Kirklees Business News 21/02/12 by Huddersfield

FTSE 100

ROB KELLY No escaping the law!

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JASON BANNISTER Propety fraud aler t Column - Page 6

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KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS The business NEWSpaper for Kirklees

Move heralds new era for engineers AN engineering company with a worldwide reputation is predicting even greater things after completing a move to new premises. Gearbox manufacturer Radicon was part of the Lockwood-based David Brown group for many years until its £21.4m purchase by Asia’s Elecon Engineering Group in November, 2010. Now it has switched operations from its long-time home at Park Works to new premises six miles away in Elland. The custom-designed facility at Lowfields Business Park is twice the size of Radicon’s former site. The company said it would provide “the ideal platform” for Radicon to expand and incorporate a new engineered product division. The relocation would enable the business to supply a wider range of engineering products to its growing global customer base.

Radicon said the move would also benefit the firm’s current standard product division, which specialises in industrial gear box, geared motors and worn gears. Equally, the larger factory enables further expansion of the rapidly growing service and repair division. Radicon general manager Chris Riley said: “The move is fantastic news for the business and has been completed within budget and on time and I would personally like to thank everybody involved in the project. “It is a very exciting time for the Radicon business. This move provides us with the ideal opportunity to concentrate on aggressively growing our business.” Alec Michael, partner of commercial property agency Michael Steel & Co, which helped secure the move, said: “Whilst inevitably there was some disappointment that we were unable to retain Radicon within the immediate Huddersfield area, Elland is well located for staff and customers and their new premises provide them with a superb high quality engineering facility. “We are delighted to have been able to assist Radicon with their relocation and have little doubt they will go from strength to strength in their new premises.” Radicon, which also has operations in Thailand and Chicago, USA, sup-

■ RESPONSE: Chris Taylor, of Arrow Self Drive

Century makers A MIRFIELD woman is celebrating the centenary of an international business and personal development organisation which has trained more than 9m people worldwide. Juliette Dennett is north of England operations managing director for the Dale Carnegie Training. The organisation was founded in 1912 in New York and offers training and learning programmes to help transform people and organisations.

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■ MOVING MEN: Alec Michael (left), of Michael Steel & Co, and Chris Riley, of Radicon, which has moved to premises at Elland (below. left)

plies sectors including food and drink production, material handling, mining, oil and gas, power generation, water and quarrying under the widely-recognised Benzlers and Radicon brands. Radicon owner Elecon is India’s largest manufacturer of material

handling equipment, industrial gears and transmission products. At the time of the takeover, Elecon said buying Radicon – its first overseas acquisition – would strengthen its product development and engineering capabilities and widen its customer base in Europe and North America.

Company has the drive to expand A VEHICLE rental company based in Huddersfield has invested in a £600,000 purpose-built premises in North Yorkshire. Linthwaite-based Arrow Self Drive, which is reputedly Yorkshire’s largest independent van hire company, has acquired an office, hire facility and workshop complex at St James’ Retail Park in Knaresborough as part of its expansion strategy.

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Managing director Chris Taylor said the aim was to provide more services to customers. He said: “We recognise the problems our business customers are facing and have responded by not only offering a wide range of flexible hire services within our portfolio but also by ensuring that our network of depots are ‘on the doorstep’ to give fast and responsive service.”

The company has reported a 15% rise in turnover for the last year with a similar increase in staffing as business customers increasingly opt for vehicle hire rather than fixed investment in their own fleet in order to maintain positive cash flow and operate flexibly. The new site joins a branch n e t wo r k w h i c h a l r e a dy includes Leeds, Bradford, Barnsley, Hull, Harrogate and

Wakefield. The company has a fleet of 1,500 vehicles and customers ranging from small businesses t o w e l l - k n o w n Yo r kshire-based firms, including tea specialist Taylor’s of Harrogate. It has also provided vehicles for regional tourism body Welcome to Yorkshire and West Yorkshire Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice in Huddersfield.

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Boxing clever A HOLME Valley firm put boxer Carl Froch through his paces with some of the firefighters the company supplies with safety equipment. Brockholes-based North Fire arranged for the WBC world super middleweight champion to try out equipment used by Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service to monitor firefighter fitness levels.

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KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS

Higher sales boost embattled retailer T H E s u r v iva l h o p e s o f a i l i n g sportswear chain JJB Sports have been lifted – despite another batch of negative trading figures. The group reported like-for-like sales down by 7.6% in the 26 weeks to January 29. However, this was better than the 17.9% decline over the previous half-year. Analysts said JJB still has a mountain to climb, with losses of £60m for the year just completed. But shares closed up 1.5p or 15% higher at 11.5p on hopes that the figures signal the start of improved trading fortunes. Freddie George, a retail analyst at Seymour Pierce stockbrokers, has maintained his sell recommendation and expects another two years of losses. “We are, however, becoming more confident on the outlook,” he added.

Last year, JJB was forced to secure £96.5m in funds from major shareholders as well as announce plans to close 43 unprofitable stores and place a further 46 on review in a bid to stave off administration. Its problems stemmed from stock supply issues and intense competition, including from rival Sports Direct International. As well as slowing the decline in like-for-like revenues – albeit against weak comparisons – the company has been encouraged by an improvement in margins, which were up 32.1% in the five weeks to January 29. Chief executive Keith Jones said the performance was broadly in line with expectations. He said: “As we commented last month, weaker UK employment numbers and the ongoing credit squeeze on consumers create a tough environment.

Lloyds slashes bonuses for 13 LLOYDS Banking Group stripped 13 executives of some of their bonuses for 2010 in the wake of the scandal over payment protection insurance. For mer chief executive Eric Daniels will lose 40% or £580,000 of his £1.45m award while four other current and former directors will lose sums of up to £262,500. A further eight executives, below board level, will be stripped of 5% of their bonus awards, the state-backed bank added. it is the first time a bank has used a claw-back option on executive pay packages since the financial crisis. The impact of the mis-selling scandal, which involved the sale of

insurance alongside loans to cover repayments if borrowers fell ill or lost their jobs, cost the bank £3.2bn in 2011, prompting the claw back decision. Lloyds said its bonus pool and individual awards for 2010 performance would have been lower had last April’s High Court victory for consumers in securing rights to PPI compensation been known about at the time. The bonus pool for 2011 will include a further reduction to take into account the PPI compensation bill, which is expected to drive a loss of £3.5bn when the company reports results on Friday.

■ SPORTING CHANCE: Hopes have improved for JJB Sports

“However, we are continuing to implement our turnaround aware of the importance of the key trading o p p o r t u n i t i e s a ffo rd e d by t h e European football championships and London Olympics.”

The group’s turnaround scheme involves cutting costs and increasing sales through investing in staff training, upgrading some of its 160 viable stores and improving its ranges. It has devised plans for three types of stores which will help to tailor its outlets to suit their location and will stock more exclusive ranges such as Slazenger Golf and Run 365. Mr George said he still needed convincing that the company has a clear strategy to turn around the business. He said: “The company needs to find a niche and a format, which is differentiated from its competitors, to take advantage of the forthcoming sporting events. “In the meantime, competition is intensifying, the cash position is a concern and the economic outlook does not look any better for the company’s core customers.”

New branches for mutual A BUILDING society with roots in Huddersfield has announced plans to open 12 new branches on the high street over the next two years. Yorkshire Building Society said the move was an example of its “ongoing commitment to providing face to face service to customers in their own community”. The Bradford-based society is also continuing the expansion of its agency network, with 15 new agencies opened in 2011 and more planned for this year. Chief executive Chris Piling said: “We are committed to retaining a strong presence on our high streets,

providing our customers with access to a wide range of good value financial service products backed up with the exceptional personal service they value.” The mutual has strengthened its position as the UK’s second-largest building society by mergers with the Barnsley, Chelsea and Norwich & Peterborough building societies. It also acquired the Egg mortgage and savings book and the Egg brand last October. Said Mr Pilling: “These mergers have seen the society grow its branch network by 65% from 135 to 224 in three years.”

Page 2 ‘Greener’ buses TRANSPORT group Stagecoach said it will invest about £60m in nearly 400 “greener” vehicles for its bus and coach fleet. The first of the new vehicles, which meet European emission standards, will be delivered in May and include a new coach model for its megabus budget service. All but 24 of the vehicles will be built by Falkirk, Guildford and Scarborough-based Alexander Dennis and its Plaxton coach building subsidiary. Volvo, Optare, Wrightbus and Van Hool will supply the rest of the new fleet, which includes 95 double-decker buses, 87 single-deckers and 37 coaches Stagecoach said it had invested £370m in new vehicles for its regional bus operations over the past five years. Stagecoach carries about 2.5m passengers on 8,000 buses every day. Its network includes operations in London, Liverpool, Newcastle, Hull, Manchester, Oxford, Sheffield and Cambridge.

Taking to the skies ENGINE maker Rolls-Royce’s Trent extra wide body engine has taken to the skies for the first time when it helped power an Airbus A380 in a test flight in Toulouse, France. Rolls claims the new engine, which will power the new Airbus A380 XWB, is the most efficient civil aircraft in the world.

SHARE PRICES NORTH AMERICAN American Express £33.35 Gannett 943.10 Hess Corp £41.10 Microsoft 1971.36 Motors Liquidation 47.31 Wal-Mart Stores £39.41 AEROSPACE & DEFENCE Avon Rbbr 305 BAE Systems 3253/8 Rolls-Royce 793 AIM Brady Plc 811/2 Dawson Intl 15/8 Man Brnze 313/4 AUTOMOBILES & PARTS GKN 2261/4 BANKS Barclays 2507/8 HSBC 5813/4 Lloyds Banking Gp 363/8 Ryl Scotland 281/2 Stan Chart 1644 BEVERAGES Diageo 1498 SABMiller £253/8 CHEMICALS Croda £201/4 Elementis 98 1691/2 Johnsn Mat £231/2 CONSTRUCTION & MATERIALS Balfour Beatty 2903/4

202 +31/4 ELECTRICITY Drax Gp 526 +101/2 Intl Power 3371/8 +11/4 SSE 1294 -1 ELECTRONIC & ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT Laird 1671/4 +21/2 EQUITY INVESTMENT INSTRUMENTS Alliance Trust 3677/8 +3/8 FIXED LINE TELECOM SERVICES BT Grp 2155/8 +7/8 Cable & Wireless 355/8 -3/8 Comm 7 Cable & Wireless 27 /8 +3/4 Wwide Colt Group 95 +15/8 KCOM 71 +1 Talktalk Telecom 142 -13/8 FOOD & DRUG RETAILERS Morrison W 2971/4 Sainsbury 3041/4 +23/4 Tesco 3211/2 +35/8 FOOD PRODUCERS AB Food 1219 -7 Tate Lyle 701 -61/2 Unilever £203/4 GAS, WATER & MULTIUTILITIES Centrica 2971/2 +35/8 National Grid 6441/2 -1/2 Pennon Grp 701 -5 Severn 1540 -11 1 United Utils 604 /2 -4 Costain

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GENERAL FINANCIAL 3i Group 1981/4 +21/4 ICAP 3895/8 +71/8 London StockExch 950 +151/2 Man Group 1361/8 +25/8 Provident Financial 1049 +18 Schroders 1595 +36 Schroders NV 1271 +13 GENERAL INDUSTRIALS Cooksn Grp 6491/2 +141/2 REXAM 3851/2 +33/8 Smiths Grp 1060 +5 GENERAL RETAILERS Ashley L 211/4 -1/4 Carphone Whse 171 +2 7 Dixons Retail 14 /8 +1/4 Home Retail 1131/4 +41/4 Inchcape 3753/8 +53/8 Kingfisher 2801/2 +1/4 1 M&S 357 /4 +45/8 Mothercare 226 +6 Next £273/4 WH Smith 544 +21/2 HEALTH CARE EQUIPMENT & SERVICES Smith Nph 6301/2 -21/2 HOUSEHOLD GOODS Aga Rangemaster 78 -1 Barrat Dev 130 +51/8 Persimmon 609 +21 Reckitt Benckiser £357/8 -1/8 Taylor Wimpey 483/4 +13/4 INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING IMI 9821/2 +221/2

INDUSTRIAL METALS Ferrexpo 3361/8 +53/4 INDUSTRIAL TRANSPORTATION BBA Aviation 2111/4 +31/4 LIFE INSURANCE Aviva 3825/8 +125/8 Lgl & Gen 1227/8 +11/4 3 Old Mutual 159 /8 -1/4 Prudential 724 +3 Resolution 265 +31/4 Standard Life 2355/8 +13/4 MEDIA BSkyB 688 +2 D Mail Tst 436 +21/4 ITV 78 +3/4 Johnston Press 63/8 -1/8 Pearson 1226 +2 1 -21/2 Reed Elsevier 557 /2 STV Group 1081/2 -1/2 Trinity Mirror 49 -1/2 Utd Business 5901/2 -1 1 UTV 120 /4 +21/4 1 WPP 816 /2 +51/2 Yell Group 41/2 MINING Anglo American £267/8 +1/8 Antofagasta 1333 +29 BHP Billiton £203/4 +1/2 Eurasian Natural 722 +181/2 Res Fresnillo 1747 +27 Kazakhmys 1147 +23 Lonmin 1043 +26 Rio Tinto £37 +7/8

Local shares Carclo Marshalls National Grid Weir Gp

3481/2 101 6441/2 £217/8

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5945.25 Up 40.18 VEDANTA 1358 +46 RESOURCES Xstrata 1207 +11 MOBILE TELECOM SERVICES Inmarsat 4771/8 -51/2 Vodafone Group 1753/8 +3/4 NONLIFE INSURANCE Admiral Grp 1011 +14 RSA Insurance Gp 1141/2 +7/8 OIL & GAS PRODUCERS BG 1509 +261/2 BP 4991/4 +101/4 Cairn Energy 3541/4 +41/8 Royal Dutch Shell A £227/8 -1/8 1 Royal Dutch Shell B £23 /8 -1/8

Total £351/8 +1/4 Tullow Oil 1601 +35 OIL EQUIPMENT & SERVICES AMEC 1108 +12 Petrofac 1553 +11 1 +121/2 Wood Gp(J) 713 /2 PERSONAL GOODS Burberry Gp 1436 +12 PHARMACEUTICALS & BIOTECHNOLOGY Astrazeneca £283/8 -1/8 GlaxoSmithK XD 7 Shire £221/2 -1/4 REAL ESTATE Brit Land 4837/8 +31/4 Captl Shop Cent 3427/8 +31/8 Hamrsn 4013/4 +51/4 1 Land Secs 691 /2 +7 3 +57/8 SEGRO 236 /4 SOFTWARE ETC SERVICES Invensys 2195/8 +21/2 Logica 801/4 +1/4 1 Misys 330 /8 +201/2 Sage Group 3081/4 +7/8 SUPPORT SERVICES Berendsen 473 +23/4 Bunzl 9241/2 +2 Capita 6561/2 +2 De La Rue 985 +31/2 3 Electrocomp 245 /4 +37/8 Experian 960 +141/2 G4S 281 +7/8 Hays 811/4 +11/4 3 Homeserve 234 /8 -147/8

Menzies J 575 Rentokil 801/2 Smiths News 931/4 Wolseley £245/8 IT HARDWARE ARM Hldgs 586 Psion 50 Spirent Comms 1337/8 TOBACCO Br Am Tob £311/8 Imperial Tobacco £25 LEISURE & HOTELS Bwin.Party Digital 169 Carnival 1981 Compass Grp 6371/2 easyJet 4693/8 Enterprise Inns 511/2 FirstGroup 3021/4 Go-Ahead Gp 1319 Greene King 5061/2 Intercontl Htls 1440 Intl Cons Airlines 1733/8 Gp Ladbrokes 1541/2 Mitchells & Butlers 2765/8 Natl Express 229 Rank Org 131 Stagecoach Group 2721/4 TUI Travel 2101/4 Whitbread 1726 INDEX FTSE 100 5945.25 INDEX FTSE 250 11420.21

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TOURIST RATES Tourists going abroad can expect the following rates for sterling: Australia...................... 1.40 dollars Bangladesh................. 122.73 taka Brazil.............................. 2.43 reals Canada....................... 1.50 dollars China ............................. 8.93 yuan Czech Republic ...... 27.50 korunas Denmark....................... 8.49 krone Euro............................... 1.15 euro Hong Kong................ 11.67 dollars Hungary................... 310.47 forints India.......................... 68.71 rupees Japan........................... 119.92 yen Mexico ....................... 17.92 pesos New Zealand .............. 1.76 dollars Norway ......................... 8.60 krone Pakistan.................. 135.56 rupees Philippines ................. 57.81 pesos South Africa.................. 11.43 rand South Korea.............. 1553.00 won Sri Lanka ................ 176.38 rupees Sweden....................... 10.14 krona Switzerland.................. 1.38 francs Taiwan ...................... 40.91 dollars Turkey....................... 2.63 new lira USA ............................ 1.51 dollars

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS ROB Kelly’s career seems to have come full circle. The Kirkheaton man gained a law degree at Oxford University, but only became a lawyer in his 40s – after a successful career as a chartered accountant, financial director and a spell running his own small construction business. Now he is associate in the company commercial department at Huddersfield law firm Armitage Sykes – and couldn’t be happier in his work. Rob was born in Crosland Moor and attended Crosland Moor Junior School and Huddersfield New College in its last year as a grammar school. At that stage, his career aspirations remained somewhat vague. “I did a law degree at Oxford University, but decided not to become a lawyer,” he recalls. “I was never sure that life in an office would suit me, but I always wanted to do something that added real value. “As a law student at Oxford, most of my contemporaries went to work for big law firms in London. I was 100% sure I didn’t want to do that. “Instead, I became a chartered accountant. When I did decide I quite liked the idea of becoming a lawyer I had to go back to university because my degree was out of date. “University the first time round was hard work. The second time round, it seemed easy. Mind you, the second time round you aren’t spending so much time nursing a hangover!” Rob began his career with PricewaterhouseCoopers in 1984, advising high-calibre companies including Ciba Geigy, Kunick plc and Provident Financial Group. After qualifying as a chartered accountant, he joined Kunick plc, a leisure-based company with interests ranging from the London Dungeon to nightclubs and pool halls. As financial director, he was involved in deals, disputes and supply contract negotiations. He also set up and retained responsibility for the group's offshore companies in the Isle of Man. Rob later held director level positions at Caudwell Communications and Minorplanet Systems plc. He has managed rights issues, moved companies from AIM to full listing on the Stock Exchange and dealt with several company disposals and acquisitions both in the UK and overseas. Rob worked in Dusseldorf for a year in a financial role for a mobile telecoms company and was financial director for a vehicle tracking specialist in Leeds. He also ran his own building company. But he says: “Even when I was at Kunick, I decided I would have fancied becoming a lawyer after all. It was a friend at Eversheds in Leeds who said that if I wanted to be a lawyer, why didn’t I do something about it?” Rob completed his legal training with Eversheds in Leeds. “That was a bigger challenge than going back to university,” he says. “From being a financial director I was back to being a trainee. I found that hard, but once I got a few years under my belt was quickly into the groove. “I had no problems with ‘transferable’ skills like people management, financial management, negotiating skills

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It’s never too late! and meeting skills. But instead of having a secretary write everything up for me, I had to do it myself! The real challenges were to do with law and I had to work pretty hard at that.” Later, he was approached by Robert Turner, senior partner at Armitage Sykes and a long-time friend, about the prospect of joining the firm in Huddersfield. Rob happily agreed. He says: “Although I am a Huddersfield man and have always had a house with an HD postcode, it is the first time I’ve worked in Huddersfield. I haven’t regretted the move. “The deals you do with a big firm in Leeds are bigger than the deals you do in Huddersfield, but you get pigeon-holed in a bigger firm. At Armitage Sykes, I get lots of varied work and people expect you to be knowledge on a wider range of matters. “I fancied the idea of working in Huddersfield. Being a big fish in a smaller pond and being a generalist suits me very well. “Huddersfield is also a friendly place. The professional community is incredibly friendly and you tend to be friendly with rival firms of lawyers as well as

■ HOME WIN: Rob Kelly is happy to be working in his home town

the accountants, financial advisers and so on. “There’s also the fact that when I worked in Leeds I had to catch the 7.08 train every morning. Now at 7.08 I’m just getting out of bed!” Says Rob: “I had been a client of Armitage Sykes on the commercial property side and I thought they were pretty good lawyers. Armitage Sykes is a firm which doesn’t shout about itself very much, but we are moving towards promoting ourselves a bit more.” Rob says there are big differences in how business operates in Huddersfield and Leeds. “Eversheds is a big firm with 4,000 employees while Armitage Sykes has about 65,” he says. “There is also huge difference in the kind of clients you get. Here, you tend to deal with the business owner – the chap who is paying for your services out of his own pocket. In the city, you are dealing with someone who may be a director, but who is spending the shareholders’ money. There is a completely difference mindset.” At Armitage Sykes, Rob is involved in a full range of company commercial work, including the sale and purchase of companies and businesses, commercial contracts and commercial disputes. He also acts for insolvency practitioners in dealing with such matters as sales of businesses by administrators and undertakes a significant amount of employment work – having had experience of acting for both employer and employee. The firm’s full range of services covers commercial, commercial property, residential property. insolvency, employment, litigation, dispute resolution, matrimonial, debt collection, probate and wills and trusts. In the current climate, Rob sees fewer merger and acquisition deals between businesses – and fewer deals achieved with external finance.

Page 3 Rob Kelly Role: Associate in the company commercial department Age: 50 Family: Married to Elaine with daughters Lauren, 23, Olivia, 18 and Niamh, nine Holidays: Galway in Ireland and the sports complex at La Manga, Spain Car: Nissan Novara First job: Plasterer’s labourer in my uncle’s building business in Marsden Best thing about job: Varied workload Worst thing about job: Red tape, rules and regulations Business tip: If a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well

He says: “The banks insist they are open for business and where companies have a three-year track record of good profits, that is certainly the case. But it is still incredibly hard for SMEs to get bank finance. “We are doing more deals on the basis of deferred contributions where the buyer is taking longer to pay and the seller has to wait longer to be paid. Everyone is having to work harder for their money. “But things are still moving. Companies still have to expand and business owners still have to retire. “We are dealing with more insolvency-related work with sales from administration and liquidators, but on the other hand we have some clients who are expanding. There are some areas of business doing well.” Work can mean long hours for Rob, who can find himself completing paperwork on a weekend to meet a tight deadline. But he says: “It’s the nature of being a corporate layer and if you don’t want to do that, you are in the wrong job. I quite like it!” In his spare time, Rob is keen on sport. A Huddersfield Town season ticker holder since he was nine, he took part in the club’s charity bike ride to Brighton and will be back in the saddle for the next epic cycle ride from Yeovil in May. A playing member of Huddersfield Lawn Tennis Club, Rob also works out regularly at the gym and enjoys ski-ing holidays. Rob is also back in the construction business. He is currently building a workshop/studio for his eldest daughter Lauren, 23, who is a sculptor. “I had half a dozen people working for me when I had the building company,” he says. “This is just me! It’s a labour of love – a combination of work and pleasure.”

HENRYK ZIENTEK

Armitage Sykes Solicitors Work: Legal services Site: Huddersfield and Brighouse Employees: 65 Phone: 01484 550443 Email: rob.kelly@armitagesykes.co.uk Web: www.armitage sykes.co.uk

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Ask Insight has answers for 2012 A MARKET research agency in Huddersfield has reported a strong start to 2012. Ask Insight, based at the Media Centre, Northumberland Street, has secured a series of new client wins, including care service provider Optimo Care Group and North Warwickshire & Hinckley College. In addition, Kirklees College has renewed its research contract for a further year and London-based AAR, which specialise in client and agency relationships, is continuing to use Ask’s online research technology to monitor relationship satisfaction levels. The agency has recently completed a brand perception research project for Total Food Service and the follow up project is currently under discussion. Ask Insight has also strengthened links with Huddersfield Town as the club’s official research partner, which will include conducting a customer satisfaction benchmarking programme and a similar review involving Town’s partner organisations. Susan Kenyon, Ask director, said: “We work as ‘thought partners’ to identify, develop and deliver effective strategic marketing and research solutions which deliver a healthy return on client investments, Sectors covered include education and training, food and drink, government and local authority, healthcare, retail, tourism and leisure.

Online exchange A NEW website has been launched to help small firms and start-ups with spare capacity or surplus stock to exchange their services and products with like-minded business owners. The website allows businesses to “post” their requirement to the category of business that they require and then receive back offers of an “exchange”. The website has been launched after being piloted to a limited audience for 18 months. Yorkshire businessman Paul Norton first had the “light bulb moment” in August, 2008, when locals at a village pub in Norfolk hit the headlines by bartering home-grown products for pints. The website – www.swapswap.biz – has been developed by Mr Norton’s web development company, Go Media Ltd.

KIRKLEES BUSINESS

Still going strong after all this time AN international business and personal development organisation which has trained more than 9m people worldwide is celebrating its centenary in 2012. And that’s cause for celebrations in Mirfield. Dale Carnegie Training, founded in New York City in 1912, offers open programmes as well as customised in-house training, workshops, assessments and online learning all aimed at transforming people and organisations. The managing director of its North of England operation is Mirfield woman Juliette Dennett, who is based at its head office in Leeds. She said the organisation focused on giving people in business the opportunity to sharpen their skills and improve their performance in order to build positive, steady and profitable results. Today, the focus was on issues such as developing stronger employee engagement, developing talent and creating transformational leadership across all sectors. Said Juliette: “It’s amazing to think how much times have changed in the last 100 years – and yet many fundamental principles remain as true today as back then. “Here in Yorkshire and across the North of England, we are looking forward to continuing our success story with individuals

■ INFLUENCE: Juliette Dennett, of Dale Carnegie and (right) the cover of the founder’s famous book

and companies from across the region.” Dale Carnegie has grown from a public speaking course in 1912 to an organisation represented in more than 86 countries worldwide. A new version of its flagship publication, How to Win Friends and Influence People, first published in 1936, was released last year as How to Win Friends and Influence People in the Digital Age. In 2010, the first Dale Carnegie App for the iPhone, iTouch, iPad and Blackberry was launched.

Apprenticeships boost A TRAINING company has welcomed new moves to encourage employers to take on apprentices. YH Training Services, based at John William Street in Huddersfield, said the introduction of employer grants for the recruitment of new apprentices would be “a fantastic bonus” for small businesses and local young people. The £1,500 grant has been launched to encourage businesses with fewer than 250 staff to employ an apprentice. The move is also paying dividends for one accountancy firm, which has recruited an apprentice to train while studying accountancy on day-release. Peter Sleigh, of Brighouse-based Sleigh and Storey, said: “Here at Sleigh and Storey, we feel that apprentices come with enthusiasm, a willingness to learn and add the

vibrancy of youth to a business. “We also find that apprentices don’t come with preconceived ideas about accountancy, which is why they fit so well into the culture of our organisation.” Heather Poole, manager for West Yorkshire at YH Training Services, said: “YH wants to help as many local businesses as possible to take advantage of the grants by employing an apprentice as it is an ideal way for them to increase their staffing levels and allow for expansion without a large financial outlay. “YH provides a free ‘Recruit and Match Service’ for any employer to assist them in recruiting their ideal apprentice in a variety of different vocational areas.” But she added: “The number of grants available are limited and will be allocated on a ‘first come first served’ basis.”

■ SKILLS: Peter Sleigh, a partner in the firm of Sleigh and Storey, with trainee accountant Antonia Awogboro

Leap to it on February 29!

BOSSES at Kirklees firms are being urged to give their staff time off on February 29 to help a good cause. Charity shopping website easyfundraising. org.uk wants companies to join the “Give Away Your Leap Day” campaign and free up their workers for anything from a coupl of hours to the whole day. Staff will be asked to give their time to charity, raise funds for good causes – or just run an errand for a neighbour. Gary Thompson (pictured), managing director of easyfundraising.org.uk, said: “Leap Day gives British bosses an extra day for free from their staff – so why not gift that day back to their staff and help a good cause? Giving something back is great fo staff morale. “Times are tough for businesses and charities, but if businesses can inspire their workers to carry out a charity act, then everyone wins. Even if businesses can only spare an hour, that could make a difference to a lonely pensioner o a charity struggling to survive.” The easyfundraising.org.uk website gives an average 5% of each sale to the charity of the shopper’s choice. So far, easyfundraising.org.uk has given away more than £3m to good causes and aims to top £1m this year. Go to www.leapday.co.uk

Swift answer to firm’s IT issues

A FIRM making and selling blinds and curtains has turned to a near-neighbour to pull its IT systems together! Swift Blinds, based at Lockwood Road, Lockwood, engaged P2 Technologies, based at nearby Lockwood Park, to increase efficiencies and provide ongoing I support and guidance. Swift Blinds has been manufacturing, supplying and installing all types of quality blind and curtains from its showroom, offices, and factories in Huddersfield since 1969. Before employing P2, Swift Blinds had a number of internal staff and contractors responsible for managing different areas of its IT system, which was inefficient and caused additional cost and hassle for their business. P2 has provided Swift Blinds with package of support that includes 24/7 monitoring, helpdesk response, on-site service and strategic advice.

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■ TROPHY TIME: ken Davy (front), chairman of SimplyBiz, with staff and the three Professional Adviser Awards won by the company

Hat-trick of prizes for financial team

A FINANCIAL and business support provider in Huddersfield has completed a hat-trick of awards. SimplyBiz PLC has won the Professional Adviser Best Network / Service Company Award for the third time in five years. The company, which celebrates its 10th anniversary in November, won the same award in 2008 and 2009. SimplyBiz, which employs 150 staff, was presented with the award at a gala dinner in London. The company is chaired by Ken Davy, who is also chairman of Huddersfield Giants. Said Mr Davy: “As a Huddersfield company, winning this important national award is a tremendous achievement. “SimplyBiz have received numerous accolades and awards since we launched the company in 2002. “However, the Professional Adviser Awards are among the most coveted in our sector as they are based on the quality of service and support delivered to firms throughout the UK.

“The whole of the SimplyBiz team are dedicated to providing the best possible service for independent financial advisers and it is a superb accolade to all our staff that we have won this prestigious award not just once, but consistently since 2008, resulting in a hat trick of awards.” SimplyBiz, which is based at the Galpharm Stadium, has grown to become the largest independent company in its field. Other awards include being named Business of the Year in the Examiner Business Awards 2010 and appearances in the LDC Hot 100 and Sunday Times Fast Track 100 lists. The SimplyBiz Group provide compliance and other business support services to more than 2,000 financial services firms and 5,000 individual advisers nationwide. In addition to SimplyBiz, the group also includes Compliance First, Verbatim Asset Management, SimplyBiz Mortgages and the not-for-profit New Model Business Academy.

Slice of the action A CAKE company in Huddersfield is among nine businesses shortlisted for a regional award. Lindley-based ProperMaid Ltd is among the finalists in the Lloyds TSB Enterprise Awards – a search to find Britain’s best university and graduate businesses. The nine businesses are also one step closer to scooping a national prize of £50,000 to invest in their business and a comprehensive business mentoring programme. The award has two categories. The prize for best start-up will go to a business in its early stages while the prize for best enterprise will be awarded to the business judged to show real potential to grow over the next five years. The heat for Yorkshire and North East takes place a week on Wednesday in Leeds. The winner of the best start-up category will scoop £1,000 while the best enterprise winner will take home £5,000. Both will also get two years’ mentoring from senior Lloyds representatives. They will go on to compete in a grand final in March in Liverpool. The national

event will coincide with the Global Entrepreneurship Congress, an annual convention designed to bring together entrepreneurs from across the globe. The overall winner of the awards will get £50,000 to invest in their business, together with a comprehensive two-year mentoring programme, involving senior executives from Lloyds Banking Group, to provide coaching and support on issues such as planning, finance and marketing. Each of the winners will also receive free legal advice from an independent specialist law firm. Allison Whitmarsh, of ProperMaid Ltd, said: “We are extremely proud to be shortlisted for such a prestigious awards scheme, particularly with such fierce competition not just from across Yorkshire but outside the region as well. “The award of a cash grant to invest in new plant and equipment for our business will give us much needed impetus – having recently had the expense of relocating to bigger manufacturing premises and successfully tendered for significant new customer contracts.”

ACCESSING finance for business growth will be the hot topic at a series of road shows across Yorkshire in the coming weeks. Representatives from Finance Yorkshire, a £90m venture capital and loan fund, will take part in the roadshows which will take place in several locations during March to raise awareness of the finance available to businesses. Seedcorn, loan and equity linked investments, ranging from £15,000 to £2m, are available through Finance Yorkshire to help small and medium sized businesses achieve their long-term development plans. The roadshows will take place on March 6 in Sheffield, March 8 in York, March 13 at Hull and March 15 in Leeds. Further evening events will be held in other areas during the year. Delegates, including business owners, business support organisations and professional intermediaries, will be able to hear more about Finance Yorkshire as well as speak to companies which have already benefited from investment

■ MOMENTUM: Alex McWhirter, of Finance Yorkshire from the Fund. Finance Yorkshire has provided more than £15m through 160 investments across the region since it began investing in August, 2010. Alex McWhirter, chief executive of Finance Yorkshire, said: “The fund has gathered momentum since it was launched and we are encouraged by the number of investments completed. “We are keen to drive the provision of our funding further and significantly increase the number businesses we help to grow.” He said: “In this challenging economic climate, businesses are

more vigilant and are understandably cautious regarding business expansion plans. “However, many realise that inaction is not a remedy and are therefore keen to explore ways in which they can be assisted to achieve their growth plans. “We have seen a many companies that have taken that leap forward and are now experiencing significant growth. Finance Yorkshire can provide the necessary tools to help make that step easier for businesses.” Go to www.finance-yorkshire. com or ring 0845 649 0000.

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property

KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS

Modern take on ‘land grabs’

Ambitious housebuilder’s positive start to the year HOUSEBUILDER Taylor Wimpey has unveiled plans for several new developments across Yorkshire. The firm is set to open up to nine new housing schemes during 2012, including a range of properties from two-bedroom apartments to four-bedroom detached houses. The properties will be aimed at

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house hunters ranging from first-time buyers to families. Anne Bagshaw, sales and marketing director for Taylor Wimpey Yorkshire, said: “This is an extremely positive start to the year. “We are pleased to be able to continue our success in Yorkshire and to be meeting the needs of homebuyers across the region.”

INFORMED DEVELOPMENT

Jason Bannister heft covers a multitude of TFrom sins. shoplifting to pick-pocketing,

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armed robberies to complicated financial scams. Usually, theft involves stealing money or some other moveable property such as cars or gold. However, in the “digital age” the criminal fraternity have now found ways to steal land. Like all “good frauds” the stealing of land is relatively simple in its execution. Central to the fraudster’s plot is the identification of a “suitable property”. A “suitable property” would be one which is registered with the Land Registry, is empty or is bought to let or one in which the owner does not permanently reside either because the owner uses it as a second home, spends a lot of time out of the country

Caldervale Works, Brighouse Self contained industrial unit available for immediate occupation. Large secure yard and loading area. Size 13,195 sq ft.

Huddersﬁeld Road, Brighouse Available to let 1,117 sq ft. Situated in a busy town centre with a main road location. The premises are ideal for various uses (subject to planning) Terms available on application Contact: Paul Andrew Walker Singleton 01484 477600 Christine Eccleston MB Services 01484 557102

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● 467.44sqm (5,031 sqft) LANE 4 RANGE Halifax, HX3 6DL available ● Immediately FORMER HOSTEL PREMISES ● High2Quality Unit 395m2 (4,250ft ) Site Area 0.13 Hectares (0.33 Acres) ● Well regarded Industrial possession ■ Vacant ■ Suitable for refurbishment for Estate alternative occupational residential possible complete uses or ● 2.5 miles from Junction 25 redevelopment, subject to planning consent M62

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Cartwright Court, Bradley, HD2 1GN £295,000 / May Let