Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire businesses urged to take up free green and digital skills training
Companies across Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire are being urged to take up the offer of free training.
North East Derbyshire District Council and Chesterfield Borough Council have joined forces to offer green skills and higher digital skills courses – made possible thanks to £200,000 worth of funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
The green skills courses will help construction companies access skills development that will help them comply with the Future Homes Standard (FHS) – which requires new homes built from 2025 to produce significantly less carbon emissions than under current building regulations – and will also contribute to the UK achieving its 2050 net zero target.
The higher level digital skills courses are open to businesses of any kind, interested in equipping their workforce with essential digital skills.
Cllr Jayne Barry, North East Derbyshire District Council’s Cabinet member for Growth, said: “This is a great opportunity for businesses across our district to upskill their workforce as we move towards a greener and more sustainable future. Also, a future which is increasingly reliant on the use of technology, with all the rewards and threats that can bring.”
Cllr Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council and cabinet member for economic growth, said: “We’re committed to ensuring that everyone can improve their skills and access new career opportunities. These programmes will allow people to upskill in their current roles, access promotions and ensure local businesses have access to the skills they need. The focus on green skills will also help ensure we can become a carbon neutral area and reduce the impact of climate change.”
Chesterfield College will be delivering green skills courses, including the installation of wall insulation, solar panels, and heat pumps, as well as hybrid vehicle awareness and a qualification in sustainability.
Derby-based training provider Althaus Digital will deliver a suite of higher level digital skills training, including generative AI in digital marketing, cyber security and green digital training programmes.
Courses start from 22 August 2024 and run until Feb/March 2025. Some are short one day courses, while others take place over several days. They will be delivered face-to-face and also online.
IMA Architects reach finals of National Building and Construction Awards
IMA Architects (IMA) has been named as a finalist in the National Building and Construction Awards.
Following a successful year delivering a range of schemes for companies including Lidl GB, Clowes Developments and Leicestershire County Cricket Club, IMA has been shortlisted in the ‘Architectural Practice of the Year’ category.
The National Building and Construction Awards are one of the industry’s most high-profile awards, celebrating and championing the businesses and individuals that are making a positive impact in the UK building and construction industry.
Anthony Day, Managing Director at IMA Architects, says: “This is amazing news for all at IMA and a testament to how hard the team has worked over the past 12 months, and our successful track record in delivering large scale projects across the UK for our clients. We are all looking forward to the event in October. Fingers crossed we will be successful on the night.”
The winners will be announced at a celebration evening at the Leonardo Royal London Tower Bridge, on the evening of Thursday 24th October 2024.
Robinson returns to profit
Robinson plc, the custom manufacturer of plastic and paperboard packaging, has seen an increase in revenue and returned to profit in its interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2024.
The Chesterfield-based firm reported an uptick in revenue to £27.1m, up from £24.3m in the same period of the year prior. Pre-tax profit, meanwhile, grew to £0.7m from a loss of £0.9m. The results come as John Melia, currently Director of Strategy and Innovation at DS Smith Recycling, is set to be appointed as Group CEO.Alan Raleigh, chairman, said: “The results for the first half of 2024 reflect the positive momentum that we have experienced since July 2023.
“Whilst market conditions remain challenging, I am very pleased that our approach to partnering with major fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) brand owners, our investment in new technology and our ability to deliver packaging made from post-consumer recycled material is delivering increased sales volume and improved performance.
“I am delighted that John Melia has chosen to join Robinson as our new Chief Executive. John is currently Director of Strategy and Innovation at DS Smith Recycling and has held senior positions at Tata Chemicals, where he oversaw major business transformation initiatives.
“He has an in-depth understanding of what is required to drive shareholder value in a business like Robinson and we look forward to him joining the team in December. I would also like to place on record the Board’s appreciation for the excellent contribution that Sara Halton has made as interim Chief Executive.
“The Company expects revenue and profit for the 2024 financial year to be in line with current market expectations. We remain committed in the medium-term to delivering above-market profitable growth and our target of 6-8% adjusted operating margin.”
First two phases of logistics park sold
Landowning partnership Howard Farms has completed the sale of the first two phases of Mulberry Logistics Park in South Yorkshire.
With the site located on the border of Doncaster and the Bassetlaw district, Mulberry Logistics Park gives businesses direct access to the trunk road network leading to Doncaster, Sheffield and Nottingham. Founded in 1888, Howard Farms is a Nottinghamshire-based rural family business, providing food and renewable energy across its various sites. The sale of the first two phases of the site to Mulberry Commercial Developments marks the multi-disciplinary developer’s expansion in South Yorkshire. Law firm Browne Jacobson advised Howard Farms on the initial conditional option agreements and sale of the first two phases of Mulberry Logistics Park’s developments – beginning in January 2021 and finalising in July 2024. The Browne Jacobson team comprised of real estate partner Robert Wofinden and associate Sam Trevorrow. East Midlands-based land development consultancy Mather Jamie acted as the appointed land agent for the sale. Both Browne Jacobson and Mather Jamie will continue to support Howard Farms throughout the third and final remaining phase of development. Robert Wofinden, partner at Browne Jacobson, said: “This has been a fantastic piece of work for the firm, and we’re pleased to have supported a farming partnership like Howard Farms which makes a truly positive impact with their work in the food production and green energy sectors.” Andy Howard, company owner of Howard and Co. Farming Ltd., said: “We’d like to express our thanks to Rob and Sam from Browne Jacobson for their support and Gary Owens from Mather Jamie – this has been a landmark transaction for us, and they’ve worked hard to ensure a smooth and efficient process over the last few years.”UK economy stood stagnant in June
The UK economy stood stagnant in June, following a return to growth in May, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
In line with expectations, GDP (gross domestic product), a key measure of economy growth, showed no growth month-on-month in June, following 0.4% growth in May, with quarterly growth of 0.6%.
The monthly result reflects a fall in services output, offset by growth in both production and construction.
Ben Jones, CBI Lead Economist, said: “After a strong performance in May, a slowdown in GDP growth was always on the cards for June. But a second successive quarter of above-trend growth suggests the UK economy has finally shaken off its slumber of recent years.
“We think the quarterly data probably overstates the underlying momentum in the economy, with recent CBI surveys of activity remaining fairly subdued. But firms nonetheless appear confident that the recovery will continue.
“After a challenging, few years, and ahead of the Autumn budget, the focus is shifting to the steps needed to raise the UK’s growth rate over the long-term. This could include the reforms set out in our recent business tax roadmap, which can incentivise private investment and together with a Net Zero Investment plan boost green growth, one of the fastest growing sectors in the country.”
Boutique business hub in Market Harborough to be sold for £1.45m
A boutique business hub in Market Harborough, known locally as the town’s “best-kept secret,” has been placed on the market.
Situated centrally on the market town’s High Street, Bennett’s Place Courtyard is a part Grade II listed building currently home to seven longstanding tenants, and is now available to interested investors for £1.45m.
Wells McFarlane’s director, Jason Hercock, is marketing the freehold property on behalf of the current private landlord.
Jason says: “This is a rare and exciting opportunity to own a piece of Leicestershire real estate in a sought-after market town that appeals to a wide variety of investors.
“Bennett’s Place Courtyard is a boutique business hub that has become a ‘destination’ in its own right and is affectionately known locally as ‘Market Harborough’s best-kept secret’.
“The existing tenants are all well-established businesses and include a mix of retailers, service providers, and a language school as well as a residential property. The combined rental income is approx. £105,000 per annum (plus service charge).
“We anticipate a high level of demand for this property so encourage those looking to acquire an investment in this thriving market town to arrange viewings urgently.”
East Midlands shows highest reduction in town centre visitors
The East Midlands has seen a dip in footfall to its town centres, with a report from Place Informatics positioning the region as the area with the highest reduction in town centre visitors.
The report shows that visitor numbers have decreased by 2.71% across the UK in June compared to last year. However, this decrease seems to hopefully be turning a corner as the latest report shows a more positive comparison year on year than May which had a footfall reduction of 4.2%.
This troubling trend in town centre footfall can be attributed to several factors, including an unusually wet Spring and early Summer, combined with economic challenges such as the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, however, as inflation remains fairly steady this trend may be changing.
The report explores the footfall dynamics both nationally and across 12 regions in the UK for the year 2023, with a specific emphasis on analysing fluctuations in foot traffic every month with a comparative analysis of footfall data from the previous year.
The majority of regions showed an increase in month-on-month visitors but Wales, Yorkshire, Northern Ireland and the East Midlands continued to show a decline with the East Midlands also having the highest year-on-year decrease of 4.61%.
Clive Hall, CEO of Place Informatics, said: “Our visitor behaviour data report hopefully shows the start of a positive trend in visitor numbers as the summer holidays begin. After a prolonged decline in footfall, it is crucial for local councils and businesses to understand the factors that can help drive visitor increases and ensure town centres begin to show some growth in 2024.
“Our data can help retailers, hospitality, councils and many other businesses and services understand how visitors are behaving, where visitors come from and most importantly what services they are utilising on their visit, including green spaces, car parks and public realms.”
Just 3 weeks remain to make your nominations for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2024
With just three weeks remaining until nominations close for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2024, ensure to submit your entries for the annual celebration of the property and construction industry by Thursday 5th September.
It’s an opportunity to showcase successes, boost businesses’ profiles, reward teams, and bolster morale.
Scheduled to take place on Thursday 3rd October (4:30pm – 7:30pm), the Bricks shine a light on 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. We also highlight the work of architects, agencies and those behind large schemes.
The glittering awards ceremony revealing winners, at the famous Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, will also offer the perfect chance to forge new contacts with property and construction professionals from across the region.
The event will additionally feature Paul Southby, partner at Geldards LLP, chair of the Advisory Board to Nottingham Business School, chair of Broadway independent cinema, trustee of Clean Rivers Trust, chair of Nottingham Partners, board member of Marketing Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, and former High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire as keynote speaker.
To nominate your (or another) business/development for one of our awards, please click on a category link below or visit this page.
Award categories include:
Tickets can now be booked for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2024 – click here to secure yours.
The special awards evening and networking event will be held on Thursday 3rd October 2024 in the Derek Randall Suite at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground from 4:30pm – 7:30pm.
Connect with local decision makers over nibbles and complimentary drinks while applauding the outstanding companies and projects in our region.
Thanks to our sponsors:
- Most active 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, with the winner, and recipient of a year of marketing/publicity worth £20,000, selected from those nominated for the event’s other awards)
Nominations end Thursday 5th September
Tickets can now be booked for the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2024 – click here to secure yours.
The special awards evening and networking event will be held on Thursday 3rd October 2024 in the Derek Randall Suite at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground from 4:30pm – 7:30pm.
Connect with local decision makers over nibbles and complimentary drinks while applauding the outstanding companies and projects in our region.
Dress code is standard business attire.
To be held at:
Nottingham climate tech company raises £8m
A climate tech company that produces advanced materials for carbon capture and other uses has closed an £8m financing round.
The investment was led by Mercia Ventures and Aramco Ventures, with participation from existing investors including the Midlands Engine Investment Fund I (Equity Finance fund, managed by Foresight), the University of Nottingham, TSP Ventures, and the East Midlands Early Growth Fund (managed by the British Business Bank).
Promethean Particles is a chemical manufacturing company specialising in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), spun out from the University of Nottingham. The new investment will enable the Nottingham-based company to build a scaled-up manufacturing facility, expand the team, and implement further projects that demonstrate the potential of MOFs in energy transition applications.
MOFs are a class of materials composed of metal ions interconnected by organic molecules to form a porous, lattice-like structure. Their unique architecture gives them an exceptionally high surface area and customizable pore sizes, which allows them to trap and store gases and liquids efficiently. This makes MOFs highly effective for applications such as gas storage and separation, carbon capture, and catalysis.
The company has developed a proprietary continuous-flow reactor that not only dramatically improves the throughput and cost of MOF production, but also increases process reliability and consistency, without sacrificing critical quality parameters. Promethean currently produces a wide portfolio of MOFs for various customer applications including carbon capture and storage (CCS), biogas upgrading, water harvesting and gas separation and storage.
“The closing of our Series A round represents a significant milestone in the company’s growth journey, and we are delighted to welcome Mercia and Aramco Ventures to the Promethean team,” said James Stephenson, chief executive officer of Promethean.
“We are extremely grateful for the trust they have placed in us and are excited by their recognition of our business potential and the impact we can have on the world. It is increasingly evident that a viable carbon capture solution is required to help mitigate the effects of climate change.
“MOFs show significant promise as a technological solution and Promethean’s manufacturing technology enables their production at unprecedented scale and cost-effectiveness. I couldn’t be prouder of the Promethean team for all that they have accomplished to help make this investment a reality.”
Dr Marina Fuentes, investment manager at Mercia Ventures, said: “Promethean Particles is uniquely positioned to capitalise on the fast-growing MOF market through their innovative manufacturing reactor technology, which addresses the bottlenecks of cost and scalability.
“We are thrilled to support a highly capable team and a cutting-edge technology that has been developed over 15 years and is now ripe for commercialisation at scale. We are also excited to partner with Aramco Ventures, whose strategic expertise will bring significant value to the Board.”
Bruce Niven, head of strategic venturing at Aramco Ventures, said: “MOFs are an emerging class of materials with unique properties and wide-ranging applications including several in the energy transition domain. Promethean offers new capabilities to scale manufacturing of MOFs cost-effectively, which is a critical ingredient in unlocking the potential for these materials to gain widespread acceptance.”
Conversion is name of game as Press For Attention PR and Thrive Online Group UK announce partnership
Nottingham-based thought leadership specialist, Press For Attention PR and Thrive Online Group UK, a digital marketing powerhouse with roots in South Africa and a new Nottingham base, have announced a strategic partnership. This collaboration comes as Thrive Online Group UK rolls out its new UK office, headed by Mark Futcher from their West Bridgford HQ, and promises to enhance PR and digital marketing solutions for the clients of both businesses. Led by Greg Simpson, a former business journalist and published author on PR, Press For Attention PR works with clients across the UK and internationally, with a focus on experts and thought leadership driven campaigns. Thrive Online Group UK, with its digital advertising, web design, and SEO services, offers cost-effective solutions via their South African operations, seamlessly managed by their Nottingham team, led by Futcher. The firm’s clientele ranges from large blue-chip financial service companies to local county sports, international hospitality and tourism and regional business services. Greg Simpson, founder of Press For Attention PR, remarked: “We’re both big sports fans and whilst I’m a tennis player and Mark’s a cricketer there’s definitely a rugby vibe here in terms of playing to our different sizes and strengths. It all comes down to finding that perfect balance. Either way, we’re both aiming for a conversion, marketing wise, for our clients.” Mark Futcher, director at Thrive Online Group UK, added: “Just like our nations’ epic battles on the rugby field, our collaboration is set to bring out the best in both teams. Our clients will benefit from the efficiencies and expertise of our South African team, ensuring high-quality, cost-effective solutions with the highest levels of account management and customer service from right here in Nottingham.” This partnership will offer a comprehensive suite of services, including strategic PR campaigns, content marketing, digital advertising and tailored advisory services, designed to help businesses tell their stories more effectively.
