Kirklees Business News 07/05/13 by Huddersfield

ANDREW FIRTH Feed the need for data

ANDREW CHALLENER Spirit of adventure

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KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS The business NEWSpaper for Kirklees

Companies driving to create new jobs TWO Huddersfield companies are driving ahead to create more jobs. Northgate Vehicle Rental is creating 10 jobs immediately and expects to recruit a further eight people with the opening of a new depot in the town. And Quarmby Garage expects to double its staffing numbers after landing a key contract with the AA. Northgate Vehicle Hire has set up operations on a site formerly occupied by its vehicle sales arm at Red Doles Lane, off Leeds Road, Deighton. The firm is creating 10 jobs straight away and expects to generate another eight jobs within the first three years of operating at the site by providing workshop facilities. The new depot, which includes a comfortable waiting area, will house up to 45 vehicles at one time. Andrea Cowburn, area operations manager for Northgate Vehicle Hire, said: “Huddersfield has a strong business heritage which remains buoyant to this day and with that comes the need for a national flexible vehicle hire provider with the resource to fully service the varying demands of local businesses. “Through the launch of our Huddersfield depot we intend to meet those needs. “The area has a strong manufacturing heritage and – as a result – a significant number of businesses in the area fall into this industry sector. “Construction, wholesale and retail trade are also prominent industries for Huddersfield – industry sectors that Northgate has a wealth of experience in dealing with, making our competitive packages all the more appealing and relevant for local business owners.

“We are confident that this, paired with our impressive new facilities, will aid in our continued success this year.” Meanwhile, Quarmby Garage, based at Quarmby, has been named an approved garage for the AA’s roadside recovery service. The garage, which is owned by Philip and G i l l i a n Ro b i n s o n , i s a l r e a d y a n RAC-approved repair centre. It provides the full range of vehicle repair and servicing for cars and light van along with vehicle recovery for cars, vans and motorcycles. It has been entrusted to transport high-powered sports cars, including Bugattis and Lamborghinis as well as winning customer service awards under the West Yorkshire Motor Trade Partnership – which is backed by West Yorkshire Trading Standards – for nine years on the trot. The latest success means the family firm, which was set up in 1947 by Philip’s parents, James Edwards Robinson and Betty Irene Robinson, is now recruiting drivers and mechanics. The AA contract, which may be extended from one to five years, means Quarmby Garage will operate on behalf of the AA to recover vehicles within a 10-mile radius of its base. The firm has also won plaudits from one of its long-standing customers. Paul Mulcock, of Slaithwaite-based executive search and selection firm Broadoak Solutions, said: “I have bought my last six cars from Philip and the team and have always received outstanding service. “They were even able restore my 32-year-old Land Rover!”

The new service allows customers to place orders up to 10pm for free delivery the next day, subject to a minimum order value of £25. The online offering builds on Iceland’s long-established free home delivery service for customer purchases in store of £25 or more – which is already making more than 180,000 deliveries a week. Customers registering on the Iceland online shopping website at http://groceries.iceland.co.uk are able to choose from the full range available

Walking the walk THREE members of Birstall-based marketing agency Fantastic Media will walk the length of the London Marathon to raise cash for breast cancer charities. Donna Gardner, Beth Saville and Emily Smith will take part in the Moonwalk London, which begins at midnight on May 11 at Battersea Power Station in London. They will join thousands of people power walking 26.2 miles through the city to raise money and awareness for breast cancer.

● Full story - Page 8 ■ DRIVE-IN: Andrea Cowburn (above, right), area operations manager for Northgate Vehicle Hire, with new business managers Paul Rodney and Tamara Nikitin; Below – Gillian Robinson, co-owner of Quarmby Garage, with mechanic Gareth Bottomley

at their local Iceland store if it is already participating in the trial – or to register their interest when the service is extended to their area. Iceland, which has stores at Aspley and Trinity Street in Huddersfield and at Batley Shopping Centre, has also invested £250,000 investment in a new centre of excellence at Iceland’s head office in Deeside, where training will be provided to home delivery drivers, in-store pickers and store managers. And the firm has signed a five-year deal with Mercedes-Benz Road Range

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Pressing ahead

Iceland unveils new online shopping service FROZEN foods chain Iceland has begun trials of a new online shopping service. The company, founded by Grange Moor-born chairman and chief executive Malcolm Walker, is piloting the scheme in a number of stores in the North West, the North East, London and the South West. The firm said initial results were “very encouraging”. The service will be extended further to selected Iceland stores throughout the UK in the coming months.

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Ltd to replace its entire home delivery fleet of 1,300 vehicles with new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans. Mr Walker said: “Iceland was the first UK food retailer to launch a nationwide online shopping service as long ago as 1999 – but maintaining it was not a priority when I was faced with the challenge of turning around a near-bankrupt company on my return to the business in 2005. “Now the time is right to re-launch the service, building on our well-established home delivery infrastructure.”

A HUDDERSFIELD firm is helping make life easier for people fed up of wasting their time calling automated phone systems. Edgerton-based IT practice Brighter Connections provided technical know-how for Please Press 1, a web-based firm which helps consumers “press ahead” to get through to the service they require rather than wade through a menu of “please press” options.

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KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS

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Vietnam venture’s six-figure funding

A KIRKLEES company has secured six-figure funding to support the development of a new factory in Vietnam. Dewsbury-based Magma Ceramics and Catalysts has completed the funding deal from HSBC for £600,000 to help develop a 6,000sq metres facility between Hanoi and north Vietnam’s m a i n i n t e r n at i o n a l s e a p o r t , Haiphong. Magma has chosen the premier of Vietnamese industrial estates, the Dai An industrial zone, as the base of its operations and has worked with the industrial zone and its chairwoman, Truong Tu Phuong, to set up the plant. The factory will be operational in July and the company will use it to make refractory ceramic products that will be used by the glass, alloy and steel industries. Magma also plans to use the facility as a platform for growth in the South East Asia market as well as taking advantage of Vietnam’s burgeoning petro-chemical industry.

The company has secured the finance from HSBC’s Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield commercial team. The deal was led on behalf of the bank by senior international commercial manager David Sharp. In addition to finance relating to the company’s expansion, HSBC also provides banking services in Brazil and Vietnam for the business. Magma Ceramics and Catalysts was formed in February, 2010, following a management buy-out of the former Dyson Group business, Dyson Precision Ceramics. It has grown from a turnover of £1.6m in its first year of operation to £6m last year and is on course to deliver £10m in 2013. The company believes the Vietnam facility will be contributing up to £5m to turnover within two years of operation. Magma employs 52 people at its Earlsheaton headquarters and recently established a plant in Brazil to focus on the manufacture of a range of catalyst

■ SUPPORT: Jason Gledhill, HSBC area commercial director for Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield

products for customers operating in the petrochemical and natural gas markets. Magma Ceramics & Catalysts now supplies a wide range of refractory,

ceramic and catalyst materials throughout the world – with 80% of its production entering the export market. Managing director Mark Stuckey said: “This facility is a strong strategic acquisition for us because it enables us to manufacture ceramic products at volume, strengthens sales opportunities with South East Asia and is in a good location to support Vietnam’s growing petro-chemical industry. “HSBC’s support has been important to the success of the project and I’d like to thank Dave and the team for their work.” Jason Gledhill, HSBC’s Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield area commercial director, who is based in Huddersfield, said: “This is Magma’s second international manufacturing facility and demonstrates the innovative and proactive nature of the company. “They are taking their business to where their customers want them to be and it is exactly the type of business HSBC is keen to support.”

SMEs in plea for tax cuts

■ GROWTH: Mike Randall, of Close Brothers Asset Finance

MORE than a third of businesses across Yorkshire believe a cut in taxes is vital to encourage growth and get the economy back on track. The latest Close Brothers Business Barometer showed that 37% of owners of small and medium-sized businesses across the region wanted to see a reduction in VAT in the last budget announcement. However, while Chancellor George Osborne increased the registration threshold slightly from £77,000 to £79,000, the standard VAT rate remained at 20%.

The survey also revealed that 29% of local business owners are in favour of cutting income tax to help boost disposable income and increase capital spending power. Mike Randall, chief executive of Close Brothers Asset Finance, said: “Business owners are looking for measures that will stimulate growth and drive the economy forward. “Trading conditions remain very tough for small firms, but they are resilient. In fact, our barometer shows that 16% of SMEs across Yorkshire and Humberside have plans for

expansion in the next 12 months. “However, to achieve their full potential, firms must ensure they have a carefully considered financial strategy in place to facilitate these plans for growth. “It is more important than ever that credit flows to businesses and that they understand that there are a number of smart funding options they can utilise. “We are trying to raise awareness of how asset finance can help to facilitate investment for growth.”

Company secures sponsorship agreement A BRIGHOUSE company supplying locks has been named as a sponsor of the Neighbourhood and Home Watch Network. Avocet Hardware, based at Brookfoot Mills, manufactures the ABS Snap Secure lock, which features a patented system that guarantees against lock snapping – a common means of forced entry into people’s homes. Now it will join Neighbourhood Watch in raising awareness about home security issues. Michael Tuck, managing director of Avocet Hardware, said the rise in lock snapping was directly related to the increased use of uPVC and other double glazed doors – which are fitted as standard with a Euro cylinder lock that can be snapped and removed in a matter of seconds using nothing more than simple DIY tools. Mr Tuck said the firm’s ABS Snap Secure lock had been designed

specifically to prevent this crime. It was one of the first locks of its type to be accredited to the new British Standard TS007 and was the only retro-fit euro cylinder that has passed the new SS312 Sold Secure Diamond standard as well as being approved by Secured by Design.” Jim Madden, chairman of the Neighbourhood and Home Watch Network, said: “As with any crime, prevention is always our goal, which is why we are delighted to have Avocet Hardware on-board as a primary sponsor.” Leeds City Council has seen 10,000 ABS Snap Secure locks installed in homes across east Leeds since 2010. The move has contributed – along with other police initiatives – to a 36% fall in burglary rates in the year to October, 2012. That equates to 3,200 fewer victims than the previous year.

■ KEY PLAYERS: Avocet Hardware marketing manager Derrick Purvis (left) with (from left) managing director Michael Tuck; ABS Secure national sales manager Gemma Attiwell; Neighbourhood Watch chairman Jim Madden and operations director Kate Daisley

Page 2 Cyber alert for firms MORE Yorkshire businesses than ever face the threat of losing confidential information through cyber attacks, according to research by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. The 2013 Information Security Breaches Survey, carried out by accountancy firm PwC, showed that 65% of firms in the region experienced an unauthorised outside attack in the last year. Some 81% of companies surveyed experienced staff-related incidents – 65% being misuse of email access. William Richardson, forensic services partner at PwC in West Yorkshire, said: “UK and Yorkshire businesses face more advanced threats than ever before from unauthorised outsiders. “The business world has changed and companies of all sizes, in all countries and across industries, are now routinely sharing information across business borders, whether it's with business partners or employees’ personal devices. “Cyber security is critical. It is no longer only an IT challenge; business leaders need to make sure they are protecting what is most critical to their organisation’s growth and reputation.” He said: “Organisations also need to make sure that the way they are spending their money in the control of cyber threats is effective. “Spending on cyber control as a percentage of an organisation’s IT budget is up this year from an average of 8% to 10%, but the number of breaches and their impact is also up as well so it is clear that there is work to be done in measuring the effectiveness of the security spend.” The survey comes as the Technology Strategy Board extends its Innovation Vouchers scheme to allow small and medium enterprises to bid for up to £5,000 from a £500,000 pot to improve their cyber security by bringing in outside expertise. BIS is also publishing guidance to help small businesses put cyber security higher up the agenda and make it part of their normal business risk management procedures.

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS ADVENTUROUS Andrew Challener was always interested in a career in the law. Having left school with a handful of O-level, he went to Park Lane College in Leeds to undertake a business diploma which included law. It was here that he discovered his love of the subject – taking extra examinations including O-level and A-level law alongside the diploma. After securing a place at Leeds University to study law, Andrew took a summer job working in the computer department at Hepworth’s – later to be rebranded Next – in Leeds. The law career was spectacularly derailed, however, when he was offered a full-time job in IT with the Leeds firm. “The chance to earn good money straight away rather than spend several years studying and training as a barrister was quite tempting for an 18-year-old,” says Andrew. A successful career in IT followed with Andrew becoming self-employed and providing IT services to the likes of Asda, IBM, Santander, Royal Mail, Bank of Scotland and other large companies over the course of a 20-year freelance career. “Being self-employed meant that I had to rely on my reputation for hard work and professionalism in order to secure continuous contracts and keep working through some difficult economic times,” he says. “Those ethics have served me well throughout my career and are as valid today as they always have been.” Despite a happy and successful career in IT, the law career he never had was always at the back of Andrew’s mind. In 1998, Andrew took up the role of leading a small team of analysts in testing IT systems on a millennium project for Asda in Leeds. He says: “It was during this contract which I knew would run past January, 2000, that I thought about studying law part-time at Leeds University, some 20 years late! “Having been initially accepted by Leeds University, they cancelled the part-time course.” Fortunately, Leeds Metropolitan were running a part-time course and Andrew enrolled on that two evenings a week while continuing to work full time on the millennium project. Andrew says: “At times, it was difficult to combine studying with

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The dream comes true working. “For four years studying had to be incorporated into a weekend that already seemed too short! I was not sure I would be able to see the course through, but at Christmas in the first year at university I had to miss some Christmas parties to write an essay about European law. “I questioned my commitment to the course at that stage, but having made the decision to study over socialising I was determined to see it through and graduated in 2003.” It was at university that Andrew met Andy Howarth, founder of Howarth’s Employment Law, who is now his employer. They studied together for four years and both elected to study employment law in their final year. “Employment law was my favourite subject at university,” says Andrew. “I was fascinated by how the mix of legislation and case law meshed together and how it could be related to the real world and the working environment of all of us.” After completing the post graduate Legal Practice Course in York, Andrew started a training contract with a high street firm in

■ LOOKING FORWARD: Andrew Challener is relishing the next stage of his career with employment law specialist Howarths

Leeds where he was exposed to many different areas of law, before moving to Eversheds’ in Leeds where he specialised in commercial property. “The big firm experience is one that I relished and I learned a lot from my time there,” he says. “The downturn in the market in 2008-2009 meant that the firm went through two restructuring exercises. “Although not directly affected, it was a shock to see a number of your colleagues losing their jobs – seeing the impact of employment law at work and its real effect on people.” Outside of work Andrew’s main passion is music. In the 1990s, he was a regular visitor to New York to attend music festivals, he has promoted little known US bands on tours in the UK and also set up, with a like-minded business partner, a web-based music store to make US music available to a European wide audience. In 2011, Andrew embarked on a round the world trip, the culmination of a life-long ambition. He was able to catch up with old friends who had made new lives in Singapore, Brisbane, Sydney and Auckland in New Zealand as well as making many new friends whilst travelling around India and Vietnam in particular. “In Australia I was lucky enough to realise another of my life time ambitions and dive with sharks,” he says. “That was an amazing experience. Even though the grey nurse sharks were up to three metres in length and looked

Page 3 Andrew Challener

fearsome, they do not tend to attack humans so I could relax and appreciate these huge endangered creatures.” Another life-long ambition was realised when he hired a car in Miami and drove the length of the Florida Keys, stopping at Key Largo to pay homage to his favourite movie actor, Humphrey Bogart. His wanderings have not been without a few close shaves. Andrew was due to arrive in Brisbane at the same time as a cyclone! The cyclone moved further north at the last minute and hit Townsville as Andrew’s plane landed in Brisbane. In New Zealand, he was heading towards Christchurch when the big earthquake hit– and missed it by four hours. While watching the news he learned that a boat had sunk in Ha-long Bay in Vietnam – where he had been only two weeks before. He landed in Fiji a few hours after his hotel had been evacuated as a precaution against the tsunami following the earthquake in Japan and a volcano erupted on the Big Island in Hawaii the day before he flew to Honolulu. Commenting on the New Zealand quake, he says: “At one of the few garages outside Christchurch that had fuel left, I queued with a number of evacuees who were all escaping the carnage, but all were concerned about friends and family still unaccounted for. “The courage and resolve of those people was a real inspiration. I think about them often when I am feeling hard done by. Perspective is a wonderful thing.” Andrew said his travels “recharged my batteries and made me think about

Role: Solicitor (non-practising) Age: 53 Car: Audi TT Holidays: My last holiday was in Singapore and Malaysia in January. In 2011, I spent several months travelling the world. First job: Computer operator at Next (formerly Hepworth’s Tailoring) in Leeds Best thing about job: Meeting people and the opportunity to deal with clients face to face Worst thing about job: Lawyers with big egos Business tip: If you are happy in your work you are in the right job

Howarths Work: Employment law specialist Site: Cleckheaton Employees: 14 Phone: 01274 864999 Email: info@ howarths-uk.com Web: www.howarths-uk.com what I wanted to do with my life”. He says: “I was not sure exactly what the next phase of my law career would be, but thought that I needed to tip the work-life balance scales more in favour of life.” Refreshed by his expedition, Andrew joined Bradford and Leeds law firm Gordons before meeting up again with Andy Howarth, who invited him to visit the Cleckheaton office for a look round. Says Andrew: ““I knew very quickly that I wanted to work at Howarth’s. I was thrilled when the subject of me joining the team was raised. The decision did not take long to make. “I am relishing this next stage of my career.”

HENRYK ZIENTEK

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Furniture retailer backs watchdog A FURNITURE retailer with stores in Kirklees has joined an industry body committed to raising standards, improving service and inspiring consumer confidence. Harveys, which has more than 150 stores nationwide – 31 of them in the north and including ones at Leeds Road Retail Park in Huddersfield and West Yorkshire Retail Park in Birstall, has joined the Furniture Ombudsman. As well as promoting best practice in the furniture retail sector, the Furniture Ombudsman also specialises in providing alternative dispute resolution or consumers and retailers in the furniture and home improvement industries. Harveys customer services director Richard Powell said: “Harveys are committed to ensuring our customers are totally satisfied when they buy from us. We are dedicated to the highest standards of service and product, and always strive to continually develop these. “

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KIRKLEES BUSIN

Further details of shareholder plans E reported recently on the W Government’s proposals to introduce a new

“employee-shareholder” relationship which provides certain tax advantages in return for the surrender of some employment rights. A number of Government amendments have now been approved; the first being that a company wanting to use the scheme must give an individual a written statement of the particulars of the status of employee shareholder, specifying the employment rights he or she will give up and detailing the rights, restrictions and other conditions attached to the shares. The statement will set out whether the shares have any voting or dividend rights; whether the shares can be bought back or redeemed; whether the shares can be freely sold; and whether certain other rights and restrictions are attached to them. This written statement of employee shareholder particulars will be in addition to the statement already required by S.1 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 setting out the terms and conditions of the job within two months of starting work. The second amendment to the scheme requires an individual, once

EMPLOYER’S BRIEF Neil Wilson

they have received the written statement of particulars, to be given independent advice (i.e.from a lawyer, CAB, law centre, union etc) as to the terms and effect of entering into the scheme. Unless independent advice is received, and the individual has been given seven days to consider the advice, the agreement will have no effect in removing their employment rights. Acceptance of an employee-shareholder contract within that seven-day period will also have no legal effect. Under the revised scheme, even if the individual decides not to take up the job offer, the company will be required to meet the “reasonable costs” of the advice. The Government has said that it will use the Finance Bill, which is currently going through Parliament, to introduce an exemption within the benefits-in-kind legislation to ensure that the requirement to provide independent advice will not lead to a tax cost on individuals considering becoming an

employee shareholder. There is still some concern that the scheme is not truly voluntary if employee-shareholder contracts are offered on a “take-it-or-leave-it” basis. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for BIS stated that the Government believed that a company should be free to recruit or advertise for employee shareholders in the same way it can choose between recruiting an employee or a worker. It was reiterated that, as a result of previous Government concessions, no one will be compelled to apply for, or accept, an employee-shareholder job. Jobseekers will not be mandated to apply for an employee-shareholder job and existing employees will be protected from detriment or dismissal if they turn down an employee-shareholder contract. Further, final consultation is expected in early May, pursuant to which we should learn of a proposed implementation date.

Neil Wilson is an employment lawyer at Chadwick Lawrence Solicitors

IT firm is pressing ahead A HUDDERSFIELD firm is helping make life easier for people fed up of wasting their time calling automated phone systems. IT practice Brighter Connections provided technical know-how for Please Press 1, a web-based company which helps consumers “press ahead” to get through to the service they require rather than wade through a menu of “please press” options. Edgerton-based Brighter Connections was approached by Please Press 1 founder Nigel Clarke about 12 months ago. The technical team at Brighter Connections had already demonstrated their relevant IT skills working on the online voting system for BAFTAs. Nigel set up Please Press 1 after getting frustrated with facing a seemingly endless list of menu options when phoning utility, insurance or phone companies. He explained: “I could sit there for minutes that seemed like hours, trying to get through their phone menus only to end up at the wrong place and having to redial and start again! “I once took nearly three minutes to go through seven levels of menus, only for a robot voice to tell me they were closed.”

Ben Jefferson (pictured), technical director at Brighter Connections, said: “The technical skill set required and the principles behind Please Press 1 were a close match to our own skills and business principles of helping customers to profit from IT through

reducing costs, increasing productivity and applying innovative thinking. “It was an easy decision for us to want to work with a company that was driven by a desire to improve customer service, help the consumer save money and achieve this through an innovative idea that needed to be turned into a reality.” Nigel said: “I knew from our early research that the process to create, develop and manage and then present the database of phone menus would be technically challenging, require clear assessment of the best options and need a lot of flexibility to work in partnership to turn the evolving research work into a fully functioning, well-managed robust system. “Ben and the Brighter team ticked all the boxes and delivered excellently on all fronts. “They really helped progress and develop my original concepts with many great and creative solutions, always thinking a few steps ahead and were able to help turn the ideas into reality. “They also worked well with the front end developers in design, development, testing and issue resolution.”

Seeking entrepren

THE search is on to most promising and entrepreneurs. School for Startups Business Banking h competition, which social entrepreneur 30 who have been r enterprises for less Five lucky winners w worth of intensive s grow their social en as the chance to att young leaders’ foru World in Johannesb later this year. As part of the selec of the country's mo entrepreneurs will b attend a one-day co Richard’s School fo will focus on definin social enterprise. Those attending the May 20 at Barclays’ headquarters will be invaluable training a the ultimate prize, a pitch to an expert p representatives from School for Startups business leaders. The five winners, se quality and sustaina idea, as well as thei acumen, will go on one-year programm support and busine including one-to-on a top Barclays exec the Central Working access to online kn support community Connector, a range workshops and train full pack of leading software and the ch global young leader Young World in Joh To apply for a place day go to www.schoolforstart /barclays

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Meeting a need for data DIGITAL DIRECTION

Andrew Firth

EARS ago – before software had grown up – sharing information between different packages was at worst impossible and at best time-consuming and often frustrating. Thankfully, those days are all gone and shared file formats allow us to easily share information between different software packages. Things have changed a lot online, too. First there came content feeds, a really useful tool that permitted subscription to news and other updates. Users of websites and blogs can subscribe to content feeds that in the early days were delivered via email, but now can be distributed virtually anywhere online. This meant a website owner could display third party content on their own website, a revolution that has transformed the way the internet looks today and has enabled huge technological advances in smartphone technology and social media, both completely reliant upon the feeding and pushing of data. One of the greatest benefits of data feeding has helped online retail to flourish, where the passing of information between different pieces of software is achieved using application programming interfaces (APIs). APIs are a set of rules that govern content sharing between two pieces of software (eg websites) and allow shopping portals such as Amazon and eBay to interact with retailers efficiently and effectively.

Shopping portals are being used more and more as they are often seen as a safe haven for customers. The merchants (retailers) are monitored using feedback mechanisms and poor customer service can lead to merchants being stopped from selling. There has been a major shift in the way that consumers are shopping and recent figures suggest that Amazon now makes up almost 40% of the UK’s online retail spend. The availability of feeds has allowed online retailers to publish their product lists to the portals automatically, so that when a change is made to a product on the website, it is automatically updated on the third party. Conversely, the use of API’s enables sales information to be taken from the portal and integrated into the dispatch mechanism of the website, meaning that all order processing is handled in a single location. So online retailers can very simply pass their product lists into Amazon, eBay, Google Shopping and other portals from a single point of administration and as the orders come in, handle them all in one place – a completely efficient process, all thanks to data feeding. Our hunger for information is vast. The feeding and sharing of data is driving the evolution of the internet. It’s helped websites to become rich with content and grow.

Andrew Firth is managing director of Ascensor Website Design & Digital Marketing

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Output and orders to rise SMALL and medium-sized firms saw orders and output continue to fall in the three months to April – but expect both to improve in the coming quarter. The SME Trends survey from the CBI today said the decline in total new orders was driven by reduced domestic and export demand. Output also fell for the fourth quarter running. However, manufacturers expect output to grow slightly over the next three months – on the back of strong predicted growth in

export orders – while domestic orders look set to stabilise. Despite weaker than expected activity, optimism about the overall business situation has steadied, following three quarters of decline. Meanwhile, optimism about export prospects rose for the first time in a year. Employment in the sector improved in the three months to April, the survey said. Manufacturers expect a modest increase in

staffing levels in the coming quarter. Elsewhere, both domestic and export price inflation were broadly the same quarter-on-quarter, but growth in average unit costs was the fastest since October, 2011 – squeezing manufacturers’ profit margins once again. Firms said pressure on margins will persist in the coming quarter – with domestic prices expected to rise only slightly and exports predicted to be flat against a backdrop of rising costs.

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KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS Call to amend planning policies YORKSHIRE property chiefs are calling for improved access to public sector construction contracts – so that smaller companies can tender for work more easily. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors said contracts for work, including infrastructure repair and maintenance, should be “visible to all in the industry”. It has also produced guidance to help government staff working in procurement to understand the complexities of the construction supply chain, including the need for early discussions with small and medium-sized enterprises. The move follows extensive consultations by the RICS with Yorkshire and Humber members across the sector, which highlighted the need to unblock construction pipelines, reform procurement processes and improve access and visibility of finance. The RICS said its recommendations – if adopted – would support smaller companies over the next 12 months and secure a successful and sustainable construction sector for the future. Among its recommendations, the RICS calls for simplified, publicly available Pre-Qualification Questionnaires for use by SMEs. It also wants to see finance more readily available for firms and better information on how to access it. The RICS wants the Department for Business Innovation and Skills to set up a single “portal” for SME finance offering advice on what is on offer and how to apply. RICS head of policy Jeremy Blackburn said: “Visible pipelines, complex procurement and access to finance are all major concerns for the industry as a whole and particularly SMEs. These issues are intrinsically linked and it is vital we have an overarching approach to address them. “The recommendations outlined in our policy document provide a unified approach for government, industry and RICS that have the potential to provide direct and meaningful support for the industry.”

Premium status for housebuilder A HOLME Valley housebuilder has been awarded Premium Rating A1 from the National House Building Council. Eastwood Homes attained the coveted status following a review of the Holmfirth-based property developer’s length of registration and claims record. Managing director Michael Eastwood (pictured) said: “I am incredibly proud that we have a 16 year claim free history, which is a fantastic achievement, and am delighted that the quality and finish we provide has ensured that we can be recognised by the NHBC in this way.” The NHBC is the leading warranty insurance provider and sets the standards for the UK housebuilding market of new and newly-converted homes. NHBC has also gained more than 75 years of experience in improving quality in the house building trade. Mr Eastwood said Eastwood Homes would continue to work alongside NHBC in the future and continue to provide the highest quality of build and customer service to all its clients.

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Thanks for being considerate A BUILDING firm in Huddersfield has won an award for the care it took to minimise disruption for the local community during a complicated construction project. Bradley-based Termrim Construction won a bronze award from the Considerate Construction scheme for its work on Fulwood Court in Liverpool for Methodist Homes. The award, which was presented at a ceremony in Manchester, puts Fulwood Court among the top 7.5% highest-scoring projects out of 8,500 eligible sites nationally. The new building at Fulwood Court creates 33 one and two-bedroom apartments with 24 hour care for residents. It provides flexible living and support facilities including bistro dining, a communal lounge, a communal laundry, assisted bathing and 24-hour on-site care provision. The new building was completed in the spring and handed over to Methodist Homes. Termrim managing director Graeme Bird said: “To receive a national award from the Considerate Constructors Scheme recognises the high standard of contract delivery Termrim Construction achieves when working in local communities. “Our construction team at Fulwood Court delivered the £3m contract on a site which imposed restrictions and careful logistic planning to minimise disruption during the construction works to the neighbouring homes, businesses and adjacent houses. Said Mr Bird: “Our Fulwood Court site was

■ GOOD NEIGHBOURS: Termirm site manager Rob Husband (second right) is pictured with the award and managing director Graeme Bird (left), development director Simon Taylor and Melanie Shreeves, of Methodist Homes judges along with 8,500 eligible sites nationally and recognised the high standards achieved on this project and also the

standard Termrim Construction delivers when working in all communities.”

Clearly a reason for celebrating!

A WINDOW company in Huddersfield is marking 30 years in business. And Gardinia Windows is looking to the future with new products aimed at helping the firm maintain its position in the marketplace. The firm was founded by owner Michael Foster in 1983 at premises at Ringway Industrial Estate – but within a year moved to its prominent site at Leeds Road. Mr Foster was later joined in the business by his wife Judith. Its first “milestone” contract came in 1984 when it installed thermal-efficient windows at the West Yorkshire Ambulance Service control centre at Birkenshaw. Other notable projects have included Buxton House flats in Huddersfield and the much-acclaimed Round House, near Castle Hill. The company has established a solid reputation with customers and lays claim to be the only firm in its sector in the town to have been in continual business for 30 years. “The industry has evolved dramatically from when we started,” said Mark Wheelwright. “New products come along. We are all conscious of rising fuel costs and doing our bit for the environment.” Gardinia’s latest developments include Evolution, a new cottage-style window combining the look and feel of traditional wood with state-of-the-art modern window technology, and a new roofing system which transforms the traditional conservatory into an “extension” which can be used all year round. Gardinia employs about 20 people in sales, administration and fitting. While most of its customers are in the

■ BIRTHDAY CHEER: Toasting Gardinia Windows’ 30 years are (back, from left) Allan Hinchliffe, Jonathan Hill, Matthew Hill and Alan Thwaite with (front) Judith Foster, Michael Foster, Mark Wheelwright, Darren Mitchell and Stephen Halstead

Kirklees area, the company has carried out work following recommendations in Maidenhead, Kent, and supplied windows as far away as the Caribbean. Said Mark: “The economic climate means business has been harder to find and keep. Everyone is looking for the best deal and margins are being squeezed. In these circumstances, it is more important than ever to get

things right. “We have always had a reputation for quality and we have always tried to stay one step ahead of the competition. “A lot of customers come back to us because we have given good service – and some of them are customers who had products fitted 30 years ago when we began!”

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS

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Roof system wins approval AN Elland company has come up with a roofing system that’s really built to last. U-Roof Ltd manufactures and supplies a galvanised cold-rolled steel roofing system that has attracted the attention of self-builders, construction companies and architects. Now the evolutionary light gauge steel warm frame home building system has received the seal of approval in the form of test evidence produced by the Steel Construction Institute that concludes a minimum 200-year expected life span when used in a warm frame construction. The system – which is already in place at hundreds of housing developments and self-build locations across the country – features a patented u-shaped, cold-rolled, galvanised steel profile section which enables a ny l i g h t c o m m e rc i a l o r domestic structure to be fitted together in a fraction of the time of traditional timber frames or heavy hot rolled sections. Many major housebuilders, architects, self-build enthusiasts, roofing contractors and specifiers are already showing a

keen interest. Commenting on the SCI findings, inventor and U-Roof founder David Thurston said: “These findings further endorse what is already acknowledged as a very strong, dependable and adaptable frame building system that saves on both time and money during construction and proves that British innovation is still very much alive. “The SCI, together with the National House Building Council concur that it is not unreasonable to expect a life span – for a warm frame galvanised steel construction – in excess of 200 years. “The data from the SCI proves that the system is fit for purpose for considerably longer than previous expectations – offering builders, homeowners, lenders and insurers real peace of mind when it comes to product durability.” Recent projects for the company, which is based at Park Road Mills, have included a self-build scheme in Livingston, Scotland, a commercial and residential development at Hipperholme and a new house in Fixby.

■ IN THE FRAME: David Thurston, of U-Roof Ltd, Elland, which is winning work with its innovative roofing system

Development Opportunity

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395m2 (4,250ft2) Site Area 0.13 Hectares (0.33 Acres) ■ Vacant possession ■ Suitable for refurbishment for alternative occupational residential uses or possible complete redevelopment, subject to planning consent

● Site 0.3 Acres

4 RANGE LANE Corner Site ● Freehold Halifax, HX3 6DL FORMER HOSTEL PREMISES ● Close to Village Centre

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Industrial - Former Garage Premises

MARK STREET, PADDOCK, HD1 4ST £14,000 p/a

4 RANGE LANE Halifax, HX3 6DL FORMER HOSTEL PREMISES

● 448.72 sqm [4,830 sqft]

4 RANGE LANE Halifax, HX3 6DL ● Double Loading Doors FORMER HOSTEL PREMISES 2) 395m2 (4,250ft ● 3 Phase Electricity and Gas Site Area 0.13 Hectares (0.33 Acres) ■ VacantSupply possession ■ Suitable for refurbishment for alternative occupational residential ● Good Office Content uses or possible complete redevelopment, subject to ● consent EPC Rating : F planning

Retail Premises

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HALF MOON STREET, HUDDERSFIELD, HD1 2JF £13,500 p/a

● 88.66 sqm [954 sqft]

4 RANGE LANE Halifax, HX3 6DL ● Attractive terms FORMER HOSTELlease PREMISES

395m2 (4,250ft2) Site Area Acres) ● 0.13 WithHectares ancillary (0.33 accommodation ■ Vacant possession ■ Suitable for refurbishment for alternative occupational ● Good secondaryresidential location uses or possible complete redevelopment, subject to ● consent EPC Rating:- C planning

Warehouse / Industrial

Yew Green Road, Huddersfield, HD4 5EN £220,000

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● 845.13sqm (9,097 sqft)

4 RANGE LANE Halifax, HX3 6DL FORMER HOSTELtoPREMISES ● Craneage part

395m2 (4,250ft2) Site Area 0.13 Hectares (0.33 Acres) ■ Vacant possession ● 3for loading doors for refurbishment ■ Suitable alternative occupational residential uses or possible complete redevelopment, subject to ● consent Former Transport Premises planning

Office Suites

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ST GEORGES SQUARE, HUDDERSFIELD, HD1 1LA FROM £4,000 p/a

● * 87.6m² - 120.49m²

4 RANGE LANE Halifax, (943ft² HX3 6DL - 1,297ft²) FORMER HOSTEL PREMISES 2) ll Listed Building 395m2 (4,250ft ● Grade

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Double Fronted Retail

CROSS CHURCH STREET, HUDDERSFIELD, HD1 2PY £20,000 p/a

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● 85.65 sqm [922 Sqft]

4 RANGE LANE Halifax, HX3 6DL ● Ancillary accommodation FORMER HOSTEL PREMISES

395m2 (4,250ft2) Site Area 0.13 (0.33 Acres) 3,022Hectares sqft ■ Vacant possession ■ Suitable for refurbishment for alternative occupational residential ● Finished to a high quality uses or possible complete redevelopment, subject to ● consent Excellent display frontage planning

T. 01484 530361 www.bramleys.com

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KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS

Movers and shakers

Page 8

Fantastic three set for capital challenge Gary MacNicoll

Barclays Corporate BARCLAYS has made a new appointment to its Yorkshire corporate team covering Kirklees. Gary MacNicoll,pictured with Debbie Mullen, the bank’s corporate head for Yorkshire, joins the team as a relationship director and will be responsible for multi-national corporate businesses in the region with a turnover in excess of £20m. Mr MacNicoll has extensive knowledge in the multi-national arena, having previously worked for London-based UBS Investment Bank for seven years specialising in prime services distribution across Europe. He also worked for Morgan Stanley Investment Bank for six years covering multi-asset class hedge funds and asset managers across financing and derivatives, with a focus on US clients with European headquarters in London. Mr MacNicoll said: “I’m delighted to be part of the Barclays expansion plans and hope to play a big part in their ambitious multi-national growth aspirations for Yorkshire. “With the ever-strengthening team we will be well-placed to take advantage of the opportunities within the market.” Ms Mullen said: “Recruiting talent from both within Barclays and externally is key to our expansion plans in Yorkshire and Gary’s experience will be a huge asset for the customers and his team.”

Giants opportunity YOU’RE all invited! Members of networking group BNI Giants are opening up their weekly meetings to welcome local business men and women to a special visitors day. The Huddersfield-based Giants “chapter” is a group of 30 like-minded individuals who work together to help grow each other’s businesses. Following the chapter’s recent celebrations for its first birthday, members are now offering other local companies the opportunity to experience BNI and learn how joining the Giants chapter can improve their businesses. The meeting gets under way at 7am on Wednesday, May 22, at the John Smith’s Stadium. Networking begins at 6.45am. Contact Giants chapter director Tracey Craven, of Howarths Employment Law Specialist, on 01274 864999 or email tracey@howarths-uk.com for more information.

Join the café society HUDDERSFIELD Media Centre’s Café Ollo is the venue for the next MYNetwork Huddersfield networking event on May 15. The event runs from 9.30am to 11.30am and provides an informal atmosphere for business people to make valuable new contacts. MyNetwork meets on the third Wednesday of the month at the media centre in Northumberland Street. It is run by the Lockwood-based Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with Ramsdens Solicitors, The Media Centre and SMileS.

THREE members of Birstall-based marketing agency Fantastic Media will walk the length of the London Marathon to raise cash for breast cancer charities. Donna Gardner, Beth Saville and Emily Smith, who all work for the full service marketing agency, will take part in the Moonwalk London, which begins at midnight on Saturday at Battersea Power Station in London. They will join thousands of other women and men to power walk 26.2 miles through the city wearing brightly decorated bras to raise money and awareness for breast cancer. The trio decided to take part in the famous moonlit marathon in support of t h e i r l o n g - s t a n d i n g c l i e n t , Fe n ay Bridge-based Paxman, which manufactures and supplies scalp cooling equipment for the prevention of hair loss during chemotherapy. The Moonwalk London is organised by Walk the Walk, which raises funds to support research into breast cancer and to support charities which provide emotional and physical support for those living with cancer now. One of Walk the Walk’s major projects is to grant Paxman Scalp Coolers to hospitals across the country. Donna, who is client services director at Fantastic, said: “We are passionate about supporting Paxman in every way that we can so volunteered to do this event on their behalf. We’re hoping to raise as much as we possibly can. “We’ve been training in the gym since

■ FEET FIRST: Fantastic Media's (from left) Beth Saville, Donna Gardner and Emily Smith, who are walking the London Marathon course for charity

New Year and are confident that we will finish the walk. We just hope that the weather’s not too cold and that it doesn’t rain!” Since the first Moonwalk in 1998, this unique challenge has encouraged more than 250,000 people to take on a walking challenge and raised in excess of £72m. Richard Paxman, managing director of Paxman, said: “The Moonwalk is not only about uniting in the common bond of making a difference to vital breast cancer

causes, it’s also about encouraging women and men to become healthier through power walking and taking responsibility for their own well-being. “We’re incredibly proud of Donna, Beth and Emily for volunteering to take part on behalf of Paxman and wish them all the best. We have every faith in them completing the challenge.” To sponsor the team, go to www.justgiving.com/team-fantastic

Perfect practice! THE practice manager of a dental surgery in Meltham has won two categories at the National Dental Awards. Joanne Holroyd, of Meltham Dental Care, took the trophy for Practice Manager of the Year (North) and then went on to win the national award for Practice Manager of the Year. Dr Bal Dhesi, principal dentist at Meltham Dental Care, said: “In my opinion, Joanne epitomises what a good practice manager should be. “She is extremely professional, organised, dedicated, a good motivator and communicator along with being very hard working. “These qualities make working with Joanne a pleasure. Both the patients and staff of Meltham Dental Care are extremely fortunate to have such a highly equipped and enthusiastic person amongst them.” Alongside Joanne, Dr Dhesi was also recognised in the National Dental Awards by being shortlisted in the Dentist of the Year (North) category. The practice was also a finalist in the Design and Interior section. Joanne said: “Bal has achieved so much at such a young age. He is still only 34 and to be shortlisted in such a competitive category, alongside dentists who are much older than him, is a phenomenal achievement. “I had been working in dentistry for 17 years prior to working for Bal and he has given me

Kate’s date at trade show

■ SMILE PLEASE: Joanne Holroyd (centre) receives her award from Denplan area manager Angela Beale and host Chris Neill fantastic opportunities and capabilities of which prior to him becoming principal I may not have achieved.” Meltham Dental Care moved to new premises on Station Street last summer. It now has a stunning seven surgery practice with facilities including disabled access, a lift and a private lounge allowing patients to relax prior to their treatment.

HUDDERSFIELD businesswoman Kate Hardcastle has joined the line-up for a major trade show this summer. Kate, co-founder of business transformation specialist Insight with Passion, will speak at the event organised by the Lockwood-based Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Small Business. The Chamber/FSB Tradeshow takes place from 3pm to 7.30pm on Tuesday, June 11, at the Cedar Court, Ainley Top. Kate will speak at 6.15pm. As well as being a multi-award winner, Kate is a director of Super League side Bradford Bulls and has spoken on business issues around the world.. She also founded the Positive Image campaign and is the founder of singing group Charity Dreamgirls, which raises awareness of lesser-known charities. She is a keen supporter of volunteering. To book a place at the trade show visit www.mycci.co.uk