JULY 2024 £3.50 YORKSHIRE & LINCOLNSHIRE’S LEADING BUSINESS MAGAZINE www.blmgroup.co.uk VOLUME 39 ISSUE 7 Business as usual The solution to the skills crisis? Designing the perfect first impressionKIRKBY LINDSEY ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING LTD HULL T: 01482 223937 • E: info@kirkby-lindsey.co.uk ECLIPSE ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING LTD YORK T: 01904 692783 • E: admin@eclipse-electrical.co.uk Experts in the repair, rewind and supply of electric motors, geared motors, pumps & fans. Hazardous Area Motor (ATEX) Repair specialists with fully certified IEC Ex service facility. Visit www.kirkbyeclipse.com for more information.From the Editor It’s been a rough month for anyone wanting to do anything other than watch politics. The election is all the newspapers, news channels and internet can talk about, and it’s been a sleazy and corrupt affair on all accounts. At the time of writing, Labour are winning but nothing has been decided yet, with the big decision to be on whether the Conservatives will be wiped out by Reform or not. Practically every party has a number of stealth taxes hiding behind them – even Reform, who claim to not have, but whose budget adds up so poorly that it might as well be a sci-fi novel. Numerous independent bodies have spoken out to warn that no matter who ends up in power, the country’s finances are likely to be so low that tax rises are inevitable both in the short and the long term, so the wise choice will be for businesses to prepare for less than ideal conditions. Then again, businesses have been dealing with that for the last 14 years so, in a sense, it’s more of the usual. Whatever does happen, one good thing to come from this election will be the shaking up of the status quo. A sudden change in government has traditionally been followed by a small buoy to the economy, as investor confidence in the new party grows (or investor lack-of-confidence in the old party ceases to matter). The suggestion that Labour might re-make the Brexit deal may also be good news to businesses dealing internationally, though it’s sure to be a controversial matter to the voters who feel no one is allowed to change their minds. There’s no denying that Brexit has been awful – and even those who voted for it can typically acknowledge that the handling of Brexit and the deals that have come of it are not as good as they could be. A change there could be a godsend for many businesses in the region. 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 JULY 2024 6 News The latest business news and success stories from around our region. 11 Commercial property A plethora of purchases are being made across the region, with investors and developers amongst others snapping up Yorkshire schemes. 14 Business spotlight Services involved in the day to day running of a business are usually safe from axing, but those seen as “extra” by employers might not feel the same way. Are they truly an extra, though? Or has their value been misjudged? 18 Apprenticeships A lack of skills, small workforce and high demand mean apprentices may be the only solution for many businesses. 22 Design and marketing You have one chance to make that first impression work for you, and while your outfit, demeanour and presentation may be perfect, your old marketing materials could be holding you back. 26 Engineering The engineering and manufacturing industries in the United Kingdom have been undergoing significant transformations in recent years. In the face of rising energy costs, combined with government pressure across all industries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 30 IT and telecommunications AI is a part of our future whether we like it or not, and while some companies are grasping the opportunities, others are risking their future on a wait and see approach. 33 Corporate hospitality Not many people enjoy going to events and talking to new people, but it’s undeniable that there are some who come away with plenty of business from it. Demystifying the process is the first step to benefiting from it. 36 AutoLink New and exciting cars coming onto the market in the latter half of this year, some rarer than others. • We put the new 2024 Lamborghini Urus SE through its paces 42 Events We take a look at business events happening around Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. 46 And finally… Yorkshire-Lincolnshire- Business-Link @blmforum blmforum.net CONNECT WITH US 18 22 36Group 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) 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 - LUBOS CHLUBNY • ALFA27 • KZENON • GORODENKOFF • PHONLAMAIPHOTO 301.5 million sq ft industrial & logistics development set for Gascoigne Interchange Harworth Group has secured a resolution to grant planning permission from North Yorkshire Council’s Strategic Planning Committee for the development of a major rail-connected industrial and logistics hub at its 185-acre Gascoigne Interchange site in Leeds. The approved plans will see the development of up to 1.5 million sq ft of industrial and logistics space at Gascoigne Interchange, and has the potential to deliver up to £190 million gross development value (GDV). The proposal is the delivery of seven units, ranging from 57,000 sq ft to 1 million sq ft, all built to Grade A specification, with Harworth expecting to start on site in 2025. The brownfield site is one of Harworth’s next-generation of development sites and is situated in Selby, to the east of Leeds and adjacent to Sherburn Industrial Estate. It is one of the most strategically located, rail-connected sites in the region, enabling future occupiers to utilise the existing main line rail connection from the site for a wide variety of uses, including low carbon freight movement. 6 Business Link www.blmforum.net NEWS Queen Ethelburga’s implements AI policy for teachers and students, to prepare them for the future Artificial Intelligence is here to stay. Schools cannot afford to ignore it and, indeed, are doing students a disservice if they do not properly discuss and agree their fundamental approach to its use. At QE, our approach has very much been to see AI as a tool to enhance and support learners and teachers. AI is increasingly being utilised in a range of careers including early diagnoses of medical conditions, analysing market trends or making hiring decisions, we feel obligated to increase student exposure to the potential of AI. They will be entering a very different employment landscape to even 10 years ago and we owe it to them to prepare them as best we can for their futures. So, given this approach, we produced our own documentation for students helping them to better understand when it is, and isn’t, acceptable to use AI in their education, how to appropriately reference the use of AI in coursework, and how to work closely with their teachers to learn the best strategies. New city centre base for Sheffield University tech spinout Phlux Technology, an infrared sensor technology firm, has chosen Pennine Five in Sheffield city centre to set up its new headquarters, as the city’s Innovation Spine gains momentum. Founded by Ben White in 2020, Phlux is a spinout company from the University of Sheffield developing and commercialising breakthrough infrared sensor technology. This technology is revolutionising the performance of autonomous cars and advanced driver-assisted systems. Last year, Phlux secured £4m of investment from Octopus Ventures and Northern Gritstone, and is also working on a 500,000 Euro project funded by the European Space Agency to build more efficient free-space optical communications (FSOC) satellite terminals. Currently based at the University of Sheffield’s Kroto Innovation Centre, Phlux has signed up to move to a new 3,692 sq ft workspace at the Pennine Five campus this summer. The former HSBC headquarters off Tenter Street has been significantly redeveloped and modernised by RBH Properties in recent years. Left to right: Fabrice Dierre (Phlux Technology), Harriet Dolphin (Phlux Technology), Ben White (Phlux Technology) and Jeremy Hughes (RBH Properties) Image courtesy of HarworthLincolnshire & 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 Two further tenants secured for Sheffield Catalyst Business Park British renewable energy group Octopus Energy and accident repair centre Solus have become the latest inward investors to take space at Mirastar’s flagship development Sheffield Catalyst. Octopus Energy, which is one of the UK’s largest domestic energy providers, has taken 91,923 sq ft at the five unit scheme, while Solus, an Aviva company, adds to its existing bases in the UK with a new regional facility of 22,448 sq ft at Catalyst. Both leases are on market leading terms. Both companies join surfaces specialist Cosentino and UK award-winning commercial supplier JLA Group at the development fronting Sheffield Parkway. Cosentino relocated into a 33,608 sq ft unit while JLA Group expanded into 109,166 sq ft on site. Henry Watson, partner at M1 Agency, said: “These lettings demonstrate where Catalyst sits within the market of Sheffield. From inception we set out to provide a best in class product which suited the needs of occupiers and we have been rewarded for our confidence in the product with market leading transactions across the development.” Bespoke training solutions Private equity firm invests £12m in water management consultancy LDC, the private equity investor which is part of Lloyds Banking Group, has invested £12m in Waterscan, a tech-enabled and ESG-focused water management consultancy, to support its organic growth strategy. Founded in 1994, Waterscan helps customers to develop effective sustainable water management strategies that deliver business resilience and environmental leadership. It employs more than 60 people at its sites in Chichester and Rotherham and advises a UK-wide customer base of blue-chip companies, including household names such as BT, Greene King, Sainsbury’s, John Lewis and Whitbread, the owner of Premier Inn. LDC is backing Waterscan’s existing management team, led by founder and CEO Neil Pendle, commercial director Nick Hayes and operations director Barry Millar, as it pursues a growth strategy underpinned by further investment in its technology and consultancy services. The transaction marks an exit for family office Kaye Enterprises. Neil Pendle, founder and CEO of Waterscan, said: “It’s an exciting time for the water sector and our partnership with LDC will enable us to further invest in new technologies and ultimately deliver even better outcomes for customers.” © stock.adobe.com/Business ImageTOWER 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 The Build Chain raises £1.7m Doncaster-based The Build Chain has raised £1.7m through a mixture of angel investors, industry investors, and the Finance Yorkshire fund managed by Anticus Partners. Following a successful pilot scheme and nationwide rollout in 2023, The Build Chain is forecasting strong growth in 2024 and beyond. It will use this latest round of investment to recruit more experienced individuals into the business in key areas such as technology, operations, sales, and finance. The solution connects sub-contractors and SME housebuilders in need of materials with independent merchants, improving and creating efficiencies throughout the supply chain. By enabling sub-contractors and SME housebuilders to submit a single enquiry for required materials which is automatically delivered to suitable merchants, The Build Chain removes the need for buyers to spend time finding suppliers, contacting them manually, and chasing quotes. In the next year, The Build Chain aims to expand the platform to other audiences in the construction industry. Yorkshire & Humber manufacturers see boost to growth prospects Yorkshire & Humber manufacturers are seeing a much stronger picture as they enter the second half of the year with business confidence increasing and the sector forecast to outpace the economy overall in 2024. The findings come in the Q2 Manufacturing Outlook survey published by Make UK. According to the survey, both output and orders have picked up substantially compared to the first quarter and are set to strengthen in the next three months in line with the national picture. Yorkshire & Humber in particular is set to benefit from increased production in the construction sector, while the renewables sector which also has a strong presence in the region continues to be strong. This better picture is translating into increased recruitment intentions with job prospects especially strong compared to historical levels. Business confidence has also risen to equal the highest level recorded since the survey started measuring the indicator in 2014. The only previous occasion it reached the current level was during the immediate post covid rebound. Yorkshire businesses UK’s most confident in June Business confidence in Yorkshire and the Humber was the strongest of any UK region or nation in June, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking. While companies in Yorkshire and the Humber reported lower confidence in their own business prospects month-on-month, down 17 points at 33%, their optimism in the economy climbed 23 points to 62%. When taken together, this gives a headline confidence reading of 48% (vs. 45% in May) – the highest of any UK region or nation in June. A net balance of 37% of businesses in the region also expect to increase staff levels over the next year, up eight points from May. Looking ahead to the next six months, the region’s businesses identified their top target areas for growth as investing in their team (50%), for example through training, evolving their offering, for example by introducing new products or services (40%) and investing in sustainability (35%). © stock.adobe.com/Alexandr Ivaschenko © stock.adobe.com/ND STOCK © stock.adobe.com/dimarisNext >