Flint Bishop gears up for further growth with senior appointment

Tess Egginton
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Flint Bishop gears up for further growth with senior appointment
Leading law firm Flint Bishop has announced the strategic lateral hire of Dale Bradbury as Project Accountant as part of its ongoing commitment to invest in its staff and ensure it is well-positioned for strategic growth. Bradbury joins Flint Bishop from Knights PLC, where he held the position of Project Accountant. Prior to working at Knights, Bradbury held various financial reporting and auditing roles with companies such as RSM, specialising in statutory accounting, efficiency projects, and change management. In his new role, Bradbury will report directly to Flint Bishop’s leadership team and work closely with Chief Executive Qamer Ghafoor on acquisition targets, performing high-level due diligence to ensure the financial performance is suitable for take-on. He will oversee all key touchpoints for any acquisitions; assisting with valuations and negotiations, conducting various fact-finding exercises, and remaining a key contact for acquired staff post-acquisition. In addition, Bradbury will work alongside the accounts leadership team on acquisitions and select projects that support the firm’s financial and risk management operations and overarching finance strategy, reviewing internal matrix and various modelling. Ghafoor said: “We are thrilled to have Dale on board as part of our commitment to our ambitious growth strategy. His extensive experience in financial analysis will be a valuable asset to our firm as we go through a period of further planned expansion. “To ensure that the firm is well placed for strategic growth across all areas, we are continuing to invest in our staff, making multiple critical appointments as well investing in all fee-earning and support departments. This will ensure we are well positioned to proactively pursue the next phase of development for the firm, specifically relating to targeted acquisition.”

Second phase of building work in full swing at Derby Market Hall

Tess Egginton
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Second phase of building work in full swing at Derby Market Hall

The highly anticipated Derby Market Hall refurbishment has commenced its second phase of work, making drastic internal and external improvements.

The Victorian Market Hall on Tennant Street is set to become a vibrant retail and leisure destination, linking the Derbion shopping centre and St Peter’s Quarter to the Cathedral Quarter and the Becketwell regeneration scheme. When complete, the refurbished Market Hall will pay homage to its heritage while evolving to meet modern needs and consumer demand.

A vital part of this next phase is to develop the public space at Osnabruck Square, a key entrance to the Grade II listed building, as well as reinstating the north entrance.

The refurbishment is being led by Wates Group, which is working in collaboration with Derby City Council. The project team is made up of specialists operating within the region, including Lathams Architects, structural engineers Rodgers Leask, and M&E consultants Clancy.

Lisa Cunningham, preconstruction director at Wates Construction, said: “The Market Hall will play a vital role in creating a thriving cultural heart in Derby and we’re pleased to support this project to restore and transform such a unique building. With the roof restoration completed, this next phase will begin to show substantial improvements to the interiors and strengthen the exteriors to ensure the building has a long life.

“This next phase will see further external work, including re-instating the two original northern entrances to the Market Hall, which will replace the current single entrance and allow a direct line of sight through the Guildhall colonnade. As well as making the building more inviting and accessible, this will also avoid any potential bottlenecks from increased footfall.

“Elsewhere on the building exterior, we will work to widen external escape doors, strip and renew the metal roof to its 1980s extension and replace the brickwork to the southern elevation arrangement with fully glazed window openings to create an active frontage with greater visibility.”

The Guildhall Yard will also be enhanced to resurface the existing tarmac and the entire courtyard will be re-paved following the demolition of the existing 1980s stair and lift tower.

Internal works will focus on the new flexible market hall space featuring free-standing mobile stalls to create an accessible space for events and activities such as food and music festivals. To accommodate a high-quality food and drink offer, the balcony will have a bottle bar and an emphasis will be placed on street food but with the flexibility to adapt to future trends.

Further work in this phase includes refurbishments made to the first-floor shops, new durable flooring, improved back-of-house storage, improvements to fire safety, and new WC facilities. A new, grand central staircase is also proposed to the north of the Market Hall, replacing an existing stairwell and removing any potential for anti-social behaviour.

This grand staircase will reflect the position and form of the original 1864 stair, connecting to the balcony in a contemporary, light and inviting route. It will feature a glass balustrade designed to contrast with, yet complement, the historic metal balustrade across the balcony.

Councillor Matthew Eyre, cabinet member for Community Development, Place and Tourism at Derby City Council, said: “Our aim is to turn the Market Hall into a key destination which incorporates the best of traditional and modern markets and that contributes to the vibrancy of the city centre while still celebrating the key features of the historic building.

“We’re excited to see this next phase come together and with the help of our project team, we’ll be able to reach our ambitious plans to transform one of the city’s most prominent buildings and increase the economic, social and cultural value of Derby.”

The designs also include sustainable focused upgrades such as on-site energy generation through solar thermal and PV panels, battery storage, combined heat and power, and disposal of food waste through anaerobic digestion.

Wates was appointed via SCAPE’s Major Works framework. The second phase of development is set to complete at the end of 2024.

76 jobs saved as manufacturer sold following group’s slip into administration

Tess Egginton
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76 jobs saved as manufacturer sold following group’s slip into administration

Edward Williams and Ross Connock of PwC have been appointed joint administrators of Concord Limited, BAS Castings Limited and HI Quality Steel Castings Limited.

The Group operated two casting foundries in Pinxton, Nottinghamshire (BAS) and Whittington Moor, Chesterfield (HIQ) which manufacture and supply high integrity iron and steel castings worldwide. At the time of the administrators’ appointment, on 30 March 2023, BAS had 78 employees and HIQ had 76.

The Group’s growth and financial stability has been impacted by a legacy defined benefit pension scheme which it was no longer able to support given a period of underperformance arising from Covid-19 and more recently by rising energy costs and inflation.

Despite extensive work around options, the pension trustee has recently made the difficult decision to wind the scheme up. The directors therefore concluded that the businesses could not continue to trade as a going concern and had little alternative other than to place the Group into administration.

Following their appointments, the joint administrators undertook an accelerated process of limited trading and completion of work in progress where possible alongside rapidly exploring any interest in a sale of the businesses and assets.

This has resulted in a sale of all the business and assets of HIQ which has preserved all 76 jobs to Chesterfield Metal Technologies Limited (a subsidiary of William Cook Holdings Limited) on 6 April. Unfortunately the limited interest in BAS has resulted in 59 redundancies being announced at the same date, with a small number of employees (18) retained to assist the administrators.

Eddie Williams, joint administrator, said: “I am pleased that our significant efforts since appointment have been able to save so many jobs at HIQ in a sector already experiencing a number of economic challenges. However it is very disappointing that having exhausted all options around a sale or funding, we have no alternative other than to announce this level of redundancies at BAS.

“We understand that this is a very difficult time for the employees and we will be providing support to the employees impacted over the coming weeks.”

Chris Seymour, William Cook, said: “We are delighted that we’ve managed to work with the joint administrators to complete the purchase of the majority of HIQ’s business and assets. We now look forward to stabilising the business, utilising the strength and depth from across the rest of the William Cook group and working with HIQ’s employees who will be key to future growth and profitability.”

Draycott-based Hospital Services Limited (HSL) appoints regional director of operations in GB

Tess Egginton
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Draycott-based Hospital Services Limited (HSL) appoints regional director of operations in GB
HSL, one of the largest privately-owned distributors supplying the health sector in the UK and Ireland, have appointed Steve Leatherland as their new regional director of operations in GB. It follows the recent announcement of a £1.7m investment in growing their GB-based footprint, including a new UK-based headquarters in the East Midlands. Steve brings over two decades’ experience in the diagnostic imaging and healthcare sectors and a sustained record of achievement in Sales and Business Development, Operations, Customer Service, and Technical & Supply Chain Management with companies including Philips Healthcare, Carestream and most recently Fujifilm Medical Systems. His role will focus in on the development of existing and new opportunities as HSL broadens its reach into health trusts across the country and introduces new technology and manufacturers including Shimadzu, NRT x-ray systems, Dornier MedTech, and Konica Minolta into facilities across England, Scotland and Wales. He will also work to ensure the customer remains at the heart of everything HSL’s growing team does as HSL continues with its plan of continued growth over the coming years.

Landmark deal creates UK metals powerhouse

Tess Egginton
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Landmark deal creates UK metals powerhouse
Derbyshire-based KJB Global Consulting has acquired one of the UK’s largest independent metals recycling operators, Peterborough Metals Recycling (PMR). PMR, which has traded successfully as BW Riddle for more than 67 years, has been acquired as part of a transaction backed by industry veteran Tom Bird and Harwood Private Capital. The combination of a leading metals broker with an established metals recycling operator creates a vertically integrated, ESG-focused, metal recycling business of scale resulting in an ideal platform for future acquisitions. The two businesses, which will continue to trade as separate entities, will have a total of 70 employees, a combined turnover of £79m and an EBITDA of c£11.9m. The deal involves the retention of all existing PMR staff, with plans to create additional jobs as part of its growth plans. The deal was facilitated by Tom Bird, who takes a commercial interest and active role with the new organisation. Tom Bird is the current president of the Bureau of International Recycling and the former Managing Director, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Trading Officer of Scholz Recycling and Chiho Environmental Group, one of the largest recycling businesses in the world and is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Tom Bird, whose previous roles also include Managing Director of Sims UK and Van Dalen UK, saw the potential for the two organisations to join forces and brought in boutique advisory firm, Lexington Corporate Finance. Lexington subsequently introduced both parties to private equity firm Harwood Private Capital, which will now take a stake in the business. KJB Global Consulting is owned by James Bowers and supports clients across Europe, including foundries, industrial plants, mining and metals companies. The firm advises owners and management teams on growth and risk management strategies and also shipped over half a million tonnes of scrap metal on its own chartered vessels in 2022. Following the integration of PMR into its business, it now has the ability to process more than 100,000 tons of inbound material a year. The complex nature of the deal required a breadth of advisory support, involving a number of UK firms. James Bowers and Tom Bird were advised on the deal by Lexington Corporate Finance and Capital Law. PMR was advised by Grant Thornton and Mills & Reeve, while Harwood Private Capital was advised by PKF Francis Clark and Gateley Legal. “The acquisition of PMR is the next key step towards an ambitious growth plan for KJB,” said James Bowers, CEO of KJB Global Consulting. “Having someone with the experience of Tom Bird, an industry veteran with over 30 years in the metal recycling sector, investing and taking an active role in the business is fantastic. Bringing private equity investment into the equation, allows for an unrivalled and aggressive buy and build strategy. PMR will be the first of many acquisitions and we are already working on number two. “PMR has a long heritage and is widely known across the UK metal recycling market with an excellent reputation. As a business it is also an established processor of secondary metals with a state of the art infrastructure allowing KJB to move from solely being a ‘trader’ to operating physical processing sites. We are excited about the merger of these two strong businesses, incorporating the outstanding and experienced PMR staff with the existing KJB team. It is going to be an exciting period in the company’s history.” “The synergy between the two organisations and the potential for future growth has been a driving factor in this deal from the outset,” said Sinead Johnson, who led the advisory team, which included Courtney Mattocks and Pablo Shorney from Lexington Corporate Finance. “The mix of debt and private equity finance, the involvement of different entities and the plans for full integration of the businesses has been complex in nature. The pragmatic and collaborative approach adopted by all parties has created a major player in an industry that is undergoing major change and is pivotal to the growth and decarbonisation aspirations of governments and companies across the globe.” Stuart Davies, Director at Grant Thornton in the East of England, added: “We are delighted to have supported the Riddle family through this transaction, enabling the business to move forward under its new ownership. We wish everyone involved all the best for the future.” Jonathan Wheeler, who led the deal for Harwood Private Capital, said: “The combination of a leading metals broker with an established metals recycling operator creates a vertically integrated platform from which to create an ESG-focused, metal recycling business of scale. “I look forward to working with Tom and James to integrate and drive the business forward, both organically and through acquisition and would like to thank the team from Lexington Corporate Finance, our lawyers, Gateley PLC and PKF Francis Clark who provided the financial due diligence.”

Paper business lets Burton industrial unit

Tess Egginton
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Paper business lets Burton industrial unit
A modern industrial unit on the popular Stretton Business Park has been let to QKamba Ltd for a period of 5 years. Unit 5 Stretton Business Park provides 2,476 sq ft of industrial/warehouse space and sits on an established industrial estate within close proximity to Burton upon Trent. Taylor Millington, who put the deal together for Rushton Hickman, said: “It was great to achieve a speedy completion on another industrial letting. This type of unit was always going to acquire high levels of interest given the limited stock available in Burton.” Jackson Kivila of Qkamba Ltd said: “Qkamba Ltd are a paper-based business which specialises in processing a wide range of coated papers to meet printing needs for our Global Customers. We plan to be operational within the next 12-16 weeks as we realign resources to meet our customer’s needs. Qkamba Ltd aims to satisfy all paper printing demands from small to large orders, standard to bespoke sizes in the whole supply chain. “Taylor was very supportive in facilitating a seamless process to allow us to get the 5 year lease with the landlord. He provided me guidance throughout the letting of the property and the whole Rushton Hickman team made the process quick and easy by being helpful and available at all times. The whole process took less than 6 weeks.”

Doncaster firm sold to Brazilian owners with help of Shorts of Chesterfield

Stuart Pearcey
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Doncaster firm sold to Brazilian owners with help of Shorts of Chesterfield
Financial Services specialist Shorts has teamed up with Freeths to act as lead advisors and legal representatives to Doncaster-based AML Juratek Ltd in their sale to Brazilian car parts manufacturer Fras-Le in a deal worth £18.2m. Founded in 1995, Juratek Ltd supplies automotive aftermarket braking products for light & commercial vehicles, from its head office in Doncaster. The Company employs 50+ people and distributes around the world. Matt Robinson (Managing Director), Toby Whewell (Sales & Marketing Director) and Mark Clegg (Operations Director) took over full control of the business in 2019 following a Management Buyout, and the business subsequently acquired Braking specialists Bettaparts in 2021 before now selling to Fras-le. Andy Ryder, Partner at Shorts said: “Having assisted Matt, Toby and Mark through a number of transactions over the last four years, it has been an absolute pleasure to have advised them through the latest stage of the Juratek journey.” Matt Robinson added: “This is a fantastic deal for the shareholders but also the start of an exciting journey for the company under the ownership of Fras-Le.” President and CEO of Fras-le, Sergio L. Carvalho said: “With this strategic action we reaffirm our position as one of the largest portfolios of brands for the auto parts aftermarket, expanding the model that has been working in Brazil for new markets; allowing even more growth, important operational synergies and adding value to our business and quality in delivering solutions to our customers.” With a long-standing heritage of over 130 years, Shorts has grown from a local business to a nationally recognised award-winning firm which is home to a wide range of experts and specialists.

Grants of up to £10,000 available to Northamptonshire businesses

Tess Egginton
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Grants of up to £10,000 available to Northamptonshire businesses
Grants of up to £10,000 are available to growing businesses across Northamptonshire for a limited time. SEMLEP is providing the grants through its Growth Curve programme which offers a comprehensive suite of support to business leaders, including one-to-one meetings with business advisers, university masterclasses and peer networking opportunities. With funding for the Growth Curve programme coming to an end soon, businesses which want to take advantage of its grants need to register for the scheme quickly and make their grant applications by April 28. SEMLEP Growth Hub manager Vicky Hlomuka said: “Growth Curve is a fantastic programme which has provided invaluable support and training for local businesses. “When firms register for Growth Curve they’re initially invited to take advantage of three hours of one-to-one support with one of our business advisers and then they are able to apply for grants to fund revenue projects. “This is a great opportunity for growing businesses and I’d urge firms to get in touch with us as soon as possible to make sure they don’t miss out.” The maximum grant available to businesses is £10,000 and match-funding is required from the company. The grants are for revenue projects and the funding needs to be spent by June 15. To help businesses with their grant applications, SEMLEP is running a free online Revenue Grant Surgery from 10am to 12 midday on Friday, April 21. Growth Curve is open to businesses which are experiencing or projecting high growth in the next two to three years, have a minimum of two employees and a current annual turnover of £100,000 with projected 20 per cent annual growth minimum.

Nottingham Venues selected to host UDine Awards

Tess Egginton
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Nottingham Venues selected to host UDine Awards

Nottingham Venues has been selected as the host venue for the upcoming UDine Awards. Up to 130 people from across the UK’s university hospitality sector will attend the event at Nottingham Venues’ Orchard Hotel on Tuesday 20 June. The event will be hosted by celebrity chef, restaurateur, and TV host Simon Rimmer.

The UDine awards are a joint initiative between Inside Foodservice and University Hospitality Seminars. The annual event celebrates excellence in the university hospitality sector and recognises the organisations that are leading the way in the industry.

Prior to the awards, Udine and Nottingham Venues will host an afternoon of networking and a series of seminars where leaders within the industry can discuss sector issues and share best practice. Sustainability is high on the agenda, and the Orchard Hotel’s strong environmental credentials and focus on reducing its environmental impact is one of the reasons it was chosen as the host venue.

In addition to hosting the event, Nottingham Venues has also put the Orchard Hotel forward for the University Hotel Award. Located within the University of Nottingham campus, the 4* eco-friendly hotel comprises 202 bedrooms, 6 meeting rooms, a restaurant and welcomes thousands of business and leisure guests each year.

Tom Waldron-Lynch, general manager of Nottingham Venues, says: “The Udine Awards are a landmark event within the university hospitality sector, and I am delighted that we will be hosting the event this year.

“Over the past year, the Nottingham Venues team has been focussed on putting our venues on the map in terms of the quality of provision we can offer industry award organisers, so I’m pleased that the organisers of the most significant awards in our sector has chosen to partner with us for the 2023 Udine Awards.”

David McKown MBE, director of the UDine Awards, adds: “Nottingham Venues’ facilities and its location within the grounds of the University of Nottingham made it the perfect location for this year’s awards. Sustainability is a huge issue within our industry, and we therefore also wanted to partner with a venue that put sustainability at the heart of its service.”

12 speakers confirmed for free day-long ‘Survive and Thrive’ event for SMEs

Tess Egginton
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12 speakers confirmed for free day-long ‘Survive and Thrive’ event for SMEs

Expert speakers who will share tips on how to ‘survive and thrive’ in business in 2023 have now been confirmed for a free event next week.

The one-off conference has been organised by the Business Gateway Growth Hub and will be hosted by LLEP Board Members Glynis Wright MBE and Sonia Baigent.

It takes place on Tuesday April 18, at Leicester’s Morningside Arena and will cover a variety of cost-saving themes and explore possible solutions to current pain points faced by local firms.

This will include effective workforces, managing energy costs, and leading in challenging times.

There are still some places left for businesses to register now to attend the event.

Business owner and qualified accountant Sonia has provided business consultancy and support to SMEs for more than 15 years.

She will give her own talk, using ‘real life’ examples and success stories, as will local business leader and qualified solicitor Glynis. Also taking to the stage will be:

  • Caitlin Davies – Microsoft UK
  • Steven Mather – Steven Mather Solicitor
  • Azar Khan – Axiom Energy
  • Anna Cyhan – LLEP Skills
  • Alpa Chauhan and Sally Drew – Leicester Employment Hub
  • Sally Newnham – Mental Health and Productivity Pilot
  • Christiane Startin-Lorent – Carbon Literacy Advocate and Trainer
  • Stu Spencer – Charnwood Accountants
  • Sam Goddard – St James Systems
  • Saleem Arif – ReviewSolicitors

Presentation topics include recruitment, negotiating energy contracts, navigating debt, financial resilience, productivity hacks, and more.

Sonia said: “With such a strong roster of speakers and stallholders, business owners and attendees will leave the expo feeling positive and motivated. They will also be armed with useful tips that they can use to strengthen their position.

“The current cost of doing business means local owners and directors are facing a daily challenge to manage the needs of both their business and its stakeholders.

“My session will look at how you can bring focus and clarity to everyday decisions, as well as covering the support and options available to businesses in times of distress.

“Our other speakers will also draw from their experiences to offer practical advice and tips on how to access support.

“The purpose of the event is to signpost business owners to available support, whilst also providing practical tools and tips to help manage the current cost of doing business during the cost of living crisis.”

There will be an expo outside of organisations offering free help and support to local businesses. Universities, banks, networks and trade bodies are among confirmed stallholders so far. They include:

  • ACAS
  • Axiom Energy
  • Barclays Eagle Labs
  • Centre for Organisational Resilience
  • East Midlands Chamber
  • Embark CSR
  • Federation of Small Businesses
  • Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership
  • Leicester City Council
  • LUInc (Loughborough University business incubator for the LLEP-supported Wayfinder programme)
  • NatWest
  • ReviewSolicitors
  • Sir Thomas White Loan Charity
  • Steven Mather Solicitor
  • The Anderson Partnership
  • University of Leicester School of Business

Sonia added: “Over the last few years, the challenges of running a business have grown. The fallout from the pandemic, high inflation, impossible energy hikes – it’s all taken its toll. We aim to provide practical advice that can be used immediately, for businesses to survive and grow in 2023 and beyond.”

Reserve your ticket now
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