< PreviousHybrid work solutions provider takes 30,000 sq ft of office space in Sheffield Spaces, the modern flexible workspace brand, has signed up to take over 30,000 sq ft of office space in Pennine Five – making it the largest commercial deal in Sheffield city centre since 2019. Spaces will take all upper floors of an eight-storey building on the Pennine Five campus. They will deliver a wide range of workspace solutions including private offices, coworking access, meeting rooms and collaborative spaces – all set within a creative and design-led environment. Since taking ownership of the five office blocks that made up the former HSBC headquarters on Tenter Street in 2019, RBH Properties has been injecting a new lease of life into the site and are in the midst of transforming it into a bustling and inclusive business campus, suitable for 3,500 professionals. The ongoing work includes creating a £1.5 million outdoor central plaza designed to offer people a place to relax, socialise and collaborate. Event space and art installations will also be incorporated. 10 Business Link www.blmforum.net NEWS Leeds recruitment business becomes employee owned Seven Search and Selection Ltd has signed a deal to transfer full ownership across to its employees. Gabby Rosenberg, co-owning director and one of the original employees at Seven Search and Selection, said: “Selling the business in full (100%) to its employees in the form of an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) was a no brainer for us and means that Seven continues to retain the collective values, expertise and commitment of the people in it.” Rosenberg explained how other ownership transfer strategies were likely to cause disruption and damage the brand that has been built around its core values over the last 20 years. An EOT means all Seven colleagues will be working for each other with a common goal of sharing in the growth and success of the company. Gabby, along with the other Seven owning directors Liam Stokey and Stewart Wilson, will all continue to form the leadership team at the recruitment firm that specialises in the FMCG and consumer goods sector. Grimsby haulage company acquired by large Latvian logistics business Kreiss SIA, a Latvian-headquartered European transport and logistics group, has acquired C Neil Dowson Limited, a haulage and distribution business based in Immingham Docks. Kreiss provides transportation for goods, including pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, hazardous cargo, and frozen and perishable goods, across Europe. The business currently has offices in six different countries, a fleet of 2,000 trucks and trailers, and employs around 2,400 staff. A team from Weightmans LLP, led by Paul Raftery, provided legal advice to Kreiss on the acquisition, its first in the UK. Founded in 1990 by Neil and Julie Dowson, C Neil Dowson provides haulage services throughout the UK. The business boasts a fleet of tractor units, skeletal trailers, forklifts, and its own yard, located one mile from one of Europe’s largest ports, Immingham Docks in Lincolnshire, all of which will be acquired by Kreiss as part of the deal. The acquisition provides Kreiss with a new base in the UK, enabling the business to further expand its international operations. Gabby Rosenberg, co-owning director and one of the original employees at Seven Search and Selection 06-11.qxp_Layout 1 06/01/2023 09:06 Page 5www.blmforum.net Business Link 11 NEWS Hull Prop Tech firm raises further £575k A Hull Prop Tech business whose software helps companies to meet new building safety rules has raised a further £575,000 from NPIF – Mercia Equity Finance, which is managed by Mercia and is part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund. The latest funding round for Bimsense follows the introduction earlier this year of the Building Safety Act, which is designed to improve standards in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire. Bimsense’s software Operance helps building owners meet the so-called ‘golden thread’ requirement and show that safety has been considered at every stage of a building’s lifecycle, from design and construction to management. The latest funding will enable the company to develop new modules to meet other parts of the Act – in particular the need to register high- rise residential buildings (HRBs) and produce a safety case report. Bradford cleaning and hygiene specialist sweeps up Irish firm Christeyns UK, the Bradford-based cleaning and hygiene specialist, has completed the acquisition of Gannon Chemicals based in Claremorris, County Mayo, Ireland. Already a key player in the Irish marketplace, this acquisition provides a firm footing to further build Christeyns’ Irish business and forms part of the company’s strategic plans to become the supplier of choice in all markets in which they operate. Dave Aveyard, who takes up the position of Managing Director for Christeyns Operations in Ireland, said: “We are delighted to conclude this strategically important acquisition, of Gannon Chemicals. “Christeyns already has a strong presence in Ireland with business in the Food and Beverage, Commercial Laundry, Hospitality and Construction sectors and this acquisition will provide us with a manufacturing and warehouse base as well as increasing our share of the cleaning and hygiene market. Our goal is to become the dominant player within Ireland and this acquisition is a key step in achieving this ambition.” BUSINESS LINCOLNSHIRE Save money by going green! Looking for ways to lower running costs without sacrificing your productivity outputs? Business Lincolnshire are here to help! Going green can be a cost-effective way of reducing your energy consumption and lowering costs without having to reduce expenditure in other areas. Instead, making small, sustainable swaps can have a huge impact on both your carbon footprint and your outgoings. So, if you want to differentiate against competitors, make savings on your energy bills, attract new customers, and mitigate future risks posed by climate change, what’s stopping you from green? If you’re unsure of where to start, look no further than Business Lincolnshire. Offering 12 hours of fully- funded, expert advice, in addition to a plethora of dedicated online events and handy downloadable resources, the Business Lincolnshire team can help you embed sustainability into your business strategy and save money in the process. Whether you need advice on how to obtain grant funding to support investment into electric car charging points, or need a one-to-one meeting with an energy efficiency expert, Business Lincolnshire is here to help Greater Lincolnshire and Rutland businesses achieve their green goals. For more information, please visit the Business Lincolnshire website: www.businesslincolnshire.com © stock.adobe.com/ Deemerwha studio © stock.adobe.com/ jjfoto © stock.adobe.com/ Seventyfour 06-11.qxp_Layout 1 06/01/2023 09:06 Page 612 Business Link www.blmforum.net STOKES TEA & COFFEE Q&A What’s the outlook for SMEs in 2023? In the post pandemic period, hopes for a return to ‘normal’ have in the main, fallen on the wayside. The temptation to ‘make like an Ostrich’ as external factors batter businesses, may become all too strong. There’s no denying that whatever your news sources, the headlines make for grim reading. As New Year well-wishes fade, 2023 is set to be memorable, but not necessarily for the best reasons. Stating that there are economic headwinds right now is like describing a hurricane as a ‘gentle breeze’. Most business owners are bracing themselves for yet another historically challenging chapter in the precarious fortunes of great British businesses. SMEs contribute 60% of jobs in the UK and help distribute wealth beyond city borders by bringing growth and innovation to local economies. So, it’s vital for entire communities that they make it through. It’s easy to batten down the hatches and fixate on Newtonian measures like numbers, reports, processes and so on, however, without people and relationships, no business would ever take place. In the current quantum age, uncertainty and individuality are accepted as important elements to not only manage but tap into to maintain and grow revenues, and market share too. What are the quickest and most cost- effective ways to help a business meet current challenges? Being independent and smaller can mean greater adaptability. There are definitely things in the toolkit that when put to work, can make all the difference. The obvious things on the list are to manage costs, increase efficiency and grow revenue. It’s no secret that keeping clients and employees is the most cost-effective way to sustain any business. Especially, with the current staffing and economic hurdles. In fact, just a 5% increase in client retention can translate into increased revenues of between 25% and 95%, and 66% of employees who receive reward and recognition are reportedly more likely to stay loyal to their employer. Along with must do’s like delivering a great service or People focus builds business Nick Peel MD is the fourth generation in the family to run the company For some independent businesses, market challenges can be the catalyst for change and innovation. This is true for Stokes Tea & Coffee, a family of coffee roasters that has been operating for over 120 years. The company has a long history of supplying wholesale coffee, tea, machines, servicing and training, as well as operating some of the busiest cafés in the county. As one of the region’s most renowned and well-regarded SMEs, Stokes has seen its fair share of economic turbulence since its inception. Nick Peel is the fourth generation in the family to lead the company and he shared his thoughts on some of the quick-wins for SMEs in 2023. Stokes Master Roaster, Mike, Delivers Virtual Tasting 12-13.qxp_Layout 1 06/01/2023 09:06 Page 1www.blmforum.net Business Link 13 STOKES TEA & COFFEE Q&A product, listening to feedback and most importantly, acting on it, there are other, often overlooked actions ready to take your business to the next level, like making customers and teams feel appreciated and doing it in a way that communicates authenticity. How are you helping your clients achieve greater customer and employee retention? At the height of the pandemic, we developed new virtual experiences including coffee and tea tastings to help bring teams, colleagues or clients together, and share something memorable, unique and in real-time even though they couldn’t physically, be together. Specially designed kits and gift boxes are sent out to participants with everything they need prior to an event, including a virtual tour of our Stokes roastery. Invitees then join online and are taken through their experience by our Stokes Master Roaster. The uptake has been nothing short of mind-blowing, with local and global clients signing up, including some of the biggest companies like Microsoft. We even received recognition from the Evening Standard Magazine and an award from the Beverage Standards Association for our virtual events! Why do you think this innovative product offer has been such a success? There’s nothing more important to increase loyalty and retention than making teams and customers feel like they mean the world to you. I think the biggest selling points are the personality and uniqueness of our offer. Being able to present something different, eco-friendly and artisanal has definitely helped our clients stand out from the crowd, and their event participants talk about their experiences long after they’ve happened. They love the fact that we are an historical, family company and prep everything by hand, just for them. Clients are moving away from the mass- produced, generic options with many asking us to send the tasting kits as gifts to their teams and customers. This has led to us to developing our gifting options further, to create bespoke, branded gifts as unique as every client. It’s an effective way to build positive brand associations, show a company’s support for independent artisans and great British businesses, not to mention a community and environmental conscience. Corporate gifts and experiences are an excellent way to retain, win and strengthen relationships. Demonstrating gratitude and appreciation for customers and colleagues can make all the difference to a business’s fortunes. We’re building our offering and as well as virtual experiences and gifts, we have added roastery tours and tastings for those wanting an ‘in person’ experience, as well as lots of other services like venue hire and event services. Every element has been designed to help our customers continue to build returns and loyalty from their clients and colleagues. Stokes HQ at The Lawn which offers tours and events Find out more - email: info@stokes-coffee.co.uk or visit: https://stokescoffee.com/pages/corporate-gifting Virtual Tasting Kit 12-13.qxp_Layout 1 06/01/2023 09:06 Page 214 Business Link www.blmforum.net NEW YEAR - NEW SUPPLIERS T he new year is a time for new beginnings. Some start with resolutions to lose weight, be healthy or pick up a new hobby, but there’s no reason a business can’t have its own resolutions as well. A good place to start is by looking at suppliers. Many business owners are hesitant to move away from what they know due to a sense of loyalty or to avoid any snags that might arise in the process, the reasons for doing so, or at least assessing your options are aplenty. You may have noticed your suppliers are no longer meeting your expectations, perhaps they can’t control their costs, their quality has dipped, they don’t have the infrastructure to meet the scale up in production you require, or lack communication, transparency, or they have just become complacent and stopped trying so hard. The reality is that familiarity breeds contempt, and it’s normal to prioritise new and less certain clients over old ones. If this is happening then it’s worth shopping around. Dependence on one supplier can quickly threaten production when this supplier is unable to operate, as has been seen over the past few years with the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting manpower, movement of supplies and causing a surge in demand, Brexit causing transport delays and additional costs, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year seeing significant damage to supply chains, and then the shambles that became the UK economy after various Conservative leaders. With so much disruption and uncertainty today, it New year Introduce a resolution for your business in 2023 and keep it with these simple steps. 14-15.qxp_Layout 1 06/01/2023 09:08 Page 1www.blmforum.net Business Link 15 NEW YEAR - NEW SUPPLIERS would be wise for businesses to begin sourcing from multiple suppliers to mitigate risk of disruption, reduce costs, maintain availability, and become more responsive to changes. The climate crisis is also calling on firms to reassess their suppliers, whether that be raw material, packaging, or machinery suppliers. Following COP27, sustainability is at the forefront of customers’ and consumers’ minds, and expectations are increasing for manufacturers to provide more environmentally friendly and ethically sourced products and move away from any suppliers that jeopardise this. Brands themselves are setting stringent sustainability and Net Zero targets, and thus suppliers are required that hold the same CSR goals and stick to best practices. There is a plethora of incentives to find new suppliers if your current partners cannot meet your expectations as we start 2023, but when making these changes it is essential that steps are taken to ensure a transition between old and new suppliers is smooth and successful. In the first instance it is important to assess what you like and dislike about a current supplier and to create a list of requirements, questioning whether they can support your future growth and provide high quality products. Sufficient time will then need to be allocated to explore other options, during which one should ask for supplier references. It is also important to be transparent with new suppliers, to visit them or hire a third party to audit a facility and conduct a full evaluation. One should test the capabilities of potential new suppliers, source quotes and request samples, looking for any defects, to analyse whether they can justify a move away from your current supplier, and establish if they have adequate capacity, a good delivery history, and are reliable. Sourcing suppliers is not always straightforward, and can have a significant effect on product performance, quality and consistency. One must therefore ensure that new suppliers are reputable and able to meet the stringent standards that one is used to, as well as responsive, with communication critical to maintaining high quality products. Changing your suppliers can be hard work, but it’s worthwhile for the long- term success of a business. We all know the importance of changing car insurance each year because “loyalty” doesn’t reward as much as it used to, and it’s odd that so many don’t take the same approach in business. Even if you do ultimately decide to stick with the same suppliers, even letting them know that you will be running yearly audits of supplier performance will likely mean they take a little more care with your account. © stock.adobe.com/Pormezz 14-15.qxp_Layout 1 06/01/2023 09:08 Page 216 Business Link www.blmforum.net 2023 BUSINESS PREDICTIONS Looking ahead It’s that time of year, when Business Link Magazine invites the region’s business leaders to offer up their predictions for the year ahead. 16-19.qxp_Layout 1 06/01/2023 09:09 Page 1www.blmforum.net Business Link 17 2023 BUSINESS PREDICTIONS Mandy Watson, Managing Director of Ambitions Personnel 2022 was an especially volatile year, both politically and economically, so I think we can all agree that we’re hoping for a much calmer start to 2023! The new year brings an opportunity for a fresh start, and it’s one that we’re looking forward to. The predicted recession generally leads people to stay where they are and ride out the storm as new roles become less available. We saw many move around in 2022 once the pandemic subsided, and fewer restrictions opened up new roles and opportunities. We might not be seeing this trend return for a few years yet. Lingering over the whole industry is the national skills shortage. There aren’t many industries left untouched by the shortage, with the ONS predicting more than 1.2 million unfilled vacancies. With fewer migrants, more young people in further education and some still choosing an earlier retirement, we’re seeing fewer people in work than before the pandemic. I remain optimistic about the coming year but acknowledge that a lack of skilled and unskilled workers will make recruitment agencies work harder to find candidates, and some may fall over. Sadly, I do not believe face-to-face recruitment will return as the norm as it’s a digital world and the pandemic certainly accelerated the introduction of online interviewing. Despite the majority of recruitment taking place online, we still prefer a high-street presence. Nothing can beat the personal touch that meeting candidates face-to-face can bring, and we’ve always enjoyed the relationships we build and the friends we make along the way. © stock.adobe.com/rudall30 16-19.qxp_Layout 1 06/01/2023 09:09 Page 218 Business Link www.blmforum.net 2023 BUSINESS PREDICTIONS Jane Whitham, PR director, Altitude Some things won’t change in 2023. We’ll still live in an increasingly complex world filled with uncertainty and it’s highly likely that information overload, in both our personal and professional lives, will continue. But the good news is that by thinking and acting differently, we can stand out and cut through the noise. One of the ways to understand and then change perceptions towards your brand, product or business is by using data. Data insight is going to be huge in 2023 and this starts with businesses making use of the untapped data and insight they’ve got at their fingertips. Data gives companies the opportunity to better understand their stakeholders and tailor their communications accordingly. In the PR industry, like any industry, knowing your audience, developing relationships, and building trust is everything. One of the challenges we’re all likely to face in the next decade will centre on whether we trust what we read and see. As more and more digital content is produced by Artificial Intelligence (AI), how will we accurately distinguish between what is authentic and fake? Trust will become more important than ever as societal change continues. That means investing in data, understanding perceptions, and communicating carefully will be paramount. Only with insight and good communication can we build familiarity, confidence and trust. Richard Heslop, director of DE Commercial The outlook for 2023 will be dictated by the macro economic factors of interest rates and inflation, together, and the ongoing global impact of the Russia Ukraine war. The first half of 2023 is likely to follow a similar pattern to the last quarter of 2022 which was dominated by rising interest rates and prices. Interest rates will level out during the first quarter and the government will start to bring inflationary pressure under control. Once these 2 tigers have been tamed, certainty will return and the economy strengthen. Prices, particularly in the construction sector, will stabilise as the supply chain issues of the last 12-18 months recede. What will all this mean to the commercial property market? The success of the retail sector is dependent on location and type. Consumers still need groceries, to buy coffee, have beauty treatments and purchase medicines. Well located and diverse retail areas will continue to thrive. Elsewhere re-purposing of retail will gain momentum as investors and developers respond to the ever changing habits of the consumer. The future of the office market merits further discussion. The emphasis must be on improving the office environment through add on facilities such as outdoor space, childcare facilities and on site catering. This will bring workers back into town centres and the work place. The continued growth of ecommerce will again drive the industrial/warehouse sector as companies strive to deliver the product to the consumer through ever faster delivery time from order placement. This is the ongoing challenge for suppliers. Where will the opportunities lie in 2023 for investment? Funds and corporates with strong balance sheets will be able to take advantage of those companies who have over leveraged and need to offload to shore up their financial position. 16-19.qxp_Layout 1 06/01/2023 09:09 Page 3www.blmforum.net Business Link 19 2023 BUSINESS PREDICTIONS James Pinchbeck, partner, Streets Chartered Accountants Looking to the new year ahead often comes with a mix of excitement and in trepidation as to what the next 12 months might have in store. Perhaps though in doing so it is useful to reflect on what one predicted for the last 12 months. Therein lies the rub, all too often and not least in a Vuca world (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) the predictions we have at the beginning of a period of time invariably don’t always turn out to be exactly as we thought. The one thing we have seen in recent years is there is little in the way of certainty. This aside, looking ahead to 2023, there is a real sense that the challenges around staffing and skills shortages will play an ever- important role on business performance and sadly customer experience and satisfaction. It is not unreasonable to think we will face further industrial action within the public sector, but also, we should be prepared for further workforce challenges within the private sector. This may be around not just pay, but also working arrangements along with mental health and wellbeing. In the belief that with adversity comes opportunity, we should more optimistically see greater heightened levels of innovation and enterprise. Certainly, as we all get to grips with the cost-of-living crisis we are likely to see the launch of new products and services that are born out of the problems and challenges we face. We should also expect to see much more in the news of start up and scale up businesses engaged in realising the potential of technology to improve productivity and people’s lives, whether this is using artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, the internet of things, or the metaverse. As we continue to reflect on the pandemic and growing concerns about the impact of climate change, 2023 should see a greater appreciation of and focus on ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) by not just corporate enterprises but also more and more businesses. Finally, 2023 is the Chinese zodiac year of the rabbit or to be precise the water rabbit. The sign of the Rabbit is a symbol of longevity, peace, and prosperity in Chinese culture. 2023 is predicted to be a year of hope. People born in a year of the Rabbit are called “Rabbits” and are believed to be vigilant, witty, quick-minded, and ingenious. Certainly such characteristics would be a real attribute for the year ahead. Ian Short, Managing Director of Morley Glass As we see the effects of climate change in nearly every aspect of our daily lives, the environmental impact of our business activities has been rising up the agenda for some time now. But while Yorkshire and the Humber may be at the forefront of nationally and internationally significant new green technologies and renewable power generation, it is the sum of all the small steps that every business in the region can take to reduce their carbon footprint that has the potential to make a big difference. Many businesses have overcome the idea that being more environmentally responsible is a ‘nice to have’ but in reality a cost and hassle they can do without. As our business has discovered over the past few years, thinking about sustainability in every area and process of your business contributes to business success and profitability – not hinder it. So I think 2023 will be a big year for sustainability in business. And I think the fact that consumers are increasingly turning to greener brands signals the greater opportunity that lies ahead. Yes, some green business initiatives will require upfront investment, but the returns could be realised sooner than we think. Our post-consumer glass recycling initiative, for example, started as a simple exercise to cut waste disposal costs. In the space of just over two years, however, we have not only saved money, but donated thousands of pounds into our GreenVision fund to support local community groups and environmental initiatives. 16-19.qxp_Layout 1 06/01/2023 09:09 Page 4Next >