Business Intelligence Nov Dec 2024

Interest-ed to hear of business challenges

Fears over local banking facilities loss raised with Governor

Big Interview

Chris Jackson, the new Director of Regeneration at Hull City Council

Finnish tissue manufacturer Metsä makes long-term commitment to the region

Top tips to help increase the creativity of your people – and your business

Davies Turner established the Express China Rail service in 2016 in conjunction with our long term partners in China, Air Sea Transport, who already had years of experience in the China rail sector.

Initially, predominantly an import service, offering both LCL (groupage) and FCL (full load containers), the service quickly gained momentum as clients took advantage of the fast transits, compared to ocean freight and the much lower costs, compared to air freight.

With confidence and demand for China rail freight services soaring, February 2022 seeing the 50,000th China-Europe train embarking on its journey, Davies Turner, keen to fulfill the desire of the UK export market, has established a dedicated weekly LCL rail service from the UK to China.

Following successful trials, where transit savings in excess of 20 days compared to ocean freight were achieved, we are sure our export clients will benefit from this third freight option.

November/December 2024

Kirk Akdemir on how Chamber events are giving members a voice

6 Chris Jackson, Director of Regeneration at Hull City Council

8 Angus Young is unconvinced by devolution

10 Town centre development plans welcomed

15 Leather repair firm wins Concorde contract

Safety and security boost for Hull city centre 18 First year success for solar power business 19 Ports industry event returns to the Humber

Broadband provider expands its top team

Business at the heart of local skills system 22 Volunteers celebrated at awards night

Creative

Five ways to increase your creativity

Logistics, Freight & Transportation Is a freight forwarder right for you? 30 Top tips to make your fleet eco-friendly

32 Bank of England Governor hears concerns of local businesses at Chamber Lunch

experts earn Grenfell contract

raise funds at charity golf

on track at Siemens Mobility

Electrified G80 offers luxury and practicality

44 The Chamber welcomes new members

Leather Repair Company

COVER PHOTO: Andrew Bailey, Governor of the Bank of England (centre) with Chamber Chief Executive Dr Ian Kelly (left) and President Kirk Akdemir. See page 32

Growing your business, building our economy

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President’s Message

Abusy round of Chamber meetings and networking events has been attracting some sizeable audiences and generating excellent discussion in recent months, and the highlight was undoubtedly the visit by the Governor of the Bank of England, Andrew Bailey.

We were under no illusions when the Governor accepted our invitation –we knew he wasn’t going to let slip any secrets about interest rates or anything else!

However we also knew from experience that he is a good listener, and that was incentive enough to generate a strong turnout among key figures from the Chamber and our guests from the Humber business community.

It’s a sign of the times – and of the Humber’s status as a key part of the global business community – that much of the discussion over lunch at Healing Manor focused on the impact of international issues. It was much the same for his breakfast visit to the Mercure Hull Grange Hotel in April 2023, when Covid-19, the war in Ukraine and rising energy costs had been dominating the business agenda.

You can read the full details of the latest event elsewhere in this edition of Business Intelligence, but what really stood out was the opportunity the lunch presented for business leaders in the Humber to tell the Governor what they think, and what matters to them, their businesses and all their employees.

That’s the beauty of the Chamber’s events programme. It gives Chamber members the chance to get together, raise awareness of our achievements, capabilities and aspirations, and make sure our messages reach the people at the very top.

Kirk Akdemir

President, Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce

Chamber Patrons

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.

• AA Global Language Services Ltd – Gold

• Andrew Jackson Solicitors LLP

• ARUP

• ASM Global

• Clugston Distribution Services Ltd

• Cory Group Ltd – Gold

• Drax

• East Riding of Yorkshire Council

• ELLGIA Ltd

• Equinor New Energy Ltd – Gold

• Hatfields Jaguar Land Rover

• KCOM

• Kevin Greene Photography

• My… Group

• OLG

• Orsted

• Pattesons Glass

• SPS Group of Companies

• Streets Chartered Accountants

• University of Hull

• Wilkin Chapman LLP Solicitors

Big Interview

Phil Ascough of Ascough Associates speaks to Chris Jackson, Director of Regeneration at Hull City Council

Shouting about this great land of opportunity

More than 20 years after he left East Yorkshire for a career in government and public services, Chris Jackson is back. Some aspects of the region are barely recognisable compared to when he headed off to Oxford University in 2002, but he’s been paying attention and keeping in touch.

That’s important because as the new Director of Regeneration at Hull City Council he’s got a big city to shape, a big partnership to support under devolution, and big boots to fill.

The job vacancy arose because of the untimely death of Mark Jones, revered in the public and private sectors and referenced respectfully in a LinkedIn post by Chris on day one in the Guildhall.

Chris mentioned his own excitement, pride and passion, and added: “Also honoured to be following in the footsteps of the late Mark Jones MBE, who left a great legacy to Hull through his hard work and dedication to the city.”

They’d met in the early years of devolution when Chris came to Hull to discuss the options for Yorkshire with Mark and the City Council’s Chief Executive, Matt Jukes. When Chris took up his new post in August the deal was almost done.

‘We should be making the case for why businesses should start, come or invest here because it’s a great place to do business’

He said: “The devolution deal was a big task for my first two months in the job. All the hard work went in before I arrived but it was a live conversation with government during August and September about whether it was going to go ahead. There were other devo deals in that period that were scrapped so this was not a formality.”

Chris has also been busy meeting key figures in the business community and reviewing the city’s assets. Some good, some not so good, but all adding up to a portfolio which is full of potential and which breeds confidence.

“There are still people who would write the case for Hull as a deprived city, all a bit rubbish, desperately in need of this and that,” he said.

“But what we should be portraying is a great city with lots of interesting, innovative businesses, opportunities for national companies to work with businesses in Hull to improve and innovate. And we should be making the case for why businesses should start, come or invest here because it’s a great place to do business and we can help them grow rather than asking them to help us.”

He's broken the development opportunities down into three categories.

There are the projects where the focus is now on delivery, including Castle Street, Hull Maritime and the youth enterprise hub at 161 High Street. Then there are the sites already in progress but where more work is needed to get them over the line – Albion Square in Hull city centre and the East Bank of the River Hull with plans for up to 850 new homes and mixed development.

OPPOSITE

Finally there are the sites such as the West Docklands, where much of the Smith + Nephew site will become available for development, and the western gateway area

“Although these are 10-20 year projects these are the things that we need to be thinking about and doing some ground work for now,” said Chris.

“The big, ambitious stuff that we should be talking to central government about, big schemes that will require investment from them but will have a big impact on the city.”

And that’s where Chris has particular strengths. There was nothing easy or particularly popular about a Whitehall career which embraced such fun areas as capital gains tax, inheritance tax and the vice taxes.

“Tax is one of those areas where you get quite a lot of grief from people,” he understated, before moving on to work on health and adult social care spending, housing policy, council tax and business rates.”

There’s much more and it all adds up to valuable experience of dealing with the

questions of how to raise and spend money in straitened times.

“However much you can give people, they’ll nearly always want more,” he observed.

It would appear to be perfect preparation for his current role: “When you look back over my career, all the areas I have worked on touch local government in some way, and I do think the role of local government is undervalued to a degree.

“There are quite small things that a council can do or not do, or do well or do badly, that change how it feels to live and work in a place. The opportunity to do that in Hull, a place I knew and cared for and was passionate about, was a great draw.

‘There are some things which the government can’t deliver without Hull. Part of it is renewable energy’

“Lots of cities in the UK have been through a regeneration story in the last 20 years. Hull has made great progress and a lot has happened but it also has a lot of potential and space to grow.”

INSET

It helps that Chris has intricate knowledge of the ‘Green Book’ – the government's guidance on options appraisal and evaluation.

He said: “I bring a combination of assessing and writing business cases for the Treasury and I know how to construct a Green Book business case that will show the Treasury what they will need to know in terms of added value and economic growth.”

Chris is also able to combine his understanding of government procedures and priorities with his local knowledge.

He said: “We are lucky in that we have developers and construction partners in the city which are family owned, local businesses who get the need for investing in place and not just buildings. They have a longer term investment in the city.

“There are some things which the government can’t deliver without Hull. Part of it is renewable energy. If they are not going to do that through the Humber, North Sea and companies such as Siemens how are they going to do it?

“They also want to decarbonise and we should be at the centre of that. And if they are serious about meeting their housing targets we can help with that. We have a bit of land that’s under-utilised but we need government investment to unlock the sites.”

MAIN PICTURE

Chris Jackson outside his new offices at the Guildhall in Hull where he knows he has big boots to fill after the death of predecessor Mark Jones MBE

The Hull Maritime Museum which is undergoing renovation as a key part of the Maritime Hull project, and in the background the Burton building which is being transformed by Wykeland to create a new gateway to Whitefriargate

Chris outside the youth enterprise hub at 161 High Street

Well, they didn’t wake up and smell the coffee after all!

Instead, our council leaders around the Humber and the new Labour government ignored my perfectly reasonable argument outlined in the last edition of Business Intelligence for a rethink over devolution and chose to press ahead with their own separate deals for the north and south banks of the estuary.

I’m told one reason for signing on the dotted line was an unwillingness to embark on a further round of public consultation over a different option, such as a united Humberwide mayor-led combined authority with a potential for much more clout and, ultimately, impact.

As the previous consultation had been met with overwhelming apathy from the public, perhaps that isn’t a surprise.

Even so, I remain to be convinced that a Hull and East Riding elected mayor will really be able to punch above his or her weight in an already crowded field of experienced and much bigger political hitters.

However, we are where we are and voters will go to the polls next May to choose someone to take up a strategic role overseeing transport, adult education, housing and economic development.

So, on a positive note, here’s an idea for both new mayors on either side of the estuary to chew over once elected.

One of the less noticed features of both deals was a gentle push from the government towards closer working between the region’s neighbouring elected mayors.

I would have preferred a sharp prod but at least it’s a subtle hint that wider strategic thinking might be part of a long-term agenda being drawn up by Angela Rayner and her team at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

With that in mind, what better place to start this new era of cross-estuary co-operation than the Humber Bridge?

To its credit, the Cameron-led coalition government wasted little time in reversing a series of toll increases at the bridge by reducing crossing charges in 2012 as part of a debt restructuring deal with the Bridge Board. The move followed a memorable campaign by the late and much-missed Hull

On the record With Angus Young

These are the author’s views and not necessarily those of the Chamber.

‘What better place to start this new era of cross-estuary co-operation than the Humber Bridge?’

businessman Malcom Scott who proposed cutting the tolls by buying the bridge for £100m from the government in exchange for wiping out its crippling historic debt of £332m.

While Malcolm’s ambition would end up being thwarted by the government writing off £150m worth of debt, more than a decade later the fact remains that the bridge’s remaining debt is not due to be finally paid off until 2032.

Given that is some eight years away, isn’t it

time someone followed Malcolm’s illustrious footsteps by getting rid of that financial burden on the region sooner rather than later?

Such a scenario could allow tolls for cars to be cut to £1 with corresponding reductions in charges for other vehicle categories just as he envisaged.

I’m realistic enough to recognise tolls are probably always going to be needed to cover repair, maintenance and staffing costs but wiping out the remaining debt while making it cheaper to cross the estuary surely ticks those mayoral boxes marked transport and economic development.

As yet, the new Labour government shows few signs of emulating the nimble-footed approach of the coalition towards the issue.

Of course, it’s still early days but if you’re a would-be mayoral candidate currently looking for a vote-winning policy then be my guest and get onboard with this one.

New charity looks for support

ANorth Lincolnshire health trust has launched its new and exciting charity called Your Hearts and Minds… and it’s looking for businesses to support it!

Your Hearts and Minds is the charity arm of Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust, known as RDaSH for short, and which operates on a number of sites in North Lincolnshire. It runs a wide range of services in the area from children’s services, including health visiting and mental health, to older adults’ mental health services and a range of services in between.

RDaSH Fundraising Manager Jenny Baynham (pictured) said: “We’re delighted to be launching Your Hearts and Minds!

“The main aim of our charity is to support activities, projects, education and research which go above and beyond normal NHS funding to improve the care and experience of patients.

“This offers and exciting opportunity to work with our local communities and partners to raise funds to improve health care in North Lincolnshire and South Yorkshire, support our staff in delivering high quality healthcare and work more closely with community groups and voluntary organisations.”

We have five funding buckets within the charity. These are:

• A Good Start – for children and young people

• Our Best Self – to support the mental wellbeing of patients and staff

• RDaSH Research

• Education and Learning – For the ongoing delivery of high-quality care to our patients we have ambitious plans to raise funds to build and develop a state-of-the-art Education and Learning Centre

• A Good Death – our end-of-life care provision.

Jenny added: “Your Hearts and Minds is not just about raising funds but spending money on our priorities. We’ll be inviting bids for the charitable funds from teams and individuals within RDaSH jointly with local community and voluntary organisations. This will mean we can join forces with communities in designing and funding improvement in care for our patients and their carers.

“Our fundraising team will be working hard in the coming months to raise awareness of our charitable activities.”

Want to get involved? We already have a number of fundraising events and activities planned for the festive season including Light up a Life, where people can sponsor a light on a Christmas tree, a Christmas Jumper Dash and a Christmas Raffle.

Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH) provides a range of mental health, learning disability, drug and alcohol services and community health services across Rotherham, Doncaster and North Lincolnshire.

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.

Redevelopment plans welcomed

Members of the Chamber’s North East Lincolnshire Area Council welcomed plans for the area, which will see a new cinema in Grimsby town centre and further regeneration and public realm improvements in Cleethorpes, during their meeting in October.

The Council’s Director of Economy, Environment and Infrastructure, Carolina Borgstrom, updated the meeting on the latest developments and highlighted the key benefits of the recent devolution deal announcement for Greater Lincolnshire.

Carolina told the meeting that the deal meant there would be a £24m Mayoral Investment Fund per annum or £3/4bn over the next 30 years, plus a £28m one-off payment, along with a further Mayoral Capacity Fund of £2m.

The new Combined Authority would continue to collaborate in the Humber with the North Bank on things like ports and logistics, flood defences and strengthening governance around the Humber. There existing Humber Leadership Board will need to be strengthened to ensure all the key players around the Humber are included.

Carolina told the meeting it was good news for both banks of the Humber. The Mayoral elections will take place next May, she explained, and it will be a firstpast-the-post election with the Mayor serving a four-year term.

A Humber Joint Mayoral Combined County Authority (MCCA) will be set up to serve Greater Lincolnshire and Hull and East Yorkshire and include representation from the Humber Freeport and the Humber Energy Board and will shape a net zero strategy.

The government is providing financial support for strategy development and wider business consultation which Arup is doing to develop the strategy.

Honorary Chamber member and Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, Cllr Philip Jackson, told the meeting he was pleased the deal had been approved by the government and the next stage was for it to progress through Parliament.

Members welcomed news that money would begin to flow to the region, but highlighted concerns about the future of the Humber as an economic unit, noting there would be a review in three years’ time. It was also agreed that the region needs to function as an economic unit and attract inward investment.

Members tour new key building project

Members of the Chamber’s Northern Lincolnshire Area Council were treated to a tour of North Lincolnshire Council’s new £15m Elizabeth Row building which is nearing completion.

Dressed up for the occasion in protective gear, members were shown around the accommodation, which features a mix of office space, studio and smaller rooms, along with a large kitchen area which will become home to student doctors and nurses when it is completed and rented by the NHS.

‘This has been a very successful project and I think the Church Square area looks great’

Members learned that 95% of the steel used in the construction was sourced locally, and a third phase is in the pipeline, with plans for a

new police headquarters near the revitalised Church Square area.

The A Grade office accommodation’s foundations were laid in February 2023 with the project on target and on budget for completion later this year. Talks are continuing with a company interested in opening a restaurant and café area on the ground floor.

The funding for the building came in the form of £10m from the Future High Street Fund, with the Council putting in the other £5m.

Senior Site Manager Brandon Palmer, who showed the guests around the site, said: “This has been a very successful project and I think the Church Square area looks great and has a city feel to it and we need to work on the rest of the High Street now.

“The multi-storey car park has been cleaned up to stop anti-social behaviour and they need to make the town centre more appealing to attract people in to it.”

MAIN PICTURE:Chamber members pictured during their tour of the new Elizabeth Row buildings

INSET: The new building is nearing completion

Metsä in the region ‘to stay’

The Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce welcomed Metsä Tissue’s Senior Vice President for the UK & Ireland, Mika Paljakka, to its September networking lunch as the keynote speaker.

Chamber Chief Executive Dr Ian Kelly introduced Mika who told the audience that Metsä Tissue had rather ambitious plans for the area and has a long history of working with Chambers of Commerce, along with the Finnish-British Chamber of Commerce (FBCC).

‘We want to be a good corporate citizen and to be a major player in this region’

Mika said Metsä is preparing to have a strong footprint in this area, and the Chamber of Commerce is a great platform for networking and getting to know people.

“We want to be a good corporate citizen and to be a major player in this region. When Metsä establishes something, we establish it to stay,” he said.

Mika told the lunch guests that the Metsä Group is worth €6.1bn and he explained the name Metsä stands for forest in Finnish. The company is owned by a co-operative of 90,000 Finnish forest owners and today employs more than 9,500 people.

The core business is wood supply through its co-operative forest ownership, creating wood products, pulp and sawn timber, paper board, tissue, and greaseproof paper.

Members making new connections

Chamber members enjoyed a busy speed networking session at the Doubletree by Hilton Hull in September where lots of new faces took part in a busy networking session.

Among the people taking part were representatives of Metsä Tissue who were the guest speakers at the lunch which followed the morning speed networking session.

The Chamber’s next networking event will be at the Hampton by Hilton hotel at Humberside Airport on 21 November.

The event is available to book now on the Chamber’s website to reserve your place for this fun networking breakfast event. For further information, please contact k.bailey@hull-humber-chamber.co.uk

“If you buy wood products for your home today, those products will most likely have come from Metsä. None of the tree goes to waste, we use every part of the wood for the purpose best suited to it,” Mika said.

“The company has a strong position in Scandinavian countries, central and eastern Europe, and now we want to build a presence in the UK. In Finland, the forests are growing faster than they are being harvested. Over 95% of the wood used is certified.

“Metsä Group’s parent company, Metsäliitto Cooperative, has its roots deep in the cooperative movement, which reached Finland in the early twentieth century, and a long-term perspective is needed for planning and investment and today sustainability has to be guaranteed,” he continued.

Talking about the multi-million pound development at Goole, which is set to create more than 400 jobs and transform the East Riding town, Mika explained that Metsä won’t buy old paper mills as they are not efficient enough in terms of technology and sustainability. The industry moves so fast the company invests in efficiency. The current lifecycle of a newly built mill is 25 years, and at the end of that time they will take it down, demolish it, and build a new one. There are currently nine mills in various locations around Europe.

“When choosing a new site, our key considerations are access to sustainable fresh fibres, efficient production with modern technology, locality close to markets, and a good distribution network,” he said.

“The new factory at Goole will be screened by trees to shield the mill when construction is completed. At present up to 45% of tissue paper is currently imported into the UK, and one of the key considerations in siting the new mill was finding somewhere with an educated population with an engineering and manufacturing background. In the Humber region, 19% of the employed population work in this sector, compared to 10% average across England.”

Chamber Chief Executive Dr Ian Kelly (right) welcomes Metsä Tissue and introduces Senior Vice President Mika Paljakka

Chamber Vice President Irene Keal thanks Mika Paljakka for his informative talk about Metsä Tissue's plans.

A busy speed networking session saw lots of members making some new business connections

Mika Paljakka reveals Metsä Tissue’s long term plans to Chamber members over lunch

Q3 figures give cause for optimism

Inflation fell to 12.7% in September, further raising hopes of an interest rate cut, which was hinted at by the Governor of the Bank of England, Andrew Bailey, when he joined Chamber Business Leaders for lunch in North East Lincolnshire at the beginning of October.

The full report and pictures from that event is on the Chamber’s website, but a good discussion was held over lunch, giving the Governor a useful insight into the challenges facing Humber businesses.

The Quarter 3 Survey, the first since the General Election on 4 July, saw a slight improvement in most sectors, giving a more positive picture of the local economy, with Home Sales and Orders leading the charge.

Home Orders improved by 19 points, but remained in negative territory at –19, while Home Sales improved by 15 points, however also remaining in negative territory with a balance figure of –13.

‘The Quarter 3 figures showed a slightly improved picture over recent months’

Other bright spots this quarter were an improvement in the number of firms planning to invest in plant and machinery which was up 26 points to a balance figure of +8. Firms were also to looking to invest in training again, rising 23 points to a positive balance figure of 10.

Turnover expectations for the coming months also improved, rising by 20 points to a balance figure of 7, while profit expectations, despite climbing by 14 points remained firmly in negative territory with a balance figure of –23.

Exporters didn’t fare quite so well according to this quarter’s figures, with Export Sales down 33 points to –59 and Export Orders showing a similar fall of 37 points to a balance figure of –71.

The number of firms that have recruited staff in the last quarter was down slightly by two points to –2, but the number of firms planning to recruit showed an improvement, up 12 points to a balance figure of 26, which has to be encouraging.

Recruitment and finding people with the right skills to fill Humber job roles was one of the themes of the discussions with the Bank of England Governor, and this quarter, 72 per cent of firms said they were having difficulty finding the right calibre of staff to fill their vacancies, with more firms, 63%, saying they had tried to recruit staff.

The Chamber’s External Affairs Director David Hooper said: “The Quarter 3 figures showed a slightly improved picture over recent months, with a degree of confidence beginning to creep back into the survey results, with firms beginning to invest in recruitment, plant and equipment and training again.”

Humber in spotlight at think tank event

Pictures: Leon Britton Photography

Palace Yard hosted a Humber Energy Board dinner in Liverpool during the Labour Party Conference.

Hosted by Natascha Engel, the CEO of the cross-Party think tank and her team, guests included Dame Diana Johnson MP, Melanie Onn MP and Keir Mather MP, along with several prominent business leaders including Chamber Chief Executive Dr Ian Kelly and representatives from the Humber Freeport, CATCH, the CBI, Drax Group, Cory Group, SSE and numerous others.

The event provided an opportunity for the Humber region to showcase the opportunities for energy infrastructure decarbonisation, trade and sought after UK economic investment and growth opportunities.

During the evening, topics included hydrogen production, use and storage,

ammonia, carbon capture and storage and offshore wind, as guests discussed the Humber’s role as the UK’s largest industrial cluster whose energy companies produce more than 20% of the country’s electricity.

It was also highlighted that its four main ports handle more cargo tonnage than anywhere else in the country. The Humber lands one-fifth of all the country’s gas imports and emits 20% more carbon dioxide than the next largest industrial cluster.

Commenting after the event, Natascha said: “The Humber could be a world leader in industrial decarbonisation. It was wonderful to see the Humber speaking with one strong voice and stakeholders engaging across energy sectors and industries.”

The Humber Energy Board dinner was held during the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool

Chamber Chief Executive Dr Ian Kelly addresses the Humber Energy Board dinner

Dame Diana Johnson MP in conversation with Richard Gwilliam

Member News

The latest news,

success

stories

and

updates from members of Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce.

Family firm is really flying high

Afamily firm that has built a reputation internationally for breathing new life into prized possessions from classic cars to swanky sofas is reaching for the sky after being appointed to clean up Concorde.

The Leather Repair Company has started work on restoring the seats on G-BOAC Concorde, which attracts thousands of visitors every year to the Runway Visitor Park at Manchester Airport.

Richard and Carolynne Hutchins are also polishing their skills to meet the needs of other aviation clients as the first business in Europe to be trained and accredited to the international standard of the Aviation Detailing Association.

‘It will be a very sympathetic restoration – we need to make sure the seats still look old but are well cared for’

The Concorde coup came about after the couple found themselves with time to kill while waiting for a delayed flight from Manchester to the United States. They went to the Runway Visitor Park and decided to offer their services.

Richard said: “We didn’t know the Runway Visitor Park was there, never mind Concorde, but we did the tour and we were fascinated by the stories about the plane and her passengers.”

Queen Elizabeth II flew on G-BOAC Concorde many times as did countless celebrities including George Michael, whose Patience album featured a white leather sofa

that last year took centre stage in Richard’s and Carolynne’s Hull workshop while they restored its gleaming original look.

While admiring Concorde, they met John Hepple from the Runway Visitor Park and heard how the iconic jet is considered the star of the collection and is housed in her own hangar, which doubles as an event space accommodating up to 750 guests with full catering services.

John said: “Once the choice of business leaders, celebrities, and the public for trips of a

lifetime, Concorde’s legendary flight experience continues to captivate visitors over 20 years after her retirement.

“Interest in Concorde remains high, with tour experiences available throughout the year. In her airline service, Concorde operated approximately five flights per week, each carrying up to 100 passengers. Our tours attract as many as 400 visitors each weekend, with events drawing more than 200 attendees. We utilise only 40 seats in the front cabin, leading to increased wear over time, despite the durability of the Terence Conran design.”

Richard and Carolynne took two seats for testing at their premises in Argyle Industrial Estate in Hull and, after successful trials, are now restoring the rest in batches.

Richard said: “It will be a very sympathetic restoration – we need to make sure the seats still look old but are well cared for. We were immediately struck by how light they are. The backs are carbon fibre and it’s no effort at all to lift them.

“Sitting in the cockpit we found ourselves cocooned in a very small space surrounded by an immense amount of buttons and dials. Just seeing the plane reminded me of my time growing up in the south when we would hear Concorde flying high above.”

Richard and Carolynne in Concorde’s cockpit

Richard Hutchins prepares to board the iconic aircraft at Runway Visitor Park

City centre becoming a safer place

Partners working to improve safety and security in Hull city centre reported progress on all fronts when they met at a forum arranged and hosted by HullBID and attended by Hull West and Haltemprice MP Emma Hardy.

Representatives of Hull City Council, Humberside Police and support agencies promised their efforts will continue and they urged businesses to play their part by responding to the current consultation on a new Public Space Protection Order (PSPO).

‘It is encouraging to hear that businesses are bearing up well to the current economic challenges’

Kathryn Shillito, HullBID Executive Director, said: “We know from our member businesses that street drinking, begging and homelessness can be a real nuisance and many of the calls our Support Officers receive are regarding alcoholdriven anti-social behaviour. It’s therefore imperative that business owners use the PSPO consultation to let the authorities know the scale of the problem and provide them with the hard evidence they need to extend the protection which is currently in place.”

The meeting reviewed a range of subjects including business performance, the city’s response to the violence and damage on 3 August, antisocial behaviour and begging.

Kathryn said: “It is encouraging to hear that businesses are bearing up well to the current economic challenges, recovery from the disturbances in August was quick and effective and incidences of ASB and begging being dealt with swiftly.

“It was clear that all of this is down to the regular engagement between city partners. The PSPO is seen by many as an important step in taking that further and that’s why we need to know about the experiences of businesses.”

Hull City Council is consulting now with residents, local businesses and visitors to potentially amend the current PSPO that expires on 21 March 2025, and renew it with additional prohibitions to tackle street drinking, begging and homelessness in public places.

Along with other implementations, a renewed PSPO could incorporate a clause that prevents a person consuming alcohol in any

Northern Lincolnshire Business Awards 2025

venue for next year’s event, which promises to be a hugely popular, spectacular evening.

Northern Lincolnshire Business Awards

Date: Thursday, 15 May 2025

Venue: The Baths Hall, Scunthorpe

More information at www.nlincsba.co.uk and www.hull-humber-chamber.co.uk coming soon.

For information on sponsorship please contact a.tate@hull-humber-chamber.co.uk

public place other than within licensed premises/areas, and will prevent anyone being in possession of any opened vessel containing or purporting to contain alcohol.

The public consultation will close 2 December 2024.

Emma Hardy said: “I visited the HullBID Dino Day and was so impressed to see how everybody had pulled together to show the city centre at its best only days after the horrors of Saturday 3 August. But we need more days like Dino Day so it’s really important that businesses have their say in the PSPO consultation.”

Emma Hardy (left) and Kathryn Shillito at the forum hosted by HullBID

Family-run solar specialists enjoying their time in the sun

Hull, UK – HDM Solar Wholesale, a national wholesaler of solar and renewable energy products, is celebrating a remarkable period of growth. The start-up company has surpassed £20m in turnover and delivered over one million products across the UK in its first full financial year.

HDM Solar Wholesale supplies commercial and domestic customers with a wide range of solar and renewable energy products, including solar panels, batteries and electric vehicle charging points. With 2024 marking a standout year for growth, the company has opened three new distribution centres and solidified its position as a key player in the renewable energy market.

Adam Firth, Managing Director of HDM Solar Wholesale, said: “In the last year, we have invested in sites in Hull, Dinnington (near

Sheffield), and most recently, Bournemouth, enabling us to serve more customers nationally with high-quality solar products.

‘We really do walk the walk when it comes to renewables’

“This expansion has allowed us to diversify our product range and partner with some of the industry’s most innovative manufacturers, including Duracell Energy, Canadian Solar, Solax, GivEnergy, EcoFlow, Sunsynk, JA Solar and many more.”

Adam said the last six months had seen the firm’s most significant growth period yet, with over 3,000 products shipped daily, a growing customer base and new trade account revenue fuelling its success.

“During this time, we have also expanded our delivery capabilities by adding electric

vehicles to our company fleet, which have already clocked up well over 50,000 miles,” he said.

“We’ve also installed solar panel systems at each of our sites – so we really do walk the walk when it comes to renewables!”

HDM Solar Wholesale currently employs 49 people across its head office and distribution centres, with more roles planned as the company seeks to expand its reach across the UK and Europe. Despite its rapid growth, it remains a family-run operation, with many employees being family members.

Team do ride thing for cancer charity

Spencer Group has achieved a major milestone in its fundraising efforts for its charity of the year, Teenage Cancer Trust, after reaching the £8,000 mark.

The Hull-based business has been raising money for the Trust throughout 2024 with employees taking part in range of fundraising initiatives to support the cause.

As part of the year-long charity campaign, a team of ten Spencer Group team members from across the business recently took on a gruelling 100-mile sponsored cycle ride, dubbed the Tour de Spencer.

The team set off from Hull and cycled along the north bank of the Humber to Goole, before circling back via the south bank and over the Humber bridge.

Each participant was encouraged to raise

£100 in sponsorship, with the team members surpassing that goal and raising a combined total of over £1,200.

The ride was co-organised by Trainee CAD Technician and keen cyclist Liam Bowring.

He said: “I think it’s great that Spencer Group has selected Teenage Cancer Trust as this year’s charity of the year.

“Having only recently turned 20 myself, Teenage Cancer Trust is a cause which is close to home for me. I’ve seen a number of friends go through cancer and, having watched presentations about the charity, I’ve realised cancer is more common in young people than most people think.

“A few of us who enjoy cycling decided to come together and organise this challenge as our way of supporting the cause.”

BELOW: Spencer Group Trainee CAD Technician and keen cyclist Liam Bowring co-organised the fundraiser, which raised £1,200

HDM Solar Wholesale’s Managing Director Adam Firth (left) and Founder Daniel Rogers

MAIN PICTURE: Spencer Group employees took on a 100-mile cycle ride to help raise money for the business’s charity of the year, Teenage Cancer Trust

Associated British Ports (ABP) and Grimsby Fish Dock Enterprises Ltd has announced that the British Ports Association (BPA) Conference 2025 will be held in the Humber.

The conference is a prestigious annual event, attracting many industry leaders from across the maritime sector. Covering topics from the latest government policy to trends and innovation in the industry.

‘The ports on the Humber are involved in a rich mix of activities’

Simon Bird, Regional Director of the Humber ports, said: “I’m delighted to see the BPA Conference returning to the Humber, the UK’s number gateway for trade with the world. The combination of the Humber’s ports leading roles in both trade and the energy transition make it an ideal location for this prestigious event.”

Andrew Dawes, Regional Director Designate of the Humber ports, said: “Portsmouth delivered a fantastic event and we’re keen to build on that for next year in the Humber. We’re looking forward to hosting it alongside Grimsby Fish Dock Enterprises and welcoming everyone to the region for what will be an impressive showcase.”

Martyn Boyers, Chief Executive of Grimsby Fish Dock Enterprises Ltd, and chair of the BPA

Steven takes up role as Head of Marine Ports conference to return to the Humber

Associated British Ports (ABP) is delighted to welcome Steven Clapperton (pictured) as the new Head of Marine in the Humber.

Steven joins ABP, the leading ports group, from the Port of London Authority (PLA) where for the last three years he has been in the role of Director of Marine Operations. He arrives in the Humber as an experienced maritime industry leader with over 30 years’ experience in the sector to lead the Marine team which comprises over 300 people and includes the Humber Marine Pilots.

Prior to the Port of London Authority, Steven worked at the Port of Tyne, where he was Maritime Director and Harbour Master. Before this, he had an extensive and varied seagoing career, working as a harbour pilot, and spent time working in marine consultancy, including a period on secondment to an international oil major.

Simon Bird, Regional Director, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Steven to the Humber. He brings a wealth of experience to the role, having been a pilot and a Master Mariner; and with his strong background in port

Fishing Ports Working Group, said: “As a longstanding member of the BPA and attendee at the Conferences, I am delighted that we can present a joint BPA Humber Conference 2025 with our friends at Associated British Ports. We are particularly excited that our members are uniting to highlight the importance of the Humber.”

“Those of you who attended the Conference hosted by us in 2013 will remember a good event. We look forward to showcasing the Humber and the incredible changes that have taken place in the Humber Ports since then.”

Richard Ballantyne, Chief Executive of the BPA, said: “The British Ports Association is delighted that the Humber ports are collaborating as joint hosts for the BPA Conference 2025. We are particularly excited that our members are uniting to highlight the importance of the Humber to both the maritime sector and the country as whole.

“As the UK’s largest port complex, the ports on the Humber are involved in a rich mix of activities including freight, passengers, offshore wind and fishing and we are pleased that the occasion will provide the opportunity to showcase its important role. Our Annual Conference is a national event which brings the ports sector together once a year in a different location and we look forward to seeing everyone there.”

The event will be held at the Forest Pines Hotel, Wrawby, from 15-16 October 2025.

management, it’s great to appoint him in the Humber, the UK’s busiest port complex.

“His leadership and knowledge in such an important role are vital for overseeing the shipping movements in what is the UK’s busiest trading estuary with 17% of the seaborne trade coming through our ports.

“I want to thank Fred Firman who has covered the role since the former Head of Marine, Paul Bristowe, was appointed as Chief of Staff (Group).”

Steven Clapperton said: “I am excited to be to joining ABP as Head of Marine Humber, as we embark on the delivery of our five-year strategic plan. I’m particularly focused on safety-led cultures and working collaboratively to make the right decisions in relation to our values.

“I’m looking forward to meeting our customers and stakeholders, collaborating with new colleagues, and working together to deliver safe, efficient, and cost-effective marine operations, contributing to our twin missions of Keeping Britain Trading and Enabling the Energy Transition.”

Broadband provider expands its top team

Rural broadband provider Quickline Communications has revealed details of the expansion of its senior leadership team.

The appointment of three experienced executives supports the company’s recent successes in securing four government contracts under the Project Gigabit programme.

Hull College has unveiled a new identity for its 14-16-year-old provision – 14+ College – reflecting its renewed commitment to providing an innovative, career-focused education for young learners.

With an approach to education that breaks the mould, 14+ College is more than just a place of learning; it’s a door to a brighter future, dedicated to helping students unlock their potential and make a meaningful impact and contribution across Hull, the Humber region, and beyond.

‘The renaming signifies more than just a change in title’

The rebranding to 14+ College aligns with the college's vision to offer a fresh perspective on education for Year 10 and Year 11 students, rethinking the rigid, one-size-fits-all approach. This more personalised, flexible, and industry-driven learning experience combines traditional GCSE education with specialised technical and professional training, ensuring students gain not only a solid academic foundation but also practical skills that will set them apart in their future careers.

To lead this exciting new chapter, Hull College has appointed Ben Lydon as the new Head of School for 14+ College. With a strong background in education and a passion for nurturing young talent, he is perfectly positioned to drive the exciting vision forward.

He said: “I am absolutely delighted to take on this role at such an exciting time for 14+ College. 14+ College is more than just a place to learn; it's a community where students can explore their interests, develop their talents, and truly stand out from the crowd. My goal is to continue building on the college's strong foundation, ensuring that every student who walks through our doors leaves not just with qualifications, but with a clear pathway to their future.”

For more information about 14+ College, visit www.14plus.co.uk

Valued at approximately £300m in public funding, these contracts will bring full fibre broadband with public funding to almost 170,000 premises, and in total, some 360,000 rural homes and businesses which are in dire need of improved connectivity, when adding in Quickline’s associated commercial build.

The network expansion across Yorkshire and the majority of Lincolnshire is well underway with customers already being taken out of broadband poverty and getting connected to the new full fibre network being built in rural communities including Escrick in North Yorkshire, Woodsetts in South Yorkshire and Wroot in North Lincolnshire.

To support the acquisition, connection and retention of customers, a new Chief Revenue

Officer role has been created to ensure end-toend accountability across these areas.

Julian Burton takes up this position, overseeing all sales activities, customer appointments, and managing customer support and retention. Meanwhile Julia Dettmar has been appointed into the role of General Counsel and Company Secretary, where she leads corporate governance and legal affairs. In addition, Dan Hague has been appointed as Project Gigabit Delivery Director – he previously played a key role in submitting bids for government contracts and is now responsible for overseeing them.

Sean Royce, CEO at Quickline, said: “As we continue to scale up the business it is imperative that we have the right team in place to lead the way through our next chapter of growth. These appointments of highly experienced executives, which were made ahead of our Project Gigabit wins, position us well for the future. I am delighted to have Julian, Julia and Dan on board to help steer Quickline through the next exciting part of our journey.”

Ben Lydon is the school’s new head College adopts focused identity

Quickline CEO Sean Royce (second from right) with, from left: Julia Dettmar, Julian Burton and Dan Hague

Aplan which sets out to place businesses at the heart of Hull and East Yorkshire’s local skills system has been endorsed by employers and the government after publishing its latest review.

The HEY Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) was recognised as being “a valuable source of information for local skills deliverers, employers and stakeholders” by Skills Minister the Rt Hon Baroness Smith of Malvern.

Employers said the LSIP provides an important opportunity to contribute to discussions about regional skills needs and to support strategic skills development.

Rod Chambers, Project Manager for the LSIP, said the feedback coupled with the responses he is receiving direct from employers recognises the progress made by the organisation since it was set up in September 2022. He added that he will be reaching out to Chamber members to discuss their skills agenda.

Rod said: “We are seeing great collaboration and sharing of good practice between

Skills provision needs support

employers and training providers. Employer engagement with training providers continues to see a positive impact on the curriculum to reflect the emerging skills needed to drive the productivity of the local economy.

‘We are actively encouraging employers to create opportunities within their business to give people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) an opportunity to experience the work environment.’

“Additionally, funding from the Local Skills Improvement Fund (LSIF) has been invested in the colleges to support the growth in the digital skills and its applications across all sectors. Activity is also now underway, working with colleagues in the local Career Aspirations Group, to deliver on two of the key LSIP themes of employability skills and careers guidance.

“LSIP is also about driving accessibility and inclusivity, so as well as positive changes expected to the LSIP website service offer to make it easier for people to access information relating to skills, we are actively encouraging employers to create opportunities within their business to give people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) an opportunity to experience the work environment.”

Hannah Crookes, project lead for the LSIP, said: “Engagement and collaboration between all the stakeholders has increased. There has been some great work in the past and we are building on that with valuable exchanges of knowledge at all levels – working groups, forums, board meetings and outside the formal sessions.”

The HEY LSIP team is led by the Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce and is one of 38 around the country. It has identified its five priority sectors as construction, engineering construction, manufacturing, agri-skills and health and social care and set up working groups for each one. It is also looking at the cross-cutting themes of digital and Net Zero.

The LSIP has also identified its key themes of technical skills, educational professionals, employability and behaviours, careers guidance and accessibility and has organised quarterly forums to discuss the various issues around them.

The latest event at Bishop Burton College put the spotlight on careers guidance with presentations by the National Careers Service and the Work-wise Foundation. Delegates also viewed some of its high-tech innovations.

The next HEY LSIP quarterly forum will take place on 6 December at a venue to be announced. To find out more visit www.heylsip.com

Welcome delivered by Beth Curtis, the College’s Vice Principal Business Development & Riseholme Campus

Quarterly forum delegates using the College’s VR equipment to find their way around a virtual construction site

Delegates touring some of the college’s agricultural and grounds maintenance equipment

Speakers at the Time2Volunteer Awards, from left: Hull City Council Leader Mike Ross; Jamie Lewis of HEY Smile Foundation; East Riding of Yorkshire Council Leader Anne Handley, Tessa Wray of HEY Smile Foundation; TV presenter and guest speaker Mark Millar; Steph Atkinson of Little Victories Football Club

Awards night lauds volunteers

Hundreds of charity supporters from across the Hull and Humber region came together to cheer the efforts of volunteers at the annual celebration organised by HEY Smile Foundation.

Businesses and local authorities added their tributes at the Time2Volunteer Awards 2024, which honoured the achievements of young and old helping with activities ranging from supporting children with special educational needs, families in crisis and inclusive sports, to environmental programmes, mental health and art, culture and heritage projects.

Sponsors of the awards presented the special Time2Volunteer star trophies to 12 winners who also each received a donation of £250 for their charities from Making A Difference Locally (MADL), the official charity of Nisa retail (part of Coop Group) and one of the event partners.

‘This event is a highlight of Smile’s calendar and a real team effort’

Kate Carroll of MADL said: “We are delighted to again support the awards and celebrate the incredible work of the region’s many dedicated volunteers who so selflessly give up their time to support others and truly make a difference to their communities.”

300 people attended the awards lunch at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Hull and heard the stories of a range of dedicated individuals.

Guest speaker and TV presenter Mark Millar told how he became aware of the power of volunteering after seeing the effort that went into DIY SOS and the results achieved.

He said: “It was an honour being at the Time2Volunter Awards. Just being in the same room with so many inspirational volunteers reminded me that there is so much good in this world. Powerful, loving people every one of them. All working from their heart, not their wallet.”

Roll of Honour

Active and Sports Award, sponsored by Active Humber

• Carolyn Croft, Little Victories in the Community

Behind the Scenes Award, sponsored by Umber Creative

• Jacob Birch, Scouts

Environmental Award, sponsored by Transwast

• Denys Fell, Densholme Farm

Founding Award, sponsored by The One Point

• Pippa Whitehall, The Lookout

Good Neighbour Award, sponsored by Mitsubishi Chemical UK Limited

• Margaret Webster, Hull Woman’s Aid

Inclusive Award, supported by MADL

• Donna Adams, Age UK Hull & East Yorkshire

Long-Serving Award, sponsored by MKM Building Supplies

• Sarah Byrne, HEY! Volunteering

Older Award, sponsored by KCOM

• Jean Walker, CHCP NHS Talking Therapies Allotment Group

Team Award, sponsored by Arco

• Barton Volunteers

Trustee Award, sponsored by Smailes Goldie

• Sharon Igoe, Goodwin Development Trust

Young Award, sponsored by Eltherington Group

• Jax Batty, A Bear Called Buttony

Special Recognition Award, supported by East Riding of Yorkshire Council

• Dave Thompson, Hearing Dogs for Deaf People

Mike Ross, Leader of Hull City Council, thanked the volunteers for their contribution to communities across the region.

He said: “It was fantastic to be at the awards and to get the chance to see again what a difference so many people make by volunteering across Hull and the East Riding. Whether it is an hour a day or days on end, so many people give up so much of their valuable time to make a difference. I cannot thank them enough – though the awards are a great chance to say thank you. I hope that this helps encourage others to consider volunteering their time as well.”

The ceremony closed with a Special Recognition Award for 90-year-old Dave Thompson, who has been volunteering and raising funds for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People for decades.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council leader Councillor Anne Handley, who presented the award to Dave, said: “I was extremely pleased to attend this awards ceremony to honour our many volunteers. The vital contributions that volunteers make to everyday life in the East Riding can’t be overstated and they deserve a huge thank you for their work and the dedication they show to their communities.”

Tessa Wray, Head of Partnerships at HEY Smile Foundation, thanked event partners Hull CVS, MADL, East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Hull City Council and all the award sponsors and said work is already under way to recognise the work of more volunteers with an even bigger celebration in 2025.

Tessa said: “Volunteers are incredibly important to charities, charitable organisations, and voluntary groups across the Humber. Most wouldn’t be able to deliver their vital work without them.

“This event is a highlight of Smile’s calendar and a real team effort, bringing together likeminded organisations who recognise the importance of volunteers and help Smile shine a light on the collective contribution and difference volunteers make.”

Spotlight Feature

In this issue we take a look at the Creative Industries and Logistics, Freight & Transportation sectors.

Increasing creativity in the workplace is a win-win scenario for both employers and staff. As well as giving you an edge over your competitors, fostering a culture of creativity can lead to increased job satisfaction, reduced absenteeism and lower staff turnover.

In some industries, however, it might be hard to see how you can incorporate creativity in the workplace. You might be forgiven for thinking that ‘creativity’ means creating artwork, music, or stories, but it’s much more than that.

Creativity is a mindset – it’s about thinking outside of the box, creating solutions to problems and putting existing resources to a different and better use.

Why is creativity important? To

Five ways to increase creativity

put it simply, creativity keeps things fresh and exciting. This will have positive impact on the business as a whole – a company that puts creativity first will always have a wealth of new ideas to tap into to help it capture new markets and new customers –and your employees.

How to increase creativity in the workplace

1. Get the design right: Beige walls and cubicles aren’t inspiring. If you want to promote collaboration and idea sharing, an open plan space is much more conducive to your goals. Also think about offering a relaxing break space, where staff members can go to unwind or recharge on their breaks – a boost of energy might help to get the creative juices flowing.

2. Diversify your staff: If all your staff members have similar backgrounds and life experiences, it’s likely they’ll have similar ideas too. To prevent ideas and outlooks becoming stale, make sure you’re hiring a diverse workforce.

A diverse team can bring all sorts of unique ideas and points of view to the table, as well as

introducing different learning and management styles.

3. Share the knowledge: You know that your staff have the skills and qualifications to do their jobs, but what secret skills and talents are they hiding that you don’t know about?

Encourage your team to skill share their skills with the rest of your staff – e.g. if one staff member is a whizz at Excel, ask them to teach the basics. By encouraging your staff to share their skills and passions you can foster a culture of collaboration and open discussion – two things that are vital for creativity.

4. Don’t be afraid of failure: Not every great idea is going to work the first time, but don’t let your staff to give up at the first sign of failure. Failing is a natural part of trying something new, but if your staff fear they will be penalised for making a mistake, they are less likely to take creative risks in the future. When failure happens, encourage your team to go back to the drawing board. What can be done differently? What hasn’t been tried yet? This period of reflection and experimentation can help boost their critical thinking skills as well as providing further opportunities for growth and innovation.

5. Listen to good ideas: So you want your staff to suggest ideas on how they can improve your product/service or your business operations. But when they do, do you listen? Failing to act on good ideas, or give proper credit where credit is due, will only serve to demotivate your workforce. When acting on an idea, let the employee who came up with it know you’re acting on it – and if there’s an opportunity for them to get involved with the implementation, bring them on board. By sharing positive results, encouraging feedback and offering praise, your team will know that they are listened to and their creative input is valued.

Get yourself noticed Advertise with

Spotlight Feature: Logistics, Freight & Transportation

Is a freight forwarder right for you?

International importing and exporting could be the next step for expanding your business, but it can also be a daunting or a confusing process. However, a freight forwarder can take a lot of stress out of the process by dealing with everything, from customs clearances to the delivery of goods, on your behalf. But is a freight forwarder the right choice for you?

What does a freight forwarder do?

A freight forwarder is a company that arranges for goods to be transported from one country to another. As simple as this sounds, there is a great deal of work that goes on in the background to ensure seamless and safe delivery and a freight forwarder will handle every aspects of the logistics while acting as the shipping agent.

The exact process will vary depending on the cargo and the type and length of the journey, but in most cases a freight forwarder will:

•Arrange for transport of goods from the point of origin (such as your factory or warehouse) and delivery to your agreed location

• Prepare documents, licences and any other relevant paperwork needed for export and ensure compliance with international custom laws

• Organise passage for land, sea or air freight as needed and oversee the loading and unloading of cargo at every stage

• Track the delivery from pick up to drop off.

Freight forwarders do not move freight themselves –instead they will subcontract each stage of the journey to local suppliers and act as an intermediary between the shipper and the various transportation services and storage facilities used. They will utilise established relationships with trusted contacts in the carrier industry to expedite each part of the journey.

A freight forwarder is not necessarily required for a firm to ship internationally. However, because the process requires a great deal of in-depth knowledge –particularly on regulations, which vary from country to country – in addition to a lot of documentation, a lot of importers choose to leave it in the hands of an expert.

The advantages

There are a number of benefits to using the services of a freight forwarder, especially if you are new to exporting. Expertise – a freight forwarder is an expert in all things import/export. They will be familiar with the

custom laws of various countries and will know which documentation is needed for every stage. They will also utilise their contacts to work out the best route in terms of cost, speed and reliability

Personal touch – you will only need to liaise with one company or individual to arrange your shipment, rather than many different haulage/freight companies

Peace of mind – if something goes wrong, your freight forwarder will be on hand to deal with the issue. If you need to make a complaint or submit an insurance claim, they can offer their guidance.

The disadvantages

Although there are many advantages, there are also some drawbacks to using a freight forwarder, and it will not be the right choice for every business.

Costs – using a freight forwarder can increase the overall cost of your shipment, and you may be able to get a better deal if you negotiate shipments and haulage yourself

Lack of control – using a forwarder means relinquishing a lot of control and leaving your shipment in the hands of your freight forwarder entirely

Priority – larger and well-established forwarding companies might not prioritise small shipments from small businesses.

The cost

In most cases, a freight forwarder will offer a quote for the entire process as determined by your needs, so you won’t have to worry about any hidden or extra costs down the road. However, it’s also important to get an itemised quote so you can see exactly what is – and what isn’t –covered. An itemised quote might highlight some costs that you hadn’t previously considered, such as fluctuations in the price of fuel or currency exchange rates.

Green fleet management

In today’s environmentally-conscious landscape, fleet businesses are increasingly tasked with transitioning to greener business models. The changes in regulations, particularly as the UK pushes towards net zero, in conjunction with customer demands for more environmentally friendly options, means that it is the perfect time for fleets to implement some eco changes – and Business Intelligence offers its top tips.

Assess your current fleet

The first step in your green fleet transition is to evaluate your current fleet. How many vehicles do you manage? What is the typical mileage and fuel consumption? How much do you spend each year on maintenance and repairs?

Identify where you’re spending the most money and consider how a greener fleet can alleviate some of those challenges – for example, if a lot of your vehicles are in poor condition, it might make more financial sense in the long run to switch to EV replacements.

If you’re unable to switch to new vehicles, right-size your fleet instead. Right-sizing evaluates how important each vehicle is the fleet’s overall output. For example, removing old, inefficient vehicles can help reduce overall fuel consumption and save costs on expensive repairs.

Switching to EVs

One hundred per cent of new vehicles sold in the UK will be zero emission by 2035. With this in mind, more and more fleets are looking to switch to EVs ahead of this deadline as a way to meet modern sustainability goals.

EVs, in general, have fewer maintenance costs and reduce entirely the need for fuel. Before making the switch however, consider that you will need adequate

charging infrastructure. Additionally, it’s important to remember that EVs are not a ‘one size fits all’ solution, and proper research is needed to find the right vehicles to match the demands of your business.

You may be able to access government grants and funding to help cover the cost of the switch; for example, SMEs have until 31 March 2025 to apply for An EV infrastructure grant, which offers money off the cost of the building and installation work that would be needed to install multiple chargepoint sockets at your premises.

Spotlight Feature: Logistics, Freight & Transportation

Maintain your current equipment

You might not have the budget to switch to an allelectric fleet, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up on your green goals.

One of the top best practices for sustainable fleet management is staying on top of maintenance. Not only can proactive upkeep help keep people safe, it can also help reduce costs and boost your eco-friendly credentials. Simple steps, such as properly inflated tyres, can help improve fuel economy. It will also help them last longer, which reduces waste. Additionally, steps include regularly replacing fuel filters and checking oil levels. Staying on top of maintenance can be difficult, especially if you have a large fleet. Here’s where a fleet management solution can help, to set up regular alerts and preventative maintenance schedules.

Plan your routes

Optimising routes is a great way to help make your fleet more sustainable. By identifying the most efficient routes, you will not only save on fuel usage but also limit the amount of pollution released into the air. Additionally, optimised dispatching and routing can also cut down on the number of stops and route your fleet around traffic congestion and other obstacles. Remember though, that the most efficient route is not necessarily the quickest!

‘By identifying the most efficient routes, you will not only save on fuel usage but also limit the amount of pollution released into the air’

Track your progress

Once your green initiatives are in place, it’s important to track your progress. Again, one of the easiest ways to do this is by implementing a fleet management system which can collect date on fuel saving and emission reductions, as well as maintenance costs. This information will not only help you see the results of your green efforts but it will also identify any areas for further improvement.

Governor hears the concerns of local businesses

The Governor of the Bank of England, Andrew Bailey, hinted to an exclusive guest list of Humber business leaders that he hoped there would be a further cut in interest rates in November – and his prediction during the Chamber lunch was confirmed on November 7 when the Bank announced a 0.25% cut to 4.75%.

This was the Governor’s second event with the Chamber in two years. Having hosted a breakfast meeting in Hull in 2022, this time he wanted to engage with Northern Lincolnshire businesses over lunch at Healing Manor Hotel in North East Lincolnshire.

‘The Governor was seized by the unanimous theme of the drastic skills shortages faced by Humber business’

The Governor’s latest visit to the Humber was so he could better appreciate the opportunities to the economy of carbon capture and inward investment, although he reminded his lunch guests of his historic connections with Grimsby when, in his role as Deputy Governor, he worked with former Grimsby MP Austin Mitchell after the financial crisis to get trade and cashflow working again between Iceland and the Humber.

Among the guests was Vladimir Langhamer representing the Prax Refinery on the Humber Bank, which hosted the Chamber’s northern Lincolnshire members for a tour and meeting last year. Prax is now firmly operating as a British business which is looking to support carbon capture and commit to the local economy and its supply chain and support skills training as part of the wider Humber economy.

Andrew Dawes, the new Humber Director for ABP, explained how he was back in the UK after 20 years abroad and was aware of the projects they have money for, which

FOCUS ON: Bankof England

Andrew Bailey learned more about the issues affecting a range of local businesses

The Governor of the Bank of England, Andrew Bailey at the Chamber lunch

have been delayed due to planning issues, while clarity on policy direction from the new Government would be helpful.

Chris Girdham, from Cory Group, raised the thorny issue of having a single Humber Mayor and felt bringing the area together was essential to tackle the skills issues and deliver private sector investment. This got a general nod of approval from around the table.

‘The Governor commented that he was using cash less – and as the former Chief Cashier, he loves the stuff!’

The Governor was seized by the unanimous theme of the drastic skills shortages faced by Humber business, highlighted by most guests. Another issue raised with the Governor

were the concerns around the loss of local banking facilities, particularly in the supply chain for small firms on the south bank, where, despite the promise of local banking

“hubs”, they have yet to become well established. While internet banking has become popular, it isn’t for everyone, and can be particularly challenging for older people, along with smaller businesses in the supply chain as it was highlighted that business people do need face-to-face support at times.

The Governor commented that he was using cash less – and as the former Chief Cashier, he loves the stuff! While cash is used less, it is all out there somewhere, he said, adding that the bank has no plans to withdraw cash from the market. Most people keep some cash and there is around £80bn of it in the UK economy.

Wrapping up the meeting, the Governor thanked Ian, Kirk and the Chamber for organising what had been an excellent lunch and valuable insight into the concerns of leading and smaller Humber businesses.

Andrew Bailey (centre) pictured with (from left) Dr Ian Kelly, Andrew Dawes from ABP, Chamber President Kirk Akdemir from AaGlobal, and Tim Shaw from KCOM

Chamber Chief Executive Dr Ian Kelly in conversation with Andrew Bailey

Sector Focus

The latest news from the International Trade, Legal & Finance, Community & Business, Manufacturing and Motoring industries.

Vital contract for language firm

Aleading translation and interpretation business based in Hull has been appointed to help with communicating vital information to people affected by the Grenfell Tower fire.

AaGlobal Language Services was awarded the contract by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities during the summer. The company is now liaising with the government, various support agencies and residents to help people rebuild their lives.

The fire swept through the 24-

storey tower block on 14 June 2014, killing 72 people and injuring more than 70 with 223 escaping. Many homes in the surrounding area were also destroyed.

With the community comprising about 20 different nationalities, AaGlobal is responsible for making sure language is not a barrier in providing people with the information they need.

Kirk Akdemir, CEO of AaGlobal, said: “The brief is to work on anything that needs to be communicated to the residents – correspondence about

consultation, regulations, decisions, management and administrative matters. Some of it is straightforward and some is more complex and requires briefings with the department and others about the details. It’s a two-way process with feedback from the residents as well.”

Kirk added that the award of the contract is further evidence of the progress made by AaGlobal, a company which he founded more than 30 years ago and which opened its Hull office in 2011 with only two staff.

He said: “We now have 45 people in Hull and we have improved what we do in every

way. This is a very important contract for us because of the competition we faced and because of what it stands for.

“It was a public tender open to businesses all over the country and we are aware that it attracted a lot of interest and a lot of bids from the translation industry.

“We were very happy to be the chosen provider and we’re looking forward to getting on with the job, working with the department and helping the residents. We are highly professional in everything we do and we recognise this carries a huge responsibility because of the sensitivities around it.”

Kirk Akdemir (right), CEO of AaGlobal, with the company’s Operations Director Andrei Sparling

Export figures offer grounds for optimism

The latest ONS data on trade has shown big swings in UK goods exports in the last three months, with a double-digit fall in sales sandwiched between two double-digit increases.

Responding to the figures, William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said: “Taking the data from June to August, overall, produces a 2.8% increase in value terms over that period. UK services exports continue to offer stability with modest, but steady, month-on-month growth.

“There are reasons for optimism. Yesterday, the World Trade Organisation forecast a gradual recovery in sales of goods and strong growth in services for the second half of this year. The Budget, Spending Review and Trade Strategy must all focus on providing the conditions to expand trade as a driver of growth for the UK economy.”

The picture in detail

Goods: The volume of UK goods exports surged by 10.8% in August to complete a three-month period of two double-digit increases either side of a double-digit dip. Sales to the EU rose by 13.2% and to nonEU countries by 8.4%. Exports to the EU were led by rises in machinery and transport equipment, with aircraft sales to Germany a major driver. Chemicals exports were also strong, chiefly medicines and pharmaceutical goods to Germany and Belgium. For non-EU countries, demand was high for manufactured material goods in India, mechanical machinery in China, and chemicals exports in the USA.

Taking the past three months, as a whole, goods exports values rose by 2.8% from the start of June to the end of August. On UK goods imports, there was a small increase of 0.2% in volume terms in August, with non-EU imports rising by 2.8%. This was driven by fuel import rises from Norway and increased mechanical equipment imports from China. However, this was offset by a fall in EU imports of 2.4% in volume terms, led by lower car imports from Germany and refined oil from Belgium.

Services: Services exports were estimated to have a steady month with growth of 0.2% in August in both value and volume terms. Services imports to the UK increased slightly by 0.5% in value for August.

Orthotics firm gets help to put best foot forward

Hull and Humber Chamber member and specialist international trade and shipping law firm Myton Law assisted V-M Orthotics in its application to the HMRC for classification of its ‘Relief Dual Off Loading Shoe’ as orthopaedic footwear under Chapter 90 (specifically 9021) of the Customs Tariff. Such items do not attract import duty.

Under a previous commodity code classification of its ‘Classic Post Op Shoe’, received by V-M Orthotics in 2017, that shoe was classified according to European Union interpretation as ‘footwear’ under Chapter 64, so subject to 16 per cent duty.

The ‘Relief Dual Off Loading Shoe’ is used post-operatively for stability and off-loading (pressure redistribution), for example after footosteotomy procedures. V-M Orthotics supplies the shoe to the NHS supply chain, distributors, and private podiatrists.

“This Advanced Tariff Ruling will make a significant difference to the cost of the shoe,” explained Sue Innes, V-M Orthotics’ Operations Director. “Without support from Myton Law we would not have been able to put our case so cogently and in the detail required to address the relevant customs requirements. It is a very good outcome for patients and clinicians alike.”

V-M Orthotics anticipate a five-figure annual saving as a result of the ruling.

Sector Focus: Legal & Finance

Accountants get in the swing at charity golf event in Grimsby...

Fgolf day at the Grimsby Golf Club last month in support of The Bradbury Foundation. The event brought together over 110 players from various firms and local businesses, resulting in an incredible £6,533.15 raised for the foundation.

Despite sub-par weather conditions, the day kicked off with a warm welcome to all participants, followed by an exciting double-tee start. The event was filled with friendly competition, camaraderie and a shared commitment to fundraise for an incredible cause.

The course provided a beautiful backdrop for the players, showcasing the best of what

competition, with an impressive score of 98. Individual achievements included Jack Driver claiming the longest drive, while Jack Flockton secured the nearest the pin accolade. The style stakes were also high as Liam Cotter took home the bestdressed award for his sleek allgrey ensemble.

The success of the event however would not have been possible without the support of 23 generous sponsors and the support from local businesses showcased the strong sense of community and determination to contribute and make a positive impact in the area.

Phil George, Business Development Partner at Forrester Boyd, expressed his gratitude for

...and add biggest cohort of trainees

The leading chartered accountancy firm has also welcomed 10 trainee accountants to its team in an exciting expansion that reflects its commitment to nurturing local young talent and supporting the next generation of accounting professionals in the region.

The new trainees, who come from diverse academic backgrounds, will embark on their journey to becoming qualified accountants while gaining hands-on experience across various departments within the firm. It is the largest annual intake of trainees the firm has ever had.

Harrison Reeve, Eleanor Grant, Mason Scott and Kenzie Gordon will be training from the firms Grimsby office, James Mason, Elizabeth Holliday and Dacel Darnbrough all take up their seats at the Louth office, Matthew Stephenson and Evie Jebb join the team at the Beverley office and Holly Jones joins the Scunthorpe office.

Every year the firm recruits a large cohort of trainees from within the local community.

Chantelle Rogers, HR Manager, said: “We truly believe in offering opportunities to young people within the communities in which we have office locations. We work very closely with local sixth forms and colleges and attend careers events to raise the profile of opportunities within the accounting profession.

“Investing in the future of our firm is fundamental to its success and by training and developing people who have grown up in the region makes such a big difference. We are thrilled to welcome what is our largest cohort of students to date and are confident that they will not only receive top-tier training but also make a significant contribution to our firm.”

The new trainees pictured outside Forrester Boyd’s headquarters

Pictured promoting the The Lee Bradbury Golf Tournament. are members of Team DM Cranes including (from left) Lorenzo Romagnuolo, Ashley Grant and Dean Grant

the overwhelming support from participants, sponsors, and the local community: ‘We are thrilled with the success of our charity golf day in support of The Bradbury Foundation. The event surpassed our expectations, and we are grateful for the generous contributions of all involved. This collective effort illustrates the power we have as a community, in making a positive impact on the lives of those in need.’

Funds raised from the event will directly support The Bradbury Foundation's vital work which was formed as a legacy to late Partner, Lee Bradbury who sadly passed away in August 2022 at the young age of 40. The Foundation’s purpose is to provide financial support for community projects that will enhance and improve the quality for of communities within a 25 mile radius of the Forrester Boyd offices based in Grimsby, Louth, Scunthorpe, Skegness, Beverley and Lincoln.

Forrester Boyd looks forward to building on the success of this year’s event and making the charity golf day an annual tradition, continuing to support The Bradbury Foundation and help to build brighter futures for the communities in which it operates.

Roles highlight choice of career options in law

Leading law firm Rollits LLP has announced a round of promotions and appointments which highlight the different routes available to people pursuing a legal career.

Newly-promoted Molly Bloom’s first involvement with the firm was on a summer work experience placement, and her colleague Millie Bird started as a Paralegal – the same route now being taken by Hannah Bailey, who joined Rollits a year ago in a business support role.

‘I’m

delighted to see the progress made by Molly and Milly’

The firm has also recruited three new trainees.

Charlotte Milligan and Daniel Huntley-Taylor took a traditional route into the profession but Leila Bolton opted for a career change after 20 years in the hospitality sector.

Ralph Gilbert, Managing Partner at Rollits, said: “As a firm we’re committed to encouraging and facilitating the various avenues into the legal profession and it’s incredibly satisfying to see the work experience scheme and paralegal opportunities helping people embark on rewarding careers.

“I’m delighted to see the progress made by Molly and Milly with their promotions and now by Hannah, whose experience behind the scenes has given her a good grounding for her new paralegal role. It is also exciting to welcome three new trainees, one of whom has taken the big step of changing careers, we look forward to helping them achieve success.”

Molly studied at the University of Hull, graduated in 2021 with a First Class (Hons) degree in Law and then completed an MSc in Business Management. She then moved to The University of Law in Leeds to complete her Legal Practice Course. She joined Rollits’ summer work experience scheme in 2019, started her training contract in 2022 and has now joined the firm’s employment law team.

Millie studied at The University of Law in Leeds, graduating with First Class Honours in 2019 and staying on to pass her LPC with Distinction a year later. She initially joined Rollits in 2021 as a Paralegal with the property team in the York office before progressing to become a trainee solicitor in March 2023. She has now been promoted into the firm’s dispute resolution department.

Hannah studied property law at university and during a work experience placement at Rollits found she really enjoyed property law work. She joined the firm in business support and when a paralegal vacancy arose in the fast-paced environment of residential property, Hannah had no hesitation in applying for the role.

Gerry Morrison, Training Principal at Rollits; said: “A training contract is a crucial steppingstone for any aspiring solicitor, and we are proud to continue our tradition of nurturing legal talent in Yorkshire from a variety of backgrounds.

“We’re excited to provide our new trainees with the opportunity to learn and gain hands-on experience in a variety of legal practice areas.”

Millie Bird (left) and Molly Bloom

Sector Focus: Community & Business

Five million milestone for boiler maker

Leading Hull manufacturer Ideal Heating has celebrated a major production milestone in the history of its successful Logic boiler.

Since its launch in 2009, five million Logic boilers have been manufactured and installed in homes across the UK.

‘We’re incredibly proud to have achieved such a significant milestone for our Logic range’

The boiler is recognised as a hallmark of quality in the UK heating industry, providing reliable, efficient performance for 15 years.

All five million Logic boilers have been manufactured at Ideal Heating’s main site in Hull. It makes the Logic boiler one of the most successful products to ever come out of the city.

The landmark five millionth boiler has rolled off the production line in Hull, complete with a special commemorative gold label.

Ideal Heating has announced the gas engineer who finds the five millionth boiler will receive it for free, in celebration of the important production milestone. The company is also embarking on a UK-wide tour, visiting trade counters and branches to give installers the chance to win a host of prizes.

Luke Pykett, Head of Marketing at Ideal Heating, said: “We’re celebrating five million Logic boilers with the installers who have played a huge role in making Logic the household name it has become today.

As a UK manufacturer, we’re incredibly proud to have achieved such a significant milestone for our Logic range. It’s become a huge success story and a symbol of our status as the UK’s heating market leader.”

The very first Logic boiler was manufactured at Ideal Heating’s National Avenue site in Hull 15 years ago, in 2009. The company is currently undergoing a £60m investment programme, as it gears up for the next exciting chapter in its 100-plus-year history.

A key part of that investment is a new £19.2m UK Technology Centre, which will act as a research and development centre of excellence for future product development and innovation.

A project where Xperience counts

Alessandro Caruso Architecture and Interiors Ltd (ACA) has announced the completion of its latest commercial interior design project, the Connexin VIP Xperience Lounge within Connexin Live, an entertainment and events venue in the centre of Hull.

The Xperience Lounge, designed to offer an exclusive and luxurious experience, blends modern aesthetics with unparalleled comfort. This sophisticated space caters to VIP guests attending a wide array of events including concerts and corporate gatherings.

“We are thrilled to have worked on such a prestigious project,” said Alex Caruso, Principal Architect at ACA.

“Our goal was to create an environment that not only complements the high-energy atmosphere of Connexin Live, but also provides a stylish retreat for VIP guests. We believe the final design achieves this balance beautifully.”

The design concept of the Xperience Lounge emphasizes vibrance and modernity, featuring high-quality materials, bespoke furnishings and cutting-edge lighting solutions.

Key highlights include:

• Luxurious seating areas: Comfortable egg style seating arranged to encourage relaxation and social interaction.

• Sophisticated bar area: A sleek, wellappointed bar designed to serve a wide range of beverages, enhancing the overall guest experience.

• Artistic accents: A striking golden curtain chain against the backdrop of a black painted wall adds intrigue and depth to the space.

The collaboration between ACA and Connexin Live has resulted in a space that not only meets but exceeds the expectations of discerning guests, setting a new standard for VIP experiences in the region.

Katie Muir, Head of Content, said: “We are delighted with the exceptional work ACA has done in transforming our VIP ‘Xperience Lounge’ at Connexin Live. Their design perfectly balances style and comfort with a touch of Connexin weaved throughout, creating a fantastic atmosphere for our VIP guests.”

Dave Clarke, assembly team manager at Ideal Heating, with the milestone Logic boiler

Sector Focus: Manufacturing

Apprentices’ careers are on track

Siemens Mobility has taken on 24 young people in apprenticeships and graduate roles at its Goole Rail Village, from where the company is assembling new Piccadilly line trains and which could also deliver the UK’s next generation of main line trains.

The recruitment includes 22 apprentices – the highest number of apprentices recruited by Siemens Mobility in the UK for a single site in a year – and comes as the pioneering development in East Yorkshire gears up to becoming fully operational.

The trainees are aged between 16 and 26 and all started on the same day, across a variety of roles in the manufacturing, logistics and warehousing, quality, commissioning, components, materials control, operations and commercial teams. More than half of the new starters are from the Goole area, with most of the others from the wider Yorkshire region.

Taking on so many young people in a single phase demonstrates Siemens Mobility’s commitment to developing a new generation of talent while establishing Goole as a

centre of excellence for the rail industry in the UK.

Mark Speed, General Manager of Siemens Mobility at Goole, said:

“We’re excited to welcome all these new recruits to our growing team in Goole. Bringing on board so many talented young people demonstrates our commitment to creating new opportunities to join the UK rail industry and help to shape its future.

“These new team members represent a major investment in creating a powerful pipeline of talent and a lasting legacy of skills

Record year for building specialists

Modular construction business

Integra Buildings has celebrated a record year as a string of major contracts underpinned impressive growth.

East Yorkshire-based Integra recorded turnover of £50m in 2023 for the first time in the company’s 27-year history, as newly-released accounts detail its strong financial performance.

Income reached £50.4m in the year ending 31 December, 2023, up 18% on the previous 12 months, with pre-tax profits of £6.6m, up from £2.8m in 2022.

Key to the success were a series of showpiece projects, including the delivery of a £6m new facility for a world-class sports organisation, as well as contracts won with blue chip clients including Network Rail and Transport for London.

Integra’s impressive financial performance comes as it

continues to deliver major investments at its headquarters site in Paull, near Hull, including an expanded head office and wide-reaching sustainability initiatives.

With a healthy order book and future pipeline of work, Integra has set its sights on exceeding £60m turnover in 2025 and is investing in its team to lay the foundations for continuing growth.

Integra CEO Gary Parker said: “Hitting £50m turnover for the first time reflects a hugely successful period for Integra, delivering impactful projects for clients spanning both the public and private sectors.

“As we have grown organically, we have evolved from a modular manufacturer to a full-service modular construction company which is delivering turnkey projects spanning design,

for our business and the wider industry. The numbers taken on also reflect the scale of our operations in Goole and the range of functions within the Rail Village.

“We’re looking forward to seeing our new colleagues grow and develop in their roles and contribute to the success of our operations in Goole as we transform rail travel and transport.”

Global rail technology leader Siemens Mobility is investing £200m to develop a train manufacturing facility and

associated operations in Goole, creating up to 700 jobs directly as well as around 1,700 opportunities in the wider supply chain.

The first trains built at the new factory will be new tube trains for Transport for London. Eighty per cent of new trains for the Piccadilly line on the London Underground will be assembled at Goole.

Siemens Mobility plans to build all future main line trains for the UK at Goole, including new battery bimode trains that it has calculated could save Britain’s railways £3.5bn and 12 million tonnes of CO2 over 35 years.

The factory is the centrepiece of the wider Rail Village, featuring a components facility, a materials and logistics warehouse, and a research, development and innovation cluster, establishing Goole as a centre of excellence for rail technology in the UK.

The new starters will develop skills through a range of training programmes relevant to their roles. Many of these programmes are overseen by the National Training Academy for Rail (NTAR), working with regional training providers, including York College.

consultation, planning, manufacture, delivery and installation.

“Throughout our history, we’ve remained focused on delivering buildings of outstanding quality. Our reputation for excellence and consistently exceeding expectations is driving evergrowing numbers of enquiries from clients looking for modular solutions to their projects.”

As well as smaller scale contracts, a total of 15 projects

worth at least £1m each were successfully delivered during 2023.

Managing Director Chris Turner said: “Our strong performance is in line with a structured growth plan which was put in place to ensure we remain at the forefront of a fast-growing modular construction industry.

“It means, as a business, we are well placed for the next chapter of our story, as we continually look to evolve the services we offer to our clients.”

The leadership team at Integra Buildings

Siemens has taken on its largest cohort of apprentices at a single site in the UK

Motoring

Life can’t be all about work! Chamber Motoring reviews some of the latest offerings on the market.

Swift is a great pick (and mix?)

Resembling one of his favourite sweets, this endearing little Suzuki Swift is a mouth-watering proposition. DAVID HOOPER discovers this frugal little three-pot is impressively economical!

Who doesn’t love a visit to a traditional sweet shop where an array of multi-coloured goodies are stored on shelves, in jars, and weighed on old fashioned scales before being poured into a paper bag and put into your pocket in exchange for a few pennies.

This week’s test car reminded me of one of my favourite sweets you can buy from a shop just like that, chocolate limes – remember those? And there’s usually one that’s escaped its plastic wrapper and sticks to most of the others as they melt a bit in your pocket and get too sticky.

Well, this lovely Suzuki Swift is the four-wheeled embodiment of my long-time favourite, with its dual-

tone lime paintwork and black roof, although its official colour is Cool Yellow with a Mineral Grey roof which comes a £750 option, but does look great.

‘The new model comes with an improved specification, better performance and lower CO2 emissions’

This is the all new fourth generation of Suzuki’s ever popular supermini which has found a loyal following of fans over the last 40 years, having won a reputation for solid reliability for which the Japanese brand is well

MAIN PICTURE: The Suzuki Swift’s lime-like colour reminded David of one of his favourite sweets

OPPOSITE: The Swift contains a surprising amount of useful kit for such a small car

OPPOSITE BOTTOM:

The car offers ample room for four or five people

BELOW: Bootspace is decent for a car of this size

TheVitalStatistics

MODEL: Suzuki Swift 1.2 Mild Hybrid

ENGINE: 1197cc, 82PS three-cylinder petrol engine, driving front wheels through five speed gearbox.

PERFORMANCE: Top speed 103 mph. 0-62mph in 12.5 secs.

ECONOMY: City: City: 61.4mpg Country: 74.3mpg Combined: 64.2mpg Wheel World test average: 59.9mpg

CO2 EMISSIONS: 99g/km

INSURANCE: Group 27D

PRICE: £20,549 as tested

WARRANTY: Seven years/100,000 miles

WEBSITE: www.cars.suzuki.co.uk

• All data correct at time of publication.

regarded, has seen nine-million examples find homes in 119 countries.

Today’s Swift remains a loveable little car, with ample space for four or five people, a comfortable ride and engaging handling, with this hybrid version providing excellent fuel economy, but more of that later.

On sale since April 2024, the new model comes with an improved specification, better performance and lower CO2 emissions.

It’s not the fastest thing on four wheels, but it’s performance is quite engaging, with its 1.2-litre threecylinder mild hybrid engine with 82PS burbling away under the bonnet, literally sipping fuel and emitting only 99g/km of CO2.

There are just two models to choose from, Motion or Ultra trim grades, our test car being the latter. The new

Swift may be a little car, but has a big list of kit which includes adaptive cruise control, heated front seats, rear view camera, and parking sensors, traffic sign recognition and blind spot monitoring.

Like many new cars today, to make us safer drivers who stick to the speed limits, it beeps at you every time you reach one, three times, which is irritating to say the least, and the only way to turn it off is when the car is parked, and you navigate your way through several menu layers to find the right screen to turn it off, but as soon you restart the car again, it’s back, by default, and you have to do it all again.

I’m sure some people may find it helpful, but I still prefer to be in charge when I’m driving, so the lane keeping assist which actuates the steering wheel also has to go, so I don’t end up wrestling with the car when I want to straighten out a bend or a roundabout!

Manufacturers are introducing all of these “aids”, and I know they have to, but I do miss the simplicity of old.

One the beeping is turned off, the Swift is an agreeable travelling companion with agreeably precise handling on country roads, yet perfectly capable of settling into a long motorway cruise. I was very impressed with its fuel consumption, and although petrol prices have fallen for the time being, it’s still satisfying – and rare – to see mpg figures hitting 64mpg as I did on a long trip north up the A1.

For those who like to venture off the beaten track, there is the option of Suzuki’s proven ALLGRIP Auto system which gives you 4WD traction for go just about anywhere abilities, which could be useful as we go into another wet winter!

The Swift is still a cracking little car, great to drive and easy to live with – I liked the reversing camera too, which is always helpful for parking. For extra peace of mind, it comes with a seven year, 100,000-mile warranty, but being a Suzuki, it’s unlikely that you’ll need it!

This Genesis is a revelation!

If you like a game of hide and seek, this car is for you! But once you find the charging socket and top up the battery, DAVID HOOPER says the Electrified G80 is impressively luxurious and has a practical usable range.

Think of electric cars and most people think of range anxiety, can you get to where you’re going – and back – without having to go to all the hassle of finding somewhere to recharge your car! Will the charger be working when you get there, and will it be available for you, or will you have to wait while someone else’s car is charged before you can plug yours in?

While EVs are still relatively new technology, the infrastructure is improving slowly, even if sales, especially to private buyers, are falling. Take this Electrified Genesis G80 for example. When it was delivered, I plugged it in to my Pod Point wall charger –after I eventually found the charging socket cleverly concealed in the G80’s impressive diamond patterned front grille. It only took me three laps of the car to find it in the dark!

Thankfully, the following morning, the Pod Point had done its thing and the car claimed to have a range of 278 miles from its 87kWh battery, which doesn’t sound a lot when compared to my diesel BMW which has a range of at least 650 miles on a tankful, but it’s not bad, and a vast improvement on the early Nissan Leafs which had a usable range of about 80 miles, but still less

than the G80’s claimed 323 combined range.

I was still wary though, I’ve seen electric car ranges almost evaporate during an enthusiastic drive home, to the point when I’ve had to back right off and turn off the heater in the middle of winter to ensure I made it home!

‘Despite its bulk it can punch you in the back as it accelerates from rest to 62mph in 4.9 seconds’

Not in this G80 though, the range seemed to be reasonably accurate, even with some “enthusiastic” driving occasionally – and despite its size, this G80 is surprisingly good to punt along your favourite country backroads. The regenerative braking can be adjusted to suit your mood and driving style of the day, and can eke out a few more miles of range if you think about how you’re operating the vehicle.

The long wheelbase gives it the “big car ride” you get with luxury saloons, the four-wheel-drive system provides plenty of grip via its 136kW dual-motor AWD system, in the dry at least, but you’ve still got a very

MAIN PICTURE: The Electrified Genesis G80 is a luxury saloon in every respect

OPPOSITE LEFT:

The bootspace is relatively limited even though it doesn’t contain the electric motor

TOP RIGHT: It’s a very heavy car but the fourwheel-drive system provides plenty of grip

ABOVE RIGHT: The cabin is comfortable with padded seats and a variety of luxuries

heavy car which weighs in at around 2.5 tonnes, so in the wet it won’t feel quite so sure footed.

Its performance is supercar impressive too, despite its bulk it can punch you in the back as it accelerates from rest to 62mph in 4.9 seconds, with a top speed of 139mph, but this kind of car is more about wafting from A to B, than sprinting.

It does the former well too, very well in fact. It is quiet, comfortable to the point of being cosseting with its generous, well-padded seats which will heat you or cool you, and is packed with all the luxury goodies you could want. Even the rear seat passengers are well catered for with their own monitor screens to watch films or music videos on. Or you could hop in the back and watch a film while the car is charging!

At the back of the car I was expecting to find a huge boot. There is a boot, but some of it is taken up with the electric motor which drives the rear wheels. Lift the boot floor though, and I was impressed with the cable storage. Each had its own little bag which sits in its own place out of sight until it’s needed. Some EVs I’ve driven have arrived with the cables just tossed in the boot – very untidy.

Genesis have cleverly managed to Electrify their G80 by putting an engine-shaped motor under the bonnet,

TheVitalStatistics

MODEL: Genesis Electrified G80

BATTERY: 87.2kWh, 370PS, driving four wheels through two electric motors.

PERFORMANCE: Top speed 139 mph. 0-62mph in 4.9 secs.

ECONOMY:

Maximum driving range – Combined: 323 miles

Maximum driving range – City: 397 miles

CHARGING:

Connection type: Combined Type 2 and CCS

On-board charger (AC) 7 kW 37 hours Wall Box Charge 10-100% (11 kW AC) 7 hours 33

CO2 EMISSIONS: 0g/km

PRICE: £69,905/£84,265 as tested

WARRANTY: Five years

WEBSITE: www.genesis.co.uk

• All data correct at time of publication.

and building the batteries into the floor and boot of the car, but this does tend to limit rear head and leg room in particular.

I thought the solar panels in the roof were a clever idea to help recharge the car while it is parked, but it’s an expensive option at £1,360 and in reality, doesn’t make much of a difference.

Other options on our test car included an Innovation Pack, Comfort Seat Pack and Executive pack and a Nappa Leather Seat Pack, which brought the total cost of this car, including its Hallasan Green metallic paintwork, which I thought looked fabulous in the sunshine, to £84,265, a big jump from the £69,905 of the standard car.

The Electrified G80 is a comfortable, luxurious saloon, but if rear head and legroom, or bootspace, are a priority, I’d consider the ICE version instead. All Genesis models benefit from the company’s Five Year Car Plan which gives you a warranty, servicing, roadside assistance, a courtesy car and map updates.

New Members

A warm welcome and introduction to the latest businesses to join Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce.

Consult Justine

Justine MacArthur

Beverley 07899 617628

Coaching & HR Consultant

Doreen Medicals Limited

Dr Idorenyin Charles Humberston 07402 986586

Medical legal services

Independent Monitoring Boards

Risha Balmer

London 07899 617628

Monitoring inspecting prisons

International Student Guidance Services

James Anderson

Hull 07577 912426

International students

Self Store Goole Ltd

John Fletcher Goole 01405 720620

Self storage and van hire

The Equality Practice Ltd

Tracy Todd Grimsby 07523 960723

Delivering projects and programmes at grassroots and strategic level related to equality and inclusion

Doncaster 01427 871571

Manufacture and hire of commercial diving equipment

Online fashion retailer opens first store in Humberston

At the launch of Tilletts Clothing Superstore, are from left: Nancy Tillett, Mel Tillett and Grace Tillett

New Member Spotlight

If you like to appear in our New Member Spotlight, here’s your chance – email David Hooper at d.hooper@hull-humber-chamber.co.uk

Name: Richard Hutchins

Job title: CEO/Creative dogsbody

Name of the business: Leather Repair Company

Describe your business in a nutshell

The Leather Repair Company is dedicated to providing eco-friendly products and services that set the standard in leather restoration and care. They offer comprehensive training programmes, franchise opportunities, and business mentoring to help entrepreneurs grow successful leather repair businesses. With a focus on sustainability and professional development, they empower their network to

deliver exceptional craftsmanship while promoting environmentally responsible practices.

Where is it based? Hull.

What has been your biggest challenge in the last year?

Managing our growth and finding it very difficult to employ people, as nobody wants to work anymore.

What are you most looking forward to in the next three months?

Family time with my daughter’s new baby.

What news story had the biggest impact recently?

George Michael’s couch - we got national TV coverage.

If you could choose what job would you do? An astronaut to discover another world.

What is your biggest ambition?

To continue growing the brand and to become a household name globally.

Where will your next holiday be?

I don’t take holidays, but take many business trips each year abroad. I class those as my getaways, even though we are always working and see four walls in a factory all day long.

What are your hobbies and which is your favourite pastime?

Walking, keeping fit, cycle rides, road bike racing.

What are your plans for the weekend? Walk on the beach, a couple of runs and work at home.

Carolynne and Richard with the sofa they restored which had appeared on the cover of Patience, George Michael’s last studio album. It was bought by David Huse who sent it to the Leather Repair after finding them online. In addition to the sofa, the auction lot included some album memorabilia for sales figures