is making sure that there aren’t big gaps between the different documents and strategies in the city, and that there is a golden thread that runs through all of them. The other important thing is that we have a history in GM of working together and we have to foster that. That gives us a head start on other places because you can work with GM as a coherent place.
SIMON WARBURTON
We are now starting to turn what has been a long-standing approach to transport to other areas of utilities as we develop the concept of an infrastructure framework for GM. There are massive opportunities for us to build on that now. We have just developed a Strategic Infrastructure Board (SIB) sitting alongside the Strategic Infrastructure Framework which aims to look at infrastructure in the round. When we look at where we are and where we need to be, it is about how we look at infrastructure in totality. I think the SIB and that framework sets us on the right path to do that.
MARK ATHERTON
One of the issues we have is that if you look at a map of the region then Manchester is the economic powerhouse, but most of our customers
STEVE COX
Martin Lorimer, Siemens Martin is Head of Innovation at Siemens Energy Management GB and Ireland. He has held a number of senior roles at the global industrial manufacturing company delivering innovative solutions across the energy sector.
don’t actually live in Manchester. If you look at Cumbria it has produced twice as much renewable energy as it has consumed in the last 10 years. Manchester is not in that position and is a massive carbon emitter in terms of energy. So when you look at all the plans of the different local authorities and counties in the region, for us as an infrastructure provider the question is how does that all knit together? Sustainable innovations and carbonfriendly technologies are those that are economically rational. GM dominate the debate because it is more organised than any other district in our region. There is a danger that the economic powerhouse that is Manchester sucks in all the infrastructure resources, and then the price to enter in other areas becomes much higher. ´40 www.gmchamber.co.uk
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DEBATE
Given that global CO2 emissions continue to rise year on year, do you not think that Manchester has set itself an unrealistic target? ³ ALEX ROY At Manchester Airport we
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committed to becoming carbon neutral for our own operations and achieved this in 2015, but there remains much more to do, both around surface access to the airport and aviation emissions themselves. Clearly aviation is an international issue that needs international solutions. And when you look at global emissions, you see these growing faster in countries such as China and India, than in developed countries. To a degree there is only so much we here in the UK and Manchester can do, but we clearly have a role to play.
China’s emissions are increasing, but one of the reasons is because it is creating goods and services which we are consuming, so we have offshored a lot of our carbon emissions. It is easy to sit here and say the UK or GM has done really well, but we have effectively offshored a lot of
TODD HOLDEN
our emissions to countries and there is a moral argument around that. We can change that by changing the way we choose to shop, we can influence that. But the idea somehow that other people’s emissions have nothing to do with us is a flawed assumption. ROY I totally accept that, and I’m not saying global emissions are nothing to do with us. But the problem is beyond anything we can do on our own. That said, I think there are some very interesting things we could be looking at such as mobility-as-a-service. This is starting to emerge, and our passengers could make better journey choices if done in the right way. But there is a risk this could actually increase emissions if not managed properly, which is where transport authorities like TfGM come in.
No-one doubts that this is a global issue. However recent IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) reports have had a huge focus on cities globally. Why? Because more and more people are living in cities like Manchester which, in many ways, is a very typical medium-sized European city. I would argue that given the innovation and culture of GM, if there is the possibility to look at how cities like Manchester can change and transition to a different type of economy then here’s the place to do it
ATHERTON
There is also the role that businesses can play in terms of choice editing, by taking that decision away from the individual by not supplying products that have a poor environmental footprint. Todd Holden
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In Manchester people aren’t able to leave their cars at home because there is not enough infrastructure. So it’s not just about inspiring people, it’s about giving them the means to change as well. Camilla Iftakhar
and trial it. I would agree with Steve in that you have got to look at technologies, but you have to look at those technologies and costs through a slightly different lens. We typically come at this from a ‘can we afford to do this’ and we need to turn that round to ‘can we afford not to do it’ because the potential impacts on a city like Manchester, given the tipping points we could be heading towards globally, could be quite catastrophic. No-one wants to be sensationalist, but that’s what the scientists are telling us. We have in some ways an obligation to lead. None of this is going to be easy, the challenge of hitting carbon neutrality by 2038 is extraordinarily difficult, however it is not impossible. There is an increasing demand from consumers in terms of what they expect from the companies they shop from and the companies they are employed by. And there is also the role that businesses can play in terms of choice editing, and by taking that decision away from the individual by not supplying products that have a poor environmental footprint. We are already seeing that, particularly with higher end goods and services. But that is starting to filter down now into more day to day retail and that can have a massive impact. When you look at individual behaviours, behaviours can change very, very quickly and you can get caught out very quickly as a business. The reality is that you are probably not going to get caught out in terms of your day to day operation, you will get caught out by what is in your supply chain.
HOLDEN
In terms of technologies and costs, we spend about £500,000 to £600,000 every day investing in the North West. You can either spend that in a dispersed manner and have not much effect anywhere, or you can concentrate it in an area and then have quite a dramatic effect. I think there is a role in the early stages of decarbonisation for exemplar cities, businesses, and regions because they provide a multiplier effect in terms of leadership and what you can do. Manchester is rapidly becoming an exemplar in many ways, it already has high economic growth. Whether we replicate that in energy and decarbonisation is a very interesting question.
COX
Behaviours are already changing. To give one example, year on year there is an ever greater proportion of people who work here in the city centre who now live inside the M60. Twenty years ago that would have seemed an anathema to what we had previously experienced in the city. Attitudes are changing around living in our urban areas and I think we are seeing here what east London saw 20 years ago. There are increasingly two sets of challenges in GM. We have urban GM, broadly inside the M60, and then outer GM which is still based around principal towns and is still a much more dispersed model. GM Mayor Andy Burnham is now very keen to start to engender within our town centres the type of urban renaissance that we have been seeing within the inner core. All of that can only be a good thing. That whole model of proximity is fantastically advantageous in terms of travel and carbon footprint, but brings a whole new set of challenges with it in that we have attracted more people to live in those places where we do have pollution challenges at the moment. So the air pollution challenge becomes all the more pressing.
WARBURTON
We typically come at this from a ‘can we afford to do this’ and we need to turn that round to ‘can we afford not to do it’ because the potential impacts on a city like Manchester, given the tipping points we could be heading towards globally, could be quite catastrophic. Mark Atherton
CAMILLA IFTAKHAR What I find really shocking is that we are 20 years behind London, and yet geographically we are not that far away. WARBURTON The point I was making is that what we are seeing now is people starting to take decisions about where they live in a more organised fashion, in terms of how they travel and where they live. Twenty years ago nobody would have really considered the relationship between where they live and the local rail station. That is now a material consideration. My point about 20 years ago was that east London started to take off because people were thinking about living near to a railway station so that they could get into the centre. ´42
We have a history in Greater Manchester of working together and we have to foster that. That gives us a head start on other places. Simon Warburton www.gmchamber.co.uk
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One of the challenges for Greater Manchester now, after the undoubted success of the last 20 years, is that we are right at the point of failing because of our enormous success. Christian Spence
³ CHRISTIAN SPENCE One of the challenges
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for GM now, after the undoubted success of the last 20 years, is that we are right at the point of failing because of our enormous success. How do you reboot the systems for the next 20, 50, 70, 100 years? I see the carbon agenda through three modes of change. Firstly, how do you decarbonise energy at the point of its generation and its distribution? Secondly, can you affect consumption through forms of modal change? And thirdly, is there an additional level of behaviour change below that which is related to the way a city has planned itself? Do I need to use public transport at all because I can choose to locate myself close to high quality aspects of living, close to my job? It is not any one of those three, it is how do we bring these three points together. The challenge with looking at the GM strategy is are we thinking seriously enough about what the Manchester of 2100 is going to look like? If you are very successful in that third stream of changing behaviour and travel patterns, then that alone could affect the kind of infrastructure we want to be building. Do we want to build that infrastructure? Do we want to make it fast and carbon free to commute 70 miles across the north? That is a much harder question to see in the round. ISSUE 5
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Going back to the point about technologies, a lot of them exist. Sometimes it is about waiting for the business models to make sense. The technology is there but often it comes back to the economics. Are we getting the economics right? When are we going to put more of a specific value on the carbon? Is energy too cheap? Take just one example, residential housing. If you look at retro-fitting residential, what is the payback? Twenty years? Forty years? Talking generally, it is about working with people, showing the technologies that are available, and working with industries and businesses on models that can make low-carbon technology more viable.
MARTIN LORIMER
Camilla, your business is all about changing consumer behaviour. What is your view? It is really hard to change people’s habits. Giving people the means and inspiration to change high carbon emitting habits is, I think, the real challenge. Londoners don’t tend to own cars or use them to commute because of the public transport network. In Manchester people aren’t able to leave their cars at home because there is not enough infrastructure. So it’s not just about inspiring people, it’s about giving them the means to change as well. My market is a niche one, but it doesn’t have to be. The world I see is really multimodal and how cities can change to embrace the multi-modal innovations that are happening. If you go to a city like Taipei people have really embraced light vehicles in a multi-modal sense. Light vehicles are cheaper to run, they are electric, there is so much innovation going on.
IFTAKHAR
I’m not saying global emissions are nothing to do with us. But the problem is beyond anything we can do on our own. Alex Roy WARBURTON What we need to promote is choice and that feels like the long-term city model to me. Give people the freedom to choose how they want to travel.
However there is a danger with the electrification of transport that all you do is export carbon and air pollution to areas where that electricity is being produced elsewhere, outside the city. There is a question about how you become energy independent as a city. Don’t forget either that businesses consume two thirds of all energy, and I would imagine generate two thirds of all passenger miles too. Businesses in the region have a massive role in terms of decarbonisation of their activities.
COX
This comes back to my earlier point about how you need a sustainable economic model. This is where the role of patient capital is important.
COX
It is about working with people, showing the technologies that are available, and working with industries and businesses on models that can make low-carbon technology more viable. Martin Lorimer
I agree, the idea of patient capital is fundamentally important, not just from a critical infrastructure point of view but from a shareholder perspective as well. Talking generally, there is an element of price, but for most businesses that aren’t manufacturers the cost of electricity as a proportion of their turnover is very small. My organisation is a good example, our energy costs are 1%. Trying to get traction to address 1% of an organisation’s expenditure is really, really difficult. The other big challenge is one of opportunity. We will go into a business and say ‘do this and it will pay for itself in 18 months’. The business will say ‘great, I’ve just got to go and do this first’. The day after, something else comes up the ‘to do’ list. There is nothing that pushes it up the decision-making tree, so even if you can get a company to address the agenda, getting them to act on it is really difficult.
HOLDEN
HELEN BOYLE It is about organisation and prioritisation. How can you tap into the structures that are already there in terms of how businesses organise themselves and other stakeholders, to engage in that debate about how we tackle the things we have been discussing. If we have more exemplar cities like Manchester that gets in the news, and becomes more likely to change behaviours. w
Greater Manchester dominates the debate because it is more organised than any other district in our region. There is a danger that the economic powerhouse that is Manchester sucks in all the infrastructure resources, and then the price to enter in other areas becomes much higher. Steve Cox
www.gmchamber.co.uk
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SECTOR REPORT
AMBITION
MANUFACTURING & ENGINEERING
CITY Greater Manchester’s ambition to be carbon neutral by 2038 presents a huge challenge, but is also a massive opportunity for the city’s growing green tech sector. There is little doubting Greater Manchester’s ambition when it comes to tackling the green agenda. The headline target, as first floated at last year’s first Green Summit in the city and backed by the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of Manchester, is that the city should be aiming for carbon neutrality by 2038. In other words, by that date every organisation and business in the city should be removing as much carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as each puts in. As Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham says: “Our drive to carbon neutrality puts us in a position of leadership on the green economy in the UK, and I think it will bring social benefits in terms of cleaning up our air more quickly than might otherwise have happened. But I think it will bring economic opportunities as well.” For instance, he points to the recent publication of the city’s draft spatial framework which sets a date of 2028 by which all new development in Greater Manchester will have to be zero carbon. “If you follow the logic of that it means that young people here will be trained in zero carbon construction skills earlier than other places and therefore have a skillset that then might become quite valuable,” he adds. “That is what we are trying to do, be in that leadership position and embrace the future.”
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Challenge However there is little doubting the scale of the local or global challenge. As Dr Jaise Kuriakose, Lecturer in Energy and Climate Change at the Tyndall Centre says, the world has singularly failed to curb global emissions since the first IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) report in 1990. “Despite optimistic rhetoric we’ve delivered 28 years of abject failure in terms of reducing total emissions.” Since that first IPCC report he says global emissions have increased by around 63%, while in 2018 emissions were forecast to rise 2.7%. The only time when emissions saw a brief plateau was during the financial crisis a decade ago. In terms of Greater Manchester’s own ambitions for carbon neutrality, Dr Kuriakose is the man on the ground going through the numbers and developing specific carbon budgets for Greater Manchester, effectively working out exactly how much less carbon the city needs to be producing. He has already calculated that across the 10 boroughs of Greater Manchester the city centre accounts for 21% of emissions. So how does the city achieve its ambitious goal? Dr Kuriakose says it will come down to a whole range of different measures. “It could be retrofitting buildings, constructing zero carbon buildings, cutting down how much you personally fly, increasing virtual communication, taking away subsidised car parking, or introducing electric cars into your company fleets.” Economic growth? But how do you marry Greater Manchester’s continued projections for economic growth alongside this drive to reduce emissions? Burnham sees no contradiction. “I think they are entirely in tune and pulling in the same direction because all businesses in the future will have to be zero carbon, so places that embrace that first will get an economic benefit from doing that.
“It is important not to see the environmental agenda as all about burdens. If you moved to smarter energy, if you moved to electric vehicles, you can reduce your running costs. There can be upfront costs but businesses can save a lot of money by embracing the green agenda properly and whole-heartedly, rather than grudgingly.” Helping businesses embrace the green agenda is exactly what the GC Business Growth Hub does, offering a range of specialist support to SMEs to help them increase efficiency, boost profitability and cut carbon emissions. Sam Nicholson, Head of Low Carbon at the GC Business Growth Hub, agrees with Burnham that being energy efficient is a win-win because businesses can directly improve their profitability through the better management of energy. “Yes, there is still a global market failure in terms of climate change, but it is an extremely complicated market failure to try and remedy. For business there is a perception of cost and hassle, a lack of knowledge about the impact of failing to act, a fear of unknown, a complex mix of issues creating barriers. But it is a myth that going green will cost you money. I can give you plenty of examples of companies that we have helped save money.” Nicholson also agrees that Greater Manchester is much further ahead than other cities. “It gets the agenda and gives it the right level of prominence. It understands that it has to grow its green economy, it knows that it still has to change a lot of mindsets.” Green economy Nicholson adds that Greater Manchester’s wider green economy is growing fast. GC Business Growth Hub has calculated that the total sale of green products and services reached £6.7bn in 2015/16, greater than the city’s digital and manufacturing sectors’ sales combined. Greater Manchester’s green tech sector also exported more than £750m in 2015/16.
The sector covers areas such as energy efficiency, renewable and low carbon energy, waste management and recycling, water management, low carbon finance, low emission vehicles and infrastructure, smart grids, and environmental monitoring and management. She says that if the city is to meet its ambitious 2038 target then businesses need to reassess the energy they consume on site, look again at their vehicle fleets, look at whether they can streamline their production processes, minimise the use of carbon intensive materials, and reduce the amount of waste they produce. “Companies need to totally rethink their existing business models and practices.” But it is not just about making businesses go green, she adds. “Of course it is about us as consumers changing our mindsets too and what I call changing our behaviour at the front end of the pipe, not at the end. In other words changing our behaviour at source. So getting a bus, walking or cycling rather than driving. Or stop buying plastic products instead of worrying about landfill.” ´46
It is important not to see the environmental agenda as all about burdens. If you moved to smarter energy, if you moved to electric vehicles, you can reduce your running costs... ...businesses can save a lot of money by embracing the green agenda properly and whole-heartedly, rather than grudgingly. Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester
Green Summit
Next month’s Greater Manchester Green Summit will define in more detail exactly how carbon neutrality can be achieved in the city by 2038. The event will also provide the opportunity for delegates to speak to experts in the sector, talk to peers, and find out what they can do in their own businesses and organisations to play their part in Greater Manchester’s climate change plans. A recent report from the Manchester Climate Change Agency made a number of proposals to Manchester City Council and the city. The first
was that Manchester adopts the Tyndall Centre’s proposed targets and definition of zero carbon and includes them in its policy framework. Namely: a limited carbon budget of 15m tonnes CO2 for 2018-2100; a 13% year-on-year reduction in CO2 from 2018; and zero carbon by 2038. The report also called for Manchester to accelerate its efforts to mobilise all residents, businesses and other stakeholders to take action on climate change, and that the city puts in place an action plan and the resources needed to stay within the proposed carbon budget.
*The Summit takes place on March 25th at The Lowry Theatre, Salford.
www.gmchamber.co.uk
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MANUFACTURING & ENGINEERING
³
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Renewables drive Adrian Thomas is Business Development Manager at Square4Services, a business which encourages businesses to retrofit solar panels to reduce carbon emissions, and also promotes new technologies such as electric vehicle charging points and battery storage. As such he can give a flavour of the issues businesses are facing on the ground as they endeavour to make their firms carbon neutral. For instance in the solar panel market he says there is still something of a sense that renewable energy is a
necessary evil. “Often it is up to tenants rather than landlords as to whether the panels are put in and that doesn’t seem right to me. With new buildings it is happening, but retrofit is where there is a lot to do. “Ultimately it’s a simple equation. If you save carbon then you save money. If you reduce your carbon emissions then you reduce your energy costs. Sadly most buildings are still extremely inefficient and renewable solutions are still not regarded as core by too many business owners, especially smaller firms which typically wouldn’t have an energy manager.
“Too many businesses still complain about the cost and the impact on the bottom line. This needs to come from the top of the organisation. And don’t simply wait for government policy to change your mindset, be brave.” Thomas says electric vehicles is a particularly good example. “As soon as organisations start moving to electric fleets in large numbers then companies will automatically go down the electric route. But why wait until it is mainstream, why not act now?” w
Fuel Cell Innovation Centre As Manchester sets itself the ambitious target of becoming carbon neutral by 2038, the city is also at the forefront of efforts to further develop the hydrogen economy. Manchester Metropolitan University is today home to the £4.1m Manchester Fuel Cell Innovation Centre which is researching the potential of hydrogen fuel cell technology to revolutionise vast swathes of industry. Amer Gaffar, Director of the Centre, says the development of the hydrogen economy has the potential to play a major role in global decarbonisation. “A lot of different sectors are now becoming very interested in hydrogen fuel cell technology, such as the heat, power and transport industries, and we are working with SMEs, policymakers and industry to understand its potential.” Fuel cells generate electricity and heat using hydrogen and oxygen in a chemical reaction, of which the only by-product is water. Unlike other fuels, hydrogen can be made safely from renewable energy sources and is virtually non-polluting. However the great barrier to its more widespread adoption has been cost, as the fuel cells have to be coated in platinum. Gaffar says the idea for the Centre initially came from the University’s own demands. “A few years ago we were interested in installing fuel cell technology on our estate but realised it was very expensive. So we went to the City Council and suggested setting up a partnership to explore the technology further and do more research. We then quickly realised that utility companies were also extremely interested in this market too and the whole project gained momentum.”
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Tipping point Gaffar believes the technology has definitely reached a tipping point. “It feels like we are now at a major crossroads for this technology and momentum is growing all the time. Yes, the cost still needs to come down, but it is gradually moving in the right direction. What we are doing is giving businesses the opportunity to understand the industry better and understand the potential. Let’s face it, the days of diesel and petrol are numbered. The thing with this technology is that it doesn’t need to be demonstrated anymore, people know its potential.”
Let’s face it, the days of diesel and petrol are numbered. The thing with this technology is that it doesn’t need to be demonstrated anymore, people know its potential. Amer Gaffar, Director, Manchester Fuel Cell Innovation Centre
Gaffar cites the fact that leading industrial players are increasingly looking at the technology. For instance Microsoft is testing how it can use fuel cells to generate electricity and increase energy efficiency, while in the automotive industry every major car company is now developing fuel-cell vehicles. As he adds: “I think what is important here is that Manchester works with other cities as much as possible to develop these technologies and be a leader in the field. At the end of the day there is nothing to stop Manchester being at the forefront of this revolution.” w
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ISSUE 5
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GENERAL CONSTRUCTION SUPERVISION CERTIFICATE
SECTOR REPORT
PEOPLE
CROSSING
CONTINENTS Demand for language and translation services will only increase as companies increase their trading links beyond the EU in the wake of Brexit.
For an example of just how international Manchester has become today it is worth walking through the doors of Instituto Cervantes on Deansgate. The Spanish learning and cultural centre, which promotes the teaching and study of Spanish - as well as boasting the largest Spanish library in the city - has now had premises in the heart of the city for more than 20 years. But it is only one of 87 centres run by the Institute across some 44 countries. Francisco Oda-Ángel, Director of the Manchester Institute, says Spanish has today become very fashionable in British schools and universities, spurred by the 577 million Spanishspeakers worldwide, and says this is a huge opportunity for UK businesses seeking new markets.
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“The UK thinks globally and is realising that the Spanish-speaking world is of increasing interest both economically and demographically. Spanish-speaking markets in business, music, culture and tourism are highly attractive for British investment. More and more UK firms now attach importance to their employees knowing Spanish and consider it a useful career asset.” Oda-Ángel sees this in the number of enrolled students coming through his door, which is today almost 3,000 a year. “Spanish is fast becoming the number one choice for Britons wanting to learn a language. This is reflected in the certification of teachers of Spanish, and we are seeing growing interest among universities and other educational institutions in this regard. We are the official centre for administering the Diploma in Spanish as a Foreign Language (DELE) for adults and secondary school students, and teacher training is another big area for us.”
Brexit Oda-Ángel adds that Brexit is becoming a further factor too. “According to the British Council Britons will need to take steps to improve their language skills if they wish to be an international trading partner beyond Europe. And the business world outside Europe is largely Spanish-speaking. Just imagine the economic potential offered by a vast area formed by over 20 countries, not to mention other parts where Spanish is a native language. Furthermore, it is the official language of international bodies such as the Organisation of American States, United Nations, African Union, Interpol and the Ibero-American Community of Nations.” The challenges and opportunities posed by Brexit are also occupying the minds of Cheadle Hulme-based translation and language services provide The Translation People which today operates in 24 countries. Managing Director Steve Wilde believes that whatever the Brexit outcome companies will increasingly look beyond Europe to do business. “As a pan-European business we are reasonably Brexit-proof and if barriers are put in place we have a way of navigating around them. But we are seeing the wider impact. For instance we have a number of European nationals on our staff and have noticed that there has been a slowdown in the flow of European nationals into the UK employment pool since Brexit. Brexit has created tremendous uncertainty and I think a lot of businesses are in a holding pattern, waiting to see what the rules of the game are going to be.”
Rebound However Wilde believes that when we do get clarity there is likely to be a rebounding of the economy. “I can foresee a lot of UK companies looking to increase their business outside Europe and we can tap into that.” He adds that his own business, which he co-founded with David Nichols in 2007, began life as a very UK-centric provider of translation services. “However we quickly grew the business beyond the UK, initially into Europe and then further afield into other overseas markets, while all the time further strengthening our position in the UK market.” For instance the company’s second largest market after Britain is Germany where sales grew 40% in 2017, and last year the company opened its second German office in response to growing demand. Wilde says a market such as Germany is “very sophisticated” where quality of service is crucial. “A number of our clients are in the medical, pharmaceutical and legal sectors where the need for precision and accuracy is paramount. A lot of the material is also very sensitive so security of data is also extremely important.” New markets Wilde says after the 2008 recession a lot of UK companies redoubled their efforts to move into new overseas markets which then led to enhanced requirements for translation services, and he believes we could definitely see a similar trend in the wake of Brexit. He adds that clients today aren’t always just after straight translation services either. “Very often they are looking for services with a more creative bent, such as help with an ad campaign or internal communications. Or a company with international operations may need to translate HR and learning content for its employees around the world.
The business world outside Europe is largely Spanish-speaking. Just imagine the economic potential offered by a vast area formed by over 20 countries… Francisco Oda-Ángel, Instituto Cervantes
“What we are seeing is an ever greater requirement for content right across the globe and across all sectors.” Such demand begs the question as to where supply will come from, and here technology is playing an increasing role in the wider language services market. As Wilde adds: “Today we are as much a technology company as a translation company. We use a raft of different computer-aided tools and the whole automated translating field is changing enormously. We have some people in the business who are purely technical people.” Technology That said, Wilde stresses that computers will never completely replace humans in the translation services market. “People have been asking the question when will humans be replaced by machines in the translation market for time immemorial. What I would say right now is that we are somewhere between a long way off and never. We will still need professional translators, even if translation technology makes ever greater strides, especially in areas where you are developing more creative content.” ´50
Overseas student market
n 81% of students in higher education in the UK are home students, 6% are from the rest of the EU, and 13% from the rest of the world. The total number of non-UK students studying in the UK in 2016-17 was 442, 375.
n The number of overseas students from China far exceeds any other nationality. Almost one third of non-EU students in the UK is from China. n In terms of international student numbers by subject area, in 201617 business and administrative studies was by far the most popular subject, followed by engineering and technology, and social studies. n In terms of the largest UK recruiters of international students, the University of Manchester is second only to University College London. Source: Higher Education Statistical Agency
www.gmchamber.co.uk
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PEOPLE
You hear a lot about the potential of Artificial Intelligence to transform this market, but I believe it has a long way to go yet. This is far more complex than people think.
SALFORD BUSINESS SCHOOL
Steve Wilde, The Translation People
Manchester has opened up to the rest of the world has made it a very global place in which to invest. If you are a Chinese company and see the large Chinese student population here then that can only be a good thing and might make the difference about whether you invest in the city region or not.” Adds Wilde: “Manchester’s overseas student market is very important to us and we have a very good relationship with the city’s universities. For instance we recently worked with the University of Manchester on building a module into a masters language course on basic project management. “One of the strengths of our business is that we have always been able to draw on Manchester’s multi-cultural population. The city is so well known when you travel now and is very attractive to students. The creative industry sector here is growing very fast and software companies are booming. And our football clubs are, of course, huge global brands.” w
Delphine Greenhalgh, DG Consultancy
DG Consultancy, run by Delphine Greenhalgh, offers translation and language services, as well as advice for companies on developing export markets and on inward investment opportunities. She agrees that the translation market has become highly technical but that computers will never completely replace humans. “You need people with a knowledge of a particular subject alongside those language skills. You hear a lot about the potential of Artificial Intelligence to transform this market, but I believe it has a long way to go yet. This is far more complex than people think.” Indeed the very technical nature of the language services market calls for human oversight. For instance The Translation People uses a network of up 4,000 global freelancers to service its clients. Adds Wilde: “What is important is that you match up the content not just to someone who is proficient in the languages you are translating, but to someone who has experience of dealing in the particular industry that the content is related to. For instance you will often see this in the pharma industry where the text can be extremely complex so the translator has to have a really strong grasp of that subject.”
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Manchester market Given these dynamics of the market it is little wonder that a city like Manchester is so attractive to the language services market. Greenhalgh says that although in her experience demand for language services has remained fairly constant in recent times, what has changed is the far more international nature of the market in Manchester and the North West. “Today you see much more demand from the likes of China, India and the Middle East for language services, whereas a decade ago I would say it was far more European focused. This is where Manchester really benefits from its very varied cultural mix and its large university population, particularly of overseas students. At the same time the fact that
Largest recruiters of international students 2016-17*
Subject of study
Engineering and technology Social studies
23.090
Biological Sciences
23,395
Subjects allied to medicine
21,455
Languages
19,515
Computer Science
Architecture, building and planning
19,925 12,875
1,745
4,415
7,345
13,505
Coventry University
Kings College London
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215
945
3,060
3,775
/ Host an industry visit / Commission academic research into your business challenges
30,220
Law
The University of Manchester
3,745
/ Give our students live briefs and projects to look at your business problems
42,170
Creative arts and design
Total number of international students
1,805
/ Become a guest speaker
52,545
Undergraduate students (1st degree and ‘other UG’)
The University of Edinburgh
/ Be a named industry partner to ensure we are teaching the skills you need
121,675
Postgraduate taught students 5,510
/ Take a student on work placement (3, 6 or 12 months)
Number of international students
Business & administrative studies
Postgraduate research students 2,295
WORRIED ABOUT THE SKILLS GAP?
International student numbers by subject area 2016-17*
Institution
University College London
50
In partnership with industry
Brexit has created tremendous uncertainty and I think a lot of businesses are in a holding pattern, waiting to see what the rules of the game are going to be.
7,925
5,940
7,425
5,275
15,735
OUR STUDENTS GAIN REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE; YOU ACCESS HIGH-QUALITY, BRIGHT AND ENTHUSIASTIC STUDENTS Find out more about your opportunities to work with us www.salford.ac.uk/business-school +44 (0)161 295 2222 sbs-admin@salford.ac.uk
11,490
10,705 9,990
* Source: Higher Education Statistical Agency
BECOME UNSTOPPABLE
SECTOR REPORT
FINANCE
EVENTHORIZON Given the present political and economic uncertainty, what strategies should owner managers be adopting?
With no imminent sign of a Brexit deal (as we write), and also the prospect of several years transition if and when the UK finally leaves the EU, it goes without saying that these are extraordinarily uncertain times for business. The effect on investment and staff plans have been well documented in recent months. But also, what about the effect for those owner managers who are planning a significant financial event such as maybe a joint venture of a share sale to an external vendor or their own management team? As a provider of finance to small and mid-market companies, ExWorks Capital sees first-hand the impact that the current uncertainty is having on business owners. Director Peter Kirkham says the clear impression at the moment is that companies are sitting tight and not making any rash decisions which, he says, is exactly the right thing to do. “If your company is in a good position and the strategies you employ are working for you then I would say don’t change anything at the moment because of the degree of uncertainty. One of the worst things you can do is change your strategy because you think something might happen. You need to keep doing what you are doing.” Scenarios Despite the uncertainty Kirkham says business owners can still plan for different scenarios. “While all the focus right now is on securing a Brexit deal by the end of March, people easily forget that even if a deal is secured we will then have another one or two years of transition, so owners have to be thinking beyond just the short-term. The problem is that no-one knows exactly what the impact is going to be on the trading environment, which is another reason for not changing your business strategy at this point in time.”
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However he cautions that businesses should not let this uncertainty spill over into inertia. “The worst thing a business owner can say is ‘I’m not going to go forward with anything because of Brexit’. Instead they need to be saying ‘ok, let’s carry on doing what has served us well in the past’.” Richard McGarvey, Managing Director at financial advisor Custodian Financial Management, says the day to day impact of Brexit at the moment is that people are less willing to take risk. “Right now I see company owners placing a greater focus on profit, stability and consistency. But there is also a sense that the world still has to turn and a lot of people are just getting on with life, regardless of the rhetoric they hear in the media on a daily basis. If you are running a successful business in a proven niche in the market then you are just getting on with life.” Financial decisions McGarvey also says owners cannot put off major financial decisions forever, whether they relate to their own financial affairs or those of their business in terms of maybe capital plans or succession planning issues. In this regard he says it is worth remembering that the UK’s tax system is not going to fundamentally change, whatever the outcome of Brexit. “As such there is absolutely no reason why you cannot plan your future, or your business’ future, from a tax perspective.” And when it comes to that planning there is no time like the present. “People always underestimate how long things will take. If you are thinking of exiting a business in three years it will take five, if in five it will take seven. It always takes that extra time to sort through all the finer detail. Some entrepreneurs you come across still think that selling a business is like selling a house, but it can take years of careful planning to get the best outcome.”
If your company is in a good position and the strategies you employ are working for you then I would say don’t change anything at the moment because of the degree of uncertainty.
Peter Kirkham, ExWorks Capital
McGarvey says a particular trend that has become increasingly popular in recent years is company owners making a phased exit from their business. “You see this more and more. Business owners making a gradual exit going down to four days, three days, then a couple. It is such a sensible strategy because it keeps a degree of continuity within the business, encourages the next generation to step up to the plate, and also frees up capital.” Talking of the next generation, he adds as an aside that arguably a greater concern than Brexit is the fact that the millennial generation is not planning anywhere near enough for their financial futures. “They are living for the moment and for the experiences, they are not thinking about their futures.” Liquidity Meanwhile, back to Brexit and Kirkham cautions that lenders and potential funders of deals are being particularly cautious at the moment. “I would go as far as to say that banks are actually in withdrawal mode ´54 www.gmchamber.co.uk
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SECTOR REPORT
FINANCE
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across all sectors, and one impact of that is that if you take our business we are seeing deals which we would not usually see such as asset-based and invoice-based deals. Indeed, what we are finding is that the alternative funding market is stepping into the breach and is particularly strong right now. It can take up the slack.” He adds that ExWorks’ own assetbased overdraft facility is drawing client interest. “A lot of companies accept that bank funding is simply not an option for them because of their own risk profile or maybe because AND of the particular sector they operate in, so they are looking for alternative funding.” Kirkham says much can depend on the particular sector you operate in. “It can actually be difficult to separate what might be going on in a particular sector, say high street retail, with the broader Brexit issue. When we are looking to invest in a business it is all about drilling down to the sector, the business plan, and the people. It is about giving that business the oxygen to breathe again and taking away the shackles.” w
KEEP CALM
CARRY ON
KEEP CALM
Right now I see company owners placing a greater focus on profit, stability and consistency. But there is also a sense that the world still has to turn and a lot of people are just getting on with life…
AND
CARRY ON
The worst thing a business owner can say is ‘I’m not going to go forward with anything because of Brexit’. Instead they need to be saying ‘ok, let’s carry on doing what has served us well in the past’.
Customs declarations – are you ready? Businesses of all sizes that import and export to the EU are being urged to put plans in place for their customs declarations forms ahead of huge rise in documentation after Brexit, according to The Customs People. The niche export authority on customs, based in Stockport, is warning businesses that they must begin conversations with suppliers and make preparations now, even though we do not yet know exactly how the exit process will look.
An official report from HMRC and The National Audit Office claims there are currently 55 million customs declarations made by British businesses every year, but this figure is forecast to rise to 255 million after the UK leaves the EU. A customs declaration is the form that lists the goods being transported across a country’s borders. The documents are not required by EU member states sending goods between other European countries, but will be needed when the UK is no longer part of the single market. In a letter sent to all UK businesses trading with the EU, the government recently advised organisations to decide whether they would hire an agent to make customs declarations on their behalf or make the declarations themselves, using software that is compatible with HMRC’s systems. Complex David Miller, co-founder of The Customs People, says: “Making a customs declaration is an incredibly complex process and can be very costly if you get it wrong. In all my years specialising in customs I have only ever see one business complete their own declarations and even they decided to switch to an agent later on.
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“An agent will handle all the paperwork for you, minimising the risk of delays during customs checks, but it is vital that businesses start speaking to agents now so that the relationship is already in place when Brexit is enforced on 29th March. Whether the UK leaves the EU with or without a deal, we know that our country will no longer be part of Europe and therefore customs declarations will apply.” As part of their Brexit planning, UK businesses should also constantly request updates from their suppliers in Europe so they can coordinate their preparations for any eventuality, he adds. “We advise businesses to ask a simple question, ‘what is your Brexit planning?’ in order to start the conversation and to then ensure that suppliers are regularly engaged with the discussion. “There are some British organisations that have yet to start their Brexit planning, so you can only imagine how many businesses across Europe are failing to act. This might not be high on their agenda, but European suppliers need to come up with plans for various Brexit outcomes, otherwise firms here in the UK will suffer when we leave the EU, with or without a deal.” w
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SECTOR REPORT
TECHNOLOGY
REVOLUTION BACK OFFICE
The hype may be around cryptocurrencies, but it is the blockchain system behind the currencies that will revolutionise business practices.
For Niels Pedersen the back office is the most exciting place to be right now. “Put simply, that is where all the change is happening and it’s the blockchain system that is driving it.” Pedersen, who runs one of the country’s first ever masters courses in financial technology at Manchester Metropolitan University, is a fervent believer in the power of blockchain to completely upend the very way we run businesses. “If you take a SME then this potentially has enormous consequences. If you are the owner of a small business then you can spend an awful lot of time on administration. Blockchain has the power to free people up, there are opportunities at every level. Until now much of the focus on blockchain has been on how it has enabled the development of cryptocurrencies, but it is about far more than this.” He says the key to why blockchain is important is that it is a decentralized system which authenticates information flows, and its success is down to its transparency, security and authenticity. “It is about having the ability to prove a transaction has taken place. It means that any process that has paperwork or is routine can be completely revolutionised. All these functions can be automated.” Experiment Pedersen says large companies are already widely experimenting with the potential of blockchain to reduce costs and looking at how mundane tasks can be automated. For instance, he
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Industry adoption
The introduction this January of a ruling that allows regulated funds such as pension and hedge funds to invest in cryptocurrency is expected to provide a significant boost to the industry. Meanwhile the use of cryptocurrencies is now becoming more commonplace across a range of sectors, especially within financial services: *Santander was the first UK bank to introduce Ripple’s blockchain technology to facilitate international payments. By using blockchain
solutions Ripple allows users to send overseas payments which, if sent with wire transfers, could take days or weeks. *AXA was the first major insurance group to offer insurance using blockchain technology via its Fizzy product which offers direct, automatic compensation to policyholders whose flights are delayed. When a customer buys flight delay insurance on the Fizzy platform it records the purchase in a network which is connected to global air traffic databases. w
Cryptocurrencies, blockchain and mining
says one sector that is already strongly embracing its potential is financial services. “If you take banks they have realised they have to disrupt themselves in order to win from this. There are lots of financial institutions trying different things and a lot of these projects might fail. But those initiatives that are successful are here to stay and will give the institutions first-mover advantage.” Trading in unlisted shares is just one area that will be impacted. “Blockchain allows you to authenticate a transfer and transact with the other party directly, getting rid of the need to have an intermediary. You could apply the principle to sectors such as conveyancing and life insurance too.” Education Pederson says the course at MMU, which started in September last year, is already proving popular because students can “see the way the wind is blowing”. “This is not a computer science degree, nor is it a finance
degree. This is about arming students with the knowledge they need to then become effective conduits in a business between managers and IT staff. The point here is that the technology is becoming more and more complicated, and if you are a senior manager in a business you are unlikely to have that deep knowledge that you need.” The course gives a basic grounding in finance, financial risk management, and regulation, and how the financial sector is changing. There is also a strong technological element, looking at crytpocurrencies, digital technology, and an introduction to coding. “What I say to students is that, yes, you can go away and study medicine or law or finance, but make sure that at the same time you are a technology expert too,” adds Pedersen. “It is no longer an option, these are essential skills needed today. Change is a constant in business today and you have to have a willingness to experiment and try new things.” w
The key to why blockchain is important is that it is a decentralized system which authenticates information flows, and its success is down to its transparency, security and authenticity.
Cryptocurrency is an umbrella term for more than 2,000 coins, the most well-known of which is Bitcoin. All these currencies are applications built upon blockchain technology which provide networks with a transparent log of data that is not controlled by a central body or company. Blockchain is a system in which a record of transactions made by cryptocurrencies are maintained across several computers that are linked in a peer-to-peer network. The blocks on the blockchain are made up of digital pieces of information such as transaction dates and who is participating in transactions. Cryptocurrencies digitise trust so you don’t have to rely on one
company handling your transactions. As such it is a secure, fast and cheap way of sending information and there are huge advantages for businesses in terms of eradicating business fees. However for a cryptocurrency transaction or data transfer to take place between two people or businesses, you need computer power, as would be provided by a bank’s own server when transferring traditional currency. This power is provided by machines which enable mineable tokens to be exchanged between two parties. Owners plug the machines into the electricity grid, connect them to the internet, and can then leave them running continuously. w
www.gmchamber.co.uk
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SECTOR REPORT
TECHNOLOGY
A local company riding the cryptocurrency wave is Bury-based Easy Crypto Hunter. We caught up with 28-year-old founder Josh Riddett.
I could see that the market was rapidly growing and people were starting to see and understand how the currencies could be used. Our big USP was that we were real people making real machines right here in the UK.
GOLD The offices of Easy Crypto Hunter are quite unlike any other. Along one side sit a number of mining machines busy processing thousands of cryptocurrency transactions. Alongside the other sits company founder Josh Riddett and colleague Jason Poole who, as we speak, is busy building his next mining machine. Riddett says he had always had a strong business acumen, buying and selling things online from an early age, and after completing his degree at Lancaster University 18 months ago was keen to set up his own venture. As he explains: “At university I had done some research around cryptocurrencies when the first specialist mining machines were starting to come out. Indeed a few years ago I had actually wanted to buy one myself but didn’t have the money, so put up posters around the university asking people to cough up £500 each to pay for the £5,000 machine. Amazingly I got the money together but then there was a problem with delivering the machine and it never arrived. Although I got the money back I thought I had missed the boat.” Upon graduating Riddett looked at the market again and this time decided to teach himself how to build a machine, even though he modestly admits that
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he is not particularly “techie”. “It took a lot of research and maybe four or five months to learn how to do it. But I always said to myself that if I can make just one machine and someone buys it then I might be on to something. It proved the case and I was able to build the next one in three or four days, and the one after that in just a day.” Machine builders Today the company can make up to half a dozen machines a day. Adds Riddett: “Anyone who has built a computer would probably be able to build one, but getting them to work properly is the hard part.” Within just a few months of launching the business it was turning over up to £250,000 selling machines. “I could see that the market was rapidly growing and people were starting to see and understand how the currencies could be used. Our big USP was that we were real people making real machines right here in the UK. We could demystify the industry for customers who were able to meet us face to face. They couldn’t do
that when they were ordering a machine from the other side of the world. We make it real for them.” Rather than produce machines that mine bitcoins, Easy Crytpo builds alternative mining machines which can mine and support hundreds of different types of coins. Today the majority of its 100 plus customers are in the property industry. As Riddett adds: “A developer may not be able to rent a flat or office, but that room will always have plug sockets. Installing these machines can be an income generator for the developer while a room is lying empty, while at the same time they can also be used in basements to help heat the rest of a building. We also appeal to anyone looking to earn a passive monthly income.” Renewables Riddett is very conscious of the environmental impact of the machines and the energy they consume. As such a big area of focus for the company is the renewable energy sector where
he is encouraging customers to use excess power created from renewable sources, such as solar panels, to power mining machines. “If you are supplying the grid you are only paid for what goes back to the grid. In short, we can help renewable investors monetise any spare capacity that cannot be sent back to the grid. In fact, using the electricity produced by renewables to power mining machines can, in some cases, result in returns of more than ten times the feed-in or generation tariff the government pays for solar or wind power.” Another area he is looking at is the waste heat market. “There is also potential for leisure facilities such as swimming pools and sports centres to vent the heat from mining machines around their buildings, enabling them to save money and earn an income from cryptocurrency mining. Essentially we are going to help businesses to get paid to heat an air volume that they are currently paying to heat.”
Expansion With the business today turning over £840,000 Riddett now has the foundation he needs to expand the Easy Crytpo brand and, in particular, has split the business into four subsidiaries. As well as a division manufacturing machines, he has now launched separate divisions providing accountancy and consulting services, while a fourth area is education and training with plans to run training courses. “Structuring the business this way is also attractive to investors because it hedges us against a drop-off in any one division.” Indeed, to take the business to the next stage Riddett is now looking for a sizeable equity investment which would go towards a major sales and marketing recruitment drive, and he is talking to a number of potential investors.
“The speed at which the sector is moving is extraordinary and it is rapidly maturing as a result of global investment in the back-end infrastructure. What happens in two or three months in our industry is the equivalent of two or three years in other industries. That means we need to continue to accelerate our growth so as not to get left behind as more people become aware of the investment benefits of mining machines. “We see massive potential for growth here in the UK, and across the world, as more people and businesses switch on to the benefits of investing in a mining machine and the fast-emerging cryptocurrency industry. At the moment a lot of businesses simply don’t realise the impact this will have. If you think cryptocurrencies are just about bitcoin then it is like thinking that all the internet can do is eBay.” w www.gmchamber.co.uk
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JAZZIT UP SECTOR REPORT
MARKETING
In our regular look at the marketing strategy of a Greater Manchester organisation, this issue we report on the rebranding of Manchester Jazz Festival.
Who? Manchester Jazz Festival, or mjf as it is now known. Does what? Has run an annual event since 1996 and is the city’s longest-running music festival. mjf is known for bringing memorable musical moments to Manchester each year, but also champions up and coming artists and has several in-house talent development programmes.
What’s new for 2019? Quite a lot. Due to redevelopment works at its usual hub in Albert Square, this year the festival will be centred on three open-air stages stretching from St Ann’s Square and along New Cathedral Street towards Selfridges. The date of the event is also changing. Instead of being held in late July/early August over nine or ten days, this year mjf will be held over five days over the late May Bank Holiday weekend. Though there are fewer days, the festival has strived to provide more content on each day so audiences are still getting the same offer. Organisers have also teamed up with Manchester Food and Drink Festival which will provide a range of culinary offers around the hub.
While the festival is run as a City Council event, mjf operates as a not-for-profit charity. While receiving some funding from the likes of Arts Council England, Manchester City Council, PRS Foundation, Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Help Musicians UK, it relies on ticket sales and sponsorship. Organisations and businesses can either become a headline sponsor of the whole event or can choose to fund a particular concert or strand of work.
The Bottom Line MJF 60
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History It is the city’s longest running music festival
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The music The festival is held at many different venues in the city
Duration Starting on May 23rd, it runs over five days
Economic benefits Hopes to attract up to 230,000 visitors this year
What’s new? The festival hub will be around St Ann’s Square
Why the date change? Last year the festival attracted around 60,000 visitors to its Albert Square hub over nine days. The thinking is that by concentrating the event around a bank holiday weekend in the heart of the city’s shopping district – and during term time - the festival could attract in the region of 230,000 people, including many students. As mjf Communications Director Angela Kirk says: “The footfall in this area is massive and this is a huge opportunity for us to expand the reach of the festival.” Will there still be concerts at other venues across the city? “Absolutely,” says Kirk. “We actually have an extended venue list and an even greater concentration of music. We are still using old favourites such as Matt & Phreds and RNCM, but we also have new venues around the University quarter such as The Deaf Institute and The Bread Shed which will help us appeal to the student market more. “While we’re very mindful of not alienating our traditional and very loyal core audience, we also want to bring this music to a new generation. As part of this drive we are offering £5 tickets for under 25s for selected shows for a limited time only.” What else is new? The festival’s branding. Adds Kirk: “For many years we have had a kaleidoscopic of instruments as the main image on our branding but we felt this needed updating into something a bit fresher and more accessible. Over the past year we have been working with our Altrincham design agency RMS on a branding and marketing campaign.”
She says that RMS urged the festival “not to play it safe”. “We were making so many other changes to the festival this year that we needed to be brave in our new branding as well. We discussed the often incorrect stereotypes associated with the word jazz and how those stereotypes don’t reflect the breadth of exciting cross-genre work we actually programme. “We have also become so much more than an annual festival and are moving towards year-round events and talent development, so we questioned if calling ourselves a festival adequately reflected this. “We therefore decided to change our branding to mjf. It’s still recognisable to our current audiences, but will shed some of the stereotypes that may stop new audiences giving us a try.”
What are future plans? 2020 will mark the start of the festival’s 25th anniversary year and plans are already underway for how this can marked. In particular, Kirk says the anniversary presents an opportunity for the festival to put on events across the whole year, rather than for just a few days. “We have been moving towards more year-round work and this is the perfect platform. Our aim is to have more gigs outside the usual festival time, and also set up more partnerships with other live music venues across the city. We are working really hard on some new partnerships with organisations across the city which already host large scale events. And, of course, we’re keeping a close eye on the development of the Factory.”
What about marketing and online? The branding makeover has also included a complete overhaul of the festival’s website which relaunched in November last year. Adds Kirk: “We now have live content and video of mjf events on our website for the first time. Images and videos of our artists and events should be the first thing you see when you visit our website and social media channels, or when you pick up our more traditional print marketing material. The new website has been completely stripped back and is now much more accessible and user-friendly.”
What about the talent development work? “Yes, we also want to expand our talent development work throughout the year,” adds Kirk. “Our mjf hothouse scheme helps aspiring artists looking to step up to the next level by giving them paid rehearsal time. Ultimately this festival is all about championing new music and we need to be tapping into this talent as much as we can. Our Artistic Director Steve Mead is a fantastic talent spotter and has a knack for featuring bands and artists when they are on the cusp of becoming big.” w
*Further details about this year’s festival, which runs from May 23 to May 27, can be found at manchesterjazz.com
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SECTOR REPORT
PROPERTY, CONSTRUCTION & DEVELOPMENT
FORCE
INDEPENDENT
Hospitality has now become a huge driver of place-making strategy for developers as consumers increasingly look for new experiences. When it comes to your hospitality offering what goes inside a building is becoming just as important as what is on the outside. As Andrea George, Head of Retail and Leisure at developer Bruntwood, says: “The provision within office receptions and ground floor areas is absolutely fundamental to the wider success of a building. You are effectively bringing indoors what would traditionally be sited on the outside of a building, on the street. “More and more we see ourselves as a hospitality provider and when we look at a building we are asking what are the community needs for that building and its immediate surrounding community? How is the community space being designed? Which independents are most suitable and will add value to the community space?” Such ideas are not new with many of these concepts emerging from the London office market, and George cautions that developers cannot just pick up what works in London and expect it to work in Manchester.
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But what is common is that a healthy mix of independents is often key to success. As she adds: “An eclectic mix of independents, which complement each other, form part of the whole offering and create critical mass. We are in a privileged position where we have this opportunity to raise the bar and help create destinations. Bruntwood’s retail and leisure customers are very much the thread that stitch everything together, and if you can create a real destination then demand will naturally follow and increase.” Development A good example is Bruntwood’s Grade II listed St James’ building fronting Oxford Street, one of the finest period buildings in Manchester which dates back more than a century and was once the headquarters of the Calico Printers Association. As George adds: “One of the key drivers with St James’ is how it links St Peter’s Square, Manchester’s Innovation District and the Oxford Road community, where our Circle Square development is located. We wanted to make this whole
area a more interesting and vibrant place, and part of that story is enticing more independents into the wider area to make it a more established leisure destination. Consumers are looking for authentic retail and leisure experiences, and often it is the independents that can provide that.” She points to the example of Robert & Victor which opened its first artisan sandwich bar, patisserie and bakery on the ground floor or St James’ last November.
The outlet, which is named after owner and Belgian entrepreneur Simon Dasnoy’s grandfathers who were both farmers, serves seasonal sandwiches and home-baked breads sourced from the Lake District, as well as high-quality pastries supplied by Didsbury’s awardwinning Bisous-Bisous, and awardwinning artisan chocolates. Robert & Victor is also the first UK retailer to sell Belgian pralines from artisan chocolatier, François Deremiens. Hailing from the same village as Dasnoy, Deremiens has established an international reputation for his handmade chocolate. Retour à l’essentiel Dasnoy says his bar has a particular focus on natural ingredients and locally sourced produce as part of its ‘retour à l’essentiel’ (‘back to basics’) ethos for using no additives, flavour enhancers or preservatives in its products. “We deliberately work with local suppliers as much as possible and there is no doubt the market is moving in the direction of a strong artisan offering. This is no longer niche.” Manchester’s strong economy and vibrant food and drink scene inspired Dasnoy to launch his first UK venture in the city, and he says the St James’ building proved a particular draw. “I visited many places in the UK as part of my market research and Manchester really stood out. It’s a dynamic city, full of opportunity, with a huge market for the types of products we will offer. “The concept is named after my grandfathers who worked really hard as farmers to give the best products to their family and customers. That’s what I want to do at Robert & Victor and I’m passionate about delivering natural, wholesome and delicious products. In time I want to grow and open more outlets across the country.”
Investment Kim Eivind Krohn, owner of KRO Hospitality which owns Velvet Hotel and Mr White’s English Chophouse in the city, is another entrepreneur investing in the city’s hospitality industry. KRO Hospitality recently acquired Asha’s Indian restaurant on Peter Street, an eaterie that occupies another of Manchester’s finest Victorian palazzo buildings and which has been recognised in the Michelin Food Guide. KRO has purchased the freehold of the site and now plans to create a 49-bedroom boutique hotel within the upper floors of the building which is expected to open later this year. Krohn said he was “thrilled” to welcome Asha’s in to his expanding portfolio in Manchester. “Asha’s is a much-loved brand in Manchester, adored by food fans and celebrities alike. Asha’s also fits perfectly with our own vision for the building and with our company’s commitment to quality, luxury and outstanding hospitality.” Krohn says he continues to invest in the city because of its potential. “Manchester is one of the fastest growing cities in Europe and when you’re here you can really sense that. It has a vibrancy and dynamism about it that is very palpable in the city’s dining and hospitality scene, so it was an obvious choice in terms of investment as well as being a place that I love to spend time in. As a whole, Manchester has a really confident, positive attitude right now and it’s good to be part of that.”
Experience Krohn echoes Dasnoy’s remark that consumers are looking for something different. “There’s so much choice out there that people are really looking for something out of the ordinary when it comes to their dining experiences. That’s translating into a desire for captivating and luxurious surroundings, as well as very high standards of service, personal attention and, of course, top-quality food. Ultimately you differentiate yourself from the competition through an unfaltering commitment to quality and by creating a dining experience that people will remember for all the right reasons.” He adds that the tough conditions on the UK high street can also breed stand-out restaurateurs because they require everyone to up their game and deliver quality in order to be a success. “We have to rise to the challenge and deliver restaurants that people want to keep coming back to and provide dining experiences that they want to enjoy time and time again.” George adds that as retailers moving increasingly towards experience, they are driving their brand alignment by making people happy to be there. “It is the same with food and drink industry and retail in general. Bricks and mortar retailers are surviving if they are aligned with the strengths of a particular brand,” she adds. w
We have to rise to the challenge and deliver restaurants that people want to keep coming back to and provide dining experiences that they want to enjoy time and time again. Kim Eivind Krohn, KRO Hospitality
Kim Eivind Krohn (centre) at the launch of Mr White’s English chophouse with Steven Frodsham (left), KRO Hospitality, and Chophouse restaurant manager Stephen Donnelly)
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SECTOR REPORT
Property & Construction
PROPERTY, CONSTRUCTION & DEVELOPMENT
Catalan cuisine
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Sandra Martorell and Pep Guardiola
A new eaterie in the city that has caught the eye of connoisseurs is King Street’s Tast, which celebrates the finest Catalan food and wine. The restaurant, which opened last summer, has also become well-known for the fact that one of its investors is Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola who is, naturally, a regular customer too. The link to Manchester City comes via Sandra Martorell, Director of Tast Group, who is married to the club’s CEO Ferran Soriano and who moved to Manchester in 2012 from Barcelona. However Martorell is at pains to stress that the restaurant is “about food, not football”. She had previously worked at a number of leading restaurants in Barcelona and Toyko for renowned Catalan chef Carme Ruscalleda i Serra from whom she admits she discovered her passion for food and hospitality. Recipe She says what makes a restaurateur successful is not just the cooking but thinking creatively about dishes. “You have to regard each dish as a piece of art. Catalan people are passionate about food and tradition and the
region is famous for its very ancient and humble recipes. With Tast we are introducing our guests to the traditional flavours of our Catalan cuisine and wine, all in a relaxed atmosphere and with a welcoming team. It’s about having a passion for service and making the guest feel like they are at the opera or theatre. You open the curtains to present your offer.” But is there demand for such a different and distinct offer in the city? Martorell strongly believes there is. “We really think there is a market for something different. Manchester lacks what I would call real food offerings and we cook everything from scratch here. People who walk through our door want to eat well and there is demand for a more gastronomic experience. We have already built up a regular clientele who come here every week.” Experience She also refers to that word ‘experience’ that you hear so often in the hospitality and wider leisure industry today. “That experience can mean many things,” she adds. “For instance it can mean the surroundings. Many diners do not want loud places where they cannot
even hear each other speak. We appeal to guests that want a social experience of eating around a table with very good food and wine, and where they can have a conversation. People are also more conscious about eating well, they care about what is put on their plate.” That said, Martorell knows the industry well enough to know it’s a tough business. “Yes, there have been restaurant closures around the city over the last couple of years and we are aware of the challenges. In many respects the risk is even higher for us because we are making food that people are not used to eating. But with plans for 3,000 new apartments in the city centre this year and 4,000 next, the market dynamics in the city remain very strong.” Had they considered London for the opening instead? “To be honest we could have opened in London first, but we had faith in what we were doing here in Manchester. It’s a great city, international business is flourishing, and we’re all based up here too.” Michelin The venture also sees multi-Michelin star chef Paco Pérez play his first executive chef role in the UK. Pérez is the renowned international patronchef of two Michelin 2* restaurants Miramar, in Llançà, (Girona) and Enoteca at the Arts Hotel in Barcelona, a city where he has six restaurants in all. He was recently awarded his sixth Michelin star at Terra y Sea Club in Girona. Tast has 120 covers over three floors, with Pinya, a casual dining and bar area on the ground floor; Folre, a first-floor dining room with open kitchen; and a second floor Enxaneta, a fine dining experience offering two tasting menus in an intimate 16-cover setting. w
Some other restaurant news across Greater Manchester
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n The operators of Spanish restaurant El Gato Negro are launching their third city centre venue this year on Brown Street with a new Middle Eastern concept. The restaurant will be on the site of the former Panama Hatty’s unit. Simon Shaw, formerly executive chef at Harvey Nichols, relaunched El Gato Negro in Manchester in 2016, and last year also opened Portuguese restaurant Canto in Ancoats.
n Spanish restaurant, tapas bar and fine wine merchant Evuna is opening a fourth site in Altrincham at the old Yorkshire Bank on Stamford New Road. The group has existing restaurants in Deansgate, the Northern Quarter and Knutsford. Evuna founder Jane Dowler said she had been looking to open in Altrincham for some time. “It’s become a vibrant town centre thanks to the market and attracted a number of quality eateries, making it a real food and drink destination,” she said.
n The owners of Caffé Grande by Piccolino in Manchester have outlined plans to expand the restaurant. The Italian restaurant, which was refurbished in 2016, will now include a private dining and event space on the lower ground floor.
n Manchester’s Marriott Airport Hotel has been refurbished with celebrity chef Raymond Blanc opening a Brasserie Blanc restaurant at the venue. It is the second Brasserie Blanc within a Marriott hotel, the other being in Bournemouth.
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CHANGE SECTOR REPORT
ARTS, CULTURE & LEISURE
OF
Come and Play concerts: courtesy, The Hallé
If you wanted a take on the state of both music education, and the wider industry today, then you could hardly do better than talk to John Summers and Linda Merrick. Although both are leading lights in Manchester’s classical music scene - as Chief Executive of the Hallé and Principal of the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) respectively - they are also extremely well qualified to talk more generally about the huge changes sweeping the wider music industry. Both have also long been committed to the city’s fantastic musical offering. Summers took up his role in 1999, while Professor Merrick has held various roles at RNCM since 2001. Merrick says in today’s world it is not just about training fantastic musicians. “You need two qualities to study here, talent and potential, and our rule is that when students leave they have got to be good enough to get into the music
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industry. But that industry is changing fast. Music students today need to know how to raise money, how to plan and deliver a project, and how to deal with the business planning side of it. “The days of relying on agents and publishers are disappearing and musicians now often market themselves, record and edit their own performances, and stream their work. Yes, you still have to be excellent musicians to succeed in the industry, but you also need all these other skills too. There are far more opportunities for the entrepreneurial musician who is prepared to market themselves and design and deliver their own projects as creative artists and work in the wider community or online environments. We effectively have students here who already run their own SMEs.” She says this is in part a reflection of the way that employment within the industry is changing. “There are fewer
full-time roles and people are more and more setting up businesses as freelancers. Being in an orchestra is no longer seen as a job for life.” Boundaries Merrick says at the same time the boundaries within music are also breaking down fast, exemplified by the fact that her students often have very eclectic musical tastes. “We are in a world now where it is not just about classical music. It is part classical, part pop, part tech, there is a whole breadth of genres.” To that end the RNCM, which has almost 900 students, took what she says was a brave decision a few years ago to start a pop course. “For us as a world-leading conservatoire this wasn’t a decision we took lightly, but it was the right thing to do. We have always had a reputation for being very innovative in the way we train the next generation, and
that reputation has been enhanced in recent years by the breadth of our offer.” And what about future generations? Here, both the Hallé and the RNCM have long been nailing their colours to the mast. For instance ‘Come and Play with the Hallé’ is a series of concerts specially designed to offer thousands of children the opportunity to play and sing with the orchestra at both The Bridgewater Hall in Manchester and in other national centres. In total the Hallé says it directly reached 70,000 children last year through its various schemes which also includes Hallé for Youth, its annual series of schools’ concerts at The Bridgewater. “It’s important that children have the opportunity to see what it is like here,” says Summers. “They need to understand what is so great about witnessing a live experience, especially in this era where social media is so allpervasive.” Sparking interest Further to Merrick’s point, he says pop music also plays an increasing role in helping to spark young interest too. “Our orchestras enjoy playing the pop repertoire, just as they of course enjoy the other end of the scale too,” he says. “If you look at our whole spectrum then at one end we have the challenging, less well-known classicial repertoire, then in the middle the more traditional classical pieces by famous composers, and then at the other end the more pop-style concerts. We regard each with equal importance.” Summers disputes the suggestion that orchestras are still not getting enough young faces through the doors, pointing by example to a recent classical concert featuring works by Satie,
Photo: Victoria Haydn
Two of the city’s best-loved classical institutions are moving with the times.
When schools are concerned about their place in league tables it is not surprising that teachers put effort and financial resources into improving those areas of school life that are measured.
There are far more opportunities for the entrepreneurial musician who is prepared to market themselves and design and deliver their own projects as creative artists...
John Summers, Hallé
Linda Merrick, RNCM
Stravinsky and Schoenberg. “We pushed that concert hard through social media and on the night we had 400 students in the hall.” It is also an example of the role that social media can play in terms of attracting younger interest, especially given the increasingly fluid nature of ticket sales. “The big change for us, as I would say it has been for all arts organisations, is that the days of ticket subscriptions where you bought tickets for a whole series of concerts in one go have gone,” says
Summers. “While overall ticket sales are still good, there is less certainty than there once was. Things you think will do well sometimes don’t, and vice versa. What you find is that audiences are more diverse, they are making up their minds up later, and they are often booking online. That means we have to be more digital in the way we sell products and also sometimes tell a slightly different story about the same event to different people depending on how they are consuming that information.” ´68 www.gmchamber.co.uk
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³
BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE
Schools Merrick also stresses the importance of working with schools, music education hubs, and across the wider community as much as possible, and like Summers is passionate about widening participation. “Two thirds of our students are home students and 60% of them come from state schools. That is something we are very proud of and which is really important to us.” RNCM runs two particularly successful initiatives. One is its junior college every Saturday for 8-18 year olds where children come from across the north. “They always tell us it is the highlight of their week. The experience can be life-changing for some of these children.” The College also runs open access Youth Projects on Sundays for a further 200 children where anyone can come along for a day of inclusive and fun music-making. However Merrick stresses that none of what the college does can ever replace music education in schools. Here both she and Summers agree that much needs to be done to reverse the fall in music teaching in state schools and in the wider recognition of the subject. Summers says the problems go as far back as the 1980s when cultural activities began to disappear from mainstream schooling, alongside the constant focus on school measurement. “When schools are concerned about their place in league
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Photo, courtesy: The Hallé
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tables it is not surprising that teachers put effort and financial resources into improving those areas of school life that are measured. The result is that over many years that has pushed out culture which is really counter-productive. It is incredibly short-sighted.” Adds Merrick: “If a struggling state school is trying to get up the school league tables it is not going to put resources into extra-curricular activities. What actually happens is that those who are most disadvantaged actually become even more disadvantaged. The latest statistics are not encouraging with the number of schools offering music at GCSE and A-level continuing to fall.”
Hallé
The Hallé last year celebrated its 160th anniversary since Charles Hallé gave the first in the series of concerts at Manchester’s Free Trade Hall. A major project this year sees work on a £4.3m extension to Hallé St Peter’s in Ancoats (pictured) which will complete this autumn. The Hallé raised significant funding to complete the restoration of the church and convert it for use as the principal rehearsing and recording venue for the Hallé Orchestra, Choir and other Hallé Ensembles. The church was originally built in 1859, just a year after the Hallé was founded, and the new three-storey extension, to be known as The Oglesby Centre at Hallé St Peter’s, will provide a brand new façade which will front onto Cutting Room Square. The new building will provide much-needed additional facilities including a café and kitchen, large new rehearsal space, education workshop facilities, individual practice spaces, and improved facilities for the Hallé’s musicians and choirs. w
RNCM
As the RNCM approaches its 50th anniversary in 2023 it has begun a campaign to fund a £20-25m redevelopment of its Oxford Road building, including a reshaping of its entire internal spaces. Principal Linda Merrick says it has launched a feasibility study into its plans which would make the building more open and accessible to the public, and include more state-of-the-art facilities. She said: “We would never think of moving from this site because it is perfectly positioned along the Oxford Road university corridor, but there are various parts of the building which need attention to ensure we continue to provide first-class facilities for students. We have scope to further expand the site as well as raise the height of the building, and we are working through much of the detail as we speak. This will be the biggest and most ambitious campaign we have ever run.” w
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Reform However some hope may be on the horizon as Ofsted is currently reviewing its inspection regime and considering whether music provision within a school should form part of a more holistic measure of a school’s performance. “This potentially could make a huge difference if holistic provision forms part of what makes an outstanding school,” adds Merrick. “It is up to people like us to keep up the pressure as best we can because it would not take much to tilt the balance the other way.” Summers agrees: “If assessment of schools was based on the breadth and quality of its cultural offering that would make a big difference.” w
REGIONAL
UPDATES Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce is located in the heart of the city centre, but its 4,500 members can be found right across Greater Manchester’s ten local authority areas.
The following pages provide a summary of what’s been happening in and around the regions that make up the UK’s largest Chamber.
Image: Eden Photography www.eden-photography.co.uk
REGIONAL UPDATE
BOLTON
REGIONAL UPDATE
Accountants achieve XERO GOLD PARTNER Status
BOLTON IS BEST for job satisfaction
Bolton has been ranked the highest for job satisfaction in the country by one of the world’s largest job and recruitment websites. The town topped the table in Glassdoor’s ‘25 Best UK Towns & Cities to Work In’ list, which is now in its third year. Glassdoor has more than 42 million reviews and insights from employees on more than 800,000 companies in 190 countries. The report is compiled by comparing 50 of the most populated UK towns and cities with populations above 100,000 people. Job satisfaction is based on at least 80 company reviews shared by employees on Glassdoor over the past year, and Bolton and Cambridge both shared an overall Glassdoor Job Satisfaction rating of 3.6 out of five, where five means ‘very satisfied’. Bolton was also once again ranked ninth best overall town or city to live in, retaining its spot from 2017. This ranking was determined by three factors: how easy it is to get a job; how affordable it is; and employee satisfaction. Bolton’s ranking eclipsed some of the country’s biggest urban centres such as Oxford, Leeds and Liverpool. w
Consultation launched on plans for NEW £150M NEIGHBOURHOOD at Church Wharf
Muse Developments has launched a consultation on plans to create a new £150m neighbourhood at Church Wharf in Bolton town centre. Set alongside the River Croal and between St Peters Way (A666), Bank Street, Manor Street and Folds Road, the underused site is set to be transformed. The regeneration of Church Wharf will create a distinctive new area of the town in an attractive riverside setting. It will include a vibrant mix of around 320 homes, including townhouses and apartments, from one-bedroom to fourbedroom units, providing homes for young people, first-time buyers and families. The plans also include a new hotel, commercial offices and leisure and retail opportunities, such as a café, convenience store or bar/restaurant. There are also plans to improve the river setting and build a new footbridge linking the site to Bank Street. A walkway through a new ‘river park’ will open up access to the river and encourage people to visit the area. Muse Developments is working in partnership with Bolton Council to regenerate the site which is part of Bolton Council’s £1 billion masterplan to transform the town centre. It is forecast that the new neighbourhood will boost the local economy
with up to 290 jobs created when the site is completed, and 130 jobs during construction. The Council will also benefit from an additional £450,000 of business rates each year. David Burkinshaw from Muse Developments said: “Cities and towns across the North are being revitalised as more people choose to live in urban centres. This shift in the way people want to live is enabling new neighbourhoods to be created with a daytime and evening economy, where restaurants, bars, cafés and shops all thrive. “The Church Wharf site is in an ideal location for new homes, within minutes’ walk of the centre of town. The setting alongside the River Croal and with impressive views of the two churches gives us the opportunity, working in partnership with Bolton Council, to create something really special that people can be proud of. The area has a rich industrial heritage and the development will be designed to balance the desire for modern, high-quality architecture with its historic setting. We’re looking at retaining some of the existing buildings and other features.” Muse expects to submit a planning application this Spring with a decision from Bolton Council expected in the Summer. w
OCTAGON THEATRE appoints new Artistic Director
Pictured (L-R): Lotte Wakeham, Roddy Gauld and Clare Moreland
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BURY
Octagon Theatre Bolton has appointed Lotte Wakeham as its next Artistic Director. The theatre’s board, Chief Executive Roddy Gauld, and external advisers made the appointment after an extensive interview and selection process and Wakeham takes up the role this month. Wakeham, who takes over from Elizabeth Newman, was previously
the Associate Artistic Director at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough and has been nominated as Best Director in the Off West End Awards twice, most recently for her 2017 production of The Hound of the Baskervilles. She said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining the Octagon. It’s an inspiring theatre and I’ve experienced some wonderful productions as an audience
member, and I can’t wait to start directing in the new space. It’s also a hugely exciting time for the building as it undergoes its capital redevelopment plans ahead of reopening in Spring 2020. “I’m very much looking forward to working with Roddy and the brilliant team, and can’t wait to get to know the audiences in this fantastic town and to start making shows for them.” w
Bury-based chartered accountant Horsfield & Smith has achieved Gold Partner status with Xero, the awardwinning Cloud Accounting software provider. The firm has gained an excellent reputation for its expertise and knowledge of Xero and has clients in the North West, as well as other parts of the UK, who are experiencing the huge benefits of using the cloudbased software.
Since becoming an accredited partner in 2016, Horsfield & Smith has used Xero as part of its Business Services offering. The software forms the backbone of a whole series of cloud-based apps which are able to offer businesses substantial time savings and access to real time financial information, helping business owners stay in control of their finances. Jane Hawarden, Marketing Manager at Horsfield & Smith commented: “Achieving Gold Partner status is a fantastic milestone for the Horsfield & Smith Xero team. I am delighted we have been able to assist so many of our clients and we look forward to helping other businesses make the switch in the very near future.” w
Two apprentices are receiving training from leading industry professionals as they begin their careers within the hospitality sector. The Last Drop Village Hotel & Spa in Bromley Cross, Bolton has offered apprenticeship opportunities to 18-year-old Nathan Pilling and 16-year-old Lucy Cuff as they take their first steps in their career. The hotel, which boasts on-site restaurants, function and wedding suites, bars, a spa and a luxury suite of bedrooms, strongly believes in investing in young people to give them the skills to progress directly in to industry. The hotel was acquired by the Emerson Group from Alderley Edge three years ago, since when it has undergone a major refurbishment of bedrooms, conference suites and public areas. This has generated increased employment opportunities while the demand
for skilled staff has increased and the original team of eight chefs has grown to a team of 20. Executive Chef John Sergeant believes strongly in apprenticeships and the benefits it offers both the business and the apprentice. He said: “Training apprentices allows me to pass on my skills and knowledge to the next generation. It is hard to find high quality chefs so to have the opportunity to upskill the future is very rewarding.” Former Thornleigh High School pupil Lucy has undertaken a Customer Service apprenticeship where she is assisting the events team. She hopes the apprenticeship will lead her to a career as a wedding and events planner. Professional Cookery apprentice Nathan impressed Sergeant during a work experience opportunity, after which he was offered an apprenticeship position. w
Bolton business backs BURY COLLEGE APPRENTICES
Pictured (L-R) Lucy Cuff, John Sergeant and Nathan Pilling
CHIEF EXECUTIVE RETIRES after 24 years The Chief Executive of awardwinning training provider Alliance Learning is retiring after serving the company for 24 years. Julie Robinson (pictured) has been Chief Executive for the last the last five years and has been a key figure within the business, which she refers to as her ‘family’. On being appointed as Chief Executive she restructured the company and within the first year of being appointed managed a positive £300,000 turnaround of the business, as well as IIP status and OFSTED Grade 2. Over the years Robinson has guided the company to win numerous awards, both individually and as an organisation. These included winning the 2015 Bolton and Bury Business Person of the Year, as well as SME of the Year, on the same evening. In 2016 Julie won Outstanding Woman in Business at the E3 Business Awards, while she has also driven the company to be shortlisted for Training Provider
of the Year at the Greater Manchester Skills for Business Awards 2016 and 2017. In 2018 Julie was also shortlisted at the Inspire Awards in the categories Business Woman for Bolton and Lifetime Achievement. Said Robinson: “Working for Alliance Learning for the last 24 years has been an honour and the best of my working life. My passion and belief in apprenticeships and the skills apprentices gain during their training has truly been fulfilled, having seen thousands of youngsters over the years become successful engineers and business people.” The company has announced Kelly Perkin as their new Chief Executive. She has worked at the organisation for 16 years and has worked her way up the business, starting out as a Childcare Assessor. w
WHN wins £1m legal aid contract
WHN Solicitors has been awarded a new legal aid contract that could be worth more than £1m. The three-year contract, which comes with a two-year extension option, means six of WHN’s seven North West offices can now offer family law services to clients who qualify for legal aid. The firm’s previous legal aid contract, which covered the firm’s Bury, Rawtenstall and Blackburn offices, has been extended to include its Bacup, Accrington and Haslingden practices. Legal aid is crucial to delivering fair and equal access to justice to people at risk of being excluded from the legal system. It uses public funds to help pay for legal advice, mediation and court or tribunal
representation for people who could not otherwise afford these services. WHN’s new contract covers the firm’s family law services in: children matters; care proceedings; divorce; financial matters; domestic violence injunctions; and international child abduction. Katharine Marshall (pictured), associate solicitor and head of WHN’s family law team in Bury, is the only Lancashire solicitor and one of only a handful in the North West to be included in the International Child Abduction and Contact Unit (ICACU) expert panel list. She also holds the Resolution accreditation in International Child Abduction and is a member of the Law Society’s children panel. She commented: “The award of this legal aid contract is a landmark achievement for our firm, and we expect the next three years, and potentially the next five, to be extremely busy. The contract is not capped, so its value depends on the volume of qualifying legal aid work that we undertake, but we estimate it could be worth more than £1m, and possibly significantly more.” w www.gmchamber.co.uk
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MANCHESTER
MANCHESTER SECURES TWO TOP 10 SLOTS on global foreign direct investment rankings
Greater Manchester has been recognised as a leading global business destination, ranking 6th globally for foreign direct investment (FDI) strategy and 7th globally for connectivity. The results were published in the Financial Times’ FDI Global Cities of the Future 2018/19 report, which assessed international cities on economic potential, business friendliness, human capital and lifestyle, cost effectiveness, and connectivity, in order to identify the world’s key business destinations.
Manchester retained its 2016/17 position for FDI strategy, ranking above Dusseldorf, Montreal and Miami, and improved in the connectivity ranking, placing higher than Dubai, Barcelona, and Berlin. To secure its ranking for connectivity, Greater Manchester was assessed against its digital infrastructure, telecoms and international travel connectivity, and quality of overall infrastructure. For FDI strategy, the city region submitted a qualitative report that detailed its approach, which was then scored by an expert judging panel. Over the last year the city region has attracted numerous new businesses including Amazon, GCHQ, and Jaguar Land Rover. Greater Manchester has also launched the Manchester India Partnership, secured a direct air route to India, and celebrated two years of the direct Beijing air route, which has already helped increase export sales from Manchester to China by 41%, up to £1.29bn. w
OAKNORTH TO LAUNCH LENDING OPERATION in Manchester as demand for its SME loans rises OakNorth has announced it will be expanding its lending operations to Manchester to deal with increasing demand for its loans across the north of England. The lender has always had an operations team based out of Manchester which, since its launch in September 2015, has grown to 15 people. However, as more SMEs in the north approach the bank for loans, there is a need to have a local lending team which can make credit decisions based on their knowledge and experience of businesses in the region. Last year OakNorth made several transactions in the north including: a £40.2m loan to Select Property to develop 356 new
homes in the city; a £33m loan to Mabec Property to develop 742 new student bedrooms in Nottingham and Sheffield; and providing The Inn Collection Group, a leisure operator with sites across Northumberland, County Durham and Teesside, with finance to fund their expansion. To date, OakNorth has lent £2bn to businesses across the UK with clients ranging from restaurants, hotels, care homes and nurseries, to tech businesses, professional services companies, private equity firms and property developers. The business made £10.6m pre-tax profit in 2017, only its second full year of operations. w
Italo stays on board with PARKCLOUD
Manchester-based ParkCloud has announced a contract renewal with Italian high-speed rail network Italo, following a successful first year in partnership. The renewal is a nod to ParkCloud’s ongoing commitment to growing its extensive car park coverage across the Italian market, as well as maintaining booking growth across the 25 rail stations Italo covers. Affiliated exclusively through the Italotreno Parking white label, customers can benefit from the convenience of browsing and comparing features online before booking their parking reservation alongside their travel. ParkCloud’s Brand Partnership Manager Nicola Pilling said: “The white label platform offers Italo passengers a more succinct travel itinerary, complete with various touchpoints and language options, allowing for a more enjoyable overall journey. Behind the scenes, it’s important that our brand partners feel we strengthen the services they offer and add real value to customers, which is why we’re thrilled to be continuing our collaboration with Italo.” Servicing over 20 cities across Italy, Italo’s routes cover popular visitor destinations such as Rome, Milan, Venice and Florence. w
REGIONAL UPDATE
OLDHAM
PMD BUSINESS FINANCE expands with new invoice finance division
Oldham-based business finance firm PMD has expanded with the introduction of a new invoice finance division. The company has appointed Mark Millhouse as head of invoice finance. This new division will offer all aspects of invoice finance, as well as services such as EFG (Enterprise Finance Guarantee) loans, asset-backed funding, credit insurance, trade finance, stock finance, single debtor funding, export funding and foreign exchange. Managing director of PMD Business Finance, Peter Dobson, said: “This is a new division of PMD but one that fits perfectly with our asset finance, refinance and loan activities. Mark brings over 18 years’ experience in the invoice finance sector and will be offering our clients and referrers access to a diverse range of invoice discounting and factoring facilities.” The newly-launched division coincides with PMD’s recent office move to a larger space at Howarth Court in Oldham to house its 30 plus staff count, which has grown from just eight staff members when the business was founded in 2010. Said Millhouse: “This is such an exciting opportunity for me, being able to work as an adviser, not a lender, and allowing me to offer completely impartial advice so I can match the most suitable lender to the client’s needs. I’ve known PMD for many years and have always been impressed with the team, their service levels, and wide portfolio of funding options.” w
HPP unveils £3 MILLION PRODUCTION LINE to expand manufacturing Hill’s Panel Products (HPP) has opened a second production line to increase its manufacturing of vinyl-wrapped doors for trade customers across the UK and Ireland. Oldham-based HPP manufactures its ownbrand products including Avanti doors, Glide sliding doors, and Aspect and Aspire kitchens and bedrooms. It also supplies products by other UK and European brands. It currently offers 6,000 products which cover full and processed MFC (melamine faced chipboard) sheet material, vinyl-wrapped furniture doors and associated furniture fittings. The new £3 million production line enables HPP to increase output of its bespoke vinylwrapped doors from 30,000 to 45,000 units per month in the short term. In the longer term, it can increase manufacturing to 50,000 per month or more. The new line contains automated routing, cleaning, glue-spraying and vinyl-wrapping machinery supplied by Wemhoner and Sittex. The Italian-made Sittex equipment is the first in the UK. To launch the new facility, HPP invited Oldham West MP Jim McMahon and Cllr Sean Fielding, Leader of Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council, to a ribbon-cutting ceremony and site tour. Other visitors came from Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, Handelsbanken and the Financial Times.
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of Manchester. Based on Watson Street, the distillery (pictured) will sit directly underneath Manchester
Central, the city’s iconic conference and events venue. Six of the grade II listed railway archways will be renovated, bringing life to an area of the city that has long been forgotten. To open up the space three of the six arches will have floor to ceiling glass windows allowing passers-by to look into the working distillery and see the gin being made in front of their eyes. Seb Heeley, co-founder of Manchester Gin, said: “It’s been an ambition of ours, since we started in our dining room, to give people the ability to come and meet us
and see how we make our beautiful gins in person. The arches under Manchester Central will be the perfect mix of the old industrial heritage of Manchester with a contemporary look synonymous with our brand.” Plans for the distillery also include a bar and restaurant where customers can taste Manchester Gin and an array of other creative and distinguished cocktails. Keeping in line with their ethos, the restaurant and bar will aim to champion produce from local artisanal producers wherever possible. w
Pictured (L-R): Peter Dobson, Managing Director of PMD Business Finance, with Mark Millhouse, the firm’s new Head of Invoice Finance.
Pictured: Cllr Sean Fielding, centre, cutting the ribbon at HPP’s new vinyl-wrapped door production line with, from left, Keith Wardrope, Annie Wigglesworth and Paul Richardson, both from Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, and Stephen Hill.
HPP Managing Director Keith Wardrope said: “It’s great to see people of such highcalibre and enthusiasm as Jim McMahon and Sean Fielding taking time out of their busy schedules to visit HPP. “This new production line shows the continuing importance of the company’s agenda of moving forward through automation while also securing jobs for people. “Automation can be seen as a doubleedged sword, if it leads to job losses. However, HPP is using automation to secure jobs and to grow. Automation allows us to be competitive in the door manufacturing market by making production easier and more accurate. But because we are getting busier, we need to recruit more staff. w
Survey specialist finds strength in ENERGY PERFORMANCE
MANCHESTER GIN to launch new city centre distillery Manchester Gin will spread its wings this year with plans to open a city centre distillery in the heart
Photo: Darren Robinson Photography
REGIONAL UPDATE
A specialist building surveyor in Oldham has increased its turnover by 72 per cent after working with Greater Manchester’s GC Business Growth Hub to capitalise on the growing market for energy performance. All Survey delivers legal compliance surveys and solutions for buildings, focusing particularly on asbestos, legionella and, more recently, energy performance. With changes to the legislation of energy performance certification in buildings, All Survey sought help from low carbon sector experts at GC Business Growth Hub to capitalise on the growing market opportunity.
Over several months, Operations Director Ruth Wyers (pictured) worked closely with Jack Smith, a green technologies and services sector advisor at the Hub, to create a solid business plan to increase its service offering in this area and find routes to market. To support its growth plan, the company joined the Hub’s online Low Carbon Network to grow its presence in the Greater Manchester supply chain and is already working with other members of the network to collaborate on shared services. All Survey was also able to develop and promote its own green credentials by attending the Hub’s resource efficiency workshops, which played a factor in winning recently awarded Energy Performance Certification contracts with a national charity and a North West housing association. Said Wyers: “Working with GC Business Growth Hub has given us the knowledge, contacts and confidence to pursue our future in the growing market for building energy performance. Thanks to the increased workload, we have now employed a former part-time member of staff on a full-time basis, as well as generating around £80,000 in new sales.” w www.gmchamber.co.uk
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ROCHDALE
REGIONAL UPDATE
MAYOR PRAISES HOPWOOD HALL COLLEGE on its work with employers
Hopwood Hall College held a major conference to bring together key employers, education experts and leaders to hold round table discussions on how the College can drive the skills agenda forward in Rochdale. Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, praised the skills pledges made by Hopwood Hall College and local employers at the College’s ‘Shape the Future of Skills’ conference. Also speaking at the event were Rochdale MP Tony Lloyd and Middleton MP Liz McInnes, along with key speakers from City and Guilds and The Institute of Apprenticeships. They addressed over 60 of the area’s largest employers including RRG Group, JD Sports, The Guinness Partnership, William Hare, British Gypsum and Rochdale Boroughwide Housing. The Mayor praised the work of the College in bringing together the key people needed to discuss managing the challenges ahead. What emerged was that many employers felt unprepared for the new T-levels and welcomed the opportunity to be part of these discussions on how to progress the qualifications. Speaking at the event, Andy Burnham said: “It’s
Andy Burnham with Hopwood Hall College students
become a lot harder for young people to make their way in the world and we have a lot of work to do to address the imbalance between technical qualifications and academic educational pathways. In Germany they are seen as equal. We need to have the same attitude and understand that both are needed and both are valuable in order to improve.” Burnham said this was “the right conversation to be having right now”. “The skills challenge is at the
top of the agenda for developing the economy of Rochdale and Greater Manchester and the time has come to do something different to build a stronger regional economy.” At the end of the event employers signed pledges to work with Hopwood Hall College on developing courses to ensure that Rochdale’s young people are given the best curriculum offering, work experience and apprenticeships. w
GALLEON STUDIOS shoots Trade Mouldings creates NEW DISTRIBUTION CENTRE video in honour of Blue direct access to the M62. Manchester is on the Work has started on Trade Mouldings’ new doorstep, Liverpool and Leeds are within an hour, 75,000 sq.ft distribution centre on a six-acre site Peter’s 60th Anniversary and Birmingham is just over two hours away. at Kingsway Business Park in Rochdale. The BBC chose Galleon Studios to film a 60th anniversary video for Blue Peter. Heywood-based Galleon Studios has hosted a variety of BBC productions since the studio doors opened in 2007. These include Cbeebies shows with Mr Tumble, Mr Bloom and Spotbots, as well as programmes with The Hairy Bikers, segments of The One Show and numerous interview and clip shows. Kristen Gibson, of Galleon Studios, said: “We’re one of only two fully soundproof studios in the North West, so many broadcasters use our facilities as both our studios are specially designed for the moving image. “We have welcomed Blue Peter before and the show where they discussed the latest ‘time capsule’ was filmed at Galleon Studios, however, on that occasion, they used their own crew. “This time, with so many crews shooting simultaneously for them around the country as they filmed presenters past and present, it fell to us and our skills to capture the centrepiece of Blue Peter’s celebration, namely a poem specially written by Tony Walsh.” The video featured a montage of iconic Blue Peter moments, interspersed with footage of presenters from the present day, alongside the poem. Galleon Studios also appeared on BBC over Christmas as parts of the Cbeebies Christmas show Thumbelina were filmed in its blue screen studio. w
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The design and build premises will nearly treble the space available to the manufacturer of kitchen and bedroom unit doors and MDF wrapped mouldings, and create around 30 new jobs. Northern Ireland-based Trade Mouldings has been distributing across the UK from Blueberry Business Park in Rochdale since 2002. The growing business now needs the extra capacity and flexibility that a tailor-made unit at Kingsway can offer. Director Damien Connolly said Rochdale was the perfect location for the business as it sought to expand. “Rochdale and Kingsway are close to the motorway network and Kingsway has
That’s a huge population base within easy reach. We have been based in the area for 15 years and wanted to remain close to our existing site as we have many key staff in the area who have been with us from the start.” The significant increase in capacity means the business can be more efficient, with an expanded stock range, a larger showroom and trade counter, and a more complete service for customers, all under one roof. The company expects to occupy the unit in Autumn 2019. Kingsway Business Park is being developed by a joint venture partnership between Wilson Bowden, Homes England, Rochdale Borough Council and Rochdale Development Agency. w
SALFORD
VAIONI RELOCATES to MediaCity following growth
Vaioni is opening its new head office in the heart of MediaCityUK. Growth has surpassed 100 per cent over the last four years and there are plans to achieve £20m turnover in the next three to five years. Award-winning network operator Vaioni provides mission critical internet connectivity and MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) solutions to businesses throughout the UK. Following year on year growth over the last four years, 2018 was Vaioni’s most successful year to date with revenue increasing 27 per cent. Vaioni’s substantial revenue growth has also resulted in an increase in its staff, by around 30 per cent, all of which has contributed to the company’s move. Relocating from its existing site within Salford University Business Park, Vaioni is now leasing the top office floor of Grade A space
located in Tomorrow, MediaCityUK. The new 5,000 sq.ft office will allow the team to continue to grow while providing a modern and exciting working environment and cementing the company’s further growth as it plans to increase headcount to more than 70 people. Sachin Vaish (pictured), Managing Director, Vaioni Group Limited said: “This is another very exciting and incredibly proud moment for our business. MediaCityUK is by far the most innovative and leading hub, housing some of the best brands in the UK, and signifies what our business is about. “Not only do we want a great place for our people to work from, but our new home allows us to collaborate and innovate even better between ourselves and with our customers. We are all really excited and cannot wait to move in.” w
WORK STARTS on £2.4m pet wellbeing centre Work has started on a new £2.4m Pet Wellbeing Centre in Manchester for leading veterinary charity PDSA. Salford-based MC Construction is the main contractor for the scheme, which is scheduled for completion next summer. The PDSA Manchester Pet Wellbeing Centre, The MontaguePanton Animal Hospital, is being built at the junction of Pottery Lane and Redgate Lane in Gorton, and will replace the PDSA’s current premises in Old Trafford which is at capacity. PDSA treats nearly 12,000 pets each year at its Old Trafford site, from emergency surgery to routine vaccinations and dental treatment. The new complex will have two operating theatres, a specialist dental theatre, digital x-ray facilities and modern consulting rooms. It will also feature a bigger, brighter
waiting area with separate sections for cats and dogs, while there will be improved kennel facilities to allow pets to recover quicker from surgery and treatment. PDSA unveiled plans for the scheme last year with the launch of a public appeal to raise £2.4m to build and equip it, and received support from animal lovers, charity supporters, businesses and a significant donation from the Montague-Panton Animal Welfare Trust. David Lowe, Managing Director of MC Construction, said: “We are excited to begin work on this development and are delighted to be partnering with the PDSA team to deliver a high-quality facility for the Manchester pet community. Having two office dogs at MC Construction, we have a special place in our hearts for this project.” w
Moorepay launches NEW NORTHERN OFFICE
Following its buyout by Bain Capital, Moorepay is investing significant sums in its growth over the short and medium term. The most tangible sign of that investment, £100m over the next ten years, is its move to custom-built new office space in Lowry Mill, Swinton. This new space is needed to accommodate Moorepay’s growing northern team. It has already invested heavily in apprentices, with 27 joining in the last quarter alone, and plans to expand the team by another 40% in the coming months and years. A grand opening provided an excellent opportunity for guests to network with more than 50 local businesses as well as industry and VIP guests. The new Northern Hub was officially opened by Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett. Moorepay CEO Alistair Blaxill said: “At Moorepay we strongly believe in regional investment. This includes our office, graduate and apprenticeship scheme, and our commitment to regional suppliers and local customers, all of which is aligned with the Northern Powerhouse Strategy. This marks the beginning of an exciting new phase of growth for us as a company.” w Pictured: Scenes from Grand Opening
Artist’s impression of new distribution centre
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STOCKPORT
REGIONAL UPDATE
GLOBAL SOFTWARE FIRM makes Stockport its UK home
Sydney-based shipping software provider SmartFreight® has opened its first UK office, choosing Stockport as its base of operations throughout the UK and Ireland. SmartFreight provides innovative software solutions to some 3,000 companies around the world, helping cut their distribution costs and enhancing their supply chain operations. It has already received acclaim in Ireland where it has quickly helped around 400 customers, and is now setting its sights on the UK. Stockport stood out as the perfect location to base its European headquarters and it has initially
taken office space at Cheadle Place, Stockport. The firm is likely to increase the amount of space it needs soon as it rapidly grows to meet customer demand. It is already recruiting staff to build up its team, where seven immediate roles are available in administration, IT and technical support, as well as national and regional sales and marketing. Jeff Francis, National Partnership Manager, SmartFreight, is heading up the expansion and has lived in the town for more than 35 years. He said: “We’re very excited to be opening our first UK office in Stockport, which will act as our European headquarters as we expand to meet
WFEL BRIDGES used in NATO Exercise US Marines and US Navy Seabees jointly deployed a WFEL Medium Girder Bridge (MGB) in Norway during the largest NATO exercise in more than 16 years. The troops demonstrated their bridgebuilding skills in a constricted workspace in an extremely harsh weather environment, and tested their ability to ensure mobility of forces during the scenario of an existing bridge over a gap becoming structurally unsound due to battle damage and unsafe for military vehicles to cross. Almost 100 US Marine Light Armoured Vehicles and Norwegian Bandvagns (all-terrain tracked
carrier vehicles) crossed the bridge immediately after its completion. The austere environment of Norway caused some severe challenges. For instance the road leading up to the bridge was narrow with steep drop-offs on each side, complicating the movement of transportation, and the icy conditions created a safety hazard for those working around the bridge. However, the troops quickly adapted to the situation and accomplished their mission. The bridge was kept in pristine condition and was ready for the operation sooner than expected. w
growing customer demand. Stockport is my home and I am delighted to be able to help bring a globally respected and leading software brand to the UK. “Few people working outside of the supply chain sector will have heard of us and that’s very exciting as we start to get our story out there. SmartFreight is the leading provider of its kind in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Ireland, and has now firmly set its sights on the UK market. To make that ambition a reality, we are investing heavily into growing our presence here and it’s just the start of the journey,” he added. w
HALLIDAYS announces further growth
Accountant David Stonefield of David Stonefield & Co Ltd is joining Hallidays, Stockport, bringing with him a portfolio of 100 clients. Having built up his successful business, David is preparing for his retirement by joining Hallidays for four years. He’ll work closely with Hallidays Director Phil Jones and the Hallidays team to ensure his clients are fully supported throughout the transition and benefit from the wider range of business growth and support services that Hallidays offer. Said Stonefield: “I recently made the decision to reduce my working week gradually over the next few years and am delighted to announce I have merged my practice with Hallidays. Hallidays is a local firm whom I previously had strong connections with, initially through their Accountants Support Forum. They offer a professional service, with the additional support that is beneficial to both clients and myself. Hallidays is an ideal choice to take over my practice and this will enable me to continue to look after my clients under the Hallidays umbrella.” w
TAMESIDE
TAMESIDE ONE set to open to students and residents
Tameside One – the building at the heart of the Vision Tameside development – is scheduled to open this month. The development will include Tameside College’s new Advanced Skills Centre, a 7,000 m2 building with state-of-the-art facilities, which will open its doors to students on 25 February. A brand-new Ashton Library, and a one-stop-shop for public services, will open a week later. The new Joint Public Service Centre will house the council’s Customer Services and Welfare Rights alongside Citizens Advice and the Cash Box Credit Union, and also Jobcentre Plus, which will open to the public on 5 March. Wilko’s new retail space will open later in the year. Vision Tameside will boost Ashton town centre’s retail
Wissper makes a SOCIAL MEDIA SPLASH
HURST ADVISES ON SALE of two manufacturers
A team at HURST has advised on the sale of two manufacturing businesses based in Greater Manchester. PI Castings and Turbotech Precision Products, which are both based in Altrincham, have been sold to Erlson Precision Components, of Skelmersdale. The HURST team comprised Lauren Roberts and Nigel Barratt, of HURST Corporate Finance, Mike Jackson and Paul Wright in business services, and tax specialist James Thompson. They advised the shareholders of PI Castings and Turbotech Precision Products, namely Ian Taylor, Malcolm Robertson and senior management who acquired the companies in a buyout in 2004. w
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economy by bringing in hundreds of council staff and large numbers of students and college employees. Councillor Brenda Warrington, Tameside Council Executive Leader, said: “I can’t wait for Tameside One to be open so that our residents can make the most of our wonderful new library and customer services and our college students can use the state-of-the-art facilities in the new Tameside College building”. Vision Tameside’s future developments will include the new Ashton-under-Lyne Interchange, which is expected to open in spring 2020. The Interchange will provide an attractive gateway and will make it much easier to change between buses, trams and trains. There will also be new public realm work connecting Ashton-under-Lyne Interchange with Tameside One and the Market Square. w
Children’s animated TV series Wissper has appointed Chamber member Social Media Makes Sense (SMMS) to promote its flagship preschool programme. Launched in 2015, Wissper airs on Channel 5’s milkshake! and is aimed at pre-school viewers. It follows the adventures of Wissper, a little girl who can talk to animals. The programme has universal appeal and is a worldwide programme, sold in over 80 countries.
Deborah Thorpe, Series Producer and co-owner of Wissper, said: “We were looking for a social media company which understands the needs of the parents of child viewers, the rules and conventions about promoting children’s TV, and who can also engage in a lively and fun way on social media. We specialise in animation and compelling storytelling and SMMS ticked all the boxes. We’re delighted to have them on board.” Jo Booth, SMMS Director, added: “We’re thrilled to be working with Deborah and Wissper. Wissper is such an engaging character and the storylines are really fun to work with creatively. It gives us scope to use our imaginations in a different way by appealing to a new audience.” w
Francis Kirk wins INTERNATIONAL COMPANY OF THE YEAR
Francis Kirk was named International Company of the Year (up to £10m turnover) at the Insider International Trade Awards. The event was held at The Lowry Hotel to celebrate innovators in international trade. Francis Kirk was up for two awards on the
evening, Emerging Exporter and International Company of the Year (up to £10m turnover) and was awarded the latter. The judges were impressed by the company’s energy and future plans. This result follows a string of awards success for Francis Kirk throughout 2018, having already won at the National Family Business Awards and E3 Awards to name a few. Managing Director, Thomas Kirk, (pictured right), said: “I’m absolutely delighted to have won yet another award, what a fantastic year for the company. It’s a testament to the hard work that the entire team puts in on a day to day basis and is a great way to end our 150th year as a business.” w
FREE LEGAL ADVICE programme expands Bromleys Solicitors is to expand its free legal advice services for the public during 2019 after seeing demand soar last year. A total of 764 people attended surgeries at the firm’s offices in Ashton-underLyne during 2018. The figure represented a 54 per cent increase over 2017, when almost 500 people took advantage of Bromleys’ Access to Free Legal Advice programme. In addition to five weekly surgeries at its offices, Bromleys runs advice sessions during and outside working hours at a variety of locations across the borough. These include nursing and care homes, adult day care centres, charity premises and women’s centres, all benefiting residents, service users and staff. Bromleys assigned more lawyers to the service during 2018 than in previous years. Those attending last year sought initial help with issues concerning employment, neighbour and boundary disputes, wills, probate and lasting powers of attorney, divorce and care proceedings, cohabitation agreements,
parental and grandparental rights, and child protection. This year, the firm is looking to add further pop-up sessions at various organisations in and around Tameside. Mark Hirst (pictured), senior partner at Bromleys, said: “The free advice sessions provide a safe, private space where members of the public can talk to our experts and find out more about the legal options available to them. “Greater awareness about our programme through marketing activities and client referrals has seen a dramatic increase in the number of people attending while reductions in Legal Aid are also a factor. People know they can come to us for a free initial consultation and that we will put them on the right path to resolving their situation before matters escalate.” w
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REGIONAL UPDATE
TRAFFORD
INFORMED SOLUTIONS reaches out to global marketplace
A leading provider of technology services to the private and public sectors has signed a series of bigname clients following support from GC Business Growth Hub. Altrincham-based Informed Solutions was already a longestablished, successful business with other UK offices in London and Edinburgh, as well as Australian offices in Sydney,
Canberra and Melbourne. Such has been the success of its approach that the company won a Queen’s Award for Innovation and an ICT Excellence Award for Emerging Platforms at the World IT Congress in India last year. However, Informed Solutions Group CEO Elizabeth Vega (pictured receiving the Queen’s Award for Innovation) realised
CALDERPEEL APPOINTS FIVE ahead of growth A Trafford architecture practice has expanded its team following a series of new appointments. Calderpeel Architects, which is based on Church Street in Altrincham, has added five people to the practice to facilitate growth as it looks to build for the future. Dylan Harkin and Kieran Marsh join as technicians, Kate Johnstone and Jenny Cox have been taken on as part 1 architectural assistants, while Hussain Al-Alwan joins as a
graphic designer, taking the firm’s Altrincham team to 18. Ewen Miller, Managing Director at Calderpeel Architects, said: “Calderpeel has built a strong reputation in its core sectors including superhomes, residential, leisure and blue-chip commercial, but we have a clear growth plan in place to expand the work we do in these areas further. The move significantly strengthens our team and allows us to ramp up ahead of this growth.” w
Pictured (L-R) Kate Johnstone, Ewen Millar, Hussain Al-Alwan, Jenny Cox, Dylan Harkin and Kieran Marsh
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that for the business’ continued development and to strengthen the company’s brand, Informed Solutions needed to reflect this progress in its marketing strategy. At the core of her plans was the launch a new website that authentically reflected the company’s core values while adapting to the different needs of the UK and Australian markets. Therefore, in early 2017, Vega sought the support of GC Business Growth Hub, part of The Growth Company. After identifying key areas for improvement, the Hub sent two of the firm’s leadership team on the Greater Connected programme, an intensive business accelerator initiative geared towards supporting the scale-up ambitions of digital, creative and technology SMEs. This resulted in Informed Solutions launching a new global website to coincide with the company’s 25th anniversary,
which Informed Solutions directly attribute the signing of several new high-profile clients to, including the NHS, Royal Mail and Ofsted in the UK and National Archives Australia. In turn, these new contracts have led to 15 new full-time staff, four one-year student work placements, and 11 new contractor roles. Said Vega: “Following the new website launch we immediately saw an increase in visitors, including a 130 per cent increase in traffic towards our platforms and solutions page and a 110 per cent increase in traffic towards our industry capabilities page. Our upward trend in traffic has also continued across our social media channels. This is reflected in a 100 per cent increase in page views in the space of a month on our company LinkedIn site, and a 190 per cent increase in tweet impressions on Twitter and 34% increase in profile visits.” w
Palletower agrees SPONSORSHIP DEAL with rising boxing star
Sale-based logistics equipment provider Palletower has agreed a deal to sponsor one of the UK’s most promising super middleweight boxers. Jake Haigh, from Macclesfield, Cheshire, is trained by former light welterweight and welterweight world champion Ricky Hatton and is seen by many as one of the most exciting prospects in his division. The 24-year-old, who has a first class honours degree in sports rehabilitation, has enjoyed a promising start to his professional career, contesting and winning all his 11 bouts, with his latest victory coming in early October. Matthew Palmer, Managing Director of Palletower, said: “I’ve known Jake since he was 15-years-old and have always been impressed by his attitude and dedication to his sport. He has an extremely exciting future ahead of him and we’re delighted to be able to support him on his journey through the professional ranks. As a business we firmly believe in helping local sportsmen and
(L-R): Matthew Palmer, Jake Haigh & Ricky Hatton
women with their development and I look forward to seeing how Jake’s career develops.” Said Haigh: “Being a professional athlete is obviously a dream come true, but it isn’t possible without the support and backing of companies such as Palletower. This sponsorship deal will help me focus on my training and to further my career. I’m extremely grateful to Matthew and the team, as they have shown great faith in me, and I look forward to working with them.” w
REGIONAL UPDATE
WIGAN
STRATEGIC PLAN to transform Wigan town centre given go-ahead
A strategic plan that will lay the foundations for the long-term redevelopment of Wigan town centre has been approved by councillors. The Strategic Regeneration Framework for Wigan town centre is a plan for the town detailing how a new varied offer including thriving residential, office, leisure and retail sectors, can be delivered. The plan also identifies opportunities that can be achieved in the short-term to set the basis on which the town can attract investment and grow and diversify. Key projects in the short-term include: n The creation of small business hubs as start-up space for the digital, technology, arts and culture sectors n Redevelop the Galleries and Market Hall, which the council acquired last year to drive forward redevelopment, which will include relocating the market to a more central position n Defining the opportunity linked to Wigan rail stations as a gateway to high speed rail
n
Protecting the retail core and setting out the future of what Wigan’s ‘High Street’ should be to drive footfall n The town centre to be actively managed so all residents can enjoy it in the day and evening n A car parking strategy identifying if supply meets demand n Linking the Wigan Pier Quarter redevelopment, which will start this year, with the town centre. The framework acknowledges that Wigan cannot currently rely on the private sector to drive change and deliver the growth needed. It therefore identifies interventions that the council can lead, working with private sector partners, over a transitional 24-month period to lever in new opportunities within the town centre. Councillor David Molyneux, leader of Wigan Council, said: “The success of our town centres is a vital issue for our residents and the borough as a whole and their future viability is one of the highest
economic priorities at the council. “We recently conducted our Big Listening Project to hear the ideas of our residents for the future and town centres were the most popular issue for comments and discussion. “Like many towns across the country Wigan has been affected as people choose to spend money online rather than at high street stores. This plan is an important step in defining a new future for Wigan town centre. “It is a blueprint for our aspirations but also an honest assessment of what we need to do to get there.” Cllr Molyneux said there was currently an oversupply of retail space and the council needs to act to develop a new offers to attract visitors such as culture, leisure, employment and residential uses. “It is clear the Wigan town centre of the future will be a very different place to what it is now and this plan will enable that diverse offer to be delivered. We are fortunate to be in a strong position to seize these opportunities. “With HS2 coming to Wigan, new link roads being built to make journeys to the town centre faster and easier and exciting plans coming forward for the Galleries, I believe we are at the start of something very special for Wigan town centre.” In order to create the plan the council has been helped by specialists in urban planning and design from Deloitte and Gleave 23. Detailed plans of the Galleries redevelopment will be unveiled later in the year. w
REFLEX CREATIVE builds new E-Commerce site Northwest Sharpeners has launched a brand new e-commerce website so it can provide a national service. Northwest Sharpeners, formerly known as ‘Clipper Smart’, began the business of sharpening clipper blades and scissors back in 2004. However, due to an ever-increasing demand for the sharpening of domestic and commercial blades, it soon realised the need to offer its services further than just Wigan and the surrounding areas. Gaynor Ashdow, Owner of Northwest Sharpeners, decided a modern, e-commerce website that would allow customers to place orders and print postage labels would be the ideal solution. After reviewing a serious of various quotes from different agencies, Ashdow chose Wigan-based Chamber member Reflex Creative to design and build her company’s new website. Ryan Coe, Senior Graphic Designer at Reflex Creative, said: “It was a pleasure working with Gaynor and hearing about her background and how her business has grown. We wanted to produce the very best website to suit the business’ needs and increasing demand, and of course the design had to match the quality of the service.” The new website, alongside a fresh new brand, has allowed Northwest Sharpeners to service the entire UK. w
CPL ACTIVATED CARBONS trebles capacity Wigan-based CPL Activated Carbons has dramatically increased its capacity for reactivating spent carbons from industrial purification processes, following a major expansion at its Lincolnshire production facility. Activated carbons are used in a wide range of gas and liquid phase filtration applications,
such as air treatment, water purification and numerous other environmental protection applications. When carbons are ‘spent’ and no longer achieving the required level of filtration, they need to be replaced. In most cases, spent carbons can be regenerated by a process called thermal reactivation, which involves passing the
spent media through a high temperature rotary kiln to restore its filtration capability. CPL’s carbon regeneration facility is located at the group’s UK manufacturing site in Immingham, Lincolnshire, where it has been successfully reactivating spent carbon filtration media from industrial applications since 2013. w www.gmchamber.co.uk
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DEEDS, Not Words In a region so strong in the very sectors in which women are still vastly under represented, our message as a Chamber is that those sectors – and many others – are missing out on a wealth of talent. The highlight of my December was joining the crowds in St Peter’s Square, celebrating the unveiling of Emmeline Pankhurst’s statue. Hundreds wore suffragette sashes and badges, giant screens and speakers blasted out music, and the atmosphere was electric. There were women – and men – of all ages caught up in the moment, excited, triumphant, passionate and proud. A month later, I took my 70-year-old aunt and 22-year-old daughter to see the statue, on a dark, January evening. This was the first time my aunt had been in St Peter’s Square for many years, so I wasn’t sure how she’d react to the new landscape. Although it looks so different, it’s still full of poignant connections. The Midland Hotel, where our immigrant, Irish greatgrandfather worked; the Central Library where my father revised as a university student; Oxford Road where he and my late mother met at the dance hall, and in front of us, Emmeline Pankhurst, the woman who’d inspired each of our three generations. And the verdict? Aunt Eileen thought it all looked great. She felt dwarfed by the scale of the impressive buildings around us. She scrubbed with her gloves at the lettering ‘Deeds not Words’ engraved into the stone seating surrounding Emmeline’s statue, said someone should have gilded it so the message would stand out more, and that it was a shame that she wasn’t bigger, towering over the square. But she also said that she’s there, and that’s what counts. With Emmeline in place, 100 years after winning the vote, we still have a long way to go in achieving equal opportunity. On the 6th February GM4Women2028 was proudly launched
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from the White Room in Elliot House. The initiative, jointly co-ordinated by Greater Manchester Chamber and MMU, is led by Helen Pankhurst, Emmeline’s great granddaughter. Working with partners across the region, the coalition has created the Pankhurst-Fawcett Scorecard, recording equality for women in Greater Manchester across five key areas: Culture, Education, Employment, Participation and Safety. As a group we’re calling for individuals and organisations, as well as the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, to commit to action. An annual measure of progress will be made, with the goal of achieving gender equality across Greater Manchester by 2028. As Dr Kate Cook (MMU) pointed out, the biggest challenge in creating the scorecard was the sheer lack of data available to measure gender and diversity in Greater Manchester. As she said: “It’s critical that clear data is made available at a regional level. Without this, what is driving decision-making?” Helen Pankhurst said: “One hundred years on, women in Greater Manchester still face significant inequalities, yet the region is proud of its progressive and feminist history. We’re not trying to change the world, but we are trying to change Greater Manchester. The 2018 indicators show that our message is still the same 100 years later – we need deeds not words.” In a region so strong in the very sectors in which women are still vastly under represented, our message as a Chamber is that those sectors – and many others - are missing out on a wealth of talent. We’re calling on members to join the initiative and commit to progress, starting in their own organisations, and
with suppliers and clients. It’s never easy to make change happen where habitual or deep-rooted behaviour exists, but we must, if we’re to create a culture where people feel comfortable to call out what’s wrong. I hope that many of you will make your commitment as individuals, and as organisations, by pledging at the link below, or by dropping me an email. Deeds not words, every time. w https://bit.ly/2tavIzI stella.bowdell@gmchamber.co.uk
Stella Bowdell, Director of Membership & Events, Greater Manchester Chamber
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