Occupational health business makes fresh acquisition
Northamptonshire-based Medigold Health has acquired Health Management in a move that will see the business become one of the country’s largest independent providers of workplace health and wellbeing solutions.
The acquisition has been supported by follow-on investment from BGF which has backed Medigold Health since 2017.
Health Management has been at the forefront of helping some of the nation’s most prestigious organisations to effectively manage the complex issues surrounding workplace health for over 20 years. With a workforce of 400 (over 30 per cent of whom are clinical professionals), it currently runs over 300 clinics nationally, providing services to over 400 clients and more than two million people.
Medigold Health’s takeover of Health Management is the latest in a series of acquisitions that has seen the company’s revenue grow by nearly 1,600 per cent in the last 12 years and comes at a time when demand for occupational health services is rapidly accelerating.
As a result of the deal, Medigold Health’s workforce will grow to over 1,100 (including a clinical cohort 600), who will now serve over 3,500 clients, representing c. 4.5 million employees (or 14% of the UK’s working population).
Medigold’s CEO Alex Goldsmith said: “The pandemic brought a fundamental shift in the way people work and how the workplace is defined, and that has forced employers to look with renewed focus at how they can adapt to better support the safety, health and wellbeing of their people as they compete to attract and retain the best talent.
“Organisations are rightly commanding more from their occupational health provision, and in response providers are increasingly having to invest more in developing new and innovative solutions, all against the backdrop of an increasingly challenging economic climate.
“In uniting decades of clinical heritage and expertise, our acquisition of Health Management will ensure we can continue meeting the current and emerging needs of the UK’s employers and, crucially, make our essential services more accessible to more businesses, allowing us to scale up our clinical capacity, expand our national footprint and broaden our offering.
“The prospect of being able to bring Health Business’s hugely talented team on board was too enticing an opportunity to turn down and I am hugely excited for what lies ahead as we begin the process of blending our two great companies together over the coming months.”
Fiona Gibson, investor at BGF, said: “We’re delighted to be providing follow-on funding to Medigold. Alex and the team are building a market leader in the field of occupational health and we look forward to supporting their ambitions on the next stage of their growth journey.”
Margaret McNab, Managing Director of Health Management, added: “This acquisition marks an exciting new chapter for Health Management, building on our 20-year track record as a trusted occupational health partner to some of country’s leading companies. We are looking forward to working with the Medigold Health team to deliver on our shared mission of helping even more employers to keep their people in work, safe and well.”
City centre car park to be redeveloped into affordable homes
Derby City Council has revealed plans to build new affordable homes on an under-used city centre car park.
Under the proposals, the Drewry Lane Car Park would become home to 17 properties which would be owned by Derby City Council, and available to rent through Derby Homefinder. A design for six townhouses and eleven apartments has been prepared and will shortly be submitted for planning approval.
Due to several nearby car parks with better access to the city centre, Drewry Lane car park has the lowest usage of any of the Council’s car parks. Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, only a handful of vehicles were using its 48 spaces each day.
Councillor Roy Webb, Cabinet Member for Adults, Health and Housing, said: “Creating new Council homes is a key priority for us, and this development would be a step towards achieving our goal to build or acquire around 100 new homes per year over the next 30 years.
“By repurposing land which is being under-utilised, we can not only improve areas requiring attention within the city centre but also provide affordable and energy efficient homes for residents who need them.”
The new homes aim to meet the Future Homes Standard, with high levels of insulation, solar panels and electric heating or air source heat pumps. This would enable residents to not only access affordable properties in the city centre but also save money on their energy bills from day one. The development will be funded by the Council’s Housing Revenue Account.
If the plans are approved and planning permission is granted, work on the site could start in late 2023, with the new homes completed in early 2025.
Major transformations at Derby Riverside set to move a step closer
A series of major transformations at Derby Riverside are set to move a step closer as proposals head to Cabinet next week.
The work at Derby Riverside will complete the next phase of the Our City, Our River project, and will deliver new flood defences, a desirable urban community, and further sustainable development opportunities.
A planning application has been submitted, and subject to approval, works will start on site in 2024.
At the centre of the plans is the creation of a new flood wall running from Causey Bridge in the north to the railway at Derwent Bridge, future proofing the area against the effects of climate change. The wall would offer enhanced protection to residents, businesses, and transport infrastructure, particularly at Exeter House, Raynesway and Meadow Lane.
Improvements would also provide the protection and resilience needed to allow the delivery of new, high-quality homes, creating a sustainable urban community that contributes to the city’s housing needs.
Several office buildings are proposed to be removed around Stuart Street and Derwent Street. The remaining land will then be transformed with sustainable developments and green open spaces along the river, unlocking its potential for leisure and enjoyment through improved access, experiences and biodiversity.
To deliver these improvements, the Council will work with landowners and businesses to purchase the land and property required. This includes Peat House, Epworth House and Derwent Court on Stuart Street, and Crompton House and Bio House on Derwent Street. The Council is already in negotiations with affected parties and has offered support with relocation where appropriate.
The OCOR project was awarded extra government funding in 2021 and 2022 to deliver Derby Riverside.
Cabinet will be asked to approve the next phase of activity, including design, procurement and construction, as well as the plan for acquiring land, and the acceptance of a further £1m of funding from the Environment Agency.
Councillor Steve Hassall, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Decarbonisation & Strategic Planning & Transport, said: “Derby riverside presents an exciting opportunity to transform the area for the better, opening up new spaces and opportunities. We know the importance of protecting livelihoods and businesses, and these flood defence works will provide resilience to key employment areas of the city.
“There is still work to be done to achieve the desired outcomes, and we will now wait for Cabinet to approve the next steps.
“We have worked closely with stakeholders throughout this process and will continue to do so. We’d like to thank the Environment Agency for their ongoing support throughout the Our City, Our River project.”
Winning blend as Starbucks deal sealed
A new Starbucks drive-thru has opened in the East Midlands following a deal brokered by commercial property consultancy Johnson Fellows.
The launch of the coffee shop at Meltham Lane, Chesterfield, takes 1 Oak Ltd’s portfolio of Starbucks sites to nine.
Johnson Fellows’ retail agency partner Chris Gaskell negotiated a 20-year lease on the 2,200 sq ft unit on behalf of 1 Oak Ltd with landlord Arnold Clark Automobiles Ltd.
He said: “It is very satisfying to see 1 Oak Ltd launch its ninth Starbucks coffee shop. We’ve worked with them for many years as they have expanded their portfolio and this is their biggest and best Starbucks to date. They’ve created a winning blend and we wish the company well with their latest venture.”
Forterra hails “strong” 2022
Forterra has hailed “strong” 2022 results, with revenue and profits growing against a backdrop of severe cost inflation.
The brickmaker posted revenue of £455.5m, up from £370.4m in 2021, while profit before tax increased to £70.6m from £50.7m.
The firm’s new Desford brick factory is now operational, with first brick despatches expected shortly, its £30m Wilnecote brick factory redevelopment has commenced with recommissioning expected in Q4 2023, and contracts have been signed for a £12m facility to manufacture clay brick slips with first production in H1 2024.
Stephen Harrison, Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are pleased with our strong performance in 2022 against a backdrop of severe cost inflation.
“The short-term outlook for the UK housing market remains uncertain. We saw signs of softening demand towards the end of 2022, and this continued into 2023, partly driven by customer inventory reduction.
“Whilst we expect demand for our products to fall in 2023 relative to 2022, we are encouraged by falling mortgage rates and recent reports of improving reservation rates. We wait to see how our customers’ spring new house selling season develops, as this will be a key determinant of demand in the current year.
“Against the continuing inflationary environment we have been able to implement further selling price increases at the beginning of 2023 and secure at least 80% of this year’s energy requirement.
“We remain confident that Forterra is well positioned to face these uncertain times. We began this year with minimal inventory, and are well practiced in managing our production capacity utilisation and cost base.
“With our new Desford factory now operational, we also expect to benefit from the industry-leading efficiency this will offer, manufacturing a range of products ideally suited to displace imported bricks. Alongside this, we possess a strong balance sheet with minimal debt and have recently extended our credit facility.
“Based on our assumption of a 20% fall in underlying demand relative to 2022, mitigated to some extent by the substitution of imported bricks, the Board’s expectations for the Group’s 2023 performance remain unchanged.
“Customer inventory reduction is expected to disproportionately impact H1 performance, resulting in full year revenue and earnings being H2 weighted. In the medium-term we continue to expect to benefit from the attractive UK market fundamentals of population growth, housing undersupply, a shortage of domestically-produced bricks and an increasing focus on the quality of housing stock.”
New Nottingham office for law firm
National consultancy law firm Excello Law has opened a new office in Nottingham and welcomed a significant team move with the arrival of insolvency, corporate recovery and dispute resolution specialists Nicky Calthrop-Owen, Victoria Dunstall and Annabel Whittaker, who have joined from local firm Actons.
The opening of the Nottingham office, in the Dryden Enterprise Centre, brings Excello’s national office network to 11 locations offering its 200+ consultant lawyers modern, city-centre facilities for hybrid and collaborative working as well as client meetings.
The new insolvency team joins local real estate solicitors Matthew Neiland and Michaela Story, and a wider Midlands team of 35 based out of Birmingham and Leicester.
Nicky qualified as a solicitor in 1990 and became a licensed insolvency practitioner in 1998. She has been consistently recognised by the Legal 500 and Chambers legal directories and advises clients in complex insolvency / restructuring matters and partnership disputes.
Annabel is dual qualified as a solicitor in 2006, and an insolvency practitioner in 2012, providing legal advice on all corporate and personal insolvency matters, while Victoria, who qualified in 2001 and gained the diploma in advanced litigation in 2005, specialises in both contentious and non-contentious corporate and personal insolvency matters. Both are ranked as Next Generation Partners in Legal 500.
On joining the firm, Annabel said: “We have reached a point in our careers where we are confident that our reputation and experience enables us to generate our own work, and additional work we can refer to solicitors in other practice areas. The freedom and responsibility offered by Excello Law’s structure and ethos was the main attraction of our move to an established and successful consultancy practice.”
Joanne Losty, chief operating officer at Excello, said: “Nottingham is an increasingly important commercial hub and it is great for us to have office facilities at the heart of our client base. Our team is all locally-based and this solidifies our presence in the area, giving us a visible platform to recruit more consultant lawyers in the region.
“We have the largest office network of any of the consultancy firms – and it was a natural extension of our growth ambitions in the central region to open new facilities in the East Midlands to support our team. We’re delighted to have a permanent base in the city and look forward to recruiting more lawyers to the firm.”
Notts manufacturer creates 25 jobs following £150,000 investment
A Nottingham-based performance doorset manufacturer is set to increase its efficiency and production capabilities, while creating 25 jobs in the local area, thanks to a finance package from Lloyds Bank.
Integrated Doorset Solutions, part of the IDSL Group, manufactures performance timber doorsets for customers in the education, healthcare, commercial, residential and accommodation sectors, working with clients such as Unite Students, Balfour Beatty and MACE. The business is active in the domestic market, as well as serving customers in Ireland and oversees.
To support its growth ambitions and increased demand for its products, the business approached Lloyds Bank securing a £150,000 hire purchase funding package that is being used to purchase new automatic sanding machines.
The new sanders will further enhance the quality of products produced by Integrated Doorset Solutions, creating a more superior finish. It will also provide operational efficiencies, saving two people per shift, who can be deployed elsewhere to increase production capabilities. The automated machine also improves safety for colleagues, including entirely removing the risk of injury caused by long term exposure to vibration produced by traditional machinery.
The investment in new sanding equipment is part of a larger £4 million investment made in the business over the past three years. Other improvements include a new racking system, which enables the manufacturer to safely store more timber to protect against supply chain disruption, an automated spray finishing line to apply coatings, and a high-tech edge banding centre to more efficiently lip and edge its performance door products.
With the new technology in place, the business will be able to grow and work on more projects than ever before, allowing Integrated Doorset Solutions to employ a further 25 staff over the next 12 months.
The investment will also support the manufacturer’s growth plans, with ambitions to increase revenues from £37 million gross across the group this year, to over £50 million.
Founded in 2015, the business has grown four-fold, with four businesses now trading within the group – Integrated Doorset Solutions, Performance Joinery Limited, Fire Door Inspection Solutions Limited and Fire Door Inspection Solutions (Southern) Limited.
Nigel Richmond, chairman at Integrated Doorset Solutions, said: “When most people were forced to down tools during the peak of the Coronavirus pandemic, we were busier than ever, working overtime to manufacture antibacterial doors for the Nightingale and Aspire hospitals across the country. More recently, as people return to cities and offices, we’ve seen a surge in demand from office and apartment builders, and there’s no sign of this slowing down anytime soon.
“The support from Lloyds Bank has been invaluable in helping us to expand. We’ve been able to introduce new technology that will not only support our growth and increase our efficiency, but ensure we have the best equipment for our employees. We’re excited about the year ahead and look forward to welcoming a number of new colleagues to our team over the next year.”
Mark Smith, relationship director at Lloyds Bank, said: “Integrated Doorset Solutions has been a customer of ours for more than six years and during that time we’ve supported them to achieve significant and impressive growth.
“Nigel and the team provide some of the highest quality specialist doors across the UK and are always looking for new ways to innovate and grow their offering. We’ll continue to be by the side of businesses like this across the region to help them capitalise on future growth opportunities.”
Marchini Curran Associates partners with JUNO Women’s Aid to create safe spaces for all
Nottingham-based architects and interior designers, Marchini Curran Associates, has teamed up with local charity JUNO Women’s Aid, for a long-term partnership based around creating safe spaces for those in need.
Driven by shared values, the partnership will bring together an exchange of knowledge and skills with a purpose of optimising security and refuge for survivors of domestic abuse in Nottingham.
JUNO Women’s Aid is one of the most prominent domestic abuse organisations in the UK, and the largest in the city, working with women, children, and young people to protect survivors – encouraging safety, support and strength.
Marchini Curran Associates will be raising funds, as well as providing expert design advice for JUNO’s refuge accommodation team, to ensure security and comfort is optimal.
In exchange, the experts at JUNO will be providing specialist consultancy support on how to spot the signs of domestic abuse, challenge taboos and help vulnerable people in need.
The mutually beneficial partnership will utilise combined expertise to improve the lives of those affected by domestic abuse in Nottingham and will be part of wider fundraising efforts that will take place this year.
Kevin Smith, director at Marchini Curran Associates, said: “We’re proud to announce our partnership with JUNO Women’s Aid, a charity whose aims and values resonate with us as designers of spaces to live in, spaces to work in – spaces that should be safe.
“As part of the knowledge exchange, we’re looking forward to receiving vital education to help with spotting the signs of abuse, which will allow us to safeguard those we feel are at risk and spread our learnings to our wider network.”
Lauren Leyva, architectural assistant at Marchini Curran Associates, who has been working closely with the JUNO team, said: “As part of our partnership with JUNO, we want to challenge the social stigma around domestic abuse conversations. Protecting women and children, whether it is through design or through raising awareness, is something we hope to achieve, and we look forward to learning more about these issues.”
Alongside the knowledge exchange, any donations raised through fundraising activities by Marchini Curran Associates will be used to help JUNO continue its vital work in the community.
Yasmin Rehman, CEO of JUNO Women’s Aid, said: “We’re excited to announce our partnership and are looking forward to working closely with Marchini Curran Associates, sharing our expertise and working together to make safer spaces for women and children.”
Works get underway on new 20-acre Lincoln employment site
Local contractor and property developer, Stirlin, has commenced works on a new commercial site in Saxilby, Lincoln, which will create hundreds of new jobs.
The new site, known as Enterprise West Lindsey, will provide up to 350,000 sq ft of commercial development opportunity, delivered by Stirlin in partnership with Castle Square Developments.
Enterprise West Lindsey is prominently located on Skellingthorpe Road, opposite Stirlin Court and adjacent the established Riverside Enterprise Park (by Stirlin and Castle Square), benefitting from convenient access to the A1 and A46 Lincoln bypass.
Stirlin are well underway with the first phase of works on site, while working alongside a general ecologist to ensure protection of the natural environment. Phase one includes all main infrastructure works, such as the installation of a pumping station and foul drainage, as well as surface water and access roads, taking it from a greenfield site to development parcels which are ready for building out.
Tony Lawton, Stirlin, says: “We are delighted to commence infrastructure works at Enterprise West Lindsey. This scheme has been several years in the making, so this is a real milestone for all involved. Enterprise West Lindsey will provide employment opportunities for years to come, supporting the continued growth of the economy in Greater Lincoln.”
Surveyor at Banks Long & Co, Harry Collins, says: “We have been working alongside Stirlin and Castle Square Developments for some time to bring this scheme together, it is fantastic to see the hard work coming to fruition and to bring this excellent scheme to the market. Enterprise West Lindsey will conclude another exciting development within Saxilby – an ever growing industrial/employment location near Lincoln.”
Trident completes extensive refurb at one of Europe’s largest retirement villages
Trident Construction Services has completed its largest refurbishment contract to date after a £2.2m modernisation project at Lark Hill Retirement Village, near Nottingham.
The company remodelled and upgraded a number of communal, staff and visitor areas at the site, which is the run by The ExtraCare Charitable Trust.
The work included refurbishing and modernising the bar and bistro, village hall and stage, reception, and main thoroughfares, the Skylark Lounge, craft and multi-use rooms, the gym, yoga studio and changing rooms, the hairdressing salon, launderette, along with staff rooms and staff sleeping quarters, and a guest suite apartment.
Lark Hill, situated on the outskirts of Nottingham at Clifton, remained occupied throughout the 42-week project, which was completed in six phases and on budget.
Craig Johnston, a director at Trident Construction Services, based at Clay Cross, near Chesterfield in Derbyshire, and contracts manager for the project, said: “We were delighted to have been awarded this contract at Lark Hill, helping to enhance facilities for residents and staff.
“Meticulous communication and planning for this extensive and inspiring scheme was imperative, given the nature of the site and the fact that it remained occupied throughout the entire programme of modernisation work.
“We are proud to have built up an excellent relationship with the village staff and residents during the course of this phased remodelling and refurbishment scheme, which has provided Lark Hill with some excellent new modern facilities.
“Trident has previous experience of working in the care sector at Kettering Hospital, the Royal British Legion care home Galanos House in Warwickshire, and ExtraCare’s Pannel Croft Village in Newtown, Birmingham, but this was our most extensive and long-running project to date, and we couldn’t be more proud of the result.”
Lark Hill has 327 one and two bedroom apartments and bungalows, and is home to more than 400 residents. Built in 2009, it came under the spotlight when it featured in Channel 4’s Old People’s Home for Four-year-olds in 2018.
The refurbishment project has been a significant investment in the site.
Kevan Murray, location manager at Lark Hill, said: “This project has been ExtraCare’s most adventurous and comprehensive modernisation project to date.
“The team worked extremely hard whilst retaining a person-centred approach which has been unique and refreshing. Ultimately, I couldn’t have hoped for a better team of people to work with on this project.
“This project absolutely helps us to deliver on our mission ‘better lives for older people’, and on top of communal spaces for our residents, Trident have also supported with staff areas, meeting rooms, training suites, sleep-in rooms, offices and guest suite for family and friends to stay over. All these areas have been completed to a very high standard, transforming the look and feel of the environment which will again, I feel, help take us to the next level.”
Other members of the Trident team included director and quantity surveyor Jamie Keegans and project manager Aiden Hawkins. Employers agent for the scheme was Baily Garner LLP, architect was Nicol Thomas Architects, while Engineering Services Design (ESD) provided mechanical and electrical engineering consultancy.
