< Previous10 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk FINANCE NEWS Silverstone secures funding package for future business development opportunities Silverstone, the home of British Motor Racing, has secured a funding package from HSBC UK to support its customers during the Covid-19 pandemic and as it continues to invest in future business development opportunities. The funding facility provided by HSBC UK will enable the organisation to continue developing its plans to turn Silverstone into a family destination. The plans include the opening of ‘Escapade Silverstone’ in May 2022 – 60 luxury residences which overlook the track’s revered Copse, Maggots & Becketts corners – alongside the continued development of the Silverstone Experience museum. The funding package has also helped Silverstone support customers proactively by offering full refunds for events that had been cancelled by the ongoing pandemic. Silverstone relies on ticket sales to fund future events and has been able to offer customers an option to carry their tickets to the next season with the financial support of HSBC UK. Darren Beddard, Finance Director at Silverstone, said: “The last ten months have had a huge impact on Silverstone and the sports industry as a whole. The next few months will continue to be challenging as we enter the slower winter trading period. “We’re delighted with the support HSBC UK has given us over the past year which will help us achieve our future long- term growth ambitions and, with rolled over bookings for 2021, I believe we’re in a strong place thanks to this support.” Daniel Havercroft, Relationship Director, South East Corporate Banking, HSBC UK added: “Silverstone is an industry leader in motorsport and known globally as a top destination for racing. The team has shown true determination to weather this period. It’s fantastic to see the company adapting and beginning to take bookings once again.” Loughborough eLearning specialists acquired in £4.5m deal Marlowe plc has acquired compliance and health and safety eLearning specialists, DeltaNet International Limited in a deal worth up to £4.5m. Established in 1998, DeltaNet International is headquartered in Loughborough. It currently employs 36 staff and provides off-the-shelf compliance and health and safety e-learning to organisations in the UK and internationally, as well as bespoke and tailored options. For the year ended 31 December 2019, DeltaNet posted EBITDA of £500,000 on revenues of £2.4m. The initial consideration for the deal will be £3m, rising to £4.5m if targets are met. Alex Dacre, Chief Executive of Marlowe, said: “The acquisition of DeltaNet broadens the Group’s expertise in health and safety and compliance and provides Marlowe with new opportunities for growth in the highly complementary eLearning market. DeltaNet will broaden the Group’s service capabilities to existing customers and will offer significant synergies, particularly with Ellis Whittam and Law At Work. “Deltanet brings more than 600 new customers, including international blue-chip companies, who will be able to benefit from Marlowe’s business critical service and software. We are confident that this acquisition will generate attractive returns for Marlowe’s shareholders.” Darren Hockley, Managing Director of DeltaNet International, expects the acquisition to support the company’s continued investment in creativity and new product development, and to bolster the company’s reputation as an industry leader in its own right. He said: “This acquisition is very important for our continued growth and we’re pleased to align ourselves with a well-established presence like Marlowe. Businesses are increasingly looking to work with companies that deliver a broader, more comprehensive service and collectively we can now fulfil more of their needs.” Recovery and Resilience grants of up to £50,000 available to South East Mids businesses New match funding is available for businesses to invest in new technologies, plant equipment, machinery or premises growth, helping businesses create employment opportunities. An additional £1.44million of funding will support businesses in the South East Midlands looking for ways to recover from the economic impact of lockdown and strengthen business performance through capital funding. Delivered by SEMLEP’s Growth Hub, and part-funded by the Getting Building Fund and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the grants are designed to build business resilience by supporting investment projects that will create a significant, positive impact on the business’ future. Yvette Lamidey, Chair of SEMLEP’s Growth Hub, said: “We still have a long way to go to achieve the stabilise phase in many sectors, but this matched funding opportunity will give businesses the chance to start working towards greater stabilisation and growth.” The Recovery and Resilience Grants can cover a maximum of 50% of the total cost of the proposed investment, with the business matching the funding provided. Interested businesses will be asked to fill in an Expression of Interest on SEMLEP’s Growth Hub website to determine eligibility for the grant and following an initial response will be offered a 1-2-1 with a Business Adviser to work through their application. The first deadline for applications is Thursday 28th January 2021. Hilary Chipping, Chief Executive SEMLEP said: “We recognise that many businesses still face much uncertainty and as a result may be holding off making capital investment decisions. This grant funding is available to help businesses balance risk at this time whilst, at the same time accelerate the recovery of our local economies to secure our longer-term economic future.” © Shutterstock /Elle Aon © Shutterstock /Zerbor 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 08/01/2021 12:01 Page 5FINANCE NEWS Ideagen makes largest ever acquisition Ideagen Plc, the provider of information management software for highly regulated industries, has acquired Huddle. Founded in 2006 Huddle has an established position as a leading supplier of SaaS based secure content collaboration and workflow solutions primarily in the UK and USA. Huddle provides cloud-based secure document collaboration and compliance software, which is complementary to Ideagen’s PleaseReview package. Huddle has around 380 customers, including a number of government departments in the UK and US, top names across a range of industries, such as the National Audit Office, EDF Energy, Disney and the Department of Defense. The acquisition was made possible by a recent highly successful round of fundraising which netted Ideagen £48.7m to fund its acquisition pipeline. The acquisition of Huddle is the company’s 20th and continues what has been a successful strategy of growth via strategic acquisitions that add to Ideagen’s geographical and sector expertise. CEO of Ideagen, Ben Dorks, said: “The acquisition of Huddle is our biggest ever and I am hugely excited by the opportunities it will provide us with. Bringing together Huddle and PleaseReview will result in a hugely compelling offering of secure document collaboration and compliance software that will meet the needs of the toughest regulatory environment. “This means we will be extremely well placed to take advantage of the growth in regulatory requirements and the increased need for people to be able to work remotely, while maintaining the ability to collaborate on projects.” Mark Wrighton, Huddle CEO said: “I’m excited about this positive outcome for our investors, but even more so for the Huddle team and our customers given the strong strategic fit and expanded platform capabilities we will have as part of the Ideagen group.” As well as strengthening Ideagen’s offering of products for highly regulated and security conscious industries, Huddle brings with it an expected Annual Recurring Revenue of £10.5m. Dorks continued: “I am extremely grateful to the team at Ideagen for their dedication and support throughout this year. Being able to close the calendar year with such exciting news and with so much potential ahead of us is a tremendous feeling. I am very proud of what we have all achieved this year and look forward to more success ahead.” www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 11 The Access Group acquires ERP software firm The Access Group, headquartered in Loughborough, has acquired EasyBuild, a Borehamwood-based organisation offering ERP software designed to meet the needs of the construction sector. Building on the acquisition of ConQuest in 2018, the addition of EasyBuild “provides Access with the most comprehensive set of software solutions in this industry.” EasyBuild’s CEO, Carol Massay, brings with her over 30 years’ experience working within the construction sector. Starting with one of the top 10 house builders, Carol continued her journey with an established Irish-based civil engineering and building contractor. With this experience, Carol moved into construction technology where she has helped drive the message to embrace technology to promote a more efficient way of working within the sector. EasyBuild, founded in 1999, has grown significantly in the last five years since Carol joined as CEO, winning awards for its software every year over the last four years. Brendan Flattery, Managing Director, Access ERP said: “The Access ERP business already has a strong footprint in the construction sector serving over 1,000 Access customers. Since the acquisition of ConQuest in 2018, we’ve been looking for other complementary solutions to expand our offering, primarily in the UK, but with an eye towards Europe. “With their range of ERP solutions, specifically designed for the complex project management needs of this sector, EasyBuild was an obvious choice. We are really excited to be welcoming Carol and the whole EasyBuild team into the Access Group.” Carol Massay, CEO, EasyBuild, said: “Joining Access gives EasyBuild a new level of expertise in the provision of integrated software solutions, an acceleration of our product development and gives our customers the opportunity to explore a wider range of business solutions from one provider.: The Access Group’s HQ in Loughborough Ideagen CEO, Ben Dorks 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 08/01/2021 12:01 Page 6Europe’s largest plant-based meat production facility to open in Lincolnshire Plant & Bean, a developer and manufacturer of plant-based food products, is set to open Europe’s largest plant-based meat production facility in the UK. The new factory will enable efficient product manufacture and distribution across Europe, helping brands to meet fast-growing demand for plant-based meat. Among Plant & Bean customers, large-scale production is acknowledged as essential to removing the cost barrier that currently prevents mainstream consumers from buying plant-based meat products. By producing at scale, locally, these brands can also significantly shorten supply chains, resulting in significant cost-savings. Located in Boston, Lincolnshire, the 65 acre / 263,000 m2 site, will have a planned initial capacity of 55,000 tonnes, and will provide sub-scale companies, larger international brands and retailers with a fully-certified European manufacturing platform to help them meet growing demand for plant-based meat products and accelerate international expansion. In a move to establish the world’s first global plant-based manufacturing platform, Plant & Bean will replicate the new UK site with production facilities in the USA next year, and Asia in 2022. Cllr Nigel Welton, Deputy Leader of Boston Borough Council and Portfolio Holder for Economic Development, said: “Plant & Bean has huge ongoing success stories in the growth of their company, a business at the global forefront of its sector. “We are pleased to be welcoming them to our town and supporting them through their investment for growth initiative and creating more jobs in this area.” 12 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk MANUFACTURING NEWS New aerospace support programme offers Midlands SMEs grants The University of Nottingham and the Midlands Aerospace Alliance are delivering the Aerospace Unlocking Potential (Aerospace UP) Programme, providing support to the aerospace supply chain in the Midlands region. Aerospace UP is a three-year programme, supported by the European Regional Development Fund, which aims to help small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) unlock their innovation potential. This support package includes £5.4m to provide individual innovation grants of between £1,000 and £100,000. The grant application process is currently open for new submissions from SMEs across eight Local Enterprise Partnership Areas in the Midlands. In addition to financial grants, companies eligible for the Aerospace UP programme can access world-class facilities, technology experts and events at the University. They will also benefit from fully-funded technical support packages as well as student and graduate placement opportunities. Professor Pat Wheeler, from the Institute for Aerospace Technology at the University of Nottingham, said: “Our vision is to give companies access to world-class innovation. Ambition should not be limited to size and by giving smaller businesses across the aerospace supply chain access to the UK’s best facilities and expertise, and the opportunity to collaborate and share challenges, we will help create a vibrant ecosystem in our region that will be perfectly placed to respond to new opportunities.” Professor Dame Jessica Corner, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange said: “The Aerospace Unlocking Potential project builds on the University’s existing work with companies in the local aerospace supply chain to drive technological advancement towards cleaner, greener air travel. The project will provide much-welcomed support to the regional industry cluster in the wake of the pandemic and ensure the UK remains a key player in European aerospace innovation.” It is hoped that by assisting small supply chain businesses to grow, by providing the tools and support needed to do so, the programme will form a critical part of the recovery of the Midlands aerospace cluster, which is one of the largest in the world and greatly impacted by the pandemic. Region’s manufacturers continue on long road to recovery from historic lows East Midlands manufacturers are continuing the long road back towards growth from the historic lows experienced in 2020, according to a major survey published by Make UK and business advisory firm BDO. However, the survey also shows the brutal impact of the pandemic with the sector forecast to see a 12% drop in output nationally in 2020, while Make UK has also substantially downgraded its growth forecasts for the sector overall for 2021. According to the survey output in the East Midlands increased significantly to a balance of +11%, substantially ahead of the national average, possibly reflecting the exposure of the Region to the Food and Drink sector which is performing well nationally. This is also reflected in the positive picture for UK orders, while the picture for export orders is substantially more negative, reflecting the East Midlands exposure to the EU. Despite the gradual improvement in business conditions, recruitment intentions are still negative although on a more positive note investment intentions are far more positive and ahead of the national picture. Charlotte Horobin, Region Director for Make UK in the Midlands said: “Manufacturing has stepped back from the abyss that it stared into earlier in the year. But, make no mistake it is going to be a long haul back, with talk of a V shaped recovery nothing more than fanciful.” In response to the continued impact of the pandemic on the sector and the fact recovery is likely to now be more drawn out, Make UK has substantially downgraded its forecasts for manufacturing growth to just 2.7% in 2021, down from 5.1%. GDP is forecast to contract by 11.3% in 2020 and grow 5.4% in 2021. © Shutterstock /Daniel Jedzura Charlotte Horobin 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 08/01/2021 12:01 Page 7www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 13 MANUFACTURING NEWS KW Special Projects handed keys to new Digital Manufacturing Centre KW Special Projects has become the first business to officially receive keys to one of the seven new detached industrial premises constructed by MEPC at Silverstone Park. With direct access to the 20,000 sq ft property, KWSP can commence creating a world-class Digital Manufacturing Centre (DMC) facility. This includes fitting it out and preparing the array of connected additive manufacturing technologies. MEPC Chief Executive James Dipple said: “[This] marks an important milestone in the development of the DMC and I’m delighted to hand over the keys to this new facility. I look forward to seeing the DMC’s official launch in Spring 2021.” KWSP Founder and DMC Chief Executive Kieron Salter, said: “Holding the keys to this impressive building is quite a privilege. It is a testament to the hard work and dedication our team has already put in, but now the real fun begins. “Over the next few months, we will turn this empty building into one of the most advanced production facilities in the country, leading British manufacturing into and beyond the fourth industrial revolution.” The DMC will become the fourth specialist advanced engineering facility at Silverstone Park, adding to those in aerodynamics, electronics and metrology. KWSP’s DMC property is one of 13 new HQ-style industrial units constructed by MEPC as part of its Phase 1 and Phase 2 of development at Silverstone Park; combined, the properties – seven detached and six terraced properties – provide a total of 258,000 sq ft of floor space. Bombardier signs digital signalling deal Bombardier has signed a landmark deal to fit digital signalling technology to all of its Electrostar trains operating in the UK. The Litchurch Lane firm has penned a framework agreement with Derby rolling stock company Porterbrook to install the digital onboard signalling technology, known as ETCS, to the trains. The project falls under the UK’s Digital Railway Programme, which is funded by the Department for Transport through Network Rail and is managed by the National Joint ROSCO Programme. Under the framework agreement, Bombardier will deliver the design work needed for the new systems to be installed on all Electrostar fleets in the UK. The initial agreement is worth £11.3 million to design and fit equipment to a Porterbrook-owned Class 387 Electrostar train operated by Govia Thameslink Railway. By fitting the equipment, the trains will become ‘digital railway- ready’ and be able to take advantage of Network Rail’s modern signalling and train control technology that will increase capacity, reduce delays, enhance safety and drive down costs. Under the agreement, the equipment will be fitted at operator depots or Bombardier’s Ilford facility, and design work will be undertaken at its Derby facility. Richard Hunter, president of rail control solutions at Bombardier Transportation, said: “As a market leader in ETCS technology worldwide, our EBI Cab 2000 onboard system supports drivers to operate at safe and optimal speeds. This is a further example of strategic investment to enable the roll out of digital solutions to enhance efficiency, capacity and safety in the UK rail network.” Jason Groombridge, director of engineering services at Porterbrook, said: “Porterbrook is delighted to lead on the fitment of ETCS to the first Electrostar train. Electrostars are in service with several train operators and are popular with passengers. By retrofitting on-train signalling to these units, we can ensure that they can continue to meet the operational and capacity needs of both today’s and tomorrow’s railway.” © Shutterstock /frank_peters © Shutterstock /Denis Belitsky James Dipple with Kieron Salter 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 08/01/2021 12:01 Page 8PROPERTY NEWS Harworth sells 12.5 acres at South East Coalville development Harworth Group has sold the second phase of its South East Coalville major development in Leicestershire to Bellway Homes. The transaction is the first between Harworth and Bellway, which becomes the seventeenth housebuilder to which Harworth has sold remediated land since 2013. Bellway has acquired 12.5 acres and intends to deliver 166 new family homes at the development. South East Coalville is currently the largest residential development site being brought forward by Harworth’s Midlands team. The 250-acre site, less than two miles from Junction 22 of the M1, has an outline consent in place for 2,016 new homes, alongside supporting uses including a primary school, local community centre and new public realm. Harworth, through its role as master developer, has completed initial infrastructure works at the site in order to facilitate the sale to Bellway, including delivering a new access roundabout from the existing road network alongside internal roads and utilities. Lynda Shillaw, Chief Executive, Harworth Group, said: “The appeal of our major developments and the quality of our serviced land has again been evidenced by Bellway becoming the seventeenth housebuilder to which we’ve sold land in the past seven years. Achieving December 2019 book value also demonstrates the sustained resilience of our property sectors and regional markets, giving us further confidence as we head in to 2021.” David Cockroft, Regional Director for the Midlands, Harworth Group, said: “2020 has been a milestone year for South East Coalville, with extensive remediation and infrastructure works facilitating two significant sales. The development is fast becoming one of the Midlands’ flagship residential schemes and we look forward to Bellway getting on to site as soon as possible to build the homes that the region urgently needs.” Plans submitted for landmark London Road scheme in Nottingham A full planning application has been put forward for a landmark mixed-use development in Nottingham, which if approved, will be a prominent gateway building along one of the main arterial routes into the city centre. Plans for the scheme, located at 152-160 London Road, on the site of a former Indian restaurant and car valeting centre, have been developed by Nottingham-based ALB Group, which specialises in the conversion, redevelopment and letting of residential and commercial properties nationwide. The ALB Group has been working alongside CBP Architects for the design of the 100-apartment scheme, which if approved, will comprise one and two-bed apartments with balconies, communal terraces, a ground floor two-storey restaurant, a café and bar, basement car parking and a gym for use by residents. Situated just outside of the Nottingham Urban Design Guide Zone of Reinvention and the Waterside Regeneration Zone, plans for 152-160 London Road have been considered in partnership with Nottingham City Council and its design collaborators, with sustainability and the building’s positive impact on the surrounding areas, identified as primary aspects. The development designs include generous planting schemes and living walls on the balconies and terraces, which have been designed to enhance the ecological value of the site, and will be maintained using grey water recycling through a built-in irrigation and drainage system. Solar panels located on the roof would also provide a sustainable source of electricity to the building. Arran Bailey, Managing Director at ALB Group, said: “As one of the main routes into Nottingham, London Road is a prominent location and provides a gateway to both West Bridgford and the rest of the city. We are excited to be submitting plans for this landmark scheme, which if approved, would bring luxury homes and further amenities to the area. The new development would improve the aesthetic of a major gateway, and serve to welcome visitors as they approach and travel through the city.” 14 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk Warehousing and distribution company expands at Nottingham St. Modwen scheme St. Modwen Industrial & Logistics has completed a deal with warehousing and distribution company Streamline Logistics Ltd to expand its premises at Bestwood Business Park in Nottingham. Streamline Logistics Ltd, which provides distribution services to e-commerce businesses, has signed a three-year lease on three units, totalling more than 53,000 sq ft. As a result of the deal, Bestwood Business Park is now fully let. The business is expanding alongside its existing premises at Bestwood Business Park and now occupies 60,000 sq ft across four units. The expansion has created 16 new jobs in the process. Streamline Logistics Ltd’s units are of steel portal frame construction and benefit from 8.5m eaves, level access loading, welfare accommodation, and dedicated car parking spaces. Strategically located five miles north of Nottingham city centre and three miles from Junction 26 of the M1 motorway, Bestwood Business Park provides a range of office, warehouse, and compound storage space totalling 170,000 sq ft. The scheme is home to several other occupiers, including vehicle restoration experts The Bodyshop, specialist printers D-Signs & Print, and document storage and shredding service, Shredall Ltd. Stuart Evans, Senior Asset Manager at St. Modwen Industrial & Logistics, said: “We are pleased that Streamline Logistics Ltd has chosen to expand its premises at Bestwood Business Park, committing its future to St. Modwen for a further three years. As a long-standing customer of ours, the business has grown with us and remains a great asset to our national portfolio of industrial and logistics occupiers.” 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 08/01/2021 12:01 Page 9PROPERTY NEWS Works begins on £13.5m St Margaret’s Bus Station redevelopment St Margaret’s Bus Station in Leicester has closed to the public as work begins on its major £13.5million redevelopment. Leicester City Council is planning to rebuild the existing bus station and revamp surrounding streets as part of a major scheme to regenerate this part of the city centre. The St Margaret’s Bus Station building closed to the public on Thursday 31 December, so work to prepare it for demolition could begin. Demolition work will be carried out on behalf of the city council by DSM Demolition – the same company that carried the demolition of New Walk Centre. Work is expected to take around four months, with construction on the new building due to begin by late-spring 2021. The new bus station building will be glazed from floor to ceiling and feature a curved aluminium roof that appears to float above the main concourse hall. Bus passengers will benefit from a completely redesigned and improved internal layout with a new café, better seating and real time digital passenger information. There will also be increased capacity for national and regional bus services, with the number of bays increased from 18 to 24. A series of energy efficiency and renewable energy measures will help make the new bus station a carbon neutral building. It is believed that this would be the first bus station to be built to net zero carbon standards in the UK. Electric bus charging points will be installed, and the new building will feature secure storage for up to 150 bikes. Plans for build-to-rent scheme at Debenhams store revealed Hammerson has revealed plans to bring forward a build-to-rent residential scheme at Highcross in Leicester’s city centre. The scheme will provide over 300 new homes and improved public realm for the city alongside bespoke resident amenities including co- working space and a private dining room. The development would see part of the former Debenhams department store at Highcross, transformed into new homes for local people and major improvements in enlivening New Bond Street where the entrance will be located. The retail frontage onto the mall at Highcross will be retained and the space transformed into smaller and more flexible space for retail and leisure brands. Hammerson is working with private-rented-sector specialist Packaged Living to develop the plans ahead of submission of a planning application early next year. The proposal supports Hammerson’s strategy to reduce the amount of floor space occupied by challenged retail categories at its flagship destinations, particularly that occupied by department stores. In 2019 a major reconfiguration of the former House of Fraser outlet unit at Highcross was completed allowing for new brands to take space in target categories, including Zara, JD Sports and Treetop Adventure Golf. This project is also consistent with Hammerson’s target to be Net Positive for carbon emissions, water, resource use and socio-economic impacts by 2030. In addition to supporting up to 800 jobs on site and in the supply chain during the construction phase, Hammerson is working closely with Packaged Living to minimize both embodied and operational carbon emissions for this scheme and to ensure it is resilient to climate risk. A new Centre of Excellence focusing on modern construction and digital technologies will be built at Chesterfield College after the scheme was awarded a £500,000 grant from the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). The investment will support the D2N2 LEP’s vision of greener homes and technology, along with more energy-efficient public building; with construction being one of the most important sectors to the regional economy. The project is one of ten across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, and Nottinghamshire which has received funding from D2N2’s £44 million share of the government’s £900 million Getting Building Fund. The programme of investment is being used to improve digital infrastructure; support skills and career opportunities; and the transition to a low carbon economy to drive economic growth following the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The funding award will allow Chesterfield College to create a new centre where local students will be able to learn state-of-the-art techniques such as Building Information Modelling and Virtual and Augmented reality. The new centre, which will be housed in pre-existing premises owned by the college, will complement the current curriculum being delivered to teach advanced manufacturing and building techniques. It will offer learners the opportunity to develop the skills which employers need to meet current and future demands in their sector. www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 15 Modern construction and digital technologies centre awarded £500,000 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 08/01/2021 12:02 Page 10www.oms.uk.com 01530 833 533 info@oms.uk.com Helping you to perform at the highest level OMS have delivered consultancy and training services throughout the Midlands and UK for over 22 years. We are a leading authority in health and safety, employment, quality, environmental and business continuity management systems and training. Our tailored solutions support organisations throughout the UK. Could we help you too? Some of the benefits of using OMS 3 5 star Trustpilot rating. 3 Trusted by many major and local organisations to deliver consultancy and training. 3 Certified to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 & ISO 45001 for “The provision of Consultancy and Training Services” giving you the assurance that we have management controls in place to provide a quality offering safely, with minimal impact on the environment. 3 Easy access to our training centre, with free car parking, centrally located just a few minutes from Junction 22 of the M1. 3 Covid Secure training centre and head office. 3 Approved CITB touch screen (ITC) test centre, which allows you to attend a Site Safety Plus Health & Safety Awareness course and your touch screen test on the same day. 3 Accredited to run a wide variety of courses at our training centre at Bardon Hill. 3 NEBOSH Gold training provider. Visit www.oms.uk.com, call us on 01530 833 533 or email info@oms.uk.com to learn more about us and how we can enhance your organisation. 16.qxp_Layout 1 08/01/2021 12:19 Page 1www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 17 PRODUCTIVITY & EFFICIENCY IN MANUFACTURING SPOTLIGHT Embracing automation and staff training can have a transformative effect on a manufacturing business’ productivity and efficiency. Often, it all starts with a workflow assessment. When it comes to making improvements, there’s simply no way of knowing what needs to be changed until you know how all aspects of a business tessellates together. It’s therefore key to review your existing workflow to identify where changes need to be made. By approaching this critical task methodically, the business can be broken down into parts – such as people, processes, and equipment. From there, it’s about asking the right questions to gauge whether improvements need to be made. For example, do you have people with the right skills in place, or is all your equipment in good repair. Depending on the answers, you will then be able to take steps towards making improvements to bring efficiency and productivity gains. Although this might seem like a simple, straightforward process, it is one of the most important as it provides a roadmap for all subsequent actions. If rushed, things can be missed and far from creating a leaner, more efficient business, it may well lead to exacerbating the underlying problems – there’s no point updating your machinery if your staff don’t know how to use it properly, after all. Once this first step has been taken care of, it’s time to create actionable steps. In short, take the workflow review data and identify areas where processes and technologies can be updated or changed entirely. When it comes to manufacturing, inefficiencies largely come down to two issues: people and machinery. Although it’s important to ensure staff are regularly trained (more on that later), automation can be a godsend in both instances. Though automated and even semi- automated processes have long been part of the production line, many companies, particularly those operating on a smaller scale, still use manual processes. Tasks that were typically undertaken by human workers can all be achieved with greater speed, proficiency and precision with automated processes. Likewise, more modern procedures can also be undertaken more efficiently with automated technologies. The next logical step in the on-going automation of the production line is with burgeoning new times Moving with the 18 Á © Shutterstock /Olivier Le Moal 17-19.qxp_Layout 1 08/01/2021 12:26 Page 118 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk PRODUCTIVITY & EFFICIENCY IN MANUFACTURING SPOTLIGHT technologies such as artificial intelligence, augmented reality and the internet of things (IoT). These and other solutions promise to create a more harmonious, interconnected supply chain helping to ensure safety, transparency and, above all, efficiency. As well as hardware solutions such as updated machinery and equipment, efficiency and productivity gains can also be made with new software solutions to help with everything from scheduling and inventory, to monitoring workflow. Increasingly, manufacturers are moving towards the smart factory concept which involves the implementation of smart technologies to automate, augment and improve the manufacturing process. Machine sensors, for example, allow factories to measure and reduce energy and water waste leading to lower operating costs and more environmentally sustainable operations. Using smart sensors can also lead to better asset tracking, triggering orders when stock runs low so manufacturers can completely automate their inventory replenishment process. The same technology can also automatically identify potential equipment failures before they happen, saving on more expensive repairs and protracted periods of downtime. There will always be some resistance to new technologies, but the majority of companies in the industrial manufacturing sector are exploring this concept or at least looking into smart technologies. The downside, however, is that the right infrastructure is needed before any IoT system can be installed and this requires investment. Costs here can be steep – sometimes even prohibitive – but at a time when the future seems uncertain, investing in technologies that will help to future-proof the factory floor can be an attractive prospect. But there’s more to the smart factory concept than just IoT. The so-called “lights out” production concept, where manufacturing activities and material flow are handled automatically, is becoming a hallmark of modern manufacturing. Obviously, this can’t be achieved by a traditional workforce and so robots have become much more commonplace on the factory floor. Robots were originally introduced in the workplace for health and safety reasons, replacing human workers in dirty and dangerous jobs, and boosting production output. Robotic systems also help to improve product quality and uniformity and, crucially, cut manufacturing costs by replacing increasingly expensive people with ever-cheaper machines. After all, a machine doesn’t need a living wage or pension. It’s understandable that some workers fear robots will put them out of a job, especially in the manufacturing sector. Yet it’s the very nature of technology to eliminate jobs by expanding the scope of human understanding and by making our home and work lives easier. Complete automation is the natural next step for manufacturing. As well as improving efficiency, lowering operation costs and boosting output, investing in robots makes sound financial sense. Over the last three decades, the average robot price has fallen by half in real terms whilst the cost of labour has continued to rise. Robotic systems also have the advantage over IoT as they’re comparatively easy to assemble, install and integrate thanks to overall advances in computing power, software development techniques and networking technologies. Whether working in tandem with robotic systems or as part of a wider IoT, augmented reality (AR) has a number of practical applications on the factory floor. Although AR dates back to 1968, the technology is still in its infancy, but there’s a huge scope of what it can offer manufacturers. It can be used to train maintenance engineers on the specific environment they will encounter, making it a boon to hazardous environments such as food and drink and pharmaceutical manufacturing. For facilities managers and site operators, the technology allows off-site staff to experience the same view as a maintenance team on site. By projecting information on a heads-up display, augmented reality can also assist in complex assembly, something that’s already be used by companies like Boeing and will likely permeate the industry in the years to come. Yet this is only one side of the issue, with the other being staff. Training is an ongoing process and should be regularly seen to, especially when adding ever more complex machinery and equipment to a production floor. As well as ensuring staff have the skills needed to ensure continuity and efficiency, it’s also an effective staff retention tactic and is often more efficient than taking on new employees. By tying staff training into the installation of new equipment, disruption can be kept to a minimum as there is always an expected period of downtime expected in these instances. Training isn’t limited to the running of machinery alone and should also include health and safety – especially in the continuing pandemic. 17-19.qxp_Layout 1 08/01/2021 12:26 Page 2www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 19 PRODUCTIVITY & EFFICIENCY IN MANUFACTURING SPOTLIGHT © Shutterstock /panuwat phimpha 17-19.qxp_Layout 1 08/01/2021 12:27 Page 3Next >