Survival solutions manufacturer acquires Nottingham firm

Tess Egginton
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Survival solutions manufacturer acquires Nottingham firm
Survival solutions manufacturer Wescom Group has expanded its presence in the defence market by acquiring Nottingham-based, chemical detection technology company KeTech Defence Ltd, a supplier in the provision of rapid detection solutions in the defence sector. Wescom Group Chief Executive Officer, Ross Wilkinson says: “I’m delighted to announce that today KeTech Defence Ltd UK joins Wescom Group. KDL’s expertise in detection technologies enhances our current critical survival capabilities. We are excited to work with the management team in growing the business both organically and geographically.” KDL expands Wescom Group’s portfolio and complements its business model of defence survival solutions that include pyrotechnic signalling, screening, training and simulation, and obstacle breaching solutions and now chemical detection. KDL’s Tony Shaw says: “Thanks to our shared defence focus and combined market knowledge, this is an incredible opportunity to accelerate the company’s growth into new markets by leveraging Wescom Group’s extensive defence sales resource and distribution network.”

New MD for Clegg Construction

Tess Egginton
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New MD for Clegg Construction

After a long and successful career in the construction industry, and with more than 20 years at the helm of Clegg Construction as Managing Director, Simon Blackburn has announced his retirement.

Michael Sims has stepped up to become MD from his previous role as commercial director, with Darren Chapman and Ross Crowcroft continuing in their roles as operations director and pre-construction director respectively.

The change in leadership comes as Clegg Construction has secured its strongest carry-forward order book, with more than £82m secured turnover for 2024.

Simon, who joined Clegg Construction in 2002, before becoming MD two years later, will remain as a group director until the end of May 2024 in support of the new generation of leadership which will take the business forward into 2024 and beyond.

“Over the last 20 years I’ve been extremely proud to lead a business that has delivered in excess of 7,000 student beds, 1,500 apartments, 1,000 care home beds, 750 hotel bedrooms and more than one million square feet of industrial schemes,” he said.

“Projects have included new builds, refurbishments, re-cladding & extensions, providing education facilities for primary, secondary, further, higher and vocational training, advanced manufacturing centres, research and development labs, offices, distribution, storage, libraries, leisure facilities, hotels, residential developments, community centres, places of worship, sports facilities, retail buildings, archives, courtrooms, the odd glulam replacement here and there, a raft ride, a cable-ski and even a crematorium.

“I am pleased to be handing over the business with a record level of carry forward workload and I congratulate Michael on his new role as Managing Director and wish him, and the other directors, all the best for the future.”

Michael Sims, who joined Clegg Construction in spring 2021, bringing to the business over 20 years of industry experience with key expertise in commercial and risk management and contract negotiation, paid tribute to his predecessor.

“I am proud to have been appointed to follow in his footsteps and take up the reins as the new MD for a company that is so well regarded and has such a long history. Alongside the other directors, I look forward to building on Simon Blackburn’s legacy and continuing to provide design and construction excellence to our clients across the country.”

Shorts makes director promotion

Tess Egginton
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Shorts makes director promotion
Shorts has promoted Alicia Williams to the position of Genus director. Since joining Shorts in 2016 as an accounts senior, Alicia has earned promotions to client financial controller and finance system/app integrator in 2017 and then client FD and digital improvement lead in 2022. Her progression to director is testament to her skills and is a reflection of the active role she has played in the development of Shorts’ Genus, management information offering during that time. Partner Malcolm Pope said: “Alicia is not only recognised as a leader within Shorts, but also the wider UK accounting community, following an appearance at a Xero Talks Event in London (and subsequent Podcast) and her involvement in the recording of numerous videos for reporting software provider Fathom. “She has long been Shorts’ ‘go-to’ in terms of helping our clients improve efficiencies and opportunities through the introduction of software solutions, but she has also more recently been heavily involved in the development of what comes next for Shorts in all things AI / data analytics completion of the data analytics qualification from the ICAEW. Alicia’s promotion is very much deserved and she has worked hard to achieve it.” Alicia said: “I am incredibly proud to have been promoted to Genus director at Shorts and excited to be taking the next step in my professional journey. Shorts has fostered a culture of learning and development, and my promotion showcases the firm’s genuine commitment to supporting its employees’ career growth through structured paths. “I am excited for my new role, working closely with both our existing clients and future ones and helping to contribute to the continued success of the firm.”

Pall-Ex Group appoints warehouse and logistics director

Tess Egginton
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Pall-Ex Group appoints warehouse and logistics director
Pall-Ex Group, a Leicestershire-based pallet distribution network, has appointed Carl White as warehouse and logistics director. Carl joins the executive team with an impressive portfolio, having accumulated over 23 years of extensive experience in the logistics sector including his recent position at Knights of Old. Having joined the executive team in November, Carl is at the forefront of developing Pall-Ex Group’s pioneering logistics 3PL division, a strategic initiative which will see the development of warehousing and logistics centres positioned near the Pall-Ex Group hub facilities to gain a competitive advantage. Carl White said: “Joining Pall-Ex Group represents a pivotal moment in my career. The opportunity to contribute to an organisation that is at the cutting edge of logistics solutions is both inspiring and aligns perfectly with my professional ethos. The logistics sector is a cornerstone of global commerce, and I am committed to enhancing our operational capabilities to better serve our diverse client base.” Barry Byers, MD of Pall-Ex Group, said: “Carl’s appointment is a testament to our commitment to attracting top-tier talent. Our strategic direction has been developing over the past few years and the launch of this division will add competitive synergies aligned to our core business. “This will provide added value to our shareholder members and our customers as we diversify to offer a seamless and visible solution direct from our storage centres through to the delivery point. Our warehousing and logistics activities will only support our growth trajectory and further reinforce our market position.”

New hire and appointment to management team for Derby accountancy firm

Tess Egginton
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New hire and appointment to management team for Derby accountancy firm

Derby-based accountancy firm, Ascentant Accountancy, has appointed Jayne Sheehan in a newly created role as practice manager.Jayne will manage the operational needs of the business day to day, having joined from Bhatia Best Solicitors and is the first appointment to Ascentant Accountancy’s management and leadership team as the firm restructures through a period of steady growth.

Jayne brings a wealth of leadership experience, putting solid foundations in place to develop the team, increase efficiency and launch the firm’s trainee program. The appointment of Jayne will free director, Kevin Drew, to push Ascentant Accountancy to the next level, focusing on the firm’s strategic objectives, developing commercial partnerships, sales and marketing.

Kevin will also continue to manage Ascentant Accountancy’s recently launched Ripley office and development of its niche legal PMS migration services, having recently partnered with Clio among other international legal tech suppliers. Kevin said: “We are really pleased to have Jayne onboard at this crucial period in our growth; 2023 saw us move to a new office to accommodate our growing team, launch our second office and increase our headcount, service lines and client base.

“Having recently recruited professionals from Rotheras Solicitors, John M Lewis & Co and now Bhatia Best, we are cementing our position as a specialist in the legal sector both locally and nationally.”

Centrick sells high street division

Tess Egginton
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Centrick sells high street division
Property specialist Centrick is planning for growth across its property solutions services as it sells its high street sales and lettings business. The firm has taken the decision to move away from high street estate and lettings agency to focus on delivering property management and associated professional services to the residential property sector. Its high street division has been acquired by the Lomond Group and will operate under its John Shepherd brand. The deal involves teams in Nottingham, Solihull and Birmingham, with 25 staff transferring across. Centrick’s new initiatives include a £1 million investment in tech solutions to deliver best-in-class resident engagement, further strengthening its dedicated Building Safety & Compliance service, as well as a new 3,500 sq ft ‘Centrick Academy’ – a training facility aimed at growing grass-roots talent and raising both technical ability and service standards for Centrick staff and the wider property management community. Centrick founder James Ackrill said: “Our ambition as a group has always been to deliver a truly exceptional service, building a team of highly skilled property professionals that care about our clients and the residents we support. “We recognise the need for focus and depth in our specialisms in order to deliver on our long-term plans and commitment to clients today, as well as into the future. This move puts the group in a really strong position to focus consistently on those specialisms and continue to enhance our already high service levels, aligning our teams around the needs of our clients. “Our high street agency has always been extremely successful, holding numerous awards and top positions in a number of areas, driven by incredible property professionals. We are grateful and genuinely thankful to all the people that have been part of the Centrick family. “All of the Centrick high street agency team will be transferring to John Shepherd who have a long and trusted history. This means that all of our high street clients will continue to be looked after by the people they already know and trust without any loss of service.”

Free conference will offer firms advice about upskilling

Stuart Pearcey
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A free Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Skills and Employability Conference on February 8th will highlight the support available for businesses to upskill their workforce, further enabling local organisations to grow. organically. Research conducted by East Midlands Chamber found that 72% of local businesses have difficulties in recruiting suitable staff. Meanwhile, The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development found that nearly two-fifths of organisationsare increasing efforts to meet their needs by developing more talent in-house. Upskilling existing employees is the most common response to solving recruitment issues. Attendees will hear how local businesses have benefited from investing in upskilling existing employees, including through apprenticeships. BHP Chartered Accountants will share how they have promoted more than 70 of their own staff into more senior roles within the last year, alongside taking on more than 40 new trainees. Chesterfield Borough Council will also reveal more details about its new skills brokerage service for businesses. Funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, the service aims to give firms a single point of contact for impartial advice and support on how to fill vacancies and reduce skills gaps within their organisations. Cllr Tricia Gilby, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council commented: “We’re proud to support the annual Skills and Employability Conference because we believe it helps businesses to share best practice and encourages them to work together to develop the skills of our residents, creating a resilient workforce who are able to capitalise on new opportunities and help local businesses to grow. This year the conference will be heavily focused on the support that local businesses can access and I’d encourage any business owner to come along and find out more about the help available to them.” Michael Timmins, Chair of the town’s Skills and Employment Partnership and Director at AECOM, said: “The annual Skills and Employability Conference continues to prove popular with firms across the town, enabling them to gain the latest information on the initiatives taking place to ensure we keep producing a strong and talented workforce for our organisations to thrive. As a collective, our town must continue to play its part in unlocking the potential of our people, so I would urge any business owner in the area to attend the conference and see how we can support you to grow.” The event is being hosted at Chesterfield’s Winding Wheel Theatre, on Thursday, 8th February 2024 (8am-11am). Book your free place at the event here.  

Doggy day care business get time in Channel 5 dog behaviour programme

Stuart Pearcey
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Doggy day care business get time in Channel 5 dog behaviour programme
Chesterfield’s Rose Cottage Doggy Daycare business is to feature on Channel 5 show, Dogs Behaving Badly this year after show’s host Graeme Hall hired its ‘field of freedom’ to train two dogs. The space was used to teach the dogs to walk better whilst on a lead, with Rose Cottage providing a secure location with large fencing, in case the pets were playing up! The epsiode is expected to be aired in the summer of 2024. Dawn Brown, Owner of Rose Cottage Doggy Daycare said: “Graeme was a very chatty, great guy. He spent time with me and my team before and after the filming. He also signed books for us and we have lots of pictures with him” “To be picked out of the whole of Derbyshire to use our field was amazing, and will definitely help us to stand out. He said they searched for a field to hire and ours came up when they researched our services. They were highly impressed with our site, our branding, and our whole different take on dog care in general. We were happy to oblige and would of course welcome further filming if required whilst in our region.”

Acquisitive Ideagen snaps up further Australian business

Tess Egginton
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Acquisitive Ideagen snaps up further Australian business

Nottingham-headquartered Ideagen, a regulatory and compliance software solutions firm, has acquired Plant Assessor, a solution for plant safety and maintenance management in Australia.

It is Ideagen’s seventh acquisition in 12 months and fourth Australian business to be brought into the Ideagen family since the start of 2023.

Ben Dorks, Ideagen CEO, said: “Plant Assessor’s software brings an enhanced level of safety to any person working on or around large plant machinery.

“Adding Plant Assessor into the Ideagen suite of solutions strengthens our EHS product portfolio, enabling us to provide advanced capabilities to our customers, particularly those involved in industries where heavy machinery is commonplace.

“We’re looking forward to helping grow its reach across our global network and excited to start 2024 as we mean to go on, building our global presence in compliance software solutions.”

Paul Dean, CEO and founder of Plant Assessor, said: “Joining Ideagen represents a fantastic opportunity for both our team and our clients.

“We are confident that this acquisition will allow us to deliver even better products and services to our existing customers while expanding the reach of our innovative solutions through Ideagen’s global network.”

Siemens Mobility in Leicestershire secures £47m contract with HS2

Stuart Pearcey
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Siemens Mobility in Leicestershire secures £47m contract with HS2
Siemens Mobility’s facility at Ashby de-la-Zouch will deliver a £47m contract to supply an integrated station information management system across all HS2 stations, Curzon Street, Interchange, Old Oak Common and Euston. The project, which will support about 200 jobs, will use the same technology already in use for the millions of people travelling every day on London’s Elizabeth line, and will touch every stage of passengers’ journeys through stations. Rob Morris, Joint-CEO at Siemens Mobility UKI, said: “We are on a mission to transform rail travel and transport, with the imagination and ambition of 5,000 UK employees. We have a significant presence in Ashby and are delighted as a result to be working in close collaboration with HS2 and our supply chain partners to deliver this landmark project. Not only will it be delivered at Ashby, here in the UK, by the next generation of engineers, it will also help create jobs and provide a boost to the local economy.” Kim Kapur, Stations Client Director at HS2 Ltd said: “Station systems such as the public address, information and fire alarms play a vital role in the smooth running of all modern railways stations – providing clear information to passengers and staff to de-stress journeys and ensure safety throughout. Siemens have a clear track record of delivering state-of-the-art station systems and we look forward to working with them – and their team at Ashby de-la-Zouch.” Collaboration will be at the heart of project delivery, with Siemens Mobility working closely with some of its 3,000 suppliers, 47% of which are UK-based SMEs, as well as with HS2 Ltd and its other contractors. Siemens Mobility will oversee a significant portion of the entire process from design to supply demonstrating proven best practice. This includes Factory Acceptance Testing at its Ashby de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire laboratory testing facilities, before conducting live testing and commissioning activities on site, reducing travel to site and securing certainty of delivery.
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