Integrated services group acquires majority shareholding in Northants firm

Tess Egginton
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Integrated services group acquires majority shareholding in Northants firm
South Staffordshire Plc (SSPlc), an integrated services group that operates two regulated water companies and a range of complementary non-regulated businesses that serve essential services markets, has acquired a majority 92.5% shareholding in Infrastructure Gateway Ltd (IGL), with an option to acquire the remaining 7.5% in 2026. Backed by its shareholder, funds managed by Arjun Infrastructure Partners, this acquisition for SSPlc marks a key milestone in the growth of its clean energy business, which already includes electric vehicle charging infrastructure and turnkey ground source and district heating services, to further support its customers’ decarbonisation goals. Based in Kettering, Infrastructure Gateway Ltd, the independent multi utility infrastructure provider, currently serves residential housebuilders and commercial developers across the East of England. One of a select group of UK companies accredited under the Lloyds Register, and holding Multi Utility Registration Status, IGL is also one of the UK’s top three providers of water connections to Ofwat appointed NAVs (New Appointments and Variations). Phil Newland, CEO of South Staffordshire Plc, said: “This acquisition brings a highly complementary capability to our existing services, helping us to further strengthen our energy infrastructure and decarbonisation offerings. “The expertise and passion of the IGL team has meant the business has already achieved a market leading position, and we’re excited to welcome the IGL team to our Group and to support the next chapter of their development as part of our overall growth strategy.” Steven Draper, Managing Director of Infrastructure Gateway Limited, added: “We are delighted to join SSPlc and look forward to our future as part of the Group. We already have a strong regional client base, and SSPlc is the perfect fit to help us drive further growth opportunities; expanding our services nationwide and into next generation essential infrastructure markets.”

Dan Walker, Alex Odlin and Gregg Pendlington of Dow Schofield Watts’ corporate finance team advised SSPlc while James Killing and Tom Rowe from the transaction services team provided financial due diligence to the company.

Andrew Smith and Gweni Rees-Evans of Shakespeare Martineau provided legal advice to SSplc.

Bowmer + Kirkland awarded places on two national frameworks

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Bowmer + Kirkland awarded places on two national frameworks

Derbyshire-headquartered Bowmer + Kirkland has been awarded places on two further national frameworks, enabling it to bid for more public sector projects.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) Construction Services Framework covers projects up to £30 million and will include new build, refurbishment and minor works for the MoJ, HM Courts and Tribunals Services, HM Prison and Probation Service, the Legal Aid Agency and the Home Office. The Crown Commercial Services Offsite Framework will provide a four-year stream of work with a value of £10 billion. It aims to support the public sector to innovate, drive efficiency and continue to work towards Net Zero Carbon targets. The focus will be on health, housing, education, justice and defence. Bowmer + Kirkland’s success means that its construction division is now a supplier on 15 Frameworks. Main Board Director responsible for Frameworks, Chris Arno, said: “Once again our success is down to the hard work of many people. We have proved our worth as a successful framework contractor through our work with the Department for Education. Bowmer + Kirkland is now well established as a public sector contractor alongside our extensive experience for private clients.”

Government recognises progress at Nottingham City Council with decision not to appoint commissioners

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Government recognises progress at Nottingham City Council with decision not to appoint commissioners
Nottingham City Council has welcomed the Government’s decision to continue with the current arrangements in place for overseeing ongoing improvements at the authority rather than appoint commissioners. The decision means that the Improvement and Assurance Board chaired by Sir Tony Redmond will remain in place to support the council in implementing its ‘Together for Nottingham’ improvement plan. Council leader, Cllr David Mellen, said: “We very much welcome the Government’s decision which reflects that the current arrangements in place are working. “The council has already made many of the improvements expected of us by the Improvement and Assurance Board and the Government. In particular, we had agreed a balanced budget and medium term financial plan prior to the soaring inflation and energy costs that have affected the finances of households and councils up and down the country – and we are well on the way to balancing the budget for a second year. “We recognise there is much more work to do to increase the pace of the changes and to put the council on a solid financial footing despite the huge budget pressures we and all councils are facing currently.” The council’s Chief Executive, Mel Barrett, said: “We have previously said that our strong preference was to continue working with the Improvement and Assurance Board, with its balance of support and challenge, but that we were committed to working effectively with whatever arrangements Government put in place so that the intervention can be as successful as possible in as short a time as possible. “We very much welcome the continued involvement of Sir Tony Redmond as chair of the Improvement and Assurance Board. We are committed to working together to address the need to reduce the council’s cost base whilst ensuring that we are providing economic, efficient and effective Best Value services to the people of Nottingham.” The significant progress on improvements made over the last two years has included:
  • Initially agreeing a balanced budget for the current year and Medium-Term Financial Plan for the next four years, prior to the huge increases in inflation and energy costs seen over the last few months. Plans have been fully worked up to do this again in March
  • Reducing debt levels and increasing the disposal of property assets to fund council projects and priorities
  • Identifying and responding to issues with unlawful HRA misallocation – commissioning and implementing recommendations from two independent reports
  • Carrying out a review of council-owned companies including bringing Enviroenergy in-house; selling Thomas Bow and transferring housing services and revenue and benefits back to the council
  • Working with bodies such as the Local Government Association and the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy on implementing best practices at the council
  • Investing in staff through leadership development programmes and best practice transformational change programmes, alongside leading private sector partners. This has provided significant opportunities for under-represented groups, reflecting the diversity of Nottingham as a city.

Private equity investor sells Nottingham’s Red Box

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Private equity investor sells Nottingham’s Red Box
Livingbridge, the mid-market private equity investors, has sold its Nottingham-based investee, Red Box Recorders Group Limited to US firm Uniphore Technologies Inc. The combination brings together Red Box, the dedicated voice specialist with over 30 years’ experience in empowering organizations to capture, secure and unlock the value of enterprise-wide voice, with Uniphore, the global leader in conversational artificial intelligence (AI) and automation. Red Box will continue to operate from its base in Nottingham. Livingbridge partner, Adam Holloway, said: “This has been another successful technology investment for us, building Red Box from a UK compliance specialist into a global business with a leading proposition for enterprises seeking sovereignty over their data and access to a new world of AI and automation solutions. “The combination with Uniphore brings clear strategic benefits, accelerating value for the group’s customers in a dynamic and fast developing market. We are hugely thankful to the leadership team and skilled employees of Red Box and wish them every success in the future.” Richard Stevenson, Red Box CEO, said: “The support from Livingbridge to invest in our latest platform, Conversa, has been instrumental in Red Box’s transformation, allowing us to respond to and exploit new opportunities and service global enterprise customers. “They have been strong and value-added partners for the business throughout. We are excited about the next chapter as part of Uniphore as AI and automation becomes increasingly embedded in the way businesses operate and grow.” Livingbridge and Red Box were advised by James Clark and Gordon Beveridge of Obair Partners (Corporate Finance) and Amie Norris of Pinsent Masons (Legal).

US cloud commerce marketplace acquires Derby company

Tess Egginton
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US cloud commerce marketplace acquires Derby company
Pax8, the US cloud commerce marketplace, has acquired Derby’s Bam Boom Cloud, a Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central services organisation. The acquisition creates a new market opportunity for managed service providers (MSPs) to easily add new lines of business services offerings leveraging Bam Boom’s Microsoft Dynamics expertise. “Business process automation is on the rise, and the Bam Boom acquisition will enable us to create new simple go-to-market strategies and services for partners to build on their Microsoft Dynamics technology offerings,” said John Street, Chief Executive Officer at Pax8. “Together, our people, cloud marketplace, programs, services, and resources will enable MSPs to capitalize on the market opportunities with Business Applications solutions and add new revenue streams to their organizations.” According to Forrester, Microsoft business applications services will hit $10.3 billion in 2025. The applications will continue to see significant growth supported by the fast-growing services ecosystem. Bam Boom has more than 135 employees across the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, India, and Canada, with expansive knowledge and expertise in cloud solutions. Bam Boom offers affordable, fixed monthly pricing and fixed-scope technology solutions designed for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). The company is the Global 2022 Microsoft Partner of the Year, Dynamics 365 Business Central. “We are excited for Bam Boom to join Pax8 to scale our technology solutions to the channel ecosystem,” said Vicky Critchley, CEO at Bam Boom. “Bam Boom is passionate about helping businesses be as sustainable as possible and build a strong foundation with reliable, cloud-based accounting solutions with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. Pax8 will enable us to expand our reach and help more businesses grow with Microsoft business solutions.”

Duo of Derby businesses move to Oberoi Business Hub

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Duo of Derby businesses move to Oberoi Business Hub
Two Derby businesses have moved to Oberoi Business Hub in Pride Park to pave the way for further growth. Titan Investigations has moved its head office operations to the Hub due to its easily-accessible location and conference facilities where the company also holds regular certificated surveillance training courses for its own staff and other private investigators. Titan Investigations was founded eight years ago by former police detective Simon Henson following a successful career in police covert operations combating serious organised crime and counter terrorism. The company now employs 273 operatives across the UK operating from nine offices located between London and Manchester – offering a wide range of electronic and physical private investigation services from marital investigation to tracing missing persons as well as corporate investigations from fraud to process serving. TM Health Care Services, which provides supported accommodation for vulnerable young people aged 16 to 18 in Derby, Nottingham and Stafford, has also expanded into a new head office at Oberoi Business Hub. The company was set up earlier this year by trained nurse Tanya Makina to provide specialist support for young people with complex needs including care leavers and unaccompanied asylum seekers. Titan Investigations’ Simon Henson explained: “When I first set up Titan Investigations, I had a virtual office at Oberoi Business Hub to handle our post which was an invaluable service. “Since then, we have grown rapidly and I am delighted to have now expanded into Oberoi Business Hub with modern serviced offices, high quality meeting and conference facilities and superb support from the Hub team. “The training side of the business is growing particularly quickly. It is raising standards across the industry not only in the UK but across Europe and further afield and also nurturing talented operatives to meet our operational demand. “Pride Park is therefore the perfect location for us. As well as being Derby’s most prestigious business address, it is well served by road and rail links with fast access to the UK’s motorway network and internationally from East Midlands Airport.” Tanya Makina continued: “Our offices at Oberoi Business Hub are excellent value for money with high speed broadband included. We require 24/7 access and always feel safe coming and going at whatever times we require. “This has enabled us to better structure the business and paves the way for future growth.” Oberoi Business Hub manager Jodie Brady concluded: “Titan Investigations and TM Healthcare Services are perfect examples of how businesses can thrive and grow with the flexible support and services available through our Hub community. “We look forward to being part of their ongoing success stories in future years.”

New year, new home for Grant Thornton’s Leicester team

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New year, new home for Grant Thornton’s Leicester team
Business and financial adviser Grant Thornton UK LLP has moved into its new Grade A office space in Leicester at Waterloo House. The firm moved into its new location on Wednesday 1st February, from where it will provide the regional business community with specialist, sustainable, and community-oriented support. Grant Thornton’s new site will ensure that the firm’s Leicester team has an agile space tailored to contemporary working requirements. Previously based at the nearby Regent House, Grant Thornton selected Waterloo House for its high-quality specification, green credentials and collaborative working facilities. The new location also coincides with the appointment of Phil Sayers as East Midlands practice leader for the firm. Phil has a comprehensive understanding of the local business landscape and community, having joined the Grant Thornton team in Leicester in 2012. Phil has played a key role in ensuring the office fit-out has carefully considered the needs of the team. This means that it features the latest technology to enable flexible working and collaboration, recognising the important role office space plays in the firm’s hybrid-working model. Helping the firm’s presence grow across the whole of the East Midlands region and developing the team will be key aspects of Phil’s new role. Phil Sayers, practice leader at Grant Thornton UK LLP, said: “We are motivated to develop and support our people, giving them the best tools, expertise and working-environment required to reach their full potential.” Waterloo House ensures that employees and clients are provided with the optimum working environment. It provides employees with a mixture of desks, breakout areas, soundproofed phone booths, quiet and social working areas, and technology-enabled meeting rooms. A large, drop-down screen will also allow speakers to remotely present to the entire office when required. The new office also includes a designated wellness area as well as prayer room. Phil Sayers added: “This move not only illustrates Grant Thornton’s promise to provide the very best for our talented teams, with an office designed to reflect the needs of our people, but it also exemplifies the firm’s commitment to Leicester’s vibrant business landscape. “The East Midlands is a hive of entrepreneurial companies. The whole team is looking forward to utilising this new office to connect in ever more innovative and supportive ways with the region’s business leaders in order to help them achieve their ambitions.” Located on Princess Road, Waterloo House will provide Grant Thornton with 3,500 sq ft of office space.

Flex office operator targets significant growth with four new sites

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Flex office operator targets significant growth with four new sites
Cubo, the flex office operators, has announced plans to open four new sites by the end of Q2 2023. The privately owned boutique operator currently operates in Derby, Nottingham, Birmingham, Leeds and Sheffield and plans to almost double its footprint over the coming months. As part of the company’s aggressive growth plans, prime locations in Edinburgh and Manchester have been identified and selected, alongside additional sites in Birmingham and Nottingham, where it already operates. Plans are now underway to launch in each of those core cities by the summer. Cubo was launched in 2020 and is rapidly establishing itself as a key provider of high-end flex office and co-working space in the Midlands and Yorkshire. The company, which was launched by property investors Marc and Rebecca Brough, provides an experience-led lifestyle offer to meet the changing needs of businesses – from hot desking to a designated desk, private office, or entire floor, all available on flexible terms. Member benefits include large communal spaces, private areas, break-out spaces, kitchens, an inclusive barista service with beer on tap, along with a programme of free networking events. These latest expansion plans come at a time where the flex office market is experiencing unprecedented growth with demand for serviced space growing by 25% in 2022 alone. Commenting on Cubo’s expansion plans, Marc Brough, CEO of Cubo, said: “After enjoying a hugely successful 2022, we have taken the decision to accelerate our expansion plans to meet the growing needs of both existing members and other corporate occupiers who have committed to work with Cubo as the business grows a nationwide platform. “Whilst we are currently working on the launch of four new workspaces, we are also earmarking other provincial cities where we want Cubo to have a presence and more announcements will be made in due course. “Cubo is a becoming a highly sought after space for many businesses because of its unique way of working and opportunities. We look forward to capturing more of the market for hybrid working in 2023 and beyond.”

All change at the top of Central Technology

Stuart Pearcey
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All change at the top of Central Technology
Chesterfield IT company Central Technology has restructured its board team with Rob Longden taking over from Ian Snow as MD, freeing up Ian to move into a newly-created CEO position. Central Technology has achieved consistent year on year growth over the last 12 years and this change will enable that growth to further accelerate in line with current targets. Rob has been with the company for six years within the sales, operations and service delivery teams, most recently as Commercial Director. He has more than 30 years’ IT industry experience within both SME and corporate sectors developing, implementing and managing service delivery teams, ITIL frameworks and driving service excellence through process and operational controls. Ian’s move to a full-time CEO role will see him focus on the strategic development of the business and ensuring the exceptionally high levels of customer service are maintained. This new role will draw on his past experience at Deloitte and as a Director at two high growth, market leading lift installation and maintenance businesses. Ian said: “Our goal was always to get CT into a position where Rob could take over as Managing Director and use his vast industry knowledge to help the business achieve its full potential.”

Canadian software giant swoops for Derby firm

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Canadian software giant swoops for Derby firm
A Derby-based technology firm has been sold to a Canadian software giant. Geldards advised the shareholders of Infomill on its sale to Toronto-based software solutions specialist Vela. Infomill is home to a team of experts in field service technical content delivery. Its unique software and experienced data specialists help organisations to improve efficiency and service to customers, as well as helping unlock the potential of disparate technical data. Vela is part of Constellation Software, which is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, and provides software solutions to several vertical industries. Following the deal, Infomill will operate as a standalone organisation within Vela, fulfilling its ambitions for growth and adding value for customers of both companies. Geldards’ corporate team provided advice to the shareholders of Infomill, led by partner Debra Martin and supported by senior associate Sarah Bailey, who advised on all elements of the transaction. Debra said: “We were delighted to advise Infomill on the sale of their business. They are long-standing clients of over 20 years now, and the opportunity to join Vela is an ambition realised for them.” Jonathan Ralphs, Chief Executive of Infomill, said: “Geldards supported me through the sale of the business, guiding me every step of the way thorough the complexities of the transaction and managed to prevent me becoming overwhelmed by the whole process. “Working assiduously to meet an extremely tight deadline, the team pulled out all the stops to get the deal over the line.”
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