FTSE 100
MARK WEEKS Seasonal safety message
NICK GARTLAND Consulting the almanac
+72.03 Column - Page 3 6678.61 An EXAMINER publication
Column - Page 2
KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS The business NEWSpaper for Kirklees
Manufacturing set for brighter future
FOCUS on “quality, cost and delivery” is helping bring production back to Yorkshire, according to latest soundings across the manufacturing sector. And a Huddersfield firm is among those companies reporting a brighter picture for the sector in the latest Barometer survey conducted by the government’s Manufacturing Advisory Service. Improving delivery performance is the main driver for small to medium-sized manufacturers in Yorkshire looking to bring production back to the UK, the survey said. One in five respondents stated that concerns over lead times and reliability were the principal reasons for re-shoring, followed by reducing costs (17%) and improving quality (16%). However, the cost of domestic labour continues to remain the biggest barrier for producing within the UK according to manufacturing SMEs – with well over one in 10 also concerned about the availability of the right skills. David Caddle, MAS area director, said: “There is certainly a growing desire from our companies to bring
production home, with 21% of firms surveyed either actively planning or considering re-shoring, compared to just 3% that have offshored in the last year. “This marks a major change in approach from five years ago when the Far East and Eastern Europe seemed to be the destination of choice.” He said: “Buyers have realised that there is more to the ‘landing’ price than meets the eye, with delays in logistics and issues around quality adding a whole layer of hidden costs. “At MAS, we have experts in place who will work with companies to review the viability of re-shoring through cost/benefit analysis, not to mention supporting them in taking full advantage of new opportunities driven by UK manufacturing’s growing popularity.” The Barometer, which featured the views of more than 60 manufacturing SMEs from across Yorkshire and Humber, reinforced the recent feel good factor, with 65% reporting an increase in sales over the last six months – 3% up on the previous quarter.
Some 78% of firms expect to grow between now and next April while 97% plan to take on new staff or keep the size of their workforce the same. Some 43% expect to embrace new technology while 52% plan to invest in machinery and premises Huddersfield-based Westin Design, one of the companies questioned in the MAS Barometer, also took a positive line. The firm, which makes prestige domestic cooker hoods for kitchen studios, has grown by more than 50% since the turn of the decade and is on course to smash the £3.5m annual sales barrier by the end of this year. Director Ian Sheppard said: “We’ve had a really good three years and grown our market share significantly –predominantly through our bespoke design service, the quality of our products and the excellent customer service and response times you simply can’t get on the continent. “There has also been over £750,000 invested into making our Leeds Road facility world class, with the acquisition of a new laser cutting machine, refurbishing the offices, workshop and the launch of a new design
Staffcare founder and chief executive officer Phil Hollingdale and its global business head, Graham Jarvis – who retain 20% of the business – , will remain with the business, which is based at Leatherhead, Surrey. Mr Davy said: “At its simplest, auto-enrolment means that every employer in the country must enrol their employees into a pension scheme and from April 1, 2014, to April 1, 2015, about 40,000 firms with between 50 and 250 staff will need our members’ help with this process.” He said: “Staffcare is well-positioned as the market leader in providing important technology to power ‘flexible benefits’ solutions for employers as well as many of the market’s independent auto enrolment solutions. “We believe that auto enrolment and workplace savings will be key markets for many of the firms we serve and therefore it is important to them that we
Award winner SPORTS equipment supplier Continental Sports was on target to win a new business award. The Paddock-based firm was named the first winner of the Shooting Star award, created by Huddersfield Town and club partner Total Dilapidations Services (TDS). Each month, Town commercial director Sean Jarvis, TDS managing director Chris Lee and Town manager Mark Robins will choose a business that is making a difference in the area to receive the accolade.
● Full story - Page 3 ■ EXPANSION: Ian Sheppard, managing director at Westin Design
office.” He said: “As a result of this growth, we have increased our workforce by four in the last two years, including two apprentices, taking the total number of staff employed to 39.”
SimplyBiz completes takeover of Staffcare A HUDDERSFIELD-based company providing compliance and business support services to financial advisers across the UK has completed a key takeover. SimplyBiz Group, led by Huddersfield Giants chairman Ken Davy, has acquired a majority stake in Staffcare, a provider of specialist pensions auto enrolment and flexible benefits software to many of the UK’s largest employee benefit consultants. The deal, which was backed by Yorkshire Bank, sees SimplyBiz further strengthen its position in the compliance and business support services sector. The sum involved was not disclosed. Mr Davy said the deal also had the potential to bring more jobs to Simplybiz in Huddersfield, saying: “There are areas of Staffcare we would like to expand and that is likely to be in the services we provide from Huddersfield.”
INSIDE
acquire the best and most innovative business in this field. “We see major growth in the desire for employers to implement flexible benefit packages for their employees as well as the obvious opportunities that auto enrolment brings.” Mr Davy said: “This is excellent news for the firms we serve as they will have access to the very best auto enrolment solutions, allowing them to generate a real footprint in this market, as well as having the software to ‘up sell’ flexible benefits in the future. “For Staffcare’s existing clients, we will ensure continued investment in product development to ensure they have the very best software available in the market. We know and understand how important flexible benefit solutions are to these businesses and we aim to support Staffcare in the development ■ DEALMAKER: Ken Davy and delivery of innovative technology to said Staffcare was a “good fit” for his SimplyBiz Group this market.”
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Growing the funds A TEAM from Huddersfield chartered accountancy firm Simpson Wood ditched their razors for Movember and raised £3,201 for men’s health charities. Eleven gents took part and grew moustaches with varying degrees of success. Even the female staff got involved by wearing knitted moustaches – and they even had pets wearing them!
● Full story - Page 3
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Premier speculation SHARES in the owner of Hovis bread and Mr Kipling cakes slid following speculation it will ask shareholders for a £300m New Year boost. Premier Foods is reportedly considering the fundraising rights issue as part of a revamp that the company hopes will address debts of approaching £1bn and see off the attentions of Wall Street vulture fund Apollo. It is understood that chief executive Gavin Darby, who took the helm 10 months ago, is also mulling a further pension payment holiday and substantial bond issue in an effort to “turn Premier into a normal company again in 2014”. Shares in the company closed... yesterday as investors faced having to stump up £300m rights issue that will dilute existing holdings. The company’s market value of £285m is dwarfed by the size of its debt pile. Premier confirmed that a rights issue was one of the options under consideration.
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Have a safe and happy Christmas! T’S Christmas Eve and everyone at IWilby is very excited! Our office and our homes are festively
decorated and ready – but it’s important to remain vigilant of the potential Christmas hazards. Health and safety at Christmas is a term which is not seen as particularly festive. We don’t want to be a Scrooge, but below are some examples of some not so jolly Christmas accidents and facts. Every year, at least three people are reported with broken arms due to pulling Christmas crackers. Over 200 people are admitted to hospital after not removing all the pins from new shirts. Over the last 10 years, 27 people have died testing batteries on their tongue. Hundreds of people cut themselves with knives and scissors they have used to open presents. Last year, two people died eating Christmas decorations they thought were chocolates. Since 1997, 26 people have died watering Christmas trees with the Christmas lights on.
RISKY BUSINESS Mark Weeks
In one year, 12 people sustained burns when trying on a new jumper with a cigarette in their mouth. Last year, 52 children were admitted to hospital after swallowing the contents of perfume and cologne bottles. Five people suffered third-degree burns last year when trying to flame torch their Christmas pudding. Every year hundreds of people fall off ladders and break bones while hanging Christmas decorations. It is important to be aware at Christmas especially around excitable young children. Hot fat, boiling water and sharp knives make the kitchen one of the most dangerous places. Wiping up spills as they
happen, refraining from alcohol when cooking and keeping children out of the kitchen will help to prevent any accidents. Be careful with Christmas plants as some are poisonous; a lot of berries contain toxic proteins that are very dangerous. House fires are more common over the Christmas period, it’s very important not to leave candles unattended and check your fairy lights before you put them on your tree. Bearing in mind all of the above information we hope you have a very merry and safe Christmas and a happy new year.
Mark Weeks is a risk management consultant at Wilby Ltd
High-flier Royal Mail promoted to FTSE 100 ROYAL Mail has joined the stock market’s list of elite companies after a privatisation that has seen its value soar by 80%. The company entered the FTSE 100 index with a market value of just under £6bn – having initially been worth
£3.3bn at its flotation in October. The surge in its value led to accusations that it had been sold off on the cheap, although this was dismissed by Business Secretary Vince Cable. The other newcomer in the FTSE 100 is construction and
industrial equipment rental firm Ashtead, with chemicals group Croda International and miner Vedanta Resources relegated to the FTSE 250. The reshuffle was based on closing prices of companies on December 13. The promotion of the mail
company means another female chief executive in the FTSE 100 Index as Moya Greene joins easyJet’s Carolyn McCall and Imperial Tobacco’s Alison Cooper.. Newly promoted to the FTSE 250 are Merlin Entertainments and estate agency Foxtons.
SHARE PRICES NORTH AMERICAN American Express £54.02 +0.50 Gannett 1745.61 +45.84 Hess Corp £49.25 +0.25 Microsoft £22.39 -0.10 Motors Liquidation 45.84 Wal-Mart Stores £47.60 +0.27 AEROSPACE & DEFENCE Avon Rbbr 582 +51/2 BAE Systems 4305/8 +81/2 Rolls-Royce 1249 +6 AIM Brady Plc 73 AUTOMOBILES & PARTS GKN 3707/8 +27/8 BANKS Barclays 2643/8 +45/8 HSBC 6603/4 +83/4 Lloyds Banking Gp 783/8 +11/8 Ryl Scotland 3293/4 +23/4 Stan Chart 1351 +32 BEVERAGES Diageo 1964 +121/2 SABMiller £303/8 +3/8 CHEMICALS Croda £241/2 +1/2 Elementis 98 2683/8 +43/8 1 Johnsn Mat £32 /4 +1/8 CONSTRUCTION & MATERIALS Balfour Beatty 288 -13/4 Costain 281 -11/2 ELECTRICITY Drax Gp 7841/2 -41/2 SSE 1361 +6 ELECTRONIC & ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT Laird 2655/8 -11/4 EQUITY INVESTMENT INSTRUMENTS Alliance Trust 447 +41/8 FIXED LINE TELECOM SERVICES BT Grp 3761/2 -1/4 Cable & Wireless Comm 547/8 3 Colt Group 128 /4 -13/4 KCOM 971/2 -1 1 Talktalk Telecom 302 /4 +15/8 FOOD & DRUG RETAILERS Morrison W 2631/4 +2 Sainsbury 3725/8 +21/2 Tesco 3353/8 +31/4
Smith Nph
Local shares Carclo Marshalls National Grid Weir Gp
2681/2 1681/2 7881/2 £21
+81/2 +11/4 +11/2 +1/8
FTSE closed at
6678.61 Up 72.03 FOOD PRODUCERS AB Food £241/2 +1/4 Tate Lyle 799 +81/2 3 Unilever £24 /8 +1/8 GAS, WATER & MULTIUTILITIES Centrica 3423/8 +17/8 National Grid 7881/2 +11/2 1 Pennon Grp 649 /2 +51/2 Severn 1672 +11 United Utils 6611/2 +91/2 GENERAL FINANCIAL 3i Group 3855/8 +51/2 ICAP 4493/4 +55/8 London StockExch 1711 +34 1 Man Group 84 /2 +13/4 Provident Financial 1645 +3 Schroders £251/2 +1/2 Schroders NV 1958 +49 GENERAL INDUSTRIALS REXAM 514 +4 Smiths Grp 1468 +16 GENERAL RETAILERS Ashley L 263/4 +3/4 Carphone Whse 2715/8 -63/8 3 Dixons Retail 48 /8 -1/8 Home Retail 1901/2 -3/4 1 Inchcape 616 /2 +51/2 7 Kingfisher 383 /8 -11/8 M&S 4471/8 +21/8 Mothercare 408 -21/4 Next £541/2 +3/4 WH Smith 1005 +2 HEALTH CARE EQUIPMENT & SERVICES
866 HOUSEHOLD GOODS Aga Rangemaster 170 Barrat Dev 3381/2 Persimmon 1202 Reckitt Benckiser £473/8 Taylor Wimpey 109 INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING IMI 1497 INDUSTRIAL METALS Ferrexpo 179 INDUSTRIAL TRANSPORTATION BBA Aviation 3271/8 LIFE INSURANCE Aviva 4453/4 Lgl & Gen 2213/8 Old Mutual 1903/4 Prudential 1327 Resolution 3463/8 Standard Life 3563/4 MEDIA BSkyB 8121/2 D Mail Tst 930 ITV 1903/8 Johnston Press 14 Pearson 1318 Reed Elsevier 8841/2 STV Group 304 Trinity Mirror 205 Utd Business 6441/2 UTV 208 WPP 1368 MINING Anglo American 1265 Antofagasta 8041/2 BHP Billiton 1833 Fresnillo 703 Kazakhmys 1967/8 Lonmin 2951/4 Rio Tinto £331/8 VEDANTA 8731/2 RESOURCES MOBILE TELECOM SERVICES Inmarsat 7511/2 Vodafone Group 2361/8 NONLIFE INSURANCE Admiral Grp 1287 RSA Insurance Gp 921/2 OIL & GAS PRODUCERS BG 1273
+111/2 -23/4 +5/8 +8 +3/4 -1/8 +24 -3/4 +25/8 +61/2 +33/8 +31/8 +15 +61/4 +3 +181/2 +16 +31/4 -1/4 +9 +11 +21/2 +9 -7 +18 +4 +8 +271/2 +6 +31/4 +53/4 +25
+1 +11/2 +9 +13/8 +251/2
BP 4847/8 +71/4 Cairn Energy 2651/2 +11/2 1 Royal Dutch Shell A £21 /2 +1/4 5 Royal Dutch Shell B £22 /8 +3/8 Total £367/8 +1/4 Tullow Oil 848 +10 OIL EQUIPMENT & SERVICES AMEC 1070 +21 Petrofac 1182 +28 Wood Gp(J) 6661/2 -1 PERSONAL GOODS Burberry Gp 1459 -6 PHARMACEUTICALS & BIOTECHNOLOGY Astrazeneca £36 +1/8 GlaxoSmithK XD 91/2 1 Shire £28 /4 +1/4 REAL ESTATE Brit Land 623 +31/2 Hamrsn 5011/2 +25/8 1 Intu Properties 310 /2 +4 Land Secs 957 +8 SEGRO 3343/4 +51/4 SOFTWARE ETC SERVICES Invensys 506 -1 Sage Group 4033/4 +63/4 SUPPORT SERVICES Berendsen 930 +11 Bunzl 1423 +21 Capita 1027 +14 De La Rue 870 +4 Electrocomp 2753/8 -1/4 Experian 1099 +4 G4S 2545/8 +53/4 Hays 125 +21/2 3 Homeserve 265 /4 -27/8 Menzies J 7161/2 +11/2 Rentokil 114 Smiths News 2331/2 +1/4 Wolseley £333/4 +3/8 IT HARDWARE ARM Hldgs 1110 +42 Spirent Comms 991/4 -1/4 TOBACCO Br Am Tob £321/8 +3/8 Imperial Tobacco £231/8 +1/8 LEISURE & HOTELS Bwin.Party Digital 125 -11/4 Carnival £245/8 +3/4 Compass Grp 950 +121/2 easyJet 1516 +10
Enterprise Inns FirstGroup Go-Ahead Gp Greene King Intercontl Htls Intl Cons Airl Ladbrokes Mitchells & Butlers Natl Express Rank Org Stagecoach Group TUI Travel Whitbread
+27/8 +1 -22 +61/2 +34 +17/8 +31/4 -11/4 +1 -3/4 +13/4 +67/8 +1/2
153 1211/2 1760 863 1987 3943/4 176 4211/8 2737/8 1293/4 3713/4 405 £37
FTSE 100
INDEX 6678.61
+72.03
FTSE 250
INDEX 15741.67
+105.08
TOURIST RATES Tourists going abroad can expect the following rates for sterling: Australia..................... 1.74 dollars Bangladesh................ 119.73 taka Brazil............................ 3.49 reals Canada...................... 1.66 dollars China ........................... 8.88 yuan Czech Republic .... 30.29 korunas Denmark..................... 8.49 krone Euro.............................. 1.14 euro Hong Kong............... 12.04 dollars Hungary................. 319.85 forints India........................ 89.37 rupees Japan......................... 161.93 yen Mexico ...................... 18.93 pesos New Zealand ............. 1.86 dollars Norway ....................... 9.61 krone Pakistan................ 163.61 rupees Philippines ................ 62.08 pesos South Africa................ 15.85 rand South Korea............. 1512.00 won Sri Lanka .............. 201.88 rupees Sweden..................... 10.28 krona Switzerland................ 1.40 francs Taiwan ..................... 42.83 dollars Turkey...................... 3.23 new lira USA ........................... 1.56 dollars
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INESS NEWS
■ SHINING EXAMPLE: Nick Booth (centre), of Continental Sports, receoves the Shooting Star award from Town manager Mark Robins (right) and the club's commercial director Sean Jarvis
Company puts in a star performance SPORTS equipment supplier Continental Sports was on target to win a new business award. The Paddock-based firm was named the first winner of the Shooting Star award, created by Huddersfield Town and club partner Total Dilapidations Services (TDS). Each month, Town commercial director Sean Jarvis, TDS managing director Chris Lee and Town manager Mark Robins will choose a business that is making a difference in the area to receive the accolade. The first award – for November, 2013 – was presented by the trio to Continental Sports managing director Nick Booth during a visit to the firm’s Hill Top Road premises. The firm, which was formed 49 years ago, employs 90 people in the design, manufacture, installation and maintenance of products for sports halls, gymnastics, trampolining, physical education, indoor and outdoor sports, changing rooms and dance aerobics. Continental was selected from a final shortlist of five companies after it secured a major new contract to supply Huddersfield University’s new £22.5m learning and leisure centre scheme in mid-November. As well as the Shooting Star award, Nick will get tickets for the prestigious Spring Partners Suite for Town’s Sky Bet Championship game at home to Sheffield Wednesday on February 22. Sean Jarvis said: “The Shooting Star award has been set up to recognise excellence in business throughout our area and there was no better example of success during November than Continental Sports.” Chris Lee said: “We are delighted with the first Shooting Star award. It's great to give it to a company who epitomises what the award stands for - generating business and jobs for local communities. Nick Booth said: “We’re proud to be the first recipient of the new Shooting Star award. It’s created a real buzz around our factory. It’s fantastic to have our hard work and success recognised in this manner, particularly by your local football club.”
Resident tax tester AN online tool has been launched by HM Revenue and Customs to help people determine their residence status for tax purposes. The Tax Residence Indicator asks people a number of questions before telling them their status. It has been introduced as part of the statutory residence test, introduced in April, 2013. People potentially affected include expatriates, pilots, cabin crew, cruise workers, rig workers, foreign students, health workers, seasonal workers and others.
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Good reason to stay optimistic CCORDING to the Stock Market A Almanac, December has statistically been the best month for returns on
the FTSE 100 Index since its inception in 1984. Moreover, it tends to do well if the January-to-November period has already produced good returns. It has only fallen four times (1985, 1990, 1994 and 2002), and three of those falls were negligible. Similar trends are evident in US markets, although the fact that their tax year ends with the calendar means that some of the enthusiasm is postponed till January, which also tends to be a good month for markets. This year, however, the beginning of the month has been worrying investors. December started in a dull fashion, with major western market indices falling mainly due to worries about possible tapering (gradual reduction) of quantitative easing (QE) programme in the US. Stock markets have exhibited this behaviour a few times this year already, and once this idea has been ‘priced in’, the actual announcement of a sensible reduction in the QE has had the opposite effect. Markets rose strongly in the US, Japan and Europe during the week as the Fed’s decision to begin to taper QE, whilst reiterating the case/intention for keeping an enduringly low fed-funds interest rate was welcomed. For the record, QE bond purchases are being reduced from $85bn a month to $75bn a month via a $5bn reduction in each of the
CITY TALK Nick Gartland
Treasury and Mortgage Backed Securities purchase programmes. Mr Bernanke indicated that the intention is to reduce QE by similar amounts at each meeting hereafter, until it is retired. Finally, in a sop to the nervously inclined, it was indicated that Fed funds rate would remain at 0% “at least” until the unemployment rate had fallen to 6.5%, and probably for a long time afterwards. The reaction to this announcement will certainly depend on its effect to the broader economy, which will come with a natural lag attached to it and will become clearer in the next few months. At the start of 2013, some commentators were suggesting that the FTSE 100 might reach 7,000 points by the end of the year, a capital return of almost 19% – and on a couple of occasions that looked like an excellent call, as the market flirted with the 6,800 level in both May and October. Sadly, the index has had a dull end to the year, but still shows healthy gains, which are not to be sniffed at when interest rates remain
so low. FTSE100 index has failed to live up to the most bullish expectations and underperformed Japan’s Nikkei 225 and US’s main S&P 500 index, which has risen a spectacular 24.5%. There are various reasons for this underperformance, but some of it could be attributed to the composition of the index, which is skewed away from companies with a higher exposure to cyclical economic recovery. Looking ahead, we still believe that 2014 will be a good year for equities and thus maintain our cautiously optimistic view. With growth returning to the UK and the global economy showing improving signs of recovery, it is now up to politicians to strike a good balance between cheap money-fuelled stock market rally and something that is a lot more tangible, i.e. improvement in economic activity. There is no doubt the world equity markets will be waiting for further positive signs with a degree of caution, as liquidity is bound to be subjected to further restrictions if these signs emerge.
Nick Gartland, Senior Financial Planning Director, Investec Wealth & Investment
Simpson Wood’s hair apparent A TEAM from Huddersfield chartered accountancy firm Simpson Wood ditched their razors for Movember and raised £3,201 for men’s health charities. Eleven gents (pictured right) took part and grew moustaches with varying degrees of success. Even the female staff got involved by wearing knitted moustaches – and they even had pets wearing them! Danny McAllister, team captain, said: “We have been astonished by the support we have received both within the firm and from all those who donated. “The total we raised is far beyond what we ever thought possible. It turned into a fun event as we posted photos on Twitter and Facebook – taking the mickey out of each other and even came up with some celebrity lookalikes!”. Movember supports world class men’s health programmes to combat prostate and testicular cancer and mental health challenges. Said Danny: “Movember is such a fantastic cause and we were glad to be able to raise the profile of these issues. We would like to thank all those who donated.”
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KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS
Review of 2013
Page 4
What a year that was! Kirklees Business News looks back at some of the events and people making local headlines in 2013
JANUARY STAFF at the Huddersfield branch of camera chain Jessops were told that store closures were “inevitable” after the business went into administration. About 2,000 retail jobs were under threat following the appointment of administrators from PwC. A MULTI-BILLION pound fund to create high-tech products and generate jobs was championed by the Deputy Prime Minister on a visit to Huddersfield. Nick Clegg visited turbocharger manufacturer Cummins Turbo Technologies to see how the company was using Regional Growth Fund support to develop a Holset-branded turbo system for medium and heavy duty truck engines.
■ HAMMER TIME: British Car Auctions Brighouse auctioneers Mike Partridge and David Jackson with staff before their 5000th sale day
■ TECHNICAL TALK: Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg during his visit to Cummins Turbo Technologies at St Andrew’s Road, Turnbridge, with director Jonathan Wood
■ TOP PRIZE: Glenn Paxman, who was named Business Person of the Year at the 2013 Examiner Business Awards
FEBRUARY BRITVIC’S proposed £1.4bn merger with Irn-Bru maker AG Barr was referred to the Competition Commission. The Office of Fair Trading said it could not rule out the possibility of higher prices following a tie-up after surveys suggested Britvic’s brands Pepsi and Tango were sufficiently close alternatives to Irn-Bru to raise competition concerns. Britvic’s product range included Pennine Spring and Drench, both bottled at the company’s Birkby premises. ONLINE retailer Buy It Direct snapped up one of the UK’s largest web-based furniture businesses. The Deighton-based company, which sells products ranging from TVs, laptops and cameras to kitchen appliances and pushchairs, bought Furniture 123 for an undisclosed sum. MARCH ENGINEERING giant David Brown outlined ambitions to turn the UK into a world-leader for the supply of parts for offshore wind turbines. The Lockwood-based firm was leading a project with 30 firms to position Britain as the only country in the world to create large gearboxes for the next generation of offshore wind turbines. NURSERY products firm Mamas & Papas bucked the retailing slump to open new stores in the UK and overseas this year. The family-owned firm, which already employs 500 staff at its Colnebridge site, was to open its first store in Beijing at the end of May and two stores in South Africa during the summer. STAFF at British Car Auctions in Brighouse celebrated completing the 5,000th sales day to be held at the Armytage Road site. APRIL A GOLF retailer in Huddersfield landed a £3.5m funding deal. Direct Golf UK secured the funding from RBS in a move to take the award-winning business to the next level. Chairman and PGA professional John Andrew set up Direct Golf UK in 1991 and in that time had taken the firm from one store in Huddersfield to 21 stores across the UK. SERIAL entrepreneur Graham Leslie led a multi-million pound drive to boost Yorkshire firms. The man who made his fortune with pharmaceuticals firm Galpharm aimed to inject £25m into the regional economy, create 300 jobs over the next three years and safeguard hundreds more by investing in up-and-coming companies by joining forces with marketing and business specialist Patrick Allen and finance expert Richard Smith to launch funding consortium One Degree Capital.
■ GLASS ACT: Gardinia Windows staf (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 MAY HUDDERSFIELD-based Gardinia Windows marked 30 years in business with new products aimed at helping the firm maintain its position in the marketplace. The firm, founded in 1983 by owner Michael Foster claims to be the only firm in its sector in the town to trade continually for 30 years. SOFT drinks firm Britvic announced plans to close its Huddersfield bottled water plant with the loss of 40 jobs. The former Ben Shaws site at Willow Lane, Birkby, will close early next year – ending production of Britvic’s Pennine Spring and Drench brands. JUNE A KIRKLEES manufacturer was enjoying double digit growth and success overseas. Sewtec Automation reported an order book from clients in France, Brazil, Morocco, Poland, Russia, Germany, China, America, Canada, Malaysia, South Africa and Dubai after seeing double digit growth year-on-year for the last five years and having trebled turnover in just 12 months. DAVID Brown scrapped plans for a multi-million pound move to Mirfield. The engineering firm abandoned the scheme to build two new engineering centres on land at Leeds Road, Mirfield, in favour of redeveloping its existing premises at Park Works, Lockwood. JULY THE pioneering 3M Buckley Innovation Centre in Huddersfield aimed to boost local manufacturing with a new 3D printer – enabling high-tech tenants at the £12m centre to develop their products.
■ MILL WORKERS: Marking 150 years of Stork Brothers Ltd are former managing directors Richard Stork (front), great grandson of founder Joseph Stork, and Ian Marshall (right) with current MD Stephen Moorhouse
HUNDREDS of postal workers in Huddersfield were promised free shares as part of a controversial privatisation of Royal Mail. They were among 35,000 employees across the North and up to 150,000 UK-wide to get 10% of the new company under the £3bn sell-off planned for later in the year. AUGUST A HOUSING association in Huddersfield joined an exclusive club for top-notch employers – as it prepared to celebrate its silver anniversary. Sadeh Lok, which owns and manages more than 1,200 homes in Kirklees and Wakefield, was gained Gold Investors in People status just 18 months after signing up to the initiative. LINTHWAITE-based pharmaceutical firm Thornton & Ross Ltd announced the £221.11m sale of the business to German giant STADA Arzneimittel AG. Thornton & Ross chairman Jonathan Thornton, the grandson of one of the founders, said he was sad to be leaving the 91-year-old firm – but pleased to be leaving it “in capable hands”. SEPTEMBER STRUCTURAL steel maker CH Fabrications secured a five-figure funding deal from Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance to built new premises and take on new staff. DAVID Brown landed a major contract for work on the Royal Navy’s newest warship. The Lockwood firm was awarded a contract to create detailed designs and progress plans for the gearbox of the new Type 26 Global Combat Ship with BAE Systems.
OCTOBER A COMPANY making liquid-filling and capping machinery completed a move to new premises in Huddersfield. Karmelle Liquid Filling and Capping Solutions transferred operations from premises at Canal Street, off Leeds Road to a modern unit at Lockwood. TEXTILE woollen manufacturer Stork Brothers Ltd marked 150 years in business by inviting former directors, managers and employees to its premises at Birkby. The event followed its takeover earlier this year by seating fabric specialist Camira NOVEMBER A CAPACITY audience raised the roof at the John Smith’s Stadium to celebrate success at the eighth Examiner Business Awards. The main award of Business Person of the Year, sponsored by Chadwick Lawrence, went to Glenn Paxman, chairman of Paxman Coolers and Brewfitt. SPORTS equipment firm Continental Sports secured the contract to supply sports and leisure equipment for Huddersfield University’s new £22.5m learning and leisure centre scheme. DECEMBER PUB group the Head of Steam, which includes a pub of the same name at St George’s Square in Huddersfield, was sold by Emley-born Tony Brookes to brewer and retailer Camerons Brewery. INCIDENT management specialist FMG was awarded a major contract to reduce risk for a 336-vehicle fleet belonging to commercial product manufacturer, Ingersoll Rand.