Experian given green light to re-imagine Nottingham site

Tess Egginton
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Experian given green light to re-imagine Nottingham site
Experian has been granted planning permission to re-imagine its Sir John Peace Building in Nottingham. The changes come in the wake of the pandemic, the shift to hybrid working models, and a push from the company for enhanced sustainability with a business-wide commitment to become carbon neutral by 2030.
The proposals will see new disabled parking provision and more cycle storage as part of the reconfiguration of the Sir John Peace Building site to enable the creation of a regional business hub. Other works include the ecological enrichment of the biodiversity in the landscape, offering staff food growing plots and beekeeping, opportunities for exercise, and electric vehicle charging points.
The plans come as Experian reduces its office footprint to recognise new agile ways of working. Globally Experian are reducing from 157 sites to 100 and in the UK that is a reduction from 17 sites to 5.
The Sir John Peace building will provide a touch down base for staff from the North East and North West, Wales, the Midlands and the East of England.
The additional staff to be accommodated on site, due to the selection of Nottingham as a regional hub office, will see the use of land to the south to accommodate 200 cars.

‘Plan B’ for COVID-19 restrictions a “big setback” for businesses

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‘Plan B’ for COVID-19 restrictions a “big setback” for businesses
The Prime Minister has confirmed that England will move to Plan B following the rapid spread of the Omicron variant in the UK. The plan sees the Government, from Monday 13 December, advise those who can to work from home. Meanwhile from Friday 10 December, face coverings will become compulsory in most public indoor venues, such as cinemas, theatres and places of worship. In addition, from Wednesday 15 December, the NHS Covid Pass on the NHS App will become mandatory for entry into nightclubs and settings where large crowds gather – including unseated indoor events with 500 or more attendees, unseated outdoor events with 4,000 or more attendees and any event with 10,000 or more attendees. Responding to the Government’s announcement that it will bring in new COVID-19 restrictions as part of its winter ‘Plan B’ for dealing with the pandemic, East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire) Chief Executive Scott Knowles said: “It felt like the days of a start-stop approach to the economy had passed, so this announcement will come as a bitter blow to many businesses that had been looking ahead to the festive period with a bounce. “Remember, Tier 3 restrictions last year meant Christmas was cancelled for many businesses in our region, particularly those in hospitality, retail and leisure. “Given the importance of this season to those sectors, these coming weeks are critical to their future prospects, and any restrictions that act as a barrier to business continuity or capacity will be massively detrimental. “Many organisations have spent a great deal of energy and money on making their workplaces Covid-secure, as well as in encouraging employees to feel confident about returning, so the mandate to work from home sends a troubling message. “These restrictions must be met by immediate and effective Government financial support for all affected firms, while we expect it to follow the data to act swiftly in rolling these restrictions back at the earliest possible opportunity. “We’re at a very delicate moment in the economic recovery, with our latest Quarterly Economic Survey for Q4 2021 showing a slowdown across every economic indicator in the East Midlands. We can’t afford to squeeze the brakes on any tighter, and it’s up to Westminster now to reassure businesses that this won’t be a prolonged return to a restricted way of life.” Matthew Fell, CBI Chief Policy Director, said: “Fresh restrictions are a big setback for businesses, particularly for those in hospitality and retail who are in a critical trading period, as well as others such as transport. “While Covid certification can support public health, careful implementation and enforcement will be required to assist businesses affected. It will be vital that the impact of these restrictions is closely monitored, and that the government is ready with targeted support as required. “Omicron will quite likely not be the last variant. We need to create consistency in our approach and build confidence by reducing the oscillation between normal life and restrictions. Prioritising daily testing, rather than self-isolation, is a good step. Firms need continued forward guidance and a commitment from government to prioritise ongoing free, mass rapid testing as we learn to live with the virus. “Meanwhile, firms will continue to do all they can to protect their staff and customers, including being as flexible as possible to enable employees to get their boosters.”

OMS scoops two awards for ‘Best Health & Safety Consultancy’

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OMS scoops two awards for ‘Best Health & Safety Consultancy’
Building on a successful year, OMS – Training and Compliance have been presented with another two business awards, both for the Best Health & Safety Consultancy for 2021. The wins come from the Lawyer International Legal 100 Awards and the M&A Today Global Awards. OMS said: “We are extremely proud of our accolades and recognition, highlighting these achievements for our business.” These awards follow wins for OMS at the Gamechanger Global Awards (UK Compliance and Training and Compliance Consultancy of the Year) and the SME News UK Enterprise Awards (Best Business Compliance Training and Consultancy Firm). Trading for over 22 years, Leicestershire-headquartered OMS was founded by Clive Ormerod. Today OMS has a core team at its Coalville head office and training centre, as well as a number of other training venues throughout the Midlands and UK, and a network of specialist associates.

Over 100 new jobs on the way as two companies take space at Markham Vale

Tess Egginton
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Over 100 new jobs on the way as two companies take space at Markham Vale
Sustainable packaging firm Smurfit Kappa and home furnishings company Gallery Direct are the latest businesses to get keys to new premises at Derbyshire County Council and HBD’s flagship regeneration site, Markham Vale.
Founded in 1934, international paper-based packaging specialists Smurfit Kappa is set to create up to 20 new jobs with their expansion to another unit on the site where they have been based for 6 years. The eco-friendly company sources almost all their raw materials from their own paper mills and their products are 100% renewable and produced sustainably helping customers reduce their environmental footprint. The firm’s new base will be used for warehouse and distribution across the UK. Mark Hawkins, general manager at Smurfit Kappa, said: “We moved into a new state of the art purpose-built site back in 2015 as one of the first occupants on the Markham Vale development. “Since then the site has grown to a turnover of over £40 million and recruited over 65 people locally. Due to the growth of the site and Smurfit Kappa’s own expansion in the UK we now require a purpose built distribution centre which the new building gives us, being perfectly located next to junction 29A of the M1. “This new venture will create further jobs for the area and give people a great career opportunity working within Smurfit Kappa.” Craig Handley, customer service and logistics director at Smurfit Kappa, said: “With over 12,500 pallet spaces, the new Markham Vale North distribution facility will complement our existing production units in both Markham Vale and Chesterfield offering both excellent just in time customer deliveries. “The unit is positioned ideally near the motorway access allowing the distribution of goods for our customers in the far north and south. We are undertaking an employment drive from within the local community for warehouse FLT drivers who will be using state of the art new VNA trucks.” Established in 1973, family-run business, Gallery Direct is a leading British based designer, manufacturer and worldwide distributor of furniture, home decor and accessories. The company’s new northern base is set to create up to 90 new jobs and will be used for packing, warehousing, and a distribution hub with space to expand further for a new state-of-the-art showroom. Peter Delaney, Managing Director at The Gallery Direct Group, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have secured this prestigious facility in an amazing northern location. The fact is that this new property, combined with our southern warehouse and head office, improves further our distribution and operational capacity. “We will be able to serve 96% of our clients’ requirements with one day delivery times, utilising our own home distribution fleet.” Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Clean Growth and Regeneration, Councillor Tony King, said: “We are delighted to welcome Gallery Direct to Markham Vale and see the expansion of Smurfit Kappa. “Our central location makes Markham Vale an ideal distribution base for companies looking to cut their mileage and reduce their carbon footprint as well as meet needs of their clients more quickly. “Smurfit Kappa’s focus on sustainability and innovation aligns with our own ambitions for attracting cleaner, greener growth. “And we’re pleased that we’ve been able to come up with the goods for Gallery Direct which will soon be serving customers in the north of the country from Derbyshire instead of down south. “The fact that between them they bring 110 new jobs is excellent news for the local economy too.” Richard Hinds, development surveyor at Henry Boot Developments, said: “The rapid take-up of the Orion units is testament to the quality of the buildings developed and Markham Vale’s well-established reputation as premium business location. “As a longstanding development partner of Derbyshire County Council, HBD are delighted to have delivered the units and we look forward to developing future ‘best in class’ accommodation for businesses and employees to thrive at Markham Vale.” Both companies will be based in units owned by private sector property developers, Aver Property Partnership Limited, a joint venture between Ergo and NFU Mutual. Leigh Burnett, asset manager, Ergo Real Estate, said: “Smurfit Kappa joins National Lighting who took occupation of Orion One in August and it is fantastic to have 2 such high calibre tenants taking these units. The Orion development is now fully let within 6 months of practical completion and is testament to the quality specification of the buildings and strategic location.”

Ideagen raises £103.5m to bolster international growth plans

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Ideagen raises £103.5m to bolster international growth plans
The Nottinghamshire provider of information management software, Ideagen Plc, has raised £103.5 million to accelerate product investment and scale global operations through further acquisitions. The multi-million pound investment was raised through placement of ordinary shares and follows Ideagen’s 12th consecutive year of revenue profit and growth. Ideagen’s rapid growth trajectory in recent years has been accomplished by a combination of both organic growth and multiple acquisitions across the globe. The funds raised today will aid the company’s ambitions to support more customers around the world with an increased range of solutions. Now with more than 1,000 staff across the globe, Ideagen’s operations are located throughout the UK, US, Australia, Europe, Middle East and South-East Asia. Its software is used by more than 7,500 highly regulated customers across multiple industries such as aviation, financial services, life-sciences, healthcare and manufacturing. Ideagen CEO, Ben Dorks, said: “This investment marks the next stage of Ideagen’s exciting growth journey. Our mission is to surpass £200 million annual recurring revenue (ARR) by April 2025 and this significant milestone will be crucial in aiding further expansion that will help diversify our portfolio of high-quality, high-performing products in the global governance, risk and compliance space. “The ability to raise such substantial funds shows that the markets are as confident in Ideagen’s performance as we are. The acquisitions we have made to date have brought technology or intellectual property that enhances the functionality of our core solutions, increased our credibility and market presence, or offered opportunities for new market entry. “We’re tremendously excited to see what the future holds for Ideagen and I look forward to our bold vision to grow both our geographical and sector expertise becoming a reality.” The company recently completed its 25th and biggest acquisition to date, that of Sydney-based CompliSpace.

Pioneering DMU collaboration wins top business award

Eleonora Gallina
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Pioneering DMU collaboration wins top business award
Work to make knives safer and which could have a huge impact upon injury rates has earned a De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) academic a top business award. Leisa Nichols-Drew was presented with the inaugural Excellence in Collaboration award at this year’s East Midlands Chamber Business Awards Leicestershire, one of just 13 winners given honours this year. Ms Nichols-Drew, a Chartered Forensic Practitioner, has pioneered research which demonstrates the practicality and safety of using round-tip kitchen knives over those with pointed blades. As a forensic scientist, Leisa saw first-hand the increased use of bladed weapons in crimes – the majority of which involve kitchen knives with pointed tips. Judges at the Chamber awards were impressed with the research and its potential to make a real difference to public safety. Leisa said she was incredibly honoured to win the award and proud to represent the research team involved at the event. She also offered congratulations to the other nominees within the award category and thanked the judging panel too. Leisa, said: “This fantastic recognition validates our research which was conducted and published during the pandemic, and is a world first. Together we will make a difference in making our homes and communities safer, not only within Leicester, Leicestershire and the East Midlands, across the UK too, and internationally.” The rounded-knife research team led by Leisa, consisted of DMU colleagues Dr Rachel Armitage and Dr Kevin Farrugia, Professor Rob Hillman at the University of Leicester and Dr Kelly Sheridan at Northumbria University. As part of the research, Leisa has liaised with manufacturers, involved organisations such as the Metropolitan Police, and National Knife Crime Working Group. “Our research suggests that there is an opportunity for crime reduction by swapping pointed-tip knives for rounded blades in the kitchen,” explained Ms Nichols-Drew. “A knife that can be used safely and effectively at home without the possibility of accidental injury minimises the risk of it being used as a potential weapon.” DMU’s Small Business Leadership Programme, which helped more than 80 small businesses in Leicestershire to build their businesses through the pandemic, reached the finals of the Education category. The Leicestershire Business Awards, held in partnership with headline sponsor Mazars, recognised winners across 13 categories, ranging from Business Improvement Through Technology and Environmental Impact Award within an organisation to individual honours for Entrepreneur of the Year and Apprentice of the Year. There were new categories this year for Excellence in Collaboration and Excellence in Innovation. Finalists, chosen by a judging panel of the Chamber’s senior leadership and board of directors, as well as sponsors, discovered their fate during a gala dinner attended by hundreds of people at Leicester Tigers’ Mattioli Woods Welford Road stadium – marking a return for face-to-face celebrations after being held virtually last year. Scott Knowles, chief executive of the Chamber, said: “There has been so much to celebrate within our business community despite a challenging 18 months and these awards have showcased some of the incredible companies that call our region home. “As the economic recovery continues, and new opportunities present themselves in a new era of global trade and sustainable business, these are just the kinds of organisations we should be highlighting when we’re shouting about everything the East Midlands has to offer. We know it’s a great place to do business and these are living proof. “We received so many high-calibre applications, which demonstrated how the pandemic hasn’t been a period in which we have just stood still. Instead, the time afforded for reflection has led to many companies seeking out new opportunities, innovating and driving themselves forward.”

Logistics company lets 250,000 sq ft facility in Northampton

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Logistics company lets 250,000 sq ft facility in Northampton
Panattoni, the logistics real estate developer, has signed a lease agreement with 4PX Express, the global logistics company, for a 250,000 sq ft facility at Panattoni Park Northampton. 4PX Express has signed a 15-year lease for the facility, which was built speculatively, at the 1.7 million sq ft industrial park. The letting follows the success of the first phase of 625,000 sq ft, which was let to Eddie Stobart Logistics. Panattoni has another 430,000 sq ft unit available to let and is expected to complete the final unit of 380,000 sq ft in February 2022, which could operate as 810,000 sq ft of space for a single occupier. Oliver Bertram, development director for Panattoni, said: “Speculatively developing 1 million sq ft in one phase is testament to the importance of Northampton as a logistics location and the high level of occupier demand for the park. We are pleased to welcome 4PX to Panattoni Park Northampton and become our first tenant of phase 2.” Letting agents for Panattoni are Savills and Burbage Realty. 4PX Express was advised by Altus Group.

Barwood boosts acquisitions team

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Barwood boosts acquisitions team
Towcester-based Barwood Capital has made two major appointments as it expands its acquisitions team to meet market demand across the UK regions. Tom Gold, investment director, will focus primarily on acquisition of new commercial property opportunities across the sectors, for the Barwood managed funds. He joins from RO Real Estate where he was investment and development director, responsible for all acquisition, disposal and development across a diverse portfolio of assets. Nick Masters, senior investment manager, is responsible for sourcing and analysis of new commercial opportunities and making recommendations on behalf of Barwood’s managed funds. His previous role as associate partner in Cluttons’ investment and development team saw him provide UK-wide, cross-sector acquisition, disposal and development consultancy advice to leading institutional investors, private investors and developers. Both will work with Edward Henson, director and head of transactions at Barwood Capital. He said: “We’re delighted to welcome Tom and Nick to the transactions team as we continually expand on the various funds we have under management across the UK regions. Barwood Capital prides itself on its long-serving, dedicated professional team, for which we look forward to Tom and Nick being very much a part of. ” The new appointments follow a year in which Barwood managed over £100m worth of acquisitions, including a B&Q unit in Sheffiled, the JLR building in Ellesmere Port, Tungsten Park, Bardon and most recently, the office acquisition, Eton House, Richmond.

£1m town centre recovery fund announced for Stapleford businesses

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£1m town centre recovery fund announced for Stapleford businesses
Following approval back in November of the six core projects from the Stapleford Town Deal programme, the Town Deal Executive Board have announced the launch of the first project – the Town Centre Recovery Fund.
  A total of £1m has been made available for the Town Centre Recovery Fund. The fund will offer grant support to high street businesses in Stapleford Town Centre, and will be split into two grants to support different aspects of business recovery.
  1. The Business Continuity Grant aims to support business resilience and growth over the long term, sustaining occupancy levels within Stapleford Town Centre. This grant will support existing businesses looking to expand the way they distribute their services. It is anticipated a maximum of £200,000 will be spent on this portion of the wider Town Centre.
  2. The Building Development Fund is to create buildings of the future; improving accessibility, energy efficiency and the look and feel of Stapleford Town Centre. It is anticipated a maximum of £800,000 will be issued through this part of the fund.
The Chair of the Stapleford Town Deal Executive Board says: “The launch of the Town Centre Recovery Fund will provide a fantastic opportunity for businesses in Stapleford’s high street, to develop their own proposals for how the Town Deal can collaboratively invest in their businesses, improve the building stock in Stapleford, encouraging more investment in the area. “The Executive Board knew this financial commitment was vital for the town centre, which is why the Fund was included in the Town Investment Plan, and see the £1million of total grant support over the next 12 months as a catalyst for Town Deal Programme and its various projects as they move into delivery phase in early 2022.” The fund will open to applications on Monday 10 January 2022.

Cosworth appoints new Managing Director for Performance Electronics

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Cosworth appoints new Managing Director for Performance Electronics
Northampton-based Cosworth has continued to strengthen its executive team with the appointment of experienced automotive and consumer electronics professional Stefan Balkowiec into the position of Managing Director Performance Electronics. Balkowiec will play a pivotal role in Cosworth’s growth strategy and vision, leading the development of UX and digital cockpit product roadmaps. Bringing over 25 years’ experience and an enviable reputation in the connected car space, Balkowiec will help Cosworth to further develop its performance electronics division, creating unique value propositions for OEMs based on the company’s management of data analysis, control, and power. In his most recent position, Balkowiec was automotive solutions director at Harman International, where he led a global product team focused on digital cockpit development. Prior to that he carved out a name for himself at Symphony Teleca and Nokia-owned company NAVTEQ, where – for over a decade – he helped to pioneer automotive applications and products. Stefan Balkowiec said: “Electrification is changing everything within vehicle infrastructure, and Cosworth is becoming a major player in this area. I am delighted to join such an epic company, whose vision remains as innovative and cutting edge as when it was first established. “Previously, the different domains on vehicles – whether powertrain or electronics – were separate, but the future of mobility hinges, essentially, around a data centre on wheels. Cosworth is going through an important business transformation, and my role is one facet of that evolution. “We need to manage that process carefully but setting the company up for impressive and unprecedented growth. We will be retaining the DNA, the essence of what makes Cosworth great, but we’ll be pushing the boundaries like never before – and that’s exciting.”
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