BBP Midlands - Edition 55

Ed

ition

55

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Birmingham Business Post

Recruitment is often cited as the 'barometer' of theeconomy, indicating when companies are creating jobsand therefore growing. And according to The Recruitment& Employment Confederation (REC) the recruitmentindustry has surged back to pre-recession levels and isnow worth a staggering £28.7bn, some 6.3% higher thanthe previous record. The forecast for 2015/16 is a furtherincrease of 9% and 8.7% the year after, so the job marketin the UK is definitely on the up and set to stay that way.

But how efficient is the supply of this demand? A decade agoleading West Midlands technology firm DARWIN decided therewas room for improvement. So they collaborated with Microsoftto build cloud-based CRM software that integrated withOutlook, website and social media together into one easy-to-use application.

"Simplicity was the key" says CEO, MikeChatha. "Everyone had Microsoft Office,but didn't have time for manuallyposting jobs to their website, manuallyinputting CVs, writing lots of emails,and referencing spreadsheets whichwould soon become outdated. Andthat was just with ONE personhandling the recruitment - add a

second, third or fourth and the processsoon became horribly time consuming and

a poor experience for everyone concerned."

So using the latest technology Darwin helped the recruitmentprocess evolve by creating a solution that took the pain away;putting the recruitment consultant / hiring manager back incontrol, with the minimum of fuss.

10 years on the latest version of the software (called "1Click") iscurrently in use by 1-150 man recruitment/HR teams in 17countries across 5 continents, a massive success story for theShropshire based company.

How today's recruiters utilise technology to do the work

So how do professional recruiters manage to keep on top ofmultiple vacancies, candidates, callbacks & interviews? Theanswer is they get software to do most of the donkey work,leaving the person to focus on the telephone & face-to-faceliaison which are normally their strongest areas.

Utilising a 1-Click Recruitment CRM for in-HouseApplicant Tracking

What firms often don't realise is that the same professionalrecruitment tools can be purchased by firms wanting to performtheir own in-house recruitment, without going through an agency.

With a 3-man system starting from just £1500+vat it looks likeDarwin has finally managed to deliver state-of-the-artrecruitment technology into the hands of smaller firms.

Demos of the 1-Click system in action can be accessed at:Recruitment-software.com with more information on themain website at: Darwin.com

For further information contact Mike Chatha on 0121 285 0638or email [email protected]

For example the 1-Click CRM system from Darwinallows a recruiter to:

• Publish jobs straight out of their CRM to their website/jobboard and get applicants straight in

• Import new candidates from LinkedIn with a single click

• Search tens of thousands of candidates and their CVs within seconds

• Email or SMS lists of prospective candidates with a singleclick (eg. "Are you interested..")

• Send a shortlist of candidates and their resumes over to theClient, again with a single click

• See a list of daily reminders of what they have to do and whothey have to call back

So in the same way an SME can:

• Post jobs out to multiple job boards with a single click

• Pre-screen applicants so only those meeting a criteria areprocessed into the applicant pool

• Add new applicants to the jobs database from emails or fromLinkedIn

• Search and shortlist prospective candidates with a couple ofclicks

• Send out templated messages for interview, adjusting slightlyso does not look system generated

Darwinrecruitment software has evolved…

The move to 1-click Recruitment

12358 AP_HorseWorld 29/04/2015 11:47 Page 1

C O N T E N T SCFL Business 4

The Connection Voucher Scheme 5

Surf Telecoms 6

The state of the SME lending market 7

Trade Finance Partners 8

Growth Street 9

Liquid Finance 10

Paul Humphreys Credit Insurance Services 11

Impetus 12

Sarah Willingham - Nectar Business Small Business Awards 13

Fiscale 14

R&D Tax Credits 15

Kintax 16

Alma Consulting Group (Alma CG) 17

IG Technologies 18

Management Service Centres 19

Irwin Mitchell LLP 20

Pensions Freedoms 21

KLO Financial Services 22

How promoting safe and sensible driving can benefit 23

Scorpion Automotive 24

Viezu Technologies 25

Fleet Managers Friend 26

Bridge Fleet Solutions 27

High-Ways Driving School 28

Smart Witness Vehicle CCTV 29

Z5 (UK) 30

M6 Commercials 31

R3 Road Risk Reduction 32

Telogis 33

ATS Euromaster 34

Should we design cars or user experiences? 35

Mirage 36

FANUC 37

A1 Clutches 38

Construction 39

Think Recruitment 40

StairBox 41

Brooke Smith Planning 42

Midland Heart 45

Air & Ground Aviation 46

KD Electrical 48

MSE Electrical & Mechanical 51

AW Precision 52

G&P Group Holdings 53

Accurate Laser Cutting 54

Planning a conference or an event? 55

Conference Oxford 56

Be Inspired Films 57

Stapleford Park 58

Purity Brewing Co 59

Curve Theatre 60

Eaton Hotel 61

The Birmingham Repertory Theatre 62

Welcome to Edition 55 of the Birmingham

Business Post, the free magazine for the

Midlands business community packed with news,

tips and stories from across the region.

In this edition we start a series on Conferences

and Events as we lead up to the annual company

do, offering tips and advice for organising a

successful event. Also looking forward to winter,

we start a major series on Fleet Management.

In our popular Business Finance section we review

the current state of the SME Funding Market. In

light of the government’s support for innovation we

continue the focus on R&D Tax Credits, the rollout

of Superfast Connectivity and consider the role

design plays in the Automotive sector.

In our next edition we will continue our series on

Tax Reliefs, Pensions and Business Finance, Fleet

Management, Conferences and Events, and

although the sun is shining, organising the Big

Christmas Bash.

BBP Media

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Reproduction in whole or part prohibited without

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media for this publication are sent at owners risk and

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those of its publisher or editor.

Birmingham Edition 55 Contents_Layout 1 18/07/2015 17:06 Page 1

“Neither does our network depend upon BT or Virgin networks at any point,making us truly independent.”

It also makes CFL one of the very few owners of broadband infrastructure inBirmingham and it rates its success in delivering this as one of its many successes.

The ever-increasing client base is another, with more and more looking tobenefit from its wireless and fibre networks, managed WiFi networks, VOIPtelephony, network and IT consultancy services.

“We understand the challenges our customers face day to day, and we keep ourfeet well and truly on the ground to provide broadband services that work as hardas clients do,” says Manjit.

“The result is consistent download and upload speeds, minimal peak-hourslowdowns, no buffering or service interruptions, and no compromise tobusiness performance.”

Recognising that every firm is unique, CFL provides a range of packages thatare flexible on both price and service.

“You can select from between 30Mbps and 1Gbps, each designed to meetyour exact requirements at a fee that matches your budget,” says Manjit.“Combine that with the service level you need and you’ve got a tailor-madebroadband package that ticks every box.”

There’s further good news too for small to medium-sized businesses andcharities who could find themselves eligible for a government grant which willentitle them to connect to CFL’s superfast network for free.

Hopeful organisations can assess their suitability by filling out the form onCFL’s website.

In the meantime, the company is speeding ahead to greater success.

“We’re continuing to expand our client base and arebusy developing new products/solutions for businesscustomers,” says Manjit.

“We are also planning to offer a residential service inBirmingham and will be piloting this towards the end ofthe year.”

To find out more about CFL and its full range ofservices and packages, go to

www.cflbusiness.co.ukAlternatively call 0121 399 0064or email [email protected]

Community Fibre Ltd has been a surefiresuperfast success when it comes to bringingsuperfast broadband to Birmingham.

In just 12 months since the provider arrived inDigbeth, CFL has increased in size and nowdelivers all sales, installation and support activitiesfor the Midlands from its office in The Arch.

And that arrival in the Second City, plus gaininga base in Coventry and other cities in thecountry, comes within three years of launchingin the first place.

Community Fibre Ltd (CFL) was established in2012 to provide a bespoke fibre network toresidents of London’s Westminster.

The service delivered included TV, telephony,broadband and concierge services and theseamless delivery, thanks to a wholly ownedhigh-speed network providing a high-capacity,uninterrupted link to the digital world, quicklyproved a huge hit with businesses.

“We use passive optical fibre technology, carrier-grade equipment and there are no vulnerablestreet cabinets,” says Head of Operations ManjitPanesar.

brilliant business broadbanddelivered at the speed of light

CFLBUSINESS


4

The Government has greatly improvedthe Superfast Connectivity scheme,and extended the reach across 50cities across the UK with £40m offunding.

The average UK business will need 10times their current bandwidth within thenext five years. This means that highspeed broadband is becoming anabsolute necessity for businesses.

Superfast broadband opens up a wholeraft of leading-edge software andapplications that could benefit yourbusiness, allowing you to work moreefficiently, work when and where youwant, expand your offering and improveinteraction with customers, colleaguesand suppliers. It offersbusinesses accessto increasinglyimportanttechnologies suchas cloud computingand videoconferencing.

Hundreds of UK businesses are alreadybenefitting from the vouchers scheme andyour business can join the superfastrevolution with Government help in theform of a connection voucher of up to£3,000 for faster, better broadbandthrough the Government’s BroadbandConnection Voucher Scheme, if you are inone of the 50 cities in the UK in which thescheme is active. Each local scheme isdesigned to meet the needs of their localarea and to help local businesses to growand develop.

At inception the scheme only applied tofibre leased lines with limited criteria, andonly covered the connection costs.However, what the Government didn’tseem to have appreciated was that all themajor businesses that owned the fibreoptics were already covering theconnection costs as part of their contract.

Your voucher can now be used towardsthe cost of making the physicalbroadband connection to your businesspremises, including works such ascabling, surveys, power supply, installationand costs related to wayleaves oreasements. The voucher will cover the

whole cost of the connection, if that costis between £100 and £3000.

The scheme is administered by each citythrough over 458 registered suppliers andmanaged by Broadband Delivery UK(BDUK), a unit within the Department forCulture, Media and Sport. You can searchthe list of registered suppliers forcompanies in your city that offer thatservice. Each supplier has listed theservices they offer to make it easier toselect the ones tocontact.

Broadband Connection Vouchers areavailable to Small or MediumEnterprises (SMEs) if:

• Your business is within an eligible areaone of the 50 cities taking part in thescheme. Check your postcode to find outif you’re eligible

• You are a SME, registered charity, socialenterprise or sole trader

• Installation of your new broadbandconnection will cost over £100

• The connection is for your businesspremises. You can apply for a connectionat home if this is your main work base,but this does not apply if you work fromhome occasionally

• You are willing to sign up to a minimum6 month contract with your broadbandsupplier

• The broadband service you selectdelivers a speed or performanceimprovement on your current connection.

There are some detailed requirements onspeed that you should check beforeapplying

• You have not received more than€200,000 in grants in the last 3 years

Some cities operate additional eligibilityrules depending on your business sector.Please check your city’s webpage formore information.

Connection Vouchers will be madeavailable on a first come, first served

basis until 31 March 2016.

Upgrading yourbroadband brings realbusiness benefits:

• Increasing your profits byoffering better services to

more satisfied customers

• Improving your customers’experience with quicker,

communication and faster file-sharingthanks to higher upload and downloadspeeds, especially for large files

• Reducing software and hardware costsby helping you switch to online datastorage solutions

• Enhancing the way you communicateand collaborate through online videoconference and cloud-based informationsharing

• Future-proofing your business with thelatest technology to meet your customers’needs

To apply search your city’swebsite to see if they are part of

the scheme then go to

www.connectionvouchers.co.uk

The Connection Voucher Scheme

12432 1pg_Transport Warehousing 07/05/2015 12:22 Page 1

5

Surf Telecoms, a leadingcommunications provider whoseMidlands based offices are in CastleDonington, Leicestershire isanticipating significant growth in itsbusiness with increased UK coverageof its communications services. Thecompany recently installed a new next-generation infrastructure that isproviding increased fibre-opticbandwidth to Midlands’ businesses.

Surf manages the operation andmaintenance of a telecommunicationsnetwork in the Midlands, South West andSouth Wales stretching thousands ofkilometres. This has enabled both publiclyrun and private organisations such asutility companies, universities and mediabusinesses to send and receive largeamounts of data consistently and securely.

Their parent company is the DistributionNetwork Operator (DNO), Western PowerDistribution. WPD has a geographicfootprint that extends to all major cities inthe Midlands. Surf providecommunications services that helpsupport the operation of their industryleading electricity distribution network. Itenables them to closely monitor thenetwork, identify faults and minimisepower cuts.

Richard Slane, Commercial Manager forSurf Telecoms, said: “Surf is very proudand excited by the potential our networkoffers businesses across the Midlands. It

means we can provide an extremelystable, uncontended platform with theability to achieve outstanding networkdata availability. Its design also givesscalability, meaning new services can beprovided quickly.”

The company provides a widerange of services including sitesharing, co-location services,systems security, telecoms andsite management services. Theirfibre network is approaching 3,000km extending fromthe EastMidlands down tothe South WestPeninsula in theUK. It delivers70,000 km of qualityfibre and offers users66 co- location sitesfor regenerationfacilities,breakoutand

interconnection opportunities, togetherwith landing-station access rings.

Many organisations already rely on Surffor secure, reliable services. Networking iswhat Surf do best, using data technologyin a variety of ways to deliver trulyconnected communication solutions. Tofind out how they can help you, all youhave to do is ask.

To find out more visit www.surftelecoms.co.ukemail [email protected] 01823 348 710

Richard Slane

33340 AP_Feature Template 29/06/2015 09:56 Page 1

6

Small and medium sized enterprises

(SMEs) form a crucial part of the UK

economy, and are significant both in

terms of employment and as drivers of

innovation and economic growth.

SMEs account for 60 per cent of all private

sector employment, and registered an annual

turnover of £1.6 trillion at the start of 2014—

47 per cent of the private sector total.

Data shows that the overall availability of

credit to SMEs has improved since the low

point of the financial crisis, with anecdotal

evidence suggests that many businesses are

finding it less difficult to obtain credit.

However, long standing structural problems

in SME finance dating from before the

financial crisis remain. In particular, firms

seeking finance for the first time and firms

based heavily on intangible assets appear

to find it much harder to

obtain access to credit

than others.

This may in part be because new

firms lack a track record on

which lenders can assess their

credit risk. It may also result

from the risks that arise from

the use of

intangible assets

as collateral for

loans. In such

cases, the

unwillingness of

a bank to lend

may reflect

greater risk within

the business

which is seeking credit.

We are told that the money is

there, and that the banks are

willing to lend, but that businesses

are not applying; many business

owners would disagree.

There is a negative perception of

banks' willingness to lend and as a

result, small business owners are reluctant

to apply, nervous of the detriment to their

credit score of repeat applications.

However, these perceptions may be too

pessimistic—SMEs may be more likely to

have their applications for credit accepted

than they perceive.

There is steady, positive progress. We have

seen, over the course of a year or so, a slight

reduction of spread that small businesses are

getting on their credit, whether that be loans,

overdrafts, credit cards, or whatever they

happen to be.

You can put that down to a generally slightly

more upbeat economy, so the general stock of

credit for small businesses around the country

is slightly higher, or we could put it down to

FLS, the Funding for Lending Scheme.

FLS is just one of a large number of different

government schemes and funds, designed to

assist SMEs, however, even business

advisors are often unaware of just what is

available, which, unsurprisingly, makes it all

the harder for small firms to take advantage

of some of the schemes that may be

applicable to them, thus limiting the take-up.

The British Business Bank has been given

the role of increasing businesses' awareness

of government schemes, on the back of an

urgent need to review and to simplify both

the schemes and their availability.

As alternative lenders grow, their

contribution to the SME funding market

should be recognised and understood as

part of a wider picture of business lending.

The Bank of England should consider

routinely collecting more lending data from

non-bank sources.

Inadequate competition in banking is a long-

standing problem. The UK SME banking

sector remains dominated by four major

banking groups, with a market share in

England and Wales of 85 per cent.

Challenger banks and the growth in

alternative lending have scope to increase

competition. However, gross peer-to-peer

lending to businesses in Q1 2014 was

£300m, only about 1% of the £24.8

billion lent by banks to SMEs over

the same period

Crowdfunding/peer-to-peer

finance is in principle a

welcome addition to the

UK SME lending market.

For some SME borrowers,

it can offer a credible

alternative to bank

lending, and

represents a step

towards more

effective competition in

the market.

Borrower awareness and

understanding remain the

most significant barriers to

wider adoption. The

Government has set out plans

to require banks to refer those

rejected for bank finance to

alternative lenders. These are

welcome in principle.

Challenger banks and alternative

lenders are not yet at a scale sufficient to

challenge incumbents, it is therefore unlikely

that new entrants in the SME finance market

and existing measures to improve

competition will deliver the transformation in

competition that the industry needs.

The state of the SME lending market


7

How TFP have supported their Clients

A UK based distributor of solar powered compacting waste bins, hadsuccessfully won orders from a number of Local Councils across the UK.

Challenges:

• Their US supplier required payment either when an order was placed,or for a letter of credit to be provided

• The newly established UK Company had limited working capital andwere unable to borrow from traditional debt providers, due to their lackof trading history

• The UK company’s bank required full cash-cover to issue a letter of credit

Solution:

TFP provided a $1m Letter of Credit to the US supplier, guaranteeingand ensuring that payment would be made for delivered goods.

A UK based computer software and hardware company hadsuccessfully won a contract to supply computer peripherals to a USbased distribution company

Challenges:

• The UK company did not have credit terms with their Chinese basedsupplier and were required to pay for goods in full when placing an order

• The UK company were unable to obtain funding from their bank andtherefore had no means of paying for the goods required to fulfil the order

Solution:

TFP negotiated with the Chinese based supplier, who were happy toreceive payment from TFP using a Letter of Credit, enabling thecontract to be fulfilled.

TFP were able to credit insure the US based buyer and gainconfirmation of the purchase order and payment from them post-delivery, ensuring payment would be received upon delivery.

For further information please visit our website:www.tradefinpartners.com

Telephone: +44 (0)20 7634 985130 Cannon Street, London, EC4M [email protected]

The challenge of managing working capital has never been moreapparent and whether a business is trading in the UK or internationally,having to pay suppliers can hinder many SMEs. It is common practicethat a deposit or full payment is required before goods will be delivered,which poses a challenge when there is insufficient cash flow.

There are a number of solutions, however the strength of a business’sassets can restrict access to funding. True trade finance is differenthowever, using the intrinsic value of the purchase order and buyer asthe security, bridging the financial gap between a business’s supplierand buyer.

Many SMEs explore the economic benefits of cross-border trading but aredeterred by the inherent risks and challenges this type of trade entails.

TFP are experienced at operating on a global basis, providing true tradefinance in conjunction with risk and supply chain management to facilitatetheir clients’ trades and overall success.

We partner with business’s that have trades that are: • Closed – there is a pre-agreed buyer and seller• The end buyer is credit insurable or can provide an acceptable

bank guarantee or letter of credit• The transaction is between £100k and £3m

• The purchased goods are: capital goods, commodities orconsumer based items

True Trade Finance – How Does TFP’s Pr on Work

Client

TFPSupplier Buyer

Payment

Invoice

InvoicePr t

less fees

Payment

Invoice

Buying

Selling

Goods

Pr t less fees

Client

TFPSupplier Buyer

Payment

Invoice

Invoice

Payment

Invoice

Buying

Selling

Goods

Client

TFPSupplier Buyer

Payment

Invoice

Invoice

Payment

Invoice

Buying

Selling

Goods

Pr t less fees

Winning orders and building a supply chain are all part of growing a successful business, not having access to finance can stop many from moving forwards.


8

Which is why the latest statistics from the British Banker’s Association(BBA) are disheartening. The BBA have been tracking the number ofapproved business overdraft facilities on a monthly basis since January2012. While there is some annual seasonality, the trend is clear – on arolling 12 month basis the number of overdrafts opened by smallerbusinesses has consistently fallen, from just over 226K to less than 125Kper annum in less than three years – a 45% drop.

Growth Street is aiming toreverse that trend, byproviding growing, profitablebusinesses with an overdraftalternative. This uniqueoffering provides ourcustomers with a limit ofbetween £50,000 and£150,000, with interest only

charged for the days it is borrowed at annualised equivalent ratesbetween 8% and 12% (monthly equivalent rates of 0.6% to 1.0%). Thistype of flexible finance has been – and remains - critical to helping UKbusinesses grow.

=To learn more, why not check out our recentcustomer stories on our website,

www.growthstreet.co.uk

The latest quarterly statistical release from the BBA spells out morebad news for SMEs hoping to open an overdraft with their bank –the number of approved facilities continues to fall. Growth Street isaiming to reverse that trend, by providing growing, profitablebusinesses with an overdraft alternative.

Managing cash flow as a business owner is a difficult task. Income isunpredictable: will buyers pay as expected? Will demand be up or downthis month? Expenditure however is sadly regular: rent, salaries and ratespayments have to be made to keep the business ticking over.

Cash shortages put even promising businesses under stress, and insome cases can even lead to business failure. Business owners knowthis, and so typically hoard cash throughout most of the year to coverdifficult trading periods. But there is an opportunity cost to hoarding cash– it isn’t being reinvested in the business, to buy a new machine or hirea new person. In short, holding excess cash in the bank account limitsthe business’ growth potential.

Revolving credit facilities (RCFs) such as overdrafts are the best solutionfor managing cash flow. Once the facility is opened, companies areassigned a credit limit, and can then borrow and repay at will against thatlimit – only paying for what they use. It’s an easy to use, easy tounderstand product that strips borrowing back to basics – the cost is justa function of how much, for how long, and at what interest rate.

Overdrafts: the credit product every growing business needs, but can’t have – until now

By James Sherwin-Smith, CEO, Growth Street

200,00020,000

150,00015,000

100,00010,000

50,0005,000

No of Overdraft facilities approved Cumulative Last 12 months

250,00025,000

00

226,331

124,092

Aug

11Se

p 11

Oct

11N

ov 11

Dec

11Ja

n 12

Feb

12M

ar 12

Apr

12M

ay 12

Jun

12Ju

l 12

Aug

12Se

p 12

Oct

12N

ov 12

Dec

12Ja

n 13

Feb

13M

ar 13

Apr

13M

ay 13

Jun

13Ju

l 13

Aug

13Se

p 13

Oct

13N

ov 13

Dec

13Ja

n 14

Feb

14M

ar 14

Apr

14M

ay 14

Jun

14Ju

l 14

Aug

14Se

p 14

Oct

14N

ov 14

Dec

14Ja

n 15

Feb

15

Mar

15

James Sherwin-Smith

Bank support for SME’s - smaller businesses (British Bankers’ Association, Q1 2015)


9

There are no repayment deadlines and Liquid Finance gets paid via yourterminal however long that takes. We have a unique automated splitprocessing technology that means that you do not have to change your cardprocessor or any of your current set up. There isn’t a business plan required orlots of complicated paperwork to make a decision - our team is in place to getthe cash to you within 10 working days with minimal disruption. So you canget on with what you do best, running your business.

The application process is simple - follow the linkwww.liquidfinance.co.uk and fill out the form – we will do the rest. Or Call 0845 600 3573 and speak to one of our advisors today.

Do you take card payments for yourcompany’s products or services? Did youknow that there is a way you can use thosetakings to leverage capital in a straightforward and efficient manner withouthaving to offer security or change any ofyour current processes.

We, at Liquid Finance, understand that businessowners like you are eager to maximise yourcompany’s growth. We provide unsecuredcapital based on your card takings that can beused for any number of business expansionideas that you may have.

Here are some ways our customers have usedtheir business advance from Liquid Finance:

• Stock purchases

• Refurbishments

• Equipment Purchase

• Product Development

• Special Projects that need a quick turn-aroundtime

Answer the following to see if a business cashadvance from Liquid Finance is for you:

- Does your business take credit/debit cards?

- Have you been trading for over 12 months?

- Is your average monthly takings from your cardterminal between £3,500 and £150,000?

If you answered YES to the questions abovethen a cash advance from Liquid Finance mightbe the next step in your plan for growing yourbusiness

How it works.

The Liquid Finance Business Cash Advance isbased on your average monthly card turnover.This average is usually the amount we willadvance you. We charge you a fee for theadvance. You repay the advance and feethrough an agreed % of your future daily cardtakings until the advance and fee are paid back.

Did you know that 58% of small companiesbelieve it is difficult to obtain funding!

In the words of Bradley Smith who runs three very successful Hair and Beauty salons

“I started working with Liquid Finance over a year ago followingsome challenges with securing a bank loan for my business. I waslooking to update my Hairdressing Salon to make it look moreprofessional and provide a more sophisticated service for my

clients. The Liquid Finance team were very helpful andprofessional, leading me through the process and allowing me to

move forward with my business plans. The advance workedperfectly for me, making my life so easy with each sale helping topay back my advance without me having to even think about it! Asa result I have continued to use the service to renovate my beauty

salon and will do so again to update new premises.

I am building a brand and Liquid Finance are standing alongside memaking it happen!

I would definitely recommend a Liquid Finance Cash Advance to anyof my colleagues who need business finance.”

BRADLEY SMITHH A I R & B E A U T Y


10

Credit Insurance is usually simply thought of as a wayof safeguarding companies against bad debt, butleading Credit Insurance Broker, Paul Humphreys saysit should rather be looked at as a way of creatingopportunities for growth.

Credit keeps the wheels of business turning and one of themajor stumbling blocks to expansion can often be a lack of theaffordable finance required to fulfil that large order, especially foran overseas client. Having Credit Insurance in place can makeall the difference to investor confidence.

Exports are key to UKgrowth andmanufacturers arebeing encouraged toexpand into overseasmarkets. Businesses,however, can benervous of taking theplunge, seeing exportas too risky citingproblems such asbeing paid in “hard

currency” or political events such as war or revolution. CreditInsurance gives companies the confidence to go after newbusiness and realise valuable opportunities to expand safe inthe knowledge that they will get paid. The insurer will help tocollect debts, which is invaluable when faced with the prospectof trying to recover money though an unfamiliar legal system. Itis a difficult enough process in the UK and even more so inoverseas markets.

Paul Humphreys Credit Insurance was founded in February1998 following an MBO from Staffordshire based ClaverleyHyde Group. Paul was one of the Directors and shareholders ofthe original business. Paul has over 30 years’ experience in thecredit insurance industry and has many long standing clients,some having been with him for well over 20 years. Paul has aphilosophy of providing a complete service to his clients,getting to know them and their business well, in order to ensurethat he is able to give them the best and most appropriateadvice for their needs.

He told us, “To us our clients are never policy or accountnumbers, we get to know them and to understand theirbusiness and particularly what is required and expected of us inorder to provide an exceptional service”.

“Unlike the majority of our competitors we feel that your futurepoint of contact should be with the person you have negotiatedyour policy with. This will not only ensure continuity but alsothat the advice you receive is consistent, expert and given on apersonal basis.”

All the company’s services are provided at Director level, as Paulsays, it is all about getting his clients the best cover in the firstplace, and being the one who is there to sort it out if somethingdoes go wrong. With no call centres or outsourcing, just experthelp and guidance when you need it most from a trusted partner.

They deal with all the leading credit insurance insurancecompanies and the level of business they place with suchleading names as Atradius, Euler Hermes, Coface UK, HCCCredit Shield and QBE Europe means they enjoy specialistbroker status.

For a confidential discussion to see how Paul Humphreyscan support your business growth call 01492 541882 or for

more information about the company visit the websitewww.phcredit.co.uk

Join us on

Paul HumphreysCredit Insurance

Protecting and Enabling Business


11

With more and more options now becoming available,the world of business funding and growth financing ischanging rapidly.

Whilst this is great news for any West Midlands businessseeking a loan, it can also lead to confusion about where togo and who will be most likely to help – especially when thebanks say no.

With a variety of options currently out there, the responseby Worcestershire-based financiers Impetus has been tosimplify and speed up the allocation process.

Based in Pershore but supporting business in Shropshire,Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and Telford &Wrekin, Impetus is part of the responsible finance sectorand supports all sectors with development loans.

Now celebrating their 10th anniversary they’ve so far helpedover 500 regional SMEs move forward.

Impetus fund manager, Steve Williams believes that theirsimple, speedy and supportive loan application, assessmentand decision process is central to their success.

“We understand that SME businesses are driven by verybusy people who want to simply know what’s available andif their loan application is likely to be successful,” he said.

“We make it easy for them to understand the type oforganisations we support, how we actually do this and howthey can benefit.”

Impetus shows the way with accessible business growth loans

“We provide loans up to £150,000 supporting limitedcompanies in our area and we support pretty much any kindof business as long as they have a clear growth plan.

“Recent recipients have included a bespoke furniture maker,a manufacturer of robotic packing systems, a weddingshop, a gastro pub, a marketing agency and a nuclearradiation protection consultancy.

“The application form is online and very straightforward andthe aim is to return an indicative decision about the loanapproval, within just a few days.”

Development business loans are available now andorganisations are now invited to make an application and‘present their pitch’ at http://www.impetus-marches.co.uk/how-to-apply where there’s an online form.

Business owners can also call

01386 556000or email their requirements to [email protected]

www.impetus-marches.co.uk

The Impetus team

BUSINESS LOANS

impetus


12

The seventh annual Nectar Business

Small Business Awards launched on

Wednesday 3 June, led by one of the

UK’s leading business women,

consumer champion and BBC

‘Dragon’, Sarah Willingham.

The Awards - which are free to enter -

celebrate the achievements of successful

small businesses and small business

owners across the UK. They are judged by

a panel of respected industry figures

including Sarah Willingham, Will

Shuckburgh, Nectar Managing Director,

Adam Collett, Marketing Director at Brakes,

Allan Dickson, Director of Commercial at

Dulux Decorating Centre and previous

Nectar Business Small Business Awards

winner, Melissa Snover.

The resultant winners will receive £2,000

cash and 50,000 Nectar points, as well as

competing for the unique opportunity to

meet and receive tailored expert advice

from Sarah Willingham at the Nectar

Business Round Table and Awards event –

to be held in November this year.

Sarah Willingham, who will judge the

Awards for the first time this year,

comments:

“I can’t wait to get involved with the Nectar

Business Small Business Awards, helping

to discover, support and champion some of

the UK’s most brilliant businesses.

“I’ve ‘been there and done that’ so to

speak by, launching and managing

businesses of my own - so I know first-

hand the drive, commitment and sheer

hard work that’s required to make a small

business succeed; and the fact that this

dedication makes the eventual rewards

even sweeter.

“I’m especially looking forward to taking my

place on the Nectar Business Round Table.

It will give me the chance to meet some of

the country’s brightest business minds and

engage in some lively and inspirational

conversations - sharing business tips and

examples of best practice along the way.”

Open for entries between 3 June and 24

July 2015, the Awards celebrate and

acknowledge the outstanding

achievements of small businesses in the

UK. All SMEs, social enterprises, charities

and entrepreneurs that demonstrate

innovative and sustainable business ideas

are invited to enter as many categories

relevant to their business. These are:

• Small Business of the Year

• Innovation of the Year

• Home Grown Business of the Year

• Entrepreneur of the Year

• Tradesperson of the Year

• Contribution to the Community

Previous Midlands winners include:

Innovation of the Year 2013: Warwick

Music (West Midlands)

Warwick Music Ltd manufactures pBone

the world's first plastic trombone. The

company won the Innovation of the Year

award thanks to the sheer originality of its

product. The pBone was the biggest selling

trombone of 2012 and the company has

sold 90,000 pBones to date. The innovative

pBone makes trombone playing less

expensive and thus more accessible.

Start Up of the Year 2013: The Strings

Club (West Midlands)

The Strings Club provides fun-filled

instrumental courses for children from

aged four to 12 including term-time

courses, holiday camps and school

sessions. The company won the Start Up

of the Year award, thanks to its

demonstration of on-going success and

nationwide expansion that is testament to

the high quality of tuition given, resulting

in a 98% customer return rate.

Homegrown Business of the Year 2014:

Mask-arade (Warwickshire)

Mask-arade produces celebrity and

personalised masks, desktop cut-outs and

life-size cut-outs, which are ideal for stag

and hen parties, birthdays and corporate

events. Starting out in a bedroom in 2008,

Mask-arade now turns over more than £2m

a year. The company won the Homegrown

Business of the Year Award due to its

overall performance, with a particularly

strong demonstration of being able to

secure business exclusives.

As in previous years, the Contribution to

the Community Award will be open to a

public vote, where fans of

facebook.com/nectarbusiness page will

have their say, helping the five judges

decide on who should be this year’s

winners.

Businesses can enter as many categories

as they like for free. Simply visit:

www.nectar.com/smallbusiness to

download an entry form and to determine

each category’s criteria. Entries can then be

submitted online, via email or post.

Entrepreneur and newest starof BBC 2’s Dragon’s Den,

Sarah Willingham launches seventh annualNectar Business Small

Business Awards

33494 1pg_CD Engineering 17/07/2015 15:19 Page 1

13

R&D Tax Credits are one of the most widelymisunderstood Government’s incentives to rewardcompanies developing new and improved productsand services.

While major PLC’s and larger companies have tax specialists inhouse to claim any reliefs, many SMEs don’t believe that theiractivities qualify or don’t understand what type of expenditure isallowable.

R&D is not just about thehigh-tech sector.Manufacturing,engineering, IT, marketing,food and companiesacross a wide range ofindustries, may haveinvested time and moneyin improving their productsand process. It is not thevalue of the project that isimportant, but the costinvolved.

John Mayhew of Fiscale, who specialise in claiming R&D TaxCredits for their clients, told us that one of the major difficultiesthey face is getting across to smaller companies in particular,that there is a valid claim to be had, and importantly, that it isquick, typically 12 weeks from speaking to Fiscale to seeing themoney in your bank, and it is tax free.

John and his business partnerStephen Bunting, started Fiscale inFebruary 2014, and in the first yearalone have helped claim over £1.7million of refunds for their clients.Taking out the largest claims, thetypical successful claim averagesaround £45,000, and one softwaredeveloper with a turnover ofapproximately a quarter of a£million, got back £40,000.

John explained to us that most ofthe 12 weeks is taken up inpreparation, understanding how the

client operates, and the projects the client has been workingon. Fiscale will put a detailed report together, typically upwardsof 20-pages, containing all the key data in support of the claim.Their skills lie in getting the figures right in the first place andpresenting the case in a way that the Revenue can understand.John proudly says, “We have 100% success record – HMRChave never rejected a claim.”

The Inland Revenue allow 4 weeks to turn claims round, but inpractice it is normally faster.

Once clients realise the cash that is waiting to be claimed, theyoften ask “Why didn’t my accountant tell me about this?” Johnthen has to explain that their accountant, however capable, isprobably not a specialist in this area, and it is unreasonable toexpect them to have a breadth of expertise in every area. “Weoffer that expertise”, says John.

John tells us that what he enjoys most about his business is“The wonderful business of phoning the client back to tell themthat their claim has been successful!”

Fiscale are specialists, in what they do, and their expertise isbecoming so broadly recognised within the sector that at least50% of their cases come to them from professional referrers.Once Fiscale is on board you can relax knowing that your claimis in the hands of the professionals.

After 20 years as the owner of a software developmentbusiness, servicing the social care sector, here and in Australia,which he had started from scratch, John has a very goodunderstanding of the way a successful business works.

John set up Fiscale after lookinginto R&D Tax Credits successfully,on his own account, he enquiredthrough several accountants,including his own all of whom said“No” except one, Stephen Bunting,who rang him back; as an R&Dspecialist Stephen was wellqualified to advise John. The twomen are now in partnership withStephen’s expertise a key elementof their success.

The company is growing; no longerjust the two of them, the team now numbers 8 and is set torise to 11. John is very keen that they retain the face-to-face,local contact with clients that have differentiated them frommany of their competitors. The company is expanding into theMidlands with the appointment of of Jacqui Stoneman, who asRegional Director will be the “Midlands face” of Fiscale.

Fiscale are so confident of bringing your claim to a successfulconclusion that they provide their services on a “No Win NoFee” basis.

To see whether you have a claim, just make a quick call to oneof the friendly team, you have nothing to lose and you could beagreeable surprised.

01217 400988www.fiscalerdtaxcredits.co.uk

R&D Tax Credits - could your company have a claim?

Jacqui Stoneman

John Mayhew

Stephen Bunting


14

Tax breaks worth millions of pounds forsmall and emerging businesses fortechnological and IT innovations aregoing unclaimed, according to businessfinance experts.

Even for routine tasks such as systemsdevelopment, many companies are missingout on cash reliefs under which they couldrecoup as much as a third of the cost ofqualifying expenditure.

The finding was made in a study carried outby a firm of accountants specialising inresearch and development funding for smallbusinesses.

“Cash repayments of up to 33 per cent ofqualifying R&D (research and development)expenditure can now be claimed, and thismoney feeds through to the current year,helping to boost a business’s profits,” saidone accountant who specialises in R&D.

The government has affirmed its support forthe scheme by recently slightly increasingthe amount which businesses can reclaim,noted the website Smallbusiness.co.uk.

£1.4bn handed out

Between April 2012 and March 2013,the most recent year for whichfigures are available, businessesreclaimed £1.4billion in tax reliefon their R&D expenditure,according to HMRC.

But despite many firmsinvesting in developingcustom IT systems,there iswidespreadignorance of theability to benefitfrom tax breaksspecifically toencourage thiskind ofinvestment.

The potential beneficiariesof the concessions extend tosub-contractors who are

undertaking the development work on behalfof other businesses and can also claim thecredits.

Businesses have two years from the end ofthe tax year in which the money was spentto lodge their claims – yet, say experts;several sectors, such as construction,finance and insurance, health and the artsare among those which were especiallypoorly represented among the businessesclaiming this help.

“However, where successful claims havebeen made by firms in these sectors, theaverage sums received have been amongthe highest,” noted the R&D specialist.

From 1 April 2015, the relief paid isequivalent to 11 per cent of all qualifyingexpenditure on R&D.

Small businesses trading at a loss can alsotake advantage of credits against their taxliability from the same fund, albeit at a lowerrate – 33 per cent, against 46 per cent ofeligible expenditure – than firms turning aprofit.

Businesses can also turn uncertainty overthe technological efficacy of new software

to their advantage – even whereanother firm has already

developed a provensolution for aparticular task or

application – by stillclaiming the R&D relief

on offer.

Clarion call to sub-contractors

With a mere 575 firms operating assub-contractors reported to have

lodged claims under the scheme in2012-13, financial experts are blaming

the poor take-up on a general lack ofawareness of the incentives.

This is despite the potential benefits onoffer to SMEs being proportionatelygreater, with relief offered at an

enhanced rate for businesses which

employ fewer than 500 people, whoseannual turnover is less than €100 million(£72.9 million), or whose balance sheet totalis no greater than €86 million (£62.7 million).These thresholds were all doubled on 1August 2008.

In effect, the thresholds for qualification as asmall or medium enterprise for the purposeof this relief are twice the level at which theywould apply under many other aspects oftax law in the UK, according to businessfinance experts – thus meaning there are farmore potential beneficiaries.

Companies claiming the relief must also notbe in administration or liquidation at the timethey make their claim. And if a businessenters either of these processes while aclaim is being processed, the claim istreated as though it has not been made,and no tax credit will be allowed.

Typical companies which succeed inobtaining the reliefs are those whose R & Defforts are aimed towards bringing aboutimprovements in processes.

And even where such improvements do notresult directly from the research work, theassociated costs can still be offset againstliabilities.

Some larger businesses have reported beingapproached by firms purporting to offer‘free’ help with submitting R & D claims.

But accountancy experts in the field say it isimportant that advisers working with suchcompanies are aware of the mechanismsand processes involved, so that they caninclude this work in their overall servicepackage.

A full explanation of the tax creditsystem, and the criteria under which itoperates can be found athttps://www.gov.uk/corporation-tax-research-and-development-rd-relief,where you’ll also find a range ofpractical examples of the calculationsdetermining the amounts payable.

R&D Tax Credits

Small firms missing out on millions in R&Dtax incentives – is yours among them?


15

KintaxTM

Don Kincaid, Director and Co-Founder ofKintax, R&D Tax Credit specialists says, “Ifyou can say “Yes” to any of thesequestions, the answer is, you’ll almostcertainly qualify.”

Don explained to us that many of the processescompanies in all sectors undertake almost on adaily basis may, often to the surprise of thebusiness owner, qualify.

The key message is that companies from allsectors, carrying out any innovative activity thatmay involve technical and or scientificuncertainty, which is intended to generate animprovement in product or process, successful

or not, should contact Kintax to see if the business qualifies for these valuabletax reliefs designed to support innovation and business development.

Kintax works with small and medium sized enterprises (SME's) that qualify forHMRC R&D Tax Credit and Patent Box Schemes, assisting their regularaccountants to establish whether the company has a claim and in preparingthe paperwork for submission to HMRC.

One frequently asked question is “Why can’t my own accountant pick this upand deal with a claim without outside help?”

Don said that it would be unreasonable to expect the majority of localaccountancy practices dealing with SME R&D Claims to have the necessarybreadth of technical and scientific expertise in these areas which onlyspecialist firms such as Kintax can provide.

In a simple trusted process their dedicated team prepares professional, robusttechnical and financial reports which are then submitted by your accountantsto HMRC to complete the claim.

Sectors such as Engineering, Manufacturing, Food Production, andPharmaceuticals, might expect new product development to qualify, but whatabout variations in raw materials, complex system integration, an appreciableimprovement to existing processes?

Another example is the field of information technology which is highlyspecialised and while developing new systems or implementing computercontrols and process automation are all well recognised candidates for taxreliefs, other aspects may also qualify. Any area of improvement be it system,process, software or hardware, including the integration of new technology orthe development of bespoke applications are all likely to qualify.

All the above may qualify, but it’s not limited just to these, as a much widerrange of industries than listed here can be involved in this scheme.

Kintax operates a No Win No Fee service, No upfront administration fee andNo long term contract tie in period.

R&D Tax Credits, does your business qualify?

Contact us for a FREE No obligation assessment to see if your company qualifies. call 0800 0210 110 or email [email protected]

www.kintax.co.uk

Do you undertake productdevelopment work?

Do you manufacture products to yourown design?

Do you improve internal processes,e.g., automation, energy optimisation,efficiency improvements?

Do you integrate new machines /technologies into existing processes?

Do you develop software to createintegrated solutions, new processesor new products?

Do you engage subcontract work,such as prototyping or testing?

Do you develop prototypes or haveprojects which have failed?

Do you integrate your solutions intoother environments?

Do you experience difficulties withcompliance to industry standards?

Do you incur recruitment or trainingcosts for specialised staff?


16

In part two of Alma Consulting Group’s Myth Busterarticles, Managing Director Martin Hook dispels more ofthe common misconceptions about R&D tax relief.

Here in the UK we have a globally competitive R&D tax reliefscheme, designed to support businesses’ growth anddevelopment. At Alma CG we want to see more companiesovercoming the perceived obstacles and taking betteradvantage of this excellent government initiative. The guidelinesfor claiming are much broader than you might think, meaningthat many organisations are still not aware they are missing out.With relief of up to 33p for every £1 of qualifying expenditureavailable for SMEs and approximately 9p per £1 for LargeCompanies, all UK businesses should investigate whether theyqualify.

Common Misconceptions

In my last article I discussed the first two misconceptions in thislist, and hopefully demonstrated to many readers that theirorganisations could, and should, be claiming.

“Our company won’t benefit quickly enough”

We often hear that organisations believe that claiming for R&Dtax relief will be a long and lengthy process, and possibly notworth the bother. In actual fact, you could be surprised. Yourbusiness could feel the benefits of your claim much soonerthan you might expect. Whilst obviously the time it takes forHMRC to process your claim can vary, if you opt to claim a taxcredit (which is now available for both SMEs and LargeCompanies) your business will receive a cash injection ratherthan just a reduction in payable corporation tax, sometimeseven in as little as eight weeks.

Did you know that in 2014 it was identified that businessesreceiving public support for their product or service innovationare around 2.7% more likely to survive over eight years thanfirms conducting innovation without public support? If nothingelse, I hope this demonstrates that regardless of whether youselect a tax relief or tax credit through the R&D scheme, yourbusiness will benefit.

“R&D tax relief will be scrapped”

Well established R&D tax schemes across Europe have proventhat this initiative works. Under our last government we saw thegenerosity of R&D tax incentives regularly increased; over threeyears the rate of relief for SMEs alone rose by around a third.With the appointment of a new Conservative government thisyear, it’s safe to say R&D tax relief is here to stay. As aninitiative it attracts, encourages and retains innovative R&Dcompanies in the UK, which in turn supports economic growth.A wide range of cost-benefit estimates have been made inrelation to this subject but they generally indicate that up to £3of R&D expenditure may be stimulated by £1 of tax foregone.The UK’s long-term performance will depend on our ability togenerate new ideas and bring them to market, and so it’s clearthat schemes like R&D tax relief will continue to be integral toour future.

What’s next?

In the next issue of the BirminghamBusiness Post I’ll be discussing thefinal two common misconceptionsabout R&D tax relief in the UK. Ifmy articles have piqued yourinterest, and you’re curious to findout whether you could be claiming,or if you’re perhaps currentlyunder-claiming, then contact us fora free consultation on 020 30 5858 00 or [email protected].

To find out more call Alma Consulting Group on 020 30 58 58 00 or visit www.almacg.co.uk

The R&D Tax Relief Myth Buster

01

02

03

06

04

05

We don’t do any R&D

We haven’t got the time to claim

Our company won’t

R&D tax relief will be scrapped

R&D tax relief isn’t a legitimate incentive

Our company is already claiming all the R&D tax relief we can

Martin Hook, Managing Director of Alma CG UK


17

Research and Development Tax Relief/Credit Schemesare effectively a subsidy from the government of at least25p for every £1 spent on qualifying R&D expenditure.This can be used to reduce a company’s corporation taxbill, or a loss-making business could cash in the R&Dexpenditure and get tax back, so for example £100,000spent on salaries to staff directly involving R&D, £25,000could be claimed back.

Sounds simple? .......

According to research previously undertaken by PWC, around33% of small to medium sized enterprises for whom R&D taxcredits are relevant have not claimed largely because theapplication process is perceived to be complex. Also there aremany companies who simply do not know about the schemes.

R&D Tax is a multi-disciplined speciality combining tax law withtechnical due diligence identifying different types ofresearch & development activity. For SME’s whogenerally do not have a full understanding of R&Dtax legislation, it can be an overwhelming & timeconsuming challenge. So to attempt to submit aclaim SME’s often employ a specialist advisor to assistthem. The trouble with this is whom do you chose? A“tax expert” or a “technology specialist”, both highlyqualified in their own field, however neither able to carryout full due diligence to maximise the potential of yourclaim.

With over 25 years of successfully advising SME’s inadvanced manufacturing technology, product designand process technology, IG Group are acknowledgedleaders and respected specialists in research anddevelopment, having to date assisted SME’s on morethan 300 projects in the UK worth more than £100M.This strong science & technology background,critical for due diligence of potential claims along with

• I G are R&D tax-relief specialists, we do not offergeneral accounting or tax services therefore we are notreplacing your existing trusted accountants; wecompliment & enhance the service you already receivefrom them.

• I G’s approach is proven & well respected by thespecialist HMRC tax units, claims are based on science &technology due diligence, supported by specialist R & Dtax expertise & experience, ensuring full justification ofany claim minimising the risk of enquiry.

IG TechnologiesR&D Tax Credit advice

in-house financial expertise enables I G Technologies (part ofthe IG Group) to be able to offer a unique service within theR&D tax arena by marrying these two aspects perfectly. Since2008 I G Technologies have helped their clients collectively toclaim £6 million in R&D subsidy with each client receiving anaverage of just under £40,000 per claim.

I G Technologies tax service is provided on a “NO WIN- NOFEE” basis. Any enquiry raised by the HMRC Tax Unit will behandled at no further costs.

I G also assists companies to see if they are eligible forResearch and Development Expenditure Credit (RDEC). Thisnew scheme allows large companies or SME’s who haveattracted R&D grant funding or provide subcontracted R & Dservices to allocate R & D expenditure in order to gain a credit(as if getting an additional grant of 10%) It also now enablesloss making companies to claim the credit as cash (notavailable under the previous LCS scheme)

For a FREE strategic review and consultation call

email: [email protected] or Tel: 0114 2679005

to speak to John Everingham or visit

www.researchanddevelopmenttaxcredit.co.uk


18

2015 sees MSC R&D celebrate its silver anniversary, butthat’s actually 25 years of pure gold support, helping theUK’s most leading edge technology companies to financetheir R&D programmes and grow their businesses.

Based in Sheffield, the company; through word of mouth andits ability to nurture long-term relationships, has built anoutstanding client base of innovative, high-tech firms in sectorsranging from ICT to bioscience and chemical engineering.

But MSC R&D’s biggest assets, says Chairman Nigel Foster,are the people at the heart of the company.

“MSC R&D’s success is undoubtedly testament to the calibre ofits people,” he says. “We believe our clients deserve to dealwith people of a similar level of experience and expertise totheir own. On every project MSC R&D carefully selects a teamwith appropriate sector/technology expertise.

“Empowered with the latest skills and industry knowledge, theMSC R&D team can ensure a seamless working relationship,with clear understanding of industry and technology challengesenabling MSC R&D to identify the right solutions to add realvalue.

“All analysts undergo a rigorous MSC R&D accreditationprocess testing both soft skills and core technicalcompetencies. The same process is used for MSC R&D’stechnical engagement candidates and interims

Everyone is also fully signed up to the “MSC R&D Team Way” -an approach based on the core MSC R&D principles ofexperienced proven teams, ‘fast track blitz’ methodologies andprocesses and working on a paid-on-results basis.

This methodology has served the company well since launch in1990. “Being paid-on-results provides clients with low risk, fast-track integrated processes from focused, well informed,experienced and competent external resources,” says Nigel.

MSC R&D services include R&D Strategy and Planning, R&D TaxRelief and Planning, UK and European H2020 R&D Grant Funding,Patent Box, Capital Allowances, R&D Resource and R&DExploitation - and MSC R&D is always seeking innovative solutions.

“In our first quartercentury wenavigated manychanges in theinnovationlandscape,” saysNigel. “UK regionalgrant funding wasreplaced by theTechnology StrategyBoard (InnovateUK).2014 saw the launchof the EuropeanHorizon 2020programme whichwill provide €80billion of innovation

funding over seven years. The introduction of R&D Tax Creditsin 2000 provided further incentive for technology businesses.”

This year sees MSC R&D Resource launched as an additionalservice.

“Sourcing R&D technical staff has always been integrated withMSC R&D’s other services,” explains Nigel. “Our robust HRprocesses and toolsets, developed and implemented with MSCR&D’s clients will prove invaluable for any company navigatingthe minefield of technical staff engagement.”

For more about MSC R&D and its services, visitwww.mscrnd.com

Alternatively telephone 0114 2308401

MSC R&D has nurtured successful workingrelationships with its clients to bring quantifiablebenefits to their businesses. These impressive resultsinclude:

• Over £180m of funding raised, for MSC R&D clientsfor leading edge innovative R&D projects.

• Over £40m of R&D tax relief claimed.

• Successful sourcing of highly qualified, technicalR&D resource.


19

IM

Pensions anxiety for retirees following divorce, as a study findsdivorcees lose an average of £2,100 on expected retirement income.

Expert divorce lawyers have urged couples going through a divorce toplan for their retirement to avoid losing money, after a survey founddivorcees can lose an average of £1,200 of their expected incomefollowing a divorce.

According to the study published by Prudential, 35 per cent of thoseapproaching retirement in 2015 have been through divorce.

The research found that divorcees retiring in 2015 will have an averageexpected retirement income of £15,700, more than £2,000 less than the£17,800 for those who have never been through a marriage break-up.

It found 13 per cent of divorcees will delay their retirement, compared to11 per cent of those who have never been divorced, with many fearingtheir income will not be enough following their retirement.

For those who have planned andprovided for their retirement, theprospect of losing pension can cause agreat deal of anxiety, but with carefuladvice, understanding and mediation itis often possible to find a favourablesolution for both parties.

As the new pension rules turnpreviously inaccessible income-bearingassets into cash, it may seem temptingfor those nearing retirement agedivorcing to use the proceeds to brokera separation, but such a course ofaction could have disastrous irreversibleconsequences.

In a bitter divorce depriving an ex-spouse of a share of retirement incomecould also make withdrawing the fullamount popular, and experts strongly

advise those who could be affected to check their arrangements urgently,as much depends on the precise wording of the divorce settlements.

Sarah Balfour, an expert divorce lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, said: "As thenumber of over 55s divorcing increases, the treatment of pensions in adivorce is an increasingly important matter.

“The sharing of pensions can be a complex issueduring a divorce, which makes it absolutely crucial totake appropriate legal action and take every possiblestep to ensure a favourable solution is found andboth parties can move on with their lives without fearfor their financial future".

If you would like to discuss any of the issues raisedor to talk about your family law issues generally,please contact Sarah Balfour on 0121 214 5451 [email protected]

Nicola WalkerHead of the FamilyTeam in IrwinMitchell’sBirmingham Officecommented,“Divorce orrelationshipbreakdown can bea stressful andemotional time.You haveimportantdecisions to makeabout your future,your children, yourfinances andmaybe even yourbusiness.

Our divorce andfamily law

solicitors can help you decide what is right –personally, legally and financially – for you and yourfamily. Independent legal guides recognise us as oneof the UK’s leading family law teams, so you can besure you’re in safe hands.

Founded in 1912, today, Irwin Mitchell is the 20thlargest law firm in the UK and amongst the top 50 inEurope, operating out of 10 UK offices.

www.irwinmitchell.comcall 0121 212 1828

You can also catch up with all the latest news and events through our busy social media presence on Facebook, Twitter

and LinkedIn.

Nicola Walker head of theFamily team in Birmingham

Sarah Balfour Associate inthe Birmingham Family

team


20

The pension world changed radicallyon 6 April 2015 with the advent ofPension Freedoms. Over the course ofthe next three editions of this magazinewe will look at what these new rulesreally mean and how there is still aplace for the existing alternatives.

The announcement was made by Chancellor

George Osborne in his March 2014 Budget

speech when he boldly announced that

pensioners will never be forced to buy an

annuity again and they would be allowed to

take control of how much of their pension

they took at any one time.

The media has been full of reports and

examples of how these new rules might

work in certain circumstances.

Unfortunately, as with most things they have

only concentrated on the benefits and have

either not considered or have paid little

attention to the many drawbacks of

becoming a “Lamborghini Pensioner” the

term dubbed by the media.

Why did this come about at all? Well for the

best part of 100 years the basic pension

legislation has remained unchanged, namely

tax relief is available on contributions into a

registered pension fund and whilst the funds

remain in the pension fund they are largely

tax free. I say largely because in 1998 the

then Chancellor Gordon Brown changed the

rules on dividend tax credits so they no

longer were repayable into the pension fund.

Finally upon drawing the pension (known as

“vesting”) part of the fund can be accessed

as a Pension Commencement Lump Sum

which is normally tax free and any income is

taxable at the taxpayer’s marginal rate of tax.

The big problem was the drawing of the

income. The main mechanism for this was

by way of an annuity. An annuity is

effectively an insurer receiving your pension

fund in return for guaranteeing to pay you

an income for life so your income in

retirement is secured. The insurer did not

take any account of your personal

circumstances other than age. So

pensioners of the same age were all treated

as having the same life expectancy. This is

known as the cross subsidy. Some

pensioners outlived the average and so

gained whilst others were not so fortunate.

In determining how much income to pay,

the insurer would therefore look at average

life expectancy tables. For example, a 65

year old male currently has a life

expectancy of around another 18 years

whereas a female of the same age can

expect to live nearly an extra 3 years. With

the recent enforced unisex quotations this

means the average life expectancy of a 65

year old is around another 20 years. Only

10 years ago that figure was more like 17

years. So the fund has to be stretched to

last longer. Added to that is the other

factor used to calculate, namely longer

term interest rates, which are currently

around an all time low and it quickly

becomes obvious why annuities appear to

offer such poor value.

The annuity income could include

guarantees, such as paying an income to a

surviving spouse for their life, guaranteeing

the full amount is paid to your beneficiaries

for a certain period, usually 5 or 10 years,

or allowing for the effects of inflation. In this

case, personal circumstances would

determine how much such guarantees

would cost in terms of lower income levels.

Inflation linking in particular would

dramatically reduce income, but a 10 year

guarantee would not make too much

difference to returns.

Consideration is being given to longer

guarantee periods of up to 30 years and

some element of capital repayment on

death. These are still evolving and over time

we will see if these assist the decision or

not. However for many pensioners the need

for guaranteed income will ensure there will

still be some sort of market for the annuity.

The annuity decision is a once in a lifetime

decision, once made it could never be

changed. I say could because following the

2015 Budget in March, there are plans

afoot to allow those who have already

committed to an annuity to be able to cash

it in and so be in much the same position

as those who have yet to make their

decision. It will be interesting to see how

this evolves but don’t expect great returns.

Next month I will explore unsecured pensions

and then in the last article look at the new

rules and what they really mean for you.

Written by:Ian D Gillard FCA FCCA DipPFS AIPWDirector of R D Owen & Co, CharteredAccountants

Pensions Freedoms

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21

Over-55s who have carefully saved in the hope ofenjoying a long and fulfilling retirement suddenlyhave more freedom than ever in choosing what todo with their nest-eggs.

For many, the prospect of having to make evenmore decisions with a potentially huge bearing ontheir financial future is pretty daunting.

But it’s exactly because there are so many moreoptions now available to people in building a securelong-term future for themselves and their lovedones that they should take professional advice overthe choices available to them.

Andy Green, managing director of Coventry-basedKLO Financial Services, says: “Now that the initialexuberance in the media over the new pensionfreedoms has thankfully given way to a more level-headed approach, concerns about depletion, fraud,and tax liability in particular are now being widely aired.

“As a result, pension savers are becomingincreasingly aware that, if they don’t seek advice,income tax could severely deplete their funds.”

Andy says the changes are so far-reaching thateven the biggest pension and insurance firms aresomewhat behind on their ability to deliver the newgovernment regulations.

“Essentially, from the age of 55, you can nowaccess your pension pot in full, taking it as a lumpsum, an annual income, or in whatever combinationof the two you wish,” he said.

On the face of it, he added, this is great news. Thegovernment’s new Pensions Advisory Service (PAS)can even guide people through the changes. However,

a recent YouGov survey found that two-thirds of those aged 55 and over wereunaware of how tax would be applied to their pension withdrawals.

“PAS cannot give financial advice suited to an individual’s circumstances,”Andy pointed out. “The only way you can get that is by consultingprofessional financial advisers, such as us.”

And when you consider that, for lots of people, the amount of money theyhave accrued in their pension ‘pot’ is the biggest asset they have after theirproperty, the common approach of simply sitting on the money and notensuring it is working as hard for them as possible will greatly affect thestandard of life they can enjoy in their later years.

Pension planning in general offers some compelling tax advantages forbusiness owners as such contributions provide corporation tax savings – butthe new pension freedom regulations make planning even more important.“But we have seen with pension changes in the past that most people tendto sweep it under the carpet, and do nothing to make sure their money isdoing the best it can for them until they really need it,” said Andy.

In reality, Pension Freedom in terms of income withdrawals has meant anincrease from a maximum nine per cent per annum to unlimited annualaccess. With over £1billion leaving pension funds since the changes, clearlythis is already impacting on individuals’ lives.

The change in death benefits has, though, potentially brought with it a taxsaving of 55 per cent for some clients who have planned properly. So again,it’s vital that investors seek independent advice.

In our next issue, we’ll look at the overall investmentmarkets and the opportunities they may offer in future.

Andy Green and his colleagues at KLO FinancialServices are available in the meantime to give

impartial, free advice on your options to help secure your future.

Visit klofinancialservices.co.uk,or contact them on 02476 012758

to make an appointment.

PENSION FREEDOMHow ‘free’ is your pension?


22

The biggest asset of many small to

medium-sized businesses, after their

workers of course, is their vehicle fleet.

If your company needs to be mobile, its

vehicles are also probably the most tangible

advertisement you have.

So the importance of keeping your fleet

running efficiently and presenting a positive

image of your company to all your potential

customers can’t be overstated.

Fleet management is an integral part of

keeping any business running smoothly,

ensuring that it can always meet the needs of

its customers, and achieving and upholding a

reputation for behaving responsibly.

So what are your main considerations in

looking to get the best out of your vehicles

and the people who drive them?

Driver training

When you’re recruiting people who will drive

your company’s vehicles, how do you make

sure that they will drive responsibly, both in

terms of their own behaviour, and in

respecting the vehicles they drive?

Fleet driver training is an important element of

the overall management of your fleet. It can

have a positive impact on many areas of your

business’s overheads, not least insurance

premiums and other ongoing expenses, such

as fuel and replacement parts.

Equally importantly, it can instil a sense of

responsibility in your workforce, and

spotlight important areas where extra

training could bring about improvements in

their driving habits, and so reduce the risk

of accidents and traffic law violations.

Lots of companies offer their drivers training

in efficient driving practices. Yet when many

of the vehicles we have in our fleets are

built to be as efficient as possible in the first

place, the incentives for improving their own

behaviour behind the wheel – and ultimately

your business’s bottom line and what you

can afford to pay them – might not be

obvious.

Fleet News magazine’s Christopher Smith

says: “While environmental concerns or

corporate social responsibility may be part of

the reason to send drivers on an eco-driving

course, cost reductions will almost certainly

be the primary decision-making factor.”

Money-saving tips for all

Even if your business doesn’t have the time

or resources to send its drivers on any of

the many worthwhile courses out there, Mr

Smith has some general tips to improve

fleet running costs:

1. When driving, anticipate:

Being able to foresee what’s going to,

or might possibly happen on the road in

front of you is a big contributor to cost-

savings. Avoiding the need to brake

heavily, and accelerating smoothly and

steadily when conditions allow, are

likely to cut running costs

considerably.

2. Check tyre pressures

regularly:

A few minutes instructing your

drivers how to do this, and

giving them the means to do so

can be a worthwhile investment,

as under-inflated tyres increase road

resistance and so fuel consumption –

and increase the risk of punctures and

blowouts.

3. Ditch all the junk:

Use the free online checklist at

Ecowill.org to help you decide what

equipment and other cargo your drivers

don’t need to carry, to help them drive

more efficiently.

A further key element of keeping down fleet

running costs is sticking to your vehicles’

regular servicing schedules. Indeed, many

vehicle contract hire schemes build routine

checks into the monthly figure you pay – so

you have no excuse for not getting them

checked according to the manufacturer’s

recommendations.

‘Spy in the cab’, or vital cost-saving tool?

Computer software advances have led to

the ability for those in charge of vehicle

fleets to get lots of information about the

impact of drivers’ behaviour and habits on

their running costs.

Investing in systems which can monitor

driver behaviour and encourage them to

drive more efficiently, according to Fleet

News, often results in bigger cost savings

than switching to more economical vehicles.

For example, a national fleet manager for a

major plant hire group revealed that savings

of eight per cent would be needed to cover

the cost of installing a telematics system

across its fleet – yet it was achieving actual

savings of around 12 per cent.

In some cases, this has led firms to

consider incentivising drivers whose road

manners help achieve the greatest savings.

Ultimately, this means that drivers are

encouraged to think more about their on-

the-road behaviour – and see direct benefits

of driving responsibly and consistently.

So fully appreciating the link between how

your workers drive and how their company

performs more generally can be a major step

on the road to becoming more profitable.

And that’s got to be in everyone’s interest.

How promoting safe and sensible driving

can benefit any business


23

Ever increasing demands on our time means that managing a fleet ofvehicles can be time consuming and expensive and even then doyou really know what it’s costing you? Whether it’s 5 or 5000vehicles, the day-to-day running of your drivers and vehicles canhave many hidden costs.

Knowing exactly what is happening with your fleet and having real-timeuseable data at your fingertips can be invaluable to your business andhelp satisfy your Duty of Care needs to your employees.

UK based Scorpion Automotive understands these problems only too welland has developed a range of vehicle tracking and security solutions tohelp Fleet Managers get control.

Why use ScorpionTrack Fleet to manage your vehicle fleet? The simpleanswer is to increase productivity and profits and decrease running costs.It also enables you to measure and reduce your carbon footprint,promoting environmental sustainability and a more efficient workforce.

ScorpionTrack Fleet ticks all the boxes when it comes to effectivelymanaging your fleet and its associated costs. The technology makesvehicle installation fast and simple for any size of fleet. It’s 100% webbased with 24/7 access from any location, offering a truly global service.Subscription costs are as low as just 23 pence per vehicle per day.

The unique software allows you to access and monitor KPI’s including fuelcosts, driver behavior and comprehensive vehicle journey statistics.Giving your business a detailed insight into these areas and allowing forimproved cost and operational planning control.

Fully customizable alerts can be created to warn you againstpotential hazards in real-time, allowing you to decide ifintervention is required. Idle and speed alerts can allow theuser to monitor excessive idle times or speed. It alsoallows monitoring of driving behaviorincluding unauthorized use, journeycosts and engine running time. Thiscan all lead to reducing journey times,unnecessary fuel usage, andimproving routeplanning.

You can monitor thelocation of your vehiclesusing near real-time GPS/GSM technology which gives pin-point locationsand details of a vehicle journey. All this information can be accessedusing our innovative web application from any desktop or handhelddevice that allows internet access. The user can even choose a range ofviews, including satellite maps and to follow a single vehicle, group or thewhole fleet of vehicles.

A wide variety of alerts can be set up to be deliveredback to the user via the email interface or textmessages. These include vehicle ignition, speedlimits, idle limits, engine hour limits (very useful formonitoring service intervals and required drivingbreaks), battery disconnect and low alerts and ofcourse geofence alerts which show when a vehicleenters or exits a user specified area or geofence e.g.A customer site.

ScorpionTrack Fleet offers a comprehensive and fullycustomizable reporting facility generated from theweb-based interface. Reports can be downloaded ina range of formats including HTML, PDF and Excel.You can also issue individual driver logins to enabledrivers to view or manage their own statistics whennecessary.

We are happy to discuss your specificrequirements with you, please get in touch to

find out more by calling 01257 249928 or email: [email protected]

or visit www.scorpiontrack.com/fleetfor more information.

Is your fleet burning more than just fuel?


24

Viezu Technologies is the UK’s leading fuel economy andfleet management tuning service in the UK, and for goodreason!

The core of Viezu Technologies’ business is making your fleetrun more efficiently, saving you money in fuel and maintenancecosts, lowering your fleet’s carbon footprint and making yourentire operation more ecologically friendly, as well as moreprofitable.

Viezu provides fuel economy tuning and complete remappingservices to some of the biggest fleets in the world, but also tosmall traders and SMEs. The beauty of what they provide isthat it can save a business operating a handful of vehicles thesame reduction in operating costs per vehicle as it does for afleet of tens of thousands. That means that, for once, smalleroperations are not at a disadvantage.

Viezu arte certified experts in their field. They have literallytuned more than 150,000 vehicles so far and are the onlyISO9001 certified provider of these services in the UK. Theyalso won the 2014 Queen’s Award for Enterprise, given by HerMajesty to distinguish those UK businesses that demonstrateexcellence in every way.

Share in the same benefits the big fleets alreadyenjoyViezu operates in more than 62 countries worldwide, and theirremapping and fuel economy tuning services are used by someof the UK’s largest fleets, including HomeServe and some ofthe UK’s leading Utility providers. These are huge fleets withmore fleet management personnel than some carriers havedrivers. You can believe that these operations have done their

homework before selecting a provider! They use Viezu becausethey know that no one else can offer the same increases ineconomy and performance, or offer a better price. Knowingthat, it is no surprise that Viezu is just as popular amongsmaller those who operate smaller fleets, and even individualdelivery vehicles.

What makes Viezu’s services so unique?

That is the real question. ‘If what Viezu technologies does is somuch better, why doesn’t everybody do it?’ The simple answeris that most remappers and performance tuners simply can’t.The majority of UK services lack the experience, training andtechnology to provide more than second best. Viezu uses theirproprietary (and award winning) BlueOptimize tuning softwareto provide inimitable results. Better still, Viezu offers a range offuel saving services that can be custom tailored to the uniqueoperating situation, vehicles and business realities of individualclients. Just ask them what Viezu’s Special projects Team cando for you!

More efficient vehicles for a greener future

Over the course of the last few years, Viezu estimates that theyhave been responsible for the logistics and carrier industryemitting 200,000 tonnes less carbon than it would have withoutthem. That is real change, with real results.

For further information about the company and itsservices, including a range of experience days for the

true motoring enthusiast, Visit: www.viezu.com

Telephone: 01789 774444 Email: [email protected]

The best vehicle ecu remapping and car tuningservice available anywhere in the world.


25

From the start of his career, as an apprentice fitter, Paul Holmes hasbeen steeped in knowledge of what keeps vehicles of all kinds moving,and running as efficiently as possible.

Working initially with British Gas, and later the AA when it came under thewing of that company’s Centrica division, at one stage Paul oversaw thesmooth running of a 22,000-strong fleet which ranged from bikes all theway up to heavy moving plant.

Now, with his latest venture, Fleet Manager’s Friend, he and his fellowdirectors are applying expertise over several decades in the fleet managementbusiness, and a pragmatic approach which can only come from such depthof knowledge, to help enterprises of all sizes, and in all sectors, save moneyon one of their biggest areas of expense – and often, worry.

He describes the scope of his new business: “We help fleet managers toreduce costs while increasing the safety and efficiency of their motor vehiclefleet. We look at every aspect of fleet management to find cost andefficiency savings for your business.”

Just a year into their new enterprise, Fleet Managers Friend is bringing apragmatic and realistic approach to every detail of running a business’s vehicles.

“Over the last 10 years, the majority of small to medium-sized businesses have outsourced the responsibilityfor their fleets to leasing companies. But thismeans, in many cases, that responsibilityfor overseeing this major expenditure lieswith someone who doesn’t havespecialist knowledge of the area, and

rather than wanting to save them money, has anincentive to encourage them to spend more.”

It was this trend which became the driving forcebehind the establishment of Fleet Managers Friend,which harnesses more than 60 years’ experience inthe sector for the benefit of businesses of varioustypes and all sizes.

“We offer firms an initial consultation – which ischarged for – but for that they get a very thoroughanalysis of the company’s spending on itstransport, and a number of realistic steps they cantake to reduce that outlay on an ongoing basis,”promises Paul.

He points to an example where one business hassaved 22 per cent in its insurance costs – but thereis a wealth of areas in which other economies canbe made, such as the cost of replacement tyresand parts.

“We will go into all aspects of the costs of runninga vehicle fleet, and if necessary produce a series ofspecific recommendations. Yet, very often, the bestsolutions to be found are the simplest,” he says.

“We purposely chose the company name, becausewe want to befriend the person in charge of runningbusinesses’ fleets, and build ongoing relationshipswith them whereby they come back to us for ouradvice because they see clear cost savings.”

And he says even the most tightly-managed fleet canrealise some savings, even going so far as to say thatin his efforts to help every business he works with dothe same, “I’ve never been beaten yet”.

So if that sounds like a challenge yourbusiness would be happy to lay down to

Fleet Managers Friend, contact themtoday, on 07552 127005

or email [email protected] full rundown of the services offered

can be found on the company’swebsite, www.fleetmanagersfriend.com

Fleet Managers Friend Ltd

Phone a Friendand start saving money on your fleet running costs


26

Making sure that your fleet vehicles work as hard aspossible can make a huge difference to your companiesprofitability. With today’s price of fuel, insurance andother costs associated with servicing vehicles, your fleetmay be one of the biggest costs to you.

Whatever the size of your company, keeping your vehicles onthe road and making sure that they do their job as efficiently aspossible is a key factor that can lead to success for you.

There’s a host of technology out there designed to help youkeep a constant watch on your drivers, and on how yourvehicles are running. But ultimately, there’s no ‘one size fits all’solution to this constantly evolving industry. To get a full pictureof the range of solutions available for your company, you needto talk to experts – such as John Valentine and the team atBridge Fleet Solutions Ltd.

Founded in 2002 and based in Bromley, Kent, Bridge FleetSolutions has grown to offer nationwide coverage, and canprovide a complete range of vehicle management solutions for alltypes and sizes of businesses, from ‘one man in a van’ to muchbigger companies operating fleets running hundreds of vehicles.

“The fleet management business is far more sophisticated thanjust being the ‘spy in the cab’ that was the popular perceptionback then. Today’s technological aids encompass a widevariety of tools and applications, which can bring benefits tocompanies of all sizes and types”, says John.

You may not be sure about how a vehicle tracking solution canhelp your fleet vehicles run more effectively and how they offera return on your investment. And that’s where the specialistknowledge offered by Bridge Fleet Solutions really comes intoits own.

John describes their software in this way “We see our productsand software as operational tools. If you run a factory, you willspend a lot of time watching over your workforce andprocesses, to make sure that everything is running in the mostproductive way.”

“Our vehicle tracking software allows you to watch over yourworkforce and vehicles whilst they are out on the road, this givesyou greater control and the opportunity to increase productivity.”

John gave us an example, which we are sure you can relate to“As service co-ordinators you will be used to getting calls fromcustomers requesting an emergency call out. With our vehicletracking software you can check exactly which driver is closetto the customer and request that they deal with the emergency,you can even give the customer an accurate time of arrival.”

This sounds like a great way of providing an efficient service,which results in satisfied customers.

As well as keeping your customers happy, which we know isextremely important, the vehicle tracking software will help youto improve productivity and start to increase profitability.

John explained how companies have saved money in lots ofdifferent ways. “Just think of how long you spend on the phoneto your drivers, just to ask them where they are, and howquickly they can get to a job. Our technology will eliminate theneed to make 95 per cent of those calls.”

“In addition, you can make sure that your drivers are taking thequickest routes to each job and not wasting fuel. We have evenfound that companies have saved a lot on insurance bills astheir drivers are driving more responsibly and it certainly cutsdown speeding fines.”

John says that he and his sales team like to demonstrate theirsystems to fleet managers “because it’s much easier for themto see how the software works and how it can be customizedfor the different members of the team.”

“We aren’t pushy sales people –we are consultants. We candemonstrate how the latest software technology can helpcompanies be more productive and efficient. And not justthrough vehicle tracking, but a whole range of solutions, whichmake being on the road safer and less stressful for your drivers.”

Contact Bridge Fleet Solutions on 0871 750 3004

or email [email protected] start your journey to increase fleet productivity and

increase your company’s profitability.

INCREASE FLEET PRODUCTIVITY AND YOUR COMPANY’S PROFITABILITY

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27

Fleet driver trainer stresses the importance of the needfor bosses to be aware of their responsibilities for anyonewho drives for them

Like it or not, businesses of all sizes are legally obliged tomanage the risks to which all of their staff might be exposedduring their work.

Steve Baker, of Midlands-based High-Ways Driving School saysthat, without a formal assessment of the risks, and then takingtangible steps to avoid them, all businesses could facepotentially costly and damaging action under health and safetylegislation and even, in the worst cases, prosecution under theCorporate Manslaughter Act.

“Every week, company vehicles are involved in accidents whichlead to 20 deaths and 250 serious injuries,” Steve points out.

“Official figures suggest that one in three fatalities involvedsomeone driving to or from, or during the course of their work,”he adds. “That means nearly 600 employees suffer the oftenlife-altering consequences of a serious accident while ‘on duty’for their employer.”

You only have to think back to the horrific events in Glasgowjust before Christmas 2014, when a bin lorry driver lost controlof his vehicle and careered into crowds of shoppers. As aresult, the families of six people found their lives blighted by thesudden loss of a loved one. Could you or one of your workerslive with the possible consequences of such a tragic – althoughadmittedly thankfully rare – accident happening while they weredoing their job?

“If you send people out on the road as part of their work, youhave a responsibility not only to yourself and every other roaduser, but to your employee too, and you could both be liableshould the worst happen,” Steve says.

It all sounds like bad news - but there are also real benefits totackling this risk the right way:

- Avoidance of problems and unwanted official investigationsinto accidents

- Helping to avoid costly and time-consuming insurance claims

- Reductions in staff stress, and most likely, sickness andabsences

- Greater satisfaction among employees, who feel you takeseriously your responsibilities for their safety as an employer,and as a result

- Better staff retention due to you being respected as anemployer who cares about their welfare.

Real cost savings

Insurers are keen to reward businesses which do the right thingwith their employees. So if you can prove that your workforceknows about responsible driving and have improved their habitsas a result, you might benefit from reduced premiums.

The first step towards getting these savings and benefits foryour business is to get help from an expert in the field – inSteve’s case, a Driving Standards Agency-approved fleetdriver/trainer who will assess your risks, help you and youremployees to devise a recognised policy for driving for work,and put it all into practice.

You’ll then be able to identify the risks your drivers face, butalso be assured that their driving knowledge is always up-to-date, no matter how long ago they passed their driving test.

And what about if, while driving a company vehicle, they’reinvolved in a ‘road rage’ incident – and perhaps lose theirlicence as a result?

“If you equip your staff to be able to deal with situations in theright way, you’ll soon see fleet driver training as an asset forboth employee and employer – and not just one that helpsthem in their work, but in their general lives,” Steve Bakerconcludes.

So contact Steve, of High-Ways School of Driving, today. Heoffers training nationwide, so visit High-Ways.co.uk, or call0777 888 2120 to arrange a free appraisal of the ways yourbusiness could benefit from extra driver assessment andtraining. This can be conducted in your own vehicles if required.

He’s trained to help employers out of this nightmare - so youcan sleep again at night.

Employers bewareDriving School

High-Ways

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28

Britain's most popular vehicle journey recorders, SmartWitness letsyour company monitor all around its vehicles with just a single camera.

As well as recording high quality images covering the front, rear andinterior, the system can record vehicle location, vehicle speed, drivingstyle and impact force, providing vital, court admissible evidence in theevent of an accident.

SmartWitness’s range of products provide fleet managers, haulage firmsand private individuals with driving aids to facilitate safer driving and offercomplete protection against the ever-increasing threat from fraudulentinsurance claims on our roads.

Luxury chauffeur company Tristar Worldwide, based in Middlesex, madesavings of £60,000 a year after installing SmartWitness cameras to itsfleet of 460 vehicles, cutting its accident rate by half.

Insurers have found that just two per cent of incidents recorded onSmartWitness cameras result in disputed claims – against an industrynorm of 40 per cent for all motor claims. Insurers can then pass these bigcost savings on to the insured, with SmartWitness clients experiencingsavings on their premiums of up to 20 per cent.

About 550,000 whiplash claims a year are filed in the UK, but insuranceexperts have estimated that up to 60 per cent are bogus. According tothe AA, since 2006 there has been a 60 per cent rise in the number ofpersonal injury claims, while the number of reported accidents on UKroads has fallen by 20 per cent over the same period.

SmartWitness products are recommended by majorinsurers and officially approved by Transport for London.They are also recommended by more insurancecompanies and brokers than any other provider.

They provide complete integration with TelematicsSystems – so all fleet management and driver informationis accessed through the telematics provider’s system.SmartWitness offers fleet managers real-time driverimprovement opportunities. Incidents are reported as andwhen they happen – achieving Health & Safety and Dutyof Care obligations for the remote workforce.

Firms using SmartWitness products have achieved fuelreductions and environmental improvements throughmore safe and efficient driving. SmartWitness has wonthe prestigious Best Fleet Safety Product, awarded byroad safety charity Brake, and last year won the FleetNews award for ‘Best New Product’.This awardrecognises a new product which has offered realbenefits to its customers. SmartWitness won afterspending three years developing the KP1, which hasbeen hailed as the “most advanced vehicle journeyrecorder in the world.”

The KP1 is the most powerful 3G/4G instant videotransmission vehicle camera with in-built tracking andtelematics data.

SmartWitness's board includes non-executivechairman, Keith Hellawell, the former Chief Constableof Cleveland and West Yorkshire. Dr Hellawell said:"SmartWitness is at the forefront of developingexciting new in-cab cameras.

"These have been shown to markedly improve drivingstandards and road safety.”

Daily Telegraph motoring columnist, James Foxall,said: “SmartWitness has achieved remarkablesavings in hauliers’ insurance premiums.”

Visit Smartwitness.co.uk to learn more about its rangeof products, or call its helpline on 0844 947 1000

A video demonstration can also be seen by searching for‘SmartWitness’ on YouTube

VEHICLE CCTV AND SAFETY SYSTEMS

Can your business afford to stay mobile without SmartWitness?

Drive wiser – a SmartWitness KP1 vehicle journey recorder

The SmartWitness team, including non-executive chairman and former ChiefConstable Keith Hellawell, far left, demonstrate their systems at a major trade show.


29

Jeremy Reese of Z5 (UK) Ltd told us about a product ofkeen interest to every fleet manager.

“About five years ago I was sent a video that was part of amotoring series from a TV company, my interest caught, Idiscovered one about a young inventor who wanted to reducethe emissions from motor vehicles and was “thinking outsidethe box” His product unlike most, works before the combustiontakes place rather than cleaning up the emissions with theexhaust system.

I operate a coach hire company, so I pursued the inventor as Iwanted this for my vehicles, and at the same time I asked forthe UK rights. It had taken that time for him to get to the stagewhere the unit could be produced in quantity and redesigned tomake it saleable. I have now been given the opportunity totake the UK rights.

This device, the Z5, was conceived as a means to create amore efficient explosion in an internal combustion engine bychanging the molecular structure of the air for about 3seconds, enough to get into the combustion chamber andthereby making it the fuel mix more combustible which meansthe engine produces less emissions and uses less fuel.Manufacturers have concentrated on the fuel delivery systemsand engine design. They neglected the other part of theexplosion - the air.

The device is the size of a paperback book, although thinner,and sits in with the air filter. To fit it, just unclip or unscrew thetop of the air filter, fit and forget. If you sell the vehicle it can bemoved to your new one.

Z5 The Story.Extensive testing around the globe proved it does what it saysit will do, however, being a sceptic I asked for two units andstarted my own tests. I installed one in a 19 year old dieselcoach after getting an emissions test. The smoke readingresults were at best 0.70 worst 0.86. After the test they were0.10 best 0.24 worst. I also had extensive data showing thefuel consumption of this coach over the past year. Afterinstalling this device it gave 13% better fuel consumption. I alsoput one in my petrol car and got a 14% improvement in fuelconsumption. This device actually does what is says it will do.Reduce emissions and reduce fuel consumption

Having fitted the Z5 to all my coaches I have seen a dramaticreduction to my weekly fuel costs, and my vehicles have sailedthrough the smoke test at their MOT’s. To me this is a no-brainer.

Retailing at £50 plus VAT, against the thousands I have spenton particulate traps to meet the London Low Emission Zone, Ihave recovered the cost by the third time I fill up. My particulatetraps used to need a burn out about twice a year - some evenmore frequently - after fitting the Z5 we have extended the timebetween cleaning the traps to a year.

To make purchasing easy I have set up a web site which willshow the product, how easy it is to fit and the results from thevarious test that have been conducted. This site has an orderfacility linked to an online card facility allowing customers to paydirect. Their order is printed out at our office and we candespatch the goods the same day. To place an order or formore information please visit z5uk.com.”

Lower Emissions . Improved Fuel Economy . More Power


30

M6 M6 COMMERCIALSYOUR INDEPENDENT VEHICLE REPAIR SPECIALIST

M6 commercials is more than just a fully certifiedindependent service and repair, maintenance and recoveryprovider that can handle all makes of commercial andrefuse vehicles – it is a growing group of companiesdedicated to offering a true ‘one stop shop’ for all of yourcommercial vehicle repair, hire and testing needs who areconstantly finding new ways to add value to yourbusiness. M6 Commercials are committed to total qualityin all aspects of their business’ and are dedicated toproviding a friendly, reliable, responsive and professionalservice to all their customers, existing and new.

M6 Commercials was founded by Andy Savery in 2000 as anindependent service and repair facility. Having years ofexperience maintaining council vehicles and working for a majorrefuse vehicle manufacturer, Andy has seen first-hand thestandard of service the transport industry demands. Thisexperience has allowed him to provide a truly ‘CompleteService’ to his customers, that is second to none.

The past 4 years have not only seen M6 Commercial’s HGVWorkshop expand dramatically, it has also seen the expansion of M6into a closely related group of commercial vehicle service providers.

M6 Vehicle Hire offers a fleet of Standard and Trade 6 x 4refuse vehicles, as well as some very specialised municipalvehicles. Whether you need a 7.5t / 12t / 15t NTM RCV, aDennis Twin Pack, a Heil Front End Loader or a BoughtonHooklift, they have a vehicle to meet your requirements.

Birmingham Test Centre is a DVSA Approved TestingFacility and has recently become approved to carry out IVA(Individual Vehicle Approval) Testing. They are now used by manyOEMs to carry out IVA testing for their customer’s new fleets.

M6 Motor Bodies is a commercial vehicle body shop withthe capacity to manufacture anything from 3.5t cage tippers to26t highways vehicles or refrigerated trailers (as they have donefor Dunlop Motorsport).

Together, the M6 Group combine the facilities, skills andequipment you need to repair, test and maintain a large or smallcommercial fleet with the ability to augment your fleet withreplacement or specialty plant and vehicles, even at short notice.

Tel: 0121 326 6363 Mobile: 07794 046 516

Fax: 0121 328 9090

Email: [email protected]

Premier Street, Nechells, Birmingham B7 5TQ

www.m6commercials.co.uk

M6 Commercials offer a wide range of capabilities andservices, including:

• 24 hour breakdown and recovery service

• Speed limiter and tachograph fitting and calibration(DVSA Approved Centre)

• ABS/EBS diagnostics and repair, including enginemanagement

• Vehicle brake testing and headlamp alignment to DVSAstandards

• Specialist engine, axle and gearbox repair, includingautomatics

• Tail lift & shutter repairs, including full LOLER testing

• All types of electrical repair & maintenance

• Specialist body repairs, including skip loaders, hookloaders etc.

• Class 4, 5 and 7 MOT testing

• Vehicle testing, from cars to HGVs of up to 44 tonnes

• All work performed by fully qualified technicians

• Full repair and maintenance packages available


31

If you run a business that depends on staff being – andstaying – mobile, then you’ll appreciate the time and costthis takes.

Road casualty figures rose last year and it's alarming that over25,000 are killed or seriously injured on UK roads every yearand one in five new drivers will crash within six months ofpassing their test.

Although survival rates are higher due to increased safety andbetter medical treatment at the scene, this though, hides thefact that crashes are on the up.

For a small business, it isn’t the big accidents that are so mucha factor as the little ones that sap time, money and resources.

With many years as a professional racing driver, a determinationto do something about this hidden toll prompted Steve Lewis toset up R3 - standing for Road Risk Reduction - to increaseawareness and revise attitudes towards the most common riskfactors we all face when we’re driving.

Drive Smart

Measured and structured training can give anyone who needsto get behind the wheel in the course of their work a betterappreciation of how they behave on the road, and how theiractions affect everyone around them.

But what are the benefits of such training to anyone running asmall business?

Consider that even the smallest incident – including insuranceexcesses, premium increases, lost working time, and all otherfactors – can cost up to £7,000, and it becomes clear.

“As a racing driver instructor, I used to teach people how todrive fast and win,” Steve said. “But when I left the racetrack, Iwas still regularly seeing cars on top of roundabouts and inditches, and it brought home to me just how little passing yourdriving test really prepares you for staying alive on the road.

“This is especially true if your livelihood depends on being mobile.”

That includes sales people, builders, road repair teams,emergency utilities workers, nurses on home visits, nannies anddoctors – and many more.

As small businessesbecome increasinglyimportant to theUK’s economy,Steve emphasised,there are manybenefits in forward-thinking companiesgiving their staffproper driver

training, not just cursory assessments. In fact it is a legalrequirement.

“An important element of what we teach is how to drive notonly safely, but as economically as possible,” he said. “AtR3Rockingham, we are Energy Saving Trust-accredited eco-trainers.

“On average we can get every driver on one of our courses todrive around six percent more efficiently, long term, through acombination of better perception and giving more thought tohow they use the car's controls.”

So a driver covering average business mileage could save atleast £300 per year on fuel, not to mention cutting expense ontyres, brakes and other consumables, and increasing the re-sale value of the vehicle.

As part of what it calls its ‘ground-up’ approach to safety, R3Rockingham works alongside Kumho Tyres in stressing theimportance of these often-overlooked motoring essentials. Itstresses the little-known fact that a car only has the sameamount of rubber in contact with the road at any time as asheet of A4 paper. So it makes sense that this area should beas effective as possible.

Should be compulsory’

“Like it or not, every van or ‘business car’ on the road is on itsway to earn money or going home to spend it,” added Steve.“R3Rockingham training will help avoid delays, stop problemsand increase efficiency.”

Appreciation of what Steve and his team do is regularlyforthcoming. “One of the most regular comments we get aboutwhat we teach is that it should be a legal requirement for alldrivers,” he said.

This may not be the case – yet – but it is true that employers,of all sizes, could easily be caught out by health and safetylaws for failing to exercise a duty of care over their employees.

So aside from your legal requirement as a business owner, canyou afford not to let R3Rockingham instil some sound drivinghabits which won’t just save your company money, and driveup efficiency - but might also save lives?

Let R3Rockingham give all your driversthe knowledge to stay safe and savemoney on the road


32

There has been a surge of interest in telematics as managersrecognise the substantial benefits it brings to fleet andoperational efficiency. Often referred to as 'black box'technology, the software is fitted directly into vehicles andreports back on a range of data driven analytics - from driverbehaviour to mileage.

So why is this surge of interest? And how can Telematics helpa business that runs a fleet of vehicles?

Route planning and fuel economyTelematics helps create the most efficient route from A to B.This means optimised, custom routes built around what’s mostimportant to your business and the driving style of thosemanning the vehicles. One of the headline benefits optimalroute planning brings is fuel economy, which is critical tomaintaining healthy profit margins. Research* indicates that fuelaccounts for about 30% of a fleet’s total operating costs - soit’s vital to reduce burn.

Vehicle management and protectionTelematics can intuitively log driver speeds and detect potentialhazards and these insights enable management to better tacklefuel consumption, improve delivery schedule management andalso consider wider environment issues. In larger companiesassets can ‘disappear’ or become under-used, both of whichrepresent a significant loss to profits. GPS tracking enables teamsto ensure all vehicles are being used efficiently. It also providesmanagers with the information needed to make profitabledecisions on purchasing or disposing of additional vehicles.

Driver behaviour and safetyWhile risk is sometimes unavoidable, minimising your exposureand protecting drivers and assets is critical. Telematics can tapinto real-time data to alert management on a range of driverbehaviours, including if the vehicle deviates from the speed

limit, brakes too hard or if the engine is still running whileloading or offloading in a hazardous cargo area, increasing theeffectiveness of fleet safety programmes at every touch point.

What the future holdsToday there is practically no limit to the different applications fortelematics. The world is becoming more connected, and newways to use location-based information are being developedconstantly – so to keep costs low, productivity high and acompetitive edge constant, telematics is a must for anybusiness with a fleet.

With this in mind, expect to seevehicle manufacturers capitalise onthis demand by installing telematicstechnology into fleet vehicles. Anexample of this is Ford Telematicspowered by Telogis. FordTelematics is now available to fleetcustomers as a dealer-installedoption, offered through Ford’snetwork of specialist TransitCentres. Moves like this mean thatTelematics will quickly become afeature integrated into fleets at thepoint of sale, demonstrating thatthe software is now front of mindwhen making purchasing decisionsabout fleet vehicles.

* http://www.shell.co.uk/business-customers/fuel-cards-for-fleet-vehicles.html#vanity-

aHR0cDovL3d3dy5zaGVsbC5jby51ay9nYnIvcHJvZHVjdHMtc2VydmljZXMvb24tdGhlLXJvYWQvY2FyZC1zZXJ2aWNlcy9zaGVsbC1mdWVsLWNhcmQtZm9yLWJ1c2luZXNzL2ZsZWV0LW1hbmF

nZW1lbnQvZnVlbC1tYW5hZ2VtZW50Lmh0bWw

** https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/pdfs/guides/FEG2015.pdf

http://www.telogis.com/solutions

0203 005 8805

Sergio Barata, General Manager EMEA, Telogis

The benefits of using black box technology and telematicsto improve fleet efficiency and reduce costs

Sergio Barata


33

Whether your fleet comprises mostly ofcars, or larger vehicles such as vans andtrucks, proactive maintenance of your tyreswill cut your long-term operating costs.

If your vehicles are off the road because of tyrefailure, they’re costing you money withoutcontributing to your business – and that’s a‘best case’ scenario. What if a crucial vehicle,such as a delivery van, breaks down right whenyou need it?

Professional tyre management can have asignificant impact on vehicle uptime – protectingvan fleets from the single biggest cause ofunexpected downtime. A delay of just an hourdue to a puncture can completely disrupt theend user’s schedule, leading to misseddeliveries or appointments. Mike Williams, Headof National Accounts at ATS Euromaster, is afirm believer that prevention is better than cure.

He says: “Tyre management means managingthe tyre as an asset in its own right. Tyre life canoften be extended and a better return achievedthrough methods such as fleet inspections andtyre pressure monitoring. Inspections allow us to

help fleets spot issues and rectify them before they result in a costly andinconvenient tyre failure.”

With that in mind, ATS Euromaster has launched its new MasterCARE service,designed to provide easy access to a range of pre-emptive tyre safety checksfor vehicles of all shapes and sizes. With the top tier level of MasterCARE,expert technicians check tread depths, valve caps and air pressure, along withgeneral visual damage checks, ensuring no potential tyre issue is missed.Once completed, ATS Euromaster provides an electronic report detailing tyrecondition, work carried out and what is anticipated in the near future.

Managers can rely on ATS Euromaster to provide honest feedback of exactlywhat is required to keep their tyres in good condition and their vehicles on themove, thanks to a team of inspectors and the largest mobile tyre fitting fleet inthe UK.

The resulting management reports also contain valuable informationhighlighting the most costly vehicles to maintain, enabling operators to identifycareless driver behaviour through wear patterns or excessive tread loss – andtake action to address it.

Williams says: “Fleets are dependent on drivers carrying out daily walk-aroundchecks. But with MasterCARE, there is a second inspection from a true tyreexpert. It provides the peace of mind that all tyres are safe, legal and beingproperly maintained.”

For more information about MasterCARE, and ATS Euromaster’s other fleetservices, call 0800 60 10 60 or visit www.atseuromaster.co.uk

BOXOUT: Expert Servicing

Fleets can also access far more than just tyre expertise at their local ATSEuromaster centre. More than 200 locations now offer comprehensive vehiclehealth checks – ideal for ensuring the safety and efficiency of a vehicle, andparticularly useful now that many vehicles tend to have long service intervals of12 to 18 months before being taken back to a dealer.

For just £20 per vehicle, ATS Euromaster will check the oil, clutch fluid, brakefluid, power-steering fluid and screen wash, with free top-ups asappropriate. Technicians also inspect the dashboard forwarning lights, operation of the air-conditioning system,horn, lights, drive belts, wiper blades, washer jets andcooling system. They also remove all wheels for athorough brake inspection, plus clean and lubricatebattery connections where required.

Visut us atwww.atseuromaster.co.ukto find your nearest centre.

ATSTyres and Vehicle Maintenance

Proactive tyre maintenancekeeps fleets on the move

Mike Williams


34

Design has always played a

fundamental role in the automotive

industry – but now it is not just in

terms of making them look more

appealing for drivers, according to

new research from Design Council

and Warwick Business School.

The research suggests design is

increasingly playing a critical role in

shifting automotive manufacturers' focus

from making products to creating

experiences, and in establishing greater

collaboration with firms outside the

industry according to Pietro Micheli, of

Warwick Business School.

Dr Micheli and Haley Beer, PhD student at

Warwick Business School, argue in

Leading Business by Design: Automotive

Sector that industry and consumer buying

patterns are rapidly changing, and design

could facilitate the shift to a new world

where cars will be used, but not

necessarily owned, and where digital

technology will revolutionise the way we

understand and experience cars.

In 2014, the Leading Business by Design

study was launched by Design Council to

examine how businesses – including

organisations not traditionally associated

with design – can benefit from it. This

year, as a follow up to that ground-

breaking report, Design Council

recommissioned Warwick Business

School to undertake an in-depth analysis

of strategic design’s impact on the

passenger automotive sector.

Building on evidence from the initial Leading

Business by Design research, this new

report forms part of a suite of

'deep-dive' industrial

sector studies.

“Four key themes emerged in our

research,” said Dr Micheli. “Firstly, design

is one of the most important drivers of

innovation and competitive advantage;

this is being recognised in the industry, for

example through the appointment of Chief

Designers to company boards.

“Secondly, good design is not just about

good looking objects, but also about

bringing together different perspectives

and people, for example by establishing

effective collaborations between traditional

automotive and IT firms.

“Thirdly, design can offer automotive firms

the capacity to better understand and

anticipate users’ needs, and therefore

offer products and services in line with the

times. For example, by offering greater

connectivity, introducing better user

interfaces, and integrating technology that

will eventually enable fully autonomous

vehicles in a way users understand.

“And finally, such a role could only be

effectively fulfilled if designers develop a

wider skillset, which does not only comprise

traditional 'form-giving' and production

technology, but also user interaction,

graphic design and service design.”

The automotive industry in the UK is now

worth an estimated £60 billion, or around

three per cent of the country’s GDP and 6.7

per cent of the UK’s turnover. The industry

employs 730,000 people, with 146,000

directly employed in manufacturing. The

automotive sector equates to 10 per cent of

the UK’s total exports.

In the research, presented at the Design

Council’s Leading Business by Design

Summit

www.designcouncil.org.uk/events/leading-

business-design-summit hosted this year

at Birmingham City University on Thursday

June 18, Dr Micheli proposed eight

recommendations for business leaders,

designers and policymakers.

Dr Micheli added: “Overall our report

found eight main points for people in and

around the industry. Firstly they need to

use design strategically. Design in the

sector is not just about ‘styling’:

understanding of the market and user is

crucial. Design must be able to influence

strategic priorities.

“Continuing on that point, a focus on user

experience is equally crucial. Users’

functional, behavioural and emotional

needs should be at the forefront of design.

“Design isn’t just about the premium side of

things, however, so a third piece of advice

is not to just use design for premium

products. Design can embody brand values

and connect brand promises to customer

experience across all price levels.

“Promote collaboration between functions

such as design, engineering and

marketing as well as end users and

similarly, value different viewpoints across

such groups.

“Still on the theme of collaboration, we

would recommend automotive firms

create clear processes, with few decision-

makers, as the rapid changes and

developments in the sector, establishing

partnerships with new suppliers, especially

outside of the sector, will also be crucial.”

Dr Micheli concluded, “Finally it is essential

to provide a broader design education. The

work involved in design is now far more

widespread as discussed in our research.

Designers need to be more open to

working with different people and thinking

more out of their conventional realms.”

Should we design carsor user experiences?


35

Mirage has continued to develop their AGV product, having builtand installed hundreds of AGVs, delivering all manner of parts,for a wide range of industries and applications; from simplesolutions, up to AGVs fitted with integral conveyors allowingdelivery and collection of components from fixed conveyors.

The latest AGV project was the installation of a controlled loopsystem using wireless Communications and RFID read writetags, allowing the system to evolve for future purposes such asadditional process areas. The current process alsocommunicates with the production line; enabling or disablingtooling, informing a “Good” signal if all processes are complete.If the AGV doesn’t receive a “Good” signal from the mastercommunication panel it will not leave the process area, if theAGV reaches 70% of the allocated TAKT time for that individualprocess an “Andon” alarm is raised.

Additional “pokey or poka-yoke” can also be integrated to theAGV’s such as parts picking. Pick to Light & vision systemscould be implemented to ensure 100% reliability for subassembly processes.

As well as automotive, Mirage has recently been invloved in anumber of 'other sector' projects;

Reckitt Benckiser

A Vision System used by a Pharmaceutical client confirms thecorrectness of the packaging 'film' and a further confirmation ofuser data in the form of a Lot number and Expiry date. Thepacking confirmation is carried out by confirming a 2D barcode.The Lot and Expiry is confirmed using OCR (Optical CharacterRecognistion).

This system was integrated into an existing packaging machineforming a robust QA system, all failures are rejected.

Calbee

Mirage has also recently been heavily involved in a new Japanesesnack foods project. Mirage designed and constructed theelectrical control cabinets and developed the software to run thepackaging line which involved the feed of bagged product tooperators to pack into cardboard outers. The cardboard outersare the sealed, labelled and check-weighed

A key element of Mirage’s success is the close workingrelationships with many of the world's leading manufacturers;the “can do” ethos, coupled with a rapid turnaround, ensuresclient confidence and satisfaction first time, every time.

Visit our website and contact us for furtherinformation. www.mirageservices.co.uk

Mirage Ltd is a design and build bespoke machinery andengineering solutions provider for the automotive industry.

Formed in 2005, Mirage quickly gained the opportunity to provethemselves to Toyota Motor Manufacturing in Derby in a testexercise. An unmissable opportunity!

The customerrequested that theirprototype AGV was tobe developed into arobust productionitem. It had to bedesigned, built anddelivered within 4weeks. The targetwas met throughsheer determination,tenacity and manylong hours.

Since this initial project Mirage has worked alongside Toyota’sEngineers on a wide ranging number of projects, focussing oneliminating handling issues, and non-productive labour from ourprocesses.

Operation

Mirage’s experienced design department equipped with both 2D& 3D modelling software assists in the design and developmentof innovative, reliable, bespoke solutions for customers.

Mirage’s Lean manufacturing equipment incorporates varioustechnologies which are integrated into the finished solution.Flexibility in handling a variety of products and combiningmanual and automatic operations is a critical factor in thesuccess of our products and equipment.

During the development process, the client and their productionstaff may visit the Mirage facility to help fine tune the productat the design stage and before manufacture, thus streamliningproject acceptance on installation. All Mirage projects to datehave been delivered beyond expectation and, critically, on time.

Working with Toyota has given Mirage valuable insights into the“Toyota Production System” (TPS) which they have adopted asan in house standard process for their own improvement.

Lean Manufacture

AGV’s

Mirage’s AGV’s (autonomous guided vehicles) provide a simple,low cost flexible solution to the problem of handling partsdeliveries in a busy production environment. Using a self-adhesivemagnetic tape for route guidance allows for a simple, costeffective installation process. If the client requires the AGV route tobe changed, the tape is simply peeled up and re-laid elsewhere.

Mirage believes that AGV’s, although complex, must be easy touse and maintain. This is achieved by ensuring that productionand maintenance staff are seen as an integral part of the system.

MMirage


36

Robotics and factory automation is indispensable tomanufacturing, offering advancements in industry productivity.Using intelligent machines equipped with machine vision,sensors, and artificial intelligence, greatly improves the rate ofindustrial production making it more cost and energy efficient,and at the same time reduces waste and drives sustainability.

For robotics and automation to perform at its best it is essential that theresearch and design process is customer centric, tailoring the solutionto meet a specific need or purpose based on customer feedback. Goneare the days when robots were produced for general use, we are nowentering an age of customer outcomes shaping and informingtechnological design.

A great example of our customer-centric R&D approachis the launch of the FANUC collaborative robot. One ofthe issues that the manufacturing industry has wantedto address for a long time is the inefficienciesassociated with the way that humans and machinerywork together. Up until recently machines andemployees were separated by large industrial metalcages, subsequently leading to downtime duringloading and unloading impacting on the speed andefficiency of production output.

As a way of solving these inefficiencies, last month sawthe launch of the world’s first heavy lifting collaborativerobot, the FANUC CR-35iA. Previously only witnessed inthe works of science fiction, the new robot makes itpossible for machines and humans to work hand-in-hand, bringing a variety of benefits to the manufacturingplant floor including improvements in safety, costsavings, increased versatility, improved human welfare,and increased plant floor efficiency.

If you would like more information on the FANUCapprenticeship scheme please visit: www.fanuc.eu/uk/en/who-

we-are/human-resources/apprenticeship

FANUC Designing robotics andautomation of the future

One common platform,

WWW.FANUC.EU

infinite opportunities

All you need is yellow.

33310 HPD_HorseWorld 08/07/2015 13:42 Page 1

37

A real success story, Mr Singh explained that having beenbrought up in his parent’s business, he had an understandingof what it takes to run a successful concern from an early age.He took his parents as his example and followed their advice tocommit 110% effort all day every day.

His first clutch centre was based on the Eclipse IndustrialEstate, Tipton and from those humble beginnings and with a lotof hard work the business has expanded to its current fourbranches with plans to expand even further in the Midlands,Watford and London.

The main challenge, as they expand, is ensuring that they havethe right team with all the relevant skills in all their branches.They currently have a talented team of highly qualified andexperienced technicians using the latest diagnostic equipment,specialist tools, and the best quality parts are sourced tomaintain their existing very high standards.

For more detailed information, and to find your nearest branch please visit the

website www.a1-clutches.co.uk

or telephone 0121 522 2094

A1 Clutches, the specialist clutch, gearbox, servicing andvehicle diagnostics centres are celebrating their 25thAnniversary.

This is an exciting event for the Midlands company which wasestablished in 1990 by Amrik Singh, who was then only 18years old.

25 years on and A1 Clutches are the leading clutch specialistsin the Midlands and operate from 4 state of the art centres, allequipped to the highest standard with the latest technology, atBirmingham City Centre, Cannock, Derby and Tipton.

Whatever type of vehicle you own, they will be able to help, andspecialise in high performance, 4X4, light commercial vehiclesand even motor homes.

If you have a problem with your clutch rest assured that theycan help. They offer a same day clutch fitting service, whateverthe make and model, and all clutches come with a 2 yearwarranty. They won’t be beaten on price either, just call intoone of the branches, where one of their highly skilledtechnicians will carry out a free no obligation check, which onlytakes a few minutes, so no need to book.

A1 also specialise in gearboxes, servicing, fly wheels and MOTs,any problems, their technicians will be happy to advise, just givethem a call or drop in, you are sure of a friendly welcome.

As Mr Singh told us, “We consistently strive to offer ourcustomers an unbeatable service and a 2 year warranty, leadingthe way in our industry.

“All of our technicians are highly skilled in their field and arecontinually trained in the latest procedures and practices. Weoperate a reliable collection and delivery service and can supplyyou with a free courtesy car whilst your vehicle is beingrepaired, subject to availability.”

Serving the Midlands Motorist for 25 Years

We are experts inannual MOT checks and servicing.We can provide a great deal to cut the cost of running a car.

For more information please contact us on:

0121 201 6545email: [email protected]

Unit 1 | Hurst Lane | Tipton | West Midlands | DY4 9AB

Congratulations to A1 Clutches on their 25th Anniversary. We would like to wish them continued success for the future, from everyone at The MOT Service Centre.

33332 1pg 2_HorseWorld 04/06/2015 10:38 Page 1

38

Confidence levels in the UKconstruction industry have reachedtheir highest point since February2006, increasing sharply followingthe decisive election result of May 7,according to figures reported byMarkit and the Chartered Institute ofProcurement & Supply (CIPS).

A sharp improvement in residentialbuilding activity was also recorded, withMarkit’s senior economist, Tim Moore,commenting that the constructionindustry has seen something of a “post-election bounce” in recent weeks. Headded: “With a sustained period of policyuncertainty no longer on the horizon,business confidence surged back to itshighest level since early 2006.”

Figures from the Office for NationalStatistics (ONS) support the data, sayingthat the output of the constructionindustry rose for the 23rd month in a rowduring April, according to the latest year-on-year data, and that output levelsclimbed by 1.5% during the month, incomparison with April 2014.

The ONS also offered more encouragingnews in terms of the sector’s quarterlyperformance. Saying that over the firstquarter as a whole, new construction orderswent up by 0.4%, in comparison to theclosing three months of 2014, representingan 8% improvement in comparison to thesame quarter of last year.

Infrastructure, housing and privateindustrial were among the key sub-sectors where new order increaseswere witnessed. The ONS saidhousing, both private and publicsector was the main contributor to thisimprovement in new work, with thesub-sector benefiting from a 5.4% rise.

The positive house-building figures followthe release of separate research from theRoyal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

The latest statistics fromthe National HouseBuilding Council(NHBC) show therewere 12,459 newhomes registered forconstruction in April –

a 4% increase on the same period lastyear, when 11,985 homes wereregistered. Of these, 9,268 were in theprivate sector – up from 8,955 in April2014 – while 3,191 were in the publicsector, up from 3,030.

Registrations during the three months ofFebruary to April were up by 20% on thesame period last year, with 41,307 newhomes recorded compared with 34,451in 2014. This comes after NHBCreported strong first-quarter growthearlier this month.

The surge in house building whilewelcome is putting pressure on potentialsites for building, in a recent report theBBC revealed that there has been a five-fold rise in the number of housingdevelopments being approved ongreenbelt land over the past 5 years.

The increase, in England, means that thetotal number of homes receivinggreenbelt planning permission hasjumped from 2,258 in 2009/10 to 11,977over 2014/15.The broadcaster said therewas notably a sizeable increase between2013/14 and last year, with theapprovals figure going up from 5,607over the period.

The 14 areas designated as greenbeltland have traditionally been ring fencedto guard against urban sprawl, andcomprise approximately 13 per cent ofland in England.

As a nation we value highly our greenareas, and building policies suggestingthey should only be developed incircumstances deemed “exceptional”,receive widespread popular support.

Speaking to the BBC, Professor PaulCheshire from the London School ofEconomics said England’s existing “housingland shortage” could be addressed byusing only “a tiny amount of the leastenvironmentally attractive greenbelt”.

The BBC has also reported on figuresfrom the Campaign to Protect RuralEngland, which has indicated that34,000 homes have already beenproposed across Hertfordshire’sgreenbelts alone.

Brandon Lewis, the Government’sHousing and Planning Minister,responded to the findings by saying thatcouncils have the power to decide onlocal greenbelts.

Speaking on Radio 4, he stated: “It isvery much a matter for those localauthorities. They are the best placedpeople locally - democraticallyaccountable locally - to decide where theright location for any development is.”

As demand for housing continues to riseboth in England and other parts of the UK,different types and styles of housing thattake up less space must be considered.

Space will always need to be found tomeet our housing needs, and whilegreenbelt and other undeveloped land isan attractive option for developers, thereare numerous brownfield sites whichwhile needing remediation should bethe preferred option, if we wish tokeep our land “Green and Pleasant.”

Construction


39

From fledgling business to one of centralEngland’s most successful constructionrecruiters in just 10 years - no wonder theteam at Think Recruitment are ready to party.

A big celebration for the team at Think, whohave reached a successful and dynamic decadein business, was a must for the Birminghambased company who pride themselves in notonly being creative in their industry, but also inbeing determined to have fun while doing agreat job.

It’s a winning formula for the business that hasits offices in the iconic Fort Dunlop building. It isnow the go-to firm for constructionprofessionals seeking their ideal role. Arecruitment service that believes in strongrelationships and trust with its candidates,clients and staff.

Becky Hamilton, Social Media and MarketingCoordinator said, “We enjoy socialising as ateam and creating a fun and comfortableworking environment. Our office has a ‘diner-style’ kitchen, pool table and TV, ensuring thatour team enjoys a real break. We think it gets

the best out of people, making for a more productive workplace which in turnbenefits our clients and candidates.”

Think Recruitment is made up of lots of divisions, run by specialist consultantswho are trained within that specific sector. The sectors covered include:building contracting, trades and labour, civil engineering, fit out, housing, FMand maintenance, as well as architectural and design, mechanical andelectrical along with executive recruitment.

No matter the brief, each is handled the ‘Think Recruitment’ way - one basedon building trustworthy relationships with clients and candidates which has aproven 90% repeat business rate.

“We don’t believe in overselling and under achieving. Our clients value usbecause we find them the right candidates by clearly understanding their briefand simply offering an honest and time effective service,” says consultantGeorge Runham.

With ongoing training and support programmes available, plus an inbuiltunderstanding of the need for continuous improvement, Think Recruitmentensures that clients and candidates are only ever dealing with people at thetop of their game.

Think Recruitment has continued to grow from strength to strength, and evensaw an increase in its offering during the recession despite specialising in asector which was one of the hardest hit.

Managing Director Darren Isles commented, “Because of the ongoinguncertainty within the recession, what our clients really appreciated wasflexibility. With this in mind, we launched a freelance division which has nowdeveloped into a multi-million pound turnover business.”

Following on from this success, Think has also doubled the size of its officeand established new divisions in 2015. These include architecture, FM andmaintenance and fit out which have already seen unprecedented demand.Think Recruitment plans to see these firmly established over the next 12months.

Darren goes on to say. “In the future we are also hoping to expand our teamfrom 30 to around 50 employees and, while we are very proud of ourBirmingham roots, we are looking to establish locations further afield of theMidlands, in Manchester and London,”

To find out more about Think Recruitment and its recruitment opportunities,visit www.thinkrecruitment.co.uk or telephone 0121 411 9977

LinkedIn: Think RecruitmentTwitter: @thinkrecruit

thinkrecruitment

TM

Celebrating 10 years

BIRMINGHAMCONSTRUCTIONRECRUITMENTBUSINESS CELEBRATEIMPORTANTMILESTONE AND CONTINUE TO BUILD A BRIGHT FUTURE


40

StairBox the bespoke UK timber staircase manufacturerhas moved to a new manufacturing facility three timesthe size of its previous Sandyford site.

The move to Gordon Banks Drive, Stoke-on-Trent which willallow the business to invest in additional machinery to boostlead times and enable its rapid expansion, has been enabled inpart thanks to a Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce Jobsand Growth Fund grant.

The new central location next to theBritannia Stadium provides brilliantaccess and means that they can notonly purchase new machinery butcreate a much requested showroom.

StairBox which provides a superb rangeof staircases across Great Britain in avariety of styles and materials, startedlife as AVC Classic Woodworkersfounded by Andrew, Vaughn and Cliveworking out of a small rented workshopin Longton back in 1994.

Today, with the help of Andrew’s Sons Alex and Thomas, aswell as Vaughn’s Son Robert, they have grown into a largeplayer in the UK Staircase market with massive year on year

growth.

The companyrebranded asStairBox in2008 andbegan to focuson online salesallowingcustomers todesign theirown flights

online. This focus on the online strategy has spearheaded thebusiness’s expansion, though in recent years the firm hasbroken into the commercial sector as well, providing hundredsof flights a week for large scale projects across Great Britain.

StairBox.com has pioneered new ways of giving customersmore power and information, providing customers with thepowerful tools that allows them to design and create theirproducts online.

You can design your dream staircase from a fantastic range oftimbers, timber and glass, timber and metal, in traditional orultra-modern designs with the help of the web site,Stairbox.com, and then buy online, at reasonable rates. Theyalso have an extensive range of wooden Stair Parts includingSpindles, Handrail, Chrome & Glass Balustrade and much more.

StairBox also offer competitive nationwide delivery to your doorready for installation, in as little as 7-10days. Once you haveplaced your order with StairBox they will contact you with adelivery date and time, and their punctual drivers are alwayswilling to lend a helping hand.

Service is very important to StairBox, and Managing DirectorVaughn Steele is proud that they have been able to managetheir growth without any lessening of their service commitmentto their customers.

Likewise, in responding to feedback from their customers,StairBox’s sister company TA Windows is moving into the samepremises creating a one-stop shop for timber windows, doorsand stairs.

Director Alex Hancock said: “These are exciting times forStairBox and TA Windows, both for our staff and customers.This new factory allows our pace of growth to continue as wellas giving us the freedom to create new products and developinto the future.”

STREAMINGINNOVATION

WWW.SCMGROUP.COM

StairBox.com . 01782 832555Gordon Banks Drive . Trentham Lakes . Stoke-on-Trent . Staffs . ST4 4TW

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Louise is a frequent speaker on property matters atconferences and seminars on the global stage. She ispassionate about diversity and inclusivity across the builtenvironment sector and reflecting this, she was awarded thecoveted ‘National Woman in Construction’ title by the Womenon their Way (WOW) organisation in 2010. This year she hasalso been shortlisted by the CBI this year as a leader in the'Built Environment'.

Louise is keen to encourage talented people to think of makinga career in the built environment and stressed the range ofcareer options open from all aspects relating to property andconstruction. These can include project management,valuation, quantity and building surveying, geomatics, planningand even auctioneering. Careers can take you from managingsome of the biggest infrastructure projects in the world tolooking for lost airplanes; from planning new settlements tovaluing shopping centres. The list is as varied as the people theindustry needs to attract.

Social awareness is a key consideration among the team andBrooke Smith Planning have been working with both withMidland Heart and Central England Co-operative Limited, on avariety of projects for anumber of years.

We spoke to Louise Brooke-Smith, a Director of BrookeSmith Planning, to congratulate her on becoming thefirst female Global President of the RICS in 147 years,and on being awarded Outstanding Woman inConstruction 2015.

Louise is delighted by both accolades, and paid a gracefultribute to her team and to the RICS saying that, “I could nothave undertaken the RICS role without the help and support ofeveryone in the practice nor without a fabulous team at theRICS. I was honoured to have been appointed Global Presidentof the RICS last year and have thoroughly enjoyed theambassadorial role for the past 12 months. In partnership withthe CEO and Executive Team, we have been setting thestrategic direction and leading the Institution across the land,property and construction sectors worldwide. In simple termsthat means advocating professional ethics and internationalstandards. Those are the elements that help the marketplaceand our clients have confidence in using a chartered surveyor,wherever they might be in the world."

When we asked what the recentconstruction award meant to her she said"it was a fantastic surprise andagain I felt very honoured. Thereare some fabulous women workingacross the built environment and sothe award was truly humbling."

BROOKE SMITH PLANNING

Congratulations to Louise Brooke-Smith on beingawarded Outstanding Woman in Construction 2015.


42

We asked about any current projects of which they areespecially proud.

Louise said, “This year the team has secured a number ofmilestone consents across the UK. While we are alwayspleased when a schemes is successful, sometimes it's thesmaller cases where a point of principle has been challenged orthe vagaries of the planning systems have been pushed to itslimits - but then common sense prevails - that means more tous as professionals.

“Recently the practice has gained consent for an exciting newcity centre building to house the Birmingham Conservatoire.The relocation of the Conservatoire from its current home atParadise Forum is being driven by the imminent redevelopmentof the area

“The new facility will open in 2017 and the landmark building inEastside will become a key music venue in the city centre,

We provide advice to employers and employees on the full range of employment law issues. We are experts in ensuring that businesses are compliant with the complexity of the changing world of employment legislation. For more information on how Schofield and Associates may be able to assist you please contact us on our webpages or by calling Eileen, contact details below.

Contact Eileen Schofield our Principal Solicitor

01564 739 103

[email protected]

www.schofieldandassociates.co.uk

Milverton Villas6 Wilsons RoadKnowleSolihullB93 0HZ

Schofield’s provides support to businesses withinDrafting/review employment documents and contracts

Dismissal & Redundancy Management. TUPEEmployment Tribunal Representation

SCHOFIELDEMPLOYMENT LAWYERS

For expert advice call

0121 200 1100

[email protected]

brutonknowles.co.uk

Follow us @BK_Birmingham


43

creating state of the art accommodation for music students. Itwill also provide five performance venues, including a publicconcert hall”.

We asked what motivated her, “Planning is challenging and attimes very frustrating but that makes the work even moreexciting because a professional, realistic approach can make allthe difference to a client, whether they are a major blue chipoperator, a community group or a single landowner just wantingthe system to work properly and achieve a viable and attractivedevelopment where nothing existed before. It's what makes usget up in the morning!”

Brooke Smith Planning was established in 1994 and over thepast twenty years has grown into one of the UK’s leadingindependent planning and development practices. The Practicehas an enviable reputation for offering commercially astuteadvice and a track record of adding value to its clients’property portfolios and landholdings.

Chartered Town Planning & DevelopmentConsultants

The Cloisters12 George Road

Edgbaston BirminghamB15 1NP

T: 0121 693 8900

F: 0121 455 6580

E: [email protected]

Find us on...


O U R S E R V I C E S

Building Positive and Lasting Change

Starting From the Ground Up

Game-Changing Properties

P r o p e r t y i s n ’ t a b o u t b r i c k s & m o r t a r , i t ’ s a b o u t p e o p l e

We are proud to support our preferred planning consultants Brooke Smith Planning.

i n f o @ c o u r t c o l l a b o r a t i o n . c o m0 1 2 1 7 9 6 1 7 7 7

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• Quantity Surveying • Project Management • Building Surveying • Specialist Advisory

Independent property and construction consultancy

For more information contact:

e: [email protected]

t: 07970 280301 www.rlb.com/uk


44

2015 sees one of the largest providers of affordablehousing and care services in the Midlands, Birminghambased Midland Heart, celebrate 90 years since it was firstcreated in 1925.

Midland Heart grew from small community organisations in the1920s - borne out of their first legacy organisation COPEC,which successfully campaigned to improve Birmingham’s slumhousing and drive for clearance - to the 33,000 properties theyhave today.

Midland Heart provides one of the largest choices of affordablehousing and high quality aspirational housing in Birminghamand wider midlands.

Award Winning Homes

Midland Heart takes its environmental responsibilities seriously acrossall aspects of its business and was recently recognised through theSHIFT benchmarking scheme, the national environmental award forhousing associations, for the quality of its homes and theenvironmental effectiveness of its business operations.

Over the last few years Midland Heart has created awardwinning developments and innovative housing schemes inBirmingham, which include Dorridge Gate, The Snow Hill andCrocodile Works.

Dorridge Gate

Dorridge Gate is located off Four Ashes Road , Solihull B93 8LY,and is the perfect place to call home for any first time buyer.

Nestled in the aspirational town of Solihull, this location offerseverything from countryside, to an abundance of shops,restaurants and pubs and fantastic transport links toBirmingham City Centre and London.

The Snow Hill

The Snow Hill combines modern living with a rich heritage tooffer 4 floors of studio and one-bedroom apartments in a primecity centre location on the edge of the financial district.

Each individually styled apartment boasts an open-plan livingand kitchen area and shower/toilet room. Some apartments arealso en-suite.

With its Wi-Fi enabled ground floor and on-site coffee shop, theFrost and Snow cupcake bakery, the Snow Hill café provides theperfect place to relax and unwind, whether you’re enjoying afresh cup of coffee, catching up with friends or shopping online.

The great location and facilities are shared by people who aremoving on from experiences of homelessness and who receivesupport services.

Crocodile Works

Crocodile Works is an inspirational residential scheme inNewtown comprising of contemporary apartments andtownhouses only minutes from Birmingham City Centre.

The development enjoys cityscape views, the homes arespacious, light and airy and the specification is fashionably stylish.

At Crocodile Works, you can enjoy the convenience of cityliving without the City Centre prices.

Ruth Cooke, Chief Executive Officer Midland Heart said:“Crocodile Works is a great example of what Midland Heart isall about; the development has transformed the area ofNewtown - not only by providing affordable homes but also inhelping to create a community and making it an enjoyable placeto live.”

To find out which properties we have available for outrightpurchase, please call the Midland Heart sales hotline on

0800 445567or email us at [email protected]

Or visit: Midlandheart.org.uk

Midland Heart - 90 Years of Affordable Housing, Care and Opportunity.

To �nd out more about Midland Heart sales, please call our hotline on 0800 44 55 67 or email us at [email protected] or visit: Midlandheart.org.uk

We are proud to support Brooke Smith Planning and delighted to congratulate Louise Brooke-Smith – named Outstanding Woman in Construction in this year’s Women in Construction Awards.

Midland Heart...Celebrating 90 Years of providing high quality affordable housing

Crocodile WorksThe Snow Hill

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Air and Ground, who serve the aviationindustry, have streamlined their operationunder three main headings, Warehousing,Distribution and Inventory Management.

With over 16 years’ experience in themanagement of Logistics processes fromstoring and handling consignments to thesupply chain of small to large items, they canboth store and distribute, using their detailedcomputer system and highly qualified andexperienced staff.

Air and Ground has access to a number ofsecure facilities with differing capabilities to bestsuit any business requirements and minimiseyour company’s expenditure and maximise itsprofitability. They believe in providing anexcellent service, managing your materials andtheir distribution to your best advantage.

Whatever sort of aviation items you need to store and distribute, from large orawkward items, including vehicles, aircraft, and containers to aviation spareparts including wing components for the A380 Air Bus. Air and Ground canhandle it.

Their efficient service will save cost and trouble by avoiding additionalpremises costs for storage, enabling you to make better use of your own floorspace, reducing staffing costs - no need to employ and train appropriatelyqualified staff, and eliminating the need to hire, purchase and maintainspecialist lifting equipment, fork lift trucks etc.

Using Air and Ground will facilitate all aspects of your entire operation, withcritical parts and products held at the ready, and easy drop off and call offplans; all designed to enable you to meet your planning and production needsseamlessly, resulting in improved customer service.

A key concern for many of us is security, but clients Air and Ground take careof everything, their bonded facilities are compliant with the regulationscovering hazardous materials, they are covered by JSP (the MOD regulationscovering the secure storage of service personnel’s effects) and ITAR(International Traffic in Arms). They are thus able to offer complete security ofboth materials and data, their facilities being monitored by 24 hour CCTV andsecurity alarmed by ADT.

The future is looking bright for Air and Ground as they take off into a newchapter in their story. M.D. Ian Dodds is excited about the company’s futureand their smart new corporate image, and he is delighted by the rapid growththey are currently experiencing, developing new business and successfullynegotiating new distribution agreements.

Get in touch to see what they can do for your company,you’ll soon be wondering why you didn’t get in touch with

them before.

Air & Ground Ltd | Aviation House | London Road

Shirleywich | Staffordshire | ST18 0PN

airandground.com or call 01889 271777

[email protected]

Why should you choose Air andGround for your warehousing anddistribution? First and foremostefficiency, their outstanding Logisticsinclude:

• Next day shipment to NATO countries

• Worldwide Export Capability

• Packaging standards exceeding MILSTDand JSP Kitting capability to enhanceyour production times

• Improved lead times to supplying yourclient’s needs

• Just in Time (JIT) solutions for you andyour customers

• Marine and cargo third party liabilityinsurance

• Virtual customer control with fulltracking

• Latest stock control and bar codingsystem

• Strategically located near major UKairports and motorways

• Trained, experienced and friendly staff

• Capability to market your surplus andexcesses

33385 DPS_HorseWorld 20/05/2015 14:25 Page 1

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33385 DPS_HorseWorld 20/05/2015 14:25 Page 2

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and a number of trusted sub-contractors they have workedwith for many years.

When we asked Kevin why he thought the business had beenso successful over so many years, he said, “We like to think oursecret to success is a low staff turnover and our “the customercomes first attitude”, trying at all time to offer a top customerservice - Small enough to care, large enough to cope”.

As a result the company has grown an extensive client list,through which they have built up a good reputation for serviceand efficiency retaining many their customers for many years.

The company also specialise in a wide range of securitysolutions and fire protection.

Electrical Engineers and Contractors, KD Electrical, wasfounded in 1965, by Ken Dimmock and has remained infamily ownership with Ken’s son Kevin, now at the helm.

This July will see the company’s 50th anniversary beingcelebrated by the family and their team some of whom havebeen with the firm for over 30 years.

The small, friendly, family runbusiness is based in theheart of the Black Country,and has 10 membersof full time staff

POWER YOUR BUSINESSWITH SOLAR ENERGYFREE Solar Panel Installation on Commercial Buildings - Do You Qualify?

Contact us todayKev 07702 495108

[email protected]

Congratulations to KD Electrical on your 50th anniversary

Robbie 07803 590826

The company offers a wide range of servicesincluding:

• 24 hour breakdown

• Electrical Installations

• Machinery relocation/installation

• Lighting

• Distribution/HV

• Property Maintenance

• Electrical Inspections/EICR/PAT

50 years of making the right connections


48

As the business grew, Kevin foundthat he was frequently asked torecommend other trades, suchas plumbers and builders.The company is alwayswilling to help theircustomers so they decidedto open their sistercompany, KD PropertyMaintenance.

KD Property Maintenance hasbeen a great success, enabling Kevin

and the team to manage more of theircustomers’ larger projectssuch as complete factorymoves/renovations, aswell as just assistingcustomers withgeneral propertymaintenance.

Kevin is really pleasedwith the success ofKD PropertyMaintenance,saying “We feelthat this has helped

us retain some of ourlarger customers, as wecan cater for all of theirneeds offering a ‘one stopshop’.” They have beenproud to work on somebig contracts for

K-Mac Rewind Services Ltd are proud to support KD Electrical

We have built up an excellent reputation for providing a wide range of repair services for industrial fans, pumps and motors.

We o�er a wide range of repair services on:. Electric motors . Electric motor rewinds

. Industrial fan units . Industrial pump repairs

01902 454354 m.gregory@k-macrewindservicesltd.co.ukwww.k-macrewindservicesltd.co.uk

Hollingsworth&Cochar te red accoun tan t s

Hollingsworth and Co. is one of the Midlands most progressive firms of Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors. Serviced from our centrally located Telford offices, our clients include individuals plus small, medium and large enterprises located across central England and Wales.

Our services include:

PayrollBook-keepingAnnual AccountsSelf AssessmentBusiness Start UpsBusiness Planning

Raising FinanceManagement AccountsCompany SecretarialTax PlanningWealth ManagementAnd Much More

Helping businesses & individuals for 25 years

Keeping your business in shape

tel: 01952 581014email: [email protected] web: www.hollingsworthandco.co.uk

For a FREE initial meeting contact John on

SIGN IS A SIGN OF NO

BUSINESS!!

A BUSINESSWITH NO SIGN

We are the specialist sign makers and printers, in the West Midlands.identifying the particular needs of each customer and will offer cost-effective options in the design, production and application of image enhancing graphics.

Signs Screen Printing Van Livery Printed GarmentsFull Colour Outdoor Graphics Pavement Signs Magnetic SignsSafety Signs Stationery

We are proud to support KD Electrical and would like to wish them all the best for the future.

Please ring Garth anytime, we are waiting to assist

www.allstickdecals.com

[email protected]

01384 458807 or 07973 361435 01384 458807 or 07973 361435

Camden ElectricalWe've got everything from

lighting and wiring to test equipment and

power tools.

Camden Electrical 37 Lower City RoadTividale, Oldbury B69 2HA

t: 0121 544 2562f: 0121 544 2572e: [email protected]: www.camdenelectrical.co.uk

Congratulations toKD Electrical on your50th Anniversary

Saving you time and money

C EW


49

Wolverhampton Homes (Wolverhampton MBC) and SevernWaste Services (Hereford and Worcester MBC.)

Also, in response to customer requests due to the rise theftand vandalism they have expanded their range of securityproducts into a dedicated security division that will help withthe best ways to secure and protect premises such as Alarms,CCTV and Monitoring.

Always ready to respond to their customer’s needs, they haveintroduced a free lighting design scheme service for businesses

demonstrating the savings achievable in their running costs withnew LED lighting compared with their current lighting.

Kevin is determined to keep KD Electrical on the front foot, andtells us “We are always looking to expand our knowledge, portfolioof services and keep up to date with current technologies”.

We would like to wishKD Electrical every success for the future Your local electrical wholesalers, specialising in security, CCTV, LED lighting, general wiring accessories, electric showers & much more...

0121 471 1991 Committed to quality local service

Elliott Road, Birmingham B29 6LA

[email protected]

K.D. Electrical Co. Ltd | Lyde Green | Cradley | West Midlands | B63 2PGT: 01384 560333 | F: 01384 560423 | E: [email protected]

www.kdelectricalltd.co.uk

01384 560333 T: Electrical Co. Ltd .K.D

C

www.kdelectricalltd.co.uk 01384 560423 F:| 01384 560333 Lyde Green | Electrical Co. Ltd

www.kdelectricalltd.co.uk [email protected]:| 01384 560423

est Midlands W|adley Cr| Lyde Green [email protected]

B63 2PG|est Midlands


50

mseMSE have been one of Birmingham’s leading mechanical andelectrical services providers for more than three decades,but they are perhaps best known as expert installers andservicers of commercial and industrial air conditioningsystems. Though most of their customers come from theWest and East Midlands they offer these services UK-wide,and have an impressive client list including Rolls Royce, JLR,Airbus, Vauxhall, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, B&Q and the CoventryCity Council among many others.

No matter what the nature of your business, your HVACsystems are critical to your productivity, and installation andmaintenance people who are acknowledged experts are thekey to trouble-free operation and less facility downtime. MSEhave the training and experience to provide exactly that. Theyare recognised as approved installers of both Daikin airconditioning and Mitsubishi Electric HVAC equipment, and theirwork is covered by 5-year manufacturer’s warranties in mostinstances.

MSE is a True One-Stop Shop

One of MSE’s big advantages is that they are skilled,experienced electrical contractors in their own right. This allowsMSE to ensure faster, higher quality and less expensiveinstallation or upgrades to your HVAC equipment, as theinstallers can work hand-in-hand with the contractor team fromthe planning stages right through to turning over the finishedjob. This results in fewer delays and miscommunications andsaves you time, money and headaches down the line.

Independent Expert Service

When choosing which equipment to make such a largeinvestment in, experience is key to making the right selection.MSE is an independent operation, and therefore can offer youan extremely wide range of HVAC options, as well asindependent and impartial advice as to which system is trulyright for you. They have more than 30 years in the industry, andthey know that HVAC is not a one-size-fits-all proposition.Whether you are multi-national corporation or an SME, though,MSE can steer you towards exactly what you need.

Call: 0800 0343913 Email: [email protected]

MSE can handle virtually any type of commercial,industrial or public building HVAC installation, including

• data centres or server rooms

• factories of all kinds

• offices and commercial spaces

• production space

• retail stores and outlets

• warehouses and logistics facilities

• workshops and other facilities

Focus on Installation

In addition to commercial air conditioning installationand maintenance, MSE provides a range of relatedservices, including:

Electrical Services for all commercial and industrialpremises including schools, hospitals, offices, banks,factories, hotels and warehouses.

• Access Control, Door Entry and Security Systems

• Emergency Lighting and Fire Alarms

• Service and maintenance packages are available

Data Networks and Infrastructure, designing and installingor upgrading the vital data networks that underlie nearlyany modern commercial or industrial property

• Fibre Optic

• Wireless

• CAT5/6

Renewable Energy Systems of all kinds, which canreduce or eliminate heating, electrical and lightingcosts, and reduce your carbon footprint

• Solar/PV & Thermal

• Energy Saving Lighting

• Air Source Heat Pumps by Daikin Altherma

• Energy Monitoring


51

The arrival of a brand new grinding machineis powering Rugby’s AW Precision forwardto a whole new level!

Already a long established manufacturer of punchand die products in the UK and Europe, the€300,000 Studer S33 Grinding machine means thebusiness can now offer ultra-high precisioncomponents, helping towards bringing backbusiness to Britain.

“We can now compete with other Europeanmanufacturers back in the UK domestic marketwhile still remaining competitive and flexible,”explains Busi-ness Development Manager AndyWhitworth.

“We believe there are many benefits with thisacquisition for our existing cus-tomer base with

improved delivery times and even higher levels of quality, while the goodnews for AW Precision is that in the four months since the machine arrived,inquiries from an increasingly diverse field are rising and new business linesare opening for the business.”

This purchase, part of a£600,000 investmentprogramme on plant and ma-chinery in the last year hasbeen a bold move for AWPrecision and is part of anongoing investment into newtechnology starting when thecompany estab-lished in 1971.

As a result it has grown froma small factory in the villageof Dunchurch, Warwickshire

to a £6.3million-a-year international business with a record of con-tinuousand solid growth in the heart of the UK Manufacturing base.

As the market changes drastically forthe better, the latest investment seesAW Precision poised to reap therewards of increased confidence.

“It’s taken us out of our comfort zoneand put us on the fast track tosuccess. We’re getting enquiries fromall over Europe and beyond in ourcore product and high precision

work,” Andy reports. “It’s very exciting!”

For more information about AW Precision, its products and services,visit www.awprecision.co.uk

Alternatively call 01788 542271 or email [email protected]

33322 HPD_HorseWorld 27/05/2015 15:20 Page 1

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Göbel & Partner (G&P) has already achievedwidespread recognition as a leading name in qualitymanagement and is now set upon ambitious plans forthe future.

The company has confirmed extraordinary growth in recentyears, achieved against the backdrop of the recession. Now,as manufacturing continues to rise, the West Midlands-based company is well placed to meet demand for efficientand effective total quality management solutions.

G&P has found a lucrative niche in successfully assistingleading international manufacturers, as well as their keysuppliers, to achieve their world-class standards. The firm isalready a major supplier to the automotive and aerospacesector and is now looking to further integrate with the supplychains in these industries, armed with substantial growthfigures to impress prospective partners.

Just three years ago, G&P comprised 400 staff worldwide.That figure has increased dramatically; as of June 2015, thecompany employs 1,300 people.The growth has been fuelledby new business wins, the development of existingrelationships and the rapid expansion of the business tomeet customers’ global requirements with new ventures incountries as diverse as China, Slovakia and Singapore.

According to company founder and group chairman DinoKyriacou, this is only the beginning.

“Over 50% of our employees hold positions in the UK,” hecontinues, “with more than half of those based at several

locations in the Midlands. Indeed, we pride ourselves on ourrole as a local employer and invest heavily in developing theskills of our employees, which benefits not just ourcustomers but also the local community.”

“However to fulfil our expansion plans, we need to extendthe team further and we anticipate employing many morepeople worldwide by the end of the year, if the current runrate and pipeline business is anything to go by.”

G&P offers a range of roles to suit all levels of experience, andruns successful apprentice and graduate schemes. In additionto needing quality inspectors and technicians with a keenunderstanding of world-class manufacturing, the companyheadquarters in Walsall also offers recruitment opportunities infinance, marketing, administration and other areas.

“We’ve a great deal to offer the right candidates, as the natureof our business presents ambitious, talented employees withopportunities to work overseas or develop their careers intomanagement roles,” promises Dino Kyriacou.

With employment growth high on G&Ps agenda, the firm hastaken its specific recruitment needs more seriously, andlaunched ‘Vivate Recruitment’, an agency created as part ofthe larger group to provide specific contract services for G&P,while also building a portfolio of its own independent clients.

“Potential employees can contact Vivate for an effectiveroute to our positions, and information regarding the skillswe’re looking for to create more jobs in Midlands.”

To learn more about G&P and its services go towww.gpqm.com

e: [email protected] t: 01922 458003

Building a Quality Future

About G&P Headquartered in Walsall with offices in another11 countries, G&P employs more than 1,300employees. The company’s customer base includessome of the world’s best known automotive,aerospace and manufacturing companies, who allbenefit from G&P’s specialist Quality Excellenceconsultancy.

For the past two years, G&P has been included inthe London Stock Exchange’s prestigious 1000Companies to Inspire Britain Report and alsorecognised by Real Business as part of the Hot 100Companies in the UK. Group turnover is forecastat £45 million, up from £28 million in 2014.


53

AccurateLaser Cutting

Accurate Laser Cutting will now be able to reap thebenefits of their latest technological investments &expansion plans thanks to the arrival of their brand newfibre laser cutting equipment.

The installation of the state-of-the-art machinery at theirOldbury premises will complete their £1.6 million poundinvestment package & make them the first manufacturingcompany in the UK to take ownership of a 6kW BySprint 4020Fiber laser from leading industry suppliers Bystronic.

The company, who specialise in laser cutting & pressbrakingsheet metal, is also celebrating its 10th anniversary this yearwith a range of other breakthrough investments, including a£500,000 expansion plan that has doubled the size of theirheadquarters & the launch of a brand new dedicatedpressbrake & quality check centre.

In an ambitious move that is likely to open up new markets andattract a wider customer base, their decision to invest in the 6kWFiber laser from Bystronic aims to set new industry standards byoffering their customers improved efficiency, previously unseencutting speeds & the highest levels of precision.

The advanced cutting equipment has the ability to process 4x2msheet metal both quickly & economically and will operate inconjunction with the opening of their recently new pressbrakefacility to offer their customers a complete metal profiling service.

Jon Till, Director of Accurate Laser Cuttingexplained:

“We have always made it our core priority to invest in the verylatest production technologies & are proud to be the first in theUK to take possession of a 4x2m 6kW Fiber laser fromBystronic.”

“The laser will boost our cutting capacity up to four meters &offer a significant improvement in our capabilities whencompared against traditional Co2 cutting methods.”

He continues:

“Fibre laser cutting represents the future of the laser cuttingindustry as a whole because it increases the quality of the cutacross a range of thicknesses & will significantly raise levels ofproductivity. We are particularly keen to diversify into thecopper and brass market, as this is an area our competitorsare unable to fully cater for without the power of 6Kw fibretechnology. We are now capable of processing thicknesses ofup to five times quicker than our rivals who currently use Co2laser equipment”.

As a result of their investment in fibre laser technology,Accurate Laser Cutting are now in a position to offer anincreased thickness range to their customers which nowincludes 30mm Aluminium, 15mm Brass, 12mm Copper &25mm for Mild & Stainless steels.

A significant improvement in lead times is just one of manybenefits that the new fibre technology is set to offer AccurateLaser Cuttings customer base. The company currently operateson a rapid 4 hour quotation service and a maximum 3 day turnaround for most orders, but due to the equipment’sphenomenal cutting speeds, it is anticipated that these leadtimes will be diminished even further for customers, offeringunrivalled service levels with no compromise on quality.

For more information on Accurate Laser Cuttings specialistmetal profiling service please visit

www.accurate-laser.co.uk or call 0121 5202444

Fibre laser technology arrives at Accurate Laser Cutting


54

The key questions are what for, for

how many, where, how is it to be

managed, and what is your budget?

There is no point in going to the trouble and

expense of staging any event unless the

event is successful and fulfils the brief, part of

which must be to see a return on investment.

You also want it to be memorable, for the

right reasons, and to make the most of this

motivational opportunity.

While your choice of venue will depend on

the purpose for which the event is held

and your budget, the venue should also

reflect the style and content of your

conference, remember image is all.

Decide what how many people are likely

to attend and what sort of event you want

to hold. Is it a conference requiring theatre

type accommodation or a large

auditorium, or a smaller meeting style

space; most specialist venues have a

range of flexible accommodation from

large auditoria, theatre spaces, and

meeting rooms.

Do you also require break-out spaces,

and side rooms for one to one

discussions? What about outdoor space,

for team games and competitions?

There is a huge choice of possible

venues, from stately homes, dining pubs,

restaurants, halls and hotels, to some you

may not have considered, such as golf

clubs, theatres, breweries, steam trains,

narrowboats, racecourses, racetracks and

sporting stadiums, it seems that anywhere

with catering facilities that has sufficient

space is offering corporate hospitality

these days.

Whether a major, whole company event for

a few hundred people, a motivational,

action packed team building weekend, a

convivial get together for award winners, or

a discrete board meeting away from base,

whatever the purpose of your event, there

will be an ideal venue somewhere nearby.

The next question is how is it to be

managed? There are numerous event

management companies who will, at a

price, take over the whole responsibility of

running a successful event for you. In the

case of a large event, because, you are

short of time, not a trained conference

organiser, and they tend to have beneficial

arrangements with the venues and

speakers on their books, you may well

decide that the outlay is justified.

For something smaller, most venues,

especially hotels, have dedicated

conference and event organisers on hand

who will be only too happy to do

everything for you as part of the service,

just tell them what your budget is and

what you want, then wait for the ideas to

come rolling in.

A key element in any conference from the

largest down to a few like-minded

individuals meeting over a business lunch

is the catering. A carefully organised

function, with first rate speakers, can be

spoiled by poor food. People will

remember that rubber chicken,

overcooked sprouts and cold gravy, long

after the content of the speeches.

Check what is on offer, and if possible try

it. These days choice is important, so

buffet style can work well, but for a more

formal sit-down affair, ensure that there is a

vegetarian option, and that the venue is

aware of any special dietary requirements.

Whether to serve alcohol with the food can

be a vexed question and providing the

main business of the meeting is concluded,

a moderate amount is considered

acceptable, but in these days when the

breathalyser rules, also provide plenty of

water and soft drinks, tea and coffee.

Many companies are choosing to video

their conferences; for the best results

consult a professional, much more bang for

your buck, and useable footage for training

and motivational purposes afterwards.

To get the best value from your event set

your goals carefully, make a checklist, and

before you sign on the dotted line, run

over your list with a colleague. Once it is

all over, go back to your list, run through

the video and decide what went well, and

what could have been done better.

Planning a conferenceor an event?


55

Conference Oxford represents 53 colleges and universityvenues and is the one stop shop to help you to find venuesthat combine the heritage of an ancient university with thesplendours of modern architecture and state-of-the-art facilities.Conference Oxford offers rich variety amongst its membervenues and great value for money.

They are the central conference marketing enquiry point for theUniversity of Oxford and the colleges and can help you toorganise a memorable event; whether a small day meeting, or alarge residential conference for upwards of 500 people. Discussyour requirements with a member of the team and they willmake suggestions and perform the introductions to the collegeof your choice.

Conference Oxford also recently announced a new bespokeservice for large conferences which combine more than onecollege at a time. This allows Conference Organisers to pickfrom the best options in terms of spaces, dining andaccommodation across the city so that their conference exactlymeets their needs. Conference Oxford will liaise with thedifferent venues directly, making the whole process as simpleand easy as possible.

The website www.conference-oxford.comhas images of the stunning locations available within thecolleges and further details about what is on offer.

Find out more by visiting the website, or get in touch on01865 276190

or [email protected]

Finding somewhere different, or simply somewhere thatcan provide all the facilities your conference requires isbecoming increasingly challenging despite the hugerange of potential venues.

In line with our improving economy, companies have much tocelebrate, and many wish to reward their team now business isimproving by holding a cross company conference or “state of thecompany address” in a setting that underlines the improved climate.

There is much to consider; the purpose of the event, location,access, facilities, catering, room sizes and layouts, to say nothingof the availability of suitable overnight accommodation nearby.

The Oxford Collegesand University have itall. There are fewplaces offering thevariety that Oxfordcan – from meetingrooms in centuries-old colleges tomodern lecturetheatres seatinghundreds ofdelegates. Add in

top-class dining and thousands of college bedrooms and youhave the perfect mix.

Together, the university and colleges make up a vast campusthat can adapt to the biggest or smallest needs.

Imagine holding your meeting, conference or product launch inthe inspiring surroundings of Oxford. The name alone breathesprestige and is synonymous with world class educationalfacilities which easily translate into some of the most modernlecture and meeting facilities in the country.

While the setting, technical and practical aspects of yourconference are understandably superb, the “inner delegate” iscertainly not forgotten. The college chefs are accustomed tocatering for the most discerning tastes, and professionallytrained staff at all venues are on hand to ensure your eventmeets your expectations.

Calling all conference and meeting organisers looking to find theperfect venue for an industry conference or event.

CONFERENCEOXFORD

St Hugh's

St Catz - Bernard Sunley Theatre


56

bif b e i n s p i r e dF I L M S

Filming your conference or event is a great idea, but will your audiencereally watch back content that may last hours, even a whole day and isthat the best use of your money? We have all sat through enough mindnumbingly boring videos of events to know there must be a better way.

There is. Be Inspired Films, a multi-award winning production company based inBirmingham, has developed innovative ways to capture your event using videoand live streaming so that knowledge can be shared, inspiration can be gainedand the value of your event lives on.

Ravinol Chambers, Founder ofBe Inspired says “Think aboutwhat you want to achieve byfilming the conference. Ratherthan recording the whole eventwould it not be better tohighlight the most pertinentaspects, maybe to interviewspeakers and delegates, andask them what they found mostuseful and enjoyable about theevent? This deceptively simple

approach can capture the essence of your function and bring the whole event tolife in a highly watchable format”

Discuss your ideas. You will find Be Inspired Films friendly and approachablewith a can do attitude, never intimidating, and never forgetting who thecustomer is. Rather like a trusted friend who just happens to have the technicalknowhow to produce top quality professional films tailored to your requirements.

A trademark product, the '3Minute Promo Video’ capturesthe key messages and thegreat atmosphere of your eventwith dynamic visuals andengaging interviews. A fantasticpromotional tool to get peopleto your next event and engagewith your content!

Depending on the size andscope of the event they often

send multiple cameramen and a producer to cover the event, so that when yourfilm is put together the different angles and aspects can be brought togetherinto a compelling final piece.

If you want to reach and engage a national or international audience, they canfilm and live stream the event too, a brilliant way of engaging wider participation,for instance at a TEDx talk given in the Royal Albert hall, with 5,000 delegates inthe Hall they LIVE directed and mixed 7 cameras, enabling 8,000 people from66 countries to experience a TV quality experience on the web in real time.

Streaming live content has the great advantage of immediacy. Each year theywork with the Ethical Fashion Forum on their Summit and whereas there may be200-300 in the room, there is often up to 1,000 watching on line who are alsotaking part in the discussions through twitter.

The live stream can be embedded into yourcompany’s own website and they can also set uppay per view if you wish to monetise the contentas well as on demand viewing after the event.

Be Inspired Films is the brainchild of RavinolChambers, a psychology graduate who holdsan MBA Master’s Degree in Business andVenture Philanthropy. Ravinol started thecompany to enable people and organisationsto share their stories with the world. He has aparticular interest in great stories with socialimpact, fundraising for charities and hasmaintained a social ethos throughout hisbusiness activities. He said “I wanted to build aproper business and to see a social good.” Hesays that the current climate is making thateasier as even large companies are becomingmore socially aware.

It would be difficult to overemphasise theirprofessionalism and attention to detail, workingto the highest possible production values; theyproduce outstanding work, presenting yourbusiness and your event exactly as you wouldwish.

No challenge is too great, from creatingbespoke online channels with regular videocontent to engage and inspire your delegates,to powerful tailored videos to inform andinspire, Be Inspired Films have filmed hundredsof events in the UK and beyond. You will be insafe hands.

TELL YOUR STORY visit www.beinspiredfilms.co.uk

call 0121 364 1088or email [email protected]

You can also catch up with all thelatest news and events through our

busy social media presence onFacebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Using video and live streaming to leveragethe value of your event:


57

This is truly a place like no other. Set in 500 acres ofparkland originally created by the legendaryCapability Brown, Stapleford Park is the perfect venuefor meetings, team activities, product launches,entertaining clients or corporate celebration dinners.

The atmosphere is one of informal luxury, where houseguestsexperience a unique ambience full of rich warmth andfriendliness, and in which the finest things of life can properlybe enjoyed.

Meeting Rooms

This impressive house has centuries of meetings, some ofwhich have shaped the course of British history. It boasts 12fully appointed meeting rooms, each of which is flooded withnatural sunlight. Better still, every room can be adapted to therequirements of any modern meeting with ease. Stapleford Parkprovides a warm welcome for attendees, and a calm space atthe end of a productive board meeting. A wide variety ofsports, leisure and fine dining options are also available.

Bedrooms

All 55 individually designed rooms reflect the style of theircreators. Luminaries such as Mulberry, David Hicks and Crabtree& Evelyn have all contributed to the hotel’s distinctive style.

Corporate Golf

Designed by Donald Steel, the 18-hole championship golfcourse challenges even the most proficient of players. Nevermore than two holes wide, the whole course is exceptionally

spacious, peaceful and free from interference. Many successfulcorporate golf days are held here every year with a bespokeservice offered each time.

Spa & Fitness

The Lifestyle Club is set in the converted Victorian stable blockof the Stapleford Park estate, providing guests with the ultimatewellbeing experience incorporating holistic healing treatments.There are 7 individually designed therapy rooms, a ‘technogym’and tennis courts. The Lifestyle Club also hosts frequent fitnessclasses. In the main house, guests can relax in the oasis ofluxury and tranquillity that is the Stapleford’s swimming poolarea, which includes a steam room, sauna and Jacuzzi.

Dining

Dining at Stapleford Park is pure unadulterated indulgence, witha choice of fine dining in the award winning Grinling Gibbonsdining room for an elegant evening, or the Pavilion Brasserie fora more relaxed and informal experience.

Events

Corporate product launches, large parties and celebrations ofmany kinds are often held in Stapleford Park’s Grand Hall, whichcan be transformed to a surprising degree to make everyevening unique. Their experienced event co-ordinators know justhow to create an event that is individually tailored in every way.

Country Sports

Stapleford Park has a long tradition of falconry, fishing, shootingand other classic British field sports. Other activities includetarget shooting, archery, horse riding, mountain biking andtennis. All of these events make perfect team building days,client hosting opportunities or just a bit of fun to mix up the stay.

Whether planning high profile corporate hospitality, prestigiousincentive awards, a leisurely weekend or a senior managementmeeting, Stapleford Park is the ultimate retreat to work and play.

t. +44 (0) 1572 787 062 f. +44 (0) 1572 787 001e. [email protected]

Stapleford, Nr. Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE14 2EF

www.stapleford.co.uk

Stapleford Park – Offering conferencing with a difference.


58

For anyone in need of a unique venue for meetings orconferences, award-winning craft beer specialistPurity Brewing Company is now providing meetingand away-day space at its brewery in the beautifulWarwickshire countryside. It is ideal for regionalgroups and businesses looking for an inspiring rurallocation away from the hustle and bustle of localtowns and cities.

Whether combined witha brewery tour, outdooractivities such as cyclingor rambling, or simply aclient meeting a littlecloser to nature, thebrewery now offers afantastic facility for alltypes of team buildingor business events.

The brewery offers free parking, break out rooms, Wi-Fiand a 70inch TV screen with full HDMI facilities, and cancater for groups of up to 20.

Freshly prepared food and a range of drinks, includingPurity beers brewed on site, can be served in the visitorcentre, and brewery tours are also available as part of thebooking process.

Located just 15 minutes from Stratford upon Avon and onlyhalf an hour from Birmingham, the location is also a meccafor cyclists thanks to the abundance of stunning routeswhich lead to the farm in Great Alne.

To find out more and book space for a meeting orevent, contact Front of House Manager John Conod on

01789 488 007 or email [email protected]

Purity opens up brewery meetingrooms for groups and businesses

Business with a Conscience

33441 AP V2_HorseWorld 13/07/2015 11:12 Page 1

59

01162423560

CallUs

What better venue to stage your special event than amodern, state of the art theatre?

Curve, set in the cultural heart of Leicester, boasts some of themost unique conferencing, exhibition, seminar and banquetingfacilities in the UK. The entirely flexible design encompasses avariety of spaces that can be adapted to any occasion; from asimple meeting to a conference with exhibition all under one roof.

The stunning venue features an iconic 90m floating Mezzanine,which is surrounded by five stories of glass and is ideal for areception of 350 pax. Among its 9 adaptable spaces Curveboasts a 902 pax auditorium with an independent 200sq mstage featuring 62 automated ‘flybars’ which load 2 tonnes each.

Their studio functions either as an independent space for 350 orcan be combined with the Main Stage. Two Seminar Roomsprovide 220pax, whilst three studio spaces complete theoffering. All feature flown rigs, inbuilt AV, professional lightingand sound.

The state of the art technical facilities deployed in Curve theatre’stheatrical productions are at your disposal, and their in-houseProduction Managers apply expert knowledge and resources toeach individual client, creating an event unlike any other.

The technical team are also more than happy to assist externalcompanies to utilise Curve’s extensive equipment for their ownevent production.

Curve hospitality offers a wide selection of hot and cold cateringmenus - from light buffets to formal dinners - created by our in-house Executive Chef.

Curve’s events team will be on hand from enquiry to completion.With a wealth of experience in the corporate industry combinedwith a flair for gearing an exceptional venue to corporate events,we can help you to create a unique experience in a settingunlike any other.

2014 has been an outstanding year for Curve, with an excitingartistic programme and a series of world class events which haveseen Curve become the venue of choice for thought leaders inindustry and the arts for seminars, events and conferences.

At Curve corporate functions and hospitality, take equalimportance with the artistic programme; rather than being justan add-on to the day to day life of the theatre, indeed, thecreatives at Curve will bring that special touch of limelight toyour event.

Curve Events have the essential duty of providing return toreduce the organisation’s reliance upon public subsidy whilstensuring that the theatre continues to produce world leading art.Side by side, corporate initiative and artistic vision are securingCurve as a sustainable and iconic venue for events and theatre.

‘The Events team at Curve extend a warm welcome and lookforward to hosting a truly memorable event, scripted and stagedexclusively to your requirements.

www.curveonline.co.uk

Rutland StreetLeicester LE1 1SB

33467 AP_CD Engineering 13/07/2015 12:04 Page 1

60

The Eaton is a lovely 54 bedroom hotel located just twomiles from Birmingham city centre. It has been recentlyrefurbished, and now offers excellent banqueting andconference facilities. The Eaton also makes a perfect venuefor civil weddings, galas and celebrations of all kinds.

What really sets the Eatonapart from other hotels inthe area is the fact that it isstill a family run business, areal rarity in this day andage. Maria Louvieris ownsand operates the Eaton justas her parents did whenthey founded it and made it

the local institution it is today. Maria is an amazing host with aphenomenal ability to recall the likes (and dislikes) of herguests, even after a long absence. Don’t be surprised if sheremembers your favourite meal from your stay last year, andasks if you would like the same again. Also, Maria has verytraditionally Greek feelings about her duties as a host. Don’tever expect to leave the table hungry. In fact, if you haven’teaten till you’re bursting, you might not be allowed to leave!

These familytraditionshave rubbedoff on thestaff, as well.The entireEaton Hoteloperation

stands out for its older, more personal way of doing business.The end effect is to make the Eaton a real home away fromhome for its regular guests, and even new guests and visitorsto the Birmingham area can feel the difference. This is real 5-star hotel service for as little as £75 per night.

BanquetingThe Eaton offers several banqueting options, from small partiesin the restaurant section to catered celebrations for up to 150guests in the much larger Eaton Suite. Maria and the Eaton’sstaff can make any special night perfect, so don’t be afraid toask for special treatment!

ConferencesThe Eaton shows its versatility here, as it can accommodateevents and conferences of even very large size in airy, spaciousconference rooms with every modern facility. Conference roomsof several sizes are available, up to 150 delegates.

WeddingsThe Eaton is one of the most charming wedding venues inBirmingham, and Maria’s events team is incredible. They canmake any kind of event sparkle, from an intimate service to ahuge banquet reception, and know just how to make thatspecial day perfect for each couple.

DiningMaria truly sets a fine table, and the Eaton is a perfect place toenjoy fine dining whether you stay on site or not. It is a truesilver service restaurant that offers classic dishes such as SteakDiane flambéed at table, and a cherries jubilee that is worth thetrip all by itself.

The Eaton Hotel awaits! Just tell Maria we sent you. [email protected] 0121 454 3311 www.eatonhotel.co.uk

The Eaton A modern, independent hotel ideally suited to bring you everything

Birmingham has to offer

THE EATONHOTEL


61

Birmingham Repertory Theatre has createdsome fantastic productions in its time - andyou too can have all that glittering artistictalent making your event a show stopper.

The REP’s recent refurbishment saw the creation ofa host of versatile spaces for conferences,exhibitions, client entertainment, meetings andbanqueting, turning it into the perfect place tostage a memorable corporate event.

And weddings too - the building is licensed to hostcivil ceremonies, an ideal venue for couplesseeking a truly theatrical experience, from start tofinish, for themselves and their guests.

Birmingham enjoys a world class reputation as aconference location outside of London, anddemand for venues of all kinds here is high - butSales Manager Suzanna Reid Barreiro da Silva isproud that The REP is a one-off for the city - andprobably the Midlands.

“We have a choice of three auditoria, threepurpose-built conference rooms for up to 200delegates plus two quirky meeting rooms, all withnatural daylight and the latest audio visualequipment” she says. “Everything required to stageyour event plus a dedicated team to build it.

“From team building to exhibitions and themed dinners to private meetings,our flexible facilities offer a blank canvas upon which you can create yourperfect event, large or small, with support from our experts to help youdeliver it.”

Here is where you can bring real drama to your occasion - there’s a realtheatrical slant to the team building workshops, for example, surprisingmany at how well all the world’s a stage translates to the workplace.

Stage Fright, the presentation skills workshop, utilises acting techniques tofocus on breathing and vocal techniques for enhanced public speakingwhile another, Make A Scene, is particularly effective at problem solving andproviding innovative solutions through creative thinking.

“We provide packages from one-off energisers to full day workshops thatcan be added to existing training or conferences and tailored to suit yourrequirements,” says Suzanna.

The same theatricality is brought to every wedding by The REP, whosecaring team gives the same attention to detail to every celebration as itdoes to its own spectacular stage productions.

Themed hen and stag parties, backstage tours, spectacular lighting, use ofactor’s dressing rooms and on-stage dining are just some of the offerings tohappy couples and their guests.

And whatever the occasion, theatre guests can guarantee they’ll eat likeRoyalty for The REP works with a range of caterers to provide high quality,locally sourced cuisine: from silver service to buffets, cocktails to traditionalChampagne toasts.

To find out more about weddings or information on workshops and corporate events at The REP, Call 0121 245 2024 or email [email protected].

Alternatively visit http://www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/visit/venue-hire/ where you can also find out about the range of corporate membership opportunities available.

33424 AP_BBP Template 29/06/2015 16:39 Page 1

62

Business DirectoryWould you like your company listed on this page for just £195 for 11 months?

Business Services

Hospitality

Property

Finance

Manufacturing

Training and Recruitment

Zig Zag Advertising & Design Ltd

01562 [email protected]

A1 Clutches

0121 522 [email protected]

Scorpion Automotive

01257 [email protected]/fleet

Viezu Technologies Ltd


R3 Road Risk Reduction

07785 77 33 [email protected]

M6 Commercials


M6 M6 COMMERCIALSYOUR INDEPENDENT VEHICLE REPAIR SPECIALIST

Fleet Managers Friend Ltd

07552 127005info@fleetmanagersfriend.comwww.fleetmanagersfriend.comFleet Managers Friend Ltd

Bridge Fleet Solutions

0871 750 3004info@bridgefleetsolutions.co.ukwww.bridgefleetsolutions.co.uk

Smart Witness Vehicle CCTV


VEHICLE CCTV AND SAFETY SYSTEMS

ATS Euromaster Ltd

0800 60 10 [email protected]

ATSTyres and Vehicle Maintenance

Automotive

Else Solicitors LLP


Eagle Express


Surf Telecoms Ltd


CFL Business


BUSINESS

KD Electrical


Air & Ground Aviation Ltd

01889 [email protected] www.airandground.com

Be Inspired Films


bif b e i n s p i r e dF I L M S

Paul Humphreys Credit Insurance Services Ltd


Paul HumphreysCredit Insurance

MSE Electrical & Mechanical


Telogis


Z5 (UK) Ltd


Conference Venues

Conference Oxford

01865 276190enquiries@conference-oxford.ox.ac.ukwww.conference-oxford.com

CONFERENCEOXFORD

Trade Finance Partners

+44 (0)20 7634 [email protected]

Liquid Finance Partners Limited


Management Service Centres Ltd


Irwin Mitchell LLP


IM

Impetus


The Birmingham Repertory Theatre


Eaton Hotel


THE EATONHOTEL

Purity Brewing Co


Curve Theatre


Stapleford Park


FANUC UK


AW Precision


Mirage Ltd


G&P Group Holdings Ltd


Accurate Laser Cutting Ltd


StairBox Ltd


Brooke Smith Planning



Midland Heart


Think Recruitment

0121 411 9977becky.hamilton@thinkrecruitment.co.ukwww.thinkrecruitment.co.uk

thinkrecruitment

TM

High-Ways Driving School


Driving School

High-Ways

Direct Page Ed 55_Feature Template 17/07/2015 18:24 Page 1

08000 807 809

[email protected]

www.bbpmedia.co.uk

BBP Midlands - Edition 55

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