Business Life June/July 2016

SWANSEA BAY

June/July 2016

Issue 42

BUSINESS LIFE COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING THE REGION’S DYNAMIC BUSINESS COMMUNITY www.swanseabaybusiness.com

innovation and growth Driving the digital sector, tourism success and the EU’s future PEMBROKESHIRE

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5/26/2016 2:20:57 PM

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Editor’s Letter SWANSEA BAY

June/July 2016

Issue 42

BUSINESS LIFE COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING THE REGION’S DYNAMIC BUSINESS COMMUNITY www.swanseabaybusiness.com

innovation and growth Driving the digital sector, tourism success and the EU’s future PEMBROKESHIRE

CARMARTHENSHIRE

SWANSEA

NEATH PORT TALBOT

Swansea Bay Business Life 220 High Street, Urban Village, Swansea, SA1 1NW @SwanBayBusiness www.swanseabaybusiness.com

Publisher South West Wales Media

Editor Chris Campbell @Citizen_Chris • 01792 545 564 chris.campbell@swwmedia.co.uk

Contributors Tommy Davies, Chris Olchawski, Ted Sangster, Emlyn Dole, Lawrence Bailey, Dave Kieft, Ian Price, Rosie Sweetman, Adam Curtis

Design & Production - Alistair Corbett - SWWMedia Creative Studio

Photography SWWMedia Photographic Team

Publisher Lisa Cameron lisa.cameron@swwmedia.co.uk

Advertising Manager Debbie Roberts 01792 545 626 debbie.roberts@swwmedia.co.uk

Head of Business Zena Laws 01792 545 585 zena.laws@swwmedia.co.uk

Subscription homedelivery@localworld.co.uk 03337778004

Growing the region’s brand...

The result of June’s EU referendum will undoubtedly have far reaching consequences for the Swansea Bay region’s economy, the UK and, of course, the rest of Europe.

Big names have visited South West Wales to offer their views on what could be the biggest decision we may ever make, with business leaders from all sectors signing their names on both sides of the fence.

None other than Kenneth Clarke MP visited the region recently to discuss his thoughts on the issue. He gave Business Life a one-toone interview and answered why he thought the future of the steel industry needs the UK to remain inside the single market. Also, what the feelings are at Westminster about the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon.

Through the EU Structural Funds, Wales has benefited from more than £4 billion since 2000. This has supported business, research and innovation, employment, skills, digital and transport networks, regeneration and the environment. But many argue we receive just a slice of the money we send to Brussels, and the resulting red tape due to being a part of the EU, hampers business here.

The theme of our June/July edition is Innovation and Growth. A major example of that is the emergence of tech start-

ups in South West Wales, including The Booking Factory, which is part of community TechHub Swansea’s first tech accelerator fund programme. Based at the TechHub is software firm Veeqo. Read our interview with its marketing manager Prince Appah, in our technology & communication section.

Tourism and growth is a major topic in our big interview with Margaret Llewellyn, former managing director of Dragon Shipping Line, whose multiple roles include chair of the Tourism Advisory Board of Visit Wales and board member of the Haven Waterway Enterprise Zone in Pembrokeshire. She tackles questions on business tourism, Welsh ports, cruise lines, hotels and young talent from the region.

We also include an interview with John Bollom, chairman of Mumbles Pier’s owner company Ameco, about development changes to the much-loved attraction and its impact on the region.

We’re at a pivotal stage in our history and whether we remain or leave the EU, businesses in the Swansea Bay region will need to continue to work together, make a name for themselves and attract investors from outside the UK and encourage investment and growth from within.

Chris Campbell

Editor

Image by Ian Woolcock • istockphoto

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15

56 Contents In Focus 07 Margaret Llewellyn OBE Finish what you start 15 Round Table Key drivers for sustainable growth

Start ups 30 Duo invest in marina Entrepreneurs make five-figure investment 34 Chris Olchawski Having a strong local brand

Our region 40 Port attracts wave developers Milford Haven looks to enter a new era

07

56 Port Talbot jobs due to new facility South Wales company invest in new steel fabrication

Finance 60 Halfords purchases bicycle group Brothers share about ÂŁ14m in deal

Our columnists...

Tommy Davies

Rosie Sweetman

Lawrence Bailey

Ian Price

Entrepreneur with businesses in telecoms, marketing and heavy industry

Director of Business in the Community Cymru

Owner of Whiterock Consulting

Assistant director of CBI Wales

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98

95

Workforce 74

Engineering firm aims for growth Llanelli company in drive to be major employer

78

Family business carves niche Recent growth born out of tragedy

Property & Construction 98

Mumbles Pier waits to proceed Chairman calls for visitor improvements

106 Firms commit to industrial park Handful of companies take units in region

Technlogy & Communication 126 Fast food chain’s digital hit McDonald’s launches more digital kiosks

128

128 Software firm plans major growth Veeqo set to grow by 50 per cent

Networking 146 Summer lunch Swansea Bay Business Club lunch with Ken Clarke MP 164 Dates for your diary Events being held across the region

Emlyn Dole

Ted Sangster

Chris Olchawski

Adam Curtis

Leader of Carmarthenshire County Council

Chairman of the Pembrokeshire Business Panel

Chair of the FSB Carmarthenshire branch

CEO of Hoowla and MD of Clockwork Bear

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Advertising Feature

Welsh business - facing the changing landscape of a digital world.

by Lynn Pamment We live today in a world where the pace of change is relentless and where global trends - not just in the steel industry – impact on local issues. Demographic and social change; shifting economic power; urbanisation; climate change, resource scarcity; and technological breakthroughs will all impact on Welsh business, reshaping the economic and commercial landscape in which we operate.

With challenge comes opportunity; so, rather than retreat from reality, Welsh businesses should grasp the potential to innovate, to invest and to grow.

In PwC in Swansea we were delighted recently to move our office to be in the heart of the Institute of Life Sciences in Swansea University. This move has put us at the heart of an exciting environment of new innovative businesses with rapid growth potential.

At PwC we recognise that technological advance and the digital agenda will have a significant impact on the future growth potential of Welsh business and of Wales itself. Business has significant capacity to innovate and drive growth for the Welsh economy and we are proud to be a part of that future for Wales.

PwC is extremely proud of our long history and our commitment to maintain a significant presence in Wales and the partners and staff in our Cardiff and Swansea offices are determined to play our part in growing the economy of Wales. We work with businesses across Wales of all shapes and sizes, at all stages of their development, providing advice and support from start-up, through development of strategy, financing, mergers Companies have moved from seeking a digital and acquisitions, and onto implementation strategy to embracing a new business model of succession planning and exit strategies that is effective, nimble and responsive to for owner managers looking to move on. the demands of an ever changing digital world. The key to success for the future will In this rapidly-changing, digital world, if Welsh be the capacity of business to innovate quickly, businesses are to realise their full potential to to drive up productivity and move products drive growth, it is essential to have effective and deliver services to market, at a far more dialogue between the business community and rapid pace than we have ever seen before. the Welsh and UK Governments and at PwC we are proud to be a partner in that dialogue.

Our research also revealed that there’s more to life than GDP. It highlighted the importance of city performance and infrastructure to attract fast growth companies and retain skilled workers. Just as successful cities need to provide affordable housing, healthcare and transport in order to thrive, they also need to provide affordable and quality accommodation for businesses, particularly Mark Ellis, PwC smaller businesses, SMEs and tech start-ups. Partner

For me, the trends we are seeing in digital innovation and technological advances will have the most profound impact on society and on business.

PwC’s recent global ‘connected living’ research predicts that the connected living global market (i.e. the use of digital technologies) will be worth US$1 trillion globally by 2020, of which the UK’s share alone could be around $20 billion.

E: mark.c.ellis@uk.pwc.com • T: (01792) 473691

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©LW

Margaret Llewellyn OBE

The Big Interview

The Big Interview

Finish what you start ...

Tourism expert Margaret Llewellyn OBE, who is a Welsh Government adviser and former owner of a South West Wales-based shipping company, met with Business Life to discuss future growth opportunities in the region and the importance of completing projects that you start...

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I DO LIKE PEOPLE WHO ARE COMMITTED AND PASSIONATE AND I LIKE TO THINK THAT PEOPLE WHO WORK WITH ME DO THAT.

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Margaret Llewellyn OBE

People make the Swansea Bay region and new ways are being explored to improve business tourism and facilities to cater for more visitors, according to a tourism and shipping expert.

Margaret Llewellyn, speaking with Business Life at the Swansea Marriott Hotel at the city’s Maritime Quarter, said developing tourism centres and attractions further in Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire, utilising talent, ensuring decent broadband - particularly to support smaller hotels and guest houses - and improving transport links were among top priorities for the region’s tourism and wider economy.

Over coffee, Llewellyn, whose multiple roles include chair of the Tourism Advisory Board of Visit Wales as well as non-executive director at Finance Wales, Haven Waterway Enterprise Zone and Cardiff Airport, said bringing in people by ship, plane and other transport methods was vital for the region’s success.

She had flown in from Jersey the night before and had considered flying back after this interview, but instead decided to stay overnight in Swansea at her place on the beach.

“I see often tourism is part of the enabler of business development,” she said. “In Fishguard, we’ve got very big ambitions.

This is the first year that really it’s been marketed for cruise and this year we’ve got 21 ships going into it, which is quite extraordinary in its first year. Now, for the big ships, at the moment they’ll have to go by tender into a pontoon, but in the long term there is no reason, because there’s a natural depth of water there, that you couldn’t consider doing something where the ships will go along side. So, it’s a sort of phased approach. Fishguard’s got the opportunity to develop a big, modern marina.”

The Welsh Government has a tourism target of ten per cent growth by 2020.

Llewellyn, who has worked across the US including Seattle, LA and Miami, said Swansea - as well as other parts of the region - was in need of more quality hotels and restaurants that made the most of the city’s sea views. She added more and more international students were staying and where were their parents going to stay when they come to visit.

What impression were they getting of the city and the region?

She said: “My vision is that we will have the quality of hotels. If there’s one thing I achieve it’s that we get some really good quality standard hotels.

“It’s more ambitious thinking, it’s more visionary thinking. You should use broadband in every way you can and particularly in tourism because if you look out into the countryside then people are isolated and we’ve tried to educate the people with guesthouses or small hotels how they can get their message outside and that’s one of the only ways they can do it.”

German cruise lines are now coming to Wales for the first time with German brand Aidia Cruises, part of Carnival Corporation & plc. They are going to Fishguard in August and as a result German guides are needed. Llewellyn revealed just over a handful came forward but after promoting the roles, hundreds of applicants applied and 85 were trained.

They’ve been made German ambassadors and some are now on the quayside welcoming people, others are in the towns helping visitors who want to go shopping or explore and the rest go on coaches with the tour guides to assist.

Chinese ambassador courses are now being run in the region as a result and Middle Eastern courses and others could also start soon. Llewellyn, who was born in Cardiff but considers herself more a Swansea person and spends most weekends here, said tourists were being drawn to Wales for its culture and natural beauty.

She said: “All this publicity we’re getting about the steelworks closing down and it’s going worldwide. Hang on a minute, you tell me anywhere in the world where you can see the management walk with the employees in unison to try and keep their businesses going. There’s nowhere else. Can you tell me anywhere that has done that? That’s what we should be focusing on, the people. That’s the sort of thing, whatever business we’re in, that’s what we should be aiming for.

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST EMPLOYER OTHER THAN THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY DOWN IN THE HAVEN? IT’S TOURISM. “It’s the people. We do have beautiful scenery. I have (cruise line) ambitions for Swansea but the problem with Swansea is we’ve got a lot and so we’re tidally constrained and we’re restricted on the size of vessel. So there’s no point in spending money unless we can take all ships. If you build a cruise berth, that cruise berth will be there for 50 years.

“If the tidal lagoon comes off then it might give us the opportunity of doing that as well. There’s going to be a lot of dredging to be able to do the wall and everything, so it’s much cheaper to do it

The Big Interview

Who is Margaret Llewellyn?

Born in Cardiff 30 year career in the ports and shipping industry OBE for services to economic development in Wales in 2004 Chair of the Tourism Advisory Board of Visit Wales Board member of Haven Waterway Enterprise Zone Member of the board of Finance Wales Non-executive director of Cardiff Airport Non-executive director of the Port of Jersey

when it’s being done with something else.

We have got plans but there’s no point in doing it if we can’t do it as a project that will bring in the big ships.”

Llewellyn is former CEO at Swanseabased Dragon Shipping Line and Swansea Container Terminal plc and is a consultant to the Cruise Wales initiative. She is currently CEO at SeaPort Development Ltd, director of the Port of Jersey - where she was deputy chairman for nine years - and is a past vice chair of the Welsh Development Agency. She said the Swansea Bay region and Wales had a lot to be positive about.

Wales has been marketing itself to cruise lines around the world for at least seven years and annually attends the largest world cruise conference, Seatrade Cruise Global, which usually takes place in Miami every March. Llewellyn said it took time for attendees to take note of the country and its six ports - Fishguard, Milford Haven, Swansea, Holyhead, Cardiff and Newport- but that demand was now very much on the up, with almost 60 cruise ships coming to its shores.

“We originally thought, well we’ve got six ports, and first of all we’d forgotten about a map of Wales, well of course you assume that people know where Wales is,” she said. “The American market have no clue where Wales is. They do now, but when we started they didn’t. They only knew, is it near London? Or, is it near Scotland? These are the two questions that we’d be asked.

“So, the first thing was, obviously the map had to come and that had to show where all the ports were. But then from there, we had this idea that we would swanseabaybusiness.com 9

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The Big Interview

Margaret Llewellyn OBE

Cruise ship Aurora docked at Swansea Docks.

show photographs of the ports and photographs of perhaps one of the iconic places, for each of the locations. But two years ago, I have a Cruise Wales manager who works at Visit Wales, and Sue said I think we’re just going to modernise this.

She said I’m going to get one of the best photographs I can get and we’ll just have a map on one side and she said I’m going to have the biggest photograph and it was Rhossili Bay. She just put it up and it said this is Wales.

“There wasn’t one person in that entire conference that did not come up and talk about that and so much so that the president of Royal Caribbean, who happens to be from Cardiff, brought the managing director for Europe over to the stand to say this is where I’m from. And even places like St Martin and St Lucia in the Caribbean came over and said we didn’t realise you had beaches like that.

“And actually from that, in particular, the Germans now call it (Wales) the Galapagos of northern Europe, because all of a sudden they’ve discovered that we’ve got all these islands, we’ve got all this bird life, sea life, we’ve got beautiful beaches and, of course, in the summer they want to find places to take particularly these expedition ships and we’ve seen this whole growth. So much so, that in February, we actually had National Geographic here.

Sue arranged for a plane to take them up all over West Wales and they’re putting two ships in this year and they’ve brought two ships for next year and they’re also going to bring land tours as well. So it’s just a completely different perception.

“This year we’ve got 59 ships in Wales.

That is fantastic isn’t it, 59 ships coming to Wales. When we started off we had seven.”

Llewellyn added the team had taken council leaders to meet some of the cruise lines and that was having a huge impact on developing ideas and bringing more people to the country. Visit Wales’ 2016 Year of Adventure campaign was also proving a hit as it highlighted all the activities and locations there are here.

She said Welsh ports, like Milford

Haven, had not moved on from where they were in their heyday. In Belfast, the port moved from where it once was after land was reclaimed towards the sea and it now has a modern vibe about it. She added there needed to be a “strategic investment” in Welsh ports and talks were in place with Milford Haven Port Authority, Pembrokeshire County Council and Visit Wales to see whether the port and other parts of Milford Haven could be regenerated. This includes the possibility of an indoor tourism activity centre, a three and a five star hotel in the marina area, plus a number of shops and cafes to join the marina up with the town.

Llewellyn and the team also work with colleges in the region and American cruise line Seabourn. When students have completed their NVQ3, they can apply to go and work on the cruise line’s ships on six month contracts in a variety of roles including in the kitchen, front-of-house or in housekeeping. So far 57 Welsh students are working full time on ships all over the world.

“What is the biggest employer other than the oil and gas industry down in the Haven? It’s tourism,” Llewellyn said.

“Tourism is Pembrokeshire’s major employer if you like. Same in Carmarthen.

If you look at most of Wales, we’re one of the big sectors and so, one of the other parts of what I’m trying to do is to try and get it into something that is a proper career for people. That it becomes a fulltime career.

“The most important part is that they will learn what five star service is all about and so one day, they will come back to Wales and they will bring that quality of training with them, that’s the whole point of us doing it.”

Meanwhile, Cardiff Airport recently announced ten consecutive months of passenger number growth. The figure for March stands at 78,413, 29 per cent up on the same period last year. Llewellyn said it was just as important that the airport was bringing visitors into Wales as well as taking people out.

THE MORE ROUTES YOU HAVE THE MORE YOU HELP BUSINESS TO DEVELOP BECAUSE YOU’RE BRINGING THE PEOPLE IN. She said latest figures had been pleasantly surprising, showing around 47 per cent of passengers were flying into Wales and on specific routes, it was split 50 per cent between people flying in and out of the country.

“What makes you a vibrant economy is you bring people in,” she said. “The more routes you have the more you help business to develop because you’re bringing the people in.”

Llewellyn is a Girton College, Cambridge history graduate and has had a 30 year career in the ports and shipping industry.

She was the first female graduate at Liverpool-based Ocean Transport and Trading. It was here she learnt everything she does about shipping and she later became commercial manager at Associated British Ports, which owns and operates 21 ports in Britain. She said the industry was in her blood as both her father and grandfather were in shipping in Wales. Llewellyn received an OBE for services to economic development in Wales in 2004.

She added she was a great believer in sticking tough jobs and projects out and often judged people on whether they had that same mentality.

“I do like people who are committed and passionate and I like to think that people who work with me do that,” she said.

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Offshore companies In Focus

More than £600 million of land and property in city owned by offshore companies A total of £625 million of land and property in Swansea is owned by companies registered offshore, a campaign group claims. BUSINESS LIFE reports...

From pubs to retail parks, apartments to mines, numerous properties and pieces of land in Swansea are owned by companies registered offshore, a campaign group has said.

The group, 38 Degrees, which has been liaising with the magazine Private Eye, said £625 million of property in Swansea was registered in this way between 1999 and 2014.

There is nothing illegal in the offshore arrangement, which has become the norm nationwide, but campaigners argue there is an ethical dimension as offshore owners pay less tax than if they were registered in the UK. Meanwhile many foreign companies and individuals who are not based in tax havens also invest in the UK property market.

According to details published by Private Eye following Freedom of Information responses, a company called Link Holdings acquired 117 properties in Swansea between 1999 and 2014.

The properties were registered in around a dozen overseas countries, mainly Gibraltar, which describes itself as a “low tax” territory nowadays rather than a tax haven. Other countries included Bermuda, Malta and the Turks and Caicos Islands, although the country of registration for several of the properties could not be confirmed.

Properties owned by other offshore companies in Swansea include the Marriott Hotel, whose parent company was registered in the British Virgin Islands, and the Eli Jenkins pub, whose owner was registered in the Cayman Islands.

A Guernsey-registered company, Curlew Property Ltd, paid nearly £6.8 million for a chunk of land off New Cut Road in 2014, while Luxembourg-registered St Modwen registered land south of Fabian Way in 2013.

Further afield, Llanelli’s Trostre Retail Parc was bought for £180 million in 2006 by two Jersey-registered companies.

Open cast workings at Gwaun Cae Gurwen, and some surrounding land, are owned by British Virgin Islands-based Pine Regeneration Inc. There is £81 million of property and land owned by tax havens in Neath and Port Talbot, according to 38 Degrees.

This includes the mothballed Selar open

cast workings in Glynneath, owned by British Virgin Islands-based Sycamore Regneration Inc, and Aberafan Shopping Centre, bought for £39.5 million in 2006 by Guernsey-based Glanmore Investments Ltd. 38 Degrees claimed the ownership details discovered by Private Eye via the Land Registry — the public service that keeps record of property and land ownership in England and Wales — could be under threat if the Land Registry was privatised, as the UK Government has proposed.

A petition by 38 Degrees to stop the sale of the Land Registry, which has a large office in Swansea, has been signed by 225,000 people. The Government told Business Life it was keen to maintain the “integrity” of land registers for England and Wales.

Campaigner Luke Ilott, of 38 Degrees, told this paper he felt the scale of offshore property ownership in Swansea and elsewhere was an “eye-opener”.

An estimated £1.5 billion of land and property in Cardiff was registered overseas between 1999 and 2014.

While the practice has gone on for decades, Mr Ilott claimed the figures seemed to undermine the Government’s position on tackling tax avoidance. The Government has rejected this Ilott said: “If you make a profit from renting or selling a property, that profit will be registered with your overseas body — and the tax on the profit is not at the same rate as it would be in the UK.” He said in some cities the influx of offshore property ownership skewed the housing market, pushing up prices.

Sean Thomas, director at Astleys Commercial in Swansea, said it was common for foreign investors to buy UK properties because the returns could be better than investments in their own countries.

“The UK market is relatively strong,” he said.

Business Life understands, at the time this edition went to print, that the Dragon Hotel in Swansea has been bought by a Cypriot company registered in the Seychelles, while the Nigerian owners of the Home Bargains unit in Cross Hands were also registered in the Seychelles.

Recently Prime Minister David Cameron

said foreign firms that owned property in the UK will have to declare their assets publicly. Companies will have to be on a new register if they hold property or want to compete for Government contracts.

The Competition and Markets Authority — a competition watchdog — has objected to the Government’s plans to privatise the Land Registry, warning that allowing a private firm to take possession of property ownership information could cause problems for other businesses.

The Sunday Times has reported that four companies - General Atlantic, Hellman and Friedman, Omers and Advent International - are interested in the Land Registry, which was established in 1862.

A Government spokesman told Business Life: “The Government is committed to tackling corruption and increasing corporate transparency.

“Under proposals currently being considered, the Land Registers for England and Wales would remain under Crown ownership to help ensure the integrity of the register is maintained.

“Should the Government decide to proceed with a transaction, we will ensure that suitable safeguards and protections are included to support this.”

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Expert opinion

Industry insight

with Tommy Davies

Marital breakdown and business failure with Sara Plant, partner at Peter Lynn & Partners

Shall I draw you a diagram?

Ideally, I would like to be venting my opinions on the upcoming Brexit vote in this column but, for the first time ever, I have been silenced by the editor!

OK, so he actually pointed out that I missed the boat last month and by the time this magazine is on the shelves the vote will nearly have been decided. So really I am better off commenting on the result in the next issue and not looking too biased having tried to pre-empt the result. OK point taken. My fans will either have to take me for a beer or read next month’s issue to find out what I really think.

So, instead, I am going to bang on about one of my other pet subjects: the issue of what really makes a business important to an economy. In this example, the Welsh economy. Naturally.

In my view the answer is very simple: the more money it brings into the economy from other places the better – as opposed to moving it out or simply moving existing money around that is.

To me, this is obvious. The size of the economic pie (and thus the wealth of the nation and all its individuals) either grows or contracts based on whether our companies drag money into it or take money out. Nothing else really matters. European Aid and the Barnett Formula aside, of course.

Yet this simple dynamic often seems completely lost on otherwise intelligent people who are often responsible for making decisions that relate to both the economy and the type of businesses they may nurture – often using European funds ironically.

OK, silly me, we are actually talking about politicians and civil servants. If they were that clever they would be in the real world making real money like the rest of us. So we are stuck with the

individuals too dumb or lazy to do that making these important decisions.

But this is an important point that someone needs to get across to them.

For example, it is all very well a massive international car manufacturer opening a big plant here (thanks to massive subsidies and interest free loans from the government no doubt) but take a quick look at how and where money flows around a project like that.

It creates jobs and some nice infrastructure and those things are indeed paid for by money not in Wales before (forgetting the subsidies and interest free loans for a minute). But the profits from that plant (the really big money) all flows back to owners and shareholders based elsewhere.

London probably but rarely Wales.

If you wanted to split hairs at this point, you could point out that if the company is listed and owned partly by pension funds many of us collectively may benefit but that is going too deep for the 500 words I have to explain this.

Equally, it can be hit or miss as to whether a supply chain locally benefits.

In contrast, I visited an amazing engineering company recently which makes specialist pipework that gets exported around the world. It supports the same number of jobs and has also built a nice factory but it is also owned by local shareholders. Guess where they spend their profits? Here.

Yet that company has barely had a penny from the government. Not that they would want it necessarily but the essence of that point is still all too often lost on those looking to boost the economy. Any children out there willing to draw them a diagram?

Restructuring businesses is something that frequently hits the headlines when a business is bought or sold but it is not something that is often considered when there is a marital breakdown.

A family enterprise can be established in many different ways and this will have a direct impact on how the business is dealt with during a marital breakdown. The family business is not shielded from the proceedings, even if one partner has nothing to do with the actual business.

Consider the following situations: • Wife or husband is added as a director, so they can take a salary, even though they do not attend the business.

• Partner is given some shares, so that they can take dividends.

• A partnership exists but with no formal arrangement meaning that it is automatically governed by the Partnership Act 1890.

Each of these scenarios could present a real headache when looking to split a family business.

For a limited company where husband and wife or civil partners are involved in the business, having the positions documented correctly allows not only for the business to be managed through successful times, but also to deal with any future splits.

What can we do to help?

Shareholder Agreements

Stating who owns what and how these shares can then be transferred in the event of a dispute or the need for a split for any other reason. Crucially, such agreements will also deal with how the shares are valued.

Service Contracts

Providing a mechanism to deal with a director leaving voluntarily (or otherwise) and managing any post-termination restrictions.

Partnership Agreements

Crucial to determining who owns what and precisely what is contained within the partnership and what is not. Failure to document partnership agreements can lead to lengthy battles, in the event of dissolution or statutory rules being applied that you never knew existed!

“A family business can bring many rewards but if matters take an unexpected turn, this could prove one of the hardest aspects of a matrimonial breakdown.”

For expert advice that combines matrimonial advice with commercial law, contact the specialists on 01792 450010.

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THE SOAPBOX Should it be the role of government (UK or Welsh) to intervene in the private sector where projects/industries are considered critically important – eg, Cardiff airport, and the steel industry…?

Adam Curtis, managing director at Hoowla

Helen Bowden, managing director at VoiceBox multimedia agency

As a rule no, government has a very bad record of picking the right private sector business to invest in. But because the 20 year warning signs of Port Talbot have been ignored, intervention from government has to be an option. Too many jobs are at stake. Business plans need to be for longer than a political cycle with profit at their heart.

Let’s start building a larger number of smaller industries that will not all boom and bust together. It isn’t going to be a quick fix but nothing worth achieving comes easy.

Yes, there are strong arguments for why government should intervene in the private sector. If large industries go out of business there will be high regional unemployment and market failure from the difficulty in finding new jobs. Governments can subsidise or provide goods with positive economic results plus redistribute income and wealth, which in turn will create more opportunity. Government can also play a vital role in creating frameworks for a fair and open marketplace and help co-ordinate any private investment. The question perhaps should be to what extent governments intervene.

As a small business owner, I think the Government should step in when it comes to issues in the private sector for the sake of economic development.

Alex O’Brien, managing director at A19 Skills

Jo Roberts, events manager at JR Events

Antony Rabey, director at Aartic Training Group

Governments absolutely have a role to play in the stabilisation of important industries during times of need. However, the Welsh Government doesn’t hold a magic wand either.

Governments can deliver short run security, but in the long run there is no substitute for transition to commercial ownership. In the case of Cardiff Airport, I think the Welsh Government purchase was the right decision if the alternative was closure. But can a path be seen to successful trading with regional competitor airports? Usage figures suggest there’s possibly still work to do.

I believe they should. The loss of the jobs and money alone would be devastating to the local economy. The redundancy level is unsustainable especially within the steel industry where jobs are specialised and for the communities built around such a large employer for so many years. The government should be focusing on a duty of care for these communities.

These industries are vitally important for our local economy, not just for employment but also as a supply industry and keeping the supply locally based. The Government also needs to provide consistency to interventions.

Garath Williams, managing director at Siarad Network

The Government has a responsibility to support all businesses in some way, as if businesses do not have the support they may need to survive, it has far reaching consequences. Communities, families and social well-being, as well as the local economy, can all suffer.

However, the difficult question is, where do you draw the line?

The UK Government has a duty to support all areas of industry. It is an unfortunate circumstance when a private sector project goes wrong or fails to prosper.

The Government should take early action and a realistic approach to the reasons for the project’s failings.

If the stakeholders have ring fenced finance to support themselves then the story could be different. The intervention must be for the good and benefit of the community and indeed the country.

To be involved in next issue’s The Soapbox contact the editor, Chris Campbell: chris.campbell@swwmedia.co.uk 01792 545564 SoapBox.indd 1

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5/31/2016 3:48:05 PM

In Focus

Industry Insight with Professor Medwin Hughes, DL Vice-Chancellor University of Wales Trinity Saint David & University of Wales

Swansea Waterfront Innovation Quarter attracts multi-million pound investment...

The University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s £300 million development in Swansea is already attracting significant investment to the region. Recently we have announced that UWTSD has secured funding of £50 million from HSBC to develop the first phase of the Swansea Waterfront Innovation Quarter in the city’s SA1 region. This ambitious city centre development is set to create a new learning neighbourhood in Swansea, connecting UWTSD with business, innovation and enterprise.

The Swansea Waterfront Innovation Quarter will not simply be a new campus – it will be a vibrant integrated neighbourhood where we will work with partners to exploit knowledge and expertise to our mutual benefit; where we will create incubator units to grow new business linked to our portfolio, and where we will develop the skills of current businesses and attract new investment into the region.

At the end of last year we announced that the NHS Informatics Service (NWIS) would be relocating its South West Wales Regional Office to the University’s Technium building. The move has enabled the Informatics Service to access the talent of students and graduates by providing employment, work placements and internships linked to the University’s School of Applied Computing as well as other services. In addition, NWIS is able to exploit knowledge and expertise aligned to our learning, teaching and applied research.

We have also announced a groundbreaking £6.5 million wales-wide agreement with the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) to establish the Construction Wales Innovation Centre (CWIC) as part of a consortia that

includes our constituent colleges - Coleg Sir Gâr and Coleg Ceredigion, as well as Coleg Cambria in North Wales and Coleg y Cymoedd in South East Wales.

The Centre’s headquarters will be located with the University in SWIQ as part of a hub and spoke framework reaching across Wales and providing access to training from one central point. The agreement will ensure that together we are developing the right skills to meet the industry’s current and future needs, enabling Wales to become a leader in digital and modern construction.

enhances graduate employability, and enables the University to fulfil its potential of contributing to the economic regeneration of the Swansea Bay City Region and Wales.

UWTSD is redefining the University experience for students, staff and our partners. Through our collaboration with the public and private sectors, we are developing a neighbourhood in Swansea where people will come to work, study, live and spend their leisure time in this prime location.

The University is also working with its partners, including the Welsh Government and the City and County of Swansea, to facilitate a number of collaborative projects with organisations who will wish to invest in the region by locating on the land adjacent to the University’s development.

These developments signal a new way of working as we develop our provision with the professions to ensure that our graduates are fully equipped to meet employers’ current and future needs.

The Swansea Waterfront Innovation Quarter, as well as the development of Canolfan S4C Yr Egin at UWTSD’s Carmarthen campus, are part of the transformation agenda that aims to assist the University to fulfil its core mission of improving access to higher education and skills development that is relevant to local communities and employers,

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5/31/2016 2:40:39 PM

Round Table

In search of sustainability...

In attendance Rod Lloyd Low Cost Vans Matthew Harvey Dr Organic Alex O’Brien A19 Secure Solutions Phil Hayles Haemair Andy Sarfas Leadin UK Gareth Davies Coastal Housing Group Ben Wheeler Copper Bay Creative Greer Hooper Barclays

Business Life asked leaders from the winners of the annual South Wales Evening Post & Swansea Bay Business Life Business Awards 2016 to discuss what they regard as the key drivers for sustainable growth in South West Wales...

What are the advantages to companies of being based in South West Wales?

Ian Clarke: The area has challenges, of course, just look at the situation at Tata Steel. But it is interesting to discover why companies are here and the advantages they perceive. We know we have good universities and a good quality of life. There are also some big developments in the pipeline but it would be interesting to hear which the companies here today have to say.

Ben Wheeler: I attended university here and stayed largely because of the work-life balance I found is possible. We’re a creative agency with a focus on technology.

Andy Sarfas: We’re a service design business and we create value from user research. We’re based in Swansea mainly because of the university, which has an international reputation for producing excellent students with computer human interface skills.

Ian Clarke PWC

A professor invited us to Swansea and the guys from Finland loved it here. They’re big football fans so they loved the Liberty Stadium and the whole buzz of the place, especially the university.

Mark Ellis PWC

We have considered opening a London office regularly but the cost of living and quality of life put us off. Plus, it’s three hours on a train.

Alex O’Brien: A19 delivers government employment programmes to get people back to work or off social welfare. I was born here and, like most people, could have easily gone to London or to Bristol, which is one of the big problems that we’ve got in this part of the world. We produce good people but they often do not stay.

Gareth Davies: Costal Housing Group grew out of Swansea Housing Association.

We have moved a few times but we were the instigator for the Urban Village and a lot of the work done to refresh High Street. I am interested to hear what other companies have to say. In terms of university graduates, many do leave but in London some 70 per cent of your income now goes on housing costs. I think there’s an opportunity for us as it is certainly a better place to live as an area.

Rod Lloyd: Low Cost Vans was originally in Belfast but, as a local boy, I moved it back to South Wales some time ago where I am from. I am very proud of the fact we take money out of the national economy and bring it back. It is all invested in the local economy and I really like that.

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Matthew Harvey: Dr Organic is an ethical beauty company. We export organic skin care creams to about 50 countries. We’ve got another operation in Bradford that we’re relocating to Swansea.

Phil Hales: Haemair is based in the life sciences building at Swansea University.

We’re developing products that will help patients with lung disease and cardiac problems. The founder of the company decided that Swansea University would help us with developments plus interaction with the local hospitals. We’ve been here for over ten years and found it’s a great place to develop the business.

Ian Clarke PWC

There is a pool of talent available to help us. We’re heading towards production now so we are looking for new talent. We’re not having difficulty bringing it on board and hopefully we can retain it which will be our next challenge. That will be in Hereford initially but our long-term aim is to bring it back to Wales again.

How important is the quality of universities in the region for its attraction to companies?

Mark Ellis: The university has been mentioned a lot. The latest research assessment of universities has come out and it is now the 23rd best in the UK. The innovation campus is the envy of other unis in the UK. There is no compromise it seems: you can actually have quality of life and access to great graduates.

Davies: It’s right on the beach as well –a fantastic location that will have international appeal. I also think Trinity St David will gain more recognition over time. The Premier League football here also helps.

Gareth Davies Coastal Housing Group

Sarfas: I agree that the football just puts it on the map.

Lloyd: And a campus of that quality must attract the best lecturers and thus the best students as well. That is important when attracting businesses into the area. If they know that there is high quality educational facilities here preparing people for the workplace with the right skills they are more likely to come.

Sarfas: I have met a lot of ex-graduates from Swansea and they talk about the city in glowing terms. Many would have loved to have stayed but there weren’t the opportunities.

Harvey: The university and the region combine to create a unique attraction.

Many foreign students finish their degree and come back here to settle – we have a number who work for us. They come from Europe and further afield and will spend the rest of their lives here.

Andy Sarfas Leadin UK

Ellis: Swansea also has good connections around the world thanks to its former students. Many are now very influential in government. The connectivity that Swansea has around the world as a result is phenomenal.

Clarke: We’re all proponents of South West Wales but there are also clearly challenges.

PWC completed a report last year called the Good Growth for Cities Index, which is a statistical analysis of cities in different parts of the UK. The index looks at income distribution, transport, health and a whole load of different things. The reality is Swansea is 31st out of 39, which is actually improved from 34 previously driven by the jobs rating.

However, there are obviously things other cities are doing that Swansea isn’t. Cardiff, for example, does well on transport and health and wellbeing.

What are the challenges facing the region?

Wheeler: We have found recruiting difficult for experienced web developers. They are few and far between here.

We tried to build relationships with the university and we did some guest lecturing and things like that. It worked well with the School of Management after we did a digital marketing lecture. A couple of really cracking students approached us afterwards, which is what we wanted to happen.

We did the same with the school of science and engineering but the response just wasn’t there. Graduates in that field seem to end up in Cardiff, Bristol or London.

O’Brien: There are only approximately 30 computer science graduates coming out of Swansea each year. That is a small pool to choose from.

Sarfas: Part of it is demonstrating that there are businesses in the area where talented people can work but also that there is a depth to that so they don’t see that job as the end of their career unless they move.

Talented people need to be able to build a career in the region and know it’s not a dead end.

I HAVE MET A LOT OF EX-GRADUATES FROM SWANSEA AND THEY TALK ABOUT THE CITY IN GLOWING TERMS. MANY WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE STAYED BUT THERE WEREN’T THE OPPORTUNITIES.

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5/31/2016 4:02:04 PM

In search of sustainability

Round Table

Rod Lloyd Low Cost Vans

Part of that is shouting about things more.

The number of people that know Dr Organic is based in here is probably minimal, for instance, yet that is an international business on a huge growth curve. We should shout about it.

Greer Hooper Barclays

Davies: I agree that we don’t shout about ourselves enough. One of my main criticisms is that Wales too often looks at what England is doing. I worked in England but why worry about what’s going on in England? Meanwhile, Swansea looks at what Cardiff is doing too much.

For me, we need to shout about the environment and quality of life here. We’ve got the most fantastic coastline and everything the Gower has offer. We need to be bolder and shout about ourselves more.

Harvey: The regeneration of the city centre is important because we are a long way behind Cardiff in terms of the city centre brand. When you are trying to attract high calibre people to stay here, especially if you’re young and you want to live in a vibrant place, Cardiff is way ahead.

Matthew Harvey Dr Organic

Hooper: A lot of young people finish university and crave the bright lights of London. But when the start a family they seek a different sort of environment and that tends to draw them back. Maybe it’s those people we should be encouraging back – individuals who have experience in other places and are ready to bring their skills back home.

Lloyd: Another challenge is that we are so remote from the South East of England where 40 percent of UK GDP is concentrated. That means transport links are important. The electrification of the railway is vital to this area and Broadband Cymru need to pull their finger out. We need to have the fastest possible broadband to compensate for not being in the south east.

On top of that, the airport is a disaster.

Transport to that needs to improve.

Transport is vital.

Sarfas: The city in Finland where our company is based is a similar size to Swansea and a similar distance from Helsinki as Swansea is to Cardiff. Yet we have a fully functioning airport with international flights and also a 15 minute flight to Helsinki.

People are more spread out in Finland, so transport is critical. But all the trains run on time. We’ve got the opportunity to do that here; we’re only three hours from London, after all. People think it’s further than it is and electrification will help.

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Ellis: Electrification will shave off between 20 and 30 minutes. So Swansea to London could take 2.5 hours, which is phenomenal really. It’s a psychological thing for people who come the other way. London thinks Swansea is further away.

Whose role should it be to attract businesses and investment to the region?

Alex O’Brien A19 Secure Solutions

Lloyd: The councils in the region need to collaborate more. They’ve got to look at cross boarder communications and collaboration. That is what the Swansea Bay City Region is designed to achieve: pull together everyone on transport and planning etc so everything is under one umbrella and it’s less bureaucratic.

Hooper: They do seem to have a cohesive strategy. It will be interesting to see how that plays out into reality. There are some pretty big hitters on that board and you would hope they will have an impact.

Clarke: The City Region has three strands to its strategy: the internet of energy, the internet of health and wellbeing and the internet of economic acceleration. On the energy side, there is an important thread to it that relates to the tidal lagoon. That would be a very important development for the region.

Health and wellbeing links in with the Institute of Life Sciences while economic acceleration with many of the things we’ve been talking about including infrastructure and broadband.

Davies: Sir Terry Matthews, who chairs the City Region board, is clearly well connected across the world, particularly in north America. He has had the foresight to recognise that in 20 years’ time there will be many jobs that don’t exist today. He’s trying to create a framework and an environment where those jobs be based here and we can easily adapt to that changing environment.

Wheeler: I saw a stat recently that suggested that a third of children in primary school now will ultimately have a job that doesn’t currently exist. So that’s around 15 years away.

Sarfas: To be fair, that was true to a lesser extent when we were in school.

Davies: But were there people at that time who had recognised that and were helping prepare and create an environment to take advantage of that?

Sarfas: I don’t think we can rely on councillors and the public sector to shout about the region for us. There’s only so much the bureaucrats can do. The business community can do much more and quicker.

Davies: Business needs confidence.

Coastal bought its first piece of land 15 years ago on this site on High Street and we have just finished this development.

The private sector would not have done that because of how long it took. But we need to create an environment where the confidence is there for the private sector to come in. I think you might see that in the next five or 10 years.

Mark Ellis PWC

THE REGENERATION OF THE CITY CENTRE IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE ARE A LONG WAY BEHIND CARDIFF IN TERMS OF THE CITY CENTRE BRAND.

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5/31/2016 4:07:11 PM

In search of sustainability

I DON’T THINK WE CAN RELY ON COUNCILLORS AND THE PUBLIC SECTOR TO SHOUT ABOUT THE REGION FOR US. THERE’S ONLY SO MUCH THE BUREAUCRATS CAN DO.

How important is European support to the region in its various guises?

What would be on your wish lists for development in the region?

Lloyd: The Swansea Bay region gets the maximum amount of funding from Europe.

That’s really important. I am not politically motived but I want the UK to remain in Europe because I think it’s absolutely vital to this region.

Wheeler: The tidal lagoon is absolutely critical. It needs to happen to kick start other things. When people see that and the redevelopment of the city centre there will be a snowball effect.

Ellis: There have been subtle changes in European funding. It is now more focused on the commercialisation of prototypes as opposed to the development of ideas.

In terms of the business development of an idea, this targets the so-called Valley of Death when your other options are private equity or the banks. This is when businesses fail.

For me, it is absolutely crucial we grow the private sector through more spin-outs, more things coming out of the university. We need to attract the research grants, get more spin-outs and create a technological hub.

Sarfas: When we were moving here we had a Welsh government account manager who advised on all the various grants and help. They have an early stage account manager for inward investment then once you’re established you move onto another tier. Something like that for the city region might work.

Maybe there are well known local individuals who could represent the region as ambassadors and help bring people in.

But it would make sense to have a point of coordination.

Phil Hayles Haemair

Lloyd: Both the Welsh Government and local government are vital for the development of South West Wales. By definition with the Welsh Government based in Cardiff, investment is more than likely going to go there first unfortunately.

So having a body in this region to keep the government honest in their approach to inward investment would be a really good thing to have.

Harvey: As a city region we need to be focused not just on the kind of sexy spinouts from the university but also the bigger issues. Tata is in the press at the moment and who knows how that’s going to end up. You’ve got to focus on the wider working population here and not just people who work in high tech spin-out graduate level jobs. We have got to create jobs for the region as a whole.

Ellis: We have to aspire to the possibility of wealth creation as well; the ability to create businesses that generate both jobs and wealth long term.

O’Brien: We can get fixated on creating jobs while sometimes forgetting the importance of productivity and the fact that jobs come from that. We have become too dependent on European funding rather than focusing on exceling in what we do and better production.

Ben Wheeler Copper Bay Creative

Round Table

Davies: It’s going to put Swansea on the map. It shouldn’t just be left in isolation as an energy generating project, there should also be many spin-offs.

Clarke: I agree. It’s a new industry, a new technology and we will be at the forefront of this new technology. That really puts you on the map.

Hayles: We need better transport links including an airport. It is quite difficult to get visitors here at times when people are trying to ferry you through from Bristol or Cardiff. We also need to harness the talent here and translate good ideas into real companies. That also means accessing the right investment.

Ellis: There’s been a slight subtle change towards people wanting to do impact investment with a social purpose. It is happening more in London and could come here, which would benefit the area.

Hayles: I’ve been involved in a number of companies with good ideas but the jobs have ended up being taken out of the region and overseas. It’s a huge shame when you’ve actually educated a workforce.

YOU’VE GOT TO FOCUS ON THE WIDER WORKING POPULATION HERE AND NOT JUST PEOPLE WHO WORK IN HIGH TECH SPIN-OUT GRADUATE LEVEL JOBS. To be involved in the next issue’s Round Table contact the editor, Chris Campbell:

chris.campbell@ swwmedia.co.uk 01792 545564 Round Table sponsored by

Lloyd: Almost 40 per cent of all jobs in this area are public sector. That is way too high.

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Why your business needs a recruitment agency...

Christina Ch h Allen, director of Work Wales, gives her advice on why recruitment agencies are ad ke key ey for businesses who are looking to employ.

Why should businesses use recruitment agencies?

The main advantage of using a recruitment agency to help with staffing is that it will alleviate time and pressure on you, the client, thus allowing you to concentrate on other more critical operating tasks.

You can either choose on demand help for temporary staffing or choose a consultants help for permanent staff.

Most businesses can use an extra set of hands to handle a big project or a new surge in business. But most are also reluctant to hire full-time staff. A staffing agency can provide temporary employees to help with a wide variety of business tasks. Working closely with the staffing agency, a hiring manager can ensure that temporary workers possess the needed skills, education and experience to meet the needs of the company.

Some candidates are hard to find. They may be passive or they may be selective. If they aren’t responding to job advertisements, do not see themselves as part of your ‘talent pool’ and are too busy to search full time then the chances are that they may have relationships with trusted specialist recruiters in your sector. Even if they aren’t currently active, there’s a strong chance that we as your recruiter will know who they are and how to reach them.

Using a recruitment agency should mean that you see only candidates - job seekers who have been pre-selected to match all the criteria that you are looking for and who are worthy of consideration and interview.

In the RECs most recent Jobs Outlook, the number one reason that companies gave for using a recruitment agency was to gain short term access to key strategic skills, a reason that been growing in importance over the last 3 years, now overtaking covering leave and peaks in demand.

With talent shortages now potentially hindering growth it’s not surprising that this is the case.

There are often time constraints to performing a thorough search for candidates. It is a lot easier for managers to interview from an agency shortlist. There is little doubt that a hard pressed HR or in-house team can benefit from the reach and networks of a trusted agency partner.

Why do you think some businesses are reluctant to use recruitment agencies?

Companies are often reluctant to hire outside recruiting help when they have in-house HR resources or dedicated in-house recruiting teams, especially when a company is in a growth stage and cash is tight.

Some companies have had a bad experience with an agency and are reluctant to use again, whereas some think we are too expensive. However the truth is, there are a lot of costs involved with not hiring the right people at the right time.

Instead of focusing on the cost of hiring a recruiting firm, give some thought to what it’s costing your company to not have the right employees on board.

Why should businesses use Work Wales?

We have the best recruiters who have their finger on the pulse of their specialist markets. We know the available talent, where they are and how to reach out to them, salary rates, career expectations, available skill-sets and current hiring complexities. We will act as partners and collaborators, and will be your eyes and ears in the market. With state of the art recruitment software, intelligent matching tools and more talent than you can wave a stick at we think we have it covered when it comes to finding you your perfect employee! Our clients love the way we work and the loyalty we have from them is testament to our success.Our clients expect nothing other than a direct and honest approach to matching vacancies with quality candidates, day in and day out. The Work Wales team puts its extensive experience into action when it comes to candidate selection, with the focus on perfect matching of high calibre candidates at all times We take all of the hassle out of the recruitment process, adding value by improving our clients’ offer to acceptance ratio time and time again.

Swansea 01792 477340 Cardiff 02920 020155 Llanelli 01554 700359 info@workwales.co.uk | www.workwales.co.uk Untitled-8 1

5/30/2016 3:02:58 PM

In Focus

WHEN TAX TURNS UGLY Biscuits, beards, playing cards and pasties have all been taxed over the years and some have sought to avoid it.

BUSINESS LIFE takes a look at the most unusual cases…

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In Focus When tax turns ugly

When tax turns ugly...

Tax avoidance has been with us for as long as taxes – since ancient times. Here, Martin Hudson, director of South West Wales-based chartered certified accountants Morgan Hemp, talks to BUSINESS LIFE about some of the most outlandish taxes put in force through the ages and some of the canny ploys to avoid them...

It is fitting that the Panama Papers sounds like the title of a bygone Agatha Christie novel – the scandal of the taxsensitive offshore business world of VIPs turned up one political corpse in the form of the Iceland Prime Minister, and it has been causing sleepless nights for many others VIPs, who fear their scalp might be next.

We can see from the rumpus over the Panama Papers and the complex tax affairs of the wealthy, that taxes have always been emotive and they are a bit of a weapon for those who wage the class war.

I don’t think the British are a nation of protesters but slap an unpopular tax on us and you are likely to see a rash of placards outside 10 Downing Street.

Hats, wigs, windows, bricks, candles, soap and dogs have all been subject to taxes at some point throughout history, so perhaps we should think ourselves lucky that we are living in the 21st century.

Martin Hudson

Beard tax...

Long before hipsters were on the scene with their luxuriant facial hair and skinny jeans, Peter the Great decided he didn’t like the look of bearded chaps and a clean-shaven look was de riguer.

So in 1698 he dictated that a beard tax was in force throughout Russia. Those who couldn’t part with their growth had to cough up an annual 100 Rouble beard tax. Those who wanted to avoid it shaved. I wonder if there was a subsequent tax on cut-throat blades?

There is some evidence that in 1910 a New Jersey official tried to slap a similar levy on beards – with an added 20 per cent penalty on ginger whiskers, but he didn’t manage to get the law passed.

IN 1698 A BEARD TAX WAS IN FORCE THROUGHOUT RUSSIA. THOSE WHO COULDN’T PART WITH THEIR GROWTH HAD TO COUGH UP AN ANNUAL 100 ROUBLES.

Ace of spades...

Long before Lemmy was plying his noisy trade, the ace of spades was a taxman’s instrument to try to curb gambling.

In the 17th century, King James I decided to tax playing cards. An official stamp was used to mark the ace of spades in a pack, to show the tax had been paid.

One canny card maker came up with the ruse of omitting the ace of spades from each pack, in order to doge the tax.

Unfortunately his luck ran out when, according to Old Bailey records, he was sentenced to death for his crime in 1805.

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5/31/2016 11:36:28 AM

WALLPAPER tax!

THE OUTCRY OVER THE SOCALLED PASTY TAX BACK IN 2012 WAS A FINE EXAMPLE OF WHERE THE GREAT BRITISH PUBLIC’S PRIORITIES LIE.

The trend for elaborate wallpaper wasn’t started by TV dandy Laurence LlewelynBowen. It was the height of fashion back in 1700s Britain when Queen Anne saw an opportunity to paste a tax on the stuff.

To get around the levy, people started to hang plain paper, then decorate it by hand, so the tax was stripped from the law books in 1836.

Pasty tax...

The outcry over the so-called pasty tax back in 2012 was a fine example of where the great British public’s priorities lie, I feel. Tinker with our democracy, alter out pension provision, and overburden our petrol prices with fuel duties, but keep your hands off our hot pasties.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer might have thought that simplifying the tax treatment of hot takeaway food, so VAT would be charged at 20 per cent in all cases, was a straightforward and sensible thing to do.

But since the new arrangement would push up the price of a Cornish pasty it was never going to wash. We like our pies and we like them hot.

Biscuit tax

Personally I don’t need an excuse to tuck into a tube of Jaffa cakes, but it pleases me that they are exempt from tax.

According to UK law, cakes and biscuits are necessities – quite right too – and so they are exempt from tax. However, chocolate covered biscuits are deemed a luxury, so the full rate of VAT is levied.

Jaffa Cake manufacturers McVities succeeded in arguing that Jaffa Cakes were cakes, not luxury biscuits, so they’re exempt.

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5/31/2016 11:36:44 AM

In Focus

Steelworks

Steelworks’ future dependent on EU referendum outcome The steel industry and EU referendum were among topics when BUSINESS LIFE spoke with Ken Clarke MP...

Inward investment and the future of the steel industry are reliant on the UK remaining inside the EU, according to former UK cabinet minister Ken Clarke.

Speaking at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea, the former Chancellor said it was of the utmost importance to the steelworks in Port Talbot and the rest of the region for the UK to stay, due to investment and the ability to attract talent.

“We all hope that someone can be found to invest in Port Talbot, to give some future to those parts of the business, so it can have a viable future,” he said.

“While we’re holding this referendum, of course no worthwhile investment is taking place in this country at all because no one is going to make a major investment here until they know what our trading relationship is going to be with the rest of the world.

“If you have a vote to leave, so you still have a situation where nobody has the faintest idea what our trading relationship is going to be with the rest of the world until some negotiations are sorted out, then it will make it much more difficult to attract any serious investor to take on Port Talbot.

“Across the country I’m constantly encountering people who tell me that all major investment decisions are on

hold because there is simply no point in investing in a major way in a British business at the moment until you know what the result of this referendum is.”

The Conservative MP added Britain’s negotiating power with the US was much stronger as a member of the EU due to it being the world’s biggest single market with access to 500 million people. He said it would be a “totally uneven bargaining session” if the UK was to leave and a new independent UK would have to wait “a very long time” before any serious discussions took place.

Speaking at the Swansea Bay Business Club’s summer lunch, which included more than 200 guests, he added Welsh MPs had made Westminster politicians “only too well aware” of the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon project and its importance to the region.

“There’s very strong feeling here in favour of this barrage and I’m not resistant to it at all. I would very much hope it would go ahead quickly.”

He added the economy in South West Wales was in a “constant process of changing and modernising” and welcomed the £500 million City Deal plan that includes an ‘internet coast’ vision with a fibre-optic transatlantic cable from New York to Oxwich Bay.

Hayley Davies, president of Swansea Bay Business Club, said: “We were delighted to welcome Kenneth Clarke to the Swansea Business Club lunch.

“Kenneth has always been a man of conviction and someone who is respected by many on both sides of the House. He shared with us some interesting insights into world economics gleaned from his years of experience in the business world and as a very successful chancellor of the exchequer under the then prime minister, John Major.”

Clarke served as a cabinet minister under Margaret Thatcher, John Major and David Cameron and is a former director of British American Tobacco.

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5/31/2016 1:29:05 PM

WE ALL HOPE THAT SOMEONE CAN BE FOUND TO INVEST IN PORT TALBOT, TO GIVE SOME FUTURE TO THOSE PARTS OF THE BUSINESS, SO IT CAN HAVE A VIABLE FUTURE.

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5/31/2016 1:29:19 PM

Life’s a beach for tourists...

Tourism is worth a record-breaking £400 million in parts of the Swansea Bay region as beaches pick up more quality awards.

BUSINESS LIFE takes a look...

Stunning beaches across South West Wales have scooped prestigious Blue Flag Awards in recognition of their quality as the region braces for further record tourism figures.

Tourists spent an estimated £401 million in Swansea and Gower last year, according to Swansea Council.

The authority said it was the first time the £400 million threshold had been reached. The figure represents an increase of nearly two per cent compared to 2014.

Bracelet Bay, Caswell Bay, Langland Bay and Port Eynon have all retained the status for 2016. Swansea Marina will also once again fly the Blue Flag.

Cefn Sidan at Pembrey is a Carmarthenshire winner, while also in the county Pendine gets a Seaside Award, along with Aberavon Beach in Neath Port Talbot.

The council said tourism supported 5,718 full-time equivalent jobs in Swansea and Gower in 2015, a rise of just over three per cent compared to 2014.

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Life’s a beach!

Robert Francis-Davies, Swansea Council’s cabinet member for enterprise, development and regeneration, said: “Tourism is now worth more than £400 million a year to the Swansea Bay economy for the very first time, so the standard of our beaches and other attractions is clearly very important if we’re to keep on meeting the expectations and aspirations of visitors and local residents.

“Everyone involved in the management and promotion of Swansea Marina, Bracelet Bay, Langland Bay, Caswell Bay and Port Eynon deserves huge praise because the Blue Flag Award is widely recognised internationally as an indication of top quality.

“The combination of Swansea’s stunning scenery with our plans to regenerate the city centre will lead to a world class destination for retail, leisure and recreation.”

The Blue Flag Award runs in 49 countries across the world and is administered in Wales by Keep Wales Tidy, with awards only given to beaches

and marinas that boast the highest quality of water, environmental education and management, safety and services.

Keep Wales Tidy works with partners, including the Welsh Government, Natural Resources Wales, Welsh Water, local authorities and volunteers across Wales, to help keep standards high by restoring, protecting and maintaining the beaches Wales has to offer.

Wales has seen an increase in the number of international Blue Flag Awards this year, with 44 beaches and three marinas in Wales being awarded the status – five more than last year.

A further 26 beaches were awarded the Green Coast Award - an excellence award for the ‘hidden gems’ along our coastline and a total of 92 beaches have been awarded the Seaside Award. That is for beaches which attract many visitors and provides good facilities such as toilets, access for disabled people, car parks and cafes.

More visitors and day-trippers - an estimated 4.56 million - checked out the

In Focus

region compared to 2014, according to the Swansea Council figures.

Business atThe Gower Hotel, Bishopston, has increased slightly this year already, said operations manager Sara O’Connor.

“Most weekends now until September we are full,” she said.

The hotel has 12 rooms and caters for corporate guests, families and, like several venues in Gower, wedding parties.

THE COMBINATION OF SWANSEA’S STUNNING SCENERY WITH OUR PLANS TO REGENERATE THE CITY CENTRE WILL LEAD TO A WORLD CLASS DESTINATION FOR RETAIL, LEISURE AND RECREATION.

Of the £401 million total estimated spend in 2015, Swansea Council said £129 million was on serviced accommodation, £125 million on self-catering, £104 million by daytrippers and £41 million by visitors staying with friends and relatives.

The money was spent on accommodation, food and drink, recreation, shopping, transport and indirect expenditure.

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5/31/2016 10:03:10 AM

Start Ups Entrepreneurs toast new marina investment

Duo open upmarket venue after investing five-figure sum...

Start ups sponsored by

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Start ups

Entrepreneurs toast new marina investment...

Matthew Benjamin and Neil Navarra to launch upmarket establishment as city benefits from further investment and growth...

Two Swansea entrepreneurs have made a five-figure investment in Swansea Marina, building upon the success of their popular city-centre nightspot, No.6.

Matthew Benjamin and Neil Navarra will open a new up-market wine bar and meeting place called Squires, in Swansea Marina’s Squire Court, with the pair keen to be part of the business renaissance predicted for the city.

The duo plan to install high-tech business booths, with free wi-fi and coffee, so local firms can hold informal business meetings at Squires, or carry out work duties away from the office environment.

Benjamin and Navarra also have their eye on a neighbouring unit in Swansea Marina for another innovative business venture in a wholly different sector.

Benjamin, who has a long businesses pedigree in buy-to-let property and in taxi fleets in Swansea, said: “There has never been a better time to set up in business in the Marina and I think over the next few years we will see the city develop into a premier destination for food, drink and entertainment.

“With Squires we are hoping to add something really special, both to Swansea’s daytime and evening offering – I’m Swansea born and bred and my family are here so I have a real emotional investment in the city. We are a premier league city and we need to offer premier league experiences to people looking for a night out somewhere ‘grown-up’ and classy.”

Benjamin and Navarra expect to open the doors on Squires this summer, with the wine bar having a nautical theme in keeping with its surroundings.

The enterprising duo have tapped into funding via a Business Regeneration Grant from Swansea Council – a scheme which sees developers pay their project costs up-front, with some of those costs then reimbursed by the local authority.

Benjamin said they had also been helped by relatively affordable rents in Swansea Marina, and they were encouraging other astute business people to take advantage of this unique period for investors.

“Swansea Marina is such a prime location and now is the time for businesses to put down roots here,” he said. “The planned £500 million development in the city over the next few years is only going to boost its value as a visitor destination.

“And I think the food and drink industry can be pivotal in the regeneration of Swansea and of South West Wales.”

The Welsh Government has already declared its intention to help grow the food and drink sectors over the next few years with its food and drink action plan – its stated intention is to grow the sector by 30 per cent by 2020 and it has been offering funding, technical support, online toolkits and practical support to help those who want to set up in the sector.

Benjamin added that as one of those operators within the industry, the key to elevating Swansea as a destination was aiming high and thinking creatively about

what the public was being offered.

He said: “Neil and I did a lot of detailed storyboarding and market research before investing in No.6 and now in Squires, studying the night spots of London and Bristol that we rate highly. And we are clear that we always want to be offering something out of the ordinary.

“For instance our Sunday Cinema club at No.6 shows either cult classics or films that people feel a real emotional connection to, like The Wizard of Oz, Toy Story and Point Break.

“We are holding regular bottomless brunches, which are going down a storm

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and we have the Sleep When You’re Dead barbers downstairs in No.6.

‘We have the rickshaw at No.6 which we hope to use to ferry people between Squire and the Princess Way bar, and we intend to run a rent-an-umbrella scheme between Squire and No.6 so people can go between the two without getting wet.

“For Neil and I, running a business like ours is about being bold, being creative and being imaginative and this approach is one that can be applied to the whole of the Swansea Bay Region if it is to flourish and to become the region it deserves to be.”

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Start ups

Expert opinion with Chris Olchawski, chair of the FSB Carmarthenshire branch

NEWS ROUND-UP...

New digital group is first of its kind in Wales...

Using local roots...

As someone who runs a business in Carmarthenshire I have always felt that it’s a great place to live and work.

But when it comes to growing your business, I feel that it’s important to look beyond your immediate locality for opportunities.

Through my involvement with the local Federation of Small Businesses branch in Carmarthenshire, I have come across many really great businesses; local firms that provide excellent goods and services.

But with the advent of the wider city region approach for Swansea Bay, I think it is worth every business considering the opportunities that are available across the city region area, whether that be in Swansea, Haverfordwest, Llanelli or Neath.

Indeed, I know of small businesses locally who carry out work as far afield as London because of the opportunities that are there.

Of course, if you are going to seek out the opportunities beyond your locality then you need to think about marketing.

If you have a good brand and good marketing then you can appeal to people far beyond this part of the world.

But if you have a good locally-based business with a strong local brand, I can’t help thinking that gives you a very good place to start when it comes to reaching out to customers elsewhere.

As I said at the beginning of this column, Carmarthenshire is a great part of the world, and I think that if businesses can reflect those local roots, but still look outwards, it puts them in a good position for growth.

A new group aimed at people interested in tech and digital developments has been launched in Swansea.

The Amazon Web Services South Wales User Group - the first of its kind in Wales - will focus on Amazon Web Services and cloud computing.

The group got off the ground with a launch event at Swansea’s TechHub centre on High Street that included talks, virtual reality demonstrations and live global streaming - as well as free pizza and attracted more than 70 people.

The next meeting of the group will be in Cardiff in July, before returning to Swansea in September.

The launch of the group is the latest development in Swansea’s growing digital sector - an area highlighted by Sir Terry Matthews, chairman of the Swansea Bay City Region Board, as crucial to the success of the regional economy.

Matt Lewis, founder of the group, said he was delighted with the turnout for the event.

The DVLA computer systems designer said: “Amazon is the world’s biggest player in cloud computing, and I thought it was about time we had a user group in Wales.

“Whether you are a student, a startup, an established company or even a government department, technology is moving to the cloud.

“Technology is moving so fast, and the group is a great way of bringing people together to share knowledge.”

Software developers from around the world head for region...

Computer experts from as far afield as Sydney and Dallas will be heading for the Swansea Bay region later this year for a major conference — all thanks to the tireless work of a man from Swansea.

SwanseaCon 2016 will see more than two dozen guest speakers from around the world getting together with software developers, entrepreneurs, students and IT professionals from across South West Wales for two days of talks, demonstrations, workshops and networking at the Liberty Stadium.

The conference is the latest boost to Swansea Bay’s booming tech and digital economy, a sector which is a key focus for Sir Terry Matthews and his plans for the future of the region.

The inaugural event last year attracted more than 150 people, and there are

plans to make this year’s conference — being held on September 12 and 13 — bigger and better.

The man behind the get-together is software developer Viv Richards.

The 30-year-old said: “I wanted to create a conference here in Swansea that was accessible and affordable but still attracted big-name speakers.

“The idea is to bring together software development experts from around the world with people and companies locally, and to share ideas and expertise.”

When Mr Richards is not organising the conference — or doing his day job at Swansea software firm Unit 4 — he runs an after-school coding club for pupils at Gorseinon Primary which helps to get children interested in computer programming.

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advertising feature

An innovative new company set up to help creative young people develop their ideas has been officially launched.

“The Centre 4 Entrepreneurial Education (C4EE) is a community interest company that will engage with young people aged five to 25, providing them with the entrepreneurial skills and mindsets they need to help them achieve successful futures,” says Director Sue Poole. “C4EE

seeks to build on the award-winning work we have been recognised for delivering across the Swansea region – initiatives such as the Young Business Dragons, Enterprise Boot Camps and ‘Primary to Professional’”.

C4EE is a social enterprise, established in August 2015, which will supply support and training for educational institutions, community groups and local authorities - helping them to develop and/or enhance their entrepreneurial strategies.

Adopting a collaborative approach, C4EE will work with these organisations, and others, to create programmes that serve the needs of young Welsh people.

The C4EE team passionately

believe that equipping young people with basic entrepreneurial ‘know-how’ and ‘show-how’, in addition to encouraging them to have a ‘can-do’ and ‘think big’ attitude, will contribute towards their personal development. This, in turn, will have a positive impact on the future of the local economy whether these youngsters attain a job with a local business or decide to start their own.

Sue Poole will be responsible for the day to day management and operation of the company and has the necessary skill set, experience and strengths to execute her vision and key objectives. To complement her role, Sue has recruited a talented team of colleagues made up of full and part time employees, volunteers and advisors.

C4EE’s Head Office is based at Sketty Hall in Swansea with a satellite office opening at One Central Square, Cardiff in August.

http://www.c4ee.co.uk

The first recipients of the Swansea Seed Fund - a project developed by C4EE to support early stage young entrepreneurs with funding and guidance – have received their cheques and been introduced to their business mentors. They are: Graphic designer Dan Huxtable, a former Gower College Swansea student now at University of Wales Trinity Saint David, who has set up his own business www.hdmsdesign.co.uk Close-up magician Taylor Davies, also a former student of Gower College Swansea, who will perform at public and private functions - www.facebook.com/ Taylortricksmagic Motorcycle mechanic Ryan Flowers of A1 Motorcycles, who since childhood has been passionate about riding and maintaining motorcycles www.a1motorcycleservices.co.uk Jordan Thomas and Lorenz Berger were also successful and will receive their cheques at a later date: Gower College Swansea student Jordan has set up a menswear company called Kings and Queens Apparel. Currently focussing on T-shirts, they have plans to

Young people from across South West Wales are about to take part in the 2016 Young Business Dragons competition run and delivered by C4EE, with over 4500 youngsters battling it out to be the most enterprising team from the region.

This year’s theme is based on health and wellbeing and encouraging the young and

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Left: Sue Poole, Taylor Davies, Ryan Flowers and Dan Huxtable. expand into womenswear www.kingsandqueensapparel.co.uk Lorenz is a PhD student in mathematical modelling and scientific computing whose start-up Innersight Labs is developing automated creations of 3D models from CT and MRI scans www.innersightlabs.com

“Entrepreneurship skills are wider than just generating new start-ups, they are the fundamentals for personal development and improvement,” says Sue. “It gave us tremendous pleasure to hand out the cheques to these young people as this money will really help them on their way.”

old alike to adopt healthier lifestyles.

With the Rio Olympics due to start in August, we are looking forward to seeing the innovative business ideas that our young people develop and we are delighted to announce that our main sponsor for 2016 is Swansea University’s School of Management.

5/30/2016 3:04:05 PM

DEVELOPING FUTURES SWANSEA UNIVERSITY’S SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT IS DEVELOPING FUTURES, THROUGH COLLABORATIONS AND FUNDING

DEVELOPING BUSINESS By starting a conversation with us, you may uncover opportunities you never knew existed. As a business in South Wales, we can provide you with the chance to grow and develop without the need to input large amounts of time or money. It starts with as little as a few minutes of conversation.

Email somplacements@swansea.ac.uk to arrange a call or meeting.

“I have been involved with Final Year Projects with the School of Management for several years now, each time working with a different group of Business Management students. The impact that they have on my business is both real and ongoing. This year they completed research which has reassured me that my business is making the right choices regarding products and has assured me of the market potential, mirroring some of my own observations. It went as far as to quantify the possibilities and set the tone for the business to grow in the future. I look forward to engaging with the University further this year and would encourage all local businesses to grasp this opportunity as there is real value from this quality of research.”

Antony Worsley FCMI AIC, Managing Director | ANYCommunications Ltd

DEVELOPING STUDENTS We have launched 40 Developing Futures Scholarships for both undergraduate and postgraduate students with total funding worth £100,000. This programme is more than just a scholarship package. Students will have opportunity to gain valuable career-enhancing skills, our scholars will contribute to all aspects of student life, and contribute positively back to the programme, School and University. There is additional funding available for Postgraduate Research (PGR) students, the School of Management has put aside £250,000 to sponsor fully-funded PGR scholaships. The School of Management is committed to developing our students into high calibre graduates.

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ENTREPRENEURSHIP CASE STUDY

DEVELOPING COMMUNITY It has become almost a clichĂŠ to point to the reliance of the Welsh economy on the activities of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). However the fact remains that SMEs form a large and IMPORTANT PART OF OUR ECONOMY AND REPRESENT A SIGNIlCANT SOURCE OF innovation and potential growth.

At Swansea University’s School of Management we have established the Centre for Responsible Organisation and Social Innovation (CROSI). We are working with strategic partners, The Federation of Small Business, and Business in the Community (of which the School is a member) to investigate and evaluate the non-economic contribution that SMEs of all types make to Welsh society.

Most SMEs do not even recognize that they undertake activities we might call ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’, however, what is clear is that the aggregate contribution of SMEs to communities, the ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIETY AT LARGE IS SIGNIlCANT

Tope Balogun has successfully established his own company ‘Great Worqs’, which aims to connect creative individuals so that they can share their creative digital content, whilst studying for his BSc Economics.

He has also been a winner in the University ÂŁ250 Challenge and secured a ÂŁ1000 Santander bursary.

)F YOU WOULD LIKE TO lND OUR MORE ABOUT #ORPORATE 3OCIAL 2ESPONSIBILITY and how the School of Management could support you, please contact sommarketing@swansea.ac.uk

RESEARCH CENTRE Centre of Responsible Organisation and Social Innovation (CROSI) The School is leading for the University on membership of Business in the Community and has also signed up to the United Nations Principles of Responsible Management Education, as a way of signaling its intent to be a responsible organisational citizen.

Get in contact: E: sommarketing@swansea.ac.uk T: 01792 295601

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Start ups

Boss Brewing

Sarah John and Roy Allkin who have started their own micro brewery - Boss Brewery on Swansea Enterprise Park.

Microbrewery wins award for its speciality beer...

Swansea Bay region-based microbrewery tops up its awards collection...

Swansea microbrewery Boss Brewing has scooped another tasty award — this time from the Society of Independent Brewers.

The brewery’s Boss Bliss beer picked up a bronze gong at the SIBA awards, after winning a gold last year for its Boss Black.

Boss Black has since gone on to be shortlisted for Camra’s Champion Beer of Wales, which will be announced in September.

The award for Boss Bliss - brewed using Celtic sea salts and Belgian cocoa nibs - was announced at this year’s Ludlow Spring Festival in the “speciality beers” category.

Llansamlet-based Boss Brewery was launched in April last year by Sarah John and her partner, Roy Allkin.

John said: “We’re extremely pleased to have won in the speciality beer category specifically as it showcases not only our passion for experimentation, but also our commitment to doing things differently and showing that really original produce can come out of Wales.

“To win two awards for two different beers during our first two years of entering really demonstrates the Boss team’s dedication and skill as brewers.”

Boss Brewing was named Best Business Start Up in the South Wales Evening Post and Swansea Bay Business Life Business Awards 2016. It was also Start-Up Business of the Year at the South Wales Chamber of Commerce awards while its founder and director, Sarah John, was named Young Entrepreneur of the Year.

TO WIN TWO AWARDS FOR TWO DIFFERENT BEERS DURING OUR FIRST TWO YEARS OF ENTERING REALLY DEMONSTRATES THE BOSS TEAM’S DEDICATION AND SKILL AS BREWERS.

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5/31/2016 4:09:22 PM

Our Region Harnessing the power of the waves...

The port that’s attracting international wave and tidal developers...

PEMBROKESHIRE CARMARTHENSHIRE

SWANSEA NEATH PORT TALBOT

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Our Region

pembrokeshire Harnessing the power of the waves...

Milford Haven’s well-established port is attracting international wave and tidal developers. BUSINESS LIFE reports.

It might surprise some that the far-flung town of Milford Haven on the western coast of Wales has the third largest port in the UK. Its growth was generated by its importance for the oil and gas industry – an estimated 30 per cent of the UK’s gas and 20 per cent of its oil enter via the port.

But now Milford, and Pembrokeshire as a whole, look set to enter a new era as the hub of a whole new industry – the marine renewable industry.

Welsh Government has earmarked £104 million for marine renewable energy in Wales, via the European Development Fund – the largest funding for the sector in any EU state.

This funding boost, together with the area’s robust infrastructure, the wellestablished port at Milford Haven, existing

demo zones, reasonable access to the grid and a good skills base, are all working together to catapult Pembrokeshire to the top of international wave and tidal developers.

David Jones, chair of Marine Energy Pembrokeshire, the voice of the industry in Wales, says that the recently announced funding is fuelling interest in the area.

“MEP is a partnership between technology developers, the supply chain, universities and the public sector – all working together to establish Pembrokeshire as a ‘centre of excellence’ for sustainable marine energy generation,” Jones said.

“We have a working group that contains all the wave and tidal developers interested in Wales – companies from Australia, America and Sweden.

“We bring together all the people you’d expect to have in one place – developing marine energy in Pembrokeshire and also Wales. Our working groups focus on how to improve the planning process in Wales – coming up with recommendations for Natural Resources Wales on how the process can be streamlined.”

Cardiff-based Tidal Energy successfully installed Wales’ first full-scale tidal stream generating device known as DeltaStream in Ramsey Sound, Pembrokeshire on December 13, 2015 – the same day that a global agreement on climate change was agreed in Paris.

Martin Murphy, managing director of Tidal Energy, who was headhunted for the role of bringing DeltaStream through development to commercialisation, said it was an immensely proud moment when

THE DRIVE AND RECOGNITION OF THE NEED TO OVERCOME GLOBAL WARMING IS SOMETHING THAT IS BEING TAKEN SERIOUSLY – THERE’S A HUGE MANDATE FOR THIS WORLDWIDE.

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the switch was pressed and everything worked.

“Since then, we have generated electricity and validated our design and test calculations by proving that it generates the electricity it is expected to in real life conditions.

“Now we have to take a leap forward to move the company on to that commercial goal and that needs new investment.”

Tidal Energy has been able to reach this milestone thanks to around £15m investment – which included funding from Welsh Government via the EDF and funding from Peter Darwell, company chairman and principal shareholder.

“We are beginning an investment round to take the company on to the next level,” Murphy said. “I’m confident that we will be successful on the back of the successful prototype trials.”

Tidal Energy plans to recover DeltaStream from Ramsey Sound this summer to perform a modification to the design – no mean feat considering the device weighs 200 tonnes and consists of a 12-metre diameter tower supporting a 17-metre-wide turbine.

The next step will be developing the commercial demo array. When complete, it’s estimated that the array would generate enough electricity for up to 8,000 homes.

“Our St David’s Head project is the next major step in the commercial goal – we hope to accomplish this within three to five years,” Murphy said.

He estimates full commercialisation in the marine renewable industry could arrive within the next decade.

“The drive and recognition of the need to overcome global warming is something that is being taken seriously – there’s a huge mandate for this worldwide,” he said.

Murphy is also keen to point out the huge boost to the local economy that the marine renewable industry represents.

The area was hit in 2014 by the closure of the Murco oil refinery, with the loss of 350 jobs, and, more recently, plans to build an additional power station at the South Hook LNG site were axed.

Marine renewable energy projects

represent an ideal opportunity to utilise and support local infrastructure and industry, and companies working in the area are helping to establish a foothold for a new industry to flourish.

Local fabricators, engineers and marine specialists clustered in the area have been instrumental in the building of DeltaStream.

“Mainstay Marine – a traditional industry and business in small ship and boat building and repair – all the skills that they have are instrumental and they have the skillset we needed to build this thing, put it together, test and install it,” Murphy added.

Another marine energy company already developing and testing prototypes in Pembrokeshire, aided and abetted by the skilled local workforce, is Marine Power Systems.

MPS, established in 2008, is a homegrown wave energy technology developer of the patented and award-winning WaveSub Wave Energy Converter.

Dr Gareth Stockman, managing director of MPS said the location has been ideal for the Swansea-based business as it looks to roll out development of its WaveSub device.

“At commercial scale (first wave farm arrays), we intend to manufacture and deploy WaveSub devices from the port, and the infrastructure and support already in place at Pembroke Port aligns very well with MPS’ requirements,” he said.

“Our connection with Pembroke Port has enabled us to work with fabrication companies in the area with decades of experience working within offshore oil and gas industries, which has many synergies.

“There are also experienced naval architects who have been able to advise us on the effective design of our wave energy device to enhance stability; strength, due to the loads and pressures the device will encounter in the aggressive environment; and advise us on resistance to corrosion and biofouling.

Stockman also said the expertise of marine operation specialists at Pembroke had played a crucial role in guiding

Gareth Stockman and Graham Foster, co-founders of MPS

MPS’s deployment and installation methodologies for WaveSub and understanding of how best to maintain it at sea – one of the key challenges faced by developers positioning devices offshore.

Going forward, MPS recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Port of Milford Haven that will see deeper co-operation in the ongoing development of the WaveSub WEC. “We have had the benefit of learning from the Ports’ experiences of building and testing devices at sea, as well as gaining access to a solid supply chain,” Stockman said. “This has helped MPS to mitigate issues from the offset.”

It seems that Wales is waking up to the fact that its 1,562km of beautiful coastline could be a game-changer in the homegrown energy stakes. Now, what about that tidal lagoon...

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Pembrokeshire

Expert opinion with Ted Sangster, chairman of the Pembrokeshire Business Panel

NEWS ROUND-UP...

Panel pushes for long term thinking...

Recruitment in tourism, engineering and health sectors has been explored at a recent event held by the Pembrokeshire Business Panel.

The meeting included discussion surrounding the recruiting of executives and skilled workers in Pembrokeshire and employment opportunities in the county.

The panel found there were many positives to build on but work needed to be done to tackle a “small and

shrinking” talent pool for senior positions and a lack of business infrastructure. Also, the notion that parts of the county were too remote.

It said job candidates were pushing for higher pay packages in the county and that short term thinking on funding for recruitment in the public and voluntary sectors was impacting projects and employment opportunities.

Search for hidden gems...

Pork Farms has launched a campaign to find the nation’s top three favourite hidden gems and they could be in the Swansea Bay region.

The pork pie manufacturer is working closely with Visit Pembrokeshire, Visit Wales and Visit Mid Wales to help discover special places.

It wants the public to join in and submit their entries.

Pork Farms mini pork pies

Kim Burgess, head of markets for the Addo Food Group, whose brands include Pork Farms, said: “Pork Farms celebrates the best of British and we want to find the nation’s top hidden gems that really are Britain’s undiscovered treasures.”

Participants can submit their favourite on the company’s website.

The closing date is July 31.

Addressing the need for skills...

During its time the Pembrokeshire Business Panel has seen many ideas and initiatives for supporting investment and growth in the economy. Some have been as a reaction to changed circumstances others have been more strategic and far sighted. Some have worked, others have flared and died.

The PBP has been running for over 10 years, drawing together business leaders from all parts of the economy and the public sector at all levels. Its primary purpose is that of positive engagement allowing the views of business to be heard and therefore the needs of the Pembrokeshire economy to be better understood and served.

So what works in attracting investment and securing business growth?

Many things of course, not least being the benefit of building on existing strengths.

This includes the energy sector’s oil and gas base moving to embrace renewable energy; raising the quality and range of the tourism products through iconic businesses such as Bluestone, the innovative Wales Centre of Excellence at Saundersfoot; the planned investment in Welsh Water’s Lys y Fan reservoir; and the diversification strategy of Milford Haven Port - the third largest in the UK and at the heart of many parts of the economy.

However, if there is one underlying lesson of what can and indeed must play a major role in supporting growth, it is the need to address the skills available.

Business needs a constant flow of skilled and trained people including younger ones coming in at the start of their career. This requires a joint approach between business, schools and colleges, training providers and the public sector to understand what is needed, deliver – and promote. The result is an economic strength on which existing businesses can grow and diversify and new business and investment can be attracted into the county.

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Free Range Holidays

u m S m s i er T LET YOUR KIDS

IMAGINATION Run Wild

SUMMER FESTIVAL EXPLODES INTO ACTION! The summer holidays are looming and the time has come to enjoy some family fun. There’s nothing better than getting away and letting your little ones roam free. So we’ve made a place to play that’s natural with all the luxury comforts for Mum and Dad. You can race coracles, go on a bug hunt and meet the characters of the Woody Wilds in their new shows too! The ‘all weather’ Summer Festival is sure to delight everyone this year with a carnival of spectacular fun set in one of the most naturally beautiful places on earth.

To book call 01834 887 641 or visit www.bluestonewales.com #bluestonewales

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@bluestonewales

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Our Region

Carmarthenshire

CARMARTHENSHIRE Changing the world one dumpling at a time...

SWANSEA BAY

BUSINESS LIFE

FAST TRACK 25 SWANSEA BAY

South West Wales-based Prima Foods is the UK market leader in suet and is poised to take the gluten-free sector by storm...

“I am the emperor and I want dumplings,” said Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I back in the 19th century. If Ferdy was alive today he would definitely be a fan of Prima Foods, shortening experts extraordinaire, purveyor of dumplings of all descriptions and flavours, and soon-to-be the Knights Templar of good taste in the slightly bleak world of Gluten Free.

From its food manufacturing facility tucked away in Dafen, Llanelli, Fast Track 25 member Prima Foods is on a mission to inject some joy into the gluten-free sector. The firm is gearing up for the July launch of its new Chef’s Promise range of gluten-free ready meal components – from dumplings and pizza dough to crumble and brownies.

Managing director, Peter Rice, said the move towards developing a new glutenfree range represented a deliberate diversification from the shortening product range, (which includes the wellestablished suet brand Atora), which had been their principal product since they began several years ago.

Like the suet arm of the business, the gluten-free food components will be aimed at three specific market sectors: the food manufacturing industry, the food service

industry and the ready meal sector. Plans to export globally are also on the cards.

Prima has already agreed a contract with Tesco for the packaged range of glutenfree ready meals, and the products will also be showcased via a new website.

The website complements Prima’s existing recipe-based website, suetssecrets.co.uk – which aims to sex up the image of suet.

Driven by a management team that has worked in all aspects of food manufacturing from the ground up, the move into the profitable gluten-free sector marks the start of Prima’s wider diversification strategy into the home baking market.

“We looked at Mintel reports and carried out market research before drawing up plans to create a gluten-free range,” Rice said.

“Our Chefs’ Promise brand will deliver two promises to our customers – it will meet the stringent dietary needs required by a coeliac whilse genuinely tasting as good as the real thing.”

The firm is building on its firm foundation as a market leader in the shortening sector – specifically suet – which it supplies in bulk to the food industry under its Better

In association with...

Whisk brand, and direct to the retail industry in the form of the Atora brand.

Prima has bucked the industry trend of low profit margins. Building on its success, the firm has invested around £1 million into re-vamping its facilities, which are partly housed in a former abattoir run by food distribution company Castell Howell.

The factory now features state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment that has shaved weeks off the firm’s processing times, and created the opportunity for a more diverse product offering.

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Carmarthenshire

Underpinning its growth, Prima also invested in a new development kitchen, and in February 2015 it hired a food development chef.

Prima has also been collaborating with University of Wales Trinity Saint David on a number of projects including the Kite programme for developing graduates.

Technical director, Tim Rowe, explained that a key part of Prima’s success stemmed from its small size – it could easily adapt and turn around bespoke orders that would be a logistical challenge for a giant manufacturer.

From its roots as a small start-up to the number one supplier of suet products in the UK, Prima has come full circle and it established a contract with food manufacturing giant Premier Foods. Since taking on an initial contract with Premier, Prima created 15 jobs within the business, which were safeguarded with the signing of a five year contract with Premier.

In 2015, Premier awarded Prima the Supplier Excellence Award for Sustainability – one of the most prestigious awards in the UK food industry.

Speaking about the award in 2015, managing director Rice said: “We are delighted to receive this award which is recognition that small, independent

businesses with a clear vision can deliver tangible growth in areas of high unemployment, if given the right help.”

He also thanked the firm’s supporters and backers – which have included Welsh Government, Finance Wales, Tata Steel Subsidiary – UK Steel Enterprise & ABN Amro alongside other stakeholder support from Cardiff Met Food Industry Centre, Carmarthenshire County Council, Total Food Marketing and the Growth Accelerator programme.

Christopher Evans, relationship director at Santander, co-sponsor of Fast Track 25, said: “Prima Foods is a great example of how businesses can thrive in competitive markets by focussing on the quality of their product and adding value for the user or consumer.

“Their sector expertise, strong multidisciplined management team and manufacturing capabilities leave them well placed for further growth and we at Santander wish them every success.”

So, Prima Foods looks set to continue changing the world, one dumpling at a time. And the Coeliac community can look forward to a new purpose-designed and taste-driven gluten-free range.

PRIMA FOODS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOW BUSINESSES CAN THRIVE IN COMPETITIVE MARKETS

BY FOCUSSING ON THE QUALITY OF THEIR PRODUCT AND ADDING VALUE FOR THE USER OR CONSUMER.

Below: Prima Foods Uk Ltd site director Gary Saunders, Santander Relationship director Chris Evans, tax partner at Bevan and Buckland Paul Arnold, Prima Foods Uk Ltd financial director Chris Geoghan and managing director Peter Rice.

Opposite page: Prima Foods Uk Ltd production operatives Hubert Bartosika and Magdealena Hartwik on the dumpling production line..

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Expert opinion with Emlyn Dole, leader of Carmarthenshire County Council

Carmarthenshire

NEWS ROUND-UP...

Bakery still on rise after 95 years...

Focus on regeneration...

I made it clear when I became leader of Carmarthenshire County Council a year ago that my priority would be regeneration. By this I meant the creation of sustainable places, where people want to live, work, invest and visit, while enabling our residents and businesses to achieve their potential.

That’s why we recently unveiled an ambitious 15 year regeneration plan to transform our economy. It identifies six key transformational projects, which we hope will create over 5,000 new jobs and make our economy more productive and competitive.

The six projects are based upon specific geographic locations across the county, with each focusing upon local need and opportunity.

They are Ammanford, Carmarthen, the Carmarthenshire Coastal Belt, the Cross Hands Growth Zone, Llanelli, and the rural economy.

A range of business sectors are being targeted including the creative industries, tourism, agri-food, advanced manufacturing, energy and environment, financial and professional services. Key infrastructure projects will be prioritised to unlock economic opportunity, together with investment in rural Carmarthenshire to tackle poverty.

We’ll also develop a programme of support to improve skills and help longer term unemployed people back into work.

I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT CARMARTHENSHIRE HAS THE RIGHT MIX OF ELEMENTS TO CREATE THE FOUNDATIONS OF A STRONG AND HEALTHY ECONOMY FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS. The county now has high levels of digital connectivity benefiting everyone both at home or at work. We’ll invest further in our transport infrastructure including new link roads at Cross Hands and to the west of Carmarthen.

We know that to be successful we need to think big and work closely with the private sector. I firmly believe that Carmarthenshire has the right mix of elements to create the foundations of a strong and healthy economy for current and future generations.

Everything is on the rise at a South West Wales bakery business as it marks 95 years of trading.

Jenkins Bakery, a third generation family business with bakeries across the region, has had the rubber stamp put on its Investors in People award, a benchmark certificate that was first awarded to the firm in 2004.

The company, which has shops in Llanelli, Carmarthen, Swansea, Neath and Port Talbot among other locations, first picked up an Investors in People award 12 years ago. It has picked it up twice since.

David Jenkins, company secretary and director, said: “It is a great achievement for us and a huge amount of praise is due to our hard-working staff who have helped us land the Investors in People award yet again.

“In order to keep the award, we have to be reassessed on a regular basis.

“This is the third time for us to receive the award, so we are celebrating something of a hat-trick.

“Investors in People is a very rigorous benchmark award and we have to make sure we have everything in place for health and safety, food hygiene, staff training and a whole host of other things.”

The company employs nearly 300 people, full and part-time, across 29 sites in South Wales. Its main bakery and headquarters are in Llanelli.

Cross Hands firm Mario’s wins ice cream award...

A family-run ice cream firm from Carmarthenshire has scooped another prestigious national award.

Mario’s Luxury Dairy Ice Cream, based in Cross Hands, won the Open Flavour contest at the 2016 National Ice Cream Competition, run by The Ice Cream Alliance – the trade body for the UK’s £1 billion ice cream industry. It is the second year in a row the company has picked up the top prize for the category, the Silver Challenge Cup. The winning flavour Mango & Passionfruit is a new flavour created for the summer and will be exclusively available through Castell Howell Foods, Wales’ largest independent food wholesaler.

Founder Mario Dallavalle said: “This will mean that this winning flavour will be available throughout Wales and the west of England and we look forward to seeing it on menu’s in restaurants, pubs and ice cream parlours.”

The firm, for which Mario’s wife Heather, son Riccardo and daughter Francesca work, combines Mario’s Italian heritage with ingredients including fresh milk and double cream from local farms.

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Y PENTREF LLESIANT A GWYDDORAU BYWYD – BETH YW EF?

THE WELLNESS AND LIFE SCIENCE VILLAGE – WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT?

Hwn fydd prosiect adfywio mwyaf erioed De-orllewin Cymru a’r cyntaf o’i fath yn y wlad.

It will be South West Wales’ greatest ever regeneration project and a first for the country.

Lluniwyd cysyniad y prosiect y llynedd yn sgil gwaith a gyflawnwyd gan ddau Fwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol (Abertawe Bro Morgannwg a Hywel Dda) a Phrifysgol Abertawe o dan y bartneriaeth Cydweithrediad Rhanbarthol ar gyfer Iechyd (ARCH) ochr yn ochr â Chyngor Sir Caerfyrddin.

The project concept was derived last year from work undertaken by the two University Health Boards (Abertawe Bro Morgannwg (ABMU) and Hywel Dda) and Swansea University under the ARCH partnership alongside Carmarthenshire County Council.

Mae’r Pentref yn integreiddio gofal iechyd sylfaenol, gofal preswyl arbenigol, ymchwil a datblygu, cyfleusterau meithrin busnesau ac academia. Bydd ffordd o fyw a hamdden yn nodweddion allweddol o amgylchedd o ansawdd uchel fydd yn cyfrannu at gysyniad ‘llesiant’.

The village integrates primary healthcare, specialist residential care, research and development, business incubation and academia.

Lifestyle and leisure will be key characteristics in a high quality environment contributing towards the concept of ‘wellness’.

Mae astudiaeth ddichonoldeb, a gyllidir gan Lywodraeth Cymru, yn cael ei chynnal ar hyn o bryd ar gyfer y cynllun yn Llynnoedd Delta. Mae’r safle, sydd ger yr arfordir, wedi’i ddewis yn lle perffaith i roi’r prosiect ar waith, a disgwylir iddo greu mwy na 1,000 o swyddi.

A feasibility study, funded by the Welsh Government, is currently being carried out for the scheme at Delta Lakes. The site, adjacent to the coastline, has been chosen as the perfect place to deliver the project, which is expected to create in excess of 1,000 jobs.

Mae’r prosiect i greu Pentref Llesiant a Gwyddorau Bywyd yn unigryw i Gymru a chafodd ei gynnwys yng nghais Dinas-ranbarth Bae Abertawe am y Fargen Ddinesig a gyflwynwyd i Lywodraeth Cymru a’i nodi yng Nghyllideb y Gwanwyn Canghellor y Trysorlys yn y Senedd. Mae’r prosiect wedi datblygu’n gyflym ac wedi denu diddordeb gan gwmnïau rhyngwladol sydd i gyd yn arloeswyr o’r radd flaenaf yn eu meysydd.

Unique to Wales, the Wellness and Life Science Village was cited in the Swansea Bay City Region’s City Deal bid to the UK Government and noted in the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Spring Budget in Parliament. There has been rapid momentum with the project attracting interest from multinational companies who are all world class innovators in their field.

GWELD LLUNIAU O'R SAFLE: Mae modd gweld golwg o'r awyr o'r safle yma: http://bit.ly/LlynnoeddDeltaLakes Mae'n cynnwys lluniau o'r arfordir a'r ardaloedd cyfagos, gan roi golwg glir o safle Llynnoedd Delta a'r cyffiniau.

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Advertising Feature Carmarthenshire County Council

NEW TEAM APPOINTED TO DELIVER £100MILLION PROJECT

PENODI TÎM NEWYDD AR GYFER PROSIECT GWERTH £100 MILIWN Mae tîm prosiect newydd wedi’i benodi i fwrw ymlaen â chynlluniau ar gyfer Pentref Llesiant a Gwyddorau Bywyd yn Llanelli.

A NEW project team has been appointed to drive forward plans for a Wellness and Life Science Village in Llanelli.

The project, which is estimated to cost in excess of £100million, is being delivered through the Swansea Bay City Region partnership.

Darperir y prosiect, yr amcangyfrifir y bydd yn costio dros £100 miliwn, drwy bartneriaeth Dinas-ranbarth Bae Abertawe.

The new team tasked with delivering the vision is being headed by project manager Dr Sharon Burford, supported by Steffan Jenkins and Bjorn Rodde.

Mae’r tîm newydd a fydd yn gyfrifol am wireddu’r weledigaeth yn cael ei arwain gan Dr Sharon Burford, rheolwr y prosiect, gyda chymorth Steffan Jenkins a Bjorn Rodde.

Dywedodd Steffan “Felly mae bod yn rhan o’r fenter newydd hon yn gyfle gwych ac yn her rwyf wrth fy modd o’i hwynebu,” meddai. “Heb os nac oni bai, bydd yn brosiect trawsnewidiol gwirioneddol i’r ardal ac i bobl Llanelli a’r rhanbarth.

Mewn gwirionedd bydd yn brosiect o arwyddocâd cenedlaethol ac yn brosiect unwaith mewn oes a fydd, yn ddi-os, o fudd i lawer o genedlaethau sydd i ddod.”

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Sharon said: “I feel the Wellness Partnership has the real potential to bring together partners to create the right environment for health innovation to flourish alongside private and public sector partners, and also to challenge our view of healthcare by focussing on wellness not on illness. I fundamentally believe the wellness partnership has the potential to make a real difference not only for the area but much wider on a national and international level and lead in innovative thinking about wellness.”

Steffan was born a few miles from the Delta Lakes site in Pontiets and now lives just down the road in Llangennech with his wife and twin daughters. A qualified engineer, chartered surveyor and environmental manager, he has worked for Carmarthenshire County Council for the past 12 years in its economic development division, on major projects such as the UK’s largest land reclamation project – the Millennium Coastal Park.

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Steffan said, “To be involved in this new venture is therefore a fantastic opportunity and a challenge I am delighted to be a part of,” he said. “It will be without doubt a truly transformational project for the area and for the people of Llanelli and the region. In fact it will be a project of national significance, a once in a lifetime project which will without question benefit many generations to come.”

Bjorn, who lives in Llwynhendy with his wife and two daughters, worked for the past three years as a senior lecturer for Swansea University in the Medical School and the School of Management, and has also spent the last 18 months in a leadership role within the ARCH programme.

Bjorn said,“The impact it will have on Llanelli is huge,” he said. “The best thing about this project is the joint ambition - no one is forcing us to do this; it is a fantastic vision and all the D partners are fully aligned with what we are trying D to achieve.”

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Mae Bjorn, sy’n byw yn Llwynhendy gyda’i wraig a’u dwy ferch, wedi bod yn uwchddarlithydd ym Mhrifysgol Abertawe am y tair blynedd diwethaf a hynny yn yr Ysgol Feddygol a’r Ysgol Reolaeth, ac mae hefyd wedi ymgymryd â rôl arwain yn y rhaglen ARCH yn ystod y 18 mis diwethaf.

Dywedodd Bjorn,“Bydd yn cael effaith anferth ar Lanelli,”meddai.“Y peth gorau am y prosiect hwn yw’r cyd-uchelgais - nid oes neb yn ein gorfodi i wneud hyn; mae’n weledigaeth wych ac mae’r holl bartneriaid yn gwbl gytûn am yr hyn rydym yn ceisio ei wneud.”

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Ganed Steffan ym Mhont-iets, ychydig o filltiroedd i ffwrdd o safle Llynnoedd Delta, ac mae bellach yn byw yn Llangennech gyda’i wraig a’u merched sy’n efeilliaid.

Mae’n beiriannydd cymwysedig, yn syrfëwr siartredig ac yn rheolwr amgylcheddol, ac mae wedi gweithio i Gyngor Sir Caerfyrddin ers 12 mlynedd yn yr is-adran datblygu economaidd, a hynny ar brosiectau mawr megis y prosiect adfer tir mwyaf yn y Deyrnas Unedig, sef Parc Arfordirol y Mileniwm.

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Dywedodd Sharon: “Credaf fod gan y Bartneriaeth Llesiant botensial go iawn i ddod â phartneriaid ynghyd i greu’r amgylchedd iawn er mwyn i arloesi ym maes iechyd ffynnu ochr yn ochr â phartneriaid sector preifat a sector cyhoeddus, a hefyd i herio ein barn am ofal iechyd drwy ganolbwyntio ar lesiant yn lle salwch. Credaf, yn y bôn, fod gan y Bartneriaeth Llesiant botensial i wneud wahaniaeth go iawn nid yn unig ar gyfer yr ardal ond yn llawer ehangach yn genedlaethol ac yn rhyngwladol, ac i arwain y ffordd o ran meddwl yn arloesol ynghylch llesiant.”

Sharon, originally from Aberdare, lives with her husband in MynyddY Garreg and works for Hywel Dda University Health Board. Her career began with the Welsh Development Agency focused on economic regeneration and inward investment.

Recently she was management lead for the development of the new model of care in Prince Philip Hospital.

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Mae Sharon yn hanu o Aberdâr ond ˆ mae bellach yn byw gyda’i gwr ym Mynyddygarreg ac yn gweithio i Fwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Hywel Dda. Dechreuodd ei gyrfa yn Awdurdod Datblygu Cymru lle bu’n canolbwyntio ar adfywio economaidd a mewnfuddsoddi. Yn ddiweddar, hi oedd y rheolwr arweiniol ar gyfer y gwaith o ddatblygu’r model gofal newydd ynYsbyty’r Tywysog Philip.

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VIEW FOOTAGE OF THE SITE: An aerial view of the site can be seen at http://bit.ly/LlynnoeddDeltaLakes It includes footage of the coastline and neighbouring areas, giving a clear view of the Delta Lakes site and where it sits within the surrounding environment.

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Our Region

Swansea

SWANSEA The lucrative business of pants!

While the female lingerie market, although extremely lucrative for some, is saturated as a sector, one Swansea entrepreneur has found a niche in the equivalent market for men – and he is gaining traction quickly...

How much does the average man spend on his pants? It might not be a question that will have occurred to most readers but the answer is an interesting one, which is very much at the forefront of the mind of one Swansea entrepreneur.

The answer is a lot more than they used to, according to research by global information company The NPD Group.

The men’s underwear bottoms market is now approaching £2.09 billion having hit £1.88 billion in 2014 with boxer briefs, a style that has become quite popular, representing the largest share of the market at nearly 40 per cent.

While the female lingerie market is a well-documented, over saturated yet extremely lucrative sector for companies and designers able to set themselves apart, the men’s equivalent has traditionally been regarded as a more sedate and slow moving market.

Things are changing. Boxer briefs have been gaining over the past two years, as have briefs, the second largest class of underwear bottoms, which grew 23 per cent over the past year. Looser-fitting boxers declined 14 per cent during the same period.

The slimmer underwear trend is happening at the same time as the comeback of tighter-fitting pants and jeans, a style that made its mark in the 1960s. Men’s slim/skinny bottoms grew 11 per cent combined over the past year, while regular, relaxed, and looser fitting styles all experienced declines.

On the face of it, Swansea-born Jamie

Davies might seem an unlikely candidate to make an impact in this global market, the preserve of large global brands and designers. After taking a gap year once finishing school and never making it to university as a result, Davies ended up working at the DVLA for many years.

It was a personal tragedy in the form of the loss of a loved one, which he says turned his world upside down, that kickstarted him to change his life and start to follow his dreams. Three years ago as he entered his thirties, he decided it was time to move away from his home roots and embark on a new journey.

He moved to London and, keen to put what had been latent creative talents to good use, launched the designer underwear brand ‘Jamie Button’.

He said he had targeted a new underwear label after completing extensive research and in-depth competitor analysis, “putting himself in the shoes of his potential customers” something many entrepreneurs fail to do.

Based on this, Davies believes he has identified a gap in the market for his product. He has developed an exclusive range of ‘Jamie Button’ underwear products made from natural materials and resources, each handmade in the UK. He has not had an easy ride. He admits that setting up a business is a difficult task, especially with no mentor to guide the way. To do this while simultaneously managing a full-time job in HR has been especially tricky and makes Jamie’s story an exception to the rule.

IT’S BEEN A CHALLENGE AND IT HASN’T COME WITHOUT ITS STRESS, BUT I BELIEVE IN MY PRODUCT 100 PER CENT AND THAT FACT ALONE MAKES IT ALL WORTHWHILE.

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He believes the quality, material and longevity of the product sets ‘Jamie Button’ apart as a brand.

“When I saw the finished product for the first time, I just knew it would work,” he said. “I could see it being sold in department stores around the UK and I instantly believed in it, 100 per cent.”

He added he had extensively tested the product through regular washes to check the longevity of the quality and it came out as good as new every time.

As well as making what he describes as a unique product, Davies is also taking a very modern approach to marketing it as he looks to build brand awareness and ultimately interest from retailers.

He is using social media heavily to promote the brand and encourages some of his initial customers to do the same. A

well-known underwear model recently wore his product to a modelling shoot in Los Angeles and shared images of the shoot online, reaching thousands of followers in the process.

Underwear will just be the start if Davies’ plans come to fruition. He hopes to soon expand into swimwear, something he is already in the process of producing now.

He considers himself lucky to have enjoyed a few breaks in the industry so far but also stresses that luck comes hand in hand with hard work.

“Success doesn’t happen overnight, it’s a working progress and it takes time and patience, so just make sure you’re aware of that,” he said, offering advice to other would-be entrepreneurs.

And despite some highs and lows so far, he added: “Would I do it all over again?

Yes. It’s been a challenge and it hasn’t come without its stress, but I believe in my product 100 per cent and that fact alone makes everything worthwhile.”

SUCCESS DOESN’T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT, IT’S A WORKING PROGRESS AND IT TAKES TIME AND PATIENCE, SO JUST MAKE SURE YOU’RE AWARE OF THAT.

• Model: Luis Young • Agency: W Management • Photography by Lefteris Primos (modelling photographs).

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Our Region

Swansea

Expert opinion

NEWS ROUND-UP...

with Lawrence Bailey, owner of public affairs specialists Whiterock Consulting

Docks’ £2.1 million investment...

Swansea docks are to undergo a £2.1 million investment.

Owner and operator Associated British Ports has announced it is to spend the money in upgrading the outer lock gates at the port of Swansea, which is the first in a series of investments of around £7million over the next four years to improve the infrastructure.

The port currently handles around 600,000 tonnes of cargo annually, primarily for the coal, paper, agricultural and recyclable sectors.

It is also the base for a specialist dry dock facility, offering full ship repair and vessel demolition.

Director of ABP South Wales, Matthew Kennerley, said: “Investing in major infrastructure improvements is essential for ensuring our ports are modern and fit-for-purpose. The new outer lock gates will mean that the Port of Swansea can continue to operate effectively for many years to come and will remain a contributor to both the Welsh and UK economy as it helps businesses to move their cargo from A to B. “We are committed to investing in the Port of Swansea and all of our ports in South Wales to help us to accommodate increasing cargo volumes and the

global trend of bigger vessels. Ports by their very nature are constantly evolving to accommodate changes in cargo trends and the ability to be flexible is crucial to their success. It is therefore essential that we continually improve efficiency to ensure that our operations, and our customers’ operations, are as competitive as possible.

“Within the past six months, we have invested £1 million in upgrading facilities at the fertiliser terminal in Swansea and will be announcing a series of additional investment in the coming years.”

The lock gates are designed by Dutch specialist contactor Ravestein which recently completed the special design, construction and installation of new inner lock gates at ABP’s Port of Cardiff.

Roofing contractor part of renovation project...

Swansea-based roofing contractor MA Hartley has been part of a project to renovate a leaking roof at the visitor centre of a countryside park in South Wales.

The new roof for the building on Parc Bryn Bach, near Tredegar, was installed by MA Hartley, working with main contractor Merthyr Tydfil-based M Delacey and Sons.

The previous porous roof tiles were found to be letting water into the café area and the facility now has an impermeable roof made of lightweight steel tiles.

Tony Clarke, of MA Hartley roofing, said: “This was a relatively complex project with extensive hips and dry valleys, ridges and barge covers, which required almost 7,000 screws to fix it all together.”

Blaenau Gwent Council owns the site and leases it to Aneurin Leisure Trust, which manages the daily running of Parc Bryn Bach – 340 acres of mixed grass and woodland and a 36-acre lake.

Lightweight steel roofing company Metrotile UK completed the renovation.

Politics vs Business...

A complaint I often hear from clients is that politicians don’t understand the first thing about business.

In their defence, that’s not entirely true.

There are many in parliament, the Welsh Assembly and local government with current and prior business experience.

Where the problems arise is when priorities clash. Running a country or a council involves different imperatives and a different financial mind-set.

Take business rates for instance, or nondomestic rates, as they’re officially called.

This current system of taxation involves sending proceeds of locally collected rates to a central pot where it then gets redistributed based on a social needs formula.

The common view is that the arrangement is well overdue for reform and UK ministers intend that the whole thing should be devolved to local authorities.

For several business organisations, “reform” equates to reduction or outright abolition. The council view however, is that non-domestic rate control offers a means of extra public revenue at a time when cuts are biting hard.

The strongest calls for scrapping rates come from the retail sector. According to the Welsh Retail Consortium, shop vacancy rates stand at almost 14 per cent with the projected rate of store closures being higher in Wales than anywhere else in the UK. No-one can say for definite though if the reforms will actually apply in Wales.

As both commercial and political sources point out, some 40 per cent of Welsh business rates are presently collected in Cardiff. If the system is localised then the money would stay there too.

Who’d be a politician, eh?

Image: Paul Exton of M Delacey & Sons; Jonathan Kivell of Aneurin Leisure Trust; Barry Jordan of Metrotile UK; Tony Clarke of Swansea-based MA Hartley Roofing at Parc Bryn Bach, near Tredegar.

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5/31/2016 3:07:16 PM

Our Region

Neath Port Talbot

NEATH PORT TALBOT Nerves of steel...

Hopefully a buyer will throw Tata a lifeline, but is Port Talbot a one-horse town? BUSINESS LIFE looks at what the town and region has to shout about...

For many people, Port Talbot is synonymous with its steelworks.

Watching and waiting as the UK and Welsh government fumble (rather belatedly) to find a way to salvage this behemoth of the UK steel industry, Port Talbot businesses are waiting to see how the dice will fall.

The Port Talbot site, which includes a ‘strip products’ division, offers a more diverse product offering than other steelmaking sites and is widely regarded as being of critical importance to the UK’s industrial infrastructure.

“There is a turnaround plan and there is still a viable future for steel making,” said Stephen Phillips, chief executive of Neath Port Talbot Council, “We are a steel town and we are fighting for every job. That’s why we need the Tidal Lagoon – it’s a project that’s immediately ready-to-go and it will create demand for steel.”

The steel crisis prompts a look at the potential of other industry sectors in the Port Talbot region.

First off, it’s an area with maximum European funding – music to the ears of any business – and, regardless of the EU referendum vote, this funding programme runs till 2020.

Proposals to set up an enterprise zone in the area have been in discussion for months, if not years, but Tata’s decision to sell its Port Talbot site accelerated the process, and in mid-March an enterprise zone for the area was announced by Welsh government.

The foundations for broadening the economic base of the region are already well underway, thanks largely to the City Deal – a key element of the Swansea Bay City Region’s over-arching plan for the area.

Earlier this year, First Minister Carwyn Jones announced a £7.5 million EU investment to kick-start the build of stateof-the-art engineering laboratories at

WE ARE A STEEL TOWN AND WE ARE FIGHTING FOR EVERY JOB. THAT’S WHY WE NEED THE TIDAL LAGOON.

Harbourside R&D village, adjacent to Port Talbot Parkway station. The investment will be matched by industry support, and underwritten by TWI to create a total project fund of £19.5 million for the development of the new Advanced Engineering Materials Research Institute.

Financial incentives for business locating to the area, along with support for start-ups, and its prime location on the M4 corridor have already proved popular - especially with tech businesses who can easily operate remotely.

Hi-tech design consultants, Quantum CAD, which counts leading global brands among its portfolio, relocated from London to Port Talbot several years ago. Quantum boasts a client base spread across multiple business sectors including aerospace, pharmaceutical and transport.

Since setting up in a purpose-built design building, four design-focussed companies have joined the hub, including MeeCreative.

Sandfields Business Centre, a flagship project of NPT Council, has provided office and workshop accommodation to start-up and existing businesses, for 17 years.

Home to Neath Port Talbot Council’s Innov8 programme, the centre nurtures start-ups across a range of industry

sectors. Eligible start-ups can apply for a grant of up to £1,000 towards start-up costs such as marketing or equipment.

“With the recent news about TATA Steel, it’s a dark time for Port Talbot but I believe the town is very much open for business and is a great place to run a business from, however big or small you are,” said Adam Amor, director of Buffoon Film and Media, a bi-lingual film production firm which started out in the centre just over five years ago.

Amor, who praised the support that NPT Council offers to businesses, added: “The Sandfields Centre has given us a workshop, with low financial risk and there’s a great sense of community with the other businesses.”

Amor points to the town’s rich cultural heritage as part of the explanation for the flourishing cultural scene in the town; a cluster of creative businesses have selected Port Talbot for their base.

“Creative businesses range from film and TV, to design, publishing and marketing,” he said. “With remote working and a good internet connection, we can work with clients from across the UK, easily and quickly, without the need for physical meetings, from our Port Talbot base.”

Another string to Port Talbot’s bow

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PEOPLE ARE DISCOVERING THE AFAN VALLEY AGAIN, AND WE’VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN VISITOR NUMBERS.

port talbot at a glance...

• Sandfields business centre, office and workshop space and support for start-ups • Excellent access to grant-funding • Prime location with access to M4; easy reach of Swansea, Bridgend, Cardiff and the M4 corridor • New state-of-the-art £6.3m R&D village at Harbourside Park • Plans for a £500m phased development of the Baglan Bay site by St Modwen.

Think high quality, modern business space • Tourism: new £13.4m Aberavon leisure centre has kickstarted development along the seafront • Extensive regeneration projects within the town as part of the VVP programme, including most recently the transformation of Riverside Walk and Park • Afan Valley Trails have just re-opened

is that it’s a seaside town – with all the potential that offers. The new £13.4 million Aberavon Leisure and Fitness Centre – a replacement for the town’s well-loved Afan Lido, which burned down in 2009 – has kick-started a wave of regeneration along the seafront.

Recent commercial investments include Cinnamon Kitchen, Gelato Gatti and Remo’s Ice Cream Parlour and Restaurant, where visitors can sit and enjoy, while the waves lap (or crash, depending on the weather), right up to the window.

The old ‘Lido’ site, famous for being the spot where thousands learnt to swim, including some of the town’s most famous exports such as Michael Sheen, is currently on the market for potential development.

Always popular with local people, now NPT council are hoping the seafront will have a wider appeal, and become a tourist destination for visitors from across the UK. Much of the town’s regeneration has been achieved via the Welsh Government’s Vibrant and Viable Places programme, with over £10 million invested in schemes in the region. The focus so far has been predominantly on the seafront and the town’s industrial areas, but eventually attention will turn to the town centre itself.

There’s no bid to rebrand an area that is clearly an industrial town; Port Talbot is not the Gower peninsula. But it does have a beautiful coastline and investment is making it more attractive and accessible to visitors. The northern borders of the county are fringed by the Brecon Beacon national park, and the Afan Valley Park is famous for its mountain biking and hiking trails.

Jonathan Hale, managing director at Hale Homes, which has sited one of its new developments near the Aberavon seafront, believes that tourism may hold part of the key to the town’s successful economic future.

“The closure of Tata would undoubtedly be of huge detriment to Port Talbot and would impact hugely on the local communities, which is where government support would be welcomed,” he said.

“The steelworks form a huge part of the history of Port Talbot, but if they are to close, projects like Tidal Lagoon and the regeneration of Aberavon seafront go some way to providing some hope for the future.

“New job opportunities may become available for the area’s workforce within businesses like ours which set out to help local communities and employ young local craftsmen through initiatives such as our comprehensive apprenticeship schemes.

“The exciting regeneration of Aberavon

seafront is coming on apace and our Bay View development there has become very popular. As a local house builder, investment in the South West Wales area has always been important to us and we are as keen as the people of Aberavon to build on all that the area has to offer.”

Leigh Acteson, manager of Glyncorrwg Ponds Visitor Centre, says the area needs to capitalise on what it does have – its beautiful scenery.

“The days of heavy industry have long gone from the valleys and we have to make the most of what we do have,” said Acteson, whose father worked at Tata for 50 years.

“At the moment in Glyncorrwg, we are just starting to pick up again – fungal disease in the Larch meant the trails had to be shut, which affected the whole of the Afan Valley. Now people are discovering the Afan Valley again, and we’ve seen a slight increase in visitor numbers.”

But Acteson said that recent cutbacks – especially to European funding – have hit them hard.

“We need as much support as possible to develop what we have, so that we can grow and employ more people,” he said.

The Glyncorrwyg Centre has several projects in development including a hydropowered vehicular railway.

“We are hoping to develop a vehicular railway to get bikes and walkers up the mountain, and we are working with the Forestry Commission, NPT Council and Vattenfall wind power on this project,” he said.

Further afield, but still within the official boundaries of Port Talbot, the new £450 million Bay Campus – part of Swansea University – is carving out a name for itself as a world-leading research centre.

Port Talbot is a steel town, yes, but it’s so much more than that, and it’s definitely open for business. swanseabaybusiness.com 55

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Neath Port Talbot

Expert opinion

NEWS ROUND-UP...

with Dave Kieft, president of the Electrical Contractors’ Association

Pictured with council leader Ali Thomas (centre) is Colin Kavanagh, left, and Ian Hoppé of Braithwaite Engineers

Jobs coming to town as company opens fabrication site...

A South Wales company is investing in steel fabrication in Port Talbot creating new jobs for skilled people living in the area.

Newport-based Braithwaite Engineers will be establishing a structural steelwork fabrication facility at a site in Baglan.

Managing director Ian Hoppé said: “We are looking to the future and investing in Port Talbot.

“We have taken on exceedingly experienced management and a core team of six highly skilled fabricators and welders and will build on this over the next few months.

“The jobs created have all been taken up by people local to the area

and we expect to increase the number of fabricators and welders to 20 with additional management support staff.”

He added the 25,000 sq ft factory, three and half acre secure yard and crane capacity to single lift 30 tonne units gave the company a workshop with “exceptional versatility”.

The development has been welcomed

by Neath Port Talbot Council leader, Ali Thomas.

“The firm has already created skilled and well-paid jobs and there will be more to follow,” he said.

“It demonstrates that Neath Port Talbot is the place to do business, with a skilled and adaptable workforce available. We wish the company well for the future.”

Firm helps fight rise in property arson...

A Neath-based firm is leading the way in the battle to tackle the rise in arson at commercial premises.

The Safety Letterbox Company reports soaring demand for one of its specialist products.

First developed in 2007, the Flaplock is an internal lockable letterplate that can be fitted onto the back of a letterbox within minutes, protecting companies from arson attempts.

Recent statistics from the Fire and Rescue Service reveal that there are more than 3,000 arson attacks on businesses every year in the UK. A high number of these were carried out through the letterboxes of premises – the weak point of any building.

Safety Letterbox managing director, Alison Orrells.

Alison Orrells, managing director of The Safety Letterbox Company, said: “We are seeing a rapid increase in sales of this product as the business community react to some quite high profile fires in the media that have been started by arson and also as the culmination of several bad years for this during the recession.”

Energy and investment in Wales...

With the fate of Tata Steel’s UK operations still hanging in the balance, it is critical that the devastating impact that closure would have on the economy in South Wales - and further afield - is fully understood.

The loss of Tata would clearly be a massive blow to South Wales in particular, and it would be felt for years to come. It is not only about the possible loss of direct jobs, but of wider consumer spending in local communities, which would affect yet more families and businesses. The implications for the supply chain could also be highly damaging, resulting in many local businesses struggling simply to survive.

When it comes to large scale projects critical to the economy and infrastructure of the country, it is imperative that government and the private sector work together to find optimal and sustainable solutions, which provide jobs and viable communities.

This is true of the proposed Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon. Close collaboration between government (both in Cardiff and Westminster) and the private sector is needed to get these large, complex and financially significant projects off the ground. The economy needs energy capacity and energy security, and projects such as the tidal lagoon would go a long way towards delivering this. In theory, such a project could also help Tata, itself a huge user of electrical energy.

The situation at Tata is just part of a much broader issue. That is the vital need for government and industry to work together to ensure that investment flows into Wales and the local economy is able to grow and sustain engineering jobs. By bringing large-scale energy projects to fruition in Wales, the region can attract other inward investment, create jobs and showcase the innovation and skillset Wales has to offer.

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advertising feature

Protection from Competitors – Unfair Advertising Businesses can be understandably aggrieved if a competitor puts forward unfair and misleading advertising to other traders about its products or services which might give it a competitive advantage in the market place.

Those affected are, however, protected by the Business Protection from Misleading Marketing Regulations 2008 which addresses this issue.

The Regulations make misleading advertising criminal offences for which the offending company can be prosecuted by Trading Standards.

The first question is whether the advertisement addresses traders or individuals. If the advertisement addresses traders, the Regulations apply.

Then, the advert needs to be “deceptive” or “likely to deceive in any way”.

Personal liability However, the story does not end there. If the advertising company is a corporate body (rather than a sole trader or partnership) its company directors, company secretary and similar office holders may also be liable to prosecution personally if the offence was committed with his or her consent. If the advertising was authorised at such a level, this would probably be easy to prove.

An example We have recently acted for an internationally renowned engineering company which is one of the market leaders in the specialist products that it provides to the construction industry.

A competitor recently began writing to our client’s commercial customers suggesting that it was the leading manufacturer of products which were engineered to be the ‘safest on the market’. This is statement was demonstrably untrue.

Having satisfied ourselves that the advertising was deceptive or likely to deceive traders, the next question which we had to ask was whether this advertisement was likely to affect the trader’s economic behaviour or was likely to injure the advertiser’s competitors (i.e. our client). Because safety is likely to be a very important factor in a business’ choice of product, we considered that it was likely to affect the recipient’s decision to purchase products from the advertiser.

On the basis that the test was met, we were satisfied that a breach of Regulation 6 had occurred which meant that the our client’s competitor advertiser had committed a criminal offence.

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Defences There are however, two statutory defences to the allegations. Firstly where the advertiser can argue that it has used all the due diligence and taken all reasonable precautions to avoid committing the offence. So, if, for example, the advertiser had contacted its local Trading Standards office to seek clearance for its proposed advertisement (and obtained it in error) then that may be seen as sufficient.

However, if it had acted in a reckless manner with no regard to the truth or accuracy of the statement, no such defence would be available.

The second statutory defence applies only to publishers who publish the advertisement rather than create the advertisement for its own benefit.

Enforcement The position for aggrieved parties is, however, not ideal because those businesses ,such as our client, do not have the right to issue civil proceedings for damages or an injunction. This is because the Regulations are only enforceable by means of a criminal prosecution and whilst it is theoretically possible for a competitor to bring a private prosecution, these are very few and far between.

Nevertheless, the lesson to learn is that advertisers should be careful before making misleading statements about the nature and quality of their products to avoid committing offences which can be punishable by both a financial penalty and imprisonment.

For aggrieved businesses, they need to be aware that such matters can be reported to Trading Standards with a request that the advertiser is investigated and considered for prosecution.

Simon Thomas is a Partner with Hutchinson Thomas Solicitors and advises on employment and regulatory law matters.

Hutchinson Thomas Pendrill Court, 119 London Road, Neath, SA11 1LF Tel: 01639 645061 Fax: 01639 646792 www.hutchinsonthomas.com

5/30/2016 3:05:28 PM

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5/31/2016 10:05:55 AM

Finance Riding a new path

Looking back on the triumphs of Wheelies bicycle group after ÂŁ18.4 million deal...

Finance is sponsored by

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RIDING A NEW PATH Wheelies.indd 1

Business Life looks back at the success of the South West Wales-based Wheelies bicycle group after Halfords snapped up its brands Tredz and Wheelies Direct for £18.4 million

Two brothers are set to share around £14 million after Halfords boosted its bike offering by acquiring Swansea-based Tredz and Wheelies Direct.

Tredz and Wheelies Direct employ about 250 people and have been sold by founders Keith and Michael Jones.

Other directors are also set to benefit from the sale and the figure may be increased depending on the financial performance of Tredz to the year ending February 2017.

The businesses will continue to trade on a standalone basis and be led by Keith Jones and the existing management teams.

Jones, group managing director of Tredz and Wheelies, said it had been a journey since starting out as a shop in Uplands almost three decades ago.

“We are very proud of the businesses that we’ve grown from a small shop twenty seven years ago into a strong operator in the premium cycling market, with a team of over 250 people,” he said. “However, the time has come for us to work with a partner on the next phase of growth.

“Halfords is exactly what we were looking for. With the support and resources of a large group, we look forward to building upon what we have achieved so far to drive long-term growth.”

Jill McDonald, Halfords chief executive, said the future of the cycling market looked positive.

“We are delighted with this acquisition, which we believe is a strong and complementary addition to the group, extending our presence in the online market for premium bikes, parts, accessories and clothing,” she said.

“We continue to believe in the longterm growth potential of the cycling market. Keith and his management team have done a fantastic job of building a successful online retail operation and we look forward to working with them to develop and grow the businesses further.”

Balancing bike sales with both cycle to work scheme and insurance services was always going to be no mean feat but the Wheelies group has done just that in record-breaking style.

The group, which includes cycle retailers Tredz, Wheelies Direct and the B2B Cycle to Work provider, Cycle Solutions, saw a combined 23 per cent increase in sales to achieve a record turnover of £31 million in the year to the end of February 2015 with an 11 per cent pre-tax growth to £2.3 million.

The business has also attracted people back to South West Wales from places including London, Bristol and Cardiff.

It is now one of the UK’s largest independent cycling retail groups and not only that, but a member of the class of 2015 of Fast Track 25, the invitationonly club of Swansea Bay Business Life, sponsored by Santander and Bevan & Buckland.

Wheelies Direct Cycle Solutions director, Steve Edgell

5/31/2016 11:41:34 AM

Riding a new path

The group’s four companies Wheelies Direct, Cycle Solutions, Tredz and Wheelies.co.uk, offer bicycles and accessories to cyclists in a variety of ways.

Online sales grew from £12.7 million to £21 million over 12 months to December last year and mail order figures grew 65 per cent over the same period. Its online product portfolio has increased by 25 per cent.

Jones said: “That’s what we’re passionate about and we think the future for us is online. Our e-commerce market growth was 16 per cent in 2015 and we are now seeing growth of 65 per cent.”

Jones and his brother Mike are directors and the original founders of the group.

Also driving the business forwards have been Tredz director Nick Fluck, Cycle Solutions director Steve Edgell and finance director Jeremy Morris.

A total of 151 staff are employed at Wheelies Direct, 70 at Tredz and 24 at Cycle Solutions.

The group’s retail division has four stores in South Wales including two in Llansamlet (a Tredz & Giant branded store and an online e-commerce retail offer), Cross Hands and Cardiff.

The company aims to continue the growth of its e-commerce platforms

over the next five years and beyond by generating more sales, improving customer service and user experience.

It also plans to expand its bricks and mortar sites at a restricted rate in specially selected locations in an attempt to deliver the required sales and profitability in line with that generated from e-commerce.

The group has put £1.5 million into new premises in order to fulfil orders being generated across its sales channels and also hold the widest range of cycle brand stock.

It has invested in human resources across the group, particularly in IT with 30 staff working in areas including software development, web design and e-commerce.

Jones added: “Growth in e-commerce has exceeded estimations and we have had to be flexible in our investment in facilities in order to deal with increased demand. Growth in other areas has been in line with expectations.

“The growth of the e-commerce divisions has driven growth in our technical and IT division which has grown from seven to 30 in a very short space of time. We continue to grow this area as business to thrive.

“We have also developed the warehouse

Finance

WE ARE VERY PROUD OF THE BUSINESSES THAT WE’VE GROWN FROM A SMALL SHOP TWENTY SEVEN YEARS AGO INTO A STRONG OPERATOR IN THE PREMIUM CYCLING MARKET. and distribution side with investment in our bike technicians who are all qualified to Cytech standard, which we are very proud of.”

One thing is for sure, the Wheelies brand, which sells mountain bikes, road bikes and cycle clothing, evolved significantly since its humble beginnings as a cycle shop in 1989.

Steve Edgell, managing director at Cycle Solutions, Keith Jones, group managing director and Nick Fluck, director at Tredz

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see beyond the numbers To find out how our accounting, tax and business advice can strengthen your business or startup, visit www.morganhemp.co.uk, call 01792 466428

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5/30/2016 3:06:36 PM

Keith Brooks

Finance

Pump funds into major artery Former TBI chief executive Keith Brooks talks to BUSINESS LIFE about why the region must have better transport links...

Transport and better infrastructure for Wales is absolutely crucial, according to the non-executive chairman of a South West Wales-based electronics giant.

Keith Brooks, who has recently been appointed the position on the board of Swansea-based Trojan, believes investment is needed now.

He said:“The M4 relief road is desperately needed – the M4 is the major artery into Wales, and businesses in London regard it as an impediment.”

Brooks was chief executive of UK airports operator TBI, and during his 11 years with the FTSE250 company, he oversaw its growth from a value of £40 million to £800 million at the point it was sold to a Spanish state-owned airports group.

Sadly, the change in ownership marked a downwards spiral for Cardiff

airport. It was eventually rescued via an unprecedented £52 million bail-out bid from Welsh government.

“It was a political decision,” said Brooks, who refuses to be drawn on the shoulds and shouldn’ts of state-sponsored subsidy of the private sector, but wryly points out that the airport currently has half the number of passengers than it did when TBI was running the show.

Being operated remotely by a Spanish company, Cardiff was already languishing when it was hit by the withdrawal of flights by budget airline bmibaby in 2011, which further heightened the problem of falling passenger numbers.

“Welsh government spent £52 million in 2013 and since then a similar amount has been invested into subsidising losses, capital, marketing and subsidising airlines such as Flybe,” Brooks said.

Keith Brooks

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advertising feature

Retirement options a year on It is now just over 12-months since pensions rules changed radically and allowed much greater freedom to those aged 55 and over, in how they can access and spend their savings from pensions in retirement.

The changes and the publicity that was spawned generally made those affected think very differently about the place of pensions in their savings portfolio.

Previously, the word pensions prompted a response of suspicion and caution as pensions were seen as arrangements that locked money into expensive, poor performing investments that had to be used at retirement to purchase an “annuity”.

Annuities were viewed as poor value for money as the overarching expectation, though not at all fair, was that in the event of death in early retirement, the cost of the annuity would be lost and the pension fund would be wasted.

The new debate around “pension reform” allows people to take a fresh view of pensions without “annuity” fear. The ability to draw all pension funds during retirement without needing to resort to an annuity, has allowed investors to see that a pension is simply a very tax efficient investment.

The debate around pension freedoms seems to have made people think about saving for retirement. However, many people significantly underestimate how long they will live. Recent Office of National Statistics (ONS) reports confirm that for both genders, life expectancy is increasing steadily. As an example, a female retiring at age 65 may currently be looking at an average life expectancy to age 86. The provision of a sustainable lifetime income, which increases annually to combat the effects of inflation is an expensive thing, even to cover life’s essentials.

Being realistic about essential and discretionary expenditure over time and comparing with the (after tax) sustainable income streams (state/ defined benefit pensions) will provide a good indication of the shortfall.

It is important for the planning process to provide a clear understanding of the savings required. Clearly, these savings don’t need to be in a pension plan. Quite the opposite, when retiring, a lifetime’s savings will also be used to provide the income needed to sustain a comfortable retirement from whatever source available. The point about pensions is that the generous tax reliefs available make it much easier to save.

Pension freedoms have also led to the development of “scams” trying to part investors with their hard-earned funds. The best advice I can give is; if anything appears too good to be true, it probably is. Life rarely delivers something for nothing, so do your homework and take advice from a reputable firm of financial advisers. A recommendation by friends who have experience of advice can be a good starting point.

What pension freedoms have done is made people aware that funds are available for drawing from age 55. This is understandably a temptation, but it is easy to see a big sum of money and underestimate future needs. The result is that people embark on gifts to children, spending on holidays and home improvements etc. resulting in financial difficulty in the future.

In summary, investment in pensions and the pension freedoms have gone a long way to ensure that people understand the benefits of investing in pensions. However when it comes to retiring, people find it difficult to understand the extent of the cost of retiring, the damaging future effects of inflation and the extent of the funds that are needed to fund a sustainable lifetime income through the right retirement options.

Whilst we have certainly not seen the parade of Lamborghinis that was talked of, which is a good thing, we are not out of the woods yet and people would benefit from taking advice in order to assess the sustainability of their plans before embarking on large capital outlays.

Help is at hand and the best advice would be to avoid DIY and seek advice.

For more information or advice on any of the above, please contact Broomfield & Alexander Wealth Management on 0800 156 0769 or by email, info@broomfieldwm.co.uk

Contact Austin Broad | Technical Director, Broomfield & Alexander | Wealth Management

Tel: 01792 790444 mail: info@broomfield.co.uk | www.broomfield.co.uk @BroomfieldWales

©LW

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5/30/2016 3:07:05 PM

Keith Brooks

Finance

THE M4 RELIEF ROAD IS DESPERATELY NEEDED – THE M4 IS THE MAJOR ARTERY INTO WALES, AND BUSINESSES IN LONDON REGARD IT AS AN IMPEDIMENT. “Yet it has roughly the same number of passengers as it had 20 years ago.”

Although a self-confessed fan of privatisation, Brooks believes the rail system is too fragmented to work well as a privatised model.

“I applaud the bid to electrify the metro system in Cardiff, especially if it results in better transport links to the valleys.”

He is less enthusiastic about the much-delayed electrification of the line to Paddington, which will shave an estimated 20 minutes from the Swanseato-London journey.

“I’m disappointed that the time shaved off is not as much as it might have been,” he said.

Brooks in his Trojan role brings a vast wealth of experience to the table – in addition to his role with TBI, he was director of the Principality Building Society for seven years, and was also chair of Cardiff-based Vista Retail Support for eight years, during which he oversaw a £12.3 million management buyout.

A former PWC corporate finance partner, Brooks’ impressive nonexecutive portfolio includes roles on Vans Direct, Wales Tourism Panel and Visit Britain.

Impressed by Brooks’ track record at Vista Retail Support, Finance Wales recommended him to Trojan as a nonexecutive chair. The Welsh governmentbacked investment organisation operates something like a dating agency bringing non-executive directors and organisations together.

Brooks is looking forward to the role with characteristic tenacity.

“I’m thrilled to become part of Trojan’s board as chairman and look forward to working with the company,” he said.

“Trojan is an impressive enterprise with massive potential. Working with the board, I hope to implement further strategic developments for Trojan in terms of moving the business forward with a strong united front and forming a robust financial framework to reach business targets.”

The serial business mentor said he is encouraged by the regeneration work of

the Swansea Bay City Region.

“South Wales needs to have several prosperous cities, successful ‘hub’ cities are the key to the most prosperous economies,” he said.

“I’m very supportive of any initiative that recognises this.”

Brooks also explains that he has always believed in a collegiate approach to business. “Everyone deserves respect and can make a contribution – everyone should have a voice,” he said.

“Very often it’s the people on the shop floor who know how to make improvements to the business.”

When he was younger, Brooks admired Tony O’Reilly, “he was good looking, he was the local Ben Hur, great rugby player, great raconteur, and he married the second richest lady in the world,” he said, although he points out that things did go a little pear-shaped eventually.

These days, he is more likely to plump for emotional intelligence as the number one quality to be admired – he believes it to be the most important trait that a good leader should have.

“Empathy, listening, understanding – you need someone who can judge a situation, a person, an atmosphere. You can never underestimate the importance and strength of really good emotional intelligence,” he said.

When he’s not in Wales, Brooks says he misses the Welsh landscape – especially the coastline, Welsh humour and Welsh beer.

Clive Murphy, managing director of Trojan, says he is delighted with the appointment.

EMPATHY, LISTENING, UNDERSTANDING – YOU NEED SOMEONE WHO CAN JUDGE A SITUATION, A PERSON, AN ATMOSPHERE. YOU CAN NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPORTANCE AND STRENGTH OF REALLY GOOD EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE “Keith forms part of a wider process of strengthening Trojan’s leadership team that has been under process for the last twelve months,” he said.

“Keith has an impressive background in steering businesses to significant growth and this ability truly aligns him to Trojan’s own vision. His experience in leadership, strategy and team building make him ideally suited for this important position at Trojan.” swanseabaybusiness.com 65

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5/30/2016 3:08:05 PM

Swansea Building Society

Finance

Solid year for Swansea Building Society as new office makes bright start Building society sees rise in annual income but profits fall slightly due to investment...

Swansea Building Society enjoyed a solid increase in its annual income and overall capital in 2015 although a substantial investment in launching a new office last year meant its pre-tax profits dipped slightly.

The building society’s annual income was £5.4 million in 2015, a 6 per cent increase on its income of £5.1 million a year earlier. Boosted by retained profits, its total capital also increased to £15.7 million last year, an increase of 14.6 percent compared with the £13.7 million it made in 2014.

The society made an operating profit of £2.73 million in 2015, a small decrease on the £2.89 million it made in 2014. This translated into a pre-tax profit of £2.5 million compared with £2.7 million a year earlier.

Its fall in profits was due to an investment of almost £300,000, which it made opening an office in Carmarthen as well as in recruiting additional staff in its existing operations in Swansea and Mumbles.

The office, which opened in October last year, has made a positive contribution to the business so far. As of December 31, 2015, it had taken in £4.3 million of savings from 220 new customers for the society and loaned 22 borrowers some £2 million in the form of residential mortgages.

The building society’s gross lending fell slightly last year to £31.2 million compared with £37.5 million a year earlier. The size of its total loan book increased to £170 million in 2015 compared with £160 million in 2014. The society’s total assets also grew on the back of this to £231.1 million compared with £227.4 million in 2014.

The society’s new lending last year comprised regulated residential mortgages only and was achieved within its targeted loan-to-value ratios. The total mortgage arrears attributable to the book amounted to just £41,000, a tiny fraction of its outstanding mortgage balances and a decrease of £10,000 compared with 2014.

Alun Williams, chief executive officer of Swansea Building Society, said he was pleased with the results and the extent

to which its investment in setting up a new office was already starting to yield results. But he also warned that some aspects of government policy that applies to building societies continued to make life difficult for niche players that did not use the wholesale money markets.

“The board is delighted that the society has delivered another excellent financial performance in 2015 while also making a substantial investment in opening a third office, extending our reach and diversifying our customer base in the process,” he said. “The Carmarthen office has got off to a flying start, complementing the very solid performance in our other offices where we have also invested heavily in training and hiring additional staff.

“The new branch in Carmarthen will become our regional hub from which we will target customers in Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire. The branch has already performed well ahead of expectations and we anticipate that it will make a very positive contribution to the performance of the society in the coming years.

“On the back of this, we are in a very confident mood. We have come through the challenges of the mortgage market review and the recovery of the housing market has boosted demand for mortgages. The outlook for the market is now forecast to be solid. The impact of the mortgage market review has been to tighten mortgage lending creating opportunities for smaller, more flexible lenders who can take a more personal view of a borrower’s circumstances, something we are very good at.

“That said, some challenges remain. Our contributions to the financial services compensation scheme continue to weigh heavily on the society as the costs associated with us taking money from retail depositors are proportionately more than the levies born by banks which use the wholesale money markets.”

Williams added the society had also benefitted from stimulus in the form of the funding for lending scheme, which had served to depress both the retail and wholesale borrowing costs of the banking and building society sectors. But he said while the resultant low interest

Swansea Building Society chief executive Alun Williams

rate environment benefits borrowers, savers lose out and Swansea Building Society must carefully manage inflows of funds in such an environment.

“On occasions in 2013 and 2014, we found ourselves at the top of the best buy tables for our saving products, which meant we attracted unprecedented levels of savers funds,” Williams said.

“This could not have been allowed to continue as it would have had a negative impact on our capital position. As such, we reduced our savings rates in 2014.

With the funding for lending scheme now extended for another two years, we anticipate savings interest rates will remain at historically low levels.”

THE NEW BRANCH IN CARMARTHEN WILL BECOME OUR REGIONAL HUB FROM WHICH WE WILL TARGET CUSTOMERS IN CEREDIGION AND PEMBROKESHIRE. swanseabaybusiness.com 67

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5/31/2016 10:39:43 AM

Finance

Lending figures to businesses rise...

A bank with four branches across South Wales has revealed lending figures to businesses rose to more than £10.5 billion cent for the first three months of this year.

Handelsbanken, which has branches in Swansea, Cardiff, Bridgend and Newport, announced the amount it lent rose to £10.57 billion, a nine per cent increase on the same period in 2015.

Meanwhile, lending to households (largely mortgages) rose by 17 per cent to £5.29 billion over the same period.

Steve Smith, branch manager at Handelsbanken Swansea, said: “We believe in traditional local relationship banking, where each branch knows their local community and works with

customers to find the best outcome based on their individual financial requirements.

“It’s a customer led, decentralised way of banking, with branches having the power to take the decisions that count, for example on borrowing and pricing – and we also provide full internet banking and mobile apps.

“Above all, we believe in the importance of long term relationships with our customers and the communities we serve.”

The bank has a combined relationship management team of 21 servicing both the corporate and individual banking markets across South Wales.

IT’S A CUSTOMER LED, DECENTRALISED WAY OF BANKING, WITH BRANCHES HAVING THE POWER TO TAKE THE DECISIONS THAT COUNT.

Wales-based FX company saves businesses £500,000...

A financial services company launched two years ago with a £400,000 grant from the Wales Economic Growth Fund has more than repaid the support it received having processed more than £50 million in transactions since its launch, saving Welsh companies £500,000 and creating 18 jobs.

OSTC FX, the only foreign exchange company based in Wales, has helped more than 100 Welsh companies better manage their foreign exchange risk, saving each business thousands.

Swansea City FC, The Ospreys and Gower Chemicals are regular users of OSTC FX’s services, and the firm has also teamed up with the University of Wales Trinity Saint David to create an online training course.

OSTC FX is a Gold Partner with the Accelerated Growth Programme, a project supported by the Welsh Government. Other partners include Capital Law, KPMG, Seedrs and Santander.

Prior to the set-up of OSTC FX, Welsh businesses would either have to use banks to exchange money or be forced to call around London-based brokers to seek a deal.

Edwina Hart AM, Minister for the Economy, Science and Transport, said: “Not only have they successfully expanded their own operations but the service they provide is also helping other Welsh businesses to become more efficient.”

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Your LOCAL Financial Team As one of the largest accountancy practices with 6 offices across Swansea, Cardiff, Haverfordwest, Pembroke, Carmarthen and St Davids and a track record spanning more than 100 years, you can be sure that Bevan & Buckland are your local financial team who have your best interests at heart.

Every client is unique and deserves a unique service.

Our philosophy is to put our clients first - to understand their situation and provide a first class service tailored to their specific needs.

Because we establish a one-to-one relationship with each client we are able to offer timely, individual advice on how to improve your business or personal finances.

Bevan & Buckland have also developed a new range of services to meet the needs of modern businesses, including a comprehensive business advisory service.

“They specialize in my area and understand my sector.”

Our Services: • Accounts • Tax compliance • Audit • Tax planning • Debt management • Insolvency • Financial planning • Corporate finance • Payroll • VAT advice and returns • Tax Investigations • Business start-up • Business Growth

Our Sectors: • Manufacturing • Property & Construction • Tourism & Leisure • Agricultural sector • Creative industries • Professional services • ICT sector • Life sciences • Green & Environmental • Charities • Housing associates

CONTACT YOUR LOCAL ACCOUNTANCY www.bevanbuckland.co.uk • mail@bevanbuckland.co.uk Swansea Office 01792 410100

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Pembroke Office 01646 682380

Carmarthen Office 01267 233115

Haverfordwest Office 01437 760666

St David’s Office 01437 720352

Cardiff Office 02920 459960

5/31/2016 10:17:44 AM

DEAL IN FOCUS

Trojan welcomes six figure investment to boost growth plans Trojan, the award-winning Swansea-based electronics services provider, plans to double its annual turnover within the next three years with the backing of an equity investment from Finance Wales.

Trojan will use the six-figure investment to scale-up its operations for growth from its purpose-built 180,000 sq. ft. facility in Swansea’s Kings Dock, where it currently employs 150 staff.

The investment will assist the company with the expansion of its contract electronic manufacturing (CEM) department, increased capacity, more capability with investment in new equipment, versatility around complete product build, worldwide B2B or B2C distribution and enhancement of its data destruction unit.

Trojan is now Europe’s largest services group providing multichannel retail sales and fulfilment, CEM, and asset recovery through refurbishment and recoup.

Clive Murphy, managing director of Trojan, said: “Since moving to our new Kings Dock facility we’ve been able to further develop our services by utilising our increased capacity and developing our bespoke warehouse management and reporting software, which is like nothing else on the market. With Finance Wales’ latest investment we’ll be able to accelerate this development, boosting our growth and allowing us to maintain our high quality service to both existing and new customers.”

“We originally set up Trojan with a loan from Finance Wales 14 years ago, and they’ve been a valued supporter of us ever since, investing in us again last year to help us make the move to Kings Dock. They’re

LEANNA DAVIES 07789 371 370 leanna.davies@ financewales.co.uk www.financewales.co.uk

JOHN EVANS 01792 465 155 john.evans@ geraldthomas.co.uk www.geraldthomas.co.uk

RICHARD JONES 029 2068 6248 richard.jones@ blakemorgan.co.uk www.blakemorgan.co.uk

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experienced investors, with excellent contacts, and introduced us to our new chairman, Keith Brooks, who has significantly strengthened our board.”

Trojan currently processes over 600,000 items annually for many large FMCG retailers, SMEs and manufacturers. The company also offers UK based CEM services and through its online activities, facilitates the sale of tens of millions of pounds worth of products each year.

Leanna Davies, investment executive at Finance Wales, said: “Trojan is an established business that’s adapted to changing market conditions to become the market leader and important local employer it is today. The company has a strong, innovative business model with significant future potential.

“We’ve come up with a bespoke equity package that will now enable Clive and his team to ramp up Trojan’s operations and unlock new market opportunities without impacting their cash flow.”

Growth funding partner Having supported Trojan with loan funding in the past we’re delighted to provide a tailored equity investment to scale-up operations and unlock new opportunities without impacting the business’ cash flow.

Financial Due Diligence Advisers To Finance Wales Gerald Thomas were delighted to help Finance Wales in assessing the deal by preparing a report on Trojan. Our experienced team produced a comprehensive report within a tight timescale.

Legal Advisers Acting as legal advisers to Finance Wales.

Richard Jones led the transaction and was supported by the corporate, banking and employment teams who ensured that the investment concluded within agreed timescales.

5/30/2016 3:09:46 PM

Finance

Expert opinion with Ian Price, assistant director of CBI Wales

NEWS ROUND-UP...

College wins public vote for share of fund...

Manufacturing growth...

Recently the CBI’s director-general Carolyn Fairbairn called for Wales to champion the growth of the manufacturing sector. And South West Wales, which is celebrated for being a hub for successful manufacturers, can play a big part.

The CBI will be asking the new Welsh Government to give it support for a modern industrial strategy that prioritises skills, management of energy costs, and research and development investment.

The CBI’s definition of an industrial strategy is one built from plans for each manufacturing sector. Each should address issues such as whether the sector is strategic for Wales, and whether Wales has a competitive advantage, together with a list of actions that government and business could take together to make it more competitive.

In today’s knowledge economy, the line between ‘manufacturing’ and ‘services’ is blurring. For example, in the creative industries the making of a television programme is categorised as a service.

Yet it is filmed, edited and made – and exported – with many characteristics of a physical product.

In the years to come, as digital technologies increasingly define what we make and do, we will see more creative and technology companies doing things which could be classed as ‘manufacturing’.

Yet fewer than half of manufacturers believe that adopting digital technologies would boost job creation. Without vision, our firms risk dropping behind in the digital revolution.

This is why the CBI will be asking the new Welsh Government to join us in exploring opportunities for digitisation and robotics to transform our businesses and our economy.

Gower College Swansea has won a share of NatWest’s £2.5million skills and opportunities fund.

Following a public vote, the college will pick up £35,000 from the fund, which supports organisations in disadvantaged communities that help people develop, create, or access the skills and opportunities they need to get into work or start a business.

Sue Poole, enterprise manager at Gower College Swansea and CEO of the recently incorporated community interest company Centre 4 Entrepreneurial Education, said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive this funding from Natwest. With this very generous donation, we can expand our work with young people from across South West Wales, helping them to unlock their potential and achieve

successful futures.”

Charities, not-for-profit organisations and state-funded schools and colleges can apply for up to £35,000 each for a specific project from the fund, which will distribute grants totalling £2.5 million this year and is expected to help more than 25,000 people.

Oliver Watts, chairman of NatWest’s South West and Wales Regional Board, said: “It was a challenging decision because of the standard of entries we received. But the panel felt that all of the organisations would make a massive impact in their local communities.

“Our congratulations and best wishes go to Gower College.”

More than 900 organisations from across the UK and Ireland applied to this year’s fund before a total of 90 were chosen to enter the public vote.

Massage treatment brings relief to busy staff...

With research showing 44 per cent of work-related ill-health stems from musculoskeletal disorders, a UK-wide provider of commercial vehicles has brought in a massage therapist for staff to help them reduce their stress levels and untie those niggling knots in their backs.

More than 15 million working days were lost in 2015 due to back pain, which costs the UK over £14 billion a year.

Low Cost Vans, based in South Wales, is making sure that its staff are at a lower risk of being part of the 80 per cent of the UK who will suffer from back pain and problems at some point in their lives.

The company has already shown a keen interest in the health and wellbeing of its staff since its inception in 1997 and as a result, boasts a low turnover of staff.

Low Cost Vans offers staff two duvet mornings a year, which means provided they have no prior commitments that requires them to be in the office, they can call in and take a morning off without notice. It also gives staff who have been with the company 10 years a fully paid five week sabbatical to take whenever they wish.

Rod Lloyd, managing director of Low Cost Vans, said: “At Low Cost Vans we pride ourselves on how we look after our staff and bringing in the massage therapist is another way we can help them be healthy and happy employees.

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5/31/2016 10:43:11 AM

Finance

Industry Insight With Paul Shuttleworth

Director and head of employment at JCP Solicitors

Domiciliary care provider owners urged to seek advice to avoid minimum wage disputes...

Paul Shuttleworth, director and head of employment at JCP Solicitors, is warning domiciliary care providers they could face bills amounting to many thousands over non-payment of the national minimum wage after one South Wales care home firm just settled out of court to a former employee to the tune of £1,250.

However, the care home company in question could yet face a bill for hundreds of thousands of pounds in the event of a group action lawsuit from other staff and former employees.

Paul says this most recent case is likely to be one of many, and he himself is acting for a number of care providers who say their livelihood is under threat, because recent rulings pertaining to the minimum wage could see them face costly claims.

He said: “The case which has been in the press, regarding MiHomecare, illustrates many of the issues being faced by care home owners in Wales and England at the moment.

their ability to tender for Local Authority work, which is often care providers’ bread and butter, because their costs will greatly increase.”

“It is commonplace for care staff wages to cover the time they spend once they arrive at a client’s home, so their travel expenses aren’t included in their wages – or they aren’t paid at the same minimum wage rate.

“It is also very common in the care industry for domiciliary carers to be paid a flat rate for overnight stays in a client’s home – and for periods when they are asleep.

“This raises a number of issues regarding whether a carer is in fact “working” while they are asleep and as such whether they should be being paid the national minimum wage for this sleeping time.

Very recently I have advised a number domiciliary care businesses in Wales on these issues.

“Those businesses are employers with a large number of employees, ranging from 400 to 700, so the implications for them if they were facing multiple claims or joint claims for unpaid employment are very serious.

“Any potential claims would also have a grave effect upon

According to the most recent figures from the United Kingdom Care Home Association, there are 449 registered premises in Wales where clients receive domiciliary care.

And during March 2014, 25,794 adults received state funded domiciliary care services in Wales. The UKHCA estimates that 42,300 adults receive state funded domiciliary care services in Wales annually.

Paul says there are a number of strategies business can put in place to safeguard themselves against costly claims.

“I would urge anyone who owns a care home to seek professional legal advice on matters pertaining to the minimum wage,” he said.

“HM Revenue and Customs, which is responsible for enforcing the minimum wage, has already said they are investigating more than 100 of the biggest social care providers in relation to payment of the minimum wage.

“Cases like the MiHomecare one are, I would say, the tip of the iceberg and there are a number of other cases going through the European Courts at the moment which will see the situation evolve and develop further.”

Paul has extensive experience in all areas of contentious and advisory employment law having acted for major PLC clients, as well as national and international business concerns.

For specialist legal advice contact Paul on: 01792 529 636 or email him at: paul.shuttleworth@jcpsolicitors.co.uk

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Workforce Positioned for growth

Precision engineering firm aims to become major employer once again...

Workforce is sponsored by

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Positioned for growth The managing director of Fast Track 25 member Teddington Engineered Solutions wants to put the company on the map as a large employer in South West Wales.

He describes how, since a 2014 buyout of his partners, he has been investing in anticipation of growth...

The boss of Llanelli-based Teddington Engineered Solutions has said his ambition is to make the company a major employer in the region again and a company of significance – an achievement befitting given its 90-year history in the area.

The company is a member of the Fast Track 25, an invitation-only business club sponsored by Santander and Bevan & Buckland and run by Business Life.

Paul Greenwood, managing director at Teddington Engineered Solutions, completed a management buyout of the company in 2014 with the help of Barclays and Finance Wales. It now employs up to 150 people in the area but Greenwood is ambitious.

“This company used to be a substantial employer in the area and my goals now

SWANSEA BAY

BUSINESS LIFE

FAST TRACK 25 SWANSEA BAY

In association with...

are all around creating jobs and wealth locally. I think we have huge potential to do that with the product and the staff to make a real difference,” Greenwood said.

In fact, the 2014 MBO was the second such deal the company has been through in recent years. Greenwood, along with two other directors, originally bought the company in 2003 after it ran into financial difficulties. Since then, it has gone from strength to strength, however, exporting its products all over the world while supporting jobs and wealth creation locally.

Take a walk around the company’s headquarters on Dafen Park, Llanelli, and it is easy to understand its success.

In essence, the company makes bellows and expansion joint solutions. Its products

allow pipework of almost any size or shape, and used for almost any purpose, to cope with axial, lateral and angular movements, especially thermal expansion – qualities which are critical to many industries.

Its bellows or joints range in size from just 10mm in diameter to several metres. While products for some clients can be high volumes of repeat product, everything is completed on a bespoke project-by-project basis. Indeed, some of its most complex work is top secret with no photography allowed in certain parts of the factory out of fear competitors could learn some of the tricks and solutions it has developed.

One of its most high profile and complex projects, for instance, was commissioned

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5/31/2016 1:18:19 PM

Positioned for growth

in the aftermath of the Kursk submarine disaster in 2000, which caused the death of more than 100 Russian sailors. After that disaster, NATO ensured its navies around the world could access rescue submarines and standardised decompression units but some sort of device was needed to safely move individuals from the rescue submarine to the unit.

Teddington was originally asked to work on the project, described by Greenwood as a “flexible manway system” by the European navies, while the US also later requested a version of the technology for their own ships. It needed to be flexible and robust and transportable ultimately to save human lives.

I AM PROUD TO SAY THAT, EVEN THOUGH THE OVERALL INDUSTRY HAS BEEN A LITTLE QUIETER, WE HAVE NOT LOST ANY PEOPLE OR ANY CLIENTS. - Paul Greenwood, managing director at Teddington Engineered Solutions

Workforce

Indeed, quality is critical in this industry and Teddington prides itself on the scientific processes it uses to ensure the longevity and reliability of its products.

It was instrumental in setting up the now generally accepted Bellows Calculation Formulae and everything it does complies with a code of practice established by the Expansion Joint Manufacturer’s Association EJMA of which it is a committee member.

With quality and reliability as its key company traits, Teddington has secured an enviable client based from around the world which includes the Mercedes Formula 1 team, the DXB Airport in Dubai and aerospace giant Airbus.

Greenwood estimates that around three quarters of its products are exported, with sizeable shares to the European Union and Middle East, as well as the rest of the world.

The industry Teddington sells through is going through something of a lull in activity, Greenwood says, largely because of the low price of oil in recent months and a particularly strong pound.

Because the long-term picture for the company is far more positive, however, Greenwood is using this period to invest in the company, ready for future opportunities when they emerge. He has expanded its sales team and formed more relationships with agents who would sell its products on its behalf in other countries.

“I am proud to say that even though the overall industry has been a little quieter, we have not lost any people or any clients and we are investing in several elements of the business,” Greenwood said. “There are many projects, especially in the oil and gas sector, on hold but long term those projects will get the green light again.

Massive investments in infrastructure will be required all over the world to keep up with population growth. All those will need our services at some point. The longterm picture is very positive.

“The same thing happened in 2008 and 2009 and I know from that experience that this is the time to invest in the business and get us ready for the boom.

We have improved many elements of our operations and systems and invested heavily in innovation and the quality of our products. When things turn again we will be well positioned to take advantage of that.”

Andrew Williams, relationship director at Santander Corporate Banking added Teddington Engineered Solutions was a “long established and successful”company, which continued to be a major employer in the area with a highly skilled workforce.

“It is extremely impressive to see the quality of manufacturing, where the specialist products are demanded by a range of high profile customers worldwide,” he said. “It is a pleasure to have Teddington as part of the Fast Track 25 as a growing manufacturer that is so important to the local economy and trades within the UK and internationally.” swanseabaybusiness.com 75

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5/31/2016 1:18:38 PM

SWANSEA UNIVERSITY CAREERS FAIR 2016

GET YOUR ORGANISATION IN FRONT OF 14,000 OF THE UK’S BEST STUDENTS

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the Swansea University Job Shop connects our talented students to graduate recruiters, part time jobs and work experience opportunities.

bydd Siop Swyddi Prifysgol Abertawe yn cysylltu’n myfyrwyr dawnus â recriwtwyr graddedigion, swyddi rhan-amser a chyfleoedd ar gyfer profiad gwaith.

To be part of it or to discuss how we can support your recruitment plans, please contact employability@swansea.ac.uk

I fod yn rhan o’r cyfan neu i drafod sut allwn gefnogi’ch cynlluniau recriwtio, cysylltwch ag employability@swansea.ac.uk

www.swansea.ac.uk/employability-academy

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Facilitating employer relationships

Hwyluso Cysylltiadau â Chyflogwyr

Swansea Employability Academy have a team of very approachable and helpful Placement Officers, they have really helped us get the ball rolling with our student recruitment. The students that SEA put forward for interview have impressed us with their attitude towards the opportunity and their flexibility. We were even asked for topics to ‘up-skill’ the students prior to the placement starting, which clearly demonstrates their level of commitment.

Mae gan Academi Cyflogadwyedd Prifysgol Abertawe (SEA) dîm o Swyddogion Lleoliad Gwaith cymwynasgar a chyfeillgar iawn sydd wedi bod yn gymorth mawr i ni wrth ddechrau’r broses recriwtio myfyrwyr. Mae’r myfyrwyr y mae SEA wedi’u cyflwyno ar gyfer cyfweliad wedi creu cryn argraff arnom gyda’u hagwedd tuag at y cyfle a’u hyblygrwydd. Gofynnwyd i ni am bynciau i uwchsgilio’r myfyrwyr cyn i’r lleoliad gwaith ddechrau hyd yn oed, sy’n dangos lefel eu hymroddiad yn amlwg.

In times of growth like any business, our top priority remains our customers, but our student placements will also inject some pace into our internal business transformation projects - the efficiency gains of which will help us cope with the extra demand placed on our systems and staff throughout the group.

Fel unrhyw fusnes, mewn cyfnodau o dwf ein prif flaenoriaeth yw ein cwsmeriaid, ond bydd ein lleoliadau gwaith i fyfyrwyr yn cynyddu ein prosiectau trawsffurfio busnes mewnol hefyd. Bydd yr enillion o ran effeithlonrwydd yn sgil hynny yn ein helpu i ymdopi â’r galw ychwanegol ar ein systemau a staff ledled y grw ˆ p.

Recruiting the right candidates for roles can be a tremendous task for any firm. The challenges of finding the right recruits to expand our development team are now significantly reduced. We have established a ‘talent pipeline’ with SEA for more junior positions within the team, which in turn allows for career progression opportunities for existing team members. We are now looking forward to running longer placements with these students in the summer when they will have the opportunity to take on some project work with real business benefit to us.

Gall recriwtio’r ymgeiswyr cywir ar gyfer rolau gymryd llawer o amser i unrhyw gwmni. Mae’r heriau wrth ddod o hyd i’r bobl gywir i ehangu ein tîm datblygu wedi lleihau’n sylweddol nawr. Rydym wedi sefydlu ‘ffrwd ddoniau’ gyda SEA ar gyfer rhagor o swyddi is yn y tîm, a fydd yn eu tro yn caniatáu cyfleoedd ar gyfer cynnydd gyrfa i aelodau presennol y tîm. Rydym am gynnal lleoliadau gwaith hirach gyda’r myfyrwyr hyn dros yr haf, pan fydd ganddynt gyfle i gyflawni peth gwaith prosiect a fydd o fudd busnes go iawn i ni.

Using the various placement programmes though SEA (such as SPIN, WoW and Santander) is simple and straight forward. There are a few short forms to complete but if there are queries, the Placement Officers at SEA are prompt with their communications, and they really seemed to understand what we were trying to achieve.

Would we recommend work placements through SEA to other business? Absolutely! The process has not really involved any more admin than a standard recruitment round and we fully intend to keep this open as a permanent recruitment route into our software development teams.

We are a growing business, looking to develop a graduate recruitment route into our expanding software development teams and the outlook is now looking really positive.

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Mae defnyddio’r rhaglenni lleoliadau gwaith amrywiol drwy SEA (megis SPIN, WoW a Santander) yn syml iawn.

Mae angen cwblhau ychydig o ffurflenni byr, ond os oes gennych unrhyw ymholiadau, mae Swyddogion Lleoliadau Gwaith SEA yn ateb yn brydlon, ac maent yn deall yr hyn rydym yn ceisio’i gyflawni.

A fyddem yn argymell lleoliadau gwaith drwy SEA i fusnesau eraill? Yn bendant! Nid yw’r broses wedi cynnwys mwy o waith gweinyddol na phroses recriwtio safonol, a bwriadwn gadw hwn fel llwybr recriwtio parhaol i’n timau datblygu meddalwedd.

Rydym yn fusnes sy’n tyfu ac sydd am ddatblygu llwybr recriwtio graddedigion i ehangu ein timau datblygu meddalwedd, ac mae’r rhagolygon yn gadarnhaol iawn.

workplacements@swansea.ac.uk 01792 513266

5/31/2016 1:34:50 PM

Workforce

Prosperity from adversity

Prosperity from adversity Shufflebottom, one of the Top 100 Companies in South West Wales by turnover, has enjoyed steady growth in the past two years.

Business Life, along with sponsors Barclays and PwC, went to meet the firm’s director...

With a turnover that reached £16 million last year, Cross Hands-based Shufflebottom has been included in the Top 100 Companies list for several years now.

The family-owned business has carved a successful niche for itself manufacturing and installing steel-framed buildings for both the industrial and agricultural sectors in the UK. But its growth in recent years driven by the second generation of the family to run the business was, in fact, born out of tragedy.

The company was founded in 1977

by Lorna and Martin Shufflebottom.

Lorna would sell wrought iron goods in Carmarthen Market, which were made by Martin in a farm shed originally owned by their father. Finding a willing audience for the products, the business grew steadily.

Its base first moved from Carmarthen to Llandeilo where the company began fabricating buildings, before moving to its present site at the Cross Hands Business Park in the late 1980s.

At its present site the company manufactures steel-framed buildings, used in the industry sector (60 per cent of its business) and agricultural sector (40 per cent) for a range of different purposes.

The business continued to grow steadily but in 1993 tragedy struck. Martin was killed in a helicopter accident leaving his wife to run the business.

Years later, as they entered the work place and world of business in their own right, the founders’ children Alex and Wesley began to help more and more.

Though their intention was not to remain in the business long term, they became increasingly involved in the company.

Finally, in 2008, Alex and Wesley alongside Alec Davies, a general manager who had previously clocked up 15years at Dyfed Steels, completed a management buyout and became directors of the company.

Companies

They were young to take over such a large venture. Alex was only 30 and Wesley 25 when they took over. On top of this, they completed the deal just ahead of a double dip recession and worst economic downturn the country had seen in a long time.

In terms of the way the three divide their roles, Wesley tends to run the drawing office and sales, Alec production and Alex buying and accounts.

Alex, a psychology graduate, admits those first few years after that deal were tough. “It was a lot of hard work but we found a way to survive and we fought through to where we are today,” Alex said.

The company has become increasingly balanced in the split between its agricultural work and industrial work. It has also secured some notable landmarks.

It was the first UK manufacturer of steelframed buildings for agriculture to secure a CE Mark certificate, for example. It has also become heavily involved with the Rural and Industrial Design and Building Association, which represents manufacturers of agricultural and rural buildings. Alex even chaired the association from 2013 to 2015.

The CE Mark is a European mark of conformity and became compulsory in the UK for construction products in 2014.

The mark was designed as a guarantee of conformity with all relevant European Union directives and technical standards.

But the business’s main achievement is to secure steady growth while maintaining the quality that its products are renowned for. It has invested heavily in new equipment in recent years and has expanded its premises where 80 staff work substantially.

“We stand for very high quality and we have a much more comprehensive offering and higher standards than some of our competitors,” Alex said. “We employ a lot

in South West Wales 2016

of highly skilled construction engineers and health and safety specialists who take our company to a different level. Very few of our competitors have that.”

She stresses that she is not week rapid growth, preferring to maintain quality, keep a steady market share, perhaps grow a little and increase profits.

She says one of the company’s biggest assets is its loyal and highly skilled workforce. Many of the older staff knew her and Wesley when they were just children and have always been very supportive of the family through the years.

Even though they started the company at a relatively young age, she stresses that one of the reasons the staff have been so loyal is because each of them also worked in each department, from the bottom up when they were young, meaning they understand each job required in the whole business.

IT IS GREAT TO SEE SHUFFLEBOTTOM CONTINUING TO EXPAND AND MAKE SUCH A CONTRIBUTION TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.

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WE STAND FOR VERY HIGH QUALITY AND WE HAVE A MUCH MORE COMPREHENSIVE OFFERING AND HIGHER STANDARDS THAN SOME OF OUR COMPETITORS.

Though national in its scope, the company has worked on some very notable local projects recently including the new Air Ambulance Station, Ffos Las racecourse, Hirwain Fire Station and Lampeter Rugby Club.

Now 38 years old, the company has enjoyed a few very successful years recently. Its owners and staff will be hoping for many more and a gradual rise u-p the Top 100.

Debbie Williams, relationship director, Barclays, who visited Shufflebottom, said: “This is a great example of a family business with its roots firmly in West

Wales, which started two generations ago in the family home and has now grown to the successful business it is today.

“Despite only being in their 20s when the current directors took over the business, they have proven to be a strong management team, and it is impressive to see what they have been able to achieve through their drive and passion.

“In the early days, the directors were quickly faced with the challenges of a recession and while a tough period for the directors, they had a steep learning curve but feel stronger for the experience.”

She added it was great to see the company diversify into commercial buildings, which has opened up increased opportunities outside of Wales, as well as protect local jobs and develop employment opportunities through its apprenticeship scheme.

Ian Clarke, director at PwC, said: “It is great to see Shufflebottom continuing to expand and make such a contribution to the local community. This is a fine example of a family business that addressed succession early on which has reaped its rewards and augers well for the future development of the business.” swanseabaybusiness.com 79

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Workforce

Former graduate makes director...

A high-flyer at a Swansea Bay regionbased law firm has been made a director at the company at the age of 31.

Andrew Meech, part of JCP Solicitors’ business litigation team, boasts a portfolio of clients who operate on a local, national and international level.

Having developed a particular interest in sports law, Meech also provides commercial advice to a number of high level sports clubs and organisations in Wales and Europe.

Meech joined JCP Solicitors as an undergraduate during the second year of his law degree at Swansea University,

winning a place on JCP’s first Swansea University graduate placement scheme, at the age of 24.

Christian Edwards, director and head of business litigation at JCP Solicitors, said: “Andrew’s career has been impressive right from the beginning. His skills and knowledge ensure our business continues to grow, and we are delighted to welcome him on board as a director.”

Meech has retained strong links with the school of law at Swansea University where he regularly attends as a guest lecturer at post-graduate seminars.

Andrew Meech

Veteran support business expands team...

A social enterprise business in the region that provides training and qualifications to ex-forces personnel has hired two new members of staff as the firm continues to grow.

Swansea-based Aartic Training Group and The British Training Board, partner companies set up by brothers Antony and Adrian Rabey who each served for over 20 years in the Army, have hired an administrator and regional sales manager to support the growth of the companies.

Jade Pike, aged 22 from St Thomas, has been hired as an administrator to manage members registered with the companies and handle new enquires. Matteo Neilson, aged 37 from Bridgend, will be selling the companies’ services to organisations with over 250 employees, to assist with managing their recruitment needs through skills mapping and training services.

Adrian Rabey, CEO of the British Training Board, said: “The companies have grown more than expected over the past year and with how busy we’ve been over recent months, we needed more resources, which is why we’ve brought Jade and Matteo on board.

“We’ve seen the number of members registered for our services increase by 40 per cent over the last five months, which has led to a substantial amount

of administrative work needing to be managed. Jade has hit the ground running and is proving her worth with the administrative side of the business as we grow.

“Because of the rise in interest in what we can do for those who are leaving or have already left the Forces, as well as others who are seeking employment,

there was a need for additional support in the sales management team. We are now reaching as many people as we can who want training or qualifications recognised with Matteo’s sales skills.

“The business is in a very healthy position at the moment and it’s likely we will need further team members in the near future as a result.”

Adrian Rabey, Jade Pike, Matteo Neilson, Antony Rabey

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DATBLYGU BUSNES AC ARLOESI BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION Mae Grŵp Prifysgol Cymru Y Drindod Dewi Sant yn sefydliad sector deuol sy’n cynnwys Coleg Sir Gâr a Choleg Ceredigion. Gan adeiladu ar ein enw da am gefnogi busnes, mae Timoedd Datblygu Busnes ac Arloesedd y Grŵp yn darparu mynediad i rychwant o wasanaethau i’r sector busnes yn cynnwys: • Dewis o brosiectau ar y cyd â diwydiant • Mynediad i Ganolfannau Arbenigedd • Ymgynghoriaeth a chefnogaeth er mwyn da trys problemau penodol • Partneriaethau Trosglwyddo Gwybodaeth (KTPs) • Cefnogaeth ymarferol gan raddedigion a my fyrwyr • Cefnogaeth i ddenu arian grant • Hyfforddiant a Datblygiad • Cyfleoedd i ymwneud a’n datblygiad newydd i adeiladu Ardal Arloesi’r Glannau yn SA1 Aber tawe a Chanolfan S4C Yr Egin yng Nghaerfyrddin.

The University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) Group is a dual sector organisation comprising the University, Coleg Sir Gâr and Coleg Ceredigion. Building on our long established reputation for supporting businesses, the UWTSD Group’s Business Development and Innovation Teams aim to provide access to a wide range of services to the business sector including: • A range of collaborative projects with industry • Access to our Centres of Expertise • Consultancy and support to help solve specific problems • Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) • Practical support from graduates and students • Support in attracting grant funding • Training and Development • Opportunities to engage with our new Water front Innovation Quarter in SA1 Swansea and Canolfan S4C Yr Egin in Carmarthen.

Manylion pellach / Further Information: www.uwtsd.ac.uk/for-business 0300 323 0013 Untitled-8 1

5/30/2016 3:12:33 PM

commercial operator

advertising feature

DRIVING FORWARD

Are you operating commercial vehicles above 3.5ton for hire and reward or are you looking for a Transport Manager ?

Certificate in Professional Competence You are required to hold a Certificate of Professional Competence in Road Haulage or Passenger Transport if you wish to become a nominated Transport Manager in the respective field. The qualification includes a range of subjects related to the business of Road Haulage and Passenger Transport. The area specified in EU Directive 98/76/EC are assessed.

Your qualification will be assessed through a combination of multiple choice, and a case study based unit examinations. The full qualification is awarded when you have passed the appropriate combination of units. In order to achieve a Certificate in Road Haulage or Passenger Transport, you must pass one multiple choice paper and a case study paper.

The syllabus now includes the International element, so there is no requirement to sit

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an additional qualification.

unit

for

the

International

COTS offer the OCR Certificate of Professional Competence for Goods Vehicle Operation as a two week classroom based course, a two day per week over 5 weeks or via our online option.

This course is aimed at those wishing to sit the OCR exams which take place in March, June, September and December each year, and are held at our Grade 1 exam centre. The recent changes means the multiple choice exam is available on demand at our centre and we are currently the largest provider for on demand exams in Wales and the South West (figures from OCR).

To Obtain a Goods Certificate of Professional Competence you must pass the following units: • Unit R1 – Certificate of Professional Competence (Road Haulage) Multiple Choice • Unit R2 – Certificate of Professional Competence (Road Haulage) Case Study

To Obtain a Passenger Certificate of Professional Competence you must pass the following units: • Unit P1 – Certificate of Professional Competence (Passenger Transport) Multiple Choice • Unit P2 – Certificate of Professional Competence (Passenger Transport) Case Study We also offer all units of the CPC as an industry leading e-learning option. The course is aimed at those wishing to sit the OCR exams at their local OCR exam centre. Each unit contains a detailed breakdown of the course syllabus by section, each section then allows the candidate to test their knowledge from a bank of questions and the tests can be taken as many times as needed. The question bank automatically selects a random 10 questions, allowing the candidate varied tests. Where a question is incorrect in certain cases it points to the area it relates to.

Of course, you can still contact the course

5/31/2016 1:41:48 PM

commercial operator tutor to raise any questions you may have.

The online forum allows you a discussion with like-minded students on the same unit, so you are never alone to get stuck with difficult questions.

Are you looking to refresh your skills as a Transport Manager or introduce a member of staff to the ever growing changing legislation.

CPC Refresher Course The aim of this course is to provide an update on recent legislative changes and operator obligations, refresh some of the key CPC subject areas which are vital to effective and compliant road freight or passenger operation, and to raise awareness of current best practices. The programme will be structured to enable all participants to take an active role and will include scenarios, confirmation of existing knowledge, practical work-related problem solving and compliance based exercises. Content of the course is specific to either PSV or HGV.

Course Topics Session 1 Either: Employment Law – Taking into account recruitment and selection, disciplinary procedures, unfair dismissal and circumstances around Industrial Tribunals; The Operator Compliance Risk Score (OCRS) and Graduated Fixed Penalty Schemes.

Session 2 Health and Safety – Provision and use of equipment, risk assessments, RIDDOR, PUWER, LOLER, etc.

Session 3

for other offences, vehicle excise, operator licencing etc. PSV only – the additional requirements of CoiF.

Session 7 Construction & Use – vehicle weights and configurations, lighting regulations.

Session 8 Traffic Law and accidents – general law regarding commercial vehicles, vehicle checking, road traffic accidents and duties of the driver.

Session 9 (PSV only) Lost Property Regulations – responsibility of the driver, conductor and operator, the keeping of adequate records and disposal of lost property.

Operational Management Support Commercial Operator Training Solutions Ltd are specialists in advising clients on any matter relating to Operator Licensing, driver and commercial training and tachograph analysis. Our services extend to offering an interim Operational Support Package, either in the way of short term help or guidance in getting your systems to the required standard or ongoing monthly support by a fully qualified CPC holder.

We provide: • National & International nominated Transport Managers in both the LGV and PSV sectors.

• Full “O” licence support for any changes that are required; • Support for staff to ensure they understand the complex legislation for operating commercial vehicles;

Session 4

• Tachograph analysis, including infringement reports and missing mileage reports. This can include driver interviews and infringement report sign off;

Session 5 Operator Licensing and the Traffic Commissioner – Maintaining the licence, the importance and continuing requirements given by the undertakings on the licence, the role of DVSA, the Traffic Commissioner and Public Enquiries.

Session 6 Enforcement Agencies and their Powers – Powers of DVSA, DVLA and the police, penalties for Construction & Use offences, penalties for drivers’ hours offences, penalties

• Issuing relevant memos to drivers and staff whilst going through any change processes. Updating notice boards to ensure staff are kept advised of relevant changes; and • Recruitment policy and CV sifting, interviewing drivers ready for induction to include first two modules of Driver CPC M1 & M2 (drivers’ hours and traffic law). Placing adverts and filtering calls through our office, cutting down on calls to your business.

Maintenance Requirements • Setup systems to monitor maintenance planner and vehicle files;

the

• Notification of service, MOT, tax and calibration due dates; • Implement and monitor nil defect system, focusing on major reduction in damage and prohibitable items; and • Debrief reports completed daily by office staff, monitored with KPI’s presented to directors, to include MPG figures, trip mileage, drivers’ hours monitoring and vehicle damage.

Health & Safety Full depot audit and report with the aim to develop a schedule of risk assessments and methods of working over time. Enhancing a range of specific risk assessments that would allow a “reality check” of the business. These assessments may also assist commercially if looking to grow the business, and financially in reducing the risk of accidents and possible claims.

We help you put systems in place for:

Drivers’ Hours – UK Domestic law, a detailed look at EU regulations, exemptions, requirements as to the issue, control and maintenance of records, the requirements of downloading digital data, fault finding and analysis.

Driver licensing and Data Protection Act – Licence categories, checking of licences and keeping of records.

advertising feature

• Tachograph issue/retrieval system, vehicle and driver card download matrix setup;

• Comprehensive periodic Operator licence audits to ensure all the procedures are being kept up to date and that the systems are being adhered to by all the staff. This is a critical document to ensure the business remains protected and that the owners/directors have a way of measuring improvements and dealing with areas of weakness. These audits can also be used to support any Quality Assurance accreditation the business may hold or seek; • Assistance and guidance to ensure your driver handbook reflects the changing legislation;

Driver / Employee Handbooks COTS Ltd is able to provide customers with driver / employee handbooks tailored to their operational needs. You decide the content and we do the rest! Working with one of our members of staff, COTS and the customer will agree broad content details – generally, for the truck, coach or bus operator. This will include sections on drivers’ hours, daily vehicle checks, what to do in the event of an accident etc. but of course, anything else that is important to you can be included. Typically we have included sections on projecting loads and standard procedures for delivering waste to transfer stations for our truck operators, or assisting wheelchair users and assessing pickup and drop-off points for our coach operators.

The driver handbook is a very useful way of ensuring that your drivers (and other staff) have essential information or instructions readily available to them at all times. It is also one way of evidencing that you have provided staff with information – a basic requirement of health and safety legislation.

Commercial Operator Training Solutions Ltd Skills House, Units 11&12 Celtic Trade Park, Bruce Road, Swansea West Business Park, Swansea, SA5 4EP Telephone: 01792 587250 | Mobile: 07800 744653 Email: info@cotsolutions.co.uk | Visit: www.cotsolutions.co.uk

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Workforce

Keeping it in the family

Keeping it in the family Now reaching the £38 million turnover mark, Top 100 company J&J Motors is still growing steadily in the safe hands of the second generation of this family-run business.

Director John Philip Plimmer reveals to BUSINESS LIFE the secrets of its success...

Companies

in South West Wales 2016

John Philip Plimmer, the managing director of J&J Motors, has good reason to be upbeat. In 2013/14, the company completed a £650,000 investment in J&J Motors Superstore, the newest of its seven dealerships, which is already paying off nicely.

Located at Cross Hands Business Park, the new showroom is near to three of its other dealerships selling Nissan, Ford, Fiat and Suzuki vehicles. These complement other Suzuki dealerships in Johnstown, Haverfordwest, Skewen, Neath, and Laleston, Bridgend, which also sells Fiat.

The new superstore differs from its other dealerships in that it sells so-called nearly new cars of all makes and models ranging in age from three months to 30 months old, with the majority being just one year old.

This age of car is classed as nearly new and many still carry the manufacturer’s warranty, more recently they have opened a budget site there for cars up to £5,995.

This new investment is just the latest step forward for a company that has grown steadily in the 32 years since it was formed, in 1984, by John and Jacky Plimmer when they purchased a garage in Porthyrhyd.

In that time it has grown to reach a turnover of some £38 million for the 12 months to June 2015, up almost £4 million 84 swanseabaybusiness.com

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Left, Mike Hayden with MD of J&J Motors John Plimmer in his showroom in Crosshands.

SOME OF THE STAFF HAVE BEEN HERE ALMOST AS LONG AS THE COMPANY HAS EXISTED AND WE WOULD NOT BE WHERE WE ARE TODAY WITHOUT THEM. on the year before, boasts more than 100 staff and manages over 12,000 customers a year.

Founder John tragically passed away at the start of 2015 leaving the company in the hands of his sons.

One of those, John, who returned to work in the family business in 2002 after previously running a software company in Stoke-on-Trent, now runs the Ford garage and is overall managing director. Justin is finance director while James runs the company’s Bridgend operation.

John says the £650,000 investment is already paying its way in what is a bullish motor market generally at the moment.

He says the market has been characterised in recent years by manufacturers offering increasingly lucrative deals on finance and warranties to encourage consumers to buy their cars. This has also meant a good few years for dealerships, though John acknowledges that this cannot last forever.

He said: “It has been a very good time for new car sales in particular but we also know that this must level off at some point.

All manufacturers are trying to increase their market share and they have been offering very good incentives as a result.”

J&J Motors does a lot more new cars (approximately 2,500 units a year) than used (about 1,400 units a year). But he says the company gets a lot of repeat business with many customers having never bought a vehicle anywhere else.

“I do believe that the strong family ethos and focus and dedication to customer satisfaction has driven our continued growth and success over the years,” he said.

He says the critical difference that he believes has helped the company grow is the fact that these values are also instilled into the company’s staff. “They all have these family values of good and very personal customer service instilled in them from the start,” John said. “They are also empowered to make decisions on the spot that are right for the customer.

“Because of these things, we get a lot of repeat business and we also have a very low turnover of staff. Some of the staff have been here almost as long as the company has existed and we would not be where we are today without them.”

This element of the company was aptly illustrated two years ago when the firm celebrated three decades in business by putting on a very special Christmas party at the Diplomat Hotel in Llanelli to thank staff for their contributions and celebrate their lasting success. One member of staff that night, Jonathan Thomas, was recognised for his 30 years of service to the company with a Rolex watch.

There are other factors contributing to the company’s growth. John says the fact the economy is in relatively good shape at the moment helps while changes in society and the fact that people change their car more often also contributes to the company’s success. Combined with the extra premises and incentives from manufacturers, this amounts to a period of positive growth for the company.

John recognises there are also challenges ahead. He says consumer confidence is a key ingredient to a healthy motors market and uncertainty caused by the upcoming referendum on whether the UK should leave the EU. He pointed out that many people will put off making big investment decisions until they know the result and better understand its consequences. swanseabaybusiness.com 85

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This may have a small impact on your waistline...

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Can you do the triple?

“With a little help from your course we managed to triple the size of the company…If you could thank the team that takes the course it would be appreciated! The change in thinking towards running the business has been a result of some of the great tips picked up on the programme.”

–Lee Roblin, www.rl-group.co.uk and www.claimrite.co.uk.

Find out how you can grow your business, visit www.IONleadership.co.uk or call us 01792 606 938

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“Gyda thipyn o help gan eich cwrs chi, fe lwyddon ni i dreblu maint y cwmni…A fyddech mor garedig â diolch i’r tîm a roddodd y cwrs! Mae’r newid yn y ffordd o feddwl am redeg y busnes wedi digwydd oherwydd rhai o’r cynghorion gwych a gawsom ar y rhaglen.”

– Lee Roblin, www.rl-group.co.uk a www.claimrite.co.uk.

I gael gwybod sut gallwch chi dyfu eich busnes, ewch i www.IONleadership.co.uk neu ffoniwch ni ar 01792 606 938

Untitled-8 1

5/30/2016 3:11:19 PM

Multi-million pound project to develop worker skills A £3.7 million public project could support more than 550 employees from more than 100 business in the Swansea Bay region...

The University of Wales Trinity Saint David has officially launched its Growing Workforces through Learning and Development project at a successful event in Llanelli.

The innovative £3.7 million project will help develop the skills of employees across South West Wales through UWTSD’s Wales Institute for Work-Based Learning.

Gwlad is set to deliver accredited workbased learning programmes to support the ongoing professional development of more than 550 employees from over 100 businesses in the region.

Employees will have the opportunity to improve their skills and productivity in a range of business areas and achieve higher education qualifications in professional practice.

Helen Davies, a professional learning fellow working on the Gwlad project, said bilingualism – which is one of the project’s many modules - was an important skill in the Welsh workplace and elsewhere.

“My first impression of working on

the Gwlad team project, led by the University of Wales Institute of WorkBased Learning, was that I had joined a wonderfully diverse team of people and I was immediately struck by the bilingual working environment,” she said. “Many, but not all, of my new colleagues were Welsh speakers, particularly the younger team members who would converse quite naturally through the medium of Welsh.

The non-Welsh speakers on the team had a refreshing desire to learn and the offer of lunchtime conversational Welsh sessions were snapped up.

“People feel more comfortable speaking their own language, so when you start negotiating you start with a positive. Good communication skills can make sure that you have a good understanding of the customer’s needs and therefore provide a more effective service.

“We are part of a linguistically vibrant, colourful and interesting society but we must be aware that it is predicted that only a limited number of languages will survive

WE HELP RUN, DELIVER AND EVALUATE THE COURSES. WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE UNIVERSITY TO CREATE BESPOKE, INTERACTIVE COURSES THAT ENGAGE STAFF AND THAT TAKE LEARNING INTO THE WORKPLACE.

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Multi-million pound project to develop worker skills

Workforce

From left, Professor Elizabeth Wilson, head of the Wales Institute for Work-Based Learning at UWTSD, Rachael Flanagan, director of Mrs Bucket Cleaning Services, and Dr Rhiannon Washington, academic manager for the Gwlad project.

over the coming centuries. The good news for Wales is that Welsh is predicted to be one of these.”

Bilingualism is one of many modules offered under the Gwlad project which has been supported by the European Social Fund through the Welsh Government.

The three-year project is currently offering subsidies of between 50 per cent and 70 per cent and is available to all businesses or not for profit organisations in South West Wales.

Gwlad will also work with businesses to up-skill their staff and to introduce strategies that will be developed through specific learning programmes.

Representatives of more than 150 businesses from the South West Wales region came together to learn more about the project and to listen to some inspirational speakers at the launch event at Parc y Scarlets.

Those who attended the event were given an overview of the project and more information about how the project can help businesses grow their workforces in the region.

Keynote speakers included Rachael Flanagan, founder of Mrs Bucket Cleaning Services, who started her company at the age of 18 and who has now seen her company grow to more than 300 members of staff.

Flanagan spoke about the importance of self-belief and self-development, and how businesses need to invest in their staff and provide strong incentives to help them progress and develop.

Guests were also given an insight into working with the university’s work-based learning team from Paula Lewis and Aldo Picek, from Fieldbay Ltd, a group of care homes providing support for people with complex needs. Fieldbay has worked with the university for a number of years and prides itself in pushing the boundaries of staff development.

Aldo Picek, training manager at Fieldbay, said: “We help run, deliver and evaluate the courses. We work closely with the university to create bespoke, interactive courses that engage staff and that take learning into the workplace.”

Professor Liz Wilson, head of the Wales Institute for Work-Based Learning at UWTSD added: “We were delighted to

THE GWLAD PROJECT IS AN EXCITING AND INNOVATIVE PROJECT THAT WILL ALLOW THE UNIVERSITY TO MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE. see so many employers and business leaders from across South West Wales at yesterday’s launch.

“The Gwlad project is an exciting and innovative project that will allow the university to make a real difference to the workforce across South West Wales, offering tailored work-based courses that meet the needs of the region’s employers.”

Gwlad is supported by £2.4 million from the European Social Fund, as well as through the Welsh Government, contribution from the private sector and part-funding through the university. swanseabaybusiness.com 89

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5/30/2016 3:11:59 PM

Workforce

Industry Insight With Mark Jones

Principal, Gower College Swansea

Update from Gower College Swansea...

There’s plenty going on at the college at the current time and we are now beginning to see the results of some of the development work that has been ongoing throughout the past academic year and, in some cases, even longer.

I have written in a previous report about the key role of apprenticeships in helping to meet the skills needs across the region, and the planned introduction of the new Apprenticeship levy in April 2017 – whereby all employers with an annual pay bill of greater than £3m will be charged a fee of 0.5% of their pay costs - will further increase this focus.

For these reasons I am delighted to report that, in recent weeks, and after very positive discussions, the City and County of Swansea’s work-based learning contract – which includes the funding for apprenticeships – has been transferred across to the college together with the council staff who are needed to deliver and support the contract. Our belief is that with the £4m contract under sole management, going forward we will be able to provide an even greater range of the same high quality provision to employers across Swansea and the region.

All of the work-based learning staff from the college will soon be physically relocating up to the Jubilee Court premises in Fforestfach to help meet

our commitment, which is to ensure that all existing and new employers see this transfer as seamless.

In recent weeks we have also announced the approval of the new £16.8m Skills for Industry 2 programme – including £11.8m of European funds – a programme led by Gower College Swansea but delivered in partnership with Group NPTC, Coleg Sir Gar, Pembrokeshire College, Coleg Ceredigion, WEA YMCA Community College and the University of Wales Trinity St Davids.

The new programme aims to build on the success of the first Skills for Industry programme, which ran from 2011 to 2015 and assisted over 2,250 businesses in providing training and upskilling of the region’s workforce including provision that was tailored to both individual and business priorities.

The role of Further Education colleges such as Gower College Swansea remains as wide as ever. On the one hand we have 4,500 full time students who are studying A levels or vocational provision across our different campuses and who are progressing either onto higher education (including no fewer than 200 students who last year enrolled on Russell Group Universities) or apprenticeships or employment.

THERE’S PLENTY GOING ON AT THE COLLEGE AT THE CURRENT TIME AND WE ARE NOW BEGINNING TO SEE THE RESULTS OF SOME OF THE DEVELOPMENT WORK THAT HAS BEEN ONGOING. But we also have a key role in terms of supporting the skills needs of employers across the region and these two announcements are further evidence of this college’s proactive commitment to this agenda and I hope the forerunner of even further announcements which we expect to make in the coming months.

Gower College Swansea 01792 284000/890700 www.gcs.ac.uk

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5/31/2016 3:12:07 PM

Women In Business Awards 2016

WOMEN TO CELEBRATE SUCCESS AT UPCOMING AWARDS...

SWANSEA BAY

BUSINESS LIFE

Nominations are to open soon for the Business Life and the South Wales Evening Post’s Women in Business Awards 2016...

It is almost time to get nominating as talented businesswomen in the Swansea Bay region are celebrated at a major event.

Nomination entries for the Swansea Bay Business Life and the South Wales Evening Post’s Women in Business Awards 2016 will open in July.

A glistening ceremony with around 200 guests will take place at the Swansea Marriott Hotel, at Maritime Quarter, on October 7.

There are some fantastic categories in the award’s seventh year, including rising star of the year, growth and expansion award, new business start-up of the year, professional woman of the year, green award, innovation award, business mentor award, lifestyle business award, the lifetime achievement award and overall woman of the year.

Lisa Cameron, commercial director at South West Wales Media, said: “It’s hard to believe we are now in our seventh year and it’s great to see how these awards have grown in this time.

“We started off at the Mermaid Restaurant in Mumbles with a jam packed audience of 80. Since then, the event has gone from strength to strength and we are now at the Marriott with an audience of 200.”

WOMEN IN

BUSINESS A W A R D S 2 0 16

Woman of the Year Award winner Alex Shuflebottom (award accepted by her Mum Lorna Shufflebottom) presented

by Carly Allchurch of PWC.

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Women In Business Awards 2016

2015 guest speaker, television presenter and advernturer Lowri Morgan

Dame Rosemary Butler

Winners hall of fame...

Lifetime Achievement Award winner Mavis Lucas FCA presented

by Gill Davies of GCS Training.

Ten inspirational women were revealed as winners of last year’s Women in Business Awards, sponsored by PwC, at the Marriott Hotel.

The overall winner was Alex Shufflebottom, director of Shufflebottom, a company that manufactures steel framed buildings. Alex also served as chair of the Rural and Industrial Design and Building Association.

A special award was given to Jill Burgess, a long standing influential figure in the local business community, a judge of the awards and board member of Swansea University. It recognised her outstanding contribution to enterprise, business development and mentoring support.

Mavis Lucus, aged 85, won the lifetime achievement award. Lucus was the first

and youngest female ever to achieve professional accountancy status when she qualified aged 22 back in 1953.

The event also featured two inspirational speakers in the form of Dame Rosemary Butler AM and TV presenter turned adventurer Lowri Morgan.

Describing last year’s event, Carly Allchurch, manager at sponsor PwC and one of the judges, said: “The Women in Business awards highlight the crucial and impressive contribution that women are making to business across South Wales.

We are proud to be sponsoring the event, and we have been very impressed by the standard of entries and the breadth and scale of the work that businesswomen in our region are undertaking.

• 2015 - Alex Shufflebottom, Shufflebottom • 2014 - Heather Cooper, HCHR • 2013 – Hayley Davies, JCP Solicitors • 2012 – Anna Bastek, Wolfestone • 2011 - Connie Parry, Hurns Brewery • 2010 - Lucy Richardson, Allihopa

“The nominated women are extremely capable and talented individuals – entrepreneurs, pioneers and innovators in their varied professions. Being part of these awards gives us a chance to celebrate and recognise their dedication and achievement, helping them to become role models for the next generation of women.”

Nominations for this year’s event open on July 25. The closing date is August 26.

For more information and sponsorship opportunities, contact Zena Laws, business manager at South West Wales Media, on 01792 545585 or email zena.laws@swwmedia.co.uk • Visit www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/business swanseabaybusiness.com 93

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Expert opinion with Rosie Sweetman, director of Business in the Community Cymru

NEWS ROUND-UP...

Dezrezlegal boosts team after busiest spring...

Businesses are failing to connect with young people At Business in the Community Cymru we frequently hear from our members of their concerns about their future workforce and talent pipeline.This is perhaps unsurprising given the changing demographics of the UK. The UK Commission for Employment and Skills suggests 12.5 million vacancies will be created by 2022 due to retirement or people leaving the labour market. It is clear that there will be more competition for young people with the right skills.

In response we’ve been working in partnership with Careers Wales to build needs led, long term partnerships between business and secondary schools across Wales. Business Class, is certainly growing in scale and impact, but what else could employers do to support young people into employment?

We recently launched Future Proof, a new campaign and framework backed

by The City & Guilds Group. It helps businesses break down the barriers in their recruitment processes and create quality accessible jobs for all young people.

Before designing the campaign we commissioned a survey of 4,000 18 to 24 year olds to assess the impact of existing recruitment practices.

The survey showed that a dismaying one in three young people found that unclear job descriptions, opaque and unattainable work experience requirements made applying for jobs an unreasonably difficult process.

These findings show that some businesses are failing to connect with young people and their recruitment processes are putting off the next generation.

We know there is a strong appetite from responsible businesses to take on this challenge. But they are experiencing problems in doing so, with companies reporting feeling overwhelmed by the complexity and sheer number of youth employment initiatives.

Fast-growing residential property service company, Dezrezlegal, based in Swansea has boosted its workforce by 10 per cent, after one of its busiest months on record.

The firm has hired eight in a move it believes could be a pre-cursor to a record year for the company.

The experience of Dezrezlegal reflects trends in the wider property market.

Figures released in January by the Land Registry showed that house prices in England and Wales jumped by 2.5 percent, their biggest leap since 2002, adding some £4,700 to the value of an average home.

The eight new members of staff include: Ashley Griffiths, Leonie Doyle, Kirsty Johnson, Harpreet Kaur, Toyah Fry and Beth Glave who are joining as conveyancing assistants. James Blackler is joining as a legal sales referral manager, and Rebecca Sinfield will join the team as a post completion assistant.

Their jobs will be to support the existing team, making the conveyancing process as seamless as possible.

Laura Burkinshaw, director of Dezrezlegal, said: “The start of spring is usually a good time for the property market. As soon as the daffodils start to appear people start to consider moving home and we see that upturn, but this has been even busier than usual and the figures from the Land Registry support this.

“We are investing and growing our workforce as we are seeing a surge in demand for our services.

“We want to be able to keep the personal approach that we have had in place since our inception in 2009.

“We have had our busiest February since we opened and with market trends showing we are set to get busier, it was an easy decision to choose to expand our team.”

Chance meeting leads to national franchise...

Two business owners who met at a Swansea business networking meeting 12 years ago are celebrating a record turnover and launch of a new national franchise.

Steve Bain and John Merrick, who run IT support business Pisys.net, met at BNI Dylan, a Swansea-based networking meeting that forms part of the BNI South Wales group.

The two business owners soon realised they were better working together than competing, and quickly set about joining forces.

Director, John Merrick, said: “Steve and I hit it off straight away, despite our businesses competing, and we soon formed our partnership. Since we started over 12 years ago, we have grown to employ 17 staff, all based in Swansea, and we have recorded a record turnover this year of just over £1M; all this from a chance networking meeting.”

Pisys.net has netted high profile clients such as Llanelli Rural Council, Peter Lynn & Partners, and Morgan Hemp Solicitors. The business has also recently launched a franchise model, with new operations in three locations across the UK.

Pictured are Pisys directors, from left, John Merrick, Jo-Ann Miles and Steve Bain.

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5/30/2016 3:13:24 PM

Property and construction Putting pleasure back in to pier

Famous landmark ready for work to satisfy increasing tourist numbers...

Property & Construction sponsored by

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Property & Construction

Mumbles Pier

Putting pleasure back into pier Mumbles Pier chairman tells BUSINESS LIFE the region needs more visitor facilities as the attraction waits to proceed on altered hotel and apartments...

Regeneration of one of the region’s most famous landmarks is paramount to satisfying increasing visitor numbers, according to one member of the family behind it.

John Bollom, of Mumbles Pier and chairman of its owner company Ameco, said the gateway to Gower and the peninsula itself was crying out for more accommodation and facilities.

Five years since plans for the transformation project – which has hit its fair share of snags – were approved, further ones are now being submitted, which include changes to a major hotel, 24 residential apartments and a promenade.

The now 55-room hotel, beside the pier’s café, shops and arcade, is proposed to be built over four floors and will require no cliff-side access, as it previously did when plans were submitted to Swansea Council for six floors. It would include a large function room for events on the ground floor.

Meanwhile, the apartments have been moved closer to the seafront, with car parking underneath, instead of in front.

The pier’s public car park would stay the same.

Bollom says he is pleased with the proposals and hopes the hotel, apartments and new promenade will be ready by next summer.

“It could be a jewel in the crown for Mumbles and Gower,” he said. “We need a restored pier. Many seaside towns have been in a real crisis over the past 15 years.

It’s the history of seaside towns. You have to change what you have, to go forward and survive.

“Tourism for Swansea and Gower is one of the most underdeveloped assets we have.There are a lot of good (construction) things going on, but a lot are residential.

It would have been very easy to go down the residential route, with high quality flats, here. But it’s about attracting visitor numbers to Mumbles and Gower.”

MANY SEASIDE TOWNS HAVE BEEN IN A REAL CRISIS OVER THE PAST 15 YEARS. IT’S THE HISTORY OF SEASIDE TOWNS. YOU HAVE TO CHANGE WHAT YOU HAVE, TO GO FORWARD AND SURVIVE.

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Artists’ impressions of the development at Mumbles Pier, submitted to Swansea Council in 2010

He adds the apartments would take around 18 months to construct and work should begin shortly.

There are three phases in total. Further plans include converting the old boat house by the RNLI lifeboat station into a restaurant, installing pavilions along the pier – as there were in the early 20th century - a jetty and potential water taxis, which could travel across the bay and to Neath. Planning permission has been approved to convert a fisherman’s cottage by the pier into a restaurant, for hotel guests and members of the public.

Ameco was in discussions with the Welsh Government arms’ length body, the

Regeneration Investment Fund for Wales, for a £2.6 million loan around four years ago.

But, just before it was secured, the RIFW was effectively put on hold with its assets suspended, pending inquiries to examine if taxpayers had received value for money for the sale of public land.

Bollom said the loss of this finance had added three years to the scheme.

“If we had had that RIFW loan, it would have been paid back now, with interest and that money could have gone on other projects for the community,” he said.

Ameco, which specialises in amusement equipment and family entertainment, has

operated at Mumbles for more than 70 years.

Designed by W Sutcliffe Marsh and built in 1889 at a cost of £17,000, Mumbles Pier was originally commissioned as the terminus for the already established Swansea to Mumbles Railway, Britain’s first passenger rail service.

Bollom, who is taking more of a backseat as his two sons run the business day-to-day, added although not originally designed as a “pleasure pier” it had certainly become one and he wanted to rebuild the pier as his father had done in the 1950s.

Main image by Ian Woolcock • istockphoto

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Property & Construction

Andrew Scott

CARVING A Swansea Bay region-based construction firm Andrew Scott has had 1,000s of apprentices working on its projects and many of their fathers and grandfathers did too. BUSINESS LIFE finds out more...

Level playing fields are hard to find in the construction industry.

But despite the challenges of squaring up to global players, Andrew Scott – the Port Talbot-based construction and civil engineering firm and Fast Track 25 winner - has carved out a successful niche and shored up its reputation with a string of iconic award-winning projects.

Wales’ oldest construction company, Andrew Scott, is gearing up for its 150year anniversary in 2020. The firm works across a wide range of industry sectors – from specialist projects within the energy, marine, sport, education, commercial and retail sectors – through to complex

infrastructure projects. It turned over £50 millio the last financial year, and has a rich heritage in Wales and the west.

Managing director Mark Bowen, who was headhunted twice for the role, said that the tightknit family business ethos, broad and specialist skills base and adaptability have all been crucial to the firm’s success.

“We are proud to have employed, in some cases, second, third and fourth generations of local families,” Bowen said.

“Andrew Scott has had more than 1,000 apprentices in the last 50 years.

All our apprentices – their fathers and grandfathers worked for us too,” he said.

ANDREW SCOTT HAS HAD MORE THAN 1,000 APPRENTICES IN THE LAST 50 YEARS. ALL OUR APPRENTICES – THEIR FATHERS AND GRANDFATHERS WORKED FOR US TOO.

Pictured from left: Andrew Scott business development manager, Chris Roles, Harri Lloyd-Davies from Bevan and Buckland, Mark Bowen, Andrew Scott managing director and Paul Brooks from Santander.

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NICHE Originally headquartered near Glasgow, Andrew Scott first came to Port Talbot to work on the original Port Talbot Steel Company works, and later moved its headquarters to the town. It is now in the throes of a two-year relocation project from its Margam base to a purpose-built premises at Baglan Energy Park, where alongside St Modwen it is one of the main land-owners.

“We have outgrown our existing headquarters; the Baglan Energy Park site will enable us to embrace new technology and is a more accessible location,” Bowen said.

Being able to take on anything from a formidable civil engineering project, often within a live industrial environment (such as the £7.5 million rebuilding of Blast Furnace No 4), through to a sensitive castle restoration project, has enabled the company to broaden its scope.

When it comes to profit margins, the construction industry has been associated with high risk and low margin sector.

Price-driven procurement, stressed supply chains, uncertain work pipelines, limited investment have all played a role, as has the boom-bust cycle of the market.

Bowen explains that the deep level of trust that customers place in Andrew Scott has helped it ride out the storms associated with the industry.

“We get people saying to us, ‘if we can have Taj as foreman and Curly, then the job’s yours’, that’s the kind of relationship we have with our customers,” Bowen said.

Bowen joined the company in 2010, at a time when turnover had plummeted from £60 million to £16.8 million, as projects like Parc-y-Scarlets and Rodney Parade in Newport came to an end.

It was around this time that the company began to expand its horizons and bid for projects across a wider range of sectors – energy, conservation, heritage and private companies within the steel sector.

Andrew Scott’s specialisms include maintenance contracts and specialist engineering works at major industrial plants across South Wales, including

all Corus Plants, BP at Llandarcy and Baglan, Cardiff-based Allied Steel & Wire and Arjo Wiggins Cardiff and Bridgendbased Jamont UK. With its specialist staff and long history of working within the steel industry, Andrew Scott, has been heavily involved in key specialist construction projects at Tata, including £multi-million repair and rebuild contracts for two blast furnaces.

“I don’t whether I just read the market really well, but in 2012 when we were rebuilding Blast Furnace 4, as a company we had more than 100 staff in Tata,” Bowen said.

“As a group we probably had at least 400 people involved with Tata. Over the last four years I made an effort to bring as many men out as possible.

“As a result, we haven’t had to make anyone redundant, we have redeployed staff into safety critical sectors such as Petrochem. In fact, we are a position to take on several skilled Tata staff,” he said.

Technology is playing an increasingly important role within the industry – “we invest heavily in IT and are very much driven by technology these days. It makes it easier and helps us secure our margins,” Bowen said.

“A specialist scanner costing £120,000 captures a 3D model of anything. If you’re in a cathedral or a blast furnace and you need to capture a 3D-model, you can do it in a matter of hours whereas before it would take weeks.”

Bowen has been critical in the past of prohibitive procurement for jobs within the public sector, and says that it remains a problem.

“The Welsh Government say that they are trying to help local Welsh indigenous companies but EU procurement legislation tends to favour national companies.” He said. “The parameters suit them better.

“Welsh Assembly want to bundle tenders up into bigger parcels to meet OJEU (Official Journal of the European Union) – that have thresholds above £4 million or £5 million.

THE WELSH GOVERNMENT SAY THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO HELP LOCAL WELSH INDIGENOUS COMPANIES BUT EU PROCUREMENT LEGISLATION TENDS TO FAVOUR NATIONAL COMPANIES.

“Because South Wales is our company base, it’s not in our interest to challenge the procurement terms, whereas a national company that works all over the UK can challenge the local authority.

“We find local authorities in East Wales particularly difficult – they set the bar too high because they are risk averse,” Bowen said.

The construction firm’s strategic response to this has been to look at other markets and concentrate on regions outside Wales, and also to focus more on the private sector than the public sector.

“As a company, Andrew Scott, we always aim to boost our local environment,” he added. “We have to give a lot back in the area that we are working in. For example, if we’re working on a school project we will always contribute to the school drama project, or sponsor kit. That’s the most rewarding part of all.”

SWANSEA BAY

BUSINESS LIFE

FAST TRACK 25 SWANSEA BAY

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Property & Construction

Prospect Park

New occupiers at renovated industrial park...

A handful of firms have moved into a key 18 acre site in the region...

Five businesses have committed to an industrial park in the Swansea Bay region.

Hall and Roche Logistics, Cymru Coaches, L G Murphy, Lets Go Travel and Fforest Services have taken units at Prospect Park, a multi-let industrial and warehouse park in Swansea.

Located on Queensway, in Fforestfach, the 18 acre site is the new name for the former Signode packaging factory. It closed in 2012 with the site undergoing an 18-month renovation.

The 225,000 sq ft two-building property has been divided into individual units to offer a mix of industrial, warehouse and office accommodation with yard space and parking.

Acting on behalf of new owners Prospect Estates Ltd, national commercial property consultancy Lambert Smith Hampton and joint agents Rowland Jones.

Jason Thorne, a director at LSH’s industrial agency team, said: “It’s refreshing to see an obsolete factory brought back to life and to such a high standard helping to give the market exactly what it’s been lacking for far too long.”

The units, which feature re-cladded roofs and walls with modern alloy sheeting, are available on flexible terms for lease or purchase and range between 5,000 sq ft to 100,000 sq ft.

Of the new occupiers, Hall and Roche Logistics, a global provider of transportation services has taken 90,000 sq ft on a 15 year lease with Cymru

Coaches committing to 5,000 sq ft of industrial, office and yard space for its private coach hire business.

L G Murphy has purchased 9,000 sq ft of accommodation also with a yard area for its demolition and plant hire company and is set to move in during June. Independent coach hire business Lets Go Travel is buying a 4,500 sq ft industrial unit with a yard area while Fforest Services, a supplier of temporary traffic lights, is to purchase 3,000 sq ft of accommodation plus a large yard.

Steve Pearce, of Cymru Coaches, said: “We had been looking for new premises for some time so were delighted when we learnt of this development particularly as there were so many options in terms of the type and size of space we could take within it.

“Our business has expanded considerably recently so we’re confident this new base will give us room for further growth coupled with the benefits of an excellent strategic location given junction 47 of the M4 is within such easy reach.”

Nicola Palmer, from Rowland Jones, added: “There’s certainly a lot of interest being shown in the remaining units and the fact that potential occupiers have the flexibility to rent or buy adds to the appeal.”

Prospect Estates Ltd are UK-wide specialists in the acquisition and renovation of large industrial stock. The company focuses on bringing derelict and outdated property back onto the market through the renovation and creation of

self-contained units in a mix of sizes.

Peter Shackleton, development manager at Prospect Estates, said: “The response to the new-look Prospect Park has been very encouraging and we are delighted to be operating in Swansea again where we hope our initiative will help to encourage growth within the local business community and contribute to job creation.”

Other key employers based in Fforestfach include Unichem, TNT, Welsh Boxes and Hurns Brewery.

OUR BUSINESS HAS EXPANDED CONSIDERABLY RECENTLY SO WE’RE CONFIDENT THIS NEW BASE WILL GIVE US ROOM FOR FURTHER GROWTH.

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WE HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR NEW PREMISES FOR SOME TIME SO WERE DELIGHTED WHEN WE LEARNT OF THIS DEVELOPMENT.

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Commercial Properties

www.johnfrancis.co.uk Narberth

Haverfordwest

Fishguard

Narberth

Producing £13,800 pa Fast Food Outlet and Self Contained Flat EER 150(F)

Currently Producing £23,700 Per Annum Retail Unit + 4 Upper Floor Flats

Retail Unit With Upper Floor Flat and On-Site Parking EER - C(63)

Offers in the region of £245,000

Offers in the region of £275,000

Offers in the region of £160,000

CARMARTHEN

Saundersfoot

Fishguard

Prominent High Street Location Gross Area Of Approx 492 sq ft (45.72 sq m) EER - 74 (C) £12,000 Per annum

CARMARTHEN

Prominent Edge of Town Centre Office Building of Approx 2,414 sq ft With Parking Space

Well Established Three Star 10 Bed Hotel With Licensed Bar and Parking EER - D(84)

Free House Bar and Stone Barn Restaurant With 75 covers Includes Fixtures & Fittings

Listed Town Centre Office Building Of Approx 2096 sq ft (194.7 sq m)

Offers in the region of £165,000

Offers in the region of £470,000

Offers in the region of £159,950

Offers in the region of £89,000

Newcastle Emlyn

Investment Producing In Over £64,000 pa - 2 Commercial Units and11 SelfContained Flats Offers in the region of £850,000

Cardigan

Cardigan

Carmarthen

Recently Refurbished Retail Unit in Town Centre Location

Well Established Convenience Store With Post Office and Off License.

EER - D(82)

£12,500 Per annum

£10,000 Per annum

Offers in the region of £119,500

Cardigan

Prominent High Street Location Ground Floor Approx 607sq ft (56.41sq m) EER-71

Saundersfoot

Modern Office Accommodation In Character Premises Approx 4,527 sq ft (420.72 sq m)

£10,950 Per annum

St Clears

Two Retail Units in Town Centre Location Large Upper Floor Flat EER - contact agent

£5,850 Per annum

Offers in the region of £199,500

Milford Haven

Self Contained Upper Floor Town Centre Offices With Access Off Main Street

Modern Offices of approx 1,304sqft (121.19sqm) on Business Park EER-77

£12,500 Per annum

Carmarthen

£6,500 Per annum

Carmarthen

Modern Offices Suites 355 to 4,961sq ft Car Parking Available EER - 93

£4,500 Per annum

Carmarthen

£12,500 Per annum

St Clears

Central Location On Busy Shopping Street With Wide Range of Local Traders EER - D(77)

Prominent Town Centre Retail Unit Suitable for Immediate Occupation EER - D(84)

£3,000 Per annum

Newcastle Emlyn

Refurbished Office Suit of Approx. 1,918 Sq Ft (178.25 Sq M) In Town Centre EER - D(77)

£10,000 Per annum

Carmarthen

Modern Workshop/ Storage Unit Easy Access to A40 & Regional Road System

Carmarthen

Recently Constructed Purpose Built Self-Contained Offices 1,216 sq ft(113.01 sq m)

£30,000 Per annum

Pembroke

Pembroke

Carmarthen

Self-Contained Suite With Own Entrance Approximately 1,272 sq ft (118.22 sq m)

Three Storey Town Centre Offices With Car Parking EER-80

From £6,590 per annum

Carmarthen

£7,500 Per annum

New Quay

Central Location in Busy Market Town Will Suit Most Retail Uses

Warehouse/ Trade Counter Unit To Be Refurbished With Frontage To Slip Road Off A40

Produces £16,000 pa Potential to Convert First Floor to Flats, Store to Rear

New Quay Resort Centre Retail Unit With Living Accommodation Outbuildings,

£15,000 Per annum

£24,000 Per annum

Offers in the region of £200,000

Offers in the region of £499,995

New Quay

Fishguard

Generally Level Surfaced Site in Prominent Town Centre Location

Offers in the region of £85,000

Llandeilo

Johnston

Ground Floor Retail Unit/Salon in Town Centre with Upper Floor Flat

Town Centre Retail Premises Tastefully Refurbished With Residential Accommodation

Established Public House/ Restaurant With Owner Accommodation and Car Park

Offers in the region of £190,000

Offers in the region of £389,000

Offers in the region of £300,000

www.johnfrancis.co.uk Commercial Dept 01834 861810 ©LW

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www.johnfrancis.co.uk

Commercial Properties

Herbert Street, Pontardawe Herbert Street, Pontardawe

£210,000

£150,000

Opportunity for investors to acquire first and second floor of a large Excellent investment opportunity situated within Pontardawe building situated within Pontardawe Town Centre on Long Leasehold basis Town Centre. Two retail units, currently let to Frosty Fish and (terms to be agreed).

The Co-operative, Wynford Thomas and Son Funeral The property comprises four flats, 2 x one bedroom and 2 x two bedroom.

Directors, producing an income of £16,716 per annum EPC D 64 EPC C69

Herbert Street, Pontardawe

West Street, Swansea

£115,000

£6,500 Per annum

Long Leasehold For Sale (terms to be agreed).

Two retail units, currently let to Blinking Stunning and The Green Grocers. Current income approx £12,000 per annum. Situated with Pontardawe Town Centre.

EPC E119

Ground floor unit to let. Formerly a training centre. Consists of a front office/sales area, partition is easily removed to create larger open space, back office, w.c facilities, kitchen and side storage area. Externally 3/4 parking spaces adjoining the property with rear access to unit. The property falls into a D1 Class Use Order but suitable for other uses subject to planning. Situated on busy main road, close to main retail area of Gorseinon.

www.johnfrancis.co.uk

Commercial Dept 0844 848 4335

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5/31/2016 12:16:20 PM

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Tel 01639 881556

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Property & Construction

Image: Stride Treglown

More than 1,000 trainees to benefit from multi-million pound deal...

New innovation centre set to be the first of its kind in Britain and construction trainees will benefit...

A ground-breaking £6.5 million Waleswide agreement which will create construction training for 1,100 people per year has been signed.

The Construction Industry Training Board and a consortium led by the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, will establish the Construction Wales Innovation Centre to offer state-of-theart facilities and world-class training for individuals and construction companies.

With its proposed headquarters at the Swansea Waterfront Innovation Quarter, the CWIC will also have sites at colleges across Wales, including Coleg Sir Gâr and Coleg Ceredigion, which are part of the UWTSD Group, and Coleg Cambria in North Wales and Coleg y Cymoedd in South East Wales.

Construction is due to begin towards the end of this year with the CWIC’s opening targeted for 2018.

Mark Bodger, strategic partnership director for CITB Cymru Wales, said: “This landmark partnership will ensure

we have the right skills in place to meet our industry’s current and future needs.

This exciting new centre will be a major step forward for the construction industry in Wales and help it become a leader in digital and modern construction and the repair of traditional buildings and heritage sites.”

Gerald Naylor, UWTSD project director, said: “We are looking forward to working with the CITB to develop a new model for delivering skills to the construction sector in Wales and beyond. Working with our further education college partners across Wales, we will develop a hub and spoke framework that will enable companies to access training through a central point.”

The hub will be based at the university’s Swansea Waterfront Innovation Quarter and the spokes will be located at the Wales-wide colleges.

The CITB and UWTSD collaboration will offer companies facilities and expertise to test new concepts in construction training. It is set to be the first of its kind

in Britain to provide applied research, training and consultancy through one partnership.

Donna Griffiths, partnerships manager at CITB, said: “The CWIC will, for the first time, deliver an integrated career pathway between craft, trade and professional construction occupations across the whole of Wales.

“The CWIC will respond to the skills challenges Wales faces and help train the next generation of workers in construction.”

Professor Medwin Hughes, vicechancellor at the UWTSD, added: “The vision for the Swansea Waterfront Innovation Quarter is to create a neighbourhood where the university and its partners can work with industry to exploit opportunities that will not only benefit the region but will also deliver those benefits to the rest of Wales. This development is key to us achieving that vision”. swanseabaybusiness.com 111

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5/30/2016 3:16:27 PM

advertising feature

Partners in Design Thomas Parry Design Partnership, the Swansea based Architectural & Interior Design practice are pleased to announce and welcome both Matt Bailey and Jon Gunn as new partners to the business.

John Thomas and Terry Parry will remain as Senior Partners of the company which they formed in 1983.

Matt & Jon have been designers with the practice for a combined total of more than 25 years and have now stepped up from their previous roles to that of Associate Partners. They will continue their creative design and project duties and will also take on management roles to continue to develop existing client relationships and expand their client base. ‘’Terry and I are delighted that Matt and Jon have chosen to join us as partners. Having worked with them both for a number of years, they have shown us and our clients that they have the experience, skills, passion and commitment to help us drive the company forward’’ said John Thomas.

As a multi disciplined practice they can offer many in house architectural and design services; from initial concept, design development & shop fitting packages to on site project management and liaising with statutory authorities.

Thomas Parry Design have a strong standing in the Commercial & Hospitality design industry, having completed projects both locally and nationally. Projects in the Swansea area include numerous prestigious projects such as La Parrilla, Café TwoCann and The Pump House in SA1, Towers Hotel in Jersey Marine, Bluebell Hotel in Neath and Langland Brasserie as well as a number of residential care homes.

They have been key in the design, development and roll out of the Coffee#1 brand throughout the UK for Welsh brewery S.A.Brain & Co Ltd with whom they also work as designers for their pub refurbishment schemes and were instrumental in rolling out the original Sizzling Pub Co brand for Mitchells & Butlers.

Current local interest schemes include the new Oyster Wharf Development in Mumbles, where they are lead architectural consultants and will include the design of the new roof top restaurant & bar which is due to open later this year. Work further afield currently includes a major refurbishment for Holiday Inn in the Midlands.

They specialise in hospitality, leisure and commercial design with completed projects including bars/restaurants, hotels, retail stores, residential care homes and large prestigious residential developments.

A strong local and national client base provides a positive outlook for the local practice who remain at the forefront of architectural and Interior design not only in Wales but also further afield.

For more information and to view their extensive portfolio visit www.thomasparry.co.uk

The Old Sketty Coach House 21 Gower Road, Sketty, Swansea, SA2 9BX t: 01792 290 755 e: design@thomasparry.co.uk

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5/30/2016 3:16:47 PM

Property & Construction

Industry Insight With Lee Mogridge, head of national commercial property consultants Lambert Smith Hampton Wales

Grade A threat to the knowledge economy...

“We have effectively doubled in size overnight,” said Professor Richard B. Davies, vice-chancellor of Swansea University, reflecting on last year’s opening of the Bay Campus. But there is still much to be done if the city is to benefit from more than a growing student population.

With the right vision and ambition in place, we could all benefit from the promise that has been set out with the £450m development, one of the largest knowledge economy projects in the UK. The hope is that academic excellence and industry collaboration will lead to the creation of viable commercial products and services. This is where wider vision comes into play and why a continued contraction of Grade A commercial space in the Swansea region is a concern.

First, some facts. Currently there is no built Grade A space located within the city centre, very limited supply in the Enterprise Park and no available space within SA1.

Progressive businesses demand quality accommodation plus as time moves on, embryonic businesses will seek to relocate to larger properties.

My concern is that the limited supply of stock will have a determining effect on these relocations, and with cities such as Cardiff offering a plentiful supply of quality accommodation, the likelihood is these businesses will migrate.

Axis 17, Axis Court, Mallard Way Swansea, SA7 0AJ Tel: 01792 702 800 3 Callaghan Square, Cardiff CF10 5BT Tel: 029 20523030 www.lsh.co.uk

So why has the issue of office stock supply in Swansea arisen? The lack of new development boils down to a lack of finance. Current headline rents are not at a level high enough to sustain economic development, primarily as a result of heavy grant subsidies provided in the past which have now been extinguished.

This compounds problems as the lack of new developments over the past decade means that there has been a lack of stimulus for growth and competition for space, which would have led to rental growth and provided investment opportunity for developers.

Whilst the public sector is important, arguably its role may change. Perhaps it could provide more of a supporting rather than a subsidising role to the private sector, as future development within the city needs to be private sector led.

Developers must be encouraged to invest in Swansea, canvass their views, examine what restrictions can be lifted, and be bold as the university has been and there is the hope that the commercial market in Swansea can grow.

Then we will all be in a position to benefit from the potentially massive opportunity the city is currently nurturing.

NEWS ROUND-UP...

Engineering firm secures another multi-million pound contract...

Swansea-based RDM Electrical and Mechanical Services has recently won a contract to complete electrical and mechanical works for the new Capital Quarter student accommodation project in Cardiff.

The Tyndall street project is worth £5 million to the company and is due to be completed in July 2017. The net area of the development site is 140,000 sq ft and the project is being carried out in partnership with VINCI Construction UK. Capital Quarter is an eight acre mixed use Cardiff City Centre development. It has outlined planning for over 800,000 sq ft of development, which will include offices, hotels, student housing and education uses.

RDM has also recently been successful in winning its third contract for the design and build of the next phase of the new £450 million Swansea University Bay Campus being built on Fabian Way, valued at approximately £4.5 million.

Bay Campus wins RICS award...

The one million sq ft first phase of the Bay Campus has been recognised as among the most ambitious projects in the UK higher education sector.

The Swansea University development, on Fabian Way, won the regeneration category at this year’s RICS awards, which celebrates inspirational initiatives across the built environment.

The regeneration award honours exceptional improvements to urban, rural or coastal areas. The winner must show that the scheme has conserved or improved the built or natural environment in a way that has contributed to the viability of the area.

Ben Collins, RICS director in Wales, said: “This impressive project heralds a new era and a new status for Swansea University.

The scheme has taken a linear, derelict and highly-contaminated site and regenerated it as a vibrant, fully-functioning university campus that makes the most of its seaside location, forming an iconic new gateway to the city of Swansea. Clever design details and a thoughtful layout give a tremendous sense of place and feeling. Extremely well done to all involved.”

Castle Quarter in Swansea was highly commended in the category.

Cardigan Castle in Ceredigion won project of the year as well as the tourism and leisure, and building conservation categories. swanseabaybusiness.com 115

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advertising feature

A personal touch Buying insurance can often be an impersonal experience, but East Side Insurance in St Thomas, Swansea, stands out for offering a customerfocused, face-to-face service coupled with unrivalled access to the UK insurance market. Now celebrating its 30th birthday, the company continues to grow, offering increased expertise in commercial lines.

It says a lot about the personal, expert service provided by East Side Insurance that the company has grown and flourished over the last 30 years, even in the face of online and telephone competition.

“Unlike most brokers and direct insurers, we still have a walk-in office. We are able to offer a friendly, approachable service with the expertise to back it up.

While many people now find themselves buying insurance from faceless companies over the phone or the internet, East Side’s clients enjoy personal, face-to-face service and the benefit of East Side’s formidable market contacts, which enable it to get the very best deals for its customers.

“We are proud to say that our very first customer, who joined us 30 years ago, is still with us. Our customers say they keep coming back because of our customer service – they like to know there is always someone here to help them, whether for claims advice or general queries.”

“As we grow we continue to place an emphasis on good old fashioned personal service,” says Anthony Fox, who founded

During the past 30 years, East Side Insurance Services has grown from a two-man band to a company with 16

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East Side in 1986 with Stephen Corney.

employees, and has progressed from a personal lines broker to a firm that also offers deep expertise and market knowledge in commercial lines.

From landlord insurance to motor fleets, and from offices to factories, there is no limit to East Side’s commercial insurance capabilities.

Its expansion into the commercial sector was prompted by demand from its existing personal lines clients.

“Our buyers were happy with the service we offered on the personal lines side and they told us they weren’t getting the same standard of service from their commercial

5/31/2016 1:43:39 PM

advertising feature

brokers,” says Anthony. “They said they wanted to transfer their commercial business to us, so we saw an opportunity to grow.”

In order to broaden its commercial offering, the company recently recruited two new members of staff.

“We’ve taken on Tony Cutts, who has over 30 years’ experience in the commercial market, and we have welcomed a new buy-to-let insurance specialist, Lynda Fisher. She brings years of experience of the property market from both an insurance and sales perspective, having been involved in estate agencies as well as insurance. She and Tony are hugely valuable additions to our team.”

The East Side team now has all bases covered, both from a personal lines and a commercial lines perspective. It has unrestricted access to the whole of the UK insurance market, meaning it is able to compare all products to find the best deals for its clients, offering the same quality and levels of cover as the nationals while maintaining its flexible, personal service.

It is also accessing an ever broader range of expertise as a founding member of the Cambria Insurance Alliance, a network of brokers based in South Wales that work together to negotiate better deals for their clients.

“It means we are able to provide exclusive schemes that are unavailable to other

brokers,” says Anthony.

With its longevity already proven, the firm is looking to the future with confidence.

“We now have the technical ability to deal with any product and any size of business that is out there, and we look forward to welcoming even more commercial clients as 2016 progresses.

“We are continually growing and evolving, while keeping our unique customerfocused offering intact. We have been here for 30 years and we bring a bit of consistency to an ever changing market.

We hope to be here for at least another 30 years.”

www.eastsideinsurance.co.uk 130 Port Tennant Road | St Thomas Swansea 01792 641611 | 01792 641624 Commercial Insurance

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5/31/2016 1:43:46 PM

Property & Construction

Glynneath Business Park

New development could bring up to 70 new jobs Plans to build a road side service area in Neath Port Talbot plus a restaurant or pub could create up to 70 jobs...

Two planning applications to develop land at Glynneath business park could see up to 70 jobs brought to the area, it has been claimed.

The applications outline plans, at the time this magazine went to print, for land opposite McDonald’s on the A465 which includes building a new road side service area comprising of a petrol station and kiosk, a drive-thru coffee shop, car parking and vehicle access.

There are also proposals to build a restaurant or pub with vehicle access and an additional car park.

The application has been put in

by Arbenigol, a property developer consultancy based in Cardiff.

Glynneath town council member, Alfred Siddley, said: “Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council has been in receipt of these applications.

“I have been in touch with the director of Arbenigol, who told me the applications had been put forward.

“If they are accepted by the council, these new developments could have the ability to create up to 70 jobs for the people of Glynneath and the surrounding areas.

“For those of us living here, 70 jobs would make a huge difference.

“We are not a very large community so those jobs would really make an impact in the community and would definitely help many people living here or close to the area out.

“It would also help to bring more people to the area as we may well be catching some of the people who are coming off the M4 further down the road.

“I hope that it is accepted by the council as the development will make a huge difference.”

A spokesman for Neath Port Talbot Council confirmed the two applications had been received.

A spokesman for the council said: “We are in receipt of two applications on land adjacent to the McDonald’s site.

“One is a full application and the other is an outline application.

“The location is land at Glynneath Business Park, adjacent to A465, Glynneath.

“Description is a road side service area comprising of petrol filling station and kiosk, drive-thru coffee shop, car parking, vehicular access and associated works.

IF THEY ARE ACCEPTED BY THE COUNCIL, THESE NEW DEVELOPMENTS COULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO CREATE UP TO 70 JOBS FOR THE PEOPLE OF GLYNNEATH AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS. “The second is a proposed pub/restaurant, access, car parking, layout and associated works.”

“Both applications are still under consideration.”

The applications will be considered by the council’s planning department.

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Andrew Scott

Property & Construction

Construction firm enjoys triple awards win

Redevelopment of Cardigan Castle

Developer Andrew Scott, which has worked on projects across the Swansea Bay region, is celebrating a hat-trick of awards...

South West Wales-based developer Andrew Scott has been building on its recent success with a trio of awards.

The Port Talbot-based construction specialist won three categories at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Awards 2016 for its work on Cardigan Castle in West Wales. These included building conservation, tourism and leisure project of the year.

Mark Bowen, managing director at Andrew Scott, said the RICS awards were a “great triumph”.

“The conservation and redevelopment of Cardigan Castle was a great triumph for us, so we are delighted that it has

been recognised at this year’s RICS Wales Awards,” he said. “To win in the building conservation, and tourism and leisure categories is a great achievement, but to win overall project of the year is quite remarkable and I’m very proud of our success.”

He added the castle had been officially reopened after a 10 year, £11 million project led by Andrew Scott’s development partner, surveyor Purcell.

Andrew Scott was set to go for interview, on the day this magazine went to press, as part of the SME of the Year category of the Constructing Excellence in Wales Awards, which are held in July.

QUALITY @AndrewScottLtd

It was also shortlisted for the Best Education Building Award category in the LABC Cymru Building Excellence Awards.

The developer was founded in 1870 and its clients include Tata, Cadbury, Carmarthenshire County Council, National Grid, The Royal Mint, Celtic Manor Resort, Western Power, and Wales and West Utilities.

INNOVATION

Andrew Scott Ltd

marketing@andrewscott.co.uk

: Andrew Scott Ltd,The Grange, Margam, Neath Port Talbot, SA13 2SP Tel: 01639 889800

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Commerical and Personal Insurance Health and Safety Financial Management Employment Law Legal Indemnities

Enjoy our

Group Approach With more specialists in Wales than any group in our sector, award winning Thomas Carroll takes care of it all for you, from insurance to health & safety and independent financial advice.

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LOCAL

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CHARTERED

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Thomas Carroll Group plc, Elm House, Tawe Business Village Enterprise Park, Swansea SA7 9LA

INDEPENDENT

5/31/2016 10:07:15 AM

What is a Service Charge?

An amount payable by a Freeholder or Leaseholder in respect of services, repairs, maintenance, insurance, improvements or costs of management this is called ‘service charge’.

At CLC Chartered Surveyors we provide Residential and Commercial Block Management services to Developers, Landlords and RTM Companies across South Wales

What do CLC do?

In Brief CLC provide the following services;                

Preparation of annual estimates of expenditure Issue Service Charge Demands Management of communal areas Manage the Sinking Fund Provide Individual Client Accounts Complying with RICS Guidelines Managing and verifying invoices for payment Manage Major Works Proper control of sub-contractors from both a health & safety, and quality point of view Oversee external maintenance such as grass-cutting and gardening Lift maintenance and insurance Ensure Health & Safety and Fire Risk Assessment Compliance Buildings/property owners insurance Completion and filing of annual accounts Service charge collection and credit control Clear, accurate and timely financial reporting Customer focussed, 24 hour 7 day service

If you are a Developer, Freeholder or part of a Management Company and you would like to discuss further please contact

Malcolm Roberts MRICS - Malcolm@clcproperty.co.uk Robert Camm MRICS - Robert@clcproperty.co.uk Peter Loosmore MRICS - Peter@clcproperty.co.uk

www.clcproperty.co.uk

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Alongside the supply of concrete, the company operates a concrete pumping service enabling concrete to be efficiently and effortlessly placed and is particularly useful on sites which would otherwise require the concrete to be transported using dumpers or barrows.

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G.D.Harries & Sons Ltd

advertising feature

G. D. Harries & Sons Ltd, New Concrete Plant at Penygroes, Crosshands, Llanelli.

The locally based company has extended its area of materials supply, by commissioning a new ready mixed concrete plant at Penygroes, near Crosshands.

Penygroes plant is capable of producing high volumes of ready mixed concrete for large civil engineering, agricultural, building projects or the smaller load for use on typical DIY jobs.

The concrete is delivered on the company’s own fleet of ready mix trucks operated by experienced staff. Concrete can also be collected by customers who have the facilities to do so.

Back up, should it be necessary, is provided by the company’s existing BSI accredited plant at Cwmffrwd, near Carmarthen. The company also operates three other BSI accredited concrete plants at Narberth, Haverfordwest and Coygen near Laugharne.

Alongside the supply of concrete, the company operates a concrete pumping service enabling concrete to be efficiently and effortlessly placed and is particularly useful on sites which would otherwise require the concrete to be transported using dumpers or barrows.

Advice and support to assist in the selection of concrete appropriate to its intended use is available from knowledgeable and experienced staff who are always happy to help.

The additional concrete plant at Penygroes along with Cwmffrwd site, add to the company’s ability to provide a complete service to the construction Tel: 01834 860 464 Rowlands View, Templeton, Narberth SA67 8RG

industry particularly in Carmarthenshire, complementing the existing quarry operations at Coygen and Alltgoch near Llanybydder which also produce a full range of tarmacadam products. These products are available for purchase by contractors or supply to the company’s own Surfacing and Civil Engineering sections.

Tel: 01267 232 638 Norton Road, Penygroes, Llanelli SA14 7RU Gelli Gaeros, Idole, Carmarthen, SA32 8DJ

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THE LOCAL INDEPENDENT BUSINESS TELECOMS SPECIALISTS Established In 1994 PBS Telecom has grown quickly to become South & West Wales Leading Communications & Data Specialists.

The key to our growth has been our passion to exceed customer expectations and to deliver new and diverse communications solutions for our clients.

Our clients range from large global corporations, local government, small businesses and sole traders. Whatever Industry you operate in we have a solution for you.

We take a very proactive approach in what we do, from procurement to Implementation and ongoing support you can be assured PBS Telecom will be there each step of the way!

What makes us unique?

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Business specialists

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Mobile & landline

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Independent - all networks supplied

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Leading the way with the latest devices & technology

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Complete account management & end User support

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1 point of contact – Personal service

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Established 22 years

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We come to you

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Repair facility

P E R S O N A L S E RV I C E | 2 4 H O U R S | I N D E P E N D E NT & I M PA RT I A L Established in 1994 129 New Road, Skewen, Neath, SA10 6HL Telephone: 01792 321004 Visit: www.pbstelecom.co.uk

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Technology &

communication Digital kiosks go down a treat

Big Macs and McFlurrys can be enjoyed alongside Samsung tablets after major investment...

Technology & Communication sponsored by

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Digital kiosks go down a treat Big Macs and McFlurrys can be enjoyed alongside Samsung tablets after major investment...

Business people up and down the region use McDonald’s wifi as a way to check emails and stay connected on the road while enjoying a working lunch. Now one of the fast food chain’s restaurants in Swansea has unveiled new technology for customers as it looks to stay one step ahead of digital lifestyles.

Digital kiosks, Samsung tablets, mobile phone chargers and USB sockets are part of a half a million pound makeover at the Cwmdu Retail Park restaurant.

The move is set to improve customer service too and follows changes at McDonald’s Carmarthen restaurant on Myrtle Hill earlier this year. Many of the new features were also introduced at the chain’s Oxford Street restaurant in Swansea last year.

McDonald’s franchisee Ron Mounsey, who owns 15 restaurants across Swansea and Newport, said it was the biggest change to McDonald’s in the UK for more than 40 years and that business people were a regular sight through the day.

Mounsey started his career 17 years ago.

His restaurants contribute £15.2 million to the local economy and he employs 1,250 people.

He said: “We needed to change to go to the next stage for our customers and what their expectations are has changed over the years. We’ve got super high-speed broadband here and we are driving this modern trend.

“We’re thrilled with the transformation because we’re committed to offering our customers more choice and fast service.

“Technology has a huge role to play in all walks of life, including our customers’ eating out experience, so the new technology we’ve introduced recognises

the way people live their lives today.

“The addition of table service enables customers to order at the self-order kiosk and then sit down at a designated zone to get served. From mums coming in with their kids, to people having a working lunch, I expect the feedback to be positive.”

McDonald’s is set to take on between five and ten new staff this year to add to the 105 currently employed at the retail park restaurant as a result of the digital move, which has seen new technology installed on the restaurant floor and behind the scenes.

Waiting staff now bring customer orders to one of three table zones after they have made their selection on one of several digital kiosks by the entrance.

Mounsey said each meal was now made individually for the customer instead of cooking in batch and burgers being thrown away if they hadn’t been sold within ten minutes.

He added customers could now browse the restaurant’s 103 menu items at their own pace using the kiosks. It also allows them to check out the nutritional information of each meal. Once they are selected, a ticket is printed out and the food is brought to their table. They can also queue at the counter as before.

The kiosks and menu boards use LED lighting and the restaurant is focused on improving its recycling, with separate bins for plastic.

McDonald’s franchisee, Ron Mounsey

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Digital kiosks

The restaurant has four Samsung tablets to entertain customers with menu options including news, weather, travel, shopping and games.

Other McDonald’s restaurants nearby are due to undergo a similar transformation, including on Fabian Way; Cross Hands Business Park; Baglan Road, Briton Ferry; and Foundry Road, Morriston.

The Briton Ferry restaurant will close in July and open early August and on Fabian Way, it will close in September and open early October. More than half a million pounds will be spent on each and at least five new recruits are expected to join both teams over the course of the year.

Paul Pomroy, CEO of McDonald’s UK, said it was important to the business’ three million daily customers to offer and encourage the latest technology.

“We are confident that the investment we are making will bring new and exciting

changes to McDonald’s in Swansea and across the rest of the UK. “We’ve listened to customer feedback and know we need to modernise further in order to move the McDonald’s experience on, and remain relevant to the lives of the three million customers that we serve daily.

“Our converted restaurants, like this one in Cwmdu Retail Park, will deliver a fast and easy experience, aided by digital and traditional ordering points ensuring we continue to be enjoyed by our customers.”

By the end of this year, more than 400 restaurants across the UK will offer table service to their customers.

Ideas in the pipeline include an option to customise McDonald’s classic burgers, as well as ordering and paying by smartphone.

Customers in some restaurants will also be able to enjoy interactive table-top games and charge their smartphones using wireless charging devices.

Technology & Communication

OUR CONVERTED RESTAURANTS, LIKE THIS ONE IN CWMDU RETAIL PARK, WILL DELIVER A FAST AND EASY EXPERIENCE, AIDED BY DIGITAL AND TRADITIONAL ORDERING POINTS swanseabaybusiness.com 127

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5/31/2016 2:43:20 PM

Technology & Communication

TechHub

From left: Prince Appah of Veeqo, Paul Arnold of Bevan and Buckland, Chris Campbell of Business Life

Tech start-up scene matches London...

SWANSEA BAY

BUSINESS LIFE

FAST TRACK 25 SWANSEA BAY

In association with...

Retailer software provider Veeqo, based at TechHub Swansea, is set to increase its UK business by 50 per cent this year thanks to its mobile app and digital opportunities in South West Wales. BUSINESS LIFE reports…

The Swansea Bay region is well equipped to drive the digital sector forward and nothing is more dedicated to the cause than TechHub Swansea, according to an expert.

Prince Appah, marketing manager at software provider Veeqo which is based at the TechHub on High Street, said the company was working with universities and other companies in the region, as it looks to grow further over the next 12 months.

The online inventory management software firm, launched in 2013, is a member of the class of 2015 of Fast Track

25, the invitation-only club of Swansea Bay Business Life, sponsored by Santander and Bevan & Buckland.

Matt Warren, founder and CEO of Veeqo, is also co-founder of TechHub Swansea.

Veeqo, which helps clients organise sales on platforms including Amazon, Ebay and Shopify, is set to grow its business in the UK by 50 per cent this year. It will also add one member of staff to its two overseas offices, one in New York and the other in Berlin.

Appah, who joined Veeqo 16 months ago, said the company had thrived since moving as part of the TechHub from Wind Street to

High Street.

TechHub, launched in 2014, creates spaces around the world for tech entrepreneurs to meet, work, learn and collaborate and run events.

DVLA has sponsored a dedicated event floor in the building, called Furnace.

Swansea-based Just Golf is another company using the space.

Appah said: “This has been much more of a cohesive environment. Now we communicate much more.

“If you have a lot of tech companies working together, so long as you help those

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Expert opinion companies in the right way, eventually you are going to have real companies coming out of that space and that’s what we’ve seen.

“Now we’ve got a second cohort of companies - five companies, all Swanseabased - who’ve all got investment now.

There is room for many more start-up companies.

“We also plan to invite other companies that aren’t start-ups to come over and brainstorm and share ideas. That’s how we got the DVLA here and they decided to move in after three months. We need to do that a lot more.

“It can be easier to rent office space and to hire people in Swansea, there isn’t as much bureaucracy here and we’re only three hours from London, it’s not that far. Those are all advantages and the fact we’ve got TechHub here, helping startups puts Swansea right up there with London.”

Veeqo is seeing the benefits from the move and is now looking to expand, in the UK and overseas.

Appah added: “Most of our clients are medium retailers, making anywhere between £1 million and £5 million a year.

“A very small retailer might be selling on Ebay only and their web store. They might not even realise that they could sell on Amazon. So, we direct them and before you know it, they are transitioning from being a small player into a medium sized one.

“In six months we want to grow our customer base up to 50 per cent. We are spending 90 per cent of our marketing budget in the UK and the other 10 per cent we’re splitting between the US and Germany.

“We intend to raise a venture capital round in the next six months that should help our growth for the next 12 months, that is when we would really spend money on the US and the German market.

“We want more staff in Swansea, more staff who can cover the US shifts. We need people who can speak German as well.

“We want to be a global company so we need to make these steps to make it happen.

“We’ve had a very close relationship with Swansea University. They have always helped us with talent. Quite a lot of our developers we hired straight from uni. Our CTO trained up about eight web developers initially. The talent is here. It can be a little difficult to find experienced talent but looking in the right places you can find the talent that you need.”

A total of 80 per cent of Veeqo’s customers are UK based, while 10 per cent are in the US, 5 per cent in Germany and 5 per cent across the rest of the world.

Veeqo employs about 30 people in the UK, with many working from home or on the road. A total of 10 are software developers, four are in marketing, while others work in sales, support or design. There can be 20 employees at the Swansea office at any one time. All staff meet together at the site every Friday.

The company released an iOS app towards the end of last year and is soon to launch an Android version. It helps retailers monitor their stock and sales on one platform.

Appah said: “Let’s say you’ve got a huge warehouse by your office. When you receive an order you’ve got to quickly run into your warehouse to find out if that item is in stock, presuming you cannot find it on your system. Normally people use barcodes, but if all your staff have mobile phones, they can simply install the Veeqo app, scan an item and it automatically shows up on the Veeqo system. So you don’t need to do the running around. You can also be out and about, you receive a notification on your mobile phone that you’ve had a sale and you can quickly notify your warehouse staff to say a sale has come through and to ship an order.”

Warren set up Veeqo after more than a decade’s experience as a retailer. He founded Jura Watches and realised he could not find the software support he wanted to keep track of stock and sales.

Appah added: “Matt was a retailer for about 12 years. He experienced the pain first hand of having to sell multiple items on several market places and having to manually go through all these marketplaces to update his stock to ship an item, and to update a customer service report when an item has sold.

“He started to research software solutions that could solve his problems and there wasn’t anything that could quite meet his requirements, so he decided to create Veeqo. Three years down the line and we’re growing well.”

Paul Arnold, tax partner at Bevan and Buckland, said TechHub Swansea was nothing but positive.

“It’s a great idea, particularly when you’ve got start-ups,” he said. “There’s so much experience you go through as you’re setting up the business and to have that expertise and ability to ask questions from people who have been through it before must be great.

“If you look at Swansea and South West Wales as a place, there’s so many innovative companies and a lot of work that I do is with tech companies, particularly on the software side.

“Some of the things that’s being done not just by this company but other companies within Swansea is pretty impressive.”

TechHub Swansea has revealed the finalists of its first tech accelerator fund programme, where applicants could win a grant of up to £10,000.

The start-up network has chosen seven inspiring applicants out of more than 80 submissions, each to be awarded between £5,000 and £10,000 of funding towards their tech idea or business.

All the finalists will pitch at Google Campus in London. They include Swansea-based hotel management app The Booking Factory and DooPoll, an online platform for creating dynamic polls, whose clients include Swansea University School of Management.

with Adam Curtis, CEO of Hoowla & MD of Clockwork Bear

Businesses are failing to connect to young people At Business in the Community Cymru we frequently hear from our members of their concerns about their future workforce and talent pipeline.This is perhaps unsurprising given the changing demographics of the UK. The UK Commission for Employment and Skills suggests 12.5 million vacancies will be created by 2022 due to retirement or people leaving the labour market. It is clear that there will be more competition for young people with the right skills.

In response we’ve been working in partnership with Careers Wales to build needs led, long term partnerships between business and secondary schools across Wales. Business Class, is certainly growing in scale and impact, but what else could employers do to support young people into employment?

We recently launched Future Proof, a new campaign and framework backed

by The City & Guilds Group. It helps businesses break down the barriers in their recruitment processes and create quality accessible jobs for all young people.

Before designing the campaign we commissioned a survey of 4,000 18 to 24 year olds to assess the impact of existing recruitment practices.

The survey showed that a dismaying one in three young people found that unclear job descriptions, opaque and unattainable work experience requirements made applying for jobs an unreasonably difficult process.

These findings show that some businesses are failing to connect with young people and their recruitment processes are putting off the next generation.

We know there is a strong appetite from responsible businesses to take on this challenge. But they are experiencing problems in doing so, with companies reporting feeling overwhelmed by the complexity and sheer number of youth employment initiatives. swanseabaybusiness.com 129

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advertising feature

ETS MAKES HUGE DIFFERENCE TO LOCAL BUSINESS The new system now allows customer calls to be transferred and multiple lines in to each depot allows for almost real-time stock management communication.

Since ETS installed a new Panasonic telephone system in February Pic-Up Spares, the auto-recycling and car-parts firm with sites in Landore and Winch Wen, have noticed a definite increase in business levels.

Brendan Somerville, Director of Pic-up Spares commented “the system has made a huge difference to the business. We’re no longer missing calls and the ability to transfer between sites and mobile phones has had a positive impact on the business”.

The system installed by ETS includes: • Free transfers of calls between sites • Free transfer of calls to mobile phones • Call Monitoring Wall-board • Additional lines, including a line to the breakers yard Nick Foden, Business Development Manager of ETS commented “we

Photo, Left to Right – Tim Swain, Nick Foden, Brendan Somerville

met with Pic-Up Spares and quickly identified the problems they were facing across the business. We knew straight away the solution we could provide and installation took a few hours and had minimal disruption on the business”.

Prior to the system being installed, customers would be required to redial a different site and if either site needed to contact the other to check stock levels, they had to dial and wait until someone was available to answer.

We work with market leaders Panasonic to provide telephone systems specific to your business needs.

Offering rich functionality that includes a one number “goanywhere, reach me anytime” facility, multi-site hot-desking, voicemail, auto-attendant plus many other features, our systems will make your working life easier.

FEATURES INCLUDE:

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SUITABLE FOR: • • • •

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Remote / Home workers Small Businesses Large Offices Multi-Site Businesses

The call monitoring wall-board in particular has been a game-changer for the business. Tim Swain, Director commented “we can see how many calls are waiting and the number they are calling from. This allows us to ensure we have the right staffing levels for busy times and can call people back if needed, something that has led to increased business levels over the last 3 months”.

If you operate a multisite business and face similar issues to Pic-Up Spares, contact ETS today for a free assessment of your current communication systems.

EUROPEAN TELECOM SOLUTIONS

ETS is independent of any one carrier so is able to offer the most appropriate tariffs to meet the call profile of your company.

Guaranteed to beat BT prices for line rental and calls, our customer support team is available to monitor available tariffs making sure you receive a constant level of account management.

We recognise that your business needs effective and efficient communications so our aim is to provide top class pre and post sales support to ensure you get the maximum benefit on your investment from day one.

SAVINGS

• Land Line Rental with as much as 30% cost savings over BT • Potential savings of up to 50% on current bill

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• Full after sales service including installation, training, maintenance

Tel: 0800 280 8980 enquiries@eurotels.co.uk www.eurotels.co.uk

LAND LINE SOLUTIONS and support.

• Project coordination to take responsibility for overseeing and managing the full project from start to finish including dealing with your current provider • Discounted line rentals • Simplified one-bill solution

PRODUCTS

• Line Installation • Fault Management • Non Geographical Telephone Numbers • SIP Trunking We offer a free, no obligation review of your existing lines and call spend to ensure you are getting the best value for money.

Contact us for more details.

5/31/2016 10:13:08 AM

Campaign for kids shows how business and schools can team up...

For some children the playground can be a lonely place. But a new campaign aims to end that by funding Buddy Benches for primary schools in the Swansea Bay region, as BUSINESS LIFE reports...

Schoolchildren in South West Wales are being given a new playground hang out thanks to the launch of a campaign.

Business Life’s sister publication the South Wales Evening Post has teamed up with Swansea Council to roll out Buddy Benches in all 79 of the city’s primary schools.

Pupils will be able to play and make new pals on the colourful friendship benches, which will take pride of place in the schools’ playgrounds.

The US concept aims to spread the message of inclusion and kindness, and the Buddy Bench is a place where youngsters can meet and play with old or new friends.

Children can also take some time out to be by themselves, with classmates aware that peers sitting on the Buddy Bench might be in need of some extra support.

The first two primary schools to benefit from the campaign are Pontarddulais and Pontlliw.

Pontarddulais head teacher Jonathan Mead, whose bench is being sponsored

by HomeStore Interiors, said the bench would be a welcome extension to the school’s existing friendship stop scheme.

“We have got friendship stops, where children can go if they have nobody to play with or they’ve had a dispute, and one of our playground friends will come and pick them up.

“That scheme is going really well, and what will be even nicer is to have the bench at the friendship stop so they can have a sit down and a chat.

Managing director of Homestore Patrick Pattison said he believed the Buddy Bench was a “great idea” and was one of the first sponsors on board the campaign.

He said: “I hope it will be a place of safety for the children of Pontarddulais to go and talk with the teachers if there are some issues that are troubling them.

Pontlliw primary head teacher Alison Norman, whose Buddy Bench is being sponsored by Jermin Productions, said she believed the scheme was a good idea.

She said: “We used to have buddy stop flags and we still have peer supports wearing red caps — they patrol around the school and make sure everyone is happy and has someone to play with.

“The Buddy Bench is very helpful.”

Jonathan Roberts, editor of the South Wales Evening Post, said he believed it was a great campaign for schools to get involved with.

“The Buddy Benches are a great concept, and designed to encourage friendship,” he said.

“It can be a focal point for many different things — as a meeting place for a group of school friends, or sometimes as a quieter space for reflection on a one-to-one basis.

“The pupils themselves, I’m quite sure, will find many ways to use their new Buddy Bench. It’s a small but very effective addition to the playground, and we are confident it will host all kinds of conversations — ones that make friendships; mend friendships; and cement friendships.”

For more information on how to sponsor a Buddy Bench, call Debbie Roberts on 01792 545626.

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Evening Post staff go extra mile...

A team from the South Wales Evening Post has been supported by the Village Hotel in their training for the upcoming Swansea Half Marathon.

Tackling a 13 mile run is no mean feat — but learning to communicate with the world when you have little or no hearing is a far bigger challenge.

Which is why this year, readers of our sister publication, the South Wales Evening Post, chose Talking Hands Deaf Children & Young People Service as its charity of the year, despite some equally worthy causes having been in the running.

Based in Hafod, and set up in 1999 thanks to the Millennium Volunteers Awards, the service aims to help young people build self-esteem, confidence and a positive view to deafness - as well as teaching them sign language.

It has proved invaluable to many parents who discover their children have issues with their hearing, and are unable to afford a basic sign language course, which can cost almost £500.

The Evening Post has pledged to raise money for the charity, and one of the ways it will be doing so, is by taking part in this year’s Swansea Half Marathon, which takes place on June 26.

Thirteen members of staff, including reporters, managers and members of the sales team will be pulling on their daps to tackle the course from the city centre to

Mumbles and back, via the marina, with Swansea Bay as a backdrop.

One of those taking part is sales executive Chris Norman, who said: “I was shocked to find out how little, if any, funding you would get if your child was born deaf.

“I think we need to raise more awareness for people that there is somewhere to go for advice, help and information.”

Helping the volunteers in their training has been the Village Hotel, which has allowed staff to use its facilities, and receive personal training advice.

And if they complete the challenge, members of Talking Hands have promised to be there to cheer them over the finishing line.

Evening Post publisher Lisa Cameron (pictured above) said: “We have heard stories from Talking Hands about how parents have struggled to afford the cost of a sign language course, but also very positive stories about how they have helped parents and their children.

“And as the charity has been given publicity, more people have approached them for help.

“It is now up to us to meet the Swansea Half Marathon challenge”.

I THINK WE NEED TO RAISE MORE AWARENESS FOR PEOPLE THAT THERE IS SOMEWHERE TO GO FOR ADVICE, HELP AND INFORMATION.

To donate, visit www.gofundmecom/24244z6s

SUBSCRIBE!

The must-read for the Swansea Bay City Region business community

Introducing the new format Swansea Bay Business Life magazine, a bi-monthly business publication for the Swansea Bay City Region incorporating Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Swansea and Neath Port Talbot.

SWANSEA BAY

June/July 2016

Issue 42

BUSINESS LIFE COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING THE REGION’S DYNAMIC BUSINESS COMMUNITY www.swanseabaybusiness.com

Its in-depth features, interviews, columns and news analysis are read by directors and senior decision makers in the region’s business and public sector communities.

The magazine looks to champion the best of business in the region while covering national and international business issues from a local perspective.

GUARANTEE YOUR COPY. SUBSCRIBE NOW. INTRODUCTORY OFFER - £50 FOR 1 YEAR Enquiries - email: homedelivery@localworld.co.uk or tel: 03337778004 swanseabaybusiness.com

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innovation and growth Driving the digital sector, tourism success and the EU’s future PEMBROKESHIRE

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5/31/2016 3:41:48 PM

Siarad Network/free wifi

Technology & Communication

Communication firm celebrates national award win...

Siarad Network picks up UK telecoms award for its innovative work.

A Swansea-based communication provider has been announced as winner of the Best Business Telecoms Consultancy UK Award by the 2016 Telecoms Awards.

Siarad Network, located in Pontarddulais, provides telecoms systems to businesses across South Wales.

The 2016 Telecoms Awards recognise the commendable work done by individuals and businesses across the telecoms industry. The awards bring together the most successful and innovative companies and their most senior and influential executives to celebrate the communications sector.

Now in its fourth year, the Telecoms Awards recognises excellence in the global communications industry. An awards gala dinner and ceremony will take place in London on November 2.

Siarad Network increased its client base by 50 per cent last year and doubled its annual turnover. It has also increased its employee base over the last 12 months

to assist with the management of the rise in demand for its services.

Garath Williams, managing director of Siarad Network, said: “Being announced as winners of the Best Business Telecoms Consultancy Award for the UK is an amazing achievement for the company and we are obviously over the moon. As a small business with big competitors, it’s very rewarding for us to be recognised by such prestigious awards as the 2016 Telecoms Awards and we want to thank all those who nominated and support Siarad.

“Siarad’s values are focused on providing a very local and personal service to our clients and this has proved to be a successful business model to pursue. Through ensuring that every client is managed effectively and that every query is dealt with in a highly responsive manner, we have been able to maintain our customer base, build key relationships and ultimately, develop the business as a whole.”

Garath Williams, managing director of Siarad Network

Free wifi at markets...

Free wifi is now available for shoppers and traders in Carmarthen and Llanelli indoor markets.

It comes as part of an investment of almost £1 million in Llanelli Market.

For the first time shoppers will now be able to surf the net using wifi as they shop and enjoy a refreshment break in the markets’ cafes.

It also means traders will be able to utilise the free wifi as part of their business and offer an online service.

Tom Morgan , a new Carmarthen market trader from BlackKat, said: “Having wifi

inside the market means we can reach a lot more customers, some of who do not frequent the market as often as they should.

It also gives us the tools to promote our products and hopefully attract additional customers to the market “ Carmarthenshire County Council’s executive board member for the markets, councillor David Jenkins, said: “This is great news for shoppers, traders and the town centres. It brings the markets into the 21st century and not only will attract shoppers but will also help traders boost their businesses.”

HAVING WIFI INSIDE THE MARKET MEANS WE CAN REACH A LOT MORE CUSTOMERS, SOME OF WHO DO NOT FREQUENT THE MARKET AS OFTEN AS THEY SHOULD. swanseabaybusiness.com 133

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Matthews Confidential Document Shredding We make sure your business STAYS your business No business is a stranger to the issue of protecting confidential information. Under the Data Protection Act 1998, businesses are required to destroy under secure conditions any data containing personal information including names, addresses, financial and legal information and details, for both clients and employees. Failure for non-compliance can include fines up to £5000 and is a criminal offence.

• Professional & Attentive Customer Service • Covering ALL of South Wales • Client Testimonials available on request • All staff have full security background checks • Liveried Vans & Uniformed Staff

A FAMILY RUN BUSINESS ESTABLISHED IN 1997, MATTHEWS CONFIDENTIAL SHREDDING OFFERS SECURE, EFFICIENT AND FLEXIBLE SHREDDING SERVICES TO BOTH BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS.

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survey ©LW

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Motoring Tour operator

Improved BMW offers stronger package...

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Motoring

BMW 3 Series Touring

Tour operator The improved BMW 3 Series Touring now offers an even stronger package for those who don’t pack light. BUSINESS LIFE checks it out...

Ten Second Review The improved sixth generation of BMW’s 3 Series Touring holds no great surprises to those who understand the narrative of this model. It’s not the most accomplished load lugger in its class but it’s the best drive and offers the most efficiency. That’ll be enough to clinch the deal for most who just hanker after a 3 Series with a hatchback.

This revised version gets revised styling front and rear and much stronger levels of efficiency thanks to a rejuvenated range of freshly-developed four and six cylinder engines.

Driving Experience The well-versed themes of the 3 Series are present and correct in this latest generation Touring. The car in question is rear wheel drive, it features a very meticulously balanced weight distribution, and, as a result, BMW is keen to position this Touring as the best model to drive in its class. What has changed in recent years is a clearer focus on efficiency and this generation Touring campaigns with some hugely impressive engines.

If you’re of a generation who remembers the badge on the back of a 3 Series denoting its engine size, you might be a bit confused by the latest line-up. The 330i, for example, no longer packs a six-cylinder lump, instead squeezing 252bhp from its turbo four, replacing the old 328i in the process. If you do want a six-cylinder petrol engine, BMW will sell you the 340i, a new variant that delivers 326PS (the same as the old ‘E36’ M3 Evo super-coupe) and will take a blink over five seconds to get to 62mph.

At the other end of the petrol engine range is - and you

might want to take a seat for this - a 318i model featuring a 136bhp three-cylinder 1.5-litre engine that’s been pinched from the MINI line.

Most of the diesel engines are heavily modified or new. At the base of the range is the 116bhp 316d and the 150bhp 318d derivative, but the most attractive models will likely be the 320d and 320d Efficient Dynamics Plus variants.

Cost of Ownership BMW has concentrated on improving the efficiency of the 3 Series Touring and there are benefits right across the board. The three-cylinder petrol engine in the 318i variant records CO2 emissions that can be as little as 133g/km in manual form, or as little as 129g/km with the eightspeed Steptronic transmission fitted, a big improvement over the previous BMW 316i.

Fuel consumption is equally impressive, with the 318i Touring returning 49.6mpg in manual form. The 320i Touring isn’t far behind with CO2 emissions that can be as low as 141g/km in manual form (or 134g/ km as an automatic) and fuel consumption that in mnual form can see the car return as much as 46.3mpg in manual form.

Of course, most UK customers will look to the diesel engines and they’re not going to be disappointed. For example, the 316d Touring manual model returns up to 64.2mpg in manual form, with CO2 emissions of 116g/km. Go for the pokier 320d Touring manual model and though you get more power than the pre-facelifted 320d variant could offer (up from 184 to 190PS), emissions have been reduced by 6% to just 118g/km, along with a combined cycle fuel

showing that can be as good as 62.8mpg on the combined cycle with a manual gearbox: not at all bad for a car that can hit 62mph in 7.6s. There’s also a 320d EfficientDynamics Plus version that improves that showing to 68.9mpg and 107g/km in manual form.

The Steptroni c automatic transmission option marginally improves all these figures and now features a coasting mode so that when the driver lifts off the throttle at higher speeds, for example on a gentle downhill grade on the motorway, the engine is automatically decoupled from the powertrain. It then simply ticks over in neutral, which saves fuel and ensures there is no unwanted engine braking at high speed.

Summary The 3 Series Touring has long been one of the quiet achievers in BMW’s model range. It might just be the lowest key car the German giant sells but it’s also one of the most impressive. Look behind the lowkey styling and you find a car that does so much so well.

What’s more, estate car buyers usually have a sense of the pragmatic and will appreciate the great strides BMW have made with this improved version in terms of efficiency.

It used to be that nothing really got close to a 3 Series in this regard. The gap has narrowed in recent years, but this 3 Series Touring still astonishes in offering sports car straight line speed with supermini fuel and tax bills.

With contenders in this class so closely matched, it’s the sort of thing that might tip the balance BMW’s way. Try a Touring and you’ll see why.

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GO WITH YOUR GUT. GO WITH WITH YOUR YOURGUT. GUT. GO WITH YOUR GUT.

Fully loaded with MINI Navigation System, MINI Connected and distinctive looks as standard.

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STAY OPEN. STAY OPEN. STAY OPEN. GO WITH AY OPEN.

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With the electric roof down, nothing will get in the way of your 360o view – not even parking or the weather, thanks to the parking camera coming as standard and the optional rain warner app.

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A NEW MINI

ADVENTURE Trainer has been the Authorised Retailer for MINI in Swansea since the brand’s launch in 2001. A family owned local business with over 40 years experience as an Authorised BMW Retailer, the addition of the MINI brand has helped propel growth at Trainer, both in the number of staff, which now exceeds 100 employees and the range of products and services on offer...

T

he MINI brand has proved to be a global success story for parent company BMW. Last year saw BMW achieve its fifth consecutive year for record sales. Part of that performance was the 338,466 MINI’s sold worldwide, a huge increase of 12% compared to the previous year.

their vehicle ownership and for the customer they have a familiar face to deal with no matter why they have visited us.”

Whilst new to his role, Tom is ably assisted by a team of very capable individuals. “We have many years of experience in the team” commented Tom,” between them two of my Sales Executives have nearly twenty years with company whilst our Warranty Manager has been with us for over 38 years! We also have one of the UK’s few BMW qualified Master Technicians in the workshop. The Master Technician is the highest possible qualification you can achieve and only a handful who train to achieve the status are actually successful such is the standard required. ”

At a local level, Trainer MINI has continued to maintain the difficult balance of exceeding sales targets and taking care of its long standing and very loyal customer base. The man now responsible for this on a day to day basis is Tom Trainer, grandson of Company founder Leslie Trainer and the newly appointed MINI Brand At a local level, Trainer Manager. He explained the MINI has continued to role of the Brand Manager and how it differs from the previous maintain the difficult balance more traditional management of exceeding sales targets structures in place in other and taking care of its long automotive retailers.

Adding a further string to the bow is the newly redeveloped showroom. “Our old showroom had space for about five cars at the very most, but with the redevelopment we can now fit up to ten cars and still have much “Traditionally a garage would more space to walk around standing and very loyal employ both a Sales and Service them. The experience for both customer base Manager to look after their Sales and Service customers is respective departments within also much improved in terms the business. However, in an of the facilities available. A effort to maintain the BMW new addition is the MNI Hub, Group objective of providing the the interactive centre of the very highest standard of service showroom where visitors can to customers a different approach was needed. The relax on lounge chairs and configure cars on a large TV Brand Manager was introduced into the MINI network screen whilst enjoying a coffee.” as someone who could maintain a relationship with the Commenting on the future Tom stated “the MINI range is customer regardless of whether they were servicing their particularly strong at the moment with a new Convertible current car or looking to purchase a new one.” and Clubman launched this year. The 3-Door Hatch is Tom went on to comment “we are a family business and one of the few left in the BMW and MINI network in the UK. We have always enjoyed a very close relationship with our customers a lot of whom have been loyal to us for many years. As the Brand Manager I get to keep my relationship with the customer throughout the lifetime of

MotoringDPS.indd 1

still as popular as ever, the current model offers a level of sophistication and refinement almost unimaginable in the previous version. Combined with our redeveloped and much expanded showroom I am very excited with both my new role and to be part of the MINI phenomenon here at Trainer.”

5/20/2016 2:00:58 PM

From left: Amy Jones (MINI Sales Executive), Graham Dawson (MINI Sales Executive) Charlotte Evans (Receptionist), Tom Trainer (MINI Brand Manager), Gethin Jones (MINI Sales Executive) Tom Davies (Approved Used MINI Manager)

TO DISCUSS THE MINI RANGE AVAILABLE AT TRAINER, OR TO ARRANGE A TEST DRIVE PLEASE CALL 01792 651505 TRAINER • 375 CARMARTHEN ROAD, SWANSEA SA5 8LW • 01792 651505 www.trainermini.co.uk mail@trainermini.co.uk

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Motoring

Bentley Continental GT Speed Convertible

A LITTLE SLICE OF LUXURY Business Life reviews a special car white van men would love to have...

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When the driver of a white van stops to let you through you must be either at the wheel of a police car (with blue lights flashing) or driving something he respects.

That will rule out anything German and obviously ‘executive’ - he’s been cut up too many times by Audis and BMWs, thank you - but exceptions will be considered for a Jaguar.

That’s thoroughly British, you see, and the sort of car a white van man would love to have on road outside his home.

So imagine being confronted by a Bentley.

Big and British in the best possible way, oozing class and obviously quick enough to earn the respect of someone who has to be everywhere yesterday.

Pushed, he might know that Bentley’s ultimate owners these days live in Germany, not Crewe, but it’s still the very essence of Britishness, isn’t it?

No trace of Germany in the car itself, of course, unless an owner spots a satellite navigation system looking uncommonly like the one fitted to his daughter’s Golf.

Just as well it works so well, then.

The rest of the Bentley works well too, you may be relieved to learn. After all, any car that comes in at more than £200,000 with extras on board ought to be pretty near perfect.

But perfect for the job it was built to perform, not for anything else. That might include taking four people and their luggage for a weekend away, or leaving a tight parking place early in the morning without waking the neighbours.

Neither task is what you’d choose this two-ton-plus wheeled indulgence to perform; it’s too cramped in the back (and boot) and loud enough from a cold start to have light sleepers wondering if they’ve just missed a minor earthquake.

But get this vastly powerful machine on the right road - smoothly surfaced and open cornered - and it pushes the boundaries of physics. It seems almost comically capable of shrinking distances between bends and then straightening them out with sheer physical force.

Flat out this version of Bentley’s enduringly successful Continental will top 200mph, making it the fastest four seater convertible in the world. That’s what more than 600 horsepower will achieve and it makes a 70mph cruise seem so slow you doubt the speedo.

Slowing down is pretty impressive too, augmented on the test car by carbon ceramic brakes that won’t fade however much abuse you give them. They add an unlikely sounding £10,610 to the bottom line, by the way.

Adding nothing to the speed but £3,735 to the cost of this car were handsomely machined aluminium panels on the dashboard and adaptive cruise control, which ought to standard, not a cheeky £2,085.

The list of pricey bits goes on (£415 for a boot carpet and another £75 to bind its edges in a different colour) but all this talk of cost is to miss the point.

If you have enough money in the bank (High Street branch or the Cayman Islands) to indulge yourself in a car like the Continental you won’t count the cost, so long as the car and the way the Bentley dealer treats you more than match your expectations.

If those terms are met, then the 20mpg thirst and lack of rear seat legroom simply won’t worry you. Instead, you’ll enjoy a car that turns a journey into an event and will make an owner feel very, very lucky.

Fast Facts Bentley Continental GT Speed Convertible Price: £172,400 Mechanical: 626bhp, 5,998cc, 12cyl petrol engine driving four wheels via 8-speed automatic gearbox Max speed: 203mph 0-62mph: 4.1 seconds Combined mpg: 18.9 Insurance group: 50 CO2 emissions: 347g/km BIK rating: 35% Warranty: 3yrs/unlimited miles

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DOES NEWS OF THE CRYPTOLOCKER VIRUS HAVE YOU ON EDGE? WHAT ABOUT ONE OF THE OTHER 49 MILLION NEW STRAINS OF MALWARE? Any one of them might have taken down your system. Can your business afford to be down for hours or days at a time—due to a vicious virus or merciless malware?

Anti-virus software is good, but it’s no longer enough.With CyrptoLocker, for example, it’s often not detected until the virus has already started to encrypt your files.

Backup alone is not enough to save your files and keep your business running.What’s needed is a solution that can verify backups, deliver instant cloud virtualisation, has the ability to see into your files and know when the virus took hold, and perform a restore that takes minutes versus hours or days.

What’s needed is a solution that will mitigate risk and reduce the chance of downtime even when a virus strikes.

What you need is a Datto. Call now for a Free no obligation Demonstration.

Claim your 1TB of FREE STORAGE now at www.datto.wales/free

YES 1TB OF FREE STORAGE! DATTO DRIVE, Datto’s File Sync and Share solution, (FSS) provides all new business users an unprecedented 1 Terabyte (TB) of free storage for an entire year, more free storage than any other FSS on the market.

DATTO DRIVE HAS ARRIVED! Datto Drive is a secure file syncing and sharing tool made with the small business in mind. It combines the ease of use of a consumer sharing tool (like Dropbox), but with the robustness of tracking, auditing, versioning and accessibility controls of an enterprise solution.

HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM DROPBOX OR BOX? • Dropbox was developed as a consumer solution that evolved into a business solution - the majority of their customers are still using the free consumer solution!

• Box and Dropbox charge a monthly fee per user - that can get expensive for a small business.

• Datto Drive is designed for businesses that need a secure, feature-rich solution at an affordable cost.

CONTACT US Swansea 01792 345678 Carmarthenshire 01269 842242 Online www.datto.wales/free Email info@datto.wales

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5/30/2016 3:21:11 PM

Networking Upcoming events

Business Life rounds up some of the hottest business events of the season...

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Networking

Summer lunch

Ken Clarke discusses the EU referendum at business club Where? Liberty Stadium, Swansea Tell me more: Swansea Bay Business Club’s summer lunch with Kenneth Clarke MP

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Networking

Charity evening

The Sky’s The Limit charity night Tell me more: The event was held in Stradey Park hotel by Shufflebottom Ltd and Morgan & Morgan to raise money for Wales Air Ambulance.

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Networking

Charity evening

AnnaG’s FABCymru party night Where? Liberty Stadium, Swansea Tell me more: Jewellery maker Anna G’s FABCymru celebration night at the Liberty Stadium after raising more than £100,000 for charity

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Networking

Charity Event

Charity fashion show Where? Cafe TwoCann, Swansea Tell me more: An evening of fashion and food with Solo of Mumbles

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Networking

Launch celebration

Launch of new company set up to help creative young people Where? Sketty Hall, Swansea Tell me more: Guests celebrate the launch of community interest company C4EE with recipients of the Swansea Seed Fund

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Networking

Networking evening

IoD networking evening Where? Sketty Hall, Swansea Tell me more: Institute of Directors’ Swansea Networking Evening with special guest, entrepreneur Andy Rogers

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5/31/2016 9:46:20 AM

EatOut

your guide to the best places to dine.

Tiffany’s Restuarant Join us to celebrate any special occasion or just relax & enjoy lunch or an evening meal in the Tiffany’s Restaurant or Bar. Modern Cuisine & Steak House Serving Monday - Friday 12-2pm & 5-9pm Saturday 6-10pm • Sunday Carvery 12 noon Open 7 days

New steak menu available.

Lunchtime meals £6.95 We are licenced for civil ceremonies with a selection of wedding packages to choose from.

Find us on Facebook @tiffanysrestaurantneath THE COACH HOUSE | Longford Road | Neath Abbey | Neath| SA10 7AJ

t: 01792 816307 w: www.coachhouseneathabbey.co.uk e: enquiries@coachhouseneathabbey.co.uk

The Riverside in Gorseinon TRIP ADVISOR AWARD of EXCELLENCE “For the best home cooked Sunday lunches for miles” Says Amy Belgrave • Sunday Meal deal 6-9pm, tel for details • 10% Off OAP. • Freshly made deserts to die for!

• £5 OPTION MENU AVAILABLE Book now for Father’s Day. Visit our Tel: 01792 896037 website for a virtual tour before booking!

THE RIVERSIDE INN GORSEINON GRILL HOUSE & RESTAURANT 1 High Street | Gorseinon | Swansea | SA4 4BX (opp ATS Tyres)

t: 01792 896037 w: www.riversideinngorseinon.co.uk

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Call

01792 545581

to advertise in next month’s feature.

Quadrant Coffee House Victorian Tea Room Enjoy a little nostalgia and try our Afternoon High Tea, served upstairs in our first floor dining area or downstairs if you prefer.

Gift vouchers available

This afternoon treat is ideal for celebrating a birthday, anniversary or any special moment, but who needs an excuse to endulge in a little self pampering and nostalgia? NOTE: To avoid disappointment, why not reserve a table? - Ask any of our waitress staff - they will be only to pleased to help!

Go on treat yourself... We serve Afternoon Tea every day in our Victorian Tea Room Freshly Prepared... Mixed Sandwiches, Mini Tartlets, Savoury Pastries Petit Fours and great cake selection.

QUADRANT GATE | 23 Nelson Street | Swansea | SA1 3QE t: 01792 463757 w: www.quadrantcoffeehouse.co.uk

The Smiths Arms Family friendly pub serving food daily.

Open Mon-Wed 12-3pm, 5-8pm, Thurs & Fri 12-8pm, Sat 11.30-6pm Sunday carvery £6.45 • 12 - 4pm Free function room for parties up to 60 people with free entertainment.

THE SMITH ARMS | 51-52 Neath Road | Hafod Swansea | SA1 2HR | Telephone: 01792 466776

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5/31/2016 3:23:44 PM

Networking

Anniversary celebration

Port Talbot RNLI anniversary celebration Where: Aberavon Beach Hotel Tell me more: Port Talbot Royal National Lifeboat Institution marks its 50th anniversary

158 swanseabaybusiness.com

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5/31/2016 9:50:34 AM

Networking

Restaurant re-opening

Indian restaurant re-opening Where: Patti Pavilion, Swansea Tell me more: Patti Raj launches after revamp

swanseabaybusiness.com 159

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5/31/2016 9:56:09 AM

COMING THIS DECEMBER TO

DISCO

DINNER

DANCING

And Much M��e

TAITH TREFTADAETH | HERITAGE TOUR

TAITH TOUR

CINIO 2 GWRS 2 COURSE LUNCH

£20

NEU

OR

TÊ PRYNHAWN AFTERNOON TEA

Minimum groups of 10

£15

Rhaid archebu o flaen llaw | Advanced bookings required

For more information on our Tours & Events

info@parcyscarlets.com | parcyscarlets.co.uk | 01554 783939 Untitled-3 1

5/31/2016 10:18:34 AM

Networking

Shop opening

Valley Mill open a new store in Swansea Where: Valley Mill, Union Street, Swansea Tell me more: Slate and homeware manufacturer Valley Mill, which has opened a store in Swansea

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5/31/2016 3:25:01 PM

Networking

Trade Show

Leadership show Tell me more: ION leadership trade show at the Liberty Stadium, Swansea

162 swanseabaybusiness.com

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5/31/2016 3:04:11 PM

100% funded work-based training for your business

rth up to £3,000 Fully accredited qualifications wo y.* limited period only.

– but cost you nothing! For a

BEnEFIts

AREAs oF spECIAlIty

ity and bottom line Increased productiv rale and retention Improved staff mo hin the company Better skills base wit Qualified workforce s d recruitment cost Reduced training an ps Ability to fill skills ga ospects Enhance career pr osen sector Gain experience in ch employees For new and existing

Advice & Guidance Business Administration Business Improvement techniques Contact Centre Customer services Facilities Management Health & social Care Housing It Management Retail Warehousing

To find out how we can make an impact on your business contact

Amanda Peploe-Williams 01792 284428/284400 amanda.peploe-williams@gcs.ac.uk www.gcs.ac.uk/apprenticeships

*subject to eligibility – please contact us to check if you are eligible for the funding.

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5/31/2016 10:08:28 AM

Networking

Dates for your diary June/July 2016 June 01 June 06 June 07 June 08 June 09 BizNet Swansea Business Breakfast Liberty Stadium, Landore 7.30am

Digital Marketing Planning Fast Track 1-Day Training TechHub Swansea, High Street 10am

Regional Learning Partnership South West Wales / UCIL Programme Exchange & Grow Liberty Stadium, Landore, 10am

Google Adwords/ Pay Per Click Workshop TechHub Swansea, High Street

BizNet West Wales breakfast Tenby Golf Club 7.30am

10am

June 11

June 15 June 16 June 22

Soroptimist International

BizNet Swansea Business Breakfast

Port Talbot Aberavon Beach, Port Talbot

Liberty Stadium, Landore 7.30am

6.30pm

Business Lunch & Learn with JCP Solicitors JCP Solicitors, Carmarthen 12.30pm

Ion Leadership: Hell’s Kitchen -

Inspiration Session with Ron Jones, executive chairman of Tinopolis

Swansea University Bay Campus, 11.59am

June 23 June 23 June 24 June 29 June 29 BizNet West Wales breakfast Tenby Golf Club 7.30am

Swansea, Neath Port Talbot Schools’ Careers Festival Great Hall, Swansea University Bay Campus, 9am

SBBC June 2016 Lunch Ivy Bush Hotel, Carmarthen 12.15pm

ION Leadership: Are You Making the Most of Your Workplace Relationships?

Village Hotel, Swansea, 8am

BizNet Swansea Business Breakfast Liberty Stadium, Landore 7.30am

July 01

July 06

July 06

July 07

July 08

South Wales Chamber of Commerce Business Breakfast

Office Hours with Peter Cain

CBI’s HR Forum

BizNet West Wales breakfast

SBBC July 2016 Lunch

Tenby Golf Club

Margam Orangery, Margam

Bluestone Resort, Narberth, Pembrokeshire

TechHub Swansea, High Street 11am

Location TBC 6pm

7.30am

12.15pm

7.30am

July 13

July 14

July 14

July 14

BizNet Swansea Business Breakfast

South Wales Chamber of Commerce Incoterms

South Wales Chamber of Commerce Inward Processing

Copper Court, Enterprise Park, Swansea, 9.15am

Copper Court, Enterprise Park, Swansea, 1.30pm

South Wales Chamber of Commerce - An audience with Dan Biggar, Rhys Webb and Nigel Owens

Aberavon Beach Hotel, Port Talbot 7.30am

Liberty Stadium, Landore, 7pm

164 swanseabaybusiness.com

FINAL DIARY OF EVENTSD.indd 1

5/31/2016 9:45:08 AM

Calendar highlights...

June 11 Women in Rural Enterprise mystery tour of the north

Business Lunch & Learn with JCP Solicitors

Fishguard, Pembrokeshire

Date: June 16 Venue: JCP Solicitors, 10 Quay Street, Carmarthen, SA31 3JT

1pm

Time: 12.30pm

June 22 June 22 Calsonic Kansei - Cost saving with Minimum Investment (Inside Welsh Industry) Calsonic Kansei Llanelli, 9am

Business Lunch & Learn with JCP Solicitors Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire 12.30pm

June 29 June 30 IOD Swansea Business Networking Evening

BizNet Swansea Business Lunch

Marriott Hotel, Swansea, 5.30pm

12pm

Village Hotel, Langdon Road

July 12

South Wales Chamber of Commerce Summer Barbecue Marriott Hotel, Swansea, 6pm

FINAL DIARY OF EVENTSD.indd 2

ION Leadership: Are you making the most of your workplace relationships?

Date: June 29 Venue: Village Hotel, Langdon Road, Swansea, SA1 8QY Time: 8am What: Develop techniques for managing differences in ways that increase personal effectiveness and productivity

IOD Wales - an audience with Dan Biggar, Rhys Webb and Nigel Owens Date: July 14

June 2016 Lunch Location: Ivy Bush Hotel, Carmarthen With: Professor Medwin Hughes, vice-chancellor of the University of Wales Trinity Saint David When: Friday, June 24 Time: 12.15 arrival for 1pm lunch Member tickets: £25 Non-member tickets: £30.50 Bookings close: Friday, June 17

July 2016 Lunch Location: Margam Orangery, Margam With: Rob Vale, former European President at Staples Inc

CBI’s Women in Leadership Lunch

Venue: Liberty Stadium, Landore, Swansea, SA1 2FA

When: Friday, July 8

Location TBC

Time: 7pm

Time: 12.15 arrival for 1pm lunch

12pm

July 21

What: Christian Edwards, director and head of business litigation will discuss recent changes in health and safety legislation that will have significant impact should a business be faced with a prosecution for breach of health and safety laws

Swansea Bay Business Club’s upcoming events...

What: Night of entertainment with three key figureheads of Welsh Rugby. Hear their views and insider stories and ask your rugby questions

South Wales Chamber of Commerce summer barbecue

Member tickets: £25 Non-member tickets: £30.50 Bookings close: Friday, July 1

Date: July 21 Venue: Marriott Hotel, Maritime Quarter, Swansea, SA1 3SS Time: 6pm What: Summer barbecue with Wynne Evans. An evening of delicious food, entertainment and informal networking

For more information, visit: www.swanseabay businessclub.com

5/31/2016 9:45:17 AM

Advertisement Feature

Ospreys Host Quiz Night with Player Sponsors Earlier this month, Ospreys Rugby invited their current player sponsors to an exclusive quiz night at The Pavilion at Llandarcy Academy of Sport, with the full squad joining the teams in the hope of winning the coveted prizes on offer. Guests were greeted with a Fiol prosecco reception as quizmaster Kev John entertained guests with stories (and kept any attempts at cheating in check!)

Guests were quizzed on entertainment, sport, general knowledge and a designated Ospreys section as well as picture round and geography.

Wayne Hall, Head of Sales for Ospreys Rugby, comments: “It’s great to receive such positive feedback from sponsors following our quiz night and to see so many familiar faces joining us. I’d like to extend a big well done to Neil Armstong and Nick Beckett of Syeltech and Paul Hollands at Kerswell who came first, very well deserved.”

Player sponsors currently include Castle Scaffolding, Apollo Teaching Services, Yellow Cabs, Stephen Hughes Fine Diamonds, A.T. Morgan and Pump Supplies to name a few.

Player sponsorship packages offer a unique opportunity for businesses to back an Ospreys squad member for the season, offering a great way to increase business credibility and exposure. There are a limited number of player sponsorship opportunities still available for the 2016/17 season. For more information, contact the Commercial Team at commercial@ospreysrugby.com

Player Sponsor packages include: • Player Appearance • Signed Players Jersey (End of Season) • Your Company Logo beside Player Profile (Matchday Programme) • Exclusive Event Invitation (Mid Season) • Company Logo beside Player Profile (OspreysRugby.com) • Sponsor Announcements and Logo on Liberty Stadium big screen for player • Use of player for promotion (T&C’s apply)

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Advertisement Feature

New Business Benefits Announced for Season Members...

Ospreys Rugby has launched their 2016/17 Season Membership, for both renewals and new memberships and has also teamed up with a number of local businesses to announce discounts and incentives for the season ahead.

Ospreys Rugby has always offered season members outstanding benefits as part of their membership and following on from the success of last year’s partnerships, Go Outdoors, Frankie & Benny’s and Walkabout are just some of the many businesses to renew their discount offer.

Building Brands and Building Offices: Ospreys Commercial Partner starts Construction Work at Llandarcy Ospreys Rugby have become synonymous with success, working with quality brands and supporting commercial partners wherever possible, and with that in mind I.J. Griffiths Limited seemed a natural choice of partner for the planned renovation work at the rugby development office, located at Llandarcy Academy of Sport.

A number of new businesses have also come on board for 2016/17 including Swansea’s hottest nightspot, No.6

Ieuan Griffiths has been a partner with Ospreys since the start of regional rugby. He’s hardly ever missed a game – home or away.

During his time with Ospreys Rugby, Ieuan has sponsored many players and currently sponsors Rhys Webb. He comments: “From a personal point of view I am a die-hard Ospreys supporter but from a business point of view, the brand association for my company has been superb. I’ve recommended an involvement with Ospreys Rugby to a number of my clients including Castell Scaffolding who now sponsor players and are also seeing the benefit for their businesses and increased exposure for their brand. I’m delighted to be able to support Ospreys with their renovation project and look forward to the season ahead”

Matthew Benjamin, Coowner of No.6, comments: “Ospreys is such a prominent brand in the area and the players are regulars here at No.6 so we are delighted to be able to offer their loyal season members additional discounts on our cocktail and drinks menu.

“With our new bar Squires set to open this summer, we’re looking forward to welcoming both players and supporters to join us for a drink throughout the season.”

In addition, a new commercial partnership with the Village Hotel Club, Swansea sees the SA1 business become the region’s official hotel partner for 2016/17.

The agreement will allow the strength and conditioning team at the Ospreys to utilise the on-site pool and gym facilities in the health and fitness club as part of their ongoing work with the players. In addition, commercial and administrative staff at the Ospreys will take advantage of the hotel’s

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Wayne Hall, Head of Sales at Ospreys Rugby comments, “We have a number of sponsorship, advertising and hospitality options still available for the 2016/17 season and suitable for a range of budgets, so I’d encourage any businesses looking to grow their brand to get in touch.” business facilities, using meeting rooms and accommodation over the course of the season.

For more information, email commercial@ospreysrugby.com

In return, the Village will receive a wide range of commercial benefits, including hospitality and advertising opportunities as well as player appearances.

To find out more about becoming a season membership commercial partner, email commercial@ospreysrugby.com

5/31/2016 12:01:45 PM

Directory Computer Repair

Planning Advice

SUMMER VALLEY PCs PC & Laptop Repair from Mon - Fri 10.30am - 5.30pm Sat - Appointment only Sun - Closed

01792 538168

01792 538168

CDN Planning provides town planning, urban design and development advice to a wide range of clients in both the public and private sectors. From its base in Swansea, CDN Planning serves the whole of Wales and elsewhere in the UK and Ireland

01792 830238

info@cdnplanning.com

www.summervalleypcs.co.uk

32 Aberdyberthi Street, Swansea, SA1 2LL

North Hill, 7 St James Crescent, Swansea, SA1 6DP

©LW

£25.00

Workshop Opening Hours:

©LW

Picture Framing

Vehicle Rentals

• Bespoke Framing

Tel 01792 894911

Service • Mount Cutting

www.briscorentals.co.uk

• Bespoke

Full range of vans

Mirrors • Sports Shirts, Caps & Sports Memorabilia Framed • Canvas Stretching • All Types of Needlework Framed

Full range of cars

• Delivery Service • Ltd Edition Prints • Conservation Specialists

www.houseofframes.co.uk

01792 310 777

Opening hours: Mon – Fri 9.00am – 5.00pm • Sat 9.00am – 12.30pm

©LW

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE BRISCO RENTAL low frienDly unlimiTeD DeposiT service mileage V NATIONAL COMPANY

©LW

To advertise in the next issue of Swansea Bay Business Life, please call

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Caravans

Computers

Document Management

Computer Problems?

NEED EXTRA SPACE?

DIGITISE YOUR DOCUMENTS

Inexpensive Repair with Care!

Freephone:

0800 9551 122 2 BED £43,995 2 BED £32,995

2 BED £17,995

(8.30am – 8.00pm.

7 days a week)

No call-out charge No fix, no fee Quick response We travel to you 9am-9pm Mon-Sun Homes & Businesses

• Documents & Drawings • Microfilm & Slides • Books & Delicate Items • Archiving & Storage • Document Management • Data Conversion

01792 346109 info@thecomputerchap.com www.thecomputerchap.com 2 BED

£9,995

Check out our deals online at

©LW

www.valecaravansales.com

For each referral that we see...

Tel: 01792 581441 www.tmt.co.uk

You will receive £10 for free! ©LW

Funeral Directors

Dry Cleaners

City Dry Cleaners

live your life now

Professional Laundry & Ironing Services

and plan ahead with us Pre-pay for your funeral today and make life easier for your loved ones

City Dry Cleaners 16 Nelson Street, Swansea SA1 3QE

you want and pay for your funeral director’s services at today’s prices, relieving your family of any worries or uncertainty at a distressing time.

Tel: 01792 466422 www.citydrycleanersswansea.co.uk

2 SUITS FOR THE PRICE OF

01792 771232 www.john-edwards-funerals.co.uk Email: alan@john-edwards-funeral.co.uk

©LW

Phone Alan or Sian for a free no obligation quote, or for just a chat about your options.

1

VALID UNTIL END OF FEBRUARY

©LW

The Independent Way funeral plan provides complete peace of mind for you and your family – and could save you money.

You choose the funeral

01792 545570 or email services@swwmedia.co.uk

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5/31/2016 1:39:46 PM

advertising feature

Making the workplace safe and healthy So that the work premises provide a safe and healthy place to work, your employer should: • Make sure that are properly ventilated, with clean and fresh air • Keep temperatures at a comfortable level (a minimum of 13 degrees centigrade where the work involves physical activity; 16 degrees centigrade for ‘stinter’ like offices - there’s no maximum limit • Light premises so that employees can work and move about safely • Keep the workplace and equipment clean • Ensure that areas are big enough to allow easy movement (at least 11 cubic metres per person) • Provide workstations to suit the employees and the work • Keep the equipment in good working order • Make floors, walkways, stairs, roadways safe to use • Protect people from falling from height or into dangerous substances • Store things so they’re unlikely to fall and cause injuries • Fit openable windows, doors and gates with safety devices if needed • Provide suitable washing facilities and clean drinking water • If necessary, provide somewhere for employees to get changed and to store their own clothes • Set aside areas for rest breaks and to eat meals, including suitable facilities for pregnant women and nursing mothers • Let employees take appropriate rest breaks and the right holiday entitlement • Make sure that employees who work alone, or off-site, can do so safely and healthily

Barry Training Seaway Drive, Seaway Parade Industrial Estate, Port Talbot SA12 7BR Tel: 01639 822269 bts.porttalbot@ btconnect.com

BTS offer a vast range of courses and are constantly adding new courses to meet today’s ever changing industry. Some of the latest courses to be added to their extensive portfolio are: IPAF MEWP’s (International Powered Access Federation), PASMA for Mobile Access Towers (Prefabricated Access Suppliers’ and Manufacturers’ Association) and due to popular demand BTS have recently added a range of CITB Site Safety Plus courses.

With over 25 years’ experience in offering the very latest in health and safety, BTS has developed into a leading health and safety training company, please visit our website for up to date information on all courses.

Tower Fire Group are the UK's leading Fire Training and Safety Specialists.

TOWEr FirE LTD TOWER FIRE LTD 33 Heol Y Felin, Seven Sisters, Neath, SA10 9BN

all Wales ambulance Services Ltd The Old School School Road, Cefnbrynbrain Cwmllynfell, Swansea SA9 2WD Tel: 01639 830253 hello@awas.co.uk

Tower Fire Group only provide our clients with the safest and most efficient products. No one in the industry does Fire Safety better than Tower Fire Group.

Fire Safety is about to change forever since the introduction of the P50 Service Free Fire Extinguisher which is an innovative development in the UK Fire Extinguisher industry.

Certified to BS EN3 and MED with a 10 year warranty and is guaranteed to save your Company money due to no annual service costs and 5 yearly discharge.

All Wales Ambulance Services Ltd offer both accredited and tailored learning & development programmes in workplace First Aid to both private and public sector organisations.

Our training practitioners provide an interactive learning experience to equip your workforce with the necessary vocational knowledge and skills to support your organisation’s legal requirements.

Courses can be delivered at our dedicated training facility in the Upper Swansea Valley or at your premises (subject to venue suitability).

Contact All Wales Ambulance Services today to discuss your first aid and safety training requirements on 01639 830 253 or email training@awas.co.uk

©LW

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5/31/2016 3:21:51 PM

Hygrove is a family-owned, family-run house builder and developer.

Hygrove is a family-owned, family-run house builder and developer.

Our founders have been actively involved in the construction industry Our founders have been actively involved in the construction industry for the past 30 years, overseeing award winning developments during this Hygrove a family-owned, family-run house builderdevelopments and developer. for the ispast 30 years, overseeing award winning during this time.

Our founders have been actively involved in the construction industry time. forWe the build past 30 years,affordable overseeinghomes award and winning developments quality, believe in investingduring in the this We build quality, affordable homes and believe in investing in the time. communities in which we work. communities in which we work.

We build quality, affordable homes and believe in investing in the communities in which we work.

We are proud to be registered with the Help to Buy-Wales scheme, We are proud to be registered with the Help to Buy-Wales scheme, expanding the options available to our customers. options available our customers.

Weexpanding are proudthe to be registered withtothe Help to Buy-Wales scheme, Hygrove properties feature quality, contemporary fittings and come expanding the options available to our customers.

Hygrove properties feature quality, contemporary fittings and come complete with a Premier Guarantee 10 year structural warranty, complete with a Premier quality, Guarantee 10 year structural warranty, Hygrove fittings come giving properties you peace feature of mind as you contemporary start life in your new and home. giving you of mind as you start life structural in your new home. complete withpeace a Premier Guarantee 10 year warranty, Our award winning construction team will be withhome. you every step of giving peace of mind as you startteam life inwill your Our you award winning construction benew with you every step of the way from your first viewing through to your moving day and beyond. theaward way from yourconstruction first viewingteam through to with your you moving andofbeyond.

Our winning will be everyday step the way from your first viewing through to your moving day and beyond.

Call in in and and see see us us Call Call in and see us Hygrove, Upper Bank, Pentrechwyth, Swansea SA1 7DB Hygrove, Upper Bank, Pentrechwyth, Swansea SA1 7DB Hygrove, Upper Bank,info@hygrove.co.uk Pentrechwyth, Swansea SA1 7DB Tel 01792 644379 www.hygrove.co.uk Tel 01792 644379 info@hygrove.co.uk www.hygrove.co.uk Tel 01792 644379 info@hygrove.co.uk www.hygrove.co.uk

HYGROVE HYGROVE HYGROVE

©LW ©LW ©LW

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5/26/2016 4:27:36 PM

pe

w o re yS Sh nt da ce 7 n

o

Solid roof createS a conServatory to ‘livin’ whatever the weather

Conservatories, Orangeries & Sun rooms as well as Windows & Doors in PVCu, Aluminium & Timber X 4.9% APR or BUY NOW PAY 2017 X 2 Years Interest Free Credit X Mortgage finance busting by Barclays X FREE Planning Service X FREE A-Rated glass upgrade X No telesales or comission only salesmen X FREE quotation and 3D imaging service X 10 year insurance warranty

Conservatories are a great way of adding a light and airy room to any home. However, depending on where the conservatory is positioned and the amount of shade outside, it can let in too much light.

Too much sunlight can mean the conservatory gets very warm in summer and, even on a bright winter day, make it difficult to watch TV, browse an iPad or work on a computer.

At Securahome we are now able to offer an alternative to polycarbonate or glass – a solid roof.

Called a Livin Roof, this system can be fitted to an existing conservatory, so there is no need to change the existing walls and glazing. Thanks to Kingspan insulation, the Livin Roof is 15 times more thermally efficient than a polycarbonate or old glass roof without solar control, meaning the conservatory will be warmer in winter.

For those who don’t enjoy the, all-too-common, pitter-patter of raindrops, the Livin Roof also improves sound insulation compared to polycarbonate and glass.

The inside of the roof is a plaster-boarded to keep an airy and modern ‘vaulted ceiling’ feel, meaning it can be finished with down-lighters or pendant lights. With the option to add glazed panels to the Livin Roof, it’s even possible to keep a view of the heavens!

FREEPHONE 0500 21 22 24 Visit our new website: www.securahome.co.uk SHOWCENTRE AT: Securahome PVCu Ltd, Garngoch Ind Est, Gorseinon, Swansea SA4 9WN

©LW

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