Environmental services group makes first acquisition with Nottingham firm
Cura Terrae, the new environmental services group backed by Palatine’s Impact Fund, has made its first acquisition since its creation in March.
The deal is a strategic bolt-on for Cura Terrae group company Envirocare, which has bought S I Environmental, an established occupational health consultancy based in Nottingham, expanding its presence in the East Midlands alongside its existing bases in Bradford, Brackley (Northants) and East Kilbride in Scotland.
S I Environmental was established in 2000 and has a strong market reputation and a number of specialist and experienced staff; some with over 30 years’ experience in occupational hygiene monitoring.
Greg Holmes, investment manager at Palatine, said: “We are delighted to have completed this first strategic acquisition so soon after the formation of Cura Terrae. We have a strong pipeline of further acquisition opportunities and we look forward to continuing to support Pete and the team to build a more sustainable future.”
CEO of Cura Terrae, professor Peter Skipworth, said: “The formation of Cura Terrae has given our market-leading businesses a unique opportunity to grow and expand, in terms of the services they offer, the expertise and resources at their fingertips, their geographical coverage, and the quality of their customer service.
“I’m really pleased that our flagship occupational hygiene company, Envirocare, has acquired S I Environmental, and it’s another valuable addition to our family tree, complementing our shared mission to offer services and solutions to help take care of the Earth, and help our clients work towards a more sustainable future.”
This acquisition was also backed by Shawbrook Bank.
Cura Terrae and Envirocare were advised Megan Atack and team at Freeths and S I Environmental was advised by Hopkins Solicitors.
Carl Renshaw, Managing Director of S I Environmental, said: “It was important to find the right home for S I, where the business and its staff could continue to thrive, and that shared our commitment to providing high quality customer service. I believe we’ve found that in Envirocare and we’re excited to become part of the wider Cura Terrae family as we align firmly with their mission to ‘look after the Earth’.”
EV Technology Group to open EV Centre of Excellence in Silverstone
EV Technology Group has entered into terms with MEPC Silverstone Park, securing a 90,000 sq ft industrial lease at the historic motoring site.
The new facility comprises EV Technology Group’s EV Centre of Excellence, and has been constructed by MEPC, and is a part of MEPC’s latest 265,000 sq ft development at Silverstone Park.
It follows the recent announcement of the proposed acquisition by EV Technology Group of Fablink Group Holdings Limited, a tier one contract manufacturer in the United Kingdom, who operate seven manufacturing and assembly sites with over 750 employees. Fablink operates its ‘Streamline Automotive’ Division, which services the increasing demand in the U.K. for contract vehicle assembly services, especially in the electric vehicle sector.
The new Silverstone facility will allow EV Technology Group and its subsidiaries to rapidly expand electric vehicle manufacturing and assembly capacity, supporting its vision of electrifying iconic brands.
As EV Technology Group looks to expand its house of brands, this facility will be home to the company’s electric vehicle engineering and development hub, whilst also providing world class facilities for Streamline Automotive for vehicle assembly and finishing.
Wouter Witvoet, CEO and founder of EV Technology Group, said: “Silverstone has been the home to many iconic motoring stories – and our future electrifying iconic brands here will be part of its next chapter. The site’s location puts us in the heart of the booming UK EV industry, and will allow us to scale manufacture and assembly of electric brands such as the iconic MOKE.”
Life science group to acquire Nottingham firm in £415m deal
Nottingham-based Albumedix has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by life science group Sartorius, a leader in laboratory and bioprocessing technologies for the biopharmaceutical industry.
Through this acquisition, Albumedix and Sartorius expand their solution space with complementary technologies and synergetic competencies, to deliver science-enabled solutions for the entire advanced therapy value chain.
The company will continue to be led by Albumedix’ CEO Jonas S. Møller and its Executive Management team.
Albumedix will become part of the Bioprocess Solutions Division within Sartorius, with the growing Albumedix Campus in Nottingham being established as a centre of excellence in Sartorius dedicated to bio-innovation and GMP-compliant manufacturing of critical raw materials.
Sartorius will look to rapidly invest in the expansion of Albumedix’ innovation capacities.
Jonas S. Møller, CEO of Albumedix, said: “We are delighted to be joining forces with Sartorius and look forward to accelerating our ambitious growth plans in delivering critical solutions to our global customers.
“We have been highly impressed with Sartorius’ knowledge and capabilities in the bioprocessing markets, and we are excited to join this purposeful journey. We believe Sartorius will bring tremendous value by strengthening our market reach and broadening our innovation capacity, as well as significantly scaling up our existing platform. We look forward to continuing our promise of empowering excellence in the life science industry.”
René Fáber, member of the Executive Board for the Bioprocess Solutions Division of Sartorius, said: “Albumedix will be an important addition to Sartorius’ advanced therapy solutions, particularly regarding our cell culture media business, as it will enable us to strengthen our position as a relevant supplier of innovative chemically defined media and critical ancillary materials.
“This market offers high growth potential due to the increasing regulatory requirements as well as rising demand for the use of recombinant human albumin in near-patient applications. Albumedix will also add important formulation excipients to our vaccine production solutions, allowing us to expand our existing customer relationships and forge new ones.”
Under the terms of the agreement, Sartorius, through its French listed subgroup Sartorius Stedim Biotech, will acquire all outstanding shares of Albumedix Ltd. for an agreed purchase price of approximately £415 million. The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close before the end of the third quarter of 2022.
William Blair acted as financial advisor to Albumedix, and Eversheds Sutherland provided legal counsel. Milbank LLP provided legal counsel to Sartorius.
Derbyshire land parcel sold for delivery of 73 new houses
Harworth Group, a regenerator of land and property for sustainable development and investment, has completed the sale of an eight-acre land parcel at Woodville, Derbyshire to Barwood Homes for the delivery of 73 new houses. This represents Harworth’s first transaction with the Northampton-based housebuilder.
The land parcel forms part of a 53-acre regeneration site which is owned by Beepart Ltd, part of Dyson Group, the Sheffield-based former manufacturer of industrial materials. Harworth is promoting the site on its behalf through a Planning Promotion Agreement.
In April 2022, South Derbyshire District Council granted outline consent for the creation of up to 300 homes on the site, in addition to a c.30,000 sq ft local centre with convenience retail and leisure amenities and over 150,000 sq ft of employment space for a range of uses.
The wider site has been unlocked by the delivery of Derbyshire County Council’s Woodville to Swadlincote Regeneration Route, which opened to traffic in December 2021, providing better access to Swadlincote and traffic relief in Woodville, as well as improved connectivity across the site. Preparation works will commence shortly for the next phases of residential and employment land sales at the development.
Ed Catchpole, regional director – Yorkshire & Central, Harworth Group plc, said: “This sale is a fantastic start to the development at Woodville and we are pleased to welcome Barwood Homes to the site, who will deliver high quality new housing for the local community.
“Our focus is now on bringing forward the rest of the development, utilising our extensive experience in the remediation of complex sites, including earthworks and infrastructure, to ready the remaining residential and employment land.”
Luke Simmons, Managing Director – Barwood Homes, said: “We are delighted to be working alongside Harworth on this exciting development. The team is looking forward to engaging with the local community as we gear up to deliver a scheme of excellent quality in design, build and service.”
Gavin Rosson, Managing Director – Dyson Group, said: “This first sale of a residential portion of the site is an important step in unlocking the full development potential of the whole, something we have been trying to achieve for many years.
“Such development will help regenerate Woodville and the surrounding area, somewhere we have had a presence since 1967 and are delighted to participate in.”
Beepart Ltd was advised by Titchmarsh & Bagley and Fisher German.
£11m investment bid submitted for Hucknall
Ashfield District Council has submitted an ambitious £11 million bid to the governments’ Levelling Up Fund for the revitalisation of Hucknall town centre.
The bid is made up of three main projects:
Skills and Economic Regeneration
- Supporting the Council’s Education and Skills Strategy which sets out intentions to ensure Ashfield has a skilled, future-proof workforce
- Opportunities for shopfront improvement grants to help businesses to improve the exterior of their premises, and start up grants to enable new businesses to flourish
- Exploring ways to expand Hucknall’s successful outdoor markets
- Celebrating Hucknall’s heritage by creating a new visitor experience at St Mary Magdalene Church focusing on Hucknall’s most famous residents from the past
- Improvement of the streets, roads, and public space around the Byron Cinema to create a welcoming entrance into Hucknall town centre
- A new 3G sports pitch for residents
- Enhancements to signs, along with the creation of a digital app, to improve access to the town centre for pedestrians and cyclists. This will assist and encourage residents and visitors to travel around Hucknall using more sustainable, healthier methods
- Improved comfort and welcome facilities at the train/tram station
Commonwealth Games bronze medal for Northants senior estimator
A senior estimator at Northamptonshire’s Bhangals Construction Consultants, has scooped a much-coveted bronze medal in the Commonwealth Games 2022.
Kieran Rollings, 22, took third place for England in the Lawn Bowls contest, which saw him play alongside his partner – the aptly named Craig Bowler – at Royal Leamington Spa as part of the competition, which was watched across the world.
It is the second time that the athlete, who lives in Kettering, has competed in the Commonwealth Games, becoming the youngest ever Lawn Bowls participant in 2018, when the event was held on the Gold Coast in Australia.
2018 was also the year that he started his role at construction consultancy Bhangals.
Kieran said: “My colleagues have been so supportive and are really proud of what I’ve achieved. Everyone wanted to see the medal when I came into the office! It’s the second Commonwealth Games for me and to come away with a bronze on home soil is pretty good! I’m super proud.
“In a sport like ours, we don’t get a lot of funding so we all have to work. Funnily enough, a lot of the England team are in construction and we worked out that between us all we could build a house!”
Kieran was inspired by his grandfather to take up Lawn Bowls in 2011, when he was looking for a hobby to fill his spare time.
“I took up the sport and loved it from the first day I played,” said the medallist, who has been playing the sport internationally since 2015.
The selection process for the national team begins 18 months before an event takes place. The nation’s finest are whittled down over the following months until the squad is a team of just four players. Kieran and Craig are this year’s top two.
“It’s so nice to be selected for a home game,” said Kieran. “It doesn’t come round very often. It is an honour, a privilege, and a source of great pride. To compete for your country is unbelievable. There is enormous pressure to do well but you are representing your whole nation. We had the whole country behind us, and I was so proud to be out there.”
Bhangals Construction Consultants Managing Director Parm Bhangal said: “Kieran winning a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games is an incredible achievement, especially at such a young age. Kieran is a highly valued, hardworking member of the Bhangals team who always strives to do well. We are immensely proud of him and will continue to support all his athletic ambitions with great gusto.”
Reward your team and bolster morale at the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2022
Celebrating the region’s property and construction industry, and offering a prime opportunity for networking, the prestigious East Midlands Bricks Awards will return on Thursday 15 September, at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground.
Nominations for the event are open, and now is the perfect time to make your submissions, ahead of next week’s deadline (Friday 19 August), to shine a light on your team, reward their hard work, and boost morale.
To submit a business or development for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2022, please click on a category link below or visit this page.
Thanks to our sponsors:
- Most active estate agent
- Commercial development of the year
- Responsible business of the year
- Residential development of the year
- Developer of the year
- Deal of the year
- Architects of the year
- Excellence in design
- Sustainable development of the year
- Contractor of the year
- Overall winner (this award cannot be entered, the winner will be selected from those nominated)
Book your tickets now
Tickets can now be booked for the awards event – click here to secure yours. The special awards evening and networking event will be held on 15 September 2022 in the Derek Randall Suite at the Trent Bridge County Cricket Club from 4:30pm – 7:30pm. Connect with local decision makers over canapés and complimentary drinks while applauding the outstanding companies and projects in our region. The event will also welcome John Forkin MBE DL, Managing Director at award-winning investment promotion agency Marketing Derby, as keynote speaker. Dress code is standard business attire.
To be held at:
Mablethorpe set to be a leader in medical innovation
Mablethorpe is set to be a leader in the development of medical technology and innovation after the government gave the go-ahead for the Campus for Future Living.
£8.5m in Town Deal funding has been approved for the campus which will put Mablethorpe at the forefront of medical technology and health and care related teaching and research.
And, in more good news for the area, the government also approved the first phase of the ‘mobi-hub’. Mablethorpe Town Centre Transformation and Mobi-Hub are two projects within the Mablethorpe Town Deal that are aligned to make the town centre more attractive, less cluttered, and more coherent, to the benefit of locals and visitors and to the wider economy. They also seek to address accessibility issues and provide greater connectivity.
The Connected Coast Board oversees the Town Deal programme and projects for Mablethorpe, and chair Chris Baron welcomed the approval from government. He said: “The confirmation that these important and innovative projects can go ahead is hugely significant for Mablethorpe and the surrounding area.
“Both the campus and the Mobi-Hub will be transformational for Mablethorpe, and will bring far-reaching benefits for our communities, and beyond.
“The campus will position our area as an exemplar in the field of medical technology, bringing jobs and attracting businesses.
“I am hugely grateful to all our partners who have worked to develop these projects, and I look forward to seeing the difference that they will make for Mablethorpe.”
Victoria Atkins, MP for Louth and Horncastle, said: “This confirmation of significant funding to improve transport connectivity and enhance health and social care provision will bring transformational change to Mablethorpe and the surrounding area. Notably, they will attract more healthcare professionals and businesses to our beautiful corner of Lincolnshire benefiting our community and local economy.”
Cllr Craig Leyland, leader of East Lindsey District Council, said: “This is a huge investment into Mablethorpe which will put the town on the map for its national significance in developing new medical technology and innovation.
“Together with the Mobi-Hub, these Towns Deals projects will bring positive change to Mablethorpe, increasing footfall for our businesses and creating jobs for our residents now and for years to come. These projects are milestones to celebrate, and I look forward to seeing the new opportunities they bring to the Lincolnshire coast and wider East Lindsey.”
Led by a coalition of local, regional, and national partners, the Campus for Future Living will put Mablethorpe at the heart of the provision of health and care related jobs and businesses.
As well as providing a base for the development and testing of medi-tech applications, it will also enable the continued professional development of clinicians, and will provide support and training for people working in care.
Julian Free CBE, deputy vice chancellor, University of Lincoln, said: “The University of Lincoln is delighted the Government funding for the Campus for Future Living has been secured, which recognises the hard work of all partners in this project drawn together by the University’s programme manager.
“It is a significant step in the plan to advance medical and social care in the region and address longstanding health inequalities. The Campus will provide the resources for research and innovation alongside facilities for medical and social care delivery creating the synergy to accelerate improvement in health outcomes, which will also be exported beyond the region.”
Professor John Hunt, academic lead for the Medical Technologies Innovation Facility (MTIF), said: “The campus will be a pioneer leading approaches that will be nationally and internationally relevant to the development and delivery of future healthcare to people in their communities.
“Cocreating and delivering healthcare needs with the community, healthcare providers and industries. We are delighted to be a partner in this exciting opportunity and deliver new approaches to healthcare.”
The approval for the Campus for Future Living and the mobi-hub comes after the other Town Deal projects for Mablethorpe were recently confirmed by the government, including the redevelopment of the Colonnade at Sutton on Sea.
A new purpose-built leisure centre and digital learning complex is also set to be developed on the site of the current Station Sports Centre.
In addition, Mablethorpe town centre will be transformed through a programme of shopfront and building repairs and improvements, and public realm enhancements. Finally, with the National Trust, a sustainable visitor hub with a range of accessible facilities will be developed to enhance explorations of the Sandilands Nature Reserve and the local area.
In 2021, Mablethorpe agreed a town deal worth £23.9m and Skegness £24.5m – and with match funding, the total investment in both areas will be in the region of £80m.
7 key steps you can take to respond to cash flow struggles in your business
Many businesses struggle with cash flow problems, which may occur when more money is flowing out of your business than is coming to your business. Cash flow problems may be caused by a variety of factors, including seasonal fluctuations in sales, low profit margins, and poor financial planning. As a result, if you experience a cash flow shortage, you may not have enough funds to cover payroll or other operating expenses. It’s crucial to develop a strategy or plan, which can help you handle this issue and prevent a cash flow crisis from happening. Within this article, you will find seven key steps you can take to solve your cash flow struggles.
Adjust Your Business Plan
Encountering a cash flow shortage means that you should closely inspect your current business plan, processes, expenses, and operations. It’s important to determine why you encountered a cash flow problem and consider whether this is likely to become a recurring issue. This means that you will need to develop a strategy to help you handle future cash flow shortages. You can also look at individual areas of your business, including jobs, clients, events, employees, marketing strategies, products, and services. As a result, you can see which areas of your business generate the most and least income.
Evaluate Your Options
You will need to evaluate the options available to you and make an informed decision to solve this problem. Consider what you can do to bring more money into your business, whether that’s a credit card advance or a short-term loan. For example, payday loans can be particularly useful when you are faced with a cash flow shortage. Payday UK has made it easy to gain access to a loan from an industry-leading panel of lenders, which can save you time and help you get your business back on track. Once accepted, the money will typically be transferred on the same day.
Speed Up Your Receivables
There are many ways you can accelerate your receivables and bring extra cash to your business. For instance, you may want to offer and accept pre-orders for a product before it hits production. You can also ask new customers for a deposit or partial payment upfront instead of billing the whole amount due in a single invoice after products have been delivered. Start sending your invoices early and more frequently rather than waiting for the full completion of the job, as this means you will receive payment more quickly. Remember to make it convenient for customers to pay by offering a range of payment methods.
Reduce Other Expenses
If overspending makes things more difficult, you may find yourself cutting the largest expenses, such as inventory, marketing, or labour. However, this can be an expensive mistake, as these aspects are core to business operations. Instead, it would help if you focused on reducing your business spending without sacrificing the quality of customer service. Then, you can review your overhead expenses, including rent and utilities. Consider where you can cut back and try to get better rates or renegotiate your contracts. Be honest with your vendors and enquire about delaying payments.
Have A Clear View Of Inventory
If you run a product-based business, you should know the importance of keeping tabs on how much merchandise is available. You will need to develop a clear sense of how much inventory you have at any point, as otherwise you run the risk of overstocking and thus creating waste. It might be useful to invest in an inventory management system that can be integrated with your accounting software. This will allow you to maintain a real-time view of stock, as well as how much you paid for each product and how much you actually need at different times of the year.
Create Cash Flow Forecasts
One of the best ways to solve a cash flow issue is to prevent a shortage from occurring in the first place. Therefore, you should start creating and using cash flow forecasts, which will show you how much cash reserves your business needs over the next months. Cash flow forecasts are simple but often underused accounting tools. For example, if a seasonal dip in sales is expected or you may need to fulfil a one-off requirement for cash, you can take precautions now so that there is no negative impact on your business.
Improve Invoicing
It’s important to stay on top of your invoicing in general, as this will help you benefit from healthier cash flow. If you find that invoicing is consistently lagging, now might be the right time to find good accounting management software. Thanks to this, you can ensure accurate and timely invoices while avoiding potential errors that often occur with manual bookkeeping. You will be able to keep track of all transactions, as you will have access to a dashboard with an electronic trail of all related records. This will come in handy when it’s time for auditing.
Pet Treats Wholesale take Burton unit for new retail warehouse and e-commerce fulfilment facility
Rushton Hickman have recently let the 8,162 sq ft former Brantano Footwear unit on Union Street in Burton-on-Trent town centre on a new 10 year lease to local business Pet Treats Wholesale for their new retail warehouse and e-commerce fulfilment facility.
The property is located in the heart of the town centre and fronts directly on to the Coopers Square car park and is close to national retailers including H&M and Next.
Douglas Harvey, senior agency surveyor at Rushton Hickman, concluded the letting and said: “This has been a really interesting deal to be involved with, as it’s part of a recent trend of repurposing retail park units to enable occupiers to satisfy their storage needs in a market with a scarcity of warehousing supply as well as the needs of their customers who are increasingly transitioning towards shopping on-line.
“The size and location of retail warehouses make them ideal for being adapted to provide both click and collect and last mile logistics services for the consumer.”
Bill Stephens from Smith Price RRG said on behalf of the landlord: “It’s been a fantastic result to get a unit of this size let after being vacant for so long. We were impressed with Doug’s creativity in suggesting an occupier that we may not have normally considered for a property of this type and then getting the deal over the line for us.”
Graham Bancroft, director of Rushton Hickman, said: “The market for retail warehouses has changed over recent years with traditional occupiers not necessarily being the ‘go-to’ for these spaces due to the change in the way people shop.
“Consequently, it is important as an agent to think outside the box and not just consider the same old methods and we’re extremely pleased to see the hard work and effort that Doug put into this letting coming to fruition and we all wish Pet Treats Wholesale the best of luck in their new property.”
