Business Telegraph December 2017

Tuesday, June 19, 2012 2012 Tuesday, Tuesday, December 19, August 21,

www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk/business www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk/business

Sean Ramsden on the Firm’s focus on ethos offinances a family firm future

page seesee page 2 4

New figurehead for Cooking up a treat: distribution Young’s goesgiant gastro

see page page 16 17 see

Offices are final piece of potato empire puzzle Finish line in sight as final turbine is installed at record-breaking Race Bank offshore wind farm

by Dave Laister

TRANSFORMATION COMPLETE: Richard Arundel, managing director of potato processor AKP. Picture: Jon Corken

Business Editor

dave.laister@gsmg.co.uk

N

early £3-million has been invested into making northern Lincolnshire a central hub for the needs of some of the UK’s biggest potato sellers.

The biggest offshore wind farm yet Elsham Wold has just become theto be built out of the Humber is now complete. All 91 turbines have been installed at Race Bank, with construction headed up from Grimsby.

Early next year it will be handed over to a dedicated team based on the town’s Royal Dock, having taken the town’s total installed new headquarters for AKP Group, capacity nearly 1.5GW. Work will very soon begin on Hornsea Project One, set to be the world’s largest offshore wind farm. Full story, see page two. supplier toto supermarket giant Morrisons and major chip manufacturer McCain.

A state-of-the-art office block, temperature controlled potato storage facility and grading line, together with extensions to existing handling areas have just been completed, with the 13-year-old firm headed by Richard Arundel moving the whole administration back into the area from York.

The son of Grimsby town centre and Freeman Street markets grocer David Arundel, who also used to act as a potato merchant to the waste from tyres in the UK. renewable fuel, and between byarea’s Davefish Laister the and chip shops, We looked at how many waste 16,500 and 17,000 tonnes of carbon joined forces with Suffolk Business Editor tyres are created, and that businessman Bruce Kerr in 1999. black, which can be used in car dave.laister@gsmg.co.uk amounts to 400,000 tonnes a year, The former KP potato storage tyre production, bumper with a very small percentage on Grimsby’s flagship further increases has now been put employed, handling 120,000 tonnes Park facility which has now been manufacture, cables and other ILLIONS of worn out getting ground down for in place.

Europarc development, bewire of potatoes a year. Of that, 35,000 substantially developed, was plastic uses.

Recoveredwill steel playground flooring and cement. tyres could soon be tonnes are self-grown, with a officially this week by “We have taken two years to get acquired in 2007, when a project can alsoopened be recycled.

Most are exported to be burnt, Agriculture and Horticulture transformed into valu- to this,” said Mr Arundel. “We got growing group in this region and began to grow skin finished The modelBoard sees revenue which another is very, very Development chairman around site in Suffolk, potatoes on the Isle Axholme. on the grant funding for storage and able newofproducts generated from thehimself products, unenvironmentally friendly .

We LOCATION: Immingham Railfreight John Godfrey CBE, a with contributing the balance. grading operations in 2009, and “We wanted to show we could the South Bank after a £40 mil- Terminal. gate fees paid for the tyres, which looked at 15 how best to use this North Lincolnshire farmer. built the storage throughout 2010, Recently employees were produce the required quality lion investment was given the to be open for that harvest. We resource, keep it in this are Arundel collectedadded: from the central Mr “We’re added, withand three graduate locally that supermarkets entrance to Port of go-ahead by planners. were country,also andpart came a have had potatoes inImmingham from 2010 and trainees depotsforward of high street fitters. looking to opening the of up thewith company, buying in from Herefordshire, East.

Between andimporting,” 60 jobs could process of pyrolysis.

Welogistics rolled out new“Now cold store andgot grading facility specialising in growing, Scotland or 45 even hebe 2011, and the whole project has we have planning we Together they are worth nearly created if Mishergas realises theit been this project which will including take out finished with the offices just – the and technical elements, said.

“Morrisons backed us with haveuncharacteristic entered into an weather auction for a quarter of a billion pounds, and agronomy development the former 50,000 tonnes car tyres a year – conditions have brought us a . The of remaining and we went towithin Yorkshire Forward now. investment companies to come in would bring is a new dimension Immingham 10 per centhas of the current challenging but the investment seen a fleet use.” of six “Our desire to have more to (the scrapped Railfreight regional Terminal and invest year, for equity in opening order to the Energy credentials. at Stallingborough, The thermochemical Mercedes rigs brought in to deliver event is just rewards for everyone’s quality potatoEstuary’s producers local to development agency)creating putting oil, build it out,” Mr Templar said, steel and black the fuel thisSomerset-based Mishergas decomposition at elevatedwith the hard work. potatoes to customers, site. It would cut down onis led the together a carbon plan. We thenfor tied the adding there is potential for a and manufacturing sectors. by husband andThere wife team temperatures involves a process primary route Morrisons’ packing transport costs. is stillDan a lot supply chain up and got the “The new facility will not only complete too, with of Vicki Templar, with extensive operations that has been globally, and enable It is a third significant nearproved Harrogate. ofand potential, it will help the funding.” us tobuy-out, meet the demand Mishergas acting as operator. experience of renewable refined for this, based our refuse-focused plant to be With revealed environmental footprint and this Keen to specifically cultivate a prosperous biggest customers, but we’ve That equated to £700,000. technologies built over the past on 14 for reference sites. potato for the area in recent weeks, with part of the world hasupthe ability to future early spring we are the hoping also“By successfully improved Lincolnshire Morrisons’ rapid growth in the 15 years. proposals forward for a grow some of the best potatoes in Mr Templar said the farmers, the 32,000sq ft storage quality andthat freshness ofand ourreach retail world,also theput business has been to finish process, theMr country, thatdirector is what of we are plastic reprocessing Templar, reprocessing would in 31 potatoes byclose,” reducing facility and 4,000 sq ftresult two storey propelled quickly, andoperation working in financial he said. majoring on.”said: “This has come Grimsby and a waste-to-energy operations, million litres of oil, to be blended transportation, office development – which drew with Eastoft-based L Harrison & ● Continued onhandling page two.and using plant neighbouring offfor the with dieselfrom as a Genesis recognised about we need clean up inspiration the latest cold store technologies.”

Office A totalbecause of 44 people are to now Co, theon infrastructure toland allow

Tyre reprocessor making tracks to the South Bank M

Global safetyapprove leader’s Will Mary Humber heritage high street leases? seepage page22 7 see

EXPERTS in Commercial Property and Leases Contact us on

01472 699599

64 St Peters Avenue Cleethorpes N.E. Lincolnshire SPEAKERS: Sir Roger Carr, left, DN35 and Gavin 8HPEsler.

Top table is set for CBI dinner

www.rjsolicitors.co.uk

Sir Roger Carr, president of the CBI and Gavin Esler, best known for his role as a presenter on BBC Newsnight, have been confirmed as the guest speakers at one of the region’s leading business gatherings later this year.

The CBI Yorkshire and Humber Annual Dinner takes place at Leeds University on October 10.

It will be one of the first events with John Fitzgerald, port director for Grimsby and Immingham, as chairman of the region.

Mr Esler is an award-winning television and radio broadcaster, novelist and journalist.

His latest book, due to hit the shelves next month, focuses on lessons that can be gleaned from leaders in how they tell stories, and will be the subject of his speech to the area’s business bosses, and their guests.

For more information about the dinner, which is frequently well represented by the South Bank and features a drinks reception within Parkinson Court, home to the famous Marks & Spencer archive and art gallery, e-mail katya.menhennet@cbi.org.uk or visit http://yorkshire-annual-dinner.eventbrite.com

your daily £20m milestone passed port of call

A FURTHER £4-million of investment across the region this last quarter has seen the total funds issued by Finance Yorkshire climb to £23-million.

The money, available to firms in northern Lincolnshire in seedcorn, loan and equity linked investments – ranging from £15,000 to £2-million – is there to help small and medium sized businesses meet their growth and development requirements.

The figure amounts to 224 investments in 183 small and medium sized enterprises since August 2010, leading to more than 4,600 jobs created and safeguarded in the region. In the last quarter alone, visitcapital humberbusiness.com the venture and loan fund completed 30 investments totalling more than £4.3 million.

Alex McWhirter, chief executive of Finance Yorkshire, said: “We are looking forward to building on these figures and helping more companies achieve growth in the coming months.

“We urge established and early stage companies to continue to speak to us to see if Finance Yorkshire can help turn their ambitions into a reality.”

Supported by the European Union, it has attracted £30-million investment from the European Regional Development Fund, £15-million from Yorkshire Forward’s Single Programme, and £45-million match funding from the European Investment Bank.

For information visit www.finance-yorkshire.com

for the latest and breaking business news around the Humber region

CONTENTS:Energy P6 Energy 8 Food 10-11 Chemicals 12 Ports Business Support 16 Tra14 ininBusiness g 17 Careers 18 Commercial Vehicles 20-23 CommercialVehicles Property CONTENTS: P6 Chemicals P8 Ports and Logistics 1014-15 Business Support 12 Careers Solutions 15 Food 16 Training 17 Commercial 18 Diary 20 Commercial Property 21

The University Centre

Leadership & management programmes available

PROFESSIONAL PROVIDER OF Safety, Health & Environmental Training in Scunthorpe

*Funding may be available

See Page 3 for more details...

North Lindsey College, Kingsway, Scunthorpe, N. Lincs DN17 1AJ

Tel: 01724 294040

www.northlindsey.ac.uk

GTE-E01-S3 GTE-E01-S3

Invest in the Management ofIN:your Business COURSES AVAILABLE E K^, EĂƟŽŶĂů ŝƉůŽŵĂ ͻ E K^, EĂƟŽŶĂů ĞƌƟĮĐĂƚĞ ͻ /K^, DĂŶĂŐŝŶŐ ^ĂĨĞůLJ

2

www.humberbusiness.com and facebook.com/grimsbytel and twitter.com/grimsbytel

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

GTE-E01-S3

News contacts Editorial David Laister Direct line: 01472 806972 Mobile:

07730 639525

dave.laister@grimsbytelegraph.co.uk

General Advertising

BLADES OF GLORY: Race Bank offshore wind farm installation completes, with the location illustrated here.

Below, the nacelle is lifted on prior to the blades.

Angie Atkinson Direct line: 01472 806963 Mobile:

07920 823544

angie.atkinson@grimsbytelegraph.co.uk

Property Advertising Sharon Cameron Direct line: 01472 807031 sharon.cameron@grimsbytelegraph.co.uk

T

he final turbine has been installed at Ă˜rsted’s Race Bank Offshore Wind Farm, with all 91 now capable of producing electricity.

Motors Advertising Andy Bannister Direct line: 01472 806962 Mobile:

Ă˜rsted’s blades of glory!

07799 626752

andrew.bannister@grimsbytelegraph.co.uk

Next month’s edition: Grimsby: January 16 Scunthorpe: January 18

a complex export cable route. “Construction has progressed well and we’re right on schedule – this is an important milestone to reach. “I’d like to thank the team here at A huge construction milestone off Ă˜rsted who have worked with great the Lincolnshire coast, it is also the passion and commitment to achieve first to unite both banks of the Humber, with construction co-ordinated from Grimsby – where it will be operated and maintained from once fully commissioned – while featuring blades made in Race Bank offshore wind farm Hull.

It has been delivered on schedule, with bosses anticipating it being this. I would also like to thank our fully operational in early 2018. suppliers and contractors who have David Summers, pictured, project collaborated with us on this project director for Race Bank at Ă˜rsted as they are a big part of the success UK, said: “I’m delighted that all 91 story. We’re now looking forward to turbines have been successfully completing construction and seeing installed at Race Bank. This has a fully operational wind farm next been one of the more difficult year that will be capable of projects to execute with powering more than half a million challenging seabed conditions and UK homes.â€?

573MW

Used tyres

!%

&+&) * !&% ) - # &''!% &$ * % ! ! *+/#

% !%

) / %,

&$ * #%* !)

& + )% !% &) &) ÂŁ2.75

Happy

+ ' !%+& + % . / ) .!+ ) * *+/# % '&*!+!- &,+#&&" FEATURES

&, % %&. *, * )! +& &,)% # / ##!%

&) &)+ )% !% &#%* !) &$ *

% (,&+!% & INNL

â—? continued from page one.

Looking ahead, Mr Templar, who estimates the environmental impact is roughly the equivalent of planting 120 million trees when it comes to carbon savings, added: “The whole thing would take about 18 months to build from the start-date. We are now looking for companies to make bids and offers to be part of this.�

An embedded gas-fired electricity generating site, supporting National Grid, is also included.

The development comes a decade on from a separate food waste to energy proposal for the site, under the name Encycle, which also gained planning approval but was not brought forward due to technology issues.

Four years ago, a wider waste to energy plan was also proposed, by Vaporo Tech Ltd, but again was not brought forward.

As reported last month, Australian firm Integrated Green Energy Solutions has plans for plastics reprocessing on part of the former Courtaulds site in Grimsby, while just yards from Mishergas, North Beck Energy is looking to develop a waste to energy plant. Together they represent ÂŁ230 million of proposals.

Located 17 miles off Chapel St Leonards, it has a capacity of 573MW, and construction has taken Grimsby through the 1GW milestone.

From new dedicated buildings located around both Port of Grimsby East and Royal Dock, the town now controls 1,466 MW, spread through 328 turbines across six farms. Employment is understood to be closing in on 1,000 people, with Ă˜rsted alone heading towards 500.

Next comes the huge Hornsea Zones, with the world’s largest wind farm to be built then quickly usurped, off the Humber. Innogy’s

Triton Knoll will also significantly boost the cluster, although its base has yet to be confirmed.

Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy’s UK managing director, Clark MacFarlane, said: “Installation of the final turbine on any project is always a cause for celebration, but especially so for the completion of the Race Bank project. We will always associate Race Bank with the initial batch of turbine blades delivered from our Hull factory, a turning point in the UK renewable energy industry.â€? Ă˜rsted, formerly Dong Energy, owns a 50 per cent stake, with Race Bank having been a wind farm that attracted some of the earliest ever investor buy-in as confidence in the sector grows. Macquarie European Infrastructure Fund Five holds 25 per cent, with Macquarie Capital and Sumitomo Corporation sharing the balance. â—? Hornsea latest, see page six.

GTE-E01-S3

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

www.humberbusiness.com and facebook.com/grimsbytel and twitter.com/grimsbytel

3

News

Steel giant confident it is on the right track T

HE three key forces that drive continuous innovation in Scunthorpe’s renowned rail production hub have been outlined.

With HS2 heading down the line, the industry is in fine shape when it comes to infrastructure demand and use, and both are bringing challenges that British Steel is embracing.

Rail technologies manager Robert Lambert underlined the position of strength, and how the team is constantly striving to develop products and partnerships to ensure it remains embedded as a vital component in the sector.

Speaking after addressing Lincolnshire Iron and Steel Institute’s latest meeting, Mr Lambert said: “The rail industry has been a success in terms of passenger numbers and the amount of revenue it generates. As an industry it has seen exponential growth since the Nineties.

Passenger numbers have doubled in the last 20 years, and compared to Europe it has seen 50 per cent more in the same time period.

“The UK rail industry has been very successful, but that has brought challenges. People want to travel on a Sunday, they want to travel earlier and later, and this means there is less time to maintain the network, so therefore they need assets that last longer or an ability to maintain the network quicker.”

He highlighted night tube use as part of this, cranking up the demands in some of the toughest environments.

“Assets that last longer is a focus for us, as well as not needing to be maintained as often or inspected as often,” he said. The team’s metalogy experience also assists in development of weld technology to join the track together, collaborating with other leading organisations at a critical point in the infrastructure’s wear.

“The other big driver is cost,” Mr Lambert said. “Network Rail, being a public organisation, is scrutinised for how much money it

Month in Review Town deal secures a role in Industrial Strategy ECONOMY: Millions of pounds of Government cash looks set to be heading for Grimsby after the town’s ambitious transformation plans were granted pilot status.

The Greater Grimsby Town Deal, revealed earlier this year, was included in the Industrial Strategy, launched by the Prime Minister and Business Secretary.

As reported this summer, it has laid out a proposition for an initial five-year investment plan securing up to £36.9 million of Westminster funding, to bring forward delivery of the key projects, with longer-term aims of a potential further 5,400 jobs and 7,700 new homes.

It would be the springboard for a £216 million leap in economic output, “a step change to the economic contribution to UK Plc,” according to the submission.

Hot on the heels came Heritage Action Zone specialist status for areas of Grimsby’s docks and town centre, with a detailed five-year delivery plan, which promises to stimulate Grimsby’s economy and provide new employment opportunities, in the process of being prepared for delivery from next year.

Aon completes on huge Henderson buy-out

FULL STEAM AHEAD: Rail at British Steel’s Scunthorpe works. Inset, Robert Lambert. spends, and anything that can be done to save money and reduce maintenance is beneficial.”

Cost has undoubtedly been a feature of the HS2 debate too, but the “unparalleled venture into modern engineering” is being warmly welcomed by the team, which now boasts more than 100 different rail profiles, including recent corrosion protection with the Zinoco brand and neighbourhood-friendly SilentTrack.

“High speed rail is still in its infancy in the UK,” said Mr Lambert, who has been in his current role for the past five years,

and in Scunthorpe for 11, having moved from the Midlands after graduating from university.

Comparing the 160km linking London to the Channel Tunnel to the 20,000 km on the ground in China, he said: “As an industry we need to recognise that there is a lot of expertise around, from what other people have done. We have done rail renewal on HS1, and while HS2’s delivery won’t be for a few years yet, we are trying to integrate with it. Our mill in France supplies high speed rail there, and we are asking what learnings we can take from there, what different techniques can be

applied.” While that is a shorter-term vision, further horizon scanning is also well underway, with consideration being given to what autonomous transport could mean for rail, as well as potential lightweighting of rolling stock.

Giving an example, he said: “Take the Cleethorpes to Doncaster line, with two trains an hour.

Would it be more beneficial to have a pod that trundles down the railway when needed rather than a scheduled service?

“There is work to be done around using older infrastructure and new vehicles.”

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES: US giant Aon has completed the buy-out of Henderson Insurance Broking Group, as it seeks to grow its UK footprint.

Founded by Joe Henderson in Scunthorpe town centre 31 years ago, it is now a £30 million business with a central administration base in Kirmington and headquarters in Leeds, employing more than 400 people across 16 offices.

Following an agreement announced in October, the company will now become part of the New York Stock Exchange-listed company’s Aon Risk Solutions UK division, which provides services to clients across an expansive range of industries.

Aon said there are “no plans to make significant changes” to the business, formed when Mr Henderson realised there was a gap in the market while working in construction for Peter Birse at Barton.

The University Centre in Scunthorpe

Invest in the Management of your Business 71%

43%

19%

71% of organisations admit that they fail [V LɈLJ[P]LS` [YHPU THUHNLYZ

43% of mangers rate their own managers HZ PULɈLJ[P]L

;OL <2»Z WYVK\J[P]P[` PZ ILSV^ [OL H]LYHNL MVY [OL V[OLY ZP_ TLTILYZ VM . TLTILYZ

North Lindsey College, Kingsway, Scunthorpe, N. Lincs DN17 1AJ Tel: 01724 294040 www.northlindsey.ac.uk email: kcinfo@northlindsey.ac.uk

Leadership & management programmes available *Funding may be available

4

www.humberbusiness.com and facebook.com/grimsbytel and twitter.com/grimsbytel

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

GTE-E01-S3

News

Sean Ramsden: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what I have learned from running a family businessâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

TRANSFORMATIVE: Sean Ramsden, with the City of London as a backdrop - quite a leap from war-torn Grimsby and his grandfatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s store beyond the rubble, below left.

Having been named Family Business Entrepreneur of the Year at the Natwest Great British Entrepreneur Awards 2017 this past month, Sean Ramsden has shared his thoughts on what such an ethos means to him with Business Telegraph.

W

hen you hear the words â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;family businessâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; it might bring to mind a slightly parochial â&#x20AC;&#x153;mom and popâ&#x20AC;? store or family-run restaurant. My own was founded as a grocerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shop in 1940s Grimsby, and has grown into a leading wholesale exporter of British food and drink.

There have been a lot of changes since the Forties, both within Ramsden International, and the wider world, but I like to think the neighbours and customers my grandfather served then would recognise the same values they knew at our family business today.

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve tried to stay true to the same core principles, and over the past 20 plus years, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve thought a lot about what success looks like and what it means to be a family business.

Values that are important for families are just as important for businesses.

Every business should have a guiding set of principles that help plan for the future, deliver day-to-day objectives and help attract the right team members. Knowing what these values are also helps you make the right choices when you are faced with difficult decisions. In that sense, a family business is no different than any other, but perhaps you feel closer to these things when your name is all over the stationery, so it is more natural to define them as part of your strategy.

In a family business, it is certainly difficult to forget that everything you do in your working life, is also related to your family life. For me, that has certainly been one of the driving factors for wanting to bring the same positive values to the running of Ramsden International that I would treat family with.

The importance of living your values Roy E Disney, nephew of Walt and a senior executive at The Walt Disney Company, once said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is not hard to make decisions once you know what your values are.â&#x20AC;? We certainly find this to be true. Our core values are: respect, integrity, accountability, professionalism, collaboration and entrepreneurship, and we clearly define how these traits play out in our office, and in how we treat each other and our customers.

For example, collaboration. We believe each employee helps deliver first class service, and we encourage and support each other to get things done. Prioritising collaboration has helped us think of ourselves as â&#x20AC;&#x153;order makers, not order takersâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; part of our unique offering is our ability to design the perfect range of British groceries for a customer, whether they have one shelf or an entire aisle to fill.

What further sets us apart is providing support for our customers all over the world to make importing British goods as easy as possible. We advise on logistics, compliance, re-labelling etc, and our team speaks 21 languages â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this approach really helps us offer customised solutions for our clients, they arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t simply picking products out of a catalogue.

WH Smiths in Paris is a high-profile example of a customer taking a custom range of groceries from us, but the real testament to how well weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve embraced a spirit of collaboration is the fact that 99 per cent of our customers would do business with us again.

Our values reflect the ethos of our family, and our company for the long term, and, as Roy E. Disney alluded to, remembering this is especially useful when faced with difficult decisions. They have always stood us in good stead and one of the things I am proudest of is

our commitment to ethical trading â&#x20AC;&#x201C; because integrity and accountability are at the heart of everything we do.

Value your employees like family â&#x20AC;&#x201C; they are your greatest strength Turnover for our family business hit ÂŁ50 million in 2016, we have enjoyed 20 per cent

wider community in which my company exists are my top priority, and putting care, time, and effort into appreciating my employees helps the business in the long run.

Every workday is different for me. I might be negotiating a deal at the Shanghai food fair, at the British Embassy in Riyadh finalising a promotional campaign or drinking coffee in Ghana with the head of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest supermarket chain. It would be easy to think of myself as a high-flying VIP, but I also know the backbone of my success is rooted in an often-overlooked town in one of the poorest areas of the UK. One of the things Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m proudest of is the fact Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve made Ramsden International an employer of choice in the Grimsby area by paying high wages and developing staff. My profile might be that of an export champion, but I am extremely passionate about creating jobs in the local economy.

I also believe in rewarding hard work. People spend an enormous amount of their time and energy at work, so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important for them to feel that their efforts are appreciated and properly acknowledged. This is why I involve my staff in decisions about the business though our Employee Voice platform and why weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve invested ÂŁ600,000 in an office refit to provide the best working environment we could. This has resulted in an employee engagement score of 93 per cent, a great achievement for any business.

Sean Ramsden These lessons are likely applicable to any business â&#x20AC;&#x201C; family run or otherwise, but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve certainly been grateful for the opportunity to growth since 2013, and we are primed for a post-Brexit world with growing demand in Asia, apply them at a company thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been such an important part of my life, and my familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Africa, and the Middle East. We are on course for a ÂŁ60 million turnover by 2018. The company history. â&#x2014;? Seanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s article was written initially for wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be in this position without my drive www.realbusiness.co.uk, the digital publication and insight, as well as the hard work of my amazing team. The welfare of my workforce and for ambitious SMEs.

One of the things Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m proudest of is the fact Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve made Ramsden International an employer of choice in the Grimsby area by paying high wages and developing staff.

My profile might be that of an export champion, but I am extremely passionate about creating jobs in the local economy

GTE-E01-S3

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

www.humberbusiness.com and facebook.com/grimsbytel and twitter.com/grimsbytel

5

News

High-profile campaign has Ultimate purring!

Month in Review Major deal hits barrier as US authorities object CHEMICALS: The buy-out of one of the South Bank’s largest chemical plants is in jeopardy, and at least facing significant delay, after US authorities objected to the acquisition of Cristal by one of its own companies.

New York Stock Exchange-listed Tronox has agreed a £1.27 billion deal with the Saudi Arabian owner to create the world’s biggest titanium pigment producer.

An employer of 400 people in Stallingborough, it is one of 11 production plants for the widely used whitening agent involved in a multi-national deal, which was first announced in February.

Approval has been received from two thirds of the regions in which it will have an impact, but – five days after a now disputed deadline had thought to have passed – a law suit was filed by the Federal Trade Commission to block the transaction. Tronox has vowed to “vigorously fight it”, while Cristal said it will “investigate all options to bring the transaction to a successful close”.

Development sites boost

TAKING A BREAK: The Ultimate Group team show off the silverware received following the KitKat promotion. From left, Joe Tonge, digital media co-ordinator; Emily Clayton, business development executive; Terry Webster, senior designer; Chris Tonge, executive director; Emma Winton, business development executive and Laura Donington, marketing executive.

A

HIGHLY successful campaign with KitKat has seen Grimsby’s Ultimate Group win FIVE industry awards.

The packaging specialist, at the forefront of digital printing, was the delivery partner behind the Nestle promotion, putting 56,000 fans’ faces on the iconic red and white wrappers.

And it has brought home more accolades than you can count on the wafer fingers of the family favourite, winning Innovation of the Year and Flexible Package of the Year at the UK Packaging Awards as well as Best Digital Labels and Variable Data at the Digital Print Awards, Best Packaging at the FlexoTech International Print & Innovations Awards and the Multi-channel Marketing Gong at The Solutions Awards.

All have been presented at London events in the past month, recognising the £1 million campaign that launched in February.

Emma Winton, business development executive at the Europarc giant, said: “It has been incredible for us to win all these awards, it was such a big campaign and brought exposure for both ourselves and Nestle as well. They used social media to drum up excitement and it resulted in 100,000 personalised KitKats with photos and messages on them. It was quite extraordinary.

“This was the first out our big personalised campaigns, we have done smaller projects prior, but this was really impressive.”

While a team of 15 worked on

CONSTRUCTION: A further £8.4 million is to be pumped into a highly ambitious investment programme in North East Lincolnshire.

The South Humber Industrial Investment Programme (SHIIP), is a huge £42 million project to open up strategic sites between western Grimsby and Immingham, that the council believes will help provide thousands of jobs in the area, along with establishing better links between the area’s ports, all while providing protection to the local environment.

To help establish the programme North East Lincolnshire Council’s Cabinet granted approval to increase its investment into the project by £8.4 million, bringing its total contribution to £23.6 million.

It includes 120 hectares of strategic mitigation land, 2.5km of new adoptable highway, unlocking 195 hectares of developable land.

Who’s who

the project, it was a case of all hands on deck to meet the orders as they came through.

“The whole company pulled together to make it all happen,” she said, reflecting on the achievement.

Ultimate was printing around 8,000 personalised chocolate bar wrappers a week during the project, with the in-house Smartflow digital workflow system connected to the HP Indigo digital presses, where two of only three in the country are operating.

After finding a winning code inside standard KitKat packs, consumers created their personalised wrappers online, adding an image and short message. The Smartflow system was used to process the images and text, creating the artwork to print.

“There is a lot of interest in personalisation,” Emma said.

“People are buying more and more emotionally. We saw it with Coca-Cola with names, and now KitKat with photographs, it could be dog food with your dog on. It is something everyone wants to feel part of, and it becomes a celebratory gift too, for birthdays, weddings etc.

“We have been ready for digital since 2014, and we really hit the ground running. We are now waiting for brands to catch up. It draws so much attention so ensuring the process is right is so important. You want that next big story, but it has to be right. We have the creative design team, and our own system, Smartflow, which takes all the risk, the logistical IT head ache, away from the brand.”

Ultimate is now turning over

£45 million and the expectation is that further digital projects will enhance that further, alongside the continued growth of flexographic work.

“We are proud to be able to offer such innovation in digital print to complement any brand’s current requirements and we are preparing for the next award-winning campaign!

“The developments and partnerships we have made over the last 12 to 18 months will be paramount to the growing success of Ultimate Digital meaning we can offer a full range of printed material from direct packaging, point of sale and outer packaging materials – all with the same capabilities of personalisation, augmented reality and much more!

“The beauty is that whether it be requirements for short print runs, new product development, flexibility of design or large marketing campaigns driven by social media engagement – digital can deliver.”

The success has gone back up the supply chain too. Ultimate is recognised as a flagship user

by HP, and was a fixture of presentations at the print giant’s recent Barcelona conference, attended by some of the team. “That in itself shows what we are doing, and that what we are doing, we are doing really well,” Emma added.

As reported in the summer, HP bestowed its Inkspiration award on Ultimate for the KitKat promotion too.

Business

NORTHERN LINCOLNSHIRE 2017 / 18 Sponsored by

The

Business to Business

NETWORKING GUIDE Brought to you by:

Now available from The Grimsby Telegraph and Scunthorpe Telegraph receptions

6

www.humberbusiness.com and facebook.com/grimsbytel and twitter.com/grimsbytel

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

GTE-E01-S3

Energy in association with

Tel: 01469 577698 www.onloanrecruitment.co.uk

www.andrewjackson.co.uk

01472 889200 www.blackrow.co.uk

Inward investor Semco’s delight at early invitation I

NWARD investors in Grimsby are collaborating on the design of the next offshore substations in Denmark, with bosses confident it will lead to more jobs in the town.

Semco Maritime has won an engineering contract for the development and basic design of the huge structures for the Hornsea Project Two offshore wind farm, having set up a base here in readiness for Hornsea Project One, set to emerge early next year.

The initial build-out of the zone will see a world first with three substations to be installed off the Humber approaches back-to-back.

Now it has been selected as electrical engineering consultant to develop electrical and mechanical basic engineering design of the 1.4 GW offshore substation as well as for a reactive compensation station.

“We are very pleased that Ørsted has chosen to engage us this early in the project’s development phase and we are proud to be able to build solutions based on our experience and successful completion of 16 offshore substations since 2002,” Tommy Flindt, technology director at Semco Maritime said.

“We see great potential in carrying over learnings and concepts from the Hornsea One project to this new project. We will focus on a close and integrated effort with Ørsted to achieve our ambitions with regards to driving down the cost while maintaining reliability in order to lower the total cost of energy.

The basic engineering will run from now until October 2018 and will be executed from Semco’s design offices in Esbjerg and Ballerup, Denmark.

Looking further down the line towards installation, Carsten Nielsen, vice-president of Semco Maritime, said: “To be involved in a very early phase is a strong position for the later phase, as we then have a deeper understanding.

The support that we are starting in Grimsby, to be by Ørsted, we can see a lot of opportunity for growth, and with Hornsea Project Two now

coming, for Grimsby it is really good news for the area.

“Normally we get involved when it comes to construction, now we are involved at the very beginning of the project, to do basic design, and together with the client, we have been asked to identify some potential cost savings as we have seen the bid was much lower than the first one. We need to focus on

cost. In the later phase of the project there has to be further opportunity for growth, operations will bring a lot of work, and it may be that part of the construction can be done in the UK. “That’s for Ørsted to direct. Right now we’re happy for Semco to be involved, and we want to be supportive to Ørsted in and build up that capability.”

Hornsea ups UK content with transition pieces ØRSTED has confirmed that around half of the transition pieces for the world’s biggest wind farm, Hornsea Project One, will be manufactured in the UK, as it prepares to start offshore construction.

The order from the energy giant – until recently known a Dong – will see around 150 Teesside jobs safeguarded.

With a capacity of 1.2GW the 174-turbine project will be the first array with a capacity of more than 1GW, capable of supplying well over one million homes.

Transition pieces, weighing 400 tonnes, link the monopile angie.atkinson@grimsbytelegraph.co.uk foundations of offshore wind BIG KIT: The transition pieces in production, which link foundation and turbine. turbines with the towers, incorporating key infrastructure to access and maintain the turbine.

EEW Special Pipes Constructions GmbH (EEW SPC), the company providing all 174 monopile foundations, will supply 30 transition pieces which will be BRITISH engineering and design expertise is manufactured at EEW Offshore helping deliver further cost reductions at Triton Structures (Britain) Ltd, in Knoll offshore wind farm, as the key project Teesside. The facility, formerly subcontractor innovates.

Offshore Structures Britain, a joint UK-based engineers Atkins, subcontracted to venture with Bladt Industries, has the farm’s preferred foundations supplier just been fully bought out by EEW Smulders Sif Steel Foundations JV, is looking to SPC. apply cutting edge design techniques to the Bladt Industries, who already monopile foundations for all 90 of the turbines held a contract to supply 96 and its two offshore substations, heading off the transition pieces – 56 of which will Lincolnshire coast. be manufactured at EEW OSB –

To further raise the profile of your company call Angie Atkinson on

01472 806963

Innovative work at Triton Knoll

will now provide an additional 28.

In addition, Wilton Engineering, also based in Teesside, will provide significant scope for 20 transition pieces. They will receive the basic steel tubular structure and do the majority of the manufacturing process – including sandblasting and outfitting the transition pieces with boat landings, internal platforms for cables and other electrical equipment and platforms.

Before they are deployed from Teesside, Wilton will also protect the steelwork from the marine environment with a cathodic protection system and a high specification coating.

Duncan Clark, Hornsea Project One programme director, said: “It is great to see the growing offshore wind industry supporting real engineering jobs here. EEW OSB is a great example of that; in just two years the facility has revived and supplied increasing numbers of transition pieces for our offshore wind farms across the country, securing hundreds of jobs.

“Hornsea Project One will make a significant contribution to the UK’s carbon reduction targets.

Developing the UK supply chain not only boosts the local economy, it will help us maintain the UK’s position as global offshore wind leader.”

GTE-E01-S3

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

www.humberbusiness.com and facebook.com/grimsbytel and twitter.com/grimsbytel

7

News

Month in Review

HUMBER-PRIDE: Craig Foyle has underlined how South Bank industry has helped his personal development as he now presides over the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health.

£4m pilot fuels plant unveiled at Immingham

ENERGY: A £4 million investment aimed at commercialising technology to produce solid fuels in hours – as opposed to naturally over millennia – is coming to Immingham.

The pilot hydrothermal carbonisation unit is to be installed at CPL Industries’ production site on the docks, in what is a UK first. And should it prove successful, as volumes go from lab-scale grams to tonnes, it could lead to job creation and further investment on site.

The new facility, off Port of Immingham’s Southern Way, is being constructed in partnership with the University of Nottingham and the Energy Research Accelerator, an initiative funded by Innovate UK and working with universities and industry to support research and development in energy.

Steel apprentices push

Craig’s leading role in global health and safety S

OUTH Humber bank industry has provided the ultimate grounding for the new figurehead of the world’s leading health and safety body.

Craig Foyle has just become president of the globally-active Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, and experience gleaned from the area’s vital sectors have helped put him at the forefront of an organisation that campaigns on issues that affect millions of working people.

The voice of the profession, he will lead nearly 50,000 members, and has made getting his message across that occupational health and safety “makes good business sense” an absolute priority.

It is a highlight in a career that’s sseen him work with some of the biggest names in food, chemicals and other process industries, having worked for Jex Engineering for more than a decade.

Now he is director of his own consultancy, Foyle Safety & Management, working from his New Waltham home and continuing to serve the biggest operators in the region and beyond.

Stating it was an “honour and a privilege” to take up the role, he said: “It is a big challenge, but my message is that it really does make business sense. We need to break down barriers of safety being seen as stopping jobs and planning safety and health in at an early stage so it helps make it happen.

“That is what I used to do with Jex, it was about changing the process. If you cannot function, you cannot produce, you cannot manufacture. It is the understanding of that, not just safety practitioners, but senior leaders; getting managers to think about safety, and not just negative, reactive stories.

“If you build it in as part of an organisation, it makes the safety manager’s job much easier as they have the support.”

Of his career, which now sees him lecture on health and safety management at the University of Hull as well as provide project safety management, training and interim management consultancy support, he said: “The Humber bank was just a fantastic learning ground for me, working on food,

ON MESSAGE: Craig Foyle speaks at IOSH 2017, where his presidency was confirmed. chemicals and pharmaceuticals. It was an ideal opportunity to experience different industries.

Some issues are shared and some unique, it was a great opportunity.

“If I look at where I am now – and I have been on my own since 2009 – I work for many of the same clients Jex did. I do a lot of work for Lenzing Fibers, and Cristal.”

McCain and Nestle are other major names he works with as he becomes the 51st president of IOSH, from where nearly 200,000 people take training courses annually. He will travel the world to continue the drive to make workplaces safe and healthy, a role he is used to. Recently, with Lenzing, he has delivered leadership training in Austria, Indonesia, China and the Czech Republic.

“It is a voluntary role but for a safety practitioner to be able to do this it is an honour and a privilege to be able to fulfil it,” he said.

“In terms of time commitment, I understood what it was before I took it on, and made it clear to IOSH it will be a team approach.”

That team includes a president-elect in Hong Kong, with six vice presidents too, including four in the UK, one of whom is Michelle Muxworthy, who is based in Brigg, and previously worked for Novartis.

It also comes as IOSH embarks on delivering a five-year strategy, WORK 2022, which aims to ensure that the profession keeps pace with the changing world of business.

He said: “I am immensely proud to represent my professional body as president at this exciting and pivotal time,” he said. “Across the world, businesses are increasingly seeing the benefit of good health and safety management.

Having a safe and healthy workforce brings huge benefits.

“To drive IOSH forward, we need to work together as one team – members, volunteers and staff. I want us to engage with all our stakeholders – members, business, trade associations, governments and other interested parties – to make everyone realise that health and safety makes sense.”

A chartered fellow of IOSH, he has served on its council since 2011. Mr Foyle’s first full-time safety role was with Jex, having previously been commercial manager for Newglaze. “I did my first safety standards there, that is where I really got the bug to take it further,” he said, adding how he even chaired the safety committee at his first employer, Solarglass, putting it down to “youthful enthusiasm”.

He was confirmed as president at the recent annual meeting in Birmingham, which followed IOSH 2017, the body’s two-day annual international conference.

“Being involved at various levels has enabled me to understand issues affecting the Institution and members as a whole,” he said.

“I have also realised how important it is for everyone to work together to achieve the desired goals.

“We are, of course, all working towards the same goal of making the world of work safe and healthy so I am really looking forward to seeing how much we can achieve together as a team over the next year.”

MANUFACTURING: A recruitment drive has been launched to find 50 new apprentices to join the Scunthorpe steelworks.

British Steel has launched the initiative to find individuals for the roles which will start in September 2018.

The positions to be filled include mechanical apprenticeships, electrical and technical roles.

PROUD TO BE

RENEWING THE HUMBER

E N V I R O N M E N TA L LY A W A R E • SKIP HIRE • WASTE TRANSFER STATION

• PLANT • HAULAGE • AGGREGATES • EARTHWORKS

Email: waste@brianplant.com

Email: info@brianplant.com

TEL: 01472 241342

TEL: 01472 341499

www.brianplant.com

8

www.humberbusiness.com and facebook.com/grimsbytel and twitter.com/grimsbytel

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

GTE-E01-S3

Food

in association with

Talented apprentice is rewarded by employer B

LACKROW Engineering apprentice Chris Hodge has been rewarded by his employer, after making his mark on a local and national level.

Manufacturers of Industrial Hygienic Doors

www.lincsdoors.co.uk

01472 889200 www.blackrow.co.uk

Celebrated at the recent Heta annual awards evening, featured in Business Telegraph last month, the sheet metal worker has this year also participated in WorldSkills UK in Birmingham.

And his impressive achievements in 2017 have been recognised with a gift of tools from the directors, from Grimsby Transmission Company.

Having just entered his second year, he won the overall fabrication award with the Catch-based organisation at Stallingborough, before heading down to the West Midlands for the event in which the South Bank excels.

The 17-year-old joined Blackrow from St Bede’s, and travels in daily to the South Humberside Industrial Estate base from Scunthorpe.

He said: “I’m really enjoying it, and the company looks after you, and ensures you are doing well.

“It was great to go and compete in the British final, although I was up against people who had entered previously.”

It was a valuable experience though, and he was pleased to bring it back to Blackrow, where he is now learning his trade, having completed the education phase.

“I knew Blackrow was a sponsor with Heta, but at first I didn’t know much more.

“The work is varied, and the training is always different and interesting.

“I am looking forward to going out on site with the teams, and I hope to do my HNC and HND too.”

JUST REWARD: Apprentice Christopher Hodge receives a £150 voucher for Grimsby Transmission Company from Blackrow Engineering operations manager Mark Ferguson, left, and Malcolm Cope, managing director of GTC. Chris Marfleet, sales director and co-owner, said there was a strong culture of apprentices rising through the ranks, and it was a strong ethos of the company in times when it is difficult to recruit

talent.

“We are really proud of Chris,” he said. “We invest more in apprentices than most in this town, and we tend to keep them as well. It is important to bring on

apprentices, It is hard to attract people, and we could do with more sheet metal workers and more semi-skilled guys for our sheet metal work. There are certainly job opportunities here.”

Regional offices to boost Blackrow growth plans 01472 352998

Tel: 01472 269121 www.acbnorth.com Office 5 Business Hive 13 Dudley Street - Grimsby North East Lincolnshire

Without the support of these companies this page would not be possible To further raise the profile of your company call Angie Atkinson on

01472 806963 angie.atkinson@grimsbytelegraph.co.uk

NEW office locations strategically developed across the UK are part of bold new plans being brought forward

by Blackrow Engineering as it looks to further build its customer base.

The Grimsby- headquartered firm wants to capitalise on the capability of the 150,000 sq ft of workshops on South Humberside Industrial Estate, having transformed what was the former KP factory into high-volume multi-discipline facility.

Sheet metal, fabrication, electrical engineering, machining and laser cutting disciplines are all in evidence, serving food, power, petrochemical and other process industries.

Chris Marfleet, sales director and co-owner, said: “We will be opening up regional offices. It is at strategy stage at the moment, and they will be sales locations. We have a big customer base, and we want to get it bigger.”

The team is looking at Glasgow, London and the Midlands, and it follows

initial success with a Scottish-based project manager operating from his home city.

It will be a first venture with bases outside of North East Lincolnshire.

Mr Marfleet said: “We are extremely busy. We have changed the organisation here. There is now a new project sales team headed by me, Tony Booker and Gary Pexman, and we are going through a new sales strategy.

We have consultants in at present and we are also working on a new website.

“Going into January and February, we have strong orders. A lot of installation work is taking place in Scotland, Manchester and Leicester, and these are good sized projects with 12 to 18 men on each.”

Blackrow is also playing a key role with a major retail bakery as it undergoes a significant restructure, with the movement of equipment and building of lines all in hand.

Work overseas in Italy and WORLD OUT THERE: Blackrow’s expansive Grimsby site, from where satellite offices are being planned to build on key regional locations across the UK. Finland is also highlighted.

9 GTE-E01-S3-DECEMBER 19, 2017

!NNUAL "USINESS 2EVIEW :L MA> ND ^gm^kl +)*1 _Z\bg` Z i^kbh] h_ \aZg`^% bm bl obmZe maZm ma^ k^`bhg lmZg]l ZiZkm bg bml Z[bebmr mh ]^ebo^k% pabe^ \hgmbgnbg` mh ikhli^k bg Zk^Zl h_ lhng] ^\hghfb\ Zg] ikh_^llbhgZe `khpma' =^l FZggbhg% \ab^_ ^q^\nmbo^ h_ e^Z]bg` k^`bhgZe eZp Ã&#x203A;kf Pbedbg <aZifZg lheb\bmhkl% ehhdl [Z\d Zm Z r^Zk maZm aZl l^^g abl hk`ZgblZmbhg lniihkmbg` Zg] ^gZ[ebg` ln\a `khpma' %('%* $ ,) * /%0/ %* 1*%-1! ,+/%0%+* .+// 0$! .!#%+* 3%0$ +"6 !/ /, **%*# 0$! 1) !. * %* +(*/$%.! * 3%0$ ,.+"!//%+* (/ 3$+ $ 2! (!# ( !4,!.0%/! %* ()+/0 !2!.5 .! +" +0$ ,.%2 0! (%!*0 * 1/%*!// ( 3 / .!/1(0 3! 6* +1./!(2!/ (! 0+ 0!/0 0$! ! +*+)% .+)!0!. +" +1. .!#%+* %* 3 5 0$ 0 ) *5 +0$!./ **+0 $%/ %* 01.* !* (!/ 1/ 0+ 0 '! ,.+"!//%+* ( (! +* %//1!/ 0$ 0 ""! 0 .! ( * ,+/%0%2! $ *#!

3$%(! $%#$(%#$0%*# 0$! $ ((!*#!/ 3! " ! / .!#%+* 3%0$ * ! (! 0% )%4 +" 1/%*!// *!! / 0 3 / %*0!.!/0%*# 0+ )!!0 3%0$ )+.! 0$ * (%!*0/ * +0$!. 1/%*!// +*0 0/

".+) 2 .%!05 +" ,1 (% * ,.%2 0! /! 0+. !*0!.,.%/!/ 1.%*# /!.%!/ +" !4! 10%2! %**!./ 0$ 0 3! $+/0! +0$ 0 +1. $! +"6 ! %* .0!.# 0! 0 0$! .!#%+* / 6./0 * 0%+* ( #.!!* !*!.#5 /1))%0 7 5+1 3%(( .! (( 0$! $%#$(5 /1 !//"1( (! * .! ' !2!*0 0 .%)/ 5 / 1) !. +5 ( +0!( * %* !2!.(!5 $!/! %**!./ # 2! 1/%*!// (! !./ 0$! +,,+.01*%05 0+ !4,.!// 0$!%. $+,!/ "+. 0$!

"101.! * 0$! ..%!./ 0$ 0 ) 5 ! /0 * %*# %* 0$!%. 3 5 0 %/ ,!.$ ,/ *+0 /1.,.%/%*# 0$ 0 +))+* 0$!)!/ %* (1 ! 0$! . %/%*# +" /,%. 0%+*/ %* +1. .! 0$! 0. %*%*# +" +1. 5+1*# ,!+,(! * 0$! *!! "+. (! . /0. 0!#5 +* .!4%0 "+. 1/%*!//!/

$%(! 0$! ( 00!. +" 0$!/! 0$.!! %/ 1..!*0(5 +10 +" (+ ( +*0.+( 0$!.! %/ !.0 %*(5 /+)!0$%*# ) *5 +" 1/ * + 0+ //%/0 3%0$ 0$! +0$!.

03+ +. !4 ),(! $!.! 0 %('%* $ ,) * 3! $ 2! ,+(% 5 0+ +0$ .! .1%0 * .!0 %* (+ ( ,!+,(! 3$%(! $!(,%*# 0+ 1,/'%(( 0$!

0! )/ 3! (.! 5 $ 2! $+/! +" 5+1 3$+ 01*! %*0+ .! !*0 !,%/+ ! +"

++' +.0$ / +(%0% / $+3 3%(( $ 2! /!!* (+ ( %('%* $ ,) * 0. %*!! /+(% %0+. *%!((! '/!% ! /,! '%*# +10 $!. ,+/%0%2! "101.! %* +.0$ /0 %* +(*/$%.! +. *5 .!#%+* 0+ /1 !! * #.+3 %* 0$! ,.!/!*0 (%) 0! %0 %/ %),+.0 *0 0$ 0 0$!5 $ 2! !4,!.0%/! %* 2 .%!05 +" .! / 7 /1,,+.0%*# ! $ +0$!. 0+ '!!, 0$! 3! (0$ * %*2!/0)!*0 $!.! + 0$%/ !* ,.+1 )+)!*0 %* )5 .!!. 3 / !.0 %*(5 0$! *!3/ 0$ 0 %('%* $ ,) * +*0%*1!/ 0+ ! 0$! ( .#!/0 ( 3 6.) %* +1. .!#%+* * !! %* 0$! 35!. +, .!,+.0 3!

3!.! . *'! 0 %* 0$! 7 *+ )! * "! 0 3$!* 5+1 .! ,10 (+*#/% ! /+)! +" 0$! ) &+. %*0!.* 0%+* ( ( 3 6.)/

$%(! ( .#! 6.) "+. 0$! .!#%+* +1. %(%05 0+ .!0 %* * #.+3 +1. .!#%+* ( "+ 1/ %/ 0!/0 )!*0 0+ 0$! , .0*!./ * 0! )/ 3! $ 2! $!.! 7 0$!5 $ 2! 0$!%. 6*#!./ +* 0$! ! +*+)% ,1(/! %* ()+/0 !2!.5 .! / 3! )+2! %*0+ 0$! 6.) / "+ 1/ +* 3$ 0 .! ((5 ) 00!./ ".+) .!#%+* ( ,!./,! 0%2! 3%(( ! +)! )+.! !2% !*0 / 3! (++' 0 "+1. '!5 /! 0+. .! / * $+3 +1. ,.+"!//%+* (/ * ,.+2% ! !2!* )+.! /1,,+.0 0+ //%/0 #.+30$ $!/! .! / .! !*!.#5 * .!*!3 (!/ $+1/%*# * !2!(+,)!*0 0+1.%/) * (!%/1.! * #.% 1(01.! * "++ 7 /! 0+./ 3$% $ 3! '*+3 3! * /!.2! * .! (%#*! 0+ 0$! (+ ( / /0. 0!#5 3$%(! ,.+2% %*# 2+% !

0+ /1,,+.0 0$!%. #.+30$ * /1 !// %0$ (( 0$! +2! %* )%* '*+3 /,! ' "+. (( 0$! , .0*!./ * /0 "" %* %('%* $ ,) * 3$!* / 5 3! .! (++'%*# "+.3 . 0+ 0$! +,,+.01*%0%!/ * $ ((!*#!/ 0$ 0 3%(( .%*#

<Zee @kbfl[r hg hk oblbm WILKINCHAPMAN CO UK

10

www.humberbusiness.com and facebook.com/grimsbytel and twitter.com/grimsbytel

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

GTE-E01-S3

Chemicals

In association with

The brilliant white story tale with many different Much may depend on the outcome of recent US legislative intervention into a proposed take-over of Cristal, but yet another new name could adorn Stallingborough’s titanium dioxide plant in 2018. Tronox, itself a US company, is looking to take over the site from the past decade’s custodians, as another new chapter in a long, strong history draws to a close. Here Barry Howells, who worked there for 32 years – under three different company names – between 1967 and 1999, initially in research and latterly as human resources manager, reflects on ‘the brilliant white story’.

I

t is unlikely that in the ever increasingly fast world we live in many of us take the time to look closely at the surrounding environment. If we did we would notice the number of things which are white – the paints in our houses, workplaces and shops, the kitchen appliances, motor cars, UPVC doors and windows to mention just a few.

www.cube3construction.co.uk T: 01469 541737

All of these are whitened by the unique pigment called titanium dioxide which has been manufactured at the plant at Stallingborough for more than 60 years. Since the sad demise of Tioxide in Grimsby it is almost certain that the white products around us contain titanium dioxide manufactured at Stallingborough .

Over the years the South Bank site has been a significant contributor to the local economy. At its height it employed 1,600 people, not to mention those that provided contracting services for the site and those employed by suppliers of various products.

Despite the fact that the name has changed from Laporte to SCM Chemicals to Millennium to Lyondell and Cristal over the years, and is currently in the throes of changing again – to be an integral part of the largest manufacturer of titanium dioxide in the world – it has always held the philosophy that the plant operates by and with the permission of the local community and has, over the years, played a significant role in that community.

This has been ably demonstrated by the support of local schools, colleges, charities and worthy causes. These have been admirably chronicled and supported by this august newspaper. Of the many, a list too long to mention, two are good examples. The Armed Forces Day more recently and the support of the Grimsby Judo Club and its most famous member, Sharon

Rendle, who won world recognition, acclaim and an MBE for her efforts.

There are many more examples.

For many years it owned and ran its own sports and social club at Love Lane Corner (now home to Cleethorpes Town FC). The membership was free to all employees and enjoyed much success over the years, boasting one of the best football pitches and bowling greens for miles around.

This was open to the local community through their affiliated members scheme.

The site has an exceptionally high reputation for its education and training programmes. Until recent years it trained its own engineering apprentices and, more recently, supports the excellent Catch programme, close to the site in Stallingborough. It pioneered the transition of apprentices into fully qualified professional engineers being the first company to support one of its apprentices to become an accredited mechanical engineer through part-time education, and he is still employed by the company.

The current chairman of the 25 year club started as a 16-year-old apprentice and is now a fully qualified power and control

despite being steeped in meaningless government bureaucracy, enabling the company to train a greater number of school leavers entering the organisation.

Another first for the company was

Often referred to by outsiders as the ‘Stallingborough Mafia’ to many it is one big family sharing all the joys and disappointments that all families encounter Barry Howells engineer and he is still employed by the company. School leavers have progressed, through part time education, to become members of the Royal Institute of Chemistry and Institute of Chemical Engineers. Its youth training scheme (YTS) was a major success

what is known as ‘work experience’. The company had a firm and established link with Whitgift School and one of their senior teachers, Gil Clarke, had the idea and vision to request consideration for some of their students to spend time in various

chosen departments to help them to decide what career they should pursue. It is fair to say there was some reluctance on the part of the company to accommodate the idea but they did and it proved to be extremely successful and is now a common feature in all schools and is proven to be extremely useful provided it is properly delivered.

It has been said that company success, over the years, has been achieved with very little or no support from national and local politicians of all shades.

Manufacturing industry in general and chemical manufacture in particular has been neglected and overlooked by all of them and we are now reaping the benefits of their lack of vision and financial support, unlike, for example, our German competitors where engineers and scientists are treated with the utmost respect and fully supported in their endeavours.

Many believe that the real strength, like most successful

Hire / Sales / Service Parts / Training / Access Platforms www.bjblifttrucks.co.uk

To further raise the profile of your company call Angie Atkinson on 01472 806963 angie.atkinson@grimsbytelegraph.co.uk PAST AND FUTURE? An aerial view of the Laporte Titanium factory taken back in 1961, and a peak inside a Tronox operation. Right, the white stuff.

GTE-E01-S3

www.humberbusiness.com and facebook.com/grimsbytel and twitter.com/grimsbytel

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

11

News

is a proud chapters...

THE WHITE STUFF: Barry Howells, centre, with Paul Parker, 25 Year Club chairman and instrument and electrical engineering manager, left, and Paul Gilbert, a former chair of the 25 Year Club, and global safety and safety culture manager. Below, under the Millenium name prior to Cristal’s acquisition. companies, lies in its workforce.

Unlike modern employment trends once people were recruited to the company they tend to stay. There are many with 25 and 40 year records with the company. Each year the company hosts and pays for a celebratory dinner at the Humber Royal Hotel when more than 180 25-year plus employees will attend. This year there were five new 25 year employees invited and another five 40 year employees added to the list. This celebration is unique to the area. The tales and anecdotes will be long, and exaggerated more each year.

Inevitably mention will be made of the ‘Sulphate Bard’ the unknown operator on the sulphate plant who penned humorous poems about the many larger-than-life characters working on the site. Often referred to by outsiders as the ‘Stallingborough Mafia’ (without the violence!) to many it is one big family sharing all the joys and disappointments that all families

encounter. A truly unique experience and feeling. For many the success is about respect.

Respect for each other whatever their job or position in the organisation, recognising that doing the particular job to the best of their ability is key to success.

The next time you remove the lid from a tin of brilliant white paint or look at most things white, spare a thought for that chemical manufacturer on the banks of the Humber and how important it is to this community.

Chemical sector enjoys growth as deal delights THE chemical and pharmaceutical sector – the largest exporter of manufactured goods with annual exports of £50 billion – is continuing to grow according to the latest survey of the Chemical Industries Association.

Member companies, many of whom operate on the Humber Bank, report the strongest employment growth over the past three months since 2015 with a balance of 12 per cent reporting an increase in jobs to the sector’s 140,000 direct workforce. Sales, with 13 per cent of respondents reporting volume growth, and six per cent seeing increased exports, remained stable.

The outlook for the next 12 months is tempered by Brexit uncertainty, but capital investment, anticipated by 30 per cent, research and development expenditure (24 per cent) and further recruitment (15 per cent) are also set to continue to grow over the next year. It is the longer term investment that is a worry, until the Brexit position is clearer.

Chief executive of the association, Steve Elliott, pictured, said: “We continue to work on Brexit and all the issues surrounding it which of course are critical, but chemical and pharmaceutical businesses do not want the whole issue to dominate everything they do.

“While our outlook is tempered by Brexit uncertainty, there are genuine and exciting opportunities for the

medical research and technologies, and high skilled jobs are created in Britain.

Mr Elliott said: “As key providers of solutions to the life sciences sector, this is an extremely welcome early Christmas present for chemical businesses across the UK. The areas of work that the life sciences sector will now undertake present important opportunities for the chemical industry and I know through the close working partnership we sector in the UK already have there building on our will be close excellent university links, pushing forward alignment which I innovation, developing hope and believe will result in substantial supply chains and long term growth.” moving to a new The sector deal will energy future. Much of this work is done in look at research, regions of the UK clinical trials and where employment is business environment. desperately needed.

He added: “As the This latest set of chemical industry results reflects the finalises its own sector hard work of the deal proposals, the UK women and men who will have two lead and work in international beacons chemical and of success at the heart phar maceutical of our economy businesses across the delivering for our UK. Long may it country. That is good continue.” news for science, for It comes as the jobs and for all recently released regions of the UK.” Industrial Strategy brought forward an industry sector deal for the UK life sciences industry.

Mr Elliott welcomed it as “another positive signal that will encourage chemical businesses to continue investing in the UK”.

The deal draws substantial investment into the sector from across the world, ensuring that the next wave of breakthrough treatments, innovative

Month in Review Major name in industry to pull out of Grimsby ENGINEERING: Redhall Group has confirmed the closure of Jex Engineering’s Grimsby base, despite an improved performance in the business and a strong forward demand being highlighted.

In its strategic report, released alongside preliminary annual results which revealed both a £1.4 million operating profit and overall loss, it confirmed the ‘home town’ operations are being consolidated into the Manchester base.

It is understood it will trigger 12 redundancies.

There has been a huge reduction in scale since Redhall bought out founder Tony Jex in 2007, with huge premises bridging Armstrong Street and Adam Smith Street sold, moving to a leased workshop on South Humberside Industrial Estate.

Helping out an old ally

RETAIL: Scunthorpe delivered wholesale giant Nisa has agreed to provide a short-term supply contract to a convenience retailer it has more than its fair share of history with, following the collapse of rival Palmer and Harvey.

Costcutter, formerly a long term trading partner, will again be stocked by the Normanby Enterprise Park team in the wake of the high-profile failure.

The companies split from a long term partnership in 2014, triggering tough annual losses which it battled hard to recover from.

A total of £500 million of revenue was wiped off, with the management team overhauled to turn round the business, which culminated in the recent £137.5 million buy-out by The Co-op.

Meeting your Business Requirements So whether your company is involved in property development, purchasing commercial property or leasing commercial premises we have the expertise to help secure the deal within your timescales and budget.

• Business set up • Property Development • Sale & Purchase • Employment

• Landlord & Tenant • Business Succession • Auction Packs • Planning Advice

*T&C APPLIES

In these and many other areas we are here to help For more information or to talk to our commercial team call Grimsby on 01472 240 251, Louth on 01507 600 610, Barton on 01652 632215 or Scunthorpe on 01724 847888.

Keep it local - local Lawyers with a Nationwide reach

William.king@bgsolicitors.com James.clarke@bgsolicitors.com Or find us at www.bgsolicitors.com

PARAGON CYCLES

Unit 5, Arkwright Way, Scunthorpe DN16 1AE

tel: 01724 781634

www.paragon-cycles.uk

12

www.humberbusiness.com and facebook.com/grimsbytel and twitter.com/grimsbytel

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

GTE-E01-S3

Ports & Logisticas

in association with

PORT OF CALL: A KESS car transporter in Grimsby’s Alexandra Dock. Picture: Peter Ireland. Below, Frans Calje.

Humber Work Boats

Marine Contracting, Dredging and Boat Building www.humberworkboats.co.uk Tel: 01469 540156

For the latest and breaking business news around the Humber region

PD Ports is made up with KESS contract P

D Ports, one of the UK’s major port groups, has been appointed as ships agent in the Humber region for one of Europe’s major short sea carrier operators, K Line European Sea Highway Services (KESS).

To further raise the profile of your company call Angie Atkinson on 01472 806963

angie.atkinson@grimsbytelegraph.co.uk

PD Ports as ship agent at the ports of Immingham and Grimsby based on the port operator’s highly regarded reputation in the provision of high quality ship agency services, its outstanding health and safety standards and experienced staff.

Frans Calje, chief executive of PD Ports, sees this new contract as The new contract includes the a significant investment of faith in import and export of some of the the Humber region and the world’s most prestigious and company’s ability to handle KESS’ well-known car brands via important transport business.

Immingham and Grimsby, “Despite the decline in new car connecting to the German ports of sales in the UK in 2017 there has Emden and Cuxhaven. been an increase in imports of Exports will be destined for more than 35 per cent and this new various European countries as well contract offers KESS access to our as the Far East and United States. services on the Humber that will KESS cited the appointment of support this growth in a highly

Steel city hears Humber’s highlights THE Humber’s logistics credentials were sold to Sheffield as a pilot Bondholders roadshow targeted a city which has become an acknowledged advanced manufacturing centre.

Delegates gathered at Sheffield United Football Club, with key stakeholders in South Yorkshire sold the estuary’s key messages.

Representatives underlined the role as a critical transport hub, spelling out the unrivalled connectivity to Europe and beyond.

The event marked the first meeting focussed on the Humber as a gateway for Sheffield, with more events intended for 2018 to continue the momentum and build relationships between the two regions.

Simon Dwyer, chief executive of Grimsby-based Seafox Management Consultants,

was the keynote speaker and provided delegates with an international perspective and insight into the challenges businesses face with the physical movement of goods within the supply chain and related costs.

He showcased the capabilities and expertise of the Humber ports, demonstrating how businesses in Sheffield can benefit from operating through them.

“The Humber has the infrastructure and support network to handle Sheffield’s imports and exports, as well as the network locally to access worldwide markets,” he said.

He continued to demonstrate the strength of the Humber in terms of connectivity, with circa 400,000 shipping movements annually made up of daily, weekly and fortnightly sailings.

He highlighted the Humber’s links to Europe with more than 100 services operating per week, handling every type of cargo including chemicals, oil, automotive, steel, and food. Nationals operating through the Humber include Tesco, Amazon, Next, Ikea and Argos, to name but a few.

“Fast market access from the Humber enables businesses to reduce transport costs, delivery times and carbon emissions,” he said. adding that journey time from Sheffield to the Humber was 90 minutes maximum, compared to a minimum four-hour journey to the Port of Southampton.

Simon then invited a panel of industry experts to the stage and welcomed questions from the audience on logistics, the Humber’s port capabilities and

improving productivity.

The panel included Paul Hickling, managing director of Stallingborough-based East Trans, and Lord Prescott, who closed the event.

Delegates had been welcomed by Nigel Brewster, vice-chair at Sheffield City Region LEP, who discussed the importance of Sheffield forging relationships with the Humber and how “businesses in the north should use the assets at our disposal”, such as the Humber ports, to “build local connections and grow our economy”.

Following on from him, Kishor Tailor, chief executive at Humber LEP, set the scene for delegates in terms of the Humber’s location, connectivity and strengths.

demanding and competitive market.

“Our ship agency business is a 24

hour support service centred on three of the largest marine gateways in the country, the Thames, Humber and the Tees where we represent ship owners, managers and operators. This is the first time we have worked with KESS and we are delighted to be a part of this growing operation in the Humber region.”

Torsten Wendt, managing director of K Line European Sea Highway Services GmbH, said: “With the nomination of PD Ports as KESS ships agent we are taking further steps to improve our service and it underlines the importance for our business in the Humber region.

Together with our new partner we will provide the best service to our customers.”

Bondholders’ new chair unveiled at Christmas social BONDHOLDERS, the marketing organisation for the Humber, has a new chair.

Andy Parkinson, group director of strategy and innovation for Spencer Group, has been appointed after former leader Anita Pace, stepped down.

He has worked for Spencer Group, one of the largest privately owned engineering firms in the UK, since June 2016 and has a varied background spanning many different areas.

In the public sector, he was the lead for Hull’s City Plan, a £1 billion economic infrastructure plan to transform the city, creating more than 12,000 jobs in the region.

His appointment as chair was announced at the Bondholder Christmas Social.

Mr Parkinson said: “The last few years have given the region a great platform to build on, and it is my plan that now we will cement our position in the Northern Powerhouse.”

Addressing the audience of business

leaders gathered at Trinity Minster, he said: “We can’t do it without you. Your input and innovation is vital to realise this vision. We are not going to stand still, together we will achieve great things.”

Mr Parkinson said he was excited to lead Bondholders at such an important time for the region and was determined to make the Humber an internationally recognised place to live and work.

Bondholders managing director Diana Taylor said: “It is great to have Andy on board to help propel the Bondholder activities forward, really build on the opportunity to represent our members and take the strong message of the Humber out on the national and international stage.”

GTE-E01-S3

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

www.humberbusiness.com and facebook.com/grimsbytel and twitter.com/grimsbytel

13

News

Software’s success has pilot’s pals flying high A

N aviation support solution has earned a northern Lincolnshire company a prestigious accolade at the 2017 Digital Entreprenur Awards.

Bytron Aviation Systems has won Software Innovation of the Year with its Skybook, a programme that pulls together flight dispatch, crew briefing, journey logging and airfield monitoring for pilots.

The Kirmington company, which earlier this year formed a partnership with Boeing’s navigational arm, Jeppesen, has put 30 years of industry experience into the development.

Shane Spencer, Bytron Aviation Systems’ managing director, said: “I am so proud to have Skybook recognised in this way on such a grand scale and it makes all of the effort put in by our team back at the headquarters all the more worthwhile. This award is recognition for us all.

“It means a lot to us. We have worked really had over the past three years, producing and re-inventing a long-established software product. We have launched to the market and had an amazing response from clients. The team that backed us has been fantastic. ““Everyone works hard each day to deliver our innovative modules, ensuring Skybook helps all of our clients achieve their objectives.”

The Digital Entrepreneur Awards have been recognising and honouring Britain’s online entrepreneurial talent for more than a decade with a specialist panel of judges working to unearth entries that showcase the most cutting-edge use of the modern web.

Having entered, Bytron was shortlisted to seven, ahead of the gala event in Manchester.

Brewers’ church blessing FOOD & DRINK: Planners have backed the return of commercial-scale brewing to Grimsby.

Axholme Brewing Co, the company behind Cleethorpes Pale Ale, has been given the go-ahead to transform the former St Barnabas Church in King Edward Street.

It will now allow the team to approach funders with confidence, while also seeking approval from HMRC, which is anticipated to be a formality.

As reported when the application was submitted in October, the five-year-old company has now outgrown its rural northern Lincolnshire base, at Crowle, having been reinvigorated by three Grimsby businessmen who jumped on board, lured by the resort creation.

Mermaid’s US buy-out

WINNING TEAM: Shane Spencer, right, Bytron Aviation Systems managing director, collects the award, with, from left, Paul Smith, accounting, information systems and quality assurance officer; James Cartwright, sales and marketing co-ordinator, and Simon Clayton, technical director.

“We were not sure what to expect but determined to have a good night and remember that it was an honour to have Skybook recognised as a finalist amongst a number of other specialist providers who had all brought their ‘A’ game to the awards,” Mr Spencer said, not expecting a win, but admitting “my heart was in my mouth and as I looked left and right at my colleagues” as the

winner was revealed.

The firm was first founded in 1984 by the late Richard Harris, a long-haul pilot, and his wife Irene.

Based at Concorde House, Skybook allows airlines to have up-to-date information such as pre-flight information for crews, from which a targeted route briefing is devised.

Delighted by support on return from Oz A GRIMSBY business is celebrating a successful first year under new ownership.

IT Services Ltd, a commercial IT specialist, was established in 1999, and bought in late 2016 by Jonathan and Ann Cozens, from founder Neil Whitehead.

The husband-and-wife team were looking for an opportunity following a move back to the UK from Australia, and saw potential in the Wintringham Road business.

Jonathan said: “We didn’t know Grimsby at all, we are completely new to the area but we have found that it is a fantastic place to do business. One of the things I like most is that there’s a real sense of locality and loyalty, and businesses and customers around here stick by each other. It is a rare and fantastic thing to see and it gives us even more confidence in the future.”

The couple’s warm welcome to cooler climes has been aided by E-Factor’s Business Hive networking group.

The focus is to provide SMEs and start-ups with the tools and support they need for efficient day-to-day running, with the

Month in Review

NEW VENTURE: Jonathan and Ann Cozens, who have taken over IT Services Ltd. opportunity to upscale as business grows. With backgrounds in corporate IT and television operations management, they have also been incorporated this expertise into the business.

Jonathan said: “When we took over, it was a traditional IT sales and support company and our first year has been invested in migrating to a fully services-centric organisation. Our main focus is businesses of between five and 150 users who want the benefits of outsourced IT to allow them

to concentrate on core activities.”

Already, IT Services has expanded the existing team, who were all retained when the business was bought.

Jonathan said: “Alongside our highly experienced engineering team, we inherited a youngster on work experience who was keen to build a career with us.

“We were able to take him on as an apprentice a few months ago.

“The advantage of the original ITS staff means we have a huge diversity of

skills and experience at our disposal.”

The new management team have also stayed in close contact with Mr Whitehead.

He said: “IT Services was always focussed on the needs of the customer. This philosophy has been kept alive as Jonathan and Ann now take the company into the next phase of its development. Having seen the work they have done with online infrastructure management, new cloud and communication products, the future seems bright.”

INTERIORS: A Grimsby-area company described as Europe’s leading wall and shower panel supplier, has changed hands for the second time in a decade with further growth plans highlighted.

US giant Wilsonart Engineered Surfaces has swooped for Mermaid Panels, formerly Norske Interiors, and sister company Shore Laminates Ltd, of Scotland, in a £30 million deal.

Formed by TH Brown in the late-Eighties, Mermaid employs about a dozen people on Laceby Business Park, with no changes to operations envisaged.

14

www.humberbusiness.com and facebook.com/grimsbytel and twitter.com/grimsbytel

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

GTE-E01-S3

Business Support

in association with

www.wilkinchapman.co.uk

Ten big ‘Steps’ towards private client expertise

01472 311711 bmcf.co.uk

Top of the class

T: 01652 680888 www.hibl.co.uk

t: 01472 350601 Scunthorpe t: 01724 863105 Grimsby

www.forrester-boyd.co.uk

Chartered Accountants in Grimsby - T: 01472 355215 Scunthorpe - T: 01724 844876 www.hwca.com

STEP-AHEAD: Lisa-Jane Howes, left, with successful Step-qualified solicitors, Joanne Binks, Imogen Holmes, Alison Elwess, Rebecca Phillips and Emma Carr.

A

tenth lawyer at leading regional firm Wilkin Chapman solicitors has completed specialist probate, succession and tax planning training.

Enabling solicitors to undergo the training while working, it takes them through a series of modules which – when completed – gives them in-depth knowledge of issues including wills and lasting powers of attorney, probate and tax With more than 34 specialists in planning. the private client department, the Partner and head of wills, estates, firm now has a high proportion of tax and trusts, Lisa-Jane Howes, team members who are ‘Step’ emphasised its importance, with qualified. staff qualified in Grimsby, Lincoln, Solicitors within the team all Beverley and Louth. embark on the extra training She said: “Future planning is one qualification when appointed, of the most important things a enabling them to offer the best person can do and, to secure the possible guidance for people best possible outcome for both looking to put financial plans in themselves and their families, it is place. vitally important that the most Step, the professional association relevant and knowledgeable advice is sought. for specialists in family inheritance and succession “The completion of this training planning, runs an advanced enables our team to do just that – training course and qualification both myself and my colleagues for the legal profession. have the quality knowledge and

confidence to ensure our clients are reliably informed of even the most complex of matters,” added Lisa-Jane.

Qualified solicitor Rebecca Phillips, 29, has been with the firm for three years and is currently undertaking the Step training. She is already recognising its value.

“Of course, you cover these areas during your training, but not to this extent with this depth of knowledge. This learning has given me much more confidence, especially on the technical side of things and I am already seeing the benefit,” said Rebecca.

Wilkin Chapman solicitors offers the whole range of private client work at its seven offices across Lincolnshire, South and East Yorkshire. ● For more information visit www.wilkinchapman.co.uk

RISING legal star Helena Buckle has been officially recognised as one of the UK’s top students in all areas of private client work.

Helena, pictured, was named as being the joint highest scoring graduate in the Step Diploma in Trusts and Estates for the first half of 2017.

Delighted at her success, Helena said: “This qualification is a marker of quality within this area of law, so it is an extremely good accreditation to have. Of course, I am thrilled to have heard that I scored so highly.”

Helena, who is currently based at the firm’s headquarters in Cartergate, Grimsby after spells in both Lincoln and Louth, took the four Step modules over a two-year period, with one undertaken every six months.

She joined the firm’s private client team in 2014, after her first-class graduation from Durham University.

“The qualification certainly provides you with more in-depth knowledge and confidence when it comes to advising clients and is definitely worth the study,” she added.

Lisa-Jane Howes, partner and department head, said: “I am delighted that Helena has achieved such high praise and recognition for her dedication and time that she has applied to her study.”

Good early uptake for ambassador programme Without the support of these companies this page would not be possible.

For your company to included contact Angie Atkinson on

01472 806963 angie.atkinson@grimsbytelegraph.co.uk

MORE than 100 businesses have accepted an invitation to the launch of a North Lincolnshire Ambassador programme early in the new year – and more are welcome.

The event, at Forest Pines on Thursday, January 18, has been organised by The North Lincolnshire Place Marketing Board, a new public/private collaboration, unveiled in last month’s Business Telegraph.

Its focus is to promote the region and help attract greater inward investment.

The Ambassador programme asks businesses to sign up to a scheme to become advocates for North Lincolnshire, collectively celebrating and championing the strength and depth of the economy, the skills base available and the infrastructure which will support investment.

As part of the programme the council’s economic development team will be reshaping the North Lincolnshire Business Networking events, creating an online depository of marketing material and

literature and working together to promote the region nationally and inter nationally.

Cllr Rob Waltham MBE, leader of North Lincolnshire Council, said: “We’re really pleased with the response to the invitations but there is room for many more.

“I’m delighted businesses have come together to take on the role of positioning North Lincolnshire as one of the best places in the UK for economic success and enterprise, as well as a great place for families to

live and grow.

“We are keen to attract inward investment and secure better paid jobs for our residents going forward.”

Nina Stobart, from Phillips 66, chairs the board and thanked those who are supporting the programme.

“North Lincolnshire Ambassadors are just that, a group of people who are fed up with the area we all live and work in being knocked; we want to show what a wonderful place it is.

“We are surrounded by areas of outstanding natural

beauty, we have strong businesses from family-run butchers to global industrial giants, education which we should be shouting from the roof tops about and most of all we have a diverse and passionate population.

“Everyone I mention makes our county what it is.”

To make sure your business is represented at the launch, book your place at www.eventbrite.co.uk/ and search for North Lincolnshire.

GTE-E01-S3

www.humberbusiness.com and facebook.com/grimsbytel and twitter.com/grimsbytel

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

15

Business Support

in association with

NEW HEIGHTS: Lewis Gibson, left, and Caleb Townley, right, at Ashbridge Roofing, part of Ongo.

info@gskelsey.co.uk www.gskelsey.co.uk

01724 854362 G.S. Kelsey Construction Ltd

Housing Management Property Development Community Investment

Apprentices on top of the world with key role A

high-achieving apprentice from Scunthorpe’s Ashbridge Roofing showcased his talent at the country’s largest careers and skills event.

people to take up an apprenticeship.

“We are all very proud of the high standard of work he has produced, both on the job with Ashbridge, and throughout his college course.

“We see a real benefit in taking on Twenty-four-year-old Lewis apprentices and growing our own Gibson, from Grimsby, led demonstrations in roofing talent at Ashbridge. Lewis is a great techniques with cedar shingle, slate example of the value of and plain tiles at The Skills Show at apprenticeships. To have this Bir mingham’s NEC. opportunity to share what he has The event draws crowds of 72,000 learned at such a large event is very employers, educators and young exciting for him, for the Ashbridge people and promotes opportunities team and for his college.” for training, apprenticeships and He is one of two apprentices at careers across a wide range of Ashbridge Roofing, along with sectors.

Lewis, who has been an apprentice 22-year-old Caleb Townley, from North Cotes. Both are in their final at Ashbridge Roofing, based on Northampton Road, for just over a year at Leeds College of Building year, had been selected to encourage and are due to complete their NVQs other young people to consider ahead of time. roofing as a career by hosting a Lewis has also recently received series of ‘Have A Go’ sessions. the termly Redland award from the Part of the Ongo group, Ashbridge Leeds Building College for showing Roofing was established in Scunthorpe in 1997 and is one of the effort, skill and commitment to achieve his NVQ. leading roofing contractors in the Lecturer Chris Messenger said: “I region. Most recently it re-roofed the grade II listed Victoria Mills in can’t speak highly enough of Lewis Grimsby for Lindum Construction and Caleb, they are model students and is currently carrying out over and a credit to themselves and £1 million worth of work for a local Ashbridge Roofing. They always housing re-roofing scheme in give 100% and their commitment to Scunthorpe. the course and job is commendable.”

Contracts manager Zak McKay, Following the success of Caleb and from Ashbridge Roofing, said: “This Lewis, Ashbridge Roofing is looking was an amazing opportunity for to hire four more apprentices in Lewis to use his experience and success to encourage more young 2018 to help grow the business.

01724 279900 | www.ongo.co.uk

www.ashbournehotel.co.uk T: 01469 541010 Without the support of these companies this page would not be possible

For you company to be included contact

Angie Atkinson on

01472 806963

angie.atkinson@grimsbytelegraph.co.uk

First year completed by merged duo Hales & Coultas Scunthorpe heating and plumbing firm Hales & Coultas is celebrating 12 months in business.

The company, set up by housing and maintenance group Ongo in 2016, has had a successful year, working with existing customers and generating new contacts with local businesses.

It has also grown its workforce, from seven to 23.

Andy Hales, manager of Hales &

Coultas, said: “We’ve had a challenging but fantastic first year, and it’s great to look back and reflect on our achievements. We are proud to have provided more local people with job opportunities in heating and plumbing apprenticeships.

“Being part of the Ongo group means that we play our part in investing into the local community too.”

Based on Northampton Road, Scunthorpe, it was formed by Ongo by bringing together two successful North Lincolnshire firms – J Coultas Plumbing and Heating, based in Barton and A Hales Plumbing and Heating, based in Scunthorpe.

Mr Coultas remains in the company, bringing combined experience of more than 70 years.

your daily port of call for the latest and breaking business news around the Humber region

16

www.humberbusiness.com and facebook.com/grimsbytel and twitter.com/grimsbytel

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

GTE-E01-S3

Training

in association with

Redwood Park Estate, Stallingborough, North East Lincolnshire, DN41 8TH www.hcfcatch.com Tel: 01469 552843

For the latest and breaking business news around the Humber region

To further profile your training company contact Angie Atkinson 01472 806963 angie.atkinson@grimsbytelegraph.co.uk

Workforce upskilling is a new year opportunity B

USINESSES across the Grimsby area are being offered a major boost to the training of their existing workforce.

Experts at the town’s Avant Partnership have a pot of apprenticeship training money specifically targeted at firms in North East Lincolnshire, which have staff they want to upskill.

With levels of workplace apprenticeships offered in the 16 to 18-year age group, and 19-plus, the idea is to see existing staff improve their knowledge – enabling them to grow within a company.

The apprenticeships, which range from 13-month to two-year programmes are in customer service, business administration, hairdressing and barbering.

Contributions made by individual firms can range from zero contribution up to a maximum of 10 per cent, depending on the level of qualification, the age of the apprentices and the size of the organisation.

Avant’s chief executive, Steve Roe – who has a training background which stretches over two decades on both banks of the Humber – encouraged firms in a variety of sectors to come forward.

AVAILABILITY: Steve Roe, Avant Training’s chief executive.

“Increasing the skills of your existing staff can increase the productivity of your business,

while creating progression opportunities for some of your most promising employees,” Mr

Roe said. Avant is looking forward to supporting business leaders develop their customer service and business administration needs.

While on the hairdressing front, there has also been a surge in the popularity of barber’s shops – either opening in their own right, or specialising with salons.

This, said Mr Roe, has led to a skills gap in that area of hairdressing – both nationally and regionally.

“Businesses in many areas will recognise members of staff who would really benefit and grow from the apprenticeships that are on offer – for little or even no investment, added Mr Roe, whose company has been offering direct training solutions across North East Lincolnshire for ten years.

Based at Pearl Assurance House in Grimsby town centre, Avant training has been rated “good” in all three of its Ofsted inspections, while also being highly recommended in national employer and learner surveys – with satisfaction ratings well above the national average.

For more information, contact Avant on 01472 470590.

your daily port of call for the latest and breaking business news around the Humber region visit humberbusiness.com

GTE-E01-S3

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

www.humberbusiness.com and facebook.com/grimsbytel and twitter.com/grimsbytel

17

Careers Sponsored by

NEW DOOR OPENS: Tim Doggett, Clugston Group’s distribution director. Below, Liz Fillingham.

Engineering, Design, Project Management Recruitment and Construction Services

Welcome return to the region for Matt

Experienced duo to aid strategic growth plans S

cunthorpe-based Clugston Group has made two senior appointments, in line with its strategic growth plan.

The privately-owned company which has interests in distribution, construction, facilities management and property development, has Tim Doggett as distribution director, while Liz Fillingham joins the company as group human resources director.

Mr Doggett joins the Brigg Road Clugston Distribution arm from Rhenus Logistics, where he held the position of general manager and was responsible for the organisation’s sales and operations

across the North West region.

He brings 25 years’ experience of commercial, general and senior management across the logistics industry, including road, air, sea and warehousing sectors.

Ms Fillingham has held senior roles in a number of areas, including utilities, construction, facilities management and logistics.

More recently, she has provided human resources consultancy services within the mental healthcare sector.

A Fellow of the CIPD, she has a wealth of experience in providing day to day support, together with a track record of delivering strategic HR.

Clugston Group, which employs almost 600 people across its divisions and will this year turn over £200 million, has a well-established reputation for its commitment to staff wellbeing and development which has resulted in high levels of retention and satisfaction.

Robert Vickers, Clugston Group chief executive, said: “We are delighted to welcome Tim Doggett and Liz Fillingham to the group.

Their experience across a broad range of areas will be vital to the division as we continue to examine ways to further expand our offering to both new and existing customers.”

BARCLAYS has welcomed a new appointment to the Humber team.

Matt Smith joins as a relationship director and will be responsible for looking after the needs of businesses with a turnover of £6.5 million upwards.

A banker for nearly 30 years, he has extensive knowledge of the corporate sector and most recently he was the national head of marine and transport and then senior director of social housing, delivering large complex transactions, for Clydesdale.

Mr Smith said: “Moving to Barclays is a welcome return to the region, having previously worked in Grimsby, Doncaster, Sheffield and Hull. I was particularly attracted to the growth Barclays is enjoying locally and look forward to adding to that .”

He completed an executive MBA at Hull University in 2012.

Andrew Marsh, head of corporate banking for South Yorkshire and the Humber, said: “Matt’s sector and local market knowledge will be a huge asset for the customers across the region.”

Professional with ‘hands-on’ trade knowledge JOE Pepper has joined Bridge McFarland’s Grimsby office as an assistant solicitor.

Specialising in property development and planning law, he has previously been hands-on in construction, working as an apprentice electrician and while doing extensive work experience with the family joinery business.

And he feels this exposure allows him to better understand the technical side of property law than if he had gone straight into legal training.

In his new role he will focus on all aspects of development, sale and leasing of both commercial and residential land and property, including options

and conditional contracts, land development schemes, property investment, commercial contracts, mortgage security, planning enforcement and lawful development certificates.

Joe said: “I am excited by the opportunity to combine the practical down-to-earth background I have with the legal knowledge I continue to develop – I like to think I can provide the sort of advice normal folk like myself can use and feel empowered by.

“The positive feedback I often get is that I take some of the mystery out of the legal process – I can put legal considerations into the context of whatever the transaction happens to be

and cater to a wide client base.”

He has also worked for the Citizens Advice Bureau; initially advising people on debt relief solutions, soon becoming a housing and homelessness specialist. It was while working at the CAB that he decided he wanted to study law with the aim of becoming a solicitor.

Stephen Oldridge, who leads the commercial team in Grimsby, said: “I am delighted that Joe has agreed to join the growing team at Bridge McFarland.

Joe is very well thought of in the Grimsby area and has a bright future ahead of him.”

Place your advertisment online recruiter.fish4.co.uk phone 0333 406 0268 email jobs@localworld.co.uk

follow us: Fish4jobs.co.uk

18

www.humberbusiness.com and facebook.com/grimsbytel and twitter.com/grimsbytel

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

GTE-E01-S3

Commercial Vehicles in association with

Environmental solution for environmental issue: Yara has it in the pouch!

T

HE Grimsby-area team behind an emission-busting fluid has won an environmental award for its innovative packaging.

be part of the family

Grimsby: 01472 355801 Lincoln: 01522 544700 Scunthorpe: 01724 271800 Hull: 01482 330660

Without the support of these companies this page would not be possible ©LW

To further raise the profile of your company call Andy Bannister on 01472 806962 andrew.bannister@grimsbytelegraph.co.uk

PRIDE OF PLACE: The award is displayed in the Harvest House headquarters in Grimsby. Below, the effective solution is demonstrated.

Car manufacturers have turned to selective catalytic reduction technology to address the major NOx issue – brought into acute focus by recent testing scandals and reports – and it requires the AdBlue substance to operate.

Yara, a leading manufacturer of the high quality urea solution, anticipated the rapidly booming demand, and, twinned with the inability to fill-up on a forecourt, it led to the creation of a custom-designed container.

Now the Association for Petroleum and Explosives Administration has recognised it as a product that “had the biggest positive impact on environmental protection during the past 12 months”, awarding the Environmental Protection and Improvement Award at APEA Live 2017, the national conference, held in Milton Keynes.

The APEA draws membership from all sectors of the petroleum industry, including regulators from national and local government authorities, oil companies, equipment manufacturers and suppliers, and many others.

As three-million vehicles hit European roads this year, all equipped with a separate tank for the fluid to address concerns over harmful NOx emissions, it could have led to a mountain of traditional canisters for retailers to dispose of.

Unlike lorries, where tanks are substantially larger, using the pump network is not an option as they would overfill in seconds.

Consuming almost 200g less plastic than the alternative AdBlue canister – the pouch delivers a 74 per cent saving on a like-for-like basis. Patent pending, and featuring no loose parts or coupling devices, it dispenses the fluid “fast and effortlessly” into the tank.

Once emptied, the pouch is

WINNER: Charlotte Friggieri, Yara’s commercial support specialist for environmental solutions, with engineering manager Adam Ruck, second left. The award was presented by motoring journalist and television presenter Quentin Wilson, left, with Steve Jones of sponsor Fairbanks, second from right, and chairman of APEA Anton Martiniussen. completely flat.

Yara’s business manager in the UK, Paul Norman, said: “I am honoured that our new packaging solution has been recognised as an innovative and effective approach to the NOx emissions issue. The citizens of the UK, as well as

elsewhere, have a right to clean air.

“AdBlue provides that – and packed in our pouch it does so leaving a minimal CO2 footprint.”

The solution is delivered by vessel from the plant in Sluiskil, Holland, direct to terminal tanks in Immingham and Dagenham. Once

there, road tankers have delivered to a network built up over the past decade, as European legislation kicked in.

The past five years the team at the UK head office, Harvest House on Grimsby’s Europarc, have seen a 134 per cent increase in volumes.

Many drivers will be able to rely on a top-up at the annual service, but many won’t, and will have to head to retailers such as forecourt shops, dealer trade counters, car parts retailers and motor/lubricant shops.

Mr Norman added: “Compared to rigid canisters this is a major benefit for the retailer – who would otherwise be lumbered with virtual mountains of plastic canisters on their forecourts. And for society at large the benefit is equally meaningful – the pouch having minimal impact on landfills.

“Protecting the planet is Yara’s mission. With the pouch we have developed a means to manifest our mission in practice: Diesel cars emit less of the greenhouse gas CO2 than petrol cars.

“With AdBlue by Yara the dangerous NOx is removed. And packed in a pouch it leaves less plastic. Less waste.”

GTE-E01-S3

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

www.humberbusiness.com and facebook.com/grimsbytel and twitter.com/grimsbytel

19

News

Month in Review Construction consultant CR Parrott closes down

High-profile payrolls create hospitality niche P

An app has been overhauled as mobile AYROLL specialist Dataplan has launched a dedicated hospitality di- operating systems develop, with finger print vision after adding a number of recognition now being considered too.

Also based at the Dataplan building, Atomic high-profile clients in the sector, and Voice has also launched as a new division of even more staff.

The fast-changing, high turnover world of hotels and events venues has been brought on board, with events operators using the O2 in London as well as several Hilton, Holiday Inn and Crown Plaza locations now served.

It comes as the standalone division of leading regional independent chartered accountancy practice Forrester Boyd has seen a further 35 recruits join this year, taking staff numbers in Grimsby’s Prince Albert Gardens to 106, double what it stood at in 2015 it made the move away from the combined South St Mary’s Gate offices.

With payroll becoming an increasingly complex part of firms’ accounts or human resources offer, the third party management of a core business function has been lapped up by many, with economies of scale and expertise enabling Dataplan to provide a highly respected services, built on its own IT provision.

It has just been re-accredited to the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals’ Payroll Quality Partnership too.

“We have launched a hospitality site on the back of the growth in the sector that we have seen,” Stewart Waddell, operations director said. “We are really looking at hotels, restaurants and pubs, venues and events providers. Anything encompassed by sports and leisure, travel and tourism.

“We take the headache away, and it is good work to be in.”

Clients are given portal access to Dataplan’s digital set-up, inputting working data, with the Grimsby team doing the rest. Such is the changing nature, one client went from 26 employee pay slips to more than 500 in two months.

It comes as the business has a big push on e-payslips, as it looks to change the way employees receive the information.

It currently prints 1.8 million payslips annually, and with 78,000 users of an ePayslip it offers, the team wants to move that to digital.

Atomic, what was FB IT Solutions, the in-house team that stepped up to serve clients.

It is specialising in internet telephony, known as VOIP. “It is a really cost-efficient way of making telephone calls,” Shane Buston, one of

three telephony engineers in the team, said.

“Our first ‘client’ was Dataplan and we have decided to push it out further. Traditionally it uses ISDN, but that is being phased out by 2025, so everyone will be swapping over.” As with much of the IT that powers the Forrester Boyd Group, again the team has created its own servers and software, and can control everything remotely.

CONSTRUCTION: A company involved in some of northern Lincolnshire’s most prestigious construction projects has ceased trading with the loss of 16 jobs.

Multi-award winning CR Parrott Consultants Ltd, established in 1994, has cited “very challenging” trading conditions, deferred projects and bad debts as the reason behind the closure.

It has provided architectural, structural engineering and project management services from its base in Scunthorpe for nearly a quarter of a century.

Headed up by husband and wife directors Chris and Joanna Parrott, who brought in Grimsby’s Kingsbridge Corporate Solutions to help wind up the business, The Baths Hall in Scunthorpe and Cartergate House, the new home of Wilkin Chapman, are particular local highlights, together with Auto-Trail’s massively expanded manufacturing base on Europarc and many other industrial projects on the South Bank.

High approval for Highseal MANUFACTURING: A Scunthorpe-based manufacturer is set to expand after a surge in new orders followed its accreditation with a UK product and quality service certification.

Highseal Manufacturing Company has received new orders worth £4 million after being accredited with the BSI Kitemark.

That accreditation comes after a £130,000 investment from the Donaldson family, who own the business, which is contributing to a recruitment drive that will see the team at its Scunthorpe headquarters increase to 25.

And the company says further job opportunities will become available over the coming months.

The expansion will see Highseal provide doors and windows for almost 2,000 new homes across five housing development sites.

It will also introduce a new aluminium system called Warmcore, which offers windows, bi-folding doors, residential doors and sliding patio suites, to the market.

Online cycling boutique HOSPITABLE: The Dataplan Hospitality team, from left, Wendy Bagnall, Jack Simpson, Carol Ellis, Victoria McKay, Stephanie Simpson and Abigail Woodhouse. Above, The 02, where clients are working.

RETAIL: An entrepreneur from Grimsby has launched an online cycling boutique, offering global brands a platform to share their wares.

Katie Barwood, a former Healing School and Franklin College student, discovered a niche while on an epic cycling challenge of her own.

Having relocated to West Yorkshire to work in corporate banking after reading marketing and advertising at the University of Hull, she is now heading up Spin Shed with partner Jules Pearce.

Together they have a strong background in finance, product development and branding.

The online store aims to showcase the best of cycling style, uniting independent global brands from around the globe, providing customers with a wider choice. It brings together a mix of cycling apparel, luggage, gifts and art.

Battery storage go-ahead

ATOMIC VOICE: The team, from left, Jonathan Hoggett, Jaek Kuzemczak, Shane Buston and Liam Ridgill.

ENERGY: Plans have been approved for a £10 million battery storage facility in Grimsby.

Green Hedge Energy UK is behind the proposal to significantly enhance the sub-station in Magnolia Street, off Spring Bank.

Work looks likely to begin next year on the 30MW facility, to charge overnight when grid demand is low, then feeding back in at peak times.

It is part of a new era of solutions to bring grid consistency in light of the increasing contribution of variable generating sources, such as wind and solar.

20

www.humberbusiness.com and facebook.com/grimsbytel and twitter.com/grimsbytel

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

GTE-E01-S3

Construction &

Rural retreat provides ideal setting for new showroom A

fter nearly a decade of sales on the high street, furniture specialist Robinson Interiors has headed out of town and launched a dedicated showroom.

into the first shop, it is just like that. I was there seven years and did phenomenal trade.”

However, rental increases made a huge difference to the business’s bottom line, and Mr Robinson moved the shop up St Having been a strong feature Peter’s Avenue towards Isaac’s of St Peter’s Avenue, Hill.

Cleethorpes, since opening in “It made quite a difference, the depths of recession nine and while we got people in, I years ago, the rural retreat of was changing the stock to The Old Granary has been bring in the footfall, and it was taken on in Aylesby. more trippers and tourists,” he The entire ground floor offers said, of the remarkable a significantly larger footprint difference a few hundred yards made. Now we can go back to and allows owners Mike and exactly what we did in the first Jayne Robinson to return to store, with the real quality the quality pieces they began furniture again.” with. For Mr Robinson it is a second major wrench on the The husband and wife team business front, having left the are leasing the entire ground long-established thirdfloor, spanning nearly 2,000 sq generation family firm of AW ft, and having initially looked Robinson back in late 2008. It is at sub-letting, they are a move born out of frustration retaining a secondary area and necessity, with an towards the church to enhance emerging changing model of the range further, working online orders now being with Willis and Gambier to dispatched daily, requiring bring forward a dedicated space and access. offer.

“It is a massive move to come “People have already been off the high street,” he said. “I driving out here, it is a great remember when I came out of setting with plenty of car the family business and went parking, and the building looks

terrific,” Mr Robinson said, telling how he had considered Brigg, Beverley and Lincoln, before opting to remain in North East Lincolnshire.

“We know, being retailers, we have our local customers, and I felt that they wouldn’t want to go much further for it,” he said.

“It is actually something two years ago I wouldn’t have done, but the general high street is getting frustrating and even in furniture, so much now is online. I see Sea View Street is a great place to be, and those businesses look to be doing well, but when you look into St Peter’s Avenue it is such a shame and I don’t feel as if there’s anything to encourage you.”

He believes free car parking is a must for such places to thrive, with both car parks book-ending the main shopping area operated through pay and display.

Carl Bradley of Clark Weightman handled the deal for the owner of the Manor Farm property, with design and marketing agency Source Four, remaining on the first floor of The Old Granary.

FROM COAST TO COUNTRY: Mike and Jayne Robinson at Robinsons Interiors, The Old Granary, Church Lane, Aylesby.

Looking for new business premises?

Search commercial properties for sale or to rent

Visit

www.humberbusiness.com/commercialproperty

GTE-E01-S3

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

www.humberbusiness.com and facebook.com/grimsbytel and twitter.com/grimsbytel

21

Commercial Property

Port operator unveils one of Britain’s largest ever solar projects for Immingham as new property arm enjoys high-profile launch ABP has unveiled plans to deliver one of the biggest rooftop solar installations in the UK, in Immingham.

The port giant is installing 20MW of solar arrays across 1.4 million sq m of covered storage space, and it will make it one of the highest generating corporate solar power producers in Britain.

A total of 23,000 sq m has been identified across multiple warehouses at Immingham, Britain’s biggest port, with the project underway now. It is one of two locations set to go live by March 2018, together totalling 4.5MW. Once complete, the investment could see ABP’s 21 ports home to 100,000 solar panels generating up to 22,400,000kWh of clean electricity each year – enough to boil more than 1.12 billion kettles.

It represents a 250 per cent increase on its existing 8MW capacity.

Electricity generated will power port operations for ABP and its customers, with excess power fed into the National Grid.

Chris Garton, ABP’s director of asset management, said:

“Renewable energy is at the heart of this business.

Not only do we play a vital role in the thriving UK offshore wind sector but our business is increasingly a significant renewable energy generator in its own right.

“We are confident that this is just the beginning for ABP. We still have significant potential to further develop our ports to generate yet more clean energy, further reducing the carbon footprint both of our business and of our customers’ operations.”

ABP has a three-year solar installation framework agreement with Chesterfield-based Custom Solar.

Gary Sucharewycz, director, said: “The scale of this investment in solar arrays will make ABP one of the largest UK generators and users of solar energy.

“They have recognised not only the benefits of minimising the impact of operations on the environment but the value in the security of energy supply that solar offers.”

Associated British Property!

A

BP Property, the development arm of the Humber ports giant, has been relaunched as a £3.5 billion business.

A reception at The Gherkin in London saw it unveiled, with more than 150 industry representatives and customers hearing how it represents a 960 hectare land bank, after they were welcomed to the City skyscraper’s top floor.

Jens Nielsen, ABP’s commercial director, said: “ABP has always been a property developer. Land and the provision of world class infrastructure sits at the heart of everything we do.

“The rejuvenated business we are launching is a dynamic organisation with major development capability backed by the financial resources of some of the world’s largest infrastructure investors.”

The past year has seen the company significantly expand its footprint at Immingham, where Mr Nielson used to head up DFDS from, as well as Grimsby, as part of a nationwide £1 billion, five-year investment programme designed to create world class facilities for customers.

Immingham saw a 50 acre greenfield site addition close to the eastern entrance, in a deal with historic landowners Brocklesby Estate.

Named Imm-Port, and bordered by Kings Road, Queens Road and the A1173 which provides an immediate link to the A180, potential for warehouse and industrial units capable of accommodating about 1,500 employees has been eyed up. The site already part of the Humber Enterprise Zone, offering significant incentives for occupiers.

INVESTMENT AND INVESTORES: Imm-Port land acquired by Associated British Ports, and right, Jens Nielsen launches The Gherkin event in London.

In Grimsby, ABP has bought a large portion of the former Huntsman Tioxide site to create additional car storage for the thriving automotive trade it has built.

Huw Turner, ABP’s group head of property, said: “Our 21 ports serving key shipping, land and rail routes provide great opportunities to develop and utilise available land which offers accommodation solutions for the

manufacture and distribution of goods locally, nationally and globally.

“Whether our customers’ business is port-related or not, the size of our estate will enable clients to grow and expand while remaining in the same location. At the same time, occupiers will have the opportunity to expand their reach with the creation of additional buildings across other port locations where land is available for

development. We provide a full one-stop service: from the start to completion of a project and beyond as we create a development partnership with our clients. ABP Property has the land, development expertise and financial resources for the delivery of new accommodation from specification to construction.”

He said that ABP Property will offer a variety of solutions aimed at

meeting the needs of individual occupiers, ranging from providing buildings on traditional leases, to design and build, to partnership schemes and the provision of development funding.

At certain sites, the gathering heard, ABP Property will be investing substantially in infrastructure to enable development to proceed quickly.

22

www.humberbusiness.com and facebook.com/grimsbytel and twitter.com/grimsbytel

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

GTE-E01-S3

Commercial Property

Energy ratings low? Act now or face owning unlettable premises H

UNDREDS of commercial buildings, including shops, offices and industrial units risk falling foul of strict new energy efficiency legislation which comes into force next year, a commercial property specialist has warned.

From next April owners who have buildings with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of ‘F’ or ‘G’ will not be able to let them.

Landlords who already have tenants in buildings with these low ratings will have a stay of execution until April 2023 by which date the ratings must have been improved.

Nick Coultish, of Scotts Property LLP, is urging those who own or occupy commercial premises to be aware of the new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) which will become effective from April 2018.

While there are some exceptions, it is anticipated that around one-in-five of commercial properties in the UK will fall within the ‘sub-standard’ category, according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

“This is an issue that must be highlighted as we move into 2018, there is no doubt that action is needed now within the commercial property sector to ensure that steps are being taken to bring the energy efficiency of buildings up to standard,” Mr Coultish said.

“The government is certainly taking the new legislation extremely seriously, proposing fines of between £5,000 and £150,000 per breach, based on the rateable value of the property if a new letting takes place on a property with a rating of ‘F’ or ‘G’ from April 2018, or where improvements are not made on premises with an ‘F’ or ‘G’ rating which continue to be let after April 2023,” he added.

EARLY WARNING: Nick Coultish of Scotts addresses the EPC issue.

improving the energy performance of such buildings.

The new standards build upon existing legislation dating back to 2012 which made it a legal requirement for premises to be let or sold to hold an Energy Performance Certificate.

Alongside the certificate, the assessor will have provided a recommendations report with

There is no doubt that action is needed now within the commercial property sector to ensure that steps are being taken to bring the energy efficiency of buildings up to standard Nick Coultish “While the new regulations will be seen as a real headache by some landlords, they cannot be ignored as failure to act may render certain premises unlettable. However, a simple review of the property can often reveal relatively simple compliance steps.

“Continually looking for ways in which to make any business premises more efficient is sensible and reflects good practice. The outcome of a review may not be as complex or as expensive as many think.”

The legislation comes into force as a result of the Climate Change Act 2008. Independent of EU legislation, the UK is committed to reducing its emissions by at least 80 per cent by 2050, compared to 1990 levels.

It is estimated by the RICS that the property sector accounts for 32 per cent of the UK’s emissions and that more than 80 per cent of the buildings that exist today will still be in use in 2050. In order to meet long term targets, it is seen as essential to reduce demand by

suggestions to improve the rating.

“Quite often implementation of these recommendations – some of low cost – can help to improve the rating of the premises. This may include changes to lighting, heating and insulation within the premises. This, in turn, may result in lower running costs and greenhouse gas emissions, providing good news in respect of reduced tenant out-goings and a reduced carbon footprint,” added Mr Coultish.

Training provider adds learning base to town HQ Wishing all our clients old, new and future a Merry Christmas and Prosperous New Year Commercial property expertise across the Humber Region

SALES & LETTINGS | LEASE ADVISORY | VALUATIONS PROPERTY MANAGEMENT | BUSINESS RATES

01482 645522 Chartered Surveyors and Commercial Property Consultants

www.clarkweightman.co.uk

A full property search is available on our website

A NEW learning centre has been opened by a Grimsby-headquartered provider in the town.

Adult Skills HQ now provides free English, maths and IT training for eligible delegates from Provincial House on Victoria Street.

For more than a decade, the education provider has been delivering life-changing qualifications to adult learners across the north of England, who want to upskill and enhance their career prospects.

Richard Hallam, managing director, said: “For the past 10 years we’ve had our head office in the town, but we’ve been busy growing our learning centres in Greater Manchester, Yorkshire and the Midlands.

“I have always wanted to open a learning centre in Grimsby, and now feel the time is right to open something on our doorstep – so we can concentrate on helping the people of Grimsby and Cleethorpes.”

Every year, In2wrk, Adult Skills HQ’s sister company, delivers more than 4,000 qualifications to people who want to improve their literacy, numeracy and digital skills. But with the opening of Adult Skills HQ in Grimsby, the number of people they deliver English, Maths and IT qualifications

FIRST SUCCESS: Keith Jarvis receives his certificate from Hannah Bell at the base at Provincial House. to is set to soar.

Jack Johnson, marketing and communications manager, said: “We’ve been helping people upskill and give their CVs a boost for years, so it is about time we started focusing on people in our home town.

“You’d be hard-pushed to find an organisation who’s more passionate about helping people improve their every-day skills, so they can stand a better chance of finding sustainable and fulfilling work.

“I think that’s what sets us apart from other providers: we take a real interest in all of our learners and look forward to the moment when they receive a nationally-recognised qualification. That’s what this job is all about.”

Fore more information about the courses offered by Adult Skills HQ, call 01472 898065, visit www.adultskillshq.com or drop in to the learning centre at Provincial House on the junction of Victoria Street and Pasture Street.

GTE-E01-S3

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

www.humberbusiness.com and facebook.com/grimsbytel and twitter.com/grimsbytel

23

Commercial Property

Real estate â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;sector dealâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; suggestion

DEAL DONE: The huge facility in Scunthorpe, acquired by Kestral.

Construction products giant swoops to create Scunthorpe super base I

N the largest single property transaction in North Lincolnshire this year, PPH Commercial has sold a freehold 168,000 sq ft warehouse on the Normanby Enterprise Park, Scunthorpe, to neighbour Kestrel Building Products, in a multi-million pound deal.

The fascias, soffits, cladding and guttering manufacturer is understood to be planning to connect the building to its existing Billet Lane premises to create a much larger production area and warehouse/distribution facility.

It will create increased employment opportunities, and is said to represent the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment and confidence in the town, where it is headquartered.

The building was previously occupied for more than 25 years by garden furniture importers Li-Lo Leisure, a company that recently reorganised its business and now operates only out of London.

Duncan Willey, pictured, divisional director of PPH Commercial, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is really encouraging for confidence in the area to see a building as large as this being sold. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The purchasers have identified growth within their business, and with the neighbouring property being available this gave them the opportunity to fulfil their potential. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The property provides more than 168,000 sq ft by way of two buildings on a site of approximately 6.62 acres.â&#x20AC;?

The exact size of the transaction hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been revealed, but the property was on the market for ÂŁ4.25 million.

Kestrel was established in 1990 to provide a full range of U-PVC, PVC-UE roofline, cladding and window finishing system products within the building and construction sectors.

It sells through a network of stockists and distributors, with more than 800 products on the market, the majority of which are BBA and BS Kitemark approved.

The past five years have seen it invest more than ÂŁ10 million in new manufacturing technology and equipment.

/DQFDVWHU $SSURDFK 1RUWK .LOOLQJKROPH Ĺ&#x2DC; :HOO SUHVHQWHG RIILFH 72 /(7 VXLWH LQ VKDUHG EXLOGLQJ

Ĺ&#x2DC; 0L[WXUH RI RSHQ SODQ ZRUN DUHDV DQG LQGLYLGXDO RIILFHV Ĺ&#x2DC; $PSOH RQ VLWH FDU SDUNLQJ Ĺ&#x2DC; &RQYHQLHQW ORFDWLRQ FORVH WR SRUWV DQG $ PRWRUZD\ OLQN URDG

THE British Property Federation has submitted a sector deal proposal on behalf of the real estate industry.

The announcement follows the past monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s publication of the Gover nmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Industrial Strategy White Paper â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and of the first three sector deals.

The real estate proposal sets out how the industry underpins the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economic and social wellbeing, and how it will be essential to the delivery of other sector deals including construction.

The proposal seeks to cover: â&#x2014;? Building capability and capacity â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in particular, increasing the delivery of housing, and making sure real estate and construction have the skills they need for the future â&#x2014;? Targeting growth opportunities â&#x20AC;&#x201C; driving local delivery through more effective partnerships and processes, including planning and procurement â&#x2014;? Future-proofing the industry â&#x20AC;&#x201C; attracting investment, harnessing technological changes and responding to future challenges Through partnership with government, the real estate industry hopes to deliver: â&#x2014;? ÂŁ120 billion of new investment in housing, with 500,000 additional homes by 2030 â&#x2014;? A long-term strategy to

ensure that good quality homes are accessible for all â&#x2014;? 50,000 new jobs in a diversified sector â&#x2014;? A ÂŁ2.5 million research programme to drive innovation The real estate industry, in return, asks government for a stable UK tax, regulatory and planning system that will allow the industry to reach its full potential.

Melanie Leech, chief executive, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Real estate underpins and enables all economic activity in the UK, and the industry has come together to demonstrate how we can ensure our sector can reach its full potential and play a significant role in the future success of our nation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our success both supports, and depends on, other sectors. We welcome the announcement of a sector deal for construction â&#x20AC;&#x201C; as the funders of construction activity, our proposal is complementary to, and supportive of, the construction deal and we look forward to an early discussion with ministers.

It is essential that the real estate and construction sectors work together to build capacity and skills to deliver an ambitious building programme, and create the physical environments to support businesses and people in both work and life.â&#x20AC;?

e SD

$OH[DQGUD 5RDG +DYHQ 0LOO *ULPVE\ $// (148,5,(6 Ĺ&#x2DC; 2I LQWHUHVW WR RZQHU RFFXSLHUV WHQDQWV GHYHORSHUV Ĺ&#x2DC; 2IILFH LQGXVWULDO ZRUNVKRS SUHPLVHV Ĺ&#x2DC; ([WHQGLQJ WR VT P VT IW

Ĺ&#x2DC; 3URPLQHQW WRZQ FHQWUH ORFDWLRQ

e e SD

www.clarkweightman.co.uk

24

www.humberbusiness.com and facebook.com/grimsbytel and twitter.com/grimsbytel

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

GTE-E01-S3

News

LAISTER’S Last Word

BY DAVE LAISTER

What’s wrong with backing both horses in a two-horse race?

DOUBLED HIS MONEY: Lord Sugar, centre, with James White and Sarah Lynn, the joint winners of BBC One’s The Apprentice 2017.

SEYCHELLES SMOKING: Rona Arrisol and Ronny Antat, second right and right, at Grimsby Seafood Village Training School, with, from left, Leon Pickersgill of Danfood Technology and Eyd Smedemark. Below, Ronny and Eyd at one of the kilns.

Smoking beats snow for Seychelles team L

EARNING how to kiln smoke fish time adapting,” it was the kiln creations in the UK seafood capital proved that held the interest, having researched a draw for international visitors online to find an accredited facility. from the Seychelles as they seek Rona, quality control officer, said: “This to enhance the wider seafood industry on the East African islands.

And while the training proved extremely useful, so did the timing, as they got to see snow for the first time in their lives.

Used to temperatures between 20 and 31 deg C, the recent flurry saw another new experience enjoyed, as Rona Arrisol and Ronny Antat of the Seychelles Fishing Authority, spent the week at Grimsby Seafood Village’s training academy.

Having seen enough of the white stuff after a few hours, admitting to a “hard

It has been brilliant training as before this we only had theoretical knowledge

Ronny Antat is mostly for us to learn the technique of fish smoking. What we do is provide capacity building for investors back in

the Seychelles. We came to learn to hot smoke fish so we can pass on the technique to them.

“It has shed some more light on what we know, because until now I only knew about liquid cold smoking. Hot smoking is not something familiar, and now – for us – I can see some advantages.

“It is very interesting, I really liked it, and I just wished I could have brought in our own fish. We will have to experiment on our return. We have done well with mackerel, so I am thinking we can cook the same with other fatty fish.”

Trevally – seen eating birds in Seychelles waters on the BBC’s Blue Planet II – is one which may well be introduced. The duo from the capital Victoria, on the island of Mahé, have an academy of their own, should it be embraced in a big way.

Ronny, development and assessment manager, said: “We are part of the value addition section of the organisation and right now there are quite a few businesses coming to us to us asking about fish smoking. There was a need for this capacity building in our own organisation to make sure people coming to us can be advised.

“It has been brilliant training as before this we only had theoretical knowledge.

Coming here and actually getting involved in actually smoking our own fish has been very good.”

Joining the course was Eyd Smedemark, from Faroese company Vaðhorn Seafood, who was far more used to snow than her “class mates” who made the 5,000 mile jour ney.

Ivan Jaines-White, commercial manager at Grimsby Seafood Village, said: “I am delighted to see our visitors from the Seychelles here. They are already recognising the opportunities, and I am very, very pleased to see them.”

THE weekend started with a family visit to the pantomime, and ended well and truly in the festive spirit.

Lord Sugar’s decision to take on BOTH of the finalists in The Apprentice has brought its fair share of audience boos, but for me it was an excellent ending, on a par with the glass slipper fitting on the stage of Grimsby Auditorium.

While I’ve heard and read comments complaining about people’s time invested in the whole series – and at times I wondered if we’d get a winner at all or whether he’d keep his cash – it is easy to forget behind the TV hype, audience pleasing quips and often wildly exaggerated business “situations”, that there is a genuine investment.

A quarter of a million pounds may not have the same meaning to the business tycoon as it does to you or I, a “gamble” on which I’d be immediately divorced, but for James White, who wants to launch an IT recruitment firm, and Sarah Lynn, who owns a confectionery company, it is absolutely everything.

And so, lucky series 13 it proved for them. My money, for what it was worth, was on Lynn, as I could sense Lord Sugar had bought in when he started asking about product personalisation for her sweet-gifting proposal. I shared his frustration at her not even getting near to optimising her current business’ website, but her biggest weakness was almost a strength as you could see where it would scale up.

Hopefully she’s seen where

KitKat went right, and will speak to our friends at Ultimate Group about the technology developed here in northern Lincolnshire (see page five), as Sweeteze rolls out nationwide.

I’ll have a lifetime’s supply of Refreshers and cola bottles if that works out please!

While The Apprentice has been a firm fixture on the planner, one thing I’ve not been able to watch over the past few days is our absolute thrashing and loss of The Ashes, thanks to an absolute lack of terrestrial highlights.

While I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the return to Test Match Special as my primary source, and had a few mornings of dual-screen action with the latest business news and the live scoreboard in tandem, I find it hard to believe such a sporting contest has been given no slot at all on free-to-view. Not even Channel Five!

What is abundantly clear is we need to get to grips with producing some really fast bowlers, and if we want to harness interest in this phenomenal sport, then we need as many people as possible to see it.

Forget the short-term money spinner, the highest bid, the exclusivity it brings, we need it to have a slot in the mainstream, not hidden away on a website or paid-for premium channel.

I’ll find it intriguing to learn how subscriptions have fared, whether it has pulled in the pounds, or led to many, like me, returning to the wireless – or mobile phone app!

Here’s to a very merry Christmas and a prosperous new year!

ON behalf of the business team at the Grimsby and Scunthorpe Telegraph, may I wish all readers and advertisers a very merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous new year.

I’m not sure where 2017 has gone, but in terms of business

editions, it has. There’s been plenty going on, and it has felt chiefly positive. May that be the case too in 2018.

Here’s to a re-charge, a charge of the odd glass and some quality family time.

All the very best!