KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS
Movers and shakers
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FTSE 100
JOANNE CONNELLY Talent for training
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Bike ride set to boost charities KIRKLEES BUSINESS NEWS Colne Valley gets a welcome boost Full inter view - Page 3
Howarth’s Employment Law CLECKHEATON-based Howarth’s Employment Law has announced the appointment of Charlotte Lloyd and Marian Bolland. Ms Lloyd (above, left), who has qualified as a solicitor and has a masters degree in employment law, joins the company as a legal adviser. Her role will include providing day-to-day employment law advice to businesses as well as using her litigation skills and experience to represent clients at the employment tribunal. She joins the firm from her post as legal adviser with a national FTSE 250 organisation based in the West Midlands. Ms Bolland, who joins as receptionist, has more than 30 years secretarial experience. In her new role, she will be the first point of call for all clients and will manage the switchboard system.
Richard Howarth
Barclays Corporate
FOUR employees of Dewsbury firm Rixonway Kitchens are set for a 500-mile cycling challenge to raise money for the British Limbless Ex-Service Men’s Association. The team of commercial director Julian Dudley, financial controller David Balfour, operations director Nick Greenall and head of merchant sales Andy Prosser will ride in relay f ro m S t M a l o t o C a h o r s i n south-west France to complete The Cahors Challenge 2011. The team will leave on September 28 and will ride for five days to complete the course. All participants will donate half of the money raised to a charity of their own choice – BLESMA in Rixonway’s case – with the rest going to Cancer Research UK and the British Heart Foundation. Said Mr Dudley: “The work that BLESMA carries out and the support they provide for our servicemen and ex-servicemen is invaluable. “We worked with various disability
associations, including the Royal National Institute of Blind People, to create our Ultima kitchen range for the less abled and supporting BLESMA continues our commitment in this area.” This is the latest in a string of charity challenges completed by Dewsbury-based Rixonway Kitchens. The foursome completed a similar cycling challenge in Ireland last year which raised more than £6,000 for Lincolnshire-based Lindsey Lodge Hospice as well as the main charities for this year’s cycle. Last year, volunteers from the firm also swam 10,000 metres and rose more than £1,500 in the Marie Curie Cancer Care Swimathon. Rixonway has also worked with contractor Mears to jointly donate £500 to the Great Ormond Street Hospital. To support the team and make a donation, go to www.just giving.com /Rixonwaycyclists
20, September, 2011
■ WHEEL THING: Preparing for their cycle ride are (from left) head of merchant sales Andy Prosser, operations director Nick Greenall, commercial director Julian Dudley and financial controller David Balfour
High fives for Harrats!
■ FAMOUS FIVE: Harratts Volvo Huddersfield’s award-winning staff (from left) Cliff Wright, Chris Hardy, Justin Wajner, Jane Fowler and Joan West A CAR dealership in Huddersfield is top of the rankings when it comes to customer service. Harratts Volvo Huddersfield has won five out of the last seven monthly awards for customer service excellence within the 12 dealership-strong Harratts Motor Group. The Leeds Road dealership has dominated the internal awards scheme, which sees one employee from the group’s 300-plus staff win the award each month for outstanding customer service. Five of the previous seven months have seen a member of staff from Harratts Huddersfield Volvo win the prestigious award. The winners are sales executive Chris Hardy, service
The business NEWSpaper for Kirklees
Charity challenge
Richard Hannay
FULL service marketing agency Manifest Communications has appointed its third new member of staff in as many months with the addition of Richard Hanney as a PR account executive. The appointment comes as the company continues to grow and develop its PR and social media service offering to sit alongside its successful creative department. Mr Hannay (pictured) studied history and culture at Brighton University before completing an English literature MA at the University of Leeds. He is the second PR account executive to join the company in less than a month, following the appointment of Laura Coyne in August.
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BARCLAYS Corporate has strengthened its West Yorkshire team by appointing Richard Howarth as relationship director for West Yorkshire. Mr Howarth (pictured), who previously worked for Lloyds TSB, has a wealth of experience in the Yorkshire corporate market and will specialise in business services. He said: “I am relishing the challenge of driving forward the larger business profile of Barclays in West Yorkshire and am looking forward to meeting new and existing customers from across the region.”
Manifest Communications
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adviser Cliff Wright, driver and valeter Justin Wajner, administrator Jane Fowler and sales executive Joan West. Each month, every one of Harratts’ 12 dealerships puts forward a member of staff who has demonstrated exemplary levels of customer service – with the monthly winner chosen by group managing director Shaun Harratt. An annual winner will be selected from the monthly winners with a free holiday given away as the annual prize. Harratts, which was a finalist in the prestigious Motor Trader 2011 Awards, said it had made significant investments in staff training in recent years to ensure that employees offered the highest levels of customer service.
Howard’s way at chamber dinner WORLD Cup football referee Howard Webb will be the man in middle when Huddersfield-based Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce holds its annual dinner this autumn. Howard (pictured), who officiated in the 2010 World Cup final, was awarded the MBE in the New Year’s Honours. He became the first Englishman to referee the World Cup final since 1974 – and became the first ever to referee both the Champions League final and World Cup final in the same year. He will be principal speaker at the dinner, which takes place on Thursday, October 20, at the Cedar Court Hotel, Ainley Top. Keynote business speaker will be Ian Doubtfire, managing director of Jet2.com, who joined the airline on its formation in 2002 and who has been instrumental in its growth. Host for the evening will be Chris Choi, consumer editor for ITV News. The chamber annual dinner is open to members and non-members and the dress code is strictly black tie. Contact Tracy Smith on 01924 311607 or email tracy.smith@mycci.co.uk Chamber executive director Andrew Choi said: “We are so pleased to be holding our annual dinner once again as it provides our members, customers and partner organisations with the opportunity to network, entertain or even simply reward their hard-working teams. “It will also enable us to provide an update on the significant progress we’ve made at the chamber and our continued role in supporting local business.”
A COLNE Valley businessman is showing confidence in the future. Denis Bradbury, who heads Milnsbridge-based motorcycle parts and accessories firm Bradbury Bros, has invested in land adjoining his Whiteley Street premises to build additional office space and four industrial units to let to small and growing businesses. Mr Bradbury received support from his bank, RBS, and the units – built by Elland-based Marshall Construction – are now being marketed by Hanson CharteredSurveyors. The new units range in size from 1,206sq ft to 3,000sq ft and include car parking and a service yard. Said Mr Bradbury: “We have built a two-storey office for ourselves and four industrial units. We bought the site in 2008 and it was a wasteland. The yard was full of rubbish. It took us a while to negotiate with the council to get planning permission, but we have succeeded.” He said: “Colne Valley seems to be the poor relation of the Holme Valley and the Leeds Road corridor when it comes to industrial development. There are lots of mill properties, which are cheap, but we have developed something new and suitable for mod-
ern business needs. “In the current climate, we are showing that we are positive about our prospects and the prospects of local small businesses. In the long-term, this has to be worth doing.” Work on the buildings began in the first week of February and was completed according to the 24-week build schedule. The single storey units for let feature electrically operated roller shutter loading doors, toilets and kitchenettes as well as all mains services. Mr Bradbury, who has been in the motorcycle trade for 30 years, said the businesses needed new office space because it was outgrowing its existing premises. Once the offices are in use, the old building – formerly occupied by textile machinery firm Herbert Brown – will be able to accommodate more stock. Mr Bradbury has named the new development the Herbert Brown Business Park as a nod to his predecessor. He said: “Our business is progressing at the moment despite the recession because people are downsizing, getting rid of the second car and using a motorcycle or a scooter. Other people are keeping their bikes longer
FOUR employees of Dewsbury’s Rixonway Kitchens are set for a 500-mile charity cycling challenge. Commercial director Julian Dudley, financial controller David Balfour, operations director Nick Greenall and head of merchant sales Andy Prosser will ride in relay from St Malo to Cahors in south-west France.
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■ WHEEL DEAL: Denis Bradbury (right), of Bradbury Bros, with Marie Nicholl and Simon Steer, of RBS Corporate Banking outside the new units
because they cannot afford to buy a new one and we supply the parts to keep them going. I have three representatives on the road and an agent – and customers all over the country.” Marie Nicholl, senior relationship manager for RBS Corporate Banking,
said: “Denis has created an impressive set of units which should prove attractive to small businesses looking for a site to rent. Our relationship with the company goes back more than 20 years and we are delighted to provide financial support for this venture.”
Business owners play the generation game BUSINESSES in Yorkshire are focusing on the next generation – with a fifth of owners planning to build their company as an inheritance for family members, according to research from Santander Corporate Banking. The research underlines the import-
ance of family-run firms to the UK economy. A recent study by the University of Birmingham on behalf of the Unquoted Companies Group estimates about 21% of all UK workers are employed by family-run firms. Santander’s study also revealed that
firms in Yorkshire are highly committed to expanding their businesses in the long-term – with a 71% of owners citing their ultimate business aim as ensuring their business has a long-term future. Passing the business on as an inher-
itance is one of the strongest motivations for the long-term, along with expanding regionally and building the business to be sold to fund retirement. About 23% of owners want to expand regionally, while 22% plan to sell their company and retire.
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Charlotte Lloyd & Marian Bolland
SIMON KAYE Continental drift?
Tuning up for sales A RETAIL firm owned by a Huddersfield man is boosting sales. Dawsons Music, owned by Kirkheaton-born businessman David Briggs, is growing at a time when many traders have been tightening their belts.
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