JUNE 2024 £3.50 YORKSHIRE & LINCOLNSHIRE’S LEADING BUSINESS MAGAZINE www.blmgroup.co.uk VOLUME 39 ISSUE 6 Expertise on demand Slip, trip and fallFarming under threatPrinting|Copying|Graphic Design LOGOS | BRANDING | BUSINESS STATIONERY FLYERS & POSTERS | BROCHURES | NEWSLETTERS A0 COPYING & SCANNING | OS MAPPING CAD & PLAN PRINTING | PRINT FINISHING High Quality Print & Design in Lincolnshire N 01522 546118 E sales@lincolncopycentre.co.uk www.lincolncopycentre.co.uk 45 YEARS IN BUSINESSFrom the Editor Election fever continues to grip the country after a “surprise” election was called for July. I emphasise surprise because many outlets had been guessing at it for a while, and the drop in inflation made it very likely the Conservatives would want to strike while things look a little better. It’s a chaotic mess of a time, however, with many economists wondering just how much difference there will be between the two parties. Traditionally, Conservatives have been the party for businesses to back but many business leaders have turned to Labour for the current election. That’s not a big surprise given how poorly the economy has fared under the Conservative party, but it should be noted that very few of the biggest companies in the UK have backed either party. This, however, might be a desire to stay out of politics and risk alienating customers. It does feel inevitable that Labour will win, but it also feels inevitable that the Conservative party will have to adapt as a result of all this – ditching a lot of its more extremist and less popular members, re-inventing itself, and perhaps coming out as a party more capable of competing to run the country in coming elections. If only all businesses could shrug off performances this poor, eh? Good reading, as always. Michael Fisher Editor Smarter, cleaner, greener. We keep world trade moving Clarksons is at the heart of global shipping Integrated service offering, powered by intelligence Tel: +44 1469 574649 enquiries.customs@clarksons.com www.clarksons.com See us at Multimodal Stand F4 11-13 June JUNE 2024 6 News The latest business news and success stories from around our region. 12 Eco-Friendly Coatings Q&A We speak with Craig Green, Director of Eco-Friendly Coatings in West Yorkshire, to find out more about how he’s helped businesses reduce their energy bills and also offset their carbon. 14 Commercial property With a plethora of transformative projects underway in Leeds, Business Link reflects on recent steps forward. 18 Agri-business spotlight The farming industry is suffering not only in our region and not only in our country, but across the EU and further afield. 22 Construction, machinery and equipment A push toward sustainable development and environmentally friendly construction material may well shape the future of the construction industry. 26 Health and safety In a period when finding the right staff for the right job is more difficult than ever before, allowing some to become injured via preventable accidents is disastrous. 30 Ports and logistics Research shows there is over £2 billion in goods stuck in Yorkshire warehouses due to supply chain issues, and yet the sector still struggles to bring in new talent. 34 Corporate hospitality AI promises to change a lot of things, but the very fact it wants to replace face-to-face meetings may, in fact, cause more of them to happen. 37 Insurance Business insurance is often seen as a requirement to be fulfilled as cheaply as possible, but big companies often invest in additional forms of protection, and it might be time for businesses in our region to consider the same. 40 Meet the experts Finding the right expert can be difficult, but the key is looking for someone who can understand your business almost as well as you can, and who can apply that knowledge to their field of expertise. 44 AutoLink New motors and upgrades to existing models this summer. • We put the McLaren Artura through its paces 50 Events We take a look at business events happening around Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. 54 And finally… Yorkshire-Lincolnshire- Business-Link @blmforum blmforum.net CONNECT WITH US 22 30 40Group Editor Steve Fisher (s.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk) Editor Michael Fisher (m.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk) Journalist Tess Egginton (t.egginton@blmgroup.co.uk) Editorial contact newsdesk@blmgroup.co.uk Tel: (01472) 310305 Fax: (01472) 310317 Sales Director Angela Cooper (a.cooper@blmgroup.co.uk) Vicky Hunt (v.hunt@blmgroup.co.uk) Kerry Randerson (k.randerson@blmgroup.co.uk) Tel: (01472) 310301 Fax: (01472) 310311 Tel: (01472) 310304 Fax: (01472) 310314 Haychart Ltd, Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby, N.E. Lincs., DN31 2QE. reproduced, transmitted, photocopied, recorded or otherwise without express permission of the copyright holder, for which application should be addressed first to the publisher. While every reasonable care is taken, neither the publisher nor its prints, colour transparencies, negatives or other material of whatever nature submitted to this publication. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily the views of COVER PHOTOS: STOCK.ADOBE.COM - MP STUDIO • JAG_CZ • IBEX.MEDIA • WAVEBREAKMEDIAMICRO • ANTHONY BROWN 18Rolls-Royce SMR partners with University of Sheffield for new manufacturing and testing facility Rolls-Royce SMR is partnering with the University of Sheffield to launch a major new manufacturing and testing facility in South Yorkshire. The Rolls-Royce SMR Module Development Facility (MDF), which will be housed in the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre’s existing Factory 2050, is set to manufacture and test prototype modules for small modular reactors (SMRs). The first phase is worth £2.7 million and will be part of a wider £15+ million package of work that will further de-risk and underpin the Rolls- Royce SMR programme. SMRs are advanced nuclear reactors that are designed to be factory-built and transported to operational sites for installation. The technology is seen as a clean energy solution that is easier to deliver, scale and is more affordable than building new larger nuclear power stations. Each Rolls-Royce SMR could provide enough low-carbon electricity to power a million homes for more than 60 years. The new facility at the University of Sheffield AMRC will produce working prototypes of individual modules that will be assembled into Rolls- Royce SMR power plants. 6 Business Link www.blmforum.net NEWS Wakefield business park fully let Balme Business Park, the second phase of the Flanshaw Way development in Wakefield, is now fully let. The business park, which has been masterminded by West Yorkshire multi-let developer, Frank Marshall Estates of Bradford, comprises 26,000 sq ft of new units ranging in size from 1,500 sq ft to 6,000 sq ft. All nine units have already been let in a flurry of deals. The final available unit has just been let to Howdens Joinery, who have taken 6,750 sq ft at £12 per sq ft on a 15-year lease. The park has provided £3.5m inward investment for Wakefield and created over 100 new and sustainable jobs. The tenants are Howdens, Clearway, Saint Flooring, Industrial Electronic Repairs, Safe Strip UK and Arentis Ltd. Balme Business Park has been named after Chris Balme, the long-serving construction director at Frank Marshall Estates. The park was completed last November, with 60 per cent pre-let. Fresh prepared food firm acquires humous brand Bakkavor Group, the provider of fresh prepared food with a number of sites in Lincolnshire, has acquired Moorish, the UK humous brand. The Moorish brand was founded in 2012 by Julie Waddell. Today Moorish products are distributed across a number of major supermarket outlets and independent retailers, with revenue of over £2m. Moorish will sit alongside other brands that Bakkavor is working with, including Pizza Express, The Delicious Dessert Company, The Pizza Company and more recently Pinch. The Managing Director of Moorish, Andy Atherton, will remain in a consultancy role to support the brand transition to Bakkavor’s new ownership. Julie Waddell, founder of Moorish, said: “Since starting from my kitchen table in 2012, it’s been quite a journey to see the business grow into what it is today. “In Bakkavor, there are so many great opportunities still to explore with the brand and I will enjoy watching Moorish flourish as the new owners take it to the next level.” Julie Waddell, founder of Moorish Simon Mydlowski of Clarion and Edward Marshall of Frank Marshall Estates Image courtesy of University of Sheffield Lincolnshire & Counties Training Solutions (LACTS) deliver high-quality training solutions across the UK that are typically delivered at your business premises, ensuring the most cost- effective and efficient use of your personnel’s time. We are recognised and authorised by the leading UK governing bodies such as, QNUK, FAIB and BALI to train Accredited/Regulated Food Safety, Health and Safety, First Aid, Fire Safety, ROLO and a host of other qualifications throughout the whole of the UK. www.blmforum.net Business Link 7 NEWS Bank of England to increase Leeds presence The Bank of England is set to increase its presence in Leeds with further details announced for an expanded and permanent presence in the city. The Bank is committing to a headcount of at least 500 staff to be based in Leeds by 2027, which equates to around one in ten staff. The headcount target will be achieved through a combination of voluntary internal relocations and new Leeds-based recruitment. The Bank will look to maintain its overall current headcount number, whilst expanding its numbers in Leeds. The increased office space in Leeds aims to improve trust and wider understanding of the Bank’s work across the UK, ensure as an organisation it better represents the people it serves, help tap into wider talent pools across the UK, and retain talented colleagues. Governor of the Bank of England, Andrew Bailey, said: “Committing to a permanent, expanded Leeds office is a fantastic opportunity for us better to represent the public, build stronger links with the local business community and help promote the work of the Bank to a wider pool of talented workers.” Bespoke training solutions © stock.adobe.com/William £20k grant helps Driffield business cut its carbon footprint Driffield engineering company Shields has significantly reduced its carbon footprint with a £20,000 grant secured with the help of the Invest East Yorkshire Business Support team. The grant has been invested in a large solar panel installation at the company’s premises on Kelleythorpe Industrial Estate. Carey Kelly, a director at Shields, said: “We have enjoyed a long and positive relationship with the Invest East Yorkshire Business Support team. As the business has grown and our plans have changed, we have worked closely with them, not just in relation to financial assistance but also for ongoing advice and guidance. We are very appreciative of this support and look forward to this relationship continuing as we grow as a business and create more skilled jobs.” Business advisor Chris Moore said: “Following a review of the business and a discussion about its growth plans, we arranged for Shields to have an independent energy assessment by a specialist company that we appointed. This was fully funded and highlighted a number of energy saving measures they could take as part of their commitment to becoming more environmentally sustainable.” © stock.adobe.com/dusanpetkovic1TOWER FIELD SERVICES Cat Tech Tower Field Services offers bespoke mechanical services to oil refinery and petrochemical plants all around the world. Our team has vast experience in overseeing and undertaking the installation of all types of Tower internals. Our Tower tray, packing and other internals installation services has deep roots, with several of the senior team at Cat Tech being involved in the founding of the Cana-Tex organisation. Since 1971, Cana-Tex had been the premier global Tower speciality contractor; performing Tower maintenance and plant turnaround projects around the world. These origins, with the addition of new team members, make Cat Tech Tower Field services a global operation which is both cost effective and technically experienced. We strive to create new ways to make your Tower work safer, faster and more productive and that can make very good things happen for your business. We thrive on exceeding our clients expectations and understand the need for upfront communication in relation to timescales and costs. No-one likes surprises in this industry and we ensure that everything is done, from pre-job planning, on site activities to post job reporting in a manner which allows our customers to concentrate on their core business. Let us show you what we can do. We work hard to maintain an industry reputation for safety, speed and dependability. Ours crews have been trained by us, this allows us to staff a project with the proven skills necessary to produce customer satisfaction. It is our intention to demonstrate the benefit of utilising Cat Tech for all of your Tower work. The benefits of engaging Cat Tech are: l Experienced Tower specialists. l Proven track record. l Ability to supply spares and replacements. l Spade to Spade service. l Revamps or modifications to Towers / Internals. l Inspection of Tower internals. l Supervision of external/client labour force. l Detailed inspection reports. l Cleaning of tower internals. l Reactor tray field services. l Turnkey reactor tray field services. At Cat Tech, we continue to create new ways to make Tower work safer, faster and more productive. And that can make very good things happen for your business. Contact us for further information. Our well established sales team have a wealth of experience. We take pride on ensuring all enquires are dealt with quickly and efficiently. China: Cat Tech Services (Shanghai) Ltd., Room 1230 No.1, 58 Nong Huachi Road, Putuo District, Shanghai 20061 CN Phone: +(86) 2152 9175 08 Fax: +(86) 2152 9175 05 Singapore: Cat Tech Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., 17 Fan Yoong Road, Singapore 629794 Phone: +(65) 6264 6261 Fax: +(65) 6264 6401 South America: Please contact the UK office on +44 1724 871 747 Thailand: Cat Tech Services (Thailand) Ltd., 2/1 Soi Banbon Nuenpayom Road, Maptaphut Sub District, Muang Rayong District, Rayong Province 21150 TH Phone: +(66) 894 064 100 Fax: +(66) 638 692 382 MAKING YOUR PLANT WORK… SMARTER www.cat-tech.com PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/KAWINNINGSwww.blmforum.net Business Link 9 NEWS British Land to sell 50% stake in Meadowhall Shopping Centre British Land has exchanged contracts to sell its 50% stake in Meadowhall Shopping Centre to its partner Norges Bank Investment Management for £360m. The move is in line with British Land’s strategy to focus on retail parks and reduce exposure to covered shopping centres. As part of the transaction, British Land will remain as asset manager of Meadowhall. The transaction is expected to complete in July 2024. Simon Carter, Chief Executive of British Land, said: “We have had a successful partnership with Norges over many years and are delighted to continue to work alongside them as asset managers of the centre. “Following the sale of Meadowhall, 93% of our portfolio is now in our preferred segments of retail parks, campuses and London urban logistics. “We will continue to grow our retail park portfolio; with low capex requirements parks offer attractive cash returns and at 99% occupancy we are delivering strong rental growth.” Student accommodation company welcomes new shareholder in £17.6m deal Harrogate- based purpose- built student accommodation (PBSA) company, Homes For Students (HFS), has welcomed a new shareholder with international real estate company Far East Orchard buying a 49% stake in the business in a deal worth £17.6m. Founded in 2015, HFS operates over 40,000 beds in more than 50 university towns and cities in the UK and Ireland. Martin Corbett, CEO, HFS, said: “The shareholders and I are pleased to welcome Far East Orchard as a new principal investor to the Homes for Students team following their purchase of 49% of the share capital from four of our exiting investors. “Since May 2023, we have been operating Far East Orchard’s PBSA property and already established a successful partnership. We very much look forward to continuing to grow our enterprise together, investing in our people, technology and new business streams. “Today, HFS employ over 800 colleagues and our turnover this year is forecast to be over £80m. We have become increasingly influential in the PBSA sector across the UK and Ireland, so together with Far East Orchard, will take PBSA to greater heights as part of our 2030 vision.” Yorkshire property developer secures £4.7m to acquire shopping centre in Hull A Yorkshire-based property entrepreneur has further boosted his growing portfolio across the north of England after securing a £4.7m funding solution to purchase and develop Prospect Shopping Centre in Hull. Zahid Iqbal has a proven track-record of acquiring and rapidly transforming shopping centres across the region and is hoping to emulate that success by utilising the facility provided by Reward Finance Group to purchase the 5.1 acre retail site in the heart of Hull city centre. Zahid, who runs Z&F Properties and also owns The Ridings Shopping Centre in Wakefield, Packhorse Shopping Centre in Huddersfield and Batley Plaza, is now looking to reinvigorate the Prospect Shopping Centre, which houses major retailers such as Greggs and Specsavers and attracts circa six million shoppers each year. The deal is one of the highest single lends provided by alternative finance lender Reward. Zahid Iqbal, property entrepreneur and owner of Z&F Properties, said: “This latest acquisition of the Prospect Shopping Centre underlies our commitment to investing in Hull and transforming one of its most prominent shopping centres into the primary retail destination for people locally.” Zahid Iqbal (Z&F Properties) & Dave Jones (Reward Finance Group) © stock.adobe.com/Janis Abolins Martin Corbett, CEO, Homes for Students Next >