JULY 2016EAST MIDLANDS LEADING BUSINESS E-MAGFIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHTBlack Hare MarketingFIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHTBlack Hare MarketingHUMANRESOURCES My HR HubCOMMERCIALPROPERTYTechnology and surveyingBREXITAll the reactionwww.blmgroup.co.ukWWW.EASTMIDLANDSBUSINESSLINK.CO.UKEDITOR’S NOTESSo it happened. And with the political system in turmoil as I type, thedecision to leave the European Union has already had a seismic impact on thecountry. But the question for businesses across the UK now has to be, “wheredo we go from here?” It seems the UK is heading for a period of economicuncertainty in the wake of the Brexit vote, but most will now be planning howbest to cope with the changed conditions they face. It will be fascinating to seewhat happens as we move forward. Businesses in the East Midlands were quick to react to the big decision. Here,we present a selection of views from across the region. Elsewhere in this issue we meet Chrissie Rowell, co-founder of Black HareMarketing and the brains behind Fusion, Derby’s newest networking event;Stuart Ross discusses perceptions of business coaching; Fastest 40 winnersStrafe Creative talk design; Nottingham’s Enterprise Nation Champion GregSimpson interrogates the whys and wherefores of PR campaigns; and wewelcome guest columnist Rebecca Bull of My HR Hub. Enjoy. Ian EvansEditorWhere next?ContentsJuly 2016Latest News6The latest news from the regionDeals8The latest news from the dealmakers around the regionProperty News 10All the latest from the property sectorAppointments12Who’s moving whereManufacturing News14News and views from around the East MidlandsCover Story16Meet Chrissie Rowell of Black Hare MarketingBrexit – Views from the East Midlands19Businesses from across the East Midlands react to thereferendum Clean Energy24Nottingham’s EV Charging SolutionsHuman Resources26The latest advice from Rebecca Bull of My HR HubIT Accounting Solutions28What are the benefits?Public Relations30Greg Simpson of Press for Attention PR asks, “What isyour why?” Business Coaching32Stuart Ross of Global High Growth discusses perceptionsof coachingCommercial Property34Technology and surveyingDesign36A chat with Strafe CreativeFood and Drink37Introducing Studio ChocolateAutoLink40This month we made a bee-line for the LincolnshireShow’s classic car and motorbike displaysSocial Scene44Fusion Derby launch event4019EditorIan Evansi.evans@blmgroup.co.ukAccounts & SubscriptionsAngela Sharmanaccounts@blmgroup.co.ukTel: (01472) 310301 Fax: (01472) 310311Design & ProductionGary Jorgensen, Mark Cassonstudio@blmgroup.co.ukTel: (01472) 310304Fax: (01472) 310314E-Mail:eastmidlands@blmgroup.co.ukPublisherHaychart Ltd, t/a Business Link Magazine Group,Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby, N.E. Lincs., DN31 2QE.All rights reserved. No part of this publicationmay be reproduced, transmitted, photocopied,recorded or otherwise without expresspermission of the copyright holder, for whichapplication should be addressed first to thepublisher. While every reasonable care is taken,neither the publisher nor its participating agentsaccept liability for loss or damage to prints,colour transparencies, negatives or othermaterial of whatever nature submitted to thispublication. The views expressed in thispublication are not necessarily the views of thoseheld by the publisher.@BLMEastMidlandsBLMEastMidlandsGENERAL NEWSEast Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk6Bombardier receives£100 million order fromPorterbrook LeasingBombardier has received an order worth an estimated £100million from Pride Park-based Porterbrook Leasing.Porterbrook is buying 92 Class 387 Electrostar vehicles fromthe company. This follows a previous order placed for a similarvalue back in October last year.In a statement, Bombardier said: “With this investment,Porterbrook demonstrates its support to the aspirations of therail industry and the Department for Transport to alleviate thecapacity pinch points in the network and provide Britain with asustainable, world-class transport system. This latestacquisition reaffirms Porterbrook’s investment strategy incommuter multiple units and its long term confidence inBombardier’s Electrostar platform”.Great Western will receive 148 new carriages thanks to theorder. In addition, 32 carriages are already being built byBombardier, bringing the total number destined for the trainoperator to 180.The order is yet another welcome boost for Litchurch Lane,which recently opened its £12.5 million testing andcommissioning facility, V Shop, which will initially be used totest trains destined for Crossrail in London, which has beenrenamed the Elizabeth Line.Business coaches announce “East Midlands Scale Up”programmeDisappointed by the lack of help for local businesses following the closure of the Business Growth Service last year, two business coaches arebringing their globally successful support programme to the region.Launched by the founder of High Growth, Stuart Ross and Neale Lewis of Gazelles International Coach, the “East Midlands Scale Up” programmeaims to help businesses in the region fulfil their potential.Having both grown up and built their careers in the region, Ross and Lewis are passionate about making sure companies in the East Midlands areable to compete both nationally and internationally.Ross said: “There’s a huge potential for businesses in the East Midlands that unfortunately isn’t being nurtured. The closure of the Business GrowthService was a real blow and the failure for anyone to step up and fill that void has frankly been shameful.“That’s why it was so important for us to use our expertise, experience and connections to offer growing businesses a real chance to move to thenext level in a way that’s sustainable and crucially, profitable”.Lewis added: “We want to be a key part of the support structure to help fuel this growth and, importantly, see the creation of new jobs in thesehigh growth organisations and the region”.The Business Growth Service, which created 83,000 jobs and added £3.5bn nationally, was shut down last year following government cuts.The launch of the “East Midlands Scale Up” programme is initially open to just 50 businesses with the potential to quickly reach the next level ofgrowth. A selection of the strongest companies will then progress to a “Scale Up Accelerator” scheme that includes six full day workshops and twohalf-day coaching sessions focusing on strategy and leadership development.Ross and Lewis have already successfully delivered elements of the scheme, which contains content and advice from many global experts, to over1,000 businesses worldwide. Aggregate Industries and EddieStobart announce new five-yearpartnershipAggregate Industries UK, the Leicestershire-based building materials supplier tothe construction and infrastructure industry, has named Eddie Stobart as itsconcrete products division’s new logistics supply partner.From October 2016, logistics for Aggregate Industries’ concrete productsdivision will transfer to Eddie Stobart’s manufacturing and industrial business unit.The new five-year contract, awarded following an extensive tender, will see thehaulier carrying Bradstone, Charcon and Masterblock products from 14 UK sitesusing a combination of specialist curtain-siders, flat trailers and mechanical off-load vehicles.This strategic partnership with Eddie Stobart will enable Aggregate Industries toprovide a more personalised and flexible service to meet its customers’ changingneeds.The multimodal haulier has become renowned in the UK and internationally,with over five decades operating largely in the retail distribution market.Simon Marriott, concrete products director at Aggregate Industries, said:“During a competitive tender process it was clear our two companies share asimilar ethos, both committed to delivering innovative, tailored solutions and firstclass service to our customers. We’re delighted to announce Eddie Stobart as thenew logistics partner for our concrete products division and look forward toworking with their dedicated manufacturing and industrial team”.Alex Laffey, Eddie Stobart CEO, added: “We are delighted to call AggregateIndustries our partner in the infrastructure sector. Our multimodal offering alsopresents a much broader opportunity for Eddie Stobart to support AggregateIndustries’ efforts in reducing the amount of product moved by road, and helpingfurther our commitment to sector-leading sustainability”.GENERAL NEWS7www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link Chesterfield’s financialadvice sector gets anew StartTwo financial planners have joined forces to launch anew independent financial planning company inChesterfield.Start Financial Planning, which is based on BeresfordWay, is the brainchild of Michael Heath and SteveTaylor. Both were individually established professionalson Chesterfield’s financial scene before combining theirtalents under the banner of Start.Taylor, director of Start Financial Planning, said:“Michael and I have worked together for a number ofyears and share the same belief that financial planningshould be a journey with no hidden costs and openand honest independent advice.“On this basis, the decision to formalise ourpartnership in our new venture seemed like theobvious next step. We want people to begin theirfinancial planning journey with us – hence thecompany name”.The business boasts a team of four and is already onthe look-out for another financial planner and anapprentice to join the growing team.Working closely with firms within Chesterfield’sprofessional services sector, Start is aiming to bring anew approach to the world of financial planning.Taylor said: “We’re bringing a fresh, joined-upapproach to financial planning. We passionately believethat it shouldn’t be done in isolation of otherprofessional services, such as legal and accountancyservices; rather everyone should work together in theinterests of the client. This delivers a better,uncomplicated experience for the client”.Delivering a full financial planning service toindividuals and businesses nationwide, Start’s serviceswill be in high demand from small business ownerswho are keen to maximise their pension contributionsfollowing the government’s scrapping of the 10% taxcredit on dividends from April 2016.Taylor added: “The scrapping of the 10% dividendrate, coupled with the introduction of compulsoryworkplace pension schemes, has made owning a smallbusiness less attractive. As a result, a number of smallbusiness owners are approaching us to discuss exitstrategies and we anticipate demand for this servicewill increase given the current climate for SMEs”.As well as pensions and exit strategies, StartFinancial Planning also specialises in tax planning,estate planning, investments, business and personalprotection.Increasing order book means newstaff and more jobs at specialistcladding firmRoofing and cladding specialist Cladceil is continuing to take on new staff as itsworkload goes from strength to strength.Last year the company, based at Falcon Court, Manners Industrial Estate, Ilkeston,celebrated an annual turnover of £7m – a record since a management buyout in 2008.Now it is looking to repeat that trend this year and set a new sales figure.It is currently working on a contract worth more than £1m for Derby firm GFTomlinson who are building a new facility for Ibstock Brick in Ibstock, Leicestershire.This multi-million investment would create the world’s most modern brick factory tokeep up with demand for bricks to supply the house-building sector.This job, to supply and install cladding on an 18,000 sq metre building is one of thebiggest the company has ever done.Cladceil continues to work closely with Derby-based Ivygrove Developments,including on a new garage and showroom for a Mercedes Mertrux dealership in Wilford,Nottingham and various industrial units in the city.The increased workload means that the company has taken on two contractmanagers in the last year and it is now looking to take on at least two trainee contractsmanagers and drafts persons.The company will soon start work on a £750,000 contract for a new building at DenbyHall business park, Denby, and a £75,000 contract for Prime Construction on behalf ofDon Amott Caravans at Hilton.In total the order book has 17 jobs in the pipeline for the third quarter of the year.Stuart Pinson, one of three directors alongside Tony Seabridge and Peter Ward, said:“We are pleased to see that the increased demand for our work last year has still heldup and is going from strength to strength.“Moving forward, we are involving the staff in determining the direction of thebusiness by inviting them to give their views at board meetings. Also, we have started ascheme to give them a bonus linked to the financial success of the firm”.Belvoir Lettings agrees to acquireNorthwood GB for £22 millionGrantham’s Belvoir Lettings has entered into a conditional agreement to acquire Northwood GB fora total consideration of up to £22 million.Northwood, which operates 86 outlets nationwide, is the largest remaining independent UK lettingsfranchise. The deal will make Belvoir the largest property franchise group in the UK.The acquisition is being part-funded through a placing of new shares in order to raise grossproceeds of up to £2.5 million. Cantor Fitzgerald Europe is acting as sole bookrunner in connectionwith the placing.Mike Goddard, executive chairman and CEO at Belvoir, said: “We are delighted to be announcingthe acquisition of Northwood. This is an exciting milestone in our growth, considerably expanding the size of the Group to become the largest franchisedproperty group in the UK and with a fantastic new brand to add to our portfolio. “This acquisition, which is in line with our multi-brand strategy to grow both organically and by acquisitions, will substantially increase the Group’spresence throughout the UK. We look forward to developing Northwood further as part of the Belvoir Group as we continue to grow and also look forfurther acquisition opportunities”.Gemma Goodson, CEO at Northwood, added: “The acquisition today of Northwood by Belvoir marks the start of a new chapter in Northwood’s historyand we are delighted to be joining one of the market’s leading property franchises. Belvoir is exactly the right fit for us; all of the staff are excited to bepart of the Group’s ambitious growth plans and we look forward to our future as part of Belvoir”.DEALSEast Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk8Radleigh Homes agrees sponsorship dealwith Derbyshire CCCRadleigh Homes has announced a sponsorship deal with Derbyshire County Cricket Club for the2016/2017 season.The company, which has recently opened seven new developments across the East Midlands,has signed a new deal which will see the Radleigh logo take pride of place on signage around The3aaa County Ground.Radleigh has also become the first company to sponsor the ground’s floodlights and was thematchball sponsor for the high profile NatWest T20 Blast game against Nottinghamshire Outlawson Friday 24th June.Tom Finnegan, joint managing director at Radleigh, said: “We’re delighted to be supportingDerbyshire County Cricket Club and look forward to seeing the Radleigh name around the ground.“Derbyshire is a great club, with huge potential and I would like to wish the squad the best ofluck for the new season”.Ryan Duckett, commercial director at Derbyshire County Cricket Club, added: “We’re delightedto have Radleigh Homes on board with the Club for the 2016 season.“We have had tremendous support over the last few years form the business community in Derby and across the county and it’s great to addanother high profile name such as Radleigh Homes as one of our partners.“We’re very grateful for their support and we look forward to developing our partnership over the next few months”.Derby’s Fast React Systems acquiredby Coats GroupCoats Group, the world’s leading industrial thread manufacturer, has acquired Derby-based software solutions provider Fast React Systems.Fast React provides software solutions and expertise to manufacturers and retailers in theapparel and footwear industries to improve their operational efficiency.The transaction, which completed in late May, enables Coats to offer an even wider rangeof productivity improvement tools to customers and follows the acquisition of GSD in May2015. Fast React has become part of Coats Global Services, which provides the sewnproduct industries with expert insights, technical guidance and practical solutions to realiseproductivity improvements across the supply chain.The initial consideration is US$9 million, with further payments of up to US$4 million overa three-year period contingent on Fast React achieving certain performance targets.Coats Group has also announced the acquisition of Spanish manufacturing firm Gotex.Paul Forman, Coats Group chief executive, said: “Fast React is a further important step inenhancing our Global Services offering and addressing the growth in demand from ourcustomers for value-added services in operational efficiency. Both Fast React and Gotexhave delivered strong growth over recent years and we are confident this will continue under Coats ownership”.Pic for “Derby’s Fast React Systems” story is Shutterstock 130099715DEALS9www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link TMDP acquires Rose &CooperArchitectural design and property consultants TMDPhas acquired one of Leicester’s oldest and best knownchartered building and quantity surveying firms, Rose &Cooper.Formerly known as The Martin Design Partnership,TMDP has made the move in order to add to thecomprehensive range of services already available withinthe consultancy and to bolster its busy quantity surveyingdivision.The announcement comes after TMDP’s relocation lastmonth to larger premises in Ashby Magna, Lutterworthwhich has provided the space to expand the consultancyand increase the team by 30% over the next twelvemonths.Scott Moore, managing partner at TMDP, said: “Theseare exciting times for TMDP and we are delighted thatwe’ve been able to acquire Rose & Cooper just weeks aftermoving to our new head-quarters.“As an extremely well established practice with anumber of high profile clients, Rose & Cooper is theperfect addition to our growing consultancy. By bringingthe firm under the TMDP umbrella we are now able toprovide chartered building surveying services as part ofthe comprehensive package of property and constructionsolutions available to our clients.“TMDP already works with a number of blue chip clientsacross several industry sectors including food and drink,residential, commercial, civil and industrial and with Rose& Cooper’s extensive experience within education andpublic sector organisations, we now have the in-houseexpertise to confidently expand our portfolio further”.Robert Foster, former managing director of Rose &Cooper, who will be employed to oversee the transition,said: “I am delighted with the acquisition and have nodoubt that this is a positive move for Rose & Cooper andits clients. TMDP is one of the fastest growing and mostinnovative consultancies in the East Midlands and I amconvinced that our established client base will be in safehands”.TMDP has seen turnover soar to £4m over the past twoyears and this, together with the continuation of a buoyantconstruction market has instilled the confidence to pressahead with planned expansion of the consultancy.East Midlands buy-out and buy-indeals hold – but total values fallThe East Midlands recorded eight privateequity-backed buy-out and buy-in deals in thefirst half of 2016 – the same number as in thesame period of 2015 – but the total value fellfrom more than £560m in the first half of 2015to just over £174m in the year to date.So far in 2016, the region has seen threemanagement buy-outs, with a total value of£30.1m, and five buy-ins with a total value of£144m, according to preliminary half-year datapublished by the Centre for Management Buy-Out Research (CMBOR), sponsored byEquistone Partners Europe and Investec Bank.The average deal value across both buy-outsand buy-ins in the East Midlands has fallen to£21.8m in comparison with £70.1m in the firsthalf of 2015. However, the 2015 figures wereinflated by the £414m deal for the IbstockGroup having a large impact on the figures.The largest deal in the East Midlands in the first half of the year was the sale ofSigma Precision Components by Avingtrans in May, which was valued at £65m.Phil Griesbach, partner at the Midlands office of Equistone Partners Europe, said: “Itis difficult to say whether the overall national decline is due to Brexit fears but it doesseem that deals in the sub-£50m market have held up well and have been less affectedby any uncertainty”.Three of the East Midlands’ eight deals in the first half of 2016 involved secondarybuy-outs.Griesbach said: “We are anticipating that secondary buyouts will continue to bemore prevalent during the year and are not surprised that these figures point to aslowdown in major investment or divestment decisions from private and corporateowners of businesses – due to the macro backdrop and in consequence, uncertainpricing. By relative contrast, whilst being slightly subdued in the short-term, privateequity is a mature market in the UK and will continue investing in businesses as well aslooking for exits to generate returns throughout any economic cycle”.To date this year there have been three exits in the East Midlands with a total valueof £78m in comparison with five in the same period in 2015 totalling £906m. Theaverage value of those that have exited stands at £26 million contrasting with £181.2million in the same period in 2015.John Clifford of Investec Bank, a new co-sponsor of CMBOR, said: “The statisticsreflect a normalisation of activity for private equity. The market is cooling off, with theEU Referendum one of a number of challenges currently facing deal-doers.“This has made larger deals more difficult to complete, but we are encouraged tosee the lower mid-market persevere – it highlights private equity’s ability to truly investacross all cycles.Next >