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HUDDERSFIELD EXAMINER TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2014
All present and connect Interview - Page 3
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NICK GARTLAND A world full of surprises Column - Page 4
An EXAMINER publication
KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS The business NEWSpaper for Kirklees
By Henryk Zientek Business Reporter henryk.zientek@examiner.co.uk
A metalworking company has landed its biggest-ever contract – to help create a state-of-the-art velodrome for Britain’s up-and-coming racing cyclists. Arkoni, based at Armytage Road, Brighouse, has sealed a £500,000 deal to supply glazed walling, a staircase and spectator balustrades for the new Derby Sports Arena. The £27.5m complex, which is sited next to Derby County FC’s iPro Stadium, will feature a 250m cycling track, 12-court sports hall, gym and multifunction rooms as well as a café. The venue will also double up as a concert venue with a capacity of 5,000. Arkoni managing director Mark Prentice said: “Arkoni’s manufacturing expertise could well provide a backdrop for our next Sir Chris Hoy, Victoria Pendleton or Bradley Wiggins in what is only the fifth international standard velodrome in the UK. “We were asked to design, manufacture and install a two-metre high structural glass wall around the cycle track as well as a staircase and balustrades to
■■ The futuristic velodrome at Derby (left) and (above) Arkoni managing director Mark Prentice
spectator areas around the arena. “We have worked for main contractor Bowmer Kirkland on a number of occasions and their work on the arena is expected to be complete for October, 2014,” Arkoni, founded in 1991 by Mr Prentice, employs 50 people and specialises in making and installing staircases, balustrades, canopies, entrance areas and fire resistant glazing on behalf of many of the UK’s major construction firms and architectural practices.
Projects have included offices, supermarkets, shopping malls, housing developments, hotels, hospitals, sports stadia, museums, schools and universities. Recent contracts included supplying sets of polished, stainless steel doors for the 23-storey BP4 building at Canary Wharf. It has also added the finishing touches to iconic buildings such as the O2 Arena, Manchester’s Trafford Centre, Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium, the Tate Gallery in London, Leicester’s Vic-
torian Silver Arcade and the Met Quarter in Liverpool. It was also entrusted with work to provide a contemporary look to the west and south porch entrances to Wakefield Cathedral and provided glass feature canopies at the £40m Broad Street Plaza development in Halifax. Earlier this year,, Arkoni reported a £250,000 investment in additional workspace and automated machinery at its Brighouse headquarters.
Company provides vital medical equipment for Haiti A Cleckheaton supplier of medical equipment will see one its products deployed in Haiti. Ferno. which manufactures medical and patient handling equipment, has donated a number of its new Ferno Fingertip Pulse Oximeters to a volunteer programme whereby foreign doctors and other medical personnel travel to Haiti and work with Haitian medics to give free emergency aid to the local community. Ferno business development manager Darren Sharman presented the oximeters to Oxfordbased Dr Joanna Cherry after being approached by Madeleine Radburn, medical devices advisor at the South Central Ambulance Service,
based in the city. Madeleine supports the Hospital Bernard Mews/ Project Medishare through her local Lions Club charity and helps keep Joanna supplied with a range of medical equipment to help with the care of the spinal patients she treats in Haiti. The new devices, which fit on to a patient’s finger, measure blood-oxygen saturation levels and heart rate quickly and accurately. Jon Ellis, managing director at Ferno, said the device was a “must-have” accessory for frontline healthcare practitioners. He said: “It is reliable, very easy to use and lightweight. It can be worn on a lanyard
around the neck so it’s at your fingertips when you need a quick and accurate reading of blood-oxygen saturation levels and pulse rate. “I’m sure that Dr Cherry and her team will find the devices useful on a regular basis.” Dr Cherry said: “I will be taking them to Haiti and they will be used at the Hospital Bernard Mews/Project Medishare which is a trauma hospital in Port au Prince where we work with local doctors and patients to try and ease the burden of high level trauma in Haiti. “We treat high level trauma, medical and surgical conditions in patients from all backgrounds and are proud to serve the Haitian people in their time of need. “
■■ Ferno’s Darren Sharman with Madeleine Radburn, of South Central Ambulance Service , and Dr Joanna Cherry
Fitting reward Directors and staff at a Brighouse firm are celebrating the company’s remarkable turnaround. Avocet Hardware has progressed from being a business on the brink of collapse to being named winner of the Hardware Company 2013 category in the very first National Fenestration Awards in less than two years. The Brighouse firm was bought out of administration by the Jain family in February, 2012, since when the focus has been on restoring Avocet’s standing as one of the leading names in the hardware industry. Acheiving this so quickly is a source of great pride for director Dr Tinkle Jain.
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Suite success A company providing components for domestic kitchens, bedrooms and lounges as well as commercial offices has completed its move to new premises with a major investment in the future. Decorative Panels Group has officially opened an 8,500sq ft stateof-the-art marketing suite at Lowfields Business Park in Elland. The marketing suite has been unveiled 18 months after a £10m move to transfer the group’s components operations to a 175,000sq ft factory.