< PreviousConstruction firm opens headoffice at Ilkeston Co-opConstruction firm Newlynn has invested more than £75,000 in a bid totransform one of the newly refurbished units at the former Ilkeston Co-opinto its head office, creating four new jobs.The Midlands-based firm, which specialises in construction managementand civil engineering in the public and private sectors, has becomethe latest business to move into the former Co-op department store onSouth Street, which has been taken over by Nottingham property firm ALBCommercial Investments.The construction company, which has been operating fromthe new headquarters in Ilkeston since August, has been able to createfour new positions within the company due to the investment made inthe new unit, increasing its total workforce to 75 employees.Craig Hawes, managing director at Newlynn, said: “We are excited to beopening a new, modern head office in Ilkeston as part of our continuedinvestment in the business.“We chose the old Co-op building as it is in a fantastic and centrallocation which is close to the M1, allowing us to easily commute todifferent various sites which is essential to our company as we work allover the country.“The decision to invest in the newly refurbished office space came at agreat time. Since Brexit we have seen a spike in interest allowing us tosecure many large new contracts that have secured a busy work flow forus right into 2019”.After closing three years ago, the former Co-op building has recentlybeen refurbished by ALB Commercial Investments in a unit developmentscheme which is set to reinstate the building as the new focal point ofthe town centre and regenerate the area, bringing more jobs andincreasing footfall.Arran Bailey, managing director at ALB Commercial Investments,said: “Located in the heart of Ilkeston, the newly refurbished Co-opbuilding is in a prime position with easy access to the MarketPlace, public transportation and main roads, which makes theunits ideal for businesses.“We hope that by regenerating the building, we willencourage a greater investment in the local economyfrom both the general public and firms alike”.East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk10New “Piazza” to bring over 120jobs to Mercia MarinaEurope’s largest inland marina Mercia Marina is planning a new £3mrestaurant, retail and office development which is set to create between120-150 more jobs.Plans for “The Piazza” are currently being considered by SouthDerbyshire District Council.The Piazza will be built on the peninsula next to the marina’s award-winning Boardwalk shopping, leisure and office development, whichopened in 2014.The proposed three-storey building, which will border the areasurrounding the marina’s unique five-sided bandstand, is likely tocontain a ground-floor restaurant and up to six shops, with offices onthe two upper floors.The internal design flexibility will also allow for retailers to occupytwo floors if required. Likewise, the upper floor offices can be turnedinto single open-plan spaces for a large business, or several smalleroffice spaces.Mercia Marina’s Piazza proposal replaces a similar plan which gainedplanning permission at the time The Boardwalk was given the go-ahead.If approved, it is envisaged that The Piazza could be completed byDecember 2017.Robert Neff, general manager of Mercia Marina, in Findern Lane, nearWillington, said: “Our exciting new development proposal demonstratesjust how successful we have become as a destination.“Since the marina opened in 2008, we have become recognised as amajor regional tourist attraction, not only for shopping, eating anddrinking, but also boat trips, boat holidays, lodge holidays and muchmore.“We’ve nevertheless always been very careful to ensure our growthcomplements the beautiful natural environment. It is very important tous that the location remains as attractive to those seeking tranquillity asit does for those who want to shop, dine and work here”.Neff said the popularity of The Boardwalk had helped to generatemany enquiries from commercial operators interested in locatingbusinesses at the marina, meaning that the time was now right forfurther expansion.He added: “Mercia Marina is probably the closest you can get in theMidlands to being by the seaside without driving to the coast. That’scertainly one reason why people like visiting us or working here”.The retailers already operating in The Boardwalk development,including the two storey gift and furnishings retailer Zing and theclothing retailer Bluewater, have welcomed the latest move, as it willadd more variety for shoppers, add to the overall marina experience andpotentially attract new customers.PROPERTY NEWSEMBL 11 November 2016_Layout 1 01/11/2016 16:36 Page 10Expansiondrive seestyre giantlaunchMidlandsHQOne of the UK’s leadingtyre wholesalers islaunching a new MidlandsHQ as part of a multi-million pound investment and modernisation programme torestructure its wholesale business, in a deal brokered by Commercial PropertyPartners and Lambert Smith Hampton.Kings Road Tyres has agreed a 15 year lease on a 92,672 sq ft distributionwarehouse at the Centrum 100 business estate, Fourth Avenue, Burton upon Trent.A detailed structural review of KRT highlighted the opportunity to modernise itsentire business by taking advantage of the latest warehousing, logistics, sales,systems and IT technologies.As a result, the company is investing in a new, modern and streamlined network oflogistics centres – including its new Midlands hub at Centrum 100 – that will continue toprovide customers with gold-standard KRT service, but with far greater operationalefficiencies.Adrian Bader, KRT group managing director, said: “Our new hub at Centrum 100provides us with everything we were looking for as we modernise and improve ourbusiness. Tyre wholesaling is a dynamic business environment that continues to evolve ever-more rapidly.“KRT is committed to remaining a major player in the market, as we have been for over 40years. Against that background, we have decided to radically upgrade our entire distributionnetwork to take advantage of the benefits available with the most modern buildings, logistics,infrastructure and systems”.Lincoln named “buy-to-let hotspot”Lincoln has been named as a “buy-to-let hotspot” by a national indexreviewing rental yields across the UK.The data, published by LendInvest, mirrors Pygott & Crone’s latestquarterly figures (July to September 2016) which show a 50% increase inbuyer registration, particularly from investors outside of Lincolnshire.Tim Downing, director of Pygott & Crone said that activity in the buy-to-letmarket had seen a sudden boost, despite the Brexit backlash, and 30% ofnew buyer registrations were investors from the south of the countrylooking to benefit from the 13.3% increase in rental yields.He said: “It’s no surprise that Lincoln has been named in the top ten buy-to-let hotspots this week.“More than 20% of offers on properties in the last quarter have been frombuyers outside the city and buy-to-let enquiries are growing, making upalmost a third of all new buyer registrations.“The city’s rental yields have seen an increase thanks to ongoinginvestment in the city’s tourist attractions and historic Bailgate area, athriving university and growing economy. Lincoln and its neighbouringtowns are reaping the benefits too as affordable properties continue toattract buyers.“There are some exciting property developments taking place across thecity, including One the Brayford which includes 69 premium apartments andis already attracting significant interest from buy-to-let investors.“As a member of the Relocation Agent Network (RAN), Pygott & Crone ismanaging an increasing number of enquiries from investors from London and the south, which is a trend we expect willgrow”.The LendInvest buy-to-let Index reviews areas which have seen the largest rise in rental yield over the last 12 monthsand predicts the future property market trends in that area through in-depth analysis.Lincoln was listed as number seven in the top ten hotspots after Blackburn, Carlisle, Gloucester, Halifax, Cardiff andOldham. Cleveland, Oxford and Blackpool were listed behind Lincoln.Derby heads to MIPIM UKA delegation of public and private sector representatives ledby Marketing Derby headed to MIPIM UK last month.Held at the Olympia in London, MIPIM UK is the UK’s largestexhibition and conference for property professionals. Derby hasexhibited at the conference for the last few years, showcasing thecity’s latest development opportunities.In 2014, Marketing Derby launched the City Living brochurewhich showcased areas of the city centre available fordevelopment. In those two years a number of sites have beensuccessfully developed, including Royal Hotel Buildings, which isnow home to bar and restaurant The Cosy Club. Anotherdevelopment success is Roman House, which has been convertedfrom a 34,000 sq ft office space into luxury studentaccommodation operated by Collegiate AC.This year at MIPIM UK Marketing Derby discussed the nextwave of development opportunities available in Derby, includinghighlighting Derby City Council sites coming to market, anddevelopment opportunities at Derby’s Enterprise Zone, InfinityPark Derby.John Forkin, managing director of Marketing Derby, said:“Two years ago we attended the first MIPIM UK to be held inLondon, where we launched a campaign to attract residentialinvestment to support Derby’s growth ambitions.“We had a tremendous response and some of thebuildings recently constructed, or currently going throughplanning, are a direct result of this.“This year we are focusing on the City CentreMasterplan to raise awareness of opportunities andDerby City Council sites about to come to market”.Marketing Derby worked closely with its privatesector partners to promote the city at MIPIMUK, including law-firm Smith Partnership.www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 11EMBL 11 November 2016_Layout 1 01/11/2016 16:37 Page 1112Accountdirectorjoins SimpleMarketingConsultancyA business that specialisesin advising family businessesis expanding by taking onfamily members too. SimpleMarketing Consultancy hasannounced a new addition tothe company following theappointment of Elliot Cook asan account director.Cook is a graduate of Salem International University in the USA where he gainedan honours bachelors degree in International Business. The experience of studyingabroad for four years in a multicultural environment means he has a wealth ofinterpersonal skills to complement his academic qualifications.In his new role, Elliot, who is the son of company founder Bev Cook, will beresponsible for completing assignments for existing clients and attending networkingevents to help promote the company to new prospective clients.He said: “After four years away from the UK, it is an exciting opportunity for me tolearn more by being part of a company that offers no nonsense marketing advice.We have some fantastic clients, which I am looking forward to getting know better andI’m even more excited about helping grow the company to its full potential”.Based in Radcliffe on Trent, Simple Marketing Consultancy was founded in 2010 bychartered marketer Bev Cook, who was formerly the head of national marketing for atop ten accounting firm.She said: “Being as we work for family businesses it’s wholly apt that my own sonis now joining the business. He has been involved on a part time basis for the last twoyears and clients really like him. The last six years has shown that our model worksand clients definitely like the flexibility of working with us. Our long term plan is torecruit additional account managers and double our client base”.Bygott Biggs ready to hitthe north with new hireSpecialist legal recruiter Bygott Biggs is set to expandagain after appointing a new regional director. CatherineBoyle has joined the Nottingham-headquartered firm tospearhead its northern expansion.Boyle is a well-known and highly respected figure in thenorthern legal recruitment market and brings a wealth ofexperience and connections to Bygott Biggs.Having worked together earlier in their careers, Boyleand Jane Biggs, managing director of Bygott Biggs, sharean ethos founded on a very personal approach torecruitment.Boyle said: “I’m delighted to join Bygott Biggs at a veryexciting time and to renew my working relationshipwith Jane”.Biggs added: “The recent growth of Bygott Biggsmirrors the expansion of our clients into new geographicalmarkets and we hope to be in the best position to moreeffectively service our clients’ recruitment requirements”.Earlier this month, Bygott Biggs announced theappointment of Richard Winfieldale as associate director tolead the firm’s West Midlands expansion. Based at its newBirmingham office in Snow Hill, Winfieldale will build onthe recruiter’s strategic presence in the region since it firstidentified the West Midlands as an opportunity for growthback in late 2014.East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.ukPHOTO: SHAWN RYANAPPOINTMENTSEMBL 11 November 2016_Layout 1 01/11/2016 16:37 Page 12RSM appoints new tax partner inNottinghamAudit, tax and consulting firm RSMhas appointed Kevin Edwards as atax partner in its Nottingham office.Edwards is a corporate taxspecialist who has worked for awide range of clients includingowner-managed businesses,subsidiaries of foreign parentcompanies and large UK basedgroups. In his career to date, hehas also undertaken tax advisorywork on restructuring, employeeshare schemes, mergers andacquisitions and advising onbespoke tax planning strategies.In addition, Edwards hassuccessfully claimed tax creditson a number of R&D projects undertaken by market leading companies in the technology,manufacturing and construction sectors.He originally qualified as a chartered accountant (FCA) after joining a Top 20 firm as a graduatetrainee in 2000 and is also a chartered tax advisor (CTA).Richard King, RSM’s office managing partner for Nottingham, said: “I am delighted to welcomeKevin to the team. He has a wealth of experience in corporate tax and we are certain Kevin willmake a significant contribution to the Nottingham team and help our clients achieve their keybusiness objectives”.Pall-Ex adds threePalletised freight specialistPall-Ex has announced threenew appointments. ChrisHolland joins the board asdirector of IT, Mark Steel takesthe role of director of sales andmarketing, and Adrian Bradleyjoins as director of operations.With 30 years’ experience inthe IT industry, 18 of which havebeen in logistics, Holland is wellplaced to further develop Pall-Ex’s in-house IT offering.Previous roles have included ITbusiness solutions manager atXPO Logistics, developmentsolutions manager at NorbertDentressangle and senioranalyst at Christian Salvesen.His main focus will be onworking in partnership with Pall-Ex’s members to evolve the network’s current TWINE IT system to make itbetter reflect their needs. Following a full analysis of the current IT architecture, he will be leading his team toimplement a series of upgrades focused on speed, ease of use and reliability.Mark Steel joins Pall-Ex having previously been sales director at member haulier Premier Logistics. He alsohas several years’ experience in the construction industry, having been production and technical director atMasonry Solutions and general manager at EH Smith Builders Merchants. His role at Pall-Ex will see him takecharge of all corporate sales, field sales and customer services operations.Adrian Bradley has worked in the logistics industry for over 21 years, with extensive experience managing andco-ordinating busy international hubs for the likes of UPS and Fortec Distribution Network. As operations directorof Pall-Ex, he will be responsible for the smooth running of the night operation, facilities management, health andsafety, the transport team, and the operations teams.Kevin Buchanan, group managing director at Pall-Ex, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Chris, Mark and Adrian tothe team.Nelsonsstrengthensfamily team inLeicesterNelsons Solicitors has announced thepromotion of Jennifer McNeil to anassociate in the family team at the firm’sLeicester office. She has also beenrecognised by Resolution – anorganisation of 6,500 family lawyers andprofessionals – as a Resolution accreditedspecialist.Having studied for a degree in law andpsychology at De Montfort University,McNeil began her career as a personalassistant for a partner in a Leicester lawfirm.She said: “From an early stage in mycareer I found that I enjoyed working infamily law, so I decided to begin training asa paralegal and to convert my BA Honoursdegree to a full law degree. I went on tocomplete my LPC through distance learning– qualifying in 2011.“Having worked for a high street firmpreviously, I wanted to experience workingfor a regional law firm and joined the team atNelsons in 2013. Nelsons has a well-established and well-respected familydepartment dealing with divorce and therelated financial matters – which was a bigdraw for me.“I am really enjoying working at Nelsonsand am delighted to have been promoted toassociate. Within the team of five at ourLeicester office, we each have our ownspecialisms, working across children anddivorce cases, creating a knowledgeableand expert department that I am proud tobe a part of.“In order to gain accreditation as aResolution specialist I was required toundertake a series of assessments whichtested my expertise on the specialistsubject of financial remedy cases andproceedings, which arise on divorce.The assessment process was a greatopportunity to demonstrate myexpertise in this area of family law andthis accreditation – and mypromotion – have been majorlandmarks in my career to date andI’m extremely proud of theseachievements”.www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 13 EMBL 11 November 2016_Layout 1 01/11/2016 16:37 Page 13East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk14Arrow reports 25% growth in internationalmarketsOne of the UK’s leading manufacturers of cleaning and maintenance products has reported a 25% increasein business in the Middle East and Far East after expanding its network of distributors. Swadlincote-based Arrow Solutions, which supplies into the aerospace, high value engineering, rail andcommercial hygiene markets, has seen sales in these territories rise at its fastest rate in 35 years.The announcement was made during the latest international visit to its Leicestershire facility, which sawvisitors from Shunyi Development Co. Ltd Zhuhai S.E.Z., Almaraya Detergents Trading LLC (United ArabEmirates) and Power Clean Co (Kuwait) learn more about the business, its technology and future expansionplans.Jonathan Lane, sales director at Arrow Solutions, said: “More than half our total sales are now madeoverseas and two of the fastest growing areas are the Middle East and the Far East.“This is no accident. We recognised early on that these markets were changing and that our range ofcleaning and maintenance products not only offered the outstanding performance they required, but also fittedin with a desire to use safer and more environmentally friendly technology.“This is just the start. There is so much potential out there to sell our products in greater volumes or toreplace unsuitable chemicals. We estimate we could be generating sales of £10m in these territories within thenext five years”.Arrow has had a concerted presence in the Middle East since 2010, led by regional manager Ala’ Al-Hihi,and has more than ten strategic distributors in place.Two of its most successful partners are Almaraya Detergents Trading LLC (a specialist in the commercialhygiene sector) and Power Clean Co. The latter is working with a host of Kuwait Government organisations tomeet EPA standards, including Kuwait Public Transport, the Fire Service and Kuwait Airways.Northants manufacturer celebrates10-year partnership with TransaidNorthamptonshire-based manufacturer Hankook Tyre is celebrating a 10 year partnershipwith international development organisation Transaid. Hankook and Transaid have workedtogether since 2006 to improve the quality of life of people in Sub-Saharan Africa byimplementing and sharing transport solutions that are safe and sustainable for localcommunities.A total of 5929 drivers in Zambia and Tanzania have been trained between 1st May 2015and 30th April 2016 through Transaid’s road safety initiatives. The organization has alsoimplemented a number of training inputs in Malawi and collaborated with the Ministry ofHealth (MISAU) in Mozambique to strengthen the transport management practices.Hankook has built a strong relationship with Transaid over the last decade and has provided continued support to strengthen the charity’s work.The partnership has helped to improve access to health services in Zambia, Madagascar, Nigeria and Uganda. With over 8,000 people havingaccessed health care services in last 12 months through the emergency transport systems Transaid have implemented, the programme brings healthcare services closer to communities. The charity provided 235 Community Health workers with bicycles and training in Madagascar in the last yearalone.Mark Grace, marketing manager of Hankook Tyre UK, said: “Hankook has been a dedicated supporter of Transaid for 10 years now, contributing tovarious initiatives to help make a positive impact to people in developing countries. Our aim is to provide safer transport solutions that enhance thelives of our customers and the work Transaid does reflects our ethos and values. We will continue to maintain an ongoing partnership and we lookforward to working together to create a better tomorrow for many people across Africa”.MANUFACTURING NEWSRutland Plastics wins green awardLeicestershire-based injection moulding business Rutland Plastics hasadded to its 60th anniversary celebrations with a prestigious award forBest Energy and Environmental Programme of the Year.The energy-conscious company was recognised at the PlasticsIndustry Awards 2016 for its energy strategy, which encompasses adiverse array of efficient and economic installations that tap into greenpower.As part of a £2.2 million reinvestment in the development of thecompany, an energy reduction programme to drive environmental andcommercial results was at the top of Rutland Plastics agenda in theplanning of the new building works.The firm implemented an energy strategy to help manage its energyconsumption effectively and improve performance, conserve energy andultimately reduce costs.EMBL 11 November 2016_Layout 1 01/11/2016 16:37 Page 14Alpha Rail sponsors local youth footballteamAs part of itscommitment toencouraging peopleto get out and useoutdoor spacessuch as parks andgardens, Alpha Railhas sponsored alocal youth footballteam. Based inKirkby in Ashfield,Alpha Railspecialises in themanufacture andinstallation ofbespoke metalrailings and gates.The sponsorshipdeal involves providing a new football kit for Sherwood Colliery Blacks Under 9’s.Sherwood Colliery FC was established in 2008 but the young under 9’s team was only formedthree years ago, with many of the youngsters being the same group that started as six year olds.The team is managed by FA licenced coach Steve Newbury and play their games in MansfieldWoodhouse as part of the Mansfield Kick start league which comprises teams from all aroundthe local area.The U9’s were recently invited to the One Call Stadium to be flag bearers for the League Twogame between Mansfield Town and Grimsby Town.The team’s playing record and community reputation also convinced Alpha Rail to make afinancial contribution to help the club purchase shirts, shorts and socks for 10 players as well astraining jackets for the children to wear in winter.Commenting on the sponsorship, Mark Sipson, Alpha Rail sales director, said: “When weheard about the work the club does in the local community we wanted to try and help in anyway we could. It is our privilege to help fund a local team and hopefully enable the next ‘Messi’or ‘Ronaldo’ to enjoy the beautiful game”.Team manager Steve Newbury added: “It is local community relationships like this thatenables the club to keep doing what we love. Without their help, we wouldn’t be able to providethe boys with the opportunities they deserve. We can’t thank Mark and Alpha Rail enough fortheir support”.www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 15Government mustspeed up plans forits industrial strategy,new report saysA new report by EEF, the manufacturers’organisation, and NatWest, has called on thegovernment to speed up plans to introduce aconsistent and coherent long-term industrialstrategy to ensure that manufacturers’ growthambitions are fully supported across the pre- andpost-Brexit divide. It says that swiftimplementation is vital if growth ambitions arenot to be allowed to fall by the wayside,particularly while the UK steers its tricky waytowards Brexit.Industry’s call is backed up by a new pollshowing nine in ten UK adults (90%) agree thatthe UK needs a comprehensive, long-termindustrial strategy and 86% want the governmentto promote a stronger manufacturing base inBritain. The report welcomes the fact that a UK-wide industrial strategy is back on thegovernment’s table and says that it must clearlyset out the government’s goals for growth,backed by policies which deliver a more skilledworkforce, more resilient infrastructure, a lowercost of doing business and better support forgrowing businesses.The study – “Manufacturing Ambitions: anindustrial strategy for a stronger economy” –shows that three quarters of manufacturers (76%)are going for growth, while seven in ten (71%)have a three to five year business plan in place toback up their ambitions. The sector already has astrong track record on productivity and,promisingly, there is every indication that this isset to continue. Almost two thirds of firms (63%)are focussed on driving up productivity, whilemargins (71%) and sales (64%) are also keytargets in manufacturers’ growth plans.Innovation and the introduction of newbusiness models are coming to the fore ascompanies pursue growth. Over nine in ten areeither already increasing innovation efforts (63%)or plan to do so within the timeframe of theircurrent business plan (29%). Manufacturers havealso been quick off the mark in spotting thegrowth opportunities from servitisation (providingservices to complement product sales). Over fourin ten (41%) are already actively providingservices, while a further 27% have it targetedwithin their business plans.Supply chain collaboration is, however, seen aseven more critical to growth, with over half ofmanufacturers (52%) already enhancingcooperation in areas such as production, designand development and a further quarter (26%)planning to do so. The depth of collaboration maybe a surprise to those outside of industry, with67% of manufacturers already working with theirsupply chain on product design anddevelopment.EMBL 11 November 2016_Layout 1 01/11/2016 16:37 Page 15East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk16COVER STORY“It’s a trustthing”Distinct Recruitmenthas been going fromstrength to strengthsince it opened inJanuary this year.EMBL caught up withdirectors JamesCalder and ArranJaiswal and theirlatest signing,Premier Leaguefootball ace MichaelDawson, to find outmore. West Bridgford-based Distinct Recruitmenthas gone from a team of three on launching inJanuary to fourteen just 9 months later, and issoon to move into a new larger office atLandmark House. The firm’s rapid growth hasbeen bolstered by the arrival of current HullCity captain and Nottingham Forest legendMichael Dawson as a non-executive investor inthe business.“We’re not your average recruitmentagency”, says Calder. “We’re not driven by targets, quotas ormoney, we’re driven by people. We believethat people are the most important part ofeverything we do. It’s this belief that drives ourapproach, ensuring we take the time to fullyunderstand you as an individual.“It’s been hard work – but great fun, andwe’re ready to take the business to the nextlevel. These are exciting times”.Why did Dawson choose to invest in thebusiness?“I’ve invested in the two people sat next tome, one of whom is my brother-in-law”, hesays.“It’s a great opportunity, and James hasbeen in recruitment for a long time. Football ismy game, but the business is somethingoutside of it that takes the pressure away”.With Dawson on-side, there are obviousbenefits for Distinct as well.“It does create an intrigue for somecustomers, who see Michael’s name and wantto know more. It helps to get your name outthere”, says Jaiswal.What kind of advice do professionalEMBL 11 November 2016_Layout 1 01/11/2016 16:37 Page 16www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 17footballers receive and how do they choose the rightinvestments?“Sometimes advice is given more in other people’sinterests than the players’, so you have to have good peoplearound you”, says Dawson.“You need to be able to put trust in people. A footballcareer is short, so it’s important to invest in the right things.Ultimately it’s about people, and it’s an investment in thefuture. My son is nearly 2 years old and I need to provide forhim”.What’s unique about the business, and how does it differfrom what Dawson is used to?“Unlike the structures Mike is used to, there’s littlehierarchy here”, says Calder.“It’s a genuine partnership. Arran is good at what he doesand so am I. There are no egos, and we want Distinct to bethe best place to work in Nottingham. As I’m sure Mikewould agree, football is much more regimented”.“I’ve never been happier”, he adds. “We didn’t plan to get up to 14 people this year, but weachieved it. This is only the start. Where do we want to be bythis time next year? If we were a football team I’d say wewant to be a top four Premier League side by then!”EMBL 11 November 2016_Layout 1 01/11/2016 16:37 Page 17East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk18ROUND TABLEManufacturing inthe East Midlands - what’s next forthe sector?How will the UK manufacturing industry – andmanufacturers in the East Midlands – respond to thepolitical and economic upheavals of recent months? Ourlatest roundtable, sponsored by Allied Irish Bank (GB),asked the questions.How would you rate thegeneral health of themanufacturing sector? Howshould manufacturersrespond to the post-referendum climate?Mark Goldby: “The general feeling Iget from the NottinghamshireManufacturing Network is that thesector is currently in a position ofPanel:John Hamnett, A1 FlueSystemsStuart Lake, AIB (GB)Gerry McPake, AIB (GB)Carol Noonan, AIB (GB)Mark Sipson, Alpha RailAndy Hubbard, Camloc MotionControlAndrew Clarke, MWSWeighing SolutionsMark Goldby, SMSElectronics/NottinghamshireManufacturing NetworkJohn Stallard, Warlord Games– the idea being that slightly increasedinterest rates will drive business”.Andrew Clarke: “We lost money when thepound got strong. I voted to stay in the EUbecause we export a lot to Europe andEuropean funding could be pulled awayfrom us”.Andy Hubbard: “Personally I voted in, butthe pound coming down brings a sort ofparity of global trade, and we are still buyingin a lot of components from abroad.“America and China aren’t trade partnerswith Europe but we’ve been dealing withthem for years. And yet, the longer Article50 is postponed – until we get a solidfoundation to take things forward – there arewider risks to the supply chain”.MG: “Common sense needs to prevail.The destabilisation of other markets couldcreate new opportunities”.Carol Noonan: “Opening doors to othersuppliers works if you can get access tothem. A client of ours uses a supplier basedin the U.S but mainly deals with Europe”.Gerry McPake: “The sense of pride inwhat people are doing is phenomenal. Thestrength, but there is a huge grey cloudattached, and that is the uncertaintyaround Brexit.“The reality is the falling pound isstarting to hurt and people are seeinginput prices go up. It is difficult to knowwhat to do in this situation”.Stuart Lake: “Comments from the Bankof England governor have suggested thatthis has been a good thing for the countryPHOTOS: TOBY NEALEMBL 11 November 2016_Layout 1 01/11/2016 16:37 Page 18www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 19question is how do we recognise thatvalue?”What are the biggestchallenges facing the sectorand how can we overcomethem?John Hamnett: “It’s a struggle torecruit now. Our business has beenrunning for 44 years. We’ve seen a lot ofstaff come in, but there are many whohave been with us the entire time. It’sdifficult to find young staff who areinterested in what we do.“We have a small number ofapprentices, but it’s hard to keep theminterested”.SL: “Do you think that’s a fault of theeducation system?”JH: “I think so, yes. Things likewoodwork and metalwork aren’t doneproperly in schools anymore”.AH: “Unfortunately, you get peoplethrough the doors who think you owethem a living. To be honest, if you havebasic inherent skills such as the ability tolearn and communicate, then you willprogress in the sector regardless ofqualifications.“There is definitely a gap betweeneducation and industry”.John Stallard: “It’s true. I have peoplejoining my business who are quite proudof not having read a book since leavingschool, so I insist on speaking to everymember of my staff when we’rerecruiting.“On the other hand, we have a lot ofPolish and Spanish people working forus, and they are not only great workersbut also highly intelligent, professionalpeople”.JH:“We try to recruit from within.There are a lot of fathers, sons andbrothers working for us, and they tend towant to make each other proud.“At A1 we don’t really look atqualifications”.Mark Sipson: “We’ve recruited familymembers as well, although there is alsothe embarrassment factor when one ofthem turns out to be rubbish!”MG: “The skills gap is a generationgap. We need to engage with UTCs andtechnical colleges. It’s partly theobligation of industry to work with thesepeople. It’s about getting back down thefood chain to primary schools”.GMcP: “Is the vision of ‘dirtymanufacturing’ – which perhaps putssome young people off the sector –dated now?”JH: “Our village is still a miningcommunity, and yet my son’s friends dohave a dim view of ‘dirty’ manufacturing,even though things have changed for thebetter. A building site is probably saferthan walking across a street in centralLondon these days”.MS: “Where does that view comefrom, though? Not from us”.AC: “On skills shortages andrecruitment, I wouldn’t blame educationcompletely. Educators are working tolegislation. School is about passingexams now. It doesn’t prepare people forthe wider world.“We’ve had a lot of support from theengineering department atLoughborough College with ourapprenticeship scheme, though”.“But I do think people want jobs wayabove their aptitude these days”.MG: “Youngsters have always hadaspirations, so what is making themparticularly unrealistic today?”SL: “Could it be that they have accessto so many different sources ofinformation? With the internet you canaccess the whole world. In the past allwe had was a black and white television20 ÁOTOS: TOBY NEALEMBL 11 November 2016_Layout 1 01/11/2016 16:37 Page 19Next >