< Previous10 Business Link www.blmforum.net TRANSAFE TRAINING Q&A Tell us a little about Transafe Training Transafe Training is an established logistics, health & safety and driver training business based in the Humber region. Transafe has been providing training within the local and regional areas for more than 18 years. In 2018, we joined MODAL Training and moved into their dedicated training centre in Immingham. MODAL is part of a larger organisation, the TEC Partnership, which is a dynamic and innovative group of colleges and training providers based along the east coast from Scarborough to Skegness. As part of a college group we are able to bid for, and have successfully won, contracts to deliver funded training to businesses and individuals. Our vision is to ensure we help develop the learner’s competencies and capabilities, so that they gain the skills and knowledge they need to improve their own lifestyle and their employer’s business performance. Alongside training, we are also currently engaged in delivery business growth consultancy to local firms, helping them access consultant support in a wide range of areas including, marketing, operations, IT, health & safety and HR. What kinds of courses do you offer? Our core training is focused in logistics, road transport and health and safety which cuts across many sectors, including construction process industries. We have our own driver training facility, with LGV reversing area, and have recently invested in a new fleet of lorries. Our new approach to driver training provides trainees with additional classroom training which helps improve their pass rates for both theory and practical tests. The feedback from our learners has been very positive. We are currently running a two-year driver academy which goes beyond just the practical licence acquisition. It includes many additional areas like mental health and wellbeing, first aid and fire safety as well as obvious courses around becoming a professional driver. We are also expanding our portfolio of courses to be able to deliver minibus training from our site. Our range of health and safety courses, first aid and mental health training are designed for those new to this area of work as well as experienced health and safety operators, and managers. We have courses ranging from CCNSG Safety Passports, IOSH Managing Safely to NEBOSH General Certificate. Our courses are delivered face-to-face. We have delivered some courses in a blended way, and online, largely due to COVID, but our learners enjoy the interaction of the classroom course. One of the things about driving LGVs is that it can be a sole worker job, so bringing people together also helps to develop softer skills, like communication and working with others. We also take pride in offering support to the learner. Not every learner has the benefit of a good education and they may need assistance to help them achieve their qualification. That may be helping them sort out attending training, exams etc. or through providing readers, where approved by the awarding bodies, or dyslexia overlays to assist reading. We have a range of management training courses – For the First Time Supervisor / manager we provide training which equips learners with practical supervisory and management skills to succeed in their new role, and for those more experienced managers a more in- depth leadership training course. In the past we have created and delivered training to individual companies at their premises to their requirements, both nationally and overseas, as well as to groups of people from different companies at our site in Immingham. We developed leadership and Q&A Transafe Training This month we talk to Hugh Callaway, Managing Director of Transafe Training to find out more about the business and why training and up-skilling staff is so important right now. Hugh Callaway, Managing Director of MODAL Training 10-11.qxp_Layout 1 03/04/2023 15:17 Page 1www.blmforum.net Business Link 11 TRANSAFE TRAINING Q&A management training to fill the gap for employees with strong individual performance who find themselves natural candidates to fill supervisory roles. To adjust to new responsibilities, these people need to attain practical hard and soft management skills. Why is now the best time for business to consider training? We recognise that training is a business-critical function that can often get overlooked. If ignored/deferred it can cause workforce and productivity problems at a later date - this can be especially true in tougher economic times. So businesses of all sizes need to understand their own workforce planning requirements, not only for people who may retire or leave, but for new developments, recruitment and growth. We can help business develop training matrices and, as well as assisting the company align their training to their individual needs. LGV driver shortages has been in the news for many years, and more prevalent since Brexit, COVID and IR35 rule changes. However, the average age of drivers is still high compared to many other jobs, and as transport changes, there is a need to continually upskill. Similarly, the safety of employees and customers on business sites is vitally important, and so training in health and safety should not be ignored. Our training can help directors, managers and supervisors really get to grips with this training as well as providing the skills and knowledge for operational staff. Forward thinking. We are a business that takes pride in delivering excellent training and customer service in what we do now, but also aim to identify customer needs in the future. We have recently run fully funded training courses to develop Transport Planners, Transport Managers, General Management and Employee Wellbeing. In all cases we have spoken to our customers to find out what they really need and then found an effective way of delivering it for them. We work with a number of customers through collaborative partnerships, providing services that support them, removing the headache of organising training. We provide the full service from an initial starting conversation through to the learner achieving their goals. Alongside our extensive catalogue of courses, we also co-create bespoke courses for customers who have a business need that does not fit into existing courses or qualifications. Our approach means we provide the training and development businesses need to boost productivity and support staff retention. Alongside Transafe Training, the MODAL Training Centre is also home to Humber Maritime College which provides MCA short courses for seafarers, specialist apprenticeships, bespoke simulation training & assessments and also trains Officer cadets for the Merchan Navy. 10-11.qxp_Layout 1 03/04/2023 15:18 Page 212 Business Link www.blmforum.net COMMERCIAL PROPERTY property Investment and development continues in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, but the Government’s latest initiatives and focus may mean headaches in the future. The region in 12-15.qxp_Layout 1 03/04/2023 15:19 Page 1www.blmforum.net Business Link 13 COMMERCIAL PROPERTY © stock.adobe.com/teamjackson T he commercial property market remains busy even as other sectors protest the latest budget. There’s not much in the budget to satisfy or please developers either, but then recent governmental involvement in commercial developers hasn’t been anything good for the past few years – and Michael Gove’s latest war on landlords and his developer remediation contract – won’t appeal the government to any developers. This has left many of the mind that they should just get on with work and ignore whatever disasters the government cooks up next, and that attitude has led to a flurry of activity across the region. In Hull, major restoration work has begun on the landmark Grade II-listed Burton building to restore the crumbling granite façade and art deco windows to their 1930s grandeur by the end of the year. The building’s modern shopfronts will be replaced with new frontages in keeping with the original style and design. The ground floor is being renovated to enable its use as a restaurant or retail outlet, with flexible space available on the upper floors. The building, on the corner of Whitefriargate and Carr Lane in the city centre, has four floors, plus a basement, together covering 11,000 sq ft. The proposed retail or restaurant area on the ground floor will offer 2,400 sq ft of floorspace, with the first, second and third floors each covering 2,500 sq ft. Meanwhile, a solar farm with the capacity to supply clean, renewable energy to around 16,000 homes is to be developed on land between the villages of Preston and Bilton if approved by East Riding of Yorkshire Council. Beverley- based developer Gamcap has submitted a planning application for the scheme, proposed for land bordering Neat Marsh 15 Á 12-15.qxp_Layout 1 03/04/2023 15:19 Page 2Armstrong house Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire DN31 2QE Tel: (01472) 310301 Email: s.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk Superb Location - - Close to the ports of Grimsby & Immingham - Great motorway links - Close to the town centre Secure off street parking High speed internet availability A range of affordable office sizes 3 3 3 3 Last remaining office suites Prime location in Grimsby Offering a prime position in Grimsby, Armstrong House on Armstrong Street is ideally located. Close to the ports of Grimsby and Immingham, motorway links and the town centre, off-street parking is also available for all staff and visitors, meaning it’s convenient too. Our spacious, welcoming offices are located on the ground floor and are both secure and CCTV-monitored, giving you the ultimate peace of mind. At Armstrong House, when it comes to affordability and with a range of office sizes there are opportunities for all types of business. If you require virtual office services, prices start from just £15 per month. For more information, or to discuss your office requirements call 01472 310301. 12-15.qxp_Layout 1 03/04/2023 15:19 Page 3www.blmforum.net Business Link 15 COMMERCIAL PROPERTY Road, Wyton Road, and Old Fleet drain. In Bradford, the build programme for One City Park, Bradford’s first new high quality office development in 20 years, is continuing at pace as the project team led by nationwide placemaker, Muse, in partnership with Bradford Council and lead contractor Caddick Construction remain confident that the development is on track to complete summer 2023. The striking glass and steel scheme will create 56,403 sq ft of sustainable office space across five floors. The steel frame – supplied and erected by Halifax-based Elland Steel – was completed in November and the aluminium cladding system which frames the floor to ceiling windows is well underway. Simon Dew, development director at Muse, added: “Bradford is a place where start-ups and growing SMEs can thrive, and that major corporates have proudly called their home for hundreds of years. The district has always cultivated an entrepreneurial spirit – and we hope that One City Park will become home to the next generation of innovators who will choose to live and work in the city, attracted by the opportunity to fulfil their potential here.” Construction work has begun on the first phase of development at Konect 62, a major logistics and industrial scheme in Knottingley, West Yorkshire, which is being developed by Henderson Park and Cole Waterhouse. The joint venture completed the acquisition of the 136- acre tri-modal development in September 2022. Phase One, which is being delivered by McLaren Construction, will see the speculative development of 1.1 million sq ft of energy efficient warehouse and logistics space across four units, all built to BREEAM Excellent sustainability standards. This will include ‘Big K’, a 735,000 sq ft unit, one of the largest ever delivered in the North of the UK, as well as three further units of 161,000, 151,000 and 61,000 sq ft, catering to a variety of potential occupiers. It’s not all good news, however. A new levy will see developers pay a fairer share for affordable housing and local infrastructure such as roads, schools and GP surgeries. The infrastructure levy, which will replace section 106 contributions for most developments, will prevent developers from negotiating down the amount they contribute to the community when they bring forward new projects. Under Government proposals, the amount developers will have to pay will be calculated once a project is complete, instead of at the planning. This will make sure that councils benefit from increases in land value, which can be significant for large developments that take years to complete. Councils will also be given powers to set rates themselves, putting power in the hands of local leaders to deliver what their communities need. © stock.adobe.com/ pauws99 12-15.qxp_Layout 1 03/04/2023 15:19 Page 416 Business Link www.blmforum.net FACTORY AUTOMATION SPOTLIGHT From software to sensors, Business Link explores the myriad opportunities offered by automation. The key to 16-19.qxp_Layout 1 03/04/2023 15:21 Page 1www.blmforum.net Business Link 17 FACTORY AUTOMATION SPOTLIGHT F actory automation is the use of technology to carry out manufacturing processes, which can include using robots to perform repetitive tasks, sensors to monitor production, and software to control the production line. Using technology in this way for roles otherwise fulfilled by human labour can increase the production and monetary efficiency of any large factory, while improving the overall quality of the products rolling off your line and onto shelves. In this article we’ll look into the variety of implementations for automation there are to choose from, as well as how you can scale up your business and up your standards across the board. Robotics cover by far the most cutting edge and exciting areas of factory automation, and have the added bonus of being widely versatile in the tasks they can accomplish. Robots can be used to move materials and products around the factory, transport raw materials to the production line, or move finished products to the packaging area. But they can also be deft enough to manage the actual assembly and packaging of products, some having the fine motor skills to perform tasks such as welding, labelling, painting or screwing, and all with a level of precision and consistency that is difficult for humans to achieve. Automation can even improve safety by performing tasks that are dangerous or physically demanding for humans. You can begin to see here how robotics assure against the flaws, mistakes and dangers which can be all too common when human hands and eyes are involved. On top of the efficiency of each robot in its dedicated task, inspecting products for defects and flaws can be further applied as its own set of automated actions. With the power of machine vision, which can detect flaws invisible to the human eye in many cases, 18 Á © stock.adobe.com/ipopba 16-19.qxp_Layout 1 03/04/2023 15:21 Page 218 Business Link www.blmforum.net FACTORY AUTOMATION SPOTLIGHT robots can use cameras or sensors to detect imperfections and take action to correct them. The fast and accurate removal of defective products from the production line ups efficiency even further, by reducing the waste of materials on defective items and stopping these from reaching the consumer market. Sensors and other software can also be easily installed to work with, around or instead of robotics to monitor any stage of production, ensuring quality control while catching flaws as they arise. For example, temperature sensors can monitor the temperature of a heating element, and then adjust as needed to maintain consistent conditions. Separate vision systems can inspect products for defects or anomalies and take action to correct them. Inventory management can also be maintained by tracking inventory levels and automatically ordering supplies through smart software, or watching any item through the production process with the use of RFID tags. Even the maintenance of other machines on your factory floor can be managed with guaranteed precision and focus, such as by installing vibration sensors to detect when a machine is starting to wear down, allowing maintenance to be scheduled before a breakdown occurs. As a step up to involve robotics in the mix, these clever machines can be used to perform routine maintenance tasks, such as cleaning or oiling machinery. Robots and other automations can complete all these tasks, and many others, much more quickly and efficiently than humans. Any level of automation will likely result in improved efficiency, because output will increase as production time and unnecessary downtime decrease, leading to cost savings and growth in profitability. While robots can perform repetitive tasks at a constant speed without needing breaks, automation as a whole can manage and monitor production in up-to-the-moment real time, allowing for adjustments to be made quickly and efficiently. Such fine-tuned detection capability © stock.adobe.com/photon_photo 16-19.qxp_Layout 1 03/04/2023 15:21 Page 3www.blmforum.net Business Link 19 FACTORY AUTOMATION SPOTLIGHT faulty batches may be easily identified and pulled back from sale if necessary. Once you can be certain the current quality of your products are handled for you, identifying and future-proofing your improvement goals becomes easier with automation too. Software can be used to analyse production data and identify areas for improvement, for example by using production statistics to identify bottlenecks or inefficiencies in the production process. This information can help your business optimise its production processes, adding another layer to efficiency improvement. From there, it’s simple to plan out the scalability of your business model using this analysis data, especially with automation technology. For one, automation can be reconfigured quickly and easily, allowing businesses to adapt to changing production needs. For example, robots can be reprogrammed to perform new tasks, and software can be updated to adjust to changes in production volume or product mix. This can help any size of business to scale its production up or down as needed, as well as increase production capacity without needing to hire additional workers or invest in more equipment. By customising your business model and production line with factory automation wherever’s right for you, efficiency, quality, safety and cost effectiveness can all be maximised to scale. This is becoming an increasing demand for businesses that want to remain competitive, profitable and relevant in a modern market. But if there’s anything the diversity of factory automation enables, it’s the ability to implement as and when, a little at a time. And if there’s anything that the proven effectiveness of each of these systems shows, it’s that even a little can go a long way to assisting and improving your business endeavours. Tel: 01482 325676 • Email: sales@kingston-engineering.co.uk • www.kingston-engineering.co.uk Kingston Engineering are specialists in precision engineering, based in Hull. As one of the region’s leading companies in their sector, Kingston Engineering can provide specialised power screw products, specialist leadscrew and ex-stock power nuts and screws. In addition, they can provide expertise and guidance in factory and production machinery installation, commissioning, maintenance and repair. improves the reliability of high-quality finished products, reducing the need for rework or separate quality control staffing. It upholds the standardisation that’s vital to public safety and trust in your brand by controlling the production line at any and every level, ensuring that products are manufactured according to the same specifications every time. But automation provides an eye on your products even after they leave factory production by providing traceability throughout. Sensors can track materials as they move through the production line, allowing for a detailed record of each step of the process and reducing the risk of recalls. However, even when an error or flaw slips past detection, the trace established by data during production can remain linked so that 16-19.qxp_Layout 1 03/04/2023 15:21 Page 4Next >