SEPTEMBER 2024£3.50 YORKSHIRE & LINCOLNSHIRE’S LEADING BUSINESS MAGAZINE www.blmgroup.co.uk VOLUME 39 ISSUE 9 The cost of key skillsMaintaining productivityWild evolutionORSSOLICIT ’ Employment law is changin The Labour Partyss new Employment Rights Bill is said to b ups since the 1970's. With a bold tag line ‘Make Work Pay inometeadetstandardofliing ’ ng soon... be one of the largest em y’Labour want work to mployment law shake provide a sufficient inequalities f income to ensure a decent standar The proposed Employment Rights number of other employee rights. oor ethnic and disabled Scan this QR Code to access an E you can take NOW to get ahead. ’ rd of living. s Bill will likely impact dismissal, leave, pay, co The proposed Equality (Race & Disability) Bill d people. Employerss Guide to the proposals - and sug AN ME ontract terms and a is set to help tackle ggestions on action on and advice on ent matters, policies rrie-Ann Randall-Hunt mployment Executive C oposrPwat LnymeoEmpl o Lts Guide’reyon EmplA sals s new’rLabou SC Sills & Betteridge Employment complex contentious tribunal cas Stephen Britton Partner Aleksandr Associate S TLaw eeam provide s ses and non-contentio ra Flack olicitor Natali Solicito www.sillslegal.co.uk45 A Number 499219)y (SRituthorA Y specialist representation and advic ous HR and employmen in Lincolnshire, oorkshire and the East d contact details please visit our website. e Munday or Carrie Emplo 0800 542 4245info@sillslegal.co.uk tion Aegulaors Rolicity the Sed btegulaensed and rLic and procedures from their large network of offices in Linc Midlands. For details of the team, their specialisms and cFrom the Editor As we move into the third quarter of the year the economy remains in a perilous state. This hardly comes as a surprise to many, even after the election as everyone knew that there would be economic problems to sort out no matter who won. Tax hikes are another factor that economists accused all parties of being cagey on, and it’s to be expected that taxes will rise in the coming weeks or months. The only question is where they will come from and what this will mean for businesses. At the time of writing, it seems unlikely (though not impossible) that businesses themselves will be faced with extensive tax increases. Much talk at the moment is put toward pensions due to the amount of time pensioners have had with some of the lowest tax burdens faced by anyone in the UK. While this is unlikely to win Labour much love from pensioners, it’s also seen as the holdout group for supporting the Conservative Party anyway. The economy needs some boost no matter the source, as it’s currently placing undue weight on growth and leading to intense wage stagnation among workers. With more and more younger people priced out the property market and now seeing little value in work in the first place due to low wages and limited options for advancement, the country faces a very serious problem and needs to do more to raise spirits as well as arbitrary numbers. 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 Watch this space for exciting updatesSEPTEMBER 2024 6 News The latest business news and success stories from around our region. 10 Commercial property Yorkshire continues to be an attractive location for industrial and logistics property. 14 Finance A painful budget, insolvencies at an all-time high and trouble ahead. It’s a tough time to be in business, and many are looking at how to cash out. 18 Education and training With recruitment issues at an all-time high, businesses are looking for ways to fill their roster. Internal training may be the solution. • Leeds Beckett University Q&A 24 Food and drink industry spotlight A combination of economic and societal conditions are fuelling a rapid change in food and drink manufacturing. 27 Office solutions In order to get more out of the employees they already have, many businesses are turning to office design and employee wellbeing to keep their workers happy and productive. 30 Net zero The push for Net Zero has found many setbacks of late stemming from political discourse and misinformation, with particular parties with a lot of influence across the globe pushing to have the very concept of climate change reduced to a hoax. 34 Corporate hospitality The East Midlands Bricks Awards will return to Trent Bridge Cricket Ground on Thursday 3rd October to celebrate the region’s property and construction industry and provide an ideal occasion for networking. 38 AutoLink Limited runs, expensive models and new releases – sometimes it’s about looking at dream cars. 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 14 18 27Group 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 Angela Cooper (a.cooper@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: BENTLEY • STOCK.ADOBE.COM - VICTOR ZASTOL'SKIY • PIXEL-SHOT • KHUNKORNSTUDIO • DEDMITYAY 30Wakefield automation business sold Endless has successfully exited its investment in bespoke automation business Sewtec Automation to USA-headquartered Automated Industrial Robotics Inc (AIR). Endless supported the management buy out of Sewtec in 2017, taking it out of founder ownership with Mark Cook joining the business as Managing Director at the time of the acquisition. To support and enable growth, the business then relocated its entire operations in 2020 to a state-of-the-art 75,000 square-foot design and manufacturing facility in Wakefield and more recently opened a satellite office in Taunton. Sewtec today has a team of over 170 employees, more than double the number at the time of the Endless acquisition, and now serves a range of brands across various sectors, including pharmaceutical, medical devices, food and beverage, personal care, pet care and e-commerce. Sewtec joins Totally Automated Systems (TA Systems) and Modular Automation as a foundational asset of the AIR portfolio. With the acquisition of Sewtec, AIR now has over 400 employees and an automation hub footprint of approximately 275,000 square feet across the United States, Ireland and the United Kingdom. 6 Business Link www.blmforum.net NEWS Direct Gaskets celebrates 35th anniversary Market leaders in the manufacture of gaskets since 1989, Hull-based Direct Gaskets celebrates its 35th anniversary in 2024. The business is headed by a mother and daughter team, with the factory manager and production team also family. “Having been established for 35 years, we play an important role in Hull’s manufacturing sector,” a spokesperson for Direct Gaskets shared. “Whilst doing this we have also built up a strong reputation for supplying high quality products at very competitive prices and an unbeatable service. No matter if your gasket needs are a one off, or on-going – we can help.” Direct Gaskets’ highly trained workforce has the experience to always manufacture high quality gaskets and joints in semi and non-metallic materials. The business also offers an outstanding turn-around time as well as call-out service, no matter the quantity of the order. All of Direct Gaskets’ materials are sold in sheet form, or they can make bespoke gaskets cut from any desired material to your specifications. Direct Gaskets make standard tables such as ASA 150, British Standard Table ‘E’ and PN6/10/16/25 & 40, ranging from 1⁄2” to 32” for use within all types of pipe works which can be made from various materials to seal all types of liquids, gasses and chemicals. For more information on Direct Gaskets as it marks 35 years, visit https://direct-gaskets.co.uk/, email info@direct-gaskets.co.uk, or call 01482 219 655 Regional law firm gains advantage in Sheffield with rebrand and relocation Tigers Rugby Union favourite James Norman recently joined his sponsor Sills & Betteridge Incorporating Acclaimed Family Law at the opening of their new Sheffield offices. Further to their merger in January 2023, the firm has relocated to New Oxford House, Barker’s Pool in the regenerated ‘Heart of the City’ Quarter to enable their next period of growth. Matrimonial practice Acclaimed Family Law of Campo Lane joined full-service East Midlands firm Sills & Betteridge LLP to make available to their clients a wider range of personal and commercial services. For Sills & Betteridge, the collaboration realised their aspiration to operate in Sheffield, a key ambition in their development plans for Yorkshire, seeing the firm’s Northern network grow to five offices since 2018. Chief Executive Martyn Hall said: “We are ambitious for Sheffield. We look forward to further integration of our two practices and working together to develop various service expansion opportunities. The new office will enable us to accommodate additional strategic hires across a number of practice areas and support our future growth.” Seated (L-R): Senior Partner Karen Bower-Brown, Sheffield Tigers player James Norman, Founder of Acclaimed Family Law Michelle Cooper and Chief Executive Martyn Hall. Standing (L-R): Sandra Russell, Sarah Rowe, Emma Lawler, Peter Dadswell, Philippa Smith and Leanne Barton.www.blmforum.net Business Link 7 NEWS Yorkshire accountancy firm completes another major acquisition Yorkshire-based accountants Brearley & Co have made another major acquisition by merging with Cameron Alexander accountants in Barnsley. The deal brings Brearley’s total office acquisitions to five, adding Alexander’s team to their existing staff count of 56 and expanding the services available to both client bases. Cameron Alexander was established in 2008 by Alex Walls, at their office on Western Street in Barnsley. This acquisition aligns with the ongoing growth strategy of Brearley & Co, which has steadily expanded its presence across Yorkshire since 1984. Walls said: “It’s a really exciting time to be merging with Brearley & Co accountants. The firm is now better positioned than ever before to meet the evolving needs of the accountancy sector and the needs of our clients. “Alongside developing the team and driving growth with our combined expertise and services, I’m also looking forward to contributing to our focus on client success and addressing areas that are becoming increasingly vital within the industry.” Leeds property developer opens office in Sheffield regeneration hotspot Leeds-based Torsion Group – a developer and contractor of student accommodation and build-to-rent residential schemes – has taken over the first floor of Velocity Village at 2 Tenter Street, joining the likes of DLP Planning, Anytime Fitness, Ministry of Justice and Wake Smith Solicitors. Torsion Group is working on a number of flagship projects across the UK, including Sky Gardens in Leeds and Hollis Croft in Sheffield. The under-construction Hollis Croft – a 17-storey tower with 234 build-to-rent apartments – is located just a stone’s throw from Torsion’s new Sheffield base. The development also sits directly next to True Sheffield – a 27-storey student-residential tower that is currently being delivered by Aztec Construction. Like Torsion Group, Aztec Construction has also opened a new office in the area and now occupies over 10,000 sq ft of space at the nearby Pennine Five campus, which has undergone a multi-million-pound refurbishment over recent years. Both Velocity Village and Pennine Five are owned by RBH Properties. Development at Hollis Croft Plant-based meat alternatives business acquired Comitis Capital has acquired The Tofoo Co., a plant-based meat alternatives business with over 60% market share in tofu. The Tofoo Co., headquartered in Yorkshire, was acquired in 2016 by David Knibbs and Lydia Smith. Beyond its core tofu portfolio, The Tofoo Co. offers a selection of value-added tofu products as well as other plant- based meat alternatives such as tempeh and seitan. With a strong holding in major retail, the company is expanding its food service channel with restaurant chains such as Wagamama. Nikolaus Bethlen, Managing Partner at Comitis, said: “The Tofoo Co. has firmly established itself as a leader in the plant-based meat alternatives market with a strong brand image offering high-quality products. “David Knibbs and Lydia Smith have built a remarkable enterprise that is ready for the next phase of growth. The Tofoo Co. represents a great addition to our portfolio, covering the thriving plant-based food market.” Existing management David Knibbs and Lydia Smith will remain invested in the business and continue to steer the company’s growth in the UK and international markets. © stock.adobe.com/Brent HofackerTOWER 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 Chemical producer to make £250m investment at key industrial cluster Humber Freeport has helped to attract another major inward investment by playing a key role in securing a £250m development by a world-class business. Mitsubishi Chemical Group UK Ltd, part of one of the world’s largest chemical producers, has committed to invest in a new production line at Saltend Chemicals Park, which is located within one of the three Humber Freeport tax sites. Preparatory works have begun to make way for construction of the new production line, which will double Mitsubishi Chemical Group’s capacity at the site, east of Hull. The investment in a second production line will create dozens of new jobs while also safeguarding the existing 130 roles at the Mitsubishi Chemical Group facility on site. The new production line is expected to become operational in 2026. Saltend Chemical Park’s status as part of Humber Freeport’s Hull East tax site has been a key factor in securing the investment, with plans for Mitsubishi Chemical Group to extend its lease with the chemical park’s owner and operator, px Group, until 2060. Yorkshire business confidence rises Business confidence in Yorkshire and the Humber rose five points during August to 41%, 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 six points to 39%, their confidence in the economy climbed 15 points to 42%. Taken together, this gives a headline confidence reading of 41% (vs. 36% in July). Looking ahead to the next six months, Yorkshire and the Humber businesses identified their top target areas for growth as investing in their team, for example through training (45%), evolving their offering, for example by introducing new products or services (38%), and introducing new technology (25%). Martyn Kendrick, regional director for Yorkshire and the Humber at Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said: “It’s hugely positive to see business confidence growth this month after a dip in July. “Businesses will now be looking to capitalise on their brighter outlook, and we’ll be by their side every step of the way – whether that’s supporting plans to upskill their teams, or diversifying their range of products and services.” York Biotech Campus welcomes two new occupiers Microsaic Systems and Labskin Limited have secured lab space at York Biotech Campus (YBC). Microsaic Systems supplies a comprehensive solution for water purity monitoring, protection and control, working with water authorities globally to ensure water safety and quality. It has taken 1,350 sq ft of laboratory space at YBC, where it will produce detection bioreagents that are consumables for its wide range of testing equipment. These bioreagents are then used to detect toxic chemical pathogens in water. Labskin Limited, a skin science company, has also moved into YBC. The business creates human skin equivalent models that are used by skincare, cosmetics, ingredient manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies as part of their research processes. They occupy a total of 1,800 sq ft across three laboratories on site. Both organisations were formerly located at the science campus under a shared parent company, operating as Modern Water and Labskin. Earlier this year, Microsaic Systems acquired the Modern Water business, while private investors purchased Labskin’s assets from their parent company. © stock.adobe.com/Monster Ztudio An aerial view of Saltend Chemicals Park © px Group Next >