KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS
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Brewing up for KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS a coffee break! Companies in line for financial boost Full inter view - Page 3
15, November, 2011
KOSO Kent Introl GLOBAL control valves company KOSO Kent Introl has expanded its team with six new appointments. Pictured are (from left) Danielle Booth, Jack Henley, Adam McNally, Carl Mason, Roger Speight and Eddie Sheard. Mr Hanley and Mr Sheard are starting their careers at the Brighouse-based firm as KKI graduate engineers. Both graduated from Huddersfield University and previously spent a year as undergraduate placements at KKI. Mr Hanley gained a degree in automotive design and technology while Mr Sheard has a BEng degree in automotive design. Mr McNally joins as control valve design engineer. He brings over seven years’ experience in engineering design within the oil and gas, chemical, pharmaceutical, subsea and mining sectors, having worked at the Smiths Group and Sabre Valves. He has a degree in computer aided design (mechanical engineering) and an MSc in mechanical engineering. Mr Speight holds the role of quality control inspector and will be mainly involved in the dimensional checking and hardness testing of machine components. He has a wealth of industry experience, including 24 years’ machine shop experience and 23 years in remits covering inspection and quality assurance. Ms Booth is KKI’s new quality and health and safety assistant. She has been with KKI since 2009 and is receiving additional training for the role of document controller. Mr Mason is the new purchasing manager. Previously, he spent five years at Tyco Flow Control, developing purchasing processes and procedures to enhance company efficiency. David Limb, sales director, said: “I am delighted to report on these latest appointments that further strengthen our 146-strong workforce. For future business development, it’s important to bring in new graduate talent as well as attract experienced, well-established engineering staff.”
YOU’VE heard about Ladies Who Lunch. So how about joining the coffee set? Holmfirth-based businesswoman Susan Gillespie is set to launch a local branch of networking group Ladies Who Latte. Susan, an independent travel agent Susan Gillespie plans to launch the networking group for the first time in the area in January, 2012. Now she is drumming up support for the new group, which it is hoped will meet monthly. Ladies Who Latte is aimed at women running their own businesses and women in managem e n t ro l e s w i t h i n o t h e r companies. The first Ladies Who Latte group was started just over four years ago by Sharon Connolly, an international image consultant. Mary Flavelle, who specialises in women’s networking events, partners Sharon in growing the group, which has set up networking branches across the UK. Susan said: “Ladies Who
■ NETWORK PLAN: Holmfirth-based independent travel agent Susan Gillespie wants to make a date for coffee
Latte is flexible networking with a less formal approach. “Whether you have 15 minutes to pop in or you stay for two hours, we hope that you will enjoy a well-earned break to share ideas and most importantly gain motivation from other entrepreneurial women. “There are no speakers and
you don’t pay to attend – just pay for your coffee and mingle!” Said Susan: “In less than one year of its launch, Ladies Who Latte grew to more than 600 members. “It now stretches across England with a membership of more than 3,000 women.”
Susan, who currently attends Ladies Who Latte events at Tankersley, near Barnsley, is one of the latest experienced travel consultants to launch her own travel business with the support of Travel Counsellors. She specialises in giving her customers the highest possible levels of personal service and independent travel advice – drawing on more than five years of travel experience in the industry. Working from home, she is able to speak to customers at a time to suit themselves, even if it is outside working hours. Commenting on her website about the concept of Ladies Who Latte, Sharon Connolly said: “We are women with imagination, drive, enthusiasm and hope and we are enjoying sharing out success because it’s no good being fabulous on your own!” Contact Susan Gillespie on 01484 680091. Alternatively, visit ladieswholatte.come or email susan.gillespie@travel counsellors.com
Sitting comfortably!
Darren Harbrecht-Parker
Chadwick Lawrence
It’s not just lip service
■ CUP THAT CHEERS: Kirklees Mayor Clr Eric Firth with Adam Hankinson, area sales manager for DFS, at the store opening
THE guys at design and branding company The Engine Room can usually be relied on to know a thing or two about style. But when it comes to supporting charity, they’re ready to abandon good taste! Gents at the agency, based at Huddersfield’s Media Centre, are taking part in Movember by spending this month growing moustaches and raising funds for prostate and testicular cancer. Creative director Darren Evans said: “We’re donating our top lips to the cause for 30 days in an effort to help change the face of men's health. Our ‘Mos’ will spark conversations, and no doubt generate some laughs – all in the name of raising vital awareness and funds for cancers affecting men.” Go to http://mosista.co/engineroom
SINGERS from Moorlands Primary School serenaded the crowds as Kirklees Mayor Clr Eric Firth unveiled a plaque to officially celebrate the arrival of furniture retailer DFS to Huddersfield. Kev Brown, skipper of Huddersfield Giants, was joined by team mates David Faiumu and Scott Grix at the opening event, which included bonfire treats and a hog roast. Clr Firth said: “I am delighted to have been asked to take part in the celebrations. DFS was founded in
Yorkshire over 40 years ago and it is great that the company has expanded here in Huddersfield, creating 12 new jobs.” Adam Hankinson, area sales manager at DFS, said: “We’ve had a fantastic day. We know how welcoming the people of Huddersfield are and we’ve been bowled over by their response.” DFS occupies a 15,000sq ft store at Phoenix Retail Park, Leeds Road, where it has a wide range of sofas and accessories displayed in 72 room settings.
LAW firm Chadwick Lawrence has appointed Darren Harbrecht-Parker to the new post of marketing manager. Mr Harbrecht-Parker, who is pictured (right) with managing partner Jeremy Garside, will work closely with the firm’s long-term marketing partner Fantastic Media. As well as liaising with the external marketing agency, he will collaborate on strategies that build the company’s image and presence both online and offline. Mr Garside said: “The role of marketing manager was introduced to give the company an internal focus and drive initiatives through. “As we continue to invest in strategic marketing, it was the next natural step to create a marketing role within the company.” Chadwick Lawrence had eight offices across the north, including ones in Huddersfield, Wakefield and Halifax.
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COMPANIES with operations in Huddersfield and Brighouse are competing for thousands of pounds in funding as part of a scheme to support the UK’s most promising businesses. Longroyd Bridge-based fireplace manufacturer Fired Up Group and Aflex Hose, which has production facilities in Armytage Road at Brighouse, are among the regional finalists in HSBC’s Business Thinking initiative. Now in its second year, Business Thinking aims to help the UK’s up-and-coming companies to exchange ideas, build international networks and challenge their current business strategy. The initiative also awards successful companies with a share of £108m worth of funding and a financial award of up to £240,000. Ambitious fir ms from across the UK were invited to submit applications, before being narrowed down to just 54 regional finalists. They were given the opportunity to attend a Thought Exchange Trip to Dubai, Hong Kong, New York, Paris or Sao Paulo. Fired Up and Aflex Hose both took part in the Thought Exchange in Hong Kong, which is often seen as a gateway to trade in China and the Far East. The next phase of the initiative will see both firms mak-
■ GOOD THINKING: Richard Kaye, above, of Fired Up Group, and Tony Sedgewick-Logan, far right, of Aflex Hose, in Hong Kong
ing their case to HSBC’s panel of experts. Two winners from each UK region will then receive up to £6m in lending plus a financial reward of up to £120,000 each. And one of the UK’s regional winners will be crowned overall Business Thinking winner and see their financial reward doubled. Fired Up is based at St Thomas’s Road and also has a factory in Zhongshan, southern China. The group makes fires, fireplaces, kettles, hairdryers and other domestic appliances. The group sells its products in more than 50 countries with exports accounting for 20% of its £13m turnover. Its brands include Corby trouser presses,
Adam fires and fireplaces, Brevanti wine coolers, Armco fire and security systems and Endeva kettles. The company employs 95 people in Huddersfield and 230 in Zhongshan, where it has capacity to take the workforce up to 500. It expects its sales in China itself to soon account for 25% of turnover. Speaking about the trip to Hong Kong, Fired Up chairman Richard Kaye said: “We have been in China for six-and-a-half years and we have barely scratched the surface. Connections, are very important and establishing relationships is also very important. “We identified some people when we moved to China and
said: ‘We are going to be friends with these people.’ We made a very deliberate ploy with some people to befriend them. “Managing people in China is also very different. You have got to be prepared to put aside an awful lot of your time there. “A meeting that might take 20 minutes of your time in the UK can take three times as long in China. There is mutual process and there is a much greater need for consensus around the table.” Aflex Hose Ltd, which re c e n t ly ex p a n d e d i n t o 28,000sq ft of space at Armytage Road, employs more than 200 staff at its Sowerby Bridge headquarters
and at the new Brighouse site. It has been manufacturing high quality hose for the process industries since 1973. The company makes and supplies hosing for global customers in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and the automotive industry. General manager Tony Sedgewick-Logan took part in a series of round table talks with local and international business leaders, including visits to local Hong Kong companies. He said: “My visit to Hong Kong opened my eyes. The message was loud and clear that Asian countries want to be associated with premium brands and success. Aflex can offer this. “The HSBC staff understood my requirements and needs to open up new markets. They gave me concise advice and they let me speak to people who were experienced in my required areas. “All this has given me the key to go forward with the expansion of Aflex into the Asian markets”. He added: “The HSBC Business thinking initiative has been great for Aflex Hose so far and we have really high hopes for the next stages. “The backing of HSBC highlights what a fantastic job we have been doing and creates great pride and confidence in the future of local manufacturing.”
A HOLMFIRTH-based businesswoman is set to launch a local branch of a networking group called Ladies Who Latte. Susan Gillespie, an independent travel agent, plans to launch the monthly networking group in the area in January.
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Daniele Booth, Jack Henley, Adam McNally, Carl Mason, Roger Speight & Eddie Sheard
MARK DALTON An accent on stress
Case for more land MANUFACTURERS in Kirklees and Calderdale claim more development land is desperately needed to enable local businesses to stay in the area and expand their operations. The call comes amid controversy over plans to use green sites at Ainley Top, Cooper Bridge and Chidswell, near Dewsbury.
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Solicitors for business inYorkshire www.chadwicklawrence.co.uk Huddersfield | Wakefield | Halifax | Leeds