OCTOBER 2023 £3.50 YORKSHIRE & LINCOLNSHIRE’S LEADING BUSINESS MAGAZINE www.blmgroup.co.uk VOLUME 38 ISSUE 10 An indispensable asset The challenge of growthThe internet’s unstoppable influencerom a small suite of offices at The Business Hive on Dudley Street, to a resident team of 15 covering Family Law, Residential Property, Wills, Trusts & Probate, Personal Injury, Medial Negligence and Immigration across the road at no. 18a, it has been a fantastic first 5 years for Sills & Betteridge LLP. They recently celebrated with local contacts and look forward to the next 5 years. F Local Legal News REGIONAL LAW FIRM CELEBRATES 5 YEARS IN GRIMSBY! 18a Dudley Steet, Grimsby, DN31 2AB Info@sillslegal.co.uk | 01472 660025 SOLICITORS R&D Security Service UK LTD is a Family Owned security company based in Hull East Yorkshire, Set up late 2019 and have been busy since day one. We have grown from a small local company to a large national coverage company in just over a year covering sites from Scotland to Dover. Between the two managing directors the company has 28 years Military experience and 17 Years in the private security industry. We strive to be the best, we are able to provide quality security services all over the UK. l Static Guarding l Event Staff l Dog Handling l Close Protection l Mobile Response l Fire Marshal l Door Staff l Stewarding Darren Kemp Managing Director Started in Security in 2008, he set up R&D Security in September 2019. T: 01482 214169 M: 07926 566220 E: Darren@randdsecurityservicesukltd.co.uk E: accounts@randdsecurityservicesukltd.co.uk W: www.randdsecurityservicesukltd.co.uk Making your security personalFrom the Editor We’re moving ever closer toward Christmas now, and though it may feel too early to talk about that it’s worth keeping in mind that renting a place to hold a Christmas party isn’t going to be very easy if you leave it until November. We’ve just held our own event on our sister publication in the East Midlands, and I can tell you that organising and speaking at an event is something that takes a lot of planning. Ours begins 10 months before the event, but a Christmas party can probably afford to be a little later than that. A little, but not much. We’re taking a look at some of the achievements of local businesses over the last few decades in this issue, along with the latest local happenings across the B2B industry in our region. It’s looking to be a busy end to 2023, and possibly also a controversial one with the news just in that the Conservatives under Rishi Sunak may be leaving us with the highest tax burden since after WW2, and further hesitation and confusion over HS2. But, for all of us, it’s business as usual and that means rolling with the punches and getting on with things despite, or perhaps in spite, of how our economy is being handled. 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.comOCTOBER 2023 6 News The latest business news and success stories from around our region. 10 Business Link Magazine Group The Business Link Magazine is proud to announce that its offices have gone green, with the installation of new solar panels and energy-saving installations. 12 River Business Group Q&A We sit down with River Business Group to discuss how businesses can make the steps toward going green, and what they should keep in mind. 14 Commercial property As the market starts to calm post-pandemic, appetite remains robust for Yorkshire industrial and logistics properties. 18 Supporting business growth It used to be that money was the sole limiter on business growth, but filling the spaces that open up when a company grows may be much harder in today’s economic climate. 22 Cat Tech International Ltd We speak with Karl Thew, CEO of Cat Tech International Ltd, to learn more about the company’s storied 50-year history, his own involvement, and the many challenges and successes they’ve experienced along the way. 26 IT and communications The influence of the internet on traditional communication services has been nothing short of transformative. What began as a slow but steady shift has gained momentum year after year. 30 Facilities management Safe buildings and facilities are some of the unsung heroes of what supports a thriving business. From office spaces to manufacturing plants, warehouses, data centres and beyond, every workplace must be secure, so employees feel the same while doing their best work. 34 Warehousing and distribution Warehouses and distribution centres face many challenges in balance, but perhaps the most important of these is taking efficiency in hand when facing high consumer demand. 38 Legal services In a tightly regulated business environment, legal services are indispensable when safeguarding your company’s interests and securing its success. 42 AutoLink We look at some of the motors expected to come soon - with some of them entering the market as early as spring 2024. 46 Events We take a look at business events happening around Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. 50 And finally… Yorkshire-Lincolnshire- Business-Link @blmforum blmforum.net CONNECT WITH US 30 34 38Group 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 participating agents accept liability for loss or damage to 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 - MALIKA • ANGIEC • ARTINUN • VEGEFOX.COM • JOSHUA MONTGOMERY 26Hull firm adds to heritage portfolio with acquisition of Old Town pub A family firm which has won business and heritage awards for its part in regenerating Hull city centre has acquired an historic pub in the Old Town. Allenby Commercial has bought the Corn Exchange on the corner of North Church Side and Market Place for an undisclosed sum. The company, which has won awards for its transformation of the 17th century Danish Buildings and Bayles House and the Victorian Paragon Arcade, said it is committed to taking the same, careful approach to its latest addition. Charlie Allenby, development director at Allenby Commercial, said: “The Corn Exchange operated as a pub for maybe 300 years but more recently successive operators have struggled to make it work and earlier this year it became vacant again. “We haven’t made a decision about exactly what to do with it but we will look at the sort of options it presents, and we are absolutely committed to looking after it.” 6 Business Link www.blmforum.net NEWS Huddersfield-based accountancy firm sold Accountancy firm Revell Ward has been acquired by private equity- backed DJH Mitten Clarke. The firm was founded in 2008 following a management buyout of Mazars’ office in Huddersfield and over the course of 15 years has cemented itself at the forefront of the regional financial sector. Revell Ward is managed by directors Karen Borowski, Jennifer Davies and Lesley Sutton, who instructed KBS on the sale of the business as part of the firm’s long-term growth strategy. The successful offer came from DJH Mitten Clarke, an award-winning accountancy firm with offices in Stoke-on- Trent, Chester, Leeds, Manchester and Walsall. DJH Mitten Clarke recently received backing from private equity investor Tenzing Capital, an investment specialist focused on high-growth SMEs in the UK and Europe. Scott Heath, CEO of DJH Mitten Clarke, said: “Our partnership with Revell Ward further strengthens our foothold in the North, ensuring clients across the region benefit from exceptional services and business advice. “Our aim is to further solidify our commitment to developing top accountancy talent through investment in training and providing tailored solutions that empower businesses to succeed.” Yorkshire and Humber sees UK’s biggest growth in high-reward R&D spend to hit £1.9bn Businesses in Yorkshire and the Humber are leading the charge on spending on the most valuable forms of innovation, with expenditure growing by a quarter, according to analysis of new Government statistics by Ryan, a global tax services and software provider. Expenditure on high-reward research and development (R&D) grew in the region by 23.7% rising from £1.56 billion in 2020/21 to £1.93 billion in 2021/22. The data is captured by HMRC and is based on claims made for research and development (R&D) tax relief, which reward businesses for qualifying innovation. Alongside the increase in spending, the number of tax relief claims for R&D projects made by Yorkshire businesses rose by 6% to 6,805 claims. In total, Yorkshire and the Humber businesses claimed £370 million in R&D tax relief, with an average claim value of £54,371. Overall, UK-wide innovation spending that qualifies for tax relief rose 8% to £44.1bn in 2021/22. However, the number of first-time claimants has fallen for the second year running. © stock.adobe.com/ckybe Georgia Allenby and Charlie Allenby outside the Corn Exchange Directors of Revell Ward and DJH Mitten Clarke stand pitchside at the John Smith’s Stadium in Huddersfield www.blmforum.net Business Link 7 NEWS Private investor acquires Hull roofing specialist Dave Jessop Ltd, a roofing specialist based in Hull, has been acquired by a private investor. Operating for over 30 years as a family-run business, Dave Jessop has vast experience in the industrial, domestic and agricultural markets. Manufacturing and supplying an extensive range of roofing solutions, key products include bespoke sheeting, guttering and flashings. Luke Rae, the KBS Corporate deal executive who managed the sale, said: “Dave Jessop has continued to grow since its inception, benefitting from decades of experience and great customer feedback. “The founders, Dave and Davena Jessop, felt that now was the right time to explore a business sale as they looked towards their retirement.” The successful offer came from Pierce and Geddes Investments, led by David Pierce. The acquisition of Dave Jessop will allow the new owner to diversify an existing investment portfolio. Luke added: “I am confident that David Pierce will maintain the success of the business moving forward, working alongside the existing workforce to expand further.” Metsä Tissue chooses Goole for planned landmark UK investment Metsä Tissue has chosen Goole as the site for its planned new state-of-the- art tissue paper mill in the UK. This landmark investment of several hundreds of millions of pounds will deliver the largest tissue mill in the UK and significantly reduce the quantity of tissue products that are currently imported into the UK and Ireland each year. The new mill will create 400+ jobs at the facility, as well as thousands more across the supply chain and the local economy. “Goole is the perfect location for this proposed investment. The Humber region provides a crucial gateway to the whole of the United Kingdom and the region’s ambitions to bring cutting-edge green technology and jobs to the UK matches our ambitions in clean, sustainable manufacturing,” says Esa Kaikkonen, CEO of Metsä Tissue. Subject to planning and environmental permits and a final investment decision, the site will occupy an area of around 200 acres and will have the capacity to produce 240,000 tons of tissue paper, built in several phases over the next decade, serving both the professional and consumer markets. Insurance broker wins planning approval to create flagship HQ in Leeds Leeds-based international insurance broker W Denis has received planning consent to remodel 8 St Paul’s Street in Leeds City Centre by extending its total floor space by approximately 30% and adding a roof terrace. The 20,000 sq ft, 6 storey property was purchased by W Denis earlier this year in a deal negotiated by Carter Towler. Commenting on the planning approval Carter Towler director Richard Fraser said: “We are absolutely delighted; this is excellent news for W Denis. They have exciting and extensive plans to redevelop the property and create a flagship head office facility for their growing business. “Their plans include recladding the building, replacing all windows, completely stripping out all interiors and refitting to provide extremely high-quality modern offices with all the very best facilities such as meeting rooms, break out areas, gymnasium, showers and changing areas, coffee lounge and roof terrace. Incorporating all the latest communications and energy saving technology, this will be one of the most prestigious head offices in the city.” © stock.adobe.com/PORNCHAI SODATOWER 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 Business confidence rises in Yorkshire Business confidence in Yorkshire rose eight points during September to 40%, the second highest reading in the country, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking. Companies in Yorkshire reported higher confidence in their own business prospects month-on-month, up 15 points at 47%. When taken alongside their optimism in the economy, up 5 points to 37%, this gives a headline confidence reading of 40%. Yorkshire businesses identified their top target areas for growth in the next six months as evolving their offer (39%), investing in their teams (33%) and introducing new technology (29%). The Business Barometer, which surveys 1,200 businesses monthly, provides early signals about UK economic trends both regionally and nationwide. A net balance of 39% of businesses in the region expect to increase staff levels over the next year, up 18 points on last month. Expanding North Yorkshire family law firm secures funding for further growth A North Yorkshire family law firm has secured a £165,000 loan to support its growth from NPIF – Mercia Debt Finance, which is managed by Mercia and is part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund. Harrogate Family Law has almost doubled the size of its team from eight to 15 in the past two years and has recently moved to larger premises across the road from its previous office in Victoria Avenue, close to the town’s family court. The funding will provide additional working capital to enable it to further expand the team and take on additional casework. Andy Clough of Mercia said: “Andrew and the team have established a strong track record and are now recognised as one of the leading family law practices in North Yorkshire. “Having outgrown its previous home, the firm has now moved to new premises with additional capacity and is set to embark on the next phase of its growth. The funding will support it on that journey.” © stock.adobe.com/Prostock-studio © stock.adobe.com/Vitalii Vodolazskyi 285,000 sq ft Sheffield industrial site sold Premcor Estates, together with JV partner, Peveril Securities, have sold a prime development at Catalyst in Sheffield to a UK investment fund for an undisclosed sum. Close to J33 of the M1 and providing 285,000 sq ft of industrial space split across five units of 22,354 to 108,237 sq ft, Catalyst forms part of the Advanced Manufacturing Park which boasts world-class occupiers such as Airbus, Boeing, BAE Systems, McLaren Automotive, Rolls-Royce, UK Atomic Energy Authority and The University of Sheffield. Premcor acquired the 18-acre site off-market in March 2021 by making a direct approach to its owners with support from agents BNP Paribas. This month, Premcor and Peveril concluded their deal to forward sell the scheme to Mirastar, KKR Real Estate’s industrial and logistics platform in Europe, having structured the deal in such a way that they delivered the construction while Mirastar took on its own marketing and search for occupiers through Knight Frank, M1 Agency and GV&Co. As a result, fifty per cent of the scheme, Units 1 and 3, were pre- let for industrial and logistics use at practical completion. Next >