BSP Consulting appointed to EEM Dynamic Purchasing System
East Midlands-based civil and structural engineering firm BSP Consulting has been appointed to the EEM (Efficiency East Midlands) Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS).
The Nottingham-based company, which also has offices in Derby, Leicester and Sheffield, has been accepted to provide consultancy services to members of the not-for-profit consortium which offers efficiency savings for the public sector.
This is the latest in a number of frameworks that BSP Consulting has been appointed on, including the recently announced Circle Health Group Professional Services Framework.
The EEM Ltd Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) runs for five years until December 2026 and marks the 21st framework that BSP is currently on – either on its own or collectively with industry partners.
BSP Managing Director Carl Hilton said: “We are very pleased to have secured a place on another framework. The EEM Ltd DPS shares with BSP Consulting a commitment to its local communities and economies that it serves.
“We look forward to offering our civil and structural engineering services to the public sector bodies that are members of the EEM consortium. It’s a sector that we have wide experience of working in, both in the East Midlands and beyond.”
EEM Ltd is a ‘not for profit’ consortium set up to generate cashable and non-cashable efficiencies for its membership through collaboration, aggregated volumes, quality products and high level of service delivery. Since 2010, EEM and its members have worked together to deliver comprehensive yet simplified procurement solutions, which offer a wide range of compliant, competitive and high-quality products and services.
Its members include housing associations, local authorities, education providers, NHS trusts, government agencies, emergency services and charities from across the UK.
A Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) is similar to a framework, except new providers can join at any time.
The framework position was secured by BSP business development manager Carrie Booth, who said: “This is great news for BSP Consulting and our associates. It’s also good news for our public sector clients who will be able to procure our services through the DPS.”
East Midlands distribution and manufacturing group steps towards sustainable success
A Northamptonshire-based business has increased its company-wide sustainable practices following financial support from NatWest to achieve its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2030.
See Limited is one of six million SMEs that could help to achieve half of the UK’s decarbonisation goals, according to NatWest’s new Springboard to Sustainability Report.
The report has found that with the right funding, knowledge and training, SMEs could create up to 130,000 new jobs and produce around 30,000 new businesses, resulting in an estimated £160 billion opportunity for the UK economy.
See Limited is made up of a trio of businesses: Inspired Surfaces Limited, Rex Bousfield Limited and Performance Panels Limited; all of which are involved in the distribution and production of wood veneer and laminate surfaces.
The carbon footprint of the group is measured independently each year to identify areas of focus and drive new sustainable initiatives including the implementation of the company’s individual Carbon Management Programme.
The group has invested in carbon credits, which is an internationally recognised way for organisations to manage their carbon emissions. See Limited has invested in three years’ worth of carbon credits based on carbon emission generating activity, to futureproof its efforts and free up time needed to work on its carbon sequestration.
See Limited’s carbon credits have been used to support global projects including the development of wind farms in India and for the Kumasi Stoves project in Ghana, which replaces open fireplaces with improved cookstoves, reducing the rate of deforestation.
At its HQ in Corby, Northamptonshire, See Limited is reducing its carbon footprint generated through operational activities. This includes purchasing new machinery, switching to a greener energy provider, and introducing an electric company vehicle policy.
In December 2021, the business also launched a tree planting initiative for orders placed on its B2C product line. Partnering with MoreTrees, who work closely with tree planting companies across the world, See Limited’s commitment resulted in 102 trees being planted in its first week of launching. This will help the Group meet its first annual target of planting 2,500 trees, with the ambition to reach 10,000 over three years.
Robert Thompson, CEO of See Limited, said: “We’re proud to have made such significant progress with our decarbonisation plans in 2021 – it’s a true testament to our team for their ongoing commitment to adapting our way of working for the sake of the planet.
“We recognise that there is still further to go in our sustainability journey, but it’s important to acknowledge how small steps make a large and lasting impact. NatWest’s recent report shows the power that SMEs have in truly making a difference, and we’re fortunate to have a strong network of like-minded external partners, who are helping on our journey.”
Paul Marsden, relationship manager at NatWest, said: “Supporting businesses in their change strategies is a true passion for NatWest and we want to help companies reduce their carbon footprints and implement greener processes. See Limited have proven themselves to be industry leaders in this area, and it was great to play a small part in facilitating this progressive green agenda.”
Angel Trains acquires rail and infrastructure services provider
Angel Trains Ltd, which has offices in Derby, has acquired specialist rail and infrastructure services provider, Readypower Group, which has one of its six central hubs in Nottinghamshire.
Readypower provides specialised on-track plant equipment as well as civil engineering, drainage, haulage and operating services to the UK rail sector. It plays a critical role in helping to modernise the UK’s rail network as electrification and upgrades continue throughout the country.
The deal cements Angel Trains’ commitment to investing in rail assets in the UK. Readypower will continue to run as an independent business, with its brand and management team remaining in place.
Readypower is already supporting vital rail infrastructure improvement projects to help level up the country. These include the TransPennine route upgrades, Midland Mainline electrification and the Core Valley Lines transformation project in Wales.
Malcolm Brown, CEO of Angel Trains, said: “Angel Trains and Readypower are very complementary businesses with a singular focus on supporting the UK rail network. We are both committed to the success of the UK rail industry and by working together, we know we can make real progress in improving the system for passengers and freight across the country.
“We bring a wealth of understanding and experience of managing rail assets and believe we can help Readypower to realise its full potential in the years ahead.”
Angel Trains will support Readypower’s growth by investing in the latest machinery and technology to support critical rail assets, developing sustainable solutions for the future.
Russell Jack, CEO of Readypower Group, added: “Angel Trains is a very welcome partner for our business. They take a long-term view, which will bring stability and investment at just the right time. It is an excellent deal for the industry to see a company like Angel Trains looking to invest and diversify further into the UK rail market. I look forward to working with Angel Trains to continue to grow and expand the business.”
Seven projects benefit from £300,000 of LLEP digital poverty grants
- Reuse scheme will increase availability of IT equipment by recycling unwanted business kit for use by community groups
- Other innovative projects will create local digital hubs to increase access to training, aid education and develop digital skills
Revenue rises at Joules but sits behind expectations
Revenue at Joules, the Market Harborough-based lifestyle group, is behind expectations, despite rising.
Group revenue for the 9 weeks to 30 January 2022 was up 31% against FY21 and 19% against FY20, however, this performance, along with the Group’s PBT performance over the same period, is behind the Board’s expectations.
The company has noted that this reflects weaker than expected revenue in January, in part as a result of the negative impact of the Omicron variant on retail footfall.
Joules has also pointed to delays to new stock arrivals as a result of global supply chain challenges, resulting in a lower full price sales mix, in turn impacting revenue and gross margin, as well as lower than expected wholesale revenue due to delayed stock and customer cancellations.
It has also highlighted the continued impact on gross margin of increases in freight, duties and distribution costs, and continued operational disruption, lower productivity, and higher than expected costs within the third-party operated Distribution Centre (DC) with costs for December and January £1.2m above expectations.
The news follows financial results for the six months ended 28th November 2021, which saw revenues of £127.9m (H1 FY2021: £95.4m) and PBT pre-adjusting items of £2.6m (FY 2021: £3.7m).
Joules added in a statement to the London Stock Exchange: “The Board’s base case expectation is for trading for the balance of the year to recover in line with its previously stated expectations, supported by recovering footfall and an improved level of newness in the stock position.
“The wholesale orderbook for Spring / Summer 22 remains strong and the DC operation is normalising with delivery times back to standard service levels and productivity improved. Assuming the Board’s base case is met, adjusted PBT for the full year is not expected to be less than £5.0m (FY 2021: £6.1m).”
New senior technical leader joins WestBridge Group
WestBridge Group, which provides specialist tax advice and independent administration, consultancy, and trustee services for Small Self-Administered Pension Schemes (SSAS), has strengthened its technical team following the appointment of Janet Corbett as senior technical leader.
Janet has worked in the pensions industry for over 30 years and joins WestBridge SSAS having held senior pensions administration roles with Michael Ambrose Group and other leading SSAS providers.
Reporting to the head of pensions, Janet will be responsible for dealing with complex technical queries from account managers. She will also act as an interface with the compliance director to ensure the procedures are maintained and adhere to current and future legislation. Other aspects of her role include being responsible for supporting the competency and development of the SSAS account managers together with the administration of a small, dedicated SSAS portfolio.
Commenting on her appointment, David Santaney said: “Janet has built up an enviable reputation within the industry covering all areas of administration and technical support. She delivers a cradle to grave service to clients and will play a key technical and management role in the future growth of our business.”
Janet added: “Having previously worked with other members of the WestBridge SSAS team I am looking forward to helping the company build on its reputation as well as helping our account managers develop their competencies and manage their client portfolios in a way that is both customer focused and efficient.”
2022 Business Predictions: Julia Day, sales and development progression manager at KMRE Group Ltd
It’s that time of year, when Business Link Magazine invites the region’s business leaders to offer up their predictions for the year ahead.
It has become something of a tradition, given that we’ve been doing this now for over 30 years.
Here we speak to Julia Day, sales and development progression manager at KMRE Group Ltd.
Last year was unquestionably a challenging one for all industries – each come with their unpredictability but for the property market in particular, 2021 certainly kept us on our toes.
People have been on the hunt for larger homes, house prices have increased – and the stamp duty holiday meant that transaction levels were fluctuating constantly, with interest rates too at an all-time low. The number of buy-to-let mortgages are on the rise, as are – naturally – the number of people renting, and “staycations” are becoming ever more popular.
It was a reflective year for many and we’ve certainly seen a lot of people questioning and rethinking their living situations, not only from a financial and practical perspective, but from a lifestyle point of view too. Homeowners want more space, we are travelling abroad far less and we want security and stability.
Looking ahead to what 2022 will bring, we expect to see more and more people on the move as the demand in the property market remains high and relatively steady. Rental properties also stay in high demand, particularly apartments in central and accessible locations, so we expect to see these become more popular too.
The rise of living costs and the demand pressures may mean the tightening of belts for some and make it harder for first time buyers to get on the property ladder, but given the fluctuation that we saw through 2021, we don’t think this will be as dramatic in the new year, and a crash in the market following the housing boom which some have questioned we actually don’t expect to see any time soon.
We’re looking forward to progressing with and completing our latest residential developments in Nottingham and Leeds in 2022, as we remain committed to investing in cities that offer residents excellent locations and investment opportunities.
HelloFresh chooses Derby for new distribution centre
Recipe box company, HelloFresh, is set to open a new distribution centre at Derby’s SmartParc SEGRO this Spring, creating 450 new operation, distribution, and management jobs.
The new distribution centre, named “The Orchard” by current HelloFresh colleagues, will be located at SmartParc SEGRO Spondon, a high-tech food manufacturing and distribution campus, near Spondon station.
The Orchard is the third distribution centre that the Berlin-based company has opened in the UK, in response to the ongoing demand for their meal kits. The company now has 7 million active customers globally, and the opening of The Orchard will play a key role in allowing the business to continue growing and expanding its offering to UK customers.
In line with HelloFresh’s achievement of becoming the world’s first carbon-neutral meal kit company, all carbon emissions from production and distribution will be offset. To prevent food waste, HelloFresh plans to set up a partnership with a local Food Bank which will distribute unsold but still edible food to communities in need. In 2021 HelloFresh UK donated over 1.9 million meals to The Felix Project and local food banks.
Jackie Wild, SmartParc SEGRO Derby, SmartParc founder and Chief Executive, said: “We are absolutely delighted to welcome HelloFresh as our first anchor client in this ground-breaking new SmartParc development. They share our ambition to see food businesses operate in a more sustainable way, and also to build close links with the Derby community.
“We look forward to developing our partnership with them over the next few years, and to delivering all the commercial, operational and environmental benefits that SmartParc is uniquely able to provide.”
Councillor Chris Poulter, leader of Derby City Council, said: “This really is very exciting news for Derby. HelloFresh is a huge name, and choosing our city as their new home is testament to our strong reputation for innovation and manufacturing – Derby has a lot to offer!
“The Council has been working with the team at SmartParc for some time now, and it’s really exciting to see those efforts come to fruition. Welcoming HelloFresh will bring good quality, sustainable jobs to the city, which ultimately means income and opportunity for our people and their families.
“I look forward to welcoming HelloFresh to Derby!”
Paul Simpson, Chief Executive of Derby City Council, added: “I’m delighted we’ve been able to support this move through our work with SmartParc. The Council has already allocated £5.5 million towards the project and was successful in securing £12 million of D2N2 funding, to help with the reclamation of a major brownfield site in the city.
“HelloFresh is just the kind of organisation we want to attract to Derby, with sustainability and social value at the heart of their ethos, which is brilliant to see. Not only are these attributes a key strand of our Council Plan, it’s something that we should all strive towards as businesses and individuals, to ensure a more sustainable future.”
Two new children’s homes set to be created in Leicester
Two new children’s homes are set to be created by the city council to help boost the number of council-run homes for children and young people in care.
Leicester City Council is seeking to expand its in-house provision by converting existing council properties into homes for children and young people who are not able to live with their birth families or foster carers.
Plans have been drawn up to convert two former council-owned houses in Aylestone and a former children’s home site in Braunstone into homes that will provide places for five and six young people respectively, between the ages of eight and 17.
The proposed expansion would mean the city council would be able to care for more children and young people in-house, increasing capacity from five children’s homes, caring for up to 30 children and young people, to seven homes caring for up to 41.
Deputy city mayor for social care, Cllr Sarah Russell, said: “The city council is determined to provide the best possible care for the children and young people we look after. The vast majority of children who can’t live with their birth families live with foster carers, but this isn’t right for everyone, and increasing demand for children’s social care services in recent years means there has been a significant rise in demand for residential children’s homes. This is the case across the country.
“This has led to an increase in the use of external providers. We will always need to do this, and they can offer a high standard of care, but we also believe there are substantial advantages to providing more of these homes and care ourselves. For a start, all our city council-run children’s homes are rated good or outstanding by Ofsted, demonstrating our experience and expertise in providing quality care.
“All of our homes are within the city, which means children and young people can continue to receive support within their communities rather than them moving away from Leicester. This continuity and stability can be very important to children experiencing major disruption to their lives.
“There are also financial advantages to providing more places ourselves. External providers can raise fees and that is outside our control, but by providing places in-house we can control costs – as well as benefitting from economies of scale across all our children’s homes.”
The estimated costs for creating each of the new homes are around £1,100,000 each. Leicester City Council has been awarded £500,000 towards the first home from the Department for Education’s children’s homes capital funding programme.
Cllr Russell added: “We are proposing to use part of the council’s capital budget – the money we set aside for big projects – to fund the rest of the project. We consider this a really important use of our resources to help support and protect some of Leicester’s most vulnerable children and young people.”
There are currently more than 50 children and young people living in external residential children’s homes at any one time, with an average cost of £3,900 per week. The average direct cost at an in-house home in 2020/21 was between £3,400 and £3,800 a week.
Both proposals will be subject to planning application processes, which include an opportunity for members of the public to comment on the proposals.
Brexit anniversary presents opportunity for Government to reflect on how it can solve issues affecting businesses, says East Midlands Chamber
The region’s leading business representation group is calling for the Government to work with the EU to find a solution to ongoing issues around how the trade deal is interpreted.
It follows huge lorry queues being reported at Dover last week and a survey by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) finding that 60% of UK exporters reported difficulties in trading with the EU in November 2021 – an increase from 49% in January last year.
East Midlands Chamber chief executive Scott Knowles said: “The current delays at Dover appear to be linked to the export of food products across the Channel, with differing interpretations of how trade arrangements work after leaving the EU.
“Given that the East Midlands has a thriving food manufacturing sector with both large and small businesses that export to numerous markets, these bottlenecks have a significant impact on our region’s economy.
“This is on top of the extra bureaucracy that is adding considerable sums to overheads for many SMEs, which are simultaneously being hit by rising prices for raw materials and energy – not to mention struggling to find people with the right skills.
“A perfect storm of Covid-19, Brexit and spiralling inflation means the cost of doing business is becoming a huge concern and could weigh down on our prospects of a strong economic recovery.
“The Chamber has witnessed the direct consequences of leaving the EU, alongside the challenges caused by the pandemic, as the number of international trade documents we process fell from 22,000 in 2020 to 14,000 in 2021 due to businesses exporting lower volumes and on a less frequent basis.”
How Brexit has impacted East Midlands export markets
The only market growing for the East Midlands has been in North America, with all others reducing by about 30% on average compared to pre-pandemic and Brexit.
Scott said the business community recognised that goods won’t flow as freely across the Channel now as they did two years ago.
“But the way the trade agreement is being interpreted in 27 different EU countries is a major headache for UK business – especially smaller firms without the cash reserves to set up new EU-based arrangements,” he added.
“Yet it doesn’t have to be this way. It is possible for the UK Government and EU to take a pragmatic approach and work together to reach new understandings on a consistent interpretation of the rules and to build on them further.
“On the second anniversary of Brexit, now is the time for our policymakers to reflect on the issues facing businesses and to find a real solution to them, rather than just offering more rhetoric.”
