Construction materials supplier Aggregate Industries has published its ambitious net zero strategy.
The strategy follows the launch of the business’s sustainability strategy, Building Progress for a Sustainable Future, which sets out Aggregate Industries’ vision to become the UK leader of innovative and sustainable building solutions and its ambition to embed sustainability in the future of construction.
‘Our Journey to Net Zero’ outlines what Aggregate Industries is doing today and what it intends to do in the future to decarbonise its operations across the business at pace and achieve net zero before 2050.
It identifies five workstreams that will accelerate the journey towards net zero, and provides clear and deliverable actions and commitments for each of Aggregate Industries’ divisions to achieve by 2025. It then captures a series of long-term commitments that go beyond 2025 that form a long-term process of change.
These include:
Reduce unblended gas oil usage by over 90% by 2035
Increase the use of low-carbon fuels and hydrogen to over 50% of fuel mix by 2035
Use over 2,000 low-carbon trucks, such as electric or hydrogen, within the fleet network by 2040
Produce over 20GWh of clean energy per year from onsite renewable power generation by 2035
Begin to capture and permanently store CO2 from the business’s Cauldon cement plant by 2030
Kirstin McCarthy, sustainability director at Aggregate Industries, said: “We are on a journey to become a net zero business before 2050 and, whilst we have made significant progress to date, there is still much to do to meet our targets and ambitions.
“Our Journey to Net Zero outlines our responsibilities to reduce our carbon footprint as a business and pledges our commitments to support in achieving a sustainable future for our communities, our industry and for the world through tangible and science-based targets. It is intrinsically linked to our sustainability strategy, and will accelerate our transition to net zero, with clear milestones and measurable results along the way.
“We are already leading the way in decarbonising the construction industry through innovation and technical excellence. In the last 12 months, we have launched the industry’s first fully customisable carbon reporting tool, Your Carbon Report, introduced a number of low-carbon products across our divisions, including ECOPlanet, the world’s broadest range of low-carbon cement and the award winning low-carbon green concrete ECOPact Prime AS.
“The actions we have identified up to 2025 and beyond are part of a long-term process of change that will ultimately transform our business and deliver the net-zero future we strive for.”
Plans have been submitted for the first warehouse at a major 200-acre employment site in Derbyshire.
Verdant Regeneration – a partnership between Ward Recycling and Trust Utilities – was granted permission last year to regenerate the derelict Stanton Ironworks site, at Stanton-by-Dale.
Now, a planning application has been lodged with Erewash Borough Council for the first in a series of warehouses to be built at the site, which is known as New Stanton Park.
According to the application, the proposed warehouse, known as Unit 1, would cover an area of more than 20,000 sq ft and create around 130 jobs. The occupant for the new building has not been disclosed.
It is hoped that New Stanton Park will eventually feature 2.5 million square feet of warehouse and industrial unit space to accommodate around 4,000 jobs.
The borough council’s planning committee unanimously approved plans for the development back in June last year.
Speaking at the time, David Grier, of Verdant Regeneration, said: “New Stanton Park offers an excellent strategic location, blending an active rail connection with strong private and public transport connectivity, plentiful labour and a large and significant power supply.
“When combined, we are confident this will result in a highly successful development with the next chapter set to positively transform and improve the area, bringing forward large-scale job creation in the process.”
David Ward, also of Verdant Regeneration, added: “Securing outline planning permission was a hugely important step in bringing forward the regeneration of this major landmark site.
“In its redevelopment we are aiming to deliver high quality real estate that will drive occupier activity and job creation.
“We will do this with a sustainable approach, combining energy efficient buildings with large amounts of amenity and green space.
“New Stanton Park will also see fishing ponds, rural walkways and cycle tracks designed to enhance biodiversity and link the site and its wider communities.”
The scheme is being jointly marketed by M1 Agency and TBD Real Estate.
A Derby-based marketing and design business has tripled its turnover and grown the team headcount by 60% after learning to “stay in its lane.”
MacMartin was founded in 2017 after sisters Claire MacDonald and Anna Hutton decided to turn their freelancing careers into a small business. Combining their expertise in behavioural science and creative marketing, the firm now produces branding and marketing campaigns for clients across the UK.
Due to strong client demand, the business reported a significant growth curve throughout 2020-21 but faced various barriers to maintain stability. Claire decided to enrol in a 12-week Help to Grow: Management Course designed to help business leaders and their senior managers to increase resilience, innovation and growth within their organisations.
Delivered by the University of Derby’s business school – a recipient of the Small Business Charter award that recognises institutions that support small business – Claire finished the course with the tools needed to make improvements to stabilise the business’s growth and streamline its offering.
The year before enrolling on the Help to Grow: Management Course, the business reported a turnover of £212,000 (Sep 2020 – Aug 2021). But since completing the course, turnover has increased by almost three quarters to £456,000 (Sep 2021 – Aug 2022). The MacMartin team has also grown from seven employees to a team of 12.
Claire MacDonald, design director of MacMartin, said: “We took away so much from the course but there were three key points that resulted in our success. First, we learned about the dangers of spending too much time in the business and not enough on the business. We’ve now got into a really good habit of setting aside time each week to have more strategic conversations and plan our future.
“The second big takeaway was around processes. Working in such a creative environment often means the structures are put in place last. We’ve worked hard since the Help to Grow: Management Course to put a framework in place that helps us standardise our quality while leaving room for creativity.
“The final takeaway, and a crucial one for us, was internal communications. Before the course, my sister and I would try and do everything. Now we’ve reassessed where we want to be and where our strengths lie so have redefined our roles and learnt to stay in our own lane.”
The Help to Grow: Management Course also includes peer-to-peer group work and one-to-one support from a mentor throughout the programme.
Claire added: “The groups were a safe space, and I was given the chance to learn different ways of thinking. I also learned that as an agency we don’t need to do it all. We can narrow our focus and do more of the work we love to do.
“I’d strongly recommend to anyone looking to grow their business to apply for the Help to Grow: Management Course. You get to have honest conversations with peers and learn from true experts. As a business, the relationships have also opened up a lot of doors for us.
“We’ve already spoken at local schools about staying safe on social media, delivered talks to Derbyshire University and the Derbyshire Festival of Business, and have plans to continue educating others across the region.”
MacMartin is now planning to launch a digital declutter campaign later this year to encourage businesses to evaluate and improve the carbon footprint of their digital activities.
Michael Hayman MBE, chair, Small Business Charter, said: “The Help to Grow: Management Course is an invaluable tool for SME business leaders looking to gain new skills that allow them to grow. From the experts on hand to give advice, to leaders that can enhance productivity, the course helps businesses overcome challenges, make attainable goals and become more resilient.
“I’m delighted to have observed MacMartin’s journey so far and look forward to seeing how the business continues to explore new opportunities in the future.”
Hex Energy has received a £250,000 funding package from MEIF Maven Debt Finance, part of the Midlands Engine Investment Fund backed by the British Business Bank following an introduction from the team at the Coventry & Warwickshire Growth Hub.
The funding will fuel business growth journey, contribute to key operational costs, create new roles, and finance the business’s strategic relocation.
Based in Nuneaton, Hex Energy designs and installs heat pumps for commercial and residential energy systems. The business was founded in 2015 by CEO Andy Howley, one of only three certified Geo-Exchange designers in the UK. Over the last five years, Hex Energy has installed and supported 75 Residential Energy systems and 20 Commercial systems.
Hex Energy has been experiencing a period of growth and the funding to fulfil its current demand and increase its capacity. The business has also committed to moving from its current Nuneaton site to a new facility, also based in Nuneaton. It has recently won two new commercial systems projects via SALIX Financing (Funding public sector de-carbonisation schemes) with Cheltenham & Gloucester Council and Calderdale Council.
Hex Energy has a focus on renewable energy, mainly through its ground source heat pumps, which absorb heat from the ground and circulate heat around properties through water, without using any fossil fuel. Its commitment to ESG is well aligned to the goals of the Midlands Engine Investment Fund, which was set up to support smaller, high growth businesses across the region to encourage business, boost the local economy and contribute towards national social and environmental issues.
Martin Hadfield, Investment Manager for Maven, said: “This is a terrific opportunity for Maven and the MEIF to support the team at Hex Energy at this exciting time with us contributing to operational costs, increase in headcount, helping to finance the business’ strategic relocation and assisting them with working capital in this period of significant growth. We look forward to being a part of their journey in continuing to install quality heat pumps for commercial and residential energy use.’’
The Midlands Engine Investment Fund is supported financially by the European Union using funding from the European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2022 and the European Investment Bank.
Nottingham City Council’s Energy Efficiency and Compliance Team won the Energy Consultancy of the Year award at the Regional Energy Efficiency Awards, which recognise best practice in schemes that reduce energy usage and carbon dioxide emissions.
In the past year, the team within the Environment and Sustainability Division, has carried out more than 3,300 energy assessments and advised on an estimated 32m kWh of energy saving opportunities to both commercial and domestic buildings.
The City Council was also Highly Commended in the Local Authority of the Year category. The recently completed vehicle-to-grid pilot at Eastcroft Depot is an example of the City Council’s work to find innovative solutions to challenges with energy usage. This project uses electric vehicles as short-term energy storage alongside two giant batteries, demonstrating how technology can be used to reduce energy demands that are associated with transitioning from traditional petrol or diesel vehicles to electric.
Wayne Bexton, Director of Environment and Sustainability at Nottingham City Council, said: “I’m thrilled that the Energy Efficiency and Compliance Team were recognised at these awards, the impact being made is truly remarkable and is testament to the hard work and dedication of the whole team.”
All the work carried out by the Energy Efficiency and Compliance Team supports the city’s target to be the first carbon neutral city in the UK by 2028. Key to this ambition is reducing carbon emissions by ensuring that buildings in the city are efficient and powered by renewable technologies. Heating and powering domestic properties are among the largest contributors to Nottingham’s carbon footprint – producing an estimated 360,800 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.
To support the City Council’s Greener HousiNG scheme, the Energy Efficiency and Compliance team carry out retrofit coordination, retrofit assessments and Energy Performance Certificates to ensure the improvements made to the homes are high quality and compliant with regulations.
Through Greener HousiNG, grant funding has been used to retrofit cold homes by installing measures such as insulation, heat pumps and solar panels. Since 2019, the City Council has upgraded more than 2,000 homes. Thanks to funding secured by the Midlands Net Zero Hub, further energy efficiency improvements will be delivered to hundreds of homes in the next two years.
Not only do these home retrofits contribute to the city’s carbon neutral ambition, but they also help residents to reduce their energy bills and improve their health and wellbeing.
The Energy Efficiency and Compliance Team also support businesses and public sector organisations to identify areas where they could save energy. For example, the team provide compliance reporting services through the Energy Saving Opportunity Scheme. Across 36 sites, the team identified potential savings of more than 3m kWh and 742 tonnes of carbon dioxide which will lead to financial savings of more than £1.4m when the energy efficiency recommendations are implemented.
Greatwell Homes’ former Hearnden Court building containing 20 flats is due to be demolished and redeveloped into new homes for older people with support needs.
The new Hearnden Court, on Henshaw Road in Wellingborough, will include 57 one and two bedroom flats for older people with support needs, with 17 being available for Older Persons Shared Ownership.
Demolition of the building is due to start in June 2023 with the completion of the project anticipated for Summer 2025.
Jo Savage, Chief Executive at Greatwell Homes, said: “We’re happy to be working with Homes England on the redevelopment of Hearnden Court to provide much needed supported accommodation in Wellingborough.
“These new homes will be spacious and flexible so we can adapt to our customers individual needs and promote independence. They will be energy efficient with better insulation and low carbon heating reducing running costs and carbon emissions helping us towards becoming a net zero carbon business by 2050.
“We have been working closely with local residents and our customers who previously lived at Hearnden Court who will get the chance to move back if they wish when the works are completed.”
Greatwell Homes has been successful in its bid of £2.8 million of Homes England funding to go towards this £18 million project.
Bhups Gosal, Head of Provider Management at Homes England, said: “Despite the current challenges affecting the country, accelerating housebuilding remains our number one priority.
“We are committed to supporting Greatwell Homes that have ambitions to build new homes and our investment through the Affordable Housing Programme allows us to do that. We’re delighted that this funding will enable Greatwell Homes to deliver much needed new homes in Wellingborough.”
Nottinghamshire-based Ideagen has embarked on a voyage into new territory with the acquisition of a company that specialises in keeping people safe at sea, Tritan Software.
From the health and safety of crew and guest passengers on cruise ships, to offshore platforms and global fleets of commercial vessels, Tritan Software are one of the world’s leading solutions supporting the maritime industry.
Speaking about the deal, Ideagen CEO, Ben Dorks, said: “The sea makes for a unique challenge when it comes to safety and health. It’s vast, unpredictable and isolating but is also the route through which a huge proportion of people and commodities journey.
“It’s vital that the people travelling or working at sea are protected and Tritan Software’s solutions support some of the world’s biggest cruise and commercial shipping operators to do that.”
More than 2,500 vessels travelling the world’s seas and oceans trust Tritan to keep their passengers, crew and operations safe including 95% of cruise lines. They also have a rapidly growing presence in the commercial shipping and offshore industries. Headquartered in Miami, Florida, the company has operations around the world.
Tritan Software CEO and founder, Andrew Carricarte, said: “Ideagen provides us with an exciting opportunity to realise our growth ambitions at pace.
“We have great products which serve our existing customers well but there’s tremendous scope to do more. Ideagen understand what we want to achieve and share our desire to expand the services and support to the maritime industry and further establish our collective position as a leading provider of health and safety software.”
This latest acquisition is Ideagen’s third of 2023 and comes just a week after collaboration tool OnePlace Solutions joined the Ideagen family.
Two University of Nottingham projects to boost sustainability in the UK cement, glass and ceramic industries have won funding from the UK Research and Innovation Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (UKRI ISCF).
The Foundation Industries (consisting of the cement, metals, ceramics, paper, glass and chemicals sectors) are some of the most energy-intensive industries in the UK and are worth over £52 billion to the UK economy. Each sector is facing challenges on the path to Net-Zero, including consumption of raw materials and recycling of waste products.
The projects, led by Dr Luis Torres and Dr Maria Karafyllia, both of Nottingham University Business School, are among five to win funding from the UKRI-ISCF Transforming Foundation Industries Network+.
Dr Torres’ research, ‘Enabling business models innovation for sustainability in the UK glass sector’, will focus on the flat glass products (windows and glazing) that are typically used by the construction sector. These products have been selected because of their potential to be reused and recycled but currently, recycling rates are very low.
The project will identify what public policy interventions are needed to enable the transition to a circular economy model for flat glass, whereby materials are reused or recycled for as long as possible to extend the lifecycle of products.
Dr Luis Torres, Assistant Professor in Organisational Behaviour, Business & Society in the Nottingham University Business School, said: “The glass sector has a great potential to implement circular economy principles to achieve decarbonisation.
“While public policy attention has been around recycling and reusing container glass, most end-of-life flat glazing, refurbishment and demolition glass are not recycled and reusing them is less appropriate. Keeping flat glass within a circular economy model presents a great opportunity for reducing CO2 emissions and it is economically beneficial for the sector.”
Dr Karafyllia’s research, ‘Circular business model innovation in the UK cement, glass and ceramic industries’, will develop a business case for these industries to adopt strategies around EDI, Net Zero, innovation, future skills, and digitisation to strengthen companies’ competitiveness.
Dr Maria Karafyllia, Assistant Professor in Strategy at Nottingham University Business School, said: “The UK Foundation Industries have low profit margins, making them vulnerable to changes in energy cost and to international competition.
“These industries lack tailored circular business models that will enable them to create, deliver, and capture customer value in more sustainable ways, will enable them to contribute to the national net zero target by 2050, and will enable them to increase their international competitiveness.”
Dr Karafyllia continued: “The UK Foundation Industries underperform in relation to the EDI agenda. This project aims to embed self-sustaining industry practices regarding EDI in new circular business models; and to establish a knowledge transfer network to drive EDI transformation, as well as to develop and share best practice.”
Professor Ian Reaney, Director of the TFI Network+, said: “The Network has a strong awareness of how vital the social sciences are to the future of the Foundation Industries, and we hope the principals and ideas in this research can help boost sustainability within the sectors. We are pleased to announce the results of our latest funding call from TFI Network+, with 5 innovative research proposals gaining funding.”
Viridis Building Services Ltd has joined the sponsor line up for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2023, backing the Sustainable Development of the Year category.
Speaking with Business Link, a spokesperson for Viridis Building Services Ltd said: “We are proud to sponsor the Sustainable Development of the Year award at the East Midlands Bricks Awards for another year. We promote this award in particular because of its relation to us as a business and how it fits within our values. Sustainability isn’t just what we do – it’s who we are and to be able to live this through this award makes us proud to be involved.“Through this award we are ensuring the East Midlands is leading the market through sustainable design. We understand the passion from those involved towards this award and we know the great pride in delivering these outcomes. Therefore, to present this award allows us to promote this type of design and ensure innovative, collaborative and pragmatic solutions are provided. This not only helps promote those involved in the design stages, but also to promote those who will be using the spaces in the future.“We look forward to seeing this year’s entries to the Sustainable Development of the Year award and attending the event to reveal the winner. We feel the awards bring the East Midlands together, not just within the Sustainable Development of the Year category, but for all the categories – we are proud to be part of the East Midlands Bricks Awards to promote the area and molding its future.”
The awards, which will take place on Thursday 28 Septemberat the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, celebrate the outstanding work of those shaping the landscape of our region, recognising development projects and people in commercial and public building across the East Midlands – from offices, industrial and residential, through to community projects such as leisure schemes and schools.
Nominations are now OPEN for East Midlands Business Link’s annual Bricks Awards.
To nominate your (or another) business/development for one of our awards, please click on a category link below or visit this page.
Nominations end Thursday 31 August.Find out who last year’s winners were here.
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 Thursday 28 September 2023 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, and hear from Mike Denby, Director of Inward Investment and Place Marketing at Leicester City Council, our keynote speaker.
Dress code is standard business attire.
Thanks to our sponsors:To be held at:
The Crowne Plaza in Nottingham recently played host to the annual Volunteero Summit. This event invites top startup operators and founders to speak about areas of expertise that translate well into charity functions and volunteer management, with various big name charities in attendance such as Shelter and Age UK.
The event was hosted by Volunteero – the leaders in volunteer management software. Their app has been built in direct partnership with UK charities and volunteers; designed to maximise efficiency, minimise stress, and make the volunteering experience as enjoyable as possible for everyone involved. The Summit included talks from industry experts, such as Meryl Davies (CEO at Re-engage) and Craig Harman (COO at St John Ambulance).
Filming the full event and producing the highlights video shown below was our local recommend video production company, Glowfrog (www.glowfrogvideo.com). Event video production is just one of the many services they offer for businesses and organisations.
The summit was a great success for the third sector. Charities went away with top insider knowledge that they can apply to their role and use to make a meaningful impact.
In a new trading update, ahead of Rolls-Royce’s Annual General Meeting today, the Derby firm has hailed making “good progress,” with its financial performance “improving.”
CEO, Tufan Erginbilgic, said this reflects positive changes driven by Rolls-Royce’s transformation programme, which is “moving at pace” and previously saw the company cut thousands of jobs, while good end market demand for products and services has been seen.
The manufacturer noted that trading has been in line with expectations in the four months to 30 April 2023 and that underlying operating profit guidance (of £0.8-£1bn) in 2023 stands unchanged.
Meanwhile an increased focus on efficiency and simplification is helping to keep costs down and has identified savings.
Chief Executive Tufan Erginbilgic is due to say at the Annual General Meeting: “We are transforming Rolls-Royce into a high quality and competitive business with a strong balance sheet and growing profit, cash flows and returns. We are already benefitting from the actions we are taking as well as recovery and growth in our end markets.
“We announced several changes to the executive team in March to support the transformation, adding leaders with proven track records of delivery and high-performance. We are making good progress and our financial performance year-to-date is in line with expectations. I’d like to thank everyone at Rolls-Royce.
“Our financial performance is improving reflecting positive changes driven by our transformation programme workstreams and good end market demand for our products and services.
“Supply chain management remains a key operational challenge for us as original equipment and aftermarket services volumes increase, especially in Civil Aerospace. Our financial performance is in line with our expectations at the time of the full year results on 23 February. Our underlying operating profit guidance of £0.8-£1.0bn and free cash flow guidance of £0.6-£0.8bn in 2023 is unchanged. We anticipate our free cash flow generation will be seasonally weighted in the second half of the year, as previously indicated.
“In Civil Aerospace, long term service agreement large engine flying hours (EFH) were 83% of 2019 levels in the four months to 30 April, and on track for the 80% to 90% range for the full year, as guided in February. Shop visit volumes and OE deliveries are also on track with expectations. We have continued to win new business including our biggest ever order of Trent XWB-97 engines in the period, with an MoU for 68 engines (plus 20 options) for Air India.
“In Defence, we continued our successful run of key programme awards with the announcement that the AUKUS submarine programme will be powered by Rolls-Royce nuclear reactors. In the US, Bell’s V-280 Valor, powered by our AE1107F engines, cleared the protest period, enabling our teams to progress to the next phase, with the first aircraft due to enter into service in 2030. Bell’s V-280 Valor was selected last year by the US Army’s Future Long Range Assault Aircraft programme to replace its Black Hawk helicopters.
“In Power Systems, revenue growth is being driven by demand for aftermarket services and exceptionally high order intake in the prior year, especially for power generation solutions. We are getting improved pricing on new orders which will drive margins up with the benefits expected to start showing in the second half of the year. High order intake year-to-date included strong demand from marine customers, including an order for Series 4000 gensets for the U.S Navy’s Constellation Class frigate programme.
“Work on the transformation programme is moving at pace. Our increased focus on efficiency and simplification is helping to keep costs down and has already identified savings, for example the closure of our R2 Factory venture. We are encouraged by the early progress of our commercial optimisation and working capital workstreams, with positive results expected to build as the year goes on. Our strategic review is on track and as previously indicated, we will communicate the findings and medium term targets in the second half of 2023.”
Rolls Royce’s half year 2023 results will be announced on 3 August.
Continued strength across the UK services sector has driven increases in business output and optimism, according to the latest Business Trends report from accountancy and business advisory firm, BDO.
BDO’s Output Index reached an eight-month high of 99.80 in April, driven by a jump of 4.53 points across the Services Output Index as conditions across this sector improved. The sector last saw such an improvement in January 2022.
This growth was partially offset by a drop in the Manufacturing Output Index, taking it to 82.94, its worst performance in almost three years, since the early months of the pandemic.
Despite this, the overall Output Index now sits clear of the 95-point mark, the point of expansion, indicating growth in the economy in April.
It’s a similar story for BDO’s Optimism Index which has been buoyed by stronger-than-expected consumer activity and subsequent positivity across the services sector to reach its strongest reading since August 2022 at 98.22.
This is contrasted by the fall in optimism across the manufacturing sector, as businesses suffer from the effects of various economic headwinds including high input price pressures and ongoing supply chain disruption. These economic burdens caused a fall of 2.16 points for the Manufacturing Optimism Index – its lowest level since February 2021.
An overall stronger sentiment towards resilience in the UK economy reflects the ongoing decline in inflation as April saw the BDO Inflation Index dip to its lowest point in 18 months. The index now stands at 107.55 points as both input and consumer price pressures subsided.
The BDO Employment Index witnessed a third consecutive increase in April, driven by an uptick in the number of people in work, taking the Index to 111.07.
Whilst labour market conditions and growth prospects for the UK economy remain strong, higher interest rates are expected to weigh on economic activity and put upward pressure on the unemployment rate, with a peak of 4.3% forecasted for H2 2023.
Kaley Crossthwaite, partner at BDO LLP, said: “A tale of two sectors has emerged over the past few months as the resilience of the UK economy relies almost solely on the outlook for the improving services sector, as manufacturing businesses face an ongoing downturn.
“Supply side issues and energy price increases are expected to persist over the coming months and whilst there are signs that the worst may be over, particularly with input price inflation, this sector will need continued support to take the pressure off services.”
For the second time this year, Midlands-based contractor, G F Tomlinson, has been announced as a successful partner for a major national Pagabo framework.
Running from 2023 to May 2027, the contractor has been reappointed to the National Framework Agreement for Refit and Refurbishment Solutions, which comprises of 93 high-quality contractors covering a range of refurbishment and refit projects across five value bands and 44 regions.
G F Tomlinson was also reappointed to Pagabo’s National Framework for Medium Works in January and since 2020, the contractor has partnered with Pagabo on several frameworks including the Major Works Framework, the previous Framework for Refit and Refurbishment Solutions, and the previous Medium Works Framework, which the new iteration now supersedes.
As part of the partnership, G F Tomlinson has been appointed to deliver projects from £500,000 up to £15 million throughout Yorkshire and the East and West Midlands.
Focusing on public sector refit and refurbishment works, G F Tomlinson will deliver schemes across the education, healthcare, civic, leisure, housing, blue light, highways and infrastructure industries.
G F Tomlinson demonstrated relevant experience, stability and a strong commitment to social value and the carbon reduction agenda in order to be successful in its framework bid.
Alongside providing value for money for clients, it was important that the contractor provided evidence of delivering quality builds on time and to budget, as well as managing the supply chain to a high standard.
G F Tomlinson have delivered several projects under the Pagabo suite of frameworks, including the £3.7m extension and remodelling of Cardinal Newman Catholic School and the £6.5m expansion and remodelling of Barr’s Hill School, both for Coventry City Council, plus the £2.4m Urgent Treatment Centre for Lincoln Hospital. They are also currently on site constructing the £15.4m new Air and Space Institute (ASI) in Newark for Lincoln College Group.
Looking to the future, the contractor has more projects in the pipeline being procured via Pagabo with a cumulative value of over £64m.
Chris Flint, Managing Director at G F Tomlinson, said: “We’re extremely proud to have secured our place on yet another national high-value framework with Pagabo, which will be our second since January this year.
“Our reappointment to the National Framework Agreement for Refit and Refurbishment Solutions is our sixth agreement with Pagabo which continues our success on public sector frameworks where we have delivered in excess of £500 million worth of projects via this procurement route.
“We look forward to improving and restoring a range of public sector buildings through renovation and retrofitting techniques, incorporating new technologies wherever possible, and are delighted to be given the opportunity to continually support the regeneration of local communities.
“With our expertise, commitment to delivering high-quality projects and our passion to enhance social value for local communities, we are best placed to serve public sector clients on all their project requirements.”
Elliott Talbot, framework manager at Pagabo, said: “We’re delighted to see G F Tomlinson secure their place on our new Refit & Refurbishment Framework. Their position on our suite of construction frameworks has enabled them to deliver a range of public sector works in recent years. This appointment will allow us to continue to work closely together and we can’t wait to get started.”
Local contractor and developer, Stirlin, has completed a new phase of employment space on their development in Lincoln: Kirk’s Yard.
Kirk’s Yard is a commercial business park located just outside the village of Branston, approximately 4 miles from Lincoln City Centre.
Stirlin completed the first two phases of the development back in March 2019, with all units occupied by a variety of established local businesses, including Gateway Automation, Lincolnshire Radiators Direct and TL Electrical Engineering.
Following the success of these phases, Stirlin has now delivered a third phase, to provide 10 industrial units suitable for a variety of business uses, ranging in size from 1,500 to 2,000 sq ft.
Sustainable elements of the scheme include energy efficient lighting, bike racks to encourage the cycle to work scheme and the recycling of existing topsoil from the land, which has been used for the landscaped areas around the site. Stirlin also offer buyers the option to include a renewable energy solar system on the units.
Managing Director of Stirlin, Tony Lawton, says: “Our Kirk’s Yard site has proven very popular, particularly due to its location, so it’s great to provide further employment space to meet the demand and facilitate business growth in the area.
“In addition to this scheme, we have several other projects in the pipeline for 2023. We are also open to contractual work, and we encourage people to get in touch to discuss their requirements.”
With the completion of the third phase, Stirlin have transformed 2.2 acres of vacant land on Mere Road into over 33,000 sq ft of new employment space.
At this year’s UKReiiF (UK Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum) event in Leeds from 16-18 May 2023, Invest in Leicester will brief potential investors about recent successes from businesses including major residential and industrial developers, Segro and Harworth Group, and from the director who led the £17 million development of an historic department store in the centre of Leicester into the upmarket Gresham Aparthotel.
The Invest in Leicester events at UKReiiF will focus on how the organisations are thriving in the region, highlighting the ingredients for success.
The session will be chaired by Mike Denby, Director of Inward Investment and Place Marketing at Leicester City Council.
Mike said: “The transformation of Leicester and Leicestershire has been significant over recent years, thanks to a strong public and private collaboration. We are delighted to be attending UKREiiF again this year, as a platform to further raising the profile of the city and county, showcasing the investment and development opportunities across the area and the strength of the collaboration between the public and private sector.”
David Cockroft, Regional Director for the Midlands at Harworth Group plc, said: “Invest in Leicester has been a trusted and valued long-term partner for Harworth. Its support has been critical to the delivery of our 2,000-home south east Coalville new community and Bardon Hill industrial and logistics scheme in the area. We look forward to working with the council at UKREiiF to showcase the huge potential of the area and the future opportunities that this will bring.”
The team will also promote its digital land and property prospectus, which highlights 40 key investment opportunities spanning the length and breadth of the city and county and ultimately, that Leicester and Leicestershire are open for business.
Attendees at UKReiiF can see Invest in Leicester at the following events: Designing a Thriving and Sustainable Future in Leicester & Leicestershire (Tuesday 16 May 2023 from 9:30-10:30am, Cinema of War Room, Royal Armouries Museum), Digital Sites Prospectus Launch (Thursday 18 May 2023 from 1-2.15pm, Pavilion 7 in the Pavilion Square).
Wavensmere Homes has struck a deal with The Fulton Partnership, which will see one of the pepperpot buildings at the £175m Nightingale Quarter Scheme in Derby City Centre transformed into a café, bar, and restaurant.
Located off London Road, close to the Derbion shopping centre, ‘The Pepperpot’ is scheduled to open in August 2023, creating a new dining experience for the city. The venue will be open seven days a week, serving gastro-style food with locally sourced ingredients.
The Pepperpot restaurant will be situated at the front of the former Derbyshire Royal Infirmary redevelopment, where restoration and construction work is currently in progress. A bijou cocktail bar and cafe will feature within the historic building conversion, with an air-conditioned glass box extension housing the main restaurant to the rear. Wavensmere Homes and The Fulton Partnership are collectively investing more than £1m in the project.
The Pepperpot will be The Fulton Partnership’s sixth venue in the Midlands. The group is best known for The Butchers Bar and The Westgate Suites Wedding Venue, which are both in Long Eaton. Stables Hotel and The Bowling Green Inn are located adjacent to each other in Ashbourne, while The Saracens Head Steakhouse is in Meir, Stoke on Trent.
Graeme Fulton, owner of The Fulton Partnership, said: “The Pepperpot will be our first ever city centre venue, which we’ve been on the lookout for for some time. At Nightingale Quarter, we will have the rare combination of; a stunning historic building; well over 1,000 residents living in the same development; and a superb location, only a short walk from the Derbion shopping centre and Derby train station.
“Ahead of the August opening, we have appointed Matthew Guy as the head chef, and he is currently sourcing the best ingredients from local suppliers for our extensive breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus. The menus have a strong emphasis on quality and choice. We’ll be recruiting and training local people to work with us and look forward to getting to know all the neighbours already living here.”
Remediation and construction work commenced at The Nightingale Quarter in late 2020. During the past three years, over 80% of the 925 homes have been matched with buyers. Five phases of the project are currently under construction by Wavensmere Homes, enabling 486 of the homes to be completed this year.
The 18.5-acre site is one of the UK’s most significant city centre regeneration projects and includes the restoration of several landmark buildings and monuments from the 130-year-old former hospital.
James Dickens, Managing Director of Wavensmere Homes, said: “The synergy we have with The Fulton Partnership is very strong and we are thrilled they have chosen to replicate our Nightingale Quarter branding for The Pepperpot restaurant. The interior design has a cool art deco feel, which will create a place that everyone will enjoy spending time in. This venue will become the heart and soul of the community here.”
Pepperpot restaurant CGI
Newark-based Kast Concrete Basins has been acquired by US company Kohler, becoming part of the Kohler Luxury Brands Division.
Kohler continues to grow its global leadership in the design, innovation, and manufacture of kitchen and bath products with the boutique designer and manufacturer of contemporary concrete basins and sinks.
Kast specialises in bathroom basins within the premium market and is a design-led brand known for its bold colours.
The 12-year-old company was founded by Tim Bayes, who will now serve as Kast’s Managing Director/head of creative.
“Kohler pioneered vibrant, colourful products to great acclaim as far back as 1927, and has progressively introduced innovative designs, materials, and finishes that help customers make a design statement in their spaces,” said Bonnie Choruby, president – Luxury Brands at Kohler.
“Kast shares that same mindset and is a perfect fit for our Luxury Brands division. Not only does the brand bring a new material to our portfolio – concrete – but also the colour and refinement expertise that is evident in the unique shapes and forms of its beautiful basins.”
“We are thrilled to join the Kohler organization, a highly admired multinational company that has achieved 150 years of unparalleled innovation and growth,” said Bayes.
“Everyone at Kast Concrete Basins also has the passion to innovate relentlessly, and we couldn’t be more pleased to now be a part of the Luxury Brands division that includes like-minded brands and the resourcing to accelerate global expansion.”
The Peak District National Park Authority has confirmed that an internal workforce consultation process has begun after Members of the Authority approved a series of formal proposals as part of an organisational restructure at the Authority.
Staff at the Authority were informed of the proposals in a series of face-to-face meetings on Wednesday 3 May.
Among the proposals to be consulted upon is a change in the way the Authority engages visitors with the potential closing or repurposing of four visitor centres operated by the Authority at Bakewell, Castleton, Edale and Fairholmes in the Upper Derwent Valley.
Authority Members will approve any final proposals for implementation on 28 July.
Further proposals include reducing current senior management levels by more than half, along with the merging of some administrative services and potential outsourcing of some professional services.
Up to 65 people are at risk of redundancy with the creation of 31 new posts, however the Authority says it hopes to retain the skills and experience of as many staff as possible. Overall, the Authority anticipates a net reduction in its workforce of around 7%. Smaller changes to some other existing posts include role title differences or the moving of teams to alternative departments.
The announcement comes as the Authority says it has faced a ‘real terms’ cut in its annual Defra government grant of around 40% over the last decade; with the Authority receiving around the same grant now as it did in 2012, with no increases in line with inflation.
A recent one-off grant of £440,000 made available to all ten English national parks – representing less than 10% of the Authority’s annual baseline budget – will be used to help fund the transition towards a more sustainable operating model.
Major drivers for the proposed organisational change, alongside budget cuts, include the need to meet an increased demand in planning work and the changing way in which visitors now source information about their potential visit. The Authority’s four visitor centres currently host 400,000 people per year, around 1 in 30 of the Peak District’s estimated 13 million annual visitors.
In recent years in particular, digital and online reach has seen a dramatic increase at the Authority with its website now attracting around 2.5 million visits annually and a range of social media channels gathering a following of some 150,000. This in turn has led to wider audience contact that means around 750,000 people a year are now engaging with Facebook content generated by the Authority alone, with further audiences on channels such as Instagram.
Future ways in which the Authority engages with its millions of visitors are expected to take into account aspects such as online information, existing and new welcoming volunteer roles offering advice and guidance, publications such as an annual Welcome Guide, along with national park rangers and potential information points in high profile locations. Impacts on accessibility and diverse audiences will also be considered as part of any visitor provision should centres close.
In some locations such as Fairholmes, ranger and volunteer interactions across the wider site may help to support direct engagement, in contrast to the relatively limited numbers of people currently using the visitor centre.
Changes to the pay structure within the National Park Authority have also been highlighted within the proposals, with salaries in departments including planning and development routinely found to be lower than many similar organisations according to independent analysis.
This is thought to be a prominent factor behind a continued recruitment challenge for the Authority leading to additional, unsustainable demands on existing teams in the workforce. New proposed pay modelling aims to redress this balance and both ease pressures on staff and improve services received by the public.
Overall, a number of roles within the Authority will see pay scales changed as the organisation seeks to achieve parity with similar posts in comparable organisations by January 2024.
Chief Executive Phil Mulligan said: “Any decisions that affect our workforce and colleagues are among the hardest to make. However, making these difficult choices now means that we can work towards a sustainable future for our organisation as a whole, where we have the ability to deliver well in the areas that are so crucial to the Peak District and our nation like the protection of our heritage, nature’s recovery and climate change.
“Of course, providing a public service for our visitors to ensure their time with us is safe, enjoyable and responsible – whatever their needs or background – is still crucial, but we also have to embrace new and dynamic ways to achieve this without some of the costs we have seen in recent years.
“I want to recognise the passion and energy that our front-facing staff bring to their role in welcoming visitors and that the tough decisions being proposed do not reflect these teams’ commitment, but are as a result of factors in the wider financial landscape.
“I also completely understand that proposed changes to the pay of other colleagues in the Authority may be hard to rationalise, however we also have our statutory obligations as a national park authority and these must be met; which is especially hard when we are unable to be competitive as an employer.
“The changes proposed will ultimately see us becoming a more affordable and resilient organisation in the face of ongoing financial uncertainty, and safeguard our critical role in caring for the Peak District.”
The Authority confirmed that all visitor operations are continuing to operate as normal.
One of the UK’s largest independent family run frozen food wholesalers, Hopwells has acquired one of its competitors, Windsor Foodservice.
The move will support Hopwell’s strategic plan to expand its service offering and geographical reach.
Hopwells was established in 1975 and is headquartered in Nottingham. The wholeslaer operates a fleet of over 110 vehicles from six distribution depots throughout England and offers its customer base a comprehensive range of frozen food products and chilled goods, including premium fresh meat and poultry from various branded manufacturers and suppliers.
Windsor Foodservice, which is also a family run business, was set up in 1989 and is headquartered in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. The business employs over 70 staff and supplies over 3,000 catering customers.
In 2013 the business created Pete’s Patisseries – a top of the range luxury dessert range; and in 2017 launched Windsor Fresh Meat which offered top quality meat products at competitive prices.
Browne Jacobson corporate lawyer, Sam Sharp and associate Ruairi O’Grady advised on the deal.
Sam Sharp, who leads the firm’s UK & Ireland food and drink practice, said: “Both Hopwells and Windsor are well respected in their markets, are built on strong family values, and have excellent reputations for providing quality service to their longstanding customer base, so it was a pleasure to have been involved in the merger of these two similar businesses.
“This move will enable the newly merged business group to further develop and grow its product portfolio and position itself as a major player in the food wholesaler sector.”
Tristan Hopwell, Managing Director of Hopwells, added: “Hopwells is an independent family business which prides itself on its traditional family values. Windsor is also a family business, and we both celebrate the successes our family ethos brings to our customers.
“Hopwells and Windsor Foodservice have both grown our businesses from the ground up, we’re both excited to bring together our joint experiences to form a leading position within wholesale.”
Chesterfield-based independent drinks business, Global Brands, has broken records for their financial year ending 30 September 2022.
Global Brands, owners of a portfolio including Franklin & Sons, Hooch, VK, and more has reported double-digit turnover growth for financial year 2022, driven by record international growth, successful NPD launches including Lustre liqueurs, and canned cocktail and RTD sales.
The company has reported a 26.6% increase in turnover, rising to £84.4 million, versus sales of £66.6 million in the 20/21 financial year.
The company is now the biggest supplier of branded canned cocktails to the UK off trade, and the biggest supplier of ready to drink products into the UK on premises across their portfolio. The company’s portfolio of drinks brands includes VK, Hooch, Franklin & Sons, All Shook Up, Shake Baby Shake, Corky’s, Beviamo, Kick Energy, Lustre, and Amigos Tequila Beer.
Global Brands also reported a 50% increase in international business. Having launched Franklin & Sons in the USA in 2019, just as the pandemic struck, the international arm of the business is now seeing significant growth, reaching £5 million in turnover for the first time in the history of the business.
Profitability increased, with an operating of £6.9 million compared to £6.1 million in the previous financial year.
Steve Perez, founder and chairman at Global Brands, said: “Global Brands, the UK’s leading independent drinks business, has had another fantastic year. 21/22 has been our sixth successive year of growth, almost doubling our turnover in the last five years.
“We’ve recently purchased the trademarks for Hooch, Hooper’s, and Reef from Molson Coors, and have lots of exciting new products in the pipeline. We’re now the biggest supplier of branded canned cocktails in the UK off trade, and the biggest supplier of RTDs into the on trade.
“Franklin & Sons is now the second biggest premium tonic in the UK on trade, and we’ve seen fantastic growth for the brand in the UK and especially internationally, in markets in Asia, through Europe, and from our newly opened office in the USA.
“We’re unique in that we create everything in-house, from design, marketing, and NPD through to the distribution of our brands from here in Chesterfield and Clay Cross – areas where we’ve invested just under £3 million in the last year. From our base in Derbyshire, we employ almost 200 people, and our success is down to the fantastic teams that drive these brands forward.
“While economic conditions have been challenging in the six months since we’ve published our accounts, especially in regard to energy and raw material costs, we’re confident going forward that the company will continue its momentum in the next financial year.”
Global Brands has started financial year 22/23 in a strong position. Late last year saw the hard launch of premium tonics, sodas, and soft drinks brand Franklin & Sons into the USA, to further capitalise on international growth, while the company acquired the trademarks for Hooch, Hooper’s, and Reef from Molson Coors, investing in the brands with the security of owning the equity.
Alongside this, Global Brands has launched an all-new VK & SODA extension for their no.1 RTD for students eight years running, VK. The new range delivers on demand for zero sugar and lower calorie drinks, while retaining the flavourful and tasty essence of the original VK range, engaging with RTD consumers, and attracting the segment of consumers that opt for beverages with fewer calories than typical RTDs.
A £2 million expansion of the Global Brands Distribution Centre was also recently completed, increasing capacity from 30 million to 40 million products stored.
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“We look forward to seeing this year’s entries to the Sustainable Development of the Year award and attending the event to reveal the winner. We feel the awards bring the East Midlands together, not just within the Sustainable Development of the Year category, but for all the categories – we are proud to be part of the East Midlands Bricks Awards to promote the area and molding its future.”
The awards, which will take place on Thursday 28 September at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, celebrate the outstanding work of those shaping the landscape of our region, recognising development projects and people in commercial and public building across the East Midlands – from offices, industrial and residential, through to community projects such as leisure schemes and schools.
Nominations are now OPEN for East Midlands Business Link’s annual Bricks Awards.
To nominate your (or another) business/development for one of our awards, please click on a category link below or visit this page.
To be held at:
