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January/February 2022
Business
Intelligence The Magazine of Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce
Expanding trade links around the world Rolling out red carpet for Serbian delegation Policy
Patrons
Sector Focus
Chamber to host meeting with new Chief Executive of Transport for the North
Lord Mayor Of Hull welcomes guests to annual Chamber Patron’s Lunch
Leading law firm commits to keeping local talent in the region
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T: 01469 551610
E: chartering@casperchartering.com W: www.casperchartering.com
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Contents January/February 2022
Business
Intelligence President’s Message 5
Phil Jones, President of Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce, looks ahead to the New Year
Big Interview 6
Irene Keal, of Sylvester Keal
Policy 8
Chamber joins call for improved rail services
Member News 12 Brochure puts small firms on the map
Patrons 26 Annual Chamber Patron’s Lunch
Spotlight Features 30 Apprenticeships, Skills & Training Is in-house training right for you?
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35 Why you must embrace adaptability to get ahead 39 Green Business & Renewable Energy Steps to reduce to your carbon footprint
Sector Focus 42 International Trade Record month for translation business 45 Legal & Finance Accountancy firm welcomes new Directors 46 Skills & Training Law firm takes on regional talent
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48 Manufacturing New PPE range released 50 Motoring David Hooper tests the Toyota GR Yaris
New Members 56 The Chamber welcomes new members
Last Word
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58 Claire Levy, of the Daisy Appeal, on the challenges the charity faced during the pandemic January/February 2022
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www.rheintacho.com 4
Business Intelligence January/February 2022
sales@rheintacho.co.uk
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Growing your business, building our economy
President’s Message
HEAD OFFICE Hull & East Yorkshire (Head Office) 34/38 Beverley Road, Hull HU3 1YE T: 01482 324976 NORTHERN LINCOLNSHIRE OFFICE Port Offices, Cleethorpe Road, Grimsby North East Lincolnshire DN31 3LL T: 01472 342981
Dear Members,
WEBSITE www.hull-humber-chamber.co.uk
Where did 2021 go? It was a whirlwind from start to finish.
EMAIL To help us deal with your message more quickly, please select the most appropriate address from below: GENERAL: info@hull-humber-chamber.co.uk International Trade: itc@hull-humberchamber.co.uk TRAINING: info@chambertraining.com Press Releases: press@hull-humberchamber.co.uk WEBSITE COMMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS: webmaster@hull-humber-chamber.co.uk PUBLISHED BY:
Kemps Publishing Ltd Unit 8, The Courtyard, 707 Warwick Road, Solihull, B91 3DA T: 0121 765 4144 W: www.kempspublishing.co.uk MANAGING EDITOR: Laura Blake DESIGNER: Lloyd Hollingworth ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES T: 0121 765 4144 E: jon.jones@kempspublishing.co.uk PRINTERS Buxton Press W: www.buxtonpress.com ABOUT THIS MAGAZINE Business Intelligence is a bi-monthly magazine distributed to more than 2,000 member companies and affiliates in the Humber region. Hull & Humber Chamber welcomes newsworthy articles of business interest. As editorial space is limited, inclusion cannot be guaranteed and the editor may amend or reject articles submitted. Send articles to: press@hull-humber.co.uk
In early December, we enjoyed the Chamber Patrons Luncheon which was held at the Lord Mayor’s Parlour in Hull’s Guildhall. It was a fabulous occasion giving guests the opportunity to enjoy the historic and cultural aspects of this wonderful building, as guests of the Chamber and in the company of The Lord Mayor and Admiral of the Humber. There was a festive spirit in a timeless place. (See page 26). As we look ahead, I am guessing that 2022 is going to be a challenging year for many businesses, especially exporters of goods around the world. For businesses caught up in the additional export regulations which come into force from January, I would urge you to get in touch with the Chamber’s International Trade team for support. On other fronts, the Chamber is pleased to be able to support the recent announcement that a new trans-Pennine rail route is proposed to create an express service between Hull and Liverpool. This is planned to be timetabled from December 2022 and will massively speed up journey times between two of the great port cities in the North of England. This is something that your Chamber has lobbied on for several years and will provide significant stimulus to our region. Other initiatives for your Chamber include building an ever-closer relationship with our membership in order that we can better understand skills requirements. As part of Government-led thinking to put Chambers of Commerce in lead roles on the Local Skills Improvement Plan agenda, it is widely acknowledged that existing patterns of provision do not always collectively deliver the skills that employers need to thrive and grow, so more changes are on their way. It is going to be an exciting, yet challenging year ahead with much to look forward to.
I wish you a happy and prosperous New Year.
Phil Jones President, Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce
Chamber Patrons
PRIVACY NOTICE
As a not-for-profit organisation, the Chamber is very grateful to our Patrons, who support us in our aim to help our Members develop their businesses.
Kemps Publishing Ltd process personal information for certain legitimate interest purposes, which includes the following: To provide postal copies of this publication to chamber members and Kemps' customers; and to offer marketing and promotional opportunities within this publication to Chamber members and prospects. Whenever we process data for thes e purposes, we always ensure we treat your Personal Data rights in high regard. If you wish to, you can visit www.kempspublishing.co.uk to view our full Privacy Notice and to learn more about our legitimate interests and your rights in this regard.
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KCOM Arco Humberside Streets Chartered Accountants Associated British Ports SPS Group of Companies On Loan Recruitment Ltd Clugston Group Ltd Wilkin Chapman LLP Solicitors University of Hull My Group
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Andrew Jackson Forest Pines Hotel and Golf Resort Orsted ASM Global Ellgia Alan Boswell Insurance Brokers AA Global Language Services Ltd Kevin Greene Photography Drax Equinor New Energy Ltd
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Big Interview Phil Ascough of Ascough Associates talks to Irene Keal about the efforts of Sylvester Keal to survive the Covid-19 pandemic
Tackling a crisis together as a family
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anic might have been the first thought when the pandemic struck just a couple of years into Sylvester Keal’s 10-year plan, but positivity soon took over. The furlough scheme helped, but above all it was the culture of the business which ensured survival as colleagues worked to help each other and to support the wider community “Our supply chain fell apart,” said Irene Keal, of the early impact of Covid-19 on the professional kitchens and laundry business which she has built up with her husband, Martyn. “But we managed to get gloves, aprons and sanitisers and we committed to supplying care homes and hospitals because they had to take precedence and they weren’t getting supplies either.” Son Ben, an electrician who heads-up the company’s projects department, joined colleagues and other contractors in working 14 successive 12-hour days to transform a care home into a respite facility for patients recovering from Covid. Irene said: “It was a sort of DIY SOS for the local authority and they were proud to be part of it.” Such stories of stepping up and getting things done are recurring themes in the Sylvester Keal story.
‘I went on training courses and built up my skills and introduced marketing into the business’ The business dates back to the days when Derek Keal – Martyn’s dad – used to drive round Grimsby fixing microwaves from the back of his van. Martyn stepped up one day in 1987 and added a new dimension to the business. “He went on the road selling cleaning products from his clapped-out Ford Sierra,” said Irene. “He sold everything on day one and his dad couldn’t believe it.” Irene came on board about 20 years ago – a dancer and hairdresser who walked into the building to look after the phones armed with a copy of Bella magazine and a passion and willingness to learn which have never diminished. 6
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She said: “Since then I have worked in every department but I didn’t just walk into the role of director. I went on training courses and built up my skills and introduced marketing into the business.” Daughter Victoria, aged 21 and studying dance at college in London, completes the family line-up, working part-time to support the online marketing side of the business. Also integral to the future of Sylvester Keal are two apprentices, part of a commitment to sustainability which Irene takes to her meetings as Chair of the Chamber’s North East Lincolnshire Area Council She said: “That’s the way forward for us because there is an incredible shortage of skills and that’s something we’re always discussing at the Chamber meetings. We have two apprentices and it will be two or three years before they qualify because it’s a niche role and it’s not easy to find people who can grasp it. “You have to be a good engineer and you have to understand customer service, going above and beyond because as a local business and a family business we know that’s what people want.” Covid challenged Sylvester Keal like never before but the standards of the 30-strong team never wavered. When the hospitality sector was decimated and threatened to take half of Sylvester Keal’s business with it, the focus switched. Irene and her colleagues provided
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Big Interview
Some of Sylvester Keal's wide range of cleaning products
“It’s good to have the people in your teams talking to you as well. What do they think? We like our staff to feel valued. They are more agile and they are expanding their roles and making decisions. “We have some great people and we think of it as our SK bus – we have people in the seats and people who jump off and new people who get on, and people who want to drive and people who won’t ever drive.” Getting the right people on the bus gives Irene and Martyn more opportunities to work on the business rather than just in the business. Martyn still goes out on the road because it’s good for the sales team and for customer contact, and Irene learns from other businesses through her Chamber role.
‘When I joined I never dreamed we would be where we are but there’s been a lot of strategy and hard work’
ABOVE: Irene Keal - the business is still very much a family-run affair LEFT: Martyn and Irene Keal with their children Ben and Victoria
beleaguered restaurant owners with guidance on how to operate safely with social-distancing and sanitising stations, and efficiently with changes to menus which would support a great dining experience as staff shortages began to bite. Not that Sylvester Keal was immune to the trend of experienced employees suddenly deciding on a career change driven by lifestyle choices, but again the culture kicked in. Irene said: “We have about six new staff in various roles including telesales and business development, bringing in expertise and skills from larger businesses which is always good to have because we like to embrace new ideas.
The addition of the project department is evidence of an innovative business looking to grow, offering a commercial kitchens design and installation service which is in demand from charities and the care sector. New products have included signage for social distancing, and the decision of many hospitality outlets to diversify into take-away food prompted Sylvester Keal to branch into eco-friendly containers. The company also stocks an expanding range of organic cleaning products, many under its own SK brand. Irene said: “We’re buying in bamboo products – a lot more cooking equipment is eco-friendly and energy efficient. We are green now and we’re going to get greener.” It’s a business which now operates nationwide but which in expanding has sharpened its local focus. “When I joined I never dreamed we would be where we are but there’s been a lot of strategy and hard work. We have had our ups and downs and we still have them but we live and breathe the business because you have to put everything into it,” said Irene. “We have re-evaluated everything in the business. We are still very much a family-run affair, keeping robust and energised emerging out of the pandemic. Like a lot of other businesses we are very positive and we knew that, no matter what, we were going to come through it.” January/February 2022
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Chamber Policy Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce is the collective ‘voice’ of business across the Humber region representing the views and interests of our Members at local, regional and national levels.
Fashionistas ‘spotted’ at meeting
t the October meeting of the Chamber’s North East Lincolnshire Area Council, held at Healing Manor, animal print was the trending dress code of the day for some of the ladies attending, which led to an impromptu photo shoot. Pictured modelling some of the latest fashions are (from left) the Chamber’s Northern Lincolnshire Manager Anne Tate, Di Jones, Irene Keal, Julia Thompson and Maggie Johnson from North East Lincolnshire Council.
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Update on the Zero Carbon Humber plan Richard Royal (pictured), Equinor’s Head of Public Affairs and Communications – Humber Cluster, gave an update to the Chamber’s Council meeting at Cave Castle in November, on the wider Zero Carbon Humber picture. Tanguy Cosmao, H2H Saltend Project Director of Equinor talked about kickstarting the Humber’s decarbonisation with H2H Saltend, which explained the current BEIS Cluster Sequencing process, the recent selection of the East Coast Cluster within its first phase, and gave more details on the plans for a hydrogen production facility at Saltend Chemicals Park which will bid into the second phase of this process. Both presenters then took questions from Humber business leaders about the possible affects and benefits the plans may have for the 8
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Humber’s future prosperity. Chamber President Phil Jones, who chaired the meeting, thanked Richard and Tanguy for their informative updates and said he was
really pleased that Equinor had agreed to become Chamber Patrons and he looked forward to further strengthening that working relationship.
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Chamber on board to share poor rail service concerns he Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce is to host a meeting with the new Chief Executive of Transport for the North in February. Martin Tugwell will be visiting the Chamber’s offices to meet with Humber MPs, Council officials and Chamber business leaders who will highlight their ongoing concerns over poor rail services and the lack of infrastructure investment. The development came after the Government announced that the eastern leg of HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail would not go ahead – a move widely condemned by business leaders and the Chamber network in the North of England. The Chamber’s External Affairs Director David Hooper said: “This announcement wasn’t a surprise after days of speculation, but is no less disappointing and has been widely condemned by business leaders, our MPs, and other Chambers of Commerce, leaving the Levelling Up promises looking like a bit of a train crash!
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‘This will be a huge disappointment to the thousands of businesses that were relying on HS2 and NPR to fire up economic regeneration’ “HS2 was badly marketed, and while cutting journey times was almost a side effect of the scheme, the real issue was and remains rail capacity. We are still running what is effectively a Victorian railway, and the tracks are full of passenger trains with little or no extra space to run new train services. “HS2 would have increased that capacity, allowing more freight to use the routes
currently used by passenger traffic, eventually taking thousands of tonnes of freight off our roads, and onto the railways. “Although it was eye-wateringly expensive, it was really about investing in a new railway to serve the country for the next 100 years. “Now, the Government has gone back on its HS2 promises and NPR has also been cut. “This area is still in dire need of faster transPennine rail links and direct train services to our hub airport in Manchester from Hull, the only major city in the North of England not to have such a service. We are also in danger of losing our existing direct links from Grimsby and Cleethorpes to Manchester Airport, which is popular and well used.” Reacting to the news that the eastern leg of HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail will no longer proceed as planned, Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the BCC, said: “This will be a huge disappointment to the thousands of businesses that were relying on HS2 and NPR to fire up economic regeneration through the improved capacity and connectivity of our rail network. “While some places will benefit from these revised proposals, many companies have built their plans for the future around what they believed was a firm commitment from government to see these projects through in full. The economic benefits that they would have brought to areas across the Midlands and the North would have improved the lives of countless generations and created growth opportunities for businesses across the country. “There is also grave concern that without more capacity on our railways, any significant progress on shifting more freight transportation off our roads and onto the rail network will be stymied, making it much more difficult to achieve our net zero ambitions.”
The first train leaves Immingham Docks for Doncaster’s iPort
Humber Express connects iPort and Immingham DFDS and iPort Rail launched the Humber Express in October – the first intermodal train service delivering express freight from the Port of Immingham to iPort in Doncaster, a major distribution hub. Dignitaries gathered to wave off the first train from DFDS Steel Terminal which offers a seamless connection from quayside to railside, warehouse and beyond. Another major benefit is that it cuts down road haulage use and delivers freight to customers more quickly, easing the current supply chain issues and helping to ease the logistics challenges caused by the shortage of truck drivers.
‘The new service takes 22 containers on every train, with two trains a day taking 44 units off our road network’ Immingham is the fourth largest port in the UK, and its biggest challenge is logistics. The new service takes 22 containers on every train, with two trains a day taking 44 units off our road network – and there is the ability to scale up significantly as demand increases. The managing director of iPort, Steve Freeman, said it had been a long journey to get to this point, but it was a huge step in the right direction and will help to ensure goods get to the shelves in time for Christmas. He added that they were advocates of a greener future and had taken 37million tons of CO2 off the roads in the last year - and there was huge interest from customers in this new service. January/February 2022
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Chamber Policy
Steel support vital for levelling up Business lunch at Scunthorpe’s San Pietro heard how the biggest industry in town could play a major role in the Government’s Levelling Up agenda. Hosted by Chamber President Phil Jones who welcomed guests and guided the discussion, Chamber Chief Executive Dr Ian Kelly said the steel industry could make or break the Government’s plans, highlighting how the foundation industry which is so important to the town could easily be wiped out by a decision in China in response to rising energy prices in the UK. Baroness Redfern highlighted how many of the Government’s plans for Levelling Up the North had steel at their heart, noting that steel production provides skilled, high paid jobs outside the South East and she hoped support measures would deliver the Levelling Up agenda. The recently appointed Chief Executive of North Lincolnshire Council, Peter Thorpe, said he thought the area was “fertile ground” for Levelling Up with projects like Lincolnshire Lakes housing and Able Marine Energy Park. Neville Reyner CBE, a former President of the British Chambers of Commerce, urged the Humber to focus on becoming a green technology cluster, commenting that it was vital to set a direction and be in it for the long term.
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Pictured during the lunch are (from left) Neville Reyner CBE, Peter Thorpe, North Lincolnshire Council Chief Executive, Phil Jones, Chamber President, Baroness Redfern and Dr Ian Kelly, Chamber Chief Executive
He added: “I suspect levelling up is more to do with living standards and that is directly proportional to levelling up productivity. You have to establish a brand in the area and how you sell it will go a long way to levelling up.” Dr Kelly concluded: “We have seen Able
UK and ABP work together on the freeport bid, a classic example of getting it right, not wrong. “If we keep taking these steps, levelling up can still be a great success for our area, rather than not, and we hope that is the case.”
Local business owner receives chain of office The Chamber’s North East Lincolnshire Area Council elected a new Chair during its October meeting, held at Healing Manor. Irene Keal, a director of Sylvester Keal Ltd, inherited the chain of office from the outgoing Chairman Michael O’Flynn. Irene said: “When I was asked to consider the position of Chair for the North East Lincolnshire Area Council, I felt very privileged to be asked and accepted quickly. “Having been a member of the Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce for over 10 years and sitting on the council for more than five years, I felt I wanted to give a little back to help our community and the lovely friends and business colleagues I have made along the way during my time with the Chamber. “I have been running Sylvester Keal alongside by husband, Martyn Keal, for 20 years now, although the business was established in 1987 by Martyn’s father, Derek Keal. “We are still very much a family-run affair, keeping robust and energised emerging out of the pandemic. We specialise in hygiene supplies, designing and installing professional kitchens, 10
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better for everyone, which the Chamber is also very keen to promote. “I am particularly interested in educating school children and encouraging them to look after our local area in the years to come so we can continue building and keeping Grimsby and the surrounding Northern Lincolnshire area great!!”
Paul Cooper takes role as N Lincs Council Chair
Irene pictured receiving the Chain of Office from Michael O’Flynn
as well as carrying out maintenance and repairs within commercial kitchens and laundries. “I have lived locally all of my life, I am passionate about the area and employing people from the local community and we embrace the next generation by offering apprenticeships. “I particularly enjoy lobbying for the local area and being part of it to make the area
The North Lincolnshire Area Council has also elected a new Chair, and welcomes back Paul Cooper (inset), of Eddisons, into the hot seat. Paul said he was looking forward to his new role with the Chamber and supporting the Chamber and other businesses in Scunthorpe and the surrounding area.
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Member News The latest news, success stories and updates from members of Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce.
Marion Ring at Samsara & Co in Princes Quay
Putting small businesses on the map ullBID is putting independent city centre retailers in the spotlight with a new brochure aimed at helping the traders and their products stand out from the crowd. Kathryn Shillito, HullBID Executive Director, said the publication will raise awareness of the quality and variety on offer from the array of niche businesses and hopefully encourage some of them to enter this year’s HullBID Awards. The BID has joined forces with Visit Hull to showcase 100 retail outlets in a booklet published as part of the “We know a place…” campaign. The brochure has a print run of 20,000, with 15,000 copies dropping through doors in and around the city and the rest being distributed through libraries, the information pod at the transport interchange and the businesses themselves. The pocket-sized publication will guide you round the city to help you find businesses selling everything from jokes and jewellery to vinyl records and vintage clothing. Denise Harrison, who opened Samsara & Co selling fair trade goods in 2013, said business picked up after she moved into Princes Quay in 2018 and is better than ever
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since she relocated to the West Arcade in September 2020. She said: “It’s the best thing we ever did – there’s constant footfall here and Princes Quay generally has improved. It’s much better for independent traders – when we came in we were the only one but there are quite a few more now.
‘The pocket-sized publication will guide you round the city to help you find businesses’ “The brochure is a great idea and I’m thankful to be in it because we want to make more people aware that we are fair trade, we don’t use plastics, our bags are biodegradable and we are supporting families on the other side of the world who are on their knees because of Covid.” Julie Ellam opened J E Books in Hepworth Arcade in September 2018 and sees the booklet as an opportunity to build on the success of her online marketing. She said: “I was very, very lucky to be able to build up my social media before the
pandemic hit. It meant when everything stopped I could advertise myself and take orders online, and I’ve carried on with that. “It’s fantastic to have the brochure and it makes you feel like you are part of a community. There are so many brilliant independent shops in Hull and we are showing how resilient we can be.” Kathryn said: “The brochure is all about recognising the growth in the independent sector, which is what brings the character, personality and vibrancy to our city centre. “We hope the booklet will attract more shoppers into the city centre to support local traders, and maybe it will show the business owners themselves how much they bring to the city centre and encourage them to enter the awards and shout about their success.” The BID Awards sponsored by HSBC will take place on Friday 25 February at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel. Prizes will be awarded in 11 categories and the closing date for entries is Monday 24 January. The awards are free to enter and the application form are available from the BID support officers and downloadable from www.hullbid.co.uk You can also apply online at www.hullbidawards.co.uk
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Member News
Top cycling coach seeks support ne of the biggest names in cycling who inspired unprecedented international success in Olympic velodromes and across road cycling’s biggest races has turned to a performance and management consultancy based in Hull to help his athletes stay at the front in the sport’s headline races of 2022. Sir Dave Brailsford has recruited Trans2 Performance to develop key members of the superstar INEOS Grenadiers cycling team, where he is Team Principal. The task, which is already under way, involves helping the team prepare for the most high-profile races in the global cycling calendar – the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia and La Vuelta a Espana. Having overseen 16 Team GB Olympic Golds and seven Tour de France triumphs, expectations are high of a man who decided to approach Trans2 after listening to their podcasts on his bike.
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Sir Dave Brailsford and Martin Johnson at the Trans2 Performance offices in Hull,
‘Fundamentally sport is about human beings and how they perform, how to get the best out of them’ Trans2 Performance was established in 2015 by CEO, Martin Johnson, after he became frustrated with traditional training and development practices that he felt offered no lasting impact on individuals. His new approach to help individuals develop and form positive traits, beliefs and behaviours that can last a lifetime was quickly in demand after the launch in March 2019 of the T2 Hub. The centralised service was aimed primarily at helping private businesses and some public bodies, and its success has supported a move to bigger premises and expansion of the team. In addition to securing the INEOS Grenadiers
Helping top cyclists prepare for the sport's biggest challenges.
as a client, Trans2 have landed contracts with major brands including iconic fashion retailer Belstaff, multinational power giant Orsted, and global consumer credit giant, TransUnion. After some virtual meetings, Sir Dave visited the Trans2 offices next to the River Hull to work with Martin on formulating a plan geared to leading the INEOS Grenadiers through the changing demands of the world class cycling environment, promoting collaboration and performance integration to
build belief and maximise the impact of talent. After the session in Hull, Martin met key figures from the INEOS Grenadiers team in Paris, and next month he will join them in Spain as preparations intensify for the 2022 season. Martin said: “We are going to work with the whole squad, with Dave and his senior management team, coaches and directing staff, helping them to develop their people and understand how they can communicate better, drive a productive culture, increase collaboration and understanding, selfawareness coaching. “His approach is to invest in his people, develop his people and he thinks we are the best organisation out there to help him do that.” Sir Dave said: “Fundamentally sport is about human beings and how they perform, how to get the best out of them. “Talent is important but we are in the business of enabling people to really get the very best out of their talent. If we don’t believe in other people why are they going to believe in themselves?”
Last official event for longstanding Marilyn A recent Chamber Christmas lunch marked Marilyn Waud’s last event before official retirement at the end of 2021. Marilyn has clocked up 26 years' service with Chambers, initially working at the Scunthorpe office and after a break living in the Canaries, returning to work as Information and Admin Officer at the Grimsby office for the last 14 years. As well as providing all the admin for south bank events she is also very well known to local exporting companies having run the south bank export documentation service with great care and efficiency. The good news is that Marilyn will be continuing on with the Chamber two days a week to help with events so we don’t have to say ‘goodbye’ just yet. Which we and our members are very pleased about! 14
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Marilyn Waud accepts a bouquet from Irene Keal, Chair of Chamber in North East Lincolnshire watched by Northern Lincolnshire Manager Anne Tate.
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Business Intelligence ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) produced at scale for the first time in the UK at the Phillips 66 Humber Refinery near Immingham will be supplied to British Airways. It becomes the first airline in the world to use UKproduced SAF after signing a multi-year agreement with Phillips 66 Limited. The airline, which is driving to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, will purchase enough sustainable fuel to reduce lifecycle CO2 emissions by almost 100,000 tonnes, the equivalent of powering 700 net zero CO2 emissions flights between London and New York on its fuel-efficient Boeing 787 aircraft. The SAF will be produced from sustainable waste feedstock at the Humber Refinery, which will deliver its SAF supply to British Airways via existing pipeline infrastructure that feeds directly into UK airports.
“Markets for lower-carbon products are growing, and this agreement demonstrates our ability to supply them.” Last year Phillips 66 Limited invested significantly to expand its production of fuels from waste feedstocks. The investment is part of a broader energy transition plan to reduce the carbon intensity of its refinery operations and products that support 1,000 Humber Refinery jobs. “This agreement with British Airways aligns with our strategy to create a refinery of the future, where we’re producing fuels from waste, being a critical part of the electric vehicle supply chain, reducing the carbon intensity of our processes through carbon capture and using hydrogen to power the refinery,” Darren said. “It secures long-term business in an ever-changing world.” Sean Doyle, British Airways’ Chairman and Chief Executive, said:
Humber Refinery General Manager Darren Cunningham, the Lead Executive for Phillips 66 in the UK, said the announcement reflects the importance the aviation and energy industries are placing on sustainability and the continued development, adoption and scaling up of sustainable aviation fuel.
“This agreement marks another important step on our journey to net zero carbon emissions and forms part of our commitment, as part of International Airlines Group, to power 10% of flights with SAF by 2030.
“The Humber Refinery was the first in the UK to coprocess waste oils to produce renewable fuels and now we will be the first to produce SAF at scale, and we are delighted British Airways is our first UK customer,” Darren said.
“We are excited to develop our relationship with Phillips 66 Limited further with a view to growing production capacity and using a wider range of sustainable waste feedstocks to supply our future flights.”
“We’re currently refining almost half a million litres of sustainable waste feedstocks a day, and this is just a start.
For more details, go to: www.phillips66.co.uk
@Phillips66UK
www.linkedin.com/company/phillips66co/ January/February 2022
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Member News
Membership now includes advice lines Three document libraries HR, H&S and Legal - almost 800 template documents plus lots more information available The Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce has invested in its membership offer and has recently launched four important new services to support Humber businesses which are now included as part of the Chamber package. Chamber HR, Chamber H&S, Chamber Legal and Chamber Tax are now available to members and free to use as often as they like. Chamber members also have access to a huge library of around 800 downloadable documents and templates covering employment, health and safety, tax and legal matters. All the new services can be accessed by one phone number which gives members immediate advice and support via five advice lines - HR, H&S, Legal, Tax and VAT. David Hooper said: “Our new services are employer focused, so the HR line, for example, can help businesses deal with redundancy, appraisals or disciplinary procedures and comes with access to experienced advisors for hand-holding support when they need it, or provide access to documents which are regularly updated to reflect the latest rules and regulations. “The Health and Safety package offers unlimited advice and access to documents like H&S policies, risk assessment templates and the offer of free One2One reviews. “Chamber Legal provides unlimited access to experienced legal advisors and a library of documents, while Chamber Tax provides access to tax and VAT advisors who can be a great help at tax return time!” Chamber Chief Executive Dr Ian Kelly said: “We are delighted to be able to include these excellent new benefits as part of our membership package.” For more information, contact the Hull and East Yorkshire office: 01482 324976 or email j.harrison@hull-humberchamber.co.uk, or the Northern Lincolnshire office: 01472 342981 or email a.tate@hull-humberchamber.co.uk
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New Member in the Spotlight Business Intelligence introduces a new Chamber member to learn more about their business
Name: Gordon Sewell Job Title: Solicitor and Director of Sewell Law. I am also the In-House Legal Advisor and Director of Hull FC Name of the business: Sewell Law What does your business do? We specialise in most aspects of civil law, litigation, regulation and shipping. The areas of service are relatively broad including contracts, negligence, partnership and shareholder issues, defendant personal injury, property disputes, construction disputes and debt recovery. Our regulatory work includes workplace and marine regulation and we also assist on a range of shipping matters including collisions, cargo claims, marine casualty and ship arrest. Where is it based? We are based at the Hull FC Office, MKM Stadium in Hull. Where does it operate? Sewell Law operates both regionally and nationally. How long has it been going? Since April 2021. What makes it unique? We are not a traditional legal practice. Our work is not confined to disputes and when a business instructs Sewell Law, they effectively acquire a new member of their organisation. We like to know as much as we can about the business and how we can add value. We are thorough in what we do and as a practice, unlike many firms, we are not driven by fee targets. For us, a successful outcome is not determined on the level of fee income but the level of client satisfaction because doing a good job is far more rewarding. What do you hope to gain from your Chamber membership? Nearly all of our work comes through recommendations and whilst we would like that to continue, it’s equally important to raise awareness of who we are and what we do. The Chamber provides us with the perfect platform to do that.
What do you enjoy most about working in our region? The people. People do business with people and this region has some of the most friendly, talented, dedicated and experienced people in the country. The region rarely seems to get the credit it deserves. What was your first job? I worked in the hygiene department at William Jackson Bakery on Derringham Street in Hull. It was long hours, hard work but the camaraderie and teamwork I experienced in that role transcend the work I do for Sewell Law. What do you never go to work without? My passion, motivation and drive. In practical terms, my mobile phone so that I am accessible and my guitar, for a spot of down time jamming. Ear plugs at the ready! What one change would help your business the most? There is sometimes a negative perception of the profession in relation to fees and engagement levels. Through our client relationships and flexible approach to costs, we enjoy shifting that perception. This is why we provide free initial consultations, something which very few firms now offer. What’s the best way for people to contact you? By email on gordon.sewell@sewell-law.co.uk or mobile 07793371887.
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Calendar to help fund Viola’s return he Chamber has joined forces with businesses across the region to support a calendar which highlights the role of Hull’s shipping sector in the Falklands War as we approach the 40th anniversary of the conflict. The calendar, produced by the Viola Trust, is designed to raise funds and awareness for the campaign to bring back the Viola trawler, a veteran of First World War action which was built in Beverley in 1906 and still sits on a beach in Grytviken which was a focal point of the hostilities in 1982. Norman Court, project manager at the Viola Trust, said the calendar runs from January to December 2022 but extra copies were printed in anticipation of a second wave of demand ahead of the anniversary. Norman said: “We found that many people kept their copies of our previous calendar two years ago because of the quality of the publication and the paintings, which on that occasion featured ships with strong Hull connections. “The Falklands anniversary is a significant part of British history and Hull’s nautical heritage and really fired the imagination of the artist, Larry Malkin, who has depicted the nine ships from Hull in action in the South Atlantic, plus of course the Viola.”
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Priyanka Perera, Managing Director of B Cooke & Son Ltd, with Larry Malkin and the original of the painting which Priyanka’s company sponsored
The Chamber stepped up to support the calendar as one of the region’s foremost representatives of the maritime sector – the Shipping, Transport and Renewables Committee dates back to the merger of the Hull Shipowners’ Society with the Chamber in 1847 and many of the businesses which sent ships to the Falklands were Chamber members.
The painting sponsored by the Chamber is “Near Miss” a nd appears on the page for September showing the J Marr and Son trawler Northella taking evasive action to avoid a mine. The calendar can be purchased by emailing to info@violatrawler.net
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Double the celebration for business centre ne of the region’s leading business centres is welcoming new clients and highlighting its broader range of services as it prepares to belatedly celebrate a double milestone. The Deep Business Centre reached its 20th anniversary during 2021, a year in which the new arrivals took the facility past the total of 1,500 people who have worked at client businesses. In addition, the Centre experienced rising demand from external clients who needed Covid-secure space for business events which had to be moved from other locations. Freya Cross, Business and Corporate Manager at The Deep, said: “We’ll look again at how and when we can celebrate the 20th anniversary milestone with our clients but we are pleased with the way we looked after people during such difficult times and with the way we adapted to support clients with their work.”
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‘The prospects for 2022 are bright, and there is a lot to celebrate in the achievements of the past two years’ Freya, who is also the national chair of the Flexible Space Association, added: “It has been a very challenging couple of years for our industry, but the signs are positive for the future. The way people work is changing, and all the indications are that flexible workspace will be playing a major part in providing workspace to meet those different needs.
Freya Cross, Business and Corporate Manager at The Deep, speaking at the Flexible Space Association Awards in her role as national chair
“The prospects for 2022 are bright, and there is a lot to celebrate in the achievements of the past two years. Everyone in the flexible workspace community has worked hard to keep existing services running for clients, and to develop new ones. “During the last year we have had four existing clients grow significantly and expand into more space and three new companies have moved in. We welcomed 12 new virtual clients working in activities from drones to children’s sports clubs. “The highlight though has been being able to bring our business community back together again, blending confidence with caution and showing clients first-hand the benefits of being a tenant at the business centre.”
New health centre finally nears completion A new health centre which waited 15 years to secure funding has now hosted a visit by local councillors as it enters the final stage of construction. The Willand Primary Care Centre is contracted to be handed over early in 2022, replacing the old Willerby and Swanland surgeries with a modern building, services and facilities as well as more staff. Councillor Val Wood, who joined the visit as vice chair of Anlaby with Anlaby Common Parish Council, said: “We have been talking about this for a long time and now we are nearly there. It is clear the new centre will be a nice, modern building, bright and airy and with a lift. “People are very happy with the move and we expect to see a greatly improved service with better facilities and more GPs and nurses. It should enable patients to get seen earlier and it will offer various procedures and clinics which were not possible at Swanland or Willerby.” Discussions about the need for a new centre date back to 2005 and the idea first gained approval from the Primary Care Trust in 2008. But it took time and several failed attempts to 18
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A CGI of the completed building
identify a suitable site and it wasn’t until 2014 that Lovel Developments held its first consultation on the project. Jim Hickey, Practice Manager and Project Lead for Willerby and Swanland Surgery, said: “It took years to get the funding for this project but it is only taking a matter of months to complete the build. We’re looking forward to completion and we plan to provide more detail about the new facilities in the first few weeks of the new year.
“We invited local councillors to visit the site because it has taken a long time to get to this point and we wanted to show them what is in store. It’s a phenomenal investment and there hasn’t been anything like it in the Haltemprice area in the last 20 years.” The new centre will be accessible by walking, cycling, public transport and car. It will offer treatment/consulting rooms and meeting rooms, a health education area and facilities for childcare.
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Quickline’s CEO Sean Royce (centre) with new COO Lee Allison (left) and new CTO Ian Smith (right)
Quickline expands executive team ltrafast broadband provider Quickline Communications Limited is pleased to announce the appointment of two leading broadband specialists to its executive team. Lee Allison will join Quickline in January 2022 as Chief Operating Officer. In his previous role as Head of Engineering Operations at KCOM, Mr Allison was responsible for building the award-winning fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) network in and around Hull, which brought gigabit broadband capability to over 250,000 premises. He has more recently been responsible for KCOM’s £100m FTTP network expansion investment. Ian Smith will become Quickline’s Chief Technology Officer in February 2022 after spending the last four years as Programme
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Director for the Government’s 5G Testbeds and Trials Programme. He has over 25 years of experience in designing, building and operating both fixed and mobile networks and previously held senior roles at Ericsson, EE and T-Mobile, and also has extensive experience delivering large scale technology and transformational programmes for both the public and private sectors.
‘We are delighted to attract such high calibre industry specialists to our executive team’ These key appointments further strengthen Quickline’s executive team and demonstrate the unique hybrid broadband network
capability that Quickline is rapidly developing. The team is led by Chief Executive Officer Sean Royce. Quickline’s founder and interim Chief Technology Officer, Steve Jagger, will step down from his executive duties at the end of the year but remains a shareholder and as a non-executive director. Sean Royce said: “We are delighted to attract such high calibre industry specialists to our executive team. Their arrival further underpins the company’s commitment to providing life changing broadband services to those underserved communities in rural areas. “These appointments also underline our focus and commitment to bringing full fibre and market leading 5G technology to 500,000 homes and businesses across the North of England and beyond.”
East Riding College Principal announces retirement East Riding College has announced that their Principal Mike Welsh (pictured) will retire in Spring 2022. During his four years in the post, Mike led the college through a very successful merger with TEC Partnership and raised quality and standards, achieving a Good OfSTED rating. Mike has overseen a number of significant developments at the college – including the construction of a brand new Institute of
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Technology at the College’s Flemingate campus. Under his leadership, the College has been recognised as a high performing provider by both OfSTED and the QAA; led ERC with a values-driven, community focus through a national pandemic; and secured its continued future success as part of TEC Partnership. Kerri Harold, Chair of Governors at East Riding College said: “We wish Mike all the
best for his retirement. He leaves us in an excellent position to move forward with exciting plans for further growth.” Mike Welsh said: “It has been my privilege and an honour to lead ERC on our journey over the past four years. I would like to thank my colleagues, governors, learners, partners and businesses for making East Riding College the positive, caring and ambitious place that it is.”
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College secures vital funding for new course elby College has secured funding to develop an education programme that will enable the renewable energy company Drax’s employees to develop the skills needed to operate the vital climate saving technologies of the future. The £272,000 grant, from the Department for Education’s Strategic Development Fund, will allow the College to develop a brand-new training course in carbon capture and storage technologies, supporting Drax’s plans to develop the vital negative emission technology BECCS at its power station near Selby. The course will start next year and will equip both current and future Drax employees with the vital skills needed to operate this critical negative emissions technology, ensuring the region is at the forefront of the green industrial revolution. The programme will also be available to other organisations and individuals interested in developing their knowledge and understanding about carbon capture and storage. Liz Ridley, Deputy Principal of Selby College, said: “Selby College is committed to supporting
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Waves of Song moves audience During the lockdown period, Hull Choral Union performed two virtual concerts in December 2020 and April 2021. Ian McMillan (Radio 3’s The Verb) was commissioned to compère and write a poem for the April concert. His poem “Waves of Song” connects Hull’s maritime history and the power of singing. He compares the choir to a boat transporting us safely to “somewhere bright where hope is glowing”. Dominic Wright, who sings Bass in the choir, has composed a 15-minute piece for choir and orchestra using the words of the poem. As this was not the first piece he has written for the choir, he has been appointed the choir’s first Composer-in-Residence. The world première performance of ‘Waves of Song’ was given in Hull Minster on 11 November 2021. The next concert in Hull Minster, on 21 May 2022, includes Rutter’s Magnificat. Please check the website, www.hullchoralunion.co.uk for more details.
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businesses and industries to develop specific training programmes that support their current and future workforce development. Our ongoing partnership with Drax has enabled us to secure this funding to create tailored education plans that will equip its workforce and supply chain with the skills needed as we transition into a zero-emission future.” Bruce Heppenstall, Plant Director at Drax, said: “It’s critical businesses like Drax have access to a skilled workforce, with the knowledge and expertise to operate negative emissions technologies that will be vital in enabling the UK to reach its legally binding net zero targets. Through our partnership with Selby College, we are able to futureproof our workforce, ensuring we are at the forefront of the green industrial revolution, creating and protecting thousands of jobs here in the North.” Minister for Skills Alex Burghart said: "It is fantastic to see Selby College working with Drax to offer people the skills they need to progress in green careers in their area." Nigel Adams, MP for Selby and Ainsty, said: “Electricity generated by Drax using sustainable biomass is key to expanding the
Bruce Heppenstall Drax Plant Director, Lewis Marron, Drax 4th Year Apprentice, and Liz Ridley Deputy Principal at Selby College
wider economy of Yorkshire and Humberside. The transition from coal to biomass demonstrated how businesses can transform and thrive as part of our new “net zero” economy. The ongoing partnership between Selby College and Drax will provide the essential facilities and courses for local people to develop their skills, and I look forward to seeing this partnership flourish and feed into the development of clean green industries across our region.” The new CCS educational programme builds on a five-year, £180,000 partnership Drax announced with Selby College in 2020, which enabled the College to invest in ICT equipment to support remote learning, as well as state-of-the-art engineering equipment and a series of events on green energy.
Send us your stories for our next edition We hope you are enjoying reading this copy of Business Intelligence. If you would like to feature in the next edition of the Chamber’s bi-monthly magazine, send us your stories and pictures to be considered for publication. Ask your communications and public relations people to add the Chamber to your distribution lists so your company can get itself noticed and raise its profile even more. The Chamber’s Business Intelligence magazine is distributed to around 2,000 Chamber members and affiliates at managing director and chief executive level, and has a readership of around 10,000 people for every edition.
If you would like your NEWS STORIES and PRESS RELEASES to be considered for publication, send them to: press@hull-humber-chamber.co.uk If you would like to ADVERTISE your business in the magazine, contact Kemps Publishing on 0121 765 4144 or email: jon.jones@kempspublishing.co.uk For ANY OTHER QUERIES, email David Hooper at d.hooper@hull-humberchamber.co.uk or Janice Harrison at: j.harrison@hull-humber-chamber.co.uk
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From left, Wykeland’s David Donkin with Sarah Boughen and Valerie Waby, of the Linkage Community Trust, outside Flemingate House. The restored building features an original carriage entry point that now forms one of the entrances to Linkage College’s new Beverley campus
College moves into historic building n historic building in Beverley has undergone major refurbishment and restoration work to enable a growing college to expand its operations in the town. Flemingate House, which is almost 200 years old, has undergone a £525,000 transformation to bring it back into use as the Beverley base of Linkage College, part of Linkage Community Trust. The Lincolnshire-based charity supports people with learning disabilities and difficulties to access care, further education and employment to enable them to realise their full potential. The restoration project is the latest phase of a long-term programme by regeneration company Wykeland Group to bring the Flemingate area of Beverley back to life. The investment is focused around the Flemingate retail and leisure destination, which is Beverley’s largest ever regeneration scheme. Opened in 2015, Flemingate was developed by Wykeland on the site of the former Hodgson’s Tannery, which was one of Beverley’s biggest employers until it closed in the 1970s.
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A class in progress at Linkage College’s new Beverley campus in the restored and remodelled Flemingate House.
Hull-based Wykeland has continued to invest in and around the Flemingate centre, including renovating and remodelling the Minster House office building. The latest investment has seen the modernisation of Flemingate House, which dates back to 1825. The 5,630 sq ft, two-storey building offers Linkage College space for more than 50 learners aged 16 to 25. The college initially had its Beverley base on the ground floor of neighbouring Minster House and relocated to Flemingate House as student numbers almost tripled from nine to more than 25
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this year. The college’s expansion has created more than 20 jobs. Linkage College provides a range of programmes and courses, ranging from independent living and general life skills, to travel training and performing arts, all tailored to the individual to help them develop independence and grow in confidence. Valerie Waby, Chief Executive of Linkage, which also has campuses in Spilsby in Lincolnshire, Grimsby and Lincoln, catering for a combined total of 165 learners, said: “We love Flemingate House and
everyone has settled in really well. It’s a really nice environment that will enable people to feel safe and flourish. “Wykeland have been superb throughout and accommodated us with everything we’ve asked for. For example, as the building is close to the road at the front, they’ve made an additional entrance with a ramp to make it completely accessible for everyone. “We’ve almost tripled the number of learners in our first year and we needed scope to grow further and offer more services to more people. There is a huge demand for specialist education and we work closely with the local authority to provide that. “Lots of people from the East Riding used to come to our college in Grimsby and we felt it was important to offer that service closer to their homes, so they can develop independent skills in the place where they will live. This helps them to maintain their friendship groups and grow as individuals.” Linkage Community Trust also manages 24 residential care homes for adults with learning disabilities in Lincolnshire.
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Chamber strengthens Serbian business ties
LEFT: The Serbian Ambassador Aleksandra Joksimovic (third from right) pictured with (from left) Chamber President Phil Jones, Lia Nici, Simon Green from North Lincolnshire Council, Martin Vickers and Rob Walsh
BELOW: Chamber President Phil Jones (right) in discussions with Serbian British Chamber board member Sinisa Krajcinovic
ollowing a successful webinar earlier in the year on Serbian business opportunities, chaired by Martin Vickers, MP for Cleethorpes and the Prime Minister’s new Trade Envoy to Serbia, the Chamber was delighted to join the Serbian Ambassador to the UK, Her Excellency Aleksandra Joksimovic, in November at Phillips 66 Humber Refinery for lunch and then at Healing Manor for a private dinner sponsored by the Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce. Martin Vickers showcased the Humber’s green credentials and its ambitions for carbon zero activity which Drax, Phillips 66 and Able UK, as well as ABP, are supporting locally. Chamber President Phil Jones attended the lunch along with Martin Vickers and Grimsby MP Lia Nici, as well as Cllr Philip Jackson, Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council and the Council’s Chief Executive, Rob Walsh. It was noted that as well as opportunities in the green energy sector, the UK nationally is exploring opportunities for business related to Serbia’s large lithium reserves. Sinisa Krajcinovic, a board member of the Serbian British Chamber, also made contact during the visit with the Hull & Humber Chamber and agreed to explore future trading links with this part of the world.
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Any members interested in trading opportunities with Serbia should contact the Chamber’s International Trade Centre team on (01482) 324976. January/February 2022
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Chamber Patrons Becoming a Patron represents a valuable contribution towards enabling us to provide a wide range of services for our smaller Member companies, as well as raising the profile of your own business.
Patrons lunch is a ‘splendid’ event
Pictured at the Patron’s Lunch are the Lord Mayor and her Consort (seated centre) with Chamber President Phil Jones (seated left), Chamber Chief Executive Dr Ian Kelly (standing front right) with the Chamber Patrons and staff
atrons of the Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce were guests of the Lord Mayor of Hull at the annual Chamber Patron’s Lunch. The splendid event at Hull’s Guildhall is a long-running tradition, which sees the best glassware and crockery dusted down and put to good use. Much of it has been donated by the Chamber over the years and features
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inscriptions on the back of each piece. Lord Mayor Cllr Lynn Petrini and her Consort Graham Petrini welcomed the Chamber dignitaries and Patrons to a drinks reception before a formal lunch was enjoyed by all. After lunch, the Lord Mayor who is also the Admiral of the Humber, explained why Hull City Council values its long-standing links with the Chamber and how she looks forward
to strengthening those ties in future. Chamber President Phil Jones thanked the Lord Mayor for hosting the Chamber in such historic surroundings, before Chamber Chief Executive Dr Ian Kelly reminisced about some shared history and successful collaborations there have been over the years, adding that he looked forward to further enhancing those relationships in the future.
Solicitors advise SMS Towage on tug acquisition Andrew Jackson Solicitors LLP is delighted to have advised leading marine firm, SMS Towage Limited, on the acquisition of the vessel Lloydsman, as the company continues its expansion into ports in North East England. Rebecca Forder, a member of the firm's shipping & transport team, led the legal team advising SMS in relation to its purchase from Latvian towage firm, PKL Flote, of the Lloydsman, sister ship to the already owned Pullman.
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Simon Clarke (left) director at SMS Towage, with Dominic Ward, head of shipping & transport at Andrew Jackson Solicitor
Paul Escreet, Chairman of SMS Towage, said: “Tugs play a vital role in helping vessels manoeuvre and berth safely at ports and jetties. This further investment in our fleet means we can better serve our ever-growing customer base at these strategic ports.” Dominic Ward, Senior Partner and Head of Andrew Jackson's shipping & transport team added: “Having worked with SMS Towage for over 20 years, we’re delighted to have been able to secure the vessel’s smooth transition into the UK.”
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Spotlight Feature: Apprenticeships, Skills & Training
Spotlight Features In this issue we take a look at the Apprenticeships, Skills & Training and Green Business & Renewable Energy sectors.
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in-house training right for your business? Choosing an effective training course for your managers and employees can be difficult – and one of the first issues is deciding whether to send your employees to an external course, or organising in-house training. Business Intelligence explores some of the benefits of bringing the trainer to you. Access the best To deliver the best training, you need the best trainers. And, while your senior managers will undoubtedly know your business inside out, they might not have the most up-to-date information and training tools to hand in order to deliver the best possible experience. Not only will an external trainer be qualified, they will also have all the latest knowledge at their disposal, as well as the hands-on experience needed to facilitate an engaging and successful training course. Your trainer will bring all the necessary supplies your staff will need to take part, and you won’t have to come up with any ideas, tasks or activities. Your trainer will be able to draw upon their experience working with other companies; content and activities that have proven successful elsewhere can be replicated for you. In order to get the most out of your investment, check testimonials and read reviews. Find out how effective the content and techniques were – after all, you want to make sure the training sticks. Convenient and cost-effective When it comes to training your employees, few business owners would disagree that an in-house course is the most convenient option for everyone involved. Not only will it minimise the hassle of travel, it will completely eliminate expensive travel costs.
Additionally, in-house training is cheaper per head than sending your staff on a training course, and it will reduce the amount of time your staff will have to spend away from their usual, day-to-day tasks, decreasing the chance of them falling behind with their work. In-house training will also allow your staff to learn in a familiar environment, which should put them at ease and more open to absorbing new information. A tailored fit You’re considering sending your staff off on a training course – but some aspects of the course aren’t relevant to your business, while other aspects don’t go into the level of detail that you require. This can be frustrating, especially when you know exactly what you want your staff to get out of a training session (and considering how much a training course can cost) – but a good in-house trainer will be happy to tailor a course to your business’ unique needs. Before the session, you will have the opportunity to discuss the company’s history, goals, and, most importantly, your expectations of the course, and your trainer can make the sessions as relevant and specific as you need them to be. Your staff won’t have to waste time covering things that aren’t relevant and you can get the most out of your investment.
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Fresh ideas In-house training can breathe a breath of fresh air to your business. An internal trainer might know the company well – but they might also be blinkered by old ideas and the old ways of doing things. An external trainer will shake things up. They might suggest new ideas and techniques that haven’t been explored before, which will encourage your staff to challenge themselves, develop new ways of thinking and discover better ways to tackle tasks. Innovative new ideas can help motivate staff to strive for excellence and be the best they can be. New skills in the ‘new normal’ Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many business owners have identified skills gaps in their workforce. The word of work has rapidly evolved over the past two years; technology has shifted to keep pace with the work from home mandate, and some industries have collapsed entirely. Upskilling could teach staff new skills (or enhance their current ones) in order to adapt to the changes created by the pandemic, while reskilling would equip employees with brand new to enable them to work in a different part of the business if, say, their role no longer exists. An in-house trainer would help you identify if your staff need upskilling or reskilling, and best of all, conduct a tailored training session over Zoom!
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Spotlight Feature: Apprenticeships, Skills & Training
Why you must embrace
adaptability to get ahead
By Lisa Blakey (pictured), Managing Director of Encompass
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he landscape of business was rapidly changing well before lockdown took its hold. Working from home and the technical capability for most office-based tasks to be carried out any time any place was rapidly evolving. However, there were many of us, me included, who needed that one final shove - that came in March 2020 to immerse myself and my team in virtual delivery. We now find ourselves almost two years on viewing this as the New Normal, and as we head into a New Year, I am sure many leaders are asking ‘has my team developed the necessary skills in the past 18 months? Can we adapt as a business to the level of agility needed to succeed in 2022? Adaptability, Agility, Change Management and Emotional Intelligence might sound like a shopping list of HR buzz words but they are genuine tools of creativity that modern managers and leaders require to survive in these peculiar times.
Throughout the Pandemic Encompass delivered Virtual Programmes in many areas such as leadership, management, Procurement and Accounting to organisations such as Arla, Moy Park and William Jacksons, where learners thrived and succeeded in gaining nationally recognised CMI, AAT and CIPS qualifications fully funded. In the aftermath, companies have needed to regroup, rebuild and right size to be better equipped for the new economic landscape. Global Managing Consultant Firm Bain and Company involved over 300 companies worldwide and in every facet of the global economy from manufacturing to healthcare, retail to tech and looked at the most resilient, the ones that bounced back better. The thread that ran through all of these businesses was the fact they redefined what good looked Contd on page 36... January/February 2022
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like for them, did not reduce management development and figured out what tomorrow’s rising stars wanted from them. In times of crisis, it is tempting for companies to slash L&D budgets, a very short term gain which is costly in the long run .The risks of a cultural down turn, possible issues arising from poor management and high turnover all have a significant cost. In nearly 30 years of HR, I have not known such a ferocious recruitment market. But even without the pandemic tomorrow’s employees, managers and leaders have been looking for a new value position in the workplace, one which is very different from five years ago. By 2030, millennials will make up 75 per cent of the work force and this generation is not motivated by money but by development, flexibility, autonomy and engagement. The people that coach and mentor them need a very different skill-set from the text-book style we managed with 10 or more years ago. They need proper performance reviews with development plans and succession planning (none of this is new) but the creativity that leaders need to explore that, to retain them and to create new opportunities to keep the individuals interested and retain their skill-set it what is different. Encompass has supported many organisations through their recent journey. We do not have all the answers – but what we do have is an exceptional team of hand-picked highly skilled business facilitators all with first-hand experience, who can collaborate with you to design a plan for your return in the new year and for your business success.
‘The people that coach and mentor them need a very different skill-set from the text-book style we managed with 10 or more years ago’ Many of your organisations have already paid for this via the LEVY. Now is not the time to waste that money. Instead, design a plan that can be funded by it and watch the measurable return on your investment. Our ESFA funded programmes and our 35 strong OFSTED “good” rated facilitators and team can design this with you to ensure you hit the ground running come 2022. From apprenticeships and awards to diplomas and bespoke short courses, there is a solution we can design that fits your business perfectly.
T: 01482 211989
E: info@globaltraining.com W: wiseglobaltraining.com
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Spotlight Feature: Green Business & Renewable Energy
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Spotlight Feature: Green Business & Renewable Energy
Small steps to reduce a
large
footprint By Alison Headland, Director at BDU
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he UK was the first major economy to commit to achieving ‘Net Zero’ carbon emissions by 2050. A twofold challenge: to stop making things worse than they already are and see if we can improve it. Historically the UK’s Grid Network was connected to power stations generating a continuous supply to meet demand. Adding renewable generation into the mix has created many supply/demand challengers and infrastructure costs; all new renewable sites require connecting to the Grid and due to the unpredictable British weather creates many more variable and unreliable levels of electricity production. The system needs to be constantly balanced; will it be windy and sunny enough to generate enough electricity when required? These are the challengers being faced in the electricity system to maintain a ensure a reliable and stable supply. In recent years electricity bills have increased significantly mainly due to Government charges; net costs to cover the cost of operating and maintaining the network to assist new renewable operations. Fifty per cent of electricity costs/charges are for green levies and taxes. There are plans to add a ‘green levy tax’ to gas bills. Current UK electricity production • 39 offshore wind farms and 127 more at various stages of construction • 27 biomass plants (Drax is the largest) • 13 operational nuclear reactors – 50 per cent to be retired by 2025 • Two coal power stations to close October 2023 • 500 green gas and solar farm across the UK. Hornsea One, off the East Yorkshire Coast has 174 turbines and is currently the world’s largest offshore wind farm, next door to Hornsea One which is due to complete in 2023 a much larger wind farm will have the capacity of 3.6GW able to power six million homes.
Gas is going green too A process called anaerobic digestion creates biomethane, a gas with similar characteristics to its fossil fuel equivalent. This is added to the existing natural gas network and delivered to customers while supporting British farmers and producers Simple ways to reduce your carbon footprint and energy bills 1. Install energy efficient lighting and heating systems. 2. Use a team competition to encourage more environmental awareness on ways to reduce waste etc. 3. Switch light off when leaving a room; do not fill the kettle unnecessarily. 4. Adjust chillers, heating and or air con by just one per cent (it won’t be noticed!) 5. Control thermostats and plugs to control energy wherever you are. 6. Install timer switches for overnight and external lighting. 7. Reduce unnecessary packaging and minimise single use plastic 8. Reduce use of the printer and minimise unnecessary emails. 9. Adjustments to supply chains could help to reduce your business’ costs/carbon footprint. 10. Estimates suggest by cutting energy costs by 20 per cent equates to a five per cent increase in sales. Old Carbon Industry meets Clean Generation Several abandoned coalmines are being repurposed for clean green energy projects. As they require to be kept safe by the UK Coal Authority billions of litres of water require to continuously pumped out which is extremely costly. Recently scientists and engineers had a ‘what if’ idea; the old redundant coal mines could be re-purposed by using their vast network of tunnels as a geothermal harness. As the ‘mine water’ is warmed naturally by geological process this warmed water could be pumped to the surface and used as a clean
recyclable energy source. The Coal Authority have around 30 various projects whose goal is to tap into the estimated 2.2 million GWh of annual constantly renewing geothermal energy held within the old coalmine infrastructure: turning a costly liability into a green renewal energy solution. Where does this leave us now? Recently the UK has suffered the perfect storm due to several worldwide circumstances colliding in unison. The global gas crunch is especially bad for the UK as 40 per cent of the UK’s electricity is generated by burning fossil fuel in gas-powered plants. In 2020/21 as the world came out of Covid lockdown hibernation saw a surge in demand across Asia & Europe. Add in Northern Hemisphere countries experienced a long cold winter reducing further the already depleted gas storage levels; creating a panic to secure any gas supplies which were left. Old nuclear plants needed to be temporarily closed for maintenance creating even less supply, a power main cable connector between France and the UK had to be shut down due to a fire in September in 2021 and finally the good old British Weather was the least windy since 1961! Historically, the county of Yorkshire has played a major part in the UK’s energy generation; coal mines and North Sea Gas etc.; moving forward Yorkshire has developed & evolved its strengths again to drive the UK’s renewable energy solutions. If we all play are part by taking small steps to reduce our energy consumption, these small steps help to reduce one giant carbon footprint! January/February 2022
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Sector Focus The latest news from the International Trade, Legal & Finance, Skills & Training, Manufacturing and Motoring industries.
What is a Certificate of Conformity? A Certificate of Conformity (CoC) or inspection certificate states that goods comply with standards laid down by the destination country’s authorities in terms of, for example, physical condition, quantity, and technical specification. The goods must be inspected, before shipment, usually at the exporter’s premises, by an appointed inspection body. The exporter must pay for this service, and so should ensure that the cost is accounted for in quotations. Do I need a (CoC)? For some destination countries (please see list below), a Certificate of Conformity is a legal requirement. In other cases, a Certificate of Conformity is a condition for payment specified in the terms of the Letter of Credit. In countries where a Certificate of Conformity is required, if a shipment does not have one, it is likely to be impounded. • Algeria • Burundi • Cameroon • Central African Republic (CAR) • Egypt • Ethiopia • Gabon • Gulf • Ivory Coast • Kenya • Morocco • Kuwait • Mexico • Mongolia • Nigeria • Qatar • Saudi Arabia • South Sudan • Tanzania • Uganda • Zanzibar How can I get a (CoC)? Our electronic documentation platform e-Cert now has a free of charge facility for you to check if you need a Certificate of Conformity. For more information, email l.holt@hull-humber-chamber.co.uk
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Record month for translation business leading language and translation business is celebrating a record month as its reward for investing in its people and its partnerships. AA Global Language Services credits the team at its offices in Hull and Worcester as well as the nationwide network of 15,000 translators and interpreters for the success. Kirk Akdemir, CEO of the company, said the scale of the improvement is evidence of much more than a bounce back after Covid. Kirk said: “It’s very good news and it’s indicative of the performance of our committed and diligent team and of everybody in the business, particularly since we opened our Hull office just over 10 years ago. The fact that we were up 20 per cent compared to our previous best shows this is not a case of comparing current performance with a period which was affected by the pandemic. It’s benchmarking against our alltime best figures!” Kirk launched AA Global in Worcester nearly 30 years ago and expanded the business by opening a northern hub in Hull in 2011. Over the years the Hull office led the development of the company’s services, with the workforce increasing to about 30 to support the NHS and other public sector organisations as well as a large number of private sector clients.
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‘We are being approached by growing numbers of organisations who see us as a trusted partner and want to use our services’ In 2018 Hull became established as AA Global’s headquarters following a move to a new office with extra space and a modern environment supporting increased investment in training and enhanced technology, which proved invaluable in 2020 as staff switched to working from home. As restrictions eased, AA Global has continued to prioritise its people. A face-toface interpreter forum, which was introduced in late-2019 and brought great benefits for colleagues and clients until the pandemic
Kirk Akdemir
intervened, will soon resume and will once again bring together people who provide a vital link between patients and health professionals including doctors and dentists. Kirk said: “We have invested in building a diverse and experienced team which includes young people who have been given the chance to show what they can do and have responded. “That attitude has been reflected by our success in frameworks such as ESPO, where we have improved our ranking across the board and become established as a highly reliable supplier to the public sector after the most stringent selection process. The result of that is we are being approached by growing numbers of organisations who see us as a trusted partner and want to use our services. “We have also benefited from our involvement with the Chamber, having developed our international offer as a major supporter of the Chamber’s International Trade Centre. “The challenge now is to build on that but having invested in new premises and using the improved environment to drive our training and technology programme we know we have the people who are committed to drive performance and the systems to help them do that.”
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Sector Focus: International Trade
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Sector Focus: Legal & Finance
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Sector Focus: Legal & Finance
Accountancy firm welcomes two new Directors ast Yorkshire accountancy practice Sowerby Chartered Accountants is delighted to announce that Katy Booth has joined the business as a Director, strengthening the firm’s client offering locally and nationally. In the new year Phil Silvester, will also be appointed as a Director having been part of the team for 14 years.
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‘I am delighted to join such an ambitious and progressive firm’ Sowerby Accountants have seen significant growth over the past decade and believe that this is largely down to their focus on exceptional client service from experienced and committed staff across both offices in Beverley and Goole. Katy joins the firm with over
23 years’ experience having been one of the first professionals to pass the prestigious Corporate Finance Qualification. In her previous roles Katy has acted as a lead advisor on large portfolio businesses, including UK SMEs, small groups of companies, LLPs, and partnerships. In addition, Katy has experience in strategic planning, modelling, and raising finance. Throughout her career she has dealt with large scale due diligence transactions and helped raise millions in capital. Katy said: ‘I am delighted to join such an ambitious and progressive firm. With my corporate finance experience within the SME market, along with my general practice background, I aim to deliver innovative and practical solutions to a range of clients. Focusing on early-stage businesses through to exit, I hope to enhance the already strong team at Sowerby.’’ Phil, who was recently shortlisted for Yorkshire
Phil Silvester and Katy Booth will be strengthening the team
Accountant of the year, predominantly works within the hospitality, construction, and aggregates sectors. He undertakes a mix of business advisory work ranging from helping clients with their pricing to large scale projects and preparing forecasts to support funding applications. He is known for the variety of work he does with clients who feel as though he is an
instrumental extension of their internal team. Phil said: “I have always enjoyed getting to know how my clients operate as I feel the details are essential for helping them and their business move in the right direction. I am excited to grow my portfolio of clients and to do so at Sowerby, where the culture has helped me develop my skills beyond just accountancy.’’
Solicitor STEPs out with new qualification
Emma Fawke
A leading law firm has reinforced the confidence of clients in its will and probate team with all five specialist solicitors now appointed to the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP). Rollits LLP, which has offices in Hull and York, has also drawn on the expertise of the team to help Dove House Hospice take the proceeds of its annual Make a Will Fortnight to almost £70,000. Emma Fawke, who qualified as a solicitor in 2011, is the latest solicitor from Rollits to become a full member of STEP after successfully passing her exams and is now a qualified Trusts and Estates Practitioner (TEP). As a specialist in wills, estate planning, lasting powers of attorney and Court of Protection matters in addition to probate and administration of estates Emma is also a member of Solicitors for the Elderly (SFE), which she achieved in 2019. SFE is a national association of independent lawyers who specialise in legal services for older and vulnerable people. She said: “The whole private capital team of five lawyers across our two offices now have STEP membership, which is a kite mark for what we do. It indicates the knowledge and experience we all have in dealing with private client matters.” Commenting on Emma’s success, John Lane, Head of Rollits Private Capital Department, said: “We are all extremely proud of Emma’s achievement. She has worked very hard to complete her exams alongside her day-to-day work and in the midst of a pandemic and that hard work has paid off. We congratulate her on her STEP qualification.” January/February 2022
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Sector Focus: Skills & Training
Prestigious prize for the TEC Partnership The TEC Partnership has received a prestigious Queen’s Anniversary Prize. The announcement was recently made by the Royal Anniversary Trust, at a reception at St James’s Palace in London. The TEC Partnership is a national leader in digital innovation in the education sector and has received the award for its innovative use of digital technology for education, work, and life. The Queen’s Anniversary Prizes recognise the work carried out by UK universities and colleges, which showcases quality and innovation, and delivers real benefit to the wider world through education and training. The prizes are the highest national honour that a further and higher educational institution in the UK can receive, and are granted by Her
Gill Alton - truly honoured
Majesty The Queen every two years. Gill Alton OBE, TEC Partnership CEO, said: “We are truly honoured to be receiving the Queen’s Anniversary Prize. To be recognised as a leader in digital innovation in the education sector is something we are extremely proud of. “Our track record in the development of digital learning and digital curriculum innovation is unparalleled; at Grimsby Institute we have a National reputation as an EdTech Demonstrator college which has involved working with over 80 schools and colleges. “This award is a wonderful tribute to our staff and the exceptional work taking place here at the TEC Partnership.”
Rollits is putting young local talent at the heart of its strategy
Law firm takes on regional talent leading law firm is celebrating the talent on its own doorstep as it builds for the future by putting local people at the heart of its recruitment strategy. Rollits LLP revealed that nine lawyers have joined the firm during 2021 most of whom are from Hull and the surrounding area, having either grown up in the region or graduated from the University of Hull. Ed Jenneson, the firm’s HR Partner and Head of the employment team, said: “Over the years in developing our
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diverse team, Rollits has attracted people from much further afield and we place a very high value on that, but it is interesting that so many of the most recent recruits have such strong local links. “Some grew up here – as I did – and completed their legal studies elsewhere before returning to the city. Others graduated from the University of Hull and decided to return in the area and some never left – growing up locally and graduating locally!” Trainee solicitors Zaneta Andraszczyk and Jordan
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Collinson are University of Hull graduates, who both come from Hull and attended school and sixth form colleges in the city. They joined Rollits in March 2021 to begin their Period of Recognised Training, having preciously undertaken work experience with the firm, an opportunity which Rollits has now revived for 2022 after only being able to offer a virtual look behind the scenes when the pandemic was at its peak. Other new arrivals who began their Training Contracts in September 2021 include Olivia Keith, Joshua Hobson and Emma Richards. Joshua studied at Manchester University but he
comes from Hull, having attended Endeavour High School and St Mary’s Sixth Form and Emma, who comes from Kirkella, is a University of Hull graduate. Olivia is from York. The three newly qualified solicitors appointed by Rollits, Lily Dobson, Harry Spice and Enisha Ali, are all from the Hull area. The latest new recruit, Ruth Maltby-Sinkler, graduated from the University of Hull in 2012. She takes her place as an experience associate in the commercial property team. Ed added: “We are excited to be able to recruit and retain professional services talent into the region.”
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Sector Focus: Skills & Training
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Sector Focus: Manufacturing
Manufacturer releases new PPE range etectamet, a world leading manufacturer of food safety products, are delighted to announce their latest investment, manufacturing their own detectable and non-detectable nonwoven Mob Caps & Beard Snoods. Along with offering highly competitive prices, manufacturing PPE in house will significantly reduce lead times for Detectamet’s customers. As a result of this investment, Detectamet will be far less reliant on overseas suppliers, and consequently, less vulnerable to shipping delays. To provide quality goods fit for a wide range of PPE-reliant industries, Detectamet have invested significantly in cleanroom facilities and introduced a new way of working. Their designated staff are trained in cleanroom practices and are equipped and trained against cross contamination. Their controlled environments reduce foreign body contamination and have real-time air monitoring and particulate filtration. To help combat pathogens, each piece undergoes extensive UV-c irradiation to kill microbes, which are prevented from growing back by vacuum packing as standard. Production will be integrated into their ISO accredited facility
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(9001, 15000 & 45001) assuring the quality in production remains high. CEO Sean Smith is delighted with the latest Detectamet investment, adding: “Over the last two years we’ve invested heavily in our on-site production, including our injection moulding capabilities. This latest investment in our cleanroom & PPE machinery is another big step forward for Detectamet. Our customers should look forward to using a quality, British-made product with a regular and reliable supply. For the first time, manufacturing both Detectable and Nondetectable PPE really opens our doors to customers where detectable products are non-essential, such as the hospitality and medical sectors.” This specific investment also provides at least four more jobs for the local community, joining Detectamet’s ever-growing warehouse and manufacturing operations team. To find out more about Detectamet and their new PPE manufacturing venture, please email sales@detectamet.com, speak on live chat at detectamet.co.uk, or call 01759 304200.
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Sector Focus: Manufacturing
January/February 2022
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Motoring
In association with
Life can’t be all about work! Chamber Motoring reviews some of the latest offerings on the market
The GR Yaris is already a star of the World Rally stage
A hot-shot that ticks all the boxes A modern classic which boasts the world’s most powerful threecylinder engine and does it by the numbers - David Hooper drives Toyota’s fantastic GR Yaris
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Model: Toyota GR Yaris Engine: 1618cc, 261bhp three-cylinder petrol engine, driving four wheels through 6speed manual gearbox Performance: Top speed 143 mph. 062mph in 5.5 secs
Toyota GR Yaris
ow many new cars can you think of today that are collectible, or future classics, before you even drive them out of the showroom? Well here’s one – meet Toyota’s GR Yaris. To the uninitiated, it may look sporty, in an understated way, but under the skin lies a rally car in waiting with the world’s most powerful three-cylinder engine, because this fairly unassuming little car is Toyota’s homologation special to qualify the brand to compete in the FIA World Rally Championship where it is driven by Elfyn Evans and Sebastien Ogier. The pair finished second in the 2021 title race, but Toyota Gazoo Racing sealed the Championship for the manufacturer after a strong season’s rallying. These little hot shots share only four panels with its run-around namesake, it has a carbon-fibre roof, is only available with three doors and lightly used examples are
The vital statistics
changing hands on the second-hand market for more than they cost new. Having spent a few days behind the wheel of one, I completely understand why. Put simply, it’s brilliant! No wonder then that the Northern Group of Motoring Writers, of which I’m a member, voted it their Car of the Year for 2021, a certain Mr Clarkson who used to be on the telly a lot followed our lead, and numerous other motoring publications have heaped praise on this little hot-shot. So why all the fuss? Let’s talk numbers, and you’ll see. There’s only one that really matters, and that’s 261 – the number of braked horses under the bonnet – in a Yaris, for goodness sake! Then there’s 5.5 – it’s 0-62mph time – almost motorbike fast, and there’s also the number three, which is perhaps the most surprising number – its cylinder count – there are only three of them in its 1.6-litre engine, not that you’d know from behind the
Economy: City: 30.4mpg Country: 42.2mpg Combined: 36.7mpg Wheel World test average:24.8mpg Co2 emissions: 175g/km Fuel tank: 50 litres Insurance: Group 35 Price: £30,020 Warranty: 10 years/100,000 miles (T&Cs apply) Website: www.toyota.co.uk • All data correct at time of publication
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Sector Focus: Motoring
wheel. Vying for the most surprising number is also four – that’s the number of driven wheels this incredible car has, so add all that lot up together, and you’ve got one very potent and capable little car. It reminds me of the Celica GTFours I watched in the WRC as a youngster, and the way it drives reminds of the iconic Subaru Imprezas and Mitsubishi Evos, all equally iconic pieces of automotive engineering, and all former icons of the world’s rally stages. With epic performance and unbelievable levels of grip, and believe me I tried to unstick the GR Yaris and it was having none of it, I have to say it blows my previous favourite, Ford’s excellent Fiesta ST, out of the water, which even with its limited slip diff on some models can’t compete with this for out and out driving enjoyment and pure grip on the tarmac.
‘If you want a modern classic which is guaranteed to increase in value if you look after it, then look no further’ Toyota have created a brilliant road car in the GR Yaris, and with its rallying intentions in mind, you would be forgiven for thinking that the damping set up would be on the overly hard side, but it’s not at all, it’s compliant and comfortable, yet never loses its poise when pushed to its limits and a bit beyond, so there’s some Eastern engineering magic afoot here. It helps that the driver can select from three driving modes - Normal gives a 60/40 front to rear split, Sport gives you 70 per cent of the power to the back wheels so you can slide the rear of the car rally style, while Track gives you a more balanced 50/50 drive for the quickest lap times. You can feel the performance potential in the GR Yaris, even through its brake pedal, which is particularly firm. Look at the brake discs and you see they are grooved to dissipate heat, and that includes the rear ones, which is unusual. The brake pedal provides a firm platform for heel and toeing, if you’re into that sort of thing, but my only, and I mean, only, criticism of the car is that the brake and throttle pedals could do with being a bit closer together to more easily facilitate the aforementioned. Our test car is the “entry level” model, with buyers also having a choice of a more track focused car which comes with a Circuit Pack that adds stiffer springs, dampers and anti-roll bars, lightweight alloys and limited-slip diffs for both axles, and a third model which has a Convenience Pack which adds blind spot monitoring. Despite its competitive intentions, the road car is not lacking in creature comforts and has everything you need, including adaptive cruise control and all the latest safety aids. If you want a modern classic which is guaranteed to increase in value if you look after it, then look no further, this ticks all the boxes – and then some. January/February 2022
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The Kia e-Niro on charge at the free chargers in St Stephen’s car park, Hull
EV infrastructure needs investment Kia e-Niro 64 kWh auto Electric cars might be the only choice we will have in a few years’ time, but what are they really like to live with now? David Hooper has been finding out.
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lectric cars are the future we are being told, and by 2030, if you buy a new car, it will have to be electric as the Government ban on the sale of petrol and diesel engines comes into force. The uptake on electric cars so far has been slow, and they still only account for a small percentage of overall sales, but what are the latest offerings like to live with? This Kia e-Niro is one of the newest models on the market and comes with a 64 kWh battery. I was impressed with the car itself, which is equipped with all the bells and whistles and is surprisingly engaging to drive – if you think electric cars are slow, or boring, think again. What I am less impressed with however, is the public charging infrastructure which needs massive investment and regulation if we are to get anywhere near achieving the Government’s ambitions within the quoted eight-year timescale, but that’s literally, another story. Visit www.wheelworldreviews.co.uk to read more about living with an electric vehicle. Our Kia test car, which costs £39,645 on the road, arrived with 200-miles of battery range, enough for a couple of days’ motoring. Press the start button and the dash lights up as you would expect, and everything looks normal, except there’s no engine sound, which still takes a bit of getting used to. An electric car sounds a bit like a London underground train as it whirs into life and moves away. Once on the move it is more or less the same to drive as any automatic car, except with an electric motor, there are no gears, so progress is very smooth. The faster you drive, the quicker you deplete your battery. If you own an electric vehicle, you will have a proper charging unit installed at your home, which will recharge your car in a few hours. I don’t, so I had to 52
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plug it into a normal 13 amp socket. When I plugged the car in, it had 30 per cent of its range left, and the dashboard told me it would take 23 hours to fully charge it. I left it plugged in for 10 hours overnight, by which time it was 66 per cent charged, so the battery charge had increased by 28 per cent. There are electric car friendly tariffs available now which provide cheaper electricity in the wee small hours, and you can program your car to charge at the optimum time. So for four or five quid, you can have a range of around 230 miles, depending on how you drive it. If you need to go further than that in a day, you will have to find a charger. Access to these usually involves signing up to an app and paying on your credit card. Back to the e-Niro. It’s well put together – the quality of the Kia range has improved massively over the last few years and now stands comparison to just about anything on the market. On the road, the e-Niro drives very well. Anyone who has experienced an electric vehicle will know the acceleration can be brisk – the benchmark 0-62mph sprint can be achieved in a hot-hatch rivalling 7.8 seconds! It even has flappy paddles which increase or decrease the amount of energy regeneration which puts charge back into the battery. It’s similar to “engine braking”, but you capture that energy. With practice, and a bit of reading of the road and planning well ahead, you can drive the car by using just the accelerator and the flappy paddles, without the need to touch the brake pedal at all. Electric cars are definitely getting there. If you drive less than 200 miles a day, and keep your car topped up at home, then they are easy to live with, but if you regularly drive big miles and are pressured for time, then personally, I’d steer clear for the time being until the national charging infrastructure is much bigger and more reliable.
The vital statistics Model: Kia e-Niro 64 kWh auto Engine: 64kWh Li-ion polymer battery driving front wheels through an automatic gearbox Performance: Top speed 104 mph. 0-62mph in 7.8 secs Economy: City range: 382 miles. Combined range: 282 miles. Charging Time: AC charge time (230V) 29 hours (0100%) AC charge time (7.2kW) 9 hours 35 minutes (0-100%) DC charge time (50kW) 1 hour 15 minutes (0-80%) DC charge time (100kW) 54 minutes (0-80%) Co2 emissions: 0g/km Insurance: Group 27 Price: £39,645 Warranty: 7 years /100,000 miles Website: www.kia.co.uk • All data correct at time of publication.
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T: 01482 219 655 E: info@direct-gaskets.co.uk W: direct-gaskets.co.uk January/February 2022
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New Members To find out about Chamber Membership visit www.hull-humber-chamber.co.uk/memberships or call Janice Harrison on (01482) 324976, or Anne Tate or Marilyn Waud on (01472) 342981.
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Tecnica Services Ltd Stuart Blanchard Hull T: 07977 597228 Exhibitions & Events
Piping and Structural Engineering, Design and Fabrication Pipesco is a pipe and structural engineering, design and fabrication specialist, providing a comprehensive range of services.
The company was founded with the belief it should be possible for customers to source quality design and fabrication all under one roof, without the frustrations and cost of using two or more suppliers.
Pipesco is built on years of experience across the sectors of piping, engineering, design and fabrication and is always at the forefront of innovation. The company aim is to stand out from the crowd by offering bespoke and future fit design and engineering services.
By providing a complete end-to-end service, we’re able to streamline processes and dramatically improve communication between design fabrication teams to deliver a fantastic service with a quick turnaround.
We embrace modern technologies and our company is based on the belief that by employing cutting-edge methods and stateof-the-art technology, we can work efficiently and with superb precision to deliver a superior product within quick timescales.
A NEW APPROACH
We use industry best practices along with internationally renowned standards and frameworks. It’s why Pipesco is fast becoming the partner of choice for so many.
SURVEYING • ENGINEERING & DESIGN FABRICATION • DELIVERY & PRESENTATION CAPABILITIES • REPAIR ENGINEERING PROJECT MANAGEMENT • PLANT ENGINEERING T: 01469 576677 E: info@pipesco.com W: pipesco.com 56
Business Intelligence January/February 2022
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Business Intelligence
January/February 2022
Business Intelligence
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Last Word If you like to have the Last Word, here’s your chance - email David Hooper at d.hooper@hull-humber-chamber.co.uk
‘If we can finish the fundraising challenge of £700,000 to complete the radiochemistry and cyclotron unit in 2022 it would be a fantastic achievement for the charity’ Name: Claire Levy Job Title: Fundraiser Daisy Appeal Name of the business: Daisy Appeal
What does your business do? The charity built the Jack Brignall PET-CT scanning centre and is now completing the radiochemistry and cyclotron unit which will open allowing us to produce the radioactive tracers to improve accuracy and detection rates for cancer, heart disease and dementia in Hull, East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire. Where is it based? Castle Hill, Cottingham. What has been your biggest challenge in the last year? The effects of Covid-19 restrictions meant we were unable to continue our in person fundraising so we had to rely on other forms such as Amazon Smile. This has been an amazing source of fundraising because it just relies on supporters using smile.amazon.co.uk with their usual Amazon login. By choosing
Claire Levy - hoping to reach their fundraising target this year
the Daisy Appeal as their chosen charity we receive 0.5% of all eligible purchases. We have raised over £15,000 this way, with over 12,000 people signed up. What are you most looking forward to in the next three months? If we can finish the fundraising challenge of £700,000 to complete the radiochemistry and cyclotron unit in 2022 it would be a fantastic achievement for the charity and all our amazing supporters. What news story has had the biggest impact recently? The arrival of 30 tonnes of equipment including the centrepiece of a GE Healthcare GenTRACE cyclotron to the Castle Hill site. This was all transferred in a series of crane lifts over the roof of the admin building to the loading bay at the new Molecular Imaging
Research Centre (MIRC). All the pieces including the 13-tonne cyclotron were then slid into place inside the new building, which will become operational early in 2022 as the latest piece in a jigsaw which Prof Stafford has been working on since he launched the Daisy Appeal in 2000. If you could choose any job what would it be and why? I’ve held several positions over the years, and I really enjoy the fundraising jobs. It’s very rewarding when you see people doing amazing things to help to support a charity. What is your biggest ambition? To see our children and grandchildren be happy, healthy and successful in their chosen careers. Where will your next holiday be? Singapore to see our son, daughter-in-law and two beautiful granddaughters, now there is a vaccinated travel lane, we are looking forward to a long awaited catch up and lots of celebrations. What are your hobbies and which is your favourite pastime? I love cooking and baking, reading especially books from my book club as it stretches me to read things I wouldn’t normally choose, also walking, we are lucky to live next to Beverley Westwood so there’s no excuse not to walk.
The new equipment arriving on site.
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What are your plans for the weekend? Probably all of the above!
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T: 01482 214169 M: 07926 566220 E: darren@randdsecurityservicesukltd.co.uk E: accounts@randdsecurityservicesukltd.co.uk W: randdsecurityservicesukltd.co.uk