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KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS The business NEWSpaper for Kirklees
Oil firm roars onto the starting grid
A COMPANY supplying motor oils is at the front of the grid following its latest deal. Millers Oils has been asked yet again to work alongside many of the British Touring Car Championship teams – supplying its award-winning motorsport products and technical support during the 2010 season. After an exceptional year in 2009, Millers Oils is now supporting a number of well-established and high profile teams and drivers. They include Tom Chilton and Tom Onslow-Cole, of Team Aon; Paul O’Neill and John George, of Team Sunshine.co.uk; Matt Hamilton, from TH Motorsport; and the returning Jason Hughes from KW Sport. Brighouse-based Millers Oils will also be supporting newcomers Lea Wood, of Team Wood Racing; and David Pinkney, at Pinkney Motorsport. The teams will also receive technical support and high-performance lubricants from Millers Oils. The company’s products have
gained national recognition for reliability, quality and effectiveness. Millers Oils’ revolutionary Nano Technology transmission oil was named Most Innovative New Motorsport Product at the World Motorsport Symposium last November, following a successful debut season. The cutting-edge Nano Technology was a big hit with BTCC teams using the product. Dave Mott, product manager at Millers Oils, said: “The 2009 season saw great strides for Millers Oils and many of the teams we supported. “We’re proud to be continuing our technical partnerships with so many teams in such a prestigious championship, as well as getting involved with some of the newer teams for this season. “Last year’s successful partnerships were testament to the stringent testing and research that goes into ensuring the drivers have the most effective products available, which give second-to-none results and tangible improvements to performance, reliab-
the Harrogate Spring Flower Show at the town’s Great Yorkshire Showground. The firm, run by Kenyan-born Prett Tejura, provides cookery courses and outside catering as well as selling Indian pickles and chutneys. Prett, whose background stems
Musical moments A KITCHEN equipment firm struck the right note with visitors to a top exhibition – by adopting a musical theme for its trade stand. WS Westin Ltd, recruited Fixby-based singer Olivia Hutchinson to entertain visitors and showed off a cooker hood shaped like the top of a grand piano to tune into potential new orders.
● Full story - Page 5
■ FAST LANE: David Pinkney, of Pinkney Motorsport, is hoping for a winning debut season in British Touring Cars with a little help from Millers Oils
ility and component life “The Nano Technology award win was further confirmation that Millers Oils can reach the pinnacle of motors-
port product innovation. We are looking forward to another exciting season ahead in 2010, and we wish all our partner teams the very best of luck.”
Curry company has recipe for sales success A DEWSBURY firm running Indian cookery courses and supplying pickles and spices aims to tickle the tastebuds of visitors to a major food fair. Curry Cuisine is among 25 regional food producers taking part in the four-day event, which kicks off on Thursday and is being run alongside
INSIDE
from Gujarat, India, said: “I have always had a passion for cooking. “Over the past 10 years or so, I have been collecting recipes from my family to pass down to my three children. “The idea for Curry Cuisine came after several friends had asked me to teach them how to cook traditional
Indian dishes.” The food market has been organised by the Regional Food Group under its deliciouslyorkshire branding campaign and features producers of foodstuffs ranging from pork pies, cakes and loaves to preserves, chocolates and cheeses.
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Timeless tastes A CATERING company is going back in time with its latest contract. Food-4-Thought has been awarded a three-year deal to provide a full range of services to the coffee shop at historic Oakwell Hall at Birstall.
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Buyout values rise as market picks up
■ PET OWNER: The takeover of retailer Pets at Home contributed to a rise in buyout values
TAKEOVERS such as the £950m swoop for retailer Pets at Home have pushed the value of UK private equity buyouts to a two-year high. The total value of private-equity backed deals reached £5bn in the first quarter of 2010, according to statistics from the Centre for Management Buyout Research, The figure was helped by the buyout of Cheshire-based Pets at home – which has a store at Great Northern Retail Park in Huddersfield – as well as medical courier Marken. The value of business done in the opening months of 2010 already exceeds the £4.7bn seen for the whole of last year and is at its highest since the first quarter of
2008 before the onset of the recession. Private equity firms benefited from a glut of cheap debt during the boom years – taking over a raft of household names, including the AA and high street giant Boots. But the onset of the credit crunch in late 2007 put an end to the buyout boom. Barclays Private Equity director Christian Marriott said the upturn signalled a “renewed appetite” among private equity firms to spend. But activity remains well below the £20.4bn in deals seen at the peak in the second quarter of 2007. Mr Marriott ruled out a swift return to the heady days of the
buyout binge. He said: “The strong start to the year may not necessarily signal a sustained resurgence in the UK buyout market, rather a more gradual recovery over the next few years as confidence returns to the market.” The Pets at Home and Marken deals accounted for 40% of the buyouts by value during the first three months of the year and pushed up the average size of buyouts to £116.7m from £39.5m during 2009. There were 43 buyouts in total during the quarter, up 72% from the final three months of 2009. Of the 12 deals valued at more than £100m, eight were secondary deals where a company was sold from one buyout firm to another.
Firm sets pace for World Cup
Sage chief to step down
SET-TOP box maker Pace predicted a World Cup sales boost as pay-television firms rush out high-definition technology in the run-up to this summer’s football tournament. The firm said sales for the first six months of 2010 would outstrip second half revenues – although trading for the whole year will be in line with expectations. Pace said: “We entered 2010 in a strong operating and financial position with our pay-TV markets continuing to be positive and with good demand for the group’s products.” Pace, based at Saltaire, has about 1,200 staff around the world, including ones in USA, India and China.
ONE of the longest-serving chief executives in the FTSE 100 Index is to stand down from the firm he joined 26 years ago. Paul Walker, 52, has been at the helm of accountancy software company Sage for 16 years and helped build the business through a series of acquisitions. A departure date has not been announced, but Sage said Mr Walker and the board will work to ensure a “seamless transition” to the next boss. It has been reported that Mr Walker told the board he wanted to move on while he is young enough for
Pace reported demand for HD technology across all its markets. The company expects “solid” volume growth this year along with slightly lower selling prices, resulting in single-digit revenue growth. Pace has also landed new contract wins including a deal to provide Malaysia’s first HD service, as well as a second generation set-top box for BT Vision and a new range of Freeview products in the UK. The company said that a further drive on costs had boosted margins – while the company is also keeping a tight rein on its supply chain to ward off the risk of component shortages.
fresh challenges. His 16-year tenure is exceeded by Sir Martin Sorrell at advertising giant WPP and Tullow Oil’s Aidan Heavey. Mr Walker joined Newcastle-based Sage as company accountant when the business was just three years old. He was appointed finance director in 1987 and worked on the flotation of the firm on the London stock market two years later. It is now worth in excess of £3.3bn and has more than 6m customers from the small and medium sized enterprise sector. The company employs 13,400 people worldwide.
Back in the black THE taxpayer has moved out of the red on stakes in Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group – after shares in the part-nationalised banks hit six-month highs. The Government paid £45.2bn for an 84% stake in RBS at an average cost of 49.9p a share, but the stock closed yesterday up 4% or 2.1p at 50.4p – just above the 50p break-even mark – after positive comments from banking analysts in recent days. Shares in RBS have also been helped by reports that it could sue US investment bank Goldman Sachs after being hit with £550m in losses due to alleged fraud. Lloyds Banking Group, in which the taxpayer has a 41% stake, closed 0.7p up at 65.4p – about 2p above the 63.2p entry price for the Government’s £27.6bn investment – giving the public sector a notional paper profit of more than £500m. The taxpayer gains just over £900m for every penny which shares in RBS move above 49.9p, while every 1p above 63.2p adds about £280m to the value of the public stakes. In March, Lloyds said it expected a return to profit this year after a better performance on bad debts.
SHARE PRICES NORTH AMERICAN American Express £29.46 -0.07 Gannett 1180.11 -0.98 Hess Corp £40.99 -0.68 Microsoft £20.19 +0.11 Motors Liquidation 49.10 Wal-Mart Stores £35.50 +0.07 AEROSPACE & DEFENCE Avon Rbbr 921/2 BAE Systems 3741/4 +21/4 Rolls-Royce Gp 600 -11/2 VT Group 758 -1 AIM Brady Plc 67 -2 Dawson Intl 21/4 AUTOMOBILES & PARTS GKN 1433/4 -11/4 BANKS Barclays 3701/2 -27/8 HSBC 691 -7 Lloyds Banking Gp 653/8 +3/4 Ryl Scotland 503/8 +21/8 Stan Chart 1784 -1/2 BEVERAGES Diageo 1143 -2 SABMiller 1910 +6 CHEMICALS Croda 940 -111/2 Elementis 98 671/2 +21/2 Johnsn Mat 1746 -14 CONSTRUCTION & MATERIALS Balfour Beatty 297 -1/4 Costain 25 +3/4 ELECTRICITY Drax Grp 381 -21/8 Intl Power 3295/8 -31/8
Scottish & Sthrn 1119 +1 Energy ELECTRONIC & ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT Chloride 202 -2 -1/8 Laird 1231/4 EQUITY INVESTMENT INSTRUMENTS Alliance Trust 3461/2 +1/4 FIXED LINE TELECOM SERVICES BT Grp 1313/4 +1/4 Cable & Wireless 621/8 -1/4 Comm Cable & Wireless 915/8 Wwide Colt Telecom 1317/8 +11/4 KCOM 49 -1/2 Talktalk Telecom 124 -5 FOOD & DRUG RETAILERS Morrison W 2953/4 +11/2 Sainsbury 3443/4 -11/2 Tesco 4371/2 +23/4 FOOD PRODUCERS AB Food 9581/2 +81/2 Nth Foods 583/4 -11/2 Tate Lyle 448 +1 Unilever 1922 -6 3 Uniq 17 /4 +3/4 GAS, WATER & MULTIUTILITIES Centrica 2981/4 -1/4 National Grid 6481/2 -2 Pennon Grp 537 -31/2 Severn 1218 -4 -21/2 United Utils 5631/2 GENERAL FINANCIAL 3i Group 2811/8 -3/4 ICAP 3881/8 -51/2 1 London StockExch 749 /2 -51/2 Man Group 264 -23/4
Provident Financial 873 -101/2 Schroders 1402 -9 Schroders NV 1127 -9 GENERAL INDUSTRIALS Cooksn Grp 5631/2 -101/2 REXAM 304 -11/2 Smiths Grp 1117 -13 GENERAL RETAILERS 1 Ashley L 15 /2 Carphone Whse 1821/4 +1 DSG International 353/4 Home Retail 2873/8 +11/8 Inchcape 313/4 -3/8 Kingfisher 2353/4 -1/4 M&S 3815/8 +1/8 Mothercare 598 +1/2 Next £227/8 +1/8 WH Smith 4991/8 -17/8 HEALTH CARE EQUIPMENT & SERVICES Smith Nph 6851/2 -9 HOUSEHOLD GOODS Aga Rangemaster 110 Barrat Dev 120 -1 Persimmon 449 -11/4 Reckitt Benckiser £351/8 -1/8 Taylor Wimpey 385/8 +1/4 INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING Charter 771 +1 Delta 1831/4 -1/4 1 IMI 643 /2 -41/2 1 Man Brnze 79 /2 INDUSTRIAL METALS Ferrexpo 3611/4 -23/4 INDUSTRIAL TRANSPORTATION BBA Aviation 2063/4 -13/4 Forth Ports 1378 -3 LIFE INSURANCE
3781/8 901/8 1181/8 583 791/8 2045/8 MEDIA BSkyB 6241/2 Chrysalis 105 D Mail Tst 5201/2 ITV 667/8 Johnston Press 30 Pearson 1002 Reed Elsevier 5261/2 STV Group 96 Trinity Mirror 1591/4 Utd Business 5441/2 UTV 131 WPP 711 Yell Group 583/8 MINING Anglo American £283/8 Antofagasta 983 BHP Billiton £215/8 Eurasian Natural 1191 Res Fresnillo 8261/2 Kazakhmys 1474 Lonmin 1998 Rio Tinto £377/8 VEDANTA £273/8 RESOURCES Xstrata 12251/2 MOBILE TELECOM SERVICES Inmarsat 7521/2 Vodafone Group 150 NONLIFE INSURANCE Admiral Grp 1312 RSA Insurance Gp 125 Aviva Lgl & Gen Old Mutual Prudential Resolution Standard Life
-87/8 -5/8 -21/2 -11/2 -3/4 -3/4 +31/2 -1/2 -3/4 -1/2 -3 -1 +3 +1/4 +1 +21/4 +11/2 +2 -3/8 -17 -3/8 -15 1
-16 /2 -24 -29 -1/8 -1/2 -11 -11/2 -2 -1 -1/4
Local shares Carclo Chapelthorpe Marshalls National Grid Rensburg Sheppards Weir Gp
140 221/4 1011/4 6481/2 841
+23/4 -23/4 -2 -9
941
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FTSE closed at
5727.9 Down 16.0 OIL & GAS PRODUCERS BG 1145 +1 BP 6421/2 +3/4 Cairn Energy 4065/8 -41/2 Norsk Hdro 5105/8 Royal Dutch Shell A 1985 +111/2 Royal Dutch Shell B 1904 +61/2 3 Total £37 /4 -1/8 Tullow Oil 1282 -13 OIL EQUIPMENT & SERVICES AMEC 849 -21/2 Petrofac 1229 -15 1 Wood Group 375 /4 -53/4 PERSONAL GOODS Burberry 7011/2 -3 PHARMACEUTICALS & BIOTECHNOLOGY Astrazeneca £293/8 +1/8 Axis-Shield 420 +13
GlaxoSmithK Shire 1469 REAL ESTATE Brit Land 4763/4 DTZ Hldgs 761/4 Hamrsn 3785/8 Land Secs 6591/2 SEGRO 3167/8 SOFTWARE ETC SERVICES Autonomy Corp 1777 Dimension Data 923/8 Invensys 3273/8 Logica 1401/4 Misys 2481/4 Sage Group 2541/4 SUPPORT SERVICES Bunzl 756 Capita 805 Davis Service 421 Group De La Rue 903 Electrocomp 2301/4 Experian 614 G4S 2631/4 Hays 1131/4 Homeserve 1902 Menzies J 376 Rentokil 1353/4 Smiths News 1171/2 Wolseley 1548 IT HARDWARE ARM Hldgs 2383/4 Psion 86 Spirent Comms 1193/4 TOBACCO Br Am Tob £213/4 Imperial Tobacco 1947 LEISURE & HOTELS
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Arriva Brit Airways Carnival Compass Grp easyJet Enterprise Inns FirstGroup Go-Ahead Greene King Intercontl Htls Ladbrokes Mitchells & Butlers Natl Express PartyGaming Rank Org Stagecoach Group TUI Travel Whitbread
7601/2 2313/4 £261/2 5221/2 473 1295/8 379 1450 4383/4 1038 1553/4 3071/4 2391/2 312 1153/8 1881/8 2881/4 1560
+24 -31/4 +1/8 -11/2 -43/4 -17/8 +83/8 +41 -23/4 -11 -11/8 +1/8 -1/8 -13/8 +3/8 -31/2 -3
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KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS
profile
Tracy’s happy to be back A MARKETING expert with business contacts across the globe is now focusing on building business links closer to home. Tracy Sheldon, managing director of Skelmanthorpe-based Brug Consultancy, has become the first licensee to run businesswomen’s networking group Forward Ladies in the Kirklees and Calderdale areas. She is busy drawing up a diary of events for the regional group, including free lunches for potential new members at the Heritage Centre at Lindley, the Elsie Whiteley Centre in Halifax and Woolley Hall and the Artroom in Wakefield; a social event at Dewsbury’s Bretton Enterprise Centre; a Mongolian stir fry demonstration and lunch at Temujin Restaurant; and a visit to Coca Cola’s Wakefield factory. And she is determined to bring the benefits of the networking group to as many entrepreneurial women – and men – as possible. Says Tracy: “I have spent the past 10 years in London working for a global company. I have also worked in New York, Boston and Paris. But Yorkshire is my home. I used to come home every weekend when I was working in London – and last year I came back here to set up my own business. “I must have contacts for 5,000 people across the world – from printers and HR consultants to entrepreneurs of all types. “But returning to Yorkshire I needed to make new business contacts here. Someone suggested going to Forward Ladies because it also has a social, opportunity and development aspect to
what it does. “Over the past year, I have been to a lot of networking groups – ranging from the hard-nosed ones which demand referrals at every meeting to the ‘let’s have a coffee and waste two hours’ variety. “Forward Ladies provides networking and business development opportunities, but it is also a supportive social organisation which aims to inspire professional women. “They do things that are a little bit different. You get to socialise, but you also hear how people in business have tackled and overcome problems – and you can build up your network of contacts. “You can choose courses to develop yourself and your business and there are even 50-50 meetings, where men are welcome to attend. There are a wide variety of members – from sole traders like florists and cake manufacturers to high-powered company directors. It doesn’t have an
■ TALKING POINT: Tracy Sheldon says Forward Ladies isn’t ‘soft and fluffy’
image of being nice and twee.” Forward Ladies, founded by the original Forward lady Etta Cohen over lunch in 2000, is celebrating 10 years. It began as a Leeds-centred organisation, but has developed to have members across the north and Midlands – from Liverpool and Chester to Leeds, Hull and Birmingham and the Isle of Man. It’s website attracts 80,000 visitors a year, with an average 4 minute stay time and its newsletter goes out to over 11,000 people every week. “It’s inspirational, influential and growing every day” Tracy says. “I attended some Forward Ladies events and liked the freedom of choice about which events to attend and I liked the fact that a variety of businesses are involved. “You don’t have to turn up every week, have a big breakfast and be one of only two women in the room. “There are some really hard-nosed business people in there. It is not soft and fluffy. It’s a quality led professional network that offers you choice.” Tracy’s track record is similarly business-like. Her first job was in a printing company, where she was its first-ever female apprentice. Most recently, she was European marketing director for a leading packaging company with operations in more than 30 countries and serving sectors including healthcare and pharmaceuticals, media and entertainment, FMCG and home and garden. She trained as a graphic designer with expertise in print and packaging before moving into general management. Her career has
Page 3 Tracy Sheldon
encompassed design, advertising, innovation, product development and managing ranges for the likes of Gillette and Unilever. She also worked on the development of brands such as Smirnoff Black. As general manager for a creative company in London providing entertainment industry clients with design and artwork, she had control of a £34m turnover business and managed a team of 13 directors and 180-plus staff. As European marketing director for a US group, she formed a new marketing team in Europe. Tracy has more than 25 years experience in business – working in areas such as brand and product innovation, marketing, mentoring and coaching through to strategic change management. She has spoken at conferences in Brussels and Hamburg and taken part in online seminars and social media workshops. With Brug Consultancy – the name comes from the Dutch word for bridge and incorporates the initials of Tracy’s children Ben, Rebecca and George – Tracy aims to “bridge the gap” for client businesses needing help with marketing, project management, coaching and mentoring and strategic planning. Says Tracy: “All businesses – from major corporates to family run firms and sole traders – need to understand their brand and what they are trying to achieve from
“It is about getting the structure of the marketing right – and it doesn’t have to be complicated – I make marketing simple with The Marketing Machine.” Away from work, Tracy finds time to help partner Iain run a girl scouts group in Emley. She has also served as a eucharistic minister at St Joseph’s Church and was a governor of St Joseph’s School. Other interests include painting, poetry and cinema. Says Tracy: “It is nice to be get back to Yorkshire – where you get plain speaking and can talk to people openly and honestly. “People here have good ideas and a sound work ethic. After all that has happened to Yorkshire’s industries, people have kept their heads up and got on with things. As a result, there are a lot of good businesses and strong people here.”
HENRYK ZIENTEK
Role: Managing director Age: 47 Family: Partner Iain with children Ben, George and Becki Holidays: Travelled to 67 cities across Europe, Asia, the USA, Canada and Austraila, but loved family holidays in the UK Cars: Fiat Bravo and Land Rover Discovery First job: Working formy ubncle on his market stall selling vinyls Best thing about job: Working closely with so many different people and seeing them get gerat results and reach their goals Worst thing about job: Administration and paperwork Business tip: If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got.Never stop learning, always make time to review and never fear change
Brug Consultancy Work: Specialist marketeer, personal business coach and mentor Site: Skelmanthorpe Phone: 07989 695352 Email:tracy.sheldon @brug consultancy. com
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KIRKLEES BUSIN
Marketing magic from top conjuror AN award-winning magician is turning his talents to business. John Danbury, who scooped the coveted title of Yorkshire Pride Close-up Magician of the Year for 2009, has set up Extraordinary Marketing to help the region’s companies conjure up more business. Said John: “I have spent my entire adult life helping large companies to create amazing events, product launches and trade shows and thought it would be a great idea to use all my skills to help local businesses get more customers and make more profit.” John has been a specialist in writing and presenting for sales events for more than 18 years – helping international companies such as Estée Lauder, Procter & Gamble, Nescafé, Mercedes Benz and Oracle computers create amazing presentations for product launches and trade shows. “I have a passion for language and the way it is used to influence our choices as to what we buy and how,” he said. “What upsets me is when you see amazing ideas for products and services struggling to get noticed just because the business owner has not got the time to do everything. “My idea is to help small and medium sized businesses to create almost magical marketing strategies where they can turn on the tap and get a stream of new customers any time they want by
creating an automatic selling system using all the elements a great stage mind reader or magician would.” As an entertainer John has performed for members of the royal family, politicians, celebrities and many thousands of people from all walks of life. Said John: “What I do as a marketer is so akin to what I do as a magician as I am helping people connect with other businesses on an emotional level - using visual elements along with the words to create a strong bond between the consumer and the product and therefore making it easier for them to buy. “It’s all about trust, really.” John, who lives at Clayton West is a member of the Huddersfield Circle of Magicians and specialises in close-up magic card tricks. John is from London and moved to town about eight years ago with wife Ann, who hails from Mirfield. Before the move, John was resident magician at London's Hilton Hotel on Park Lane. He has also entertained Princes William and Harry at a private event at Highgrove House and performed at the Princess Diana Memorial concert. He also organised a magic show superstar Michael Jackson at Hamleys toy shop in London.
■ HEY PRESTO: Magician John Danbury is
Gameshow theme is proving creative at the university
Bedding firm is warming to its charity work
THEY’RE getting creative at Huddersfield University. The university (right) is set to host The Brilliant Design Lecture on Thursday, April 29, when a group of inspiring speakers from business will share stories and insights into their work. The event adopts a gameshow format – with three rounds entitled I Made this, This Inspired Me and New To Me. The speakers get 10 minutes per round to share their stories with an audience comprising students from the school of art, design and architecture. There is also a Graduate Wheel of Fortune with speakers spinning the wheel to answer questions on topics suggested by the audience. The speakers – including Nicolas Rooper, Jason Bruges, Jay Fretwell, Rob Chiu and Matthew Grey – are experienced in areas such as innovation, design, advertising, film and photography and fashion.
A MIRFIELD company is providing comfort for the homeless. Bedding firm John Cotton Group Ltd has donated duvets for people using St George’s Crypt in Leeds. The company, Europe’s biggest b e d d i n g m a nu f a c t u r e r, f i r s t partnered staff at St George’s Crypt in December, 2005. Since then, the company has continued to support the charity with donations of duvets and pillows – particularly during the harsh winter months. The Crypt has been providing shelter and support for the homeless in Leeds for more than 78 years and continues to do so with the help of local businesses, volunteers and charitable donations. More than 90 people a day use the Crypt. Phil Atherton, sales and marketing director for John Cotton, said: “We are extremely pleased to have continued our relationship with the Crypt and hope this strengthens further over the next five years. “Our duvets were a blessing to the Crypt this winter and our donation in March will allow them to further help
The event, which takes place from 10am to 6pm at St Paul’s Hall, Queensgate, is being organised by university graduates Dom Goodman, Joe Turner and Chris Boardman. Joe said: “The presentation format allows the banter of a gameshow to play a role in a very entertaining and inspiring day for everyone.”
disadvantaged residents. “St George’s Crypt plays a vital part in supporting our local community and caring for those less fortunate. John Cotton Group Ltd is proud to be associated with such a good cause.” Crypt chief executive officer Chris Fields said: “We are really grateful to John Cotton for their continuing support for the Crypt. “We really value this practical support and the sustained way in which John Cotton provides help.”
Link-up paying off for business COMPANIES using Business Link Yorkshire are increasing sales and profits as a result, according to latest research. Figures show that firm using Business Link are twice as likely to report improved performance as those that did not. The surveys also found that almost 90% of clients in established businesses said they would not have been able to obtain a similar level of support elsewhere. Firms helped by Business Link added £84.2m to the regional economy – averaging at an additional £17,000 each. Helen West, chief executive of Business Link Yorkshire said the clear message was that businesses using the service were more successful, were coping with the recession better and were more optimistic about taking advantage of the upturn. Since its inception in 2008, Business Link has worked with more than 110,000 businesses each year. Satisfaction with Business Link services has improved from 87% to 92%, with a 94% score for the business events it organises. The independent surveys commissioned by Yorkshire Forward, Evaluation of Business Link Services in Yorkshire and Humber and the National Business Survey, asked Business Link Yorkshire customers to provide feedback on the service and the impact it has had on their performance. It showed that more than 85% of Business Link Yorkshire customers would recommend the service to others and 57% already have.
Website help at seminar
FIRMS in Kirklees are getting help to get online. Heckmondwike-based internet consultancy iNet inSights is staging an event at Huddersfield’s Media Centre tomorrow to show small business owners how they can get a free website for their business using a new Google/BT initiative called Getting British Business Online. The consultancy has joined forces with Google, Enterprise UK, the Department for Business Innovation and Skills, BT and e-skills UK to support the initiative to get 100,000 UK businesses online. The campaign is aimed at the 1.5m UK businesses which do not have a website. It gives them the opportunity to create a free professional website and provides access to training and support. The seminar tomorrow afternoon will include a demonstration of the GBBO system, tips and techniques business owners can use to help them get the best from their website and a question and answer session about marketing their website online. Go to www.inetinsights.com or call Jaimie Dobson on 0845 6435138
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Firm finds key to attracting sales A COMPANY providing kitchen equipment is tuning into more sales after adopting a musical theme for its stand at a major exhibition. WS Westin Ltd, based at Phoenix Mills, Leeds Road, recruited Fixby-based singer Olivia Hutchinson to entertain visitors to the stand at the Kitchen, Bedroom and Bathroom Exhibition staged at the NEC in Birmingham. The company had bought 1,000 copies of her debut album, Classics, to distribute to potential clients on its stand. Westin also demonstrated the flexibility of its latest laser cutting technology by displaying a cooker extraction hood designed and made to look like the top of a grand piano. Sales and marketing manager Ann Phillips said the stand’s jazz and art deco theme, Olivia’s singing and the curvy cooker hood had hit all the right notes. The company won the award for best designed stand in its category. It was also rewarded with an increase in visitor numbers compared to its last appearance and a clutch of new leads and orders. Ann said: “The exhibition happens every two years. This year, we wanted to do something completely different for the four days of the show. We went for a theme to increase our chances of attracting more visitors and getting more business. “Olivia was fantastic in attracting the crowds and the ‘piano’ cooker hood showed what we are capable of doing following our investment in laser technology. “Two years ago, we got 160 visitors to the stand. This time, we had 435 and we have already had three orders from it.” But she stressed: “The show represented the team effort of the company with all staff involved in making it such a resounding success. With orders already coming in as a result of the show, all the hard work is really paying off.” Ann said the company, which provides cooker hoods and splashbacks to architects, designers and kitchen manufacturers UK-wide, had been able to achieve sales growth and increased profits despite the recession.
■ WINNERS: The Westin team (above) of sales and marketing manager Ann Phillips (front), northern region sales manager Richard Cooley (back) and customer liaison manager David Broadbent, receive their award from Sam Cande, of the exhibition organisers, for the best stand, which featured singer Olivia Hutchinson (right) and a piano-shaped cooker hood (far right)
Furthermore, over the past four years further progress has been made in tapping into new, emerging market opportunities, especially in the Middle East and Asia – with even the smallest companies making progress into overseas markets. The survey showed that 80% of firms polled aimed to extend their reach into new markets. Despite tough trading conditions, half of manufacturers expanded their exports in the past 12 months and about one in five managed to increase exports by more than 10%. More than half of companies said they had responded to the changed
economic environment by rethinking their export strategy. The survey warned that a number of hurdles stood in the way of firms taking full advantage of a recovery in global markets – particularly uncertainty about exchange rates and recent volatility of sterling. The report followed latest government figures showing UK exporters saw a return to better form in February. A rebound in sales meant that the value of exports of goods – excluding oil– was up by 6% in the latest quarter compared with a year ago. Imports grew by 4.4%. Mr Hall said: “Exporting has
A FIRM providing recruitment services has completed a shake-up as its current funding stream comes to an end. UP & Working, based at the Media Centre, has diversified into new areas to generate revenue – but is pledged to continue support for clients and partners across Kirklees. The agency will continue to offer information, advice and guidance to candidates with barriers preventing them from securing employment – which will be done in association with UP & Working Ltd and their parent company Sadeh Lok. Group operations director Paul Dolan said: “Funding the employment support service ourselves allows us greater flexibility when serving our customers, clients and partners throughout Kirklees. We are excited about this new era and look forward to continuing our positive work in the local community.” UP & Working said it had achieved major success over the past five years – placing more than 500 people into employment, supporting more than 1,000 beneficiaries and assisting more than 100 individuals with skills development. The company has also supported more than 50 businesses in the region and helped to create 15 new jobs among those firms. UP & Working Ltd will continue with its commercial activity supplying temporary and permanent staff . The UP & Working project is led by Access Matrix Ltd, a subsidiary of the award winning Sadeh Lok Housing Group.
It’s the Biz!
Call to safeguard export funding SUPPORT for manufacturers must be safeguarded from government spending cuts, said an engineering industry leader. Alan Hall, Yorkshire regional director of the EEF said a survey by the manufacturing employers’ organisation showed that member firms were making inroads into export markets – leaving the UK better placed to take advantage of recovery in the world economy. The survey of 227 manufacturing companies showed that more than 90% of them are involved in exporting while more than 40% derive more than half their turnover from overseas sales.
All change for agency
now become the lifeblood of UK manufacturers and we are now seeing more signs of an export-led recovery. “But exporting is a team game requiring ambition for manufacturers, a collaborative approach from banks to provide the finance, the right foreign exchange risk management tools and world class export support services. “The foundations are there, but if we are to re-balance the economy the next government must build on these and not turn off the funding tap for essential trade support services.”
KIRKLEES firms have been urged to support an awards scheme recognising outstanding smaller companies. The appeal comes from Huddersfield man Stephen Waud, who is founder of Yorkshire’s Biz Awards, which recognises inspirational SMEs across the region which have triumphed over adversity. Mr Waud, fund director of Bradford Enterprise Fund and co-sponsors the awards with Bradford Kickstart and Approach PR, said: “We are calling for sponsors to ensure the Biz Awards continues to give recognition to organisations which are making a difference but would otherwise be unnoticed.” Visit www.thebizawards.co.uk or contact Charlotte Booth or Becky Armstrong at Approach PR on 01274 722552.
KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS
property
Expansion plans turn to W Yorks
A COMPANY supplying tools and building products has launched a property search in West Yorkshire. Toolstation is keen to set up new trade counters in Huddersfield, Halifax and Wakefield in a move which could create at least 12 new jobs. The firm already has sites at Leeds, Sheffield, Rotherham and Doncaster. Toolstation said Huddersfield, Halifax and Wakefield had been highlighted as key areas for the firm’s new expansion programme. “Our requirements in Halifax, Huddersfield and Wakefield are quite specific,” said Philip MacLauchlan, who is responsible for the expansion drive. “We require premises of between 4,000sq ft and 8,000sq ft with car parking and loading facilities. “New or modern ware-
houses or trade counters would be ideal and we are happy to consider existing or part complete buildings or developments. “We are really keen to open in all three locations as soon as possible, so we are working fast. We are realistic about the rents we will have to pay and our confidence in this market enables us to consider good length leases, including 10-year leases where appropriate incentives are provided.” Mr MacLauchlan said at least four jobs would be created for each new trade counter – with the figure as high as eight depending on the specific location. Toolstation lays claim to offering one of the largest ranges of products for building and related trades, with more than 10,000 key items immediately available.
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■ SITE PLAN: Philip MacLauchlan, of Toolstation, is seeking new sites to open in Huddersfield, Halifax and Wakefield to add to its chain, which already includes outlets in Leeds, Sheffield, Rotherham and Doncaster
Page 6 Realists reap rewards in latest property sale VENDORS with realistic expectations were the major winners at a recent property auction. Eddisons reported that 90 of the 122 lots on offer were sold at its latest two-day sale held in Leeds and Manchester. Spokesman Tony Webber said: “Sellers who acknowledged current market conditions by setting realistic reserve prices were rewarded as buyers reacted positively to what they perceived as being good value for money. “As we reach the second quarter of the year, funding continues to be an issue which gives cash buyers the upper hand.” Highlights from the sale included a former adult training centre at Hemsworth, near Wakefield, which was offered on the instructions of Wakefield Council and sold for £100,000. A former fire station in Settle, North Yorkshire, was the subject of some of the keenest bidding. The property, offered on the instructions of Craven District Council with planning consent for a single residential dwelling, sold for £82,000 off a guide price of £55,000-plus. A parcel of land covering about one-and-a-half acres close to the Reva Reservoir near Menston, Leeds, which sold for £22,000 off a guide price of £5,000-plus. The next Eddisons Property Auction scheduled for May 6 has been moved to Tuesday May 11, to avoid a clash with the general election. It takes place at noon at Leeds United Football Club, Elland Road, Leeds.
Positive signs for Yorkshire housing sector HOUSING market activity in Yorkshire is picking up– but the rise in prices is slowing down. The latest survey from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors showed that a balance of 44% of members in the region reported a rise in new instructions last month compared with 30% in February. The number of new buyer enquiries fell slightly to 14% from 17%. Nationally, a balance of 21% of surveyors saw a rise in new instructions, which is an increase on the 16% reported in February, New buyer enquiries stabilised in March. A large proportion of the UK’s surveyors said that political uncertainty was persuading vendors to market their property before the impending General Election. That had resulted in many of the housing market indicators remaining positive or stable. The survey revealed a significant variation in regional price trends. Prices are rising in London, the South-east
and Scotland, but falling in Yorkshire, East Anglia, the North and the West Midlands. Activity in Yorkshire is expected to pick up further over the coming months – with most of the area’s surveyors expecting prices to stabilise. RICS spokesman Mark Hunter said: “During March, we have experienced a considerable increase in sales. “The general public has started noticing more ‘sold notices’ and the perception that the market is improving has a huge positive effect on consumer confidence, which goes a long way to encourage vendor activity.” Said Mr Hunter: “Contrary to popular perception, Easter is not a busy period as most people wish to holiday or rest after a long winter. “But we look forward from mid-April onwards with renewed confidence. “Usually the residential property market is the first into recession and one of the first out of it.”
KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS
property
Page 7
Occupants for prime sites A PRIME office site in West Yorkshire has a new tenant. Some 15,000sq ft of space has been let at CTP St James’ award-winning £100m Waterfront Wakefield development. A brand-new office building in the heart of phase one of the Waterfront Wakefield development has been let to Wakefield Council at £15 per sq ft and sub-let to mail order company Redcats UK.
Oliver Quarmby, of CTP St James, said: “The arrival of our first business occupier is a massive vote of confidence in Waterfront Wakefield and will prove a catalyst for the rest of phase one where we have two further office buildings of 33,000sq ft to let. “The apartment building is now fully occupied and there has been a good deal of interest in the retail element of our development.”
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■ GREEN MESSAGE: Chris Harrop, group marketing director of building products firm Marshalls plc, says companies in all sectors can benefit from being more energy-efficient
Gains from going green
AN advocate for energy-saving measures in business has urged companies to safeguard their “triple bottom line”. Chris Harrop, group marketing director for Birkby-based building products firm Marshalls and the man hailed as a “green guru” for the construction industry, said businesses had a lot to lose by failing to tackle energy waste.. Mr Harrop said: “The best business advice I have ever received was from Jonathon Porritt, a former director of Friends of the Earth. “He said you have to manage the ‘triple bottom line’ – economic, social and environmental factors. It’s an ethos that has become central to our strategy at Marshalls, enabling us to improve our profitability, minimise our impact on the environment and act to improve the lives of workers, their families and local communities.” Said Mr Harrop: “Businesses have a lot to lose from energy wastage. Smart energy management not only cuts costs, but also makes organisations more productive and improves their reputation with customers. “So, for us, embarking on an energy-efficiency journey for Marshalls was a simple decision, both in terms of staying competitive and supporting our workforce. “Marshalls embarked on this journey more than four years ago and my only regret is that we didn’t act sooner. “Our first step was to get an objective, expert view of where we were wasting energy and an action plan to tackle it through a Carbon Trust survey. The sooner you start, the
sooner you begin to reap the rewards in terms of lower energy bills, reduced carbon emissions and an enhanced reputation with stakeholders, customers, staff and suppliers.” Mr Harrop said that with energy prices rising, the threat of climate change and still difficult economic conditions meant cutting energy bills and carbon all at the same time made sound business sense. And he added: “You’d be surprised how many staff adopt the sustainability cause given the opportunity. We now have drivers competing with each other to see who can drive more efficiently, with help from our carbon-reduction route planning software. “Whatever you do in the environmental domain, it must be genuine and independently certified. Avoid ‘greenwashing’ at all costs. Too many companies pay lip service to ‘green’ issues and risk undermining the already fragile consumer confidence in this area of business performance.” Mr Harrop warned that the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme coming into effect this month meant an increasing number of businesses would be required by law to reduce their carbon emissions or pay a fine for non-compliance. The Carbon Trust is alerting firms to the changes through a free survey available to companies to identify possible savings on energy costs. Typically, savings of 20% to 30% can be made. Others taking part in the survey include B&Q and organic food supplier Abel & Cole.
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KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS Emma Spragg
Baxter Caulfield LAW firm Baxter Caulfield has added a new company and commercial lawyer to its team. Emma Spragg (pictured) joins the Huddersfield-based firm as an assistant solicitor to help serve its clients across a wide range of business sectors. Her responsibilities will include business and share sales and purchases, contracts and restructuring as well as clients’ day-to-day legal requirements. After studying law and French at Staffordshire University, Ms Spragg completed her Legal Practice Course at Chester College of Law. Following a spell at Addleshaw Goddard in Leeds as a paralegal, she secured a training contract with Eaton Smith in Huddersfield and following her qualification gained further experience at Chadwick Lawrence and as an in-house commercial lawyer at Severn Trent Water Authority. Stephen Newman, senior partner at Baxter Caulfield Solicitors, said: “We are pleased to welcome Emma to our company and commercial department. “Emma’s mix of skills and experience will be an asset to the firm and complement an already strong team.”
Graeme Hall
Movers and shakers
Past masters at Oakwell Hall
A BRIGHOUSE catering company is going back in time with its latest contract. Food-4-Thought has been awarded a three-year deal to provide a full range of services to the coffee shop at historic Oakwell Hall at Birstall. The Elizabethan manor house, which featured in Charlotte Bronte’s novel Shirley, was built in 1583 and by the 1600s had established a reputation for fine dining with much of the food grown in the grounds. To n y W a t k i n s , f o u n d e r o f Food-4-Thought, said: “Everyone in our company is absolutely delighted at the news which reflects our long stand-
ing association with Oakwell Hall. “We have been working in liaison with them for some years now providing catering for numerous activities such as weddings in their large function room, corporate gatherings and other private meetings together with events arranged by Kirklees Council to whom we are approved suppliers.” Said Mr Watkins: “We created our company and have built our reputation on providing only seasonal food of the highest quality, sourced locally wherever possible, and supported by stylish service. “We look forward to being part of the overall Oakwell Hall experience.”
County honour for Claire
Marks & Clerk INTELLECTUAL property advisers Marks & Clerk has expanded its West Yorkshire team with the appointment of Graeme Hall, a chartered and European patent attorney. Mr Hall, who has a degree in physics from Oxford University is moving to Leeds from the firm’s Hong Kong office. He has 17 years experience of working in the Far East, specialises in drafting and filing engineering, physics and electronic-related patents and has worked for a large variety of companies from small start-ups to multi-national blue-chips. Matthew Sammon, managing partner of Marks & Clerk in West Yorkshire, said: “I am very pleased to welcome Graeme. He has many years experience across all areas of intellectual property and will be a tremendous asset to the office. “The Yorkshire region has developed excellent trade links with the Far East and Graeme’s extensive knowledge and experience of the Asian market, especially China, will prove invaluable as we seek to build and expand on our existing relationships with clients in the region.”
Justine Fosh
Improve JUSTINE Fosh has been appointed to the new role of director of skills solutions for food idustry sector skills council Improve and the National Skills Academy for Food and Drink Manufacturing. Ms Fosh (pictured), moves up from her previous post as director of the academy following a shake-up which sees the merger of Improve’s operations and marketing teams with the academy’s management team. The merger creates a single employer-facing arm responsible for training delivery, engagement and communications. The new team is based at Improve’s headquarters in York. Ms Fosh said the changes would result in a more streamlined, flexible service for employers offering a broader range of skills and training solutions.
Page 8
■ DINING ROOM: Oakwell Hall, Birstall
Powder blue? No, in the pink! A DESIGN and branding agency has given a make-over to a nationally-known beauty salon. The Powder Lounge, which has brow and lash bars in several leading retail stores, recruited Lindley-based The Individual Agency to create a new look for its concessions – including ones at Topshop’s Oxford Street outlet and selected branches of Debenhams. Shahena Ali, founder of The Powder Lounge, now plans to use the branding to support future concessions and product launches as part of the company’s growth strategy this year. The agency drew on the glamour and femininity of showgirls and burlesque dancers to design a curvy female silhouette and a crafted monogram for the P&L initials using pink and black to make the branding stand out in busy stores. The Individual Agency also worked with a specialist production company to achieve the
■ YOUR’E HIRED: Claire Young, 2008 finalist in The Apprentice and boss of venues management company Elegant Venues, as been appointed as a Patron of Yorkshire A FINALIST in TV’s The Apprentice has been handed an unusual honour. Claire Young, who was a finalist on the show in 2008 and now runs venues management company Elegant Venues, has been appointed an official patron of Yorkshire. The title was conferred on her by regional tourism agency Welcome to Yorkshire, which set up the patronage scheme last year to create a list of high-profile ambassadors who will fly the flag for the county and further boost tourism – which is worth £6.5bn a year to the region’s economy. Claire joins such luminaries as Michael Parkinson, Jet2 chief executive Phillip Meeson, cricketer, Michael Vaughan and Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu on the list of patrons. Claire, who moved from London to Wakefield following the Apprentice, will promote and build on positive perceptions of Yorkshire both nationally and internationally as well as attending events such as the Great Yorkshire Show, in her role as patron.
She is already involved in working with various charities and youth enterprise initiatives, including The Princes’ Trust, UK Youth, Enterprise Village, National Apprenticeships and the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurs. She has also worked with businesses including Huddersfield-based online fashion boutique Business Wardrobe and Birstall-based agency Fantastic Media. Said Claire: “It’s a great honour to be asked to become a patron of Yorkshire as I’m fiercely proud of my roots. The county is a great place to work, live and visit. “The region is expanding and developing so quickly, it’s a real buzz to be part of that and to tell others about all that Yorkshire has to offer. “Four of The Apprentice finalists have been from Yorkshire – we have a strong work ethic and strength in enterprise.”
right look for the in-store concession counters – with high-gloss lacquer finishes and seductive spot lighting to bring out the strong pink brand colour. Said Shahena: “The Individual Agency developed such a wonderful brand image and retail concept design for my brand that was better than I ever imagined it could be. “As a result of how good the ‘retail design’ looks, I am now being offered a larger space within my high street retailers, which is just fantastic.” The Individual Agency was launched in 2008 and specialises in working with brands, big and small – with a particular focus on female brands and products. Previous assignments have included branding work for leading lingerie company Fleur of England and Ben Shaws soft drinks.