A Northampton logistics specialist has swooped for a local parcel and pallets company. Crisis Logistics has acquired Action Express as part of its growth plans, as the company looks to expand its portfolio of services. Established as a same day delivery specialist in 1998, Crisis Logistics has developed its service offering to include warehousing and fulfilment, alongside national and international road haulage. The company plans to retain Action Express’s Brackmills Industrial Estate depot and make key investments in the site and its facilities as it increases the volume of pallets and parcels it handles. It has already purchased 10 new vehicles for Action Express, including seven articulated lorries and three 18-tonne trucks, and plans to create new jobs as it grows the company. Action Express founder and former APC Overnight Chief Executive, Syed Ziaullah, who established the company in 1982 with just a bike and a van, will join the board of directors at Crisis Logistics. Charles Grant-Salmon, chairman at Crisis Logistics, said: “As part of our growth strategy we are expanding our business and developing Crisis Logistics into the market leader and one-stop shop for all logistics services in Northamptonshire. “The acquisition will benefit customers of both companies by enabling us to provide a full range of logistics services across pallets, parcels and general haulage, in addition to specialist services like temperature-controlled delivery and secure distribution. “We are delighted that Syed will join our board for the next five years to allow us to benefit from his wealth of knowledge and enable a smooth integration into Action Express’s new era.” Edward Grant-Salmon, Managing Director at Crisis Logistics, said: “We want to provide flexible solutions for our customers as they expand and diversify their own operations, and the acquisition of Action Express will allow us to do that. “The business is a perfect fit with our own operation, as we’re both well-established firms with a loyal long-term customer base, and we remain committed to providing the best experience for all of our customers. “In recent years, we have invested heavily in building a Customer Relationship Management system to improve efficiency and speed up processes, which has ensured we are in a strong position to grow while also maintaining the quality of service that is so important to our customers.” Caroline Green, Chief Executive at Pallet-Track, added: “We are delighted to be working with Crisis Logistics and would like to extend a warm Pallet-Track welcome to Charles, Edward and the whole team. “Action Express is a well-respected and long-term member of our network and we have every confidence that the new team will steer the business to great success in its new era.”

Motorcycle insurance firm MCE Insurance Limited has been placed into administration by its directors. Mark Holborow, Vincent Green and Steven Edwards, of Crowe U.K. LLP, were named joint administrators on 17 July.

The Financial Conduct Authority said in a statement: “Having considered the firm’s financial position, its directors made a decision to place it into administration and on 17 July 2023, Mark Holborow, Vincent Green and Steven Edwards, all of Crowe U.K. LLP were appointed as joint administrators.” The Northamptonshire-based firm’s contact centre remains operational and will be overseen by the joint administrators. The Financial Conduct Authority added: “If you bought your insurance through MCE Insurance Limited, they acted as your insurance broker and you are insured by Sabre Insurance Company Limited…Sabre Insurance are not affected by this administration and your policy is still in force.”

UK inflation fell to 7.9% in June, according to the latest ONS figures, down from 8.7% in May and coming in below expectations. With hopes that this means a turning point for stubbornly high inflation, reduced motor fuel and food prices drove the decrease – the lowest inflation has been since March 2022. Core inflation, meanwhile, which takes out energy, food, alcohol and tobacco to give a clear picture of underlying trends, was down from 7.1% to 6.9%. Commenting on June’s inflation figures, Editorial and Research Fellow at the free market think tank the Institute of Economic Affairs, Professor Len Shackleton, said: “If last month’s 8.7 per cent annual increase in the CPI was unexpectedly high, this month’s 7.9 per cent is a shade lower than expected. This is mirrored in other indicators such as CPIH and core CPI. “Since these figures were tallied, Russia has ended a deal to allow grain exports from Ukraine, which will likely push up global and UK food prices. Mortgage rates have also gone up. Nevertheless, since the extraordinary increases in the money supply that ultimately fuel inflation have ended, inflation is set to fall further. “Rishi Sunak’s pledge to halve inflation by the end of the year may still be optimistic, but at least there are no grounds for the Bank of England to raise interest rates further. Nor are there any grounds for panic measures to hold down prices artificially, such as Grant Shapps’ silly initiative to curb supermarket petrol prices.”

Organisations came together to join Medilink Midlands in celebrating the success delivered under the three ERDF funded programmes, INSTILS, SoLSTICE and ACTIS and to find out what is next for the region. Interim Chief Executive, Melanie Davidson, advised that a total of £3.5m in grants was achieved. This funding was able to leverage investment equating to £47 of private investment for every £1 of public funding. Alongside the funding distributed, Medilink Midlands’ Advisers delivered over 8,000 hours of innovation support to regional life sciences organisations. The business support projects have had a significant impact on the economic growth of the life sciences sector, delivering funding, support, advice, and networking opportunities to companies during the eight years the projects have been in operation. Melanie Davidson explains: “The funding has been instrumental in the creation of over 208 high level jobs and we’ve been able to support 391 businesses on a one-to-one basis, with a total of 66 new enterprises created.” Independent assessments of the projects also demonstrated an impressive 100 percent satisfaction rate from organisations who received support. The projects also involved collaboration with 79 universities and the delivery of 180 events. Success stories from East Midlands businesses that have benefited from the funding include BlueSkeye AI, a company that has developed facial recognition AI to be able to detect depression; Neurotherapeutics, creators of a stimulation and monitoring device aimed at alleviating the symptoms of Tourette’s; Blum Health, which offers bespoke specialist recruitment solutions throughout the healthcare system, and JT Rehab Limited, inventors of the S-Press, which allows patients the ability to continue with their physiotherapy at home. Paul Cable, CEO of Neurotherapeutics (Neupulse) Limited, creators of a medical device aimed at helping sufferers of Tourette’s manage their tics, comments on the company’s progress: “We carried out a clinical trial that started in March 2022 and completed in March 2023 and the results of that trial have been absolutely phenomenal.” He adds: “Short term, our goal is to get this device out there. There are so many people who want this device. It will really make a big difference to their lives.” Other East Midlands-based funding recipients included iethico, a business that has created a technological solution to the supply and distribution of medicine shortages; MumPod, which provides innovative, safe and convenient spaces to employers and service providers supporting pregnant and breastfeeding parents; Spirit Health, which works with the NHS to deliver a new way of delivering healthcare to those in the community, and VUIT, a company providing data analytics to healthcare providers to allow better understanding and more targeted practice of health in the community. Melanie added: “With the established skills, knowledge, expertise, networking and connections in place, Medilink Midlands will continue to deliver sector support whilst representing the Voice of the Industry for Medtech and life science organisations, and although the ERDF funding has now concluded, we are delighted to be able to announce the launch of MeTAP, a new business support programme for businesses based in the East Midlands.” MeTAP aims to assist start-ups with targeted support streams, including the Innovation Accelerator Programme. Working in partnership with the University of Nottingham, MeTAP aims to support companies to accelerate innovation and provide the right skills and tools to enable companies to increase their competitive advantage.