MTMS wins major Hitachi Rail contract
UK rail depot maintenance firm MTMS has been given the supportive task of ensuring some of the country’s most iconic trains remain clean, fast and reliable after it won a major contract with Hitachi Rail.
The firm, based in Swadincote, Derbyshire, has been chosen by Hitachi Rail to provide comprehensive and round-the-clock maintenance and servicing support at all of its Train Maintenance Centres (TMCs) which are home to the company’s Class 800 Inter City series.
The Class 800s comprise several fleets, including 65 trains which operate on the East Coast Mainline as well as 93 trains on the Great Western Mainline.
MTMS will provide equipment and support the maintenance of the depot infrastructure to keep the state-of-the-art trains operating at the highest levels of excellence and reliability.
This includes maintaining carriage washing facilities, the servicing spines and fuel arms – all of which are service critical service systems for Hitachi Rail.
MTMS will also provide 24/7 call out support for service critical equipment as part of an initial three-year deal, and has also already undertaken depot improvements such as the winterisation of servicing equipment and installation of footpaths across several Hitachi Rail TMCs.
Malcolm Prentice, chairman of MTMS, said: “After three years of building our partnership with Hitachi Rail Europe, the new contract is a big vote of confidence in our people and in the MTMS way of doing things.
“It shows that we’re now a market leader in providing the kind of depot services that are vital to train fleet owners and operators in ensuring the reliability and attractiveness of services to bring back passengers as the pandemic recedes.”
Sean Denington, head of facilities of Hitachi Rail, said: “MTMS is part of the great tradition of rail businesses based in the East Midlands and we’re delighted to be working with the company to help us in delivering excellence through our train fleet to operators, passengers and the communities on the routes that we serve.”
Sherwood to submit bid for round two of Levelling Up Fund
Newark and Sherwood District Council will submit a bid to the Government for round two of the Levelling Up Fund (LUF) for Sherwood.
Following the District Council’s successful bid in July 2021 for round one of funding for Newark, the District Council is preparing a submission of up to three projects focused for the Sherwood area. Projects must fit the themes of transport, regeneration / town centre or culture.
Projects being considered for inclusion include the development of the Ollerton Hub, which will provide new retail, office and residential uses and connect the high street to the Sherwood Energy Village and Tesco. The Hub will also host Ollerton and Boughton Town Council and Newark and Sherwood District Council’s local services.
Also being considered is the redevelopment of an industrial site on Mansfield Road in Clipstone. The redevelopment would transform the area into a highly energy-efficient, low carbon, renewable energy-gathering industrial park of 1,000 – 4,000 sq ft units. It would also address the severe market shortage of similar size and quality stock units and allow low tenant costs in addition to business support via the District Council’s Economic Growth team. The project would create new business opportunities providing investment, skills and employment opportunities for the area.
Several additional projects could qualify for a third priority project for inclusion in the bid, including a Clipstone Sports Hub and the redevelopment of the former Rufford Colliery. The options are being assessed before submission in early July 2022.
The Sherwood Levelling Up Steering Board, consisting of the District Council and over 40 public, private and voluntary sector partners, will convene in June to consider which proposals should be included. Views will be supplemented by the results of an online consultation survey.
Councillor Rhona Holloway, portfolio holder for economic development and visitors at Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: “This is an incredibly exciting opportunity for Sherwood. It is our hope that with this submission to Government for round two of the Levelling Up Fund, we are able to build upon our success from round one and bring these aspirational plans for regeneration and growth to the Sherwood area.
“Our staff, members and partners continue to work tirelessly to put together this important bid in order to meet the submission deadline of 6 July.”
The Levelling Up Fund is a £4.86 billion capital fund inviting proposals from local authority areas for investment in places where it can make the biggest difference to everyday life and support genuine local problems. Newark and Sherwood District Council successfully submitted a ‘Newark’ parliamentary area bid for £20 million towards the Newark Southern Link Road (SLR) in July 2021. It was one of 17 successful bids out of 84 UK authorities that submitted and the only successful bid from a Nottinghamshire district. Of these, only 13 local authorities nationally secured funding with the Department for Transport and Newark and Sherwood is the only district council in the country to do so.
Cleaning up – family firm reaches major milestone thanks to record Q1 streak
A Northampton-based domestic cleaning business has reached a major milestone after securing its 150th UK franchisee.
The milestone comes after a record start to the year, which saw 10 franchisees join Time For You in Q1 alone.
Curiously, Time For You franchisees don’t actually do any cleaning, instead, they access a business model that attracts the cleaners, whilst they focus on running a profitable franchise.
Meanwhile, the team at Time For You’s franchise headquarters help to drive demand from the local customer base via marketing and administrative support.
It was set up by husband and wife team Freddie and Ruth Rayner in 2001 and has grown sustainably ever since, with global expansion now on the cards as son Sam Stawarz takes over as Managing Director.
Sam says: “It has been an incredible start to 2022. There are many reasons behind the boom in our franchisees but there is no doubt that more and more business-minded people are exploring new opportunities post-pandemic as they seek to take control of their future.
“The demand for reliable, professional domestic cleaning is huge. It sounds odd that you can own a cleaning franchise without actually doing any cleaning yourself but we operate a different model and it is very successful. We are already up on last year’s total, have reached 150 franchisees in the UK and are now exploring opportunities in Europe, Canada and Australia.”
The idea for the business came when co-founder Freddie Rayner was at one of his lowest points in his professional life.
Freddie explains: “I’d run a successful commercial cleaning company for many years but suffered from a series of major contracts failing. I knew I had a good core business, I just needed to tweak the offering. I switched to the consumer market but kept the focus as B2B by selling to franchisees and then helping them sell to the public with a robust system they can ‘plug and play’.
“It has paid off as we now clean over 45,000 homes a week across the UK.
“On paper we are a cleaning business but we’re actually in the ‘free time’ business when it comes to what we actually deliver for our clients who hire our cleaners through our franchise network. I’m delighted that Sam is stepping up to lead this exciting new era and that we remain a strong, successful and sustainable family business.”
CBI strengthens Midlands team with key appointment
The CBI has bolstered its Midlands team with the appointment of a new associate director – who aims to support businesses through the challenges ahead and help them secure fresh opportunities to prosper.
Matthew Lowe joined the CBI in 2020, and during his time as a senior policy advisor was the organisation’s lead on freeports and levelling up, as well as co-lead of its LGBT+ Allies Network.
Prior to joining the CBI, he worked in lobbying and policy development within the British Chambers of Commerce network, operating across the Midlands and winning a Chambers Fellowship for his HS2 policy work in Staffordshire.
He is also a qualified teacher specialising in geography, government and politics, and humanities.
Matthew is the second associate director appointed within the CBI’s Midlands team in recent months, following the arrival of Nicola Adams. The two will work alongside Midlands deputy director Nikki Paterson in advocating for the region’s businesses, and delivering on CBI ambitions for economic growth as laid out in its strategic vision Seize The Moment.
Regional priorities include action to boost skills, increase investment and drive infrastructure improvements.
Matthew Lowe, CBI associate regional director for the Midlands, said: “Businesses have faced a tough few years, with the pandemic, supply chain disruption, labour challenges and a growing cost-of-living crisis. During that time, I have seen first-hand how important the CBI can be in influencing positive change on behalf of its members, the wider business community and Midlands society.
“The priority now must be to overcome these challenges while plotting a course to a more prosperous future. That means driving action to grow skills and investment, alongside delivering on ambitions to level up the UK and meet net zero targets.
“I look forward to working closely with businesses from Shrewsbury to Skegness to identify and capitalise upon new opportunities for growth and create an even more thriving Midlands economy.”
Nikki Paterson, CBI Midlands deputy director, said: “I am thrilled to see Matthew progress to this new role within the CBI team; his knowledge of the challenges and opportunities facing Midlands businesses means he has all the right tools to help our members to achieve their ambitions.
“The past two years have been immensely tough for businesses, but the CBI’s Midlands team stands ready to help them bounce back and plot a new trajectory towards a prosperous, equitable and sustainable future.”
Rick Blackmore, CBI Midlands director, said: “I am delighted to see the Midlands team at full capacity, and look forward to working with Nikki, Nicola and Matt to deliver on the issues that matter to CBI members throughout the region.”
Car showroom sold for £5.6m in Derby
Custodian REIT, the UK property investment company, has sold a car showroom in Derby.
The company has sold a 24,178 sq ft car showroom let to Volkswagen for £5.6 million, £1.2 million (26%) ahead of the 31 March 2022 valuation, representing a net initial yield of 5.7%.
Commenting on the disposal, Richard Shepherd-Cross, Managing Director of Custodian Capital Limited (the company’s external fund manager), said: “This asset has provided a healthy level of income over our five years of ownership and is being sold to a ‘special purchaser’ at a significant profit.
“We have a strong pipeline of assets on which to redeploy the proceeds of this sale with better rental growth and asset management prospects.”
Derby-based building products supplier on track for record-breaking year
Despitethe industry’s ongoing stock shortages, leading supplier of specialist building products, PermaGroup, has continued to pride itself on providing permanent solutions to age old problems – stepping outside the box to successfully navigate the sector’s challenges.
Although there is little that can be done to improve the supply chain issues, aside from waiting for the worst to pass, PermaGroup has continued to follow its unique approach to ensure customers are still catered for.
Adrian Buttress, managing director of PermaGroup, said: “I’m proud of the way we have responded as a company to the stock shortages, which have been an issue since early 2020. We’ve taken decisive action to support our customers and stayed flexible to allow us to respond quickly to the changing circumstances.”
Having implemented a three-pronged approach at the start of the crisis, involving purchasing in bulk, establishing CPD seminars to upskill individuals and rewarding customer loyalty, PermaGroup’s strategy has paid off, reaching all of its key KPIs, and exceeding many, in the first four months of the year.
The first quarter of 2022 also saw PermaGroup expand its board, welcoming new investment and expertise to support and bolster the company’s ambitious plans for growth and strengthen its leadership team – safeguarding the business’ future.
Adrian added: “Recently, I made the decision to sell some of my shareholding to a private equity company and bring on new board members – something that had always been part of my plans when I became MD. Now was the perfect time to implement this, as it has allowed us to reset targets, adapt our strategy and prepare confidently for the coming years.”
James Wooster, director of Owner Venture Managers, the additional shareholder alongside Adrian, said:” PermaGroup is an innovative business and I’m eager to join the board to support its future success as it continues to grow from strength to strength to service more customers than ever before. Adrian’s remarkable leadership has seen it thrive, despite the challenges of the past couple of years, and it’s a journey I’m excited to be on.”
Adrian added: “The coming year is full of possibilities for us and, as we look ahead, I want to continue delivering the best possible solutions to our customers, no matter the obstacles. As a business, this is our number one priority and, with several potential acquisitions on the horizon, alongside the introduction of a southern and northern base as well, there’s a lot to look forward to.”
Fresh start for Derby primary school rebuilt after fire
A Derby primary school destroyed by fire in October 2020 reopens today following a £6.9m rebuild.
Pupils at Ravensdale Infant and Nursery School in Mickleover return to their new classrooms on Thursday 9 June, after a purpose-built replacement school was delivered on time and to budget.
The new, single storey building was designed by Lungfish Architects to be built with 58 modular units constructed off-site. The whole school arrived on site on lorries where it was assembled to deliver a high-quality modern school building.
The new building, which sits over the previous school footprint, has been reconfigured to provide efficient teaching and play space for 270 pupils, and a 26-place nursery, for children aged 3 to 7.
Derby City Council appointed Morgan Sindall Construction to build the three-form-entry school. Work began in July 2021 and the construction was completed in just 45 weeks, allowing pupils to return to their building as soon as possible. It also meant minimal disruption to the neighbouring Junior school, which shares site and access routes and utilities with the infant school.
The fire caused “extensive damage” and saw 12 fire engines and two aerial ladder platforms from across Derbyshire sent to the scene. It caused a huge loss, with everything in the infant school either being burnt or damaged by smoke and water.
The new school also has sprinklers. Derby City Council signed a statement of intent to fit sprinklers and fire safety measures in new-build schools and primary and secondary schools undergoing significant renovation, refurbishment, or extension for projects undertaken by the Council.
Councillor Evonne Williams, cabinet member for children, young people & skills at Derby City Council, said: “This is a joyous milestone for all staff and pupils at the school and I am pleased to see the school rebuilt to the highest standards, on budget and on time.
“This has been possible because of excellent partnership working between Ravensdale School staff, the governing body, and school leadership team, Morgan Sindall Construction, Lungfish Architects and the Council.
“It was deeply upsetting to see the destruction caused by the fire, but these fantastic facilities will help pupils make the most of the first stages of their learning journey.
“Losing a school has an enormous community impact, and my thanks go to the schools who offered space for Ravensdale children while the building work was ongoing.”
Lorna Blanchenot, headteacher at Ravensdale Infant and Nursery School, added: “It’s amazing to finally be home and all back together with our staff, children and families all under one roof. Our new school is a fabulous, modern school and we are really excited and ready to make new memories together here.
“I’d like to say a huge thank you to all of the Ravensdale Infant and Nursery School staff and community, to Derby City Council and to Morgan Sindall for everyone’s hard work over every single step of journey in getting us back home.
“All the children are very excited to begin learning in their new school and the staff have already made it a magical place to learn in and to make our community feel safe, happy and able to reach their full potential.”
Richard Fielding, area director at Morgan Sindall Construction, said: “Given the extensive destruction caused by the fire, speed to market was absolutely crucial to ensure minimal disruption to the pupils and the local community. Thanks to the SCAPE procurement method and the level of collaboration between the Ravensdale school staff, councils, Lungfish Architects, and our Morgan Sindall team, we were able to turn the project around in 45 weeks and we’re now delighted to hand over the brand-new facilities.
“A huge thanks must also go to the neighbouring schools who kindly accommodated the Ravensdale pupils whilst building works were underway. This project really is a testament to what can be achieved when everyone comes together as a community.”
Chesterfield solar power solutions company snapped up
Mitie Group is set to acquire Custom Solar, a Chesterfield-based solar power solutions company specialising in the development, design, installation and maintenance of solar power systems for public and private sector clients.
Custom Solar’s design and installation expertise, combined with Mitie’s project management and mobile engineering offering, will “support Mitie’s ambition to be a leading provider of end-to-end green energy solutions.”
The transaction consideration comprises an initial payment of £8m, with deferred payments in aggregate of up to £4.4m by the end of FY25, linked to performance targets. The transaction is expected to complete on 30 June.
For the 12 months ended 31 March 2022, Custom Solar generated revenues of £15m and profit before tax of £2m and had gross assets of £7m.
The staff and senior management team of Custom Solar, including Managing Director, Matthew Brailsford, will join Mitie to help drive the business forward.
Simon Venn, Managing Director, Technical Services, Mitie, said: “The acquisition of Custom Solar continues Mitie’s strategy of investing in high growth, high return businesses within the energy and decarbonisation market to help our customers accelerate their path to Net Zero.
“Custom Solar’s expertise in large scale commercial solar deployments, combined with Mitie’s high voltage connection and project management expertise, will enable us to offer end-to-end renewable power generation at scale. With our client base including national brands, public sector organisations and critical infrastructure providers, this is yet another element of our support to help decarbonise Britain.”
Forge new connections at the East Midlands Bricks Awards 2022
Taking place on Thursday 15 September, at the Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, the highly anticipated East Midlands Bricks Awards 2022 will celebrate the region’s property and construction industry while providing a perfect opportunity to connect with local decision makers over canapés and complimentary drinks.
The event, taking place from 4:30pm – 7:30pm, will also feature John Forkin MBE DL, Managing Director at award-winning investment promotion agency Marketing Derby, as keynote speaker, as well as award-winning mind reader, magician, and professional mentalist Looch, who will bewilder and astonish guests during the evening’s networking.
Thanks to our sponsors:
Tickets can now be booked for the awards event – click here to secure yours.
With nominations OPEN for East Midlands Business Link’s annual Bricks Awards, it’s time to submit your entries for the prestigious event – showcase your business, team and projects. Award categories include: most active estate agent, commercial development of the year, responsible business of the year, residential development of the year, developer of the year, deal of the year, architects of the year, excellence in design, sustainable development of the year, contractor of the year, and overall winner. To submit a business or development please click on a category link below or visit this page.- Most active estate agent
- Commercial development of the year
- Responsible business of the year
- Residential development of the year
- Developer of the year
- Deal of the year
- Architects of the year
- Excellence in design
- Sustainable development of the year
- Contractor of the year
- Overall winner (this award cannot be entered, the winner will be selected from those nominated)
To be held at:
Plans submitted for 90-home development near Louth
Developer Charterpoint has applied for outline planning permission to build up to 90 new homes on land in Louth.
It is proposed that the new properties on the 12 acre site off Daisy Way would include a mix of two to four bedroom homes. The development would also feature a children’s play area, surface water attenuation ponds, wildflower meadows, sustainable drainage and an amenity lawn for communal informal recreation.
Charterpoint has submitted outline plans for up to 90 homes and garages, plus associated highways, drainage and green infrastructure for the site to East Lindsey District Council.
Adrian Goose, CEO of Charterpoint, said: “This site is in an excellent location, on the northern edge of Louth, and would provide attractive accommodation for individuals and families close to the town.
“Charterpoint has extensive experience of delivering quality schemes and we are pleased to submit this application to create new homes close to all the services and amenities that Louth offers.”
The site, which is bounded by the A16 Louth bypass to the north west and by Westfield Park to the south and east, would be accessed off Daisy Way.
Charterpoint is proposing to include green infrastructure to provide an attractive quality environment for residents and visitors with consideration given to access for pedestrians and cyclists, enhancement of wildlife biodiversity, sustainable drainage solutions and promotion of use of outdoor spaces for improved mental and physical health and well-being.
Charterpoint also plans to incorporate open water, swales and ditches as part of the sustainable drainage strategy to contribute to local biodiversity.
The exact number and mix of new homes on the site, which is currently used as farmland, would be defined during detailed design stage.
It will now be down to East Lindsey District Council to determine the application.
