Space Park Leicester invites businesses to free manufacturing and technology workshops

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Space Park Leicester invites businesses to free manufacturing and technology workshops

Leicestershire SMEs are invited to expand their knowledge on additive manufacturing techniques and 3D printing in a series of free workshops taking place at Space Park Leicester.

Delivered by top academics from the University of Leicester’s STAR Accelerator programme, the best practice workshops are open to SMEs that are interested in finding out how to deliver new and innovative products, components and tooling to help “build a better world for tomorrow.”

Businesses interested in attending can sign-up to one of seven two-day workshops, with the first one taking place on July 6 and 7.

Vinay Patel, head of Space Technology Applications from Research (STAR) Accelerator & commercial manager, Space Park Leicester said: “On this course, you’ll gain an advanced introduction to additive manufacturing techniques and hands-on experience of 3D printing, with opportunities to explore materials and see how the equipment works.

“The course is aimed at Leicestershire-based SMEs from all sectors that may need help refining their product and planning development & manufacturing stages.”

He added: “The course aims to help businesses deliver new and innovative products, components and tooling across all sectors to help build a better world for tomorrow.”

Other dates available include: July 26 and 27, August 30 and 31, October 4 and 5, October 25 and 26, November 29 and 30, and January 17 and 18.

The workshops will cover a range of different topics including:

  • Main principles and benefits of Additive Manufacturing in polymers, metals, ceramics, composites and wax
  • Complete Additive Manufacturing workflow from design to manufacture
  • Technologies and their applications
  • Understanding of materials
  • Design rules for Additive Manufacturing
  • Finishing, inspection and quality assurance
  • Standards and product certification
  • Cost factors and equipment selection
  • The future of Additive Manufacturing.

The STAR Accelerator is funded by the University of Leicester and the European Regional Development Fund.

It provides the opportunity to work with space and engineering experts at the University of Leicester to accelerate the design, development, validation, and testing of a new product, prototype or demonstrator or tooling using state-of-the-art knowledge, design and manufacturing capabilities and facilities.

This includes:

·         Computer Aided Design

·         Precision Machining and Measurement

·         3D Printing (Additive Manufacturing) in metals, composites and wax

·         Prototype Build, Electronic Prototype Design or Build, Prototype Sensor Design or Build, Testing and Fault Finding.

Woodward Group bolsters team with ten spring hires

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Woodward Group bolsters team with ten spring hires

Burton-based mechanical and electrical contractors Woodward Group has added ten new faces to its team this spring, including four senior hires, to meet growing demand for its services in the region.

The new roles follow several project and client wins in the first half of the year for Woodward Group, a second-generation family business that provides electrical, fire, security, building and compliance services for commercial and industrial businesses nationwide.

James Butler joins as fire and security manager and will utilise his wealth of expertise to spearhead Woodward Group’s fire and security division and help develop the talented apprentices within the team.

Engineering veteran Andrew Ramsay also joins the senior team as mechanical engineering manager, where he will use his 30 years’ experience in the mechanical and electrical sector to help the company’s customers to diagnose and solve their problems with process improvements.

Process specialist Mike Woolley is appointed as projects manager to oversee operations of the company’s larger-scale project sites, while Sudhir Sehdeva joins as purchasing manager to lead supply chain initiatives and ensure seamless business delivery for the team.

Aden Woodward, Managing Director of Woodward Group, said: “Woodward Group has seen sustained growth in new client and project wins in the first half of 2022, particularly as our service offering continues to grow.

“Reflecting our commitment to organic growth – and to recruiting only top-level talent – James, Andrew, Mike and Sudhir’s appointments represent significant additions to our expanding team. It’s been a privilege to welcome ten new recruits to Woodward Group this spring and to see the team flourish.”

Other recent new hires for Woodward Group include Claire Miller, who joins the team as accounts administrator, Michael Grey as office administrator, Chris Staunton as fire and security engineer, Morgan Atkin as an electrician, Marcus Harding as an approved electrician, and Jack Morley as an apprentice.

ilke Homes and Man GPM partner to deliver 146 homes in Wellingborough

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ilke Homes and Man GPM partner to deliver 146 homes in Wellingborough
Modular housing builder ilke Homes and Man GPM, Man Group’s private markets investment business, have partnered to acquire an eight-acre site in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire from master developer Northants LLP, who were advised by their agents, Knight Frank. The site will deliver 146 multi-tenure single family homes including rental options. The range of accommodation will include four 4-bedroom homes, 59 3-bedroom homes, 67 2-bedroom homes, and 16 1- and 2-bedroom apartments. The homes will be manufactured offsite at ilke Homes’ 250,000 sq ft factory in Knaresborough, Yorkshire, before being delivered to Glenvale Park. Man GPM’s Community Housing strategy seeks to achieve the dual objectives of providing both social and financial returns, addressing the housing crisis in the UK by building homes that are affordable to households. The strategy invests and develops both rental and ownership homes, with a focus on addressing the housing challenges of ‘squeezed middle-income’ families who do not qualify for social housing and who are priced out of the housing market. Of the 146 homes being delivered, 101 will be made available at affordable rent levels and 45 for shared ownership, with the aim of improving access to high-quality housing for essential workers and middle-income families. Residents will benefit from a significant amount of local amenity which is being delivered as part of Glenvale Park’s wider masterplan. This includes a local centre with extensive retail and leisure amenities; two new primary schools; a community hub with a community centre, nursery, public square and family play park; a 25,000 sqm business park providing 3,000 new jobs; and 200 acres of parkland. The announcement marks the second partnership scheme between Man GPM and ilke Homes, following a £31 million deal to deliver a 227-home scheme in Grantham, Lincolnshire, announced in December 2020. Tom Heathcote, executive director of development at Ilke Homes, said: “ilke Homes is increasingly becoming a partner of choice for institutions looking to increase their exposure to the housing market. Our accredited modular methods of delivery will ensure that the scheme will align with Man GPM’s own, stringent ESG criteria, while also providing much-needed, energy-efficient homes for the local community. “We look forward to working with both local planning officials and other stakeholders to finalise plans for what will be a well-designed sustainable development, in keeping the wider Glenvale Park urban extension.” Shamez Alibhai, head of community housing and Managing Director at Man GPM, said: “We are delighted to be delivering a high-quality modern development which will make a positive contribution to easing local affordable housing shortages. “The scale of the housing shortfall across the UK requires innovative solutions, with consideration for social and environmental outcomes, to create high quality, sustainable communities. By partnering with ilke Homes to deliver modular housing at Glenvale Park we are not only building affordable homes but doing so in a way that underlines our commitment to sustainable and energy-efficient projects.” Jack Hutchinson, an associate in the residential investment team at Knight Frank, said: “We have witnessed a rapid acceleration in the volume of capital looking to enter the suburban build to rent market over recent months. There are currently around 2.3 million privately renting households living in the UK, and 60% of those rent houses instead of flats. Demand from renters for professionally managed family housing is growing significantly, so we’re delighted to broker this deal between Northants, Ilke Homes and Man GPM .” Mark Best, director of Northants LLP, said: “We are delighted to welcome Ilke Homes and Man GPM to Glenvale Park. These homes will bring an exciting new offering to the development, with Ilke’s pioneering and highly sustainable modular properties delivering professionally-managed family homes for rent within our growing community.”

Refurbishment sees respite service open in Worksop

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Refurbishment sees respite service open in Worksop
Rayner Davies Architects have completed the refurbishment of Whitegates in Worksop on behalf of Autism East Midlands. The £1million development on Sparken Hill has been created by the charity specifically to provide short-term accommodation. The service will run year-round to provide autistic individuals with specialist support, whilst providing their families and carers with a break. The building has been carefully transformed to create six self-contained apartments, each with its own lounge area, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom. While staying there, individuals will also have access to a shared outdoor gym and to the extensive grounds that surround the house. Originally built in 1898, Whitegates was a large villa designed by Flockton, Gibbs & Flockton of Sheffield for Arthur Staniforth Esq, a local stockbroker. The building has been thoroughly modernised with many of the original features retained and restored. Vaughandale Construction of Mansfield undertook the work.

Acorn Analytical Services appoints new director

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Acorn Analytical Services appoints new director
A Northampton-based asbestos management company has appointed a significant new hire for the business. Acorn Analytical Services has announced Sam Savage as its new commercial director. Sam joins the business from an asbestos consultancy in Daventry where he worked for more than 20 years, working his way up from a trainee right through to contracts director and then commercial director. In his new role with Acorn Analytical Services, Sam will looking after the sales function of the business as well as managing the day-to-day client care. The appointment can be regarded as a bit of a reunion with Sam having worked with fellow directors Neil Munro, Paul Knights and Ian Stone more than ten years ago. Sam said: “I am absolutely delighted to be starting a new position as the commercial director at Acorn Analytical Services and working with Ian, Paul and Neil again. “Acorn is a fantastically successful business with ambitions to grow further in the coming months and years. I can’t wait to get started and work with the team to realise those ambitions through managing the whole commercial aspect of the business and getting to know our clients and their needs well.” “We have known about Sam joining the business for some time now and is great to finally get this piece of news out there,” said Neil Munro. “We are very much looking forward to working with him again and seeing where we can take Acorn with Sam on board driving the commercial side of the business.” Ian Stone added: “Sam is a fantastic hire for Acorn and we are genuinely excited to have him on board. “With his 20+ years of experience in the asbestos industry, he will be a real asset to the company. Add to that, that we have previously experience of working with Sam, we know he will fit right in with the team and our clients. “We can’t wait to see what he can bring to the company in his new role as commercial director.”

Intoware appoints new marketing manager for future growth

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Intoware appoints new marketing manager for future growth
Nottingham-based digital workflow firm Intoware has appointed a new marketing manager to support the next phase of its growth. Elenor Gordon joins from Ochiba Business Solutions, an SAP Business One reseller, where she was marketing manager for seven years. In her new role, Elenor Gordon will lead Intoware’s marketing and brand activities as it continues to expand its global client base, reseller partnerships and develops its digital work-instruction platform, WorkfloPlus that empowers the frontline workforce through ‘connected working’. Elenor Gordon brings to the role more than 25 years of delivering strategic marketing campaigns for businesses, of which 14 years were working within the technology and software industries using her creative skills to deliver business growth. At Ochiba Business Solutions she was responsible for targeting various markets including manufacturing, marine, energy, construction and aerospace. Her career began at Kingston Business Communications Ltd, where she split her time between the IT and marketing departments. It was there that she realised the importance of technology for operating successful marketing operations and the value of bringing a logical approach to problem solving that she has used throughout her career. Intoware’s Chief Executive Officer, Keith Tilley, said: “We are delighted that Elenor is joining us at this time of rapid growth. The business landscape has changed dramatically since the pandemic, we have seen significant growth as businesses have accelerated their adoption of smart digital workflows to deliver more agile and cost-efficient industrial operations. Elenor’s experience and marketing knowledge will no doubt cement our market position and help maximise new opportunities.” Elenor Gordon added: “Intoware has led the way in digital workflow innovation, opening up new markets by helping clients to reap the benefits of digital connected working. I’m pleased to be joining Intoware at this time, it already has an impressive client list and great reputation, so I’m looking forward to building its brand through a powerful mix of both the analytical and creative sides of marketing.”

Lights, camera, action! Film production company looks to Derby for new studio

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Lights, camera, action! Film production company looks to Derby for new studio
UK-based film production company MARV Studios has approached Derby City Council with proposals to develop a state-of-the-art film studio and stunt training facility in Derby. The academy would be purpose-built and include a film studio; a fitness and rehabilitation centre, which would include a publicly accessible gym and sports facility; and a stunt training facility (Europe’s first). The anticipated £13million investment in the site is expected to generate economic and social benefits of over £12million a year, including local economy and supply chain spend, job creation at the academy, and a significant increase in visitors to Derby. The proposed site for the new studio is the former Aida Bliss factory, in Chester Green. Derby City Council’s Cabinet is expected to meet in June to discuss the proposals from MARV – who are creators of global blockbusters like Kingsman, Stardust and Rocketman. Proposals would see the former factory site sold to MARV to develop and repurpose the historically significant building, that has been vacant for almost 20 years. Councillor Chris Poulter, leader of Derby City Council, said: “This is an immensely exciting prospect for Derby, and a very different suggested use for the Aida Bliss site. “MARV Studios would be a fantastic media brand for us to attract to Derby, putting us on the map as a key player in the creative media sector. Of course, it would also contribute significantly to our aspirations to diversify the local economy and regenerate the city centre.” The Aida Bliss site was acquired by Derby City Council in 2018 to enable the construction of a new flood wall as part of the ‘Our City Our River’ (OCOR) scheme. This was completed and proved its worth straight away in the flood event of November 2019. More recently proposals for 74 new homes were drawn up and shared for consultation, with residents being asked their views on the plans. A planning application for the housing scheme is still anticipated but has not yet been submitted. Any sale of the site to MARV would be subject to planning permission being secured. “We’re keen to attract the best possible solution for the site, and any final decisions will of course be taken through the Council’s Cabinet to discuss. We will be arranging an opportunity for local residents to learn more about these proposals and will confirm the arrangements for this shortly,” said Councillor Chris Poulter. Residents will be able to ask any questions about the proposals at a drop-in session on Wednesday 1 June between 1.00pm and 3.00pm, at St Paul’s Church Hall on Seale Street. Damien Walters, a spokesperson from MARV Studios, added: “The academy will provide new studio space for MARV, the production company behind the Kingsman film franchise, and other leading international film and TV productions. In addition, it would accommodate Europe’s first stunt training academy, and also provide a National Centre of Excellence in areas of tumbling, trampolining and martial arts and Parkour. “Core to delivering the Centre of Excellence will be the opportunity for a wide range of local people and organisations to use the facility – from school children in Derby to world-class, high-performance athletes – this will support grassroots and community sports, as well as elite athletes and Olympians.”

Approval for new Central Library will see work start in July

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Approval for new Central Library will see work start in July
Councillors have approved plans for work to get underway on Nottingham’s new Central Library in July, creating a landmark development at the heart of the city’s regenerated Southside. The replacement for the old Central Library on Angel Row will be ready to open to the public next summer after the work to turn the building into a modern library has been completed. The City Council’s Executive Board was told that a number of assessments of the design and affordability of the scheme have been carried out and that careful management of the city’s property portfolio and successful sales have allowed £10.5m to be identified within the council’s capital programme for the work. The work involves turning the shell of the building – part of the new Broad Marsh Car Park and Bus Station complex – into a modern library, and so also involves installing new floors, lifts, electrics and plumbing. The new library, spread over three floors and fully accessible via lifts, will feature a high-quality children’s library with an immersive story telling room, extensive book collection and comfortable areas to sit and read. Other amenities will include:
  • Feature book walls and shelving to display a large collection of books
  • Free wi-fi and free access to computers, laptops and iPads
  • A café & ground floor reception area which can be converted into a performance space
  • Specialist and rare collections room for local study material
  • Learning lab for special activities and school class visits
  • Meeting rooms
  • Exhibition space
  • Creative design areas
  • Business Intellectual Property Centre for the city.
A new Central Library is one of the key elements of the regeneration of the city’s Southside area. The new library building is surrounded by transformed streets, with extensive pedestrianisation, planting and seating offering pleasant places to walk, cycle and relax. Similar work is also planned for Collin Street alongside the new library to become fully pedestrianised, with a new plaza planned to link through the demolished section of the former shopping centre to Lister Gate and the city centre beyond. A masterplan is in place outlining a vision for the Broad Marsh site, including green space, an enhanced entrance to the City of Caves attraction and a mixture of housing, retail and leisure uses. Providing a new Central Library was considered as part of a Libraries Needs Assessment looking at the whole of the library service, which identified it would play an important role in delivering part of the city’s overall offer – a view supported by feedback in the public consultation. Many residents used the Central Library as well as their own local library and valued the special function it plays in supporting the whole service.
Artist’s impression of the new Central Library reception area
City Council leader, Councillor David Mellen, said: “I’m really pleased that this key development in the regeneration of the city’s Southside can now go ahead. We have been committed to providing a new Central Library that meets modern needs and expectations, and while for a number of reasons it has taken a little longer to get to this stage, it’s exciting that work can get underway in a couple of months. “This will be a bright, state-of-the-art facility with a fantastic children’s library and some great features such as an immersive story telling room using the latest audio visual technology to help bring books alive. “A new library like this will help to attract people to an area where we are making excellent progress with regeneration work. Previously traffic-choked streets are becoming pleasant pedestrian-friendly areas to relax and linger, and the library with its café and other great amenities will play a key role in bringing people into the city.”
General view of the building which will house the new Central Library

New milestone for Beeston modular housing scheme

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New milestone for Beeston modular housing scheme
ilke Homes has craned into place the first factory-built home on a site in Beeston which was formerly owned by Network Rail. In 20 months, ilke Homes has secured the site and achieved full planning permission. The speed at which the modular housing company has been able to achieve these milestones was one of the main reasons why it was chosen to deliver on the 2.2-acre site by Network Rail. In partnership with emh group, a housing association, ilke Homes is delivering 42 affordable homes on the vacant brownfield site next to Beeston station. ilke Homes contracted with Network Rail, the owners and infrastructure manager of the railway network in the UK, in July 2020. ilke Homes is acting as a full ‘turnkey’ developer as part of the deal. This means emh group purchased a complete development sourced and delivered by ilke Homes. All of the homes are being precision-engineered along production lines at ilke Homes’ 250,000 sq ft factory in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire. Tom Heathcote, executive director of development at ilke Homes, says: “It’s great to reach yet another milestone at the site in Beeston, where we have worked closely with Network Rail and emh group to bring forward a parcel of brownfield land for the development of much-needed housing. “This development, once complete, will prove to be an exemplary case study of how offsite manufacturing can breathe new life into public land via the delivery of well-designed communities that are connected to transport hubs.” Robin Dobson, group property director at Network Rail, says: “As one of the most strategically important sites in the UK, we are proud to have created a partnership with ilke Homes on the redevelopment of this brownfield site, to enable the delivery of affordable-led modular sustainable housing in this growing region, putting transport infrastructure at the very heart of the development. “This is a partnership that focuses on the Government’s strategy to accelerate the rollout of modular sustainable housing to drive local economic growth. “It’s a project that demonstrates the pivotal role our railway can play in unlocking sites which deliver growth. We’re delivering it through a public and private partnership, an approach we’ll be looking to replicate in other towns and cities across the country. It will provide long-lasting benefits for the local community and the region.” Chris Jones, executive director of development at emh group, said: “We are delighted that our partnership with ilke Homes enables us to regenerate this brownfield site to deliver much needed, high quality modern homes for local communities. This is part of our wider plan as a strategic partner of Homes England, to create places where people feel proud to live, and thrive.”

Employers more open to part-time working post-COVID-19

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Employers more open to part-time working post-COVID-19
The furlough scheme brought in by the Government during the COVID-19 pandemic did not just save millions of people from unemployment and economic hardship, but may have had a lasting effect on the ways in which their employers allow them to work in the future, according to a new report. Introduced in March 2020, and further modified in July that year to allow for a part-time furlough option, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) enabled organisations to reclaim up to 80% of the wage costs of employees who could not work during the pandemic. Successful in avoiding mass redundancies during a time of crisis, the scheme may also have ongoing benefits, according to the first wave of a survey conducted by Cranfield School of Management and CBI Economics which found increased employer openness to and knowledge of how to facilitate part-time working. A ‘fundamental’ change in perceptions Data from whole-organisation representatives and line managers in 208 UK businesses was collected in February this year and showed that the flexible furlough scheme –  which enabled employers to bring staff back to work on a part-time basis and for them to be furloughed the remainder of the time – has impacted employers’ perceptions around working practices, increasing openness to part-time working and other forms of flexible working as viable options for their business. Key findings include:
  • Post-pandemic, 62% of line managers in the survey said they were ‘more willing’ to consider employee requests for part-time working.
  • Almost all (96%) said they were more flexible about where their employees worked, and 87% about how they scheduled their working hours.
  • Over half of the organisations surveyed expected remote and flexible working to increase in their organisation over the next two years (60% and 58% respectively). A significant proportion (46%) also expected part-time working to increase.
  • Almost half (45%) believed the use of flexible furlough has helped line managers learn how to design and manage part-time working more effectively.
  • Similarly, 46% believed line managers have learned how to better match resourcing with periods of peak demand for their business activity as a result of using the flexible furlough scheme.
  • Prior to the pandemic, most part-time working came about as the result of employee requests, with a proactive approach to recruiting new employees considered a secondary benefit.
Of these initial findings, the report’s authors write: “As working practices settle into a ‘new normal’, there are indications that the shock caused by the pandemic, as well as use of the furlough scheme and adoption of more flexible working during the pandemic, will have lasting consequences on working practices going forward. The survey reveals a mindset of greater adaptability, with line managers more willing to consider requests for part-time and other forms of flexible working.” Working less than full time Part-time working is an important feature of any labour market, offering greater choice in working arrangements for employees and widening participation in employment for those unable to work full time. It also brings benefits for employers, helping them retain existing employees and attract new ones, and cover extended operating hours and periods of peak demand. Pre-pandemic, Office for National Statistics (ONS) data shows just over a quarter (26%) of UK workers worked part time, some to meet their employer’s needs, and others to allow them to better balance their work with the requirements of their life outside employment. ‘Encouraging’ findings Anna Leach, deputy chief economist at the CBI, said: “It is clear that the CJRS has been more than just a ‘bridge to the other side’. Both the scheme and the pandemic itself have fostered, even accelerated, large shifts in the nature of work and attitudes towards it. “We know that the future of work is a key priority for our members, who are conscious of their employees’ renewed focus on work-life balance and desire for more flexibility around the location and organisation of their work, against the backdrop of a very tight jobs market. “These findings show that changes in working practices, and attitudes towards them, are very much underway. It is particularly encouraging to see that this shift in attitudes is associated with positive financial situations for companies, with the majority of the organisational representatives surveyed reporting that the financial wellbeing of their organisation was good or very good, and expected to remain positive over the next two years at least.” Professor Clare Kelliher, professor of work and organisation at Cranfield School of Management, said: “The flexible element of the furlough scheme effectively marked a ‘forced experiment’ in part-time working for many employers that had little previous experience of part-time working. “As is always the case with any enforced situation, it can be a very different story when life returns to ‘normal’, but these survey findings suggest that the practical experience of trying out part-time working has helped to overcome some of the perceived barriers for employers around its feasibility and how to implement it in practice. “This is heartening, because there is evidence to suggest that more people would like to work part-time than currently do, as well as explore options for greater flexibility in the way in which they work.” The future of flexible working The report, The future of flexible working: Lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic, was published as part of a broader research project being undertaken by Cranfield School of Management on behalf of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) which it is hoped will inform future organisational and Government policy in this area. The project is being funded by the ESRC as part of UK Research and Innovation’s rapid response to COVID-19.
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