Business Intelligence March April 22 by Kemps Publishing

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March/April 2022

Business

Intelligence The Magazine of Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce

Carrying the family name forward FOCUS ON:

Transport in the

Clugston Distribution is steering a path to success

Humber Business leaders signal Humber’s concerns in talks with TfN team

Patrons

Sector Focus

AA Global Language Services on its position in the region

Appeal for Government to invest further funding in the skills industry

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Contents March/April 2022

Business

Intelligence President’s Message 5

Phil Jones, President of Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce, on the exciting initiatives in the pipeline

Big Interview 6

Alistair Clugston, CEO at Clugston Distribution

Policy 8

Focus on Transport in the Humber: Business leaders signal Humber’s concerns in talks with TfN team

12 Results from the Q4 2021 Economic Survey

Member News 18 HullBID takes lead in anti-spiking campaign

Patrons 22 Patrons Profile: Kirk Akdemir, AA Global Language Services 24 The importance of trade credit insurance

Spotlight Features 28 Business Crime & Protection Keeping your premises safe 30 Growing Your Business Making plans for success 32 Don’t let Brexit slow your trading ambitions

Sector Focus 34 International Trade Customs border changes – are you prepared? 38 Legal & Finance Accountants make addition to team 40 Skills & Training Call for funding for the skills industry 42 Manufacturing Further investment for engineering firm 44 Motoring David Hooper tests the Ford Transit Custom Nugget Camper

New Members 48 The Chamber welcomes new members

News Extra

48 Round-up of news from Chamber businesses March/April 2022

Business Intelligence

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Business Intelligence

Business Intelligence March/April 2022

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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 WEBSITE www.hull-humber-chamber.co.uk 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

elcome to this edition of Business Intelligence. Most of our members are back up and running and have put the pandemic behind them. For most, Omicron has been a relatively minor obstacle and apart from the odd staff absence we are hopefully heading forward unhindered. Still business life is not without challenges. Most people seem to accept that inflation is going to be with us for some time and not perhaps as transitory as many first thought. The Bank is signalling towards two further rate rises this year and we might therefore expect base rates to be at 1.0% before September. Labour supply is a major problem for many businesses right now and again this doesn’t look like a problem that is going to resolve itself quickly. If you are experiencing these issues, you are not alone. News from Chamber HQ is very positive, with many initiatives in the pipeline. It makes me wonder how Dr Kelly sleeps at night, with all that is going on. Our recent meeting with Transport for the North was extremely encouraging. The Chamber facilitated a private meeting in which our MPs and senior business leaders gave strong and robust arguments for more investment in our transport infrastructure and services. My Vice President, Mike Whitehead, has spent time in Westminster working with local leaders on the devolution plan for the North Bank and the County Deal which is at conception stage. We are also advancing our position on the local skills agenda and hope to see these issues move forward in the months ahead. Having been President for coming up to two years it will soon be time for me to hand over the Chain of Office. I can honestly say that it has been a fantastic experience and it has been an honour to serve our members. The learning curve has been steep and there have been many situations where I have had to listen more and say less, mainly because I knew that the subject was outside of my circle of expertise. But I must say that I have been very impressed by the way that the organisation runs and also by the extent to which it influences the climate for business.

Thank you for your support over the last two years.

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.

• • • • • • • • • •

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

• • • • • • • • • •

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 March/April 2022

Business Intelligence

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Big Interview Phil Ascough of Ascough Associates talks to Alistair Clugston, CEO at Clugston Distribution

Driving a family firm

into the future

here’s something very matter of fact and business like about the way in which Alistair Clugston discusses the collapse of Clugston Group, an event which came so close to wiping out the hugely respected

family firm. Alistair readily acknowledges the business was a big player on many fronts but jeopardised its wider interests by putting too much resource into construction. When that side of the business failed repeatedly, so did the rest of the group. But Clugston Distribution traded throughout the group’s administration from its base in Scunthorpe, and when new investors took over, they invited Alistair to lead the business. He did not take much persuading. “I can remember walking round the yard when I was about 14 and thinking, one day, I would end up here,” he said.

Alistair at his desk, fulfilling his childhood destiny

Business Intelligence March/April 2022

“It’s one of those things that goes through your brain.” The rescue act in January 2020 was about more than just clinging on. Now under the fourth generation of Clugston management, the business can this year celebrate the centenary of Alistair’s great grandfather Jack Clugston (J G Clugston Limited) moving timber and fly ash with a horse and cart and purchasing his first truck in 1922. This milestone finds the company motoring ahead, reaping the rewards of a bold investment strategy. With a modern fleet, good wages and conditions the business has successfully steered clear of driver shortages which have been all too common in the sector. There are plans for further investment and expansion with more new vehicles on order, although it would be a mistake to assume that the famous Clugston family name opened the door to any of this. “From the start we had a real battle to continue with the Clugston name and not have to reinvent ourselves under another banner,” Alistair revealed. “We have had to weather the storm being in the shadow of Clugston Group. Nobody wanted to give us any credit, everything had to be paid upfront. Simple things that people take for granted have been a big struggle for us. As a new group we haven’t been given the benefit of the doubt.” Alistair never worked for Clugston Group. He had property companies specialising in the licensed trade and he built an export business, shipping trucks and equipment all over the world and dealing with Clugston Distribution as a customer, using the workshops to maintain his fleet. Alistair’s partners felt he had the entrepreneurial spirit and drive at a time when the country was facing arguably its most difficult period since the war, and their faith has been rewarded. He said: “When I was appointed CEO of Clugston Distribution there were approximately 62 trucks and about 130 staff and we currently operate around about 100 trucks and 178 employees.

‘We are very much looking forward to the year ahead and continuing our excellent run of good results with profitability’

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Big Interview

Alistair pictured with one of the firm's newest tankers

“I still run it as a family business, and I treat everybody the same. I am proud to have a fantastic, hard-working team who are loyal to the company and always go that extra mile without necessarily looking at the clock! “We have significantly increased the wages of our drivers and our workshop technicians to meet the demands of the industry and maintain a strong and loyal workforce as a result.” There has been investment worth a total of more than £3.75m in new trucks, trailers, tankers, and infrastructure. On top of that there’s a further £1.4m proposed for the construction of a purpose-built twostorey reception and office block in Renault livery as well as a new, three-bay, drive-through trailer and tanker facility to meet the growing demands of new customers and to service and maintain the fleet. “It will be our first major infrastructure investment in many years,” said Alistair. From taking over, Alistair has positioned the company away from ad-hoc work to more meaningful long term contractual periods. This has allowed the business to invest in state-of-the-art new equipment with confidence and ultimately attracting the best drivers to join. Alistair said: “That gives us more stability and allows us to plan ahead.” Key areas of growth are transporting long steel products, increased shift patterns on fuel, expansion of the bulk food and industrial powders division and recently acquired special movements based in Hull

which transports everything from caravan chassis to modular buildings all over the UK. The commercial vehicle maintenance division now operates seven days a week, providing services for commercial vehicle maintenance and repair, MOT testing, ADR and SLP certification. As well as North Lincolnshire, the company also operates from sites in East Yorkshire, Leicestershire, Suffolk, and Teesside. Clugston International Trading Limited recently opened a base in Belfast. Alistair said: “We have identified areas where we would like to expand. Scunthorpe is our headquarters and in order to grow we need to look further afield. We have been approached by a lot of new customers who are looking to work with us because of our name and excellent reputation and high standards. “We are very much looking forward to the year ahead and continuing our excellent run of good results with profitability. Covid has been a challenge to us like everyone else and we have weathered the storm well so far. “The last 16 months has produced consistently good results and we are progressing in the right direction after securing more long term and meaningful contracts. From being a young boy, I had always dreamt of being part of the family Clugston business – I did not expect to get here via the current route, and I am enjoying the challenge. The future looks bright!” To read more about the 100-year history and plans for the future visit www.clugston.co.uk March/April 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.

Business leaders signal Humber’s concerns in talks with TfN team

ull & Humber Chamber of Commerce President Phil Jones welcomed the recently appointed Chair and Chief Executive of Transport for the North to key discussions with the region’s political and business leaders focusing on transport in the Humber. Transport for the North’s Chair, Lord Patrick McLoughlin, who previously served four years as Secretary of State for Transport, was joined by TfN’s new Chief Executive Martin Tugwell at the meeting at the Chamber’s head offices in Hull. They were welcomed by Chamber President Phil Jones. Dame Diana Johnson thanked Lord McLoughlin for his work so far, but said we needed to turn around 50 years of decline in this area, but as she looked forward to the benefits of Freeport status highlighted that “we all know we need to upgrade rail infrastructure for the Humber.” She told the meeting: “We need to see full rail electrification of all rail routes to Hull – the Integrated Rail Plan (IRP) failed here. I know funds and powers of TfN are to be further reduced. MPs are really worried about TfN’s funding for the future. We want to see a reversal of cuts made to Hull in the last decade. There was good news recently on the Liverpool route, but we still need a direct link to Manchester Airport. Improvements to one part of the North will always mean another part misses out, and that’s not Levelling Up. “We also need to see improved passenger facilities at Hull Paragon Station – it is visitors’ first impression of city and it’s not good enough. “Despite our differences we have worked cross-Party, cross-Humber, for the good of this region,” she added. 8

Business Intelligence March/April 2022

Emma Hardy MP agreed. She said: “The Integrated Rail Plan was a real disappointment for the city and the area. The move to hybrid working means a regular and effective train service is even more important than before.” In listening mode, Lord McLoughlin, said there was a fantastic job to do. He had been at the Transport Select Committee this week, and had helped to get the Castle Street scheme implemented. He said he was committed to HS2 because it is modern infrastructure adding to the existing Victorian infrastructure. He said he agreed with the MPs’ points about the station, noting that St Pancras and Kings Cross stations in London are now destinations in their own right.

‘I am looking forward, maximising everything we can with Network Rail’ Martin Tugwell said he was keen to get out and about and present TfN as representing the whole of the North. “What has come across to me is the passion and the opportunities in the Humber – we should see this as a global gateway at the heart of the national economy. We need to keep going for the longer term. Martin said: “The Integrated Rail Plan was a disappointment, but those needs haven’t gone away and we need to do more. We need to be shouting about the strength of the rail recovery, back to passenger numbers pre-Covid, freight paths are also back to pre-Covid levels. “I am looking forward, maximising everything we can with Network Rail. Longer term we’re about to embark on the Independent Economic Review and it’s time to update that and review it.” Continues on page 10...

Discussions during the meeting with Transport for the North at the Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce

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Chamber Policy

FOCUS ON:

Transport in the

Humber

March/April 2022

Business Intelligence

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(Left to right) Chamber President Phil Jones, Leader of Hull City Council Cllr Daren Hale, Chamber Chief Executive Dr Ian Kelly, Lord McLoughlin and Chamber Vice President Mike Whitehead

...from page 8.

The Managing Director of Trans-Pennine Express, Matthew Golton, said he was a firm believer in coalitions of the willing – he had moved back to the North for first time in 30 years and had found the London centric arguments very striking. “It’s about how you make the right arguments to the right part of the machinery. Hull to Liverpool was an opportunity and the Rail North board had agreed that this should happen and I am going to make it happen. “Airport links should absolutely be part of the picture, as will new bi-mode trains.” Mr Golton promised improvements to Hull stations, the installation of ticket barriers and the general tidying up of the station. The Leader of Hull City Council, Cllr Daren Hale, said: “We need electrification, track improvements with better track maintenance to improve resilience on rail which would help to solve issues in the North West too. The 10

Business Intelligence March/April 2022

Eastern side of the TfN area suffers more than the West. We have to keep banging that drum. We talk about passengers, but we also need to talk about freight, electrify to Hull, then you’re nearly to the docks – we’re the most Carbon polluting area other than the Ruhr, and better rail connectivity would help to address that.”

‘We’ve not had a through train to London since 1992 and reinstating that service would be a big boost for Cleethorpes and Grimsby’ The main political representation from the South Bank came from the Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, Cllr Philip Jackson, who said: “If Hull thinks it’s sidelined by TfN, the South Bank feels ignored. The Port of Immingham, the largest port by volume in the country, the Port of Grimsby, the centre for

offshore wind which is growing hugely, and Cleethorpes which is the East Coast’s premier resort, all need better connectivity. DFDS recently announced a £100m investment in the port and we’re trying to improve the container services out of the port, and are told by ABP director Simon Bird that loading gauge issues are stopping them taking hundreds of lorries over the Pennine routes off the road.” Cllr Jackson also aired his disappointment that the direct rail link between Kings Cross and Cleethorpes had been deferred for a further year, especially as the gauge issues had been resolved and overnight stabling for the trains in Cleethorpes was available. “We’ve not had a through train to London since 1992 and reinstating that service would be a big boost for Cleethorpes and Grimsby. “I would also ask for speed improvements on local lines – these are key South Bank asks,” he added Mr Golton said they are banging the drum about getting the loading gauge changed and

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Chamber Policy

FOCUS

Global Gateway and we need to be getting this message across. Their freight and logistics strategy ‘starts’ that process and we need to focus more on that. I am very keen to look at how we get the business voice even more strongly into the conversation. We need to decarbonise freight as it’s one of the most polluting sectors and we need to see how we can build on previous work to look at electrification into Hull.” The Chair of the Chamber’s Shipping, Transport and Renewables Committee, Albert Weatherill, said: “We have the largest port in the UK, the fourth largest in Europe, 20% of all rail freight originates out of the Humber. The world is investing in the Humber with wind, carbon capture, green aviation fuel, you don’t need an economic case, it’s already here, but how much bigger could this become?” Martin Tugwell agreed. “We really need to crack these outcomes and hold ourselves to account. Decarbonisation is no longer an ambition, it’s now a legal requirement. We have to get smarter if we are to see this economic growth coming.” David Gibson, the new Managing Director of Hull Trains, highlighted that his company had recently invested in a new fleet of Hitachi 802 trains and reduced carbon emissions by 60%. He said: “We are talking to Hitachi about rechargeable batteries to do electrification without overhead lines. “Hull Trains had recently celebrated 21 years out of Hull Paragon Station and now had its track access extended to 2032, so we really look forward to the future and we are seeing green shoots. We have real ambition for this area.” Rail Consultant David Walford said: “It was fact that ON: TfN was favouring the North West, not just a perception. The cost of rail also needs to be looked at. We are paying a lot more per mile than other areas for a much worse service. If you want to level up, level up East and West first, rather than North and South.” Chamber Chief Executive Dr Ian Kelly highlighted that the Chamber had helped to get Hull Trains established 20 years ago. “What Hull Trains has done has been remarkable and a tremendous success story, what we’ve done on the back of good services has been astounding and giving us the services we’ve outlined opens up our economy and all we’re asking for is a basic catch-up.” Lord McLoughlin promised to take all these things away and look at what can be done. Ben Gilligan, of East Yorkshire Buses, noted that they were coming out of the pandemic but there were big challenges. We are facing about 75% of pre Covid passenger levels at the moment and there’s a real risk to rural services as funding will run out soon. It was a big worry and big issue for the East Riding is that connectivity by bus will not viable and the impact on communities can be pretty severe.

Transport in the

Humber recognise the importance of the freight and passenger community working in tandem. He noted he was not responsible for LNER, but it was their intention to bring direct trains to Cleethorpes and that work will start in the summer. He highlighted that he had done his first trip to Cleethorpes in his new role and he agreed it takes a long time. The Managing Director of DFDS Seaways, Andrew Byrne, noted that had previously worked in freight rail, so knew both sides of the arguments. “The way the shipping and transport industry has developed in the Humber has been huge - we move through more units than anywhere else, other than Dover. The Humber doesn’t have a rail freight terminal. Bulk goes out of Immingham. I met with rail freight group this week, but we are still driving rail freight out of the Humber. Minis from Plant Oxford are brought on car transporters. We really need to find a way to unlock this resource,” he said. Martin Tugwell said: “The Humber is a UK

WHAT THEY SAID: “We need to see full rail electrification of all rail routes to Hull – the Integrated Rail Plan (IRP) failed here” Dame Diana Johnson MP “The move to hybrid working means a regular and effective train service is even more important than before” Emma Hardy MP “We need to be shouting about the strength of the rail recovery, back to passenger numbers pre-Covid, freight paths are also back to preCovid levels” Martin Tugwell, TfN Chief Executive “Hull to Liverpool was an opportunity and the Rail North board had agreed that this should happen and I am going to make it happen” Matthew Golton, Managing Director of Trans-Pennine Express “We’re the most Carbon polluting area other than the Ruhr, and better rail connectivity would help to address that” Cllr Daren Hale, Leader of Hull City Council “If Hull thinks it’s sidelined by TfN, the South Bank feels ignored” Cllr Philip Jackson, Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council “The way the shipping and transport industry has developed in the Humber has been huge” Andrew Byrne, Managing Director of DFDS Seaways “The world is investing in the Humber with wind, carbon capture, green aviation fuel, you don’t need an economic case, it’s already here” Albert Weatherill, Chair of the Chamber’s Shipping, Transport and Renewables Committee “We have real ambition for this area” David Gibson, Managing Director of Hull Trains “What Hull Trains has done has been remarkable and a tremendous success story” Dr Ian Kelly, Chamber Chief Executive

March/April 2022

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Chamber Policy QUARTERLY ECONOMIC SURVEY Q4 2021

Humber firm’s fear inflationary pressure as energy costs rise he Quarter 3 results saw Humber business pull back from the enthusiasm seen as we came out of lockdown in mid 2021, but as we moved towards the end of the year and facing new challenges around Covid-19, how were companies coping? Research by the Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce has revealed that while the domestic scene was still challenging, imports and exports had improved slightly. However, there was increasing concern about the outlook for 2022, with external concerns focused around rising interest rates, inflation and competition. Pressure on prices were also on the up, with the biggest concerns among firms being increasing overheads. As the cost of living increases pay settlements were a greater concern in this survey’s results for employers, and more businesses said they were concerned about accessing finance, but the cost of raw materials was less of a concern in this quarter. The Chamber’s External Affairs Director David Hooper said: “These results for Quarter 4 of 2021 clearly demonstrate the concerns felt by Humber businesses as inflationary pressures take a firm hold. High fuel prices, rising energy prices, and the first increase in the interest rate for 10 years all add to the burden of business already struggling to recover from the pandemic.

The New Year is certainly going to be a challenging one for many, as they struggle to plan ahead with the added uncertainty around the continuing Covid-19 crisis which is currently leading to staff absences and sickness. “Hopefully, as we move towards Spring, things may begin to improve on at least some of these fronts.

‘Many businesses are just ticking over at the moment and hoping for a better 2022’ “To help its members as much as possible, the Chamber has invested in its membership offer which now includes five new advice lines covering HR, H&S, Legal, Tax and VAT issues. These are employer focused services backed up by unlimited access to experienced advisors and access to a library of 800 documents and templates.” The Quarter 4 Survey also revealed that Home Sales were down 11 points to 17, while Home Orders also dropped this quarter, down 15 points to 9 points. Exporters were having a slightly better quarter and businesses became more used to the new trading arrangements, with the Export Sales balance figure up 29 points and back in positive territory, while the balance figure for Export Orders also returned to

positive territory at 11 points, a rise of 18 points. Employment in the last three months was fairly steady with a balance figure of 0, while the number of firms expecting to hire new staff in the next three months rose from 24 points to 36. More businesses were looking to invest in training which was up two points to 15, while investment in plant and machinery dropped slightly. Turnover and profit expectations for the coming months were also well down this quarter, with turnover expectations dropping by 12 points to 24. Profit Expectations also took a tumble, dropping by 20 points down to a balance figure of 2 as the more difficult market conditions continued to take their toll on Humber businesses. Cashflow, however, fared slightly better, rising by 11 points to a balance figure of 8 points. With only 37 per cent of firms reporting that they were working at full capacity, it was a clear signal that many businesses are just ticking over at the moment and hoping for a better 2022. As the New Year unfolds, it is apparent businesses are facing many challenges and are concerned about the inflationary pressures as costs rise across the board.

Backing for Opportunity Humber plan Hull and Humber Chamber of Commerce Vice-President Mike Whitehead recently attended a Dinner at the House of Commons hosted by Hull University Chancellor, Baroness Virginia Bottomley. The dinner had been arranged to explore the new arrangements for devolution in the Humber following Michael Gove’s Levelling Up White Paper.

‘This new business-led pan Humber body is warmly welcomed by the Chamber’ Attendees included Daren Hale and Jonathan Owen, leaders of both North Bank Councils, MPs Dame Diana Johnson, Sir Greg Knight, Graham Stuart and Andrew Percy. 12

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Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, announced the Government’s Levelling Up White Paper recently and pointedly visited Grimsby and Hull on the launch day. He included in his speech proposals for a new pan Humber organisation called Opportunity Humber to be chaired by Reckitts CEO, Laxman Narasimham. Mike Whitehead said: “This new business-led pan Humber body is warmly welcomed by the Chamber and the ‘County Deal’ on offer for the two North Bank Councils is the most pragmatic agreed way forward for local government.” He went on to point out that nationally The British Chambers of Commerce had now told Mr Gove of Hull and Humber’s support for the Opportunity Humber initiative and it was good to see that many internationally significant Humber-based businesses are involved.

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Chamber President Phil Jones (centre) pictured with Jason Stockwood (left) and Andrew Pettit

Entrepreneurs are a perfect match for the Mighty Mariners he first Chamber Networking Lunch since the Covid-19 outbreak began was a top of the league event as members listened to an inspiring talk by the new men in charge at Blundell Park, the home of Grimsby Town Football Club. Introduced by Chamber President Phil Jones, entrepreneurs Jason Stockwood and Andrew Pettit both told their stories to an enthralled audience, before explaining how they are now working to transform the home of the Mighty Mariners into a great place to work, make it a pillar of the community and grow its reputation nationally in the often cutthroat world of football. Jason, born in Grimsby and brought up in a council house, revealed that he had no real boundaries, didn’t know what success looked like and failed his A levels, but work took him first to Norsk Hydro, then to Disney World in Florida, where he started to read and found a love of poetry and philosophy. He is now a Fellow of Oxford University. He went to London in 1995 and developed an interest in the internet, creating the well known travel website lastminute.com. He sold that for a fortune, but found himself living in London, aged 35 and single, so started internet dating, which led to him setting up Match.com, and later Sky Scanner. Jason said he only invests in things which improve society and have a social conscience.

Business Intelligence March/April 2022

One of his great joys was meeting Andrew. “It was very lucky,” he said. “We complement each other with our ambitions – it was serendipity that we came together.” Andrew, who spent his teenage years as a butcher’s boy in the famous Pettit family shop in the town’s Bethlehem Street, explained he didn’t like the sight of blood so wasn’t cut out to follow in the family tradition. He became a property lawyer working with Airbus in Toulouse before moving to the ill-fated Lehman Brothers Bank in the mid-90s. He then set up his own business called Revcat, which now employs 50 people and has offices all over the world, but he never imagined he would end up running a football club.

‘We are improving the facilities, but it’s very early days – we want to leave the club in better shape than we found it’ “It’s not like a normal business,” he said. “Grimsby Town Football Club is 144 years old, so we’re its custodians, and we want to build a club to be proud of. “We’ve started at the training ground and improved the team’s equipment, their tools of the trade. We have a Sports and Education

Trust, an academy which due to its geography has a good catchment area in North East Lincolnshire and beyond. We are improving the facilities, but it’s very early days – we want to leave the club in better shape than we found it.” Jason said he wanted to use the club as an anchor institution for renewal, not only to improve the football, but also to support the town’s community. They have created Home Win, which offers online support to people. Debate Mate is designed to train kids in the skills of debating and they are planning to build a world class institution to help kids which they are planning to open 2023. Pledging not to promise anything they couldn’t deliver, Jason and Andrew said there were now no plans for a new stadium, although this has been much talked about for years. “We have bigger priorities now,” said Andrew. “We are investing in the existing stadium to make it a better place to come for the 5-6,000 fans who turn up on match days”. The last word went to the Club’s Chief Executive, Debbie Cook. “Grimsby Town today is all about values, we want to see incremental improvements,” she said. “Please come back and support us, there is a real opportunity to work with us and build civic renewal and see young people make the journey from academy to elite football. Local businesses can be part of that journey.”

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Chamber Policy ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Girls encouraged to pursue STEM

The tower challenge was very competitive

Visitors from the UTC with their hosts at the Humber Refinery and Councillor Georgia Astbury (front, right).

Students from Scunthorpe’s Engineering University Technical College (UTC) Northern Lincolnshire visited the Phillips 66 Limited Humber Refinery on International Women and Girls in Science Day and enjoyed a packed agenda, which helped them think about a career in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths).

Interactive simulator The Cave is enjoyed during the visit.

enny Sutcliffe, principal consultant of regulatory affairs at Phillips 66 talked to the girls about Humber Refinery being ‘a refinery of the future’. The Humber Refinery already produces petroleum coke, a key component of electric vehicle batteries, and used cooking oil is being turned into more sustainable fuels, including for aviation. The visitors had a chance to talk to Jenny and colleagues, who included students on one-year intern placements from universities. The visit also included time in the Humber Refinery’s immersive, interactive health and safety simulator ‘The Cave’ and a fun exercise building towers using only spaghetti and marshmallows. Fifteen-year-old Sofia said of the experience: “I’ve always been interested in science and, the more I get to see and know about it, the more I’d like a job in that area.” Sofia is in her final year at the UTC and has a conditional offer for an apprenticeship through Humberside Engineering Training Association (HETA). Thirteen-year-old Lila was also impressed. She said: “It’s been a really great day. I have learned lots of stuff that I didn’t know, and being around women like this is amazing.” Jen Vincent, careers lead and director of business development at the UTC, thanked Phillips 66 for hosting the day. She said: “It has been fabulous for the girls. Bringing them to somewhere like Phillips 66 immerses them in STEM. All the students have been engaged.

The Phillips 66 Humber Refinery is a member of the regional group WIME (women in manufacturing and engineering) and the WISE Campaign (women in science and engineering). Nine Stobart, external communications and public affairs lead, said it took its role in attracting a diverse workforce seriously. She added: “We want to ensure we recruit the best talent and to provide an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive. Traditionally we see low applications from females particularly. Continuing to partner and promote opportunities in our industry will be critical to our success in expanding this long term.”

Linda Winstanley, Process Engineer in the Decarbonisation Project Team, talks to the students.

We are very proud of our collaboration with Phillips 66, a core partner of the UTC. The firm sees the value in investing time to promote the excellent opportunities open to our students as part of the Energy Estuary.” The students and staff were joined by Immingham ward councillor at North East Lincolnshire Council Georgia Astbury. Councillor Astbury said: “It’s been fantastic. The children have been so engaged. It is really good to see young people being so excited about the refinery and careers in STEM.” It was her first visit to the Humber Refinery in the role and she was interested to hear about the ongoing projects to create ‘a refinery of the future’.

For further information on a career at Phillips 66, go to www.phillips66.co.uk/careers March/April 2022

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Chamber Policy

Celebrate like royalty at Business Awards

reparations for the Northern Lincolnshire Business Awards 2022 are now in full swing. The 2022 Black Tie Gala Awards Presentation and Dinner will be held at Grimsby Auditorium, on Friday, 13 May. Headline sponsors of the awards are Phillips 66. Businesses from across the Northern Lincolnshire area have entered and there are Awards for companies of every size and age. As well as the glittering awards ceremony hosted by Richard Askam, a courtesy drinks reception and three-course quality dinner catered by Steve Bennett of The Lincolnshire Chef, guests will enjoy an after dinner show, performed by both professional West End performers and local students. The theme of the evening will be ‘A Right Royal Do’ in honour of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Further information and dinner bookings are available at www.nlincsba.co.uk.

Any enquiries about the awards should be directed to Anne Tate at a.tate@hullhumber-chamber.co.uk Follow the Awards through our dedicated website www.nlincsba.co.uk and Twitter feed @NlincsBA

Chamber membership now includes five new advice lines – HR, Legal, H&S, tax and VAT Three document libraries – HR, H&S and legal – almost 800 template documents plus lots more information 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 all now available to members and are 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 These new services represent a major investment by the Chamber in its membership offer. The services are part of a national scheme provided by Quest with 45,000 UK Chamber of Commerce users. David Hooper, The Chamber’s External Affairs Director, said: “Businesses are facing challenging times at the moment and these 16

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new services offer excellent support to all businesses, whatever size they may be. I believe these new services will protect our members, help them stay compliant, particularly with issues around Covid-19 like HR and H&S requirements, and give them peace of mind.

‘We are delighted to be able to include these excellent new benefits as part of our membership package’ “Our new services are employer focused, so the HR line for example, can help businesses deal with redundancy procedures, 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. They provide expert advice and support on many key aspects of running a business and I would encourage our members to make good use of these new, premium services.” Members only can call 01455 852037 for immediate support and assistance. 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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Council Leader made Honorary Member of Hull & Humber Chamber he Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, Cllr Philip Jackson, has become an Honorary Member of the Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce after accepting an invitation from Chief Executive Dr Ian Kelly. Dr Kelly, a fellow “Grimsby lad” whose father lives in the town, thanked Cllr Jackson for his support and good working relationship with the Chamber in recent years on key policy issues for the Humber and his work with the Chamber, both on business and rail infrastructure, getting rail lines back into Manchester Airport and a direct service from Cleethorpes to London in 2023. “We warmly welcome Cllr Jackson’s contributions representing North East Lincolnshire. Getting the Freeport is evidence of how the four unitary authorities are now working together, and it is good for NELC that they are now the accountable body for the Freeport area.” As Grimsby businesswoman Irene Keal hosted her first meeting as the Chair of the Chamber’s North East Lincolnshire Area Council, Cllr Jackson updated members on the key issues affecting the area which he summed up as “exciting times”. Cllr Jackson highlighted the recent developments in ports and logistics, private and public sector investment and said he believed we now had to translate that success into action on the ground, improving jobs and skills so local people can benefit from the things coming into the area. He said the Grimsby Town Deal had been the prototype for Levelling Up and we are continuing to progress with that. The recent visit from Michael Gove (see page 12) had been very useful and he seemed genuinely interested in what was happening in the area. He was keen to visit the port of Grimsby and was asking a lot of probing questions. He was also interested in what the barriers were for us to progress and he wanted to know what Government could do to help remove those barriers. Cllr Jackson highlighted there was major grant money coming into the town centre with £17.3m from the Future High Streets Fund to remove the old Market Hall. A new public open space would be created along with a multi-screen cinema on the site of the current Market Hall. He noted that Freshney Place Shopping Centre had gone into receivership, but commented that it was not quite as bad as it might sound and it will undoubtedly find a buyer. The company which manages it still wants to be involved with the FHSF project. Work on Six Towns Funds projects was ongoing and they had to have full business

Cllr Philip Jackson (right) addresses the Chamber’s North East Lincolnshire Area Council as Irene Keal Chairs her first meeting, with David Hooper

cases into Government by the end of next month and that was another £21m of grant funding. St James’ House in the town centre is also to be redeveloped with work planned to start in the summer. A new transport hub in the town centre was another ambition which will help to link up trains and buses and will have a new public event open space on Riverhead Square which will help with the transformational change the Government is looking for. The Council hopes this will increase confidence in the town centre and bring in new investment.

‘We made it very clear that collaboration around the Humber was very important where there is a shared interest’ Cllr Jackson said: “Mr Gove also went to Cleethorpes – we have already seen a lot improvements there and the Wayne Hemingway Consultancy is working on a draft master plan which will help to make it more of an all year round resort and our focus will be on the North Prom which is the area which needs most regeneration and we are hoping to launch a Levelling Up bid for that work next year. “The recent Levelling Up white paper broadly align with NELC’s aims, including boosting living standards by boosting the private sector, improving public services, improving pride and belonging and empowering local leaders and communities.” Commenting on the Devolution progress, Cllr Jackson said it was disappointing that

Greater Lincolnshire does not appear in the first tranche of devolution deals, but the White Paper makes it clear that all areas which want a devolution deal will be offered one by 2030, so they hope to eventually get a Level 3 bid which might lead to an elected mayor in Greater Lincolnshire eventually. He said: “We made it very clear that collaboration around the Humber was very important where there is a shared interest. The Humber Leadership Board includes the four local authorities, work on carbon reduction is a key area, flood defence affects all areas around the Humber, marketing is beneficial to the whole estuary for commercial reasons, and also Freeports are areas of joint interest. “We also recently got the Humber Energy Board which looks at raising the profile of issues around the renewables sector and carbon reduction, and now Opportunity Humber, which featured in the White Paper when it was published last week and will be headed up by the Chief Executive of Reckitt which will try to attract private investment into the Humber. There has been a lot of activity around Freeports recently – all the ports around the Humber are part of a larger pan-Humber arrangement and the Government said we had submitted the best bid. “We are looking for a net increase of round 7,000 jobs around the Humber. There will be three key tax sites, one at Hull, Goole and the Able site at Killingholme, where businesses are offered tax incentives to develop businesses and seed corn capital funding which is additional money which will come in from Government and NELC will benefit from £15m of that to try to encourage more businesses into our industrial estates.” March/April 2022

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Member News The latest news, success stories and updates from members of Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce.

Getting involved with St Andrew’s Hospice I’m Emily Aitken and I’ve been working at St Andrew’s Hospice since 2013, originally as a Retail Operations Manager and now as the Income Generation Manager. What does your charity do? St Andrew’s Hospice is a registered charity based in Grimsby, providing hospice care services for adults, children and their families across North East Lincolnshire and the wider region. What do you love about working for St Andrew’s? Each day, I leave work knowing that I have made a difference to someone’s life, whether that is in a small or significant way. I see how the money that’s been raised by the public has helped so many families who need hospice care, and this is what inspires me every day to be the best that I can. Why should businesses get involved and how? Working with the hospice allows businesses to demonstrate their values and offers the opportunity to showcase an organisation’s achievements in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). One of the underlying characteristics of high-performing business and charity relationships is shared values, along with the recognition of strengths and areas in which they need support. There are multiple ways that businesses can get involved, whether that is by participating in events, completing challenges, by donating equipment or through match funding or sponsorship. The many options can be discussed with our passionate, hospice team, who are happy to work alongside interested parties to ensure that we come to the best arrangement for your business and our charity. Please get in touch with me at emily.aitken@nhs.net to discuss how we can work together. 18

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HullBID takes lead in anti-spiking campaign ullBID is working to keep city centre licensed premises at the forefront of a campaign to protect people against the dangers of drink spiking by raising awareness among customers. The HullBID team is using its evening economy group as the vital link between the Stop Spiking Hull campaign organisers and the owners and managers of pubs, café bars and restaurants across the city centre. Stop Spiking Hull was unveiled in December after being commissioned by Safer Hull and funded by Hull City Council, Humberside Police and the office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Humberside. The initiative uses preventative and detection methods to help people identify if they or others are at risk, educate on how to report instances of suspected spiking and encourage people to seek help if needed. The pre-Christmas launch attracted significant publicity and HullBID Executive Director Kathryn Shillito has emphasised that the campaign will continue. Kathryn said: “Our city centre is renowned for the quality, character and variety of its pubs, clubs and café bars and it is great news that everybody is working together to keep customers safe, but it is also essential to do that throughout the year. “Our role is to support the various agencies behind Stop Spiking Hull and to use the networks which we have built up over the last 16 years to connect the campaign with the businesses who are in the front line and bring their knowledge and

experience to the initiative. We know from the regular meetings of our evening economy group that the members welcome the campaign. They recognise that they are in the best position to provide us with insight into the effectiveness of the measures and they are committed to dealing with the problem and ensuring the safety of people socialising in our city centre.” Stop Spiking Hull distributed 5,000 drink testing kits, 100,000 drinks covers and 10,000 Spikeys – a versatile drink protector – to venues located in the city centre and surrounding areas. The campaign will also deliver core information through posters, which will be distributed to venues, and through media screens located in the city centre. Mark Charlton, Head of Community Safety and Partnerships at Safer Hull, said: “Hull is a vibrant city and we’re proud of the range of cultural events that take place, its hospitality offering and the mix of venues to attend. By working together, with Humberside Police and our other key partners, we can protect safe nights out in Hull and work to ensure we provide safe drinking environments for everyone.”

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Member News

Flotilla to lead Jubilee celebrations he Humber Estuary will provide the stage for a spectacular celebration and re-enactment to mark this year’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Hessle Town Council is leading the project to launch a flotilla of 70 vessels which will set sail on Thursday 2 June – the official date of the 70th anniversary of Her Majesty’s coronation. The craft will range from small – including the inshore lifeboat operated by Humber Rescue – to large, with plans to bring in pleasure boats, harbour tugs and even a trawler. In addition to celebrating the jubilee, the event will re-enact the Humber flotilla of 60 boats in 2012, when Hessle Town Council celebrated The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, and the occasion in 1897 when watermen gathered their boats on the Humber in celebration of Queen Victoria’s 60-year reign.

Councillor Graham Fordham, who is one of the organisers of Hessle’s Jubilee events, said: “The Humber Platinum Jubilee Flotilla is a celebration in its own right and takes on added importance because of the need to support local businesses which have suffered badly with loss of footfall, income and investment over the last two years. “Our Diamond Jubilee flotilla in 2012 was a great success so we decided to repeat it this year, only bigger and better!” Hessle Town Council has secured support for the flotilla from East Riding of Yorkshire Council and Hull City Council as well as from Visit Hull and East Yorkshire (VHEY) and The Corporation of Hull Trinity House. Councillor Fordham is working closely with Phil Withers, a former councillor who organised the 2012 event, and Captain Phil Cowing, Master Warden of Hull Trinity

House and former Harbour Master Humber, who will co-ordinate the fleet arrangements. Mr Withers said: “The flotilla is not just about celebrating the Monarch but also our rich maritime heritage and history as well we the Humber’s place as the UK’s energy estuary with many of the participants involved in the renewable energy sector.” Hessle Town Council is accepting applications now from vessel owners who wish to join the flotilla. Councillor Fordham said: “We already have vessels of differing size and historic interest applying to take part. We expect the remaining places to be snapped up very quickly but we also want to hear from businesses and other organisations who can help us seize the opportunity to present a unique historic event and demonstrate our strong maritime heritage all set against the iconic backdrop of the Humber Bridge.”

Left to right: Councillor Graham Fordham, Captain Phil Cowling, Phil Withers at the side of Hull Marina, from where the flotilla will launch

Female financial duo on hand to offer help 2021 saw business partners Caroline Allen and Joanne Baker launch an all-female financial advice practice based in Hessle, East Yorkshire, with a goal to empower businesses and individuals to achieve their goals. Key highlights of the story include: • The motivation for launching an all-female financial advice Practice • How they empower businesses and individuals to achieve their lifestyle and business based goals • Why you need a ‘power team’ in place to relieve your financial stress. When asked the reason for starting Yorkshire Financial Planning, the dynamic duo said: “Helping people with their future plans has always been the favourite part of what we do, making our decision to launch Yorkshire Financial Planning an easy one. We’ve been inundated with people in need of holistic planning and provide this in a way

that’s consultative and educational so our clients are in control and part of the planning process. Our shared vision is one of financial advice that’s built on relationships and being there for every life event – however big or small.” Get yourself a power team The last two years have been challenging for most of us and financial stability is probably needed now more than ever. Financial stress can take its toll on both business owners and their employees. Caroline and Joanne believe that everyone needs to have a financial plan in place as well as an entrepreneurial attitude to take advantage of opportunities. Caroline said: “There’s no greater feeling than a client saying ‘it makes complete sense now’ and it’s comments like this that inspired us to build a brand that’s trusted and professional but with a personal touch.” Joanne added: “We want our clients to feel empowered and confident in their plans for

Caroline Allen (left) and Joanne Barker

the future. After all, it’s your plan, and your future - everyone deserves the best that they can get!” For more help and advice or to receive a complimentary guide covering wealth management, retirement planning or inheritance tax planning, contact Yorkshire Financial Planning on 01482 275540 or email helloyfp@sjpp.co.uk March/April 2022

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Member News Business support from Hull Library The Business & IP Centre Hull provides specialist business information and resources for anyone thinking about selfemployment, setting up, or growing a business. Trained staff offer practical support to help you start, grow and protect your business, with access through any Hull library. As a member of the national network of BIPC’s and PatLib UK, we have access to a network of skills and resources. The BIPC also provides a variety of resources, tools, expertise and contacts to help you build the confidence and skills needed to create a successful business: • Guidance on Intellectual Property (IP) – copyright, trademarks, designs, patents • Business reference resources accessed remotely from the office or your own home • Specialist company and market research databases • The Makerspace – a space to make your designs into reality and get creative Our Bespoke Business Support for Hull resident’s, supported by Community Led Local Development (CLLD), European Structural and Investment Funds ERDF, is to help those living in certain areas of the city to start or grow a business. The project is due to end November 2022. There’s still time to get involved with this amazing project and make your business dreams a reality! Support includes: • An allocated key contact who will support you and work with you • An assessment of needs • Supported networking activities • Signposting and help to access other local support • Access to all BIPC services including interactive workshops, expert clinics and events. Business support is now available through the Innovate Humber project, funded by the European Unions’ Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and focuses on strengthening research, technological development and innovation. For more information visit www.hcandl.co.uk/BIPCHull or email Reference.library@hcandl.co.uk

Business Intelligence March/April 2022

Exceptional praise for home care company ome Instead Beverley and Hull is celebrating extraordinary satisfaction scores from its CAREGivers, with 100% of them saying that they are proud to work for the at-home care company. Independent survey company WorkBuzz has awarded the company a ‘5 Star Employer Award’ for achieving such outstanding scores. The award means something extra this year given that the social care sector has been battling its toughest crisis over the past 12 months. Throughout the pandemic, Home Instead Beverley and Hull has had to contend with new guidance from UK Health Security Agency, especially with regards to PPE and vaccinations, as well as deal with the everyday challenges presented by the virus.

‘Thanks to the dedication and adaptability of our CAREGivers that we have been able to keep clients protected’ Mandy Aitken, Director of Home Instead Beverley and Hull, said: “The pandemic has put us all through our paces, but it’s thanks to the dedication and adaptability of our CAREGivers that we have been able to keep clients protected during this challenging time.” Other survey findings include that 100% of CAREGivers would recommend Home

Andrew and Mandy Aitken

Instead’s services, while every single CAREGiver also says that they felt supported during their induction and initial training. Mandy added: “Our clients are visited by the same CAREGivers week after week for at least an hour each time, that’s how we deliver personalised care and build meaningful relationships. This is not only ideal for our clients, but for the CAREGivers too as they get to see how their work directly benefits our clients, and that they are making a real difference.” Home Instead clients are supported to live as independently as possible, by CAREGivers that they come to know well. CAREGivers’ duties range from companionship, to meal preparation, light housekeeping, personal care, shopping and errands. Form more information call 01482 736019 or visit www.homeinstead.co.uk/beverley-hull

The true value of staff training Since the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, there have been several challenges facing businesses. One of the most significant areas of current concern is skills shortages and people development. With one in four employees now looking to change their career or their role, businesses are having to look hard at employee retention strategies and ways to attract talent. Vacancies are up, and competition for attracting people into many sectors is high and increasing. Add in the impact of Brexit and the homeworking trend, and businesses are facing a real longterm challenge. Training has been identified as a critical tool for supporting these issues – let's explore why. Not only does training and the potential it creates for an individual's self-worth have a positive impact, but it also allows individuals to plan and see a future within the business, perhaps through promotion or on a career map. Training can also help improve staff retention and positively impact a business's

culture to energetic and engaged, which in turn builds loyalty. Training should not be viewed as just for the newly recruited. One of a business’ most important assets is its people, and there are several training solutions for upskilling your existing workforce.

‘We have been delivering programmes for over 30 years’ Directive training is a leading provider of services to support all employee training needs. They have been delivering programmes for over 30 years and are dedicated to providing a solution to improve the workplace and address skills challenges. They support leadership programmes, IT, first-aid and much more. To find out more, contact on 01482 534336/07980 259686 or visit www.directivetraining.co.uk

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March/April 2022

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Patron’s Profile Introducing Chamber Patrons and taking a closer look at what they do and why they are such strong supporters of the organisation

Name: Kirk Akdemir Job Title: CEO Name of the business: AA Global Language Services What is the inspiration behind your business? I always wanted my own business but I had no idea it would be in languages. One day when I was working in the only salaried job I have ever had a friend who was a lawyer asked me to translate a document for them. I didn’t expect any money and did it as a favour but they insisted on paying. It was a decent amount and that’s when I realised this was something I should do more of. What is the biggest challenge facing your business? Accuracy. Often we are helping people with very sensitive matters whether in business or in their personal lives, including medical and legal situations. We only use qualified professionals to do the work and we are successful because we pay enormous attention to getting everything right. Why do you think it is important to support the Chamber and its Membership network? The Chamber does a very good job and it is a hugely important part of the business community. We have been members since we expanded into Hull 12 years ago and we have received a lot of support which helped us become established in the region. In turn that has encouraged us to support the Chamber as a Patron and a major partner of the International Trade Centre. What do you enjoy most about working in our region? Professionally It’s people who make a place, how nice they are and how friendly and that certainly applies to Hull and the wider region. In Turkey a business conversation will generally start with a conversation about family and other interests and I was delighted to discover that often is the same here. People are genuinely interested and that makes business easier and more fun! Personally The longer I worked here the more I realised it was a great place to live, so we moved here a few years ago and I can’t think why we didn’t do that sooner! Socially There is so much going on here and that makes it easy to switch off when you’re not 22

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Type of business: Translation and interpreting services for the public and private sectors Location: Headquarters in Hull with another office in Worcester Area of operation: Worldwide Number of years as a business: Since 1992 Number of people in the team: 30 employees plus an international network of 15,000 linguists.

Kirk Akdemir, CEO of AA Global Language Services

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Chamber Patrons What advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs? Don’t think. Just jump in. They need to have confidence in themselves and do something that they want to do rather than making decisions for economic reasons or necessity. And once they have decided they shouldn’t be afraid to think big! What qualities do you look for in your staff? The most important thing to me is a willingness to learn. We often employ people who are ambitious and genuinely interested in the job rather than people who have a degree or other qualifications. We recognise that people will make mistakes – they are human beings – and if someone isn’t getting on very well the first thing we look at is how well they are being trained.

Kirk (seated) pictured with his management team

working. There’s plenty of scenery and character in the city and surrounding area with the Old Town and marina, country and coast, and a good variety of bars and restaurants as well as growing numbers of fascinating events driven by local creativity and culture. You run a successful business, but when you were younger, what did you want to do when you grew up? My Dad was a pilot and he was my idol. I remember him coming home in his uniform. So at first I wanted to be a pilot and we were both very proud when in later years I got my private pilot licence. At one point I also wanted to be a doctor but I often get a bit queasy when I see blood so that didn’t last long! What was your first job? One of my aunts was a chemist and during the school holidays I used to help her in the shop, packing products and serving customers. Knowing what you know now, what would you do differently? I would do the same again but I would give myself more time, especially earlier in my career, to spend with my family. It is difficult when you are setting up a business but it is important to make time for your children.

Who is the business person you admire the most, and why? I can’t single out one successful individual but I have been influenced by a few. One is my uncle – I picked up a lot of my business discipline from him. The most important thing is getting somewhere through a lot of hard work and sweat and any business person who has earned their place by doing that is someone I would look up to. If you could make one Government policy decision, what would that be: I would look seriously at taxation in all areas of business. There are a lot of businesses, especially small ones, which are being put off by excessive demands and there would be far more people starting out in business if they had more support particularly during the first three to five years. What do you feel is the biggest change that would benefit the Humber? Since coming here I have always thought our region was treated a bit like a step-child. We need more help from central government. We sit in a geographically critical region and we could do so much more for the Humber and the country with the right levels of commitment and support. For more information visit aaglobal.co.uk, email info@aaglobal.co.uk, or call (01482) 308 777

‘We often employ people who are ambitious and genuinely interested in the job rather than people who have a degree or other qualifications’ March/April 2022

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Chamber Patrons

Trade credit insurance: an essential policy? e’ve all heard the old adage that a sale is not a sale until it’s paid for. Of course, we always expect to get paid for what we have sold but unfortunately this isn’t always the case. As a business gains more trading experience it will develop confidence with their existing customers which can lead to long term profitable business relationships. However, occasionally trade credit agreements can fail through a variety of circumstances, often for reasons beyond the customer’s control, leaving unsecured creditors with heavy losses to deal with. The greatest impact from such a loss can be the negative impact on cashflow and loss of turnover. Almost all companies need to win new business to be sustainable, but this often comes with a request for credit terms. This presents a risk to cashflow as there is no guarantee the credit extended to customers will be paid back. Supplying on a pro-forma basis is always the most secure route of supply, but what if pro-forma isn’t suitable, how do you assess the risk, how much credit do you grant and finally how do you monitor changes in your customers risk? You also need to consider your ability to

The future’s looking bright for interns Besides sunbathing, letting the sand run through your toes and enjoying a BBQ with your friends, summer also brings the perfect time to recruit an intern into your business. University students and graduates will be looking for meaningful summer work to build upon the skills learnt from their degree and apply them in a real working environment. For you, this means there is a lot of talent available. An abundance of skills and knowledge across a wide range of areas. Engineers, data analysts, software developers, marketeers, accountants, HR, IT technicians, scientists, and more. The range of talent available for you to tap into will certainly help make your business shine. So if you are considering if an intern is right for your business, now is the time to find out. Visit: www.humberinternships.co.uk/smes

pay your own creditors if you ran into cash flow issues as a result of non-payment from customers. If you are exporting to other countries, extending credit becomes even more risky because it can be difficult to assess overseas customers financials and moreover, problematic to collect if they default. It is commonplace for companies to insure themselves against unforeseen risks but they often overlook or don’t know about the ability to protect against financial loss through a customer’s insolvency or default. The pandemic has created a range of operational and financial issues for businesses worldwide, we need to ask ourselves what risks the current climate has left our business exposed to? One solution would be to consider a credit insurance policy which can replace the cash lost through insolvency and payment default, thus minimising the detrimental impact this can have on businesses. Alan Boswell Group’s team of experts can offer advice on how you can mitigate credit risk through insurance and focus on working with strong, creditworthy customers. Call: 01472 872872

New home for the SPS Technical team The SPS Technical team has moved into new offices in Hull city centre to accommodate the rapidly expanding team and accelerated growth in business. The team has expanded to 15 staff and six vans out on the road every day and have now moved out of the SPS Group’s head offices in Neptune Street into nearby office space and storage units in Edgar Street. Heading up the team is Technical Director Lee Holgate, who joined the SPS Group three years ago. He said: “We have seen accelerated growth in the last two years, and we are extremely busy. We are committed to our existing customers and fulfilling all their needs and our expansion of team members is accommodating our new customers and increasing enquiries.”

‘Investing in our city and ultimately in our firm is a priority for us at SPS Technical. Wherever possible we want to promote within and nurture our top-grade staff’ SPS Technical provides security solutions for people, property, and peace of mind. It is a one-stop-shop for technical security services including CCTV system installation and maintenance, access control systems, intruder alarms, PA systems and fire alarm systems. The business also provides full customer training, service and maintenance packages, technical support from a 24-hour helpline and a remote monitoring service from our sophisticated security Control Centre. 24

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Some of the SPS Technical team and their fleet of vans

Alongside the managers, engineers, and administrative staff, SPS technical has this year taken on three new apprentices – Zak, 16, and Connor, 17, both from Ron Dearing UTC, and 19-year-old Frankey. Lee continued: “We are constantly investing in our future. It’s important to stay local and work with local people – we have the talent here and it’s important to harness it. Investing in our city and ultimately in our firm is a priority for us at SPS Technical. “We hand-pick our team of technical engineers from the best in the field. We always work to deliver the very best to our customers and this move to our new premises and expansion in team members and vans on the road is pushing our growth forward and we look forward to a very busy 2022.” Visit: www.sps-technical.com

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Spotlight Feature: Business Crime & Protection

Spotlight Features In this issue we take a look at the Business Crime & Protection and Growing Your Business sectors.

Keeping your premises

safe

Exercise caution when granting access to security codes and keys

A business property – and all its contents – is among your most valuable assets. Therefore it’s important that you take steps to protect your premises, keep your staff safe and limit the risk of theft.

Caught on camera While CCTV can be an effective deterrent against crime, it should only be one aspect of your overall security system – remember that thieves can cover their faces or stay out of shot. With this in mind, it’s important to places cameras strategically – over important entrances, for example – and avoid setting up blind spots.

the outside of your premises can help make burglars feel more vulnerable and less likely to attempt a break in if there is a strong possibility they will be detected. It can also help protect your staff and make them feel safe when entering and exiting the building, especially if your premises is located in a quieter area, or if certain staff members work later or start earlier than everyone else.

Sound the alarm An alarm system is a great deterrent to thieves and a simple way of enhancing security. When triggered, the alarm will transmit an emergency signal via a landline or internet connection to a monitoring station, which will dispatch the emergency services if necessary. Some systems feature a two-way interface; when the alarm is set off, it connects with the delegated staff member who can confirm whether or not the alert is a genuine threat.

Lock it up A lock is the most obvious and easiest way of preventing people from unlawfully entering your property. However, be aware that many insurance companies dictate that locks must be compliant with British Standard 3621 – and if your locks do not conform then your insurance company may not pay out in the event of a break in. BS 3621 locks can be easily identified by the British Standard Kitemark (BSI) on the faceplate of the lock, along with the standard number. It’s also important to make sure that all windows are also secure; if your premises is on the ground floor it might be wise to invest in roller shutters for extra security.

Let there be light Most burglaries take place at night, where thieves use the cover of darkness to avoid detection and identification. However, security lighting installed on 28

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An alarm system is a great deterrent to thieves

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Spotlight Feature: Business Crime & Protection

Lighting can help keep your staff safe

‘If your premises happens to be in a high-risk area, it might be worth starting a ‘business watch’ group with your neighbours’ Inside job Thieves aren’t always outsiders and certain areas of your business may be particularly vulnerable to employee theft, especially if large quantities of money or stock are kept on premises. To reduce these risks, the first thing to do is to introduce clear policies on theft and make sure all staff are aware of the policy – and the consequences. In order to build a team you can trust, make sure you always verify previous employment history and check references, and exercise caution when granting access to keys/security codes. Always keep cash in a Eurograde safe that is approved by the Association of Insurance Surveyors (AiS). Other security measures include implementing ID badges and sign-in sheets – especially if you get lots of visitors. Loss of information The loss of confidential and important data can spell disaster for a business, and not just because of the threat of GDPR. However, there are a number of ways you can protect sensitive information, including financial

details, employee records and client information. Firstly, make sure to back up important information on servers off-site and ensure your IT systems are well protected from external threats, such as cyber criminals, by installing and regularly updating firewalls and anti-virus software. Additionally, make sure all employees know how to spot ‘phishing’ emails and the correct action to take against them. You can also restrict access to the most sensitive data and change company computer passwords regularly. Get involved If your premises happens to be in a high-risk area, it might be worth starting a ‘business watch’ group with your neighbours. Many local police forces have set up neighbourhood organisations that help them tackle crime and keep the wider community safe. Keeping an eye out for suspicious activity in your area and sharing information regarding threats can help you fix any security weaknesses at your own premises before they are exploited, so contact your local police station to discuss any groups. March/April 2022

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‘Consider what in your life you have need to address, make a ‘tick list’, with links to how each affects the other areas in your life and prioritise what you think you need to address first’ 30

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Spotlight Feature: Growing Your Business

plans success

Making

for

Sue Bayram, Civil and Commercial Mediator, offers advice on how to deal with the big issues in your personal and professional life.

or many businesses, the last two years has been a torrid time with many challenges and changes, making it difficult for them to focus on growing their business as planned. For those businesses who have been fortunate to find a niche in the madness, they have been able to flourish and go from strength to strength. However, many have struggled to keep afloat as their business has not been one that has easily fitted into the new ‘norm’, meaning they now need to find a way to grow and move their business forward in order to survive. This is especially true of smaller businesses. Any issues with your work life will almost certainly have affected your personal life and may mean that you haven’t had an opportunity to deal with the issues, be it your own health, or where perhaps you have disputes with someone who has either carried out work for you or failed to deliver a service that you were expecting. Has your disagreement with a neighbour escalated due to you or them working from home and as a result you are unable to relax when not at work? Failing to deal with the issues in any aspect of your life is insidious in that at some point, something has got to give and the impacts on your professional or personal life may likely be detrimental to either or both. Consider what in your life you have need to address, make a ‘tick list’, with links to how each affects the other areas in your life and prioritise what you think you need to address first. You could include here areas for development you think may be good for your business but have yet to explore and issues that need to be addressed before you can move forward effectively. Starting with your own health, is there anything you have put off dealing with? Only you can decide whether or not you should put your business or personal life first. At times in our life, for various reasons, either may be the case but it is important that any compromises in either are considered in the proportion that is healthy for you and those in your life and the success of your business and you work towards resolving any issues in a timely manner. Particularly in a smaller business where the owner is very much involved in the day to day running of the

business, it is often difficult for them to accept that others can take some of the burden off them. Think about your own skills, do you have a particular skill that is of high value to the business? For example, are you a creative artist who can sell their goods at a high price but find yourself getting involved in tasks such as admin that take your time away from producing your goods? How good are you at marketing, networking and selling? Could you develop your staff and delegate more? Work out your hourly rate based on the typical value of the goods you produce and compare this with paying someone to do assist you with your admin and other roles in your business and provide some continuity for your business should you for some reason be unable to work. By enabling yourself to be more productive you will find that your turnover will increase and even if some of this increase is spent on paying someone else to support you, you may find you can recover a better work/life balance leading to a greater enjoyment of what you enjoy doing most. It's never too late for a New Year resolution, consider how life would look if you could resolve the issues in your life and ways in which this could be done. Make 2022 a great year for you, your business and those in your life!

ABOUT SUE BAYRAM Sue is a Civil and Commercial Mediator/Business Consultant who mediates on a range of issues ranging from neighbour/boundary disputes up to multimillion pound business issues including work place mediation. Based in North Lincolnshire, she works nationally and is happy to hear from anyone who thinks she may be able to help them. Tel 07951075939, E: sue@suebayram.com W: www.suebayram.com

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Spotlight Feature: Growing Your Business

Don’t let

Brexit slow your

trading ambitions By General Manager Hulda Robbins at Samskip UK

or businesses that have managed the challenges of the Brexit customs transitions until now, the coming months are going to renew the pressure to get paperwork right. Brexit arrived to a background of a worldwide pandemic, a lorry driver shortage and a global shortage of shipping containers. Now more than a year later, additional key checks from this July mean potential additional delays on deliveries and additional charges as a result. Apart from the major international traders, this is also likely to affect the small independent importers such as deli, cheese and artisan shops. For those firms who wish to grow their trade operations, it’s vital you know what changes are coming.

New changes this summer From this July businesses need to prepare for another level of stricter checks. Animal products like meat, milk and eggs and plant-based goods like fruit, vegetables and flowers will have to have a pre-notified certificate of origin. Checks for these will take place at designated Border Control Posts or Control Points. Goods will have to have an electronic document check before the start of the journey, a check on the seal on the consignment before departure and another check when they arrive at their destination. More goods impacted from September From 1 September, the same certification and physical checks are due to be introduced on dairy products imported from the EU. And on November 1, certification and physical checks are to be introduced for all remaining regulated products of animal origin, including fish. Up to now animal and plant-based goods must have a statement of origin certificate but they have not been subject to extensive checks because the UK opted for a phased approach on imports from the EU to allow for adjustment to the new systems after Brexit. Exports to the EU from the UK however have been subject to strict controls. The deadlines for UK checks on imports were postponed twice last year but from January this year, that option to delay closed, and businesses had to be ready for increased paperwork to get through customs. Forward planning has been vital for businesses to continue to trade successfully with the EU. For the small independent traders I mentioned earlier, the new 32

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charges at UK ports related to Brexit such as the infrastructure charge and safety and security declaration charge are a new challenge. The increased costs will be issued through the customs agent and passed onto the importer and will mean further increases in import charges which will surely end with the consumer. My company could rely on 20 years of customs experience to help customers negotiate the changes and keep supply chains moving. But for any business that has not yet got to grips with the new requirements, the change coming this year is like a ticking time bomb because non-compliance has serious repercussions. It could lead to goods being denied entry and turned back or their destruction and fines of up to £2,500.

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Sector Focus The latest news from the International Trade, Legal & Finance, Skills & Training, Manufacturing and Motoring industries.

Customs border changes – are you prepared? Customs Declarations From 1 January 2022, goods exported from Great Britain to the EU and goods imported from the EU to Great Britain (with the exception of goods being imported from Ireland) have been subject to full customs controls. If you are importing goods, you will need to make sure that you (or your agent) have submitted the correct import declaration. If authorised, you or your agent can choose to use simplified procedures for imports. If you are exporting goods, you will need to make sure that you (or your agent) have submitted the correct customs export declaration. To avoid delays, check with your haulier what route they are using to move your goods, and whether they need a pre-lodged or arrived export declaration reference from you. GVMS The Goods Vehicle Movement System went live for all imports, exports and transit movements at selective border locations in January 2022. A GMR (Goods Movement Reference) is now required for all goods moving through non-inventory linked Ro-Ro ports. The haulier is responsible for the GMR and must be registered for the Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS) in order to get the goods through customs. You will need to provide your haulier with the following information in order for them to create the GMR: CHIEF Export CDS Export CHIEF Import CDS Import

= = = =

UCR MRN Entry Reference Number (including EPU and date) MRN

IPAFFS From 1 January 2022, all Products of Animal Origin (POAO), Animal ByProducts (ABP) and High Risk Foods Not of Animal Origin (HRFNAO) consignments need to be pre-notified on the Import of products, animals, food and feed system (IPAFFS). You must pre-notify your consignment at least four-hours in advance of arriving into Great Britain. The four-hour requirement will remain in place until 30 June 2022. ChamberCustoms For those of you using our ChamberCustoms customs brokerage service, the service will continue to operate as normal and we are here to help you to comply with all of the above border changes. However, please do ensure that you provide us with plenty of notice of your imports and/or exports so that the declarations can be “prelodged” or “arrived” and the relevant information can be passed to you so that your haulier can create a GMR. Please note that we are also able to create a GMR should you require us to do so – please call to discuss beforehand if you would like this service. If you are not currently using our ChamberCustoms service and would like further information, please email l.holt@hull-humberchamber.co.uk 34

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If you are exporting goods you will need to check you have submitted the correct customs export declaration

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Sector Focus: International Trade

Report highlights experiences of firms one year on from agreement The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has released a report on the experiences of UK businesses one year on from the publishing of the EUUK Trade and Co-operation Agreement. The BCC is calling for urgent action to improve trade with Europe, and asking the UK Government and EU to take a pragmatic approach and work together to reach new understandings and ease the pressures facing businesses. The Hull and Humber Chamber is one of the UK’s 53 accredited Chambers of Commerce feeding into the BCC and reporting back about the situation on the ground and the real issues being

experienced by UK importers and exporters and any barriers to trade that they may be experiencing. This then helps shape the dialogue that the BCC has with government and international bodies. The Hull and Humber Chamber would really appreciate it if Members could spare a few moments to share with us your experiences on trading with the EU (or any other trading area if you wish), highlighting any barriers to trade that you may have experienced and any major issues not highlighted in the BCC’s report. Please email your experience(s) to l.holt@hullhumber-chamber.co.uk

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Sector Focus: International Trade

International Trade training courses 2022 Our training course programme is constantly being updated and added to in order to meet the needs of our Chamber Members and international traders in the ever changing world of importing and exporting. Below is our current programme (correct at time of print) but please do check our website Events Diary page for up-to-date information. Customs Compliance, Procedures and Documentation 10 March and 16 June Understanding Export/Export Documentation 31 March and 7 July

Export Licensing 21 July Customs Declarations TBC Methods of Payment/Letters of Credit TBC

Import Procedures 12 May

Understanding Commodity Codes TBC

Incoterms 26 May (am)

If you would like more details about the nationally recognised BCC Foundation Award in International Trade or you would like more information about the training we can offer, please contact l.holt@hull-humberchamber.co.uk

Preference Rules of Origin 26 May (pm)

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Sector Focus: Legal & Finance

Sean joins Lloyd Dowson Team loyd Dowson, chartered accountants, tax and business advisors with offices on the Yorkshire Coast have made another addition to their team following the appointment of Senior Business Advisor Sean Maloney. Sean has welcomed the opportunity to join Lloyd Dowson so he can use his experience to work with a variety of clients to provide accountancy and business support and to be part of a successful team. He said: “I am delighted to have joined the firm, the welcome from the team has been amazing with nothing being too much trouble. It is exciting to be part of a fantastic well regarded company that has an abundance of resources which provides support for business on any level, at any stage of its journey.” Sean comes with a wealth of experience having spent over 30 years in the accounting industry and is looking forward to helping the firm continue to go from strength to strength and meeting both existing and potential clients. He added: “I’ve been privileged

Sean Maloney (left) and David Dowson

to work for a number of excellent companies in my career but I feel Lloyd Dowson is the pinnacle and I’ve been really impressed with the level of support that the firm offers both internally and

externally to the team, clients and the community.” David Dowson, Chairman of Lloyd Dowson, said: “We are delighted to welcome Sean to the Lloyd Dowson Team. He is

Solicitors invest in life-saving equipment Pepperells Solicitors, who have offices in East Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and the North East, are pleased to announce that they have invested in two defibrillators for their Hull and Grimsby offices, meaning that all Pepperells locations are now within a 0.3 mile radius of lifesaving equipment. In the UK over 30,000 people a year are affected by out-of-hospital cardiac arrests and The British Heart Foundation suggests that the moment someone has a cardiac arrest, the clock is ticking. Every minute without CPR and defibrillation reduces their chances of survival. Having a defibrillator in a place of work can help to save lives. Ben Pepperell, CEO of Pepperells Solicitors, said: “Investing in these devices in our offices and training our staff on how to use them effectively and confidently, plays an important part in helping more people survive a cardiac arrest. When a defibrillator is used within three-five minutes, survival rates increase from six per cent to 74%. We will be registering the devices on the central database so that they are accessible for both employees, clients and members of the public.” Sudden Cardiac Arrests can happen to anyone, of any age and any fitness level. Pepperells are showing that they take the health and safety of their clients, community and employees very seriously and are proud to say that all of their offices are now within a short distance of lifesaving equipment. Visit: www.pepperells.com 38

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Pepperells have invested in two new defibrillators

professional and approachable, already demonstrating a strong commitment to supporting other team members. We look forward to working with Sean to help us develop and grow the practice.”

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Sector Focus: Skills & Training

VIPs on a tour of the HETA headquarters in Hull. From left, HETA Operations Manager Matt Gardner, HETA Hull Centre Manager Joanne Rowland, Toby Perkins MP, HETA apprentice Ibrahim Aziz, HETA Chief Executive Iain Elliott, GTA England Chief Executive Officer Mark Maudsley, HETA Chair Malcolm Joslin and HETA Deputy Chief Executive Joanne Lawson

Training boss in call for further funding for the skills industry he head of a leading engineering training business says his organisation is “fighting with one hand tied behind our back” because of a lack of funding to support its work with learners and employers. Iain Elliot, Chief Executive of Humberside Engineering Training Association (HETA) said the Government should seize the opportunity presented by the new Skills and Post-16 Education Bill to channel more funding to independent providers, and particularly to Group Training Associations (GTAs). Mr Elliott made his appeal during a factfinding visit to HETA’s Hull headquarters by Toby Perkins, Shadow Minister for Skills and Education. They were joined on a tour of workshops by Mark Maudsley, who brokered the visit in his role as Chief Executive Officer of GTA England. HETA is on course to repeat its recordbreaking year from 2021 of receiving more than 800 applications for around 200 learner places at its sites in Hull, Scunthorpe and Stallingborough. The company has always been employer-led and has ambitions for further growth with plans submitted for a new facility at Stallingborough geared to meet the rising demand for training from existing and incoming industry.

Business Intelligence March/April 2022

Mr Elliott said: “There isn’t any capital funding and the Government has got to start thinking about how it can get more funding to source which will actually encourage growth. There has got to be a level playing field for all skills providers. We would like to see some of that funding coming into organisations like GTAs. “We have growth plans to get more learners on board and deliver more commercial training which is what employers want. In order to do that we need to redevelop our facilities and at the moment we have one hand tied behind our back.

‘The learners have told me today that going to HETA transformed their lives’ “I would love to see some of the Levelling-Up coming here because it doesn’t exist at the moment in terms of the skills sector.” Mr Perkins, who also spoke to representatives of PLCs who use HETA for training, said Labour is generally supportive of the provisions of the Skills Bill but he wants to see more detail around the role of GTAs and independent training providers, who he sees as the best at selling apprenticeships to employers.

He said: “Despite skills shortages, the number of apprentices in the engineering sector has remained flat in recent years. We talked about how employers use the apprenticeship levy underspend because Labour’s wage subsidy policy would apply it to create 100,000 new apprenticeships, with 12,970 specifically across Yorkshire and the Humber.” Mr Maudsley said it would be a missed opportunity if the government failed to involve HETA in shaping the Skills Bill. He said: “Independent providers deliver 75% of apprenticeships – why wouldn’t you want an organisation like this which has good links with employers and can prove it is getting people into employment and hitting targets? The learners have told me today that going to HETA transformed their lives.” Mr Elliott suggested the Government doesn’t fully understand or recognise the strength of HETA’s relationship with employers. He said: “That reinforces the need to demonstrate the high quality that HETA can deliver, working with employers and helping young people develop their engineering skills, their business skills and their human skills. HETA is a benchmark for how to do that well. “If we can help to shape policy for Government that’s great.”

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Sector Focus: Skills & Training

Success for Ongo apprenticeship scheme ngo celebrated National Apprenticeship Week with a 92% success rate of future employment and an ongoing commitment to deliver more opportunities in 2022. Since 2019 Ongo has supported over 70 people into apprenticeships within their organisation or other businesses in the region. Of those who completed their qualification, 92% have gained full time employment. There are currently 23 apprentices within Ongo, with roles ranging from business admin to roofing. Lucy Boswell, Digital Marketing Apprentice at Ongo, said: “Becoming an apprentice was one of the best decisions I ever made. “I actually used to be in a higher paid role before coming to Ongo, but I decided I wanted to gain more qualifications. Rather than doing that full time, an apprenticeship gave me the opportunity to earn money at the same time.”

Ongo has helped 70 apprentices find jobs since 2019, with 92% gaining full time employment

Ongo also works with local businesses to advertise and fill vacancies, carry out all payroll and HR duties, organise training and offer support on grant funding. Dan Vockins, Apprenticeship Support Coach at Ongo commented: “Since I took on this role in 2019 I’ve been

overwhelmed with how successful the scheme has been, and the impact it’s made not just on the person, but the business they’re in too. “More than 90% of people have been taken on, which is just brilliant. “If your business could benefit from an apprentice, please get in

touch and I can take you through the process.” To find out more about how an apprentice could benefit your business, or for information on how the process works, call 01724 844848, email recruitment@ongo.co.uk or visit www.ongo.co.uk

T: 01482 211989

E: info@globaltraining.com W: wiseglobaltraining.com

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Sector Focus: Manufacturing

Collingwood Engineering looks to the future with further investment ollingwood Engineering was originally formed in the 1970s, based on Dam Road in Barton upon Humber owned by the Collingwood family for almost 50 years. Collingwood Engineering was taken over by Jason Dear of Trainload Limited in 2017, which was originally a client of Collingwood’s. Its current owner with a background in Engineering for over 25 years, saw an opportunity to fine-tune the business and build on its already strong foundations, reputation, and service. The company has invested £500,000 into a purpose-built workshop and offices, implementing internal procedures, and investing in new machines which include, New Lathes, Millers, Vertical borer, Slotter, Mig and Tig welders, 5-ton Overhead Crane, and Forklift to add to their existing portfolio of machines to be able to cope with demand and to take on larger works. The sizeable plot of land on Humber Road Industrial Estate was purchased from North Lincolnshire Council and presents significant potential for further expansion and investment. Based in Barton-upon-Humber and working with clients across the UK as well as overseas, Collingwood Engineering has remained strong during the coronavirus pandemic and focused its attention on continuous improvement and growth to cope with demand. Jason Dear, owner and Managing director, said: “When I took over Collingwood Engineering, the company had two employees. Over the last four years, we’ve grown our team to nine members of staff and created invaluable apprenticeships. “The investment into new machinery and bespoke facilities allowed Collingwood

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Engineering to improve its service offering to clients, including planned and unplanned maintenance cover with a focus on a quick turnaround. “Collingwood Engineering has been providing quality engineering services to local, national, and international clients for over fifty years. Building on a good reputation and service which has seen new clients join us based upon the reputation and recommendations of existing clients, Collingwood Engineering continues to build upon the 50-year history.

‘We’re dedicated to being a first-rate engineering specialist’ “For many years, we have offered urgent breakdown works and this has now been expanded to ensure that your urgent works are our priority, to ensure a fast response enabling you to be back in operation as quickly as possible, to minimise your downtime “As well as unplanned maintenance, we also work with companies on planned maintenance, which includes supporting many local contracting companies with their onsite works.

“Continuous improvement and training using Solidworks to reproduce and create drawings for our clients of parts manufactured have been implemented. which is playing a leading role in upskilling our team. “We’re dedicated to being a first-rate engineering specialist that applies exceptional levels of skill, expertise, and industry knowledge to every project.” Additional milestones have taken the form of ISO9001:2015 certification, which offers all clients full traceability from order to delivery, complementing this with a new fleet of vehicles to offer a collection and delivery service covering both the north and south bank and the implementation of a fully networked jobs system to improve job planning and efficiency across the whole team, which has resulted in a vast improvement in organization and planning of works. The improvements implemented have increased the company turnover five-fold in the last four years, and further growth is predicted in 2022 and beyond. To see how Collingwood engineering can help your company visit www.collingwoodengineering.co.uk or call 01652 632388

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Sector Focus: Manufacturing

T: 01482 219 655 E: info@direct-gaskets.co.uk W: direct-gaskets.co.uk March/April 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

Meet Ford’s Nugget – but is it campervan gold?

he Ford Nugget campervan has been a popular fixture in Europe for a while and is now developing a healthy following in the UK. Based on the Ford Transit Custom, it can sleep up to four people – although that would be a bit of a squeeze, but for a couple, it can open up a whole new world of adventure – if you don’t mind broken finger nails and bumped heads while you work out how it all works! I took my little Nugget to the East Yorkshire Coast and stayed on the Caravan and Motorhome Club site on the outskirts of Bridlington, ideally located a stone’s throw from the lovely Sewerby Hall. The Nugget is pretty self-contained and has both hot and cold running water, and its own onboard water tanks for fresh and waste water. It can run off the site’s electricity, its own leisure battery, or gas. You also get a little sink with a mixer tap, a deep, cool-box style fridge which holds upright bottles of wine, beer, milk etc and a two-hob gas cooker, with splash backs which flip up to protect your curtains.

‘I tried both sleeping areas in the name of research, and definitely preferred the upstairs option for comfort’ All the rear windows have their own little grey curtains, while the main cab area has shaped silver blinds which attach to the windows with suction cups and wedge into place. The UK spec Nuggets come with two sliding side doors, which I liked. This van included a few extras like metallic paint, Blind Spot Indicators, running boards, adaptive cruise control, trailer tow electrics and a very useful rear view camera. Once on site, the pop-up Westfalia roof can be unlatched, and pushed upwards to create standing room inside the van. The bed can then be pulled down to create a large sleeping area for two, while the rear bench seat can also be converted into a double bed if you don’t fancy clambering up a little ladder, although I found it easier to get into than the VW California I reviewed some time ago. During my weekend away, I tried both sleeping areas in the name of research, and definitely preferred the upstairs option for comfort. You have to learn to live in a campervan and I find you spend half your time looking for things you know you brought with you, but have since disappeared into 44

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one of the many storage spaces or cupboards. Up front there are two captain’s chairs with arm rests which can rotate to face the inside of the van, or the bench seat for up to three passengers. There is also a table which can be located in the middle, so great for a picnic, or a cheeky takeaway. The large tailgate is home to another foldaway table, which you could put under your wind-out awning. I loved the LED lighting too, with some at floor level, some up the sides of the cabinets, and two really bright LED lights on flexible mountings which could be pointed wherever you wanted them. You even get a shower attachment at the back of the van and can stick the shower head on the inside of the glass when the tailgate is up, but I thought I might scare my fellow campers – the site was quiet, but not that quiet, and it was a bit chilly for outdoor showers! The Nugget itself is good to drive, and being a Ford Transit is going to be reliable. This example was powered by a 2.0-litre diesel engine with an automatic gearbox, and I found it no more difficult to drive and park than a big car, you just have to use your mirrors a bit more as the view through the vehicle is quite limited. With the night time temperature down to five degrees, I was glad of the night heater which ran off the van’s diesel fuel and kept the interior toasty through the night. Campervans have always been popular, and with staycations currently all the rage, they are even more so today. The Ford Transit-based Nugget looks great, is easy to drive, and offers solid reliability

The vital statistics Model: Ford Transit Custom Nugget Camper 2.0TDCI 320 SWB Low 185PS Auto Engine: 2.0-litre, 185bhp four-cylinder diesel engine, driving front wheels through six-speed automatic gearbox Performance: 0-62mph in 12.5 secs Economy: Wheel World test average: 30-35mpg Fuel tank: 70 litres Price: £67,422, as tested £71,106 Website: www.ford.co.uk • All data correct at time of publication

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Ducati’s tour de force Ducati Multistrada V4 S David Hooper gets to grips with the best bike of 2021 – and loves its game-changing tech.

t’s not often a motorcycle makes as big an impact as the new Ducati Multistrada did when it went on sale – lauded by most expert reviewers as the best bike to be launched in 2021. Plaudits came thick and fast from all bike mags, the year culminating in it being named European Bike of the Year. It’s pretty good then! And it’s done quite a lot for Ducati’s sales figures, quickly becoming its best seller – and it comes with a four-year warranty. Perhaps not surprisingly I love it too, it’s my kind of bike, especially this Travel and Radar model, not only for its performance and addictive engine note, but also for its stunning Italian good looks, and little touches like keyless ignition, illuminated controls so you can see them at night, a built-in phone holder, its practicality with the luggage for touring (although the top box is a pricey cost option) and the cutting-edge technology it features. Commonplace in today’s cars, this is the first bike to feature Adaptive Cruise Control. Made by Bosch, once activated it will follow the vehicle in front and adjust the bike’s speed to match that of the vehicle you’re following and is a god-send on a long motorway trip, as any biker will tell you after holding the throttle open with your right hand for too long. If the vehicle in front slows, indicate to overtake and bike will accelerate back up to its preset speed. If the vehicle in front brakes, so will the Multistrada. It’s brilliant. If you want to deactivate it, just roll the throttle forwards, or touch either brake. My other favourite feature, and another first on a

bike, are the blind spot warning indicators which light up an orange segment on the mirrors if another vehicle encroaches into your blind spot, it’s a real game changer for bikers, and a potential life saver were you to forget your shoulder check before moving out. Great stuff, until your mates decide it’s fun to take it in turns to pull alongside and set off the orange lights!

‘Progress can be very rapid indeed, yet the bike is easy to ride and loaded with some industry-first safety systems’ It also has heated seats for the rider and pillion. Now I thought this was a gimmick, and something I certainly wouldn’t have paid extra for, but on a cold winters morning, it’s amazing. This fabulous looking machine with its stunning Italian styling is not just eye-candy, it’s a potent sports tourer featuring a fabulous 90-degree V4 engine which packs a 170bhp punch, more than many hot hatches, allied to a fabulous induction sound track at the top of the rev range and a quick-shifter on the gearbox to help you keep the thing on song. Progress can be very rapid indeed, yet the bike is easy to ride and loaded with some industry-first safety systems like ABS brakes, anti-wheelie control, traction control,

The vital statistics Model: Ducati Multistrada V4 S Engine: 1158cc, 170bhp, 90 degree V4 petrol engine, 6-speed gearbox Performance: Top speed 155 mph Economy: Combined: 3845mpg. Wheel World test average: 40mpg Fuel tank: 22 litres. Maximum Range: 208 miles Front suspension: 50mm Marzocchi forks (semi active) Rear suspension: Semi-active, auto-levelling preload Brakes: Brembo four pot on the front, two pot on the rear Wheel sizes: Front 19in. Rear 17in. Seat height: 840-860mm. Kerb weight: 243kg. Price: From £18,995 Warranty: 4 years, unlimited miles Website: www.ducati.com • All data correct at time of publication.

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Sector Focus: Motoring ...from page 41

cornering ABS, daytime running lights... the list goes on. And most things can be adjusted in the menus to the rider’s preference. However, for most, it isn’t necessary to fiddle as the Multistrada comes with preset options which cover most bases. You can adjust the electronic suspension for rider only, rider and luggage, two people, two people plus luggage etc. Then there are the riding modes – these include Urban, Touring, Sport and Enduro for those who like to venture off road. Many bikers do, and the Multistrada, Italian for many, or all roads, is winning a lot of conquest customers from BMW’s revered GS range. To bolster its off-road credentials, the Multistrada has a large 19in front wheel, and a 17in rear, both shod with Pirelli Scorpion tyres, but the large front wheel doesn’t hinder its on-road handling one iota. I clocked up nearly 500 miles, and the big Ducati is a lovely thing to ride. It turns easily and accurately into bends and never feels anything other than completely composed. The induction noise is fantastic at the upper end of the rev range, while the excellent Brembo brakes make sure it pulls up sharply too. The lovely V4 engine is pretty clever too, when you stop in traffic, or at the lights, it shuts down the rear two cylinders to reduce heat and save fuel, and it makes a glorious burbling noise as it does so. The dash is a smart 6.5in TFT screen which can be customised to the rider’s preference to show key information on the trip meters. You can connect your phone and intercom to the bike, and then run a sat-nav app which turns your screen into sat-nav which looks

Business Intelligence March/April 2022

great and works reasonably well once you get the hang of it, but there is no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto option which many owners are crying out for. Ducati’s designers creatively included a little compartment on the top of the fuel tank with a USB socket inside in which to keep and charge your mobile which runs the sat nav. It’s such a great idea but they’ve not made it big enough to accommodate the latest large phones. The only other minor niggle with the Multistrada is its range, which at around 200-miles from its 22-litre tank could be better for a powerful sports tourer. The glorious V4 isn’t the most economical engine you can buy, returning around 40mpg, maybe a little more if gently touring, but then you don’t buy a bike like this for economy. All-in-all, it’s a fabulous, all-rounder boasting some of the latest technology which is now leading the way for others to follow. It’s an expensive bike, but it comes with stuff you can’t find anywhere else.

The TFT screen is clear and well thought out while the menus allow the rider to personalise many of the bike's settings to individual their preferences

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New Members Clugston Distribution Services Limited Mr Alistair W G Clugston Scunthorpe 07854 481944 Logistics Equinor New Energy Ltd Richard Royal London 07809 467883 Energy company GNSS Solutions (UK) Ltd Tim Pybus West Ella 01482 651167 Supply of accurate survey equipment Hildyard Limited T/A Kaizen Consulting Mr Philip Ward Hull 07960 079948 Business consultancy and coaching Horizon Youth Zone Louise Alford Bolton 07879 467339 Charity Killimore Financial Management Ltd Neil Grey Hull 07885 783895 Independent financial advice Parcel Pal Ian Waterson Hull 01482 950247 Courier company ScenePro Digital Forensics Mark Iveson Hessle 01482 424150 Forensic digital instrumentation Talent Inspire Ltd Katie Bacroft Hull 0745 091969 Wellbeing and mental health training WPA - A&B Partnership Ltd Arnie Shelley North Killingholme 01469 541398 Health insurance Yorkshire Financial Planning Ltd Caroline Allen Hessle 01482 275540 Financial advice To find out about Chamber Membership visit www.hull-humberchamber.co.uk/memberships or call Janice Harrison on (01482) 324976, or Anne Tate or Marilyn Waud on (01472) 342981.

Business Intelligence March/April 2022

News Extra Round-up of news from Chamber businesses

Charity has fundraising target firmly in sight arge and small donations from businesses and families have helped the Daisy Appeal take significant strides towards its fundraising target at the start of 2022. Claire Levy, Fundraiser at the charity, said the hope now is that more contributions will follow from a combination of people organising more events at work and in the community. Claire said: “This is an exciting time for the Daisy Appeal as we move ever closer to fitting out the new building and getting it up and running. We’re also getting closer to our fundraising target of £8.5m, and then we’ll be able to focus on covering the running costs.” The Daisy Appeal was founded in 2000 and has since raised more than £20m to fund cutting-edge research and state-of-the-art equipment and facilities. The latest project is a UK-first Molecular Imaging Research Centre (MIRC) at Castle Hill Hospital in East Yorkshire. It is expected to become operational during the summer and will complement the existing life-saving and life-changing facilities funded by the Daisy Appeal in tackling cancer, heart disease and dementia by offering quicker diagnosis, better treatment and improved quality of life for thousands of people every year.

‘Businesses can help to make a difference however large or small they are’ The charity recently received a substantial donation from leading property development company Wykeland Group and the family of its founder, the late Jack Brignall, who was one of the driving forces behind the Daisy Appeal in its early years. The charity’s impact in local communities prompted support from businesses at the other end of the scale including a micro-pub in Brough and a one-man tech repair business in Market Weighton. The Criterion in Skilling Lane, Brough, is raising money from a monthly pub quiz and a swear box and chose the Daisy Appeal after becoming aware of the charity at the Sound of Music event at Everingham Hall Chapel last year.

Claire Levy, Daisy Appeal Fundraiser, outside the new MIR Centre at Castle Hill Hospital

Angie Tooke, Bar Manager at the pub, said: “We’ll keep supporting the Daisy Appeal for some time – until someone decides differently! In the past we’ve had the quiz and raffles and we’ll add more events as things keep picking up.” James Thompson, who repairs mobile phones, iPads, laptops, Macbooks and more at Mend My iPhone in Southgate, Market Weighton, is raising money by inviting donations from customers for the small jobs which would not usually incur a charge. He said: “After meeting Claire I thought it would be a good idea to get a Daisy Appeal collection box and encourage people to make a donation for the advice and jobs where I wouldn’t normally charge. The QR code on the side of the box is handy for people who don’t carry cash!” Claire said: “It shows that businesses can help to make a difference however large or small they are and we’re urging others to join in whether it’s with employee events, corporate golf days, community challenges or whatever. “People have come up with some great online challenges during the pandemic and we hope they will now take that innovative approach onto the streets and into the open spaces and social settings to support our work. We’ve got plenty of fundraising ideas and we’re eager to help!”

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News Extra

How grants can grow your business f you’re a local SME there are grants available. Many businesses miss out on business grants because they’re unaware of what’s available, or have been unsuccessful in applying previously, so don’t think they’ll qualify again.

Business grants cover many areas. • Business planning and coaching/mentoring • Assistance from your accountant • Access to finance • Marketing • IT and digital processes • Capital equipment and premises fit out/refurbishment • HR consultancy • Accreditations • Innovation • Lowering your carbon footprint • Export • Start-up One of the advantages of grant funding is businesses don’t need to pay the money back, so they help accelerate business growth. Grants can also boost cash flow and help you

access expert help that you wouldn’t usually be able to afford. You can also access more than one grant for a project. Accessing Grants Application processes aren’t always straight forward. You may not understand the technical jargon and not know where to access all the information required for the application. If you apply directly to the grant provider and complete the application yourself, the process can be confusing, take a lot of time and potentially reduce your chance of success. To improve your chances of success we would always recommend using an expert who knows the process inside out and what needs including in the application. This will save you time and stress and they’ll advise on what other grants are available. Whatever your next project is, always check if there’s grant funding available. For your free support, email or call Phil Ward on phil@kaizenconsulting.co.uk, 01482 772261.

ABOUT PHIL WARD I’ve established, grown and sold businesses in the local area and understand the pains of growing a business. I’m a business coach and grant funding specialist. I know what grants are available and help businesses successfully navigate the application process. Linkedin.com/in/philward1, www.kaizenconsulting.co.uk

AA Global take on role in tackling climate change Tommy Coyle (centre) and Wykeland staff

Boxing champ creates new wellness centre Former boxing champion Tommy Coyle and Wykeland Group are working together to create a new health and wellbeing centre at a flagship business park. Work is underway on the Coyle Health Club at Bridgehead business park, close to the Humber Bridge, which is owned and operated by Hull-based Wykeland. Tommy Coyle said: “I travelled the world as a fighter and I’ve taken inspiration from all the best gyms and health clubs I’ve visited to create the concept for the Coyle Health Club, which will be a truly top-class facility. This will be an inclusive wellbeing destination featuring some of the best equipment, coaches and nutritionists. “It will also be a community hub on Bridgehead, where workers at the business park can meet and network.”

Business Intelligence March/April 2022

A language and translation business is talking the talk and walking the walk after securing contracts which put the business at the heart of the campaigns against climate change and Covid. AA Global Language Services overcame tough competition to be appointed to facilitate vital communications between the thousands of delegates who attended the COP26 summit in Glasgow. The company also landed the repeat business of providing translation and interpreting services for the test and trace project, helping the NHS reach international communities throughout the UK.

‘Being trusted to deliver these contracts tells me we really are on top of our game’ Kirk Akdemir, CEO of AA Global, said: “We have 30 years’ experience of working in the public and private sectors and we treat every job with the utmost importance but being trusted to deliver these contracts tells me we really are on top of our game!” AA Global were invited to bid for the COP26 contract and drew on their extensive experience of servicing international conferences for major industrial brands. COP26 was the largest gathering of Heads of State ever to take place in the UK with

delegates including high-level government officials, representatives of civil society, intergovernmental (IGOs) organisations, nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) and international media. In addition to the main discussions there were hundreds of meetings and social gatherings during the conference, which ran for two weeks. The AA Global team were present throughout to work on tasks form translating documents and providing 24-hour interpreting services right down to assisting delegates with checking into their hotels, helping them to understand the timetable and find their way around the event. Kirk said: “You are always prepared for a few glitches at these major international conferences but it all went very smoothly because we have built up experience and knowledge of how to handle big events and we make sure our linguists are skilled not just in international languages but also in the specific languages of the business sectors in which they operate. “We have around 15,000 people all over the world so we were able to call upon our most experienced linguists to undertake such an important assignment and they were managed from our head office in Hull. The job required a lot of planning in advance and it involved several of our departments working together, which they did very effectively.”

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